#but now he's in LA solving crimes LIKE

[witchmd13]

a merthur lucifer au where they dont necessarily solve crimes but it's just merlin following arthur around trying to figure out how humans work telling him he has magic/is emrys every 2 seconds and arthur just thinks he's insane but still drags him around with him everywhere anyway

[okiedokrie]

All Is Fair In Love And War Pt.1

Summary: Joshua is nothing if not determined. If he wants something, he'll get it; not that he even had to try before. But sometimes, like Icarus, he flies a little too close to the sun. But hey, all is fair in love and war!

Characters/Pairing: Aphrodite Incarnation!Joshua x Fem!Detective!Very Mortal!Reader

Genre: smut, fluff, crack, angst if you really squint

AUs/Trope Info: Greek God!AU, Partners In Solving Crimes, Strangers to Lovers, "time isnt linear" trope, "holy shit im kind of obsessed with you" trope

Word Count: 3,194 (Full fic is around 10k)

Warnings: Depiction of a crime scene (gore, blood, gun, conspiracy), depiction of drug use, character death (major and minor), smut warnings in the next part

Rating: 18+

A/N: I decided to split this into parts since I'm not confident ill be able to finish this within the deadline, this is part of the The 13 Gods of Olympus: A Seventeen collab hosted by @beomcoups and @wooahaeproductions! This is just the first part, so if you enjoy it, please consider signing up for the taglist. Thank you!!

In the summer of 2000, Joshua Hong was almost five years old. People always commented on how pretty he was for a kid, that he’d surely grow up to be a very handsome man.

Which is why it was a tragedy when he died from a freak truck accident.

Yes, Joshua Hong died at the age of five. For like, 10 minutes.

The doctors called it a miracle - a small child should not have survived a whole six of the twelve truck wheels, but somehow he was resuscitated, much to his parents’ delight.

This incident caused two things to change dramatically - Californetherlands now has stricter trucking laws and Joshua woke up to memories of literally being Aphrodite.

Throughout the years, from that fateful summer day to the present day, Joshua flopped back and forth between believing that the memories were just fever dreams and genuinely considering that he may be a reincarnation of the goddess. But ever since he got to hone his powers, he’s been more inclined to believe the latter.

By the age of 28, he has mastered the art of seduction. No, not sleeping with people constantly. It was more so the art of getting people to say ‘yes’ to everything he asked of them.

This made Joshua a very powerful and influential figure in Los Amsterdam; You see, the way he dealt wasn’t by out-witting people or being richer than them. He dealt in favors. If you wanted to be a popstar, he’d introduce you to a famous producer, and get you a record deal that would solidify your career - all for the low, low price of free.

In turn, you’d owe him, like the many powerful people who owed him large favors.

Joshua found himself in downtown LA, in the club that he owned, just under his penthouse. He enjoyed playing the guitar and performing for his patrons, everyone seemingly captivated by his voice, or his beauty, whichever one caught their attention first. He finally strummed the last chord of his song, enjoying the applause of the crowd as the DJ started to play the usual club music. Just as he was about to retreat to the bar, a feminine voice stopped him.

“Joshua! Hey!” She said, hair bouncing over her new fur coat, jumping excitedly, calling him over.

Joshua smiled widely at her - she was one of the people he had helped start her career as a singer. He didn’t do much other than introduce her to the CEO of her current label, it was her natural talent that got her this far.

“Ah, Diana, good to see you!” He said, going over to meet her in a friendly hug, the kind that didn’t touch at all. “How has being a singer treated you? Any good news?” He said, making small talk with an old acquaintance.

“Oh please,” she started, her new haughty attitude showing, “It’s all over the news! I just got nominated for a Grammy!” She said in a sing-song tone. Joshua just nodded Truth be told, he didn’t really have much interest in pop music, but he did try to match her enthusiasm.

“That’s great! I knew you’d make it big.” he said, remembering the first time she came to him, a girl in clothes that almost looked like rags, now decked out in every designer brand you could think of. “So, what brings you back here then? Surely you already have everything you ever wanted?” He said lightheartedly. Even if all of Joshua’s connections owed him favors, it was quite uncommon for them to come back to him after having achieved their dreams.

“Well,” She said, her old, meek bashfulness coming to the surface. “I just wanted to see you again, to thank you for what you have done for me.” She tucked a hair behind her ear. “And I know no matter what favor I do for you in return, I could never break even for just how much you’ve impacted my life. So, thank you, Joshua.”

Joshua genuinely felt relieved to hear her say that - usually, people’s pride and greed got in the way of them acknowledging those who truly helped them along the way, but as he suspected, this girl still had a soul so pure. “Let's get some drinks by the bar and chat some more, yeah? My treat.” He offered, which she gladly took, the conversation between them flowed naturally, Joshua enjoying her tales of success.

It was an hour after the club closed that Diana decided it was time to head home. Joshua offered to see her off, like the gentleman he was, and so they walked to the sidewalk, her hand around his arm.

Joshua opened the taxi door for her, offering her a few bills in cash to cover the fare, “It was nice seeing you again, hopefully, you’ll make time to catch up with me in the future.” he said through the taxi window.

“Yeah, I hope I get the chance to see you again soon. Goodnight Joshua.” She said as she rolled up the taxi window.

Joshua watched the taxi drive until the end of the block, and everything seemed to be going smoothly. Then, another car intercepted her in the intersection.

It happened so quickly, too quickly for Joshua to even register the new car’s window sliding down, holding a gun out to the taxi Diana was in. Gunshots echoed through the street, the sound of tires popping and glass shattering but all Joshua could make out was the sound of two sets of four tires screeching against the concrete. Diana’s taxi collided with a nearby lamppost, the taxi flattening and curling around it.

That was the last time Joshua saw her alive.

It was all over the news “Beloved Grammy-nominated rising star, Undyne, passed at a downtown intersection in a successful assassination.” Headlines went crazy with her story, telling her life before her short-lived success as a pop star.

The police were on her case, and the street cameras identified a black car with a non-existent plate number. they couldn’t find the people who owned it, but they did have enough evidence to call it a homicide.

Joshua, being close to the scene at the time when it happened, was one of the key witnesses to the whole case.

Currently, Joshua is in the waiting area of the police station, waiting for the detective on the case to lead him to the interrogation room where he will give his statements. He was just mindlessly scrolling through his phone when a voice snapped him out of it.

“Mr. Hong? Correct?” One of the officers asked him. He nodded to confirm it, repeating his full name. The officer just nodded too, “Okay, please follow me. Detective L/n will be there to ask a few questions.” He turned to the direction of the interrogation room, Joshua trailing behind him quietly.

The officer stopped in front of a door, “Here we are, just head on in.” He said, nodding at him. He walked into the interrogation room, the chilly air making goosebumps rise on the surface of his skin, the thin cardigan he wore did nothing to shield him from the cold. He took a seat at the chair facing the door, poking at the cold metal table as he waited.

“Good Morning Mr. Hong, I’m Detective L/n. I’m here to ask you a few questions, everything said here will be transcribed as evidence for this case, do you consent to this?” You started, taking the seat in front of him, your tone was very professional, as he expected, you didn’t even bother with pleasantries other than introducing yourself, which didn’t bother Joshua. He confirms his consent verbally, politely smiling at you with his hands clasped over the table.

“Great, I’d like to ask a few questions about you first.” You said, taking out your folder for the case, “You’re Joshua Hong, born on the 30th of December, 1995. You own the club downtown where your place of residence is also. Is all of that correct?” Joshua confirms all of the information is correct.

“You can just call me Joshua, by the way, Mr. Hong makes it seem like I’m someone important.” He said bashfully, scratching the back of his neck.

You just nod, writing something down in your notebook, “What was your relationship with Diana Kamatayan?” You asked, reviewing the official file which states that she is one of Joshua’s ‘clients’.

You were well aware of how the king of Los Amsterdam does his business, favors for favors. That’s how he got this far, and if you don’t hold up your end of the bargain, he’ll take away everything he gave you. You knew asking for Joshua’s help would make this investigation go quicker, but that would mean you’d owe him.

Owing Joshua Hong anything is a dangerous position to be in.

So while you have him in this interrogation room, you’re going to try to milk every bit of information out of him while it’s free.

“Well,” he started, getting comfortable in his seat, “She was one of my clients, I’m sure your file on me already knew that. Other than a professional relationship, I don’t really have one with her. That night was the first time I’ve seen her in a little over a year, actually.”

You nod, the timeline matches up, “And why did you meet her that night?” You ask next, trying to get more out of the nature of this last meeting.

“She approached me while I was in my nightclub. I was just about to turn in for the night when she came up to me to catch up. She thanked me for introducing her to a producer and wanted to catch up.”

Joshua really wasn't giving any information for free, as the interrogation went on you could only collect information you already knew. He didn't reveal any more than a simple google search did.

You drop your file folder onto the table, where Joshua's posture remained calm, cool, collected across from you, the small, charming smile still on his face.

“Did you get what you needed, Detective?” Joshua asks politely, tilting his head with his query.

“All I got was everything we already knew.” You sighed, rolling your shoulders in your seat. You turn in your seat, facing Joshua head-on once more. “Joshua, you are one of the most powerful and influential men in Los Amsterdam. We need your help in solving this case. All our leads have gone cold. We need your connections.”

Joshua smirked, the only time his expression changed from the relaxed and polite smile he had for the rest of the interview. His posture relaxed, leaning forward over the table, he placed his palms down on the cool metal surface, and said, “You do know what that would mean, right? The price you’d have to pay?”

You nodded, “I know all too well.”

“Asking me for a favor would mean that you’d owe me, do you think you can afford to pay that price?” He raised his eyebrows, you’d think your eyes deceive you when his irises glowed a soft gold—tilting his head in an almost teasing manner, taunting you.

Your breath hitched as you looked back at the one-way glass, knowing your co-workers were watching every detail of this interaction. “I promise I’ll deliver what I owe you. Just- please help us.” You said, not being able to look at him directly in the eyes.

He straightens his back once more, his polite smile returning to his face. “It’s settled then, I look forward to working with you Miss.”

Driving through the streets of a somewhat more affluent neighborhood, you stop in front of a well-known party den. There are plenty in Los Amsterdam, but this one was popular because of their ‘free-love’ policy.

Essentially, if you want to fuck, every surface is available to borrow for the duration.

You don’t look forward to entering the den, especially since you don’t know which surfaces are good to touch, but your partner beside you seems to be relaxed and content to visit such a place.

“God, I haven’t seen Jackson in forever. I hope he’s still having the time of his life here.” Joshua said with his bright eye-smile. You turn back to him, eyebrows furrowing in disgust. How could he find a place like this enjoyable? You don’t understand how the minds of party-goers work.

“Okay, how exactly is visiting a party den supposed to help with our investigation?” You finally ask him, he refused to elaborate on how relevant this location was when you met up with hiim, or during the entire car ride to said location.

“Well, Jackson still owes me, and he’s Diane’s ex’s first producer. If there’s anyone with a motive to get her killed, it’s her ex. I asked him to get Johnny drunk enough to pass out in one place. Now you have the perfect stage to corner and investigate him!” He said, with a smile on his face as if his plan didn’t just open up a whole new can of worms for you.

“You do know it’s illegal for me to just interrogate him without a warrant right? He might lawyer up if he figures out we’re onto him.” You said running a hand through your hair.

“Which is why I got you this,” he pulls out a skimpy party dress and matching heels from his duffle bag, “We blend in with the party-goers, that way you’re not interrogating him, you’re just having a conversation.”

“Joshua Hong you are insane.” You said, tone raising, “I’m not walking into a sex den looking like a hooker!”

“Don’t worry, we’re just trying not to stand out, please, just trust me.” He said handing the outfit over to you. You think over his words, it would be wise not to draw too much attention to yourself. If you made it obvious that you were a cop you’d have to resort to improvising.

You were never good at improvising.

Joshua gave you the decency to turn away while you changed, he was already in his usual relaxed suit that already made him look like a pimp, so he was already dressed for the occasion.

You both step out of the car, your heels clacking on the pavement below you. How Joshua managed to find your shoe size is in itself impressive, but you don’t have the time to dwell on that.

You both enter the bustling house filled to the brim with people indulging in their vices, whether it was alcohol, drugs, the ‘free-love’. It was a mess of bodies and fluids that you’d rather not inspect closely.

Joshua expertly weaved through the crowd, parting it like Moses did to the red sea. He didn’t have any difficulty locating Jackson Wang, the host of these parties.

“Jackson!” Joshua called out, the man was sitting in one of the many loveseats, a can of beer in hand and two ladies under his arms, giggling and getting very comfortable with him.

Jackson squints over the flashing lights, eyes widening in recognition after seeing Joshua. “Joshua! My man! Glad you finally made it! Got to say though, that favor of yours was an odd one. But you’ll be able to find him in my room. You know the way.” He waves him off, resuming to talking to the women clinging onto him.

You follow after Joshua, quickly climbing a few sets of stairs to get to the third floor, the entirety of the third floor was just Jackson’s room. He made sure to lock the door behind the both of you when you guys arrived.

The floor was far quieter than the floors below you, and less of a mess than them too. This room felt like Jackson’s actual home, and not like a party den.

Joshua spots Johnny stumbling around the room, nursing a liquor bottle- a few of them.

“Joshua we can’t interrogate him when he’s like this, he can barely even stand!” You said, waving your arms in front of you to point at the inebriated man.

“That’s not a problem, watch this.” Joshua takes long and purposeful strides toward him, once he finally reaches him, he takes his face in his hands and stares directly into his eyes.

You watch in awe and slight confusion, until Joshua speaks up, “You want to tell us everything we want to know, and you will be sober as a priest while you do so.”

Suddenly the haziness in Johnny’s eyes faded in an instant, his brown eyes now have a golden ring around the irises, like a puppet on a string.

“What did you need to know?” Johnny says, no longer under the influence of alcohol.

“Joshua, what did you do to him?” You ask in slight horror.

“Nothing illegal, don’t worry about it.” He said, “Continue your questioning on him, detective, if we spend any more time here Jackson’s gonna think we’re having sex here.”

Not wasting any more time you ask Johnny, “Are you aware that Diane Kamatayan had been assassinated? Do you know any information about that?” Johnny squints before his eyes widen in recognition, “Diane, yeah, her, we dated a bit. I was obsessed with her. But she broke it off when she got big. Yeah, I’m pissed, but instead of doing anything healthy with my time I just chose to shit-talk her on Twitter and drown in alcohol. When I heard the news about her passing, I lost it, went straight here where Jackson just kept handing me bottle after bottle with no questions.”

You look at Joshua, raising an eyebrow, not much of a motive if he didn’t even contact her directly in the entire duration of their time as exes.

You shake your head, back to square one then.

“It didn’t help that she started dating the old geezer of a producer of hers.” Johnny said, eyebrows furrowing in frustration, “That whore, she probably got big because that sleaze of a producer gave her banger after banger for sucking his dick or something, tch.” he said, clicking his tongue and crossing his arms.

“I’m pretty sure it was him who killed her too.”

You and Joshua look at each other in shock, eyes meeting for a second, almost as if communicating telepathically.

“Why do you think that?” You ask, cautious around the increasingly irritated Johnny.

“He’s always been a greedy bastard, worked with him before. Wanted to claim all the royalties of my song, so I sued him. Pretty sure he got threatened by how rich Diane was getting for that hit.” Johnny spat, distaste seeping into every word he said, “Now Diane is dead, and the bastard is getting married to some Slavic model, most likely cashing in all those royalty cheques.”

You and Joshua nod at each other. Joshua snaps his fingers, it’s almost as if snipping a puppet off its strings, the glow around Johhny’s eyes dims and disappears, suddenly slumping over the seat, stumbling drunkenly like he did when you found him.

“Okay, we have a lead.”

[spidernuggets]

Hi hope you’re having a good/night can you do a Jason Todd x detective fem reader. She meets Jason , but she meets him when he’s red hood at a crime scene.

Jason Todd x FemDetective!Reader

"So you're the guy that's making my paperwork pile up higher than the Empire State Building."

"Christ, another one?" One of your coworkers said as the limp, dead body was zipped up into a body, and evidence collected and put away.

You shrug a shoulder, writing down in your notepad a list of suspects and witnesses involved in this new murder, which was also linked to other recent killings.

"Adam Matthews." You state the victim's name.

"Drug dealer?" Your coworker asks, looking at the substance that Matthews had on his person being bagged for evidence.

"Mm. He was a cook for a drug dealer who tested on homeless kids or orphans. But Matthews was also known for being an accessory for other murders, kidnappings, and was guilty for sexual assaults," you state, sighing, putting your notebook away.

Your coworker fell shocked. "How the fuck is he not locked up?!" He yells.

"Links with richies," you scoff. "Well, he's dead now. His long, overdue debt it now paid." You always believed these kinds of people never deserved a second chance. All the previous murder victims were similar to Adam Matthews. So, others may call you crazy, but you were thankful for this anonymous killer going out of their way, killing scumbags like Matthews.

"I'm going to scout around the area, Parks," you told your coworker as he nodded and went to discuss with the other officers around the area.

You shone your flashlight around the narrow alleys, searching for any clues or evidence you could use to help solve the crime and catch the murderer. Or in your eyes an anti-hero.

Just as you were about to turn around and return to the scene, you heard grunts and strings of profanity coming from behind one of the dumpsters.

Your hand hovered over your gun in your hip holster, walking towards the sounds.

You swiftly turned to see the source, hand on the handle of the gun, and saw a certain, outlawed vigilante leaning on the dumpster, holding his arm, his body stained with blood.

His helmet lay in between his legs, his domino mask remaining on his face.

"What the fu- Red Hood??" You exclaim.

"You mind?" He groans, holding his hand out, trying to avoid the flash shining in his eyes.

"Shit, sorry," you reoly, turning it off and placing it on your utility belt. Your head tilted to the side, seeing that Red Hood was struggling to wrap his arm up. "It's loose," you say, referring to the bandage- or rag that he was tying around his bicep.

"Wow, really? Didn't- fuck- didn't notice," he says, cursing once more when the bandage fell down.

You roll your eyes, crouching beside his and taking the bandage from his, unwrapping his arm and rewrapping it tighter as it should be.

"So you're the guy that's making my paperwork pile up higher than the Empire State Building." You mutter, tying the bandage to stay in place.

"Sorry, little cop lady. Just doing my job." He hisses.

"It's little detrctice lady to you. And I'd appreciate it if you made your little killing sprees a little more discreet. Eventually, the actual cops are gonna catch your ass," you snicker, getting up.

"As if I let them." He bites back.

"L/n. Where are you?" Parks says through your walkie. "Did you find anything?"

Red Hood gets up, putting his helmet back on, looking down at you, waiting for your response.

You click on the button to reply. "No. Nothing here. Coming back now."

The white glowing eyes pierce through yours as Red Hood chuckles. "Hiding a criminal? Haven't taken a look through the law book in a while, but isn't that illegal?" You couldn't see it, but Red Hood grinned, amised at this new encounter.

You shrugged. "I'm only doing this because I know I can't stop you, even if I wanted to. Besides. If these ass rat criminals kept scurrying around, the papaerwork would be much more than you're making." You smirk.

He laughs. "So you're saying you don't want to stop me?" He crosses his arms.

"Have a good night, Mr. Hood." You bid him goodbye, walking back to the crime scene.

"And to you too, little detective lady," he says, quietly hoping to run into again after he puts lead into the head of his next target.

"Jeez, I thought you died or something. You were gone for a while, are you sure you didn't find anything?" Parks quickly asks you.

You quickly wipe away the blood on your palms from Red Hood's wound onto your black jeans. "Save the interrogation for the suspects, Parks. Nothing there but dead rats and graffiti."

You walk off, almost missing the shine of a red helmet running off on the roof of a building in the distance as you smirk to yourself, also secretly hoping Red Hood would cause another casualty to meet him again.

Parks was about to walk off, too, almost missing the tiniest splotch of red on your white shirt as he raised an eyebrow.

I'M SO SORRY I DIDN'T MEAN TO MAKE IT SO SHORT!!!

I didn't want to leave this ask in my inbox for too long and forget about it 😭😭

BUTTTT if you or anyone else wants!!! I can make a part 2 where Reader and Red Hood begin a constant meetup after every death Red Hood causes (only to those criminals who deserve it, obvi). And Parks becomes suspicious of Reader and threatens her or that Reader's job is put on the line!!!!

I was going to add this idea in, but I'm really bad at making long fics cuz I always wanna get it over and done with and I'm so impatient 😭

HOPE YOU ENJOYED IT ANYWAYS 🙏🙏

[dcdreamblog]

@terriwriting That's actually a great question. I assume you're thinking of "The Phantom of the Fair" Very mysterious that one. Though he's known as "The First Supervillain" in many respects his actual story is unclear even to this day. I can share what I know though.

This is probably the clearest photo ever taken of the man, from very early on the morning of April 30th, 1939 taken by a photographer from the New York Globe-Leader. The photographer assumed it was some kind of statue only "it" vanished when he went to take a second picture. No one was prepared for what would occur during the opening ceremony conducted by then mayor Fiorello La Guardia

Another photo, this time from the Planet capturing the moment where the Phantom dropped in on La Guardia, causing a panic in the crowd and taking the microphone The Phantom spoke the now famous works "Men and women of New York City—this World's Fair is now declared officially haunted by the Phantom of the Fair!" before vanishing back into the rooftops despite the best efforts of the NYPD

Now you would THINK that he would instantly be marked for arrest but World's Fairs aren't cheap so Mayor La Guardia, in his infinite wisdom, treated the guy like a publicity stunt for the next several days.

A photo of the Phantom taken on the evening of May 3rd, 1939 as a spotlight is pointed up at the building. No attempt is made to apprehend the Phantom It wasn't until the visit of the UK's King George VI and Queen Elizabeth that the Phantom made a move. Somehow "reprogramming" the mechanical marvel Elektro in the other room and sending it to attack the royal couple.

The police escort was caught totally flat footed and the royal couple was nearly smashed beneath the robot's heavy iron boot until...

The appearance of two strange men. One in an inhuman gas mask and the other in a blood red cloak. Courtesy of the Gazette Up until that point "The Sandman" and "The Crimson Avenger" were considered myths, legend, yellow journalism crafted by a New York in the midst of the Great Depression and an organized crime spike. A modern day Spring Heeled Jack. But there they were. Their fight with the rampaging Elektro and the Phantom lasted for upwards of two hours across the interiors and rooftops of the Fair's central buildings. In the end the broken robot was left sprawled across the dance floor of the central hall and the Phantom was nowhere to be found.

Now this one, taken after the defeat of the Phantom by a photographer from the Planet is one of my favorite shots in history. Beneath this picture, a reporter would coin the term "Mystery Man" and it is at that very moment that the age of the superhero is born. The Sandman and The Crimson Avenger had made themselves known as not just specters in the dark but honest to god crime fighters known the world over. This is the photograph that christened an era. Within the next year we would move from "Yellow Journalism" to the foundation of the Justice Society. As for the Phantom, no one really knows what happened to him. but there are two popular theories. The historically attested theory and the one that was unquestioned for the longest time is that The Phantom was a Nazi saboteur attempting to assassinate King George VI on American soul to alienate the two nations and remove a powerful symbol against fascism (possibly attempting to secure the throne for Edward VIII who was more sympathetic to the German cause) In the early 90s however historian Matt Wagner put forward a theory connecting the Phantom to a man named Gerald Zimmerman as the suspect in a series of anti-queer hate crimes that occurred near the fairgrounds in the days leading up to the Fair itself. The crimes, as one can expect of anti-gay killings investigated in the 1930s, were never conclusively solved but circumstantial evidence and modern psychological analysis of the Phantom and Zimmerman gives the theory some legs. As a historian myself, I can't make conclusive proof one way or another. Rest assured the Fairground has LONG since been scoured for every single scrap of proof that might grant us insight one way or the other Perhaps the Phantom was one last Penny Dreadful style unsolved mystery to open the door to a newer age. When these "Mystery Men" would, for once and always, step out of the shadows as the world sat balanced on a knife's edge.

[readsrealm]

Buggy & The Roger Pirates Thing (maybe even a little Corabug!?)

Buggy always feeing like he doesn’t belong on Rogers crew. Like he was just brought on to be a playmate for Shanks (practically a pet). He’s not entirely wrong either most of the crew shows unintentional favoritism to Shanks and don’t really remember that Buggy’s there half the time.

The next island they visit they actually forget Buggy. Buggy himself doesn’t even realize until hours later, Roger Pirates far away and still unaware of their mistake. Buggy’s devastated, he kinda wanders around the islands small town and into its forest in shock and despair before coming upon a familiar face. A blond marine who he’d met in the town earlier who was now running through the woods. They had a good conversation earlier and all Buggy had really learned was the boys name. Rosinante.

Rosinante takes Buggy back to Sengoku who goes “WAIT A MINUTE” and then declares that Buggy’s been taken in for ransom. Buggy tells them that nobody is going to come for him.

They wait a couple days, then a week, then a couple weeks, finally two whole months go by and nobody’s showed up for Buggy. Sengoku is disturbed by this and does some digging. Apparently a vote to retrieve Buggy was placed and the majority thought it was too much work for the second cabin boy (the add on, the spare, the unpromising backup). There was also info that Roger and the losing side were upset with the polling results but weren’t going to do much about it.

Sengoku decides right there and then he’s gonna see why Roger let Buggy onto his crew in the first place and why they don’t want Buggy back.

And…..

Sengoku has no clue why they wouldn’t want Buggy to return to them. He’s crafty, smart, loyal. He’s a good kid by pirate standards. Clearly a trouble maker but the passion he has for chemistry and science is unmatched. The way he solves puzzles and can worm his way out of any situation socially is insane. His treatment of people around him and of Cora himself (even if it’s special treatment😉) is admirable. Not to mention the boys luck.

Sengoku suspect it’s cause of Buggy’s less upfront way of fighting and actually assessing situations is what put The Rogers off. Buggy may be cowardly but if he really is needed he’ll do his part. Plus his long range weapons (bombs, altered guns) are nothing to sneeze at.

Buggy ends up staying with the marines for a really long time even if in the beginning he said he was going to escape and get far far away from them. Instead staying, training and getting stronger.

Decades later Red Haired Shanks comes face to face with a marine with long blue hair and the nickname Ringmaster.

Okay first of all thank you for writing this.

now right now I’m crying because that’s just fucking sad.

them leaving buggy there and how they decided is disgusting and I’m literally devastated. Poor buggy wanna hug him so bad.

For me Roger here failed as the captain bc who tf cares what the crew thinks. He is the captain and he should have been defending Buggy but he didn’t. In here Ace was right Roger was a monster bc left a child who looked up to him like no one else ever did in a town from nowhere behind. I wonder how shanks reacted.

I kinda wished that- I don’t know if you watched the LA but there Garp is on the Plattform where Roger gets killed. I wish that buggy would arrive the Plattform when Roger finished his speech him thinking he will die with no regrets and with starting the new era but the moment he saw buggy his smile vanished and he knew he could no longer die at peace.

I have two things in mind of what buggy could say

He would smile at roger with a trembling body saying something like: “I hoped you lived a good live “captain”

or

2. He would be cold and saying shit like: “That’s it Gol D. Roger. You and your loved one will pay for your crimes” and he would mean it bc with people who believe in him he would get stronger and have more determination

I’m kinda surprised that Sengoku would take with if we think about what he did to Ace considering that wanted to execute him for being roger son not being the second commander of Whitebeard who was equal to roger. But I do not complain. If I think about it Buggy could be trained by Sengoku and Garp and Tsuru. Sengoku and Garp were also equal to roger. And while Sengoku could teach him to be smarter fight smarter, Garp could train him in strength combat and haki. Tsuru could help him to calm himself down and always keep his cool. So he could be powerful yonko level bc that what actually oda said. If Buggy would take effort he would be yonko level.

You know what a sad part of this is Buggy is the kind of character who gets treated bad by the “good” ones (in here the goal of the main character) but he would not get justice. He would die and maybe the others would regret it but probably not the same episode one person would say “he would want that you hate yourself…” like BITCH OFC HE WOULDNT BUT YOU SHOULD BC YOU DESERVE THAT.

anyways I’m getting of the topic I think Buggy is smart and a sweetheart if you treat him well. He maybe loves treasure in an unhealthy amount and can be a little arrogant but it’s like he is be mean but still would do everything for you if you treat him right. (I also believe that he would not have a pride problem to apologize if he did something wrong but that another thing).

again with the Plattform (I hope it’s Plattform English is not my native’s language) the thing is Shanks would see it. And I think no matter if choice one or two you choose he would be angry…even though he has no right too. But Buggy doesn’t care about shanks…well not anymore bc he has Rosi. While he hadn’t a bad relationship with Shanks his relationship with Rosi is much better. Shanks if not meant to be mean only teased him which lead to the whole crew teasing him and Buggy didn’t like that. I mean I don’t think he had a problem with some teasing bc that normal and fun you know? Everyone does that but they teased him about everything and it kinda hurt bc it gave off the feeling he wasn’t taking seriously at all. That he couldn’t be allowed to be sad or scared…genuinely.

With Rosi it wasn’t like that he got comforted motivated. Instea if being told that “a pirate isn’t allowed to be scared” or “are you hiding again” or “you wouldn’t be scared if you trained harder like shanks” he gets “it’s fine I protect you” or “don’t be scared buggy! Your strong and if anything happens I’m right here” and it helps bc it motivates him and them saying that they believe he is strong wants him to prove that and he doesn’t and he makes mistakes and learns from them and gets better bc that how it should be done

So if Buggy and Shanks would meet after decades Shanks would be furious at Buggy for doing this to their captain. But with just a few sentences Shanks anger turned into guilt

“Roger didn’t want me. He left me and abandoned me. No one wanted me”

So I think Shanks would withdraw and just go with it. But now he would feel emptier. It was one thing not having seen buggy and him officially cutting of the relationship was hard for Shanks but he shouldn’t complain he didn’t say anything when they voted to leave him even if he didn’t want that he could do more. Bc they would listen to him.

Buggy himself would live a good life being a very much known marine (vice admiral) having Rosi by his side (this is a Corazon lives AU) and be happy.

I even think that Luffy would be on Buggy’s side if he heard that story. But still would not stop being a pirate

[formulaorange]

2023 Fall Anime

This is honestly a loaded season full of new shows based on relatively new manga. Lots to look forward to

Spy x Family - Season 2 One of the most fun SJ series that have come out in a while. Season 1 was killer, high hopes for season 2.

Goblin Slayer 2 I didn't realize they were even making a second season. This was such a killer series. I'm really hoping they don't fall into the many mid-tier fantasy tropes out there in anime right now. I thought the appeal of the show was really Goblin Slayer himself and less about the lackeys along the way. So we'll see how it goes.

Frieren: Beyond Journey's End This is definitely one of my highly anticipated series. It's about an elf who was part of the Hero's party and her life after he dies. (Since elves live longer) Definitely a darker take on fantasy but has some really solid fantasy and adventure vibes.

Rising of the Shield Hero - Season 3 Season 2 was pretty disappointing and slow. While this looks like it'll be more fast paced, it does look like a tournament arc of sorts. I know some aren't a fan of that kind of arc, but honestly I think it's exactly what this series needs to pick things up again. We'll see.

The Faraway Paladin - Season 2 This was legitimately one of my favourite fantasy series. I thought it was really well written and didn't rush things like other series. I'm looking forward to this season.

Sequels/Continuations: Eminence in Shadow - Season 2 killer series with an anti-hero main character. Definitely worth checking out. After-School Hanako-Kun Hanako-kun spin off Dr. Stone Season 3 - Part 2 One of the best novel concept series with nothing else in it's genre to compare to. Definitely didn't drop the ball on the recent seasons and still worth watching. Dead Mount Death Play - Part 2 One that I didn't particularly enjoy, but has a decent sized manga following. Tokyo Revengers - Tenjiku Arc The continuation of the series. Might be just me but it feels like the series fell off after the first season. The Saint's Magic Power is Omnipotent - Season 2 A more mature take on fantasy isekai that just started to get into romance at the end of last season. A solid combo of shoujo genres. The Ancient Magus' Bride - Season 2 Part 2 One that I haven't had a change to check out yet but have only heard good things about. Hypnosismic - Season 2 a weirdly addictive musical/rap series. Unique characters and honestly solid rap battles. One I'll be enjoying. -- Related - Paradox Live - Music battle with what looks to be the same style of animation and solid character design. Definitely worth looking at if you're a fan of Hypmic. The Seven Deadly Sins: Four Knights of the Apocalypse A sequel of SDS. Looks like it could be a fun watch for the fans of the series. New:

Shangri La Frontier A new manga fantasy series. This may be a horrible way to describe but it is what it is - a new age SAO- full dive fantasy game. A gamer who only plays shit games, gets into a new massively popular MMORPG and is op. One that I'm excited for because it ticks all the fantasy game boxes I like.

Undead Unluck A relatively new manga series that gained a lot of traction in the last year or two. A gory action comedy that's super chaotic and a lot of fun.

Shy Brand new hero manga series about a shy girl and her anxieties and struggles going into the hero world who grows and gains confidence as she becomes a better hero.

Ron Kamonohashi's Forbidden Deductions This is a manga series that I have kept forgetting the name of so never got a chance to read but all the covers for the manga look phenomenal. Likely the anime doesn't do him justice but it is what it is. Essentially sherlock in anime form. A PI with issues and the wholesome police detective work together to solve crime. Other New Series: Green - Fantasy Pink - Romance Red - Action Purple - Drama The Kingdoms of Ruins A world where witches were hunted down by humans as science surpassed magic. A kid who was raised by a witch swears revenge on mankind. This honestly looks solid. The animations are very cool looking and the mc seems to be an anti-hero. Will be looking at this one. Under Ninja A well known manga series about modern ninjas. Definitely a unique series for this season. The Apothecary Diaries A historical medical mystery show. I've heard the name before and I've also only heard good things. Will be worth a watch. A Girl & Her Guard Dog The granddaughter of a crime syndicate goes to highschool out of town and the current young boss lies his way into the same school. Would be cute romance if it weren't for the fact she's 15 and he's 26.. Butareba - The Story of a Man Turned into a Pig What the title says. A girl finds him and the story goes from there. I'm Giving the Disgraced Noble Lady I Rescued a Crash Course in Naughtiness The usual light novel title. Honestly, doesn't seem as yikes as I initially thought, might just be harmless breaking the rules kinda thing. Could be fun, also a Capybara that strikes fear into people's hearts. My Daughter Left the Nest and Returned an S-Rank Adventurer Looks like a wholesome series where an adventurer finds a baby, raises it and she becomes so strong she's busy working all the time. Just a cute father daughter relationship in a fantasy setting about her wanting to come take time to see him but being caught up in OP fantasy battles. Ragna Crimson Dragons vs Humanity - a human and a dragon team up to destroy all the dragons. Action fantasy series. Berserk of Gluttony I honestly added this because I thought it was hilarious. Looks like a combo of knock offs - the Gluttony skill from Tensura (reincarnated as a slime) and the mc being called Fate with the main girl who looks exactly like Sabre. I'll be skipping but its' here so you know.

[rmbunnie]

Red Hood Characterization

This is really long so I'm putting a cut here, I've been thinking about Jason Todd's character motivations and the question of whether or not his actions are based in a Moral Code (I don't think so, not to say he's without any morality) and I talk about that in more depth here.

I saw someone say on here that Titans: Beast World: Gotham City was some of the best Jason Todd internal writing they'd seen in a while, and I've been a Red Hood fan for 8 years or so now? pretty much since I read comics for the first time, so I went and checked out and I thought it was good! The way the person I saw talking about it as if it was rare and unusual made me wonder though, because as well-written as i thought his stances on crime were, there wasn't really anything in it that went against the way I conceptualize Jason?

This kinda plays into a larger question I've been thinking about for a while with Jason though, which is that, do people think that the killing is part of a fundamental worldview that motivates him a la batman, and that worldview is the reason he does the things he does?? Because 8 years ago i was a middle schooler engaging with fiction on the level that a middle schooler does, so I simply did not put much thought into it beyond "poor guy :(" but ever since I actually started trying to understand consistent characterization, I don't really see Jason as someone who's motivated by a moral code in his actions the way batman or superman is!

tbh my personal read is that he's a very socially-motivated guy, his actions from resurrection to his Joker-Batman ultimatum in utrh always seemed to me like every choice made leading up to his identity reveal was either a. to give him the leverage and skill necessary to pull off his identity reveal successfully, or b. to twist the knife that little bit more when he does let Bruce find out who he is. Like iirc there's a Judd Winick tweet like "yeah tldr he chose Red Hood as his identity because it's the lowest blow he could think of." And I think that's awesome, I think character motivations rooted so deeply in character's relationships and emotions are really fun to read! I also think it's where the stagnation/flatness of his character comes from in certain comics, because if his main motivation is one event in one relationship that passes, and he is not particularly attached to anything in his life or the world by the time that comes to pass, it's a little harder to come up with a direction to go with the character after that, because there isn't much of a direction that aligns with something the character would reasonably want? But I do think solving this by saying "all of the morally-off emotionally driven cruelty he did on his way to spite Batman was actually reflective of his own version of Batman's stance that's exactly the same except he thinks it's GOOD to kill people" isn't ideal. To be fully honest, it seems to me like he never particularly cared one way or the other about killing people to "clean Gotham of crime," he just did everything he could to get the power necessary to pull off his personal plans, and took out any particularly heinous people he encountered along the way (like in Lost Days.) Not to say I think the fact he killed people keeps him up at night anymore than everything else in his life events, I just never really thought he was out there wholeheartedly kneecapping some dude selling weed or random guy robbing a tv store for justice.

Looping wayyy back to my question, Is this (^) contradictory to the way he's written/the overall average perception of the character? Because like I enjoyed his writing in Beast World i have zero significant issue with anything there, I just didn't believe it would be a hot take, like yeah, that is Jason. It's been a while since I've read utrh and lost days, but I don't think my takeaway directly contradicts either of those too bad iirc. Idk all this to say I think Jason killing and being alright with killing is an obvious and objective fact, but i guess i've always seen it as more of a practical tactic than a moral belief, and I think taking the actions made during the lowest points of a character's life where he is obsessively focused on this ONEEEE thing and trying to apply it as a Motivating Stance to everything he's done after that, doesn't really follow logically for me.

[disco-elysium-via-polls]

🎵 Precinct 41 Major Crimes Unit

"Vrrr… Viva la Revolución!"

+1 Communism

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Cool. To me it sounds like you got played by Evrart Claire. And it's true -- you *are* his little peone.""

"Is that why you want us to investigate the assassination of the previous Union head thing? To get off Evrart's hook?"

KIM KITSURAGI - "No. It's *nothing* like that. He was reckless with information -- but ethical. We don't owe anyone anything. This allowed us to stabilize things in Martinaise."

JUDIT MINOT - "God... Calm down, Jean."

REACTION SPEED [Medium: Success] - Silence. Good. The man doesn't know what to say.

6. "There was also a dead man -- on the boardwalk. A missing person I found."

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Yes-yes. Fallen through a gap in the boardwalk, drunk."

"How did you know I found him?"

JUDIT MINOT - "The body was transported to Precinct 41. Our morgue. I had Tillbrook and Mollins take care of funeral arrangements and family-stuff."

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "You're not the only cop in the world, Harry. This all comes back to us."

JUDIT MINOT - "Still," she says quietly. "Good work with the missing person, detective."

AUTHORITY [Easy: Success] - It's still a point for you. No denying it.

7. "I also looked into the mystery of the Doomed Commercial Area."

JEAN VICQUEMARE - He shrugs. "I don't know what a 'Doomed Commercial Area' is."

"Rue de Saint-Ghislaine 10. A commercial building where all businesses go bankrupt. I looked into it."

"The curse turned out to be possibly entroponetical. Part of my larger investigation -- into Martinaise itself."

"Nothing. It's not important."

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "No, it didn't -- it didn't turn out to be entroponetical *again*. Enough with the isolary-pale two-millimetre-hole-in-the-world line. This isn't Paradox B. We're a police force."

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] - Paradox B is a fringe science magazine published in Graad. Its mission is to explain theories like telekinesis and intraisolary pale, before they get out of hand.

KIM KITSURAGI - It doesn't look like the lieutenant wishes you to push this angle further.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Easy: Success] - 'Cut it out' is indeed what he is thinking.

8. "I confiscated drugs from Cuno's dad."

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Who's *Cuno*?"

KIM KITSURAGI - "You don't want to know."

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "You're right, lieutenant -- I don't." He turns to you. "You snorted the drugs, I know you did. It's all right, I mean, at this point -- *anything* is but the drink."

9. "So what do you say? Wanna take this hot shit back?" (Point to yourself.)

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "I don't *want* to. But you discovered a new species. And solved the murder..." He shrugs.

"So I *have* to. Jude?"

JUDIT MINOT - "Anything that ends the *trial* is okay with me." A quick nod.

ESPRIT DE CORPS [Medium: Success] - You haven't been drinking, she thinks. So maybe this time...

TRANT HEIDELSTAM - "Agreed. The public relations potential of this is too valuable to let go."

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Okay." He sighs. "We have vehicles in the square. And the perpetrator needs to be taken into custody. Let's go."

Task complete: The Return

+10 XP

INLAND EMPIRE [Easy: Success] - Now! Now you will *finally* get to know who you are!

"Wait. I have a *few* questions before we go. About who I am."

JEAN VICQUEMARE - The man looks westward, impatiently.

PERCEPTION (HEARING) [Medium: Success] - Jingling his car keys in his pocket.

"Who *am* I?"

"Why am I *like* this?"

"Okay. Am I a dirty cop working for La Puta Madre?"

"Precinct 41… what kind of station is it?"

"The phasmid -- I need to tell Lena about this ASAP."

"Lieutenant Kitsuragi -- what will you do now?"

"I'm ready." (End.)

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Who *are* you? You're a gym teacher, Harry."

"What?"

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Well -- obviously you're not a gym teacher anymore, but..."

+5 XP

"But before..."

JUDIT MINOT - "Before you were a cop, you were a gym teacher in Couron." She looks around. "It's getting really cold outside. Should we maybe..."

"That does explain a lot."

"No way. I was a flagellant monk."

"A guerrila soldier / gym teacher?"

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "No," he remarks dryly, "a regular one."

2. "No way. I was a flagellant monk."

JUDIT MINOT - "You haven't told us about that -- you've just told us about being a gym teacher."

"That does explain a lot."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Harry... it explains *everything*. The running around. The jumping. The *shot-put*. Your inexplicable facial hair..."

"The collection of FALN sportswear I've amassed..."

KIM KITSURAGI - "The fact that you don't seem to *know* what homo-sexuality is... Your moves on the church floor -- which, honestly, were just *jump aerobics*... And how you're able to perform a 360-degree spin-kick too!"

PHYSICAL INSTRUMENT [Medium: Success] - Also -- *this* guy. Just... everything about this guy.

SAVOIR FAIRE [Medium: Success] - And this guy too.

HAND/EYE COORDINATION [Medium: Success] - God... even this javelin-throwing freak here...

"Oh god -- *Contact Mike*..."

KIM KITSURAGI - "Of course! Contact Mike!"

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "He's been on about Mike again?" The detective shakes his head. "I hate that guy."

"Contact Mike is a reprise of the most inspiring basic sporting principle of open competition! A 5,000-1 rank outsider!"

"When was this? When was I a gym teacher?"

"You said in Couron? I was a gym teacher there?"

"Why did I join the RCM then?"

"Okay. I see now." (Conclude.)

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Oh -- you don't say?" He arches an eyebrow. "Does he also *vault an impassible gulf of finance and privilege*?"

JUDIT MINOT - "It is... it *is* getting cold out..." She looks around -- at the dilapidated fishing village.

2. "When was this? When was I a gym teacher?"

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "In your twenties or late twenties. You've really let yourself go since then." He looks you over.

3. "You said in Couron? I was a gym teacher there?"

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Yes, you *taught gym* in Couron. I believe that's the term? Taught gym at a high school. You were a high school gym teacher."

PERCEPTION (SMELL) [Easy: Success] - The smell of sweat and glue, the worn floorboards...

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] - Couron is just east of Jamrock. It was a short walk, every morning -- to the baseball field or the sports building...

KIM KITSURAGI - "High school. Harry! Your goings-on with Cuno, Andre, Acele -- the whole thing on the ice. That's why you're so *juvie*."

EMPATHY [Easy: Success] - His smirk suggests barely contained laughter.

4. "Why did I join the RCM then?"

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "The regular -- you found some chick. She inspired you to fight the *big fight*. Be more than you are. All that."

INLAND EMPIRE [Trivial: Success] - You, every morning, walking from Voyager Road to teach gym. She -- leaving for the academy with her spring coat on. The air filled with the smell of smoke and raspberries and incredible hope. An ocean full of hope.

5. "Okay. I see now." (Conclude.)

KIM KITSURAGI - "I knew it. I knew no normal human being can run like that. He's an-honest-to-god gym teacher."

2. "Why am I *like* this?"

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "It's not a mystery. Some chick fucked you over. Also, you're a drunk."

PAIN THRESHOLD [Medium: Success] - You really went with it too. Really maximized the damage.

"Some chick -- who?"

"Was she called Dora Du Bois?"

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Du Bois?" He shakes his head. "It was... Dora Ingerlund, I think. You've said her name. But you weren't married. You were engaged."

"Wait, Dora Ingerlund?"

"So we weren't even married…"

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "Something like that. Half-Vaasan."

ENCYCLOPEDIA [Medium: Success] - Vaasa is where beautiful and impossibly blonde people come from.

2. "So we weren't even married..."

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "No one is married anymore. This is Revachol."

"When was this?"

"I've heard enough." (End it.)

JEAN VICQUEMARE - "God, I don't know..." He thinks. "Six years ago? She was way before my time."

VOLITION [Easy: Success] - Six years and you haven't gotten over it, what the hell is wrong with you?

[thursdaygrl]

i just added a lot of newbies and i'm itching to use them so i can see who i wanna keep. so, like for a one liner from one or a few, i'll come to you for who! list under the cut, this time with all info i have on them listed for ease of access but it's a little long, sorry.

crash cross, 32, straight, he/him, james marsters fc / drummer with a very slight substance abuse problem, he promises. will destroy himself for a good time. good at heart but bad in action. 

cricket farrow, 26, bisexual, she/her, mallory bechtel fc / former child star and ‘kid detective’ who worked with her famous father solving fake cases until the show was cancelled when she was twelve. crashed out in her teens and got it back together in time for college, kind of. had enough money to go but nothing left afterwards. aspiring journalist trying to get her foot in the door with what little nepotism she can still access now that her dad is a washed up famous detective turned unemployed asshole. her mother, still a producer for other exploitative shows, never calls and she prefers it that way. 

davie choi, 28, lesbian, she/her, jeon jong-seo fc / formerly a brainwashed contract killer. now being hunted down by the company that made her impossible to kill.

gisela meyer, 23-50, bisexual, she/her, madchen amick fc / witch who runs a little store in new orleans. adoptive mother to a group of younger witches that make up her coven. played at a number of ages depending on what best suits the plot, more tba.

heidi laslow, eternally 30, bisexual, she/her, rebecca breeds fc / tiny but feisty vampire. turned in the seventies when she was protesting and travelling around with her boyfriend at the time. her morals have waned a little over time, but she’s as good as she can be. 

january visoka, 23/42, lesbian, she/her, eliza dushku fc / law student in her younger verse. lawyer in her older. can be played as either, more tba. 

jeremy oliphant, 35, straight, he/they, kyle gallner fc / librarian in a small town. lover of true crime and cryptids. always investigating something and always doing it alone. always trying to quit smoking. 

josephine van wyck (nee painter), 22/50, bisexual, she/her, jennifer connelly fc / small town girl turned model figuring herself out in her younger verse. bored housewife looking to dominate those she cheats on her husband with in her older verse. emotionally closed off, quiet unless she has something important to say. 

kellan mills, 27, straight, he/him, dylan sprouse fc / mechanic. occasional getaway car driver, but he always says those days are over. general dumbass. 

maude catlett, 35, bisexual, she/her, maya erskine fc / romance novelist who writes the kind of explicit scenes she’d probably never actually take part in. a bit of a recluse, really. 

molly thaxton, 37, lesbian, she/they, lily gladstone / construction worker. in night school to eventually start her own business. grew up surrounded by men, but ended up quiet rather than rowdy. 

oscar sato, 48, straight, he/him, hideaki ito fc / businessman, owner of a number of las vegas nightclubs. perpetual bachelor and occasional sugar daddy. 

raphael baker, 34, straight, he/him, sinqua walls fc / app developer. made enough money to take care of himself and his whole family, so now he doesn’t know what to do with himself. more awkward than he looks. 

rochelle yue, 29/52, bisexual, she/her, lucy liu fc / heiress, can be played in her younger or older verse. more tba. 

sylvia ‘six’ minami, 27, lesbian, she/her, devon aoki fc / criminal, former and still occasional street racer. works for a boss she resents. '

vienna laurendeau, 25, bisexual, she/her, zaria simone fc / former ballerina, current postgrad student. possesses an almost sociopathic work ethic. intense, manipulative, beautiful. likes to come across as old money in her aesthetic, but her parents just got lucky when she was a kid. she’s determined to never let go of that luck. 

yessica vidal, 21, bisexual, she/her, maia reficco fc / college student. reckless party girl. sweet at heart but her impulse control is always at a zero. 

[okiedokrie]

All Is Fair In Love And War (TEASER)

Summary: Joshua is nothing if not determined. If he wants something, he'll get it; not that he even had to try before. But sometimes, like Icarus, he flies a little too close to the sun. But hey, all is fair in love and war!

Characters/Pairing: Aphrodite Incarnation!Joshua x Fem!Detective!Very Mortal!Reader

Genre: smut, fluff, crack, angst if you really squint

AUs/Trope Info: Greek God!AU, Partners In Solving Crimes, Strangers to Lovers, "time isnt linear" trope, "holy shit im kind of obsessed with you" trope

Word Count: 900+ for the teaser, est. 10k≤ for the full fic

Warnings: Depiction of a crime scene (gore, blood, gun, conspiracy), depiction of drug use, character death (major and minor), smut warnings under the cut when full fic is uploaded

Rating: 18+

A/N: This is part of the The 13 Gods of Olympus: A Seventeen collab hosted by @beomcoups and @wooahaeproductions! This is just the teaser, so if you enjoy it, please consider signing up for the taglist. Thank you!!

In the summer of 2000, Joshua Hong was almost five years old. People always commented on how pretty he was for a kid, that he’d surely grow up to be a very handsome man. 

Which is why it was a tragedy when he died from a freak truck accident.

Yes, Joshua Hong died at the age of five. For like, 10 minutes.

The doctors called it a miracle - a small child should not have survived a whole six of the twelve truck wheels, but somehow he was resuscitated, much to his parents’ delight.

This incident caused two things to change dramatically - Californetherlands now has stricter trucking laws and Joshua woke up to memories of literally being Aphrodite.

Throughout the years, from that fateful summer day to the present day, Joshua flopped back and forth between believing that the memories were just fever dreams and genuinely considering that he may be a reincarnation of the goddess. But ever since he got to hone his powers, he’s been more inclined to believe the latter.

By the age of  28, he has mastered the art of seduction. No, not sleeping with people constantly. It was more so the art of getting people to say ‘yes’ to everything he asked of them.

This made Joshua a very powerful and influential figure in Los Amsterdam; You see, the way he dealt wasn’t by out-witting people or being richer than them. He dealt in favors. If you wanted to be a popstar, he’d introduce you to a famous producer, and get you a record deal that would solidify your career - all for the low, low price of free.

In turn,  you’d owe him, like the many powerful people who owed him large favors.

Joshua found himself in downtown LA, in the club that he owned, just under his penthouse. He enjoyed playing the guitar and performing for his patrons, everyone seemingly captivated by his voice, or his beauty, whichever one caught their attention first. He finally strummed the last chord of his song, enjoying the applause of the crowd as the DJ started to play the usual club music. Just as he was about to retreat to the bar, a feminine voice stopped him.

“Joshua! Hey!” She said, hair bouncing over her new fur coat, jumping excitedly, calling him over.

Joshua smiled widely at her - she was one of the people he had helped start her career as a singer. He didn’t do much other than introduce her to the CEO of her current label, it was her natural talent that got her this far.

“Ah, Diana, good to see you!” He said, going over to meet her in a friendly hug, the kind that didn’t touch at all. “How has being a singer treated you? Any good news?” He said, making small talk with an old acquaintance.

“Oh please,” she started, her new haughty attitude showing, “It’s all over the news! I just got nominated for a Grammy!” She said in a sing-song tone. Joshua just nodded Truth be told, he didn’t really have much interest in pop music, but he did try to match her enthusiasm.

“That’s great! I knew you’d make it big.” he said, remembering the first time she came to him, a girl in clothes that almost looked like rags, now decked out in every designer brand you could think of. “So, what brings you back here then? Surely you already have everything you ever wanted?” He said lightheartedly. Even if all of Joshua’s connections owed him favors, it was quite uncommon for them to come back to him after having achieved their dreams.

“Well,” She said, her old, meek bashfulness coming to the surface. “I just wanted to see you again, to thank you for what you have done for me.” She tucked a hair behind her ear. “And I know no matter what favor I do for you in return, I could never break even for just how much you’ve impacted my life. So, thank you, Joshua.”

Joshua genuinely felt relieved to hear her say that - usually, people’s pride and greed got in the way of them acknowledging those who truly helped them along the way, but as he suspected, this girl still had a soul so pure. “Let's get some drinks by the bar and chat some more, yeah? My treat.” He offered, which she gladly took, the conversation between them flowed naturally, Joshua enjoying her tales of success.

It was an hour after the club closed that Diana decided it was time to head home. Joshua offered to see her off, like the gentleman he was, and so they walked to the sidewalk, her hand around his arm.

Joshua opened the taxi door for her, offering her a few bills in cash to cover the fare, “It was nice seeing you again, hopefully, you’ll make time to catch up with me in the future.” he said through the taxi window.

“Yeah, I hope I get the chance to see you again soon. Goodnight Joshua.” She said as she rolled up the taxi window.

Joshua watched the taxi drive until the end of the block, everything seemingly going smoothly, up until another car intercepted hers in the intersection.

It happened so quickly, too quickly for  Joshua to even register the new car’s window sliding down, holding a gun out to the taxi Diana was in. Gunshots echoed through the street, the sound of tires popping and glass shattering but all Joshua could make out was the sound of two sets of four tires screeching against the concrete. Diana’s taxi collided with a nearby lamppost, the taxi flattening and curling around it.

That was the last time Joshua saw her alive.

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[arraytale001]

CHAPTER 10

FILE 09

HOPE.

((( you can hear Mozart's music: Requiem in D Minor, K. 626: I. Introitus. Requiem aeternam for a more dramatic and darker feel, or La petite fille de la mer which has a dark and desperate feel. )))

It felt as though his soul had been pierced by a rusted blade, sharper and more painful with every slice of flesh, drawing blood with each cut. Like shattered glass scattered across the floor, spilling wine onto an elegant granite surface—the wine, like a pool of blood, stained the pristine white floor. Sans imagined specks of dust floating in the air, like snowflakes falling onto a thick pool of blood.

 “I killed her. So now, I’m a murderer, huh.” The thought haunted Sans like a ghost, softly whispering its words.

For a moment, he felt like he couldn’t breathe—it was suffocating and agonizing. The feeling of satisfaction from breaking free of his restraints mixed with overwhelming guilt, thick and sticky. It lingered like a deadly potion, attacking and consuming his mind from all sides. The old Sans would never have considered killing his own friend—Sans now wondered if the reflection in the water was really himself, or merely an illusion of the nightmare he had always hidden away. Sans closed his eyes.

“…It had to be this way. There was no other choice—destroying morality to gain power,” he thought, trying to steel himself.

Sans understood the consequences, the punishment, and the weight of his crimes. Yet, he decided to move forward and leave his former self behind—a farewell he didn’t wish for but had to accept to break free of the chains that had bound him. Rays was more than just an enemy threatening his life—a disaster, a great menace who wouldn’t yield to anything but his own desires. He would do whatever it took, sacrificing others and destroying everything in his path to achieve victory. His greed consumed his mind; he was the very definition of a monster. A monster that corrupted and destroyed everyone around him.

For that reason, Sans knew he couldn’t be half-hearted in carrying out his plan. He was determined to shed his old character completely, leaving behind Sans who always made his friends laugh, Sans who sold hotdogs for fun—that version of himself was discarded into a pit, never to rise again.

 “What’s done is done.”

Sans finally started walking toward Frisk, who remained motionless in their spot. His steps were stiff, his expression grim—Sans felt utterly dulled, resigned to the possibility that things would only get worse from here. But regret wouldn’t solve anything. There was no need to question morality when he had been forced to rebel, forced to rage on. No matter what, his hands were already stained, and this was the path he had chosen.

Accepting it was harder than denying it.

And so, Sans accepted whatever he had become. If he was broken, then broken he would remain.

Sans eventually stood directly in front of Frisk, his expression blank, his gaze fixed on the air ahead of him—as though Frisk didn’t notice Sans’s presence at all.

“I’m sure the system is in disarray now,” Sans said quietly. Frisk was supposed to defeat Undyne in this game, but Sans had chosen to take aggressive action and replace Frisk. “Let’s see what’s inside you, Frisk.”

Sans gently grasped Frisk’s head, pressing his thumb against their forehead, trying to sense something—yes, he could feel something there, faint and indistinct. He couldn’t quite tell what it was that he was sensing now.

Sans immediately opened his eyes wide, braced himself, and activated the power Rays had just bestowed upon him.

And then…

“Oh... wow. So this is what you made of yourself, Frisk.”

A cascade of shifting numbers filled his vision, streaming across Frisk’s body. Sans observed each pathway channeling information into what he assumed was Frisk’s soul—or their core. Like a bustling highway, each number carried its own data: levels, defenses, weapons, shields, and pre written dialogues. Everything was there, showcasing an astonishing and intricate complexity. This was Frisk—their true self, their life—the character they had been shaped into long ago and could never escape.

Yes, unless Rays had given Sans the authority to take control of the NPC system he had chosen. Frisk wouldn’t have been able to change at all—but now, here Sans was, rewriting their code, trying to reshape them into someone like himself.

“Well, Frisk, it’s time for you to wake up from your nightmare.”

Sans reached toward the core of Frisk—or what could be called their soul. He could feel an electric sting trying to push him away, a system safeguard meant to protect Frisk from outside interference. Yet Sans pushed harder, digging deeper despite the system’s stronger resistance. It wasn’t easy—Frisk’s system fought back ferociously, guarding their soul with every defense it had.

“I look like the villain here,” Sans muttered, his tone dry and self-deprecating. It was like performing a dramatic surgical operation; Frisk’s body hung lifeless in Sans’s grip, while Sans focused intently on breaching and grasping their well-protected soul. “Stupid system—” he cursed under his breath. It took considerable effort and time to bypass every layer of defense.

And finally, after a long struggle and immense patience—

“Got it!”

Sans felt the soul in his grasp. “I’m doing this for your own good, Frisk,” he said softly. Holding it firmly, he began to work.

Carefully, Sans accessed the core data of Frisk’s soul, making precise adjustments. He added what was necessary, reorganized their structure, and ensured everything was arranged meticulously. There was no room for mistakes—any error could shatter his plans and lead to disaster.

“Come on, this has to work.”

The new data seemed to integrate seamlessly with Frisk’s old data—no conflicts or errors arose. Sans carefully observed the code at work, analyzing every interaction. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he exhaled deeply, a heavy weight lifting off his chest. Frisk was his desperate gamble—the key to defeating Rays, even if it meant resorting to brutal measures.

“Frisk... Frisk.”

 Sans gently patted Frisk’s cheeks, hoping to wake him. “Hey, buddy, wake up.” But still no response. Anxiety began to creep into his mind—a tiny pang of panic he couldn’t quite shake. 

Until finally…

 “WAKE UP!”

 Smack!

“Hey, kid, how was your dream?”

 A sharp slap jolted the poor human awake from their dreamlike state.

***

"I feel strange," Frisk said, gazing at Sans, who sat beside him, his eyes filled with exhaustion.

"You’ll get used to it, Frisk," Sans replied. "For now, you’ll just have to accept that odd feeling."

"What did you do to my body?"

Sans paused for a moment. "At a time like this, do you want a joke?" Frisk glared at him. "No? Oh okey, well you know, Frisk. I just changed your code and added some important information to it. I’m sure you understand that well enough." Sans tried to relax his stiff shoulders, his gaze fixed on Frisk, who still seemed confused. The human looked so weak, Sans thought. But he also held incredible power—if only all monsters had it... NO. Fantasizing wouldn’t solve anything. It was just a dream that would never come true.

"I understand I’m just a vessel for the players," Frisk continued, bitterness creeping into his voice. "I watched all that evil happen through my own hands, and what can I do about it? Nothing. I can only watch and do what I’m told." Frisk spoke with a feeling of helplessness, knowing he was powerless to stop the brutality.

"I know how you feel, Frisk. That’s why I freed you from those chains."

Frisk fell into a quiet reflection, resting his head on the back of the bench. He sighed deeply and said, "By killing her, Sans? Undyne... I saw everything, and I’ll never be able to forget it."

Hearing that, Sans clenched his pants tightly, his gaze shifting to the view in front of him—Waterfall, with its glistening streams and sparkling light. The faint whispers between the blue flowers were like a beautiful tapestry in the ocean. It took him a long time to say the truth—an admission of guilt that had been forced upon him.

"You’re right. By killing her."

"Why, Sans?"

"I had to." There was a tone of sadness in his voice, one he tried to hide but couldn’t.

“Is this about EXP? Do you want your level to be the highest, Sans?” Frisk raised his voice slightly, anger evident in his tone. However, Sans remained unfazed, even as Frisk’s voice grew louder, almost yelling. Instead, Sans chuckled at the baseless accusation. “EXP? Nah, that’s just nonsense, and I don’t want my level to be higher than yours. I don’t need that kind of power at all, Frisk.” Sans kicked a nearby stone and continued, “I just want to mess up this game’s system, do the impossible, and make it collapse. That’s what I want, Frisk—to rebel.”

“Did it have to be by killing Undyne? She’s your friend—”

“Shut your mouth.” 

“...”

Frisk couldn’t say anything. His gaze weakened, his body stiff as Sans reminded him how he wasn’t just as bad—he was worse. He, too, was a murderer—a monster who had slaughtered countless innocent lives.

“Watch your words, you'll bite your tongue if you're careless.” His tone was dark and filled with an oppressive chill. Frisk felt his mouth clamp shut as he heard Sans’s cold voice. A wave of fear engulfed him, his fingertips trembling, and his pupils dilated with horror.

“Do you so desperately want to see me as a cruel killer like yourself, Frisk? Do you really want to watch me fall to the ground and become the same ruthless murderer as you? Is that what you want?”

Even so, Frisk still felt something was wrong, and he needed to do something about it.

"I don’t understand. It feels like I’m talking to someone else, not Sans that I know," Frisk said, biting his lip hard enough to leave a bruise. "This isn't you I knew. Why... it should have been me. You should have been—"

"A judge?"

Frisk shifted his gaze, his brown hair covering his face to hide the obvious sadness. Sans watched him with an empty stare.

"Not like myself? As if you knew me so well, Frisk."

"Then what? I’ve known you for so long, played with you. I felt close to you. If you think I don’t know you, then what is this?"

"Opinion. Perspective. A point of view. You can’t claim to know someone just because you’ve spent time with them, Frisk. Just because you’ve played this game long enough doesn’t mean you know me well. And the same goes for me—I don’t understand you, and I don’t feel like I know you."

Frisk fell silent, his mouth hanging open in disbelief. The tension in the air seemed to stretch, his posture rigid as he stared in stunned silence.

"…So then what is this," Frisk said, his voice soft and filled with sorrow. He glanced at Sans, who seemed so different now—there was no longer the warm smile, no more friendliness. It felt like sitting next to a stranger, someone who had closed himself off. But even so, Frisk felt like he could still vaguely understand Sans.

"Rays ... this is about that person, right?" he said, immediately making Sans snap out of his thoughts.

"You know him?" Frisk nodded slightly, then looked at Sans. "I guess you could say that. He came to me once and tried to do something to my soul. His behavior was really suspicious, but I couldn’t do anything about it—you know, I could only watch him."

Sans understood that all too well. "We need to stop him, Frisk. And that’s why we’re both here," he said, looking at Frisk as he reached out to grab his hand, trying to gain his trust. "I need you to stop Rays—to free us all from this ridiculous game. No more judgment, no more forcing you to kill us all. You’ll cleanse the stain on your hands, Frisk. For your freedom."

Sans’s gaze was firm, locking Frisk in place. In a softer voice, he pulled Frisk closer with a subtle allure that made him waver—but truly, that’s what he wanted: freedom for all his friends, and an end to this game.

"You need me, but why?" Frisk still had doubts. Sans had expected this. "You have a strong soul, Frisk, a will stronger than anyone else in this world, and I don’t have that in me. I’m just an NPC without a will as strong as yours."

Sans smiled, his expression clearly sad. Frisk, feeling the despair in Sans, began to move closer. "I don’t know if I’m that strong, Sans."

"Trust me, Frisk. You’re stronger than you think. I ... am not. We all need you. You’re the only one I can rely on. Only you, Frisk. No one else." It was as if his words were a whisper curling around Frisk’s neck from behind, a soft promise that blinded him with hope. Frisk couldn’t see the wide, cruel grin carved firmly across Sans’s face, his gaze dark and binding, like a venomous serpent coiling tighter. “What if this doesn’t work? What if we lose in the end…” Frisk’s voice trembled with the fear of an uncertain future, the weight of his own doubts apparent.

“You can’t know what the future holds, Frisk,” Sans answered, his voice steady, almost soothing. “But if we work hard and believe—really believe—I’m sure we’ll find the way.”

Sans’s eyes met Frisk’s with unwavering certainty, his own vulnerability on full display, seeking to influence Frisk through this weakness. He wanted Frisk to feel less alone, to trust him with everything.

“Anything can happen, Frisk. There’s no dead end unless we’re not ready to step forward. You have to believe, and I’ll help you achieve that freedom.” The calm tone in his voice, the certainty in his eyes, made him seem like a fragile but trustworthy ally, one Frisk could rely on.

It was an invitation—a lure deeper into the web, pulling Frisk ever closer to his carefully laid trap.

Extending his hand, Sans gently pulled Frisk closer, dragging him into a prison that was made specifically for him. A cage of promises, making Frisk more powerless with each step. 

“This is me. I’m not as strong or as smart as you think. You see me, don’t you? A mess, completely falling apart,” he said with a slightly pleading tone.

Sans deliberately displayed an expression of deep despair, skillfully maintaining eye contact with Frisk, forcing him to stay within his reach. It felt as though Sans was grabbing Frisk’s hand through a dense fog, leading him wherever he pleased—guiding Frisk to his own grave while singing him a lullaby.

There was cruelty in the way Sans deceived Frisk, carefully choosing his words and exploiting the fragility of someone powerless and longing for freedom—yes, someone just like him. Sans revealed how trauma could transform a person into something rotten and cunning—discarding morality and conscience, replacing them with an unwanted dark side.

Unaware of the manipulation, Frisk reached out and took Sans’s hand willingly, a trusting smile on his face. Unknowingly, he sealed a pact he didn’t expect, oblivious to the fact that Rays wasn’t the only one seeking control, seeking sacrifice.

Sans had already blinded Frisk with each desperate hope he voiced.

“I’ll help you, Sans.”

Frisk’s acceptance was clear, spoken without hesitation. Sans’s face relaxed with visible relief, a happiness that filled his expression. He hugged Frisk tightly, as if to show gratitude. Yet, far from Frisk’s view, Sans’s true expression remained hidden—one of darkness and hunger.

Look at him now.

Sans’s face was flat, void of the warmth it once held. His red eyes wandered, searching for the vulnerability Frisk had unknowingly revealed. His soul was tainted, its rhythm beating like a twisted lullaby that heralded death, filled with chaos and manipulation. It coiled around Frisk, tightening with every passing second.

Sans revealed in the corruption of his own thoughts, savoring Frisk’s innocence, how easily he had fallen for the empty promises of despair. The satisfaction gnawed at his mind, making him crave the dark, the twisted pleasure that came with it. With his mind now so far from the one Frisk knew, Sans reached for him, smiling wide…

“I’m counting on you, buddy.”

JAPANESE VERSION

CHAPTER 10

FILE 09

HOPE

((( あなたはモーツァルトの音楽を聴くことができます: Requiem in D Minor, K. 626: I. Introitus. Requiem aeternam は、よりドラマチックで暗い雰囲気を持っています、または La petite fille de la mer は、暗く絶望的な雰囲気を持っています。)))

まるで錆びた刃で魂を貫かれたようだった。切り刻むたびにもっと鋭く、もっと痛くなり、血が滴る。床に散らばった割れたガラスのように、優雅な花崗岩の上にワインがこぼれ落ちた——そのワインは血の池のように、真っ白な床を染めた。サンズは空中に浮かぶ埃の粒を想像した、雪片が暗い血の池に落ちるように。

「俺が殺した。俺は殺人者だ。」その考えはサンズの心に幽霊のようにまとわりつき、優しく囁いた。

一瞬、息ができないような気がした——それは息苦しく、痛みを伴った。拘束から解放された満足感と、圧倒的な罪悪感が混じり合い、どろどろとした粘着感を放った。それは致命的な薬のように残り、あらゆる面からサンズの心を攻撃し、食い尽くしていった。昔のサンズなら、友達を殺すことなんて考えなかっただろう——今のサンズは、水面に映る自分が本当に自分なのか、それともずっと隠してきた悪夢の幻覚なのかを考えていた。サンズは目を閉じた。

「…こうするしかなかった。ほかに選択肢はなかった——力を得るために道徳を破壊するんだ。」そう思い、心を固めようとした。

サンズはその結果、罰、そして罪の重さを理解していた。それでも、前に進むことを決め、過去の自分を置いていくことにした——望んでいなかった別れだったが、解放されるためには受け入れなければならなかった。レイズは命を脅かす敵以上の存在だった——災厄であり、自分の欲望以外には屈しない大きな脅威だった。勝利を手に入れるために、彼は他人を犠牲にし、すべてを破壊するだろう。彼の欲望は心を食い尽くし、まさにモンスターそのものだった。周りのすべてを腐らせ、破壊していくモンスターだった。

だからこそ、サンズは計画を実行する際に中途半端な気持ちではいられなかった。彼は完全に旧い自分を捨てる覚悟を決めた。友達を笑わせるサンズ、楽しみでホットドッグを売るサンズ——その自分は深い穴に捨てられ、二度と浮かび上がることはない。

「そうなれば、そうなる。」

サンズはついにフリスクのほうへ歩き出した。フリスクはその場から動かず、じっとしていた。サンズの足取りはぎこちなく、表情は険しい——彼は完全に感覚が鈍っていた。これから状況がもっと悪化する可能性を覚悟し、諦めたようだった。でも、後悔しても何も解決しない。反逆せざるを得ず、怒りに任せて進むしかなかった時に、道徳を問う必要なんてなかった。どのみち、彼の手はすでに血に染まっていた。それが自分で選んだ道だった。

受け入れることは、否定することよりもずっと難しかった。

だからこそ、サンズは自分が何者になったのかを受け入れた。壊れているなら、そのまま壊れたままでいればいい。

やがてサンスはついにフリスクの真正面に立った。フリスクは無表情で、サンスの存在にまったく気づかず、ただ目の前の宙を見ていた。

「システムは今、めちゃくちゃになってるだろうな。」サンズは静かに言った。フリスクはこのゲームでアンダインを倒すはずだった。でもサンズは攻撃的な行動を選び、フリスクの代わりに動くことにした。「さあ、見せてくれよ、フリスクの中身を。」

サンズはそっとフリスクの頭に手を置き、親指を彼らの額に押し当てた。何かを感じ取ろうとしていた——そうだ、そこに何かがあるのを微かに感じた。でも、それが今何なのか、はっきりとはわからなかった。

「へえ……これがフリスクという人間を構成するコードなんだね。」

サンズはすぐに目を大きく開け、覚悟を決め、レイズから授かった力を発動させた。

そして……

視界いっぱいに流れる数字の奔流が現れた。それはフリスクの体を覆うように動き回っていた。サンズはそれぞれの道筋を観察し、それらがフリスクの魂——あるいは彼らの核に情報を送っているように見えた。まるで混み合った高速道路のように、それぞれの数字がデータを運んでいた：レベル、防御、武器、シールド、あらかじめ書かれた台詞……すべてがそこにあった。それは驚くべき複雑さで、精密な構造を示していた。

これがフリスクだった——彼らの真の姿であり、彼らの命だった。かつて作り上げられたキャラクターであり、決して逃れられない存在だった。

そうだ、もしレイズがサンズにNPCシステムの権限を与えていなかったら、フリスクは何も変わることができなかっただろう——だが今、サンズはここにいて、彼らのコードを書き換え、自分のような存在に作り直そうとしていた。

「さあ、フリスク。悪夢から目を覚ます時だ。」

サンズはフリスクの核——いわゆる魂のようなもの——に手を伸ばした。電気のような刺すような痛みが彼を押し戻そうとしているのを感じた。それは、外部からの干渉からフリスクを守るためのシステムの防護機能だった。それでもサンズはさらに力を込め、抵抗を押しのけながら深く掘り進んでいった。簡単なことではなかった——フリスクのシステムは激しく反撃し、全力でその魂を守ろうとしていた。

「俺、悪役みたいだな。」サンズは乾いた声でぼそりとつぶやいた。まるで壮大な外科手術をしているようだった。フリスクの体はサンズの手にぶら下がるように無反応で、サンズは集中して、守りの固い魂に到達しようとしていた。「クソッたれなシステムが——」と小声で悪態をつく。すべての防御層を突破するのに、膨大な努力と時間が必要だった。

そして、長い闘いと果てしない忍耐の末——

「よし！捕まえた！」

サンズは魂をその手に感じた。「これもお前のためだ、フリスク。」彼は優しく言った。その魂をしっかり握り、作業を始めた。

慎重に、サンズはフリスクの魂の核データにアクセスし、正確に調整を加えた。必要な要素を追加し、構造を再編成し、すべてをきちんと整えた。間違いの余地はなかった——どんなミスも計画を台無しにし、壊滅的な結果を招きかねなかった。

「頼む、うまくいってくれ。」

新しいデータはフリスクの古いデータにスムーズに統合されているようだった——衝突もエラーも発生しなかった。サンズはコードが動作する様子を注意深く観察し、すべての相互作用を分析した。そして、永遠のように感じられた時間が過ぎた後、彼は深く息を吐いた。胸にのしかかっていた重いものが少し軽くなった。フリスクはサンズの切り札だった——レイズを倒すための鍵、それがどんなに苛烈な手段であろうと。

「フリスク…フリスク。」

サンズはそっとフリスクの頬を叩きながら、彼を目覚めさせようとした。「おい、相棒、起きろよ。フリスク。」

それでも反応はなかった。不安が彼の心に忍び寄り、小さなパニックが頭をよぎった。

ついに——

「起きろ！」

バシッ！

鋭い一発が眠りの状態にあった人間を強引に目覚めさせた。

「おい、坊主、夢見心地はどうだった？」

***

「なんか変な感じがする。」フリスクはサンズを見つめながら言った。サンズは隣に座っており、その目には疲労が滲んでいた。

「そのうち慣れるさ、フリスク。」サンズは答えた。「今はその奇妙な感覚を受け入れるしかない。」

「俺の体に何をしたんだ？」

サンズは少し間を置いた。「こんな時に、ジョークが聞きたいか？」フリスクは睨みつけるような視線を送った。「ダメか？ ああそうか、じゃあ、まあな、フリスク。お前のコードを書き換えて、重要な情報をいくつか追加しただけだ。これでわかるだろ？」サンズはこわばった肩をほぐそうとし、まだ困惑した様子のフリスクに視線を向けた。その人間はとても弱々しく見えた、とサンズは思った。だが同時に、とてつもない力を持っていた——もしすべてのモンスターがそれを持っていたなら……違う。そんな空想をしても何も解決しない。それは叶わない夢にすぎなかった。

「僕はただのプレイヤーの器だってわかってる。」フリスクは続けた。その声には苦々しさがにじんでいた。「僕の手であんな悪事が行われるのをずっと見てきたけど、それに対して僕に何ができる？何もできない。ただ見て、言われた通りにするだけだ。」フリスクの声には無力感が滲んでいた。自分にはその残酷さを止める力がないことを痛感していたのだ。

「お前の気持ちはわかるよ、フリスク。だから俺は、その鎖からお前を解放したんだ。」

フリスクは静かに考え込むように沈黙し、ベンチの背もたれに頭を預けた。深くため息をついて言った。

「それがアンダインを殺すってことか、サンズ？僕は全部見てた。忘れることなんてできない。」

「その通りだ。彼女を殺すことで。」

それを聞いて、サンズはズボンをぎゅっと掴み、視線を前方に移した——目の前に広がるウォーターフォール。輝く小川ときらめく光の中、青い花々の間を通る微かなささやきは、まるで海の中の美しいタペストリーのようだった。

真実を口にするのには長い時間がかかった。それは彼に押し付けられた罪の告白だった。

「どうして、サンズ？」

「そうするしかなかった。」彼の声には隠しきれない悲しみが滲んでいた。

「これってEXPのことか？サンズ、お前は自分のレベルを最高にしたいのか？」

フリスクは少し声を張り上げ、その声には怒りが滲んでいた。しかし、サンズは動じることなく、フリスクの声が大きくなり、ほとんど怒鳴るようになっても���まるで気にしない様子だった。それどころか、彼はその根拠のない非難に対してくすくすと笑った。

「それで、アンダインを殺さないとダメだったのか？彼女は友達なのに—」

「EXP？いや、それはただのくだらない話だ。俺はお前のレベルを超えたいなんて思っちゃいねぇよ。そんな力なんて全然必要ないんだよ、フリスク。」

近くの石を蹴りながら、サンズは続けた。「俺がやりたいのは、このゲームのシステムをぶっ壊すことだ。誰も考えつかないような無茶をして、この世界を崩壊させてやる。それが俺の望みだ、フリスク。反逆すること。」

「黙れ。」

「...」

「言葉には気をつけろ、下手したら舌を噛むぞ。」その声は冷たく、圧倒的な威圧感に満ちていた。サンズの冷たい声を聞いた瞬間、フリスクは口を閉ざさざるを得なかった。恐怖が彼を包み込み、指先は震え、瞳孔は恐怖で広がった。

「お前はそんなに必死になって、俺をお前みたいな冷酷な殺人者にしたいのか？俺が地に堕ちて、お前と同じ無慈悲な殺人者になるところを見たいのか？それが、お前の望みなのか？」

それでも、フリスクは何かが違うと感じていて、それについて何かをしなければならないと思った。

フリスクは何も言えなかった。その視線は弱まり、サンズが彼に、俺が酷いんじゃない、お前の方がもっと酷い、と思い出させた瞬間、身体は硬直してしまった。

そう、フリスクもまた、たくさんの無実の命を奪った殺人者、怪物だったのだ。

「理解できないよ。まるで僕が知ってるサンズじゃないみたいだ。」フリスクは唇を噛みしめ、青あざができるほど強く噛んだ。「こんなの君じゃない。僕がやるべきだったんだ。君がそうじゃなくて——」

「裁く側になるべきだった？」

フリスクは視線をそらし、その顔を覆うように茶色い髪が揺れた。明らかな悲しみを隠すためだった。サンズは空虚な視線で彼を見つめていた。

「俺らしくない？お前が俺をよく知ってるってつもりか、フリスク。」

「じゃあ何？僕はずっと君のことを知ってるつもりだった。君と遊んだし、君と親しいと感じてた。君が僕を知らないって言うなら、これが何だって言うんだ？」

「意見だ。視点だ。一つの見方だ。長い時間を一緒に過ごしたからといって、誰かを知ってるとは限らないんだ、フリスク。このゲームをどれだけ長くプレイしても、俺のことをよく知ってるなんて言えない。そして同じことが俺にも言える——お前のことを理解しているわけじゃないし、お前のことをよく知っているとも感じてない。」

フリスクは口を開けたまま言葉を失った。空気には張り詰めた緊張感が漂い、彼の姿勢は硬直していた。驚きに満ちた表情で黙り込んだままだった。

「…じゃあ、これは何なんだろう。」フリスクは小さく、悲しみに満ちた声で言った。彼はサンズに目を向けた。今の彼は以前とは全く違って見えた——温かな笑顔も、優しさももうない。ただ閉ざされたような、見知らぬ誰かと隣り合わせに座っている気がした。それでも、フリスクはサンズの気持ちをかすかに理解できるような気がした。

「レイズ...その人のことだよね？」彼は言い、サンズを思考から引き戻した。

「お前、あいつを知ってるのか？」

フリスクはわずかにうなずいてからサンズを見た。「そう言えるかもしれない。彼は一度僕のところに来て、僕の魂に何かしようとしたんだ。彼の行動は本当に怪しかったけど、僕には何もできなかった——ただ見ていることしかできなかったよ。」

サンズにはその感覚が痛いほどよくわかった。「あいつを止めなきゃならない、フリスク。それが俺たちがここにいる理由だ。」彼は言いながらフリスクの手を取ろうとし、信頼を得ようとした。「俺にはお前が必要だ、フリスク。レイズを止めてくれ——この馬鹿げたゲームから俺たち全員を解放するんだ。もう裁きも、もう俺たち全員を殺させることもない。お前のその手についた汚れを清めるんだ、フリスク。お前自身の自由のために。」

サンズのまっすぐな視線がフリスクをその場に釘付けにした。その声が柔らかく響くと、サンズはフリスクをそっと引き寄せた。その言葉にはどこか引き込まれるような魅力があり、フリスクは心を揺らされた。でも、本当にサンズが望んでいたのは、すべての仲間たちの自由と、このゲームの終わりだった。

「君は僕が必要だって言うけど、どうして？」フリスクはまだ疑念を抱いていた。サンズはそれを予想していた。「お前の魂は強いんだ、フリスク。この世界の誰よりも強い意志を持ってる。でも俺にはそんなものはない。俺はただのNPCで、お前ほど強い意志なんて持ってないんだ。」

サンズは微笑んだ。その微笑みは明らかに悲しみを帯びていた。フリスクは、サンズの絶望を感じ取りながら、彼に少し近づいた。「僕がそんなに強いかどうか、わからないよ、サンズ。」

「信じろ、フリスク。お前は自分が思っているよりも強い。俺は…そんな強さはない。俺たちはお前が必要なんだ。お前だけが頼りなんだ、フリスク。他には誰もいない。」その言葉は、首筋に絡みつく柔らかな囁きのようだった。それは希望で目を眩ませるような甘い約束で、フリスクはその言葉の裏を見抜くことができなかった。サンズの顔には冷酷で広い笑みが刻まれていた。暗い視線は縛り付けるようで、まるで毒蛇がきつく巻きつくようだった。

「もしこれがうまくいかなかったら？もし最終的に負けるとしたら…」フリスクの声は未来への不安に震えていた。彼自身の疑念の重さが明らかだった。

「未来がどうなるかなんて、誰にもわからないんだ、フリスク。」サンズは答えた。その声は穏やかで、どこか安心させるようだった。「でも、もし俺たちが一生懸命頑張って、信じることができれば——本当に信じることができれば、きっと道は見つかるはずだ。」

サンズの目はフリスクの目をまっすぐ見つめていた。その目には揺るぎない確信がありながら、自身の脆さもさらけ出していた。それはフリスクに孤独感を抱かせないためであり、すべてを彼に託させるためだった。

「何だって起こり得るんだ、フリスク。進む準備ができていない限り、行き止まりなんてない。信じてくれ。俺がその自由を手に入れる手助けをする。」彼の声の穏やかな調子、目の中の確信。それは壊れやすいけれども信頼できる味方のように見せ、フリスクが頼りたくなるような存在だった。

それは誘いだった——彼の綿密に仕掛けられた罠に、フリスクをさらに深く引き込む誘導だった。

手を差し伸べ、サンズはフリスクを優しく引き寄せた。そして、彼専用に作られた牢獄へと、約束の檻へと引きずり込んだ。その檻は一歩進むごとにフリスクをより無力にしていった。

「これが俺だ。お前が思ってるほど強くも賢くもない。俺が見えるだろう？バラバラでめちゃくちゃな俺が。」彼は憂鬱な口調でそう言い、フリスクの同情を誘った。

サンズは意図的に深い絶望の表情を見せつけ、巧みにフリスクと視線を合わせ続けさせた。濃い霧の中でフリスクの手を掴み、自分の望む場所へどこへでも連れて行くような感じだった—フリスクを自らの墓穴へ導きながら子守唄を歌うかのように。

サンズのフリスクを欺くやり方には残酷さがあった。言葉を慎重に選び、無力で自由を求める誰か—そう、自分と同じような存在の脆さを利用していた。サンズは、トラウマがどのように人を腐敗させ狡猾に変えるのかを見せつけていた—道徳や良心を捨て去り、それを望まぬ暗い一面で置き換えるように。

その操りに気づかず、フリスクはサンズの手を自ら差し出して取った。その顔には信頼の微笑みが浮かんでいた。彼は気づかぬまま、予期せぬ契約を結び、レイズだけが支配を望む存在ではないことに気づいていなかった。犠牲を求める者は、他にもいたのだ。

サンズはすでに自らの声に込めた必死の希望で、フリスクの目を眩ませていた。

「俺、手伝うよ、サンズ。」

フリスクのその言葉には迷いがなかった。それを聞いたサンズの顔には安堵の色が浮かび、喜びが表情に満ちた。そして彼はフリスクを強く抱きしめ、感謝を示すかのようだった。しかし、フリスクの視界の外では、サンズの本当の表情は隠されていた——暗さと飢えに満ちたものが。

見てみろ、今の彼を。

サンズの顔は平坦で、かつての暖かさはもうそこにはなかった。赤い目がさまよい、フリスクが無意識に明かした脆さを探し求めていた。彼の魂は汚れ、死を予感させる歪んだ子守唄のようなリズムで鼓動していた。それは混沌と操作に満ち、フリスクの周りを絡みつき、秒ごとにその締め付けを強めていった。

サンズは自分の思考の中で堕落を明かし、フリスクの無邪気さを味わいながら、絶望の空っぽな約束にどれほど簡単に落ちてしまったかを感じていた。その満足感は彼の心をむしばみ、暗闇と歪んだ快楽を欲していた。フリスクが知っていた心から遠く離れた今、サンズは彼に手を伸ばし、広く笑った…。

「頼りにしてるぜ、相棒。」

=P

[xf-cases-solved]

S2E3: Blood

Case: In, ah—one sec... Franklin, Pennsylvania! It's in Pennsylvania, definitely remembered that on my own accord. Anyway, in Franklin, Pennsylvania, a bunch of people are losing their marbles and murdering people in seemingly random attacks. What ties these crimes together is that right before they went murder hobo, they were in a situation that exacerbated their biggest fears, and also they hallucinated technology telling them to kill, which is very entertaining bc it's the fucking 90s, so the technology is very silly on its own, but is even sillier when it says "KILL 'EM ALL" in big red letters, but I digress. Mulder—with continued secret help from Scully on the side, as well as the Lone Gunmen (!!)—begins to suspect that these killings might actually be related to a pesticide the government is testing on people, but you know how the government gets when you try to claim they're involved in some big conspiracy, la dee da, so it goes.

A man gets laid off work, but that's the least of his problems as technology keeps telling him to kill people; a microwave tells a lady to stab Mulder to death; Mulder gives Frohike Scully's phone number; my notes say there is a handsome cop with nice hair, but I don't know who I was referring to or why I wrote that down; and Mulder's work on the case is ALL DONE. BYE-BYE!

Does someone die in the cold open: He got laid off so he's probably dead inside, but physically everyone is alive. (This does not last long.)

Does Mulder present a slideshow: Still no one to watch. Maybe he makes them for himself and plays them alone in his office and cries.

Does the evidence survive the investigation: Mmmmmmm, not sure. My guess is that the government is planning to get rid of any evidence that they were allowing chemicals to be tested on its citizens, but I'm not sure if Mulder held onto anything or not. I mean, he usually doesn't, so probably not, but -shrug emoji-.

Whodunit: Subliminal messaging caused by a pesticide that the Pennsylvanian government okayed to be tested on the town's residents. I think.

Convictions: None, but the government has to stop spraying people with LSD.

Did they solve it: I'll give it to 'em, why not? Mulder knows what caused it; more or less got a confession, or at least got them to stop doing the thing; and I feel like his report would be one of the less annoying ones he's submitted in his time in the FBI. Good job, Mulder! (And Scully, but unofficially.)

[how do i determine if a case is solved? check the scale here: x]

THIS EPISODE IS SPONSORED BY: Not being a test subject for government issued pesticides. I mean, like... you can try, but in the end, is it really up to you? What is the government testing on you right now? What have you been exposed to against your will? Is it LSD? It might be LSD, but who's to say for certain?  Not being a test subject for government issued pesticides — honestly, you're fucked, so maybe you should just... kill 'em all*... *This company does not endorse homicide, even if those homicidal impulses are the government's fault. Please don't sue us.

***

General Total Stats:

(green means stat has changed since last ep; red means new stat added to list)

Total Cases *Definitively* Solved So Far: 14 (two in a row!)

Total Number of "Mulder/Scully, It's Me": 6 

Total Number of Times Scully Has Conveniently Not Seen Something Crucial: 6

Total Number of Times Mulder Has Been in Mortal Danger: 8 ½ (i mean, technically that lady came at him with that knife so i'll give him a half point, but i doubt she would have ever been able to actually mortally wound him) 

Total Number of Times Scully Has Been in Mortal Danger: 8

Total Number of Sexually Charged, Uncomfortably Intimate, and/or Flirty Moments Between Friendly Coworkers: 13

Total Number of Autopsies Scully Has Performed On Screen: 5 (and there were no worms in the body!)

Total Number of Times Scully Plays Doctor: 2

Total Number of Times Mulder Talks to an Informant: 16 (x come back, bb, i miss u)

Total Number of Times People Making Out in a Car Are Hurt or Killed: 2

Total Number of Times Someone Correctly Guesses a Password: 3 

Total Number of (Plot Relevant) Nosebleeds: 5 (changed stat to specify plot relevancy, so i can get away with not counting it if someone gets beat up and their nose happens to bleed or something. the nosebleed in this one did make that man homicidal, tho, so i will up the stat lol)

Total Number of Times Mulder Has Tasted/Sniffed/Touched Something Questionable Without Following Proper Safety Procedures: 3

Total Number of Times Someone Says "Trust No One": 3 

Total Number of Times Someone Says "I Want to Believe": 3

Total Number of Times Someone Says "The Truth is Out There": 2

Total Number of Cigarettes Cigarette Smoking Man Has Smoked: 8

Total Number of Maggie Scully Sightings: 1

Total Number of Lone Gunmen Sightings: 2!

Total Number of Alex Krycek Sightings: 0 (BUT GUESS WHAT NEXT EPISODE IS???!!! 😀😀😀)

Total Number of Times I Had to Look Up What State the Episode Takes Place in Even Though I Literally Just Watched It: 10½ (shut up) 

Total Number of Times I Had to Look at an Episode's Wikipedia Page to Fill This Out Because It Was Fucking Confusing and/or Too Boring for Me to Pay Attention: 5

[codenamesazanka]

I'm trying to stay optimistic but the recent chapter was such a letdown after all of this speculation, and I'm really not ready for afo gave tenko decay to become canon :(

So, same as you, I've always hated the 'AFO gave Tenko Decay' theory, but I think it’s important to examine why. 

What I hate is less of the actual act - it is incredibly possible, after all, that AFO just gave this kid descendant of a hated enemy such a deadly quirk for his own twisted ends; and more in fear of what the confirmation of it might signifies - cheap 'easy-way-out' writing that would pretend to solve the problem of Shimura Tenko/Shigaraki Tomura while not actually doing so:

If Tenko was given Decay, then it means the Shimura massacre and then The Walk could've been avoided! 🎉 Because Tenko's hurt and anger at being repeatedly rejected by his father and family would not have manifested in such a lethal way, and so... what? Could've been ignored for a little longer? Wouldn't have sent him to the streets, where people should've helped him but didn't, and now Shigaraki's making them paying for that? (Somewhat related, I’ve seen people suggest that Decay makes Tenko itch because his body isn’t compatible with it, a la Aoyama - the itch is caused by the quirk. However, the day AFO brought Tenko home and Tenko was locked outside, Tenko already had scars around his eyes, and his mom was worried about “his allergies getting worse”. This suggests Tenko was already itchy and scratching at himself before he ever met AFO (and received the quirk that day). And given how the itch represents Tenko/Shigaraki’s frustration and anxiety, that Tenko says he’s only itchy in the house, demonstrates the Shimura household problem was a thing that hurt him long before AFO ever showed up that day.)

If Tenko was given Decay, then it means Shigaraki/Tenko is not innately a destructive and twisted child! Such a sweet kid would not have such a evil quirk! And he has no good reason to want to destroy stuff! 🎉 Because we're going to believe in the idea that ''Bad' Quirks Makes You A Bad Person’. And throw kids who do have unpleasant traits for whatever reason under the bus. And act as if Shigaraki wants to destroy because he's beholden to a gene inside of him, instead of having perfectly valid reasons to be angry and want to lash out.

If Tenko was given Decay, it means we don't have to worry about the 'what ifs' of having a deadly quirk like this even if the massacre never happen! 🎉 Because what if Decay was a naturally-occuring quirk? How would Heroes that aren't Eraserhead have dealt with an accident from such a quirk? Would Tenko have been forced to enroll in Quirk Counseling, which we know from Toga is such a great program? Would Tenko have grown up discriminated against, much like Shinsou, or worse? And these things are absolutely factors that would make someone feel ostracized in society and lash out, even without the backing of a crime lord?

If Tenko was given Decay, we have thee easiest way to deal with Shigaraki Tomura: the story can blame AFO for being the instigator of all tragedy and suffering - without Heroes needing to own up to the fact the society they've have been propping up for a century might play some role in creating Villains through countless, unintentional ways. The focus - the supposed real tragedy - becomes the fact that AFO gave Tenko a scary quirk, and Deku can focus his energies on that… instead of where, imo, the actual tragedies lie - an unhappy and dysfunctional home of generational trauma that was never dealt with, a city full of people who ignored an injured five-year-old because they put off all communal responsibility on Heroes*, and how this can all happen in a 'Hero-saturated society' without Tenko being helped in any of the multiple steps it took to get him to where he ended up under the bridge, being hugged by AFO.

* bonus: none of the people on the street knew what quirk Tenko had, so… what are we to make of this fact? Tenko could've easily been injured in a car accident, walked away, and still be ignored if AFO isn't revealed to made everyone ignore Tenko as well? But that would've been okay, Shigaraki would've been less pissed off, because it wasn't part of a villainous mastermind plot? 

Meanwhile, Shigaraki would be only a sad little pawn, an empty victim crammed with a deadly quirk and engineered trauma and fake wrath, and once Deku saves him by telling him his entire life was a lie, that he actually has no reason to feel so betrayed and angry (can't even direct that at AFO anymore, because the man’s gone), Shigaraki can (selfishly!) forget his friends and his experiences and take pleasure in knowing he wasn't supposed to be a Villain. He was supposed to be a Good Person, without an Evil Quirk, and now he can assimilate back into his rightful, conforming proper place in society!

However–I don’t think that sounds like Shigaraki at all. It could happen! God forbid it, but that is how Horikoshi can end up writing the character and the conclusion. I don’t know how likely that is. 

What I do know, though, is that Shigaraki is someone who already knows AFO is a manipulative asshole:

In Chapter 237, while reflecting on his newly regained memories, Shigaraki considers, “If only, back then, someone, anyone, had reached out to help… then maybe the itch would’ve gone away for good.” That he specifically says this last part after remembering specifically how AFO had found him, Shigaraki knew AFO didn’t actually help him, else the itch would’ve faded. 

In Chapter 277, Shigaraki is not particularly surprised that the AFO quirk comes with AFO’s ‘too-strong’ will. (Then tells AFO is shut up.) 

In Chapter 298, after AFO gives a whole spiel about how Shigaraki asked for this power, Shigaraki declares that he’s not going to be AFO’s “stinkin’ pawn”. (And started looking for a way to undermine AFO’s control)

In Chapter 379, Shigaraki outright states that he knew AFO was manipulating him, especially trying to make use of the Shimura and All Might connection. (And defeats the AFO vestige from inside out, taking his body back.) 

Unfortunately, Shigaraki is also someone who knows all this, but will still continue to rely on AFO’s double-edged gifts - keeping The Hands with him all this time; partnering with the Doctor; utilizing Gigantomachia into his Deika plan despite not having gained Gigantomachia’s respect yet; undergoing the surgery to receive the AFO quirk.

And finally, Shigaraki is someone who has already regained all his memories, back in MVA. He remembers being five-years-old and still not having manifested his quirk. He remembers AFO telling him that his quirk is a rare variant mutation, just so happened to be one that no one has ever seen before. In the latest chapter, the vision of Tenko holding hands with a man in a suit - that is Shigaraki’s memory. Shigaraki remembers this moment, of being Tenko and walking home, escorted by a stranger in a suit. And it appears, right after Deku declares that he’s going to keep striking at Shigaraki until he reaches the pain Shigaraki has buried and covered up with a lid.

What I’m getting at is this: I think - I hope! - there is a possibility that, if AFO did indeed give Tenko Decay, Shigaraki already knows AFO gave him the quirk - figured it out when he got his memories back, most likely - but is beyond caring. He knows Decay was given to him, that AFO had that hand in causing the massacre; but still Shigaraki uses it, still decides to embody the quirk as his.

Because however Shigaraki got Decay, it really doesn’t change anything about how the world works. It doesn’t change how his dad was locking him out of the house before he ever got any quirk, simply because he couldn’t/didn't want to follow a rule; and it doesn’t change how he was ignored by everyone that day on the street, and no one knew at all what quirk he had or what he did. Manifesting Decay only punted him down into a miserable social position that already existed - not for him at that moment in time, but for someone else; only gave him the ability to witness something that had always been there all the more clearly.

Now, this is very much a cope. But I can cope with the 'AFO gave Tenko Decay’, if it actually ends up giving Deku a harder time saving Shigaraki, if it forces Deku to become unable to blame AFO, because that was never the real injustice Shigaraki has been lashing out against. That’s really the main thing.

Thanks for the ask, anon! Sorry it’s long and rambling. 

[slashthrashandcrash]

question! 🤓☝️ about danny and ramona!

let's say Ghostface never got taken by the fog...what would happen between him and ramona? would she ever find out his secret, maybe by accident? would he be around to watch her grow up?

Hmmmmmm...

Well first I think it depends on what happens to Danny in general. If he's caught one way or another, it kind of throws a wrench in the whole plan, because I don't see him going down without a fight. He will live and die in infamy before they can ever throw him in a cell and try to kill him on their terms.

My belief is that by the time he's in his 40s, roughly ten or so years later, is when he would fully retire Ghostface, provided he hasn't been caught at this point. Age is gonna start catching up with him physically and crime solving technologies are getting more and more advanced which creates a bigger risk, not to mention better surveillance and the rise of the internet. By this point, Ghostface would have been stalking the country for nearly two decades -- he's well cemented his place as a deadly legend and his fame will only grow the longer his crimes go unsolved a la Zodiac Killer and Mr. Cruel. Give it another couple years and there will be a massive resurgence in his popularity when true crime shows/podcast/documentaries/movie recreations become all the rage.

So when it comes to adding Ramona in the mix, his retirement would be right when she's about to head off to college, but I think he would become a more permanent part of her life sometime that she's in high school. The older she gets, the more she's going to understand and be upset by his absence and it's going to be harder for him to keep her 10000% fully on his side as daddy's little girl. He needs to show that he's finally willing to put his "job" aside to be there for her as an actual dad. And surprisingly he does, slowly winding down his Ghostface sprees so that he's home more frequently before they stop altogether.

But it's not being done out of the kindness of his heart, obviously. Like I said, age is creeping into his bones (more than usual lmao), trace DNA analysis is getting better, Ramona is at risk of pulling away from him (which links back to how much DNA profiling is improving given that she'd be a 50% match in a system). He's had a good run, he's willing to quit while he's still ahead...for the most part.

Which means it's time to start groveling and sweet talking his baby mama into proving he's a changed man. He's finally matured, he wants to be a provider for his baby girl while he has the chance, he knows he's been stupid but that's why he's just so grateful for his wonderful ex for all the hard work she's done. It takes a long, long time for her to stop telling Danny to fuck off with his bullshit but...eventually, he does wear her down with the point it only has to be a marriage of convenience on a piece of paper. It's not for him, it's for Ramona, and being a (mostly) single mother for like 14 years by now has to have taken its toll. She can't deny having dual incomes and another parent helping out full time wouldn't ease a lot of her burdens...

They're definitely not in love, it's more like a coparenting roommates situation, but it's good enough for them. They've always had a dysfunctional relationship anyways. So, Danny gets hitched, gets a regular 9-5 job working his way up the ranks of the investigative journalism, and watches his little girl finish out high school and go off to college. And maybe he casually thinks of ways his pseudo-wife could get into some kind of fatal accident. And maybe a few of his business trips were for pleasure rather than work. And maybe he still keeps his mementos and memorabilia stowed away to look upon fondly when the girls are away. Y'know, old habits die hard.

One thing that I think would be so funny however is that if Ramona went off to college in 2003, maybe out of state on a scholarship and Danny went with her to help her move into her new dorm/apartment, while he's scoping out the area he ends up running into some punk former druggie named Amanda...

[zizzlekwum]

Stranger In A Not-So-Strange Land

Masterlist

CHAPTER ELEVEN

The BAU goes to New Orleans to solve a series of murders. Follows the events of Criminal Minds Season 2 Episode 18 "Jones."

Trigger Warnings: mentions of and mild descriptions of sexual assault

Word Count: 6,396

Tag List: @leftoverenvy @itsmeanobody @ctrljuls @theclassicgaycousin @fatherfigured [if you want to be added to the tag list, please comment or send me an ask]

NOTE: Sorry it took so long. I was sick for a week, and then I was almost finished last night (I had one more scene to write) and then my bunny, Pippa, unexpectedly died, so that ruined the rest of the night and I basically stayed in bed crying.

You arrive at work early, yawning as you sit down at your desk. You’re not surprised to see Hotch already at work. He gives you a nod as you sit down at your desk and start researching crime statistics.

“Morning, Y/L/N.”

You look up to see Prentiss sitting down at her desk across from you, giving you a small smile. “Hey, Emily,” you greet before yawning again.

“Rough night?” she asks.

You shrug. “I’m bipolar,” you explain. “I’m medicated, but about once a month, like clockwork, I go three days without sleeping.”

She frowns, eyebrows furrowing in sympathy. “That sucks. What do you do all night?”

“I lay in bed and pretend I’m sleeping,” you tell her. “I read a study once that found that pretending to sleep is actually more beneficial than just saying ‘fuck it’ and not trying. Basically, laying down and trying to sleep will help you feel more rested, even if you don’t actually sleep.”

“That’s really interesting,” Emily says.

“I thought so, too,” you say. “I would try to find the study for you, but it was back in my own universe, so I’m not sure it exists yet.”

“You should tell Reid about it,” she says. “I’m sure he would be interested.”

“What would I be interested in?” Reid asks from behind her, walking through the doorway.

“Just a study I read years ago,” you tell him. You’re filling him in when Hotch comes out of his office.

“We have a case,” he says. “Conference room, please.” You all nod and follow him into the room, where JJ is standing in front of the TV.

“We’ve got a serial killer in New Orleans who killed at least three men pre-Katrina,” JJ informs you. “Until now, the New Orleans police department believed that the serial killer died in the storm.”

“What’s happened to tell them otherwise?” Morgan asks, taking a sip of his coffee.

“A fourth body was found in the French Quarter last night.” JJ pulls up an image of the victim. “Same MO. Another male. Throat slashed, eviscerated.”

Prentiss frowns. “A year and a half? That’s a long cooling-off period. Are we sure this is the same unsub?”

“Well, he was probably displaced by the storm,” you point out. “Maybe he kept committing murders in another jurisdiction?”

“Possible,” JJ says, nodding at you. “He send a letter to William LaMontagne, the head detective on the case, claiming to be the same unsub.”

Gideon crossed his arms in front of him. “LaMontagne have any leads?”

“He died in Katrina,” JJ says. “His son is actually heading the case now.” You fight back a smile at her unknowingly mentioning her future husband.

“That can’t be easy,” Morgan says, frowning.

“Well, we need to pour over the evidence from the first three murders and determine the pattern,” Hotch says.

JJ shakes her head. “Katrina washed everything away. The three victims we know of, their autopsy reports, witness statements, DNA test results.”

“So basically, all we have to go on is the latest victim?” Reid says.

“Until he kills again,” Hotch adds.

“Fun,” you say, sarcasm dripping from your voice.

*   *   *   *   *

On the jet, you’re playing Pokemon Diamond on your DS, since there aren’t any files to go over.

“Hey Reid,” Morgan says. “What’s going on up there?”

Reid shakes his head as if to clear his thoughts. “I was just thinking of this old friend of mine from Las Vegas— Ethan. I’m pretty sure he lives in New Orleans now.”

“Really? Gonna give him a call?” Morgan asks.

Reid shrugs. “We grew up competing against each other in absolutely everything. Spelling bees, science fairs. We also both had our hearts set on joining the Bureau, but… first day at Quantico, he backed out.”

“He probably just couldn’t take the heat,” Prentiss jokes with a smile.

“It’s not really for us to judge, is it?” Reid frowns.

Prentiss’ smile fades. “Right. My bad.”

JJ clears her throat. “These are copies of the newspaper articles on the murders, dating back to early August, 2005.” She hands you a stack of papers as you close your DS and put it back in your bag. “It’s all we have to go on.”

“He killed three times, he stopped for eighteen months, then he started killing again,” Hotch says.

“We should have Garcia run a list of any offenders in the area,” Gideon says. “Anyone who spent the last year and a half doing time, and like Y/L/N suggested, anyone who was forced to relocate after the storm and recently moved back.” He nods at you.

“What is the victimology in killing a mechanic, a real estate broker, and a cook, with ages ranging from twenty-two to forty-five?” Prentiss asks.

JJ nods. “And this latest is a thirty-three year old taxi driver. They just don’t seem to have very much in common.”

“Apart from being men,” you say.

“And walking the French Quarter at night,” Morgan adds.

“Which is notorious for muggings off the main drag,” JJ says.

Prentiss frowns. “Yeah, but this guy isn’t in a rush to flee the scene. A slaughter like this takes time.”

“Andrei Chikatilo fantasized that the men he killed were his captives,” Reid chimes in, “and that torturing and mutilating them somehow made him a hero.”

“The city’s barely back to life,” Gideon says. “Something like this could cripple its psyche.”

“So where do we start?” JJ asks.

“We don’t have any case files or anything,” you remind her. “We really only have one place to start.”

Hotch nods. “Square one.”

*   *   *   *   *

When the plane lands, the team splits up. You go with Reid and Prentiss to the ME to examine the body.

“Four layers of fatty tissue sliced through like butter,” the ME says, uncovering the body. “I only seen that three other times.”

“You work this case initially?” Reid asks.

The ME nods as you slip on a pair of latex gloves. “You don’t forget victims like this. It’s like they were dissected.”

“I can still smell the alcohol on him,” Prentiss notes, also putting on gloves.

The ME shrugs. “This is New Orleans. Dead or alive, it���s a smell you get used to.”

“No defensive wounds,” you note, carefully lifting up the victim’s arm.

“Most likely a blitz attack,” Reid adds. He examines the stab wounds. “No hesitation marks or rapid thrusts. Cuts were methodical. Almost procedural.”

“My guess?” the ME chimes in. “Whoever gutted this guy was taught to.”

“You’re thinking he might have some medical training?” Prentiss asks.

The ME nods. “How else could he carve around every organ and leave each one intact?”

“Has anyone come to claim the body yet?” you ask.

“Anyone we could speak with?” Prentiss says.

“No,” the ME says, shaking his head. “I’ll end up boxing up the poor bastard’s ashes, left to collect dust in storage. All the bodies I’ve been through in the last year and a half, it’s a wonder I still have room.”

*   *   *   *   *

When the three of you get back to the station, Hotch is looking at a projection on the wall.

“Is that the letter from the unsub?” Prentiss asks.

“Yeah,” Hotch says. He reads it aloud. “‘I’m back with a vengeance. I wanted you to know… the last guy made it easy, being out so late, stumbling home drunk. I enjoyed slicing around the organs, thought about sending you one. He was asking to be ripped. Don’t you think, Boss? Yours Truly.’”

“To say that the victims were asking to be killed denies all culpability,” Reid says. “Most sexual sadists rationalize their own behavior by blaming the victims like that.”

Prentiss shakes her head. “But there was no evidence of sexual assault in the autopsy. He could be a homosexual male stabbing because he needs violence for arousal.”

“Every kill he’s acting out a fantasy of revenge,” Hotch says.

“What if he’s trying to act out something else?” Reid says.

“Like what?” Hotch asks.

Reid glances at the projection of the unsub’s letter. “With the exception of the victims being men, it’s the same MO.”

“What are you talking about?” Prentiss asks.

“Oh!” you exclaim. “Jack the Ripper?”

Reid nods. “Exactly. All four victims were found with their throats slashed, eviscerated, and the murders perpetrated in semi-public places after dark. Investigators taunted with letters addressed to ‘Boss.’ The only difference is that case was a hundred years ago and the murders took place in London.”

“And the unsub wants us to think that he’s the modern-day version loose in New Orleans,” Hotch says.

*   *   *   *   *

The next day, you find yourself at the scene of another murder. You, Morgan, and Reid are questioning the victim’s friends.

“So the three of you were out together last night?” Reid asks.

The man to your left nods. “Mark had just paid his tab at one bar and was on his way to meet us at another.”

“You guys get in any trouble?” Morgan asks. “Drunken brawl? Anybody get out of hand?”

The other man shakes his head. “We were just out to have fun, you know? Minded our own business.”

You adjust your glasses on your nose. “Could Mark have met a girl? Maybe upset her boyfriend?”

“No, ma’am.” The man on the right shakes his head again. “He struck out like we all did.”

Morgan nods. “Thanks guys.” You, Morgan, and Reid turn back to the body, where Prentiss, Gideon, and Detective Will LaMontagne are standing around the victim.

Will crosses his arms. “I can hardly keep up with this guy.”

“Well, if he’s mimicking Jack the Ripper, that might be precisely the point,” Prentiss says. “He terrorized London for months without ever getting caught.”

Gideon looks at Will. “I’d appreciate it if you’d gather your men. We’d like to give you a profile of who you’re up against.”

*   *   *   *   *

Back at the precinct, the team stands in front of the New Orleans cops, ready to tell them the profile. Hotch stands in the middle, while Emily is leaning against the wall next to you.

“The offender we’re looking for is friendly, agile, somewhere between thirty and thirty-five,” Hotch starts.

“He’ll lure with charm, kill with rage,” Gideon continues.

“We believe he’s murdering men to reclaim his power,” Emily says. “This unsub suffers from low self-esteem, but he probably covers it well. He dresses impeccably to feed the facade. Jack the Ripper himself was an impetuous lust murderer, whereas this offender is organized, calculating. He might even stalk his victims for days before the actual kill.”

“We believe this killer identifies with Jack the Ripper because he’s lost his own identity,” Gideon says. “Maybe through years of child abuse or some catastrophic event.”

Hotch continues the profile. “Because he overcompensates to hide his insecurities, we believe he may hold a position of authority at work.”

“We also believe the unsub has had medical training,” you add. “Consider EMTs, doctors, and veterinarians, people who may have an advanced understanding of the human body.”

“Please be careful,” Gideon says. “For this unsub, the French Quarter is a hunting ground. He’s certainly already proven he knows the terrain.”

The cops disperse and you and Emily return to the conference room to look over the evidence when Emily’s phone rings.

“Prentiss,” she answers, putting the phone on speaker.

“What was the thing Jack the Ripper took from one of his victims?” Garcia asks. “Besides. Well, you know. Her life.”

“Oh, uh….” Prentiss trails off.

“Tick, tock,” Garcia says.

You think for a moment. “Kidney?”

“Ding ding ding! Y/N’s right,” Garcia exclaims. “How horrifyingly fantastic is that?”

Emily nods at you, making you smile. “Garcia, are you going anywhere with this?” she asks.

“Just that I found an unsolved murder that happened four months ago in Galveston, Texas, with the same MO, the victim missing that very organ. I amaze myself.”

“Hey, I did wonder if the unsub was displaced by the hurricane,” you point out.

“Y/N, you are also amazing,” Garcia says.

Emily laughs. “I agree,” she says, causing your cheeks to heat up. “Great work, Garcia,” she says.

“Who was that?” Gideon asks, walking into the room.

“I may have been right,” you tell him. “Garcia found a case in Texas that fits the Ripper’s MO, four months ago.”

Gideon nods. “A lot of Katrina refugees relocated there after the storm.”

“It could definitely be our unsub,” Prentiss agrees. “He removes the kidney, just like Jack the Ripper.”

Gideon gestures to you. “Call Reid and Morgan. I want the four of you on a plane to Texas tonight.”

You nod, biting your lip. “Will do,” you tell him quietly.

*   *   *   *   *

Emily glances back at you as you follow her up the stairs into the jet. “Are you okay? I know you had a hard time in Texas during the last case.”

You sigh, fiddling with your hands. “I’m treating it as exposure therapy,” you tell her with a shrug. “It’s how I got myself used to the grocery store during the weekend days when it was wicked crowded. Besides,” you say, shooting her a smile, “I know you wouldn’t let anything happen to me, even if my asshole ex somehow did show up.”

She chuckles, throwing an arm around you. “You got that right. We have your back.”

The two of you settle in and wait for Reid and Morgan to get there, chatting about the case as you wait. After a few minutes, Morgan walks onto the jet.

You nod at him. “Hey.”

“Hey,” he says, putting his bag down. “Where’s Reid?”

“He’s not with you?” you ask. Morgan shakes his head.

Next to you, Emily frowns. “We were hoping he was.”

“Thought you said you called him?” Morgan asks her.

She nods. “I did! Four times, nothing.” She glances at her watch. “The victim’s fiancée is expecting us.”

“What do we do?” you ask.

Morgan shakes his head. “We got one option. Wheels up.” He goes to tell the pilot to take off.

*   *   *   *   *

When you get to the fiancée’s house, it’s dark out. She invites you in and you take a seat next to Prentiss on the couch, Morgan on her other side.

“Everyone kept saying crime’s gonna skyrocket after the relocation,” the victim’s fiancée says. “You just never think it’s gonna happen to you.”

“The report said that your fiancé was bar-hopping for his bachelor party on the night he was killed,” Prentiss says.

“We were supposed to be married in October,” the fiancée says. She takes a deep breath. “He was just out celebrating that with friends.”

“Was there anyone at Leonard’s bachelor party you didn’t know?” Morgan asks.

She shakes her head. “We all grew up together. They’re like family to me. Whether they met somebody out, you know, that’s a different story.” She laughs humorlessly. “They’re a rowdy bunch. They’d party with anybody.”

You finish up the interview and leave the house. You hop in the back seat, giving Emily the passenger seat while Morgan drives. Emily sighs. “Each of the last two victims was traveling with a group. Both were drinking, both in public arenas, bar-hopping. So how could their friends not see anything?”

“It’s like when the lion preys upon an antelope,” Morgan says.

Emily frowns. “You lost me.”

Morgan laughs. “Well that’s because you, Emily Prentiss, have never been one of the antelope.”

“Oh, scratch that,” Emily says. “You totally lost me.”

“Me too,” you say, frowning.

“Okay, check this out,” Morgan says. “The antelope travel in packs. So the lion just sits and waits. Waits for just one of the antelope to break away from its herd, so when he’s alone, vulnerable, and completely unprotected, that’s when the lioness strikes. That’s when she makes her move.”

“Wait a minute, ‘her’ move,” Emily repeats.

Morgan nods. “There’s only one thing that’s gonna make a straight man leave his friends on a guys night out. And it’ll make him leave every time. One of the victims was out for his bachelor party. Another one out with just the guys. What’s the only temptation that’s gonna lure these men away from each other.” He takes out his phone and dials.

“The unsub’s a woman,” you finish.

*   *   *   *   *

Back at the precinct, you, Morgan, and Prentiss are looking through the case files again when Reid walks in.

“Hey, you guys are back from Galveston?” he asks, sitting down next to you.

“First light this morning,” Morgan replies. “Where were you?”

“I was out with a friend, I already told you,” Reid says casually.

“I called you four times,” Prentiss says.

“I didn’t have any cell phone reception, so I didn’t get your message until late,” Reid says.

Prentiss rolls her eyes. “Right.”

Reid looks to you. “What’s going on?”

“Unsub’s a woman,” you tell him. “We’re looking through the evidence again with that in mind.” He opens his mouth to respond when Hotch walks up behind him.

“We just found another body in the Quarter,” Hotch says. “Let’s go.”

*   *   *   *   *

At the scene of the newest murder, Morgan is examining the body as you, Prentiss, Gideon, and Reid watch him.

“Throat’s been cut,” Morgan says. “He’s been disemboweled, too.”

Gideon crouches down next to the body. “Reeks of booze,” he says. “It’s more than a pattern.”

“Only this time, she cut off the earlobe,” Morgan adds.

You nod. “Like Jack the Ripper.”

Prentiss looks at you. “What do you mean?”

“In one letter or correspondence, Jack the Ripper promised to cut the earlobe off his next victim, and he did,” Reid says.

“Wasn’t that the only day he killed twice?” you ask. Reid nods.

“So she’s gonna kill again by the end of the day,” Gideon says.

“Most likely,” you say. “Unless we can stop her by then.”

“Okay,” Prentiss starts, “what do we know about female serial killers?”

Gideon nods. “Basically, you have two types.”

“The Sante Kimes model,” Morgan says. “Cold, calculated. Preys on men for money. Takes her time building relationships.”

“Doesn’t sound like this unsub,” you say.

“It’s more likely we’re dealing with the Aileen Wuornos archetype,” Reid agrees, nodding at you. “Motivated by paranoia and fear, luring men with sex.”

“This unsub’s organized,” Gideon says. “She follows a routine. She meets men in a bar, flirts with them over drinks, and suggests they consummate the evening in an alley.”

“We should patrol the streets tonight,” you say. “Especially knowing we can expect another body by the end of the day.”

“Office just brought me this,” Detective LaMontagne says from behind you. You turn and see him holding out an evidence bag with what appears to be another letter from the unsub inside.

Emily takes it from him and reads. “Dear boss, by now I have rid the world of one more. So many men, so little time. I hope you don’t mind the mess. They make it so easy, I just can’t help myself. Yours truly.”

*   *   *   *   *

Later that night, you and Emily are patrolling the alleys together.

“Most of the women are in groups,” you note, looking around.

Emily nods from beside you. “We should be looking for someone on her own.”

You frown, thinking of the latest letter. “So many men, so little time,” you repeat. “She’s dead set on killing men. I wonder why?”

“She might be misplacing the rage from a father who molested her,” Emily suggests. “Some people think Jack the Ripper mutilated women after his mother sexually abused him for years.”

“She seems apologetic, weirdly enough,” you add. “At least for leaving a messy scene. I don’t understand why.”

Emily shrugs. “That might be what the detective’s father figured out before he died.”

You sigh. “Okay, I’m going to preface this with the fact that I’m not victim blaming, simply curious, but why are these men just fine with following a stranger into a random alley alone? I would never.”

Emily chuckles. “They’re not thinking with their head.”

“At least, not the correct one,” you respond. She laughs.

“Exactly.” The two of you continue looking around for anything that stands out, conversation lulling for a bit.

“Do you know what’s going on with Reid?” Emily asks after a little while.

You let out a long breath. “He… I mean, he hasn’t been the same since Tobias Hankel, and understandably so,” you tell her. “But I wish he’d let us in.”

She looks out at the crowd around you. “Not to change the subject, but I feel like we’re missing something. Let’s go meet up with the others, see if they’ve had any luck.”

You nod, following her through groups of people, fighting the urge to reach out and grab her hand so you don’t lose her. You find Morgan and Reid first.

“Hey,” Morgan says, shaking his head. “We got nothing.”

You frown. “Well, we’re running out of time. Day’s almost over.”

Emily sighs. “Hopefully Hotch and Gideon or JJ and the detective had better luck. Otherwise….” Her voice trails off, but you all know what she means.

Otherwise, you’re going to find another body.

*   *   *   *   *

The next morning, you arrive at the scene of the newest murder. Detective LaMontagne is kneeling next to the body, shaking his head.

“She’s mocking us,” he says, standing as you, Emily, JJ, Gideon, and Reid duck under the crime scene tape.

“And she’s true to her word,” Emily notes.

Reid crouches down next to the body. “Does anyone have any tweezers?” he asks. One of the crime scene techs hands him a pair. “Thank you.” He uses them to extract something white from the victim’s mouth.

“What is that?” JJ asks.

“I have no idea,” Reid says.

You look closer as Reid stands. “A note, maybe?”

Reid unfolds the paper and nods. “Y/L/N is right.” He looks over at the detective. “It’s addressed to your father.”

“Let’s see it,” Gideon says. Reid hands him the paper. “‘Dear boss,’” Gideon reads, “‘he wanted it, with that sharp tongue and vulgar hand. Thought you’d like to know, another will soon get what he deserves. Yours truly.’”

“It’s weird,” Reid notes.

You frown. “How so?”

“Typically offenders write letters to be heard,” he explains. “Jack the Ripper bragged about not being caught, but this unsub isn’t using correspondence to flaunt her latest kill, only to explain why she did it.”

“It’s possible that she considers herself a vigilante,” Prentiss suggests. “That the men she’s killing deserve to die.”

“Or maybe she’s contacting your father, not because he was the lead detective on the case, but… because she believes he’d understand,” Gideon tells the detective.

“You think he knew her somehow?” Detective LaMontagne asks.

“Can you think of a woman in your dad’s life he helped through a tough time?” JJ asks. “Might be another police officer, I don’t know, a prostitute he helped get off the street?”

The detective shakes his head. “Nah, he hasn’t dealt with prostitutes since he worked sex crimes.”

“The unsub wrote, ‘he was asking to be ripped,’ ‘I just couldn’t help myself,’ and ‘he wanted it,’” Reid says.

“Wait, that sounds a lot like what rapists say to excuse their behavior,” you say. You turn to the detective. “You said your dad worked sex crimes? Maybe she was one of his victims.”

Reid nods at you. “Exactly. She may be mirroring the man who raped her.”

“Detective, where are the files stored from your sex crimes division?” Gideon asks.

Detective LaMontagne shakes his head. “They were housed in the same place as homicide. Most of them washed away.”

“Did your dad have a partner?” JJ asks.

“Yeah, J.R. Smith,” the detective says. “Smitty, they called him.”

“Maybe he remembers something,” you suggest.

“Yeah, but they had a falling out,” Detective LaMontagne says.

Emily frowns. “What about?”

The detective shrugs. “I don’t know. They stopped talking when he left sex crimes. That was nine years ago. The guy didn’t even come to my daddy’s funeral, so….”

“Do you have a problem calling him?” Gideon asks.

“Not if it means breaking this case,” Detective LaMontagne says. He looks down at the body, frowning. “Honey, may I borrow your hand for a minute?” he asks JJ. She nods. The detective uses her to look at the victim’s hand, where there’s a stamp. “Well, I’ll be damned.”

“What?” you ask.

He gestures to the hand. “That stamp? It’s admittance into the Mon Cherie. It’s a bar in the French Quarter.” He stands. “Nine years ago? It was called Jones.”

“Bingo,” Gideon says. He turns to JJ. “Get Garcia on the phone.”

*   *   *   *   *

At the Mon Cherie, Detective LaMontagne leads you all towards a man sitting alone at a table. “Smitty, how are you?” he says, holding out a hand to shake.

Smitty stares at him. “I hope you got a good reason for dredging this crap up,” he says coldly.

Detective LaMontagne lowers his hand. “Well I was hoping you might remember being called here with my daddy nine years ago.”

“Is that a joke?” Smitty asks, glaring at him.

The detective shakes his head. “No?”

Gideon steps forward. “My name’s Jason Gideon. We’re from the FBI. We’re investigating the series of murders in the French Quarter.”

Smitty shrugs. “What’s that got to do with me?”

“We need you to tell us what happened the night you and Detective LaMontagne answered the call in this bar,” Emily says. Smitty just stares at her.

“Am I missing something?” the detective asks.

Smitty smiles, and it makes you want to take a step back. “You really don’t know, do you? After that night, your daddy tried to bring me up on sanctions.”

“Why?” Detective LaMontagne asks.

“It was Mardi Gras. Some girl claimed she was raped,” Smitty tells him. You grit your teeth at his wording and flippant attitude. “I wasn’t buying it.” You fight the urge to cross your arms.

“What did she say happened to her?” JJ asks.

“Brass backed me up,” Smitty continues, ignoring JJ. “They ended up transferring your daddy out to shut him up.”

“What happened here?” Emily asks, glancing at you with a frown.

“It almost cost me my career.” Smitty ignores her.

“Do you mind telling us what happened?” Gideon asks the question this time.

Smitty stands, walking across the room. “My best recollection, she said she was sitting at the bar with two friends. One of the boys asked her if she wanted to play some pool. Witnesses claim she was up for anything.” You grit your teeth again but say nothing.

“She followed him up here?” Emily asks as he gets to the stairs.

Smitty nods. “His friend not far behind. She knew he was there.” You bite your lip. “That girl was a tease,” Smitty says. You want to punch the smug look off his face. “She was looking for a good time. Anyway, a couple guys were going along with that.”

“Did she yell out for help?” JJ asks.

“She said she did,” Smitty says, rolling his eyes. “But not a single person claimed that they heard her.”

“That’s what you registered as a disturbance?” you ask incredulously, your voice coming out louder than you mean for it to.

“It was Mardi Gras,” Smitty tells you. “Listen to me, that girl had enough beads hanging from her neck to jewel a small city. Anyone who exposes themself that much in one day isn’t a credible witness in my book.” You flex your fingers in an attempt to not curl them into a fist, a habit you formed as a child when you would get upset.

“But she wanted to press charges,” Detective LaMontagne says.

“I told her it was a waste of time,” Smitty says. “I knew one of the accused. He was a good kid.” He shakes his head. “He didn’t need the stink of that accusation.” You grab the bottom of your shirt into a fist.

Gideon sits down next to Smitty. “So you protected a rapist.”

Smitty scoffs. “Well, that right there was a bone of contention between his daddy and I. As far as I was concerned, no such rape ever took place. Now are you gonna tell me why you went and dragged this dirt back through my life?”

There’s a pause, and then Gideon speaks. “You know the serial killed who’s cutting up men in the French Quarter? She was your victim.”

“We’re trying to find a name,” Detective LaMontagne says. Smitty shakes his head.

“You don’t even remember her name?” Emily says.

Smitty rolls his eyes. “It was nine years ago.”

“Okay then, how about the name of the ‘good kid?’” you ask. “You know, the one who raped her.” Smitty takes another sip of his drink, not responding.

“Smitty,” Detective LaMontagne says. “You tell me right now or I’ll file a new sanction against you, and I guarantee you, this time it’ll stick.”

“Ronnie Thibideaux,” Smitty grumbles.

You turn and stalk outside, where you allow yourself to clench your hands into fists.

“You okay?” Emily asks from behind you.

You turn to face her. “I don’t like him.”

She smiles softly. “I can tell.”

“Was I that obvious?” you ask.

She shrugs. “Maybe not to a normal person, but I am a profiler, and it was written all over your face.”

You sigh. “I’ve watched enough SVU to know how common his mindset it, but I can’t fucking stand it.” You kick a pebble. “Like, he’s supposed to help protect people, not victimize them further! God, I fucking hate people.”

She puts an arm around your shoulders as the others exit the bar. “Caring so deeply about other people is a good thing,” she tells you. “Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”

Gideon gives you a questioning look, and you nod resolutely at him. “I’m good. Let’s go interview a rapist.”

*   *   *   *   *

Back at the station, you’re watching from the other side of the glass as Emily and JJ talk to the rapist, Ronnie.

“Mr. Thibideaux,” Emily starts, “we need you to answer a few questions about a disturbance you were involved with in 1998.”

Ronnie looks at her, a small smirk on his face. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“At a bar called Jones,” JJ adds. “It was Mardi Gras.”

“Well, then, I must’ve been drinking some, because I don’t remember a thing,” Ronnie says, that stupid smirk growing wider.

“We just need to know the name of your accuser,” Prentiss tells him.

Ronnie shakes his head. “Look, I told you I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

JJ shakes her head. “The statute of limitations is up,” she says, rubbing her face. “We just need a name.”

“Someone accuses me of rape, I’m gonna remember her name,” Emily says, sitting down across from the rapist.

“Unless you’re used to it,” you grumble to yourself. “Probably raped other women, too.”

“Well what can I tell you, cher?” Ronnie says, slight agitation creeping into his voice. “I guess she didn’t make that good of an impression.”

“Oh, that fucker,” you seethe, fidgeting. Your cross your arms, then uncross them.

“Unlike yourself, right now?” Emily is saying to Ronnie.

“Y/L/N, take a breath,” Hotch says quietly from beside you, his tone soft.

You sigh. “I’m fine,” you tell him. “Just really hate rapists.” You refocus on the interrogation room.

“You know,” Ronnie says, leaning forward, a dangerous glint in his eye, “I’m guessing if someone did do something to that girl that night, then she was probably asking for it. Maybe even liked it.”

“Oh, what a fucking ass hat,” you say. “He’s not even gonna tell us a name!”

“Guy’s not giving up anything,” Detective LaMontagne says from behind you.

“Reid, after the double murder, what was the Ripper’s next move?” Hotch asks.

“He mutilated and dismembered Mary Kelly in her one-room flat until she was unrecognizable,” Reid reports. “It’s believed to be his most vicious kill of all.”

“He had privacy,” you say.

“And time to torture his victim before killing her,” Morgan adds. “Maybe we’re not too late.”

You shift your attention back to the interrogation room, where JJ is showing Ronnie pictures of the victims. “She murdered these men, and I’m guessing it’s only a matter of time before she works her way back to the one she really wants to kill.” Ronnie looks at her abruptly, alarm written all over his face.

“She make an impression now?” Emily asks.

Ronnie swallows. “Sarah Danlin.”

You turn and walk away, grabbing a drink of water while JJ calls Garcia. She’s hanging up when you return, water in hand. “We got her,” she tells you.

*   *   *   *   *

At Sarah Danlin’s apartment, the team spreads out in groups to cover all entrances. You’re paired up with Hotch and Morgan, while Reid and Detective LaMontagne take the back entrance.

“Sarah Danlin! FBI! Open up!” Morgan yells. When there’s no answer, Hotch gives him a nod and he kicks the door in. You follow behind Hotch and Morgan, gun drawn, as you check each room.

“Clear!” you call out.

“Clear!” Morgan shouts.

You meet in the living room. “She’s definitely not here,” you say.

“Guys, there are some ripperologists who speculate that Mary Kelly was actually killed in a flat that Jack the Ripper rented for the night,” Reid says.

Morgan takes out his phone. “I’m gonna have Garcia check Sarah Danlin’s credit card accounts. It’s a long shot, but maybe we can trace her room back to her charge cards.”

You look closer at the coffee table. “Look.”

“Souvenirs,” Hotch says, picking up a paper. “These are from bars in the French Quarter. This is from Mon Cherie.”

Morgan shakes his head. “She’s trolling for victims in the place where it all began.”

“She can’t move on,” Hotch says. “The rape isn’t the whole story. I’ll bet there’s a history of sexual abuse that contributes to her rage as well.”

“It’s almost like by taking on the Ripper persona, she was trying to kill something within herself,” Reid says.

Morgan’s phone rings. He opens it and puts it on speaker. “Yeah, mama, what do you got?”

“Sarah Danlin’s Visa was charged an hour ago at the Royal Ruby Inn,” Garcia tells him.

Morgan smiles. “Ah, baby girl, you never disappoint. Thank you.” He hangs up and looks at the detective.

“That’s two blocks from here,” Detective LaMontagne says.

“Let’s go,” you say, everyone rushing out of the room and back to the SUVs.

It only takes a minute to get to the Inn, and you jump out of the car as soon as it stops, following Hotch at a run. He quickly describes Sarah Danlin to the desk attendant, who directs you to her rented room.

Hotch kicks the door open to find Sarah Danlin standing over a naked man who’s tied to the bed by his wrists. She has a knife in her hand. “FBI!” Hotch shouts.

“Drop the knife!” you tell her.

“Drop the weapon!” Hotch repeats.

“He wanted it,” Sarah says, pointing the knife at the man’s throat. “And he got it.”

“Put it down, now,” Morgan says.

Hotch raises his wrist to his mouth. “We need an EMT tech right away,” he says quietly into the receiver.

Sarah looks over her shoulder, focusing on you. “What are you waiting for?”

Morgan shakes his head. “Ma’am, we don’t want to shoot you,” he says.

She smiles humorlessly, looking at Morgan. “Be such a shame to waste this. Do you want it, too?”

“What we want is for you to please put the knife down,” Morgan says.

“Come on,” Sarah tells him. “Don’t fight it.”

You shake your head. “Sarah, please. We don’t want to hurt you.”

Detective LaMontagne comes into the room, lowering his weapon. “Sarah,” he says carefully. “My name’s William LaMontagne Jr. You knew my daddy?” Sarah’s eyes fill with tears as Detective LaMontagne inches his way closer to her. “Hey there. You trusted him, so trust me.”

“Where is he?” Sarah asks him.

“The storm took him,” the detective tells her. A tear rolls down her cheek. The detective puts a hand out, slowly reaching for the knife. “Come on. It’s over.” Sarah gives him the knife and breaks down, falling into his arms. “It’s over,” he repeats, carrying her out of the room.

You immediately start working to free the victim from his restraints, taking out your knife and slicing though the fabric. “You’re going to be okay,” you tell him as the EMTs rush into the room and begin their assessment.

You follow the EMTs as they load the victim into a stretcher and wheel him out to the ambulance, breaking away from them when you notice JJ and Prentiss pulling up.

“Hey,” you greet them. JJ gives you a nod as she walks over to where the detective is leaning against his car. You smile over at them.

“What’s that look for?” Emily asks, following your line of sight.

You shrug. “Wouldn’t you like to know?” you tease.

She laughs before her expression turns more serious. “I just wanted to check in on you, make sure you’re okay.”

You nod. “I’m good. I just hate that rape isn’t taken seriously a lot of the time. There’s a quote, something along the lines of, ‘rape is the only crime where you have to prove the victim’s innocence.’ I just hate that that’s pretty much true. It doesn’t matter if the victim was walking around naked, as long as they say don’t provide consent, it’s rape.” You sigh. “I’m lucky enough to never have been sexually assaulted, but I know a lot of women who were. Well, you know. I used to know a lot of women who were,” you correct yourself, frowning. “Anyway, as much as I miss my old life, I’m glad I found a new family, too. The BAU and the Jeffersonian team are the only reason I’m able to function, really. I’m not sure what I’d do without you guys.”

She smiles, putting an arm around you. “You’ll never find out.”

[starry-eyed-extraterrestrial]

Alrighty Mötley WIPs that are currently in the works/that I just love. I'll give you guys a top ten. Warning poly!Crue and Crue! slash under the cut.

1. Eternally- if you've been on my Tumblr and checked out literally any of my fic stuff you'll know what eternally is all about but if you don't it's an afterlife AU for Mötley crüe where the boys are all banished to purgatory on a creepy demon infested farmhouse where they have to take care of the creatures and crops living there while also trying to figure out how to deal with having four guys in the house and one bathroom. Poly!Crue, this one will get pretty serious and there will be alot of explicit content mentioned. This is also currently in development hell, as I am unsatisfied with literally every draft I do of it. (14% finished)

2.Balancing act- A TommyMick/ MarLee story where Tommy tries to get Mick into meditation, thinking that it might help Mick with his back problems, but all it does is make Mick really good at seeking glances at Tommy while pretending his eyes are closed when Tommy is doing some chacra healing stuff on him. 2006-ish/red, white and crue era. (Haven't started this one yet so 0%)

3.Detective Mars - AU fic. Mick is a hardened La detective with a back injury that sends him into early retirement. He has one final case to solve before that though and it just so happens to be a missing persons case where the victim just poofed out of existence one night or so his bandmates claim. Mick doesn't really believe them however and decides to go undercover as a normal guitar player looking for a band so that he could scope out whether they'd commited the crime or not. The case quickly unravels in a much different way when a strange connection from his past, is somehow linked to this La club band and now his mission is to protect them at all costs, without them figuring out his identity.(20% finished) (Also poly!Crue but very subtle)

4.Don't have a title for this one but(I take suggestions), the ADHD Tommy/ autistic mick fic- Over the years Nikki has gotten used to the quirks of his bandmates, but it's only when he has a particularly heated conversation with his therapist that he starts to take a closer look at their daily actions and suddenly....years of differences start to make sense. So he decided to journal his findings. (0%)

5. Mötley omegaverse fic- yeah I'm not gonna electorate. (2%)

6. Spank bank- Nsft warning, pure smut, poly!crue fic it's literally about the guys... pleasing themselves in the same room and secretly stealing glances. (Sorry, I'm a degenerate) (6%)

7. Whitehorse- Mick Whitehorse era fic, basically what Mick's dinamic was like in that band and what the guys treated him like and his general journey to becoming Mick Mars and all the growing pains in between. (Also there's a story that they tell about all the guys having to sleep in the van one night and all of them could just, not stop farting and I am a child so I think that's hilarious and I wanna write it) (0%)

8. Always my fist choice- Tommy proposed to Mick the day they met and then every single night afterwards, as a joke obviously never truely, he was just messing around. But if asking Mick to marry him everyday meant that he'd one day say yes then he wasn't going to deny them a wedding now was he? This one is gonna be angsty, right off the bat it takes a pretty realistic approach and it has alot more plot then this but I'm to tired to get into it rn. TommyMick/ Marlee

9. Be my daddy- based on the Lana Del Rey song of the same name this is pure Nikkimick smut ft. Nikki's daddy issues. Pretty self-explanatory. (10% finished)

10. Don't have a title for this one but Mick generation swine era angst. I don't wanna give too much away but there's a scene where Mick cries infront of them for the first time.