#dead moms club represent!

[cottoncandybitchfuck]

Riz Gukgak, a little rogue from a single-parent household. A natural detective, going nights without sleeping and worrying his mother to death. He was looking for his babysitter who had gone missing, he didn’t care about friends. He was the briefcase kid, he was used to getting bullied. He gets thrown into a trash can and called “The Ball.” He stole a teabag in the name of getting clues and got detention. He brought a gun to his first day of school. He killed a monster, making the worst but smartest choice of jumping into the corn monster. He joined the A.V. club with some gross people just to solve a mystery. He started taking care of a random rat just because he could. He used his suitcase as a skateboard during combat. He shot Coach Daybreak when he was unconscious just to make sure he was dead. He knew they weren’t done yet despite the cops having the palimpsest. He took 7 damage to try to save someone from a palimpsest. He shot 2 of his classmate’s fingers off to get him to answer their questions. He holds the sword of shadows. He kills a dragon and then eats him. “Fury of the Ball” He becomes a licensed investigator. He lied about having a partner, and it manifested and kidnapped him. He comes clean immediately. He gave up a secret only to save his friend he never thought he would have. He tried to help Fabian feel better after the fight at the Row and the Ruction. He helped save Adaine, helping take down a Plyon. He found record of the coin from the Nightmare King in Kalvaxus’ Horde. He was also the first to find out about the Shadow Cat.  He represented Fig in a legal trial in Hell. He met his dad and almost thought he was bad. He became part of the Lower Planar Reconnaissance Task Force. His biggest fear was getting left by his friends getting in relationships. He came up with the way to destroy Kalina. He used magic to be able to drive. He ran over Fabian. He joined every club he could and became a campaign manager so that he could go to college since his mom couldn’t afford it. *His principal cast Hold Monster on him…  He didn’t hesitate to protect Fig from the moon by throwing her into his briefcase and jumping in after her. His nightmare followed him, it attacked his friends. He got away again. He learned to talk shit. He hid so well and helped with the Last Stand so much. He found the rogue teacher, he solved so many points of the mystery. He killed another dragon! He is so protective of his friends, and he hated what the rat grinders stood for. “Make sure to cut his head off so he can’t be revived.” He submerged in lava just to throw Kipperlilly off.  “Very good on paper but… no practical application.” He apologized to Fig and Kristen for pushing them to do school when they didn’t want to, as well as made sure Kristen actually wanted to be president. He is Riz Gukgak, The Ball, and he is a huge part of the bad kids despite being so small. And the one thing Porter was right about? Riz is a “Little Shadow” and he is good at it too. 

It took me three hours to write this because I had to condense and cut so much. It’s 1am (12:14) in a warehouse in the middle of the sea (a dorm room) and I am finally done with this style of post. At least 4 more Bad Kids posts are coming, and then I’ll be normal again (posting about other fandoms and dnd shows)

*I said this was important! He used dominate person on Ruben, so that was a choice Grix made, there are no mechanical reasons for monster to work vs person

[wheelerpilled]

'forced conformity is killing the kids'

Mike Wheeler ST5 Theory/analysis

So we've all seen the new BTS of Finn Wolfhard on the set of Stranger Things dropped and OH MY GOD. THE DUALITY FROM LAST SEASON.

I have to TRY write about it ATLEAST...because wow I have a lot of potential thoughts, sorry it's once again unstructured, messy, and repetitive but stay with me please!!!!!!!!!!

I've seen ALOT of people happy we're getting s1-2 Mike hair back but guys .....it's not a good thing!!!!!!!!!! Mike is going THROUGH IT.

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In Season 4 it's acknowledged that Mike is finally coming into his own a bit, Eddie says he was wearing 'whatever his mom bought him' when he first came to highschool, but in episode 1 when we see him for the first time in S4, he's clearly been influenced by Eddie and has figured out what style he likes and what he's interested in, he's in a DND club, he's comfortable being known as an uncool nerd, he's growing his hair out (yes I DO believe it's because he idolised Eddie, I have more to say about that in a second)

basically: his hair and his outfits, aswell as pretty much the way he acts in Hawkins (NOT California- he goes back to pretending to be something else) in S4 represents the ideology non-conformity and his sense freedom in this new persona

he doesn't feel lost in highschool anymore, he's doing what he likes with his friends (DnD) and he's proudly wearing his hellfire shirt around school/Hawkins, basically, he's accepting that it's okay to enjoy 'different' things that aren't considered the norm, and it makes him happy, he feels comfortable!

_____________________________________________

But now in Season 5, from the pictures we've seen, it looks like he's fully reverted back into his shell, I guess I understand why tbh I don't blame him:

he comes back to Hawkins after everything and everyone believes he's in a satanic cult- townspeople probably treat him badly and Jason's team mates probably blame Eddie and the rest of hellfire for Jason's 'disappearance' (death). They directly connect him with all the horrible things that have happened to Hawkins as of late

...which is probably what the BTS of them walking towards Mike are about, they probably keep harassing him no matter how he acts and Mike just wants them to leave him alone, let's face it:

High school has probably gone full circle back to middle school for Mike and he's getting bullied/mistreated again. So he feels his only option is to remove himself from Hellfire and become 'normal'.

Hellfire might maybe even be blamed for the gates being opened. Last we heard, the townspeople were hunting down Eddie and the rest of hellfire, and the graffiti on Eddie's grave in the S5 pics shows that he's still very much hated.

Mike probably got harassed by multiple people who don't believe Eddie's dead, or believe Mike was in on it and are out looking for him, or think Hellfire contributed to some satanic ritual causing the 'earthquake' and thus Mike is also a target and it's dangerous for him.

So I think part of the style change and haircut is due to THAT, he doesn't wear his hellfire shirt anymore because he doesn't want any affiliation with the club.

As Finn Wolfhard has said in previous interviews 'mikes just trying to act as normal as possible' so by seperating himself from Eddie/Hellfire and becoming more conventionally 'normal' he won't be treated like an outcast.

He won't be assaulted, bullied, blamed, or worse if he conforms. He has a greater chance of everything becoming better/easier while living in Hawkins if he does this, he might have even given up DnD aswell- so yeah he's gonna be pretty MISERABLE in season 5

___________________________________________

Alot of people wanted to see his reaction to Eddie's death, I think we'll definitely be seeing the lingering after effects of it, and alot of Mike's arc will kick off because of the aftermath of the vilification of Hellfire.

Only few people know that Eddie died to try protect Hawkins, Eddie was a role model for Dustin and Mike, but they're grieving him in COMPLETELY different ways

Dustin decides to honour him by taking up a similar style and proudly wearing his hellfire shirt, and is also probably trying to sway the town's opinion on Eddie and prove him innocent.

....But Mike seemingly decides that he DOESNT want to end up like Eddie anymore: dead and hated, known as a satanic freak.

Someone he idolised is now deceased, he doesn't know how to properly handle that fact, it's intimidating that someone he looked up to do much could be so hated, and in turn has caused the reaction from Mike that is basically 'if my idol is treated as such a horrible outcast, and I wanted to follow in his footsteps, where would that leave me?' he's feeling lost and hopeless, especially with the state Hawkins is in, so he probably decides the best thing to do is just blend in. Be normal.

It probably scares him that even merely his interest in DnD and all these other factors immediately make him a target, as far as townspeople believe- Mike is one of the kids who was close with a brutal serial killer, they probably think he's just as 'messed up as Eddie the freak was' for staying friends with someone who'd do such horrible things

I think Mike just wants to hide as much as he can right now, he has ALOT on his plate and doesn't need the rest of the town out to get him.

so if anyone asks: he'll probably say things like 'I didn't really know Eddie! I would never join a cult like that, I didn't know!' or something to try seperate his name from the hellfire club.

Mike will end up picking protecting himself and hiding his true identity and values/traits rather then living exposed and vulnerable; yet true to what he actually believes is right....And that is the opposite of what Dustin is doing,

Dustin is a proud hellfire member and friend of Eddie, he's picking what he thinks is right over self-preservation from the town, he's still wearing his battered shirt, now HE'S the one growing his hair out, he still adores Eddie and misses him (so does Mike probably, but he feels he CANT outwardly publicly show support or stand up for him)

I do wonder if this will cause some sort of tension between Dustin and Mike, because Dustin is doing the opposite and becoming more like Eddie instead of distancing himself from the hellfire name, he might feel betrayed that Mike 'gave up' on Hellfire, and maybe accuse him of not even caring about Eddie or his death?? Idk!!!!!!!!!! I feel like Dustin will also be going through it this season 😭😭😭

_____________________________________________

I do also think Mike will try to be clinging alot to El this season (I mean, before they inevitably break up which I believe will probably happen kinda early on if it actually happens at all)

this is also because just the idea of having a girlfriend corresponds to his idea of conformity and being 'normal'. He just wants to be a normal guy, his life is nothing out for the ordinary, he's not interested in satanic things like dnd and hellfire, he's just a normal person. A normal person who is PROBABLY a target of Vecna in season 5 😓

I believe his arc for this season will be trying to breakout of these notions of conformity in exchange for things he actually likes and is interested in, we saw him sort of branching out in season 4, but I think THIS time it's happening for real, and he'll end up fully embracing his own views and interests after some sort of emotional arc-which will also probably be part of the M*lev*n break up (not censored because I'm against them/hate them I just don't wanna clog the tag for others 😭😭) OR set off by the breakup

Throughout season 1 he was told he liked El, or others assumed it, so I think he assumed it aswell, they just never broke up because El ALSO thinks having a boyfriend is normal and expected, and because Mike was the boy she was closest to she assumed it was romantic feelings (and he kissed her in S1 which probably contributed to her assuming they were romantic feelings)

Alot of the people around her are also in relationships, and she watched alot of TV with happy romantic couples so she thinks it's more normal to HAVE a boyfriend then to NOT have one, I think Mike and El kinda stayed together because they think they're SUPPOSED to by these social standards,

They obviously care about each other alot, and mistook it as reasons to just stay together, she wants to be a normal girl because only being a superhero isnt good for her, she needs to be 'Jane Hopper' and not '011'. I do think she definitely needs to be single for awhile and find herself, even if her and Mike are to be endgame, she NEEDS at least some time to gain some experiences outside of living her life as a superhero, (Mike also needs character development outside of being 'Els Boyfriend's)

Which is why it was vital that her time with max in S3 existed, so El could realise her value and that there is a life outside having a boyfriend- I think Mike needs a similar moment aswell, a wake-up call of sorts where he can take a step back and consider maybe rather than letting society dictate his actions, he makes decisions for what he wants for himself ('we make our own rules')

_____________________________________________

If m*lev*n is endgame then sure that's great for them, but I genuinely don't know what big character arc could be in store for Mike that doesn't involve a breakup and themes of non-conforming, it doesn't even have to involve Byler endgame at all (although I AM a byler truther)

I think Mike learning that it's okay to let go of that romantic relationship if he doesn't feel that way anymore is a big step for his character, or atleast taking a break so he can work on himself, anything along those lines of actual development on himself rather then on his relationship- El and Mike have been romantically paired from the start, he needs to learn that it's OKAY to breakup with someone if thats what he feels is right, (side note: I DO believe El would/will be the one to breakup with him 😭)

I don't think he realises that he'll be able to stay friends with El, it's not 'shes my girlfriend or else she'll hate me for breaking up with her. No other options'

he doesn't want to lose her because he cares about her but he can't find a way to balance that romantic relationship alongside his other friendships. So I think for his character to develop they have to breakup, even temporarily, but obviously that's only my opinion if M*lev*n is endgame then oh well, it's endgame, but I think they would be a really awesome platonic duo and I'd like their relationship alot more if it was that way

______________________________________________

I think later in the season he'll realise that living this way not actually what he wants, and he doesn't want to give up who he is, or pretend to be something he's not- because he IS a nerd who likes DnD, and he does support Eddie, he cared alot about him because he idolised him, and i think season 5 is about him learning that that's okay and he doesn't have to feel so much pressure to conform by societal standards, bro needs a better grief process, forced conformity GOT HIS ASS 😭😭😭

What I'm trying to say is: all of this, and his new look is a safety net of sorts, he's still pretending to be something he's not because he feels he HAS to, otherwise it's dangerous for him in Hawkins because of hellfires reputation, but he's also acting this way because of other factors that I haven't really thought through yet LMAO

I believe season 5 will probably be him accepting those things about himself and embracing it, maybe also undoing his emotional repression along the way, I guess I would describe it as coming of age and I think if it's handled well it could be really beautiful in a way

OH MY GOD I RAMBLED SO MUCH AND IT ISNT EVEN A SOLID THEORY JUST A COLLECTION OF THOUGHTS😭

Sorry that was long and repetitive but uhhhhhhhhhhhh yeah..........anyways Mike Wheeler ily keep ur head up king please don't die in S5‼️‼️ stay safe‼️‼️

[hms-no-fun]

Oh yeah the big pickups to work in an office job infuriate me to no end. A whole parking lot full of death machines that have never known the touch of a gravel road or hauled anything larger than a big Costco run. I have a nice lil electric hatchback tho.

the thing is, i always wanted a car. my parents took me on a lot of road trips when i was growing up (i remember a couple years before he died, my dad told me he was very proud to have shown me so much of the country when he himself had grown up poor and could only travel as far as the next job took him), so of course i have in me that quintessential American longing for The Road. in high school, i fantasized about getting into a car and disappearing into traffic, traveling to some distant corner where nobody lived and finding a situation to occupy. god help me, as a teen i bemoaned being born too late and longed for the naive vision of the 60s i'd received from my parents and pop culture and the rusted-over kitsch that dotted the remains of Route 66 (which my dad loved to talk about).

i hate car culture in part because i used to love car culture. it's a microcosm of indoctrinated American patriotism in general. they sell you on the dream, right? the freedom of travel, of expression. i wanted to be the millennial Jack Kerouac, whose work i did not actually read because i was young and dumb and drowning in dysphoria. but as i got older i saw how quickly little bumps and scratches can turn into massive financial burdens, to say nothing of cracked windshields or flat tires. then my mom died and i was given the responsibility of handling her car, a silver scion xb. i was 19, i did not have a license and had next to zero experience driving, nor had i ever had a job before. when i say "given the responsibility to handle her car" instead of "given her car," i mean that i didn't just get her car. like, i had it, i had the keys and no one was around to tell me not to drive it. but in order to get the title signed over to me, i had to go through an insane bureaucratic process of proving that my mom was dead, and that i was her kid, and that i should have the title to the car. this took months of back and forth miscommunication as dated notices were sent and bills piled up. because it wasn't just the car i got, but the debt as well. some $30,000 of it left unpaid by mom, which i was now expected to pay in her stead. my first job was working night shifts at a wal mart stocking the frozen food department, and that was the job where i rode my bike on the highway to get to work. i didn't drive because i didn't have a license, didn't have experience, was terrified of highway drivers, and knew very distinctly that if anything went wrong i'd instantly be in so much more debt (monetary and bureaucratic) than i already was. eventually my sister, a career nurse with three kids and a house, took over the car from me.

nobody understood why i didn't drive that car more. even my mom, when she was still alive, she said "when i was your age, i was dying to get out of the house." i was too! but for all that cars culturally represented freedom, in practice what they came to represent to me was the expected cost of participating in society. i was already sensitive to adults sneering at me for my perceived immaturity (the joys of being a millennial), which only compounded on learning that i didn't have a car or license, that i wasn't proactively joining Clubs or Organizations, that i wanted to pursue the arts of all things, that i wasn't Christian, etc etc etc. i never got out to see live music because i didn't have a car and didn't have money. i didn't get my first smart phone until late 2015. i spent a lot of my college years feeling alienated because i was at least two years older than everyone else (i already didn't want to go to college straight out of high school even before my mom died), still used a flip phone, and didn't have a car. which is to say i was a working class person trying to get by in a middle class institution. and i only got in because i was very good at peddling my sob story for sympathy points. FAFSA loves to finance the odd tragedy, i'm telling you (don't worry, i still had to take on a ton of student loan debt). when i expressed to family that i didn't want a car because i didn't feel safe as a driver, and felt that i shouldn't need to have a car in order to participate in society, they said "everyone feels that way at first, but you just have to get over it. or move to a big city. good luck affording that!" as a related aside, when i told those same people that i liked being in college for the pursuit of knowledge and wanted to graduate towards being a sort of generalist, they flatly insisted that that's not how college works anymore, and that i should instead put my energies towards a Useful Degree that would Get Me A Good Job.

of course they were sympathetic, at least on the surface. they told me these things in a kind tone, the way adults always do when what they're saying boils down to "it's not fair, but life ain't fair." and i've just never been able to accept that. before i knew anything about socialism or communism or materialist dialectics, when i was still very much under the thrall of post-Clinton liberalism, i still felt this deep-rooted conviction that when people said "life isn't fair," they were giving up something. that it was an excuse, an appeal to a higher power, a resignation to the status quo. my experience with cars, by the time i hit 25, was that you bought them for the freedom they promised, and then spent of your life driving that car between one of maybe five locations on the regular and doing very little else. the only time i ever felt free in a car was on a road trip, which happened with vanishing irregularity as all the associated costs skyrocketed in the 2000s. all the other time was spent driving in circles looking for parking, only to balk at how expensive it was. spent stuck in traffic for hours, amid concrete dunes of overpasses tangled with one another like a four-year-old's first try at tying their own shoes. spent angrily judging the poor driving conduct of other people, spent resenting anyone and everyone who inconvenienced their drive, spent rubbernecking at horrific accidents on the side of the road, spent worrying about car payments and insurance payments and how much it's gonna cost to get a tune-up, and then someone breaks in and steals all your stuff and your insurance doesn't want to pay for it, and then you get into an accident and you spend months haggling with your insurance and their insurance in the hopes that someone will maybe pay for the debt you've had to take on in getting your car repaired, because of course professional life doesn't take a break just because your mode of transportation got totaled.

and if i was applying for a job and the employer found out i didn't have a car, i was denied on the spot. i learned very quickly to lie about such things as often as possible. but i also learned that i could only bluff for so long before the lack of a car became a genuinely insurmountable hurdle. which fucked me up tremendously because at no point in my adult life, to this day, can i ever imagine being able to afford all the associated costs of having a car. in many respects, not having a car was the only reason i was able to survive the way i did. it meant i could work part-time while i was in school (with student loans making up the shortfall), share an apartment with two or three or four other people, and just barely have enough to eat the bare minimum and go see a movie sometimes. of course i wanted the freedom all my car-owning friends had, but mostly i wanted it so i could drive out into the middle of nowhere at night and be truly alone. i wanted a car so that i could escape from the frictional sandpaper bureaucracy of american existence... and i knew from experience by then that that's simply not how the world works.

it took me until 2020 to finally move to seattle, one of those mythical Big Cities with Actually Existing Public Transit. and holy shit, it's a revelation! i have better access the place where i live now than i ever have, and it's a freedom that costs SO MUCH LESS than the same would've cost me back home. but i've also lived here long enough now to see all the ways in which our transit system here is deeply flawed and run by the wrong people. i see many of the same forces at play here as i did back home. i see now how car owners and allies to the car dealership fiefdoms of the nation utilize car ownership and road maintenance as a tremendous lever of power. they've deliberately trapped us in this cycle of poverty and personal transportation reliance, and used the money they got from us buying their cars to then buy politicians so that they defund public transit and oppose any urbanist reforms. did you know that much of america used to be covered by street cars and rail lines? if you live in the midwest or on the west coast, your town very likely only exists the way it does because of mass public transit. they were necessary for bringing people into these remote places to create new markets for wealth extraction. once the population in those places was stable, and mass-produced personal vehicles became the norm, the capitalists of those areas deliberately allowed the transit networks to "go bankrupt" (ie they pretended transit is a business and not a utility that pretty much by definition can't turn a profit in a traditional manner) so they could be bought up and liquidated by future car dealers. this is what i think of when i remember my family telling me "that's just not the way the world works."

why? it used to be the way the world worked. why can't it be again? if the current status quo is the result of choices that created economic pressures which shaped the nature of society, why can't we do the same thing again but different? the way things are now is sick. it's unhealthy. the vast majority of microplastics come from car rubber, and what socioeconomic classes do you think are mostly likely to live close to high-traffic roads? it's not rich people, i'll tell you that. it's not the car dealers or the small city councils worried that a bus connection might bring the poors in. when i say "car owners need to be oppressed" i'm talking about these people. suburban supremacist dictators and their sycophantic liege lords whose biggest priorities in life are to keep gas prices low and to maintain their god-given right to never having to see a poor person. i hate these people because i've been sneered at by them my whole life, while they have been personally responsible for many of the same socioeconomic conditions which resulted in the deaths of both my parents, along with many other members of my extended family. i've long since stopped believing in the idea of "death by natural causes." only the rich live long enough to die old. the rest of us die by a thousand cuts borne of neglect. our healthcare is gatekept, our education is gatekept, our transportation is gatekept. freedom is a thing to be bought, and when you don't have money, the next best thing is your blood. you give it up for a piece of something and you convince yourself that it's enough for you. but it is only a piece, and its apportionment is the result of greed and avarice happening in broad daylight all around us. i fully believe that a genuine war will need to be waged against the car barons before this horrendous now can be toppled, and it will be a war because they are aligned with the cops and with capital. this, too, is a microcosm, and in it we see the nature of our struggle for socialism unburdened by neoliberal word salad.

people have made the world this way. and people will make it something else.

[gaysullengirl]

𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐞 𝐛𝐥𝐮𝐞, 𝐭𝐡𝐫𝐞𝐞. 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐞

❝ we're two slow dancers, last one's out. ❞

- two slow dancers, mitski

     Isabelle looked out of the plane window, she caught Spencer's gaze in the corner of her eye but she didn't look his way.

She was stressed to say the least, about Spencer but also the fact this was the first case she was working with the Behavior Analysis Unit.

The case was gruesome to say the least- three women picked up at bars and murdered in hotel rooms, the unsub disemboweled them then forced them to clean up their own blood.

"Reid, work up a geographic profile, focus on location of the murder, Prentiss and Rossi, concentrate on the victims, Morgan, Cruz, and I will go deal with Vanessa Holden." Hotch said.

୨୧

"I'm sorry you came all the way out here, it's a waste of time, Ashley knows absolutely nothing." Ashley's mom announced sternly.

"And we want to get this behind us as soon as possible." she added.

"Mrs. Holden, we can't begin to fathom the loss you've suffered." Isabelle said sympathetically.

"That's right, you can't."

"Um, I lost my younger sister when she was just seventeen, it was really hard on me and my family." Isabelle subconsciously softened her face.

"I was always the responsible one, I made sure she remembered her homework and lunch, she's- she was so forgetful."

"I can't even begin to think about if I was the one who passed away, she'd probably lose her head." She laughed slightly.

"Mrs. Holden, I want to catch him and make sure he never sees the light of day, I wanna help you but to do that we need you and your daughter's help."

Ashley's mom let them in the house and they talked with Ashley.

Isabelle walked down their driveway with confidence, she was proud, she got Ashley's mom to open up and let them in the house.

"The information about Vanessa Holden being the responsible sister, where did you get that?" Hotch asked when they arrived at the car.

"It was an educated guess." Isabelle shrugged, "You guessed, then proceeded to lie." Hotch criticized.

"Hmm?" Isabelle scrunched her nose up, "I read your file, your sister isn't dead."

Isabelle's heart dropped, a lot of the time she forget Juliana isn't dead- well not officially.

Isabelle considered telling the truth, but it was a long and complicated story and he'd probably never believe her anyway.

"I- I got us in the door, we talked to Ashley." Isabelle argued.

"Not only do you represent the fbi, you represent this team, to the press, the police, and to the families who are struggling with some of the hardest times of their lives., if you get caught in a lie, the trust we depend on to help solve these crimes disappears." Hotch lectured her.

"Do I make myself clear?"

Isabelle clenched her fists, "Yes."

୨୧

Isabelle stared at the whiteboard in front of her, across it was a map and pictures of the victims.

Spencer sighed, "Based on the geography, he isn't just changing his victimology, he's changed his whole tax bracket."

"The high profile of Vanessa Holden bears that out, by killing her, he was climbing the social ladder, on the sex workers advertisements they said they would come to you."

"That cuts out the social interaction of meeting on a street corner." Morgan said.

"Exactly, that's a long way from a self-assured unsub who hits the clubs." Spencer responded.

"He took a year off between the murders maybe he took that time to change himself." Isabelle offered.

"That's impossible." Spencer replied flatly.

"Why?" She rolled her eyes.

"Well, I mean, you're talking about a total transformation here, I mean how you talk, I mean how you dress, how you think about yourself."

"Difficult maybe, but not impossible." Hotch added.

"He already started killing, there must have been a secondary trigger that motivated him to change who he was." Emily explained.

"So if you're gonna completely transform yourself, how would you do it?" Rossi asked.

"Cut everyone off." Isabelle said, everyone gave her a questioning look, "I was joking." She explained with a small laugh.

Isabelle saw the way Spencer kept his eyes on her, even thought the team couldn't see through her lie- he could.

"A steady diet of self-help books." "Start hitting the gym." "You have to learn how to read people."

"A pick-up is basically just a profile, decoding cues of interest and recoding similar ones."

"If you're too obvious, you turn off your target, if you're oblivious, your target moves on to a better profiler."

"That doesn't sound like something he could do on his own, maybe he went to a self-help class?" Isabelle offered.

Rossi held up a news paper and pointed to an ad for a self-help class.

୨୧

Isabelle and Emily walked over to the balcony and looked over the edge, the blood of becky- the latest victim pooled on the sidewalk.

"At all the other scenes, the bottles were arranged in a precise order, here they're just part of the mess." Emily said as she examined the scene.

"Maybe she fought back. And when becky went over the railing, his routine had been compromised because he knew the police would respond.". Isabelle offered.

"Or she could have jumped, her nervous system was pumping adrenaline, her flight or fight response kicks in."

"He struck two fridays in a row, and if his routine's been interrupted, It might compel him to strike again." Hotch added.

"It's Saturday, the clubs will be packed tonight." Isabelle said.

"Take a look at the classes the unsub might have taken." Hotch commanded causing Isabelle to clench her jaw.

୨୧

"I can't believe he actually said that to you." Isabelle scrunched her face after hearing Emily description of Viper.

Hotch, Morgan, and Rossi walked up to the two women, "The answer might be something in Viper's class, But to figure that out, we need to profile the teacher."

"We need to study his style up close and personal, it's gonna take someone that he's already attracted to." Morgan smirked as the whole team looked to Emily.

"Oh, this is really gonna suck." Emily said, "Cruz, you're also going in." Hotch added.

"What!" Spencer said louder than he expected to, "Why can't Emily just go in by herself?"

"Spencer it's fine." Isabelle empathized.

authors note!

sorry this chapter is mostly just the case, the next few will be more about isabelle and spencer!! <3

[minato-division03]

Reiaki’s Thoughts on Roppongi Division

Kai Quinlan

“Oooooh okay okay! I’ve seen this guy around! I know he produced some of Miku-chan and Meari-chan’s music! I use his music all the time in my videos, myself! He puts out great stuff, what can I say! He has a radio show that people love here and he DJ’s at his wife’s club, so though I don’t see him in person all that much, I can at least say he’s very well-liked with over here in Roppongi!”

Mireya Quinlan

“Y’know, I kinda wish I could have the time to actually stop by the club and let loose. But there’s soooooooo many things keeping me busy! Not that I can complain, I love ever aspect of my life right now! But I don’t think I’ve went clubbing in like, what, three years? A lot of my friends in Hollywood often ask about nightlife in Tokyo. You know what I tell ‘em? That they should visit Gypsy’s Palace! I’ve seen what it’s like inside— duh— I’ve done her hubbie’s makeup there! Name aside, it’s really a great place to be and it’s nice to have this place in our hometown! It ain’t easy running a place on your own, so I gotta give credit where credit’s due! I just don’t know her personally enough to really talk about… her.”

Zakari Hiroya

“Well damn! We’re not that far apart in age, but he definitely reminds me of how I used to be in high school haha! Always seeking out the thrill of living on chance, not knowing whether your next little action can make you wind up dead. Yup! That was me alright! Looks like he’s still carrying that with him. Yknow what? Good for him! I’ve seen some clips circling the internet of the shit he does at his mom’s club! Goddamn, dude, you are something!”

“Hmmm, when I was a teenager, I spent more time around the streets or in underground fighting rings rather than being cozy in my family’s manor… I wonder if this guy’s ever been to one of those fighting rings! If he ever did and voted for me, I gotta thank him cuz man! I made bank back then!”

Private Party

“Y’know, I thought since all of us live in Roppongi, we’d all know everything about everyone. So imagine my surprise when the team representing my home is a group of people I don’t know too well! Wait… wait, wait, wait, wait! R.I.P Märchen, Oculus, Jet Set Trio… and now we have Private Party?! Hmm… hmmmmmm…. Arrgggghhh this is gonna make things so much more complicated! No more teams from this city! Please! Chuohku, you’re gonna ruin everything! No more!”

“Fine then, from one Roppongi native to another… best of luck! Don’t you let me down now!”

[nebulouscoffee]

b'elanna torres for the character ask game?

B'lorbo!! Thank you for picking her <3

one aspect about them i love

So B'Elanna's got this very specific brand of angst I find enormously compelling, she's literally a walking collection of contradictions- like she craves stability, but also feels threatened by it; she seeks out families and organisations because she wants to feel accepted, but also sabotages her chances so that no one can let her down again; she both suppresses and hides behind her Klingon side; she enjoys feeling good both physically and mentally but only really feels right when she's in pain; she deeply respects and resents both technology and tradition; she's so confident in her abilities yet struggles to view herself as "working" correctly as a person; she sees herself as two "halves" and too much yet still somehow not whole- ugh there's so much going on! And nothing makes me latch onto a character faster than desperate attempts at masking an inability to handle change lmao. In other news, I will be founding the Cries Like A Baby While Watching 'Extreme Risk' Club, who wants to join me :D

one aspect i wish more people understood about them

She's kind. She is literally KIND. I don't blame people for being left with the opposite impression, because the script keeps telling us she's aggressive and perpetually in a bad mood and difficult to be around, but like- EVERYTHING we see points to nearly the exact opposite! I'm not saying she doesn't have flaws. It's just that- well, from what we see of her, these just aren't her flaws. She is open and open-minded. She is social, she's literally FUNNY, she's very easy to both work and get along with, she actively devotes time to helping her friends (like?? in 'Real Life' she agrees to have dinner with the EMH's holo-family and even gets invested in them and offers him honest feedback. How many people would do this? If she really had no patience, she just wouldn't!) Tbh on the show B'Elanna is consistently compassionate as hell; there is not a SINGLE time someone asks her for help that she refuses- and I'm including more than one occasion where she was literally kidnapped ('Flesh and Blood') or forced to by circumstances ('Muse'), but still chose to go above and beyond for those in need anyway. Also, that episode where she uncovers a genocide through those telepathic dreams? Literally would not have hit as hard with any other character, for precisely this reason! She cares about people, she's deeply passionate about justice- and imo, she's actually extremely forgiving. Her friends matter to her so much, and after a lifetime of feeling repeatedly abandoned, she treats the people she's got very, very well

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have about this character

Her hair is naturally curly! She started straightening it when she was very young, because she didn't want to look like her mom (the mildly wavy version we sometimes see is simply her not having the time or inclination to keep up the straightening properly). The S6 Curls were a result of her thinking of her mother a lot leading up to 'Barge of the Dead', and they sort of represent a lil self-acceptance arc? And because I want good things for her, I see the straight hair from S7 as merely a style choice, no longer a compulsion :)

one character i love seeing them interact with

Chakotay! They have such a complex, loaded, intimate, weirdly undefinable bond that I find very interesting. I also notice it's a recurring motif that whenever something's going on with either of them, it's the other who usually comes through with the correct insights after several others fail to. It's sweet!

one character i wish they would interact with/interact with more

I definitely crave more interactions with both Seven and Harry, but I'm going to say Kes- simply because they didn't really interact at all, and there was so much potential there! When I think of all the conversations they could've had- their complex experiences with self-determination- with rage, and living with it, and being considered scary and violent for things beyond their control- with parents, with conformity-based romance, or ageing, or spirituality, or what sort of pranks they should play on the EMH-

one (or more) headcanon(s) i have that involve them and one other character

She and Janeway have a book club. You cannot convince me those two aren't constantly exchanging the nerdiest, most physics-and-mathematics-heavy sci-fi on the regular, right alongside the quadrant's most melodramatic romance novels. In fact? I bet Janeway was inspired to make that one Irish hologram dude after reading a few too many of those lol

[castorochiaro]

I’m so happy TGAMM can now join this club. Scenes/moments in DTVA shows that shook fans or set something new in motion.

admittedly not familiar with WOY or Ducktales b UT

i think amphibia's moment woulda been either sprig opening up to anne about his mom or anne activating her calamity powers the first time because she thought sprig was dead. both those moments represented a HUGE turning point in the show in terms of its stakes and tone.

can't wait to see where scratch's "past life" arc goes from here!

puts on wraith!scratch theory tinhat

[twdmusicboxmystery]

Dead City Ep 3: People are a Resource

@wdway:

I have fought against sending this ever since I saw it yesterday morning and I can't stand it any longer. I truly believe we have a picture of Beth.

We hear Maggie tell Negan that the closest thing she has to her family is in that box, meaning the small metal box with the drawing of Glenn and photographs. So this has to be a photograph of her family, right.

They made sure it was small and quickly shown when Maggie looked at it. I enlarged and turned it so we could see it better. I think it's safe to assume standing on the far right is Herschel (a look alike for Scott Wilson) and that would make Beth's mom next to him, the other two people could be relatives or friends.

Sitting on the steps to the far right, since it's a brunette I'm assuming that is Maggie, the c being possibly her step brother and the third being blonde, safe to assume is Beth. Maggie's face is pretty much gone and both the c person and who I think is Beth, eyes seem to have been blacked out. Lots of symbolism could be read into that.

There are the white streaks I don't know if that's supposed to be age or reflection, but one is almost seems to be pointing to Beth's wrist, since it's her left arm it would be the one that she would have later try to cut. It looks as though she has two tops/shirts on with the one underneath being pink.

What I did not catch originally was that there seems to be a fourth person, another person on the other side of Beth. The head is totally blacked out and I truly did not even notice this person except there are legs next to Beth. I don't know if this is symbolic of someone that is present, but totally unseen. Another thing we could go crazy with speculation.

I do also like the fact that they placed the lady in a yellow dress with Beth on the step below her. It was Maggie who commissioned a portrait of Beth for her office at Hilltop. It was Maggie that for the first time in almost a decade that spoke Beth's name during the conversation between her and Daryl in Home Sweet Home. Now we have a photograph, fuzzy and aged, but still an indication that Beth lived. That she existed. And definitely is included in the storyline of the TWDU.

Again I turned and enlarged so we could see it better. The first ones is very recognizable of Maggie and Herschel. The second one I kept trying to figure out who that baby was because my first thought was that it was Maggie but that certainly could not be little Herschel. It then hit me that this could possibly be Maggie's mother and the small child is Maggie. That would make a lot of sense with these photographs being of her family. There's one more photograph in her hand and we do not see that one. Hopefully in the future we will be able to see that one.

I was immediately struck with the similarities from the flashback scenes between Negan and Ginny with those of Daryl and Beth in s4.

They're in the woods and we have Ginny with a golf club.

Negan with all those layers on immediately made me think of Daryl in Alone where he has like 20 different layers on compared to Beth who had a golf shirt and a sweater. Jenny also is carrying a backpack, a different color than Beth's black one, but still.

It's very subtle but Jenny's forehead has a smudge and an rounded area that fits perfectly to where Beth was shot. It stood out to me because in episode Still where Beth is trying to make a fire, on her forehead is a similar smudge that none of us paid attention to until after Coda. Looking back it was a foreshadowing of that gunshot wound. Here we have a rework of Ginny representing Beth with the same type of smudge.

I believe the strongest comparison of Negan and Ginny representing Daryl and Beth was in the final flashback. The rework of the scene in s4e1, 30 Days Without An Accident, between Daryl and Beth at the door of Beth's prison cell. Where Beth is hugging Daryl and he is so very awkward, not knowing how to respond to her. He finally puts his hand on her arm. We have the replay of that with Negan and Ginny.

Negan took the role of Beth in the rework of talking about hope. His statement of hope immediately took me back to Beth's monologue in s4e10 Inmates, where she talked about hope.

I just love all the call backs of Beth and Daryl in this episode plus all the other things that we found out regarding Maggie and Herschel's relationship. We were right in our thinking that there was friction between Maggie and Herschel, that he is very much in that zone of preteen or teen rebellion.

I have to say I thought we would have to wait until e5 or even 6 before we found out what happened to Negan's family, it was a happy surprise to be getting so much information in this one episode. Negan has a son named Joshua! They lived in a little cabin near New Babylon. He put them on a wagon (train) to Missouri. I want to think we heard mention of Missouri in TWB, or maybe it was mentioned in the episode Nebraska? It just seems so sad that he finally got the family he always wanted and he chose not to go after them. He did not feel like he was good for them. Does that type of thinking remind anyone else of Carol?

I guess you could say we got a double whammy with this one in both a eye and an ear reference, kind of, haha.

I'm loving how they're using Ginny to show all the Beth symbolism.

Those were the high points for me. I'm looking forward to reading your reactions to the episode.

@galadrieljones:

This was so intriguing. Maggie is breaking down, I think. Her exterior is coming apart and we are finally getting glimpses into her emotional life.

This picture was very interesting to me because of who is in it. I think that is definitely Beth, without a question.

But who are the other people? I think this has to be something important. They look darker complected to me, and the boy in between them looks noticeably dark in complexion with black hair?

BUT, I went back and I found a photo of Shawn. I think it could be him.

He is wearing the same clothes

So is that Shaun’s father and his wife, and his mother and Hershel? Perhaps

I want to go back to season 2 now and find shots of the family photos on the refrigerator at the Greene house

Anyway, I had the same thought as you pertaining to the other photo, that it was Maggie’s mom and Maggie

Because Maggie’s mom died when she was young it would make sense.

Also, you are right to ask how the hell Maggie has these. I really do wonder if she went back to the farm. I would not be surprised to learn this.

What I want to find out is when, and I ofc want it to have happened after Coda. I want to learn that she and Daryl went back to the farm together during the missing 17 days. Maybe they thought they’d find Beth there after she went missing. Or maybe they just went back because they didn’t know what else to do.

That said, it wouldnt at all be surprising to me to learn that she took Hershel back there during her lost years. Maybe before heading out to the coast in Savannah and meeting a community of speculative PADRE refugees.

I suppose it’s possible that Maggie grabbed the photos before they left at the end of season 2, but tbh I doubt it, because it all happened so fast and they ran. Also, they made a whole to-do in season 4 about Glenn having that photo of Maggie, and how Maggie didn’t understand, and then Glenn got rid of it because he thought he wouldn’t need it because they’d never be separated again. Maggie isn’t sentimental and I cannot imagine her wanting photos unless she was absolutely desperate, which, as we saw, she was, after Coda.

ALSO, it’s worth asking how Jadis was able to paint Beth without a photo. Maybe she had a photo.

(the photos Maggie had from after Coda)

Maggie’s little “box” also made me think of how Norman said Daryl still has Beth’s knife, we just never see it. Maybe we will. The idea of Daryl opening up to a digital diary means maybe we will see it again or hear about it or Beth somehow.

And I think these photos are a perfect exmaple of how tptb uses imagery to engage the GA but also get the close watching audience to ask important questions. The GA will just look at this and feel sad about Maggie’s loved ones all being lost. We will look at it and say, “Wait, when the f*ck did she go and get those.”

I just want to say i’m REALLY loving Dead City. It is super slick and sharp and the characterization is so good, feels like how the show used to be. Negan and Maggie’s relationship is developing and I love how they used that moment in which Maggie opted not to light the dinosaur on fire to show that she is not as cold-blooded and selfish as she used to be. I knew right away that Maggie was going to consider destroying the dinosaur because it would take Negan’s eyes off the prize, off HER kid, but here we see she is empathizing with him. She doesn’t want to give up hope.

@wdway:

I'm enjoying reading your take on the photos. As far as the other couple being the ex-husband and they're all a big happy family, I just don't feel that. Not that we know that much about the relationship but I just don't think that they were a Happily Divorced couple. We never really knew if she was divorced or widowed. We did assume because of Beth's age that Beth's mother would have been several years younger than Herschel.

This is one of the reasons TD has always believed that the age gap between Beth and Daryl would not have been a huge issue to Herschel or Maggie. I love the thought of Daryl going back to the farm with Maggie. I just think it's more likely that it was with young Herschel during their way to her Nanna place on the coast. There is a chance that the other couple in the family grouping could possibly be Beth's mother's sister or brother. Herschel I believe was an only child since he's the one who inherited the farm.

Here's another thought I had concerned Maggie getting the photographs from the farmhouse, I imagine she got more than those three, four if you count the one that we didn't see, did she give Daryl a picture of Beth.that would be a flashback I would love to see. Totally understand how they don't want us to see a clear look of this grouping in the family photo, do either of you have any thoughts about why Beth and her brothers eyes were blackened out. And why can't we see anything of that person on the other side of Beth? This is over the top TD on my part, but I just want that person to symbolize Daryl always being beside Beth in her memory as if she in his.

@galadrieljones:

Good call on them being maybe Hershel’s new in-laws! That makes sense. I agree it would be weird for it to be Shaun’s dad and his new wife. I also don’t remember if maybe we learned anything about Shaun/Beth’s mom and whether she was a widow.

It’s hard for me to say if the eyes are truly blacked out (like with a sharpie) or if it’s just an effect of the blurred photograph. That said, it does really look like Beth’s mom’s face is totally blurred out while the others are not.

@wdway:

The other thing that I thought with showing these old photographs is that they would get people to remember those early s2 scenes and the stories that Maggie told about what a real brat she was growing up. And when she talked about her conflicts with young Herschel I couldn't help but think that he was a chip off the old block. It's along the lines of parents always telling their kids that they hope that their kids are just like them (as a payback).

@galadrieljones:

I also think it’s most likely that Maggie went back with Hershel. Or like, that’s easiest to retcon. Although I’m still curious in that case about Jadis/Anne’s ability to sketch Beth so closely without a photo. ANother headcanon would be that Daryl went back on his own at some point and brought Maggie some pictures.

Definitely, makes me think of Beth finding the birth control pills. “Nothin, daddy!” Such a cute characterizing moment for Beth. That she’s kind of a rule follower but ultimately would never rat out her sister and sort of instictively knows real trouble from trouble that is merely perceived.

@wdway:

Yes! yes! I want to believe that year between Commonwealth falling and Daryl returning he went back to Georgia, to Grady and the Greene's farm and brought back pictures to Maggie. Yes! that's the truth I want to believe.

@galadrieljones:

I want so bad to learn that Daryl went back to Atlanta at some point.

@galadrieljones:

Also that makes me wonder about what you suggested during our discussion of the spinoff, which is that it’s possible they will leave it super vague at first, why Daryl was headed to Europe, or what he’s looking for. If they do that, that’s kind of how you know it’s not specifically just Rick.

@wdway:

So many people thought that the mischievous smile Beth gives to Daryl on the porch about burning down the shack in the episode Still was the same kind of smile she gave her daddy when he came upon her and Maggie at the pond.

@galadrieljones:

Love it. Follow the rules till the rules stop making sense. Then change them. That’s what she did at Grady.

I ofc have my headcanon fantasy with Daryl going back to Atlanta… I want him to for some reason get a hair up his ass and to go back to the farm, then just feel like something is off and go back into the city and to the hospital, find some reference to coordinates in France, or some correspondence to France then follow them because he needs a job. Daryl needs a quest.

Tbh they could do anything at this point, with the seeds they planted back in season 4-5.

@wdway:

I like that. I'm thinking that what he finds at Grady is some paperwork about their treatments for Walker bites. With pictures of their subjects, just like what June had for the radiation treatment. He finds that information with Beth being one of the successful test subject. Records that ultimately leads him to find out more about the CDC and the other research team in France. I could spend a whole evening plotting that scenario out.

@galadrieljones:

This is so possible right now that I’m blinded lol. I am officially like, idk why they would do anything else Do they want to bring in a flood of new viewers? Bring Beth back from the dead!

My only change to your scenario would be that he finds none of Beth’s records at Grady because they’ve all been wiped and removed by whoever “took care of” the Grady threat. But Daryl is smart and he follows them hoping for more information. When he gets to France he finds correspondence and records that reveal Beth’s participation in the treatment and the implication that she has been cured of the disease, that she is immune, that further study pertaining to whatever protocol she went through is required, but the buck stops there because the operation was shut down and the French teams were hunted and slaughtered or jailed.

But there is something that must indicate to Daryl she could still be alive and that she could have survived the headshot, whether it’s via regenerative properties related to the virus or something else… Sorry let me not get too carried away

Like you I could do this all day lol

@wdway:

You have my blessing to get "carried away" as much as you care too! I'm loving it.

@galadrieljones:

Well I’m going to continue now because why not? Lol

Ofc what happens after Daryl goes searching alone for answers, Carol is left behind to putter about and try and help fix things up around Alexandria. She’s lonely and bored. She occasionally goes to see Ezekiel at the CW and things are heating up a little bit but ultimately going real slow. She ends up staying at the CW for a while and she bunks in Daryl’s empty apartment/house because she’s not ready yet to stay with Ezekiel.

She is Carol and so snooping is her middle name, even if it is only be accident. She might just be obsessively cleaning and organizing Daryl’s stuff when she stumbles upon some record of the information he took from Grady. She remembers, and she knows what she’s looking at because she was there and she is very disturbed. She is thinking a lot about how Daryl had to go off by himself and wouldn’t let anybody come with him.

She suddenly gets her own quest, which is to track him down and help him because she’s bored and ofc subconsciously avoiding what is going on with Ezekiel because that’s easier than facing the fact that she might still love him. But also because she finds something in there which suggests she too may have been a research subject at Grady while unconscious.

So she steals a boat from Oceanside (because she’s Carol and why would she ever ask permission? Lol) and sets off for France. Maybe in the name of character development she ends up saving him, in a selfless action. He’s ofc annoyed she’s there and probably pissed because of how dangerous it was for her to literally cross an ocean for him, but he’s also glad because now he doesn’t have to do all this alone.

Together they are in search of the holy grail which will explain these major missing pieces in their lives: What happened to Beth? And what happened to Carol while she was at Grady? Now it’s clear via Dead City that if Beth is alive, Maggie doesn’t know. Or else it’s such old news, she has already made peace with Beth’s reemergence and moved on.

The thing about Maggie is her entire characterization revolves around Glenn. So the pictures, even if one does include Beth, don’t necessarily have to mean that’s what they’re meant to commemorate. This is about Hershel and Glenn, hence the watch, which represents them both. It would not be that absurd to believe that Maggie is still running from her past, which means even freezing out Beth and/or Daryl. Not because she isn’t happy, but because it saddens her to see them together, having found each other after all these years, when she knows she’ll never have that chance.

So instead of asking someone she knows and loves for help, she returns to Negan. Negan’s company is a reassurance of her sadness and pit of despair. He affirms her depression and avoidance and the negative, bad person she has become. This negates her having to take responsibility for turning her life around and trying to work things out with her son and with the other ppl she’s alienated over the years.

Like w Carol, it’s sometimes easier to run from happiness than it is to return to the darkness. Maggie is so accustomed to darkness at this point, it’s just the devil she knows. Ofc she doesn’t count on Negan being a source of hope? Perhaps when she returns we then see the light she has been avoiding all this time. Then they go off and find Rick and save the world

@twdmusicboxmystery

Loving all the observations, Gals! I agree, @galadrieljones. For some reason, even though I liked Fear, it just didn't speak to me like DC is. I had very similar thoughts on the pictures and the Negan/Ginny dynamic being similar to Bethyl. One other thought I had for who the two others in the pic might be: they might be a young version of Patricia and Otis. This man is lean, and the actor who played Otis was never that, but this is the TWDU of yesteryear, so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯.

The Negan/Ginny dynamic makes me wonder if Ginny will die. It seems like every episode I've watched, I've seen something that struck me as a death omen. And of course it's TWD, so that's like every 2 seconds. But I"m constantly thinking, "is that a death omen for Maggie?" I don't know. Maybe. "Is that a death omen for Hershel?" I don't know. Maybe. "Could this be a death omen for Ginny?" I don't know. Maybe. Lol. So, it will just be interesting to see how this plays out and what other parallels there are to Beth and Daryl. But I'm very much looking forward to more episodes.

I, too, @wdway, thought they would make us wait longer to find out about Annie and the baby. And I love that his name is Joshua. Just so biblical.

Love all the head canons as well. Eating them up!

@galadrieljones:

Love your notes, @twdmusicboxmystery. I do hope Ginny doesn’t die. That said, after they killed Finch in Fear I feel like all bets are off in terms of kid death. Idk. If she died, that would definitely propel Negan out west to find Annie and Joshua. But they don’t have to kill her to do this. She could go with him or find her own way and stay behind in Hill Top. Idk. As you said, only time will tell.

That said I was glad to hear that Annie and her baby aren’t dead. I thought almost for sure they were dead. But I had to keep asking why they exist if they were just going to kill them, so it makes sense they’re alive. I think that their journey west will ofc open up some doors for new settings in TWDU.

@wdway, you mentioned the episode Nebraska as pertaining to the “wagon train to Missouri,” and I went back through my notes to see what exactly those guys at the bar said to Rick, Glenn, and Hershel. They don’t mention Missouri, but they mention “the middle of the country”: “A rail yard in Montgomery winding trains to the middle of the country—Kansas, Nebraska” I cross-checked PADRE’s secret coordinates and none of them is in Missouri or the middle of the country; however, we only get to see two of the cards when Madison pulls them out of the binoculars. There’s one we never saw.

ANYWAY. Back to Dead City. I was very interested in the use of methane, the fact that the Croat was an alternative energy scientist, that he had found a way to turn the dead into an energy source. Extremely smart. Another extremely popular "alternative energy" source, historically, has been nuclear energy.

He was VERY afraid of the maggot in his meat and really overreacted. He seems obsessed with cleanliness. I wonder if that will come back to haunt him, esp considering all the roaches that swarm Maggie and Negan, and the use of the laundromat as a battle setting. Cleanliness is an interesting theme here. I was also intrigued by the interesting focus on boots. Maggie has retractable spikes in her boot tips, and the Marshal uses his boot to kill those walkers. He's also hidden important information in his boot, which reminds me of Davon. When Davon wakes up at Amanda's house, the first thing he asks about his his boot, which contains the PPP card and picture of his family.

There are a couple trucks that we see in this episode. Potter and Ford Refrigeration and Haasair. Neither is an actual thing. Potter and Ford is a real estate agency near London, England. Haasair is not a thing, but Haas Automation is a tool manufacturing company out of Oxnard, CA. The Haas automation logo looks a lot like the Haasair logo on the truck. Idk if any of this is important, but it's certainly not obvious.

There's also a clear shot of the license plat in that first shot with the deer. Does that look like anything to you, Ann?

There was a "Find Me" reference in the note from Pearlie's brother. He seems to be asking Pearlie to help him, that he can't deal with his addiction on his own. It doesn't say anything about addiction in the note. It's vague. But I am putting two and two together with the crack pipe in the apartment. In the letter, it says, "Please help me. Please come find me."

Also, that walker impaled on a tree branch. This made me think of the storm aftermath in Them. Walkers impaled on tree branches. I only noticed this because I had gone back to Them to rewatch the scene with Daryl and Maggie in the barn after we discussed possibilities for when Daryl and/or Maggie may have gone back to the farm.

Another Them reference came earlier for me, before I went back to rewatch parts of the episode. When Negan tells Amaia (?) that Maggie is "tougher than she looks, and she looks tough as shit." In Them, Maggie says that Tyreese was tough, and Daryl then says that Beth was tough. I think Hershel tells Rick that "his daughter is tough" as well in Rick's death episode.

I think that line in Them is funny, because in my observation, Tyreese wasn't tough, and he wasn't portrayed as tough. He was physically strong but mentally weak. Not a coward, but mentally weak.

It seems like it was cued up so that Daryl could say that Beth was tough. But he won't say her name, and he won't bring it up himself. He will only add onto what Maggie says.

When I went back to Them I also rewatched the scene when Daryl leaves to go find the barn. He leaves multiple times and goes back. It's really a weirdly structured episode.

This is probably not new, but I thought maybe it was an imprint of his journey post-17 days. He leaves to find Beth, then he comes back. Then he leaves to find Beth, then he finds a barn (goes back to the farm?) and comes back. In Them, when he gets back after finding the barn, he doesn't tell Rick right away. Rick shows him the sign and the water that Aaron left ("from a friend"). Eugene tries to drink the water and Abraham slaps it out of his hands. Then it starts to rain. FG starts shouting that he's "sorry, my Lord." Everyone is euphoric except for Maggie, Sasha, and Daryl.

At this point, they are all implied to be suicidal, to varying degrees. These are just observations, idk why. If the barn is meant to symbolize Daryl leaving the group and finding the source of his pain which results in hope, that's interesting. I think it could be argued that finding the barn is meant to be, at the very least, this means of Daryl looking back on the Greene farm, which is basically where the rest of his life began.

If you look at the above shots, you can tell who the episode revolves around. They are edited in that order, with the camera being up close on Daryl, and Maggie and Sasha's eye lines edited to be looking at each other, or at him, while he seems to be looking inward. "Them" is arguably a Daryl episode. In the episode, he has all the agency. He finds the barn. He notices the storm first and holds the door shut. He fixes the music box.

So whatever the story is, if it's meant to be foreshadowing or reverse-foreshadowing, ie: looking at what happened in the missing days, we could argue that it's from his POV.

The moment between Maggie and Daryl is very vague, ofc. But there's the moment when Maggie says to him, "It's okay to rest now." This feels like it means much more than what's on the surface. Like perhaps they toiled together for some time. They bond in this moment in ways we haven't really seen before, and it seems like maybe Maggie has spent enough time beside Daryl in the past few weeks to feel that what he lost was not typical, that it was special enough for them to bond over.

This line also seems like Maggie putting Beth to bed, which is something she is never able to do with Glenn. Earlier Maggie tells Glenn that she never thought Beth was alive and implies her guilt over this. Like, she just figured Beth was dead and had no hope. Later, Daryl tells Maggie Beth was tough.

Nobody believed in Beth except for Daryl. In the future, nobody will believe she's alive except for Daryl. The music box reawakening is still a really striking moment. That whole episode, like WHAWGO, is very oblique and strange. Anyway, these are just a bunch of notes sparked by that episode of Dead City. Most of it is vague and circumstantial, but I'm interested in your thoughts.

Let me clarify that when I talked about Daryl's sequence of leaving to find Beth, then coming back, then leaving to find Beth, going to the farm, and coming back, I actually meant this mirrors what happens after Beth is taken, beginning with Consumed, not just the missing 17 days.

(and obv that's just speculation lol)

[mint-moon25]

With UPS Store Mailbox

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Another - FL ID Card

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Him and Smoking

Arrived - 4:30A

Needs Sleeping

These perverts need

Sleeping 2 knock up

No Food - No Cash

Cafe - Opened - 5A

Nothing bought

Said - 'Hello Baby'

Blk - Age 67 - intimately

Blk Americans - Poorest

But most generous

Martin Luther King Jr

Shot 2 Death

Why?

Who he represents

The No 1 - Criminals

In the World

$10 - Cash bought him

See Philippines Sleeping

Flag said - Knock them

Up - Sponge bath their

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Why Philippines in USA

Open Thighs - Penetrate

Touch Taste Sag Breasts

End Homelessness with

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Now we know what they

Do - Pinay - Blow Jobs

So because US Medical

Mr King remained dead

Why? Who he was

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Decrease their Race

I will not marry Blk

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[e-a-noe-henry]

got this l.p. in my fourth grade year from my secret ( from my parents ) columbia record club account . i paid a fucking penny apiece for three 33 1/3 l. p.’s so i got …. this “ fandango “ zz top and i got “ running with the pack “ bad company and for the life of me i can’t remember the third one …. i don’t remember and i’ve been trying to ….but nothing …… 30 years later i’m coming home from work in the texas valley and my mother called me and informed me that three men were there looking for me she said they were cops …. i was in a time of my life that it sure could of been cops but when i got home or to my mom and dads place , i saw them under a tree across the street and these were no cops … these were muscle …. somebody’s

so one of the times i felt so confident that i walked straight at them keeping my stare laser beamed on them , they were sporting basic uniforms for east coast collectors … dead on when i told them i was who they were looking for , how could i help them …. only one introduced himself and the company he represented …. columbia record company … can you believe it ? these mother fuckers came to my mothers house scared her to death , thinking they were police or worst …. he said i was contractually responsible for the continuing purchase of 33 l.p.’s at a cost of $99.95 each !in todays money which was $49.95 when i was 10 , i told’em i was 10 when i did it ,so ,i knew these fuckers had driven a long way and i told them i had no money to give them but i was going into the house and please wait and i will bring each of you a plate of chicken and dumplings … they devoured the food as i watched from upstairs windows then washed the plates and silverware off with the garden hose and stacked them neatly on a bench by the front door and i never saw them again, i forgot what i told my mom and dad … i’m sure i made up some lie as usual to keep them from going hysterical about new jersey collectors coming for me , so learn this …….those three records you get for three cents totally is or was so worth it cause otherwise i wouldn’t of been able to procure them at all peace t. d.

[boct-kimerakal]

boctlore directory

a good old world masterpost

everything you need to know (well, the basics at least) of my lore worlds that i’ll post about on here, at some point. mostly for archival’s sake.. future boct this goes out to you <3 you wanted me to “get more organised” so here it is.

i SWEAR you’ll find at least one goofy. (hopefully?) let’s just say i’m diverse. there’s more TBA, i’m just the cosmos’ laziest creature.

non-inclusive of my not-original stuff, maybe i’ll make a separate post for that one (looking at you, pondwater from hit indie horror survival game signalis) but here it is gang! 🤍 an ode to all the girlies who talk & think too much.. MY APOLOGIES FOR THE SHEER MUNDANITY OF MY MIND...

The Waiting World - think: neon signs and city streets, think ruins in the forest, think graffiti, think clashing architecture, tension between peoples, think of questions like “what’s yours? what’s mine?” and the indomitable nature of, well, the natural world. the waiting world is a fantasy world focused on an archipelago nation (anjikhani-olahra) - 39 years independent after 171 years under the palms of a number conquering ghonsunwa (earthly realm) nations - as it experiences rapid advancement, a globalising world and unbalanced world power dynamics. a world between worlds (ghosunwa/underworld/knockoff-earth & ghonshogwa/aboveworld) inhabited by some pretty neat-lookin’ guys with horns and tails.

despite all it’s culture, it’s inter-ethnic quarrels, it’s own grand moral debates, it’s fight against pervasiveness of less sanitary aspects of its cultures (invasive, native, a mix of both), it’s fight to preserve identity at all, as well as over what it is achieve modernity - the waiting world is reduced in the eyes of both the other realms to the middleman, a hotspot for smuggling and crime. and stories follow characters as they exist in the context of all of that, pulling at the threads of the world around them. a world, waiting for them to unravel it!

my main guys from this world are trick and hawkes from the [Kau Bakari] plotline and trust me. i can yap about them forever. it was so hard not to

Shifters - an alternate earth where, in 1967, these undefinable entities (basically representing major classes under chordata... categories scare me) called emissaries rolled up! they warned of a ‘storm’ of dead fragments of emissaries. they also offered people the ability to make pledges, adopting the traits of one specific animal species - as shapeshifters. but they’ve always existed, and offered shifting far more selectively before, long ago. why suddenly give more away? was that a reparation for the storm? why are they here? why show themselves now? and the storm? what does this mean?

it’s a world with multiple stories, some intersecting, most others not. my current babygirl storylines are

[Paper Kites] about a jet-setting CEO and her archeologist fiancé, on their way to finding out big secrets about the emissaries. i’m very abnormal about them, i will actually pay you to listen to me talk about them. they’re in aroace love by the way did i mention that.

[Pick-up Sticks] a look into the effects of that CEO and archeologist’s curiosity - oh-so-far-away, the little people hit by a corporate conspiracy, political upheaval and never-before seen shifter tensions

Trip2Temasek - it’s just a silly thing - framed like a classic TTRPG campaign! but with fun flavour. a Singaporean twist, to be exact. six silly pinnacles of Singaporean character tropes. a bird-having, plant-raising void deck uncle (the druid) + an overworked tiger mom (the barbarian) + a deviant 16-year-old ah lian (the rouge) + the perfect prefect from the top school just over (the wizard) + the over-eager community club lady (the cleric) and, of course, the community cat (the bard) - who all get flung into a thriving, ancient forest-city mirroring singapore, inhabited by spirits, young gods and beastly creatures.

i dance around a little with casual racism, materialism, individualism/collectivism, the price of progress and maybe a little bit of the guilt of being privileged. not-so-uniquely Singaporean experiences. if i post about it, it’ll probably be cute moments between the characters or full-on breakdowns about my disconnection from my national identity! yippee!

Hysteria! Starforged - it’s a big mess of a sci-fi world about an inter-planetary war - with too many criss-crossing motivations. the point is no one is really sure what’s happening, it’s just a lot of a lot. there’s two big “sides,” but unfortunately no good guys. one’s the legion. it absorbs, it’s one goal being uniformity in morality across the stars to prevent... warfare (irony!) - life is a lot more complicated than that though, so they wind up just making things worse - they (attempt) to install their law and cultures in every planet they absorb.

the other is called the council, an allegiance formed to oppose the domination of the legion. they suck too! in their desperation to get an upper hand and escape the reign of the legion, they exploit lesser-equipped planets and their own allies. they have enlisted entire planets without spacefaring ability into their intergalactic war, just to have numbers. almost none of the other planets have planetary governments so a lot of “tinier” international wars happen. do you see where this is going. hysteria. hysteria starforged, even.

and my main trio are just a little gang. three girls against the world, (two soldiers pulled from one war to another and a dignitary from a country that no longer exists!) and god, there’s a lot of World.

The Ending That Wasn’t (to be renamed..) - another sci-if one, but i got silly with it. silly and goofy even. six idiots wake up on the brig of a half-destroyed ship floating around space, with absolutely NO memory AT ALL! space-styles, “i’m too dumb for rules” D&D - if it played by one lonely geek.

space ikea, quantum toasters, a robot t-rex that the sci-fi goblin is SWEARING to you is a house pet on another planet. my colourful cast of stupid idiots saved the world once - in fact, literally JUST BEFORE they woke up. they just don’t remember it. they barely remember anything - and as they, through typical D&D party shenanigans, make petty criminals out of themselves, they realise that maybe they were pretty big deals, actually. matured, world-saving heroes that you are by the end of the campaign, even. starting from scratch is a little awkward.

they’ll figure it out, eventually. no tag yet - i’m taking name suggestions still...

Of Obsolete Orisons - post-apocalyptic, in a lovely, overgrown, “we’re rebuilding” way. - avatars of natural forces walk the earth when they fancy, most worshipped as gods. wardens of equilibrium represented the pillars of balance until, well, they suddenly couldn’t - and then the apocalypse came.

30 years afterwards, an avatar who thought it’d be fun to just be a guy separates themselves from divinity, gets into silly shenanigans as it discovers the world before it. the least interesting of my many, many lore worlds. i poke a little bit at the personification of the world around us in the form of divine consciousnesses, as well as perfection and pre-determinism, nothing fancy, i’m just amused and intrgued.

MORE TBA - eventually lawl

[highmidvoiddemon]

Imaginary Monsters

Part Two: Teens to the Rescue

For one year, the thirteen children were together. After they graduated from Ms. Grace’s class, they went their separate ways. Going to different kindergartens, and setting off towards their own lives. Some of the parents tried to keep them together through play dates, but life got in the way, and they could never meet up as much as they would like.

The kids grew older, developed their own interests. Forged their own paths. Parents would get jobs out of state, taking the kids away from the only world that they have ever known.

A new teacher every year. By the time that high school came around, they were lucky if they passed each other in the halls. Only Alex and Jackson were able to stay together, and that was due to the fact that they were twins.

Each child lived their own life. Became unstoppable forces in their own right. Excelling at clubs, and making the honor roll, having long forgotten the battles that once dominated their lives.

Gone were the days of the shared battles. No longer were they united through a common purpose. Each had their own battles to fight. They didn’t have time to be heroes any more, they had to worry about getting into college.

They were sixteen years old when they were brought together again. Called to the police precinct as they heard the news of what happened to one of their own.

Detective Maxwell expected it to be an ordinary case. The tragedy of a death too soon. A child taken from the world before her time. A sixteen year old child was stuck down by a world that she was only starting to understand.

The cases with children were always the hardest. Facing the parents, never having answers save for the horror known to exist in the world.

He was called to the scene to investigate the death of a sixteen year girl, whose body was found earlier that morning. An unfortunate common occurrence as the world was a horrible place for any one to live. He prepared himself for that. He was ready to see the latest tragedy, willing to push himself for justice. May he work in a world where children were not taken from their parents. Many people wake up not to hear about the latest tragedy that will end up being lost to the noise of the next news cycle. It was not their current reality, but maybe one day that would be true.

There were many things unexpected at the scene. No clear sign of death, though that mystery would be solved through the autopsy. Another tragedy that high schoolers were able to find themselves involved in.

She was void of any color. Drained completely, as if she had never been alive in the first place. The shadows pouring out of her eyes created the stark contrast, the darkness was claiming her. Eating away at was left of the child, sending her into the battles she thought she had long since defeated.

In her hand she was gripping a laminated handmade id card. Written in a beautiful cursive: Agent Coral, Monster Hunter, Level 8. Toward the sides of the writing was the outline of elongated fists, representing the strength that she was known to call upon on the playground all those years ago.

He left the scene, taking the responsibility to talk to the parents. He would be able to break the news if it meant that he could gain a glimpse into what caused that.

“I just don’t understand what happened.” Quinn’s mom said. The emotion not fully hitting, stuck in denial. How could her daughter be dead? That just simply didn’t happen.

“I am sorry.” Detective Maxwell knew someone had to tell the parents. He needed the first interview, death was normally caused by someone who knew the victim. The parents were the first suspects. “I will do all I can to figure out what happened.”

Her father was staring at the pictures. Going over every detail. Shaking his fear away. It had to have been a mistake, an edited horror to capture their reaction. “This can’t be real.”

“I wish it wasn’t real.” Detective Maxwell said.

“What could have caused this?” Nothing about the photos were natural. People were not drained like that.

“That is what we are trying to figure out.” Detective Maxwell braced himself for what needed to be done next. The parents were still processing their grief, and he needed to push them if justice was to be served. “Do you know if Quinn was involved in anything or was taking anything?”

“She would never do that,” Her mother jumped to defend her daughter. She might not be able to bring her daughter back, but she was going to protect the soul of her child. “She’s on the school’s volleyball team and wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize her future.”

Detective Maxwell studied the parents. They were shocked and horrified by the news. Showed no clues of hidden motive. Genuine grief, trying to find a way to move forward, gathering up the strength before they had to tell Quinn’s siblings. Looking for any moment where it would prove to not to be true. Wishing for her to come back. She was only sixteen, they needed their daughter, yet she was taken from them.

He did not think that they were responsible. Ordinary humans were not capable of the power that had struck down the Monster Hunter like Quinn. He pulled out the card, the final message left by Quinn, pointing to the truth. He placed the card on that table. Giving the parents a chance to read it over. “Do you know what this is?”

Quinn’s mom shook her head, then doubting herself she picked up the card. There was something familiar about it. “This was from her preschool teacher, given to all the kids in the class. They called themselves Monster Hunters, I can’t remember why.”

“Do you happen to remember the name of the teacher?” Maxwell asked.

“Miss Grace, I think.” She was unsure. The name was familiar, it was one that all her children had shared, though Quinn had finished that class over twelve years ago, and that a lifetime in the existence of a child.

The classroom was an ever changing constant. Art work was alerted based on the interests of the students and the projects they are creating. For thirty years, Ms. Grace had fostered and cared for the young minds, building the future. In all of that time she remained exactly the same, power by the joy of the youth, that she remained in the continued appearance of her first day of work. Always wearing her dress bearing dragons, she was ready to lead her students into the battles that were waiting for them.

Detective Maxwell made his way to her classroom, the morning after Quinn’s body was found. It took some time to trace down the teacher that stopped being involved in the girl’s life twelve years ago.

His suspicions had switched from the parents to the teacher. The one that called the children Monster Hunters, encouraging them to become the magnets of danger that lead to the tragedy. And that was if she did not cause the death herself. Why would the card be left out, if the teacher was not the cause? A warning to the fellow classmates that the class was just beginning.

He knocked on the open classroom door. “Hello I am Detective Maxwell, do you have the time to answer a few questions?”

“Hello detective, what could I do for you?” She sat at her desk, running the current set of ids through her laminator, her current class had chosen the name The Rainbows. She decorated the cards with the desired rainbow across the paper, and with a symbol that identifies each student. A tradition since her first class.

“One of your former students was recently found dead holding the id card that you made for her.”

“And you want to know what I had to do with it?” She asked, reading through the situation. “I don’t know how much help I could be. I don’t have much contact with my students after they move on to kindergarten.”

“What could you tell me about Quinn from your Monster Hunter class?” He handed over the id card, giving the teacher a chance to remember the time from over a decade ago.

He did not try to hide his actuation. She knew what she was doing, allowing her class to be called Monster Hunters.

She waved away the concern. Who was he to question her teaching ability? She had been doing that for thirty years, and knew exactly what she was supposed to be doing.

“That was the name chosen twelve years ago. You see we always start the year by voting for the name for the class. Sometimes it is Rainbows, Flowers, or Unicorns, while other years it is Spider-Man, Zombies, or even Monster Hunters.”

“And you let the children go by that?”

“Do you have any children detective?” She asked, not waiting to prove her expertise.

Maxwell shook his head, not sure why that would matter. He saw the danger of allowing children to believe that they could hunt monsters. Children already thought that they were invincible, and adding a name like that would be disastrous.

“I figured that.” Thirty years of anecdotes, any number of examples could prove her case. She chose to go with the facts. “The name of Monster Hunter reflects what they need to believe in. When a class comes, it all starts with the shadows that come out at night. They need to believe that they have the strength and the power to face what is out there. You need to look beyond the action to understand the why. Children always do something for a reason, and that reason would lead to teaching that needs to be done.”

“And you really think they needed the concept of Monster Hunters?”

“I do.” She stood from her desk. Facing the detective, seizing the power, it was her room after all. “I remember all of my classes. They are all my children, and I love everyone of them. That class of Monster Hunters became unstoppable. So brave, and so smart. They overcame everything that year, and were ready to face whatever came their way. I will always be proud of my little Monster Hunters.”

He took a step back. Needing to recalibrate. He thought he had the detective experience, but he did not know what world he just walked into.

He steadied himself. Taking the moment to reassess his thoughts. “When was the last time that you saw Quinn?”

“I had all of her siblings within my class. She is the oldest of four. I saw her the last time six years ago, when her little brother graduated.” The power she used to rangle children, perfected over the thirty years, was turned on the detective, who began to crumble under the stare. Never could he begin to understand the power that was lurking within the soul of that teacher. After all, someone had to teach those children how to hunt monsters, and she was the best that ever was.

“Thank you for your time.” Waves of anger poured off of Ms. Grace and into the detective. He felt her anger at the fact that she lost a student, that she falled to protect one of her children. He felt her plan to seek revenge. And he had to leave before she decided to turn her anger onto him.

Quinn screamed through the void. Calling out to anyone who would listen. She was caught in an unwinnable battle. Lost to the mortal word, and trapped in the fight to retain control of her soul. The shadows had surrounded her, she just had to remember what she was capable of.

She thought of her classmates, the first friends that she made, the other four years that helped her rule the world. They believed in themselves and became unstoppable.

She needed to recapture that magic. Growing up made the belief harder. She continued to fight alone, they all went on to their own lives, and she was left to fight through the voices that told her everything she was doing was a bit of imaginary fallacy. She was expected to look towards her future, plan a career and choose a college that would help her get there. Yet she still spends her free time playing the game from that preschool playground.

If only she had her friends. If they knew where she was the powers could be combined again, and they could destroy the shadows once again.

They were connected from the shared past. The void was supported by moments, the link between what once was and what was to be, the overlap between the remembered and the forgotten. Lost in those moments were information on her friends. She called out to them. Fighting through the walls of shadows that were cutting her off from all of reality.

Powers were channeled through belief. All she had to do was believe that she could win. Remember the confidence that she threw out into the world at four years old. At the age when anything was possible.

Her hands begin to glow. Taking in the strength she long forgot that she could possess. Containing the force that she could use to make anything possible. She attacked the shadows. Punching through the prison just enough for her to call out to her friends. Sending her memories of what happened, the warning of what to come. A signal to bring them all back together.

Alex heard the news that morning of breakfast. They all agreed it was a tragedy. His mother was the most affected, saying that the girl who died was in his preschool class. He wondered why he should care, he hadn’t spoken to any of them save for his brother in years.

Looking at the picture published in the paper, the memories came flooding back. He remembered playing with her on the playground. The leader, always deciding what they should do that day, cared about each student in the class, and found a way to take the responsibility of that decision so that no one felt left out.

He couldn’t believe it. She was his age. Once upon a time they were friends. And no she was gone. The tragedy that followed him around all day.

The shadows followed him around that day. He felt them closing in. a cold surrounding him. Hunting him. Crawling closer, needing to eat away at his soul. One Monster Hunter was already claimed, and the goal was to go for the whole set.

Even before Quinn was able to get a message out through the void, they all could feel the pull. Searching for the cold, checking for the windows that were left open. They needed every light they passed to be brighter. It was just their imagination they told themselves, shadows did not move. They were running on a couple hours of sleep in the last week, and hadn’t eaten that day, it had to have been just stress.

They heard Quinn’s voice. The desperate plea for help stopped them in their tracks. Like they ran face first into a wall, an invisible barrier appeared before them preventing them from moving. The world rushed past them, no other lives stopped. No one out of the remaining twelve was privy to the information being sent through the void. No one knew of the battles they had fought, the countless times that they had saved the world.

Conflict raged throughout them. They had discounted their pasts as childhood games. Remembering running around the playground, believing that they were heroes. When they were just children.

Still they saw the message. Quinn had managed to make it through the void. Sending the memories of her death out to the only people that could have helped. They watched through the battle that she had fought and ended up losing. Forced to live through her imprisonment as her soul fought to be allowed to exist while the shadows only gained more power.

They tried to pass it off as a dream. But they knew the truth. Not only were those childhood games real, that vision was a warning.

Spanning back to reality, the shadows only became larger. Their old foe of Scary Larry knew that the children were coming together. He had to officially end Agent Coral if he wished to power his reign of terror throughout the world. With the state of the world only decreasing, the fear was ripe for the picking, all he had to do was play with what was available. And to think a group of school kids were once able to stand against him. Never shall he fall so low again.

Alex made his way out of school. Jackson was already in the car, having claimed the driver’s seat as the rule of first arrival. Technically neither of them were supposed to be driving, they had their learners permit, but without an elder driver to supervise they couldn’t get behind the wheel. As long as they didn’t proclaim their illegal actions to the world there was nothing to worry about.

“What did you think?” Jackson asked, hands gripping the steering wheel, white knuckles, trying to stop himself from shaking. Jackson didn’t even go to the last two periods, he couldn’t process the vision, stuck in the unsettling truth that had managed to break through.

“With the physics test? I could have studied more.” Alex took a different approach. He needed the distraction. It had to have been a strange dream right?

“Yeah I kind of felt the same.” Jackson was able to read between the lines, call it a twin thing or maybe just gained from the practice of living one’s whole life with someone else, but the evasion was all the answer that he needed for confirmation.

Jackson drove out of the parking lot. A light appeared on the road, a highlighted path preplanned that he knew he was going to take. Following the chosen road, he made the necessary turns to end up at the police precinct, just in time to watch both Victor and Chuyu walk in.

Alex looked over to his brother. He wanted the vision to be a dream. He knew it wasn’t going to be. The memories they taught themself not to remember suddenly became real. “I don’t think this is going to be good.”

The remaining twelve did not know what had brought them to the precinct. Trying to convince themselves that it wasn’t real, when they knew that it was going to be.

They all came separately. Finding their own way. Following the signs given by the universe, someone wanted them together. They had to be the Monster Hunters once more, and unbeknownst to them, their agent id cards were already in their pockets once more, as if they had already shifted back into those childhood roles.

They saved the detective time, he was going to hunt them all down. The Monster Hunter was really the only lead, and he feared that this was the case that was going to break into the supernatural. If only he knew how to deal with superpowered children that devoted themselves to win against any monster that they came across. He was out of his league, but he knew he had the job to do, and he was going to try his best.

Before Detective Maxwell, stood twelve sixteen year olds, brought together by reasons that would remain a secret. No one outside of the class needed to know about the signs that guided them there.

There was a lot that Detective Maxwell did not know, still he tried to show off his authority. “I would like all of you children to remain calm.”

They all stared back at him with neural expressions. Nothing he was going to tell them would be able to say anything that they didn’t already know. Their visions were worse than any information that he had gained through his investigation.

“One of your classmates has been killed.” He started to summarize the case. Stating that it was an ongoing investigation and there was much that could not be shared with them. Explained his theory that the group in front of him might be targeted, since the id card was a prominent part of the crime scene.

Until more was known, Maxwell suggested that all of the twelve be under protective custody, since a group of cops would be able to fight off shadow monsters that had to be defeated through the power of imagination.

Victor had some rocks in his pockets. Starting out as a fidget when he was a kid, playing with the stones until it became a special interest for himself and he started to carry some of his collection around with him. He dropped a couple of the rocks to the floor. Lining up his angle. What was years of soccer if not leading up to this moment. He kicked the rock across the room. Shooting them in a rapid succession, sending enough vibrations to shatter the window. Enough of a distraction Maxwell to turn away from the group.

Jumping into the perfect team that was built through the battles. Within a couple moments, each of them were able to complete the necessary task: find the files of the Quinn murder, share the strategy to break anything around the room that could be used to track them, help to stall and distract while they ran out of the room.

Scattering to the wind. The mission was to get away. The purpose of coming to the police had been completed. Gained the information that was needed and managed to get away. They knew that they would be back together, as they still needed to talk amongst themselves.

Running in every direction. To all out of the group there was no order. But they trusted each other, and knew they would end up where there needed to be.

Meeting back up in a park. Trees created the canopy overhead that sheltered them through the nightmares that were determined to find them once more.

They sat on the grass, taking on the familiar positions that were determined all those years ago. The spots from the circle time carpet, finding comfort in the routine, even going so far as to leave two spots open: one for Quinn and one for Ms. Grace.

They sat for a moment in silence. In the past all the discussions were started by Ms. Grace, and they would jump in to say something completely off topic, but they had spent twelve more years being forced to learn social norms, and they were not quite sure how they were meant to interact.

Looking around the circle, waiting for one to begin. Wishing that the universe sent a sign and guided them what to say, or better yet just dropped them into the battle so they didn’t have to stop and think about what any of it meant.

“This isn’t real, we know that right?” Jennifer asked.

“What isn’t real, what’s happening now, or what we did back then?” Luca asked, seeing just where the misconception lay.

“All of it.” She thought back to the evidence. “I remember playing Monster Hunter when we were in school, but we also played Zombies and Huggy Wuggy, are any of them suggesting that those would prove to be real as well. And if those weren’t real, then logic dictates that none of what’s happening now is real either.”

“Logic is lies pushed to crush creativity,” Leia recited from the distant memory of Ms. Grace bringing them onto their fated mission. She remembered the days of power, the dreams of trying to recapture that magic, testing out every hobby as an attempt to find anything that could compete. Always coming up empty, as nothing save for the battles themself would be able to fill that void.

“Let’s vote,” Noah suggested. Raising his hand to follow through on his idea. “Who thinks that this is real.”

Chuyu, Leia, Jackson, Luca, Lucas, Jacob, and Noah raised their hands.

Alex looked at his brother, he didn’t want to disagree, since his twin was probably right, but he didn’t want it to be real. He ended up raising his hand half way.

More than half the group believed. They brought their hands down. Reconsidering, as they thought the others would bring up the logic that would prove this all to be a nightmare within itself.

“I saw her death years ago.” Chuyu spoke. Silencing the group before anything could be said. The quiet one of the group, showing her excitement through smiles and jumping, though never having much to say. Her speaking was an attention grabber within itself. “Before our year with Ms. Grace, those were the nightmares that I saw. I never knew who they were, but I would see so many bodies looking just like those pictures: colorless and shadows pouring out of the eyes.”

They stared at her. Processing the horror that was passed on the toddler. Yet she managed to be so joyful even as she was haunted by the deaths of her oldest friends.

“I think I was always seeing us. We could say it’s our imagination, but I think we all know the truth.”

Arissa raised her hand, signaling the change in belief. The others were able to follow suit.

They had to act as if it was real. Only they had the power to help, and arguing over semantics would hardly help Quinn or the rest of the world.

“Are we in agreement that we are going to help?” Jacob asked.

There were nods all around. They made an oath when they were in Ms. Grace’s class, they would be ready to help whenever nightmares attacked. They were Monster Hunters after all.

Lucas stood and moved away from the group. He saw the shadow form from behind the tree. Believing that all shadows would be connected, he called upon the void to grant them access, forming a gate so they could the monsters that haunted them.

Darkness surrounded them. A world of shadows they did not belong in. they heard the growls coming closing. The nightmares were growing excited, the children of imagination had come into their domain, what a wonderful day it was.

All of the children ignited. Glowing in their traditional color, ready to fight off the shadows with light sourced from within.

They had a three point plan: find Quinn, defeat Scary Larry again, and make it back out. Simple as long as the twelve of them stuck together.

Lucas held concentration on their exit. He was the one to open up the gateway, and he had to ensure that the door would remain when they needed to run. He pictured the park, the trees overhead, hearing the birds overhead, there was a squirrel running by, people biked on the path past them. He had to remember what was in the world. Needing to maintain that image. No one was going to be trapped within the shadows.

The shadows attacked. Pulling up the nightmares each of the children has worked hard to suppress. The childhood fears that would still shake them to their cores. They may have anxiety about failing a test and not amounting to anything in their future, but at their core they were lost children afraid that they would never be found, they were the tiny souls that would be crushed underfoot.

Fighting away the psychic attack, they had to remember who they were. Jacob in his endless positivity, and every changing dream messaged his friends of what they were capable of. Believing in what they each could do, sharing their victories from the past. There was power unimaginable within all of them. They just had to believe.

Xueqi painted the shadows pink, sending out a projected puppy to run throughout the space, spreading the joy that would overthrow the nightmares. Paw prints of a glowing pink appeared throughout the space. Breaking apart the shadows, returning the void to the source of imagination.

A glimpse of Quinn was able to be seen through the cracks in the shadows. Intangible though still very real. She flew through the cracks, joining the battle to fight alongside her friends.

Their power only strengthened thanks to her presence. Colors mixing together to form the purifying white light that would save them when the world was claimed by the void.

The shadows took form. First was the creature of claws and fangs, the first monster that appeared at children. Morphing to adjust for the changing mentally of his adversaries. He took the form of a corporate entity, believing in capitalism at the expense of humanity. So what if he took away rights, he made money and that was all that matters.

Arissa and Jennifer combined their efforts. Together they launched bolts of electricity. The strength of two, breaking Larry apart from within.

Noah joined in on their efforts. Sending out shock waves to push the shadows of Larry further apart.

He came back together. Growing angry. The children were an annoyance that needed to be taken care of. He called upon the shadows to feed him. Taking in the fears deep within the world, releasing them to the children. Building the walls to separate each of the class. Trapped in their own nightmare, custom made for what made them afraid at that moment. Being disappointments to their parents. Not making the team. Failing the test, then the grade. Losing their friends. Learning that they were never liked in the first place.

For twelve years that had been broken by the world. They saw the dangers of what waited for them when they grew up. They heard the adults tell them to forget their dreams in order to make the practical choice. Piece by piece was ripped away from them. And yet they were still expected to not only believe in themselves but in the future that was no longer waiting for them.

The children felt despair. They already struggled to have hope for their lives. They knew there was the ever growing slim chance that they would survive, and even if they made it through the tragedy of school their life would be built around productivity. They would fight with every ounce of power within them, and it would never be enough.

The shadows provided a comfort. If they gave into their fears, they would never have to be true. They could accept the unwanted fate, ceasing to be as they chose to give up. Gifting the power of dreams over to the all encompassing domains of fears.

“None of that is true.” Xueqi yelled out. She needed her friends to continue to believe. She wasn’t ready to give up. Her dreams were beautiful, her fashion designs were one day going to be known by all. They all deserve a chance to live out their dreams.

She yelled out again. Fighting for their attention. Her voice sent out a banshee wail that broke down the walls of shadows.

“Together until the end.” Luca yelled out. He took in the fact that all of them had found themselves forming the tradition circle around Larry. The distance was too great to hold hands like they did when they were four, but that didn’t mean that they were out of the game. “Let’s give it everything we have.”

Each of the children shot out rays of their power. Beams of light poured towards the center of the circle. Hitting Larry, and combining to form the magical white light.

Maybe Larry wasn’t so scary anymore.

Part One:

https://www.tumblr.com/highmidvoiddemon/744605109006303232/imaginary-monsters?source=share

Part Three:

https://www.tumblr.com/highmidvoiddemon/744606220484214784/imaginary-monsters?source=share

[ddonovanrp]

I walked across the well manicured lawn of Crescent Hill Cemetery, making my way to you. It's the 26th now, I'm 6 whole days late for your birthday. I made it to the headstone and looked around the area. I couldn't bring myself to read the inscriptions in that concrete slab. I knew what it said, the name, dates, quote and all was burned into my memory; right along with events that wound you up here. It was the very first 'worst day of my life'.

I knelt down, a bright red single rose dangled from my hand. "Hi mom.." I said into the night like you were actually there. "..it's me." I continued talking to your grave. I stared at the smooth cool stone and sighed. You weren't here. You'd been gone for nearly 20 years now.

"I miss you." I said to the earth. The image of us standing on the front porch of home came into my mind. You were wearing a yellow sun dress that had little flowers all over it. Your hair was still dark, despite the gray stands decorating the sides. Your eyes still just as dark as always; a image of me looking back. I was your first child. The only boy and your baby. I could hear the thuds of my boots cross the deck as we walked to your favorite swing and sat down to gossip about the latest. You were holding my hand and watching me like you were so proud as I told you the news. You were going to be a grandma again. My girlfriend is pregnant and you cried. You would have met her by then. And I know you would have loved her just as much as I do.

I smiled to myself as I pictured the transaction. Following up with a sucker punch to the gut as my gaze flicked to the end date. That date was like a dagger in my chest still after so long. My eyes moved to the little dash that separated those two dates. A dash that represents life, but that dash just wasn't long enough. You'd missed out on everything. I was 8, Harper was only 2 when we lost you. Our whole lives changed that day and a part of me died with you.

I laid the rose on top of the headstone and sighed. "Happy Birthday Momma. I'm sorry I'm late." I said to your grave, misery lacing my voice. The day i lost you, I lost a big part of myself. The happy go- lucky child that was your son dissapeared that night. I was the poor kid whose momma got shot by thugs. Trashy bikers looking to settle a score. A deal gone wrong that had gotten us all in the crossfire with one fatal mistake. I watched as the lights went out of your eyes that night. You'd told me to hide but I was scared. Too scared to run, i knew I'd get caught- there were just too many of them. They'd raided the club house and was demolishing everything. I'd hid under the bed, it was low enough to the ground it wasn't suspicious and I was just barely small enough to fit. I remember covering my nose and mouth trying my hardest not to make a sound. I remember them kicking the door in and how you screamed at them to get out. The smack that echoed in my head from where he hit you across the face still echos in my head. The gunshot still rings in my ears and the look in your eyes as you hit the ground, looking around franticly trying to locate me before our eyes collided and You'd done your best to smile, reassuring me it was okay. Blood trickled out of the corner of your mouth and you were gone. Just like that.

I watched as you left me through tears that hadn't spilled yet. Heavy black boots walked in between us blocking my view, "fuck you idiot. That was their president's ol lady. You better hope they get ahold of Dexton or you're dead." He chuckled. The son of a bitch laughed as they walked out of the room leaving us there. My dad. This was his fault. He was the president of this club, he'd started this war. He'd gotten you killed. 'I'll never forgive him' I silently swore, those tears finally falling as I started into the face of my mother, dead.

Sighing I kissed my finger tips and pressed it to the top of your stone. I was 28 now-a grown man. You'd think it would have gotten easier, i thought to myself before in shoved my hands into my front pockets and stepped back. It was nearly 5 am and I'd been gone on a run for about 2 days longer than I'd meant to be. The girl I'd accidentally fallin in love with has expected me home Thursday afternoon and here it was Saturday morning. Plans changed last minute when we ran into some trouble in Alabama. The crew we'd fucked up in Nevada apparently had friends we didn't know about.

I tucked my head down into my jacket, trying to keep my neck and ears warm as I walked across the Graveyard headed back to the gate. I had about 30 more minutes ride until I was at the apartment i'd decided to rent for now. My son was back from his grandmother's and I was now expecting another baby! I needed a place of my own until we were ready to buy. Hopefully she'd be there, sleeping in my full size bed, knowing I'd be there soon. I swung my leg over the once again cold leather seat and started the engine.  ---------------------------------------- -> 9.26.2020 -> #Damian #Momma

[from-a-reckless-writer]

some rojascorp mayhaps??

Once upon time, Andrea Rojas would've been the first person she would call about this. Ask her if it would really be a good idea to drop everything and just leave. In her mind's eye, she can already see what Andrea would've said. She would say, yes. And most possibly even tell Lena she'd drop everything too and fly right along with her.

You jump. I jump.

She was sure of it. After all, they did it once before.

So, really it wasn't a surprise when she opens the door and sees Andrea on the doorstep.

"Andrea." The door opens wider and Lena lets her in. "What are you doing here?"

Even though based on the unreadable expression on her face, Lena already has an inkling.

"I overheard my emp-" she clears her throat, waits for Lena to turn and face her. "I overheard Nia and Kara today," Andrea speaks slowly, "You're going to Ireland."

Lena merely raises a questioning brow.

"I-" Andrea fidgets and that's the first time Lena sees that there is something in her hands. A folded piece of paper, it looks like.

Andrea catches her eyes, and says, almost a whisper, "I have something to confess."

Lena inhales deep, crosses her arms.

"Well, let's hear it then."

Andrea takes a step forward, debates putting a hand on Lena but settles for fidgeting with the paper again.

Now upon closer inspection, Lena notices its yellow color, an old parchment and if the inky bleeds are any indication, Lena's suspects it to be some old letter.

This rattles the heart in her chest, for reasons she would not dare name.

Andrea starts to speak again and Lena tears her gaze away from the letter.

"I-I've been investigating Lex," Andrea tells her.

"Seems like that's what everybody is doing these days, or so I heard." Lena's stalling she knows, but who wouldn't? Andrea's serious yet sincere gaze is terrifying. It has been so long since that's been directed at her, and Lena does not want to fall victim again.

Andrea ignores her, continues on, her voice now more sure, most likely the effect of noting Lena's reaction. Andrea knows all too well what she can do after all.

"And in order to do that," she explains, "I had to infiltrate the Luthor Mansion."

As Acrata, Lena adds in her head. She remains as stoic as possible and what Andrea does next almost knocks her.

"Lena," she says, "I really think we should sit down for this."

The rattling has now become pure chaos inside her.

Lena says nothing in response, just turns around again for Andrea to follow. She guides her to the enormous couch. She crosses her legs and Andrea does the same next to her. Lena pointedly avoiding the thing in Andrea's hands.

"So?" Lena prods.

Andrea inhales, swallows, "I went to Lionel's study."

The room springs clear in Lena's mind.

The rows of books; the smell of cigar and grease when Lionel brings his projects home; Lex's diploma framed and hung, Lena's report card pinned next to it. A single family picture. The stiffest Lena has ever felt for the camera.

"And I- I found something."

Lena snaps back to the present.

"It's from your mother."

Andrea looks regal in the open moonlight of her apartment, and God, she thinks, it truly would never be over, would it?

"N-not Lillian." Why Andrea felt the need to clarify that, she wouldn't know. When she's the first person Lena had confided to about how Lillian was never a mother to her.

"A letter," Lena states, her voice is quiet and calm, the opposite of the tempest deep inside.

"Yes," she confirms, "here." Andrea starts to hand her the letter-

"Can you please-" she blurts out suddenly, Andrea halting mid-way.

"Can you please hold my hand? While I-" she inhales deep, "While I read it? Please?"

Andrea only nods, reaches for Lena's hand, wraps around it tightly.

It's the anchor Lena needs, but she would never admit that. It looks like she doesn't need to though. Andrea already knows she's afraid of drowning.

Lena takes the paper gently, afraid that it will crumple the dust the moment her fingers touch it.

The paper is old and yellow. The ink blurred at some parts, drops of something Lena suspects to be alcohol, marring the words. He imagines Lionel reading it for the first time in his study. Did he feel the same churning in his stomach as Lena did now? Was he too drunk to even read it?

God, Lena so badly wishes she was drunk right now.

Andrea squeezes her hand and drags her back.

The writing isn't anything like hers. Each word in capital letters, which should've made it look a bit robotic and too uniform, yet to Lena's eyes it looks elegant. As if the hand that had written took great care in laying down the words.

She reads the first line.

"To my dearest Lionel,

I am sending this directly to the mansion, I apologize in advance. I tried calling. But your assistant, I have to commend her--she gets creative with those excuses--never fails to inform me that you're unavailable. I've also tried your various emails, to no avail. And well, this is my last resort.

All this to say, I know when I'm not wanted anymore. But I do just need to send you this one last letter. If you don't want me in your life anymore, well, who am I to stop you? You're Lionel Luthor.

But I do think you might want to know about your daughter, our daughter. Lionel, we never did make any good decisions together, but I think, our daughter, she's the one good thing to ever come out of this mess.

She's turning two on the 24th. She's perhaps the best thing that could have happened to my life. She's a menace, she started walking early and I've babyproofed the house yet I'm still afraid she'd knock her head somewhere. She's a babbler, and a smart one at that. She's going to do great things, Lionel. I just know it. I'm so proud of her already. She has your eyes. Always green. Always bright. I miss you, I'm not going to lie. Yet, when I hear her laugh, it doesn't hurt so much anymore.

Her name is Lena, in case you've already forgotten. Don't worry, her birth certificate doesn't say Luthor. Lena Kieran, I've decided, would be the safest for her. She will be untraceable. Nobody will manage to link her to you.

Then why name her Lena at all? If she'll never be a Luthor, right? Naming her with an L seems a bit sentimental, I admit. A selfish part of me, I think, is still hoping for you to come back. To see you hold Lena for the first time, matching eyes lighting up. Maybe give her your name.

Someday.

She's the love of my life, Lionel. I would do anything for her. I keep wondering if you would do the same if you met her. If you will ever meet her. I'm afraid, you know? I'm terrified of the day she'll come asking for you. I'm terrified that even though I love her fiercely, it would never be enough. Will my love ever be enough? It never was for you.

But well, I never was one to dwell on sad things, so I'm afraid I have to end it here, Lena will wake soon. And how such a small thing can make so much noise, I don't know.

Goodbye, my love.

If you ever have a change of heart, you know where to find us.

Yours..."

And that was it, Lena realizes, that was the end. It wasn't signed. She turns the paper over frantically, searching for any clue, anything, any sign.

A signature, a name, an initial.

Nothing. There's nothing.

"Where's the- there's no-"

She doesn't realize she's sobbing till Andrea's tearing the paper away from her hands and pulling her close; doesn't realize she's hyperventilating till Andrea's squeezing her tight, tight, tight.

"Lena, you have to breathe. Lena, breathe."

She lets herself be carried away by Andrea, heaving gasps coming out of her lungs.

She's the love of my life.

I would do anything for her.

She'll never be a Luthor.

I'm terrified-

"Lena, Lena," somebody's calling her.

"Lena, you have to look at me. Look at me."

Her eyes focus and Andrea is there, soft and strong and here.

Lena's fully in her lap, one arm wrapped around her, one hand cupping her face.

"Lena, Lena," she keeps saying her name, her palm warm on Lena's cheek, and all Lena can do is nod. Tears are still streaming down her face and if she opens her mouth, she's afraid of what will come out.

So, she nods. She nods and she tries to breathe, tries to follow Andrea's counting.

Her breathing settle, and she can feel the whoosh of relief from Andrea.

"There we go, just breathe, just breathe," she coos, running her fingers through Lena's hair.

"I'm sorry," Andrea tells her, "God, Lena. I'm so sorry, I should not have sprung it on you like that. I'm so stupid. So, so stupid. I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

She says sorry over and over. pressing it to Lena's hair, to Lena's forehead, anywhere within reach.

"T-there's no signature," Lena manages to say, she feels Andrea tense beneath her. "No name. I don't know why- I don't know why I can't remember her name."

Her lips move against Andrea's exposed collarbone, and she wonders if that's the reason something is drumming loud beneath the skin Lena's pressed to.

"She couldn't sign it, I think."

"I think so, too," Andrea agrees quietly.

She was the other woman, of course, she couldn't sign it. It was already an act of bravery to send it to a place where Lillian Luthor resides. Signing it would've meant more than danger.

"You were a kid," Andrea whispers, "You were a kid, Lena. It's okay if you don't remember."

But it's not. Because, because her mother loved her so much and Lena can't even remember her name.

"She said, I wasn't going to be a Luthor, in the letter, she said."

And that, that must mean something, right? That must mean that everyone else is wrong, she's not just a Luthor. She wasn't supposed to be one anyway.

Kieran.

"I'm so sorry, Lena," Andrea says again and Lena's unsure what she's still apologizing for.

"Kieran, Andrea. Kieran. I don't think that's supposed to be my middle name." She pulls away from her place on Andrea's chest to look at her.

She turns around, reaches for the letter discarded on the table. Her hands doesn't tremble much this time.

"Look, there, see," she points at the line, "She said, Lena Kieran. I think, I think that's a surname."

A clue.

A thread to pull on.

A part of her that connects them together.

Andrea stares at her silently, "I think you might be right."

Lena's mind is going a mile a minute now, she would have to research. She would need Brainy's help, a database, she needs access to a database, lists of orphanages, records that Lillian might have hidden about her.

"Lena," Andrea calls, "Slow down."

"I- I wasn't-" A blush rises to her cheeks, "I wasn't doing anything."

"Yes, you were. I can hear you thinking."

She doesn't answer, just slumps back into Andrea again, buries her red face out of sight.

"I'll help you," Andrea murmurs, "I'll help you. You don't have to do it alone. Not anymore."

"Okay," she says, dares to kiss at Andrea's jaw. "Thank you," she breathes against her skin.

There's so much to unpack, so much to do, so much to say.

But it can wait, it can wait.

"You jump, I jump."

[rainbow-filmnerd]

So I just came up with a Gen 1 fanmade line

I call it "Fright at NecroCon". I got inspired by the SDCC Exclusive Ghoulia doll and my own experiences at comic conventions. As a fanatic, there's way more to comic conventions than just comics, and I plan to share all the aspects... Monster High edition.

The line would have the following characters:

Ghoulia: She's the biggest comic book lover in the franchise, and we know she's a big DeadFast fan. We know her SDCC doll has her all dressed up in a DeadFast cosplay, complete with an action, tote bag, and comic. My NecroCon doll is kinda a mix between a rerelease version of the SDCC doll with having a DeadFast cosplay dress, sheer black leggings and boots and something a bit more original with red/black highlights in her hair and a DeadFast mask (it goes over her head as opposed to the SDCC's eye mask). For accessories, she comes with a poster of DeadFast (her School Club fashion pack has a DeadFast action figure and comic, so those accessories could be a perfect accompaniment with this fan doll).

Clawdeen: To channel the cosplay aspect of comic conventions, Clawdeen is included. To make a callback to the SDCC Cerise Wolf doll from Ever After High, Clawdeen has a cosplay heavily inspired by this doll, but it has our favorite wolf fashionista's color palette (black, gold, purple, green). This Clawdeen doll will also come with a doll-sized card that has her social media information (nodding to any cosplayers who hand out information cards)

Frankie: I also got inspired by the Bride of Frankenstein Skullector dolls we got a while ago, but Frankie is in the NecroCon fan line to represent a fan's first experience. I'm channeling my first con experience, because I went in cosplay and Frankie would be in a cosplay inspired by her mother! So that means Frankie will have a hairstyle/makeover similar to her monster mom and iconic bride. Been thinking about throwing Jackson into the mix dressed in a Frankenstein monster cosplay (as a 2-pack?). Frankie would also have a miniature map of the NecroCon center since this is her first convention!

Kjersti: Gonna give a character that only had ONE doll some recognition in this fan line. We know that Kjersti is a very skilled gamer, and video games can often be seen in comic conventions. She'd come with her own game controller and coffin-shaped video game box with a disc (much like Dead Tired Draculaura's accessory).

Elissabat: We know celebrity guests are big in comic conventions, so it made sense to me to have Elissabat be featured. Aside from comic book artists, celebrities like movie stars are guests at cons, and Elissabat (aka Veronica von Vamp) is our special NecroCon guest. She'd come with a few images related to her Vampire Heart films as prints, one of which would be signed. But Elissabat can't provide autographs to all the monster fans without a pen.

Draculaura: I wanted to throw in Draculaura to represent the casual fan, the ones who don't typically dress up in cosplay. I want to have an excuse to have Lala and Elissabat be in the same line. Our favorite vegan vampire comes wearing a Vampire Heart t-shirt and for accessories, a picture with and autograph from Elissabat!

Catrine: Representing the artists by having Catrine be a part of the NecroCon line. We were robbed of having paintings be included with her dolls, and I'm remedying that by giving her some paintings/art pieces she did and will be selling at the convention.

Slo-Mo: I just thought it'd be cute to include Slo-Mo and surprise Ghoulia by going to NecroCon in a full on DeadFast cosplay. 🥺

Each doll would also come with their iCoffin, a badge/lanyard (like with the Music Festival line), and a NecroCon tote bag. And in the box, a poster of the characters in their NecroCon looks for you.

This was just a fun idea/vision I had. I'm not sure if I'll do more, but let me know if you want to hear my other visions for fanmade Gen 1 doll lines. What other characters would you like to see be a part of this fanmade line?

[ferie-anon]

🌼✨Mini astro observations part 2✨🌼

I notice that libra moons regardless of gender, are popular with the opposite gender.

For ex: I noticed a male friend with libra moon had a lot of female friends and they were socializing with him a lot and he knew them from his classes or club activities (He’s a leo sun)A female friend I knew who had libra moon had known a lot of male friends, and coincidentally she had quite the male admirers/who had a crush on her.

It can be platonic or romantic, but libra moons generally have a good connection or relationship with anyone with their balanced and outgoing nature, they also get info and lil tidbits about wut goes on as ofc the more your social circle is the more word gets spread around. So libra moons be kept up to date on a lot of things from their friends socially.

I notice sag suns and any sag placements know at least one more language than their mother language or they self taught themselves something. Sag energy are quite the explorers themselves, if they wanna do something they’re interested in they’ll forge their way to it themselves, like “if no one gonna teach me I’ll learn it myself” mentality. It’s also why sags are admired and looked up to a lot, they’re their own person, not doing anything to deliberately stir up something but their presence is always there.

Ex: My mom is a sag sun and taught herself how to cook some food she wants to eat or make for us by watching cook videos, and she taught herself another language from tv shows and etc. I have a sag sun friend who learned japanese by herself

Sag suns and sag placements also seem to be in touch or involved with another culture, whether through merchandise, products, socially, online, travelling etc. Because the same sag sun friend had a random old lady go up to give her a antique, pretty, japanese compact mirror becuz she thought she would like it. I was like wow- how

Quarantine made tauruses forget how to socially interact irl- Not being too dramatic but I notice that as taurus energies are alrdy quite chill and reserved unless they decide to talk, quarantine and social distancing made them even more quiet and tired from wanting to interact now cuz of social anxiety from it as well.

I have a gemini sun taurus moon friend who said he forgot how to socialize when I saw him again lol and he was just dead inside on his phone, then after a 2 weeks or a few, he’s more adjusted now.

Random but Aquariuses do be the ones that are unbothered unless brought to their attention and then ppl be tryna start a fight with them and they’re not gonna back down either. libras be observing both from sidelines and trying to stop the conflict, and geminis are literally getting the tea or the ones that said something that annoyed the other party that soon instigated the fight.

Aquariuses mean well, like they make decisions or do stuff to help or make you feel better on a way that you can discern, like instead of physical comfort or affection which they don’t do often sometimes, they may talk and listen to u about it knowing that you letting out about your problems is better than bottling it up.

Same goes for virgos when comforting but they offer to help talk out about your problems and conflicts like trying to find a solution that will help and ofc that may sound so rigid for some who want physical comfort and crying on the shoulder things lol, go find a water and fire sign. But any person, zodiac sign will comfort you :) it’s not strictly those that are listed

When moon is in 4th house, despite the sign in the moon, the native will be affected by their experience in feeling, such as their emotional mentality will tie to how they work and act, if they’re overwhelmed and distressed they may not be able to properly do certain work unless taking a break after.

The moon represents their mindset and mental thoughts, with 4th house of our emotional core, they will feel more affected heavily depending on how many things may overwhelm or drain them mentally as they do it because the activities and decisions they do affect their mind’s energy and then at the end they may be tired from investing emotionally into their stuff and activities.