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7-wonders · 5 years

Text

Shatter pt. 11

Summary: It’s back to the future for you and Mallory, to either find out what went right...or what went very wrong.

Word Count: 4556

A/N: One or two more chapters for this lil fic! As always, feedback is always appreciated, like, reblog, and comment, you know the drill by now.

The first thing that you hear when you arrive back in the year that you left is...nothing. In fact, you’re surrounded by complete silence. The eerie stillness of the room is an unwelcome presence that witnesses your return, considering all you could hear was screaming and gunshots when you pulled Mallory under the water. Coughing water up to get your lungs working properly, you wipe your hands over your eyes until you can finally see again. Droplets hang off of your eyelashes like small crystals, clouding your eyesight whenever you blink. Mallory sits next to you, mimicking your actions as she tries to regain her bearings again after being thrown through time and space again and again in such a short amount of time.

“Did...did we do it?” Mallory asks, taking your hands in hers as you both stand and clamber out of the tub. The room that you’re in doesn’t look like the one at the Outpost, even though the large stone tub is the same. Mallory’s still wearing the clothes that she was in when you were stopping the execution of Ms. Mead, and a quick look down confirms that you are, too.

“I don’t know, did Cordelia ever tell you how you would know if events were changed?”

“No. Honestly, I assumed there would be some giant flash of light or something to signify that we had accomplished what we set out to achieve.” Mallory grabs your hand, muttering a spell that dries both your body and hers.

“I guess the only way to find out is by leaving the room,” you say without showing any intention towards actually leaving the room.

“I guess so,” Mallory concurs, also standing still next to you. You glance at her at the same time that she glances at you, a silent battle over who is going to actually take the initiative first.

“I’m going to have to lead the way, aren’t I.” It’s not a question: you’re going to have to lead.

“Hey, it’s not my Antichrist lover that we’re up against.”

She’s right, and you hate that she is, but you’re the one who convinced her to change the plan that she had been working towards for three years, just for the sake of saving Michael. You’re uncharacteristically hesitant, and you know that it all leads back to Michael. Everything, it seems, leads back to Michael. If the apocalypse didn’t happen, what has become of him? If he still ended the world, what’s going to happen to you? With a nod and a reassuring smile from Mallory, you wave your hand to open the door in front of you.

It’s obvious that you’re not in the Outpost, but it’s not immediately clear where you could be. The large open window at the end of the hallway allowing a light breeze to filter through and blow the translucent curtains inwards captures your attention. Not only is there wind, but there’s also natural light coming in. It’s impossible to make any assumptions based solely on this observation, but it’s certainly a promising sign. Mallory, however, focuses on a different facet of the hallway.

“Are we at Miss Robichaux’s?”

Her question sends your glee to a screeching halt. A closer look at the hallway reveals stark white walls and the French Quarter architecture synonymous with historic New Orleans. Any doubts you may have about where you’re at is erased when you look at the portraits on the wall; classes of years past, a variety of young women all in black dresses that vary from time period to time period. It’s odd to be back at the school that fostered your magical abilities, since the last time you were here, you had to see the dead bodies of your sisters. Still, no matter what could have happened here, this was once home for you. I am home, you think in amazement. I am home.

“I’m so confused, I thought we came back to the present. Why are we here and not at Hawthorne?” You ask, fingertips tracing along an old picture frame from 1912.

“Maybe the timeline resets when we come back and we’ve actually changed something, maybe this is where we would be if there was no apocalypse,” Mallory surmises, grinning at the thought that you’ve stopped the end of the world. “Miss Cordelia!” She calls, taking off around the corner as she looks for any sign of other witches.

“Mal, wait!” You follow behind her, glancing into the bedrooms and coming up empty. “Anybody home?”

You follow her down the grand staircase, still looking around for any of your sisters. You’re so preoccupied with looking towards the dining room for anyone doing homework that you run smack into Mallory’s back at the bottom of the stairs.

“Ouch! Why’d you stop?” She doesn’t answer, and you move out from behind her to see what stopped her so suddenly. Your attention, originally solely on Mallory, is drawn to the figure standing in the middle of the main entrance. The smirk that’s directed at you is one that has your heart nearly jumping out of your chest, your head spinning as you try to wrap your mind around what you’re seeing.

“You look surprised to see me.”

“Michael, you’re--you’re here. And you look like...you.” By ‘you,’ of course, you mean that Michael Langdon looks like the Michael Langdon that you had been hoping to come back to. His long golden locks fall to his shoulders, and he’s wearing a luxurious black velvet cloak with a deep red lining on top of a black suit that’s somehow a shade or two lighter than the cloak. His eyes twinkle at your confusion, accented by his signature red shade that somehow makes those baby blues of his pop even more.

“Of course I am. I would not miss the chance to welcome you back to the present after your time traveling adventure.” Your feet move of their own accord, propelling you over to him as you choke back a cry. “Love, there is no reason for your tears. I’m here now, it’s going to be alright.”

“I was just so worried that it wouldn’t work and that you would either die or the apocalypse would still happen,” you smile up at him, stroking his hair away from his face as he kisses you softly. “Sorry Mallory, I didn’t mean to make you the third wheel-”

Your words trail off as you turn around in Michael’s arms, Mallory frozen where she’s standing. She’s not frozen in the sense that she’s so stunned by the scene in front of her that she can’t even move; she’s actually frozen, suspended in time as if she’s a statue of someone walking down the stairs. Her hand rests on the bannister, one foot stuck in the air as she prepares to take a step that’s never coming. Her head is tilted up, eyes focusing to the side as if she were turning around to look at you.

“Michael, you promised me that you wouldn’t hurt her,” you say seriously, taking a step closer to make sure that Mallory’s still alive and hasn’t unknowingly faced some sort of Medusa-like creature. Michael grabs at your hand, gracefully taking your chin in his free hand and tilting it so that you’re looking at him again.

“And it’s a promise that I intend to keep. She’s not dead, or harmed, she is just--”

“You froze her like Han Solo, basically.” He looks at you in confusion and you shake your head. “Never mind. Could you unfreeze her now?”

“Hmm, but I quite like her like that, she’s a lot less...annoying this way.” You roll your eyes, jokingly hitting his chest while he chuckles. The small moment of playfulness is needed, it helps to remind you that the world is okay again. Michael sighs, smiling at you before blinking once and releasing Mallory from the spell.

She stumbles forward down the remaining step, almost as if Michael hit the ‘play’ button on a television remote. Her mind reels as she takes in the sight of you next to Michael when the last she remembers, you were still behind her. She glances between both you and Michael, trying to figure out what magic was used to manipulate the situation.

“Wipe that confused look off of your face, Mallory, it’s very unbecoming of you,” Michael scoffs.

“So we did it, then? We--,” Mallory trails off, not sure if the rules of time travel allow for people to discuss the prior timeline.

“Oh don’t worry, Bill and Ted, I already know about your most excellent adventure.” You stifle a laugh at Michael’s reference of pop culture, knowing that the only reason he’s seen the movie is because you forced him to.

“But I thought nobody was supposed to remember the erased timeline except for us?” You question, looking at Mallory, who’s far more knowledgeable on the spell than you are.

“You forget that I’m not just any normal person,” Michael says proudly. “When I had reached the room that Cordelia had locked you in, both you and Mallory were already gone. It seemed like mere seconds, although I assume that you were actually gone for hours. Suddenly, I started getting flashes of memories. They were memories that I hadn’t experienced, but that I were mine all the same. Instead of my Ms. Mead being burned at the stake, you were there to stop the execution and convince me to join forces with Cordelia. I had conflicting memories from both of these timelines, sort of like a fork in the road of two different lives that I was living simultaneously.”

“Ms. Mead was the catalyst, then. Her death is the reason that you brought about the end of the world.”

“In the original timeline, yes.” Your heart sinks at Michael’s words.

“What do you mean, ‘in the original timeline?’ Did something happen in this timeline to cause the apocalypse?” Mallory asks, barely controlling the shaking in her voice.

“Not in the way that you think. See, if there’s one thing retaining my memories from the original timeline taught me, it’s that my original apocalypse was far too messy. I’ve never been a fan of getting my hands dirty; learned that from my father. This time around, I decided, it wasn’t the Earth that was the problem: it was the people. I wasn’t going to launch my little plan without a justified reason, and so I waited and watched to see if my assumptions about the human race were correct.”

The walls feel like they’re closing in on you, and you have to will yourself to not stumble over your feet. “What did--what did you do? Michael, what did you do?” You gasp out.

“The real question is what they did to bring this upon themselves,” he says with a grim look on his face.

“I don’t understand.”

“The witches tried to use the one person I care for more than Ms. Mead, more than anybody in the entire world: you.”

“They did that in the original timeline too, though.”

“This wasn’t something as simple as erasing your memory and sending you off to wait for the moment the witches needed you again. Cordelia almost killed you, (Y/N).”

“She wouldn’t do that, she wouldn’t--she couldn’t kill one of us,” Mallory says, both of you feeling a bit faint at this bombshell of a revelation.

“She never forgave your actions at the would-be triple execution that day, considering your interference treasonous. That and your relationship with me, along with a few...other events that, while miniscule, only seemed to add fuel to her fire. Therefore, she decided that you needed to die.”

Your mouth goes dry as Mallory lets out a heavy breath next to you. “How?” You ask, only managing to get one syllable out.

“‘How’ what?”

“How did she try to kill me?” Your voice is hoarse, and you swallow thickly to try and clear your throat.

“Cordelia attempted to slit your throat on an evening that I was supposed to be back in California for a meeting with some of my father’s subjects. I, however, knew she was plotting something, had seen it through the carefully-constructed walls she had attempted to put up to guard her mind. It really would just be easier if I showed you.” Michael holds his hand out expectantly, but you look at Mallory before looking pleadingly back at him. “Fine. Mallory, take (Y/N)’s hand.”

She does as instructed, holding onto you as Michael clasps your free one in his large hands. The coolness of his large, bejeweled rings on your skin is comfortingly familiar, and you raise his hands to your lips to kiss them softly. Michael’s eyes roll back into his head, and the scene flickers to life in your head like a movie being played on a projector.

Cordelia approaches your bedroom, a knife in her hand and a plan in her head. She’s been waiting for the right moment to do this, knowing that she wouldn’t be able to get close to you with Michael always around. Michael being gone on a sudden trip to California, though, presents the Supreme with the perfect opportunity. Her plan is simple: slit your throat, lock your soul up before whatever entity (she’s not sure if Satan’s laid claim to your soul, but she hopes for her sake that he hasn’t) that has dibs on it gets there first, and burn your body to ashes. It’s a quick and painless death, one that Cordelia feels is a mercy to you. She could burn you alive, listen to you writhe and scream in agony as the flames consume every inch of your flesh, but she won’t. That punishment is reserved only for those who have murdered their fellow witches or warlocks.

She supposes she has her mother to thank for the creativity that comes with killing a problematic witch. Fiona Goode, may God have mercy on her soul, was a conniving, stone-cold bitch who was only good for drinking copious amounts of fine alcohol and accruing untold amounts of money. Her one skill, however, happened to be getting rid of those witches who wouldn’t fall in line, the ones who were always on the verge of causing complete chaos within the Coven. Her methods are legendary, each disposal carefully recorded in a little book that resides inside of a larger book inside of a locked box in a secret drawer of Cordelia’s desk. A trophy, because of course Fiona wouldn’t be able to not gloat about her supposed accomplishments. For years she avoided looking inside of the book, having never had a reason or desire to do so. Now, however, she has both a reason and a desire.

Her mother’s drink of choice--whiskey sour, on the rocks--perched in her manicured hand, Cordelia perused the book like it was a magazine catalogue, quickly and calculatingly reading through each entry to decide which would be the best way to end your life. Some entries surprised her, while others warranted barely more than a second glance. She always had a niggling suspicion that Fiona had had something to do with Madison’s first death. Fiona hardly strayed from the tried-and-true method of throat slitting in her later years, and Cordelia admitted to herself that she saw the appeal in it too. If she had to kill someone, one of her girls, at that, at least it was a quick way for the person to go.

The door to your room opens without even a squeak to announce Cordelia’s presence. Even if there had been a noise, it wouldn’t have woken you up. The benzodiazepine that the Supreme slipped into the glass of water you use to take your pills with made absolutely sure that you would remain asleep until it was too late. You’re facing away from the door, moonlight bathing your form as your chest rises and falls evenly with deep breaths. Cordelia’s heart clenches at the thought of what she’s about to do, and she has to squeeze her eyes shut to avoid turning around and forgetting about her plan to murder you in the first place.

With each step she takes, she reminds herself of a reason why she needs to do this. Left foot, you stopped Ms. Mead from being killed. Right foot, you recruited Mallory to your side. Left foot, you were involved in a romantic relationship with the Antichrist and loved him despite the fact. Right foot, your relationship was only prolonging the inevitable apocalypse that would befall the Earth for as long as Michael remained alive. The point now is to catch Michael when he’s at his weakest, in the throes of grief, and kill him as well.

Cordelia tangles her fingers in your hair, exposing your neck to her as your head lolls limply to the side. The light from the hallway glints off of the silver blade of the knife when Cordelia lifts it up. She looks at it closely, ‘inspecting’ it and certainly not trying to stall in the hopes that you’ll just spontaneously combust and do the job for her. With a deep breath, the Supreme digs the knife into the left side of your neck, pressing down until it cuts the surface of your skin and blood wells up before readying her hand for one quick slice. When she does finally go to complete the action, her hand seizes, refusing to cooperate with her mind before the knife flies across the room and lands in the wall.

You shoot up with a gasp, too many things happening at once. Cordelia tries to escape, but she shrieks and stumbles backwards when she’s engulfed in flames. Just as quickly as the flames appear, they extinguish, but Cordelia finds herself pinned against the wall by an unseen force. Your hand claps over the deep cut on your neck as you stare at the scene with wide eyes. The shadows in the corner of the room seem to move and warp, and it’s not at all surprising when Michael walks out of the darkness. The shadows and all of the creatures that lurk within are Satan’s domain, so it was only a matter of time until Michael harnessed that power as well.

Fire blazes in Michael’s eyes, and he stalks towards Cordelia like a predator closing in on its kill. Her heart sinks when she realizes that he must have been able to break through the fortress she put up around her mind, devising a clever lie about having to suddenly leave town in order to catch her in the act. The only thing that stops his slow, methodical pace is when he reaches you. His hand closes gently around yours, removing it from your neck so he can fully see the wound. His nostrils flare at the damage, and you cling to him in fear and disorientation as the benzo tries it's hardest to knock you back out. He looks into your eyes, muttering words of reassurance to you and kissing your forehead before you finally agree to let go of the hem of his coat.

Michael holds his hand out, and the knife dislodges from the wall and lands back in his hand. He traces it along Cordelia’s bare skin, watching with glee as her body stiffens. The tip comes dangerously close to nicking her collarbone, Michael purposely applying more pressure. When the blade reaches the swell of her breast, he stops, angling the knife so one skillful shove could have pierced her heart. Cordelia’s chest heaves as she engages in a silent battle with Michael, both parties refusing to concede any ground.

“Go ahead, kill me. You won’t be able to do it,” Cordelia declares. Michael clicks his tongue, laughing darkly and shaking his head.

“Oh, I’m not going to kill you. That would be too much of a mercy for you.” His hand closes itself over her neck, slowly applying pressure on her windpipe until only shallow breaths are escaping her throat. “Instead, I’m going to end the world, and you’re going to be forced to watch, knowing all the while that it’s your fault this is happening. And only then, after the world is remade in my father’s image, will I kill you. And I promise you, Cordelia, that it will be a slow and painful death, the likes of which you could never even imagine.”

Tears are falling down your face when Michael lets go of you, and once glance at Mallory confirms that she’s in the same state. You’re in disbelief that your Supreme, the woman you trusted with your life and who became a surrogate mother to you, would choose to kill you because of your relationship with Michael. How could she so callously plan out your execution as if each choice were for some sort of a dinner party? You knew she could go to great extremes to do what she believed needed to be done to keep the coven safe, but you never thought murdering one of her girls would be an option.

“Now you see. I tested Cordelia, and she failed. The human race failed, and the world needed to be cleansed and ruled by myself and my father,” Michael says.

“How are we above ground, then?” You ask.

“As I said previously, my first attempt at Armageddon was far too messy and complicated. This time around, a simple plague was all it took to wipe out humanity while leaving the good parts of the world intact. That way, it’s much easier to rebuild with an already-strong foundation.”

“How very biblical of you, Michael. Did lamb’s blood over a doorway save people, as well?” You scoff at the irony of his method this time around, invoking a plague much like that brought upon the Egyptians to free the Israelites.

“Part of a strong foundation,” Michael says, choosing to ignore your comment instead of taking the bait, “includes those with the right genetic makeup to repopulate the world. The people who were originally saved in the first timeline survived the plague this time.” You sigh in relief at the knowledge that Timothy and Emily are both still alive. “You’ll be pleased to know, (Y/N), that your dear friend Gallant also has superior DNA. He’s alive and well in California right now.” That’s news you could cry at, and you almost do.

“What about the witches and warlocks? Did you slaughter all of them again?” Mallory asks.

“No, I presented them with a choice: either they joined me and pledged their loyalty as my obedient subjects, or they died. Quite simple, really.”

Mallory looks at you as you both start mentally cataloguing who would have accepted Michael’s offer. A good number of the warlocks must have, but you can’t imagine that John Henry Moore would. As for witches, the numbers are slim. Zoe wouldn’t unless Madison did, the two sticking together even though they’ve long claimed that there’s nothing special going on between them. Queenie, too, if Michael managed to gain her trust again in this timeline. It’s possible that Coco did, considering the Coco you knew before your memories were wiped was sweet and caring. Besides those few, the rest most likely perished.

“You’re correct, for the most part,” Michael says, having listened in on Mallory’s thoughts. “A lot of the warlocks were never going to be worthy of living in the New World, so I disposed of them quick enough. Madison, Queenie, and Coco all decided to save themselves, but Zoe refused to go down without a fight. I was honestly quite surprised at just how many witches jumped at the chance to fall to their knees at my feet.”

“So that’s it, then. We lost. Even going back in time and killing Michael wouldn’t have stopped this,” Mallory says in despair.

“You were right in the Outpost, when you said you were always going to win,” you say in almost a whisper.

“Time travel is a fickle thing, and it’s almost impossible to work out if there are any true rules that govern it. However, I’ve come to believe that time is a repeating loop. Think of it like...developing photographs in a darkroom. You can change the contrast, and how much light is exposed, and how long you develop it for, but the image itself will always remain the same. You can’t change what’s on that film, no matter what edits you do during the process of developing said photo. Nothing you did would have stopped the end result, what has been printed on the very fabric of the universe since the beginning of time,” Michael explains.

“Now what?”

“We rebuild the world, of course. But that leaves you both with a choice.” His eyes meet yours first, a rare flash of vulnerability hidden within the pale irises, like he’s worrying that you’ll have finally decided to leave him just like everyone in his life. “(Y/N), will you stand beside me as my equal, as my queen, and help me with the mission bestowed upon me as my father’s one begotten son?”

There’s not a moment’s hesitation behind your eager nod, “of course I will, Michael. I’ll always stand at your side.” Michael takes your face in between his hands, kissing you gratefully. Although he’s rather eloquent with words, sometimes his actions prove far more effective at conveying what he wants to say.

“I love you,” he mutters against your lips, causing you to smile before repeating the words back to him. When he pulls away from you, the only sign that he was even kissing you are his slightly red lips, managing to look as put-together and stoic as ever, even though Mallory watched the entire encounter.

“Mallory, will you accept your place in this world as your sister witches prior to you have done?” Michael asks as you look at her hopefully. She’s silent, studying Michael as she calculates her next move.

“I...I need to know that we won’t be used and thrown away as you had planned in the original timeline. Witches can be a valuable asset to you, Michael, but you won’t be able to use that asset if you don’t hold our magic, and our people, in high regard. You certainly haven’t forgotten that (Y/N) is one of us, too?”

“You have my word. If anything, your actions over those eighteen months in the other timeline have proven your loyalty, not only to (Y/N), but to your coven. That loyalty is an admirable quality, and it’s one that we’ll need when rebuilding.”

“Then yes, I will accept.” You clasp your hands in front of your face, hiding your wide smile as Mallory accepts. Your cheeks burn as Michael replaces your hands with just two of his delicate fingers, turning your attention back to him as he smiles lovingly down at you.

“And now, my love, my queen,” you giggle nervously at the moniker, “I have a surprise for you.”

“A surprise?” Your eyes light up, although you’re not quite sure you could be anymore surprised after everything that’s happened since you emerged from that tub upstairs.

“Mmhm. It involves a certain fading Supreme, and an immense amount of retribution.”

///////////////

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167 notes · View notes

skzm7 · 4 years

Text

MOBEIUS

BEEZLEBUB’S PURPLE KISS

BUBBLED UP TO SCAR

ITCHIN’ WITH SOMEONE’S SIN

FIRED UP IMPLODING FIST

FEELIN’ FEINT K.O.’ED

SCARLET STAMPED CRAZY! KID

USELESS SHADOW BOXING WALL IS NUMB

JAB HOOK UPPERCUT WHO?

THERE’S A HELTER SKELTER IN SKY CITY

COUNTDOWN TIL IT CLICKS KID

YOU GOT A BAD CASE OF

WACKO BONKERS LOOPY!

TEN NINE EIGHT

HEY SEVEN

HEYSIX

WAKE UP FIVE

COME BACK TO EARTH

PUT ON FOUR YOUR

THINKING CAP THREE AND GLOVES

ROUND 2 FIGHT!

WIPE OFF THAT STICK

GET YOUR BOTTLE OF LIGHTNING

THROW IT TO THE GROUND

CRACK IT OPEN

YOU’RE TOO BRILLIANT TO BE KEPT IN

LET THE LIONS ROAR LOOSE

FILL UP THE STADIUM

THE MAN WITHIN

DOESN’T GET OUT YOUR ILL

BOX THE OLD WOUNDS DREAMING

AND GET REAL

FALLOUT OF MEMORIES

ROOTED TO FEELINGS

CHAINSAW! HAHAHA

I‘M YOUR SECOND COMING!

SLIDE ON MY LIPS

ENJOY LIKE MANY

THE GRAND CHESSBOARD

OF EBONY AND IVORY

IT’S IN YOUR NATURE

TO GIVE YOURSELF IN

I THINK YOUR SMILE

HAS TOO MANY TEETH

FOR A SALESMAN

DING DING ROUND

3, MIND IS MESSY

BODY SO ORPHAN THIN

YOU CAN SEE THE HEARTBREAK

THROUGH THE SKIN

I CAN DO THIS SO WHY AM I TRIPPING?

BANANA SLIP HEAD SPLITTING

BRAIN FREEZE NO ICE CREAM

BUSY B’S SHADOW BECKONS ME DIVE IN

I WRITHE I WRESTLE I CAVE IN

I KNOW BETTER BUT I’M TOO BUSY DYING

NO ONE SEES MY HEAD’S PURPLE FIRE

DROWNING UNDER THE SURFACE

THESE CANNOT BE MY LAST WORDS

THESE CANNOT BE MY LAST!?

THIS CANNOT BE MY LAST CHANCE

THIS CANNOT BE MY LAST

GASP!

ENTER YOUR UTOPIA

THROUGH THIS GLASS OF MIND

KALEIDOSCOPE VISUAL

TAKE THE CLOCK WITH YOU

SIT ON MY LAP GOOD BOY!

SANTA’S LIST IS INSTANT HERE

YOU’RE A NEW BORN PHENOMENON

NO CREDIT CARD HISTORY

NO RESPONSIBILITY

NO RISK IN THIS

LABYRINTH OF VISIONARY

I’LL HOLD YOUR HAND

I’LL BE YOUR CANARY

FORGET BEING A VICTIM OF CONSCIENCE

WHEN RELIVING YOUR PAST IS SO

M MM MMM DEEEELICIOUS!

AND YOUR LOVED ONES ON EARTH

DON’T NEED YOU ANYWAY

THIS IS WHERE YOU ALWAYS WIN

HERE’S A SICKLE

PLAY GOLF WITH YOUR ENEMIES HEADS

IT’LL TICKLE

HEY WHERE AM I WHAT THE

HELL AM I DOING?

GOING FOR A BIRDIE

CAN ANYBODY HEAR ME?

IN THIS BERMUDA TRIANGLE ZOO

HOURS AND SENSES WHAT DID I DO?

MY COMPASS TURNED INTO A U

DIDN’T REALISE I WAS SO BAD

MAD REVENGE NEVER ENDS

NOW I GOT A CLUE HOW IT STARTED

BECAUSE YOU WERE A COWARD

AND YOU DIDN’T HAVE A CHOICE

HERE YOU HAVE A VOICE

NO! YOU’RE THE PLACEBO EFFECT GONE WRONG

THOUGHT IT WAS WORKING WHEN IT’S BROKE

DIAMOND MIND REFLECT IN STEAD OF WOKE

BECAUSE YOU’RE SICK

AND THIS IS YOUR SONG

WHAT’S THE POINT PLAYING

IF YOU CAN NEVER LOSE A GAME

TIME’S UP WHERE’S THE GONG

YOUR AUCTION IS UP AND

BONG! YOU’RE SOLD

I GOT SO DARK I FORGOT THE SUN

BECAUSE THE NIGHT IS MORE FUN

WHERE’S THE ALARM WHERE’S THE PINCH?

RING RING! IT’S GROUNDHOG DAY BITCH!

ROUND 4 SAW THE PEN AS MIGHTIER

BUT WHAT’S THE POINT OF WORDS

WHEN MONSTERS ONLY HEAR

THE POINT OF THE SWORD

I DECLARE WAR!

LIFT EXCALIBER FROM THE STONE

RECLAIM THE THRONE

IT’S MY RIGHT TO OWN

START A QUEST TO SLAY AND SLICE

THESE SNAKES HISS IN MY HAIR AND DICE

I’VE PAID THE PRICE MEDUSA VANITY

LET’S DESTROY THIS PLACE

WITH DYNAMITE SANITY

DOES YOUR MIND SWIM IN PURPLE FIRE HM?!

MY BURNING EFFIGY?

WRITHING AGONY

WINDOW SHOPPING WAYS TO VICTORY

LAY IN BED CONTINUE THE LIE

WITH NARCISSISTIC OCD

PARANOID ANDRIOD DELUSION DEFICIENCY

SHOOORYUUUUKEN!

GETTING DESPERATE ARE WE?

COULD I INTEREST YOU IN AN ALTER EGO?

OR ARE YOU ALREADY FULL OF YOURSELVES MY DEAR?

WELL YOU’RE HARD TO IGNORE

FLIPSIDE OF THE COIN

YOU’RE THE PASSENGER

I GOT THE RADIO

SEE I REMEMBER

BEING DEALT A BAD HAND

FROM THE REALER

MADE ME LEAVE THE TABLE

BECAME MY OWN DEALER

BUT ALL I KNEW WAS THE BAD HAND

KEPT ON PLAYING WONDERLAND

DOUBLED DOWN ON WHAT IF’S

INSTEAD OF I WILL

CLIMB OUTTA THE RABBIT HOLE

BRACE YOURSELF BUSY B

THIS MIGHT HURT A LITTLE

YOU’RE GONNA NEED A PLASTER

‘CAUSE I’M WELDING PETER VENKMAN’S GHOSTBUSTER ZAPPER

YAWN I’M CROSSING THE STREAMS

PAWN TO TURN INTO A KING

ROUND 5

BLACK ALWAYS LAUGH’S LAST

BECAUSE WHITE MOVES FIRST

TO FALL INTO THE TRAP

TIPPY TOES TO THIS BUZZ

FADE YOU HYPNOTIC TO WHO AM I? FUZZ

SEND YOU FIRST CLASS TO WHERE ICE BURNS

WORSE BEFORE I GET BETTER

WHERE HEAVY IS THE HOLLOW

WHERE AGONYS END’S

IMPOSSIBLE TO FOLLOW

WHERE SOULS ARE SPLIT TO LICK

SWEET SICK TO SWALLOW

WEAKER BEFORE I GET STRONGER

ABORT THE PLAN

REWIND ESCAPE ATTEMPTS

MICE OF MAN

HEY THE TRAP IS LOOSE BUT

I WILL WIN

CIRCUMSTANCE SNIP! OOPS SORRY!

CIRCUMCISION MISSED THE CUT

BALLS GOT LOST WITH THE MARBLES

KERPLUNK!

I WILL SWIM

SIX DRINKS DEEP

WALKING AUTOPSY TURVY

IMPRESS AN INVISIBLE AUDIENCE

AND LOOK AT ME! TROPHY

I WILL MAKE SENSE

I WILL BECOME KING

YOUR BODY’S OUT OF ORDER

TAKE THE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN

FIND AIZEN AT THE DOOR

TAKE A TEARS HINT YOU’RE GOING DOWN

WHERE NEVER IS THE FLOOR

THIS IS EASY PULL OUT THE STITCH

I CAN BAMBOOZLE YOU SO MUCH

I’M INSIDE OUT LETS SWITCH

JUPITER CAN YOU SEE THE SPOT I’M IN?

I’VE BEEN UP AND DOWN

WITH CHOICE AND REASON

NOTICE PICKING NOTHING

NEVER BEEN IN SEASON

FASHION DISASTER

THIS MAN WENT MISSING IN ACTION

SAVE THE MILK CARTON

TAKE YOUR PSYCHO STAMP AND COLLAR

I’LL GET US HELP KISS IT BETTER

MAKE US SOUND

THIS YO-YO SOUL’S TURNED THE TABLES A

ROUND! 6 I’M ALWAYS BESIDE

A PART OF PERSONALITY

MOBEIUS SHYS

UNTIL IT MADE ME

MEMORY WITH A TWIST OF FANTASY

SOON GAVE ME A VOICE OF MALICE

NOW IT’S MY TURN TO EAT WONDERLAND’S ALICE

AND WITH PURPLE STAINED LIPS MWAH!

PIERCE THIS PSYCHIC PLACE RAW

SHOUT HALLEYUYAH AND A REST IN PEACE

SO PRINCE BEEZLEBUB CAN RISE TO THE SEAT

ALL THE WOMEN I WANT TO KISS

ALL THE MEN I WANT TO KICK

THIS WORLD I WANT TO RULE

I’M THE ONE WHOS GONA LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER FUCK

YOUUUAAAYOURRRCANTRRDOGGTHISHHHWITHHHHOUTHHMYAASAYSO!

ROUND 7!!!

THISISMYSCREAMMMMMMMMMMM!!!

I’LL BE MY OWN HERO

LET ME LIVE GET MY SOUL SURE

FIND A GOOD HAND

TO RAISE ME UP

MAKE A STAND

BE WHOLE ONCE MORE

SPEAK THE TRUE

BREAK MOBEIUS’ ILLUSION

DOUBT WHAT NO ONE ELSE SENSES - FAITH IN ABILITY

WHEN THEY SWAP SEATS ON BELIEFS SEESAW

YOU’LL KICK YOUR OWN ASS

AND STROKE YOUR ELBOW

RECREATING EVENTS LOST MY

MEMORYS LOGIC OF WHAT’S NEXT

MOVE FORWARD OR BE

STUCK IN THE MUD WITH YOUR INVISIBLE FRIEND?

THINK I FOUND MY HAPPY THOUGHT

HEY PIXIE I CAUGHT MY SHADOW

SORRY I SPLIT LICKEDY LET’S GO

BUSY B AIN’T GOING DOWN EASY

BORN A FIGHTER FROM CHAOS FIRE

ORIGINAL PRIMORDAL METAPHYSICAL DESIRE

RESISTANCE IS FUTILE KID JUST RETIRE

THIS IS MY POWER THIS IS MY HOUR

TO TAKE BACK WHO I AM

AND GET OUTTA L.A.’S TRAFFIC JAM

DISCOVERY IS THE WISH OF THE SOUL

ROAD RAGE BREAK OUT INEVITABLE

NO ONE CAN SOLVE THIS ALONE

IF YOU ARE YOUR OWN PROBLEM

I’M THE MYSTERIOUS WAY

CAVE TO MY SAY

IN HERE I’M KING

I’M THE PURPOSE

YOU’RE THE HORSE

YOU SERVE ME

LOOK UP AS YOU

BOW BEFORE BUB

RATHER TAKE ON THE WORLD

BRAVE DON’T FEAR THE GRAVE

FACE THE MUSIC

FACE THE ENEMY

ANSWER’S ALREADY HERE

SEEING GHOULS OF DEMISE

OR ANGELS IN DISGUISE

ONLY THAT YOU DECIDE

NO ONE EVER FAUGHT FOR YOU

I WAS TEACHING YOU HOW TO FIGHT

ALL YOU NEEDED IS THE SIGHT

WHAT YOU SEE IS WHAT YOU GET

WALLS OF STEEL AND STONE ARE A WEAK PRISON

MIRRORED WALLS OF SKIN AND BONE

THEY’VE DONE THEIR JOB PRETTY

SURE YOU’RE TOO LATE THIS IS

ALL MINE FOR THE TAKING

MY HEART’S PURE

YOU CAN’T PUNCH THIS LIGHT

OUT OF MY FUTURE

EITHER SHAKE MY HAND OR EAT MY FIST

STEP BACK INTO THE RING

LET’S SEE WHAT YOU GOT KID

THINK I’M GONNA BE ALRIGHT

I GOT WORK TO DO

LET’S FIGHT!

***

From “The Silent Album”

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08DHMQ673

#music #songs #lyric #book #songwriter #album #art #artist #musician #writer #thesilentalbum #rap #hiphop #eminem #drdre #kendrick #beastie boys #mind #mental health #rapbattle #vs #fight

3 notes · View notes

forever-more-never-again · 7 years

Text

Greek Mythology-The Lore of Medusa

I do not own Supernatural*Gif not mine*

This was supposed to be a short drabble story but then I got carried away and whoops its now its ~5500 words

sorta fluff?

This is my second Supernatural Fic, so please leave feedback and comments if you like it!

Warnings: Death, Swearing, Kidnapping, Snakes (I feel like that needs to be a warning), Typical Supernatural killing

Sam Winchester X Reader

Egyptian Lore of Anubis

Masterlist

“So get this,” Sam walked into the Bunker’s conference room, laptop balanced on his hands as he sat across from Dean who was stuffing his face with a burger. Same grimaced at him, “Dude, really?”

Dean frowned, wiping the grease from his chin, “I’m a warrior Sammy, I need my meat. Anyways,” He took a swig from his beer, “What do you have that’s so important.”

Sam shook his head at his brothers antics but got back to his original point. “I think I got us a case. Look here,” He turned the computer so that Dean could see the police report that had caught Sam’s eye, “Victim was found by hikers in the city of Seattle, Washington. Looks like he was turned to stone...literally. Police are saying he was possibly dumped in cement, but autopsy shows no compounds of any regular cement product. And,” Sam raised his finger to emphasize this point, “His eyes were wide open and seemed to be turned into stone as well.”

Dean took another swig of his beer as he pulled the laptop closer. “Hmm, definitely looks like our kind of thing. Any clue about what it might be?”

He glanced up to Sam, who had already stood up and was pulling down lore books from the shelf. “It doesn’t fit any criteria of monsters we’ve seen before. This will be one with a lot of research, I’m certain.”

Dean groaned, “And you know how much I just love research.”

Sam smirked at his older brother, “Well how bout this, you drive and I’ll start looking for something to help us. We’re headed to Seattle.”

*Time Jump*

The winchesters had went straight to the Seattle Police Department Headquarters. After going through the whole FBI introduction, one of the officers led them to the morgue.

“So agents, here he is, the poor bastard.” The overweight officer led the brothers into the morgue, where the body was laid out on a slab.

Sam looked taken aback at the cop’s tone, “Did you know the victim, Officer Mcgowan?”

The officer chuckled as he looped his hands through his belt, “Knew him? Hell every woman within a twenty mile radius knew him. Mr. John Buckley here was a regular womanizer. He was a bit of an asshole, he’s got a list of sexual harassment allegations.”

Sam squirmed a bit as he glanced at Dean. Dean spoke up, as he prodded the stone body, ‘So who found him?”

The officer pulled out his notepad and flipped through a couple pages, “That would be one Miss [y/f/n] [y/l/n]. She was out taking her dog for a hike on one of our more scenic trails when her dog started going nuts. Said he got free and when she found him off the trail, there was John Buckley. Petrified.”

Sam nodded at the officer, “If you don’t mind, we’ll need her address and phone number to contact her. And if we could see those sexual harassment reports as well?”

The officer let out a sigh, his cheeks puffing out making his beard look fuller. “It’s your playground agents. I’ll see that you get all the specifics.” At that he walked out of the morgue.

Sam waited until he was sure that the officer was out of earshot before turning to Dean, who was now poking at the open eyes of the man on the table.

“Dean!”

Dean looked up, “What? I’m just seeing if its actually stone.”

Sam shook his head exasperated as he read through the information on the man. “Well looks like Officer Mcgowan was telling the truth. This Mr. Buckley was known for taking pictures up women's skirts. Pressing advances onto unwilling woman. Stalking them. He really was the neighborhood creep.”

Dean sighed, straightening up, “Which means every woman in this town is a suspect.”

Sam sighed as well, turning on his phone he googled the address of the victim, “Well I say let’s go check out his house, see if there is any clues there and then go speak to the witness.”

Dean walked past his brother, trench coat swinging past his legs as he walked out of the room back to the officer desk to pick up the information.

Soon they were parked in front of the vics house. Sam straightened up as he stepped out of the Impala and whistled, “Wow, for a creep he sure liked to live in style.”

They were in one of the nicer parts of Seattle, close to Pike Place Market. The house they stood in front of was two stories. White marble pillars and what looked to be ivy wrapped around the base.

Dean pushed past Sam to get inside, excitement evident in his body language. “Oh my god! Sammy! He has a HD Flat Screen 55in TV on his wall! And look, look at this,” Dean raced over to the staircase which had paintings on the wall, “This is a rendition of Van Gogh's starry night!”

Sam looked at his brother out of the corner of his eyes, a smirk growing on his face, “And since when were you a collector of the arts?”

Dean brushed his brother off, “Oh stuff it Sam. Let’s check out his bedroom.”

They headed up the staircase and walked down a hallway to what appeared to be the master suite. Dean pulled out his EMF device and nodded to Sam to open the door, who had his gun pulled out. Slowly they walked into the room. There was piles of clothes everywhere. Fancy sport memorabilia on the walls. A king size bed took center stage with a velvet canopy. Dean snorted when he saw that. Same frowned at him and nudged his head at the closet that was on Dean’s right.

Dean looked down at the EMF reader as he pulled open the closet, noticing no signs radiating from it. When he glanced up, his jaw dropped. “Uhh Sam...You need to see this.”

Sam sighed under his breath, and walked over, “What is it De..wow.” He froze next to his brother.

There on the back wall of the empty closet hung hundreds of pictures of women. Some looked to be professional shoots and others looked like they had been taken while hiding in bushes peering into windows.

Sam looked at all of them. ‘Dean...Look at the ones on the bottom.”

Dean paused at his brothers tone before turning his gaze down to where Sam’s eyes were glued. There, on the bottom of the wall were photos of the same woman, over and over again. In different settings. The woman had stylish [h/c] hair and piercing [e/c] eyes that in some pictures could be seen smiling or laughing. Some pictures showed her walking on a trail, the picture taker obviously hiding off on the side of the trail. Others showed the woman sitting on a couch inside a house. Others had the woman in the backyard playing with a black lab dog, the pictures appearing to have been taken from above, as if from a tree or drone.

Dean looked disgusted as he met Sam’s eyes, “I’m glad somebody got that bastard before I did. He was a true monster.”

Sam started to nod before he shook his head, shutting the door to the closet, hiding the secret they had just unearthed, “That may be true Dean, but we still need to find out what did this to him. I looked back through dad’s journal and the lore books and I can’t find anything on people turning to stone.”

Dean walked around the bedroom before stopping at a desk with a laptop on it. Pulling out the chair he fired it up. “What if it’s not something in lore? What if it's something simple like a lake or a buildup of calcium from being under water?”

Sam came to stand behind Dean as he typed in ‘things that can turn people into stone’.

“I don’t think that’s what it is Dean, this guy obviously had a lot of enemies and if anyone knew about that,” Same gestured back to the closet, “Then someone would definitely have it out for him. We should go and chat with the woman, [y/n], who found his body.”

Dean waved him off, “Yeah, why don’t you go talk to her, I’ll dig around a bit more, see what I can find.”

Sam headed towards the door laughing, “This coming from the man who bemoaned the idea of any research.”

Dean shook his head, a smile on his face. “Go Sammy. I’ll walk back to the motel when I’m done here, and when you come back to the motel, bring some Pie.”

Sam shook his head but headed out of the victims house and hopped in the Impala. Pulling out the notepad where he had written the address, he headed towards the market place.

Trying to find parking in one of the most popular places of Seattle was making Sam frustrated. People were parking in the middle of the street because of lack of parking spaces.

Trying to reign in his anger he pulled around the block, seeing an opening in front of a driveway. He swiftly pulled the Impala in before looking up at the modest one story house he had parked in front of.

It was the residence of the witness, luck was with him. Pulling out his FBI badge and putting on his best jacket, he walked up to the door.

Knocking twice, he waited for someone to answer as he look around the block. He noticed a giant weeping willow right beside the house and took notice of how it would provide the perfect angle for someone to take pictures of the inside of the house and the backyard.

He took a step back when he heard barking coming from behind the door followed by a woman’s laugh and stern, “Down Pepsi! Good boy.” The barking stopped as a young woman opened the door.

She still had a slight smile on her face as she tilted her head up to meet Sam’s eyes. But Sam was stuck. It was the same woman from the bottom pictures in Mr. Buckley’s closet. The woman in front of him had the most beautiful face he had ever seen. He was captivated by her [e/c] eyes that seemed to sparkle with laughter.

The woman was also frozen. The man on her doorstep was a giant, with sandy brown hair and the warmest brown eyes she had ever seen. Shaking herself from her stupor she leaned against the door as she felt Pepsi nudge her legs trying to get past. “Can I help you?”

The man seemed to realize he was staring as he pulled a badge out of his pocket, “Special agent Zepplin, Ma’am. I need to ask you a few questions about that body you found a few days ago.”

[y/n] took a step back, smile now gone, as she invited the agent into her house, “FBI, huh, didn’t know you guys looked into this sort of thing.” She walked in front, leading the man into her living room. “Pepsi behave.” She scolded as her dog sniffed the man’s shoes.

“It’s standard procedure. Sometimes life gets a little boring in the office.” He chuckled as he bent to scratch the black lab’s ears. Pepsi seemed satisfied in his examination as he chuffed and then walked over to the fireplace to lay down.

“Can I get you anything? A water? Soda?” [Y/n] fidgeted slightly as the FBI sat on her couch, he shook his head, “Im good. I just have a few questions for you and then I’ll be out of your hair.”

[y/n] took a breath and then sat on the loveseat across from the agent. She ran her hand through her [h/c] hair, missing the look the agent gave her when she did.

Sam coughed, as he pulled out his notebook. “So the day you found the victim, he was not on the trail you were on, correct?”

[y/n] nodded, “Yeah, if Pepsi hadn’t gotten loose from his leash I wouldn’t have found him at all. He was a good ways off the trail, in the middle of the woodlands.”

Sam nodded and continued, “And when you found him, he was already stone?”

[Y/n] nodded again, rubbing her hands on her jeans, “Yeah, I thought it was cement, but then I saw that his eyes were wide open and were stone as well. I don’t know who could’ve done that to John.”

Sam noticed her naming the victim, “So you knew John.”

[Y/n] gave a cynical laugh, “Who didn’t know him? He was a menace. Always starting fights, stalking women. It became dangerous for women to walk anywhere alone. That’s part of the reason I got Pepsi from the shelter.” She smiled at her dog who started wagging his tail at the mention of his name.

Sam smiled, “You rescued him from a shelter?”

He couldn’t help feeling a tug on his heart at her soulful smile and the way her eyes filled with love as she looked at her dog, “Yes, I went in with the idea of getting a mean looking dog to protect me, but as soon as I saw his small little frame shivering in that kennel, I knew I needed to take him home with me.”

Sam reluctantly tore his gaze away from her face as he looked down at his last question, “Do you know anyone who would be motivated enough to do this to John Buckley?”

[Y/n] tore her attention from her dog, “Every woman hated John, but no one in this town would kill him. We reported him to the police enough we figured someone would stop him, I just didn’t think it would be by killing him.”

Sam stood up, walking towards the door. [y/n] followed him. As he stood on the porch he looked back at her, “Thank you for your time [y/n].”

She smiled at the handsome FBI Agent, “Any time agent. If you have any more questions please don’t hesitate to find me. I’d love to spend more time with you.”

Sam flushed a little at her words, while [y/n] silently screamed in her head in mortification for saying them.

Sam let a smile creep onto his face as he handed her a card with his number on it. “Call me if anything else pops up.”

She nodded and closed the door.

Sam let out a breath he wasn’t realizing he was holding. As he walked back to the Impala his phone went off. Digging it out he answered, “Yeah?”

He heard Dean on the other line, “Sam I think I know what we're hunting and you’re not gonna believe it.”

Sam ducked into the Impala, starting her up, “What do you mean? What could we be hunting here?”

He heard the click of a keyboard as Dean answered breathlessly, “I think we're hunting Medusa.”

Sam laughed, “As in the woman with snakes for hair? That’s just a myth Dean.”

Dean let out an exasperated sigh, “Sam our lives are a myth. If demons and Angels exist then why wouldn’t Greek mythology? It says here that Medusa can turn anyone into stone with one glance and that she, wait for it, has a penchant for going after unfaithful and lust filled men.”

Sam started driving back to the motel they were staying at, keeping his brother on the phone, “You really think a Gorgon is behind this?”

Dean was getting excited now, “Yes, and get this, she was banished to an island, Seattle is next to the water, the body was found in the woodlands, I think she is hiding out in a cave.”

Sam sighed, he pulled up in front of the motel. Dean paused, “Hey, how did speaking with that witness go? Find out anything useful?” Sam grumbled as he shut off the engine and walked towards the room. He hung up on Dean as he opened the door and saw him sitting at the small table with his laptop open in front of him.

Dean put down his phone and turned to his brother, “So? How’d it go? And where’s my pie?”

“I don’t have your pie, and, ‘He continued despite Dean’s glare, “The witness knows next to nothing. [y/n] is just a sweet woman who had to handle a pervy man just as well as she could under the circumstances.”

Dean’s glare turned into a smirk as he noticed how uncomfortable Sam looked and how he was fidgeting. “You like this girl, don’t you Sammy boy?”

Sam sputtered, “What? How? No!”

Dean leaned back in his chair, arms crossing triumphantly across his chest, “Sammy has a crush, awwww.”

Sam gave Dean his bitch face, “Cut the crap Dean, go back to explaining how we can kill this thing so we can get back to Kansas.”

Dean, still smirking, pushed his laptop around so that both brothers could see it. “It’s pretty simple, we have to cut off her head.”

Sam peered at the screen, “Yeah, but it says here we can’t look directly at it or else we risk turning to stone. How do you plan to avoid that?”

Dean scratched his head, “I hadn’t planned that far ahead yet. In the myth it says this guy Persues flew on winged sandals to her cave and used his shield as a kind of mirror so that he wasn’t looking right at her when he cut off her head.”

Sam went to his duffel, pulling out his knives and machetes, “Well, I’m fresh out of shoes with wings and I don’t have a shield at the moment, can you think of an alternative?”

Dean typed into the computer looking for answers as he answered his brother, “I’ll find something, don’t worry. I also think I know where her cave is, so we can find her.”

Sam made a noise of agreement, becoming distracted by the thought of [y/n]. His phone started buzzing, snapping him from his trance. He looked quickly at the number and not recognizing it, answered, “Hello?”

“Hello Agent Zepplin, I know it’s a little early to call, as you just left my house, but I remembered something.”

Sam’s voice caught in his throat as soon as he heard that breathy voice on the other end.

“Agent Zepplin? You there?” She let out a nervous laugh at the silence on the other end.

Sam felt a hand on his shoulder and he turned to Dean who now stood behind him mouthing ‘who is it’. Sam put up a finger and cleared his throat, “Not a problem [Y/n].” Dean’s eyes widened, “What did you remember?”

Sam shooed Dean away as he leaned closer to the phone. [Y/n] sounded cautious as she responded, “Well I’m not sure how much help it will be to you, but about a week before John Buckley disappeared and showed up dead, he was seen hanging out with this gorgeous redhead. She always wore a hat and giant sunglasses, but he seemed to be enjoying her attention. She laid herself all over him in very public displays and he would leer at her when she wasn’t looking. Never seen the woman before, and after John showed up dead, it was like she just up and left. Haven’t seen her since.”

Sam gestured at Dean to follow him out to the Impala, grabbing his machete as he went. By now it was near Nine o'clock and it was nearly pitch black outside.“And you’re positive you’ve never seen this woman before then?”

“I’m sure. Pepsi always acted really strange whenever we crossed paths. It was like he was afraid of her. I never got a name, but she always smiled and waved at me when I saw her.”

Dean mouthed at Sam as they got in the Impala ‘Pepsi?”

Sam waved him off again, “[Y/n] I need you to really think, you never saw this woman again?”

[Y/n] chewed her lip. She was sitting on her couch relaxing, Pepsi curled up by her feet as she talked to the handsome agent on the phone. Before she could reply she heard the doorbell ring. Pepsi looked at the door before he suddenly stood up and whimpered, tail between his legs backing away. “ I’m sorry agent, someone is at my door, hold on.”

Sam sucked in a breath, holding his hand over the speaker of his phone he whispered to Dean, “Drive to that address for [Y/n]. I have a bad feeling about this person who just appeared at her door.”

Dean nodded, face hardening in determination as he gunned his Baby to the street. Sam kept his ear pressed to the phone, trying to catch any snippets from the other line.

[Y/n] walked to the door, holding her phone to her chest. She opened it, surprised when she saw the same woman she had been describing to the agent. The woman still had on giant sunglasses, even though the sun had gone down and had a giant hat on her head, only allowing wisps of red curls to be seen.

“Hello [Y/n]. We have a lot to talk about.” And with that the woman lunged forward and [Y/n]’s world went dark.

Back in the Impala Sam heard the line go dead. He slammed his phone on the dash, “Drive Dean! I think the Gorgon just attacked [Y/n]!”

Dean accelerated faster as he glanced at Sam, “Why would it do that? It only attacks men. Not women. “

Sam, now in fear for the woman who managed to produce emotion from him, ran his hand through his hair as he tracked where they were from the window, “I don’t know Dean but if it is the Gorgon we need to stop it before it kills [Y/n]. You weren’t there. She’s the nicest, sweetest person I’ve met and she doesn’t deserve to go out like that.”

Dean knew that now wasn't the time to tease his brother, but his heart lifted at the tone he heard in his brother’s voice. When this was over, he for sure was going to pursue this [y/n] thing Sam had.

In what seemed to be hours later, but was actually just a couple of minutes, they pulled up outside of [Y/n]’s house. Dean looked over at his brother, “So how do you want to go in?”

Sam looked down at his phone in his hand, an idea forming in his head. “Dean turn on your camera on your phone.”

Dean looked confused but did what Sam said, slowly realizing what Sam was thinking. “You want to look through the camera rather than look right at it, that way this Medusa chick can’t turn us to stone!”

Sam nodded, face serious, as he got out of the car and headed to the door. Dean scrambled out and jogged to catch up, “Slow down man, we aren’t going to save her if we just rush in there.”

Sam sighed, but slowed down. Finally they reached the door, Sam gave Dean a look when he saw that the door was slightly opened. Dean nodded at Sam as they both raised their phones so that they could look through them.

Sam led them in, glancing around the living room. He raised his machete when he heard a sound but lowered it as it registered, “Pepsi?” He whispered. In response another whimper was heard and Sam saw the black lab crawl out from under the couch.

Sam crouched down to the dog as Dean kept lookout. “Hey boy. It’s okay. Where’s your owner, huh?” The dog sniffed Sam’s hand and licked it before whimpering again, this time turning to face the kitchen.

Sam looked up at Dean, who had caught the dog’s look. They moved as one as they walked to the entryway to the kitchen. They swung around the corner and saw [Y/n] tied to a chair in the dining room.

Her eyes darted to the boys, filled with fear. Sam raced over and tugged the cloth from her mouth so she could speak. “You have to get out of here. That woman, she…”

Before she could say anymore the woman walked in behind Dean, “Tsk Tsk Tsk [Y/n] I thought you understood me when I said that I was the only one in your life who mattered.”

Dean swung around when he heard her. Phone raised so that he didn’t meet her eyes. Sam stayed crouched down by [Y/n], keeping his eyes on hers.

“What do you want with her? She’s not like that guy you turned to stone before.”

Sam kept his voice level and calm, as he reached for one of [Y/n]’s bound hands, gripping it tight, trying to tell her it was okay with his body language.

The woman laughed, still wearing the sunglasses and hat. “Oh please. I know that. John deary was worthless scum. I did the world a favor by getting rid of him. Did you happen to see his lovely collection of photos? That’s how I discovered lovely [Y/n] here. I stumbled across it by accident after a sleepover at his house. The very next day he was dead.”

The woman’s tone was neutral as if she was discussing the weather. Sam kept tensing up, He looked up at Dean who shook his head.

The woman continued, “No, [Y/n] here is nothing like that worm. She is pure. She is innocent. So I am going to make her into my other.”

Dean frowned, “Other? What do you mean by that?”

The woman laughed, but this time the sound was darker, sinister. She raised a hand up to take off her hat, and sunglasses. Dean choked at the sight he saw through his camera.

Giant red snakes poured from the hat, attached to the woman's head. Her eyes were a piercing yellow, with slits like a snake. Dean shuddered hoping that the Camera thing worked and he wouldn’t turn to stone.

Sam locked eyes with [Y/n]. “Look at me, only me. Don’t look anywhere else.’

She nodded, silent tears rolling down her cheeks.

The woman stayed where she was standing, staring at [Y/n] with something akin to hunger in her eyes, “Yes, my other half. I want to turn her into one of my kind. She will make a perfect Gorgon. Innocent, untouched. She will be one of the best. Men will come pouring to her, to be in her presence. And each one will face the wrath of those scorned by men.”

The woman took a step and Dean raised his knife, “Not another step devil lady. I don’t know much about you Medusa’s but I do know that you can be killed.”

Medusa laughed, with a flick of her wrist, the snakes on her head hissed, turning to face Dean. “Well that’s not something you see everyday.” He muttered as he swung out and cut one of the snakes off her head, making sure to not look anywhere but the phones screen.

The remaining snakes let loose a scream. They surged forward again as Medusa walked closer to where [Y/n] was still tied down, clenching Sam’s hand.

“You will be mine, [Y/n]. You cannot fight the loneliness you feel. You’re almost thirty and you never had a stable relationship. Men are pigs. All men will do is break your heart and scorn you. Once you become one of us you can have your revenge! You can pay them back for all the tears shed, all the fights, all the anger.”

[Y/n] steeled herself, and as if sensing what she was about to do, Sam shook his head and reached up to stop her. But it was too slow. She turned her gaze onto the Gorgon. Sam looked on, shocked, as she didn’t turn to stone.

[Y/n] Glared, defiant. “Yes. I have cried. I have had my share of fights with boyfriends and lovers. But that is not enough of a reason to kill them! I don’t know who made you so cold, but I’d rather see the good in men, and hope for a brighter future than look back on a bleak past.”

Medusa grinned, oil seeping out of every pour as her voice slithered out, “[Y/n]...so sweet. But once I turn you, those feelings will go away. Don’t you worry.”

Sam looked over at his brother. But he was busy trying to evade and kill the snakes from the Gorgon’s head. They seemed to be acting on their own as they focused on Dean and the Gorgon was facing Sam and [Y/n].

Sam gave [Y/n]’s hand a squeeze before whispering, “Do you trust me?”

[Y/n] glanced down at the brown eyed man crouched by her side. Despite only knowing him for a couple hours, and being thrust into something that seemed to be out of a movie, she realized she did trust him. And once this was all over, she was definitely going to ask him out for coffee.

She gave him a tight nod. He smiled slightly at her before he let go of her hand. He stood up and turned fast, Keeping his eyes down. But before he could raise his arm holding his machete, he froze at the sound of a loud growl.

Surprise at the new sound had him raising his head and he watched as Pepsi lunged towards Medusa, pushing her to the ground.

Medusa let out a snake like scream as the black lab continued to attack her and her snakes. Sam ran up to the fallen Gorgon and welding his Machete, sliced her head from her body.

The snakes fell down dead as the head and body turned to stone. Dean was panting as he put his phone back in his pocket, “The dog couldn’t have come help earlier?” He picked up the head, careful to avoid looking at it before placing it in a trash can, tying the bag shut.

Sam grunted at his brother as he returned to where [Y/n] was still tied up. He started undoing the knots in the rope. He looked up at her face and realized she was going into shock. Her body started shaking and her eyes were frozen wide.

Sam finished untying her and pulled her down to him. Keeping her in his lap he started rubbing her back and whispering. He couldn’t bear to see her [e/c] eyes with so much fear in them.

Dean turned and saw what was happening. He fidgeted in awkwardness before muttering about letting the dog out and walked outside with the black lab.

Sam kept up his whispers for a while before he felt [y/n] relax in his arms.

She looked up at him, “What...I mean.. You weren’t surprised… What type of FBI Agent are you?” Sam sighed, letting [Y/n] climb out of his arms and back into the chair. He stood up, running his fingers through his hair. “I’m not an FBI agent, [Y/n].” He paused, catching her eyes. She stayed silent so he continued, “My name is Sam winchester, my brother Dean and I,” He gestured to where Dean had walked off, “We hunt these kind of things...We hunt monsters.”

“Monsters.” [Y/n] deadpanned. “Monsters are real.”

It wasn’t phrased like a question but Sam answered none the less, “Yes, all those fairytales you read when you were younger and all those horror stories about vampires and werewolves, all those things are real. We hunt them down and protect people, like you.”

[Y/n] seemed calm on the outside, but inside she was screaming, “i see. So you’re not Agent Zepplin,” Sam nodded, “Your name is Sam. Okay. I can work with that. Monsters are real. Okay. The world isn’t all candy and cupcakes.”

[Y/n] knew she was rambling but she couldn’t seem to stop herself.

Sam crouched down back to eye level with her and grabbed her hands. She shut up, looking down at their clasped hands before looking back up into those soulful chocolate eyes.

“[Y/n], it’s going to be okay.” He smiled softly at her. ‘As long as my brother and I are around, we’re going to keep hunting those bastards down. We won’t stop until all of them are dead and gone.”

[Y/n] took a deep breath. At that moment, Dean came back into the house and Pepsi ran over to her and nudged her hands free from Sam. She let out a shaky laugh as she ran her hands down Pepsi’s back.

She looked over at the one called Dean, then back at Sam. Then she said something she never thought would come out of her mouth in her lifetime, “I’m coming with you. I’m going to help you hunt these bitches down.”

#supernatural #supernatural imagine #supernatural x reader #dean winchester #sam winchester #sam winchester x reader #sam winchester x you #medusa #greek mythology #gorgon #men of letters #so get this #rose #please give feedback #please give credit #ask me anything #enjoy #love you guys

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andrewmoocow · 7 years

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Gravity Soul chapter 2: The Stans Head to Shore, Return of an Old Foe? (originally posted on December 24, 2017)

AN: Oh hello, almost didn't see you there! Anyway, welcome back to Gravity Soul. In today's chapter, Stan and Ford return to Gravity Falls and meet the twins' new friends but something is wrong with Stan. Something...demonic. Can the kids save him before it's too late? Now let us begin.

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After many months of searching for anomalies and women, Stanley and Stanford Pines have returned home finally accomplishing their childhood dream. When they were young boys living in Glass Shard Beach, New Jersey, they roamed their home's local beach in search of adventure when they got the idea of sailing across the world. They worked on a boat they found in a cave all the way up to their teenage years where an accident separated Stan from his family and forced him to try & make money.

Now decades later after they destroyed Bill Cipher and ending Weirdmageddon, the brothers finally made amends and sailed out to sea on a new boat dubbed the Stan 'o War II to the Arctic Circle. We now pick up where the story left off as they headed to shore. "Alright Stanley, prepare for shore!" Ford exclaimed pointing onward while their great-nephew and niece waited excitedly on the dock.

Finally dropping anchor, they were welcomed with open arms by their loved ones. "STAN, FORD!" the twins cried tossing themselves into Stan's arms. "Kids, I'm so glad to see you again!" the con-artist said hugging them tight. "Feels like forever since we last saw you." Ford added with a smile. "MR. PINES, YOU'RE BACK!" Soos exclaimed joining their hug. "I've hugging people to practice for your return." Then Wendy joined in. "The Shack just wasn't the same without you!"

"Okay then, I love y'all too." Stan affirmed as they all let go. "Oh hey, you're that Melody girl. How's your relationship with Soos goin'?" he asked Melody. "Great actually! We've already gotten engaged." she replied showing off her ring. Stan just looked back at his former handyman and just said "That's my boy." Then he finally turned to notice Maka and friends following close behind. "Now who are these wackos?"

"My name is Maka Albarn Mr. Pines, and these are all my friends." Maka introduced herself to the Stans. "Okay, lemme see if I got this right." the ex-con stated as he pointed to the rest of her group. "Sharkbait, Ninja Man, Ponytail, Stripes, the Twins, Pinky, Holy Cross and Frankenstein." he listed off everyone. "Well he's not half-wrong." Stein snarked.

"Who are you calling Ninja Man old fart? I'm the man who's gonna transcend God!" Black Star boasted getting all up in the great-uncle's face. "Well if you claim to be so, then can you walk on water?" challenged Stan. "Okay then, I'm a wagering guy." the arrogant ninja accepted Stan's offer and rushed onto the water. "See, I can walk on water! Who's laughing n-" He suddenly fell into the water and struggled to escape. "Someone, help me! Damn my lack of proper swimming skills!"

"Oh my gosh Black Star! Somebody help him!" Tsubaki cried. "Don't worry Tsubaki, I was a lifeguard for like a few days last summer." Wendy calmed her down before jumping in and swimming after Black Star. Finally grabbing a hold of him, she pulled him back to shore and laid him out. "Dipper, you know CPR, give it to him!" she ordered Dipper, who was reluctant to do so after last time but eventually gave in before Mabel took a picture. "Haha, more blackmail!" she chuckled.

Black Star immediately bolted right back up gasping before glaring at Stan. "YOU! Do you realize what you've just done?!" he shouted. "It was just a joke kid, no need to get so wound up about it." the grunkle said. "Oh okay, sorry about nearly getting you drowned." he apologized. "Apology accepted, but of course you realize this means war."

"Okay, settle down everyone." said Ford as he split up the two. "I think we should all head back to the Shack. Besides, we got tons of stories from our adventures to tell." The others agreed before all walking back to the house. "Hey Mabel, do you think something might be wrong with Stan?" Dipper whispered to Mabel. "I don't know. He may be kind of a jerk but he would never leave someone to drown." she replied. "I think we may need to investigate. Mystery Twins?" he suggested holding out his fist for a fist bump. "Mystery Twins." She returned the fist bump and they continued on their way.

"And then the Green-Eyed People of San Lorenzo told us about how a football-headed child and his friends saved the adults of their people from a sleeping sickness!" Ford finished telling a story of an adventure he and Stan had in Argentina. "Wow, that La Sombra guy had it coming to him!" Patty giggled sipping her cocoa. "And there was also this giant baby we found in the Arctic!" Stan followed up. "How big was it?" Death the Kid wondered. "Like ginormous! It was the second biggest baby I've ever seen!"

"Who was the first one?" Spirit asked. "My ex-wife Marilyn." Stan answered before bursting into laughter. "But in all seriousness, then it started looking at me like it really hates me or something." he added with a look of dread on his face. "But that was probably my imagination."

"So Maka, how did you defeat this Kishin Asura guy?" Dipper asked Maka. "I simply punched him with the power of courage." she replied. "Wait, a courage punch? That sounds like something out of one of those terrible My Miniature Equine fanfics." Mabel commented. "Oh, my, God! You watch that show too?!" Patty shouted getting incredibly excited. "Heck yeah I do! Surprise Party best horse for life!" The two of them high-fived while Dipper and Liz just watched sardonically. "Oh great, now we got two hyperactive sisters to deal with." he said. "Tell me about it."

"So Crona, tell us your story." Soos said to Crona. He didn't say anything. "Shy little dude, aren't ya? No wait, you're definitely a girl." he wondered. "Wrong?"

Crona quivered a bit before he finally spoke up. "O-okay then. I was born a weapon for my mother Medusa, who implanted Black Blood in my body to create Ragnarok." he explained pulling out a piece of paper from out of nowhere and drawing a picture of a young blonde woman dressed in all black with black dotted tattoos on her arms. "That's your mom? I don't see the family resemblance." Melody commented. "She tormented me for most of my life until she sent me to Italy, where I first met the girl that would become my only friend, Maka."

"Aw, that's really sweet." Wendy was touched by Crona's story. "Wow, you had a pretty terrible life dawg. At least you had a parent that was actually around." Soos stated. "My mom died when I was a little kid and then my dad just up and left after that, the only way he talked to me was with postcards he sent to me on my birthday. But don't worry Crona, we'll all be a better family for you." He then hugged the former minion of Medusa. "Oh uh, thank you." he said before Melody hugged him as well, followed by the twins, Maka and everyone else.

"Well, I'm getting' tired. Might as well hit the hay." Stan said leaving the room and going upstairs. "But where are we gonna sleep for the night?" Soul asked. "You can room with us if you want." Mabel implored. "You kids can go upstairs, I'm staying down here." Spirit said plopping down on the chair and instantly falling asleep.

Soon everybody left the living room until Dipper heard a noise, like a snake was hissing. He simply shrugged it off and followed the others. Little did he know that a snake did indeed infiltrate the Mystery Shack, with arrows covering its scales.

In the attic that Dipper and Mabel had made into their bedroom, everybody was already getting ready for bed. "I expected something a bit cleaner and more symmetrical." Kid commented on the space. "Well if you want I can try to rearrange all the mold on the ceiling, like Daryl for example." Mabel replied picking up a duffel bag. "Okay Soul, where do you want this?" she asked Soul. "How about right over there?"

She dragged it to the spot Soul pointed to before hearing a meow coming from the bag. Zipping it open, a black cat wearing a witch hat popped its head out of it. "Aw, it's a cute little kitty cat! And it's got a little hat too!" Mabel cooed picking up the feline and snuggling it. "Wait, how did she get in?!" Maka exclaimed with her eyes widening. The cat turned its head to Soul and squealed in delight.

"OH SOUL!" She jumped out of Mabel's arms, transforming into a beautiful woman with purple hair and yellow eyes, and pounced on Soul smothering her chest in his face. "What're you doing here?!" Soul cried as he was trapped in marshmallow hell. "I couldn't bare to be left alone without you back in Death City, plus I always wanted to get in on the action." the cat woman replied before Soul was Maka-chopped.

"Friend of yours?" Dipper snarked getting into his bed before Stan barged in with a broom. "Hey, what's all the racket goin' on here?!" he demanded before laying his eyes on a beautiful woman sprawled all over Soul. "Not even gonna ask." He finally closed the door. "Anyway, my name's Blair! What's your names?" Blair said introducing herself. "My name's Dipper and this is Mabel. Now can we sleep?" Dipper replied. "All right then, see you in the morning everyone." Maka said as everyone closed their eyes and finally fell asleep. "Laters." Black Star added snuggling into his sleeping bag.

Meanwhile with Stan, he was tossing and turning in his bed. His glasses rested on the sidetable near him. Suddenly his eyes burst open, finding himself in a blank white void. He examine his surroundings, not knowing where he is or how he got there until he discovered a familiar figure standing away from him. That yellow jacket, brown fedora and robust, stern stature was unmistakable. It was his father Filbrick Pines.

"Wait, dad?!" Stan shouted rubbing his eyes in sheer disbelief. The last time he heard his voice was when after he faked his own death and opened the Mystery Shack, but seeing him here now was a complete surprise. "I thought you bit the dust ages ago! What're you doing here?!" he asked his deceased father, who simply turned to him and smiled, something he would never expect from him.

"Stanley, I have to say I'm quite impressed." Filbrick said. "Impressed that you would survive being taken over by me for this long!" His voice suddenly raised an obnoxious cadence as he tore off his sunglasses, revealing a pair of golden peepers with black slits for pupils. He let out a psychotic cackle as his form contorted into a triangular shape while the void started falling apart, revealing none other than Bill Cipher disguised as his father.

"Oh my gosh, I can't believe you actually fell for that!" the dream demon laughed. "Did you really think ol' Filbrick actually said that to you?!"

"Bill! I thought I smashed you into tiny pieces!" Stan exclaimed furiously. "Not quite Fezhead, there's still a little bit of my essence wandering through your mind just waiting for me to take it back!" Bill said pointing to the old man's noggin, continuing to chortle. "Well you can forget it Cipher, Dipper, Mabel and Ford will find a way to stop you just like last time!" Stan declared. "But how can you get them to stop me if you're not even in your body!"

Stan was immediately forced away by Bill out of his own mind, appearing as a projection of himself while he watched as the triangle woke up in his elderly form. "Good grief, this body smells! Have you even showered?!" the deal-maker wondered sniffing Stan's body odor before he was suddenly tackled by his victim.

"Gimme back my body you three-sided freak!" he shouted wrestling Bill for control. "Fat chance, I can't wait to see the looks on your family's faces when they learn their beloved uncle is gone!" the lying, snappily dressed monster cried punching Stan in the face with his own fist. "I swear to God, if you lay a finger on my family you're done for! They made some friends that will most definitely waste your golden posterior!"

"Mr. Pines, what's wrong!" Soos called rushing into his bedroom wielding a golf club with Melody by his side. "Oh it's nothing Soos, just some old man pains! Say, have you lost weight since last I saw ya?" Bill commented. "Soos, Melody, you gotta wake up the kids and Ford! Bill's back and he's trying to take over my body!" Stan cried trying to get their help. "Wait, you're telling me your pet gopher got a girlfriend? I'm impressed, all this time I was convinced he would've died alone!"

"You take that back Bill!" Soos roared smacking his boss in the face with his golf club. "Oh that felt good! Come on, hit me!" The former handyman hit him again, to which Bill shouted "Hit me!" He continued smacking his boss with the club while the demon continued chanting "Hit me!" while laughing like a madman. "Don't do it again Soos, you're gonna make him want more!" Melody urged her fiancee. "I know Melody, but I gotta save Stan!"

"Don't listen to her chubby, hit me again!" Bill demanded. Suddenly Stan took control once more. "Just leave you two, we can take care of him in the morning." Just then Dipper and Mabel walked in looking very tired. "Hey, what's all the racket going on?" the brace-faced sister wondered. "Dudes, you won't believe this but Bill is back and took over Mr. Pines's body!"

"Soos, it's like two in the morning. Have you been eating paste and green beans after dark again?" Dipper wondered. "Yeah kids, just go back to sleep." Bill said trying to imitate their grunkle as best as he can. "Stan's right, let's just go." Melody stated and they all left Stan's bedroom.

When the door finally closed, Stan got up and stood in front of a mirror, taking in all the bruises he received from his closest confidant and former employee. He also discovered his right eye now resembled that of Bill and his left started to show some blood. "Welp, good thing I have some spare eyepatches for situations like this." He reached into his sidetable drawer and pulled out an eyepatch, putting it on his head and hiding his Bill-eye. "That should do it."

"I don't think so Stanley!" Bill chuckled, now appearing in his reflection. "It won't be long before your kids catch up to our current situation and try to stop me. But then again, they probably won't be alive to foil my plans!" In a blind rage, Stan broke the mirror with a single punch, his knuckles bleeding. "Oh yeah almost forgot. I made a special friend who was put in the same problem as I and let's say, we made a symbiotic connection." the dream demon's voice echoed in his mind. "But all beings need their rest, all that struggling made me beat!"

The next morning, Dipper and Soul were sitting in the living room watching an episode of Ducktective. "By George Ducktective, this man is not an actual man at all!" the constable on the television gasped. "He's...a grasshopper creature!" The program's titular mallard started quacking while subtitles reading "Yes, but where could the rest of his people be hiding?"

"Of all the animals in the world, they picked a duck to be their main character?" Soul asked. "The creator actually based this off his own childhood when he would play detective with his own pet duck." Dipper explained. "That makes sense, but who would really watch crazy stuff like this?"

"Hey kids, anything you want for breakfast? I got toast, fried eggs, muffins and Stancakes!" Stan said walking in. "They're kinda like pancakes, but they probably have some of my hair in them."

"Pass." Dipper deadpanned. "Ditto." Soul replied. "Good morning everyone." Maka greeted coming downstairs. "I've been hearing noises in Mr. Pines's room last night, what was going on?" she wondered. "Oh yeah, Stan was just having a little 'episode' where he thought his body was being controlled." the boy replied, which caused Stan's patch-covered eye to act up again. "Oh sure, it was just an old man spazzing out, nothing about demons taking over his body." Stan added, his voice sounding oddly familiar to him.

"HEYA GUYS!" Black Star shouted slamming open the door. "Been working out in the forest bench-pressing some boulders and I'm starving! What's to eat wrinkles?" he asked. "Oh nothing much kid, but I'll give ya something in exchange for your soul!" Stan replied becoming more menacing. "Whoa. I know you think I'm annoying, but taking my soul? No thanks!"

"Um, I'd like something to eat please." Crona squeaked coming downstairs. "Do you happen to have any waffles?" he asked. "Sure I do, got a few frozen ones left after a bunch of handsome young men dug through my kitchen and ate them all." Stan said taking the Demon Swordsman to the kitchen. "And whatever you do, don't ask."

Sitting the little one down and sticking some frozen waffles in the microwave, the twins sat down alongside Crona. "Oh boy, waffles!" Mabel beamed. "Finally, some good grub!" Ragnarok added bursting from his meister's back. "Okay kids, they're ready!" Stan called setting down some plates with their breakfast on them. "Eat up now, I gotta go do some things later."

"Hey, anyone seen Dad or Dr. Stein anywhere?" Maka wondered walking into the kitchen. "Knowing your father, he's probably out drinking." Kid snarked. "Well, why don't we go look for him after we're all done eating?" Mabel suggested her mouth full of waffles. "Speaking of which, how's your waffles Crona?"

"I haven't eaten them yet. I don't know how to deal with this." Crona winced. "Just try 'em, I'm sure you'll like them." Dipper said. The child of Medusa just stared at his breakfast before picking one up with the fork and sticking it in his mouth, slowly chewing it before swallowing. "So, how is it?" Dipper asked. "I love it!" Crona cheered before chowing down on all his waffles. "Can I have some more Mr. Pines?"

"Sorry Pinky those were my last. But hey, least you're full right?" Stan said. "Well let's go then! You coming broseph?" Mabel said to her brother. "I think I'll pass today. Ford wants me down in the basement for something." Dipper replied. "Okay then, let's go everybody!"

Mabel led Maka, Black Star, Kid, the Thompsons and Crona out the front door as they went on their merry way into town. "Why aren't you going with them Soul?" the boy asked Soul. "Just wanna see what your other great uncle gets up to." the Demon Scythe replied.

The two left the kitchen leaving Stan all by himself. "They're onto us Wrinkles, better play it cool while you still can." Bill commanded from within his subconscious. "Fine, I'll play along Bill but you can't harm the kids while you're jacking my body. Understand?" the great uncle offered. "Okay then, geez! Y'know, it's people like you that are the easiest to manipulate."

The mid-morning summer sun dangled over the group as they walked into the town. The locals were just walking around minding their own business while Mabel searched for Spirit and Stein. "Now if I were Dad, where would I be?" Maka mused thinking about where her father could've gone to. "Maybe he ran off over there?" Black Star suggested pointing to an establishment with a neon sign saying "Skull Fracture" over the entrance guarded by a man with multiple tattoos on his body.

"Are you really sure friends? That place looks quite filthy." Kid commented. "Hey dudes, morning!" Wendy greeted them all riding up from behind on her bike. "Good to see you too Wendy. You seen a guy with red hair walk into that place?" Liz asked her. "Yeah, my dad frequents that place with all the other manly guys in town." the teen replied. "No, we're not looking for your dad. We're looking for my dad and Professor Stein." Maka corrected her. "Right, sorry about that."

"Don't worry guys, Liz and I have walked into places like this before so we can handle this!" Patty stated.

"Sorry, still don't allow miners here." the bouncer said to a miner, who just shouted "Dadgumit, not again!" and stormed off. Just then Mabel and company walked up to him. "Hello there my good sir, any room for Lady Mabelton and company?" she asked before they all pulled out fake IDs. "Whatever." the bouncer said letting in them in.

They were all greeted by the sight of several manly men inhabiting the bar, many of which were weeping while cradling their broken arms. "Looks awfully violent." Crona commented. "Oh geez, I don't wanna know what happened here." Black Star commented before he spotted a large man with a scarlet beard dressed as a lumberjack. "Yo Wendy, would that guy happen to be your dad?"

"Oh my gosh, Dad!" Wendy exclaimed rushing toward her father. "Wendy, what're you doing here? You know they don't allow minors here, but then again their ID policy isn't very good." the lumberjack said. "We're just looking for my father Mr. Corduroy. He's about yay high, red hair, blue eyes, probably accompanied by someone with a giant screw in his head?" Maka said. Just then, Stein walked out of the bathroom looking the same as always aside from a few red bumps on his hands. "Whatever you do, do not go in the bathroom. There are entire colonies of wasps living in the urinals."

"So tell me dad, what the heck happened?" Wendy asked trying to console Manly Dan. "This guy just waltzed in and challenged us all to an arm-wrestling contest, and he's winning too!" Dan explained pointing to a tall, muscular man with pointy ears, black and white striped pants, a tank-top and a distinctive red glow in his left eye.

'What, he's here?!' Kid thought panicking. "Hey, doesn't that guy look a little familiar?" Tsubaki commented. "Yeah, he looks kinda like that wolfman who worked for Medusa." Maka added. "That's because it is that wolfman! How could you not recognize him?!" the young Shinigami exclaimed. They all heard the other Skull Fracture patrons chant his name as the man took down another unlucky opponent. "So, anyone else wanna take on Free?!"

"I'll take you on!" Black Star declared glaring daggers at him. "So, the little God wannabe wants a shot?" Free wondered putting up his arm on the table. "If I win, you'll have to return home in eternal shame! But if you win, you'll get this!" He pulled a burgundy colored book with a monocle within its pages and a golden six-fingered hand with the number 3 on its cover. Mabel and Wendy knew that item all too well.

"No, that can't be!" Mabel exclaimed. "I thought we tossed all three of them down in the Bottomless Pit!" Wendy added. "Wait, what are you guys talking about?" Patti said. "That's a creepy book Dipper found last summer written by our great-uncle Ford decades ago." Mabel explained. "So did he use this to document the oddities of this town?" Stein asked. "Exactly Doc!" Wendy replied. "And speaking of oddities, I think I found your father Maka."

Spirit was currently lying asleep on the countertop surrounded by numerous shot glasses stacked on top one another while the bartender just stood there with a neutral expression on his face. "'Scuse me, is he with you guys?" he politely asked the group. "Yes, yes he is sir." Maka groaned trying to wake up her dad. "C'mon dad, you've been here for who knows how long!"

"I'm sorry Maka, even I don't know how to wake him up." Stein stated turning his screw. "Well, I do now." the Scythe Meister proclaimed Maka-chopping her father, finally awakening him from his drunken slumber. "What? Where am I, what happened last night?!" Spirit exclaimed jumping down from the counter to see his daughter standing before him. "MAKA! What are you doing here, you know this isn't a place for people like my precious baby girl!"

"Dad, you're embarrassing me in front of all these men." Maka said. "Don't worry Mr. Albarn, my brother and I came here before and the ID rules here are pretty lax." Mabel assured him grinning. "Yeah, this seems like my kinda place!" Ragnarok added bursting out of his Meister's back.

"So if you're all here, where are Black Star and Soul?" Maka's father wondered. "I'm pretty sure Soul stayed behind at the Mystery Shack and Black Star on the other hand..." He gestured toward the young ninja in the heat of his arm-wrestling battle with Free. "Don't get too cocky brat, I got more muscles than you can ever dream of!" the wolfman bragged. "Oh yeah? Well if I'm gonna transcend God, I'm gonna need to take down some sinners!"

"This ain't gonna end well." Manly Dan mused watching the fight. "Hey Stripes, you look pretty rich. You wanna pay everyone's hospital bills?" he asked Kid. "Not right now sir. Black Star may be a nuisance, but he's got a real fighting spirit within him that is just itching to break out." the OCD-obsessed Death God proclaimed. The fight continued on with all the patrons spectating and cheering on both combatants, Maka's group supporting their friends and the barflys chanting Free's name once more when suddenly, Black Star slammed Free's hand on the table, breaking it. The building went deathly silent as the man who would transcend God towered over his fallen opponent, huffing in exhaustion.

The silence was finally broken when Mabel beamed in delight before chanting Black Star's name and everyone else joined in. "Fine, you win squirt. Take the damn book." Free admitted defeat handing the journal over to the victor. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go wallow in my own loss." He glumly walked away as Black Star was being celebrated. "You did great there Black Star!" Tsubaki cried hugging her partner. "Yeah, you got some killer ninja skills there dude." Wendy added high-fiving him.

"Thanks everyone, guess I don't know my own strength." the blue-haired assassin thanked, his face reddening. "Well, we all got what we came here for, among other things, so I suppose we should head back home." Kid announced beginning to take his leave. "C'mon gang, why don't you stay a while? Drinks are on the champ here!" the bartender exclaimed pointing to Black Star. "Ah what the hell! Let's all have a toast for the champion!" The other patrons cheered in agreement and the party began.

Free was now in the bathroom, mourning the loss of his winning streak with the colonies of wasps living in the urinals as his only company. He wept over his fractured arm before he started gritting his teeth with a look of pure anger on his face. "With God as my witness, I will have my revenge on that ninja brat." he declared when suddenly, his ears perked up at the squeaking of mice. A group of rodents scampered up to his feet before suddenly turning into five child-sized individuals with short pink hair, buck teeth and hats resembling that of mice. "Oh, the Mizunes! Then that must mean..."

A small frog hopped into the bathroom when she stopped at one of the Mizunes and turned into a young woman with silvery hair, black circles at both ends of her mouth and an orange hat with the face of a frog on it looking very cross. "So you lost an arm-wrestling match to one of those Academy students and gave him the book we were supposed to hand to the boss?" she chastised him. "Look Eruka, I was just too engrossed in my own hype! Please forgive me for this!"

"Forgive you for what?" a voice rang out from within the lavatory. Everything suddenly turned monochrome, signifying the appearance of none other than Kishin Cipher, looking just as mad as Eruka. "So tell me gang, which one of you idiots lost the journal?!" he roared at Medusa's former minions whimpering in fear before they all pointed to Free.

"It was you wasn't it?! Guess I should've thought twice before picking out minions to carry out my master plan." he said grabbing the werewolf by the neck. "I am terribly sorry Lord Cipher, I promise it won't happen again!" he protested. "Sorry ain't gonna cut it jailbird. Maybe you should change your name to Dead Meat."

He was about to murder Free in cold blood before he got distracted by a ringing noise. "Hang on a sec, gotta take this." he said dropping the werewolf to the ground and shifting his hand into a phone. "Yello?" he said. "Master, my partner and I have finally reached the town and are delivering the journal we found as we speak." the caller announced. "Good for you Pointy but there's gonna be a change of plans. The big furry moron just cost me Journal 3 after stupidly giving it away in an arm-wrestling match." Kishin Cipher replied. "Seriously?! Free may be incompetent, but at least he has some class unlike someone I know! Isn't that right Giriko?"

"Hey lay off me old man!" another man from the other end of the line shouted. "Simmer down, both of you!" he commanded. "Listen, I got a new assignment for you guys. Take out the Pines family, they were detrimental to my plans before and I don't want it to happen again. Understand?" The two men he was calling gulped in obedience and he finally hanged up. "Well gotta jet now! Plan on meeting up with some of my other minions so you aren't of any use to me anymore."

"Wait, why?!" Eruka cried. "I dunno, just wanted to watch over some smarter goons. Until we meet again, NOSTRADAMUS WAS A HACK, THE MOON LANDING WAS ACTUALLY A FAKE, WE ALL FLOAT DOWN HERE, BYE!" He finally vanished from the room, leaving Eruka, Free and the Mizunes utterly stunned. "So he basically just fired us? I kind of expected it to be more bloody." Free wondered. One of the Mizunes chittered in agreement. "Doesn't matter now. What we should do is find these Pines ourselves and terminate them. Hopefully that should put us back in Kishin Cipher's good graces."

Speaking of the Pines, Dipper and Soul were just wandering through Ford's underground laboratory, taking in all of the machinery created to monitor the weirdness of Gravity Falls. "So this is what your great-uncle gets up to?" Soul wondered examining the various computer systems. "Yes, and he's been at it for decades. Speaking of which, there he is." Dipper replied pointing to his great-uncle sitting under a ceiling light dangled over him. "Ah Dipper, just the man I wanted to see." Ford greeted his nephew turning his chair to face them. "And I see Soul's come along too."

"Hey Mr. Pines, good to properly meet ya." Soul greeted him. "Nice to meet you too kid." Ford replied shaking his hand. "Now Dipper, do you know why I've called you down here?" he asked his would've-been apprentice. "Was it about last night with Stan?" the boy responded. "Exactly. I've been told that he may have been possessed by an old enemy of ours. That enemy being none other than Bill Cipher."

"Wait, Bill who now?" the Demon Scythe questioned with a raise of his brow. "Bill Cipher was a dream demon that menaced our family last summer after he was summoned by a business rival of Grunkle Stan's." Dipper explained. "Years ago he made Ford build a portal to other universes that would allow him to bring about the end of the world, but thankfully we all came together to destroy him once and for all!"

"But there's one problem with that. Due to recent events, we may have beliefs that Bill has returned and he's taken over Stanley's body." Ford added. "Plus I think it may be connected to the giant baby we found in the Arctic during our journeys." As he spoke, he pulled out a journal with a golden hand and the number 4 on it. "Wait, you made another journal?!" Dipper exclaimed. "Yes, but this one I made to catalogue the things Stan and I found on our voyage." He flipped to a page depicting a gigantic infant frozen in ice.

"This was the first anomaly we spotted on our trip. For some reason it just kept glaring at Stan from its sub-zero tomb and it just wouldn't stop." the genius stated. "Huh, I think Mabel and I saw something like that last summer." Dipper commented, much to the others' confusion. "Long story, but let's say it involved Soos's birthday."

"So would Bill be like some kind of evil soul or something?" Soul asked. "No, I fear he may be even worse than that Asura fellow you encountered. That's why we must remain vigilant in case this turns out to be true." Ford said boldly before they heard something upstairs. "That must be Stan! We gotta do something!" Dipper shouted rushing back to the elevator. "Right, see ya later Ford!" Soul replied running after him.

Returning upstairs, the two boys tried to locate the source of the commotion until they came across Soos's grandma. "Oh hey Abuelita. What's up?" Soul asked. "Mr. Pines just burned himself on the stove while laughing like crazy. Overall, pretty normal." the old woman calmly said to them before walking away. "That can't be good." Dipper fretted. "Soul, you stay here. I'll take care of Stan."

Creeping into the kitchen, the boy spotted his great uncle sitting calmly at the table with a mug of coffee in his hand. "Hey there kiddo, off doing nerd things with ol' Sixer?" he greeted. "Y-yeah Grunkle Stan. Are you feeling okay?" Dipper asked him. "Oh I'm fine Pine Tree." He got up from the table to face his great-nephew and took off his eyepatch, revealing that his eye was now yellow with a black slit for a pupil. "Just fine."

"B-b-b-b-b-BILL?!" Dipper whimpered stepping backwards. "Oh come on Pines, aren't you happy to see me?! Been so long too!" Bill commented. "Now come on, give me a welcome back hug!" The boy replied by smacking him in the face with a nearby frying pan. "Oh-ho my that felt good!" he cried feeling incredibly euphoric from the pain. "Come on brat, give me another one!"

Dipper smacked him across the face a second time. "Soos has good arm strength and a great throw, but's he nothing compared to you!" the demon cackled. "Give back my uncle or else!" Dipper shouted before Soul came back with Ford, Soos and Melody in tow. "We were runnin' some errands when Soul told us what happened!" Soos exclaimed. "Guess I was right dudes."

"You guys get something to hold him down! Dipper, get away from him! I'll handle it myself." Ford gave out orders while marching towards his possessed brother. "Well well well well well well well well well! Good to see you again after so long Fordsy!" Bill greeted the very peeved genius. "Now listen here Cipher, give my brother his body back or I swear I'll-"

"You'll what IQ? Whip out that ol' memory gun on me again?" Bill interrupted him. "Well actually, it's kinda broken now." Ford replied. "Ooooh my, you just love making yourself look like a complete idiot don'tcha?!" Stanford just replied by socking square in the face, toppling him over.

"Don't think you can keep me tied down forever filthy mortals!" Bill bragged as he was tied to Stan's chair by Soos and Melody while Dipper lit nine candles around him. "Okay, is there anything we can do to stop this guy? Cause I'm just a girl from Portland who previously skewered meat which probably has nothing to do with stopping evil triangles!" Melody wondered. As if she spoke of the devil, the door opened and in walked Mabel with Wendy, Maka, Crona, Black Star, Tsubaki, Kid, the Thompsons, Spirit and Stein. "Hey guys, we're home!" Mabel said walking into the living room to find her great uncle tied to a chair. "Hark, is that Shooting Star and Ice Bag I see? It's almost like the whole Zodiac is coming to welcome me back!"

"Wait, what's going on here?" she wondered. "Listen Mabel, Bill's returned and he's taken over Grunkle Stan's body! We gotta stop him before he does something terrible!" Dipper cried. "Oh yeah, speaking of which when we were looking for Mr. Albarn and Dr. Stein when we found...this." She pulled the journal they retrieved from behind and handed it to her brother, who was just gaping in utter shock. "T-the journals?! But we tossed them all into the Bottomless Pit!" he stuttered. "That's sort of exactly what Wendy said!" Black Star replied. "By the way, I won it from some wolf guy and everyone had drinks on me."

"Is there anything in the book that can allow us to find him?" Maka asked. "There actually is Maka." Ford responded taking the codex out of his great-nephew's hands and skimming through it to a section about Bill. "If we recite this chant, we can be able to go into Stan's mind and hunt him down! Now everybody put your hands on his head." They all complied placing their hands on his head before he shook them all off. "Okay, that might need some work."

"Do not worry, I got this covered." Stein announced pulling out a syringe labeled "Lullaby" as he put it to Stan's neck. "Wait, what is that?" Bill quivered with his voice full of dread. "Don't worry this'll only sting a bit." the doctor calmed him with a sadistic grin on his face as he injected the serum into Stan's body, finally putting him to sleep. "Thank you Stein for the help. Now then, hands on his head everyone."

Everybody put their hands on Stan's head again, this time while he's still asleep. "Melody, I'm gonna need you to hold down the fort while we're gone." Ford said. "You got it Mr. Pines!" Melody exclaimed leaving the room. "Okay guys, there's no turning back now. Any last words?" Dipper said. "I got some," Tsubaki replied. "how did you beat this Bill guy anyway?"

"Oh yeah, we actually beat him a few times last summer!" Wendy explained. "There was the first time Bill invaded Stan's mind and this other time where I saved Dipper from being possessed by tickling him!" Mabel said. "Tickling may have kicked him out, but the mental pain is eternal." Dipper responded before turning back to Ford. "Alright Ford, go for it."

"With pleasure!" He started reading from the incantation on the journal. "Videntus omnium. Magister mentium. Magnesium ad hominem. Magnum opus." As he continued chanting, everyone's eyes glowed blue and the candles went out. "Habeas corpus! Inceptus Nolanus overratus! Magister mentium! Magister mentium! MAGISTER MENTIUM!"

Everything suddenly went blue and then, they all fell asleep.

"Ugh, my head." Dipper groaned waking up and rubbing his head. Rising from the ground, he noticed everything was grayscale sans him and the others. This was it, their great-uncle's mindscape. "So this is what the mindscape looks like?" Liz wondered. "The mindscape usually varies from person to person, but Stan's centers on the Mystery Shack." Ford explained as he led the group onward. "Now come along gang."

They all took in the monochrome scenery, everything was completely black and white from the trees, to the sky and even a nearby swing set that looked seriously dilapidated. Finally, they came across a mental recreation of the tourist trap which looked like an earthquake ran through it. "Whoa, what happened here?" Patty gasped. "Seems like deep down, Stan is still recovering from having his memory wiped last summer." Soos said. "Okay, be on the lookout everyone. Bill could catch us at any moment, so we should be vigilant." Dipper said.

Just as he warned them, the triangle himself appeared before him just as psychotic as ever. "Yeah, remain vigilant even though you're gonna die soon!" he chortled. "Bill!" they all shouted taking up arms. "This is just rich, most of the entire cast together! Pine Tree, Shooting Star, Six Fingered Hand, Ice Bag and Question Mark!" He pointed at the three Pines, Soos and Wendy.

"And I see you've brought me some fresh blood too! Scythe, Piano Keys, Shuriken, Skull, Twin Pistols, Holy Cross, Cigarette and-" He started pointing at Maka and her companions before suddenly stopping at Crona and wheezing in utter surprise. "Crona, it's been too long! It's me, your uncle Bill!"

"Wait, you know this guy?" Stein exclaimed. "Of course I know Crona doc, the two of us go way back!" Bill explained putting an arm around the child who simply tried to escape. "Yeah, and I'm still pissed off about what you did to him!" Ragnarok shouted putting up his dukes. "And ol' Ragny's here as well! If your mom and aunts were still alive, it'd be a big family reunion!"

"Seriously Cipher, how do you know Crona?" Maka demanded answers from the shape. "Oh, so you want some backstory Scythe? Allow me to demonstrate."

"This is your target Crona. Now destroy it." Medusa Gorgon, the mother of Crona, commanded with her amber eyes gazing down on her son. Crona was pitted against a black dragon that glared at him with smoke puffing out of his nose. The boy was reluctant to kill it and turned to his mother. "I can't do it. I don't know how to deal with something like this." he weeped. Medusa simply replied by taking him into a dark room. "You are a bad child and I want you out of my sight. As punishment, you'll be locked in here for a long time until you can think about obeying me."

As she closed the door, Crona begged to not be punished. "No, please pick another punishment! I promise I can do better, just don't close the door! It's super scary in here when it gets dark!" But sadly, his words went unheard when Medusa finally shut the door. "It's so dark in here. I don't know how to deal with darkness like this." he quietly sobbed before Ragnarok materialized sounding very aggravated. "Damn it Crona, you screwed up big time!" he shouted. "No Ragnarok!" He started teasing her which lasted long into the night.

The next day, Medusa opened the door once again to find her son with tears covering his face. "So then, are you ready?" she asked before he rushed up to her and hugged her leg. "Ragnarok is just so mean! He keeps beating me up and I don't like it! Please just stop him already." he sobbed.

"Come now little one, we have work to do. You will eliminate it this time." Medusa ordered leading him out of the room. "There's no way, I can't do it." he muttered twiddling with his fingers. "I still don't know how to deal with this." With a glare, Medusa just said "Vector Plate." and sent him flying back into the room. "You can stay out of my sight a little longer."

"Ugh, I don't know how to deal with a child like Crona." the witch moaned walking into her study. "If only I can find a way to make him more violent, less of a pushover." He buried her face in her hands before suddenly falling asleep.

When she woke up, she found herself in an utter hellhole of a world with buildings burning, people running for cover and a figure hovering high above everyone, laughing madly. "What is this place?" she wondered. "Why, your mindscape of course!" an obnoxious high-pitched voice answered. Turning around, she discovered a golden triangle dressed in nothing but a black bow tie and top hat taking in the chaos around him.

"What's up babe, name's Bill Cipher!" the creature introduced himself with a mocking bow. "And I suppose you must be some kinda punk rock wannabe! I'm kidding, I know who you are Medusa!" he stated pointing at her. "Who are you monster, how do you know my name?!" Medusa exclaimed. "Oh I know lots of things Snakebite. LOTS OF THINGS." his tone suddenly dropped as his form displayed images of a trio of eyes, mosquitoes, a golem and a world similar to the apocalypse they were in. "Wanna see what I can do?!" He brought forth a man on the verge of death and burned him alive, only leaving behind a still beating heart. "Here, a heart for you lady. Don't mind if it's still living, it's just what I do."

"Agh, you're insane!" Medusa cried dropping the heart to the ground. "I know I am, but what're you?" Bill snapped back snickering. "So, heard you have a problem child on your hands am I right?" he wondered pulling up a chair out of trash and seating her in it. "Yes, my little boy Crona refuses to obey my commands and I have very big plans for him." the witch explained. "Small world, I have big plans myself!" Bill exclaimed. "Hey, how's about we make a deal? I'll whip your brat into shape and you can help me with something I've been working on." he offered lighting his hand in a blue inferno. "It's a deal."

The two of them shook hands sealing the deal. "We can work out the details later but until we meet again, THE MEANING OF LIFE IS 42, UNCLE WALT IS STILL OUT THERE, ALWAYS TAKE THE SHOT BYYYEEE!"

As soon as Bill vanished, Medusa awoken from her slumber. Looking around her room, she discovered a note on her desk saying "Been nice meeting ya Gorgon! You're really quite my type. Say, you got any siblings to hook me up with?" She simply grinned manically looking it over before deciding to turn in for the night.

Meanwhile with Bill, he had found himself hovering in a bright blue sky. "Hm, kind of expected something more tormented. Eh, it'll do." he snarked before beginning to search for Crona. "Now where could that little brat be?" he wondering searching high and low for the child until he came across an orb covered in sand resembling a beach or a desert and its only inhabitant being a youth with pink hair wearing all black. "Jackpot!" Bill exclaimed soaring down to the boy.

Crona was sitting all by his lonesome on the sand with his shadow as his only companion. "So, how are you doing?" the shadow asked him. "O-okay I guess. Mommy locked me in the room again and Ragnarok just kept bullying me." the child replied. "So how are you doing?" he asked the shadow before it suddenly took on a different form. "Just fine squirt! I got a question for you. What's my name?"

Crona simply jumped back in fear, stepping backwards until he bumped into a mysterious figure. Turning around, he found Bill Cipher standing before him. "What's up kid?" he greeted the Demon Swordsman. "W-who are you?! What a-are you d-doing here?!" he stuttered crawling away from him before Bill grabbed him by the ankle and pulled him to his eye. "Easy there brat! Apologies for being so rude," he said. "my name's Bill Cipher and I'm here because your mother made a deal with me."

"Wait, you mean her?!" Crona teared up in horror. "Yeah, she wanted me to beef you up, prepare you for a bright future ahead of ya!" As he continued speaking to the child, he summoned a projection of the moon. "Looks beautiful doesn't it?" he asked. "Well it's about to get even more beautiful!"

Dragging the moon closer with a wave of his hand, the two of them watched as an older Crona absorbing a grey-skinned humanoid creature and a young man in a plaid cap with a torrent of liquid blacker than night. "See this kid, this is what your mom wants you to be! The next Kishin, the embodiment of fear! And if you don't man up, well, her plan is gonna go all boop-boop!"

"Wait, she wants me to become what?!" Crona exclaimed trembling at the thought of this possible future. "Speaking of which, what's even under those clothes anyway?! I've been told you're a boy, but you seem more like a girl to me!" Bill exclaimed rubbing his hands. "Let's see what's hidin' there!" He grabbed the hem of the child's dress and prepared to lift it up before his hands were slapped away. "Okay sheesh, best to keep things 'private'!" He giggled at his own terrible pun. "Well then Crona, I best be off! Got some other things to take care of. But until I see you again, I'll always be watching you!"

He tapped Crona on the forehead and sent himself off with a cackle, while the child began to grow a mad grin on his face.

Once again, Medusa opened the door the next day. "So, are you ready?" she asked him while his head was down. When he raised it to look at her, he was wearing that same sadistic smile and had some black blood leaking out of his nose. "Did you know my blood is black?"

"And that's the whole story!" Bill finally finished telling his history with Crona. "Though it seems one of you may have averted that prophecy by punching the Kishin in the face. But let's face it, he was kind of a weenie anyway!" He let out another crazy snicker before finally letting go of Crona.

"Well we now know the story Bill, but what does my brother have to do with this?!" Ford shouted. "Oh yeah, kinda forgot about that!" the demon responded. "Ever since he punched me into pieces, your grunkle had a bit of my essence nestled deep within his wrinkly noggin. Once I get my hands on it, I can return to my full strength." he explained. "But since you're all here, might as well kill you all so you don't interfere with my plans!" He fired a giant laser blast from his finger to terminate the gang before it was suddenly deflected by Ragnarok, who had transformed into a large broadsword with a pair of lips on the blade. "You leave my friends alone Bill!" Crona shouted preparing to fight him.

"Oh goodness would you look at the time," Bill panicked. "I gotta go...to the bathroom!" He zoomed away inside the Shack obviously just wanting to retrieve his essence and escape. "He's ran into the shack, after him everyone!"

They all ran inside the building to discover various doors all leading to Stan's memories. "Okay dudes, the twins and I have been through this place before which is how we first met Bill, so maybe we know this place like the back of our hands." Soos explained. "I say we all form into teams." Ford suggested. "Dipper, Liz & Patty go this way, Wendy, Kid & Stein go that way. Mabel, Black Star & Soul go over there, Spirit, Tsubaki & Soos can move thataway, etc."

"BREAK!" Maka exclaimed before they all split up into their assigned groups, with Crona accompanying Ford and Maka.

"Bill's essence, come out wherever you are!" Patty called as she, her sister and Dipper traversed through the old man's consciousness. "Good God, how big is Mr. Pines's head?" Liz inquired with a hint of snark in her voice. "I don't know yet, but wherever Bill is searching for his essence, we gotta get to it before him." Dipper determinedly said. "By the way, I got a question for you. What were your lives like before meeting Kid?"

"That's a funny story," the younger Thompson sister replied grinning. "we were once the Brooklyn Devils after our mother abandoned us and became serious criminals before we met Kid, who helped us see the light!" Liz on the other hand told him a more realistic version of their story. "Long before we met Kid, we were the twin daughters of the most beautiful whore in Brooklyn when she ditched us for some reason. We never knew who our father was and became more dependent on each other. Then we tried to mug Kid, who saw the good in us mostly because we were so symmetrical. And that's how we wound up here today."

"Wow, kinda reminds me of Stan and Ford's relationship," Dipper said. "Only they weren't criminals from birth and couldn't turn into guns." He then turned to a nearby door. "Hey, you think this might be one of Stan's memories?" Patty wondered opening it to happen upon a projection of Stan playing with his stomach in the bathroom. "Hey Mr. Tummy!" he greeted. "Hey Mr. Stan!" he made his gut reply before Patty abruptly shut the door. "Well, I know what I'm puttin' in my eyes tonight!"

Meanwhile with Ford, Maka and Crona, they were searching their part of the mindscape. They were in a hallway of doors all relating to Stan's past. "That part of Bill could be anywhere! We've got to find it before he does." Maka declared. "Simmer down Maka. We'll find it soon," Ford said. "but right now one of these doors could lead us to him."

Examining the various entryways, some of them were slightly ajar showing various parts of the Stan twins' lives from discovering a boat in a cave to Ford winning a science fair project. "Ah yes, I remember those days." the scientist reminisced. "Back when Stanley and I were around your ages but kind of older, I built a perpetual motion machine for our school's science fair that would've won me a scholarship to one of the most prestigious universities in the country. But Stan broke it because he didn't want us to be separated and was kicked out by our dad as a result."

As he finished, another door opened showing that fateful night where the Stan twins' father threw him out of their home. "You ignoramus! Your brother was gonna be our ticket out of this dump! All you ever do is lie and cheat right on your brother's coattails." he scolded quite harshly. "Well this time you cost our family potential millions! And until you make us a fortune, you aren't welcome in this household." The three watched this memory play out, Ford just looking away in resignation, Maka covering her mouth in shock but Crona just backed away before running off with tears in his eyes. "This is so much like Medusa!"

"Wait Crona, come back!" Maka called for her friend before racing after him and Ford following suit.

"Here Bill's essence, I totally got a human sacrifice for you!" Soos called, which echoed throughout the hallway. "Uh Soos, I don't think it can hear us." Tsubaki commented. "I mean, it's just an itty bit of some bigger monstrosity." Spirit replied. Suddenly they all heard a crying noise which came from Crona who came running up to them in tears.

"Hey, you all right there little dude?" Soos wondered wiping a tear from the swordsman's face. "Mr. Pines, Maka and I were looking through memories and I found one of Mr. Pines' dad tossing Stan out of their house, and it was just so horrible!" he bawled into the manchild's arms. "Sh sh sh, it's okay Crona. It's okay."

"Yes, our father may have been a bit rough but at least he didn't use Stan and I to further his own evil plots." Ford tried to lighten the mood before Bill suddenly appeared before them with a cackle. "Oh isn't this just precious? Someone actually caring about Crona for once!" he chortled cruelly. "Listen Bill, this is where we end this! Leave my brother's mind immediately or I swear I'm going to end you in the most painful way a dream demon can feel pain!" the polydactyl exclaimed. "That's what you think, cause I've already made a new friend during my time in the void. Say hello Asura!"

He motioned for his partner to make himself known. The Kishin Asura appeared seemingly from out of nowhere looking down upon the group with a smug grin on his visage. "Well well well little humans, it seems we finally meet again." he said. "Wait, you teamed up with HIM?!" Maka screamed in shock at the dream demon. "Oh course we did Scythe, turns out he and I had a lot in common."

"Beings of extreme power with unusual eyes," Asura said. "hatred for children, dreams of conquering the universe! It's like we're twin brothers!" Bill exclaimed. "Only difference is I make three sides look good." he added with a shake of one of his points, much to the gang's disgust. "Now then, allow us to show you what we've got now!" The pair soon began to align and finally fuse into Kishin Cipher, still retaining his manic grin. "They can fuse now?!"

"And now to destroy you once and for all!" Kishin Cipher exclaimed bringing forth Mabel, Black Star & Soul, Dipper & the Thompsons and Wendy, Kid & Stein. "Oh my God, what is that thing?!" Black Star howled. "Guys, what's going on?!" Mabel shouted to her brother. "It turns out Bill teamed up and actually fused with this Asura guy to kill us all!" Soos explained fearfully.

"Now then, which one do we start with?" Kishin Cipher wondered glaring at everyone. "How about...YOU?!" He fired a laser blast from his finger at Maka only for it to be deflected by Crona carrying Ragnarok. "Come on Ragnarok, Scream Resonance." Ragnarok let out an ear-piercing shriek from his lips and his Meister threw a mighty slash at the fusion, slicing his arm off. "AGH, what was that for?!" he cried reeling in pain. "Now's out chance! Weapons everyone!" Maka ordered as Soul turned into her scythe, Tsubaki into Black Star's shadow weapon, Liz & Patty in Kid's twin pistols and Spirit into Stein's own scythe.

All the Meisters lept forward and dealt serious damage to Cipher. "What do you suppose we can do?" Wendy asked. "This is the mindscape, meaning we can imagine pretty much anything to help us out here!" Dipper responded before firing lasers from his eyes. "Likes turning your fists into kittens!" Mabel added transforming her hands into cat heads and fired rainbows from them. "Soos Love Stomach Beam Stare!" Soos exclaimed launching a question mark shaped energy beam from his stomach. "Anything, eh?" Ford wondered before spawning a staff with a golden hand on the tip. "Let's finish this!"

Kishin Cipher was not doing fine here. Scythe & Piano Keys slashed him in the face, Shuriken blinding him with smoke bombs, Skull & Twin Pistols kept shooting him in the eyes, Black Blood had already sliced his arm off and Holy Cross & Cigarette were doing the same as Scythe. "ENOUGH!" he screamed, finally fed up with their futile attempts at fighting back. "This has gone on for far too long, so now it's time to get rid of you and conquer everything there ever was!" He hovered high above the group with his hands clasped together and between a pair of circles. "WEIRD VAJRA!"

A giant laser beam shot down from above aimed towards the heroes. "Well dudes, guess this is goodbye!" Soos began to say his prayers and bid his friends farewell. "What are we going to do?! He's going to kill us and completely take over Stan's mind!" Dipper fretted. "We're not completely hopeless!" Stein declared pulling something out of his pocket, that something being a small yellow triangle that fit in the palm of his hand. "Bill's essence? But how?!" Mabel cried. "We managed to retrieve it from one of Mr. Pines's memories. Maybe we can use it to get Bill and Asura to leave." Kid suggested.

"Are you nuts, this is Bill's essence! If he gets his hands on it, he'll regain his full power!" Ford shouted. "Hey guys, can we just give it to him because that giant laser beam is getting awfully close." Wendy said. "How long has it been since he fired it anyway?" Spirit wondered. Stein boldly stepped forward to the monstrosity and held out the triangle. "Here's your essence. Now leave here." he simply ordered him. "Good choice Stein." the villain commended him disappating the laser. "Now just give it to me and I'll be on my way!"

"Sorry, changed my mind." Stein snarked, crushing the small triangle in his hands. "NO! NO NO NO NO NO!" Kishin screamed trying to piece it back together with what little pieces remained. "Okay, I'll leave your great uncle alone!" he regained his composure. "You're all quite worthy opponents, especially the fat one."

"I still think he's talking to you." Soos whispered to Mabel. "I'll see you again soon, BUT KNOW THIS! When madness takes over and inner strength fails, the only sound left will be your wails!" he declared summoning a circle that surrounded him. Ten symbols circled him and ten more were outside of those. "Until then I'll be watching you! I'll be watching you!" With that, everything finally disappeared.

"Did we win?" Dipper asked groggily as everyone woke up. "Yeah, we saved Stan!" Mabel cheered just as Stan woke up. "What just happened? And why am I tied to my chair?" the old man asked. "You would not believe what happened Mr. Pines! You were taken over by Bill and we had to go inside your mind again to stop him!" Soos exclaimed. "Yeah yeah, more of your weird mystery stuff. Now can someone untie me? I'm starving!"

"I knew somebody would say that!" Blair called walking into the living room wearing nothing but an apron. "So then, what does everyone want for dinner?" she asked everyone while Soul fell down all bloody-nosed. "Good grief madame, put some clothes on!" Ford said covering the twins' eyes. "Yeah, I'm getting' hungry anyway." Mabel said when everybody walked to the kitchen. All except Crona. "Aren't you coming Crona?" Maka asked her friend. "I'll catch up with you later, I want to talk with Mr. Pines."

The room was now completely empty except for the swordsman and the con-artist. "So, what did you want to talk to me for?" Stan asked Crona sitting him down on his lap. "C'mon, tell me." he beckoned him. "I just want to ask you. Was your dad that mean to you?" Crona asked sheepishly. "Kinda. He may've been hard to impress and kind of a jerk, but deep down he still loved me and Ford." the great-uncle replied. "This is about your mom isn't it?"

"Yeah, when me and my friends were in your mind I came across this memory of your dad tossing you out of your house, it just reminded me too much of Medusa." Crona explained shedding a tear. "Hey, wipe those tears Pinky. At least neither of our parents used us as tools!" Stan laughed before the boy started to chuckle as well. "Listen, if you need someone to talk to other than Maka or any of the others, just come to me."

"T-thank you Mr. Pi-" Crona thanked him before being interrupted by Stan hugging him. "Please, just call me Grunkle Stan." he corrected. "Okay. Thank you Grunkle Stan." He returned the hug.

"You idiot! Do you realize how much our plans have been screwed up?!" Bill screamed at Asura from within Kishin Cipher's body. "Not only did we lose the journal and my essence, I lost a way to break back into the physical realm!"

"Oh be quiet you three-sided twit!" Asura snapped back at him. "If it wasn't for your arrogance, we would've succeeded!" Bill was quite honestly angered by his partner's comment. "Now listen here Pasty, I'm not the one to blame here! You're just thinking I'm the cause of our failure just because you're a complete coward!" he shouted turning his back on him. "Some embodiment of fear you are."

Asura finally snapped and the two prepared to fight before Bill suddenly stopped them both. "WAIT! Just because we lost two parts of our plan doesn't mean we still have the others." He created an image of a brown-haired young man with metal piercings & a pair of gloves reaching up to his elbows and a miniature senior citizen dressed in all black with a pointy nose carrying a book with a golden hand & a number 2 on it. "Time for Plan B."

And that's Chapter 2 everyone! What secrets will our heroes uncover? Can Bill and Asura be stopped from accomplishing their goals of world domination? Who will be a good parent figure for Crona?! Find out on the next chapter of Gravity Soul! Until we meet again, merry Christmas and happy holidays!

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bigyack-com · 5 years

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Paris Couture Week SS20: Paris couture climbs Mount Olympus, plumbs marine depths - fashion and trends

Female empowerment, controversies about race, and designs that plunged to the depths of the seas then climbed Mount Olympus were among themes to grace Paris Couture Week on its drama-filled first day.Here are some highlights of Monday’s spring-summer 2020 couture shows.DIOR: WOMEN RULE (AND GLIMMER)Dior’s first ever female designer, Maria Grazia Chiuri, is onto something.Her feminist logo-emblazoned T-shirts have famously been among the house’s biggest sellers — and so she went back on the girl power charge to capitalize on this popular unique selling point in the Rodin Museum collection.The starting idea was a question posed by the artist and set-designer Judy Chicago, blown up as text at the show: “What if Women Ruled the World?”

A model presents a creation by designer Maria Grazia Chiuri as part of her Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2020 collection show for fashion house Dior in Paris, France, January 20, 2020. ( REUTERS ) Chiuri answered it herself by basing the shimmering Greco-Roman designs around the theme of “The Female Divine.”Though at several points Chiuri strayed into heavy-handedness, the overall result was an archetypally couture collection that harked back to the couture origins of draping and strapping.Athena, the ancient warrior-goddess, was evoked in a tightly-strapped gold bodice and sections of gold fringing.

Models present creations by designer Maria Grazia Chiuri as part of her Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2020 collection show for fashion house Dior in Paris, France, January 20, 2020. ( REUTERS ) And the Hellenistic sculpture “The Winged Victory of Samothrace,” that stands in the Louvre, provided inspiration for long billowing silk skirts and rope-like straps that pulled tightly around the busts and waists of several looks.But ensembles sometimes fell victim to their own divine ambition — such as an iron-colored goddess-version of the house’s signature bar jacket. Though it captured a feeling of chain mail, accordingly, it proved ungraciously clunky at the hips.DIOR FRONT ROWAlongside Uma Thurman, “Alien” star Sigourney Weaver, who’s rarely spotted on the fashion scene, led the celebrity pack.Weaver, who’s known for her feisty and feminist roles, had something to say about couture — and Dior — empowering women.“It is always an ideal,” she said, before entering the show.“Haute couture is very strong, and assured, which I think women sometimes need help being as assured as we should be. And we need to have a little Christian Dior inside us to sort of step out, you know?”SCHIAPARELLI’S PERFECT BALANCEDaniel Roseberry seems to have the winning formula at Schiaparelli: Less is more.The Texas-born designer managed on Monday to include all the Surrealist references of the late, great couturier Elsa Schiaparelli, without them straying into the kitsch or the overpowering — as has been the case in the past. He used them sparingly, carefully giving each bold object the necessary space to breathe.

Models present creations by designer Daniel Roseberry as part of his Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2020 collection show for fashion house Schiaparelli in Paris, France, January 20, 2020. REUTERS/Francois Lenoir ( REUTERS ) A large gold earring resembling a human ear, for instance, was placed above a bare chest and dark tuxedo. Not only did that allow the statement earring to be the sole dominant feature, Roseberry very cleverly re-enforced the idea of the human body being — literally — on display. The same idea was repeated on a statement sheeny royal blue leopard-skin print tuxedo twinned with the model’s bare human-skin.

A model presents a creation by designer Daniel Roseberry as part of his Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2020 collection show for fashion house Schiaparelli in Paris, France, January 20, 2020. ( REUTERS ) The couture itself was simple, but deceptively so. A raisin-black tuxedo with four gold buttons had a monochromatic giant ruffled fabric hood that enveloped the model’s face. The design was visually arresting yet handled subtly as it was in a monochromatic dark hue.In the final flourish, Roseberry tackled shocking pink — the colour-name Schiaparelli was said to have coined. What was shocking about it was its tastefulness, for instance on a giant dropped-waist full skirt that contrasted stylishly with a bodice in ultramarine, royal blue and flash of orange.Adding to reasons to love this show: 23 of the 36 looks were modeled by non-Caucasian models and women of colour, in a rare moment on the Paris catwalk.COMME DES GARCONS’ RACE CONTROVERSYBrand Comme des Garçons ended men’s fashion week trying to defend itself against accusations of racism after last week’s show featured white models wearing braided wigs.Critics of the show, which AP didn’t attend and only saw photos of, said it smacked of racial appropriation as the wigs resembled hairstyles of the black community, and some black models in the same show walked with just their natural hair.The hair stylist Julien d’Ys said on social media he was influenced by Tutankhamun and Ancient Egypt.In a statement sent to AP, the house said “it was never, ever our intention to disrespect or hurt anyone – we deeply and sincerely apologize for any offense it has caused.”Race is a hot topic at fashion weeks all over the world, after a host of recent controversies, including an ad campaign by Dolce and Gabbana that was deemed racist against China.In 2018, Comme des Garçons was criticized for lacking diversity over models on its runway.IRIS VAN HERPEN EXCELSAnother season of Dutch wunderkind Iris Van Herpen, another moment to delve into her unique world of visual poetry.Floating jelly fish and skeletal underwater crustaceans are often evoked visually in the designer’s award-winning couture, but rarely referenced by the house as inspiration.

A model presents a creation by designer Iris van Herpen as part of her Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2020 collection show in Paris, France, January 20, 2020. ( REUTERS ) This season, it acknowledged that spring-summer’s designs channeled “the sensory processes that occur between the intricate composition of the human body, mirrored with the fibrous marine ecology of our oceans.”It made for one of the designer’s most beautiful collections ever.Twisted silk strands on a gown descended down a model’s body in pastel blues, grays and coconut white, like the tentacles of a deep-sea creature, with the floating feeling of suspended gravity.A black floor-length gown with undulating straps could have been a poisonous medusa, with coral-red dye bleeding down its multi-layered skirt.

A model presents a creation by designer Iris van Herpen as part of her Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2020 collection show in Paris, France, January 20, 2020. ( REUTERS ) Toward the end, one of the most beautiful pieces of couture in memory appeared — a brilliant white structured three-dimensional gown made of thousands of interlocking petals of white fabric that evoked a swan, or perhaps a section of human bone under the microscope.

Models present creations by designer Iris van Herpen as part of her Haute Couture Spring/Summer 2020 collection show in Paris, France, January 20, 2020. ( REUTERS ) GIAMBATTISTA VALLI’S EXHIBITThe fashion seasons run at a relenting pace. And France’s longest transport strike in decades complicated an already frenetic calendar last week.This was perhaps in the mind of Giambattista Valli, who this season decided to take his foot off the pedal and put on an exhibit, instead of a high-octane — blink and you miss it — runway show.The — mostly — fun designs proved it to be a good decision.On mannequins inside Paris’ Jeu de Paume, the Italian-born designer showed off his couture skills of abstraction with pieces that possessed flourishes at the shoulder or skirt.Crimson tulle ruffles appeared like vertical columns on both sides of a sleeveless silk gown. A voluminous white feather headpiece looked like a wild, windswept shrub. While a bitter lemon-colored dress with huge gathered full skirt was lit up on a yellow mannequin — to make the whole world seem yellow.(This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text. Only the headline has been changed.)Follow more stories on Facebook and Twitter Read the full article

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aion-rsa · 5 years

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Who is She-Hulk? A Guide to Marvel's Next TV Star

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Avengers: Endgame gave us a Hulk in the laboratory. Now Disney+ will be giving us a She-Hulk in the courtroom.

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One of the better parts of Avengers: Endgame was the fact that Professor Hulk was a viable character, able to exist in normal scenes without sticking out like a sore thumb. Once they had that tech figured out, it was only a matter of time before She-Hulk became part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And now, here we are, with the announcement of She-Hulk getting her own Disney+ show!

She-Hulk is high on the list of “top Marvel characters to not yet show up in the MCU,” especially now that both the X-Men and Fantastic Four are inevitable arrivals. Since her introduction in 1980, she’s been a major fixture in Marvel and a fresh enough take on an existing property that she rarely feels redundant when standing next to her brutish cousin.

So who is She-Hulk? Let’s take a look ...

THE ORIGINAL SERIES

The funny thing about She-Hulk’s creation was that she was made for the sake of legal strategy. The Lou Ferrigno Incredible Hulk TV show was a massive hit and Marvel came to a dire realization. Since it was an easy trope to give a popular male character a female counterpart (ie. the Bionic Woman), there was strong potential that the TV show would introduce a female version of the Hulk. But if that happened then the character would belong to the TV show! It’s like why Skeeter from Muppet Babies never shows up in actual Muppets stuff.

So Stan Lee went, “John Buscema! Get over here! We’re making a She-Hulk comic!” Then he let David Anthony Kraft and Mike Vosburg take care of the rest of the 25-issue run.

Funny enough, with Savage She-Hulk #1 existing to counter the TV show, the very first narration box even calls attention to the show via making a joke about whether Banner’s first name is David or Bruce.

read more - Eternals: Who is Marvel's Black Knight?

Jennifer Walters starts out as a mild-mannered lawyer until the day her cousin Bruce Banner shows up because he needs someone to confide in about his whole Hulk situation. They’re hanging out for a good 10 minutes before a criminal involved in one of Jen’s cases shows up and shoots her. In order to save Jen, Bruce MacGyvers together a blood transfusion and then splits. Jen soon discovers that she can transform into a giant, jacked, green woman, and so we have She-Hulk.

It’s your usual Bronze Age fare after that. She does double-life hero stuff because She-Hulk gets blamed for tragedies. The supporting cast is boring. The villains are forgettable (outside of a half-man/half-elephant).

Somewhere, it’s established that Hulk isn’t a rage monster simply because of the gamma radiation, but because Banner spent so much of his life holding down his anger. She-Hulk plays on that by showing that instead of being driven by fury, her second form is based on Jen’s lack of confidence. She-Hulk is strong in all the ways Jen Walters could never bring herself to be.

THE FANTASTIC HULK

With her series done, She-Hulk went on to become a member of the Avengers. She remained a regular part of the team up until Brian Michael Bendis’ mid-00s reinvention of the team. What’s interesting is that she was actually part of two major teams at the same time for a period.

read more: The History of Moon Knight

Unfortunately, the second half of the series doesn’t work out as well. Mainly because Dan Slott goes into full “continuity cop” mode and has to bring any changes to the status quo from other Marvel writers back to earth, including his own interesting developments. Like there was an X-Men story where She-Hulk and Juggernaut had a brief fling. Rather than ignore or build on that, there’s a whole reveal that it was a She-Hulk from another dimension who did the deed with the unstoppable one.

Peter David took over writing duties after Slott left and while it didn’t last long, it wasn’t half bad.

SHE-HULKAMANIA

There was a time when there were SO MANY Hulk-based characters running around at the same time. Rick Jones (A-Bomb), General Ross (Red Hulk), Betty Ross (Red She-Hulk), Hulk’s barbarian space son (Skaar), Hulk’s alternate future daughter (Lyra), and not to mention all of Hulk’s space gladiator buddies who had settled on Earth. Jen was...there.

Even though she didn’t leave much of a lasting impression, Lyra starred in her own miniseries, All-New Savage She-Hulk, and Jen acted as a mentor and a supporting character. So Lyra’s deal? Okay, deep breath.

read more: Complete Schedule of Upcoming MCU Phase 4 Marvel Movies

In an alternate future, men and women are barbarians going through a literal gender war. The amazon warrior Thundra has had a few run-ins with the Hulk via time-travel and decided to make the strongest warrior ever via getting impregnated by him. In a non-sexual way. Really. As a teenager, Lyra the She-Hulk was ostracized by her peers for being partially created by a dude, but she could kick ass and that was what was important. She went back to the present to sleep with and/or kill Norman Osborn and hooked up with Jen along the way.

Anyway, Lyra’s deal is that anger is her weakness. If she gets mad, she gets weaker.

SHAKEN FOUNDATION

So Jonathan Hickman wrote Fantastic Four and FF (Future Foundation) concurrently and brought huge interest into that side of Marvel for a bit. A couple years later, Hickman wrote the 2015 version of Secret Wars, which was partially Marvel’s way of getting rid of Fantastic Four/FF for a while because of movie rights bullshit. In the in-between, Matt Fraction wrote the two titles.

His Fantastic Four was more or less forgettable, except for a scene where a rightfully pissed Human Torch ranted at Reed and Sue for constantly patronizing him. God, that part was so good.

read more - The Falcon and the Winter Soldier: Who is John Walker?

FF was something very different. Fraction teamed with Mike Allred and had a team of She-Hulk, Ant-Man, Medusa, and a pop-star named Darla who was wearing a robot Thing costume. The whole thing was easily the better series of the two, was quirky beyond belief, and only now do I realize that her show needs a group of super-smart underground mole creatures announcing that they must protect “The Jen” at all costs.

LAWYERS WRITING LAWYERS

There was a time when Charles Soule wrote like 99% of comics. He might be writing this article for all I know. I’ll have to check the byline later to be sure it’s me. Not only is Soule incredibly prolific, but he’s also a practicing lawyer. Kind of the perfect choice for She-Hulk, right?

Javier Pulido is on art and it’s something you either love or hate. He has some really cool layouts, but Jen’s wonky eyes might take you out of the book too often.

Anyway, it’s more emphasis on She-Hulk’s lawyer stuff, including a courtroom showdown with fellow super-lawyer Daredevil. As much of a main event as that is, the highlight to me is She-Hulk’s time assisting Kristoff, Dr. Doom’s adopted son who is so casual about the utter weirdness of his father’s machinations.

THE FAMILY BANNER

You know how I have been gushing about all the fun runs with She-Hulk? Lately, she’s been...not so sunny. The story Civil War II happened, which not only started with She-Hulk getting beaten within an inch of her life by Thanos, but later on, Hawkeye killed Bruce Banner. Don’t worry, Bruce got better thanks to very bizarre comic book reasons, but for a time, Jen had to deal with some nasty trauma.

It was here that they brought back a concept from the early 90s run: She-Hulk has a gray form that makes her rage-driven and more like Bruce. Her new series was titled Hulk because of her daily struggle with not turning into the beast and ruining everything. Mariko Tamaki’s run on the book is tense and takes its time getting to the monster at the end of the book, but is still not as dark as the pitch would initially have you believe. It’s not about living with trauma, but living through trauma and finding the light at the end of the tunnel.

It’s fine for what it is, but I’m hoping it’s not the tone of the Disney+ show. At least MCU Thanos isn’t around to clobber her.

Gavin Jasper writes for Den of Geek and wonders if Tim Blake Nelson will finally return for the She-Hulk show. Read more of his articles here and follow him on Twitter @Gavin4L

Read and download the Den of Geek SDCC 2019 Special Edition Magazine right here!

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Gavin Jasper

Aug 28, 2019

Marvel

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She-Hulk

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oxfordeliterp · 7 years

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CONGRATULATIONS, VICTORIA!

You have been accepted to play the role of GWENDOLYN ARMSTRONG with the faceclaim of ZOE KRAVITZ. Please create your account and send it to the main in the next 24 hours. I am swept off my feet by your application, although this time, once again, I had to choose between two marvelous ones. Yet, the way you know Gwen’s skin and what a piece of art you have turned this into captivated me and I know I couldn’t possibly see anybody else writing this character now that I have read your application. I want to read your writing forever, if possible, because you’re no Medusa, Euryale or Stheno, but a siren trying to lure people to their deaths with a breathtaking choice of words and an impressive depth that you have offered Gwendolyn. Thank you for giving me a spectacular reason to stay up all night and I already know it is going to be an honor writing with you. Based on the description of every Quarrel Club member at the end of the para sample, I would have given you any of those characters; but instead, have the queen. She’s yours.

OUT OF CHARACTER INFORMATION

Name and pronouns: Victoria, Vee, V for Vagina, she/her … sheeeet I don’t care, I’m just excited for a group like this to come along, a group that has pumped me up to be in the RP world again!

Age: Quarter century

Time-zone: PST

Activity level: My life is currently a clusterfuck, but a clusterfuck that is in desperate need of distraction and creative outlet. The only thing keeping me away from the interwebs is a part-time job and the graduate school application process. Sooo… I don’t know numerically out of 10? 6? 7? I never know how to answer this part - lets just say I spend more time procrastinating online than I should.

Triggers: N/A

IN CHARACTER INFORMATION

Desired character: I instantly connected with Gwendolyn the moment I read her bio. I’ve always had the tendency to be drawn to troubled, complex, introverted men - obviously, Gwendolyn is the opposite of all of the above, which shocked me when it came to how drawn I was to her as a character. It became quite obvious why she felts so familiar after reading her biography and her circumstances a few times through – she is the version of myself that I always wished to be but never had the balls to go through with in college. As I sit here and finish out writing this application, I realize just how much of a joy it has been simply to hash out my own feelings in an introspective way through this character. For me being a year out of college and looking back on my own experience, I recognize that her extreme black and white views on female/male dynamics and radical feminism are so familiar due to a lack of experience in the real world. I know I can play this character so well because I understand exactly what motivates her whilst also having the hindsight to understand why her extreme views will be her downfall if she doesn’t learn to compromise her brilliance. It’s so easy to see the dichotomy of men vs. women in the small bubble that is the college experience, but to be able to play it out with the self-righteousness that Gwen has for her cause, not to mention her ability to back it up with hours of research and intelligent debates, is an opportunity that I would be far too excited about!

Gender and pronouns of the character: She/Her

Changes: If it works, I have used Zoe Kravitz as my muse for this character. When it comes down to it, the writing of the character is far more important than the face but I honestly could not get her badass, renegade essence out of my mind when I was typing out her app.

I was also thinking Naya Rivera as back up #2, and then Eiza Gonzalez if you don’t see either of the other gals meshing with your vision of the RP.

Traits:

+ Charismatic, Principled, Loyal, Contemplative, Ambitious

- Sanctimonious, Arrogant, Fanatical, Vindictive, Stubborn

Extras:

Gwendolyn is following the History and Politics course as her major of choice. A natural fit, her aims to alter the prevailing, patriarchic gender dynamic extend much further than simply Oxford. She firmly believes that hidden in history are stories of matriarchies that have been purposely buried by the predominance of male historians. Determined to pair the wisdom and lessons of the past with a future game plan to get into politics, she knows to make a difference globally, you must know and analyze the cycles of history. Gwen is a news junkie, her cell constantly pinging with the latest updates stemming from hundreds of diverse news sources. She subscribes to a plethora of sources, never wanting to fall into the trap of an echo chamber and finding sick joy in reading viewpoints she disagrees with so she can shred the arguments apart with gusto.

Gwen is constantly challenging the syllabus and her professors for not having enough diverse content (i.e female and P.O.C authors) – much to the annoyance of her classmates. She will consistently ramble on in debate and find ways to weave in a complaint even in the most simple of question-answer class discussion. It’s gotten to the point where she has been kicked out of a class for being too confrontational. But don’t think that’s stopped her – she now stages her formal complaints in the form of unassigned essays that she will turn into her professors detailing the long list of her objections to the proposed subject matter. She knows its drives everyone crazy, but she feels she’s doing a service to them all – it’s a well researched fact that diverse classrooms paired with varying points of view in reading material leads to the most productive learning environment, a talking point she will gladly back up with a bibliography of sources that she knows by heart.

A trait about Gwendolyn that no one would ever realize is her tendency to be exhausted by her own ambitions. Although she insists on being the loudest in a group of people, she is most comfortable when she is at one with her mind, challenging it with complex novels are articles, or if she’s lucky, finding another like-minded individual who is interested in tearing idea to shreds just for the interest of mental sparring. Although she is active in the social scene out of necessity, it’s not her goal in any way to be the life of the party unless it’s in the interest of bringing more notoriety to the Quarrel Club.

Personality Type: The Debater (ENTP)

Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the dangers of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of ’crack-pot’ than the stigma of conformity. And on issues that seem important to you, stand up and be counted at any cost.” – Thomas J Watson

Taking a certain pleasure in being the underdog, Debaters enjoy the mental exercise found in questioning the prevailing mode of thought.

Treating others as they’d be treated, Debaters have little tolerance for being coddled, and dislike when people beat around the bush, especially when asking a favor.

I also have an inspo blog I’ve been using for her, the account that I applied with. It contains general quotes, people of interest, and things that I think either define Gwen as a person or better explains what she cares about. Please consider when reading the app: http://cooperxmathis.tumblr.com/

PARA SAMPLE

Everybody knows the story of Medusa, that she was a petrifying woman to be reckoned with. That her name loosely translated to Queen. That she was so terrifying that one glance into her steely eyes would turn her victim to stone. Only some people know that she hadn’t always been a hideous monster. That she had been one of the most beautiful and devoted servants of Athena, and although many men sought to marry her, she fell for Poseidon. Those with even the slightest of Greek mythology knowledge can recall that Medusa was ultimately weak and succumbed to the mortal men who hunted her down. She became a famous symbol for another man’s strength. Perseus paraded her defeat on his shield as a badge of honor – another woman down, another head on a platter, another female used as an ingredient in a trumped up legend for whatever man needed an ego boost. But there is a much more interesting story behind Medusa, a mere-mortal who squandered her time on hope and regrets, always fantasizing about returning to her mortal life of worshipping another whilst she herself was originally worshiped for the most dull of female qualities – beauty and purity.

Of course Medusa became one of the most famous female villains in Greek mythology – she was a fantastic tale of an innocent girl who lost her chastity and transformed into a seductive woman whose power was to great and finally put in her place by a cliché male hero. Male historians eat that shit up, happy to pass on a tale of a woman who got what was coming to her. The real cherry on top of this sexist shit pie, the little detail that your grade school history class always leaves out, was that the female Goddess, Athena, transformed Medusa into a monster. That in the original myth, Poseidon raped her in Athena’s temple, and out of jealous spite, Athena turned her into a monster, transforming each of her satin locks into a snake. That small detail is always left out of grade-school mythology week, probably to avoid harnessing the awareness of girl-on-girl on crime and victim blaming in young impressionable teen women. Can’t let them catch on too quick; when second class citizens are divided the patriarchy thrive – divide & conquer.

Alas, Medusa was essentially victim-blamed after being raped by Poseidon – a sick twist that Gwen was all too happy to see her history teacher squirm over when she pleasantly brought it to light in her freshman mythology class. Gwen learned early on that if she wanted to learn relevant history outside of the ‘triumphs’ of what rich white dudes did for the benefit of other rich white dudes, she would have to dig for herself. For buried within the legend of Medusa, Queen of the Gorgons, there are two much more worthy recipients of the title, two older, immortal sisters – Stheno and Euryale. It’s no surprise that these so-called villains soon became heroes in Gwen’s mind.

The younger of the two sisters, Euryale, was the calm before the storm. Just as vicious as the others, but with a completely different approach, luring her victims in with a stillness and calming peace that would give no warning to their fate. Her eyes described as still pools of violet that tranquilized all those who looked upon them, blessing them with a feeling of control over a hectic universe, the ultimate tease. Giving no warning for the immediate havoc that was about to be released, they would lose all desire to retaliate. Hypnotized by her presence, they would remain blissfully still until the last moment, relishing in the moment even as she sank her fangs through flesh and tore skin from bone.

Then there was Stheno, her muse, her identity, the fiercest of the three, known to be the most murderous of the Gorgon sisters, having killed more men then both of her sisters combined. Her approach was on a complete different side of the spectrum, her eyes explosive with a fierce reminiscent of Hades’ fire. No hypnotic placidity could be found within them. She yearned for the indulgence of human flesh, indulged in the taste of warm blood. No attraction on earth is as tempting as that of a powerful force - and none came more powerful as Stheno’s presence. A temper as violent as no other on this earth or in any other existence - she was the unstoppable force that brought a swift and total destruction.

Gwen was going to rewrite Oxford history, her legacy would be destroying the façade that the Riot Club had created, revealing them for the petulant children they are, little boys creating messes for play and throwing money to clean them up. This was her pet project, her practice round before she was unleashed onto the real world. A smaller, test version of how the rest of the world works, where rich men create problems that affect the rest of us and then jack each other off for fixing the mess they had created in the first place. She somewhat knew this was child’s play compared to raiding and destroying the ultimate boys clubs outside of Oxford, but hey, if she could tear down a centuries old tradition and replace it with a far superior female legacy within a four year span, she would finally prove to herself that she was the unstoppable force of nature that Stheno had inspired her to be.

She knew it was crucial to pick the right women, that this very first group of ten girls would be everything as they would be setting the tone for centuries to come. One of her best qualities had always been her ability to see past the bullshit of girl-on-girl crime. She never bought into the idea that in order to move up in the world she had to put other women down. It was a fact that that very notion is what has kept women as powerless for millennia, and she was determined to prove that if she brought ten of the best and brightest together, that claws would not come out, at least, not against eachother. However, her place as the leader of the group is something she would never sacrifice. Not that she is buying into an idea that she is better than any of the other women, but positive that only she has the pure, clear-cut vision of boosting them all up for the better; not to mention she hadn’t planned on being exactly forthcoming on her actual motives. The appeal of the Quarrel club was first and foremost an illusion that she was presenting. That it was something of a petty, social badge of honor that would include frivolous spending, ludicrous parties, and a bit of fun competition with the most ‘desirable’ men on campus. Little would her recruits know that she was hand picking them for their potential. She would take these confused women and show them what the world really could look like if they only had the power, if they only had the desire to restore the natural order of the world where women were destined to lead. It would be a slow process, she knew, she would have to lure them in, which would be easy. The hard part would be making them see how pointless the perks and values of the Riot Club were and showing them that true satisfaction will come from tearing down the men and everything they stand for, not just downing shots and fucking around with Oxford’s golden boys.

After months of careful planning, she had nine pristine envelopes in hand, their thick cardstock stamped with wax seal, the fierce stare of the Gorgon head piercing through the deep red. A satisfied smirk wove its way across Gwen’s lips, her eyes lighting up as she ran her fingers across the raised edges of the insignia. She knew the women would all assume it was Medusa, probably never even hearing of Stheno, but soon she was to teach them the buried history of the much stronger women that existed in not only fabled myths, but the real world as well. Soon, they too would be the legends used to inspire leagues of women to write their own history, to never be forgotten by the bias of time told through the eyes of men. The future will be rewritten and the pen will be held by f e m a l e s. Flipping over each envelope, she dipped her vintage, sterling silver pen into ink and began to write out each woman’s name.

L A U R E N H A S T I N G S - A crucial member for a multitude of reasons. The most obvious, everyone not only knew Lauren, but also idolized her. She glided across campus with an ease and poise that was unseen in most modern women, she epitomized the essence of old movie stars. Although Gwen in no way embodied these qualities, nor would she ever want to, she still understood the effect that this old-fashioned femininity had on the masses. Frankly, she found Lauren to be an extremely dull Betty Draper-esque robot, but if there was one thing that Gwendolyn respected it was discipline, a quality that Lauren certainly exuded with her picture perfect image. She knew that nobody could truly be that flawless, but whatever Lauren was hiding, the façade that followed her had never cracked, no scandal had ever erupted - an amazing success in Gwen’s eyes. In her mind, Lauren could be the Euryale to her Stheno. That level of control and composure was something she admired and could learn from. More importantly though, was Lauren’s connection to Jamie Heather. Her smile faltered. She would never admit to herself how much of a catalyst he had been in creating the woman she had become; that he was the very reason why the Quarrel Club would exist in the first place. No, Gwen quickly shook the beautiful face from her mind, refusing to let him run away with her thoughts once again - he doesn’t deserve that much credit. Moving on, she poised her pen to the next ivory envelope in the stack.

E L I Z A B E T H P E M B E R L Y – Gwen can’t exactly put her finger on what draws her to Elizabeth, but there is an infectious energy that surrounds the girl wherever she goes. Gwen knows that she is indulgent and a bit of a narcissist, but fuck it, what man doesn’t get away with the same qualities and still labeled a charming cassanova? Elizabeth has a way about her that makes everyone desperate to please, a very distinct feminine essence that is subtle but inevitably intoxicating. Better to have that on her side, to harness that sort of brilliant charismatic energy and exploit it for her own purpose than to let Elizabeth waste away her own potential. She has a power that makes people do whatever she wants without asking them, for motivations that they don’t even understand but desperately urge to simply satisfy her.

V I C T O R I A D E T E R R E R O S Another choice that although overwhelmingly dissimilar to herself, came with a connection to the Riot club paired with the bonus of an old family name. Although Lauren had the essence of a celebrity, Victoria actually was one. Not that Gwendolyn was one to give a shit about tabloid fodder. There were far too many important events and people in the world to waste time on the likes of People magazine or throwing meaningless likes to Instagram ‘stars’ desperate for validation from thousands of strangers. No, she was not one to be starstruck by celebrity influence, but she couldn’t deny that in today’s times, Victoria’s tabloid status could be of use. If she could have an early influence on the young royal, there’s a chance that she could make sure that Victoria didn’t become another pretty face simply peddling Vitamix or whatever bullshit beauty product down the throats of millennial lemmings glued to their phone screens. Plus, Gwen’s obsessions with history meant that an old, royal family name couldn’t help but pique her interest. Package that in with a brother in the Riot Club and Victoria was a given.

A R I A B E L L E F O N T E – She could never put her finger on exactly what drew her to Aria, but she in some ways has always envied her. Her effortless charm and impassivity are qualities that Gwen knows she could never enjoy but admires greatly. A woman like Aria is crucial to the group, a perfect example of the type of women who should be, no – will be – running the world. Aria never smiles to please, never wastes her time nor believes that her appearance is anything but an asterisk to her entire being, never felt the need to parade whatever it is her parents do to enable her to afford attending such a prestigious university. Aria simply exists, in complete authenticity; a woman who has never tried, let alone needed, to impress anyone yet has a bounty of influence at her fingertips. The only negative that Gwen can assess is the utter lack of appreciation that Aria has for her own influence. She seems completely satisfied to drift among their entitled peers with little motivation to do anything with her gifts. Pressing her silver pen as she dotted the I of Aria’s name, Gwen was sure she could inspire the girl to follow through with her full potential.

A L E X A N D R A R O S S E S S E N – Whispers could be heard all over campus of the brilliant young woman who at only sixteen had earned early admission to Oxford. Whispers turned into full blown shouts as soon as everyone realized such a brilliant mind came packaged in a red-haired, statuesque beauty. She and Alexandra had a class together where Gwen got to witness the full blown arrogance of the child genius, a quality that turned the rest of the class off but Gwen absolutely adored. At such a young age Alexandra had the confidence that most women never find after years of soul-searching and worthless self-help guides. Alexandra had a quick wit and didn’t abstain from questioning authority, a quality Gwen quickly picked up on after witnessing her challenge many of the key points in several lectures. Not to mention the rumors that she was behind the gossip maven Ace, a serious advantage that Gwen knew if she could harness for the benefit of the Quarell Club could be a crucial cog in the warhead she was creating against the Riot Club. After all, everyone knows to win a war people need to believe the rookies have a fighting chance; it brings morale up among underestimated troops and breeds allegiance in new acquaintances determined to prove themselves. And in the court of public opinion, Ace could weave a narrative of success and manipulate gossip during the inevitable hiccups that come with starting such an exclusive group.

A R A B E L L A W I N D S O R – Everyone knows about Arabella Windsor and her midnight escapades. Judgments surrounding her loose reputation never cease and what Gwen adores is the fact that she seems to revel in them. Gwen abhors the double standard that tells women they must be as beautiful and sexually desirable as humanly possible but once they take control of said sexuality and use it for their own pleasure are labeled slut and presumably undesirable, a catch twenty-two that would be amusing if it wasn’t so prevalent and capable of destroying a woman’s self worth. Female sexuality has been the number one weapon manipulated by men to keep women in their place since the dawn of time. That much is most obvious even now when you look at every government funded female health legislation dictated by literal (and figurative) dicks with not one woman in sight to speak for her own body. The key to the male ego is his ability to womanize, to show he’s the big man on campus by tricking women into his bed and then ignoring their very existence the next day as a power play. Gwen isn’t sure if Arabella knows just how much of a social renegade she is just by simply sleeping with as many men as she pleases without guilt, but she is determined to take that unabashed female sexual prowess and harness it into more meaningful pursuits. She knows there is a bit of risk involved, seeing as many of Arabella’s conquests are men of the Riot Club, but with the right amount of loyalty to the Quarell club instilled, Arabella’s sexuality could be used as a weapon. After all, it’s a well-known cliché that a man is most weak with his trousers around his ankles.

C O R D E L I A M C Q U E E N – Cordelia attracts the gaze and curiosity of many, not only because of her world-famous last name, but because of the mysterious way in which she carries herself. She is a walking oxymoron – charismatic yet unforthcoming with the few words she speaks at all, a wallflower in theory and yet impossible to ignore. She is the type of girl that you always want to know more about but refuses to share what she doesn’t meticulously allow to be public. Gwen was determined to have her be a member of the club the moment she saw her. Her effortless appeal and unwavering mysterious persona perplexes many, Gwen herself falling under the spell. She isn’t sure what exactly the girl can bring to the club, but the magnetism she exudes is sure to be harboring an untapped potential that Gwen could use to the club’s advantage. Plus, if Gwen is honest with herself, the connection Cordelia holds to high-fashion royalty adds an essence of exclusivity and publicity that Gwen is just shallow enough to take advantage of.

C H A R L O T T E Z E R I L L I – With a twin in the riot club, Gwen knew that Charlotte would be a risky choice that could pan out to be a fountain of knowledge into the inner-workings of the Riot Club or backfire in a nuclear fashion if she couldn’t harness her loyalty to fall into step with the Quarrel club. Gwen had a feeling that Charlotte had always been the brilliant one out of the Zerelli twins, that she had been living in her brother’s shadow and was looking for an opportunity to stretch her legs in a role of influence. With the right coaxing and a group of brilliant women surrounding her, Gwen was sure that Charlotte was a harbor of untapped potential that could prove to be one of her finest choices of all. There wasn’t an exact quality that she could put her finger on when it came to what drew her to Charlotte, but Gwen wasn’t one to silence her intuition. Too many women choose to ignore that little voice in their head that all too often is screaming the right answer because they have so little trust in their own minds that they choose to silence their own power. Women’s intuition isn’t a myth, and Gwen is out to prove that hers is spot on.

L A N A C H A M B E R S – With a mind as sharp as her own, Lana was the last woman to make the cut. It’s not that she didn’t have the right temperament for the club, she was there on scholarship after all, proving that she had a keen mind and was determined to fight her way to the top. It’s just that Gwen was aware that her combined choice of women has an overall image to maintain. It was crucial to show that the Quarrel club would not have money be an influential factor in membership. Gwen is apt to criticize capitalism and is she is a firm believer that white imperialism has lead to the huge income inequality gap that exists between the worlds most wealthy and most poor. Gwen won’t admit to herself that she is using Lana as a tool to show off her own biases towards wealth and money in general. In her mind, she’s doing the right thing, offering a woman a spot in a money-driven social circle and coming off as a selfless queen who is above such superficial things such as monetary measures, despite knowing little of actual poverty after growing up in family of extreme upper-class means and opportunities.

Pressing the final wax seal with satisfaction, Gwen felt the high rush that comes whenever she feels she is on the precipice of a brilliant scheme about to be realized. This would be her master project, her legacy, her own personal legend. Oxford would be forever altered, the gender dynamic pushed in a completely different direction with women, her women, leading the pack. Sliding the ivory envelopes into her tan leather backpack, she sauntered out the door, her head raised high, already balancing the inevitable crown she was about to take as her own.

#accepted #gwendolyn armstrong

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babinforaelin · 8 years

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Rowaelin Fanfic, Modern AU, But She’s Looking at You, Part 9

Maeve owns the best club in the city, but when Aelin shows up demanding answers from her Aunt, she is forced into one month of working as a DJ in her Aunt’s club in exchange for information. Along the way she meets Rowan and the rest of the cadre, who are working as bartenders in the club… and Rowan is given the task of babysitting Aelin for the month.

Here she is!! The final instalment of But She’s Looking at You! I Just wanted to say thank you to all the beautiful messages you guys send me, because they honestly keep me going. Since this was the first thing I’ve ever written, I wasn’t even expecting anyone to see it, let alone like it J So thank you from the bottom of my heart <3

Aelin smirked at Maeve, who was shaking with rage as she took in the blank CCTV screens behind her. Her plan had been unfolding perfectly until her Aunt brought Rowan in. He was still sitting in the bloodied chair, but out of the corner of her eye she saw Rowan slowly lift his head. He had been so horribly beaten that Aelin wasn’t even sure if he’d be okay, but at least he was awake.

Before she could inspect him further, Maeve spun around and snarled at her, eyes ablaze with pure loathing.

“As I was saying,” Aelin purred, “give me the information I need and let Rowan go. Then I’ll be on my way.”

Maeve’s nostrils flared with rage, and Aelin waited while her Aunt thought it over. Then her beautiful mouth broke into a sly smile.

“You’re bluffing, aren’t you dear?” she said slowly.

Without breaking her Aunt’s stare, Aelin pulled out a small gold lighter from the pocket of her jeans. She saw Rowan stiffen slightly, the movement so small it was almost undetectable. She knew that the pieces had fallen into place in his mind.

“No, dear Aunt, I’m not. You see, while you’ve been here listening to yourself talk, I’ve had someone leaking all of the gas lines around Doranelle, this room included. So if I so much as light a single flame in here.... well I think you know far too well what will happen.”

With each word Aelin spoke, Maeve’s smile morphed into a glower.

“If what you’re saying is true, then you and all the innocent people in this building would die. Burnt to death.”

Aelin didn’t let herself pause, “Big risk to take, isn’t it Maeve?”

Her Aunt didn’t reply as she glared around the room, at Lorcan and Gavriel still unconscious on the floor, at Rowan who was now staring back at his boss with undiluted hate. Aelin could see the wheels turning in her Aunt’s mind as Maeve weighed up her options thoroughly.

Eventually the black-haired woman breathed a frustrated sigh through her nose and lowered herself back into her chair, arms bracing on her desk.

“Fine. Let’s talk.”

Rowan could hardly believe what he was hearing. Aelin had done it. She had called ‘check-mate’ in what seemed like a never-ending battle between her and Maeve. Aelin spared a glance at him then, probably checking that he was alive and nothing more. But as her stunning eyes met his, he was shocked at the pain that poured out of her. Was it pain for his injuries, or simply because she had been the cause? He didn’t know, and he wasn’t able to consider it before Maeve started once again.

“What do you need to know?” she ground out.

“I want the money, Maeve.”

“You’ll have to be more specific.”

Aelin paused for a moment, considering something, before starting again.

“The money that was rightfully left to me after my parents were killed, probably by you. Or did you think I would be too stupid to work out who had taken it?”

Rowan froze. She had never told him that she thought Maeve was behind her parent’s death. Hadn’t even hinted to it.

Maeve crossed her slender hands under her chin and rested on the desk.

“What proof do you have that I had anything to do with either ... unfortunate event?”

Aelin simply threw the lighter into the air before catching it, over and over again, considering her words. It was the same lighter that she had bought with him. His breath had caught in his throat when he first saw it, not only because it had been a slap in the face to remember a time when he was actually happy, but because it suddenly occurred to him how long Aelin had been planning this. For weeks, months even.

Aelin caught the lighter and stilled.

“Who else would have been in a position to gain anything from it? You were my only remaining blood relative who was also old enough to be my guardian. In terms of the money... you’ve always been rich, but I’m sure you wouldn’t waste any of your own precious funds on building a five-storey night club.”

Maeve’s mouth twisted into a small smile.

“I just can’t help but wonder why you never went to a lawyer about these idea’s of yours?”

Rowan realised that Maeve was choosing her words carefully, making sure that she didn’t admit to anything.

“Because,” Aelin growled, “you know full well that the lifestyle you shoved me into would make me a target for the police. Pit fights aren’t exactly legal in Adarlan.”

Maeve had left her to live that life? So that Aelin would never be able to exact justice? Rowan bristled.

“What do you want me to do, sweet Aelin? Write you a cheque for thirty milion dollars? I doubt the bank would let that slide past them easily.”

Holy God... Aelin’s parents must have been incredibly important for her inheritance to be such a massive sum. It was no wonder Maeve wanted steal it from her. He thought he had worked Aelin out, but he was so wrong. Who was she?

Aelin merely smiled.

“No no, I’ve already taken most the money out out over the past few months.”

Maeve stilled.

“The business partner you’ve been working with recently? Mr. Archer Flynn? Let’s just say that he ran into some trouble shortly after your first meeting with him and ... well it wasn’t hard to fake his movements around Rifthold, or to flash his money around town to make your spies believe he was a serious contender for an investment in your business endeavours. It’s a shame your lackeys never thought to wait and see him without his hoodie on... maybe then you would have realised it was all a ploy. Especially since his body is currently rotting in Riftholds sewers.”

Maeve was shaking now, the rage so strong she could barely keep it contained.

“So I have been sending you letter and emails for months, urging you to send me the money to build our casino in Rifthold, and you stupidly did. So oblivious to the fact you were being used, since you cannot fathom the possibility of falling from this pedestal you sit on.

“The last of the money I was hoping you could give to me in cash. It’s only about five thousand I believe, and if my snooping serves me correctly then the safe behind that ugly painting contains approximately ten-grand.”

Maeve’s face was red now, nails digging into the desk.

“You little bitch,” she seethed.

“Takes one to know one.”

Rowan couldn’t help but breathe a laugh. At her retort, and the entire situation. Both women whipped their heads around to look at him. Aelin gave him a grin that lit up her eyes.

“As for Rowan, I’ve already had the system wiped of the digital copy of his contract. So if you could do me a favour and fetch the original hard copy, that would be brilliant, and since it’s no doubt in the safe then you can grab the money while you’re at it.”

Aelin watched as Maeve slowly rose from her chair and stepped around it. Heels clicking against the dark floor, Maeve walked to large the painting of Medusa’s severed head. She slid the painting across the wall, attached to tracking that was hidden behind its obnoxious frame, revealing the small safe.

“I’m on a tight schedule. I’d appreciate it if you could hurry it up, dear Aunt.” She taunted, only because she wasn’t sure how much longer Rowan would stay conscious for.

Maeve snarled, but punched in the numbers and opened the door with a loud ‘click’.

She reached a hand in, the sound of papers shuffling filling the room.

Then, fast as an asp, she spun to face them. An arm extended as she clasped a handgun in her delicate fingers, the barrel pointed directly at Aelin.

“Perhaps next time you should follow me to the safe.”

Aelin felt her body go stiff at the sight of the gun. She heard a chair scrape against the floor on the other side of the room, followed by grunts as Rowan heaved himself up.

“No. Maeve, don’t hurt her,” he ground out. Aelin didn’t have to look to know blood was still leaking from his mouth.

Maeve pursed her lips at him as her eyes flicked to his stumbling form.

“How noble of you, trying to save her,” she purred. “Haven’t you realised by now that you were nothing but a pawn in her game? You’re worthless to her. Why on earth would she ever love you? A washed-up nobody with a-“

“Rowan, don’t listen to her. I don’t think that. I would never think that.” Aelin said, praying that he could hear the emotion in her voice.

Maeve simply cocked the gun, and although she said nothing, the threat rang loud and clear. One more stray word from Aelin, and she would find herself with a bullet between her eyes.

It was enough to make Rowan stop his slow shuffle across the room. Aelin could feel him a few feet behind her, somewhere to her right.

Her Aunt took a few taunting steps closer, though still too far out of reach. If only Aelin could get the gun off her...

“Rowan stays with me,” Maeve growled, “and I want my money back now.”

Aelin snarled, unable to stop the sound from leaving her throat.

“Go to hell,” she growled at her Aunt.

Maeve stared at her for a long moment, eyes narrowed. Then, before Aelin could blink, she moved her arm to her right and fired the gun.

Directly at Rowan.

Lysandra gasped as she watched Rowan crumble to the floor, clutching his stomach. Aelin screamed silently, the emotion on her face evident even through the laptop screen.

“Shit. Shit, shit, shit,” Dorian swore from beside her.

Blood was already pouring out Rowan’s stomach and pooling around his body. This definitely wasn’t a part of the plan.

Her eyes were planted firmly on her friend, waiting for the signal to send in Aedion and Manon. Aelin had given her firm instructions the night before.

‘Dont, under any circumstance, send them in until I give the signal.’

“Come on Aelin,” Lysandra whispered to the screen. Just give the sign... any second now she would – there. Both Dorian and Lysandra saw Aelin’s hand reach behind her back and make the signal – a tightened fist that then burst open, fingers extending.

Only a second passed before Lysandra called Aedion. He picked up instantly.

“Time to go?” he asked, hushed.

“Get in there now. Maeve pulled out a gun and shot Rowan. Aelin is next. Go, go, go,” she said as quickly as she could.

Aedion hung up, and Lysandra watched as he and Manon ran across the rooftop of Doranelle, then slid down the ropes they had set up earlier and slammed feet-first through Maeve’s office window.

Aelin couldn’t hold back the sobs as she turned to run toward Rowan, but Maeve stopped her with a simple, “ah-ah-ahh.”

Maeve gestured with the gun and Aelin turned back around to face her, tears dripping off her chin.

“I suppose a gas leak would have killed us all. Next time, don’t bluff yourself through a situation, dear.”

Off to her left she could hear Lorcan and Gavriel start to get up, lifted from unconsciousness by the sound of the gunshot.

“Shit,” Gavriel said in horror as he took in his friends bleeding form.

Maeve held out a hand to stop them from walking any further. Then fixed her attention solely on her niece.

“You have been a thorn in my side since the day you were born.” She took leisurely steps toward Rowan as she did so. Aelin didn’t turn to watch her.

“I thought I’d gotten rid of you when I threw you onto the streets of Rifthold, hoped at best you would be scooped up by a brothel madam. You were young enough when your parents died that I hoped it would all appear like a bad dream to you.”

She was directly behind Aelin now, standing beside Rowan, his grunts the only noise in the room as he tried to stunt his bleeding.

“Now,” her Aunt continued, “I’m going to pluck this sweet rose. Unfortunately for you, I don’t need you breathing to retrieve my money. It’s truly a shame you didn’t just stay out of my way, dear child. Maybe then you would have lived.”

Aelin heard Maeve cock the gun another time, and take her aim. Slowly, Aelin turned to face her Aunt, who’s red lips parted in a serpentine smile as she watched her niece accept death.

Rowan lay next to Maeve’s feet, blood pooling against the dark floor. So much blood that Aelin couldn’t comprehend how he was still conscious. He should be dead, she realised with a shudder. This was her fault. All of it was her fault. If she was going to die, then she would tell him the truth.

“Rowan,” she said softly. His eyes lifted to meet hers. The vibrant green had dulled as if the life had drained out of him. She continued.

“You mean more to me than you will ever realise. You were the first person in my life that understood me, and didn’t judge me for it. You showed me that there was more to life than I had ever thought possible. Even though I only knew you for a month, I felt like I had known you my entire life, and.... I’m so sorry. I’m sorry I got you dragged into this, because Maeve knew how I felt. She knew I.... She knew I loved you. For as long as I live, I will be sorry. Perhaps even after that.”

Rowan was motionless, green eyes shining as he realised what she said. She had said it. For once in her life she had told someone the truth.

Maeve tilted her head as she looked between Aelin and Rowan.

“How sweet.”

She slid her finger against the trigger and began to pull.

Aelin closed her eyes.

The pain in Rowan’s abdomen was unlike anything he could imagine. He had been shot before, mostly during his time in the police force, but nothing this serious. His blood had now soaked through his clothes, his hair, but it still poured out of him.

With each second that passed he felt his life drip away. He had his hand pressed to hard against the wound that his fingers were going numb. Or perhaps that was the blood loss.

But all of that pain and worry had eased when Aelin spoke to him. When she said those words. ‘I love you.'

For a brief moment Rowan had been transported back, to a time when Aelin was curled up against him while he played with her hair, her forehead pressed to his chest as they lay on her bed. She had looked up at him then, her eyes soft as she pressed a kiss to his pectoral. The motion so gentle that his heart had skipped a beat.

Rowan realised in that moment that Aelin had been in love with him. Not only that, but she had been for a long while.

As the memory faded, and Maeve muttered some words, Rowan gathered the last of his strength. He would do this. If it was the last thing he did, he would do this for Aelin. Because he loved her.

Maeve’s finger moved to pull the trigger, and Rowan kicked his leg out. Smacking Maeve in ankles so hard that she fell backwards. The shot rang out, and the bullet lodged itself in the ceiling.

Aelin was already running for them, refusing to miss a chance, just as he had hoped. But she didn’t move to get the gun off her Aunt. She came for him.

But the motion he made had torn the wound even further, and Rowan could feel himself flickering. Unconsciousness swept in for a few moments, but Aelin slapped him hard enough that his eyes sprung open once again.

“Stay with me Rowan. Stay with me.”

A heartbeat passed, when Rowan heard the sound of glass smashing. Behind Aelin’s shoulder Aedion and Manon were quickly unclipping ropes from harnesses and moving to fight Gavriel and Lorcan.

Aelin used that moment of Maeve’s distraction to rise and slam a foot into her stomach. The gun flew out of her manicured hand and Aelin wasted to time in grabbing it and taking aim.

On the other side of the room, Manon had quickly taken Lorcan down and was now helping Aedion.

Rowan might have been imagining things thanks to the blood loss, but he swore he heard Gavriel whisper, “Son?” before Aedion delivered a round-house kick to his gut.

Aelin inched back until she was once again at Rowan’s side. Without taking her aim off Maeve, she reached down and slid her arm around Rowan, heaving him up. Aedion and Manon quickly ran over and took over. They walked him to the window but Rowan could do very little to help them support his weight. His wound was screaming.

He heard Aelin’s shoes scuff against the floor as she walked to the safe and grabbed everything she needed, gun still pointed at Maeve. Then, slow as a tiger watching it’s prey, she came over to the window and dropped the money in one of the backpacks Manon had brought. Aedion was pressing Rowan’s hands against the rope, whispering instructions to him, “You just need to hold on for five seconds. That’s it. The car will be right there, and then we can get you sorted out.”

Rowan nodded, though it was an effort to do so.

Maeve growled from across the room, anger seeping out of her in waves.

Aelin held the gun and papers in her hand. Rowan’s contract, he realised.

She once again pulled out the gold lighter from her pocket and flicked it open.

“Rowan comes with me. The money is mine.”

She pressed the paper to the edge of the flame and the heat quickly began to eat away at the contract.

Aelin checked her watch briefly.

“Also, I wasn’t completely bluffing about the gas leak. I rigged it to start in approximately two minutes. So you can either stay here and burn, or get the hell out.”

Maeve’s eyes widened in shock, and then she narrowed them and snarled.

“I will find you again Aelin Ashryver Galathynius, and when I do you will be dead before you even realise what is happening.”

Galathynius.... as in the royal family of Terrasen? Rowan was obviously losing his mind.

Aelin dropped the papers to the ground and checked her nails, bored.

“Sounds like a bucket of fun, Maeve. See you in hell.”

Rowan didn’t get to see what happened next because Aedion told him once again to hold one before he threw Rowan out the window. His palms burned as they slid against the rope, but he held on. The ground loomed closer and spots clouded his vision. Manon slid on the rope across from him, and when he reached the bottom she ran to help him to the back of the van. The doors opened and he saw Lysandra and Dorian waiting for him, ready with bandages and bottles of disinfectant. Rowan vaguely recalled Aelin saying that Dorian was in his fourth year at med school, studying to be a surgeon. Lucky him.

Manon pushed Rowan into the back and he lay flat on his back. Dorian’s face loomed over him.

“Not going to lie, we were expecting Aelin to be in this position, not you.”

Rowan couldn’t imagine anything worse.

He felt the tentative hands of Lysandra prodding at his face, checking to see what had been broken.

The next thing he knew, Aelin jumped in the back and started shouting. “IS HE ALRIGHT?” She crouched next to him, hands resting on either side of his face.

“Rowan! Are you okay? I’m so sorry.” She started sobbing. He lifted a hand to hers, caressing a thumb over her skin, which only made her cry harder.

“I’m fine, Aelin. Thank you for saving me,” he whispered.

He was vaguely aware that the van was moving now.

“I love you, Buzzard,” she growled at him.

He chuckled at the nickname, despite everything that had just happened.

“I love you too, Fireheart.”

A large BOOM sounded from behind them then, making the very ground they were driving on begin to shake.

“Maeve’s office?” he guessed.

Aelin’s grin was her only reply.

Two months later

Aelin’s cries of pleasure died down, though her heart was still racing. Rowan gently eased himself out of her, planting kisses along her collarbone as he did. They lay there for a few minutes, panting against one another, skin slick with sweat. Rowan moved his kisses to her neck, and she suddenly found it very hard to focus.

“You’re distracting me,” she said, breathless.

He nipped at her throat.

“You needed distracting.”

Aelin couldn’t argue with that. She had been finalising her plans to go after Arobynn with such an eye for detail that her head had started spinning. Rowan was good at knowing when she needed to be dragged out of her research. Hence how they had ended up like this – Aelin’s back pressed against the soft pillows of their bed as he ravaged her.

They had moved into her apartment in Rifthold and for the first time in her life, Aelin was truly happy. She knew Rowan felt the same.

His kisses moved lower, between her breasts, and it became hard to breathe.

Aelin had always believed it fate. That tug that had led her to Wendlyn in search for her Aunt... Perhaps it had been meant to lead her to Rowan the entire time. She would never know.

But as Rowan pressed kisses against her abdomen, she decided it didn’t matter.

Fate or coincidence she didn’t care. Because all she knew was that she would be eternally grateful.

The end.

#rowaelin fanfiction #rowaelin fanfic #my writing #tog fanfic #throne of glass

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elsbethvanparidon-blog · 7 years

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A woman’s most sensuous asset during the Han Dynasty (221 B.C.- 220 A.D.) was her mouth. Women created rounded, heart and flower shapes on their lips using rouge, the ancient lipstick alternate. So what rocks the brush boat anno 2017? Temper hooks up with makeup artist Cooper “Tan!n” Cu!

From (non-)biblical times, we travel to a city deemed by some a Sodom and Gomorrah of the digital age: Shanghai. One cosmopolitan cosmetic playground.

Fantastical

The ancient Romans were widely using cosmetics by the middle of the 1st century A.D., make-up maven Medusa informs us. Kohl was an essential asset to literally tone down the eyelashes and eyelids, achieving that intense-looking smokey avant-la-lettre sultriness. Chalk, then, was used for whitening the complexion and rouge in turn was worn on the apples of the cheeks — how very Snow White. On a “did you know?” note: Hair removal too already proved a popular practice 2000 years ago and pumice was used for cleaning the teeth. And feet, I dare presume — given the fashionableness of sandals…

The earliest historical record of makeup hails from the First Dynasty of ancient Egypt (3218–3035 B.C., give or take). Tombs recovered from this era have revealed jars containing lotion, which in later periods became scented. Cream was extensively used by both the men and women — both in real life and afterlife — to maintain a supple, well-hydrated skin. The women of ancient Egypt decorated their eyes by applying dark green color to the under-lid and blackening both the lashes and the upper lid using kohl. This kohl was produced from the chemical (metallic) element antimony or plain soot.

In bulking up your impressively useless party-trivia beautycase: Legend has it that the Jews adopted their application of makeup from the Egyptians as references to “the painting of faces” appear throughout the New Testament. Salome must have really known her way around a brush.

Tan!n, Tokyo Harayuku 2012

From biblical times, we travel to a city deemed by outsiders a Sodom and Gomorrah of the digital age: Shanghai. Trained and educated at Tokyo’s MODE GAKUEN, currently Japan’s largest specialized training college, for four years, Japanese certified makeup artist Cooper “Tan!n” Cu in 2016 made his way from Japan’s metropolis to Shanghai. With his visual art published across fashion magazines such as ELLE, AR Tokyo, Zipper, EDGE STYLE, RAY, and having painted the catwalk multi-colori from Tokyo Fashion Week to Dior, make-up artist Cooper “Tan!n” Cu is one hot, hip and happening (and Temper trending) cookie.

Courtesy of Suzuki Swift for Japan Coolture

History Of Japanese Makeup: Geisha Matters

Because we simply cannot not go there.

The rightful origins of the white makeup on a geisha’s face are remain uncertain. According to Japan Coolture, one theory has it that during the Middle ages “a traveller returned from Europe with stories of “pale-faced” beauties”. Plausible as this may sound, the white makeup is said to have come from China and to have later been adopted by Japanese courtesans. Considering that its use first appeared in the Heian era (794-1185), when China exerted a strong cultural influence over Japan, this theory probably makes for the better-fitting explanation. Japan Coolture continues:

“Women in the Heian era used rice powder mixed with water to form a thin layer of paste to be applied on the face as foundation layer. Then they would remove their eyebrows and paint in thick, straight, false eyebrows high on their forehead and coloured them in thick black in the middle of the forehead. The lips were painted red. To finish off the overall look, the lips are colored in with a small, precise brush. Once the colour was extracted from the benibana flower (aka the safflower) infused in water, then covered with crystallized sugar to give it lustre.”

Minutiae alert: Teeth would be stained black with a mixture of oxidized iron steeped in an acidic solution, a custom that ended in the Meiji era (1868-1912) and is now only used by maiko (training geishas) in the week before they become geiko (“master” of the art). Bear in mind that the term geiko was primarily used to refer to geisha from Kyoto. Although geisha formerly referred to only those originating from Tokyo and its surrounding areas, this word has now become the general term for all geisha. Be that as may, the Heian era’s amorous and idyllic look was later adopted by the courtesans inside “houses of pleasure”, trying to mimic (recapture, even) the illustrative and symbolic delicacy of those golden geisha days long vanished into the mist.

Cooper “Tan!n”Cu

Ten Temper questions With Tan!n

1. How old were you when you became obsessed with makeup?

“Actually… It was purely by chance that I became a makeup artist when I was 22! When I was a kid, I liked painting and once I — fast forward a decade — had graduated from college, I decided I wanted to step into the fashion world. Why I chose to become a makeup artist, specifically, was simply because I wanted to make people more beautiful and show them how to build up their confidence and just own it by using colorful things to show off their personalities!”

2. When did you decide “okay, this is it, I’m going to be a professional makeup artist?”

“My first professional gig was with M.A.C., back when I was still in Tokyo. To dot the i’s and cross my t’s in my answer to this question, I should add that this was in fact my first job after striding into — and opening up — the world of fashion, or rather that of ‘makeup’. I like a challenge, especially when it comes to makeup, and always want to try to a lot of new things that at first glance may seem beyond my reach or capabilities. So whilst working on that very first M.A.C. job, I made up my mind and told myself ‘this is it’!”

Fantasy

3. What role does make-up play in Tokyo? How important is the role of make-up in Japanese history and culture? In a few words, if you please.

“As the second biggest city in the world, fashion and make-up play an essential part in the daily lives of many a Tokyo-resident. The whole world by now knows about ‘Kabukicho [Tokyo’s nightlife hub that, in the 21st Century, has witnessed the rise of the modern male ‘geisha’, if you will and FYI] and kimono’ geisha makeup. When walking the streets of Tokyo, one witnesses a vast array of styles. Harajuku, however cliche this may sound, is perhaps the one area boasting the widest variety in Japanese dress and makeup styles. Love.”

Fantasia

Fantasia Again

4. How do you communicate with the photographer you’re working with on a shoot to achieve his or her goals?

“First off, I have to tell the photographer what the client’s concept and thoughts on this are. That takes priority. Obviously, it takes some back and forth when deciding on which style-route to take and how we can really bring the idea to life! It’s a continuous dialogue. And of course, there are those times that a photographer shares with me the image he has his mind set on and I can just roll with that. Which is fun, obviously.”

5. How much of your input do you add to achieve the results the photographer is looking for?

“Quite a lot. First and foremost, you must remember that the photographer is the most important person on set. You have to channel his vision — or in the case of a fashion show, the designer’s vision, of course — through makeup and ensure the whole look is on-fleek. My input heavily relies on imagination and communication. We, the makeup artist, are there to get the job done. To perfection! Like I said before, communicating before shooting is key for any team. I then have to convey my ideas to my team. We’ll draft a plan of action and arrange for a strategy to be in place. And then… We go wild [laughs].”

6. What are the three tools in your makeup kit that you can never, ever be without?

“The three tools I can never, ever go without are my brushes, a small towel and sponges!”

Tan!n for the “Black Cotton”Collection by Daven Zhang, Shanghai.

7. Which one do you prefer to work on: Catwalk or photoshoot?

“Which one do I prefer… Honestly, I don’t think I have a particular preference. As a make-up artist, I often have no choice but to … well… face reality [laughs]. I like fashion. That’s just it; the setting, stage, shape or size doesn’t matter to me. I will say this, when it comes to photoshoots, you have to be more careful and precise when applying the makeup. The catwalk is a different beast: It’s fast, quickie makeup.”

Tan!n for the “Black Cotton”Collection by Daven Zhang, Shanghai.

8. Your move to China, then. Any No.1 trend spotted?

“My move to China. Basically, I’m now working as a freelancer, mostly! The larger part of my of jobs involve collaborations with high-fashion brands and then of course you have Shanghai Fashion Week. Trend-wise, then. Baby-face, baby doll, heavy eyeliner, smokey eyes, au naturel… There’s no pinpointing one current makeup trend here. At this very moment, I should add. It’s a party!”

9. What, to you, is “beauty”? Or “Chinese beauty”, in a non-offensive PC kinda way

” [laughs] Let’s just say ‘Asian’ beauty, shall we? Short and sweet: It’s all about maximalizing natural or ‘minimal’ makeup. That’s ‘beauty’ to me.”

10. Where do you get your inspiration from?

“Nature, objects, stories, anything and everything that crosses my daily path in a sensual, visual or audible way! Inspiration is everywhere and can strike at any time.”

Tan!n, 2014 Paris Collection, Tokyo.

History Of Cosmetics: Fun Facts

Women in the 19th Century would use belladonna to make their eyes appear more luminous. This poisonous plant that has been used as a medicine since ancient times; it was named “Belladonna” after the “beautiful women” of Renaissance Italy, who took it to enlarge their pupils.

Many cosmetics in the 1800s were formulated (literally) by the parish pharmacist and this type of “expert” commonly employed ingredients such as mercury and nitric acid. Lovely. Nevertheless, fast forward some 200 years and Melanie Haiker reported the following in Forbes back in 2012:

“The list of dangerous skin creams is fairly long, but — so far at least — contains only products you’d purchase from an import store or Latino, Asian or Middle Eastern market, and no American-made brands or products. The creams are intended primarily for “skin lightening” and anti-aging and include Stillman’s skin bleach cream, Diana skin lightening formula, and numerous products with labels in Chinese, Hindi, and other languages.”

Moving on. Men wore makeup until the 1850s. George IV spent a fortune on cold cream, powders, pastes and scents. However, not all men wore makeup, as many looked upon a man with rouged cheeks as a dandy. Well-heeled Louis XIV was a sleek bit of mink in his own right, both the women and men of Versailles bore heavy white makeup consisting of mercury, lead, egg whites and vinegar. Yummy.

On a final fun note, here’s one beauty tip recipe utilized during the late 19th Century, once again courtesy of Medusa’s Makeup:

“As a wash for the complexion: one teaspoon of flour of sulphur and a wine glassful of lime water, well shaken and mixed with half a wine-glass of glycerine and a wine-glass of rose-water. Rub on the face every night before going to bed. “

From the 1930s through the 1950s, Hollywood’s studio movie stars proved to be the cat’s meow in het world of makeup trends. Audrey Hepburn’s cat-eyed liner, the liberated “anything goes” or “je m’en fou” hippie look of the 1960s and the heavily lined eyes, shimmeringly showcasing every eyeshadow in the palette, throughout the 1980s yuppie culture. Today’s trend seems to have reverted to the more natural look with a blending of styles from our rich cosmetic past. Nonetheless, given Temper is wise as Solomon, never forget: One must never blend in, but indeed always stand out!

Contact Tan!n via

WeChat: Cooper_Coco E-mail: [email protected] Tel: +86 18362054976

Images: With the exception of the Suzuki Swift image, all images in this feature come courtesy of Cooper Tan!n Cu.

Ten Questions With Make-Up Artist Cooper "Tan!n" Cu: Never Blending In. A woman’s most sensuous asset during the Han Dynasty (221 B.C.- 220 A.D.) was her mouth. Women created rounded, heart and flower shapes on their lips using rouge, the ancient lipstick alternate.

#art #beauty #china #fashion #hair #Japan #magazine #Makeup #photography #style #technology #travel

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stephaniegoestoflorence · 11 years

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(07/20/13) The Uffitzi & Pitti Palace

This morning we went to the Uffizi Gallery. The Uffizi is huge and composed of two big long wings: an east wing and a west wing. We started in the east wing and moved our way south until we made our way into the west wing. We dealt mainly with Renaissance work first, of which one of my favorites was "Madonna and Child with two Angels" by Filippo Lippi. I'm not usually prone to liking family scenes, religious scenes, or particularly pretty women when it comes to art, but this one just did it for me. Or, after all of the earlier, more Classical art I'd been seeing, the transparencies afforded by oil-resins, the more natural and non-idealized features, and the lighter, sweeter colors were just a breath of fresh air. The one that struck me most, however, was "The Birth of Venus" by Botticelli and partly for sentimental reasons.

When I was little--about 9 or 10--I became obsessed with Greek mythology. I had one of those flashcard books, with the long, skinny cards that were held together by a key ring and gave information on science, history, art, and so on. The little card book I had was about the major characters of Greek mythology, including Aphrodite. Botticelli's "The Birth of Venus" was the image used for Aphrodite's card and I used to stare and stare at the tiny reproduction of the painting. The artist, title, and museum were all listed underneath the image and I remember thinking, "Someday, when I get bigger, I'm going to go see this painting." Today, I did. And misted up a little standing in front of it. Like a big girl, though, I blinked real hard until I was composed.

Something interesting to note, though, is that the painting is one of, if not the first painting ever done on canvas. Previous to this, artists always painted on board. For this part of the world, the wood of choice was popular. Farther north, oak. "The Birth of Venus", being created at a time when there were no large factories to make a huge piece of canvas, is actually composed of two pieces of canvas stitched carefully together. The loom that the canvas maker would have used would not have been able to make a wider piece, so Botticelli used two. When you see the piece in person, you can actually see a very faint line running across the center of the painting where the two pieces meet.

We also saw Botticelli's "Primavera", which became more interesting to me once our art historian, Joan, explained it. The piece, although very different in subject matter, is meant to be exhibited with "The Birth of Venus". Whereas "The Birth of Venus" presents the idea of chaste nudity and beauty, "Primavera" is meant to represent change. The piece is horizontally formatted and meant to be read right to left. The eye moves from Zephyrus, to Chloe, to the wood nymph, to the goddess Flora, to Venus, to the Three Graces, and finally ends on Mercury near the left edge.

What fascinated me has to do with the three rightmost figures. Zephyrus, the West Wind, is shown chasing after Chloe. Once he gets a hold of her, Joan said they "get together" (which sounds consenting, while the painting doesn't look consenting at all). You'll notice that there's a vine or some kind of green something-or-other coming out of Chloe's mouth and that this vine/stuff extends onto the goddess Flora. That's because Chloe becomes Flora through her union with Zephyrus; unlike all the other figures in the painting, which don't crowd each other, Chloe appears to push up onto Flora. This represents her transformation into her. This transformation seemed so mysterious and fantastic to me, that I came to really like this painting. Flora's serene and knowing expression helped, of course. A fun little fact is that there are over 80 species of Florentine flowers in the painting, all identifiable and--as Joan tells us from her personal experience--all real. She says that she's seen them all here in Italy over the years.

After viewing more work, Joan released us. This was a good, good thing, as my knees were about to give out and I'd been crazy hungry for two of our three hours with Joan. Classmate Aparna and I grabbed lunch from the Museum's rooftop cafeteria and enjoyed the close-up view of the Vecchio Museum's clock tower and coats of arms. I had a tuna sandwich with salad and mayo and a custard and almond slice tart. The sandwich was slightly salty for a tuna sandwich, but the soft focaccia bread, salad, and tomatoes balanced it out. The custard and almond tart was dusted with powdered sugar, had a mild custard, and nutty-sweet almonds. So good!

Afterward, Aparna and I went down to some of the lower levels of the museum and saw Artemesia Gentileschi's "Judith Slaying Holofernes". No one knows the rush of enthusiasm I felt when I rounded a corner and saw this piece hanging on the wall. In my excitement, I said something that isn't repeatable on this blog and startled Aparna a little bit. I stood there for awhile and tried to soak it all up. Here it was, a piece we'd seen in art history and art seminar, a piece of significance in both art and feminism, and I was standing in front of it.

Good God.

I took a photo. Please don't hold it against me.

Eventually, I moved on (Aparna patiently waited for me), and we also saw Caravaggio's "Medusa", some preparatory sketches by other masters, and Madonna and Child after Madonna and Child. Sore and suffering from museum fatigue, we headed out for our respective residences. Once at the apartment, I put my feet up for some time before eating a little more and heading out to the Modern Art Gallery at the Pitti Palace. I arrived early, so I grabbed some lemon sorbetto at a gelato stand before walking up to meet everyone.

The Pitti Palace, being a building of the Medici (just like the Uffizi), is also huge. We visited only one wing of it--the Modern Art Gallery. For those not very familiar with art terms, this does not mean works from nowadays; from about the 1970's on up to today, that's called contemporary art. Modern art starts somewhere in the 1800's. The works we viewed included a few marble pieces of life-size nude young women with little butterfly wings, which were so thin that the sun shone through the marble. Beautiful craftsmanship and completely charming. As we moved through each room, I was struck by how low-key the museum security was. I saw multiple people covertly take some shots with their phones or cameras--sometimes even in the same room as a guard. The guards, for the most part, looked bored and could be found texting, reading, or lounging in their small guard chairs.

...I took some shots too. For you guys, I promise.

Another point of interest about the Pitti Palace is that the rooms are multiple and small and it is very easy to get too close to a piece and set off an alarm. Once you move away it's fine. However, we were constantly hovered, stepping, or gesturing too near to the sensors and every five to ten minutes we'd hear a beeping. The guards hardly looked up, it's so common at the Pitti Palace. We moved on to historical paintings of Italy both just before and just after its unification from city-states to the country we know today. These were enormous, floor to ceiling, wall to wall pieces.

At length, we visited pieces from the Macchiaoli collection. Joan looked around at our group and asked if anyone was from the Landscape Workshop. The small number of us who were in this museum group raised our hands and Joan said, "Ah," before telling us a few things about the Macchiaoli. These painters started about 1555, 1556. Because they were also painting around the time that Italy was unifying (the 1860's), they became very concerned with "truths". The "truth" or "essence" of being Italian, but also the "essence" of art.

The word "macchi" means "blotch", and this is the word that Macchiaoli is derived from. The Macchiaoli believed that the "truth" of art lay in tonalities: light and dark areas. That colors were always the same--red was always red, blue was always blue--and that the only thing that changes the way they look is how light and shadow played across them. For this reason, they emphasized the values of what they saw and painted in "blotches" of light and shadow, of tonalities. In order to help themselves emphasize or compress the values they saw, they would use a black mirror (really a piece of black glass) with which they looked at the reflection of the scene they were painting. We've been using these black mirrors in class as well, but I hadn't realized that the Macchiaoli introduced them to the art world.

Joan told us a little more about some things that I had practiced in class, but hadn't realized were started by or had origins with the Macchiaoli. She then released us for the second time today and we realized that this had been our last class with her. We stood around for about fifteen minutes afterward talking to her before parting. Aparna and I were curious about another gallery in the palace and decided to check it out as our ticket allowed us to do so.

We visited the Galleria Palatina. This gallery houses much more Classical(?) work and as we had just started to experience museum fatigue, I couldn't really describe any specific pieces to you (apologies!). There was one room, though, that was enthralling: the Sala dell'Iliade. We walked in and met the tall, brown walls, covered in paintings, which led our eyes up to the white and gold molding along the ceiling, which led us up to a magnificent tondo/dome painting. It depicts the Roman (and therefore Greek) gods and goddess on Mount Olympus, with Jupiter seated on a throne at the top (naturally) and almost all the other divinities seated or standing below him. While Aparna was looking up, I used her body as a shield so that I could take few shots without the guards looking. I felt awful about it, but wanted to show you all, and that desire won out. I'm sorry, Italy.

As the paintings and rooms began to all look the same, Aparna and I headed out. We grabbed some gelato--strawberry and pineapple this time--and ate as we walked a bit of the way back to our respective apartments. Here now, I'm up for a shower, so goodnight to you all!

#text #week 3 #florence #day 20

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andrewmoocow · 7 years

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Gravity Soul chapter 5: Madness of Sloth, The First Horseman of the Apocalypse? (originally posted on February 11, 2018)

AN: I'm going to enjoy writing this chapter. This is where things get really good, kind of like how Gravity Falls became fantastic midway through its first season or how Soul Eater became more serious when Medusa was introduced. This is also the final chapter of the Black Blood arc and from here on out, there's only one way to go and that's up! Anyway, let us begin.

HOLGS, TIVVW, VMEB ZMW DIZGS

ULFI LU GSVN ULINRMT Z EVIB WZIP KZGS

HBNYLORARMT Z UVD WVZWOB HRMH

GSVHV ZIV SRH UFGFIV SLIHVNVM

Finally returning to the Mystery Shack, the Pines Family and their friends were more than happy to just take a moment to relax after such a long day at the Northwests' duplex. "Feels like ages since we left here!" Stan exclaimed stretching his arms. "I'm lookin' to just flop down in my favorite chair and catch up on some Baby Fights."

"I'm feeling parched, you got any Cheetah Chug Mr. Pines?" Black Star asked. "Cheetah what-now?" Ford wondered. "Cheetah Chug, it's an energy drink made out of genuine cheetah sweat. I do not want to know how one would obtain it without getting mauled." Death the Kid explained.

"Doesn't matter, I got some Charisma Justice to read!" Black Star said walking through the front door of the tourist trap before being greeted by Soos's abuelita. "Hello there ninja man, would you like some dinosaur-shaped cookies?" she asked. "DO I!?" the loudmouthed assassin exclaimed taking an entire handful and swallowing them all in one gulp. "Yeah, my grandma makes the best cookies." Soos said. "I always do mijo."

"Well, I'm going into the woods to conduct some research on the local cryptids for Lord Death." Stein stated beginning to walk away before Dipper stopped him. "Wait doc, why don't you stay here and play a game with us?" he asked. "Wait here, I'll go grab it!" Rushing upstairs, he returned with a large game box in his hands. "We call it Dungeons, Dungeons and More Dungeons!"

"This is Dipper and I's favorite game!" Ford exclaimed. "Interesting, how do you play it?" Maka wondered taking off her black overcoat. "Allow me to answer that for you." Dipper answered flipping through a rulebook before landing on a page and he began to read. "First, you roll a 38-sided die to determine the level of each player's statistical analysis poweroid. These orbs relate directly to the amount of quadrants that your team has dominion ov-"

"NEEEEERDS!" Patty screamed, suddenly interrupting him. "Hey, do you mind Patty, I'm trying to get them into a game I love!" Dipper shouted back. "Sorry DP, it's just that you've been saying tons of dork words." she said in her honest opinion, to which Dipper and Ford replied with a tired sigh. "Yes to be honest, some of the words in this rulebook do sound quite silly." Ford said taking the book out of his great-nephew's hands. "I mean, who in their right mind would say 'Esophagus of Timera' with a straight face?"

"You got a good point there Ford. So, anyone want to play?" Dipper offered. "I'd certainly like to go a round." Kid accepted. "Perfect, now then let's begin!" Ford declared setting the game on the table. "Now then, your party meets up at a great mathematician's assembly..."

This air of calmness continued long into the night. Dipper & Ford have gotten Maka, Kid & Stein absorbed into their game, Stan was watching TV with Liz, Patty, Crona, Spirit, Wendy & Soos, Mabel was busy knitting a sweater for Soul with Waddles resting by her side, Black Star was doing push-ups and Tsubaki was making dinner with Melody. "He put the old in Old West, but now a new kid is doing the exact same thing! They call him Grandpa the Kid's Grandkid 19: Yet Another One!" the TV advertised. "I'm tired during the day." the elderly cowpoke on the screen grumbled. "Me too." the younger boy added.

"Did they really need to make another Grandpa the Kid movie decades after the original?" Stan complained. "I mean, they've been making unnecessary sequels since '94 and they're all dumbed down for kids! The original from 1967 was fine on its own and maybe a few of those sequels were pretty okay before the double digits, but did they really need to give him a grandson?"

"And how has Grandpa not died yet after nineteen movies?" Ford added. "If you don't like it, why don't you just change the channel?" Liz stated. "Yeah, what she said." Wendy added fistbumping the elder Thompson. "Oh okay, but don't say I didn't warn you." the elder groaned changing the channel to Baby Fights. "Oh finally, this is what I wanted!"

"So Mabel, heard you took control of Soul back at Pacifica's place." Maka commented rolling the thirty eight-sided dice. "Yeah, and we worked pretty well together even though I wasn't like you, Black Star or Kid!" Mabel exclaimed. "I think it might be because your character makes your Soul Wavelength compatible with tons of people." Stein explained. "Soul what now?" Dipper wondered. "Allow me to explain."

Stein produced a sheet of paper from his labcoat pocket and began to sketch various orbs with faces on them along with distinct features like Wendy's long red hair, Soos's stubble, Mabel's eternally smiling visage, Dipper's hat, Stan's nose and Ford's sideburns. "Because of her exuberant personality and uncanny ability to make friends with pretty much anyone, Mabel is able to plug into various Demon Weapons like an amp for example. However Dipper is more introverted and his soul might only accept those he can trust."

"Wow, you think we could have our own weapons and become Meisters someday? I'd love to have an awesome sword!" Dipper exclaimed imitating fighting with a sword. "This sounds pretty cool and all, but I already have a weapon of my own." Mabel declared pulling out her famous grappling hook. "GRAPPLING HOOK!"

"Hey speaking of swords, don't you think that Bill Cipher guy sounds a bit familiar?" Black Star wondered getting up and walking over to Kid. "Yes, his choice of attire includes a top hat & cane and is a complete annoyance to whoever he meets." Kid stated. "Kind of reminds me of..."

Before he could even finish, the two's faces contorted into that of pure disgust as they were reminded of a certain Holy Sword. "Even when he's not here he still finds a way to be so lame!" Black Star groaned. "Absolutely disgusting." Kid added. "What's the face for and how can I do it?" Stan asked. "In fact, I'd rather not know."

"Okay everyone, dinner's ready!" Tsubaki called as she walked into the living room with Melody carrying a large pot and setting it down on the table on top of the game. "Careful, we were in the middle of taking down Probabilitor's monster army!" Ford shouted before Tsubaki opened the pot for the others to see what delicious meal was inside. "Is that paprika I smell?!" Spirit wondered taking a deep whiff of the pot's contents. "We made some gumbo for you all, eat up before it goes cold!" Melody said.

"Thanks you two, this sure beats steamed hams!" Stan thanked the women before chowing down on some gumbo. "Where's that cat lady? I'm sure she'd love some of this." Ford wondered before, as if he spoke of the devil, Blair walked in wearing only a small towel.

"Yoo-hoo, who wants to take a bath with me?!" she called bending over to show some cleavage. "The water's nice & warm and I'm feeling a bit lonely in the tub!" She concluded by letting her towel fall to her feet, exposing her bare womanly curves as Ford shielded the twins' eyes in alarm and Soul collapsed backward with blood flying out his nose and gumbo splattering all over her face. "Good grief, can you at least put on a bathrobe? There are children here!"

"Why is she always like this?" Stan wondered. "She's just really playful, might as well get used to it." Soul groaned still on his back. "Uh, uh..." Dipper whimpered before feeling his shorts and saying "Quiet you!"

Just then, Mabel's phone buzzed from inside her sweater pocket and she picked it up to discover a text from Pacifica saying "my place, now!" with a series of emojis next to it depicting panic. "Guys, I got a text from Pacifica and she might need our help!" she exclaimed. "Help with what?" Crona wondered before Mabel bolted for the door. "Whatever's happening with her, it must be serious." Stan commented racing after his great-niece and the others followed suit, leaving only Soos behind.

"Hey dudes, what about the leftover gumbo?" he called. "Ah well, more for me then." He grabbed the pot and gulped down the last of the food before tossing it away and running to his friends. "Wait for me!"

It wasn't long before the Stanleymobile arrived at the Northwests' home and the Mystery Meisters arrived at the front door, which was answered by Priscilla. "Oh thank you all for coming again, we have a serious crisis on our hands!" she exclaimed. "Preston hasn't been feeling himself lately and we fear it may have to do with the strange black fluid in his veins."

"The Black Blood must be getting worse, come on guys!" Dipper ordered racing into the house and to Preston's study where they found Pacifica hiding in a dark corner where her father couldn't see her. "Get away from me!" she cried before realizing who she was facing. "Oh thank goodness, it's just you."

"It's going to be all right Paz," Dipper said comforting her. "just what is going on that warranted that text to Mabel?" he asked. "That Black Blood you were talking about has been starting to take over him. Like just earlier he was ringing that bell like crazy while screaming some weird stuff." Pacifica explained. "Wait, what time is it again?"

"It's thirty-five after seven, and the sun went down an hour ago. Which means your father doesn't have much time left." Kid answered. "Liz, Patty, if you please." he ordered his twin weapons before they transformed into his pistols. "Now then, let's finish this."

The Meisters all took up arms as the Mystery Meisters slowly advanced from behind, ready to strike at any moment. All it took was a single raise of Preston's arm to provoke them into attacking before he stopped them. "No, don't!" he cried bolting out of his chair. "Please, just let this happen. I've done some absolutely terrible things in the past and I feel this is a fitting punishment for myself."

"Why are you so defeatist all of the sudden?! We can help you! Somehow." Dipper said. "He's right Dad, maybe they have some strange magic to take out that blood!" Pacifica added. "I'm sorry everyone, but there's no turning back now." Preston finally resigned to his fate as the clouds gave way to expose the shining moon above. Although it illuminated the room beautifully, there was an aura of fear as the Northwest patriarch began trembling in his feet before dropping to his knees and clutching his head in pain.

"Please Northwest, just let us help you!" Ford tried to help before Preston pushed him away. With one strained stare, he simply gave his daughter a few final words. "I'm sorry Pacifica. I love you."

The transformation was indeed a horrifying sight as the former philanthropist became incredibly deformed, his skin turning a very pale green, his back gaining a large hump, one eye turning yellow & wide open while another remained shut and above all else, his hands becoming ginormous. Gone was Preston Jacob Northwest and in his place was the Madness of Sloth.

"What even is that thing?!" Dipper screamed at the top of his lungs trying to flee. "I never knew Black Blood could do that!" Maka exclaimed grabbing the boy's arm. "Me neither!" Soul added with Crona nodding behind him. "Well what're we waitin' for, let's kill 'im!" Ragnarok shouted.

"No, he may be a giant monster now but he's still my dad!" Pacifica urged them otherwise before the Madness of Sloth grabbed her in his cumbersome hands and jumped through the window, scampering into the night. "Oh no, he's got Pacifica!" Mabel cried. "What is he going to do with her?" Soos wondered before they heard the door open to find her mother standing there looking more afraid than when they answered the door earlier. "What happened, where are they?!"

"Your husband's turned into some giant monster that looked like he came out of some mid 19th century French novel and ran off with your daughter!" Melody said. "We have to go after them immediately! Let's roll!" Spirit declared. "Wait, I'm not taking Mr. Pines's car this time." Kid stopped them as he called a skateboard to his side and leaped on top of it. "You have a skateboard?" Wendy wondered. "Not just any skateboard." Tapping it with his foot, the board's wheels turned downward and started firing jets.

"SHUT, UP!" Dipper exclaimed in complete astonishment. "This is Beelzebub, my trusted Death God skateboard. It can fly at great speeds, it's maximum being 300mph." Kid explained. "Now then, let's roll."

The Madness of Sloth swung through the forest like Tarzan with Pacifica in his hand, charging towards town. Hot on his trail were the Mystery Meisters in the Stanleymobile with Death the Kid riding on Beelzebub above them and the Pines twins clinging onto it with Mabel's grappling hook.

"THIS WAS A BAD IDEAAAAA!" Dipper screamed trying to cling onto his sister while she cheered from the adrenaline. "Quiet friends, I need to concentrate!" Kid commanded keeping an eye out for the beast. "Anything Stanford?" he asked the scientist. Just then, Preston came within Ford's sights and he pointed straight at him. "I can see him! Fire on my command!"

"Right! Ready girls?" the Demon Pistol Meister said to his weapons. "Right Kid!" Liz and Patty obliged as he began firing at the monster. Sloth was eventually knocked down, releasing Pacifica from his grasp as he fell. "Don't worry Pacifica, we got you!" Dipper cried trying to reach for his formerly rich friend, but it was too late as Sloth grabbed her once again before throwing off our heroes by tipping over a nearby tree and jumping away. "Dammit, we lost 'em!" Stan cursed pounding the dashboard. "Well, guess there's only one way outta this."

"You don't mean?" Ford wondered fearing the worst. "Driver's education, prepare to be forgotten!" his brother screamed kicking his vehicle into high gear, dashing straight through the fallen tree and driving as unsafely as humanly possible. "Has anybody ever said you drive like a madman?!" Priscilla cried clinging on for dear life as the con-artist chased the avatar of Madness. "Can't talk, trying to save your family!"

"Maybe she's right Stan, do you have any idea how many car accidents have resulted in death recently?!" Wendy shouted trying to withstand the extreme amounts of G-force pushing the crew back. "I think I'm going to be sick!" Spirit hollered about to stick his head out the window to vomit. "Okay, maybe I'll go an eeny bit slower. Is that okay with-" Stan suggested before realizing they were about to crash. "TOO LATE EVERYONE!"

The car ran into a nearby lamppost and was sent flying into the air. Everybody screamed as they braced for impact before it finally crashed onto the street and rolled to a stop. "Everyone okay? Raise your hand if you already barfed?" Stan called woozily getting out of what was left of the car. "We're okay Stanley, just reeling from the utter insanity of your driving skills." Ford answered as the rest exited. "We are never doing that again."

"Oh thank goodness you're all safe! We still got to find Pacifica and stop her father!" Dipper said as Beelzebub touched down and he got off along with Mabel & Kid. "Hey, don't any of you have some weird Spidey-Sense for tracking down souls?"

"I could try." Stein interjected. Using Soul Perception, the mad scientist began searching the entire Oregon town for Preston and Pacifica until he located a pair of souls at the local church at the very end of Main Street. "I found them! They must be at the church down at Main Street!" he declared before putting on a determined grin and his glasses shined in the moonlight. "Time to teach them why I'm called the greatest Meister."

"But what about me?" Priscilla asked them. "You just stay behind. We'll take care of your husband." Maka urged her before bravely looking ahead. "We're coming for you Pacifica, I promise!" Dipper agreed before the group all charged into battle.

The people of Gravity Falls all watched in shock and terror as the Madness of Sloth stalked around the church's tower bell with his own daughter shivering in fear of the monster. "Please dad, I know you may be an awful person but I know deep down even you wouldn't resort to holding me hostage!" Pacifica cried before Sloth interrupted her with a roar. "NO! Master Kishin Cipher wants me to serve as the first of his Horsemen of the Apocalypse, just like I wanted last summer." the Madness stated in a deep snarling voice that still barely sounded like her father. "And speaking of which, it seems your friends have already come for me." he added looking back to spy on the Mystery Meisters preparing to confront him.

"Come on down & face us you coward, and free Pacifica while you're at it too!" Mabel shouted aiming her grappling hook. "Yeah, we're not scared of you dude!" Soos interjected putting up his fists. The Madness, seeing this as a challenge, tore the large bell from its support and turned it into a weapon using the Black Blood before jumping down to face the heroes. "So, you want my daughter do you?!" he snarled preparing for a fight. "Well then, you'll have to go through me first!"

"Here he comes, get ready!" Ford exclaimed getting into a fighting stance as the beast formerly known as Preston charged at them like an irritated rhino. They all managed to leap out of the way before the monster slammed his bell to the ground creating shockwaves that threw them all off. "That's super loud!" Blair cried covering her feline ears. "Guess it's finally time for me to shine!"

Sloth prepared another attack smacking his hands together to create more shockwaves before the Monster Cat prepared an attack of her own. "Pum-pumpkin pumpkin Pumpkin Cannon!" Blair cried launching a fireball in the shape of a jack-o-lantern that blew up in Preston's face, sending him flying through the church. "Good one there kitty!" Stan complimented her. "That should weaken him for a moment, I'll take it from here!" Stein exclaimed preparing his weapon and lunging forward.

Preston was angered by the blast and zoomed out of the church before his bell clashed with Spirit's scythe form. "Geez, this guy is unstoppable!" Maka's father cried. "But it won't be impossible for us to stop him!" his partner boasted. "Let's go, Soul Resonance!"

Stein's weapon grew immensely in size and shined the colors like a rainbow before he swung it up Sloth's chest in a formation that made it resemble the letter "U". Blood started gushing from the creature's torso as he was sent backwards. "Now's our chance everyone!" he called to the others before they rushed into the church to help out. "This is where we end this! Release Pacifica and come quietly!" Dipper demanded before the Madness roared one last time, preparing for the final round.

"Try this on for size!" Wendy hollered flinging her axe at his face. "In the name of the Father and the Son and in your face!" Black Star cried smacking the monster with a nearby Bible. "I think we might actually win this!" Soul exclaimed. "Don't count on it commoner, I have the powers of the Black Blood by my side!" Preston bellowed before pounding on the church wall with his bell, shaking its foundations. "Hope you like being crushed into paste under rubble!"

"You realize that if you try to kill us by destroying this place, you're killing your own daughter too!" Maka shouted, which managed to break through to Preston as he realized what he had done. Maka was right, if he did kill them his daughter would join them as well. Then something in his mind started acting up as he howled uncontrollably and banged his bell against the wall more.

Gravel and rubble began falling on the Mystery Meisters as they realized they need to flee. "Retreat, back to the Shack!" Ford cried. "But what about Pacifica?!" Mabel exclaimed before Stein stepped forward. "Allow me." he calmly stated before leaping into the air to retrieve her. The rest of the team on the other hand decided to flee the church before Sloth blocked the only entrance. "No, you must perish for you will be a disturbance to his plans!" the avatar of Madness commanded while gazing at Stan and Soul. "Except for those two."

"Wait, why us?!" Soul recoiled in confusion. "He will find great use for you Mackerel and Piano Keys, but you will have to find out for your-" Preston was suddenly stabbed in the torso by Crona who held Ragnarok in his hands before simply saying "Ragnarok, Scream Resonance." With that, the mouth that rested on the Demon Sword's blade let out a high-pitched scream as Crona drove his weapon deeper into him with a sadistic grin. "Did you know my blood is black?"

When Ragnarok's screaming subsided, the Madness keeled over seemingly dead with a large cut in his torso where Crona stabbed him. It was also then the church finally collapsed on top of the group, sending large rubble their way. "I got this covered guys! Shield Star!" Black Star cried creating a star shape with Tsubaki's chain scythe form that deflected the remains of the building before the dust finally settled.

The team were left panting in exhaustion over the recent battle, how they nearly lost their lives during it. Just then, Stein came down from above with an unconscious Pacifica in his arms. "It's alright friends, she's safe." he declared setting her down on the ground just as her mother burst through the crowd in front of the Mystery Meisters to comfort her.

"Oh Pacifica, please wake up! I know your father and I haven't been the best to you but I promise we can change!" she sobbed begging her daughter to wake up. "It'll be okay Miss Northwest, we can help you out here." Ford assured comforting her. "And by the way, we may have killed your husband."

Ford was completely wrong as the Madness of Sloth burst out of the rubble angrier than ever and charged forward, grabbing both Pacifica & Priscilla in his arms and leaping off into the distance. "Where do you suppose he ran off to?" Tsubaki wondered. "Probably where Kishin Cipher is hiding out, wherever that is." Dipper answered. "Well spank me like a monkey, he went all Ann Darrow on those two!" the voice of Old Man McGucket exclaimed emerging from the crowd. "Old Man McGucket, so glad to see you!" Mabel cried in delight. "Anyone else find that super-convenient?"

"We can talk about that later. Let's just go home." Stan finally said limping back to the Shack and the others straggling behind.

"Okay, hold still Soos." Melody instructed her fiance as she tended to his wounds. "You got it dog!" the manchild obeyed while the others reeled from the fight. "So that giant monster was ol' Northwest?! I was wondering why he held his kid hostage!" McGucket said. "He actually had a peculiar substance known as Black Blood within his system that turned him into some inhuman creature that made off with his own family." Ford explained to his old colleague. "I now can't help but wonder what Kishin Cipher has plotted to do with them."

Meanwhile, Blair was literally licking Mabel's wounds while in her cat form as the girl stroked her fur with a forlorn expression on her face when Dipper sat down beside her. "Oh, hey Dipper." she mumbled miserably. "Hey, cheer up Mabel. We'll find Pacifica soon, I can promise that." her brother declared before embracing her. Mabel soon returned the hug and they both added an awkward "pat-pat".

"But the question still remains, where could he have carried them off to?" Stein wondered wrapping a bandage around Stan's head rather tightly, much to his dismay. "Easy there Frank, I still have a headache from the car crash!" he cautioned the scientist Meister. "I'll try Stan."

"I dunno, maybe if one of us happens to turn on the news at the right time we could get a clue on where he's headed." Black Star suggested when ironically enough he pressed on the TV remote and the set sparked to life, conveniently tuning into a news report about the recent tussle at Main Street.

"Shandra Jimenez reporting tonight, our top story is the mysterious disappearance of the Northwest family." the newswoman announced. "Well whaddya know, someone did turn on the news at the right time." Soul quipped. "Earlier tonight, a rampaging beast bearing a great deal of resemblance to former socialite Preston Northwest has kidnapped Priscilla and their daughter Pacifica and bounded away to parts unknown. It was also on that night that the Gravity Falls Church was destroyed during the creature's fight with town hero Stanley Pines, his family and a few strange individuals including a pyromaniac cat woman and some Frankenstein looking fellow."

"Hey, that's me on the TV!" Blair exclaimed pawing at a bystander's drawing of her on the TV screen. "Can you move your head Katswell, I can't see!" Stan shouted before the cat obliged. "As for their current location, some has speculated that this beast is headed for the former Northwest Mansion that currently belongs to local kook and genius inventor Fiddleford McGucket." Shandra continued as a picture of the hillbilly posing in front of the mansion appeared in her place. "Hey, that's my fancy shed up there!"

"So that's where they are!" Kid realized before turning to McGucket. "By the way, how did you happen to obtain such a fine, symmetrical manor like this one?" he asked. "I sold some of my gizmos to the government and decided to buy me a bigger shed when Mustachio and his clan went broke!" Fiddleford stated. "You would not believe some of the stuff he's made dude! Like he once built a giant sea monster robot just because he wanted attention!" Soos exclaimed before the doorbell rang. "Anyone wanna get that?"

"I-I'll go." Crona volunteered opening the door to find none other than Gideon before him. "Hey, you're that boy from the Northwests' place!" the Demon Swordsman exclaimed. "Why yes, I am quite well-known here." Gideon stated shaking Crona's hand. "Now bring me to Stan Pines."

"Who's at the door?" Stan wondered walking to the front door only to discover his old arch-enemy standing there. "You again Gideon?! First you try to kill us last summer and now you wanna inject yourself into our lives!" he cried out. "And I don't think you should be out this late at night."

"Aw don't worry Pines, I have some adult supervision with me." Gideon nodded calling for his old cellmate Ghost Eyes, an incredibly muscular man with empty white eyes hence his name. "And I suppose you must be one of his buddies?"

"Yeah, and you better listen to what he says Pines!" Ghost Eyes demanded prompting Crona to hide behind Stan as the others appeared behind him. "What's going on here, and what's up with that guy's eyes?!" Spirit wondered. "Name's Ghost Eyes redhead and my boss Gideon is here to tell you something!" the former prisoner declared motioning for Gideon to start speaking. "You see, I have heard about what happened with Pacifica & the church and, seeing how I am well acquainted with her, I've elected to join you on a potential excursion to rescue her."

"Wait, you want to come with us?!" Mabel exclaimed. "And we really aren't planning any rescue mission at the moment." she added before Dipper interrupted. "Gideon's right, we should leave immediately before it's too late!" he declared, to which Ford agreed. "Correct Dipper, everybody gather necessary supplies! This could be quite a trip so we might need to gather lots of them."

And gather supplies they did. Dipper put away stuff that he thought were necessary for this mission like his journal, a flashlight with a height-altering crystal attached to the lens, along with various food supplies in case anyone got hungry. Mabel on the other hand stuffed a few of her plushes, a Nyarf gun, her grappling hook and most of all, some of her various sweaters.

McGucket meanwhile made weapons for the others such as a raygun for Gideon, modifying Wendy's axe, shock gauntlets for Melody and a sonic banjo for himself. Soos bid his grandma goodbye as he closed up the Mystery Shack indefinitely. With preparations complete, the Mystery Meisters looked out into the woods preparing for what's ahead. "Alright everyone, we're off!" Ford declared as they all took one step forward.

The Mystery Meisters, currently consisting of Dipper, Mabel, Maka, Soul, Stan, Ford, Soos, Melody, Wendy, Black Star, Tsubaki, Death the Kid, Liz, Patty, Crona, Spirit, Stein, Blair, Waddles, McGucket, Gideon and Ghost-Eyes, were now prepared to find Pacifica and stop Kishin Cipher from taking over the world.

"Let's hit the road!"

And that's the Black Blood arc ladies and gents! Will this rather large crew find a way to save their friend and stop Kishin Cipher from enacting whatever plot he has?! Find out next time after this hiatus when we go on a little Quest for the Northwest.

And yes I did get the name from Gravity Falls Deep Woods, but I thought it would really fit in Gravity Soul.

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