#eh well I have plans for him in the lightning rod

[ceiling-karasu]

Squirrel and Hedgehog Shipping Polls

Field Mouse Number Six and the Undercover Hedgehogs

[lisatelramor]

Be a Better Me Ch 9

One more left after this!

Chapter 9

“Do you go to school?” Conan asks Kaito.

Kaito, in disguise as a young woman just for the fun of it (and for practice because skills need constant upkeep), smiles. “Of course I go to school.”

“And yet you happen to show on a day that only my school is closed for water damage.” His little kid friends are arguing about something on the other end of the playground. Conan watches them like he’s just waiting for them to remember he exists and drag him into whatever their scheming is. Scheming being the accurate term because Haibara Ai is part of that group and anything that makes her smirk, Kaito has learned, isn’t nearly as fun for the person on the other end of that look.

“I haven’t seen you in a while.”

“There was a heist a week ago.”

“And you kicked a soccer ball at me. That’s hardly communication.”

“You could just show up to Agasa’s.”

Kaito hums. “And how often are you actually there?”

“Okay, fair point. But you could talk to Haibara.”

“You say that like she isn’t terrifying.” Ai had a habit of updating him about what new things she figured out about Kaito’s body—both human and robotic—which hardly endeared her to him. He’d developed a habit of trying to avoid her whenever he actually had to drop in to Agasa’s place because being told in detail how your body replicated synthetic blood from what you ate is not pleasant conversation. Nor was the fact that she’d actually been studying Kaito’s corpse even though he doesn’t want her to. Kaito really doesn’t care how it’s not decomposing or what’s keeping the brain alive; it’s something he doesn’t want to think about.

“Oh, she is terrifying. That’s all part of being her friend.”

“Is she friends with any of you?” Kaito asks because from the bits he’s gotten out of them, Ai is the person who made the poison that changed Conan. And she’s older than Shinichi and Kaito both. He doesn’t know what to make of her, and all the more reason to avoid her.

“Yes,” Conan says. “She cares, and it’s not just guilt. She cares for the kids, and she at least tolerates me.” He smirks back at Ai as she lifts an eyebrow their direction. Conan makes a quick ring around his eye with his finger and thumb and the eyebrow lowers.

“Hey. Way to rat a guy out.”

“Please, she’d realize who you were a few minutes into talking with you if she came over here. She’s scary perceptive about that kind of thing.”

“It’s probably the PTSD hypervigilance,” Kaito grumbles.

Conan kicks him in the shin and Kaito swears under his breath.

“Your bony feet are a weapon.”

“I know,” Conan says. “C’mon, let’s go rope the kids into something before they spring something on us.”

“What, you expect me to join you?” Kaito asks. “I’m just a passing young woman enjoying a conversation.”

“Well you’re going to be a young woman playing with some kids.” Conan grabs Kaito’s hand and pulls, and it’s follow or be knocked sideways on his modest high heels. Brat.

It’s a good think Kaito doesn’t mind children.

o*O*o

Conan is at Agasa’s place when Kaito next shows up, the Kirin’s Horn heist fresh in his mind. It’s clearly still on Conan’s mind too because he glares at Kaito when he enters the room.

“You!” Conan growls.

“Me!” Kaito says, trying not to feel intimidated. It’s actually pretty hard since he knows intimately just how hard Conan can kick.

“You’re a jerk.”

“Agreed,” Ai says from her place on the sofa, book in hand.

“For knocking you out?” Kaito says. “All’s fair at heists, or did I miss a memo?”

“I am going to sic the police on you so hard next time,” Conan says.

“You got off lucky this time.”

“You chloroformed me.”

“Originally,” Kaito says, “it was going to be a Taser.”

Both Ai and Conan give him horrified looks.

“Oi, not like a full strength one! I don’t want to kill you.” Kaito scrubs the back of his neck and goes to sit on the couch that isn’t currently full of not-children with a grudge at the moment. “I was testing a lower power version and everything, and by testing, I mean I Tasered myself. Fun fact: robots and electricity apparently don’t mix.”

“Oh my god, what did you do?” Conan asks still horrified, but also morbidly curious.

“I, er, might have shorted something out temporarily. And temporarily disrupted some of my bio-synthetic processes.”

“Meaning you almost died,” Ai says with the level tone of a scientist making an observation. “You’re an idiot.”

“Oi, It’s not like I could have known how I’d react. Most things I handle like a human.” Kaito wrinkles his nose at her. “Hakuba already gave me a riot act on doing dangerous shit without supervision so I don’t need to hear it from you.”

“Still an idiot. Also, don’t Taser Kudo, we still don’t know how much the toxin has harmed his heart.”

Kaito blinks and Conan grimaces.

“I thought you said it was fine,” Conan says.

“I said I didn’t notice any signs of problems, but that doesn’t mean it’s fine. The change feels like a heart attack, and that’s probably significant.”

“Noted,” Kaito says. “I’d feel bad if I actually killed you.”

Conan looks unimpressed. “Wow, such strong feelings.”

Kaito rolls his eyes. “I’d be devastated if I killed anyone, that doesn’t make you special.”

“And I thought our friendship meant something,” Conan says, deadpan.

Kaito snickers.

“Are you here for a reason or did you just so happen to feel social?” Ai asks.

“A little of column A, a little of column B,” Kaito says with an airy wave of his hand. “Catch up on Beika news, visit one of my favorite detectives and his lovely scientist friend,  run a scan to triple check I really didn’t short anything out with all the electricity going on the other day…”

“Get to the lab, idiot,” Ai says setting her book aside. “Agasa-hakase isn’t here today, so you’ll have to have me as a lab tech.”

“Joy.” Ai always has a way of leaving Kaito uncomfortable.

“I could leave you to struggle on your own.”

“No, no, the help is appreciated. I can’t do full body scans all on my lonesome.” Kaito stretches. “Any new murders since we last saw each other, Tantei-kun?”

“A drowning and an onsen murder actually.”

Kaito pauses. “…Was the drowning at the onsen or are these two separate murders?”

Conan looks at him with too-old eyes. “Which do you think?”

“You have terrible luck, did you know that?”

“I’m very aware.”

“He’s still on my shit list for the onsen murder,” Ai says, already prepping the lab with efficiency.

“Wow, what did he do?” Kaito drags a chair to the best position for a body scan.

“He ran into the women’s baths.”

“You’d just found a dead body!” Conan sputters. “You got your revenge already! It wasn’t like I was even paying attention to you!”

“I’m not that quick to forgive.”

Kaito snorts. “You’re lucky it wasn’t my friend Aoko. She tends to hit first, question later.”

“Speaking from experience?” Ai asks.

“Lots of it. I mean I have it coming, but still. It’s best for my self-preservation that I’ve mostly outgrown flipping her skirt.”

Both Ai and Conan give him identical disgusted grimaces. “You deserve any head trauma you get from that,” Ai says.

“Fair enough. I don’t really get why it’s such a big deal to so many people though, honestly. Bodies are bodies.”

“You’re the one that used underwear to distract me in the Black Star heist,” Conan says.

“To distract you yeah, but it’s more funny to me than distracting?” Kaito shrugs. “To be honest I think that’s something that changed since I became…like this. I can remember feeling… things… but those sort of thought skew toward the romantic rather than the physical these days.”

“While that makes me want to pick apart your brain,” Ai says in that bland, terrifying way of hers, “I need you to hold still so I can take the scan.”

Kaito gives her a mocking little salute and makes like a statue. Ai positions the machine around him in multiple angles until she’s satisfied.

“If you don’t feel that, what’s with all the attempts at kissing people?” Conan grumbles. People, meaning Ran, Kaito guesses.

“Kissing is nice,” Kaito says when Ai will let him move again. “Not that I’ve done much of it. I thought you realized by now I’m a lot more show than not when I’m Kid. Or in general really.” He doesn’t pretend too much around them these days and that’s kind of nice. It’s also more than a bit unnerving whenever he stops and considers that he’s being vulnerable, but it’s probably worth it in the long run. He’s been told a lot lately that honesty and openness make for stronger friendships. “Half of all that is just to mess with you.”

“Oi. Do you want a soccer ball to the face?”

Kaito snickers. “You have to admit, you make the best panicked faces.”

“I hope Ran punches you next time.”

“I’d deserve it,” Kaito agrees cheerfully.

“Well,” Ai says, “I’m not seeing anything obvious, but I’ll go over the scans in detail and get back to you. In the meantime, look out for anything off and don’t play lightning rod.”

“There goes that fantasy of hang gliding in a thunder storm,” Kaito says.

“I know you’re joking,” Conan says, “but sometimes it’s honestly hard to tell.”

“You wouldn’t find it cool to be in the sky with lightning flashing around?”

“No. Not at all. I’m not suicidal.”

Kaito sighs dramatically. “It would be like being one with nature.”

“Right up until you’re electrocuted or blown into a tree.”

“Maybe. Eh, I need to change things up more. I’ve been using the glider more lately and it’s getting predictable. Though to be fair, it’s faster than the balloons I used to use.”

Conan wrinkles his nose. “Balloons?”

“They don’t rely on wind or a specific height to power them,” Kaito says reasonably. “They’re slow though, and can burst. Which isn’t the best once guns come into play.”

“Right. Don’t tell me your plans.”

“You’re going to wonder next heist whether I’ll be using the glider at all, or if I’ll use it just because I said I shouldn’t,” Kaito says with a wink.

“Still hate you.” Conan has that grumpy-but-reluctantly-fond expression on and Kaito’s counting it as a win. Conan’s only pretending to be annoyed on principle.

“Kuroba,” Ai says cutting into the banter. “Could I talk to you alone for a moment?”

“Yes?” Kaito tilts his head to try and glimpse what Ai’s doing, but it doesn’t give any hints for what she wants. Nor does a glance at Conan. Conan shrugs in a way that could mean ‘who knows’ or maybe also ‘good luck’ before wandering out. Kaito’s pretty sure he’s outside the door eavesdropping because that’s standard detective nosiness, but Kaito’s not going to be the one to call him out on that. He’d be doing the same thing.

“Is there something wrong with the scan?” Kaito asks when Ai’s silent a bit too long.

“No,” she says. “I will have to go over it closer just to make sure, but that’s not what this is about.” She spins around in her chair and pins Kaito with a look that is just as sharp as any of the detectives’ stares. Kaito tries not to fidget under the weight of it. “You’re aware I’ve been studying your body.”

Any remnants of Kaito’s light mood crash and burn. “I’m aware.”

“You’re also aware that I created the poison that shrunk Kudo and myself.”

“Conan might have mentioned it.”

Ai folds her hands in her lap. It should look relaxed, but it’s somehow as unsettling as if she steepled her fingers like some kind of cartoon villain. “The chamber holding your body contains an oxygenated gas that, along with some injected substance that I’ve gotten traces of in blood, halts cellular degeneration. It works as a perfect preservative, and along with a very mild electric pulse, is preserving the body’s brain. The body is dead, but it’s been preserved at the exact moment of death. From what I can assess, the cause of death is a stopped heart. The substance injected as the preservative also slowed the heart to the point of death. He would have been aware,” Ai says mercilessly, “that he was dying, but unable to fight it. The chamber would have finished the process.”

She takes a breath. “I’m creating an antidote,” she says. “For Kudo. Personally I have no interest in returning to my former age and identity, but Kudo still has a life and people to return to. In allowing me to look at how your body was preserved, you’ve actually helped me make a few steps toward that goal. It’s not the same science as the apoptoxin, but there were similarities that helped flesh out my notes.”

“So you’re closer to helping Conan be Kudo and my body’s still very dead,” Kaito says. “Great. Why did you need to tell me this?”

Ai’s lips pinch for a moment. “Your body can’t be revived by restarting its heart and lungs no matter how intact they are because of the substance injected in it. And that substance can’t be filtered reliably out. But…”

“But what?” Kaito asks. He’s tempted to fling himself from the chair and leave, but something about her hesitation makes him stay a little longer.

“There’s a chance I could add to it and induce a similar effect as the apoptoxin. The most likely outcome of this would be that the body dies properly and for good. But,” Ai says softly, “there’s a small chance that it reacts the way Kudo and I did and it reverts back to a younger age. An age that’s also revivable because the toxin has run its course.”

Kaito stares. Kaito—the human Kaito—could be saved. Oh, it has to be an infinitesimally small chance of it happening, but it’s that much of a percent more than the rest of eternity spent in a glass box. And, as she said, it could kill him dead. But at least Kaito would actually be dead instead of in limbo.

But if it worked and Kaito’s body becomes a child again, what will that mean for him, the very-much-not-human Kaito? The Kaito that stole his face and stole his life and everyone he loves. Something between terror and jealousy twists in his gut. If the body gets to live, he’ll be the real Kaito again and Kaito won’t be anything.

And yet… Kaito knows that this body doesn’t have many years in it. Statistically speaking, technology doesn’t outlast a human body. A computer is lucky to get four years before something major breaks down. For Kaito’s experimental body… He’ll be lucky to get four years. He has no back-up of his brain, no depository of memories that he can add to on the off chance something goes wrong. He could probably ask Ai, Agasa, and Hakuba to collaborate on one just in case, but then again, he’s not sure he wants that either. That he could die and be replaced by a saved version of himself with gaps in memory… he doesn’t like the idea any more than the real Kaito will like it. So if this is the only shot he has, he might as well give a chance to the human Kaito. That way when he does degrade and become obsolete, they’d maybe have human Kaito still. There would be gaps left, but not as devastating of ones.

It isn’t just his choice to make though, no matter that it is his human body.

“Can I think about it?” Kaito asks, tense as a strung piano wire and doing terribly at hiding it.

“Take all the time you need,” Ai says. “It’s not something I can do overnight, and the body isn’t going anywhere. I just needed to tell you that it’s an option.”

Kaito nods. He needs to leave. He doesn’t want to look like he’s fleeing though. “Thanks for telling me. I should go make a phone call.”

He hears Ai murmur, “Don’t thank me yet,” under her breath as he turns and walks in a deceptively calm manner toward the door. He’s not fooling anyone.

There’s skittering as Conan sprinting away, but that’s fine. He can know about it, it’s not like it makes a difference. Kaito doesn’t even acknowledge Conan’s terrible attempt to look like he’s been watching television the whole time, instead walking straight for the door.

o*O*o

“Hey.” The online call connects with Kaito sitting surrounded by his fifteen doves, their soft feathers and voices soothing the tiny part of himself that kept whirling in panic.

“Kaito,” his mother says, surprised. It’s not their usual day to talk, and he’s only on voice call, not video. He doesn’t want to see what kind of expression she might make. “Is something wrong? You don’t need me to come home do you?”

As nice as it would be to have another of her visits, he won’t ask that of her. “I can’t just call?” he says lightly.

“Of course you can,” Chikage says. Warmly, like when she brushes his hair away from his forehead or gives him little side hugs when they cross into each other’s space. “You don’t ‘just call’ though.”

“Maybe I should,” Kaito says. She would appreciate a son that reached out more. But he’d appreciate her being here more. They’re both independent people, but they’re also social people and he understands. He understands why she needs to travel and see new things and reconnect with old friends. He just doesn’t always like it.

“I’d appreciate it in the future,” Chikage says, “but what did you call for now?”

“An offer was made. About Kaito.”

A beat of silence on the other end as she registers him using his own name. “What kind of offer?” she asks a lot more hesitant than a second ago. They never did talk about the body.

Maybe they should have. It’s so much easier to ignore elephants in the room than to dwell on them. “There’s a procedure Haibara Ai could do. I don’t know the numbers or science on it, but there’s a small chance she could get him alive again. There’d be side effects—” like losing a decade in age “—but he’d be Kaito and alive and human.”

“And what’s the rest of the chances?”

“It’d kill him,” Kaito says quietly. “Completely not just whatever not-death he’s in now. Being honest, it’s a lot higher percentage that he’d die than live from the sound of it, but…”

“I couldn’t kill him,” Chikage says. “I thought about it, like a coma patient on life support at a hospital, but…”

“But he’s not brain dead,” Kaito says with understanding. “I thought about it too. Not all for good reasons.” He doesn’t poke the minefield of jealousy and conflicting feelings of personhood. That way lies depression spirals. “It’s not really right to leave him like that forever though, is it?”

“No.” Chikage sighs. “A really small percentage?” she says, longing.

“Terribly small,” Kaito says. “Haibara didn’t sound confident that it would work. Still, it’d be like him—us—to leave that kind of thing to chance and play the impossible odds.”

He listens to Chikage’s breathing as she thinks, picturing her sitting in some cheesy themed hotel room with a late dinner in the form of hotel catering and the casual chaos of her suitcases slowly taking over the room. Or maybe it is still neat because Chikage reached the point of getting annoyed with clutter and put it all away until the cycle repeated. Either way she’s probably sitting on her bed with her toes tucked under the covers to keep her feet warm like she does at home when they watch movies together.

Kaito misses her terribly sometimes.

One of his doves flutters on his shoulder, right up against his neck all warm and grounding and alive. He pets her, feeling her feathers fluff and settle, her tiny body leaning into his touch.

“If it works, how will we explain two of you?” Chikage asks finally.

“If it works, he probably won’t be able to slip back into his old life, the side effects would make that impossible, and even if they didn’t, he has over a year of life and growth that never happened.” Kaito scratches the feathers along his dove’s neck. “Maybe he could go be with you. At least until he’s recovered and all. He’s… probably not going to like me much.”

“You mean you wouldn’t be your own best friend?” Chikage jokes. It’s a very weak joke, but he gives her points for trying.

“Considering how I reacted to the other robot that tried to steal our life, no.”

“…We’d make things work. If we got him back, we’d figure out a way to make it all work out.”

“Yeah.”

“It wouldn’t make me love you less,” Chikage says hitting to the heart of his fears in all of this. “You’d both be Kaito. I have enough love to go around.”

“I know. Thanks, Kaa-san.” He curls a little tighter and another bird lands on his back like that will get her pettings instead of Kaito trying not to move and dislodge her. “So.”

“I think you should try,” Chikage says. “It’s probably not going to work, but…”

“It’s resolution,” Kaito says.

“Yes.”

The dove on Kaito’s back flutters away but the one on his shoulder stays cuddled close. “Do you want to be here when…?”

Chikage is quiet long enough for Kaito to worry that the call has dropped. “I should be there,” she says, which isn’t really an answer.

“I’ll let you know when Haibara thinks she has things down to try it. You can decide then.”

“Thank you, Kaito.”

Kaito hums and lets her transition the topic to something else, something lighter and not involving death at all.

[kingdomofkitten]

The Wedding: Part 6: The Resolution

Ryuu: …*snoring*.....*moving a little* mrghm….hmm...hmm? Why does this bed feel…*opens his eyes*...wha…*looking around, feeling wood, and water* W-what the?!

Haida: Oh, good! You’re awake! There’s a fishing pole for ya.

Ryuu: WHA?! *he realizes...he’s on a raft, in a large body of water, next to the wedding venue* WHAT THE FUCK AM I DOING OUT HERE?!

Haida: Fishing! What does it look like?

Ryuu: ….WHY am I fishing?

Haida: Because I figured it was high time you and I had a chat. You don’t want to see Retsuko?

Ryuu: ...no.

Haida: Alright. So you’ll see me.

Ryuu: I don’t get a choice, do I?

Haida: Well, unless you’re an athletic swimmer.

Ryuu: ...of course. I never get a choice until I push the right buttons.

Haida: Like how you didn’t want to be a part of the wedding?

Ryuu: Exactly. They just expect me to go along with it, just because I’m the younger brother. It annoys the hell out of me!

Haida: Huh. You’re reminding me a bit of myself at that age.

Ryuu: Yeah?

Haida: Yeah. I’m the youngest in my family. And...well, my sister was always kinda better at everything than me, and got a bit more attention than me. At the time, I did kinda resent her a bit. But...I guess over time, I came to realize she wasn’t all perfect, neither did she want to be. We started hanging out more, and things kinda simmered.

Ryuu: ….huh. Does she sometimes turn into a freakish monster, like mine?

Haida: Well, firstly, kinda rich coming from someone who literally turned into that yesterday.

Ryuu: Shut up.

Haida: Secondly, no. At least, not in the way Retsuko can be. She could be a bit...arrogant, I guess is the right word for it. She definitely has a lot of energy, like Retsuko, but she uses it up differently….was there a point to this? I can’t remember.

Ryuu: Look, if you’re trying to get into my good graces, or whatever, don’t bother.

Haida: ...look, dude. I get it. There’s some tensions going on. You don’t want anything to do with her. But like...that’s family, man. She doesn’t even hate you! She doesn’t know what she did to rub you the wrong way!

Ryuu: I thought she did? Last time we met up?

Haida: ….you mean what happened with Ryoko? That’s what did it?

Ryuu: Well...yeah.

Haida: Why’s that?

Ryuu: ...it’s just after that day, nothing ever felt right. I could just barely look at her the same way, ever again. It was like that with dad, for the longest time too. I just...thought he was doing something right. Like something was wrong with her...now I wonder if there’s something wrong with me too…

Haida: ….well….it depends on how you view it.

Ryuu: ...huh? I-look, I get it, you’re marrying my sister, but...you can’t be so biased that you can’t see the problems here.

Haida: Oh, I see them. I know what can happen. That doesn’t change my view on the whole thing.

Ryuu: ...why?

Haida: Because deep inside her rage, I know Retsuko for who she is, and who she wants to be. And both of those sides, I find to be absolutely wonderful. She may get super pissed off, and hard to control, but when she’s calm, and collected...she’s one of the kindest, joyous people I’ve ever had the good fortune of meeting. When she’s happy, it just warms me up so much. There are many times, either when she’s being a mother to Ikari, my girlfriend, my fiancee, or just being herself, that I could engrave into my memories because of how wonderful she is in my eyes. I know you and her don’t get along much, but there has to be at least one good memory with her, right? I hope so.

Ryuu: …...y-you know, yeah. Yeah, there was this one time.

Haida: Oh?

Ryuu: I was REALLY little. Like...1 or 2. Probably 2, I feel like that was when I started to really remember stuff. Me and Riko were outside playing, but a big storm was coming. The family was scrambling to get the house ready for the storm, and my mother picked us up. I guess she had to help dad, and was hurrying, because she just put me down on the floor. I just started walking around a little. I didn’t think much of anything, until I heard this loud bit of lightning. I was just so frightened, I screamed, and ran around, trying to find somewhere to hide. I just happened to be near Retsuko’s room, and so I hid under her bed. She happened to find me, and held me close to her. I was petrified of the thunder that was rumbling outside, but she managed to calm me down. It was weird, it was like I was suddenly so relaxed by her. I was at peace. Even as I kinda...I guess hated her, that memory still resonated with me. I often wondered why I kept that memory if I suddenly hated her so much.

Haida: ...maybe you didn’t after all?

Ryuu: ...I guess that would make sense. I don’t know. I-I probably messed up everything. I don’t know. She said I was out of the wedding, so I dunno what I’m doing here.

Haida: Well, the thing is, I think she’s wanting to call the whole thing off unless you were there.

Ryuu: What? Why?

Haida: I’m not sure. But that’s what she was telling me. I guess, even with the animosity, you’re still her little brother, and she would like to have you there.

Ryuu: ...oh...so, is that why I’m out here?

Haida: For the most part, yeah. Sorry if it annoyed you, it’s just...I really have been wanting to marry her for some time, and I didn’t want to see it go to waste.

Ryuu: ..no, no, it’s fine. Listen, this...this was actually kinda alright. I...I’ll do the wedding. I’ll go in.

Haida: You sure?

Ryuu: Yeah. It was my fault anyway. I might as well go fix it.

Haida: But you didn’t even get a fish!

Ryuu: I hate fish anyway.

Haida: Well, alright. *puts up his fishing rod, and grabs the oars to start paddling*

Ryuu: To be honest, I’m kinda surprised you’ve been so cool with me during this. Given I...well, slapped your kid.

Haida: By all intents and purposes, I probably should kill you for that, but eh, I gotta be a bigger man here.

Ryuu: You and me both. *they eventually reach the shore, and quickly begin exiting the boat* Thanks for trying to help. You don’t seem like such a tool like before.

Haida: Hey!

Ryuu: Just sayin’! I...wait, is that…?

Haida: ...it does look like it. *they both see Retsuko walking towards them, family and friends behind her, with a smile on her face*

Retsuko: You two had a good time out there? :)

Haida: Um, yeah! I think so!

Retsuko: Good! *to Ryuu* You doing okay?

Ryuu: Erm...yes? What’s going on?

Fenneko: Check the boat, dumbass. :3

Ryuu: Huh? *looks over the raft...and sees a mic* ...the conversation was recorded?

Fenneko: Sorry about that, hombre. We just had to let Retsuko hear you two.

Ryuu: Oh. *sees Retsuko* …*sigh* big sister, I...I heard you didn’t want to go on with the wedding without me, and...well, look, I want to apologize for acting like I did. You’ve grown up, and...well, truthfully, I still have a long way to go. If it means you will get married, I would like to be a part again.

Retsuko: ….I mean….truthfully, I was gonna go on without you anyways?

Ryuu: ...what?

Haida: B-but I thought-?

Retsuko: Oh, don’t get me wrong, I was devastated! I blamed myself for acting like I did, and kinda felt I was no good as a bride. So I WAS planning on canceling the whole thing...then Fenneko and Tsunoda kinda showed me the bill, and um, yeah, I couldn’t really cancel it.

Tsunoda: You could’ve made us waste a bunch of money, buster!

Ryuu: Ah…

Retsuko: But the fact you want to make things right makes me feel better about things, for certain. Of course you can be back in! And if it makes you feel any better, I still have a lot of growing up to do too. :)

Ryuu: Heh. Again, I’m really sorry. To you, and to everyone.

Ryota: Don’t be! *chuckles, and pats his son* I was probably being a little harsh on you. It’s all a bit sudden, I realize.

Ryuu: I guess.

Retsuko: ...I gotta say, I’m surprised you remembered that whole thing in the rain! You were so young back then!

Ryuu: Believe me, I couldn’t figure out how either. But...I’m glad I did. It kinda brought me back, I feel.

Retsuko: I’m glad too. *hugs her young brother*

Haida: ...ya know, there IS someone you’re forgetting.

Retsuko: Hmm?

Fenneko: Your kid. :3

Retsuko: Oh! That’s right, where is-*feels her leg being tug on* Huh? Oh! *picks up Ikari* There you are!

Ikari: Mama! *turns and sees Ryuu* *GASP!* *cowers on his mother’s shoulder*

Retsuko: Aw, Ikari! It’s okay! He won’t hurt you.

Ryuu: It’s alright, buddy. I’m sorry.

Ikari: …*looks at Ryuu, nervously*

Ryuu: *smiles awkwardly, trying not to seem like an idiot*

Retsuko: *seeing Ikari turn his head to her* ...it’s okay, sweetie. He’s fine. :)

Ikari: …*looks at Ryuu again*........*stretches out his hand, to reach*

Ryuu: *grabs Ikari, and holds him* ...s’up, little fella? :D

Ikari: ….*tilts his head in confusion*

Ryuu: ….um….what’s up? How’s life?

Retsuko: *laughs* Ryuu, he can barely form words!

Ryuu: W-well, I know that! I just, um….*sticks his tongue out* bleh!

Ikari: ….*begins smiling, and giggles*

Retsuko: Aww, he’s starting to like you! :D

Ryuu: Heh, that’s, um...that’s good, I think.

Retsuko: That’s very good. ^^ *sees a car pulling up to the building* ...who’s that?

Fenneko: I think that’s one of the invitees. *the car door opens, revealing Resasuke* Yyyyep.

Haida: Wow! Good ol’ Space Cadet!

Resasuke: *walks towards everyone* Hey.

Retsuko: *gives Resasuke a hug* Resasuke! I’m so happy you could make it!

Resasuke: I mean, I was invited, so…

Retsuko: True! *to her parents* Mom, dad! I’d like you to meet someone!

Rie: Oh, honey, we know hi-

Retsuko: This is my ex-boyfriend, Resasuke!

Ryota: ….

Rie: ….e-ex-boyfriend?

Retsuko: Yeah. I kinda was crushing on him at our work place, but it ended up not working out. But we’re still good friends.

Rie: …..well, uh...it’s probably a good thing that it didn’t work.

Retsuko: ...huh? Do you guys not like him?

Rie: N-no, it’s not that! It’s just-

Retsuko: Oh, boy. Look, I agree, we weren’t really all that compatible, but you can’t just decide not to approve of him! We already went out, it doesn’t really work when you break it off-

Ryota: Retsuko, that’s your cousin.

Retsuko: ………...what?

Ryota: Your mother’s side.

Rie: Aunt Rumi? That’s her son.

Retsuko: …………………..

Resasuke: ….you know, I THOUGHT you looked familiar when we were going out. Couldn’t quite put my finger on it, but yeah. What’s up, cousin?

Retsuko: ……………………….I………………..

Haida, Ryuu, Riko, and Hiroko: ………………..PFFFFFFT, HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

Fenneko: Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[journeysintowebcomics]

Girl Genius Liveblog #168

UPDATE 168: And Then There Were Dragons

Last time the consequences of Wulfenbach’s new strategies were seen. Weak troops were sent into Mechanisburg. At first sight they’re formidable enough – mechanical narwhals drilling through the ground, seriously – but everyone knows the Baron has much stronger and better stuff. Looks like it was true that he wanted Agatha caught alive. Let’s continue.

There are so many people with unique talents being sent into Mechanisburg, and they defeat every single one of them. Nobody tells what’s the Baron’s plan, they all say the same thing about not knowing what he’s thinking. Well, yeah, that’s to be expected. I’m sure Wulfenbach wouldn’t reveal his plans and thoughts to his troops, there’s always classified information. There’s stuff he doesn’t tell his own son, no way lowly troops will be in the know, even if they’re talented.

Since accosting the troops they defeated led nowhere, Agatha goes with Tarvek to see what’s wrong with the Castle this time.

Ah. Yeah, that could be it. Maybe the Castle is referencing its need for electricity – a problem everyone already knew – and not a need for someone to fix it, because the problem isn’t that it’s broken, it’s that there’s not enough energy. No time to wait for it all to recharge, and since Tarvek’s well-received suggestion of making Spark puree to try to speed up the process – hah! Of course the sparks that aren’t named Agatha liked the sound of that – won’t work, there must be some other way, yeah?

Hmmm...the thing is that there’s really no way to make the Castle’s energy reserves grow soon. The main source of energy seems to be the wheel on the underground river, and that’s not going to run quicker just because they will it, and right now there’s also no time for breaking the laws of nature and physics there to make the water flow faster. Another option that crossed my mind was the possibility of directly funneling electricity into the Castle, but there’s problems stemming from that: one is that there’s no constant source of electricity anywhere, thanks to the steampunk setting. The Castle’s wheel is the only electricity source in Mechanisburg. The other problem is that even though devices such as Gil’s lightning weapon exist, an immense amount of voltage would be needed to power up the Castle. I don’t think it’ll be enough.

There’s no time to discuss this, either, because they’re still in middle of the discussion when something hits the gates of Mechanisburg with a lot of strength. The enemies brought a ram! How...delightfully medieval! The gates may not resist, so to assess the situation, Agatha wants to get to the top of the wall to take a look.

...ah. It’s a ram. A literal ram. I don’t know what I expected. I thought it’d be a battering ram with some steampunk touches, but I didn’t expect a two-stories tall ram, fur and flesh. I don’t know why I didn’t expect it. By now I should know better, right? Yet here I am, the idea having never crossed my mind. When will I learn.

As if the situation wasn’t hard enough already, it starts raining. It’s a thunderstorm. Oh, hey, maybe that can be useful! If I remember correctly, large buildings such as cathedrals and fortresses in the past used to have lightning rods. If the Castle has one or two, maybe it can get a quick charge thanks to the thunderstorm. The problem is that with this army right outside the walls, it may be difficult to keep everyone at bay while they want for a miraculous thunder strike. What’ll be stronger? The weakening defenses of Mechanisburg, or the Baron’s army? My bet is on the first...if maybe only on the brink of time.

Apparently not everyone knows the Baron is alive and giving orders around. A random Jager and guard are commenting the Baron is missing and maybe dead. That’s going to make them even more confused, yep.

Since it’s her town what’s being attacked, Agatha decides she had enough watching and wants to go fight. She has a big armor with a big battleax and she’s not afraid of using it! Tarvek got there first so he’s given permission to do what he wants. Hah! If it wasn’t because I’m sure Agatha wouldn’t put Tarvek or anyone in danger intentionally, I’d think there’s a catch to this.

Tarvek doesn’t need to be told twice, he fires electricity upon the ram, but unfortunately the ram seems to be Ground-type, so electric attacks are ineffective. Okay, no, what’s actually going on is that the Baron knew about Gil’s electric rod, and surely he knew Agatha knew about it, so he ensured the troops would be protected against them. Well that’s a bummer, but he did also protect his troops against giant battleaxes? I mean, true, going out there by yourself even if you have a two-ton armor would be a stupid move, but that’s bound to be an effective weapon, right? ...okay, maybe not against the two-stories tall ram, but other stuff won’t be resistant to the brunt of the axe.

Without a way to stop the ram, all they can do is watch...how it goes away. Success?

Right, and now he knows how strong what he sends must be. So, what Wulfenbach will do now is send troops that are slightly above the threshold he just defined, and hold back the strongest troops, perhaps? To avoid crushing Mechanisburg entirely. He wants Agatha alive, after all.

That’s a dragon, a dragon...knight, page included. Neato! So this is the level of strength that’ll be sent into Mechanisburg, eh? Seems dangerous enough, this should be taken seriously. The problem is that there’s nothing to counter it with – at least until the Heterodynes’ dragon construct comes forth.

Hm. Apparently the Heterodynes’ dragon can’t do much against this red dragon the Baron has. No surprise fire doesn’t work because...well, its opponent is also a dragon. It’s a given fire wouldn’t work, right? Maybe punching would go better – as long as he’s not the one getting punched, geez, that’s a mean right hook.

Apparently the construct’s name is Franz Scortchmaw, Bone Gnawer of the Heterodynes, First and Most Dread (sic) of Dragons. Alright, calling him Franz from now on. Franz isn’t doing well, being mostly talk, and being caught off-guard by another punch. Hm. Guess this really was the level of strength nobody in the Heterodynes forces could stop.

Mental note: use ‘shiny-arsed twerp’ at least once in my life.

Franz is doing...well, terrible. Not very impressive, for a dragon. He’s getting his not-so-shiny arse kicked, in fact. He’s almost getting killed, since a decades-long sleep doesn’t seem to do wonders for your stamina and strength. Ah, it’s the traditional moment of almost death! Will Agatha or Tarvek step in with the armor?

Well, Agatha did intervene, but not with the armor.

Worth a try. I do wonder what’s her logic for doing this. From what I see here, it does work! And Franz feels energized, and able to punch back and truly fight, so all is well on that regard.

So it’s like a constant with the Heterodynes, everything needing a certain amount of electricity to keep going. I see! The logic is sound. It also gives Agatha the idea of giving the Castle a strong jolt with the lightning rod, with all of Gil’s generators at full strength. Guess a lightning bolt won’t be needed!

Not that there’s time to do anything, because before Franz can defeat the red dragon decisively, something intervenes – well, a group.

None of these clanks seem to have Wulfenbach’s insignia on them, that’s odd. Could they not be related to Wulfenbach at all? The red dragon does plead ignorance to this, although that may be because he’s a dragon and these are knights. Those don’t usually get along.

Well I think I’m stopping here! I checked the next page, and stuff’s happening!

Next time: in five updates

[dukereviewsmovies]

Duke Reviews: Chopping Mall

Hi, I'm Andrew Leduc And Welcome To Duke Reviews Where We Continue Our Annual Monsterween...

With A Really Bad Slasher Film, I Call Chopping Mall...

I Was Originally Thinking About Talking About Killer Clowns From Outer Space But Since The Happy Death Day Movies Were A Mix Of Slasher/Sci-fi And Comedy I Decided To Not Do It This Year And Instead Make Up For The Lack Of Gore And Blood In Those Films With This Film...

Now, Let Me Ask You Something, With A Name Like Chopping Mall What Would You Expect?

Oh, And Don't Bother Writing Your Answer In The Comments Because I Already Know Everyone's Answer, You Expect A Guy Who Looks Like Jason Voorhees Going Around A Mall, Butchering Unsuspecting Teens...

But No, The Person Who Made This Movie Thought...

(Person 1) "Ha! Who'd Want To See That? No, Instead Let's Do Killer Robots Who Gain Sentience During A Thunderstorm And Decide To Kill Teens Inside Of A Mall During A Late Night Party"

(Person 2) "Late Night Party/Orgy"

(Person 1) "Well, It's The 80's And You Can't Have A Slasher Movie Without Sex, So Why Not"...

But Is This Film As Horrible As I'm Making It Sound? Let's Find Out As We Watch Chopping Mall...

The Film Starts With A Film On The Secure-Tronics Protector 101 Robots Which Is The New Security System At The Plaza Park Mall To Which Their Creator, Dr. Sam Simon Is On Hand To Answer Questions Concerning The Robots...

(Start At 2:00, End At 4:35)

We Get A Title Card As We See The Goings On At The Mall...

Yes, That's Nice, Oh, Look They Got A Scoops Ahoy!...

(Start At 1:44, End At 1:52)

During The Credits We Also Discover That Roger Corman's Wife, Julie Corman Produced The Film...

Oh, I Guess That Explains Why There Are So Many Roger Corman Movie Poster Along The Background Of The Next Scene...

And It's In This Scene We Start Meeting Our Fodder For The Killer Robots Starting With Alison And Suzie (Played By Scream Queen Barbara Crampton) Who Work At A Barbeque Joint But As Suzie Puts It Tonight They're Going To Have Good Times To The Max...

However, Alison Doesn't Want To Show Because She Doesn't Know Anybody Despite Suzie Telling Her That After Tonight She Will, This Probably Leads To The Worst Piece Of Acting In This Film...

Wow, Was It Too Much For You To Put Emotion In That Line, Sir? Did They Not Pay You Enough To Say That Line The Right Way? Or Did You Just Think Eh, No One's Going To See This Movie, So, I'll Just Half-Ass It So, I Can Get A Paycheck...

Meanwhile, While A Storm Is Going On, Lightning Hits The Control Center Causing Alarms To Go Off As The Robots Gain Sentience, Killing The One Man In The Control Room...

But As That Happens We Meet 3 More People On The Robot Killing Fodder List, Named Ferdy (Not Fergie) Mike And Greg Who Are Using Ferdy's Uncle's Store For The Party Tonight With Beers On Hand And Suzie Setting Ferdy Up With Alison...

Meanwhile On The Other Side Of Town 2 More People On The List, Rick And Linda Have Engine Trouble Which Linda Manages To Fix, Most People Believe Them To Be Married But Me, I Don't Think So Because They Mention About Using Their Wedding Money To Fix Their Automotive Business So, That To Me Tells Me They're Not Married But They're Trying To Do So, But I Don't Know If Anyone Has A Definitive Answer For This Write Me In The Comments...

Meeting Our Last Victim In This Movie Leslie At A Clothing Store, She Runs Into Her Boyfriend Mike Who's There To See Her Despite Her Father Being There As They Tell Him That They're Going To A Birthday Party For Suzie Tonight Which I Don't Think He Believes But He Buys The Story Enough So They Can Continue Making Out...

With Alison's Dad Giving Her Permission To Go To The Party, Suzie Is Ecstatic As They Head On Over To Ferdy's Uncle's Store While Another Control Room Attendant Gets Killed By The Robots...

With The Party Underway, Everyone (Except Ferdy And Alison Who Are Introduced To Each Other By Rick And Suzie) Drinks Beers, Dances And Makes Out...

With The Protector Robots Going On Duty, The Teens (Except For Ferdy And Alison Who Are Watching A Roger Corman Movie) Do One Of The Things You're Not Supposed To Do In A Horror Movie...Pork...

(Start At 1:01, End At 1:07)

Meanwhile, A Janitor, Portrayed By Joe Dante Regular, Dick Miller Mops The Floor Only To Get Electrocuted By One Of The Robots...

(End At 1:15)

At Least It's A Better Kill Than How You Died In The Terminator...

His Character Was Also Named After A Character He Played In A Corman Movie Entitled A Bucket Of Blood So, I Guess They Were Honoring Him...

Out Of Cigarettes, Leslie Sends Mike To Get Some But Not Before Offering Him Some Incentive To Hurry Back...

Eventually Finding A Vending Machine, Mike Is Confronted By One Of The Robots Who Asks Him For His Identification But As Mike Shows It To Him, Giving A The Day The Earth Stood Still/Army Of Darkness Reference...

(Start At 0:57, End At 1:03)

It Tranquilizes Mike Only To Kill Him Off Screen (Don't Worry We See The Body Shortly) Wondering Where Mike Is, Leslie Gets A Shirt And Underwear On To Go Look For Him, But Eventually Finding Mike, Who's Throat Was Slit by The Robot...

Confronted By One Of The Robots, Leslie Gets Chased By It As It's Lasers Fire At Her Eventually It Hits Her In The Back And On Her Butt Before Taking The Killshot By Blowing Her Damn Head Off...

With Everyone Watching Leslie Die, The Robot Along With Another Robot Break Into The Store To Go After The Others As They Fire Lasers At Them, Eventually Making It To The Back Storeroom, The Main Mall Doors Are Now Barred Until Six Am And With The Robots Placing Dynamite On The Door To Blow It Open, They Have No Choice But To Separate With The Girls Taking The Vents While The Guys Take The Emergency Exit So They Can Get Some Weapons To Take Down Those Robots...

With A Robot Approaching, The Guys Try Firing Shots At It But Unfortunately All Their Bullets Bounce Off Of It Which Forces Them To Roll In A Propane Tank So They Can Blast At That To Blow The Robot To Kingdom Come, They Manage To Succeed But It Was Only Enough To Deactivate It For A Short Time...

Meanwhile In The Vents, Suzie Quickly Becomes The Worst Character In This Movie Because She's (Acting Like Suzie) Gotta Get Outta Here And She's Gotta Find Greg Because He Needs Her..,

Bullshit, You're In A Safe Place Get Out While You Can! Honestly, Why Do You All Love This Woman When She Plays A Character Who's An Idiot?!?

So, Getting Out Of The Vent, The Girls Land In A Hardware Store Where They Decide That If They're Going To Fight They Might As Well Go Prepared So Grabbing A Few Small Quarts Of Gas, They Molotov Cocktails So They Use Against One Of The Robots While The Boys Set A Propane Tank Trap On The Elevator For One Of The Robots To Fall Into...

With The Robot The Guys Deactivated Coming Back On-Line, Another Robot Starts Chasing The Girls But As They Hide Behind Planters, Alison Throws One Of The Molotovs At A Robot Only For It To Walk Right Through It...

Making A Run For It The Robot Starts Firing It's Lasers At The Girls As The Guys Try To Find Them But When Suzie Gets Hit In The Leg, The Robot Fires At The Molotov In Her Hand Which Sets Her On Fire, Killing Her...

Honestly, When People Are On Fire In Horror Movies Why Don't They Stop, Drop And Roll Instead Of Screaming Your Head Off Like A Moron Before You Die Either That Or Run For The Nearest Lake Of Water?

With The Guys Arriving, Linda And Alison Manage To Get Away While The Guys Hold The Robot Off But Eventually Reaching The Elevator, The Robot Goes In While Everyone Attempts To Fire At The Propane Tanks On Top Of The Elevator With No Luck But One Shot From Alison And Kaboom! Both The Elevator And The Robot Go Down...

(Imitating Rod Serling) The Next Time You Check Yourself Into Your Neighborhood Malls Elevator Be Sure You Know Exactly What You're Getting Into Otherwise You May End Up A Permanent Resident Of The Twilight Zone.,,

Hiding Out In The Restaurant Where Alison And Suzie (When She Was Alive) Works, We Get A Small Scene Of Character Development I Guess, Before Ferdy Tells Them That The Robot's Master Computer is On The 3rd Floor And If They Blow It Up, It'll Shut Down The Robots...

But When They Try To Go To The 3rd Level, Greg Goes Up The Escalator Only To Be Thrown Over The Railing By One Of The Robots

To His Death...

But As They Try To Make A Run For It To Another Escalator Another Robot Confronts Them Which Forces Them To Take Shelter Inside Of Another Store...

Taking An Escalator Inside Of The Store To Level 3, One Robot Tries To Laser His Way In While The Other One Goes To Level 3..

Relaxing, For The Moment They Come Up With A Plan To Use The Mannequins As Bait While They Shoot At The Robot...

No, Wait You Might Hit Kim Catrall!

Oops!

Firing His Laser At Them, They Eventually Reveal A Few Mirrors Behind The Mannequins Thus When The Robot Fires At The Mannequins It Causes One Of The Laser Blasts To Fire Right Back At It...

(Robot) Malfunction, Malfunction, Need Input...

But As The Robot Begins Firing Crazily One Of The Blasts Hits Linda, Killing Her, Mad About This Of Course, Rick Boards A Vehicle And Rams It Into The Robot Blowing It Up And Electrocuting Rick At The Same Time...

So, With Ferdy And Alison Being The Only Ones Left They Decide To Go Find That Computer By Splitting Up To Try To Find It, But As Alison Goes Down A Long Corridor, She Enters A Room Full Of Junk Only To Be Confronted By One Of The Robots, Ferdy Comes To Alison's Rescue As She Screams And Knocks Out The Robot's Laser...

Chasing Ferdy, He Tosses A Fire Hydrant At The Robot When He Runs Out Of Bullets Only For The Robot To Toss The Fire Hydrant Right Back At Him Supposedly Killing Him But..

(Start At 0:43, End At 0:51)

With Alison As The Only One Left, She Loses The Robot Inside Of A Pet Store Only For It To Find Her Again Once She Get Out But Climbing Down Only To Fall On A Tent, She Heads Toward A Paint Shop Where She Dumps A Bunch Of Paints And Thinners So She Can Lure The Robot Inside So She Can Blow It Up With A Flare She Got From The Hardware Shop And...

(Start At 1:38, End At 1:59)

It Works!

So, With The Robot Gone, We Discover That Ferdy Is Alive So, Him And Alison Can Live Happily Ever After And Get Our End Credits...

And That's Chopping Mall And Well, It's Bad But It's Good Slasher Fun...

I'm Not Going To Lie, Folks The Acting In This Is Horrible And The Title Is Definitely Misleading But The Kills Can Go From Dull To Freaking Awesome And Because Of That I Say See It And To Have A Nice Day While Doing It...

Until Next Time, This Is Duke, Signing Off...

[illyriantremors]

Beneath the Stars Chapter 14

Chapter: I II III IV V VI VII VIII IX X XI XII XIII

AO3 Linkage

Summary: Feyre takes off with the inner circle to go camping for Thanksgiving weekend and feels at home for the first time in ages. Joking, laughter, and general merriment ensue before Morrigan decides to unload some feelings about a certain someone with Feyre on the final night that she'd been keeping to herself for too long.

Chapter 14

“You wear glasses??”

Mor nodded enthusiastically as she pulled out of the hug she had swallowed me whole in. She was a hugger, that one.

“Yes, but for Cheer I need contacts in. That’s why you never see me in them. I much prefer the glasses actually.” She adjusted the frames so they sat higher on her nose and gave a little squeak. “My eyes don’t hurt so bad when I take them off, though I think I look better without them.”

“You look fantastic either way and you know it. Right, Az?”

Mor’s cheeks colored a shade brighter than the sun. Azriel’s own were a set to match standing just a few feet away as he came out of the house with the boys. For the first time that I’d seen, Mor didn’t cover it up with her usual perkiness. She simply walked away.

Odd.

“Hey!” Cassian called to me enthusiastically, though it sounded a lot more like hay with about a million a’s stuffed between. Rhys spotted me, licked his lips, and leaned casually against the car while I talked to Cassian - waiting.

“So you made it after all, huh?” Cass asked.

“Yeah, you know, turkey’s not really my thing, so I thought I’d toss in with you losers and see what this camping business is all about. That is...” and I stole a glance at Rhys. “If it’s okay with you all.”

No one said anything, waiting for the only one who had to give his consent to answer. Rhys looked me in the eye and I watched his face soften before he nodded.

“Pft!” Cassian shoveled over to the car and pulled on the handle to the trunk with a grunt at Rhys to “Shove off, dude.” The door lifted and inside were more ice coolers than there were actual camping materials. I gave a ghost of a chuckle and noticed Rhys hadn’t removed his gaze from me.

“Please tell me you haven’t tricked me into opening a catering business with you and that there will be actual trees and camping on this trip?”

Cassian crossed his arms and leaned next to where Rhys had shuffled. “Please tell me that you were lying when you said turkey’s not really your thing and you’ll be stuffing your face full of it all weekend?”

“You mean this isn’t all for you?”

Like a puppet on one of those horrible video arcade games, Mor shot up over the backseat of the car without warning and shouted, “Hell no! A girl’s gotta eat. That entire cooler is mine and all you stupid pricks aren’t touching it, ha-ha.”

Several things happened at once. If this had been a movie, I would have seen it in slow motion, some cheesy instrumental music likely playing in the background.

Mor grinned from ear to ear at her own vibrancy, a move only she could pull off. At the same moment, Az lifted a set of tents over the coolers and noticeably rolled his eyes at Mor in all her eternal sunshine, but not without that little smile fighting its way onto his lips. Cassian shook his head, an amused, “Oh fuck me,” escaping him as he prepared for several more hours trapped in the car with all of us. And Rhys just sort of quietly chuckled at it all.

And so did I.

I laughed and I laughed and I laughed until I couldn’t stop, the sounds bursting out of me so loud, any neighbors who weren’t already up were bound to start peaking out their windows grumpily to see what was screeching in the streets.

Everything felt too perfect. There were little cracks here and there. If you squinted, you could see them in the silent tension between Mor and Az, or the frustrating comments from Cass everyone blew off constantly.

But nobody cared. This was, I realized, what a family looked like. And I had the privilege of being deliriously, happily a part of it.

“You broke her,” Az said. He was almost even smiling at me.

“I told you she’d be good fun in the end, didn’t I?” Mor said. “Come on, let’s go! I’d like to get this stupid car ride over with and tents pitched by sundown, if that’s okay with you guys.”

“Do we have any choice?”

“SHOTGUN!”

Mor, already closest to the front seat, darted forward and claimed the prize before anyone could stop her. Cassian groaned, loud enough for Mor to hear.

“But,” Az said, looking confused and if I wasn’t wrong, maybe a tad bit hurt. “Isn’t Cassian driving?”

“Yeah,” Rhys said somewhat reluctantly for Cass, who trudged along to the driver’s side. “He is.”

Az nodded and got quietly into the car himself. He sat in the middle seat, not quite in Mor’s line of sight. Whether that was a good thing or a bad thing, I wasn’t sure.

I took my backpack and sleeping bag and added it to the monstrosity of a pile that had become the trunk. It was a wonder it all fit or that we’d even been able to see Mor over it all. Rhys waited while I tossed my stuff aboard.

When I was done, he just stood there looking at me.

“What?” I asked.

He promptly closed the trunk door and put his hands in his pockets. We were standing closer than I would have anticipated given that he wasn’t talking to me, but I wasn’t going to get my hopes up again, so I waited for him to speak first.

And when he didn’t, I’ll admit I cracked inside a tiny bit. “Rhys, I-” but he stopped me by walking purposefully towards me until he was inches away boring the entirety of those beautiful eyes into me, stealing the breath I didn’t want him to have lest I never get it back. Those eyes seemed to search me for a century, dancing back and forth over my features considering how far into me they should go. And oh I wanted them to go so terribly far. Much further than I had dared to think I could want before.

“You should laugh more often,” he said at long last. His eyes turned sad - almost lost. “You’re exquisite when you do, Feyre.”

There. That was where I wanted to melt right into him. He was so beautiful. So utterly broken and beautiful in ways I hadn’t even begun to imagine.

A smile, just something soft and sweet for his compliment, worked its way out of me and I wanted to broaden it into something just for him, but a loud slam on the car horn ruined those plans. Cassian rolled down the window and shouted, “Get in the house or get in the car - your choice!”

“Cassian!” I could hear Mor hiss, even standing outside.

Rhys chuckled, shaking his head in disbelief. “Come on. We’ve got a long ride ahead of us. Best get it over with.”

A long, long ride indeed.

The drive up to Arrowhead took a few hours once holiday traffic was factored in. Even on Thanksgiving day itself, the freeways were jammed as badly as 8am work traffic on the 405.

But it was nice in a way to just sit in the car and watch the world disappear out the window for a couple hours as cement was ground into solid earth and buildings because thick, beautiful trees full of greenery. It was nice to see that some parts of California still had greenery. In a matter of weeks, maybe even days, these mountains would be covered in snow.

The car was loud the entire way up. Rhys and I didn’t speak much directly to each other, but a calm sort of peace seemed to have momentarily settled between us - a cease fire until we could talk properly.

Shit - I was just happy he was talking to me again and trying very hard not to think about what he’d said about my laugh or why it had made him look so horribly miserable.

Similarly, Mor seemed to have turned a cold shoulder on Az. He was silent as usual, chiming in only here or there to offer his witticisms and one-off comments, but Mor would simply shield herself every time. I was going to have to pester her about that later after all the hell she’d given me over Rhys.

Cassian was the one who glued us together. He bickered constantly with Mor every time she took his chips or changed the radio station, gave Rhys and Az a hard time over who could pitch their tent the fastest, and by the time we were pitching said tents at the campsite, I’d had enough of ‘turkey’s not my thing’ remarks to last me enough Thanksgivings for the rest of my life.

It was wonderful.

Amren was waiting for us by the time we arrived. The car doors exploded open and all three of the boys flew out at lightning speed, grabbing tents and poles and stakes, racing to see who could win the bet.

“By all means, be savage about it,” she said by way of greeting.

“You know I’m always available to show you savage anytime, Amren love,” Cassian said with a snarl as he dumped his materials on the ground and set to work.

“An invitation I’ll never extend, as you damn well know.” She directed her attention to me and stated factually, “boys are disgusting sometimes.”

“That they are, eh Mor?”

Mor didn’t seem to hear me. She was staring fixedly at Azriel as he worked much more slowly than either of his brothers to set up his tent. Her body was stiff and straight as a rod, arms crossed squarely over each other. I could have snapped her in half like that.

“Say, Morrigan?” I tapped her casually and she blinked wearily at me with an oblivious, “Hmm?” Oh, she had it bad for the boy and he had no idea, though he undoubtedly wished he did.

“Nothing,” I laughed. “Amren was just about to show us her sweet camper, yeah, Am?”

“I suppose,” she huffed.

“Why’d you bring this thing? No sleeping bag for you?”

“Don’t be stupid, Feyre. You know my standards are higher than that.”

The camper was small, but perfect enough to store extra supplies and keep a single occupant warm. She’d have to use the camp ground facilities to wash up since this was just a simple popup, but it would do nicely.

Mor hopped up onto one of the two single beds. “Cassian snores,” she said. “Amren’s the only one with any forethought to bring her own accommodations when we go camping. I’m surprised they didn’t care that you ditched out on them this year.”

“My parents have never been traditional. You know that.”

“Still, I would have thought you’d have prefered Aruba or whatever glamorous place your family was off to next for Thanksgiving compared to this.”

“Hey,” I said, jumping up to take a spot next to her. “I happen to find this all very glamorous.”

“Oh good grief, Feyre. Wait until Cass starts snoring. You’ll find a whole new definition of glamour. So what happened with your family.”

I blew out hot air, my lips vibrating together as I made an exasperated noise. “I don’t really know anymore. One minute we were gonna maybe make something work and the next we weren’t. Dad very clearly didn’t have any plans and he seemed happier thinking I was out with actual friends than stuck at home fussing over him, so... here I am.”

“You little prick!”

All at once, the three of us made for the door and stepped back outside. Rhys was finishing up his tent and Cassian didn’t look like he was far behind, except that Azriel’s tent was already finished and by the looks of it, he’d taken a few extra stakes to add to his supply pile - Cassian’s stakes.

And then, at precisely the same moment Azriel unleashed a rare smug grin, Cassian launched himself at his brother. Az slid hard in the dirt taking his shirt with him through a bit of mud. He grappled with Cassian and tugged his shirt clean off so that his chest was exposed - complete with a smooth, solid expanse of skin and muscles for the scars of his hands to disappear into.

The pair untangled themselves and Az choked out a laugh, another rarity coming from him, and he and Cass began to circle each other.

“Uh, is this normal?” I asked, not sure whether I should try and break it up or let it be.

Amren snorted. “Of course it’s normal. Haven’t you seen these morons on the field?”

“Football season is almost over,” Mor said, but she sounded rather distant. Her mouth was hanging slightly open and her eyes were starting to gloss over. I didn’t have to think hard to guess what she was staring at. “Wrestling starts when we get back from winter break. They’ll be, well…”

She never finished her sentence. Just took one good, long look at Az and walked towards the car with a frown. “Hey, are you okay?”

“I’m fine,” she said waving me off over her shoulder and it was the most lifeless I’d ever heard her. I didn’t care what she said. Something was wrong.

And it was like that the entire weekend we camped, but as long as Mor kept her distance from Az, we had a good time.

Cass and Rhys co-conspired to throw Amren in the lake and succeeded, much to their regret when she put dirt in their turkey sandwiches later that night, Azriel quietly chuckling over the matter in his corner of the campfire. I brought my sketch pad out and started drawing up charcoal sketches of everyone when they weren’t looking. Mor sunbathed to work out her uneven tan lines.

And we slept. Goodness, how we all slept and slept and slept.

But the best moments by far were around the campfire late at night when we were up past the campsite curfew and should have been in bed, but we didn’t care. The sound of the fire crackling against the dark and quiet trees was enough to keep us going. That and the s'mores.

“Who knew turkey sandwiches could taste as good as the real thing?” I mumbled through a big bite of turkey, bread, and that terrible over-processed cheese our country couldn’t get enough of.

Cassian sat across the fire from me and smirked. “I told you turkey was your thing.”

“All of this is my thing,” I said. “All of the camping even when it gets freezing cold in the middle of the night. The jumping into random lakes and Amren’s own personal portable hotel on wheels. You guys are wonderful.”

“Aww.” Mor smushed herself against my side and rested her head on my shoulder. We looked at Amren dozing off in her chair across from us and Mor sighed. “You like us.”

“I can no longer deny what was always going to be inevitable.” She giggled and I felt her charm, my own laughter joining hers. Every time I did, I found Rhys staring at me with a most calm, pleased expression settling over him. I picked up my soda can and raised it up high against the backdrop of flames. “To friends,” I said. “Happy Friendsgiving.”

“Happy Friendsgiving,” Mor said adding her own can to clink lightly against mine.

The boys did the same though I wasn’t so sure their cans were filled with purely soda. We lapsed into a happy silence for a short while after watching the fire dance, watching each other live. The sun was going to come up in only a matter of hours to drag us back home to school and families and I didn’t want to leave.

Rhys cleared his throat and all eyes turned. “So there may be a slight inconsequential problem with the dance…”

“Oh we’re not really going to discuss SBC now are we??” Mor said as she snapped herself off me. “This is a vacation, damn it!”

“Why do you think I waited until it was almost over to bring it up?” Mor tossed back her hair flippantly, but didn’t protest either. Rhys pressed on. “The school gym flooded.”

“What?” Az groaned. No doubt his engineer’s mind was already running over the logistics of that one.

Rhys stared into the fire before daring to meet his cousin’s horrified shock. “It’s not gonna be repaired until after Christmas. We’re gonna need a new venue for the dance.”

“You have got to be joking. Please tell me you’re joking. I bought a dress! Not to mention we’ve been planning this for weeks and - oh Feyre, you made such pretty posters!”

She wound her arm through mine, the picture of absolute catastrophe and I had to stifle my laugh at how exaggerated she could be sometimes. “I can make more for the new venue. It’s fine, Mor.”

“If we find a venue,” Cassian chimed in. “Who the hell is gonna let us rent a space on this kind of budget?”

“It can’t be all that bad,” I said. “I mean, nearly the entire senior class is going and at the rate we sold tickets for-”

“You’d be surprised what some places will charge,” Az said. “And knowing our dynamic duo’s proclivity for the extravagant…” Mor pointedly ignored his look, so he turned to Rhys who gave the faintest flick of his brow. “It’s not going to be easy.”

“There must be something.”

“With stars and lights and champagne? Fat chance.”

“Maybe not on the champagne front, Mor. We are only 18 - sort of. Most of us. I highly doubt they’ll let us have alcohol.”

“Not gonna stop me…” Cass said before tipping back his can of whatever Felix Felicius he’d picked up.

“But the rest doesn’t seem too awful. Somewhere’s gotta have something at a decent price.”

Rhys stretched out his legs leaning towards me. As he edged closer, the light from the fire illuminated his skin casting shadows that wove about him with a dark, mysterious glow. Something about seeing him at a bonfire was starting to feel a little heady for me.

“So put that beautiful brain of yours to work, Feyre darling. Where exactly do you propose we go?”

I tried to hide my shiver as he said my name like that, something I hadn’t heard out of him for a while. I didn’t realize until he said it just how much I’d grown fond of the term, ironic given how I used to berate him for it so constantly.

Starfall conjured memories of mom and dad in the snow with cocoa and quiet. That wasn’t quite right for a dance.

The Starfall we wanted was exactly the opposite - still nighttime, but warm and dark and full of grass and gardens as opposed to snow. There needed to be a space for music and for food and somewhere people could escape if it got too cold outside and still feel decadent. And it had to come on a budget, which meant one of us would likely have to have an in to get the space, but the only place I could think of that ever made me feel remotely close to what we wanted Starfall to be was… was…

Rhys smiled right before I did. And when I released mine, it was free and unrestrained and directed entirely at him.

“Oh I think I might know just the place, Rhysand darling,” I said. I didn’t know where we were going with this or why he was letting the flirtation start again when I wasn’t even really sure he’d forgiven me yet for what I’d said. I’d barely had a chance to properly apologize as it was.

But Rhys’s smile was as wide and satisfied as my own as he purred, everyone else around us completely forgotten for a brief moment in the night, “Tell me everything, Feyre.”

And so I did.

I was almost asleep snuggled deep inside my sleeping bag when my tent mate pulled me away from the enticing call of sleep.

“I have an A+ in Calculus.”

I had no idea what Mor’s Calculus grades had to do with anything, but she said it so matter-of-factly and yet so downhearted at the same time, I was forced to roll back over and stay awake.

“What?” I groaned, my voice already sounding groggy like it certainly would for a good hour after waking up in the morning.

“I have an A+ in Calculus.” Still clueless, I kept silent and waited for her to go on. “You would think after two straight years of tutoring me he would get that I’m not sticking around for the grades.”

Ah, that.

“I mean, my grades were top marks when I met him. He had no idea that I was passing everything with flying colors, but after so much time and when it’s no longer any big secret that I’m not just some dumb cheer chick like people think and he knows the schools I’m applying to and they’re good schools and you’d need a good Calc grade to get in and so obviously I must have that right? Right?”

She was talking very, very fast and my brain was having trouble working out how it all connected, so I merely agreed, “Right.”

“Exactly! He has to know I don’t need his help anymore. I show him my tests. I do just fine without him. So obviously I’m still getting tutoring because… he should have known that I’d… I thought he would… I don’t know what I thought.”

Her voice cracked. It was probably a good thing it was so dark inside our tent because I had a feeling she might start crying if I wasn’t careful.

“What happened?”

I heard a huge sigh, one that was sad and defeated. “We were walking out of AP Gov to go to lunch after fifth period on the last day of school. This guy from the football team - Eris?”

“Never met him.”

“Yeah, well he noticed us walking and came up to ask me to go to Winter Formal with him.”

“And you said....?”

“I told him I’d think about it and let him know after break because I wasn’t sure if I was possibly going with someone else already. He took it well and left, and then I looked at Azriel because I’d been thinking about what you said and wondering if maybe he’d... Ugh. He wouldn’t say anything, Feyre. His opportunity was there and I was making it perfectly clear I meant for him to ask me and he just insisted we go to lunch and look at the time! and he was so perfectly fucking Azriel about it all in his stupid dark denim jeans and sometimes when he’s stressed out like he was then his eyes get all squinty. I don’t think he notices really, but they do and he starts finding places to hide his hands as if I haven’t seen them a million times already. I mean, the guy tutors me twice a week and we share pens, for goodness sake! There has been definite touching and the nerve of him to - what are you laughing at?!”

I stifled my mouth as best I could and tried not to wake up the entire campsite. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. It’s just - you have got the hots for him so bad.” I broke, unable to contain my fit any longer.

I was expecting a signature “Feyre Archeron!” or maybe even a playful shove, but Mor just broke out into her own breathless laughter. “Ugh - it’s true! You are so, so, so right. I’m screwed! Feyre, he’s so yummy, I can’t help it. Sometimes I just stare at his forearm while we work on Calc homework just so I can watch the muscles move while he writes. And fuck me - did you see him with his shirt off in the mud when we got here? Kill me now.”

“Not that I have any interest in taking your beautiful boy away from you, but yes. He was a sight to behold. Is that why you’ve been so cold on him this weekend? He didn’t ask you to the dance?”

“I know it’s terrible and pretty selfish. I just never thought he liked me back until you said something and then I thought, well, maybe, but I was still doubtful. He’s so good to people. Says yes to everything if it means he can help out somehow and I thought that’s all I was to him - another favor.”

“Uh-uh, no way.”

“Trust me. You don’t know Az like I do. In some ways, I don’t think he thinks he’s very useful so he tries to make up for it. It’s why he hides his hands so much. Has he ever told you why he has all those scars?”

I shook my head once before remembering Mor couldn’t see me in the dark and amended myself to say no. I remembered, though, that first day in the car when Rhys came to help me move. He’d mentioned Az living next door to him and meeting him and Cass, but the car had gone silent when the mention of why he might have moved came up.

“I don’t want to get into all the details. It’s his story to tell and not everyone knows about it. But he was in a fire when he was in middle school. Something to do with his family. They’re a million times worse than mine on that front, but anyhow, a neighbor pulled him out and by that point it was too late for his hands to heal, but the damage wasn’t enough for a skin graph. I don’t think he’s ever felt normal or worthwhile since.”

Surprised, horrified, sorrowful - that didn’t even begin to cover how I felt and I only knew the surface details. I was debating what might be appropriate to say, how to come back from that when Mor just barely whispered, “But I love him to the moon and back, so…” If she hadn’t been crying before, she definitely was now, slowly and gingerly. “I just really thought he might ask me, you know. Oh well.”

She added in a flippant chuckle, a feeble attempt to brush it off. Typical Morrigan.

“So why don’t you ask him?”

“What are you talking about?”

“You said it yourself. He doesn’t think he’s worthwhile. He probably misread your signal when Eris asked you out - probably missed it altogether or just plain old panicked. It’s not like Azriel’s very forthcoming.”

“Heh, no. He’s not.”

“So go ask him! Every time you’ve had your back turned or ignored his comments this week, the boy’s face has been worse than a Jackson Pollock. Trust me, he’s into you. Go ask him.”

I could just picture her face working it out in her head flustered and furious and adamant. “You know what. You’re right. I’m going to ask him.”

“Good for you!”

“Right now!” Her sleeping bag was suddenly unzipped and Mor dumped half of it on me as she scrambled up and shrugged a pullover on.

“Wha-what? Now?”

“Why not.” It wasn’t a question.

“It’s like two in the freaking morning! He’s gotta be asleep. Can’t you wait until-”

“NOPE!”

She unzipped the tent and darted out, but she didn’t leave until she’d snuck her head back inside and said, “Good luck with my cousin,” with a merciless snicker.

“Wait - what are you talking about?”

“Rhysey’s gonna have to go somewhere when I kick him out of Az’s tent and with the way Cassian snores and Amren’s camper only sleeping one, that just leaves....”

I grabbed for the tent to stop her, but she zipped it closed in my face openly cackling at me as she ran off to where the boys were sleeping. I fell back on my pillow staring wide-eyed at the dark point of the tarp above me wondering what would happen.

That intoxicating minute at the cafe on karaoke night came to mind. Rhys sleeping next to me - shit, Rhys sleeping next to me - he’d be close enough to touch me like that again, assuming he still wanted to.

Did he want to???

Somewhere in between the keyboard stew of letters bombarding my brain, my breathing picked up and I had to close my eyes so I could focus on chilling out.

But the seconds ticked by quickly fading into minutes and I knew Mor had gotten what she’d wanted. I’d heard it loud and clear in the next tent as she kicked Rhys out and he begrudgingly went along with it. And yet - no Rhys.

I was alone.

It didn’t have to be a big deal. He’d just chosen snoring over freaking me out. Mor was wrong. Simple as that.

But somehow, I found myself unzipping my tent and peaking my head out just to make sure he was okay, that he wasn’t sitting outside his tent waiting to be let back in at some point. I already knew Mor wasn’t letting that happen. The second she got past that zipper, she wasn’t coming back out.

He wasn’t sitting next to his tent and I was going to let it go, assume he’d picked Cassian for whatever myriad of reasons, when my gaze caught on the hill above our campsite. Rhys was a distant figure laying on the grass in the open air while he stared up at the stars.

It was hard to tell, but I didn’t think he had anything with him save maybe a pillow. It was cold outside - freezing by California standards. He couldn’t have been comfortable up there and Mor had left her sleeping bag behind, so technically I could just give it to him and call it a night…

Consequences be damned. I wanted to know where he and I stood and take a chance to apologize in person finally.

I grabbed both sleeping bags and the pillows and trudged up that hill towards him.

Towards Rhys.

xx

[beardcore-blog]

Mothpoint #9- Family Feud

*It felt wrong, locking them up, but Simon didn’t have any other choice. He was sure if he let them go, they’d kill him. Or, he’d have to kill them, and he couldn’t live with himself if it came to that*

Thawne- -name is Chronos.

Simon- Huh?

Thawne- *sigh* The time traveller on Pike’s payroll. I should have known.

Simon- Who… who is he?

Thawne- A long time Atom foe, went off the grid a few years ago. Palmer, that is the Atom, damaged his time belt, stranding him in the void. A space outside of time, when a timeline has been overwritten. Spent a millennia there before he managed to break out, and when he did… he was different. Picked up some temporal abilities, clairvoyance, the usual. Made him even more annoying

Simon- This Chronos guy, why would he help Pike?

Thawne- Why would you?

Simon- What?

Thawne- She’s still breathing. It would have been one less thing to worry about, now wouldn’t it?

Simon- I’m not you.

Thawne- And they’re not them. Stop treating them as such.

Simon- *They* are my family.

Thawne- Touching. But wrong

*No. Thawne was wrong, he was a trickster, a liar and a monster thought Simon. He had to get through to her. He knew if he got through to her, then the world was fixable. He didn’t know how he knew that, but he just knew. While he waited for her to wake up, he was working on a new costume. Old costume? It would be the same style he wore up to the City of Fear incident. Very classic. Bright pink and yellow, trunks, eyes instead of a visor. It was his most “heroic” look, even if he preferred his current suit for a myriad of reasons. He was hoping he’d finish before she awoke, but alas he heard her struggle against her bonds behind him as he worked, and he managed to turn around and face what he’d done only when he heard the chair fall over. He walked over and gingerly righted her. She spat at him.*

Emi- Get me out of here. Now.

*He closed his eyes, took a deep breath.*

Simon- Emi-

Emi- Go on then, how do you know my name?

Simon- We’re… Emi, this is going to sound crazy, but… Emi, you and I… We… we’re boyfriend and girlfriend. In an alternate timeline.

*Suddenly Emi laughs, loud, harsh, a sound Simon had never heard from her, not like this. It was a cruel laugh, sarcastic*

Emi- I’m not buying it. You think I’m stupid enough to go out with you? In this, or any time!

*He sighed, and returned to his work station. He’d been in a lot of crazy scenarios before. But altered timelines? That was new. He had thought himself immune to that all-encompassing phobia, the fear of change. He had thought wrong. Maybe, when he fixed everything, he’d visit Arkham and ask Doctor Crane about that… Or Professor Strange? Maybe there was a psychiatrist somewhere in Gotham who wasn’t insane…*

Emi- Look, freak, you don’t know what you’ve gotten yourself into. Green Arrow’ll be here any minute and ohhhhhh man we are going to have some fun with you.

Thawne- You’re referring to your tracking device? The one you hid in the heel of your boot? First thing the kid did was destroy it. Waste of parts, if you ask me…

Simon- Could you-?

Thawne- Sorry, should I leave you "love birds" alone?

Emi- Ok, so maybe you do know my secrets. What good’s that gonna do ya? Do you even have a plan, or am I just gonna die of old age?

Thawne- I have a plan. No idea what the kid’s is though.

Simon- Really?

Thawne- I’m going.

Simon- Sorry, he’s… it’s complicated

Emi- Seems like a recurring problem

Simon- Well, I …am working on a plan. You’re not actually part of it – yet! If you’d like to help me, that’d be great, but for now, I just wanted to have someone to talk to. Not him, I can’t… You, I wanted you to talk to. Or I’ll just listen to you. Even when you’re being mean, I can’t not love you.

*He was pretty sure Thawne put his palm to his forehead at that point. Admittedly, it wasn’t Simon’s best line*

Emi- Oh. My God, you are by far the most naïve supervillain I’ve ever dealt with. How the hell are you one of the best enforcers of Gotham’s underworld.

Simon- That’s what I’m saying, I’m not.

*He had finally got the antennae on, those were always the trickiest, and thus the costume was complete. He stepped out of the room to change, then leapt back in with a dramatic “Ta-da!” Upon which Emiko burst out laughing, again.*

Simon- You don’t like it? You always liked it before…

Emi- AhahahahohmyGod. Oh my God. That is the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen.

*Simon looked down, dejected, then pulled a chair over, in front of Emiko. He sat down, removed his mask, and looked at her.*

Emi- What do you think you’re doing?

Simon- -I need to know that…that you’re my Emi. Maybe I’m wrong and I can’t fix everything. But Jay, Jay always told me you-you get the lightning rod and that keeps you grounded and so if I can-can get through to you I’ll be able to fix everything.

*The words were hard to get out. The idea that maybe he couldn’t fix everything, that maybe he couldn’t get her back. It killed him.*

Emi Get me. The fuck. Out of this cell. You stupid. Piece of shit.

*He dropped his mask on the floor, put his head in his hands, and started to weep. He would still try and find a solution, but he wasn’t going to get through to her now, was he?*

Emi- Oh my God, you’re crying? Over some mean wittle words? Geez, what’ll you do when I throw you in Arkham?

*In that moment, he bolted up from the chair*

Simon- Shut up! Shut up shut up shut up!

*He had never yelled with that much anger…ever. And certainly not at her. He saw the brief flash of fear in her eyes, even as she hid it. What did he look like to her, he wondered. Was that that other him, breaking through, or was he always like this? Was this what was always beneath the surface? No wonder Charaxes wanted him… He reached back for the chair, tried to sit down, instead he just fell down on the ground. He lay back fully, put his hands over his eyes and began to laugh. The laugh became a scream and then, silence. He stood himself up, picked up his mask, looked at her one last time, for now he tried to tell himself, then he put on his mask and left the room*

Thawne- *Sigh* Young love…

*Simon wanted to hit him so badly, if only he had speed… Then he could kill him, like he killed him, over and over and over. But then he realised that it simply wasn’t worth it. He wasn’t worth it. Right now Thawne was his only hope. Emi wasn’t going to help him. And so, he slumped out of that room too, ignoring his companion’s mocking "tutting," defeated to be met with his father’s face. Kinda. It was peculiar. His mask bore a striking resemblance to the Arkham Moth’s; both were green, both had dark rebreathers, and both had yellow, tinted visors Simon was sure hid an inner pain. Perhaps that was how, if not to Emi, he could appeal to his dad. Perhaps*

Drury- Went well, did it?

Simon- What was in the vial?

Drury- It doesn’t matter, does it?

Simon- It matters to me.

Drury- *You* don’t matter. If you don’t mind, I’d rather await my impending doom, then listen to you right now.

…

Simon- I know about your friends. Gar, and Mira-

Drury- Don’t you speak their names. Don’t you dare. What, did you think we’re equal or something, you think we can talk now because you know my tragic backstory? The friends that I’ve lost-! … Who told you anyway, your pal Carson?

…

Simon- I’m… I’m sorry.

Drury- Hnh. I don’t care.

…

Simon- Carson’s not my friend or anything. In case you thought-

Drury- Hmph.

Simon- He blew me up once.

Drury- You look pretty good considering.

Simon- What happened Drury. What really happened?

…

Drury- I was drunk. Gar was drunk. Miranda was- We were all drunk, we were on our way back from a play, Les Miserables- yeah, don’t look surprised, I’m a theatre buff. The radio was glitching in and out… thought it was a horror channel, turns out, it wasn’t.

Simon- The Blackest Night.

Drury- I wasn’t watching the road, in-between arguments with Gar, and trying to switch off the radio, I swerved, careered off of a cliff. I got off alright, but them? Miranda had fallen, she wasn’t going to make it. And what about Gar, eh? Well. Heh.

*He takes his mask off, his face shadowed. He wipes a single tear from his eye, and continues*

Drury- He hadn’t got out the car, don’t know if he even coulda, heck by that point it was on fire, blazing even. But he wouldn’t move. He just… sat there, seatbelt still buckled- burning, entranced by the flames. I tried pulling him out, I really did, but it was too late. I shoulda watched the road, yet I- I killed them. And then, then they came back. Black, grey, dead, like the rest of those so called ‘Black Lanterns’….

*Drury takes a step forward, Simon a step back, he knew it was coming but there it was. His dad’s face. Scarred, burned all on one side, not unlike Two-Face’s, one eye dead, the other filled with regret. Never before had Simon felt so much… pity for his father*

Drury- I watched them die, then I watched them be perverted, transformed into zombies by some necromancer, and they spoke to me. Mocked me. Blamed me. And y’know, they were right. Was that what you wanted to hear?

…

Drury- I’ve answered your questions, suppose it’s my turn. Who, are you?

…

Simon- My name is Simon. Simon… King.

Drury- Simon. I always liked that name…

Simon- You ever considered naming Ax- your son that?

Drury- My son-? I… I put my kids into foster care. They deserve better than I could give them. Axel, and Kitte- Katie. Heh.

…

Simon- I didn’t grow up with my father, but… I idolised him. I still felt like I knew him. Every news report, every article, I watched it all. My dad was one of the "greats"… Two years ago, I finally met him. He wasn’t that legend. In fact, he was better than I could imagine.

Drury- Why’s that?

Simon- He was kind. He was good. Yeah, he did bad crap, yeah he hurt people, but he always did it for his family, and for his friends. He was there for them. Like you should be for your kids.

Drury- I don’t deserve them.

Simon- They deserve a father, don’t they?

…

Drury- Your old man, what happened to him?

…

Simon- I lost him. ==== *It was for the best, he knew that. But it hurt all the same, like a bullet in his chest. Granted, he did have a bullet in his chest, so that might just be that that stung, but he doubted it. He had spent a good minute staring at that keypad, going back and forth on it, before finally, he put in the code he’d set. It was her birthday*

Simon- You’re… you’re free to go.

Emi- This is a trick, right?

Simon- No. Please.

*Emi stared at him, and the pain returned- having her look at him like he was nothing was worse than any wound, that was now a certainty. She climbed out the window, and then, she was gone. Simon walked quietly back to the main cortex*

Thawne- Did you do it?

*Simon doesn’t say anything. Thawne smiles, and nods*

Thawne- Good boy. This, is our key to getting out of this mess.

*Thawne picks the courier up from the workbench. It’s heavily modified*

Thawne- This is a hypertime tracker. Alone, it’s useless, but combined with DNA, it can track that person’s movements across time, to the last place they travelled.

Simon- Then, it’s nearly over…

Thawne- Aside from your daddy issues, the Fireflies and Bane, yes. Yes it’ll be over, but first, we need Chronos.

——– Credit to Brute, who wrote the framework of the Simon/Emi conversation back when this story was just a concept. It’s been heavily adapted since, as new characters and plot lines were introduced

Posted by Duncan C. Young on 2019-02-09 14:16:23

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The post Mothpoint #9- Family Feud appeared first on Good Info.

[baw74fanfic]

Chapter 5 - Planning the Future

Jingyu leaned over to grab his phone, and sat up quickly. It was already past 11am. "Hey, it's past 11 and we haven't heard from Li Hao or Zheng. We should get up, get some food, and find out what's going on."

Weizhou and Jingyu climbed out of bed and hopped in the shower. Their bathroom had what could be called a shower room, as opposed to a stall. With three shower heads dumping hot water out, the room could turn into a steam room pretty quickly. They showered quickly and got ready. In the kitchenette, breakfast goods had been laid out, awaiting them.

"Hey Li Hao, our two lovebirds have emerged!" Zheng Ge yelled out. From the living area around the corner, Li Hao yelled back, "It's about time!"

Jingyu playfully sneered at Zheng as he grabbed a steamed pork bun and a cup of tea. Zhou decided to tackle the intricately designed automatic coffee machine.

"Why didn't you call or message me?" Jingyu asked Zheng.

"We're just giving you a hard time. We felt it was better to let you two have as much downtime as possible, given the coming days.", he replied.

"Well even though Zhou's feeling better, I don't want to push it too much."

"Don't I have a say in what I can or cannot do, you big oaf?" Weizhou joined in.

Jingyu's glance told him enough, while Li Hao walked in.

Weizhou demurred, "But let's keep things on the lighter side, if possible, while I'm recuperating." he instructed the two managers.

Li Hao smiled, "It'll be fine. I've already put out the word that you are sick, and that's the reason for the sudden cancellations in your schedule, Weizhou. It buys us time, and frankly, it's not spinning anything."

Jingyu went straight to the point, "Zheng Ge, I know when we renegotiated my contract with you, I had a clause put in that allowed you to break the contract risk-free, should you feel your reputation and or business suffer from dealing with me. I don't know if you remember, so I wanted to remind you that is still an option."

"Of course I remember, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that the path I want to take with this, is to be open about it. And I'm fully aware what that may mean for my future career. And Weizhou's, for that matter." Jingyu worriedly glanced at Zhou.

"And I'm with him." Weizhou added.

The two managers exchanged glances, and Zheng Ge replied, "After your phone call to each other the other morning, Li Hao and I both understood where you two stand." Zheng then looks at Jingyu, "And I understand what you are saying. But I'm not leaving."

Jingyu smiled. He thought Zheng Ge would say as much, he felt like he needed to press the issue anyway.

Li Hao continued, "That's why we decided to circle the wagons here, together. Zheng and I are not new to this world, and understand what the path ahead may bring. We're here for you two."

"Thank you." Weizhou replied solemnly. Jingyu nodded in agreement. "So, what's next?"

Li Hao answered, "It all depends on how you want to take this. The way I, well, we see it, is you can address the issue publicly and fade to a private life together.... Or address the issue publicly and become a lightning rod on the issue, working publicly to change the system."

"And whichever path you choose, we'll support you 100%." added Zheng Ge.

"While it may seem like a short period of time, we think you should at least begin to publicly address the issue tomorrow. You don't have to decide on the final path forward, but you have some hard thinking to do. So while Zheng and I take today to make some visits around the city, you two will have a meeting with the Digital Crimes Unit Chief here at 3pm, and then the rest of the day......and night, to talk." Li Hao gave a grave smile to them.

And with that, Zheng and Li Hao prepared to leave. "We should be back around 10pm. we'll be in touch. And please, don't leave the hotel." The door shut and a quiet blanket descended over a room that had been busy just a moment ago.

Jingyu was sitting on a couch, and across from him, Weizhou plopped down on a matching couch facing him. Their eyes met, and each let out a long sigh.

"To be honest, the idea of retiring early and living a private life is very appealing to me." Jingyu broke the silence. "But I also know that would be like death to you." He forced a smile.

Weizhou winced. "Yes, but I want you to be happy."

"As long as I'm with you, I am. So it sounds like we're taking the approach of becoming political, eh?" Jingyu replied.

Weizhou didn't like that idea, either. He was a musician, a singer, an artist. But he was also aware that there's a higher calling here.

"As long as there are people buying my music, and as long as there are people hiring you for roles, we're ok. Yes, a controversy will always be hanging around our necks, but I'm ok with that." Weizhou was rambling...

"Our experience with 'Addicted' has shown us it isn't that easy, babe. The bans hang over us like a dark cloud. We're a risk, now." Jingyu frankly spoke.

The two faded into a long moment of silence. After 15 minutes, Jingyu perked up.

"There's a third option. We leave China." he threw the idea out.

Weizhou didn't immediately discount the idea. In fact, he rather liked it. "Where would we go? Japan? Korea? Thailand?"

"Or the United States." Jingyu replied.

Weizhou smirked. That would be a slap in the face of the China government. He could see it now, headlines around the world, "Two rising young stars from China seek political asylum in the U.S.". Another, "China's treatment of two famous homosexuals spurs human rights questions."

"What if we don't decide, and make decisions as they arise?" Weizhou asked hopefully.

"That is certainly an option, as well. We've already structured our finances in a way that makes it possible to access if we had to leave the country." Jingyu agreed. The new breed of up and coming stars in China all followed a similar route for their newfound wealth.

Weizhou continued, "I think there's too much unknown right now to make an informed decision. We can go the route of being a catalyst for change here in China, but should our prospects dry up here, we always have the ability to leave for a better life internationally."

Weizhou looked over to Jingyu, who was deep in thought. The way Jingyu's eyebrows knitted together in that quintessential Jingyu manner... "What are you thinking about, babe?" he asked.

Jingyu stirred from his thoughts and look at Weizhou and smiled. "I'm remembering the first time we met. How I walked into Chai's office, and saw you, and thinking how strong your handshake was. Never in a million years did I think I would fall in love with a guy, yet here we are."

Weizhou smiled, and fondly remembered the moment. "I remember doing research on you prior to our meeting. Chai and I were concerned at your lack of acting training. Did you know after our meeting, and reading the first few lines together, what I said to Chai after you left?" Jingyu shook his head no.

"As soon as the door shut behind you, I turned to Chai and told her we just found our Gu Hai."

"You did?!" a surprised Jingyu replied. "I thought Chai made that decision!"

"Well she ultimately made that call, but I gave her the idea, but she readily agreed." Weizhou admitted.

The two sat in silence as they remembered that first moment together. The start of their journey that has led to this point.

\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

The doorbell to the suites rang shortly after 3pm. Jingyu answered and let the Chief from the Digital Crimes Unit inside, along with his two assistants. Weizhou had been on the phone with his family in the bedroom, and emerged to meet the visitors.

After initial pleasantries were exchanged, the officer began to brief the two on the progression of the case.

"As you two are aware, your private texts were stolen from Xu Weizhou's phone and posted online. From that posting we were able to trace the IP to Hong Kong. From there, it's a dead end. I won't go into highly technical details, but the point of presence of the last trace was a VPN-randomizer service. They covered their trail very well, which gives us some clues. Now, I need from both of you a list of individuals, companies, or entities who may hold ill-will towards you. We'll cross-check your lists, and try to narrow down where we have to investigate."

"Of course, we can provide you with those lists before you leave." Jingyu answered, Weizhou nodding in agreement. Weizhou then asked, "What's a VPN-... whatever you called it?"

"VPN-randomizer," the officer answered. "It stands for Virtual Private Network, it's a way for someone to hide their origination. You could think of it as erasing your footprints that you're leaving when you walk."

The officer continued. "Here's my business card with direct line. Call immediately if you hear from someone suspicious. We ask that you limit who gets your new phone numbers. I've given your agents a run-down of what we've discussed, as well as how much you can say publicly."

Weizhou had to ask, "Sir, can you tell us if there are any suspects that hold a special interest, so far?"

The officer pursed his lips and a grim face appeared. "I hate to admit this, but I'm learning more from what isn't there, then from what is. Meaning, whoever perpetrated this act is well-connected, and smart. I'm not ruling out that it was government-backed."

This news hit both the boys like a ton of bricks. Even though they both were aware of how high the stakes were, this was a stark reminder.

With that, the officer and assistants handed them pads of paper and pens to being making their lists. Both were very short, and mostly contained examples of those bad individuals that had tried to slander their reputations once they became more well-known. After the visitors took their leave, it was 5pm.

"Are you hungry?" Jingyu asked.

"Not really, how about you?"

"Same."

Weizhou stood up and walked over to the large windows overlooking the city.

"My parents are upset. My father had obscenities hurled at him in public today. They're worried for me. For us." Weizhou had been open about he and Jingyu to his family. They had even hosted Jingyu a couple of times.

Jingyu winced. It hurt him that the fallout was negatively affecting others. He could feel his anger welling up. He had learned to control it, but it was there still. But the sadness about the situation was there, as well.

After a few minutes of silence... he tried to give another out:

"It's not too late. You can say no, and this can all," *ahem*, "be a short memory in a long and successful career." His voice cracked in the middle, betraying his emotional state.

From behind, Jingyu saw Weizhou's head drop down. It then shook side to side, and he turned around and walked over to Jingyu. Kneeling before him on the couch, Weizhou looked up into the man's eyes; his own eyes stern, but still showing a softness towards his love. He grabbed Jingyu's hands, and through gritted teeth said,

"When are you going to learn, you big fool, that I love you more than anyone or anything in this world. Including myself. And I want to spend my life with you. Until we grow old, and die. Forever. Do you understand?"

Jingyu swallowed, and nodded. He then felt those emotions he's been trying to swallow, start to come up. This has happened before, like at the Bangkok Fan Meeting. In front of thousands in the packed auditorium. He hated that he can't control it, he had never been like that before. But since meeting his Zhou Zhou, his private heart was out in the open on his sleeve. Laid bare for all to see. And here it was, happening again. First his eyes welled up, then the pressure behind his face grew, and the flush rose up his neck. He smiled, but really it was a smile to cover the emotion that is escaping. Weizhou's eyes, witnessing this, softened more and he clucked his tongue. He pulled Jingyu in for a hug. Jingyu, thankful to not have to show his face to Weizhou like this, squeezed him close, the tears falling large and heavy onto Weizhou's shoulder and back. He sniffled, and sighed loudly.

"Look at what you fucking do to me."

Weizhou laughed, and squeezed Jingyu back.

[randomchick93]

Disney Random #1 (Part1)

(Hello to anyone who is reading this! I am giving you fair warning! this fanfiction is incomplete! It’s an idea I just have to get down. Well what I have of it in my head, that I can put into words articulately. In any-case! I hope you enjoy! AGAIN THIS FANFICTION IS INCOMPLETE! READ ON IF YOU DARE!) (P.S. I am making this at work. I will be adding more parts to it later, once I get home. Should inspiration strike me.) I could feel I was standing up, which wasn’t unusual. My dreams usual consist of me standing up, and usually running after something. This one though, is different. I am standing absolutely still, my eyes closed. A breeze is coming from behind me, and I can smell homemade sugar cookies on it. I know that heavenly scent anywhere, there for I know what dream this is. I know how it ends, and I can’t say I am to pleased. “Really brain? Seriously? this dream again? I haven’t had it since I was ten years old! I would really appreciate it if you would keep it that way!!” I snap out loud. Yeah, I know that seems weird, talking to my brain. It helps me vent though. I sigh, and I feel my eyes being to open, much as I don’t want them to. I try to fight it, but of course, that doesn’t work out in my favor.

Once my eyes fully open, I am looking straight into the eyes, of Mickey Mouse. NO not the actual Mickey Mouse, I am talking about the statue of him and Mr. Walt Disney, which stands in the center of Disneyland. Though as I am sure most of you know, Mickey is suppose to be looking up at Mr. Disney. Instead he is looking right at me. A look of hope in those big bronze eyes.

Mr. Disney though, is still looking out to the horizon, that smile still on his face, along with him gesturing with two fingers. As it has been since November 18, 1993. I sigh, and close my eyes, not wanting to see mickey’s right now. “Mickey Mouse, please, for the love of Disneyland, don’t look at me like that! I don’t know what you want from me! Quiet frankly though I am sick of this damn dream!” I lash out unnecessarily at the anthropomorphic mouse in front of me. Wait a damn second! I wasn’t able to lash out like that before! I snap my eyes open, mickey is still looking at me, that hope in his bronze eyes. Then his eyes change, from hope, to fear. I already know whats coming. The DARKNESS. The thing I hate most about this dream. It’s what you expect it to be, a huge billowing fog like cloud, rolling in through the streets in front of Disneyland. 

It’s different this time though, much different from any other time I can remember. I’ll be honest, It strikes a fear into me, that I will never admit aloud. I can smell it now, and I know it’s getting closer. It smells horrid, and the static that comes with it seems to charge the air like a lightning rod. I quickly turn around, to see what else has changed. Stupid of me really. It’s even closer now, maybe fifty feet away.

Unlike the usual black and red, from my childhood nightmares. This time its black, green, red, blue, yellow. All the colors of the rainbow form in it, making lightning strikes. Making unholy faces and cackling also popping like a roaring fire. I feel that fear, that childish fear whell up in my throat. I don’t run though, not this time. I am sick and tired and I have had enough! “I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU!” I yell at the cloud like fog. I won’t lie to you though, I am, I am scared shitless. Yet I am also sick and tired of this, this thing haunting my dream! This is Disneyland! MY happy place! I’ll be damned if I let this continue! Dream or not! The fog like cloud stops, seeming startled. I take this opportunity, and step forward. Throwing my shoulders back, and standing tall. “I AM NOT AFRAID OF YOU! YOUR JUST A BUNCH OF SMOKE AND LIGHTS! I AIN’T AFRAID OF YOU!” I scream at it, and with ever word I take a stride tword it. Until I am practically standing right in front of it. “You can NOT hurt me! If I don’t believe in you! I DON’T BELIEVE IN YOU!” I whisper scream at it.  I lost my voice, from fear yes, but I have not lost the sudden surge of courage that came through me either.  It seems to shrink back from me, as though my very presence bothers it. “You don’t like me eh? Well were in the same boat them buddy boy!” I snap at it, sarcasm dripping from my lips, like acid.

“Samantha, that's enough,” I hear a voice from behind me. NO I hear THE voice behind me. I don’t dare turn around though, I can hear his footsteps. They are soft, not bronze. How the hell did he manage to get off the podium?! How the hell?! “I’m Walt Disney my child, its what I do” Mr.Walt Disney himself says, coming to stand beside me.

“I knew you’d finally stand up one day,” Mickey Mouse says from my other side. “H-how?!-” I being to say. yet the darkness gets smart, and takes it’s chance. It is quick to envelop me, making me scream in fright and in pain. It feels as though I am being run through with more weapons then I can count. “SAMANTHA!- SAMANTHA MARIE CABEZUT WAKE UP!!” a voice suddenly screams at me.

I am pulled from my dream quickly, to someone shaking me gently. I snap my eyes open, reach to sucker punch whoever is holding me, only to find my younger sister. Taylor, looming over me, in her Zelda style PJs. “T-tay?” I ask, my voice still almost gone from my dream screaming. “Yeah onee-chan it’s me, its your butt head sis tay.” I hear the comforting voice of my little sister speak to me.

I quickly wrap my arms around her, and put my eyes to her shoulder. Which is kind of hard, since my little sister, happens to be almost six foot tall! “Was it that dream again?” she ask softly, wrapping her lanky tan arms around me. “Yes..well sort of..it was different this time..” I mumble. I honestly don’t want to tell her all what happened. See, my sister, she’s really smart, and sometimes she dissects things to much. Though usually, I appreciate it, when it comes to this particular dream.

The way she dissects it, makes me feel like a freak. “How so?” she ask, sitting up, and gently pushing me away. Her hands plant themselves firmly on my shoulder, and she stares at me, with her brown, almost black eyes. I sigh, and know, when my sister gets this way, only the universe could get her to let up. I tell her, in detail, what happened. She looks at me, dumbfounded for a second and then she sighs. 

“I can’t conclude anything..” she mutters. “I beg your pardon?” I ask, shocked. “You heard me, I can’t conclude what that dream means. i get the feeling though, something big is going to happen. I know your eighteenth birthday is coming up. Sam..Please hear me out on this, I don’t want you to go to Disneyland for your birthday this year. I know you’ve been planning this since you turned four. Yet sis, I just feel it in my bones, that you should NOT go there.” Taylor says. Her voice is firm ,and sound, I know she won’t back down.

I stare at her, in shock. She wasn’t lying, I have been planning this trip, and saving up for it, since I was four years old. I have been looking forward to his my whole life practically. Yet..I can’t deny that my little sister has a point. She has a way with things like this, and if she says I shouldn’t go, then by thunder I will NOT go. “Okay Taylor, I won’t go to Disneyland for my birthday,” I say.

As soon as those words leave my lips, I feel my childish heart begun to crack. The hope I once held so close, turns into dust. Taylor nods, then leave me to myself. Closing my bedroom door softly behind herself. I lay on my bed, looking up at my ceiling, which is Pride Rock from the lion king. Tears prick at my eyes, and I quickly turn my head into my pillow.

Yeah I know, crying doesn’t do anyone any good. Yet, I can’t help it. Not only do I feel like one of my biggest dreams, is crashing around me. Somehow, and I don’t know how. Somehow, by saying those words, by making that promise. I have not only dissapointed myself..I fell as though, I have disappointed some one, no some other people as well. The feeling seems to hurt my very being, and I cry myself to sleep. Hoping and asking the sky above me, that tomorrow will be a better day.

[journeysintowebcomics]

Girl Genius Liveblog #99

UPDATE 99: Everyone Goes to the Castle

Last time Gil had fought Zeetha for the crowd’s enjoyment, and it went off the rails in the best way possible. Everyone was entertained so...yep! They have a crowd to serve as witness once they get to the Castle. So let’s get going!

Gil marches towards the Castle, shouting about he’s just an entertainer, and managing to creep out his jolly gang of partners by smiling widely and generally behaving like no one expects him to behave. He’s into his role, that’s for sure. Once Gil gets to the entrance he proclaims his name and is immediately denied entrance, which Gil takes as his cue to unleash his rage. Maybe Theo can provide backup by shooting runcibles around while Sleipnir improvises with the fire throwing bagpipes, if anything to add chaos and give the crowd an incentive to spread the word even further.

Gil’s attacks don’t go unnoticed. Agatha and Tarvek hear it all from deep into the Castle, it’s lightning hitting the walls, after all. They hurry to take a look – Tarvek sure knows a lot about the layout of the Castle! – and find who’s doing it. Gil! Nobody seems very happy about it, since Tarvek may see Gil represents a hindrance to any plan no matter what it is, and Agatha...well he’s hitting her house with freaking lightning, who’d be happy about that. “Stop hitting my house, kids!” she shouts.

But it was an effective strategy, that’s for sure. These antics managed to catch the crowd’s attention and freak the guards out, who are still in disbelief about Gil being who he says he is. It shouldn’t be too difficult to prove he really is Gil, he has the same lightning rod and techniques he used against the battle clanks, so—

I love this webcomic. Good thing Higgs stuck around and carried the hat, eh, Gil? But yes, this should be all they need to assert Gil’s identity. All that remains is for him to enter the Castle, and that’ll deter the Baron from doing anything that could endanger his son. I wonder if this can lead to Wulfenbach entering the Castle too, to try to retrieve Gil. I wouldn’t be surprised at all if he does, even if his grievous wounds still ache.

While Moloch shows his great taste and praises the hat, Tarvek questions Agatha if she trusts Gil to be of help. She doesn’t trust him yet, but she blushes and starts talking while outside the jolly gang claims Gil is going to pursue Agatha romantically.

Wed her most vigorously, huh. Is that so? I see Gil is trying his best to stop them from shouting his romantic plans. I bet it was Zeetha shouting, she’s the type of person that would embarrass Gil gratuitously and support the relationship at the same time.

Tarvek doesn’t like the idea of someone else trying to woo Agatha and offers to deal with Gil, sentiment echoed by Agatha. I don’t know, I think Gil could be a lot of help when dealing with the Castle. He’s a spark, after all. And Gil wouldn’t protest, I’m sure he’ll keep his eyes widen open and remember every single detail he sees.

Gil’s group is all inside the Castle now! All of them, actually, which is fantastic. Higgs is still carrying the awesome hat, and indeed, it was Zeetha who was shouting most of that stuff about wooing Agatha. Hah! Yeah, thought so. And she did hand gestures and a little dance too, because no effort is wasted when it’s about flustering friends. Higgs quite reasonable points that they’re right now inside a mortal deathtrap, but no one seems to be too worried about it. Personally I don’t think they’re in that much danger. In fact...I’d say Theo and Sleipnir are the ones with the most risk to suffer horrible deaths, mostly because they’re side characters and they’re not Higgs.

The group barely has time to descend the stairs when someone shouts off-screen, having recognized Gil. It can’t be Agatha, since they wouldn’t look flabbergasted. It can’t be Tarvek because he's with Agatha. So...so who is it?

That’s a secret, because the next page is the torchmen returning to the town, maybe having harassed Wulfenbach’s ship until it was far away enough. Most stand on the lampposts, but a couple return all the way to the Castle...and carrying a passenger.

center>

Well! This is not a character I thought I’d see again. I had completely forgotten about Von Pinn! I wonder how Agatha will react when she sees Von Pinn, and what their meeting will be like. It’s likely it won’t be a calm meeting, that’s for sure.

And so that ends Volume 8! Eight of seventeen. So what happened in this volume? Agatha started her journey inside the Castle and got recognized as the real Heterodyne. How fast the word will spread depends on if the Castle is repaired successfully and isn’t destroyed by Wulfenbach, so I bet that’ll be the focus of the next volume, a race against the clock to try to get the situation under control before the situation escalates even more.

Moloch is the one character I should have seen returning, but didn’t think would. Yeah, looks like I tend to forget about side characters. But I’m glad he’s here! Zola...I thought she’d feature more than she did, she wasn’t as big of a player as I thought she’d be. And Tarvek, well, that’s another one that I didn’t think would happen. Maybe I should have expected that from the opera synopsis at the beginning of the volume.

But hey, you know what that means? There’s quite a large group of people here inside the Castle, but they’re largely divided in two groups: Agatha’s group and Gil’s group. It shouldn’t be too difficult to keep switching between one and the other.

What do I expect for the next volume? First than all that Wulfenbach finds out about Gil having entered the Castle. That should mean a change of plans. I also expect Agatha and Tarvek to start the repairing of the Castle. And...hm, well, with some luck Zola will have a bigger role this time, but I won’t be holding my breath on that last one. I bet the next volume will end with both groups meeting each other.

So let’s go forward and start Volume 9!

Nnnnnevermind. It hasn’t started yet. Looks like there’s an intermission right now, and since it’s right between volumes instead of in middle of a volume, I’m fine with it. What is it? Ms. Kaja Foglio calls it ‘brainless’ and claims it’s just for fun.

I see, I see. It’s a play! And judging from the scrip there, it’s Cinderella. It also has two princes, played by Tarvek and Gil. You know, I think this page is also more or less how Girl Genius goes. Phil trying to get everything in order, Kaja messing around, Gil and Tarvek being at odds with each other – well, they haven’t been at odds at all during the story beyond the fact Tarvek may need to deal with the Wulfenbachs if he wants to do anything in Europe, but I’d be surprised if their encounter doesn’t go like this – and meanwhile Da Boyz say something from time to time. Also hats.

Seems kinda promising, I’m curious how Cinderella would be shown like in this universe, supposing that’s what this is all about, that is. All signs points to yes. I should leave it for next time, though. Depending on how long this’ll go, it could take one or two updates. Update #100 is approaching fast, though, and as it’s traditional here, once a liveblog reaches #100 it’ll be time for me to make a short pause and tell what my opinion on everything is. Hopefully the play will be over before or during update #100, it’d be nice.

Thank you for reading.

Next update: four updates