#either as a move against Carmen or Ivy

[shadow-sandiego-shipping]

Anything for you...

Evil! Carmen x Shadow-san

What if Carmen remembered her old life, but VILE's mind control didn’t wear off?

WARNINGS: suggestive content; nothing explicit; they kiss in the mouth; slightly non-con; breath play? she chokes him out, basically.

She stumbled on her way due to the constant flashes of images... memories? Maybe the thing Graham used on her implanted these in her brain - to mess with her.

She leaves Devineaux's unconscious body laying on the broken car hood as she staggers around the pond.

And there he was.

"You." She states coldly. "I was hoping you'd show." Her intent was one of destruction. She wanted to do to him exactly what she'd done to Gray.

She makes her way around the pond, looking at him where he stood, wearing a black coat. This time, however, he was wearing pants.

He looked nice.

She pauses her movements. Where did that thought come from? No matter, she had a job to do.

He was just standing there, not making a move, so she stirred him on. "Come and get it." She lifts the freshly stolen eye of Vishnu.

"I did not come here for the gem." There is no hesitation in his response.

"T-that... that makes two of us." Maybe the machine Gray had used in her took a little more out of her than she cared to admit. She was feeling drowsy, her feet barely accomplishing the job of keeping her up. Still, she lunged.

She gave it all she had, punching and kicking. He made no effort to strike back merely, weaving and dodging her attacks.

She gets sloppy, and he manages to throw her away a little further when dodging her punch. He lowers his stance and puts his hands up, seemingly innocently. "Please, you are in no condition to fight." He begs her.

She didn't care. She wanted him gone, she wanted him to hurt.

His gentle eyes bring a flash of a memory to her mind. Being bedridden and having him right by her side, holding her hand.

"Ah!" She grabs that hand as if had been burnt. He looks at her with concern.

She lunges again. "I came here to avenge everything you took from me! My passing grade, my dignity, my father!" She screams between punches.

Her moves are weak, from exhaustion, Shadow-san easily avoids them, he could even grab her arms if he wanted to, but he doesn't.

It somehow pisses her off more, that he's not even trying; it makes it less satisfying when she finally lands a good hit. Stupid stoic ninja.

"You have been misled. I did not take your father's life." He tries to reason.

She has some sort of feeling deep down that what he's saying might be true; but she tunes it out in favour of kicking and punching him instead; she's merciless and unwavering and eventually she lands a strike that has him on the floor.

This was her chance.

"You know, there's is one lesson I learned from you, one you didn’t intend to teach." She reaches for the crackle rod. "Only losers wear empty coats."

When she points the weapon towars him, she feels sick to her stomach, not knowing why. She had no trouble finishing Gray just a few minutes prior. Why was this asshole any different? Why did he hold any power over her?

"I would have to agree." He says between breaths, pulling out something from his own jacket too.

A little matrioska doll.

Her head implodes with memories, her childhood, her teenage years, conflicting memories bash against each other, herself on the boat to leave VILE, her life before Shadow-san joined her. The people she met along the way... Zack and Ivy!? They- She had forgotten everything? How?

So VILE brainwashed her? It wasn't Gray messing with her?

She collapses, and he catches her in his arms.

"What do you remember?" He sounds eager, way too eager.

"I'm not sure..." She still doesn't fully trust him either, but now she knows. VILE lied to her.

They didn't make Carmen Sandiego. She made Carmen Sandiego. They didn't give her the hat and coat she stole them herself.

Gosh, how could she have been so blind?

VILE had wanted her back because they kept losing TO her. Because she was better than them, because she stole from them.

And Shadow-san, all she thought she knew about him was wrong... Heat pools in her stomach, happy to have his arms around her.

That thought leaves a bad taste in her mouth.

"Get off me!" She pushes him. A ghost of a feeling protests.

"Argh, my head..." The world was spinning around, and she fell to her knees. His hand returns to her back, comforting.

She hates that she likes it.

"There is much to explain."

//

After an annoyingly long debrief with ACME's Chief, Jules, and Devineaux, Carmen disclosures the location of the new VILE island.

After she's checked for wounds, Shadow-san takes her back to his hotel. He tells her Player and the others would like to speak with her, but her flat look makes him consider that perhaps that night was not the best time, and they could afford to wait a little.

As soon as he closes the room door, she pins him against it.

"You're going to tell me everything you know about Carmen Sandiego. Every story, every chat, and don't you dare even think about leaving out the details on my dad." She feels him swallow with her arm pressing against his neck. It gives her pleasure and a hidden feeling of guilt.

She needed to sort all her thoughts, tell all the real and fake memories apart.

"Perhaps we can sit first?" She squints at his dismissal.

He sighs and relaxes in her grasp. "Carmen Sandiego started out as what I've recounted to be an unruly and undisciplined prankster, but also a sweet girl with a talent for pick pocketing. One that did not go unnoticed by faculty... But, against all odds and all judgement, she put on the hat and coat, and she fought for what she thought was right." His voice wavers. "I admire that girl."

"She did what you were too chicken to do." Carmen concluded.

"Indeed."

//

So Shadow-san tells her everything he knows about her. Every prank, every heist, no matter how small, if he had known about it, he recounted it to her. Including their talk about her own father, how she asked him about it, and what she did after.

The more he spoke, the more everything made sense. Flashes of memories solidified into her head, and the false ones placed there by Bellum faded away like smoke. The more she heard, the more she felt like Carmen Sandiego again, the real one not the one VILE had created.

And yet, despite feeling like herself more and more, something still wasn't quite right.

"Everything you're saying makes sense, Shadow-san, but... there's still something... missing." She says.

"Perhaps your friends could help clarify anything I can not." Shadow-san suggests.

She gets what he's saying, there's places and times where even he wasn't present in her life, things and actions he wasn't able to recount. But her problem wasn't understanding her memories anymore... And besides, she still didn't feel ready to spare the old crew a call.

"No, it's not an issue of missing information. Maybe it's not all clear, but it's there, you know?" She gathers her breath before asking him: "The Carmen you've been talking about... did she ever keep anything for herself?"

Shadow-san shakes his head. "Everything Carmen ever stole, she did it to help others, not for her own gain." Right.

"That doesn't make sense..." She mumbles. He stares at her, waiting for an explanation.

"I'm Carmen. Carmen is... me! But I don't... I don't get her." He lifts an eyebrow. "If I'm Carmen, then why isn't Carmen selfish? Why doesn't she do what she wants and take what she wants?" She inches closer to him. "Because that's what I do."

He, understandably, doesn't know how to reply.

"You wanna know what's weird?" She asks. "I think I can feel her? In the back of my mind, as if she was trapped in a bubble. We both have the same memories. We even share the same feelings, but I'm here." She pats the bed between them. "And she's there." She points at her head.

She meant it too, in the back of her mind, for the longest time she felt like there was a little voice, a feeling that would make her feel things she didn't understand. She bet that was the real Carmen all along, forced to watch as this faker ruined her life.

"I'm not sure what you mean..." Shadow-san tries to inch away, to the back of the bed as Carmen inches closer and closer to his face.

It's funny...

Because of VILE's influence, she'd been convinced she hated him (whenever she made a decision about him, it made her uneasy - she figured it was the nerves). But as soon as she got her memories back, she understood. The reason it upset her to hate him was: she had always been obsessed with him... in ways she shouldn't've.

"For example... me and her, we fell the same about you." She starts crawling closer to him, placing her hand in his thigh when he's basically leaning against the bed's headboard. "Whenever I get close to you, because I want to..." She brings her face close, revelling in the way he flinches at the proximity. "She sings with joy." She whispers.

"C-carmen?" She looks into his eyes, soft brown with faint hues of green, like the muddy ground of a forest after the rain. Her gaze flics to his lips.

"I have a bunch of memories... where we felt exactly like this..." Her breath ghosts over his face, his mouth trembles. "Maybe we weren't this close, physically. But I know this is how she felt."

He stays silent.

"When driving that boat in Rio, back in the bar in Tokyo, sitting next to you on all our trips, when you and Player started getting along, when you told me you'd be with me until the end of the line, and when I found you safe and sound in that ice cave in Norway. She's always had this feeling, but she's always been too chicken to do anything about it." That gets him to lift his eyebrows in surprise. What could Carmen possibly be a 'chicken' about?

"Actually, the more I remember, the more I realise what a coward she was." She says bitterly.

"Carmen was never a coward." He refutes. "You were never a coward, Carmen."

She chuckles. "You say that because you don't know what she thinks." Carmen sits on Shadow-san’s lap. Their faces come apart with the gesture. He keeps his own hands glued to the mattress as she wraps hers around his shoulders. "She lives terrified she'll do the wrong thing."

"Being scared isn't a sign of weakness." He says firmly. If she didn't know any better, she'd guess he wasn't scared shirtless of having her on his lap. "The fact you are scared but still move forward and do your best to do the right thing does not make you a coward. It makes you brave." There's so much tenderness in his voice and in his face.

No wonder Carmen had fallen.

She brings their faces close together again. He tries to back away, but his head hits the wood of the bed frame.

"She never did anything related to what she was scared about. She only ever ran away." He looks like he's ready to refute, but she's not done. "I'm not running away." She frames his head in place with her arms. "Are you?"

At that, he looks positively baffled.

Without any further warning, Carmen closes the gap. Her lips against his in a seal desired long ago.

The little voice in the back of her head became a roar, happy but terrified.

She holds his sunken cheeks as she kisses him more firmly.

He wasn't kissing back, but he wasn't turning away either.

She ends the kiss only to catch her breath.

They're both ecstatic, her and the other her, the voice on the back of her mind - Carmen.

She takes this as a sign to keep going, so she kisses him again. She pecks him one two three times, over and over, until he finally turns his head away.

"Shadow-san-" She doesn't know why she says his name. It just feels right on her tongue. She kisses his cheek where his mouth outta been. Then his cheekbone, then next to his ear, then lower.

He squirms under her but makes no moves to reject her.

"C-carmen-" It sounds like a protest. She doesn't care. She kisses down his neck.

"Stop!" This one sounded more sincere. She indulges him for a second.

"Why?" Maybe it's because she's out of breath, but she couldn’t sound more disinterested if she tried.

"This isn't- what are you doing?" He stumbles over his sentences.

She chuckles at the opportunity to mess with him. "Kissing you." She replies nonchalantly.

The look he gives her reads 'I can see that' mixed with dismay. She doesn't care. If he wanted specifics, he'd have to ask her for them.

It was only fair. From all her memories, she only remembers having to do the same for him. Quiet, overly secretive, she felt like she barely knew anything about him because she'd never wanted to pry.

"I do not understand." She can't help but tease him again.

"Here, let me show you." She lunges for another smooch, but he turns his head up, and it lands on his upper chin. "Hey, no fair, you weren't dodging it before." She says in a playful tone, taking notice he still hadn’t moved his hands.

"You need to stop this. I... I don't know what has gotten into you, but I can assure you that you are making a mistake." Shadow-san’s expression seems one of hurt. Yet she's the one practically being rejected here.

"What has gotten into me is that while VILE's programing still hasn't worn off, I want to be selfish. I'm sick of re-living all these memories in my head, knowing we'll just go back to doing the exact same thing. Like a pinning spineless idiot." She wasn't trying to sound angry, but it just sort of happened.

"Carmen never took what she wanted. She never told you how she felt because she was scared!" His eyes widen at the implication. "All I've been doing since I was created is take what I want. Why should this be any different?"

She makes another attempt to kiss him, he places his hands on her shoulders to stop her. "Because you are Carmen Sandiego." He says tenderly.

"And how does that make this a mistake?" She asks impetuous.

"I'm twenty years older than you." He states as if that was a critical point.

"Yeah, well, and you're hot."

...

He looks at her like she lost her mind (maybe she had). She takes a deep breath, stabilises herself, and starts over.

"Look, I don't know what's going to happen to me. I don't know if Im just a version of Carmen, and when VILE's mind control wears off, I'll just turn back into our old self. Or if the old Carmen- your Carmen is just gone forever, and this is me now. Or even yet, if we're two different beings living in one body and we end up replacing each other or stuck together somehow."

He doesn't reply. She keeps going.

"Shadow-san, I'm scared, I don't know if your Carmen would ever do this, but I know she wants to. I can feel it."

His expression is pained; he's confused, but he's hurting, hurting for her. He doesn't say anything. Too stunned to react in any way. She takes this chance to kiss him again.

His jaw is slack. He doesn't kiss back, of course, but he's not fighting her anymore, at least not for the moment. She takes this chance.

She holds his face and guides his head upwards suddenly, causing his mouth to open slightly. She sticks her tongue inside.

He makes a little noise of protest but doesn't push her away. She drags her tongue over his, and the roar in the back of her mind becomes even louder. She does it again, and again, then she passes her tongue over the top of his mouth. He never kisses back.

When they separated, there's a little strand of saliva connecting their mouths.

She goes for another (as many as he'll let her take), but he stops her again.

"I am not sure what will happen in your mind, and whether VILE's control will ever really fade away... but I trust you, Carmen. I trust that you can make the right decision even if they're still inside your head. You proved that today." By telling them how to catch VILE. "And you will keep proving that to me every day because this-" He squeezes her shoulders. "All of this is you. Maybe you are confused or upset, but the Carmen I am looking at right now. She is my Carmen. You are my Carmen. There is only one Carmen Sandiego, and that is you."

His words make her swell, flashes of times where they had the same effect run through her mind; there're so many, it almost gives her a headache. She feels stuffy and warm, tears threaten to fall from her eyes.

This man had her in the palm of his hand if he wanted. She realises all too late that that's why she had forgiven him so easily. She's in love with him. All of him, even the bad parts.

"I love you, Carmen." Unfortunately, that does it. She starts crying. He hugs her. His warm hand on her back rubs circles until she has it all out.

When they separate, she kisses the corner of his mouth.

He leans back (as far back as he can go), he doesn't need to say anything, his expression says it all: 'why? why this? why me?'.

She looks at him pleading. "You're all I've ever wanted, just- please let me have this." She hugs him in order to whisper in his ear. "Tomorrow, we'll forget it ever happened, I'll go back to being the old Carmen, and I'll never bother you again, but please. Please, Shadow-san."

He's trembling under her. "I am uncertain of what you're asking of me."

She peppers his cheeks in kisses. Vivid images and fantasies run through her mind, each more twisted than the other. The roar in the background stops in order to chant over and over: 'don't hurt him, don't hurt him, don't hurt him'.

"Just... I just want to be close to you." She looks at him again. He seems reluctant. "What?"

He sighs. "I feel as if I allow this, I am taking advantage of you." That word lights up a spark in her...

"A-advantage? How?" She asks.

"You said it yourself. The influence of VILE is not gone yet..." Oh. That... that actually made her a little upset.

"I also told you this isn't new... it's not going away. VILE didn't make me think I want to fuck you, they made want to hurt you." She ignores the way he squirms away with that sentence. "Heck if they saw me now... I don't think they'd be very happy..." She whispers, kissing his jaw.

His hands come up to hold her hips. She lets out a please sound. "I want you." She says. "I always have." He frowns. A thought crosses her mind...

She wanted this... but... "Do you... are you grossed out by this? Is that why...?"

He avoids looking in her eyes. She's not sure what kind of internal conflict he goes through, before he faces her again, saying: "I swore I would never kill again, ever since I took you with me, the night your father died. But even so, I would kill for you."

Oh...

"I would do anything for you."

That was like... a confession right?

"Anything?" She asks. He nods. That wasn't good, that wasn't good at all. Did that mean he felt the same way about her? Or was he just willing to take it...

"Do what you wish to me, if it is what you want." She might've taken him up on that if the presence in her brain didn't make her say:

"N-not everything..."

He shouldn’t take it as a challenge he should take it as a warning. "All of it."

Again, it makes her say. "There has to be a limit."

He doubles down. "I trust you." For all that he resisted before...

"You shouldn't." She says, then. "I want to do bad things to you." If he allowed her, she's not sure just how far she would take it.

"Like what?" He asks.

All her thoughts from before, all the positions, actions, sounds she wanted to be in, do, hear. They flash through her mind like intrusive thoughts. She says the first thing that comes to mind.

"Break your neck."

She only realizes what she said after he looks at her with surprise in his eyes.

"I- No, no I don't really want to do that! I'm sorry I don't know why I said that!?" She babbles apologises and excuses until he takes both her hands in his.

She grows quiet (all of her). He brings both hands to his neck, one after the other.

"I trust you." He says again.

She can't breathe. Her fingers give an experimental squeeze. Her mind is blank. She tightens her grip, more, more. She only notices what she's doing when she hears him struggle. It's a quiet sound she doesn't even think he meant to do, but it brings her out of her spur.

She releases him, and he chokes on his own breath, bending forward to cough.

"S-sorry! Shadow-san, I'm sorry I-" She doesn't know why she did that.

He tries to compose himself, through the coughs. Admittedly he manages to do it faster than one would; his voice sounds gritty and not like him at all. "I am fine."

Conflicting emotions in her, of fear and of elation (the latter a murmur on the back of her mind) she wanted to hide, shy away somewhere, never talk of this again; she just wanted him to be ok... even if that meant she'd never get what she wanted.

Oh...

She's not sure when it happened, when she became herself again (the old Carmen).

"Perhaps we could take a break... I- I think it is best if we rest before... It's been a long night." He beacons, his expression not hopeful that'd she'd agree at all. She get's it, he needed to try.

"Yeah... yeah that sounds ok." She felt alienated, barely able to feel her body.

"Are you alright, Carmen?" He asks her concerned.

"Uh? Oh, yeah I'm fine... I must be tired."

They stay in the same position for a while. She realizes it's because she's still sitting on him; She removes herself rom his lap as fast as she can manage.

"Sorry." Her voice is weak.

She makes a move to go the the other room, away from the situation, away from him, but she stops in her tracks when he speaks.

"We can talk about this tomorrow? Or when you are ready?"

It's nice of him... She might just take him up on that. No if's.

"Sure, Shadow-san." She resumes her steps. "Good night." She says when she's at the door.

Note: I didn't know how to finish this, so it's up to you if they talk about it or forever hold their tongues :) I might have gone a little too hard with this... sorry, not sorry?

[help-i-need-a-cool-username]

I love this

Character design concepts for my Carmen Sandiego timeskip au!! I imagine it takes place about 3 years after the final scene of the show (which seems to be a 2 year timeskip, making it 5 years altogether); It follows the characters slowly coming together as V.I.L.E’s faculty properly break out of prison and are hellbent on revenge and rebuilding their criminal empire.

I have explanations for what each character is doing under the cut!

Carmen and Player:

After spending several years reconnecting with her mother and helping out at the orphanage, she heard whispers of V.I.L.E returning and decided it was once again time to throw on the red coat and get back into action. She takes a less active role this time round, as she knows that there are other people on the case, but she still shows up to kick ass when necessary. Mostly she’s just there for fun

This time, however, her good friend Mr. Bouchard had just graduated from university, and decided to join her on an “apprenticeship” so they could travel the world together. They’re basically crime fighting best friends/siblings who stop heists occasionally and then spend most of the time doing really dumb shit together

Zack, Chase, and Julia:

You know those movies where a character stumbles into great fortune and success by complete accident? Yeah that’s EXACTLY what happened to Zack. After a couple years of working for ACME he decided to leave and finally pursue his dreams of being a race car driver; not only did he make it to the top of his field, but through a series of unpredictable events he also became a wildly famous model, a respected food critic, and AN ACTUAL DUKE. Nothing about his personality changed, he’s still a goofy Bostonian himbo, just living his best life in Italy where all of this happened.

Unfortunately for Zack, with great fame comes a couple of haters, notably ex-V.I.L.E operative Dash Haber who was plotting his downfall from the shadows. Chase was assigned to investigate, and then Chief realised how much chaos Zack and Devineaux would cause if they were in a room together, so she assigned Julia as well so someone among them would have a brain cell

Ivy, Sonia, Xifeng, and The Troll

When Zack left ACME to go pursue his dreams, Ivy initially stayed behind because she liked her job, but eventually started questioning what she wanted to do with her life. That is, until, one night when she ran into Sonia, who had followed in Carmen’s footsteps and was now acting as the new “femme rouge”. Ivy found purpose in the work she did for Carmen, so she decided to assist Sonia in her work by providing her with tools and a getaway driver, just like the good ol’ days.

While on their travels they ran into Xifeng, who joined the two of them on their travels, since she wanted to see the world (and also had a bit of a crush on Sonia oop). They also ran into ex-V.I.L.E operative The Troll, who they were initially going to turn in to the authorities, until Sonia remembered that Carmen had a hacker on her team who made their capers run a lot more smoothly. So they basically blackmailed him into going with them. While Ivy was naturally suspicious of him at first, he actually warmed up to the group eventually, since he was still committing cyber crime and making money, he had no reason to betray them.

With the new Team Red assembled they basically did the same stuff the old Team Red did, although Sonia’s strategy and the group’s general chemistry made their capers go WILDLY different to how Carmen’s used to. Sonia is much more mischievous and playful than Carmen used to be, and she isn’t as hesitant about fighting dirty. Xifeng is the only chill one on the team and The Troll is still a bit of a jerk, and Ivy is frequently driven up the wall by their antics. I can genuinely imagine her yelling at them after their goofing around got them into trouble and calling them “unruly pranksters” and feeling Shadowsan’s spirit physically channeling through her

Shadowsan

Taking a well deserved nap and being bullied by his brother. Do not disturb him

[artyblogs]

Mean It When You Swing It

Read on AO3

Summary: For @caruliaweek. Prompt: Confession. After two years, Carmen arrives at Julia’s doorstep with a bouquet of red roses. She finds a nightmare instead. Tensions ensue.

---

The first bouquet was a prank on Carmen. Carmen wanted to do something nice for Julia, to thank her for her infinite patience, for blindly doing what Carmen asked without protest, and for doing so without prying. Carmen wanted to do something nice for Julia, and people give flowers to each other, right? They are given to performers after their shows, and to graduates after their ceremonies, and to the sick so that they might feel better. They are given to parents and children and friends and partners. They are given in grief, and they are given in thanks, and they are given in affection.

There was a florist down the street from Julia’s flat, so there Carmen went.

“Whatever they are, they have to be red,” Carmen murmured as she regarded the dizzying collection. There were so many different shapes and sizes, in so many hues, and it was making for a more complicated task than she first thought. In her ear, the sounds of Player’s constant keystrokes blend into the background when he speaks (he once explained something about microphone settings and sound engineering, but most of it went over Carmen’s head).

“How about red roses? Nine of them?�� And even through the mic, she could tell that he was smiling.

“Only nine? Okay,” Carmen said and she asked the florist for a bundle.

“Wait, really?” Player almost shrieked, but his sound settings came through yet again to normalize the volume.

“What’s wrong?”

“Uh, nothing.”

And that was that. It was only after the artifacts were set in front of Julia’s door, and after the doorbell was rung, and while they were on the plane out of Poitiers, that Ivy gently took Carmen’s elbow, steered her out of Zack’s earshot, and asked if Carmen meant to leave red roses for Julia.

“Flowers are flowers are flowers, right? Should I have left different ones?” Carmen asked.

Ivy’s mouth formed and ‘o’ and her green eyes grew wide with dismay. “Oh my god, you really don’t know.”

“Know what?”

Ivy clenched her jaw and scowled. She reached into her pocket, took out a small padded case, and unzipped it to reveal her Team Red earpiece. She plugged this into her ear, stood hands akimbo, and glared at Carmen’s left earring.

“Player,” she growled out. Carmen had never seen her so mad before; not even at Zack. And Player made a high-pitched squealing sound that she’d never heard him make before either.

“I didn’t think she’d actually do it!”

“God-fucking-dammit, Player! You know that Carmen doesn’t know about this kind of shit.”

“I’m sorry. But can you honestly tell me that red roses were the wrong move to make?”

“Do not try to worm out of this.”

“What do they mean?” Carmen asked. Ivy froze. Player too, fell silent. There was nothing but the drone of the plane engines around them.

“What do red roses mean?” Carmen asked again.

Ivy told her. And then she returned to Zack to give Carmen some time, and Player went radio silent for the same reason, and Carmen remained in the back of the plane, thinking.

Did she mean to give red roses to Julia?

---

Today, Carmen picks up a similar bouquet and signs the card with her name—her real name—and her hands take on an unnatural tremor. She flattens them against the counter, slapping the pen down in the process, and tries to distract herself by watching the florist tie a ribbon around the bouquet. They pull the free ends of the ribbon against the back of the shears to make them curl, then present the flowers to Carmen with a wink.

“Thanks,” Carmen says, weighing the flowers in her arms. Is this only nine roses? It seems heavier than she remembers.

“Good luck.” The florist takes the card and carefully tucks it into the tiny plastic trident bundled with the roses, then waves Carmen away with a smile. Carmen turns and continues down the street.

Carmen used to think she knew what love was. That at least Coach Brunt loved her the way a mother would love a daughter. She knows now that she didn’t. It was the kind of love that one has for a stuffed toy, or a limb, or a tool. She was beloved only because she belonged to VILE and did as she was told.

While she suspected that it wasn’t really love, she didn’t have confirmation of it until she met Carlotta Valdez. She believed that the woman who had captured her father’s heart had to be remarkable and she was right.

Her father gave her mother red roses. Usually a single rose, and sometimes a dozen of them at a time, but Carlotta preferred the single roses. She would tell Carmen how Dexter would break into some poor neighbors’ garden with a pair of shears in his back pocket, and how he would methodically choose the right one.

The neighbors entered their roses into competitions, so they soon learned to get dogs and guns. But Dexter never failed to get a rose. Not only because he was that good, but because he liked to see the look on Carlotta’s face when he presented them to her, and because he knew that no matter how beautiful the rose was, that Carlotta would always be lovelier.

Could Carmen love someone like that? The idea is…well. To be honest, she’s still not sure what love is and what love looks like, but she feels signs of it when she thinks of Player, and Ivy and Zack, and Shadowsan. She feels signs of it when she thinks of Carlotta. She likes to think she could. That she’s capable of it.

Could Carmen love Julia like that?

She would like to try.

Carmen carefully shifts the bouquet in her arms and crosses the street. Julia moved back to Oxford about six months after the raid on VILE headquarters. According to Player, most of VILE were round up by then, and the remaining work that ACME could scrounge up didn’t have anything to do with historical artifacts, so Julia had run out of reasons to stay.

Does Julia still drink tea? Does she still wax poetic about Older Futhark and Coptic?

Is she happy?

The apartment complex is really a collection of handsome brownstones that surround a small courtyard. There’s a barbecue pit set in concrete, and a swingset almost hidden amongst some trees. Two children make a circuit on their bikes, and a woman watches them while she idly pushes a toddler on a swing. Carmen avoids them as best she can and reaches Julia’s door. Music comes from inside; the radio, judging from the overlay of a DJ’s commentary. Carmen reaches up to press the doorbell and hesitates.

Two years and no word. No call, no text. Not even a letter. Two years.

Carmen takes a deep, steadying breath. It is unfortunate, but she had always intended to talk to Julia. Sooner than now, yes, but she did want to talk. She just…lost track of time getting to know her mother. To tell the truth, two years is not enough, but they have the rest of their lives. If Carmen didn’t come to see Julia now, then when would she stop by? In three years? Five?

Yes, it’s been two years, but Carmen is here now. She reaches up and presses the doorbell. There’s a muted chime from within, and a vague shout and footsteps, before the door is pulled open to reveal Julia.

“Hello?” Julia says, her eyes and face bright as if recovering from a bit of laughter, but her smile fades when she sees who it is. Her other hand comes up to cover her mouth.

“Carmen?”

“Hey, Jules,” Carmen says. The both of them stay like that for a moment, letting the music wash around them. The smell of roasted meat wafts around them too, as if Julia were interrupted in the middle of cooking dinner.

Julia’s dark hair is shaggy and ruffled. Carmen doesn’t remember if it’s always been that length, and she just carefully brushed it down for work, or if she’s growing it out. It looks good on her regardless, but then again, Julia could make anything look good.

“Who is it? Is it a package?” An alto voice sounds from within the flat. From the kitchen, wiping their hands on a rag, comes someone wearing an apron over their lean frame. Their dark, medium-length hair is tied back to keep it out of the way. At the sight of Carmen, they go very still, their brown hands still tangled in the kitchen rag.

It’s as if an ice cube has been dropped into Carmen’s stomach.

Julia looks nervously between the two of them. “Mars, this is Carmen, an old friend of mine. Carmen, this is my significant other, Mars Dakila.”

“I know,” Carmen says.

The first time Carmen saw Mars, she was sixteen on VILE Island. Back then, Mars Dakila was Cricket Bat. They arrived at the island and were shut away with the faculty for about an hour before they left with the Cleaners. The students of that year said that Cricket Bat wasn’t a thief at all, and Carmen had wondered why they were affiliated with VILE in the first place if they weren’t a thief.

She got her answer later, after Ivy and Zack had joined her crew. Sharkhead Eddie’s gang had taken over Darryl’s Donut Hole after all, and Carmen meant to break into the vault housed within and burn all of the counterfeit money. When she broke in, however, she found bodies instead. About five men were slaughtered, the dark blood pooling on the white vinyl, and she followed that trail of death to the vault, where Sharkhead Eddie gurgled wetly as he bled out on the floor. Cricket Bat stood over him in their spattered suit, with stained bolo knives in their hands, and dispassionately watched him die.

There was a newspaper article afterwards. The cops said that it was a mob battle, and Carmen supposed that in a way, it was, because the conflicts between VILE and the rest of the East Coast criminal gangs stopped after that.

Now, Cricket Bat, sorry, Mars is a scant seven feet away from Carmen—from Julia—and wiping their hands as if they’ll ever be clean. Julia steps between them, and Carmen blinks. She looks up at Carmen with a half-hard, half-pleading expression and the cold in Carmen’s stomach spreads through the rest of her body.

“We’ve met before,” Carmen says.

“In a different life. Do you want to stay for dinner?” Mars asks. Julia’s eyes widen as she tries to stammer something out.

“I’ll set another plate,” Mars says, and they disappear into the kitchen. Carmen watches them go, and when she’s certain that they’re out of earshot, she leans in towards Julia.

“Jules,” she whispers.

“Yes, I know. But they’ve changed,” Julia whispers back.

Carmen doubts that very much, but Julia continues.

“I swear they’ve changed. If you stay for dinner, you’ll see. Carmen, please.”

“Fine.” Not to see proof of this miraculous turnaround, but to get to the bottom of whatever the hell this is. Something is going on, and Carmen is going to save Julia from it if it’s the last thing she does. She straightens up and takes another deep breath. Julia slumps with relief.

“These are for you.” Carmen holds out the bouquet, and Julia’s eyes flicker with…sadness? Pain? She takes the flowers and cradles them against her chest, then gives Carmen a soft smile.

“Thank you. Would you like to come in?”

Julia moves to let Carmen inside, and goes into the kitchen. Carmen slips her converses off and sets them next to a shoe rack just inside the door. Julia’s heels and flats are there, neatly lined up, but there are also sneakers and brogues that do not belong to Julia. The hooks on the wall above carry two coats and two sets of keys. Carmen ventures in further, her horror growing by the second. Between the front door and the kitchen is enough room for a small dining table, and opposite the table is the living room. In the living room, on the wall above the sofa, is a collection of framed photographs. Carmen recognizes a couple pictures from Julia’s office in Oxford. There are also other people that have Julia’s eyes, or her nose. There is also a picture of Julia and Mars.

It’s a candid shot, judging from the blurriness and the tilt of the camera. Julia’s glasses are askew and she’s laughing. Mars, their face mostly hidden behind Julia’s, presses a kiss to her cheek. Carmen’s stomach lurches dangerously.

CLICK. The music stops as the radio is turned off.

“I’ll just get another bottle from the corner store, Babe,” Mars says as they head towards the door. They pull off the apron and toss it over the back of one of the kitchen chairs. Julia follows them, carrying a vase with the roses.

“I’m not sure that wine will ease this situation at all,” Julia says.

“We won’t know unless we try.” Mars slips on a pair of trainers, takes one of the sets of keys and turns to give Julia a quick kiss. “Be back soon.”

And with that, Mars leaves, shutting the door behind them. There’s an awful silence. Julia nods her head, like she’s psyching herself up, and turns to face Carmen. Her cheeks are pink.

This cannot be real. This…no. This is a sick joke. A prank. Ha ha. Carmen numbly watches as Julia sets the vase on a deep windowsill next to an old Skyflakes tin with a bunch of succulents planted in it. She beckons to Carmen, then returns to the kitchen. Somehow, Carmen finds the strength to follow her.

The kitchen is an organized mess, as most kitchens are while they’re being used. There is a bowl of mashed potatoes, a tray of roasted broccoli, and rack with two steaks. The sink is piled high with utensils. Julia takes a covered baking pan from the fridge. She uses a pair of tongs to take a steak from it and the places it in a skillet on the stove, where it starts sizzling. Julia puts the pan back in the fridge, sets the tongs off to the side, and looks at Carmen expectantly.

“Is ‘Mars Dakila’ even their real name?” Carmen asks.

“It’s their real name now,” Julia says. She turns the overhead fan on and returns to the skillet. There’s sauce in it too, and she tilts the skillet a little so that it all gathers to one side. Julia takes a spoon and begins scooping the sauce over the steak bit by bit, making sure to baste the entire thing.

“Does Player know?” Carmen asks.

“No,” Julia says.

“Do Ivy and Zack know?”

“No. And they don’t need to know.”

“Listen, Jules. I don’t know what they told you, but I know for a fact that they’re VILE. Faculty sent the Cleaners to clean, but they sent Cricket Bat to make messes. I….” Carmen pulls her hands down her face. “They’re dangerous, Jules!”

“Perhaps that was true two years ago, but they teach escrima at a local gym now. They’re reformed.” Julia picks the tongs back up and flips the steak, then continues scooping sauce. Carmen cannot believe what she is hearing.

“How long have they been conning you?” Carmen asks. Julia gives her a sidelong glance.

“They’re not conning me.”

“How long, Jules?”

Julia sighs through her nose. “We celebrated our one year about two months ago. Does that sound like a con to you?”

“Some cons go on for like seven years.” Carmen fights through a rising tide of guilt and desperation. Oh she is a fool. How could she possibly think she could go to Argentina for two whole years and expect everything to be fine? What an idiot she is! What a moron! And now Julia is completely blind to the danger she is mired in.

“It isn’t a con, Carmen,” Julia insists. She picks the tongs up one last time and uses it to prop the steak up on its side against the pan. She holds it upright and moves it a little every now and then to finish the sear.

Carmen could just…leave with Julia. She could just throw her over her shoulder and take her somewhere safe.

Julia sets the steak on the rack along with the others, then turns off the stove and the fan. She leans against the counter, her head hanging in defeat. “Carmen, why did you come back?” She asks in a hushed voice.

“What?”

“I mean, why now? Just as I was starting to…. I was finally….” Julia raises her head and Carmen doesn’t think she’s ever been the target of such longing. Unbidden, Carmen steps closer, and Julia’s eyebrows scrunch together as she continues to gaze up at her. Julia’s hand comes up as if to touch her arm, but she falters and it drops away.

“Jules,” Carmen breathes.

“You disappeared. I wasn’t surprised because that’s what you do, but then you stayed disappeared and I….” Julia drops her gaze. “You deserved to rest. You deserved to meet your mother in peace.”

She says the last part in near monotone, as if by rote.

“And I wouldn’t have been able to do that if it weren’t for you. I should’ve thanked you when I got that file. I should’ve thanked you sooner,” Carmen says. Julia’s cheeks turn pink.

“That wasn’t me.”

“I know it was you, Jules. Thank you for finding her.”

Julia waves it away, her blush spreading to her ears, but she asks, “is she nice, at least?”

“She’s wonderful.”

A bittersweet smile spreads over Julia’s face. “Good.”

Come with me, Carmen wants to ask. Julia could meet her mother and see for herself. But the front door opens, and Mars returns with a paper bag in hand. They slip their shoes off and put the keys back on the hook. Julia steps away so fast, it’s as if she’s scalded herself. She skirts around Carmen and goes to Mars. Carmen resists the urge to take her arm.

“I know you don’t like super dry wines, so I got a merlot,” Mars says. Their brown eyes light up when Julia comes near, and they hold the paper bag out to her.

Julia takes the bag and rucks it down to read the label on the bottle. “Not bad.”

“See? I know what I’m doing.” Mars kisses her cheek and—to Carmen’s dismay—Julia returns it. She does it absently, out of habit, before she catches herself and freezes. But Mars is already stepping around her and towards the kitchen.

“Was there enough sauce left for a third steak?” They ask.

“I managed it all right,” Julia says.

“Cool.” Mars comes to a stop just out of arm’s reach and tilt their head as they regard Carmen. “Sandiego.”

Carmen’s last name hasn’t been Sandiego in a long time, but she’s not telling them that. “Dakila.”

Behind Mars, Julia shies away as if witnessing an impending car crash.

“Would it be better if I ate with a butter knife instead of a regular steak knife?” Mars asks.

“You could make a plastic knife dangerous, Dakila.”

Julia gasps. “Carmen!”

Mars grins at Julia over their shoulder. “It’s okay, Julia. I’ll eat kamayan style if I have to.”

The name rolls so easily through Mars’ mouth with such familiarity and with such affection that Carmen must resist the urge to tackle them to the floor. Somehow, she unsticks her feet and moves out of the way.

---

The dining table is a small, rustic thing covered in scuffs and dents. To save on space, one end of the rectangle has been pushed against the wall. Julia sits at the remaining short side, and Carmen and Mars sit opposite each other.

While Carmen has never eaten dinner while within three feet of a serial killer, she has had worse evenings before. At least the food is good.

“But because I’m taking more classes than usual, my advisor expects me to graduate in three years, not four,” Julia is in the middle of saying. “I honestly didn’t think that I was taking that heavy a course load.”

“‘Doctor Argent,’” Carmen says, testing out the title. Julia ducks, her face going pink again. “It sounds nice.”

“My students already call me that, even though I tell them not to.”

“You still teach?”

“All phd candidates do. Just the introduction courses though, so it’s just the basics.”

“But you still love it.”

“I do.” Julia beams. “You know, I wouldn’t be able to do all of this in the first place if Mars wasn’t around. They take care of everything.”

“Do they?”

Mars has been mostly quiet all through dinner. They have a knife and fork after all, but they take care to keep their hands above the table, and to move deliberately and slowly. Once in a while, they’ll smile at something Julia says, as if sharing a private joke, or they’ll answer in short sentences, but that’s about it.

“Well, they do most of the cooking and the cleaning because they happen to like cooking and they happen to be rather fastidious,” Julia says.

“It’s the strangest sugaring arrangement I’ve ever been in. I’ve never paid anyone with chores before,” Mars says. Julia gasps and swats their arm, making them squawk.

“You absolute scoundrel! Don’t say that when we both know how whipped you are.”

Mars laughs. They laugh and their eyes light up again. “True! You’re probably the only person on the surface of this planet who could make me do anything.”

Carmen’s insides twist horribly.

After dinner, Carmen helps Julia clear the table and put the leftovers away. Julia ties the garbage bag shut with a double knot and tugs it free of the bin. Mars steps up to the sink and Julia tsks.

“Oh Mars, I’ll take care of those; you did most of the cooking.”

But Mars lathers the sponge and starts washing the dishes anyway. “It’s okay, Babe, I’ve got it.”

“I’ll help them,” Carmen says. Mars glances at her from the corner of their eyes.

“Really? Okay.”

Carmen takes a kitchen towel and stands at the dish rack next to Mars. Julia stares at them.

“You can’t be serious,” Julia half-whispers to herself, then louder, “Behave! Both of you.”

“Of course, Babe,” Mars says.

“I mean it,” Julia says, glaring at them both. “I will not come back to a dead body, understand?”

Mars smiles at her. “Yes, Julia.”

“Sure thing, Jules,” Carmen says.

This seems to mollify her, and she leaves to toss the garbage in the complex dumpster. Mars and Carmen wash and dry the dishes in silence. They pass the pans and the dishes first, and also the cutting board.

“You’re using Jules to escape ACME,” Carmen says. Mars’ eyes flicker, but they continue to wash.

“It certainly started that way, but then they stopped being a threat and I kinda…stuck around. Julia’s a remarkable woman.”

“Does she know how many people you’ve killed?”

“I don’t do that anymore; I promised her I wouldn’t,” Mars says as they place the trays and glasses into the rack.

“Oh, like that’s enough to stop you from killing again.”

“Be as skeptical as you want; I don’t care what you think. What matters is that Julia believes me.”

“What kind of sob story did you tell her to get her to trust you?” Carmen asks.

Mars shakes their head and starts cleaning the utensils. “I can’t believe this,” they mutter under their breath.

“Jules deserves better than to be swindled….”

“No, you know what, Sandiego? You just left her. You left. You wanted a fresh start and you got a fresh start and when you got it, you decided that there was no room in it for Julia. You decided that.”

By miracle, Carmen manages to not drop anything despite the shaking of her hands. Who the hell does Cricket Bat think they are to talk to her like this? As if she doesn’t care about Julia. Like she isn’t terrified that one day, she’s going to find out that Julia’s dead because Mars got tired of her, or didn’t need her anymore.

Because no matter what Mars says, they must be pulling a con. They have to be. They would never admit it, and if they passionately exclaim how much they ‘love’ Julia and it happens to sound genuine, then either they’re a very good actor, or they’re starting to buy their own con.

“How long did you expect Julia to wait around for you? Five years? Ten? Assuming you came back at all,” Mars continues.

“If Jules wants to be with someone else, fine. She deserves to be happy. But not with you. You’re a murderer,” Carmen says.

Mars glances at the vase of roses in the windowsill. “Maybe Julia shouldn’t take advice on her love life from you. Gotta say, green is an awful color on you, Sandiego.”

Carmen’s hands freeze above the utensils drawer. Everything else has been put away except one final steak knife. She holds the handle loosely between three fingers, and with one movement, she could just let go. She could drop the knife into the drawer.

Drop the knife, Carmen. Julia has been gone for several minutes now, so she’ll be back at any moment.

Drop the knife.

Beside her, Mars stands before a bare sink, hands empty except for a dishrag that they wind around their forearm in preparation.

“Mean it when you swing it, Sandiego.”

[nightwingshero]

1, 15, 25, 35, 45, 55, 65, 75, 85, 95, 100 for the OC(s) of your choice.

Thank you, love!!! 

1. Does your character have good aim?

Wren: She does, actually. She’s excellent at throwing knives and such, which shocks the hell out of her. 

Whitney: NOPE. Not even a little bit. She wouldn’t try, she would either embarrass herself and say breaking her nail as the excuse not to. 

Blair: Not...really. It got somewhat better with training with Oliver, but...there’s a reason she never played any sports. It’s not really her thing.

Camille: She does now, after training with Clint and Natasha at S.H.I.E.L.D. It took her a bit longer to get it, but she did get there eventually.

Naomi: Yes! She used to play softball when she was in high school, she’s rather athletic. Good luck challenging her to a game of darts. Just saying.  

15. Did your character ever want to be a cowboy?

Wren: No, not at all. She wanted to be a rockstar astronaut at first, something her mother thought was hilarious. Wren swore up and down that Rocketman was about her, but uh...she didn’t really get the lyrics at that young of an age. 

Whitney: Absolutely not. She was definitely a princess kind of girl. Being a cowboy was never her thing, she would rather be the princess or damsel in distress that gets swept off her feet. 

Blair: Not really. She wanted to live on Mars and be an astronaut too. She loves space and always has. Blair grew up to be an astrophysicist though...close enough. 

Camille: I could see that, sure. I don’t think it was specifically a cowboy, I think she wanted to be the Lone Ranger, like the show her father watches. She would make her dad pretend to be a bank robber so she could go after him. 

Naomi: Nope. Not at all. She was more into cops and robbers or princesses, to be honest. Cowboys just didn’t really hold her attention. The only one that could was Woody from Toy Story. 

25. Does your character experience sexism for the job/title they hold? (ie: she’s a girl, she can’t be x,y,z because only boys can be)

Wren: Not necessarily sexism, but Pratt does hit on her and stupid ass comments that piss her off. It’s borderline sexist and she’s borderline ready to punch him in the face.

Whitney: Yes, she does. She was raised treated like that, honestly, and she was raised to believe it’s okay. Joseph definitely treats her like a housewife, even as Mother of Eden’s Gate. She doesn’t know better, even though it really does piss her off. 

Blair: No, not at all. Her coworkers love her and don’t at all think that she shouldn’t be doing what they’re doing. She’s smart and well-respected in her field. And that doesn’t change with the teams at all. Blair isn’t disrespected like that, that’s a big no no. She also helps Mick with being politically correct. 

Camille: It depends on which job we’re talking about. She’s had her fair share as a doctor, her knowledge and rep questioned because she’s female. Now, in S.H.I.E.L.D., she has had moments, but not nearly that many. S.H.I.E.L.D. is known for having diverse agents, and the very few she’s witnessed be assholes, she’s corrected (or Nat has rather quickly.) With the Avengers, it’s a hard no. Her place was earned and she’s respected by members of the team, and those members are quick to address those issues when they witness someone treating her that way (they drink their respect women juice.)

Naomi: As a war correspondent, absolutely. Being told that “this is no place for a girl” was something she received a lot. But she did a badass job at it. Now, S.H.I.E.L.D. was a lot better, for sure. They welcomed her and her skills for gaining intelligence with open arms, she’s a resident badass. Once S.H.I.E.L.D. is taken down, she becomes the PR for the Avengers, in which she’s someone you don’t wanna cross. She becomes highly respected. 

35. Naptime, yes or no?

Wren: YESSSS! That girl loves naps! Give her a slice of cheesecake or some ice cream right before, and she’ll curl up on the couch and nap while watching The Twilight Zone. 

Whitney: Eh, not really. Whit is normally busy with something, and she would rather be doing something productive than nap. 

Blair: Yes! Most of it is because she’s working all hours of the night on something in the lab, so when she gets home, she’s not getting enough sleep. So! Yummy hot cocoa and naps!

Camille: Eh, she’s not known for it because she works a lot during the day, but if it happens, it’s because she’s pulling long hours and needs a break. But Camille isn’t really a frequent napper, it makes her more tired, if she’s being honest.

Naomi: Nah, that’s not really her thing. She’s used to long hours, and knows that if she naps, she won’t be able to sleep that night. So she’ll power through and maybe just go to bed a bit earlier to catch up on sleep. 

45. Would your character kill someone to get what they want?

Wren: Ehhhh...that’s a hard maybe, depending of if we’re talking pre-cult or not. Wren is morally grey, and if she had to have it, she would once she’s joined Eden’s Gate. But before? Not as likely. 

Whitney: Yes! She actually has, to be honest. Joseph and the others pretty much numb her to killing someone, so she’ll poison someone who crosses her. She literally kills with kindness. 

Blair: Absolutely not. Blair doesn’t put her personal needs/wants above the value of others and their lives. She’s very much against that and couldn’t live with herself if she did. 

Camille: I have a hard time seeing it, unless it was a mission in which it needed to be done (her wanting peace, killing bad guys for it, etc), but those are few and far between because she doesn’t do a lot of the things Natasha does. But she is a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent.

Naomi: Eh, not really. If it is a “want”, its going to be revenge. But it’ll be with the right intentions and in the name of doing what’s right. She’s not as scared or worried about getting her hands dirty as long as it’s for the right reasons, not necessarily because of something she wants. 

55. Do you have any characters who despite trying their best ended up being horrible parents?

Wren: I think it would depend on how you define ‘horrible’. Because Wren tries her best to be the best mother she can be, but feels as though she’s become her father and failed Harper. Mostly because Wren kept a lot of the Wrath and Judge stuff a secret, and Harper doesn’t take kindly to that. It’s not her being a horrible mom, just making bad decisions that affect her kids (mostly Harper) negatively. 

Whitney: Yes and no. While yes, she protected her son and put him in hiding with Ivy, she still stands by Joseph for the longest time instead of leaving to be with her son and to take her daughter and sister away from danger and toxic relationships. She is able to redeem it, though. Her and Wren both, actually. 

The other three (that I chose to do this for) are good moms, so I don’t think this really applies.

65. Is your character energetic?

Wren: Oh yeah, she definitely can be when she’s comfortable. She can get pretty excited and pumped up, often making Jane, Ivy, and Whit a bit tired. Randy, Gray, and Ro just go along with it, Mel and Quinn join in and encourage it. 

Whitney: Yes and no. She really is, but she tries to keep it on a leash and not show it, because she was raised being told that it wasn’t lady like. The more she grows (as a character) and hangs with the rest of the group, she loosens up a bit. 

Blair: She can be when she’s had too much coffee. Blair is naturally mellowed out though, often being more calm. She’s not reserved at all, she just...has more of a calming upbeat presence. 

Camille: Sorta! It depends on the situation, she’s more reserved when you first meet her. There are moments when she’s with friends that she does absolutely get energetic, but she’s mostly energetic after working out or going for her morning jog. 

Naomi: No, not particularly. Like Camille, she’ll get amped up for a workout, and there may come a time where she’ll get energetic over a big event, but she’s not one to get super energetic. 

75: Do any of your characters wear glasses, sunglasses, goggles, or monocles?

Wren: She’s obsessed with aviators. She collects them, and they’re usually blue, silver, or black. She eventually steals John’s because she digs them. 

Whitney: If she’s gonna wear sunglasses, they’re either the 50′s or 60′s kind. Some cat-eyed, or those bigger glamorous butterfly styled ones. But she does have some nice Gucci and Coach glasses she’ll wear. It depends on what matches. 

Blair: She’ll wear regular sunglasses, mostly Ray Bans. She wears reading glasses from time to time, but she mainly uses contacts. Blair has a pair of backup glasses that have the tinted lens. 

Camille: She used to wear glasses when she was younger, but she eventually got Lasik, so she doesn’t wear them anymore. As for sunglasses, she wears modern cat-eyed or just rectangle ones. Anything that looks good and is her style. 

Naomi: Aviators, and that’s really it. She’s not really big into them, she has one pair of brown aviators, and that’s it. They do the job. 

85. Has your character ever been led down the wrong path because of their anger?

Wren: Absolutely. That’s the whole point of her canon, actually. The Wrath leads to her joining Eden’s Gate and becoming the Judge. She eventually redeems herself, but it does lead her down a dark path. 

Whitney: Yep. She starts killing for Eden’s Gate because of it, but it’s funny, because it’s her anger that actually helps her redeem herself and gain her freedom: killing Joseph and Ethan. 

Blair: Yes and no...? Kinda...? Like, when she woke up from her coma, she found out Carmen had left her for someone else, essentially moving on. The anger is what led to her maybe running into some unfavorable company (Leonard), where she decided to just give him her engagement ring instead of running the risk of him robbing her at the bar they happened to run into each in (his favorite bar). In her anger, she purposefully went to a bar that was known to be a frequent place for criminals. But that anger also had her moving to Star City, where she became a hero. Sometimes her anger can get her in trouble with her powers, but that gets better. It all depends on how you look at it. 

Camille: Sort of. The Civil War incident really...was something else. Camille didn’t see it as a dark path, it was what she believed was right. She was angry that something so wrong went down in Lagos, so she sees the need for restrictions and boundaries. Her siding with Tony caused turmoil between her and the others, even Steve, and it led to a huge fight at the airport while trying to bring them in. Rhodes getting hurt added salt to injury. Later, it’s shown to her that perhaps choosing the Accords was the wrong path after all. 

Naomi: Depends on how you look at it, honestly. As head of Public Relations for the Avengers, most just assumed that Naomi would be in agreement to the Accords, but she’s not. She’s angry that the government is trying to have control over them, especially after with what happened with S.H.I.E.L.D. and Hydra, she even says that to Camille when they’re fighting about it. She fully believes Steve and sticks with them as things become divided, and she becomes a fugitive right along with them. So, depending on what side you’re on, it’s either yes or no. 

95. If given total rule over a country, would your character step aside to turn it into a democracy?

Wren: I think this depends. I think, yes, for the most part. Wren isn’t one to be a leader, she would rather not, but can rise to the occasion when needed and if she knows it’s better she’s in charge. But she would want everything to be fair and such. It would have to be a true democracy. 

Whitney: I see her as keeping control, honestly. Whit is the kind of person that will claim she knows best, and maybe she does, but she wouldn’t relinquish control. Not when she’s never been allowed to have it. If given the opportunity to do so, this queen would absolutely rule. 

Blair: Absolutely. She would try her best to set it up with the right candidates, honestly. She wouldn’t want to put anyone in the wrong position where they can do harm, but politics are honestly not her thing. 

Camille: Yes, without hesitation. I could see her turning to Steve, because who else would know better than Captain America (and no, not that knock-off Gucci Captain America they have on The Falcon and The Winter Soldier--we don’t support Walker in the Camille and Steve household), so she would ask who would be better to hand it off to.

Naomi: She would give that up so fast, without thought. She agrees fully with Sam when he says that he’s just the soldier, because she feels something very similar. She wants nothing to do with leading something like that, she doesn’t want that responsibility. It’s why she doesn’t really join the Avengers. She has zero interest in leading. 

100. Are any of your characters queer?

Honestly, it’s safe to say that most of my OCs are. I have more queer OCs than I have straight OCs. But I have so many OCs, I’m just gonna list the ones I’ve done so far, and if you wanna know more, you can always send me an ask!

Wren: Bi, hands down. Her first relationship was with a woman named Lilith in college. She honestly preferred women in the beginning because she doesn’t trust men easily. 

Whit: She’s bi, but still in the closet. She hasn’t had a chance to really be with a woman, but the attraction is there, and so it the want to do so. 

Blair: Definitely pansexual. She thought she was just bi for the longest time, but she’s actually pansexual, and she’s comfortable with it. She was engaged to a woman before she went into a coma, and a few hook ups afterwards have been a mixture of genders. 

Camille: Straight. One of the few that I have that is, honestly. She’s tried in college, but it wasn’t for her. She supports it completely, though. One of her best friends is gay, and she went to their wedding. 

Naomi: Bi, definitely bi. She’s had a mixture of men and women in her dating history, but ultimately none of them worked out because it’s hard to have a personal life when you’re in war zones for the sake of journalism or working for S.H.I.E.L.D. where you’re undercover often in order to gather intelligence. 

[im-the-king-of-the-ocean]

So this started as another Carulia quarantine fic, but then it sat in my drafts for a while and I sort of lost that train of thought completely and it became a character study into Carmen (more or less).

Anyways, enjoy!

.

Learning Vulnerability

“Sunk your battleship.”

Player splutters his protest over their comms.  Carmen smiles.  This is the third game they’ve played.  They each won one of the previous ones and this is the tie-breaker.  So far, Carmen’s winning.

Carmen hears footsteps in the hallway outside the apartment.  She focuses on the sound, the rhythm of the steps.  She exhales when she recognizes Julia’s stride and Julia’s stride only.  Not that she doesn’t trust Jules after their weeks spent together.  It’s just, staying in one location this long makes Carmen feel twitchy.  Sure, she’s been keeping as low a profile as possible, but she’s still vulnerable.  If either A.C.M.E. or V.I.L.E. comes for her here, where she has little backup and resources?  Carmen would very much prefer that not to happen.

“Something up?”  Player picks up on her distraction.

“Nothing.”  Carmen reassures him.  She knows he’s one keystroke away from sending a private jet for her, and the only reason he hasn’t yet is respect for her request not to.  Carmen doesn’t want Zack, Ivy, or Shadowsan traveling and putting themselves at risk of infection unnecessarily.  She can handle herself just fine.  No one but Jules and her team knows she’s here.  Everything is fine, will be fine.

“It sounds like Julia’s back,” Carmen continues.  “I should go.”

They haven’t told Julia about Player yet.  He’s the one relatively unknown person on Carmen’s team.  They’ve been extremely careful about who they share information about him with.  So far, that’s not Julia.  Not yet.

“Alright.”  On Carmen’s laptop screen, Player sits back in his seat.  “Finish the game later?”

“Later.”  Carmen closes her laptop.

She stands and tiptoes to the door.  Carefully, she places her hands on it, and then presses her ear to the wood.  Carmen can hear Julia speaking Mandarin to the old woman who lives across the hall.  It takes Carmen a moment to adjust to listening to a different language, but then she recognizes that the conversation is just small talk while Jules passes over the groceries she bought for her neighbor.

This isn’t the bell tower, Carmen reminds herself.  She’s been able to trust Julia for weeks.  If Julia has been trying to get Carmen to lower her guard, she would have probably made her move by now.  It wasn’t Julia’s plan to ambush Carmen in Stockholm either.  Chief was the one who made that call.  Julia had only wanted to talk.

Carmen steps away.  She hesitates, and then returns to the couch.  She sits, places her hands in her lap, inhales with her whole frame, and then exhales.  Everything is fine.  She’s fine.

Trust isn’t something that comes easily to Carmen.  Not anymore, at least.  She wants it to be.  She wants to have a family, people she’s comfortable around no matter what, and she does.  It’s just…

The V.I.L.E. faculty were her family too, once upon a time.  Carmen had never thought of Coach Brunt quite as a mother, but the woman was affectionate, loving, and arguably spent the most time out of any of them with Carmen while she grew up.

But, Coach Brunt’s affection, Carmen is realizing in hindsight, came with a dash of possessiveness.  Coach Brunt had loved her conditionally.  When Carmen stopped meeting the requisite conditions, when she turned against V.I.L.E., that was the bitter end of it.  Carmen hasn’t admitted it to anyone, but it still hurts.  The Faculty had been her family growing up.  Carmen knows, technically speaking, she turned against them first, but the fact that they hadn’t really tried to see things from her point of view, that they’d forcibly tried to bring her back into the fold, and then declared her their enemy when they couldn’t, did sting.

She had worth to them as a thief, but not as herself, as Carmen.  They’d never been a family, just an evil organization and the daughter of one of their former colleagues who they considered a traitor.  Carmen knows she shouldn’t ache this much over it (she’s technically even gotten Shadowsan back, so there’s that), but she still wants a family.

One that won’t betray her.

Carmen wants to believe Zack and Ivy won’t (although they almost left her already once, and she can’t really blame them for that.  If returning to racing is what they want, she won’t keep them from it).  Neither will Player or Shadowsan (although Player has an entire outside life that she barely knows about and Shadowsan is…well Shadowsan).  Carmen hopes Jules won’t, but that already came into question once.

The thing is, Carmen once believed the Faculty would never intentionally try to hurt her too.  She despises thinking about it, but a tiny part of her does wonder if the next betrayal is already on its way.  If the friends she now considers her family will…

Carmen sighs.  She doesn’t want to be like this.  She really, really doesn’t want to be like this.

But she’s scared too.

Julia enters the apartment, arms full of groceries, before Carmen’s thoughts can go on any more of a downward spiral.  Seeing Julia struggle with juggling to maintain her hold on the grocery bags while closing the door, Carmen gets up to help.

“Thanks.”  Julia smiles at Carmen, while handing over one bag with a couple baguettes sticking out.  “How was your day?”  She leads the way into the kitchen.  “For dinner, I was thinking dumplings?”

“Sounds good.” Carmen nods noncommittally.  She remains quiet as Julia begins unpacking foods and putting them away in either the fridge or the cupboard.

“You know, if you’d like, you can make them with me?”  Julia’s soft smile, and her body language, indicate the offer is a genuine one.

Carmen wants this.  She wants the comfortable, safe way it makes her feel.

But, what if this feeling won’t last?

Knowing Jules expects an answer, Carmen doesn’t make eye contact.  A part of her wants to run, but a stronger part of her wants to stay, to see what’ll happen.  Eventually, Carmen looks up.

“That would be wonderful.”

It’s possible she’ll just be hurt again, but she wants to at least try regardless.

[carmenxjulia]

do you ever just think about how carmen's first reaction after hearing julia's voice in the fashion caper went from mild surprise to a smile? or how after she quickly disarmed julia, she gently put her gun back in her coat. or how carmen grabbed julia's hand? or how she made julia iin charge of her group despite barely knowing her? im still thinking about it and i cant fully explain why these small moments are so good? can you, please?

Absolutely. You’re talking to a person who created a 20,000 word fanfic based on a 45 second interaction. You want a Carmen and Julia analysis? I’d say you’ve come to the right place.

Yes, I do think about that scene a lot.

Let us begin.

Last season, Carmen and Julia interacted for less than a single minute. In that time, Carmen came to know and trust her enough to pass off the Magna Carta to her for safekeeping. And Julia got to have a real conversation with someone who was an international criminal and by some, might have even been branded as dangerous.

But Julia had always believed in her innocence and clung to the idea that there was more to each theft that most people didn’t see. Carmen leaving the Magna Carta was solid proof towards her theory that Carmen was one of the good guys. And it was a show of goodwill, a symbol of trust, that Carmen was banking on Julia doing the right thing and not taking full credit for its safe return (at least among her colleagues).

Then we get to season 2. Julia has, almost inexplicably, doubled down on her insistence that Carmen Sandiego is doing good in the world and is not actually a criminal at all. From the very first moment that we see her, she is trying prove her innocence. She asks Chase to wake up so that he can clear her name. She tries everything she can to wake him, and we as the audience are made to think it’s because she is concerned for his well-being… until the scene ends with, “we need you to tell us that she did not do this to you.”

Now, while I’m sure Julia would never wish death or permanent damage to Chase, she’s not trying to wake him because she particularly cares about him. He was rude and selfish and constantly dismissed her and yeah, Julia is the type of person who would still care after all that (refer to the first sentence of this paragraph), but it’s really really important to recognize that she’s not there for him. She’s there on behalf of Carmen.

So, what does that have to do with “The Fashionista Caper”?

We, the audience, are privy to Julia’s private conversations with Chief and other members of A.C.M.E. We get to see her defending Carmen, over and over, in the episodes leading up to episode 4. It’s not just speculation anymore! In Season 1, Julia had her theories, but was actively open to being proven wrong when provided with evidence to the contrary of her hunches. In Season 2, she is certain she’s right, and she stands by her belief that Carmen is good.

Carmen doesn’t see/hear any of that. She has literally no idea Julia has been defending her behind her back. No idea just how hard Julia has been fighting to clear her name with A.C.M.E. Not a single clue how conflicted Julia actually is, with having a job to do versus wanting to stand by the facts right in front of her.

She doesn’t see Julia again after the train incident (“The Chasing Paper Caper”) until they meet in Italy (”The Fashionista Caper”). All Carmen knows is that Julia is not as hellbent on catching her as Chase was, and that the Magna Carta were returned safely.

We, the audience, have a front row seat to watch Julia go from shaky theories to boldly proclaiming Carmen Sandiego is not who everyone thinks she is, despite seeming to be the only person who actually believes that.

Legitimately, Carmen has very little reason to trust Julia other than a gut feeling. There is no explanation for not only roping her into the caper, but immediately giving Julia her gun back and fully trusting she wouldn’t use it. Any other agent would have ignored Carmen’s request for help and gassed her right then and there. Carmen just inherently knows Julia is different.

We actually see an example of this just a few moments earlier. When Agent Zari tells Carmen to freeze, Carmen sets the gun off and turns it on her right away. When Julia shows up and demands more or less the same thing, the two have a little back and fourth banter. Carmen, no doubt, notes Agent Argent’s hesitation.

Carmen’s surprise no doubt came from her not expecting another agent, or at least, not expecting an agent to give her a chance to respond. Whereas Zari wasn’t afraid to get up close and point the gun directly at her face, Julia is standing quite far off. It probably took Carmen a moment to register who was speaking to her, and once she realized it was Julia, she relaxed, and smiled.

Julia helped her before, with the Magna Carta. So, why not seek her help more directly? Test the waters with the one agent who was willing to give her the time of day.

Not only that, but undoubtedly Carmen was re-formulating her plan to include Julia in it, right at that very moment. Honestly, the whole thing went far better with 4 people instead of the initial 3 (Carmen, Ivy, and Zack). So Carmen was probably like ‘oh hey that very reasonable agent from the train that I can probably count on to help me out if I also present myself as a sane and reasonable person.’ And then it actually worked.

But we can dissect this small change in her expression even further. Carmen is genuinely happy to see her/hear her voice. Not just because she knows Julia is raw and untrained and easily disarmed, no. Upon their first meeting, Carmen gave her the nickname “Jules”. In fact, Carmen has literally never spoken her full name, “Julia”. Even when passing off leadership in front of Ivy and Zack, Carmen still sticks to the Jules nickname. She doesn’t do this with anyone else. (Sure, Player is “Player”, but that’s purely upon his own request.) Maybe this is a reach, but, it feels like this indicates a completely different type of relationship and level of intimacy that Carmen shares with Julia and no one else.

Getting back on track.

Carmen probably took her hand as an extra precaution to prevent Julia from deciding to whip out her gun again. I mean, sure, it was also faster and easier to lead her by holding her hand. But also consider that the gun was holstered against her left hip, making it awkward to try to maneuver around her jacket with her left hand to try and grab it. With her right hand occupied, it would have taken too long for her to pull it out again, even if she’d tried. Honestly, taking her hand was the most practical action in this scenario, even if it was a bit intimate. It doesn’t have to mean anything, but it can.

It is also worth noting that although Julia believes Carmen is on the same side as A.C.M.E., she is probably rightfully confused starting from the moment Carmen takes her gun and then doesn’t gas her.

Julia’s orders from A.C.M.E. were to capture Carmen Sandiego in order to protect the Medici gowns. So when it turned out Carmen wasn’t planning to take the gowns, Julia had to decide that saving the dresses overruled the order to capture Carmen. The original mission she was given changed in a matter of seconds, making her have to pick a priority (Carmen or dresses). It also gave her an opportunity to work with Carmen and show A.C.M.E. she’d been right all along. But Julia, much like Carmen, had to trust her gut about this woman she barely knew, but had the utmost faith in.

As far as putting Julia in charge of getting the gowns to safety, that was probably the easiest decision of the evening for either of them. Carmen already knows Julia is one of the good guys. She doesn’t need to question her motives, at all. Not only that, but as mentioned above, Julia had already proven she could be trusted by ensuring the safe return of the Magna Carta.

Carmen knew V.I.L.E. wouldn’t be far behind, and dividing her attention could have been disastrous for the mission overall. I mean, she’s Carmen Sandiego, so, she could have probably handled it. But it was a much smarter move to put Julia in charge. She knew that Ivy and Zack were better at taking orders than giving them. She knew Player wouldn’t be able to coordinate well enough from his location. Carmen needed someone on the ground, right there, right then. Julia was available.

One final piece of this scene, that although it was not mentioned in the original ask, I feel is worth noting. Julia is actively worried about Carmen Sandiego’s safety. She outright asks, “what about you?” when Carmen instructs the others to get the gowns to safety. Why should she care? Her mission, saving the  Medici’s, is about to be complete. She’s about to really and truly prove herself to A.C.M.E. by being the agent responsible for saving the gowns. And yet she pauses, wanting to ensure Carmen is safe before she goes anywhere. A person that is supposed to be her enemy, although Julia has never truly believed that.

This is followed by Carmen pushing Julia back, not only urging her to leave with the gowns and Carmen’s own team, but moving her further away from danger as well as physically putting her body between Julia and potential harm. There are smashing sounds coming from the ceiling; clearly something bad is on its way. As usual, Carmen puts the safety of her friends before her own, which is a completely new experience for Julia. She is getting to see a caring and protective side of the super thief, one she was previously unaware of. Even for someone she barely knows, she’s willing to put her life on the line to save that of someone else.

And finally, even after Julia runs after Ivy and Zack, she turns back one last time to see how Carmen is doing. She doesn’t want to leave her behind, but ultimately realizes she has no choice. She certainly wouldn’t be any use in a fight. Plus, her number one objective is to save the gowns. Carmen Sandiego is probably going to get away. But the items she was sent to protect are now in A.C.M.E. hands. Job well done.

But Julia is left with the knowledge that Carmen Sandiego played an integral part in the success of the mission. She and Zari could not have saved the gowns alone (especially with the knowledge that Carmen was being attacked). Carmen Sandiego did in fact steal things- but it was to get the jump on another person or organization before they could do so themselves, smuggling the valuables away and returning them at a later date. Just as was the pattern Carmen laid out in Season 1.

Julia not only had her long-standing theory validated, but she got to see just how self-sacrificing Carmen could be. Putting herself in harms way while everyone else was encouraged to find somewhere safer. For someone labeled as a criminal, that was probably completely unexpected. Among a multitude of other unexpected things that had just happened. But that one may have been the most surprising.

All in all, there is a lot to say about this scene, and I could honestly go through it frame by frame and write a comprehensive essay. But hopefully this will sufficiently answer your query, and if not, feel free to send another ask.

[itsdappleagain]

Part 2 to the thing I’ll just called Shattered right now. :,)

Ivy sat with her head in her hands.

Zack was sitting listlessly on the couch, past stress eating and into not eating at all.

Player’s hands had long since stopped their incessant typing, simply watching and listening.

Shadow-san sat by the door, watching, waiting.

Their hearts were sick with worry and misery. 21 days, 7 hours, she’d been gone. Not a trace of her. All they knew was that she had gone off with a short, uninformative note, to VILE. For Julia.

No location. Nothing.

What had happened? Player could find nothing of her. VILE’s activity had either ceased for the moment or gotten sneakier. Or perhaps Team Red didn’t care. What was the point?

Shadow-san stiffened and sat up as a black van pulled up to the front of the base. They threw out two large black bags and drove away.

Shadows-san stood, his sudden movement and chilled fear affecting the whole room. The siblings stood as well, Zack’s tearstained face and Ivy’s trembling one going to the window.

Out they walked together, the three of them. They didn’t care what was careful. What....

Ivy opened the first bag and jumped back with a trembling shriek, falling over and dissolving into sobs, shaking, gasping.

Carmen’s still face was there, eyes open in a frozen last expression of horror. Covered in bruises, cuts, burns.

Zack stood in shock. “It’s- it’s a VILE trick. She’s not- she can’t-that isn’t possible-” His voice trembled, breaking.

Shadow-san said nothing, eyes hard, face miserable. He opened the second bag, and turned away, eyes squeezed closer in horrified grief. Julia, thin and with pale skin stretched over her stricken face.

A misery and hopelessness, a desperation, a final cry on each face.

Shadow-san collapsed to his knees. He’d given up hope a little while ago. He knew what VILE could and would do.

And they did it.

Ivy was pressed against the wall of the warehouse, shaking with tears, while Zack hugged her tightly; perhaps more for his support than hers. The redheaded girl looked up finally. “Player,” she croaked. “We have to t-tell Play-Player.”

Ivy stood shakily. “Help Shadow-san g-get the b-bod-Carm and Julia in-inside. I’ll tell h-him..”

Player looked up from the screen at Ivy’s tearstained face, his face falling, then getting slightly hopeful: “I-Is she back? Is she hurt badly?”

Ivy sat down on the couch across from his screen, wiping a hand over her face, trying to compose herself, but the image of her still, bruised face kept flashing back- back- back-

“She’s b-back- and Julia- and t-they’re-” Ivy started to say, her voice trembling. She broke off. 

“And?” Player prompted, peering up at his camera, his tone worried but elated. “How is she? Will she need a hospital? Are you getting her inside? Is-”

“She’s gone,” Ivy said sharply, cutting him off. All emotion dropped off is face as she went on. “She’s gone, she’s de-de-” Ivy broke off again, her friend’s glazed eyes flashing again through her mind like a prisoner banging at the walls.

Shadow-san and Zack came in, gently carrying her. Carmen. Player watched, round eyed, shaking his head a little, trembling, as they got closer.

Then he saw her. 

They’d taken her out of the bag. Ivy assumed, through her fogged mind, that they’d moved Julia closer to the shelter of the warehouse as well. The true extent of Carmen’s torture before she’d been killed was....horrific. 

Player was silent for a minute, eyes growing wider as he looked at the body of his best friend.

Then, tears. Tears streaming silently down his face. Silent. Silence. Nothing left. Eyes simply fixed on her.

Zack looked like he was barely holding himself together as they brought Julia inside too. He collapsed to the floor as soon as they did.

Julia looked bad too, but there was no one alive in the warehouse who knew her enough to grieve properly for her, to notice much. Carmen, their fearless, brave leader, quick with a clever comeback and a kick to the face, dressed in crimson because she was too good to caught...defeated.

Dead.

[ask-the-phan-site]

The Vain Emperor of the Track

>It’s time.

Ladies and gentlemen, start your engines.

This has been a long time waitin’. I can’t wait!

Same here. He’ll pay for what he’s done.

Playing with two people’s hearts like that is unforgivable. It’s time for him to face the fist of justice!

Then we’re off! Let the race begin!

>Mona becomes our van.

Let’s race!

Here we go!

>With that, we go on our way to take Trey Sterling’s heart.

>The penthouse overlooking the track is were very special guest to the school usually stay. This time, Sterling Sterling and his son, Trey, were staying here. They were trying to remain as calm as they can after receiving our calling card this morning.

I’m sure the police are doing whatever they can to get to the bottom of this. Don’t worry, son.

I’m sure, Dad. I’m not that worried... Although, these Phantom Thieves are quite tenacious... Especially the one called Crow.

Mr. Sterling: Now, now, things will be fine. Right now, you should get some sleep. We’ve got a lot to do later on. Good night.

Trey: Good night.

>Mr. Sterling goes off to his room while Trey stayed in the study. Everything was quite... Until...

?????: Good, we don’t want Daddy getting in the way.

Trey: !

>A red wave passes over. When it was done, the study had been replaced with a podium, a place where the Roman Emperor would sit in the Colosseum. Outside, the the track of the Colosseum of Vanity was roaring with excitement... And Trey had been replaced with his Shadow.

Shadow Trey: You have arrived.

You bet we did! And we’re here to win!

Shadow Trey: I’d like to see you try.

Believe us. We will.

Shadow Trey: Very well. To the track!

>With that, Shadow Trey leaves.

Okay, so we all remember the plan, right?

While Trey’s Shadow is distracted by his race with Zack, Joker, Panther, Queen, Crow, Wolf, Speed, X, Slice, and Dice, we will sneak the Treasure away before anyone notices. That’s pretty much it.

Lucy: Exactly.

Carmen: Good to hear. I still wish Player could be here. Or at least have contact with him.

Sorry, Red, but in the Metaverse, the only hacker you have is yours truly.

And we’re all happy that you’re here, Oracle.

We’re all counting on you.

Good luck today, Oracle.

Oracle: Thanks, you guys.

Me, Oracle, Connor, Chim-Chim, and Lucy will be in the pits over the radio.

I will join you as well. If anything happens to Joker, I want to be able to help.

Joker: Thank you, Fox. Wish us luck.

Then let’s get to it! Are we ready?

Everyone: Ready!

*Chirp*

>With that, we go our separate ways. Me, Fox, Panther, Queen, Crow, Wolf, Slice, Dice, Speed, X, Zack, Oracle, Lucy, Conor, Chim-Chim, and Ivy go to the track while Mona, Skull, Noir, Violet, Sophie, and Carmen go to retrieve the Treasure.

>Out on the track...

Oracle: Okay, Lucy, Conor, and Chim-Chim prepped the Mach 6, the Shooting Star, and Duel Aces and Ivy prepped Lydia (Zack’s car). So I did some tuning of my own.

Really? I can’t wait to see it.

>Just then, a large trailer was being pulled up to us... by a small car.

Hi, everyone! It’s been a while!

Panther: (happy) Jose, it’s good to see you again.

Zack: (confused) You know this kid?

Queen: Yes, he’s a friend of us.

Oracle: With a little technical know-how and the power of cognition, I managed to fix up some vehicles just for you. I didn’t want to store them in the garages here out of fear someone would sabotage them and they can’t really exist outside the Metaverse, so I asked Lavenza if I can store them in the Velvet Room. I also asked Jose to bring them here.

Jose: They look pretty good. Not as good as my ride, but still, nice machines.

>We go to the back of the trailer and Oracle opens them. Inside are four cars. One car had an Arsene-like design, the second had a Carmen-like design, the third had a Robin Hood-like design, and the fourth had a Valjean-like design.

WOW! These look so cool, Oracle!

Oracle: (smirking) That’s not all. Each of your cars also has a special feature. Joker, your car, Phantom Flyer, has a grappling hook with wires strong enough to pull the car or other things. Conor even helped me with laser sawblades. Use with care.

>I get in the Phantom Flyer. I drive it to the front of Jose’s car and fire the grappling hook at it. With ease, I manage to pull both Jose’s car and the trailer a decent 10 feet. Then, I activate the laser sawblades and Jose takes out a cinderblock. He moves it towards the sawblades and the block is cut with ease.

This is awesome, Oracle.

Oracle: Panther, your car, Flaming Kitty, has the same cloaking technology the Mach 6 and the Shooting Star have. But aside from that, it can also change its appearance to look like anything. Even other cars. It also has flamethrowers.

>Panther drives the car out. When she activates the cloaking technology, it becomes invisible. Then, it reappears as the Mach 6, then the Shooting Star, and then as Lydia before changing back. Next, she activates the flamethrowers which perfected roasted some marshmallows Jose just happened to have.

I wish I could show my mom! She would love this!

Oracle: Crow, your car, Freedom’s Strike, has the same camouflage technology like Panther’s. It can also shoot arrows and lasers and it also has sawblades both steel and laser.

>Crow drives the car out. It shot a few arrows and lasers into a target Jose set up. Then, Crow activates the laser sawblades and cuts a cinderblock. Then, the car changes its Robin Hood-like design to a Loki-like design. Then, steel sawblades come out and cuts the target in half.

(changing the car back to its original design) Quite amazing, Oracle. You know me all too well...

A little too well for my taste.

Yeesh, I think all that time you spent undercover really messed you up.

Either that or the connection made between you and the target.

Oracle: Now, Wolf, your car, Howling Silver, is built like a tank and is virtually indestructible. Even a wrecking ball can’t destroy it. And it has sonic canons for blasting your way through just about anything.

>Wolf drives his car out. Jose brought out his hammer and gave the car a good hard whack. But the car was just fine. Then, Wolf fires a sonic blast which shatters a stack of glass jars Jose set up.

Wolf: (excited) Sweet! I’m so going to talk to my superiors about making something like this in the real world.

Oracle: Good luck. I want to make cars for the others, but I’ll think about it after they finish their lessons.

Wolf: Probably good.

Dice: Hold on, Queen’s racing, too. How come she doesn’t have a car?

Queen: I’ve decided I’m just going to ride Agnes. She’s the closest to being a car.

Lucy: Is that even allowed?

Queen: There’s no rule against it.

Lucy: Fair enough.

>We take our cars to the track and we ready ourselves.

Racer Shadow: Yo, babe! Where’s your car?

It’s right here.

>Queen goes Third Tier.

Queen: PERSONA!

>Queen got on Agnes as Shadow Trey came on the track with his golden car.

Shadow Trey: Friends, Bostonians, countrymen, lend me your ears! Today will make the day that the Racer Family is finally put in their place! And I take down the legendary Phantom Thieves of Hearts! After this race, no one will ever question again who is the greatest person to ever live! Now, let us begin!

Announcer: Now watch as our most glorious emperor, Trey Sterling, goes up against the soon to be disgraced Racer Family and the Phantom Thieves!

>Shadow Trey comes to us.

Shadow Trey: Hope you’re ready to lose. That’s all you’ll ever be good for.

Speed: We’ll see about that.

Zack: You bet. I won’t lose to you this time.

Announcer: All drivers to your cars, please! All drivers to your!

Shadow Trey: (pointing and clicking) Later, Big Z.

>Zack was trying to hold back his rage as Trey’s Shadow left.

Ivy: Don’t let him get to you, bro. Remember what happened last time.

Zack: R- Right. That was the old Zack. The new Zack is way more cool under presser.

>Ivy left to join Oracle, Fox, Lucy, Conor, and Chim-Chim... I could tell Zack was still mad.

Joker: Are you alright?

Zack: It’s just... Ever since we were kids, Trey has always gotta do me up. Be better than me. And he does it with his old man’s money and then rubs it in my face especially. Why’s he gotta be like that?

Joker: I suppose we’ll know once we take his Treasure.

Zack: Still, I just can’t stand it. He’s worst than havin’ to eat fish.

>I know how you feel. >>You're the better person.

Zack: Come again?

Joker: Trey thinks he can buy his way into victory, but that’s not the same as having real talent. There are some things that even money can’t solve. And I speak from experience. Shido thought that because of his position, he could get away with anything, and look where that got him. The same thing will most likely happen to Trey.

Zack: You really think that?

I do. So to me, aside from Skull, that makes us brothers.

Zack: That’s... That’s the nicest thing I’ve ever heard. Hey, does that make Ivy like your sister, too?

Ivy: (who heard us and came over with Fox) We’re a package deal. You get one of us, you get both of us. Just remember that we ain’t leavin’ Carmen.

Joker: Don’t worry, you’re not going anywhere from her.

Zack: ... (smiling) Thanks, Joker. I owe you one.

Joker: Think nothing of it.

Zack: No really, you gotta let us thank you in some way. How ‘bout this, you change Trey’s heart, I might teach how to drive not just cars, but other stuff, too. How does that sound?

Joker: Well, if Mona where here, he’d say that would come in handy.

Fox: I agree. You never know when we might need to escape in just a car. You’ve already shown to be good on a motorcycle and you’re so close to passing your diver’s test with help from your father, I think it wouldn’t hurt to try other things.

>I think about it. I would be helpful to learn how to operate other forms of transportation.

Alright, you’re on.

Ivy: Then we have a deal.

Zack: You bet.

>Me and Zack do a fist bump together.

I am thou, thou art I… Thou hast acquired a new vow.

It shall become the wings of rebellion that breaketh thy chains of captivity.

With the birth of the Shine Persona, I have obtained the winds of blessing that shall lead to freedom and new power…

Confidant: Zack & Ivy

Arcana: Shine (This Arcana is made up for this Confidant.)

Rank: 1

Ability: The Getaway Driver

Zack and Ivy will teach you better driving skills to use in the Metaverse.

Announcer: Last warning: All drivers to your cars, please! All drivers to your cars!

Joker: (putting the mask back on) Ready?

Zack: Ready as we’ll ever be.

>So, we get in our cars and Fox and Ivy rejoin the others.

Ready... Set... GO!!!

>And we’re off!

>Meanwhile, with the other at the podium, they were searching for the Treasure.

Skull: It’s gotta be here somewhere. We all sat that light thing right here.

Mona: He must have hidden it knowing someone would take it while he’s racing.

Sophie: I can sense it, too.

Carmen: I wish Oracle could have stayed with us.

Noir: I’m sure if we look harder, we can find it. Just think, where would someone as narcissistic as Trey would hide something that he believes gives him power?

Mona: My guess is somewhere really obvious. Someplace where he just can’t help but show it off to everyone.

Carmen: Maybe that?

>Carmen was pointing to some Shadows that were carrying something covered by a gold tarp.

Cognitive Being 1: There’s the prize for the winner of the race!

Cognitive Being 2: I sure wish I could enter to win it, but no one can beat the emperor. No one.

Cognitive Being 3: Still, whoever wins that... Oh, who am I kidding? Emperor Trey’s got this race in the bag!

I guess that’s it.

Violet: How are we going to get it? There are too many eyes watching.

Carmen: I think I can help with that. Oracle did a tune up to my tools. They should help us.

>Carmen pressed something on her coat and she turns invisible.

Noir: (taking out a small potion bottle) Panther gave us this camouflage potion. It should last us long enough to grab the Treasure and get out.

Carmen: Sounds simple enough... What’s the catch?

Straight to the point, huh?

Noir: Well, we might still have to fight a few Shadows along the way. Including the Palace Ruler. It’s usually unavoidable. So be ready.

Carmen: Thanks, I will.

Then here we go!

>Noir sprinkles the potion on herself and the others and they are hidden from view. They and Carmen go to take the Treasure.

>Meanwhile, back on the track, the race was raging on. A Shadow nearly rams me to the side, but luckily, I dodged it.

Oracle’s Voice: Be careful, Joker. I think Trey’s Shadow payed those guys to take you guys out.

Joker: No doubt. They don’t look like they’re going to let us leave this race with our lives.

Speed: Dad said and Uncle Rex used to deal with stuff like this all the time. I think we can make it through.

Ivy’s Voice: Just try not to do anything reckless.

Lucy’s Voice: Good luck with that. If there’s one thing you should know about Speed and X, “reckless” is their middle name.

Speed: Actually, my middle name is Daisuke.

Ivy’s Voice: Seriously?

X: Well Dad said it was either that or Pops.

Queen: Better watch it, we got one coming!

>A Shadow comes up to me. It transforms.

Bring it! Persona!

Tutorial

You have just entered a Race Battle.

If you have seen Persona 5 Scramble: The Phantom Strikers, this battle is similar to the battles there.

When you attack a Shadow, it gets knocked backwards. When its HP goes to 0, it will be defeated. However, if you get attacked, you will be the one knocked backwards. If your HP goes to 0, it is game over.

>Garuda attacks with Garudyne. Luckily, I dodge it. Arsene uses One-shot Kill. Garuda is knocked back and loses a lot of HP due to his weakness to Gunfire. Garuda drives (or flies or whatever he’s doing in this race) back up and attacks me, sending me back a bit. I drive back up and Arsene uses One-shot Kill again. Then, I attack with my own gun. He is knocked back good. Garuda tries again to attack me, but I dodge it. Arsene uses One-shot Kill again and Garuda is gone.

Joker: That was close.

>Then, I notice Flaming Kitty driving up.

Tutorial

When one of your teammates is in view, you can pass the baton to them.

During this time, the one who passed the baton will have time to regain HP and SP.

>I pass the baton to Panther.

Panther: Okay, it’s my turn now! Persona!

>A Shadow come up to her and transforms.

>The Oni tries to attack Panther, but she dodges it. Carmen uses Agilao. The Oni uses Snap. Panther is sent back a bit. Carmen uses Marin Karin and the Oni is Brainwashed. Oni does not act. Panther then uses the car’s flamethrower. It had a Burning effect. After snapping out of it, Oni attacks Panther with Giant Slice. It was a critical hit and Panther is knocked backwards. Thankfully, she recovered and Carmen used Diarama. The Oni tries to use Giant Slice on Panther again, but she dodges it. Carmen then uses Marin Karin again and Oni is once again Brainwashed. The Oni slows down. Then, Carmen uses Agidyne and the Oni is gone.

Panther: Yes! That’s cool!

>Queen passes ahead of Panther and she passes the baton to her.

Panther: Good luck!

Queen: Thanks.

>A Shadow comes up and transforms.

>The Shiki-Ouji uses Psio. Queen is weak to it and it really knocks her back. She recovers and drives onwards. Agnes uses Freidyne. The Shiki-Ouji is knocked way back. Queen takes this as an opportunity and uses Freidyne again. The Shiki-Ouji grives back up again and uses Double Snap. It was a critical hit and Queen is knocked back. Fortunately, she recovers quickly. Agnes then uses Diarahan. Shiki-Ouji uses Psio, but Queen dodges it. Agnes then uses Freidyne and Shiki-Ouji knocked backwards. Queen decides to go bigger and Agnes uses Atomic Flare. The Shiki-Ouji drives up again, but is real weak. Shiki-Ouji uses Taunt, but it didn’t work. Agnes uses Atomic Flare again and the Shiki-Ouji is gone.

Queen: So glad you’re on our side, Agnes.

>Queen spots Crow in Freedom’s Strike. Queen passes the baton to him.

Crow: My turn!

>A Shadow drives up to him and transforms.

Crow: My skills exceed yours! Persona!

>Throne uses Makougaon. Fortunately, Crow resisted. Robin Hood uses Eigaon. Throne is knocked back. Throne tries to attack Crow, but he dodges it. Robin Hood tries to use Mamudoon, but it misses. Throne uses Makougaon. Crow resists again. Robin Hood uses Eigaon. Throne is knocked back. Then, Robin Hood uses Megaton Raid. Throne moves back up again and Throne attacks. This time, it was a critical hit and Crow is thrown back. Crow drives up again and Robin Hood uses Eigaon. Throne is knocked back. Then, Robin Hood uses Megidola. Throne drives up again and uses Makougaon. Crow resists again. Robin Hood uses Eigaon, but Throne dodges it with Evade Curse. Throne hesitates. Robin Hood uses Mamudoon. Throne is knocked back. Then, Robin Hood uses Megidola. Throne drives back up again and attacks. Robin Hood uses Megaton Raid, but Throne dodges it. Throne attacks again and it is a critical hit. Throne attacks. Crow manages to regain the lead.

Crow: Very well. It seems that Instant Kill didn’t do much... I guess I’ll have to do this the hard way.

PERSONA!

>Freedom’s Strike also changes. Loki uses Eigaon. It was super effective and throws Throne backwards. Then, Loki uses Laevanteinn. The now weakened Throne drives back up again and tries to use Makougaon. However, Crow dodges it with Evade Bless. Loki uses Eigaon again and Throne was gone.

Good. And not a moment too soon.

>Crow sees Wolf driving Howling Silver. Crow passes the baton just has changes back from Black Mask Mode.

Crow: (in cool down) We’re almost there. Keeping going!

Wolf: Rodger!

>Another Shadow drives up and transforms.

Wolf: So you’re the last one between us, Sterling, and the lead. Alright, bring it on! Persona!

>Baal uses Charge. Valjean uses Heat Riser. Baal uses Ayamur. It was a critical hit and Wolf was knocked backed. Baal just hesitated. Wolf drives back up and Valjean uses One-shot Kill. Baal uses Panta Rhei. Valjean uses Trible Down. Baal uses Panta Rhei again. Valjean uses One-shot Kill. It was a critical hit and Baal is knocked way back. Valjean then uses Megidola. Baal recovers and uses Revolution. Valjean uses Agneyastra. It was a critical hit and forces Baal way back. Valjean then uses Megidolaon. Baal drives back up and uses Ayamur. It was a critical hit and Wolf is forced back. Baal then uses Panta Rhei. Wolf manages to drive back up with little HP. Valjean uses Heat Riser. Baal tries to use Ayamur again, but Wolf dodges it. Valjean uses Megidolaon and Baal is gone.

Wolf: Yes!

Oracle’s Voice: Great work, you guys! All that’s left is Trey’s Shadow.

Wolf: Right!

Joker: Let’s hope the others are doing great with the Treasure.

>Back with Carmen and the others, they managed to get close to the Treasure.

Carmen: (looking under the tarp) This looks like a job for the laser cutter.

>Carmen cuts open a hole big enough for her and the others to get in. They go inside.

Carmen: Got it.

Mona: This is the Treasure alright.

Sophie: It certainly has that vibe.

>They sneak away until they were in the clear. The Treasure was a shiny golden racing trophy.

What a surprise.

Skull: And I thought Kamoshida was bad. This just takes the cake.

>Carmen then takes a closer look at the trophy...

Carmen: (surprised) I see, that explains it.

Skull: What’s up, Red?

Carmen: Something real interesting.

>Back on the track, I managed to catch up to Wolf thanks to Slice, Dice, Speed, X, and Zack.

Wolf: Good luck to you all.

Joker: Thanks.

Slice: Me and Dice will take care of things in the rare.

>Me, Speed, X, and Zack drive up to Trey’s Shadow.

Shadow Trey: Well, look who finally decided to show up. I knew hiring those idiots wouldn’t help.

X: Goes to show you that good help is hard to find.

Shadow Trey: Fine, if you want something done right, do it yourself.

Speed: X and I will take care of Trey if he tries anything. Joker, Zack, think you can handle it?

Zack: You bet. I’ve been waiting for this for a long time.

Ivy’s Voice: Just try to focus. This isn’t like all the races we’re use to.

Joker: Don’t worry, he won’t be alone this time.

Zack: Thanks, Joker. Let’s do it!

>I nod... and go Third Tier.

Joker: PERSONA!

>Shadow Trey tries to use Brain Shake on me, but I dodge it. Raoul uses Concentrate. Shadow Trey uses Psiodyne. Raoul uses Phantom Show which puts Shadow Trey to Sleep.

Joker: Now’s your chance! Attack!

Speed: Here I come!

>I fling the Mach 6 forward with the Phantom Flyer’s grappling hook. Then, Speed attacks with his car’s laser sawblades. Speed drives back into position. Shadow Trey uses Taunt. I fall under Rage. I attack Shadow Trey with my car’s laser sawblades. Shadow Trey uses Psiodyne. It was a technical hit. I snap out of it and Raoul uses Eigaon. Shadow Trey tries to use Terror Claw, but I dodge it. I equipped Raoul with the One-shot Kill Skill Card and he uses One-shot Kill. It was a critical hit.

Joker: We get another one! Go!

X: This is for Annalise!

>I fling the Shooting Star forward and X rams Shadow Trey’s car, sending it back a bit. X moves back into position. Shadow Trey uses Brain Shake. Fortunately, I wasn’t Brainwashed. Raoul uses Concentrate. Shadow Trey uses Marin Karin. It didn’t work. Raoul uses Eigaon. It took a lot of Shadow Trey’s HP. Shadow Trey uses Sukukaja. Raoul uses One-shot Kill, but Shadow Trey dodges it. Shadow Trey then uses Marin Karin and I become Brainwashed. I nearly attack Speed. Shadow Trey uses Psiodyne. It was a technical hit. I snap out of it and Raoul uses Concentrate. Shadow Trey tries to use Brain Shake, but I dodge it. Raoul uses Phantom Show and it puts Shadow Trey to Sleep.

Joker: Get ready for another one! Just one more after this!

Zack: Here I go!

>I fling Lydia forward and Zack attacks Shadow Trey, sending him further back. Zack moves back into position.

Shadow Trey: (now really angry) I’m not done yet! Let me show you what happens when you cross me! I release upon you the deadly sin of vanity! You have no means of escape, human! The fraudulence of mankind shall bring forth ruin!

>Shadow Trey uses Distorted Vanity. Raoul uses Concentrate again. Shadow Trey uses Psiodyne. I’m knocked back a lot. Shadow trey then uses Skull Cracker. Fortunately, I didn’t get Confused. Raoul uses Phantom Show and Shadow Trey is Asleep again.

Joker: Now to finish this race!

>I give the final blow.

>After that, Shadow Trey was now back behind us. Then, I notice something.

Zack! Look!

>Zack was way ahead of us. He was in first place.

Ivy’s Voice: Go for it, bro! Go for it!

Zack: This is for you, sis! And everyone in Southie!

>Then, in a zoom... it was over. Zack crossed the finish line and won the race.

Cognition 1: (in disbelief) No way! Emperor Trey actually lost!?

Cognition 2: They must have cheated somehow.

Cognition 3: Actually, now that I think about it, doesn’t Emperor Trey do the same thing?

Cognition 4: Hey, you’re right! He paid those racers to kill those other racers!

Cognition 5: We’ve been supporting a cheater this whole time!

Cognitive Spectators: (outraged) Trey Sterling is a crook! A SPOILED LITTLE BRAT!

>Later at victory lane, Shadow Trey comes to us weakly.

Shadow Trey: It’s... It’s not possible... I should have won... I always win...

Wolf: Only because you paid those racers to lose with your father’s money. That’s not how you gain victory.

Shadow Trey: But, it’s my victory. I’m a proud son of Boston. I’m Boston Proud. Even the trophy says so.

??????: Does it really?

>Carmen and the others come to us with the trophy. She showed us the plaque at the bottom. Engraved on it was Trey’s name, but above it was another name that was chiseled out. I could definitely make out Zack’s first name, but his last name was completely unreadable.

Shadow Trey: The trophy? My trophy.

Carmen: I don’t think so. You clearly didn’t earn this. It was Zack’s.

>Shadow Trey looked like he was ready to attack one of us, but instead, he just drops to his knees and begins sobbing. We weren’t sure how to react... Then Zack comes over to Shadow Trey. He comes down to him.

Zack: (actually sympathetic towards his nemesis) Just... Why? Why do ya do this? Especially towards me and my sister?

Shadow Trey: (looking to him) ... You... You really want to know?

>Zack nods.

Shadow Trey: Look at you. You appear to be such an amateur, but the truth is... You were the better racer. You did a lot of things that were better than me. Compared to you, I was the real amateur. This was something even my father knew. He just wanted to see me happy. So, he decided to do whatever it took to make me happy. To make sure that I get what I want. From that very day at kindergarten, I convinced myself that my father and his money were the only way to get it. I love my father. He is a great man. If anyone could help me get my way, it’s him.

Noir: But that’s not how it works. There are somethings that you have to earn for yourself.

Shadow Trey: And make myself look like a fool? Like him? (points to Zack) Never. In this world, you take what you want the first chance you get. That’s why I’ve been so hard on Zack and Ivy. Because I didn’t want anyone to think that any way, despite our backgrounds... we would be the same. But we’re not. We... are rivals.

Zack: (shocked) ...

Speed: So you’re saying all this time, you and Zack could have been friends?

Shadow Trey: Maybe that’s another reason why I’ve always looked down on you. So that whenever you lose to me, you would realize that the only way to beat me was to befriend me. Though I wouldn’t be caught dead associating with someone from lower class, I could have changed all that.

Zack: But... We coulda been friends without all that.

Shadow Trey: !

Zack: Well, I don’t know. I’m still processin’ this. But bein’ so high and mighty around me and Ivy wouldn’t have made us friends. Just bein’ a good sport and welcomin’ anyone who shares the dream.

Shadow Trey: ...

Zack: I know you just wanted to be the best so that everyone would like you, but it never really hurts to show everyone who the real Trey Sterling is. You don’t need to hide behind your daddy’s wealth and power. You’ve got somethin’ that he could never get with his money.

Shadow Trey: ... What is that?

Zack: ... Beats me. It ain’t my life that needs fixin’. (offers his hand) So get up. Try to find just what you really can do.

Shadow Trey: ...

Joker: Listen to him. He may not look like a goofball, but he’s a wise goofball.

Carmen: He’s cares about others besides himself. I guess that includes you.

Shadow Trey: ...

Joker: It’s like we were saying...

You can’t buy talent or friendship. You ear it.

>Shadow Trey just sat silent for a bit. He thought of what we said... Then, he takes Zack’s hand and is pulled up.

Shadow Trey: I’m sorry. I now know that what I did was wrong. I shouldn’t have treated you so terribly. And I also shouldn’t have played Bobby or Annalise. I don’t deserve either of them.

X: (whispering) That’s for sure.

Shadow Trey: For a while, I’ve always wanted to be as famous as my former idol, August Gaunt, as well loved by everyone as my old pen pal from Arizona, and a popular as... You, Akechi.

What!?

Shadow Trey: Yes, I know who you are. I suppose the me in the real world knows, too, but hasn’t fully figured it out yet. And even if he has, I doubt he’s going to say anything. Even he wouldn’t believe it. After all... It came to him in a dream. As did Augusts and his pen pal.

Crow: Then you know that my popularity as what you think.

Shadow Trey: I think so. I guess popularity, fame, and being well loved are very different things.

Carmen: You just have to find a way to connect them in a good way. Start with doing something that will get you well loved. For starters, apologizing to those two hearts you played... And maybe donate to a good charity.

Skull: Like the B.O.M.G.T.M. Foundation.

Crow: Or the Worldwide Engineering Brigade.

Shadow Trey: Yeah, I think those would be good starts.

>With that, Shadow Trey returns to his true self and we take our own leave as the Palace vanishes.

>To be concluded...

[imhereformysciencefriends]

Pt 2

—

“Aw, Carm, this is a beauty,” Zack praised, running his hand affectionately over the dashboard. “Listen to her purr.”

“Why are all your cars girls?” Ivy asked disdainfully, hiding her pleasure at seeing Zack so excited again. So genuinely happy.

“Because I love women and I love cars—and I also love boats and planes, and trains, and motorcycles, and...”

“I’m glad you like it,” Carmen said, getting in. “We need a quiet car for quiet getaways. Can’t leave a noisy car running at the ready.”

“This is gonna be so great,” Zack said, hugging the steering wheel like a long lost lover, “This is already so great.”

Ivy rolled her eyes.

“So,” Carmen said, sitting next to Ivy in the backseat, immediately grabbing all of her attention and making the space seem so much smaller, “tell me about yourself, partner.”

Ivy felt her heart leap into her throat.

“Well, I’m from Boston,” she started, trying to make herself sound as casual and natural as if she were meeting a normal, regular human being, not the (muscle muscle muscle HOT GIRL muscle pretty) partner-in-crime of her dreams, “born and raised, haven’t gotten out much. Enrolled in the toughest undergraduates my college had to offer for my major last year and breezed through ‘em so fast I took nothing but graduate courses this last semester and a half.” She didn’t normally feel any particular need to brag, but, well, she really wanted to impress this woman who’d been raised from infancy to be a thief and special operative. “Make gadgets. Joined the white hat hackers for something to do and ended up gettin’ invested.”

“They’ve got a certain allure,” Carmen agreed, nodding. Ivy was too tongue tied to make any kind of slip about the other alluring component of her very current situation.

Underneath them, the car purred just a little louder, and Ivy realized that it had been accelerating smoothly, seamlessly, without her even noticing. The scenery was rocketing past them.

“Zack, I don’t think we should get caught by police this early in the game,” she said, just a tiny bit irritated.

“Relax, Ivy, we’re in the middle of nowhere! Where are the cops gonna be in the Midwest? Hiding in a corn field?”

“Most major cities in Midwestern America do have state patrols on the interstate not far out from city limits, precisely to catch people who share that mindset,” Carmen informed Zack, oozing that well-earned, deceptively simple confidence that Ivy knew was deserved. “And while it’s known for corn, a large number of farmers grow soybeans as well, which can be chocolate coated and eaten like candy, harvested for oil for biodiesel fuel, and can even be turned into crayons.”

Ivy stared at Carmen, rapt.

“The Midwest is often referred to as ‘tornado alley,’ or its more traditional moniker, ‘The Great Plains.’ The plainlands are notorious for their green, electric skies that foretell tornadoes, and also have some pretty stark shifts through seasonal changes. Though, no one ever seems to think that spring lasts long enough.”

“Well aren’t you just a walkin’ geography book,” Zack said, sounding about as stunned as Ivy felt, and the car slowed a little.

“Thanks. But Zack is also right. This far from the city, nobody with a badge is going to see us until we hit the next small town.”

There was a beat, and then Ivy heard the engine rev, climbing speeds with renewed vigor. “Awwww yeaaaah!” Zack crowed.

Carmen turned back to Ivy, and she kinda hoped she wasn’t blushing as hot as she felt like she was blushing. Carmen was an ocean. Ivy didn’t get to see much change on the surface, but there was a deep power and awe-inspiring quality to Carmen that lied just beneath, so close to the surface Ivy could practically feel it thrum. She wondered what it would be like to see Carmen storm.

She was staring, oops, uh, conversation, normal-people talk!

“So, tell me about you,” Ivy choked a little on the word, “partner.”

Carmen arched a single eyebrow and Ivy internally bemoaned how it wasn’t fair. She could never make her face do that! “I thought Player already debriefed you.”

“He gave me the basics,” Ivy nudged Carmen’s shin with her sneaker, like she would any other casual, regular-friend acquaintance. “I wanna hear from you.”

“It’s gonna have to wait,” Zack warned from the driver’s seat, “according to Player’s GPS, we’re gettin’ close.”

Far off, a semi truck was just becoming visible. Carmen nodded with determination, brown eyes locked on the distant figure.

“According to our intel, V.I.L.E. has probably already stolen the pipe. It’s an important relic that dates back centuries, and V.I.L.E. knows it’s a sacred part of Oglala Lakota culture. Plenty of shady museums are willing to pay a hefty price for the stolen artifacts of Native cultures. We’re going to make sure it gets back where it belongs.”

Ivy felt something electric in her pulse—and for once it wasn’t attraction to this pretty lady. It was something bigger, faster, far more exciting. Like the buzz of working with Zack to get into mischief, but amplified, nameless.

“Right,” she agreed, with a passion she was surprised to feel. They all activated their comms—tiny, closed-route devices Ivy made that linked them all to Player and each other—and got ready.

Zack slowed as they got to the semi, and Carmen leapt deftly through the open top of the car onto the hood. Zack kept a steady pace, bumper to bumper despite moving down the interstate, and Carmen fastened one of Ivy’s gadgets to the lock. The door of the truck swung open and—

Carmen had dodged and blocked before either of the twins had registered there were assailants inside. Deftly, competently, confidently, Carmen jumped into the metal cavity and punched an operative straight in the nose.

“Really, it’s like none of you remember to protect the face,” Carmen said as she dropped low to avoid a punch and then slammed the underside of her aggressor's chin. “Coach Brunt gives very good advice. You should listen.” Ivy distantly noted that the audio quality of their comms was perfect, exactly what she’d hoped.

Ivy watched Carmen move like Zack watched his video games. Utterly immersed, not wanting to even blink. There was fire in her gut, sparks inside her veins, a drumming noise inside her head that swelled in her lungs and threatened to burst from her ribcage.

Then someone got an arm around Carmen’s neck and Ivy knew, instinctively, in her very bones, what she needed to do. She pulled the grappling hook from her bag and leapt into the passenger seat, one foot propped on the rim of the windshield as she attacked the hook.

“What are—Ivy, Ivy you haven’t tested that yet!”

“Perfect time then, eh?” Ivy asked, barely hearing her brother over the thrum in her skull and veins. She aimed while one of the operatives picked himself up off the floor, grabbing a baton while Carmen struggled against the arm pressed to her windpipe.

“Not a perfect time! Now is not the—“

With a click and a woosh and a surge forward off the windshield, Ivy was airborne. She kicked her legs out hard and planted her feet right into the fellow with the baton, cushioning her landing but knocking him out cold. And maybe breaking a rib. Who knew—who cared?

“Hiya!” Ivy screamed as she rounded on the other man who—who was. Not standing anymore. Carmen stood, like she hadn’t been choked or bothered at all, and Ivy felt just a tiny bit silly for her shout but mostly she felt alight with something that could’ve been adrenaline.

“Nice gadget,” Carmen praised, and Ivy grinned, heady with their seeming victory.

A booming noise and blue light from the open door grabbed their attention, and the truck gained speed like it was a bullet train.

“That’s Dr. Bellum’s nitro,” Carmen informed swiftly, scooping Ivy up in her arms, “We’d better bounce.”

Carmen leapt, Ivy in her arms like a princess in the embrace of a valiant knight, from the semi’s open door into the open top of the car that was just barely still close enough for them to make the jump. Carmen shoved Ivy down as they landed, so that she bounced into the seat, head knocking against the headrest, and Ivy held onto Carmen, keeping her body from rocketing into the metal rim of the roof (or worse, toppling over it). Carmen and Ivy were both breathing hard, eyes locked as Carmen flopped into the seat, and they shared twin grins as Zack slowed the car and took off down a highway, branching from the interstate into the endless, gentle hills of the plains.

“That was great,” Carmen told Ivy as she pulled the pipe from her red coat, grinning triumphantly, “especially for a rookie.”

Ivy laughed and punched Carmen playfully in the shoulder, still high off whatever this was. “That was amazing. Zack, Zack, we are never going back to Boston.”

“Don’t have to tell me twice!” Zack crowed as well, “I mean, unless there’s a caper there.”

“I will allow one excuse for Boston capers. Oh my god!” Ivy said, laughing again, flopping bonelessly in the backseat as the adrenaline crashed. “That was so cool.”

“Yeah,” Carmen said, sounding pleased.

—

<<Player you ain’t gonna BELIEVE what happened today!>>

<<Is it that Red swept you up in her arms and jumped from the back of a moving vehicle? Or that you discovered your passion for benevolent crime that was latent inside you all along?>>

<<SHE’S SO STRONG!>>

<<Yeah, Red already told me about it. Glad the first caper went well. It’s always nice to get off to a good start>>

<<She picked me up like it was NOTHIN’. Do I even weigh anythin’ to her?>>

<<It’s probably like lifting grapes or something>>

<<Player oh my god what have you done? How am I supposed to survive this?>>

<<You’re welcome>>

<<On a more serious note, yes I did discover my love of crime and theft and kicking dudes really really hard and you were absolutely right about me wantin’ to go on an adventure; how’d you know?>>

<<Eh, some wishful thinking and a lucky guess>>

<<I’m gonna go pass out now.>>

<<Make sure you hydrate>>

<<That goes double for you, cave goblin.>>

—

<<HER SKIN WAS SO SOFT>>

<<There there, Red>>

<<PLAYER SHE SMELLED SO GOOD>>

<<It’ll be okay; you’ll get through this>>

<<She hadn’t tested it yet! She risked her life specifically to come help me!>>

<<It was very cash money of her>>

<<Did I tell you about how she counterbalanced me so I didn’t crack a rib or go over the rim?>>

<<You did>>

<<She doesn’t have any training, Player. She just DID THAT! For me!>>

<Mmhhmm>>

<<Player I think I have a crush>>

<<I think so too>>

<<Help I‘ve never had a crush before>>

<<You liar>>

<<Well okay yeah I’ve had crushes before but never when I could actually DO anything about it! I was always ‘that island kid’ to all the people I had crushes on, and by the time I was finally old enough to maybe date one of the students there weren’t any options.>>

<<Mhm>>

<<El Topo and Le Chèvre have been an item since practically always, Mime Bomb was just… no, Tigress hated my guts, and Crackle was basically the brother I’d always wanted.>>

<<Yeah>>

<<Wait, what if that’s it? Ivy is the first real option I’ve ever had, so my brain is going haywire and overreacting.>>

<<What do you feel about Zack?>>

<<...>>

<<,’:)>>

<<I like him, and he’s attractive, in the way that humans are attractive, but he’s not very attractive to me.>>

<<Mhm>>

<<I have a crush on Ivy.>>

<<Yes>>

<<Player what do I do?>>

<<Well, my mom says all good relationships are built on the solid foundation of good friendships. Start there>>

<<So focus on being her friend and not the dumb complicated feelings that are dumb and complicated, got it.>>

<<I wouldn’t ignore them entirely. It’s normal to have crushes, and most people see them as a good thing. Just don’t let it be the ONLY thing, you know?>>

<<Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense.>>

<<I always make sense, you should listen to me because I’m always right.>>

<<Haha>>

<<I am a font of wisdom, don’t play>>

<<Yeah. Hey, Player?>>

<<Red>>

<<Thanks. Talking to you always makes me feel grounded.>>

<<Hey, what are besties for?>>

Part 1 | Part 3

[twilighthooves]

The Dead Mask Caper

This is an RP-turned-story I did with @sandiegosquadrp​ as my blog @rymccrimmon10​. in it, an alternate version of Ryan is their Carmen’s Player.

"Heya Princess how's it going this morning?" Player shouted. Carmen jolted awake with a start.

“HUH?! WHAT?!” She looked around her hotel room and settled back down, grabbing her phone.

"Carmen, you didn't sleep in did you?" Player inquired.

“W... what are you talking about?” She mumbled, grabbing her phone. “Am I late for something?”

"No, but you'd probably like to know I just hacked into a security camera and saw a young woman with white hair. And we both know we know only one person like that." Carmen groaned.

“I don’t want to get out of bed for a stupid ass furry...” She complained.

"You will when I say she's heading for...The Portland Art Museum."

“Uuuuggghhhh...” Carmen whined. “Why?”

"Y'know, the place where art of the Day of The Dead is displayed? I only assume if she doesn't steal something from the showing on the Day of The Dead, it's something from one of the other exhibits. Sorry Red, no sleeping in today."

“I know, I know...” Carmen said. She groggily got up and began to get ready for the day. “Call Zach and Ivy and tell them to meet me here.”

"No prob." Player switched over to his line to Zach and Ivy. "Yo twins, Tigress is on the move. Carmen needs you at the hotel."

“Right-io! Ivy wake up!” Zach shouts into the receiver.

“Uuugghhh!!! I don’t wanna fight no dumb ass furry!!” Ivy complained.

”Carmen said the same thing, but it's the Portland Art Museum. She could be stealing something from the Day of The Dead showcase." A few minutes later, Carmen and the Twins met at the hotel.

“Aw!” Zach complains. “What about breakfast?”

"Typical." Player scoffed.

“No time for breakfast, Zach. But, I do know that I’m getting a bagel later. But, right now, we gotta move.” Carmen says.

"Focus Z, food's the least of your concerns right now." Player added. "It's Carmen and Ivy you should be worrying about."

“Aw, but my tummy hurts...” Zach says.

“Whatever, Zach-Attack! You heard the boss! Let’s get movin’!” Ivy barks. They all head out the door. It’s the middle of the day in Florida, and it’s HOT. Ivy and Zach are dying on the walk over. “Cahmeh, how ain’t you DYIN’ of heat stroke?!” Ivy said.

“I guess the heat makes me feel energized,” Carmen said, tipping her hat. “Now come on.”

"Careful Red." Player warned. "I know you're probably sick of me saying that but we all know how Tigress operates."

“Relax, I got it. Any clue where she is now?”

"Looking now.” Player told her. “Ngh, either the museum's gotten smart or she jammed the security cameras. either way, you're unfortunately stuck going in blind."

“Works for me. After I’m done kicking her ass, I’m getting a nap in,” Carmen boasts, smiling. Smiles are rare in her line of work.

“Uh... boss?” Ivy says.

“Si?” Carmen replied.

“We’ve got a Mime, 12:00 o clock.” Carmen glances upward.

“There he is.” She hissed. “The furry’s little errand boy.”

”I’ll work on the cameras while you take care of him." Player assured them. It looked like Mime Bomb went out of sight while they were talking.

“Twins, split up, get inside.” Carmen instructed. “Looks like our friends in there are going to try to work in plain sight.” The Twins nodded and went in opposite directions while Carmen walked into the museum.

"Got it." Player said as the camera feed blipped . "Looks like I could be right. She's going in the Day of The Dead showcase. But take it easy Red, I can't tell if she's just passing through to another exhibit."

“I can’t just attack her either. It’s crowded in here,” Carmen observed. There were people everywhere. “I wonder what she plan to-“ Carmen stops, having spotted Tigress. She was wearing a trench coat and seemed to be loitering around the back entrance. “What is she up to? Waiting for Mime Bomb or something?”

"SHITE!" Player hissed. "She's not stealing anything thing, it's Mime Bomb!" Carmen was surprised to hear her buddy swear, even if it wasn’t really a swearword.

“What do you mean?” She asks.

"She's just waiting for him to pass the....whatever! Maybe...I don't know. Better find out Red." Carmen realizes what he means.

“I think I got it. Give me a second, I’m going to swipe it when he comes by.” As if on cue, Mime Bomb approaches. He does a little bow to her, which looks a bit dorky. Carmen bites her lip. “What is he hiding?” Her question is answered when he gives her a mask. Carmen reaches for it from her hiding spot, but she misses. She can’t risk getting seen. Tigress takes it.

“Thank you. I’m sure you can get back to your post now?” Tigress says to Mime Bomb, who begins to make all sorts of miming motions. Tigress giggles.

“Hold on a minute are they flirting right now?” Carmen whispers, in awe.

"Gross." Player stated.

“Aww...” Carmen cooed. But then she snapped back to attention once she realized Tigress was leaving with the mask!

"Focus Carmen!" Player whisper-shouted. "She's heading towards an emergency exit!"

“I know I know!” She whisper shouted back. She darted frantically back to the outside. “Ugh! Where did she go?”

“Boss!” Ivy shouted, from somewhere to the side. “We’ve got company!”

Carmen turned and... oh shit! It was Virus!

“Hehe. You didn’t think we wouldn’t take extra precautions with you around, did you?” Virus said, and with a loud CRACK!! her electric arm activated.

“Nope! I just was hoping you wouldn’t be here!” Carmen said as she backflipped out of the way. On top of the building, she could see Tigress getting away.

"Damn it!" Player swore, hitting a fist against his table. "Carmen, you'd better think of something!"

"Wait a minute!" He snapped his fingers. "Any police copters around?"

"Or anything related to the police."

“Uh, kind of preoccupied!” Carmen said, trying and struggling to keep Virus’s claw away from her.

“Don’t worry, Boss!” The Twins shouted. They jumped on Virus and pulled her off of Carmen, allowing her to escape. She sprinted after Tigress.

“Doesn’t look like it, Player,” Carmen panted.

"Ngh, I was hoping to send a signal to warn them about Tigress to a police car, but the station itself will have to do." Player stated. "Keep her in your sights for as long as you can while I rig up a code for the message."

“Good. Great. Gun wielding air heads,” Carmen said grouchily.

"At least it's something to maybe throw her off!" Player retorted.

“Ugh fine!” She began to run over the roofs of buildings, chasing the Tiger girl.

“Hey! Betcha can’t catch me!” Tigress yelled.

“How much you wanna bet?!” Carmen screamed back. “I say 100 bucks! Cuz I’m gonna get you!” Player scrambled to get the code up and running. Carmen quickly tackled Tigress and they fought over the mask. Carmen won. She starts to sprint away until Zach and Ivy pulls up in a car.

“Get in!”

"Phew." Player sighed. "Thanks Z, didn't want to actually send the message if I could avoid it. You know how Carmen is with cops.” Carmen suddenly started breathing heavily and sweating.

“Oh god not now...” she whines, as the heat takes over her.

“Boss?!” Ivy and Zach said with worry.

"She's fainting!" Player assumed. "GUN IT ZACH!" He screamed. Ivy gives Carmen some water, or at least attempts to while Zach NYOOMS the car.

"I swear it's that coat." Player scoffs. Carmen fell asleep, as Player can hear from her steadied breathing. Soon, night falls, and they are out of Florida, skull mask in hand.

Later....

"Carmen!? Carmen, you okay?" Player was trying to get her to speak. Carmen slowly awoke. “Hm... You have a... lovely voice...” That threw everyone for a loop.

“She’s higher than a seagull!” Ivy exclaimed.

“Speaking of, Mime Bomb and Tigress were flirting before she took off." Player said in disgust.

“What? Why?” Zach said.

“Aw! That’s cute, but not what we’re worrying about here,” Ivy interjected.

"Carmen, focus!" Player cried.

“Wha... what happened?” Carmen said, groggily. “Ugh, my head hurts...”

“Give ‘er water, Zach!” Ivy said.

"And now!” Player added. Carmen practically downed the whole gallon of water when Zach gave it to her.

“Yikes." Player said, hearing it all.

“What happened? Did we get the mask?” Carmen asked.

“Yeah! It’s here!” Zach said.

"What was that?" Player asked. "I think you flirted with me."

“... What?” Carmen asked.

"You said I 'had a lovely voice'." Ivy snorted.

“It’s true, ya did!”

“What?!” Carmen said, a blush flying to her face. “I did not!”

"It's okay, you were delirious." Player said. "You probably heard Crackle or something, who knows."

“Yeah, probably...” Carmen said, shifting. The Twins glanced at each other.

“OH MY GOD YOU WERE THINKING ABOUT HIM!!!” Ivy screamed.

“N-no! I wasn’t! I would never think of Player that way!” Carmen says, now desperate to defend herself.

"What?" He shook his head. "Guys leave her alone." Ivy and Zach are laugh and cheer loudly as they leave the room. Carmen is now pouting. “I can’t believe them... thinking I was trying to flirt with you...” She grumbles.

"To be fair, it did seem that way.” Player noted. “I was trying to get you to think straight after all."

“Well, I don’t have any feelings for you. You’re like, what 16?”  She realized that was incorrect. It’s been 3 years since she first met him when he was 16. “Wait, you must be 18 now?”

“Yeah, I’m 18, why?" Then he thought-. “Oh my god Carmen, seriously!?””

I-I DIDN’T MEAN IT LIKE THAT!!!” Carmen screamed.

"Oh, sorry." Carmen blushed deeply, her mind now racing with new possibilities. Possibilities and thoughts that disgust her.

"So....now what?” Player asked, mind still reeling. “Do we just let that go?" Carmen’s breathing was unnaturally slow.

“I... I’m uncomfortable...” She has always been so good at telling him how she was feeling. But, now it felt.... well, she didn’t know. Her face was burning and she wanted to cry, just a little.

"Should I clock out for the night?" Player inquired cautiously.

“You don’t have to if you don’t want to...” Carmen says. Her voice sounds... shaky. Not like her. Player didn’t like it.

“I feel like you need to be left alone." He said.

”Do I...?” Carmen asked.

"You sound like it." Player noted.

“I’m… I’m sorry... I... didn’t mean to yell or any of those other things...”

"I know." Player stated. He looked at his map screen blankly, trying to think of something to change the topic to. "Hey, did you know blood isn't actually red? It's clear, it's just that the red cells make it look red." He knew it wasn't a good fact, but he was desperate to distract Carmen.

“Heh... did you know that red is my favorite color?” Carmen asked. Her stomach hurt. She hadn’t eaten all day.

"Huh, remind me to wear my red t-shirt if we ever have to meet in person." Player quipped. Realizing something, he spoke again. "For once Zach was right to complain about food. You should eat something."

“Actually, I’m tough so I don’t get hungry...” Her stomach rumbled. She wanted to curse herself for it.

"C'mon Carmen, we've known each other for a long time." Player stated. "I've kinda learned how to read you.”

“Have you...?” Carmen said, through grit teeth and rubbing her stomach. It suddenly hurt to move.

"CARMEN!?" Player yelled. “Something's wrong!" There is no answer for a few seconds. Then...

“I’m fine I’m fine!”

"ZACH, IVY, GET IN THERE! SOMETHING'S UP WITH CARMEN!" Player wasn't buying it. The Twins rush in and they’re trying to shovel food in their mouths.

“What?!” Zach screams with a mouthful of peanut butter. Carmen looked at the nice bagel Ivy was holding and her mouth watered.

“I’m... I’m fine! Don’t worry, guys.” She was a bad liar to her friends at the best of times, but especially now that Player had deducted what happened.

"Carmen hasn't eaten anything." Player said. "Force-feed her if you have to."

“Oh, really?” Ivy said, a mischievous look on her face. Carmen’s eyes went wide and she shot up.

“NO! That’s not happening again!” She screamed.

"Then eat!" Player insisted. Carmen looked like a kicked puppy.

“You heard the man, “Princess”,” Ivy teases, mocking Player’s voice.

"Hey, I thought we agreed only I get to call her that! Wait...Shut up!" Player realized too late how what he said could be taken out of context. Zach handed Carmen a plate and dumped food on it. Carmen was visibly grumpy. Ivy was snickering.

“Eat up, pretty Princess,” Ivy teased.

“Stop or I’ll chop out your tongue,” Carmen growled.

"Maybe for me Red?" Player asked. Ivy and Zach both laughed loudly as they left the room.

“If she calls me a “Pretty Princess” again, we’re going to have an issue,” Carmen said, before taking a bite out of a everything bagel.

"Yeah, only I get that right.” Player said defensively. “Wait...no...not like that." He flushed with embarassment Carmen finds herself grinning.

“You do. You have that right.”

"Stop it, I can't explain how I know, but you're grinning." Player grumbled.

“Why wouldn’t I be? You’re still here.”Carmen told him.

"Thanks?" Player didn't know how to respond. Carmen sighed and continued eating. She started to feel less pain in her stomach "Maybe I should've listened to Zach for once and let you eat.” Player said guiltily. “I feel like this is my fault for rushing you into the job. Well, you did, but I enforced it." Carmen felt herself flinch.

“No. It was my decision, Player. It wasn’t your fault. I’m glad, because if we hadn’t left at that time, Tigress would have gotten away. And who knows what Virus would have done to those poor people?”

”What about that new recruit?" Player asked abruptly.

“What new recruit?” Carmen asked.

"Biohazard, remember?" Player clarified. Carmen breathed a little awkwardly.

“Right. Biohazard...”

"You okay?" Player asked.

“Yeah... Yeah, I’m fine.” Carmen insisted.

"That's what you said about being hungry." Player teased.

“Christine Greater isn’t with VILE anymore, Player.” Carmen told him. “I think you know that.”

"Carmen, you do realize I meant the new recruit for us right? She helped us when you first met her in Austrailia?" Carmen’s eyes went wide.

“Oh... oh! I’m sorry, I... I’m not thinking straight tonight...” She muttered

"Clearly.”Player stated. "Okay, I'm gonna clock out. I'll let you and/or the twins know if something comes up."

“Wait! Player!” Carmen cried.

"Huh?" Player had just had just been about to turn his computer off when she’d shouted.

”C-can you... stay? Just until I go to sleep... please?”

"Huh. Never asked me to do that before." Player stated.

“Is it odd?” Carmen asked, uncharacteristically worried.

"No, just...unusual." Player mused.

“So... is that a yes?” Carmen asked tentatively.

"It's not a no." Player said. Carmen sighs and lays down in bed. She gets comfy under the covers.

"Need a lullaby?" Player joked, struggling not to laugh. "Sorry, I couldn't help it."

“Do you sing?” Carmen asks, after a few seconds of silence.

"Well, I made up a song, but I'm not sure I'm good." Player had answered without thinking. "Wait, what?" He realized what he said.

“You’ll never know if you don’t try,” Carmen giggles.

“All I have on hand is my ukulele." Player said. "My real guitar's in the other room. Do you mind? I think the ukulele's more soothing in this case anyway."

“Of course not,” Carmen says sleepily.

"In that case..." Player picked it up and started playing. "Well she sneaks around the world from Kiev to Carolina, she's a sticky-fingered filcher from Berlin down to Belize! She'll take you for a ride on a slow boat to China! Tell me where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? Steal their Seoul in South Korea, make Antarctica cry Uncle! From the Red Sea to Greenland they'll be singing the blues! Well they never Arkansas her steal the Mekong from the jungle Tell me where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? She go from Nashville to Norway, Bonaire to Zimbabwe, Chicago to Czechoslovakia and back! Well she'll ransack Pakistan and run a scam in Scandinavia, then she'll stick 'em up Down Under and go pick-pocket Perth! She put the Miss in misdemeanor when she stole the beans from Lima. Tell me where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? Oh tell me where in the world is, oh tell me where can she be? Ooh, Botswana to Thailand, Milan via Amsterdam Mali to Bali, Ohio, Oahu!” A pause, then-. “Well she glides around the globe and she'll flimflam every nation! She's a double-dealing diva with a taste for thievery! Her itinerary's loaded up with moving violations! Tell me where in the world is Carmen Sandiego? Oh, tell me where in the world is Carmen Sandiego?" Player stopped. "That's the first time I've ever sang for anyone." Carmen was smiling like a dork and small tears fell down her face. “You... you should pitch that and make it big.”

"Only if you buy my albums...or steal them." The last part was a joke of course. Carmen smiled wider than she has in a while.

“You should sing more.” She insisted

"That was the only one I got.” Player admitted. “Anything already written you like?"

“Well... do you know “Pretty Lies” by Written By Wolves? I like that one.”

"I'll try. I don't mean to brag, but these fingers aren't just good on a keyboard." Carmen blushes, but she knows what he meant.

“G-go for it then...” Player did.

“I’ve been starting to accept that, maybe this is all there is and dreams that I've held in my head. Should be forgotten just forget…That you thought you were bound for greatness; rock and roll could be a savior. Keep that to yourself and just fit in. Don't stand out or they'll destroy you…Words are sharp and filed with poison. Every step that you take forward, they'll pull you back a thousand more. So give up your imagination. Take the pill it's just sedation. Be a member of society..That's not worth living for. I won't be afraid anymore. Like a thief in the night, armed with their pretty lies…they will haunt you, consume you. But you can't let them win, Let the fear be your friend. Let it guide you, fulfill you. Like a thief in the night, armed with their pretty lies…They will haunt you, consume you…But you can't let them win. Let the fear be your friend. Let it guide you…Fulfill you. You close your eyes and dreams start racing…Feels so real that you can taste it, See the crowd and all their faces. Hear them screaming out your name and wish this was more than a vision, you could break out of this prison! Taking back control defiantly. Feel the fear and let it guide you. Let the fire burn inside you. Think of all that they've denied you, Remember and use the drive you've always had but buried deeper. You give up they get what they want; Don't let them win. Like a thief in the night, armed with their pretty lies They will haunt you, Consume you. But you can't let them win. Let the fear be your friend; Let it guide you, Fulfill you. Like a thief in the night. Armed with their pretty lies. They will haunt you, Consume you…But you can't let them win. Let the fear be your friend. Let it guide you, Fulfill you…I’m sick of all their pretty lies, They sparkle like a blade. But I will make damn sure that I will not die wondering What could have been…I’ll take nothing to the grave! That's not worth living for…I won't be afraid anymore! Like a thief in the night, Armed with their pretty lies. They will haunt you..Consume you. But you can't let them win. Let the fear be your friend. Let it guide you, Fulfill you. Like a thief in the night. Armed with their pretty lies..They will haunt you..Consume you…But you can't let them win. Let the fear be your friend…Let it guide you…Fulfill you." Player smirked when he finished. "Of course you like it. It mentions a thief." Carmen was fast asleep. He can tell from her heart rate and breathing. "'Night Carmen." Player sighed, content. He put down his ukulele and went to get ready for bed.

END

[fycarmensandiego]

My thoughts on the new show

It’s not really a proper review because how would I even do that, so here are my various thoughts, somewhat collected! (This is long as hell, fair warning.)

General thoughts:

Le Chevre and El Topo are definitely a couple. I’m so glad other people in the tag are seeing this too. My first inkling was when they were hugging each other after graduating, but it was Carmen’s comment that they only ever work together that really got me like “oh they’re gay.”

Speaking of gays, Dash Haber (Countess Cleo’s courier) is one. His voice is so gay-coded, I knew this one immediately. Not crazy about him being an antagonist (even among antagonists), but he amused me, so he’s good.

Even if they have the same names, these are different characters. The exceptions here being Carmen, the Chief, and possibly Julia. This isn’t a Tomb Raider: Legend case of putting characters in different situations and slightly changing their personalities, or even a Tomb Raider 2013 case of radically changing their personalities to coincide with their new paradigms. Chase, Zack, Ivy, and the rest are really entirely new characters that simply share their names with past characters. It’s almost as if the names are references to the past shows and games than ties to those characters.

For the most part, they even have different designs. Zack is certainly the most radical change, but even the most similar have some changes. Prof. Maelstrom isn’t nearly as stocky as his namesake, and while Dr. Saira Bellum has wild hair like Dr. Sara Bellum, it’s a strange shape as well as a strange color, and her skin is darker.

This isn’t the first time something like this has happened in the franchise, either. Minnie Series from Where on Earth is apparently a totally different character from Minnie Series from the original Where in Time game. Adventures in Math changed a lot of the characters’ designs and backstories: some, like Jacqueline Hyde, still had the same core, but others, like Jane Reaction, are so different they have to be considered different characters. And then there are all the different iterations of the Chief: old white guy, middle-aged white guy, middle-aged Black gal, hologram, presumably white guy shrouded in mystery...

I will say that as a result of this, I was disappointed with Zack and Ivy. Not because this Zack and Ivy are bad characters, but because Where on Earth Zack and Ivy are my favorite characters in the franchise after Carmen, and I was looking forward to getting to see them, or at least characters resembling them, again. But, it is what it is.

I get the Kim Possible comparisons, but they’re not where I’d jump first. There are similarities: both are action shows with deliciously OTT villains (though the VILE gang wish they were as effortlessly iconic as Drakken, Shego, and Señor Senior, Sr. and Jr.) and similar art styles, and Player/Wade is a fair comparison. But I have to say I’d never have thought of that comparison if I hadn’t seen it here on Tumblr, perhaps because KP was rooted in Kim and Ron’s daily lives (Sailor Moon-style), whereas CS is rooted in its overarching plot (Chuck-style).

I do agree with another comparison: Coach Brunt and Countess Cleo, and Eartha Brute and the Contessa. I saw a post in the tag earlier today that brought this up, and while I hadn’t thought of it - probably because the Where in the World show is one of the parts of canon I’m least familiar with - it seems legit to me. I had wondered why these two were seemingly born out of nowhere, when the other three had their names and likenesses drawn from Where on Earth characters. (Shadowsan seems to me to be based on Suhara’s design and, to some extent, personality, with Shadow Hawkins’ name.) The specific theory that post espouses, that it’s a legal issue, seems possible to me. Although the World villains did appear in other Carmen media, I know WGBH and WQED own the copyright to the show, though they licensed the franchise from Brøderbund. So I have no idea what the legal tangle is behind that show, and I imagine it’s very complicated.

Speaking of WGBH: I wonder if Zack and Ivy being from Boston is an incredibly subtle reference to its location there.

I have mixed feelings about the art style. It is great in still shots, but I found it a little hard to watch as animation for very long.

I don’t ship anything – yet. Julia’s clarification of “travel partner” is certainly ripe for shippy implications, but for me there’s really not much on a personality level to ship her and Carmen at this point. (Likewise Carmen and Ivy, or Carmen and Zack.) I could definitely get behind Julia having a crush on Carmen, the way I feel OG!Jules certainly does.

As to Gray... he was plainly asking Carmen out / hitting on her when he gave her his card. But even on the way to the date, she insisted she saw him as an older brother figure. Like with Julia, I could potentially get behind it in future, but I’d have to see it developed further. There’s also the matter of him trying to kill Carmen, which I’m not crazy about... Carmen’s forgiven him since he was under orders from VILE, and his mind-erase courtesy of Dr. Bellum has given him a fresh start, but it didn’t change who he fundamentally is as a person, and that person made the decision to join VILE and ultimately to agree to kill Carmen. But I’m not totally anti-Carmen/Gray at this point.

(In re Carmen’s sexuality: I have always felt strongly that all of Carmen’s previous incarnations were ace/aro, but this Carmen? The sapphics have claimed her, and I’m here for it. I’m fine with her being gay, bi, or pan. I’m fine with her being acespec and/or arospec, or not.)

I was surprised by the violence. Scenes of literal attempted murder would never have made it in previous shows or games! In fact, a lot of the melee combat wouldn’t have. The franchise hasn’t always been totally non-violent - Ivy whacked the occasional villain around on Earth, and ThinkQuick and Stolen Drums both required the player to destroy VILE robots, the former featuring robots with personalities - but I don’t think it’s ever been shown in such detail as the combat scenes in this series. I don’t have a problem with it, exactly, but it was a little jarring.

Things I didn’t like:

The educational moments were utterly didactic. I guess you could say the same about Earth, but I feel like it integrated the education into the plot better, and it certainly made the educational moments more fun by working jokes into them. Meanwhile, this show is taking the Stolen Drums approach of info-dumping for two minutes and then moving ahead with the actual plot with no attention to education thereafter. To go back to my favorite video game (I warned y’all), fucking Tomb Raider: Legend did a better job integrating education with action. And it’s not even supposed to be educational!

Stop trying to make “caper” happen. It’s not going to happen. It’s a perfectly good word to use from time to time, as it always has been in canon, but for “The ____ Caper” to be every episode title, and for it to be used at every opportunity in the script when “theft” or “heist” or another word could have been used just as easily gets annoying. The thesaurus: it exists. Also, it’s so overused that at a certain point I started thinking of the culinary garnish instead of a crime. (And I’ve never even eaten capers. I don’t think I’ve ever even seen them in person.)

I’m not crazy about the newly established genesis of Carmen’s name. Having her grow up with no name but “Black Sheep” makes me feel uncomfortable tbh, and while I like the significance of her choosing her own name, pulling it off a hat label seems cheap. And out of character for someone as thoughtful as Carmen.

Some of the villains seemed like real cultural stereotypes. Thankfully, it was not nearly as bad as Adventures in Math, or we’d literally have had Le Chevre saying, “Hon hon hon, baguettes!” but Shadowsan and Paper Star in particular made me uncomfortable as they felt like very stereotypical “Japanese” characters. The same could be said of Coach Brunt, who while not a stereotype of any marginalized group, was definitely a bit one-note. Coach Beiste, but evil and Texan.

Cross-language misspellings. Namely, Shadowsan and Le Chevre should be Shadow-san and Le Chèvre, should they not? The omission of accent marks has always been one of my major bugaboos, and while it’s not the first time the franchise has done it, it still annoys me. Shadow-san’s missing hyphen annoys me even more, since the hyphen indicates that other honorifics could be used, and in fact, it would (if I understand correctly) be more appropriate for his students to address him as Shadow-sama or Shadow-sensei while his peers call him Shadow-san.

I felt some real misogynistic undertones to Tigress. In a show that otherwise is quite female-forward, it irked me that of Carmen’s four classmates, only one is a girl - and she’s the one who becomes Carmen’s rival. And then for that to continue throughout the series, setting her up as the mean girl to Carmen’s good girl (in many ways, the Regina to Carmen’s Janis Ian), really bothered me. I certainly don’t think female characters have to be perfect, or expect perfect representation, but it feels like Tigress’ development just was not done mindfully, and instead they let themselves fall into misogynistic tropes. It’s not like you to pit women against each other, etc. etc.

The ages and timeline confused me. Carmen seems to be in her late teens or early twenties throughout the main part of the series (I saw a post that mentioned she says she’s 20), yet she was clearly still a preteen or young teen when she stole Cookie’s hard drive. Since Cookie’s delivery is an annual event, its information shouldn’t last Carmen those several years to grow up.

By a similar token, Player seems to be the same age in the flashbacks as in the present day. As a result, he seems a little older than Carmen to start, and a few years younger to conclude. It messes me up. Not least because, not gonna lie, I want to be sure it’s okay for me to be so gay for Carmen.

Things I liked:

The references to previous canon. Along with the aforementioned names, we have:

Rita Moreno’s cameo! (Please, please, God, give us another Rita cameo and cameos for the rest of the Earth cast next season.)

Mentions of punning names. This was delightfully lampshaded with Gray’s original codename of “Graham Crackle” and the subsequent drags from his classmates. And while most of the other characters didn’t get punning names, one of the two who did was Rita’s character, Cookie Booker, the bookkeeper - or, indeed, book-cooker.

The very meta plot point of Carmen getting her outfit by stealing it from Cookie, voiced by her previous incarnation’s voice actor.

Frequent utterances of “Where in the world is...” or “Where on Earth is...”

Tigress’ name, a reference to an Earth episode where Carmen faces a new rival. I don’t know if the Duchess plotline was also a deliberate reference to this episode, or a subconscious one, but it’s so similar that I can’t think it was total coincidence.

I’m thinking “the cleaners” are a reference to the Ick brothers, the janitors from World and USA 3.0.

Carmen is ginger. I have a significant bias for redheads. (I dye my hair red and am only half-joking when I call myself transginger as well as transgender. Heaven on Earth-era Belinda Carlisle is one of my major style rolemodels.) Carmen suddenly being auburn for the first time just makes her even more endearing to me than one would have thought possible. Plus, Ivy and Zack both being redheads? Iconic.

Carmen is also gorgeous. Now, unlike some of you, I have never previously been gay for Carmen; she’s always been more of a big sister figure to me. Instead, as a kid, I was gay for TV!Jacqueline Hyde, Ann Tikwittee, and Ivy, in that chronological order. But the moment I saw this Carmen with her hair up in the trailer, I was a goner. And in her cocktail dress at the charity auction, or her black catsuit at the end of episode 9? I thirst. There were several other points as well where I was just like, “Oh my god, she’s so pretty.” Yes, darlings, I am very gay.

That choker. Most fashionable thing Carmen’s ever worn. Fight me. We love a stylish queen.

Player has a fidget spinner. And it’s only seen briefly, which to me says it’s an everyday part of his life, not something they threw in to try to seem cool... Which in turn allows me to point to something and headcanon that Player is autistic. He’s also known mostly by a username, and spends most of his time working on his special interest, and doesn’t seem to be one for socializing in traditional ways. We love an autistic prince. (Also, this makes him in some ways a male version of my girl Futaba from Persona 5. Again, iconic.)

(To be clear, especially since it wasn’t in my little self-introduction the other day, I’m self-diagnosed on the autism spectrum. So well-written characters being autistic is really fun for me.)

Player is from Niagara Falls, near where I live (I’m on the outer edges of the Buffalo/Niagara Falls MSA), while Zack and Ivy are from Boston, where I’m moving next month. Totally personal to me, but I’m so delighted. Now, granted, Player is on the Ontario side of the Falls rather than the New York side, but still. (Hell, who can blame him for not living in Niagara Falls, NY? It’s a hellhole.)

The VILE leaders stay iconic. Countess Cleo’s crush on Zack in his “Duke” guise is hilarious and adorable, and Dr. Bellum’s obsession with cat videos? Legends only.

Paper Star is generally fantastic. It’s actually too bad for me she’s a villain, because I find her super likeable. Her tendency to hum/sing to herself is also really endearing, and she’s another one who’s easy to headcanon as neurodivergent. I really hope we get more of her, and more of her outside combat and the daily business of villainery, because she’s easily my favorite of the VILE crew.

Tigress is also awesome. Yeah, the female character bias is real, but she’s def my second-favorite, which amplifies my annoyance at the aforementioned misogyny. To be honest, though, part of it may be that she’s basically Amanda Evert, my girlfriend from - you guessed it, folks! - Tomb Raider: Legend, with purple lipstick.

Zack and Ivy met Carmen while casing a donut shop. This is so delightfully silly, and I adore it. Like, who the fuck robs a donut shop of all things? I feel like it could’ve been a reference to them being fat, maybe one that was meant to be developed further but ended up on the cutting room floor? On that note...

The fat positivity is real. Zack and Ivy are still able to move around and are even somewhat athletic; the Countess crushes on Zack; and nothing negative is said about their weight (except the potential implications of the donut shop). I love this.

Carmen and Jules’ conversation. As I said above, it’s not enough for me to start shipping them, but I love that Carmen casually addresses her as Jules rather than Julia. It’s so much like when people I don’t know well call me Soph instead of Sophie, which I always love because it connotes that closeness. Moreover, since Julia’s previous incarnation / namesake was almost always called Jules, and was Carmen’s former detective partner, I feel like there’s an implication that Carmen coined that nickname and it became her primary moniker. It’s just so good, and shipping or no shipping, I really hope we get more interactions between them next season.

The voices are good... mostly. Maelstrom is definitely the one I was most impressed with, as his voice has a lot of character while still being easy to understand. Liam O’Brien was doing a great Tim Curry impression there, but much less egregiously campy and therefore more believable. Sharon Muthu was also fantastic as Dr. Bellum - not as fantastic as WOEICS!Sara’s voice actor (Candi Milo?), but then, who could be? And Kari Wahlgren’s performance as Tigress was snarly perfection.

Gina Rodriguez is a big departure from Carmen’s typically low-pitched voice, but she’s perfectly fine. I never sat up and went, “Wow, what a performance!” but I can’t find any fault with it either. Finn Wolfhard as Player is obviously cross-promotional stunt casting, but surprisingly, it’s also perfect casting.

On the minus side... Zack and Ivy. Part of it is that their accents are so ridiculous that it’s distracting (see above Tim Curry comment). Part of it is that, at least to my ears, the accents aren’t believable - I thought they were supposed to be from Brooklyn until they mentioned Boston. I actually don’t fault the VAs for this, as they both have moments where I got the sense they’d be capable VAs for the characters (and I know Abby Trott is talented as I loved her in Tales of Berseria and Nier: Automata), but rather the voice director(s) who pushed them toward those performances. I feel like if the direction had been different, I’d have liked Zack and Ivy a lot more.

That plot twist. I truly never saw it coming. I suspected that Coach Brunt was not, in fact, the one who found Carmen, but I’d actually thought it might have been Prof. Maelstrom. The extent of Shadowsan’s revelations was a big surprise to me. Kudos to the writers for pulling that off.

Conclusion:

It’s not the series I expected. It’s not the series I hoped for. But it is one that I enjoyed, both on its own merits and for revitalizing the franchise. As I said last night, it is a hell of a feeling to have new Carmen content in 2019 (that’s actually getting attention), and for it to be really good content is a relief.

If anyone else wants to share their thoughts, either one-on-one or with the rest of the community (as it were), please do! I’d love to talk more about this series and this franchise and the thieving queen of my heart, Ms. Carmen Sandiego.

[lefemmerougewriter]

Crystal Gems Under Threat: V.I.L.E.'s Devious Plan and Adora's Unusual Fascination

This Teen and Up fan fic brings together characters from Steven Universe, Carmen Sandiego, and She-Ra and the Princesses of Power.  This story is part 10 of “An Unlikely Alliance Against Evildoers,” my multifaceted crossover fan fiction. For further reference, here is a map I created, all the locations used in this story appearing on there. Peridot's name is abbreviated as Peri, apart from the first mention, to make her more personable.

See the master list for An Unlikely Alliance Against Evildoers here.

Friendships: Player and Carmen, Ivy and Zack, Amethyst and Steven, Garnet and Steven, Pearl and Steven, Amethyst and Peridot, Lapis and Steven, Amethyst & Garnet & Pearl & Steven

Romantic pairings: Ruby / Sapphire (Rupphire), Adora / Pearl (Peadora), Lapis / Peridot (Lapidot), Doug / Priyanka, George / Lance, Connie / Steven

Words: 6.0k

AO3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20991983

Wattpad: https://www.wattpad.com/1254820886-an-unlikely-alliance-of-evildoers-the-crystal-gems

Characters: Carmen Sandiego, Ivy, Player, Zack, Steven Universe, Connie, Amethyst, Pearl, Peridot, Lapis Lazuli, Adora, Silky Snapper, Dr. Gunnar Maelstrom, Garnet

Summary: Adora has returned to Earth with the Crystal Gems, adapting to her new home, letting go of the burden of being She-Ra, a role for which she was "chosen." But, she and the Gems face a new challenge when a mysterious woman appears in Beach City demanding Steven come back to an island, and meet a 20-something international thief, who has a mission of her own. Can they all work together to face the common enemy of evil? Or will their personalities get in the way, causing disagreement and division? Only time will tell...

It had been about six weeks since her encounter with Coach Brunt and Shadowsan in Poitiers. Carmen had effectively recovered from the crushing of her rib cage by Coach Brunt in what could be called a hug of death. Although Shadowsan had given her a new hard drive, filled with information about V.I.L.E.'s upcoming capers, which had been decrypted by Player, her hacker friend, the two siblings (Zack and Ivy), also on her team, gave her time to rest. Since she hadn't been moving about from place to place, the gumshoes of A.C.M.E, otherwise known as the Agency to Classify and Monitor Evildoers, with Chase Devineaux and Julia Argent as recent recruits, were stumped. Their CrimeNet technology had become useless, especially since V.I.L.E. knew of their existence. As such, V.I.L.E. felt that defeating them was a higher priority than going after Carmen. In that way, Carmen's team had a reprieve since V.I.L.E. had paused their capers. Shadowsan, serving as Carmen's informant inside V.I.L.E., hoped this situation would give her time to mentally and physically recover.

Carmen confusedly looked at her laptop screen. She wondered what was going on. "So...Player, V.I.LE.'s next caper is in a peaceful town in the state of Delmarva, named...Beach City. I don't understand what V.I.L.E.'s angle is here."

"Red, I don't understand either. But, looking back through these records, while you were recovering, it seems they have been watching the town and its inhabitants for the past 20 years."

He paused, sighing. He thought she wouldn't believe what he was about to say. "In their reports, they say something about magical powers...and a group that wields them...They seem to be concerned this group will ruin their plans of world domination."

Carmen let out a hearty laugh. She stared at the image on her screen with amazement. "They...are scared of a chubby kid who gets powers from his bellybutton and his friends? Seriously? Gosh, V.I.L.E. is getting desperate. Regardless, we need to stop them before something bad happens."

Player agreed, feeling the same way about V.I.L.E. It almost seemed like a ploy by Shadowsan so Carmen could prove herself once again. "Red, I'll book you a private jet from Poitiers to Philadelphia, in the Keystone State. You can get a boat from there to Beach City."

Carmen concurred. While packing her bags, she told Zack and Ivy they were going on a trip. Like all their missions, they would be face-to-face with the evildoers of V.I.L.E. Deviating from his normal behavior, Zack voiced his concerns. "Carm, are you sure you are healed from that scuff in Poitiers? That Coach hurt you pretty bad."

She nodded, ignoring his question. As he was about to pester her some more, Ivy dragged him away, telling him they needed to get ready.

Meanwhile...in Beach City, Steven and the Gems were re-adjusting to Earth. While it had been a few weeks since Carmen had fought Coach Brunt, it had been only a few days since they had arrived from Etheria. Adora continued her sword training with Pearl, still enthralled by her new friends. Occasionally, Steven and Connie would attend, but often, Pearl would tell them it would be rude to come and watch her "special friend" Adora sword fight. Steven could imagine what happened between them on the Ancient Sky Arena but He kept an open mind and appreciated that Adora chose to stay with them since she could be a new friend he could learn from. Just then, he spied a 20-year-old woman walking on the beach, with flowing pink hair draped over her right shoulder. She was wearing a turquoise wrap dress, had on pink lipstick, and pale-yellow ballerina flats, like the shoes that Pearl often wore. She also carried a pair of dark blue gloves. While he didn't mind her walking on the beach, when he saw her launch a small drone, he became a bit suspicious. As he pondered who it might be, instead of going out by himself, he asked those in the Beach House to help him. While Pearl and Adora were at another one of their training, Garnet, Amethyst, Peridot, Lapis, and Connie were more than happy to help him confront this mystery woman.

As they walked down the wooden steps to the warm beach sands, the woman stopped, turned, and looked at them with piercing hazel eyes. Some could call her beautiful, by their standards, but this didn't negate the possibility that she was up to no good. Leading the group, Steven approached her and tried to start a conversation. "Hi! I'm Steven. I haven't seen you around these parts before. Are you new here?"

The woman smiled almost like a Cheshire cat. It freaked out Steven and everyone else. Taking in what Steven had asked her, she attempted to answer his question. "Yes. I'm...from Utco, you know, in the West. I'm here today on a mission. I'm looking for a "Steven Universe." Are you him?"

Nervously, not knowing what would happen, Steven began to answer. He prepared himself for any evil or rash actions against him. "Yes, you're looking at him."

She howled devilishly. A look of satisfaction spread across her face relieved she had done something right. She put on her dark blue gloves and pulled out what looked like a grappling cable and aimed it at Steven. "Well...Steven...you are coming with me. I need to bring you back to V.I.L.E. Island to study you."

Steven's reaction surprised her. As the cable began to pass around him, his reflexes kicked in and he put up his pink-colored bubble in defense. The grappling hook had no effect. Angry that she had been foiled so easily, she pulled out a Crackle Rod, using it against the bubble in hopes of breaking it. Again, this did not work.

Connie and Peri stood beside Steven, one on each side of Steven’s pink bubble, while Garnet, Amethyst, and Lapis went on the attack. Garnet readied her gauntlets while Amethyst used her electrified whip to entrap the mystery woman, shocking her with an electric current. The woman, falling to the ground, had been trapped by Lapis's ice wall. Clearly, she was no match for the Crystal Gems.

Her gadgets a mess, the woman sank to the ground in defeat. Garnet, Lapis, and Amethyst surrounded her, with Connie, Peri, and Steven at the ready. She would soon have a chance to redeem herself, or so she thought. She could see, in the sky, a red hang glider carrying a woman, the same age as her, with a trademark red fedora and coat, her long brown hair blowing in the wind. She recognized this woman as Carmen Sandiego, the top enemy of V.I.L.E. in the world.

Despite the fact she had been defeated by the Gems, the mystery woman chortled. She may have lost but she could still escape. She hoped they would be distracted enough so she could slip away, even as she recognized the challenge before her. "You can capture me now, but...look up in the sky. It's Carmen Sandiego, the international master thief. Would you let her get away?"

The Gems cackled, not taking her seriously. They were astounded when the mystery woman was suddenly encircled by a grappling hook fired from underneath the sleeve of Carmen's coat. Unlike the rest of them, Carmen recognized this mystery woman and her code name. She had attended V.I.L.E. Academy at the same time as her. While she did not expect to meet her again after leaving the island, she had prepared for a challenge such as this one. "Silky Snapper. What a pleasure to see you. I'm here to stop your caper...This ends now!"

Peri bowled over, giggling. She had never heard such a laughable name. It almost seemed comical. Jesting Silky, she made fun of her to her face. "Seriously, that's your name? It sounds so fake. I could come up with a better name with my finger screens in one minute than a clod like you...that is just sad."

Her face red with embarrassment, Silky didn't know what to say. Not only had Peri made her angry, making her want to lash out in retaliation but she been trapped by Carmen and the Gems. When all hope seemed lost, she had one more trick. Using electricity leftover from Amethyst's whip and her crackle rod, she electrified Carmen's rope, even as she suffered excruciating pain in the process. She hoped this would cause Carmen to drop the rope, aiding her escape.

Carmen jumped back, letting go of the rope, while Silky pulled out another gadget. It looked like a small box. She pressed the top and it activated a propeller, allowing her to fly away. As she yelled "this isn't over Carmen, I'm coming for you!" the Gems wanted to knock her out of the sky with their powers. Steven, a sensible person, told them to restrain themselves, which they did, allowing her to escape.

Only Carmen, and her boat in the distance, with Zack and Ivy aboard, were left. Everyone turned their eyes to Carmen, who apologized for making a scene. Steven acknowledged her and as he was about to say something, Pearl came running in, with Adora by her side, each with their own weapons. As Adora stood at the ready with a sword gifted to her by Pearl, the Gem approached, holding her spear tightly. Her voice boomed, pointing her spear at Carmen's head. "Who are you? And why are you in front of our Beach House?"

With Pearl demanding answers, Carmen was terrified. She told them, fearfully, that she had come there to stop an organization named V.I.L.E., also known as the Villains International League of Evil. While she admitted that Silky had correctly described her as an "international master thief" she did so as a matter of justice, stealing from other thieves, rather than playing a game. Furthermore, she had come to Beach City because of V.I.L.E.'s increased interest in the town and Steven, and she wanted to know why.

Garnet, Amethyst, and Pearl scratched their heads. Spending thousands of years on Earth, they had never heard of V.I.L.E., with Lapis and Peri similarly stumped. Steven and Connie were more welcoming, as they wanted to know more. Unlike the rest of them, Adora, like with the sea horses near Salineas, became entranced. She had never seen someone like Carmen before, with such a unique fashion sense and flowing brown hair. Stunned by what she saw, an unusual fascination, which eluded the rest of them, began. As such, she didn't know what to say to Carmen other than "hi!" and wave her hand sheepishly. She smiled back, making Adora feel a bit flustered. Had she met a new friend? Only time would tell.

Steven and Connie told Carmen, who felt better and not as terrified, to follow them into their Beach House where they could talk more. Feeling welcomed, she followed Steven and Connie up the steps, telling Zack, Ivy, and Player that there was nothing to worry about. Adora ran alongside, with Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Lapis, and Peri coming in after her. They all wanted to know more about her, the second mystery woman who had visited in a single day! Bismuth, who had been working on the house, damaged during the fighting with Blue and Yellow Diamond, would have been present, but weekends were her time for a break. This meant that, unintentionally, she missed all the commotion around the two mystery women. But she would meet Carmen soon enough.

As everyone filed into the house, packing it tightly, they were ready to hear what Carmen had to say. Steven readied his ukulele, and Connie her violin, asking her to sing her story, like Greg did when telling his stories. While she felt a little nervous, she breathed deeply, and broke into song, with Steven and Connie playing their instruments in the background. Listening from afar, Player, Zack, and Ivy were taken off guard, as nothing like this had ever happened, and they were as mesmerized as everyone else.

In Buenos Aires, I was an infant

As my home burned,

Shadowsan saved me in an instant

  I was brought to V.I.L.E. Island, it became my new home

They raised me as one of their own

  As I grew up, I learned to fight, to steal

It was all I ever knew

I accepted it as the only thing I could call "real"

  When I found a phone, a whole new world opened to me

I knew I wasn't alone

I realized I could be what I wanted to be

  Crime school was a unique start

But I realized I had a stone-cold heart

I had no compassion, no affection

I was just a reflection

  After I escaped from V.I.L.E. Isle

I created a new style

  Carmen Sandiego was born

And I had sworn

V.I.L.E. would be defeated

It would be cheated!

  I would be a thief who stole from thieves

For the greater good

I would accept no reprieves

This would be my livelihood

  And here I am a few years later

Player, Ivy, and Zack by my side

And you all listen to me wild-eyed

  I know now I am not alone

And I have grown... 

Everyone clapped and cheered, while Ivy, Zack, and Player were completely speechless, recovering from how Carmen's voice had soared like an eagle in her magnificent performance. Adora shouted "you go, girl!" enjoying Carmen's performance more than anyone else. While the Gems did not expect this, Adora's display set off Pearl. She had the impression that Adora saw Carmen in a better light than herself, making her jealous. Her self-esteem, as a result, seemed to be declining faster than a speeding roller coaster. She quickly stepped onto the warp pad, wishing everyone goodbye as tears streamed down her face. She could hear Steven shouting "Wait, Pearl, where are you going?" but made no attempt to answer. Like she had in the past, she felt lost, without value or meaning, and thought she didn't have the "relevance" to be influential, even though this belief had no basis.

While everyone else mellowed out, talking to each other, trying to learn more about Carmen, after her beautiful song, Peri could see Steven was worried. She saw this as an opportunity to test her cross-warp location device, snickering with delight, announcing her “discovery.” "I know exactly where Pearl is. Every use of the warp pad feeds back to my tablet, tracking where the warp ends. Its pure science, Steven, and I love it! NYEH!"

"Um, Peri, isn't that a...violation of privacy?"

Peri burst into a guffaw over Steven's comment, which seemed utterly absurd. She scoffed at the fact that anyone would even think that way. "No, no, no, Steven. That's pure drivel. This is for a good cause! PRAISE ME!"

Steven felt no reason to challenge her further, despite his reservations about this method, and he wanted to know where Pearl had gone, in hopes of consoling her. He was willing to go along with it for the time being. Sighing, he turned to Peri. "Ok, Peri, tell me where Pearl is. I'd like to see her."

Peri beamed with radiance, her hair becoming an even brighter chartreuse yellow, excited that Steven was willing to give her a chance. She knew that Steven didn't approve of her method, but she didn't care. On Earth, she could express herself in whatever way she pleased, and no one could tell her what to do. So, she went on with her spiel. "According to my calculations, the warp pad last deactivated in...the Strawberry Battlefield, a couple of minutes ago. That must be where she is. I'm sure of it!"

With that, Steven stepped on the warp pad, warping to the battlefield, which sat in the Great Scandinavian Republic, or G.S.R. for short. It was a place the Crystal Gems had once fought the Homeworld Gems during the Gem War (alternatively called "The Rebellion") thousands of years ago. Now it had been overrun by butterflies and wild strawberries. This contrasted the death and destruction wrought there over the years.

When Steven arrived, he couldn't see Pearl anywhere, but he could hear her singing softly and mournfully in the distance. Clearly, Amethyst and Garnet, who had joked many years before, that Pearl couldn't sing, had been proven wrong. Following the sound of her voice, he could see her on top of a hill, crying. Unlike the last time, when he had to chase down Pearl across a set of boulders and almost died, she resigned herself to his presence. While she continued to cry, she sat in a meditative pose, trying to relax and regain her composure. Her self-esteem continued to be low, but her tears began drying off her face, the breeze blowing them away like rose petals floating through the air.

Steven approached, apprehensively, putting his hand on her shoulder in an attempt to calm her. Pearl hugged him back and told him her deepest fear: a loss of friendship and connection, worthlessness in the world itself. "Steven, what if Adora likes this 'Carmen' better than me...what if she just discards me like a useless piece of junk and...leaves me behind?"

Steven did not expect this. Of course, he couldn't forget the past interactions of Pearl and Adora in Mystacor and the underwater archive outside Salineas, while he, and none of the other Gems, were aware of their nighttime embrace near Plumeria. Adora's choice to relinquish her powers as a magical princess and join them on Earth, a huge sacrifice on her part, had been forever imprinted in his memory. Even so, he hadn't expected Pearl's reaction. He knew that Adora, by coming to Earth, had the ability to start a new life. But, did the same apply to Pearl? Did her interaction and closeness with Adora change her outlook on life and the world? Was she done thinking about the past? Did she want to be a "new Pearl" all about the future and without a plan? The possibility terrified Steven even more than when she had been chased by a police cruiser near Ocean Town, but as her friend, he did his best to understand her. "Pearl, you are wonderful. No one is going to leave you behind or discard you. Adora is adapting to Earth, finding her footing, experimenting. This is a constantly changing planet where you can express yourself in whatever way you see fit, something we should all embrace."

Pearl calmed down, realizing that Steven's logic was sound. They walked to a nearby warp pad and soon returned to the Beach House. Everyone had been waiting apprehensively for her return and welcomed her back. She told them that she felt better now, with Steven nodding in concurrence. No one wanted to pry into her personal feelings, so they accepted the situation as it presented itself. Pearl walked over to Adora and hugged her, an embrace she accepted, as they both saw each other as equals despite their age differences.

As the sun went down, Connie left so she could return to her home not far from Beach City, where she lived with her parents, while Peri and Lapis retired to the bathroom, as they didn't have a permanent place of residence yet. In the meantime, Amethyst, Pearl, and Garnet went into their respective rooms in the Crystal Castle. Before he went to his loft bed, Steven prepared the couch so Adora could sleep there, and gave Carmen an extra sleeping bag and pillow to use, so she could sleep on the floor. Everyone said their goodnights and hoped for a wonderful day to come, with Carmen comforting Player, Ivy, and Zack before falling asleep.

The next morning, the sun's rays shined through the Beach House, signifying the new day had begun. Steven got up and prepared to make breakfast for everyone, so he could continue accustoming Adora to Earth but to welcome their new guest, Carmen. As she stretched her arms and woke up, about to go to the bathroom and freshen up, not remembering that Peri and Lapis lived there, Steven's presence startled her. "Hi, Steven, what are you doing up this early?"

Steven smiled, telling her that breakfast for everyone would be finished shortly. He continued, saying he was glad she had come, albeit unannounced, the day before. As she pulled out her phone and began to talk to Player about her fight with Silky Snapper, the possibility of a new caper, and more, her interactions fascinated Steven. Since he played video games from time to time, he wondered about this "Player" she had been talking to. Waiting for a pause in the conversation, Steven asked her about this mysterious person he heard her talking to. "Carmen, who is this "Player"? Is he a video game player? A friend? Is that his real name?"

Her face turned a little red since she had not been expecting this question. From what she could tell, Steven seemed like a nice person, but she didn't want to tell much about herself. While she could reveal a bit, no one would know her full and true nature but herself. It had been a way for her to cope and protect herself from harm. "Steven, Player is my friend. He's into tinkering with computers and technology, you know, hacking. He's helped me out of sticky situations, and I owe him a lot."

Steven's eyes lit up, amazed. He had the perfect idea. After asking Carmen if she wanted part of his "together breakfast" (consisting of a tower of waffles covered in whipped cream, syrup, and popcorn, garnished by a strawberry), which she declined since she only liked healthy foods, he put the breakfast in the fridge. He knocked on the door of the bathroom, waking up Peri and Lapis, telling both there was something he'd like to show them. Grumbling about getting up so early, Peri came to the door, slowly opening it, wondering what Steven wanted, with Steven shouting "Carmen's friend is a hacker!" This excited Peri as much as Steven. She told Lapis they needed to go to the "Peri-Shack," as she called it, near the Crystal Temple. A bit tired, Lapis said she might join in later, as she wanted to get a bit more sleep. While Garnet continued to sleep, as did Adora, the commotion woke up Pearl and Amethyst. They didn't know why Steven had unintentionally rustled them from their slumber. In unison, both Gems inquisitively asked about the commotion. "Steven...what is it? What's all this noise about?"

While Steven apologized for waking them up, as it had not been his intention, Peri declared they would be journeying to the "Peri-Shack" while Amethyst tittered. The name seemed silly, but Amethyst respected it. Patting her on the back, she remarked, "Peri, that's why I love you so much, you are such a nerd" to which Peri nervously smiled. Carmen wasn't completely sure about it but had been reassured by Steven it would be fine. She asked Player if he'd like to meet her new friends from the Beach House, to which he agreed. He hoped this wouldn’t didn't throw them off the mission and she told him it would not.

Getting to the shack, Peri welcomed them, with everyone sitting down on wooden benches. She relished the opportunity to show off her technological prowess. Little did they know, but in the same small shack, Lapis and Peri had been thinking about starting their own TubeTube show. Peri asked Carmen if it would be OK to plug in her phone into the room's technology system, to which she agreed on the condition that her phone not be damaged. Everything worked perfectly: Player showed up on a huge screen mounted on a wall in front of them. Before Pearl, Amethyst, Steven, or Carmen could say anything, Peri spoke first. "Hey, I'm Peridot!...also known as Peri...I've heard you like hacking computers and systems...that's so cool! Is there anything you'd like us to help you with?"

This candor and offer for help weren’t something Player had anticipated. But, he accepted it because apart from Ivy creating Carmen's gadgets, he was the only one who knew the ins and outs of technology on their team. "I'm glad you asked! We've been tracking V.I.L.E. and all evil deeds across the planet. We had a tip that they were planning some heist in Beach City, but we can't figure out what it is. If you could help us learn why they came here, that would be great!"

Peri understood everything he said but the word "heist." Even after her binging of Camp Pining Hearts and her detailed, extensive fan fictions, shipping certain campers over others, she had never come across this word. She told Player she'd have to excuse herself for a second and brought Steven outside the shack. "Steven, I have something to ask you. [sighs] What does the word "heist" mean?"

Steven let out a hearty chuckle, surprised that Peri didn't know this, even after her wide-ranging consumption of human culture. Without wanting to embarrass her, he whispered, telling her that a heist is a robbery or hold-up, similar to the word "caper," the latter generally refers to an illegal or criminal act, although it seemed unlikely that what V.I.L.E. had in store could be called a heist, as it looked more like a caper. Peri understood and thanked Steven for his help.

Stepping back into the shack, she admitted that while her technology was a bit antiquated, she could help this hacker friend of Carmen with this mystery. She first thought about what Beach City had that other cities and towns did not. Sure, other beach towns had restaurants, bike shops, amusement parks, music stores, theaters, visitor centers, donut shops, public libraries, lighthouses, candy stores, public parks, car washes, inns, pizzerias, shirt shops, storage facilities, hot dog stands, and private residences. Even towns had their own abandoned warehouses, brooding hills, abandoned quarries, mini-golf courses, wooded areas, and nearby beach homes. One thing distinguished all these beach communities, whether Ocean Town, Surf City, Sea City, Aqua Town, or Bayburg, from Beach City: The Crystal Temple, the longstanding headquarters of the Crystal Gems.

Peri gasped in horror. Looking at what Player had discovered, she put together the pieces. V.I.L.E. wanted to, from what she could gather, harvest the energy from the Crystal Temple for their devious schemes. Since these evildoers were not gems, they couldn't access the rooms for Pearl, Amethyst, Rose, or Sardonyx, but they could, through some methods, get to The Burning Room or the Crystal Heart. In the files he could find, was a video from Dr. Gunnar Maelstrom, a Doctor of Psychology who taught at V.I.L.E. Academy, practices psychiatry, and is a dedicated criminal mastermind. In the video clip, he whooped like a hyena and began speaking. "We have an opportunity to turn V.I.L.E. into a super force, wiping out those scum of the Earth, A.C.M.E., and with it, probably Carmen Sandiego. This place has all the energy we need for the ultimate weapon, an endless supply. Coach Brunt, Countess Cleo, and Dr. Saira Bellum will be pleased. Every day we come closer to total world domination. This is the first step. No one can stop us now, not even Carmen Sandiego!"

This talk unnerved Player and Carmen, feeling almost paralyzed, as all the heists they had foiled before had been for rare documents, like copies of the Magna Carta, precious coins, famous paintings, and so on, but never anything at this scale. Seeing they were scared and didn't know what to do, and before Amethyst, Pearl, or Peri could say anything, Steven did his best to inspire them, telling them they needed to be "strong in the real way" and would prevail in the end, no matter what. His talk put a smile on their faces and took them out of their funk. They were ready to plan. Carmen remembered something: she had put a tracker/camera on Silky Snapper. Activating it, Player plugged it into Carmen's technology. It showed a location out in the Atlantic Ocean. Even though it was a wild guess, Pearl threw it out there, acting like she knew what she was talking about. "Oh my, that's the Sea Shrine...er, where it usually is. We better get there right away!"

Carmen noticed a nearby ship. She could hear Silky Snapper talking about getting drill heads for the operation, remarking the place to get them was deep in Mipsia.

This made the plan of the evildoers clear: they planned to steal drills from the Prime Kindergarten in Mipsia and use them to drill into the Crystal Temple, stealing the "power source" for themselves. Neither the Gems nor Carmen and her gang of fellow thieves cared for A.C.M.E. but thought of the consequences if this plan of V.I.L.E. ended up succeeding. Lapis, Carmen, and Peri would head off the V.I.L.E. ship near the location of the sometimes present Sea Shrine, while Amethyst and Garnet would fight off those trying to steal drills from the Prime Kindergarten. In the meantime, Steven, Adora, and Pearl would stay behind, possibly getting help from Bismuth and Connie, defending the Crystal Temple itself. Lapis, Garnet, and Adora had been awoken by the commotion, with all ready to help and defend their home. Amethyst and Garnet warped to the Prime Kindergarten, while Peri, who Lapis carried, her water wings flapping in the wind, were en route to the area where the Sea Shrine sometimes existed. Carmen followed them on her hang glider, telling Zack and Ivy to be at the ready if they needed help.

Arriving in the Prime Kindergarten, Amethyst and Garnet could see chains tied to some injectors, with V.I.L.E. henchmen trying to dislodge them, one operating a crane of some type. Amethyst whispered to Garnet that she was going to "kick their ass," while Garnet told her to be calm, stating that dislodging even one injector would give these evildoers an advantage in drilling into the Crystal Temple. While Pearl told them not to use their Gem powers on humans, they had no choice in the matter, as these people were threatening their home and way of life. After one henchman finished talking to Dr. Maelstrom, glad at their progress, the chain of their crane had a weird blue glow to it, looking like an electric current. Before he knew it, the whole machine had become electrified. He jumped out as it exploded, saving himself, with the other henchmen coughing at the black cloud in the air. When the smoke cleared, he could see Amethyst and Garnet standing on top of the wreckage, shouting "stop your destruction at once, before we have to hurt you!" The henchmen, terrified, began to run. Amethyst wouldn't let them get away that easily. Not knowing what they were doing, most of them ran in a pack, together, allowing Amethyst to trap them with one of her whips. One straggler, the man who had fled the crane before it became rubble, couldn’t escape, as Amethyst's second whip brought him in. In order to ensure that her whips were not used, Garnet pulled the chains off the crane to tie up these evildoers. To complete the cycle and lessen the violence, Amethyst shapeshifted into a baseball bat, which Garnet wielded, hitting the tied-up humans with her full strength, shouting "you're outta here!" While Amethyst felt a bit sore from the endeavor, the evildoers were gone, flying through the air at a fast rate of speed, and covering a wide distance. The Crystal Temple had been saved from the drills of injectors but...the fight wasn't over yet.

In the meantime, Lapis, Peri, and Carmen arrived near where the Sea Shrine sometimes existed, when it wasn't underwater, hiding from view of V.I.L.E. henchmen. Silky Snapper thought she heard something but continued to work with nearby henchmen to set up a huge cannon on a floating island. Carmen recognized it immediately, as it looked like a huge crackle rod, likely one of Dr. Saira Bellum's newest toys. Due to the direction it was pointing, she surmised that its first test would be firing upon Beach City! As the cannon began powering up, Lapis, Peri, and Carmen readied their counterattack. Then, they saw what looked like a fireball coming through the sky, at a rapid speed. It struck the floating lab of Dr. Maelstrom, the Imaginarium, sitting in the adjoining ocean area, a cross-between an aircraft carrier and a battleship, in the bow, creating a huge hole. The "fireball" had been the henchmen from the Kindergarten, and they laid upon the ship's deck, injured, with their arms and legs broken. This distracted Silky, telling the henchmen on the floating island to protect the cannon, swimming toward the ship, hoping to help in any way she could.

Once Silky had swum far enough away, Lapis, Peri, and Carmen began their attack. They knocked out the henchmen and took control of the cannon. Through their combined willpower and force, they turned the cannon around, as it continued to charge. Seeing this, Silky shouted "no, no, no!" as a blast from the cannon shot out, heading for the damaged ship's bridge, where Dr. Maelstrom sat with a wicked smile, not expecting the ship's complete destruction. The resulting massive explosion caused a huge tidal wave, moving in the direction of Beach City. Lapis used her powers to redirect the water to wash over the ship's wreckage. Scanning for lifeforms, Peri and Carmen watched from the floating island. Peri's scanner picked up a few life readings. They could see Silky and Dr. Maelstrom, along with the injured henchmen. Maelstrom called for "the cleaners" to rescue them, but his voice had become so faint neither one couldn't hear him. Silky pulled out a waterproof gadget and pressed its big red button. A raft appeared. She shouted, "you haven't won yet, Carmen, the battle isn't over!" While Peri and Lapis wanted to pursue them, Carmen convinced them not to, telling them that letting these evildoers go was the right decision...this time around.

Afterward, Lapis, Peri, and Carmen approached the cannon, emblazoned with the words "Bellum Crackle Rod Cannon" on the side. The henchmen, who had been knocked out cold, hadn't woken up yet. Carmen had an idea. She told Zack and Ivy to meet them there. Coming in their speedboat, Zack and Ivy arrived at the floating island, loading on the henchmen, tied up so they didn't escape, and the cannon. While this weighed down the boat, Zack could still drive it. Carmen asked if Lapis and Peri wanted to join them, saying they could motor back to Beach City. Smiling, both Gems concurred. After Lapis and Peri introduced themselves, Zack, finishing tying up the henchmen, told Lapis that her use of water was "awesome." Ivy didn't know what to make of Peri, calling her cute, to which she said, "I am not!" defiantly. Moving to the ship’s bow, Zack took the wheel and steered the boat forward, while Carmen, Lapis, Peri, and Ivy relaxed, sitting in the back. The day had been won, but...at what cost?

Lightning crackled in the distance, as rain poured down the V.I.L.E. Academy windows. Dr. Maelstrom, his arm in a sling because of injuries he sustained from the Imaginarium's destruction, looked out the window and smirked. Using his other arm, he opened a window, drenched in the downpour, shouting loud enough for anyone to hear, waving his fist wildly: "You haven't won, yet, Black Sheep! I have just begun! If it's the last thing I do, you will go down in flames and Steven Universe will be mine for the taking! Just you watch!

***********

End note: Shalin Jacob's "The Ultimate Guide To Different Kinds Of Dresses & What Would Suit You Best," Jennifer Lyons's "Colors That Match With Turquoise," and PopOptiq's "29 Types of Shoes for Women – Do You Know them All?" were helpful in forming the appearance of Silky Snapper. I also took inspiration from previous Carmen Sandiego characters, as noted on the appropriate fandom, such as Venus H. Pencil, Snarla Swing, Sarah Nade, Patty Larceny, Kneemoi, Jacqueline Hyde, Eartha Brute, Dee Cryption, Contessa, and Auntie Bellum. When it came to the song by Carmen, I took inspiration from many songs in Steven Universe ("Be Wherever You Are", "On the Run", "Wailing Stone", "Full Disclosure", "Do It for Her", "Tower of Mistakes", "Haven't You Noticed (I'm a Star)", "Peace and Love on the Planet Earth", "That Distant Shore", "We Are the Crystal Gems",  "Other Friends", and "Drift Away") although all the words are my own composure, using sites like RhymeZone and Rhymer.com to help as necessary. Additionally, the pages for Pearl (and the connected page on her history), the Gem Battlefield, Beach City, quotes of Peridot, and so on, from the Steven Universe fandom, helped here. The reference to Garnet and Amethyst joking that Pearl couldn't sing is a flashback by Story For Steven (s1ep48), although it's a funny flashback because it's an event that Greg did not witness, yet it is part of his story. I'd also point out that the part of this story where Pearl is in the Strawberry Battlefield is a bit reminiscent of how Glimmer acts in the She-Ra and the Princesses of Power episode, Princess Prom (s1ep8) when she is jealous of how Bow acts toward her. Of course, this was completely unintentional, but I must have watched it enough that this idea came into my mind! Some parts of the story are inspired by Pearl's lines from Last One Out of Beach City, one of my favorite Steven Universe episodes. Other pages, like the ones for Dr. Gunnar Maelstrom and V.I.L.E. Faculty, on the Carmen Sandiego fandom, and the transcript of the "Talk Radio" episode of Sailor Moon were helpful in crafting Maelstrom's message. Some lines are also inspired by my memory of Futurama, specifically what Cubert Farnsworth says when he is arrested for breaking a terms of service agreement.

[artyblogs]

Mija

Read on Ao3

Summary: For @caruliaweek​. Prompt: Vacation/Travel. Carmen has been putting off meeting her mother, but Julia convinces her to go. They’ll go together.

---

It is already mid-morning, and they are still in bed. They need to be at the airport in a scant couple hours, but they are still in bed. Julia is fast asleep, her head resting on Carmen’s shoulder, and Carmen’s fingers idly run through her soft, black hair. Now and then, Carmen will turn and kiss her forehead, because she’s right there. Because she can do it. Because Julia deserves all the kisses.

Julia sleeps on, oblivious, her slow breathing the only sound in the hotel room.

Before, Carmen would only be immersed in silence during capers, or right before something bad happened. It meant danger and vulnerability.

Carmen’s fingertips follow the grain of Julia’s hair down and traces around the shell of her ear. They don’t usually lie in; most days they’re off as soon as the sun rises, following some jam-packed itinerary. But being languid and unhurried like this is nice. There is a calmness in her blood. A sort of hush that just sits, without tension. Without an underlying anxiety. Without an impending bite.

She’d never known that the quiet could be like this.

On the nightstand beside her, her phone buzzes. Carmen reaches over and picks it up. The newest text is from Player, asking if they are ready for their upcoming flight. A courtesy wake-up call. Carmen puts the phone back down. Perhaps they should get up. Perhaps in five minutes, they’ll get up.

Another buzz. Another text from Player saying that Zack and Ivy are on their way to collect them. Carmen texts a one word reply, then puts it back down. Her hand returns to Julia’s hair, and she presses one last kiss to her forehead.

“Jules,” she whispers, her voice low in her chest. “Jules, wake up.”

“Mmph.” Julia stirs awake, and she turns to kiss Carmen’s collarbone. “G’mornm.”

A thrill sings through her, centered where Julia pressed her lips. “Good morning.”

But Julia carefully detangles herself instead, and she rolls over to grab her glasses from the other nightstand. “We have a flight today, right?”

“Yeah.” But Carmen makes no move to get up. Julia reaches down and picks up one of Carmen’s discarded dress shirts and puts it on. It’s a little too big on her, so the cuffs fall over her hands and the hem is barely long enough to cover the rest of her. She walks to the bathroom like that, and Carmen is free to trace the lines of her slender legs.

“We’re going to Vienna, right?” Julia asks. She rakes her hand through her hair in an attempt to tame it and as she raises her arm, the shirt hem rises just the tiniest bit. “Carmen?”

“Hmm?”

“Insatiable wench,” Julia says with a sleepy grin. She starts brushing her teeth.

“Guilty.” Carmen tears her eyes away from how good Julia looks in her clothes and finally gets up. She rummages through her duffle bag. “We’re going to Seoul. Vienna was last week.”

“Oh.”

It’s not a good ‘oh.’ Carmen finishes pulling on her clothes and goes to join Julia in the bathroom. Up close, at this angle, the slight shadows under Julia’s eyes are unmistakable. Carmen’s heart sinks, but she picks up her hairbrush and begins to draw her hair back.

“Jules?”

“Hmm?”

“I’m sorry.”

“Whatever for?” Julia asks around the toothbrush in her mouth.

“Because I’m dragging you to all of these different places and they’re starting to blur together and…I’m sorry that this is your life with me.”

“You wanted to see the world.”

“I did. I do, but I can’t help but feel like I uprooted you and that you deserve more stability than this.” Carmen finishes lamely. She bundles her hair into a messy bun and lowers her hands with a sigh.

Julia doesn’t reply right away. She hums and leans over to spit in the sink. For the next several minutes, there is only the sounds of running water as Julia washes her face.

Carmen waits on tenterhooks. This deliberate stepping away that Julia does, this quiet consideration that she gives to every issue that arises between them like this, is why they haven’t argued. Out of all the disagreements they might have, they have never shouted or fought with each other on anything.

Finally, Julia wipes her face on one of the fluffy hand towels and gets up on tiptoe to kiss Carmen’s cheek. “I like traveling with you, especially now that VILE and ACME are no longer threats against either of us.”

Carmen braces herself. “But?”

“The pace can be a bit frantic. Sometimes, I wonder if you’re still running from something.” Julia packs up her toiletries. “Also, if I wanted a normal life, then I would have fallen in love with a normal woman. As it is, you’re rather exceptional.” She playfully bumps Carmen’s hip on her way out of the bathroom.

Carmen watches her go in the mirror, and a goofy grin spreads over her reflection’s face. “I love you too, Jules.”

Julia blows her a kiss, then turns to her luggage.

---

They do one last sweep of the room before they leave to make sure they haven’t forgotten anything. Carmen calls the front desk to check out, and then the both of them make their way through the stale hallways that hotels always seem to have, and into an elevator. The metal doors slide close with a muted ding and the floor numbers flash on the digital display off to the side. Julia blindly reaches for Carmen’s hand as she watches it count down, and Carmen meets her halfway.

“I’m afraid to meet my mother,” Carmen says and oh goodness, out of all the things that Julia thought might be the problem, she didn’t expect that. Carmen continues.

“What if I disappoint her? What if something goes wrong? What if I visit her and somehow all of this,” here, Carmen gestures vaguely around her, “stops?”

“The traveling?” Julia asks.

“Yeah, the traveling. I’m free to go where I want, when I want, and do whatever I want out here.”

“Ah.” So that’s what it is. “It might be a bit unfair to expect your mother to be like VILE faculty. Just because they trapped you on that island doesn’t mean she’ll imprison you too.”

“I know, I know, but I can’t really help but think that.” Carmen says.

“Do you want to visit your mother?”

“Yes.”

“Then you shouldn’t have to go it alone. You have me, and you’ll have Player too, once this metal box opens up and we get his signal again,” Julia says.

A lopsided smile stretches across Carmen’s face. “That’s true, isn’t it?” She tilts her head a little as she thinks, then, “Yeah, okay. Let’s go.”

“Now?” Julia asks.

“Yeah, South Korea can wait.”

DING. The elevator doors open, revealing a rather posh lobby. Carmen and Julia make their way through the tourists and luggage carts to the front doors.

Ivy and Zack are already parked out in front with a rental car. Zack’s skin is almost as red as his hair, and he lounges pitifully in the driver’s seat. Ivy digs around the trunk until she pulls out a bottle, then goes to the driver’s side to hand it to him. She waves.

“Hiya, Carm! Hey, Jay.”

“Hello, Ivy,” Julia says. “What happened to Zack?”

“This guy forgot to put on sunblock.” Ivy affectionately pats Zack’s cheek, making him yelp and recoil.

“Aw, Sis! Aargh!” He drops the bottle into his lap and swats Ivy’s hands away. “No! Carm, make her stop!”

“Literal children.” Carmen swings her duffel into the trunk, then lifts Julia’s bag. “How do you treat that, anyway?”

“Aloe vera.” Ivy steps away from Zack with one last raspberry, then skirts around the car to sit shotgun. “Ew, you don’t need that much, Bro.”

“My skin is the Sahara and it needs quenching,” Zack says.

Carmen laughs and slams the trunk shut. She and Julia get in the backseat of the car. In the front seat, Zack’s ears and face glisten with a thick layer of aloe vera. There is so much of it that it dampens his hairline and the collar of his shirt. He snaps the slick bottle shut and tosses it at Ivy, who cringes.

“Gross!”

Zack leaves wet prints on everything he touches as he shifts the car into gear and pulls away from the curb. The radio fizzles as it’s turned on, and a familiar voice comes through.

“Everyone ready for Seoul?” Player asks.

“Yeah, about that. Change of plans. We’ve been working pretty hard and I was thinking that we could take an entire month off,” Carmen says. Ivy twists in her seat to look at her, but Zack just glances back through the rearview mirror.

“Are you sure?” Zack asks.

“Yeah. An entire month to do whatever and then we meet back at HQ.” Carmen smiles at Julia and takes her hand.

“There’s enough time for me to change the tickets. Where is everyone off to?” Player asks.

“Argentina,” Carmen says. There’s a stunned silence.

“It’s about fucking time,” Ivy says.

Zack laughs. “Good for you, Carm. What about you, Jay? Gonna come with us?”

“I’ll be going with Carmen, actually,” Julia says. Ivy turns around to stare and even Zack glances back.

“Oh shit,” they say at the same time. Next to her, Carmen blanches.

“It will be all right,” Julia says, just as much for Carmen’s benefit as theirs.

“Isn’t meeting the parents a big step?” Player asks. Julia’s face burns and Carmen ducks her head.

“Guys. Come on,” Carmen says.

“Just asking. If you say it’s okay, then,” Player makes a vague sound of agreement. “Ivy, Zack, where are you headed?”

“As tempting as it is to also go to Argentina with a shit-ton of popcorn, Zack and I have been talking about visiting Shadowsan in Japan,” Ivy says.

“Gotcha. Sending tickets now,” Player says. Everyone’s cell phones beep.

---

The moment they step onto the street outside the orphanage is the moment that Carmen goes strangely quiet. She’s been talking up until then, perhaps a little strained, perhaps a little terse, but she was talking. Julia tugs her hand and steps to the side, taking them out of the flow of traffic. Carmen follows her without complaint, her gray eyes a little wild and her jaw clenched.

“Come here,” Julia says. She steps into Carmen and hugs her. Carmen’s body is tense, and her heart goes a mile a minute next to Julia’s ear, but after a few moments, Carmen relaxes against her. Her arms come up around her and she perches her chin atop Julia’s head.

It is the sweetest thing that anyone has ever done to her.

Carmen sighs. “I don’t even know what I’m going to say.”

“You’ll figure it out, Red,” Player says. Julia can hear him through her own earpiece.

“What about you, Jules? Are you nervous?” Carmen asks.

“A bit. It can’t be worse than when I met my ex’s parents. She introduced me as her flatmate,” Julia says.

“Ouch,” Player says. Carmen snickers and Julia can feel her smiling against her hair.

“Yes, it was rather tragic for everyone, and I’m not keen on repeating the experience.” Julia trails off when Carmen pulls away. This time, her eyes are less wild, but just as intense, if that’s possible.

“We won’t. You’re not just my girlfriend, you’re my fiancé. You’re my fiancé, Jules. If my mother doesn’t like that, then…” Carmen pauses, and a pained look flashes across her face. “If she doesn’t like that, then I don’t want to know her.”

And there it is. Julia intellectually knows that engaged people must choose between their partners and their parents, and she knows that she and Carmen are no exception, but to see it play out before her now is incredibly humbling. She probably has a leg up, because she’s not a stranger, but still. This is Carmen’s mother they’re talking about. Carmen doesn’t know her, and there will probably be a part of her that will always yearn to know, but here she is already making a decision and it’s Julia. It’ll always be Julia.

Julia doesn’t know exactly what in the world she did to be trusted with Carmen’s heart, but by whatever higher powers that exist, she will do everything within her power to take care of it. She gets up on tiptoe and gently kisses the corner of Carmen’s mouth.

“Gay,” Player says, the smile evident in his voice. “We don’t know what your mom will do though, Red. Maybe we should give her a fair shake?”

“We could do that.” Carmen draws herself up and takes Julia’s hand. “Shall we?”

They pick their luggage back up and continue down the street. The orphanage is actually an old hacienda that’s been converted. There’s a small playground in front and a few small children are already on it, swinging and screaming and running around. Some of them give Julia and Carmen quizzical looks as they make their way past to them to the front door. Others stare open-mouthed at Carmen specifically, but they’re soon distracted.

The both of them walking up to the orphanage like this, one might assume they were a couple wanting to adopt. The revelation hits Julia right in the chest.

Before she can even begin to unpack that, however, Carmen rings the doorbell. The wild look is back. Julia gives her a reassuring squeeze and Carmen flashes her a nervous smile in return.

The door opens.

The woman behind the door has Carmen’s nose and her mouth and her eyebrows; she is Carmen, but with dark brown hair and eyes and laugh lines. She is fuller in the hips and a little bit shorter, but the resemblance is unmistakable. Upon seeing Carmen, her eyes widen and her hand goes to her mouth.

Julia gently nudges Carmen, who is also struck with astonishment. She visibly swallows and says, “Carlotta Valdez?”

The woman nods.

“Hi, I’m your daughter, Carmen.” She says in Spanish. Her voice is shaky and her eyes are glassy, but the other woman breaks first. Her eyebrows knit together and her hand falls.

“You’re so tall,” she half says, half sobs. Carmen gives a watery smile and the both of them reach for each other. They hug. And Carlotta really does start to cry then. The both of them cry and it is messy and glorious and wonderful.

In Julia’s short tenure as a detective and secret agent, back when she was those things, she was in the business of saving artifacts and artwork, but never saving people. It feels good.

When they finally part, Carlotta stares up at Carmen in wonder. “All these years…how did you find me?”

“Jules found you.” Carmen takes Julia’s hand, and Julia’s ears grow hot under Carlotta’s scrutiny. “Mama, this is Julia Argent. I’m going to marry her someday.”

“Hello,” Julia says, already bracing herself for disappointment. But Carlotta sweeps her up in a similar hug, and she’s strong enough lift her too; Julia’s feet rise off the ground. Her glasses are knocked askew, but she can still see Carmen over Carlotta’s shoulder, beaming at her. Julia cannot help but grin back.

“Thank you,” Carlotta says as she sets Julia back down. She steps back from her and wipes her eyes, then regards them both. “Mija,” she says to Carmen, “Mija,” she says to Julia, “Would you like to come in and eat?”

Please show it some love on Ao3!

[thebravetheboldandthebeautiful]

Change by Jordana Levine

When most people look back on their lives, out of the thousands of days spent on this earth, they tend to remember graduating high school, going to college, getting married, having kids, and retiring. What is most vivid in their memory is the times they made a life-changing decision, one that was either self motivated, motivated by somebody else, or forced upon them by the universe. But most of the time, change happens when people take it upon themselves to change themselves or change the game. I thought the decisions that the following individuals made were quite life changing.

Debbie Glessner and Ivy Fischer, two women in a civil union, made the decision to adopt two baby girls from China and to start a family. Debbie and Ivy are now 59 years old and live in Montclair, New Jersey  with their two daughters, Annie and Charlotte. Annie is 19 years old and Charlotte is 16 years old. They have a long-time babysitter, named Carmen, who helps out three days a week, and a rescue dog named Cliff. Debbie works for the New York City law firm Willkie Farr & Gallagher as the Director of Library Services. She has worked there since 1991. Since they adopted Charlotte, Debbie has worked only three days a week. Ivy has been with the HUB International Group Northeast, a large insurance brokerage, for over 20 years and is the Senior Vice President & Chief Legal Counsel.

While studying at the University of Pittsburgh, where the two met, Ivy chose the right of gay women and men to adopt as the topic for a public speaking class. Then when Debbie and Ivy were both in their mid 30’s, Ivy told Debbie about her desire to start a family. Unlike Ivy, Debbie was hesitant to start a family of her own when she was still taking care of her immediate family. Her parents were divorced and her mom had a long-term illness, multiple sclerosis, and was bedridden and partially blind. Her brother lived with their mom, which was a great help. But Debbie still was very involved in watching after her and she feared that adding a child into the mix would be too much to handle.

Attending college and thinking about his future, Herb Glaser was majoring in biology with the intention of becoming a dentist. Unfortunately, Herb did not get into dental school right away. So during that time, he worked part-time at his family’s bakery, Glaser’s Bake Shop. The bakery was opened by Herb’s grandparents, John and Justine Glaser, in 1902. It is located on the Upper East Side of Manhattan in a neighborhood known as Yorkville. The business was passed down to Herb’s father and was eventually turned over to Herb and his brother, John. Herb became pretty good at his job, having grown up with the bakery. His family lived right above the bakery and, as a kid, Herb was pretty popular because of it. At the time, there were a lot of small businesses in the neighborhood. However, over time, the number of small family-run businesses declined. What kept Glaser’s Bake Shop alive was that Herb’s grandfather, John, bought the building. Herb and his partner, Lawrence Levine, still live in the building today. In fact, Herb has never lived in a home that his family hadn’t lived in previously.

Staying close to home is a common theme. Gina Shaw, currently 64 years old, lived at home during college due to her dad becoming a bigger part of her life. Gina attended Queens College and now works as a freelance children's book editor and author. Her parents divorced when she was in the seventh grade. She and her sister only saw their dad twice a week and every other weekend, and even less after he moved to Manhattan. Unexpectedly, her dad came back to live with her family  during her senior year of high school. In fact, Gina explained, “Everything happened so fast -- the fact that my mom took him back was astounding for me, my sister, and my dad.” A common wish by most young adults who are looking at colleges is to go as far away as possible from home and that’s exactly what Gina planned to do. But life happens and things do not  always go exactly as planned. Gina’s dad said that he felt as if he had lost so much time with his daughters, even though he lived in Manhattan, not too far from where Gina resided growing up, in Bayside, Queens. To help convince her and make up for the downside of not being able to go away, recalls Gina, “He said he would buy me a car to make the commute easier for me. I could never say no to my dad about anything. I stayed home and went to Queens College.”

Change in environment is huge and so is change in marital status. Stephanie Serino and David Jared had a secret international marriage. They met in 1990 while David, an Englishman, was traveling to California to visit friends. Stephanie lived in New Jersey and David was making a stop to New York before his final destination. This was the first time the couple met. As David recalls, “I visited New York the next year and when Stephanie came to England in August of 1991, we decided to get married. Rather than try to plan a transatlantic wedding we decided to marry immediately, without telling friends or family.” Now the next question was their living situation. At the time, David lived in  the southwest of England in a place called Milborne Port, working for an engineering company. Stephanie had been working at The New York Times. The two of them felt living in the United States was the best choice for them. David was glad to move to the States. It was an opportunity to start a new life, which is an opportunity many can only dream of.

Opportunities like David’s don’t come around that often. And when you’re gay and the government is against what you want, opportunities may not come around at all. Debbie explained to me how, “There was potential for my application [to adopt] to be derailed because of both the US and Chinese governments’ positions on gay adoption.” Backtracking a bit, Ivy knew for sure that she wanted a family while Debbie was still struggling with supporting her own. In addition while growing up, Debbie was really close with her dad, a “daddy’s girl” she recalls. So she felt strongly about having a father’s presence in her future children’s lives. Debbie also feared that homophobia could lead to ostracism and an unsafe environment for her children. The conversation of adoption continued on for several years.

What convinced Debbie was a 1993 article in the Sunday New York Times Magazine entitled, ‘Unwanted and Abandoned, Baby Girls have Become the Newest Chinese Export.’ It was about the author, Bruce Porter’s, experience adopting from China. After reading the article, Debbie finally wanted to adopt. Debbie calls what happens next a coincidence, but I call it fate. She saw a notice about an adoption agency called the World Association for Children (WACAP) offering an information seminar on international adoptions. Of course, Debbie attended and told her neighbor, Sherry Long Abeson, all about it since she and her husband, Tony, had decided to adopt from China. Sherry recommended the adoption agency LaVida in Pennsylvania after checking to see if it would be willing to work with Debbie and Ivy. They were able to help Debbie as a single woman, so Debbie started submitting the paperwork in January 1996.

After a stressful home study to see if the home was fit for adoption and waiting for a referral, finally in October 1996, they received a picture of their future daughter, Annie, and her health information.  Then in January 1997, they flew to China to meet their daughter. Debbie described it as, “a fairytale time in China.” Fortunately for Debbie and Ivy, they had a very easy time becoming parents and a welcoming community. The two of them knew they wanted to adopt another girl, so this time Ivy filled out the papers as a single woman. Unfortunately, Ivy’s mom passed away, so the adoption process was put on hold. But in August of 2000, Ivy, her dad, and two sisters flew to China to adopt Charlotte, named after her mother,  while Annie and Debbie awaited their arrival at home to unite as a family.

Uniting as a family is not always that easy. Gina’s mom was a registered nurse and by Gina’s junior year of high school, her mom realized she could no longer work. She had serious mental problems and was unstable, so Gina’s dad had to step in. Gina’s mom would constantly tell Gina that her sister, “‘was more like my mom and I was more like my dad’” and suggested that Gina could move in with her dad instead. Gina never did because she wanted to be there for her sister. In addition, Gina wanted to be there for her dad when he came back into the house, so she made the decision to stay.

Staying home turned out to be beneficial to the relationship Gina had with her dad. They bonded over her college courses, especially the English classes, since Gina’s dad was a writer and editor and Gina was an English major. Overall, Gina felt staying home, “was worth it because of the amount of quality time I got to spend with my dad and because things seemed to ease up for awhile for my mom.” Gina had some regrets because she feels that going away would have allowed her to learn more about herself and become more independent, but she credits her dad for encouraging her to travel on her own. She went away during breaks to Europe, California, and Canada. During the four years at home, their already strong bond grew even stronger. Gina described how they, “cemented a bond so strong that it lasted my entire life.” Her dad passed away in 1986 but Gina still has thought, “about him every day since he died. I can still hear his voice, know what he would say to me, know the advice he would give me.”

Clearly parents have been strong influences in many individual’s lives. Herb was named after his dad and just like him, Herb decided he, “really liked the work, and the whole idea of a small business.” This led him to stay with the bakery and since then he has, “been working full time at the bakery for over 40 years.” Herb, now 63 years old, has never regretted the decision and still loves what he does.

Unlike Herb, David, also 63 years old, has been retired for three years. Looking back he too never regretted the decision of moving to the United States and getting married. He and his wife, Stephanie, had no doubts, and David explains, “Sometimes in life, you just sort of know something is right.” When David moved to the States, he sold most of his possessions. David and Stephanie got remarried with Stephanie’s friends and family in the bandstand of their local park. Later on, David applied for a ‘Green Card’ and received it early in 1992. David and Stephanie are still happily married and living in Hoboken, New Jersey.

[itsdappleagain]

CS Season 3 Thoughts...

Okay, overall?? Kinda disappointed, like a lot of people. Only five episodes, its been covered. Its disappointing. But lets go over them, shall we...

The Luchadora Tango Caper

Overall thoughts? Well, this season seems so....separated? Kind of out of character and disconnected. I’ll go over why at the end.

Haha, do the Cleaners do everything?? They can cook, rig explosives, kidnap people, play bagpipes, fly a helicopter...is technology really their weakness? Oops. That’s not for another few episodes.

Poor Cleo. She seems rather out of character in this season too. All she wants is to be warm. Throughout, she seems so...almost inexperienced? Where’s the sharp-tongued, sarcastic, delicate in taste and style Cleo we know? She’s there in places.....just...

They faked us out. I thought we were going to see Carmen tangoing. Also, is it just me, or is there a lot of...leg wrapping...this season..?

Ah yes, thank you, musical cues, I was worried Shadow-san had torn Carmen to pieces since Season 3. That’s her triumph score; maybe its like a “welcome back to cs” or something. Honestly, the whole “she’s been missing all summer” seems weird and unexplained, and unnecessary.

Does Veracruz exist? Yes, it does, how did that fly under our radars?

“I have his eyes” tore me to bits. Oh my gosh what a line. She’s seeing her father for the first time.

Thank you for showing us the 10 passports and giving us some pictures, we will never hear anything about Dexter or Vera after this episode again

She was an adorable baby and Carmen acknowledging this is hilarious

“Who may I have the pleasure of declining?” is another really funny line to me

This fight between Carmen and Spinkick has no suspense and its really a bad one to be honest, but holy crap Spinkick can dent stone lol

It makes a lot of sense that Catching Carmen Sandiego 101 is a class now, lol. I really want to see it. That- those fights were horrible by the way. Does Shadowsan know how to use the bolas? Because we know Carmen sure can’t.

Coach sure does like making messes and ruining tables

Ivy is so supportive this season and I am here for it. Kinda unlike Zack who is just “Hi, I hate fish and I misunderstand names” guy.

Yeah Maelstrom, what the hell did you let her walk for? Brunt easily captured her and you want to enforce sketchy psychological doubts in her mind? What?

Don’t show your face, Maelstrom says to Brunt. You know. After kidnapping a law enforcer with apparently perfect face memory recall who now has your face plastered all over wanted posters. Oh, and that Lutedor you knocked out didn’t see your face either

There is so much indirect calling Carmen good looking this season? What? I mean she is but it is so weird

Zack saying juicy steaks is so so uncomfortable

Carmen is so disengaged this season???? *Finds a link to her mother and pictures of her father* oh its another *sad sigh* link to my past. *Wow, you look like your mother, and I knew her, and her name!* Oh. Can you tell me about her.. Family is Carmen’s main trigger and source of steam in s1 and, mostly, s2. Now we get actual parts about it and she seems like she doesn’t care.

HAHA! Julia even gets her own little entrance with music and “camera” angles. And she is SO dismissively sassy sometimes in this season, I love what little we do get of her. I mean it is REALLY out of character, she hardly ever gets sassy/angry. But everyone is out of character so what the hell might as well enjoy it

“We have a fresh Carmen sighting!” Devineaux: “Haha!” Julia: *sigggggghhh* Julia girl, whats up? Please don’t leave forever. I know you said your head was in the game but your heart wasn’t, but? What? Why? Your heart seems to have been in it in season 2! Did you have a really bad summer??

Player has a space alien and a sock on his dresser and why am I not surprised

Okay, Carmen, because sitting down against a door you’re waiting to open (and you have waited for three seconds) is a great thing to do

Hahhaha Player. “I’m sorry, did you not attend a school for thieves?” Carmen is so sad though “Hey, just broke into your house, I’m your long lost daughter” and she should be sadder about the long lost daughter thing!??! It is so out of character!?!?

And so, Uncatchable Master Super Thief Carmen Sandiego breaks into an unknown house without checking it for people or weapons, after waiting three seconds to be let in. What? What?

The casual use of “mommy” and “daddy” is so, so very strange and I hate it a lot

*Snort* Zack and Ivy are doing their best but it is sot hard to see how they got caught by VILE in TSONTS

jgkjjdf Ivy just slings Zack to the floor and he can not move her an inch

I love Lupe a lot and I hope she returns

Carmen is more wholesome in this season too, it seems, probably because of this whole disengaged character shift but its cute

Devineaux *s t r u t s*

I would be concerned if Chief hadn’t made him take the driving course but I was still terrified for Julia’s life ALSO JULIA JUST. ROLLS HER EYES SASSY QUEEN

How is it that Zack and Ivy haven’t been arrested or killed yet, they have been seen so many times with her

Ah, yes. The famed roses scene. Okay, fine, fine....ugh

Julia is looking for Carmen behind because she learned her lesson with Devineaux! yes

Julia knows what is up but Devineaux gesturing at the trophies is pretty funny

Carmen just gets yoinked off her feet by Brunt and it is the most concerned she has been all season and will be all season because getting lifted off your feet in a crowded public place with strong friends and lawmen all around is much scarier than being electrocuted, kidnapped, and gagged on a plane going to an unknown location

Coach Brunt was the Imposter

“This isn’t your fight,” Carmen says, instead of accepting help from the woman who she has seen easily lift probably 300 pounds or more to help her get rid of the lady who’s tried to murder her like twice and nearly succeeded

Oh my gosh Devineaux actually spots her peeking out and recognizes her instead of blindly following Zack/Ivy and Carmen is PEEKING OUT WHY

Carmen is handcuffed and its really funny She just drags him along like later would be a much better time for her fhdgfkhdhsf Also she is much funnier when she threatens people with a bumbling idiot cuffed to her wrist, although he is much less of a bumbling idiot this season, I must say

Of. Course. Carmen has a device which just unlocks handcuffs why wouldn’t she?!

How is Devineaux not dead

HAHA SHE JUST EXAPSERATEDLY DRAGS HIM AWAY “COME ON DEVINEAUX” that is quiet honestly hilarious to me like “My god why do I have to keep dragging you out of stupidly dangerous situations involving Brunt where you get injured”

Oh? Did they rehearse Lupe jumping off Carmen’s back? Lupe had no way to know Carmen was strong or steady enough to handle that

Saira cackling at Brunt getting beat up is the best thing I’ve ever witnessed and she is drawing a thief cat oh my god

Did Lupe still win if that wasn’t her opponent and she had help from Carmen and a debatably helpful policeman

Julia my child what happened to you? Why are you like Zari now?

Devineaux just can’t keep a car in good condition ever can he? I love how Julia just stands there covering her mouth with her hands

My god Carmen are you going to tell your story and motives to every person you meet this season? Oh? Yes? Oh, okay

No, Brunt, not a single soul saw your face. Nope. 

VILE is so, so very unsinister during most of these episodes. They went from murder and trauma to pumpkin carving and nougat

Well, anyway. I’ll do more episodes coming soon.

[carmenxjulia]

You Never Did Get My Name Ch5

Title: You Never Did Get My Name, Chapter 5

Description: ✓ Date: set. ✓ Friend: worried. ✓ Feelings: confusing.

[Read on AO3]

"You agreed to what?!"

Carmen flinched at the volume of the voice in her earpiece. She was lounging on the couch in her hotel suite, evaluating her recently freed arm. Since meeting with Julia, she'd been able to get her cast off, and was working to build back the muscle that had atrophied during her recovery. She'd also decided to casually mention her future plans with the agent to her best friend and confidant.

"It's just dinner, Player."

"Dinner at her house. This is seriously dangerous, Red."

"It's actually an apartment."

Player inhaled sharply. He certainly wasn't happy about this latest development, and Carmen was unnervingly calm about the whole thing. Unsurprisingly, her nonchalance failed to put the young hacker at ease. "Did you forget Julia works for a government agency that's trying to take you down?"

"Are they, though? Obviously, it's still Chase Devineaux's top priority, but we don't actually know what A.C.M.E.'s motives are."

"Or what A.C.M.E. even is. You should have checked if Julia had a keycard!"

"Player, I told you, I can't."

"Why not? You've never had a problem taking things from an enemy before. It would really help us to have some information on this mysterious group Chase is working for. Considering Julia Argent is still his partner, safe to say they're both still on the same team. We could know what team that is by now," Player hinted at his annoyance.

"That's just it. I don't think Jules is my enemy. Chase Devineaux would have definitely set a trap for me during our first encounter, but she didn't."

"Maybe Julia is smarter than that and she knew you'd suspect something. Maybe the trap is your second encounter."

Carmen groaned on the other end of the line, trying to figure out how she could convince her oldest friend that Julia was more or less harmless. She stood and began to pace as she attempted to come up with a reasonable way to refute Player's fears. But the more she thought about this entire situation, the less she could rationalize it.

Their casual interaction on the train was the start. It had been easy for Carmen to infer Julia was working with Chase, judging from the use of partner- specifically, "travel partner"- and the C.D. initials from the suitcase she'd noticed sitting on the adjacent seat. While Chase had easily picked her out among the other passengers, Julia appeared to be totally oblivious in her presence. Carmen couldn't blame her, though. They'd never had a close encounter, and Julia was a new detective with nothing to go off of except candid photos and blurry video footage.

After that, Julia had been daring enough to use the number Carmen had left for her. It took weeks, and, surprisingly, the call didn't come from someone at Interpol or A.C.M.E. If Julia had told anyone in her agency about the contact point, no doubt they would have wanted to act immediately. Tracking wouldn't have worked, Player had made sure of that. But contact would have been made sooner. Somehow, there was nothing strange or unnatural in the way Julia had spoken. No indication she was working with others or trying to set a trap or pry as much information as possible from someone who, as far as she was concerned, was a wanted criminal. With her training, Carmen was pretty good at deducing when someone was toying with her, and in talking with Julia, she didn't feel she was being deceived or manipulated. Not on the phone, and not even in person.

Their meetup had been so ordinary. So normal. And when Carmen laid down the ground rule that they weren't to discuss work, Julia respected it. She didn't protest the boundaries Carmen set, the things she was vague about or the topics she declined to speak of. Whereas Chase always threatened to arrest her, Julia was content to chat and have coffee sitting right across from her. It didn't make sense, but then, neither did her decision to leave Julia a way to get in touch with her. Everything was based on a feeling, one Carmen couldn't rationalize or justify.

It should have sent up a red flag, a dozen red flags, when Julia invited her to her own home. But instead, it made Carmen appreciate her openness. Player was right to be cautious. They'd always had to be cautious before, with everyone. But they'd learned to trust Ivy and Zack, so why didn't their little team have room for one more? Maybe not as an official member; but some sort of ally on the other side of the law wouldn't be so bad. Funny, how that hadn't been her plan all along and the idea was just now occurring to her.

Her invitation had seemed spontaneous, not planned or premeditated, like she'd come to the café with the intention of capturing her at a later date. Even if she had, there was no guarantee Carmen would accept the invitation, which would make setting a trap at a second meeting a risk. A risk Interpol, and likely this new agency Julia was working with, wouldn't be willing to take. It was still possible, but not nearly as likely.

When it boiled down to it, Carmen only had a feeling to go on that Julia's intentions were sincere, with no hidden malicious motives. She had, so far, given Carmen no reason to suspect her of plotting something, aside from her obvious association with Chase and previous association with Interpol. Maybe it was because she was so fresh and new, that she was willing to give Carmen a chance at all. A chance at what, she wasn't sure. Perhaps a chance to make a case for her not-so-sinister misdeeds? It was certainly more than any other law enforcement official had given her before.

"It's complicated," was all she managed to come up with. Because it was.

"Doesn't sound complicated to me. This date is a ruse and you're walking into a trap," Player's eye roll was almost audible.

"You don't know that-"

"You don't know that it's not."

"We can trust her."

"Why? Why do you think that?"

"Did you say this was a date?"

"Don't try to deflect the question."

"Not a date, don't call it that."

"I'll call Zack and Ivy if you don't take some precautions."

Carmen smiled to herself, leaning against the back of the couch. It was nice to have someone care about her wellbeing and safety, not just for the sake of a mission, but because they were genuinely worried about her. More importantly, Player was wearing down. This next meeting wasn't something she was going to budge on. Trap or not, with or without Player's approval, she was going. But he was right, taking some precautions would definitely be wise.

"We've already been over the location," Carmen confirmed. "It's a personal apartment, one Julia's been renting since before she started working for Interpol. The chance of a direct connection is slim to none. The property is privately owned, not managed by Interpol or some other secret agency. Sounds pretty ordinary."

"Could still be a cover," Player didn't sound convinced.

"Or it could just be the place she goes home to after work. Most people have those. Pretty standard, normal stuff."

"Since when have you been into "standard, normal stuff" Red?"

"My entire life has been everything except normal. Maybe I want a change."

"Hello? Yeah, someone seems to have replaced my friend, Carmen Sandiego the super thief, with a very unconvincing doppelganger."

"Very funny, Player. Being laid up gave me time to think. I didn't have a typical childhood. And even now, I'm not exactly living a typical adulthood, either. But V.I.L.E. won't be around forever, and when they give up or disband or maybe even die off, what do I do then? Where will I go? What will I do?"

"I always figured you'd cross that bridge when you got to it."

"So did I. But you know me, I always have to have a plan. I guess some part of me wants to be ready for that eventuality. Even if it's years away. What's my next move when there's no more V.I.L.E.?"

"That's great, Red. So what does Julia have to do with finding yourself?"

"She lives that normal life I might have someday. I can learn from her."

"And you picked an Interpol agent to learn from, why?"

"She seemed available at the time."

"Available, huh?"

"Yes. Available. And despite being a government agent, she was willing to sit down and talk-"

Player's snicker on the other end of the line did not escape Carmen's keen ears.

"What is so funny?"

"You're sure this isn't a date? I get it if you don't want me to know, and I think it's a really bad idea to go out with someone who's a potential threat. But you do like to live on the edge and it doesn't seem like I'm going to stop you. So just tell me the truth, Red."

"Player, we've had one conversation. One. Two if you count the first time we met. And I'm a wanted criminal. There's no way Julia would- Not that I'd want to either, I barely know her- Even if-"

"She's available?"

It all clicked into place. "That is NOT what I meant and I don't even know that for sure!"

"Real convincing, Red. Your motives are crystal clear. Clear as Karl."

"I'll tell you the truth, Player. The truth is, I don't know what this is, or where it's going. I don't know, I can't even figure it out for myself, and that's why it's so complicated."

"You trust her. And I trust you. If you really think it's safe, I won't bring it up anymore."

"No, you should be worried, and so should I. I… appreciate you looking out for me. I'll be sure to check in with you before I arrive, when I get there, and when I leave."

"And once during dinner."

"If I can, without Julia suspecting anything. She doesn't know you exist, and I'd rather keep it that way."

"Good to see you haven't lost all sense," Player joked.

"Not that I had much to begin with. I live life on the edge, remember? Playing by my own rules. Running from the law!"

"Having dinner with the law."

"Super edgy, I know."

"Just be careful. Don't let your guard down."

"I won't. I promise. Julia may seem harmless, but she has a secret organization backing her up. And if she isn't setting a trap, I'm going to find out what kind of person Julia Argent really is."

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