#i found it very silly that the transformed side of battles are supposed to be fighting AGAINST phyrexia

[dravidious]

You're neat

Good news! We've created a weapon to fight back the phyrexians!

It took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears, but we finally-

Wait

Oh no

Oh no oh no oh no

They're using it bETTER THAN US-

[cloud-navi]

So I finally finished Transformers EarthSpark, lowkey love it. (Maltobots/Terrans)

⚠️ SPOILERS AHEAD ⚠️

Maltos (cont.) (Maltobots)

- Twitch Malto

I love how dedicated she is to her family and cares for them. Her strive to work hard to keep them safe like her determination to find a way out of the bunker when they get locked in for the first time is crazy. I think Hashtag getting taken into GHOST HQ really kickstarted her need to protect her siblings and family as she was so worried for Hashtags safety. Ngl the way she uses her wing blades (?) dual handed and her instincts in leading her family in the finale really reminds me Leo from TMNT, perhaps not all Leo’s but a few like 2012 and 2018-2020 (movie) Leo. I really think she took to Bee’s training a bit better then Thrash did and definitely used every little bit she did and inferred in that final battle. 

- Thrash Malto

I like Thrash, he’s a silly dude, I just find the whole episode with Swindles very difficult to understand. Okay so they played a mock battle (AvD) and that somehow lead to being insecure about how much Dot and Alex like you? My guy you just destroyed part of the house from game, its reasonable to not want giant robots inside the very much not robot-sized house. I don’t see the point in having that tent in the yard when theres a whole ass barn that the Malto’s decided to make more home-y and like an actual room for you. Its not a giant deal if you can’t go in Mo’s room but you can still talk to her from the window if she hasn’t come down yet.

I kinda think he might have some separation anxiety and that might be why he doesn’t like being separated from Mo that much but it was completely reasonable to not want them inside the house.

- HashTag Malto

Honestly watching her get easily distracted by the tablet while searching for an alt-mode really makes me think she could have ADHD (not just because of that but definitely feels like one indicator). I like the idea that she’s able to hack through the wifi which makes a lot of sense for bots to be able to do, like BV Soundwave on the satellite.

I love all the allegories in this show, really puts things into a perspective thats not technically real-life so its easier to see the problem, emotions and understanding of things when its not connected to you. When it’s connected to you then it feels more personal, thats why people don’t like to watch shows that could talk about topics that they deal with sometimes. I love the allegory they used the Transformers to show even some little ways that racism still exists even if its not the systemic side of the problem. The way the portray HashTag and the other bots when they find the ‘Transformers Go Home’ graffiti really shows how it doesn’t matter if you’re born there, if people view you as different they’re going to deem you not worthy of being there, as well as masking it like with things like ‘oh it’s directed towards Decepticons’ but everyone really knows that it isn’t and that’s blatantly a terrible thing to say regardless if it was “supposed” to directed towards one group of people (Decepticons) in a certain demographic (Cybertronians/Terrans).

I also love the allegory of found family the use in the same episode. Like how Robby stands up to Steven for making rude comments about the Terrans and how they aren’t “actually his family.” Robby stood up for the Terrans because they’re his siblings regardless of age or species, which ties back to the racial undertones of the episode as its so common for others to make comments about interracial families if its found family or just a mixed family that may or may not look more like one side then the other.

Making HashTag the one to get hacked by Mandriod makes a lot of sense as her need to protect her family (like Twitch) is strong and it shows that even in the pursuit of protecting the people you care about you can end up hurting them. Granted she was being hacked and controlled but it was her drive to protect that made her decide to get on the plat form and confront Mandriod. In the pursuit of protection, unexpected revelations and plan changes from outside factors can lead to hurting the people you love the most even if that wasn’t your intention or by your doing.

I love the understanding she has with Starscream, just in the few minutes if not hours of being controlled and forced to feel alone she was able to connect it to how the majority of victims feel while being abused, hurt and alone. She, unlike a good amount of bots throughout the franchise had high enough empathy levels to understand and connect to Star. I love that she listened to him and validated his feelings. Its one thing to hear someone tell you how they feel or what they’re thinking but its a completely different thing to listen, and Hashtag listened. (Literally almost cried at that scene Star deserves so much).

- JawBreaker Malto

He’s a real sweet heart and using him to make another allegory is perfect. The entire episode “Outtakes” is about him asking the other bots how they picked their alt-modes “because he wants it to pick the perfect one for him the first time.” While that sentence sounds just like he might be lazy and doesn’t wanna keep changing to find one that works best or is a perfectionist trying to get it just right, it actually is a better allegory for Gender Identity and finding what title you think fits you best. Through the episode he asks everyone how they ‘knew it was for them’ or how they picked it. The big thing Elita said was “listen to your spark, it will tell you when you find it.” Which is basically an elder gay telling a younger generation they’ll know in their heart when they find it.

All jokes aside, in the allegory the search for a “perfect alt-mode” is the same as the search for the perfect gender identity/pronouns and gender understanding in one’s self. JawBreakers search for an alt mode is like a queer persons search for a title or definition to understand who they are. Like a searching for sub-identities under main umbrellas. A Flier isn’t always a Seeker but a Seeker is always a Flier, its like trying to find which model plane you are compared to others, trying to find advice on how to pick which one best fits you.

I honestly didn’t think the dino-alt would stick with JawBreaker, it just didn’t seem like him to me but with little amount of episodes they could make I understand the need to give him one before the finale.

To me, giving JawaBreaker an alt-mode is kind of a double edged blade. The concept of using alt-modes as a form of gender identity is really interesting and using JawBreaker as a way to explore that 1) giving him an alt can represent the people that did end up finding an identity that fit them and how they feel but also 2) it takes away any possible rep for queer people that don’t have an ‘identity’ suitable to them. Let me explain: I use the term identity as a substitute for the whole explanation’al mess that is finding ‘gender terms’ that have a definition (transwoman, someone who identifies as a woman without necessarily being AFAB) that feels like them and similar to how they experience life in their vessel.

My “2)” point is that giving JawBreaker an Alt mode is giving rep to queer people that were able to find an ‘identity’ while also taking that away from queer people that struggle to find what fits them. Of course representation is still representation and its nice to see it even if it can’t exactly go both ways, which is fine.

⚠️ This is an allegorical theory, in no way shape or form does this apply to the entirety of the queer experience for everyone ⚠️

- NightShade Malto

Love them, very silly. They’re very smart and I love how they were a direct allegory for a different aspect of some queer experiences. While there’s people that know how they identify and what to call their feeling, and there are others that struggle with finding that, theres some that don’t think about it (like me) and some that don’t actively search for a term even if they want a title for it. NightShade didn’t know they’re identity fell under Nonbinary until they met Sam (love sam).

Not only that but how the creators continued the queer identity alt-mode theme with NightShade and how they picked theirs. At first NightShade felt already complete with how they were and didn’t feel like they needed an alt-mode (which is valid, and with the allegory its still valid because some people might not want/like ‘identity terms/labels’) but the creators also added the layer of self expression and how an ‘alt-mode’ can be another way to express yourself through their conversation with Truantulas.

I like NightShade’s pick I just don’t care for how they designed it. For any bird alt-mode honestly AirRazor’s feels like the best kinda bird design (not including the cassetticons).

⚠️ again this is not the queer experience for everyone, just an allegorical theory ⚠️

[jennyjourneys]

Arc 1 - Chapter 4: Witch-Fight in the Forest

Jenny and the Witches defeat the Old Man of the Marshmallow. A key is found.

They're battling it out. Ginger is doing what she can with spells to raise the wind — sending branches of sugarcane and leaves made of toffee at the two battling behemoths — but it's not doing much. 

Suddenly, I have an idea. 

I tap into my teleportation powers and zap Aunt Ginger to the other side of the Candy Forest. 

“What?” growls the Old Man, his bat-like face becoming more human again, his form shrinking. “Where did she go?” 

I think fast. My Aunt is a witch, but ‘I’ am not. I'm not supposed to know anything about magic. 

So, he'll think it's a new power of Ginger's. Or — 

“Westwind,” he growls. The Old Man's eyes narrow. “You did this. To save her. How noble. What would your brother say?” 

I have to say something. I can't let Westwind deny it, can’t let him know the truth. 

“No, it wasn't Old Mother Westwind. It was my Aunt. Her powers have doubled since you've been trapped in that marshmallow.” I get swept up. “No, tripled!”

“Tripled!?” 

“They’ve gotten three times — no, four times as —!”

"FOUR TIMES! No, I don't think so.” 

“FOUR TIMES!”

“Nooo!” 

“That's what I said!”

“Well, what else can she do?” he asks angrily. 

 I smile. 

 “This," I say. And I snap my fingers.

Suddenly Ginger reappears — she's turned into a different monster now, something like a giant scorpion with a huge sting. She's surrounded by a cloud of black smoke and her eyes are glowing red. She's on the verge of transforming into something even worse! 

 “You can't be serious,” she yells at me. “What did you just do?”

“I was saving you.”

“That's not funny!”

“You were going to die otherwise!”

“Are you threatening me?”

“No, of course not.” 

She narrows her eyes. 

“GINGER!” I yell, exasperated. “What?”

“LOOK DOWN!” 

 She does — and realises I've zapped her back, not where she was, but a hundred feet above the clearing what she'd been battling the Old Man of the Marshmallow. He's looking very small beneath her, especially now that he's turned back into more-or-less-human form. 

“JUST LET YOURSELF FALL!” I shout. 

She grins (which looks very odd on a scorpion face). 

“You're right,”" she says. "You're right. I'm sorry —” And she drops. The Old Man finally looks up. He's obviously understood nothing of this conversation. 

“Oh. …Oh,  no,” he says. 

 Ginger lands with great fracas, and I teleport over to her side. 

 “We did it,” she says, panting a little. “You did it, Jenny. He's gone.”

The scorpion form falls away, leaving a familiar, skinny old woman lying on her back. She picks herself up and then looks down behind her. Something is lying on the ground. 

A crushed marshmallow. 

And next to it, something else. She picks it up — a small key. 

 “What's that?” I ask. 

 “I say,” Ginger mutters, giving me a very narrow look and pointedly not replying. “You've got some powers there. I've never seen anything like that before.” 

 “I know,” I explain. ”Not all versions of me can use their powers like this. I think your niece could only communicate mentally with us other Jennies… and even then, only in dreams.”

“Well, better get going,” she says, dusting herself off.

“Going? Going where?” Westwind asks. 

I notice that the wound in her chest has completely disappeared. Her own magic, or an effect of the Old Man’s defeat? I wonder.

“Yes, you can come too,” says Ginger distractedly. “If you want. But I was talking to my niece.” She holds up the key. “At last, I have this. All these years I’ve been looking for it… and all these years, it was in that brigand’s pocket.”

“In the marshmallow,” I add. 

“Yes,” says Ginger.

“This is a very silly world,” I observe, talking to myself. Then I ask: “What does it open?”

"It opens the gates," says Ginger.

"The gates of what?" I ask.

She smiles and replies: “Why, the gates of your mind, sweetheart.” And with no further warning, she takes the key and plunges it into my forehead.

Go to Arc 1 - Chapter 3 - The Old Man of the Marshmallow

Go to Arc 1 - Chapter 5 - Journey to the Centre of Jenny Everywhere

[gingwrites]

Untitled Vampire AU (ot7) - Part 6

Series Masterlist | BTS Masterlist

Summary: Min Yoongi gets turned into a vampire and abandoned by his sire, but is adopted by the Kim coven.

aka

I decided to turn my one shot about maknae yoongi teething as a vampire into a full fic. Title subject to change. I just really have no idea what to name it right now.

Pairing: Established ot6, future ot7

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The next few days passed in the same fashion, Yoongi sleeping most of the day away, and during the few times he was awake, he was eating. It was still a battle to get Yoongi to slow down while drinking, giving himself a tummy ache most of the time, though never as bad as that first one. The others were content to take turns watching over him.

“Why’s he sleeping so much?” Well, mostly content. “I just want to play with the baby and get to know him!” Jungkook whined.

“He’s a baby, Kookie,” Seokjin sighed. The three maknaes had been getting a little restless lately, spending more and more time watching over Yoongi, waiting for the moment he would next wake up.

“So?”

“So? Do you not remember anything about when you changed?” Seokjin replied. “You know very well that vampire changes don’t happen instantaneously. His body is changing and it’s taking a toll on him. He needs all the rest he can get.”

“Oh,” Jungkook pouted. He wanted to spend time with the baby, but he definitely wanted him to be healthy.

Seokjin patted the seat next to him on the couch, indicating for the younger boy to join him, which he happily did, launching himself into his hyung’s side. Seokjin let out a grunt when Jungkook landed on him, but a smile still spread over his face at the younger’s antics.

“I know you really want to spend some quality time with the baby, but right now, the best thing for him is to sleep and eat. You have all the time in the world to get to know him. Have a little patience,” Seokjin soothed, pulling Jungkook further under his arm.

“Okay, hyung,” the younger boy still pouted, but this time his lip wasn’t sticking out quite as much since he was getting cuddled.

After about a week of Yoongi being with the Kim coven, Yoongi started staying awake for longer periods of time and being more aware when he was, causing the maknaes to be constantly surrounding their new baby, always wanting to be the one to hold his attention.

“So now that I think I’ve finally had a chance to process everything, I have a few questions,” Yoongi asked one night when they were all gathered in the living room after Yoongi’s feeding. 

“Ask away,” Seokjin nodded, happy to see that Yoongi seemed to be accepting the fact that he was a vampire now. Maybe all he had needed was a chance to process it internally and let his body take some much needed rest.

“Okay, so I know we don’t sparkle in the sun from personal experience,” Yoongi started, glancing over at Jimin when the older vampire let out a small growl at the mention of the state he had been in when found. “But, does the sun actually kill us, or is it just really, really painful?”

“Well, you’re a baby, so the sun is more harmful to you than it is to someone older, like me,” Seokjin replied. “You’ll eventually build up a sort of tolerance to it, but that will take a while. If you were to stay out in the sun for a long period of time now, it could kill you, but it would be a super slow and painful death.”

“So you’re not going anywhere near a window or outside anytime soon,” Namjoon commanded. The others all nodded their heads in agreement. Yoongi wasn’t about to argue with them. He never wanted to feel that pain again.

“But like I said, as you get older, you’ll build a tolerance to it,” Seokjin continued. “It won’t kill you once that happens, but you can still get burned, though not anywhere near as bad and it would take a longer period of time in the sun.”

“Okay,” Yoongi nodded, taking in the new information. “Next question: I thought I was supposed to have fangs?”

Seokjin chuckled, but before he could respond, Jungkook spoke up.

“You mean like these?” Jungkook had a massive grin on his face when Yoongi looked over. Two little glints caught his eye, and Yoongi leaned over before he could stop himself. Without even thinking about it, he brought his hand up to Jungkook’s mouth and gently touched the tip of one of the shiny teeth that he’d never seen before.

“Ow!” Yoongi quickly pulled his hand back, sticking his finger in his mouth to help soothe the pain.

“You hurt the baby!” Taehyung yelled, leaning over to slap Jungkook’s shoulder.

“I’m okay!” Yoongi quickly reassured, not wanting the others to blame Jungkook or see Jungkook sad that Yoongi had hurt himself because he was dumb enough to touch a vampire fang.

“Back to your question,” Seokjin spoke up, ceasing the small slapping fight Jungkook and Taehyung had gotten into, “You will get fangs, but it’s not an overnight process. Think like an actual human baby. Their teeth come in slowly and they go through a teething process. The rest of your body has gone, and will continue to go, through changes for about the next six months or so. It’s one of the reasons why you’ve been sleeping so much lately. Your body needs a chance to recover from all the changes.”

“Okay. Can we see our reflection?” Yoongi asked next.

“Yes,” Seokjin stated simply.

“We actually used to not be able to,” Namjoon followed up. “Nowadays, mirrors are made of different materials than they used to be, but vampiric myths obviously haven’t caught up.”

“Garlic?”

Everyone but Seokjin (and Yoongi) burst into laughter, Jin’s entire face turning red.

“What? What’d I say?” Yoongi questioned, confused as to why that had been funny.

“You can blame that entire myth on Seokjin!” Jimin was able to get out through his laughter.

“Jin was allergic to garlic when he was human,” Hoseok started.

“And it somehow carried over when he was turned,” Namjoon continued when Hoseok couldn’t because he was laughing so hard. Yoongi snuck a glance over a Seokjin who was still as red as a tomato.

“Our Jinnie here is old enough to have been around when people still believed vampires and other ‘mythological’ creatures were real,” Namjoon continued the story. “The village he was living in decided he was a vampire and had captured him. They were holding him in a barn while they were attempting to set up a pyre to burn him at the stake. It was a very dramatic time if you can imagine.

“But, it was harvest season and the owner of the barn had just harvested all his crops. Jin was tied up next to a basket full of, you guessed it, garlic. His allergy is so bad that even smelling it can sometimes cause him to break out in hives and his throat to close up. Which is exactly what happened. The humans quickly figured out what the garlic was doing, but they wrongly assumed that it would kill him and that it applied to all vampires.

“Luckily, Seokjin was able to escape before any lasting damage was done, but the myth stuck and was quickly passed around from village to village,” Namjoon finished the story, much to the amusement of the others.

“I hate you all,” Seokjin mumbled, arms crossed over his chest.

“Love you, too, hyung!” Taehyung sing-songed.

Yoongi couldn’t help the small smile on his face. It was a little funny if he was being honest. And raised the question of how old Seokjin actually was, but he guessed that was a question for another time.

“Do you have any more questions?” Seokjin asked, trying to get the others to move on and leave him in peace (which he knew was never going to happen, but he loved them all the same).

Yoongi thought for a moment, thinking of all the vampire movies he’d seen in his lifetime, which surprisingly wasn’t a lot. He had never really been much of a supernatural fan, which he found ironic now.

“Super speed? Super healing? Super strength?”

“Yes, yes, and yes, though there are limitations,” Namjoon was the one that answered this time. “We’re definitely not as fast or as strong as the movies make us out to be, but we definitely have an advantage over humans. But you’ll need to learn to control both once you’ve finally finished your transformation.”

“As for healing,” Seokjin took over, “There are limitations for that as well. You have to be well fed for you to have accelerated healing, which is why your burns were so bad when Jimin found you. You hadn’t fed, so your burns couldn’t heal.”

“So what can kill me?” Yoongi asked nervously, not really sure he wanted to know the answer to that question.

“Most things that would kill a human won’t kill you,” Namjoon replied. “Besides the sun when you’re still a baby, a stake through the heart, fire, silver bullet, and decapitation. Those are pretty much the only things that humans have continued to get right over the years. You can’t get sick, and even if you’re injured, no matter how bad the injury, as long as you can feed, you’ll heal just fine.”

Yoongi nodded, taking in all the new information. He felt like his brain was going to explode. There was so much to learn, but at least he had forever (literally) to learn it all. And people who would teach him and actually seemed to like teaching him.

“Just one more question for now,” Yoongi said after another moment of processing, feeling himself starting to get tired again. “Is there anything else that’s super important to know about vampires? I mean, can we fly? Do we have special powers? Can I read minds?”

The others laughed, causing a smile to spread across Yoongi’s face at his silly suggestions.

“No, no flying or mind reading,” Hoseok laughed.

“Ooo! But some vampires do have special powers!” Jungkook bounced in his seat.

“Like Jin hyung!” Taehyung all but yelled.

Yoongi quickly turned to the older vampire, not expecting this turn of events. Seokjin’s eyes flashed purple, but he blinked and they were back to their normal brown, making Yoongi wonder if he’d just been seeing things.

“So you have special powers?” Yoongi asked, curious as to why this hadn’t been brought up before.

“Yes, I have special powers,” Seokjin spoke slowly, choosing his words carefully. “Not all vampires have powers. It’s very rare and is different from person to person.”

The room was quiet while Yoongi processed his words.

“Oh! What if Yoongi has powers?” Jungkook yelled, causing the fledgling to jump.

“He doesn’t,” Namjoon quickly spoke up, crushing any hope that Yoongi might have already had about potentially having special powers. “You know they show up once a fledgling is turned. None of us saw anything, so no powers, unfortunately. Like Seokjin said, they’re very rare.”

Yoongi had turned to look at Namjoon while he spoke, but Yoongi saw Seokjin flinch  ever so slightly out of the corner of his eye at Namjoon’s words, but by the time he’d glanced over, Yoongi didn’t see anything amiss. That’s the second time his eyes seemed to be playing tricks on him. Maybe he was more tired than he felt.

“Alright, that’s enough questions for now. We can answer any more questions you have tomorrow,” Seokjin spoke up, taking command of the room. “Time for you to get back to sleep, baby. You’re barely sitting up on your own as it is.” 

Before Yoongi could process it, he was laid across the couch, head in Hoseok’s lap, blanket tucked around his body, Hoseok’s hands running through his hair. Yoongi’s eyes slipped shut before anyone could even tell him ‘goodnight.’

As Seokjin washed Yoongi’s bloody thermos in the sink later that night, he kept thinking about their conversation. He still hadn’t told the others about what he had seen. If he’d even seen anything at all. He wasn’t trying to hide anything from them, but he didn’t want to cause a mess if it was all for nothing. It was just nothing, right? It had to have been a trick of the light. Afterall, no magic had manifested itself since then.

Seokjin shook his head, trying to clear the intrusive thoughts. It was nothing. It had been nothing. There was no way that Yoongi had powers, had those powers. Maybe if he kept repeating it, it’d be true. 

.

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Finally an update! I finally had inspiration for what I wanted to happen in this chapter this afternoon, so I've been working on this update since then! I hope you all like it! Let me know what you think! If you have any fluffy ideas/requests, let me know here, on ao3, or twitter/curious cat (@/yoongismandu)! I want to have a bit more 'normal life' and Yoongi adjusting to being a vampire before I get into the plot that I actually have planned for this fic.

[essays-for-breakfast]

Tales of the Past

Kiane Week Day Three: Innocence

Note: Since the identity of King’s and Diane’s child is still a mystery, I simply incorporated Ivy from my other story, Conquest of the Past, into this. You don’t have to read that one to understand this one shot. Please enjoy.

Doesn’t time fly?

One day the Holy War scourged the lands of Britannia, a threat to all life and all light, and the next King kissed Diane and sealed their unending bond through the marriage he had dreamed of for so long.

One day he held his newborn daughter in his arms, mesmerized by every breath she took, and the next she talked in full sentences and outran him in a race to the silver springs and back home.

Life hurried past so quickly, it never stopped for King to catch up, and before he knew, his daughter would grow up to go her own way. Even his increased life span as Fairy King didn’t allow for enough time to appreciate all these precious moments, to savor all the talks and all the embraces and all the kisses before time placed the veil of forgetfulness over them. But life always had a new gift in store to repay the bittersweet taste on King’s tongue when his mind drifted to the inevitable end. A simple walk, a simple conversation, a simple smile – he never needed more.

Few things these days filled King with the same warmth as when he watched his daughter play. Ivy hopped across the root-infested earth of the Fairy King’s Forest, in pursuit of a butterfly. Unlike her mother, she took a liking to bugs and critters of all kind, maybe more so than to the Fairies around her.

His thoughts circled around her in lazy turns, like ponderous bees in the summer heat, and so he nearly missed the low-hanging sycamore branch in Ivy’s path.

“Ivy, be careful or you will…” She craned her neck towards King but didn’t bother to slow her steps. Her temple crashed against the branch, and she went down. “… or you will bump your head!”

King pushed his wings to their limits and raced to where Ivy lay in the grass. But she sat herself back up before he reached her, and a sigh slipped his lips.

Ivy rubbed her head. “That branch wasn’t there last week. Do I have to die now?”

“Don’t say such silly things, you won’t die. Not on my watch.”

King flicked his fingers, and Chastifol manifested by his side, enwrapped by a golden aura. Another turn of his hand later, the Spirit Spear transformed into the translucent dome of its eight form. Ivy gaped and giggled as the pollen of the Sacred Tree healed her wound and replenished her energy. The cramp between King’s shoulders disappeared, and he allowed himself three additional breaths surrounded by the scent of flowers and the transient sound of windchimes. But, although he had plenty of magical energy to spare, the excessive use of Pollen Garden remained a lavish act.

“Everything alright now?” King asked as the gold-patterned walls disintegrated.

Ivy nodded. “It doesn’t hurt one bit! I thought I was done for.”

“I won’t let anything happen to you. I promised you that, don’t you remember? But I’m afraid that the branch above us was there last week as well. You are growing too fast.”

“And soon I will be twice as tall as you! Do you think I will be as tall as mommy one day?”

“Maybe. But I hope you take your time with growing up. Just a little bit, for my sake.”

“I don’t like being so tall anyway. Every time Lance comes over to visit, I feel like he is getting smaller. Hitting his head with a ball becomes so much harder when the target’s so tiny.”

King opted for a serious expression, but the round violet eyes of his daughter melted any steel in his voice. “Ivy, you’re not supposed to hit him.”

“Why? He always gets back to his feet the next second. He’s a sore loser, it’s not my fault he can’t admit that I’m the better thrower.”

“I just don’t want you to do something you will regret later on. You are incredibly strong, and looking at your mother, I think you will become even stronger. But strength can be used for the wrong reasons. In a moment of carelessness, strength can become a weapon to hurt others, including people you care about. I fought your uncle once because I was blinded by loss and thoughts of betrayal. I wanted to hurt him. And I did. And he wasn’t the only one I hurt. I don’t want you to make the same mistakes I did.”

Ivy crossed her arms. “But you’re not a fighter. I’ve never seen you so much as argue with someone. Not even with uncle Ban, even though he tells terrible jokes and talks too much when he is drinking that weird stuff in the glass bottles with the unseemly pictures.”

“You’d be surprised by how many battles your mother and I have fought. Come on. Let me show you something.”

Ivy straightened and climbed back to her feet – the last time King had offered her a hand, the attempt had ended in a dislocated shoulder on his part and a stream of sobs and apologies on Ivy’s part. After throwing the branch in her path a final death glare, Ivy caught up with King, and together they navigated the maze of tree trunks and broom bushes. The pathless forest allowed for uncounted places to hide and get lost beneath the dense canopy. But King knew every stone and every plant, could differentiate sections of the vast woodland by the sound of its leaves and the unique scents of morels or honey agarics. The energy of the forest was an ever-changing pattern that gave him a better understanding of where his wings carried him than any map. And so, he found the clearing overgrown with sweet woodruff in a matter of minutes.

Ivy pulled in a sharp breath. Amidst the greenery lay a war hammer of thirty feet length. The sun reflected from the bronze head. Despite a lack of recent polish, neither weather nor plant life had touched the Sacred Treasure; Gideon looked the same as on the day Diane had placed it here.

Ivy ran over and put her hands around the hilt. But she only managed to nudge the pommel from the ground. The head remained glued to its resting spot.

“What is this?” she asked and puffed when her next battle against Gideon’s weight proved fruitless. “It must weigh more than you and me combined!”

King smiled. “A lot more. This is your mother’s Sacred Treasure. She wielded it in the New Holy War.”

“No way. Mom fought in a war? And you were with her? Did you win?”

“Yes, we won. We won battles against knights and Demons, and even the foulest creature of all them all, the Demon King himself.”

Ivy abandoned her assault on Gideon long enough to gawk at King. “You mean you and mom were heroes? You took responsibility for all the many people out there and protected them?”

“Not us two alone, no. We had friends to rely on. Your uncle Ban, the Captain, and Gowther among many more. You remember them, don’t you? It’s important to have friends you can trust. So, next time you play catch with Lancelot, maybe try to be a little more careful. If you’re both nice to each other, your bond will eventually reward you, maybe in a way you never expected.”

“Yeah, sure, as long as he admits that I’m the better thrower. What else happened during the war? The people must admire you very much for saving them.”

“I believe they did. Some still do. But I never fought to gain their favor. If anything, I felt a little uncomfortable with all the parties they threw to honor the Seven Deadly Sins. There was a lot of gratefulness, some of these people gained a freedom they never knew before the war. And without the war on the horizon, the Seven Deadly Sins might have never been assembled, and Diane and I might have never reunited. Most likely she would have found someone else, maybe not the Captain, but someone who would have been willing and eager to give her the love she deserves. It’s easy to say that all fighting is bad, and I will be the first to admit that the Holy War claimed far more victims because we as a group of knights did not always stand united. But at the same time, I’m glad I can’t turn back the clock. Because otherwise, we wouldn’t have had you.”

King stroked Ivy’s soft, reddish-brown locks. She leaned into the touch, even went so far as to wrap her arms around him.

No, King would never want to turn back time and risk the life he had now, the happy ending he and Diane had fought for. But if the Sacred Tree or another god had offered him the chance to stop the clocks and hold onto today forevermore, he might have accepted.

One day, before he knew it, Ivy would be grown up, and the sweet innocence of her childhood would run through his fingers no matter how desperately he begged the flow to stop. Another war might plague the lands. Another tyrant might escape the ashes, another creature sent from Purgatory or a realm beyond the world he knew. Ivy might have to take up arms to protect what she loved, just like her parents before her.

King listened to the soft breaths of his daughter and blinked away the veil of tears. “Try not to grow up too fast. Will you do that for me?”

“Okay, dad. But I will first have to ask mom if she agrees.”

A chuckle rocked King’s torso, and the grey clouds of the future backed away to gift him with another day in the sun. “Please do that. I wouldn’t want to enrage her with another one of my selfish ideas. She could drop a mountain on top of me. And I’m afraid she doesn’t need Gideon for that. How about we go back to her right away? I miss her, don’t you?”

“Very. I wanna ask her more about the war. I bet she was a super-amazing fighter if she could lift this hammer. And while we go back, I could catch another butterfly as a gift for her!”

King made a face and produced a series of undefinable sounds. “Maybe… we could look for – er – something else to surprise her with? Flowers for example. Everyone likes flowers.”

“But they’re so boring to catch! They can’t even run away!”

“Okay, okay, I’ll try to come up with something on the way home. How about some wild berries?”

“That’s not very creative. And once mom has eaten them, she’ll have nothing left to remember the gift.”

“A mushroom that looks like a face maybe?”

“How boring!”

Side by side and engrossed in a discussion loud enough to scare away swarms of song birds, father and daughter walked back home, to Diane. By the end of their journey, they had found not a single idea they could agree upon. Diane nevertheless embraced both of them with a smile and a remark of how heavy Ivy was getting.

And as she gave King a casual kiss, he stopped the clocks and held onto this moment forevermore.

[phoenix-downer]

A Test of Heart

2685 words. Gen, Friendship, Post-Canon. Covers Kairi’s Mark of Mastery exam. Written for @kairizine. A big thank you to the mods for organizing everything! 

Kairi took a deep breath. Colorful light danced along the floor from the stained glass windows, and the scale of the grand throne room she was in right now fully hit her. Countless Keyblade wielders had been here before her, and countless Keyblade wielders would come after her. Her fingers fluttered to her neck and the necklace that even now continued to protect her. That was the proud legacy she was a part of. Much like Aqua had protected her, she would protect the light and people’s hearts, too.

The day had finally arrived for her to prove herself worthy. She pulled herself to her full height as she looked Aqua straight in the eye. 

“Today you will be examined for the Mark of Mastery,” Aqua said, looking very proud as she gazed down at Kairi. Behind her, sitting on two of the three thrones as special guests, were Kairi’s closest friends in all the worlds. Sora and Riku were here to support her, happy that at last she had the chance to join their ranks as a fellow Keyblade Master.

She allowed herself a slight smile as she glanced first at Riku and then at Sora. They were both smiling, and Riku nodded briefly as Sora mouthed, “You got this!” 

Her heart swelling with courage and her nerves easing a little, she turned her attention back to Aqua.

“This is not a test of battle prowess or even of will,” Aqua continued, “but a test of heart. Kairi, are you ready?”

“Yes, I am.”

Aqua smiled and summoned her Keyblade. “Then let the examination begin.”

Pointing her Keyblade above Kairi’s head, Aqua opened up a portal to another realm. Kairi peered up at it, trying to make out what it might be. Golden light shone through it, but other than that, she couldn’t see much else. 

“Take nothing with you but what’s in your heart,” Aqua instructed. “This place may seem familiar, but it isn’t like anywhere else you’ve ever been.”

Kairi tilted her head. “What’s it like, then?”

“That all depends on what’s in your heart. Best of luck, Kairi.”

Kairi took another deep breath and hit the pauldron on her left shoulder. Moments later, her Keyblade armor covered her body and her Keyblade transformed into a glider. She swooped into the air, and with one last glance at Sora and Riku, went through the portal. 

As she emerged on the other side, it took her a few moments to figure out where she was. But the pink sky streaked with purple and the sound of water tumbling in the distance clued her in soon enough, as did all the beautiful flower beds filled with asters and sunflowers and roses and lilies. She disembarked from the glider and switched her Keyblade armor off.

Radiant Garden. Her world of origin if not her current home. Little specks of light drifted through the air and fell to the ground like shooting stars, and she tried to catch a piece of one of them in her hand. It danced in her palm as she stared at it, mesmerized. 

“Kairi,” a voice called, and she turned around.

“Aqua?” 

This wasn’t the Aqua she had just left behind; no, this was an Aqua from her past, from the time when they had first met. Kairi didn’t remember the moment clearly, at least not consciously, but perhaps her heart remembered things her mind had forgotten.

“Tell me, Kairi, what is it you are so afraid of?” Aqua asked, her expression serene.

“What is it… I’m afraid of?” Kairi repeated. Her hand fluttered to her necklace as she considered Aqua’s question. There were a lot of things she supposed she should be afraid of. Death—except she had already faced her own mortality. She’d been kidnapped several times, too, and in years past she’d feared being weak and useless. But her strongest fear of all was something else entirely. 

“Losing the people who are precious to me,” she told Aqua. 

Aqua paced back and forth on the cobblestone path. “Your honesty is admirable, Kairi, but don’t you see how that might impact your ability to be a good Keyblade Master? Fear of loss can lead you to be reckless and to hold too tightly to the past.”

“I suppose,” Kairi said, “but what’s the alternative? To not care at all? I can’t help the scars that are inside my heart, but I can choose what I do about them. Considering my past, I think I’ll always be afraid of losing the people I care about. But I won’t let that fear control me, I promise.”

Aqua smiled. “Very well spoken. The next part of your test awaits you.”

Before Kairi could ask what that meant, the scene around her faded away. New sights and sounds replaced the ones on Radiant Garden—the waves crashing upon the shore, the sun shining bright overhead, cicadas buzzing in the trees, the smell of paopu fruit and coconuts carried by the breeze.

As the scene around her materialized, she found herself sitting on the paopu tree next to Riku, just like how the two of them always used to sit here with Sora, watching the sun set. When she tilted her head to greet him, he gave her one of his classic half-smiles. This was the Riku from her youth, the Riku she’d known shortly after he’d become a Keyblade Master. 

“Kairi, what is the one thing you care about more than anything else?”

“Long walks on the beach, thalassa shell crafts, writing in my diary, sea-salt ice cream…” She grinned at Riku’s expression. “Kidding, silly! I know this is a serious question. Gimme a second to think about it.” 

What did she care about more than anything else? Her friends, of course, but more specifically than that… 

“Being with the people who are dear to my heart.” 

It wasn’t enough to say that they mattered. Of course they did, they meant everything to her, but she’d gone for too long without them to be able to bear any more long separations. 

“And if you can’t be with them?” Riku asked, his voice serious and his eyes a little sad. “If your duties as a Keyblade Master take you away from them?”

“I know, realistically, that I won’t get to spend every day with the people I love. That’s just not how life works. But I won’t accept being left behind anymore.”

“Is that what becoming a Keyblade Master means to you? No longer being left behind?”

Kairi sighed. Riku had her, and she knew it. 

“Partly. I’d be lying if I denied it. But there’s so much more to it than that. I want to protect the people who can’t protect themselves. I want to help heal the damage the darkness has caused.” 

Riku smiled, a full smile this time, and her heart filled with warmth, knowing what that smile meant. He was proud of her, and his approval meant the worlds to her. 

“It’s okay, Kairi,” he said. “No one’s motives for being a Keyblade Master are completely perfect. Not Aqua’s, not mine, not even Sora’s. What matters is the heart behind them.” 

“And my heart?” Kairi asked.

“You’ll see. The next part of your test is up ahead.”

Soon, Destiny Islands faded away, much like Radiant Garden had before it. As it did, a strong breeze picked up and blew through her hair. It lifted her off of her feet till she was flying through the air, and when it set her down again, the water rippling beneath her was a perfect mirror of the sky above. 

“The Final World?” she murmured, remembering the last time she’d been here. She’d already seen Aqua and Riku, and that meant—

“Kairi,” came Sora’s voice from behind her. She turned around, and he looked the same as he did now, perhaps to represent this part of her life. He smiled, and that was enough to ease her nerves.

Aqua, Riku, Sora—they were all rooting for her. They wanted her to succeed. She had to keep that in mind, even when they were testing her. 

“What do you wish?” he asked.

“What do I wish?” she repeated. “Like in general? Or if I become a Keyblade Master?”

He shrugged. “The question is whatever you make of it. It’s meant to reveal what’s inside your heart.”

She had to prove she was a good candidate for the Mark of Mastery. She chose her next words carefully. 

“Then… I suppose… I want to protect my friends. I want to protect the light. I want to use my powers to help people.” 

“Those are all good things, don’t get me wrong, but they’re not your heart’s deepest desire,” Sora said softly. “Let me ask you one more time: what do you wish?”

Her throat went dry and her palms were sweaty. Her heart’s deepest desire? How was she supposed to answer that? The answer was on the tip of her tongue, but actually voicing it was another thing entirely. 

“I want to be loved,” she said at last, her voice small. “I want to feel important.”

She felt Sora’s hand on her shoulder, and she dared to look into his eyes. 

“Don’t we all?” he said, his smile gentle and his eyes warm. “Trust me, Kairi, you are loved. You have the support of Riku and Aqua and the rest of our friends. And you know how much you mean to me, too. We’ve all got your back.” 

“I know,” she said, returning his smile. “It’s just scary to be vulnerable sometimes.”

“Of course it is,” he said. “But by proving you can be, you’re showing your heart’s true strength.”

“Strength through vulnerability, huh?” She gave him a teasing nudge. “Sounds like someone else I know.” 

He laughed at that. “Hey, it’s part of my job as a Keyblade Master now. I’m supposed to pass on what I’ve learned to other people.” 

“And what wisdom do you have to pass on to me, Master Sora?”

His expression grew serious. “My role in your Mark of Mastery is done, actually. I don’t know what else is ahead of you. But know this: you’re not alone,” he said, pointing at her heart. “I’m always with you, and our friends are always with you too. You’ve always been strong, and with our support, you’re that much stronger. Keep going till you reach the end. We’ll be waiting for you on the other side.”

She nodded and took a deep breath. She was getting near to the end of her Mark, she had to be. 

When Sora was gone, she expected this realm to fade away, too. But instead of the scenery around her changing, the sky darkened and the water grew choppy. 

“What’s going on?” she cried as she summoned her Keyblade. “What’s happening?”

A low chuckle sounded out behind her, and she whirled around to face the source of the noise. 

“Xehanort?”

Sure enough, the creepy old man was there, smiling cruelly at her as the wind picked up around them. Her heart sped up, her throat went dry, and her fingers felt numb as her fear and panic took over. 

Her reaction just seemed to amuse him. “After all this time, you are still weak, little princess.” 

His words snapped some sense back into her. Clutching her Keyblade tighter to steady her shaking fingers, she said, “No, I’m not weak, I’m strong! I’ll prove it!” 

The wind howled and rain began to fall as she prepared herself for battle. She’d fought Xehanort before, but she’d had Sora backing her up. Now she was all alone. She had to face him herself. This was the final test, the only thing left between her and the title of Keyblade Master. She had to face her fears from that day, deal with the trauma of seeing the man who was responsible for splitting her heart into pieces, the man who was responsible for Sora’s disappearance and everyone’s suffering—

No, wait. That couldn’t be right. That was what Xehanort wanted her to think—that she was alone and had to face him alone. But it wasn’t true. She wasn’t alone. Sora was with her. Aqua and Riku were with her too. So were the rest of her friends—Naminé, Terra and Ven, Roxas, Axel, and Xion. Mickey, Donald, and Goofy, too. With them, she was strong. 

Resting her hand over her heart, she called to the light deep within it. “My friends, I need your help!”

The light from her heart began to glow as she felt the strength from her friends flow through her. Allowing herself a brief smile, she thanked them and pointed her Keyblade at Xehanort.

“You don’t have any power over me anymore,” she said as light gathered at the tip of her Keyblade. “Now leave me alone!” 

A great blast erupted from her Keyblade and hit Xehanort full force. He shielded his face from the light, but he was no match for it. Her strength of heart proved true, and after a few moments of the continuous onslaught, he began to disappear. The waves stilled, the rain stopped, and the sky cleared. Xehanort kept fading away, and the last thing she saw of him was his smirk.

“Perhaps you are not so weak after all,” were his final words, and then he was gone. 

She let out a deep sigh of relief and let her Keyblade disappear. Something tugged at her heart, and the scenery around her began to fade. In its place the Realm of Light appeared, little by little. Before she knew it, she was back in the throne room of the Land of Departure, and Sora, Riku, and Aqua were there waiting for her.

“Kairi!” Sora and Riku cried. Sora enveloped her in a warm hug, and Riku put his arms around them both and awkwardly patted their shoulders. She pulled them both closer and hugged them tightly, glad to be back where she belonged. 

“Are you okay?” Sora asked as he leaned back, his brow furrowed.

“We sensed you were up against Xehanort,” Riku said, and his voice was strained as he searched her face.

“I’m fine,” she said softly. “Thanks to everyone’s help, I was able to face him. Well, whatever version of him lurks in my memories.” 

Sora and Riku both relaxed, and she smiled and nodded. “Thank you both, for everything,” she said, and she knew they understood. Understood that she was thanking them not only for today, but for all the times they’d supported her over the years. 

The three of them turned to face Aqua, who was beaming down at them. 

“Kairi,” she said, her lips twitching despite her best attempts to be serious. 

“Yes, Master?”

Kairi fiddled with her necklace as Aqua drug out the tension for as long as possible. 

“You performed admirably,” Aqua said at last, “showing true strength of heart in the light of challenges from your friends as well as an old enemy.” She allowed herself a radiant smile, and Kairi bit her lip as she tried to hold back a smile of her own. “You have shown the Mark of Mastery, and I declare you our newest Keyblade Master.” 

Kairi’s heart swelled. She hardly heard Aqua’s instructions afterwards; Sora and Riku were cheering too loudly, and she was far too excited herself.

“I did it! I really did it!” she cried as she jumped up and down. It was still sinking in, but the happy expressions on her friends’ faces told her this was real. 

“Congratulations, Master Kairi!” Sora crowed, and Riku grinned and ruffled her hair. 

It had been a long time coming, but at last she had joined them as a fellow Keyblade Master. She would work hard to improve peoples’ lives and do everything she could to protect the worlds. It was both her duty and her privilege as a Princess of Heart and a Keyblade Master, and she was determined to make the most of every opportunity.

Whatever the future had in store, she was ready to face it.

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A/N: Once again, thank you to the mods and other participants of the @kairizine​ for making it such a wonderful experience! If you haven’t had a chance to pick up a copy yet, the store will be open again on July 5th! 

Thanks for reading! 

[docholligay]

Time and Tide

@amberlilly requested “Michiru realizing she loves Haruka.” This is me INTENSELY on my bullshit, and I hope you enjoy grabbing your closest dictionary, i got to use so many words I rarely get an opportunity to use, I love you Michiru. 

It is terribly odd how one’s life can change, and how you believe it to be in a single moment. But that isn’t how things happen, not really. It is only that in one single moment, you realize what has been true for some time. Love is not a strike of lighting, that is only true of fools and children. Love is the tide coming in, so slow and so sure that it hardly seems different from the last moment, and then you are underwater, awakened to the knowledge that the world is not as you last left it. That this harmless thing has come in and covered everything you knew. 

There is a fortress in France, where the tide runs in, and separates it from everything, and island unto itself, and this has been my experience of love. Perhaps a better person might be as a dock or some seaside restaurant, the water only filling the space that it was always meant to, and making it lovelier, but for me it has surrounded me fully. Such it is with all things that do not prepare for love to come, I suppose. 

Rest assured that any long philippic you might offer about the nature of my heart and all its empty and cavernous spaces is already quite known to me. I reflect on that now, so desperately loving her, knowing I do not deserve her. I look at her in the long, thin blades of moonlight that cross her body and know that I am owed every ounce of pain that my heart is served.

It wasn’t always this way. In the beginning, things were so much simpler. I am a spoilt child, and this has always been true, and I wanted her as one wants a doll or a pony. I am not accustomed to being defied, and I don't care for it. The moon had already given me my twenty lashes, and so it owed me a reward. If I was trapped in this fate, at least there would be a lovely bauble to call mine and mine alone. She was handsome, and she was tall, and she was bound to me whether she wanted to be or no. 

That was enough, then. I seduced her as I have plenty of other women, thinking only that she would be a lovely mark on my record, that her low breeding and total lack of polish would annoy my parents and give my friends a good laugh. She was slow to warm to me, of course, so shy and unsure in the ways of romance and seduction, even as she puffed her chest and played the big butch. 

Maybe that was the first moment, that first gentle lap of the tide, when she took off her shirt, and she trembled, and I saw how very inexperienced she was. Haruka. I knew I had said her name, before then, but that was the first time I had tasted it on my lips. Sweet as cream, delicate as rosewater. Unburdened of the layers she put on to protect herself form the world, she looked so vulnerable, so thin and bright, a string of spun sugar catching the light. I might have loved her in the first moment then. 

She loved me, certainly. Haruka would call it a curse, that she can give her love so easily, that affection touches her so deeply, that kind words write themselves upon the sand of her soul and struggle to stay as the waves of her own self-regard wash over them. She finds herself silly, I know, for her softness. I found her silly as well, I suppose, when she became besotted with me, while trying to hold herself at a distance, a dance for which she had neither the training nor the skill. I saw her immediately for what she was. 

I wish I could say this tempered me, that I found some humanity within myself where I did not wish to hurt her. It would be a lie, and I endeavor not, at the least, to lie to myself. I was pleased. Being raised in such penury, she would need me as much as she wanted me, once she became accustomed to all those finer things, I assured myself. I wanted her to be my lapdog, my toy, the clay upon which I could mold a splendid little thing for my own decoration and delight. 

I laugh at that girl, now. How foolish she was to believe she could be so near Haruka, and feel the weight of her love, and remain dry, and safe, and in control. You have never known a girl like this one, I would tell her. She is a beauty, and she will transform you, beast that you are, into something that can almost be called human. Something that can feel fear and pain, the very heart of love. 

Perhaps the tide of love came in at my ankles when she accompanied me to a gala, when she asked me to dance and waltzed, her frame beautiful, her feet light. When she beamed and told me she had found someone to teach her, and she’d been fixing up their car in exchange, and how she wanted to surprise me. She could learn how to be classy, she whispered into my ear, and she would do her best. Flowers slipped into a tiny bud vase, served alongside an evening glass of wine. Lovingly written billets-doux describing my hair and eyes and hands, artless and plain-spoken. That earnestness. What a cruel thing. 

But I was blind even then, to how I would come to love her. I have always thought myself intelligent, and perhaps this is a sign of my greater folly, to think myself so logical against the flood that comes for so many. Perhaps I can blame the moon even for this, for bringing me this vulnerability I for so long saw as peccant. 

Even now, it frightens me, to see how I love her. What a perfect little fool I’ve become, to love something that can be taken away. 

I am often asked, what made me love her, now that we have been together these few years, and I find myself ever at a ramble. I suppose I have not done much better here. I have outlined so many small things that drew me to her, little laps of water growing higher and higher, and I could outline a dozen more at the least, all in very florid and unnecessarily embellished prose. I am almost a Rococo caricature of myself, at times, and I suppose this is cross anyone who cares to read this will be forced to bear. 

But I can tell you when I realized that love. When I realized that life slips like water through one’s fingers, and that I could know fear. 

We were in some manner of battle. This, I know, begins so many of my stories, but it is impossible to take into account how many battles I have been in and chide me overmuch on the subject. We were in battle, and it was heated and difficult. Mina was on the ropes herself, and certainly you must know how irregular a moment it was for us all. She wanted to regroup, to rethink. She did not declare us beaten, for I cannot believe that Mina would ever draw breath and consider a battle she had not won finished, but we needed to take a moment and find our footing. 

Haruka hated herself nearly as much as she loved me. I am not certain this is the venue to describe all the ways in which she has struggled over the course of her life, trying to find a reason she was born. Perhaps it is enough to tell you that her own mother was unkind on the subject of her birth, and there was little in the way of anyone to dissuade her that it was true, and the improvident moon did not consider that such a girl might be the wrong one to put into danger. Handing her something to die for, to prove her goodness and worth by her willingness to be hurt, was always a foolish gamble. 

She did not wait. 

Haruka ran toward the enemy, even as Mina yelled her sign, and I was caught quite flat-footed. Haruka did little without my go-along, you must understand, and I was so arrogant as to assume that would always be true. That even in the heat of the moment, her deference  to me could overwhelm her desire to play the hero. None of us could catch her. She was determined to have the moment of surprise. 

I remember seeing her fall to the floor. I am, despite even my own protestations, not an unfeeling creature, and perhaps any of my comrades at arms, falling in such obvious pain, might have pulled at my heartstring. But I assure you it would not have caused the immediate flash of fear and pain, so like a dagger in my chest, sharp and cold, the very breath stolen from my lungs. For a few brief moments, I could not move. I was chilled by the knowledge of which I now had possession. 

I would die for her. Worse than that, I would kill for her, I would let every single soldier beside me, all the world, crumble to ash if it could spare her life. Haruka had found something to die for, but the moon had given me something to destroy for, and if it played the fool with Haruka it had done oh so much worse with me. 

I left the girls, then. I drew my dagger as if I were pulling it from my own chest and not the buckler that made up my mirror, and I did not look back. I heard Mina call my planet, too, curse me for my own special brand of cowardice. I cared not. Court-martial me, and put me to my death, but do not ask me to endure the loss of her. I had not known, before that moment, that I was such a fragile thing. That I could so easily be undone, the ice princess in the high tower brought low by the very idea of her plaything being wounded. Knowing that no longer was she the plaything, but the princess, and I her prince, her ardent defender, the Orpheous that would happily walk myself into Hell and Hades to be at her side. 

I may have made a miscalculation, but the enemy had, as well. For you see, I am a great and terrible opponent, when I have something to lose. It seems the enemy was as unknowing as myself, and they paid for it in blood. I never even noticed its death, too busy running to Haruka’s side. 

All’s well that ends well, I suppose. Mina barked something to me about orders, but she could only say so much when my great foolishness had won the day. It matters little how one wins the battle, so long as you win. Haruka was hurt, and angry that I had saved her, and touched that I had wanted to, and afraid that she could never be worthy of that desire. She said none of these things, of course, but she has no gift of emotional legerdemain, and I could read it all so clearly. 

I knew fear. I have never know how to express that fear. To say I am afraid she will die is too simple and easy, for we all hope our nearest ones will live. I am afraid of so much more than than that. I am afraid that she will die, and so will every good thing in me, that the tide of love will recede and all that will be left is the exposed shipwrecks of what I am underneath it all. 

And yet, here in the night, writing this for whoever might care to read when I am gone, I will tell you now: I would make this Faustian bargain again in one beat of my heart. 

Love has made me a fortress, cut off from the land, but it has given the fortress a thing to protect besides itself. It has given me purpose. 

It has made something inside of me alive.

[graglithans-library]

Welcome to Paris, Fur-ance Ch 5: Battles, Inquiries, and Interviews

In which a tanuki bounces, an akuma is sorta defeated, and a reunion happens.

From their hiding spot around the corner of the building, Michiru, Kagami, and Nazuna all watched as Chat Noir arrived and started to battle the Akuma. Their search for Marinette had unfortunately drawn them too close to the Akuma, and it was only the superhero’s arrival that kept Friend Finder from, well, finding them.

At the sight of the leather-clad boy, Michiru narrowed her eyes. “That’s the jerk.”

Nazuna sighed and pinched her nose. “Michiru, it was a misunderstanding.”

“He called me a demon, Nazuna!”

“And as I explained, he thought you were a reluctant villain like the person he’s fighting right now,” Kagami stated as she kept her eyes trained on the fight. It was clear that the battle was stuck in a stalemate, Chat taunting and dodging while Friend Finder fired off her volleys. But that thought was corrected somewhat when she noticed someone missing. “Where is Ladybug?”

“You mean the one in red and spots?” Michiru asked, looking at Kagami with a raised eyebrow.

Kagami nodded and started to scan the roofs nearby, looking for any sign of red. “She is needed if the Akuma is going to be purified. Without her, none of the damage will be repaired, and the freed Akuma will fly off and multiply.”

“Multiply!?” Nazuna paled as she looked at Kagami in shock. “What do you mean it can multiply?”

Turning from the fight, Kagami sighed a bit. “I was not here for it, but the first villain, a golem known as Stoneheart, had been freed of his Akuma. However, because Ladybug did not purify it, it flew to the top of the Eiffel Tower, where it divided itself into a swarm that started turning everyone they touched into copies of Stoneheart. It was only when Ladybug captured them all, that the people affected were turned back to normal.”

Nazuna looked back at the fight, and her stomach dropped. “Uh, girls?” When the other two looked over at her, then back to the battle, Nazuna gulped. “That uh, super-guy isn’t looking so good.”

Michiru saw that Chat’s arm had been pinned to the ground by the foam after a blast hit his hand. She didn’t like him all that much, but the sight of the hero struggling to free himself filled her with worry. She wished Shirou was there to help.

Then an idea popped into her head.

If Shirou wasn’t there to scold her...

“I have an idea!”

Nazuna paled further. “Oh, no.”

Kagami frowned at the two of them. “Should I be worried?”

Michiru waved her off with a confident smirk. “Nah, I did it in my head, and it worked out fine!” She pulled the two into a huddle with her and shifted back into her tanuki form. “So, here’s what we’re gonna do...”

________________________________________________________________

Today just wasn’t Chat’s day. First the wrist, then the wolf, and now a second Akuma? Just what did Hawkmoth do with his days? Sit around in a hot tub eating grapes all day while working from home? It’s like he has no life, or even hobbies to occupy his time!

It was very tempting to just wait for Hawkmoth to show up so he could deck the man in the face.

But no. Instead, Chat Noir found himself dodging the attacks coming from Friend Finder and wondering just where the heck Ladybug was.

“Hey, I know you’re interested in where Marinette is but isn’t this overkill?”

Friend Finder glared and readied their launcher again. “No, it isn’t! She’s always gone when an Akuma attacks and nobody can find her! I’m going to find out where she keeps going, and nothing is going to stop me!”

Chat launched himself into a backflip, the shot aimed for him hitting a car and filling it with foam as he landed on top. ‘Their voice is being altered by their transformation, so I can’t identify them that way.’ He twirled his staff with a cheeky grin and hopped down from the car. “I mean, I’m right here, and she’s not, so...” He gave them a shrug and blew a raspberry.

With a scream of rage, Friend Finder fired off more shots, each missing as Chat dodged and took to the roofs. “HOLD STILL!” The shots only stopped coming for Chat when a glowing butterfly showed up over their face.

Chat took that moment to charge forward and try to snatch the launcher, only Friend Finder jumped back and fired, landing a shot on his hand that trapped his entire arm in safety foam that quickly stuck to the ground below. ‘Crap!’

Friend Finder chuckled and walked forward. “Well, little Kitty, it looks like I’m the winner of this little game. Now I just have to wait for your transformation to wear off, don’t I?”

Chat growled and looked at his hand. “Cataclysm!” The foam turned to ash, and he readied his staff again. ‘Ladybug, I could use some help right about now.’

“Oi!”

Friend Finder and Chat paused and looked down the road, where a certain tanuki was standing. Chat could feel his jaw drop as she blew a raspberry and started mocking the Akuma. Chat could see Friend Finder’s interest move from him and towards the tanuki as she began to make stupid faces. ‘Is... is she helping me?’

Friend Finder looked utterly annoyed as she readied her blaster towards the tanuki. “Stupid animal!” They fired but was shocked when the girl practically vanished from sight before the shot even reached her. “WHAT!?”

On a neighboring roof, the tanuki girl waved with a cheeky grin. “Kotchida〜!” Another shot fired, and the girl leaped quickly to another rooftop on the other side of the street. “Mōikkai〜!”

As the girl continued to jump and dodge, Chat felt somewhat odd. If you asked him, it was not because he was impressed at how acrobatic she was, and it certainly wasn’t jealousy, cause that would be silly. ‘She’s doing my thing. I’m supposed to be doing my thing!’

It was Friend Finder’s scream of frustration that brought him back to reality. “JUST HOLD STILL ALREADY!” A blast knocked the tanuki off the roof, and she fell back with a startled cry. Just as she was about to hit the ground, though, her tail started to glow. With a blinding flash of light, she was engulfed by her tail and bounced harmlessly off of a car. With a small pop, her tail returned to its average size, and she was standing with her arms stretched out and grinning.

Chat blinked back to reality and readied his staff. ‘You know what? I’ll take it.’

With Friend Finder bordering on a meltdown, Chat took that moment to rush them again. They turned in surprise, and his staff slammed into the launcher, sending it flying into the air. “NO!” Spinning around, Chat landed a kick to the stunned Akuma’s stomach, throwing them onto their back. He readied himself to launch into the air to catch the akumatized object, only to stop in surprise again.

The launcher that had been launched up into the air was already caught, but not by Ladybug or himself.

Flying overhead on pink wings was a fox girl who was wearing a rather pretty dress. She smiled down at him and waved before gliding over to where the tanuki was. The girl had managed to get further down the street and didn’t even look winded as she casually waved. As the fox landed, the wings simply melted down into her back and disappeared like they were never there in the first place, and the two high fived. “Umaku iku to itta.”

Before Chat could really process what was happening, he was tackled to the ground by an enraged Friend Finder. “I DON’T NEED THAT TOY! GIVE ME YOUR MIRACULOUS YOU WORTHLESS CAT!”

The two wrestled on the ground, Friend Finder continually trying to reach for his ring. ‘Just what is up with them!?’ The two rolled over and over until Chat reeled his head back and landed a solid headbutt, dazing Friend Finder. With the Akuma stunned again, he kicked them off and hopped to his feet. He wasted no words as he went to the Akuma and pulled them to a light pole. “I don’t have any handcuffs, but this ought to do.”

In less than a minute, Friend Finder was tied to a pole with their own outfit, and Chat smiled at his handiwork. At least, until his ring started beeping and he saw that he only had three minutes to his transformation left. “Now, let’s just hope that Ladybug shows up soon.”

“Chat Noir!” Turning around, Chat saw a familiar face start rushing over to him, phone in hand.

Alya was every bit the Lois Lane to his Lady’s Superman, and he had a wry smirk at the thought. The reporter-to-be wasted no time as she got a recording ready to start. “Is it alright if I ask you a few questions for The Ladyblog?”

Another beep from his ring made him glance at it for a moment before he raised his hands. “Sorry, but I don’t have much time left, and there’s still some clean up to do.” He gave his usual salute and ran off to where the two animal girls were standing. Slowing down as he approached, he cleared his throat and got their attention. He pointed at the launcher and held out one of his hands with a raised eyebrow.

The tanuki was glaring at him suspiciously, before she was nudged by the fox, and handed over the launcher. Chat nodded and smiled. “Arigatō.”

“Sukunakutomo kare wa sono kenri o teniireta,” the tanuki muttered, getting an eye roll from the fox. With a shake of her head, she looked off to the side and motioned for someone to come over.

Chat was surprised when Kagami walked over. “Hello, Chat Noir.”

Okay, Adrien, play it cool. It’s just one of the few people close to you in life. No biggie. I mean, you hid the fact you’re a superhero from Father. Not that much different when you think about it. He could see Alya out of the corner of his eye, phone already recording everything. Just... be thoroughly professional. Like Ladybug!... Yeah, I’m doomed.

He really was, because Adrien and Kagami had a certain level of trust going on, and he didn’t want to break it while in costume. After a brief moment of panic, Chat cleared his throat and put his usual smirk back on his face. “Tsurugi, right? I have a favor to ask.” He pointed over his shoulder to where the Akuma was still tied up and rubbed his head. “Could you and your friends here keep an eye on them and make sure they don’t run? I gotta go recharge real fast, and I don’t know how long Ladybug or I will be.”

Kagami bowed slightly with a smile. “You have our word, Chat Noir.” She turned to the other two and motioned to the still bound Akuma. “Ladybug ga tōchaku suru made, akuma ni megahanasenai ka to tazuneta.”

The tanuki raised an eyebrow and tilted her head. “Honto? Dōshite-sō suru no?” She threw her arms wildly towards Chat and flailed for a moment. “Kare wa sukoshi mae ni watashi o tsukamaeyou to shite ita!”

Kagami just shrugged with a smirk on her face. “Kore wa kare no shinrai o eru tame no hōhō kamo shiremasen.” With a drawn-out groan, the tanuki threw her head back and walked over to where the Akuma was, and sat down on the curb next to them pouting, earning a snarl from the incapacitated villain. When the tanuki just growled back, the fox girl was trying to keep her laughter hidden behind a hand, but her muzzle was making it hard to hide the smirk on her lips. Turning to Chat again, Kagami looked... amused? That was something Adrien didn’t even see all that often. “She’s suspicious of you but agreed.”

Chat nodded and readied his staff. “Understandable. I shouldn’t be very long.” And with that, he launched himself up and over the roof, bounding a few houses down before dropping into an alley and transforming back into Adrien.

Plagg floated up from the ring, taking a piece of cheese as it was offered. “Kid, this is really weird, and from me, that’s saying something.”

Adrien raised an eyebrow as he looked at Plagg swallow the cheese whole. “What do you mean?”

Plagg rarely got any form of serious, unless it involved trying to persuade Adrien to stop being so lovestruck and just go for Marinette. So the frown on the kwami’s face made Adrien worried. “Kid, I’ll be completely frank with you. Never, in all my existence, have I seen a human-like those girls. Not even when Tikki was ‘experimenting’ a few millennia ago.”

“Really?” Adrien started to walk to the mouth of the alley, and Plagg flew into his shirt collar. “Never?”

“Never. Now hurry up and transform so we can help Ladybug purify the Akuma.”

To say hearing Plagg actually impatient to transform made Adrien nervous would have been an understatement. Nodding and making sure nobody was going to peek into the alleyway, Adrien headed back in and found a dark spot out of sight. “Right. Plagg, Claws Out!”

________________________________________________________________

“So... What is it you want to know?” Ladybug asked, eyeing the wolf-man suspiciously.

He didn’t even flinch as he matched her gaze. “Where’s the tanuki.”

‘The tanuki?’ Ladybug kept the surprise off of her face as she raised an eyebrow. “What makes you think I know?”

The wolf’s eyes narrowed as he took a step forward. “I can smell her on you. Now, where is she?”

Ladybug grimaced and held her ground. ‘Looks like the wolf features aren’t just for show.' The two stood a meter, barely, from each other before Ladybug raised a hand. “Just because I encountered her, doesn’t mean I know where she is.” He stopped and raised an eyebrow himself, letting Ladybug continue. “I spotted her earlier when she accidentally ran headfirst into a civilian before rushing off. I had helped the same civilian find a place to hide, which is probably why her scent is on me.”

His eyes narrowed, and she could hear a faint growl. “If that was what happened, you’d have another scent on you as well.” Before either could say anything, a loud boom came from the distance, making both of them turn.

Ladybug’s eyes widened as she paled under her suit. ‘Shoot! The Akuma!’

The wolf looked off at the explosion with those pale eyes before sighing. “Michiru...” Turning to Ladybug, he put his hands in his pockets. “I don’t know why you were lying, but right now, I couldn’t care less. Just stay out of my way.”

He turned to walk away, but Ladybug stopped him. “Before you go, I have one question of my own.” He raised an eyebrow, and Ladybug crossed her arms. “Who are you, and are you working with Hawkmoth?”

They stared at each other for a moment before he raised an eyebrow. “Who’s Hawkmoth?”

Ladybug just stood there, blinking, and he shook his head. As he jumped off the edge of the roof and started leaping away, Ladybug ran after him and pulled out her yo-yo. “Hey! You didn’t answer me-” With a frustrated noise from the heroine, she launched into the air herself and started swinging down the streets.  “I’ve got to get to the Akuma, fast!”

But as she swung, her thoughts caught up to her as they usually did. ‘How... how could that man not know who Hawkmoth is? Everyone in Paris knows.’ Another explosion broke her from her thoughts, and she doubled her efforts. She’d have time to sort out the mess that today had been turning into later.

She had an Akuma to purify.

________________________________________________________________

Back with the subdued Friend Finder, Michiru, Nazuna, and Kagami were busy passing time and waiting for Ladybug to show up and do her thing... or something. Michiru still didn’t know what she was waiting for. All she did know at that moment, was this “Friend Finder” person was really getting on her nerves. The whole time they were tied up, they just wouldn’t stop talking.

And then there was the other problem.

This auburn haired girl that showed up after everything was done kept taking photos and asking Kagami questions a mile a minute. “Sont-ils de nouveaux détenteurs miraculeux? Doit-on s'attendre à ce que de nouveaux héros rejoignent l'équipe? Quels sont leurs pouvoirs? Comment se fait-il qu'ils ne parlent pas français?”

Kagami for her part looked as impassive as ever, but Michiru could smell how she was actually feeling. There was a nervousness hanging around her, but she also was a little annoyed. “Je suis désolé, mais je ne peux pas répondre à cela. Tout ce que je sais, c'est qu'ils ne constituent pas une menace pour Paris.”

Michiru’s tail twitched as she sighed and stood up. “Hey, Kagami?”

Turning from the girl and her incessant questions, Kagami raised an eyebrow. “Hm?”

Michiru pointed at the girl and sighed. “Who is this? You’re looking kind of annoyed the longer she’s talking.”

Kagami’s eyes widened for a moment. “My apologies.” She turned to the girl for a second and held up a hand. “Un instant, Alya.” The girl paused and nodded, lowering her phone but not putting it away. Kagami turned back to Nazuna and Michiru and gestured to the girl. “This is Alya Césaire. She’s a... friend of Marinette, and from what I was told, an aspiring journalist.”

Nazuna perked up a bit and looked at Alya. “A friend of Marinette? The same one that was being hunted down?”

“Yes.” Kagami glared at the Akuma and sighed before focusing on the conversation again. “At first, I thought she might have been the Akuma victim, but seeing as she’s right here, that clearly isn’t the case.”

“Wait, what!?” Michiru blinked in shock as she looked between the reporter and the Akuma. “Why would you think that!? I thought you said she was a friend?”

Kagami’s silence held for a few moments, before she turned away from the two and back to Alya, but glanced over her shoulder. “We have some strained history with each other. I’ll explain more later.”

A thud came from beside them, and all four girls turned to see what had landed near them. Two pairs of eyes widened in surprise, and the other two in joy. “Shirou!” Michiru cheered before tackling him, much to his surprise. “I’m so glad you’re here. Paris is insane!”

That was until Shirou saw the tied up Akuma and both Nazuna and Michiru in their beast forms. With a slight growl under his breath, he walked right up to the two girls and picked Michiru up by the back of her coat, glaring in annoyance. “Michiru, what did you do this time?”

Michiru puffed her chest and smiled, which looked ridiculous as she hung from Shirou’s grasp. “I did good, dad. I did good.”

“I’m not your dad.”

Nazuna shrugged a bit and held out both hands. “Well... you’re our social worker. So close enough?”

Shirou looked over at the group in front of him, taking note of the two he wasn’t familiar with. As Alya had stars practically shining in her eyes, and Kagami looked at him in surprise, he just sighed and pinched the bridge of his muzzle.

How did he keep getting into these messes?

And they better have families already!

[ty-talks-comics]

Best of DC: Week of September 25th, 2019

Best of this Week: Harleen #1 - Stjepan Šejić and Gabriela Downie

Hindsight is 20/20.

Looking back through the history of Harley Quinn, you’d be a fool to think that she hasn’t taken a strong look back at her life before she became the psychotic Clown Princess of Crime at The Joker’s side. We’ve seen the story told many a time in movies, comics and cartoons, but there’s just something so inviting about the way Šejić presented this absolutely tragic origin story, at least for the first issue. As Harleen describes it, "it felt like one of those cheesy romance novels."

Harleen separates itself from the other Harley Quinn origin stories by taking that cheesy romance and turning it into a long form car wreck centered entirely around Dr. Quinzel’s point of view and her early interactions with The Joker and the other criminals of Arkham Asylum. If I had to level a complaint at the book, it would have to be that, at least initially, everything is quite flowery and light. To counteract that point, it makes sense for the story to be told in this manner to show the often manipulative nature of abusive relationships like Harley Quinn’s and how ultimately, they don’t end well.

The book opens with Harleen in a dream sequence taking place in a distorted Gotham City. The style here is very reminiscent of Šejić’s work on Death Vigil with dark cityscapes, many shining lights and gothic imagery throughout. Dr. Quinzel walks down a winding road, expecting the same nightmare that she’s had many times before, but there’s something different about this particular dream. Instead of being eaten by an unknown monster, she’s met with the arrival of a bat monster and a pale man with green hair that’s being attacked by him and she chooses to intervene, smiling back at the pale man as he smiles at her. With the narration of this book, it’s easy to assume that this dream sequence takes place a little while after her relationship with the Joker is fully formed as she even acknowledges that smiling back was the biggest mistake of her life.

We get a beautiful page of Joker and Harley dancing and looking happy with each other as Harley’s future transformation occurs in the panels behind them. As beautiful as these shots are, the way that Šejić draws these panels, looking like glass shattering in the background is very telling of what we’re to expect in these future issues. Things transition to a little bit before Harleen meets Joker for the first time as she interviews a veteran who tells her about his “one bad day.” He describes how he and one of his Battle Buddies had each other’s backs until the other guy got his throat slit by a woman in a local bar during their deployment. The veteran describes how he just snapped in that moment and we have something that will be called back to in later pages.

A few years later, Doctor Quinzel presents her interview and findings to a Scientific Symposium in Gotham and it appears to be going badly. She shows her research notes and tells the crowd that the veteran then shot up a hospital full of injured kids and that her research, if implemented, would help decrease the recidivism rate of crime in Gotham by identifying what exactly made them go bad in the first place. She starts to flub her words and get nervous as some in the crowd check their watches, look disinterested or just leave altogether.

Harleen and her friend Shondra go to get drinks and talk about how the good doctor thought she nuked her presentation, they leave separately and it's almost as if fate was just waiting to kick down the door when an explosion rings out and Harleen faces down the barrel of The Joker's gun.

This moment is when I fell in love with this book. In a beautiful double page spread, Harleen looks on in abject horror as The Joker aims his gun directly in her face with a wide, toothy grin. The most disturbing part of this is how he's framed as still being a sexy bad boy. He's tall, slim with medium length hair and gives off a sickening charm. He's very distinctly a Sějić Joker and his art style lends well to that. 

In an instant, however, he sets the entire tone for how their relationship will be in the future - threatening her life, but pulling back after seeing her face full of cold fear. In the background we see her life flash before her eyes. From her childhood of uncertain career choices, to her adulthood of being attracted to people that she's not supposed to be, like one of her professors and eventually her current job as a criminal psychologist.

Through this we see exactly what kind of roller coaster her life had been and how, from an early age she just wanted to help people. It's the very definition of "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" which is one of the central themes of this story.

Joker let's her go after savoring her fear before he is stopped by the Batman. This action sequence is fairly standard Batman faire, but from Harleen's point of view it becomes something more. She is absolutely terrified, not just because she almost died, but because she's found herself interested and immersed in the Joker and Batman's struggle. Everything in her mind is telling her to run away, but as Batman catches an escaping Joker and pummels the tar out of him, she follows and can't look away.

She hears the others in the crowd and feels that there's something wrong. The panels are arranged into a deranged smile of blood as Batman holds Joker by his collar and the sounds of his punches are replaced with the rabid howls of bloodthirst. She feels a bit of sympathy and the agony of post trauma nightmares over the next few days. After coming in to work soon after, one of her bitchy coworkers asks who she slept with to "get it," and she soon finds out that her research has been funded by the Wayne Foundation as she is met by Lucius Fox. 

During their conversation we see more of her own pre-crisis personality come forth. Finding her nervous, insecure and initially unsure as to why she was called into her bosses office in the first place gives us perfect insight as to how the Joker will be able to manipulate her in the manner that he does. She not dumb or naive by any means, but she appears to lack a serious emotional strength. Sejic is good at writing characters like these as seen in his work on Sunstone and Switch and it gives her a good flaw in her personality.

Fox tells her that she’ll soon be transferred to Arkham Asylum to talk to the worst that Gotham has to offer and this last third of the book is rife with on the nose symbolism. As soon as she arrives at Arkham, the shadow behind her morphs from Harleen Quinzel into the form of Harley Quinn and the shadow of Arkham's ominous gate sign becomes the perspective of someone on the inside looking out.

Within her first few days, she meets people that will be very close to her in the future such as Pamela Isley and Killer Croc to real headcases like Victor Zsasz and The Riddler. She's also met with the disrespect of having her name mispronounced numerous times by the Arkham staff, outright dismissal of her theories by Dr. Hugo Strange and pushback from Gotham District Attorney, Harvey Dent.

Harvey in particular is most interesting because of his firmness in his ideals. He doesn't believe there's any rehabilitation for the residents of Arkham and that they should be sent to Blackgate Penitentiary instead. Harleen is steadfast in her beliefs that there's more to each of these patients than simple violence and crime. Harvey notes that Arkham has a breakout rate so high that it might as well install a revolving door.

Throughout their argument, half of Harvey’s face is covered in shadow, specifically the half that would later become the deranged side of Dent’s future alter ego, Two Face. This is intriguing because in many ways this meeting feels like a shakedown, a foreshadowing of the man that he would soon become. In one instance he remarks of the beauty of Gotham City and in the next he just flat out tells her what he wants, almost threateningly while rolling his coin over his fingers. His moralizing is betrayed by his furrowed brow and eyes of fury over the sheer thought of Gotham having criminals like Zsasz freed because lawyers blame his mental illness for his horrid actions. 

Harleen, infuriated that Dent would ask her to end her research and refuse the Wayne grant so smugly, found herself driven to conduct the one interview that she had been avoiding after going through the likes of Mad Hatter, Killer Croc and The Riddler. The night before her meeting with Harvey, Harleen had gone through all of the Joker’s interview tapes. One thing that stood out to her was Joker’s propensity to retell his “troubled” past in a variety of different ways, Šejić’s own take on the Multiple Choice origin story of the Clown. She felt mildly annoyed by how underwhelming they all were until she found a tape of Joker being arrested and him speaking the way that he did the night that they first met, saying that Gotham is full of civilized monsters and all they needed was a push to send them over the edge.

Just like the veteran in the beginning.

Harley needed a full nights rest to get the courage to interview The Joker and tried a multitude of methods from horse tranquilizers, to a chiropractor, to just simple drinking, but it was Dent that gave her what she needed to go. When Joker and Harleen meet face to face again, he doesn’t recognize her until a sudden SLAM on the glass brings back her look of shock and terror, allowing the Joker to remember her. 

With their pleasantries exchanged, he asks her to refer to him as Jay and we jump into the inferno.

Stjepan Šejić is an amazing artist and writer with a knack for writing fun and silly characters. He can also delve into dak territories and themes when he needs to and while this issue is more comedic and funny, it does hide some very dark bits of story underneath. The best way to describe it would have to be...a calm before the storm. Everything in Harleen’s life is at a perfect place. She’s got the dream job that she’s wanted for her research, she’s found very interesting subjects and one in particular that might be the break that she’s been looking for. But we all know what’s on the horizon for her.

The problem I can see people having with this is the common, “this story is going to glorify the abusive relationship between Joker and Harley!" I don't see it turning out that way. I think it's very clear to Dr. Quinzel and the reader that The Joker is wearing a mask. His charm is an ugly façade worn to hide the monster underneath, but she just can't turn away, especially since he's been the subject of her dark dreams for a while.

I think that the next issue will show just how the cupcake stage of their relationship with the dark underpinnings slowly transforms her from a reasonable psychologist into a sympathetic beauty that's found her beast. Šejić only showed us a small part of his writing and art powers and since the second issues of these Black Label books tend to be the best issues, I have no doubt that the next Harleen will be amazing. High recommend

[for-a-flower]

Killer Robot

            Frisk almost bumped into Mettaton in the dim lighted room.  "Ah, there you are," Mettaton said.  The child stepped back suddenly to put distance between them.  "It's time to have our little showdown.  It's time to finally stop the 'malfunctioning' robot."

            Frisk tilted his head a little.  "But-”

            "Not!" Mettaton interrupted.  "Malfunctioning?  Reprogramming?  Get real.  This was all just a big show . . . everything that happened in Hotland . . . an act."

            "Hu?  What do you mean?"

            Mettaton rolled forward on a single wheel.  "Alphys has been playing you for a fool the whole time.  As she watched you on the screen, she grew attached to your adventure.  She desperately wanted to be a part of it.  So she decided to insert herself into your story."

            Frisk didn’t believe a word Mettaton had just said.  "What?"

            "She reactivated puzzles, disabled elevators, and enlisted me to torment you.  All so she could save you from dangers that didn't exist.  All so you would think she's the greatest person, that she's not."  Frisk shook his head.  Mettaton continued.  "And now it's time for her finest hour.  At this very moment, Alphys is waiting outside the room.  During our 'battle' she will interrupt and pretend to 'deactivate' me, saving you one final time.  Finally, she'll be the heroine of your adventure.  You'll regard her so highly that she'll even be able to convince you not to leave."

            Frisk folded his arms.  "But I have to," he said.

            "Or not . . . but you don't know all of her plans, beautiful," answered Mettaton.  "I've had enough of this predictable charade.  I have no desire to harm humans . . . far from it, actually.  My only desire is to entertain.  After all, the audience deserves a good show, don't they?  And what's a good show . . . without a plot twist?"  The door to the room slammed shut.  Frisk spun around in alarm.  There was another door Mettaton so Frisk checked that one too.  It had also closed.  His phone rang.  Frisk took it out and answered.

            "Hey!  What's going on?!" said Alphys.  "The door just locked itself!"

            Red, neon lights activated on along the room’s edges with a deathly glow.   A spotlight flashed on above Mettaton who lifted a microphone.  "Sorry folks!  The old program's been cancelled!"  Frisk cringed.  This had to be bad.  "But we've got a finale that will drive you wild!" Mettaton said.  Frisk staggered when the room floor shifted as the entire structure started lifting.  "Real drama, real action, real bloodshed!  On our new show . . . Attack of the Killer Robot!"

            Frisk's eyes widened.  “Did you . . . change around the rooms in the Core?  Is that why Alphys' map was wrong?"

            Mettaton laughed as the room stopped moving.  "Yes, I was the one that rearranged the Core.  Remember how Alphys said no one was supposed to be in there?  Well, I was also the one that hired everyone to kill you!  That, however, was a short-sighted plan.  You know what would be a hundred times better?"  Frisk slowly shook his head.  "Killing you myself!"

            Frisk retreated further away from the robot.  His phone rang.  "Alphys, help me out here!" he begged.

            "Your phone can shoot blasts of magic.  There's a big yellow button somewhere," said Alphys.  "Press it and you can shoot at him."  Frisk found the button and aimed the phone forward.  He pressed the button rapidly.  Yellow blasts of energy shot from the phone.  They hit Mettaton's metal body and harmlessly dispersed.

            Mettaton laughed.  "That worthless pea-shooter won't work on me."

            Frisk put the phone to his ear again.  "Alphys, it didn't work."  No response.

            "Listen, I've seen you fight," said Mettaton.  "You're weak."

            "Told you," said the voice.

            "Hey uh . . ." said Alphys through the phone.  Frisk paused to listen.  "I can't see what's going on in there, but . . . don't give up, okay?!  There's one last way to beat Mettaton."

            "What is it?" said Frisk.

            "It . . . it's um . . . still a work in progress, so don't judge it too hard," she said.  "But you know how he makes sure to face you all the time?  It's because on the back . . . there's a switch.  So if you can manage to get behind him and press the switch . . . he'll be vulnerable to attacks."

            "Yes!  About time," said a voice.  Frisk rolled his eyes.

            "Well, gotta go!" said Alphys.  She hung up.

            "What was all that about?" said Mettaton.  "Giving up and letting me kill you sounds like a brilliant plan!"

            Frisk folded his arms with a stubborn glare.  "I'm not quitting!"

            "Well!  Since you won't quit, I'll just have to do my best to stop you," said the robot.  He threw a bomb at the young human.  Frisk gasped and ran left to escape the following blast.  Mettaton tossed two more.  Frisk kept running around the left side as explosions blew behind him and bombs bounced across the floor.  "Silly, human.  If you continue forward, Asgore will take your soul . . . like he has with all the humans before you," said Mettaton.  Frisk ducked a bomb and rolled to his right.  "And with your soul, Asgore will destroy humanity."

            Frisk got back to his feet, breathing hard.  "Huh?  I didn't hear this part of the plan," he said.  Mettaton pointed a finger and hit Frisk with a bolt of power that threw him against the wall.  Frisk dropped to his knees on the floor.  He trembled weakly but lifted himself up again.

            "You want to know why, you didn't know that part?!" said Mettaton.  "Because no one talks about it!  But if I can get your soul . . . I can stop Asgore's plan."  Frisk ran toward Mettaton.  He had to get behind him.  The robot reached out to shoot another electric bolt.  Frisk ducked and rolled behind Mettaton.  He jumped up and flicked the switch as fast as he could.  Mettaton froze for a moment.  "Did you just . . . flip my switch?" he asked.

            Frisk stepped around to stand several feet in front of him.  There was an accomplished smile on the child’s face.  "Yep!"

            "Well then, darling . . ."  Bright light flooded the room along with mechanical groaning and whirring sounds.  "You've just made it easier for me to kill you while showing off my new form for the audience!”  Frisk backed away, smile fading.  He couldn't see what was happening until the light faded seconds later.  Mettaton had transformed into a humanoid robot with proper legs, body, head, and face.  He smiled at Frisk.  “Oh yes!”

            Frisk stared.  He was impressive, but had this been Alphys' plan?  Was she trying to bring Frisk as close to death as she could before saving him?  Mettaton lifted a hand.  “Let’s dance, beautiful!”  Pieces of metal dropped from the darkness above.  Frisk stepped left then right then left again, while chunks smashed on the floor around him.  "As I was saying before you interrupted me . . . I can save humanity from destruction if I destroy you here,” Mettaton said.

            Frisk jumped and rolled to escape falling metal debris.  He was running out of breath.  "Would Asgore really destroy all humans?  Is he that upset at us?" he asked.

            Mettaton laughed.  "He most definitely would, beautiful."

            Frisk frowned.  "Why?"

            Mettaton scowled.  "You don't even know half of that story."  He tossed more bombs across the room.  Frisk kept moving.  Something urged him to fight but he refused to draw his weapon.  A bomb flew over his head and exploded on the wall behind.  "Using your soul, I'll cross through the barrier and become the star I've always dreamed of being!" said Mettaton.  Frisk jumped a bomb just as a second landed at his feet and blew apart.  The force knocked the human back.  He landed on the floor with a burning pain in his legs.  Mettaton smiled and glanced up at the observing cameras around them.  "Hundreds, thousands . . . no!  Millions of humans will watch me!  Popularity . . . fans . . . I will finally have it all!"

            Frisk glanced over his condition.  Both legs had several surface cuts and were burned but no skin was missing and no bones were broken.  The child forced himself up and struggled to stay standing.  "But . . . six humans already had to die to make his plan happen.  Wouldn't that make their deaths worth nothing?"

            Mettaton shrugged.  "So what if a few people had to die.  That's show business!"

            "You see?  He doesn't care.  And now he's going to kill you," said a voice.  Mettaton waved a hand and scattered electric charges across the room.  Frisk tried to run but got caught in one and yelled.  The electricity burned within him as he attempted to keep moving.  He accidentally ran into a few more electric blasts in the process.  Mettaton rested his hands on his hips.  Frisk panted weakly.  He slowed and faced the robot with a pathetic frown.

            Mettaton frowned.  "Aw, poor dear.  Let me end your suffering."  He tossed a large clump of bombs at Frisk, who backed away as they rolled to a stop at his feet.  He was too weak to keep running at this point.  He knew exactly what was about to happen.  The child closed his eyes.  Boom!  Frisk briefly felt intense heat as shrapnel shot through him.  Intense pain faded to numbness as everything went dark and he lost hold of life.  And then from the dark . . . came a low and kind voice.

            "Don't lose hope.  Chara!  Stay determined," it said.

            Frisk wanted to know who this was.  Who both of the voices were.  "Who are you?" he asked.  He didn't expect a response though.  Besides . . . he had to keep going and he wasn't giving up.

<Previous  Next>

Full Chapter List

[purrincess-chat]

Marinette and the Lost Temple

It’s Marinette March somewhere, so I’m gonna go ahead and post! I’m doing things out of order to make my story make sense, so this chapter encompasses days 27: Dear Diary and 31: Kwami Swap. I’m super excited for this fic, and I hope that you all enjoy it!

Read on AO3

Summary:  When Marinette takes a family trip to China, Master Fu gives her specific instructions to the location site of the old temple of the Order of the Guardians. With Plagg in tow, Marinette discovers a secret in the ruins that changes her life forever.

Rating: G

Chapter 1

Dear Diary,

           I have so much to tell you about! Right now, I’m on a plane to China with maman to visit our family, and I’ve been given a special mission by Master Fu while I’m traveling! Now, I know what you’re thinking: How am I able to travel seeing that I’m Ladybug? Don’t worry, we made special arrangements. See, it all happened like this…

“Master?” Marinette called, poking her head through the door to his shop.

“Ah, Marinette, what fortuitous timing,” he said, perking up as she entered and holding up a jar. “Can you open this for me?”

Marinette smiled, a hint of amusement in her eye as she twisted the lid off easily.

“Thank you very much,” he said, eagerly biting into a pickle with a crunch. “Now, what is on your mind?”

“Well,” she said, taking a seat on the mattress and pressing her palms between her thighs. “I have a bit of a dilemma.”

“Have you lost your Miraculous?” Master Fu tensed, but Tikki flew out of her purse with a laugh.

“No, my Miraculous is safe, but there is still a bit of a problem…” she exchanged looks with Tikki and pursed her lips. “My mom wants to take me on a trip with her to visit our family in China.”

Master Fu froze briefly, seeming as if he’d realized something before he pressed his lips into a line and stroked his beard.

“Ah, you are torn because you cannot fulfill your Ladybug duties while away,” he nodded in understanding.

“Tikki and I have already come up with a solution, if you think it’s okay. If not then I’m sure I could come up with an excuse to stay home with my dad,” she said, holding up assuring hands.

“What is it that you propose?” He quirked a brow.

“Well, a few months ago, Chat Noir and I swapped Miraculouses, and I was thinking that maybe we could do it again for the time being,” she said, tapping her index fingers together. “Tikki will stay here with Chat Noir to purify any akumas, and I’ll take Plagg with me to China. Just for a week!”

“It’s a viable option, but do you really think that Chat Noir can manage on his own?” Master Fu said pointedly.

“I trust him,” she nodded then, averting her gaze, winced sheepishly, “but just in case would it be alright if I left Trixx and Wayzz with Rena Rouge and Carapace?”

Master Fu smirked, standing up and retrieving the Miracle Box from its hiding place and opening it up to her. He removed his own Miraculous and offered it to her as she took the fox necklace.

“Thank you, Master!” She said, perking up considerably.

“As repayment, there is something that I want you to do for me in China,” he said, and Marinette tilted her head to one side.

“What is it?” She asked as he dug through a drawer for a notepad and pen.

“There is somewhere that I would like you to go. Consider it a special mission,” he said as he scribbled instructions down.

“Oh? Where?” She inquired, interested piqued.

“You’ll find out when you get there,” he said, tearing the page and passing it to her. “Plagg should be able to help you find it if he remembers.”

She surveyed the note with pursed lips for a moment before tucking it away in her purse with the other Miraculouses and heading for the door.

“Thanks again, Master Fu,” she called over her shoulder.

“No problem. Oh, and, Marinette?” She paused in the doorway and quirked a brow. “Have a good trip. I’ll see you when you get home.”

She smiled and nodded before disappearing out the door, and Master Fu sat back on the mat thoughtfully.

“So, the time has finally come,” he said to himself with a sigh. “Good luck, Marinette.”

***

Alya and Nino were more than happy to step up and help Chat of course, I only hope that they can look away from each other during the battle long enough to help out. Those two are inseparable lately since I revealed their identities, so it was easy enough to track them down.

“Am I interrupting?”

Alya and Nino jerked away from each other, eyes wide until they realized who was standing in Alya’s balcony doorway.

“Ladybug!”

“I need to ask you two for a favor,” she said, stepping into the room and placing her hands on her hips. “Consider it a special mission.”

“Sure thing, dudette,” Nino tipped his hat.

“Yeah, anything you need!” Alya echoed, perking up as Ladybug tossed them their Miraculous boxes.

“I have to go out of town for some secret uncover work, and I need you two to assist Chat Noir while I’m gone. I’m leaving him my Miraculous in case an akuma attacks, but he won’t be able to do it alone. Can I count on you two?”

“Totally!” Alya nodded, fastening her necklace.

“We won’t let you down,” Nino said confidently, and Ladybug’s face softened into a proud smile.

“Thanks, you two. I’m glad I can always rely on you,” she said, backing toward the balcony and tossing her yoyo across the street. “I’ll retrieve your Miraculouses when I get back. I’m counting on you!”

I’m really happy for them, but also a little jealous because I wish that Adrien and I could be like that. Then we could all go on double dates to the movies, but I feel like I’d accidentally spill my drink in his lap and ruin the mood. Truthfully, I have a long way to go before I’m ready to be in a relationship with Adrien. Besides, he loves Kagami right now anyway, so I have to keep trying to get him to notice me. Then one day we can get that house and three kids and a hamster named-

Her pen skidded as the plane hit turbulence, and she held onto her seat until it passed.

Anyway, Chat Noir didn’t take the news as well, but I guess that was to be expected. He really is in love with me which is incredibly sweet, but my heart will always belong to Adrien.

“You’re leaving?” Chat gasped, mask furrowing and lips pursing into a pout. “How long will you be gone?”

“Just a week,” she said reassuringly, but he threw his head back with a whine.

“I can’t see you for a whole week?” He said incredulously.

“You’ll be fine. Rena Rouge and Carapace are gonna help you,” she said, patting his shoulder.

“But I won’t get to see you for a whole week,” he reiterated, and she chuckled in amusement.

“I’ll bring you back a souvenir, how about that?” She promised, ducking around the corner of the building. “Ready?”

Chat puffed his cheeks grumpily but turned around his corner as well. In a flash of light, they dropped their transformations and passed their respective jewels to their partner.

“I’ll see you when I get back, chaton,” she said sincerely, giving his hand a gentle squeeze.

“I miss you already.”

Chat Noir is always so dramatic, but I suppose he has nothing on his kwami.

She paused her writing to peek into her purse where the lazy bones was sleeping. Like owner, like kwami she supposed.

Those two really are a perfect pair, always full of silliness. In fact, Plagg gave me a bit of trouble the night before while I was trying to finish packing.

“My, my what’s in here?” Plagg asked, lifting the lid of Marinette’s secret gift chest, and she raced over to shut it, cheeks pink.

“Don’t snoop around! You’re a guest, remember?” She scolded, but Plagg was already floating across the room to get into something else.

“You sure do have a lot of pictures of this boy on your wall. Someone got a crush?” he remarked, looking a little too smug as he batted his eyelashes, and Marinette puffed out her cheeks.

“None of your business,” she said stubbornly, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Well, he looks like a bit of a flake to me.”

“Take that back! Adrien is the nicest, most incredible and handsome-” she stopped short under Plagg’s taunting smirk, turning away once more to hide her blush. “Don’t tell Chat Noir.”

“My lips are sealed…at a cost.”

“What do you want?” She quirked a brow, and he rubbed his greedy hands together with a cackle.

That mangy cat burned a hole in my allowance buying cheese.

Part of her missed Tikki, but she knew leaving her behind was for the best. Paris needed someone to purify the akumas, and she needed to find whatever it was that Master Fu wanted her to see.

I’m excited to see my family, but also kind of nervous. We haven’t visited since I was really little, and I barely speak any Chinese. Hopefully they like me…I’ll update you as soon as I can. Bye for now, diary.

She closed the cover and leaned her head back with a contented sigh. She hoped that Chat Noir would be okay back in Paris. Of course, she trusted him, but she still worried and had to keep telling herself that everything would be fine. If Master Fu approved then surely things would all work out. She fished out the note he’d given her and read over it once more with a creased brow wondering what it could be.

“What’s that, dear?” Her mother asked, lowering her book, and Marinette folded the note back quickly.

“Oh, nothing, just an old note from school I found in my bag,” she said with a nervous grin.

“Well, you should try to get some sleep. It’s still going to be a while before we land,” Sabine advised.

“Kay,” she tucked the note back into her front pocket and shifted to recline her seat a little.

“Good night, sweetie,” Sabine leaned over to kiss her cheek. “We’ll be in China when you wake up.”

“Night, maman.”

Several hours later, her mother shook her shoulder, and she sat up, blinking against the sunlight. Sabine pointed out the window with a smile, and Marinette perked up, pressing her hands on either side to peer out.

“Welcome to China, sweetie.”

[shoujocentral]

Symphogear S1- Now this is MY kind of anime!

Every once and awhile when I'd log onto Twitter, I'd see people saying "watch Symphogear" accompanied by images from the show. From looking at the pictures, I assumed it was just another magical girl show like Precure but with less magic and more... techno. Oh, and apparently they sing while they fight? Sounds kinda dumb...

Buuuut... I have heard that there's some yuri content? Maybe I'll give it a try. I mean, I'm always open to watching new stuff, even if it's just a silly little kid's show 😅

😳

Well........ color me hooked.

I have to say, this show is not at all what I was expecting in the best possible way. It feels a lot more like a Shounen action show along the lines of Fullmetal Alchemist or Neon Genesis Evangelion than a Magical Girl show (if that's even what it's supposed to be). Today, I'm going to be giving my first impressions of Senki Zesshou Symphogear season 1, which will be spoiler free for anyone who hasn't seen it yet.

Plot:

So what is Senki Zesshou Symphogear about?

In the not too distant future (next Sunday A.D.), Japan is under attack by monsters known as Noises, the likes of which cannot be killed by military weapons. The only thing that can kill them are girls clad in weaponized armor known as Gears, which is activated and powered by singing catchy techno-pop music.

One day, a girl named Hibiki Tachibana is caught in the middle of a battle, and one of the Gear users, Kanade Amou, sacrifices herself to save her. Two years later, Hibiki discovers that a piece of Kanade's Gear was embedded in her chest during the fight, giving her access to the Gear's powers. Hibiki is recruited by the Disaster Relief Squadron, the organization that created the Gears, to help defend Japan from the Noises.

However, Kanade's former girlfriend partner, Tsubasa Kazanari, sees Hibiki as nothing more than an obnoxious, naive girl trying to be Kanade's replacement. Will the two learn to work together, defeat the Noises, and possibly uncover a deeper plot to all the attacks?

Symphogear's plot might not be the most original thing ever; evil monsters attack, teenage girls transform into superpowered warriors to fight them, evil mastermind tries to take over the world, etc. But what makes this story stand out is it's unique approach to the fights. Having the Gears be powered by music, resulting in every fight being accompanied by a song, is either a genius way to amplify the fights, or a genius way for the producers to sell a techno soundtrack.

I was worried that the constant use of insert songs would become repetitive and annoying, but on the contrary, they heightened my enjoyment! The fights in Symphogear are easily my favorite part of the show: fast-paced, badass powers, lots of screaming, and downright brutal at times! Hibiki has officially joined the ranks of my all-time favorite battle cries, right up there with Goku from DBZ and Souma from Kannazuki no Miko.

If there was one thing I had to nitpick, it would be that most of the fights take away the credibility of the Noises. They're supposed to be this terrifying threat to Japan that can't be harmed by the military, but as soon as the Gear wielders show up, they're reduced to nothing more than cannon fodder as Hibiki and her comrades seem to waltz through them without breaking a sweat.

Thankfully, the versus matches between Gear wielders are much more balanced. My favorite has to be Hibiki vs Chris (see above), but then again, any fight with Chris is an absolute win!

Characters:

Hibiki Tachibana

Hibiki is your typical genki girl protagonist: optimistic, hyperactive, naive, and pure. What makes her a more compelling hero, however, is her slow growth into becoming a strong Gear wielder. Unlike most magical girl protagonists, who seem to master their powers after one line of "EH?! What just happened to me?!", Hibiki takes time to learn how to fight. She starts out with the mindset that she has to be Kanade's replacement and thus tries to fight just like her. However, she eventually comes to invent her own battle tactics that work much more in her favor. Mainly, punching the everloving shit out of everything in sight.

Hibiki is, in my opinion, a flat character done right. She doesn't go through any personal growth or development throughout the show (learning to fight doesn't count), but her belief that all humans can get along if they communicate and desire to protect people just because she wants to is the cause for most of the change in the people around her. The world is in a dark place, and Hibiki is the light. She doesn't need to change, because she's exactly what the world needs.

Tsubasa Kazanari

From what I've learned, Tsubasa is a favorite amongst Symphogear fans. Me personally, though, I have a few issues with her character. Now, I have nothing against brooding, damaged characters. In fact, Tsubasa's recovery from Kanade's death and learning to cherish her own life was incredibly engaging... for the most part. Sorry, but I can only take so much edge. Her constant repitition of "I am a sword, I exist only to fight" grew old after the first 10 or so times.

Also, while I love her overall development, I feel that her acceptance of Hibiki was a little rushed. For the first four episodes, she hates Hibiki for carrying Kanade's Gear to the point where she tries to fight her to the death. Then, after another fight sends her into a coma, she has a (extremely gay) hallucination of Kanade telling her to get over herself. Next episode, she's treating Hibiki as if they've been friends the whole time. Did I miss something? Did Hibiki even apologize for saying she wanted to replace Kanade? Did Tsubasa apologize for trying to shishkabob her?!

Development aside, her fighting style is awesome and unique, and leads to the best choreography in the show. Hopefully as I watch more seasons, my opinion of her will improve.

Chris Yukine

Best Girl. No questions. Anyone who disagrees is wrong. Deal with it.

Jokes aside, Chris is my favorite character of the show bar none. Maybe I just have a weakness for evil-turned-good characters, but I adored her "don't take no shit from nobody" attitude and her soft side emerging as the show progressed. And let me tell you, Tsubasa would have no right to brood if she knew what Chris went through as a child. I won't give anything away, but just a few brief images and harsh words were enough get the picture across and tug at my heartstrings.

She also had my favorite Gear and fighting style in the show. If there's one thing that always gets my blood pumping, it's gatling guns and an endless supply of missiles. Seriously, I could watch this girl fight for hours.

Kanade Amou

A moment of silence, ladies and gentlemen.

......

Kanade would be my favorite character if we had gotten more of her. But alas, she has to die in the very first episode. DAMN YOU, PLOT!!!

Even though we get very little of Kanade, she makes it her mission to leave a lasting impression. Her sacrifice at the beginning sets the tone for the rest of the show, and her flashback is the best of the bunch. I got hard chills when she transformed for the first time. Let's just say she's psychotic in all the right ways.

Kanade died for our sins. Remember that... 🙏

Finé

Our main villain of the show. That's it. There's really nothing much else to her. She's cruel, manipulative, and powerful beyond belief, as most big bosses of these kinds of shows are. She was honestly my least favorite part of the show.

Fine's motivation is incredibly confusing on first watch. I had to go back to pause and read the subtitles multiple times to understand her backstory, but maybe that's my fault for being a slow reader. On the other hand, the explanation as to who she is and why she's so powerful comes right out of nowhere and doesn't seem to connect to anything the story had been building up to that point. Also, by the time I understood her motivation and actually found it a little intriguing, she dropped the dreaded "I'm going to take over the world" line. Aaaaand.... all my interest just went out the window.

There is a twist involving her connection to a certain other character in the show that I genuinely didn't see coming, but in the end, it wasn't nearly enough to make up for her shortcomings.

Miku Kohinata

God bless this little angel. Miku is a precious cinnamon roll who must be protected at all costs. Thankfully, Hibiki's got it covered 👍

Words cannot express how much I love this girl. She may be only a supporting role for the time being, but good lord, does she support! It always broke my heart whenever she tried to spend time with Hibiki or talk to her, but the Disaster Relief Squad kept pulling them apart. I know DRS is classified, but Miku deserves better than to have secrets kept from her! Life sucks when your girlfriend best friend is a superhero...

Well, that was a mouthful. There's a lot more characters in this show, but I don't really have much to say about them. However, while we're on the subject of Miku, let's move on to the reason I checked this show out in the first place, and the reason I'm sure most of you read my stuff.

Yuri:

No sooner did I finish this show did I start looking up HibiMiku fanart 😍

I was expecting a fair dosage of yuribait going into Symphogear, but mother of all that is gay, did I get an overdose!

First and foremost, the main ship: HibiMiku. These two are dating. Nothing anyone says will change my mind. They compliment each other perfectly, with Hibiki's energy and Miku's sweetness... HHNNNGGH! IT'S TOO PRECIOUS! I sincerely hope these two get more time together in the next few seasons. Now if only they'd stop with the damn F word...... 😡

Next up, TsubaKana. This one seems more like it was one-sided feelings on Tsubasa's part, judging by how dedicated Kanade was to fighting the Noise. Regardless, you don't just lose all sense of your humanity and self-worth after your "partner" dies. And all that hardcore blushing in the flashbacks and naked cuddling dream sequences... nah, Tsubasa was hella hot for Kanade. Sadly, our lord and savior was taken from Ms. Brooding too soon.

Finally, there's Ryoko Sakurai, the DRS's head scientist. She was initially hinted to be gay, what with her being all too eager to have Hibiki undress and wanting to "pop her cherry" (yes, an adult said that to a 15 year-old). However, after a certain conversation occurred, it seemed more like she was straight or at least bisexual, if all that dirty talk wasn't just teasing.

I've heard future seasons introduce more potential couples, so I'm keeping my eyes open and my yuri goggles on tight 😋

Conclusion:

I enjoyed the first season of Senki Zesshou Symphogear through and through. As someone who enjoyed Akanesasu Shoujo and Magical Girl Spec-Ops Asuka, I have a soft spot for shows about badass girls kicking monster ass and unleashing their inner yuri. Overall though, I think Symphogear might be my favorite of the bunch so far. It has its fair share of flaws, sure, but I think its positives outweigh the negatives by a long shot. If I got this much enjoyment out of the first season, I cannot wait to see what the following seasons have to offer!

Symphogear delivers a fun, action-packed story with colorful characters, kickass fight scenes, head-banging music and plenty of yuri content. Anyone who loves Magical Girls or Shounen battle shows needs to check it out!

Rating: 8/10

Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gonna go binge Symphogear G. See you next time, my fellow yuri lovers!

[puawarriors-production]

Week 17 – Alex – I Told You I’d See You Later

My previous post was a little anti-climactic if you ask me, and I didn’t get to recap what I did so here we gooo.

----------------------FIRST, MAJOR DISCLAIMER---------------

     As you can see, this post is pretty dang long, so I’m just gonna put evaluation stuff for the class here first, and if you feel like reading on afterward that’s cool, but it’s just personal reflections and final send-off stuff. 

     So, shockingly, I was one of the main contributors to the rough animation which you can see in the animatic, and can track the progress of throughout this blog’s history. I finished 15 roughed shots in total. I also have 8 shots concurrently blocked (in other words, partial progress,) and 2 shots unstarted.       I also made the 3D environment models used for reference in making the backgrounds, as well as handling the editing side (video composition, timing, and sound edits) for the animatic up to this point. 

     Next, I worked closely with Sophia and our sound mixer Tim to get the voice actresses recorded, their clips edited, and finally integrated into the film. And also, while this hasn’t made it into the animatic yet, I have been creating some original sound design elements as well. Here’s a sample of some:

I’m focusing mostly on the characters’ Pua powers and transformations right now, and some sludge sounds. And in hand with that, I also did the voice clips/sound effects for the Sludge Monster. Aaand that’s pretty much it from me this semester! Super excited to keep up the work in the weeks to come! If you’re not sticking till the end of the post, then thanks for an awesome class, and awesome semester! 

------------------ The Feels Side of the Post -----------------

                                       The Pua Warriors Experience

     When I first heard about Pua Warriors, I thought the idea sounded awesome: Magical girls set in Hawai'i using flower powers and sparkles to save the day? Yeah I’m down for that. It felt… familiar to me, I suppose. But at the time I still knew relatively little about the characters, the story, and only had a vague idea of their designs.

     As time went on and the Capstone application deadline was approaching, I felt like I was a bit stuck, with the exhaustion of working on Midnight Showing holding me on one side, and having only a vague outline of a plot for my own film idea on the other. And with no crew to speak of, the decision not to make a Capstone of my own was … difficult… one of the most difficult in my time at ACM. Cause in my mind (at the time at least,) not making “your own” Capstone project felt like a failure somehow. But this whole Pua Warriors thing was sounding pretty nice, and I already knew everyone working on it. So I decided life’s better together, and far be it from me to not work on a project of some kind. So I hopped on-board for a little trip into the unknown. And well, here we are, still in the unknown. But that doesn’t mean we’re lost. Not yet.

     I have to say, Pua Warriors has grown on me. At a certain point it stopped feeling like a student film, and started feeling more like a potential series: a world with its own storyline, and indeed one that’s worth telling – yes, I would make a distinction between the two. Working on the project has just been the sweetest, most wonderful, enlightening, mild existential crisis inducing, and bizarrely friendly thing I’ve had the privilege of working on, all at once. It didn’t just change how I approach character design, animation, or working on a team – I feel it changed me for the better as a person, and at times I feel almost unworthy to be on this project.

     One thing I’ll never forget is the time we spent hanging out in the Keller lab, going to group meetings, and recording at MELE. What silly fun times those were. I admit, not being able to hang out with my friends after the virus shut the world down has truly been one of the most difficult parts of my whole “college era” of my life experience. To feel like something great was forming, only to be ripped away by something so crazy and completely over-the-top as this virus – words just can’t capture the feeling of melancholy. But even when we’re spread hundreds or thousands of miles apart, at times I can still feel near, even if it is only through a screen. And personally, I don’t want that to change just because the semester’s ending. That’s why, in a way, I’m sort of glad we have time to work on into the summer.

                                             Reflections on Life

     Some lessons this semester taught me: First is on fitting in. It’s never blending in for the sake of blending in, nor standing out for the sake of standing out. It’s being comfortably unique in your own talents and skills, strengths and weaknesses, styles and tastes - while being happy to share those things with others. Indeed, it’s not about being “good enough” to belong, but rather belonging, in order that may do good for others. Second is on wanting to help. For a long time I remained kind of a loner in ACM, sitting in “my” corner with “my” ideas. It wasn’t until last semester and especially during this semester I realized just how powerful, or perhaps rather how much more powerful the drive to help and serve others can be. That’s true not just for creative endeavors, but all areas of life. The Third lesson: doing things for the right reasons. We do things for a lot of different reasons, and often times we aren’t cognizant of why we act or feel the way we do. Having an understanding of who you truly are and what you really want is critical in exercising self-control, and you may come to realize your desires aren’t always what you think they are. And the Fourth lesson is on being assertive. We all want and feel things, and one of the greatest feelings is being in control. You may doubt yourself when you don’t know where your feelings and desires come from. You may think your mind is playing tricks on you. But the truth is, we’ll never go places in life if we don’t speak up and acknowledge our ideas. We may not always come to the right conclusions, but that doesn’t mean we’re wrong for trying. So try, try, and try again. It’s okay to fail, as long as you pick up something with you as you get up. Take risks, and understand that doubt is often our greatest enemy, so fight it!

     So now, at the end, I don’t really know what I feel: I don’t know if this is sadness or happiness? Courage or fear? Maybe it’s none of those things, but something I haven’t quite felt before. Until recently, I didn’t realize there’s an emotion that can make you feel so weak, yet feel strong at the same time. One thing’s for sure, I’m going to miss the project, the crew, and all of Hawai'i. To us, the future is a blank slate: nothing is written on it, yet it holds an infinite number of possibilities. 

                                          Honoring my Maker

     Now before I wrap up, I have a specific topic I’d like to address.

     While I  usually avoid discussing my religious life openly in a scholastic context, I will say here and now that God has been my greatest help throughout these past couple years. For the longest time, even before coming to Hawai'i, I struggled with feelings of not fitting in, of low self-esteem, and of self-doubt. There were a lot of recurring battles at my home growing up, and many of the wounds followed me into adulthood. And if nothing else, this semester has brought many of those to the forefront.

     As a child back in Washington, I would often just go with the flow of my friends at the time, because it was easier, and allowed me to avoid conflict. Yet I would be lead into instances where I would not speak up or act, even though I felt what we were doing, thinking, or saying was wrong. My family wasn’t particularly religious, or at least they certainly didn’t act like it. And for a while I think I didn’t believe in God. Maybe there was some higher power... maybe, perhaps, but not God. Yet still I felt a crushing weight on my conscience, for both the things I had done, and the things I had failed to do. So I watched TV shows and movies to help me feel safe, to distract myself, and indeed to feel as if I had more power than I actually did. 

     There came a time in middle school when a big storm came through my life, and when I was living in fear, I turned to God, and He helped me through it. And again in high school, God helped me. And in college, many times more. Through it all, God answered my prayers, and showed me there is a better way. And I came to understand that He gave me a way to life through His Son, long before I was even born. And because of that, I could find comfort and rest by trusting in Him through the afflictions I faced.      So the way I see it, God has lead my life in a way neither I, nor any human being could. I have found that He has a purpose for all things, and truly that nothing comes by accident. I may not say it aloud, but I observe it every day in the places He sets me in, and the people with whom He places me. Yes, even in the midst of this virus. So while family and friends may not always be there to support me, and while institutions may crumble and fall, and while I may move away and feel isolated from all I’ve known, my God was, is, and always will be with me. There is nothing more empowering or reassuring than that. And without coming off too preachy, my hope is that people might perhaps look at that reflected in my life - to see the work God has done, and to consider their own relationship with Him.

                                                       Roll Call

     Next, I have a few shout-outs I’d like to mention.

     First, to my wonderful film Director Sophia: What can I say? This project has been simply amazing to work on with you. I think back to the moment I first overheard you talking about Pua Warriors. You were so thrilled to do it, and that’s when I realized I might want to jump onboard as well. Since then, the only adjective that comes to mind describing this experience is “vibrant.” I know there have been a lot of ups and downs, but that’s part of what makes the experience worth remembering. And there may very well be more hills and valleys to go through, but I actually look forward to them every day with you, as we continue to make this film happen. You shine like a star with a brilliant, positive energy I’ve never seen before. And I think you have a much greater potential than perhaps even you yourself realize. Of course, everyone has room to grow, but that doesn’t reflect poorly on you at all. It’s the fact that you’ve been so supportive of your team, and that you didn’t give up on your vision, and indeed, you’ve made massive efforts to grow this semester – that’s what makes you a good director in my eyes. And to be honest, I wouldn’t have anybody else direct the film – certainly at least not this “episode” anyway. It’s been a lasting experience, and I hope you’ll take what you’ve learned from it with you. You have a bright future ahead of you Sophia – all you need to do is reach out to it!

     Next, to the Art Director and my good friend Gavin, wow what a ride this has been. Your artistic vision, your stamina, and your work ethic are so very remarkable. It’s been awesome these last few years getting to know you and work with you through all the late nights and long class periods. And especially through Midnight Showing and Pua Warriors. You basically set the standard that I and most other animation students aspire to, and you have such a unique way of looking at things too. Even when you’re feeling drained from all the work, your passion clearly shows, and you know how to communicate both very clearly, AND very, uh, sassily, which makes hanging around you hilarious. You’re also one of the only people on Earth that could get me to watch Clone Wars, and I don’t regret it. You give exceptional feedback in each critique, and though it can be tough to incorporate sometimes, you make listening to you a worthwhile endeavor. ACM simply would not be what it is without you, and I know you have many great things you’ll do with your skills moving forward.

     To our excellent Animation Supervisor Chandelle, this semester’s been a tough one, but even in the darkest times, the sun still rises! You’ve always been an awesome animator, an incredibly hard worker, and an exceptionally friendly and helpful member of the group. And what’s more, you never sought to put the spotlight on yourself for it. You do things simply because you care, and you do them with such a level of discipline and professionalism that few in the ACM department could match it. I’m sure I speak for the whole group when I say, we care about you so much, and we’re just thankful you’ve been with us on the project. Never sell yourself short Chandelle! You’ve conquered some major obstacles in the past, and I know you have it in you to overcome this one as well.The light will shine again someday, so hang in there, and thanks for all the help you’ve given!

     To my fellow animation friend Jared, man, have I got a lot of respect for you. You really know what it’s like to get down and dirty for the team, or feel stuck in a rut in the middle of a project. This last year has probably tested you the most, and yet you never fell apart. Sure, cracks may have formed at times, but you held together and pulled on through to the end. That proves you’ve got guts, and a great capacity for patience and accommodation especially in times of crisis. And that’s exactly what we need - that kind of boldness and passion, to be able to outlast our worries, especially when there are so many unknowns. I remember back to Midnight Showing; boy, that felt like a big time of unknowns too. We had no idea what was coming. And yet you outmatched it, and sure enough, things worked out in the end. And because you’ve been so humble and willing to improve yourself, I’ve seen you get so much better over these last few years, and frankly, it’s astonishing! You’re a great friend, and a hard worker Jared. Keep it up! You’ve got this!

     I’d also like mention my fellow animation friend Kalilinoe! Even though we’re not in the same team this semester, you’re still an awesome and inspiring animator to have in class! Working together on Midnight Showing last semester was a lot of work, but also so much fun! And I love your style of animation using rotoscoping. And I gotta say, the animation in Pua Ka Uahi looks sooo smooth and beautiful. Watching your progress on the film this semester has been super inspiring, and definitely keeps the other teams on their toes! I can’t wait to see the finished film!

     I’ll also make a brief mention of Jayme and Bobby from our 320/420 classes! You guys rock, and made the year all the better! I hope we’ll get to hang out again sometime! 

     PLUS, A big thanks to the whole Capstone class! Stay creative, and best wishes to you all!

     And finally, one last big shout-out to Lisette for making all of this possible! You’ve been an awesome teacher not just for this course, but for the last few years in general! You always bring such wisdom and expert film knowledge to us younglings. And you’re so willing to make yourself available to your students; always helpful and encouraging to everyone, and even more so now during this time. That’s just the kind of support we need! I’ll be missing your classes greatly! Thanks so much for all your care and help!

                                              A New Chapter Begins

Well, that pretty much wraps up my blog (for the school-production time anyway) of Pua Warriors. I’d like to once again thank each and every one of you for making the ACM experience so incredible. I think I like posting, so I’ll probably try to keep up with the blogs for the future, or at least make an update every once in a while. Thanks for reading through this epic conclusion of a post. 

Until next time my friends! This is Alex(is) Nelson, Ganitine, the Undercover Animator, uncovered! See you next time!

[cristinablackthornkingson]

Shadowhunters Short Story #47, Herongraystairs. What if Jem had never been addicted to Yin Fen?

It is a cool October morning in 1887 and Tessa Herondale-Carstairs has found herself wide awake again due to the feeling of little feet kicking inside of her. She is currently 7 months pregnant with her, Will and Jem’s second child, a daughter they plan to name Lucie Ella. They have a 1 year old son named James William, after both of his fathers. 

Tessa had fallen in love with both Jem and Will the moment she met them and they had fallen in love with her, though little did she know they already loved each other too. During the battle with Mortmain, after Tessa transformed into Ithuriel, Jem had run to her side to aid her, but the Heavenly Fire was still burning through her, when he touched her, it burned him too and burned off his parabatia rune as well as Will’s, breaking their bond. Tessa had expected them to be devastated, until a few weeks later she walked into the music room and found them kissing. After that the three of them sat down together and talked about how they all felt about each other, in the end they realized no one had to choose anyone and that all three of them could be together.

In early 1886, much to everyone’s surprise, Tessa found out she was pregnant. She, Jem and Will were thrilled beyond words but also extremely nervous that something would go wrong. Throughout the pregnancy Will and Jem were extremely protective of Tessa, hardly letting her lift a finger and they were constantly at her beck and call. Throughout the pregnancy they did not know if the baby was Will or Jem’s, but they did not care because any baby born to the three of them would have two fathers, no matter their DNA. 

After a rough pregnancy filled with pain and sickness, Tessa gave birth to a healthy baby boy. It was almost immediately clear that Will is his biological father, even at moments old he looked just like him, with a few wisps of thick, curling black hair, Will’s bone structure, mouth and eye shape along with Tessa’s pallor and nose shape. Tessa was afraid at first, that Jem would be disappointed that they baby was not his, but he has always loved James just as Will does, he loves snuggling him and playing his violin for him, while Will loves to read him stories and tell him about everything he and Jem had gotten up to when they were younger.

Approximately 9 months ago, Tessa began to feel ill and achy and felt a lot of the symptoms she had felt while pregnant with James. She didn’t dare get her hopes at first, for the last year she had convinced herself that James was a miracle baby and that Tessa would not be able to fall pregnant again. However after a check up from The Silent Brothers, it was confirmed that Tessa was pregnant with a healthy baby girl. Once again all three of them were utterly thrilled and James was so excited to be a big brother, he loves feeling his sister kick and is forever asking Cecily to tell him stories about his daddy as a big brother, and vowing to be just as good as his daddy. 

Right now, Tessa is just weeks from her due date and having a lot of trouble sleeping due to the baby constantly kicking. She has been awake the past 2 hours and knows it is worthless trying to get back to sleep. With a sigh Tessa grabs her book off the bedside table and heaves herself from the bed, quietly padding across the hall to Will’s office where she can sit and read for a few hours without waking Will and Jem by switching on the lamp. It is odd to have light at the flick of a switch, but much better than trying to fumble around in the dark for a witchight or a match to light a candle with. 

After Tessa has been reading for approximately half an hour, she hears rapid footsteps approaching the office and seconds later the door swings open to reveal Jamie, his golden eyes wide with excitement for the new day, his thick black hair tangled and one of the legs of his pajama bottoms has rolled half way up his leg.

“Good morning my baby.” Tessa brightly says, setting her book down and holding her arms out for her son. Jamie dashes across the room to his mama and flings himself into her arms. His favorite way to start the day is by cuddling with his mama for an hour or two, he loves the way she holds him, strokes his hair, kisses his cheek and tells him how much she loves him. 

“Ucie.” Jamie softly says, placing a hand on Tessa’s bump and beaming up at her in delight. Having only turned 1 recently, James cannot pronounce his sister’s full name yet, so he calls her ‘Ucie’ which Tessa, Will and Jem find extremely sweet and endearing. Jamie is so excited to meet his sister and be a big brother, he’s always been so jealous that his cousin Anna has a little brother and his cousin Thomas has two big sisters, now he’s finally getting a sister and he could not be more happy. 

“Lucie’s been awake all night, I think she missed you.” Tessa softly tells her son, pushing his tangled hair back from his eyes. 

“Ove oo Ucie!” Jamie says, resting his head on his mother’s bump, pouting when he doesn’t feel her kick.

“Oh don’t be sad Jamie, she must have fallen asleep at last, shall we see if we can wake her up?” Tessa gently asks her son, pushing her top up and resting one hand on the side of her swollen stomach. “Come on now little one, you’ve been awake all night and now your brother wants to say hello.” She coos. Jamie furrows his brow at his mother when Lucie still doesn’t kick, then leans forward and pokes her stomach which immediately gets a reaction from Lucie. James’ face lights up and he laughs in delight.

“Mama she kick!” Jamie exclaims in a tone of delight. Tessa laughs lightly and says

“So she did, you must have woken her up.” 

“What a beautiful sight to wake up to.” comes a familiar voice, from the doorway. Tessa turns to see Will standing in the doorway, his hair ruffled from sleep, a smile playing on his lips. 

“Jem still asleep?” Tessa asks.

“Of course, you know him he could sleep through the apocalypse.” Will says in an amused tone, catching Jamie up in his arms when he runs at him. “Good morning Caraid, how are you this morning?” Will softly asks. 

“Good! I wake Ucie up!” James happily exclaims. 

“Did you now? Speaking of your sister, how is Miss Lucie doing in there?” Will softly asks, making his way to Tessa’s side and placing his hand on her bump. 

“Energetic as usual, even more so now she’s heard you and Jamie, this little girl is going to be an amazing Shadowhunter one day, if these kicks are anything to go by.” Tessa lightly says, holding Will’s hand over the spot where Lucie is kicking. 

“I guarantee the minute she hears Jem she’ll calm down, the man is so calm he can even relax an unborn baby.” Will says in an amused tone. Lucie always kicks up a fuss every time she hears Will and Jamie, but when Jem speaks to her she is totally calm and relaxed. When Jamie was a baby he had been the same, he was always hyper and wide awake around Will, but with Jem he was so relaxed and calm, it was amazing. 

“I’ll have to get him to have words with her, she’s not letting me sleep very much.” Tessa lightly says, rubbing at her heavy eyes. 

“Is she only this active at night?” Will asks, lifting his eyes from the bump to look at Tessa, who nods. 

“Yes, during the day she’s quiet calm.”

“Then you should get some sleep during the day when she isn’t so active, Jem and I can easily handle Jamie, you need your rest.” Will softly says. Tessa smiles at him and says

“I suppose but I like being up and spending time with my three boys.” 

“We love spending time with you too but you know how important it is for you to get enough rest.” Will says in a tone of concern. It worries him greatly that Tessa isn’t getting much sleep at night, Brother Enoch made it very clear that it is essential for Tessa to get as much rest as possible, especially in these last few weeks.

“I do but I feel guilty when I go back to bed during the day.” 

“You have absolutely no reason to feel guilty, you are carrying and growing our child, that is hard work and bound to wear you out, feeling guilty over needing to rest is as silly as feeling guilty over needing to eat.” Tessa hears Jem say. She turns to see him walking into the room with Church in his arms and a look of concern on his face.

“Papa!” Jamie squeals, wriggling in Will’s grip until he lets him down. He darts over to Jem, wrapping his arms tightly around his waist.

“Good morning sweet boy, I missed you so much.” Jem says in a tone of joy, scooping Jamie into his arms and kissing his cheek.

''Miss Oo too, love Oo papa.'' Jamie sofly says, snuggling into Jem. Jem beams and kisses his son's forehead.

''I love you too Jamie, shall we go have breakfast?'' Jem says. Jamie nods enthuastically and says

''Mama and daddy come too?'' Will and Tessa smile at their son and Tessa says

''Of course, I think Lucie is hungry too, judging by these kicks.''

When the three of them arrive downstairs they find they are the only ones up for breakfast, there is no sign of Charlotte, Henry, Charles and Matthew or Gabriel, Cecily, Anna and Christopher.

Halfway through breakfast Tessa begins to feel a famillar aching cramping pain in her lower stomach, she immediately knows that the pains are contractions but doenst want to say anything to Jem or Will incase she frightens Jamie.

When Ruby -The Institue Maid- arrives to clean up after breakfast she notices Tessa wincing and clutching her stomach.

''M'am are you alright?'' Ruby asks in a tone of concern, which immediately catches Jem and Will's attention.

''Tess are you alright, is it time?'' Jem calmly asks. Tessa winces as another pain hits her and weakly nods.

''Yes, yes I think so.'' she weakly says.

''I will take Jamie to my sister, Jem you help Tessa up to the infirmary.'' Will orders. Jem nods and begins to help Tessa out of her chair, while WIll takes Jamie to find Ceciily and Gabriel.

Tessa's labor is long and painful, she wishes more than anything that she could have Jem and Will by her side, they were there when this baby was concieved they should be here when she is born. But Tessa feels far too weak and tired to fight with the midwife and settles for having, Cecily, Charlotte and Sophie by her side. while Jem, Will, Gideon, Henry and Gabriel wait outside along with Jamie.

After six long and painful hours, Tessa gives birth to a healthy baby girl.

''Oh, Sophie can you bring Will and Jem in now?" Tessa asks in a breathless tone, wanting her husbands to meet their daughter immediately.

''Of course, Gideon and I will keep an eye on Jamie until we leave and Cecily and Gabriel and Charotte and Herny are practically fighting over who gets to look after him tonight, so you dont need to worry about that.'' Sophie lightly says, rising from her seat and making her way out of the infirmary.

A few minutes later, just as the midwife places Lucie in Tessa's arms, Will and Jem walk into the infirmary, immediately making their way to their wife's side.

All three of them gaze down at their daughter in awe, she is absolutely perfect, she looks so much like Tessa it would be almost impossible to tell who her father is, if it weren't for her blue eyes, identical to Will's.

''Lucie, sweet girl you look just like your mama and daddy you lucky little thing, you are so perfect.'' Jem queitly says, softly running his hand over Lucie's chestnut brown hair.

''I cannot believe she's finally here.'' Will queitly says.

''I cannot believe we have two children under two, I still cannot believe I was pregnant again when Jamie was only eight months old.'' Tessa lightly says, rembering how shocked she had been when at Jamie's eight month check up, Brother Enoch had told her she was pregnant again.

''At least we know we can concieve and quite easily, unlike poor Charlotte and Henry who tried for Mathew for years.'' Jem quietly says. He feels awful that he, Tessa and Will seem to have absoluetley no trouble concieving and had two children in 18 months while Charlotte and Henry struggled greatly to have a second child.

''Right as usual James.'' Will says, leaning in to kiss Jem on the cheek.

Just then, Lucie begins to fuss annd whine in Tessa's arms, her little fists clenched and her face turning bright red.

''And so it begins.'' Will jokingly says.

''Let me try and settle her, she always calmed down for me when you were pregnant.'' Jem says, holding his arms out for the baby.

The instant Lucie is placed in Jem's arm she calms down, her cries die down to whimpers before ceasing altogether and she snuggles closely into Jem, reaching a hand out of her blankets and grabbing onto Jem's shirt. Jem's heart swells with love and joy, just as it did when he held Jamie for the first time. He can still hardly believe he has two beauitful and healthy children.

''I think you're showing a bit of favouritism Miss Lucie, but I cannot blame you, your papa is rather wonderful.'' Will coos, leaning over to stroke his daughter's cheek softly.

Jem chuckles and kisses his daughter's forehead. He then looks between Lucie, Will and Tessa, his beautiful family.

''I love all four of you so much, I could not possibly ask for a more perfect family.'' Jem says in a tight tone, trying to hold back his tears of joy.

_________________________________________

It has now been two weeks since Lucie was born, and James is absoltuely in love with his sister, he loves cuddling her and showing her his favouriet books, though he's not too happy that his sister mostly sleeps all day and is too small to play with him just yet.

Right now Lucie is having her afteronon nap in the living room in her bassinet where Tessa, Jem or Will can hear her better if she starts to cry.

Just as Tessa sits down next door to read her book, she hears Lucie begin to fuss and whine. With a sigh Tessa closes her book and makes her way into the living room. When she arrives in the living room she doesn't know wheather to be anry or amused at the sight in front of her. Jamie is standing over his sister's bassinet, lightly poking her.

''James what are you doing?'' Tessa asks in a stern tone, making her way over to the bassinet and lifting Lucie into her arms and holding her against her shoulder.

''Want play wif her mama, but she not wake up so I poke her, when she in your tummy I poke her and she wake up!'' James explains, looking up at his mother with innocent golden eyes.

''Sweetheart when she was in my tummy she was protected by a sack of water, so when you poked my tummy it didnt hurt her, but it will hurt her now, you need to let her sleep okay?'' Tessa softly explains.

''Okay, oove oo mama.'' James softly says, leaning into her. Tessa places one hand on Jamie's back and softly says

''I love you too baby.''

That evening, a few hours before James' bedtime, Tessa, Jem, Will, Jamie and Lucie all head up to Tessa, Will and Jem's room and get into bed. For the first whiile Jem plays his violon for them, which soothes and relaxes both Jamie and Lucie. Right now, Jamie is curled up in Will's lap listening to him read, Tessa is nursing Lucie and Jem is simply watching his family with a huge smile on his face.

''Our family is just perfect now Lucie is here, dont you agree?'' Jem queitly says to Tessa, putting an arm around her and their daughter.

''Yes absolutely, it feels complete, I do not want anymore children, these two are more than enough.'' Tessa quietly says, looking from Jamie to Lucie.

''Me neither and neither does Will, we were talking about it earlier today, everything is perfect as it is.'' Jem softly says. Tessa smiles and nods in agreement.

''I love you.'' She softly says, tilting her head up to look Jem in the eyes. He grins and leans his forehad agaisnt hers.

''I love you too, you and Will and our babies have given me the perfect life and I could not love you all more.'' he says, before leaning down to kiss her. Tessa closes her eyes and while she enjoys the kiss she also revels in the delight of the weight of her beautiful new baby in her arms, the heat of Will next to her, the sound of her baby boy's giggles and the feeling of Jem's kiss. When she got off the boat from America all those years ago, she could never have imagined a life like this, but it is perfect and she could not be happier.

[providentially-demonic]

Miraculous Mystery Skulls

First Arc: a Spellcaster, a Ghost and a Mechanic walk into a bar Paris

Summary: On their honeymoon in Paris, the City of Lights, the trio of Vivi, Lewis and Arthur encounter more than sightseeing... in the form of monsters, supervillains and a pair of teen superheroes. Sometimes, miraculous things can happen, when you least expect it.

(A Mystery Skulls/Miraculous Ladybug crossover event)

A/N: This all started with this fic by @phantoms-lair and the silly idea of them running into Chat Noir and Ladybug while there. It grew...

It’s a tale of heroes, miraculous, found family and more (with a healthy dose of puns). Co-created and written with assistance from @phantoms-lair, so she deserves some of the credit and a lot of the blame! :P

Chapter One: Strays on the Balcony

"Mmmnn?" Arthur stirred from sleep, aware that something was different.  Lewis was warm beside him, but holding himself absolutely still, head cocked as if listening to something. There was an absence on his other side, cool sheets indicating that they has been vacant a while.

Lewis laid a finger across his lips and inclined his head toward the balcony doors of their hotel room.  There were voices out there and only one of them was Vivi's.

Arthur strained to hear, but it wasn't until Lewis gently cupped the side of his face, fingers too warm against his skin, that he could hear clearly. Lewis must have had a deadbeat eavesdropping, and was channeling it to him through his touch.

" — not safe here, ma'am." The voice was young but spoke perfect English, though accented in a way that said it was not their first language.

Another voice, feminine and equally as young, spoke in French. Through Lewis, he could get a sense of the words.  "Something doesn't feel right about this. It doesn't quite feel like an—” Arthur could not understand the last word and knew it wasn't one Lewis knew either.

The first voice replied in French. "It doesn't smell like one either, but it's weird. Not— not human. It smells like a fire, almost. But one with something cooking on it. But it doesn't smell at all like—”

Vivi had obviously had enough of a conversation she could only partially understand. "I think you should tell me what you think is going on to bring a cat burglar and a— a spotted fire hydrant to my hotel room at this hour.  And preferably before my husbands wake up."

"What did she just call me—?!" The feminine voice scaled up a notch. "And are you sure she even speaks English right, because it sounds like she's uses the wrong possessive. A plural one!"

"Milady, calm down." The first voice entreated.

"Waiting for an explanation," Vivi said, her tone just this side of icy.

Arthur figured he should try and defuse the situation. He rose from the bed, Lewis getting up with him and donning his sunglasses.

Clad only in sleep pants and a white t-shirt (sloppily knotted over the stump of his left shoulder), Arthur padded to the balcony doors. Lewis remained behind him, a hand on his scarred shoulder. It was both support and a way for Arthur to know what was being said. He appreciated Lewis's thoughtfulness.

He stepped through the gauzy curtains and into the cool night air. Vivi, clad in a hotel bathrobe over her sleep shorts, had her hands on her hips and an annoyed expression. She was confronting— well, Arthur wasn't sure who they were supposed to be, besides awfully young to be perched on the balcony railing at half past two.

The boy, with a tumble of unruly blond hair, was dressed in a very feline themed black suit that looked like leather but was clearly not, and crouching on the rail with deceptive ease. Beside him was a girl, all in red with numerous black spots. Her hair was pulled back into two ponytails and she was staring at Vivi with a mutinous expression. Both were masked with half masks and the boy held a baton in clawed gloves. The girl didn't appear to be armed but Arthur had his doubts about that.

"Vivi?" Arthur kept his tone light. "Who are your guests?"

Vivi's grin was sharp as glass. "I found a couple of strays."

"Vivi," Lewis's expression was one of mild curiosity, and even the rebuke barely qualified as one.

Vivi's cheeks puffed out in a frustrated sigh. "Dipped if I know. They popped up when I wandered out for a breath of fresh air and only one of them speaks English. He's been going on about us being in danger."

~~~~~

“We believe we sense an akuma in here, and we need to purify it,” Chat explained in English.

It was like a switch flipped, the blue woman went from confused to aggressive. Chat was fairly certain she'd been empty-handed, but suddenly there was a frost-tinged baseball bat in her hands. "You can't have him," she hissed.

Ladybug and Chat leapt back, Ladybug shooting out her yoyo to try and pull the bat out of her hands. In response the large man seemed to suddenly to catch fire, especially his hair and hands.

"Their weapons are magic, Arthur! Stay back!" The lady called out, and the one armed blond took a step back, but seemed unwilling to leave.

Chat looked over the fiery guy. He was obviously the akumatized one, but there was no obvious weapon for the akuma to be hiding in. The most likely thing would be the golden heart he wore prominently, so that what he was aiming for. His lady was tied up with the bat lady, so it was up to him.

~~~~

Arthur felt his heart jump into his throat when he saw the presumably magical claws aiming for Lewis's anchor. He dashed back into the room, looking for something— anything—  he could use as a weapon. His eyes fell on a screwdriver he was using for some arm repairs and he grabbed it, not noticing the dark butterfly that landed on the screwdriver as he did.

Your lovers need protecting. I will give you the power to save them, Loose Screw, and all you have to do is bring me Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculouses.

~~~~

"Get the fuck out of my head!"

The battle on the balcony froze at the cry. Lewis and Vivi rushed into the room, with Chat Noir and Ladybug right on their heels. Arthur was clutching a darkly glowing screwdriver, the Hawkmoth mask around his face. However, rather than transforming, he was thrashing around, shouting obscenities at the voice in his head.

"He's fighting it off." Chat Noir said in wonder. He'd never seen anyone fight off Hawkmoth.

"He can't fight forever," Ladybug said grimly. "We need to get to the screwdriver."

"Artie, hold on." Lewis grabbed Arthur when he started banging his head against the wall and hugged him tightly to keeping him from hurting himself.

"The akuma's in the screwdriver," Chat said in English. "We need to break it so Ladybug can purify it."

Vivi shot him a suspicious look, but turned to Lewis. "Hold his arm out so the screwdriver's extended."

Lewis did so and Vivi brought up her bat, frost gathering on the edge, and slammed it down. The screwdriver shattered with a release of dark power and a butterfly oozing corruption fluttered out. Ladybug snapped it up as Arthur slumped over, no longer fighting the possession.

"Did I hurt anyone?" Arthur asked weakly.

"No, you fought it off completely. I've never seen anyone fight off an akuma before." Chat explained.

"That was what you called an akuma?" Vivi asked.

"It's what an akuma is, a butterfly tainted by Hawkmoth and used to turn people into monsters."

"Oh," Vivi bit her lip. "In Japan it means something different..."

~~~~

"Bye bye, little butterfly," Ladybug said softly, releasing the purified butterfly.

"It's looks like there's been a bit of a linguistic misunderstanding." Chat said softly.

"But your English is nearly perfect." She was honestly impressed that the carefree Chat was so fluent in a second language.

"Not English, Japanese." he explained. "In Japan 'Akuma' means a fire spirit, in particular one with fiery hair and eyes," They looked at the large glowing-eyed figure whose hair was still flickering. "When I said we were here to purify one, she thought I was saying we were here to exterminate her husband."

~~~~

Arthur sagged to the floor, his legs too shaky to hold him. Lewis knelt with him, still cradling Arthur’s shoulders.

Vivi rushed over. "Arthur!"

He dredged up a smile for her. " ’M okay, Vi. Just shaken up. That was—”

Vivi squished him to her in a tight hug. "You fought it off, love. You did great."

The cat-suited boy dropped into an easy crouch. "Forgive the misunderstandings. I'm called Chat Noir. My lady, Ladybug, and I defend Paris from a villain called Hawkmoth. The Akuma are his. He manipulates people with them, as he attempted to do just now." He explained in English.

Vivi only glanced at him, most of her attention on Arthur.

"To be honest, we have never seen anyone fight off his Akuma so successfully. He manipulates his victim’s emotions with them." Chat waved a hand at the restored screwdriver. "Each victim has a focus item that must be destroyed, and the Akuma in it must be purified."

Vivi shuddered. "Linguistic misunderstanding or not, hearing that makes my skin crawl." She gripped one of Lewis's hands, her other arm still tucking Arthur against her chest, and turned her attention fully to Chat Noir. "If he ever comes near my boys again, he'll be the deadest villain in Paris. He thinks he can interrupt our honeymoon without having his ass kicked into next week—!”

Arthur patted her hand where it gripped his shirt. "Easy, tiger.”

Vivi was having exactly none of it. “No. Not only did he screw up our honeymoon, but— but he tried to—”

“But he didn’t,” Arthur reminded her gently. “You guys—” He lifted his eyes to the two superhero youths. “All of you, stopped him before—”

“Don’t dismiss your own part in this,” Chat Noir interrupted. “You fought his influence off, and that’s no easy thing.”

Arthur shuddered, his skin crawling. “I— I was possessed before, once, and—” His hand came up to clutch his shoulder and his breath caught in his throat.

“Breathe, Arthur,” Lewis chided softly, pulling Arthur’s hand away from his shoulder. “Deep breaths.”

“Let’s just say something bad happened,” Vivi finished grimly, resting her hand on Arthur’s chest, just over his heart.

It took Arthur a moment to compose himself. “I wasn’t going to let that happen again. I— I would have—” His eye fell on the screwdriver lying on the floor and his skin prickled with goosebumps.

“And this Hawkmoth would be nothing but a greasy burn mark if you had.” Lewis picked up the screwdriver and stuffed it in a pocket.

Arthur relaxed a little.

"I think we should talk." Vivi looked up. "No one with that kind of ability should be terrorizing an entire city. And he just earned himself a couple of implacable enemies with tonight's trick."

"I understand, but you don't have Miraculous to battle him. It requires Milady's miraculous to purify his—” Chat Noir cast a glance at Lewis and amended himself. "To banish his influence from those he has Akumatized."

Vivi snorted. "We're not exactly without weapons ourselves, as you have seen."

Arthur made an ugly sound, partially laughter and part something he didn't want to name, even to himself. "Speak for yourself. " He gestured at his shoulder. "I'm kinda unarmed."

Chat's eyes widened and he stifled surprised laughter.

The girl looked a little annoyed and she muttered something that sounded uncomplimentary, but without Lewis concentrating on him Arthur didn’t understand her.

Vivi made a displeased sound. “Okay, this is getting old. We need to talk, and relying on translation is taking up time I think would be better spent elsewhere.” She pointed imperiously at the table and chairs that occupied one corner of the suite. “You two sit. I gotta see if I can still remember this spell.”

The girl, Ladybug, seemed mutinous, but settled at a touch from Chat. They sat at the table while Vivi fetched the still mostly-full ice bucket and centered it on the small table. She concentrated for a moment, holding her hand over the ice. Pale frost sparkled on the air for a moment and then she lowered her hand to touch the ice. She pulled it away and nodded to Chat. “Touch the ice too, bare skin please. For as long as the ice lasts, we’ll be able to talk to each other. I gave it my knowledge of English, and you will provide the French.”

With a glance over at Ladybug, Chat peeled off one of his gloves and placed pale fingers on the ice.

Vivi nodded at Ladybug. “Say something, please. I want to make sure it worked.”

“I’ve never heard of magic like that.” Ladybug exclaimed. “Wait, I understood everything you said!” She leaned forward to squint at the ice. “How did you do that?”

Vivi chuckled. “A basic translation spell, using the ice as a medium. Ice works best for me, though my teacher uses fire.”

With Lewis’s help, Arthur dragged himself back to his feet, moving to take a seat at the table. “Well, that makes things a bit easier. Thanks, Vi.” He leaned over to give her a brief kiss.

Ladybug glanced between them. “So your English wasn’t messed up! You really are married... to both of them?”

“We are,” Arthur answered. “All three of us together, though the papers are only between Vivi and I since it’s hard to get a marriage license for a ghost.”

Ladybug’s eyes went wide and she leaned as far back in her chair as she could. “G-ghost?”

Lewis sighed and let his human shape go, reverting to the skeletal form that had been his for the past three years. “Boo.”

Ladybug eeped and her chair would have gone over backwards if Chat had not steadied it. She drew her knees up in front of her chest. “A ghost,” she repeated. “I—”

Arthur managed a dry chuckle. “Believe me, he’s spectral. I’d say he—”

Lewis clapped a bony hand over his mouth. “Arthur, I swear, if you say the ghost with the most one more time—”

“I was going to say hauntingly handsome.” Arthur grinned obnoxiously. It felt good to be able to tease Lewis, to chase away some of the cold dread the feeling of the attempted possession had left behind.

Chat burst out in laughter, earning a half-dismayed look from Ladybug. “Don't you dare!” She flailed her hands in a desperate attempt to keep him quiet.

“Milady, I would never ghoul so low. Such accusations haunt me.” Chat's grin was puckishly delighted.

“Arrrggghhh!” Ladybug buried her face in her hands.

Vivi covered her mouth to stifle an unbecoming snort of laughter.  "Oh my God, Arthur, why didn't you tell me there were two of you?"

Arthur raised an amused eyebrow.  "You know very well that there's only one of me. But he has a fine turn of proper punsmanship."

Ladybug groaned. "I should've stayed in bed..."

"Speaking of bed," Lewis added, resuming his human guise.  "Forgive me if this seems out of place to ask, but how old are you? You seem awful young for this."

"Being a hero knows no age," Chat Noir struck a pose in his chair.

Beside him, Ladybug rolled her eyes at his antics but answered with frank honesty.  "It's not really a matter of choice. My miraculous is the only thing that can undo Hawkmoth's manipulations. Chat can battle the Akumatized people, but he can't undo what happens; can't purify the effects of Hawkmoth's Akuma."

"So you're kids," Vivi's tone was cold and flat. "This Hawkmoth has a lot to answer for."

"It— the miraculous came to us. That had nothing to do with him," Ladybug was flustered. "My kwami bonded with me. I care for her."

Arthur rose to his feet, but only moved so far as to crouch between Ladybug and Chat Noir's chairs. "We're not saying you don't, and there's nothing wrong with that. But—  If Hawkmoth weren't here, you wouldn't have had to step up and fight him, kwami or not. That he has to answer for."

Ladybug chewed on her lower lip, but couldn't meet his eyes.

Chat Noir made a sort of growling sound in the back of his throat. "I don't care that I have to battle with Hawkmoth's Akuma, I'm not giving up my miraculous or my freedom."

"Chat?" Ladybug turned to him. "What? You never—”

Chat looked like a guilty cat, his black ears canted back and flattened a bit. "It's nothing, Milady. Pretend you never heard that."

It was clear from her expression Ladybug would not forget his words anytime soon, and frankly, Arthur had his doubts that any of them would let that slip go unnoticed. Vivi's storm-cloud eyes had darkened and her lips were pressed into a thin line. Lewis looked like he was contemplating whether to serve Hawkmoth en flambé or very, very extra crispy.

Ladybug chewed the corner of her lip again, and then cautiously rested her hand on Chat Noir's arm. He jumped a little and then patted her fingers gently.

Vivi puffed out her cheeks with a sigh. "I'm gonna let it go for now, but you can be sure we're gonna talk more about this age thing once we've done something about Hawkmunch."

Ladybug drew her hand back and glanced up at Vivi.  "Why do you want to help so much? Sure, he attacked your— your husband, but he's free now."

Lewis leaned forward in his chair, his dark sclera making his gaze even more penetrating. "But things could have been worse... have been worse. It's not just that he attacked Arthur, though we don't forgive that easily, it's that he's doing this to others, over and over. And he won't stop until we— all of us— find a way to stop him."

A pensive expression crossed Ladybug's face and she looked back at Chat Noir. "Can the two of us speak privately for just a moment. Just for a few minutes, I swear. It's kinda important."

Vivi didn't look pleased, but assented with a nod. "Don't try to cut us out of this, though. You need our help. And I'd rather we work as a team than be at odds." She gestured toward the bedroom of the suite.

~~~~

Ladybug closed the door behind them and leaned against it with a heavy sigh.

"Milady?"

She pursed her lips and took in the bedroom. There was a folded dividing screen by the wardrobe and she hurried over to extend it. "We really need our kwami's advice on this, so that means we'll have to unmask. I'll be behind this with you on the other side. I'm going to trust that you won't peek and you'll have to do the same."

Chat's usual smirk dropped away. "I would trust you with my identity and more."

"I know, but let's keep our secrets for now."

She retreated behind the screen and took a deep breath. "Tikki, spots off." Her costume vanished and Tikki swirled into existence by her shoulder.

On the other side of the screen she heard Chat command, "Plagg, claws in."

She waited a few seconds before speaking. "Tikki, I know you two heard everything. We need your help. What do you think of them... and their offer of help?"

She heard a grumble from the other side of the screen and then, "What is it with you two? Jeez. They want to help, and frankly at least two of them are powerful enough to give Hawkmoth real problems. So why not let them?"

"Plagg," Tikki scolded.

"What? You're the trusting one here. What do your instincts say? I can't be the only one who thinks this is a good thing!"

Ladybug had to admit her kwami looked conflicted. Tikki hummed a frustrated sound and spun in a circle around her head. Ladybug offered a hand and Tikki settled into her palm with another grumble. "I don't know," she said at last. "In— in all our history, we've only ever looked to the other miraculous bearers to aid us. But now, one of us is held by the enemy and forced to act against his nature, and no matter what we do, we haven't been able to free him."

“Tikki...”

“Listen here, bright eyes. Yeah, maybe that’s the way it’s always been, but like you said, this is a new situation. We haven’t been able to do anything the way we used to, so maybe if we have some help from new sources, we can actually do something. We could stop Hawkmoth and save his kwami.” Tears prickled behind Ladybug’s eyelids at Plagg’s impassioned declaration.

“I agree with Plagg.” Chat’s voice was firm. “Maybe it’s time to try something new, Milady.”

Tikki sighed and shook her head. “I really don’t know if this is for the best, but I’m willing to try. We’ve been stuck in this impasse with Hawkmoth for way too long and I’m worried for his kwami.”

Ladybug cuddled Tikki close to her cheek for a moment. “Then we’re agreed, all of us. Maybe they can really help us.”

“We’ll never know if we don’t try, Milady. Shall we go talk to them, see if there’s some planning to do?”

“Tikki, spots on!” When the transformation was done, Ladybug nodded firmly. “Let’s go, kitty.”

~~~~

When the door had closed behind the two costumed heroes, Lewis turned and suddenly gathered Vivi and Arthur tight against his chest.

“Ooof, Big Guy!” Arthur didn’t struggle, only looked with concern at Lewis. “What’s up? You okay there?”

“Am I okay? You— you were the one—?” Lewis squeezed tighter, at a loss for words.

Arthur sighed. “I’m okay, love. Sure it scared the piss out of me at the time, but it’s over, and now that I know his modus operandi you can bet he’ll never get a hold on me again.”  

Vivi burrowed into Arthur’s side inside Lewis’s fierce hold and growled under her breath. “Never again.”

Lewis felt a tug on his mind, one of his deadbeats. He hadn’t been paying attention to them after the attack on Arthur and he reached out to it, concerned.

Suddenly he was there, in the bedroom, looking from the perspective from behind the potted fern in the corner. The two heroes each stood on one side of the dividing screen and as he watched, they banished their disguises, becoming two teens and two small, floating creatures.

Vivi stiffened beside him. “They’re just kids!” Her voice was tight with outrage and Lewis realized he had inadvertently shared the deadbeat’s perceptions with them. ”So young!”

“Too damn young.” Arthur growled.

Lewis agreed with every word. These children were defending their city from a supervillain! He felt his hair start to flicker and tamped down hard on the rage. He wasn’t going to let himself lose control. Not again.

~~~~

Lewis was still simmering by the time the two superheroes had emerged from the conference, but at least he had gained enough control to keep his hair from going all fiery. Arthur let Lewis cling to him, both for his own peace of mind and to keep Lewis grounded.

Vivi had put on her professional mask to hide her thoughts, and she only gestured them over, "Have you come to a decision?" Her smile was all politeness and Arthur thought someone that didn't know her as well as they did would buy into it without a second thought.

Ladybug heaved a sigh. “Perhaps you are right. We— we haven't been able to truly stop him, only delay whatever his twisted plans are and clean up the messes that he causes with his Akumatized victims. So—”

“Let's lay all our cards on the table and see what we can come up with,” Vivi's smile gentled into something more real as she reseated herself. “I'll go first. My name is Vivi and I am a paranormal researcher by trade, and more recently, a spell-caster by vocation. I have an affinity for spells involving ice and cold. I also swing a seriously mean bat and occasionally a sword, so don't think I can't handle it in a brawl.”

She lifted her hand and gestured to where Lewis still stood protectively over Arthur. “These are my husbands. The big guy is Lewis, and we've already established that he's a ghost. Not the rattling chains in the basement type either. He... well, he started out as a vengeance spirit, though he's become more of a protective guardian type, due to circumstances that are way too much to go into right now. He throws a mean fireball and can burn just about anything, fireproofing or not. He also has the usual ghostly talents, vanishing, walking through walls, etcetera.”

Her lips quirked up a notch more. “His snuggle-buddy there is Arthur. He's the tech guy. Made all sorts of ghost-detecting devices from scratch and built his own prosthetic arm. He's hell on wheels with anything mechanical, and while he's not a tank, he won't back down from a fight.”

Vivi turned her attention to the two costumed youths. “I promise, give me a clue to chew on, and I can find out a heck of a lot. So tell me a little about these kwami and miraculous of yours and we'll see what I can pull out of my hat.”

Ladybug took a seat, playing absently with a piece of hotel stationary that had been left on the table. "I'm probably not the best person to tell you about kwami and miraculous. That would be Master Fu. He— he guards the miraculous."

Chat Noir made a soft sound, but when Arthur glanced over at him, he had his lips pressed firmly shut. Arthur could feel his eyebrows trying to climb into his hairline.  Some job of guarding the miraculous when there were two barely-even-teenagers battling not only someone who had one, but his monsters of the week too. Behind him, Lewis radiated anger again and Arthur knew Vivi was holding onto her professional smile tooth and nail.

"And what does he do to guard them?" Vivi asked, trying to hide how pointed a question it was. "And believe me, we'd like to talk to him too."

Ladybug bit her bottom lip. "I don't know everything, I just know he protects the rest of the miraculous. They're all hidden in a box that only he knows how to open... I think it keeps Hawkmoth from finding them."

Arthur folded his arm across his chest. "And what is he doing to teach you about what you need to know? What kind of training?" He had a sneaking feeling what the answer was, given how hesitantly Ladybug admitted how little she knew.

Chat Noir put his hand on Ladybug's shoulder and answered for her. "Not much of anything," he admitted with a tight smile that was about the farthest thing from real. "It was— kind of an urgent matter that we deal with Hawkmoth. And like Ladybug said, her miraculous is the only one that can purify his Akuma."

Arthur was pretty sure Chat was leaving out a lot, to judge by his expression. "And he hasn't given you more training since then?" Arthur asked quietly, already knowing in his heart what the answer was.

The silence from the two was telling. Ladybug’s shoulders were hunched up and Chat Noir’s ears were flattened.

"Then wouldn't it make more sense to have her trained to top form? To know everything she can do inside and out? To have a partner that can do the same?" Holding Arthur was the only thing stopping Lewis from crossing his arms. Arthur could feel the aborted movement to do just that.

"I mean, I totally agree a guy who can do custom possessions on demand is a number one top priority." Arthur added. "But because of that, those fighting him need to have every advantage at their disposal. I mean, a flame guardian, ice adept, and mechanic aren't bad advantages, but if there's more you could have, you should."

Ladybug was pensive and near to chewing her bottom lip to tatters. “I— it doesn’t feel right to confront Master Fu. He gave us our miraculouses and he helped Tikki when she was sick.”

Chat shifted position in his chair, his expression still pinched. “I’m not sure confronting him is the right word, Milady. It seems to me they have a really good point about us being rather unprepared for this. And we could use all the advantages we can get.”

Ladybug sighed, a thin whisper of defeated sound. “I— we’ll take you to see him, but it’ll have to be late evening, we— we have other— obligations during the day.”

School was the word she wasn’t saying but it was pretty clear to Arthur that was what she meant.

“We’ll meet you at the park across the street at—”

“No earlier than eight, Milady,” Chat interrupted her. “I’m stuck with— things— until then.”

“Make it eight-thirty,” she amended.

Vivi stuck out her hand. “Deal, we’ll be waiting for you then.”

Reluctantly, Ladybug shook it and pushed herself up from the table. “We should get going then. I have to be up early in the morning.”

Chat Noir also rose and swept a charming bow in Vivi’s direction. “Until then.” He followed Ladybug out to the balcony.

Behind Arthur, Lewis made a soft sound and Arthur turned to see him holding two tiny Deadbeats in one hand. “Follow them,” he whispered to them. “Keep them safe and warn us the moment anything bad happens. And stay invisible.”

The two Beats nodded and vanished.

Lewis caught Arthur’s look and shrugged. “They need someone to keep an eye on them.”

[precuredaily]

Precure Day 147

Episode: Futari wa Precure Splash Star 48 - “The Final Battle! The Stolen Land of Greenery!” Date watched: 28 July 2019 Original air date: 21 January 2007 Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/XoatG4O Project info and master list of posts: http://tinyurl.com/PCDabout

I’ve got bad news

This episode has it all: a fantastic fight, huge stakes, crippling defeat, near-death experiences, the destruction of the world.... wait that doesn’t sound good at all. Hmm.

The Plot

Gohyaan has destroyed Akudaikaan, revealed himself as the creator of Dark Fall, and brought everyone to the Land of Greenery to find and destroy the Fountain of the Sun. Naturally, the girls don’t really want that to happen and they fight back with everything they have. They pull out all the stops but ultimately Gohyaan is not deterred. He’s about to torture the girls when Princess Filia, still possessing Korone, shows up to stop him. In a freak series of events the Fairy Carafe ends up in the water and begins to glow. It is revealed that Earth’s oceans itself are the Fountain of the Sun.

Visually it’s not very interesting, just the ocean with a yellow glow, but I guess it would have been difficult to live up to the hype. Having found his objective, Gohyaan charges an attack that resembles a black hole, sucking in all life and spirits. Bright and Windy try to stop him with Spiral Star Splash but he blocks the attack, and with the spirits of Earth getting sucked up, they exhaust their spirit energy and detransform. The black hole continues to suck all life from Earth, leaving the entire planet as a dry and barren wasteland.

Gohyaan turns his attention back to the four girls and prepares to destroy them as well, but Michiru and Kaoru block his attack. He reminds them that with Akudaikaan’s life flame gone, their own power and lives are finite, but the pair don’t abandon their friends. They use the last of their energy to flee Gohyaan and land under the dried up Tree of Life, where the Kiryuus collapse, seemingly dead.

Saki and Mai cry while Flappi, Choppi, Moop, Foop, and Korone watch with sadness. However, some keen spotting by Flappi leads to the realization that the soil is not dead, the air is still breatheable, and the moon and wind are still out there. There’s still room for life, and all things have life. Saki and Mai reflect on their families and friends, wishing to see them again, and they pray to all the spirits left on the planet, within all things, to give them strength. The Tree of Life flashes as spirit energy gathers, and restores strength and power to all four girls. As the light fades, they emerge: Saki as Cure Bloom, Mai as Cure Egret, and Michiru and Kaoru have been given the powers of the Moon and Wind respectively. Gohyaan appears and scowls at this latest development, and the credits roll.

Well. It’s about damn time.

The Analysis

I think my favorite part of these finales is wondering how they’re going to fill 3-4 episodes and then being pleasantly surprised by the result. Episode 46: They enter Dark Fall, engage with Akudaikaan in ideology, and show him they’re strong enough to counter him. Ep 47: They truly battle, again exchanging words as much as blows, and with the power of spirits they manage to defeat him. Gohyaan reveals himself. Now episode 48: The girls express how important life, their friends, the spirits, and the planet are to them, they fight, they lose, but their resolve creates a miracle. When I write it out, it sounds a bit silly, but when you actually watch it, it works. There are shows where I take issue with the pacing of the story, but this isn’t one. This battle has been perfectly paced, each episode ending on a cliffhanger for the girls, and then in the subsequent episode, paying it off. Now that Michiru and Kaoru have been given Cure-like powers, things are looking up. The cliffhanger this time is a more positive one. In moments of deepest darkness, the cures’ spirits shine the brightest. Even when the odds are stacked against them, they never give up. And I’m here for it.

The emotional journey through this episode is tense. Even if you kind of know things will work out in the end, seeing Saki and Mai get pushed to their limits is sad, and then seeing Michiru and Kaoru pretty much sacrifice their lives to buy them a few extra minutes is just gut-wrenching. They’ve always gotten a raw deal, they don’t deserve to suffer the way they have, and now that they’re caught between worlds, either side’s defeat could kill them. Yet, they do fight, and they do sacrifice themselves, because they care so much about the two who taught them the value of life. Even if their supposed death only lasts a few minutes before they’re rejuvenated with the Moon and Wind powers, it’s still tragic. Saki and Mai’s resulting anguish at the loss of their friends is also deeply moving.

The fight scene towards the beginning of this episode is fantastic, almost movie quality. Words don’t do it justice, so here’s the video.

It is well-animated, well-choreographed, well-blocked, well-paced. The camera moves around and they don’t hover on still drawings for longer than they have to. Almost as soon as someone lands a blow and Gohyaan shoves them away, someone is ready from a different direction with their own attack he isn’t anticipating. Then that dramatic combination at the end, where the Kiryuus trap him in their energy sphere while Windy crushes him with wind, before Bright bounces up and charges the biggest damn light beam you’ve ever seen, I love every minute of it. This is a Precure fight scene to remember.

Speaking of animation, I want to give special consideration to the detransformation scenes. This is something we rarely see in magical girl anime to begin with, and in Precure it’s exceedingly rare. Usually their whole bodies glow as their outfit dissipates, but here their faces stay normally lit and they subtly blend frames to show their hair and accessories disappearing. It’s really neat, and considering even the movie fudged the detransformation, it’s impressive to see it done on the show.

The one thing that bothers me is the extreme of the raised stakes in these finales. In all three shows so far, the villain has essentially destroyed the world and all the people in it, leaving only themselves and the Precures. When they win, the world is magically restored as though nothing ever happened. It’s the logical extreme of how buildings and scenery mend themselves after their normal battles. I’m willing to overlook that, but when you get to this degree, to the point of destroying the global population, if you can undo that in a snap then how is there any threat at all? At what point do the powers that be say “this is too much, we can’t restore normalcy”? Is it predicated on the Cures winning? I think I questioned this in the FW and Max Heart finales as well, and I don’t think I’ll ever have a satisfactory answer. I’m definitely overthinking it.

Just a minor point of note, this is the only episode in the series to feature Saki and Mai transformed into both Bright and Windy as well as Bloom and Egret. The movie did it but otherwise it’s only ever been one transformation per episode. Technically it still is, they transformed into Bright and Windy two episodes ago and are only now being forced out of it, but it’s still a neat little tidbit.

Next time on Precure Daily, it’s the long-awaited, long overdue Splash Star finale! Look forward to it!

Pink Precure Catchphrase Count: The title of the next episode is literally "Zekkouchou nari! Eien no Hoshizora no Nakamatachi!" Titles are a gray area but it’s been so long without one that I’ll count it as 1.

I’ll hopefully be back in ~10 hours with the last review. I do NOT want to push it to Tuesday for personal reasons.