#i remember at one point thinking 'ugh why is this scene so Like That. urgh. needs more depth' like my brother in christ its Like That bc

[florenceisfalling]

sometimes it becomes abundantly clear to me that yeah im Not normal bc i once again spent like 2 hours scrolling through porn art completely blankfaced unmoving and unattracted like that guy from death note idk his name.

[dreamwraith]

@floralflowerpower mentioned wanting to read an idea I had, soooo....

Alright, this is largely inspired by the M*A*S*H episode “Who Knew?” It’s a very bittersweet episode. It begins with the news that a nurse died the previous night when she wandered into a minefield. One of the main characters, Hawkeye, was the last one to see her alive. He offers to write her eulogy when no one else steps forward, though he barely knew her himself. He’s stymied by how little anyone can tell him about her, until the priest suggests he reads her diary. He learns who she was through her own words, the person she had hidden beneath a shy exterior that others interpreted as standoffish. She had true feelings for Hawkeye and he never knew. The last entry is how she can’t get Hawkeye out of her thoughts so she’s going to go for a walk. 

As you might guess, my idea starts off with a bittersweet tale. 

Jack and Maddie got the portal working without Danny needing to die, and for two years, Amity Park has been under threat from whatever ghost chooses to try their hand at conquering them. Jack and Maddie are the town’s main defense without Danny Phantom to protect them, and they’re not as skilled or as prompt as canon Danny was at catching ghosts. Sometimes a ghost slips through. Sometimes, people get hurt. 

I don’t have the full details worked out, but in this case, a ghost attacked the school. Danny is almost killed. He’s the son of the town’s defenders, so perhaps he’s an easy, desirable target. One of his classmates saves him by sacrificing himself. He (I’ve been going with the name Alexander in my notes) later dies at the hospital, and Danny, suffering from survivor’s guilt and PTSD, blames himself. He didn’t know his classmate very well, he doesn’t even remember his name right away, he doesn’t understand why Alex saved him. 

He tries to find out more about him, feeling like he owes him that much, but he discovers only superficial information. Alex was a foster of Amity Park; he had no family. No one but Danny is currently mourning him. He’s determined to get answers, though, and that causes him to clash with Dash and teachers when they say things like “Alex was a creep” or “he was a troublemaker; I heard he ran away from his last home.” Danny’s fights get him brought to Lancer’s attention, and it’s during that meeting that Danny is given Alex’s diary. 

Eager but frightened, it takes Danny a long time to work up the courage to begin reading. 

Meanwhile, “Phantom” begins to form in the Ghost Zone. 

Alex hated himself enough that his self-image is dismissed from his spirit, and his last thoughts were of Danny, so when he forms, he takes on a ghostly impression of Danny. It’s an important detail because that’s what makes this pitch pearl, and it’s why Danny doesn’t recognize him. 

He doesn’t have a clearly defined obsession, but he definitely feels a pull toward the human world. Johnny and Kitty help Phantom cross the portal, and that’s when he meets Danny for the first time. Idk why Danny came down to the lab yet, but I know he’s up because of PTSD nightmares/insomnia. Phantom feels his whole being focus on Danny, Danny freezes in place because he had just woken up from a nightmare of a ghost attack, and Johnny and Kitty look between Danny and Phantom, putting two and two together and reaching “Phantom’s purpose”

The three ghosts make a quick escape once protective parents Jack and Maddie come storming down the stairs, but first impressions were made, and now Phantom is determined to find out more about Danny and why his soul is crying out for him. 

Unfortunately, Danny is entangled in Alex’s diary and his own grief. Every effort Phantom makes toward befriending Danny is rebuffed because 1) ghosts can’t be trusted, and 2) Phantom’s resemblance to Danny combined with his interest in him is fucking creepy. In his downward spiral, though, Danny is losing connection with his friends, his grades, his safety, and Phantom isn’t willing to let Danny fade like this. Circumstances change when Phantom saves Danny from a human threat (human crime, let’s goooo) and Danny starts to actually pay attention to him, enough to start letting down his walls at least. 

And just in time for Danny to reach the point in the diary where Alex confesses he had a crush on Danny. Danny’s grief finally breaks, and Phantom comforts him through the loss. Phantom learns about Alex and Danny’s growing feelings for a boy that’s no longer within reach, and reluctantly pushes his own growing feelings for Danny aside. Danny is going through too much to deal with Phantom’s own failings. He needs time to mourn.

A real friendship starts to build.

With his feelings for Danny on hold but satisfied by their friendship, Phantom begins to explore who he is. He begins to take on a protector role, determined to save other humans from feeling the grief Danny is under. He focuses less on fighting and more on saving. A ghost will attack, and he’ll erect a shield around humans to deflect debris or catch someone who is falling or just comfort someone who got hurt. Jack and Maddie are still the ones that ultimately defeat the ghost, but Phantom’s actions begin to catch everyone’s attention. 

He is exactly what they needed, and he begins to be hailed as a guardian.

Danny is happy for him, but something about Phantom’s focus with protection over fighting resonates with Alex’s thoughts in his diary. He begins piecing things together. He proposes his wild idea to Jazz one night, but she warns him not to try to “bring Alex back from the dead” for Danny’s own mental health. 

Danny proposes the idea to Phantom, and at first Phantom thinks it’s nonsense, but Danny insists Phantom read the diary, so Phantom reluctantly (tho he doesn’t understand why he’s so reluctant) humors him. He can only get through five entries before he shoves the diary back into Danny’s hands and refuses to read anymore.

His self-hatred caused him to lose his identity in death, remember? He doesn’t want to remember, it’s painful. He tells Danny to forget about Alex. No one cared about him when he was alive, they won’t care who he was now. But Danny cares, and it tugs at Phantom’s feelings to meet Danny halfway, but does Danny like him because of Alex or because of Phantom, the person he is now?

I don’t have the full details worked out, but I know I want Danny to reveal Phantom’s past as Alex to Amity Park so that they can see their foster son has grown into their defender, savior, protector. He wasn’t loved when he was alive, but they must honor his past because it made him the hero he is now. Amity Park goes wild for the story. They love Phantom all the more, knowing who he was, how he died, and who he became. 

A bittersweet beginning becoming an uplifting, hopeful note, maybe? 

That’s all I have planned :P

I haven’t written anything for it yet because I haven’t figured out how to start. I’m terrible at action scenes, and I feel like I have to describe at least PART of Alex’s sacrifice. But ugh, ghost attack, ugh. Choreography, description, pacing, urgh, I hate action scenes, how do you guys WRITE those, it’s witchcraft I swear

(Side note for the name, Alexander means “defender of men”)

(And because I’m classy as a unripe grape, the story is titled Right Here (Departed) in my folder, which is actually a song by Brandy oiasjdlkfej I song titled it. omg. But listen, listen...it fits)

[btsmosphere]

When You Know | KSJ x MYG

~summary: Seokjin and Yoongi aren’t just neighbours. They are enemies. Well, either that or they were destined to be in each other’s arms, but Yoongi can’t see that happening (nor can his cat). Let their friends try all they want, but they’d have to weather storms together and stand back to back in battle before Yoongi would look twice at Jin... Jin x Yoongi ~word count: 3.3k ~enemies to lovers, soulmate au (you have the name of your enemy AND your soulmate tattooed, without knowing which is which), neighbour au, crack, humour, fluff, angst if you squint? Rating: pg13 Warnings: swearing, that’s it :) ~a/n: welcome to my first mxm fic! This is for a special occasion as it is the wonderful @eternalseokjin​‘s birthday!! To celebrate Dean’s birthday over at @thebtswritersclub​ we were sent a bingo card and a challenge to include everything on it in one fic. Our regular mxr content will resume soon, but this has been super fun to write, even if the outcome is -ahem- quite chaotic. So, enjoy, but don’t ask me what’s going on here. I don’t know, and the characters certainly don’t either...

At the end of the fic, I will include what was on my bingo square, in case anyone wants to know, and some basics about d&d for those who (like me a few weeks ago) know nothing about it, but I promise you don’t need to know this to read the fic!

“You’re not serious.”

“I am totally serious.”

Namjoon’s straight-faced response matched Yoongi’s exactly, leaving the two in a sort of staring contest. Seeing no change in the other, Namjoon cracked first, slumping back into the sofa with a sigh.

“Yoongi, come on. It’s not that big of a deal-“

“Why would I want to do it?” Yoongi grumbled.

“it’s just a bit of fun-“

“Then go and do it with Seokjin. I’m sure you’ll have a great time playing wizards, or whatever the fuck-“

“That’s the entire point!” Namjoon threw his hands up in frustration, “we will all be playing, you and Jin included, and we will have a great time.”

Yoongi wasn’t sure if he had ever been threatened with having fun before. Staring back at his friend, his expression remained guarded. Eventually, he sucked at his teeth, turning his eyes away from the younger man.

“Fine,” he bit out.

“Thank you,” Namjoon huffed, pushing on his knees to stand up, “we’ll start at 5 on Sunday, but I’ll get here earlier. Jin will bring food to make up for the trouble.”

Following Joon out to see him off, Yoongi’s brows furrowed.

“Wait- what trouble? And what do you mean you’ll get here-“

“You’ll be hosting. Okay, bye!”

The door was shut in his face before he could protest any further. Cursing Namjoon for knowing him so damn well, Yoongi stomped to the kitchen and soon began scrubbing the teacups to within an inch of their life.

He’d heard of dungeons and dragons before. Well, vaguely. It hadn’t occurred to him before to pay attention to Namjoon whenever he spoke about it, because surprisingly enough, he hadn’t expected his friend to suddenly whip it out as a method of forcing him and Seokjin – his mortal enemy – to bond.

The whole mortal enemy thing wasn’t even an exaggeration.

What else were you supposed to think when the new neighbour, whose name happens to be printed on your wrist, tries to turn your cat over to the authorities on their first day after it launched a ‘targeted attack’ on their pet sugar gliders.

Yoongi was yet to meet the mysterious V that graced his other wrist, but he knew for sure that Kim Seokjin was his enemy. He could not be soulmates with someone who thinks it’s okay to leave a pair of sugar gliders by an open window and not expect a cat to see them as a tasty meal.

When they had learned each other’s names, and of course connected them with their tattoos, an icy silence fell between the neighbours.

Every now and then, Yoongi would get a reminder of the fact his mortal enemy lived next door. Like this morning, when Seokjin’s wheely bin had blown over and spilled rubbish onto his lawn.

Yes, that man’s evil knew no limits.

And if Yoongi would have to endure his friends’ attempts at reconciling the two of them, in his own house, then he was sure of one thing. He was not going to eat Seokjin’s cooking. It was probably awful, anyway.

That Sunday, at precisely five minutes to five, Namjoon arrived. Yoongi’s eyes widened in alarm at the bulging folder held under his arm. He really had come prepared. Yoongi had barely spent twenty minutes scribbling down some things about his character. Well, except when he had to read all about the different class choices… and then when he needed to select the perfect traits… and picking his spells was quite tough too…

“Are you excited?” Namjoon grinned as he set his stuff down, but then he faltered, “…I did tell you Jin would bring food, didn’t I?”

“Can’t remember,” Yoongi muttered.

He slouched over to the sofa while Namjoon shrugged, grabbing a bite from the nearest bowl of snacks. The table was littered with them, and Yoongi would never admit just how early he had got up that morning to start cooking.

Jungkook turned up next, and of course the brat would instantly wolf down the tub of popcorn rather than the bites Yoongi had been slaving over.

Seokjin’s was the last knock on the door, and a timid one at that. Although it may have had something to do with the food his arms were laden with.

As Yoongi opened the door (Namjoon had shoved him towards it before anyone else had the chance to respond), he couldn’t help but feel the slightest bit guilty. It seemed his neighbour had worked just as hard as him on preparing it all.

But still, more of a grimace than a smile showed on his face.

“This way,” he spoke through gritted teeth.

His guilt was short-lived, irritation setting back in as Seokjin invited himself into the kitchen to put down his things. Jungkook bounded after him almost instantly, the pair’s loud greeting audible from the next room.

Turning away bitterly, Yoongi sat in the empty seat between Namjoon and Taehyung, determined to keep his distance from Seokjin.

In time, however, he came to regret this decision, if only because it put Seokjin in full view of the eyes Yoongi so desperately wanted to roll when he announced he wanted to attempt to charm his way to free dinner at the first inn they got to. His reason? His stupid elf claimed to be ‘worldwide handsome’.

The infuriating smirk on his face as he declared this (and then proceeded to pass his roll, because of course) left Yoongi with little doubt this arrogance was nothing but a projection.

After introducing themselves, Yoongi slumping back in his chair the whole time, he let the others take the lead as they set off to find monsters, or something. A pointed look from Namjoon prompted him to pay more attention.

In fairness, he had been a bit creeped out when Taehyung announced he had named his character ‘V’, but he tried his best to listen to the adventure as Namjoon described it. And so they went along, the supply of snacks steadily dwindling as they made their way through some ruins.

The scene was quite vivid, until-

“That’s cat food, Jungkook!”

“Urgh, gross,” Jimin groaned as Jin pried the bowl away from the sheepish-faced younger.

If it had been anyone else, Yoongi would have returned the fond-but-exasperated look they were all well practised in, given the nature of their younger friends. As it was, he ducked his head, scribbling nonsense on his notepad.

It would be a lie if Yoongi said he wasn’t quite proud of himself for solving a riddle to get them into the final room, and getting the final hit on the hellhound inside. And maybe, just maybe, he was a little excited for their next game.

Shutting the door at long last, Yoongi paused for a moment.

Screw Namjoon and his good ideas.

Clearing away the dishes, Yoongi couldn’t help a glance out the window to watch as Seokjin let himself in to his own place, his own stack of plates in his arms. Not that he would ever admit it, Yoongi hadn’t been able to resist just one bite…

Well, it turned into a lot more than that. Maybe Seokjin was a good cook after all.

But that was just one redeeming quality. Best not get ahead of himself.

Yoongi was in trouble.

It had only been a couple more weeks, but he knew that much. As they sat around his table, he caught himself laughing along to Jin’s jokes. And look, he was already calling him Jin! No, he had to stick to Seokjin, the evil neighbour, his enemy.

If he got fond, he would only be sorry later when Jin – Seokjin – did something to remind Yoongi of what a terrible person he was.

Shame all of this seemed to slip his mind the moment Jin came around again.

“The slope is steep, with rocks falling where you move your feet. You can still hear the song, though, and you are certain it’s coming from inside the dark opening you can see at the bottom of the path.”

“No. Absolutely not,” Yoongi was the first to speak.

“Are you kidding? We just spent like an hour trekking over here specifically because of that music,” Taehyung was next to chip in, jabbing his finger into the table.

“It wasn’t an hour,” Yoongi rolled his eyes, “Joon told us it was hour, it was what? One minute?”

A high pitched giggle from Jin was overtaken next by Jimin.

“No, I can feel the weariness in my bones! It won’t be complete until we hear the song!”

“We’ve been hearing it all this time! Aren’t you guys sick of it by now?” Jin retorted.

“No! Joon specifically said it’s the most beautiful music we’ve ever heard,” Tae insisted.

“I don’t give a shit if there’s a chorus of angels in there, my dexterity is not gonna let me get down that cliff,” Yoongi folded his arms to punctuate his argument.

“Ugh, fine, well I want to go down with V,” Jimin said.

The two factions that had emerged looked expectantly towards Namjoon.

“Okay, so V and Christian want to go down and Genie and Suga want to stay here. Anyone else?”

“Yeah, I’ll go down,” Kook shrugged.

All heads turned now to Hobi. Unease written all over his features, he glanced between the two groups.

“Come one, don’t be boring, hyung!” Jimin elbowed him.

“Yeah, come with us!” Kook bounced in his seat as Taehyung switched on the puppy eyes with a string of ‘pleeeease’s.

Cracking under the force of the youngers’ begging, Hoseok laughed and agreed.

Folding his arms, Yoongi leant back in his chair, more than ready to be a bystander to whatever the hell the others were about to get themselves into.

The others of course had an irritating success rate, somehow making it down the cliff without plummeting to their deaths. Not that Yoongi would ever wish death upon his own party members. Of course not.

It would have been funny, though.

Anyway, despite his aversion to following them, Yoongi admittedly was a little curious about the mysterious music they had followed here.

“Stepping inside the cave, the party hears the music louder than ever, ringing in their ears as it bounces off the rocks, making its source unclear. However, it doesn’t offend your ears. The cave extends further into the cliff, and you follow the sound further in. But as you take a step, a great groaning drowns out the music. Behind you, the mouth of the cave shifts, everything around you going black.

“Those of you at the top of the cliff stumble back from the edge as they see the path crumble away into the sea from the shaking of the earth.”

Namjoon sniggered softly at the silence that followed.

Staring at him with comically large eyes, Hobi and Tae looked terrified. As Yoongi watched, Tae slowly turned his head, a smirk turning the edges of his mouth underneath puppy eyes.

“Come rescue us?” he asked sheepishly.

Before Yoongi could respond, Jin was cutting him off.

“Well, that was a fun detour! Where was it we were heading again, Yoongi?”

Yoongi had been preparing to be mad at Seokjin, but his glare dissolved quickly into a snort.

“Yeah, that demon up the road needs seeing to,” he agreed, creating instant uproar from the others.

“You can’t leave us!”

“Justin’s scared of the dark!”

“Traitors!”

However, Jin’s squeaky laugh as he revelled in the others’ pain was all Yoongi could hear. Then Jin leaned closer.

It was all Yoongi could do not jump from his seat when Seokjin’s voice spoke in his ear.

“Shall we leave them?” he was barely containing his mirth.

Feeling rather like he was plotting a prank in the back of the classroom, Yoongi grinned and agreed with a nod. He didn’t quite trust his voice to function as Jin’s breath tickled his cheek.

“We’re leaving!” Jin declared, sitting back in his chair, satisfied.

Before any more chaos could erupt, Namjoon continued with a smirk.

“Okay, so Suga and Genie carry on their previous path, away from their friends and the cliff…”

This was officially getting out of hand.

First of all, Yoongi couldn’t believe how eagerly he was anticipating the weekend, when Seokjin and the others would come around.

Particularly worrying, however, was the way Yoongi had to restrain himself from going to see Jin before Sunday rolled around. It was as if that writing on his wrist was staring at him. The more he tried to look away, the later he would find himself sat up at night, glancing between his wrists and what was written there.

Surely, if Kim Seokjin was his enemy, he wouldn’t be dying to ask how he makes his ramen taste so good. Or how his day was, or any trivial thing, just to be able to have Jin’s eyes on him and his voice in his ears.

Second of all, he had no idea how their campaign had devolved into such utter chaos.

Since the party split, the others made friends with the sirens they found in the cave, and ended up at a drinking party with some demons while Yoongi and Jin were nearly killed by one some miles away on the surface. The demons had apparently taken a particular shining to V, as a tiefling, which resulted in the group they abandoned somehow siding with the very demons they were trying to kill at the start.

Last Sunday had seen Yoongi and Jin going out of their way to find random things to beat to death in the forest, trying to get as many points as possible to face off against four members and goodness knows how many demons.

Yes, this had got rather out of hand.

Two old foes stand face to face on a precipice. Around them, fire blazes. This battle has ravaged the very land they stand upon, whipped the air into a frenzy.

Admittedly, they can barely remember what started this feud. Rumour has it these two great powers were friends, once. If that was so, it was a long time ago.

V stands, battle-worn, waiting for his adversary to make a move.

Suga looks at the body of his fallen companion.

“I’ve only got one spell slot left.”

“Use it,” a whisper returned.

“Aren’t you dead?! Stop talking to each other!” Jimin exclaimed, finger pointing accusingly towards Jin.

“Okay,” Yoongi cut in before they could start arguing, “if this hits, I can take him down. But there’s a fat chance of that, with his AC…“

Trepidation filled him as he looked across the table to Taehyung, a small but unmistakeably victorious smile already on his lips.

A dry chuckle came from one side.

“It’s been a good run,” Jin clapped him on the shoulder.

“Are you accepting defeat?” Joon prompted.

“No…” a hand ran down Yoongi’s face, “I’ll give it a go…”

“There’s no way! If you succeed…” Jin laughed, “if you succeed, I’ll kiss you.”

A quiet round of laughter went around the others, too focussed on the dice in Yoongi’s hand to pay it any mind. But Yoongi could no longer concentrate on that. What did Jin just say?

He couldn’t mean that.

There was no way he would kiss Yoongi. Was there?

All he could hear was the slow drumming of his heart rushing in his ears. The breath caught in his throat as he reminded himself to raise his hand, dice cupped inside.

It wasn’t just the defeat of V he hoped for as it rolled off his fingers, dropping onto the tabletop.

The faces flipped over, every eye trained on it. Around the table, there was no sound. Even Jungkook had stopped munching his popcorn, mouth hanging open.

Round, round, round…

Yoongi caught a glimpse of 20, the magic number, right within reach.

A small thud, the dice settling. A number glared up at him.

3.

All the air left his lungs, deflating as he stared at the number. For a second, the table remained silent as everyone came to terms with the roll, the only sound the tapping of his cat’s paws-

Wait.

When Yoongi turned to find his cat leaping onto the table, it was already to late to grab her as she dashed across the surface. As she went, her paws caught a bowl of snacks, Joon’s notepaper, the dice. Hobi exclaimed with shock, several yells going up as everyone snatched their own stuff out of her way. Jungkook had dived after the snacks.

“Hey!” Yoongi shooed her as he stood up, watching her dart out into the hall.

“Oh my god…”

The small mutter from Jimin caught his attention. Looking around, Yoongi found him staring at the table and followed his gaze to the crime scene. In the centre of which, the dice still lay.

But now, a different number was displayed.

Yoongi’s jaw dropped. It was 20.

“That’s not fair!” Taehyung cried.

“Shush Tae, Jin has to do what he promised,” Hoseok teased, nudging a very red-eared Jin.

“Yah! Hey, I-I, that’s-” Jin spluttered, mouth seemingly fixed open as his cheeks warmed, growing defensive.

As Yoongi watched, Jin only stuttered more under the teasing cries erupting from the other boys as they egged him on with an array of ‘go on’s and ‘you said you would!’

“I-I-“ his eyes flickered over to Yoongi’s.

And despite the jeering and laughter in the background, neither of them looked away. Jin’s lips remained parted, ears pink with embarrassment, protests lodged in his throat.

Yoongi stepped forwards and kissed him.

The distance between them closed in the blink of an eye, Yoongi’s hand flying to Jin’s jaw as he pulled him in, turning his back to the gasps and cheers of their friends.

But they didn’t hear it. Not when their lips were pressed together like this, lighting fireworks in Yoongi’s stomach until he felt like sparks might fly out of his fingertips, the ones he was trailing down Jin’s neck, the ones pulling at the small of his back to bring him closer.

The others had gone quiet.

By the time he groggily pulled away, Yoongi seemed to have forgotten what the world looked like. Were his feet even on the ground?

In what was probably a mirror image of his own face, Jin stared back at him, eyes wide and those perfect lips round with shock. Jin’s fingers trembled as he brought them to his mouth.

“Holy fuck.”

“U-uh, guys,” a small voice from behind them did little to snap them from their trance.

“That was-“ Yoongi breathed, words escaping him.

“It’s you, you idiot!” a grin broke onto Jin’s face.

A laugh left Yoongi’s throat, taking him by surprise.

“It- really?”

“Did you not feel that too?”

Eyes still not leaving the beautiful man in front of him, Yoongi realised. Jin was completely right. Everyone had always told him how it would feel, when he kissed his soulmate. Like butterflies, or a flame, or like the world turned golden.

But through all the different feelings people described, there was one common thread. When you know, you know.

“You’re my soulmate.”

It wasn’t something he had to question, the words leaving him as easily as air.

“You’re my soulmate!”

And then he was wrapped up in Jin’s arms, his lips captured once again, euphoric feeling surging through his body once more.

“Come on, guys…” Namjoon’s groans were completely ignored.

Taehyung was still a bit put out that V had been slain at the last hurdle, but it hardly seemed fitting to be angry about it anymore, what with his two friends falling in love in front of him.

Everyone left together after the revelation, and pretty swiftly at that, deciding to leave them to it. And for once, Jin wouldn’t be leaving with them, even if he would only be one house away.

Smile never once leaving his face, Jin turned to Yoongi after shutting the door.

“So, what are we going to do about my sugar gliders?”

Thanks everyone for reading!! Reblog if you liked it xx

Taglist: @aianloveseven​ @preciouschimine​ @kb-bangtanenthusiast​

Okay, for anyone interested, my bingo card contained: dungeons & dragons, neighbours, enemies to lovers, namjoon, yoonjin, cats, fluff, music, soulmates And here are some dnd basics for those who want them: you have a dungeon master or dm (Namjoon here) who tells a story. The others play as a character and choose what they want to do in the given situation. There are scores that dictate how good your character is at certain traits, and you roll the dice to see whether you succeed in your choices. That’s really all you need to know for the purposes of this fic, but you can ask me any questions too!

Lastly, I have to give another HUGE happy birthday to the amazing writer and friend and person @eternalseokjin​!! I hope you have the best day, you really deserve it! I’m so glad to have met you and of course played dnd together in the net! Lots of love xx

[trainsinanime]

RvB Zero

Man, this show… I kind of don't want to talk about it, but I also really do…

The thing is, this show is so clearly made with lots of enthusiasm by people who really love their job. You can feel their excitement at getting to do a show like this in the colours, the soundtrack, the acting, in the way that literally every single shot is designed to be "the most possible" - the most possible emotion, the most possible acting, the worst possible joke, the extra angled camera, there is nothing half-assed about this, they want full impact and they'll do whatever it takes to get there. And I really want to get swept up in that excitement.

But… urgh. It's like reading a kid's first fanfic, when they first learn that this is a thing they can do. There is something to be said for the joyful energy, and you feel like you shouldn't point out all the parts that could do with more polishing. But this isn't little kids doing their first fanfic, it's grown-up adults doing their first fanfic, one they're charging money for, and that changes things. So I feel we have to acknowledge the fundamental truth:

This is so, so bad. And the amount of energy they put into this is a huge part of why.

The thing where every shot is literally the most impactful it could possibly be grows old incredibly quickly. Remember, it is totally okay for RvB to be a show where they just stand around and talk. That's all they ever do. The high impact also means that every single moment where two characters interact is comically over-exaggerated. They are deeply committed to not being subtle on this show, and it drastically hurts the characters.

A side effect is that the pacing just doesn’t work. There is almost no quiet moment. Even the moments that are or could be quiet have an action sequence going on in the background out of a misplaced fear that we might grow bored (episode 2 shows this in spades). That results in action scene fatigue very quickly.

The other main issue that the writing is just plain awful. None of these people ever sound like humans who have actual conflicts or want to convey information; they all sound like imitations of bad action movies.

The fact that the writing is bad and that quiet moments don’t exist means that we don’t really manage to get close to the characters, which is a pity because I think there are some genuinely interesting ideas there. Especially the pink ones have interesting backstories and genuinely cool abilities and twists, and the drama between the red ones might also be interesting if we ever actually saw it. I don’t think there’s any saving the yellow characters though; Grifnut and Mechanic are supposed to be funny and just fail entirely.

It’s particularly insulting that our first real glimpse of these new characters and what makes them tick is… Carolina just plain telling us. And I’m not even sure why. She’s telling it to them. Does she actually already know them, or were things like „daddy issues“ just in their personnel files? These are things that should be revealed gradually and organically, but I guess if you did that, then you’d have to cut down on action scene time.

To be fair, I’m not a fan of the villains either; the whole scene where they’re like „I’ll get the ultimate power!“ „But why? And what is it? You don’t even know!“ „Generic threat!“ is probably an ideal microcosm that illustrates all the bad writing perfectly.

I really want to like this show. I love the enthusiasm and love that the creators clearly have for it. But in practice, I find myself looking at the progress bar, going, „ugh, two more minutes of this?“. If the show were just lazy, or mediocre, things would be different. But it’s this mismatch between energy and outcome that makes it so frustrating.

[jumukus]

A3! Translation: A3! Anime Blu-Ray & DVD Volume 3′s Drama CD Bonus “SEASON SUMMER EXTRA EPISODE vol.01″

Tenma goes on a journey to look for grape juice after losing a game with Yuki. (Thank you to @bishounenpalace for sharing the audio files with me!)

You can buy the item here.

Yuki: Good work today~. *sighs* It's finally over.

Muku: Nice work, guys. Today's rehearsal was pretty tiring, huh, there's a lot of things we need to remember.

Tenma: Hey, why did you sound so defeated over this much? Will you be okay?

Listen, since our show is fast approaching, we've gotta--.

Yuki: Yeah, yeah. Just save the rest for the theater troupe's blog.

Tenma: What did you say--.

Kazunari: Good work, Tenten!

Tenma: Urgh...! Don't hug me, Miyoshi!

Misumi: Kazunari and Tenma get along so well~! Lemme join too!

Tenma: Argh, stop it! That's enough!

Muku: I'm sorry!

Yuki: Why are you apologizing?

Muku: It's because I made complaints soon after our rehearsal… I truly am just a weak, useless, slow and stupid bird…

Tenma and Yuki: No one said that.

Kazunari: Now, now, guys. It's also thanks to Director-chan's strict coaching that we've all improved this much.

Misumi: Yup, yup! We've got a full triangle score for today's rehearsal~.

Yuki: What kind of score is that?

Tenma: Ugh… I'm going back first.

Muku: Where are you going, Tenma-kun?

Tenma: Huh? I'm just returning to my own room. You have any problems with that?

Yuki: You're heading to the entrance, though.

Tenma: Ugh…! I-I know that much…!

Kazunari: Don't tell me you're…

Tenma: No! I just had something to do at the entrance.

Yuki: Hmm? Elaborate please.

Tenma: Huh? Uhh… That's… I wanted to make sure the door was locked...and our shoes… In any case, I have a lot to do!

*steps away*

Misumi: *sighs* He's gone~.

Muku: It's kind of surprising.

Kazunari: Tenten is so cwutee!

Yuki: What is that hack doin' trying to look cool like that?

***

Tenma: 62...63...64…

Yuki: Hey.

Tenma: 65… What?

Yuki: I don't mind you doing sit-ups here, but… Don't put your legs on my side.

Tenma: Huuh? It's not like I can't help it, y'know? Our room is small. And it's not like I can have my own room.

Yuki: All I'm saying is you need to be mindful of your surroundings a little bit more, hack.

Tenma: The he… Which part of me is a hack!?

Yuki: It's the fact that you can't read the mood, you don't have common sense… and the fact that you're de…

Tenma: Enough! In that case, I'll prove to you that you're wrong.

Yuki: Hmmm? Shall we have a Shiritori game to see how much common sense you have?

Tenma: Shiritori? That's easy.

Yuki: Easy? Since you say so, can I decide on the theme? If you lose, you've gotta bring some juice at the kitchen here.

Tenma: Fine. Got it.

Yuki: Alright. Let's go with needlework as the theme.

Tenma: Needlework? ...F-Fine.

Yuki: I'm going first. Pattern paper. (Katagami)

Tenma: Pattern paper? Mi… Mi…

Yuki: What? Losing already? It's the one you use when you make clothes.

Tenma: Oh, I get it! Hmph, I knew it. This is so easy! Sewing machine! (Misin)

***

Yuki: Get me grape juice. The one with some soda in it.

Tenma: Why are you treating me like a gofer…

Yuki: You lost the game. I'm thirsty, so hurry up.

Tenma: Urgh…!

*slams door*

***

Muku: Ahh… the weather is nice outside~. Even the sky looks pretty. ...Hm?

Tenma: The kitchen… should be here… right?

Muku: Tenma-kun?

Tenma: …! Huh, it's just you, Sakisaka.

Muku: What are you doing in front of the bathroom? I don't think the water is warm enough around this time.

Tenma: Bathroom? What are you saying? This is…

*door opens*

Tenma: A bathroom.

Muku: Oh. Are you perhaps… lost?

Tenma: WHAAT!? N-No! There's...There's no way I'll get lost in the dorm, you know!

Muku: Y-You have a point! U-Umm… So what are you doing, Tenma-kun?

Tenma: I'm just… grabbing some juice.

Muku: Uhh… In the bathroom?

Tenma: U-ugh… There are some, you know! I saw it when I was filming a scene in a public bathhouse late at night!

Muku: W-Well, I do think there are juices in the public bathhouse, but… Shall we go together to the kitchen, then? I also want to go grab some drinks.

Tenma: I… I'll tag along if you say so.

Muku: Okay!

***

Muku: Hmm… Guess I'll drink the barley tea. How about you, Tenma-kun?

Tenma: Grape juice, with some soda in it.

Muku: Do we have that here… Umm, nope. Do you want any other juice instead?

Tenma: No.

Muku: But the other juices are just as delicious…

Tenma: I've made a promise with Rurikawa, more or less.

Muku: Oh, I see. It's for Yuki-kun. You're so kind, Tenma-kun.

Tenma: You've got it wrong! It's because I lo… No, I mean, things happened. Why should I willingly do something for Rurikawa, anyway?

Muku: You two are close, huh. I'm jealous.

Tenma: HUUH!? H-How!? Why should I get along with him when we don't even click? We just happened to be joining the same theater troupe and aiming to make this play a success.

Muku: You see, I'll be so happy if all of us in the Summer Troupe can spend joyful and sad time together.

Tenma: Rather than us as a group… we should be working hard on our own, you know. No one will save you if you fail on the stage.

Muku: You have a point, but…

Tenma: Hmph. I'm going out for a bit, then.

Muku: Huh? Where are you going?

Tenma: Buying the grape juice, of course. We don't have it here.

Muku: He should be fine with other drinks, though.

Tenma: No. A promise is a promise. Besides, I'm just going to a convenience store nearby.

Muku: Do you know where it is?

Tenma: Of course I do! I've seen it countless times when Igawa takes me around by car.

Muku: Umm… In that case, it should be alright… I guess.

Tenma: Hmph. Of course.

***

Tenma: Hmm, it's farther than I thought.

Kazunari: Ooooh! I found Tenten!

Tenma: Oh, hey, Miyoshi. What are you doing at such a place?

Kazunari: Such a place… This is near our dorm, you know?

Tenma: What!? No way! It's been around an hour since I left the dorm!

Kazunari: Look behind you, Tenten.

Tenma: Huh? Behind me?

Kazunari: Can you see Sumi's big triangle roof right there?

Tenma: Y-Yeah. Hey, what's happening here!?

Kazunari: Umm.. Maybe you're going the same way over and over again? Where are you heading, anyway?

Tenma: I just want to go to the nearby convenience store…

Kazunari: Let's go together, then! Going to a convenience store with a celeb is surely something else!

Tenma: Ugh… I've told you, don't hug me! You can just tell me the way--.

Kazunari: But we're friends, right!? Don't say such a thing! Let's go together!

Tenma: Ugh… Fine, fine! Get off me!

***

Yuki: *sighs* I got so thirsty because of that hack.

Muku: What's wrong, Yuki-kun?

Yuki: I wanna drink some juice since it's hot.

Muku: Hmm? How about Tenma-kun?

Yuki: I should be the one asking that here. I told him to bring me some juice but he hasn't come back ever since.

Muku: Huh? Tenma-kun is not back yet?

Yuki: I should have expected the oh-so-great Tenma would not keep his promise.

Muku: I don't think that's the case…

Yuki: I dunno about that. Maybe his pride is just so high he can't forgive the fact that he lost a game.

Muku: But Tenma-kun said, "A promise is a promise." Maybe he's still looking for your grape juice outside.

Yuki: What? He can just take any juice. I get tired of waiting.

Muku: Let's try waiting a little bit longer.

Yuki: I'm thirsty, though, and I want to drink this juice.

Muku: I’m begging you, Yuki-kun! Believe in Tenma-kun!

Yuki: *sighs*... Why do I have to go along with that hack… Fine, I'll just have to wait, right?

Muku: Thank you, Yuki-kun!

***

Kazunari: As expected of Tenma! Celeb sure is different, huh~. They got so excited when they saw your face!

Tenma: *sighs* I usually wear sunglasses, though.

Kazunari: Why aren't you wearing it, then?

Tenma: It's because I left in a hurry. I even forgot to bring my phone.

Kazunari: Lemme give you nose glasses to help you disguise yourself next time!

Tenma: Don’t! ..But thanks for today.

Kazunari: Don't mind it! We're fellow Summer Troupe members, after all! We're friends!

Tenma: We're not friends! Fellow troupe members…well…

Misumi: Whoah! Kazu and Tenma!

Kazunari: Sumi! What are you doing?

Misumi: Looking for triangles~. Look look, this is the eldest of three triangle brothers!

Tenma: Ugh…! Where did you find those dolls!?

Misumi: They gave me these since I kept staring at them~.

Kazunari: Whoaah, that's so cool! Which one is the second son? It must be the one that… Hey, Tenten, where are you going?

Tenma: Dorm. I got what I find.

Kazunari: Huh, but…

Misumi: The dorm is this way, not that way.

Tenma: I just made a lil bit mistake! I'm going home!

Kazunari: Hold on, hold on! Let's go home together!

Misumi: Me too~.

Tenma: Do as you like.

Misumi: Oh, right! Lemme tell you something great~. You won't get lost if you make triangle clouds sign on your way. Triangle~ Triangle~.

Tenma: I-Is that so?

Kazunari: Tenten… So you really have a bad sense of direction?

Tenma: …! N-Not really. I just can't remember direction quickly. I’ve always had people take me around since childhood, so I don't have much chance to go out by myself.

Kazunari: Well, it can't be helped. Your parents are actors, after all. I'm sure you'll get used to it soon enough. 

Misumi: Ah! See, if you follow this triangle cloud, you can see our triangle roof!

Tenma: …! I have no idea the convenience store is this close…

Kazunari: You might be bad at it right now, but I'm sure you'll be fine once you remember the direction little by little. We're also with you, after all.

Misumi: Yup! We're all friends~.

Tenma: Ugh… Well, you're right.

***

Kazunari: We're home~!

Misumi: We're home~.

Tenma: We're back.

Muku: Ah…! Welcome back, guys! Yuki-kun, Tenma-kun is home.

Yuki: I can't believe it took you this long… You really are a hack.

Tenma: Hey.

Yuki: What? Do you have anything you wanna say?

Tenma: Here, your grape juice, with some soda in it.

Yuki: ….

Tenma: Hmm? What now? Complaining again?

Yuki: Yeah, yeah, thanks.

Tenma: I've gone to the trouble to buy the juice--what's with that response!?

Yuki: Huuh? Do you know how long I wait for you? Besides, I've never told you to bring the exact juice I want.

Tenma: …! I-In that case, let's have another game! And then we'll settle…

Yuki: I refuse.

Tenma: But why!?

Yuki: Because you're annoying, and a hack.

Tenma: Which part of me is annoying!? And I'm not a hack!

Kazunari: You two sure are close!

Tenma and Yuki: In what way!?

Kazunari: See? You're in sync!

Muku: Ahaha.

Misumi: Tenma and Yuki are close!

Tenma and Yuki: We're not!

Kazunari: See!? Hahaha.

[shirtlesssammy]

5x18: Point of No Return

Hey-our first request episode! It’s a good one, considering Adam might (?) be coming back this season, and then there’s the whole fathers are shitty theme. Oh, and Dean and Cas are fighting. 

Then:

Remember Adam?

Now:

In an empty bar in Nowhere, USA, Zachariah commiserates with a man about The Man. Then the walls start shaking and the other guy wonders if it’s an earthquake. The place lights up and Zach sullenly admits that it’s his boss. Before you know it, the bartender and other guy’s eyes are burned out and Zach is back in the heavenly business. 

On the alcohol train to Sad Town, Dean packs his only belongings (minus Baby, I guess) in preparation to saying yes to Michael. We say goodbye to the leather jacket (for good --well, I think we see it in Swan Song too, but --like, how crazy is it that there was a fundamental shift in the storytelling of the show when that jacket was stolen after season 5? Would Dean still be wearing it to this day? I would like to think that isn’t true.) He boxes up the jacket, Baby’s keys, his gun, and writes a letter. Oh, and he downs hard liquor straight from the bottle the whole melodramatic time he’s doing this. (Side note: he’s staying at Mike’s Travel Inn which is wonderfully fitting since he plans to become Michael’s own personal travel inn. Wanek!)

For Drama Llama Dean Science:

Sam finds Dean and confirms Dean’s own plans to him. Sam wants Dean to wait on this plan of letting Michael take him. Bobby has a plan. Okay, he doesn’t, but Sam is going to stop him anyway. Dean gets in a good dig about Sam not having demon blood to help him. Sam counters that he still brought help. Before Dean can react, Cas has flapped in and he zaps Dean back to Bobby’s. 

Urgh, those were the days. Sometimes I REALLY miss flying Cas. 

At Bobby’s we have a pissed off Dean, pissed off Cas, pissed off Bobby, and a peacemaker Sam. Bobby calls Dean “son”, and Dean counters that he isn’t Dean’s father. OUCH and a HALF. Bobby then shows Dean the bullet he wants to put through his brain. He doesn’t though because he promised Dean that he’d keep fighting.

Cas is suddenly hit with a massive wave of angel radio goodness and he’s gone. (I just love the editing of when Cas flaps away. Sigh.) 

Cas ends up in a field somewhere. 

For Side-profile Science:

In his attempt to investigate something coming out of the ground, two other angels attack him. He is an effortlessly badass angel though, and dispatches them with 

I’m sorry, what was I saying? 

He pulls someone from the ground and takes him back to Bobby’s. It’s Adam, Sam and Dean’s long lost/dead half-brother. Okay, the dramatic camera zooms and swelling music was just A+ soapy drama there. Cas engraves angel warding on Adam’s ribs and wakes him from his graveyard coma. Adam knows who Sam and Dean are --because the angels warned him about them. He demands to see Zachariah. Wherps. 

They let him clean up, give him some hard liquor, and ask him to tell them his story. He tells them that he was in heaven (or prom to him) and angels interrupt to tell him he’s going to save the world. He’s the archangel Michael’s vessel. Dean thinks that’s insane. Cas points out that Adam is also of John Winchester’s bloodline, and Sam’s brother. Dean forgets he’s with company and propositions Cas. 

Sam tries telling Adam that the angels are lying to him. Adam doesn’t believe him. Sam asks him to give them time to prove they’re right. He tells Adam that “they’re blood” and that’s why they should be trusted. (Dean’s little smile at that...like I get how that’s important to Dean, but also, I love how SO much about this show is how important these bonds are despite there being no blood between this found family.) Adam is appalled. They’re not family. John wasn’t his father (AND can we talk about how fucking jealous Dean was that John actually did things, like baseball games, with Adam, and Adam saw those baseball games as nothing? John wasn’t there for him on a day to day basis and so he wasn’t Adam’s father. Ugh, John was the woooorrsst.) (Dean’s little half-smile about John was also worth watching.) 

Later, Adam tries making an escape but Sam catches him, and sits him down with a beer to discuss John.

Sam thinks Adam was lucky to not have John around all year (Ahem, you didn’t either, Sam…) Adam was alone a lot because his mom worked. He raised himself. Ugh, kinda like you and Dean, right Sam? Then Adam makes a Family Vacation reference and we KNOW he’s related to Dean. Btw, where are Dean and Cas during this convo? 

Dean’s checking out Bobby’s safe room when Sam and Cas show up. Cas silently flirts with Dean. Dean forgets he’s in front of Sam and flirts right back at Cas. These two are killing me this season. They’re in that sweet spot of flirting before it all goes to hell. SIGH.

For the record, I’d like to point out that Cas was making that face at him the whole time they were in the living room with Bobby before Adam showed up. Also, I’d like to point out that both Dean and Cas were missing when Adam tried to escape. 

Dean and Sam talk in private about not letting Adam let Michael in. Sam lets Dean know he’s not letting him do it either. Um, then Dean lists all the people that they’ve “gotten killed”, and I’d like to give a big shout out “Fuck you” to Chuck himself. According to Dean they got everyone killed! He’s “also tired of fighting who he’s supposed to be.” UGGH. Dean tells Sam that he doesn’t think Sam will be able to withstand the devil, so he’s got to be there to fight. Sam walks away.

Upstairs, Cas watches Adam intently as though making sure he won’t sleep walk away. When Sam heads upstairs, totally wrecked, Cas makes his way back down to the basement. (To finish their assignation - right, Boris?) He hears a crash. Dean Bean’s nowhere to be seen in the safe room so Cas opens the door. Dean directs his attention to a cabinet door with a bloody angel banishing sigil on it. BOOM! Cas out.

Dean creeps out of the basement through the cellar hatch. JellyDEAN noooooo!

Sam heads out to track down Dean, leaving Bobby to watch over Adam. In his dreams, Adam chillaxes at a playground when Zachariah smarmily flaps in. Zach tells Adam that he’ll see his mom soon, but first he’s got to figure out how to escape. Zachariah warns Adam about the Winchesters, describing Sam and Dean as dangerously codependent and more interested in saving each other than the world. Which is sorta...valid? “They’re not your family. Understand?”

Outside a bar, a street preacher shouts at random passerby when Dean runs up and asks if he knows who Dean Winchester is. “Dear god, yes,” the preacher replies (for all of us).

The preacher starts to pray to the angels about Dean’s location when Cas zaps him unconscious. 

Cas flips the fuck out. “I rebelled for this?” he shouts as he bashes Dean around in the alley. “I gave everything for you. And this is what you give to me?” 

Dean, always a glutton for punishment, eggs Cas on. Cas should destroy him! Why not? Don’t you know who he is??? He’s Dean Winchester, PROM KING of Self-Loathing High. Cas stops punching out his feelings. His fist uncurls.

He zaps Dean unconscious instead.

Back at Bobby’s house, Adam’s disappeared and Sam is a leeeetle bit stressed out.

Cas flaps in with a majorly roughed up Dean and announces that he was the cause of Dean’s injuries. Hashtag Dangerbird-of-the-Lord. About Adam’s whereabouts, Cas speculates that the angels nabbed him and took him to the Beautiful Room from season four. 

Cue the close-up on baroque art, beer, and burgers. Adam’s enjoying his last meal when Zachariah flaps in to hand him a pink slip. “You’re not so much the ‘chosen one’ as you are a clammy scrap of bait.” 

“Son of a bitch,” Adam mutters, Winchesterily. 

Adam’s starting to realize that Zachariah is a pretty terrible friend. Zachariah reinforces this conclusion by making Adam cough up blood. 

Down in Bobby’s panic room, Dean’s chained to the bed. 

Sam fills Dean in on the situation: Adam’s being held prisoner at a location which is CRAWLING with angels. To Dean’s surprise, Sam unlocks Dean’s manacle. They need him for the fight ahead and Sam has faith that Dean will make the right choice - even if nobody else believes in him. Dean rewards this touching show of faith by swearing up and down that he’ll say yes to Michael at the first chance he gets. DEAN. BEAN. Sam’s faith in Dean is simply derived: “You’re still my big brother.” (*crying noise crying noise*)

Outside the warehouse, Cas flaps in with the Winchesters. 

Dean’s surprised to learn that the Beautiful Room is in Van Nuys, California and not on Jupiter or (bless this boy) in a blade of grass. Cas tells them there are five extremely good warriors inside and he can’t fight them all off. He starts to take off his tie and IS IT GETTING HOT IN HERE?

Cas tells them that he’ll take care of the angels and then they can rescue Adam. Cas BBY. 

Devastating dialogue alert:

Dean: Whoa, wait. You’re gonna take on five angels?

Cas: Yes.

Dean: Isn’t that suicide?

Cas: Maybe it is. But then I won’t have to watch you fail. I’m sorry, Dean. I don’t have the same faith in you that Sam does.

Cas whips out a box cutter. The next scene sees him striding into the warehouse alone. His spidey sense tingles. It’s an angel! Cas kills one of them and then makes his way to the middle of the room. Quicky, he’s surrounded by the other angels. He drops his blade, rips open his shirt, and blasts them and himself away with the angel banishing sigil he carved iNTo hIS sKin. 

Dean and Sam hear the commotion and when Dean heads inside, the coast is clear. Inside the Beautiful Room, Adam’s slumped by the wall. “You came for me,” he mutters, surprised. 

“Yeah, you’re family,” Dean says. But it’s too late for hugs and lollipops, because Zachariah shows up, stroking his metaphorical evil mustache. Zachariah starts bleeding out Adam and Sam while Dean is EXPERIENCING STRONG EMOTIONS. (Boris: When Dean says “Damnit, Zachariah” I only hear “Dean” from The Real Ghostbusters, and realize what a great job he did impersonating a character he had only read about.) 

Dean agrees to say yes. While Zachariah calls down Michael, Dean takes one last look at Sam. Thoughts and feelings flit past like clouds and suddenly Dean arrives at a Realization™. He smiles, then winks at Sam. 

Dean starts issuing his demands before he’ll turn over his body but number one on his list is that Michael destroys Zachariah. 

RECORD SCRATCH

Dean refers to himself as a “sweet ass” which is not wrong, while Zachariah presses close to Dean threateningly, boasting that Michael would never kill him. No worries because Dean’s gonna smite you instead. With Zachariah close, Dean whips up Cas’s dropped angel blade and jams it up into Zachariah’s jaw. 

The room shakes as Michael approaches. Sam, Dean, and Adam make for the door. Sam and Dean escape but the door slams shut in front of Adam. A bright light suffuses him and...that’s it.

Later, they recap in the Impala. Adam and Cas are in the wind but finding them is an issue for another episode. Because right now Sam needs to address Dean’s almost-yes moment. Dean explains his sudden change of mind. “The walls are coming down on us, and I look over to you and all I can think about is, ‘this stupid son of a bitch brought me here.’ I just didn’t want to let you down.” Dean apologizes to Sam for treating him like a kid. “Screw destiny right in the face. I say we take the fight to them, and do it our way.”

Battle brother mode ACTIVATED!

______________________________

Is That a Quote in Your Pocket or are You Just Happy to See Me? 

You know, eight months of turned pages and screwed pooches but tonight, tonight’s when the magic happens.

Blow me, Cas.

We’re working on the power of love. 

Maybe you could take a half a second and stop trying to sacrifice yourself for a change?

You pray too loud.

Watch your tone, boy.

Don’t piss of the nerd angels.

______________________________

Want to read more? Check out our Recap Archive! 

[acarnivalofstars]

Ensemble Stars Event Translation: Various Crossroads “Crowd” Part 4

I promised to get this up today but ofc I (A) Forgot and (B) It was so damn hot today I barely had energy to get on my laptop but it’s 11pm now which means (A) I can still keep my word and (B) It’s not blazing steamy hot!!

Special thanks to @healingbonds on Twitter for helping proofread! We teamed up on this project to get the last chapters out so the next chapters all the way to the end are translated by them! I encourage you to send them a message on Twitter thanking them for their hard work because otherwise this story would’ve been completed in 2020.

Adonis and Souma make their way to the DEADMANZ Live and manage to see Keito singing in his beautiful voice (stan Keito 2019). Of course, this wouldn’t be Enstars without some peak drama so as it turns out Kaoru and Souma meet again. Does Kaoru get shanked? Will Souma manage to get his revenge? Read on to find out!

[Shopping District]

Adonis: I-I’m sorry. It seems that I’m still not accustomed to the social etiquette of this country.

Souma: No worries. Just adapt yourself at your own pace. If you are fine with it, I would be more than happy to give you advice on such matters, Adonisu-dono.

Adonis: Yes, please. If you wouldn’t mind, I’d be happy if we could continue to be friendly with each other from now on, too.

Souma: But of course. Please take care of me from here on out as well ♪

Adonis: I’m happy. This is my first time making a proper friend in this country.

[DEADMANZ Stage]

Souma: Oh... This is quite the crowd. It seems we will have trouble breathing here.

Adonis: Yes, everyone is going wild. It’s almost like a riot. Let’s be careful not to bump into anyone and get hurt, um…Kanzaki.

Souma: Indeed. It seems like I have some kind of connection to this place. I am quite ill-informed so I am unsure, but is there some sort of special event happening today?

Adonis: Yes. The upperclassman who are taking care of me are having a Live here today.

I happened to overhear this while receiving lessons, so it piqued my interest.

If possible, I want to see it and use it as a reference in the future. I must improve myself as a proper idol.

Souma: I am of the same mind, Adonisu-dono. While I feel uneasy due to being unfamiliar with this sort of thing, being able to experience different cultures can serve as a quality stimulus.

Adonis: Fufu. I’m sorry for making you come along with me, Kanzaki.

On top of guiding me here you also gave me your autograph... No matter how much I thank you, it wouldn’t be enough.

Souma: No, no. I am free once school ends anyway, so this will be some well-timed entertainment.

Also...it seems that Hasumi-senpai, whom I respect dearly, is standing on stage right now.

I have never seen that person sing before, so this will be quite interesting.

WE’VE REACHED ONE HALF OF THE BANNER CG WHEW

His voice is clear, yet unwavering and beautiful. Aah, it is pleasant to my ears.

Keito: ♪~♪~♪

Adonis: ...You’re right. I didn’t expect such volume from that slender body of his.

It’s amazing. Everyone here really is worthy of respect. I want to hurry up and reach their level of skill.

Souma: I agree. Let us both work diligently towards that goal.

Kaoru: He~y, you two over there. Don’t just pass by the reception desk like that. Let me see your tickets~♪

Adonis: Hm? Ah, so that’s how this works. I’m sorry. Where can I buy a ticket?

Kaoru: Hm~ This is a good problem, but due to the unexpected amount of guests we’ve sold out of tickets.

For now, you can just pay the fee. Once I get you registered you can go ahead and watch the show.

See, just write down your name and address over here. I can also take your drink orders~. There’s only 3 drinks on the menu, though ♪

Souma: ...You.

Kaoru: Uh oh... Huh? I’ve seen you before, haven’t I?

Souma: You are that impertinent fellow from before! To meet you here is a rare stroke of luck. I shall turn you into rust on my precious sword!

Kaoru: Whoa, don’t get so violent...Please. It’d be a huge mess if you started waving that sword of your around in this crowded of an area~. This is supposed to be a chill gathering, so try and understand ♪

Adonis: He’s right, Kanzaki. Calm down. It’d be a problem if you were thrown out for causing a scene. Even if your homeland or language is different, as long as you talk to each other you can surely come to an understanding.

Kaoru: You sure said something good, Mr. Giant over there! Love will save the world~♪

Souma: Ugh...Very well, then. All we have to do is pay the fee and register ourselves, correct? I seem to be writing my name an awful lot today.

Kaoru: Oh, looks like you’re more sensible than I thought. That’s a relief~♪

Souma: I still have not forgiven your insolent behavior the other day. You’d best watch your back on moonless nights, you boor.

Kaoru: Oh boy, looks like I’ve caught the eye of a weirdo~...If you were a girl I’d gladly embrace that, but with a guy, it's just a disappointing turn of events.

Chiaki: Excuse me. Is there some sort of quarrel here, Hakaze? I can mediate for you if you’d like!

Kaoru: Huh? You talk as if we know each other, but... Who are you again~?

Chiaki: I’m Morisawa from the same class as you. Please remember that. Then again, you don’t attend school that often so I guess it’s not strange that you don’t know who I am.

Kaoru: Oh, now that you mention it, I do think I’ve seen you around before. If I remember correctly you’re a member of “Ryuuseitai”...

You guys seem to lack proper manners, so watch yourself, okay? Make sure you tell your other members, too.

If you keep acting unreasonably, you’ll end up being banned from the venue.

Chiaki: Urgh... I’m sorry, I’ll be sure to tell them. I don’t think they’ll actually listen to me, though.

Kaoru: Oh? Well, it’s none of my concern. You should at least enjoy yourself since you’ve spent some money. Want something to drink?

I recommend some watered-down orange juice ♪

Chiaki: Do you work at this underground Live House, Hakaze? I don’t really know your personal business, but are you in need of money? You sure have it rough…

Alright, I’ll order a ton of drinks!

Kaoru: Um, I somehow feel as if the conversation’s gone off-point, or that we’re not exactly meeting in the middle…

Morisawa-kun gives off the impression of being a serious and good kid~. Why are you associated with “Ryuuseitai” when they have such a bad reputation?

Chiaki: Regardless of how they are now, they’re a group that positions themselves as allies of justice…

I want to reform it from the inside so that we can be reborn into the ideal group that we publicize ourselves to be.

Unfortunately, it seems that sparking change is rather difficult to do.

[aeruthien]

Klaus’ redemption: part 3

As the title implies, this is a continuation of part 1 and part 2.

Now we finally get to the Point!

So how does subjective morality and the narrative of the Hero’s journey/ villain to hero relate to Klaus’ redemption?

In the Vampire Diaries, at least in s2 and s3, Klaus was very much a personification of 'evil'. The first time he is mentioned, it is immediately made clear that he is to be feared and that if he ever comes to Mystic Falls, it won't end well for the protagonists (or at least Elena). Even his own brother is trying to kill him!

And the show makes good on that promise: Klaus' first act is giving a horrible history class (that was in the seventies, Klaus, not the sixties! omg). No wait, I mean, his first bad act is killing one of the protagonists loved ones: Aunt Jenna (but no one cares about the werewolf chick whoops). He then proceeds with compelling Stefan, turns Tyler, etc. He is very self-centered and doesn't give a damn about anyone other than himself and his own plans, not even his own family. Also, he is without remorse. This basically continues until the Originals starts, although we do get to see why is is the way is is in some way through his interactions with Rebekah and Mikael.

Now, as I mentioned, the hero's journey is often kickstarted by the appearance of a mentor. In Klaus' case, this mentor is Elijah (although Cami has some mentor qualities too). He is the one who challenges Klaus to accept his ‘destiny’ (being a father) and keeps pushing him throughout the series.

Interestingly, though, Elijah was also a villain, or at least an antagonist on TVD. His motives for wanting Klaus to accept his destiny are entirely subjective. He doesn't care about the people in Mystic Falls, with the exception maybe being Elena. He cares about Klaus, and about Rebekah. In the first episode, he states that he wants Klaus to experience unconditional love and happiness. Klaus has to change because his actions are self-destructive, and drive those that love him away, not because Elijah thinks that he has necessarily done something morally wrong.(Illustration of this point: When Klaus tells Elijah that he killed Tyler's mom, Elijah is more like, ugh this is a nuisance because we got an angry puppy going after Hayley, instead of oh no, killing moms is morally bad!)

So, I think that from the start of Klaus' redemption arc, his redemption has never been about the greater good. It's not about atoning for past sins, at least not the ones we have experienced through the Mystic Falls gang so far. The sins Elijah wants Klaus to atone for is are those against his (extended) family.

I am not saying that this is a problem in any way. Actually, I think that this much more interesting than the 'greater good' perspective. I also believe that the show was aware of this and actively played with these two notions, at least up until s3 and arguably s4. By juxtaposing Finn's world view to Cami's, for example, they forced the audience to think about these things as well. (And then s5 happened).

Over the course of the first 3 series, I think Klaus does go through the steps I mentioned in part 2, although reluctantly. He kind of realizes that his actions are destructive and hurt the ones he loves, the one of the first most poignant scene being when he lets Rebekah go in s1. Then in s2 he starts to get the message, by trusting Kol and allowing him back into the fold, but then reverts back to old behaviour when pushed to extremes. He realizes the repercussions of his actions at the end of s2. His arc finally accumulates in the sacrifice he makes at the end of s3 to save his family. At this point, I think Klaus has redeemed himself in Elijah's, Rebekah's and Hayley’s eyes (and maybe Kol’s).

Now the final step in his growth should be that Klaus keeps up his intention of good will towards his family. He is ‘redeemed‘ for past sins, now let’s not add any others.

Here it becomes more muddy, because we enter s4 and s5 territory. In s4, I don’t think that Klaus changes that much. He is worried about Hope when she is in danger. He is worried about Elijah when he is in danger. He sacrifices himself along with his family for Hope in the end, looking properly teary eyed (ok to be honest here that moment wrecked me, I was already ripped to shreds due to Haylijah and then that happened and then Elijah lost his memories and like tearsss if anything this show can is capable of emotional punches, THEIR FACES urgh. Anyway, I digress).

Cami is gone, so his world view isn't challenged in any particular way. He doesn't kill Marcel, which is a step forward, but he already argued against sacrificing Davina in the end of s3, so that is consistent. Klaus in s4 suffers from the same problem as Hayley: his beliefs are not challenged, he is not asked to put any of his family members in danger to save Hope, and his character remains stagnant.

Then in s5, Klaus is shown to have gone 'back to his old ways' when he kills 'his enemies'. In the first scenes with Caroline, they seem to question if this is because he has gone crazy or not. However, he does genuinely say: "I'm no good without Elijah".

I don't think murdering all those people are his 'old' ways. In the s4 finale he gladly burns the followers of the Hollow alive, so he isn't opposed to mass murder. Once again, the thing he reverts back on is how he treats his family. Hope sees him kill people and he proceeds by shunning her for five years. Then, when amnesiLijah tells him to sod off, he nearly murders amnesiLijah's new girlfriend (remember Celeste anyone?). He reverts back to lashing out at the people who love him the most, because he is afraid to lose them, and in the progress loses them all over again.

Here, the show could have made this a final point of growth for Klaus. They raise the question: can he be good to his family without Elijah there to help him? Remember the death of the mentor in the Hero’s Journey (for example Obi-Wan, Gandalf)?  In a certain way, that is what happens to Klaus here. His mentor is gone, so can he stand on his own two feet?

The answer the writers give is a big fat NOPE. Klaus refuses to help amnesiLijah in any way, and instead continuously blames him for Hayley's death. He risks the plagues wiping away NOLA to be with his daughter while he refused to talk to her for five years before. He is totally ready to let Antoinette die, as an eye-for-an-eye situation. And then Elijah is back (against his will!! and not that Klaus was any help), and Klaus has his older brother around to kick his ass into gear again, and his previous actions are not questioned at all, except for like two(?) scenes with Hope in which he kind of says sorry?

I already talked about Elijah's ending, and the shift in morality and toxic codependece and how Elijah is narratively blamed for the above situation instead of Klaus. But I do think that this part of the story hurts Klaus’ character as well. He is never allowed to grow beyond his dependency on Elijah. He isn't allowed to be a good father, or a semi-good person in his own right.

But then they do another 180 in the final episode, saying, look! Klaus is such a good guy now he sacrifices himself for his daughter and the greater good! To hammer in the point (or the stake ;) ), they even have Klaus ask Elijah explicitly: do you think me redeemed? Of course, Elijah says yes, but Elijah is kind of biased, isn't he? If Klaus had asked Vincent, he would have laughed in his face.

So to finally get to the point. Basically I call it Klaus’ non-redemption because of two things:

The first is that he is actually redeemed wrt his family, in their very biased and subjective eyes, but then they screw things up in s5, without ever resolving it.

The second is that they want us to believe he is redeemed in the more universal sense, but that is just not the case.

[speeding-fox]

Shianbon vs. Dark Tiirubon! (Part 2) (Pt. 1 of 2)

~~~~

(Part 1)

Some things to note:

"----" means the scene changes, while "~~~~" means the same scene, but takes place in a different area.

Due to Tumblr's text limit, I have to split this part into 2 parts.

With that out of the way, let's get into the story!

~~~~

Sora was just beginning to come to, much to the relief of Shiro and everyone else present. "Ugh." Sora slowly sat up and rubbed the side of his head. "Man, I feel like I got hit by a truck, urgh, how lame."

"Sorabon!" Shiro gleefully pulled his son into a hug, making Sora wince from pain. "I'm so glad you're okay!" "OW! Dad easy!" "Oops." Shiro lets him go. "Sorry kiddo."

Tucker rolled his eyes. "Good to know your brain wasn't hurt from the crash."

"Hey!" Sora groaned. "Does someone mind telling who or what the heck wrecked me and Sky-Soarer, and what happened to you guys?"

The room went quiet, until Polka said flatly "It was Tiirubon." Sora blinked. "You're kidding."

"I'm afraid he isn't, son." Shiro said gloomily. 

"They became Dark Tiirubon, and attacked your dad, Midoribon-san, as well as Polka and I." Tosukana added. "They managed to overwhelm all four us. They were too strong."

"That explains you guys' roughed up looks." Sora remarked. "But Tiirubon went dark? That's so lame! Ti's a goody-two-shoes! What the heck even happened that would make them go dark?!"

All the adults got the look of obvious guilt on their faces, not one of them wants to explain why. Dot couldn't look at them, and Shian glared at them. "Are one of you gonna tell them why, or do I have to for you?"

----

"So THAT'S why they took off!" Sora exclaimed. "Why would you talk about that out loud?" Tosukana questioned.

"We didn' think they'd be listenin'!" Kiiro claimed.

"If they're upset at you four, then why would they strike me first?" Sora questioned. "I didn't do anything!" Everyone stares at him with a blank look. "Well, anything that I can remember anyway."

"They said it was the beginning of their "payback."" Midori said. "After our defeat, they said the mansion is next, before they disappeared."

"Wait, so they're gonna destroy the mansion?!" Sora yelled.

"I'm not sure why they would want to destroy their home." Dot mumbled audibly.

"Ti's dark, Dot. They're not exactly thinking rationally." Polka chimed in.

Mizuiro turned to glare at Kiiro, whom was leaning back on a nearby seat, his arms resting behind his head. It took a bit before he noticed. "The heck you starin' fer, Richie?"

"You shouldn't have said that earlier." He replied firmly.

"What?" Kiiro raised a brow in confusion. "What're ya on about?"

Mizuiro raised a finger to point accusingly at Kiiro. "Had you not said anything about about us once wanting nothing to do with Tiirubon after they were born, we wouldn't be in this mess!"

Kiiro slams his hands down on the seat. "EXCUSE ME?!" He gets up from where he was, trudges over to Mizuiro, and gets right in his face. ARE YA SAYIN' TI GETTIN' CORRUPTED IS MY FAULT?!"

"I wouldn't put all the blame on Kiirobon, Mizuirobon." Mizuiro swiftly turned to Shiro's direction. "Shirobon?! Are you really taking his side?!" "No, I'm saying you didn't have to continue the convo! Had you said you didn't want to continue the discussion, Tiirubon wouldn't have turned evil and shot down my son!"

Midori stood up. "Quiet, Shirobon! You're not exactly innocent here either!"

"You're one to talk, Sarge! You didn't close that damn door!" Shiro snapped.

It wasn't long until all four adults were screaming at eachother, all trying to pin the blame on someone for starting this mess while the kids watched, incredibly uncomfortable, and Dot looking visibly upset, she didn't like when people are fighting, she even began tearing up.

Noticing Dot getting ready to cry really made Shian mad, her hands balled into fists, she had enough.

When a full blown brawl was about to break out, Shian stood up, raises her arms in the air, stomped once on the floor harshly, and shrieked at the fighting adults. "THAT'S ENOUGH!" That got them to stop. "Blaming eachother on whose fault it is is wasting time, and it isn't gonna fix the problem and save Tiirubon any sooner!"

"Shianbon's right." Tosukana joined her side. "It doesn't matter whose fault it is, fighting like a bunch of five-year-olds isn't going to make things get better. You four should be ashamed of yourselves."

During Shian's outburst and Tosukana's talk, Polka was busy comforting his sister in an effort to get her to calm down. When they finished speaking, he gave the adults the stink-eye for upsetting his sister. He wanted to say something as well, but felt that Shian and Tosukana said what needed to be said.

Mizuiro sighed. "You're both right."

"Fightin' won't git us anywhere." Kiiro followed.

"I guess all the stress from everything finally got to us." Joined Shiro.

"We apologize you kids had to witness that, as well as for not telling the truth sooner." Midori finished, with the other three nodding in agreement.

'You better be.' Polka thought to himself.

"Now that's all resolved," Sora spoke. "what do we do about Dark Tiirubon? If they're coming here, we can't fight them 'cuz our mechs were trashed, and Graybon, Aobon, and Akabon are still busy prepping for the party. Who do we even have left that can still fight them?"

"Me! I'll fight them!" Shian proclaimed.

A chorus of "WHAT?!" echoes throughout the room. "Shianbon, I know I said this to you a lot, but have you actually lost your marbles?!" Tosukana objected.

"You can't battle them, Shianbon! Have you already forgot what they did to us?! You don't even have a mech! They'll squash you like a bug!" Polka exclaims.

Shian heads for the door. "I've already made up my mind guys."

"Shianbon, wait." Shian turns to Mizuiro's direction after he called out to her. "You can't go, Shianbon. We've already lost Tiirubon," He wipes some tears away. "We can't afford to lose you too."

She turns away from him. "Sorry Pop, I've already made up my mind." She held a fist to her chest. "If I die trying to save Tiirubon, then so be it!" She bolts out the door before anything else could be said.

"Well that act didn't work." Shiro states once Shian was out of earshot.

"What do you suggest we do, Mizu?" Midori asked.

"You go after her and make she doesn't do anything brash." Mizuiro ordered.

"On it." Midori heads off after her as Mizuiro turns to Kiiro. "And Kiirobon, I'd like to have something specially delivered."

----

Standing outside in the storm, Shian stood some distance away, staring in the direction where Dark Tiiru would presumably arrive from. "I know I'm being crazy doing this, but I'm everyone's last hope, if I die doing this, then at least I'll die a hero!"

She points ahead of her. "You better watch out Dark Tiirubon! I'm coming for you!" 

She starts sprinting in that direction, but she didn't get too far, as she ran into something face-first full speed, sending her into a daze, and falling onto her back, eyes swirling with a red mark going across her face. Turns out the thing she ran into was Midori's training baton. "You blindly rushing into things reminds me of myself during my youth, but even I do not think I was as reckless as you." Midori remarks. Shian simply groans in response.

----

Shian pouts as she sat in a chair, towel wrapped around her, her hair all fritzy from drying it off, and she held an ice pack in the center of her face. Tosukana stood guard next to her to keep her from running off again, while Midori stood guard by the garage entrance with baton in hand so she doesn't get another bright idea. "You don't have to stand guard, you know." "I wouldn't have to if you weren't so foolhardy." Tosukana replied to her comment.

Shiro enters the garage. "Mizuirobon, I got all the servants evacuated."

"Well that was quick. How did you evacuate them all so quickly?" Mizuiro asked, intrigued by Shiro's swiftness.

"I just told them all they had a few hours off." Shiro replied.

"Oh..." He certainly didn't expect that answer. "I suppose that's one way to get everyone out (though I do hope they'll be back once this blows over)."

"Mr. Mizuirobon, where did you say my dad went again?" Questioned Polka.

"I asked him to get something specially delivered to here." Mizuiro answered.

Polka now bares an "you can't be serious" face. "You seriously ordered something, at a time like this?? Really???"

"I can assure you, Porukabon, this "something" will surely aid us in this crisis." Mizuiro assured.

Sora, whom was resting on a cushy recliner and not buying it, piped up. "It's more selfie sticks, isn't it."

Mizuiro, now a bit flustered, swiftly turns to Sora. "Ah- No! Certainly not!" He paused. "I mean," He straightens up and adjusts his bowtie. "No, not this time."

Everyone stared at him with an "uh huh" look. "If it's not selfie sticks, what is it then?" Shian asked incredulously.

He gives her a simple wink while smirking. "You'll see."

Shian raised a brow at this, she was going to ask what he meant when Dot speaks up. "He's here!"

"Ah, good timing." Mizuiro gets out a wireless controller, and presses a button that opens the garage door. The door opens to reveal Cargo Yäger, and a huge metal crate on its carrier.

"Special delivery fer Cashbag's Mansion from Graybon Hakese's lab!" He announces before entering then parking in the garage, once inside, Mizuiro presses the button to close the door.

"Whoa! That's some special delivery!" Polka remarked. "That box is huge!" Sora exclaimed. "I wonder what's inside." Dot wondered. "If it's from Grampa Graybon's lab, it's going to be big." Tosukana stated

Shian's interest is immediately piqued once see laid eyes on the giant metal crate. She gets up from her seat, takes off her towel to hand it to Tosukana, and approached over to get a better look. "Wow... that's the BIGGEST package I've ever seen! What's in it?"

Mizuiro smirked "Take a guess. Do you still think it's a bunch of selfie sticks?"

"Uhhh..." Shian tried thinking of a guess, but came up with nothing. "That depends on who it's for, but I have no idea what could be in that big thing."

"Simple." He says as he walks toward's Cargo Yäger's cockpit. "It's something you wanted."

Shian's eyes went wide. "Wait, what?! Me?!"

Polka had an "are you kidding me" face. "Seriously? We're giving out presents in the middle of a darn crisis?! Might as well start giving out cake as well!" 

Sora perked up at the mention of cake. "Cake?" Tosukana rested a hand on Sora's shoulder. "Sorry, Sorabon, no cake yet." Sora got pouty. "Aww man..."

"Well, Porukabon, this was going to be Shianbon's birthday present," Mizuiro turns to him, he now dawns an serious expression. "but given our situation, we have to make an exception." He turns towards the cockpit. "Kiirobon, if you'd please.~"

"'Kiirobon, if you'd please.'" Kiiro mocked softly before pressing the button to open the cargo.

What was revealed from the large package as it opened up was a large cyan tank. Shian's eyes got as big as saucers while the rest of the kids were in awe. "This is MINE?!" Shian yells excitedly.

Midori walked up until he was next to his daughter. "Yes, it is." He turned his attention to the tank and gestures to it with one hand and rests the other on Shian's shoulder. "Shianbon, this is Cyan-Sniper, it has the ability to turn invisible, and it's turret can fire Hyper Biida shots as well as quick and sharp shots called Sniper shots, but they take some time to charge. We entrust this to you to use this to save Tiirubon." He turns to her. "Are you ready?"

Without hestitation, Shian nods and shouts "Of course I do! Ti is my sibling! I'll do anything to bring them back!"

Shortly after stating that, she climbs into the tank, and turns it on. "Oh man, this is EPIC! I can't believe I have my own mecha now!"

"Shianbon." Mizuiro sternly called out. "I know you're excited to have your own vehicle, but you need focus on what's at stake here."

She paused, she took a moment to look around the room, her injured friends, and father, all that hype she had from getting her own mecha faded away and turned into doubt as the heaviness of everything sunk in. Tiiru isn't the only one that needs to be saved, everyone else and her home needed to be saved, and she had to do this on her own.

Having noticed her change of face, Midori stepped over beside the tank. "Shianbon, what is troubling you? You were ready to fight seconds ago, but now you seem doubtful." She was silent, then uttered "What if I fail?" "Huh?"

"Dark Tiirubon defeated Sorabon, Shirobon, Porukabon, Tosukana, they even took you down, Dad! I'm fighting them on my own! Not only that, you guys are counting on ME to stop them from destroying our home and saving everyone inside!" She clutches her head and her eyes water. "What if I mess up?! What if I can't bring them to their senses?! What if i can't do this?!"

"Shianbon!" Polka yelled as he stepped forward, everyone was now staring at him. "Shianbon, in all my time knowing ya,' you've never backed down, even with your most outrageous of ideas, you never have backed down nor doubted yourself, so why would you doubt yourself now?"

Tosukana stepped forward and stood next to Polka. "Polka's right. Even when you're outmatched, you never stepped down. I'm sure you can do it." 

Dot wheeled forward until she was beside Tosukana. "Your determination is one of your best qualities, Shianbon, you can do it when you put your mind to it."

Sora limped forward and stood next to Polka, he raised a hand up like he was going to give a speech, but he had no idea what to say. "Umm, what they said!"

Shian's eyes glistened as her eyes filled with sappy tears from her friends' words. "You guys..." She wipes them away. "What was I thinking? You guys are right!"

"You're welcome!" Sora said proudly as the other three gave him the "seriously?" glare. "...What?"

"You have the heart of a soldier, Shianbon! I believe in you too!" Midori exclaimed, then turned to Mizuiro to see what he has to say only to see his eyes looking to the side and him fidgiting his bowtie. "Mizu." He gave him a nudge to get his attention. "Huh? ...Oh, eh, sorry."

He clears his throat. "Err, Shianbon..." he pauses, trying to think of what to say next, he then sighs. "Despite you and Tiirubon, being opposites, your bond as siblings is strong, but I'm uncertain that alone will bring them to their senses, however, I do believe you'll find a way to bring them back, be it outrageous, or not, your righteous spirit does seem to find a way."

Shian blinked at Mizuiro, did he just say something positive about her? That's once on a blue moon, but she'll take it. She smiles. "Thanks Mom and Dad."

The alarm starts blaring, catching the attention of everyone. Dot wheels herself over to check it out to find a purple dot blipping on the radar, and said dot is getting closer and closer to the mansion. "Dottobon, what is going on?!" Midori demanded. "An enemy is approaching the mansion!" She turned her head to Midori. "And fast!"

Midori cursed to himself. "Drat, we're out of time!" He swiftly turned to Shianbon. "Shianbon, are you ready?!"

She nods. "You bet I'm ready!" She looks straight ahead and reved the tank's engine as the garage doors opened. "Alright! Ready to roll!"

"Wait, Shian!" Dot shouted, this stopped Shian from taking off right away and prompted her to look in her direction. "Huh, Dot?" "Before you go, just... please, be careful, okay?"

Shian lightly blushed and turned away, then chuckled after about three seconds. "Sorry, Dot, I can't make any guarantees," She glanced back at her. "but I'll try my best." Shian looked straight ahead once more, then took off, she turned on the tank's cloak function before she vanished into the storm, and the garage's doors close once again.

----

Dark Tiiru arrives at the mansion, stopping just out front. "I hope I've given you all enough time to say your good-byes." They announced. "Do any of you have any last words before turn this mansion to ruins?"

~~~~

Mizuiro glared at them through the security camera overlooking the mansion's front, then smirked. "Just a few." He takes out a wireless remote control, and presses a button.

~~~~

A shield soon surrounds the entire outside of the mansion. "You just have to get passed this first." He announced over a speaker.

Dark Tiiru was bewildered, they certainly didn't expect this. "What the?! What is this?!"

~~~~

Mostly everyone was in awe over the giant forcefield. Sora even muttered "So cool!" as Mizuiro stood proudly. Midori approaches him to ask: "When did you install this?" Mizuiro's reply: "I had Graybon Hakese and Aobon install it shortly after marrying you."

Shiro and Kiiro snicker at this response while Midori now looked flushed. "What?! Did you think I was going to break down the walls or something?!"

"Knowing your history, yes. Don't you remember that one incident where you lost control of Crys-Greaver?" Mizuiro remarked sassily.

"Oh..." Midori uttered as he realizes. "So that's what stopped it."

~~~~

Dark Tiiru growls. "Even if you do have a barrior protecting you, every shield gives away after enough hits!" With that, they tried firing at it, but it merely made the shots bounce back, which promptly hit them, angering them further. They then try punching it, but the blow only knocked them back as it sent a jolt through their hand, it hurt like a static shock, angering them even more.

They didn't care anymore, they back up several feet, then charge and rammed full force into the shield, not caring about getting hurt. They got knocked back further away, but shockwave from the blow causes the entire mansion to shake. Now with that knowledge, they continued to back up, then ram themselves into the shield. The shield soon showed signs of giving away, concerning everyone inside. After the last hit, it seemed it will break after one more blow.

Confident in their victory, Dark Tiiru backs up one more time, and bolts full speed towards the barrier. When they were within feet of the mansion, something invisible suddenly barrels into them, causing them to tumble until they skid to a halt. They looked around frantically for their assailant, but sees nothing. "WHAT ON MERCURY DID I JUST GET HIT BY?!" Seconds after yelling that, they got up, only to get sniped from behind and knocked back to the ground.

Shian turns off the cloak option, making her presence known. "It was me, dingus! Wow, you look more edgy in person." She quipped

Dark Tiiru grunted as they got back up to turn around. "Shianbon?! You?! When did you get that?!"

Shian smirks. "Tiirubon, met Cyan-Sniper, my new tank! With this, I'm gonna take you down and save everyone!"

"Peh! Do you really think your new toy will be able to beat me? Are you really everyone's last hope? You and an unflattering hunk of junk alone? You'll just end up like those other fools." They taunted.

"Shut up! As a matter of fact, I do! Not only do I believe in myself, everyone believes in me! I swear I will save everyone, and I swear I will save YOU, Tiirubon!" She proclaimed

As soon as she was done giving her short speech, Shian's righteousness for justice and determination to save everyone and her sibling cause her biidama start glowing a bright cyan, she felt a rush and could feel herself getting enpowered! She begins glowing cyan herself, and shapes form on her head and chest, the glow then fades away to reveal her newly formed armor! She was in absolute awe, but she knew she did have time to gawk at her new appearance as there was one more step that needed to be done! She jumps up and transforms, Cyan-Sniper modifies itself into a body, and to complete the transformation, the two fuse into one, once complete, she strikes a battle-ready pose and lightning disperses behind her!

~~~~

"She's done it! She's transformed!" Midori exclaimed with glee.

"That's so cool!" Sora shouts, awestruck by what Shian accomplished.

"Aw heck yeah! Go Shainbon go! Go Shianbon go!" Polka and Tosukana cheered while waving pom-poms around.

~~~~

"N-No way!" Dark Tiiru was both astonished and intimidated by their sister's sudden transformation. "How is that possible?!"

"What? Are you scared that I'm no longer small?" Shian teased.

They growl. "Grrr, no! Regardless of your new look, I'm still gonna destroy you!"

She chuckled. "We'll see about that! Bring it on, sib!"

The siblings began to clash as the group in the mansion watched their battle anxiously through the security camera. The two were equally matched, neither seemed to let up, until Shian slipped on a puddle. Dark Tiiru took a chance on her literal slip-up to deck her in the face, sending her flying into some trees in a wooded area. This action left her dazed.

"Heh, too easy, and to think you were everybody's last hope." They taunted as the approached their stunned sister.

~~~~

The onlookers watched in horror as Dark Tiiru approach Shian, then begin charging up a powerful shot. The kids and Midori screamed for her to get up, Shiro and Kiiro muttered "C'mon, get/git up, Shianbon.", while Mizuiro prayed for miracle while tearing up. "Please, I don't want to lose another child. Please get up, Shianbon!"

~~~~

"I'm sorry I have to do this, Shianbon. I would've given you the chance to join me, but then again, you're a goody-two-shoes, you would have simply refused outright anyway." They aimed their biida cannon in her direction. "Good-bye, sister."

Before Dark Tiiru could fire the charged shot at their sister, BOOM! They were unexpectedly hit from behind with a biida shot, knocking them off their feet and making them land on their side. "GRAAH! WHO DARES?!"

~~~~

"They got hit from behind, but what hit them?!" Polka asked loudly.

Mizuiro quietly sighs. "Thank goodness."

Dot points to the corner of the monitor. "More like who hit them. Look over there."

Tosukana squints at the approaching figure from them corner and quickly finds out who it is that hit Dark Tiiru, but seemed surprised more than anything. "Wait a minute, isn't that the Crimson-Dragon? Is that my sister?"

~~~~

"I dare." Scarlett replied stoically. Yup, it is indeed her, if not to mention in her transformed state as well.

Hearing Scarlett's voice snaps Shian out of her daze. "Sukārettobon?! Are you kidding me?! Why are you even here?! Did you "sense" the danger like before?!" Shian bellows accusingly as Scarlett stares at her blankly.

"No, I initially came to deliver something," She responded flatly. "but you do seem to be having trouble."

"Stay out of it, edgelord! This is between me and Tiirubon!" Shian exclaims as she gets back up and charges once again towards Dark Tiirubon.

Scarlett would object, but she was just told to "stay out of it", so she watches as Shian tries and fails on landing hits on Dark Tiiru. She did wonder what happened that caused Tiiru to become corrupted, but as far as she's concerned, it's none of her business, and she knows her brother, Tosukana, would fill her in on everything later.

Several minutes of Shian trying and failing later, Scarlett decided she had enough watching her foolishness, and goes up to her after she was knocked down from a strike-back. "Are you positive you have everything handled?" She asked stoically.

Shian growls, she HATES Scarlett's monotonous sass. She wanted to tell her rival she does having everything under control and to get lost, but seeing that her her tactic of "charging and attacking" doesn't seem to be going anywhere, she begrudgingly had to accept her rival's help. She sighed exasperatedly. "No, I don't. I need your help." Saying those words left a sour taste in her mouth.

"Good to see you realizing your plan of "charging and attacking" didn't seem to be bearing fruit." Shian rolls her eyes at her remark. "Are you gonna be making fun of me, or are you gonna help me?"

"The latter, preferably." Scarlett answered. "Since your previous method didn't work,-"

"Yeah, I got that already." Shian interrupted.

"Don't interrupt me." Said Scarlett, mildly annoyed, then continued. "As I was saying, we need a different plan of approach."

"But Dark Tiirubon knows my every move, probably yours too. What are you suggesting?" Shian questioned.

Scarlett whispers something into Shian's "ear," meanwhile, the entire time the two were chatting, Dark Tiiru was waiting for them to be done. They were tapping their foot impatiently, had their arms crossed, and checked their nonexistant watch every few seconds. They were beginning think the duo forgot that they were, they don't know, a threat? They shouldn't have been generous in giving them time to talk.

"Are you two done?!" They yell. As if on cue, Scarlett flies off, leaving Shian by her lonesome.

"Are you seriously leaving me?! Coward!" She called out to the "fleeing" Scarlett.

Dark Tiiru chuckles. "Guess you said something to tick her off, huh, sis?"

~~~~

"What the heck?! Tucker, did your sister seriously just ditch Shianbon?!" Polka exclaims to Tosukana.

"It looks that way, that doesn't seem to be like her though, unless Shian said something to make her mad, but I have a feeling there's more to it than that." Tosukana replied calmly.

~~~~

"Seems like you're alone, sis. Are you gonna try your failed tactic again, or have you actually given up?" They gloat as they step forward and Shian steps back. They let out a laugh. "I'll take that as yes. You have any last words before I destroy you?" Pause. "Just don't take forever."

"Yes, I do." She mumbles audibly as she stands tall. "Ti, I'm so sorry, I failed you as a sibling! I failed to save you from this darkness!" Her voice cracks. "But, even if I did fail, dark or not, you're still my sibling, Ti, and even if you do destroy me, I'll still love you, because we're still family!"

"..." Was the dramatic speech really necessary? Regardless, it did stir something within Dark Tiiru, but having their mind clouded by darkness, they didn't know what it was.

"Touching," They pause. "but did you really think your little speech would do anything? I will admit, it did stir something though." They charge up their most powerful biida shot, unaware that Scarlett was slowly creeping up on them.

Shian needed to buy a couple more seconds of time. 'Think, Shianbon! Think!' A lightbulb goes off. If the darkness didn't affect the airheadedness of Tiiru's brain, it should work! "Hey Ti! I think I saw someone leave a biiig matcha cake under that tree over there!" She points to a random tree to her left.

Dark Tiiru immediately stops charging their attack. "Matcha cake?! Where?! Which tree?!"

With them distracted, Scarlett used this chance to grab their arms from behind and pin them to their back. "What the?!" Realizing they've been duped, Dark Tiiru tries to wriggle free from Scarlett's grip, but she has a firm hold of them. "Let me GO!"

Scarlett holds them in place for Shian to fire a Healing Shot. "Shianbon, now!" Shian's biidama glows as she prepares a shot to fire at Dark Tenacious-Tealer's biidama, but she hesitates. She thought to herself: 'I have never healed before. Will it even work? What if I really hurt them instead?'

"Shianbon, what's the hold-up?!" Scarlett shouts.

"I... I've never done this before! I'm only good at fighting, not healing!" Her voice cracks. "What if I mess this up?! What if I make it worse?!"

"Focus!" Scarlett proclaims. "Now's not the time to doubt yourself! You need to save Tiirubon from corruption!"

Dark Tiiru growls. "I don't need saving! Let me go NOW!" They thrash about trying desperately to break free from Scarlett's grip. They didn't want to lose the newfound power they've been given.

Scarlett is noticeably struggling to keep them in check. "I don't think I can keep ahold of them for too much longer, Shianbon! You need to shoot NOW!"

As much as Shian didn't want admit it, Scarlett is right, can't doubt herself now! She thought back to what Polka told her earlier: 'You have never doubted yourself before, so why doubt yourself now?'. All her doubts washed away, her confidence returned. She wasn't only going to be saving her sibling, she was going to save her family, friends, and her home!

"This is for EVERYONE! BIIDA HEALING, SHOOT!" With that shout, she fires, and successfully shot it into Dark Tiiru's biidama!

Aside from the rain, and the dark static crackling from Dark Tenacious-Tealer's biidama, there was suspenseful silence between all sides. Scarlett lets go of Dark Tiiru as their marble suddenly glows a bright light. They shriek as they feel their entire being is getting filled with light once more, then they became enveloped in a bright flash of light.

After the bright flash of light fades, Shian moved her metal arm away from her eyes to see the aftermath, it stopped raining, and on the ground some feet away from her was Tiiru lying fainted with their Tenacious-Tealer being close behind them, both of them no longer bore the dark coloring they once had, even the biidamas are back to their normal blue coloring. Had she won? Had she really won? She'd celebrate her victory, but right now she was more concerned if her little sibling was okay.

"Ti!" She calls out as she reverts back to non-armored state, hops out of Cyan-Sniper, and bolts to Tiiru. She kneels down to try nudging them awake. "Ti! Wake up! Please, wake up!" She shouted frantically.

Tiiru groaned as they were being woken up, then their eyes open halfway. "Shi...Shianbon?" They uttered tiredly.

A wave of relief overcame Shian, and her eyes began to fill up with tears. They're okay, thank goodness they were okay. "Ti! Thank god you're okay!" She sat them up to pull them into a hug. "Don't you ever scare me like that ever again!"

Tiiru was surprised by the hug as Shian isn't the type to simply give out hugs, they even don't know what she was talking about initially, so they pulled away a bit. "Shian, what are you-" Their eyes widened as the realization hit them, the whole brunt of it: the corruption, the darkness, all the bad stuff they had done and planned on doing, it all hit like a truck.

Their eyes began welling up. "Shi...Shi..." They hiccupped, then bawled, hard, and hugged their sister as tightly as they could as they cried over her shoulder. "SHIANBOOON! WAAAAAAAH! I'M SO SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO GO AS FAR AS I DID! I'M SO SORRRRY!"

The best Shian could do to comfort Tiiru right now was return the hug and be there for them to let it all out. Hearing her sibling crying like this was heartbreaking. She wanted to say something, but what could she even say to help them? They just got out of their corruption, and she has zero clue what it was like, but one thing she was certain about: Tiiru was aware during the whole thing. She swore if she ever found who thought it was a good idea to corrupt her little sibling, she will teach them a harsh lesson personally. "It's okay, Ti." She whispered soothingly. "I know you didn't, but it's all over now. I'm just glad you're okay." Her voice cracked speaking the last sentence.

After she got Tiiru to calm down for the most part, she gazed up to her sibling to see Scarlett, still armored up watching them while leaning on her Crimson-Dragon with her arms crossed. Shian narrowed her eyes. "You're still here?"

Wondering whom their sister is talking to, Tiiru wipes away their tears and lets go of her to look in the same direction. "Sukarettobon?"

Scarlett walks up near Tiiru before stopping. "Glad you're alright, Tiirubon." She finally responds with her usual, stoic voice, before returning her gaze to Shian.

Shian raised a brow. "What, are you expecting me to say "thank you for the help" or something?" No response. Shian groaned. "Fiiine. Thanks for the help, even if I could've done it all on my own. There, happy?"

"... No, I wasn't expecting a thanks from you, but it's much appreciated."  She replied, making Shian groan again and roll her eyes.

"Shianbon." "What is it now, edgelord?" Shian grumbled as she and Tiiru stood up. "I must say, for what you've shown to me, your determination to save Tiirubon, as well as everyone in your home, and what you're capable of in combat, I must commend you for your strengths," She closed her eyes. "and perhaps you're not as ridiculous as I thought."

Shian didn't know if she was being genuine or not, so she wasn't sure how to take that compliment. "Uhh, thanks, I guess?"

Scarlett turns around, back now facing the siblings, and went back to her Crimson-Dragon. "Typical." Shian muttered aside.

She stops in her tracks, she pulls something from her cape, then tosses it to Tiiru, to which they luckily catch without needing to move much. "A present?" They stare from the present to Scarlett.

"It's your birthday gift on behalf of my family and Aiirobon, since they can't come due to illness. It's a bunch of matcha stuff. Don't eat it all at once." Tiiru's eyes lit up at the mention of matcha. "Really?! Thanks, Sukārettobon!" That seemed to cheer them up quick.

"I was coming here to drop that off when I saw that you were...you know." Their smile went away and glanced to the ground when Scarlett mentioned that. "..."

Scarlett was quiet for a bit. "I can't say anything as consolation as I do not know the full story of what happened," Ti silently gazed back up at her to see her glancing back at them. "but I do hope your birthday gets better from here."

"I hope so too..." Tiiru muttered as they stared at Scarlett's gift. Scarlett jumps into her mecha. "You aren't going to stay?" Tiiru questioned Scarlett.

"Parties aren't my thing." She replied as she turned to Tiiru one more time. "I do wish you happy birthday though, Tiirubon." With that, Scarlett took off until she disappears into the clouds, which seem to be parting.

"Seems like it's finally clearing up." Shian remarked as she looked up towards the sky.

The siblings turn to face the garage as they hear the door opening. The kids (minus Sora, whom had to be carried by his dad, Shiro) and most of the adults hustled on out (with the exception of Mizuiro, he simply ambled behind the bunch), and ran over to Shian as they cheered her name. Tiiru had to step back as they gathered around her, praising her for her victory.

"Shianbon, that was amazing!" Exclaimed Sora.

"I knew you could do it!" Dot chirped.

"I knew she could do it from the start!" Boasted Polka.

"She did have to have help from-" Tosukana tried to argue, but Shian shushed him. "Sssh, let me have this, Tucker." It was easy to tell she was eating up the praise.

She suddenly got scooped up by her proud dad, Midori, whom was crying his eyes out. "I know you've had the heart of a soldier!" He sobbed. "I'm so proud of yoooou!"

"Daaaaad, stop! You're embarrassing me!" She shouts as she tries to wriggle out of her dad's bear hug.

"Your daughter can't seem to "bear" your bear hug, Sarge!" Kiiro chuckled heartily.

"If I may join in on the praising," Mizuiro chimed in. "I will say I, as well all of us, including my servants, are thankful you saved us (and for not doing too much damage to the mansion)."

Tiiru looked aside as everyone, including their parents, gave praise to their sister, which they felt was deserved, knowing the deed she's done. With how highly everyone seems to be treating her, Tiiru didn't feel they needed to be there, so they slowly sulked their way to Tenacious-Tealer. Mizuiro took notice of this. "Tiirubon?"

Hearing their name, Tiiru stopped where they were, but didn't turn around as they heard Mizuiro's footsteps come up behind them. "Tiiru, where are you going?" He asks them. Hearing this, everyone's attention was on the two.

"I... I feel like I'm not needed here, so I was just...gonna leave..." They replied softly, their voice cracking a bit.

"Leave?" Mizuiro is not to taken aback by this response, Tiiru mostly likely feels guilty and ashamed of what they've said and done, but he doesn't want them to leave, not again... "Don't go."

Hearing that made Tiiru decide to turn around. What they didn't expect to see was their "mother" dawning a tearful expression, trying to desperately not start with the waterworks. They could see their father putting their sister down and making his way over until he's next to their "mother," he bore a similar expression. "Why do you feel you need to leave..?"

"I... I-I..." They stammered. "I did so much damage. I hurt everyone, I said awful things." They start trembling. "I-I even almost did something unforgivable." They sniffle and tear up, and their voice croaks. "How could you still want me around after all that?"

Both parents hugged them, and at the same time, they told them "Because you are our child, Tiirubon." They pulled away a bit to look them in the eyes, but each still had one arm wrapped around them. Tiiru couldn't understand it, they are not mad at them. Why aren't they after the mess Tiiru had caused? "I don't understand..." They mumble softly.

"Tiirubon." Mizuiro began. "About what happened earlier, we apologize you had to find out about you birth that way." 

Midori chimed in. "But about us not wanting you is the farthest from the truth."

"But..." Tiiru sniffled. "I heard Kiirobon say-" Mizuiro interrupts them mid-sentence. "Yes, we know, but that was initially."

Midori added in "Because you were unexpected, we were not prepared to be parents. It took us some time before we came to terms with that fact, but once we have, we no longer saw you as the product of a prank gone wrong."

"Then... what do you see me as now?" Tiiru asked. Both parents hugged them again and answered "A blessing."

Hearing them tell them that almost made Tiiru too choked up for words. They return their hug. "I'm...so glad."

Shian went up behind the group and pats Tiiru's back. "If I may jump in here, if it weren't for you, Ti, my life would've ended up completely different from the one I have now, probably for the worse, and I am super thankful for that. I'm glad to have you as a sibling, even if you are a dork." Tiiru let out a small laugh. "H-Hey!"

With the onlookers, Polka, Dot, and Tosukana smiled, Sora was attempting to not cry from all the sappiness, while Shiro and Kiiro were crying and wiping away tears with tissues. "Gosh darn it! I'mma sap for sappy stuff like this!" Blubbered Kiiro before he blew into his tissue.

After many minutes of hugging, the family break the hug pile. "Mom, Dad, everyone," Tiiru lowers their head. "I'm sorry for the mess I caused. I didn't mean to go as far as I did." They raised their head to meet their parents'. "I'm especially sorry for the stuff I said and jumping to conclusions."

Midori was first to respond. "Do not worry about it,  Tiirubon." "You weren't yourself. You've already been forgiven." Mizuiro followed up. Almost everyone nods. "Besides," He added while given the side-eye to Midori. "you're not the only one that jumps to conclusions."

"What? No I don't!" Midori was already getting flustered.

"Sure you don't, Hun, sure you don't." Teased Mizuiro before he, as well as most of the group, laugh at the Sarge's expense, Midori simply grumbled.

"Everyone may forgive you, Ti," Sora spoke up, catching the attention of everyone. "but I'm not sure if I do. You wrecked Sky-Soarer."

Polka couldn't believe what he said. "Dude, seriously? They wrecked most of our mechs!"

"Yeah," He raised a finger to point at him. "but you guys didn't end up getting shot down and knocked out."

"He does have a point." Tiiru went up to Sora. "Sora, I really am sorry for that. Is there anything I can do to make up for crashing your Sky-Soarer?"

Sora gave that some thought. "Hmmm... how about... you allow me to have half of the pizza and the other good snacks that will be served at the party, and I might consider forgiving you." 

"Eh-?!" Tiiru playfully slapped their arm. "Sorabon! Don't be such a greedy pigron!" "Hey!" Sora laughed. "You said anything!"

As they were laughing, Graybon's ship arrives with a gigantic package labeled party stuff. "Sorry we took so long! We trouble finding the place due to the storm!" Ao's voice announced over the megaphone, then Aka's voice came on. "I hope we're not too late."

Tiiru looked at everyone, then up at the aircraft. "Nope! We're just getting started!"

[To be concluded on pt. 2.]

[ruination-fangs]

Jude Stage 8: With His Feelings in His Heart

*  from Asteria’s fourth chapter, “Recollections of Eden”

[<- stage 7]

Scene 1

Leia is impressed by Jude's fighting, and how even though he doesn't remember anything, his body does. Jude wants to stop, but the moment he lets his guard down, Leia attacks.

Leia: I guess that's it, huh... Seems all you remember is what your body knows. You may have forgotten the rest, but my mom's hardcore training can't be erased! Jude: Your mom's training... Leia: It's kind of nostalgic somehow, doing this again... Haah!

She continues to strike at Jude, musing about how they used to spar all the time as kids. Jude moves the same way now as he did then; Leia predicts that after his next move, he'll leave an opening, but Jude dodges her attack. He's even more confused than she is about why he understands what she’s going to do.

Jude: It's as if I've seen it before... in my head... No, but that's... Leia as a kid...? It's the same patterns... Urgh...!?

His vision blurs. Seeing that Jude seems to be remembering something, Leia attacks again, but this time Jude doesn't manage to dodge.

Leia: Huh... In the old days, you would easily have seen through that. Was it all a coincidence after all...? Jude: Have I... faced these attacks before...? Urk...!

Everything spins again. Leia tells him if he still doesn't remember, he should accept his defeat and go back to the village, but he blocks her next attack - and then several more in a row.

Jude: How did I...? I've never seen that attack before, but my body just... Leia: Jude...! Then how about this!?

As Jude's vision swims, he continues to counter, confused about why he knows all Leia's moves. It's like her attack patterns have been etched into his mind, and he reads them perfectly.

Jude: That's right... We've fought like this countless times, ever since we were kids... I understand. I know what you're going to do next... No, I remember... There was that time we were cleaning, and you used that move with the broom... Leia: Jude!? Y-Yeah, that's right! And then we got yelled at for playing with the brooms! Jude: You were always the one to start goofing off. You were always getting scolded... but I was always right there with you, so... Leia: Yeah. You've always looked after me... Jude, you really do remember... Jude: Still, we never learned... Skipping out on our punishments... Sparring sessions... Until we were experts at dodging... Urgh! What is going on...?! We were kids... and Master Sonia... Aaaaah!

Leia: ...Jude? Jude: Right... That's right... But then, what have I been doing...? Leia: Jude, do you... Jude: Hey, Leia. I... Leia: Dropped your guard!

Leia attacks unexpectedly, but Jude dodges again. He remembers everything now, and he shows Leia one of the forms they learned from her mom to prove it.

Jude: We were neighbors when we were kids. Your mom introduced martial arts to us. We sparred like this over and over again... day in and day out, hundreds, maybe thousands of times. Leia: Then you should recognize this! Haah! *Smack smack... bam bam!* Jude: It's nostalgic, doing these moves again... Even though the training was brutal. Leia: Yeah, Mom worked us to the bone every day. We'd end up covered in scrapes and bruises. Jude: But it made us so much stronger...! Leia: I always beat you, though. Jude: Not this time, you won't!

Leia informs him that she hasn't changed her mind just because he's gotten his memories back. She's not really sure what's going on with the world right now, but she knows criminals only cause trouble to others, so she refuses to go back to the village. Jude insists that he's not giving up either; if she has any doubts at all about what she's doing, he'll make sure he doesn't lose.

He continues to block all her attacks. Leia starts to think that maybe he's right and she does have doubts - but that's all the more reason for her to win and convince herself of her decision. Jude recognizes the stance she takes right before using Soulstoke Celebration. He can hardly move afterwards, but he refuses to lose, and Leia is stunned that he gets back up. He hits her with one final attack.

Jude: ...I'm sorry, Leia. I can't afford to pull any punches against you... Leia: Jude... I'm so glad you've remembered...

Leia falls to the ground, unconscious. As Jude is preparing to take her back to the village, one of the guards wakes up and tries to threaten him, but he can't move. Jude tells him to rest for a while. The other guard informs Jude that he's a fugitive now, and promises that the White Lions will find them if they try to escape.

Jude: ...Right, that is a problem. Leia had them thoroughly fooled, after all. Guard 2: What...? Jude: Pretending to be a criminal herself, in order to lure out the real criminal... Everyone thought we were accomplices, when she was just using herself as bait and getting captured by the White Lions to lure me in. I'm gonna need a new strategy to get myself out of this! Guard 2: So that's what happened... I thought something was off. This was all the Rolando Family's plan, then... Jude: Yep. But it's not going to work. I'll have to retreat. And I'm taking Leia as a hostage, so I can get my revenge later. Guard 1: Stop...! I can't let you do that, even to a criminal... Wait, no, she's not a criminal, is she...? Guard 2: She's assisted us greatly... We have to help her! Dammit... I can't... get up...!

Jude makes his exit before the guards can get back on their feet.

Scene 2

Back in Rikka Village, things are a little tense. Jude doesn't expect Leia to forgive him, as he knows what he did was contrary to what Leia had decided for herself, but he still feels it was the right thing to do. Even so, Ludger thinks they're probably going to put a warrant out for him now.

Magilou seems to find it funny, though Leia doesn't think it's any laughing matter. She asks what Jude plans to do next. Jude also expects he'll be on the wanted list by the next morning, so he intends to leave before then. He wants to look for everyone - Milla, Elize, even Sorey and Stahn might be in the same predicament that they were. He doesn't know what he'll do if they've lost their memories too, but he has to go see.

Leia points out that if they're living peaceful lives, they might be happier to be left alone. Jude agrees that since they don't know what's going on right now, they'll have to be careful about how they approach the matter.

He's thinking of heading to Reisvale first. That's where Mikleo is supposed to be from, and Rowen was with him. The first thing he wants to ascertain is whether they've lost their memories, or are just playing along.

Now that she thinks about it, Leia finds their "roles" a little strange, with Mikleo a nobleman and Estelle her subordinate.

Jude: Yeah, really. But everyone here accepts that as perfectly normal... Leia: No one would believe us if we suddenly started saying Estelle is a princess... even though we remember it clear as day. Jude: Right. We probably shouldn't mention it. I want everyone to get their memories back, but it could be dangerous to go about it the wrong way.

Ludger hesitantly interrupts to ask if Jude has become a criminal like Leia. He doesn't understand what happened, or why Jude brought Leia back. If this was a case of one criminal setting another free, he has a duty to report them. Alarmed, Jude reminds him that the "criminals" are just people who've regained their memories, but Ludger can't be sure that's true; all he knows is they've been talking about crazy things no one else understands. He apologizes, because he knows they're both good people and he wants to believe them, but if it comes to choosing between Lazarus and the claims of wanted fugitives, the choice is clear.

Jude suggests that there might be a way for Ludger to confirm that the memory bit is real. He remembers Ludger from before he lost his memories - that Ludger used to live with Elle, and his older brother Julius, and a cat named Rollo. Ludger thinks, but none of it sounds familiar to him, and he's concerned Jude is lying. Leia reminds Jude that he was the same way; it seems words alone won't make people remember.

Jude wonders if there's some action, then, that would jog a person's memory, like what happened to him. Then he remembers Ludger saying he feels like he's made some promise to cook for someone, and tells him it probably was something he said to Elle. Maybe Elle feels the same way. Ludger also once said he gets a funny feeling when he looks at families together - that would be because deep down, he remembers living with Elle and Julius.

Ludger still isn't sure, but Jude pleads with him to just trust him for now. Elle should be in Reisvale, which is where he's going anyway, so Ludger should come and see for himself. If at that point he still wants to turn Jude in, it won't be too late; Jude promises he won't run or hide. Ludger knows turning the criminals in to the White Lions is the right thing to do, but he gets the sense he might regret it if he does that, so he agrees to come. However, he's not saying he believes Jude and Leia yet, and if he meets with Elle and can't confirm anything, he will report them both. Jude accepts that deal.

Then Ludger asks Magilou if she'll agree not to report them for now. Magilou agrees surprisingly easily, since it seems they can prove or disprove Jude's claims readily enough. Leia asks what she knows about it, and Magilou admits that she's been investigating the criminals herself.

Magilou: There must be some hidden meaning to the "nonsense" the criminals talk about, right? Something we civilians don't know. So I thought, if I checked out these restricted zones... Leia: You were in the restricted zone?! So that stuff about a trespasser... Magilou: And what's a wanted criminal going to do, report me? Leia: Ugh... Don't remind me. Magilou: But that's exactly the problem! That the Rolando Family's leader should turn out to be a criminal herself... I joined thinking that if this is an organization worthy of Roar's attention, maybe I could get some information on the restricted zones or the criminals... But if the leader is a lawbreaker, the whole ship is sunk. All that effort, totally wasted! ...But thanks to Jude's quick thinking, the fact that Leia is now a criminal is our little secret, yeah?

In conclusion, Magilou has no problem protecting Leia if there's some benefit to it. They can always report Jude later. For now, she'd rather they all cooperate in her little investigation.

Leia is fine with that, but Ludger wants to know why she's looking into the criminals in the first place. Magilou's reasoning is simple: Lazarus doesn't want civilians interacting with these people. If she can figure out where they're coming from and why they're appearing, and come up with some preventative measures, there might be a sizable reward.

Ludger: If you're trying to please Lady Lazarus, doesn't it kind of defeat the purpose to break her laws and sneak into the restricted zone? Magilou: You gotta break a few eggs to make an omelette, right? We can only do this if we play by our own rules.

Jude wonders what would drive Magilou to do that, and Magilou admits that the Menagerie's last performance was a total flop. She has a debt that's going to be very difficult to repay, hence her interest in receiving a reward. Ludger sympathizes.

Magilou: Don't get me wrong now, I'm not saying I'm on your side. But if that's what it takes to keep observing you, I'll keep your little secret. Jude: Well, that's good enough. We'll need your cooperation for Leia to go back to the Family. Leia: ...H-Hey, Jude. What if instead of going back, I go with-

At that moment the door bursts open and Estelle and Suzu rush in, having heard that Leia is back.

Suzu: Jude, why didn't you tell us right away!? Jude: S-Sorry... Magilou: Because they're too busy sharing secrets they don't want you to hear... Jude: Magilou, don't tell them that! Estelle: We figured something was going on. If you say it's a secret, we won't force you to tell us. But Leia, please, don't shut us out and leave again! Leia: I-I'm sorry, you guys. But I think I'm going to be leaving again anyway... Jude: Leia... Sorry, but you can't come with us. Leia: What!? Why!? Jude: Because I saw what happened to Estelle and Suzu when they read your letter. You're an indispensable part of the Rolando Family, and this village. Estelle: He's right. If it's ever too much of a burden on you, I can always help out more. But we need you as our leader, Leia. Suzu: I agree. Leia: You guys, too? You really think...? Both: Of course!

Leia promises not to run off again, but Suzu picks up on the fact that she’s speaking only for herself. Leia explains that Jude has something to take care of, so he and Ludger are going on a little trip. She asks Jude about Meredy and the others, and he assures her he'll let her know as soon as possible if anything happens.

Suzu: In that case, how about we lend you a sylphjay? Jude: Sylphjay...? Like, the bird? Suzu: We use them as messenger birds. They make it easy to get in touch with distant people quickly. Ludger: Distant people... That's right, I need to let the dining hall know I'll be gone a while longer... Jude: Can I send a message, too? I should let them know I won't be there to deliver the milk... Suzu: Then let's do it now.

Jude and Ludger write their letters, and Suzu sends the bird off, telling them it should be in Carmina by morning. They're trained, so they can fly all night.

With that arranged, Jude and Ludger prepare to set out, though Estelle is surprised they're leaving so soon. Before they leave, Jude asks Leia about the father they had in custody, but Leia tells him not to worry about it.

Suzu: ...What are you talking about? Jude: Oh, uh, it's nothing. I'll leave it to you, Leia. Ludger: Let's go, Jude. Jude: Right. First stop, Reisvale.

[empressxmachina]

by Imperial-Radiance (that’s me)

1|1: Faux Pas, part 1, is also on Wattpad.

"All the shit we do, and this doesn't get any easier."

"It's only because no one does it like we do or... or, ugh, at all, really."

The Center of Colors, the most marveled museum of art in all of Oswana if not the entire world, was a fortress in its own right, and all attempts by a not-so-young maho madam to push open the one door inside it that led to its underground car park were to no avail. The age of the door was a blink in comparison to the building that housed it. Looking past that, it still was not used as proportionally often as originally designed due to 'more preferred' transit options for safety reasons. But, with the particular event taking place there – the biannual meeting of the Continental Couturiers' Council – and a certain, small minority quickly rising up its rankings, putting some oil on the door hinges would have been the easiest courtesy.

Yet, here this lady was, having to force all her might just from an unlocked but still stuck door, adding to the lengthy list of surprises of the night. But she wasn't alone in the struggle.

"Uh, Mel?" a concerned Lyanna expressed, quickly simmering down her tense self after seeing how roughly her best friend was fumbling with the push bar. "You good?"

"Come on! Really!?" Melanie continued to grunt, not allowing herself to give in so quickly, even if it possibly ruined her blazer in the process – not the best look at a fashion event. "What is this!?"

"Damn. If Miss 'Moore Gains, Moore Power' can't open the thing, it really must be tight," Lyanna claimed in jest. She, despite being in similar, unfortunately-formal-for-the-task fashion, joined Melanie's efforts at her side, groaning as she repeatedly rammed her upper arm into the surface like a linebacker. "Maybe, urgh... Lanky Ly can be... a little help."

Melanie was all for the assistance, especially given all the reasons she had to not expect it. But, getting it with a shaded humblebrag, even if jokingly, was not going to happen. A critical look was sent Lyanna's way in protest, and sassy yet complimentary projections soon were, too.

"'Lanky', my ass. How many ball sports... did you say you... played in school again? How many of them... weren't co-ed... before you joined? Which one of us... qualified for... for the... Superhero Circuit... over thirty... on accident!?"

It only took the first rebuttal for Lyanna to regret making her lighthearted comment at all. But, like the mature woman she was, she took it in stride with an apology.

"Okay, okay. I get it!" she stretched through more grouses of strain. "I'm sorry. You happy?" Melanie paused her own pushes for a second to shine a grin at her buddy that epitomized 'I told you so'. Her receiving a set of rolling eyes and a scoff back followed right after, paired with Lyanna taking her exertion efforts to the next level. "But," she resumed, feeling her shoulders start to slide out their sockets, "my athleticism... means nothing if... if it can't help us... get through... the fucking... DOOR!"

Giving in to all of the pressure, the bar lock finally began to budge. However, no one, especially not the designers of the door, ever figured for that much force, let alone by two, tired maho ladies, to be spread across the bar like that. They had much more strength than they realized, or the door was weaker than expected, and before they knew what they were doing, the door flew open out of their grasp, echoing with Lyanna's voice into the mostly empty garage as it slammed into the wall.

Inertia sent Lyanna and Melanie forward, unable to keep balance on their skinny, high heels. Melanie, closer to the hinges, managed to catch herself on a nearby parking barrier, but Lyanna found her stopping place not on the ground or on a structure but instead in the arms of an awaiting security guard.

"Got ya, ma'am," the uniform-donning young man assured with a slight strain in his voice upon catching her. "Are... Are you alright?"

Lyanna sneered at his brief struggle, knowing fully well that she wasn't that heavy until she realized it was not due to her at all, at least not completely. In the distance, the door to the office where all of the watching camera footage was housed was wide open with most screens showing the three of them right then. If he had been watching the ladies' struggles until not long ago and decided to help for himself, then he would've had to run to reach them in time. Looking at his tired but quickly recovering state, he probably did that, just slightly too late and switching to a catcher's role in the heat of the moment.

Getting over the drama of it all, Lyanna gave her savior some solace as she rose and composed herself. "Yes, thank you. I... I'm fine."

"Not as much as you, cutie pie," Melanie winked at the guard with her down-home charm, to which he returned a bashful gasp. "What's a handsome soul like yourself doing out on the town late on a weekend alone, guarding C-Cubed at CC, no less?"

"I, uh," the young lad had trouble finding the right words.

On one hand, getting a compliment was always nice, especially if both lighthearted and likely to result in an extra tip. On the other hand, if he egged it on too much, then it'd just be asking for a bunch of double-sided trouble for way too many reasons to count. Aware that he couldn't leave her hanging, he replied with something reasonable in between.

"I-I'm just working to pay for school, ma'am, getting what I can, whenever I can." He smoothed the wrinkles in his suit, hoping to worsen his seemingly bad first impression. "I'm not even a guard. I'm more like a concierge, though I can drive people around, too, so I don't even know if that's even the right term." He quickly recognized he was right on the cusp of rambling about his nondescript job position and soon reverted to a more robotic, reserved offer. "A-Anyway, shall I call you two a car?"

"You can do better than that," Lyanna surprisingly interjected, stretching her back with a backward, propped bend. "I'll call your bluff. Drive us home, then. The two of us aren't too much for you in this big city, are we?"

If Melanie's comment sent blood to the guy's face, then Lyanna's did the opposite, blanching it bright from assertive surprise. Though, knowing who they were and what they were known for, such responses were expected in the back of his mind. Nonetheless, he caught Lyanna's declaration of the challenge and accepted it.

"Let me, uh, just grab a key from the station," he stated, pointing back toward the office, "and we'll be on our way. Choose any one of the vehicles by the wall you like, and I'll meet you there."

Like a hummingbird, he zoomed away to grab the nectar of his choosing, leaving the two ladies to converse and corner a car... all the while cutting each other down.

"You were not just charming that child, were you?" Lyanna pressed, strutting over to her friend. "He's young enough to be either of our children, and I know you're not that crazy."

"Of course not, you dunce," Melanie defended, with an eye roll, offended being typecast from a simple false flirtation. "Like I'd court a kid to have a good time." She managed to get a chuckle out of her best friend as she wrapped an arm around her shoulders and led her to the back of one of the vans. "I'm trying to make that young man into a mannequin. You don't think he'd be a good look for the new line?"

"It's less that and more 'You couldn't have asked more normally?'"

"What's more fitting than looking for fashion models at a meeting for fashion designers?"

"I don't know, giving out a business card and telling him to call you at a normal hour? Damn it!" For a second, Melanie thought that Lyanna was actually mad at her. But the pause just turned out to be a dramatic one, replaced by more giggles. "Damn you, innovative bitch."

Melanie soon joined into the laughing fit. "You know it. See? I'm always making money moves, even if people don't agree with my vision."

Her wording was too specific for it to not be related to and reignite the tensions acclimated over the duration of the meeting she had to hide behind glossy lips and gritting teeth. "We're back to talking about what we were before we found ourselves fighting the architecture, huh?"

"We do too much for too little reward, apparently. Is that what you said?"

"Not... exactly," Lyanna hissed, clicking every T with purpose, "but you're not wrong, either." Leaning back against the trunk, thankful for a siren not going off in the process, she looked up at the ceiling and processed her thoughts. Her memories of the evening.

Drinks. Hors d'oeuvres. Designs for two seasons from now. It wasn't much different than usual. Lyanna's peers had finally gotten used to how she ran her business after so many years of it 'not evolving' except in styles. But it was just tolerance rather than full-on acceptance, and the constant stares and murmurs that they seemed to throw in overtime toward her tonight garnered an equal reaction back: allowed but never wanted.

The worst part of it, aside from the blatant prejudice behind Lyanna's doings, was that they never considered why she does it. Seeing things from her and maybe Melanie's views would be more help than harm. Though, given how they got where they were, they'd forever be oblivious unless she made a scene.

While the two prim pals measured the parking deck to easily house multiple homes, it was barely worthy of an under-bed shoe organizer to the khadra: the larger, other halves opposite their maho selves with whom they shared the world. Well, their nation, at least. One couldn't be sure about the rest of the planet nowadays. Even so, everything Lyanna lived and worked for, no matter how high she rose, would forever be under their noses, perhaps even underfoot.

Simply thinking back to the dastardly door, once again, only made her more upset, remembering how it was basically a metal slab wedged within floor molding shadowed by a nearby stand. The Council could've paid someone to at least act like a security for smaller folk, but the fact that the Center kept their half of the deal was a little reassuring.

Probably one-twelfth of what her full pleasure banks could hold: the standard fraction.

"Sure, we get flooded in respect for our abilities," Lyanna commented, still gazing toward the above ground, "but it's just a cop-out. The collabs we do are never enough; they want more out of us. It's like they assume we have to give them everything not because they deserve it or because it's right but because they're fucking—"

"Ah, here we go," the young guard cut in, to Melanie's favor. Having known her bestie for two decades, she knew he had shown up right on time and prevented an imminent Lyanna explosion. Jiggling his keychain with a glowing smile as he unlocked the van's doors, sidewinding the looks of respective relief and heat diffusion on the ladies' faces, he was completely none the wiser. "We're ready for action. If you'd allow me..."

Continuing his act like a gentleman, he opened the doors for the two women, first Lyanna on the passenger's side of the backseat and then Melanie seated right behind him. Considering they thought they were simply in for a glorified taxi cab ride, they had quite the shock seeing how decked up the innards of the vehicle were. It wasn't a party bus or anything resembling a limo rented for a promenade, but the selection of fun-sized snacks, drinks, and reading material, on top of how comfy the seats and lighting were, was a sight to behold.

The ladies were greatly impressed all around, quickly sharing a look of wonder with each other, but the oblivious driver wouldn't be able to see that, focused only on the job at hand. Plus, the sight of Melanie on her phone and Lyanna already sipping on a tiny water bottle as she looked out her window gave no hint to it, whatsoever. He was happy to see them fully adjusted, totally bounced back from their tumbles and fumbles, and it irked him that he might break that calmness for the last necessities of his job.

"I do apologize for this, but I almost forgot," he said, looking in the rear-view mirror at them as he started the engine. "The Center of Colors has this policy where the drivers have to get crossed confirmations for—" His declaration faltered at the ladies' look of confusion at his jargon, thus needing clarification in common, much more comfortable language. "Basically, they want two forms of authorization for each passenger. Usually, a quick clip where you say your name or something like that should be fine. I know who you are, and I'm sure most others do, too, but it's the tradition. If you wouldn't mind...." He pressed a button on his controls and started recording, signaled by a light on his rear-view mirror and a mechanical bloopy noise. "...giving a quick roll call."

The two thirty-somethings looked at each other, both not saying a word and both testing each other to see who would crack first. After what felt like forever, emphasized by the driver's nervous coughing and wheel tapping to crack the silence, and in a noble act of succession, the first to introduce themselves was,

"Melanie Moore."

Melanie Moore. Chief marketing officer. Queen of advertising. Flirtatious firecracker. Part-time yogi. Slayer of Oswanian style boundaries with her pop-up collections like her golden-hued 'Code Mellow'. C-Cubed's 'Best New Designer' a few years ago because of them. She was happy to have made a name for herself, specifically under her own name, but she knew and never denied that she'd never be where she was if it weren't for,

"Lyanna Paulson." Lyanna fucking Paulson.

Naturally a brunette. Currently a blonde. Visible exercise and sports fanatic. Drink connoisseur. A flash celebrity made in the blink of an eye all based on luck. The epitome of nouveau riche. The youngest member to have been inducted into C-Cubed (and receive its BND award like Melanie) back when she was twenty-four. The Designer of the Year not long after. Melanie's best friend. Also, Melanie's boss, technically, but she rarely states that aloud. She was a lot of things and known for many more. But she was a household name for two.

Her fashion and design company 'Moonsong', along with its occasional luxury dabbles via 'Lunar Serenade', was going fifteen years strong with top sales and quality. Yet, in all of those fifteen years, with the exception of collaborations with industry peers and the even more occasional one-offs, every product was strictly for maho, leading to an aura of presumed racism constantly washing over her.

The two buddies bickered back and forth on the openness of their projects to those that towered over them, each having solid reasons for their views. But, with Lyanna having more say and severity, it always went her way. The threats and attempts of harm that were sent her way in the beginning when people realized her khadra-closed doors weren't just a phase, along with a few every now and then, weren't fun to experience. But even her miffed adversaries and confused familiars had to give her props for standing her ground and defending the safety of her staff, and each trouble always seemed to dissipate as quickly as it came.

That, and all of her giving back to just as many khadran causes as native maho ones helped, but people just seemed to always gloss over that.

Lyanna, even with her brief smile into the camera and mic, was still fuming from the event, and thinking of all her conflicts leading up to it wasn't making it better. Luckily for her, Driver Boy seemed to catch that, even with his back turned. Pushing her was the last thing he wanted to do. He just hoped his body could follow his heart and mind.

"I, uh..." he struggled to speak at first, seeing the coldness in Lyanna's eyes as she gazed into the camera. But that soon passed over, and his goal to make sure the drive did the same launched in full force. "I know you two must be looking for privacy going through the garage," he observed. "It's good that I know some scenic routes around the city. So, please make yourselves comfortable, and enjoy the ride."

Melanie had already found her way back to phone diving toward whatever as the van left the safety of the parking deck and, for the pair of couturiers, waved goodbye to C-Cubed for six months. The carpooling posse simultaneously passed under the art museum's overly cheerful exit sign, getting an eye roll of her own out of Lyanna.

'Thank you for visiting the Center of Colors!' it expectantly exclaimed. That farewell stayed still on the sign, but its lower half in all its mechanical glory had to show off, switching between presumably planned puns every few seconds. The trio managed to go under just as one went off – 'We hope to color you impressed once again really soon!' – and another took its place – 'May we brighten your day with flying colors upon your return!'

The wish for any sort of spectrum wasn't necessary as the aura around was still lively and beaming, perhaps being that last thing Lyanna's somewhat buzzed, water-guzzling person needed in her face.

"Hello, Xesant," she sarcastically greeted the outside world. "Glad to see you're still lively on a Sunday night." From its art-bordering white LEDs to the rainbow of marquees and HIDs along the streets, it was back to the big city they knew so well yet still a long way from home.

Xesant. A city nearly ten million strong by itself, and it looked like all of those citizens had filled the sidewalks like a sardine tin. A gem of Oswana, the city was, despite not being its capital. Half a tourist trap and half a modern marvel... and everything no one would've thought Lyanna would've submerged herself in for two decades. Luckily, she had Melanie by her side through it all, but she only eased the tension, not rid her of it.

She'd never be rid of it as long as she lived there.

Oswana was right at, if not itself being, the intersection of the planet's two historically opposite halves together: the more land- and khadra-filled northern Drakh and the sparser southern Hoemue with the maho. Time followed its course, and the communities came together, finally coalescing at the major metropolis literally on the equator between them: Lyanna's anxiety-driving abode.

Out of all the places in the world, Oswana, especially Xesant, had managed to optimize integration to a T, and it still amazed Lyanna after twenty years seeing it all work in action. It just made no sense in her head.

Watching vehicles and souls that were the size of houses pass by so strongly yet swiftly and never be in the way. Alternating stoplights and substitute paths for both sizes for undisrupted travel. Mismatched yet complementary pairs of windows, doors, and on every building for everyone to have a place to take in their surroundings. Blended groups – a surprisingly large minority – somehow walking in pace with each other, neither too fast nor too slow.

That one khadran girl crossing directly in front of the van – shoes taller and possibly heavier than the vehicle itself – with a maho in hand, losing her balance, and managing to fall with a resonating thud toward the Moonsong troupe with both her companion safely cupped to the chest and all her long and loose limbs snaking between all the tiny cars, including their van, on their side of the road.

All of this at once, emphasized by a cacophony of horn blaring and muffled, concerned voices. Yet, as Lyanna drank her way through more than a handful of bottles in seconds at the sights, the driver didn't even flinch, and Melanie may not have even noticed. Her lockage in her phone was made even more apparent by her following statement, cracking the lull of silence within their four, glass-peeking walls.

"Oh, look," she announced, sliding her phone over to Lyanna's vista. "In case you cared..."

With her nonchalant tone and apparent lack of awareness for her surroundings, even as the driver drove around the still collapsed cohorts, one could've assumed she found an article pertaining to the current slip and trip debacle outside that looked a lot like fake news if it weren't actually true. However, her carelessness was genuinely due to the routine with C-Cubed finally updating their social media and website with details from the meeting's latter half. What particularly caught Melanie's and now Lyanna's eyes was the results of the unimportant-aside-from-a-trophy, aptly named superlative voting, 'In Case You Cared'.

Lyanna usually didn't care enough to view them as soon as they were posted, regardless of having voted herself, mainly waiting until the next morning to see what any newcomers had to offer. However, with Melanie thrusting them in her face, she knew it had to be something interesting. Lo and behold,

"Congrats, Ms. 'Styled and Profiled,'" Melanie praised her bestie, who looked more or less unenthused except for an eyebrow raise. The 'Styled and Profiled' Award. Something between Best Dressed and Most Pulled Together, in the corporate sense. At least, that's what they said it meant. "The glassware company for the awards should just sponsor you at this point. Damn. What is this, your third time getting this? Fourth?"

"Seventh," Lyanna lifelessly corrected, pushing the phone away, "not that it matters." Considering how many times Lyanna earned it, with her reputation, it was probably neither in reality. "Your look is way better than mine. This was probably a brownnosing move, trying to be hyperaware of the culture or whatever."

Melanie chuckled at first at her snide remarks, until she reviewed exactly what Lyanna had said. With every word, she found more and more wrong with her perspective. Was she self-deprecating? Did she genuinely think she was right? What the fuck did she mean by them being 'hyper-aware' of her when no one other than them two knew why someone would even have to be? Melanie retracted her phone and sat in her seat, waiting for any clarifications, but none came, leaving her to ponder for herself with a stony stare. Unfortunately, as much as she tried to do otherwise, only unsavory ideas came to mind. For Lyanna's sake, Melanie hoped, if they turned out to be true, they weren't due to—

"Excuse me, Ms. Paulson, if I may..." Before Melanie had a chance to rebuke, question, or instantly judge her friend's suspicious commentary, the driver felt the need to interject. Luckily for all involved, it had no faults and raised the subconscious heating mood. "...I think you look great."

Lyanna's brows raised at the compliment, and Melanie joined her in shock, though she was more impressed as his bravery in speaking out of turn. He didn't realize that meaning upon looking back at them, seeing their expressions. He figured they were from him only recognizing one of them as opposed to both, and thus he made an addendum.

"N-Not that you don't, too, Ms. Moore," he nervously saved his hide, spouting a just-as-shy smile. "I just—Uh... you both probably earned it, okay?"

Lyanna's face stayed blank, but the driver immediately blushed at the sound of a tip being sent to his phone. Looking behind him to Lyanna's left, Melanie wore a grin of her own as her phone confirmed a scanned QR code and a quick transfer of payment.

"You're already paying him when he hasn't even signed on, yet?" Lyanna inquired, shooting the driver a smug look before turning toward the window... and cringing again at the mongrelized mania of it all. "But, hey, at least you have a good eye on you, wanting to represent the company with people that actually wear our stuff."

The redness on said subject's face instantly flushed back to his natural pallor. From a distance, there was nothing that discerned his uniform from that of any other worker at the Center of Colors. In fact, his pants and polo combo were exactly the same as any other's. But each soul was allowed a few extra freedoms employees had via accessories, body modifying, etc., and he did take part in that. As subtle as he tried to be in doing so, there were sprinkles of a certain brand down his person.

There was no way for them to go unnoticed by their head designers...especially with their owner catching them in his arms as a first impression.

"Uh, yeah," Melanie replied matter-of-factly. "He obviously knows how to read a room, er, van... and speaking of..." Going restless, once again, Melanie relocated to her seat's edge, setting a hand on the driver's chair back. "Hey, uh, I don't think you actually introduced yourself. What did your code say? Bryan? Bradley?"

"Br-Brenden, actually," the driver corrected, at least relinquishing anonymity. "I can't believe you noticed my gear."

He ran a hand across the small charm at the helix piercing on his left ear that matched a ring on his opposite hand, both pieces from a years-old collection. He would've twirled his feet and ankles around, too, showing off their extremely new shoes, both in age and ownership, but driving kept them still. The job correspondingly reminded him of a concern that was sure to get him penalized if he didn't address it soon.

"I also can't believe I haven't asked where I'm supposed to take you two," he chuckled, attempting to hide the ringing of his inner panic alarm. "Where did you have in mind? The Moonsong office?"

The ladies looked at each other briefly – Melanie slumping back again to face Lyanna head-on – to make a choice. The mistress of marketing implied, "I wouldn't mind heading there. It's not like we can do a late- or half-day tomorrow if we run super late doing random bullshit." A smirk briefly popped on Lyanna's mug. "Though," Melanie then countered, thus dropping said smile, "there were some, uh, biz things... I wanted to talk to you about."

"And, it's nothing you can't screen me at home?" Lyanna fought. By her tone alone, Melanie knew her idea had pancaked. "Mel, I love you, but I want to go home, sleep, and forget today."

The night had gone somewhat uncomfortably for them both, despite Lyanna's award, so she couldn't be blamed for not wanting to deal with anything anymore. But, Melanie shuddered, knowing how much more difficult things were going to become from it. She didn't want to make it worse, so she kept it to herself.

"A-Alright," she conceded. "I still want to head there. Your place in deeper inward, anyway, so I can get Brenden here to circle around and stop on by for a bit before going back to CC." A mutter of acceptance poked out of Lyanna before Melanie, at last, gave Brenden a destination. "Just head on over to T-Sa if you can, please. At least close enough to where Ly won't fall on her face if she'll need to walk."

The implication of inebriation was concerning, and the increased reference to some Moonsong deal was hyped as hell, but of all things to catch Brenden's attention, Lyanna's home was the showstopper. A fitting one but a surprise, nonetheless.

"You live at Sat Ave!?" he gasped, beaming through the rear-view mirror at her.

T-Sa. Sat Ave. Ten Saturn Avenue. One of the ritziest and private locales in all of Oswana, in spite of it being one of the most noticeable silhouettes in the lower Xesant skyline. Lower mutually in latitude and the height of its inhabitants. Only maho allowed. It was a sight to behold, but to Lyanna, it was the one place she could call her own. A fortress to be reckoned with. Literally.

"If you say anything," Lyanna hissed, jerking her eyes to Brendan's with a glower that could crack glass, "I will end you."

"Uh... I... N-Noted." Like the lapdog he was and now felt like, too, he complied, focusing back on the roads, pinning down the complex in his mental GPS, and heading on his way.

Melanie groaned at Lyanna's aggression, but rather than calling it out, she simply rolled her eyes and let it be. After all, from what it looked like, she had a long night ahead of her, and all of her energy should be saved for then. Well, most of it. The quietness that had encroached in the van quickly grew uncomfortable, leading to soft small talk between the driver and the fully-present passenger.

Lyanna let her eyes close, taking away the towering shadows and reverberations of titanic travel on all sides. The escapism, though brief, was blissful, opening opportunities to ponder plans for the upcoming week and beyond.

As they distanced themselves from downtown, the ratio of khadra decreased to nothing. The signs and sights of the borough where she burrowed on the daily shined to greet its golden girl. Through her slumber, it was easy to see her body adjust to its most familiar surroundings. Perfect tranquility... but it, unfortunately, had to end.

Brenden pulled into the drop-off lane of Ten Saturn Avenue, where a doorperson approached the van to help her out before halting and waiting outside her door, made aware of her still napping self. Melanie, risking a slapping fit her way, bit the bullet and rocked Lyanna back to the real world. Her waking softness resembled that of a baby; however, her too-old-for-this-shit sentimentalities soon broke through, along with the groan-inducing headaches that should've been here a long time ago.

"Welcome back, L.P.," Melanie greeted, thanking the gods for a passive awakening. "It's your stop."

A sequence of incoherent mumbles entered the airspace as the drowsy damsel attempted opening her door. The doorperson, seeing those multiple failures, eventually aided her exit, grabbing a hand then bracing around her back. Melanie, meanwhile, made out everything she was trying to say – a skill she had perfected after twenty years of tipsiness – amalgamating it all into a simple assurance,

"Nah, don't worry. You don't have to do anything. I've got this." Lyanna, even in her word salad of a mind, didn't feel too sure of that. But a quick kiss of valediction on the cheek sent her way made all those worries vanish and replaced them with giggling. "Now, get up there before you pass out."

More laughs ensued, but Lyanna eagerly obeyed, blowing a kiss back as her doorperson led her away. "Don't stay up too late, Mel!" she directed. "You, too, Brenden! None of us need eye bags."

Brenden, almost too in awe of the glamorous complex to catch her speaking, was surprised to be included in the farewell, even more so with a happy tone. Nonetheless, he appreciated it whole-heartedly, joining Melanie in waving her goodnight as she disappeared from view.

He took some time to calm from his high-fashion high before setting his course to Moonsong. However, before he drove off, Melanie locked him in place, reaching from the back to the steering wheel. He started to panic again, not even considering the presumably sweeter of the dynamic duo as a threat. The look on her face clearly showed a hidden craftiness that curdled his blood. Little did he know that none of it had to do with him.

No, actually, it slightly did. That cash drop Melanie made to him allowed for some new insight to reach her. He was more than qualified for plans she had had in the works for what felt like forever. His future modeling was only the tip of the iceberg, and she proved it by asking the last question along that path he ever expected to hear,

"Hey, Brenden, you had an order for alterations recently... but it wasn't for you, was it?"

[badedramay]

Heyyy…i have a loooong day in uni today that ends at 6:30pm with a test and then an hr long commute home so the only thing that’s keeping me going is the fact that there’s going to be a new episode of JBG tonight. while i was daydreaming, I remembered a post on your blog where an anon had spoken about the SoMi ship and some speculations about there being a defining moment for Sonia and Rumi which will imply that they cant be together. Do you think that moment has already happened???? In the last episode, it was quite obvious that Rumi was talking about them and not Pakistan when he said bichar chuke hain..but the amount of screen time SoMi get and their scenes indicate that they’re not just cousins or friends, there has always been something more to them..so do you think there will be a more confrontational or intense moment before the SoMi ship sinks? Or do we just mourn them before Fania (see: ugh) takes over? This show will be the death of me 😭

okay first off i LOVE how this place has become a strict No Fania zone. yessss...be annoyed at their superficiality and lack of any buildup!!! endgame? chal bhakk :@

oh yeah, SoMi appears to have officially ended last week. I heard that the show has like 12 or maybe 14 episodes so I really do not think we will get any time to develop any relationship. all the buildup that we could've gotten we already have. with Farrukh confessing (urgh) to Sonia in today's episode and Rumi breaking up with Sonia (THAT BICHARNA WAS NOT ABOUT THE COUNTRY. I KNOW IT. YOU KNOW IT. RUMI KNEW IT. SONIA KNEW IT!!!) I am thinking the show has made clear which "ship" will serve as the epic love tale that couldn't come to fruition because of the tragedy of the times. i hate it. but at this point I am just..happy to have gotten whatever crumbs I did.

what DOES surprise me is the very inclusion of this love triangle? according to the source material, there was no Rumi. and if what was shared here was right about the real life Farrukh and Sonia having had such a tremendous love affair that Farrukh was convinced Sonia would've found him if she was alive...there was no point of the triangle in the first place! like whyyyyy try to "spice" things up when we know that our audience already has a soft spot for the fauji jawaan-nazuk dosheeza love story? Farrukh and Sonia had the meet-cute that was straight out of a Disney movie. and for the subsequent episodes..their scenes did make it look like they were getting that forbidden, slowburn romance development. but then it suddenly just stopped and we got to see Sonia's tension with Rumi. let's not forget initially we weren't even sure what their relationship was!

was the triangle included to make the show more palatable to the TV audience? ke chalo history mein interest nahin toh lo...three beautiful people stuck in a triangle! Iss mein invest karo! I adore Talha...he's doing a fantastic job but Wahaj and Maya have years of experience on television and they have honed their skills to make sure they grab the attention when they are together. also...normal audience would see two well known TV faces in one frame together and would naturally assume these two are a pairing. so like....why the whole khichdi?? did they not want to pair Maya with a total new face for the GP? but Talha had said he initially was meant to play a different role and got Farrukh at the very last moment possible.

i am confusion!!!!

should i blame the writing? should I blame the direction? should I blame the acting? but all these things are intricately connected!! should I blame myself for reading TOO much into the subtle glances and prolonged silences that really mean nothing but I ended up finding depths of the ocean there.

ohhh bhayee....!!!!

[hgfstreamchats]

The Terror finale

thenightetc2Yesterday at 9:31 PM Hello! highglossfinishYesterday at 9:31 PM Hello there! We'll dive right in because we've got a great deal of Terror to get through. thenightetc2Yesterday at 9:32 PM Oh wow, sunlight HopolitesYesterday at 9:33 PM Yes, the sun does indeed exist. highglossfinishYesterday at 9:34 PM Everyone knows the sun is a myth invented by Those Who Live Above. thenightetc2Yesterday at 9:34 PM Ha! highglossfinishYesterday at 9:38 PM "And eating English lead." thenightetc2Yesterday at 9:38 PM That, too. HopolitesYesterday at 9:38 PM Pffft Yes Sounds delicious thenightetc2Yesterday at 9:39 PM "If you know what I mean." I swear, whenever there's an outdoors scene I'm struck by how they don't quite seem to be dressed for the alleged temperatures HopolitesYesterday at 9:44 PM Also I once again have made the unwise descision of grabbing food during this show Also To be fair No one is remotely prepared thenightetc2Yesterday at 9:45 PM ...man HopolitesYesterday at 9:45 PM Whoops! You Have PTSD! thenightetc2Yesterday at 9:45 PM God, poor guy

HopolitesYesterday at 9:48 PM As he was pulling off his sock I was so worried something horrible would be revealed underneath them highglossfinishYesterday at 9:48 PM There'll be plenty of opportunities for that. thenightetc2Yesterday at 9:49 PM I bet it's something good he just saw, huh See!  Free supplies! HopolitesYesterday at 9:49 PM Oh yes Im all excited to see what weird horrors this show has in store for us, but also I would like to eat my food before anything- WHELP. thenightetc2Yesterday at 9:50 PM Ah. No bets on whether he'll end up eating those words HopolitesYesterday at 9:54 PM Ooooh yeah highglossfinishYesterday at 9:55 PM Got to love the study accumulation of things that certainly won't backfire horribly later. thenightetc2Yesterday at 9:56 PM Ohhh dear oh nooo, not the dog :< HopolitesYesterday at 10:03 PM I hope the dog reaches people before them Im reminded of a movie made of a short story done by the guy who did call of the wild that I watched in class It was about a guy trying to walk in the alaskan wilderness to a mining camp, and he literally had only a couple of shirts, and like, a dog My class cheered when the dog reached safety. thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:06 PM What just happened?  The framerate has gotten super bad HopolitesYesterday at 10:07 PM Framerate is fine for me. thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:07 PM Like the picture just pauses for several seconds Better, now ...well, I spoke too soon HopolitesYesterday at 10:09 PM Oh okay cannibalism is happening now. thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:09 PM ~foreshadowing~ oh god :< poor dog... HopolitesYesterday at 10:10 PM This isnt even just foreshadowing, this is- oh thats wild. highglossfinishYesterday at 10:11 PM Cybertronians have cannibalism and a robust amount of things that consume us, but I have to say, it's a glorious thing not to be made of meat. This will end well for everyone involved. thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:14 PM Definitely HopolitesYesterday at 10:15 PM Cant wait to see what happens. thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:16 PM I feel no foreboding HopolitesYesterday at 10:16 PM Yes, this music doesn't bring up any worries at all. highglossfinishYesterday at 10:16 PM What a nice family. Only good times ahead. thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:16 PM Uh oh Is that that "paradoxal undressing" or whatever it's called HopolitesYesterday at 10:18 PM Hmm Oh its stuttering thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:19 PM Oh, it's even called "horrible from supper" HopolitesYesterday at 10:19 PM Okay, I kinda love the incredibly creepy music thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:23 PM Urgh ... so you're saying you deserve to be here, huh And that other guy really IS a fake. HopolitesYesterday at 10:27 PM I would embrace a horribly punny name highglossfinishYesterday at 10:27 PM I heartily embrace mine. thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:28 PM Heh. highglossfinishYesterday at 10:28 PM The Good News bell. thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:28 PM It must be! HopolitesYesterday at 10:29 PM Oh always OH OF COURSE highglossfinishYesterday at 10:29 PM That's the bell that sounds when someone hasn't been stabbed. thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:31 PM It doesn't get rung a lot, as you can imagine Oh, jesus SO now he's trying to frame some random people they ran into HopolitesYesterday at 10:33 PM Of course. thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:36 PM yikes Ohhh no "show me exactly where you were found straddling his corpse half-naked" highglossfinishYesterday at 10:42 PM Hah! thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:42 PM oh, that's not good HopolitesYesterday at 10:43 PM Ah yes, lovely. Ah yes, a bunch of lead filled idiots have guns. thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:45 PM "whimsical tinkly music" so he's, uh, enjoying those drugs for now HopolitesYesterday at 10:46 PM I think his brain is doing a wiggle thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:48 PM dude, stop HopolitesYesterday at 10:49 PM Goodbye miss! Have a better life away from this guys! thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:49 PM "come to my country!  you can be treated like a circus animal and catch novel diseases!" highglossfinishYesterday at 10:49 PM Go with her, have a gaggle of tiny be-mutton chopped humans together. It's not going to get better. "Don't you want to die in eight months of smallpox?" HopolitesYesterday at 10:51 PM Is that the leg thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:52 PM What, uh... what's going to be in his... stomach HopolitesYesterday at 10:52 PM Please roll up your sleeves thenightetc2Yesterday at 10:52 PM Oh. HopolitesYesterday at 10:52 PM Yep thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:00 PM Well well. Oh damn it he's getting away HopolitesYesterday at 11:02 PM Amazing. thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:05 PM y'know, if the bear-thing's supposed to be some kind of revenge for all those murders, it has VERY poor timing HopolitesYesterday at 11:05 PM Actually no it has great timing I love the dichotomy of this scene compared to the previous one Its very funny Okay that zoomed in uncomfortably close to her face thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:13 PM Decent of him. highglossfinishYesterday at 11:13 PM At least spit in a few of them. thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:14 PM They're already all poisoned. Gaaaah HopolitesYesterday at 11:15 PM Whelp He is thoroughly befuckened. OOO DOUBLE SCREWED And hes the food isnt he thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:16 PM Ugh. HopolitesYesterday at 11:18 PM Whelp highglossfinishYesterday at 11:18 PM Well, then. thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:18 PM So it's the scurvy, then HopolitesYesterday at 11:20 PM Eyup thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:20 PM Yes, yes, we get it, you're laying the groundwork to eat someone soon. HopolitesYesterday at 11:21 PM Like, how obvious can they be? thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:22 PM So he's going to be first. "Good news, everyone!" highglossfinishYesterday at 11:23 PM Hah! thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:26 PM "there will be NO cannibalism on THIS trip" HopolitesYesterday at 11:28 PM Well, nice to see she got back to her people safe. thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:28 PM yeah ah highglossfinishYesterday at 11:37 PM Everything about these two hurts. thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:37 PM an albatross, perhaps? god burn poor guy HopolitesYesterday at 11:41 PM Several layers of Oof highglossfinishYesterday at 11:42 PM The oof never ends. HopolitesYesterday at 11:42 PM AN EVEN LOUDER OOF SharpwingYesterday at 11:46 PM Hi all! I am. At Walmart. So I cannot join in to watch... apparently foreshadowed cannibalism But I would like to say hi anyway HopolitesYesterday at 11:47 PM It is no longer foreshadowed highglossfinishYesterday at 11:47 PM Oh no, it's very much the opposite by this point. SharpwingYesterday at 11:47 PM agh highglossfinishYesterday at 11:47 PM But glad to have you pop in just the same. SharpwingYesterday at 11:48 PM Ok no regrets about not seeing... that. But yes! It's great to see you! How ya doing? thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:50 PM oof highglossfinishYesterday at 11:50 PM No complaints! And you? HopolitesYesterday at 11:51 PM Oh okay mr hickey has gone full weird SharpwingYesterday at 11:51 PM No complaints here either!:blush: oof, weird how? (If you feel like elaborating) HopolitesYesterday at 11:51 PM Standing int the super cold morning smiling smuggly thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:51 PM on a table HopolitesYesterday at 11:52 PM Also only wearing one layer of clothes SharpwingYesterday at 11:52 PM Yep that's Very Weird HopolitesYesterday at 11:57 PM "But what about second mutiny?" thenightetc2Yesterday at 11:57 PM pffffff highglossfinishYesterday at 11:57 PM Hah! Local man ruins everything. HopolitesToday at 12:00 AM Whoopsiedoo! highglossfinishToday at 12:04 AM Last episode. Here we go. HopolitesToday at 12:04 AM Woooo! Cant wait to see what slightly insane things will happen next! Im going to guess they will proceed to lose, at least, ten men. thenightetc2Today at 12:10 AM oof :< HopolitesToday at 12:14 AM Oh boy thenightetc2Today at 12:16 AM ...he poisoned himself in some way? highglossfinishToday at 12:16 AM Oh, this is excruciating. HopolitesToday at 12:17 AM Fascinating hallucination. thenightetc2Today at 12:18 AM ... gaaah highglossfinishToday at 12:24 AM Very gaah. HopolitesToday at 12:24 AM Sometimes I hate having pain empathy. Eesh thenightetc2Today at 12:26 AM definitely was covering himself in poison at the end there, then HopolitesToday at 12:27 AM Ooooh yeeeeeah thenightetc2Today at 12:28 AM ...I remember once someone asked you what you thought the worst thing one human could do to another would be, and you said you thought it was probably forcing someone to eat, well, this Can't imagine why I remembered that just now! HopolitesToday at 12:29 AM HAH Hopefully they dont have the lowest bidder for food. Again. HopolitesToday at 12:30 AM I mean, at that point it would be funny. Nooot really on the fur department. thenightetc2Today at 12:32 AM Called it. HopolitesToday at 12:32 AM Of course. Very inspirational. Just shoot him. thenightetc2Today at 12:36 AM I can't get over how fucked up it looks. Is this a SHAVED bear? HopolitesToday at 12:36 AM The bear has no fur Like, how will they make a coat from it? thenightetc2Today at 12:36 AM Good point. HA HopolitesToday at 12:37 AM Is the reason why the bear looks like that because- HA! HAAAA! thenightetc2Today at 12:37 AM GOOD RIDDANCE HopolitesToday at 12:38 AM But yeah, does the bear look like that because a proper polar bear would be too cute and fluffy looking? highglossfinishToday at 12:38 AM It's covered with a fine layer of fuzz and old man skin. They can make a coat of that. I think it's to emphasize that it's not an actual bear. HopolitesToday at 12:39 AM Right yeah, it had creepily human eyes. thenightetc2Today at 12:39 AM Gotta be OH NO highglossfinishToday at 12:46 AM You did the best you could, Stumpy. thenightetc2Today at 12:48 AM the camp of people who are definitely still alive HopolitesToday at 12:48 AM I once again have to say that I like the music highglossfinishToday at 12:48 AM Likewise. thenightetc2Today at 12:48 AM very eerie. okay WHAT HopolitesToday at 12:49 AM Uh what thenightetc2Today at 12:49 AM What the fuck has been going on here highglossfinishToday at 12:49 AM Apparently they really did find him like that, and absolutely no one then or now can explain why. HopolitesToday at 12:49 AM Wild! What the fuck! thenightetc2Today at 12:50 AM Maybe they all got the hypothermia madness HopolitesToday at 12:50 AM Also I love by the bend in his sleeve you can tell the actor has just, tucked his hand into it. highglossfinishToday at 12:50 AM Sensible child. thenightetc2Today at 12:51 AM dude did you not realize she has a name HopolitesToday at 12:51 AM SHE HAS A NAME YOU DIPSHIT highglossfinishToday at 12:52 AM I wonder if she ever told Goodsir. thenightetc2Today at 12:54 AM ...oh HopolitesToday at 12:54 AM Oh its because she summoned the monster highglossfinishToday at 12:54 AM It's because it died on her watch. And that's The Terror! thenightetc2Today at 12:59 AM Well. It sure was! That was a hell of a thing. HopolitesToday at 12:59 AM I do appreciate how much the show kept telling us that the British didnt belong there highglossfinishToday at 12:59 AM Wasn't it just? Awfully nice of them to let him live with them after his men killed one of their shaman and then their protector spirit. thenightetc2Today at 1:01 AM Yes SharpwingToday at 1:01 AM :eyes:like what thenightetc2Today at 1:01 AM He had some weird piercings in his face, and chains--like, jewellery chains--attached to them HopolitesToday at 1:02 AM Im sorry but I love this video making fun of the british mispronouncing a inuit word SharpwingToday at 1:02 AM Isn't getting a piercing a common occurrence during a crisis? HopolitesToday at 1:03 AM COLD BOYS thenightetc2Today at 1:03 AM ldfkjg HopolitesToday at 1:05 AM Is this a cheesy edit someone did I feel I shouldn't be giggling at this edit like I am. thenightetc2Today at 1:08 AM Sea shanty SNL? highglossfinishToday at 1:08 AM OH, YES! Perfect! thenightetc2Today at 1:12 AM FOrty-five minutes from shore! HopolitesToday at 1:13 AM Amazing. thenightetc2Today at 1:13 AM Very amazing. highglossfinishToday at 1:13 AM And that, I believe, is a good place to wrap it up! thenightetc2Today at 1:13 AM Well!  Thank you, once more, for hosting. HopolitesToday at 1:14 AM Rest well! highglossfinishToday at 1:14 AM And thank you for allowing me to subject you to this show! HopolitesToday at 1:14 AM Was fun! Always nice to make fun of the british. SharpwingToday at 1:14 AM :blush::wave: Thank you! I hope your next two weeks is good♡ highglossfinishToday at 1:14 AM And yours too! thenightetc2Today at 1:14 AM Goodnight! ...I actually have a suggestion for next time, if you're interested in something animated and a bit stupid. Latte and the magic waterstone highglossfinishToday at 1:17 AM Looks promising and delightfully stupid. Latte it is. thenightetc2Today at 1:18 AM :D

[mountain--top]

When you’re so desperate to see something real (Lost Alice fanfic: Kyle x Reader)

I am in the mood.

@rainberrydrops got me to post this here. TuT helloooooo~! *flails* ヽ(*≧ω≦)ﾉ

It’s too long aaaaaahhhhhh =A= I haven’t written fanfics for too long but eehhh. Joker is my favorite but here’s Kyle. orz

“Hey, hey! Did you hear? Tonight’s sky will be brighter than ever! Full of stars!”

“Haha! Are you a kid?”

I had my friend on the phone for about an hour now. I’ve been working on something else when she called. She’s been telling me about this news for a while now, too. I think she’s just too excited, but with the world’s condition, “sky full of stars” could only mean a scene with more little lights than usual. Never really “full” like how I see in Photoshopped pictures and what anime shows. I hope I don’t sound too scientific with this but, c’mon, let’s just be real.

“But it’s true! The news said so!” “Yeah, sure.” “Let’s go! I’ll make you see the real thing. Come with me, let’s watch together!” “Oh, you know how much begging I need to do before I can actually go. Or more like luck.”

I sure hope I can go. Okay, I want to see the stars, but I really just want to get out. I’ve been inside this house the whole time, I can’t even get out. I wasn’t allowed to. Because the world is a dangerous place.

“Boo~! Well just make sure you a least go outside of your house tonight, ‘kay? It’s better in full view! We have one sky, we could still watch it together anyway!”

Sky full of stars, huh.

“No. Besides it’s not real. There’s nothing new in more stars than usual. It won’t happen just tonight. You can look at it at the window.” That’s what they said.

Figures. I wonder, what if I just actually went outside without saying anything. Haha.

I went to my room and attempted to sleep. I just want to sleep this day off. Too bad my mind was running loose, it couldn’t shut up for a second. I got up and looked at the window. And there you have it, there’s the neighbor’s tree blocking the way. This is just perfect. I just wanted to get out even for just a little bit. Someone please take me away.

“…–st.”

What… Okay nevermind. I don’t even want to think about it.

“Psst.”

What the…?! I looked around in my dark room. I definitely heard something just now! And it was very near, the window was closed so it couldn’t have been outside…

There was a tap on the floor. Three taps, actually, like it was knocking. The sound was somewhere… around the bed. I was too scared to even get near it, but I just reached the covers with my foot, kicking it.

“Urgh.”

THAT WAS SOMEONE’S VOICE JUST NOW OH MY GOD WHAT THE ACTUAL—IS HAPPENING HERE?!

Now an arm slipped from under, like it’s crawling outside! I was getting ready to shout when the thing down there, its head just came out… oh, it’s a person. And it has… something on its head. My eyes have adjusted to the dark so I can see quite well. I’m just not so sure what to call… it.

When the thing finally came out whole, I saw its whole figure. A man. Or a human… something, I don’t know. It looks so much like the character in a game I was playing. The man puts his hand on his waist and leaned on one foot. Oh, did I bother to say? He’s dressed really weirdly, like he’s cosplaying. I’ve finally figured out what’s on his head. Those are cat ears, and the thing floating behind him seems to be a tail. Huh. I must be dreaming.

There’s a creep in my room.

I gasped, ready to shout but he moved swiftly and was about to cover my mouth when I ducked and moved to the other side.

“Don’t you DARE touch me, you creep!”

I got ready with my fighting stance… at least, I can call this my fighting stance. But the door is just a few steps away, I could just run.

“Shh! Listen! I’m not a creep…” he says at first quite restrained, but he suddenly turned soft, tilting his head.

I relaxed myself, suddenly feeling stupid. “Ugh, this is a dream. Get out. Or at least bring me someplace else. I don’t want dreaming of a creep in my room.”

The man returned to his relaxed stance, his hand on his waist, shrugging off my words. He chuckled softly, “This isn’t a dream, y’know.” He then folded his arms, his tail moving along behind him, “Come with me.”

So he says. Even in a dream, I’m still wary enough to not just come with people I don’t know. It might be great to be Alice but I’m not into that kind of nightmare, thank you.

“No, thanks.”

“Why not?”

“Why not?”

“I came to get you.”

“Get me?”

“You’re my Alice, aren’t you?”

Alice…? “Haha, stop messing me with me, creep. I’m not coming with you. Just let me wake up, please.”

While I turn my back on him, I heard him speak in a low voice. “Damn, you are the same.”

“What do you mean same?” I couldn’t shake the feeling that I know this guy. I know which game he came from, it’s just so blurry.

“You must love doing this to me since everyone do so.”

“What, are you talking about?” I say as I turned to him.

“You must also know, that I don’t give up easily.” He says as he walks up to me, and while I had my guard down, he swooped me up easily and puts me on his shoulder, his arm around my body for support.

“What the—?! Hey, hands off—agh! Put me down!” I shouted as I struggle. Why can’t anyone in this house hear me?!

I guess I was too busy struggling I didn’t notice what he was going to do. He just threw me to the bed, and cornered me with his arms. His face was inches away from mine. He was looking at me so intently. I stopped, of course, I was so shocked I don’t know what he might do. I noticed his ears twitch and he titled his head, I didn’t even thought about it moving while I looked at him until now. His brows knitted and he did an act of biting me right in front of my face. I laid back more in shock. He stood straight and laughed.

“Geez, I won’t do anything to harm you. Just come with me. You wanted to be taken away, right?”

I sit up and looked at him angrily. “So? Where are we going?”

He smirked and pointed down. “Under your bed.”

“What? Why?”

“Because that’s where I came from. Right?”

I kept my eyes on him until I crouched down and peeked under. There was nothing besides collected dust and all. I looked at him again, he crouched down and just shoved me underneath. “Calm down, I’m right next to you.” It was so cramped I kept bumping everywhere. I thought he was crazy, he kept pushing me inside.

Then I suddenly remember about the Daily Login Bonus for all of my games…

I gasped at the thought, “Ky—“, there was this feeling of falling all of a sudden, like my soul was left up there. Then it was all stuffy again. The man stood up and walked ahead, I didn’t even realized he held my hand all this time.

I crawled out of where I was, and out into the open. I looked back, and it seemed we walked out of a bush? I don’t even know what happened, I was so confused, but right now I want to confirm one thing. I stood up straight, without dusting myself and just glared at the figure in front of me who is currently facing the other direction. I remember now.

“Kyle!”

There was a gust of wind all of a sudden. Like, this must be a dramatic scene in a shoujo anime right now. But I’m just so happy… I feel embarrassed of all my actions earlier. I wonder, though, if what he meant by doing that since everyone do so means, how we play his route.

He turned to look at me, still with the wind blowing, now that I see him clearly, he really is Kyle Knock, the Cheshire cat from Lost Alice. How is this even happening? It’s probably a bright night but all I’m focusing right now is Kyle’s face, how this could be real.

He laughs softly it brings music to my ears, “What, you just realized? You sure are slow.” His ears twitched. He laughed once again, his eyebrows knit. I swear, everything he does right now is so cute I can’t even— “What are you doing there just standing still? Look up, it’s a beautiful night!”

He looked up, I followed, and my eyes widen in amazement. The sky is full of stars! The Milky Way is also visible, it’s like I’m looking at the whole galaxy! There’s no hollow space in the sky, it is literally full of stars, each twinkling bright. This is so amazing I can’t even believe this that I didn’t notice I’ve started shedding tears.

“Why are you crying?”

“I… I don’t know… I’m just so happy right now…!”

“I’m glad.”

I couldn’t take my eyes off of the view. I reached out, thinking I could touch one of the stars. “I wanted to show you this. I guess it was a success. I’m glad I was able to make you happy.”

“Kyle…! This is so amazing! Thank you! Thank you for showing me this!” I looked at him this time and smiled, with tears still in my eyes.

Kyle smiled, his look suddenly turned soft, not that playful grin he always wore. He seemed to look at me, into my soul.

“Thank you for choosing me.”

Then he smiled so sincere, that I just felt the need to put my arms around him.

I run to him, my arms extending, then it felt like there was a big hole below that I fell so abruptly. Kyle’s expression is the only thing left in my sight.

There was a loud bang. So close. It hurts so much. I lift my head up and pressed my palm on my forehead. I was on the table, with my laptop facing me. I seemed to have hit it hard… wow, I’m sorry, laptop.

“Hey, you okay?”

My little sister called, she was just sitting beside me. I feel so confused… what just happened? Strange, I thought I was sulking and trying so hard to sleep.

I looked at what’s in my laptop screen. It was in the game Lost Alice, and Kyle was there with his usual pose, his expression worried, the text box showed,

“Are you okay?”

I don’t know if what just happened was a dream, but it felt so real. I can’t help but smile remembering the feelings I’ve had just now.

“Hey, did you know? The sky is full of stars tonight.”

[sydnam]

OUAT 6x12 “Murder Most Foul”

Trying to catch up before this week’s episode airs. Should work. 

The usual under the cut.

Previously, Charming got a coin that he magically knew belonged to his dad and decided to learn about his death and then we dropped that plot point for a lot of episodes.

RUMPLE IS HERE TO STEAL YOUR BABIES Except not steal. Give one to a king and have him raised happily as a prince and have the other one grow up happily on the farm. I wonder what would have happened if they’d said “what about a deal that lets us keep them”

Okay I know Hook’s a pirate and they make rum jokes constantly but really he has a flask on him while just chilling at home?

And now Charming is hallucinating his dead father. THAT always ends well. “Get some bloody sleep” wait is Charming refusing to sleep AT ALL? That seems unwise also nonsensical.

“What were you thinking” Snow that is a good question. (Also wait didn’t we just imply that Charming was refusing to sleep but now Snow is clearly awake) You are making VERY good points. Snow why would you only tell him about the daughter what about the son also poor wee Roland, sent away and forgotten.

HI ARCHIE “The good kind” Hook the only good pirates are the totally fictional ones that don’t do bad things and have never done bad things. Like...Jake and the Neverland Pirates. “I need her father’s blessing” urgh no you don’t her father has zero to do with it. “You’re listening to your conscience now and everyone sees it” uhhhhhhh ok sure if you say so

More hallucinations! Yay!

And waaaaay back when Charming’s dad was apparently a drunk who spent all their family’s money in the tavern. HI GEORGE WHERE YOU BEEN, DUDE, IT’S BEEN YEARS. Aww bb Charming is ADORABLE.

Charming, how do you not notice that Hook is being weird and avoidy and evasive about this quest of yours?

AWKWARD TENSION between Wish!Robin and Regina. OMG Zelena this is NOT about you GO AWAY. “He has no right to his daughter” perhaps rephrase that then? IDK. Ooh is Robin gonna kick the shit out of Nottingham? Yessssss.

Oh maybe just arrow him from across the street. Does nobody in Storybrooke notice? Also you’d think people would notice the dead man walking? Did they just send out a mass text saying “hey there’s a new Robin walking around don’t be alarmed?”

Charming needs to be tied down. Dude needs a nap.

Rumple’s spinning...and not happy to see Robert. And now he wants a hair. Rumple what even are you doing. I thought you only took Twu Wuv hairs. AWWW DISCO LIZARD YOU DO HAVE A HEART BURIED IN THERE. Which we knew. BUT AWW.

I find it EXCEPTIONALLY difficult to believe that Hook is in the habit of “going on about boat safety” but ok. Oh look Emma’s superpower is randomly working for this scene. Except apparently only for one line? Did she not see the shifty eyes and the CLEARLY STARING AT SOMETHING BEHIND HER? Also why is Hook now, and only now, concerned with the truth with Emma he’s lied about much more important things without a care before?

Regina did you really bring Robin for a, well, heart-to-heart in your vault that is (was? idek) full of actual hearts? This is an odd move. LITERALLY STILL FULL OF HEARTS COME ON. At least Robin understands she does not REALLY have the moral high ground. Oh good she remembered Roland. “The other Robin had a child” BECAUSE HE GOT RAPED BY ZELENA THAT IS AN IMPORTANT DETAIL I AM JUST SAYING But also...I’m a little confused. She said that killing people in the Wish!verse was ok because they weren’t real but she clearly thinks Robin is real so if Robin is real then the Wish!Charmings were real and she straight-up murdered them, yeah?

These are NOT two men I would trust to brew a potion. Really. Pleasure Island! ARE THERE DONKEY CHILDREN? None of these children appear to have big ears OR tails. Oh look, scary CGI Pinocchio! Aww poor bb James. :(

HI AUGUST!

“You really have changed how you feel about vengeance” um. Ok. Sure.

George are you really telling anyone else they look old? George this is not a good example for your tiny prince.

Oh hey George is still in Storybrooke and apparently effectively locked up this time. In the creepy hospital. They need to stop using these cells it’s creepy. Ugh boys, a knife fight? REALLY? Poor Charming. He really does need a nap. Also a vacation. Hook gets partial credit for stopping Charming from the cold-blooded murder.

Poor Robert. Poor Charming. Look, I get that some people like the asking the dad for permission thing but I find it creepy.

Regina has had an epiphany! This is good. But also sad for her. Ginny’s haircut seems extra severe right now.

GEE HOOK WAS HIDING SOMETHING ALL EPISODE? I AM SHOCKED. It was pretty damn obvious. He looked SO GUILTY THE WHOLE TIME. Of course I already knew about this bit but still. Ugh. YOU DON’T GET TO SAY YOU’VE CHANGED AND THEN LIE ABOUT HOW YOU KILLED YOUR FRIEND’S DAD/GIRLFRIEND’S GRANDPA. I really don’t understand why this show consistently tells us Hook has changed and is SO GOOD NOW but then shows us that that is not true.

[shirtlesssammy]

13x22: Exodus

Then:

Gabe came back to save the day!

Now:

Sam’s alive! And Lucifer just wants to be part of the gang, and to get to know his son. Dean is in protective Mom mode and tells Gabe to kill Lucifer. All the anger and hostility causes Jack to fly off to safety.

To keep some semblance of order, Cas puts the angel warded handcuffs on Lucifer, while Lucifer tells the group that they have about 31 hours before the rift closes. Rowena’s holding down the fort, and not looking too positive about the whole situation. Also, Sam sets his phones timer for 31 hours. A: Won’t the battery run out before then? And 2: Shouldn’t you maybe set it for 29 hours or something just to be safe?

Dean checks in with Sam to make sure he’s ok, and he is. Dean just thought he lost his brother, and Sam just thought he died. This was a worthy hug.

Now Sam, can you at least clean your blood off your neck? Yuck.

Sam tells Dean that he will handle Lucifer.

Meanwhile, Jack’s off alone reeling from meeting Lucifer for the first time. He flashes back to the video of his mother (was this new footage or from earlier?), and Sam (so protective, so parental), and then to the security guard he accidentally killed and au!Kevin dying for the “cause”. Oh, sweet little nougat (at what age does he have to reach before we have to stop calling him our little nougat?).

Cas escorts Lucifer from point A to point B at the camp (like, where were they going?) Anyway, they take a pit stop so Luci can be snarky and Mary can punch the devil in the face (again). Yay!

Mary is 100% badass and I love her, but do you ever stop to think about how great it was for Sam to have Dean raise him and not Mary or John? They were a mess! Sam and Dean show up to tell Mary they need to start heading back to the rift to make it home in time. Mary tells them she’s not leaving. There’s work to be done here. She’s fought beside the people here. There’s too much to fight for. That goes over like a lead balloon. Sidenote: Mary’s makeup is on point in the AU. Maybe it’s not such a bad place after all?

Cas, Jack, and Lucifer parley and Jack wants to listen (UGH) to what Lucifer has to say.

Lucifer tells Jack that he can ask him anything. “Why does everyone hate you?” Lucifer makes some good points (and some icky rapey Buckleming points, ugh), but nope, nope, nope, nope, nope.

Back in Dean, Sam, and Mary land, Dean’s arguing against fighting the good fight, and asks Sam to back him up, but Sam being Sam, he agrees with Mary. “Wait, what?” Dean asks, incredulous. “Mom doesn’t want to leave these people.” Dean’s poor face. Sam suggests they bring them with, regroup, and come back stronger than ever. Just as Dean questions the ability to cram 25 people through the rift, a VERY dramatic Cas arrives to tell them Jack is now with Lucifer.

Lucifer has a one on one with Jack but TFW interrupts, trying to make it clear to Jack that they’re his family, not Lucifer. Jack then calls Lucifer his father (BIG UGH).

The group heads out to the basecamp.

Mary and Dean get some time to talk. Mary wants Dean to give Jack a break. Man, Mary’s conversation about Jack learning about Lucifer, and seeing him for who he is through his own eyes. Dean should be taking notes on how to think about his own childhood, and his own memories of John.

Gabriel, who was off scouting, comes running at the group alerting them to incoming angels. Battle stances commence, and then the angels just disappear into smoke. It seems the handcuffs don’t work in the AU and Luci just smoked them all, and then dissolved the handcuffs. Oops.

It seems the basecamp is Singer Auto Salvage --it’s not in Sioux Falls but it’s damn nice to see that sign again. And it’s not our Bobby (Goddamnit, where is he?? Andrew Dabb, how have you failed us on that storyline?), but he’s just as much a curmudgeon. Dean asks about Charlie and finds out Ketch and her went off to find an angel kill squad.

Lucifer and Jack continue the family reunion. Lucifer tells him all about the other archangels. Ok, Buckleming, you get one pass if you scripted that high five. It was funny and cute. I give 90% of the credit to Jack though. They meet up with Gabriel.

Gabe can barely hold in his hostility for Lucifer. GABE!

Charlie and Ketch find the angels, but it’s a trap! They’re captured.

Team Free Winchester try to convince the leadership at the camp to head over to Sam and Dean’s world. “You want us to follow you through some magic door that’s gonna blast us the hell out of here and into some fairy tale world where everything’s pretty?”  DUH. Just do it, Andy!

The AU campers will talk about it. At the end of the meeting, Bobby comes up to tell Sam, Dean, and Mary that Charlie and Ketch were captured.

Ketch and Charlie are having a great time hanging with angels. Eating angel food cake, playing ring toss with halos. The whole nine yards. Or, urgh, Ketch is getting tortured and interrogated for the resistance base location. Ketch snarkily resists their efforts, earning my grudging respect. (Boris: Ngl, watching Ketch get tortured was kind of poetic. But he’s on his big redemption arc so I guess it’s also sad. Remember folks: Ketch killed Magda!) Then they bring in the big guns. AU!Castiel, complete with insane lip twitch. AU!Castiel does not look well, as evidenced by his non-floofy hair and rogue eye that's probably gone bad from incessant “reprogramming.”

In the resistance camp, TFW interrogates the human that betrayed Charlie and Ketch. I only picked up on this in the rewatch, but Dean nods to Cas to start and stop his mind meld on the guy. I know this can be seen as teamwork but I'm sort of super duper gutted by that. I keep remembering how Cas oftens sees himself as a tool and I feel like he's in that role right now – an instrument of torture wielded by Dean Winchester.

Anyway.

shudder

Cut to Lucifer whining to Gabriel about how boring it is to wait for an attack. Gabriel is quietly amused at Lucifer's desire to rush out and be big and heroic to impress Jack. “I've known you since the stars were made,” Gabriel tells him and he thinks Lucifer’s full of shit. “Humans are innocent and beautiful,” Gabriel says (while I whisper to him that I suddenly really really love him). Lucifer’s motivation for his corruption of humanity was down to jealousy, plain and simple. Lucifer pulls a single man tear which... Whatever, Luci.

Back with AU!Cas, he hones in on Charlie. “Everyone has a breaking point,” he tells her before he tries to suck her mind out of her head. (I'm definitely NOT thinking about how AU!Cas hit his breaking point. He's broken. Shattered. A sharp blade of pain.) There's a ruckus outside, saving Charlie momentarily. It's Mary and TFW! They bust in and defeat the angels guarding Charlie and Ketch. Outside, Castiel confronts AU!Castiel.

Cas tells Castiel that he's grown used to humanity and that he prefers humans to angels. Despite this, they both agree that they're the same, and then Cas kills AU!Castiel. I have a whole headcanon about this scene. Ready? Okay. AU!Castiel is broken, tortured by Heaven into existing as a mere weapon. Cas sees this and recognizes his fate, his horrible scars and terrible weaknesses. He sees the soldier. He sees the broken person. And he kills him easily because he views it as both mercy and necessity. AU!Cas is irredeemable, so damaged is he. Now, all he can do is rest eternally in the Empty.

Let's take a hug break.

Cas shakes it off (OR DOES HE?) and everyone reunites at the camp. Bobby announces to the Winchesters that they're all planning to head back with them. Super! It's time for a PARTY BUS! Dean fixes a school bus (Natasha fans herself) and everyone piles onto the bus to head out. Sam runs after Jack and tries to keep him from fulfilling his promise to kill Michael. Sam wants them to regroup and plan a good attack and Lucifer agrees. Jack...listens to Lucifer and then calls him “father.” Yikes, Jack.

The vehicles, packed full of many of my favorite characters, head down the road to the rift. Eek! I sure am glad those rifts mostly only open just off of roadways. When they arrive Sam sees the rift is starting to close.

Rowena's exhausted on the other side, desperately trying to keep the rift open. Everyone files in and through. “About bloody time,” Rowena greets Castiel breathlessly. On the other side of the portal, angels zoom in. Michael arrives with an impressive wing display.

Lucifer and Michael begin to fight while Sam, Dean, and Gabe just....stand around picking their noses, I guess. Until Gabe decides to start fighting Michael. Michael pulls out his archangel blade and they fight. We're feeling pretty good about it until Gabriel gets knifed. NOOOOOOOO every time! 

Sam angrily pushes a weakened Lucifer away from the rift and then jumps through. The rift closes behind him leaving Michael and Lucifer behind in the AU.

In the bunker it's a PARTY. Sam thanks Rowena. Charlie and Ketch have forged a friendship (odd but I’ll allow it). Dean and Cas share emotional stares a.k.a. an “eyefuck.” Jack is sad.

Bobby gives the troops a rallying speech and everyone experiences warm and fuzzy feelings. I mean, I certainly do. Look at all their friends! Take that, Team “All My Friends are Dead.”

Back in the AU, Gabriel lies apparently (possibly? definitely?) dead on the ground with charred wings. Lucifer and Michael plot together to get back into the Winchesters’ world and strike a deal. Lucifer will get his son and Michael gets the world. Booo bad deal.

Party Quotes:

What do we do about Lucifer?

You are who you choose to be.

I am not your “sport”

That may be the dumbest friggin’ idea in a landfill of dumb ideas.

You want us to follow you through a magic door that's gonna blast us the hell outta here and into some kind of fairy tale world where everything is pretty?

For whatever reason, I got a good feeling about you two.

See you on the other side, bitches.

And you’re an ass clown.

Way to go, DAD!

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