#i’ll add yellow and the rocket team soon

[msmoon-and-the-cyberdemon]

On this day, Victim was born and the Animation vs Animator series began. It’s been such a crazy ride and I can’t wait for the next episode! *dies*

[akimmito]

Heroes are made by the path they choose

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Master List

Chapter 11

It's not the MT

Silent Hill: Nightwing and Robin have gone to Paris.

It’s a Nara: Do you know their motives? We are not aware of any crime or related crime network between Gotham and Paris

Silent Hill: Red Hood told them about the MT

Almost pretty: Corvus should pay him a visit and shoot him in the knee

Three balls: with real bullets

Plasticine: or a rocket launcher

Wild goat: Can I go? So I can test my confetti grenades

Silent Hill: I think that sense of humor fits in well with Gotham

Needle: With the rogues

Olive: I totally approve of any kind of aggression against the nosy man

Great mother: If you do something illegal, make sure no one knows it was you

Almost pretty: the boss has spoken

Divine gift: It’s my duty to remind you that you must be investigating, if the foreign watchers have affairs with us, we will know in due course. Let's not do anything rash.

It’s a Nara: He’s right. I'm going to check the security cameras for any sign of them… Is Nightwing wearing his own outfit or did he come as Batman?

Silent Hill: Batman can't leave Gotham

The Antibiotic: Do you think if I get on a roof I can get a Nightwing autograph?

Wild goat: If you get on it, maybe Byakko accidentally shoves you into the void

-------------

Marinette sighs as she watches the group chat, foreign vigilantes while she and Felix have plans to get out of Paris, just wonderful, but she can't stop to think about it. She must first speak to Damian and then prepare for her travel.

She's heading towards her son's room, she can hear the little barking of the puppies as she gets closer. Adult dogs are used to sleeping in a room set up for them, except for Ícaro, the Australian Shepherd, who likes to sleep with Damian when he visits (which means that there will now be five dogs in that room, alongside Picatso, Dafne prefers to sleep with she). She knocks on the door and before long, he opens it, wearing only his pajama bottoms because his shirt is being used as a bed by Ringo.

"Is something wrong, mother?" Damian opens the door completely for her to enter, ignoring, for the moment, his previous fight against the cubs for his kidnapped shirt.

"Yeah... Tomorrow I will go on a trip with Felix, we will go to Turkey."

"Why?"

"Oh well, it's... there's a prodigy in Turkey and it seems like a demon wants it, so we'll find it before it becomes a problem." She explains, she was about to tell him about John, but with her out of the country, there was nothing to prevent him from discovering his identity and she doesn't know what could happen for his small Machiavellian head.

Marinette loves her child, but she can't quite predict it right now. Luka, a divine gift for her, explained that Damian doesn't want to be taken away from her and that he fears that someone external can achieve it, that he desperately clings to the only person who loves him for what he is and that if they take him away from him add more weight, separate he from his new family; that she represents his whole world. He also explained that it will take a while for him to get used to receiving people outside the MT, especially if they seem to show interest in she and that after Michel Laforet, well, the boy doesn't have a good impression of men. Although he showed bewilderment about his reaction for his two new clients, since he was openly hostile and he could not give him a definitive answer, but that he would analyze his behavior to help him go through the process he's living.

"I see... why don't you take me, mother? Am I not good enough to accompany you on your missions?" She sighs to see his hurt look and sits on the sofa in the room, inviting him to sit next to her, he immediately obeys and sits down, allowing himself to be embraced by his mother.

"It has nothing to do with anyone's abilities, if it did, it will lead other team members not only to Felix." She explains, beginning to pat her son's head, looking up at the ceiling as she decides to explain herself better and be totally honest with Damian. "When I founded the MT, I had been working alone with Felix for a while we were looking for evidence to convict Gabriel Agreste once and for all, we found so many charges that the prosecution would have a field day in the case... so that our victory was bitter because someone stole the butterfly brooch..."

"Mother, why are you telling me that? I know the story. ”He interrupts, not understanding Marinette's intentions.

"I know, you know the origin, but not the process." She responds with a nostalgic smile. "We spent half a year locked up cursing the person who dared to steal the Miraculous and realized that, as heroes, we could not hunt it without attracting attention... Hence the first idea of the MT arose and we founded it officially a week after the last Gabriel's trial, along with Kagami and Tomoe, who joined Luka soon after. Adrien decided not to be an active part of everything, but he became an unofficial member a year later because of his desire to find Nathalie's murderer, becoming an informant and investigator, everything that we could not take, he did it by getting a job modeling in the city where I was supposed to go. "

Damian did not know that, he believed that Agreste was affiliated with the MT just because he was previously one of the heroes, but, considering that not all the old Miraculous wearers are related, he should have considered another possibility (especially since the old wearers still wield a prodigy and he doesn't). He credits him for his commitment and intelligence to have a reason to go to those places, that also explains why he has been modeling for so many brands (some very strange ones like a brand of sardines with yellow peppers, he still remembers the jokes in the chat about his sardine costume).

"After we had an initial team in place, we started building our local network and expanding it using my grandmother Gina's connections, before long we were up and running and took Tomoe's recommendation to build a stronger team, in part for our work and so that the prodigies would have more places to be transferred… Each person who associates with the MT and proves to be loyal, receives the tattoo of the guardians. "Damian goes away to see his mother, that is something that he didn't know,  why? "That is why everyone knows magic, although not everyone is compatible..."

"Why don't I have it?"

"Because I wanted you to have options, not because you are my son and part of the MT means that you must bear that responsibility. I took you out of an organization where you were against your will… I wasn't going to put you in another, that's why we didn't introduce you to training until you asked for it. "Damian doesn't know what to say, is she taking his decisions into consideration? Does he want to be part of it in the same way as the others? He doesn't know, because he doesn't know what it means to be a guardian, but if he ask, his mother is sure to explain and give him all the time he need to make a decision.

"Why are you telling me now?" It's the only thing he can ask, he doesn't understand how conversation came to that.

"Because it's one of the reasons I am not taking you to Turkey." He understands, that is a job for them as guardians and he's not one, it should be obvious, but he still feels displaced. "The other is directly related to the history of the MT... I learned to work with Felix, we both know what to do and we don't stop, we create our own system over the years. We have had our difficulties, like four years ago in Liverpool, but here we are... And we just need to learn to coordinate us, for you. "

Marinette draws him back into her hug, this time placing a kiss on his head.

"What is the reason for the nicknames in the chat?"The question surprises Marinette, he was complaining about it, especially since his is Olive.

"Protect the identities of informants affiliated with the MT, that is, those who received a tattoo, but who are not part of the official registry."

"Is your lover one of those?"

Marinette smiles in amusement, of course her child would start tying up dots. Taking into account that they are traveling almost unexpectedly (he knows when it's so and it not a planned one, because she would have warned him in time) and for that to happen he must have found out very recently, that is, the day before and that day was see to John.

"Yup... And I won't tell you what his code name is." He just clicks his tongue, there are four users whose identity he doesn't know: God Shit, Not in Hell, Guardian Angel and Silent Hill. It could be any one of them, but he's noticed that Silent Hill maybe a girl, so he dismisses it. Returning to the users, only one is active, the others have not spoken to date, despite the fact that they are registered and that makes it more difficult... especially since man is related to magic, the occult and those things, hardly he can dismiss one and only because he's sure Guardian Angel is too bright for someone he know deals with demons, leaving him with the last two.

"I'll find out eventually. "He declares and Marinette knows it's true, one way or another he will. She hoped that didn't imply any international problem, considering that John lives in England.

"I know." She hugs him tighter before releasing him. "I wish it lasted longer, but I have to finish packing... Rest, Damian. I will come in the morning to say goodbye, I love you. "

Marinette gets up, but not before leaving another kiss on her son's head and then leaving the room.

Damian watches her go and his head begins to form a plan to take advantage of his mother's departure.

He will find the lover and question him (he will also threaten him a lot).

----------

Marie L. @MarieLenoir

It's always a pleasure to contribute to a good cause. Istanbul wait for us.

Chloe B. @BourgeoisQueen

I also want to travel, how unfair it's to be trapped in Paris

Dick Grayson @TheFlyingGrayson

The vigilantes of this city feel very happy or maybe Batman is too gloomy

Roy @RoyHarperQ

@TheFlyingGrayson Probably, although Green Arrow can be very gloomy when he wants

Jason @IAmYisus_XD

@TheFylingGrayson yes, well, it's that Batman is the living reflection of Gotham... gloomy and a piece of shit

-------

Damian gets up early and rushes into his mother's room to get Plagg out and talk to him, the night before he placed an order for various types of gourmet cheeses and his beloved Camembert cheese (specifically Camembert from Normandy), to please the more exotic tastes of the little god (especially since he has money that he doesn't use and has been accumulating for too long and this was a strategic move for information).

He takes him to his room, Longg is already awake and looks at him without much surprise, deciding to ignore the situation, knowing that he's a boy on a mission, the best thing to do is wait and advise him in a timely manner.

"Plagg, I need you to tell me the name of my mother's lover."

"Boy, as much as you want to say it, I won't betray... What's that?" The little cat asks noticing that the computer screen is on a website that he knows well, that's where Marinette asks for some cheese on occasion.

"That is the cheese order I made for you, if you tell me the name, of course, otherwise, I will cancel... All those cheeses that mother only allows you to eat once every three months, lost by a man." Damian smiles when he sees the excitement shining in Plagg's green eyes, he is sure he will say him.

"Did you ask for Camembert?"

"The original, Camembert of Normandy. "

Plagg is in conflict, so many delicious cheeses at his fingertips.

"When you get back from Turkey, they'll be here waiting for you." Damian keeps pushing for the name, he needs to know it, and besides Felix, Plagg is the only one who knows him and the little god is easier to convince. "You just have to give me a name. "

"FINE! Don't torture me, boy. "

"So?"

"John Constantine, blond, out of the same hell. You will recognize him immediately, he never quits the damn cigarette. I don't know how Marinette enjoys being with him, it's all the unpleasantness of humans combined in the same man. ”Plagg says wearily. "I better see those cheeses when I get back or I'll cry with Marinette about how cruel you were to me. "

"I think we all know that's impossible." Longg intervenes from his location, away from both of them. He watches with a little amusement the interaction of both, he knows that to obtain that Plagg decides to cooperate normally requires less moral methods. "It would be more credible that you were cruel to my dragon. "

"I can use blackmail, however, you're warned, boy. I can also cause nightmares. ”Plagg leaves the room to give his warning, returning to Marinette.

Damian smiles and goes back to bed satisfied, waiting for his mother to say goodbye and to plan how he will get to that man to talk. He pulls out his phone and starts checking group chats, Not the MT is always one of the most active, although Let's save Adrien is also usually enough active when they plan crazy and ridiculous ways to get rid of Lila Rossi, Adrien's wife.  Among the most extreme forms is sending her to hell or offering her as a sacrifice to some ancient god in America, although he knows that they will not do that, because only his mother can and she doesn't approve (she also scared them telling her about how everything can go wrong and condemn them all to hell, no one ever mentioned it again later.)

After a while finishing reviewing all the conversation that followed about the vigilantes and as the other heroes they know or admire got sidetracked, he leaves his phone aside and lets Picatso jump on him purring happy to be petted, the puppies seem they share the idea and they also get into bed... the best they can, although their jumping skills leave a lot to be desired, at least they are creative dogs.

Several minutes later, after feeling sorry for Ringo and putting him to bed, Marinette, completely groomed, gives him a funny but affectionate look before fully entering and sitting on the bed.

"Felix will be here soon, do you want to have breakfast with me before I leave?"

"Of course, mother."

She smiles and takes Titus in her arms to carry him with her, Damian takes Ringo when he gets up and Milo jumps out of bed to go after them, with Picatso following close behind. Ícaro continues sleeping.

-----

Bruce Wayne is Batman

I can jump from eighth floor and survive: Who changed the name of the chat?

I'll rest when I die: The same one that changed our names ... at least it's right

Hell rejected me : I think it gives us more personality than our names

I can jump from eighth floor and survive: Ok?

I can jump from eighth floor and survive: So! Since we will spend several days in Paris, I thought it would be good to wait a little to see the routes without them knowing about our presence

Hell rejected me: So yeah you are going to show up

I’ll rest when I die: It seems so, although from what I discovered patrols take turns in pairs or trios, last night only the sighting of Byakko and Genbu was recorded.

I’ll rest when I die: And last night it was Pyxis and Caelum

Nothing escapes me: They must have a very well protected base of operations, perhaps magic, I identified a network that connects all of Paris, but not the source

Nothing escapes me: I deciphered the accessible code, but it's incomplete. I don't think I can go any further

I can jump from eighth floor and survive: That only tells us how competent they are, I think we can get to know them and not meddle more in their affairs

Hell rejected me: Considering that all your interest is sexual, yep it's posible

I'm not Batman: What are you talking about?

--------

Max is not usually frustrated much, he has had to develop his patience and mental strength to solve the problems he encounters, but among the attempt to find the source of the MT by an unknown hacker (although if he must guess it must be related to the bats) and appreciates the magical defenses that only allow just a bit to crack all the code, just the general parts that don't show anything from the entire system. Of course, he could hack back and issue fixed, preventing him from trying again, but his priority is developing a new algorithm for butterfly detection, the old one was unfortunate when tested with one of Duusu's feathers (being that they share the same characteristics).

He has not slept the last twenty-four hours and is beginning to resent, but he must wait for Marc's arrival to be able to drop into one of the beds at the base for a little nap, if someone else comes with him, much better, so they can check all manual while he rests.

With Marinette and Felix going on a trip, it's inevitable that the leadership will fall into the hands of Chloe, who seems ready to go to war at the first hint of the butterfly (also Kagami, but she's leaving more ready to go on a murder mission).

This is not how he thought everything would go, they had seven years of preparation and at the moment of truth, none of them really knows which direction to take. Marinette and Felix are very determined to analyze the whole situation from a general perspective, looking at each variable and, while he agree, most of the team seems to want to just go after the thief and take away the jewel, without fully considering that this new villain's way of acting is much more lethal, his Akuma are well thought out to generate problems for them if they make any mistakes, as happened with the last attack if it wasn't for the second chance they would have lost (Luka explained what happened).

"Good morning..." Marc comes in yawning, his hair totally disheveled and still wearing his pajama bottoms, but with a dark blue sweatshirt on. He decided to sleep at the headquarters the night before to facilitate his arrival, in the same way Luka and Alix, because their work schedules allow it (advantages of being their own boss).

"Good morning, today you can dedicate yourself to review the surveillance cameras... although so far none have caught the butterfly."

"Okay, I'll check."

"I'll leave you then, I'll go to sleep... will you wake me up when breakfast is served?" Max gets up from his chair and feels his bones creak with movement, resentful at his disuse.

"Sure." He smiles sleepily and adjusts himself to the vacant post, ready to manually check each camera, starting with the ones closest to the last Akuma and starting to rewind to, perhaps, identify something.

He spends about three hours like this, watching the video tapes of at least four cameras from where the Akuma originated, noting that the butterfly is arriving and then the giant rhomb is present, but when he looks for the route... he only loses it, as if it had just appeared near the victim's residence.

There are multiple cameras in that area, but there are still blind points, if someone knows the exact location, they should be able to position themselves in those places. Could it be that the new villain was close to his future victim? Will he live there or did he decide to run to the place? If it's the latter, it makes him bolder than Gabriel, that's for sure, but it should make him more sloppy and still they are unable to find a clue.

According to Max, who was reviewing footage, the first Akuma came out of nowhere. No camera records the butterfly that should have come from somewhere.

So for him there are only two viable alternatives and neither is positive for his research.

Still, the possibilities are various and he can only guess the villain's line of thought.

[starcountesseevee]

A Rocket Coincidence (Part 5)

Part 4 / Part 6

     Kali’s next two matches went smoothly as well. She got lucky again with the first of the two as she was not chosen to go first and took out her opponent’s Cacturne rather quickly with her Flareon, Ember. Her third match was a bit tougher as she had to go first but after a tense battle her Umbreon, Rowan, came out as victor. If only by a little. She breathed a heavy sigh of relief. Winning all three of the pre-screening matches meant she could move onto the semi finals the next day. 

     The room was surprisingly peaceful when Kali returned, only Abigail was there quietly reading again. Kali took Abigail's cue from earlier, ignoring the other girl as she climbed up onto the top bunk. Now that the first day was over she felt a little less anxious, even if she didn't make it to the finals she had made it into the top 48 and that was something to be proud of. She sat up in the bed, leaning back against the wall as she chatted with Mara. 

     *Let me know how you did!* Was the unopened text. 

     *You might not want to hear this…* 

     *Oh no, what happened?* 

     *I made it to the semi-finals!* 

     *You're so mean! You had me worried there for a minute! Congrats though! The semi-finals are tomorrow right? I think I saw an add for the live stream of the events. I'll try and keep an eye out for you.* Kali knew the event was broadcasted and the thought made her chest twist with anxiety. She wasn't thrilled with the notion that millions of people could be watching her battle, especially if she lost. What if her dad saw? He didn't even know she was out here, they hadn't spoken in so long. She pushed the thought from her mind. 

     *Had two attempted recruits today.* She quickly changed the subject away from the competition. 

     *Only two?* Mara joked. *It wasn't Candela was it?* 

     *Trust me, that would have been the first thing I told you. One was that Spark guy from the yellow team. And then a run in with Team Rocket, well two run ins actually.* 

     *Not those jerks, did they try and make you battle, wait you said recruit? They seriously asked you to join Team Rocket?*

     *Well it was just the one guy. Ran into him yesterday in those Pokemopolis ruins. Then he tracked me down today. Asked me to join them.* 

     *Tracked you down? What do you mean? Am I gonna have to come out there and beat someone up?* Mara joked again. 

     *Haha! It's nothing, I'll be fine. You know I can take care of myself.* 

     The quiet was soon interrupted by the two siblings returning. Even before they got back to the room Maddie's bubbly chatter could be heard down the hall. Maddie, however, seemed to be the only one in a good mood. Noah was ignoring his sister and immediately went over to his bed and flopped face down. 

     "Oh cheer up will you." Maddie rolled her eyes and climbed up to her bed. "It's not the end of the world."

     "Easy for you to say." Noah spoke into the pillow. Kali made the mistake of glancing over and catching the younger girl's eye. 

     "He's just upset cause he lost."

     "You would be too." Came Noah's muffled voice again. 

     "Well I didn't!" Maddie grinned. "I had two wins and a draw so I can compete tomorrow! And I got to meet Spark! Today has been great!" Noah groaned, pulling a pillow over his head to drown out his sister's chatter. 

     "Congrats." Kali smiled back. 

     "I saw you two did as well." Maddie briefly glanced down at Abigail who continued to ignore everything in the room except her book. "I hope you both do well tomorrow." 

     "You too." Just like the previous night the PA system alerted them to lights out shortly and the room fell quiet once more as they busied themselves getting ready for bed. Kali remembered to set her alarm this time and unlike the previous night fell asleep quickly. 

Part 4 / Part 6

[steve0discusses]

Yugioh Ep 24 S3: Blimp’s Ultimate Form

So, I realized as I sat down to the blog today that I’ve been doing this for like...a year and half now? I think? So I figured...how many of these have I MADE? Cuz I thought...I MUST be getting close to the 100th recap pretty soon, and guys, the answer was shocking.

This is, in fact, the 121st recap (including Season 0). That is a LOT of content. I don’t think I have that many pages for my own webcomic (which basically only tells you how long and physically exhausting the drawing process is more than anything else). Along the way I realized I was a.) really bad at numbering episodes, and b.) reaaaaally bad at spelling Kaiba at the start of this series, really cringey how I used to spell everyone’s name, I can’t really look back there.

Anyway, in case you are curious, the 100th episode was the “Pharaoh turns Karibo into a rainbow for some reason” episode. So, unfortunately it wasn’t that extraordinary. I forgot to write down which episode was 69, which is a colossal failure on my part.

So that being said, this is the last episode of this arc! Honestly, this arc could’ve been a lot shorter because at this point the only resolution left is for Noah to be a decent person once in his life and for Kaiba Sr. to die (which he’s already done, so...mission already accomplished)

Noah recently came on the PA system to inform us that he accidentally decided to kill everyone (congrats, recently reformed Noah), and so he’s going to do the decent thing and let them know where the exit is without actually doing a damn thing to make a portal to get them to said exit.

Guess where the exit is?

I don’t know why the hell this show keeps going back to the local Dave and Busters where Tea got attacked on a dance machine.

At this moment, Gozaburo decided to turn into some sort of giant red ghost devil.

Yes. Exactly what it sounds like.

Apparently this was a thing he could just do this entire arc.

(read more after the cut)

The fact that Seto’s Dad can just morph into a giant red demon is like...not even a problem for anyone on this cast. He literally goes back to his side of the field and goes right back to playing cards. Cuz youknow. Cards.

It’s basically a "Anyone with a millennium item can shoot lasers but never actually does” but demon format. Gozaburo *could* turn into the hulk but like...why?

Meanwhile the rest of the cast are playing cards against the card monsters, that are really just 3D models that Gozaburo had on file. He could have used...literally anything to throw at these people and he went with cards. He could have just dropped a boat on them but...I dunno, maybe he didn’t know where the boat folder was.

Yugi trying really hard to not acknowledge the annoying as hell Joey face and give it any more attention than it already has.

Tea and Serenity scramble to the exit largely unscathed, dragging Tristan with them because he is too small to hold a card hologram and is too monkey to be at all useful back on the front lines.

And they just wake up. Just like that. Just like they woke up from a simple nap or something.

And voila, Tristan is no longer a monkey, his brain is back to normal, the writers were like “we really have to focus on Noah right now, please forgive us if we just pretend line all that brain damage Tristan went through, his brain being 5 DIFFERENT PEOPLE at the same time, having his brainwaves turned into an actual monkey, and then back again within the space of a few hours- just pretend he’s fine now. 

It’s fine. Tristan’s fine.

Tristan wasn’t really...all that bright to begin with so...he’s fine.

And so, as our B team is getting back into the real world, Noah sees this little post-it note on the side of his computer that says “PS, Yugi is a main character and must be present for the finale although he will serve little purpose there” and so Noah pressed that intercom mic button to say:

And it’s at this point that Noah says “I’ll just make you a portal and warp you right there” and then I guess everyone standing around Noah kind of looked at eachother and was like “NOW you do that? NOW? AFTER the chase through the monster copy-paste factory?”

The show is desperately trying to convince me that Noah is now fully a good brother but ehhhhh he’s not. Like, I’ll be honest, they give him the best send off they could have possibly given to such an irredeemably evil character. Like, Seto himself is such a bag of pistachios that you really have to stretch Noah pretty far into evil territory to make Seto look like the good guy in comparison, and it sort of made me not really buy this whole Noah redemption arc.

It’s more like a prequel to a redemption arc that apparently won’t even happen in this series of Yugioh. He comes back at some point, and I only know that because I had to do a google image search of this kid for some reason and it was like ah, yeah, this is definitely a screen cap of a later, glossier looking Yugioh. But, for now, I’d say that Noah’s arc isn’t so much about him coming closer to his family or turning towards the ‘light’, as Pharaoh put it last episode. It’s more about Noah finally letting go of his Father, which should have been the arc of Seto Kaiba.

Instead, Seto did absolutely nothing to let go of his Dad, to the point that Seto is now fighting a computer that just kind of looks like his Dad during a missile strike aimed at Seto’s own face, and Seto did not stop till he won, because of his own damn pride.

Like I think I mentioned this in the last recap, but if they wanted to have Seto show any changes in this arc (which he hasn’t done) then he should have walked away. Instead, he’s very clearly still using his past trauma to fuel the obsessive reasons why he’s playing cards in the present.

Oh, and PS, Yugi’s here, I don’t know why he is, but it does make for some good scenery shots for the commercials so you know, why not.

Gozaburo decides it’s about time to turn into a 50 ft rage monster, and he pushes them to a ledge. Ah, dangerous ledge trope, it’s been a while.

And, finally, as was hinted basically since S1, Yugi gets Seto to jump directly off a ledge of a very tall structure. It finally happened.

Don’t think about it.

And into a portal? That gets them to the exit? Like y’all...this is a kid’s show and all so I shouldn’t question any very convenient plot devices but like...what?

Anyways, they’re fine now, don’t worry about it.

And so, now for a brother pow-wow between Mokuba, who is either still very, very much in Stockholm Syndrome Territory or maybe just doesn’t know that Noah dropped a rocket on his face while Moki was AFK.

And so Noah walks off into the fog cloud because he is the only person on this entire show who would rather die than share a brain (and you know Moki would’ve been down. Moki/Noah as the next Yugi/Pharaoh could’ve been a great thing but youknow, also very much way too complicated for this already complicated show).

It was very melodramatic.

And TBH, I will miss Noah a little bit, he had a fun, insane sort of snobby sass, but I can understand why they might not want to keep even more villains around on this show that is already like...dozens of villains, just so many villains.

Anyway, remember that they woke up in a lab and not in a blimp, so they still have to like...get off this damn boat.

Lol nearly forgot this was an anime. Glad Noah got a magic girl moment before he kicked it.

Also, I’m pretty sure it was shirtless Noah in this glowing yellow farmer’s tan that got this episode flagged for Adult Content when it was still in my drafts folder. Tumblr’s bot got super excited to shut this one way down lol.

And then what follows is like one of the best animated loops in Yugioh. One so good that you bet your ass I clipped it to view for my own leisure.

Mokuba, sensing he’s slowing down for no reason makes the mistake of telling his brother “I’m not going to make it” and so, as an unsuspecting Duke Devlin reaches out and says “grab my hand,” Kaiba does...THIS

when the entire time Kaiba was strong enough and had enough jumps to do THIS

Like he could have easily picked up Mokuba but youknow, any chance to throw a kid at Duke Devlin’s face shoe-first, I guess.

Maybe this is why Moki wears a puffy vest?

And so it was here, as the flames encroach on my wonderful blimp baby that I was getting ready to say goodbye, but guess what, she ain’t dead because...of a completely insane reason we’ll get to in a bit.

Oh, and PS Kaiba’s Dad is a flame monster now. Because of...technology?

It’s probably supposed to be metaphorical flames but youknow, apparently Kaiba had the foresight that someone at some point would become a flame demon and try to devour his entire blimp, and so he made a feature you can add onto what ever blimp you decide to buy from him just so you can outrun fire people attacks.

And it turns out Blimp was the real Magical Girl all along.

Blimp lore is getting pretty wild y’all.

Imagine playing cards on it now...

And then everyone collectively decided that Noah WASN’T DEAD. It was very unhealthy! Thanks 4Kids!

The irony about this exchange is that it is Bakura who is the one who’s uploaded to a flash drive, not Noah--Bakura is on a flash drive around Yugi’s neck but they have never discussed this. Like I’m pretty sure no one even has still picked up that Bakura died and that’s going to be the thing I look forward to the most next episode. If they even address it. Which they might not.

And so, Kaiba looks at the wreckage and the rocket parts that he now has to explain to the UN (and probably not for the first time) and he says:

And thus ends the Kaiba’s Kojima-esque War Crimes arc.

Oh man, next time we get to go back to Marik.

Man oh man.

I don’t even REMEMBER what was going on in that arc guys. It’s been like...man.

I might have to read my own blog to refresh myself haha, I honestly have forgotten a lot of details.

Anyway, in memory of when the blimp still looked like a blimp, I guess this is the last time I can ever post this song:

And here’s a link to read these recaps from the beginning in chrono-order

[brigdh]

Reading Wednesday

The Pride of Chanur by C.J. Cherryh. A space opera more concerned with ethics and friendships than battles and politics. The Pride of Chanur is a merchant ship crewed by the Hani, a lion-like species in which the females are in charge of trade and diplomacy while the males stay back home and fight one another for control of powerful households. Captain Pyanfar is on a typical trip, docked at a trading station, when a strange, naked alien that looks like nothing she's ever seen (though readers will quickly recognize it as a human) runs onto her ship. Another species, the Kif, soon demand its return, but Pyanfar refuses, as much because she dislikes the Kif and is happy to annoy them than for any deep reason. That choice lands her and her crew in escalating danger, as the Kif are determined to get the alien back and will declare war to do it and other species are drawn into the conflict. A great deal of the book is about the difficulty of translation; even with long-contacted species like the Kif, the Hani are forced to communicate in short, broken sentences and deal with deep cultural differences. With the humans, they're starting from the ground up, and matters like gestures, clothing, and food are as prone to misunderstandings as language itself. How do you even tell the difference between an sentient alien and an animal, if you have nothing in common? I loved this sociological part of the book. Unfortunately, I didn't like much of the rest of The Pride of Chanur. I didn't connect emotionally with any of the characters, I found the descriptions of space travel deeply confusing, and I have no idea at all how Hani society is supposed to function. For example, it seems like the male fights over households are supposed to be one-on-one, but then we're given a description of a whole crew invading and pillaging an enemy house. Is that illegal? Are there laws regulating these fights? What does a new male leader mean to the daughters and sisters of the former ruler – are they cast out too, or do they just have to obey a new boss? All of this is pretty important to the climax, but I just couldn't figure it out. The Pride of Chanur has its positives, but I don't think I'll be reading the sequels unless someone talks me into it. Cibola Burn by James S.A. Corey. The fourth book in The Expanse series, and so inevitably this review will contain spoilers for previous books. After the events of Abaddon's Gate , humanity suddenly has access to thousands of solar systems, most with inhabitable, Earth-like planets. And yet in a very believable, petty example of human nature, we're fighting a war over just one. The Cibola in the title is metaphorical; it's one of the mythical 'cities of gold' the Spanish conquistadors searched and killed for in their early days in the New World. The idea of being beyond the law, of pillaging fortunes from a new land, is a major theme in this book, and Cortez and his methods get name-dropped at least twice. A group of refugees, homeless after Ganymede was torn apart by war, riots, and alien monsters, settle on a planet they name Ilus. At the same time, the UN grants the Royal Charter Energy corporation the exploration and exploitation rights to the same planet, which they've named New Terra. This immediately sets up several consequential questions that no one has the answer to: since the refugees beat RCE to Ilus/New Terra by a year, do they have rights of priority? Does the UN even have the authority to give out contracts over these new planets? Where do Mars and the Outer Planet Alliance stand? Who owns the lithium ore the refugees have already mined and transported into space? And since the rest of humanity is months or even years away from Ilus/New Terra, can anyone stop RCE and the refugees from killing each other before politicians settle the matter? James Holden and the crew of the Rocinante are sent in to act as mediators, since a) Holden is, by this point, a popular celebrity, and b) as an Earth native and former OPA operative, he can be seen as neutral. Unfortunately matters quickly grow beyond his ability to control them, particularly when the defense system set up by long-dead aliens wakes up and adds a third front to the killing-everyone campaign. As always in The Expanse series, we have a set of new POVs. Unfortunately this time I didn't like any of them as much as usual. Holden repeats again, and our others are Basia Merton, Elvi Okoye, and Dimitri Havelock. Basia was formerly a minor character in Caliban's War, the father of one of the other kidnapped children. His son died, and in reaction to that Basia has become fiercely, perhaps stupidly, protective of his surviving family. They are some of the refugees, and Basia's grief leads him to make several dangerous choices when confronted by the RCE. He's a sympathetic character, but I just didn't find him as captivating as Avasarala, Bobbie, or Pastor Anna. Havelock was also a minor character before; he was Detective Miller's partner in Leviathan Wakes. Now he's second-in-command of security for the RCE. It's just too bad that his boss is Murtry, a straight-up sociopath who doesn't care how many people he has to kill to give RCE an advantage. Havelock explicitly says that he's overly influenced by the people around him, and so goes along with Murtry's plan for far too long. As a character arc, this did not work for me at all. There is some suspense in waiting to see if Havelock will grow a spine and do the right thing, but it's not nearly as intriguing than if he was genuinely convinced of Murtry's ideas and had to change his mind, or was in some sort of physical danger that prevented him from helping the heroes. Finally, we have Elvi, an exo-zoologist working as part of RCE's science exploration team. More than anyone else, she understands Ilus/New Terra and how very different it is from Earth, despite superficial similarities. She makes several important discoveries that save lives, but she's dangerously naive regarding politics and human relationships. She also falls desperately in love with Holden and begins to act like a besotted teenager; this is believable as a reaction to the stress and life-threatening circumstances she finds herself in – and the narration does make it clear that's what's happening – but it was still somewhat annoying to read. It was hard to take her seriously as a respected professor when she was blushing and stammering over her crush. Overall, I didn't like this book as much as the previous ones in the series. It just wasn't as exciting and the characters weren't as likeable. On the other hand, I did really enjoy the found-family vibes between Holden and his crew: Naomi, Amos, and Alex. (Which reminds me: I forgot to mention the AMAZING scene in Caliban's War where Holden literally proposes marriage to the whole crew. He's half-joking, suggesting it more as a way for them to easily become co-owners of their spaceship than to actually enter into a poly romance, but I still loved it.) We have Amos nearly murdering people when Naomi is taken hostage, Naomi issuing vicious threats when Alex's safety is endangered, and Holden going to new extremes to protect Amos. It's just a whole circle of love and family-of-choice and it is my very favorite trope. I'm totally giving this book an extra star just for that. In general, Cibola Burn is a step down in quality from previous books, but I'll still be reading the sequel. How Not to Kill Your Houseplant: Survival Tips for the Horticulturally Challenged by Veronica Peerless. A really excellent how-to guide for houseplants, possibly the best book on the topic I've ever seen. It's split into two halves, with "The Basics" offering general tips and "The Houseplants" giving specific guidance on 119 common species. How Not to Kill Your Houseplant is aimed towards newbies, but it also included tricks that were new to me, such as how to save an overwatered plant by wrapping its soil in newspaper. I particularly liked the troubleshooting offered in "The Houseplants"; it explains, for instance, that yellow leaves on one plant might mean it needs more water, while yellow leaves on another species might indicate that it's getting too much sunlight. It's easy to look up your specific plants and get tips on how to best care for them. How Not to Kill Your Houseplant is available as both an ebook and a physical book, but I'd highly recommend the physical book. It's beautifully laid out, with a collage-like style that mixes photographs and abstract cutouts. A great book for anyone who raises houseplants, 'horticulturally challenged' or not! I read this as an ARC via NetGalley. One Way by S.J. Morden. A sci-fi thriller set in the near future: 2048, to be exact. Mars has been visited, and it's time for humanity to build a permanent base there for the ease of future astronauts. But how to do it? Robots are expensive and prone to breaking down, whereas human labor is even more expensive and when they break down there's likely to be lawsuits from family members. Xenosystems Operations, the company who has contracted with NASA to build the base, hits on the perfect solution: convict labor. After all, it's not like they can escape; they'll be on fucking Mars, and there's not a lot of spare oxygen or rocket ships for them to steal. XO runs a private prison in California (named Panopticon; subtle, Morden), so all they have to do is select a team of seven people with life-sentences who are willing to serve the rest of their time on Mars, give them a few months of training, and send them on a one-way journey – even once the base is built, they'll be a need for maintenance and janitorial services, since astronauts have more important things to do than unclog drains or charge batteries. In exchange, the prisoners get work they can be proud of and a bit more freedom in their daily lives. Frank is our narrator and main character. Sentenced to life for murdering his son's drug dealer, Frank is a former construction worker, an obviously useful background. He and his team of six other prisoners, each with their own specialities (transportation, plumbing, electricity, computers, hydroponics, and a doctor), plus an XO employee to be their guard/boss, quickly find out that XO has cut every possible corner to save money. They have no redundant supplies in case of wear or mishap; broken or missing necessary parts; barely enough food to get them through; problems with producing their own oxygen, water, and power; and not enough training for emergencies. Unsurprisingly, this quickly starts to take its toll, and people die in easily preventable accidents. Except by the third death, Frank suspects that they're not just accidents – someone on the team is deliberately murdering the others. He has no one he trusts, help from Earth is months away, and in the harsh environment of Mars the smallest mistake can kill, so Frank is left to figure out the murderer by himself before he's the next victim. Morden is an excellent writer of tension; there's several wonderfully dramatic scenes involving characters in spacesuits running out of time on their oxygen supplies that were heart-pounding and thrilling. Unfortunately he's not a great author of mysteries. The murderer is SUPER obvious, so much so that it makes Frank look dumb for taking so long to figure it out. At the point where Frank discovers a bunch of empty oxycontin packets around the murderer's bed and still doesn't think it might be him, I had to groan out loud. (Of course, being a drug addict doesn't make one a murderer, except that this is totally the kind of book where it does.) I also had problems with Morden's science writing; I think he expects his average reader to know more about space than I, at least, do. There was a lot of techno-jargon I didn't know, and I never could manage to picture what the base Frank and the others built was supposed to look like. On the other hand, I am highly predisposed to like a book that's this critical of the use of convict labor for corporate profit, and the excerpts scattered throughout of XO's private communications really make it clear how far down the path of evil a bit of greed and pure capitalism can get you. Hooray for a nice dose of contemporary politics in my escapist reading! I do want to note – because I didn't know before reading it – One Way is not a stand-alone. A sequel is due out soon. Nonetheless, One Way ends at a good point, with almost all of the plot threads wrapped up. You won't feel like you've gotten only half of the story if you read this book alone. I read this as an ARC via NetGalley.

[DW link for easier commenting, if you prefer]

[fanfic-inator795]

Lego Batman Oneshot: Songbird

Plot: Being a crime fighter can sometimes be a balancing act. But every once in a while, things do manage to work out. 

((I've got another one! ^v^ Hope you guys enjoy!))

Batman glanced down at the screen. Just above the map that was displayed on it, the digital clock read 7:25 PM. He scowled slightly. Sure, he was used to busy nights, but usually they didn’t really get going until later, usually around midnight. “Ugh...” Of course tonight of all nights had to be the rare exception-

“Dad! He’s-!”

“I’ve got it!” Slamming his foot on the gas, Batman flew passed the alleyway that their target had just turned into, deciding to instead take a sharp turn onto the street just a few buildings ahead of it. And, thanks to the Bat-Mobile’s speed and Batman’s skillful driving skills, they made it to the other side of the alleyway, just as the fiend was coming out of it.

The car screeched to a halt in front of the alley, causing the villain to freeze in his tracks. “There’s nowhere to run, Condiment King!” Batman told him, both he and Dick giving the pickle-headed man a stern glare.

But Condiment King sneered back at him. “Hmph, that’s what you think, Brät-Man!” As strange (and lame) as he was, the Condiment King certainly wasn’t about to go down without a fight! With that, he turned and tried to run back down the alley. 

Unfortunately, after no more than a few steps forward, he felt something grab onto the back of his haul (Gotham’s entire supply of hotdog carts stuffed into a shipping container with wheels on it), trying to pull it away from him. But before he could try to pull it out of their grip, the villain then felt the hit of a well-aimed bat-a-rang sweeping him off his feet. 

“Got it!” Dick grinned, pulling the container away while Batman just smirked. Another victory for the father-son dynamic duo, and since the cops probably knew what had happened and would be there soon, at least they wouldn’t have to spend too much longer there. 

“You’ll regret stopping me!” Condiment King insisted as the dark knight tied his wrists to a nearby lamppost, wanting to keep him place until the police arrived, “Anyone could see that those carts were an abomination! I mean, what kind of hotdog cart only has ketchup and mustard?! No pickles? No onions? No sauerkraut?!”

“Uh, doesn’t sauerkraut usually go on bratwurst?” Dick questioned, which earned in him another glare from the villain.

“It can be put on hotdogs too! See, people like you just don’t understand the importance of good condi-!”

“Yeah yeah,” Batman interrupted, rolling his eyes, “I’m sure they’ve got plenty of condiments in prison. So, enjoy!” With that, the two heroes started to head back towards their car, but stopped when the sound of an alarm rang out. “What the-?” 

“Look!” Dick pointed towards a shop just across the street from where they were standing. A pawn shop, to be specific, with plenty of valuables inside. With the alarm still blaring, a trio of criminals rushed outside - and froze when they saw the infamous Batman and Robin staring right at them.

Batman however, just gave them a flat look. “...Really, guys?”

Of course, the criminals didn’t reply. They just made a ran for it as fast as they could.

Dick wasn’t discouraged however. “Come on, Padre! Let’s get them-!”

“Wait.”

The boy stopped, giving his father a curious look. “I’ll get them,” Batman told him, “while you get going.”

“Huh? Wait, but-” “Hey Condiments, what time is it?” Batman asked, turning to look at the villain.

“Uh-” Condiment King twisted his wrist a bit to take a look at his watch. “7:40? Wh-?”

“Exactly,” Batman nodded, looking back at Dick, “You don’t have as much time to get there as I do. Didn’t they say they wanted you there early?”

“Well yeah, but...” Dick frowned. As much as he knew that his father was right, he still didn’t want to just leave him. They were a team, after all. He didn’t want to miss out on any of the crime-fighting fun, nor did he want his father to fight alone...

Batman’s gaze softened a bit. “Look, they’re just a few thieves, alright? So it’s not like you’ll be missing out on much. I’ll just grab them, get back whatever they stole, and then I’ll be on my way, okay? Promise.”

“...” Slowly, Dick gave a small, slightly reluctant smile. “Okay...” 

"Good,” Batman nodded, handing him his Bat-Grappling Hook. 

“Good luck!” Dick told him before launching the hook upwards, It hooked onto a high-up corner of a building, and within seconds he was rising up into the air (giving a small “Wee!” as he did so). As for Batman, he stayed just long enough to make sure his son had reached the top alright before racing across the street. 

Even with three criminals on the run from him, it hadn’t been too much of a challenge - especially since they hadn’t been smart enough to split up. Once he found their trail, it was just a matter of catching up to them - which was pretty easy, despite the thieves getting a head start. ’Heh, who needs super speed when you’re Batman?’ the hero thought to himself.

A quick chase and a few more bat-a-rangs and punches later, and it was all over. It had been just as easy as Batman had predicted, and by the time he dragged the thieves back to the pawn shop, the police were already there, looking over the damage to the shop and arresting a ranting Condiment King. 

Accepting their thanks as quickly as he could, he handed the criminals over and jumped back into the Bat-Mobile. ...Where the Bat-Phone was already ringing. Groaning, Batman reluctantly answered it. “Whaaaaat?”

“...Um, Sir?” a familiar voice answered after a moment.

“Oh. ...Uh, hey Alfred,” Batman replied, “What is it?”

“Well, Commissioner Barbara and I are here, as well as Master Dick, who just arrived a couple minutes ago. Though, he told us that you would be held up for a bit, and I just wanted to make sure that-”

“Don’t worry Alfred, it’s cool,” Batman insisted as he started up his car, “I just had to stop a few extra criminals, no big deal.” He looked at the digital clock again. 8:02 PM. He smiled. “I can get there in ten min-!”

Suddenly, a loud explosion in the distance interrupted him. Turning around, he could see a huge cloud of colorful smoke from several blocks behind him. There was only one villain around that could make their explosions that colorful... However, rather than being concerned, Batman just scowled. “Seriously?!” he shouted, as if his enemy could hear him. 

“Master Bruce?”

Remembering he was still on the phone, the annoyed hero sat back down. “Ugh... Maybe you should add an extra five minutes onto that. Just, save me a seat, alright?!”

“Will do, Sir...” Not wanting to waste a second, Batman hung up the phone and slammed on the gas, making a quick U-Turn and speeding towards downtown. It didn’t take him long to hear that familiar laugh...

“Ah, nothing like adding a bit of color to our dull lives!” the Joker grinned as he launched another paint cannonball at a building. Along with covering it in a huge splatter, it managed to knock off several pieces, nearly causing it to collapse. “Or rather, to MY city!”

“And to think, I thought nothing could be more fun than smashing stuff,” Harley added as she skated around with her paint-ball bazooka, hitting nearly everything in-sight, “But smashing WHILE coloring is the best!”

The Joker giggled. “Of course it is! Buuuut-” He could hear the familiar sound of speeding tires and roaring rocket-engines coming towards them. “I have a feeling the real fun’s about to begin~” 

Sure enough, the Bat-Mobile soon made its way onto the scene, its driver managing to dodge every single drop of paint that flew towards it. Of course, the Joker wasn’t discouraged. 

“I really was hoping you’d join us,” he started to say as soon as Batman jumped out of the car (landing in a traditional superhero pose, of course), “I mean, after hearing that you had to chase down ol’ Ketchup and Mustard for Brains earlier, I just thought that I’d come in and give you a REAL fight~!”

“Listen-” Batman started to say, but the Joker just kept talking.

“And you know, Bats, while the yellow definitely isn’t bad, you really could use some more color-”

“Joker-”

“-Your birdy sidekick’s definitely got the right idea! Buuuut knowing you, you’ll want to stick to your dull, boring, no-fun black. Though-” Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out one of many paint bombs he had and brought his arm back, “I’m sure I could ‘help’ persuade yo-”

“JOKER!” Batman shouted, giving the clown a hard glare and not flinching at the weapon pointed at him whatsoever.

“...” Slowly, the Joker’s manic expression turned to one of annoyance. “What?” he asked, lowering the bomb.

“Look. Can we just... do this later?” the dark knight slowly asked, “Maybe just, wait until tomorrow night?”

The Joker gaped at him. “ExCUSE ME?” he asked, clearly offended, “Evil and creative masterminds don’t just postpone their amazing crimes just because their hero isn’t in the mood!” He lifted his arm again, taking aim, but his enemy remained persistent.

“It’s nothing personal!” Batman argued back at him, “I just have somewhere I need to be! So, from your greatest enemy to my greatest enemy-” The Joker paused, lowering his weapon a bit. That definitely caught his attention. “-could you just leave quietly and wait until tomorrow to continue this? And if you do that, I can promise you that tomorrow, I’ll give you an all-in, completely focused and one hundred percent epic fight! One that we’ll always remember!”

“...” The Joker hummed, biting his lip slightly. Honestly, that DID sound pretty tempting, but even so... “Just what is this other thing you have to be at that’s just soooo important?”

Batman sighed slightly, knowing fully well the Joker wouldn’t back down if he didn’t tell him. So, he gave him an honest answer. 

...And honestly, the Joker didn’t really know what to say to it. “Oh, wow... Uh, well-” At least he wasn’t going off to fight another villain instead. And, really, even as a villain, the Joker could still sort of understand. “Well... I GUESS I can wait until tomorrow to continue all this. Maybe take some extra time to make sure I’ve got plenty of toys for you to play with. And I guess it’s for the best, since fighting you while you’re all distracted and just trying to rush through it would be the worst.”

“Right,” Batman said simply, giving the clown a small nod in an attempt to show just a bit of appreciation. 

“So, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow night. Just make sure you don’t disappoint. And don’t be expecting me to do stuff like this all the time, Batsy!” the Joker scowled, “Greatest enemies aren’t usually this nice! You’re just lucky that I have some standards!”

“Hmph, got it,” Batman nodded again, smiling slightly. Despite everything, the Joker smiled back while Harley reluctantly skated towards their car to put away her bazooka. 

Seeing that they weren’t going to try anything funny (no pun intended), Batman got back into the car, and- “Gasp!” It was already 8:19 PM?! “’Puter, enter into Autopilot Mode and get us to the Gotham Concert Hall ASAP!” he ordered.

“Yes Sir,” the computer answered. Tires screeching, the Bat-Mobile turned back around and shot forward as it morphed into it’s jet-plane form. As this was being done, Batman got into the back seat and started to change outfits as quickly as he could.

By the time they landed and the Bat-Mobile morphed into it’s ‘civilian mode’, Batman had changed into his usual white tux and was ready to go! Though, before he got out, he quickly realized that he still had his cowl on. “Ugh, right.”

Not wanting to waste anymore time, he simply pulled it off and tossed it onto the floor of the car before making a run for it. His hair popped back into place just as he reached the front door, and when he arrived at the volunteer-ran ticket table, he simply put down a huge stack of bills.

“Keep the change,” he said simply, taking a moment to flash his infamously charming Bruce Wayne smile. The woman at the table, while clearly surprised, still smiled back at him as he handed him the ticket. “Thanks!” he told her before racing into the theater. “Okay, now where-”

“Oh, Master Bruce!” “There he is, finally!” 

Thankfully, it didn’t take him long to spot Alfred and Barbara waving him over to their seats. “You were almost late,” Barbara told him.

“I know I know, I’m sorry,” Bruce replied, “But, hey, I still got here in time.” He made it, just like he said he would. And in his opinion, that was all that mattered.

And, as it turned out, he had made it with just a couple seconds to spare. The moment he sat down, the lights dimmed and the curtain in front of them opened up, revealing the Gotham City Children's Choir - consisting mostly of orphans, with all of the kids wearing baby-blue suits and dresses.

Of course, it was pretty easy to spot Dick among them, and while the boy started off with a bit of a frown, as soon as he saw all three members of his family in the audience smiling at him, there was nothing he could do to stop himself from grinning. 

The piano started playing, and after a couple seconds, the kids happily began to sing.

()()()()()()()()()

“So did you all like it?” Dick asked.

“Of course we did!” Barbara told him, giving the boy a quick hug.

“It was a very lovely concert, Master Dick,” Alfred added, “And you should be very proud of your performance.”

“Yeah,” Bruce smiled, patting his son’s shoulder, “Great job, kid.” 

Dick smiled back at them, giggling a bit. “Thanks guys! You’re the best! And, thanks again for coming.” As much as he always liked singing in front of others, it was nice to have actual family in the audience.

“No problem. So, how’s about we get you some ice cream for a job - er, concert - well done?”

“Yeah!” Dick cheered. Though, after a moment, he added, “Hey Dad? Afterwards, do you think maybe we could go out on patrol again for a couple hours?” Knowing Gotham, it wouldn’t stay quiet and peaceful for long. The city would need its heroes again soon enough.

But despite knowing this fact as well, Bruce couldn’t help but be a bit surprised at the fact that Dick was the one suggesting it. “Wait, really? Even after-?”

“Yeah!” his son nodded, still smiling brightly, “Why wouldn’t I want to?”

“...Heh.” Bruce gave a soft smirk. “Good point...” Even with the occasional frustrations sometimes involved with it, it looked like Dick had the same passion for crime fighting and saving the day (and night) that he did. And, while it maybe wasn’t the best thing to encourage a child to do, Bruce still couldn’t help but find it a bit comforting.

“Hey, it’s really not that late,” Barbara spoke up, giving a small smirk herself, “So maybe we could even join you guys? Four heroes are better than one, after all.” 

Of course, Dick had no objections to that, and neither did Bruce. “Sounds good to me. But ice cream first,” he told them as he started walking forward.

“Heh, yeah!” His son agreed, “With some whipped cream on it, maybe?”

“Ooh yeah. And if you’re going to have whipped cream, you might as well add chocolate syrup.” “Right! And caramel!” “And chocolate chips.” “And-!”

“Don’t make yourselves sick,” Barbara told them, though her concern didn’t stop her from looking amused at the whole conversation. 

“Yes,” Alfred added, “trying to fight on a full stomach could be, erm, disastrous...”

“Don’t worry, we’ll be fine!” Bruce insisted as he opened the theater lobby door, “It’ll take more than some sweets to bring us down!” “If you say so...”

As the family of four exited the building, none of them noticed the tiny drone watching from a corner...

“It is sorta cute to see, don’cha think?” Harley asked, still smiling at the tablet screen.

“Eh, I guess,” the Joker shrugged, trying to seem indifferent even if he was smiling slightly as well. Honestly, he had only flown in a drone just to see what all the fuss was about. And, while he still understood why Batman had chosen it over him, he still couldn’t exactly call it a ‘good’ choice.

“Those kids though, they should really try to liven up their song list,” he told her, rolling his eyes a bit, “I mean, a couple of them were alright but, where’s the silly and fun songs? The nonsensical songs? The songs that sound innocent but are actually dark when you think about the lyrics too much? You know, the laughs!”

“Aw well. I guess not everyone’s as good of a showman as you are, Mister J,” Harley told him.

The Joker chuckled. “That’s definitely true... And speaking of which-” He stood up from his chair. “Come on, Harley, we should get preparing for tomorrow’s show~”

Sure, the night had admittedly been fairly disappointing, but that was now the past. It was time to look to the future, the Joker was going to make sure that the following night would be a real hoot! But really though, there wasn’t much doubt in the clown’s mind that their postponed battle would be just as great his enemy insisted it would be.

After all, Batman always keeps his promises.

THE END

((I like the idea of Dick still being in that choir that we saw at Commissioner Gordon’s gala, even if he’s not an orphan anymore. He just seems like the kind of kid who would still enjoy being in it ^v^ Anyway, hope you guys liked this! And also, thanks again for all the likes and reblogs on my last two Lego Batman fics. You guys are awesome!))

[confusedunit]

Universe of Unreality - Chapter 12

Chapter 12 -  "Well, they'll need help soon enough." Tommy talks with Dr. Coomer. Dr. Freeman talks with Benr(e)y. Darnold talks with himself. 

When Tommy woke up that was the last thing he wanted to be. Awake.

He still felt the exhaustion settled deep, and with all the memories he had flipped through in his sleep, he felt all out of sorts. Concern for a group of people he hadn't been able to think about due to having to always think in the moment, anger he'd shoved to the side and still hadn't talked about, loneliness as he missed his dog. Where was his perfect Sunkist? He was safe, he knew that for free, but he wished the pup was at his side. Especially then, when he was feeling so...conflicted.

He wondered for a moment if that's how Bubby had felt. Conflicted.

…Okay, time to not think about that anymore. He couldn't come undone now, he had to keep holding the team together. Benrey couldn't take all of it, he didn't have the practice like Tommy did.

Speaking of Benrey, as Tommy looked around he noticed the guard was gone, as was Dr. Freeman. But Dr. Coomer and Bubby were still nearby. Dr. Coomer was sitting on the edge of the tram tracks, legs hanging over the edge, while Bubby slept while still clinging to his back.

Dr. Coomer smiled as he noticed Tommy waking. "Hello, Tommy!"

"Hello...Dr. Coomer." Tommy rubbed at his eyes, sluggishly walking over. "What are you...doing alone?"

"I'm not alone! I've got Bubby, and you!"

"I- I know that..."

"But as for why I am sitting here, I was waiting for you!" He grinned. "Benry started getting antsy, so he said he was going to go on ahead and clear out the rest of the boot boys for the rocket launch! Then he came back to get Dr. Freeman, and told me to let you sleep for a while."

"...Thanks." Tommy smiled a bit.

"You're quite welcome, Tommy!" His smile faded slowly, and he stared off a bit into middle distance. "...Tommy."

"...Yeah?" He side glanced at him.

"...I don't know what it is that you're doing. I don't know if I could." His voice was back in his lower register, again. Almost...lucid sounding. "But thank you. I...I know Bubby should not have been able to survive what he did. In the rocket test room." He adjusted how he was holding onto Bubby, ever so slightly. "...I tried to thank Benry, and he said to thank you. So." He smiled ever so slightly. "...Thank you, Tommy."

He felt his heart swell, at the thanks. He'd never been able to be thanked for anything as serious as this before. To not only be able to hear that, but also to be able to admit that he was doing it...made him happier than he could explain. His eyes flashed through a few colors, before settling back onto a glowing yellow. "...You're welcome, Dr- Dr. Coomer."

The older man smiled more genuinely, as he slowly got back to his feet. "Well, I'd say that's enough time away." He turned to look at him.

"Ready to meet up with the other two, and get some more shut eye?"

Tommy laughed. "More than anything."

-

Dr. Freeman slowly opened his eyes with a wince, as he felt the vertigo hit him again. Where was he? No longer down on the floor, that was for certain. He was sitting up, leaned back against...something, something that was cold against the back of his neck but not hard.

He mumbled a confused sound, and arms quickly wrapped around him, adjusting how he was sitting ever so slightly.

"hey."

He relaxed immediately. Thank God, it was Benry. He trusted Benry. "...Hey." He reached up to adjust his glasses, surprised they weren't cracked. "...Where..."

"look around, bro. though, more importantly, look out that window. the show's about to start."

He didn't have time to speak, eyes widening as he noticed the rocket ascend from the ground, and fly up into the atmosphere.  It was remarkable to watch. He'd never even dreamed of being able to see something fly off into space, but it seemed that today was a day of giving. …And taking. A day of near lethal give and take.

Benry nudged him, after the rocket had faded off into the sky. "...how you uh, feeling?"

"...Honestly?" He cleared his throat. "...Like shit." He reached for his chest with his left arm, pressing the symbol.

"User health currently, 34%."

"oh shit."

"Yeah, that's...that's not great. Ow..."

"Warning! Internal damage, detected! Blunt force trauma, detected! Major fracture, detected!"

"...Well, at least that...that explains why even the thought of moving my right arm hurts." He tilted back his head, until it rested against Benry's shoulder.

"...we found a health kit, but uh...we didn't wanna pick who to use it on. without you, uh, being awake."

Oh shit, wait. "Where's Bubby? Did he- is he okay?"

"outside with coomer. wanted to look at the stars. though, he is pretty hurt." Benry shifted a bit. "...can't walk, right now. patched up what i could, but my voice can't fix bone."

Dr. Freeman thought for a few moments, before he nodded. "Give Bubby the kit."

"what? bro, you're at like, real low hp."

"But he's got a broken leg, and you said you can't fix that. But you can probably fix up most of the rest of my problems."

"not your broken arm, though."

"Yeah, well, I've already got an unfixable health condition." He huffed. "What's another? ...Besides, at least I'll probably be able to walk. We need Bubby to be able to, so that we've got all hands on deck."

"except yours."

"Yeah, well, it's not like I know how to shoot a gun, anyway."

Benry went quiet for a while, before finally speaking again. "...you really want my help?"

Dr. Freeman blinked, turning to look back at him. "...Yeah? Benry, you're my friend. And you're also able to help me. Why would I ask you not to?"

He stared down at him for a bit longer, before a set of yellow to blue floated out of his mouth.

"What do those ones mean?"

"...means i wanna protect you." Yellow, to blue. He'd make note of that.

"...Well, you can." He smiled a bit. "Right now."

Benry adjusted how he was holding onto him, before he started to sing with teal and green.

Dr. Freeman closed his eyes, with a smile.

-

Darnold looked over his computer screen, and his notes, multiple times. "Hmm...of course..."

The data he had was absolutely batshit crazy, but he believed it enough to trust it. Best case scenario, he got to take Black Mesa down a peg, and hold them accountable for their actions that had hurt the lives of far too many people.

Worst case he got, what, arrested? Not arrested. Probably. Definitely fired, but honestly that didn't sound half bad at that point.

Absolute worst case was he got shot and died, but that had basically nothing to do with the data he'd read.

He checked his computer again, to track the progress of the HEV suit currently carrying around a G.Freeman. The trackers were definitely a concern, but at least for the moment he could use that to his advantage. It also showed his current health status, and that was even more concerning.

If he read his notes correctly, they'd arrived at his lab two days after the one he was now experiencing. If that was the case, and Freeman was that wounded, than they'd definitely need his help regardless of if they wanted it.

"Just need to whip up a few healing draughts up, for their arrival."

He'd called his department the potions department for his own enjoyment, he remembered that clearly enough. And they let him get away with it! Sure, it was mainly because he was one of the only people who actually knew the composition of the medical supplies for the Medical Stations, and he was also one of the even fewer who knew exactly what doses of chemicals were in the HEV Liquid Power Cells, but if anything that made his department name even more reasonable.

He'd had so much fun, before, sending them soda compositions and claiming that they were some kind of potion to test. All they'd ever given subjects had been a sugar high and exacerbated one employee's obsessive caffeine dependency, but hey? Who else could claim they'd made their own workplace's soda? Still had to pay for the cans, if he didn't make a batch in his own office, but you couldn't have everything.

...Were they selling the soda outside of Black Mesa? He'd need to remember to add that to the list of things to sue for. It was way at the bottom of the list, but it paid to be through.

Darnold smiled, rolling up his sleeves. "Let's see...if I make five per person, six including me...plus a few extra batches just in case...I should be able to have them done by their arrival. Time to get brewing."