#i'd like to think this would be something similar to what scarlet would create

[scarlet--wiccan]

What's your favorite visuals of Wanda's power and why?

I don't know that I have a favorite, per se. Something I've noticed with comics is that the more elaborate the special effects and power signatures are, the more likely it is for characters to just default to, like, energy blasts, even if that's not how their powers work. So, sometimes, even if the effect looks really good on the page, it doesn't necessarily reflect Wanda's powers and how she utilizes them in a thoughtful or intentional manner.

I like the ring and orb effect because it's unique, and I think it conveys the idea that she's creating ripples and distortions in physical space, probability, reality, etc. I'd say I'd prefer something more similar to Cheung's execution in this page from Children's Crusade, over what Dauterman does in Scarlet Witch. You can see how this looks more like a translucent energy field gathered around her hands, and even though the shape is two-dimensional, the eye reads it as a 3D orb, like a bubble. With Dauterman, it often feels more like a random scattering of very flat, graphic shapes, although I should stress that that the other power effects he uses look great.

There are probably cleaner or more consistent examples of this Cheung example-- other artists do similar things-- but I have Children's Crusade saved on my hard drive so it's easy for me to pull up.

Alternatively, I really like the swirlier, more ripply effect that Pichelli executes in early issues. It blends well with the sparkly effects on Wanda's hair and costume, and I felt it lended itself well to the portals and matter transmutation and transmutation spells she used so often. Outside of this specific ring effect, I really loved the frothy, smokey effect that Perez achieved in his run on Avengers with Busiek. It worked really well for chaos, which was more of the focus at that point.

In my ideal world, an artist working on a Scarlet Witch book would develop a clear visual language to communicate which aspect of Wanda's power she's using, and how she's using it. For her hex power and probability manipulation, again, I'd go for the translucent rings and orbs. For chaos magic, I imagine something like the Perez effect, combined with the spacey, light-and-shadow-intertwined effect I described here. And with witchcraft, I prefer to imagine something very fluid, like smoke or water, trailing off of her hands as she weaves spells.

[gamebunny-advance]

Doodle Dump: Misc. Edition

Time for misc. doodles~

Notes under the cut.

1: "Ikigusare Idols". Like many people, "Injection Girl" randomly appeared in my Youtube feed, and I was admittedly charmed by them. It's like they're from a bygone era, but they just put out another music video last month. Currently, my favorite song is "スーパーZ指定ガール". (Content warning for mass violence in the lyrics.)

2-4: "Clown Doll Redesign". So, since I've started doll customizing as a hobby, I tend to lurk on the Dolls and CustomDolls subreddits on the lookout for inspo and info. Not too long ago, someone posted asking for advice/critique on their doll ideas. So I sketched these (and some notes on the original design, which are not included here) as a response. In the end, I never did reply because I don't actually have a reddit account, and I thought it would be weird to make one solely to criticize someone, so I'm just posting them here.

My main critiques were that there wasn't a lot of contrast in their color choices and that the blue and red hair seemed random when the rest of the design was pink/green. So, my main goal was to increase the contrast between the pink and green, so the different patterns would stick out more and to unify the pallet a bit more. The skintones differ from the reference because the doll they said they were going to use was a G3 Frankie Stein, who has bluish skin and a prosthetic left leg, so I'm not really sure why their sketch uses the original green skin or why the silver leg is on the wrong side, but it is what it is.

The first 2 are straight pallet swaps, but the 3rd is based on a second design that the OP made. They originally asked for users to pick between the two. Most people said they preferred the blue and yellow design because it was more cohesive, but the OP replied that they really wanted to make the pink and green one work somehow, so that's why I focused on using that one as the base, but I still included a version with the alternate pallet and patterns.

Here's a link to the original thread since I'm kinda reposting their art by including it with sketch. Just maybe avoid linking back to me >_<;

5-8: "Music Junkie Soundwave". In a similar vein, there was another user on the subreddit that wanted opinions on a potential Transformers fashion doll line, citing a video that one of their friends made on the idea.

Now despite having a limited knowledge of Transformers, and I'm still pretty green to the fashion doll world, I wrote a whole-ass dissertation on the idea because magical girl/boy robot dolls are totally something I'd be into.

But, for a similar reason to the clown doll, I didn't want to make a reddit account just to critique someone (though I still have the original response in my drafts).

When I finished writing that response, I decided to sketch how I would go about the idea as it'd been proposed, and created this Soundwave doll idea. Admittedly, he's very inspired by Giacomo from Pokemon Scarlet/Violet (never played it, but I do like some of the character designs in it). I dunno if the overalls are a little dorky, but I couldn't think of another way to represent his chest-deck in a meaningful way.

9-10: "Kingsley and Mamuta". I tried to make some human? designs for them, but it's not going great. I really wanted Mamuta to still be monstrous, but designs like that aren't my strong-suit... Kingsley I'm just not satisfied with yet.

11: "OC Line-Up". Just a few OCs of mine. From left to right: Carol, The Prince Formerly Known As Frog, Shapeshifter, and Fizz.

12: "Rival". An idea for a rival to Kun3h0, ala Shadow the Hedgehog and Wario. I made another sketch recently that goes in a very different direction, but I kinda want to finish that so I haven't included it in this dump.

[mirikitakato]

[Translation] Banquet for the Scarlet Flower Dyed in Darkness: Episode 5

Ivan: ......Jessica's life is at stake, I can’t afford to rest. I’m the one asked for help in the first place, so I can't leave it all to you. I may not be able to do much, but... I still want to do what I can.

Heathcliff: Ivan...

Riquet: I remember! I brought honey cookies for a snack. Everyone, also Ivan, please have some. Let's give a few to Jessica as well. Even a wizard would have a hard time only eating nectar. I'm sure she'll be able to eat something by tomorrow morning.

Ivan: Honey cookies...

Riquet: Something wrong with honey cookies?

Ivan: Oh, no, this reminds me Jessica likes them. This village is remote, but it's famous for its honey because there are many flowers.

Heathcliff: By any chance, you mean honey made from Oz flower’s nectar? Isn’t the flower poisonous?

Ivan: The poison is only in the roots, so the nectar is harmless. The taste is so rich that would make people want to keep eating it. But...thank you, Jessica will surely be happy too.

Riquet: You're welcome, eating what you like gives you energy.

Ivan: ......You all are so kind. I thought I would feel scared of wizards because of Lord Oz’s legend. But you all have been nothing but kind to me since yesterday. Jessica too...I guess wizards aren’t that different from ordinary humans.

Arthur: Lord Oz is like that too. He's no different from us. He's kind and generous, and he makes mistakes like anyone else. For example, when I was a child, I asked him to make pancakes for me, but he didn't cook them well and burned them.

Ivan: Lord Oz…made pancakes...and b-burned them?

Riquet: He is good at making them now. He even draws pictures on them.

Lennox: Cain also said he got a cute drawing of a rabbit on his pancake.

Heathcliff: I was also really surprised when I first heard Lord Oz draws on pancakes.... He's also created illustrated textbooks that are easy for Riquet to understand, since he is studying reading and writing.

Arthur: Yes, he has done that too. It was really fun to draw pictures together.

Riquet: If there are things couldn't be conveyed through pictures alone, he would use magic to make them move. I'm still studying from that book.

Lennox: I once drank with Lord Oz at a bar.

Ivan: Lord Oz went to a bar…!?

Lennox: That time, it seemed he concerned about me throwing myself into danger without regard for my own well-being. He's a kind person.

Ivan: ......

Arthur: Does it surprise you that a Demon Lord would act like a normal person? But it’s also one of Lord Oz’s appearance. His immense power often leads to misunderstandings. Whispers and myths distort the truth, painting him as something entirely different. I think...the flower that blooms in the forest is similar.

Heathcliff: …With its size and beauty, that flower is worthy of being named after Lord Oz. The stories passed down likely contain a variety of circumstances or reasons behind them.

Ivan: You’re right... It’s such a strange rumor that a simple flower likes to suck human blood and life force. Maybe we, and our ancestors who have lived near here for generations, misunderstand the flower because of the name "Demon Lord Oz"...

Arthur: ...... "Oz" is a precious flower to me too. My journey with Lord Oz in pursuit of that flower was unlike anything I'd ever known. The world stretched out below us in a kaleidoscope of sights, each day brimming with the unexpected. It was only for a few days, but it felt like we were having an adventure all over the world together.

Heathcliff: ...... I'm sure Lord Oz felt the same way as Prince Arthur. Given the widespread recognition of Lord Oz's name, clearing up all misunderstandings may prove challenging…but perhaps, we can begin to untangle the smaller grievances over time. I hope this will be the first step towards a positive outcome.

Arthur: Thank you, Heathcliff.

Ivan: ......

Lennox: That pendant is also made by a wizard.

Heathcliff: A protective spell is cast on it. Did Jessica give it to you?

Ivan: This... Jessica gave it to me as an amulet before I left. I see, so it's a protective spell... That's why I was able to travel such a long distance safely...

Arthur: The two of you get along well.

Riquet: Hehe, Ivan loves Jessica.

Ivan: Eh?! Wh-what are you saying all of a sudden...?

Riquet: You had a very kind expression just now. It feels great when the person you love cherishes you back.

Ivan: No, no, no, it's not like that...Jessica and I grew up like siblings because we live close by. Her parents are not around, and my parents were often away from home because of work, so we practically lived together. Jessica can be a bit of an airhead sometimes. There are times I can't tell which one of us is older…

Riquet: ......So you treasure Jessica like she's family? Isn't that loving someone?

Ivan: Ah, you mean in that way...

Lennox: Haha, I'm sure Jessica loves you just as much. The protective spell cast on the pendant seems to be filled with a lot of heart. Wizards use magic with their hearts. So I can feel a warm heart in that pendant too.

Heathcliff: I see. A warm and strong heart. ......But the protective power is a little weak, though.

Ivan: I-is that so?

Heathcliff: Perhaps it's the effect of time passing, but...it’s definitely also because it's been protecting you with all its might. If it's okay with you, can I fix it? Jessica's magic will remain unaffected, of course.

Ivan: Ah, thank you, if you don’t mind…

Heathcliff: 《Repsev Aivulp Sunos》

Ivan: Wow... it appears even shinier somehow.

Heathcliff: ......Something important given by a precious person, who has grown up with you since childhood, huh…

Ivan: Huh?

Heathcliff: No, it’s nothing… ...Let's pray together that we can get through tonight safely. With Lord Oz and Teacher Faust around, I'm sure we'll be fine. We'll help as much as we can too.

[Scene changes]

After parting with everyone who are in charge of investigating the documents in the village, we are walking along the path that leads into the forest.

Shino: Exactly as Ivan said, the flowers become denser and denser the further we go.

Murr: The air is getting thicker too! The flowers are swaying and moving, like we're being invited into the forest.

Faust: If you were human, you would naturally stop because you could sense the danger. Well, no one is living here to begin with…

Akira: Speaking of which, "Oz" is poisonous, right? Ms. Jessica said she can only eat its nectar for now. Would her body be okay?

Faust: Only the root is poisonous. She’s probably fine as long as she only eats the nectar, but...

Faust stops speaking and looks at the forest, raising the brim of his hat slightly.

Faust: …I can sense an aura similar to the flower in the pot. As I thought, the reason these flowers are discolored is probably due to the miasma floating around the forest. Although the details are still unclear, the bottom line is that Jessica, who ate the miasma-tainted nectar, is now only able to eat it.

Murr: And there are twisted beings lurking in this forest like the undead! Was she seduced by “the source”? Or was she driven by it? In any case, she is now under a curse of sorts.

Shino: So, the flower itself doesn't want life force or sacrifices.

Akira: According to Jessica's dream, the source of this miasma lies deeper within the forest, at the very location where she saw a field of Oz flowers. The closer I get, the heavier the air becomes, like I was being pressed down by something…

Oz: 《Vox Nox》

Oz, who is standing by, recited a spell. A wave of warmth washes over me, instantly calming the tremors of anxiety and cold that have gripped my hands.

Oz: The miasma can’t kill us, but it's not something a human can withstand for long. If you're not feeling well, let me know.

Akira: Oz... thank you.

As we walk through the forest, the trees thicken, casting a night-like darkness despite the late afternoon hour. The canopy overhead blocks out the sky.

Shino: Oz, you traveled with Arthur to find this flower. Did you come here before?

Oz: No, we found it in the North. The ground was covered in snow, and there were fewer flowers in bloom.

Murr: What kind of journey was it? What brought Oz, who had confined himself in his castle for over a thousand years, out of the castle? Why did you think of looking for “Oz” flower? Did you become interested in the flower that bears your name? Or did you just want to show it to Arthur?

I meet Oz's eyes briefly as he turns his head away to avoid Murr's curious gaze. I’m also interested in the story of his journey. Oz realizes the unspoken curiosity in my eyes and slowly turns his gaze to a flower blooming nearby.

Oz: ...It was Arthur who brought it up. He was a child who wanted to know everything. There was nothing special about the trip itself. It was just a trip to find a flower, and we found it, but...

Looking into the distance, he speaks softly and slowly, as if trying to pull up past memories from that beautiful and large flower.

Oz: When Arthur was a child, the twins gave him a storybook telling a legend of this flower. Arthur was happy that it had the same name as me. He wanted to see it with his own eyes, so he held this book, came to me on a broom and said: "Let's go see the Oz flower together!"

Listening to Oz’s gentle voice, a smile tugs at my lips. I envision the image of little Arthur, whose face flushed with excitement, gripping a broom in his hand.

Akira: Sounds so cute... So, you guys went to find the flowers by riding brooms?

Oz: Yes.

Episode 4 | Episode 6

[pikatrainer99]

Ok this is kinda a random thought I had and it's not really a question but I would like to hear your thoughts. So something I find very interesting is hybrid animals, two similar but different animals creating an offspring that Is a genetic fusion of both parents. That kind got me thinking of a potential feature l would like to see in future pokemon games. So we saw in Scarlet and Violet that they are starting to add small little side things again that make certain pokemon unique, like convergent pokemon. So... Hear me out. What if in gen 10 or another future game they make it possible to make hybrid pokemon by breeding! Yes I know with the way egg groups work it might not make sense but I mean maybe they can make an exception? I was thinking maybe you have two pokemon who are based on real life creatures that can make hybrids, like Rapidash and Zebstrika or Beartic and Ursaring, and give them some kind of item,breed them and then you get an egg that will hatch into a fusion of the two. Yeah just a crackpot idea I know but just wanted to ask you and hear what you think.

That's...actually pretty interesting! I think it would be kinda cool! I'm just imagining the Rapidash and Zebstrika hybrid right now...Fire and Electric would be such a fun type combo (it's two of my favorite types so of course I'd love it 😅)

[energonbunny]

I posted 1,038 times in 2022

81 posts created (8%)

957 posts reblogged (92%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@zoreta

@silvermoon424

@jacobtheloofah

@thesadieb

@decepti-thots

I tagged 559 of my posts in 2022

Only 46% of my posts had no tags

#demon slayer - 142 posts

#kimetsu no yaiba - 130 posts

#tanjiro kamado - 78 posts

#nezuko kamado - 68 posts

#transformers - 63 posts

#q'd 4 the move - 62 posts

#zenitsu agatsuma - 43 posts

#demon slayer spoilers - 39 posts

#inosuke hashibira - 36 posts

#kimetsu no yaiba spoilers - 35 posts

Longest Tag: 110 characters

#if i had a penny for every time a mech found out their love interest turned into a spider i'd have two pennies

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Love that Arven called a flying taxi for rescue from Area Zero. What great service!

62 notes - Posted November 28, 2022

#4

So... do we just never find out what pokemon attacks Arven and nearly kills Mabosstiff/sends Arven fleeing from Area Zero? Because unless I missed a line of dialogue (possible because of how quick and small the stuff was) then I don't think it's any of the pokemon we see, given he doesn't recognize any of them. He never says he didn't get a good look (again, unless I missed something) so... what was it?

And if I did miss it plz let me know

70 notes - Posted November 30, 2022

#3

So I loved the ending of Scarlet, but one of the biggest questions for me was how similar to Professor Sada was AI Sada? Almost immediately after meeting AI Sada we find out that she's acting differently than the Professor would have, and even going against her direct wishes in regards to the time machine. So how much was AI Sada's words to Arven about her pride and love for him directed by the Professor, and how much was it by her?

There's always the possibility that it's just a robot emulating humanity because it envied them and wanted to have everything they had (freedom, like AI Sada said) but it seemed a bit too genuine for that.

Another possibility is that Professor Sada recognized some of her failures and wanted to code who she wanted to be, and that is why AI Sada is different and more outwardly affectionate to Arven.

And another, sadder possibility, is that AI Sada had that spark of humanity, of connection and understanding and empathy, that Professor Sada herself never possessed, and that is where the differences arose. What Professor Sada fundamentally lacked, AI Sada did not. So it wasn't really Arven's mom saying that stuff to him after all.

221 notes - Posted November 29, 2022

#2

Haven’t seen this circulated off hand, so some art from the Rebellion manga!

473 notes - Posted January 6, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

See the full post

702 notes - Posted April 4, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[thewrittenpost]

Storyline Swap! If your OC’s from Death’s Eyes and Frog Prince were in the Villain’s Intern universe, what superpowers would they have?

I guess the characters that already have powers (like Acheflow with her death-vision and Gwen with her magic) would retain their original powers, but what would your non-powered OC’s have?

Maybe Toshiko would have a power that ties into her thieving ways, like invisibility, shadow-travel, camouflage, shape-shifting, or illusions? Or maybe Theodore would get shape-shifting, but only into animals (frogs are his go-to).

I imagine Aoife would have teleportation, because I love to imagine baby Aoife getting into all sorts of trouble at the castle. Teleportation would stress out her caretakers the most - they’ll have to chase her down and search for her on rooftops and washing machines, because she loves weaselling herself into places she shouldn’t be. An alternative power would be invincibility - it’d be useful since she keeps climbing castle walls and getting herself into precarious situations.

I’m curious to see your takes on all your other characters!

Ooh, this is a very fun question! I'll throw it under a Read More to keep things small!

I like to give all their powers some kind of weakness or drawback, because I think it makes things a little more fun! Plus, it makes them work for it, haha!

Acheflow already has the drawback of not being able to physically touch people, so she already fits in! Gwendolyn would fit the bill too, but I have to figure out a drawback to her power as well; I like the idea from a manga I was reading that witches can't tell lies or they'll lose their powers because their magic creates lies, so maybe I'd play with that?

Rhianwyn would have something based on illusions, with the condition that nobody -not even herself- knows what the real her looks like anymore. They all assume it's similar to Gwen, but being seen causes immense pain, so she's been a not-her since childhood.

Roland can talk to animals and plants, but he has a very difficult time adjusting and understanding humans due to his connection with nature. I would love to make Theodore a shapeshifter, but I already have a canon villain with those exact powers, when I decide to develop them. Charismatic leader though, where he is capable of essentially brainwashing people or forcing them to follow his orders, I could see him doing. That way, if he's not very careful with his words, bad things can happen. (And it reverses his role with Gwendolyn, who is usually in that position)

Scarlet probably has something physical; a super-strength of some sort that is a familial trait. Kind of like... one of the few families that pass powers on, instead of them being kind of random. Downside: there is absolutely a villainy based line that does the same thing, and they are out to end the family, one way or another.

I always saw Toshiko with the ability to fly, but that may be because I've made her primary mode of transportation a flying carpet. Not a ton of drawbacks, except that flight is difficult to master, and no one wants to go like the caped people from the Incredibles.

Aoife would absolutely be invulnerable to all damage, except for one condition she herself isn't even aware of, because her parents have kept that from her. As a result -like in her canon- she's become a little reckless with her own life, because let's face it: she can't die yet anyway, can she?

I see Alba being very similar to Roland, minus the plants. Because I need my Snow White stand-in to be friends with all the animals and have them leap to her aid.

Mmm... Tobias would likely talk to the dead, maybe even be able to call on them for help. But that's a slippery slope, and he doesn't have many (any) close living friends anymore. Lou, on the other hand, likes to set things on fire, and when they get too excited... well, things kind of go boom.

[starswelike]

Hot beginning (The Heart - Marvel fanfiction)

This is the first chapter of the Marvel fanfiction titled The Heart

Pairing: Loki x OC

Warning: strong language

In this Story you can except:

massive character developement

an OC, who's secretly Not an OC

a hate to love relationship, and love át first sight

Loki becoming stronger

Lots of fun and sassy remarks

Warning again: I have to admit English is not my first language, but I try to learn it. I think writing is a good way to do it, because I love books and stories, and of course, fanfictions. 🙂

So I really hope if you give my story a chance, you won't regret it (and that I can write understandable 😅)

Well, enjoy the Story! ❤️

Chapter - Hot beginning

The armored troop-carrying SUV seemed to be moving at its greatest calm. Thanks to its serious equipment, the passengers could not feel it when the vehicle drove into a pothole, so starkly, keeping its speed, it broke towards their destination. The prestigious vehicle was perfectly suited for the transport of armed troops.

The nine people the monstrous SUV was carrying did not detect at all the wild pace dictated by their driver, middle-aged Dylan Johnson. The man was not a model of patience, it also appeared in his driving style: if he could not get around something on congested inner-city roads, he pushed it down with noble simplicity.

“Next time let's take a helicopter, it'll be faster." He had a slight annoyance between his teeth, though he could not deny that he enjoyed deep down that he was the greatest and that no one could stand in his way. Rather, the reason for his nervousness was that he was afraid of that, another unit was ahead of them. Dylan always wanted to be the first one who arrives to the crime scene, thanks to his competitive personality.

“Just take us there, Johnson. There will be plenty of other reasons for headaches." replied the small team's chief, Commander Miya Okamura, in a harsh tone. Her ominous words were noticed by all of them, knowing Okamura never exaggerated.

“Can you tell me what we're afraid of?”

Juan José Navarro, the team's sniper questioned in cold blood. His eyes and expression reflected his interest before his voice.

"Here's what we know," she began with the boss's usual firm voice. “There's been a report at 177/A Bleecker Street.

“Isn't that the title of that weird Strange?”

Aidan Cole, a handsome man in his 30s, could not wait for the boss to report everything undisturbed, as expected. He had comments all the time. What's more, he once again expressed his disinterest in magic.

"If you spit at Dr. Strange like that, you can scratch off the background of your phone, snitched," grumbled she, the team's med coach, Bria Hornback. “Scarlet Witch is not appropriate for you, who can't respect magic at all.”

“When did you check my phone, Hornback?” he asked with shock.

“I guess I found it out.”

“Wait. So you didn't know? Then how do you...?”

“Are you still asking? You always talk about her as the perfect woman.”

“Don't discuss who's looking at what now.” Okamura put an end to their light-hearted pecking. “Yes, that's where we're going. Wong came to us, Strange's most loyal man, claiming that particular events had taken place there in recent times, but before they could shed light on the secret, someone created a dimension gate that opened with a spell.”

“Can you make that a little clearer, boss?” Ella Willis was shocked. Her face showed the woman's lostness on the subject with undisgued sincerity, but she was not alone in doing so. Bria herself couldn't suddenly imagine what a dimension gate that would open all the time might look like.

"These wielding fuckers have created again," said Aidan, with mere despity. “Tell me, what's our job, boss?”

“Aidan, I'd like to know more about the situation.”

"So am I," said Bria, taking Ella's side. The weapons expert waved off the tea, which she wouldn't have left without a word. She felt the anger that was pouring in from her insides, but she exercised calm, for she knew it was not the best time to create a big-mouthed rival, even though in most cases she was happy to get involved.

“According to Wong, they don't know who caused the complication, which is why they need our help. Since the summoner's identity, and more importantly the spell itself, is not known, it is much more difficult for them to take them out," continued Miya, noting that the discussion had almost swerved in a different direction again. “What we know at the moment is that there's a dimensional gate that opens the way to several other dimensions at the same time. It's also feared to open up to a place where evil creatures sit on pins and needles waiting to be released to Earth.”

“That's tough. Then what do we do?" One of Bria's best companions, Takahashi Arashi, came out in the dismay of his eyes. He probably didn't get any smarter with the explanation; at least he probably didn't understand how the dimensional gate worked. Bria didn't fully understood it either, she didn't blame him, and she thought it was a sympathetic step to clarify what to do.

“According to what was discussed, Strange is trying to find the magic in the library, or a counter-spell to eliminate it. He noted that because he did not know how to eliminate it, at least traditional techniques do not work for the gate, it is feared to have been created by a force that is in the same way as Strange's power." Hearing the commander's remark, they all understood that the task would be more serious than expected, and Bria swallowed a great deal of concern, fearing that she would have to care for many of her comrades. “While the monks are protecting him, we, the S.H.I.E.L.D.'s units, are striving to catch the creatures pouring out of the gate, take them out and most of all, and not let them get away from the area. The lives of innocent civilians are at stake here.”

"That's why I hate all these magicians," shudded Aidan. “Their spells are like a bad experiment, only if it goes wrong, we could be in big shit.”

“Yes, because the gun is obviously completely harmless. Not to mention the nuclear bomb and its associates. And even these are old-fashioned compared to today's new weapons.”

Bria was unable to stop responding to the man's statement, which earned her inciforming gaze.

"The line-up is the usual," continued Okamura, once again noting the little digression. “Saunders is on his way, Ella's covering for him from above. Aidan and Takahashi will follow him with me. Alma, Hornback and Johnson stay in the back and cover Navarro until he can find the best shooting position.”

“I've been looking for some for you, Juan. Do you see them? “ the young technician in the passenger seat, Alma Mariano, turned back.

“Yes, I picked out what I thought.”

They all had digital display phones as work equipment. A fantasy image of the area to be secure has already appeared on it, beamed by S.H.I.E.L.D. satellites. The gate was located in the middle of the four-lane road, which was open in the north-east and southwest. But they weren't aware if anything had come through.

They all saw the small front terrace that Juan had chosen. Okamura nodded, approve of the decision.

“All right, Alma, you cover Navarro and Johnson's got Hornback.”

Bria was very feared for her associates during every operation. The boss always explained this by saying that they needed her, as a med schooler, to save lives, not to risk her own at the forefront. If she's lost, maybe there won't be anyone else to help. She appreciated the same, and it felt great to her that there was always someone to protect her even when she was in the danger zone, but she wasn't completely satisfied. Even though they told her that she deserved it as a med coach, she somehow felt like a clog and longed to fight better on the battlefield. Unfortunately, she only received basic combat training, and the main education for her was physiology, biology, chemistry, all that science. She gained useful knowledge, but at times she felt like a bird locked in a cage.

The bends were felt from slight inclinations. Bria and the people on the same side as her were leaning forward on a left turn, holding them only with their straps in place, when Dylan said:

“That stinking fucking sky! It's like it was in ‘12.”

If she could, Bria would have jumped up to see what might have been out there, but she knew what was late wouldn't go away, so she waited, despite the immense curiosity that consumed her insides. Their driver compared this one to the incident in which the Asgardian gods appeared on Earth, and Loki unleashed an army of alien beings called Chitauri on them. Would that have meant that bloodthirsty race had re-found? There was a chance, the dimension gate gave them every opportunity.

She took it upon herself with a big sigh, and decided that she would do everything she could to make sure that no such great devastation could occur again. That old case did enough damage to her and her life, and she was just one of them. To this day, countless people have thought of that day with anger, grief, sadness, and they all had their rightful reasons.

Takahashi put his hand on her shoulder and stroked it a little to help her relax a little. Perhaps he did it a little more gently than he should have, but Bria appreciated that and his smile. That man knew her too well, he noticed her tension. She couldn't have kept anything from him.

As soon as the vehicle stopped, they untied their seat belts and armed and prepared for the command.

“Johnson, what do you see?”

'Well, there's trouble' murmured the man, then exchanged a meaningful look with Alma sitting next to him. ‘Conventional weapons won't work here. Some creatures don't even have a solid body that pops up.”

It didn't prove a little reassuring to hear that. Although the arms industry also tried to keep up with magic and space technology, the most widespread weapon was still the one that threw up bullets. True, those who fired shots similar to those of the late Iron Man's energy beams began to gain ground. Fortunately, S.H.I.E.L.D. circles did not prove to be a problem to obtain these types, yet Bria was less confident in grabbing her small pistol, which was handed to her after the gun cabinet was opened. She didn't have one, only that and her combat knife.

“Let's go, let's go” Okamura commanded, and Saunders opened the back doors at that moment.

It couldn't be put off any longer, so Bria swallowed all her tensions and went with her companions as discussed. Saunders cut forward with a huge gun, Ella pulled over his head with the help of a jet-pack. Just as Okamura and they discussed, everyone was grouped together to whom they were commanded. Bria waited for Johnson, and together they cleaned up the creatures that got close to them.

The view turned out to be astonishing. At first glance, they couldn't figure out the tangle. Despite the fact that Bria thought it might be time for her to finally be in the lead, Bria was grateful that she could stay a little behind to map the field. If she had been in the front, she would suddenly not have known what to do, but the others shooted at their opponents almost without thinking, reflex, habit.

The sparkly dimension gate was located right in the middle of the road, as the digital map showed. When she looked into it, Bria saw that the place changed from second to second. She saw worlds she never dreamed of. There were some strangers from where they came from. Flaming skeletons or icy giants, splashing swamp creatures or space creatures floating in ghost form. From the horrible to the more beautiful, there were all sorts of things, but thank goodness not all the areas where the gate opened proved dangerous.

With a big leap, a strange, blue-bodied creature, looking like a half-grown frog, landed near her. It was ugly, especially I’s huge canine teeth, which it clapped towards Bria. The woman was startled by the unexpected incident, but she was neither a beginner nor a clumsy one, so she quickly put her gun on him and destroyed the ugly creature with an energy beam.

Dr. Stephen Strange was not present. He must have been wildly looking for a counter-spell. His disciples and members of the order, on the other hand, have been very aides in capturing the terrible creatures. They were mostly pushed into other dimensions, and the monks were very smart. If a creature came from underwater, it was sent to the desert, which came from the cold, thrown next to lava. The cruel but useful procedure has brought its results, and for the time being they have managed to control the various species, none have ever attacked anyone. It was a real relief for Bria to see that the situation was under control. So she aimed her targets with much more confidence. Unfortunately, sometimes she found someone who had just been sent through a dimension gate from under her nose, but it was better to try twice than not once.

“That's going to be fine. Only the doc has to rush” said Dylan, and the medic nodded.

If everything had stayed that way, the situation would have been resolved over time, but no one said that more serious opponents would arrive. The gate made sure it opened in most of the places that exist. Some were given the moment it saw the gate that opened at their home, and some of them were unwittingly dragged in. And Bria was the first to see him.

It's been more than ten years since Bria was attacked in Manhattan. The losses she suffered that day proved to be heavy for her. Although she always thought she could never make amends, and she had to learn to live with the thought that what she lost that day would never get her back, she was overwhelmed with feelings of anger and vengeance when that day came up or whatever hinted at it. That's why she was so ready to act in the open-plan, but the moment she saw Loki unearthed from the gate, who could not be mistaken for anyone else, she was blinded by rage to the extent she had never before. At the same time, she felt a sudden desire to act. If she catches that cunning but dangerous god, they'll finally, maybe for once in her life, appreciate her and realize that she's dynamic, too.

Anger is not a good counselor. Bria, who always tried to act judiciously, even if it was difficult, proved unable to restrain herself this time. She wasn't thinking, she was just doing what she wanted to do in those moments.

“Loki!" She screamed, like a wild Amazon, and immediately threw herself toward him, not counting, not caring about the command, nor her team, nor the potential danger. She just wanted to get close to him before God knows what he would do. Bria's only advantage was that she was on her way before Loki could even figure out what had happened to him. She could tell he didn't intend to be here at all. His face was clear with surprise and anger.

Bria almost instinctively pushed aside those who got in her way, could have been her teammates, Strange's men or monsters. It's like Loki was in the crosshairs, and she waded through anything to get to him.

“Hornback, stop!” Okamura shouted at her, hearing it loudly over the radio, but not she heeded it. She wouldn't let anyone stop her.

Loki seemed to be surrounded by a faint blue light. Although Bria had never seen anything like it before, she didn't dilate, and she kicked off and caught the Asgardian before the light flash blinded her.

The next thing she knows, she's feeling them fall and she's burying Loki under herself. She didn't even notice it was hot, and everything looks so red. She wanted it too much. She sat on Loki's chest and held his hands down.

“I've got you!” she declared triumphantly. At that moment, their eyes met. She could see Loki’s confusion, and then his pupils dilated. Bria didn't know where to put this. She thought maybe the god of mischief had seen something that scared him, and her vanity was fading at the thought that it might be her.

Then she noticed the change of environment. She looked carefully around, not yielding to her grip, and discovered they were near a volcano, on a protruding rock, plenty of hot air. And Loki didn't look at all like he was having a good time. He was sweaty, his eyes fell in and his lip was dry.

A dimension gate opened, and they all caught their heads to see an overly muscular creature, resembling a minotaur of legends, fall straight into the hot magna. Their demonic cries, while burning, penetrated to the veal, Bria trembled for a moment, but she ruled.

"I didn't want to come here," murmured Loki under his nose, looking at Bria, as if he expected the answer to the big question of how they got here.

"They probably caught us with a dimension gate and sent us here."

"And why are you here, pretty eyes?"

Bria didn't show anything because of her equipment, just her eyes. They were just as blue as the sky on the most beautiful summer days. Loki looked at her with a peculiar smile, he seemed so confident, she wanted to shout at him, but now she finally ruled herself. She took the first step, caught him and got close to him. She quickly completed the final phase before Loki could escape, pulled a tiny circular object from one of her waistline bags and quickly pushed it to his neck.

"Auch" he hissed and Bria pressed the button in the middle of the device to activate itself. "What's this?"

"It blocks magic" she smiled, smiling slyly, and even good enough to lean close to the face of the God, looking even closer into his eyes, emphasized what she had to say. "You're my captive."

"Hm" sighed Loki and rolled his eyes. Somehow, the threats never work, and he's already reached out to rip the device out of his neck. Bria quickly pressed the button on the remote control for the device, and her prisoner shocked throughout his body and froze.

"If you do something I don't like, count on me to torture you."

"There's has to be a time when you're not watching" chuckled Loki. He was ready for the challenge, he wasn't daunted, even when Bria was sure he wouldn't get out of it. She leaned even closer to him. She herself behaved in a challenging way, feeling in the saddle.

"Test me."

They stared into each other's eyes for a long time. Loki didn't move either. It seemed serious, as if he had studied his situation, but Bria's attention was not abated. But she couldn't deny her excitement. For all the things he did that day, Loki could now be penalized and she was happy to be so close to him. She's heard the saying more than once, revenge isn't worth anything, but it's proved undeniable that it's sweet.

"What do you intend to do to me now?"

If they were already in the crater of a volcano, there must have been a reason to be lured. Bria could have rolled Loki down into magna, he probably wouldn't have survived, especially with a teaser blocking his strength around his neck. Her gaze suggested that she had thought for a moment about this possibility. Once and for all, ridding a villain of the world turned out to be truly graceful, but in the end she followed protocol by pushing his position indicator so that if they sought her out, they would find her.

"It's an enjoyable position, the way you sit on top of me, but maybe we should move."

He was sick of the heat, which is why the Asgardian was talking. Bria, on the other hand, wasn't touched by that. Seeing him suffer was a pleasure for her.

"Commander Okamura!" She told his transceiver, but the static chatter revealed that they wouldn't be receiving it. "The rocks are shielding the channel."

"Should I take you somewhere else?"

"Listen, the easiest thing for me would be to push you into the lava, so you better not pull the plug."

He smiled again. He’s never been scared of threats? Bria was a little amazed by this, but at the same time annoyed, but calmed herself with a quick sigh. She couldn't let Loki mislead her. She knew exactly how emotional manipulation could achieve his goals, which is to escape at the moment. If she’s already captured him, she really didn't want him to get out of hand.

She was hot, but not as hot as Loki. The Asgardian was tormented by the symptoms of heat, while Bria simply took the mask off her face and then the helmet off her head. She left her blond hair in a bun, and to torture his prisoner even more, she took out her canteen and pulled a big one out of it. Deliberately so that the fine water drips over her face, and then on her waterproof clothes, a few drops reach Loki. She looked at the man with a sarcastic smile, barely visibly licking her mouth, his eyes almost staring out, so he observed. This filled her with satisfaction, and she even made a small laugh.

"You're an evil woman, you know that?" Loki said softly. Although him tone might have been surprising, Bria ignored it.

"I'm just enjoying the moment."

"As do I."

"What?" she tipped his head to the side. "I can tell you're about to die of heat, and you can't even get the teaser out of your neck, because if you reach for it, I'm going to push the button. What is it that you can enjoy now?"

He smiled again. Despite the circumstances that were really causing him suffering, Loki was very easy to use to confuse Bria. She was terrified to realize that he had already begun manipulating her, as he had piqued her curiosity.

" Yes, even though you can see that I'm not a fan of heat, the energies that come out of you, the passion, the sexuality, the confidence, and how beautiful you are and how close you are to me..."

"Are you seriously complimenting me?!" Bria screamed, as did another being that they didn't pay attention to, but in the meantime it got here and fell into the lava. Loki smiled like rabies. The Asgardian was crazy, if he really thought it would take her off his feet. The woman was sure that Loki had not taken a word seriously, if only because of his great egotistical reputation, which, because of his divinity, looked down on people so despised that he would have condemned them directly to servitude. When someone felt this way about humanity, the compliment could not have been real, but in Loki's case, the issues should be treated with reservations.

"What's so surprising?" The man's half-smile would have been quite heartwarming with those sparkling eyes if it wasn't for Loki who Bria hated so much because of the old attack. "Don't they ever tell you how beautiful you are? Or are your fellow human beings so blind?"

"Don't think I'm going to fall for the honey-glazed words. You're a god, and I'm a human. You look down on us."

"But I recognize beauty."

"You're just trying to embarrass me so you can manipulate me."

"Yes, because I'm guessing you're trying to lock me up somewhere. I can see the S.H.I.E.L.D. logo pinned to your chest."

Bria almost screamed at Loki not to stare at her breasts, but she couldn't let anger take control of her. The Asgardian tried hard to get out, obviously by all means. She was starting to feel uncomfortable alone with Loki. She was really hoping the beacon sent the notification. Even if the radio waves were blocked, the position indicator sent a signal to every satellite in existence, which could then be decoded in S.H.I.E.L.D's central application.

"I am surprised by your sincerity," she replied, more calmly than she had first planned.

"At the same time if I can't escape, I'll try to enjoy every moment with you at least."

"I'm afraid I'm not enjoying anything with you."

"You sat on my chest quite easily. Maybe you could do it to my lap too."

"With these perverse innuendos, you're not going to get anything from me," chuckled Bria. "Even though I haven't had a relationship yet, I'm not embarrassed by the subject of sexuality. "

"What do you mean?"

"Do you know how many people make pig comments about me at work? I had to learn to handle these."

"I guess other people recognize the beauty you have," said Loki, raising his eyebrows with some anger, which gave Bria joy in the hope that these compliments would finally spare him. "But now that I've found out you're a virgin, you seem interestingly more attractive to me."

"Come on, don't make a stand. I know you despise me for being human, so I can't be attractive to you."

"Why is Hornback written on your dress? Is that your name?"

"Yes, I'm Bria Hornback," she nodded, it's okay for Loki to remember her name." What's wrong with it?"

"It's such an interesting coincidence, don't you think?" the Asgardian flashed that half-smile meant to be alluring again, and his eyes shone despite all his suffering. "Your name is Hornback, and I have a helmet with horns swerved back..."

"Don't explain to me that we have anything in common." Bria was still more restrained than she first wanted, while the sounds of death filled the space. "You're a monster!"

"What did I do to you to hate me so much? Or are you like this because of New York?"

Bria kept quiet. Her ears were hurt by the bitter cry of another creature. Death proved to be shocking, no matter how it came.

But she didn't stay quiet because she wanted to hear the cry so much. She just didn't want to answer the question.

"You don't know me, yet you judge me," continued the Asgardian. "Tell me, do you really think you guys are so flawless? I mean, judging isn't a very nice gesture."

"I didn't say we are, but you did enough damage to my life to make me hate you."

"Yes, it was a big mistake, and yes, I'm guilty. Since then, however, there have been a lot of events that have made me change, so..."

"Oh, don’t you dare make yourself look as a good guy." she snapped. "You're evil, the god of mischief, unreliable, and..."

"Don't be so stupid!"

Loki's voice thundered with anger for the first time, which frightened her. The word was stuck in her throat.

"Are you seriously going to put a little tip on everyone? Good and evil? White and black? You should know by now that there's no one in the universe who has only good or bad qualities. We all have our faults. Even you, Bria."

It turned out to be an odd feeling when Loki called her by her name. Despite the fact that he intended his monologue to be a reproach, it was as if the man found her worthy calling by her name. That said, after he liked her last name, maybe she shouldn't have been surprised.

"You're not treating me like an equal. You judge me without knowing me. You're being this erotic, and you're putting me through this heat. These are bad qualities."

"Merry Christmas! I hope you're pleased with your discovery."

"You're as cynical as I am," laughed Loki, but his throat was scratched. Maybe he was starting to dry out. "They say cynicism is a sign of intelligence."

"Do you have anything else to study on me?"

"Interestingly, the more I learn about you, the more I care about you."

'Wow, That’s good for me. " Bria sighed not a little joyously.

Suddenly she saw a bright flash of light in the sky. A helicopter appeared over the crater, and the beam of light settled on them after some searching. Bria's relieved to see this.

"This is Bria Hornback, med school of Commander Miya Okamura's unit," said she to her transceiver after setting up the general S.H.I.E.L.D. channel, holding one eye on Loki. "I have a captive I'm asking for urgent support for. I catched Loki!"

"All right, Agent Hornback." received the answer via radio. "We're taking Loki into custody immediately. We help you! Please don't move."

Bria smiled for the first time with a truly great exultation at the man who had been laid down. His face finally showed a slight sign of disappointment.

"So you succeeded," he said resonantly.

"If there's anyone you shouldn't look down on, it's me. "

"I'd add, for now. Because I can't guarantee I'll stay with you for a long time."

Bria looked deep in Loki’s eyes, and the feelings of victory were gone. It was perhaps the first sentence she believed without doubt and took as a warning. She did not want to tell the Asgardian that she was up to the challenge.

[scarlet--wiccan]

I do kind of feel like the narrative should do more to establish that Billy is going to be Wanda's successor- that's definitely what we're meant to infer, both from him inheriting her powers and the reveal of Scarlet Witch being a family title- but pretty much every time we get a look at Distant Future Billy, he's always taking after Stephen instead, both visually and title-wise.

It wouldn't bother me as much if it weren't for the fact that current Billy clearly likes being associated with Wanda and the idea of continuing her legacy, and he doesn't hang out with Stephen all that often. He wasn't even in Strange Academy. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to see them bond, but that hasn't really happened outside of that one issue of New Avengers back in 2009.

I'm not sure why Billy would be in Strange Academy, unless it was in a role similar to Nico's, which... I mean, I'm glad she had something going on after Runaways ended, but I cannot think of anybody less qualified to teach. Maybe the two of them could've been TAs, or maybe Jericho could've let them audit some classes to round out their magical training since they're both too old to enroll. But if I had to guess, I'd say Empyre was probably on the docket when SA was being planned out. Not that characters can't be in multiple places at once-- or that it's difficult for Billy to travel between Earth and the Alliance-- but that was a big event and a big status-quo change for him.

There are two versions of Future-Billy-As-Sorcerer-Supreme. One is from a the single-issue special Avengers: The Children's Crusade: Young Avengers-- and yes, that is a horribly confusing title that also makes this issue really hard to look up. This guy dresses just like Stephen and literally calls himself "Doctor Strange." He appears opposite Tommy as "Quicksilver," Teddy as "Captain Marvel," and Eli as "Captain America." Everyone's leaning into their actual legacies, and then there's Billy, cosplaying some guy he couldn't be less related to.

The other version, who has appeared in far more comics, was introduced in a 2013 X-Men event called Battle of the Atom. This guy is both Sorcerer Supreme and a member-- sometimes leader-- of the X-Men. This story was written a couple years before the Axis retcon, when the character was still ostensibly a mutant. There a few different versions of this character from a few different timelines, but he always goes by "Wiccan," and even though his costume contains references to classic Doctor Strange designs, it's still uniquely his.

Both of these future versions of Billy were created well before "Scarlet Witch" was retroactively established as a hereditary title. I don't know if things would be different if that was a part of Billy's lore from the get-go-- I think, for both silly gender reasons and a general desire to give Billy a unique identity, most writers would still avoid calling him "Scarlet Witch," but I think it'd be nice to see him take up the mantle in one or two alternate timelines. Certainly if Tommy's going to become Quicksilver....

[scarlet--wiccan]

Is Blood Magic considered egocentric?

I'm not entirely sure what you're referring to. I'd appreciate, for questions like these, if you would include an example of a character or series. "Blood magic" is a generically spooky term that gets used in a lot of fantasy and horror content, and it doesn't always mean the same thing. The Marvel wiki gives a few different examples, and I'm pretty sure there are even more out there.

Marvel Tarot defines ego-centric magic as that which is "derived from tapping into one's own spiritual energies." If you are using your own blood to cast or fuel a spell, then, yes, that fits the definition, in the sense that you're drawing power from yourself, your body, your lifeblood. There are a lot of characters, including most witches, whose magical power is hereditary, and that's sometimes described as a "bloodline." In this instance, the power is an inherent part of the person, so again, that fits the definition of ego-centrism.

Blood and other body parts can be use in spellcasting and rituals for a variety of purposes. We've seen blood used to create a connection to, or invoke the properties of, the person it belongs to-- I'm thinking of how Coven Akkaba would use mutant blood in Excalibur. In real life, this is usually described as sympathetic magic-- "sympathetic," in this case, referring to the symbolic or literal connection between two objects. Broadly speaking, you might describe this as eco-centric-- utilizing the power of your surroundings.

With blood specifically, however, it may better suit the definition of necromantic magic, which as I mentioned here, derives power from death and sacrifice, and ostensibly originates from the Darkhold. One need only look to vampire lore in the Marvel world to see how there may be overlap between the Darkhold, blood magic, and necromancy. In real life, "necromancy" means something very specific, but in Marvel, it seems to describe any kind of dark magic that is fueled by draining or consuming the energy of other life forms, at least in any way that is harmful or unsustainable. We know that this is what Lore does, and I would say that the Emerald Warlock's methods in Scarlet Witch (2016) are very similar.

Runaways (2003) #5

The primary example of blood magic on the Marvel wiki is actually Nico Minoru's Staff of One. In the first three volumes of Runaways, Nico must shed blood in order to summon the Staff and invoke its power-- once summoned, the Staff can cast virtually spell without further cost. If you assume that it is Nico's own lifeblood fueling the spell, then that's textbook ego-centrism. Nico's magical abilities are hereditary, and the Staff itself is literally bound to her bloodline, so that fits the definition of an innate power. However, the idea of sacrificing one's blood hews closer to necromancy, and in the 2017 series we learn that the Staff is actually an imprisoned magical entity whose power is being abused against its will. In exchange, in consumes blood, and later, portions of Nico's soul. I think that this is actually a really good example of necromantic magic, as it's defined in Marvel Tarot.

Two things to note-- first, the idea of magic blood, or "witches' blood" can sometimes be used in a way that's really racist, and it's something that I'm especially wary of with Romani characters. Personally, I think it's a matter of tone and intention, and you can put a really positive spin on the idea of magic bloodlines, even in a family like Wanda's. But the idea that her blood itself is literally magic is probably something we should avoid.

Second, and this just a semantic issue, the word "necromancy" literally and specifically refers to communicating with the dead, which may be interpreted as a form of divination. If you've ever prayed to your ancestors, that's closer to necromancy than what you usually see in pop culture-- and I want to note as well that there are a lot of magical and spiritual traditions that involve death or communicating with the dead that are often unfairly demonized in Western culture and popular media. There's usually a racial factor there-- you can connect the dots. Marvel is far from exempt when it comes to these issues, so I think it pays to be careful and specific with our words when we're playing in this genre space.