#in exploring that topic or discussing its place in this genre

[tls12lessthan3]

thinking about orvs metatextual engagement with its genre and specifically how that interacts with its women again. kim dokja is a self insert for the reader - what he thinks is largely meant to represent what we think, especially in the beginning before sing shong really fleshes out his character. kim dokja sees the world through tropes, directly acknowledging the genre around him and the cliches we expect e.g. the overpowered mc, the scheming villain, the beautiful heroine.

but a major part of his arc is deconstructing this reductionist view of the world in a way that parallels the author's deconstruction of the genre, and that plays really well with the way orv writes women. yoo sangah is perhaps the best exanple - shes introduced as the heroine, a one-dimensional pretty girl who in any other novel would become kim dokja's love interest. but the authors allow her to be her own character, directly challenging the stereotype of the heroine and calling attention to the genre's typical lack of depth for such a character. i think this undercurrent plays in the background often but really comes to the forefront when yoo sangah reminds kim dokja of her putting pepper in their bosses' coffee, a memory kim dokja had supressed because it didn't fit with the pretty girl persona he made for her.

i interpret that moment as yoo sangah pushing her way out of the mold of heroine often found in these stories, demanding a depth be added to her character, asking kim dokja - and thus the reader - to see her in her entirety, to see the heroine archetype for what she could be. orv is at all times in conversation with its genre, and its simultaneous writing of female characters with agency and depth and acknowledgement of the tropes these women are expected to fulfill is undeniably a part of that. and its a part i enjoy. most of the time.

[olderthannetfic]

I have conflicted feelings about the whole "copeganda" thing. On the one hand of course police procedurals have problems, portray cops of the good guys, etc. show rule breaking to get the "bad guy" as valid. i do see the problem there.

But on the other hand it feels like anti logic to say "you enjoyed x tv show so clearly you condone real world atrocities, you horrible person." And then you see people claiming that sam vimes or ACD Sherlock holmes are copeganda. or that fans watching a show where their fav actor plays a police officer are clearly racist. Or that all little kids who like paw patrol are somehow suspect or corrupted. And I worry we've lost the plot to another x media / depicting x is unredeemable crusade rather than trying to be mindful of the biases and messages in media.

Idk. Thoughts?

--

Copaganda is dangerous because it's a staple of CBS prime time et al. It tends to do things like make Internal Affairs evil in all cases. Even when you get the rare IA character who was arguably good for like 6 seasons or something, they'll still go evil for drama late in a show's run. (CSI: Miami, I'm looking at you.)

This is media with a massive reach that almost always reinforces a host of already extremely common social values, so it's going to be extra impactful relative to something like House of the Dragon incest.

We had some discussion here in the past about the measurable real world effect of B99 on people's opinions of the real NYPD. I'm much more willing to entertain people's fears about media when there are measurable effects and the audience size is large. I don't think we should ban cop shows, but there's a reason I like Miami Vice so much: it's noir, so everyone is horrible, including the authorities. While it was still extremely establishment-y, it managed to question the system a lot more than most of these simply by virtue of being a much darker show.

Mystery genre of various types isn't going away. It's a genre that really is copeganda: It's about social order being restored and making the world make sense.

We can be aware of some of the more insidious messages and push back against them though. It's like the torture thing: a lot of media wants to argue about whether the ends justify the means, but that whole complex philosophical can of worms is irrelevant since torture doesn't produce useful results in the first place.

Copaganda tends to not only make cops seem cool but portray villains stereotypically, demonize the important work of investigating cops themselves, justify police brutality, etc. There are a lot of specific problems that do not have to exist in media about cops solving mysteries. These are choices that mainstream US tv is making.

--

One thing I will say though... Mystery as a genre, including the worst of US cop shows, has often been far ahead of sff in diversity and even exploring contentious social topics. Geeks tend to think sff is so ahead of its time, but it's often pretty stick-in-the-mud compared to crime stuff. (Cue all the individual examples where it's the opposite way. Haha.)

[hms-no-fun]

What's your opinion on the new HS^2 update? I'm really excited it's back but I'm a little worried. Like, the fandom has had a real problem with pretending all the horrible shit that caused it to end in the first place never happened. Is this just gonna sweep that under the rug even more? Is James Roach heading the project because he's less "problematic"? I love James roach and I'm sure he'll do great but what about all the transphobia? I just hope they finally fulfill the Toblerone Prophesy and make June Egbert cannon.

short version is, i'm cautiously optimistic! but this is a loaded question you've given me on a lot of fronts, so i'm gonna try to take it piece by piece.

to start with, the sudden revival of Homestuck^2 (now minus the squared) took me by surprise because to my knowledge, it was entirely dead in the water. my involvement with anything Official ended at Pesterquest, and pretty much the entire post-canon crew i was friends with in 2019-20 has moved on to greener pastures. i share a similar sentiment with @pochapal in that i would have put money on hs2 staying dead forever. i have, quite frankly, dreaded the inevitable day when official Homestuck media would resume production, because the fandom at large seems quite eager to sweep the ceaseless harassment and transphobia that ended hs2 under the rug and pretend that it just, like you said... never happened. when that california cafe used older Pesterquest-like character designs that omitted short chubby Terezi and black-coded Roxy, however well-intentioned and ultimately harmless that was, it felt like a sign of things to come. that, as you fear, the sharper & more personal queerness that we tried to bring to this series would be erased, in favor of something meant to simultaneously appease both tenderqueers and redditors, two sects of the fandom most responsible for the aforementioned harassment.

luckily, that really doesn't seem to be the case!

to your worry that James Roach was made director because he's "less problematic," i'll just say that's entirely the wrong way to look at it. it's not like WP (such that it even still exists) were cruising to get HS2 back up and running. by all accounts, James is the only reason it's happening again in the first place. i can't stress enough just how small an operation this Homestuck business actually is (or, at least, was when i was involved). this is not a Huge Corporation making cynical cash grab decisions. this is someone who cares about the material pushing to get something made where otherwise there would be nothing. check the new About page, where the principles of the so-called Homestuck Independent Creative Union are laid out in plain terms. this is something the original hs2 team fought for, so for this new version to start from there as square one is huge and a good sign of the possible longevity of the project.

next, let's talk about the question of this new team erasing the legacy of the old one. Kate Mitchell is on the record that she was reached out to about this new hs2, approved it, and declined to be involved. i don't know if the other writers were reached out to, but i have no reason to believe they weren't. this is a tremendously important gesture of good faith and goes a long way towards easing some of these worries.

but let's look at the composition of the team itself. do you remember The Perfectly Generic Podcast? originally hosted by future hs2 writer Kate, pgen became a flashpoint for community discourse, often opening doors between official homestuck and homestuck fandom. what made that show special was that, rather than relying on the imo tired genre of the liveread, pgen focused on a different topic each episode and explored it with one or two qualified guests. Kate's goal with the show was to encourage a more adult and quasi-academic discussion of homestuck, of its successes and its failures. if you weren't there, the weight i'm putting on pgen might seem overblown (not least because you can't find it anywhere anymore except on the internet archive). but it's not! when they decisively criticized the wild contents of the Skaianet debacle in episode 19, Andrew listened and worked to bring a more diverse group of creators into the fold. in the months after the Epilogues were released, Andrew issued a statement through pgen on episode 52 about how the Epilogues are meant to create bridges and offramps for the post-canon fandom. it's an essential piece for understanding the epilogues and their relationship to fanworks! that it wasn't included as the author's introduction to the Epilogues in the book version remains to my mind an astonishing oversight, but whatever. point is, pgen mattered to the folks in charge.

so let's look again at the writing staff of this new crew. James Roach first guested on pgen in episode 7, and would go on to be a regular. Haven, who did the Vriska and Roxy sprites in Pesterquest (and probably more stuff i don't remember), guested in episodes 81 and 87. Miles guested on episode 87 as well (unless it's a different Miles, i'm not familiar with their work and ugh this damnable linkrot). Floral, creator of one of my favorite hs fanworks & huge godfeels influence Liminal Space, first guested on pgen in episode 47, and would go on to be a regular (including once during my tenure as host to talk about Jade). on the technical staff side, Kohi built the hs2 website and has remained a backend mainstay both on the WP side and on Vast Error.

all of which is to say, if you were looking for a crew to cynically erase the past and appease the haters, these probably aren't the folks that'd be at the top of your list. of course, if you *really* wanted to cynically erase the past and appease the haters, you wouldn't bother reviving hs2 in the first place!

and that's the crux of the matter here. what cash is there to grab? what clout could possibly be chased? i struggle to think of a decision less obviously profitable and popular than continuing hs2 with a new crew right where it left off. i have to believe this is happening because the people involved want to make it.

so, yeah, i'm cautiously optimistic. i like this crew, i like the contents of the first upd8, and i'm glad as hell it's not a reboot! i'm grateful that by reviving hs2, the hs:bc crew have instantly yanked the epilogues & the post-canon project back into relevance in the broader community. and i always liked hs2 a lot! i was excited to see where they were going! i'm really looking forward to seeing more YIFFY!!!!!

but the thing is, this won't be the hs2 i wanted. i know that, and i'm not expecting it. my greatest hope for hs:bc, for this crew, is that they get the chance to take up the reins and drive this thing in whatever direction they feel most passionate about. if that winds up looking like the hs2 that was originally planned, great-- but more than anything, i want everyone on this team to feel just as empowered to leave a profound and personal mark on this series as the original team did, as i did working on Pesterquest. i hope the outline changes! i hope they take some really wild swings! i want to be surprised!! i want to be challenged!!!

above all, i want them to have the chance to pick a course, sail it, and see it through to the end regardless of what the public thinks. they deserve the chance that the original crew didn't get.

i have plenty of bitterness and cynicism in my heart over the events and circumstances of 2019-20, but as far as i'm concerned it has no place here today. i would never, ever wish the trauma and stress of that era on anyone. let the fandom at large react in whatever way it will, but i want things to be different this time. this is a second chance-- not just for hs2/hs:bc, but for all of us. even people who hate homestuck post-canon! this is an opportunity for everyone to choose to be better this time, and to push back when others might squander that opportunity. this team is not a group of celebrities, not an abstract fiction on the other side of the world, they are human beings who took a job. they've earned the opportunity to do that job, and they deserve to be treated with the respect and dignity that was so often absent a few years ago.

as to your last point, about june egbert and the toblerone. i've been saying for years that andrew's confirmation of june was less "the granting of a wish" than it was "a spoiler shared without input from the creative team." that there is any doubt about june's providence in hs2 can only be attributed to willful, aggressive ignorance on the part of people who refuse to engage with the written word in any way other than plodding literalism. the original team didn't unveil june ~immediately~ because they didn't think of june as a wish, they thought of her as a character in an ongoing story who needed time to develop naturally. i have never not felt entirely crazy about how thick everyone has been about this!

but will the new team make june canon? obviously i have no way of knowing for sure, but i'm gonna go out on a limb and say that probably the answer is "yes, when they're good and goddamned ready." just, please, for the love of god, don't go after every upd8 like "where's june? where's june? why hasn't june yet????" this was one of the worst results of the toblerone spoiler and it put INSANE pressure on the hs2 team. so just... just let this story be what it is. let this new team make the homestuck continuation they want to make.

and in the meantime, if you're really hungry for june... there's always godfeels :)

[enmasae]

Desire of the fittest - Part 2

Self Aware Genshin Alternate Universe - Guide AU (my own take on sagau)

Previous - Next

Warnings :

Adult content (such as violence, bullying, toxic relationships, cursing, angst, nsfw, and others) and yandere behavior (such as obsessive and possessive display)

Theories and lore informations

Since this is my take on an alternate version of Genshin Impact, I've taken the liberty to include elements that may not align with the game's lore but will make sense in this particular story.

Content : And they were roommates, Totally not illegal business meeting, Casual conversation between a pigeon and a dog, How to deal with your partner's ex

"-and that concludes our coverage of the catastrophic disasters currently happening around the globe. On a brighter note, it was recently announced that the renowned game Genshin Impact will explore new horizons to celebrate its 20th anniversary. Today, we have the co-creator and current CEO of Hoyoverse, Mr. Wei, to discuss this highly anticipated event."

The small crowd attending the live show applauds as the CEO makes his entrance. Despite being in his fifties, the man retains a well-preserved appearance under the studio lights, his bright and confident smile illuminating the room. He nods in acknowledgment to the camera and extends a handshake to the TV host, who accepts it. Gesturing for his guest to do the same, they both proceed to take a seat on comfortable sofas.

"Thank you for having me."

The host eagerly clasps her hands together and leans forward, keen to gather more information about the plans for one of the most popular games in its genre. Even with the passage of time, Genshin Impact continues to serve as a source of inspiration for many and boasts a substantial player base worldwide.

"Mr. Wei, we're delighted to have you here with us."

The company's CEO offers a gentle smile, his composed demeanor standing in stark contrast to the energetic TV presenter.

"The feeling is mutual."

Immediately delving into the topic, the host follows the interview script he was given, narrating the current situation for his viewers and initiating a conversation with his guest.

"Several years have passed since Genshin Impact's main storyline came to a close, leaving fans eager to uncover the reasons behind the event announced on social media. While virtual reality has been, indeed, quite the talk in the gaming community since the release of the new AETHERAL&LUMINUS technology, we're curious to know why Hoyoverse decided to enter the world of cyber technology. What led to such decision ?"

Aligning with the host's expectations, the man in his fifties softened his features, conveying a sense of sadness to emphazise his point.

"You may call it nostalgia but the team and I wanted to provide players with the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of Teyvat one last time before the server's shutdown-"

"Boring..."

As the television screen dims, the ceo's voice fades into silence. Setting aside the remote, you find yourself drawn back into the embrace of your current companion, reveling in the affection he showers upon you. His lips delicately trace a path from your collarbone towards your throat, eventually meeting your own. As your eyes lock with his, you feel him whisper against your breath, anger kindled by your earlier statement.

"I allowed you to have fun with that descender, isn't that enough ?"

Maintaining eye contact, you seize his shoulder and skillfully shift positions, placing yourself atop him. Taking control, you lift his hands from your waist and secure them above his head. Aroused by the demeanor you display, he decides to let you to enjoy yourself and refrains from attempting to escape your hold. Savoring the moment, you slowly bring your face closer to his, allowing your lips to meet once more in a gentle union. As his lips moves forward to taste yours again, you assertively seize his jaw and unhinge it.

"Since when do I need your approval ?"

He escapes your grasp, emitting a painful cry. Clutching his jaw, he quickly realigns it with an audible crack and assesses its movement. Surprisingly, he doesn't appear overly shocked by your swift anger. He has to admit that he provoked it when he brought up your vessel. Well, former vessel, much to his satisfaction. He never held much fondness for the boy, believing he consumed too much of your time. He sighs while reclining on the couch, bringing you into a tight embrace. His gentle hand runs through your hair as he relish in the scent of your cosmetic products. While he remains unfazed by your unpredictable behavior, he doesn't hesitate to flatter you for forgiveness.

"You don't, but I appreciate when you consider it."

You dismiss his sweet words, recognizing them as mere attempts to please you, yet you accept them despite knowing him. He's an adept at manipulating others, appearing to have their best interests at heart while exploiting them. He creates an illusion of comfort and understanding, yet beneath it all, he harbors disdain for emotional displays. Even while knowing that, you prefer to believe in the distinctiveness of your relationship. You hope that he genuinely cares, even though your own feelings are uncertain. While you're not exactly friends, there's a sense of comfort in being your authentic self with him. Though not lovers, you find solace in holding each other during chilly nights, making the mutual loneliness less impactful.

Neither of you can define what you are in each other's eyes. That's why treating him the way you do comes more naturally, it spares you from overthinking.

"I'll play along, but only if you give me a little favor."

He notices the quiet sadness in your eyes but decides not to mention it. Smiling against your lips, he offers a gentle peck, silently seeking permission to go further. Forehead touching yours, he inhales your essence as you part your lips. Confident yet respectful, he explores your mouth at a measured pace, allowing brief breaks between the playful twirls of your tongues.

"Name it, and it'll be yours."

As you gradually pull back, you notice the man pouting, clearly yearning for the warmth you bestowed upon him. Although his clinginess strokes your ego and you enjoy feeling desired, it occasionally becomes irksome. The aftermath of the previous night speaks volume of how long it has been since both of you engaged in such passionate activities. Given your shared affinity for dominance games, perhaps it would have been wise to dial it down a notch.

"I want to be part of your project."

Instantly, the dark-haired man rejects the idea with disdain, his pout transforming into a disapproving snarl, and his nose scrunching in distaste at the mere thought.

"Out of the question."

Even if you saw coming this outcome, it doesn't prevent the surge of anger rising in your chest when he dismisses your request. In a swift motion, he seizes your forearm right before you could reach for the nearest empty alcohol bottle. While his hold lacks strenght, it effectively hinders you from shattering the glass against his head. Closing his eyes, he delicately brings your hand to his lips, placing a tender kiss on it.

"Losing you would drive me mad."

He might have intertwined his own existence with yours, yet, sometimes, it doesn't seem enough to keep you by his side. The intensity of your fascination for his domain unnerves him. While he had hoped for you to hold a similar affection for the present world you both inhabit, he acknowledges that these dying lands can never exude the radiance of Teyvat. Perhaps it was his error to entrust you with its care in his absence. He should have foreseen it. Even if you claim otherwise, he can only witness how your need for excitement is akin to theirs.

However, the issue resides within him, as he cannot bear witnessing the disappointment reflected on your face. With a sigh, the one who calls himself primordial release your arm and speak in a subdued tone, avoiding direct eye contact.

"Hypothetically speaking, if I were to allow you to blend in among them, what's in it for you ?"

In response to your silence, the man peeks in your direction, observing your bewildered, crunched-up face. Baffled, he lacks the time to react as you seize the hem of his partially unbuttoned shirt, propelling both of you upward. Guiding him to the rolling chair behind his desk, you swiftly pull him into it. Vaulting over the desk, you perch on its surface, placing your feet on either side of the chair's armrests, leaving him nowhere to run.

"You're joking right ?"

Seizing a knife lodged in the table, you extract it with a resounding crunch of the desk's wood. Positioning it beneath your partner's chin, his shaved face provides no shield against the blade. The man chuckles dryly, raising his hand leisurely to grasp the weapon's tip, casually creating some distance between it and his neck.

"Sadly, i don't do jokes."

Releasing the knife, you allow him to toss it aside, observing its slide on the floor and joining your collection of 'toys'. He rises from the chair and gently guides your back against the desk. His hands trace the contours of your body, scarcely concealed by the remaining clothes he didn't ripped apart. His touch eventually lands on your hands, leading them to his face. His colorless eyes delve into yours, restraining unspoken feelings in the air, akin to words on the verge of being uttered. Relinquishing your gaze, his lips caress your ears, whispering his anguish.

"Tell me why you're so eager to go there when you can stay here with me."

Running your fingers through his lengthy ebony hair, lazily gathered in a disheveled bun, you pull his head in front of yours. Removing the hairpin securing his hair, you let it cascade down, framing both of your faces.

"Freedom, Attention, Love, Entertainment... All guides are driven by their desires."

Your thumb glides down his lips, parting them and revealing the piercing on his tongue.

"I'm no exception, Phanes."

The ancient being chuckles softly, his laughter resonating deeply. He allows you to lead him towards your lips, his own already parted and eager to savor the taste of yours once again.

"We both know you're more than that."

While it's true that at times you remind him of those bastards, he can't fault you for it as it's in your nature to act this way. He just needs to make sure you never consider returning to your roots. Despite being the divine one of both, he'll gladly worship your entirety to ensure you remain by his side.

"My sweet partner in crime~, why won't you let me take care of you ?"

You know that if he was given the chance, Phanes would drive you to the brink of insanity day and night, ensuring you forget everything else but him. Unfortunately for the man, you're not interested in such fate. He won't be the one to stop you from pursuing what you want.

"If you truly cared for me, you'll let me go."

At your words, the primordial one rolls his eyes and deliberately collapses on top of you, relying on you to carry his weight. Despite his slender build, you struggle to pry him off from yourself as his arms hugs you close. Unfortunately, all you manage to achieve is getting his hair out of your face. As he rests his head in the crook of your neck, he examines the hickeys he bestowed upon you as gifts from the previous night. Relishing in the fact he has matching ones on his own neck, he yelps in surprise when you tug on his hair and push him to your right. He grunts and sighs, his palm massaging his scalp, irritated with your behavior.

"Oh, yes. Why didn't I think of that earlier ? Allowing you to dive headfirst into an unfair game specifically designed to trap and torture your kind will truly show how much I value you."

You chuckle at his sarcasm, then hop off the desk to head towards your belongings.

"And here I thought you couldn't be funny."

The gentle sound of your laughter coaxes a shift in his grumpy demeanor, replaced with a heartfelt smile. He takes pleasure in the melodic tones and reciprocates with a contented hum. If he were to pick a favorite sound, it would undoubtedly be your laughter, closely followed by the lovely way you scream his name in ecstasy. Yet, his grin quickly vanishes when he realizes what you're holding. Closing the distance in the blink of an eye, he tries to snatch the small device from your grip. You skillfully dodge his attempts, refusing to let him have his way. Seizing his hand, you twist it with a resounding crack, forcing him to drop to his knees.

"Isn't this fascinating ? That such itty-bitty trinket supposedly holds all the rights you wield over Teyvat. Must be so tiny because, you know, there's not much to brag about."

Having an idea of how you got it, he mentally scolds his shades for being too lenient with you. While you marvel at the tear-sized pearl, you remain oblivious to Phanes breaking into a nervous sweat. You might not grasp its usage yet, but he harbors no doubt that if he doesn't reclaim it soon, you'll figure it out eventually.

"I am the sole reason for Teyvat's current state. It's only thanks to me that those fools can enjoy their meaningless life."

He frees himself from your grasp, swiftly snatching back in place his wrist. Glancing up at you, he watches as you casually toy with the device, spinning it around with the chain and frame-like ornement keeping it secure.

"Says the one who prefers to live in isolation while 'his' world steadily erodes itself after each little 'cycles' you make it goes through."

Before Phanes can respond, a loud whistle pierces the air, catching both your attention and his.

"Man, they got you there."

As the primordial one sees one of his shades making himself comfortable on the couch, munching on some junk food he found somewhere, he groans in annoyance.

"Ugh, Istaroth, don't you have better things to do ?"

The man appears to ponder for a moment as he reaches the bottom of his snack bag. Upon realizing the absence of treats, he deftly snaps his fingers, causing the bag to replenish itself as if it had never been touched. Propping his cheek on his fist, he grabs a handful of snacks, shoving them into his mouth and chewing audibly. Observing the snack bag mysteriously being propelled toward the trash can, he hastily gulps down the remaining food, sighing in disappointment. Nonchalantly inspecting his nails, he brushes off the snack's crumbs, seemingly unfazed by the threatening glare from his boss.

"Apart from watching the two of you acting like animals in heat ? Not really."

While you prefer to remain clueless about how long he's been lurking unnoticed, you see that Phanes doesn't share your point of view. Gesturing angrily at his subordinate, his eyes betray a poorly concealed anger as his lips curls in disdain.

"First off, how dare you disrespect our privacy. Secondly, get your mind out of the gutter, we're not fucking, it's just-"

Phanes comes to a sudden stop, taking in the situation before him. With him on his knees, perfectly positioned to reach your pelvis, one could easily think he's about to give you a head job. You chuckle at the sight of him swiftly rising to his feet and hastily adjusting his partially undone shirt. The shade appears unfazed by his boss's embarrassment, having witnessed and heard far worse.

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'm not paid enough to deal with your abandonment issues."

The dark-skinned man reaches for a bottle on the floor but decides against taking a sip of whatever's left after some consideration. While Phanes busies himself searching for the remainder of his clothes, you saunter over to the shade in a seductive manner. As the divine being catches sight of your approach, he curses under his breath and feigns interest in the bottle in his hand. He flinches when you place your hand on his shoulder, while the other begins to caress his cheek.

"Hands off, sweetheart. I've got a keen sense of hygiene, and I know you didn't wash those hands of yours."

He swats your hand away from his cheek and pinches the other as if discarding trash, tossing it aside. You hum and flop onto the couch beside him, eliciting a grunt from the shade.

"Such perfect timing, Istaroth."

"With all due respect, which is none, screw you."

Glancing at the jewel in your hands, a mischievous impulse seizes you. Tossing the pearl towards Phanes, you watch as he dives to the floor to catch it, exhaling with relief upon success. With his head conveniently positioned at the perfect height for you to lift it with your bare foot under his chin, you compel him to look at you.

"Would you mind persuading your boss to let me do as I please ?"

Taking advantage of your momentary distraction, the primordial one signals to his shade to refuse, mimicking a throat-slitting gesture. Despite being molded from Phanes' flesh, he lacks the soft spot his creator seems to have for you, preferring to keep a safe distance from your antics. Even if his boss were to order him to indulge your whims, he would most likely flat-out refuse.

"Hard pass, sweetheart."

You glance at the divine being sprawled at your feet, examining his little trinket for any cracks. You rise to your feet, causing him to lose his head support and bonk his chin on the unforgiving floor. As the pearl slips from his fingers and starts its daring escape, he's on it like a squirrel chasing a nut, scrambling to catch up. Unfortunately for him, you reclaim it before he has the chance.

"And here I was expecting you'll be the first to want me out of here~."

Istaroth tumbles on his fist and then reluctantly straightens up, a smile spreading across his face's features. Rising from the ground, Phanes approaches you. While his arms gently embrace you, his gaze remains fixed on the jewel you're holding.

"Wait a minute... You want to leave ?"

As his gold-like eyes sparkled with excitement, he might sound a tad too pleased to your liking but you'll gladly take whatever enthusiasm you can get. You firmly press your palm against the primordial one's face, preventing him from reclaiming the symbol of his authority. The sound of his nose yielding under your palm reaches your ears, evoking a high-pitched grunt from him, not that you cared. With determined strikes, you approach the shade, affectionately pinching his cheek as one might do with a child.

"Exactly ! How clever of you ! Good job on figuring it out !"

You grab his hand and swap positions, flopping onto the couch and sending him stumbling towards the god, who's still inspecting his crooked nose in a mirror after you intentionally crushed it. As Phanes shoots a disapproving glance at his subordinate without even turning his head, the shade doesn't get a chance to speak, only receiving a grunt of warning from his boss.

"Not. A. Chance."

With no further resistance, Istaroth raises his arms in surrender and turns around. Displeased with how quickly he gave in, you shoot him a disappointed stare as he flops back onto the couch next to you. Feeling uneasy under your accusing gaze, his eyes avoid yours, darting away.

"Listen, sweetheart. If he didn't listen to you, he certainly won't give a shit about what I say."

Every gaze converges on the desk when Phanes' phone, emitting a distinctive ringtone, disrupts the room, prompting a weary sigh from you. Despite your expectations that he would have gotten rid of it by now, it becomes evident that the voicemail you recorded for him long ago still remains. A cringe washes over you as you hear your own voice trashtalking Phanes to answer the call. Istaroth appears equally displeased, emitting a grunt and burying his face in one of the couch's pillows.

"-fucking bitch ! You better pick up your goddamn phone if you don't want me to shove it down your throat and making you gag like the slut you are-"

A breath of relief escapes you as the deity declines the call upon checking the caller's identity. Unfortunately, the relief is short-lived as the persistent dialler triggers the ringtone once more, demonstrating a fervent desire to speak with Phanes. Having no intention of talking with this particular individual, he forcefully crushes his own phone, ending the incessant ringing. Tossing the damaged device into a nearby bin, he gestures towards his personal notebook to remind him he will need a replacement. Istaroth grumbles into the pillow, clearly irritated but reluctantly acknowledge the directive.

"Noted."

With a tilt of your head, you silently inquire for more information from the god. Phanes, in response, takes your hand and gently guides you to stand, initiating a comforting embrace. Creating a bit of space between the two of you, he delicately retrieves the jewel from the tips of your fingers, all the while maintaining an unwavering gaze with you.

"Don't you fret about such a thing, [Name]. As for your heart's desire, let me take a little while to think it over, and I promise to return with a delightful response just for you. In the meantime, I must have a talk with Istaroth. Would you be a darling and wait for me outside? It won't be long, I assure you."

Skeptical, you emit a doubtful hum, not entirely swayed by his sickly sweet display. Contrary to his anticipations, you don't put up a fight and merely leave the room with an nonchalant wave of your hand. As the appartment's door closes, Istaroth rolls onto his back, casually inspecting his nails as he typically resorts to when boredom sets in.

"Perhaps, it's time for you to let them go."

Regret floods Istaroth swiftly as his blood begins to congeal within his veins, causing him to gasp for breath and emit painful grunts. Collapsing from the couch, he struggles to lift his gaze towards his creator, his vision blurring with the intensity of his suffering.

"And I think it's about time you remember your place. Don't delude yourself into thinking that I've forgotten how you used to help them sneaking around with their ex vessel while I was looking the other way."

The shade gasps for air, sensing his body liberated from the torturous grip Phanes had on it. Coughing, his fist clenches as he swallows down any words that might further sour the mood of his creator. Over time, he has grown indifferent to such torment, losing the will to care or worry about his condemned immortal existence. While there is no hope left for him, there's still a chance for you to embrace the freedom he yearns for. Unknown to the primordial one, he is determined to help you achieve that.

"On the subject of discussion, I better mention this before it slips my mind."

Kneeling down, Istaroth keeps his head bowed, concealing the faint smile playing on his lips. Don't waste the opportunity he's granting you, because even he recognizes that time is running thin.

"Asmoday got killed."

Upon learning the demise of one of his shades, Phanes seizes his subordinate by the neck, pulling him up to his own eye level. Hindered by the contrast in height, Istaroth struggles to breathe, his feet flailing in the air as his creator seems to blame him for the distressing news.

"And by who ?"

Baring his teeth in response to the pain he endures, Istaroth chuckles drily as he struggles to breath.

"I believe- that the fourth descender- actively searching his lost guide within our quarters- is enough of an answer-."

A heavy silence falls upon the room, the air thick with tension. Istaroth's feeble attempt at breathing gradually fade as his creator's grip tightens around his neck. Shortly after, the only audible sound for the shade becomes the echoing reverberation of his own heartbeat in his ears. With adrenaline coursing through him, he looks in horror at the wide and contemplative eyes of his master, engulfed in anger prompted by memories from a distant era. An abrupt gasp resonates as the shade is released, collapsing at Phanes's feet. His heart pounds wildly, eyes wide with fear as his body trembles under the lingering tension.

"You're fired."

As the apartment door slams shut, Istaroth gradually allows his nerves to settle.

"Hourray... vacations."

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆.

　　　.   　　˚　　 　　*　　 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　 ✦

"Well, look who it is ! The one and only [Name]. Still on a leash, I presume ? I guess some things never change."

Glancing at the dame lounging on your left, flaunting her arms on the rail, she grins with a wickedness that could make gods blush. You emit a dismissive grunt and slump against the fence, both hands shielding your eyes briefly before giving your face a vigorous wipe, as if hoping to erase her existence. Unfortunately for you, she has no intention of leaving you be. Even though you wish you hadn't, you've mastered recognizing her bewitching crimson gaze, no matter the vessel she assumes. Before you stands Valefor, one of your fellow guides fueled by an insatiable thirst for power. It's not that you despise her more than the others, she's simply an unnecessary pain in the ass right now. Given her impatience, you opt to ignore her until she decides to leave on her own. No need to make a fuss over someone undeserving of such attention.

"Come on, lighten up ! That's not how you should treat your best friend~."

After a nudge from her elbow, you grab your drink and navigate the mezzanine alongside the fortunate few selected players. The sight of their camaraderie before the competition sickens you. Guides, by their very nature, don't blend seamlessly. They never have, possessing too much pride for such alliances. True friendships among them are scarce. Typically, collaborations are brief, driven by mutual benefits before one inevitably betrays the other.

As you weave through the crowd, you notice flickers of recognition in the eyes of some attendees, coupled with hushed comments. Despite the revival of unpleasant memories under their scrutinizing gazes, you maintain your pride, holding your head high. You don't hesitate to reciprocate their side glances, forcing them to avert their eyes. As you head toward a more secluded area of the reception room, you notice Valefor trailing after you, engaging in a few greetings with others along the way.

"Wait- Listen, I really need to talk to you, alright ?"

You sigh at her persistence and come to an abrupt stop, causing her to bump into you. Seizing her wrist, you pull her into one of the VIP rooms and throw her inside, making her stumble before finding her balance. Unfolding a small piece of paper, you ignite it, strange symbols manifesting in the air with a golden hue. Running your fingers together, you cast a brief glance back at the frozen crowd before shutting the curtains of the room. Valefor watches in amazement as the curtains defy the laws of physics, their movement ceasing once you release them.

"Time stopping, uh ? Neat. Is it a little trick from one of your newfound friends ?"

Settling onto one of the cushions, you take a sip of your drink and dismissively ignore her comment.

"I was told by Istaroth that you were advised to maintain a low profile. Guess it was too complicated for a meathead like you."

Taking residence on a couch opposite you, she flops onto it like a toddler and begins playing with the electrical device that allows the couch to transition from a sitting position to a reclining one. Despite of the unsettling noise, you only angrily sip on your drink, at least for now. You're confident that someday you'll get the chance to annoy her in return.

"I'm a guide, I do things my way. Anyway, the little birdie didn't say much about what all the fuss is about."

After finishing your drink, you spit out a small gem resembling a pearl but shaped like a tear, retrieving it from your tongue. At this sight, Valefor mutters a quiet "gross" under her breath before recognizing what you're holding. As you place it on the table, the guide shifts position, perching at the edge of the couch with a broad smile on her face.

"Holy. Fucking. Shit. You're fucking nuts, you know that ?"

You're not crazy enough to snatch the real deal from one of the most powerful gods and keep it for yourself. The little act you staged earlier was merely a ruse to make him believe you'd attempted to steal it and coax him into doing what you wanted. Unfortunately for him, you knew he'd never give in to your demands. That's why you had Istaroth retrieve it for you, but from a far away future. And this is the one you're showcasing now, although she doesn't need to be privy to that detail.

"Phanes expects me to follow his rules, but I couldn't care less about what he wants. So, here's the deal. I'll hand over the little trinket, and in return, you use it to send me to Teyvat."

Doubtful as she should be, or you might have lost all hopes for her, she squints before bringing her face closer to it for a better look. When she glances back up at you, she raises an eyebrow, sensing that something is amiss.

"Why not just use it yourself to get there directly?"

You scornfully scoff and regard the jewel with disdain.

"You think I haven't tried ? It recognizes the one trying to use it, and unfortunately, it only listens to that slut. Even Istaroth couldn't get it to submit to him."

From what she knows, you're more of a whore than he'll ever be, but she refrains from mentioning it.

"And what makes you think I can when not even a shade could ?"

Well, you didn't have much of a choice to begin with. Even though seeking help from one of your kind implies you've hit a low point, you won't allow her to mock you.

"It's a bit of a gamble, but I figured someone with your abilities could tame this little thing. Or is your desire for power nothing more than a joke ?"

As her eyes twitch, you know you've won. There's nothing more effective than challenging a guide to get them to do what you want.

"Deal. But I'd like to ask a question before."

Intrigued about what she might ask, you tilt your head slightly as a silent approval for her to proceed.

"At the very least, was he good in bed ?"

A smirk plays across your face. You hate to admit it, but he's got some skills when it comes to giving pleasure. Not that you'll vocalize it, though.

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆.

　　　.   　At the same time 　　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　 ✦

In one of the storage rooms within the same complex building, an elderly woman joyfully dances to classic hit that was popular in her time. Unfortunately, her little dance session is abruptly interrupted when a star-shaped portal unexpectedly materializes, tearing through the fabric of reality and remaining open long enough for its creator to tumble into the small room, dislodging multiple boxes in the process. Having served as a janitor for the company that owns the building for quite some time, she has grown accustomed to the unusual events that tend to unfold, allowing her to remain unfazed by the recent occurrence. With a frown directed at the spilled cleaning supplies, she removes her large music headset and exhales in mild irritation.

"Really ? This is the end of my shift."

The woman with platinum hair grunts in pain as she slowly rises, her eyes fixed on the prominent wound in her belly, her hand barely covering it. Growing irritated by the raspy voice of the janitor, she flicks her hand, silencing the elderly woman's chatter. The janitor's eyes lose their spark, becoming dull and lifeless, even though she's still breathing.

Limping her way out of the storage room, the injured woman curses under her breath. She loathes the fact that this puny descender caught her off guard, and she vows to ensure it never happens again. But for now, her priority is to get to Phanes. She needs to warn him that a greater threat is looming.

"Asmoday, don't you look terrible."

Disregarding her fellow shade, she attempts to walk past him, only to be halted by a hand on her shoulder. She hisses in pain and bats away Istaroth's hand, her golden eyes cautioning him not to mess with her, even in her weakened state. With an expression of utter disgust, he wipes the blood from his skin, staining his handkerchief, then meticulously inspects his nails for any lingering traces.

"Not that I give a shit, but you might want to consider changing styles. Let's be real here honey, red just ain't your thing."

Not in the mood to get caught up in her colleague's petty quarrel, she limps down the corridor, leaning on the wall for support and leaving gory and bloody marks in her wake. Hearing a snap of fingers, she grunts as she finds herself back next to Istaroth. Noticing the choke marks on his neck and the burnt skin causing his veins to protrude, Asmoday returns the animosity with a venomous retort.

"Have you seen yourself, asshole ? You look like shit that has been stepped on."

The shade dismisses her comment with a shrug as he gazes upward, the corridor lights flickering as if on the verge of fading completely.

"Well, that's what happens when you piss off our big guy upstairs."

Feeling a bit unsettled upon learning their master's sour mood, Asmoday glances at her fellow shade, puzzled about why he's acting like it's the best day of his life. It's been a while since she's seen him so genuinely joyful and carefree, almost seeming out of character. As he looks down at her while she coughs up a little blood, she can feel shivers going down her spine. A cheerful Istaroth is an unpredictable one.

But beyond fear, it unnerves her to see the typically grumpy god sporting such a crappy grin.

"Oh, please. You really thought he'd cut you some slack because you decided to wake up with a dick between your legs ?"

"And yet, you believe that playing the obedient lapdog will save your ass. I wonder who's the delusional one here."

As he peeks at one of the watches on his wrist, his smile tightens slightly. Confused about what he might be expecting, Asmoday's senses sharpen as the building begins to rumble. Glancing at her fellow shade, she realizes it's not just any ordinary earthquake.

"You didn't, you fucking pigeon."

Assuming a fighting stance, Asmoday grits her teeth to push through the pain as more blood seeps from her wound. It's solely due to her powers that she can still draw breath after losing so much fluids. Despite knowing she's not capable of defeating him in her current condition, even with his own bruises, she refuses to meet her end at the hands of a treacherous traitor like him.

"Oh, but I did. Though you're giving me too much credit. I simply distracted the infatuated fool with a threat he couldn't overlook."

The wounded shade struggles to comprehend why he would betray them after all this time. While she understands his disdain for Phanes and anything associated with him, and acknowledges that time holds no significance for him, she still wonders why he would sacrifice everything for you.

"Why go such lenght for them ? They're just a guide."

Istaroth's smile dims slightly as the lights in the corridor begin flickering once more. Glaring down at Asmoday, the shade shows no hesitation as he has already made his decision.

"You see, as for now, Phanes believes you're six feet under. Wouldn't want to disappoint him, now would we?"

With a snap of his fingers, Asmoday collapses to her knees, gradually turning to ashes with a betrayed look in her eyes. Brushing off the remaining dust from his pants, Istaroth hopes that she'll appreciate the scene reminiscent of Hiroshima back in 1945. He hadn't anticipated her survival after what that descender did to her, she's definitely tougher than she appears. Snapping out of his thoughts, he stumbles as the entire building trembles once more. Chuckling, he rejoices in your success.

˚　　　　✦　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　　 . ✦　　　 　˚　　　　 . ★⋆.

　　　.   　　A little earlier　✦　　　.　　.　　　✦　˚ 　　　　 ˚　.˚　　　　　　.　　. 　 ˚　.　　　　 　　 　　　　 ✦

Inspecting his bloodied weapon, Aether pays no heed to the bodies of the guards who attempted to halt him. Displeased with the fact that the weapon you blessed him with is dirtied by the blood of nobodies, he proceeds to meticulously clean it. Though not entirely satisfied with the results, he glances at the neon loosing their brightness. In the darkness, he assumes a fighting stance, prepared to slay anything in his path.

As the lights flicker back to life, none of the guards' bodies remain to the eye, only the slender figure of the man, seemingly waiting. The cold neons accentuate his thin face and well-nourished black hair flowing along his body. His silver eyes, almost devoid of color, scrutinize him up and down in a judgmental manner.

"You should not be here."

With chills coursing down his spine, Aether takes a step back and tightens his grip on his sword. With just one sentence, Aether realizes that he's facing something far greater than the shade he fought to reach this point. Even if Aether can feel he's at a disadvantage, he's not one to back down. Unfortunately for him, he fails to grasp that this man isn't merely annoyed by his presence in his domain. For he had become the target of all the primordial one's frustrations and anger, he should consider himself lucky he's still able to breathe.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

In the midst of preparing to strike, Aether is stunned by the sudden disappearance of his sword. Startled, he lifts his head to find the man's face mere inches from his own. With a defiant tilt of his head, Aether faces the towering man head-on. Swiftly reaching for a spare knife at his belt, he lunges forward with his weapon. Yet, he staggers forward as the blade slices through empty air, the man vanishing in a blink. Surveying his surroundings, Aether notices that all exits have vanished, leaving the room illuminated solely by a solitary neon light above. Alert, Aether startles as a cold whisper brushes against his ear, sending a shiver down the blond boy's spine.

"You could hurt yourself."

Glancing back, Aether takes a close look at the necklace adorned with a small jewel around his neck. Unable to shake the familiar feeling he gets from the man, he scrutinizes his features while searching for any apparent weakness.

"You remind me of someone."

The man scoffs, straightens his back, and puts some distance between him and Aether. While he kows that the descender is simply dragging out the conversation to buy time, Phanes decides to indulge him. Being quite picky about his conversational partners, he isn't normaly the type to engage in small talk with his enemies. However, he supposes he can make an exception for this one.

"Humph, do I ?"

Left with no more weapons to spare, Aether clenches his fists and attempts to think of a way to breach his opponent's defense. Sometimes, nothing works better than a little provocation.

"I know they're here. And I need to talk with them."

"Oh, you won't, not on my watch."

Aether charges towards the man, poised to strike him down. Just as he's about to land a blow, the man dissipates into black sand upon impact, causing the descender to tumble and fall to the floor. Confused as to why the tiles has transformed into the same sand the man turned into, the blond traveler is left in shock as the scenery completely changes. Emerging in a boundless black desert bathed in the light of three moons against a starless sky, he fights to regain his footing.

"How did it feel ?"

As the man's voice echoes through the air, Aether begins to panic, finding himself getting pulled into quicksand. Unfortunately, the more he struggles to escape, the further he sinks. The moons high in the sky appear to mock him, as if he's to blame for his predicament. Taking a final breath before being completely submerged, the descender has no time to react as he suddenly falls into what seems like an endless void. However, it isn't truly limitless as he swiftly touches the bottom, landing on his back.

"To be unwanted."

Gritting his teeth together at the pain, Aether refuses to give up and strengthens himself once again. Observing the new scenery, his eyes widen upon seeing you in the distance. With his first step, a crack forms at his foot and extends towards you. As he starts to run in your direction, shattering the stone-like floor like thin ice, you only move farther away, leaving him alone in this hellish environement.

"Not good, does it ?"

With the temperature rising, the floor finally gives up under his weight, causing him to fall once again. Using his broken wings to somewhat cushion his fall, he manages to land on his feet.

"I get it, you know. Out of all, I might be the one closest to understanding what you're going through."

Observing the fire ravage the lands around him, a strange itch stirs within him as he starts to recognize the scenery. It's an itch he cannot scratch, only indicating that something is wrong. As screams resonate, he remains paralyzed, unable to break down at the sight before him.

"Nowhere to call home."

He witnesses his sister weeping over thousands of corpses, her gut-wrenching screams breaking his heart. Before he can take a step in her direction and call out to her, her head unnaturally snaps 180 degrees. Under Lumine's hateful glare, he begins to notice the clammy sensation on his hands, his horror growing as he realizes they are smeared with blood. He shuts his eyes tightly and pounds his head repeatedly, desperately trying to convince himself that the man is merely toying with his mind.

"You know, it took me a while to discover what was going on."

Upon opening his eyes, Aether discovers that he is now bound to a chair, the furniture itself constricting his hands behind his back. Before him, Phanes lounges in a comfortable seat, casually playing with the shattered intertwining of fate that symbolized the connection between you and the renowned traveler. Upon realizing this, the descender struggles against his restraints. Yet, as he attempts to vocalize his desire to reclaim it, no sound escapes his mouth.

"They hid you well. However, once the secret was out, all they could do was to plead on your behalf, begging me to spare your life."

Seeing that his captive had much to express, Phanes impulsively snaps his fingers, only to regret it instantly as Aether unleashes a furious scream that pierces his ears.

"You're the reason they abandoned me- !!"

The primordial being hastily snaps his fingers once more, brushing his forehead to alleviate the headache induced by just one sentence. Truly, this descender possesses the ability to irritate him like no one ever has, and he considers himself a patient man. Disregarding the claims of the blonde traveler, he dismissively waves his hand, prompting the furnitures to move out of his way as he approaches Aether.

"No, no, no, no, I didn't do anything. You see, I merely allowed them to toy with you. Ultimately, it was solely their choice to discard you."

Watching Aether squinting his eyes, revealing his lack of faith in the god's words, Phanes laughs mockingly at the sight. It's pitiful to see the descender place so much trust in you, as if you could truly be concerned with his well-being. Despite the man's assertions, Aether believes there must be a valid reason why you had to leave him, which is why he is determined to find you. You wouldn't have casted him aside simply out of boredom, would you?

"There's much about guides that you seem unaware of... Quite surprising, considering where you come from."

Feeling the release of his restraints, Aether is abruptly pulled to his feet as the room is swept away by an unknown force. Upon opening his eyes after the wind dies down, he finds himself up in the sky, with floating pillars adorning the scenery. As the setting evokes memories of the place where he first engaged in combat with the sustainer of the heavenly principles, a bad chilling sensation runs down his spine as something seizes his shoulders.

"You're free to believe me or not, but I understand how difficult it is to live in someone's shadow. First, your sister, then, [Name]. Perhaps it's time for you to learn how to be yourself."

As the god takes a melancholic tone towards the end of his words, he snaps out of whatever memory he was recalling. Aether, still unable to move on his own, observes a door materializing out of nowhere before swinging open, emitting a bright flashing light.

"Whatever, who am I kidding ? You never learn from your mistakes."

Stepping aside, Phanes waves with a slight fake smile on his lips.

"Oh and, you might want to start running."

Glancing behind him, Aether witnesses the stone slabs breaking and tumbling down. Rising to his feet, he makes a run for it. With his wings shattered from his previous journey that was intended to be the final one, he can only rely on his legs to reach the door. Leaping through it, his consciousness fades away.

'Resetting complete'

...

{Words : 7387}

Heya, finally i managed to post part 2 ! Sorry to keep you all waiting. I hope you enjoyed this as much as I did while writing this.

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@lilisette24

[yoonieper]

Pecattiphilia— Part 5 | PJM

Pecattiphilia is the sexual arousal from performing an act one believes is a sin.

✽ Pairing: Jimin x Reader

✽ Genre: Angel Au, angst, fluff, future smut, this is a slow burn (kinda?)! 

✽ Rated: A for Asskicking!

✽ Series Warnings: This series will include discussion of religious aspects such as the afterlife and concepts of heaven and hell (There are no direct ties to any specific religion besides the mention of angels and demons— all aspects of religion was created by me for this series), this series includes a lot of violence (sometimes graphic depictions) and gore (nothing extreme, Jimin and the boys fight monsters sometimes), and mentions of sin (particularly revolving around sexual topics)

✽ Chapter Specific Warnings: Violence (think like a battle scene)! Lots of it!, gorey at times, torture is mentioned, lore~, questionable characters 😇, very brief mentions of illegal substances, things do get smutty towards the end ;)

✽ Word Count: 19k

✽ Summary: Jimin is sent to watch over you and as the years go by he gets more and more curious and sometimes just wishes he could get to know you. But he knows that’s forbidden, it's sin. However, a freak accident somehow causes Jimin and your eyes to meet for the first time with purpose. He knows it shouldn’t happen but he doesn’t want to break away. He wants you to look at him, wants you to touch him, wants you to be with him. The problem is none of this should have happened in the first place… what’s happening to him?

✽ Now Playing…: Gang Up by Young Thug, 2 Chainz, Wiz Khalifa, & PnB Rock— full playlist available on masterlist!

✽ Beta: Thank you to @theharrowing for reading over this <3!

✽ Author’s Note: The first “heist” chapter! This turned out like 2x longer than I thought it would be, but I made it through 😅~~ I won’t say too much but some of the details in these chapters are important for later so keep an eye out 😉

No reposting, modifying. Translating is not allowed unless given explicit permission. Thank you so much :D

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Phase #1 (Survey)

Devil’s Night

L'appel du vide.

The call of the void.

That tiny, impulsive voice that tells you to jerk the steering wheel to the right and take a flying leap off the ledge… that inclination to walk right into the ocean and never return… the urge to just jump as you gaze off the edge of a skyscraper… the call of the Siren song. 

The void was so unknown yet that innate urge for humans to explore and understand, even the things they weren’t meant to— sometimes that voice gets too loud. Their curiosity, so wondrous at first, oftentimes is their downfall. 

Humans are complicated yet so simple.

However that voice isn’t always their strange impulses trying to send them to an early grave. That void is sometimes very real and that alluring voice, that call to the void, is just a lure to trap its prey in its hungry grasp for eternity.

Devil’s Night

It shouldn’t exist. 

A casino that easily blended in with the hundreds of others along the strip. It was covered in enticing, flashy lights, easily attracting those who craved a quick trip to wealth or who wanted an eventful, possibly regrettable, night of fun. It had just as many people walk in for a night of celebration and just as many walk out disappointed as all the others, bringing any who walked through the doors the standard Las Vegas experience. To most it didn’t look out of the ordinary, it didn’t act out of the ordinary, it was just another casino in a city that was populated by the get rich quick scheme. 

But they saw what it truly was.

It was like looking upon a line-up of seemingly perfectly identical shapes. They were all circles to the untrained eye, but to a server of H.E.A.V.E.N. it was clear one of those circles was not as it should be; an oval in disguise, if you will.

A demon’s lair was a black hole for information. P2 angels were aware of everything that was happening according to their set clock, but even they couldn't see demon lairs unless they stumbled onto it by chance. The higher-ups even struggled to locate their lairs, it being the reason for how these situations can get as bad as they do. 

In this instance, they already knew it was going to be even worse. So many demons had managed to escape and just from the collected information there were a lot of high profiles. Who knows how long they’d been feeding as well?

It was Las Vegas, year 2002, time 11:35 pm as the boys flew over the neon lights. All the current information came to them in an instant except for the spot towards the end of the strip.

Devil’s Night

It was a place that all the locals believed had always been here. Those who were alive at the time had memories of passing by it during its construction back in the 70s and how it recently reopened after doing some intense renovations only a year prior. 

Business was booming now with their new modern look, and many tourists and regulars came through the doors everyday. But memories were so easy to manipulate on the cosmic scale.

Time itself was something that no human, even as an angel, can fully grasp to the point where no one who was born with a soul would ever experience it fully. But memories are so easy, even as a P2 angel getting humans to see what they want them too, to remember things that they’ve never experienced in their lives, was child’s play. 

None of them would ever truly understand how insignificant they were, how they were just pawns, apparitions really of the balance of the universe at play. 

Humans were nothing, yet you meant everything to him. 

You were all Jimin could think about as his team flew over the city.

You, your lips on his as you kissed underneath the tree where you first met— at least the tree you think you first met. He missed you, and despite how busy things have been, you were all he could think about.

2002– you were only six right now back in Seoul, the P1 angel that came before him watching over you intently until he took their place 14 years later.

Jimin had to make this mission quick, he wanted to get back to you.

You never fail to disappoint me.

I’m glad. I’m finally happy.

You don’t know what that is.

I know that’s what she makes me feel.

They are right here, you made a promise.

It was right, here he was thinking about you when he promised his leader that he wouldn’t see you again. Normally he’d be reviewing the battle plans they’d discussed in the meeting they had right before they left, but it was just you, you, and more you.

He had to get back.

He wanted to kiss you again.

In no time the group made it to the place that shouldn’t exist. A smear in the balance of the world, and it loomed with a darkness indescribable to man. If only these humans knew what they were walking into, a trap designed to feed on and corrupt all the hard work their protectors did for them over the years.

This place shouldn’t exist and neither should the demons here be in this plane. They disobeyed the laws of the balance and the only punishment for them was death, extermination in the cruelest fashion.

It was the only other thing bouncing around in his head. 

Purifying this world from this putrid sin. 

The boys landed on their meeting spot, the roof of a shopping center right across the street from the casino.

Like their typical routine, Namjoon immediately got to work constructing a small building they’d use as a base of operations for their short time here. It was about the size of their meeting room, just big enough for a table and enough chairs for them all to sit in.

“Alright everyone, phase one starts immediately. We need to handle this quickly, quietly, and I need everyone alive by the end. Just follow the plan to the tee and we should be fine with hopefully new intel for the higher ups.” Namjoon said as he took a seat at the head of the table, just like he would in H.E.A.V.E.N.

Everyone nodded. Every detail had to be perfect, missions like these were the most dangerous for teams, especially considering the scale and how many demons there were here.

Angels were far superior than most lower level demons, but while power wasn’t necessarily the issue, it was the numbers and confining to the limits of the normal plane. There were a lot of them housed here and the fact this battle needs to happen in the normal plane means H.E.A.V.E.N. can’t just send one angel to smite the place down.

In theory, that would be nice, but that kind of power in the normal plane might rip a hole in the fabric of spacetime, not to mention the amount of casualties besides the demons that would cause.

That kind of power would be enough to bring the fabled apocalypse that the humans talk about every other century. Nobody on this planet would be safe as the power of angelic light would cleanse this frame from the damned; even the universe itself might take a hit from only a microscopic amount of an angel’s full potential.

That is why it was essential that everyone acts in line and uses their abilities sparingly, just a fraction over and suddenly Las Vegas would be a crater that appeared out of nowhere.

This programming went so deep, even if an angel was getting swarmed, their last moments quickly approaching, they would still choose to die if they knew that much power would do noteable damage to the world. 

“Jimin and Taehyung, go ahead and start getting ready, I’ll join you in a second. Yoongi and Jungkook please begin the perimeter sweep. Hoseok and Seokjin, get the rest of this set up. Make sure to log every detail that’s reported.” Namjoon commanded and everyone immediately sprang into action.

Jungkook saluted— it was natural for him at this point. Perfect posture, feet together standing tall and proud with his right arm horizontal and the left in front and vertical. Perfect 90 degree angles, forming the symbol of their allegiance, the cross.

With that, suddenly the door was swinging open, the breeze almost sending everything in the room flying. 

“Does he have to do that every time?” Yoongi chuckled seeing everyone’s hair all over the place.

“He just likes to show off.” Seokjin rolled his eyes, before going and picking up the material Namjoon had already pulled out.

“We should tell him to come back so he can clean this up—“ Hoseok chuckled as he bent down to grab the papers, but before he could get a single sheet Namjoon clapped his hands and suddenly the room was back as it was.

“Focus. This is not a vacation, we have a job to do.” Namjoon sighed.

Everyone grimaced, noticing the leader was still tense. He was like this during the meeting earlier and he admitted the guilt of forgoing procedures and not reporting Jimin like he should have done was starting to eat away at him.

Namjoon earlier even questioned if Jimin should come on a mission like this, knowing something wasn’t right with him. It was risky either way, but he was basically forced to bring him, because the chances of the whole team being killed during this increased to astronomical amounts if Jimin wasn’t with him.

All he could hope was that Jimin could keep himself together for this mission, that he wouldn’t regret his choice.

Seeing their faces, Namjoon instantly felt bad. “I’m sorry guys— you know—“ 

“No we understand, this is business.” Hoseok said, grabbing onto Seokjin’s hand and guiding him to the blue, plastic chairs at the table.

The mood was tense, but they all understood where he was coming from. Things were weird these days, best to stay on high alert. 

“Yoongi? Where are you?” It was Jungkook who was speaking over their channel, waiting right in front of Devil’s Night.

It was like the different channels for radios, but this one was very special. Every team had their own personal channel, said to be the exact conditions and frequency of the electromagnetic field as it vibrated right when they became seven, right before they awoke. They didn’t need radios, no technology at all, it was a channel only they could tap into— named ##7732769(43278)287, or just 287, which were the numbers that truly made it them.

“I’m sorry, I got distracted.” Yoongi chuckled lightly, trying to lighten the mood. He held out his hand and the scope of his gun fell right into it.

Yoongi walked outside and headed toward the edge of the roof that overlooked the casino.

Everyone seemed to snap out of it, once again reminding themselves they had a job to do.

Hoseok and Seokjin took out their devices, a rectangular piece of what appeared as glass, turning into a keyboard with unfamiliar characters, and a projection appeared right in front of them. Humans would only be able to see it as bright light, but any angel knew it was the line to the higher ups. They both got their hands ready on their devices as they listened intently to Jungkook and Yoongi.

Yoongi held up his scope and zoomed to where he could see Jungkook standing by the pillar right at the entrance.

People continued to walk in and out, unaware of Jungkook’s existence as sometimes they’d just phase right through him.

“Jungkook, there’s eight standing by the door.” 

Yoongi saw as he held up a thumbs up in his direction before he was gone again.

Taehyung meanwhile had already set up a mirror in the corner of the room and dragged Jimin over to start trying on outfits to fit the time period.

On the way over, Tae suggested that they should trade their all white attire and go with the ‘rich club owner who has too much to spend’ look— already pulling out the suits he loved so much.

Jimin tried to focus on the channel or at least on Taehyung, who kept holding up outfits for him to try on, but there was something that was bothering him.

Not only was he missing you, but he kept thinking about his role in this mission. He hadn't done this since you both have been together, would he be able to do this successfully? 

Gathering intel used to be one of his favorite things to do, but his usual method might not work considering he has you in his life.

“Fifty on the roof.” Yoongi called out as he zoomed his scope in further.

“Fifty? On the roof?” Hoseok exclaimed as he typed it out.

“Maybe they’re looking for us?” Seokjin suggested. They both giggled at the thought. 

“You think they would be that dumb to think we’d come flying in from above?” Seokjin couldn’t stop the giggles, the image of the demons preparing for them as if they were an airstrike was all too amusing for some reason. 

“These are demons we’re talking about.” Namjoon tried to laugh as he looked out the door to Yoongi crouching at the edge of the roof. 

“Namjoon, which one?” Taehyung called out to the leader as he spun Jimin around and held up two hangers. One was a white button up, the other was black.

Taehyung held them over Jimin and switched between the two.

Namjoon hummed lightly as he weighed the two options. “What are you putting on the bottom?” He asked, trying to get a better picture. 

Taehyung tossed the hanger with the white button up and as he brought it back, suddenly it was a pair of black slacks instead, with a black belt that had a golden buckle.

“Would you do that for the white one?” Namjoon asked.

“Maybe a suit instead?” Tae looked down at the outfit.

“Yeah, I’m thinking the black one then. The suit’s nice but it might be a bit too formal considering we look like twenty-somethings here in Vegas— it’s 2002 remember.” Taehyung nodded at Namjoon’s words.

“You don’t think we should go for something a little more casual? We’re trying to blend in.” Namjoon also pointed out. 

“It’s part of the plan— if we look like we have a lot of money to spend, the more intel we can learn.” Taehyung tried to rationalize like he didn’t just come up with that on the spot. It’s not like he needed an excuse or anything to dress his members up in suits because he thought it’d look cool.

Their last mission sent them to 2221 BC in Egypt— he didn’t have a lot to work with for “time period appropriate.”

“Never thought about it like that— I guess you’re right.” For some reason Namjoon didn’t see any holes in his logic— not that there was any— but Taehyung beamed realizing he was going to be able to do this.

“Black works well though, I think it works with your hair.” Namjoon gestured up to Jimin’s blue locks that hung lowly in his eyes. 

“I’m still trying to figure out why it’s blue.” Namjoon said, still a little perplexed at the choice.

As soon as Jimin made it back to H.E.A.V.E.N. for their meeting, everyone was shocked to see he had come back with blue hair, standing out amidst the sea of blondes.

“Luckily for Jimin, this is Vegas, so he blends right in.” Tae mentioned as he handed the hangers to Jimin as he turned to the mirror to start picking his own outfit.

“I’m seeing the garage that was spotted, three exits in the back, and fifteen standing right outside.” Jungkook reported. 

Hoseok just had to laugh as he typed that down. “Things just keep getting worse.”

“There’s a skylight on the roof— we might be able to use that.” Yoongi mentioned, when one of the “guys” with black suits moved out the way.

“It seems we’re going to need all our options on the table for this one. Hoseok and Seokjin, I’m going to need you on high alert for strategies as we survey the inside. Jungkook and Yoongi, please keep us informed if you see anything.” Namjoon commanded. 

Tae was about to throw the leader hangers for some ideas for the outfits he could wear, but Namjoon simply spun around and gone was his off-white trench coat. Instead, he was wearing a navy blue suit, a tucked in white button-up, a fancy watch glinted in the light, and he pushed up a pair of black glasses as his transformation was completed.

Taehyung stood there stunned because, while he looked amazing, he still wanted to play dress up for a little while… 

Well, now that just left him. 

“What’s our story going to be anyway?” Taehyung asked as he stood in front of the mirror, pulling out different suit combos. 

That would be necessary, it would be a bit weird to say they were just tourists considering how dressed up they were.

“We can just say we came from a bachelor party— decided to test our luck on the slots for a little fun.” Namjoon said as he peered into the mirror, undoing the first two buttons of his shirt.

“Who’s the groom?” Seokjin asked suddenly.

Jimin, Namjoon, and Tae all looked at each other, but for a second everyone in the room's eyes went to Jimin. 

They were all thinking it, you, you would be his bride that he was spending the night away from. Your wedding was only days away and right now you were out celebrating with your girlfriends while he was spending his time with the guys that he adorned more than anything in the world.

If anyone got too nosy, Jimin was the only one who has experienced anything close to the feelings a groom should be experiencing so close to the wedding. And you, it was all so convenient.

“I’ll do it.” Namjoon suddenly said, raising his hand.

Everyone’s eyes went to him and they all nodded knowing that was best considering the way things have been.

They all thought he was dealing with withdrawals or a breakup of some sort, because they trusted he had listened and wasn’t seeing you anymore. Namjoon volunteered, thinking that it would reopen the wound too soon after they had the meeting.

If only they knew.

Jimin’s mind drifted back to you. He wondered what you were doing, if you were missing him as much as he was missing you right now. 

It only made him more excited to get back to you.

They just had to burn.

“Anyway Taehyung, hurry up. Everyone, prepare to proceed to the next stage.” Namjoon called out sensing the growing tension in the room.

They had work to do anyway.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Phase #1.5 (Information)

They made a promise and never in all the eons they’ve been a team had it ever been broken. It was never even something anyone entertained or played with. It was a promise that they all adhered too no matter the temptation. 

Except in certain situations. 

Taehyung especially had this method of doing whatever it takes to get information from people. Jimin operated the same way beforehand, not to such lengths, he couldn’t bring himself to do something so impure, but Taehyung had no care.

Mission success whatever it takes, he’d always say. 

Taehyung always thrived during this stage of the operation. He was good, sometimes too good, his charisma would be able to have them like putty in his hands as he subtly pried them for information.

It was crazy to watch considering what he was like with the team. 

The famed “heartbreaker” they would sometimes tease him with the nickname. Some might have called it cruel, but a few broken hearts for the sake of the fate of the planet, the universe really is worth sacrificing, he would say. 

They agreed.

“They’re only humans.” He’d smirk before getting ready to ruin someone’s life.

It didn’t help the effect they had on humans whenever they went into the normal plane. On the outside, it was like watching bugs swarm around a porch light, just sad and desperate creatures. They never knew what they were in store for whenever they got too close.

Angels have such a tremendous effect on the world around them and all celestial creatures are immune to this, it was always so amusing seeing the heads turn whenever they’d step into a room.

Namjoon, Taehyung, and Jimin flew down the street from the casino, quickly transferred to the normal plane, and started making their way inside. 

The casino was nothing spectacular, Jimin had practically been to every one that’s existed in history at this point. The place smelled strongly of smoke and it was decorated with golds and velvety reds, everything having a certain shine to it that seemed to wow guests as they all walked in.

It was something out of a movie as everyone’s eyes lingered on the three as they weaved through the slot machines and they all just knew how much they were wanted.

It was always so easy.

The boys quickly split up knowing it was always better for them to be seen apart and they had more chances of getting more information. Taking a deep breath, they put on the smiles, the charm that would have the humans practically eating out their hands.

Namjoon made his way to the poker table. It was always so simple— one glance at his watch and he’d already have their eyes. A couple of wins was all it took for people to gather around the table. Two girls had their arms wrapped around him despite mentioning the fact he had a fiancé and all the guys would toast anytime he would pull his newly collected chips in. 

All he really needed to do was make light conversation.

People were busy conversing all around him. Chelsey, the girl to his right, was talking to the guy who stood behind her— who clearly was more interested in her than his poker game. Veronica was the girl to his left and she seemed more keen on making sure he ruined his fake engagement tonight.

Veronica it was then. 

He took the opportunity of Chelsey being distracted to whisper in her ear.

“And who has you?” He smirked down at her.

The question visibly confused her at first, but the hand he had on her thigh was enough to keep her attention. His thumb lightly rubbed along the exposed skin her short, black dress allowed– he didn’t have to be “all-knowing” to see how much she was enjoying it.

So simple.

“I know you know sweetheart. It’s alright, you can tell me.” His soft smile would always do the trick as she stared down at his lips. 

“Gorgo.” She whispered mindlessly, like she had no idea what she was saying.

It was sad, so sad honestly. They had no clue what was going on, they didn't even realize they were here.

Taehyung had skipped the games altogether and had taken a seat at the bar. It didn’t take long for a crowd to form around him, and instead of fraternizing Taehyung had taken a more radical approach as he always did.

She was the first girl that came up to him, mentioned something about liking his outfit and how handsome he looked. The pinstripe suit he’d decided on with a white shirt underneath that hardly covered any of his chest and the gold jewelry he wore made him stand out for all the right reasons.

It didn’t matter to him, but she’d stayed by his side as he tried to decide who was the best in getting the most information from. To be honest, he got bored trying to choose and she just wouldn’t let go. 

She seemed desperate.

It was more of a favor, but he’d lured her to a more private section of the casino and used his tongue for getting more information.

Jimin normally would have been in Namjoon’s spot, pushing the limits, but not as far as Taehyung always did. 

But anytime someone would approach him, he’d always think about you and how much he missed you. 

Jimin had spent a little time at the bar and he wished he had got himself drunk enough to be able to do his job, but alas another downside to being “all-powerful.” Simple, earthly, human drinks didn’t work. 

He thought back to the time when he’d been by your side in the apartment, the week you cared for him. If he wasn’t so sick, a drink would have been nice to have, maybe in that state alcohol would finally be able to do something. 

He only really drinks it for the taste. His normal order, if they served it, was a drink called Hell’s Fury oddly enough— it was a drink that relied on equal amounts of Fireball, 151 proof rum, Everclear, and black absinthe, with an added habanero pepper at the base of the shot glass to give it even more of an intense flavor. It would always get a few concerning glances sent his way as he’d easily down shot after shot and wouldn’t react at all.

Of course Devil’s Night served it, this place was meant to have everything anyone could desire– Eden on Earth was their slogan. 

Yet even their concoctions couldn’t give him the desired effect. 

Some fucking Eden…

The drinks were useless, but sitting at the bar watching the humans pass by, Jimin couldn’t stop thinking about earlier– playing the groom. Wouldn’t it have been so interesting? Spending the night with the people he’s closest with and you– you were his bride and you were going to his soon in just a few short days.

He wouldn’t see this as his last night of freedom, but a celebration because he’s just so happy.

Happy? What did that feel like?

The mindless humans around him all knew, yet someone who was “all-knowing” couldn’t know the blissful feeling of happiness? It was strange, a strange world they lived in.

You were his only comfort these days.

He just missed you so much…

Pathetic.

It truly was.

Jimin had made up the excuse that he just wasn’t in the mood to do that type of probing, instead he’d taken Namjoon’s usual role in just casual chatting to those who’d pass his way, but more importantly, using this as an opportunity to survey the inside of the building.

They had absolutely no access on the outside, their usual “all-knowingness in the moment” just didn’t work with demon lairs. And to make matters more complicated it’s not like they could just send Jungkook in to do a quick run through of the building. 

It’s why there were so many guards inside and all around the building; they knew they were being hunted. 

Before switching to the normal plane, they diminished their “angelic presence” to a degree that remained undetectable to all their sensors. It’s why they didn’t get jumped as soon as they walked in the casino.

Even at higher planes, sending Jungkook in would have made them aware that they were here even though they couldn’t do anything, ruining that sweet element of surprise that always seemed to get them. 

In order to collect the vital information they needed for this mission’s success, they had to do this the old fashioned way— going undercover. 

Their angelic presence was diminished as low as they could get it, almost as low as it normally would be whenever they were given breaks. It was just enough that they would have some type of power if things went left for some reason.

It was still to the point though that humans were irresistibly drawn to them, always claiming they just seemed to almost sparkle in the light. They never saw it, and luckily the demons couldn’t either.

They were just three hot friends who were enjoying the last few hours of a bachelors party and who also had some amazing luck.

Jimin had been everywhere that night– the slot machines, bars, the game tables, the lounges, and even the mysterious VIP section he quickly learned existed. He surveyed, chatted, and probed for as much information as he could considering he was just walking around having casual conversations. 

In the end he walked away with $10,627 dollars in earnings, 3.5 grams of coke, 4 sticks of gum, 12 hotel keys, invitations to a wedding, birthday party, and a cookout, and more importantly, some interesting new information to share with his team.

Apparently a conversation and a little bit of wagering was all it took to get what he wanted. 

There were approximately 1000 demons here under the same roof— most of them resided in the basement but there were about 150 here on the main floor. The number nearly made him keel over and he heard Hoseok nearly choke over the channel.

“They should have sent a bigger team.” Seokjin groaned, they all did because this was ridiculous.

They were only seven, and while yes, they were one of the best P2 angel teams currently active, it would have been better to send a team with more members to handle this. 

It was an overwhelming amount— how they were going to come out of this alive was beyond them at this point. 

Some of the demons were refugees, those who’d escaped prior to Abigor’s legion. They had come from different points in time, slowly but surely they felt the presence of a new demonic lair and knowing they were stronger in numbers, crossed time just to be here. According to the demons that Taehyung and Namjoon managed to identify, they only accounted for a small majority of the demons speculated to reside in the building.

How this many managed to escape was beyond him, and honestly Jimin, all the boys really, had a few things they wanted to say to the P3 angels put in charge of watching over them.

Jimin also managed to do a bit of snooping to get a better feel of the floor plan. Not as much as he would have liked, but there were so many demons everywhere he turned, he just couldn’t wander like he hoped.

It was only through a bit of conversing that he learned where the door to the lower floors was— a secret elevator apparently that could lead someone down to the five lower floors. 

See, the humans have no clue where they are right now, the darkness being ultimately what lures them inside, and if they get too close they get “sucked in” truly like a black hole. Demons feed off of human darkness— a casino was the perfect place for that to accumulate. A human betting their life savings for the chance to turn it into millions and ultimately losing all of it, was like a buffet to them. 

Normally there was always a specific demon that put the human in this sort of trance like state, it was usually how they tracked how many demons were at the location, knowing a majority of them were always hidden.

The trance also gave the human a bit of access to the demon’s mind which is also why angel teams prioritized them whenever they were sent on this type of mission. They were just so out of it, they never had any idea what was going on.

In the end, they got as much information as they could— maybe Jimin could have gotten more if he used his tongue like Taehyung, or maybe even a flirtatious touch like Namjoon would have earned him that extra bit of detail to help increase the success of their mission. 

But he couldn’t kiss them, he couldn’t touch them, not when he had you in his heart. You were his now and he was yours. You were the only human who made him want to do any of those things.

Jimin relished in the fact that he had an excuse this time, but what about the next? Would he just have to tell them?

And then what?

They will understand.

They will not.

They will.

And if not?

I’ll make them understand.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Phase #2 (Hellfire)

03:00 was the time they decided on. Devil’s Night officially closed at 2, but they gave it an extra hour because there always seemed to be stragglers at places like these for some reason or another.

There was always a guy begging for another chance because he’d just lost all his money and he was so sure that one more chance would be all it took to win the money back and then some. 

Demons also had no issues intermingling with humans even when they knew they were being hunted down. All night Jimin would pass by the guards hanging around the walls talking with the humans, their intentions clearly less than pure as they easily touched, grabbed, and kissed the simple, entranced creatures. 

Much like Taehyung, but they had no issues taking things to the next level. Apparently one of the first few floors in the basement held rooms just for this purpose. Taehyung only did it for information, but no one knew why they did.

Did it provide them more opportunity to feed? This was one of the leading theories, demons had a horrible tendency to go after humans in committed relationships as their prey for the night. Others guessed they might just enjoy it which was strange.

They had no connections to humans like the P2 angels, for them to have that urge was odd but Jimin wouldn’t be surprised. An impure being wishing to commit an impure act made all the sense to him.

They staked out the building all day following Namjoon, Taehyung, and Jimin’s field survey, analyzing, trying their best to come up with a plan that would somehow have them coming out alive. 

Unfortunately the chances were slim, and growing slimmer by the hour as Yoongi would identify a new demon walking into the casino seemingly each hour. They considered giving themselves another day in order to do more observation, but they knew things were just going to get worse the more they waited. 

Namjoon and the rest of the boys had been seated at their table in their makeshift base, reviewing and reanalyzing their plan, making sure it was the best possible option. In the end, it was almost three and they had to get ready.

“I don’t care how this looks on paper, I need to see everyone of you back here after we’ve managed to contain the situation. Every single one of you. Got it?” Namjoon looked them all down, making sure they understood.

He couldn’t lose a single one of them.

“Affirmative.” The rest of them said in unison with an honorary salute. It was important, for the sake of the balance but also for each other. 

They couldn’t go on with anyone missing. Literally.

Taehyung and Yoongi were up first in the plan while the rest of them began to move in and start the process of containment.

This was extremely important. Celestial matters do not belong in the human world and the risk of getting caught would cause unnecessary drama that they did not need. It also made things easier for as soon as the place was cleared to begin the cleansing process— a building disappearing into thin air again was not something they needed on their hands.

Jungkook used the device specifically designed for this purpose, it almost looked like a white, glowing stick and as he pointed it down to the ground it created a glowing line that set up the base for Namjoon. Normally most teams have another device but with Namjoon’s control, he can create a barrier all on his own. Namjoon ran his hand along the wall that Jungkook created and a white shine would appear before eventually fading as he flew by, showing it had truly been blessed. By the end the lines were gone and the barrier was invisible to everyone and blocked out all perception from any nosy humans. 

It made it so they were still able to fight in the normal plane, without the prying eyes of humans to complicate the issue.

They only had a small window before someone would take notice of the barrier, so as soon as Namjoon had sealed it, it was on for Taehyung and Yoongi.

“Everyone in positions?” Namjoon said over the channel.

They all confirmed and with Namjoon’s signal, it was time to begin. 

Taehyung and Yoongi had maintained their positions on the roof of the shopping center, giving them the right amount of cover and distance for this first stage of the attack. 

Taehyung took a deep breath, stood up, and drew his bow back, a bright white light shining and taking the shape of an arrow. Taehyung squinted one eye as he always did as he aimed it toward the sky, the tip of the arrow setting ablaze before letting go.

The guards standing outside were hardly paying any attention, the whole patrolling thing getting a little exhausting. They were just talking to each other, trying to do anything to make the time pass by when suddenly a swift zip sound flew right past one of their heads.

They all turned and were shocked to see a flaming arrow pierced into the wall, one made of angelic light at that. It had not missed by even an inch to the guy standing on the far end. 

They were here.

They quickly looked around, trying to see where that arrow came from but one glance up and they saw another one heading their way.

What was going on?

Another zip sound filled the air, this time much faster, their attention all still on the arrow flying in from above when a thump finally pulled them away.

To their horror, the guy who was on the opposing far end was lying on the floor, and right in the center of his head was a glowing bullet hole as black tar slowly oozed out from it. They all just stared at the way his eyes were still wide like he was permanently stuck staring at what would ultimately be his demise. They were absolutely taken aback at what just happened as they continued to watch his body flake into ash.

There was only one thing that could do this. No mortal weapon could do them any harm, especially to so mercilessly slaughter one of their kind.

Yoongi smiled at the sight in his scope as he pulled back the bolt handle with astounding speed. He enjoyed the satisfying, fast paced click while he found their immediate panic and shock at the sight of his doing being far too satisfying. 

“Beautiful.” He said to himself as he moved his scope to focus on the guy standing closest to the door. This will be oh so glorious, a day of reckoning that he and his team would gladly deliver. 

With a steady hand, as soon as Yoongi had a clear path, he pulled the trigger again with no hesitation. Yoongi laughed at the sight. The guy fell so easily, they always do.

They really started to scramble, Yoongi watched as they headed for the door, but just as easily as the first two, he smote them down before they could make it to their sanctuary. 

“Are you having fun?” Yoongi heard Joon chuckle on the channel.

“Mhmmm— Taehyung, you can go ahead and start with the ones on the roof.” Yoongi said hastily as he took out three more that were by the entrance. Through the scope though he saw one of them likely calling for backup, that was only a second before he became another one of the bodies beginning to line the perimeter.

“I also think our brief moment of stealth is about up so prepare for stage two.” Yoongi called out as four more bodies hit the pavement.

Once Taehyung heard the needed confirmations, he pulled his bow back once again, this time the arrow making a faint sizzling sound.  

He let go and he watched earnestly as the arrow zipped through the sky, landing exactly where he wanted it to, the furthest point of the roof of the casino. It was only a second later when an explosion of white hot flames of purification erupted, consuming everyone in the near vicinity.

Even from where Taehyung and Yoongi were standing, they could hear the screams of their sins being purified.

“Now this is truly beautiful.” Taehyung beamed.

“Fun’s over. This is where things get serious. Take care of the perimeter as soon as possible so you can join the rest of us inside.” Namjoon commanded, getting a little more stern. 

“Rodger captain.” Yoongi flashed them a thumbs up where they could see from where the rest of the members had been standing, right by the edge of the boundary they had drawn.

With a majority of forces handled on the outside it was time to begin the brave journey of getting to Abigor, the head and ultimately why they’re here in the first place.

Abigor was a famous leader in H.E.L.L. leading rebellion after rebellion, always spewing nonsense about ‘the hellfire that will rain from above,’ that the P3 angels continuously had to put down. He was more annoying and hard to deal with than actually dangerous.

Still though, he had managed to convince a legion of demons to follow him and there were so many to face up ahead.

Namjoon, Jungkook, Hoseok, Seokjin, and Jimin finally shifted to the normal plane and made a beeline straight to the door. 

This, this would be when things truly got intense. 

Things outside were chaotic; all of the demons trying to locate where the shots were coming from made slipping inside easier than ever. 

Gone was the glitz and glamor that lured in all the passersby, instead Devil’s Night revealed its true state, the mask it put up for all the mortals nowhere in sight. The casino was uncanny, an unnatural dark haze clouded the halls and that same putrid black ooze slowly seeped from the walls.

Besides the horrific sight, it was easy to feel something was off about this place. 900+ demons or so were meant to fill the halls, yet it was uncomfortably silent. As they all entered, like it was some horror movie, the doors slowly closed behind them.

For some reason they all knew the only way out of here would be to kill every last one of them.

Namjoon turned behind him to confirm his team was still, in fact, behind him; sometimes these places liked to make things more complicated and instantly separate them. No worries, they would always find each other.

But to his relief, he saw their concentrated faces likely trying to think of the next procedure. 

“There shouldn’t be too many on this floor right now. I want this floor cleared entirely along with the confirmation from Taehyung and Yoongi that the outside is clear before proceeding. The last thing we need is enemies coming down from above. I want this handled quickly, we reviewed the floorplan for this floor, there should be no reason for any mistakes or hesitation. Affirmative?”

“Roger.” They all said in unison like the perfect obedient soldiers that they are.

All weapons were taken out, and for a second they just looked at each other. From here on out, things were going to be so chaotic. The chances of this mission going smoothly were not in their favor, but when had that ever stopped them? Still though, it was nice to have this one final image before they got too busy to realize who was even right beside them. 

They did this every time, and with that out of the way the fun could finally begin.

Jungkook, with his SMGs in hand, twirled them around his fingers before he zipped past them first into the darkness. 

Seeing his faint glow disappear into the despair, moments like these made Jimin remember when they had first awoken. His terrified eyes staring up at him and Joon as they clung to each other in such a terrifying and confusing world. So much time has passed since then, Jungkook has grown so much since then, and he has changed. 

Time was such a made up construct, especially to a being who never truly got to experience it fully. None of them aged, they didn't look a day older than the first moment they opened their eyes. Time stopped for them so long ago, and yet they weren't the same people who Atara and Celine first gazed upon.

If time hasn’t changed them, what has? 

Dragging Jimin out of his thoughts was the signal they needed. Jungkook’s whistle echoed in this chamber of silence, its power making his glow finally pierce through the haze. It was terrifying, it was as if their set clock stopped entirely as the image of Jungkook standing there in the middle of the fog, with deformed humans all trying to leap at him from all directions, blackness oozing from where their eyes and mouths should be. 

It was a split second, but Jungkook was faster as he flew above the herd, the window into the fog quickly closing, but that was all they needed.

Jimin, Seokjin, and Hoseok were next. 

Seokjin charged in quickly, his sword made from angelic light easily causing the lead of screams that sounded through the fog. He was skilled, easily out beating the best swordsman humanity would ever see as he effortlessly sliced through their flimsy, squishy bodies. Seokjin’s technique was deadly in the way he used the powerful momentum of his wings to sink his already more than lethal weapon at speeds so great, it was as easy as cutting paper.

He always used flight as an advantage to easily dip and dodge their attacks. They had weapons, far less powerful, but their dark bullets or blades certainly could kill them if they were struck too many times or a knife was sunk too deep. They also had the added advantage of that ooze seeping from seemingly every one of their orifices. Too much can lead to the speedy corruption of an angel. Not lethal by any means, but that would immediately turn the boys’ attention from the demons to their own comrade.

A corrupted angel simply can not exist. 

Seokjin was careful and despite his weapon not being a speedy bullet, he was quickly able to kill before they even had any time to fire.

Hoseok took a different approach. 

He simply flew into the fog but planted his feet in the ground as soon as he was deep enough in. 

Almost immediately the demons started trying to leap at him as well, but Hoseok’s quick wielding of his pike was faster. The pointed tip easily pierced through the fake flesh that housed the darkness within. Hoseok moved like water, a dance almost as he toyed with them. He’d spent an incomprehensible amount of time learning to make the most of less. 

Jimin could never forget how many times he’d walk into their training room, seeing Hoseok trying to practice his technique, something Celine and Atara said was essential for handling a weapon like his. 

For a while, the perfection that H.E.A.V.E.N. demanded seemed impossible to achieve, but Hoseok would always say the key was just thinking about it like he actually was dancing, that he was on a stage and this was all some elaborate performance. 

It was strange, Jimin never got it, but apparently that mindset flipped some kind of switch in him. Despite him usually fighting on the ground, he was sometimes more lethal than all the rest of them in the way he’d ‘perform’ with the enemies. It was graceful and incredibly beautiful as all the ‘performances’ would conclude with their screams as his angelic light pierced through their bodies entirely. 

“Maybe I used to be a dancer.” Hoseok would always joke around anytime they’d be cleansing a scene and the amount of bodies he’d created on his own was hauntingly beautiful, sometimes more than those with faster weapons.

Jimin always wondered, surely one of the lives he lived he had to be the greatest dancer that ever lived, because the way he moved topped even the most majestic sights.

Jungkook’s fighting style was a little more similar to Seokjin. He relied on speed and pretty much speed alone. He was fast, the fastest out of the team actually. Back during their training days, Jungkook came first place in all the races they’d do pretty much all the time. It was clear to Celine and Atara that he was to be their head scout, able to dip and dive enemies in case of emergencies easily.

His guns were also seemingly chosen with that fact in mind. The small guns shot fast, but only allowed him to fire so much at a time before reloading. It kept his mind prioritizing his movement in order to confuse the enemy before dealing a quick final blow.

From where Namjoon was standing, Jungkook almost seemed to blink, his light in the fog quickly disappearing before reappearing faster than it left. For brief moments in time you could see the demon's horrid faces stand around trying to find where he was before suddenly Jungkook’s light would barely illuminate the fact that they were beginning to pile on the floor. 

Jimin was trained to be the master of all trades. His handle allowed for versatile weapon usage unlike his teammates, but the dials on the handle made switching in the middle of battle slightly difficult. He’d been trained to use nearly every weapon his handle could create and the combinations exceeded the thousands. His training took the longest, but Jimin's efforts then created the killing machine he is today. 

He plowed through enemies with the light beam configuration, the handle now split into two with thick beams of light coming out from each end. 

Namjoon could see Jimin was fighting slightly differently today. 

Normally this was just business, albeit inconvenient business considering they were busy as it is with their guardian duties, but this was their jobs as warriors for maintaining the balance of the universe. 

As Namjoon watched, he was slightly stunned at the power Jimin would fly around with. It was with the same ferocity that he would sometimes encounter when watching over humans. Whatever it was, it was good.

Despite where Jimin entered having far more of the vile creatures, Jimin nearly beat Jungkook in clearing his side.

If only he knew Jimin was thinking of you. You were his fuel to the fire, he wanted to see you, he needed to see you and this filthy scum was getting in the way of that.

Namjoon smelling the burning of purification in the air and the fog filled with ash, he began his trek to the elevator Jimin found.

He entered the fog as he would a midday stroll, something he often enjoyed doing with the human he’s watching over currently. Most of the demonic creatures were more so focused on taking out the four who were actively fighting their legion, but some did notice him.

They ran up to him, their guns blazing in order to stop him, but they were nearly all but useless.

Namjoon’s angelic glow was powerful enough to practically melt any bullets that traveled too close or slow them down enough they simply fell to the floor as Namjoon kept moving.

Some of them tried to run up on him, but his blessed hands, now back to being wrapped in the necessary protective bandages, were more than enough to purify the enemy with a single touch. 

Namjoon’s presence alone was enough to create a near permanent path through the fog leading straight to the secret elevator’s entrance.  

When he made it, he simply turned around and watched as his team members slaughtered the last of the unlucky demons that were on this floor at the time.

It was a symphony of perfect chaos, the rumbling of explosives from Taehyung and terrified screams of those who noticed “there's a sniper on the roof!” They’d cry out but Yoongi was faster. Then the battle on the inside as his team began the cleansing of the building that should not exist, the stain on humanity that they must fix no matter the cost.

They cleared the entire floor in a matter of minutes. The battle was unfair, it usually was.

It also wasn’t long before Taehyung and Yoongi gave the confirmation that the perimeter had been cleared and would be heading inside soon.

The bodies that filled the halls it was nearly impossible to walk with how lumpy the floors were now, bodies and goop not the easiest to stand on. Jungkook, Seokjin, and Jimin quickly flew over top of it all and met Namjoon by the elevator. 

“Alright, we’re about to head down to the first basement level. Taehyung and Yoongi, have this mess cleaned up before we finish dealing with the first level. Join us as soon as you can and we can all regroup and do the clean up together.” Namjoon said over the channel despite talking to the three in front of him.

“Roger!” They saluted, perfect line, perfect posture like they’ve done this a million times.

Certainly more than that by now right?

With confirmation from the two outside, they proceeded inside the elevator, deeper into the belly of the beast.

Purification was necessary, unlike sins, it was a little harder to purify demons enough to deal with them. Quick blows from weapons weren't enough to cleanse the scene, instead they needed to taste the flames in order to truly be purified.

It was a grueling, nasty job that no one really wanted to deal with. Over the years though, Taehyung and Yoongi, normally being the ones responsible for being the “clean up crew,” had perfected their system to be the most efficient. 

Burn them all.

Simple, yet it always proved to be the most effective.

Yoongi and Taehyung would take up the task of flying around, collecting all the scattered body parts into one large pile— this time they chose to bring it all outside, right to the edge of where the barrier extended. They were quick despite how many casualties there were just in this one area, their keen eyes great at spotting even the smallest chunk. 

The most horrific sight awaited them at the end of their efforts, bodies stacked high enough to nearly surpass the height of the casino itself. 

It was glorious.

Taehyung got out of his bow and, much like the first shot he fired out earlier, the arrow lit ablaze before he fired. The white flames easily consumed the pile, their sins being a great conductor for making the fire grow in an astonishing amount in a short amount of time. 

The air smelled of burning flesh, and the black ooze that covered the bodies produced a unique scent that all the boys have grown to love despite its unpleasantness. This was purification, cleansing the world of sin like they had promised to do in a life they can’t even remember anymore. 

This was their duty and seeing it in this pure form would never not bring a smile to their faces.

Yoongi took up the job of cleaning up the ooze that painted every surface in the casino. It was hard to believe this was the same place Jimin, Taehyung, and Namjoon walked into yesterday. The place reeked of death, and the doom and gloom weighed down the atmosphere. 

With an arrow Yoongi borrowed from Taehyung, Yoongi used its flaming tip as he flew around setting ablaze to any ooze that remained. 

The battle that took place had the place covered in it, the shiny gold floors, the elaborate chandlers, the slot machines, roulette and poker tables, everywhere their sin had continued to drip. Quickly, the place was consumed entirely with flames.

Luckily for them, the flames of purification couldn't hurt anything unless they’ve been tainted with sin, something these damned creatures practically swam in.

They were quick, meticulous, and by the time they were done, the flames of purification had nearly returned the place to its former glory— well, as nice as it could be before they burned it all down. 

They headed to the elevator only minutes after their counterparts, and down they went to the first floor of the basement their team had gone down to. The minute the doors opened, Yoongi and Taehyung were delighted to hear the immediate screams from the demons and it seemed like their teammates were nearly done clearing the floor.

Namjoon was standing back, closer toward the elevator watching Jungkook, Seokjin, Hoseok, and Jimin go through each of the rooms and slaughter any demon they saw.

“Are things going well so far?” Yoongi asked, walking up to Namjoon.

“They have to.” He put it plainly as he gazed upon the chaos. It was almost like he was in a trance, fully enamored by its haunting beauty.

Namjoon snapped himself out of it. “But yes, so far things are going to plan. Jimin today seems especially motivated making things run even smoother than I anticipated—“

Interrupting Joon was a demon that had run out of one of the rooms, the ooze just pouring, but it was clear it was running straight toward them— or maybe the elevator, but that didn’t matter.

Taehyung already brought out his bow, fired, and watched as the arrow pierced right where its eyes should be. Nevertheless, the arrow was deadly, the demon being sent flying back as it flew out from the back of its head and shooting into the wall behind it.

“Bullseye.” Taehyung smiled because there was nothing more satisfying than watching their suffering.

Namjoon gave Taehyung a commemorative nod, before turning his attention back to the overall battle at hand.

“They seem like they’re almost done.” Yoongi mentioned as the screams of horror began to quiet with each and every kill.

“Seems so, maybe we should begin cleansing this floor. The quicker we make it through this the better.” Namjoon said wanting to keep things moving as much as possible.

During these missions Namjoon always felt the most useless. The fact he didn’t have a weapon like the others meant there was no way to “filter” his angelic energy making a vast majority of his capabilities too powerful for the normal plane. He always tried to help out when he could, oftentimes cleaning up the few stray enemies or literally joining the clean up crew with Tae and Yoongi.

Soon, the rumored rooms used for purposes less than pure were bathed in the very substance of their consequences. Black, black, as far as the eye could see. 

Hoseok, Jungkook, Seokjin, and Jimin were practically covered in it by now, their white clothes dripping with the black ooze. As soon as they gave the all clear Yoongi flew over to them to hand them the vials of holy water he prepared for just these types of scenarios. 

Normally this ooze that came from sins would evaporate over their holy bodies soon after it landed, but demons were darker and it took extra effort in order to purify after battle. 

They quickly unscrewed the caps and poured the glowing white liquid onto their skin. They immediately cried out at the burn, it wasn’t a pleasant experience, far from it actually. Holy water had to be intense to remove the filthy sin as quickly as it needed to be. The holy water reserved for battles was far stronger than the baths in H.E.A.V.E.N., working much faster than the relieving soak they would need to take occasionally.

Despite the pain, it easily washed away the black that had started to stain their skin, instead the red burn of purification left in its wake. 

They also had to change their clothes, the fabric too soaked to continue on. 

“Jimin, what’s up with you today?” Yoongi asked as he watched Jimin pull his new shirt over his head. 

“Huh? What do you mean?” He asked, only paying attention halfway. 

“You’re doing great, but wow are you making cleanup hard.” Yoongi tried to joke, but he wasn’t exaggerating. It was obvious which ones were what Jimin left behind. Hoseok, Seokjin, and Jungkook’s were those with only the necessary final blow, a few bullet wounds, stab wounds, and the occasional discarded limb, but Jimin’s were sometimes entirely dismembered, disemboweled, and Yoongi even came across one that was practically reduced to mush.��

“Oh? I’m sorry.” He mumbled but this time Jimin was looking at him. 

“No apologies, just save some of that energy for Abigor.” Yoongi moved in a little closer to pat him on his back. 

Jimin nodded, but he didn’t let himself relax, he was chasing a high he didn’t want to lose until this was all over and he was back with you.

You, he had to get back to you no matter what.

After their brief regrouping, the group hurriedly helped Taehyung and Yoongi with the new mess they created.

As soon as everything was collected, Taehyung fired his arrow and the bodies set ablaze. Just like the floor up above, they had to set the ooze scattered all over on fire to fully purify everything. 

With that done, they all headed to the elevator to continue their descent into madness. 

From here on out their plan kicked into full gear. There were five floors in total to this basement— Jungkook, Jimin, Seokjin, and Hoseok were to lead the attack on the next two floors with Namjoon, Yoongi, and Taehyung helping out whenever they could. 

As soon as they completed that, Namjoon and Jimin would ride with the rest to the following floor but continue straight to Abigor, interrogating, and extracting all the information they could while all of the rest of the team took care of the fourth floor.  

They moved systematically while trying to navigate the insanity as they passed through each floor. Demon lairs were strange in what its connection to H.E.L.L. did to the building, this abomination, this place that shouldn’t exist. The further down they went, the more that point became abundantly clear.

This building shouldn’t exist. Its windy halls that seemed to stretch for entirety, its strange physics that shouldn’t belong in this universe, the growing heat as they went deeper, the fire that burned across the walls, not of purification but red and hot of the rightful damnation they all deserved. 

Just like the sins they fought on a normal basis, everything was just never where it should be. Eyes crying in the walls, arms, legs, feet all trying to escape the tortuous flames. Scenes, as if it was stolen straight from someone else’s time period, were also stuck in the walls, sometimes entire streets were seemingly copy and pasted for no reason. 

It was strange but that didn’t deter the team as they continued to plow through any demon they came across in this madness. It took forever to clear the floors because of how endless they seemed. 

Luckily they were immune to the feelings of the passage of time, honestly there was no telling how long they were stuck going through the halls; years could have passed going through and killing the demons, followed by the necessary purification, and they wouldn’t have known. 

And then the fact they had to clear two of these floors…

They were angels, they couldn’t get tired, but for some reason, as they finished the third floor they all felt the aches, pains, exhaustion, and mental enervation of doing this for who knows how long. 

Strange… that didn’t used to happen. Maybe they really had been doing this for too long.

Riding down to the fourth floor they were covered in burns, scorched head to toe from being stuck in the flames for so long. Yoongi had tried to heal everyone but as soon as he did the burns were back with even more vigor. 

To make matters worse, the temperature only increased as they rode down. Angels were immune to practically everything that existed in the normal plane, but H.E.L.L.’s flames weren’t from this plane and had the capability to do noteable damage. 

It was painful, exhausting, and draining, but the worst was behind them now. It was honestly surprising they managed to make it through this, Jimin honestly at multiple points considered giving up, letting the flames embrace him, but then he’d remember you, who was still waiting on him, and then he’d brutally execute anything that was near him because he had to get back to you.

He promised.

This happened once in the middle of clearing the third floor, Jimin had nearly taken the head off his leader before he realized what he was doing. The blade had managed to graze Namjoon’s neck. They had all tried to joke and say Jimin was starting to lose his mind, but they all wanted out as soon as possible; any longer and they worried someone might do something stupid. 

As the elevator doors opened, they were greeted not by flames, but total darkness instead. Like most lairs this was probably where they housed the more powerful demons. It wasn’t the best idea splitting up now, but Namjoon trusted the other five to be able to handle this without them all here. 

“I know we've been at this for a while, but let’s clear this alright? Watch out for each other and you all better be alright when we get back.” Namjoon looked all of them in the eyes. 

They needed each other. Seven in, seven out, there was no other way.

They all smiled, before pulling each other into a tight hug, a goodbye that shouldn’t be long but with how this mission had gone so far, one never knows.

Namjoon told them all to follow Hoseok’s lead as he’d normally be appointed second in command whenever he was away for some reason or another.

They waved at each other as the elevator doors closed and Namjoon hit the button down to floor number five of this basement. 

This was a necessary move— Abigor certainly by now aware of their presence— any more time wasted gave him more opportunity to escape. They couldn’t take any chances.

The temperatures in the elevator continued to rise to astounding heights, it actually hurt just to stand on the metal, and the fact they both didn’t have any shoes didn’t help whatsoever, not like that’d help much. 

As much as it hurt, they had their sights set on the very being that brought them here. 

Abigor.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, Jimin ran out into the red, fiery hellscape, no care at all for the flames that practically encased the hallway. He had to get back to you.

Namjoon was a little stunned about how motivated he still seemed after all they went through, but quickly sprang into action and ran after him.

One drawback of being this far down was that it was far too hot for them to fly, losing the advantage they had fighting in the air, but being this far down meant that they had escaped the normal plane enough for Namjoon to use some of his abilities. 

The demons down here had all heard that they were coming and had set up makeshift covers with the desk they had as they sprayed their demonic bullets down the hall. 

A strategy that might have easily taken them down if Namjoon wasn’t here. He quickly was able to catch up to Jimin and before a majority of the bullets reached them, he was able to move in front of him. Quickly clapping his hands together, the bandages around his hands started to glow and a slightly translucent barrier formed in front of them both, easily melting any of the bullets that came anywhere near them. 

Namjoon turned, ready to reprimand Jimin for his utter stupidity because he knew he was supposed to go in first, but when he did, he noticed the pained look on Jimin’s face as he was holding his right arm. A dark red trail speedily began running down his arm from the spot his hand tried to protect. 

That just made him even angrier because this could have been avoided if he just stuck to the plan. 

Namjoon was fuming but with a majority of his attention needing to be in front of him, he couldn’t stop worrying something worse had happened.

“Are you ok?!” Namjoon yelled over the gunfire.

“I’m fine, just a stray bullet.” Jimin grumbled as he fished out a piece of cloth from his pocket and hurriedly went to tie it around his arm. Blood and his angelic light continued to spill from the wound.

Namjoon sighed, an instant relief coming over him. 

“You can still fight right?” Namjoon called out, but he wouldn’t really take no for an answer. He was still mad.

“Yes! I’m sorry, just get me a little closer.” Jimin sighed as he watched the white fabric begin to soak up the blood. 

Namjoon picked up a little more speed and as soon as they got close to the tables, that was Jimin’s cue. With new found adrenaline from getting shot, Jimin whipped out his handle, turning the dials to first to split then to form two small blades. 

Jimin hopped over the tables and easily cut all their throats, despite their pleas. The guys on the other side were a lot more determined to take him down. 

One of the reasons Jimin was pulled from the mission upstairs was because of his insane athleticism and agility, even when fighting on the ground. He was easily able to dodge their attacks, his quick movements and flips making all their attacks basically useless as he crossed their spray of bullets and executed them just as easily as the others. 

With the front line cleared, Namjoon expanded the barrier as Jimin moved to attack all the middle ranks. 

Bodies upon bodies continued to hit the floor as despite Jimin trying to be as speedy as possible, some of them still ended up with their heads cut clean off. 

With Jimin handling the worst of it, Namjoon hurriedly pushed forward to get to their back line, the damage he did was even worse. 

He dropped the shield and with one pointed finger, he watched as they all dropped their guns and began screaming with pain. The bodies started to glow white from purification and as the light grew bright, so did their screams as well. 

It was the most pleasant deafening screech for life, but as the light faded he would find no one, their bodies finally tasting the light of purity. 

Smiting someone alive was not the best experience but it was what they deserve. 

The entire back line was extinguished almost instantaneously. Namjoon now had clear sight lines to the door that likely led to Abigor.

He turned around and saw Jimin running over to him. The gun fires had subsided, this hall was now clear. 

Before heading any further, Namjoon handed him another vital of holy water Yoongi had given him before they separated. Jimin was covered in it once again, but it was hard to tell what was the ooze and what was just burnt scorched marks. 

“You ok?” Namjoon checked in once again. 

“I’ll be better once we’re out. Let’s hurry.” Jimin said before sprinting straight to the door. 

Namjoon followed closely behind as Jimin was easily able to burst through the door. 

Inside they found two terrified demons with guns pointing straight at them and someone sitting right at a desk in the center of the room. 

Namjoon saw it before they could act and as the two demons were about to shoot, he smote them down before they could even process they were here.

Now that just leaves him. 

Abigor.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Phase #3 (Interrogation & Termination) 

Abigor was stunned, they could tell by the look on his face on how easily they took down his two guards. He was ready to run but Jimin was quick in sprinting over, a blade to his throat ready to end him at any second. 

“Don’t even try it.” Namjoon announced as he waved his hand and the blessed rope came up to tie him to the chair. 

Jimin resisted the urge to laugh, hearing his screams at the burn of the ropes. 

Not the time. 

Abigor gritted his teeth. “What.do.you.want?” He sounded less than pleased to see them. 

“As much as you can give us. Tell us why you’re here, how you escaped, or anything you think is of value.” Namjoon smiled while taking a seat on the desk. 

“And why would I do that?” The demon’s eyes bore into Namjoon, different from the rest, strangely human, but just as dark and sinister as the rest. 

“Because then he’ll kill you.” Namjoon motioned over to Jimin who still had the knives to his throat.

“I can make things quick for you but my friend here… I think you’d prefer I take care of things. You should see what he’s done to your colleges.” Namjoon couldn’t help but laugh, noticing the fear in his eyes for a second.

Abigor didn’t let it show for too long, instead that snarky attitude was back. “You’re both going to fucking kill me anyway. Just do it already—“ but Jimin wasn’t having it, he had been gone from you for so long, he had to get back. Jimin didn’t hesitate pushing his knives deeper into his throat. The burn of the purity from his blades was quick to get a reaction, they always did.

His screams were music to their ears.

“I’d try that again. Jimin knows exactly how to cut you in ways to ensure you’re still alive as long as possible. Talk and I’ll give you the death I’m sure you’ll crave soon enough.” Namjoon smiled.

What they didn’t expect was for Abigor’s eyes to light up for some reason.

“You’re… Jimin?” His eyes were wide, eccentric almost. 

Namjoon and Jimin both were incredibly confused because there should be no way for Abigor to be familiar with the name. They’ve never met before, Jimin hardly knew who this was.

Abigor continued to stare into Jimin’s eyes, the darkness unnerving and Jimin had to resist every tendency he had to stop himself from sinking his knives further into his throat.

His smile was too wide for someone who was tied up with blessed rope, the smell of his flesh burning filling the office, and blades were literally piercing into his skin. Why the fuck was he laughing?

A sick and twisted laugh filled the eerie silence of all the death through the halls. 

“And hell will rain from above, our days of glory are upon us!” Abigor shouted, his smile growing more unnerving. He also started to struggle, seemingly all of a sudden not caring at all about the ropes or Jimin’s knives sinking even deeper into his throat.

Jimin tried to stop him, but nothing he did seemed to work. 

“Permission to just end it sir?” Jimin asked just wanting to be done with this madness already. This one was insane, no other way to put it. It was a common occurrence from demons and even P3 angels occasionally, the conditions there were so extreme in H.E.L.L. it was easy to lose your sense of self in it all. 

Namjoon was stuck on the desk extremely perplexed. This wasn’t what he expected, everything in his plans suggested at this point he’d either sick Jimin loose or he’d have already started talking and he would be just a pile of ash on the floor soon.

Maybe he should have heeded the P3’s warnings a little more about how erratic Abigor was, or maybe there was something worthwhile here. 

Namjoon hopped off the desk and walked towards Abigor. 

“Permission denied. If he wants to die on this hill then so be it, but we’re going to draw it as long as possible.” Namjoon looked down at this pathetic man. 

“HELL WILL RAIN FROM ABOVE!” Abigor laughed maniacally, but Joon’s hand came up to cup his jaw. His laughs turned to tortured screams as Namjoon’s bandaged fingers started burning his flesh even more than the ropes or the graze of the blades. 

He was screaming but Namjoon still saw that crazed look in his eyes.

“We got time, the others will probably take a little while to clear the floor up above so take your time Jimin. Try and get as much out of him as you can.” Namjoon said coldly, going back to his spot on the desk. 

Jimin smiled. That was something he could work with.

He removed his blades from his neck.

Jimin turned the dials on his handles to get more appropriate tools. 

To be honest he didn’t care if he talked, this was one of his favorite parts during these missions.

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He didn’t talk. Throughout the whole session, Abigor just kept screaming about “hell raining from above,” whatever that means. 

Namjoon challenged him, wondering if he was going to die on that hill and apparently he was, to his dying breath it was the very last thing he screamed.

They could have kept prying for information but they both heard Hoseok’s winded voice over the channel reporting they had slain the last demon and was about to start purifying the floor. 

Time was up unfortunately and they hadn’t really learned anything new. This is usually how most of these missions went, demons were really tight-lipped, the most they ever got was an occasional name they could report to the P3 angels to keep an eye out for. 

It didn’t matter, their main mission was to cleanse this place and that’s exactly what they did. Any new information was simply an added bonus.

After Jimin’s efforts, Abigor’s neck had practically been reduced to just black mush that covered the ground all around him. Only Jimin could have kept him alive that long, by his final moments, he had carved away so much of his neck it was a miracle his head was staying up in the first place.

How Abigor was alive was an even bigger question.  

The miracle of what Jimin could do with intricately placed wires, a dull blade, and an incomprehensible amount of time and experience dealing with sharp objects– he could pull off the impossible.

The scene had been particularly brutal to watch even as Namjoon tried to focus on interrogating Abigor, watching his teammate work was almost sickening. 

This instance Jimin had used the wires to assist holding Abigor’s head up– not vertically but the hooks pierced his flesh on the sides of his face horizontally to keep his head in place while his neck could still bear the excruciating weight of his head. Jimin had pulled up a chair and ever so meticulously sliced, hacked, and cut away at the flimsy flesh as more and more of Namjoon’s questions went unanswered. 

With how precise his bladework was, it was obvious this wasn’t his first time doing this. Far, far from it actually. This was Jimin’s role in the group after all– deemed the executioner for his vast array of weapons and how skilled he was at using every single one. He was deadly, extremely, exactly the type of person who’d be great at extracting information from even the toughest of captives using whatever means necessary.

Demon’s are notorious for not giving up information even in the face of death, yet many younger teams looked up to him in the fact he was one of the most successful in getting them to talk whenever they were sent out on missions like this.

Not everyday can be a win though. Despite his effort and elaborate setup, it all proved to be pointless. They learned nothing.

As soon as they got the message from Hoseok, Jimin had turned his trusty tool and turned the dials of his handle for a longer, sharper blade and finally cut his head from that pathetic stalk, ending that pitiful creature’s suffering. 

And with that, the last demon was gone.

They honestly could have collapsed from exhaustion and heat alone could have taken them out, but they had bigger priorities, now was not the time to rest. 

Namjoon handed Jimin another holy water vial to clean up with once again.

This building that shouldn’t exist still existed and they needed to fix that.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Phase #4 (Purification)

After Namjoon and Jimin finished cleaning up the rest of the bodies and purifying it from that horrendous black ooze, they were finally able to leave the vexatious flames of the bottom level and finally start heading up once again. 

Even on the journey back up to the fourth floor, the heat difference was so great, it felt like the sun on a hot summer day compared to the literal hellscape a floor down.

As soon as the doors opened, they were greeted by the rest of their teammates. Namjoon instinctively did a headcount, more than relieved to see, including himself, they were seven once again.

They all looked even more exhausted, their skin still scorched from the heat, but with red burns sprinkled in between, likely from the holy water, and they were practically covered in blood.

They didn’t say much, they didn’t need to, anything of importance could be discussed later. Instead they all hugged once again as they rode up the casino floor. 

The fog had cleared, by now it just seemed like any other closed down casino. The sun was peeking in through the windows, a peaceful silence in the air.

It was strange, it felt like so long since they’ve seen the sun. It felt like years since they saw its blissful rays.

Also now that they were back up here, they finally knew what day it was again. 

Hardly any time had passed up here, time being a funny thing like that. It was the morning after they began their planned attack, the sun now up and a few early bird Vegas residents already walking the strip.

From inside the building, because of the barrier Namjoon put up, passersby would start at one end, disappear, and then reappear at the other end of the casino. To them, they saw a casino that was still closed, but they were completely unaware of the horrors that happened inside these walls in just a few short hours for them. 

Such simple creatures.

Sometimes Jimin couldn’t help but wish he was as blissfully unaware of things like they were. It would be so much easier that way. 

They all helped each other hobble over to the entrance. It was a task trying to fly up to the shopping center, that short distance up was hard for most of them to do, Namjoon and Jimin had to fly all of the others up to the roof. 

As soon as they all made it, they all just laid down with a sigh and stared up at the sky beginning to erupt with color as the sun continued to rise. 

“You think we can convince the higher ups to give us a whole decade off after this?” Seokjin let out a pained laugh. 

“Right… we have to go straight back to being guardians…” Taehyung frowned. 

“Why are we so tired?” Jungkook whined, hating the feeling. It was strange, but none of them thought too much about it, they had really been fighting for a long time and with so many enemies. 

“We must be getting old…” Yoongi sighed and they all laughed. 

If only. 

The moment was nice but they still had one more task left. Namjoon tapped Taehyung and after a little bit of complaining he finally got up to deliver the final blow.

Taehyung brought his bow back out and drew it for the last time. Another arrow appeared over the line with the tip blazing with flames, instead of white this time, a vigorous blue blazed over the tip. 

He let go and the arrow whizzed through the air before landing somewhere on the roof. A blue flame slowly began to grow in its place. 

This step usually takes a while. 

As soon as this was done, Namjoon would be able to swoop in and finally put the last piece back in place. 

Devil’s Night never should have existed and everyone who thought it did would forget about it, the world going back to the way it should be. The balance restored, time itself restored, in the end, while it may not have been the most satisfactory ending, it still was a mission success. 

Yoongi finally had enough energy to begin healing everyone, first tending to any serious injuries that had caused the pool of red to collect underneath them, then soothing their burns from either the flames or the holy water, and finally making his way over to Jimin and tending to the bullet hole that had gone straight through his arm.

It sucked, but getting shot on missions like these wasn’t something new, so he was used to the sting of Yoongi trying to patch up the hole that was seeping both blood and his angelic energy. The rag he’d tied around the wound was soaked with blood and the bright white light of the true beast that was within glowed brightly as soon as Yoongi took it off.

Despite all the injuries being fixed, they still felt exhausted for some reason. Instead of heading straight back to H.E.A.V.E.N. after watching Devil’s Night burn down, they decided a quick break at a restaurant would hopefully boost their spirits.

Food wouldn’t work like it might for humans, but the environment was nice to lose yourself in, making the stress and exhaustion go away even if it was just the slightest.

It took awhile for the casino to burn down, despite the flames quickly overtaking everything in sight, it was as if the building itself was fighting till the very end. The boys all watched from the roof of the shopping center as the bright blue flames consumed it whole. Eventually all things must come to an end, and instead of the magnificent casino that easily lured in guests, the casino sitting right in front of them was no more, instead a giant hole in its place.

Namjoon then came in and as he removed the barrier they had set up earlier he individually removed Devil’s Night from everyone who had memories of it. A process only Namjoon could do so fast and on such a large scale. 

The walls came down and the gaping hole in the ground was instead replaced with the abandoned building that was meant to be there. It looked exactly like the casino did, albeit in a more pathetic state than the flashy lights, golden floors, and the red velvety accents, but it started to make a lot more sense how they were able to set up so quickly. 

With that done, this was officially it.

Mission success indeed. 

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

Namjoon shifted up to the higher plane where their base resided and destroyed everything inside. He was back quickly and they all changed into more casual clothes that fit the time period, tshirts, shorts, hats, sunglasses.

Nobody would ever guess they weren’t just a group of friends who decided to hit up the strip early. Perfect.

They flew down from the roof as inconspicuously as they could, heading down in an alleyway, before emerging where the rest of everyone walked.

They enjoyed their time sightseeing, despite being more aware of all the sights than any of the baffled tourists they passed, they still had a little fun while they searched for a place everyone wanted to eat at.

The problem was that most places were closed since it was so early, in the end they decided to do breakfast instead. It was a cute place, themed around an old fifties diner. 

“So did Abigor end up telling you anything?” Hoseok asked as he stared at the mountainous stack of pancakes the waitress had just given him. They all had a surplus helping of the meals they ordered, apparently complements of the chefs, who all shyly waved once they noticed their eyes. 

“Nope, just the same shit the P3 angels said about him.” Namjoon sighed, taking a bite of all the bacon they had sitting on the plate. His attention turned to Jimin right as he said that.

“When we first got there though he acted as if he knew Jimin for some reason when I mentioned his name.” Namjoon said, adding that little bit of detail.

All the boys who weren’t there looked around a little confused. 

“Why…?” Taehyung looked extremely confused, they all were honestly. 

“I’m not sure, he was pretty crazy though, so I don’t think it’s something to worry about.” Namjoon tried to reason but he couldn’t get it out of his head how things were fine until Abigor heard his name.

“Do you think maybe the P3 angels were talking about us and he heard about Jimin?” Jungkook suggested. 

It was no doubt they were one of the most infamous P2 teams currently active, the idea of a P3 angel mentioning their name and Abigor happened to be listening wasn’t that outlandish. 

“That has to be it if anything, I think it’s worth mentioning in our reports but I think the higher ups will probably write it off too. At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter anymore, he’s gone.” Namjoon put it plainly. 

Jimin was only halfway listening. He mindlessly used his fork to push around the overload of scrambled eggs on his plate, he was too focused on wishing you were here with them. 

You would have sat right beside him because he could easily put his arm around you. You would have been a little shy about it, but Jimin would have been smiling ear to ear, happy to have you here with his teammates.  

He had to get back to you.

Despite how tired he was, he was the only one who just wanted to head back so they could hurriedly start on those reports they had to get done before he could get back to you.

It’s been too long since he’s seen you last.

Luckily the boys knew to move speedily, they were expected to return soon, so as much as the others wanted to take their time and enjoy themselves after the literal hell they’ve been put through, they still had a job to do.

Despite the surplus of food, all of the plates were clean by the time they asked for the check. Even the waitress looked surprised as she came over. It was one of the only advantages of not having a stomach, you could enjoy food to your heart's content and there were absolutely no consequences.

As much as most of them didn’t want to leave, once they left the diner, they headed behind one of the buildings on the strip to quickly return to their higher plane. They quickly ditched their casual 2002 attire for the white, silky fabrics they were used to.

Now invisible to everyone except each other, they moved back into the open. A shiny, golden ring appeared above Namjoon’s head and he jumped up to grab it.

He tossed it into the air and the ring quickly began to spin before a black void appeared right in its center. 

With one last passing glance over the strip, the boys all flew through, the blackness only momentary before they flew right up to the landing bay in their headquarters. 

It was similar to the larger one used in H.E.A.V.E.N. but this one was the one for their own personal HQ. It was the same place they first awoke, the same place Celine and Atara trained them, the same place they’ve used to plan all their missions, and the same place they met every month while on guardian duty. It always molded and expanded to their every need.

They all stretched their tired limbs but immediately went to work on getting those reports done. They were always long and tedious and this one especially was going to be difficult to get done. They had to make note of everything that happened in the most explicit detail, even down to the names of every demon they located and killed. 

It was hard work and Jimin didn’t know how long it took them, it was impossible to know here anyway, but they eventually got it done. 

Finally they could put this behind them.

But the grind never stopped, they all still had humans to go back to look after.

Namjoon volunteered to be the one to turn in their reports, tell the higher ups to start the final cleansing (Namjoon whipped everyone’s memory in 2002 of Devil’s Night but for those who weren’t around at the time, they still died with the memory— something that can’t happen) and inform the watchers of their return, but at this point they all said their goodbyes, a commemorative group hug being the last thing they did before they started heading their separate ways.

The set clocks returned back to their synchronicity. June 6th, 7:34pm, all in their respective years, but he was going to 2021.

Jimin couldn’t be more happy as he started making his way back. 

He just missed you so much.

⊱ ────── {⋅. ✯ .⋅} ────── ⊰

You went to bed a little excited today. 

Your nights had been way too peaceful– there was no Jimin, no field, no date, it was just nothing. You found yourself in absolute darkness till the morning, something you found you weren’t used to anymore. 

Was it embarrassing to say you hated it? Yes, and maybe even more so that you were actually counting down the days till Sunday. It was only three days after your last meeting, but after the next night proved to be dreamless, as weird as it was, you still found yourself growing eager for the end of the weekend for the first time ever.

As soon as it got late, your excitement got the best of you, and so to speed up the process, you finally turned on that documentary about penguins that you would always fall asleep to. 

You would be out like a light every time.

Your excitement let you get past the opening credits, a rare occurrence unfortunately, and you even finally heard the narrator speak for the first time. It was by far the longest you lasted, but those peaceful, nature sounds and the soothing voice of the narrator didn’t let you get any farther than the introduction to their migration patterns.

Before you knew it, you opened your eyes to the clear blue sky, and the leaves of the infamous tree rustling in the wind. 

Realizing you were finally back, you sat up quickly trying to find where Jimin was, only to be shocked to see his smiling face next to you, staring up, as you both laid out on this picnic blanket.

Part of you was honestly surprised that he was really here on the day he said he was going to be. How was this possible?

How was any of this possible? It didn’t make any sense whatsoever, but in the moment, it didn’t matter because Jimin was right here with you once again. 

If things couldn’t get any more embarrassing your eyes started welling up as you quickly leaped on top of him.

Jimin laughed as he felt your tight embrace, but just the feeling of having you in his arms again, if he could cry, he would have been bawling his eyes out right now. 

“I missed you more…” His voice was soft as he gently rubbed your back. 

“Not possible.” You choked, trying your best to hold it together, but you were miserably failing. 

Jimin wanted to say no, it actually was very much so possible. It had been years since he’d seen you, the three days apart was nothing like it was on his end, but he let you have this one. 

You eventually pulled yourself away from his shoulder, still surprised to see he was here, you were here, that this was happening. 

Your position had accidentally turned a bit promiscuous as you sat up. You were sitting right on his lap, your white sundress dangerously kept inching up your thigh with every movement you made. 

Jimin realized this quite quickly and that word on his wrist that had healed back to gold, began to set a blaze at the dangerous thoughts bouncing around his head. 

No. Don’t do this.

“You kept your promise.” You smiled down at him as you wiped your eyes. 

“Of course I would~” He chuckled, his hands coming up to rest on your waist. 

Oh this position.

Jimin knew you could see his eyes drifting down to where your bodies connected.

“Mmm, we seem to be in a similar position to how our first date ended.” You smirked thinking back to it. 

Jimin just laughed nervously because you were right, this is exactly how your first date— well, the second attempt ended, you were right on top of him like this. 

You leaned forward so you were a little closer, this new position making it so easy for him to stare down your dress. You knew what you were doing.

“I know you know what I’m thinking, you always like to be in my head so much. Don’t you know how much I missed you?” Your voice was so sultry as you leaned in to start peppering kisses along his cheek. 

He knew, he knew exactly how much you missed him. You let him see it, see what you did late at night to soothe the ache that he left behind the last time you saw each other. 

A pained whine left his lips as you drew closer, the image so clear, your fingers working so well to please yourself at the thought of him. 

Of him.

Him!

You smiled at him before kissing him ever so gently, like you were oh so innocent, your lips, your soft lips against his. 

Oh no.

Almost immediately taking you out of the moment was the sound of plates clinking together and the soft murmur of voices. 

Confused, you broke away and you were a little stunned to see no longer were you by the tree in the beautiful meadow, but instead you and Jimin were on the floor of a restaurant.

You quickly looked down at Jimin and he looked like he’d just seen a ghost.

“Date! I wanted to take you out today.” Jimin sounded nervous as he looked around. 

He ushered you off of him and into the booth you were laid out beside. 

Trying to stop the embarrassment from rising at the fact you started to see others in the booths, you looked around hoping that would be a good distraction but you found yourself even more confused. It looked like one of those fifties diners you would see whenever you watched old American movies. You’d certainly never been here before. 

“Jimin, what’s going on?” You asked, a little scared. This was weird, this was the first time other people had been in your dream besides the two of you.

“I wanted to take you out, I hope you don’t mind.” Jimin tried to smile to reassure you. 

The same waitress he’d seen before his team left Vegas walked up to you both and asked for your order. 

“This place is amazing!” Jimin boosted and ordered the “special” which here just meant the same thing he and his group got when they visited. Was it far too much, certainly, especially for just the two of you, but he wanted to give you the experience.

The lady— Laura was the name on her badge— smiled at you both. 

“Y’all make such a pretty couple.” Laura cheesed as she finished writing down the order. 

Jimin blushed before thanking her. 

If you weren’t confused before, things got weirder in the fact you understood everything she was saying despite you not exactly being fluent in English. 

Maybe you were better than you thought, but…?

As Laura walked away, Jimin’s attention was fully on you. He knew you wanted to ask what just happened, he reassured you once again this was just a date like he always takes you on and you started to relax a little when Laura brought out the surplus of food, which you definitely wouldn’t have been able to eat all of it.

It got you to smile as plate after plate kept coming out and managed to take your mind off of the awkwardness earlier. 

As you started to dive into your breakfast, you asked him what he did over the three days he was gone. 

Jimin reiterated once again that he left to take down bad guys, to which you playfully rolled your eyes and asked for more detail. 

“Can’t tell you silly~” Jimin chuckled.

“Why?” You pouted.

“Confidential.” It wasn’t really in all technicality because you shouldn’t even be in a position to ask him this question. 

“Confidential? This is my head Jimin.” You laughed, baffled that this man was trying to keep secrets in your own mind.

You let it go though after he at least told you his mission had been successful. He knew you had more questions, but didn’t address it. It was not like he could anyway. 

You both laughed as you ate your breakfast, breakfast for dinner…? What time was it? Was this actually breakfast or was the night still young as that penguin documentary continued to play with you passed out on the couch?

It didn’t matter because Jimin was here right now as you enjoyed your spread of pancakes, waffles, eggs, bacon, French toast, and assortment of fruits. Jimin assured you, you didn’t need to eat it all, but you had fun trying all the different foods. 

The date was nice, something he pictured you would have had if you had been with him in Las Vegas back in 2002.

All was right, he was with you again, it should be as simple as that but it never seemed to be just that simple. 

As innocent as your conversations were, your mind was a broken record for what happened earlier under the tree. Not just that, but what happened when he was gone, or all the multitude of ways your mind seemed to come up with as you spoke like nothing was wrong. 

And to make matters worse, you weren’t doing it intentionally this time. Maybe Jimin had searched in your mind to find where your desires continued to play out, if he did, he didn’t mean to, but it was too late to go back. 

It was pissing him off. 

You were pissing him off, because while you had the luxury of fooling around with whoever you pleased, he couldn’t— it was a sin for him. 

A horrendous sin and a promise he made to the people he was closest to.

There was no way he could break their trust, to fall that low into temptation. 

Why were you doing this to him? 

Why wasn’t he stronger than this?

Jimin tried to pay attention to your rant about why you kept trying to watch that penguin documentary when you’re sleepy instead of in the afternoon or something, but your mind was filthy and it was so distracting. 

The more he tried to push away, the more he wished he never made this date happen. He wished right now you both were still alone and underneath that tree as he let you touch him. He wanted you to touch him and he wanted to touch you even more. 

Jimin hated the way his body felt, this unnerving flame that continued to grow brighter. He felt hot, hotter than the hell he was put through for his mission. His eyes encapsulated by your beauty was a dangerous fuel to the fire, it had just been so long, and your smile while you tried to recount how much you actually learned from that penguin documentary, it took so little for you to do this to him. 

Just one human, one, to make him feel like this? Was he really that weak to sin? 

Jimin knew he must have started to look strange, but he didn’t even realize you had stopped talking all together noticing his expression grow more… pained? There was a weird, scary look in his eyes.

“Jimin, you ok?” You asked worriedly. 

As quickly as you noticed, your voice was enough to get him snap out of it… slightly. 

Jimin didn’t say anything, instead choosing to beckon you over to sit with him. 

You were still confused, but followed his request, moving over to his side of the booth.

“Soooo, what’s up?” You tried again. There was a notable distance between you two and his eyes weren’t on you but towards the window.

“It’s a nice day, isn’t it?” He smiled. Your attention turned to the window.

“I mean… I guess. Jimin, what’s go—“ Jimin didn’t let you finish before he pulled the most classic trick in the book, the comical stretch into the arm over the shoulder.  Jimin giggled as he pulled you close so you were cuddled up next to each other. 

“Was that cheesy?” He laughed as he saw the look on your face. 

“Very but I’ll give you a pass this time.” Your cheeks were flushed, you probably had a stupid look on your face, but the more you felt his warmth, you made yourself cozy.

Jimin smiled knowing that you loved it.

Your gazes both trailed outside the window as you settled on the growing business of the Las Vegas strip. You couldn’t help but wonder how all of this was in your head.

Jimin invited you to his game of people watching, the strip infamous for bringing out a lot of interesting characters. It was peaceful, but you had more fun just having Jimin this close to you.

The playfulness faded into something more tender anytime you’d see a couple walk past hand in hand. You’d hold on to Jimin a little tighter and smile, it was a bittersweet feeling knowing you’d never get to do that with him. 

You distracted yourself with the memories you did manage to create together, the months you’ve shared meeting in your dreams every night. 

Unfortunately those memories also included your first encounter, how forward you were despite that being so unlike you. It included your date to Saturn’s rings, how it ended with Jimin on top of you, confessing his worries about this relationship and how you told him you didn’t care. And how could you forget what transpired only moments ago, a position so similar to the first time you met but this time you were able to kiss him, touch him slightly. If only you could have—

Taking you out of your thoughts was Jimin’s fingers coming up to lift your chin so you were looking up at him. 

“Behave.” His voice was dark, barely above a whisper. 

Suddenly it got very quiet in the diner. 

Jimin leaned forward, his lips trailing up your jaw. “You know I know what you’re thinking. You’re doing this on purpose aren’t you?” His voice was shaky, yet he was being assertive. It almost seemed like he was genuinely mad.

“What if I was…” Your words were dangerous, you were dangerous. 

You were making things even worse, so dangerous as you purposefully focused on what happened under the tree earlier. 

“Your mind is so filthy…” Jimin groaned, trying so hard to keep it together. He wanted to punish you for doing this, spread out over this table, show you exactly that there were consequences to your actions. 

“Mmmm, it’s your fault.” You smiled, climbing into his lap. 

You were right, the diner really was empty now, if you turned behind you, the Vegas strip was deserted as well.

Jimin would have cried if he could, it hurt so fucking much. 

“Y/n… you don’t know what you’re doing.” He sighed as you kissed his cheek, his grip on your waist probably way too tight.

“I think I do… I want you to fuck me.” Your tone could have ended an entire legion at how easily you whispered that into his ear. 

Your hands ran up his toned chest, to settle around his neck, beautiful whines of pleasure escaping his lips no matter how much he tried to stop them. 

You gazed into his eyes, that strange look returned to them, but you didn’t mind it and pushed on, kissing him like you’ve wanted to all night. 

The moment only seemed to last for a second before you felt you were falling and then the feeling of the soft blades of grass against your back made you open your eyes. 

Like when this dream first started you were back underneath the big tree, staring up at the bright blue sky. This time with Jimin on top, his silver necklace with the cross on it falling out of his shirt and dangling in between you two.

He pressed himself into you and quickly kissed you in the soft breeze.

“I’m trying so hard…” This time it was clear, he truly did sound pained as he hurriedly reached down to hick up your dress so it was bunched around your waist. 

“I’m trying so hard, I promise.” Then his lips were on your neck, kissing, sucking, as his hands ran up your sides. 

“Why won’t you just fucking behave like I told you to—“ It came out as a mangled sob, but he truly was angry with you. 

You just wouldn’t listen, if anything, you were just more turned on, choosing to hurriedly run your hands up and down his back to somehow try and get his shirt off.

But you were just making things harder as you moved from his lips, to plant needy kisses down his neck.

Jimin had his hand tangled in the grass as you let him feel all these new sensations, ones he’d never been on the receiving end of. 

It was too much. 

He wanted to make you feel good, but, but…

Jimin buried himself in your neck as his hips bucked into your heat, his grip on the grass growing too tight, the roots themselves started popping out.

Your moans, what he would have given to hear them more. 

He was making you feel so good but just like what happened on the rings of Saturn, right as things were getting too spicy you found your eyes shooting open to your darkened living room, once again alone. 

And you truly were alone this time. Jimin had flown out the window as soon as you got back.

He couldn’t be in that room, instead not even a minute later he was flying off to that forest, merging to the normal plane before diving into a random lake.

He’d hoped the splash would have quelled the burning of sin he felt from within, but as he started sinking to the bottom, he knew nothing would work. 

He’d nearly lost it right there with you. He had been so close to giving up everything, a promise older than anything of existence, just for a few minutes with a human. 

His wrist hurt, the letters blackened out once again and he hadn’t been back for long.

How, how was this relationship going to work?

He’d resist the temptation, he had to, no question about it, but it fucking hurt so much. The human that he once was, was haunting him even though they were long gone.

Jimin's eyes fixated on the full moon that continued to shine brightly through the waters.

What are you going to do? 

I’ll just have to resist it.

You nearly gave in already.

I’ll resist, nothing will jeopardize that. 

You’ve already compromised so much for that human, is this a promise that’ll last forever?

It has to.

No questions, no matter how much temptation might try to lure him into sin, he will prevail. 

Removing her from your life would make things easier to manage.

But she is now, and that was not going to change.

He would figure this out, no matter how much it might hurt, he’ll make it work. 

Maybe if it hurt more, the reminder of the path he’s straying down because of the sins he has committed that were marked all over his body– maybe then he would be put back in his place. 

If this kept going Jimin feared he might grow too used to it.

What then?

He had to make it hurt.

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[davekat-sucks]

Honestly the rhetoric of “Japan isn’t a perfect place” is so hollow at this point because of how obvious Japan’s societal problems are. Yes, Japan does have low birth rates, yes Japan has a harsh and unforgiving work culture, yes Japan does not have a society that reaches out to or discusses mental health of its population, creating a drive towards the growing hikikomori culture where you just stay inside your house all day and ROT. And finally, yeah many Japanese people do not like immigrants, immigration, or foreigners. This is a mix of European tourists being inconsiderate of their culture (it’s getting so bad tourists are getting banned from some districts of Japan for repeatedly taking pictures of geishas even though there are signs with visual clues of stick figures taking pictures of a geisha with a BIG CIRCLE WITH A SLASH THROUGH IT and this also applies to even simple stuff like ignoring the painted rows for getting on trains in a filed line, and a lot of little cultural divisions that you gotta learn before stepping into Asia’s biggest cultural exporter.

Of course, it’s not just the tourists, Japan also hates immigrants mostly because of the continuous cloud of Japanese nationalism that remains in the nation even after the war, which at best preserves landmarks and iconography of old imperial Japan (the naval flag hasn’t changed since 1868, even though the rising sun flag is now associated by Americans, many Chinese mainlanders, and Southeast Asians as a flag of oppression and war crimes since WWII, unless your Thailand, because Japan let Thailand keep their king and even join the Axis powers as an independent state) and at worst racism against Koreans and Chinese people that denies the terror at unit 731 and the massacre of Nanking.

Finally a lot of societal pros and cons of Japan come from 2 things:

1. America is Japan’e sugar daddy, it raised the country from rubble after WWII and created an economic miracle that modernized it so fast that by the 1980s it was developmentally ahead of countries like Italy and France.

2. Japan is dominated by one party since WWII and it only lost that majority for about 4 years after the economic crisis in 2008. It was Shinzo Abe that got the party’s grip on Japan, and economic state, back in the groove.

So Japan is a complex society with many people, a long history, complex politics (did you know Japan is one of the only countries in the global north to have a communist party represented in its parliament?) and it has problems, very human, and some of it does stem from the free-market Conservative politics of the country, and some of it was practices and cultural norms translated to the modern day.

The issue is the phrase “Japan ain’t a paradise ya know” does not address any of this, it more or less just attacks a superficial belief that people who like anime and complain about “wokeness” in western media like anime because anime generally does not explore or address social movements or political philosophy that deals with LGBTQ rights, racism, economic inequality, social justice, or political theory compared to modern american media which has integrated many more openly queer main characters and usually fights a villain who is a megalomaniac aristocrat who wants to get rid of some “other” to return society to “the good old days” and take power as this “great man” which must do what the unwashed masses could not stand up to. The assumption is since anime, and generally in genres like slice of life and shonen (and even beyond the scope of anime, tokusatsu) does not cover topic of modern political and social climate, it’s because Japan doesn’t have to deal with these issues, and is to the anime viewer, a harmonious, enriched, and bountiful society where there’s no crime, no poverty, and everyone is proud to be Japanese and accepts their place in society no matter how trivial their job or position in their community is.

The thing is: NO

Many popular anime and cartoons in Japan can cover modern social issues or political philosophy, it’s just that not all of it is going to get so popular that it gets dubbed or shipped to translation publishers like Crunchyroll or Viz media. The other thing is some Japanese media can cover older or more personal struggles in their works, it can get popular, and that’s alright! Not every piece of media that avoids talking about modern issues is anti-woke! Sometimes a fine story is a fun break from reality, a way to ease your stress from a day at work.

I think when people say “Japan isn’t a paradise you think it is” I think they’re saying that Japan has active movements that fight for more modern political causes like LGBTQ rights and economic reform, and that inevitably, they will win. Some courts in Japan are already considering same-sex marriage to be a right. That’s great.

The thing is, what the nu-fan is also saying is that the pressure of the American audience, and the growing progressive movement in Japan will reform the production and distribution of Japanese media that will introduce a new wave of authors, writers, and even animators who will be more woke than any previous generation of Japanese artists that preceded them.

And when Japan’s media landscape goes woke, where will you turn to to “escape the nu-fans” South Korea?

As if there’ll be 2 Koreas within the next decade.

🇰🇵🇰🇵🇰🇵

Then there's Western companies that are trying to ask JP creators to change, edit, and censor their works in order to fit the standards for Western audiences. If they don't try to persuade them, they do it in more subtle ways through localization without their knowledge. And they will take that advantage that the creator will be fine with it because most don't understand English or Western culture. Sites like Pixiv that is limiting US and UK NSFW content because they don't wish to change the rules for other countries for a site that was exclusively made for Japan. It's why people are starting to accept AI translations as a new way to translate anime/manga/video games over localizers like Crunchyroll. I also think there is a difference in addressing Japanese's political and society issues over policing their media and having to alter it in order to make a quick buck. It's just as bad as Disney removing one gay reference since it isn't part of the big plot to get dem Chinese bux. At least stuff like Apex Legends is having some balls to not LGBT+ shit for Saudi Arabia release without fear of losing money or being killed.

[solreads]

Across a Field of Starlight - Review

Title: Across a Field of Starlight

Author: Blue Delliquanti

Genre: Science Fiction

Audience: Young Adult

Format: Graphic Novel

Representation: Nonbinary POV characters

  Trans man supporting character

Summary: As the Ever-Blossoming Empire colonizes ever greater swaths of the galaxy, Fassen Ruust, a young war orphan, desperately struggles to earn their keep in the Fireback resistance and prove their worth as a fighter. Eventually, they catch the attention of one of the resistance’s greatest heroes and are recruited to serve on his special unit. All the while their secret contact with Lu, a teenager from outside both the empire and the resistance who saved Fassen when they were children, provides them with the rare opportunity for friendship, comfort, and a creative outlet in their militaristic and highly transactional society.

Lu lives in a world entirely unlike Fassen’s. Post-scarcity and post-capitalism, it is a place of peace, prosperity, and freedom maintained through secrecy and avoidance of both sides of the war.

When a mission gone wrong exposes Fassen to a darker side of the resistance, they flee to the only safety they can think of — Lu. But as the war follows them right to Lu’s home, both Fassen and Lu will decide what they are willing to give to protect their peace and their ideals.

Reflections: Okay, so the blurb on the book describing this as a romance is a little… odd. Fassen and Lu’s relationship could be read as a romance (though it’s just as easy, maybe easier, to read it as not) but the narrative is not structured or framed around the relationship in a way that would lead me to describe the genre as romance.

With that out of the way, this story uses the characters as a discussion of what our society should value, and how it should take care of its people, bringing in as well discussions of colonialism, imperialism, and the effects of war. Some of it was well done — the ways the resistance’s single-minded focus on war had them veering into the same mindset as the empire rather than forming a better society; the disregard for the native inhabitants of the battleground planet by both sides. But other sides of these issues were neglected — there’s not much exploration of what the alternative to Fireback’s form of resistance is, Lu’s people have just removed themselves and called it a day. There’s the start of something at the end, but I think the whole ending is too rushed. A character is introduced, gets one quick conversation off with the protagonists and friends, and changes their whole worldview, wrapping up the conflict and turning the whole war around. This kind of resolution fit the themes for sure but was only loosely tied to the plot and the focus of the story up to that point.

I guess I feel like this book touched on too many complex topics for those +character arcs, +worldbuilding, etc. to all be thoroughly explored and wrapped up in one mid-length novel. I wish it was a series instead, which must tell you I did like it somewhat.  

(I really want a series so I can have a book from Sertig’s perspective. Let me see her life story.)

Notes on Rep: The terms ‘nonbinary’ and ‘transgender’ aren’t used in the book, but the characters are intentionally written as nonbinary and their transitions and gender expression are explored.

[schismusic]

Untitled piece on worried music (or some shit)

This piece has been floating around, shapeless and structureless, for the better part of four months now. I don't particulary care to give it any sort of unifying theme, or to put it into comparison with autobiography as I usually do. This will have to stand on its own as an ostensibly gratuitous exploration of various levels of preoccupation in music that I like. This being said, hope you enjoy the dive and you find something worthwhile to listen to. For those of you who hoped to read more about my very boring personal life, well, it's this way or the highway this time. I'm really bad at this, aren't I?…

Orchestral Manoeuvres in the Dark (don't worry, I will no longer subject you to this long ass name and will stick to the conventional acronym) live in this weird limbo where they might be among the longest-running acts to originate from the late '70s and yet at the same time are by and large considered by most a one-hit wonder. And to be fair, Enola Gay could very easily be the single best synthpop track ever recorded, thereby rendering other tracks from the same genre functionally useless to people who do not care about synthpop. I, however, care a lot about synthpop. But I also care a lot about a different, very underrated aspect of synthpop: its paranoia.

There's a really cool piece by Mark Sabatini on the Red Wedge magazine. The piece opens with a picture of peroxide-hair David Sylvian sitting in front of a Prophet-5 and is dedicated to Scott Walker and Mark Hollis, so it's basically just tailor-made for me right out of the gate. More importantly, however, it underlines the important relationship between some of the earliest bands in British synthpop and the concept of eerie in the Mark Fisher sense of the word, or some kind of uncertainty with regards to the future. The late 1970s sit at the cusp of a special time in contemporary history, not just because of what Sabatini notes, i.e. the passing of the torch between two decades that came to symbolize two completely different visions of the world (political, social, economic, cultural). The early Eighties would turn out to be some of the most tense years in the entire Cold War. A record like This Heat's Deceit is a direct byproduct of a terrifying climate of impending doom, faced with a dry sarcasm only the sense of rushing to an early grave could grant. In the Yellow Eyes post I also added a number of other examples, none of which strictly relevant to this exact post. One would think that OMD's preoccupation with being, at once, "ABBA and Karlheinz Stockhausen" would force them to a more sideways approach to these same feelings. To an extent, this is true, in that they very rarely discuss current-day topics in a direct way. I am specifically writing about, of course, Enola Gay, but take for instance a track like Telegraph. I remember sending it to Dog a while back and their reaction was quite priceless. Not only did they define it as "whimsical" and "faelike", wow!, but they also very acutely pointed out "something sinister about it just under the surface … it feels subtly dangerous".

This is technically true for the entire Dazzle Ships album. From the first moment we are in Prague, a weird place to be in the year 1983. A sampled trumpet fanfare loops around, a voice speaking in Czech, that same fanfare theme rearranged for a full orchestra. Then it hits you with a song titled, I shit you not, Genetic Engineering. The little children, the future in our hands, feel like more of a menace than they do a promise. They are to be controlled. International tackles rampant nationalism. Radio Waves echoes Kraftwerk and ties back into Telegraph. Of All the Things We've Made, a heartwrenching controlled melodic burst sounding like it could fit straight into the Disco Elysium soundtrack, reflects on the rift between Cold War superpowers with touching longing for world peace. And yet the most representative track of the whole lot might be Time Zones. A mess of jambled radio hourly signals: around the world in barely thirty seconds, codified conventional human behaviour presenting itself in the barest possible function, the capability to tell time. I've always been terrified of radio hourly signals. I remember car trips in the night, the mechanical nightingale chirping before the five boops right before the hour ended. I remember silent screens with sudden noises and an impersonal voice telling the time. So sterile it felt inexorable, the same way doom is.

On the other hand, this barely controlled element of quiet terror – a shift of the mask revealing an inhuman grin? – can at some point just burst into a more direct feverish sense of impending death. This is where a band like Sunrise Patriot Motion comes in. According to this incredible interview with Invisible Oranges, not only is every SPM release a piece in an ongoing story (so far there are two, so you're still in time to get in on the action before it gets too complicated), but Black Fellflower Stream – record number one – was actually itself the product of a driving obsession. In the words of Will Skarstad himself:

"For the first time ever Yellow Eyes was all over the place, but with this, we were like, twice a week, every week getting together. We got into this crazy routine, got obsessed, let’s finish this record. We were just so psyched about it."

Yes, the Skarstad brothers are once again involved. Not that much of a surprise, to be completely fair to you. Their guitar work with Yellow Eyes somehow manages to transcend the usual arrangement tactics of black metal, sounding less and less like cookie-cutter true-Norwegian imitators by the millisecond. While a record like Immersion Trench Reverie perfectly illustrates that, in SPM that same reality-warping harmony is bent in the direction of a post-punk-tinged beast, retaining however the powerful drive and pulse of metal. The brothers, ever so self-conscious, call it their "nu metal" project. I'm not inherently opposed to the idea: Deftones's Chino Moreno is notoriously a massive Japan and Duran Duran fan, Korn's Jonathan Davis got into makeup because of the Cure's Robert Smith. Where the fundamental difference with classic nu metal comes in is probably in the themes. Specifically, Black Fellflower Stream details the psychological journey undergone by a man who, in a religious stupor, comes to believe that he can dig a hole deep enough to find oil. Military symbolism, Catholic imagery relating to mystical ecstasy, incoherent autobiographical babbling, all tied together with the progressively clearer and unavoidable understanding (as per My Father Took Me Hunting in the Snow's liner notes) "that he is the sun, and, as the day ends, so will he."

Musically, in these two records, anything goes. Dungeon synth-inspired fake-ass FM keyboard preset sounds leave space to chugging heavy rhythm guitars, interspersed with yelled (more so than screamed) vocals courtesy of Andy Chugg and incredibly imaginative sampling and sound layering. The musical landscape painted by all of these elements, brought together in such a way that it feels miraculous for them to actually coalesce, is one of absolute military terror, where personal life and one's past are exploded into shrapnel, transform a delusional pretense into a mission of quasi-religious penance. One certainly wonders how long the experiment can go and how it can evolve. But I, for one, am glad that I got to hear these two records, and can't wait for any new music coming our way. Even if it means delving into horrifying visions of petrol war.

But what happens when this state of worry, paranoia almost, comes to essentially burn a hole into reality itself, detaching from average parameters of direction, time, weight, emotion? My guess is you get something close to the latest Ben Frost record. Not one to be intimidated by loud noises, Frost's body of work evolved from forlorn, cinematic guitar to progressively more Dangerous, noisy and aggressive territory. By the time A U R O R A hit it was hard to see where the project would go next. I would argue this was true for Frost as well: the vulgata around The Centre Cannot Hold (and its related EPs and singles) seems to be that it was a bit out of focus, speaking euphemistically. I don't disagree, regardless of my affection towards Threshold of Faith specifically. But Frost's arrival to a deviant, eldritch post-metal form sounds like it holds the key to a new fascinating approach.

The idea of "blending metal and electronica" will bring some of my older followers back to the Prodigy, or Nine Inch Nails, or Godflesh, or even Atari Teenage Riot if we want to force it a bit. On the other hand, some of my slightly less old followers will probably be catapulted into horrible traumatic nightmares of generic 2010-era metalcore bands incorporating keyboardists, brostep mid-range drilling FM modulation, overcompressed guitars and autotuned vocals. I'm proud and happy to report that, if anything, Scope Neglect swings more in the first direction than it does in the other one, but it's not a matter of sound as much as it is a matter of approach. Greg Kubacki (Car Bomb) provides absolutely crushing guitar work – not to mention Liam Andrews (My Disco) and his devastating bass guitar – sounding very much like abstracted takes on his main band's tracks. Yet the guitars sound heavily compressed, laser-focused on filling the mids in a very djenty way (look mom, I said djent in 2024, do I get an award for this?). This is, by design, as modern metal as it gets: and yet it sounds nowhere near as cauterized.

Not just because of the arrangements. And granted, the arrangements go a really long way to achieve the core idea of the record; but Frost's processing of the sounds turn Kubacki's cerebral bursts themselves into inhabitable, inhospitable spaces – bedrock for mind-crushingly heavy atmospherics – which are only then left to be filled with the listener's own imagination and a minimal number of sparse effects and austere melodies. Much in the same way as Autechre (and we're back!), this record comes to build the very spaces it describes, setting aside cinematic tactics – except, maybe, on closer Unreal in the Eyes of the Dead – in favour of an architecture of impossible terrors and, well, a worry and paranoia so imposing and totalising that it transcends discernible form, solid structure, anything but the (very few) bare and basic sonic referents it alludes to.

[katesprocessblog]

Week #2

Introduction

Last week I didn’t spend any time creating so I wanted to put a lot of time into making this this week. I continued to explore the ideas of nostalgia and horror. For my art, I used repetition of ideas to create uneasiness, using places and imagery from my past to tie in the idea of nostalgia. I wanted to use unsettling imagery to show how one could be unsettled in their own identity.

Academic Research

I didn’t do a lot of academic research but I did read a couple articles about the idea of nostalgia and horror media. In the first article I read about horror and animation, I specifically liked this quote that “there is this perception that if it’s an animated film then you can take the little littlies” (Pomeranz and Stratton). I see that animation itself is often a signifier of safety, fun, nostalgia, and childishness, and making animations that go against those characteristics can turn the genre on its head. I need to think about how to use tropes and character types from horror in a meaningful way. 

Sources

Hawley, E. (2016). Re-imagining Horror in Children’s Animated Film. M/C Journal, 18(6). https://doi.org/10.5204/mcj.1033

Bergstrom, Aren. “The Nostalgia of Horror.” 3 Brothers Film, 3 Brothers Film, 17 Feb. 2023, 3brothersfilm.com/blog/2016/10/7/the-nostalgia-of-horror

DePietro, • Delayne. “When Nostalgia Gets Scary.” Where Creativity Works, 3 Jan. 2024, wherecreativityworks.com/when-nostalgia-gets-scary/

Creative Research

I got inspiration when looking back at this piece I made several years ago.

I like the compilation of Mulbos, but I think the Pingu one raises the question of where is the line between creepy and funny and is it even possible for it to be both?

Here I repeated my friend’s face over and over with many of the faces becoming super distorted. I like what I did with the color only being most prevalent in the center and fading out as the faces become less detailed as well.

For this one I took this Deli from the town we would go to every summer to visit family. I think in the future at some point I’d like to play with the ideas of redrawing random places from my childhood.

Reflections

I really enjoyed spending a lot of time creating this week. After discussions in class, I realized that I’m not sure where I want to be in a venn diagram of weird, funny, and creepy. For next week I want to look into the history behind the word nostalgia, which another classmate mentioned means “return pain”. I also want to talk to others and ask them about the media they consumed as kids and how scary media played into their childhood. Finally, I know I need to combine my ideas into a singular topic and figure out exactly how to word the idea I’m going for.

[longing-for-rain]

I'm back. I love this topic. Regarding this:

" I actually once found it interesting that these kinds of stories were being written in m/m fiction…I think it’s often for fetishistic reasons, but it does provide an interesting perspective on misogyny by creating a world in which men (male omegas) can experience it. Why write it this way? Was it intentional? Did these authors find these issues less triggering to explore by depicting them happening to male characters? Did they feel that the themes would be taken more seriously if depicted happening to male characters? Who knows, but those questions are interesting."

Yes. I'm telling you this as a fan of omegaverse and a former writer. And this is my personal experience: Most omegaverse is written by other women who are looking for ways to explore those patriarchal expectations without having to face the harsh reality: women are the ones who have to deal with those expectations. By placing those expectations on men, they can talk about it and explore it in "safe spaces" without having to face the harsh reality of sex based oppression. It's a fantasy world so it's less triggering.

And some writers try to change those dynamics within their fanfics and stories bc it's the only way they can show discomfort with those tropes without alienating people and being called man hating crazy feminists 🙄. Tackling oppresion and forced birth when it happens to male omegas is more welcomed than having feminist views and critiquing the whole genre.

Many of those women are not ready/can't write compelling stories about female oppression bc its too much. It devastating. Its too real.

Hey anon thanks for the ask! I find this topic really interesting too.

We sound like we have very similar experiences here, I was never particularly interested in omegaverse itself, but I always found myself drawn to reading and writing “whump” type fanfic about men. I think it’s a very similar idea, where there are traumatic topics and experiences that primarily affect women that it feels more detached to explore through male characters. Whump fiction is the same pattern where it’s almost always written by women about male characters. I’ve also found that in fanfic, portrayals of issues like eating disorders, body insecurity, self harm, sexual abuse and violence, etc. are disproportionately shown happening to male characters rather than female characters when the opposite is true in real life. And before someone jumps in here to yell at me, I’m not saying it never happens to men in real life. I’m just saying not nearly at the same rates you see in fiction, and I think there’s a reason for that. It doesn’t feel as personal, as a woman, to read/write about certain things happening to a man. It can create a layer of separation that feels less triggering.

And lately I actually have been writing stories which portray female victims, because I kind of felt weird when I recognized the trend. Yes, I think there is value in exploring something painful in a detached way, but there was also something about removing women from discussions of our own trauma that felt uncomfortable. So lately I wrote some things (like Claws of Ice) that address the misogyny aspect more directly and it’s been emotional, but also cathartic. I remember 10 years ago people straight up would not take the rape of a female character seriously, and even now, I still see people treat the exact same happening to male characters (and real men tbh) as a far greater crime. But I’ve gotten a great response on that story. Women connect with it, empathize with the victim, so I feel a little better writing about those topics. I was scared off from it for a while because I was afraid it would just be sexualized and treated as a fetish the way female suffering often is, but I haven’t gotten that so far.

But to your last point, yes, unfortunately, the whole “man hater” accusation issue is very real and something I’ve experienced. You can’t talk about any feminist issue or even write about it in fanfics of all things without someone accusing you of being a man-hater, feminazi, TERF, bitch, cunt, ugly, fat, etc. etc. bullshit insult they come up with, because people always hate women who confront female oppression.

I’m still going to keep doing it though because idgaf, for every weirdo anon and low effort troll, there are many many women out there who can connect with what I write and I think there’s value in that. If even just one woman feels seen, heard, valued, and empathized with because of a story I wrote, it’s worth it to me.

[olderthannetfic]

Anon from 722398181104795649 again about YA as a G-D and it's failure(s). Your response is really interesting because it definitely aligns with the market research I've had to do over the last 3-ish months for work. Adult YA readers want YA to skew older superficially as escapism from the woes of adulthood (It's like someone who orders a pasta with broccoli in it because they appreciate the flavor it brings, but they have no interest in actually eating their vegetables). Teenagers feel alienated by the G-D that is meant for them no longer allows them to confront said woes with honesty or maturity for their age to prepare them for adulthood or discussing broader ideas. More teenagers skip over YA altogether or just reader adult genre fiction with some Middle Grade fiction mixed in because the teenagers feel in MG, there's still an honesty to the stories that they can understand, having once been young children. In short: teenagers think YA books are talking down to or patronizing them.

The result is YA authors pushing for NA, New Adult, as a G-D, which hasn't taken off within tradpub outside of romance circles. Mostly, because what they're pushing for is already an established genre for around a century: campus novels--books about characters 18+ who are entering college, establishing independence, beginning to explore sexuality and enter the workforce, etc. But, again, YA adult readers refuse to engage with adult genre fiction because there isn't the facade of protection from adult themes or topics, and there's an aggressive refusal among many agents in literary fiction (and some adult genre fiction) to encourage authors to sanitize their stories. YA authors began attempting to cross over into adult genre fiction with mixed, but overwhelmingly negative, results, as they cannot shake the stigma of writing YA. And the genre fiction crowds they want to appeal to have higher standards, typically, than the average YA writer is able to meet. YA authors then complain about the differences in publishing YA and genre adult fiction. It's like when MCU actors and directors get upset when prestige film directors don't consider MCU movies to be "cinema."

--

This is fascinating.

I pretty much missed the YA boom (slightly too old, not paying attention, etc.), so I've mostly encountered YA through its worst evangelists of the Hunger Games knockoff era, and often a good bit after their favorite books were at their height.

As I've said before, this really strikes me as that pattern where something is big when you're at a formative age, and it becomes the Normal Default to you.

I'm sure some of it is refusal to engage with adult nuance, but I'll bet a lot of it is resistance to leaving the name of YA behind. People spent so much time defending this niche that they started believing their own rhetoric about it being the only place the good queer stuff was or the feminist stuff was or whatever. They identified really strongly as A YA Fan. It's hard to let that go.

And if you don't remember much about pre-YA boom publishing, the fact that all that YA-tastic Mercedes Lackey stuff was filed under fantasy, not YA is completely obscure. The places you find stuff you'd like that aren't called "YA" are not obvious. The fact that YA in its boom era form isn't universal and eternal is not obvious.

I think people are waiting for their Cool Era of their early 20s to return and for the things they think should always be in fashion to come back... Like everyone else aging ungracefully, they may be waiting a while.

Gotta say, every New Adult book I've been shown sounds like a hideously boring contemporary romance that would probably make a good coffee shop AU against a backdrop of a canon that's dark or magical but that isn't really pulling its weight even if you like contemporaries.

[bestgilmoregirlseps]

𝘐𝑛𝑡𝑟𝑜 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑦 𝑏𝑙𝑜𝑔

Hi! My name is Emilie and I'm a grade twelve student whose favourite past-time is to binge-watch and analyze tv shows. I really enjoy the aspect of exploring different topics and themes through the multitude of film genres as well as the entertainment it provides. Although I’ve watched several shows, there are only a select few that I believe have impacted my life or that I still find myself interested in. One of them is none other than the iconic dramedy Gilmore Girls. This early 2000s show starring Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel has become a fall classic over the years as it symbolizes the changes in weather. The series is set in Stars Hollow, Connecticut and its townspeople are constantly gearing up for a festival of some kind, most of them taking place during the colder seasons. The fashion, music and scenery present in Gilmore Girls are often associated with the coziness of fall and winter and I personally think it’s the  best time to rewatch it. This blog will be all about reviewing and analyzing my top ten favourite episodes and will  include many spoilers. Therefore, if any of you readers have yet to watch the show, I strongly suggest you do so before reading in order to fully comprehend what I’ll be discussing. The first episode that I’ll be reviewing is entitled “Kiss and Tell” and is the seventh episode of the first season (s1 ep7)!! 

In this episode, the townspeople of Stars Hollow are decorating for thanksgiving and Luke, the owner of the town’s diner, refuses to put up any decorations despite the town selectman's efforts. Taylor Doose is a stickler for the rules and traditions of the town and argues with anyone who goes against them. He is by far one of the most obnoxious characters in the show as he is always holding meetings over ridiculous issues and scolding those who don’t meet the town-spirit standards. After school, Rory, the main character, goes to Doose’s Market to see the boy she has a crush on. Dean, the grocery store worker, kisses her for the first time while getting her a drink and she is so taken aback that all she can say is “thank you”. Rory runs out of the store without paying for her things and goes straight to her best friend’s house, Layne. She tells her all about the kiss and Layne’s very religious mother overhears the entire conversation. Later, when Rory’s mother Lorelai goes to Kim’s Antiques (Layne’s mother’s business), she finds out about this big milestone in her daughter’s life and feels upset that Rory didn’t tell her right away. Rory, on the other hand, is having a great time gossiping about it with Layne while they’re dressed up as pilgrims for the Cornucopia Can Drive. Lorelai and Luke go to Doose’s Market to see Dean and Lorelai tells him she wished her daughter felt comfortable enough to talk about her love life with her. When Rory comes back home, Lorelai immediately asks about the kiss and they argue over the way she heard about it. The two go to Doose’s once again to grab some snacks for a movie night and while Rory goes to the video store, Lorelai invites him to come over. Rory gets mad at her mother for embarrassing her by accidentally planning their first date for them. She starts freaking out about watching a movie with Dean, stressing about the way she looks and the way she’ll act around him. Although she is quite nervous, the movie night goes well and Dean kisses Rory again at the end of the night. Lorelai gives him a lecture about how loved Rory is by everyone in Stars Hollow and that he shouldn’t dare hurt her. The episode ends with Lorelai and Rory gossiping like she did with Layne about how perfect Rory’s first kiss was.

This episode is one of my favourites because of how nostalgic it is and how it showcases the close mother-daughter relationship Rory and Lorelai have at the beginning of the show. For context, Lorelai fell pregnant with her daughter when she was only sixteen and since her birth, they've had more of a best friend dynamic than anything. However, Rory gets scared when she has her first kiss and is unsure of how her mother will react considering what happened to Lorelai and her mother when she had a baby. I thought this episode perfectly displayed how hard it can be to parent your child the relationship doesn't often involve strict boundaries or rules. Lorelai felt betrayed that she hadn't been the first one to hear about Rory's first kiss although I think it was completely normal for her to keep it to herself. Being a teenage girl comes with a multitude of expectations and Rory was simply processing a major event in her life.

[jpenvs3000w23]

Nature and Music

Today I’m going to analyze two questions, Where is music in nature? Where is nature in music?

I believe that music and nature are forever intertwined. To answer the first question, I want to respond with another question, “Where is music not in nature?” Every mating call, stream, breeze, and bird song can be viewed as music, and when combined I like to refer to them as the song of Mother Nature. This song can be viewed as an interpretation of nature, it allows those who are bearing witness to it to explore nature through sound and listen to the story nature is telling. As we have discussed before a big part of interpretation is storytelling, and without a word, nature is able to tell a story through song and sound. As people focus on individual sounds they learn about different smaller stories going on in the environment around them, like a male bird singing his mating call or the stream flowing, giving life to everything around it. Some people also enjoy the sounds of nature not for the story but for the calmness and grounding energy the sounds emit. I would also like to acknowledge that music is subjective, some people can more easily find music in nature than others, which is important to note because some don’t recognize music in nature, and that is okay. Personally, I very much enjoy spending time in nature, allowing the sounds of nature to calm me, and listening to the world around me. Nature is where all sounds come from and through the centuries people have learned from and imitated its sounds. 

Now, moving on to the second question. This one is a bit more difficult, especially when comparing to today’s music which has so many different genres. In the past, prior to modern music, lots of music was inspired by nature. By specific animals, places, sentiments, seasons, and more. One of the most famous musical pieces inspired by nature is Vivaldi’s Four Seasons. These pieces are known around the world and are a direct interpretation of each season and the emotions associated with them. However, I believe that most of today’s music does not draw influence from nature, but don't worry cause there are still many that do. A big factor is the genre of music because this can influence where music draws influence from. Today I feel like nature can be found in music in many ways, directly using sounds from nature, imitating sounds found in nature, drawing inspiration from the feelings of nature, or directly about nature themes. Regardless, all music influenced by nature is interpreted, those about the themes and stories of nature are most obvious while those that use nature sounds are less obvious.

To reiterate, I strongly believe that nature and music are closely intertwined, there were still many things that I wanted to talk about on this topic but instead will leave questions to spark more conversation.

Do you think that instruments made from nature or that are decorated by nature are a form of nature interpretation through music?

Do you think that sounds of nature in some way play a role in all music?

[thebandcampdiaries]

Parham Gharavaisi presents: Ghosts of Nations

Parham Gharavaisi is an artist, guitarist and composer with a broad creative range. He has been able to challenge a wide variety of styles, ranging from alt-metal to doom, Metalcore, gothic rock, and everything in between. He has been very prolific recently, creating a wide variety of singles, tracks, and projects. These include the full-length Ghosts of Nations, a very intuitive and personal release with a distinctive concept. The album plunges deep into the turmoil of societal issues and grief, blending the intense atmospheric tones of melodic Gothic and doom metal under the scope of Parham’s broad creative and compositional range. The artist explored mature themes that resonate with today’s fractured and increasingly tense world. The songs on this album address topics such as mass shootings, domestic violence, societal collapse, and self-harm, among others. These are issues that are often overlooked, as people tend to shy away from openly discussing such matters. However, Parham is upfront about exploring his feelings and observations of the world in his songs. Through a lens of empathy and introspection, he uses his music to share a somber reflection on the human condition, with lyrics designed to spark a dialogue around these topics and hopefully spark some reflection.

The album’s title track, “Ghosts of Nations,” is a perfect example of what to expect from Parham Gharavaisi’s style, which combines dark melodies with heavy sections. His lyrical work is also extremely important to him, and there is a lot of nuance going into his songwriting. Lines like “Are you free or a commodity? / Ask the ghost of your nation” are indicative of his view on societal apathy, prompting the audience to confront both personal and collective responsibility for the shape of things in the world we live in. In other words, we should be accountable for what’s happening! Ghosts of Nations demands attention and introspection, a quality reinforced by its thematic heaviness. However, this isn’t just about the message. The musical component that drives this release is also nothing short of impressive.

Musically, Gharavaisi draws influence from established Gothic and Doom acts such as FireLake, Draconian, and Paradise Lost, though he injects a personal flair that makes the sound his own. The album is marked by a dark, brooding atmosphere, with melancholic riffs and slow tempos characteristic of the genre. While Gharavaisi did not mix and master this album himself, the production values hold up, allowing his vision to come through clearly.

Some of the stand-out tracks include “The Bitter End,” a song that alternate organic textures with emotional intensity, especially coming through in the form of lyrics that seem to be about dealing with loss. Parham places a lot of emphasis on the lyrics, which he stated are some of the key factors in his songs. With meaningful likes such as “Tell me why you had to die / You never had the chance to fly,” he paints a very personal picture, and this beautiful phrase really makes you think of the opportunity and potential that gets lost when someone or something dies and becomes unable to “fly” - and therefore fulfill their full potential.

Another notable track is the song “Scarlet Tongue,” which sets the bar higher in terms of building a massive wall of sound of drums, guitars, and other textures. There are many interesting tempo and pacing variations that also bring a somewhat progressive influence to this track. The title song itself is one of the most remarkable tunes on the album. “Ghost of Nations” is the second in the set, and it feels like a great representation of what this album is all about, especially in the way Parham combines clean melodies with huge, heavy, and down-tuned riffs.

Parham also shows a lot of versatility on the album. For example, on the track “Gunflower Seeds” he also showcases some of his clean vocal style in addition to the aggressive screaming parts. The song is a perfect example of how this album alternates quiet moments to aggressive tones, making for a very dynamic approach that really stands out.

In conclusion, Ghosts of Nations is a well-crafted exploration of heavy themes that many might shy away from. Parham Gharavaisi delivers a powerful musical experience, aiming to raise awareness and encourage reflection without offering easy answers. This album is a solid choice for fans of Gothic and Doom Metal who appreciate music that delves into the darker side of humanity with nuance and tact but still being very open and upfront about expressing his perspective and setting it to a soundtrack that can be soothing and melodic, but also gritty and brutal - This is a really perfect representation of the duality of life, with both the good and the bad. Find out more about Parham Gharavaisi and listen to “Ghosts of Nations” on Spotify.

[ghamnasr]

Deadpool

Deadpool

 The Merc with a Mouth and His Unlikely Heroic Journey

Year of Production: 2016

By Gamal Moustafa

Introduction

Today I had some time in the morning before going to my daily work, I took my mobile device to prepare some pictures for my blog, as I practice my hobby of blogging and I have my blog on Google. For a moment I found myself watching the movie "Deadpool " and while I was watching it I felt like writing some thoughts about it. Here are the reasons for that with a description of my words about this movie.

At first, writing an article about *Deadpool* makes sense because the film holds significant cultural appeal and popularity, especially in places like Mexico where its mix of humor, action, and anti-hero themes resonates strongly. Here are some logical reasons for producing an article on *Deadpool*:

1. Popularity and Cultural Relevance: Deadpool has a massive fan base globally, and its popularity is trending in Mexico. Its unique approach to the superhero genre—combining humor, action, and an unconventional hero—makes it a standout topic for pop culture discussions.

2. Audience Appeal: Given that Deadpool’s humor and rebellious attitude resonate with fans in Mexico, exploring these aspects in an article would cater to readers’ interests. It also engages audiences who are drawn to anti-heroes or edgy, humor-infused characters.

3. Insight into a Unique Genre: Deadpool disrupted the superhero genre by embracing R-rated content and breaking the fourth wall. An article on the film could discuss its innovative storytelling, the impact on superhero films, and why this style has appealed to audiences, making it valuable for movie enthusiasts and pop culture analysts.

4. Global and Local Engagement: Highlighting Deadpool's popularity in Mexico can be a relatable way to connect with local readers. The article can explore how humor and social commentary transcend cultural boundaries and how characters like Deadpool foster a shared sense of fandom globally.

So, by publishing an article on Deadpool, you tap into a popular topic that both celebrates a beloved character and analyzes why it resonates with today’s audiences, especially in culturally significant regions like Mexico.

Film Main Idea:

Deadpool is a fresh and subversive take on superhero cinema, following the story of Wade Wilson, an unconventional anti-hero whose humor, grit, and revenge-driven quest for redemption make him a fan favorite. The film blends dark humor, intense action, and an unexpected romance, setting it apart from traditional superhero films and capturing audiences around the world.

Here’s the action-comedy-inspired superhero image!

Description:

Released in 2016, Deadpool is a Marvel character film by 20th Century Fox, directed by Tim Miller, and starring Ryan Reynolds as the wise-cracking anti-hero Wade Wilson, or Deadpool. Known for his twisted sense of humor and fourth-wall-breaking antics, Deadpool is far from the stereotypical superhero. Unlike other characters in the Marvel universe, Deadpool often addresses the audience directly, making viewers an integral part of his unique and chaotic journey.

The plot revolves around Wade Wilson, a former mercenary with a sarcastic sense of humor, who is diagnosed with terminal cancer. In a desperate attempt to cure himself, he undergoes an experimental treatment that leaves him with accelerated healing powers but a horribly disfigured appearance. Now, armed with his new abilities, a sharp wit, and a desire for revenge, he adopts the alias Deadpool and sets out to track down Ajax, the man responsible for his transformation and his suffering.

Deadpool’s storyline:

 It is more than just a revenge story; it’s filled with dark comedy, explicit language, and satirical takes on superhero tropes. The film presents a balance of violence and humor, providing a fresh perspective for audiences tired of the typical hero stereotype. Ryan Reynolds, who had long campaigned for the role, brought his own comedic timing and love for the character into the film, elevating Deadpool’s charisma and making the character instantly iconic.

In addition to Reynolds’ witty performance, the film features Morena Baccarin as Vanessa, Wade’s girlfriend, whose love story provides the emotional core of the plot. Their relationship adds a layer of vulnerability to Deadpool, making him more than just an anti-hero. The film’s other characters, such as Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead, contribute to the film's humor and bring in a bit of superhero tradition from the X-Men world.

Finally,

The success of Deadpool lies in its ability to defy expectations: it’s an R-rated superhero movie that revels in breaking the fourth wall, directly engaging audiences with a comic-book-like experience. Its unconventional approach resonated with fans worldwide, including in Mexico, where the character’s humor and rebellious spirit have gained a cult following. This embrace of Mexican audiences showcases the global reach of Deadpool's humor and the unique appeal of a character who refuses to follow rules—even his own.

[sqbr]

I feel like pom-seedss and fandomsandfeminism are making slightly different points here, and while I agree with the first I don't entirely agree with the second.

"if you are looking at a work to understand what it is trying to say with the text itself, then you need to take some of its premises at face value... There is a lot of value in being able to look at a text from various angles. And it’s perfectly okay to use a text and concept as a jumping off point for other explorations ... But the problem comes when people say that Usagi was definitively a villain in Sailor Moon"

vs

"If I sit around and hem and haw about whether or not Usagi is actually the villain because she is destined to reinstate a magical absolute monarchy on Earth in the future, then I'm not interpreting it correctly. I can write a cool fanfic about it, but it wont be a successful analysis of the original work."

It's not INCORRECT to analyse Sailor Moon from perspective that really digs into the moral implications of absolute monarchy. It's just not complete. It's one of many angles to approach the text from, and one that ignores what the story is trying to say. Which is only a problem if people act like it's the only valid, definitive, "real" reading, or, even more incorrectly, say it's the intended reading despite the clear evidence otherwise.

But there IS no single valid, definitive, "real" reading.

Figuring out what the author probably intended (because we can't usually know for sure) is a good starting place for analysis but it doesn't have to be the end point. People who ignore things like author intention and genre convention as irrelevant are definitely missing something, but so are people who go "well that's not what the author intended/how genre conventions work so it doesn't count".

...and at this point I then tried to go further into literary theory without actually having any real training in literary theory, then gave up and decided none of this really mattered and left the post to moulder in my drafts. But then today the perfect explanatory post came down my dash which I have decided is a sign. And I do think this post works as a nice example of the subtle but very important distinction between "X is not the One True Reading" and "X is not a valid reading".

Also: In the few days since writing my initial reply I've been pondering the role of monarchy in Sailor Moon, and I think it is worth poking at, but I don't feel like I understand the relevant topics well enough to do so effectively myself, and also it's not my main point. So! I leave it as an exercise for the reader ;)

EDIT: So while I think the monarchy thing is a valid line of analysis I don't actually think Sailor Moon is notably pro-imperialism or whatever. But a friend pointed out a more significant issue: many 'good' characters in Sailor Moon are aggressively fatphobic. This is pretty typical for the genre, and we are definitely meant to think that these characters are good and correct. But it's also definitely not Bad Analysis to disagree, and to want to critique and discuss how Sailor Moon portrays weight and dieting. (And this does not necessarily mean going full-blown SAILOR MOON IS ANTI-FEMINIST) Now, if we are to analyse whether these characters are good people despite saying unfortunate things then the context of the story/genre is relevant, but also I think "are these characters good people" or even "Is Sailor Moon promoting Good Messages" are boring questions, and also the answers depend on your perspective.

One thing about fandom culture is that it sort of trains you to interact with and analyze media in a very specific way. Not a BAD way, just a SPECIFIC way.

And the kind of media that attracts fandoms lends itself well (normally) to those kinds of analysis. Mainly, you're supposed to LIKE and AGREE with the main characters. Themes are built around agreeing with the protagonists and condemning the antagonists, and taking the protagonists at their word.

Which is fine if you're looking at, like, 99% of popular anime and YA fiction and Marvel movies.

But it can completely fall apart with certain kinds of media. If someone who has only ever analyzed media this way is all of a sudden handed Lolita or 1984 or Gatsby, which deal in shitty unreliable narrators; or even books like Beloved or Catcher in the Rye (VERY different books) that have narrators dealing with and reacting to challenging situations- well... that's how you get some hilariously bad literary analysis.

I dont know what my point here is, really, except...like...I find it very funny when people are like "ugh. I hate Gatsby and Catcher because all the characters are shitty" which like....isnt....the point. Lololol you arent supposed to kin Gatsby.