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wutheringmights · 3 years ago

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Can I be greedy and ask for all of the boys ? And any characters you have strong opinions on? Pretty please? With lots of cherries and chocolate on top? ( for the ask meme ofc)

Anon, I'll finish up all of the boys in the Chain just for you. And trust me, I have an Infinite Amount of Strong Opinions. You have no idea how Opinionated I Am.

If anyone is coming in late to this, here are the boys I have done already and a short summary of my thoughts (click the hyperlinks to get the full Opinion):

Warriors: he's best when he's the trashy anti-Link, and I like him so much

Twilight: kind of boring, but I have a soft spot for him anyway because you never forget your first

Wind: should have been aged up a little so that he can have that identity crisis I'm craving

This... gets long. Really long. 3-hours-of-work-long. Before you read, please note that even when I speak negatively about something, it’s not to diss anyone who does like the thing. I’m not vague posting or being passive aggressive. This is all written in good humor and good faith.

That being said, let’s a-go!

-Sky-

What I love about them: He has one of the best character arcs of all the Links. I love that he starts off being lazy and kind of a jerk, but grows as a person because he wants to save his friend. And I love that he's truly the most courageous Link. He has no other successful hero of past or legacy to lean back upon to reassure him. He walked into that fight with Demise with no assurance from anyone that he would succeed. Yet, he does it anyway. Because he's a true hero and someone had to be one. And he's rewarded with a curse that he does not initially take seriously. He thinks he's saved everyone, yet he's cursed his spirit, possibly his bloodline, and his entire legacy of the kingdom of Hyrule into a doomed cycle of destruction. All because he dared to face evil incarnate. I love him.

What I hate about them: You know how I called Twilight boring? I should have saved that critique for Sky. LU Sky is actually the most boring interpretation of his character. All of his negative traits? Gone. All of his positives? Also gone. He's the blandest version of himself, and like Twilight, I now feel like I gotta add some spice to him to make him more interesting while still keeping him recognizable. Even so, he's still one of my favorite Links.

Favorite Moment/Quote: When he kicks Twilight's ass at sword fighting. That's stuff is *chef's kiss*

What I would like to see more focus on: You would think that there would be more angst out there about him realizing that he's actually been cursed, but it's still kind of hard to find. He's the Cursed Knight! The beginning of a terrible legacy! Imagine meeting a bunch of heroes for the first time, and instead of being relieved at having someone who understands your experiences, you're filled with horror at realizing that your victory was a false one. You didn't win. Your spirit will never be at rest. Imagine dealing with that realization for the rest of your life. You could never be at peace.

What I would like to see less focus on: I love that he loves his wife, but he's more just the fact that he's married, y'know? I would like to see a little less blind devotion to Hylia and Zelda, and more complicated feelings about being manipulated into being the hero.

Favorite pairing with: Sun/Link/Groose OT3! I have no reasoning behind this other than I like Groose and Groose definitely had a crush on SkSw Link.

Favorite friendship: I won't answer Groose again even if I want to, so I'll say Warriors. I cannot begin to describe how elite this friendship would be if you gave it a chance. They're just two boys dealing with unique positions of leadership and responsibility. They would probably even bond over being shitheads at different ends of the shithead spectrum. It's so good, okay?

NOTP: Ghirahim. I'm not too adverse to this one, but the ship hinges on whether you can redeem Ghirahim or not. In my opinion, Ghirahim is awesome because he's such a fun villain. Redeeming him ruins the fun.

Favorite headcanon: I have a whole life story planned out for Sky. Basically, he lives to be close to 500 years old by the power of the Triforce. He is the Link throughout the Era of Chaos who banishes the Dark Interlopers to the Twilight Realm and seals the Triforce in the Sacred Realm. He actually seals himself in the Sacred Realm as well to keep the Triforce safe, and he fought Ganondorf in when he broke in. Sky, like Time and Wind, does not get a happy ending.

-Four-

What I love about them: Four is origin of the heroes of Hyrule being known for being children. What a legacy to leave behind. He's such an interesting case of an incarnation of the Hero's Spirit, too. He fought Vaati, and he did his job so well that Demise's next incarnation had to be Ganondorf. Four did his job the best out of everyone, and it came at the cost of creating a magic sword that changed him permanently. I like to think that the Four Sword was not meant to split him, that it was a mistake he made with the design. And it's sad, isn't it? You made a defective sword, and like any good sword, it has a symbolic double edge. It gifted you with so much, and yet he can never be the same again. And his story is never well-remembered because it is overshadowed by the Links who fought the King of Evil. He's does so much, yet his legacy is underappreciated.

What I hate about them: I want to prepare you for this Opinion, because I know it's unpopular. Are you ready? Okay. I don't like the Colors. I'm sorry. I want to like them, but they don't interest me at all. Because they are parts of Four’s personality, they have to be one-note archetypes which does not make for exciting storytelling. I also haven't found a fic yet that has been from Four's POV that did the internal monologue of the Colors in a way that wasn't a pain in the ass to read. Maybe if someone can figure out how to do the Colors in a way that doesn't feel like a drag, I would like them more. But in the end, I think Four himself is more interesting than the Colors.

Favorite Moment/Quote: The fact that he didn't want to touch the Master Sword because he doesn't trust magic swords. That is every I need to know about his opinion on his own adventures.

What I would like to see more focus on: I want more of Four as Four. It's getting harder to find content of Four being his own person first and the Colors second.

What I would like to see less focus on: Four being the Colors first and his own person second. There is something about viewing Four as this cover identity for the Colors that doesn't feel right. There's a balance that needs to be strike between his ability to split, how that affects his every day life, and his own identity of being Four. I think I may have read one fic that hit that sweet spot for me, but still.

Favorite pairing with: Shadow. I'm such a sucker for befriending and falling for the enemy. That is all.

Favorite friendship: Dot! Their friendship is super cute. I like the idea of them being super close when they were younger and struggling to keep the friendship going as they age due to how much their paths in life diverge.

NOTP: This isn't necessarily a Four or an LU problem, but people who ship the Colors together? Bro. C'mon.

Favorite headcanon: I'm torn between two different Four and the Master Sword headcanons. On one hand, Four thinking that the Master Sword is just legend until he meets Sky and everyone else is just a fun idea. He sees the legendary sword for the first time and his mind is blown. On the other hand, I also like my Four with a side of hubris. What if he had the option on his quest to draw the Master Sword himself? What if he could tell that if he did that, the consequences would be terrible. He's not sure what would happen, but he knows it would be terrible. So he decided to make his own sword instead to disastrous results. Wouldn't that be tragic or what?

-Time-

What I love about them: Last winter, I did a two hour powerpoint for my friends about the Legend of Zelda timeline. During that powerpoint, I was rating every iteration of Link. What I said about the Hero of Time then holds true to my thoughts of LU Time now. Time is the original Link, more so than Sky in the lore and Legend/Hyrule in real life. Every other hero is a reflection of him. So the fact that his story is about the loss of childhood and the tragedy of that is incredible, and you can see those themes reflected in every other game. Moreso, he’s the only Link with a confirmed tragic ending. Not only does he end his life unsatisfied, but his adventure is failure on every timeline. In the adult timeline, Hyrule is swallowed by the sea. In the child one, Ganondorf returns again. In the fallen timeline, Hyrule fell. I like the idea since that the games themselves are the legends that are past down about each hero, Hylians have also remembered Time as a tragic figure. Yet, they also remember that the happy moments for his life come from small acts of kindness. Even someone as sad as him finds joy in helping others, even if it’s just to small deeds that will not be heralded as grand heroic quests. It’s beautiful.

What I hate about them: This is more about Mask than Time, but Mask is not an adult in a child’s body. He did not rewind time in Termina enough to be considered mentally an adult. He’s a young teenager at best, and that’s me being generous. He is a child who was forced to be an adult and despite the gods being done with him, he cannot conceive of ever having a childhood again. So he can say all he wants that he’s an adult, but he is not. That’s just what he thinks he is.

Favorite Moment/Quote: Anytime we get a flashback to him being a younger adult is great. I want to see more of his in this his early adulthood.

What I would like to see more focus on: I think I just want more of Time being... not a bad leader, but being an imperfect one. I honestly think he’s only the leader because he’s the oldest and enough of the heroes recognize the title of Hero of Time. But he is not the leader type, and he is struggling to keep it together and has to defer to Twilight and Warriors for help a lot.

What I would like to see less focus on: I’m not the biggest fan of Dad!Time for any of the Links. He’s not emotionally ready for it. And I think he defaults to treating the boys like adults because that’s how he wanted to be treated when he was their age.

Favorite pairing with: Malon. He has this great partnership of equal respect with her and it’s just. So good.

Favorite friendship: Linebeck. I know. This exists only in my head. But if these two ever meet, you cannot convince me that they would not get along swimmingly. It would be so good (once Linebeck gets over his crush on Time and stops hitting on him, of course).

NOTP: Child Timeline Zelda. Let me explain: I fully believe in Bi Time supremacy, and when in OoT, he definitely had a crush on Sheik. However, one of the worst parts of rewinding time and being in the child timeline is that Zelda is a completely different person now. They may have been friends in the other timeline, but her life experiences are completely different now. She is not the same person as he once knew. And it’s tragic to know someone as who they could have been, not as they are.

Favorite headcanon: After Termina, Time spent a lot of time with the Nabooru because out of everyone he knew, she’s the only who took him seriously even as a child. She has big older sister energy, and he considers her a part of his family. However, being treated as such made it easier for him to ignore his issues and put off his healing process by a few years.

-Legend-

What I love about them: Veteran of Heroes! What a freaking title. I love that he keeps on finding adventures, and that he keeps hustling. Even if he complains about never getting a break, you can tell that he loves helping others. He loves being on the road, never settling down, and finding adventure after adventure. Honestly, if any of the Links had a calling to be a hero, it’s him. Is he tired? Sure. Is he a little jaded after having saved Hyrule and a bunch of other kingdoms multiple times? Yes. But at the end of the day, he likes being a hero. This is who he is. His complaining is not genuine; he just plays the martyr because, at this point, he’s earned the right to.

What I hate about them: If you can’t tell by now, I have a, uh, different interpretation of Legend from popular canon. Fandom Legend is not right to me. He is unrecognizable. It is hard to write him because I feel like I have to balance what other people think Legend should be versus how I think he is. The people who are big Legend enjoyers probably feel the same way about my version of Warriors, and that’s fine. I’m not going to gel with every character and I don’t expect everyone to gel with how I see characters either. It’s goes both ways, y’know.

Favorite Moment/Quote: I like how subtly he tried to approach the Wolfie problem at first, trying to ask questions and get more proof before confronting Twilight. It’s a good touch.

What I would like to see more focus on: If I had to choose one thing, it’s this one throw away line about him never wanting to settle down. I’m telling you, folks! He likes his lifestyle! And did you see him when he does presenting the origins of the hero? He’s not bitter about being a hero! Legend is moody, but he is not angsty about the whole hero thing. Have fun with him please!

What I would like to see less focus on: If you can’t tell by now, Legend is my least favorite Link. There is a lot I want to see less of, but just to name one thing, it’s the headcanon that Fable is his sister. I live and die by common born Link, and whether he’s a legitimate heir or the royal bastard, I am more than bored with the persistent Prince!Legend content.

Favorite pairing with: Marin. It’s a good tragic story and I like it well enough. She’s cute, and he’s cute with her.

Favorite friendship: Warriors. I’m with everyone else on these two have peak sibling energy. They tease and pick on each other, but only they are allowed to mess with each other. They’re each other’s bully, and it’s always good to see.

NOTP: I do not have enough energy to have a lot of strong opinions about Legend’s romantic relationships, but I will mentioned that I have lost a lot of love for Ravio recently and am liking seeing him with Legend less and less. I have no better reason for this than the fact that I finally played ALBW and hate how many of my hard earned rupees he’s taken from me by withholding important, lifesaving items. Rat bastard.

Favorite headcanon: Remember my headcanon about him being the coolest bad boy folk hero on the block because everyone thinks he kidnapped Zelda? Yeah, I still stand by that one. I did good there.

-Hyrule-

What I love about them: If there is any Link that I would call a gutter rat, it is this one. I struggle a bit to talk about Hyrule since his games gives us so little, but in the end, I always fall back on him being a hero of the people. He is the one who has nothing and relates the best to people who are at their lowest. Yet, he is still a hero. He earns the right to be a hero because he helped Impa in her time of need. He’s selfless and competent. Even if he never got a traditional education, I bet he’s wicked smart too. He is the Link that symbolizes all of the parts of the Triforce the most. And, god. I cannot talk about him without mentioning the blood sacrifice part of LA. It’s such a cool concept, and I cannot imagine what it must be like to go from being the rough and tumble, win-at-all-costs fighting to protecting yourself first because if you don’t, the consequences are disastrous. It’s paradoxical, and it must be such a different mindset to fall into. But it must also be a blessing in disguise since now he has a reason to finally care about himself.

What I hate about them: Who started the Hyrule is innocent headcanon? Come over here because we need to exchange some words. If there is anyone who would be a realist and know how the world works, it’s this guy. And while we’re here, who came up with the Hryule is always lost headcanon? I also have some words for you. And you know what? WHILE WE’RE HERE, who let him be named Hyrule? I’m have more than choice words for you. His name scheme is the bane of my existence and the express reason why I don’t write him more. God.

Favorite Moment/Quote: That one panel where he takes utter delight in Warriors hiding from his scorned lovers? That is a central pillar in my understanding of Hyrule.

What I would like to see more focus on: Again, his relationship with other people. Even if his games are lacking in NPCs, we know from lore that he’s a good guy who will jump in to help others. He must know plenty of people, and I want to see who exists in his world with him.

What I would like to see less focus on: I have an on-going joke with my brother that certain characters are Catholic, even if Catholicism does not exist in the world of the thing we’re watching or playing. Of course, we’re not being serious. we’re just joshing around. So imagine the gut punch I feel whenever I see people say Hyrule is Christian and realize that they’re being serious. I just can’t take it seriously.

Favorite pairing with: Aurora. It’s cute and I’m a sucker for that hero and royalty dynamic, especially when the hero is a peasant. It’s so cheesy, but I love it.

Favorite friendship: Legend. But not the way everyone else pairs them up as the grumpy one and the sunshine one. I think of it more as them being the pinnacle of boys being boys. They’re shitheads. They do stupid shit together. They both have a dark sense of humor. They joke that they’re practically the same person sometimes.

NOTP: uhhhhhhhhh.... Is he paired with anyone else?

Favorite headcanon: I love the idea that he just likes his way of life and refuses to accept anyone saying otherwise. Legend wants to teach him to read? Sorry, but he’s never had to read before in his life so he’s pretty sure he’ll never need it anyway. Want to participate in the treasured Hylian tradition of piercing your ears when you come of age? Why would he ever do that when a monster could rip those earrings off? He’s stuck in his ways and it frustrates everyone else to no end, but he has no interest in ever changing.

-Wild-

What I love about them: When I was 9, I spent my time online on Legend of Zelda forums. I remember one of my forum friends saying that they wanted a Legend of Zelda game where Link lost. And I think of that friend whenever I think about Wild. BOTW Link is the best Link that has ever been. He is the epitome of every trait we associate with any Link. He’s smart and sassy. He’s hard working and kind. But underlining all of that is the fact that he’s still the one who failed. If Demise’s Curse in SkSw is the set-up, the Great Calamity is the payoff. And I haven’t even talked about how confirming him as being non-verbal before the Calamity does so much for his characterization. I don’t even know where to start or how to articulate it. By game storyline alone, Wild is one of my favorites.

What I hate about them: You guys knew this one was coming, but I’m going to have to say it anyway. Fandom Wild.... not good. I’ve said it for half of these boys so far, but god is it true. I have a way I see Wild that is rarely done in the fandom. Fandom Wild has a lot of the traits I also see in Wild, but to all of the extremes. I will mention one thing in particular as being a pet peeve, and it’s how some people headcanon him as always being nonverbal. I know what they’re trying to do, and I think they’re on to something, but they’re also missing the point of what BOTW Link’s character arc is. I just wish more people would forget fandom and work more off of the games for how to characterize him.

Favorite Moment/Quote: Weirdly enough, my favorite moment is when he got mad at everyone for making fun of his Gerudo outfit, so he dumped Goron Spice in his cooking. It’s encapsulates a part of his character I think a lot of people forget about.

What I would like to see more focus on: I think he has a really complicated relationship with his past. He said himself that his old self felt like a different person, and I think that should be explored a lot more. That idea actually fascinates me so much that instead of CTB, I almost wrote a character study fic about Wild. His emotions are not as simple as feeling guilty about letting his friends die and not preventing the Calamity. His emotions would be so complicated and because I don’t have the time to explore it, someone else needs to do it for me.

What I would like to see less focus on: There is a weird fascination with Wild having memory loss and essentially being like a kid again. And this feels infantilizing to me. It honestly bugs me a lot every time I see it.

Favorite pairing with: I can’t decide between Zelda, Mipha, and Revali. They’re all different dynamics and they’re all good.

Favorite friendship: Paya. I firmly believe that Paya is Wild’s best friend. I am the only one in the world who believes this. But I am also the only one in the world who is correct.

NOTP: Wild is good with everyone. Good for him!

Favorite headcanon: An essential scene of my Wild character study I will never write is one where his horse dies. He goes into shock and walks back to Kakariko to talk to Impa. But once he goes to her, he breaks down in tears and has an absolute melt down over the horse. And Impa sagely says, “It’s not about the horse, is it?” She’s implying that he’s actually mourning the loss of his friends, Hyrule, his life, everything-- but through his tears, he keeps tell her that she’s wrong. He barely remembers them. He doesn’t know them. He doesn’t have any feelings about them. He just really loved that horse. But Impa refuses to listen to him, just repeating over and over again: “it’s not really about the horse.”

And that’s it! That’s all of my opinions! I know a lot of my opinions are polarizing, but everything I said is in good faith, and I am not trying to diss anyone for how they approach these characters.

I welcome you to send me your Opinions on the Links, even if it’s just to disagree with me. I’m cool with it, and I like knowing what everyone else thinks!

#so there are my polarizing opinions #heed my note at the beginning and end about acting in good faith #anyway if you read all of this you are obligated to tell me some of your headcanons and opinions #sorry i don't make the rules except i actually do #linked universe #linkeduniverse #lu #lu sky #lu four #lu time #lu legend #lu hyrule #lu wild #lu twilight #lu wind #lu warriors #me rambling #ask #anonymous

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sunshinebuckybarnes · 4 years ago

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Okay, I wanted to have this done before we actually got to March... but what's one day late? Also, I didn’t realise how long this was gonna be/take...

I have read some AMAZING stories over the past month so here's my little round up (I’ve tried my best to include everything)! As always please check the authors warnings before reading any fic. You are responsible for your own content consumption.

Hopefully all the tags work!

Sunrise by @cloudystevie (Steve Rogers x reader)

Honestly, this is like a warm hug. The softness is real!

Almost had me believing by @tuiccim (Bucky Barnes x reader) 18+

This series is EVERYTHING. The slow burn is fantastic, the twists and turns are incredible and the pay off? Exquisite. I had so much fun reading this series!

Catfish by @vampy-doll (Andy Barber x reader) 18+

I've linked to part one but so far there are 4 glorious parts of this twisted tale. And by twisted, I mean incredible!

Valentine Canine by @hevans-angel (Ransom Drysdale x reader) 18+

Soft Ransom will seriously be my demise, but throw a puppy in the mix and I'm a goner!

The Valentine's cock up by @drabblewithfrannybarnes (Steve Rogers x reader) 18+

This is super fun and sexy and the ending is hilarious!

Time to run by @syntheticavenger (Steve Rogers x reader) 18+

I've linked to part one but this series is soooo good! Their dynamic is so interesting considering their past and how things have changed. Definitely worth a read!

Counters and closets and doll, oh my! by @tuiccim (Bucky Barnes x reader) 18+

So. Fucking. Hot. And there are bonus parts for each sexy suggestion PLUS extra's for Steve's point of view which I cannot wait to read!

Spiral of need by @jobean12-blog (Bucky Barnes x reader) 18+

Bucky can show me who I belong to anytime, anywhere. This is *chefs kiss*

Thick as thieves by @angrythingstarlight (Bucky x reader x Steve) 18+

When I say this fic lives in my head rent free, I mean it. So delicious and filthy!

Possessiveness by @stargazingfangirl18 (Ari Levinson x reader) 18+

This fic is an absolute BEAST and man is every word worth it. There's just something about soft, dark characters that hits the sweet spot.

Fighting all night by @the-iceni-bitch (Ransom Drysdale x reader) 18+

I loved Ransom in this so much! So cocky and playful and smug!

Unbroken by @constantwriter85 (Bucky Barnes x reader) 18+

All. The. Feels.

Planning by @tellmealovestory (Bucky Barnes x reader)

If you want a story of two people falling madly and truly in love then please make sure you check out the full series as well!

Earn it by @cake-writes (Bucky Barnes x reader) 18+

You know what? It's like you crawled inside my head and found my favourite things with this one! So filthy. So yum.

Consolation by @mypoisonedvine (Bucky Barnes x reader) 18+

This one hurt, not gonna lie. But the softness before makes it worth it.

Let me prove it to you by @slutforgoodliterature (Pietro Maximoff x reader) 18+

The voice in my head definitely didn't do the accent justice but the thought of it was enough!

Midnight delight by @drabblewithfrannybarnes (Steve Rogers x reader x Bucky Barnes) 18+

Everything about this is superb. The dynamic between the three of them, the smut, my precious baby Bucky being wholesome as hell, it's beyond amazing!

Fear and degradation by @groupieforbucky (Bucky Barnes x reader)

This series is excellent! Bucky is a beautiful bastard, with emphasis on the bastard but I love it!

Blackmail by @stargazingfangirl18 (Andy Barber x reader) 18+

I am a whore for one man and that man is a soft dark Andy Barber!

Civil War - Brooklyn by @saiyanprincessswanie (Steve Rogers x reader x Bucky Barnes) 18+

This series has thrown me from pillar to post but it is so so good!

Bridges to burn & places to run by @syntheticavenger (Bucky Barnes x reader) 18+

This series has everything! Between parole officer Bucky and crime boss Thor we’re being fed!

Hush by @buckysknifecollection (Bucky Barnes x reader)

My two weaknesses; biker Bucky and kittens!

Terrible liar by @navybrat817 (Steve Rogers x reader) 18+

This is romantic as hell, oh my god!

Late night cravings by @angrythingstarlight (Andy Barber x reader) 18+

I’ve never wanted kids but christ I would get pregnant and stay pregnant for this man.

Crawl home to you by @msmarvelwrites (Bucky Barnes x reader) 18+

So so tender and I can’t wait for the second part!

Diamonds are a girls best friend by @simsadventures (Ransom Drysdale x reader) 18+

You’ll have to fan yourself after this one!

Gravity by @constantwriter85 (Stucky x reader) 18+

I am in love with this series! I swear I love basically everything you write.

Made for me by @saiyanprincessswanie (Bucky Barnes x reader) 18+

Oh this series is so good! Twisted and filthy, poor read doesn’t know up from down anymore and I can’t wait to see what happens next!

A gilded cage by @drabblewithfrannybarnes (Bucky Barnes x reader) 18+

Bucky is the softest mobster ever and it’s glorious!

And he is there... by @bonkywobble (Steve Rogers x reader) 18+

This is so beautiful and poetic, and I don’t even know how to describe how lovely it is!

Distraction by @wanderinglunarnights (Ari Levinson x reader) 18+

My legs and heart were open after this one!

Serves you right to suffer by @mypoisonedvine (Bucky Barnes x reader x Steve Rogers) 18+

This is dark. And it’s an absolutely filthy masterpiece!

Seeing red by @mypoisonedvine (Bucky Barnes x reader)

This series is so fab and I can’t wait to read more!

#February fic recs #fic rec #fic recommendation #Steve rogers #Bucky barnes #ari levinson #Ransom Drysdale

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dammitadolfnomorecake · 4 years ago

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Once Bitten, Twice Stupid prt 104

104

The Blades had no patience, and Keith’s had run fresh out. He was yet to read his mother’s letter, but she’d given him space and hadn’t tried butting in on his life, so for that he was grateful. He was finally allowed back at work, “on light duties”, meaning he was playing desk jockey and doing more of the planning towards missions. He’d liked to say he enjoyed himself, but paperwork sucked and Lance was too busy with Lotor to do much. Though. He had done one crucial thing. Coming to meet Keith after “training” with Lotor, and his generals, his boyfriend had kind of been too full of energy to sit still. Keith did not enjoy the way Lance talked about the thing he talked with Lotor, despite the fact his boyfriend was being open and honest with him. Four sessions with Lotor and Keith wanted to skin the vampire alive for spending so much time his Lance. Lance hadn’t done anything wrong. He wasn’t off having some illicit affair with Lotor. Their training was filmed, Keith could even watch if he wished, but the whole thing filled him some ugly growth that sat in a lump in his chest thanks to it. Lance had decided after the third two-hour session that Lotor had given him enough tips to practice at home, the fourth session being the last over the ten day period. Lance declaring it happily as he threw the briefing room door open bounding in. Hyperactive and handsy, his boyfriend threw himself on him, Keith smiling like a moron as Lance nuzzled into him, pressing kisses to his cheek. The news couldn’t have come sooner as his boyfriend kissed his cheek then dashed off to check in with Allura and let her know the good news... leaving Keith to realise he had no idea where he’d been in the stack of purchase orders before him.

Being a desk jockey came with perks, that he was fully taking advantage of. Without being awake at obscene hours, he was able to talk with their friends more, instead of Lance and Pidge alone, due to her insomniac ways. Plus, he’d been going back to Lance’s for the night when his boyfriend had to make the drive back the following morning. Lance was welcome to crash at the apartment, yet his lover wanted to work through the things he’d done with Lotor in their training sessions in the yard where it didn’t matter if the grass was pulled up or things broken. Lotor thought Lance was wasting his potential, but Lance stuck to being as human as possible, meaning Lotor had to fall in line with him.

That’s how he ended up on a double date after that fourth training session. A double date was something he’d never actually ever believed he’d have to suffer through. A double date he could have probably handled, maybe, had the other couple not been Allura and Lotor. Seeing he was busy with paperwork, Lance had gone to catch up with Allura, then the next thing he knew, for some unfathomable reason, that had turned from hanging out into “Hey, let Shiro know you’ll be out tonight because we’re going out with Allura and Lotor”. His boyfriend wasn’t on the ”Team Lotor” bandwagon, he was on the “If Lotor touches Allura or looks at her the wrong way, I’m going to castrate him” team.

And god if it wasn’t the most awkward five hours of his life for the month. Relying on Lance to help him piss after the accident didn’t come close to how awkward an evening with Lotor was. Opera. Keith did not do opera. He wasn’t completely sure he understood why the main character suddenly regained her strength to then go and drop dead. Lance and Allura clutched each other as they cried over her tragic demise... and for some reason the opera kept going! What was this fresh hell?!. Lotor seemed vaguely bored, and Keith had spent most of the time making silent bets with himself over how long he could his breath. He couldn’t use his phone, the screen would be glaringly obvious in the blackness of the theatre. Fuck it. He needed the bathroom and doubted he’d be missed. Allura was holding hands with Lotor, not like how Keith was holding Lance’s hand in his lap, thumb rubbing the back, enjoying the touch and that alone, but like holding hands all the same.

Turning towards to Lance, he nudged him with his knee, Lance raised his head to smile at him. His boyfriend was so damn pretty. Okay. Maybe they were a little loved up. Lifting their hands, Lance kissed the back of his. Keith enjoying that much more than what was happening on the stage. Bumping Keith with his knee, Lance gestured with his chin

“I need to use the bathroom, babe”

“Oh, sure. Me too, actually”

Thank god. English conversation with no singing. He was amazed by the skills and that production it’s self, but the issue came from the fact he didn’t speak Italian, and the story writer had no clue how to write.

Finding himself following Lance to the theatre bathroom, Keith was clueless. Lance walking over and waving his hand under the tap sensor. There was something familiar about the two of them hiding in bathrooms

“Why am I here?”

Here, as in, “Why the hell were they being tortured slowly?!”

“So Allura and Lotor could have a moment”

How did they need to be there to... never mind. They were being good friends

“You could have saved me sooner. Do you actually have to pee? Or are we just staying here until Allura and Lotor have had their moment”

It was kind of hard to have a moment at the opera. Keith’s arse was numb and his leg stiff. A headache was building in his temple... ugh. Nope. Opera was not for him.

“I was trying to make Allura feel less self conscious about us being there. She was so nervous about tonight. I couldn’t say no to her”

Lance did that... Took care of everyone. Fine. He’d forgive him this time

“Do you think she’s okay?”

“She can handle herself... but at the moment, I’m more concerned about you. I’m sorry I decided for us both. I know you don’t like him”

“It’s fine. You’re being a good friend”

“It’s not really. This isn’t really us. I much prefer you, us, in our pyjamas, mocking horror films”

Lance said that, but he deserved more

“Babe, I don’t know how to do fancy... If I... If you want to do fancy... I mean, I can try”

Lance must have reassured him so many damn times over him not being rich and smart.

“I know, but... I also love the real you. Pidge hates the opera too. Colleen tells her she’s a disgrace to her Italian heritage. But Hunk’s pretty cool about coming with me. You... don’t mind, do you? I mean, I haven’t been in a long time....”

Now Lance was rambling. Rambling and playing with the tap sensor like he could trick it

“It’s fine. Are you okay? You were crying pretty hard when she snuffed it”

His boyfriend snorted, shaking off his wet hands and before wiping his face to rid himself of the tear tracks. Smiling at him in the mirror

“Yeah. You know me and tragic love stories”

“I don’t think I got it. I mean. She died and they kept singing”

“It’s alright. Nah, I’m okay. Just wanted to give Allura and Lotor a moment, and kind of wanted a moment to check in with you... this bathroom’s pretty nice”

It was a bathroom. All grey marble and matt gold. What did it matter as long as it did it’s purpose

“I suppose so?”

Lance snorted. His boyfriend letting his old man show

“I can take the hunter out of the practical, but I can’t take the practical out of the hunter”

“If you say so. How long are we supposed to wait for this moment to be over?”

“I don’t know. Like 5 minutes. Allura was super nervous. Lotor burned her in the past and she definitely hasn’t forgiven him”

“Couldn’t she just work him for the information?”

“She could, but she’s got to protect herself too. She’s fae, and there isn’t that many of them left these days”

“I feel like she could take Lotor”

“Yeah. But then there’s Honerva and Lotor’s generals to think about. I don’t like Narti. Acxa seems okay. I saw her talking to Krolia”

“Maybe she’s planning on jumping ship”

“I’d jump ship too. I swear I’ve never had to tell someone “No” as many times as I’ve told Lotor no over using ego”

“I can’t believe that I can’t believe he brought us to the opera”

“I can. At least I won’t have to see him for a bit after this”

Crossing his arms, Keith kicked the marble floor with the tip of his shoe

“He can fuck off”

Laughing softly, Lance came over to him, wrapping his arms around him. His boyfriend smelt like soap and spilt alcohol. Lotor had gotten them champagne delivered to the private box they were being tortured in, he’d offered Lance blood to add to his, yet his boyfriend wisely declined

“I know you’re not happy about it. But, I think I have a plan to turn back next time I’m a bat... I can’t say for sure though”

“You didn’t tell me you figured that out”

“I said “I think”, Babe. Anyway, you know I know you haven’t had a fun time lately... so I was thinking after this, we grab some pizza and go watch the stars”

“Why are you always trying to bribe me with pizza?”

“Because I’m a pizza kind of man, and your kind of man”

“I fail to see the logic... but that sounds so much better than heading back with them. I want to burn his stupid limo”

Lance kissed his hair

“You only get to burn it if I get to douse it first”

Keith shoved Lance off playfully, he couldn’t keep the laughter out his tone

“I’m shocked! What happened to my sweet law abiding boyfriend?”

Lance was so cute when he scrunched his face up with laugher

“He fell head over heels for a bad boy...”

“Are you saying I’m the bad influence?”

Wiping small tears from his eyes, Lance hugged himself tightly with his right arm as he nodded

“Oh, totally. Matt says I’m completely unbearable when you’re not around. All I do is mope and long for you”

“Matt met you after you met me”

“I know. He smacked me with a pillow last night and sent me to bed too, reminding me I’d be here today... like I could forget”

Keith reached out, grabbing Lance by the arse to pull him close, his boyfriend automatically looping his arms over his shoulders, laughter turned unexpectedly serious as Lance rubbed his forehead against Keith’s. He loved this man so damn much... the hunter hated that sometimes he couldn’t help but need him to tell him that

“You really miss me that much?”

“Babe, I miss all of you like all of the time. Literally the best thing about getting up early to come to Platt is seeing you”

“So you don’t come to Platt just for the opera?”

“Nope. You really don’t like the opera, do you?”

Keith shook his head. Sitting in the dark, with the only light coming from the lights on the steps and stage, he could easily picture vampires feeding in secret. Maybe they should have had a vampire kill the lead, it would have been exciting then

“Not at all... But I kind of feel it’s very vampirey”

Lance replied, overly heavy on the sarcasm

“Yeah, babe. Completely vampirey. Like, didn’t you, the opera is in our blood. Why do you think the theatre is dressed in red velvets? To hide the blood, obviously! We’re drawn to it, seeking out our next hit. I don’t really go back to Garrison... oof!”

Stepping on Lance’s foot, his boyfriend shut up. Lance didn’t to rub it in that he was way smarter than him

“I get it. I’m uncultured”

Lance nuzzled into him, sensing his teasing had dropped his mood further

“Other than stomping on innocent feet, you’re cultured enough. Seriously though. Allura never said opera. She said dinner. And I was like, we can do dinner... And now I’m like “Please God, let Coran call with some emergency””

“Hey, you’re the one who’s suddenly friends with Lotor”

“No I’m definitely not. Nope. He taught me some stuff, mostly about vampire culture and it’s whack. He keeps going on about ego and quintessence and I can do more things if I tried. I got a stitch last night thinking about having to train today. I seriously threw up last time”

He didn’t know about that. Lance shouldn’t be pushing himself that far. How had his boyfriend had time to come from practice to him, with a stop to throw his guts up and brush his teeth on the way?

“My poor baby... Did you miss your big bad boyfriend?”

Lance whined at him softly, nuzzling into him as he did

“Yes, give me sympathy. Seriously. I’m thinking of stealing his phone and finding a way to lure Sendak back to pick his brat arse up”

“Tell me about it. They’re off raiding a place tonight. I had to do the stupid paperwork. I don’t know why. Kolivan comes and takes it, then that’s that”

“I’m sorry you’re still benched”

“Nah. I’ve got something to do with my time...”

“Do you think if we’re good tonight, Lotor will finally help?”

“I think you’re more delusional than me... someone’s coming. We should head back”

“Nooooo...”

He was happy hiding here!

“Now who’s the baby. I’ll buy you an ice cream if the confection stand is still open”

“Lactose”

“Fuck. Fine. If the opera isn’t over, then I’ll call Coran and beg him for a pick up”

“We need an excuse to leave”

“Then I guess I’ve finally found a reason for you deciding you needed to be banged up”

“I think I can support that. Those seats aren’t comfortable”

They didn’t need an excuse. The opera had ended, people milling into the theatre’s entrance hall. Leading Allura along, Lotor made his was through the crowd and over to the pair of them

“We thought you’d left”

His tone was cold, like they’d disappointed him by not

“I’ve got a headache and Keith’s stiff from those chairs”

Allura immediately took the reason as her chance to let go of Lotor’s hand. Moving to Lance, she placed her hand on his forehead

“You do feel warmer than usual. Perhaps we should head back for the night?”

Lance played along

“I don’t want to ruin your evening”

“Nonsense. You’ve been pushing yourself again. I’m sorry, Lotor. We really should head back. Lance may be going into heat again”

Lotor scoffed

“I doubt it. Yet, in any case, we shall return if that is what you wish”

Wanker. Keith tugged Lance up against him. He was supposed to be their excuse to leave, being a weak and lowly human. Not Lance. Lance was good about it. Their prayers silently answered

“I think it’s for the best. I really am sorry to interrupt your night”

“Nonsense. Your health is more important than dinner. You’re both very important to me”

So was escaping Lotor apparently. Unpleased, and outvoted, Lotor swallowed down his snark, though made it very clear he was unhappy as he swept ahead of them. Allura not disappointed at all as she winked at them. Hopefully this wouldn’t bite them in the arse.

#once bitten twice stupid #oncebittentwicestupid #ashratherose

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winterune · 5 years ago

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FFIX Appreciation Week

I am so late (or maybe just in time), but let’s do this!

Day 1: Favorite Scene/Cut-scene

This is so hard. I have so many favorite scenes. The You’re Not Alone scene, a lot of Beatrix scenes, Alexander’s summoning, Cleyra’s destruction, the Zidane-Dagger scene in Madain Sari, a lot of Black Mage Village scenes, Brahne’s demise, but maybe I’ll choose this:

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The fight with Black Waltz 3 on the cargo ship. Vivi watching the Black Mages fall accompanied with that music hurts me every time.

How do you prove that you exist...? Maybe we don’t exist...

Day 2: Favorite Location

One of my favorite locations is the Black Mage Village. A lot of feel-y stuffs happen here. And I also love the music.

Day 3: Favorite Song/Theme

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Rose of May is my indisputable favorite Final Fantasy track. I first heard its Piano Collections version before I even played the game (as I did a lot of FF tracks), and I immediately fell in love with it. It has that way that pulled at my heart. Its slow and quiet tone feels more melancholic than its lighter, somewhat more upbeat original track, and then I learned that a more somber version also plays as Beatrix’s Boss Theme. The Piano Collections one is my favorite.

Day 4: Favorite Eidolon/Summon/Command

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Can’t decide between Bahamut and Alexander. Bahamut because, well, dragons and mega flare, but I also love the entire heartbreaking Alexander scene, so...

Day 5: Favorite Side-quest/Mini game

I spent hours playing Chocobo Hot and Cold. It stresses me a bit, but it’s super fun xD K-KWEHHH!!!

Day 6: Favorite Boss/Battle

BEATRIX!!! I love her character, I love her story, I love her theme.

#ffix2020 #ffix #ff9 #final fantasy ix #final fantasy 9 #final fantasy #ff musings

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etherealwaifgoddess · 5 years ago

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The Magical Healing Powers of Hot Cocoa

Main Characters: Loki x Read

Summary: After stealing the tesseract in Endgame Loki finds himself trying to figure out what he wants to do with the rest of his life. He's lost and reeling until he meets you (and your daughter) and suddenly he knows exactly what he wants in his life.

Warnings/ Content: Angst if you squint but primarily it’s just sweet fluff here!

Word Count: 10,376

Author’s Note: This fic was written for Sherry’s Fall Into You Challenge. I snagged prompt #14 which was “Drinking Hot Chocolate”. Hopefully @sherrybaby14 will forgive me for calling it cocoa, I had the whole thing written out when I reread my actual prompt! I had so much fun writing this and it went on for much longer than I expected it to. I just love the idea of Loki finding happiness after so many years of struggling. I also have it up over AO3 since I know it can be easier to read something this long over on their platform. Thank you all for reading and a huge thank you for @sherrybaby14 for hosting this super fun challenge!

XOXO - Ash

The Magical Healing Powers of Hot Cocoa

Part One

Loki watched as the tesseract fell from its case and slid across the marble floor to his feet. There was no time to think, everyone was distracted by Tony Stark collapsed on the floor. Loki knew of the power of the tesseract but had never used it to transport himself before. Grasping the glowing cube in his hands he desperately pulled at his seidr and with a burst of light found himself on the fifth floor of the building. Loki was shaking, his breaths coming in large gasps; he was free. Loki could hear the crackle of a Comm Unit and located the receiver docked at an abandoned desk.

“Loki is on the fourteenth floor.” the voice of Steve Rogers called out of the device.

Interesting, Loki thought to himself. He couldn’t resist investigating, he knew he was too curious by nature but he followed his instincts and crept silently up to the fourteenth floor where he found Steve Rogers fighting Steve Rogers. It was quite a sight and Loki stared at the scene in disbelief. The imposter was certainly not their Captain America but it begged to question, who was it? Loki stared at the second Steve with curiosity, he wondered how this second man had come to be and when he raced off after leaving their Steve unconscious Loki chose to follow him. There was nothing keeping him around and he loathed the idea of being captured by his brother again.

Quiet as a ghost, Loki wrapped himself in seidr and followed this new Steve out of the building and into an ally where he was met by an older looking Tony Stark and a younger, very confused looking man in the same style suit as theirs. Loki was irked as Steve handed the younger man his scepter but he wasn’t willing to make his presence known. After a heated conversation Tony and Steve started pressing buttons on a device they both wore on their wrists. Loki didn’t hesitate when he saw the air around their bodies shift, he grasped onto Steve’s arm and was hurtled through time and space with them. A moment later, Loki found himself standing in a military base many decades in the past along with Tony and Steve.

Loki released Steve’s arm, he might be cloaked from view but he couldn’t risk the captain feeling his touch by accident. It wasn’t easy following the two around the base and several times Loki doubted his own sanity for even attempting this fools mission. But he wanted to see what the men were doing and what they were taking from this place. Loki was ready when they started tapping away at their wrist devices again and he placed a tentative hand on Tony’s back. Just as before, he was pulled along with them.

Loki looked around the compound, unable to place himself in time. Tony and Steve were speaking animatedly with a sobbing Clint, and an assembled group of others all wearing the same suits. Loki silently moved away from the raised platform they’d landed on. He walked around inspecting the room and strained to see if he could recognize anyone else in the group. The moment his eyes locked on Thor he felt the wind knocked out of him. Surely this was another universe, it would take an impossibly cruel world to have ruined his shining god of a brother. Loki fled, unsure where was going or really, where he was.

Loki eventually found himself in an empty office filled with computers and he pulled up the date as quickly as he could. It was 2023, eleven years in the future from his time. Loki knew the last eleven years must have been rough on the Avengers and he needed to know what had happened. Pulling up files and reports from the main drive Loki downloaded as much as he could onto the laptop. Reports and files and photos whizzed past on the screen and one in particular caught his eye; Loki (Laufeyson) Odinson - Death Record. Loki clicked open the file and began reading the report. His head swam with the information. Killed, at Thanos’ hand, on a ship back to Earth with the remaining Asgardians after they caused Ragnarock to stop his tyrannical sister. Loki was on the verge of breaking down, his mind reeling trying to make sense of all this new information and the strange future around him. He feared in his distress that the cloaking of his seidr would fail him.

Pulling himself together, Loki knew he needed to get the hell out of wherever he was, but he also needed to know what kind of world he was walking out into. Loki rifled through the desks while he waited, looking for anything that could be useful to him. Pushing past stacks of paper he found a granola bar, a bottle of Pepsi, and a key to a safe. Loki quickly scanned the room, desperate to locate the safe before his time was up. The glint of a lock caught his eye on the bottom of one of the desks and the key slid it in with a click. Nothing too exciting inside, mostly paperwork, but there was also a thick envelope with $5,000 cash. Loki thanked the Norns, it was enough to keep him going for a bit. After several tense minutes the downloads were complete and Loki grabbed the slim black laptop off it’s dock. Cursing himself, Loki doubled back to grab the charging cable and then bolted from the room.

Loki hurried off the compound grounds and began walking down the street to wherever it would lead. Part of him wanted to just hop back to 2012 but he wasn’t sure how to go about that, even if he managed to get his hands on one of those wrist devices. And if he did go back, he was a wanted man whose death he had already seen. Loki made a decision not to go anywhere else in time until he had learned what missteps he took that lead to his untimely demise. Maybe once he knew, he could go back and do it all over, save his brother and his people. Wouldn’t that surprise them all, he mused as he walked.

Eventually Loki realized he needed to get out of wherever here was so that he couldn’t be accidentally spotted by one of the pesky Avengers or their allies. So using the tesseracts powers Loki jumped through space to the only place he could think of: New York City.

Part Two

The city was bustling, a sea of people flooding past the entrance to the alley Loki materialized in. Perfect cover for someone trying to disappear and stay hidden, he thought. Loki swept his seidr over himself, changing out of his beloved Asgardian clothes and into what he hoped would pass as an “Average Joe”. He hated the idea of being considered some common Midgardian but he needed to blend in. He materialized fitted black jeans, an emerald green tee, and black boots for himself hoping it was adequately innocuous. The October chill was more prominent in the city and Loki enjoyed the cool air nipping at his skin. He pulled his silky black hair back in low bun and then joined the sea of passing people.

After a few blocks he spotted a diner advertising free Wifi and Loki figured that was as good as he was going to find until he could procure a hotel room for the night. The scent of french fry grease hit him as he entered and he wrinkled his nose at it. But it was warm inside and the sun would be setting soon. It was better than nothing for now and he needed sustenance.

“Grab a seat anywhere.” you call out in an overly cheerful voice, not looking up from the mug you’re filling with coffee. You are eight hours into a twelve hour shift and are desperately ready for the dinner rush to die down a little so you can grab yourself a bite to eat. You see out of the corner of your eye a single figure take the farthest seat down at the counter next to the wall. You hate when people camp out at the very last seat along the counter, it makes it harder to keep an eye on everyone when they’re scattered. Still easier than being stuck waiting on the booths though.

Loki settles in at the farthest seat away from the people at the counter, thankful for the wall on one side of him and praying no one dares to occupy the seat to his left. He needs privacy so he can look through the files he’d downloaded without horrifying some nosy Midgardian. Loki opens up the lid of the laptop and sets it out in front of him on the counter, hoping it makes his intention to not be disturbed clear.

You swing down a minute later, order pad in hand. “Can I get you something to drink?” you ask, pen poised and ready.

Loki barely looks up from his screen other than to acknowledge that someone is present, “What type of tea do you have?” he asks.

The smooth, rich timber of his voice has you lifting your head. It’s accented, but you can’t quite place it’s origin. Possibly English but it’s refined, elegant, and somehow it brings to mind the legends of King Arthur and Lancelot. “We have plain Lipton. Or decaf.” you tell him. You hadn’t really taken note of him when he walked in but you realize he’s actually quite attractive after taking a moment to study him. His shiny blue-black hair looks impossibly soft, his skin porcelain pale, his body lithe but with broad shoulders and lean muscles. He’s far from your standard weeknight patrons. He has to be a model or actor of some sort.

Loki purses his lips in disapproval, “Coffee, then.”

“Coming right up.” You barely suppress your eye roll at his distaste for the tea choices. It’s a diner, what does this guy expect? But fancy voice most likely means fancy tastes, and hopefully for you a nice big tip. You dash back down with a mug of fresh coffee and a menu, depositing both next to him without interrupting whatever he’s working on.

Loki is engrossed in the files he downloaded. He sifts through the last decade of the world and it isn’t painting a pretty picture. As much as it pains him to admit it, his heart aches at the deaths of Odin and Frigga, the only parents he’d ever known, as well as for the destruction of Asgard. The details of Thor’s slide into despair and self loathing over the past five years are particularly painful as well. It is a bleak future for everyone and he’s planning how he can prevent it when he notices a file on the multiverse. There is no changing what happened in this reality, just as there is no way to go back and change the course of the one he came from at this point.

Loki hangs his head, defeated in a way that he rarely allows himself to feel. He notices the mug of coffee and takes a tentative sip. It’s dark and bitter but not as terrible as he’d expected. It’s cool at this point so he pulses a little seidr into the drink warming it back up. He lets the mug warm his hands, needing a moment to collect himself. He’s trying to work out what to do next, where to go. Loki has always been a planner, ensuring he is two steps ahead of everyone else, but now... he’s lost. It’s an uncomfortable feeling and one he has no intention of becoming well acquainted with.

You start and stop a few times to return to the end of the counter to check on your solitary customer. The pained expression he wears stops you in your tracks each time. He is clearly going through something and you don’t want to pester him. You are about to head down again when your daughter tugs on your apron hem. “Mama,” she says as she pulls. “Pleeease make me hot cocoa?”

You stare down into your daughter’s eyes and she gives you her very best behaved smile. You sigh, at least she has been keeping herself busy at the counter with her coloring book and not causing any trouble for you or the owner whose office she had taken over earlier in the day. “Okay, Lilly-pad. One hot cocoa, coming up.” you give her thin shoulder a squeeze and head back to make it yourself.

You had been so fortunate to find this job after your fiance and Lilly’s father, Max, disappeared. The owner, Beth, adores you both and lets you be flexible with your schedule to ensure you have childcare for Lilly. Though now that she is getting older she enjoys hanging out at the diner while you work and Beth enjoys having her there too. Max had gone missing the day of The Decimation, his name added to those of the lost. You went from a mostly happy fiance and stay at home mom to a single working mom, and it had been a rough adjustment. Lilly was only a few months old when it happened and you’d had taken the first job you came across, desperate for any income you could get. A year later you found out through a friend that Max was alive and well, living the bachelor life in New Jersey. He’d seen what was going on and took it as his chance to run. You knew Lilly hadn’t been planned, and sure, Max probably wasn’t your soulmate, but you had been happy once and it broke your heart all over again that he’d run out on you. But in the end you had Lilly and she was the absolute best thing you had ever done.

Tearing yourself from wallowing, you return to your daughter with her cocoa.

Lilly squeals as you hand her the mug and wiggles happily in her seat. “Thanks mama.” she grins. You notice a new couple has come in and you hurry over to greet them, “Be good Lilly-pad.” you remind her.

Loki is scrolling through photos of Thano’s destruction on other planets prior to what is being called The Decimation. Thanos was ruthless and Loki wishes he hadn’t fallen for the tyrants promises in his bid to take over Midgard. Loki is so deep in thought that he doesn’t hear the approaching pitter-patter of little feet. A small hand reaches out and pokes his arm, causing him to jump, startled. The child jumps too, sloshing a mug of something in her hand and making a small squeak sound. Loki had intended to tell the intruder off but as he looks down at her the words caught in his throat. She is a tiny, almost frail, little girl with long onyx hair and bright emerald eyes. It’s like another universe had opened up and spat out a child of his own creation. He has no words and finds himself just staring at her, inquisitively.

“My mama gives me cocoa when I’m sad. Cocoa is good for sad. I brought you some.” Lilly tells him as matter of factly as a five year old can.

Loki smirks despite himself, intuitive little Midgardian. “And why do you think I’m sad, little one?” he asks, genuinely curious.

“You looked sad. I watched you for a while. I like your hair, it’s like mine.”

Loki nods, “Indeed it is. And where is your mama?” He looks around, shocked anyone would just let their child take a beverage over to a stranger.

Lilly points over to you where you are taking two sodas to your new customers.

Loki stares for a moment. He hadn’t really looked at you since he’d sat down and now he wishes he had. You don’t share your daughters features but he pauses for a moment to take you in. He couldn’t have picked you out of a line up before but now; now he is absolutely entranced. The tendrils of hair escaping your bun to float around your face, the way you smile wide and disarmingly with apparent ease, the rounded curves of your body beneath your pale blue work uniform. Shaking himself a little, he returns his focus to the child who is still holding out a mug in his direction. “Thank you, little one.” he says as graciously as he can while taking the cup from her small hands.

“My name’s Lilly.” she announces.

Lilly hops up on the seat to the left of Loki and he is more amused than annoyed with his visitor. Children never took to him like they did to his brother. Back on Asgard Thor loved when the children visited the palace, he played with them endlessly as if he were a giant child himself. Which he sort of was, Loki muses. It wasn’t that Loki wasn’t fond of them, he just wasn’t as approachable as his oafish brother. This one though, this one looks at him like he’s her best friend.

“Hello Lilly. My name is Loki.” He extends a hand which she shakes dutifully and he suppresses a chuckle.

“Don’t you like cocoa?” She points to the cup he’d sat down on the counter in front of him.

“I’ve never had it before. Shall I try it?”

Lilly nods rapidly.

“Alright then, let’s see about this.” Loki eyes the cup as he brings it to his lips. It‘s blatantly some form of child’s beverage and he steels himself to politely pass it back to her after an obligatory sip. That is until the taste of sweet, creamy, chocolate hits his tongue. Loki’s eyes widen despite himself and his tentative sip becomes a long gulp. He would never admit to something so undignified but Loki has a serious sweet tooth, one he painstakingly ignores most of the time. Growing up, everyone thought it was only Thor based on the way he had sought out sweets at every opportunity but it was actually the pair of them. Loki just prefers to be a little more dignified about it. “This is perfect, little one. Thank you. Would you like the rest?” Loki wants to bolt down the rest of the drink but he reigns himself in as always.

Lilly shakes her head, “No, mama will make me a new one. That’s yours.”

“Only if you are certain.” Loki takes another sip, feeling the sugar hit his empty stomach, and he represses a shudder of delight.

“Yeah. It s’okay. Be right back Mr. Loki!”

Loki watches, still amused, as she jumps down and runs off, pulling at her mother’s apron and whispering excitedly.

Your daughter is normally pretty outgoing so it isn’t a surprise that she’s made a new “friend” while you work. Lilly rapidly tells you about her new friend who she got the cocoa for and now she needs a new one for herself. She points down the counter and you follow her finger to the dark haired man at the end. You’re stunned. One that she was so perceptive that something was upsetting him, and two that he had indulged her intrusion. You quickly make a new cup for Lilly and follow her down to the end of the counter.

Loki takes the cocoa from Lilly’s hand, setting it down so she can scramble up onto the stool again. He notices you came down too and he worries for a moment that you are not comfortable with your daughter drinking cocoa with him. Parents are protective of their children and he respects that, but he also needs the momentary distraction as his brain fights to process everything he has learned in the past few hours. “She just came running up with the cocoa. I’ll pay for it, just add it to my check.” Loki tells you in a rush.

You lips quirk in a half smile at his earnestness. He doesn’t seem harmful, a little tired maybe, but no alarm bells are going off in your head. You’ll only be a few feet away at all times anyway. “I’m sure she did, she’s a rascal. If you’d rather get back to work though, she has plenty of coloring books she can go back to.” you offer.

“No, it’s fine. I needed a break.” He assures you. Now that the sugar is hitting his system Loki realizes he is ravenous. He turns to face Lilly who is licking the whipped cream off the top of her mug as it sits on the counter. “I should probably get something to eat though. Lilly, what’s the best thing on the menu?”

Lilly squints, her little brow furrowing as she thinks. “Grilled cheese.” she finally announces.

“Well, that’s something else I’ve never tried. I’m going to trust you again, little one.” Loki turns back to you, “A grilled cheese. Please.” the ‘please’ is hastily added, like he isn’t used to pleasantries and you hold back a smile at the thought that he’d at least tried.

“Never had cocoa or grilled cheese, huh? What planet did you grow up on?” you tease lightly as you write it down on your pad.

Loki, who is already painfully pale, actually blanches a little. He regains his composure quickly, “Strict parents.” he mumbles and takes another sip of his cocoa.

“My mom is strict too. She makes me go to bed at seven thirty.” Lilly interjects dramatically.

“What horrors.” Loki feigns shock, holding a hand to his chest, “You should at least be able to stay up until midnight by now.”

Lilly giggles, “Mama, I like him.”

You shake your head at both of their antics and head back to the kitchen to drop off his order.

It turns out Loki is just as impressed with the grilled cheese as the cocoa. He’s starting to wonder what else he has missed out on Midgard. You linger longer and longer each trip down as the diner quiets for the evening. Lilly drags her coloring books over to show Loki her latest creations which he admires with all the seriousness of an art critic at The Met. He is so patient and kind, your heart aches a little watching them.

Eventually Lilly’s little yawns became big ones and you know it’s time to get her settled on the makeshift cot in the back office to sleep until the end of your shift.

“I’m fine mama.” She grumbles fiercely, overtired and not willing to leave her new friend.

“Now Lilly, you need to listen to your mama. It’s far past seven thirty already.” Loki shoots you a sympathetic look. He had never tried using an authoritative voice on a child before and he hopes it was convincing.

Lilly’s bottom lip quivers and for a moment, Loki is ready to say the hell with bedtimes. “But I go to sleep and never see you again. Ever.”

“Perhaps not, little one. You never know. I like the cocoa here an awful lot. I might come back again.”

“You come back tomorrow?” she looks up at him hopefully.

Loki knows it’s stupid but he’s nodding before his brain can catch up. “Absolutely.”

You scowl at him and he wonders what transgression he could have made. “Come on, Lilly-pad. Let’s go.”

Lilly throws her arms around Loki and he gives her a soft pat on the back, unaccustomed to such affections. “Night Mr. Loki.” she says through a yawn as you usher her into the back.

Loki is burying himself back into the files when you come back out. You stand, arms crossed, glaring daggers at him. He actually recoils in surprise when he sees you.

You’re fine with him being sweet to your daughter, who couldn’t be when she gives you that wide smile of hers, but someone lying to your little girl just rubs you the wrong way. “You shouldn’t have gotten her hopes up like that.” you all but growl at him. Yes, you have a mama bear streak in you and you aren’t ashamed of it.

“I beg your pardon?” Loki can’t understand why coming back is a bad thing when Lilly had looked at him with such innocent hopefulness.

“She’s going to be expecting you tomorrow and when you don’t show I’m going to have to deal with the fall out. It was a dick move.”

Loki’s eyebrows shoot up. He’s been called many things over the past fifteen hundred years, but never a dick. “Who says I won’t be here tomorrow?” he challenges.

You roll your eyes blatantly at him. “Let’s see...” you begin. You’re exhausted and don’t give a shit about a big tip anymore. “You’re not a local, you’ve never had something as common as a grilled cheese or cocoa so clearly you don’t frequent diners, fancy accent, fancy clothes, fancy computer, all still indicating this isn’t your typical hang out place…” You are cut off by Loki’s deep, belly laugh which just makes you scowl harder.

“I’m sorry.” he desperately fights to compose himself. He hates that he’d lost his composure at all. “Sorry, really. I’m not used to that level of honesty. It was… fascinating.”

You blush, realizing how far you had overstepped. He had spent most of the evening placating your daughter and had been nothing but friendly towards you since Lilly took him the cocoa. “No, I’m sorry. I get a little mama bear crazy about people lying to my kid. Her father…” you trail off, “Sorry, again. You don’t need to hear about that. I should be thanking you for keeping her occupied all night.”

“It was no trouble.” Loki says quickly, “She’s charming, really. And I don’t know how much longer your shift is, but I have time to listen. It’s not like you’re packed in here.”

You look around, it’s down to just him and the other waitress is hanging out in the back with the cook. You sigh. He looks genuinely interested and sometimes it’s easier to talk to a complete stranger than your friends, even about the tough stuff. You start out slowly, the story of Max and how you’d come to be a single mom unfolding with practiced calmness. You keep your voice even, refusing to let it come out as a sob story.

Loki listens attentively, his hands steepled under his chin as he leans forward on the counter. He can feel the tension radiating from you and he admires how controlled you keep yourself despite how horrible what you’d gone through was.

“So,” you conclude, “that’s why I had a problem with you promising to come back tomorrow.”

Loki nods sagely. “I feel like ‘sorry’ would be a little trite. But please know that it is my desperate hope that this Max fellow meets a very unpleasant end. Sooner, rather than later.”

The way he says it with a mischievous smirk makes your stomach flip. “You and I both.”

“You’re wrong about tomorrow though.” he adds, the smirk still in place.

“Oh really?” you push, leaning across the counter towards him.

“Yes, really. I do not break my word. I promised I would be back tomorrow and I will be. Right here.”

“Why?” the word is out of your mouth before you can stop it.

Loki’s smirk widens to an almost grin. He’s enjoying your company more than he’d like to admit. You aren’t afraid of him, you have a backbone to you, your bottom lip is distractingly full, and you make him think of his favorite statue in his mother’s garden growing up. He’d spent a lot of time as a boy staring at that statue and you are the living embodiment of it. It took him a moment to make the connection but once he did, it was all he could see. He remembers that you’d asked him a question and forces himself to answer, “As I said, I do not break my word.”

“That easy, huh? You don’t have anywhere better to be tomorrow than coming back here? You don’t even know what time my shift is.”

“I’m going to be staying around here, I know the food is palatable, and there’s free WiFi. Though the service is a little cheeky.”

You laugh, “Cheeky? That’s a new one.”

“Oh, I can think of all sorts of adjectives if you’d like to hear them.” Loki’s tone is bordering on predatory, thrumming with an undercurrent of dark, salacious promises.

Your pulse quickens and Loki doesn’t miss the way your pupils dilate and your breathing hitches for a moment. You swallow your nerves down and square your shoulders, forcing yourself to not get swept up in where the conversation is threatening to go. “So you’re staying around here?” you ask, regaining your balance.

Loki looks almost disappointed but he pulls himself upright, no longer leaning over the counter, and smoothes his t-shirt. “I don’t know just yet. I figured I would check online to see what was around that I could afford.”

“There’s a new boutique hotel about four blocks over. It’s a little hipster-ish but I’ve heard good things.”

“I just need a bed at this point. I’ll worry about something more suitable tomorrow.”

“Then head out to the right, go left at the intersection and then down three blocks. It’ll be on your right, The Hideaway.”

“The Hideaway. Got it.”

“You ready for your check, then?” you’re a little disappointed he’s leaving but it’s lessened knowing he’ll be back tomorrow.

“How much later is your shift?”

“Another hour but-”

“I have an hour to kill.” Loki’s smirk returns and damned if it doesn’t do things to your insides.

Your lips curl up with a smirk of your own and you shake your head at him. He is certainly a charmer. The conversation flows easily and despite your best efforts to learn more about him, he consistently turns the conversation back on you. You’re floored when the other waitress comes in for her shift announcing you’re free to go.

Loki frowns at the intrusion of the other waitress. “I guess I’ll be going as well.” he says packing up his laptop.

You hand him his bill from the pad in your pocket and he flips down a twenty without looking at it.

The bill was barely over $6.

“Let me get your change.” you go to head down to the cash register but his hand slips over yours, stopping your movement.

“No need. Keep it. A thank you for making this night a little less lonely.” Loki releases your hand, trying to reign himself in. He picks up the laptop and is heading out when he hears you call after him.

“I have the dinner shift tomorrow.” you call out, realizing you had forgotten to tell him.

“What time?”

“Three to eleven.”

“I’ll be here.” he promises.

Your smile is wide enough that the other waitress, Mara notices, “Who was that?” she teases you lightly.

“Just some guy. New to the neighborhood.” you play it off as casually as you can.

“Yeah, sure. And that’s why you two were making eyes at each other.”

You snort at her comment, “You’re delusional. I don’t date, Mara.”

“Who said anything about dating? He’s gorgeous and clearly wants to see you again.”

“Nope! Not having this discussion. I have a five year to get home.”

“Fine, good night.”

“Night.” you head back to collect Lilly who is sleeping heavily on the cot in the office. You’re thankful she’s a sound sleeper as you pick her up and head down the two blocks to your little third floor walk up. After you settle your sleeping daughter in to her own bed you make yourself a cup of tea and collapse onto your sofa. You try to focus on the show you put on but your mind keeps wandering back to Loki, wondering if he found the hotel easily and if was settling in okay.

A few blocks away Loki has found the hotel and is getting checked in to his room. He materializes a Midgardian drivers license, falling back on an old alias and paying cash despite their supposed credit card policy. It’s amazing what flashing around several large bills can do. Loki scans the room and finds it to be clean but very small. He misses the palace he grew up in for a moment but reminds himself Asgard is no more and he is just lucky to be alive in this world. He lets out a bitter chuckle as he sits down on the edge of the bed, with no one around to put on airs for he finds no need for the grandeur he usually surrounds himself with.

Loki tries to get comfortable on the overly stuffed mattress but tosses around futilely. It isn’t the mattress, it’s the spinning of his own mind. He’s still coming to grips with the world he has found himself in. The memory of the way your eyes flashed when you were chastising him earlier in the evening keeps fluttering across his mind. It’s quickly accompanied by the feel of your soft skin beneath his fingers and the sound of your voice. Loki knows better than to make any acquaintances until he figures out his next moves. He promises himself tomorrow he will make plans and stop in to the diner to visit and say goodbye properly. Loki finally gives up on sleep, materializing a book to read until exhaustion finally wins out.

Part Three

The next morning Loki wakes late, it’s almost noon by the time he’s heading out from the hotel. He materializes new clothes for himself and goes to a nextdoor coffee shop for something to help wake himself up. The shop is busy, people bustling around, many of them crying or holding on to each other. Loki can sense something is off with what should be a normal weekday morning. He looks at the flat screen TV in the corner where people are crowded around watching the news broadcast. There are images of people spontaneously appearing all around the world and flashes of pictures of the Avengers, including his brother. Loki watches along with the crowd as the anchorman explains what is being called The Blip. Thor and his friends had done it. They had managed to undo the horror that Thanos had inflicted upon the universe and from what the news is saying they are reporting no casualties at this time. Loki feels a swell of pride for his brother, the golden god had triumphed again in the end. He knows he will have to pop back to the Avengers compound and visit Thor eventually, just to let him know he’s alive in this world. It would be unfair to keep it from him. Loki wants to give him a few days to settle things after their victory and then he will go to him. He has enough money to keep himself afloat for a week or so and doesn’t want to intrude on the celebration surely going on back at the compound. Loki takes his cup of coffee to go and wanders until he finds a community garden where he can sit undisturbed to plan his next moves.

The morning of The Blip has been rough on you. Lilly woke up with more energy than ever, making plans to introduce Loki to mac n cheese and begging for new crayons so she could make him the “best drawing ever”. You promise to bring all of her art supplies with you to the diner later and distract her with scrambled eggs and cinnamon toast for now. You’re already exhausted when you sit down to watch the news with your coffee. The news is all covering The Blip and you watch, stunned, as people are reunited with their loved ones. You’re glad for them but you still have to turn it off after a few minutes so you won’t start screaming. Damn Max and what he’d done to you. While it’s the most amazing gift that everyone is back, it pulls at the old scars on your heart made by Max’s abandonment and deception.

You pull Lilly aside before school to explain what has happened. You don’t want her being confused with everyone talking about it in her class. She has lots of questions and you answer what you can despite how it taxes you emotionally.

The morning flies by as you busy yourself with chores and studiously avoiding the news. You’re on your third cup of coffee by the time you pick Lilly up on your way in for your shift at the diner and it’s helping a little. Lilly chatters endlessly along the way about The Blip and it grates on your already frayed nerves but you give her the expected sounds of acknowledgement. The diner is packed full of people, it appears no one is willing to cook on such a monumental day. Lilly settles in easily to do her flashcards and pulls out her newest library book. It’s a simple one, more pictures than words, but her reading skills are improving every day.

Every time the doorbell chimes your eyes snap over to the entrance. You, mostly, trust that Loki will show and are looking forward to seeing him again. Though for all you know he’s off reuniting with family, or maybe even a girlfriend or wife. You frown at the thought. It’s only five minutes but it feels like ages when the doorbell chimes and Loki strides in. He’s wearing similar clothes to the day before but has added a leather jacket to the outfit and his hair is falling freely against his shoulders. Your brain fails you for a moment and you blush as you ask the woman you’re waiting on to please repeat her order. Your eyes follow Loki as he takes his seat at the very end of the counter and sets up his laptop, just as he’d done the day before. You hurry to collect drinks and another persons order so that you can make your way down to visit him.

Loki is no closer to a plan when he walks into the diner than he’d been that morning. It’s frustrating and he feels like he’s crawling out of his own skin at times. Ever logical, Loki has made several lists of where he could go after visiting with his brother but none are very appealing. He has no home to return to and since New Asgard is apparently thriving under the eye of Valkyrie he sees no reason to head there and disturb the peace. Besides, he lost his taste for a throne after the New York incident. He considers traveling the galaxy, doing some exploring for a bit. He’s always loved that, but now some emotion pangs in his chest at the thought, one he won’t put a name to but feels regardless. Loki knows he has no marketable skills, not that he even wants a job, but he will need something to fill his days. He settles into his spot at the counter, scrolling through some inane blog about the places to see while in the city and trying to come up with at the very least a plan for the following day.

You’re finally able to swing down to the end of the counter to Loki and you assess his intent gaze and half frown before speaking. “Is it going to be another hot cocoa day?” you ask sympathetically.

Loki’s frown disappears at the sound of you voice. “I think it is.” he agrees.

“Lilly is going to be ecstatic when she sees you. Do you have work to do? Or can I send her down once she’s done her homework?”

“No, not working at the moment. I’m… taking some time off.”

“Luck you.” you try to keep the bite out of your tone and hope he doesn’t take offense.

“Not having anything to do is great in theory but I’m finding that in practice… not so much.”

You bite the inside of your cheek to keep your next comment to yourself. There is no way you are going to pity the poor, sad, rich guy who doesn’t need to work and doesn’t know what to do with his time. You give him a shrug and head off to get his drink.

“There’s always volunteering.” you suggest as you hand Loki his hot cocoa.

“Ah yes, working but not being paid for it. I’m not exactly skilled in anything to help though.” Loki explains.

You suppress the eye roll you so desperately want to give him. His comment solidifies in your mind that he must be some type of rich model. “You don’t need skills to volunteer at most places. You could help around an animal shelter, keep people company at a nursing home, stock shelves at the library, all sorts of things.”

Loki makes a small humph sound but seems to be considering it.

“Lilly will be done her reading soon and she’ll be down afterwards. If you want anything to eat just wave me down.”

Loki nods as he sips his drink and you slip away before he can respond.

It’s twenty minutes later when Loki sees a flash of pink out of the corner of his eye. Lilly is running full speed down the aisle towards him, hands full of papers. “Mr. Loki you came back.” she beams as she climbs up on the stool next to him.

“I promised I would. What do you have there?” he asks, pointing to her collection of papers.

Lilly spreads them out on the counter and starts showing off her favorites, of which there are six, and the other three that are “just okay” by her standards. Loki smiles and nods along, letting himself be swept away by her enthusiasm. After a depressing day, lost in the bleakness of his uncertain future, this is exactly what he needs.

“This is us.” Lilly points at the last page in her collection.

“I don’t think we have tails.” Loki jokes.

Lilly shakes her head, causing her hair to bounce around wildly. “Nooo!” she squeals between giggles. “It’s kitty us. Kitties with cocoa.”

“Well that makes much more sense.”

The rest of the afternoon passes by with Lilly drawing happily next to Loki while he researches the New York Public Library. The library had been on the list of places to visit and after your suggestion of volunteering Loki is toying around with the idea. He certainly loved the libraries back on Asgard and the one in New York is stunning. He can almost see himself spending his days there, though dealing with the public leaves something to be desired. Loki shakes his head at himself. Is he really considering staying in New York? One look next to him and then down to you at the other end of the diner solidifies the yes echoing in his mind. He’s too intrigued to leave just yet. Loki wants to get to know you better and he can’t imagine breaking Lilly’s heart and just disappearing. He has centuries before him and he can certainly afford to spend a little time on Midgard before moving on to more worthy endeavours.

Lilly somehow convinces Loki to order mac n cheese with her for dinner. You aren’t surprised he’s never tried that before either and you bring them two heaping plates. It’s a little odd that he’s missed out on so many standard comfort foods but chalk it up to his “strict parents” comment and the fact that he has to have been model.

You finally ask him about it after depositing a half asleep Lilly onto her cot in the back for the night. It’s seven o’clock on the dot and Lilly didn’t even fight you on it. “So, what kind of model were you?” you ask, certain of your guess.

You might as well have asked if he used to have six heads. “I beg your pardon?”

Uncertainty starts seeping in, “You used to be a model? Right?”

Loki chuckles, “No, I’ve never modeled. What gave you that indication?”

“Fancy clothes, not needing to work, not having tried the most basic comfort foods, and you know… you know what you look like.”

Loki laughs again. “You keep making the most fantastical assumptions about me. I quite enjoy it. But you are mistaken once again.”

“So, what did you do then?” your cheeks are stained pink with the slightest blush and you can tell Loki is enjoying flustering you.

Loki is hesitant to jog your memory since you clearly haven’t put the pieces together to realize who he is. But if he is going to actually try and stay in New York he needs to be honest. The irony is not lost on him. The trickster, the god of lies, finally desiring to be honest with someone even when it will likely end badly for him. Loki steels himself for your anger and chooses his words carefully, “My family is royalty so I haven’t needed to work. I traveled for a bit in my younger years. Got into a lot of trouble along the way.”

You have a sinking feeling in your stomach. He’s holding something back, you’re sure. The uneasiness is rolling off him like waves and you’re afraid that whatever he’s holding back is going to end whatever is starting between you. “What kind of trouble, Loki?”

“The worst kind, I’m afraid. I was here in New York eleven years ago. I’d gotten involved with the wrong people and couldn’t get out until it was too late. It almost destroyed the city.”

It’s like the floor has dropped out from under your feet. You brace a hand against the counter, steadying yourself. “Loki.” you breathe his name quietly.

Loki swallows hard as recognition floods your face.

“You were in league with Thanos. They said you were a monster.” the name Thanos spits out of your mouth like a curse.

“He fooled even me. I was blinded by my own desire for power and my hatred for Odin at the time. There’s no atonement for what I did.” Your horrified expression makes Loki cringe, “I’ll… I’ll leave now. I’m sorry to have… I’m sorry.” Loki pulls out a large bill from his pocket and collects his laptop and jacket. He’s moving away from the counter when you find your voice.

“No wait.” You call a little too loudly. Thankfully the diner has quieted down for the night.

Loki spins around, surprised.

“You’re not him.”

Loki furrows his brow and comes back to his spot at the counter. He keeps his distance, wary like a caged animal, his voice low and steady. “I assure you, I am.”

You shake your head, “You're not, though. The man who’s sat here the past two days is not the same one who invaded eleven years ago. People change.”

“People died because of me.”

“Would you do it again? If you had the chance now, would you try it?”

“No, of course not.” He tries to say more but you cut him off.

“There you go then. People change. I’m certainly not the same person I was back then. Let’s just get to know each other as we are now.”

Loki is speechless. He expected fear, disgust, hatred maybe, but certainly not this.

You check the time on the wall, “I have a few more hours left in my shift, you don’t have to stay all night again but I like your company.”

“I am quite fond of yours as well.” Loki manages. His voice is uncharacteristically soft and you give him one of your wide, genuine smiles in return.

You have no other customers at the moment so you lean against the counter and settle in. “So,” you begin, trying to divert the conversation to safer ground, “How many pictures were Lilly’s ‘favorite’ this time?”

Loki chuckles and just like that the tension dissipates.

Part Four

Loki spends every night that week hanging out during your shifts at the diner. The other waitresses have begun to tease you a little about him but you don’t feed into it. The routine is always the same. Loki comes in shortly after your shift, starts drinking cocoa or coffee, and orders whatever meal it’s time for when he gets hungry. You spend the quiet moments down at the end of the counter getting to know the real him. It's hard to compare the man you’ve quickly become attached to with the one who attacked New York all those years ago and you feel secure in your decision to look beyond his past.

With a little help, Loki gets a volunteer position at the New York Library and a tiny month by month rental apartment down the street. It’s not much but it’s furnished and he’s happy to have something of his own. He’s moving in next week and has his first library shift a few days later. He knows money is going to be an issue before long and resolves to go see Thor once he’s moved in. Hopefully there is some family loyalty left in his brother and he sees fit to grant Loki access to a little of the family money to get him by while he stays in New York. Though getting Thor to believe his plan is genuine will take some effort.

Monday is your first day off in ten days and as much as Loki insists he’s fine moving on his own you feel a little guilty you’re not there to help. He claims there’s nothing really to move but you at least could have helped with shopping or something. The day crawls by despite how much you are able to catch up on while Lilly’s at school and by the time you’re tucking her in you’re yawning hard. You’ve just crawled into your own bed when your phone chimes.

Loki: All moved in!

The text is accompanied by a picture of a posh looking living room decorated in shades of white, cream, and tan. You hadn’t expected to hear from him but you’re glad he reached out. It was a little odd not talking to him all day. You had given him your phone number the night before just in case he changed his mind and needed your help. Part of you had hoped he would text or call regardless.

You: Great! How does it feel?

You watch as the little typing dots blink almost immediately after your text.

Loki: It’s interesting. Quiet. Tell Lilly I need one of her pictures for my fridge.

You smile as you type.

You: Quiet is good! I’ll tell her tomorrow. Good luck prying one away from her though.

Loki starts and stops typing a few times.

Loki: Can I call?

You: Yeah.

Your phone lights up a moment later.

“Hey you. Too quiet over there?” You say putting the phone on speaker so you don’t have to hold against your ear awkwardly in bed.

Loki sighs heavily, “Yes, a bit. I’m not interrupting anything am I?”

“Nope. Lilly is in bed already and I had no plans.”

“Good. Good.”

“Did you need something?”

“No. Yes. I.. ah… I got a little wrapped up in my own head and needed to hear your voice.”

His honesty is disarming. “Oh.”

“Sorry, that was a little blunt wasn’t it?”

“No, it’s okay. It felt a little weird not talking to you all day. So what has you all wrapped up in your head?”

“I’m going to visit my brother tomorrow.”

“Thor?”

“Yes, the one and only. He doesn’t know I’m alive and I owe him that courtesy.”

“Shouldn’t you be happy about that? He’ll be so glad to see you, I’m sure.”

“My relationship with Thor is… complicated. And I don’t know how it’s going to go. I keep thinking of all the millions of ways it can go wrong. I’ve played dead before, intentionally, so I doubt he’ll believe it wasn’t intentional this time. And there’s the whole ‘I’m still a wanted man’ thing. He’ll likely turn me out on my ass. But if he does that I won’t have enough money forever. Maybe another month or two but then what do I do?”

Loki rambles frantically and you can hear the strain of anxiety running high in his tone.

“Loki! Hey!” You cut him off. “Take a breath.” You wait a moment and he doesn’t respond. “Do you want to come over?” It’s a bold offer but he sounds so distressed and you’re not tired anymore.

“I don’t want to intrude.”

“I have cocoa. And it’s better than the kind at the diner.”

You can hear his shaky exhale that’s almost a laugh. “Text me your address. I’m putting my jacket on now.”

“See you in a bit.” You hang up and pull yourself from your warm comforters to go heat the milk for cocoa.

Loki arrives barely ten minutes later and you welcome him to your little home. He looks around, taking in the sight of your living room and then your kitchen. You’re stirring the cocoa mix into the pan and he doesn’t try to make conversation, just content to watch you work and admiring how cozy your home seems to him. It’s warm and inviting, lived in looking without being overly messy.

“You’re catching me on a good day.” You tell him as you pour the cocoa into two large mugs. He’s obviously looking around and you’re glad you spent most of the day on chores. “If you’d been here this morning you’d’ve seen a mountain of laundry and about fifty of Lilly’s drawings scattered around.”

Loki shrugs before accepting the mug from you. “I’m not judging. Thank you for letting me come over. Things just snuck up on me today and it was a little much. You didn’t have to invite me over to your home like this.”

“I know I didn’t, but I wanted to. Why don’t we head out to sit on the fire escape? I have a set of chairs out there and we won’t risk waking Lilly.”

Loki nods and you lead him outside where you set up two lawn chairs for you to sit in. He scoots his chair next to yours and looks up at the sky wistfully.

“Not the view you’re used to, huh?” You ask.

He shakes his head, “No, not at all. But more stars than I would expect here.”

“Tell me about Asgard.”

“You really want to know?” His tone is skeptical. Loki fears talking about his past will remind you of his mistakes and have you giving him the boot. After an afternoon and evening beating himself up about his wrong doings and worrying about his reunion with Thor he needs a little peace and you’re the only one who can give that to him at the moment.

“That’s why I asked. Tell me. Anything. Everything.”

“Well, we certainly had more stars.” He begins.

You wrap your sweater around your shoulders, protecting yourself from the chill in the autumn air. Your cocoa is warming your hands and you lean unintentionally against Loki’s shoulder listening to him describe his home world to you. His voice is rich and smooth like high quality chocolate and you are lost in it. He relaxes the longer he speaks and you’re thankful he seems to be unwinding a bit. Hours later you put your empty mug down and Loki’s hand finds its way into yours. Your twine your fingers between his and smile over at him, the contact making you giddy like a teenager with your first real crush. He carries on, describing the difference between the ocean on Earth and the seas of Asgard.

Eventually it’s too cold to stay outside and you climb back into your apartment but Loki’s heel catches on the window ledge and he tumbles inside with a thud. You shush him and break into a fit of giggles. He’s so awkward looking splayed out on your living room floor and it’s hard to believe this man is royalty, and a god even. Loki brushes himself off and whispers sorry but it’s too late. You can hear tiny feet padding down the hall.

“Mama?” Lilly says sleepily.

“It’s okay, Lilly-pad. Go back to bed.” You assure her but she’s on the move and staring at Loki who is smiling sheepishly down at her.

“Mr. Loki?” She mumbles.

“He came over for cocoa, sweetheart. You just go back to bed. You’ll see him again soon.”

Lilly makes a disgruntled sound and throws herself at his legs in a sleepy hug.

“Goodnight, Lilly.” He says ruffling her hair.

“Night Mr. Loki.” She pulls herself away and heads back down to her room. You hear to door latch and nod to yourself, knowing she’ll be back to sleep in seconds. Loki follows you to the kitchen to place your mugs in the sink. He’s standing closer than he meant to and when you spin around it’s right into his chest. You let out a stifled squeak of surprise and he braces his hands on your shoulders to steady you. You’re both breathing heavily, conscious of the feel of your bodies pressed against one another’s.

Loki is trying to avoid staring at the rise and fall of your chest and the way your pupils are blown wide looking at him. It’s surprise but also, possibly, desire? Your body is so soft against his and he wants to be selfish and explore the curves you’re hiding underneath that bulky sweater. He moves one hand down to the curve of your waist and your breathing becomes more erratic. Tentatively he slides his other hand up to cup your cheek. He’s overstepping his bounds, he’s sure, but he can't quite stop himself.

You’re trembling as he runs his thumb along the side of your cheek. His whole body is tense and humming against yours and it’s driving you mad. He seemed as surprised as you were when you had turned into him but now that the contact is made, neither one of you seem able to break it. You want him; want to pull him against you and work your way up the lithe muscles of his chest, to explore the broad expanse of his shoulders. He’s complicated, and his past is even more so, but you’re too far gone at this point to care. You press your cheek against his hand, your lips parted and you lock your gaze to his.

Loki’s breathing falters when you stare into his eyes. He’ll hate himself tomorrow for being a greedy bastard if he’s wrong but the way your bottom lip drops down looking good enough to bite overrides his common sense. He moves his head closer, angling it slightly so you can’t mistake his intention, and pauses to give you a chance to back out. You nod almost imperceptibly, frozen in place, desperate for him to make his move. It’s enough though and he dives in, crushing his lips fiercely against yours.

You dig your fingers into his sides, anchoring yourself against him as he presses a torrent of kisses to your lips. Loki meant to gentle, he really did, but the second he felt your soft, plush lips against his he was lost. You taste like hot cocoa, sweet and rich, with the unmistakable taste of you lingering underneath. A breathy moan leaves your lips and he groans, pained by his rampant desire. He won’t take you tonight, as much as he wants to. Lilly is home and he doubts you’d let it go so far, so fast anyway. Loki is forcing his hands to stay over your sweater and you’re doing your best to keep yours in place instead of exploring his body like you want to. When he finally pulls back and you stumble apart, gasping for air, you are both grinning like fools.

“That was….” he falters for words.

“Yeah” you gasp out.

“Wow.”

“Definitely wow.”

You both laugh at the state of yourselves and you move back against him, wrapping your arms around his waist. You fit perfectly in his arms and he’s able to rest his chin on the top of your head when you press it against his chest. He pulls you close and breathes in the sweet, floral scent of you. “I should be going. It’s late and you have to get Lilly to school in the morning” he says with a frown.

“I know.” You agree with a frown of your own, “I’m working the late shift tomorrow if you get back in time to visit.”

“I don’t know how it’s going to go. I’ll text you though. And I’ll be by Wednesday after my first library shift. When’s your next day off?”

“Saturday.”

“Don’t make any plans, okay?”

“Making plans for me?”

“Well, you and Lilly. If you’re okay with that.”

Your heart melts at his inclusion of Lilly. He’s so good to her, to both of you really. “Sounds perfect.” You pull away and reluctantly follow Loki to the door.

“Thank you, again, for letting me come over.” He says standing in your doorway.

“Of course. I’m always here if you have a random need for cocoa.”

Loki chuckles, “Yes, there’s something magical about your cocoa. It seems to fix just about anything.”

“Mmm, it does.” You agree with a smirk. “Good night, Loki.” You lean in for one last brief kiss and you pause as you pull back to study his expression. Loki’s eyes are brimming with emotion and you can feel your cheeks heating.

“Goodnight, Y/N.” He says softly before he turns and heads down the stairs.

You watch him go until he’s out of sight and then close your door, resting against it from the inside. This thing with Loki is still so new and uncertain but it feels so right. You whisper a quiet thank you to the universe, for bringing Loki into the diner and also for the magical, healing powers of hot cocoa.

The End

#sherry's fall into you challenge #sherrybaby14 #loki laufeyson #loki odinson #loki x reader #loki x you #single parent reader #post engame #post avengers endgame #marvel #marvel fanfic #marvel fandom #marvel fangirl #marvel avengers #loki fanfic #loki fanfiction

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medea10 · 5 years ago

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Medea’s Top 20 Animes of the Decade

Hey all! Disappointed in some “best of” lists of this past decade? Well…prepared to be possibly disappointed some more because I’m doing one now! Here’s a top 20 list of my favorite animes that came out in the 2010’s. I seriously couldn’t do 10 this time due to how many awesome animes came out this decade. Unlike my anime superlative list, I’m going to be stricter here. Anything that aired in Japan before January 2010 is stricken from the list (which sucks because that means Full Metal Alchemist: Brotherhood & InuYasha: The Final Act are disqualified). And these are going to be MY favorites from this decade. Be aware that there will be popular animes I leave off the list due to my own personal opinions and the fact that some of them I have not watched yet. So I’m just going to tell you right now, don’t expect My Hero Academia, Hunter x Hunter, or Demon Slayer on this list because I have not watched any of that shit! Let’s get cracking!

20. Cardcaptor Sakura: Clear Card (2018)

After nearly 20 years since the end of the first series, Cardcaptor Sakura returns with a sequel no one asked for and no one expected to come back. But it definitely brought back the nostalgia for those who grew up watching CCS. This story gives a continuation where Sakura is in middle school and ends up collecting a whole new set of mysterious cards. And the series is what you would expect with the cutesy feel whenever Sakura is with Li or it gets really intense when Sakura’s up against a really powerful card. While the ending leaves us on a bit of a cliffhanger with no continuation in sight, this series was one of the best reboots I’ve watched in recent years.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll, FUNimation, & Hulu Coming soon to home video

19. The Rising of the Shield Hero (2019)

This is my first (modern) Isekai and I gotta say I really enjoyed the story. Unlike other anime characters that travel to another world, the main character Naofumi is not praised as a savior nor put on a golden pedestal. Quite the opposite, this guy has to fight for even a shred of respect from anybody. Because after watching past protagonists like Miaka Yuuki, Kagome, and Kirito, that trope gets boring. Despite many of these episodes making me physically ill as I watched Naofumi being shit on by the other heroes and everybody else, it was great to watch this struggle with Naofumi to become a great shield hero.

P.S. Myne is still a raging cunt!

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll & FUNimation

18. My Love Story!! (2015)

One of the BEST rom-com animes out there! The story of a gentle giant boy named Takeo falling in love with a sweet, petite girl named Yamato and their story as a couple. Yeah, the big difference between this anime and a bunch of other anime rom-coms is that Takeo and Yamato reveal their love for each other in episode 4 in a 24 episode series! By anime standards, that’s unheard of because most love stories want to wait until the finale for something like that. This anime is just a cute story of watching Takeo and Yamato bloom with their budding relationship. Yeah, I admit some of the stories can be a little boring. Sometimes the beginnings of romances have a slow-start before we get to the good stuff. But even when they’re doing little things, they’re just so cute to watch.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll, HI-DIVE & Hulu Available for home video

17. Durarara!! (2010, 2015-2016)

This story is a complete cluster-fuck, but I don’t care. The stories that come from this anime and the characters make this one of my favorites. Durarara follows the strange stories that happen around the town of Ikebukuro with a headless motorcycle rider, super-human strengthed men, an internet troll who loves to mess with humans, otakus, a mad scientist, a parasitic carrier, and gangs of different sorts. But if you would ask me what’s my favorite thing about Durarara (because there’s a lot of random things for anyone to choose), it would of course be any time Shizuo Heiwajima is on the screen. This guy is just pure rage in a bartender’s outfit. He’s able to casually pick up and throw a vending machine at a person, he can punch the clothes off a guy’s body, and even kick a mid-sized car down the street.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll, Hulu & Netflix Available for home video

16. Daily Lives of High School Boys (2012)

If you’re looking for something random and hilarious to watch, look no further with this one. Each episode has random segments, mostly featuring three boys, Tadakuni, Hidenori, and Yoshitake in some of the most absurd moments ever showcased in an anime. Just to name a few fun moments; being caught experimenting with women’s underwear, finding a clever way to kill a hornet (indirect kiss), intellectual talk with a cute girl, using your jacket as a soccer ball replacement, and how to unzip your fly without using your hands! That last one still confounds me. But the show also expands to other characters around school and town. I know this series is severely random to have a coherent plot, but sometimes I prefer randomness. And that’ll continue with the next entry!

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll Available for home video

15. Nichijou (2011)

Yet another random segment anime (only this time with girls)! I know the official title is “My Ordinary Life”, but there is nothing ordinary about an anime where you have a six year old professor, a talking robot girl that was created by the six-year old professor, a talking black cat, high school girls capable of body-flipping police officers, a young boy who rides a goat to school, a high school girl capable of firing a bazooka, and a principal who fights a deer. That last one is just epic! If for no other reason to watch Nichijou, just watch the scene where the principal fights a deer! Much like Daily Lives of High School Boys, this series relies more on the random shenanigans of many of these characters (but mostly the main three girls, Mio, Yuuko, and Mai). It’s silly and fun! Check it out and give this anime a little love. Because there’s no way it’s getting a second season (Japan showed no love for this one)!

Available to watch on: FUNimation Available for home video

14. ERASED (2016)

I don’t care what manga readers say, this was a fine anime, you anal-rententive fuck-wipes (soooo not sorry for that statement)! This murder-mystery captured my attention when it first aired. The story is about a man named Satoru who has this ability to go backwards in time (usually a few seconds or minutes) to prevent a tragedy from occurring. But after an incident involving his mother, he ends up going all the way back to his ten-year old body in 1988 in order to prevent a tragedy from his childhood. This included saving his classmate, Kayo from her premature demise. It was a catchy time-leaping mystery that would enthrall me week after week…up to a certain point. Yeah, you can already guess who the culprit was early on. But all the suspense leading up to this was still a great tale.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll & Hulu Available for home video

13. Panty & Stocking w/ Garterbelt (2010)

GAINAX, you wishy-washy, crazy-ass, can’t give a full conclusion to a story to save your life, leaving us on a decade-long cliffhanger bastards, YOU’VE DONE IT AGAIN!

So this bizarre-ass anime is about two bitch-angels kicked out of Heaven, named Panty and Stocking. One likes to fuck men and the other gorges herself on sweets! In order to get back into Heaven, they must exterminate ghosts with the help of a black priest named Garterbelt, a fanboy named Briefs, and an Invader Zim knock-off named Chuck. And did I mention Panty and Stocking use their own lingere as weapons to take down ghosts? This story is balls-to-the-wall insane! And it gets crazier when you pop in the English dub! Dick jokes, fart jokes, and a whole lot of fucks! As any superhero show will do, this anime does stay to the villain of the episode trope with a few leeways here and there. This included a segment dedicated to the late Satoshi Kon and a music video. All of this leading to an ending NO ONE expected to happen leaving us on a cliffhanger that is now going on 10 years. Regardless, this absurdity in a thong is a treasure to behold. I would also advise not doing a drinking game whenever one of them says “Fuck”. You’d be dead by the end of the first episode!

Available to watch on: FUNimation Available for home video

12. Attack on Titan (2013, 2017-2019)

*singing incoherent Japanese*

YEAGER!!!

Get ready to get hooked on two of the catchiest opening themes of all time! I thought it was just about a young boy taking revenge on a race of titans for the death of his mother. No one expected there to be a twisted, messed-up origin to the titan race where the main character is connected to everything! That’s all my messy thoughts coming out after witnessing the climax portion. As for the rest of you, Eren Yeager’s world is turned upside-down when the town he lived in is demolished by titans. As a result, the entire town is demolished and left for dead and Eren watched as his mother is eaten by a titan. Eren ends up joining the Survey Corps along with his friends Armin and Mikasa to take down titans and prevent another town to suffer the same fate as Eren’s home.

Going into this anime, I SERIOUSLY thought this was going to be a comedy. You would too if you were going off of all the memes that emerged in 2013. But this anime takes a sharp left turn when Eren discovers a horrifying secret involving his own body. After that, this lead to more unbelievable discoveries involving people we all initially thought was the supporting cast. And this is as cryptic as I can be without delving into severe spoilers. The only way to get my meaning is if you watch this series. It’s just…WOW!

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll, FUNimation, Hulu, & Toonami Some seasons are available for home video

11. Kill la Kill (2013-2014)

A girl with a giant pair of scissors picking a fight with the main bitch at school, all the while wearing a sailor suit that talks to you! That is the balls-to-the-wall insanity Studio Trigger gives you in a show like this. Ryuko Matoi enrolls in Honnouji Academy in search of the person who murdered her father. There, she comes face-to-face with the potential murderer, Satsuki Kiryuin. Satsuki rules over Honnouji as she has a special uniform capable of giving her super-human strength. But what Satsuki doesn’t know is that Ryuko is about to get a special uniform to give her that as well. A talking sailor uniform named Senketsu helps Ryuko in her journey of finding her father’s murderer. Yeah, this series goes all-out with the special powers brought on by certain clothing. Then again, it’s Japan and fanservice is a must in at least 75% of animes! I mean, there are moments where Senketsu gets skimpier on Ryuko, not leaving much to the imagination. As absurdly off the wall this anime was, I enjoyed every frame of it and it’s easily one of Studio Trigger’s best works.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll & Netflix

10. Food Wars! Shokugeki no Soma (2015-2019)

You’d think with my picky-ass, I would have never watched an anime about cooking (and if my family is reading this, close this page now and play a wholesome game of shutting your gobs). But Food Wars never fails to increase my appetite. Yukihira Soma ends up in Japan’s most elite cooking school (with a 10% graduation rate) where he finds himself up against Japan’s and even the world’s greatest up and coming chefs. And every now and then, he ends up having to go up against one of these chefs in a cook-off known as a Shokugeki. If it wasn’t for the food orgasms, I would easily tell my cooking-show obsessed family members to watch this. I know no normal person would ever strip off all their clothes and have a raging orgasm when eating delicious food. But hey, it’s Japan! Gotta stick in fanservice somewhere! With inventive ways to spice up a regular dish, I may one day broaden my taste-buds into more exotic food-stuffs. Just, keep the peanut-butter squid away from me.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll, HI-DIVE, Hulu, & Toonami Some seasons are available for home video

09. Your Lie in April (2014-2015)

Grab your tissues, children. We follow Kousei Arima as he regains his ability and passion for playing the piano with the thanks of new-found friend Kaori. What can I say about an anime that’s so beautifully animated with likeable characters and music to die for? OHHH…I shouldn’t have said that last thing! Yeah, the main character Kousei goes through quite a bit in his life dealing with the aftermath of his mother’s death and having to relive seeing someone he cares about die the same way. There’s just so much you wish would happen with these characters and watch as it’s dashed away during a Chopin piece. OHHH…I did it again! Well folks, if you’re into tear-bait and classical music, definitely watch Your Lie in April!

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll, Hulu, & Netflix

08. The Promised Neverland (2019)

One of the newest entries with one of the most shocking first episodes in recent history! I know in the past decade we got a lot of first episode hookers like Attack on Titan, but if you came in this blind-folded, get ready for a trip. We follow orphan children Emma, Ray, and Norman as they plan to escape their home before they become food for hungry demons. In a weird way, this anime is almost like the 2000 film Chicken Run. I know I’m not the first person to think that up, but yeah, gotta say it here. This was one of my favorite animes of this year and I was hooked week by week with what was going to happen next. It got so intense that immediately after the series ended, I picked up the manga to find out what happens next. And let me tell you, it gets more insane after the events of episode 12. But one thing that always astounded me was watching all of these kids plot an escape so elaborate when all of them range from ages 6-12.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll, FUNimation, & Hulu

07. Miss Kobayashi’s Dragon Maid (2017)

What would you do if you opened the door one morning and found a dragon standing outside? Not just that but what would you do if you were living with more than one dragon and you now find yourself hanging around other dragons?! Kobayashi’s world changes for the better as she meets a dragon (named Tohru) that loves her so much that she would happily become her maid. And given the stigma for eons between humans and dragons, this series we see cute interactions with humans and dragons. Up to a point that it feels like all these characters are becoming family! There’s a dragon named Fafnir who finds humans horrible people, but ends up changing for the better when he finds himself hanging with a human that plays video games and creates manga. But I’m always so drawn to the relationship of Tohru and Kobayashi. Kobayashi was never really close to her family and when she moved away she mostly spends her nights drinking alone. But once Tohru and Kanna move in, it’s always a fun day with their cute shenanigans. It’s definitely brought Kobayashi out of her shell and gave her a family of dragons to live with.

And there’s this cute little dragon named Kanna! She’s so cute and adorable! Look at her nom at just everything she eats. She’s so adorable! Who’s a cute wittle dragon? Yes you are! Yes you are!

As a final note in this particular entry, I want to mention one particular member of the staff. Yasuhiro Takemoto! This man was the director for Miss Kobayashi, as well as many other animes from Kyoto Animation and I feel the need to thank this man for all the hard work he had done. I’m thankful for all of your work in the anime community and we miss you.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll & Funimation Available for home video

06. Pokemon XY (2013-2016)

It might be cheating a bit to put a Pokemon series on this list since they’ve been around since 1997. But it’s not a continuous shot like Detective Conan and One Piece, so I’m counting the XY arc for this list. Even though this series didn’t show me my favorite character and it gave me a shipping that’s worse than Herpes (with a cult for that ship that’s on par with MAGA), this was one of the best arcs to the Pokemon series. And I was excited for this series when it first came out because with the introduction of Mega Evolution, I was hoping for Ash to delve into that. While Ash wasn’t the one using Mega Evolutions, we did see him grow more through a synchronization method with Greninja that brought about so much in terms of battling. Just to name a few awesome moments with these two, he took down an iceburg pokemon, went toe-to-toe with a champion, and even made it all the way to the finals of the Pokemon League. Now did he win that league? That’s not important! What is important is that these were some of the best moments this series had to offer.

But it wasn’t just Ash we followed, but an anime-only character introduced named Alain as we followed his journey to becoming stronger through Mega Evolution. It felt risky following a different person for 5 or more episodes (without mentioning Ash), but it was all worth it when we came to the climax of the series when Team Flare came from the shadows. Listen guys, I know Pokemon has given some disappointing seasons before (especially the arc prior to XY), but if there’s any season you should watch, it’s definitely this one.

Also, Rica Matsumoto sings this one song called XYZ. I don’t know if you all have heard this song, but I think you should. It’s so bad ass and always pops up in some of Ash’s best battles in this series…in the Japanese version! I love it so much that I always feel the need to bring up XYZ whenever I talk about this arc.

Available to watch on: Disney XD, Hulu, & Pokemon TV Available for home video

05. Puella Magi Madoka Magica (2011)

I will always be a sucker for magical girl animes. Especially since Sailor Moon was the very first anime I watched fully! But Madoka Magica was…different and edgier. The premise is that a cute, white animal asks you to form a contract with it so you can become a magical girl. Magical girls defeat witches that cause havoc! Better read the fine-print on the contract ladies, because what the little rat doesn’t tell you is that you eventually become a witch yourself and will end up dying a horrible death, thus repeating the cycle. This anime would always leave me in a state of awe when watching it, whether it was the shocking deaths or the clever animation used when a witch emerges. But when you’ve got Shaft Studios animating this, expect some trippy moments. I think it’s because episode 3 was a big turning point that many of us were caught off guard by what happened and were scared of what happens next. Although thanks to Madoka, many other magical girl animes are following down the same path and trying to make it edgier. I don’t know if that’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I gotta say Madoka has definitely set the bar on edgy magical girl shows.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll, FUNimation, & Hulu Available for home video

04. Violet Evergarden (2018)

Prior to this anime’s release, Kyoto Animation had a reputation for putting out anime that was geared to the “moe” genre. But with recent releases of A Silent Voice, Miss Kobayashi, and Violet Evergarden, their style has evolved into something I can’t describe in just one sentence. This anime is just beautiful to look at. The animation is just stunning, look at it. Now, I was a bit turned-off by the main character of this series, Violet. First of all, she literally looks like Saber from the Fate series and has arms that rival Ed Elric of FMA. Secondly, her almost robotic personality really turned me off. But it wasn’t until later in the series where we watch her interact with the people she was helping in each episode that made me truly appreciate what she’s doing.

Violet was once used as a tool for war and would always obey her commanding officer. But once the war was over, she found herself as an “Auto Memories Doll” where she’s writing letters people want to send to someone. Many of these episodes, we watch her see the world outside of the war and hell she was put through in her past. Her words were able to bring people together, heal two fighting nations, bring a family closer together, give closure to a grieving family member, and so much more. Add to that, this series gave out one of the most heart-breaking episodes I’ve ever watched in anime. It made me ugly-cry and that rarely happens! Not just me, but litereally everyone who ever watched this episode, but also Violet herself. This episode (that’s episode 10) was like the first time where she felt actual human emotions for anyone other than the person she once loved. This episode felt like a turning point in how I felt about Violet as well as the show in general.

I feel I have to say a little more on this entry. This anime is without a doubt, the most beautifully animated anime of this entire decade (despite what OTHERS have to say). And it couldn’t have gotten that way without the talented folks at Kyoto Animation. I can’t express enough how much I’m blown away by this series. Only now when I think about it, I get horribly depresssed due to the recent tragedy that struck KyoAni. Only now, do I appreciate all the hard work to put this masterpiece into action. And I wish it didn’t take me until a tragedy to watch this anime. But I’m glad I was able to watch Violet Evergarden. And I wish for you all to take the time to do the same!

Available to watch on: Netflix

03. Assassination Classroom (2015-2016)

Stand. Bow. Kill your sensei! Middle school students being trained by professional assassins to take down a yellow-tentacled monster (who is also their teacher)! These students must assassinate their teacher within one year, otherwise the world will blow up. Now I had my reservations watching a cast this big! I mean, we’re watching an entire 28-person class try to shoot their teacher. Thankfully, I didn’t grow to be annoyed by the concept like with Negima. I loved nearly all of the students and remembered many of them. One of the biggest drawing points with me is that, all of these students were seen as the ones to give up on. They were in the lowest-level class where school, family, and society have just given up on these children. Being in a much similar situation in middle school, I can relate. That’s why when I saw someone like Koro-sensei teach these kids so much more in the world of academics, it made me happy to see these kids have someone to look up to. Many of these episodes were fun to watch. Koro-sensei is a laugh-riot sometimes when the class has to do an activity together. Add to that, one of the hardest to watch goodbyes in recent history. For a good laugh and a good cry, Assassination Classroom is the way to go.

Available to watch on: FUNimation & Hulu Available for home video

02. Yuri on Ice!!! (2016)

AAAAAAHHHHHHH! *random screeching noises*

Why yes I love this series! It is so beautiful. I wish to see more of this in the future. I would like for Viktor to have Yuri’s babies. Don’t at me! I didn’t expect this series to give the female viewers an actual loving relationship between two of the main male characters. But halfway into the series, we get the kiss that cemented the deal. So besides the gay relationship, we’ve also got a beautiful soundtrack, animation that’s stunningly gorgeous, a story about an underdog working his way to receive a gold medal with the help of his hot, Russian coach…God, I just love this anime!

I’m a sucker for a root for the underdog story. And Yuri Katsuki definitely fits that description! Before Viktor came along, he was coming off of a humiliating defeat at a previous competition where he came in dead-last. But throughout the series, we watch Viktor mold Yuri into something audience members have overlooked in this boy. Viktor taught Yuri what love really is in more ways than one. But Yuri isn’t a total zero-to-hero in a span of 12 episodes, but at times he does come damn-near close. Every week, I’m amazed at how much Studio MAPPA put so much effort into this. While the quality did take a slight dip in some of the final episodes, so much has happened before that I’m willing to let that go. Watch Yuri attempt at making history with Yuri on Ice.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll & FUNimation Available for home video

Before I get to my anime of the decade, how about I quickly do my TOP 10 ANIME MOVIES OF THE DECADE? No commentary, just announcing them quickly.

10. The Last: Naruto the Movie (2014)

09. When Marnie Was There (2014)

08. Maquia: When the Promised Flower Blooms (2018)

07. Dragon Ball Z: Battle of Gods (2013)

06. Kizumonogatari (2016-2017)

05. The Disappearance of Haruhi Suzumiya (2010)

04. Pokemon: I Choose You (2017)

03. Your Name (2016)

02. A Silent Voice (2016)

01. Wolf Children (2012)

CLOSE CALLS FOR THE LISTS: Black Lagoon – Roberta’s Blood Trail, Sailor Moon Crystal, Jojo’s Bizarre Adventure, Fate/Zero & Fate/stay night: UBW, Angel Beats, The Wind Rises, Parasyte, One Punch Man, Aggretsuko, Steins;Gate, Inu x Boku SS, and Dragon Ball Super.

And now, #1…oh, you should already know what it is by now. One of my favorite animes came back with the vengeance in 2019 that no other anime can touch it. Rightfully so! You know it, I know it, let’s get it over with! So say it with me now, three, two, one…

01. Fruits Basket: 1st Season (2019)

Thank you! Just…thank you! In a time where I hate reboots, this one was handled with the utmost care. What can I say about this anime that everyone else hasn’t said already? This anime is like warm soup on a cold day. The nice pick-me-up when you had a shitty day on the job! That beautiful rainbow you see after a rain shower!

Coming upon a family with a terrible secret, there’s much hesitation on who (if any) can be let in without being hurt. Tohru Honda accidentally learned of the Sohma family secret, where if one of them is hugged by someone of the opposite sex, they’re turned into an animal from the Chimese Zodiac. These people have had to live with this stigma their entire lives. Because of this, relationships are put in turmoil, obtaining friends was damn-near impossible, and everyone has to be on a constant state of worry in case their secret comes out. But Tohru loves and accepts everyone, no matter what. In many of these episodes, we see Tohru reach out to the members of the Sohma family to tell them that she sees the good in them and that they are loved. To reach out to the hurt, silent tiger, Kisa! To reach out to the mentally-scarred rat, Yuki! To reach out to the heart-broken dragon, Hatori! And to give a hug to Momiji…when his momma won’t!

All of these individual stories always gets to me! Even re-told, these stories have improved 100%! And in some cases like Ritsu’s story, done better than the original! I watched the original story God-knows how many times! But with the remake, I found myself re-watching random episodes in my off-time when I should be watching something else. I always have to go back to watching everything from this series. From the good and the sad! From the ultra-laughable moments, to the jaw-dropping moments! In a time where many of us yearn to be accepted for who we are, an anime like this feels absolutely necessary. I know it might be biased of me to pick something from this year and cheating a bit considering at the beginning of the decade I was heavily into the original series. Regardless, this is still my pick for Best Anime of the 2010’s.

Available to watch on: Crunchyroll, FUNimation, & Hulu

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big-meows · 5 years ago

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Borderlands 3 final thoughts

disclaimers:

Fuck randy pitchford. I mean, obviously i feel like that goes without saying, yes I bought the game, i like the series and sometimes a bitch just wants to sink 70+ hours into a hyper-violent but ultimately goofy, non-threatening video game in a stressful time, sue me.

to that end, yes I played on easy. I also played solo.

i play for fun and i dont fuck with build culture or w/e. i picked moze because i know her VA personally, and that was my only deciding factor.

I play on the ps4 so frankly i have no horse in the epic/steam debacle. I dont really care.

i didnt play bl1 but ive played the others.

spoilers. all the spoilers.

Anthony burch deserved better. I cant believe i have to see “at least im not anthony burch” in the year of our lord 2019 but its still happening out there. He deserved better, and this game is proof. maybe bl2 was “memey,” but it had a solid foundation and a great villain. TPS was also good, i think, honestly i only played it once and I dont remember it super well. Tales is the best in the franchise, and yes it counts, shut up. Burch’s absence is felt here. the story is weak, the villains are flat, and everything is written with the energy of a man who thinks everything that comes out of his mouth is fucking hysterical. like, im not even mad at “big dock energy” or the other stupid, already dated goofs, Im mad that every NPC was painful to listen to, or that rhys, arguably one of the most developed characters in the BL universe by virtue of the game he came from, was 90% mustache jokes. All these characters are like the versions that come out of fandom a year later, flanderized and already boiled down to their one token joke and repeated forever and eternity. You just met Lorelei and she seems cool, but man she REALLY NEEDS HER COFFEE AND IT IS HER ONLY DEFINING PERSONALITY TRAIT LOL!!!

Vaughn is The WORST, BRO

i dont think anyone really grows imo. Im particularly irritated by ava, who i very much want to like! but she has like three stock phrases she uses throughout the entire game, so after maya gets evaporated, you go talk to her and shes like “WOW this ship is cool, so much shit to steal!” like, you couldnt program her to sulk or not want to see anyone for a while? come on.

influencers as villains could have been really powerful if it had been introduced gradually, but mostly it was just obnoxious and too on the nose. troy and tyreen were very hollow. you get brief glimpses of humanity in them, but they’re so rare it almost feel like an accident. You get one(?) mention of their childhood before you finally stumble fully into the plot in the last few hours of the game. troy’s “betrayal” could be spotted a mile away despite it being hardly developed. I honestly dont even know if they loved each other or not? Was tyreen hurt by troy’s betrayal and subsequent demise? did troy look up to her and want to be her equal, or did he want out from under her shadow? i dont know. did i miss those echo logs? should the majority of the lore in a game be MISSABLE?

jack tracked well as a villain because you, over time, learned exactly how awful he was beyond “cocky corporate asshole who wants you dead” re: angel being his daughter. the twins are just....flatline obnoxious the whole way through.

sucks to be leda, apparently extremely badass but ultimately an afterthought who lives and dies offscreen only in recollections of the past.

sucks even worse to be fiona. i can tell you right now i wont be fucking with DLC unless it brings back fiona.

hammerlock saved this fucking game, he brings a certain dignity to the table that really helped level the tone after the rhys-katagawa stuff. Eden-6 was actually my favorite section of the game. loved hammerlock, loved jakobs, loved clay, and LOVED the jakobs estate. dunno why?? maybe because that level had me thinking “i could almost pretend im playing bioshock rn”

my GF absolutely hates the new claptrap. she’s right though. a claptrap that experiences emotions outside of “delusional exuberance” isnt actually claptrap

can my boy mordecai catch one single fucking break

is the vault hunter ever actually there? its really distracting how they’re never actually involved in cut scenes.

zer0 was too chatty. kind of kills the air of mystery.

gripes aside, i DID clock like 76 hours as moze, and i will probably continue to fuck around in it post game to clean up some extra stuff. might even start a zane of fl4k. the reviews promised it would be “more borderlands, nothing special” and thats what we got. it came at a time when i needed to remove myself from social media for a few weeks and lose myself in something mindless and violent, and it provided me with exactly that. its not elevated from BL2/TPS at all. the only improvement i can think of off the top of my head is being able to change quest objectives without entering a menu (thank god). it falls short in a series that always kind of had a low bar to begin with. disappointed but not surprised. i knew burch and eddings were both gone and that their absence would be felt. but i wanted to be gay and do crime anyway. so. you know. whatever. i got approximately what i paid for.

#borderlands

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bracefacefreak · 5 years ago

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Beware long post below. Just some thoughts I had whilst I was re-reading twilight......

1) Sarcastic Bella is love. Sarcastic Bella is life. 2) No one can take away my headcanon black!Emmett with gorgeous tightly curled hair. Plus this means that he can totally teach Jasper about racism and why fighting for the Confederates was WRONG and they can support anti-racism charities together. 3) Jess’s little comment about Esme not being able to have children makes me so sad. 4) Ok, so Carlisle is a freaking surgeon. Like he spends his days elbows deep in people’s abdominal cavities. I have even more respect for him now if that’s possible. 5) Charlie’s lil crush on the Cullens is tots cute. 6) Wasted vampire trope #1 - the base instinctual fear that all human characters have around vampires, even though they can’t understand it. 7) Apparently Alice doesn’t give a shit about appearing human 8) Cute sibling moments-why didn’t we get these in the films? 9) What was the whole ‘electric current’ sensation that passed between Edward and Bella in science class? Is that ever explained? Do vampires conduct electricity now? 10) God damn it Charlie Swan, stop being precious. Also the fact Bella gets so choked up about her dad putting snow chains on her truck makes me so sad. Poor girl.

11) “No blood, no foul.” Not even trying to subtle are you Edward. 12) “...the doctor was in on it.” Literally almost fell over laughing. Poor darling Carlisle. 13) God, I forget all the angry scowling and even angrier silences. 14) I fucking love Bella’s petty inner monologue about rear-ending Ed’s volvo. Girl after my own heart. 15) Sam Uley-totally forgot he was only 19! 20) So Carlisle has been coming to forks for centuries. Even before the first settlers reached there. Interesting little fact nugget. 21) Angela is GAY! FFS Smeyer. 22) Bella’s equally petty inner monologue about non-fatally wounding Tyler so he can’t take her to the dance. This girl is a mood. 23) You know Emmett absolutely rinsed Edward about all his mooning and pining during their hunting trip. I’m talking about made up ridiculous cringe-worthy joke poetry about Bella’s eyebrows and some rather grotesque smooching faces. 24) “We all like to drive fast.” I totally headcanon that Esme is a fucking terrifying driver, after all she has shit to do-crazy vamp kids to keep in check, houses to restore, a very pretty husband to bone. 25) So much unsubtle foreshadowing. 26) “Grizzly is Emmett’s favourite.” This is 100% Emmett’s revenge on bear-kind for his almost-demise. 27) Wasted vampire trope #2 - vampires are able to communicate in tones too low and too high for humans to hear. Other animals however are a different matter. It’s not unusual for private conversation to be interrupted by baying dogs and the irritated meows of cats. 28) Why can Bella see blue veins in Edward’s arms? He doesn’t have blood? Did you even proofread this Smeyer? 29) Edward’s fears about facing Esme - I can just imagine Carlisle coming home to find Esme holding Edward there in a headlock, before looking up and saying your father’s here now, lets talk. Also poor Carlisle having to face Esme that evening and tell her Ed’s gone. 30) Wasted vampire trope #3 - the what Edward talks about his human feelings being hidden deep beneath his stronger vampire ones. I don’t feel we get to see much of this except for a few episodes of over-protectiveness and growling. This could have been much more interesting. 31) I would pay good money to hear more about Carlisle and Esme’s increasingly ridiculous and disastrous plots to try and get Edward and Rosalie together. I mean we think of them as the wise, mature adults but we all know that the Cullen children get some of their crazy from their parents. 32) I want an AU where Alice didn’t get her visions of Jasper and the Cullens and went absolutely feral, when the Cullens do run into her it’s as an enemy who they eventually persuade to their way of life.....or not. 33) Jasper’s gift is absolutely terrifying....I mean being able to manipulate people’s emotions, get them to feel what you want and by extension behave as you want. Ed even says he can use it on a crowd. That’s like supervillain level. 34) “You are mythical after all.” Ok so now I want an extended world of fantasy/horror/mythical beings. I’m talking mermaids/sirens, fay folk, ghosts etc. Make Forks like Gravity Falls or something. Please. 35) Edward whiny bitch Cullen repeatedly asking Bella if she’s going to tell her Dad that he’s her boyfriend. And if you think he stops doing this once their married, you’re wrong. 36) Edward’s forehead kisses are tots something he learned from watching Esme and Carlisle. I will die for this headcanon. 37) Edward tasting Bella’s tears. WTF!? WHY? WHAT AM I READING SMEYER!? 38) Carlisle found a real vampire nest at 23 years of age. He is canonically too clever for his own good. FFS sweety. 39) I forgot how much I enjoyed the part with Carlisle’s backstory. Also my poor bby boy suffered through his transformation without making a single noise. Even human!Carlisle had the self control of a saint. 40) Wasted vampire trope #4 - I know this has been mentioned before but the whole, vampires don’t need to breathe and get no relief from it but do it as habit. What other human habits and sensations do they have which have been altered by their transformation. 41) Aro and Carlisle playing tricks to try and get each other to drink from the other’s food source. It didn’t work cause of vamp smell obviously. I know I write this as if it’s playful, but we all knows Aro was a total bitch about it. 42) Edwin. Charlie Swan you are precious. Never change. 43) WHY DIDN’T WE GET TO SEE ALICE AND EMMETT HOLD HANDS IN THE FILMS! 44) “Occassionally Esme would call them to order.” I would pay good money to see this. Also does ‘ that include them’ include Carlisle? 45) Edward muttering a string of swear words both old and new, in multiple languages under his breath is a mood I recognise. 46) “Esme and Carlisle, they’ll have to leave, to hide forever!”.....”We’ve been there before.” I want this and every story of all the stupid reasons why the Cullens have had to flee the state/country in the past. Carlisle sometimes wonders whether all the trouble is worth it. This never happened when he was on his own. 47) I am unsurprisingly very much in favour of growling, snarling Alice Cullen. 48) Why does Bella have a secret cash hoard? Is that normal? Is it in case Renee’s dealers turn up demanding money? (Can you tell I’m not a Renee fan.) 49) Of course Esme installed fucking bombproof shutters on their house. My girl is so freaking extra. 50) How many speeding tickets have the Cullens collected over the years? 51) “He seems to stay just far enough away that I can’t hear what he’s thinking..” Was this just coincidence or did James somehow know about Ed’s power? 52) Alice sketches her visions sometimes - it’s something Esme taught her because sometimes her visions are so weird or disturbing or exhausting that Alice can’t voice them herself. So Esme came up with this way to try and help her get it out. 53) Wasted vampire trope #5 - vampires can speak so fast that humans can’t understand them. Just imagine Bella wandering in on a family discussion at the Cullen house and all she can hear is a high pitched squeaking because everyone is talking super fast. 54) Alice’s backstory makes me so sad 55) “Alice had a bit too much fun fabricating the evidence.” Ok, so two things: one, I absolutely wish we could have seen Alice destroying shit and two, I still don’t understand how they managed to convince anyone Bella fell down a flight of stairs, like did they have to push her down the stairs to ensure it looked realistic, did Ed spend ages artistically placing her in a suitable position. How did this work? 56) Also love that everyone just accepted that Bella would fall down stairs and through a window, she’s just that much of a clutz. 57) Also they stole a car and burned down a dance studio. The Cullens should have started a crime family, they wouldn’t have been good at it but it would have been hilarious. 58) Bella should have grown up with Charlie. End of. Renee sucks. 59) Charlie is absolutely crushing on Carlisle and I love it.

#sorry not sorry #twilight #reread #book #smeyer #mine #my thoughts

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dcarevu · 6 years ago

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Batman TAS: Heart of Steel (Part 2)

“I do wish your toys wouldn’t play so roughly with you, Sir.”

Episode: 39 Robin: No Writer: Brynne Stephens (Brynne Chandler) Director: Kevin Altieri Animator: Sunrise Airdate: November 16, 1992 Grade: A

Picking up where we left off, and things don’t appear to be off to a stellar start. Batman escaping the grabber that is installed incredibly high up on the cave ceiling seems anti-climactic. Because after that, HARDAC just gives up. Batman starts to track its location, and it disconnects from his system, ending the moment. What the hell, HARDAC. Didn’t you just have control over everything? You couldn’t have locked Batman out entirely and prevented him from even getting that far? Luckily this segment ends with a pretty funny callback to Part 1 from Alfred, and from here things are awesome the entire way. I think that the cliffhanger last time was only there to be a cliffhanger and get ratings for Part 2. I guarantee it was an afterthought. But whatever, it’s out of the way, now let’s get to the good stuff!

The previous episode was used to set a lot of things up. It had some good moments, but they held off from showing us the major excitement. This episode flies by, and it feels like nonstop action with some of the best imagery we have yet to see. I’m so happy with how well they nailed the designs of a lot of these robots, and the concept was taken to its max potential. I love the way that the robots (disguised as people such as Bullock, Gordon, Mayor Hill, etc) move around, sometimes walking and talking just like you and me, but other times they leap and scuttle in a way that almost resembles the way the little girl moves in The Exorcist or like the girl from The Grudge. Paired with their glares and those piercing eyes, and it’s easily as creepy as anything on Courage the Cowardly Dog. The most disturbing moment is when one of the robots twists its head all over the place and then follows Batman up the elevator cable. It’s a moment of tension because we know the bot will grab Batman if he doesn’t hurry the hell up and solder through it. It’s a similar feeling to being followed and trying to quickly unlock a door. After Batman solders through, the elevator falls many floors and completely demolishes the robots that were onboard, and we get to see their mangled carcasses. Like with Captain Clown from The Last Laugh, robots give the writers a lot of fun opportunities for violence that is not typically permitted. There’s an earlier scene where a robotic Bullock is thrown onto the Bat-Signal where it gets electrocuted. We see a charge running through it, its hand twitches, and it loses its skin-like shell. Seeing how willing Batman was to deliver this type of punishment to Bullock was a little bit concerning, and we even see Barbara start to cry during the aftermath before they realize that it’s not really Bullock. Beautiful stuff!

During the climax we get a lot of this type of thing all shoved together into one scene. There are explosions galore (I sorta gave up on the fire count that we had going, but if I hadn’t, you’d better believe that this episode would count toward it), some twisted imagery in the form of seeing Bullock and Gordon suspended in a tank of water for observation, and Randa gets part of her face ripped off, revealing a metal skull underneath. It makes Batman jump in fear as he turns around and sees her. While one of Batman’s major talents is scaring the piss out of the criminals he fights, as we know from Scarecrow episodes, he himself is not immune to fear. It’s nice to see him expressing this emotion without the use of mysterious gas.

HARDAC’s motives were fleshed out a lot more, and they are a little cliché. Replacing all humans, eliminating man-made flaws, allowing the world to run smoother, yada yadda. We’ve heard this before. What I find more interesting is Karl Rossum’s role in all of this. What I gathered was that Rossum designed HARDAC to replace certain human-operated functions with robot-operated functions. For example, self-driving cars. He had a daughter that died in a car accident, and so he vowed to rid the world of the possibility of this happening to anyone else. Because he…for some reason…gave HARDAC a free-thinking mind, HARDAC decided to take this plan much further than intended, considering all humans a problem period. They’re too imperfect. Ironic, given HARDAC’s quick downfall, but hey, this is the 90’s. Technology has a long way to go. Anyway, Rossum’s motives are pretty vague, though, so I could be interpreting this wrong, but I like that there are a couple of ways to take it. I can see someone else going more literal and imagining that he wanted to replace drivers with robots, or even some of the more problematic citizens. Who knows. Interestingly, in Part 1, we see Randa using a self-driving car, which I just now remembered. I thought I remembered something too about Randa being modeled after his daughter, but they never mentioned this. Head-canon I guess. I have to ask, is Rossum innocent? He doesn’t seem to be in much trouble at the end, but we have no way of knowing how far he was going with this plan. Yeah, HARDAC went further, but that doesn’t mean that Rossum wasn’t trying to go further than most sane people would, you know? I have a feeling that we’ll never see him again and won’t have to worry about it, but Batman the Animated Series has this way of surprising me.

Barbara Gordon gets more time this half hour, and she’s so rad! Her voice actress (Melissa Gilbert) plays her so well, and combined with the lines, she sounds like she’s incredibly intelligent. How love how she talks to her stuffed bear when she’s by herself, but what she talks about is how she plans on breaking into Cybertron to rescue her father. It combines cute with badass and capable, and she seems to be a strong female role model that any kid could look up to. Not to say that I condone putting yourself into the kind of danger that she did, but hey. You know what I mean. Last episode she may have been an extension of Jim. This episode she broke out of that and felt like something entirely her own. You already know that I know, but for those who don’t know what’s coming (Char), hopefully we’ll see lots more of Barbara! She did mention how much she enjoyed getting in on the action, and Batman told her that she did an excellent job. If that doesn’t sound like a recurring character, I don’t know what does!

I don’t have too-too much more to say, but this episode was way better than I remember. So far, it may even be top ten material. Char loved it too. She said that she was happy that no one died in the end, but jesus, when Possum was fried by HARDAC’s laser, I thought he was going to be left a pile of ash. Never program a super-powerful, free-thinking computer to have weapons like that… You give it a will to be free and a way, what could go wrong?

Get a load of Gordon’s tall mustache.

Some of the animation in this one reminds me of The Tick. It’s the line work as well as the eyes. I couldn’t find any info on who did the animation for The Tick, but could it have been Sunrise?

Jesus, he’s not dead? The intensity of HARDAC’s laser blast was shocking, and it looked soooo violent.

I keep seeing a smiley face on HARDAC’s light/eye/whatever. On purpose?

Basically what I see when I go to the dentist. What creepy lighting! I like how intimate this segment was.

It must be so therapeutic for Batman to get to beat the shit out of the fake Bullock, especially after this shit-eating grin. What a great face!

Bullock’s twitching hand was super gross. Anyone else agree that this is Sunrise’s best work on the show?

This robot almost looks zombie-like, which is fitting considering Bullock’s apparent demise.

What happened to the batarangs, Batman?

Even when dead, those red eyes stare in such a malicious way.

“Please let go of my cape.”

Is there any reason that these guy need to have light-up eyes like this? No! HARDAC clearly installed them just for the “Holy shit, what the hell is going on” factor.

Yes, HARDAC, humans are so imperfect. Meanwhile one of your friends lets Bruce slip away like this.

KILL IT. KILL IT. KILL IT.

THANK YOU.

These trashcan robots very much look like the robots from Castle in the Sky.

Seeing them in this kind of danger is quite disturbing. As is the fact that a computer is keeping humans contained like this.

Up until now, we’ve only seen Randa as a drop-dead gorgeous woman. We saw the twist coming, yet it’s still quite the surprise!

A really stupid moment in an otherwise amazing half hour. A makeup mirror deflecting a laser like that felt really implausible (yes, in the face of everything else), and it also seemed like a lame way to remind us that Barbara is, in fact, a woman.

Batman panics as his head is about to be crushed by an elevator. Batman breaks a few times during Heart of Steel. He’s sure to experience some nightmares about computers.

Bob Hastings has a tremendously good moment as he calls out the name of Jim’s daughter, thinking she’s dead.

Char’s grade: A Next time: If You’re So Smart, Why Aren’t You Rich?

Full episode list here!

#dcau #dc animated universe #heart of steel #part 2 #heart of steel part 2 #hardac #batman #batman tas #batman the animated series #btas #barbara gordon

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kasienda · 6 years ago

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⭐- What’s a scene/paragraph you’re proud of? - For both the Reveal and Nightmares, please ♡

Goodness! For Nightmares?! To pick out one scene or one paragraph from a 40k story! That’s SO HARD!!! I am so proud of so many things in this story. I love the way the premise developed in the story – how it is woven through everything. Like everything in this story has a purpose – like every element was chosen with intention. What I’m probably most proud of was being able to show how Usa and Mamo were both just hurting. I think this was one of the first times in my writing where I walked away from just using 90% dialogue, to including imagery/description, specifically and intentionally to establish a subtext to what the character was going through. I narrowed it down to four.

Scene 1: From Motoki’s perspective.

“Well then, can I get you something while you wait?” “A chocolate shake please? And can you make a strawberry one too for Mamo-chan?” “Coming right up!” He went up to the kitchen and came right back down with the requested shakes. He added an extra cherry to each and then slid them in front of Usagi. She smiled gleefully at the ‘show’. “Thanks Motoki-oniisan!” “Anytime, Usagi-chan. I’ll be back when I can, but it’s super busy upstairs. If I miss you both be sure to give Mamoru-kun a stern talking to for me!” “Only for you!” she grinned before happily slurping away on her chocolate shake. He returned to work serving and taking orders, no longer worried at all. Usagi had a way of just putting all his worries to rest, especially when they concerned Chiba Mamoru. He wasn’t able to make it back to the arcade floor for a whole thirty minutes. When he came back and found Usagi still there, now spinning forlornly on her stool with her tall glass long since empty, while the strawberry shake still remained untouched.“Usagi-chan?” he said in concern. “I thought you’d be long gone by now.” “Motoki-oniisan, may I use your phone?” she asked stoically. His heart went out to her. It was unlike Mamoru to ever leave her waiting and his worries plummeted to new depths. Could something have happened to his cynical friend?

What I’m proud of – the description of the milkshakes and what it represents to Usagi who has essentially been stood up. But that’s never said!

Scene 2: From Mamoru’s perspective.

He sat unshowered and unshaved, leaning against the wall next to the answering machine. The particular space on the floor had somehow become his usual spot. He took a swig of the beer in his hand before hitting play on the machine. “Four saved messages,” the robotic voice reported. “Hi Mamo-chan! I miss you!” she said brightly. “Give me a call and we’ll do something fun to celebrate the end of finals. Love you!” Beeeeep. “Mamo-chan? Are you okay? I haven’t heard from you in awhile and was getting worried. Please call me when you get the chance.” Beeeeep. “Mamo-chan?” He could hear the unexpressed hurt in her voice. “Have I done something wrong? Why aren’t you calling me back?” Beeeeep. “Mamo-chan,” she sniffled. “I’m sorry I just barged in the other day. I didn’t r-realize you were having a bad day… Whatever… whatever I did… to make you angry… I’m sorry… Please forgive me,” she begged through her tears. “End of messages,” the robotic voice finished. He pushed play again. “Hi Mamo-chan! I miss you! Give me… A knock at the door interrupted his self-pitying episode of the afternoon. “…a call and we’ll do something fun to celebrate…” He forced himself to his feet and opened the door without thinking. Halfway through the action he realized his mistake and prayed that it wasn’t Usagi. He couldn’t face her – not right now. “…the end of finals. Love you!” He breathed a sigh of relief to see Rei standing stoically on the other side of the threshold already glaring daggers at him. Beeeeep. “Mamo-chan? Are you okay? I haven’t heard from you in awhile and was getting worried. Please call me when you get the chance.”Beeeeep. Rei raised her eyebrows as the continued recordings played through.“End of messages.” He met her glare stubbornly with one of his own, daring her to say something about it. He would love the opportunity to scream at someone. But much to his own disappointment, she did not comment.

What I’m proud of – honestly, the voicemail messages. How the tone of them changes and how that shows what Usagi is experiencing even though she’s not in the scene at all. And how Mamoru’s listening to them over and over again – what that shows about his state of mind.

…

Scene 3: Mamoru thinks it’s over and Usagi is going to die.

The worst part of it was that he knew he wouldn’t die. The non-corporeal creatures would pass straight through him. Harm only coming to his beloved. She would leave him here alone. He didn’t want to survive without her. “Mamo-chan,” she whispered looking up at him calmly, “kiss me.” He squeezed his eyes closed against what he recognized as her last request, as her acceptance of death. “Don’t give up me Usako…” he whispered.“Trust me!” she screamed at him.He didn’t need to be told twice. He crushed his lips against hers desperately.The music stopped and for a split second everything was perfect. They were the only two people that existed.He deepened the kiss, allowing their tongues to dance, sharing the same air. He breathed in her essence. A second later, the silence seemed deafening. He turned, glancing around. Everything froze in perfect stillness.He tried to convey all his regrets and his love in the simple contact. If this was going to be the last time he tasted her sweet lips he had to make it memorable enough to last a lifetime. Then the world exploded in sound and heat. The ground itself ripped itself apart, directly under Usagi’s feet. She began to fall into the chasm seemingly in slow motion.Mamoru dismissed the vision of his beloved’s demise, losing himself in the kiss that he never wanted to end.Usagi pulled away gasping for breadth. He felt like the sun had just disappeared.She squealed in delight. “It worked!”

What I’m proud of – this takes place right after their confrontation with one another now that they both know what’s going on. And I really like that they really talk in this scene about things that they should have talked about forever ago. And then, of course, right when they’re getting somewhere, everything goes to hell. I love this moment, I think I really built up the tension here with the flashing to the desperation for one final kiss that may have to last a lifetime inbetween the scenes of the nightmare that’s been plaguing him. I again, just think it’s shows where Mamoru is emotionally in this moment without actually just saying it!

…

The whole last chapter. I won’t include it all here. But this chapter is so important to me! I wanted to show, that just because they both know what happened, doesn’t mean it didn’t leave scars and it certainly doesn’t mean that they’re both just over it! So, this chapter was so slow in its pacing, especially compared to the previous chapter (which probably was the actual climax), and that was intentional in trying to show that rebuilding a relationship that has been broken by a breach of trust, takes time and work!

One thing I did super intentionally. There are like multiple scenes that end with Mamoru saying “I love you” in which Usagi doesn’t say it back. Like she acknowledged it, but didn’t say it. So, when she finally does say it, it feels significant to Mamoru yes, but hopefully also to the reader, if only subconsciously.

…

For a Reveal:

Okay, this may sound awful, but I actually don’t have one that I’m super proud of…? Don’t get me wrong - I think it’s good! Like I LOVE the series because it is SO FUN! It’s where I get to just write because it’s enjoyable to do so (and not stressful). And I totally get why so many people love it too! And I love seeing how creative I can be with the gimmick, but the series also sort’ve serves as my morning pages. It’s my “junk writing” or “drabble series” so to speak where the goal is just to get stuff down on paper as quickly as possible when I’m stuck everywhere else. The point is to get words flowing again. It’s not to obsess over diction and metaphors, or quality of writing in general. And if I make someone laugh, groan in sympathy, or cry… well, that’s a huge bonus! It’s interesting to me how there doesn’t seem to be a popular one that pops up over and over – that so many people like different ones! But I don’t feel like it usually represents my best writing ability.

If I have to choose, I’d say my favorite one is probably the “Touch” one. Like this one is sad, but also hopeful, and I feel like it was so powerful for that. But I also had dreams of turning it into something more! And I just never could take it anywhere. And eventually, I got tired of sitting on it, so I eventually posted it as is.

But I love my multi-chapter stories more. I love depth! And change over time! And a drabble just doesn’t allow you to do that as much. And the multi-chapters take so much more effort, planning, and forethought. They really really stretch me as a writer. So, the reveals are fun, but not where I feel super proud....Thank you for the ask Flora Dearest! I always appreciate getting the chance to dive back into my own work and really look at it critically and reflect!

#Ask Answered #On writing #reflection #ask me anything #my own content

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atamascolily · 6 years ago

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First Line Meme

List the first lines of your last 10 published stories (or whatever number you like). Look to see if there are any patterns that you notice yourself, and see if anyone else notices any!

1) As the Millennium Falcon rocketed away from the pull of Tatooine's gravity, Luke Skywalker's tiny X-wing starfighter was right on the freighter's tail. (Suicide Run)

2) "You look tired." ((Never) Too Late To Change)

3) Fire. (Tired of Cleaning Up After You)

4) "Single human Jedi seeks life partner for adventure, romance, and restoration of ancient religious order with strong political ties to New Republic government." (Single Human Jedi Seeks Life Partner)

5) Mara Jade spent five years plotting Luke Skywalker's demise, but when she finally murdered him, it was an accident. (Resurrection Blues)

6) There's a word in High Alderaani, Leia says, for a man who acts as your father, whether they're related to you by blood or not. (Four Fathers)

7) Calvin is eleven years old in 1997, the summer the Star Wars Trilogy: Special Edition hits the local multiplex, and he is instantly smitten. (Star Wars Without the Kissing)

8) Luke had known about the womp rat hive on the edge of Beggar's Canyon for weeks, but between the main 'vaporator breaking right in the middle of harvest, and the monthly ordeal of shipping the harvested water to town, he hadn't managed to get off the farm to deal with it yet. (The Dry Land)

9) The desert was a harsh teacher, but a fair one. (Hidden Springs in the Desert)

10) Luke's not sure why he decides to do the gene test - maybe he just wants tangible proof of his heritage as opposed to the ramblings of an unreliable ghost - but the results, when they come in, leave him reeling. (Family Matters)

META/COMMENTARY:

I have a love-hate relationship with first lines. On the one hand, they're infinitely important to setting the tone of a piece and engaging the reader; on the other hand, they're a pain in the ass to get right. I spend a lot of time thinking about the perfect lede - the sentence that makes the reader want to keep reading - in my professional writing. I'm not super-neurotic about it in my fics, but it’s something I notice and pay attention to. Sometimes I start a fic with nothing but a good opening line, and other times I have to tweak it until I get something "good enough" that works.

In general, I want the opening paragraph of my fics to give the reader a good idea of what they're in for. Even if the plot itself is full of twists and turns, or is a bait-and-switch, I want the opening to be consistent with the overall style and tone. So in #6, the opening makes it clear that this piece is about fatherhood and relationships and different ways that can be structured and interpreted; #9 establishes the desert as a major player from the get-go. #4 is very clearly a meta parody about Luke Skywalker's love life in the Legends universe, and #7 is about a budding geek falling in love with Star Wars for the first time and the power of the imagination.

#10 is especially interesting to me because it highlights Luke's desire for "tangible" proof of his heritage, and introduces the "ramblings of an unreliable ghost" as a thing right from the start. Also "reeling" is a great foreshadowing of the tumble Luke will take later on in the fic. I totally didn't notice any this of before, and it's nice to see I can unconsciously synchronize a piece like this even when I'm not deliberately thinking about it.

Many of my opening lines - most notably #5, and #10 - are designed to hook you in right from the get-go. (They're what I call BAM lines, because that's the sound effect I make at the end of them when I read them aloud.) You want to know how Mara Jade can possibly murder Luke Skywalker by accident and you want to know what the results of Luke's gene test are, because of course you do. I want to know, too, that's why I wrote the fic. If I can get something like this on the page, I know the fic is going to be good.

Less sensational, but still intriguing, are openers like #6 and #8, where you want to hear more about Leia's interpretation of parenthood, and Luke's encounter with the womp rat hive, but they don't make a big show about what they're doing the way that #5 and #10 do.

My writing mentor once told me never to start with a piece of dialogue. Like most writing rules, it's made to be broken, but it's interesting how I apply that to my fic pieces as well as my more professional writing.

I tend to prefer long, involved sentences, so it's fun to see where I try to play against type in my more recent fics by opening with a shorter one!

One advantage that my fics have over my professional articles is the A03 summary, which takes a lot of the pressure off to find the perfect lede. #1 is very simple: it's a description of a scene in ROTJ, and establishes where we are in the narrative of the OT. It's doesn't have to be flashy or fancy because if you're reading the piece, you've already bought the premise in the fic summary, namely that this is an extended character study of Luke Skywalker in that film.

#3 is the same way - it's establishing where we are in The New Rebellion, and referring back to the quote from that novel that serves as the epigraph. It doesn't have to be fancy or establish the premise in itself, because the summary does that for me.

#2 is the only one I read and wonder if I could have done better. It's not a great opening in context, and Luke being tired doesn't much of a role in the fic that follows. But it's not surprising given how fast I wrote the fic. That particular piece might have benefited from a few days in the drawer before publishing, but I was too excited to slow down and pace myself like I usually do. It's adequate, but not exceptional, and that's fine - you can't win them all.

You can see the same principles at work in the openings of my non-Star Wars fics as well. The openings are designed to pique your interest, and I think it still works even if you aren't familiar with the franchise in question:

A) When Steve Rogers arrived at the gym in the basement of SHIELD's DC headquarters, there was a skinny blond kid wailing on one of the punching bags with a wooden sword. (Spar Wars)

B) Tenar woke in the morning with a smile on her lips. (Out of the Wind)

C) It was always entertaining to watch Firouz at work, especially when he was on the verge of a breakthrough. (Two-Part Invention)

D) It happened in the space between heartbeats. (In the Belly of the Beast)

Going back to some of my earliest fics for the Sinbad fandom, it's clear that my opening lines have improved dramatically over the course of the last year. Practice definitely helps!

This was a lot of fun, thanks @teagrl for tagging me!

#My writing #personal writing meta #memes

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gregellner · 7 years ago

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Cover by Arkane Studios.

Following up from my reviews on Dishonored: Death of the Outsider and Dishonored: The Corroded Man (among others in the @dishonored franchise), here’s my review of the sequel to the latter work and the prequel to the former, Dishonored: The Return of Daud, written by Adam Christopher and published by Titan Books.

A warning: This review has spoilers. Not only for this book, but also some for other Dishonored properties, in particular the game Dishonored 2.

Much like before, let’s first go into the newest developments in the magic of the Void, both implied and outright stated.

First comes a way of a Marked individual (in this case Daud) having their powers weaken or even turn against them. Daud is obsessed with his latest quest to kill the Outsider, to stop the nightmares that plague every night, but his aims are so different than when he first started out. He is utterly obsessed, and driven by a need for power rather than using power as the means to an end. As such, this different thinking might have led to the loss of some of his connection to his powers. This is best seen when he tries to take in the power of a rune (usually used to upgrade the user’s abilities), but both shatters the rune and feels weakened, as if he injected his own power into the object rather than draw from it. Some may have thought this problem to merely be one regarding his lack of proper training, but as shown by his talk with the Outsider in this book, as well as the one he had toward the beginning of the downloadable content to the first game called The Knife of Dunwall, his mentality and methods have both changed a great deal with his assumption of power, and given that the Void is more of a cognitive dimension than anything else, that could lead to problems.

This change can also be seen in Dishonored 2 with Corvo Attano’s (non-canonical) re-assumption of the Mark. While his powers were similar to the first time, they still had differences that had to do with a difference in station and mission. Another example could be the boy who knew only fear and loneliness, the originator of the rat plague fifteen years prior. As his power grew and his fear dissipated, he was turned to a Weeper just like his victims. That difference may just be luck, but there is still the possibility.

Much like in the game that takes place after this story, there is more emphasis on how relics of the Void operate. For one, we have confirmation that the powers granted by the Void (in particular the “Void Strike” maneuver, but likely also the ability to craft runes and more) is gone from the Twin-bladed Knife following Billie Lurk having dealt with the Outsider (whether lethally or nonlethally is never discussed). However, she also remains capable of both time travel (and admits to have come from three years in the future from the present time of the book) and summoning the weapon from her black shard arm. Are only the artifacts directly involved with the creation of Outsider himself de-powered after his fall, or is this just a residual effect? Or, if the Outsider is still alive (as is one option), is he still capable of some Void magic of his own enough to grant Billie passage where she goes?

Furthermore, there is the revelation of a bonding of artifacts to specific people. Whether it is because of Billie having bonded to it in the safe from which she later stole it, or because Daud is not attuned to his powers anymore, it has a drastic, mystically fatal effect on him. We already knew he was unwell, but now the reason behind that is also clear and suitably tragic.

Daud’s characterization for this story is in fitting with how he is portrayed elsewhere. Rather than actually take responsibility for what he has done, he opts to blame everything on the Outsider, and seeks to kill him seemingly primarily to end his own nightmares. This mission is pretty much a fool’s errand, considering his failings are due to he himself, not the Outsider, and he was merely given the tools to act out however he wanted. That’s pretty much all that the Outsider does unless something is directly impacting him (such as the machinations of Delilah Copperspoon). This ultimately turns him into the villain of his own story, much like he ended up being by the time of Death of the Outsider, and even the Outsider himself calls him out on his short-sightedness, not to mention the aforementioned time-traveling Billie Lurk doing the same in her own way.

His out-of-date information is a nice bridge between the eras of the first and second game. He has been so long without using his powers, so long just trying to make a different life for himself in exile from Dunwall, that he isn’t even aware of the upgrades made in spiritual replenishing technology, from Piero’s Spiritual Remedy (whose creator Piero Joplin is sadly deceased) to the Addermire Solution, and also deliberately keeps himself uninvolved with the goings on in the world to the point of not having known anything about the rise and fall of Zhukov (the main antagonist of the prior novel) or the incipient coup against Empress Emily Kaldwin, blaming the latter on Duke Luca Abele rather than Delilah (who he never really figures out has escaped from the fate he had for her).

The most interesting character who is not actually seen directly in any scene would have to be Wyman, the noble who is Empress Emily Kaldwin’s love interest. With the revelation of their high level of authority in a secretive organization of which perhaps not even the Empress is aware, Wyman becomes all the more intriguing a figure in the grand scheme of this era. Their (the narrative always uses a third person for them to keep from giving any indications about the Empress’ sexual preference) very personal mission to kill Daud for the death of the mother of their girlfriend and/or lover makes a lot of sense, but perhaps indicates a mixing of priorities. After all, if none of these threats could be found out due to their more personal interest in Emily, perhaps someone else should be in charge of this “League?” That said, they did succeed (after a fashion) in hiring the married Delvin couple, as odd as they are, so perhaps the mishandled priorities are something for Emily to deal with at a later point if she finds out about the League. The Delvins themselves come across as a more mundane, villainous version of the Luteces from BioShock: Infinite, but do not do enough to really merit much discussion beyond being interesting, somewhat amusing, odd figures.

While Billie Lurk’s appearance is short, it is no less memorable, in part due to partially explaining what she has been doing since the end of her game. She comes across as a tragic heroine, one trying to not only go on random missions for money, but to outright save the world through her manipulations of time and use of the semi-powerless Twin-bladed Knife. How does this connect to her decision to save Martha Cottings after she killed Gritz and the Wyrmwood Witch back in the pre-Dishonored 2 comic storyline The Wyrmwood Deceit (by Gordon Rennie, Andrea Olimpieri [@andreaolimpieri], and Marcelo Maiolo)?

Some of the side characters that only appear in one of the book’s three Parts also have some interest to them. Eat ‘Em Up Jack is sort of fun, but largely forgettable, being a pretty normal crime boss for Dunwall and not as interesting or fun as Slackjaw. On the other hand, Maximilian Norcross is far more interesting, and his lack of powers makes him no less dangerous, nor less utterly abominable. In fact, he could easily be the most detestable person in the entirety of the Dishonored franchise, and one rightfully called “moonstruck” at one point.

Owing to its nature as a sequel to The Corroded Man (albeit one disconnected in most ways), Adam Christopher uses the makeup of the novel to help determine some things about the timeline, not to mention make some nods to the other story.

Daud’s infiltration of Greaves Auxiliary Whale Slaughterhouse 5 on Slaughterhouse Row seems to coincide with the beginning of Dishonored 2, to the point that he actually sees Emily escaping the guards and going off to the Dreadful Wale. His interrogations also reveal that the events of that novel happened about eight months before this one, meaning we have a timetable of sorts for when the second game occurred.

His theft of the piece of a certain piece of a mysterious black mirror (the inter-dimensional super-mirror made by Zhukov in an attempt to save Jessamine and his own job) later down the story is another nod, and although he does not seem to understand its true relevance, he does know it has a connection to the Void. That said, the fact that there were apparently flames reflected in it indicate that there is still a connection to the horrific High Chaos timeline of Jessamine’s survival, so perhaps it is for the best that he does not have the full thing. If he did, someone could have gone back to try to fix things. On the other hand, if he did understand, perhaps he could have had a rested mind and stopped this insane, self-destructive quest earlier, potentially even averting his own inevitable demise.

Each of the stories of the Dishonored franchise has a theme. This time, it’s one of responsibility.

Daud continually ignores problems he could solve or at least help because of them being someone else’s problem. He implicitly maintains his own innocence in his assassination of Jessamine Kaldwin because he can (in his mind) blame it on the Outsider. While he tries to be a better person after being left alive and accepting an exile from Imperial society, as soon as he comes up with a way to blame his problems on someone else, he hangs on to it like a starving man to a loaf of bread. Ultimately, his goals in the novel are entirely selfish, barring one assassination he performs pro bono in the second part. By the third, he has pretty much become a monster, or at least one in training. By shaving off the beard that had grown in the time since he initially trapped Delilah, he basically cuts away that version of himself completely, and, despite him already being a wild man fixated on vengeance for something that is almost entirely his own fault, his obsession ultimately leads him to become the villain of his own tale, falling where Billie Lurk ultimately could rise above her demons to accept them as a part of herself, of humanity, and actually tried to stop something that is her own fault as well… but accepted that she can’t do so at all and moved on with her life.

Much like the comic storyline The Peeress and the Price (by Michael Moreci [@michael-moreci] and Andrea Olimpieri), this storyline gives some new details on the canonical direction of the franchise, cutting off some of the branching pathways. Emily being the true protagonist of Dishonored 2 is already known, but we have information on the nonlethal takedown of Breanna Ashworth, a lethal one on Duke Luca Abele (stated by the final words) and Paolo of the Howlers gang taking over for him instead. This information isn’t really important to the book, but some clarification does help things along.

In all, this book is a fitting continuation of the prior one, and a good way to close up Daud’s story. Looking forward to the third in this book series, though it still lacks a name.

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thalassomania · 7 years ago

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so here’s my super-duper belated @danganronpasecretsanta gift for @ofdesperationis. it’s not finished--i’ve been a complete mess for a while now and i’m becoming aware that i may never be able to get this done.

but i wanted to submit what i have because i wrote approx. 14 pages and 8600 words. there was supposed to be more here and maybe there will be at some point but here’s everything i had.

trigger warnings include a lot of unreality, violence, and way too much despair. also spoilers for dr1, sdr2, dr3, and probably ndrv3 but i can’t remember at this point. i’m sorry, agh... i hope this is suitable at best. i can send other plot details too if need be.

main characters: junko enoshima, mukuro ikusaba, izuru kamukura

Junko Enoshima was a queen.

“Princess” was far too childish of a name for her, “empress” was nice but altogether too serious, and “Her Glorious Majesty of Despair” was apparently a mouthful. Being called a queen was precisely what she wanted, and she lived for it.

Any queen of her stature deserved a palace, and Junko was proud of her own. She placed a gloved hand over her forehead like a makeshift visor as she observed the castle's towers, stretching upwards into the sky. Her home was perfect, just as she was; unfortunately, though, her garden was still in need of work.

With a sigh gently carried by the breeze, Junko returned to her task. She turned toward her rose bushes and gingerly trimmed some wayward stems, wielding an oversized pair of rose-gold scissors and humming to herself. She paused occasionally to pluck a rose and place it in her cascade of pinkish-blonde hair, slowly becoming the closest possible approximation to a human bouquet.

As she reached out to pick another flower, her routine was interrupted with a sharp jab into her finger. “Ah!” she exclaimed, pulling her hand back. A thorn had made a minute hole in her pristine white glove, and a droplet of blood had begun to stain the area.

It was so charming that Junko couldn't help herself—she let out a stream of giggles as she held her pricked finger in front of her face. There was something uniquely endearing about it, especially when she considered what would happen if her blood didn't clot. Each time she raised her hand more ichor would fall from it, until anemia got the best of her and she collapsed, as if sleeping, into the garden that had caused her untimely demise.

The despair of the idea—killed by the flowers she loved so dearly—was intoxicating, as was the smell of the roses in her hair. She twirled, her magnificent skirt almost catching on the rose bushes that surrounded her. As her shoes pressed into the grass, she thought of the roots below stretching downward further and further, just as her tendrils of despair had ensnared those who dared stand in her way....

“Shh. Over here!”

Speak of the devil. Junko came to a quick stop and lifted her head in the direction of the noise. The rustling of the leaves couldn't have been more obvious. With her scissors piercing the earth like a sword, she lifted her skirt and began a silent patrol through the garden. There was at least one intruder in her midst—likely two, one speaking to the other—and she wasn't about to let such things slide. She couldn't deny loving the feeling of her personal spaces being soiled, but she loved spreading that despair to others even more.

There were two of them, as it turned out. Two small girls, too young to have wandered off on their own unless parents weren't an issue; good parenting was in short supply, Junko supposed. The taller of the two had countless clovers woven into her twin braids, so long that they reached her ankles and occasionally tangled with various twigs and other such trappings. The shorter ducked under an obscenely large hat, perhaps to shield her pale skin from the glow of the sun. They were smiling and giggling to each other as they wandered through the garden, and Junko smiled to force down an imminent surge of nausea.

“Hey. Hey,” the taller said, grasping the tiny hands of her companion. “This is nice, right? We can still find places to play.”

The other blinked dully, seemingly half-awake. “Uh...uh-huh.”

“There are still some good places.” The taller grinned. “Let's stay hopeful, alright?”

A slow nod. “'Kay.”

Junko could only watch their banter for so long before uncomfortable memories surged in her chest and she found it impossible to restrain herself. Sweeping her hair back behind her shoulders, she rose to her full height and looked down upon her unwanted visitors. “Excuse me! Just what do you think you're doing here?”

The taller girl jumped in surprise, immediately looking up to face Junko. Her smaller companion followed suit. “S-So sorry, Miss! We...we were just—”

“Intruding where you don't belong is what you were doing,” Junko corrected, folding her arms across her chest. “You have no idea just how much time I spend in this garden each and every day! I'll have to make you pay for entering my private quarters....”

“Please don't, Miss!” The taller girl's hands curled into fists. “We didn't do anything wrong! We were just looking for a new place to play, ma'am...I mean, Miss...I mean—!”

“Hush, child.” Junko stepped closer, light as a spider's web on the wind, and cupped the girl's chin in her hand. Blood smeared across her skin as Junko's gaze darkened, possessed with an ability far beyond anyone's understanding. “Feel as I feel.”

The briefest of locked gazes was enough to change something in the little girl—the light in her stare faded as her shoulders relaxed, her face devoid of expression.

The other girl fidgeted, lifting the brim of her hat to get a better look at her friend. “Nnah...Tenko, what's wrong?”

A sharp turn caused Junko's fierce eyes to meet hers. What little strength rested in her face melted almost instantly, replaced with an uncanny flatness. “...Ah....”

“That's better, isn't it?” Junko chirped, rising to her feet once more. “Maybe you'll think twice next time you try sticking your noses where they don't belong.”

“...Himiko...” the one called Tenko mumbled, her voice soft, “...what are we doing here?”

“...playin'?” Himiko replied, as if she had forgotten the reason she had gone outside at all.

“This is...no fun.” Tenko reached out to take Himiko's hand, but seized her wrist instead—the motion was sudden and painful for both parties, and she immediately set her free. “Let's go.”

Himiko nodded silently, her hat bobbing as she did, and the two children stumbled back into the woods. Junko felt the heaviness settling over their hearts and sighed happily; after all, girls their age were a breeze to turn. She took a deep gulp of the despair permeating the garden air, letting it fill her lungs and settle inside her like a newfound friend.

“Junko?” A voice from somewhere inside, calling her name. “Junko? Where are you?”

Excitedly, Junko let her head tilt upward—she'd know that voice from anywhere. “Coming!” she trilled, spinning around to fetch her scissors.

As she danced out of her garden and into the castle, a few clouds of greenish mist settled around the woods. Beyond them, all anyone could see was the dilapidated remains of what had once been grand buildings, the sorry chunks of asphalt that had once been streets, and most importantly, an entirely decimated campus that had once been known as Hope's Peak Academy.

♡

The clink of a porcelain teacup against its saucer brought Junko back to awareness. Time ceased flowing in her personal chambers—she had no idea how long she'd tuned out her sister's incessant rambling. Regardless, she cocked her head and tried to pick up at least a few words so she wouldn't get chewed out.

“...and environmental conditions are steadily deteriorating, with at least two surviving species of flowers finally giving in over the past week. Though their loss is unconfirmed, they will be assumed extinct until they are rediscovered somewhere in town.”

“Mm.” Junko sipped her tea, which had gone unpleasantly lukewarm. Despair flooded her thoughts. “How sad.”

“Very.” Mukuro Ikusaba bowed lightly, her hands linked. “Is there anything you'd like me to say to the general public on your behalf?”

“Nah,” Junko replied, casually placing her saucer on the miniature table before her. “Honestly, I couldn't care less.”

Mukuro's cheeks turned a blistering red. “S-Sister...please, listen to me. I've been handling your affairs for months now—the least you could do is respect the effort I'm going through.”

“Respect?” Junko giggled into her palms. “What made you ever think I respected you, or even cared?” With a delighted cackle, she stuck out a leg at just the right angle to kick a teacup off the table.

“Ah, hold on,” Mukuro said, darting forward to pick up the discarded pottery as it landed on the carpeted floor with a soft thunk. “Let me—”

“Oopsie!” Junko sprang to her feet and pressed her shoe onto the teacup. It shattered under the sudden weight, splintered shards littering the area around her ruby-red heels. “Seems as if I took a wrong step...upupu! Still feel like cleaning up after me?”

Mukuro lowered her head, her dark eyes glinting with recognition as she familiarized herself with Junko's latest method of pushing her. “With pleasure, dear sister,” she said as she cupped the pieces in her hands, the off-white color contrasting with the black leather of her gloves.

“That's more like it, mm?” Junko leaned back in her chair, coated in enough overly ornate decorations and fabrics to be called a throne, and grinned. “Finally, a task befitting of someone as lowly as you....”

For a brief moment, Junko could taste her sister's despair on her tongue. In the next moment, Mukuro charged at her and threw the teacup's remains straight into her face like a grenade. “Aieee!” she shrieked, flailing ineffectively. “You got me!”

Mukuro instinctively backed away from the thrashing mass of lace, velvet, and porcelain fragments. “It seems as if I have. Feeling the despair yet?”

“Only in the way you know best,” Junko replied as her body relaxed. “Sadly, you're still a bit too predictable...I daresay I'm feeling a whole new form of despair just watching you struggle.”

Mukuro folded her arms across her chest. “Tsk. Fine.”

“I'm growing bored....” Junko stood up, brushing the last of the teacup from her skirt. “I think it's playtime!” With a gleeful twirl, she picked up a large plush rabbit from the foot of her throne and wrapped her arms around it. “Isn't that right, little one?”

“Playtime...?” Mukuro paused, uncertain, before the reality of the situation came to her. “Oh, right. Enjoy yourself, then. I'll be cleaning the kitchen in the meantime.”

“Just because you tell me to do it doesn't mean I will! Hm...maybe you should be the Super High School Level Maid,” Junko called as she left the room, stroking her plush's floppy ears. “All you need is a short dress and some revealing panty-shots.”

Mukuro had an indignant reply prepared, but bit her tongue to stop from embarrassing herself further; after all, Junko had already slammed the tearoom door behind her.

♡

The Despair Castle—a tentative name, but a fitting one at the very least—had more than its fair share of rooms, and Junko had reason to love each and every one. Her bedroom always smelled of incense and allowed her to sleep on the finest of mattresses the world over. Her bathroom gave her a place to bathe in water saturated with rose petals, and she couldn't stop herself from chuckling at her warped reflection in the marble tiling. Even her dining room, which didn't need to be anything more than drab as drab could be, was decorated with flags in garish colors, paintings several feet tall, and custom dinnerware emblazoned with bear-shaped symbols.

Junko's playroom was by far her favorite, though, since it was the one room she didn't have to share with anyone; more accurately, the only room no one else was allowed to enter without her explicit permission. Even Mukuro grew boring after a while, and her toys were always waiting for her when she needed a change of pace. Sitting in the center of the circular room and surrounded by massive pillows and plush dolls, Junko hummed a surreal little tune and ran a brush through her seemingly endless locks of hair.

“Hm...oh, I'm sorry! Do you want a turn?” Junko asked the doll sitting in her lap. She used her free hand to tilt its resin head up and down in a gesture reminiscent of a nod and, with a cheerful smile, began to brush its hair instead of her own. The brush lightly tugged at the doll's pink hair, which ended in graceful little curls at its shoulders—the treatment wasn't doing it any good, but Junko didn't seem to mind. She found a strange sense of comfort in the rhythm of the brush and the way the curls sprang back into place each and every time.

“Feels nice, huh?” Junko asked the doll, moving its ball-joined arms up and down. “Bet you feel pretty silly for having failed me, Ryota.” She turned it around so it faced her, and she found herself earnestly smiling at its lifelike features—the “Ryota” this doll was modeled after had been captured perfectly. She admired the thin lines around the mouth and the faint dark rings underneath the eyes, chuckling even now at the anxiety visible in its features.

“Mhm! Pretty silly,” she repeated to herself as she placed the Ryota doll down beside her. “A panicked mess, too scared to do anything but cry like a baby...I'd be feeling the despair already if I were you. At least you're not alone, right?”

Giggling to herself, she lifted a smaller china doll with a nurse's uniform onto her lap. “That's right!” she said, in a purposely high-pitched voice to imitate this new arrival. “At least you're not alone! We'll never be apart anymore...we can cry together...!”

“You heard the girl!” Junko said to the Ryota doll, placing the nurse next to it. “You and Mikan can be together, okay? It was what you really wanted...or, at least, what she really wanted. I guess you can't really move without some divine intervention, but beggars can't be choosers. Now then...who else wants some special playtime with their queen?”

“Ooh!” Mikan chimed in. “I think Nagito does!” Junko rested on her stomach, now at the doll's “eye” level, and angled her arm so she was pointing to a wall-mounted shelf.

“Oh, really?” Hopping to her feet while trying not to dislodge anything in her pillow fort, Junko grabbed a white-haired porcelain doll and cradled it in her arms. It was well-worn from hours of its owner's brand of play, its hair brittle and paint chipped in places; despite the damages, though, its tired smile remained intact.

“Is she telling the truth?” she asked the doll, stroking its chest through its shirt. “I'd hate for anyone to be lying to me....”

“No liars here!” Junko piped up, in her Mikan voice. “Nagito told me he wants to be with you all day long, and go with you everywhere in the castle! Maybe even...in your bedroom?”

“Is this true, Nagito?” she asked, her pitch lowering at the drop of a hat.

“It's true, milady,” she replied in Nagito's voice—a bit deeper than her own, and just husky enough to sound sick. “I want to be by your side...forever.”

“Forever?” Junko spun around, pressing the doll against her ribcage. “That's a tall order, sir...Just what would we do together for all that time?”

“Well, if we really had an eternity together, I'd let you brush my hair and dress me in any way you like.” She made the Nagito doll's eyelids flutter cutely. “We could take baths together, and eat at the same table...that is, if you'd be willing to put up with garbage like me for that long. If not, I could always eat off the floor with your sister....”

“Even she's better than you,” Junko retorted, poking Nagito's cheek. “I can't put up with your self-hatred and hope bull for that long. Besides, I'm already spoken for! That reminds me....” She dropped the doll, causing it to land on the enlarged stomach of one of her plush bears. “I think I have someone I need to check up on.”

“Please, oh please, don't leave us!” Junko's Ryota voice was wobbly in a comedic sense. “We need you here, miss Junko! It's not the same without you! I'd rather die than spend another moment alone....” The Mikan doll, humorously, fell onto its side.

“Then suffer,” Junko replied to herself, smirking. Her eyes flashed as she pressed her foot into the carpet, just inches away from where the Ryota doll sat. “And who said you were on first-name privileges? I certainly don't remember saying it....”

“Not me, ma'am,” Mikan cut in, still toppled over. “Maybe he's a glutton for punishment.”

“Is that so?” Junko asked, tapping one finger against her chin. “I have a dungeon I need to visit...I simply don't have time to punish you appropriately! All I can say for now is that you certainly didn't deserve to touch the same hairbrush as your one and only Queen of Despair, Junko Enoshima!” A light kick sent the Ryota doll flying across the room, landing in a corner to be neglected for at least a week. When she didn't have time to enact one of her favorite ironic executions, abandonment was always a good second choice: it would leave her victims wondering when she'd return until the hope left them completely and boredom consumed their very souls.

Desiring a punishment was an entirely different can of worms, though...She pondered the idea of someone sitting in the dark for months on end, waiting for her to come back with an execution she'd spent many a night poring over. At first, the thought seemed too easy, but then she reconsidered: what if she came in, prepared to enact a punishment the likes of which had never been seen before...and then ever-so-casually went for a stab in the heart?

As she left the room, Junko clapped her hands and felt her cheeks flush at the thought of sending someone into such pure, unfiltered despair—it was almost too much for her to handle. Behind her, the lights flickered off and the toys were left alone. At some point, she'd have to order Mukuro to come in and clean up after her, but she had more important topics on her mind than her sister wiping dust from Ryota Mitarai's face.

♡

As a child, Junko had never taken time to appreciate the joy and fervor that came with running down spiral staircases; now, as an adult, she was ecstatic to be given the opportunity to set foot on one. The steps leading to her dungeon went downward in a fast and volatile circle, and she often found herself running up and down those steps until her breaths shortened and her heart raced.

Reaching the bottom gave her heart a whole other reason to race. Keeping one arm draped across the banister to steady herself, Junko peered into the darkness of the room before her. The only source of light was the evening sun filtering in from upstairs, its rays teasing against the stone floor. The so-called “dungeon” itself was always chilly—a coat rack near the entrance held two of Junko's favorite winter robes, in case her impromptu exercise routines weren't enough to keep her warm. All she could make out beyond the rack was a hospital bed and a squarish machine hooked up next to it.

Junko took a series of gentle steps into the dark. “I'm back, darling,” she called, cupping a hand around her mouth while using the other to slip a robe over her shoulder. “Did you miss me?”

There was no response from the bed's occupant, though they shifted slightly. Grinning, Junko strutted closer to the person in question—what had once been a well-meaning, if talentless, teenage boy had been transformed into an emaciated, pale-skinned figure unable to leave their resting place. A small cluster of tubes stuck in their arms kept them from moving much at all, seemingly attached to the nearby machine. Junko closed her eyes for a moment to listen to its slow, soft beeping, which quickened as she approached.

“Kamukura,” she breathed, alighting herself on the edge of the bed. “I'm here.”

The figure tilted their head in the direction of her voice, but didn't speak. Their eyes—formerly hazel, now slowly turning red—fluttered open and fixed their gaze on her.

“It's me,” Junko said, taking on a romantic edge. “Don't you remember?”

The figure winced as they struggled to move, eventually lifting a twitching hand to brush their bangs away from their forehead. Though the tips were brown, most of their hair had become a velvet black that made Junko's body pulse with adoration. She was, however, less than impressed with their response, which came out in little more than a dry whisper. “...who?”

“You forgot again?” Junko asked, stretching her legs across the bed and flaunting the shape of her thighs. “I'm Junko Enoshima. I rule the world, in case you weren't aware. You must be one lucky stud, since I'm madly in love with you and all that.” She held a hand out expectantly, her red nail polish glittering in the faint light. “And you are...?”

Their lips parted, emitting a faint wheeze. “...Jun...ko?”

“I'm Junko,” she said as her hand sank. “I'm the only one worthy of such a name.” She laughed sharply, moving some of the tubes to give herself more space to lay down—she stayed cautious, however, so as to cause them as little pain as possible. “And you are Izuru Kamukura...or, you will be, once your brain works again. Don't worry, I'm waiting patiently for that day; well, I am for now.”

Kamukura's eyes sparked with brief recognition, but it faded as quickly as it had appeared. “...I...am...?”

“Izuru,” Junko purred, snuggling next to them. She pulled at the collar of their flimsy hospital gown and rested her hand on their exposed shoulder. Their skin was clammy, but she'd grown used to it with time. She was more concerned about the state of the bed—it had gone unwashed for weeks, and even with medical adjustments and catheters, the smell of excrement lingered. In truth, her prisoner-turned-lover looked pathetic, but she was willing to ignore it; or, at least, until she remembered to ask Mukuro to clean the dungeon again.

“I...zuru,” Kamukura breathed, their voice hitching on a syllable.

Junko nodded, cupping Kamukura's face with her free hand. “Good job,” she said as she planted a kiss on their forehead. They flinched, but didn't react otherwise.

A moment of silence passed as Junko cuddled her mildly unresponsive partner. The lack of noise was welcoming, and Junko felt a happy sigh pass through her body—spending time with Kamukura refreshed her more than anything. When they could move on their own again, she'd decided she would take them for a walk in the garden and show them the world she'd taken over. She imagined their hair, which she assumed would be waist-length at that point if not longer, idly tickling the rose petals. A sliver of drool fell from her lips.

“Oops! Upupu,” she said to herself, wiping her face on her sleeve to avoid touching the bedsheets. “Hey, hey.” She reached behind Kamukura and lifted their head, fingers brushing across the nape of their neck. “Izuru. Look at that.”

Kamukura blinked slowly, trying to clear their blurred vision. “Where...?”

“Up there,” Junko said, pointing toward the staircase. “You see that? The light?”

Without waiting for a response, she continued. “That's the outside world. You can see some sunlight now, but it'll fade before too long and you'll be alone in the dark.

“That's what despair is like—every night, you hold onto your hope up there...and it fades away. You keep waiting for something different, but it'll never come. And that's what the world is like too. That light is the last of the old world. B.E.—Before Enoshima, as I like to say,” she said, having never said it before. “Get it?”

“Nn—” Kamukura whined as Junko tugged on errant strands of their hair to keep their attention. She curled them between her fingers, ignorant of Kamukura's obvious pain. Even as they cringed and tried to pull away from her, a light press of her other hand on their chest kept them firmly in place—the wires in their arms, too, prevented them from escaping. Junko's face flushed as she felt their heartbeat under her palm.

“The world you knew is gone; that is, if you can even remember what it was like. What lies beyond this room is my world...and when you're better, it can be ours. We won't have to share it with anyone. Not even my sister has to know—we can lock her up here and have the rest of the world to ourselves. No one will be able to tear the two of us apart.”

“Ah...” Kamukura murmured as Junko let go of them, causing their upper body to thump against the headboard. Their gaze drifted, becoming unfocused. “...that hurt.”

“Did it, darling?” Junko asked dreamily, poking Kamukura's cheek as she snuggled against them. “Maybe you're starting to feel again. That's a step forward, isn't it?”

Kamukura slumped back into bed, already exhausted. With a soft giggle, Junko ran her fingers across their forehead—mildly feverish, might have to get that checked out—and kissed their nose. She figured she would work toward kissing their lips, perhaps when they remembered how to kiss back. She could hear someone moving about upstairs, presumably Mukuro, but left her to her own devices; after all, this was her special alone time with Kamukura and she wouldn't let anyone take that from her.

Kamukura stared at the ceiling as the last of the evening light withered and died, their consciousness melting away with it. Junko, meanwhile, felt a smile form on her face as she rested beside her beloved. The machine beeped faintly as the duo's breaths synchronized—then, with little fanfare, the sun set completely and the darkness took them both.

♡

Not all queens necessarily had to look down upon their subjects, but Junko wasn't willing to skip that aspect of her daily life. She had more thrones throughout the castle than just the one in her tearoom, and her dining room throne was particularly elegant—a hand-carved wooden model that rose several feet above the other chairs around the table. Though it took some effort to climb onto the throne in the first place, Junko appreciated the perfect view it gave her of her rather sour mealtime company.

“Aren't you going to eat, sister?” she called from above. “There are starving children in...well, everywhere! In fact, there's one in the room with us as we speak, so why don't you eat before she sneaks another nibble?”

Mukuro's gaze snapped to the silver-haired child sitting across from her. She was thin and all too pale, her once-pristine outfit smeared with dirt and dried blood. Though she had been addressed, she hadn't raised her head or even made a noise of acknowledgment, seemingly preferring to blend into the metaphorical background. Mukuro knew her sister wouldn't have any of it.

“Come on now, little one,” Junko said, idly swinging her legs back and forth. “Why don't you try to snatch a pea or two? Children should eat their vegetables, right?”

“They are healthy, yes,” Mukuro mumbled, patting her cheek with a napkin. “So why aren't you eating any of them?”

Slowly and almost comically, Junko looked down at her plate of chocolate-strawberry cake. “...Well, I'm already grown up! I don't need to worry so much about eating right anymore.”

“You should worry,” Mukuro commented, delicately cutting her ham into pieces. “You want your reign to last as long as you do, right? You won't be around to rule the world for very long if all you eat is dessert.”

“Hmph!” Junko crossed her arms and huffed. “We'll see about that. You!” She pointed at her guest, who flinched but didn't react otherwise. “What do you think your queen should eat?”

The little girl cautiously raised her head just enough to meet Junko's blue eyes. “Ah...um...I think you should....”

“Go on. Spit it out.” Junko flicked a few cake crumbs in her direction. “Maybe I'll give you something nice if you answer correctly.”

“M-Miss Enoshima should...maybe...consider eating some vegetables when she can.” The girl fidgeted in her seat, uncomfortable with being the center of attention. “I-I could provide some for her...I know a few good recipes, a-and if you have the right ingredients, we can—”

Mukuro shot out of her seat to catch the fork Junko had thrown toward the stuttering child. “Junko! Would you really want...would you....” Her features softened as she struggled to find a way to get her sister to stop, while their guest whimpered in fear.

“Would I want what?” Junko asked, pointing a knife in Mukuro's direction. “I certainly wouldn't want to eat any of this runt's horrible cooking!” She laughed harshly, digging the knife straight through the center of her cake. “You're no Super High School Level Chef, are you?”

The child's face paled further. “...no, but....”

With a flourish, Junko leaped down from her throne—trying not to flinch when her boots hit the carpeted floor—and leaned in close. “But what, little one?”

The girl's muscles tightened as she managed a small, disdainful frown. “Kirumi.”

Junko's face twisted into a grin. “Sorry, what was that? I didn't quite catch it.” Across the table, Mukuro sat perfectly still and ready to launch into battle should the situation go awry.

The girl swallowed and stared straight at Junko, defiance shining through her chalky features and muddied cheeks. “My name is Kirumi.”

“Kirumi...” Junko said, drawing back like a snake. “Hm. I can't say I've heard that name before...and now that you're in my clutches, nobody will hear it again.”

Kirumi's confidence faltered. “Wh-What?”

“Take a look at this.” Junko turned Kirumi's head so it faced Mukuro and began rummaging through her dress. This particular ensemble was outfitted with seven different pockets in various places on the skirt, just in case she needed a secret weapon. “My darling sister and I are going to play a game.”

Mukuro pushed her chair out and got to her feet. “I'm not interested, Junko. Actually, there's something I've needed to talk to you about—”

“Ah-ah-ah! Too late!” Junko exclaimed as she withdrew a small, but needle-sharp dart and threw it straight at Mukuro's neck. With almost inhuman reflexes, she stepped out of its way, only for it to embed itself in the wall. “You have to play...or else, little Kirumi might meet an untimely end.”

Mukuro's pupils shrank. “What are you saying?”

“You win the game, and I might let her live,” Junko explained, twirling another dart between her fingers. “You lose, and...well, the prognosis is grim for our friend.”

“Wh-What is she talking about?” Kirumi asked, her bravado fading as she watched Mukuro dodge two more darts at a speed only Junko could match.

“You know damn well what I'm talking about,” Junko said between heavy breaths. Her body temperature rose as she sprinted across the room, tossing darts to and fro in a makeshift dance. Mukuro had to vault across the table at one point to avoid a particularly expert throw. “I saw her give you food under the table.”

“What?!” Mukuro cried, twirling in midair to save herself yet again. “You said it yourself—she was starving! Do you expect me to let her suffer?!”

“As a matter of fact, I do!” Junko said, with a haughty laugh. “Clearly, Kirumi has absolutely no fortitude or strength, since even I could refuse such temptations better than she did.” With no more darts to throw, Junko picked up a plate and lobbed it at her sister. “She had to survive to earn my respect, and you had to maintain your reputation as my despair-inducing sibling. Seems as if you both messed up big-time, hm?”

“Enough!” Mukuro roared as Junko hurled another plate. The sounds of shattering ceramics made Kirumi clap her hands over her ears, though she felt slight relief knowing none of Junko's ammunition had connected.

“I said you had to play,” Junko reminded her, sticking her tongue out in mild irritation. “I guess it doesn't matter, since we're out of time anyway.” She spun on her heel to face Kirumi and threw a steak knife straight toward her. “At least we can have a grand finale!”

Mukuro's breath caught in her throat as she made a flying leap in Kirumi's direction, catching the knife in midair and tumbling to the ground. A glass tipped over, red wine staining the tablecloth. Kirumi watched in horror and amazement as Mukuro got to her feet, a bit shaky but alive.

“Ooh, good job!” Junko said, applauding loudly. “Bravo! Bravo, I say!” She reached out to pat Mukuro's shoulder, but she shrank away from her. “Hm. Fair enough.”

“I've been trying to talk to you,” Mukuro said, taking a series of labored breaths. “Something...isn't right around here. It smells like roses everywhere, even when we're inside...haven't you noticed? A-And...and those clouds...aren't they getting thicker?”

Junko paused, as if in thought, but then sighed and folded her hands behind her head. “Nah. To be honest, I don't really care. If something's going wrong, that's your problem, not mine. And speaking of things that are mine....” She lunged forward and grabbed Kirumi, who squealed and flailed in her grasp.

“What are you doing?” Mukuro said, too worn out to put a stop to Junko's misdeeds.

“Finishing this brat off,” Junko replied, as casually as one would talk about the weather. “Why?”

“I...I won the game!” Mukuro spat, reaching for Kirumi. “You said you'd let her live if I won!”

“I said I might,” Junko clarified, squeezing Kirumi's face and pulling it closer to hers. “Besides, you should know by now that I don't play fair.”

“Junko!” Mukuro tried to grab her and knock her to the ground, but the game had left her weakened and exhausted. She slumped to the floor, her knees aching, as Junko's eyes met Kirumi's.

“Do as I do.”

In a matter of seconds, Kirumi's face had gone slack. Her gaze seemed colder, her breaths slower, her body limp in Junko's arms. When she put her down, she immediately stood next to her in a protective manner, looking down upon Mukuro's prone form.

“Now, you...” Junko began, putting her hands on her hips, “...you have no name. You had one at one point, though—and an identity, too. So on the basis of your old life, I'll ask you one more time: you're no Super High School Level Chef, are you?”

Kirumi sneered at Mukuro. “No, ma'am.”

“No!” Abruptly, Junko brought her foot down on Kirumi's, causing the girl to wail in surprise. “You will address me by name, servant!”

“N-No, miss Junko, ma'am,” Kirumi said, trying to keep her voice stable even with the despair coursing through her veins.

“Much better. Maybe you could take care of this pile of garbage while you're here...that is, if you really want to earn my love.” As Junko strutted out of the room, Kirumi tried to yank Mukuro up from the floor; however, she paused when she smelled something familiar in the air.

“...Roses,” she mumbled to herself, squeezing Mukuro's hand with both of her own. “I may have...enjoyed those, once upon a time.”

Outside, Junko's garden continued to grow, twisting around the castle walls and black iron fences. The world beyond her home seemed more distant than before, as the clouds misting the sky grew ever darker.

♡

“Hm.”

“What? What is it?”

“Hmmm.”

Mukuro stood as still as she could while Junko flitted around her, peering at her silky black dress from all angles. The frilled sleeves itched, and the skirt only reached to her knees—Mukuro's bare legs stuck out beneath, planted firmly in the plush carpeting. She would've changed clothes in a heartbeat if her sister hadn't been so insistent about her participation in today's activity.

Junko tugged on the skirt from behind, and Mukuro cringed. “Hm...I think this one shapes you nicely! If only you had bigger breasts to show off...maybe you could actually take your place beside me on the throne!”

“You wouldn't let me even if I did have them,” Mukuro said through clenched teeth.

“Fair enough,” Junko replied, with a chuckle. “You're not the type I'd share the world with anyway—way too selfish, and no sense of humor.”

“Right,” Mukuro grunted. “Sure.”

Junko stood in front of her sister, hands on her hips. “...You don't really like this dress, do you?”

“N-No,” Mukuro said, trying to maintain her composure.

“That's fair,” Junko replied, with a shrug. “Doesn't really match your complexion anyway.” She turned away, wading through a pile of squishy pillows and dolls she had yet to return to their shelves. “Go on and change. I won't look, just this once.”

With a sigh, Mukuro removed the ensemble. Even taking it off was uncomfortable, the lace making her itch even more as she pulled it over her head. Quietly hanging it up on a rack Junko had wheeled in earlier, she let herself relax for a moment. As she stretched her back, she spoke up again: “Junko? I'm done.”

“Mm?”

Mukuro's eyes narrowed. “I said I'm done.”

“Mm, sure.” Junko faced away from her, fiddling with one of her dolls. “Have you met my little friend, dear sister?”

Mukuro tried to keep her temper down—Junko had already grown bored of her and was looking for a new toy. “My dress, Junko. You said you wanted me to try another dress.”

“Huh? Oh!” Junko whirled around, a pale cloth doll hanging limply from one hand. “Of course! You'll like this one, for sure. It's leather!”

Mukuro's gaze drifted as Junko fiddled with the rack, pulling out a black dress that looked ready to squish Mukuro's spine into an entirely new shape. She watched Junko carry the doll alongside her, unable to tear her eyes away from its sad, unsettling stare. Most of its design was simple, complete with blue yarn hair and mitten-like hands, but its eyes were all too real and uncomfortably glassy.

“Do you like her?” Junko asked, shoving the dress into Mukuro's waiting arms. “This is Miaya. They don't make wheelchairs in her size, so she can't move without her queen helping her get around.” She raised and lowered Miaya's hands, making the red scarf covering most of her face bounce lazily. “Isn't she cute?”

Mukuro sucked in a breath as she tried to pull the dress on. “She seems...sad.”

“You think so?” As Mukuro changed, Junko sifted through the clothes on the rack and pressed a polka-dot ensemble against her body. “Check this out. I look like a cartoon character!”

“Mmph!” Mukuro exclaimed as she struggled to fit herself into the dress. “Y-You do....”

“Aw, is that too tight?” Junko was at her sister's side in an instant, messing with the zipper at the back of the dress. “Maybe we should try another one.”

Mukuro's breath caught in her throat. “Another...one?”

“Well, sure!” Junko tossed Miaya at Mukuro with a flourish before ripping the dress off, with extravagant gestures and sudden movements that made Mukuro wail in pain. “Don't you like playing dress-up with me?”

Now clad in nothing but black undergarments, Mukuro felt naked and embarrassed. She couldn't reply honestly—when she considered it, an image of the broken and damaged Kirumi flickered through her mind. “S-Sure,” she forced out, pressing the Miaya doll against her chest.

“You're lying, but that's fine.” Junko threw off her own dress, chuckling at she and her sister's matching lingerie. “You can't really get out of this anyway.”

“Right,” Mukuro mumbled, now burying her face in Miaya's hair. It smelled familiar to her, perhaps like a childhood home...but she only had a few moments to think of it before the doll was yanked from her, and her vision was obscured with another dress thrown over her head.

“My playthings are playing?” Junko chirped, wiggling into a dress of her own. “How cute! Miaya isn't playing dress-up right now, though. She can't move on her own, so I'd have to help her try things on...and this is our fun time! She'll just have to watch.”

Mukuro glanced at the Miaya doll, which was now splayed on top of one of the pillows. She could feel its gaze on her back as she changed, and the more she thought about it the more awkward she felt. She was a child in a fairytale castle, playing dress-up with her sister, but the game had gone on too long and she just wanted to go home.

After what felt like an eternity of trying on clothing, Mukuro finally stood before Junko in a silky black dress with a short skirt. It still had some of Junko's all-too-elegant touches, like white frills and puffy sleeves, but it was generally sleek and comfortable. Mukuro couldn't help herself—she twirled lightly, letting her skirt spin.

“Oh, you like it?” Junko tilted her head back in a fashion model's pose, clad in a similar dress but with pale pink silk and white and black frills. “Glad we finally found something that works.”

“Why didn't we just try these on first?” Mukuro asked, admiring the way her outfit wrapped around her body. “They do match nicely....”

“I guess I just wanted to keep you around,” Junko replied, rummaging through piles of discarded clothing. “Sibling bonding is always fun, don't you think?”

“Sure,” Mukuro said, half-heartedly. Her gaze drifted back to the Miaya doll, sitting in the same place it had before. “Maybe you should invite Kamukura next time.”

“Kamukura?” Junko got to her feet, holding both hands behind her back in a surprisingly graceful fashion. “You'd rather Kamukura take your place here with me?”

“N-Not like that,” Mukuro said quickly. “I just...I have other duties, and....”

“Don't worry! I understand.” Junko giggled. “I'm just glad you reminded me of the finishing touch for today's dress-up game!”

“What are you talking abou—” Mukuro was interrupted with a violent shriek as Junko whipped her hands out, brandishing twin pairs of shears. Laughing loudly, Junko tore into Mukuro's dress and ripped it to shreds in a matter of seconds, leaving a pile of silk and fluff on the carpet.

“Junko!” Mukuro exclaimed, assuming a defensive position to shield her body. “What are you doing?!”

Junko spun around gleefully and tore into her own dress, creating another pile of fabric to join the first. “There's nothing quite like finding that everything I put you through meant nothing, right? It fills me with an all-new form of despair! Upupu!”

Mukuro cringed and shook her head, stepping away from her sister. Her right wrist was starting to itch, and as she looked down at it she realized Junko had nicked her. She pressed her thumb against the tiny wound and gently licked the blood off. Watching her sister's pathetic motions, Junko continued to laugh. “Well?” she asked, hands on her hips. “Feeling the despair yet?”

With no energy to fight, exhaustion settled in quickly. “Y...Yes.”

“Alright!” Junko cheered, jumping in place with excitement. “My test is complete! I can't wait to try this out on our next visitors...maybe they'll like becoming mannequins!”

Mukuro bit her lip and turned away, one hand pressed against her wrist. The Miaya doll sat and stared at her, a piece of a silky black dress covering part of her forehead.

Long after the sisters' foray into trying on clothing together, Mukuro went to sweep the upstairs floors while Junko wandered into her dungeon. The staircase was littered with rose petals, and the bed itself had a few roses scattered across its sheets. Even the machine Kamukura was hooked up to seemed to have roses growing around it, which Junko considered a rather romantic gesture—perhaps Mukuro had prepared it as a surprise for the both of them?

She nestled into bed beside Kamukura, twirling strands of their brown-black hair between her fingers while they reacted with little more than a half-lidded stare. They breathed through their mouth, each exhale sounding more like a dissatisfied sigh.

“You should've seen the look on her face, Izuru,” Junko said, twisting their hair into a small, makeshift braid. “It was simply...dazzling.”

“I...zur...u,” Kamukura mumbled, trying their hardest to lock eyes with Junko. “Yes.”

“Dazzled with despair,” Junko said in a singsong voice, letting go of the braid to press her finger to Kamukura's nose. “She wasn't expecting the scissors at all. I'm so glad I kept that Genocider girl around long enough to master her techniques.”

“Yes.”

“You could probably learn them too, if you wanted.” Junko leaned in close, her lover's bad smell tuned out slightly by the aroma of the roses. “You're capable of anything, after all.”

A slight head tilt. “Yes.”

“Hm.” Junko propped herself up on her elbows, unable to find a comfortable position. “Do you...remember who you are today?”

“I...zuru?” Kamukura asked, softly.

“I-zu-ru Ka-mu-ku-ra,” Junko replied, sounding out the syllables. “Repeat after me, okay?”

“Ka...mu....” They lost track quickly, pain dulling their senses. “...zu-ru.”

“Good enough,” Junko said, plopping down beside them. “You know you're mine, right?”

“Yes.”

“Mine, mine, mine.” Junko pressed her body against theirs, sleep creeping in with the lightest and gentlest of footsteps. “Forever mine.”

As she fell asleep beside them, Kamukura let their gaze turn to the ceiling. The room was pitch-dark and even colder than usual, and something about the roses was off-putting to them. They couldn't think about it for too long before their head began to hurt.

All they could think of doing was vocalizing—or trying to, anyway. So while Junko dreamed her life away beside them, Kamukura continued to mumble to themself. “Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes....”

♡

“Junko?”

Her Glorious Majesty of Despair stirred in her bed, but didn't wake up.

“Junko. Wake up.”

She kept on sleeping, tangled in her favorite red sheets.

“Junko!”

Finally, her eyes snapped open and she sat up. “What? What is it?” she exclaimed. “Your queen is trying t—ow!” With a wince, she rubbed her back and felt a noticeable ache. “Ouchies...that really smarts....”

“I assumed something was up.” Mukuro stood before her, looking less agitated and more concerned. “You were making weird noises in your sleep.”

“That's what she said,” Junko mumbled in reply, trying to straighten her spine. “Ahh...How did this happen? Nothing feels right...and I just had the strangest dream. I think. I'm already forgetting it...such despair....”

“Junko.” Mukuro spoke sharply, taking her sister's hand in her own. “Are you feeling alright?”

“Ew, what's this about?” Junko yanked her hand away and stuck her tongue out in mock disgust. “Don't touch me, commoner!”

Mukuro sighed in defeat and reconstructed her emotional mask, trying to be as straightforward as possible. “Junko, answer my question.”

Junko stretched her arms, slowly raising them over her head and lowering them back down with practiced motions. “...Hm? What?”

“Are you feeling alright?” Mukuro repeated.

“...I think so?” Genuine confusion rose in Junko's voice as she tilted her head, her hair bouncing with it. “Aside from whatever that dream was, and the ache in my back....”

“You were shrieking,” Mukuro said, her tone grave. “In your sleep, I mean. You'd stopped by the time I got here, but I could hear you from across the hall.”

“Sheesh,” Junko said, flicking stray hairs behind her shoulder. “I'm such a drama queen. Probably just feeling some unfiltered, pulp-free despair!”

“Please take this seriously,” Mukuro said. “I think something is wrong here. You see, when looking outside....”

“I think you're the one who's wrong. Think fast!” Junko shot up in bed and sprang to her feet, preparing to deliver a mighty kick and startle her sister. As she moved, though, a wave of dizziness washed over her and she found her reflexes slightly inhibited. Having just woken up would dull her combat sensibilities under ordinary circumstances, but this was far more obstructive.

Mukuro quickly swept her leg out to stop her, completely on instinct. It connected with Junko's ankle and she tumbled to the carpeted floor, her hair spilling out around her. “Aieee!” she cried, frantically brushing her bangs away from her face. “Ouchies! Ow!”

“S-Sister?” Mukuro rested one knee on the carpet, though she kept her distance in case this was a prank. “What's wrong?”

“This is wrong!” Junko pointed to her ankle, which was already turning slightly purple with the onset of a bruise. “I should have got you that time!”

“Perhaps we're evenly matched,” Mukuro replied, letting herself smirk for the briefest moments. “You can't win them all, you know.”

“Sure, whatever,” Junko mumbled, surprisingly upset over a bruised ankle. “I get it.” She stumbled to her feet, putting all her weight on her non-injured leg. “Sometimes the underdog has to win for the audience's benefit.”

“I'm...not an underdog,” Mukuro said, averting her gaze.

“Whatever,” Junko said with a wave of her hand. “I don't even remember what we were talking about. You're too boring to focus on, anyway.”

“That's a lie.”

“Which part?” Junko spun around, grabbed a pale pink bathrobe resting on top of her closet, and threw it over herself with a flourish. “'Cause you're definitely a bore.”

“You remember what we were talking about,” Mukuro said, standing her ground. “You're clearly just as troubled by it as I am.”

Junko blinked slowly and swallowed. “I have no idea what you're talking about,” she said, carefully choosing her words. “I'm not 'troubled' at all.”

“We're sisters, you know.” Mukuro folded her arms across her chest. “You can tell me if something's wrong.”

“Forget it,” Junko sang, though she gritted her teeth in secrecy; in truth, she was bothered by her lackluster attempt at a kick. Ordinarily, it wouldn't have been a problem—after all, her back was sore and she'd just woken up—but it felt as if time itself had slowed to incapacitate her. She wasn't sure how to tell Mukuro this, or if she even cared enough to tell her, so she kept it to herself.

“...Forget it?”

“Forget it,” Junko echoed, digging through the bathrobe's pockets in search of a leftover snack. “I want something to eat.”

“Wait, what?” Mukuro raised an eyebrow. “You're...sure about that? I need to talk to you first. Please, look at this....” She approached the window at Junko's bedside and threw back the curtains—the world outside was obscured by soupy, greenish mist. Junko could see her garden if she squinted, but most of the Enoshima Estate was covered.

“...Bad weather,” Junko commented, nonchalantly.

“It's more than that,” Mukuro insisted. “Those clouds...they've never been this thick. Your garden's growing much faster, to the point that it's hard to even leave the castle to go hunting. Something isn't right here, and I need you to know that.”

“I need you to know that I don't care.” Junko swung her injured leg back and forth, trying to balance on one foot as she stood before her sister. “I want something to eat.”

“...Are you sure?” Mukuro asked, her gaze discolored.

“Absolutely-tutely,” Junko replied. “I need breakfast. Come on! Chop chop!” She limped away, trying to look as graceful as possible even when restrained by a sprained ankle.

Mukuro followed along behind her, her tone growing desperate. “But—but, Junko, please—”

“I don't care,” Junko said with a sudden firmness. “I can't think on an empty stomach, anyhow. Hurry up! Breakfast time!”

Mukuro lowered her head, absentmindedly running her fingers across the bandages now covering her itching wrist. “...You just had breakfast before your nap,” she murmured.

Junko turned slightly. “Sorry? I didn't know the underdog was speaking.”

Mukuro sighed, wondering if she'd fabricated the memory. “It's nothing,” she lied. “Just...just forget it, right?”

A light, forced chuckle echoed down the hall. “Yup! Forget it.”

#danganronpa #junko enoshima #mukuro ikusaba #izuru kamukura #danganronpa secret santa #russell does stuff #russell writes #super danganronpa 2 #sdr2 #new danganronpa v3 #ndrv3 spoilers #sdr2 spoilers #danganronpa spoilers #ofdesperationis #danganronpasecretsanta

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cowplantseed · 7 years ago

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BROADWAY LEGACY CHALLENGE:

this challenge is a lot of storytelling, and if that isnt your thing, im sorry. i apologize. if one generation isnt your favorite, im sorry. ill try to make this as fun as possible but let me tell you, writing challenges is difficult as heck. another note is that some of these are super duper watered down versions of these musicals, some missing characters and plot points. you can always add these in your storytelling. i didnt add them either because i couldnt with the current features in game or because i thought it would make things too complicated. you can always add whats missing in your own gameplay. GEN1: HAMILTON every story has to have a beginning. your sim, the new kid in town, is determined to make a mark and start a legacy in their godforsaken world. there just happens to be a few hitches. (your sim represents alexander hamilton.) - your founder sim may look like anything and be any gender. they must have the hot-headed trait, and the ambitious trait, but the final one can be anything of your choosing and the lifetime wish can be anything you want as well. - they must be a brand new sim with no prior familial ties. - they must start out with 100 simoleons and live in an empty 50x50 lot. - you may purchase the lot and then reduce funds down to 100 with any money cheats needed, use freerealestate, etc. - for storytelling purposes, i would suggest they live in oasis springs but their location is entirely up to you and they can always move when they get enough money. - you may use your 100 simoleons to get the basics. - they must reach level 10 in the writing skill. - they must reach level 10 in the charisma skill. - they must reach level 10 in the business career of either branch. - they must make a nemesis. - they must marry someone with more simoleons than they do. - they must have at least one child together; you may adopt, but your adopted child cannot be the heir. - they may have as many children as youd like. - your last biological child will be the one to carry on the legacy as the heir. if anything happens to them, the child born before them will be the spare. in the case of twins or triplets, you may choose one to be the heir and the other to be the spare. - once you are done your babymaking, your founder must cheat on their spouse successfully for at least three sim days. - the founder must confess to cheating and then apologize. the spouse must forgive them. - when your founder completes their career and skills, they must get into a fight with their enemy and get killed. mods are permitted for this demise if you desire. - optionally, you may also kill off one of your children in the same manner, but it is not required. GEN2: NEWSIES your sims upbringing was rough for one reason or another. out of spite, they get a job selling newspapers or books with a group of their friends. that doesnt end well, though, when they get a pay cut and their friend gets taken into a refuge. (your sim represents jack Kelly) - when your sim becomes a young adult, they must move to a not so great lot with six other young adult friends and a child friend of the same sex, someones sibling. these will be their fellow newsies. - your sim must have the self assured trait. - they must all join the writer career. they may not try for any promotions, but whatever happens happens. - your sim must meet and flirt with another sim with more simoleons than them and begin a relationship. - one of the newsies (any except for the siblings) must move out of the lot and cease contact with any of the newsies for five sim days. - during this time, the other newsies must quit their jobs as writers. - when the five days are up, move your missing newsy back in and the newsies may take their jobs back. - your sim must marry their romantic interest and move out of the newsies home. - they may have as many children as youd like. - your last biological child will be the one to carry on the legacy as the heir. if anything happens to them, the child born before them will be the spare. in the case of twins or triplets, you may choose one to be the heir and the other to be the spare. GEN 3: BARE: A POP OPERA school is wild. your sim and their friends are growing up and discovering sexuality in all the wrong ways. but hey, what could go wrong? (your sim represents peter simmonds.) - your sim must have the jealous and music lover traits. - they must have and complete the musical genius aspiration. - they must be in a relationship with a sim of the same sex. - you must move the partner into your sim's household. - the partner must have a child with another sim whilst cheating on your sim and keep the baby for themself. - your sim and their partner must become enemies. - after some time (as long as you choose for storytelling but its suggested a few sim days) they make up and continue being romantically involved with each other. - they may not have or adopt children together. - the childs other parent must move into the house despite having no romantic involvement with the main couple. - they both must die when they become adults. mods are permitted if youd prefer. - the other parent must continue raising the child through young adulthood. - this child will be the heir; their other parent may have no children after it. GEN 4: HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL your sim thought their parents lives were crazy? they were wrong. well, they were right, but they also werent prepared for the insanity that is their high school career (your sim represents veronica sawyer.) - your sim must have the self-assured trait. - your sim must reach level 10 of the writing skill. - they must start dating someone when they become teenagers, and they must use the mess around option at least once as teens (or actually woohoo if you have the mc woohooer mod). - these sims must stay together until they're young adults, unless you have a teen pregnancy mod. - your sim must make three friends and kill them. - your sim must get pregnant, and while they're pregnant, their partner must somehow die. - if your sim cannot get pregnant, they must get their partner pregnant and after the baby is born, the partner will die. - your sim must not get remarried. - this child will be the heir; they may have no children after it. GEN 5: DEAR EVAN HANSEN the human mind can really be a jerk sometimes. it can tear apart relationships, create sticky situations, and even kill. your sim gets to learn that the hard way. (your sim represents evan hansen.) - your sim must not have any friends outside of their family until they're a young adult. - they must be best friends with their parent. - they must have the loner and outdoor enthusiast traits. their aspiration must be freelance botanist, and the final trait can be any of your choosing. - when they become a young adult, they must make a friend. - this friend must die and your sim must start dating the friends sibling, roommate, etc. - your sim must get to level five in the charisma skill after the death of their friend. - your sim must impregnate/be impregnated by their partner. - your sim must fall out with their partner and their mother, reducing both to the enemies stage. - your sim must regain relationship with their mother, bringing them back up to friends. - optionally, your sim may regain relationship with their partner, but it must be just up to acquaintances, or a low friendship. - their child will be the next heir; they may have no children after it. GEN 6: LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS your sims boring florist job gets a little more hectic when expected when they accidentally discover a plant that eats other sims to survive! (your sim represents seymour.) - your sim must have the geek trait. - your sim must move away from their family once they age up into a young adult. - your sim must move in with an adult and another young adult; the adult will be their boss and the young adult will be their love interest. - your sim must reach level ten of the gardening skill. - your sim must get a cow plant and raise it. - if your cow plant dies, your sim must find another. - when your cow plant is an adult, they should be fed sims, starting with the boss. - amount of sims it must eat is optional but its suggested it eats at least three sims. - the cow plant may not eat your sims love interest. - in the end, your sim must kill their cow plant, marry their love interest and have four children. - this one is different. their second child must be the heir. - you must keep the cow plant bones on your lot for the remainder of the legacy*. if you move house, you should remember to place it in the family inventory beforehand. *or however long cow plant bones last, i really have no idea if they just disappear eventually or something. GEN 7: LITTLE WOMEN your sim is a strong, brave person and will not let anything get in their way on their journey to be an amazing author. too bad romance and illness exist. (your sim represents jo march.) - the oldest child must have the romantic trait. - your sim (the second oldest child) must have the bestselling author aspiration and bro trait. the others can be anything youâ€˜d like. - the third child must have the good trait. - the fourth child must have the snob trait. - your sim must be best friends with their younger sibling. - they must have one other best friend outside of their family. - they must reach level ten of the writing skill and complete their aspiration. - later, they must make one more best friend, who, a few days later tries to romance your sim but your sim must respond angrily. - your sims first best friend must flirt with them, to which they remain romantic interests for a few days. - the third sibling must die of illness. you may use any mods necessary to do this, or simply starve them. - the second best friend may marry the youngest sibling. - at their wedding, your sim must be proposed to their romantic interest. - together, these two will not have any children. - their sibling must have a child. their spouse, sibling, and siblings spouse must all die. the child will be in your sims custody. GEN 8: THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME your sims life begins sheltered and a bit nice, despite their wish to be free. after a night out, though, they meet someone with whom they become fast friends. but when overprotective aunt/uncle finds out and death sneaks up, their life doesnt turn out so cozy after all. (your sim represents quasimodo.) ps i know this hasnt been on broadway but i love this musical and wanted to include it shh - your sim must be ugly. if you have to mess with them in create a sim, do it. - they must have the good trait. their other traits and aspiration may be anything. - they must never leave the house as a child or teenager, preferably locked inside. you can lock doors so they cant go to school or you can get a mod. - when they age into a young adult, they must leave and meet a beautiful sim. this is the only time they leaves the house. - this sim must become their best friend. - the best friend may only be invited over at night or when your sims caretaker isnt home. if they visit autonomously, it is allowed to use cheats or mods to force them to leave; i recommend mc command center. - optionally, you can add a love interest for this sim to stay faithful to the original. - eventually, the caretaker must catch on to your sims best friend. they must lock the friend (and optional love interest) up. - eventually, the caretaker must kill this sim before your sims eyes. - your sim must kill their caretaker out of rage. - your sim must stay single for the rest of their life. they must adopt one child. this child will be the heir. GEN 9: THE SOUND OF MUSIC the love of your sims life is dead, leaving them with six children and a bitterness against music. with their busy schedule, they need a nanny. they never expected to wind up with a new spouse. (your sim represents baron vontrapp) - your sim must marry another sim and together have six children (i know the vontrapps had seven but without mods you cant have more than eight sims in a household). - the spouse must have the music lover trait. - later, the spouse must die. - your sim must hire a nanny. - if its easier, you may add the nanny to your household. - your sim and the nanny must dislike each other, but the children must have good relationships with them. - your sim may not interact with their children often, leaving that to the nanny. - the nanny must have the music lover trait, which you can modify if they do not have it. they also must have any of the music skills. - when your children befriend the nanny, they must acquire a music skill as well. - eventually, your sim must become romantically involved with the nanny. - to show ~character development~, you can change one of their traits to music lover. - they may not have any children, but the youngest child of your sims previous marriage will be the heir. GEN 10: LES MISERABLES your sim is basically personified sunshine. and hey, minus the sims literally dying at their feet, they have a pretty happy life. (your sim represents cosette.) - your sim must have the good and music lover traits. - they must have and complete the big happy family lifetime wish. - as a child/teenager (whichever age they are when you finish generation nine), they must be moved away from their family into a house with one adoptive parent. - they must not leave the house (except for school) until they are a young adult. - when they age up, they must go into town and marry the first sim they interact with of the opposing sex. - they may not have a career. - their spouse must be in the secret agent career in the diamond agent branch. if you have city living, they may be a politician. if you have a mod that adds a military career (ive seen one before but sadly do not have the link), you may use that. - together, they may have as many children as you want. - once your sim dies, the legacy challenge is complete.

#the sims 4 #the sims #legacy challenge #ts4 #s4 legacy #hope you like it it took me like two months #bway legacy ch #mine

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