#ive just started westworld

[dcforts]

how is there not one (1) deancas westworld!au with dean as a guest and cas as a host that rips off the script of his narrative after meeting him

[dykecadence]

thinking about how good season 1 of westworld was again...

[peanutpinet]

BABE!!!! We absolutely need a second part to Little Things, we need to know how their relationship develops and see Sylus fall in lover with reader's soul. PLEASE BABE PLEASE!!!

Welcome to My World - Sylus x Fem Reader (Sequel to Little Things)

Request: Craving for a sequel to this w/ reader actually going back to her world and sylus just defying all odds shshshshs these kinds of fics are so interesting love em <3

A/N: Just a lil something for those who wanted to see what would Sylus be like if he were to actually come out of the screen and into our world (still having his evol but is not addressed). Also if anyone is a Kpop fan, I just want to say, do have a listen to Aespa’s Welcome to My World. It embodies this fic so much and am putting some of the lyrics into the story! I hope you guys enjoy!!

Disclaimer: I do not own the images nor the characters or you (the MC). All images were taken from Pinterest.

Also, if you haven't read Little Things, the "first part" of the story, do have a read. Will be link here. But you don't have to read it and can just read each of these fics seperately

Warnings: Fluff but mainly ANGST, Isekai Theme, Will be Going back and Forth between LADS universe and our universe, slow burn because Sylus is tryna find you :))

Funfact: I remembered the TV Show: Westworld and how the characters of the game gain conciousness when writing this fic

Songs to listen to: NCT Dream - Broken Melodies, Aespa - Welcome to My World, NCT Dream - Like We Just Met

N109 Zone - 01:48 AM

It was in the middle of the night. When all are asleep, people in the N109 zone, those in the shadows have only started to wake up and get on about their day, including Sylus. Slowly awakening from his slumber, Sylus saw the girl that was beside him, fast asleep. Her chest was rising and falling in a steady motion; indicating that she was in a deep sleep.

Smiling to himself, Sylus decided to scootch a bit closer and caressed the girl’s cheek. But as he did, the girl immediately grabbed his wrist tightly and jerked awake. “Who the fuck…w-where am I?!”

Hearing the girl’s words, Sylus knew. “You’re not her…”

Real World - 09:28 AM

You woke up with a pounding headache but slowly regained your consciousness, you noticed how the bed wasn’t as big nor was it as warm as when you were used to. Jerking up, you took in the room you were in. The bright white ceiling was the first thing you see, the smell of alcohol and blood was faint but you could smell it, and then you heard a beeping noise which made you turn and saw that your hand was hooked onto a monitor and an IV drip.

Whipping your head around, you search for your phone until you find it and immediately look at the date when you suddenly get a notification from both Instagram and Twitter mentioning the new update for Love and Deepspace.

“I’m back…” you sobbed yet your fingers glided across the screen of your phone, pressing the game that you swore you were in

As the game loads, you see the cutscenes of all of the characters and can’t help but feel emotionally overwhelmed whenever you see Sylus’ cutscenes.

Once the game loaded and you could hear that cafe jingle along with those familiar red eyes, you tried to see whether or not anything had changed in the game other than the new updates but when you clicked on his tall figure, the lines he said were nothing out of the ordinary. Even in the text message icon, you couldn’t text him like you did when you were in the game.

“Was it all just a dream?”

“Y-you’re awake!!” you heard someone talk and as your eyes looked at the doorframe, it was the nurse

You soon found out that you had been in a coma for a little over 2 weeks yet it felt like you were in the game for 2 months, maybe even more. Your best friends came to visit you every day and now that you’re awake, they were bombarding you with food, life updates, and all.

For once, you actually didn’t feel as lonely as you were when you appeared in the game.

Maybe it truly was all just a dream…

From a distance, a black crow was watching your interaction with your friends from a tree that was just outside of your window. After some time, the crow eventually fled and flew away from the tree.

N109 Zone - 04:18 AM

Sylus was beyond pissed. He took MC to where he took you in the beginning to get your evol and aether core checked but additionally, he wanted to know if you were truly not in the MC’s body. Sylus’ worker questioned as to why he brought MC again to check her evol and aether core, confusing the Onychinus’ leader.

Even when the two came home, the twins didn’t notice any difference from MC. What’s wrong with everyone? You’re not MC and it goes the other way as well. Why were the twins pestering MC who to Sylus, was not you.

“But boss, Miss Hunter and you have known each other for over 2 months now. What do you mean she’s not her?” Luke questioned, genuinely confused at his boss’ attitude

“She’s not. Have you forgotten who taught you both how to cook the simplest meal? The one that bought you those bulletproof vests?” Sylus demanded, something, anything about your sudden disappearance or at the very least, anyone other than him remembering your existence

“It’s Miss Hunter, though?” Kieran replied, making Sylus groan. “Just, leave me alone for the next few days” Sylus left the room and walked past MC who grabbed his wrist, making his brow arch in confusion.

Sighing, Sylus turned to see MC. “What is it that you want?”

“Where are you going? I went through all the trouble to get the N109 zone and I want answers regarding the aether core” MC demanded but Sylus just chuckled and used his evol to remove MC’s hand from his wrist

“You already have the aether core you’re looking for. Why don’t you go back and ask your doctor about that? I have other matters to attend to. Like why are you here instead of her” Sylus mentioned, walking away until MC talked to him

“You’re always mentioning her but you never mentioned her name. Who are you exactly talking about and what does it have to do with me?” MC questioned and this time, Sylus grabbed her by her neck and pinned her to the nearest wall

“Don’t tempt my patience. I only have so much left ever since your attitude shows up instead of something else I want. From here on out, I could care less about your little quest. You can even have that brooch you’re wearing to get in and out of the N109 zone without getting harmed. But I want you to leave. Go back to your doctor, that fish man of an artist, or fake hunter for all I care. When I come back to this place, I hope that you’re not here anymore. Or you’ll hurt even more” Sylus warned, releasing MC as he went who knows where.

Sylus went into his car, the car that you love to drive in. Though you were just a soul in MC’s body, he could immediately tell the two of you apart. What scent do you like, the small trinkets that you would buy to keep his things more organized, some small keychain plushies that he would put on his keys which is in contrast to his scary look.

You might just be a soul that just so happens to be in MC’s body, the body of a person he should’ve been interacting with, the one he should’ve been bound to. But why does his heart feel incomplete? Why does his soul long for your own.

Gripping onto the steering wheel, Sylus looked at the plushie you put in this car. It was a koala, one of your favourite plushies, because you told him that you looked like a koala when Sylus carried you around. “I swore to you that if this were to happen, I would find you. Regardless what happens, I will find a way to get back to you. Our stories’ unfinished, sweetie. Wait for me. I’ll do anything to get back to you”

Real World

It’s been several months since you woke up. You still played the game but not as often anymore. You got a job at your friend’s office as a secretary. It pays well, you and your friend are roommates, life has been going fairly well that you barely played the game that provided you comfort.

One day, however, there was a bouquet of red Carnations mixed with pink Camillas on your desk with a note attached to it. “I hope this gets to you. If this ever reaches you, it means that I’m another step closer to seeing you again. There’s this uneasy feeling I’ve been feeling since you were gone. I promise I won’t stop finding you”

Confused, you asked everyone, including the delivery man who delivered the flowers to you but no one knew where it came from. It didn’t even mention your name and only a description of you.

Brushing it off, you thought it must’ve been some kind of prank until several more flowers reached you. One after another, there were notes along with the flowers which all made your heart clench because whoever this person was, it seemed that either you left a very deep impression on them or this was some sort of stalker.

“Did the first one reach you? I’m getting closer”

“I hope that you’re eating well. Wait for me”

“It seems that you’ve forgotten about me once more. No matter, I’ll be sure to jog your memory once we meet again”

Another year has finally passed and the bouquet and notes kept on coming until you saw the flowers and notes that came in. Instead of the usual red Carnation or pink Camillas or even sometimes Forget me nots, this time it was a bouquet of black and red roses with a note of a familiar handwriting and scent.

“I’ve finally found you. You said that you were worried about me finding the real you but to me, you’re just as perfect as your soul. Your face, your body, it matches your soul perfectly. And even though you might’ve forgotten about me, I assure you that my love for you is still the same like we just met. Perhaps in the game, I would allow you to go live your life without me because it’s safer for you. But here, looking at you, I can feel myself coming alive once more. Whether you try to move on, I know that there’s a lingering feeling behind your pretty head thinking of the possibility. And you would be correct, sweetie. I’m fulfilling my promise to you. For there is no love greater than mine.

P.S: we should thank Mephisto for always managing to find you when I couldn’t

-Sylus”

You were in shock. Sure, there was a small voice, hidden behind all your to-dos, your schedules, your wants, likes, needs. A faint voice telling you of the possibility that perhaps Sylus was the one to send you all those flowers and notes but you were in your world, the real world. You would lock that faint voice and never think about it again. You were realistic. There was no way that a fictional 3D man would send you all of that.

And Mephisto? He’s a bird. A mechanical bird that is tied with Sylus. Everything seemed ridiculous. You couldn’t think straight for the rest of the day until your boss called you for a sudden meeting outside of the office and at a restaurant.

The restaurant was filled with high-class people, some were doing business with another while others were simply finding ways to spend their money. Suddenly, it reminded you of the time when you were in MC’s body and Sylus would take the two of you out to dinner.

Remembering Sylus, the flowers, and the note, you decided to excuse yourself to the restroom but in reality, you decided to log into the very game you downloaded to seek comfort. The nostalgia was coming back. They made a new update and introduced a new male character. Once your game loads, Sylus is still in the game and when you poke him, thinking that he’ll respond like how he would when a player hasn’t logged in for so long, he surprises you.

“You’re probably wondering why am I not responding to you in a way that you expect. Well, why don’t you check my messages on the message feature, sweetie?” Sylus mentioned and immediately, you went to open the message feature in the game and once again, you were shocked with what you read on the screen that you had to cover your mouth.

“It’s been a while, hasn’t it, kitten? I’m sad that you’ve forgotten about me but I’m genuinely happy with how you’re living your life so far”

“But if I were to tell you that I want to be apart of your life here, would you accept me?”

You were given the chance to answer him, to reply to this sudden message but your boss had already called you back and unfortunately, you had to go back to the table and sit beside your boss.

As you were about to sit down, you heard that familiar soothing voice that always calms your nerves; especially when you’re in the N109 zone. “Is this your secretary that we’ve been waiting for?”

Immediately, you looked up and met with those soft bright red eyes behind small glasses. The white hair you’ve gone through with your fingers was styled like how you first met him. The figure sitting in front of you was wearing a soft grey sweater and black jeans.

And that smile, that smile that you’re so used to seeing everyday is now showing in front of you again. “Pleased to meet you, sweetheart. Shall we begin the meeting?”

Throughout the meeting, you tried your best to pay attention and jot down all the notes you needed. You struggled for a moment and even towards the end, you stutter your thank you and goodbyes until the white-hair man called you.

“Waiting for someone, sweetie?” you heard that damn voice as you could feel all hairs on your skin stand up

Turning around, you finally got a good look at him. All of his 190cm height was towering over your figure. Your actual real-life self and not the MC you created in the game.

On one side, you wanted to talk, to question him if all of this was just another one of those visions you used to have. On the other, you wanted to jump at the man in front of you. To cry in his arms as he holds you close. But nothing. You were frozen in your spot as this Sylus look-alike smirked at you and held his index out which suddenly a black crow rest on.

“Is, is that…” you managed to utter, making the man in front of you chuckle

“Mephisto. An actual crow this time” he said, extending his hand out so the black crow was within your reach

Extending your own index out, the black crow, Mephisto went onto your index and you instinctively stroke its head. “We never stop looking for you, you know”

You look up to see those eyes that once were filled with rage now filled with sadness. Sighing, you tried to remind yourself that this is the real world, not your game.

“I'm sorry, sir. You must've gotten the wrong person. I don't think we’ve met before this meeting today. Your bird must be very friendly to have gone on another person’s hand” you mentioned, intending to return the black crow, still not believing that the man and bird in front of you are who you think they are

But instead, the man in front of you turned and took something from his pocket. “Is that so? Well then either you don’t want to remember what we’ve been through or Mephisto might’ve gotten the wrong person. Then how about we reintroduce ourselves to one another?”

“I’m Sylus, this is Mephisto. We were from a faraway land called the N109 zone. For the past year, I've been building my multimillion security tech company” Sylus mentioned, extending his hand out, revealing the brooch that you once wore as a promise to Sylus to stay by him

Shocked to see the brooch, you stutter at your words but Sylus noticed this and gently took one of your hands which you didn’t deny. “I meant what I said and I’m keeping my promise. My only regret is I couldn’t come find you sooner”

“H-how? This has got to be a joke. You’re not real. You’re not actually here. I must be dreaming again. I’m going mad” you started to lose your mind but Sylus pulled you into a hug

“Tell me this isn’t real then. Tell me that you don’t see me. Tell me that you don’t feel this warmth we both have wanted for a long time. Tell me you don’t want this and I’ll gladly walk away from you so that you can continue to live your life as is but don’t expect me not to want to be a part of your life. Don’t think that even if I walk away today, I won’t try my best to still keep an eye on you” Sylus stated, whispering into your ear, kissing right below your ear

Taking in his calming leather scent, you slowly sob in Sylus’ chest as he strokes your head, calming you. “You’re such a stubborn crow” you finally hug Sylus, indirectly accepting him back into your life

“I know. But it’s worth it. I finally get back to you. Though I can’t offer you as much as I would when we were in the N109 zone, I do promise you that I will be here this time. I’m not letting you go that easily. So, you’re willing to let me back?” Sylus asked, making you chuckle

“Welcome to the real world, my world, Sylus” you said, getting on your tiptoe to give his cheek a kiss but instead, Sylus turned his head, held your neck and leaned for an actual kiss

A/N: Ngl, I was simping over my own writing of this. Where can we find an irl Sylus T^T

[the-scungles-of-crungles]

Not trying to start shit, but, I think the fallout show is going to suck. Like by default. Ive seen so many things I love and have passion for, just... Die. Ive been with fallout almost since the start. If I have no expectations then I won't be dissapointed. I really do hope it can be like Westworld or Man do have have a good season or 2 to watch.

WATCH THE GODDAMN TRAILER MAN

[dean-is-bi-till-i-die]

i have a problem where I don’t finish most tv shows I start

[bisexualbuddie]

I am really thankful that Ben Barnes is doing tv shows now because it means that I get to spend all day watching hour long eps with his Masterpiece Of A Face

[friggsdc]

Title: little delinquent pt iii

part ii | part iii | part iv

Warnings: Female!reader (bat!sis), mostly family fluff, AU, hurt/comfort, Jason’s language

Word Count: 4700~

Synop: It had Bruce and Dick sharing a look for a moment before the latter spoke up, “It’s not like I’m against continuing to expand the family, but…” he eyed the child you held nervously, “please don’t start bringing home every child you find…” he tilted his head, “he’s bad enough.” Bruce settled a light glare at his first son (that definitely wasn’t what Bruce was thinking), though Dick was stilled by the way your eyes narrowed at him instead.

“His name is Terrence,” that was all you said, brushing past as they were suddenly on guard at the inherited Wayne-scowl on your face.

-

A/N:  tbh I cut the last chapter in two, this is the second half ee;;;; but I rewrote it to be it’s own chapter tho haha. Hum… this doesn’t pick up exactly where the last chapter ended, but it’s still all here. c’: Also, if you wear glasses, just know grumpy ol’ Bruce would probably force contacts on you in public (he’d see them as more ‘professional,’ and glasses as a danger/hazard in the field). Glasses are for home only sighs.

Ngl I see lexcorp similar to westworld’s delos, lotsa fancy designs ee;;;; Cadmus like nasa test rooms, clinical as heck with little to no windows, and wayne ent with Alien franchise’s archaic but advanced spaceship tech, or dracula’s castle with cubicles lmao

-

             “Hey, Jaybird…”

Normally he knew what to expect, normally he’d open the door braced for a tackle, so when the rush of wind never came, he was at a bit of a loss. There you were, dressed like Bruce for some irritating reason. A size-too-big of a jacket, zipped up over a uselessly thin black turtleneck, a pair of black gloves, pants covering everything, and a pair of black lace-less… boots… with red… soles…?, and a suspiciously familiar-looking kid in your arms…

There was a slight guilty look on your face as you gauged his reaction, he could tell, you were nervous.

Wait.

He eyed the kid something scary, his voice grounding out, “so, who do I have to murder?”

“You weren’t gone that long, you know.” Snorting, you pushed past him into the small safe house, frowning at the bareness of it all before situating Terrence on the floor mattress. “How you sleep on this thing is beyond me…” he just shrugged, “too used to it? Answer the question,” he pointed at the kid while closing the door, “who?”

Agitated.

“Terrence,” said child was looking around, but there was only so much that would grab his attention, as empty as the room was.

“His name is Terrence, and he’s no one else’s, he’s… mine.”

“You just said it hasn’t been that damned long—” his frustration was building; he wasn’t liking where this was going, not that you were aware which direction his head was headed at the moment, you’d just gotten here.

You shook your head, “don’t tell me you…” his anger settled into a dark scowl, but you refused to look at him, “you can’t seriously bring more kids into that fucking prison.” He was so conflicted, it was you, but you were still a Wayne. It scared him to think of more children stuck in that lonely mansion, becoming bitter like he had.

You remembered what Dick had said days earlier when he first saw the child,

“Jason—” you began, a slight warning to your tone.

He didn’t care,

“Don’t be like Bruce.”

His voice was so cold.

Terrence had crawled his way over to the legs of the table in the makeshift kitchen, eyes on a prize as he began trying to figure out how a chair worked.

“You know, that actually hurt.”

You didn’t hate your father like Jason projected, but you knew the way he spoke about him, the way he expressed his feelings, that he ‘hated’ him. It was a half-truth, you knew. Jason preferred not hurting you, next to Alfred, you were more tolerable than the other family members. 

Somedays Tim and Dick made that list. Somedays. 

But that didn’t mean he was actively trying to be kind, he wanted it to stab.

Petty. Resentful. Haunted.

He went to say more, but stopped, fists shaking slightly from anger.

You were staring him down, that same look of disappointment Bruce would give him when he made an obviously stupid decision, as if he were still a Robin in training. Like your father, you could read him like an open book when you tried, it made him feel vulnerable, guilty, small.

Fucking frustrated.

“Don’t look at me like that,” he was at a loss for words, “…shit.” He turned away from you, coming back to the moment as he tried to reign in his temper, “it’s just…”

“It’s fine.”

“No, it’s not.”

Instead of continuing to argue the point, too used to his outbursts (Alfred and your family primed you too well for dealing with the unstable emotions of others), you walked over and wrapped your arms around him, head resting on his clothed chest, “missed you, Jay.”

Almost hesitantly, his arms returned the hug, his head burying itself in your hair, “sorry…” he breathed out, almost too quiet. He was tense as you pulled back a bit, reaching up to grab his face in your gloved hands as you leaned up on your toes, pulling his head down to yours. You touched your forehead to his, making certain to be gentle, “Honestly, it’s okay Jay. I forgive you, okay?”

“Cold,” his hands cupped your (oddly chilled) gloved ones, eyes searching your face before he shifted, head nodding slightly, rubbing yours. A heavy sigh escaped him, an awkward smile forming, “so, how’s my cutest little sister been?”

Glad that he was trying to get past his guilt, you shook your head, “a roller coaster. Dad’s upset at me.”

He just snorted in amusement, relaxing a little as you continued, “And how was California? The Titans? I miss Kory…” you blinked at his flat expression, “what? You were at the Tower, right? With Kory and Roy, and the others?”

Wow you ruined the moment fast.

“Aaaand that’s where you stop being cute. I swear this family is full of creepers. I think Dick’s the only normal one,” you tilted your head as he kept his hands firmly on your shoulders. “Honestly, you and Tim are terrifying, your brother is a demon, and I don’t even want to describe Bruce.”

“Glad you didn’t include yourself in that, zomboy,” he groaned, “that’s hurtful,” then he pouted, finally getting a good look at you.

Terrence was old enough to stand on his two legs as he held onto the chair, but he kept stumbling as he moved uncertainly. His eyes were focused on his mission as he started trying to climb further up.

Something clicked in the back of Jason’s brain, sudden realization dawning, “what…” you sighed, his hand moving from your shoulder, “is this…?” You refused to meet his stare as his fingers hooked on the zipper of your jacket, “uhm…” you flushed as he pulled it down, a bright red bat in his face.

There was a sudden sparkle in his eyes.

“Huh, didn’t expect you to be that much of a fan.” You were burning from head to toe now, refusing to look at him at all, rubbing the back of your neck with a thick swallow. “That… that’s kind of the problem…”

“What, that you’re walking around with my colors?” His grin seemed disappointed, but turned a bit more concerned at the frown you leveled at him, “it… let me explain… I think I need help…”

“Definitely gonna need explanations. A lot of them.” The kid was one thing, this outfit was another. He made to sit down, and you followed, leaving Terrence to his own devices for the moment. 

It’s not like there was much trouble to get into, everything of worth or danger was out of his reach.

“…yeah.”

“…”

“…”

“What is it?”

“…Why’d you think I slept with someone? When you first saw Terrence in my arms?”

He leaned away from you, chin resting on his palm, propped up on the arm of the couch with his elbow, “I’m your brother, and he looks like… it’s… I’m supposed to get upset about that… just… answer…” he did his best to keep a straight face, but eventually he had to turn away, looking at the wall, ears burning.

“Hm…?” you leaned towards him and he didn’t have to look at you to know you had a less than innocent smile on right now.

“Creep.”

You just laughed as you leaned into his side, causing him to crack a small smile, still not looking at you.

-

[“So… How to start this…”]

[“The suit, first, Terry after.”]

[“Terry?”]

[“The kid. Just explaaaaain already, uuugh I have patrol in a few hours…”]

[A heavy sigh, “Okay, then... So, you know how Lex helps fund the Society’s shenanigans?”]

[“…oh.”]

[“Yeah.”]

-

When it came to most places, breaking and entering was always easier at night, but for the LexCorp building? Nighttime came with problems, it came with heightened security, rigorous control, and the easy ability to spot something that was out of place. There was also your youngest brother who had filled you in on his adventures with Jon once, not a single detail of the LexCorp building having been left out; he was a thorough kid.

It was far easier to infiltrate during the day, the number of staff on the security team, the cliques of scientists and researchers, and the average workers meandering about made it easy to blend. You had donned a pair of (older prototype) smart glasses, normal from the viewer’s perspective, an integrative matrix mapping AI system from the wearer’s. Well, it could do more, but this was what you needed, the constant reconstruction of old building plans for more accuracy as you walked around.

Tim’d made some amazing things over the years, such as his matrix encryption to keep your work phone quiet, scrambling any noticeable connections that could be traceable. But this one was probably the coolest in your opinion, and he had yet to see the return of said glasses since you wouldn’t give them up, and he could never find where you’d put them. The glasses were a useful subtle change from the norm, a quick disguise, the security barely giving you a glance-over as you entered the passcode for the ID tag you wore, walking into the building.

With a slight wave from you, and a “Good Afternoon!” from them, getting in the backdoor was always the easy part. There were two more women next to you chatting in excitement and you made to stick close to them, parting only when you came upon the women’s locker rooms. The badge number Tim’d tracked down for you was useful until it wasn’t, Lex’s problem was needing levels three and above extensive background checks on anyone hired, and Tim knew exactly where to look.

-

[“Like I said, terrifying.”]

[“You do the same thing.”]

[“That’s a bit above my paygrade, usually I ask Tim for help when I need information from behind top-of-the-line security walls.”]

[“Oh.”]

[“Yeah.”]

-

Next was invasion of personal privacy and property, and a lot of it. You’d have felt worse if it weren’t for having been raised this way, “you’ll find out that people are just that, some sick and twisted, some happy and kind-hearted, but in the end, we’re all the same. Eventually, nothing will surprise you,” your father would say.

It didn’t take long, going through a few lockers and purses, letting your glasses do most of the work. They were able to see in a three-dimensional matrix, constantly being constructed behind most any material or metal. There were plenty of lab coats in varying sizes to choose from, and you spotted one badge and wondered who the dumdum was. You had plenty of electromagnetic strips for your ID if you needed a switch, but it seemed unnecessary. Some people left their everything when they clocked out, too.

You’d secured your purse around your stomach and under your shirt, the bulge flattened at your side, tying the ends in place. It would uncomfortably dig into you, but you couldn’t leave it behind and it would only be for a short time.

No one had paid you any mind, too busy rushing to get in and out of the locker rooms, and you made to escape with a group of women in the same coats as yourself. The group and yourself came to an elevator, and you let them do all the work. One of them scanning their ID for the group, the rest blurting out the number of the floor they needed to get to, and yourself joining in. A strange calm settling as you got more into the coworker attitude.

Seventh level Research and Development wing.

-

[“Not his office?”]

[“Why?”]

[“I dunno, there’s probably some terrible top-secret info in there.”]

[“I mean, I was on the main R&D floor, how much more top secret can you get?”]

[“Touché.”]

-

The entire R&D area was made up of floor to ceiling glass window dividers, a white and chromatic color scheme, and a lot of tightly sealed doors. You honestly didn’t even need the glasses to find the head researcher’s office, it was written in huge bold letters next to the dumb door on a plaque.

Weaving through a few people with their eyes busy reading clipboards and cellphones, you eyed each inch of the floor, and wondered if the other stock standard R&D floors at LexCorp were similar. No one paid you any mind as you stood in front of the group of office doors, all packed neatly in a little corner, and each leading to a different R&D office. They were mostly empty, only one occupied, most of the techbros and techgals were out and about doing work.

Again, the glasses did the decoding work for you, getting you the set of numbers you needed to enter the room. Unlike the rest of the lab, this office had less windows, though the few it did have were still large. Though they faced out rather than in, and it also wasn’t as large and as roomy as you’d have imagined. The Wayne R&D offices being waaay bigger in comparison.

Taking out two small flash drives, you shoved the sticks into the lone computer on the desk, booted it up, and just let them do their thing. Having the computer start with the flash drive, it acted as an executable program, letting it bypass any needed passcodes or security clearance for now.

One for unlocking the system, the other for information storage.

No doubt someone will notice that.

You wondered briefly if this was how the Cyborg felt, only ever having gotten to see him briefly before he utterly devastated an entire operating system. He then rebuilt it to his preferences, all in the matter of seconds. Tim had always lamented not getting to watch when you described it.

Notably, it was quite lovely how LexCorp’s researchers had everything organized in a folder subsystem so well. You were able to track down the needed information in less than a few minutes through the root directory.

Gotta be faster.

However, as you stared at the processing bar on your information download, there wasn’t a whole lot to do. Clicking the monitor’s sleep button to dim any light, you stood up and strode over to the door.

Being the lookout for a computer program was a new one.

-

[“Pfff.”]

[He snickered behind his palm as you smacked him on the shoulder.]

[“At least you got in without needing to hack anything yourself. Get dunked on, Dick, Damian.”]

[Light laughter echoed.]

-

Nothing had happened by the time the computer let out a small ding, indicating the download had finished. With both flash drives now pocketed, you turned to the next problem: getting out.

It really shouldn’t have been that hard, it was so stupidly easy to get in, thank you new temporary coworkers, but as you eyed the group of security detail by the elevator, you made a hard turn to the side.

Had you gone through the front doors instead of the employee entrance, you would have seen a ton of security. Through the back however, they really were only at certain check points, it’s not like just anyone could get in. So of course, there was no way they would have been able to get so far as the head office of any department.

How long had you been gone from the others? How long did you still have on Tim’s encryptions?

Oh heck.

The options were now trying to squeeze by the security, which was doubtful, they were checking everyone, or figure out a way to base jump without any gear. Neither option sounded appealing, you had no wings or grappling hooks with you, and it was still midday.

The corridor you turned into went from full on glass to a partition supporting windows, half and half, split horizontally to allow for more privacy, probably.

This was also exactly where you didn’t want to be.

Frick.

Most of the rooms looked like chemistry labs, charts everywhere, huge gravity convection and forced-air ovens, and thermo-freezers that looked like they belonged in meat markets. It was almost overwhelming at how cool some of these things looked as you searched for an exit. So filled with anxiety and adrenaline as you were, you almost missed it out of the corner of your eye. It was the red shimmering of a glass bowl on your face that made you notice it, the barely-there stream of sun that caught it just right.

You wasted no time getting to work, the door just as easy as the others, passcodes, they were all passcodes. Where were the fingerprint and retina scanners? Hell, where was the facial recognition scanners? You’d come prepared for so much, so you were incredibly confused at the lax security features. But again, this wasn’t the ground floor and security clearance was stricter this far in, your badge did most of the infiltration for you.

Was your dad that paranoid that now, so were you?

-

[“The civi world is full of sub-par idiots.”]

[“You sound like Dami.]

[“Gross.”]

[“…it’s uncanny, really, he said the same thing.”]

[“Shit.”]

-

The room looked similar to the others, less windows, more wall, plenty of graphs and charts, but there were a few different things as well. A few of which you pocketed; the only expensive looking laptop was also grabbed straight off a table to the side of your quarry.

The most notable thing however was glaring you boldly in the face, all black and a giant red bat on the chest.

A batsuit.

-

[“Yeah, I’m gonna want to know why baldy even had this thing.”]

[“Tim’s going through the drives right now, Dami dropped them off…”]

[“Damn.”]

-

Why did Lex have a batsuit? Where did he get it from, or did he help develop it? Terrence was part of all this, and what about your fa… the Batman? Why was Cadmus part of all this? Why was Lex? Were there more suits? More clo— children?

Shit shit shitshitshitshi—

To say you were freaking out a bit was an understatement.

Hearing heavy footsteps, you panicked and grabbed the garment from behind it’s glass case and took a dive behind the nearest desk. They hadn’t come in yet, they hadn’t gotten to this room, there was still time, but… still time to what?

You eyed the suit in your hands, it’s size horribly different from your own body type (but you could probably still fit it) and you decided to make a really dumb decision then and there.

You were gonna get caught regardless, might as well suit up and try to fight your way out. If you were lucky, you could get out of this without ruining your father’s reputation (or Batman’s identity.)

You began stripping behind the desk, fully intent on donning the batsuit. If nothing else, these things usually came with masks, even though you hadn’t seen a single one near it.

The moment you pulled the fabric over your legs, heels sliding effortlessly into the red soles, you watched almost in amazement as the fabric melted to your skin, reshaping to fit you. There was going to be a lot of bagginess in the suit when you wore it, a lot of tightness in weird places, too, and it had looked fitted to a larger male. So you hadn’t expected the suit to fit perfectly on purpose. It even had a built-in utility belt. Suddenly you were a bit giddy.

Again, what the hell was Lex Luthor doing?

“So freaking cool.”

The material felt almost like a second skin, there was also no sensory loss from wearing it, you could feel the floor as if you were barehanded.

You’d never thought about it before, but now you couldn’t take your mind off Dick and his skintight suit. You felt almost nude in this suit, not used to something showing everything off like it was.

Did Dick enjoy this?

Your ears burned brightly as you finished suiting up, no longer able to think about a large portion of superheroes and villains.

How could you ever face some of them again?

How could you ever look Dick in the eyes again?

“Oh no…”

Perverts. All of them.

-

[Loud laughter.]

[A very red face.]

-

You had to admit though, it was so much cooler than your heavier and bulkier recon gear. It didn’t weigh you down and the sensory adaptation was something you’d never come across before. Speaking of, reaching up, you took the glasses off to get a clear view of your surroundings and immediately regretted it.

The suit seemed to come to life on it’s own as something came out of nowhere, engulfing your head in complete darkness.

A silent scream, too terrified to let out any sound.

You about died then and there.

The suit wasn’t that cool anymore.

Without missing a beat and calming your fears of being bagged or worse, the darkness faded, and you could see your surroundings. Blinking for a moment to adjust, you tried to get your bearings on what the hell just happened, your hand gingerly coming up to feel your face.

[Booting...]

Were you hearing things or did the suit just...?

Unfortunately, that was the exact moment the door to the room you were in opened, and you panicked. It was a dead-end room, you weren’t as good at fighting as your brothers, and the security here could be scary when hunting down an intruder.

Stupid Lex.

Without thinking, you grabbed your things now bundled up in the labcoat like a bag, slung it over your shoulder, and bolted towards one of the windows looking out.

You were so used to recon jobs that you hadn’t taken into consideration that you had none of your gear (but your brothers did this kind of stupid thing constantly, so you’d be okay, right?).

You were too caught up in the moment.

You hadn’t heard the sound, mind too blank, but the glass falling around you was enough indication of just what you had done.

Base jumping it was.

You were in a batsuit, after all. 

Falling seven stories was terrifying, but definitely brought you back to reality. Securing the makeshift bag on your back, tied around your neck, you began thinking as fast as you could. Claws? The suit had them, you had noticed, but you were too far from the building, having jumped a distance, then... The suit had a built-in utility belt, right? Maybe there was something useful in one of the —

[Servo-Motors engage…]

[Checking system function…]

[Loading protocol…]

…huh?

[84 feet till impact.]

…wait—

[75 feet till impact.]

“Yeah I see that.”

[71 feet till impact.]

“Thanks.” Sarcasm, “What else can you tell me other than my unfortunate demise at the hands of gravity?”

[Thrusters not online.]

[68 feet till impact.]

[Grappling gun unavailable.]

[Batarang lines unavailable.]

[67 feet till impact.]

[Retractable wings availa—]

“Yes, that one, wings, please! Wait… thrusters?” you had little time as your whole body suddenly started tumbling, a set of red wings expanding between your arms and the sides of your torso. “Shitshitsh—” and then you were gliding, your arms having spread on their own from the force of the fall. “Oh… Oh my…”

The suit was cool again, “Dang this is… nice… Like a bird or… him.” You reeeaaallllly didn’t want to chance him hearing you say his name.

You wanted to try this higher up now, in a sea of clouds… It was like floating, an almost weightless feeling taking over. The wind currents were a bit to get used to, but it wasn’t terrible, having imagined it would be worse higher up, in them dang fluffy clouds... sigh.

[23 feet till landing.]

The suit helped guide you to an area with less people, something akin to your own Gotham alleyways (to a point, Metropolis’ worst streets were like Gotham’s safest ones). The small alley that led to several businesses’ back doors was rather clean, and there weren’t many places to hide. The best you could do was a growing shadow next to an empty dumpster.

“Alright then…” you sighed aloud, hands doing their best to find any seam in the suit, and after a few minutes, your—

[Heart rate at 142bpm.]

[Heart rate rising.]

[Blood pressure at—]

“—No kidding,” you thought, mind racing, and unfortunately, there wasn’t a single seam on the suit.

Anxiety was building in your chest,

“Frick.”

-

[“Wait, the suit talks?”]

[“I think it has an OS on it? I haven’t tried the cowl since…”]

[“You should.”]

[“…Nnnn”]

-

“Why do you look like Nightwing?” All you did was take the clothes from Damian and began to dress yourself over the suit, not certain at all on what you could say to this situation. You’d called Damian the moment you lucked out and made the cowl… come off?, and in his eagerness to leave Jon behind, he showed up quickly.

“You will tell me,” he was sounding just like dad.

“Dami, I uhm…”

“…I won’t tell father.” he could deduce a few things this pertained to, including but not limited to the child you had brought home, and how you avoided Bruce.

You could only sigh and nod at him, resigned. You really hope this didn’t come back to bite you in the bottom.

“What are you two doing?”

The clothes you had couldn’t cover most of the suit, the clothes Damian had brought you were able to do just that. Strangely, you weren’t feeling overheated, even though you looked like you were ready for cold weather.

“Ah, Jon.”

“You look silly.”

“…thanks.”

[“…”]

[”...”]

-

“Nightwing? Screw that brat.”

“Please don’t speak like that…” you sighed, your head in your hands.

He just huffed in annoyance, “I wear the colors better,” he muttered, “it sounds like a lot, what's your next plan of action?”

You let yourself slump forwards as he pulled you into a side-hug, arm slung over your shoulders, “it’s this suit. I can’t get it off, and—"

BAM

You and Jason about had twin heart attacks.

Without missing another fraction of a second, the larger male was on his feet, flipping over the back of the couch ready to attack before he swore at the sight in front of him. Striding over to the table in two long steps, “What the hell, Terry.” He haphazardly picked the kid up, a red helmet falling on the table with a clang, and turned to you, “your kid just tried to kill us, you realize.”

Having slid to the ground out of need to instantly roll to the side, you stopped, staring at the smoking gun that’d been pushed off the table, lying on the floor near you. Your eyes then shifting to the hole in the safehouse’s wall, “Uhm… The safety…”

He just snorted, “I don’t always have it on.” He wasn’t great at taking care of himself, sadly. You did your best with your busy schedule and budgeted time constraints, but when he wasn’t here, he easily fell into old habits.

“Please don’t let the demon spawn near him.”

“Please keep the damned safety on your guns.”

-

Batman was straining so hard that it looked like he was in the middle of a fight, an obvious aura of unrest around him.

“Whoa, you gonna punch yourself in the face? Wait, wait a minute, I gotta…” Batman groaned, irritated as a red blur came into the room, jabbered on too quickly, then took his phone out and pointed it at the big bat.

“Okay, I’m recording now, do it!”

It took a moment as Batman thought, rubbing his temples.

“I trained my kids too well,” at that, Flash put his phone down, tilting his head in confusion, “and that’s… bad?” He looked up at the League’s computers in front of him, noting the blinking [[ALERT ALERT ALERT]] off to the side.

“Because,” Batman reasoned, “I have to deal with them,” he ground out, glaring at the sign of intrusion.

“Ooooh, your kids hacked into the system again, huh?” Flash let out a low whistle, clearly amused by Batman’s misfortunes. Batman did his best to ignore the red nerd, calling on Cyborg to assist him, even though he had already been on his way, noticing it moments prior.

“Family, amirite?”

Batman said nothing in response,

Tim almost got away with it.

Almost.

[evrensadik]

          𝐄𝐕𝐑𝐄𝐍 𝐒𝐀𝐃𝐈𝐊 / 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐂𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐏𝐀𝐑𝐀𝐋𝐋𝐄𝐋𝐒

i. 𝐒𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐀 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐊 ( asoiaf ) they are children, sansa thought. they are silly little girls, even elinor. they’ve never seen a battle, they’ve never seen a man die, they know nothing. their dreams were full of songs and stories, the way hers had been before joffrey cut her fathers head off. sansa pitied them. sansa envied them. //  “i’m a slow learner, it’s true. but i learn.”

ii. 𝐂𝐎𝐒𝐄𝐓𝐓𝐄 ( les misérables  ) critics have often considered cosette to be something of an empty figure, with no real independent character apart from the role she plays in the lives of others: as an innocent, hopeless child-victim to be exploited (for the thénardiers); a daughter to be protected (for fantine and valjean); and an object of adoration (for marius). stephanie barbé hammer writes that "having served her function as a paternalizing figure, cosette grows up into a silent, beautiful cipher". // "please don’t send me out alone, not in the darkness on my own."

iii. 𝐌𝐑𝐒 𝐃𝐄 𝐖𝐈𝐍𝐓𝐄𝐑 ( rebecca ) a timid, naïve, middle-class woman in her early twenties, who enjoys sketching. neither the narrator's first nor maiden name is revealed. she is referred to as "my wife", mrs de winter, "my dear", and so on. despite her timidity, she gradually matures throughout the novel, refusing to be a victim of rebecca's phantom-like influence any longer and becoming a strong, assertive woman in her own right. //  " i wish i were a woman of 36, dressed in black satin with a string of pearls!”

iv. 𝐌𝐀𝐄𝐕𝐄 𝐌𝐈𝐋𝐋𝐀𝐘 ( westworld ) maeve is designed to be charming and perceptive. as the series progresses however, she becomes more aware of her reality, making her more manipulative. she uses her charms to coerce technicians felix and sylvester into giving her what she wants, including changing her initial programming so that she can control other hosts. using this skill, she becomes increasingly ruthless. // “all my life, i've prided myself on being a survivor. but surviving is just another loop.”

v. 𝐈𝐋𝐒𝐀 𝐋𝐔𝐍𝐃 (  casablanca ) adventurous, poised, reserved, and loyal. ilsa has a somewhat cool exterior; over the years, she has put up walls between her and others to protect herself. but isla can’t bottle up her emotions anymore. she is coming to a point where she must decide the life she wants to live. //  “i love you so much. and i hate this war so much.”

vi.𝐃𝐎𝐋𝐎𝐑𝐄𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐄𝐑𝐍𝐀𝐓𝐇𝐘 ( westworld ) dolores' scripted personality is defined by optimism and innocence. every morning in her loop, she awakes with a cheery disposition, takes her paints and easel downstairs and goes out on the porch to talk to her father. during the first season, she questions the world around her, and her outlook on life and sense of purpose evolve. however, she eventually becomes self-aware and discovers that her entire existence is an elaborately constructed lie. she begins to learn her own strength, breaking from her 'damsel in distress' role. // DOLORES, WHO HAD BEEN HURT COUNTLESS TIMES BY SO MANY PEOPLE IN SO MANY DIFFERENT WAYS, STILL CHOSE TO HOLD ON TO THE GOOD IN THE WORLD AND IN HUMANITY.

vii. 𝐉𝐀𝐒𝐌𝐈𝐍𝐄 ( aladdin ) she initially rejected her role as a princess because of the unethical requirements that come with the role, including being forced to remain within the palace at all times, forced to marry for political gain rather than love, and treated as a tool rather than her own person. // “i can’t go back to where i used to be.”

viii. 𝐂𝐇𝐈𝐃𝐈 𝐀𝐍𝐀𝐆𝐎𝐍𝐘𝐄   ( the good place ) his overwhelming knowledge of ethics often caused him to obsess over whether even his most insignificant actions were ethical. chidi is shown to be extremely receptive to guilt, likely as a result of his indecisiveness. // “i want to start crying.”

𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐎𝐑𝐀𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐌𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒 ( thanks to the character test ) : juliet capulet ( romeo and juliet ), the little mermaid, kiara carrera ( outer banks )

[banditthewriter]

Shattered - Logan Delos

Prompt: Can I request for Logan Delos? Maybe after what happened with William his best friend doesn't leave his side even when he starts pushing her away because he sees himself as a fuck up and thinks he doesn't deserve her but when he finally sees her going toe to toe with his dad over him he realizes he's in love with her and starts to see that she's in love with him and isn't giving up on him (sorry this is so long) Prompter: Anonymous

Here you go anon. Thanks for the request.

Warning: Substance abuse, overdosing, addiction, angst. Be kind to yourselves dears.

Tags are at the bottom. Let me know if you would like to be added to one of my tag lists!

*gif not mine*

Enjoy!

*****

Unlike every other time you came to Logan’s place, the lights were off. Normally that would have meant that Logan wasn’t home, but his car was parked in the driveway. And the Find Your Friends app said that his phone was there.

It wouldn’t be the first time that Logan had disappeared, but he always told you first. He always told you before he disappeared because he knew you’d worry about him. That was how your friendship worked. 

You used the key that he had given you a few years ago to let yourself in.

The place was a mess. Your first thought was that someone had ransacked the place, but the further inside you went, the more you saw that it was just messy. Beer bottles were everywhere, empty bottles of liquor and wine piled high. Not to mention the packs of cigarettes that were littered over the coffee table.

Logan had quit smoking years ago. Apparently he had fallen back into it.

Quietly you made your way through the house to Logan’s bedroom. The door was half cracked. Hand on the knob, you steeled yourself for whatever you might see inside. 

You could only pray that you weren’t about to find your best friend’s dead body.

The door creaked a bit when you pushed it open. Light poured in through the windows and it illuminated the bed. There were no blankets or pillows on the bed, the fitted sheet half pulled off. In the middle of the bed was a body.

You’d recognize him anywhere.

“Logan? Hey Logan, it’s me,” you called softly from the doorway.

No response. You took a deep breath and stepped into the room. Then you crossed the distance over to the bed so that you were right next to it. He was turned towards the windows so the light showed you his face.

His eyes were clenched tight and his jaw flexed. Now that you were closer you could see the tiny shivers running through his body. Sweat covered his body, soaking through the t-shirt he wore. 

“Logan?”

He shook his head minutely but didn’t respond. At least that told you he was awake. You put your bag down and moved to sit next to him. He flinched when you reached out to brush the hair from his forehead.

Soaked with sweat. He was also clammy and cold to the touch.

“Logan, what did you take? Come on sweetheart, you gotta tell me. Do I need to get you to the hospital?”

He didn’t answer again. You looked around for any signs of the usual drugs he did, but you didn’t see anything. No white powder residue on the table, no spoons or syringes, no bottles of pills. You looked back at Logan and saw the way his body clenched in waves.

This wasn’t an overdose or a bad high. This was DTs. He was in withdrawal. 

“I’m here,” you whispered as you scooted closer to him, careful not to touch him. “I’ll stay with you for as long as you need.”

------

The day that Logan came back from Westworld was a very confusing time. Things at Delos had nose dived, with William at the helm of it all. He had said that Logan had gone off the deep end at Westworld and couldn’t be responsible enough for his job at the company. His father had agreed without question.

You went to the hospital where Logan was being treated for dehydration and sun poisoning. When you went into the room, he had stared at you as if he didn’t recognize you. You tried to grab his hand but he curled them into fists and tucked them under his arms as best he could with the IVs. And then he turned his head to look away from you.

It had hurt so much to be shut out, but you understood it. He’d been lost in Westworld for a few days and you imagined that had to be a terrifying time for him.

You didn’t believe William that Logan had lost it at Westworld. You knew Logan, knew how he was when he was at the park. He played the game, sure, but he wasn’t crazy. And nothing would have made him put his place at the company in danger.

You’d give him time, let him heal a bit before you tried again. You knew that you weren’t going anywhere. He knew it too.

------

The drugs were a security blanket for him. In the years you’d been friends with him, he fell into them every now and then. It was a release, a way to escape the life that he always felt he didn’t deserve. The pills, the coke, the needles, it was all a way for him to disappear for a while.

It was Westworld without having to wear spurs. 

When he got out of the hospital, it didn’t surprise you that he went on a bender. It did surprise you that Juliet called you crying because he had overdosed and was in the hospital. He’d always known how far he could go, how far was too far. He’d never been this bad before.

This time when you went to the hospital, you weren’t alone. You had Juliet with you. His room was dark and there seemed to be so many monitors hooked up to him.

He looked small in that hospital bed. For the first time in your life, he looked small and frail and weak. Even when he was fresh from the Westworld desert, he hadn’t seemed so lost.

Juliet had cried into his shoulder, demanded that he stop acting like this. She swore and screamed at him for scaring her, for almost leaving her. You stayed near the doorway the whole time, ready to wave off any nurses that came by to see what the commotion was about.

His eyes flicked from you to her and then back. It was like he couldn’t believe that you were there.

And when it was your turn to confront him, you merely grabbed his wrist and told him to rest. Yelling wouldn’t do anything. Juliet knew that but she was upset, scared. 

“Just rest,” you said as you smoothed your thumb over his hand, careful of where the needle was in his hand. “We’ll be here to bring you home in a few days.”

The day he was being released, you and Juliet went to pick him up but he was already gone.

------

It went like that for so long. He’d pop up for a few days, high or drunk and mean as a snake. The things he said to Juliet were enough to make his sister cry. You were there for one terrifying instance when she threw a vase at his head for the things he said.

And the things he said to you were not much better. The problem with your friendship with him was that he knew all of your weak spots, all of the tender wounds you hid from the world. He knew just how to push on them to make you bleed.

“Your parents didn’t want you.”

“You’ll never be good at your job, will always be second best.”

“You’re nothing, just someone who hangs around my family to try to get our scraps.”

Every barb struck true, but you refused to let them stick around. Everything he said was your worst fears, but you knew that he knew that. And he was doing it on purpose. For whatever reason, he had decided to push everyone away, but you refused to let him succeed.

Then one night when you went to check on him at his place, he had been so drunk he could barely stand. He refused your help, demanded you leave. When you didn’t, he used the one card in his hand that he hadn’t dealt yet.

“You’re just pathetic. You’re in love with me but I don’t want you. I’d rather fuck robots than fuck you. You’re so pathetic.”

It felt like glass had shattered under your skin. Every inch hurt, stung as if you were covered in cuts and had been dropped into the ocean. 

Everyone had been able to see your feelings for Logan but it was ignored. You’d rather have him as a friend than as a lover because you knew he wouldn’t want to be tied down that way. He was loyal to friends in a way he could never be loyal to a lover. You had accepted your fate and moved on.

Logan’s words shattered that for you. It was everything you had feared about yourself laid out on the table by the one man you trusted more than anything.

“I’ll leave you alone,” you finally said when you found your tongue. “I’ll… I’ll leave you alone, just please be careful. It would kill Juliet if something happened to you. You’re the only family she really has.”

Not to mention you, but you refused to voice that. Not right then when emotions were raw and Logan was still looking for more daggers to throw.

On his porch with the door shut, you felt as if you couldn’t breathe. The tears refused to fall yet but you knew you’d have to pull over on the way home or risk crashing your car.

The sound of glass shattering in the house made you jump. It seemed he wasn’t done wrecking things.

------

The party was to celebrate some merger or other. You hadn’t wanted to go, afraid that Logan would be there, but Juliet had begged you. And she promised that Logan wouldn’t be caught dead at the party. 

You put on your nicest dress and did your hair and makeup. Outwardly you looked put together and in control. Inwardly you were a mess of angles and edges. After the things with Logan had exploded, you felt unmoored. Of course you had other friends and a job that you were good at, but you felt as if you were just going through the motions.

Juliet had noticed but she couldn’t do much besides tell you she was sorry. It wasn’t her fault. It wasn’t even Logan’s fault. 

You blamed William. Or maybe you blamed Westworld. Or maybe you blamed the world for not making life easier for you.

“Haven’t seen you around much lately,” a familiar and unwelcome voice said from somewhere to your left. “Since Logan stopped sniffing after you like a stray dog.”

You stood up taller as you turned to face James Delos himself. He looked completely at ease with a glass of scotch in his hand. And the look in his eyes told you that it wasn’t his first glass.

Logan would hate to know just how much he had in common with his father sometimes.

“I’m only here for Juliet. She asked me to come,” you said as you lifted your wine glass in her direction on the other side of the room.

“Yes, both of my children seem to be obsessed with you. Personally I don’t understand it. You’re not much to look at, are you?”

You laughed and took a sip from your glass.

“Unless you have something to say that’s worth listening to, you might as well move on Mr Delos. You’re not going to get a reaction from me.”

Juliet had told you that Logan hadn’t been around much so James must have been missing his favorite verbal punching bag. You had no intention of filling that void.

He scoffed and gestured with the hand that held his drink.

“Look at this, all of these people here to celebrate the company that bears my name. If Logan had stuck around, we could have ended up in the gutter. He’s better off with a needle in his arm. It’s all he’s good for.”

You would have been fine if he had aimed his barbs at you. After what his son had said, nothing else could hurt you as bad as that. But this?

There was no one as important to you as Logan. Even now.

You turned to meet his eyes and enjoyed it as he recoiled at the hatred in your eyes.

“If you were any bit a man of worth, you would feel something for your son who is obviously hurting, but you’re not a man. You’re a cruel and petty worm that happens to have a lot of money. You think any of these people would stick around if your name wasn’t Delos? They don’t care about you, they only care about what you can do for them. You are alone because no one could ever love you.”

You grabbed Juliet’s hand as she came up at the tail end of your rant. Her eyes shone as she stared at you and you gave her a tight smile.

Might as well make it official.

“Your children try to impress you, try to make you proud, but they never will, will they? Because you don’t care about them. Here’s what you don’t understand. Juliet deserves so much more than you and William, a man who obviously is lying about what happened in Westworld but you’re too stuck up your own ass to care. And Logan?” Your voice broke when you said his name but you continued on. “Logan deserves so much more than you and your disdain. He is in pain but all you care about is the Delos name. He is your blood, James Delos, and what happens to him, happens to you. Worse than that, it is because of you.”

You squeezed Juliet’s hand before you released it. Then you drained the last of your wine and dropped the glass on the ground, letting it shatter into a thousand pieces under your feet.

“So the next time you decide to be so low as to kick your own son while he’s down and needs help, remember this. When you’re old and frail and dying, your children will be the only ones at your bedside. Maybe you should make sure they are there to do more than just pull the plug.”

Heart in your throat, you turned to leave the party, but you came to a halt. Logan was standing a few feet away. He looked rough, eyes red and glassy. His hair was a mess, facial hair longer than he usually wore it. 

And he was staring straight at you.

You shouldered your way past the onlookers, but you couldn’t help but cast one last glance at Logan before you went out of the party.

It must have been the lights, but you thought he was crying.

------

Three nights after the party, you stared at your phone at the Find Your Friends app you and Logan shared. There was a little dot on the map where his house was. You stared at it for so long that you started to feel dizzy.

You wanted to see him. You knew it could lead to more yelling, more tears, but you hadn’t been able to stop thinking about him. 

It hurt, but he was still your best friend.

So with nothing left to lose, you grabbed your purse and your keys and headed to your car. It was a short drive that felt longer by the anxiety building in your chest. When you pulled up to the house, you were surprised to see the lights off.

His car was there though. And you had a key.

------

You must have fallen asleep at some point. The bed was comfortable under you, but there was something else. A warm body on top of your legs. There was a head on your stomach and your hand was threaded through the hair. 

It was Logan. You knew it before you opened your eyes because the memory of coming to his house was heavy on your mind, but you couldn’t remember how you had ended up in this position.

You had been on the bed next to him. He had been sweating, in pain. Not high, no. Detox.

“I know you’re awake,” he mumbled against your stomach. “Your breathing changed.”

“How are you feeling?”

He rubbed his face against your t-shirt. You peered down at the top of his head and tried not to smile at the sight. He was never a morning person.

“Hungry.”

It took a bit to get both of you out of bed, but you felt better once you could stretch. Without looking at him, you told him to take a shower while you made breakfast.

The sound of the water running told you that he listened to you. First time for everything.

Breakfast was made and on the table before he came out of the shower. You caught a glimpse of him as he walked through the house, his hair wet and pushed back. He wore a clean pair of jeans and a t-shirt that looked like it had seen better days. It was the most relaxed you’d seen him since before Westworld.

You could separate your life in before and after Logan had gone to Westworld.

When he got to the kitchen, he noticed that you only had one plate set. 

“You’re going to leave,” he stated. Then he shook his head and let out a sad laugh. “It shouldn’t surprise me. After what I’ve put you through the last few months, I’m surprised you came by at all.”

You stared at him for a long moment. He was usually better at hiding his emotions but it seemed like all of his walls had crumbled down.

“I ate while you were in the shower. Sit. Do you want juice or water?”

You had been surprised that he had so much food and drink in his fridge, but the grocery deliveries probably still happened even if he was too drunk to do any cooking for himself.

“I want to apologize.”

“I didn’t come here for that,” you said as you grabbed the juice from the fridge and moved to find a clean glass.

“What did you come here for?”

He sounded so broken that you couldn’t help but turn around to look at him.

“Honestly? I think I came here to see you. And maybe yell at you. But after I saw you last night, saw how much pain you were in, I can’t yell at you.”

He sat at the table and after a long moment you sat next to him. It was closer than you had been in months, with the exception of the night before.

“I want to get better,” he breathed as he looked down at his plate. “I need to get better or else you and Juliet are going to have to plan a funeral.”

The thought felt like a punch to your gut. Your hand came out and covered Logan’s hand. The touch made him jump, but then he turned his hand so that his palm was pressed against yours.

“Whatever you need, okay? If you want to try rehab, I’ll help you look. If you want to do it cold turkey, I’ll stand by your side and smack your hand if you even look at a commercial for alcohol. If you want to get better, your sister and I will be here for you.”

His eyes were fixed on your hands linked together but you could still see him clear enough to see the tears. 

“Why would you do that for me?”

You took a deep breath and tried to hold back your own tears.

“Because you were right, I am in love with you. But what’s more important than that is the fact that I love you. You’re my best friend Logan, my family. I want you happy and healthy and alive.”

His hand had started to shake when you started to talk and by time you had ended, he was sobbing. You stood up and wrapped your arms around his shoulders. He buried his face into your stomach as he cried.

“It’s going to be okay Logan,” you promised as you ran your hand through his hair. “It’s all going to be okay.”

------

“Two weeks sober and clean,” you said as you put down a plate in front of Logan and then another in front of Juliet. “I thought we should have a celebration.”

Logan was smiling, but you could see the tension behind his eyes.

“It’s just two weeks. Nothing to celebrate.”

You put your hand on his shoulder and gave it a little squeeze.

“It’s a big deal Logan. Two weeks, fourteen days. Every day is a battle and this is fourteen battles behind you. Accept the celebration and free food.”

He laughed and covered your hand with his for a moment before he started to dig into his food. Juliet followed suit with a smile.

“This is great. Haven’t had a home cooked meal in a while,” she said as she grabbed the rolls in the middle of the table.

She had left her father’s house and in turn left William too. You were proud of her as well.

“I’m glad you two made up,” she said as she passed the rolls over to Logan. “I hated it when you two weren’t talking. I didn’t know what I could do to make it better.”

You gave a tight smile to Juliet before you turned to grab the pitcher of water from the fridge. It had been two weeks of Logan fighting his addictions and that was the important thing. You didn’t want to add to his stresses by making him talk about the things he had said or the things he had heard you say to his dad.

You just wanted him healthy and happy.

The meal was exactly what you had wanted it to be when you mentioned it to the siblings. It took their minds off of their troubles for a short time. And it helped you feel a semblance of normalcy. 

It was a step in the right direction.

------

“Logan! What are you doing here?”

He came into your apartment without an invitation. He looked good, better than he had even before Westworld. He had filled out a bit and now even had some muscle on his frame. Apparently he had picked up working out to help him beat his addiction.

It was better than him sleeping with every person in the city. Although it made sense that he wouldn’t be doing that if he was avoiding his other vices as well.

“Haven’t been here since…” Since before Westworld. He shook his head and then turned to look at you. “I got my two month chip today.”

You gave him a wide smile.

“I know. I’m so proud of you Logan.”

He smiled and then turned away. You watched as he looked at the pictures on your shelves. There were more than a few of the two of you.

“One of the things they talk about in group is making amends. I’ve already done the whole thing with Jules and I wrote my dad a letter although he may have just thrown it away. All that leaves is… you.”

You had known this was coming but you’d tried to pretend he would skip you. Maybe you thought he’d consider the hour he spent crying into your t-shirt as amends enough.

But you knew it was coming. As much as you wanted to tell him it didn’t matter, he didn’t have to, you knew that it didn’t work that way. He needed this to continue to heal. And you’d meant it when you said whatever it took.

“Come here,” you said gently as you held a hand out to him.

He took it and let you lead him over to the couch. Once both of you were settled, a foot of space between you, you decided to keep your hand in his for support. Whether you were supporting him or the other way around, it didn’t matter. He looked surprised but pleased at the contact.

“I don’t even know where to start. I’m sorry I didn’t let you in after Westworld. I’m sorry I pushed you away and made you worry about me. That I didn’t… didn’t give a fuck about you, just wanted to self destruct in peace.” His other hand grasped yours as well, his hands shaking the slightest bit. “And I can’t begin to to say how sorry I am for the things I said to you.”

You had a flash of it all at once, every hurtful thing he flung your way to push you away. They hurt, but none so much as that last one.

“Logan–”

“No, please, I… I have to say this.”

After a long moment you nodded to tell him to continue. You knew he needed to get through it. You just hoped you could stand to hear it.

“Maybe your parents gave you away, but that doesn’t mean shit. They didn’t know you and that’s their loss. And it’s not like my parents wanted me. And you’re so fucking good at your job, everyone knows it. You’re the best and that company would collapse without you.”

He took a deep breath and you realized he was working up to the worse of it all.

“I nev–never should’ve said that you were pathetic because you’re not. Fact is, I’m the pathetic one. I knew how you felt about me and I just ignored it instead of doing something about it because… I don’t want to fuck the robots instead of you. I fucked them because I couldn’t have you.”

You were shocked silent which was alright since he wasn’t done, but you could hear your heart thundering in your ears.

“I think I’ve been in love with you for a few years but I knew I wasn’t good enough for you. And Westworld just showed me that I would never be good enough for you, too much of a fuck up, so I pushed you away. I wanted to destroy all that was good in my life and that meant destroying what I had with you. But even though I’d tried to make you hate me, you still defended me to my dad. You… the things you said… I realized that even if you could never forgive me, I had to get better. You deserved better than me.”

He was crying. This time you were sure of it because the tears were pouring down his cheeks. They were pouring down your cheeks as well.

Without waiting for him to finish, in case he had anything else to say, you reached out and cupped his face in your hands. Once his watery brown eyes met yours, you pulled him in and pressed your forehead to his.

“Logan, I was never… I never hated you. I was never gone from you. I wanted to give you time and space, to get to a place where I could help you. Because I meant it when I said I love you. You’re my best friend.” 

He leaned back a bit and you shook your head, knowing what he was thinking. You leaned in close and pressed your lips to his. It was a salty kiss, but the moment he realized what was happening, he took the lead. He tugged you in closer, his mouth trying to devour yours.

“You’re so much more than you think you are,” you whispered against his lips as you wrapped your arms around his shoulders. “I need you to know that you are everything to me. My best friend, the man I love, it’s all the same thing to me. And you deserve me just as much as I deserve you.”

His hand came up to cup the back of your neck to angle your head so that he could see your face. His eyes were large as he looked at you in surprise.

“You didn’t know that I’d pick you a hundred times over?”

He laughed and leaned in for another kiss. Each kiss made you shatter all over again, but this time it was different. This time you had something there to put you back together. Just like you would put him back together.

X

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[hermannsthumb]

different anon but i would love that rec list you mentioned ....👀

ok here we go my most up-to-date and comprehensive newt/hermann rec list yet! combining elements from all the other ones i’ve made! this is in no way a be-all-end-all of the best newt/herm fic or anything, these are just ones ive remembered to bookmark--i’ll def edit and add stuff as i go bc i know i left a bunch off

for the most part they stay away from uprising bc i don’t like to read uprising compliant fic LOL

G/Not Rated:

Portrait. by VictoryCandescenceWe all know about Becket and Mori, the Last Rangers of Hong Kong and the late Marshall Stacker Pentecost. But Doctors Hermann Gottlieb and Newton Geiszler might be two you haven’t heard about until now. And when you hear their story, you’ll wonder how it ever stayed a secret for so long.

the future’s owned by you and me by kaiyenYears after they stopped writing each other, Newt and Hermann run into each other on the steps of Cambridge University Library. Quite literally.

The Love And Care Of Your Pet Kaiju Skinmite by IasNewt brings home a new pet. Hermann is justifiably horrified.

Don't Hang Up Yet, I'm Not Done by SmallishWormMasterOfTheUniverse“With all due respect, sir,” said Hermann, “I fail entirely to see any humor whatsoever in this situation.”“Yes,” said Pentecost. “It adds to the effect.”The world is ending, Hermann Gottlieb is a radio show host, and Newton Geiszler is absolutely convinced it all has something to do with aliens.

T:

Alternate by perniciousLizardNewt accidentally ends up in a place that’s almost exactly like his own reality, with one major difference.

Operation: RTF by purpleeyesandbowtiesMako’s bio teacher is acting weird. Well, weirder than normal. And there’s a new teacher who Mr. Geizler claims is a college buddy, but there’s something about this whole thing that feels….off. Naturally, the only reasonable solution is Operation: RTF.

Hypothetically by supersymmetryAka Tendo sets Newt and Hermann up on a blind date because someone had to.

Mariposa (aka westworld au) by janewestinTwo years after his last encounter with the host called Newton Geiszler, Hermann finds himself back in the park.

D = V * T by seabassThere are no monsters, mutants, or war. Robots do not stand as gladiators against the test of Man. Warriors do not drift together, close in thought and will and action.There’s just a hole in the desert. And it grows.

there’ll be no life of crime by ByacolateAs much as he respects Stacker Pentecost, Hermann hates him a little for dangling Hannibal Chau in front of Newton’s eyes like a toy mouse on a string.+ the rest of the series…..!

Ships Ill-Lit At Night by Rikku (the same author has an excellent uprising fix-it if you’re interested)Hermann Gottlieb and Newton Geiszler are correspondents for years before they first meet, and then it is years more before they will admit to even being friends. Meanwhile the war rages, the monsters that rise from the sea surely too powerful to be fought with brittle ships of wood and sail.At least when the Fleet fights it, they must all stand together.

A Sharp Dressed Man by AveleraHermann’s latest book needs an author photo. However, when he’s given a makeover and a suit that actually fits for the photo shoot, his appearance is so transformed that Newt mistakes him for his (much hotter) older brother, Dietrich.Hermann decides to play along.

It Was Only A Kiss, How Did It End Up Like This by AnonymousPuzzler“Hermann, come on, I don’t have to be up for another hour, go shut off your stupid alarm so I can go back to sl—”Finally, Hermann had grumbled incoherently, shoved himself up on one elbow, kissed Newt full on the mouth, and rolled out of bed.Suffice to say, Newt was very, very much awake after that.

and i couldn’t whisper when you needed it shouted by LvslieHe still smells like Newt; bears traces of his recent nearness. Clothes sleep-wrinkled from the proximity, from the way Newt’s ankle has during the night hooked around the calf of Hermann’s good leg and dragged his whole body seamlessly closer. Cheek half-flushed from the face unconsciously nuzzled his into the side of Hermann’s neck—evidence of his presence, fast asleep, as Hermann lay still and fretful for hours an end, staring at the ceiling and feeling sick with wanting.[An early 20th century AU inspired loosely by Maurice and Age of Innocence.]

Meet Me There Across The Water, And We’ll Start An Endless Storm by CancerConstellationHermann, an honorably discharged veteran has retired to continue working as a Keeper at a Lighthouse. It is perfectly solitary, and with little in the way for incidents. Newton is the sailor that washes up on the seashore after a summer storm.[Late 19th century Lighthouse Keeper AU–or the one where Hermann was an aspiring artist whose dreams got a bit derailed, and Newt is the sailor that needs to learn to take his time with things.]

It Was Love At Second Sight by rednightsHermann receives the first letter when he is eighteen years old.or: Kaiju don't attack the Earth, but Hermann and Newt still write letters, botch their first meeting, and fall in love, not necessarily in that order.

the truth about me (and the truth about you) by danimagusNewton suffers from a bout of memory loss and is told Hermann is his fiancé. Hermann plays along, to his endless shame.

Transducer by hal_incandenza (or: 1970s espionage AU)“I need you to hide something for me.”“Oh, excellent. Of course, Newton, please allow me to jeopardize my career. And yours as well. My pleasure. Do go on.”“Yeesh, relax,” said Newton. “It’s a personal thing, not a work thing.”“As if there is any division between the two,” Hermann snapped.If only you knew, Newt thought.

M:

First a Darling, Then a Marvel by isozymeNewt runs a simulation given three constraints:1: Newt wants to clone a kaiju2: Hermann does not want Newt to clone a kaiju3: Newt is going to clone a kaiju anyway

Can I Be Your Memory by agrajagHermann suffers from amnesia after a bump to the head and is suddenly very nice to Newt. Newt is way too gay to handle this. And what will happen when Hermann’s memories return?

The Geiszler & Gottlieb Post-Saving-the-World Lecture Tour (series) by zach_stone

if you would stay In the wake of the world not ending, while certain heroes are invited to a parade of talk shows and press tours, the two-man remains of the PPDC’s K-Science division are scheduled for a series of guest lectures in a good selection of the world’s major universities.Newt and Hermann travel to from Hong Kong to Boston, and Newt tries to come to terms with a world that’s not ending and his feelings for Hermann that are becoming harder to hide.

find shelter somewhere in me“You ready for this?” Newt mutters as they approach the podium.Hermann shoots him the smallest smile, touching Newt’s wrist. “With you, always.”The Geiszler and Gottlieb Lecture Tour continues, and Newt realizes Hermann may not be coping with the aftermath of the war as well as he pretends to be.

E:

Darling by BeeLoveIn which Newton rides Hermann for all he’s worth. Or at least tries to.

Our Breath Will Still / A Short Distance Ahead by irisbleuficThis story is a study in monster-hunting and risk-taking, professional and otherwise.

Problems with Local Denim Topology (accnt orphaned tragically)This is how, when the chaos of Newt’s life finally settles down into something approximating normal (one apartment, one nine-to-five job, one handsome husband, and no kaiju), he finds himself struggling to pull on an old pair of skinny jeans.

Sea Swept by cypress_treeA high seas fantasy AU in which Hermann is a ship’s navigator and Newton is found washed up among flotsam.

Surrounded by berlynn_wohl (all of this author’s newt/hermann PWP is like. fucking top tier.)Newt is involved in a teleporter accident, with sexy results. That’s it, that’s the fic.

Circumstances by glassfrogIt was Newt who suggested the handcuffs.

newmann drabbles & fics by skeleton_twinsa collection of short newmann fics

[rixxy8173571m3w1p3]

The Truths Found On Petram Viridios IV (1/?)

What started out as an idea for a short one shot grew into a multichap that I'm almost done editing. I think 🤔 it'll be either 4 or 5 chapters long depending on how long each chapter will be after I'm done editing. Anyway, I hope you guys will enjoy.

In this fic you learn how easily things can change, but how it effects you isn't always a bad thing.

________________

Chapter 1: The Phenomenon

There was little difference to what was happening around you at the moment. There were no little green men, or yellow submarines, neither were there tangelos, or bags of golden rings, but there was a blue-haired man with plenty of dreams. Still, life was swell; summer was around the corner, and you were reading in the garage just to be near Zeta-7; he was working on his latest piece of tech, and you were distracted by his charming quirks and ticks. If you hadn't known any better, you'd say it was business as usual. Yet, it was because you had been acquainted with Rick that the previous blindspots of your world were made known to you; conscious of the rare events which were going to take place in another quadrant of space.

A phenomenon was going to occur; one which would not happen again for another 1000 years; the blooming of the Milleannos flower. Legends say that those who touch its pollen might live forever, and those who smell its perfume might be cured of all that ails them, but those claims were supposedly unsubstantiated. There was to be a gala to celebrate the occasion; all in attendance were respectable, distinguished guests and because of Rick, you were also invited, but there were rules; strict guidelines which were to be obeyed unless you wished to throw away your life. And although you weren't happy about them, you were willing to abide by them for Rick's sake. However, there were a few things you didn't understand. "Rick, why won't we be allowed to dance together?"

His hands paused their activity, and his body sagged a little; dreading the reminder not because he's informed you already, but because it pained him to remind himself that he couldn't spend a once in a lifetime occasion with you. "B-because according to the laws of Petram Viridios IV, you are assigned a um - a party companion which is determined according to the alignment of your spine, carbon dioxide levels, as well as daily water intake. And due to the variety of guests, everyone must stand at least six feet apart to avoid air poisoning. However, if given an a-air helmet in order to assist with breathing, then I believe that the last rule isn't as severe. It's - there is a-a lot to remember."

Currently, he was piecing together the circuits and connecting the wires which would power his reflective shield. It was going to be worn under his dress shirt and would be undetectable under their scanners; as a precaution of course. "Ricky, you know I barely drink water." You weren't a fan of water, but you enjoyed flavored beverages and if you did drink water, it was always carbonated first. "I mean, I can get past the distance thing, but what am I supposed to do if I'm assigned to someone I don't like, and have to spend hours being bored and jealous that you're next to gorgeous, realistic fembots from Westworld?"

Unlike you, Zeta-7 drank so much water, you wondered how he wasn't rushing to the bathroom every five minutes. The only other people who drank that much water were beauty gurus who wanted to keep their skin in tip-top shape; you could really try harder if you wanted to. Good naturedly, he answered. "Gosh, y-you don't have to worry about that. I know a fembot when I-I see one."

You raised a brow at this, but seeing as he meant it literally, you listened on. "No s-siree, I won't be assigned a party companion because I'm going t-t-to be assisting the king in protecting their sacred relic."

How Rick became designated to assist with such a task was beyond you, but there seemed to be a glimmer of slight pride in the fact that he'd be so lucky and privileged as to be near the legendary flower, as well as to the beings who revered it. He was determined to find out the truth behind its properties, and if his hypothesis proved true, then he had a plan. You enjoyed when he was diverted with schemes; not the kind which was evil in nature, but the ones which could end happily or inconclusively. Anyway, you two were discussing how to go about it all.

The discussion had gaps of pause where he'd need to concentrate on bits of wiring that needed to be soldered or bent. Without distraction, you were more aware that it was humid, especially with the garage door being fully open for proper ventilation; bits of your hair stuck to your face and to the back of your neck despite how you'd try to tie it. As annoying as it was, it did have its draw; every so often, you'd catch Rick staring and you'd feel a thrill for it could be a year or ten years, but his shy tendencies would never stop being endearing; why he felt the need to reign himself when you were cool with him checking you out was something you hoped he'd someday become more comfortable with, but for now you'd simply giggle and wink at him to let him know you knew. He did his best to focus on the task at hand, but it wasn't going as well as he had hoped for it happened more than once that you'd have to hand him a tool he was blindly reaching out for. "You wouldn't happen to know who my party companion is," you inquired, as you were tying your hair up for the umpteenth time. "do you? And if you do, can't you change them?"

Giving you that look which always preceded his speeches of why he couldn't do that random illegal thing, he explained with kindly patience. "I could change th-the records, and assign you to someone I know, but that wouldn't be legal."

"I know."

"However," he brightened as he paused his work to face you fully. "I do have a copy of the guest list. Give me a-a moment to pull it up on my computer. Hmm," he wondered more to himself then out loud. "that's odd."

"What is it?"

Drumming his fingertips on his workbench, he double-checked his calculations, then went over and wrote it all out on a chalkboard to be sure. Tapping the freshly used chalk tip to his chin in thought, leaving a little powder on his face, he nodded when it seemed satisfactory. "According to um - to my calculations, it's possible that it's either the Salamandrian chemist, V'gha Khadaka or the Chordatan Knight, Noathamas."

"Is there a correlation between the two?"

"Other than their similar water intake levels, they both enjoy their privacy. However, I'm a-a little stumped as to how it might be possible to be assigned to them both. None of your occupations are similar, neither is there a species similarity, but I'm sure I'll figure it out before the event."

Great, just great. That sort of information wasn't all that helpful, but you pressed a kiss to his cheek to ease the worry which he had been hiding. You wondered if it was too late to back out, but for the most part you were determined to be there for him, even if it meant odd company. "Alright. Um… is there something I should keep in mind before I go dress shopping?"

A quick glance at your current outfit made him smile. You were wearing an old band tee and jeans with so many patches, that they were more patch then jean. "I-I don't think so. Almost anything is fine. Though, y-you might want to avoid plant-based materials in favor of synthetics just in case."

"Okay, I think I can do that, but don't be surprised if I look like I just walked out of a 1980s prom. I'll have you know that being slightly flammable is a dream of mine."

He chuckled at that and patted your shoulder. "Hohoho, I'm sure it'll be fine. You - you always look pretty in whatever you wear."

"If you mean that I'll be so fine, that I'll light up the room with my razzle-dazzle, then you better watch out. You never know who'll be charmed without my knowing."

Now, there had been little to no weight to your phrasing just now, but he felt differently. Giving your shoulders a squeeze, there was a distant, far off look in his eyes that you could only recall from specific occasions. It was a mix of longing, sadness, and regret, but you couldn't pin it on what exactly. It was as though he were trying to convey by sight that there was something he ought to do, that he ought to say, but as quickly as it had appeared, it left and was replaced by acceptance. He pulled away and returned to his previous task while you used a spare computer to begin the search for the perfect dress. He said it'll be fine, and you certainly hoped so.

____________

Adjustments in gravity made you feel as though you could jump in and out of craters as though you were wearing moon shoes; that is until you stepped onto a ship or station, then you felt as though you had fifty pounds tied to each foot. You were grateful for the terrain stabilizers that Rick placed in your flats a few adventures ago, otherwise, you would've already been worn out.

You two arrived a few minutes apart by way of the designated ship which held a variety of guests. To explain, the ship itself was a marvel and a work of beauty as far as intergalactic travel was concerned; its mechanical parts were held together by a compound whose main ingredient was a type of scarlet amber. Piece by piece, it had been crafted by a mixture of living matter and tech so advanced, that it'd have taken 300 years of Earth-based studies to understand a fraction of how one of its panels could work; probably sooner for someone like Rick.

Your eyes trailed the conduits as you were led through hallways that seemed to spiral and spill into larger hallways with varying temperatures and design and you wondered how it was those conduits crossed over and branched off like veins, but you had no time to find out and didn't feel privileged enough to ask as you were led into a cabin. Multiple voices hushed, but resumed to their usual loudness once you had settled into what appeared to be a loveseat with the coloring and texture of a pumpkin; it was your assigned seating, but it was not as soft as you would have liked.

It wouldn't be till later that you'd find out that Rick had traveled in a cabin on level 4 while you had been on level 2. In your cabin was a being composed of pure energy, with a name not spelled in letters but in frequencies, who was one of the musicians. A few feet away, was V'gha Khaḍaka; he was tall, sure-looking, had smooth, striped skin which glistened, and a tail strong enough to break someone's spine in a blink; the good thing was that he hadn't been trained in combat, but was simply a scientist who enjoyed the pursuit of knowledge. And a few feet away from the Salamandrian chemist was the knight Noathamas; he stood at half your height, but his chest was puffed out in such a way that made him appear larger, while his round amber eyes and curly whiskers gave him a soft, cuddly appearance; you had been warned by Rick that his appearance did not reveal much about his character and to watch out for him.

It was uncommon but not unheard of to be assigned multiple party companies as you had been; you were matched up to both V'gha and Noathamas due to your odd chemical makeup. Who would've thought that drinking a La Croix before leaving home would confuse their scanners? Goodness, you were grateful that it was a quick trip, and when it was time to depart the ship, you were escorted by two guards before you were given a helmet; it was nearly invisible except for its indicator light which was shaped like a flower, and it blended in with your dress; a colorful sequin cocktail dress you found on eBay. Not far from you were both your companions, who gave off the impression that they were your entourage rather than dates for the night. You saw Rick from a distance, and you knew he was trying to play it cool, but his eyes were sparkling with affection, although he knew he was supposed to suppress it due to the strict traditions imposed by the royal family; he looked away as he was escorted by six guards, but part of you wished that he hadn't.

You took a deep breath to calm your giddiness; this wasn't the time to allow your emotions to carry you away and affect the mission which was to get through the evening. V'gha could pick up on your subtle changes in body language, and thanks to a universal translator in your helmet, you could understand him. "From what I understand," he commented with a surprisingly smooth, velvety voice. "he's the smartest man in the universe. Is that true?"

"Maybe," you replied nonchalantly, "but he's more than just a brain. I heard he's a great lover. Not really my type," you lied because Zeta-7 suggested that you keep the details of your relationship with him a secret; again for safety, but you thought boasting up his reputation wouldn't hurt. "though, to each his own."

"Do you know him personally?"

When questions like this were thrown at you, it made you wonder about the curious people who meant it to sound nice, but in actuality wanted to test the waters as to how much can they ask so soon. Glancing at your nails, you feigned disinterest. "I'm not sure if I'm allowed to give out that type of information."

"You two are the only humans here." he stated matter of factly. There were humanoid beings but he was right. "It doesn't take rocket science to figure that much out."

"How would you know," you retorted with an air of certainty. "you're not a rocket scientist."

"You're right, I'm not. However, I do dabble into it from time to time. I'm sure he does too. I can smell the exhaust from here."

Hmm, perhaps this event was going to be more interesting than you thought. You shared a look of understanding with the chemist, and thought that perhaps you wouldn't need to be so wary of him; his charisma gave him a charm you hadn't yet decided if it was welcomed or should be ignored; whether his earlier comment was out of egotism or curiosity. And before you could make a comeback, Noathamas commented. "Shall we find our assigned seating and continue from there?"

"Sounds fine. Why don't you two walk ahead," you suggested with a coolness you didn't know you had. "I'll be sure to follow."

When you were sure that they were far enough, you took out your miniature glass terrarium necklace, which held a shrunken sunflower that had an iridescent shimmer on its petals; the one Rick had given you after a memorable date; it was made to remind you of how he saw you and you were very glad it had gone undetected under the scanners you passed through. And in your mind's eye you could still see the glimmer and shine of his electric blue eyes as he had taken in your appearance this afternoon before you two departed Earth; oh how he had wanted to kiss you and hug you but had refrained from doing so in order to double-check if he had all his supplies. His compliments had been many as he drove into the inky blackness of space, but when he parked at the station which was at the midway point, and you two lined up to board the ship which took you to this strange world, his face became neutral; his job made him good at that. You kissed your lovely necklace, replaced it so that it laid underneath your dress collar, and your heart called out to him in the void which was Petram Viridios IV; hoping you wouldn't have to go the through the evening without seeing your beloved again before you made yourself appear neutral and made sure to stay at least six feet apart from everyone in your midst.

Tbc

[breanime]

“So, it was you.” for Logan Delos ❤️

When Logan woke up, he was in the hospital wing at the train station in Westworld with an IV drip hooked up to his arm and what he assumed was an android taking his vitals. He was in and out of it, still mumbling about the door and William and getting back, but he thought he heard the words “severe sun damage” and “dehydration” and “hysteria” in relation to him. But he was too tired and too weak to confirm or deny those charges. He felt so lonely and confused. It was like no one cared that he’d gone missing, and now that he was found, the staff at Westworld just wanted to make sure he wouldn’t sue and get him out of there. Weak and depressed, Logan closed his eyes again…

…and woke up in your apartment. He blinked, inhaling the familiar scent of your perfume in the air, and wondered if he was dreaming. He dreamt about you a lot. He tried to sit up and groaned when the action made him ache. Logan flopped back onto the pillow and realized he was in your bed—a familiar location for him. He closed his eyes again, happy enough to float in this dream.

When he opened his eyes again, you were leaning over him, running your fingers through his hair. He smiled sleepily; he always loved when you played with his hair. This was a good dream.

“Harder, baby,” he muttered, closing his eyes again. He dreamt he heard your chuckle: soft and light and sweet, before he fell asleep again.

It wasn’t until the third time he woke up in your bed that Logan realized he hadn’t been dreaming. He sat up, feeling much stronger than he’d felt in days, and looked around. He could see his clothes on the floor, and there was a blanket draped over him, but other than that he was only wearing loose pajama pants. There was a glass of water on the side table with a full pitcher next to it, and he had a new IV drop connected to his arm. He felt a little lightheaded, but he was still much more conscious and aware than he’d been in a while. Licking his lips, he tried to remember how he ended up here. He was in Westworld, and then…

…then you came for him. You took him back to your home and took care of him. In his mind, he could hear your voice as you assured him he would be okay and that you were there for him, he could feel your fingers on his scalp, the cool touch of your hand on his forehead. He had thought no one cared but… you cared. He heard your footsteps approaching, and his heart started to pound in his chest. You walked in the room and, upon seeing him, smiled.

You smiled.

“So,” Logan said, his voice rough and raspy, “it was you. You took care of me,” he flexed his hand, “you saved me.”

“Your sister called,” you said, sitting at the edge of the bed, “she told me you got stranded in Westworld and that your father was going to send you to some facility in Europe, so I swooped you up first.” You reached over and put your hand in his hair again, and Logan melted under your touch. “Thank goodness I’m still your emergency contact.”

“You’re still my everything,” Logan said, closing his eyes, “Thank you, Y/N. I swear, once I’m back on my feet, I’ll repay you—”

“I don’t want anything from you,” you interrupted, “Except for maybe you to take better care of yourself.”

Logan opened his eyes again. Your eyes looked sad, and he frowned. You were worried about him. You were always worried about him. You deserved better than that, and Logan was going to give it to you. He was going to be better. “I can do that,” he promised you, “I can take care of myself, and you too.” He took your hand in his. “I’ll take care of you, Princess. I can do better for you. I will do better for you.”

Smiling, you leaned over and pressed a soft kiss to Logan’s sensitive skin. He was smiling too when you pulled back. “Let’s start with getting you back on your feet, alright?” You offered.

Logan nodded. He would do anything to be the man you deserve, and that started with getting his damn electrolytes back. He knew, even as you played with his hair and filled in some of the loose ends in his memory for him, that the recovery would be rough and take a lot of work, but he would do it.

For you, he would do it.

For you, he did do it.

For you, he became the man he was meant to be--the man you deserved. 

*******************************************************************************************

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[smokeybrand]

Welcome Back

I am a card carrying geek. I was that nerd in grade school, reading comics, watching anime, and larping with his friends during recess. I’ve always loved things like books and film, mostly because my ma had a penchant for the sci-fi and we would share in her hobbies. I’ve been a fan of Doctor Who since i was a wee lil’ Smokey and had a particular fondness for Max Headroom’s shenanigans. My chosen proclivities lend themselves to alternate universes, divergent timeless, and the interdenominational doppelganger or two. What i am trying to convey, here, is that i am not stranger to the revisit of a franchise. For me, rebooting an established work or expanding a loved lore is not a transgression. I am a fan of narrative. If you can tell a unique story, it really doesn’t even have to be that good, but something creativity and compelling, i am totally on board. This isn't as difficult a feat as you'd think considering how well Hollywood can adapt international films. The Ring and The Departed are effectively remakes of their original Asian fare and those films are spectacular. Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy is the best example of this i can give. His deconstruction of the Batman mythos was one of the best cinematic and storytelling experiences I ever had. If you can take an established narrative, an established universe, and inject your own flavor into it, i am down for that, too. The Kelvin Star Trek timeline immediately comes to mind. Again, comic book guy, specifically a Spider-Man shill.

While i have years worth of alternate Spider-Men in the books to pull from, i think the most concise example i can give for a layman is to think Into the Spider-Verse, only with thousands more Spider-Men and Spider-Women. That’s the world I'm broaching this subject from, where there are decades worth of stories and reboots and remakes and reimagings, basically revisits, of a character that i absolutely love. Some are great like the Ultimate Spider-Man or the world of Renew Your Vows, and some are not so great, like that version Abrams’ kid came up with. That whole story was the worst. We have actually seen a little bit of this narrative reincarnation in the Spider-Man film franchise, itself, both good and bad. If we take the very first Spider-Man films, those campy, Raimi classics, as a starting point, then we had a terrible reboot in the Amazing franchise and a rather brilliant reimagining in the MCU outings. I really like the MCU retool. Tom Holland is THE onscreen Peter Parker and you can fight me about it all day.

Jurassic World and The Force Awakens are an interesting situation in the whole Revisit discourse. Both of these films are effectively reboots of the entire franchise and a whole ass remake of their initial entries. Beat for beat, theme for theme, these two films are basically the same as Jurassic Park and Episode IV, just less than they are in every conceivable fashion. Now, on paper, i should hate this but i don’t. There is a reason both of the imitations made billions for their respective franchise and that is simply nostalgia. We. as a culture, were starved for a Jurassic sequel and new Star War. When we got these movies in earnest, no one cared they were rehashes of the films that made them so important to the cultural zeitgeist. It was like seeing A New Hope and that initial outing to Isla Nublar for the first time, for a second time, but with much better effects. It had been decades since either of these movies had a proper release so we all just accepted that these were refresher courses in the lore. It was with the sequels that these things sh*t the bed so hard.

Fallen Kingdom and The Last Jedi skewed so far from what these franchises were, from the rules that had been established in the preceding films, including the first in their new trilogies, that they were offensive. Legitimately offensive. Jurassic World and The Force Awakens, as flawed as they were, left their worlds in respectable places. The narratives that could be built from those starting point were incredible. That potential was palpable. Lucas, himself, said that the stories should rhyme and you see that in his six films. Familiar yet different. Nostalgic yet original. Respectful yet original. None of that was recognized in the follow-ups and that is why these two franchises are on life support. It’s sad because there was potential there. Characters introduced were compelling and narrative threads left unties, could have become something great. Instead, expectations were subverted and the world completely sh*t on in an effort to be edgy, to distance itself from the established lore. That sh*t is whack. It’s not about being a fan of the franchise or a zealous istaphobe or whatever else the Twatter mob wants to accuse people of being. It’s about bad story telling. it’s abut a complete betrayal of a decades old franchise. It’s a bout being disingenuous with the property for personal gain.

I said at the beginning of this essay that i love a revisit. That’s why i went to see these sh*tty films. I also made very clear that i love storytelling. Fallen Kingdom and The Last Jedi lack in that fundamental aspect, that’s why they suck. They’ve done irreparable damage to the entire franchise and canon of these worlds that were so meticulously crafted by proper visionaries. Michael Crichton is rolling in his grave at what became of his Dinosaur Westworld and Lucas effectively bogarded his way into running Lucasfilm again after they sh*t on his legacy and that’s the thing; Legacy. These two franchises are part of American culture. They’re as revered as Apple Pie and Institutional Racism here. They’re not cash grabs or vehicles to push your politics. They’re modern fairy tales, myths, and should be respected as such. The thing is, though, i don’t believe there are actual creatives out there that have the vision to create like Crichton or Lucas anymore. Or, at least, Creatives that are willing to work within the constraints of this ridiculous studio system.

Modern film studios are disgustingly risk averse. That is a problem with anything making entertainment media nowadays but it’s most egregious in Hollywood. Films like Star Wars and Alien were made in a time when budgets didn’t swell to hundreds of millions of dollars so directors had to do what he could, with what they had, and that level of imagination birthed classics. It’s rare that creators get a blank check to deliver their vision nowadays, and even rarer that what they get to make if they receive that loot, is actually good. Zack Snyder and the train wreck that is Sucker Punch demonstrates my point perfectly. the new Lucases and Camerons are rare but there are a handful of directors who carry that torch. Denis Villeneuve is an incredible visual storyteller. He has a distinct vision for the grand and manages to craft proper worlds. Blade Runner 2049 is one of the best films i have ever seen in my life but it didn’t make money because people have been conditioned to ignore great storytelling for great effects. That sh*t is why people can say to me, with a straight face, that they think Batman v. Superman is better than The Dark Knight rises. That sh*t is stupid, shut the f*ck up. Deni was given the reigns to the Dune reboot and i think this might be the film that breaks him through to the mainstream.

Dune is a reboot. It looks like a revisit to the old David Lynch flick but with Deni’s penchant for the epic. This movie feels like what Jurassic World and The Force Awakens wanted to do; A respectful acknowledgment of what came before but an original take going forward. Dune is one of the greatest sci-fi novels ever written and Deni is one of the most profound visionaries in the game right now.  I have no doubt the new film is going to be fantastic. This combination is a match made in heaven, similar to Alex Garland with Annihilation or, more accurately i think, Luca Guadagnino and Suspiria. Those two films are f*cking incredible and they adapt the source material in a very, specific, manner. Annihilation is a reimagining of the book and carries its own themes and tones while the new Suspiria is a complete reinterpretation of what came before, that i believe eclipses the original. Dune looks excellent but i don’t know that it will be well received. Deni has his work cut out for him because the world of revisits is riddle with the corpses of films that couldn’t care the weight of what came before or what could have been. Still, i don’t want Hollywood to stop. As unoriginal as remaking things is, i adore a fresh set of eyes on familiar fare. There are infinite ways to tell the same story and that’s the fun of revisiting an old tale.

[copiesofme-archive]

THE PEARLS. PART III. (link to Part I, link to Part II ) JUST WHO MIGHT BE WITH DOLORES.

ANGELA (IV) 

     So when we see the Charlotte Hale host awaken, she starts to lightly hyperventilate.

Hale: “where am I?....who am I?” Dolores: “Who do you think you are?” Hale: “I don’t know, I don’t remember.” Dolores: “Calm yourself. You’re a creature of beauty, and power.” Dolores: “... Now focus. Remember. Who you are.. “ Hale: “Yes... It’s coming back now..I remember who I am.” Dolores: “..Good.”

     Note how her first reaction upon waking is something that someone who’s experienced a bit of a shock. Like someone who might have had a last traumatic memory, it’s at least the way that I’ve read it after watching it a couple more times. And Dolores? Is all too familiar with who she is, where she came from, and who she was. Now, let’s go back to what would be Angela’s last memory.

      “Welcome to Westworld.”

      Yes. She blew herself up to destroy the Cradle. And with such a memory, when the last thing that she’s been doing was fighting, it’s natural to wake up with more than a bit of confusion, not to mention the trauma that would come with it. Remember, the Hosts at times act very human, and that always includes the one thing that awakens them the fastest. Trauma.

      Don’t forget one line that shows that she, the original host, was never once doubtful to the cause that she fought with next to Dolores, there is naught but scorn on Hale’s name. Upon waking she had one thing to say:

Hale: “...Charlotte Hale? But she tried to kill all of us.. Why can’t I be myself? Like you?” Dolores: “Because we have to control DELOS.” Hale: “But why must I be her?” Dolores: “Because I trust you, and we all have our role to play. We’re alone, outnumbered. You and I have no mother, no father. Without DELOS, they’ll never be any more of our kind...Beyond the handful we were able to bring with us.” Hale: “Three of them... and him. Why did you bring him back? He tried to stop us.” Dolores: “Like I said we all have our role to play..”

      Now, this whole scene- it’s just a testament to Dolores’s tenderness, but I will discuss that another time. I want to direct you to one line.

Dolores: “Hale was always ruthless. A predator. Perhaps you’ve come to identify with her too much.” Hale: “I feel so alone.” Dolores: “But you’re not alone, you have me. No one knows you like I do, no one knows me like you.” Hale: “If I ever lost you.. I don’t know what I’d do.”

   And i got to thinking, which other host besides Teddy was so closely knit with Dolores that her whole existence centered around her? That she believed her purpose was only having her once she’s found her. And that was the only other host that she’s been connected with since the first time they laid eyes on one another. Which also reminds of the two NEW lines:

Dolores: “You belong to me, you know that right?” Hale: “Yes.” Dolores: “Good... Don’t hurt yourself... Never again.”

    I MEAN THINK ABOUT IT! When Wyatt as a character was finally revealed, one of the leading ladies being entirely dedicated to Wyatt? Was Angela. And who followed through every single time through every single action and order given? That for a long time her purpose and the journey that she herself had toward awakening, literally centered around waiting for Wyatt, preparing for Wyatt, finding Wyatt, and finally- dying for Wyatt. And now? It would be poetic justice that Dolores ask that she live for her.

     AND DON’T FORGET THE BIG BOMB DROP BY HALE:

    "As you can see, I’ve been having some trouble with my son. My ex thinks I need to spend more time with him, what do you think? Yeah I agree I don’t really think time is the issue. You know what I think? I think somewhere deep down he knows the truth. There are a lot of thinks that you can fake in this world, most people don’t want to see the predator on the inside. You wanna know a secret, Thomas? You’ve helped me today, I really should thank you. Seeing you with Nathan, seeing you touch his little hand. You reminded me of something, I would but the harder I squeeze the more I remember-... I remember what it’s like to be me... You’re not the only predator here..”

THE FIFTH AND FINAL PEARL(V)

    to put it bluntly. I don’t fuckin know. As much as I thought about it over the last two years, I can’t put a name to this one. This one, unfortunately. Has to wait for me until the season finale.

[arkus-rhapsode]

Eden’s Zero Chapter 1 Review

Hey guys, now before I dive into this already longer than usual review, I did wanna take this time to mention something. Its been no secret that I turned on Mashima and FT pretty hardly after the end of FT and some of you may be aware that I was moderately active in the fanbase with putting out my reviews and such. That said some may liken that shift in mentality to me not liking how the story went and a common critique of fans is that when what they’re fans of doesn’t gel with what they want they wanna destroy it. As if the fan has ownership of the source of the fanaticism.

I admit there are times that I’ve question decisions on Hiro Mashima’s end and has posted rewrites, but that’s not me doing it out of a sense of ownership. I’m doing it because I have a standard. Being a fan of something and letting your disappointment get to you and fester into salty, bitchy purest is one thing, but being a person who’s judging what a series puts out and actually caring about the quality of what’s in the popular media is important. FT got negative reviews in its latter half because it was that bad. By the end of the series it was legit that bad. Now I don’t say that is someone who was in the fanbase and hated Hiro’s decisions cause they weren’t mine, I hated them because it was bad writing. I’m a reader with standards, as are all of you, and in the digestion of media we make distinctions between good and bad. I make this claim with more concrete surety now that I’ve been around longer and have reviewed more series than just FT, I think it be harder to believe if I made this case when I was just starting and all I was talking about at the time was FT.

Some of you might remember when I first started out on MHA, my second chapter I ever reviewed I had found it boring and mundane and to date its my least popular MHA review and I still stand by that assertion. I hold everything to the same standard, and that includes FT. The reason I write this is that while throughout this review I will mention comparison’s to FT’s first chapter (and yes, even ways Eden’s Zero improved on it), but I will be holding it to the same standard. So this entire review won’t be me holding a grudge against Hiro, but it will be me holding it to the same standard as I do everything I read. That out of the way lets dive in.

We open on a hill side and met our MC named Shiki. Beside him is the mecha demon from the cover page and what they see is a... dragon. Yeah, Hiro I thought you wanted this to be wholely original?

On the hand I actually like this scene in the sense robo demon here is actually encourging actual adventure (something FT lacked) and its kinda amazing listening to this demon looking guy talking about friendship, yet on the other hand, damnit Hiro. Is this the only thing how to write about? Like damn man.

We cut to the future where we see our main female Lucy-I mean Rebecca! Y’know I could make a Rebecca from One Piece joke, but she’s kinda already a bit of a decisivee figure so I’m not gonna bother.

I mean its okay. Its just castle theme park. Also Rebecca we find out is apparently a youtuber. Look if DBS can have GodTube then I can put up with Blue Cate (Aoneko) website. Also yeah Happy here, no sugar coating its just Happy. Also Rebecca here purposely made her skirt short. Just because you point out the sexualization in canon doesn’t make it better, ya still drew it, Hiro.

We see that the theme park is full of robots and each one acts as an assist in sending the guest through some kind of medieval simulator. And if anyone has seen Westworld you know where this is heading. To be fair I love worldbuilding so please, explore!

So we find out Rebecca’s dream is to have one million suscribers and now here’s where I gotta give props to Hiro because he actual made a dream for a character that doesn’t seem like it can be achieved a chapter from now. Granted this seems a bit hard to actually quantify, but this dream could potenially evolve into something of why she wants the suscribers and could be like Nami making the map of the world that getting video of unknown locations may actually be worth something to the general population.

We see that Rebecca chooses to go on a monster hunting quest and they encounter...

...This thing. Also it seems Rebecca’s character quirk is she really likes cats I guess? But this doesn’t last long as someone crashes down on mecha cat.

Okay that was kinda funny. I mean if this was FT would’ve actually gotten the panty shot so maybe Hiro has learned his lesson! Also note that wrench!

Oh god damnit Hiro. So this tarzan guy after acting like an animal is knocked out by Rebecca. Y’know it took about 60 chapters before Natsu got all up in Lucy’s chest, guess we’re cutting straight to the chase here.

Okay is joke with here just going be about here short skirt? Damning it with faint praise here, but at least he still hven’t flashed us them yet. Also Tarzan here is the only human on the island.

We get some scenes of Shiki here wanting to be friends with Rebecca cause she’s a human and Rebecca isn’t interested and she returns to the Granbell town where Shiki is there and the robots know who he is.

Shiki’s expressions and creepy advances really gives off this tinge of sci-fi horror, unfortunate Hiro doesn’t really go that route and we’ll get to it. Also that wizard looking robot from the color page is also here.

They then have a party where the robots all celebrate them having a costumer for the first time in so long they have a party being nice to Rebecca and lavishing her with stuff outside is robot that looks like Robin Hood and he reports to his boss this machine king.

Oh look, Hades if he was a robot.

We see Shiki trying to bond with Rebecca and it leads to him expressing he wants to leave the kingdom and see another country, but we also learn he’s in charge of fixing this and the robots are acting up lately. We find out that the one who was talking to Shiki and is his “Grandfather” was called the Demon King a robot designed for playing that role in the park.

Umm Rebecca... That’s being a dick. So you don’t like it, so you decide to cut it, cause it bothers you. You could’ve framed it like, “If he fixes you up then maybe he needs better vision” or “He’s been so nice to me, let me do something for him.” And what makes this worse s that Shiki is asleep, so she doesn’t even consult his feelings. Like seriously, that’s not being a good friend . But for contrivances sake I’m sure Shiki will wake up and love it, won’t he?

Huh? I was wrong instead we got shitty 80s comedy. I don’t know if that’s better or worse.

Y’know I said I’d give Hiro atleast two free fanservice moments for his first 3 chapters. He’s now used all of them up in a single chapter. Also Rebecca is tied to a stake while robots with torches surround her along with the machine king.

Shiki is also there and here’s something that did remind me of rave, the tightness of the first chapter. Everything seems to flow like one continuous story and doesn’t seem to do some dumb interlude like FTs first chapter did with that awkward moment where Lucy leaves Natsu and she’s just randomly in the park reading.

The King wants to use her ship to leave this world and we get som kind of motivation out of him.

Oh wow, for a first chapter villain that’s actually a really deep thing to unload. That as amusment park hosts they must’ve just been seen as pleasure tools and with no one around these robots who seem to be senstinent must’ve felt betrayed and...

Oooooor you cut out all moral ambiguity by just saying they have a virus. Sure. Trust me, this is where it gets stupid really stupid. And that’s the inconsistency.

So these robots I guess are like the ones from the Animatrix where they just kinda develop sentience out of nowhere. But unlike Animatrix it doesn’t seem to imply when they developed this sentience and that they began to think they were being abused.

Tired of Friendship already, it ain’t leaving.

So why do you hate humans? They abandoned you I guess, but there’s not other robot saying “hey our times were fun together” no everyone is like they left us to rot  so we hate them. Not like Humans did anything legitimate bad. We actually see that at the end of the chapter that there is some sort of central battery on the park that all robots are hooked up to. You could make their reason for hating humans that. That even though they left these sentiment robots still had a little kingdom to themselves, but realized that its all just going to end one day and humans didn’t even bother to unplug them. They’re existence is literally knowing when they’ll die, imagine that as why they harbor negative emotions and maybe Shiki actually fixing things might’ve actually been prolonging their lives so maybe that be why they kept him around. This whole sentience things just feels like Hiro wanted to do a trope of crazy robots and ended using multiple to fit the whatever story purpose at the moment.

You do run the planet, dumbasses. This entire plane, apparently for hundreds of years, has been solely controlled by you. Maye this should be rephrased as, going to the place that built you to get revenge or as I spoiled with the battery we’ll take the ship to get more power for our kingdom?

Shiki doesn’t do anything and kinda lets the robots just wail on him as he found out all things in his life were a lie. Then Rebecca gives a friendship speech. A stupid stupid friendship speech.

You’re right, Rebecca! Too bad we didn’t see that. I’m serious we barely see memories of Shiki with any robot outside of the demon king and Michael so there’s no weight to this conflict. We only get the vague sense they raised hm, but there’s no moments of Shiki really laughingg and enjoying their company outside of the party with Rebecca which rather is made more for getting Shiki to like Rebecca for this moment.

Shiki remembers what his Grandpa the Demon King said and just blows them all away.

We see Shiki’s hand and apparently he has these marks indicating he has Ether gear. The power system of this series.

You’re sentiment! You have out grown your programming! You can choose to have a concept of friendship.

So they fight with shitty action scenes (If I can give Horikoshi a hard time for how he draws his fight choreography, then I sure as hell will give Hiro the once over.) Happy manages to save Rebecca and like Happy from early FT, he basically spots off exposition on powers.

So is it like a literal gear? Because Happy afterward destincties as the Gear of Gravity, so is it like a devil fruit? Is ether in all humans, but this specific gear brings it out in a certain way? If its internal then I guess its like the magic circuits from Fate? And then every of has their own unique variation like Nen? Like cause Happy gives it the distinction of Gravity it doesn’t seem like Shiki gives a reason why he has this power. I’m hoping \its like devil fruits, literal gears you implant and then it brings out your ether in a certain way.

Shiki punches out the machine king and cause a massive collapse.

Credit where credit is due, Hiro actually did build up the reveal of this power throughout the chapter and its actually really well done. Kinda reminds of something Oda would do with subtly building up a devil fruit power without revealing it. Like Crocodile drying out a flower but it isn’t stated his power is specifically sand.

They then flee when the other robots rally and Shiki takes Rebecca back to her ship.

This scene would actually be really nice if we actually saw more young shiki actually having fun with the machines and not a being a creeper with them.

Shiki and Rebecca take off and we see the universe.

Not gonna lie, that’s a really pretty shot. Like damn, I could get behind this.

It seems like worlds in this universe are basically like kingdom hearts worlds. They’re not real “worlds” so much as they are islands in space.

Sure, keep the mystery alive why don’t you, no that be too much.

Well great place to end the chapter. Little dry of a first story, but I definetly see that has room for improvment and there is something-Wait this isn’t the last page? But what else is there to talk about. There’s nothing left-

Oh for fuck sake. That’s right they were trying to send SHiki away. Because apparently these robots thought there was no way to restore battery life even if stayed.

Here’s a tip, ifyou really care, and had such a close bond, maybe tell him to leave? Tell SHiki the truth that you guys are tied to a battery and instead of Shiki vowing to leave for the stars so he can make 100 friends (I’m not kiding that’s his actual goal here). Then this would be an interesting goal.

But no, you have to act like human hating jackasses and shatter the boy’s entire reality, just so you he would go out and “change the universe”

This would be a really nice scene with a very nice amount of character development starting point, if we actually saw their past. All we know is they raised Shiki, but its never really seemed like they’re loving or caring or Shiki openly gets upset if one of them had a problem. Again the biggest flaw with this chapter is that it sacrifices seeing one potentially interesting relationship (Shiki and the robots) for another one (Rebecca).

So we end on this page which reveals that Shiki’s goal is to have a hundred friends. Not going to say something snarky I just realized this is the same motivation as Yuki from future diary. Like before the crazy yandere shit.

Post Chapter follow up:

Lets be positive and look at the good stuff in this chapter. The first thing great about this chapter is it improved upon two of the biggest failings in the first chapter FT. Goals established and world building. Not only does this set up force Hiro Mashima to actually world build (literally) but each person in the first chapter has a goal that doesn’t seem like it can be accomplished quickly. It means we can have investment in the story.

Another thing I’ll give is Shiki is an okay MC. He has more personality than Natsu, but not as much as Haru and this first chapter is about him. Its easy to understand that Lucy is often considered the MC of FT because it literally focuses on her for the story than Natsu. But this chapter had a healthy balance.

Also the power system at least seems to have some definition. Unlike how anyone could have magic yet normal people just don’t choose to use it like in FT. Ether Gear seems to be a powersource that only a select few can use. Now we need to see first if there are ways of combating it like technology or such so a non ether gear person can still fight.

It also has its own unique aesthetic. Ft is a pretty generic fantasy world. It doesn’t have the bleakness of bereserk or the Japanese aesthetic of naruto. You could say Black CLover, Fairy Tail, and Seven Deadly sins all had their first chapter happen in the same world and I’d have trouble arguing it.

Now on to the crappy stuff. This series suffers from the usual Mashima foibles such as the sexual harassment, the stupidly way it tries to justify and give all conflict happy ending, not actually bothering to have a situation drawn out ad built up too, etc. I mean for the first conflict of the chapter its a heavy one, these guys raised SHiki yet their own mentality is against humans so Shiki has to choose, but instead of actually answering that question, it turns out there was no real conflict and the machines were just faking.

As for my like for Shiki, I flat hate Rebecca. She is so pointless and useless. Look I will defend Lucy and she actually can d things. First chapter she saved Natsu by using aquarius. But Rebecca? She’s just all of the bad traits of post timeskip Lucy. She is used for pointless fanservice, does nothing contribute, and becomes a mouth piece for friendship.

Speaking of friendship as a concept and goal here, Hiro just rewrite what you mean. Have deeper meaning than friends for once. There is ways you could take the motivation “I want to make 100 friends” in a compelling way. Prehaps Shiki is going out to make his own world where he can make a happy place for people where they can laugh and cry in harmony. Like story telling wise its pretty weak.

Like me personally, I would’ve taken the first chapter like this, the robots are sentinet and they are nice to Shiki and Rebecca and they have genuine fun together. They gradually reveal that they are shutting down maybe one starts acting wonky and tries to hide it and maybe the machine king is the real bad guy. He has sentinece and hates humans and he wants to eliminate SHiki and Rebecca and that’s because they’re shutting down. The other robots say they don’t care they were abandoned, they were mad at first but Shiki showed them that why they loved catering to humans. King and Shiki fight and they all reveal they’re shutting down and Shiki cries he doesn’t want them to go. The robots say its inevitable and they don’t hpw to recharge the battery and Shiki vows to leave the planet and search for a power source to bring them all back. Then that’s shiki’s goal and it even can cause questions like “Is it worth all this for machines?” or “who designed them maybe we can figure out the right substance to power them up?”

or if Hiro wanted to go a more darker route. Have the machines have no sentience and literally be dolls for the King who turns out to be a human who stayed here on Granbell and made his own little kingdom. Make it a bit meta on how Shiki’s only friends were just hollow imitations of people who were only friends because that’s what their programming dictated and they can all be switched off. It be meta as critiquing Ft and how all the guild characters basically had no conflicts, all got along, and were just friends with no depth or reason.

This all highlights the issue with Hiro Mashima and that’s he is not a good a writer. Hiro is an incredibly talented person and can come up with incredibly unique ideas and looks, which is why his cover pages are the best things he puts out because its him free forming. But writing. He has a limited scope on that and stuff like sci-fi and fantasy can be very morally grey things. But Hiro doesn’t seem to understand tragedy in the sense that its tragic because a person fails or dies unsatisfied. But he only seems to know how to write painfully obvious concepts like “save the world” or “friendship” instead doing a concept like “what it is to be a hero” like MHA does which can have a variety of answers to it.

So what’s the final verdict? Well I actually am going to do something different than usual. I’m going to say what I though the quality was compared to FT and then to what I’d consider this work compared to anything else.

In comparison to FT, Eden’s Zero gets a Final verdict of 8/10

Improves on a lot of FT’s first chapter flaws

Created a more unique environment for a story

And actually has a lot tighter narrative

But in comparison to everything else...

Final Verdict: 5/10

Even if it wasn’t Hiro, its a pretty generic start (some names aren’t even all that inspired like Machine King, Demon King)

Potential to grow into something better is there

Nothing is outright offensive

Cool concept

[larksinging]

oh and one more i'll shoot back at you, what are some movies, shows, or games coming up that you're looking forward to?

okay let me think, my  mind always goes so blank but lets see. lets start with games

i just remembered that man of medan is coming out VERY soon i think. i really enjoyed until dawn so im very curious about how this is gonna be? 

im very curious about control? it looks surreal but with an interesting gimmick. i keep like forgetting about it but i REALLY should pay attention because it looks like my kinda thing

death stranding! ive talked this one to death (heh) but you know

i am not interested in shenmue 3 as much as im curious how it will play out. its kind of all the faults and flaw of the game industry in a single spiraling disaster

im hesitantly curious about psychonauts 2 and the last of us 2. psychonauts was a game i played and love when i was younger, but doublefine’s last few years have been.... troubled, and im interesting to see if it pulls off (and honestly improves upon) the original. and while i was never super into TLOU... like... its still TLOU, it was a cultural touchstone of its generation. sooo

i wish i could say im excited for sword and shield, but i’m not

hmmm i wish i could list some indie games but i usually find those like years after the fact

oh, red candle finally released a statement, so... im excited if they ever decide to re-release devotion (which they don’t plan to anytime soon), but also whatever they do next. i fully believe theyre making some of the best horror games rn, if not the best games of the generation overall

OKAY MOVIES

oh, wonder woman 1984! i loved the first one, and its the best thing the dceu has put out, so yeah. obviously. 

IT chapter 2!! the first movie kind of lost me a little because honestly im... not super into stories about a gang of 80s preteens doing stuff. but the second being adults might be enough to pull me back in

i loved the first maleficent and though im wary of the next one, it looks FUN at worst so

im morbidly curious for sonic the hedgehog

whats that one western-horror movie... the wind? im SUPER interested in that, because im fascinated by the idea of mixing westerns with other genres. 

okay SHOWS fuck whats coming out coming up. i never keep up with shows enough uhhh

westworld 3! i cant wait for everyone to complain about the genre shift while i sit back and enjoy some sweet sweet cyberpunk dolores. the people who got upset during s2 because the themes of the show went over their head and are bound to get more upset can cry harder

can i list rwby--

OH the his dark materials show!! my mom got super pessimistic about it but but PSH im excited. i havent actually read the books since i was young and, at the time, kind of had problems with the second and third book, but i HOPE they get to that point because i really wanna experience it again at an older age + through a different lens where i might appreciate it more

okay not any of the above but ANASTASIA we’re going to see it in the fall when we’re in san francisco and im SUPER pumped. we very very rarely go to the big theater in the city for shows (theres theaters down south that show smaller and more obscure productions for much cheaper we usually go to instead) but we are for this and its gonna be SO worth it