#level of locked in we all try to achieve

[jedimayukidaawesome]

I have a hot take, and I just wanna air it out here.

I’m going to be honest, I wonder if deep down people actually hate Caitlyn because of her wealth allowing her to act upon her grief. And I mean what she ACTUALLY did, not what she did plus huge doses of exaggeration (looking at you “she gassed the lanes and everyone suffered because of her” crowd - she gassed the HQs of two chembarons and the arcade where Jinx was. She didn’t gas the whole of the lanes and none of the innocents there).

If Caitlyn didn’t have the wealth and status that she has, she wouldn’t have been able to hunt Jinx, the Chembarons and the Shimmer factories with a strike force. She rolled up with her team to a secret council meeting and didn’t get locked up or thrown out because she had a cause to be there as the Kiramman heiress. She also more than likely wouldn’t have been chosen by Ambessa to rule under martial law if she was a commoner. Her convictions aside, no one of the ruling families would’ve respected that decision, and Salo would’ve been manipulated and given control instead.

If Caitlyn had no status whilst being an enforcer, and Cassandra was a lower class woman who died working in that building, it would’ve more than likely been a one woman rampage through Zaun, with or without Vi, trying to hunt down her mother’s killer. She still would be pissed, she would still be grieving, she may still try to get the Chembarons and Shimmer destroyed, and her quest for revenge would be seen as more justifiable and sympathetic to the average viewer. Her not being rich makes her “relatable” and “misunderstood”, whilst her being rich makes her “monstrous” and “not relatable”.

The difference is that it’s far harder to do so as a simple enforcer as opposed to someone with power. If you’ve ever hated someone that deeply - a drunk driver that killed a relative, a bully that drove your friend to self harm, a parent that abused you severely - you at your angriest would wish for the worst to happen to them, and those with power make it so.

Caitlyn’s wealth allowed her to achieve her desire for vengeance far more easily. She had the resources, respect and voice that Ambessa exploited and the elites listened to.

She had the power many of us wished we had when we were so terribly wronged.

Do I think she fucked up? Yes. Do I believe she deserves to be crucified and hated because of it? No. She still had lines she wouldn’t cross (the cells where Vi was kept we’re not allowed to be used, causing violence at checkpoints got her pissed at Rictus and Ambessa, improving prison food because of an off handed comment from Vi and still have it to her mother’s murderer etc), she didn’t want things to turn out the way they had, and actively tried to do better: not for the sake of redemption, but for the sake of doing what’s right (giving Sevika the Kiramman council seat, allowing Vi to free her sister and letting go of her hate, betraying Ambessa etc).

I believe in “do not turn people away from a better path even after they fall”, and many here grant that concession to Jinx, who has murdered, kidnapped and destroyed, some of that for years. Yet people say “she was traumatised so young and she deserves to be protected”. She does, but when a victim of hers - who got ambushed in her shower whilst naked, kidnapped, vandalised and lost her mother in the same night- needs the same, everyone cries “ShE’s a MoNsTeR and a FACIST! I HATE HER - Vi DeSeRveS BETTER!”

Like bruh … the fuck?

Tl:dr - Caitlyn haters may just subconsciously hate her for being rich enough to enact revenge against an unstable, possessive and murderous teen who killed her mother and assaulted her, and those same haters cannot comprehend that Jinx caused Caitlyn’s own trauma and don’t even care to acknowledge it because of her wealth and Jinx bias. You see “rich” as an insult (hell, it’s the first “insult” Vi flings at Caitlyn after reuniting with her), and a negative character flaw; even though we’d all like some level of wealth in our lives to make it easier.

Caitlyn Kiramman deserves better, end of story

[hiraethwrote]

your only competition - satoru gojo

[ satoru gojo - f!reader ]

✧ summary: constantly trying to one up each other, youre always at each others throat. swearing you hate the other, neither want to admit that you might enjoy your time spent together. until... ✧ cw: academic rivals, some swearing, poorly written combat scenes (sorry), injuries, mentions of blood, bickering, some angst, slight comfort, no use of y/n, somewhat proofread ✧ word count: 5.0k

⋆⭒˚｡⋆

Satoru Gojo was the best, in every sense of the word. Being the first sorcerer in centuries to be born with the Six Eyes definitely counted for something. And so he began to excel well beyond his classmates, fairly enjoying the spotlight that went with his rare abilities. Wasn’t it always nice to get recognition for your achievements? Satoru thought so at least.

Sitting alone at the top, he was sent on solo missions for curses his peers couldn’t face. That was, of course, until the day you showed up. He didn’t know it at the time, but that warm September day you walked into the classroom would be burned into his memory for as long as he’d live.

Everyone’s heads had perked up when an unfamiliar individual had paraded into the classroom, following close behind Yaga. You'd held your head high, hands tucked neatly behind your back while Yaga introduced you as the new student. It had to be a joke, Satoru had thought, a snicker playing on his lips at the sight of you. Gathering as much information as he could just by letting his eyes travel you, he couldn’t sense a single ounce of cursed energy, so why were placed in their class?

Your eyes shined with a childlike innocence, like you were totally unaware of the world you were all living in. One could feel you radiate a sense of hope that only came from being inexperienced. Oh, how hard the harsh reality would hit you once you were faced with what was out there.

After class, Shoko had yanked Satoru back into the classroom by his uniform, her eyebrows furrowed in a strict scowl. “I know what you’re thinking, Satoru.” He stared back at her with big eyes, pretending he didn’t know what she was getting at. “She’s been sheltered, we all saw it. So it’s important you behave!”

“I always behave.” He slumped over as he spoke, appearing more weakly to enforce his dumb act.

“I mean it, Satoru. She’s going to need our help.”

He took his index finger and drew an X over his heart. “You have my word.” His infamous smirk still danced on his lips, which made Shoko not believe him for a second. She knew there wasn’t much she could do if he’d already decided to tease you. With a disappointed shake of the head, she left him standing with his hands in his pockets.

Satoru kept his eye on her until she had turned a corner. The second she was out of sight, he darted in the opposite direction with a clear mission in mind, managing to catch up with you as you were walking down the hall to your dormitory.

“Hey, wait up.” With a curious look, you turned to the source of the voice that called your name. Pacing towards you, was a tall, lanky fellow with locks white as snow, the biggest shit-eating grin you’d seen in a long time, wearing a pair of characteristic sunglasses.

“You must be the one and only Satoru Gojo,” you said, mirroring his expression as you defensively crossed your arms over your chest.

“I see Yaga already told you about me.”

“No, not really,” you shrugged, your tone taking him by surprise. “But it’s not like your name is unknown in our world.”

“So what have you heard about me then?” He bent forward to be on your level, fishing for compliments, making you feel patronised.

“Don’t feel like inflating your ego more. It’s already dangerous walking around with a head big as yours.” Satoru instantly jerked back into a straight position, retrieving his hands from his pockets to regain a more dominant position.

“Well, aren’t you cute,” he said sarcastically.

“Was there something you wanted?”

Looking down on you, he began to wonder if you were putting on a face, intentionally giving off the impression of being reckless and empty headed. Therefore he had started to theorise the bounce in your step didn’t come from being inexperienced; it came from a film belief that you were better than what people gave you credit for.

“It not every day a new sorcerer joins us, so I’m just curious about what makes you special?” The self satisfied smirk was back on his face in order to seem unbothered by your snarky remarks.

“What’s it to you?” Fuck you, was the first thought that crossed his mind when you’d once again, shut him down. You weren’t giving him anything to go on, not verbally or on any level his Six Eyes could detect.

“We’re classmates now. A team — think I could benefit from knowing,” he said gallantly.

“You’ll know soon enough,” you smirked at him as you began to back away towards your room.

His smile slowly faltered, his eyebrows narrowing in frustration. “Good luck.”

“Sure, thanks,” you waved nonchalantly over your shoulder as you entered your room without another word.

Chewing the inside of his cheek, he still couldn’t pin point anything about you. The only logical explanation to having an ignorant demeanour whilst having a sharp tongue would be you were able to fend for yourself. Then why couldn’t he sense any power on you?

But as you’d said, he would find out soon enough. Even as soon as the next day, when you’d all met for sparring. It was like the higher ups had heard his prayers, because he had been paired up against you. His excitement didn’t go unnoticed by Shoko, who kicked him weakly in the shin to try and smother it.

“You go easy on her, mister,” she’d said so only he was able to hear.

“Don’t worry, Shoko. I’m not cruel. I’ll end it quickly so she won’t humiliate herself too much,.”

Once you were both firmly placed on your respective positions, both with a staff in your hands, he made sure to capture your gaze. “Are you ready for this, sweetheart?” His tone was as sweet as sugar, never breaking the eye contact as you both leaned forward in a bow.

“Are you, sweetheart?” You said, narrowing your eyes at him. He hummed softly at your comment, entertained by the attitude he knew he’d wipe off you the second the sparring started.

After being underestimated for years and years, you'd eventually had no choice but to learn how to use it to your advantage. You leaned into the role of an unintelligent girl who went into every situation without thinking. People became sloppy when they faced you, confident they’d easily take you out.

Satoru was no different. What was worse, was how he didn’t even try to hide how sure he was that you were weak. His smile said it all.

Yaga signalled for you to start, instantly tightening your grip on your staff before striking it directly at him. He was a little startled at how you immediately went for the offensive, but he swiftly dodged the attack just as you had expected. You exploited his dodge, by having the staff spin around before smacking him in the back of the head, stumbling over the foot you had strategically placed in front of him.

Tumbling forward, he finally managed to steady himself only to be faced by Suguru and Shoko standing on the sidelines, both choking back the laughter about to spill out of them. None of the three students had expected you to be so aggressive from the get go, let alone succeed at it.

He shook off the shock, not to mention the pain, from the hit before turning back to look at you. The playfulness had seized to exist and now there was determination written all over him. The corner of your lips perked up in a content smirk.

His staff came piercing through the air, you spun away in the last second before flipping the staff and deflecting his next move, trapping his weapon under yours. You turned to look at him and he didn’t like the mischievous expression plastered on your face.

“What are you playing at?” He asked with a small pant. Your smile only grew at the sight of his frustrated demeanour.

This was the part you loved, the moment you could see it in your opponent’s eyes that they had severely misjudged you. And in their epiphany, you knew they still wouldn’t be able to read you clearly. That being said, you were fighting no other than Satoru Gojo, who even if he couldn’t predict your next move, could be able to take you out regardless.

Suddenly, you felt your staff slip and glide against his. He quickly took advantage of how you’d put your weight on the staff. Before you knew it, you felt the impact of his staff slam against your back.

You found your footing before you reactively threw your elbow at his face. A scoff of surprise slipped out of you when it stopped an inch from his face without him doing anything.

“Asshole,” you breathed. This was the oh-so-famous infinity you had been told about, but you didn’t quite understand it or how it worked. It was no secret that Satoru was well on his way to become the strongest, but he wasn’t there just yet. So maybe you could give him the benefit of the doubt and assume he wasn’t a hundred percent in control of his infinity, that it had been an instinctive reaction.

Nevertheless, it was what you had waited for. You’d wanted him to be the one to resort to his powers first so you could shamelessly use yours.

His breath hitched in his throat when an overwhelming wave of unfamiliar power crashed over him. “What the-“ he didn’t understand what was happening. Was this your power, and why hadn’t he been able to sense it earlier? Had you really been able to block him out from getting insight in your technique?

He didn’t even realise what was happening until he was jerked into the air before slamming against the floor with immense force, landing on his shoulder. The room were quiet for a solid ten seconds before he staggered back on his feet before slow claps in your honour was heard from his friends.

“What the hell was that?” He panted, approaching you with quick steps as his hand rubbed circles on his shoulder.

“That was how you win,” you said in between heavy breaths, leaning your hands on your knees.

“That’s not what I mean,” he nearly growled. Before he was able to interrogate you further, a friendly slap was placed on his back.

“Just admit it, Satoru. She beat you,” Suguru said with a low chuckle. Satoru didn’t even flinch, he kept his gaze pinned on you.

“But you cheated,” he said with a displeased chuckle. You didn’t even entrain his comment, only turning away from him and starting to walk out of the gymnasium. “Hey, I’m talking to you. That last move was dirty.” You heard his footsteps hurry over to you again.

“How’s that?” Snapping around to face him, folding your arms over your chest. “By using my technique? If that’s the case, you’re nose should be bleeding right now.”

With worried eyes, Shoko and Suguru watched your bickering from afar, knowing exactly how this relation was going to play out. The loud argument in the gymnasium was only the beginning of your rivalry. Every person unfortunate enough to witness your public displays of hatred, quickly learned that both you and Satoru were extremely headstrong — maybe stubborn was a better word.

Both of you brought your petty arguing with you into the classroom the first chance you got. It became a never ending competition of who could answer the questions faster. And if the chance offered itself, you would instantly argue with the other person to the best of your ability. No one could tell if you did it to show off who knew the most, or if it was simply to humiliate the other. Either way, it got annoying fast.

Yaga had on several occasions tried to shut down the fighting, but had little success. You would both find one way or another to go at each other anyways. On one occasion, you’d gotten into a fight so bad that Yaga had ordered for the rest of them to leave the room and just let you two hash it out. He’d come back an hour later, only to see through the door crack that you were still going at it. He also saw how Satoru was fighting to let his smugness show, clearly getting a kick out of provoking you until you were red as a tomato.

“Are you really that stupid, Satoru?”

“Please, for the love of all that’s holy, shut up!”

The only place Shoko and Suguru managed to catch a break was during sparring, when they would sneak out for cigarettes the second you and Satoru said the first word to each other.

In every session, neither of you accepted going against anyone but each other. After your first sparring match, Satoru was determined to win the next one, which he did. And how he had won would probably haunt you forever.

You were just about to win yet another match, but it troubled you that Satoru didn’t seem worried about losing. You had the staff pressed against his, sweat dripping down your brow. He was heaving as much as you, but a small smirk was lurking at the corner of his lips.

That’s when he cocked his head forward, revealing the pair of most hypnotising blue eyes you’d ever seen. You had no control of how your muscles relaxed and expression softened. As a soft sigh slipped out of you, he instantly saw his opportunity to down you, knocking the wind out of your lungs when you’d hit the floor.

You'd gone to bed fuming that night, the image of Satoru laughing and teasing you flashing behind your eyelids as you so desperately tried to fall asleep. You were absolutely mortified by the fact that he’d won simply by his appearance; no combat skill, no infinity, no technique, no nothing!

The next morning you got up at the crack of dawn in order to work out and prepare yourself for the next time you’d face him. Never again would you give him the opportunity to embarrass you like that.

Neither is you would probably admit it, but as the training went on, you both learned a lot from each other. Especially when you began to make use of your powers.

Finally you were starting to understand how the most powerful sorcerer functioned, absolutely astonished by the sheer possibility of it. But as you got to know him more, you also so that his powers wouldn’t have been nearly as special if it hadn’t been for Satoru himself. The extraordinary way he so casually carried himself despite of it all, you couldn’t help but admire it. Though you wouldn’t let him know that.

Satoru too, was intrigued by you because it was only during sparring sessions he was able to see what your cursed technique could be capable of. Outside the gymnasium, you kept the cards close to your chest, revealing absolutely nothing about yourself. But in here, you let that shield down. The power you held was so intense, to the point he knew you were definitely holding back on him — just as he was with you.

As the matches got more intense, Suguru and Shoko kept betting the same 1000 yen on who would win. Not only that, they both seemed to notice the growing tension between you, despite the fact that you said you couldn’t stand each other.

And tension there was, as right now. Satoru had his arm around your neck, pressing against your chest. You had your hands tugging on his forearm as your back was pushed up against him. Cursing his name under your breath, you fought the small smile that was sneaking its way onto your face.

The hair on the back of your neck raised when you felt him lean in forward, his hot breath agains your ear before he spoke, “think I like you in this position better.” If you weren’t so focused on trying to beat him, you would probably have paid more attention to the flirtation in his voice.

In a matter of seconds, you benefitted from his playfulness and reversed the roles where you had him pinned against the ground in defeat. “Don’t go soft on me now, Satoru. Ain’t going to be any fun here anymore if you make it too easy.”

“I’m just trying to get in your head.”

“Hmm, funny. Doesn’t seem like it’s working,” you teased before you stood up without offering him a helping hand.

Satoru had his eyes follow you the entire way out of the gymnasium, a genuine smile dancing on his lips. He quickly snapped back to reality when he heard Suguru’s voice.

“Satoru!”

Turning to look at his friends, there was no signs of the smile that was present just a second ago. “What?”

“We called your name like four times!” Neither of them looked pleased, Shoko with her arms crossed over her chest and high shoulders, and Suguru with his hands in his pockets.

“Sorry, was just lost in thought.”

“We can tell,” Shoko sighed as they both began to follow him close behind as he walked for the exit of the gymnasium.

“So, when’s the wedding?” Suguru teased, instantly earning him a tired scoff from Satoru. “I mean, it’s pretty obvious.”

“Give it a rest.” He couldn’t help but laugh. “She’s a menace. You know I think so.”

“Yeah? Could have fooled us,” he shrugged in response.

“What do you mean?” Shoko and Suguru shared a quick glance in question if he was playing dumb or if he actually didn’t know what they were getting at.

“When you’re not seeking her out to argue, then you do not shut up about her.”

He tried to shrug them off. “Because she gets on my last nerve.”

“No, Satoru, you don’t get it,” Shoko interrupted him, clearly annoyed. “If you disliked her as much as you say you do, you’d think you would want as little to do with her as possible.”

“Everyone complains about people they don’t like.”

“Every once in a while, sure. But it’s all the god damn time!”

Satoru just shook his head, trying to shake off their accusations. “Whatever it is you’re getting at, you can drop it. You’ve never been more off.”

With a deep sigh, Shoko turned to Suguru with a stern look in hopes he could get him to realise how absolutely insufferable he had been since you'd arrived. The second they managed to peer him away from throwing insults in your direction, he went on to complain about anything you’d done. Your answers in class were stupid, your technique when training was sloppy, you had immense power but didn’t know how to use it.

But the absolute worst was when you and Satoru had been on missions. Seeing as the two of you were significantly stronger than the rest of them, you were often sent on more demanding missions just the two of you, on several occasions facing special grade curses.

When both Suguru and Shoko were present, there was only so much new information Satoru could provide them with. But if you were gone for a day or two, there was no shutting him up. He went on and on about whatever curse you met and went into detail about what you’d done to exorcise them. To anyone listening, it sounded like he admired every move you made, throwing in random, cruel remarks just to keep up the image of hatred.

“Look, if you can tell yourself you talk so much about her because you hate her, fine. But how do you explain the looks,” Suguru continued the discussion.

“Looks?” Shoko swore she could punch him.

“You can’t be serious?” He huffed.

Truth was, Satoru was fully aware of how his gaze lingered on you for a second too long. He knew he couldn’t help but smile whenever he saw you thrive in battle, whether in practice with him or on missions. And whenever your skin got in contact with his, he became idiotically aware of himself.

But he could never in a million years admit that. Not after being so adamant in his disdain for you. “You guys are reaching,” he said with his characteristic, cocky chuckle as he began to walk away. “She’s my only real competition. It’s only fair I stay on top of it so she doesn’t surpass me.”

His friends only scowled at him as he exited the gymnasium. “1000 yen they’re sleeping together in a month.”

“Nah, you’re winning that bet,” Shoko said with a defeated chuckle.

⋆⭒˚｡⋆

Satoru couldn’t understand what had happened. He was only staring empty at Yaga, the ringing in his ears completely blocking out his words, feeling his mouth run dry.

The last thing he remembered was Shoko’s frantic voice on the phone, telling him to hurry back to Jujutsu High. He’d only ever heard her voice that panicked a handful of times before; she was usually so calm and collected.

He’d wasted no time getting back, being rushed by both Suguru and Yaga the second he had set foot within the premises. The first thing he’d noticed was Suguru limping and clutching his stomach while his lip was bloodied.

Oh no.

“You alright?” He’d asked weakly, as he has begun to place the pieces together.

Suguru simply nodded with a wince in pain. “I’m fine, but Satoru-“

“You both made it back, right?” He tried to smother the desperation in his voice.

“Yes, but-“

Satoru had already begun to zone out, realising what they were about to tell him. He knew you and Suguru had gone on a mission— a mission which was originally meant for you and him.

However, last minute the higher ups had decided Satoru had to go on a solo mission. Though he had tried to argue, they had been very adamant. The only deal he had managed to make with them was for Suguru to go with you so you didn’t find yourself alone on a mission intended for the two of you.

“Satoru.” Though somewhat muffled, he managed to make out Suguru calling his name again.

“What happened?”

Suguru struggled to form the words, only stuttering a few sounds before Yaga jumped in to explain. “The curse that met them was special grade, not first grade like we first thought.”

“Okay, but she should be able to-“

“Satoru, you didn’t see it. It was unlike anything we’ve faced before,” Suguru finally managed to form a sentence as he could hear the stress start to appear in the voice of his best friend.

“No, but you’re both strong. Next to me, you’re the strongest!” He was starting to get severely anxious, his heart beating faster and faster. It was only made worse by how they didn’t seem to give him all the information straight forward.

“She got me out first.”

“Wait, got you out first? Is she not here?”

“Satoru?” Shoko’s shallow voice drew their attention to her, as her head perked out the door. Slowly, she made her way over to them, genuine concern on her face.

“Can someone please tell me what happened?” He pleaded, turning restless by the way they were all looking at each other while he was still left in the dark.

“She managed to hold the curse at bay long enough for me to go in again and get her.”

“She’s stable for now, but I… I’m not sure when she’ll wake up.”

This couldn’t happen. You always knew what you were doing when you were out on missions. Never reckless, despite what one might think. You took every precaution imaginable, avoiding every risk that you might face.

So how come they were telling him that you’d taken one hell of a beating? He felt the only reasonable explanation was that this was a sick joke.

He swallowed the lump in his throat, before hesitatingly asking what he’d wanted since he arrived. “Can I see her?” Shoko simply nodded before leading him to the door, carefully opening it up for him. Slowly stepping into the dimly lit room, his eyes immediately landed on you.

The first thing to hit him was how he couldn’t sense your cursed energy, and not because you were blocking him out like you usually did. But you just felt weak, and he couldn’t ever recall seeing you so peaceful.

Laying completely still on your back, your covers only covering your legs revealing your bandaged torso, a tiny bloodstain seeping through. Your face was different shades of blue, evidence of the battle.

As much as both of you had faced strong curses before, you’d never been this beaten up before. He became a little nauseous at the sight, beginning to picture how every thing had gone down wherever it was you had been sent on mission.

He cautiously approached your bedside, scared that if he made any sudden moves or sounds that he would somehow make it worse, before sitting down on the chair beside you.

“I’m sorry,” he said, barely a whisper. The guilt had hit him like a truck, taking responsibility for not being there.

If he had wanted to, he knew he could have convinced the higher ups not to send him on that solo mission. And if so, he could have been there and helped— saved you.

Against all odds, through all the fighting and bickering, you had become a strong team. Neither of you would say it out loud, but somewhere along the line, you had both grown to care for each other. Satoru, however, hadn’t realised it until his breath had hitched in his throat at the sight of you so fragile.

As the days past, your wound healed and your bruises faded from your face, but you showed no signs of waking up. Satoru grew more impatient for each day that went by, especially when no one had any more answers to give.

“I’m sorry, Satoru. I’ve done all that I can,” Shoko explained desperately almost on a daily basis, but he kept asking everyday.

Day in and day out, he sat in that damn uncomfortable chair, only occasionally pacing around the room for two minutes to stretch his legs before settling down in the chair again. He barely slept, so adamant on meeting your gaze when your eyes finally fluttered open.

“You gotta wake up soon,” he pleaded to deaf ears. Three weeks of waiting had been pure torture. “I need you to come back.” A somber chuckle left his lips.

Reluctantly, he dared to carefully grab your delicate hand in his. It was a weird sensation, as the only time he had felt your skin was when you were in combat training. Now it was soft and tender, letting his thumb glide graciously over the back of your hand.

“Do I have to beg you?” His voice was so careful, like he wasn’t able to let it out in its entirety. “If that’s what you’re trying to make me do, that’s not funny.”

Still nothing. Not a twitch in your eyelids, not your lips opening to speak, not your nose flaring as you took the first deep breath waking up.

“Wouldn't put it past you,” a faint smile reactively found its way onto his face. “Just please. Wake up.”

Dead silence filled the room, his eyes locked on your small hand resting in his. He didn’t realise his eyes had actually shed a tear until it hit your hand, his own intense emotions surprising him.

“You are going soft on me, sweetheart.” Satoru attention shot towards you, barely making out what you had groaned out. Muttering your name in shock, a self satisfied smirk grew on your lip. “Water, please,” you squealed before breaking out in coughs. Scrambling out of the chair, he clumsily filled you a glass of water.

“You’re awake.” His voice was so light, unlike how you were used to hearing it. Usually there was always a smirk to sense in his voice, constantly smug. But now he was so gentle, as he carefully placed his hand on your back to help you up before handing you the glass. You were so used to having his hands throw punches at you, it was a delightful change when he tenderly placed his hand on the back of your head as you drank.

“How long have I been out?”

He swallowed the lump in his throat before sitting back down in the chair. “A little over three weeks.”

Your eyes widened, another small cough escaping you. “Three weeks—“ a low whistle. “Bet you’ve surpassed me by far now.” You were only half joking, genuinely upset that you might have fallen behind. But, to your surprise, he gave you a nervous chuckle.

“Uhm, n-no,” he said before clearing his throat, shaking away his uneasiness. “Not really.”

“Okay? What have you been up to this whole time then?” The weak smile on your lips gradually faded when it dawned on you. With adoration glistening in your eyes, his gaze met yours. “Oh,” you spoke hoarsely. “You haven’t really sat here all the time, have you?”

“No, I’ve walked around the room a few times.” Blinking rapidly at him, you couldn’t quite believe what you were hearing. This only confirmed the suspicions you’d been too scared to even think, that there might have been stolen glances and smiles with intentions shared between the two of you.

Without mentioning it, he had intuitively taken your hand in his again. Your cheeks heating from the feeling of his compassionate touch, pleasantly surprised by how natural it felt to have him hold it.

“I should probably get Shoko-“ he was about to stand up, but tightened the grip on his hand to prevent him.

“Just-“ anxiously clearing your throat. “I feel fine, we can wait a little longer.” His eyes captured your glare and he had never looked at you with so much passion before, making your heart skip a beat. “Thank you for sitting with me.”

“Wanted to be there when you woke up,” a tired smile on his lips.

“I’m glad you were.”

“Me too.”

⋆⭒˚｡⋆

a/n alright guys... "ill take a break from writing this week" im full of crap. so when I was 2k words deep, I rewrote the entire thing. then i just kept writing and writing, it never ended. i thought it was gonna be much shorter. had to perfrom some killing of darlings. when i finished it first it was like 5.3k words so.

reblogs, likes and comments are appreciated

plagiarism not authorized

[likelysobbing]

I LOVE YOUR KK FICS SO MUCH 🫶🫶

can you PLEASE write more kk x npc reader??

HI DEAR GIRLLL thank you so much!!!!! grrrrr im giving you many hugs right neow…. YOURE SO PRETTY… YOUR THEME IS SO PRETTY….. and as for the kk and npc reader…. hehe ok let go here have my tots. hehehe.

sol tots . . .

thinking about kk reassuring you. it’s not that you’re insecure in your relationship with her, it’s more so you’re insecure about yourself. and there’s nothing wrong with that—and you know kk would say there was nothing wrong with that—but what does it matter if you think there’s something wrong with you? maybe you’re just too average for her. too average for one of uconn’s best basketball players—too average, too incapable of balancing all of her achievements. kamorea is one of thee best basketball players in the state. kamorea has a lot of achievements. kamorea is going places. kamorea is yours. unfortunately. not for you, you’re lucky—but for kk. kk could do so much better, couldn’t she? kk could hold down a relationship with, like, an influencer, a model even! someone on her level. someone who isn’t… like you. thinking about kk noticing how you quiet down when she’s with her teammates, as if you don’t mean to impose, to burden them with your own voice—thinking about how kk notices you shrinking when she pulls you by the wrist (gently; kk doesn’t like being rough with you … in the streets) into her world of grandeur and frighteningly tall point guards. thinking about how she notices you feeling out of place, thinking about how it all comes down to a climax when you finally tear up. it’s after seeing her on the big screen — interacting with a few cheerleaders. people know their names, you think. they’re better fits for her.

better fit for her.

you almost vomit in the stands, having to run off to the bathroom under the guise of ‘just really needing to pee!’ when sarah asks where you’re going so fast—but that sweet freshman knows better. so she asks kk to check on you— bless her— and kk does. she would never not check on you. thinking about kk checking in on you back at your dorm, knocking just once and unlocking your door with the key you gave her, saying something about her being ‘sad you weren’t able to come by to talk after the game, baby’ only to stop dead in her tracks when she sees you, eyes dull, looking at yourself in the mirror. you’re not even doing anything else— kk’s not even sure you’re looking at yourself. you’re just looking through yourself, burning holes into the body you’ve already hurt enough— and kk is not having it. she clocks it from a mile away—that far away look in your eyes that spells out discomfort, not in anything surrounding you, but everything you are.

so she walks over, and she places her hands on your shoulders— “what’s wrong, lover?”— she murmurs, pressing a kiss to your hair as you lean back onto her stomach. “nothing.” you try to say, but in this case, ‘nothing’, to kk is everything. so she pushes. “nah, what’s wrong?” you try to evade it, but she insists, and suddenly—you find yourself speaking. speaking about how you’re not worth it, how she can find better, how she’s the best of the best and you’re just… there. and kk…

she pulls you up to stand, wraps her arms around you—keeps you snug, back pressed against her chest, so warm you nearly cry. “ain’t no one think that but you, baby.” she says, “no one think that but that pretty lil head of yours—for once, it’s wrong. go figure.” she’d chuckle, and then her eyes would lock against yours through the mirror. “look at that.” she whispers, squeezing tighter at your waist. “we fit so cutely. like puzzle pieces. we fit. and you ain’t agree that we fit when the proof is so obvious?” she asks, “i love you, baby. ain’t nothing to it. no one holds these hands like you do, and i ain’t love no one like i love you. not ever. never will. no one compares. you my last love, girl.” she’d pout, “why you judging my taste when it’s the best in the biz?”

and you laugh, and cry, but mostly laugh. “i’m nothing, kk.” you say, through your tears— you mean it.

kk raises a brow— in this case, ‘nothing’, to kk, is everything. and she says so.

“baby… you’re all i need. you everything.”

@likelysobbing.

[mimikyuno]

things about ave mujica that are making me lose my mind

making a post to gather my thoughts after ep6 bc uhm. 😃

first off, WHERE IS UIKA!!! not only did she not appear ONCE in episode 6, but her angsty narration (which we usually hear throughout each episode) was also missing from episode 6!!! what!!! and the last time we saw her she was hugging saki’s pillow breathing in it and letting 2 mugs of coffee go cold in saki’s room. yearning and pining unstable style. im gonna lose my mind. UIKA COME BACK I NEED TO SEE YOU CRASH OUT SO BAD I NEED TO PICK YOUR BRAIN

I NEED SAKIKO TO BE OKAY ASAP. her situation is giving me palpitations i literally feel sick thinking about the position she is in rn. she lost EVERYTHING - her mom, her dad, her old life, crychic, her freedom, ave mujica, and mutsumi. she is living with a manipulative, controlling grandpa who robbed her of her freedom and treated her creative project she tried to use and get out of poverty and support herself and her dad as just a silly kid’s game that ended up as a mess he fixed for her. she found out her best friend has DID and her alter told her “YOU broke her and made her go dormant. i hate you. she might never be back”. and rn she’s deeply avoidant and dissociated and she feels she cannot/doesnt want to share what happened with her dad or her family so where to fucking start opening up??? and she’s alone and has to go through it alone anyway, so what’s the point? why would she ask for help? so she dissociates and avoids and rejects tomori’s kindness. and now soyo is pissed at her and no one understands what she’s going through and she’s all alone and putting up walls is the only way she’s not falling apart but everyone sees her as a villain with her walls up. im feeling sick im feeling sick im crying on the bus

CAN WE PLEASE ADDRESS HOW NYAMU GOT AN INFERIORITY COMPLEX ABOUT ACTING BC OF MUTSUMI’S “PERFORMANCE”?? WHEN MUTSUMI JUST HAD A MENTAL BREAKDOWN ON STAGE? like this is insane. GIRL SHE WASNT ACTING 😭 pls take up the acting job you wanted!! i feel bad for her she’s so deeply insecure she also needs help. someone help her

fr is umiri on T? her voice keeps getting lower every episode 😭 she’s trying to achieve butch levels never seen before in girls band anime, next episode she’s coming in with short hair and a carabiner ⛓️. jokes aside i need her to stop with the “im too cool to care” act and admit she cares about the members of avemuji and pls help them bc ngl i feel like she’s the most mentally stable of the bunch. tho looking at the opening i might be wrong tbh lmao

makes me insane how mortis is the protector but also she’s clearly a little - an alter who is still a child. i love her so much. but also like mortis and mutsumi need another fucking alter to mediate between them bc they’re giving me anxiety!! ALSO HELLO?? THEY FELL DOWN A FLIGHT OF STAIRS? had a public breakdown that got filmed by people as soyo shielded them??? they were locked in their room for like what, 2 months?? soyo spent 3 days and nights with mortis and mutusmi’s parents did not appear once bro. we saw one maid lead soyo to the room which was a WRECK and soyo was the one who helped tidy up. mutsumi’s family has completely given up on her and mortis, hid them like a dirty secret in their bedroom. it makes me sick i hate them i hate them

raana. that’s it. she makes me insane. aura farming like it’s a full time job

i need these girls to get help rn. please someone get them a group therapist im so fr

[lyricthecat-12]

Why is Scourge The Hedgehog a great villain?

Scourge The Hedgehog is probably one of Archie Sonic's most popular and iconic characters, and personally, I think he's also a great example of how to achieve something great despite having a simple concept:

Debuting in STH #11, the character was introduced as an alternate version of Sonic who was physically identical to him but whose personality was completely opposite. Basically, he was the typical evil doppelganger from an alternate universe where the good guys are bad and the bad guys are good

Not much more could be expected from this stage of the comic, made up of simplistic and comical children's stories. In fact, initially the character didn't even have a name to begin with, it wouldn't be until issues later that Karl Bollers would name him Evil Sonic in SSS #10. And really during this time, the character didn't do much to stand out, establishing himself as a recurring villain but one that wouldn't reach the threat level of others like Robotnik, becoming a minor nuisance as time went on. Something that would remain once the comics evolved into something more serious.

Evil Sonic wouldn't have a notable role again until the infamous STH 150#, where he would try to impersonate Sonic in order to take advantage of the benefits of being Sonic. This story is controversial and hated for several more than understandable reasons, starting with the fact that we are talking about issue 150, which was decided to be starring a simple story that becomes unsufferable at times due to very questionable creative decisions.

(And I'm opening an aside here to take advantage and deny the unnecessary fuss that there was regarding a certain cursed panel. Much has been said regarding this panel and it is usually used as ammunition to rant against the comic and Scourge, so let's get this straight once and for all;

Scourge and Bunnie did NOT have sex. Yes, it's obvious that the panel has a certain rather obvious mischievous air but beyond a dirty joke, which in fact was not the only one at this stage, there's no point in trying to see beyond it. It was just a fleeting moment and without any repercussions for the characters and the plot. In fact, if we try to investigate further we'll see that to begin with it's impossible for it to have happened, since Bunnie is robotized from the waist down and just in the previous panel she was reluctant when Evil Sonic became more cuddly.

The comic's own encyclopedia establishes more or less clearly that Bunnie could not have children while being robotized, so it rules out that her robotic parts don't work like organic ones.

And about the kids of Bunnie and Antoine de la Light Mobius, Belle and Jacques, are both confirmed to have been born without their robotic parts, which was actually explicitly shown in SU 26, so Bunnie was most likely de-roboticized, as was established in another probable future much earlier and would eventually happen in the main series. So not, Scourge is not a rapist, it's still not a pretty situation but there isn't need to exaggerate even more)

Although Karl Bollers intended to give a darker twist to this plot, in the end it would only remain as a boring story whose greatest achievement would be to be the foot for the resurgence of Evil Sonic in STH 160 #. When he and Rouge tried to steal the Master Emerald again, which ends up causing a confrontation with Locke that would end with a total facelift for Evil Sonic.

At first, it seems like a simple redesign so that he doesn't look like Sonic with accessories and that's it, but in truth this was just the first step for Scourge to get an identity as an antagonist beyond a recurring annoyance. And that's the key word we have to keep in mind when we talk about Scourge:

Identity

Later, in STH 172# during a fight Scourge tells Sonic that if circumstances went wrong, Sonic would end up being like him, to which Sonic turns the matter around by mentioning that if Scourge wanted to he could end up being a hero like him.

Here the key focus is Scourge's reaction, because from here he begins to reflect on himself and who he really is; He's an alternate version of Sonic, one of the thousands and millions of versions that we know exist, so where does that leave him? Is he really just that, an Evil Sonic who if he wanted to could be good and thus be exactly like the countless other Sonic's that exist?

With this conflict in mind, Scourge would return to his home world with the intention of forging an image of his own, not only for himself but also for inhabitants of Anti-Mobius, now renamed 'Moebius'. No longer would they be just the evil doubles of the good ones. He would become a true plague and all them would be respected by all.

The best thing is that this conflict not only impacts Scourge, but also Sonic, since at the end of the day Scourge is a possibility, something that could have been or could be, and once that manifests itself, it remains an underlying fear and in turn a motivation for Sonic, to keep fighting and avoid ending up broken like his twin.

And that is another key word when we talk about Scourge; Broken. As this conflict develops, in STH 192# Scourge's background and motivations are finally properly investigated. We are told how, contrary to the close relationship between Sonic and his father, Anti Jules put his son aside for his own interests.

Looking back, Scourge and Sonic's childhood was quite similar as both had to grow up without the support of their parents, but while Sonic was separated from his parents because of Robotnik and was eventually able to meet them again, having in the middle the support and unconditional love of his uncle and his friends who motivated him to fight for the common good, Scourge always had his parents but they simply didn't care, even if Anti Bernadette is not mentioned knowing how her version of Mobius Prime is, brave, kind and caring, it is easy to deduce that she would be similar or even worse than Anti Jules.

He didn't have a loving family that instilled heroic values ​​in him, he didn't have a group of loyal friends to support him and he didn't have any kind of guidance or incentive to improve or fight for the common good either. He was always alone, surrounded by malicious or equally damaged people who never even saw him as an equal. In this scenario, Scourge's mind was filled with bad thoughts that caused him to choose to seek attention through fear and the supposed respect it would bring him.

At this point, it's no longer just "A bad Sonic for no reason" we are now faced with a Sonic who, as a result of years of loneliness, misunderstanding and rejection, changed his course in the opposite direction.

“But if what he wants is attention and respect, why doesn’t he become a hero like Sonic?”

Because for Scourge that wouldn’t be a solution, he wants not only to be respected but he also wants to be SOMEONE beyond another version of the hero of the multiverse. His internal shortcomings and insecurities and his desire for greatness make him want to go beyond just being feared in his world, and that’s why he insists on fighting Sonic to consolidate his identity as a superior and unique individual.

This insecurity is reflected more explicitly during the Scourge Lockdown Arc, where after being imprisoned and subjected to constant abuse, Scourge lets out his most fragile side: a broken child who does what he can to survive and who constantly feels abandoned and rejected by everyone around him.

Now Scourge has finally stopped being that generic and flat villain that he was at the beginning, he is now a character with a well-defined background and credible motivations, a solid development and who genuinely can be a great threat if he wants to. And the best and most impressive thing is that this effect was extrapolated to other characters with whom he interacted;

I previously made a post talking about how Fiona's evolution into a villain ended up contributing positively to her character, so I recommend taking a look at it. But now, I will only say that I know that many see her relationship with Scourge as something forced, but personally I think that their union is interesting and gives a lot of room for play, because in truth both have more similarities than they appear at first glance; Both are children who were abandoned by those they trusted, they grew up without any kind of positive support and they got the idea that they couldn't trust anyone and at present, neither of them are understood in their respective worlds and are seen as simple criminals

Scourge wasn't the cause of Fiona's change but he was the trigger for it to happen, because in essence he offered her a way out of a lifestyle in which she couldn't fit even it she tried and instead of judging her for her choices like others, he showed that he liked her with all her nuances.

And later something similar would happen with the Destructix. Thanks to their association with Scourge, there was room to give each of them their own background, ideologies and motivations, turning them into interesting characters beyond the flat villains they had been until then.

In conclusion, Scourge is a good example of how despite having a simple concept as a base, with a good reimagining and execution you can offer something interesting and memorable

It's a shame that his story will be left unfinished with the promising direction that they had prepared for him but even so, I consider him to be a great example of how to reinvent a character and develop a villain.

And it really bothers me when people mocks him by calling him "Sonic's Joker" for a reference that wasn't even the main focus and the really significant part of the exchange was the answer of Sonic and the impact in Scourge.

Or just denigrate him by calling him "flat" or "generic" without understand what precisely THAT is the point and the grace of Scourge's character: A villain who started out as a cliché, so that he himself realizes the insignificance of his existence as "an evil Sonic" and for that reason he seeks to evolve, become more than he has always been and become a threat in every sense.

[theobsessedcookiefan]

I promised lol

:ﾟ･*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:

❀•°•═════ஓ๑♡๑ஓ═════•°•❀

Part three. Investigation of a cookie.

"But that's not right!" One of the little ones was genuinely horrified by the story. "Yes! Aren't witches supposed to protect us?" Another asked in a trembling voice.

"Yes yes, that's what I'm getting at, now hush and pay attention." The old cookie said, continuing the story.

❀•°•═════ஓ๑♡๑ஓ═════•°•❀

"O-Oh." Y/N muttered, taking a few steps back as she thought about what her teacher had told her. "Well.. I.. I have to study! Yeah, that, lots of homework and practice to achieve the love potion.... Good night." And with that the younger witch hurried out, heading up the stairs to her room.

Once inside she locked the door and left Blueberry Milk on the table, waiting for some sort of word from him while she made sure no one was spying on them. "Uh.. Are you okay?" He asked her with some concern, after all hearing that one of your creators didn't appreciate you and would eliminate you without a thought was.. Uh.. Discouraging to say the least, but he wouldn't let that happen so easily, he was going to protect his friends and himself from that fate, no matter the cost. "Ah! Yeah, I'm fine, I was just surprised that's all." Blueberry Milk said with a wave of his hand, downplaying the matter; he knew very well how to hide his true feelings for the sake of himself and others. "Are you sure?.. That's not very nice to hear.." Said the apprentice witch as she ducked her head, thinking about what they should do next. "Hey I think you should go, you're not safe here you know-" She continued to which the blue cookie quickly denied. "No! I need to find a way for our SoulJams not to merge with our body, if we find a way for that not to happen you can show it to your teacher and then they won't have to... You know-" He made a motion of squeezing something with his hand. Y/N doubted that, she wasn't exactly the best at magic, she was barely creating potions after all! But her friend was asking for her help, it would be cruel not to give it.

"This is a crazy plan." Y/N said as she walked down to the warehouse with a Blueberry Milk Cookie sitting on her shoulder. "Hey! I proposed that you come in during the day, not in the middle of the night!" The cookie replied, pointing to the moonlight coming in through a window. "Oh because clearly they would let me come in with you by my side right? I'd walk in greeting everyone and when they asked for you I'd say you were a hallucination of theirs, besides, I'm not allowed to be here, I'm barely a level two apprentice and this place is for level ten's!" She opened the door very carefully not to make any sound and entered, looking for the ingredients that his friend was telling him. "No, not that one, look for the one that says magically burnt. I think that one might work. Yes, that one, the one on top."

Once they had gathered everything they needed, they put it in the bag that the witch was carrying while she let out a sigh of relief, it had been easy! Now all that was left was to get out of the warehouse. "And how do you know what we needed?" She asked as she went up the stairs, being careful not to throw anything out of the bag and not to knock Blueberry Milk who was still on her shoulder. "Well, I previously told you: I am the virtue of knowledge! I know a thing or two about magic!" He sounded rather proud of himself so the apprentice just chuckled under her breath. "In that case you should teach me, don't you think?" Him? Teaching someone else?... He hadn't thought about it before, maybe he'd make a good teacher! Who knows, he might even like it.

Upon reaching the top floor Y/N noticed several students who while trying to sneak out of the tower had seen her going up. "Y/N, weren't you supposed to be one of the responsible students?" One of them asked mockingly, luckily it was dark so she was able to put Blueberry Milk in the bag with everything else, not without a small noise of surprise on his part of course. "Hey!" "A-Ah.. Yeah, well once a year doesn't hurt, besides this is for exams.... Yeah.. Exams." She muttered as she walked upstairs more quickly, hiding everything the bag had. Once in her room she padlocked the door shut again and for good measure put a chair blocking the door.

"Phew- that was close. Magic team does it again!" Y/N said as she placed the bag carefully on the table and opened it. "Are you okay in there? I think I hid you too quickly-" She apologized for that as the cookie came out with shaky steps. "Yes.. I forget that I weigh absolutely nothing to you- wait- magic team?" He said and sat down on a book, trying to recover a little from the dizziness caused by the sudden movement. "Yeah! We do magic and we're working together, magic team! And I'm really sorry- but I couldn't let them see you you know? Who knows what they would have done, they're pretty cruel when they want to be and I honestly wouldn't want anything to happen to you."

Hearing one of the beings you might consider divine to your species say that he cared about the welfare of someone so insignificant (from the cookie's point of view) was a bit odd and it made him avert his gaze with some embarrassment, shifting his feet a bit. "Well it's nice to know that at least someone of you do care.." The blue cookie shook his head and as best he could helped Y/N take the stuff out of the bag, once everything was out he remained thoughtful, how would he get it to his studio? Carrying it would be too much, they were giant bottles, too heavy to carry in one trip, ask the witch for help? Out of the question, the chaos it could cause at home would be disastrous, besides someone could follow her and give away the position to the teacher, he could stay to create what was needed right there but it would be too risky for him to disappear for so long, the only option would be to return home and instruct the apprentice by means of letters that a candy bird could carry. "Uhm.. Listen, I know I've asked a lot of you and you've risked too much for me but, could you perform the experiment?" That question to Blueberry Milk sounded like he was asking her to gouge her eye out or something. "Ah! Me?! Look, I really want to help you but- I couldn't, I can barely get the love potion to go to stage two, I don't think I can create the solution to the corruption of something as powerful as the Soul Jams-..." That was something he could understand, after all he himself doubted his own abilities sometimes and it would certainly be difficult. But here the difference would be that in this case he would be supporting him. "I'll show you how! I'll send you letters explaining everything in detail, you won't do it on your own! Besides you'll be able to do it, you have a great talent inside you, I can feel how the magic flows naturally in you, you just have to stop doubting so much. Magic is a type of art, you need to find your own style!" Those words came out with such sincerity and confidence that Y/N was inspired by that same feeling, could she do it? Of course she could! "All right! I'll do what you teach me, besides I wouldn't want anything to happen to you or your friends!"

❀•°•═════ஓ๑♡๑ஓ═════•°•❀

[beifong-brainrot]

After reading your post in regards to Toph being a cop — in your opinion, what do you think she should’ve become if she didn’t become a cop?

Honestly, part of me doesn't even think Toph should become anything lol. Or at least, not at once. She deserves to have the freedom she wanted so much, so I'd honestly just want to see her travelling and experiencing the worldz doing whatever the hell she wants.

Something I've been thinking about way too much ehen it comes to Toph is how she didn't really set out to change the world/defeat Ozai, like the rest of the Gaang. Of course, I don't think she was apathetic towards their cause, but we can't forget that her main motivation was to free herself from her parents.

Which she achieved by travelling with the Gaang, making friends while also hrowing as a person. I truly believe that even in canon, those were the best years in Toph's life, which may be why she chose to live in the same swamp that set Aang on his journey to her.

So when the Gaang managed to defeat Ozai and the Fire Nation, it was a new start for Aang, Katara, Sokka and Zuko. But for Toph it was kind of the death of the freedom and companionship she loved from their travels.

After the war, the Gaang became political figures which sucks for Toph because a) she hates politics and b) it sets more restraints in how she operates. People know her as the Avatar's friend and so the underground fighters she used to run with see her as a lawbringer.

So I could see Toph trying to make bending battles more legal and accepted. Hell, I like the idea of her being heavily engaged in probending, if not helping develop it.

I like the idea of Toph never getting tied down to a profession, though.

It won't be the same with her not always being able to have the Gaang at her side, but I think she might enjoy going solo for a bit. I can see her as a risk taker and daredevil, always trying to find another challenge, be it by dealing with a bunch of bandits or climbing a tall mountain.

The members of the Gaang would probably occasionally tag along with her, particularly Aang when he gets that Nomad itch and she'd visit them frequently.

As she grows older she might become more accustomed to her new influence and role in the post war world, but I can't ever really see her engaging in politics on the level that Aang Katara, Sokka and Zuko would.

But I can see her trying to rebuild Earthbender culture and particularly try to bring Earthbending back to the finesse and artistry it had before the Fire Nation.

This ties back to the idea that due to the Fire Nation's constant invasion onto the Earth Kingdom, earthbending stopped being treated with the respect it used to have as a bending form. As Fire Nationals would see Earth Kingdom citizens as inferior and by extent, their bending arts. Plus rounding up all benders and locking them away wouldn't really create a space for techniques to be passed down. Additionally, Earthbenders themselves would probably have to prioritise combat based bending rather than the more artistic cultural aspects of it. Hence Earthbending being a sort of less refined or spiritual 'throw rock really hard'

While Toph doesn't have much of a regard for tradition, I think she still feels strongly about her ties to the Earth Kingdom and with timez I could see her wanting to bring Earthebender culture into the future. It could start with her pushing to relearn older techniques that were lost to time, and perhaps trying to retrieve artifacts stolen by the Fire Nation. (INDIANA JONES TOPH- *gets shot*)

Also, throughout the series we see her seem to develop an interest in non combative bending. So it would be interesting to see her try to revive artistry in earthbending, particularly sculpting. I think it would be kinda cute, since it would be the first time she would be able to engage with art without someone having to describe it for her.

Like look at how many statues of herself she made it's fucking adorable. Look at her gooo!

So I could see her following some artistic hobbies as well, maybe trying to restore old Earth Kingdom monuments and scupltures. Since I think seismic sense could help her with archeological endeavours etc, like it did with the library.

I don't know if Toph could enjoy one singular vocation, due to her constant need for challenge and stimulation, so I think travelling the world and looking for various adventures and jobs would be the best fit. Since even if she's passionate about something, she can get burnt out if things get too repetitive, as we see with her metalbending academy.

Essentially, I think she should become the dragonborn from Skyrim.

[poolboyservice]

MADE A FAKE ILLNESS FOR THE KILLJOYS UNIVERSE OMG?!?!

I'm gonna make this a fanfic and post on ao3, if you're curious and wanna read ;] short summary I made before we get into symptoms and whatnot:

Television Eyes Syndrome, also known as TVE or TES, is a condition developed from prolonged, direct exposure to the sun outside of Battery City. Its name was derived from the false assumption that this condition was caused by the televisions made by BLI, due to the infected often being drawn to TV screens, though it's been learnt later on that this behavior is caused by the light it emits, and not the contents of the TV.

LONGER summary, symptoms, key signs to spot, and treatments under cut

While many people have been affected by this illness for decades ever since the Analog War, it's only recently that it's been recorded with an actual name. Though not contagious, the people who get affected can act very violent and caution is to be taken when treating them. The people who go through this limbo between normal zone runner and wavehead are often called 'heliacs', due to them often behaving in ways that can be described as near hysterics, and the origin of the disease coming from the sun. One of the most famous and well known cases of TVE/TES is Party Poison, partly due to their fame, but also how disturbing the case was, as described by their fellow members.

Symptoms of Television Eyes (TVE/TES) include but are not limited to:

Dizziness

Splotches of red skin, tones may vary

Yellow sclera

Exhaustion

The intense desire to go outside that doesn't go away after doing so

Loss of the feeling of needing to drink

Difficulty or inability to produce saliva, tears, and sweat

Frequent vomiting

Difficulty eating or swallowing

Hair falling out

Key signs of Television Eyes (TVE/TES) to look in other people:

Mildly slurred speech

Knotted hair

Odd attraction towards light of any kind (confusion with the sun)

Abnormal behavior

Includes behavior such as staring up towards the sky, constant staring at lamps, headlights, or other sources of light

High levels of irritation with no previous history of such

Involuntary smiling or giggling (effects of the high given from the sun)

If the heliac reaches to latest stages, or successfully transitions to a wavehead, treatment is still possible, but very difficult to achieve.

Instructions for if someone you know is holding these symptoms:

Keep them inside at all costs

Take all possible weapons away from their possession

Keep lights off or as dim as possible if needed

Do not interact with them verbally or give eye contact during the day

Such communication is less risky as night, but caution is needed

Take away all religious items from their possession, this is for their safety

Lockdown:

Keep them confined within one room, this is for their safety

If there is a window within that room, board it up, so they cannot access the outside, nor can they break the glass

If the window has no glass, simply install tarp from the outside so they cannot tear it down

Make sure the door is locked, or barricaded

If they try to call out for you to let them out, do not listen, this is for your safety

If they are actively roaming outside of just one room, keep close friends and loved ones away from their sight

Keep them inside the room until it is all quiet

[phoenixfire-thewizardgoddess]

Headcanon - Overlords Attacked / Magical Virus?

Oh, this one would be so fun.

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

 Attack on the Overlords - Magical Virus

Brazen and unexpected, but immediately dismissed as silliness. 

(Striker involved? Because his plan was always to kill overlords)

----

They are at a meeting, something unusual to experience more than once a year usually post-extermination to discuss new territories and boundaries. The meeting is being held in a neutral location this time, given the recent information around angelic steel and the sheer fact Carmilla happens to have 90% of it in all the area. 

The building is well-warded, and technically contains a pocket dimension fuelled by all of the Overlords’ powers that they were meeting in. It was a fun little measure to ensure no one could lock everyone else away if all of them had control to some extent. The flashing whorl of different magic about the walls could get nauseating if you looked too closely, however. 

Perhaps that was where things started to go wrong. 

There was some level of tension, naturally, as always at these meetings… but at the same time a sickly tendril of complacency arose about the ankles of each and every overlord present. They had Won. They were in a place of their own making. They were Safe. Well, as safe as one can be in hell… but still, they were not as alert as they should be.

All the Vees had come this time, an interesting development. However, it was clear that they were simply making a point of force, and having a go at the Radio Demon.

“I can’t believe you’d even bo00000the333r to show up after being such a fucking coward!” Vox goads, grinning maniacally, claws digging into the table as he leered across at his rival. “Heard your freaky little maid actually took Adam out, bet that stings just as bad as your humiliating defeat you old timey FUCK!”

“Hmmm, yes I am quite proud of Niffty and her achievements. There never was a stain she couldn’t get out, and by golly was Adam a stain on all of humanity in life and death! Hahahhaa!” Alastor parries, Rosie joining in the laughter. 

“Stop deflecting you fucker, and face the fact that you ran away like the little bitch you are!” 

Alastor grinned, “Perhaps… but I could not help but note your absence on the field of play, picture box, except perhaps for your voyeuristic eyes swarming about. You accuse me of hiding in the shadows, and yet… that feels more apt for you and your cronies, does it not?”

“Voxxy, tell him how excited we got when you saw Adam penetrate him… hmmm?” 

Alastor fought to stop his ears from flattening. “Mmm, not the terminology I would use, my dear insectoid colleague, but I do understand the parlance of your profession would be hard to slip out of in more civilised surroundings.”

“Hah, hard. Like Vox when he thought you died…” Valentino snorted, and Velvette rolled her eyes before giving a half-hearted high five to the moth. 

“I do not know how you put up with their insufferable hijinks, Miss Velvette…” Alastor commiserates. 

“Trust me, sometimes I fuckin’ don’t either. But they’re good in bed, so for now it is what it is, innit?” 

“VEL!” / “Babydoll!”

Rosie’s hollow eyes glance between the trio, finally confirming something that was SURE to make the high tea at her emporium tomorrow quite aflutter with gossip.

Zeezi make the room shudder as she traipsed in, with Carmilla and Zestial close on her heels. Odette and Clara trailed their mother, clearly armed and trying hard not to look in any way on edge about not having full control of the layout.

“Greeting Sovereign Overlords of Hell and thank you for meeting again so soon after our last meeting. I see that we have not lost anyone in the previous Extermination, nor are there any new faces to bring up to speed, so we may get onto pressing business.”

“Oi, why’re you the one who gets to chair these meetings, pointy-shoes? Let someone else take a turn once in a while…” Velvette complains reflexively, her main intention being on trying to find the right angle to get proper signal for her phone in this liminal space.

Carmilla, with the patience of someone who has already raised two daughters, responded with a calm smile. “Overlord Velvette, would like to submit a request for a rotating roster for chairing of the meetings? It can easily be arranged. However, we will need assurances that all the requested parties will attend… which I understand is not always possible, given the chaotic nature of your joint industries.”

“Pfft, nah. I’m just sayin’, maybe you don’t need to be so uptight and in control all the time.”

Odette and Clara visibly stiffen, glaring daggers at Velvette. Carmilla’s expression remains oddly serene, as does that of Zestial as he seats himself beside her. 

“Your concern for my wellbeing is admirable, and I thank you. So, how about we move onto the pressing matters that have brought us all to the table today.”

She ignores the outraged spluttering of the outmanoeuvred Velvette.

Carmilla knows if she pushed it even a fraction more, the younger woman might accidentally call her ‘Mum’ in her next retort, that specific wheedling whine was so… familiar. Her eyes cut across to the trying-not-to-look-at-her flushed expressions of her own daughters, who were clearly flashing back to teen tantrums of their own. 

“Today we meet to discuss the new direction of Hell. That is to say, given that the Exorcist Army was so successfully repelled last week and the countdown has not yet resumed, there is a large question around what the future will look like in relation to our ongoing antagonistic relationship with Heaven. Overlord Alastor or Overlord Rosie, would either of you have any new information to share?”

“Thank you darling, I must say things went off quite splendidly!” Rosie chimes in, hands expressively accompanying her words. “My cannibals and cannibettes had just the most delightful time devouring the angels that those lovely people at the hotel downed for us, and we have such a surplus of divine meat it’ll last for decades in the freezers.

That reminds me, if anyone has time to fit in a little feasting, we’re hosting a banquet in my little town next week for everyone to show off their culinary experiments with the angelic flesh. Oh, it’ll be delicious!” 

There was a pause. “And don’t you worry, if that’s not your thing we will also have a few chimkin and vegetarian options. Promise!”

“Dear Charlotte has advised she intends to attend, Rosie, with the lovely Vagatha and the other hotel members.” Alastor advised, grinning at her in a genuine manner that sparkled in his eyes.

It could also, it must be said, have a little something to do with the horror in Vaggie and Lucifer’s faces when they’d been invited to a feast wherein Angel Wings were on the menu… which he had mentally filed away for later perusal and enjoyment.

“How… magnanimous of you. I am certain that there may be a few minutes in my schedule somewhere to attend, thank you for your gracious invitation.” 

“Here, here.” Alastor agrees. His fingers tap the table in an odd little rhythm that catches Vox’s attention. “Well, in terms of an update I would heartily agree that Heaven has realised they are not so invulnerable as previously thought… and that has left them quite paralysed in shock. Both the Princess and King have attempted to reach out to Heaven individually, and received limited answers; polite platitudes if you will. It appears those above no longer wish to draw ire or attention to themselves under the circumstances… hahahahahaaa!” 

“Most assuredly, the Heavenly hosts were most severely rebuffed upon their entry to our realm. Victorious, our reigns remain.” Zestial enthuses.

“Okay, but now what?” Velvette jumps in, watching Vox’s eye twitching as he seems to be decoding something. Valentino exhales a stream of heart-shaped smoke and pets her arm soothingly. “I mean, let’s face facts… those fuckers have been getting away with this for ages and one lost battle ain’t just gonna be enough for ‘em to call it quits, yeah? What d’you think they’re planning?”

“An excellent question, my fashion-forward friend! Just imagine the fear the angels feel now that their avenue of annual entertainment has been annihilated, it only raises the stakes. Why, I suspect more than a few of the heavenly court our dear Princess faced off against are practically moulting themselves over the idea that sinner ranks may once more swell to the populace last seen when the last proactive royal attempted to counter them.” Alastor interjects, grin becoming sharper as the shadows deepened.

“Which is precisely why we need to plan for the potential responses we shall receive from above. Even if no one takes the opportunity to rebel as Queen Lillith once did, it will likely be a thought closely bound to the minds of those ruling Heaven… we must prepare on the off-chance that there is a more... punitive response.” Carmilla advised.

“Hmm, well I would absolutely agree with that, Overlord Carmilla!” Vox slid his way into the conversation, all schmooze and practised business speak. “As we’ve previously mentioned, VoxTech is working on a new brand of Angelic Security options for you and your family, however I’m thinking that this little venture may go a little faster and smoother if our industries were to collaborate to get these products out and about before Heaven gets it in their stuck up little heads to-... YOU TAKE THAT BACK!”

Vox’s tone fritzes as he hurls a bolt of lightning across the table at Alastor, whose fingertips stilled against the table. The other leans to the side and avoids catching electricity to the face, expression delighted. 

“Why my dear Picturebox, whatever could you be referring to?” 

“Oh you FUCKE-...YOU KNOW WHAT YOU SAID!”

“Wha-... oh for fuck’s sake, Vox, let it go already. Ain’t like you two never said that shit to one another before when fighting…”

“W-...wait, you know morse code, Vel?”

“Course I bloody do. It’s the basis for a lot of coding, and you know how good I am at that little techno language… hmmm?” There was a concerningly sexual lilt to that statement that made the TV’s screen flare for a second. “And you, you grinning anachronism, stop goading my idiot ‘cause I’m the one who has to deal with him after you two do that whole… flirty fighting nonsense.” She waved a flippant hand as static screeched in response.

Rosie was laughing at the absolute disgust Alastor was expressing.

“Oh deer… she’s got your number, haha!” 

Valentino grinned salaciously over the table at the Radio Demon, and some of that noxiously vivid smoke dared trail over to touch him. Alastor’s shade loomed up from behind the moth’s chair, fingers out to-...

“ENOUGH!” Carmilla called, snapping the meeting back to order.

“Aww, it was just getting good…” Zeezi muttered to the overlord to her left, some guy with a flaming blue skull and a name no one could recall. “Spoilsport.”

“Yes yes, indeed. Let us set aside such PETTY differences… and focus. If possible.”

“Big talk from the person who shut down the last meeting when dolly over there got a bit up in your business…” Zeezi prods, needling at the other.

Carmilla sighed. “That is quite true, unfortunately. My conduct was not appropriate… however, in the efforts to better manage these meetings, I ask that personal grudges and any… flirting… take place outside these walls.” 

“So, what’re we going to do, then?” Valentino asks, bored of the whole thing and already tapping away at some sort of game on a Vpad produced from who knows where in that gaudy coat. The sound was a little high and the continued high pitched trilling pop of whatever he was doing was irritating more than a few present. 

Alastor reached out to the airwaves and turned the volume down, shuddering at the sensation of dealing with the technology, but his ears stopped stinging all the same, so it was worth it.

“Why, teach your thralls to fight properly and bargain with the lethally lovely Overlord Carmilla for support to arm them, of course! We’ll give those angels what-for when they get back here!”

“And that’s where our Angelic Security products come into it!” Vox jumps back into the conversation. “Yes, we can meet individually with you or as a group at a later date to discuss options for each and every one of your territories, down to the last thrall’s residence. Let’s get everyone ready to face off against the threat, and make sure those feathered FUCKS have nowhere to hide when they inevitably bustle back down here.” 

More than a few of the other Overlords were nodding in interest, including Rosie, much to Alastor’s horror. To think of even greater surveillance across the entire ring was… horrifying, he felt his gorge rise… but what could he say to counter such an offer? 

He makes a show of rolling his eyes, but remains silent. 

“An intriguing proposal… I will also find time for a consultation with VoxTech Industries. Now, I open the floor to a discussion around any of the currently contested territories, disputes and if there are any up and coming potential overlords that we should be aware of.” 

“Yeah, I got a question for Zesty up there about some of his people setting up in one of my warehouses… I don’t like the looks of the light shows going on at night. You know if what they’re doing is any kind of danger to my people? Cause I don’t want that on my turf.” Zeezi asks, glancing down the table at the other.

“Many apologies, mine thralls have sourced your spacious building to complete alchemical experimentation of a most vexing nature. Nothing that should light the skies nor cause the flames of hell to writhe, thou hast mine assurances.”

“So it’s like… drugs? Or glowsticks or something?”

“More akin to potives for various purposes, health tonics and their opposite numbers. Hmmm, I hath made cert that all endeavours pose no risk to thine enterprise, peoples or the waters therein.”

“Ah, ‘kay… could’ve been more fun if it was drugs, just saying. Either way, we can negotiate some of that shit from you later, right? My guys’re rough and tumble, and they get too into it sometimes, so it might be helpful to have something vaguely medicinal around.”

“Verily, those in this room hath mine ear first and foremost for such wares.”

“Nice to know.”

“Would your people be open to assisting in production of Love Potion?” Valentino asked, missing entirely the flicker of distaste on the ancient overlord’s face. 

“Hmmm, such an endeavour wouldt not be within mine realms, as such a potive is intrinsic to thine enterprise, is it not?”

“Hmm, yeah I guess so.” Val shrugs multiple sets of shoulders. He’d lost interest after he got a general ‘no’ vibe from the elderly overlord. “Well, is that it? I got several people to do today…”

“Well, if there is no further business, I suppose that we can conclude this meeting. Overlord Rosie, my daughters and I look forwards to attending your event next week, and I would hope to see-...” Carmilla’s words cut off with a choked cry as chaos erupted throughout the room.

Rippling cracks filled the room simultaneously, as bullets flew in perfect precision to strike each and every Overlord through the skull with pinpoint accuracy. Some struck from the side, others from behind… and several through the forehead. Even Vox was not spared, his screen fracturing from impact as it rippled outwards from between his eyes.

Bodies slumped to the tabletop or out of their chairs depending on the directional force they received from the attack. Blood of varying colours coated the walls, the table, one another.

Odette and Clara screamed as their mother fell back into their arms, and they covered her with their bodies, weapons to hand as they prepared for a further assault that seemed imminent. And yet, never came.

As silently as it had begun, everything ceased, the only sound the harsh panting of the two warriors and the steady dripping of blood and gore off various surfaces. The room buckled slightly, wards shorting out due to the sudden loss of power fuelling them.

None noticed the tiny flares above of coin-sized portals closing amongst the whirling multitudes of magics present; the perfectly camouflaged vantage points for would-be assassins.

“What… what do we do?” Odette hisses at her sister.

“I don’t-... we need help, someone who won’t take advantage of this.” Of our mother. Of Zestial and the others. 

The children of Overlords were few and far between, but they knew that their ties protected and bound them to the others present as strongly as those same connections dissuaded harm.

Why, more than once another Overlord had casually stepped in to divert potential kidnappers from taking them in the early days… and made no real mention of it to their mother. It was simply… an unspoken little courtesy extended to them due to who they were.

In fact, the only one who probably understood that feeling was likely-...

Odette gasped, “The Princess!” 

Clara already had her phone out, shaking fingers encouraging a seldom-used number to ring…

“Please pick up, please pick up!”

Ch2 - etc

In hindsight, perhaps an activity involving so much glue, glitter and other confetti-like substances was not the most appropriate option given the current hotel staff and clientele.

Husk had it matted in his fur at this point and Niffty was driving everyone ballistic with her frequent attempts to clean up excess before it even reached the paper.

Angel had, unfortunately, decided the exercise was ridiculous and crafted a very detailed but wildly inappropriate veritable bouquet of demon dongs on his paper.

“Uh, Angel… I love the hmmm, the enthusiasm… however, we were supposed to be making art of things we…” Love. Ah, the flaw in that little statement just hit her. She laughed nervously, “Actually, that’s fine! I’m er, glad to see it’s just… that… and you didn’t draw any of the substances you normally talk about all the time. So that’s some progress!”

“Nah princess, I’m just not great at art or you woulda seen me draw a real detailed version of Whiskers, probably with a line or two to snort off’a his pert-...” 

“WELL NOW THIS LOOKS FUN, what’s happening in here?!” Lucifer’s voice rings out, cutting off the truly heinous sentence he just walked in on before his daughter turned any deeper red. She really needed to get better at shutting down sinners when they got vulgar but… that was a skill that came with time.

“Just a little exercise in creativity, we’re drawing what we love! Or, uh, trying to… Niffty, please stop eating that, it’s glue.” 

“Oh for the love of-...” Vaggie was there trying to wrangle it out of the hands of the smaller demoness. It was quite comical to see someone trying to avoid those sharp teeth and simultaneously remove the heaped handfuls of glitter-caked glue from the same mouth all at once. “Bad Niffty, you’ll get a stomach ache! Uh, what…er, what if you get too unwell to deal with the bugs? Then they’ll win, right?”

The little maid paused, arms and legs dangling as if all her energy had gone inward to thinking that over.

“Is that-... is she okay? Is this normal?” Lucifer found himself asking, perturbed by the blank stare. 

“Yeah. Give her a minute.” Husk adds, glancing over dismissively. 

Well, if anyone would know if something was wrong, it’d be the guy who worked alongside her for decades. 

“Okay!” the little thing brightened, dropping the glue to the floor and wriggling free to run off. However, she paused mid-turn and shuddered.

In a split second, three chains lit up the room without any prior warning and flickered. 

“What the FUCK, what the FUCK is happening?” Angel gasps, starting to breathe heavily. This wasn’t Val being a dick and calling him in, the other end of the chain was fading towards him right this second… disappearing. A tug was there, but it didn’t want his physical body, it wanted his essence.

“No! Sir!” Niffty cried, slouching to the floor as her energy was siphoned towards the rapidly disintegrating end of the chain. 

“What’s happening?” Charlie cried, eyes wide and hands twitching, unsure who to help first as Husk slumped forwards onto the crafting table, body twitching with the strain. 

And then her phone goes off.

A connection she didn't use often, but there’s a frantic daughter of an overlord on the phone who needs her Right Now, even if the exact nature of the issue isn’t easy to obtain due to the frantic sobs and heaving breaths on the other end.

“Stay calm, can you tell me where you are? Okay. Okay. We’ll be right there, it’s going to be okay.” she snaps the phone shut. “Dad! Someone attacked the Overlord meeting and they’re all dead!”

“WHAT?!”

“Please, can you portal us to the (make up location)? I need to-... Carmilla’s daughters are there alone in a room full of-... and Rosie and Al were there! Oh no!”

“Breathe, duckling, breathe. We can go. But what about your friends here?”

“We’re coming with you, just give me a sec…” Husk said gravely, head still on the table and one claw raised. “Fuck, this hasn’t happened in… years… got used to not being used as a fuckin’ battery. Alright, let’s do this.”

Angel shoved himself upright through will alone and stumbled towards the others. “If he’s dead-dead, I reserve the right to desecrate the corpse and no one gets to make a fuss about it. Capisce?”

“Siiiiiiiiiiiiiiir…” Niffty mewls, crawling up Vaggie’s leg to cling to her like a koala. 

“Alright, let’s go!” Lucifer snaps open a portal right through those cute little wards the overlords set up. Hey, he’s the King for a reason. 

Its a scene of devastation and carnage.

They’re dead. ALL Dead. 

Charlie runs over to Rosie and Alastor first, the former seems to have been caught through the side of the skull and the latter… well, unfortunately, it seems to have gone straight through the forehead. Hmmm, that might be a little triggering later on, she’d have to work on discussing that with-... oh, yeah. Fuck.

Neither showed any signs of life or afterlife or vitality or however they classed it here.

Clara and Odette were sobbing at the head of the table, each curled protectively around Carmilla or Zestial. 

Lucifer asks what happened. They have no answers, one minute it was fine and the next...

He uses his magic to fill the room to sense what went down, sees the portals. Tastes magic that is laced with Heavenly power but is native to hell somehow. Possibly from the use of blessing tipped weapons.

“Can you… heal them?”

“Duckling… they’re dead, but they’re not... fully gone, or your friends would be free right now, right?” Still the fact anyone got bold enough to kill or try to kill a dozen overlords at once was… concerning.

“Oh, so can we give them a uh, a little boost to help them wake up?”

“You can but… do you really want to waste it on these guys? They’ll regenerate soon enough.”

Charlie frowns at him, and gently provides some power to Rosie and Alastor, and when they begin to breathe again (even if morbidly slowly), she moves on. Moving to Carmilla and Zestial, to Zeezi, that weird skull guy, and then the Vees… she hesitates over Valentino, though.

“Oh no, I’m so… exhausted… I just can’t without rest…” she mumbles, making a show of swooning into Vaggie’s amused arms.

With a hiss, Alastor sits upright, the back of his head half-healed into its regular shape but the unsightly bullet hole in his forehead was leaking blood obscenely. However, he noted the awakening Rosie and immediately offered her his kerchief to manage the matted blood in her hair.

She handed her own back across and they laughed, swiping at the blood. They handed them back sticky with crimson gore.

“Deerling would you be offended if I made tea with the kerchief? Just for me of course.”

“Of course! I’d hate for it to go to waste!” 

Carmilla and Zest awaken, immediately pretending not to be worried for the other as if they weren't the worst kept secret in Hell, and then turned their attentions to Calra and Odette, who were BESIDE themselves with grief and joy.

The others Waking up, unsure why they hadn't been sent through a proper reset / reformation because a headshot would do that.

What happened? Who would DARE? Who could even do this? Most Goetia couldn't bust down a doorway held back with the power of multiple overlords. It was a matter of amassed might.

Odd. Unsettling in a way that made the King uncomfortable, as if he'd missed something. He plucks several of the bullets from the walls, floor and even tabletop where they'd been ejected post-regeneration.

They don't... smell of heaven, not directly. Which was good, because if they had even a trace of angelic steel in them, none of these sinners would be here right now.

So then, what was the point of it? To target an entire room, warded strongly enough to dissuade most under royal goetia level, of the top tier of sinners... only to use that one shot (so to speak) on a non-lethal delivery.

He wants to think its someone new to hell, someone who didn't realise nothing short of an angelic bullet would kill a sinner, an overlord. But that doesn't add up. New sinners wouldn't have the ability, the connections to do this, and older / experienced sinners would never take this risk unless they thought it was guaranteed.

So what was this all for?

He feels the answer tickling the edge of his infinite mind, clouded with years of roiling depression, trying to connect the dots for him. However, right now...? He was feeling twitchy about his daughter being anywhere near this place, wondering if these was an ambush likely.

Out of courtesy to the overlords he did recall and liked, he offered them portals home. The Vees declined, curling into Vox as he turned them to electricity and jumped into the outside powerlines.

Rosie stepped straight through a portal into the frantically yelling arms of Susan, who was berating her for needing to use her energy, all the while hugging Rosie with a desperate relief neither woman would ever be able to mention. The frightening woman pointed her walking stick through the portal menacingly at Alastor as well, stating she was glad to see his rudolph looking ass hadn't been annihilated either but how dare the pair of them worry cannibal town like that?!

Alastor was too stunned to retort before the portal closed. "...I believe that's the first time dear Susan hasn't threatened to skin me for a decorative rug... and then complained about how it would be oddly proportioned." he murmurs, blinking, and then has to deal with Niffty gluing herself to him and holding tight.

Lucifer immediately drags everyone back to the hotel, and throws up additional wards despite Alastor's protests that his were more than sufficient.

A touch cruelly, Lucifer retorts that clearly they weren't or he wouldn't have been shot in the head a second time, hmmm? And Charlie had to intervene to prevent the dad-off part 2 from starting all over again when they were both keyed up and anxious for different reasons.

She then made things worse by asking if Al wanted to talk about it? Because she knew it might have triggered thoughts of his death and-...

The overlord had JUST enough patience not to snap at her as the smile went taut. "My dear, do keep your new age nonsense to yourself, it's hardly the first time someone down here has tried that, I have a glowing X on my forehead... they do tend to aim for it..."

"Yes but, you were-... and ROSIE was-... if you want to talk about it, I'm here." She grasps his hands, and he looked like he wanted to recoil from the intensity of her care and compassion, which was bordering on the manic side at this point.

"No, as I said it's fine. And besides, it's hardly like the real thing... there were no dogs this time!" His laughter echoes as he fades into shadow, leaving Charlie perplexed and looking to Husk for an answer.

He chugs an entire bottle. "No, absolutely not, he'd kill me if I told you... just don't go bringing hellhounds here unexpectedly, he tends to not respond well. Last one ended up with limbs torn off... but Rosie sewed 'em back on and they got the guy sorted out."

"That's horrible!"

"Eh, death trauma gets us all a little weird, toots..." Angel intones, draped over the lounge seating like it was a risque photoshoot. "I still can't stand being in a dingy bathrooms with faint mint tiles and flickering bulbs. Sends me right into my own head..."

"Oh... is there... anything you need us to change about your room?" She's frantically thinking about what colour scheme his bathroom has, it had been a generic room to begin with before he went pinksplosion on the place.

"Nah, I'm good. There were some green tiles in there, forest green I think it was, but I asked Al to switch it to pink months ago... he made it pink and black, but said if it was all pink id never be able to work out distance from anything if i was hungover. Fucker was right."

Lucifer frowned, "And what little deal did that cost?"

Angel blinked. "Well, I offered to give him the daily special, four hands no questions asked, and he gave me this whack on the head with his microphone thing and laughed. Told me to save it for someone who cared for that sort of thing. Eh, his loss. But he did it cause that's what the facility manager does, right?"

"Hmmm, I really should have thought about what environment could do for our guests and their trauma. Hmmm, good feedback, Angel." she's working herself into a strategising mode.

Vaggie intercedes immediately. "No, no you don't, we're going to get a cup of tea and calm down and then talk about how you're really feeling about all this... bottling it up will just hurt you in the long run. You haven't... seen sinners die and reform like that, the ones you kind of care about, before have you?"

"...no." the voice is smaller.

And suddenly Angel has her and Vaggie off the ground in a deep hug. "Hey, s'okay toots... catches us all off guard. Last time Cherri got killed, I went on a week long bender until she reformed, I didn't know what to do without her, 'cause we did everything together. It's fucked up, but that's how it is..."

"And you're trying to change it, give another option, sweetie. We believe in you, and your dream." Vaggie reminds.

---

Lucifer provides a shot of vitality to the thralls who'd been drained automatically. Feeling they were the real victims here. He wouldn't be able to chase down all the affected, but Husk and Angel and Niffty were in reach.

---

Vox will keep it out of the news to prevent copycats. Vulnerability was the wost thing an overlord could have. There's no way to play at it that every other overlord got hit but not the Vees... too many questions would be raised.

Overlords make a show of being seen in public, brazenly unafraid and seemingly unbothered by the incident.

[Pick a villain for this shitshow. Angelic in nature, orchestrated from someone high in the council, someone who was in the courtroom with Charlie and Emily singing. Not Sera, perhaps one of the as yet unnamed angels, like Uriel or Castiel... for the hell of it.]

Plot Twist: Turns out the bullets were simply a medium to deliver a very specific spell/curse to each overlord. On the inner core of the bullets, something Lucifer notices too late because he got distracted with Charlie and the hotel and ducks and the Sins saw him on TV and wanted to check in and- and- and-... Well, he missed it. With his true Sight, his devil's eyes, it would have been clear as daylight, but... he'd been too focused on trying to work out why the sigil on the base of the bullet was familiar.

Ironically, the sigil was put there because the person who had ordained it all KNEW that Lucifer was easily distracted, and if he had bothered to look into it at all, as he likely would because of Charlotte's connection to the hotel and overlord associated... then that was the most surefire way to divert the angelic adhd nightmare from figuring it out.

Until it was too late.

Once he sees. Or, they should say, once he SEES, it's almost too late to reverse. The curse, the spell, the whatever the fuck it is because it seems to be a mishmash of multiple magical ideals and cultures, like they'd been jammed in a cosmic blender and it just SHOULDN'T BE WORKING but it is...

It's doing something to the Overlords. Soemthing that each initially passed off as residual healing from the attack. It's not usual (to be loved by anyone...) for them to feel...off. Depending on the complexity of the injury and location, and the rapid nature of the regen, it could leave one feeling quite discombobulated.

In short, the spell things are targeted to them individually, and invoked by their blood. How they got scraps of it to even train the spell to begin with is anyone's guess, but Overlords scrap all the time... however, it also leave a sinking feeling in Lucifer's chest that this wasn't some fly-by-night scenario. This had been planned out for a long time. Which didn't bode well.

And then when it was fired, when it entered their heads and (even briefly) touched the blood, the viscera, the gorey internals... the spell activated. Blasting out in a sharp shockwave that imprinted the sigils, the spell, the curse within the regenerating tissue of each overlord. Immediately fed and nourished with the influx of power drawn from thralls to settle and expand.

It is now inside them, hard to claw out. Seeping into their very bones, muscle, tissue. Slowly tightening about their bodies, their minds, their power. They are weakening day by day and it never stops.

By the time it becomes obvious something is wrong, despite the best covering that all the Overlords manage, it's almost too late.

The power keeps going out, the phone networks die at random and the radios shriek. Services managed by Overlords stall without direct input. It's... a lot to deal with.

The anti-Overlords groups taunt and jeer, whipped into a frenzy by their puppet leaders. Ensorcelled sinners under angelic guidance.

----

Propaganda appears talking about how Overlords are dangerous and oppressive, that anyone seeking to rise to that status will be cut down once the current overlords are dead. Pictures of all the overlords deceased at the meeting go viral. Velvette convinces that its a deep deepfake.

Who? Why? What could this mean?

Stryker in here somewhere, orders from above to enact this. Someone with portal power, he was given the chance to work outside of time for only a minute in total, and he was able to enact all those shots simultaneously. He chafed at not being allowed to use his preferred weapon...

The curses start to drain the overlords, and limit their powers, siphoned off to this unknown person or some sort of totemic device (identify for plot).

Lucifer is getting nervous, sure he was leagues above Overlords but anyone who had the power of a dozen could potentially take over several goetia houses, and work on up accruing power from there, right?

Overlords don’t like accepting help or weakness, it takes a LOT to keep these fuckers from dying alone in the dark. Even Odette and Clara struggle to get their mother to truly express that she is hurt, weak, feeling unwell.

Stubborn to the last.

Some seem to shrink in stature. Some go pallid, others darken. Their bodies fighting every step of the way as they are physically forced back to human shape over a rapidly increasing duration. Vox is the most confused, having his human head back all of a sudden was the best and worst thing. Zeezi hadn't been this short in decades. Zestial had forgotten what being human even was.

Rosie... well, she was part hellborn, and it left the spell confused as to how to manage her. Susan staunchly keeps the others from eating her, but calls 'that tiny idiot in the stupid fruit basket hat' to come get her. A human in cannibal town, despite their love an adoration of her, won't last long. Instinct and all.

Their nerves are on fire, the overlords are consistently trying to hide what is happening. At first they manage to snap back into their demonic forms with effort, but as their magic wanes... it becomes increasingly clear that things are Very Wrong.

When it's discovered that they are all trapped in their human forms, Charlie personally collects who she can to bring them to the hotel. Some fight but well, she's a 6ft + super strong princess and they're human. which is to say, she can tuck them under one arm like an aggrieved chihauha at will and sneak them to her car.

The atmosphere of Hell isn't made for the living, and everything is slowly killing them. The air, the water, the lack of sunlight, the magic in everything. The furniture and other sentient things. The plants have a particular interest in eating them. Niffty has to decimate them with fire daily to keep them contained.

Mostly, despite their best efforts to remain mobile and help solve this conundrum, they're too weak for anything. But the idea of being weak, being vulnerable, even to the bleeding hearted princess, is terrifying to the overlords individually and collectively.

Alastor is particularly frustrated for various reasons, as his shadow is no longer animate... which feels like a part of him has atrophied and died. But, also, he's closer to the height of the wretched little King, who is having a great time with that. He's about an inch taller, but Lucifer's not letting that go.

Still, more concerning is that whatever it is has not yet finished with them. You'd assume this was the core of the matter, to turn them human where they'd be eaten alive by all of Hell... or killed by exposure to the atmosphere were the King not (reluctantly in some cases it must be said) providing some healing on a regular basis.

It starts when Velvette collapses, and can't be roused for well over two days. Blood pools unceasingly from-... well, it was clear how she'd passed, unfortunately. Charlie wanted to do mental health first aid the minute the overlord opened her eyes, but thankfully she was talked into Waiting for a more appropriate time.

Then Zeezi seized and hit the floor, and those who knew her recognised her cause of death (it had happened at a 90s rave, and amidst the flashing lights, pressed bodies, thumping techno and free substances no one had seen her seize until they found the body when the lights went up). Her body resisted purging the problem, despite heavenly effort.

The pair seemed locked in this... endless death.

Valentino was next, and that was oddly heartbreaking to see. Damage welling up all over the vindictive man's form, and it was clear he'd been beaten to within an inch of his life by someone. Even Angel, who fucking hated the guy, couldn't find joy in seeing something like this... even if it should have felt like vindication for everything Val did to him. He'd noticed Val had stayed away from the spider this whole time, but Angel had never been someone who'd force himself on others, not even in revenge. He jus didn't know how to say it out loud to the guy, when he wanted to spit in the usually-moth's face.

Three down.

Then Vox... his flesh sizzling and sloughing off as he collapsed. Electrocuted. Ironic. It took some fancy ward-work to stop the endless generation of electrical charge so they could get near enough to help.

[Can't tell when Carmilla died, google it, put her between the two]

Carmilla... well, her wounds were confusing. Some defensive, but strategic. Perhaps she had fought back better than her assailant had assumed? In the end, stab wounds opened on her body, and a glaring one across her throat as she laid on the carpet of her room, her daughters yelling for help.

Charlie had to take them aside and get them to play tetris through tear rimmed eyes (genuine trauma response technique) to calm them down. They'd seen this twice now. And previously, they'd died next, so it was hitting very hard.

Rosie and Alastor refused to say who was next of the two of them, both remaining cagey.

Alastor kept distant from the others, and only Husk had an idea how bad this would be. But he was close enough to Al's room when it happened, first the bullet through his thigh to make sure he couldn't run... then the marks of mauling, and finally a bullet hole between the eyes.

Charlie had screamed and shattered a mirror when she'd run at Husk's yell. Lucifer grimaced, but did what he could as the other fell into the odd coma all the overlords were trapped in.

"Told you... he hates dogs for a reason." Husk shrugged, and walked out. He maintained nonchalance long enough to duck into angel's room, head right to the toilet and throw up the last 18hrs of food because fuck, that was... that was terrible. One thing to know academically, and another to...

Rosie slowly began to freeze, and nothing they did helped, until her limbs locked up tight and water spilled from her lips. She'd been on the titanic, you see, maiden voyage and all. One of the few who decided her lifeboat seat should go to a youngster... but her penchant for eating husbands was weighed against her so, Hell it was.

She's put into a room full of regularly changed warm blankets, the water never stopped.

Zestial simply grew weak and fell into the coma one day, body twitching on occasion. Lucifer originally guessed infirmity or illness... but when he Looked Again he saw the signs of poison.

All of them down, all of them trapped in an endless deathcycle.

What could any of this mean? how was this helping Heaven or Hell or anything?

He's beside himself and calls on the Sins because What. The. FUCK?!

----------

Heavenly interference.

Calls on goetia that monitor the stars. Stolas scries that there is something on Earth on each gravesite that is channelling this downfall's magic.

Uses IMP to go to earth and find the totems, have them bring them to Hell where they can be studied.

Have to siphon out the curse with the totem, and then break it for each overlord, to bounce their power back.

Discover the angel, petition heaven for punishment. Get told too bad so sad.

Some sort of aftermath and dealing with the anti-overlord groups. etc.

ETC

[freezerbnuuy]

How to make a UI Emotion Pose Override

I figured I'd explain how I made the UI Emotions pose overrides for Sims 4. This guide assumes you know how to make a pose and know Blender basics, it just explains how you find the relevant files to override and other little bits. I did search and couldn't find a tutorial for this, but maybe I didn't look hard enough. These aren't too tricky to make, and also for me make a pretty big difference in not having to look at EA animations / poses as much, haha.

You will need Blender, Sims 4 Studio and MCCC for easily achieving the relevant moods for testing.

Go to Animation > Override on Sims 4. Click the Animation button.

Type in ui_mood_ into the search bar and it will bring up all of the mood UI poses, the ones that appear in the bottom left of the screen. a_ui is the Adult poses, c_ui is Child poses. There's also i_ui which I assume is Infant, and p_ui which is Toddler. We'll edit an adult UI pose for this.

Some of them have different names to in-game: Depression - Very Sad, Elated - Very Happy, Fearless - Very Confident, In the Zone - Very Focused, Miserable - Very Uncomfortable, Pumped - Very Energised, Frustrated - Very Tense, Passionate - Very Flirty, Imaginative - Very Inspired.

This is an example from the Sims Wiki, even though this doesn't look too exaggerated on this particular example, I always thought this expression seemed a bit too cheery for some of the small things Sims get +1 happy about. (Hey, if we can't be happy then neither can any of our pixel dolls.) So let's find the one labelled 'happy' a_ui_mood_happy_x and open it. Leave the dropdown as Adult Female, then click Export and save the .blend file.

Open it in Blender, and then press 5 on the NumPad to set it to Ortho view. Now you have to try and move the view around to get the 3d viewpoint as close as possible to the rough viewpoint of the appearance of the emotion in-game. Use a screenshot of the Emotion as reference.

Once you have a similar enough viewpoint (this is more or less at the same angle as the UI pose), then make sure you Save and I recommend naming this file 'BASE' or something. This way, if you want to make more than one emotion override for the different emotions. Saves having to find the correct 'view' for every exported pose. Now it's time to make your pose!

Limitations to bear in mind: - You can't have anything that is too far forwards, like a hand reaching forward or something or it will cut off those parts (I tried a pose with the hands facing right the way forward for the 'possessed' emotion for a kind of 'grabbing at the viewer' effect, and they just are invisible if you do that) and you have to keep the arms relatively close to the body or they will also be cut off in-game if they are out to the sides too much.

This is the one I made, which is much more subtle and more suitably 'normal happy'. This tutorial assumes you know how to make a pose, so LocRot and lock in the pose on the 0th frame. Save, then go back to Sims 4 Studio, Import on the same screen you Exported the .blend on, import the new pose .blend file, then Save. Then put the .package in your Mods folder.

After that, you need to go to My Documents / Electronic Arts / The Sims 4 (or your equivalent on your computer). In this folder you'll see a file called localthumbcache.package. Delete it, otherwise you won't see your new pose in-game since it stores the emotion thumbnails.

Once you've done that, boot the game. With MCCC, if you shift-click a Sim it should give you an option to Cheat Emotions if you need to (you can use these multiple times to get the level of emotion you need depending on what Emotions you've made overrides for) to test how it looks in-game.

The top left is the new, more subtle Happy pose which I greatly prefer. The rest are examples of other poses that are part of my (free) UI Pose Overrides. The 'Very Happy' gives you an idea of the space you have and where the 'cut-off' points are.

You can easily take the overrides out without issues as well if you change your mind or want to try out new ones, you just need to delete the 'localthumbcache' package each time you add or delete a pose override so it can 'reset' the portrait images and show the right poses.

[tlouxx]

Electromagnetism

~ ellie williams x reader

——————————————————————————

part two <3

synopsis: you and ellie williams have been long time rivals. you are a physics majors at wellesley college, and you’re competing for the same spot in the prestigious dr. ramsey’s lab as ellie. suddenly neither of you can escape the other as you’re both trying to navigate your final year of college.

content: college!ellie, modern au, mean!ellie, academic rivals to lovers, slow burn, forced proximity, eventual smut, swearing, banter, just trying to intro ellie and reader rn

an: this is the first fic i've written! i hope you enjoy :) pls be kind

——————————————————————————

I want this year to be better. To achieve more. To get everything I have wanted. Well.. I want this to be the year I best Ellie Williams. It has been so frustrating to get second best to her no matter how hard I try. I study 15 hours for the exam. She studies for 20. I get a 98 on the lab report. She gets a 100. I can’t stand this girl. This year I have a fire under my ass. I’ll do whatever it takes to get the lab position with Dr. Ramsey, and I know Ellie is gunning for it too… 

...

Day One  - PHYS 302: Quantum Mechanics 

Fuck. I know I'm going to be late. I had been up until 2:00 a.m. devising a plan for how I was going to handle all of the stress of senior year. Between tutoring, a full class load, and working on my thesis, I am going to have no life outside of school. Although, I’m kind of fucking it up already by waking up late for the first day of class. 

…

I am sprinting through campus trying to navigate through the thick of the freshman class wandering aimlessly around. I have 1 minute and 39 seconds to make it on time before Dr. L locks the door. (She’s a bit famous for doing that). It’s mid august and hot. I can feel the sweat dripping down my back, and my bangs are clinging to my forehead. I see a shortcut to the physics building through the freshly landscaped garden. Dirt and mulch kicks up my jeans, but I don’t care. Behind me, I hear yelling. “Move out of my way!!” I look momentarily to see none other than Ellie Williams. Suddenly I don’t feel as bad about being late. She’s in her typical wardrobe of converse and a jacket too big for her, and she’s running toward me. 

…

“Don’t you know she’s going to lock the door on us!” 

“I know Ellie!” I scoff back. I book it knowing we only have 45 seconds left to make it on time. We’re both charging up the stairs. Ellie shoves me aside. I yell  “Are you kidding me!” She simply laughs at me. 

… 

I’m following right behind her. I can feel the anger flood through my body. My cheeks are flushed, and I can feel my rage nearly leave my mouth. I know I’d only be stooping to her level. I see the door in my line of sight and feel the tension dissipate knowing we made it. We rush through the door with seconds to spare. All eyes are on us. I suddenly feel the anger leave and be replaced by embarrassment. I look around for somewhere to sit. PHYS 302 is a popular class with a majority of the seats being full. Ellie and I look at each other realizing there are only two seats left. Right next to each other. 

…

We both glare at the other, but sit down knowing we’ve already caused a commotion by busting through the door at the last second. I’m angry. I’m irritated. This is exactly why I have to do better this semester. I know what I want, and I won’t stop until I see that smirk wiped off her face. 

…

As class continues on, I glance over at Ellie. She’s diligently taking notes and hanging on to every word Dr. L says. I should be doing the same. This class is important to me, and doing well can help me guarantee my spot in Dr. Ramsey’s lab. I’ve been dreaming of doing my thesis with her help since freshman year. Right now though, I need to stop daydreaming about beating Ellie and actually do it. 

…

I’ve always loved the atmosphere here at Wellesley. The campus is gorgeous and almost looks otherworldly at times. The blossoming pinks of the spring and the rich reds and yellows of the fall makes it look like a daydream. I have studied at nearly every picnic table out here. The sun is shining down on my face through the clouds.  I look up and start to reminisce about the good times I’ve had here, but the heat is getting to me. I peel off my jacket before I enter my next lecture. I open the door to see Ellie Williams smirking at me. 

…

PHYS 208: Intermediate Electromagnetism

“I didn’t think you’d be brave enough to take this class. Seems a little too… difficult for you.” 

“Fuck off Ellie. You know I’m just as smart as you.” 

“And I know how much it kills you that you have to work twice as hard to come close to me” 

I laugh. “What kills me is that you think that’s true. I already know you studied for days for Dr. Ramsey’s final when I studied for a couple hours and got practically the same grade” I can feel myself getting flustered. I’ve been wanting to dedicate this semester to kicking her ass, and she can see it. I watch as her cheeks turn red. She knows I see her too. She turns back around in her seat. 

…

The weight of the day feels heavy on my shoulders. I shouldn’t have said that to Ellie. Dina told me in confidence how much time she was dedicating to studying for the exam. I shouldn’t have betrayed her trust just to get back at Ellie. I don’t have much time to waste ruminating on actions. I have work in 20 minutes and a 15 minute walk there. 

…

I work at the tutoring center on campus. I mainly help the underclassmen with the major prerequisite courses like MATH 205 and PHYS 100/107/108. It gives me a sense of fulfillment helping others. I know firsthand how hard these classes are. I probably wouldn’t have survived the first year without the help of the tutoring department. It’s part of the reason why I decided to work here making minimum wage. Plus it’ll make my application to work at Dr. Ramsey’s lab look better. I glance through the windows to get a glimpse of who I'll be working with this semester. I hope Dina and I get the same shifts like last semester. I’m sure you can guess who I see though. Ellie. Fucking. Williams. 

…

I can feel my eyes rolling. I can’t escape her! Everywhere I turn she’s there. First both our classes are together and now she’s working at the tutoring center? This has to be some sick joke. I look up at her and smile. She looks away and sits in a nearby chair. I sit across from her waiting for someone to instruct us on what to do next. I do regret embarrassing her, but she started it. She nearly pushed me down the stairs just to get ahead of me on top of that too. Maybe I shouldn’t feel so bad, but my heart is still pounding as I look up at her again. 

…

The tutoring center supervisor sees us sitting in silence together. She’s nice enough, but her wardrobe is stuck in 2013. I catch myself staring at her oddly patterned top. Ellie notices me staring and gives me a knowing smile. 

“I’m so glad you’re both here! You and Ellie will be our main tutors on Monday, Wednesday, Friday for the core physics class. I think you two are already acquainted” 

“Oh. I thought Dina and I would be doing that again.” 

“Right. I thought you might say that, but with her new course load she’ll be doing Tuesday and Thursday instead.” 

“I see.” 

“You and Ellie are both top of the class! I feel so lucky to have you guys here.” 

I smile and head down to the physics portion of the building. 

…

Ellie is following behind me closely. I’m wondering if maybe she’ll apologize, but I doubt she’d ever do that. We both sit down at our respective desks. I look up at her again. I must’ve hit close to home with my comment. She’s helping someone with their MATH 205 homework. Ellie tucks a piece of her hair behind her ear. She always wears it half up/half down. Despite our rivalry, I admit to myself that it looks good on her. Her complexion is soft and a spread of freckles paints her nose. She gives them a thumbs up as they leave, and they yell to Ellie, “You’re a life-saver!” 

…

After a few hours of no students, I’m getting bored. I can sense the tension between me and Ellie. I think I should say something. 

“Hey Ellie, I think I should apologize for earlier.” 

“Honestly, it’s fine. I’m glad you finally are stepping up in this little game of ours. I needed a little extra motivation to step up my game so I can get the spot in Dr. Ramsey’s lab” 

“God, I knew you were gunning for it too.” 

Ellie gets out of her chair and steps closer to me. She creeps in closely. My heart skips a beat for a second. Fuck this girl will be the death of me. 

She is only inches from my face. My cheeks begin to flush. The anxiety is bubbling up in my chest. My heart is beating so loud I think Ellie might hear it too.

“May the best win” 

…

Oh its fucking on Ellie.

[mindhealing]

Magic On The Go!

Do the best you can humanly do at all times and remember to cut yourself some slack from time to time because we are all in the learning process and stages of life, nobody has all the answers - if they did they wouldn't be here they would be else where. It's okay to miss some steps along the way and stagger, you will always have help along the way provided you have chosen to take responsibility for your life and life experiences and hold yourself accountable every step of the way because it all begins and ends with you. When trying to attain a dream or a goal, its ok to feel frustrated when the initial failure, obstacles and blockages suddenly appear and overwhelm you, just pick yourself up and try again, remember that failure is a necessary part of success, if you don't fail how can you measure success and how far you have come, how do you know what you had to undergo and endure to get to where you want to be?

Having more and more in life especially when you are unhappy with yourself, your life and life experiences won't solve the problem. Happiness doesn't lie in  possessions, wealth and fortune as you can see all-around in the world -  "the rich also cry", even relationships can't make you happy or change your circumstance and situation no matter how utterly charming and amazing your partner is, the answer lies within yourself, not outside and definitely not with your family, lived ones, community, society or even the world. If you can't find peace and happiness within you, in the depth of your heart where love is and reigns supreme because at the base level, you are a magnificent Being of Love and Light, it's not going to come from outside of you.

Remember that anxiety, tension, worry, depression and all negative thoughts and emotions from a negative mindset will only unbalance you creating the opposite of the magic and wonder that you want and desire in life. It usually indicates that you are worried about the past or the future, and such emotions only keeps you locked in the abysmal depth of the mind where nothing meaningful can come out of your life and life experiences until you free yourself from the mind's narratives and stories that don't help you. Stay focused on your goals and dreams and in the present moment - The Now, then you can create the magic on the go. Time is an illusion from a higher perspective especially the concept of "time is running, time waits for no man". Time is the concept of life as you make of your life and life experiences and when you create magic, miracles and abundance, remember. - abundance flourishes in a grateful heart.

Life happens for you and not to you, you draw everything into your life knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or unconsciously and they make up what you see, know, feel and understand as your life and life experiences that's how you create the wonder and magic on the go. No one but you is responsible and everything that you project out knowingly or unknowingly, consciously or unconsciously is what comes back to you as your life and life experiences. So, you are truly only consciously aware of this present moment, this here and now, so the magic, miracle, wonder, avalanche of great blessings, wealth and fortune can be yours now in this present time as soon as you decide to take responsibility for your life and life experiences and hold yourself accountable for your mindset, thoughts and emotions, actions and deeds.

When you are in this state of consciousness or state of mind, you become peaceful and calm and this is when you connect to the divinity within you, your Higher Self which is your true authentic self and it will guide and direct you on the best and shortest route to achieving your goals, dreams, aims and desires. It has 360 degree viewpoint of life, while you in the human state of consciousness has about 90 degree and at most 180 degree viewpoint of life which isn't enough to help you see where you may be getting it wrong and making the wrong choices and decisions.

You have done the best you can in the human state of consciousness, but now it's time to let this new state of consciousness or mind, the higher self show you the way to achieving your goals in the shortest possible time. Remember time is where you are in the present moment, yesterday was but a memory because you aren't in it and the future, a projection because you aren't in it too. You are truly only conscious and aware of this moment, so live in it and live in the actualization of your dreams and desire, like they are already happening to you here and now. Spread your wings and fly like an eagle, be the king/queen of your domain, the creator of what happens in your world and universe. Remember - everything happens for you as you say it, it becomes your reality. Don't allow the old narratives, stories and drama of the mind derail you, chart a new course for your life today and make the magic and miracle happen for you. Yes you can!

So, have you done the best you can do today? Comments and feedback are welcome.

More to come

[sklives]

About team Hebi/Taka and team seven

Part 01

Well, since I'm watching Naruto again because of the new dubbed episodes, I just caught my eyes in something that bothered me so soo much that I just want to split it out.

This post got too long, so I’ll post this in part 01 and 02 > Simultaneously 🤯

Ok, so, about this scene

Some time ago I thought that the reason why they went after Sasuke (again) was to stop him from killing Itachi because If he did it he couldn't come back to Konoha.

Why? Well, somehow I mixed up some information that appeared in the beginning, that Sasuke was included in that anbu kill list, so in my head if he kills Itachi the numerous crimes he committed were reached in a level that he wouldn't be accepted back.

Don't ask me why hehehe

So then they used an important mission to investigate Akatsuki to go after Sasuke again, it's funny because the whole mission was to track and find Itachi and in result find Sasuke, however all their efforts suddenly turns out to track Sasuke, and ironically, putting Akatsuki on the back burner.

As a Child, every time I saw those “let's get Sasuke back” missions I got excited and root for team seven to finally bring him to konoha, but today seeing those panels my only thought is “if they did find Sasuke and take him back to konoha, what would happen? What would change?”

Well, first of all they had to fight against him and IF they won then they had to take him against his will and then lock him up in a cage, just what happens in the end of the manga, and then? He would be in prison craving more and more hate. 

Sasuke had a goal and nothing could stop him, he would surely find a way to escape again and continue on his path. And this leads us to talk about team seven.

At the classic they had a real concern, Sasuke being with Orochimaru was a problem, but now they face another scenario. 

Sasuke had killed Orochimaru and now he wants his revenge, naturally when he does what he wants he will come back to konoha, right?

I think Sasuke would if it wasn't Tobi, ok?

So what's the point of going after him? None.

Something would change if they caught him? Nope.

So now there's a lot of things that go through my mind right now

Sakura says to go after Itachi and kill him. Because it's what everyone is doing in the ninja world, tracking down those members in order to stop them and looking for information.

Ok, but this isn't their priority. What they want is Sasuke back and if they did it (kill Itachi) Sasuke would never forgive them.

Well, the funniest thing in all of this is that Sasuke and Konoha had the same goal, to find Akatsuki and information about them… 

Sasuke knew that Akatsuki was hunting the bijuus and surely he knew that Konoha was tracking the organization as well, but he never thought of returning and taking advantage of the situation and of all the information that Konoha already had about Akatsuki.

The same goes to Konoha and team seven. Instead of showing interest in Sasuke's goals and joining forces with him to find Akatsuki they go against Sasuke's will and try to stop him and the worst part of all of this is that they simply trivialized the whole importance of going after Akatsuki. 

Theoretically Konoha had squads doing these searches, but we never saw officials investigations besides the one made by Jiraya.

A thing that I really wanted to see in Naruto was a hole arc showing Akatsuki hunting the bijuus, that would be really cool, seeing team seven together again doing this quest, it would be a perfect time to develop SS and NH as well and build a decent return for Sasuke to the village.

But no… Team seven just wanted to bring him back to konoha at any cost ignoring all the facts about Sasuke's life. And for Sasuke he felt the need to create his own “perfect team” to achieve his goals because somehow he knew he couldn't count with those who were said to be his family.

A very interesting final point.

This whole need to bring Sasuke back was unique and exclusive to Team 7. For the rest of the village and for the others of the same generation, the importance of bringing him back was a government issue, why? Well, Sasuke is a ninja of the Leaf and with him he carries information about the country, the village and everything else... Every rogue ninja is like that, a ninja who denies his own village and runs away with information that cannot fall into the wrong hands.

Sasuke never belonged to Konoha, he had no ties beyond Team 7, so why bring him back?

The entire manga was saw through the protagonist's point of view, so it seems like a decent thing to do, saving a friend from the darkness, but what about the truth of the world that revolves around the protagonist? This truth is different and is the reality that the antagonist has to face, a reality that doesn't affect the protagonist.

And as much as I loved the last chapter of the Manga, I simply can't swallow the speech that Kishimoto gave to Sasuke to close the history and his arc because it's exactly what I said above, it all comes down to the experiences and the protagonist's point of view.

Even the speech about Naruto being equal to Sasuke. Their pain and loneliness was different, Sasuke didn't know the weight of being a Jinchuuriki and Naruto didn't know the pain and hatred Sasuke carried.

GO TO SEE THE SECOND PART

GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO GO

[yoshirage]

Body swap diaries: PETER’s CYOC

After months of training and studying, I stood there proudly with fellow agents and superiors in the lower levels of Area 51 awaiting for my first mission as a full fledge secret service agent. It was a grueling time to the point that out of 50 candidates, only 3 of us actually made it.

We hear a gruff raspy voice from the intercom. “Welcome new agents and congratulations. You all are now officially part of the secret service which; as you all know, deals with more covert missions regarding this country. So please meet up with your superiors to discuss your first mission.”

All of the agents dispersed and so did I, and made it to Mr. Carlson’s office. I open the door and see a half naked man with curly hair frantically trying to put his clothes on.

“Ahh dammit looks like i forgot to close that damn door again. Lock it for me will you Peter.” I locked the door behind and sat at one of the office chairs trying not to look and stare at my supervisor’s body. “Hahaha come on now Peter, don’t be so shy. This isn’t the first you’ve seen me in another body.” He was right, but the usual bodies he’s in are the bigger hairy daddy types.

“So i guess you took my advice huh”

“ yeah. Went with someone younger and chose this guy named Jon to take for my time off. Gotta say its a different feeling.” He flexes his arms.

“You look great sir”

“Hahaha thanks Peter. Now since you were the highest achieving agent we have, i decided to assign you as a personal guard for a past president. As may know, any two term US president that finishes their service gets assigned a lifetime agent to help with safety and security, and they are also enrolled with the ‘reincarnation program’ which…

“Gives the ex president and their partner, a choice to have their consciousness transferred to another person’s body.”

“Very good Peter!” He claps his hands “now of course they can opt out of it if they choose to, but we at least wanna give them a taste of it and see if its for them.”

“Isnt it too early for Mr Obama to be in this program?”

“Yes you’re right which is why I’m assigning you to George W bush.”

“Wait isnt there someone already assigned to Mr. Bush?”

“There was, but we are reassigning Gary to a much more… lets just covert mission.” I just nod my head knowing exactly what he means.

“Now Mr Bush has been living in his current body Bruno for almost a year in Brazil.”

“How about the real Bruno.”

“He’s living life as Mr. Bush. We programmed him to practically BE George Bush… memories and all” i nod my head. “ now Mr Bush has been alerted of the change in staff but I would like you to travel to Brazil and introduce yourself”

“No problem sir. Will do”

“I also gave the guys at the lab the Ok to swap you with someone else for this mission, of course you don’t have to.”

I thought about it for a short while and decided to swap. “ Thank you sir. I will go right now.”

“Sounds good. Here is a catalog of the guys that are available.”

I look over it and saw Jon’s body with the amount of $10,000 right by his name. “Damn! I cant believe this kid is getting paid $10,000 to swap bodies with an agent” i thought to myself.

“now if you’ll excuse me. I think its officially time for me to start my Time off.”

“Have fun sir and Ill see you when you get back.”

I leave his office and made my way towards the all the while looking at the catalog.

“Hey Peter!” I waved at Vinh “ Mr Carlson told me all about your mission. So have you thought about which body you want.”

I looked over the catalog one last time…. “This one” I said

(Which of these guys should Peter switch with. From top to bottom: Joey, Christian, Larry, Leon).

[satvpsandowns]

I'm rereading Blue Lock after watching Episode Nagi in cinemas and I'm already at the end of Manshine vs Bastard and I keep finding new questions and answers regarding Reo and Nagi's relationship. It's so interesting. I love both of them so much, I never thought I'd get invested again in manga characters and their development.

This is my small rambling, a way to put into words what I've gotten so far.

Nagi was so angry and confused during the second selection while Reo was sad and a bit lost. I felt so bad for Nagi, he was excited while playing with Isagi, they gained Barou and Chigiri, then Isagi left, and he had to face being alone while having broken up with Reo a couple of matches ago.

After the u-20 game, Reo was trying to get back to his original plan and dream and Nagi...we still don't know that much yet, but their relationship was tense.

The Manshine game was a great battle field to showcase the new Reo, to prove his new polished weapons, he made the opening shot, and tried, for the first time, to directly work towards his ideal self: the all rounder, versatile midfielder.

Isagi and Reo's relationship has always been interesting to me. They don't insult each other, they have a certain level of respect, maybe because both are similar (overthinkers, playmakers, "average not-so-average"). But they are rarely in the same wavelength, I mean, Isagi doesn't know that much about Nagi and Reo's relationship, so he misses a couple of layers in Reo's dialogue, he sees Reo independently, so that's why I loved this game, he kept acknowledging Chigiri's and Reo's improvements: the 44 golden zone and metavision, respectively.

MC vs BM proved to the reader that Reo is a strong player, a threat, while still being insecure about his abilities, his style and his talent. In sum, a latent potential of greatness. Reo acknowledges Isagi back as someone who keeps changing and evolving in better versions of himself, he knows he's on his way too but then, Nagi happens.

I found this turn understandable. Nagi was frustrated, he said he wanted to defeat Isagi because it was the freshest problem in his mind, the easiest to articulate. Even Prince "was weirded tf out", even Reo was like "..." I'm not sure what else happened in his head (let's wait for EpiNagi ig ;_;) but he saw how strong his team was, how confident they were playing, how good Reo had gotten.

His request to Reo, the "I need you" was the breaking point. Reo was still in the process of relearning himself. Getting what you formerly wanted so desperately hits different depending on your mental state. And Reo's mental state wasn't at his best yet. The reader tends to, sort of, know whose character has already wrapped up the key points in their development, and I take Isagi and Reo's comments on each other as an affirmation of "work in progress".

So Nagi verbalising his dream, what he wanted, shook Reo's focus. And I don't blame any of them. Reo wanted to be needed by Nagi, his first friend, his partner who made his dream feel achievable, while Nagi wanted to feel the warmth and comfort (and fun) of playing soccer and getting challenged. Both wanted to feel like protagonists, just like Isagi said.

There was a chance and they took it. They succeeded immediately, and just as easy, old and new problems unfolded. Only this time, Reo seems more ready to battle on his own.

Again, Isagi's "teenage drama combo" commentary gives the reader a clue: that comfort and having a soft spot for each other is not really a problem. It's a pillar for development, a tool, but not the only one, as it can be easily read at NEL level.

So after getting back together and tying the game, Isagi recognizes Reo's metavision, but some pages later, he pushes and stops Nagi and tells him he had surpassed him. This time Nagi doesn't seem to mind, for his dream of defeating Isagi was accomplished with his "revolutionary five volley shot" or something like that. This crystallises the new problem: they might be on good terms again but it can only last so much, it may last even less. And as a reader and someone who likes both characters so much for what they, individually, entail thematically, I'm anxious and excited.

In a few words, Reo has a soft spot for Nagi, and Reo is like a compass to Nagi. That's a given. Both respect, recognize and value each other to a degree that's just SO DAMN SWEET. 

[ageless-aislynn]

Today's Super Important Mass Effect 2 update:

No more worries about Accidental Fish Neglect Homicide, whew!

I am a little worried at what happened during that dinner with Kelly, though. Why did she say she hadn't stayed up that late since her collage days when I talked to her again? WHAT EXACTLY WENT ON?

I'm sure it was just that we were having such a great conversation that we lost track of time. Yeah. That's all. *nodnods* 👀😉

(Heh, I do love Kelly but I didn't want to romance her in this playthrough, just get her to feed my fish. 🐟💖)

Moving along... What is Photo Mode even FOR if you're not taking cute pics of your space hamster, right? 🌌🐹

And in other news: ZOMG I FORGOT THAT THE COLLECTOR SHIP MISSION IS UNAVOIDABLE ONCE YOU'VE MET CERTAIN CONDITIONS. I WAS NOT READY, FRIENDS.

I was, in fact, so not ready that once I was unstoppably booted off the Normandy and onto the Collector's ship, I reverted to a previous save to see if I could build Shepard and the team up a bit more. I replayed 2 HOURS OF GAMEPLAY in order to make sure I'd taken all of the upgrades that I could, lol. It was a decent tradeoff, I'd say. 🤷‍♀️😉

Now, all of the guides I've seen have recommended that a Sentinel Shepard take the shotgun when you're offered a choice of a new weapon but I went for the sniper. I thought of what was the one weapon I really wished I had so far and it was something that would let me hang back and take out enemies. So, therefore that's my playstyle and that's what I'm sticking with. 😉

The Collector's ship remains a giant pill, IMO. 😑 But I was able to get through the platform fight with only one death. And considering I died more times in that fight on CASUAL than I have so far playing ME1 and 2 on Normal AND ME1 on Insanity put together, I'd say that was a big improvement, lol!

There's a reason why I have a cap of this particular Critical Mission Failure screen. I saw it A LOT in that first fight, lol! (This is actually after I got killed AND my dead body flopped off the platform; talk about adding insult to injury, lol! 😱😉)

We just recruited Tali and I think I made a mistake in talking to her too much because Kelly informed me that Tali Wants To Be More™️ I wished that I could've asked, "With you?" because that was honestly my first thought, lol! Anyway, I'm going to avoid talking both to her and Miranda until I get Jack's romance locked in so I don't have to actively friendzone either one of them. That makes me feel so bad! 🥺

Anyway, I'm continuing to test out things that I hope will help me in my eventual Insanity run. I'm going to see if I can successfully complete the game by skipping the Lair of the Shadow Broker, Arrival and Overlord missions, just to avoid having to do their combat on Insanity. I know it will muff the story and have consequences for the end of ME3 and could even potentially mean that I get the worst ending in 3 by not having enough War Assets. But my goal is to just get through all 3 games and get their Insanity achievements. After that, I'll go back to playing for the best possible outcomes.

Only 6 more cheevos to go! I've been working on Overload and Warp since those are 2 of my Sentinel powers, but haven't had the chance to do Incineration. However, I'm about to do Mordin's Loyalty mission and I've read that there are several spots where you can farm this one with his Incineration ability, so that would be great if it works! 🤞😣🤞 It's tricky because to count, you have to destroy a shield/armor with said ability. So you have to take the shield/armor partially down first, then finish it off with the ability. But most of the time, before I can, one of my squadmates kills them. It's like, "Yeah, thanks for the hustle, frens, but I'm TRYING TO DO SOMETHING HERE." 🤷‍♀️😉

Oh well, I'll be back through ME2 as Femshep if I can't get it now or during my Insanity run, so should get them all eventually. That just leaves Insanity 2 and 3 and the lone ME3 cheevo to upgrade a weapon to level 10 (which has to be done via New Game+).

I really didn't expect to get this many achievements and I still don't know if I can get these 2 Insanity ones but I'm excited to try!

Love you, friends, and hope you're doing great! 🤗💖