#like i know there are some really cool dRaMatiC MuSic moments with the crows

[ericsonclan]

What’s This?

Summary: Prisha is tired of the monotony of Halloweentown and wants to bring something exciting and new for Violet and the others to see.

Word Count: 1000+

Read on AO3:

The sky was dark and gloomy. The moon shone its eerie light that gave the town a yellow tint to it that helped send a chill down everyone’s spine. Crows cawed and bats fluttered by while the townsfolk got ready to celebrate another scarily good holiday in Halloween town. Everything felt perfect: the atmosphere with the green liquid pouring from the town square’s fountain and each cobblestone, every inch of Halloweentown was made to send a screech tearing through your throat. Every note in the music playing made your blood run cold. All of this would help but the biggest selling point of it all, the grand finale that would kickstart this holiday was the Queen of Halloween and Master of Fright, Prisha.

“She’s here! She’s finally here!” One of the townsfolk cheered causing everyone to start gathering around in the courtyard.

All the noise had made it easy for Violet to sneak out. She carefully made her way toward the courtyard and hid by a tree. The moonlight shone brightly highlighting Violet’s patchwork dress. She didn’t want to miss out on seeing this moment. She could give two shits if Carlos felt like she should stay home or that it was too dangerous to be outside. Just because he had created her didn’t mean he had any say.

Violet absentmindedly pulled at the stitches that attached her arms to her body. She really hoped that the poisoned soup would keep him knocked out long enough that she got to see Prisha. Just as that thought crossed her mind she noticed the crowd part ways. After a second Violet saw a straw horse be pulled forward while a scarecrow with a pumpkin head sat upon it. A sign reading “HALLOWEEN” stood behind it. The scarecrow didn’t move an inch until suddenly it seemed almost to come to life and snatched up a lit torch, throwing it into the mouth of the pumpkin.

Violet couldn’t help but feel a bit nervous. She knew Prisha had a flair for the dramatic but this year she was really going over the top as she spun and danced while her scarecrow costume started to burn away. With gasps from the townsfolk Prisha drove into the fountain then slowly emerged from it. She seemed to hold all the confidence in the world as she got out of the fountain, showing off her new black and white suit. She smiled brightly, her arms outstretched as she took in all the town’s applause. Something about her smile made Violet unable to look away. There was an undeniable charisma about Prisha, especially in that suit. Violet held onto the tree and remained mostly hidden, not wanting the town to notice the heart eyes she was making at her girlfriend.

None of the townsfolk seemed to care about that though; all of their attention was directly on Prisha, congratulating her for the great opening show. All of them were vying for her attention.

“That was absolutely amazing!” The mayor praised but was quickly pushed back by some of the others.

“You’re so cool, Prisha!”

“Yeah! When I saw you emerge from the fountain I felt my heart nearly stop!”

“Do you think you ever get lonely as the Queen of Halloween and wish for a certain someone to join you?”

Prisha seemed extremely overwhelmed by all the girls surrounding her. She awkwardly took a step back and took refuge back on the raised portion of the fountain to create some space.

“Well you see, I do have a certain someone I would like to spend today with,” Prisha replied, searching around the crowd for who she was hoping would be here today.

Her eyes flickered with sadness for a moment until she spotted Violet. Immediately her eyes brightened and a somewhat dorky smile appeared on her lips. She wanted to have Violet by her side, to proudly show her off but she knew that would stress Violet out. So she gave a wave over to her girlfriend, knowing that they could spend some time alone when things had calmed down.

Violet returned the wave and noticed how smitten Prisha was when she looked her way until suddenly the mayor and other townsfolk forced Prisha to focus back on them and their wants from the Master of Fright. Violet watched for a few seconds, wondering if she could somehow get Prisha away from all that. Be able to sneak off past the graveyard and onto the little hill that looked as if it was right below the moon.

“There you are,”

Violet felt a hand grab her arm harshly.

“You’re coming back with me,” Carlos frowned, his expression bitter and angry. “Don’t even think of trying to argue with me.”

Violet didn’t say a word and didn’t resist her guardian’s attempts to get her back inside. It was better if she just went along for now. She could always make more soup.

Time felt as though it went by at a snail’s pace. Prisha had kept talking to people and entertaining them until they finally gave her some space. As soon as she got the chance she went over towards the tree where Violet was but she was nowhere to be found.

“Violet? Vi?” Prisha looked around this way and that but it became clear quickly: Carlos had gotten her back inside. With a sigh, Prisha wandered off for a bit. She knew how upset Carlos got after Violet would sneak out and despite all her attempts in the past he wouldn’t budge on letting Violet out for hours after she’d been caught sneaking out. So she figured she might as well take some time for herself and wait out the time until then or until she got up the nerve to try to sneak in to visit Violet.

Walking through the graveyard, Prisha knelt beside a grave. “Will you keep me company, Sir Tubbs?” she asked softly and waited for a minute. After a few the form of the ghost cat appeared and lazily flopped by her side. “Thank you,” She attempted to scratch his head then continued to walk forward. Slowly she made her way up the curled hill and stared up at the moon. The feelings were starting to appear again. The ones she didn’t want around.

“Do you think the others are getting tired of being scared too?” Prisha whispered, her eyes on the moon. “I try year after year but I don’t know. I’m starting to lose the desire to always be the Queen of Halloween. I’d like to feel another emotion besides fear during the holiday but I don’t know what else it could be. What do you think?” She glanced down at the plump ghost cat who seemed more than happy to hover over her feet and purr loudly. “You are no help.”

The ghost cat gave a smokey meow.

“Fine, you’re forgiven,” Prisha smiled and moved forward, letting the hill uncurl so she could go to the other side. She wasn’t sure where she wanted to go; anywhere in the woods would be fine with her. So she ventured on, wandering and wondering until she stumbled upon a series of trees with different symbols on the trunks.

“Hmm?” Prisha walked forward, curiosity dancing within her eyes as she looked at tree after tree until she stopped by one that had a green tree covered in dots of color. Prisha considered her options for a moment then grabbed the doorknob on the tree and pulled the door open. She waited, wondering what she would see but nothing came. With a sigh she turned back to Sir Tubbs.

“Well that was a disappointment,” Prisha shook her head, ready to move on with her day when suddenly strange white flakes appeared from within the open door and she was pulled in. A startled yell left her lips until she landed in a field of white. Prisha looked up at the sky watching these odd flakes of white fall towards her. Intricate designs were within each flake but she had no time to take them in before they fell to the ground. “What is this?” Prisha sat up and grabbed a handful of it. Without giving her mind a chance to decide if this was a wise decision she bit down into it. It tasted like nothing but it was cold. Prisha continued to munch on the odd substance until she saw an array of bright lights. Greens, reds, and yellow shimmered around houses that were painted in such striking colors. Colors like that weren’t in Halloweentown. Her eyes scanned the area noticing poles of red and white and a large circle that spun around with horses on it. Everywhere she looked the same question appeared in her mind: What's this?

It had been two days and Prisha still wasn’t anywhere. The town was a mess because of it and Violet wasn’t doing much better. She couldn’t stop pacing outside while Sir Tubbs trotted back and forth to keep her company. After the first few rounds though he quickly lay on the ground. Violet messed with her stitches, feeling her anxiety rise. What the hell had happened to Prisha? How did no one know where she was? Everything was making her anxious and Violet kept swearing to try and calm her nerves.

“Violet,”

The voice practically made Violet jump and she spun around to see Prisha still wearing her suit but covered in odd white flakes.

“Prisha! Where were you? You’ve been missing for two days.”

Prisha’s eyes widened. “For two days? How-” She paused when she saw her girlfriend’s expression. Her arms wrapped around Violet. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know I was gone for that long,”

“It’s fine. I was just worried.” Violet mumbled as she hid her face against Prisha’s shoulder. The two of them stayed within that hug for a minute before pulling back.

“So where did you go?” Violet asked as she took both of Prisha’s hands in hers.

“I went to this most curious place. There were trees in the woods with symbols painted on them and one had a tree of colors on it. I opened the door and was whisked away to a land made of pure white where everyone is always singing and smiling. They wear odd hats and eat sticks of red and white.”

Violet blinked. “That made no sense.”

“It will! I brought things back from this land! Oh, it was wonderful Violet! I think I can bring something special to Halloweentown!” Prisha swung their joined hands back and forth. “It made me feel the same happiness you bring to me whenever I’m with you. That warm, fuzzy feeling. Imagine it, Violet, a land of pure happiness, and I found it!” Prisha beamed with excitement.

Violet didn’t fully understand it but seeing her girlfriend this happy made her happy.

“Okay,” Violet smiled when she saw the joy that response brought Prisha.

“Wonderful!” Prisha stole a quick kiss then pressed one to the top of Violet’s hands. “I can’t wait to show you the mysterious joys of Christmas!”

[carolmaximoffs]

HAPPY BIRTHDAY CAIT OMFG i can’t believe so many of the coolest ppl in my life that i know are aquas. ily you’re NINETEEN that’s wild!! you know i love a good roommates or friends w benefits fic gimme gimme gimme 😗💜

a/n: THIS IS SO LATE AGH...here is your long overdue wanda x reader roommates fic, my love! so sorry for the wait, but thank you for your sweet words and your patience <3 @subtlebucky

pairing: wanda maximoff x reader

warnings: none really? maybe a curse. references to drinking, partying. jealous! reader. apologies to anyone named jillian, beck, or yasmine. sharing a bed, but not in THAT way. 

WHEN YOU WAKE UP, you smell coffee already brewing. You stretch leisurely as you pad into the main part of your shared apartment, faux-flirtatious smile already gracing your lips.

“Smells good, baby!” You call. The laughter dissipates from your body as you pause in the kitchen doorway. Wanda is indeed sipping coffee in the kitchen, but is also standing between the legs of a tall, rather buff girl you’ve never seen before who’s perched comfortably on your island. “Oh.”

"Jill, this is my roommate, Y/N," Wanda says, perfectly at ease. You wonder if your eye really does twitch at the sight of Wanda's hand on Jill's thigh, but you pray it's just your imagination.

“Hi, uh, I didn’t - we’re not - hi.” Your face burns as you duck past them, reaching up into the cabinet for your mug before realizing it’s missing. You whirl around, about to ask Wanda, when you see it. And Wanda must realize it the same time you do, because she gives you this tight smile and wide eyes. Jill sips idly from your favorite cup, the one with the funny handle and your initial in rainbow gradient. Pietro, Wanda’s brother, had gifted it to you a few Christmas’s back - you know he’d have stopped Jillian from using it. Instead, you fill the most boring mug you and Wanda own - black, with a white outline of Sokovia in a red heart - and send your roommate a sour look. “I’ll just...”

You jerk your head towards the bedrooms, and stalk off. Maybe out of embarrassment, but mostly out of stubbornness, you pretend not to hear Wanda apologizing and making excuses on your behalf as you leave.

.......

Two weeks later, just when things are returning to normal, it happens again.

Well, more or less. It’s significantly darker out now, and this time you’re putting leftover Chinese food in the fridge when the door bursts open. Wanda all but falls into your apartment, a sharp-nosed girl with a deep violet buzzcut hot on her heels. Space Army Cadet and your best friend are hand in hand, the latter barely tossing you a glance as she drags her guest down the hall. And yeah, you’ve seen Wanda bring people home before - even brought a handful of people home yourself. Hell, one of you two’s closest friends was an ex of hers; oddball physics major, Vis, had been Wanda’s lover for the notable first three years of college.

 Lately, though, you’d noticed this...pit in your stomach, carved a little deeper with each new bedmate. Every time you shook it off - it wasn’t any of your business what Wanda did in her free time. Was it because they were women? You catch yourself wondering, but no - you’d never had an issue with that, why would you start now? Shutting the fridge, you shuffle back to your room, turning your TV up to drown out anything from Wanda’s room next door.

The next morning, the eccentric friend is nowhere to be found, but you did find there was a severe lack of alcohol in your coffee as Wanda cheerily filled you in. Buzzcut’s name was Yasmine, she was in Wanda’s European lit. course, and they’d gone out for drinks to celebrate Yasmine nearing the acquirement of her masters. You stare into your cup and hum at all the appropriate points, choosing not to point out that it was only November and nowhere near graduating season. Maybe Yasmine was on the fast track - Wanda always did like the smart ones. 

You become so absorbed in thought you don’t notice at first that your housemate has stopped chittering away. When you look up, it’s to a pouty frown. You shift in your seat, suddenly uncomfortable. “What?”

“Are you...okay?” Wanda’s frown deepens, brows furrowed as she brushes a stray lock of auburn from her face and folds her arms over her chest. “We...You’ve been a little distant lately, I guess.” 

“I’m fine,” You say breezily, rising to your feet to dump the dregs of your coffee in the sink. Some irritating heartstring twangs at your tone - you hate brushing Wanda off, but what are you supposed to say? Hey, can you stop bringing girls home? I think I’ve caught homophobia. You repress a shudder at the mere thought as you move to sweep past her and get ready for your first class, but a small hand curls around your bicep.

“Just...don’t be a stranger, okay, kedvesem?” Darling. Swallowing the lump in your throat, feeling curiously parched, you can only nod. Wanda lets go, but you can feel her fingerprints burning like a brand even when you’re lying in bed that night.

.....

The holidays go off more or less without a hitch; there’s a very scary hiccup shortly before Christmas when you come home to find Wanda curled into Vision’s side on the couch, the pair of them sharing a blanket. But Wanda looks...as if she’s been crying? Love Actually is playing, Wanda’s go to Christmas comfort movie, and Vision is texting someone called ‘Peter M.’ with an alarming number of heart emojis, so you continue onward. 

Your subconscious must be looking out for you otherwise, because it’s not until New Year’s that you see Wanda with a mystery lover. Actually, you don’t see much of Wanda at all outside of Christmas, and even when you do, it’s always just the two of you at home. Of course, because of this, she insists on dragging you out for a New Year’s party. When her twin, Pietro, gangs up on you via Facetime, you give up arguing and steal a shimmery black slip from Wanda’s closet before flipping them the bird. 

Pietro arrives around 10 to pick the pair of you up, obnoxiously laying on the horn outside of your apartment building. Wanda trips several times as she tries to shove on her other heel and put lipstick on at the same time. Making it out the door is a whole other ordeal - after a short spat about Wanda needing a jacket, an awkward moment when the elevator doors open on some neighbors practicing for midnight, and finding Pietro just about to buzz in to get you, you and Wanda are sliding into the backseat of Pietro’s obnoxiously cramped sports car.

“Ladies, your prince, or princess, awaits!” Pietro announces grandly as you pull up to a shabby loft just a few blocks away. You can hear the music from the street, sighing inwardly as you force yourself to get out of the car. Wanda smooths out her flowy black pants - you keep your eyes trained politely above her shoulders to ignore the fitted, maroon sequined top with the plunging V-neck she’s paired with them. 

“I’m actually meeting someone here,” She says casually to her brother as the three of you make your way in. Pietro waves her off with well-wishes, but throws you a questioning glance. All he gets however is a shrug in reply, this is certainly news to you. He accompanies you to the makeshift bar where you fill a cup with copious amounts of liquor. It usually wasn’t your vice, but the strobe lights alone could be cause to drink. You made a mental note to ask whose idea this party even was in the first place. when you turn around, though, Pietro, too, has slipped off into the crowd.

So you do what one is supposed to do at sweaty, too-loud functions such as this one - push yourself from your comfort zone, get comfortably tipsy while you wedge yourself into the mass of bodies and move with strangers. As mentioned, liquor and strangers have never been favorite pastimes of yours, so once you finish off your second drink (maybe third - you deserved it), you set out searching for Wanda. Her glittery form is tucked into a corner with a small group you don’t recognize, but you definitely note that she’s in the lap of a tall, dark, and handsome type. She spots you before you can get to her, making excited grabby hands as you get closer. 

“Y/N!” The bubbly young woman squeals over the music. She leans forward to be heard better, and you gulp. “This is Beck! And Jade, and Marcie, and you remember Yasmine!” 

You offer only a wave and tight smiles as you, too, lean in further. “I’m gonna get an Uber!”

“What?” Wanda pouts dramatically, Beck snaking an arm around her waist to steady her as she jolts back in disappointment. “It’s not even midnight yet!”

“No, I know, I’m just not really feeling it, I guess!” Yasmine leads over to whisper something to Jade; it’s the furthest thing from your mind as Wanda reaches out to squeeze your hands understandingly. 

“I’ll see you later! Kisses!” You repeat the word weakly before shoving once more through the mass. The sidewalk and cool bite of the outdoors is a welcome respite - your driver doesn’t speak all the way to your apartment, and you give them 5 stars for it. After a cold, quick shower, you curl up in your fuzziest bathrobe with a cup of coffee and flick through Netflix. You know when midnight rolls around when the neighbors upstairs, hosting a party of their own, cheer and shout to each other. It can’t be 20 minutes later that your door is met with a tentative knock.

On the other side is Vision in the most disarray you’ve seen him in - he’s in pajamas, for Pete’s sake, hair and glasses askew over a chunky knit sweater. He’s supporting an equally-bleary but much more drunk Wanda, and passes her to you with a wrinkled nose.

“Y/N!” She crows, dissolving into giggles as you shushed her. “I wondered where you went.” 

“I told you I was coming home, bubs,” You mutter, hugging her back briefly before you notice Vision is still standing in your entryway. “Hey, how about you go get changed, and then I’ll make you some eggs?”

Wanda agrees, talking animatedly even as she walks away. You look back at Vision, smiling wearily. “Thanks for bringing her home safe, Vis. Did you want a cup of coffee, or...?”

“No, thank you,” Vision quips, polite as ever as he tugs his sweater down over his hands. He jerks his dimpled chin the direction Wanda had disappeared in. “Take care of her, please.”

“Of course,” You reply, instantly, brows furrowing. He nods briskly before turning to leave. “Thank you again.”

“Of course. Goodnight.” He’s almost to the elevators when you call a ‘Happy New Year’ after him, and that earns you a smile. “Happy New Year to you as well, Y/N.”

Back inside, you find Wanda spread eagle on her bed in mismatched socks, an old college hoodie, and the same underwear you’re pretty sure she wore to go out tonight. You poke her heel and she makes a frankly unhuman gurgle into the duvet. “How much did you have?”

“Nah a lah,” Is her muffled reply. “We’on dwink anymo’.” 

You realize she’s right, though you figured she was at least taking some of those dates to bars. Maybe not, though - Wanda was always a romantic. You push the mere though away and tug at the arm closest to you. “Yeah, I know. You’ll feel better if you eat something, though.” 

Her protesting grunts are less effective than when she kicks out blindly, narrowly avoiding your hip, and you huff. “Fine, I’ll bring the food to you.”  You make to leave, but she’s captured your wrist now. Wanda turns her head to make powerful puppy eyes at you. “Stay. Sleepy.” 

“I...yeah. Okay.” You were still a little tipsy in your own right - neither of you were college kids anymore, after all. Wanda’s smile was blinding as the pair of you made your way under her numerous layers of blankets. When she turned the lamp off, you wondered if she could hear your heart thundering in the dark.

“Y/N?” She whispers, just when you think she’s fallen asleep. 

“Yes, Wanda?” 

“I love you.”

You hum in acknowledgment, brushing it off as dreaming.

--------

Midday, you’re roused by someone laying across your stomach and shaking you awake. It’s Wanda, long lashes fluttering prettily as she rests her chin on folded elbows. You scrub sleep from your eyes as you croak, “Morning, sunshine.”

“Morning, Y/N.” She says your name with purpose - sort of always has, you realize. You’re running over last night in your head, and like a mind reader, Wanda answers your every question. “Hey.”

“Yeah?”

“Still love you.” Wanda murmurs. You meet her gaze - completely clear, if not a little glazed over with absolute adoration. She pushes up a little, lips hovering over yours. They brush just barely when you speak, sparking like live wires. 

“I love you, too,” You breathe, and finally, finally, she kisses you. 

Things make so, so much more sense then.

[slow-burn-sally]

I watched Say Anything last night for the first time in many years, and I was so so impressed with it. I’ve always loved that movie, but I thought maybe it might not have aged well. It came out in 1989, and 80s movies have a tendency toward cheese. 

I was pleasantly surprised to find that it still kicks all sorts of rom-com ass. 

I feel like this was largely due to Cameron Crowe doing an amazing job at portraying a far more realistic teenage experience than most rom-coms do. And of course the cast was phenomenal.

His protagonist, Lloyd Dobler (John Cusack) isn’t a handsome jock, nor is he a nerd. But he is into sports (kickboxing! The sport of the future!). He’s also into music, and has an awesome mix of not having any real dating game, but being the sort of likable guy everyone knows, and has an awkward sort of charm. 

He lives with his sister (Joan Cusack, his actual sister), and her small son, and they have a very realistic relationship. Part genuinely fond, partly extremely irritated with each other. 

His best friends are all girls, and unlike in films like My Best Friend’s Wedding, or Some Kind of Wonderful, they don’t actually fall in love with him or step into the role of love interest. They’re just his buds. And they have relatively well fleshed out characters. Especially Lily Taylor who does a fantastic job as that one friend who’s obsessed with the guy who’s no good for her. 

Diane Court (Ione Skye), the actual love interest is very academic, but also just stunningly pretty. She’s not your typical, vapid cool girl that Lloyd has to try and impress by being some sort of “bad ass”. She’s relatively introverted and focused on her studies, but she’s also gorgeous, so there’s none of that “smart girls have to wear glasses and have bad hair” trope, which, while it’s fun, could honestly use a break. Smart girls look like all kinds of people. And speaking of smart girls, she’s far more intelligent book-wise than Lloyd, and instead of resenting this, or being overly intimidated, he is unstoppably impressed and proud and supportive of her smarts.

Diane’s relationship with her father (John Mahoney) who raised her, is complex and has a lot of emotional depth. Rather than just going for the “mom died of cancer/in a car accident etc.” trope, they simply had her choose in court to live with her father. “It just felt safer,” her character says. This is pretty rare in cinema. The acknowledgment that sometimes, when a couple separates, it’s the dad who’s the best suited as a full time caregiver, and that impressed me. 

Diane’s relationship with her father takes an almost equal center stage spot next to her relationship with Lloyd, and the titular line is spoken not to Lloyd, as one would expect, but to her dad. “You can say anything to me!” she exclaims to him during a tense moment.  They clearly share a deep bond, and it takes some heart-wrenching twists as the movie progresses and we learn that her father has been involved in some shady financial dealings.

Diane herself, while stunningly beautiful, sweet and kind to boot, has her own issues and her own complex characterization. She’s torn between her conflicting duties to her father, her boyfriend and her advancing academic career and she struggles convincingly with all three as the movie progresses.

I even hesitate to call this film a rom-com. Maybe because where there some genuine laughs, there’s also a lot of drama and deep emotion portrayed, and not just for the usual reasons. There’s themes about family, duty and obligation, the fear of life after high school, and dating pressures that are just so poignantly rendered as the main characters fumble their way through the plot. 

I just adored it and would recommend it to any newcomer, or people too young to have been introduced to it by friends or older siblings. It’s more than just a Peter Gabriel song and a boy, dramatically holding a boom box over his head to serenade a girl. It’s really so much more than that. 

[thewebcomicsreview]

The Promotion

For the first time in the five years, the Burnmax Deadly Acid Factory whirred to life. After OSHA found out that none of the catwalks over the coverless vats of acid had guard rails, the factory had been shut down so fast they never even drained the tanks, which still burbled threateningly. Murderize wasn't sure if it was actually still dangerous. It made sense to him that Deadly Acid left out in the open would turn bad, like milk, but if the new boss wanted the mayor's daughter slowly lowered into a vat of acid, he wasn't going to say no to a paycheck. Times had been tough for henchmen ever since the new crew of masks hit town. His old crew, Mutilate and Comeuppance, were stuck in the Asylum now, and he was lucky to get a C-list criminal like Doctor Funkenstein to work for, even if the pay was worse and the bell-bottoms looked dumb and the free-love orgies had to be cancelled because there weren't any girls. Still beat working for Catboy.

The mayor's daughter, Barbara Whatsherface, was doing a good job of being tied up and screaming, though. Sometimes you'd kidnap a woman and she'd just cry or something and sticking her in a deathtrap got awkward. Non-consensual actors rarely stuck to their roles, not that Muderize cared, but the bosses always got mad when it happened. God forbid a big dramatic crime have victims who didn't resist being murdered in a fun way. "MMMMM! MMMMM!" screamed the mayor's daughter through her gag. It was real convincing, which was one of the advantages of using real victims and actually trying to kill them.

Doctor Funkenstein flipped the switch. "It's Alive! Alive! But soon, my dear, you won't be!" he said, which was a bit weak. He was clearly more committed to the "Funk" than the "enstein" of his gimmick. A tall lanky man in a purple suit and labcoat with a large disco ball for a head, Funkenstein was kind of a terrible boss to work with. Not deadly enough to be thrilling, not funny enough to be a good time, not quite thematically cohesive enough to get the good headlines. He'd been working on this rebrand for weeks, and hoped it would get him the success so many had expected of him two years ago. Murderize was unconvinced, but he wasn't paid to think. The mayor's daughter was halfway down. Murderize flicked his cigarette into an acid vat and unbuttoned his shirt. If the good guys wanted to save dear sweet Brenda or whatever, they were running out of time. Sometimes you actually got away with crimes and then you got to go home early.

CRASH!

Glass rained down from the broken skylight as the Wonder Five dropped in to save the day. Damn it.

Wonder Red landed on the catwalk before him. The founder and the leader of the group, he was still a dork in his red spandex onesie and motorcycle helmet. Wonder Red had hoped the other Wondernauts would change their names to be Wonder Blue and the like, but none of them did, and he just looked like a cosplayer who wandered into an actual superteam by mistake.

"Disco is dead, Doctor Funkenstein", said Wonder Red, "And so are your plans for world domination!"

"You're the one who's dead, Dunder Red", shouted Doctor Funkenstein, "For you've walked straight into my Saturday Night Deathtrap!". He leaned back, and lasers spewed in all directions from his disco ball head.

Muderize let the leaders have their fun. With hero teams as with villains, the henchmen were the ones doing the real work. Already Snakes flew into the mayors daughter, cutting the ropes with his teeth and he carried her off to safety. When Already Snakes flew off with your girl, you were never getting her back, so Muderize fired his Disco Gun (which was just a glock with glitter on it) at Animal Cracker, who cracked some birds into existence in the path of the bullets.

The birds disappeared in a puff of smoke, which hid Animal Cracker, but Murderize had fought these guys enough times to know AC liked to land an elephant on people, and ran out of the way. The elephant slammed into the ground, broke its legs, and poofed out of existence. AC dropped gracefully to the ground, and threw up a Gorilla Shield fast enough to block the second and third bullets Murderize fired, but not the first one, which grazed his arm. As the gorilla poofed, AC jumped behind a one of the acid vats. Shooting a giant vat of acid was a rookie move, so Murderize took cover himself. The two women members of the Wonder Five were busy with the other henches. Pink Moon had managed to pick out the rookies and was doing the "Oh no, I'm a poor defenseless girl what will I do" act, which every henchman fell for the first time. The smarter henches were left to Sorcera.

Murderize suddenly realized that a whole entire hero was dedicated to fighting just him. He tried not to get emotional about it, but if the Wonder Five had elevated him in their minds from henchman to miniboss, that could open up all kinds of career opportunities for him, especially having scored a wound.

Of course, scoring a kill, even against Animal Cracker, would do even more. He shook himself a little to get his head back in the game. AC had been hiding behind that vat for too long. He was up to something.

He barely had time to finish thinking before a murder of crows shot out from both sides of the barrel. He knew that Animal Cracker's animals got weaker the more of them he summoned, and that just the sound of a gunshot would be enough to dispel them. This was a distraction, AC wanted him to fire wildly at the birds from a distance. He was too smart for that. He waited for the birds to get close before firing, and made sure to aim his gun away from the acid tank while keeping an eye on it to make sure Animal Cracker didn't bail. Bang. One shot, and all the birds poofed into a big cloud.

A big cloud directly on top of him, obscuring his vision. Shit. He coughed, and tried to see which way the inevitable charging rhino would come from so he could dodge it. He didn't see it. He felt it, though. Hurt just as bad as the last time he got Rhino'd. He flew into a piece of machinery, and collapsed to the ground in pain. He blindly groped for his gun, but the only thing he felt was Animal Cracker slapping the cuffs on.

"I tagged you, though", said Murderize, as AC finished handcuffing him. AC said nothing, but there was no denying the nasty gash on his shoulder. "Gotta report that".

Animal Cracker sighed. "Yeah, yeah". Above them, the music stopped. Seemed like Doctor Funkenstein's Dancing Queen's Gambit had failed. He's barely lasted longer in a fight than Murderize himself did, even if it was against the star.

"You gotta tell 'em. Come on! You gotta tell 'em Murderize tagged you!"

"I'm not your PR guy, man"

"Come on, make me look cool and it'll make you look cooler for beating me. We both win!"

"You know how you could really win? By giving up a life of crime"

"Bro. C'mon. Bro".

There was a long pause. Socera broke it, swooping down with six experienced henchmen tied up behind her in magical ropes. Pink Moon was with her, carrying eight rookies in a net. "Yo, AC. You only got one?", Sorcera said, smirking.

Animal Cracker looked at Murderize for a moment, then at Pink Moon, before turning to Sorcera. "This isn't just a henchman, Sorcera. This is Murderize. He's.....he's a mini-boss". He pointed at the gash in his arm "Tagged me and everything"

Murderize looked down at the ground, trying not to let Sorcera see him smile

[regicidal-defenestration]

Victoria Died (and then some other things happened and we all got a bit distracted sorry about that Victoria)

.

A Death by Dying / Lost Cat Podcast crossover fic, because I think the Lost Cat narrator and Obituary Writer deserve to meet each other

.

[Lost Cat Narrator]

They say you have to go far away to realise what you had close by all along. They never did say exactly how far though…

[LCN]

“You need a holiday,” said Bojana.

  “What.” I said, because it’s quite an odd topic to spring on a person like that.

  “You need a holiday,” she said again. “I’ve booked us the plane tickets already.”

  I didn’t say “what” again, because you can overdo these things. “I have work.”

  “Your podcast?” Bojana asked, and she sounded unfairly incredulous.

  “And make music,” I added. “And-”

  Bojana stopped me. “You can do all that in America.”

  America? I thought to myself. “America?” I asked out loud, with more emphasis. “I’m not going to America.”

  “Yes you are,” Bojana said, and like that, it was sorted. We were off to America.

    *

  [LCN]

    The sign cheerfully welcomed us to the small town of Crestfall, Idaho, and informed us that it had been 5 days since the last unexplained death.

“That isn’t very reassuring,” I said.

“It’ll be a local joke,” said Bojana, but she didn’t sound very sure. Unexplained deaths, it seems, are an international uniting factor. Fun!

We stayed staring at the sign for a few more moments, in case any more unexplained deaths happened whilst we were watching. And one did, technically, although we didn’t actually get to see anyone die, which was disappointing. A man pushed past us, felt tip in hand, and carefully crossed out the number 5 and replaced it with a 0.

      He turned to us and frowned. “You’re new.”

This felt accusatory.

      Bojana said: “Did you kill them?”, because Bojana is good at cutting to the point, whereas I am more used to using enough words to make a story seem long enough to be worth it.

The man didn’t answer, which was definitely worrying, because you would think it is easy to say whether or not you’re a murderer. He had a firm, steady gaze, the kind that seems to have an internal monologue behind it, just on the edge of hearing. An internal monologue that might have sounded something like:

*

[Obituary Writer]

Victoria was dead, to begin with.

She was dead afterwards too, but I think misquoting famous literature always helps set the mood.

Victoria was dead, to begin with, and when I went to update Crestfall’s Unexplained Deaths Board, there were two strangers there, staring at it. You can always tell who’s new here, because for some reason they all react to the Unexplained Deaths Board with the same concern.

        I turned to them after changing the number, and introduced myself.

“I am the modest and handsomely dressed Obituary Writer of this little town called Crestfall. You must be new here, I can show you around if you want?”

      I also took a moment to adjust my stance so that they could both hopefully see the enamel pin on my lapel, which is in the shape of a typewriter and coloured with the bisexual flag colours, because they both seemed friendly, and you never know.

      The woman looked at me suspiciously. “Did you kill them?” she asked. Her eyes bore into me like she was trying to read the truth of my very soul, like if she just looked hard enough all the secrets of Victoria’s death would be laid out before her. It was the kind of stare that you can hear the internal monologue behind. An internal monologue, that might sound something like…

(the sound of howling wind. In the distance, a crow caws)

    Only joking. It’s impossible to hear other people’s internal monologues, no matter what Dan the Fake Tarot Man who lives on the edge of town claims.

A crying shame.

      “You’re taking a long time to answer that,” the man pointed out.

      “I am merely investigating Victoria’s death,” I replied, sounding suitably serious about the whole matter. “If you would like, I can show you my current notes?”

    The man frowned. “Why is an obituary writer investigating a death?” he muttered, more like he was speaking to himself than to me. However-

    “Obituary Writer,” I corrected him.

  A slight pause.  “Yes? That’s what I said.”

  “You called me an obituary writer, but I am the Obituary Writer."  Ugh. Tourists.

        The man and I held each other’s gazes. He seemed to be having an internal discussion with himself, perhaps even an argument.

Again - it really is a shame we cannot hear the thoughts and motives of others, don’t you think?

The silence stretched out long and sharp. I shifted. His eyes flicked down to my enamel badge. I looked slightly past his left ear. He looked up to a spot between my eyebrows.

      "I’m Bojana,” said Bojana. “Can we see your notes?”

*

[LCN]

Currently, my life does not have a motto, but if it did, I might decide on “never follow someone back to their house when they have already talked, at length, about murder.”

      “We’re going to die,” I whispered to Bojana.

    “We might not be,“ she whispered back, unhelpfully. "Besides, we’re on holiday. Lighten up a bit.”

      “Whilst searching for my cat, I have found all manner of things,” I whispered, although it was louder this time, and so more like a murmur. “Some of those things have been death, and some have been worse still, although I won’t go into those, since we are on holiday. The point is - I have no wish to be killed again.”

      “You two aren’t very quiet whisperers,” the Obituary Writer called back, stopping in front of a door and rooting around in his pockets for a key.

“Besides, I’m not a murderer, and I find that accusation slightly offensive.”

      Beckoning us to follow, he pushed the door open and disappeared inside.

I must admit: the house fit his whole aesthetic exactly. The curtains were a deep red, the carpets thick and shaggy, and there was, naturally, a typewriter, rather than a computer, left out on the dark oak table. There was another little pride flag in a skull-shaped mug, and on one wall hung a cork board that was covered in notes and red string.

“The house at Land’s End” read one note, which connected to another that said “The end of Land’s House???”, with three question marks, which is far too many for any normal person to use. Clearly, this job had put the Obituary Writer under large amounts of stress.

  I went to read further when -

  (the meow of a man-eating cat)

  - my thoughts were interrupted.

  He has a cat?

“You have a cat?” Bojana asked before I could. Damn.

  *

  [Obituary Writer]

The One Who Hunts wound himself between the man’s legs, purring.

“Three, actually. The One Who Hunts, The One Who Glares, and The One Who Sulks. They don’t eat people.”

      My two guests didn’t take that last sentence quite how I thought they would. The man stopped his idle scratching between The One Who Hunts’ ears. Bojana took half a step towards the door.

  “Okay, usually,” she began, “you don’t need to reassure someone that your cats won’t eat them.”

  “But I like to reassure people.”

    Bojana frowned. “I don’t feel reassured.” She looked over at her friend. “Do you feel reassured?”

      “I got eaten by cats once, whilst searching for my own,” the man said, with a dramatic stare into the middle distance. “They ate my right hand and my left foot, then they ate my nose and my tongue. My ribs were gnawed and my heart-”

      “Dude,” interrupted Bojana. “We’re on holiday, remember?”

      The man held up his hands apologetically but I was keen to hear more. If he had truly been eaten alive by cats, then I, the Obituary Writer, wanted to write him a damn good obituary. And with all due respect to Victoria, who was a much loved member of the community and will be sorely missed by all - this was the most interesting thing to happen all week.

“No please,” I said, “go on. I might even write you an obituary.”

    The man smiled- no- grinned. 

“Well then. How about I tell you, over a glass of wine?”

  *

(the narrator begins his song. It’s bittersweet, about missing cats, lost friends, and returning home at last)

  *

  [LCN]

When I finished telling my story, the Obituary Writer thought for a long time.

A long, long time.

“I think,” he said, at last, “you should meet my friend.”

  *

  [LCN]

Bojana said: “Dude.”

  I said: “I know.”

  Bojana repeated again: “Dude.”, a little more firmly.

  I said: “I know.”

      She pinched her arm. “Am I dreaming? I don’t think my imagination is good enough to make this up.”

      “We’re going, on the insistence of someone who may well be a murderer, to see the Angel of Death, who is not, as it were, a metaphor, and who is, unlike her sibling, the Angel of Life, quite a nice person, apparently.”

      Bojana sighed. “I was afraid you’d say that,” she said sadly.

       “If this all turns out not to be a metaphor,” I took a deep breath, “I’d just like to say-”

      “I’m not going to kill you,” someone interrupted with a voice like light refracted in glass.

      We screamed, Bojana grabbing my shoulder and me grabbing her arm. When we realised what we had done, we stayed like that anyway, because sometimes the comfort of having another person is worth more than pretending to be cool.

The woman was beautiful in the way that wildflowers growing up and out of a sheep’s skull are beautiful. She was pale and almost translucent, with a pair of great wings of bone folded against her back. Her eyes were old and sad, and her dress fluttered in the breeze like moth wings.

The Angel of Death.

      Bojana opened and shut her mouth a few times, trying and failing to find the words. “…dude,” she whispered at last, awe-struck. And then, slightly more worried - “Are you going to kill us?”

      The Angel cocked her head at us curiously. “I just said I wasn’t. Besides, I do not kill people. Only Life kills people.”

      I asked: “Can I use that line in my podcast?” and Bojana trod on my foot to get me to shut up.

      The Angel ignored both of us, which was probably for the best. “Why have you come to see me?” she asked instead.

        “Your friend is concerned about my friend,” Bojana said. “It was the bit about getting eaten by cats, I think.”

      In the trees, a raven cried out. “Woeful are the lost and woeful are the found! Caw!”

You know, I never realised American ravens were so eloquent.

      “They didn’t kill you though,” asked the Angel, in a way that wasn’t a question.

      “I got better.”

      “You bled out all over our nice carpet,” Bojana muttered.

      The Angel of Death didn’t say anything and that was an answer enough.

      “My cat is lost, and I miss it,” I began. “My search for it has lasted many years now, because I know that it isn’t dead. I have found people playing at being monsters and monsters playing at being people and I have found everyone else, who just sort of exist in the middle of those two states. I have been to strange places through strange portals and I have been to strange places like America, and, despite all, of this my cat is still lost.”

        The wind blew through the trees, a dog barked in the distance, the world turned on and on. My cat, wherever it is, meowed.

      The Angel looked at us with her sad eyes. “Why do you search for something forever out of reach, ignoring those around you? Your cat will return - all lost cats must show up somewhere.”

In a flurry of feathers, a raven settled on her shoulder. The light glinted off its eyes and I saw they were not eyes at all, but buttons. It cawed again as the Angel fed it a berry.

“Listen please: in life, death. In death, life. Enjoy it. Live a full, good life. It will make the wine taste better” She frowned for a moment. “Another person said those words before me, but I like them. Sometimes, it’s nice to have someone else tell you about what you already know.”

      And then she was gone, fading away like smoke spreading out into the night sky.

      Bojana let out a long, quiet whistle. “Do you think she’s single?”

[krlntwrk]

pinball wizard ;; chapter one

tommy takes nothing in the world more seriously than pinball. nothing. so when his high score is continuously beaten by a guy he's never met, you can imagine his dismay.

word count: 1.4k warnings: none

ao3

---

“ Fuck !”

Tommy slammed his hand against the machine cabinet, immediately recoiling as pain shot up his arm. The bright lights of the arcade had dimmed, leaving only two machines still running. Phil always told him that the blue light wasn’t good for him, that he’d be blind by the time he was thirty. But he could still play pinball blind. A lot of the time, it felt like he had some sixth sense for it. He could play it blind, deaf, probably asleep too.

He let out a long, dramatic sigh as he slumped over the cabinet, putting his forehead in his hands. He couldn’t count the amount of times this happened: no matter how hard he worked, or how much he tried, he could never quite beat the high score. He could get right up to it, but never pass it. The flashing numbers taunted him, he could practically hear the initials beside it laughing . 

DRM - 820,390

TMY - 809,740

“You okay over there?” His friend called. Good question , Tommy thought. I’m about to bash my fucking head in .

“I’m going to lose it,” Tommy mumbled.

“Sounds like our cue to leave, huh?” 

Tommy saw the light of the Pac-Man machine dim from the corner of his eye. He took a deep breath-- calm yourself -- and stood up straight to look at his friend. 

“No. I will not rest until I beat this score, Tubbo.”

“Well, you sort of have to--”

“Alright, time to go home,” the owner called out. Bad was always kind enough to let them stay a little past closing while he cleaned up. If asked about it, he’d say: they’re good kids, I don’t mind as long as they don’t trash the place all over again . His employees, though, might have a different opinion. 

“One more round,” Tommy insisted.

“I have to go home too, you know.” 

“Please?”

“No. I’m sure your dad’s looking for you, isn’t he?” Bad walked out from behind the counter, slinging his bag over his shoulder. Tommy huffed and looked back at the machine longingly. Truthfully, he knew one more round would not change a thing, but he could hope, right?

“I guess so,” he grumbled. Bad nodded briefly.

“See you boys tomorrow.”

“I fucking hate that guy.”

Tommy kicked a small rock as they walked down the dark street, illuminated only by the neon lights of various stores and the occasional street lamp. It was a pretty nice night; though, having drizzled all day, the distinct smell of rain lingered in the cool air of the harbor town.

“Who, Bad?” Tubbo asked. His hands were stuffed in the pockets of his sweatshirt, almost as if attempting to make himself smaller. No matter how many times they made this walk, Tommy could never convince him that they weren’t going to get jumped. How many crimes happen here a year, Tubbo? He’d ask. Like, six?

“No, not Bad--”

“Oh, you mean the high score guy?”

“His name is Dream and he’s a dickhead .”

“Come on, he can’t be that terrible. You’ve never even met the guy.” Tubbo shrugged. Tommy huffed.

“Whatever, I don’t care,” he grumbled. “Are you gonna spend the night?”

Tubbo thought about it for a minute, averting his eyes to the pavement for a moment. “Probably. It’s a Friday, god knows Schlatt’s been drinking all night. Not that the day of the week really matters to him.”

“Okay.” Tommy nodded. Most nights, Tubbo would sleep over, regardless. His older stepbrother had been raising him since they were kids, but as they got older, he spiraled into alcoholism as his father had. While he never physically hit Tubbo, he didn’t like to be home anyways. 

Tommy pushed open the door to his father’s bar, The Crow , to find it mostly empty. It wasn’t all that surprising; it had been that way lately. There were only a few people sitting at the counter, aimlessly chatting with Techno, who was smiling and pouring their drinks. Wilbur was in the corner as usual, strumming on his guitar and playing soft music for the few patrons to enjoy. Upon seeing Tommy, he paused, unconcerned with his playing due to how few people were present.

“How was studying ?” He teased. Tommy flipped him off wordlessly, making the older boy laugh and continue on with his playing.

“Asshole,” Tommy muttered. He all but stormed to the staircase, his friend in tow, to march up to their apartment above the bar. He planned on walking right past Phil and going to his bedroom, but he should have known that couldn’t happen. His adoptive father was sitting at the kitchen table, papers out in front of him. The second he entered, Phil leaned back in his chair and crossed his arms. The universal angry dad look .

“Hi, Tubbo,” he said, voice radiating the sort of familial warmth that the boy probably didn’t get in his own home. “You can go along, Tommy will be with you in a second.”

Oh no . The tension in the room could be cut with a knife as Tommy reluctantly pulled out a chair, sitting down across from the older man. Tubbo thanked Phil quietly and ducked into Tommy’s bedroom, leaving them alone.

Tommy began, “I’m sorry--”

“This can’t keep happening,” he said firmly. Tommy, usually very headstrong and defiant, averted his eyes down to the tile floor. While Phil was one of the nicest people he knew, he was also just a tad bit terrifying when angry. But this wasn’t angry, this was disappointed , which was arguably a million times worse. 

“I know games mean a lot to you.” Phil leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table and folding his hands. “But you’re not going to graduate if you don’t start taking your classes more seriously.”

“It’s summer, I’m not supposed to worry about school during summer,” Tommy said, though he knew Phil was undeniably in the right. “Besides, I’m not stupid! I’ll figure it out.”

“Of course you’re not stupid.” Phil furrowed his brow. “You’re just not applying yourself the way you should be. I know that summer classes are shitty, but it’s life. Sometimes you have to put in a little bit of extra work to get where you want to go. When it comes down to it, Tommy, your schooling is more important than the arcade, no matter how much you enjoy it there.”

“I am applying myself!” Tommy argued. “I do all the work, I go every day, I don’t understand how I’m still failing. That teacher is out to get me, I’m telling you.”

“Well, you’re lucky you have your brothers--”

“They’re not my brothers.”

“--Techno offered to tutor you.” 

That definitely could not be right. Techno, offering to spend what little free time he had helping his younger brother with math? Phil must have bribed him or something, because that was too outlandish even for Tommy to believe.

“I don’t need a tutor!” Tommy stood up, pushing the chair back and placing his hands flat on the hardwood table. “Clearly you just think I’m stupid and I don’t try hard enough--”

“That’s not it and we both know it.”

“What is it, then?!”

“Sit down, Tommy.”

Tommy could not understand how Phil always kept a level head in situations like this. He never shouted or got angry, which sometimes only served to make the other person angrier. His calmness rubbed off on the teenager, though, and he was able to remove the tension from his shoulders and slump back into his seat. He still refused to make eye contact, though.

“I understand it’s been difficult,” Phil said, tone ever the sedative, “without your mother around. But getting angry is not going to change anything. I’m upset too, your brothers are upset, but sometimes we just need to…compartmentalize.”

Tommy couldn’t form a response. He kept his gaze locked on a random photo on the wall. It was of himself, Wilbur, and Techno, on a vacation when they were young. Tommy couldn’t have been any older than five, Wilbur ten, and Techno twelve. They were all smiling, posing in front of a large waterfall. If Tommy thought hard enough, he could almost hear the laughter, smell the fresh water, feel the droplets on his skin. 

“Techno will talk to you tomorrow.”

Tommy stood up without another word and disappeared into his bedroom.

[wendibird]

SPN 15X19 Observations

So, here we are. Second-to-last episode of this show and what has been said will be the Season Finale. (While next week’s is the Series Finale.) 

Without further ado...

I don’t even know what to think going into this second-to-last episode. I don’t expect a “happy” ending to this show. But I can’t help hoping for a fitting one. One that makes some kind of sense. That does the characters justice. We’ll see how it goes. (Also, I want some GOOD content for Sam. *LOL*)

(Also, my notes might be sparse because I want to concentrate on the show.)

- Everyone’s gone.

- Except these three.

- Does Sam and Jack know about Cas?

- THEY DON’T KNOW YET!!! *crying* (To be clear, not upset that Dean didn’t tell them sooner. Since obviously there had to be a phone conversation at some point, or at least texting so they’d know where to meet up. THAT kind of news isn’t something to tell over the phone if you can help it.) 

- The music is really playing this up well.

- Oh Jack….. 

- And he’s still killing plants.

Commercial Thoughts:

I’ve said this again and again but I still don’t like how Chuck is being written. He might as well be rubbing his hands and cackling evilly. 

That being said, this really is sadistic. One of the few things that’s kept Sam and Dean going through all of this has been the people they’ve been able to save. (Crowely caught on to that in S8 and used it to good effect. But he was like a sniper, precise with it. Chuck is like a fricking nuke.) 

And Sam losing hope always makes me sad. (Have noticed the looks Dean keeps giving him. Still checking on him and how he’s doing and worrying about him.)

- This camera work is weird. Dream-like?

- DOGGY!!!!!

- omg Dean’s happy about a dog!

- WOW. That’s a new low.

- So, no animals? (Guess they’re gonna have to go vegetarian eventually if this doesn’t get fixed.)

- Michadam!!! 

- WHAT?! (No Adam?! HOW DARE CHUCK!!!)

Commercial Thoughts:

Okay, Chuck taking Adam is a really REALLY low-blow! (But then, that might be what pushed Michael to decide to help them after all.) 

Not surprised that Michael can’t open the book. Wondering if Jack can? Or they could call some reapers and see who wants the job of the next Death. *LOL* Hold interviews. “What will you do for us if we give you this promotion?” (crack thoughts, don’t mind me.)

I’m not sure if Chuck has realized that they have nothing left to lose. And that’s generally when people are at their most dangerous. (I mean yes, they have each other, but in the wake of what’s been lost? Literally the whole world? They can’t let that go. They can’t just sit back and treat it as a vacation. It’s not how they are.)

- CAS?! 

- WTF?!?!?!?! (Did NOT want to see Lucifer again tbh. And apparently neither did Dean. *LOL*)

- Okay, so Lucifer promoted the next Death.

- Is he actually dead this time?

- One can only hope.

- YEY! LUCIFER IS DEAD AGAIN!!!

Commercial thoughts:

So…. what was the point of all that again? 

Okay, I get that in the end, the book is open and now they can hopefully read it. Seems kind of convoluted. (Also, do NOT get me started on the whole “God and the Darkness have no pull in the Empty”. Unless God just replicated Lucifer, like I theorize he did with Lilith.) 

Wondering if they just did all that to have Luci and Mark P. back one more time.

- Sam being his super-smart self! <3

- What is Sam not saying?

- Hey! Isn’t that the lake where Jack was born?

- FOR CRYING OUT LOUD!!! Fricking Michael.

- Bloody winchesters

- That’s what Sam wasn’t saying. I don’t think they trusted Michael.

- Sam figured something out.

- Wow. That is some poetic justice!

- I’m actually impressed with that.

- So now what?

Commercial Thoughts:

Wow. Okay, that was a weird twist of a way to get there. But I’ve honestly got to say that I like it. It works. (I’d always hoped Jack would still be the key to Chuck’s downfall.)

I still feel sorry for Amara though. Like, is she just nothingness? Is she an alternate personality deep inside Chuck now? 

And what about Jack? Can he put things back to how they’re supposed to be? Bring everyone back? Did he get Chuck’s knowledge as well as his power? At least of who all he took away? 

Guess we’ll have to see.

Also, usually I’m not a fan of the trope of the “Good guys” sparing the villain who’s killed tons of people because “they’re above killing”. But in this case? It really was fitting. And a worse punishment than killing Chuck would have been.

- OH GOD I LOVE THIS SONG!!!!

- Sammy’s cafe!

- (Okay I’m getting a little misty)

- His smile!!! 

- OKay, I might cry now.

- They raised God.

- Awwww….. (The names)

- Okay, so, I’m not okay! (But I’m okay with it, so… good thing?)

- So it ends with them doing whatever it is they want? 

- I wonder if the Apocalypse World people were brought back? And their other friends. (And Eileen? I’m sorry, I know not everyone ships it, but I do, and now Sam doesn’t have the great Plot of the Universe conspiring against him.)

After-Show Thoughts: (After I’ve had a few hours to ponder things)

Let me just say, the music in this episode? Like, just even the background music? It was amazing! It did such a good job of invoking the emotions that were being felt by the guys. And their choices of songs used were also good. :) 

Michael: So, in some ways his character shift in this episode seems odd after the last time we saw him. But then I thought more about it, and I think Adam’s death had a lot to do with it. In the previous episode in which we saw them, of the two of them Adam actually seemed to be more stable, and often had good, grounding advice for Michael. Now with him gone, all Michael had was himself. And at heart, he still wanted his father’s love, despite everything that had happened. And I still think he’s an interesting Parallel/Contrast to Dean, who also had the same father-worship for a long time, but over time he’s come to understand that John was wrong about a lot of things, and he needs to make his own way. I don’t think that’s something that Michael ever REALLY learned. Not deep down. 

Lucifer: I found his presence here to be annoying. I get that he moved the plot along. And I get how much at least half of Buckleming love him. I am glad that his part was brief and that he didn’t get a redemption arc. I do wish Sam had been able to kill him. (I know, he couldn’t have because only another archangel with an archangel blade yadda-yadda. STILL though…) Or that there had maybe been SOME meaningful interaction between him and Sam for old time’s sake, since that always gets nice and spicy. (Because Jared and Mark P. always keep in mind everything that’s happened between them and put that into their performances.) But time limits and all that. Also, why were there no wing-shadows on the floor when Lucifer died? There were wing shadows on the floor of the friggen church at the end of S13 and he died like 15 feet up in the air. *LOL* I mean, then whenever Sam looked at the floor in the Library he could remember that Lucifer is Dead for Good. 

And I just rewatched the scene again and when he died, he just went poof. Like, in the past, unless a finger-snap thing is involved that’s not what happens when angels die. If they get stabbed, there’s usually been a body left behind. Heck, at the end of S13 there was a full-on light-show. Now it almost looked like a regular angel death just with redder light instead of silvery-blue. Was that because it was just a thrown-together mock-up of Lucifer that Chuck made? (Like with Lilith? Because he’s NOT supposed to have any sway in the Empty! Dammit, how hard is it for the writers to remember the stuff that was already established?!)  

(Sorry. Continuity issues bug me. And they’ve bugged me from Season 1 on, so I know that’s not a new thing. But it does feel like they’ve gotten especially worse this season.) 

(Also, I’m starting to get tired so I’m going to try to wrap this up here. *LOL*)

I did like how they brought Chuck down. When it comes down to it, they weren’t following a pre-set plan. (Well, what happened probably WAS written in that book, but they didn’t know what it was.) Instead they found their own way with what they had. They figured out what was going on with Jack, and Sam figured out some bullshit spell to make some cool light-effects in order to fool Michael and Chuck into thinking they were setting it up for him. The only aspect of it that fell a little flat for me was the extended exposition on how they’d done it. It’s a trope that crops up a lot. The whole “Haha see what I did there!” But, on the other hand, I also realize that unless they’d shown us each step of the process as it was happening, there was no real way around presenting it that way. And it WAS more dramatic to have the audience in the dark until that moment. Also, I can’t deny the effectiveness of the scene where Chuck keeps beating them down but they keep standing up again. I mean, isn’t that an allegory for their whole lives? And at the end he’s incredulous as to why or even HOW they can still stand. What makes them keep going? True, part of it was that they knew the plan, and they knew this was part of it. (Which I think is why Sam opened it up with punching Chuck. To turn the confrontation more physical and draw it out, or he might have decided after all to just finger-snap them.) But part if it is also them just being them. They’ve both been down this road before. Like their whole lives have been this road. And they’ve both been to hell. Both suffered unimaginable tortures. And they just keep going. When one stumbles the other gets up. Or they get each other up. And they laugh in God’s face. Just… THAT was well-done. And Chuck's ending with them NOT killing him? That was absolutely poetic. Because now he's busted down to "normal" and has to figure out actual life (or just end his, but he'd have to do it himself) and he didn't even get an "ending" of his creations killing him. Because even if he did make them, he clearly still doesn't understand them. And I liked them saying "no" to the revenge game. (After making sure that he couldn't come back again as a problem. Cause they ain't dumb either. Despite what everyone keeps saying about them.) 

I also loved the scene where Jack brings everyone back. I would have liked to have seen some shots of some of the individual ones that we’d come to know being back, like Donna, some of those AU people (Eileen!) but I also get this ep was shot during Covid so they probably couldn’t get as many people back. (I hope some of them at least get name-dropped in the next episode so we know for sure that they’re back and alive.) But anyway, I thought the scene was well done, that song was a GOOD choice for it! (But then, I am a bit biased. It’s among some of the music I grew up listening to because my parents had it.) It may not be classic rock, but classic folk is fitting for the new God. :) 

Overall, I thought there were some pacing issues with this episode, but in general I was happier with it than the previous one. I’ve just been re-watching it (because I never catch everything the first time through, especially when I’m trying to take notes) and I just noticed something. Near the end when Sam and Dean are in the Library and Dean says “To everyone that we lost along the way.” I first was a bit puzzled about that, because my mind went to the more immediate people that they’d lost recently, and whom I’m assuming Jack brought back too. But on re-watching I thought about it in a grander scale. How many people have they lost in their lives due to Chuck’s story? Because Chuck thought it would make things more dramatic? I think he was reflecting on their whole lives, not just the last 48 or so hours. And that makes sense too with what Sam said following, about them finally being able to write their own story. (And yes, I know that Cas was not one of those brought back. At least, he doesn’t seem to have been. And though I don’t ship him and Dean, I don’t doubt for a minute that Dean cares/cared about him very much. It’s okay to love your friends. But I didn’t get the feeling that he was JUST talking about one person. That held the weight of years of losses.) 

I thought the ending montage was brilliant! Honestly, if the show ended here, I would have been okay. Not saying I DON’T want another episode! I’ll take whatever I can get. And I definitely wouldn’t mind seeing where they take their story. So yeah, looking forward to the next (and final *cries*) episode.

Anyway, that’s about all I can really dredge up this late at night. *LOL* This will be the LAST time I do one of these knowing there’s more to come. It’s the last week we’ll all wait in suspense for what’s going to happen next. After next week's episode we'll be into new territory of "That's all there is and ever will be." This has been quite a journey, and I haven’t liked all of it, but overall I still love this weird little show, and even more so the characters that we've met through it. So, to quote Bobby, “Here’s to runnin’ into you guys on the other side.”

[stepboldlyjess]

19th October—The Deucalion

for today i decided to create my own Deucalion room! i hope you like it :)

The Tricksy Room

“I’m sorry, but chocolate is better.”

“No way! Vanilla is classy. Chocolate is what three year olds get.”

Morrigan scoffed. “Have you ever considered the fact that I didn’t get ice cream as a three year old? I’m chocolate deprived!”

Jack rolled his eyes. “You are not chocolate deprived. You’re dramatic. There’s a difference.”

“Well, we’re just going to have to agree to disagree.”

“Agreed.”

Morrigan leant back in her chair and grabbed her bowl of ice cream. She smiled as she scooped a bit out and rose it to her mouth.

All of a sudden, she felt a sharp pain as her headband was ripped from her hair. She turned around and saw Jack holding it with a smirk spread wide across his face.

“Jack! Give it back!”

“Not until you say vanilla is better.”

Morrigan jumped up out of her seat. She reached for her headband but Jack held it high above his head. Morrigan frowned.

“That’s not fair! You’re a giant! And I’m...average sized. Just give it back!

“Mmm...no. I don’t think I will.”

And with that, Jack ran through the doors back into the Deucalion. Morrigan broke into a run and followed him. She yelled after him.

“Jack, just stop. I’m not going to chase you through the whole Deucalion. Just give it back!”

“Vanilla is better! You need to agree!” Again, he started running through the great maze of the Deucalion.

“You’re acting like a child!” Morrigan rolled her eyes and ran after him.

She followed his every move. Jack turned a corner, Morrigan turned a corner. She kept her pace not too far behind Jack.

While they ran through the Deucalion they heard the liveliness of the Hotel. They passed the Music Salon. They heard the lovely voice of Dame Chanda. They passed the Smoking Parlour. They heard the latest gossip being passed between residents.

Morrigan felt a wide grin grow on her face. She loved it here at the Deucalion. She loved her friends and family. She wished she could have grown up here, where people loved her and treated her with respect.

She laughed as she continued to chase Jack through the halls.

“Jack! Just give it back!”

“No!”

Morrigan laughed again and continued to race Jack.

They made it onto the fifth floor, and Jack had gained some distance. He took the stairs three at a time, while Morrigan could only take one. This slowed her down, however she was determined to catch up with him.

She tripped over and fell into a door. She shrieked with laughter as the door opened to reveal a room. The smile was quickly wiped off her face when she turned around.

She was met with pairs of red eyes and the howls of wolves. She turned back to the door. It had closed behind her. She tried to open it but she found it was locked.

Morrigan turned back to the Hunt. Anxiety rose in her chest and made its way to her throat. She swallowed trying to keep it down.

Her eyes scanned the room but she could only see black and red. She pressed herself up against the door, praying it would open. Then she heard it.

She heard Ezra Squall singing.

Morrigan tried to scream but nothing came out. She was in a locked room with Ezra Squall. She shook the handle of the door but it wouldn’t budge. She squeezed her eyes shut and tried to keep her tears back.

She opened her eyes and squinted through the darkness hoping to find the faint gold glimmer of the Gossamer Line, proving to her that Squall was not really in the room. He was back in the Republic where he couldn’t hurt her.

But she didn’t find it...

She locked eyes with one of the horses from the Hunt. It moved to the side to reveal Squall. Morrigan tried again to find the give away that he wasn’t here. He wasn’t with her. But she couldn’t find it.

She shook her head.

“Ahhh, little Miss Morrigan Crow. How are we today?”

Morrigan spoke through gritted teeth. “You’re not here. You can’t hurt me.”

Squall laughed a cold, hard laugh. “That is where you are mistaken. I am here. I am here in Nevermoor and that is what I intend to do. I intend to hurt you. You and everyone else in this filthy apartment.”

Morrigan froze in horror. “Don’t you dare touch them. They did nothing to you.”

“Again, incorrect. They took away what could have been the greatest thing I could have ever owned. They took away you.”

“They did no such thing. I had two choices that night. I could have chosen to go with you, but instead I chose to go with Jupiter. That was not his fault. It was my choice.”

Squall thought about this. “Well, that was the biggest mistake of your life, Miss Crow. You have potential. You could have been the greatest Wundersmith of all time, next to me of course. But no. You chose to go to a school where they can’t teach you anything. Do you know how wrong that is?”

“I chose a lot more than an education, Squall. I chose a family. Something you would never understand—AGH!” Morrigan was hit by a sudden shock of pain in her stomach. She fell down to the ground, which only made more pain explode in her knees. She looked up to Squall who had a cruel look upon his face.

“I had a family! I had a family before they decided that Wundersmiths could only be cruel and vicious. I had a family before everyone turned on me. I had a family before I was kicked out of Nevermoor.”

Morrigan whimpered as she felt more pain overcome her.

“You’re going to lay there and slowly meet your death. No one will be able to hear you, so don’t try screaming.”

In a blink, Squall and the Hunt were gone, leaving behind the pain inflicted on her.

“JACK!” Morrigan screamed with as much effort as she could muster. She just hoped Jack could hear her. “JACK, COME QUICK!”

Morrigan cried out in agony. The pain in her stomach was unbearable. It was the worst pain she had ever felt.

She started crying, letting the tears trail down her face. Jack wouldn’t find her. She would die here, just like Squall said she would.

Morrigan cried until she couldn’t cry anymore. She looked back to the door. She had nothing to lose.

She crawled her way over to the door and rose up onto her knees, ignoring the pain coming from the already forming bruises.

She reached up for the door handle and placed her hand on it. She twisted the knob and pushed.

The door opened and she fell forward out into the halls of the Deucalion.

“JACK!” She screamed again, knowing that he would now hear her. The pain was gone, but left behind was shock. Squall was here in Nevermoor. She had seen Squall without the Gossamer Line protecting her. It was the scariest moment of her life.

Her thoughts were interrupted by the pounding footfalls coming from down the hall. She raised her head and saw Jack running towards her.

“Morrigan! Are you okay? What happened?”

Morrigan wasted no time him telling him everything. “I fell through the door, and then it locked behind me. I turned around and there was the Hunt and Squall. He’s here, Jack, in Nevermoor. For real! He’s not on the Gossamer or anything! He used Wunder and made me feel the worst pain I have ever felt. It was unbearable. Then he left telling me I would die in there. I cried for ages and then opened the door and came out here. Squall. He’s here. He’s actually here.”

Jack’s eyes widened before he looked behind her at the room she just exited from. His face softened in understanding. He walked over to the door and shut it and then walked back to Morrigan. He pushed back a strand of her hair before wiping away the tears still streaming from her eyes.

“Oh, Morrigan. I’m so sorry. You have been told to never go in there. Or at least you should have been told how to get out. It’s like a Tricksy Lane. A Tricksy Room. Push through the trick to the other side where a door is. If you open it, you’ll find yourself right back out here, in safety.”

Morrigan was still confused. “And the trick is...?”

Jack looked straight at her. “It’s your biggest fear. Clearly, yours is to be hurt by Squall. Or to have him in Nevermoor.”

“And him hurting everyone here.”

“What?”

“He said that he would hurt me and everyone else here. Jack, he can’t do that can he?”

Jack frowned. “No! Of course not, Morrigan. He can’t come here. And even if he does, which he won’t, I swear to protect you and everyone else here. Okay?”

Morrigan nodded sadly.

“It’s okay, Morrigan.” He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a tight hug. “I’m here, it’s okay. No one will hurt you.”

Morrigan let herself lean into the hug and cried. Jack continued to comfort her, stroking her hair and rubbing her back and whispering into her ear. She loved being in his arms, knowing she was safe. She knew no one could hurt her if Jack was around. He wouldn’t allow it.

Morrigan wrapped her arms around his neck and whispered, “Thank you, Jack. For everything.”

Jack tightened his hold on her waist. “For you, I’d do anything.”

hold up, let me go cry. i love morrigan and jack so much.

so yeah, the room was basically inspired by the boggart in harry potter. i think it’s a really cool concept that no body knows what it actually looks like and that it changes for everyone. maybe i should do a second part where jack stumbles across the room?

i’m going to open up an ao3 account and all of my work will go on there. once i get it up and running i’ll let you guys know!

[kanene-yaaay-o-retorno]

You’re a WHAT

Kanene’s Notes:

I’m weak for carzy scenarios  and glitter, so BOOOM!! Why don’t get these two things together??? :D)/ This fic marks the end of my break, I will be (trying to) going back to my old projects and probably won’t be writing for some weeks kjnhgfvghjkjhg. Wish me luck! <33

This wasn’t suppose to take so much to be written but I lost my PC and life got in the way :v   Buuuut! I manage to finish it and I already count this as a victory! xP

Warnings, fun facts, random things and stuff:

* That fanfic has Remy and Roman. They’re friendos yay :3. Oh, and this is pretty crazy. Context: The morning after Black Friday when you’re grumpy and wanting to kick the society in the face. A LOT of swearing, Patton does not approve.  

* This characters do not belongs to me. They all belongs to the amazing Thomas Sanders in his series of Sanders Sides.

* Something around 2.900 words. -w-)b.

* Sorry for any spelling, pontuation and grammar mistakes! Any advice is very very welcome!

* Tô com preguiça de postar a versão em português brasileiro aaaa! Thankys for reading, my lollipops! Try and have fun with new hobbies, be safe, talk with the one that you love, drink water and sleep well! Byeioo!~

                             [~*~]

Roman thought himself as a really lucky human being. Unbelievable lucky.

 It wasn't due to the apartment where he currently lived - Too much dull for his personal taste and space, getting even smaller from the day he admitted a messy, sassy and with sleep problems roommate, since Roman just started his musical career and couldn't afford an own house yet. - or the fact that was finally able to pursue his dream after years and years of just picturing, painting this moment on his future, only to find out his fantastic breathtaking and incredible goals weren’t nearly close of the cold reality, at least for now (Who would know that, after umpteenth days of hard studying and training he would need years and years of experience in order to even START wondering in get out of his partial-time job on that Electronic Store) or any other reason someone would be able to consider himself a receptacle of pure, brute luck, enlightened by the spotlights of the good, pleasant destiny...

 ... Or at least the most pleasant it could be in the horrible and exhaustive middle of the night after a whole day filled with his attempts to survive and treat respectfully the unmerciful, dirty jungle that humanity was at Black Friday. Something around fifteen  hours working with massive hordes of unscrupulous zombies starved for a sale and able to even kill and die (more likely the first option) to get what they want and with souls (if they still got one) free of any slight sight of education, patience and morals to be inserted in a society which, as it seemed, was equally rotten as them. View point only proved as Roman was obligated to be working after his shift to "clean all the mess" - more like hide the bodies of exhausted warriors after such bloody battle. – the store because those sons of a...

 "... Bitch, YOU GOTTA BE KIDDING ME!!!!" The poor, frustrated employed shouted to nowhere specific, his face turning towards the sky, seeking in some way to show his all his hate to the cinematography - because this was too much coincidence to NOT be part of a movie or some random fanfic on the black hole that was internet - rain falling at full force leading the weather to became even more freezing as soaked them both with its cool, thick drops.

Anyway, what he was daydreaming about?

"Roman." Oh, yeah, the reason why he viewed himself as a truly lucky person. "My gurl, if you try to impersonate a fucking, dramatic, bitch crow in my ear even again, I swear in the name of my life juice bean that I'm going to KILL you with my bare hands and these sunglasses."

 At least his best friend since, honestly, diapers, who coincidentally was his roommate and even more coincidentally, his coworker was just screwed as Roman himself. Which automatically made the duo less screwed, however equally pissed off, something that neither of them discovered if that was a good or bad thing, yet.

 "Fuck you, Remy" Roman whispered between an tired yawn, too much tired to even think about some nickname or to put real heat in his words as he got instinctively closer to the other, the one called taking off his jacket and lazily throwing it over their heads, doing his best to cover they both with the small available black leathered fabric, the act intertwined with grumpy grumbling and motions which would probably slap Roman's face if he wasn't careful. "I'm the one who buys your coffee."

 "Having my incredible, unique personality in your life should be motivation enough for you to buy me the entire Starbucks Company, be glad I'm weak to your cute face and am going easy on ya."

 " 'Cute'? Excuse me, I'm the most handsome, hottest and fabulous man you will ever met in your lowly life, mortal."

 Remy snorted at this "Whatever helps you sleep at night, babe, but if it's going to be like that your ego soon will have to pay his part at the rent."

 "Well, this 'ego' here was the only thing between your highness and jail after stopping you from committing all those murders today."

 "Bold of you to assume I wouldn't use my contacts to hide the evidences." Their tune were already completely sleepy, bodies instinctively leaning onto each other as the words stumbled, mixed and almost lost themselves in the soundly wind as slipped from their lips. Roman just laughed.

 "Well, if by ‘contacts’ mean 'Virgil' good luck getting him out of his bed on his free day. You would became the fucking new King Arthur." Roman rubbed his eyes, trying to physically force his eyelashes to not close, a new yawn finding its way to his mouth. He didn't even know about what they were talking anymore.

 "I roll the dice to cast Badass Nerd Bitch."

 “Logan??”

 “He likes to study nature stuff, especially at night, I’m sure he already knows some good spots to hide bodies. Glasses.”

 “Glasses?”

 “Glasses.”

 “OMG, the anime character with glasses.” Roman stopped, his mouth wide open as if all the secrets of the universe had been revealed to him.

 “Exactly.” Remy extended each syllable, grinning smugly.

 “I’ve never-“

“THIS IS A ROBERY!!”

 The sentence, which appeared to came out from nowhere, cut the air in a harsh, sharp tune, breaking the barriers and tying them up in the same place in a frozen position and wide eyes staring astonished the hooded form and their unreadable features under the bad illumination of the light poles helped by the increased storm. The wind trespassed them, stirring their clothes and making the muscles shake both of the alone employees in the middle of a dark, empty street at the dawn, even if the dangerously shiny knife directed towards their direction still in a hatred silence. 

 “My.” Roman knew he probably should be afraid, the freezing feeling running across his veins and frightening his brain and actions as infected his words in an unspeakable terror impossible to ignore nor escape. “fucking.” However, the only thing that slipped through his next was the purest, deepest, truest... “ASS.” Indignation.

 Roman thought about a lot of things. He thought about running away, grabbing Remy’s arm and sprinting across the street, about scream in the top of his lungs the waterfall of swearing already racing half way to his throat and even about kicking the knife out of the other’s hands and then kicking him - with a couple of cool moves he saw in some actions films - together with their frecking audacity to try to rob him of all the people in the world. Roman, who asked himself if he would have enough money to eat in the next week with a concerning frequency, who wondered if this is the life he will have until the end of his existence, if he will ever be able to accomplish his dreams.

 His gaze changed to Remy, who was paralyzed, trembling between the poor light of the street and the massive rain. Roman swallowed. Everything was in his hands.

 For a piece of Roman felt the strange urge to spill to the figure before him the story of his life, all his tries, all his battles, his everyday fights to make his dreams real. Blow by blow. Day by day. A life destined to go after everything he wished to himself, everything he wanted to life, to experience, to savor, to do everything in his hands to ignore and one day maybe, hopefully forget all the ghosts - these ones always accompanied by those emotionless, sharp whispers - asking, doubting nonstop if he ever would be able to do all of this, if he was doing the rights thing, if it was really worth all of it.

 However, before the first word even slipped of Roman’s tongue or his mind came fully back to Earth, Remy was already positioning himself strategically between the robber and his friend, the currently only one with the leather jacket falling on his shoulders. However, Remy didn’t seem nearly soaked as he should be, and for a heartbeat, the same one which Remy moved his hands to his jeans’ pocket, his fingers touching and firmly holding something there, Roman could swear that the unexpectedly shiver running across his spine wasn’t due the cold wind.

 Nor the sentence hurled in the clouds.

 “You know what?? Fuck it.”

 And then he unsheathed his magic wand.

 Roman loved with the entirety of his heart all kind of magic, he could easily spend an entire afternoon (which he already had, by the way) listing his favorites movies, musicals and stories with that theme. That also could be easily said by the thousands and thousands of worlds, universes and lifes he invented – in and out of his head - about the subject trough his childhood and handful of teenage years, random ideas and inspirations appearing and dancing in his mind until nowadays. If that only wasn’t enough to convince someone then the umpteenth memories of mornings and afternoons bathed in the smell of books, rocked by the calm silene of the public library as he turned one more page, his back lightly aching by the bad position assumed behind the shelters, in a place he strategically found and claimed as his own Bridge to Terabithia, enjoying every moment as if nothing else mattered. Perhaps you wouldn’t even need to swim in such deep, ancient waters to find out his love, since at least fifty percent of his day was dedicated to shout, hummer or murmur Disney songs.

 However, as rays of pure energy  - shiny and kind of glittery one - involved and swirled from Remy’s, who now was floating a few centimeters above the ground, wand in stripes that got lighter and lighter, begging to spin faster around the aforementioned, creating a spere of a power stunning and big enough to stop the rain in the corner.

 The silence resulting from the lack of the storm didn’t had the opportunity to fill the moment, being obligated to give its space to a soft, intense melody whispered in their ears. The notes standing some more moments in the air, the beating following the changes in the shadowed figure inside the spere. Hesitations taking over the loud, quick heartbeats when the song finally stopped.

 The power’s spere finally exploded, the impact leading to an unbelief and intensive force push both human meters away.

 “Get. Out.”  Remy’s tune still the same, his form – Now adorned by a gleaming crop top, his fluttering skirt over shorts floating in synchrony with the veils which surrounded his clothes and wrapping his arms, the ending spreading in the air as a bunch of angry powered and fancy snakes. - even with the new vestments full of glitter (this probably would be a hell to get off, later) still the same, his gaze, powerful – a new meaning pouring from this word – strong, still the same. But yet…

 Yet his wide eyed, heart hammering in his chest friend since he could remember found himself struggling to connect the same Remy who he had known – if he could still say that? -  all his life with the same being who gleamed dangerously before him.

 The magic wand danced in a quick flick and a trash can came of what seemed nowhere to hit the wobbled and absolutely terrified robber, who fell with a soft thumph in the ground, unconscious.

 “-man, Roman!!! Don’t just stay standing there like a tree, help me here, gurl!” Suddenly the called snapped from his own sea of thoughts, submerging and astonished blinking in Remy’s direction. The rain started to fell on them again, and when their eyes met, when Roman saw the same guy who spent afternoons climbing trees and pretending they were knights and dragons attacking or saving the world, when he recalled the silent sleepovers where they just sat near of each other enjoying the mutual company, the grumpy mornings in their apartment, the comfort hugs, the looks full of words, the smiles filled with meaning, the friendship stuffed with so many, many memories... 

 Nostalgia. The feeling that everything was changed albeit something… something important always stayed. Roman felt, truly felt it and fixed his glare into that brilliant – quite literally - glare adorned with a ‘I’m about to punch your cocky face if you keep fucking narrating every freaking second of your life, ya bitch’ he realized... 

 It was Remy.

 He took a deep breath, moving closer and gradually relaxing as the aforementioned focused in trying to lift the guy, swearing more frequently than raindrops fell from the sky.

 “Remy?”

 “Yeah?”

 “First crush.”

 The other stopped, frowning confused. Roman didn’t quiver, feeling he deserved some sort of answer. At least about this. “What?”

 “My first crush. Who?”

 “Kovu.” Remy maybe was a bit cold hearted, maybe he wasn’t the best with human interactions or knew exactly what Roman wanted with that… but he knew Roman enough to realize this was important. Essentially when the said seemed to relax, his form untensing itself and being allowed to get closer of the magic being.

 “Okay. Okay, okay…” Roman took a deep breath, grounding himself. Their gaze met, his next words coming a little calmer. “Okay.”

 “Please don’t make me sing that serenate you made for him. I’m gonna fucking quit.”

 “Oh, shut up!! Our first love is something special, mister I-Can’t-Choose-Between-The-Beast-And-The-Beauty.”

 Remy decided to ignore the words, slightly lowing his sunglasses with his special Judgmental ‘Bold of you to assume I have enough shame to be mocked’ Look. Roman just flipped in his direction, taking advantage that the other’s hands were occupied.

 It was still Remy, with a whole more of style and glitter – Why are there so much glitter here?? - but it was just Remy. Like just any other day.

 Before he even realized, Roman was already at his friend’s - and as it seems a magical being - side, helping him to carry the robber’s body to somewhere dry so he wouldn’t die of hypothermia.

 “Why don’t you- Ouch!! My feet, dammit!” His breaths came out as puffs, the effort leading to his already exhausted muscles only protest even more and very much probably curse him later with sore movements for the audacity to transport anything heavier than a pen. “Why don’t you use your... Wizard magic or something to carry him??”

 “Oh. My. Gosh. Roman, you are sooo intelligent, why aren’t you in Harvard? Ow! Ow! Ow!!” Remy’s sarcasm was cut when the other kicked, or did his best to with their actual position, him in protest.  “Homophobic.” He exhaled a mix of irritation and a snort, receiving a playful punch in his arm by their inside joke.  “I’m your Fairy Godmother, brainless. Unless it was you laid in this stupid, cold ground I can’t use my magic anymore... Except if this is someone of your family but I doubt-”

 “Wait, wait, wait, WAIT!!! YOU ARE MY FAIRY GODM-”

 “No, no way, nope, we are NOT having this conversation right now.” Remy, the Fairy Godmother let go of the unconscious body in a way that probably will make the guy wake up sore, perhaps with a concussion even, directing his index finger in Roman’s direction in a deep, determined stare full of darkness and things that Roman could swear would make Remy be expelled from the group of Friendly Fairy GodmotherS  or whatever... thing he was inserted. “Let me tell you what we are doing right now: We are going to home, change our clothes then I’m getting coffee and you will get sleep so I don’t have to face nor care about the freak consequences of my damn actions.”

 ...

 “That...” Roman stop, as if was considering his next words. Remy’s face just scrunched in a bigger, firmer frown. “That would be hella scary if you didn’t look like someone who just stole a store of glitter and got attacked by the gay, glitterly, shiny fairies who protected the place.”

 “Go fuck yourself. I’m locking you outside when we get there.”

 “Noo, please don’t! My evil stepmother didn’t let me go to the prince castle and now I need help! Crying emoji, crying emoji.” Roman mocked, imitating sad sobs and sniffles as quick his pace to follow the other, who flipped him.

 “I’m this far from knock you out with my magical wand and then you will see who is the evil stepmother.” His wand gleamed in warning, the red color getting mixed and trembled by the fast movements of his veils, one of them getting dangerously next to Roman’s face, who cleverly got silent for some heartbeats, the sound of the rain slowly calming their heartbeats and rocking them, the tiredness gaining the space which, piece by piece, was being unhanded by their adrenaline.

 They arrived home, both still quiet, feeling free as a relieved sign left their lips. Remy threw his soaked jacket in some dark corner, the bed being the only thing which was allowed to take over all his thoughts and will. 

 An awed gasp echoed behind him and he immediately regretted his move.

 “YOU HAVE WINGS????”

 Before his eyelashes closed, the shiny of the wand disappearing gradually as an ungodly amount of sleepiness gained complete control over his body, relaxing each one of his fibers and as a warm, magic good feeling fills every single cell in his being, Roman wondered if ‘Fuck it’ was the name of Remy’s spell.

[pynkhues]

Howdy! Remember that scene in 2:06 where Annie is going on about Beth's dong fog? Well, she says "I can't stand watching them together" (might be paraphrasing). Had me wondering what they have been acting like in those off camera meetings after the girls found out about them. Head canon maybe?

Anon! This is such an old prompt, and I’m so sorry it’s taken me so long to get to it, but I hope maybe this little ficlet is worth it. Hope you enjoy it :-) 

- 

1

So they’re boning.

Bumping uglies, thumping thighs, rubbing wet spots, doingthe horizontal tango, shaboinking, shagging. Screwing.

Her perfect housewife, total nerd, maybe criminal mastermindsister, and their terrifying, violent, definite criminal mastermind gangfriend,and honestly, maybe Annie should be less surprised. After all, it’s not likeeither of them have been subtle about their eye fucking, and hell, even beforethis latest development she swears she could smell it on them, the pheromonesjust like, radiating off the two of them like a skunk funk.

But god, that bar the other night had been a totally newtype of embarrassing. The way he’d swaggered on over, his eyes on her like he knewexactly what he was doing, a set to his shoulders that was all mating dance –peacock feathers up, and Beth just like, staring right back at him all - - intoit, like she was ready to make a nest and start laying eggs for him or somethingand just - -

It was gross, okay? And Beth had been like, a zeroon the embarrassment scale when she should’ve been a solid 98 million,storming out of the bar like she wouldn’t have murdered Annie for even entertainingthe thought of doing what she’d done, and Annie had spent the night in ateary fury imagining every possible outcome for this - - this development -- and never seeing a situation that didn’t end up with her sister dead or –worse – hurt.

(“And you think dragging her over the coals is going to stopeither of those things?” Ruby had asked her over the phone later that night whenshe’d called to check in, and Annie had frowned, topping up the vodka in herchipped mug.

“Yes,” she insists. Then: “No. Maybe. God, Ruby, you can’tseriously think this is a good idea?”

“Of course not, but making Beth feel bad for gettin’ somewith someone who isn’t Dean for the first time in her entire life is not a goodidea either.”)

Anyway here they are again, sitting in the back of BolandMotors, waiting for Rio to deliver a truckload of unwashed cash to theirdoorstep and blab on about how much he’s looking forward to his sixty percentwhich is frankly bull, because they’re doing all the hardwork and surelythey should be getting a better cut since Beth is like, literally blowing thedude.

And isn’t that an image? Annie scowls, gagging briefly, legjittery underneath her.

She can’t even imagine Beth like - -

Ugh.  

She bets he has a big dick.

He’s got that total vibe after all, that energy, and- - huh.

Annie squints at Beth.

She’s always kind of figured Dean had a micro penis, so thatmust be an adjustment and a half.  

“Stop looking at me like that,” Beth hisses suddenly, ablush having creeped up her neck, and Annie blinks, folds her arms over herchest, gives Beth the best ‘Beth Look’ Annie can manage.

“Like what?”

“You know like what,” Beth insists, and Ruby groans besidethem at the same time Annie loudly scoffs.

“Oh, I’m sorry, sister, if you’re inferring somethingin my look. You know, maybe that’s more a reflection on your guilty conscience,not my feelings, because I –”  

“Yo.”

Beth sits up straight suddenly, pink dusting her cheeks nowtoo and Annie scoffs again, looking sideways at where Rio’s materialised infront of them like he’s just beamed down from the USS Enterprise, or - - no, hewould never get into Star Fleet. He’d be like one of the Klingons or something,sure, the most handsome one to ever exist, but that’s irrelevant.

He’s bad news through and through, and Beth is like somesacrificial virgin or something and just - -

“Is that all of it?” Beth asks, and somehow she’s managed toget the bag off Rio and count it out in the time it’s taken Annie to catch up.She glances quickly over to Rio, at his stupid handsomeness and his sharpfeatures and his raised eyebrow and his eyes all up in Beth’s business.

“Little early to be uppin’ drops, darlin’,” he says, andugh, darling?

Annie scowls, gaze shifting back to Beth who doesn’t even reactto it, just powers through.

“We washed all your cash in record time last week.”

“Yeah, but you were,” he looks at her, purses his lower lipin a way that feels frankly obscene, and adds. “Motivated.”

And yes, Annie thinks with a scoff, motivated by theprospect of the cops finding the body he’d ordered them to kill, but - - wait,is that what he means?

Her gaze flicks between the two of them in horror. Did theymake some sort of sex deal on top of that?

Ugh.

She looks at Ruby, who’s just staring at the ceiling so shedoesn’t have to look at them, and Annie would do the same if she thought shehad it in her to miss this.

“Well, what if we did it again?”

He grins and recollects himself so quickly that Annie almostthinks she’d made it up, the sharp tug to his lips like something he couldn’tquite contain in the moment of it, and it’s enough to make her reel back alittle. To watch the neon security lights catch the angles of his face, andmake him look like some sort of impossibly handsome demon you could hang thenext hit spooky-style franchise on. When he speaks, his voice is husky.  

“Well then we could have another conversation, huh?”

“Right,” Beth says immediately, a little breathless, and shepuffs out her chest a bit which is just - - god, mortifying, and Rionods, eyes flicking down to her boobs like he knows exactly what they look likebeneath her grandma’s-curtains-blouse, which he must now, turning on hisheel to leave and Beth watches him, a look on her face that Annie doesn’t thinkshe’s ever seen before, like she’s - - hungry almost, and just - -

“Ugh,” Annie squawks and Beth swivels around, her eyes wide,like she hadn’t been two seconds away from climbing on his dick.

“What?”

“UGH,” Annie squawks louder, waving a hand at Beth before stormingaway towards her car.

 2

The music is too loud.

Which feels, y’know, kind of like a big deal, because Annieloves loud music, but this bar isn’t playing Train or Sheryl Crow, it’s playinglike, cool music, because it’s a cool bar, and absolutely not Beth– the least cool person she knows.

“I hate this place,” Annie says, and she can feel Ruby rollher eyes beside her, taking a sip of her fire engine, which is franklyridiculous, because even Annie is too mature for fire engines, or - -hmm. Maybe not. She eyes it off. Maybe that’s her next drink.

“You’ve been telling us to go here for months,” Beth says acrossthe booth, and Annie gapes, because, okay, she had, but - -

“Yeah, well, that was before gangfriend decided he wanted tomix up our vibe, okay? Whatever happened to the park at midnight, huh? Brunchat Cloud 9? Okay, I know what happened to brunch at Cloud 9, but what about, y’know- - your back patio?”

Ruby snorts at that, waggling her eyebrows suggestively andtaking a sip on her straw.

“Think we know what happened to Beth’s back patio too.”

It’s enough to make Beth turn about eight different shadesof red, and for Annie to spin around to Ruby in disbelief, spilling her own drinka little in the process, which - - whatever, this is categorically more important.

“Was that an anal joke?”

The question immediately makes Ruby’s eyes open dramatically,her lips parting in horror around the straw in her mouth, cheeks flushing.

“No! I just meant those French doors open up onto Beth’sbedroom, oh my god, Annie.”

Annie scoffs dramatically, shoving her drink in Ruby’s face ina theatrical gesture of punctuation.

“Please, you know what you said.”

“Can we please stop talking about this,” Beth saysdesperately, and just - - Annie swivels around in her seat, back towards Beth,squinting at her sister, trying to read her expression, because that insistenceis pretty interesting.

“Did you guys do anal?”

“No,” Beth hisses, furious. “There was no - -”

And because the universe clearly hates them, Rio choosesthat exact moment to slide too easily into the booth beside Beth, and y’knowwhat? The thing is wide, deep even, but he slides in so close his arm is pushedagainst hers, and just - - god, it’s embarrassing, the way Beth’s eyes widen,the way she sort of lurches sideways before steeling herself, and sort of like –half pressing back into him? It’s really fucking awkward, but Rio doesn’t evenflinch.

“Ladies,” he says, gesturing to the bartender for a drink,who apparently drops every other customer in a five foot radius instantly to serveRio, and Annie glares at him because she waited twenty minutes for her drink,dammit. “You good?”

Ruby’s eyebrows are high up her forehead as she stares betweenthem, and god, Annie can’t blame her. Beth’s so red she could be used to stop traffic,and the air just feels weird and thick, and it’s that whole pheromonething again, and Annie just doesn’t even know how to begin to unpack that.

Luckily she doesn’t have to as Beth suddenly grabs the sportsbag from next to her in the booth, pulling it over herself to pass to Rio, onlyRio stops her, drops the bag to her lap and unzips it there, making neat workof counting through the cash, shifting in his seat enough his back can shield whatthey’re doing from prying eyes.

“It’s all there,” Beth says, her voice all girlish and breathyas Rio goes through the bag on her lap. He doesn’t even reply, but Beth jumps suddenlyand Annie blinks because the only explanation for that means that he must’ve gottento the bottom of the bag, which means the only thing between his hands and herthighs and - - vagina - - is the thin waterproof material of the bag itselfand her sister’s jeans.

“Cool,” Rio says suddenly, zipping up the bag and lurchingto his feet. He swings it over his shoulder, giving Beth a final, loaded look,and says: “See you next week. I’ll bring the funny money.”

He’s barely out of the bar before Annie lets loose a long, strangledscream.

3

She’s been staring at Beth for the last few minutes, tryingto place what’s different when her gaze drops to her sister’s breasts and she justthinks - -

Ah.

“Is that a new bra?”

It’s enough to make Beth spin dramatically around on thespot, her eyes wide, a little wild, her cheeks bright red, and whatever, Anniethinks, rolling her own eyes. That sort of feels like a given these days.

“What? No,” she flusters, flailing her arms, gaze dartingsideways to where Rio’s clambering out of his car a little further down the lot.He looks like he’s on his cell, talking to somebody or other, even as he pullsa bag off the backseat of his car. “How would you even know that?”

Annie just looks at her.  

“I know all your clothes, including underwear. Plus youhaven’t worn a push up bra since like – ever – it’s not like you need one – andno offence, but your tits look like they’re about to become sentient, suffocateyou and take over your body.”

Beth just stares at her, and god, Beth really needs to learnto embarrass less easily. She’s like, nine different shades of red right now. Sheexhales sharply, looking irritated, gaze going sideways towards Rio and thenback to Annie, and then - -

“It was on sale,” she says quietly, and Annie snorts, but -- okay, maybe she feels a little bad when Beth slips a hand below the collar ofher shirt and starts surreptitiously fiddling with the strap on the thing. It’sjust the two of them tonight anyway – Ruby had had a shift at Dandy Donuts shecouldn’t quite squirm out of, and Annie had kind of hated the thought of seeingthe Beth and Rio show without her, but at least she didn’t have to deal with Rubyjudging her either.

So instead they both just stand there, watching Rio acrossthe lot, and he must know that they’re watching him, but he doesn’t acknowledgeit. Doesn’t even turn around to look at them, which honestly - - rude. Annieglances back at Beth, ready to basically tell her that she’s managed to landherself another asshole, only - -

Only Beth’s gaze is fixed. Her focus unwavering, her lips slightlyparted, like he has her hypnotised across the parking lot and that hunger’sthere, plain on her face, but there’s - - something different there too. Somethingthat runs a little deeper, that holds a little firmer, and Annie’s mouth closes,her forehead furrowing, and suddenly she needs to look away, uncomfortable, butnot for the reasons that she has been.

She hears the car door slam shut, and glances back up toRio, and the sound seems to have jerked Beth out of whatever had her in it’s griptoo, and well, at least the anger’s easier to hold onto again when Rio’s gazelaser focuses on Beth’s pushed up boobs.

“Hey, ladies,” he drawls, slipping the bag off his shoulder,but not quite passing it over yet. “Gonna invite me in?”

And Annie just watches.

Watches Beth flush, exhale, smile – just a little.

Watches her let him in.

[ericsonclan]

Dramatically Out of Sorts

Summary: Everything seems to be heading towards the makings of a good day when suddenly Louis is struck by a sickness.

Word Count: 1625

Read on AO3:

“So, my music confidant, are you ready to continue to write down the great musical songs so they do not get lost to time?” Louis walked down the hallway towards the music room and quickly spun to face Prisha. Tugging on the sides of his coat, he flashed an excited grin towards his friend.

Prisha returned the smile, just as if not more excited than Louis was. “I can’t wait! It's been ages since we  last marked down the notes to a show tune. All we need to decide on is which musical to pull from,” Prisha soon became lost in thought as she tried to narrow down her options. Knowing Louis, he’d be more than willing to work on multiple songs today even if that meant dodging chores for a while. Usually Prisha would be opposed to that, but when it came to musicals and being able to preserve them she’d let things slide.

“Well, choose away, Prisha. For I worked extra hard to get us plenty of free time in the music room. So, we-” Louis paused as he placed his hands on the door. His face scrunched up and he seemed to be struggling to hold back a sneeze. “So, we can- can- can-” Louis sneezed loudly, the force of it making his head propel forward and whack against the doorframe.

“Louis!” Prisha watched in shock as Louis stumbled backwards and began to fall. She tried her best to help but due to Louis falling on the side with her paralyzed arm it made it very hard to catch him. Regardless of the disadvantage, Prisha was able to catch her friend just before he hit the ground.

Louis gave a casual smile. “Whoops! Guess I gotta wipe down the music room again. That dust really messes with my-” Louis gave another huge sneeze then another and another. His dreadlocks swayed with the power of his sneezes as Prisha tried her best to get him upright again.

“Stay right here, I’ll get Ruby.” Prisha turned sharply on her heel and began to run down the hall.

“But what about our music writing time?” Louis had a small pout on his face as he looked at his friend.

Prisha turned her head to glance back at Louis. “Health takes precedence. We’ll postpone it for now,” Without another word Prisha disappeared in search of Ruby.

Ruby quickly bustled over and began to examine Louis. As it turned out he had a common cold along with a sore throat. Ruby told Louis that as long as he rested for a few days, drank plenty of  fluids and had some cups of tea he should be okay soon.

As soon as it was declared that Louis had a runny nose and sore throat, he began to milk it for all it was worth. Each time he sneezed he acted as though it was too much for his little heart to bear. Soon he was wrapped up with a blanket in his and Clementine’s bed, surrounded by his horde of pillows.

“My beautiful singing voice, will it ever come back?” Louis croaked as he dramatically clutched his neck.

“You’ll be fine,” Clementine rolled her eyes good naturedly and planted a kiss on his cheek.

“Mmm, I’m definitely feeling a bit better now,” Louis shuffled under his blankets and gave a soft smile towards Clementine. “So, I’m guessing today-” Louis sneezed three times in a row and fell backwards, draping out his arms to emphasize his struggles. “I need your cuddles, stat!”

Clementine laughed and considered that possibility for a second when suddenly the door opened and AJ and Ruby walked in along with Rosie. The pitbull immediately walked over towards the bed and curled on the floor beside it.

“What you need is to rest. A few naps, liquids and some peppermint and honey tea and you’ll be right as rain!” Ruby declared as she moved forward, placing down the makeshift water heater. “I’m loaning ya our best water heater so you can drink plenty of tea. Clem, if you’d like you can take the rest of the afternoon and spend it with Louis.” Ruby offered with a warm smile. Sickness was always a bit more of a gamble ever since the world ended but with the greenhouse and garden up and running smoothly a common cold was nothing to fret over.

“Yeah! I can go on patrol too to make sure the school is extra safe!” AJ smiled proudly. “That way no one can mess with us while Louis is sick.”

“Thanks, little dude. I can always count on you,” Louis’ words made AJ’s eyes sparkle with joy.

Clementine smiled and knelt in front of AJ. “That sounds great, kiddo.” She playfully ruffled AJ’s afro then looked over at Ruby. “And I think I’ll take you up on that offer.”

“Hooray!” Louis crowed before groaning when his throat stung. “With my darling by my side, I will be able to live through this horrible cold,” Louis emphasised the theatrics before reaching out for Clementine’s hand.

“Alright, then we’ll leave you two be,” Ruby guided AJ out of the room who gave a thumbs up to Louis as a sign that everything would be okay. Louis smiled and quickly returned the gesture then let his hand fall when the door was closed.

“So, cuddles?” Louis gave his softest eyes to Clementine who gently squeezed his hand.

“Maybe in a little bit. First things first. You need to be drinking water and I need to be making some tea,” Clementine reached over for the cup of water that had been placed on the dresser.

“But your cuddles are the true cure to my ailments. With this harsh sore throat and these sniffles I don’t know if I can hold on much longer,” Louis leaned his head onto one of his many pillows and gave a pained expression. “It's almost too much to bear.”

“Then drink this. I want to see you drink all of it,” Clementine instructed as she handed over the cup of water.

Louis studied it for a moment then snuck a glance over at Clementine. Even though this was just a cold, he could see the worry deep within her eyes. Silently he began to drink the contents of the cup, making sure to get every last drop. The cool water stung the inside of his throat but he knew in the long run it would help. With a dramatic gasp he handed back the cup. “Drinking water, check!” He leaned forward and kissed Clementine’s cheek before another sneezing fit overtook him and he instantly got back into his theatrical roots. Clementine didn’t seem to mind Louis being dramatic. As long as he continued to work to get better that was what mattered. She immediately poured another cup of water and handed it over to Louis then turned her attention to making the tea. After a few minutes the first cup was ready and Louis took a long sip.

“Ahhh, peppermint, so my breath is minty fresh when I kiss you,” Louis gave a playful smile over to Clementine who chuckled softly and shook her head.

“Only on the cheek though. Ruby would hate it if she had another sick patient to deal with,” Clementine’s words made a pout form on Louis’ lips and he buried himself deeper into his blanket and mountain of pillows. “But don’t worry, soon you’ll be better and until then I’ll be sure to drop by as much as I can.” Clementine gave Louis’ hand a tender squeeze.

Louis’ eyes brightened at those words and he immediately began to drink his tea again in hopes that the faster he drank it the sooner he’d get better.

The days flew by and Louis made sure to drink his tea whether it be peppermint or honey. Some of the others grew somewhat annoyed at Louis’ dramatic take on his sickness, how he’d monologue about how the illness was sadly besting him or how only a certain honey-eyed individual could heal his cold. But that didn't stop them from helping him to the best of their abilities.

Omar made sure to cook warm, comforting meals that would help with Louis’ sickness and Aasim always made sure to bring it up for Louis as soon as he could. If he couldn’t then Willy would come up, listening to some of Louis’ tales alongside AJ as the three of them ate their meals together. Violet dropped by here and there to check on Louis before going about her daily chores and the occasional card game would occur between the pair during the evenings. As the days passed Louis felt his throat getting better and his nose was nearly all cleared up. Soon enough he would be as good as new.

“Alright, finish this cup of tea and then we can cuddle for a bit. I was able to convince Prisha to take my watchtower shift in exchange for one of her evening ones. Which means we can spend all afternoon cuddling,” Clementine smiled lovingly at Louis who beamed at those words.

Shuffling over in the bed, Louis worked to clear the pillows to create a spot for Clementine. Clementine briskly walked over to the bed and took off her prosthetic before slipping under the covers. Her arms immediately found Louis’ waist and soon Louis’ found hers. Tilting her head up, Clementine gave Louis’ cheek a few kisses then tucked her head into the crook of his neck. Exhaling deeply, she felt Louis melt into her warm embrace. In that moment the world around them faded into the background as they focused on each other’s presence. Everything always felt better, safer and brighter when they were together.

[rhnuzlocke]

Chapter Six: Can You Hear the Music?

Rustboro was a dense little city but lacked the skyscrapers of a metropolis like Kogane. Even with all the traffic and bustle, the streets felt wide and comfortable to Ren. There was something almost charmingly quaint about the downtown. Perhaps it was the varied stone facades and carved pokemon adoring the top edge of every building. Or maybe it was the profuse rooftop gardens and street trees full of Beautifly, Dustox, and Taillow.

Ren and Kai walked through the busy streets with their pokemon around them. Jay was now a Combusken, and Tāraki bounded excitedly by her side, burbling away, while Māia flitted above them both, twittering into any pauses in the conversation. A few people gave them looks for having so many pokemon out—most people had only one—but Ren ignored them, steps bouncing from heel to toe while Kai smiled shyly at her.

“Are you sure about treating us?”

“Of course! Your first badge deserves some celebration! Especially after a match like that! I can’t believe you picked the Rock Gym first. You’re braver than I thought!”

“It was just because I have to survey Mt. Rose. I have my whole route worked out and I have to stick to the schedule to get every location I picked. I only want to take one gap year before college.”

“I’m still impressed, dude. It’s so cool that you know what you want to study and everything already. And taking the Gym Challenge on top of that? I couldn’t do it.”

“You have a full team already!”

“Only because I’m a sap.”

Kai took a few bigger steps to catch up. “I know your dad is a Gym Leader,” he persisted, “but it’s supposed to take months to build up that kind of stamina.”

“What can I say? I run hot.” Run shrugged. “But if we could back up to that badge match, you and Jay pulled off a mid-battle evolution! That’s so rare!”

They found a native restaurant with an open patio and claimed a table. Jay sat down gingerly in one of the chairs and carefully slid her tail through a hole at the back. Tāraki hopped up to stand in another empty seat, while Panahi and Māia landed on the table. Māia puffed herself up and chirped at Jay, who clucked back, fiddling with her long claws on the table. Kai stifled a chuckle.

Ren chuckled too. “You can battle Jay next time we have a match, I promise.”

“Hell yeah!” Māia crowed. Ren stared at her, not quite believing it.

“Oh, can you understand her already?” Kai asked.

“Not until just now!” Ren squealed. “Shiawasedaaaaaaaaaaaa! Kimi no himitsu wa kyousou-ryoku o kanjiru kotodesu!”

Māia puffed up again with joy and Ren grinned for a moment before clearing her throat awkwardly when she realized she had slipped into Kantogo. Thankfully, a waitress came to her rescue and handed them menus.

“We serve pokemon dishes here if your teams are hungry,” she informed them before leaving them to make their selections.

“That’s so cool!” Ren exclaimed, looking it over. “Do you all want anything?”

“Well, what do they have?” asked Panahi.

“There are a few pokebean-based dishes, but you’ve all basically been eating that as chow since we left. There’s mushrooms and some vegetables.” Panahi stuck out her tongue in disgust. “There’s a nectar drink.” Tāraki gasped and started bouncing up and down in his chair, hands pressed to the table. Ren laughed at him. “As if you need the sugar! But I’ll order you one.” He crowed in delight. “They have some meat options too. Oh, braised Magikarp!”

“Yes please, Honey!” cried Panahi, and Māia nodded.

“Akahana?” Ren asked.

“Never had it,” Akahana mumbled, not lifting her head off her paws.

“Oh it’s a treat! You’ll love it!” Panahi crooned down at her, and Akahana grunted what could be construed as an affirmative.

“I’ll have a little,” Iki piped from under Ren’s chair.

“Shroomish wants berries,” Akahana added in response to her new teammate’s clicking.

“Done!”

They put in their order, and Tāraki continued to bounce in place from sheer anticipation.

“You never really introduced me to the newbies,” said Kai.

“Right! Well this ace battler of a Taillow is Māia.” The tiny bird stood her very tallest on the tabletop, flashing her red chest in Kai’s direction. “And I actually don’t have a name for this clever creature yet.” She gestured down to the Shroomish. “I’ve just been calling her Aragekikurage. It’s a mushroom,” she explained when Kai looked confused. “I don’t know if it grows here, and it doesn’t actually look much like her. It’s just the same brown as her underneath. It’s not even a cap—more wrinkly and it feels like velvet.”

Kai thought about it for a few seconds. “Oh! we have that! It’s called a wood ear!”

“Pfff! I see it.”

“The Hoenni name is hakeka, I think.”

“I like that much better! Thanks, Kai.”

His cheeks reddened. “No problem.”

“Right! That reminds me! I didn’t tell you before because I didn’t want to distract you from your match, but I have another little present for you.” She pulled out her nav and slid it over to him. He took it, looking adorably puzzled, then his mouth fell open, and his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. Ren smiled fondly at him, her own jaw propped up on one hand in a way that failed to conceal a self-satisfied smirk.

“There must be at least ten variants.” He was breathless. “Holy—holy shit.”

“I marked the location for you~”

Kai’s eyes went glassy, and Ren couldn’t hold back a laugh anymore. He reddened and buried his face in his napkin, which made Panahi snicker behind a wing.

“I went a little overboard, didn’t I?”

You were nervous.  

“I guess… Yeah, I was. I think an even younger me would have been fine on my own, just me and my team, but after… everything, I missed my friends. I missed people— more than I was willing to admit to myself.”

Kai was still a bit red and could barely even thank the waitress when she returned with their cart of food. Tāraki sipped his nectar through a straw, eyes closed in absolute bliss, and Jay seemed nearly as pleased with her taro and Wurmple hash browns. Akahana took a rather delicate first bite of her Magikarp but was wolfing it down seconds later.

“So, I’ve been thinking,” said Ren in her best attempt at nonchalance. “Since we’re both traveling now, maybe we could do it together?” Kai nearly choked on his boil-up. “We don’t have to! I know you have all your stuff going on. I just thought… Well, it was really nice having you to show me around.”

Ren glanced away in embarrassment, and it was her turn to blush all the way to the tips of her ears. When she forced herself to look back up, Kai was staring at his plate, and the motion of his shoulders indicated he was wringing his hands under the table. Ren’s gut gave a horrible lurch, but before she could make herself say anything, Kai started.

“It’s a good idea!” he blurted.

Ren’s face settled into a huge toothy grin, and a terrible weight lifted off her shoulders. Kai finally looked up at her and sagged in relief, matching her smile with a far more tentative one.

Panahi shuffled her wings, looking immensely satisfied, and probably not entirely from the meal she had just finished. Ren was about to shoot her a glare when she noticed a private little smirk on Jay’s face as well that made her think Kai finally finding his voice was probably her doing somehow.

Ren resolved to thank Jay later—but not now. She didn’t want to push her luck.

“Great! Then we’ll do it.”

...

The next day Ren and Kai headed out east on Route 116 towards the picturesque Mt. Rose. It was the sort of Mountain range one might find in a fanciful painting and was all the more breathtaking in reality. Ren kept finding herself craning her neck back to look at the peak, though that was more due to proximity than sheer height.

Akahana went abruptly still ahead of them and picked up her ears.

“Something’s not right,” she murmured.

Everyone else stopped to listen, and after nearly a minute of straining at silence, the wind changed, and Ren finally heard faint wailing that grew louder and more instant.

“What is that?”

“Hunting,” said Akahana.

Then another sound, low and lilting, almost like music, drifted over it.

“Is that singing?” Ren wondered.

“It’s pokemon, not human,” Akahana answered

“Let’s check it out!” Tāraki cheered and bounded off.

Jay took off after him, followed swiftly by Māia and Panahi. Ren shook her head before leading the rest of them. Akahana walked tall and stiffly, ruff raised all along her back and Iki stayed close behind her.

As they approached the singing became more distinct and musical but wordless, while the growling and wailing faded altogether. Finally they found half a dozen Cloaked Poochyena asleep on the ground around a stately old tree. A fluffy Skitty sat on one of the branches, singing clearly and gently, and Ren began to feel a bit drowsy. Fortunately, the song drew to a close, and the Skitty slipped easily back down out of the tree with the grace of regular practice. It gave a low, dramatic bow to its slumbering audience and sighed.

Ren whistled, and it looked up at them all in surprise. Rather than being intimidated by their number, it smiled and trilled a sweet greeting at them. Kai already had his dex out.

“Looks like an Angora variant, but they aren’t wild.”

“Those Poochyena are out cold. That’s one powerful Sing,” said Ren. “Hello Skitty! That was pretty cool. Do you only sing lullabies or do you put on other performances as well?”

Akahana stepped up to translate, and the Skitty looked very pleased indeed by the interest and complement. It sauntered over to answer and settled its plume-like tail primly over its paws.

“He says he mostly only sings lullabies to avoid being eaten, but that’s more or less a full-time job. He prefers singing dance tunes but he’s happy to take requests.”

“That’s nice of him. And I’m sure Kai wants an interview. But maybe we should move this somewhere else?”

They all retreated a ways and found a clearing to have lunch in. Kai and Jay talked to the Skitty while the others ate. Tāraki, Hakeka, and Māia finished quickly and wanted to train, so Ren had the plant-types work together while Māia tried out some aerial maneuvers on her own.

Akahana listened passively to the various goings on, head on her paws and one eye closed. But as soon as the interview was over, the Skitty sauntered over to her, and Akahana raised her head to talk with him. Ren watched more curiously the longer their conversation went on. It was rare to get more than a few laconic remarks from Akahana. And for having nearly been eaten by a pack of Poochyena earlier, the Skitty’s posture was easy and confident beside her. He even leaned in and crooned now and again, a cheeky grin on his face, which Akahana tolerated with her usual stoicism.

Finally, Panahi called him over for something to eat, and he went with dip of his head and friendly brush of his tail. Ren went to sit by Akahana.

“Anything interesting?”

“He was born out here. His father was a pet, his mother was wild. He says it’s tough because his fur isn’t really suited for the weather. He goes into the city sometimes but hasn’t had much luck there… And he’s a flirt.”

“Oooh?” said Ren with a barely suppressed grin.

Akahana snorted. “Not my type.”

“Only other dark-types or—”

Suddenly a commotion erupted from where Tāraki and Hakeka had been practicing.

“What does it even matter anyway?” Tāraki yelled. “I’m still a better battler than you even without my ‘strongest move’! You’re just jealous!”

Hakeka railed something back at him, and Ren was already running over. “Whoa! Break it up! What happened?”

“She started it!” Tāraki shrilled. “She always—”

“Don’t give me that!” Ren cut him off sternly. “Just tell me what happened as straightforwardly as possible. You know I can’t understand her that well yet, so I’m trusting you to be as fair as possible.”

Tāraki grumbled and crossed his arms, taking a few breaths to calm himself down a little. “She got annoyed because I wasn’t doing well. She said I was lazy and stupid for not working as much on my special moves as on my physical ones.” He took another breath and muttered, “and I called her jealous for not being as good a battler as me.”

“Well, first of all, she is definitely not jealous. You know that right? If she has a problem with you, it’s for something else.” Tāraki nodded, tail still twitching in agitation. “And she does have a point, even if she should have said it more kindly. All of the strongest moves in your pool are special attacks, so if you really want to be a battler, it’s worth it to work on them—especially if you want to fight in this Gym.” He accepted this without objection but looked far from happy, and Ren turned her attention to Hakeka. “That being said, we are a team and we should all treat each other with respect. Special attacks are more difficult for Tāraki than they are for you, and you shouldn’t put him down for something he can’t control. Understood?” Hakeka nodded. “Good.”

Hakeka left, and Tāraki lay down on the ground, looking tired and dejected.

“What’s the matter, Shima?”

“She said I wasn’t trying, but I do. It’s not just that I don’t like special moves. I can’t focus on them. It makes my head hurt. I just… can’t.”

Ren laid a hand gently on his back. “You know that’s okay, right?”

“But—”

“It makes things harder, but there’s nothing wrong with you, okay?”

“Really?”

“Yes, really. We all have different strengths and weaknesses. That’s normal. And we’re partners. I’m your trainer. I’m here to help you. If special moves are really that difficult for you, we’ll find a way to make them easier. And we’ll find a way for you to battle that plays to your strengths. You don’t have to be like everyone else to be strong and cool, because you already are.”

Tāraki launched himself at Ren and hugged her tightly, and she squeezed him back just as hard. He rubbed his head against her collarbone, and she laughed at the affection.

Then a wail sounded from nearby followed by voices and caws of distress. Everyone stopped.

“Peeko! Give her back! Please!”

A moment later an old man stumbled past the edge of the clearing and tripped. Ren ran to him and carefully helped him up.

“Are you okay, sir?” Kai fretted.

“What’s going on?” said Ren.

“My Peeko, my darling Wingull! He took her!”

“Who—”

“Which way did he go?” Ren asked urgently.

“He’ll head for the tunnel. Only good escape route.”

Ren turned to go, but Kai caught her arm. “Wait!”

“He stole something from Devon, a briefcase. That’s why Peeko and I were confronting him. I’ll go with you.”

“No. Please just sit down, sir. I’ll get your pokemon.”

“But Ren—”

“I have more pokemon, and someone should stay with him. I’ll be careful, I promise.”

Kai wrung his hands for a moment, face twisted up with nerves. “Okay,” he said finally.

“Be right back!”

She took off, and her team followed, while Kai and Jay guided the old man to a rock to sit down on.

“Thank ye, lass!” he called after her.

It didn’t take long for Ren to find the route again and the tunnel under the mountain that it led to. The larger car entrance was blocked off, but the footpath looked open, and the lights were on. Just as she reached it, a horrible cacophony of sound struck her, stopping her dead. Ren clamped her hands over her ears and stepped to the side to escape the blast range.

“Whismur,” Akahata growled, ears pinned to her head. “And Loudred,” she added as a deep throbbing bass hummed up through their feet. “Tons of them.”

“I’ve never heard an Uproar like this,” Panahi whined, head between her wings.

“Shit shit shit!” Ren yelled, barely audible. “We can take one guy but not a whole army of wilds.”

It was then Ren noticed that the Skitty had followed them. The sound from the tunnel grew louder again before tapering off, and he mewed.

“He says he might be able to calm them,” said Panahi. “Apparently he sings for them sometimes.”

“Please. You can name your price afterward.”

The Skitty nodded and puffed out his chest before stepping in front of the tunnel as another swell of sound bloomed out of it. He projected his voice in a way that defied all probability, one clear note cutting through the disorienting chaos until it split and softened. Then he began his lullaby.

Ren withdrew her team before they could be ensnared and covered her ears, following behind as the Skitty walked calmly forward into the underground. It wasn’t enough to block him out completely but it did keep her from getting too drowsy. The Whismur faded to almost nothing for a while, but then there was a yell and the glimmer of what might have been Water Gun ahead of them, and the Whismur voices swelled again.

Ren and the Skitty raced forward, and he sang as loud as he could until suddenly nothing came out. Ren looked and saw that his mouth was still open and his ribs still heaving, and she was baffled for a moment until she realized the Whismur must be canceling him.

The whole tunnel began to resonate, and Ren had to stop as the ground became unstable. Then the rock around them cracked like thunder, and the ceiling above them trembled and fractured. She sent out Akahana.

“Get the Skitty out of here!”

She looked Ren in the eyes for a moment, then grabbed the Skitty by his scruff and ran back towards the entrance. Ren sent out Tāraki, and they ran deeper in. The figure was just ahead of them now, struggling with a Wingull.

Stones began to fall all around them, most of them small but increasing in size as the rock groaned and crackled. As they closed on the thief, she realized he was the same gangly teen from the woods with his red hoodie and Brown Poochyena. The Wingull wrested her beak free as he stared at the shaking rocks all around him and blasted him in the face with Water Gun. Spluttering, he lost his grip, and the Wingull soared over their heads straight for the entrance. As Ren’s eyes followed, she noticed the ceiling buckling.

“Look out!” yelled Tāraki, and she withdrew him.

The teen had followed her gaze and fumbled for his own pokeball.

“MOVE!” Ren bellowed, charging towards him.

But he didn’t. Instead he just stared at the rocks about to crush him as his pokemon flowed safely back into her ball.

Ren tackled him, and they went skidding back across the floor. She landed on top of him, hands on his chest, face almost hitting his shoulder, as a cascade of rocks fell with a shaking rumble. They both remained still for a moment, eyes squeezed shut, waiting for it to be over.

Nothing hit them.

They cracked their eyes open, and she released her death grip on his hoodie. It was darker. The ceiling lights must have gone out—been destroyed—but the emergency lights along the floor were still working, casting everything in a soft, warm glow.

The thief looked up at her, eyes like saucers until something above her caught his attention. Before she could turn her head, He grabbed her around the shoulders with one arm and threw up the other. She flinched as a rock struck his arm just above her head and rolled off onto the floor with a thunk. It was larger than his fist.

“Ow,” he said, and his arm fell across her back. He let out a long breath, and his head lolled, but she could hear his heart thundering through his chest. Everything else was quiet. Then he finally seemed to register that Ren was on top of him, that he was holding her there, and he threw his arms off.

Ren glared down at him as she pushed herself up.

“I’m sorry!—I mean, thank you!—I mean—” he stammered and then covered his face to stop himself. “Oh, fuck.”

Ren stepped off, but stayed looming over him and scowled. “That’s more like it. Believe it or not, I didn’t come in here to save your pathetic ass from being crushed by rocks.” He sat up. “R-r-right. Yeah… B-but, um, th-thanks anyway.”

“You just stole an old man’s Wingull and nearly got us killed! I don’t want your fucking gratitude!”

He nodded sheepishly and got to his feet.

“Give me the Devon package!” she demanded, and her eyes bored angrily into him as he turned and picked the silver briefcase off the floor behind him, arms trembling.

Ren only glanced to make sure it looked right before snatching it from him. She glared at him as he wiped his face and patted the dust off his uniform. For a moment, Ren thought he split his lip, but she soon realized it was a scar, much like his nose had healed slightly crooked. He made to touch the back of his head, which must have hit the floor when they fell, but he stopped, sucking in breath, and clutched at his injured arm. He had rather intricate black tattoo sleeves that were difficult to make out against his brown skin in the dim of the emergency lights. The trembling was probably mostly adrenaline, but he was soaking wet, and his cropped hair was matted up with dust.

“Just go,” she told him.

He looked at her. “What?”

“I’m not gonna keep you here or drag you in. Just tell me your name, and you can go.”

“You’ll t-tell the p-p-police and get m-me arrested.”

“No I won’t. I have six pokemon with me to help haul you in if that was what I wanted.”

“B-b-b-b—” He couldn’t get it out and swallowed before trying again. “Why?”

“So I know what to call you.”

He opened his mouth, then closed it again, chewing over several different things while she waited. “It’s J-Josh,” he said finally, “Josh Takamoana.”

“Alright Josh, I hope we never see each other again but I have a feeling we will. You better hurry. All that noise is bound to draw some attention.”

He gave her one last lingering glance before turning and stumbling towards the other side. Ren watched him until he disappeared. Then something at her waist gave a tug. Red light sprang from one of her pokeballs and formed into Tāraki.

“Are you okay? You scared me!”

“Yeah. Sorry, Shima. I’m okay.”

He climbed up her and looked at the rubble all around them. She turned back to the way they had come. It was dim, and there were a lot of rocks to climb over, but she could see daylight beyond.

“What happened?” Tāraki asked as they started to pick their way through.

“I saved that guy from getting squished and got the Devon thing back but I let him go.”

“Why?”

“Just a feeling.”

And what feeling was that?  

“Pity mostly. He was younger than me—still just a kid really—and already so beaten and desperate.”

Very sentimental.  

“I didn’t feel right punishing him any more, especially not when he banged up his arm protecting me.”

And what else? What did you see?  

“I don’t… Even then, when he saw that rock coming down, his first instinct was to shield my head and not his.”

You saw someone like you.  

“I suppose I did.”

They stumbled out of the tunnel, and Ren’s eyes had barely adjusted to the light when something bumped into her and nearly knocked her off her feet.

“You’re okay!” Kai exclaimed and held her tight just to be sure “We heard the sound, and I was worried so we ran over, but then the tunnel collapsed, and I thought you were dead!”

She felt a trembling and squeezed him back. “It’s okay. I’m okay.”

“You’re shaking,” he said into her ear. He was right.

“Oh. It’s just the adrenaline. Don’t worry.”

Ren disentangled herself and saw the old man was standing there, cuddling with his Wingull. Akahata even wagged her tail a little when Ren looked down at her. The Skitty walked up and put a paw on her foot, mewing sweetly.

“He’s glad you’re okay. Also he’s been saying that he owes me for saving his life and wants to come with us so he can pay me back somehow.”

Ren’s smile turned to a frown. “I promised him but I don’t have a slot left. I’d have to leave one of you with Otōsan…” She sat down on the ground so she didn’t have to stand on her unsteady legs as she thought about it. “Kai, how would you feel about adding the Skitty to your team?”

“Oh, I wouldn’t mind. Jay?”

She nodded.

“We’re traveling together, so this way you’ll still get to see Akahana. Is that okay?” The explanation was satisfactory, and he happily went into Kai’s offered pokeball.

Kai sent him right back out, and he weaved through Kai’s legs and settled on Ren’s lap, purring loudly. His vibrations seemed to calm her own, and she pet his soft fur.

Then a Whismur hopped out of the cave and cautiously approached them. It was rather large and light gray in color with yellow markings. It called out to them with a surprisingly deep voice for its size and the Skitty answered.

“Uh, so the Whismur heard the Skitty try to stop the Uproar,” Kai said as they went back and forth, and Jay twittered a translation. “And he’s heard him sing before and always liked his voice. So he wanted to thank him. And now with the tunnel collapsed and everything else. He wants to know if I’d be willing to take him too.”

“Well are you?”

“Yeah. A Bass Whismur would be perfect.”

As he got out another ball, the old man approached with the Wingull on his shoulder.

“Thank ye so much, lass. Can I know your name?”

“It’s Kosugi,” she answered and offered her hand to shake.

“Oh, this is Captain Briney,” said Kai.

“You saved my dear Peeko. If there is ever anything we can do for you, please let us know. We have a good boat, so if you ever want to get to any of the isles, we’ll be happy to take ya.”

“That’s very kind of you. I’m sure I’ll take you up on it at some point.”

“Do,” he said with another firm shake.

Kai sent his new Whismur back out, which made Ren realize the rest of her team was still in their balls, and she released them.

They had barely finished the introductions and explanations when the Rustboro police arrived.

“I didn’t tell them about Josh's scar or his nose or his tattoos or anything else useful. I said it was too dark, and I didn’t actually catch him, that he dropped the briefcase in the panic. I couldn’t have told anyone why I did it at the time.”

But you understand now?  

“Yes. I do.”

[toddykun]

Complete Set of 110 Reasons To Live Special Edition With Extra But Not Enough Gay RightsTM And Extra LongTM Too Because The Three Caballeros Deserve It:

THAT MUSIC AT THE START!

Donald’s ‘Party Fowl’ waist bag

Webby’s excited rambling!

All the lady birds in that town were ridiculously pretty?? (makes sense since the giant carnivorous flower wanted to lure people to eat them so A+)

Dewey documenting his adventures with the help of his lil bro. BondingTM

“OH BOY! I CAN’T WAIT TO SEE MY PALS!”

Huey, my boy, asking the real questions

“Please, not everything has to be a dark family secret!” *Donald proceeds to say he has a dark family secret* Huey: :D Louie: >:(

DONALD’S FOND SMILE WHEN HE WAS THINKING ABOUT JOSÉ AND PANCHITO BEFORE TELLING THE BOYS HE WAS IN THE THREE CABALLEROS!!!!

‘Kids Confused At Adult Reminiscing About Their Cool Past That They Know Nothing About’ trope

DONALD’S ‘FUCKING EXCUSE ME?’ FACE WHEN SCROOGE STARTED BADMOUTHING THE THREE CABALLEROS!

college band!

They played in Scrooge’s garage, fucking with Scrooge’s sleep, something with what I agree wholeheartedly since he fucks with other ppl’s sleep with his bagpipes lmao can he get more scottish? probably

Donald canonically plays the double bass and the accordion!!! (he also plays the guitar, the piano, the flute, etc, in comics and other animated media. Musical GeniusTM)

Huey and Louie’faces when they discover their uncle plays the accordion lmao

“I was so awesome...” with such a nostalgic feeling, baby, you still are! appreciate yourself, we love you!

Donald applying sunscreen on himself? Pure.

“Agh! You’re fine as is! A family man, a boat owner!”

JOSÉ JUMPING OUT OF A PLANE AND PLAYING HIS UMBRELLA!!!

HIS!!!!UMBRELLA!!!!HIS!!!!MAGIC!!!!!HIS SMOOTH ENTRANCE!!!!

*mysterious guitar starts playing*

PANCHITO APPEARING FROM THE SHADOWS AND MAKING A DRAMATIC, ROMANTIC AND TELENOVELESQUE ENTRANCE?? HOW MUCH TIME HE NEEDED TO WAIT THERE TO DO THAT?? ADORKABLE

That little blink in Panchito’s eye lmao Anime Rival ComingTM

those little gay fireworks when josé and panchito got together!

those little ‘ajá!’s from both of them!

DONALD’S FACE AGAIN!!! HE’S SO HAPPY!!!!

“DONAL’!!!!!!!!!!”

José and Donald’s weird hopping hug? lovely

Panchito clapping while they’re at it lmao

José tossing Donald to Panchito

Three Way Handshake!

“SQUAWK, CROW, QUACK! I’VE GOT YOUR BACK!” 

that little tail shake the caballeros do in their secret handshake

“SECRET HANDSHAKE! COOL!” *louie proceeds to lick his big bro’s hand whe he tries to do the handshake like the lil bro he is*

panchito’s super excited handshakes that leave people jumping

“JAJÁ, ¡SALUDOS, AMIGOS!” 

“OS PATINHOS!”

José and Panchito seeing the triplets as eggs

HAPPY DONALD DUCK

Donald juggled the eggs...

that creepy but nice guacamaya in the background

..DONALD JUGGLED THE EGGS AND HE DROPPED ONE!!! 

And that’s how Donald went from Cool UncleTM to Overprotective Best DadTM lmao

big bro and lil bro agreement that middle bro was the one dropped lmao

José’s smooth moves while he’s talking wiTH HIS UMBRELLA

Panchito throwing his phone and doing a hip move to put it again in the holster

“YOUR UNCLE WAS THE COOL ONE!!!!”

Donald’s blushing and his nervous smile

José and Panchito expecting that the Cool OneTM of the three caballeros is the Most Successful and ImpressiveTM of the three, like that’s how it's supposed to be lmao These BiconsTM

PANCHITO’S FACE AT THAT MOMENT!

Huey being actually helpful with Donald’s anxiety attack

Scrooge saying one of his I’m Genuinely Trying To Be Helpful In My Own Unique Way That Ends Hurting More Than HelpingTM and Donald like ‘nah, cant deal with your bullshit rn’ face

“Uncle Donald, you’re very successful! You raise three boys and are rich in love! Isn’t that the true measure of success?” U TELL THEM, HUEY

“Lie? Perfect!” nod to one of donald’s flaws that we have actually seen in other media, he can be really mischievous and conniving when he wants to, be it for a good reason or not.

Yet again, we have confirmation that ‘the smarter than the smarties’ is actually incredibly easy to manipulate with his ego and cheapness by the Duck Family but also THIS IS ACTUALLY A GOOD NOD ABOUT THE GLOMGOLD’S BET SINCE THIS TIME SCROOGE HAS AN ACTUAL REASON TO NOT LOSE ANY MONEY

Huey hugging Donald and Donald’s little thumb up? blessed

José and Panchito laughing with each other? bLeSsEd

THE WHOLE ‘SCROOGE IS OLD’ SCENE

Team UncleTM everyone, these idiots are two of the smartest ducks in the world, yes, even if u don’t believe it

José’s admiration for Donald! hello? beautiful

Webby and Huey and Portuguese? BLESSED

JOSÉ SAYING “OH, YOU HAVE TO TRY IT” VERY SOFTLY AND SMOOTH WHILE TOUCHING DONALD’S HAND

THESE TWO EXPECT SO MUCH FROM DONALD BECAUSE HE WAS THE BEST OF THE THREE IN THEIR EYES. I. AM. DYING.

DONALD REALLY WANTS TO MEET HIS EXPECTATIONS AND IMPRESS THEM

PASTELES!

*battle of whistling inconspicuously appears* “OK, WE CAN’T ALL DO THIS!”

PANCHITO AND JOSÉ ACTUALLY BLOWING THEIR COVER TO THE AUDIENCE WITH ALL THE WHISTLING LMAO

*hand battle with Team Uncle appears* “EXCUSE ME”

*donald hits huey by accident while trying to get the wallet* *Huey helps him anyways and even bites Scrooge* Well, now I know who is his favorite uncle

WEBBY EXCITED!

THE THREE CABALLEROS’S THEME PLAYING IN THE BACKGROUND WHILE THEY REMINISCED THEIR BAND DAYS

EVERY TIME THEY REENACTED PART OF THE SONG’S CHOREOGRAPHY FROM THE MOVIE

THEY!!!!!MADE!!!MUSIC!!!AND!!!DANCED!!!!OUT!!!OF!!!NOWHERE!!!AND!!!STARTED!!!TO!!!BE!!!THEIR!!!OLDSELVES!!!!!AGAIN!!!!

PANCHITO CAN PLAY JOSÉ’S UMBRELLA (AND DONALD CAN TOO PROBABLY)

Panchito’s face when realized he hit Donald by accident and knowing he was going to get mad, only for José to happy him up with some dance. cuties

HIS HAT HAS BEEN AN ACCORDION ALL THIS TIME!?

“Look at how happy Uncle Donald is! You can‘t put a price on that smile!” This boy loves his uncle so much!!!

“It’s only for the weekend...” “YOU’RE GETTING THE BAND BACK TOGETHER?”

THEY HAD A WAGON!!!!!??? (or i misheard?)

Panchito twirling his phones like he would do with his guns lmao

Panchito and José’s always moving around together

Team Uncle’s Actually Fighting (and we’re reminded of the bet yet again)

“HEY, WHAT’S THE BIG IDEA?”

Huey, The Voice Of ReasonTM

“NO WAY, I NEED THIS!” mischievous and egoistic Donald making a comeback, like hello old flaws, let’s see how you shine here.

The fact that they actually addressed that Donald’s bad luck sometimes really comes from his actual bad traits is freaking great.

*sings badly* “Perfect!”

The reminder that even if Donald is a little stubborn and egotistical at times, his kids come first and he will give up his dreams for them. Duty comes first for him, always.

Donald’s actually The Voice of ReasonTM and the bravest between the Three Caballeros, now we know why he is The Cool OneTM of the three

SCROOGE ACTUALLY FUCKING UP HIS BACK LIKE THE OLD MAN HE ACTUALLY IS

Donald tells the truth, not only because he has to protect his family and his friends for being eaten by a giant carnivorous plant lmao but because his friends thought he didn’t love or need them anymore because he was “rich” now. Love and Protection are his main traits and he knows his friends thinking he isn't as cool as they thought and putting down all their dreams will worth it if it means protecting them.

José and Panchito, who always look up to Donald more than anyone and know that he’s the one that actually got the guts to tell the truth, end telling the truth too because Donald shows his good traits again.

AGAIN, THESE THREE ONLY WANTED TO IMPRESS EACH OTHER BECAUSE THEY ARE ONES OF THE MOST IMPORTANT PEOPLE IN EACH OTHER’S LIFE AND PATHS AND BEING A FUCKED UP ADULT WHEN YOU WERE SURE THE COOLEST PEOPLE OF YOUR LIFE WERE COMPLETELY SUCCESSFUL IS ACTUALLY SCARY AF AND YOU WANTED THEM TO BE PROUD OF YOU AS MUCH AS YOU ARE OF THEM

Donald is the only that didn’t run or looked scared when he saw the flower, he seemed only surprised AND THEN HE SAW RED WHEN HE SAW HIS KIDS IN DANGER LIKE HELLO? DAD DUCK TO THE RESCUE!!!

These three smiles before fighting like they did in acapulco!!!

THE THREE CABALLEROS’S THEME SONG!!!! WITH THEY FIGHTING LIKE THE BADASSES THEY ARE!!!

are we really sure they were only a college band??? because they fought like....u know......like they were something more. They Could Have Done A Lot Of Things While Being A Band Too HMMMM

Donald having a good ass aim with his double bass

NO ONE CAN SIMPLY CARRY A DOUBLE BASS CUZ THAT SHIT IS HEAVY AS FUCK AND LIFT IT AND THEN USE IT AS A MACE LIKE IT IS NOTHING, BUT DONALD DID!!!! THE STRONGEST BOY!!!!

JOSÉ USING HIS UMBRELLA LIKE A SWORD!!!

“WHO SAY SO?” “WE SAY SO!”

‘Fighting Actually Cured The Old Man’s Back’ trope

DONALD’S SOLO!!!

“WE SAY ‘AY CARAMBA’!”

THEY DID THAT IN ACAPULCO TOO!!!!??? LIKE HELLO? BADASSES

The Pig Tourists clapping at them because they deserved that and more honestly

THEY BROUGHT A BURRO WITH THEM!!!

SCROOGE DESTROYING PANCHITO’S GUITAR LMAO

That “I’m so sorry” with the Old Man’s voice

The episode dealt in a subtle way with the actual ever-present fear of being an adult and the expectations from others that we have to carry, society expects everyone to be on equal ground to be a successful and settled down adult that can handle their responsibilities alone and not be a failure in the system, the fear of not being free anymore or the fear of not having the right to fuck up anymore, and the sadness and anxiety that comes when you can’t meet those expectations or can’t be the adult that you wanted to be, like woah, these guys are in their mid-thirties, scared and with minimum-wage jobs, that can’t barely handle their real lives but they still found the way to be happy around them, they just needed to be honest to those they love the most and accept life with their ups and downs. Talking About Getting RealTM AND HELLO? They only needed each other to be reminded that they are just normal adults even if they’re not successful and completely responsible and they sometimes fuck up in this uncertain life and that’s okay? and that they can actually still be fun-loving guys even if they’re adults now, like hello? great I gotta be honest when I saw the ep i didn’t like it but when i cooled down my head and saw it a second time to analyze and as An Adult In The MakingTM, It hit me hard the real fear these ppl were facing during the comedy and the lying, they loved each other and they only needed to be honest to understand that love isn’t conditioned by how successful you are. A+ ep, would watch it again.

[underimagines]

Pride Goeth

“--Before a fall. Rouxls decides he needs some help babysitting the Royal Pain, and lucky for you, he decides you're the perfect candidate to help him do it.”

3k One-Shot Commission: Rouxls Kaard/Reader

read it on ao3 | tip-jar | commission info

Rouxls looked like he was going to pass out.

“That zany oaf is always casting off his knave of a son to me. Do I looketh the part of a nanny? This was not within the constraints of mine contract!”

You nodded sympathetically, rubbing small circles across his back. Whatever Rouxls was made of—because you certainly couldn’t call it flesh, tingled against the touch of your palm.

“I used to babysit my neighbor’s kids all the time. It’s tough when they get to the age where they—how old is Lancer anyway?”

“The age where everything he does ist to sendeth me up the walls!”

That wasn’t exactly the answer you were looking for, but knowing Rouxls, it was probably the clearest answer you would end up getting.

“Uh-huh. So, where’s he at now?”

“In his chambers,” The elevator shuddered to a stop, and Rouxls bowed, ushering you out. “He’s been listening to those accursed MP3’s again! They are driving me mad!!”

Despite the wildness in his eyes, the dark circles beneath them spoke otherwise. His smile was locked into place, hands clasped in front of his chest as beads of sweat grew on his forehead.

“So that’s why I made to call thee here! Prithee,” in a flash he grabbed your shoulders, voice shaking as he clung to you, “Save me!”

The fact that he hadn’t added “eth” somewhere in the phrase made you know this was serious. Or maybe he’d just forgotten. It was probably the first option, though.

“Don’t worry about it, Rouxls. I’ve got this.”

“Oh, thank thee!” He fell to his knees, cradling your hands in his own as his shoulders shook with his sobs of relief. “I oweth thou a hundred kindnesses to taketh this weight off mine shoulders!”

You rolled your eyes, peeling his fingers away, one by one. “You’re such a drama queen.”

“Art not!” He gasped. “Just wait until you get a handful of this ruffian—then we will see whomst is the bigger drama queen!”

It didn’t matter if the kid was juggling knives in his room, you were pretty sure Rouxls was always going to own that title.

“Alright, alright.” You waved him off, smiling as a little pout crossed his features. “Just show me where Lancer is, and I’ll take over from here.”

“Prithee, do as thou wishes!” He waved you towards the ever-familiar spade-shaped doorway of Lancer’s room. “Take him off my hands for the rest of eternity, why don’t you??”

You knocked on the door, rolling your eyes again as Rouxls sulked off to the side.

“Lancer? You home, buddy?”

In a flash, the door swung open. Lancer bolted out, clutching your legs with a wide, toothy grin.

“Hey, it’s my friend!” He jumped up and down while continuing to hang onto you. “Are you here to hang out with me??”

His little tongue poked out as you ruffled the top of his head…cap, thing. “I sure am, buddy! What are you up to today?”

“Susie made me a new playlist!” He chirped.

“Oh, that’s nice,” you replied, smiling, “who’s Susie?”

“She’s my best friend!” His smile widened, dipping a little as he stated, “She’s not…um…from around here.”

That was code for: I’m hiding something. Rouxls gave you a dramatic stare, as if to say: “See what I’m dealing with?”

“How about we listen to your playlist together and you can tell me more about Susie?” You offered, allowing him to lead you through the door into his room.

It looked the same as it always did, complete with his bike tucked neatly into his bed. There was a nightcap perched atop the handlebars.

Lancer looked up at you and made a conspiratorial shushing motion. “He’s sleeping.”

“Oh, what’s wrong?” You asked, tilting your head. “Is he two tired?”

Like a chain reaction, Lancer burst into giggles, quickly followed by Rouxls throwing his head back and groaning in emotional agony.

He led you to the middle of his room, where his mp3 player sat waiting patiently. It was set on pause mid-song. Or cartoon sound effect compilation. It was hard to tell with Lancer.

“Okay, okay! You use this one, and I’ll use this one!” He instructed, handing you one of the ear buds, and slipping the other under his cap.

You did as he said, sitting and waiting patiently as he scrolled through the list of options.

“Um, I think…you’ll like…this one!” He stopped finally, and pressed play.

A deafening screech blasted straight into your brain, knocking you backwards with shock. Lancer started headbanging. Rouxls stood, leaning against the wall, and giving you a sympathetic grimace.

“Isn’t it awesome?” Lancer yelled, despite the fact that you were right next to him. “Susie’s so cool, and she’s got the best taste in music!!”

You forced yourself to smile, holding the bud just away from the shell of your ear. You could still hear the song blaring through, loud and clear, even from that distance. It made you cringe, wondering exactly how Lancer’s little ears could deal with it. Or where his ears were at all.

“Does Susie always listen to this kind of music?” You asked, hoping to turn the conversation away from actually listening to it.

Lancer nodded energetically. “She’s so badass!”

He stopped, clapping his hands over his mouth with a gasp. Immediately, he turned to look from you to Rouxls.

“Excuseth me?” Oh boy, you knew that tone. “What didst thou just say, worme?”

“I said cool!” Lancer rushed to backtrack his statement. “Susie is really, really cool!”

“That ist most certainly not what thou had sayeth!” Rouxls threw his hands up in the air, as if pleading with the heavens to grant him mercy. “Truly, I’m not sure who to blame more, you, your father, or your new friends!”

“I vote we blame Spades.” You added simply.

“Me too.” Lancer mumbled, looking down at the floor. “Dad says bad words all the time.”

“That is because your father is—” Rouxls started, his hands curled into claws in front of him. He stopped suddenly, turning to glance at the doorway. Nobody was there, but he still stepped closer, his voice dropping into a whisper. “Not the most respectable of role models!!”

The three of you went still after that, practically expecting to hear Spades screaming all the way from his throne room. The man had ears like a hawk. After a few seconds of silence, you relaxed.

“So, what’s on the agenda for today?” You asked Lancer, crossing your legs into a more comfortable sitting position.

His mouth opened, but no sound came out. He stopped, one finger crooked up in an explanative pose. Slowly, it wilted back down as his expression fell.

“Uh…I don’t know. I didn’t think anyone was coming over, so I didn’t plan anything.”

Lancer’s tongue poked out as he pouted. “I’m sorry, I’m a bad friend.”

“You’re not a bad friend, sweetheart.” You assured him. “We can make our own plans!”

“Yeah…”

You thought for a moment. “Last time I was here you were practicing riding your bike, weren’t you?”

“Yeah?”

“So,” drawing the word out, you gestured with your hands, “how’s that been going?”

“Good!” He sat, still scrolling through the mp3 player. Suddenly, with a gasp, Lancer dropped it, jumping to his feet with his arms outstretched at his sides. “Oh! I know what we can do!! I can show you my new moves!!!”

Rouxls buried his face in his hand and groaned.

Lancer stuck his tongue out at him. “Don’t pay attention to him, he’s just jealous of my sweet bike skills!”

“Oh, please.” Came the sassy reply. “I could careth less about thy childish exploits.”

“You don’t even know how to ride a bike! I bet you couldn’t even do a wheelie.”

“Is that a challenge?”

“Yeah!!” Lancer’s grin grew wild. “You have to do a wheelie on my bike. If I win, you have to be my butler for a whole day!”

{Is that not what I am already…?} You could practically hear the thought in Rouxls’s mind. He seemed to consider it for a moment, before his own smile skewed up in a playfully malicious way.

“Deal! But thou must solveth one of mine puzzles. If thou were to lose, thou must give me peace and quiet for the rest of the day! Not a peep from thy worme-y little mouth!”

“Oh no!” Lancer tugged on your sleeve, one hand held up over his mouth to shield his face as he whispered. “Lesser Dad’s puzzles are really hard!”

Bless his little heart. You’d been dealing with Rouxls and his…”puzzles” from Day One, and through all that time, you had yet to see something more creative than a box and a button.

But you had to give him credit, he was dedicated to his style, if anything.

“So, who’s going to be the judge?”

“Why, thou, of course!” Rouxls chirped as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

And that was how you found yourself watching Lancer stare at a box for what had to be the past five solid minutes.

He stood there, tongue sticking out of the side of his mouth, and a look of utter concentration on his face. Lancer tapped the side of his cheek, circling around the puzzle over and over. Like he was trying to find the best angle to approach it from.

Rouxls stood off to the side, striking that dramatic pose that you’d come to know so well, with his arms spread wide, hands twisted towards the sky. You’d lovingly dubbed it his “T Pose.” It certainly came off as a sign of dominance, at least.

“Victory is mine!” He cackled, looking so proud of himself for being able to outwit a child. “Grovel in the dirt, worme, and bow before the almighty puzzle-making skills of—"

Lancer pushed the box. It landed on the neighboring button with a resounding click.

Rouxls expression froze, eyes wide as his smile sat crooked on his face. You could see sweat beading on his forehead, his fingers tensing back into claws as he hissed between grit teeth.

“God. Dammit.”

“I did it!” Lancer cheered, planting his hands on his hips. He turned towards you both on his ankle, chest puffed up at his accomplishment.

You clapped, if just for the sake of pity. “You sure did, and it only took you, what, seven minutes?”

“Six and a half!” He crowed proudly. His tongue remained half-revealed in playful jest as he stabbed a finger in the frozen advisor’s direction. “That 1-0, Lesser Dad! At this rate, you might as well give up now!”

“Oh, I’ll show you, you little—” Rouxls voice dropped into an inaudible grumble. He was visibly seething over the loss. You sighed, patting his shoulder reassuringly.

“Well, it’s your turn, hon.”

His eyes were pleading as he turned to you. “Don’t I get a bonus for…I don’t knoweth, emotional relevance? My charm? My wit?”

“As the judge, I have a right to reserve my bias.” You stated calmly, biting back the urge to grin at the frustration that flashed across his handsome face.

“Blast it all!” Rouxls shouted. “Bring on the challenge, then! Whatever thou can do, I can most certainly do better!”

“I can do anything better than you!” Lancer shouted back.

“No, thou can’t!”

“Yes, I can!”

“No, thou can’t!” Rouxls took a step forward.

“Yes, I can!” Lancer repeated the action.

“No, thou can’t!” Rouxls screamed, throwing his hands up.

“Yes, I can!” Lancer stomped his feet, practically throwing a tantrum. “Yes, I can!”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa.” You pushed between them, resting one hand on your boyfriend’s chest, and the other on the little prince’s cap. “Nothing’s been decided yet. You’re up, Rouxls.”

“But! But!” His squinted at you, leaning in to whisper in a vicious tone. “I don’t know how to ride a bike!!”

“That’s not my problem.” Honestly, you kind of felt bad for him. But Rouxls had brought this totally on himself for picking a fight with a little kid, so you figured knocking him off his high horse wouldn’t be the most terrible thing to happen to him.

Watching him try to keep his balance on Lancer’s bike, however, was absolutely pitiful. It was one size too small, enough that he had to hunch of the whole thing just to fit on it. His long legs stuck out in crooked angles as he tried to keep them steady on the pedals. Every so often, the bike would wiggle a little, and Rouxls would immediately put his feet down to keep from falling.

He looked so pathetic. It took everything in you not to laugh.

Instead, you did what you hoped was the right choice. You cheered him on.

“Come on, Rouxls!” You called. “You’ve got this, I believe in you!”

Lancer followed with, “Nah, he’ll never get it!”

You gave him a pointedly unamused look, to which he just cackled in that impish, high-pitched way, kicking back to watch the show.

Rouxls pushed his foot down on one pedal. The bike pushed forward, agonizingly slow. But even that alone was enough to bring a triumphant smile to his face. “I did it!”

“You’re doing it!” You shouted encouragingly. “Good job!”

He pushed the other pedal, scooting a bit more. Bit by bit, he began pedaling in long, even strides. The bike sailed down the walkway, with Rouxls whooping the entire time.

“I did it! I’m riding a bike!” His voice was missing its usual dramatic flair, replaced entirely with completely genuine joy. Rouxls peered over his shoulder, grinning widely at you both in a way that begged for karmic retribution. “Look, wormes, and despair, as I—!”

Sure enough, while he was distracted, Rouxls missed the conveniently position rock that laid in his path. The bike jumped at it hit the blockage, curving in a beautiful arc that sent both it and Rouxls sailing through the air.

You winced as you watched him absolutely eat it. Thankfully the roads weren’t made of pavement, or else he would really have crashed and burned. The bike was utterly smashed, the wheels bent, and handlebars twisted beyond repair. It was amazing what could happen in a matter of moments.

Lancer jumped to his feet, clutching his face in horror, as he stared open-mouthed at the wreckage. “Nooo!!!”

“Do not worry!” A hand shot up from the crumpled pile that was Rouxls. He slowly pulled himself into a sitting position, smiling assuredly as Lancer rushed towards him.

“Do not fret, young worme, for I hath survived—”

Lancer rushed past him and collapsed on the pile of bent and twisted metal, sobbing hysterically. “My bike!! My brand-new bike!!!”

“You have got impeccable timing.” You muttered, crouching down next to your shocked boyfriend. His jaw hung open, eyes bugged out in sheer disbelief, with his arm still outstretched to welcome the embrace that never came.

He watched the little prince drop to his knees, lifting the remains of the bike up like he was cradling a body. As he threw his head back to howl mournfully, Rouxls rolled his eyes.

“I cannot believe— Oh, yes, worme! Fret over thy toy and completely shun thy Lesser Father!” He pouted dramatically, glaring daggers at the bike.

Lancer’s only response was a long, drawn out comedic shriek. “WHEELIE!!!”

You snort-giggled into your palm, your smile only growing as Rouxls turned his cross expression to you. You offered him a half-hearted apologetic shrug. “Sorry.”

He sighed and leaned back, resting back on his arms as he stared up towards the pitch-black expanse looming above you both. “Well, I suppose this dictates that I’ve lost the duel?”

“In terms of successfully doing something? Yeah, definitely. Unless you want to count the crash as—” The daggers he was glaring at you had you cutting off your statement with another round of giggles. “Sorry.”

He sighed deeply, eyes closing as his body heaved with the dramatic effort. Only to look back up, peeking at you curiously as you quietly followed with, “In terms of making this the best day I’ve had all week? You’d take first place with no contest.”

His expression was thoughtful for a moment. Then, he smiled softly. His dark eyes sparkled. “Well, despite mine screw-ups, I must say that having thou with me hast made this…quite a good day for me, too.”

You joined him on your back, the both of you staring up at the sky in a contemplative silence. Your fingers drew together, palms clasped as you intertwined your fingers. Rouxls squeezed your hand affectionately. You smiled.

“Thank ye,” he spoke after a moment. “For being here.”

“Thanks for inviting me.” You replied simply, squeezing his hand in return.

Though the Dark World was kind of plain, there was something about it that made it feel like Home to you. More than likely, Rouxls played a great part in that nostalgic, welcoming sensation. And you suspected that he felt the same.

Lancer came to join you a moment later. He was still obviously miffed, but he didn’t say a word. Sniffling, he just plopped down between you both. Your bodies cradled him, and he snuggled into the cocoon, his tiny hands propped behind his head.

He seemed more than comfortable, and you couldn’t help but think that this was a kind of situation that he didn’t get to experience often. Though he was upset over his bike, he relaxed almost immediately as you both shifted to give him a little more room.

“Hey,” Lancer said, turning his head up to look at Rouxls, “are you okay, Lesser Dad?”

“Yes, worme,” came Rouxls’s reply. He glanced from Lancer, to you, and then back up. His voice was gentle and filled with a warmth that had your heart fluttering in your chest. “I am more than alright.”

“Good.” Out poked that tiny tongue. “Because dad is gonna be so mad.”

My first time writing a Deltarune-related fic! I had so much fun with this prompt, imagining Rouxls trying (and failing) to ride Lancer's bike was an absolute blast. As always, thanks to my lovely commissioner, who's been working with me for a couple years now! You're incredible & I appreciate you more than words can say.

(Also I'd like to apologize for the butchered Shakespearean dialect--and the silly "Annie Get Your Gun" reference.)

Thanks for reading!! ❤

- Mod Mellow

[naruseii]

Myu review 5: 1996 Sailor Stars . . First impression: Of course I was excited for this Myu!! I love the Stars arc and I felt this was gonna be really wild for some reason. • • • Impressions: Actors/Actresses

Anza Ooyama (Usagi Tsukino/Sailor Moon/Neo-Queen Serenity)- I have a somewhat divided opinion on Anza. There were times where I really liked her but sometimes, she was just being unnecessarily dramatic. Her Usagi was mostly good although she can be over dramatic at times. She kept Usagi’s personality consistent from the last Myu and I really liked that! She was also really funny as Usanosuke!! As Super Sailor Moon, she was a bit over dramatic but not too much. What I loved most was her Eternal Moon (again). I just think she pulls off that version of Moon the best and I don’t really know why. When she showed hatred for the first time, it really made me fall in love with Eternal Moon even more. Love her singing, still a great dancer and acting could be somewhat better!!

Ayako Morino (Ami Mizuno/Sailor Mercury)- Ayako was better as Mercury than Ami and I can’t tell if it’s because of the writing or not. I really dislike the “boy crazy” aspect that’s given to Myu Ami and of course, it bothered me seeing Ayako act it out. Ami’s overall vibe just felt different and seeing as Ayako is a bit more timid/soft spoken (in my opinion), she didn’t really suit her character. As Mercury, she did really well especially in her scene with Uranus. Singing and dancing wise, she’s still pretty good! Her acting is decent it’s just that it didn’t really suit her/her character.

Misako Kotani (Rei Hino/Sailor Mars)- Misako was WAY BETTER in this Myu than her last one. She toned down her Rei without completely removing the loud/sass aspect from her and, her Mars was more serious this time!! The scene with her and Hiroko (doing Akuriyo Taisan) and in Sorezore no Elegy really showed how she changed up her character! Her singing is still really good and she’s better at dancing as well!! She did really great!

Emika Satou (Makoto Kino/Sailor Jupiter)- I LOVE EMIKA. She didn’t really have that big of a role but she was still really good!! Not much for Jupiter but her Makoto was so cute! I think she had a good balance of her Makoto which made me like her a lot! She has a really nice voice, good dancing and great acting!! I love her!! 💚

Kanatsu Nakaya (Minako Aino/Sailor Venus)- Just like Emika, Kanatsu was pretty good for the little role she had!! She didn’t really do much as Venus but her Minako was great!! She wasn’t as fangirly as I hoped her to be but it wasn’t bad! I can’t say much on singing (no solo) but she harmonizes well with the others!! Her dancing wasn’t too bad and I think her acting is okay! She was good!!

Yuuta Mochizuki (Mamoru Chiba/Tuxedo Mask)- Okay for starters, he was gone for (almost) the ENTIRE Stage 1 so I’ll be talking about him in Stage 2. Even in Stage 2, he didn’t really do much. He still sings pretty well (A Knight For Sailor Soldiers) and still has good movement. His relationship/dynamic with Anza is still pretty good even if they barely got to interact. All in all he was great even if his role was small!!

Sanae Kimura (Haruka Tenoh/Sailor Uranus)- Sanae was…okay!! She had her moments but she wasn’t really “out there”. As Haruka, there was nothing much. As Uranus, she was doing pretty good until her death scene. I found it a bit bothersome that she wasn’t deeply affected by Neptune’s death than she should’ve. She also seemed to be saying her lines without really feeling anything. She still sings and dances well but her acting wasn’t at it’s best for this Myu…

Hiroko Tahara (Michiru Kaioh/Sailor Neptune)- I honestly loved her Neptune/Michiru!! She had a good balance of being kind and charming as Michiru but strong and elegant as Neptune. She definitely has a talent for singing because her voice sounded so beautiful!! She’s also a really good dancer and her acting was amazing! Although it was her first time to play Neptune, it looked like she had a connection with her Uranus which I thought was really nice! She’s the first Michiru/Neptune I really like so far!!

Rei Saitou (Setsuna Meioh/Sailor Pluto)- I LOVE HER!! She was SO AMAZING in this Myu. Her Setsuna was so motherly and had a great sense of humor! She was also protective which made her portrayal really good!! Her Pluto was sooo good. The scene where she bends time really showed how much she was into her character. Her singing, dancing and acting were all great!! I love Rei so much!! :(

Keiko Takeda (Hotaru Tomoe/Sailor Saturn)- Her Saturn is really good, I really like how she portrays her character!! However, her Hotaru kinda doesn’t work out since Hotaru is a bit younger in Stars and Keiko seems a bit mature. But it was clear that her Hotaru was playful and her Saturn was serious. Her singing is still great and her dancing got better!! I really love Keiko :( . 💜

Tamaki Dia Shirai (Chibiusa/Sailor Chibi Moon)- I did feel that Tamaki was better here than she was in the SuperS musicals but, she still didn’t hit it for me. She’s still great in singing and I liked her dynamic with Keiko but sometimes her acting fell short. It was better than before, but she sounded so fake/flat like you knew she was acting. This isn’t the first time she’s done this but I’m glad she got way better for her last performance! 💖

Sayuri Katayama (Seiya Kou/Sailor Star Fighter)- Sayuri’s Seiya literally stole my heart. Her Seiya was so cool and charming and her Star Fighter was brave and caring; she carried her role as a leader so well!! Her singing and dancing were amazing and her interactions with Usagi/Moon gave me flashbacks to the manga. I really love Sayuri!! 💙

Hikari Ono (Taiki Kou/Sailor Star Maker)- 👀 . I MEAN, WHAT DO YOU EXPECT ME TO SAY. My wig was stolen and I had the hardest time ever watching this Myu because of her. Taiki is kinda like a background character in the Stars arc (manga) but she really made her stand out more!! As Star Maker, she didn’t really do much but she was okay! Since she got to do more in this Myu, she really got to showcase more of her talents which were all amazing!! :(( I love my girl.

Momoko Okuyama (Yaten Kou/Sailor Star Healer)- Her Yaten was SO GOOD AND SO CUTE!! She really showed her cool side but she gave her a playful side as well. Her Star Healer was like an “anger child” in a way. She didn’t really do much as her so I can’t say a lot. Her singing and dancing were great and she did really well!! I love her!! 💚

Saori Sara (Sailor Galaxia)- I think she did pretty okay as Galaxia!! I honestly can’t blame her for not being in her element sometimes since Sailor Stars (the anime) hasn’t explored Galaxia’s character much at the time so some things wouldn’t make sense. I do think she had late reactions and no emotions at times but they weren’t so bad! I liked her!!

Shadow Galatica (as a whole)- they were interesting!! I was surprised to see Pewter Fox and Titanium Keroko in place of Aluminum Siren and Lead Crow but they really played their characters well! Iron Mouse and Tin Nyanko didn’t really have much to them. Out of the Animamates, I liked Pewter Fox the most! Shadow Bug, Bee and Mantis were also pretty good despite not doing much! MC Fly was amazing of course (and really funny). And Sailor Buttress was kinda annoying at times and highly reminded me of Yellow Pearl from Steven Universe. . . . The story: To be honest, my only problem with this is that the story was so messy. It was good but, it was so hard to keep up with sometimes that you can’t even remember what the main objective was. Anyways, let’s move on!

Stage 1: I love how it started with Overture and it’s transition into Chasin’ After You, it really reminded me of the manga! Later on, when Ami got really upset about Usagi singing with Seiya, I was quite annoyed. I understand why everyone would be jealous, except Ami. The next few scenes were somewhat manga accurate which I can really appreciate!! The rooftop scene with Usagi, Setsuna and the Starlights was really funny and probably one of my favorite scenes in this Myu! Chibiusa’s arrival was quite sudden and marked the beginning of the messy story line. The Sailor Busters segment was also really fun to watch! And the fight scene after was quite boring to watch for me and it got better when they sang Sailor War Supreme!!

Stage 2: The Shadow Galactica meeting is something I really can’t describe. But I liked how Anza got to play Neo-Queen Serenity even for just a short time! The music festival was really fun to watch since it really felt like you were there!! All the songs were great and really catchy! But then things go bad and this is where Pluto bends time which ends up separating all the Sailor Senshi from each other. Hotaru and Chibiusa’s scene in the Edo period was really cute! Then things got darker when Uranus, Neptune, Mercury, Mars, the Starlights and Usagi were wandering the maze. Jupiter and Venus died early on but Usagi got to watch Uranus and Neptune pass as well as Mercury and Mars (Sorezore no Elegy) which was a really striking scene.

Later on, Usagi was able to transform into Super Sailor Moon and broke into the Shadow Galactica base. Tuxedo Mask finally makes his return together with Chibi Moon, Saturn and the Starlights. Moon then expresses her hate for someone for the first time then transforms into Eternal Moon which really struck me as well. Then there was a fight scene and Shadow Galactica (except for Galaxia) got defeated through the Double Starlight Honeymoon Therapy Kiss. And since this whole thing was long and quite traumatic for the Senshi, this is when they sing Densetsu Seitan which concluded the story really well. • • • Overall opinion: This was a really good Myu!! Despite the messy storyline, I really enjoyed it! The portrayal of the Starlights in this Myu really made me love their characters even more and I also wished they had a Kakyuu and Chibi Chibi with them!! The songs were really great (although some were kinda annoying) and the plot was very creative (just not presented well)! I really hope they get to fix some of these in the Kaiteiban and I’m really looking forward to it!! . . . THE MUCH LONG AWAITED STARS REVIEW. I’ve been working on this since December but I’ve just been so busy, I couldn’t get to finish it in time :^( . Anyways, did you guys like this Myu? Do we agree on some stuff?? Please feel free to leave your thoughts! ((Character profiles are from @myu-resource , screenshot is from Sea of Serenity on YouTube, posters are from vk.com))

[literaila]

how did it feel like? didn't it, like, move around?? dooo you now? honestly, you just reminded me of a turtle. everything about you. in a good way. just a feeling. i mean, it's green too. i don't really know how to explain it, but yeah. sorry- that didn't make any sense.

great. i'll keep all the lights on when i watch it. yeah, i love serial killer documentaries. not love, but they're interesting. orcas? they're not. anything to make you happy :)

for some reason, pet names make me feel all warm. like once in ihop, this waiter called me 'sweetie' and i still remember it. i dunno. just feels nice, y'know?

wow, really? six? how much did that cost?? my sister has a weighted blanket. i don't like the feeling too much. that sounds nice. what kinda music does he play? is it like a music box, that classic music and stuff?

hallmark, right? okayyy, i'll search it up. have you ever watched any sitcoms? i wanna start getting into them. probably because of wandavision, if i'm being honest.

i don't know what it is, really. everything about her is fun and cool. i'm always excited for her class. did i tell you a got a hug from her? i will never shut up that. glad i got the courage to ask for one. thank youuu! 'm glad that you're proud. (i think you're making me sappy as well) let's hope so. my memory isn't too bad, really. i just like being dramatic. i don't wanna do the 50 states one though. i think this friday i'll have some time to go to the mall and shop.

ew. ew, ew, ew. it tastes like literal toothpaste. i hate anything mint, actually. especially mint toothpaste. but i never find bubblegum or anything else. and i love yours, v.

yeahhh... mine can't shut up for 20 minutes. always bickering. sometimes it's funny though, when they aren't yelling. can't imagine a roadtrip with them. do you have a board game night with your family as well? pfft, i bet.

i have no clue what that is, but i'm also gonna put that on the to watch list. i need to charge my phone soon to stay up all night. hmm. which book should i read? i think percy jackson. what were you reading, v?

— 🐢

yeah it did. just tickled a bit, kind of cute up close actually. i think it’s just small spiders i don’t like. it’s cause i’m old and wise innit? of coourse it is. it is indeed green. it makes sense to me, love, and even if it didn’t, i appreciate the sentiment. and though.

they are interesting. my mother is obsessed with them. they are, will not be debating. as long as it also makes you happy, dear.

pet names are comforting. especially from strangers. it’s like an acknowledgment. i don’t know. they’re just nice. my parents use a lot of nicknames for me, and i like that, so that’s probably why i like pet names.

six, indeed. no clue, i got some of them as gifts so. probably at least a hundred dollars, if not more. it’s worth it though. i love them. i didn’t like it either, but it keeps me from messing up my bed. sooo…. just “what makes you beautiful”

i think friends counts as a sitcom? i’ve watched that. when i was a kid, i watched a lot more. now i stick to dramas. but still, they’re all good. and i loved wandavision so. what’re you thinking of watching?

it’s good to have a class you’re excited for. that makes school better. you did tell me about the hug— which i’m envious of by the way —she sounds lovely. i’m not surprised you like her.. you know, considering. mwahaha it’s rubbing off. just like i planned. you have a good memory actually, considering what you’ve remembered from our chats. groooosss 50 states. the mall sounds fun, getting out and all that.

ha! just brushed my teeth with mint toothpaste! bubblegum sucks.

i’m sure that annoys you, but it sounds nice to me. i like bickering— when it stays just bickering, of course. we don’t have a game night actually, just random passing moments together. that’s why road trips are good. i get some time with them. i love stars. so much.

horror show. sad. good. i cried. percy jackson sounds good! how far are you into it? i’m rereading six of crows again— annotating too so it takes a bit longer. just need something to hang onto, you know.

don’t wear yourself out, darling!

-v