#like it's my fault that he's the best boy

[liketolaugh-writes]

The Commissioner had said that the boy looked exactly like him. It was true, physically, but there were marked differences as well. Bruce studied him as Alfred was gently taking blood for testing.

Danny looked tired; it was likely that he'd been traveling for days, perhaps longer, but he didn't have a bag. Hopefully, he'd dropped it somewhere to retrieve later, but it was also possible that he'd been unable to gather resources before coming to Gotham.

It did beg the question of how he expected this to go. Did he intend to take a DNA sample and leave? Did he have a way of stabilizing himself, or would he return to his creators with the new sample and ask for their help? What traits had he 'failed' to present that they had expected? The number of unanswered questions aggravated Bruce. How much education had he received? Had data simply been uploaded, as with Kon?

But more than tired, Danny looked withdrawn. He shied away from Alfred, and the curious gazes of the Bats that had been spared from patrol. (Spoiler and Red Hood were still out.) His gaze was lowered, his shoulders hunched, like a shamed child. Danny seemed to lack the rage Bruce had exhibited at that age; in its place was a kind of defeat, likely from his abandonment.

Bruce suspected that he felt overindulged just to get a DNA sample, and meant to leave as swiftly as possible after that, as to not be a bother.

"I don't know if my DNA will hold together long enough to be tested," Danny said again, strained and frustrated. "It has… other problems, from some of the later experiments."

That was a half-truth, but Bruce quickly assessed it as a problem for later. "Understood."

"Everything's set up to be as fast as possible," Tim added, arms crossed as he watched. "If it breaks down before I can finish, we'll know it's not your fault."

Danny didn't look reassured. "And… what would you do?"

"We'll exercise our best judgment," Bruce said evenly.

It was obvious that Danny immediately interpreted that as 'we will play it safe and refuse to help you,' by the way his head dropped with a soft, resigned sigh, but Bruce meant what he said. Based on Danny's behavior in the interim, and his stated plans for how to proceed, he would make a judgment call. Calculated risks were Bruce's specialty.

From Damian's unwavering stare, he didn't agree with Bruce's metrics.

"This family is well acquainted with clones, I assure you," Alfred said, kinder than any of the rest of them. "We're well aware that it's not your fault where you came from. Unless we find evidence to the contrary, you are nothing more sinister than a child who desperately needs help."

Yes. A child who, one way or another, was related to Bruce.

"Recklessness," Damian muttered, his restless shifting giving away the extent of his unease. (Damian never was particularly fond of Kon either.)

Alfred handed the blood sample to Tim, who immediately scurried off with it and went to process the sample as quickly as the chemistry of the process would allow. In the following silence, Danny shoved his hands in his lap, seemingly attempting to pretend not to exist. It was an… odd look, for Bruce to see on his own face.

"If you receive a DNA sample, what do you intend to do with it?" Bruce asked abruptly. Danny glanced up, giving him a skeptical look.

"…Stabilize my DNA?" he suggested.

"Do you have the knowledge to do that yourself, or do you intend to return to the people who created you?" Bruce clarified. "Or do you know of another person who may be able to stabilize you?" There were more people in the world that had the relevant knowledge, plenty of whom would be pleased to have even a 'failed' clone of Batman indebted to them. Most of them weren't especially trustworthy.

Danny grimaced slightly, indicating he wasn't happy with his options either. "I know a guy," he said at last, reluctantly. "He's familiar enough with the cloning process that he can probably help. He's not great, but he won't let me die if he can stop it."

That indicated two things: that Danny was not certain this man would succeed, and that he did not like this man. "Define 'not great.'"

"Father," Damian said, exasperated. Bruce ignored him.

Gut Feeling

DPXDC

Commissioner Jim Gordon meets an odd kid in the precinct.

--

“Come on, you really don��t have a way to directly contact Batman?”

Jim smiled. Kids came to the station and asked that all the time. Usually, it was just curiosity and showing them the signal was enough to get them to sign up for the Junior Police program. This one looked a little older than most, teenagers were often “too old” to believe in Batman, but again, give them a little faith now and they’ll never loose it.

“Lookin’ for the Bat, kid?” Jim asked, knowing he was about to make this kid’s –

Jim froze. The kid turned to face him and it was Bruce Wayne. Not playboy billionaire Bruce Wayne, but freshly a teenager Bruce Wayne. The Bruce Wayne who Jim had checked in on time and again from age eight until he ran off on a globetrotting trip to find himself. The little Bruce Wayne with too pale skin and dark bags under his eyes, and not enough love to make up for all the grief weighing him down. And he didn’t look like Damian either, where Bruce was obviously his father but there were distinct traits from his mother. This was a carbon copy of a boy Jim remembered vividly.

“I am.” He even sounded like teenage Bruce. All business, like he was on a mission.

“I might be able to help you, but it’ll take a while.” Jim said and the officer the kid had been talking too gave him an odd look. He waved her off and told the kid to follow him to the commissioner’s office. Normally, he’d be more dramatic, put on more of a show for the kid, but his gut told him this was different, this was important. He offered the kid a styrofoam cup of water then closed the door behind him. “So, what do you need to talk to Batman for?”

“It’s personal. I need to talk to him in person.”

Jim took a sip of coffee from his cup. “He doesn’t appreciate me calling for no reason in the middle of the day.”

“So you do have a direct line?” The kid nearly jumped out of his seat. “If he’s upset, it’ll be my fault, just call him, please.”

“Who should I say wants to talk to him?”

The kid hesitated. “He doesn’t know me, but I have to talk to him.”

Jim frowned. “What’s your name, kid?”

He swallowed and looked like he wasn’t going to answer for a moment. “Danny.”

“Danny…?” Jim wanted a last name but Danny kept quiet. Jim sighed, “He’s likely not going to show up until sundown.”

“I can wait, as long as you guarantee he’ll show.”

“And you’re not going to tell me why you need Batman?” Jim just got a glare in response. “What about one of the other heroes?”

“Only Batman, no one else can help.”

“You sure about that? Not even Superman?”

“Not unless Superman can get me in the same room as Batman.”

“Why’s it so important that you meet him in person?”

“It’s personal.”

Jim liked this less and less by the minute. “Do your parents know you’re here?”

Danny looked away but right when it looked like he wouldn’t say anything he mumbled. “They wouldn’t care anyway.”

After another moment to give the kid time to reconsider, Jim pulled out the Bat-phone. It was a normal Wayne-Tech cell phone, but Jim had been given very specific instructions on how and when to use it. The phone listed all the Gotham Vigilantes without visible numbers so they couldn’t be copied and handed out. He pressed the one for Batman.

“Stand outside, would you?” The kid gave him a look, but followed the request. Jim could see his shadow in the door’s window, not so subtle eavesdropping.

It rang a few times, and Jim sat there awkwardly with a teenager listening to his every move. Finally, a familiar voice picked up the other end of the line. “Commissioner Gordon.”

“Sorry to call you out of the blue Batman, but I’ve got a kid here who needs your help.”

“Who?”

“Says his name is Danny, that you’ve never met him but you’re the only one who can help him.”

“Why?”

“Refuses to tell me.”

“What’s your best guess, Commissioner?”

Jim looked at Danny’s shadow, it looked like he was straining his ears to try and hear what he was saying. Danny had given him almost nothing to work with. Just his name, that he’s never met Batman but needs to talk with him in person. But Jim was here because he listened to his gut. A feeling like when you see a random rock on your neighbor’s doorstep but you’d never go in without an invitation. A feeling like you know what’s in the present and are preparing your surprised face. A feeling like when you cheated on your wife and you know she knows.

“He looks like Bruce Wayne.”

A beat of silence. “What?”

“Danny looks exactly like Bruce when he was a teenager. Exactly the same.” Jim hoped Batman would get it, feel in his gut what Jim felt.

“And he wont say why he’s there?”

“No, and he demands to see you in person.”

“I’ll be there in an hour.”

“10-4.” The line cut off before Jim had finished saying it. He called Danny in again. “He’s on his way.”

Danny glared at him. “If he’s not, if you called some social worker or something, you’ll regret it.”

“I’m sure.” Jim sighed and downed the rest of his now cold coffee.

The sun hadn’t set, but only just barely. Jim ended up taking Danny up to the roof in the end after all, if only to save his window from being broken into. The kid had a red hoodie on, but he was still shivering in the autumn chill and it was just going to get colder by the minute as the sun made its way behind the horizon.

Jim checked his watch and, at exactly an hour from when he called, he acted surprised when Batman and Robin appeared out of nowhere. “Bats.”

“Commissioner.” Batman greeted but his eyes went straight for Danny. “Danny, I assume.”

“Yeah, I…” Danny hesitated, looking at Jim and Robin.

All it took was four words from Batman. “What do you need?”

The kid held out his hand with a flash drive in it. “I’m your clone. My par- The people who made me wanted to make a stronger version of you, but they got ahead of themselves. My DNA is degrading and I’ll die if I don’t get your DNA to stabilize me.”

Holy cow.

“You don’t expect us to believe that, do you?” Robin sneered at him.

“The flash drive has all the info on it. All the data about the cloning process and the, uh, relevant experiments after that.” Batman gave the kid a look. “I didn’t want to waste time on unnecessary data.”

“If what you’re saying is true, why are you here, alone? Are they working on a different solution?”

Danny’s shoulders hiked up. “I’ve been a failure for a while now, I’m not worth the resources and they’d learn more from an autopsy.”

Oof, kid. Jim looked at Batman who seemed to feel the same… if Jim was reading him right.

“So, you wont object to a DNA test?” Robin asked with a cocky head tilt, at least he was relatively easy to read.

“You can try.” Danny said, and then realized what that sounded like. “I mean I wont stop you, but my DNA degrades faster outside my body. You’ll have to take me to whatever lab you plan on using.”

“Then we will.” Batman said and jerked his head towards where they’d probably parked that ridiculous car of his. But then he looked at Jim with a nod. “Commissioner.”

“Batman.” Jim returned the nod. “You’ll tell me how things turn out, yeah?”

“I’ll give you a report.” Batman joked – Jim could tell, it was gut feeling.

[redisthenewblue]

TINKER-Twisted Wonderland x Tinkerbell!Yuu/Fem!Reader Part 2

Part 1

[Name] was jolted awake by a gentle poke to her side.

“Mrggg…” The girl mumbled, rolling over.

“[Name], you need to talk to Headmage Crowley,” Lilia said, and at those words, the girl shot up, her head darting from side to side.

“Headmage Crowley?! Where is he?!” she exclaimed, confusion written all over her face.

“In his office. You need to see him right now while he’s not busy,” Lilia replied.

With that, [Name] rolled out of her makeshift bed and landed on the dresser. She stretched her wings out, feeling the need to wake up a bit more, and ran her fingers through her hair. To avoid drawing too much attention, she decided to stay in her smaller form. She turned to Lilia, who was busy gathering his supplies in his bag.

“Thanks again, Lilia.”

“Not a problem at all… Good luck!” he said.

With a quick nod, [Name] set off to find Crowley. She zipped through the halls, feeling like the school was a giant maze. Finally, she stopped in front of a door that looked significant enough. Peeking at the gap under the door, a grin spread across her face. She took a few steps back to gain momentum and—oh, she got stuck. Maybe she had overestimated the size of the gap. She could see Crowley right there too! Pushing against the door, she tried to wiggle free. With one last strong shove, she tumbled across the floor, fairy dust sparkling around her with every movement. Comically, birds circled her head as she transformed back to her normal size.

“Mr. Crowley, sir,” she paused to catch her breath, “I wanted to talk to you about staying at this school. Before you say anything, just hear me out. I can’t go back home right now. If I do, I’ll be stuck in a horrible house with older siblings who absolutely despise me in Fairy Hollow, a town that feels completely unfamiliar with a future that seems just as uncertain. Please, please, please let me stay!”

Crowley’s eyes widened at her outburst, and he let out an exhausted sigh. “You can stay under certain conditions. You’ll have an earlier curfew, must keep your grades above a B-, no tardies, and if you ever feel threatened, you’re allowed to use your magic.” [Name] lit up, her glow brighter than ever. “Got it! But what about my dorm and uniform situation?” she asked eagerly.

“That will be sorted out later. For now, get to know the school and your classmates,” Crowley said, pushing a magic pen towards her. With a smile,[Name] enthusiastically took the pen and bolted out the door.

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“Pfft. All it takes is a little gust to—Hah! Oh no! The Queen of Hearts's statue looks like it’s been flame-broiled!” Ace exclaimed, his cool demeanor crumbling as he took in the damage from the fight.

“Flame-broiled indeed,” [Name] replied with a mischievous grin, enjoying Ace’s misfortune.

“Where did you come from?! Why is there a girl on campus?!” Ace shouted.

“[Name]?” Grim and Yuuken chimed in unison.

“I go to school here, duh,” she said, sticking her tongue out playfully. “So, what’s going on?”

“It’s Ace’s fault for trying to divert my fire! He should’ve just let it burn you to a crisp!” Grim shot back.

“Who in their right mind would ever do that?!” Ace retorted.

“What’s happening here? Cease this at once!” Crowley called out, making his way over.

At the sound of Crowley’s voice, [Name] froze. She really didn’t want to get blamed for anything, so she did what she does best—she shrunk down. But of course, she wasn’t going anywhere; she wanted to see how this played out. It felt like one of those cheesy Tubi movies she used to watch for inspiration on her inventions.

“Oh no! The headmage!” Ace cried, panic creeping into his voice. It was only the first day, and he was already in deep trouble.

“Not more lashings of love! We gotta get outta here!” Grim, Yuuken, and Ace tried to make a run for it, but [Name] had other plans. Whipping out her magic pen, she tripped the boys with a vine, falling over in silent laughter. This school was going to be full of opportunities for mischief! As they stumbled, Crowley approached with a fierce expression.

“OW!” Ace yelped, clutching a bruised spot on his side.

“Myaaaaah! I’m still sore from yesterday too!” Grim complained.

“As if the likes of you could ever escape my wrath! Did I not just warn you about ‘no more incidents’? And now you’ve charred one of my statues?! It’s almost like you WANT to be expelled!” Crowley threatened.

Yikes… So glad I managed to dodge that bullet!

“No! Please forgive me!” Ace pleaded.

“Hahhh… I wish I had my phone on me. This would totally blow up on magicam,” [Name] said, rolling over onto her side and getting comfortable as she watched the chaos unfold.

Crowley shifted his glare to Yuuken. “And you! You were specifically told to keep Grim under control!”

“I tried to stop him, but…” Yuuken began, only to be interrupted by the furious headmaster.

“This is unacceptable. And you! State your name and grade.”

“Ace Trappola… Freshman,” Ace said solemnly, sulking so much that [Name] thought he might just sink into the floor.

“Then listen carefully, Trappola. You, Grim, and Yuuken will be punished for today’s antics. You’re all assigned to wash a hundred windows!”

“Myah?! This is what you get for making fun of me! It’s all your fault! And where’s [Name]?!”

[Name] felt the urge to storm over and help Grim clean those dirty windows, but she had to keep her wings down and play it cool. 

“What? I have to do it too?!” Ace whined.

“Of course you do,” Crowley scoffed. “You’ll meet in the cafeteria after class. Are we clear?”

“Yes, sir,” Ace finally relented.

“Ugh, I can’t catch a break!” Grim groaned. “I’m already worn out from a full day of cleaning. I can’t believe we still have to wash a hundred windows.”

Yuuken, clearly annoyed, cut in to silence Grim’s complaints. “We just have to suck it up and do it. You didn’t help at all earlier anyway…”

That’s when it hit [Name]. Yuuken didn’t snitch on her when Crowley asked where she was. In a way, she owed him something, but she just didn’t know what. Then it clicked, and she snapped her fingers.

“I know!”

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With a sense of urgency, [Namel hurried toward the ramshackle dorm, logs of wood trailing behind her. All she needed now were some metal scraps, screws, and a bit of wood polish to get things rolling. As she turned the corner, her wings twitched—a telltale sign that something was about to happen. Maybe it would be wise to take a different route to the ramshackle. "Hey, hold up there! No fair getting a head start! Wait!" The unmistakable voice made [Name] shake her head in frustration. Of course, it had to be them. 

Just as she was about to turn around, something knocked her to the ground along with the logs. "Outta my way!" a boyish voice shouted, fading into the distance. As she tried to get back on her feet, Namel stumbled over the logs in a rather embarrassing fashion. Her previously calm expression morphed into one of pure fury. She whipped around to see who was responsible for this mess—it was none other than Ace Trappola. Taking a moment to gather herself, she stood up, piled the logs together, and tied them securely. With a sprinkle of fairy dust, she made them float again. Taking a deep breath, she reminded herself that she couldn't deal with this chaos right now; she had to get to the mirror hall.

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"This is not good..." Ace winced, clearly feeling the weight of the situation.

"What am I going to do?! How am I supposed to break this news to my mom...?" One boy was in full panic mode, realizing he couldn't afford to lose his place at NRC.

"Well... there might just be a glimmer of hope," the headmaster chimed in, offering the students a ray of optimism. "There’s a slim chance we can fix this chandelier."

"Wait, really?!" The boys shouted in unison, their hopes lifted.

"The magestone that powered this chandelier was sourced from the Dwarfs' Mine. If you can find a magestone with the same properties, we might be able to make the repairs."

"Then I’ll go look for a magestone! With your permission, sir!" one of them declared, determination shining in his eyes.

"Just a heads up—I can’t guarantee that any magestones are still out there. The mines have been closed for quite a while now, so it’s possible that all the magestones have been mined already."

"I'll do whatever it takes to avoid getting expelled, sir!" the boy insisted, desperation in his voice.

"Hmmm... Alright then. I’ll postpone your expulsion for just one night. But if you don’t bring back a magestone by morning, then all of you are out." Crowley negotiated, setting the stakes high.

"I understand, sir! Thank you so much for this chance!"

 "Okay, let’s get moving. We need to find a magestone and wrap this up," Ace said, his shoulders drooping as he let out a heavy breath.

"You can reach the Dwarfs' Mine instantly by using one of the gates in the Mirror Chamber," Crowley informed them.

"Yes, sir!"

"Why do I keep running into you guys...?" [Name] grumbled as she stood at the entrance of the mirror hall, eyeing the chandelier on the floor with a frown. "How do you always manage to get into trouble?!"

Yuuken simply shook his head, muttering, "Grim and Ace..."

"Hmph." [Name] replied, "Who's that, and why is he staring at me like I’m the elephant in the room?" She pointed at the boy who was looking at her with wide eyes.

"Maybe it’s because you’re the only girl in an all-boys school?!" Ace shot back, much to [Name]'s irritation.

"Shut it," she hissed, switching her focus back to the boy who looked completely taken aback. "What’s your name?"

"Deuce... Spade…" he managed to say, still looking a bit overwhelmed.

"Deuce?" she repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Please stop looking at me like that."

"Sorry!" he said quickly, before turning back to the boys.

"We can’t waste any more time. Let’s go! Dark Mirror! Take us to the Dwarfs' Mine!" Deuce urged enthusiastically.

"Huh?! Wait!" [Name] exclaimed, feeling herself being pulled into the portal. She desperately tried to grab onto the smooth floor, but her efforts were in vain.

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"So, this is the Dwarfs' Mine... A long time ago, it was overflowing with magestones," Deuce remarked, taking in the surroundings. 

The girl rubbed the spot on her head where she had landed. "Are you serious right now?!" She quickly dusted off her pants, her wings twitching as they prepared her to take off back to campus. 

"Where do you think you're going, insect?!" the cat called out, a hint of annoyance in its voice.

"Back to NRC," she replied flatly, not bothering to look back.

Just as she was about to launch herself into the air, she was suddenly tackled by a ball of fur. 

"Get off me! How are you so heavy?!" [Name] struggled to push the cat off her.

"Nyah! You left us behind near those statues!" the cat exclaimed, indignation in its tone.

"That wasn't my fault, was it?!" [Name] crossed her arms defiantly. "But... I guess I can help you find the magestone. I could use a little adventure anyway."

"Look, everyone! I see a house over there. Let's check it out and see what the folks there have to say," Ace suggested, his shoulders slumping in a casual manner.

"Hello? Is anyone home...? It must be empty. This place looks like it’s been abandoned," Deuce said, glancing around.

"Bwah! I just got a spider web on my face! Ptchoo! Ptchoo!" 

"Wow, these desks and chairs are tiny! Did kids live here? One, two... seven! It’s like a clown car in here," Ace joked, managing to elicit a giggle from [Name].

"When the mine was thriving, this house must have been a really lively spot," Deuce mused.

"Well, standing around here isn’t going to get us anywhere. If we want to find a magestone, we've got to go inside the mine. Let's head in," Ace declared, stepping out of the house.

"You want to go in THERE? It’s pitch black! Insect! You go first! You’ve got that weird glowing thing around you," the cat retorted, a hint of fear in its voice.

An irked expression crossed her face. "Wuss," she muttered as she stepped into the cave, her glow lighting the way.

"What, scared of the dark? Pathetic," Ace teased Grim.

"Myah?! I’m not scared of anything! I’ll take the lead! You all follow me!" Grim puffed out his chest and moved in front of [Name].

"Whoa, hold on!" Deuce warned the others.

"What now?" Ace asked, clearly annoyed.

"There's something up ahead!"

At that moment, [Name] felt a bone-chilling sensation crawl up her spine. Turning around, she gasped at the sight of a ghost, her wings instinctively spreading out as a defensive measure.

"Do make yourselves at home... You can stay forever!" the ghost rasped, a cold aura enveloping the cave as it spoke. More ghosts emerged from behind the first one.

"More ghosts?! They're floating around here too!" Ace stepped back, ready to defend himself with his magic pen.

"If we stop to fight, we’re never going to get anywhere. Let’s just keep moving," Deuce reasoned, trying to keep the group focused.

"Sure, but don’t act like we voted you as team leader. We’re here because of that ridiculous stunt you pulled," Ace shot back.

"Oh? I’m pretty sure this all started because you tried to dodge your window-cleaning punishment!"

[Name] listened to the boys argue, feeling her blood pressure rise. She just wanted to rip her hair out in frustration.

Yuuken watched [Name]’s face twist in exasperation. From what he had seen during orientation, he didn’t even want to imagine how she would react now. He cautiously covered his ears, bracing for her outburst.

"So, we’re digging up ancient history now? If we're getting into it, this all started when furball here torched that statue!" Ace pointed an accusing finger at Grim.

"Myah?! Maybe you shouldn’t have made fun of me, then!" Grim defended himself.

"SHUT UP!" [Name] snapped, startling the boys into silence. The cave echoed with her voice, and they could have sworn they heard birds fleeing from the nearby trees.

"Everyone, just calm down," Yuuken attempted to diffuse the tension.

[Name] scratched her neck sheepishly. "Sorry..."

"...iiivvv... ...oooouuu..."

"Huh?!" the group gasped in unison, fear creeping into their voices.

"Wh-where's that coming from? [Name], was that you?" Ace asked, his eyes wide.

"No! Why would that be me?” [Name] whispered, hugging herself tightly.

"...neeevvvaaa... ...iiivvv... ...ooouuu..."

Why did [Name] let herself get tangled up in this mess? Would she even make it out alive in time for her first day tomorrow?!

"Sounds like... it's getting closer..."

"Stooonesss... Stooonesss aaare miiiiine!"

"There it is!" Yuuken pointed out the looming monster.

"What is that?!" Deuce’s eyes widened in horror.

"Myaaah! No one said there'd be monsters! Let’s get outta here!" Grim tugged on Yuuken’s pants, panic in his voice.

"That thing is super creepy! But didn’t it just mention something about 'stones'?!" Ace exclaimed.

"Stooonesss... ...nevvva give stooonesss...!" The monster swung at the group, its movements threatening.

"So there ARE still magestones here!" Deuce concluded, his eyes gleaming with determination.

"Myaaah... Even as a master sorcerer, I... I don't think I can take that thing down!" Grim admitted, his bravado fading.

"Are you really a master then?" [Name] couldn’t help but tease the cat, even in such dire circumstances.

"But we need a magestone or we’ll get expelled! I’m going in!" Deuce charged toward the monster, ignoring the warnings.

"Are you out of your mind?!"

"You can't do this alone!"

But Deuce brushed aside their concerns. "I won't be expelled! No matter what!" 

"Get lost! Get lost! Get loooost!"

Deuce cried out as the creature lunged at him.

"Oh no! Loosey-Deucey is in trouble! Not on my watch! Heeyah!"

"Oof!" Ace hit the ground hard, wincing in pain as his muscles tensed.

From the sidelines, [Name] struggled to contain a laugh, watching the boys get tossed around like rag dolls.

"Myaaah! Keep away from me!" Grim raised his paws in sheer panic.

"GRRRAAAWWRR!" The monster let out a fearsome roar.

"It's like nothing even phases it!" Grim shouted in disbelief.

"Did you just see that sparkle?!" Yuuken exclaimed, staring past the monster at a glimmering rock.

"Look behind the monster! There's something shining in the mineshaft!" Ace said, pushing himself up from the floor.

"Could that be a magestone?!"

"GWAAAAAAAH! Nooo, I won't let you take the stooooone!" The monster attempted another strike. [Name] flinched, that attack almost hit her.

"Yuuken, we need to get out of here, and fast! That thing's going to turn us into tuna paste!" Grim pulled Yuuken by the sleeve.

"Retreat!Retreat! Retreat" Yuuken called out to the others.

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"This should be far enough, right?" Grim panted as he rolled onto his back.

"Owww... What was that thing? No one warned us about something like that!"

"That was definitely not your average ghost."

"Let’s just give up and go home. I'd gladly take the expulsion if it means I never have to face that thing again." Ace sighed, resigning himself to the idea of leaving NRC.

"What?! No way, that's not happening! I'd rather face death than get kicked out of Night Raven! How can you give up when the stone is right there?" Deuce shook his head vigorously, refusing to back down.

"Pfft. Easy for you to say, considering you’re not even half the mage I am. If you want that stone so badly, go get it yourself. I'm out." Ace turned to walk away, but Deuce shouted after him.

"Oh YEAH?! Fine, just run back to your little coop, you big chicken!" Deuce taunted, momentarily breaking character.

"Whaaaaat?! Who are you calling a chicken, huh?!" Ace shot back, crossing his arms and stepping closer to Deuce.

"Whoa, Deuce... Did you just, like, totally change personality there for a second?"

"Huh?! Sorry... I lost my temper for a moment." He cleared his throat, clearly embarrassed.

"So, what do we do now?" Yuuken squatted down, looking to the others for guidance.

"Can't you guys just blow that thing up with magic?" Grim directed his question at Ace and Deuce.

"Can't you do something magical yourself?" Yuuken asked Grim, raising an eyebrow.

"The headmage said it himself... magic has its limits. If you can't visualize your magic clearly, it's not going to work." Deuce explained to Yuuken and Grim. "Using magic on a larger scale or trying different kinds of magic requires training."

"Exactly, that's why magic academies exist. It takes a ton of practice before you can just snap your fingers and make your thoughts manifest as magic. And the more flustered you are, the more likely you are to mess things up." Ace added in.

"So that's why Grim can only summon fire," Yuuken said, taking a jab at Grim's ego.

"Hey! Just you wait! I'm gonna learn to use way cooler magic than that! I'm just getting started!" Grim shot back at Yuuken.

"Anyway, we need to come up with a plan to defeat that creature and grab the magestone," Deuce reminded everyone.

"Yeah, just like last time with the chandelier, right? You 'found a way,' and now look where we are. We just fought that thing and it wiped the floor with us. So what's your grand plan, genius? Because I definitely don't trust you to wing it!" 

"What?! You're the one who—"

"And here we go again," Grim sighed, realizing this was going nowhere.

"So, I guess we should all just get expelled then," Yuuken shrugged, sounding indifferent.

"What?" Ace and Deuce exchanged bewildered glances, taken aback by Yuuken's sudden defeatist attitude.

"Whoa, that was a bit harsh. Where did that come from?" Grim's eyes widened at Yuuken's unexpected demeanor.

"Why not try working together for a change?" Yuuken suggested earnestly.

"With Loosey-Deucey? No way! He'd get me killed!" Ace shot back at Deuce, dismissing the idea.

"Like I'd enjoy teaming up with you?!" Deuce retorted.

"What if we actually came up with a solid plan first?" Yuuken proposed.

Ace clicked his tongue in annoyance. "A solid plan? Like some buddy system? Are you kidding? You always say the most ridiculous things with a straight face, [MC]."

"Agreed. There's no way I can work with him." The blue-haired boy shook his head defiantly.

"Yeah, but... getting expelled on the first day? That's pretty lame too. Maybe even lamer." Grim pointed out.

Ace stuttered, caught off guard by Grim's comment, "W-well..."

"Yeah, there's nothing cool about that!" the black-haired boy added.

"Ugh... Fine. Let's just get this over with. All right, Yuuken. What's the plan?" The orange-haired boy asked, sounding resigned.

"Yuuken… Is this plan of yours really going to work? I'm scared—I mean, I'm a little... uh, hungry," the cat confessed.

"Then let's brace ourselves for the worst," Yuuken said with a hint of pessimism.

"Heh heh. That's not exactly encouraging! Keep it loose and lively! Let's do this!" Ace declared, pumping his fist in determination and flashing his trademark smile.

"Wait! I feel like we’re forgetting something..." Deuce said, deep in thought.

"That monster really must have done a number on you," Ace chuckled.

"Whatever!" Deuce shot ahead of Ace, ready to take action.

What do you guys think they forgot in the mines???

[allthebooksandcrannies]

My parents and I have been getting back into Superman and Lois after only seeing the first season as it was coming out, and my mom asked me why I think it doesn't bother me so much when the characters are making objectively rash or illogical decisions/accusations, suggesting maybe it was because I was already so bought into the DC fandom in general that it didn't bother me.

At the time I didn't have an answer for her other than knowing that wasn't the reason, since it definitely does annoy and frustrate me, but I've been thinking about it. Bc yeah, I'm still enjoying the show a lot and am getting more and more into the show, while the last three shows I tried getting into with them, my dad and I both tapped out bc we were cringing too much at the characters choices. So what was different with Superman and Lois?

And I think the answer is Clark.

Not only because there is truth to my mom pointing out how much I love a well-written Superman (and Tyler being my favorite on-screen version of the character), but also bc Clark's usually the member of the main cast making the "best" choices: compartmentalizing in a crisis, prioritizing safety over ego or temporary emotions but also treating emotional health as important and worth occasionally taking careful risks for. He balances the paranoia and coldness of characters like early General Lane by knowing when to put his family and friends first, but he also can put aside the personal when needed, whether that's putting aside a grudge to team up with a former antagonist or being the voice of reason when Lois or one of the boys are making a dangerous or hurtful choice/behavior bc they're caught up in an emotional response.

And when this Clark does mess up, it's usually pretty justified and he still recognizes and apologizes for it without making excuses. And then he actually does better in the future bc he learns from his mistakes, which is so refreshing to see.

The other shows I was struggling to get into, the protagonist was either the problem or just as bad as the other characters with making decisions with easily foreseeable negative consequences for potential little reward, not learning from those mistakes and repeating them, and then acting like the very foreseeable consequences were totally unpredictable and not at all their fault. This makes it really, really hard to get invested in these characters and their shows bc I'm torn between second hand embarrassment and wanting to shout "I told you so" at the screen.

But i CAN root for Superman and Lois's Clark Kent. And the characters who are making choices that feel obviously unwise to me (an adult with adult regulation skills) are usually the teenage characters who are acting in completely age-appropriate ways for teenagers. The teenagers are written exactly like children of their age, with all the short-sightesness, emotional regulation issues, and black-and-white morality that goes with it. And these conflicts and character flaws make the story better bc the writers give them the respect they deserve. Yeah, a teenager is going to think that his first love is going to last forever, and yeah, his adult parents are going to know that's unlikely and immature, and yeah, that doesn't make it any less meaningful to him at that moment. The writers get teenagers and the way that everything is bigger to them bc of their life stage in a way that few shows tend to understand and fully explore, especially among shows not written solely for teens.

[michaelswilliam]

ok idk if this is me wishing it or it could count as st5 prediction/speculation but since we got that pic of will, mike, holly biking around and holly is like 90% confirmed to be the missing kid in S5EP2, imagine if storyline goes like this:

EP1 is when the "what painting?" conversation happens between mike and el

i don't think this is when they will break up, but mike discovering that all will said to him was not from el, would be the seed of him questioning the state of his relationship with el

S4 Mike still think that the most important thing in his life is being El's boyfriend, but him realizing that El might not love or need him in the way he thought she would would be the catalyst of him starting to accept that this relationship might not be something worth continuing

I don't think Mike has clocked Will's feelings towards him yet by the time he finds out the painting wasnt commissioned by El

Will comes out to his mother, mike, el, lucas and dustin

it will be heartwarming and sweet, el and joyce will immediately tell him that he's so brave, lucas and dustin will be shocked at first but they will quickly move past it and go in for the hug

mike, however, will stand, alone and frozen on his feet. i think this will definitely causes him to question his own feelings. realizing that homosexuality isnt something thats a taboo. that it is real and his best friend is gay. boys can be.

this is when his own internalized homophobia will surmount, when he will question his own sexuality, and it will scare and confuse him and he will remove himself from the premise. he needs to get away

everyone, especially will of course will take it as mike being homophobic and unaccepting

el might confront him, which can lead to another fight. adding further cracks to their relationship

will might try to talk to him, sad scene. will genuinely thinking it might be the end of their friendship

but mike will pivot the conversation, he will bring up the painting.

mike tells will that he is angry that he'd lied to him.

will apologizes, but mike is still irrationally angry

he accuses will of ruining his relationship w/ el. which got will confused bc didnt he help mike to say i love you to el?

(mike of course wont be able to rationalize this. inside he is angry because he realizes that this relationship shouldve died in the first place, and now he's at the point where he thinks he cannot break up with el. not after the confession.)

"it's not my fault that you don't love her the way you said you do!" will cries out, "i'm sorry for lying to you about the painting, alright? but you can't blame me for whatever is going on between you two."

"but do you?"

"what?"

"do you love me the way you said you did?"

"what do you mean-"

mike steps closer to him, "everything you told me about how el felt towards me, all of it was you, wasn't it?"

and because ST loves interruptions, this is when something or someone cut their conversation, leaving it hanging in the air. this is when everything related to will shifts for mike.

mike will start to clue in will's feelings for him and realizing that the idea of being loved romantically by him actually delights him.

mike will cope with his own sexuality and feelings for will vs relationship with el, he might out some distance against will and el as he does this.

will is heartbroken, he thinks their friendship is forever broken because will has ruined mike and el's relationship with his lie and will knows that mike probably knows his feelings for him and hates him even deeper because of it

this is when vecna comes in and fucks with will's head. starts to isolate him with his surroundings.

EP2: apocalyptic hawkins, everyone is assigned with something. someone from the adults assigned mike and will to do an errand while accompanying holly to go to a friend's house or a park or whatever.

will might try to protest, but holly insists for will to come bc she enjoys his company and mike reluctantly agrees

tense moments shared between byler with holly as the buffer

something happens to holly, she's taken. this will be the event that causes mike and will to stick together throughout the season, confronting each other and their feelings for each other.

YEAH SO IDK I WANT THIS TO HAPPEN IN ST5

[viceconnor21]

After two years I finally redesigned Grian's design in my AU. Turns out there is a horse in greek mythology with bird back legs. It was kinda perfect.

Tripwire Personality Traits (short version):

Gremlin energy

Hippalectryon

Extremely powerful but still learning to control it

God of Wisdom and Strategy (He doesn't know that)

Don't let him near buttons

Always coming up with new games for the town to play

Sad boi when he loses control of his power

Loves to be annoying

Defiant towards authority

Calls Darling Dozy anything but his actual name

Makes it his mission to be everyone else’s problem

No memory of early childhood

Raised by birds

Has been a drifter for as long as he can remember

Always felt like he was searching for something until he found his forever home in Hermit Valley

Partner: Terraform Best friend: Crimson Dust Mother: Soul Keeper Father: Crow Keeper Brothers: Day Shaker and Final Sonata

Story clip and Background:

Tripwire watched Terraform’s ears flick in his sleep. Tripwire could tell that he was dreaming, as he mumbled something about cats. Tripwire could only smile to himself in the darkness of the room. He was so lucky to find Hermit Valley. It had been several moons since he stumbled onto Terraform tangled in that tree. Tripwire was grateful for that day. The odd creature he had helped down from the tree had all but begged him to come back to town with him, eager to treat both to a well deserved meal. That was so long ago now, but he remembered it like it was yesterday. However, despite how much Tripwire loved his life in this current moment, sadness tugged at his heart. As he stared into the dark, he tried really hard to remember anything from his childhood. Today, just like any other day he was drawing a blank. He was such an odd creature, with his bird back legs, equine front legs, break, and four wings. He came from somewhere. Tripwire longed to remember his family, the people who he had no doubt loved him at one point. He could remember foggy voices with no real meaning. A kind sounding older male, singing him to sleep. His father maybe. He could also recall the strums of guitar, and a different male singing along. Trip didn’t know why but this voice frightened him a bit. Then there was a third voice; one still wrapped in adolescence. He also remembered a haze of green and black feathers engulfing him in a warm hug. Along with these muddled memories, he often dreams of the burry face of a soft purple mare with a golden horn. Through the mist of dreams, the mare radiates power, but he can’t help but feel as though she is watching over him. It is almost as if he can feel her love just beyond a veil.

Even with being as young as he was, Tripwire felt like he never fit in with the other creatures his brothers and his father associated with. In this wide land from home in the Burrow (Borough) to his brothers’ home of L’Maneberg, Tripwire never felt like this was where he was meant to be. Everybody seemed to view him as an oddity. Even his brothers seem to look at him with a peculiar mix of curiosity, love, and resentment. He knew why of course. His brothers were a fair bit older than him, and he was the only one of them who was a true biological son of their father. Tripwire also knew that the circumstances of his birth were a fair bit dubious at best, given that nobody outside the close-knit family knew who his mother was. That wasn’t his fault. He never viewed himself as any better than his siblings. He looked up to his siblings, and was alway ecstatic when they came to visit him and his father. They always visited him in the Burrow. He didn’t leave the Burrow and his father barely let him out of his sight. He was very young, only just beginning to fly. He had very little control of his powerful magic, but he supposed that was part of the problem. He was the son of a skilled hippogriff warrior and an ultra-powerful death goddess alicorn. He looked weird too. He took on his father’s traits for the most part, but his mother’s powerful genes just refused to be repressed. On top of that, his mother’s Divine blood decided to endow him with a second set of wings and a fierce amount of power that was sometimes hard to subdue. The god-like power wasn’t just for show either. Much like his draconequus uncle, was the walking god of war, and the solar sister was the goddess of the sun, Tripwire had a role to play in the strings of faith. Of course, at this point, the colt was too young to comprehend his true power, much less control it. While his mother was unable to walk the living dimension, his father did his best to raise the demigod. However, trouble was brewing. Tripwire could feel it on the wind, see it in the stress etched in his father’s face, in the way his brothers came home one day; wrapped in bandages and smelling of smoke. Tripwire was too young to understand what it was or what it meant. It came to a head when his father came home, wide-eyed and dirty. His feathers were singed and his eyes were red from crying. Without saying anything, he scooped Tripwire up in his arms, and continued to weep. All Tripwire could do was hold his father close. He did not know it at the time, but that would be his final night with his father, and the final night in his home.

Unknown to the young colt, a war was raging just outside the walls, and just passed the border of the Burrow. It was a long and drawn out war for justice and independence that was slowly shifting towards a struggle for control and power. The night his father came home in tears, was the night Trip’s oldest brother was killed in that struggle. However, that was not the end of the sorrow. While Crowkeeper tried very hard to keep Tripwire’s existence known to very few, rumors of his existence and more importantly his power began creeping among the ranks of power hungry legionnaires and mercenaries. Crowkeeper knew his son would soon be in danger. He knew his son had the capability to cause devastation. Creatures would try to use his son’s abilities to gain power in any way possible. Crowkeeper and Soul Keeper decided that for his own safety and the protection of others, Tripwire would be sent away. However, knowledge of his whereabouts in any sense could leave him open to danger. It was decided for his own good, his mother would wipe his memories and send him far away to a place not even Crowkeeper knew. Tripwire’s faith could not be left to chance.Tripwire could be a force of great creation or destruction. If left with the wrong people, Tripwire might never find his true purpose in this world. In addition, without the guidance and the protection of his father, Tripwire could be hurt or succumb to his own overwhelming power. Options were weighed. It was decided that Crowkeeper and Soul Keeper’s flock would care for and guide the colt. The mixed flock of different birds would keep the boy safe. They would find food and shelter for the child. They would teach and comfort the boy as he wandered the land looking for a place that he could truly call a home. As the boy grew into a teenager, then into a young adult, the intervention of his unknown protectors lessened. The flock shrunk as their charge grew and learned to care for himself. Finally, only one purple magpie was left, keeping an eye on the boy barely seen Trip as he went through his days of searching for something he really didn’t understand. He searched the land blindly, starting to believe that whatever he was looking for was a foal’s errand. That was until he met the creature known as Terraform. From the tallest limb of that apple tree, that purple and gold magpie watched as Terraform insisted that Tripwire should be properly thanked for his kindness. Finally, satisfied that she had led her son to a community that would help him thrive, she left him in the capable paws of the excitable Terraform. He brought him to the valley that Tripwire would instantly love and soon call home.

Tripwire is the hybrid offspring (Hippalectryon) of Crow Keeper and Soul Keeper. Tripwire is a chaos-loving young colt, who has a knack for traps and planning. (In reality, he has a knack for planning traps but not really seeing those traps to fruition.) With his partner in crime, Terraform, Tripwire has learned that he not only has the talent for planning but also executing those plans into elaborate works of art. While Tripwire originally believed his cutie mark was to represent his ability with traps, it actually symbolized his unique gift for organization, design, and strategy. With the help of his friends in the Settlement of Hermit, Tripwire would soon realize he was the god of Wisdom and Strategy. With this realization, is slowly unlocking his true power as a god.

However, not all is sunlight and the power of friendship. Tripwire was still born of mortal flesh. He is young and his power levels are still unstable. Tripwire can be capable of great feats of destruction when his emotions go unchecked. There are times, the power is too great for Tripwire to restrain and it can cause him physical and mental anguish. Strong emotions like fear and anger can trigger this intense state of being. His “god mode” comes with several pairs of extra wings and disembodied eyes. His eyes start to glow a deep purple as his power begins to overwhelm his physical form. Power beyond his control may rip and alter his body and mind to the point where he can no longer recognize those he calls friends. In his worst episodes, he loses all sense of himself. It is in times like these that he must rely on his friends to bring him back from the edge of madness.

[made-my-peace-with-all-the-bad]

@sondheim-girly you planted the thoughts of Marcia with the inability to hate in my brain and then I yapped so please know that this is your fault <3

Thinking about Marcia who can’t bring herself to hate her old friends because she knew they had good parts of them.

She couldn’t bring herself to hate Trip, because while he may have been a shitty boyfriend, he was a pretty loyal friend. He cared about his friends and would do anything for them. And he cares about his family. He acts annoyed when Melvin follows him, but Marcia knows that he loves Melvin. He loves his little brother and wants to protect him. She remembers the Trip that would pick up their friends and dust them off and tell them to “get their shit together” in a way that they knew meant he cared. She remembers the Trip that helped Brill plan out something for his and Bev’s anniversary. She knows how much he cares, so she can’t bring herself to hate him.

She can’t hate Brill either. Because she knows he has the potential to be a kind and incredible person. But, like the rest of them, he’s a product of his environment. She knows that he would do anything to reassure his friends and tell them it’ll be ok. He’s a comfort person and she knows that. She knows that his door is unlocked in anyone needs a place to stay. She knows that he sets aside extra blankets for friends who need it. She knows that he’d stand up for any of them. She knows that he’s an amazing boyfriend and loves Bev like it’s the best thing he’ll ever get to do. So, despite him jumping innocent greasers, and hurting Two Bit, she can’t bring herself to hate him. Because she’ll always see the boy who stood up for her when they were younger.

She couldn’t hate Bev either. Because she thinks of the girl that taught her how to do eyeliner when they were in middle school. She knows that Bev, even in her most bitter moments, loves her friends. She knows that Bev would do anything to gain her parents approval. She knows the amount of pressure Bev is under from her overbearing mother. She knows that Bev goes along with the socs in order to be validated by them. She knows that there are some nights that Bev will cry herself to sleep in Brill’s arms because it’s the only time she feels truly accepted. She remembers the Bev that said green looked good on her. She can’t bring herself to hate Bev.

She tried really hard to hate Paul. Because Paul launched this. It was his anger and grief that prompted the rumble and the jumping of Two Bit. But then she remembers the boy who’d answer his phone and listen to her cry and vent about her parents fighting again. She thinks back on the boy that would tell her it would be ok and would offer to pick her up and take her somewhere while it was happening. And suddenly her potential hatred faded. Because Paul was the oldest, so he took care of all of them. He made sure that they had someone they could go to when they needed advice, or just an older hand on their shoulder to tell them growing up was scary, but they’d be ok. She thinks about Paul, who still wears the sweater Bob got him for his fifteenth birthday. She thinks about how much he loved them and how much he cares. And she remembers the boy who’d offer to take all of them out for ice cream when they couldn’t stand to go home. And she can’t bring herself to hate Paul.

And Marcia couldn’t hate Chet. Because she knows how much he longs for love. She knows that he’d do anything to impress the socs. She knows because she remembers the little boy who was constantly asked about his older siblings. The siblings he never knew because ever since he was six years old, they’d made it clear they didn’t want a relationship with him. And his parents were older, they were done being parents. So Marcia knew Chet was constantly reminded that he wasn’t wanted, that he wasn’t planned, and they didn’t care about him. And Marcia knows that this impacts every way Chet acts. She knows that he goes along with Bob with the hope that Bob will say he’s glad to have Chet. Or that maybe one day he’ll do something so impressive that Cherry will like him. She knows that he craves the love he’s been deprived of and that makes him act out. She remembers the little boy who called her and asked if she knew how to work a stove so he could make himself dinner when he was seven. So she can’t bring herself to hate Chet.

Thinking about Marcia who wants so desperately to hate the people she used to be friends with, but can’t because she knows about the goodness and fear inside of them. She wants to badly to hate the people that hurt innocent people, but she understands that they’re a product of their environment. She knows it doesn’t excuse their behavior, but she also knows that she can’t despise them.

[wordswithkittywitch]

A little bit more information for people whose interest is piqued but aren't sure they want to talk to a stranger online about beta reading a novel based on a list.

Here's the elevator pitch: In a bustling steampunk metropolis, a widow runs a boarding house for single, middle-class women who attempt to walk three steps without being accosted by adventurers, pirates, noblemen, or crazed inventors. It's a satirical melodrama examining the lives of the women who get tied to railroad tracks.

And a short (about three page) excerpt is under the cut:

Caroline looked around and tried to get her bearings. They seemed to be on the outskirts of the city, as the nearest building was a fair run away. It would have been much faster and more convenient to take the train into the city, considering that the pair of them were tied to the tracks.

"Railroad tracks!" Bittersweet exclaimed indignantly. "Who ties someone to railroad tracks in this day and age, I ask you!"

“I would think you’d be quite familiar with the practice.” Caroline commented crossly.

“Oh, I’m familiar with it.” he scoffed, “It’s gauche. No self-respecting villain has tied a young lady to railroad tracks in almost a decade.”

“I agree, it’s quite tasteless.” said Mr. Brandywine, “Which makes it the perfect death for you, Baron Ambrose Bittersweet.” He spoke the name with the cringing pity usually reserved for a thirteen year old boy who had just decided he would become a romantic poet. Mr. Bittersweet sucked his teeth furiously and scowled up at Brandywine.

“That’s all well and good for him, but what do I have to do with it?” asked Caroline.

“You?” he laughed, “That’s quite simple. I couldn’t simply tie a man to railroad tracks. That would be… weird! But a pair of young lovers, that’s another story completely.”

“You’ve quite failed to do that, then, as I am not this gentleman’s lover!”

“Oh, come Carrie, this is no time for girlish modesty.” said Mr. Bittersweet.

“And you can shut up, if you don’t have anything useful to say.” she snapped. “You’re… you’re a crime baron, aren’t you? Don’t you have some kind of protection?”

“I have the best kind of protection!” Bittersweet defended testily, “No criminal in all the city would dare move against me!”

“Then tell me, are we out of the city or is this man not a criminal?”

“Oh, I am a criminal, make no mistake about that, young lady.” said Mr. Brandywine. “I’ve simply taken umbrage with system this man is holding the city to.”

“A system you were perfectly happy with while your actions kept you in my good graces!” snapped Bittersweet.

“Why of course.” said Brandywine, sounding slightly nonplussed, “Why would I rebel against a system I was thriving in?”

“Because it’s wrong!” Caroline protested.

“Ah, perhaps it is, pretty thing, but its wrongness only puts polite young ladies out of sorts, and that is a group not famous for kicking up a fuss.” said Mr. Brandywine, “It’s perfectly alright for everyone who would have the power to do anything about it, or at least it was until a particular man lost a particular ship.”

“Is this about you losing the Outcast?” asked Mr. Bittersweet, “Because as much as I could gather without you making a proper report, that was your own fool fault. Only an incompetent would have his ship overpowered by women and children.”

“It wasn’t like that!”

“Well, then you should have made a report as to what it was like rather than disappearing off the map! We could be forced to reach any odd conclusion, even going so far as to believe the newspapers’ account of the attack!”

“I don’t have to make reports to you anymore, Mr. Bittersweet.” snapped Brandywine, “I don’t have to listen to anyone anymore, and certainly not a man who is about to be dead.”

“What kind of villain are you, sir?” demanded Mr. Bittersweet. “It is a well-known fact among our profession that dying men make the best confessionals.”

“Confessionals, yes, but not leaders.” argued Brandywine, “The best you can hope to be at this point is a martyr.”

“I’ll worry about becoming a martyr when I’m actually dead. For now, I only ask for a word in your ear.”

"What could you possibly have to say at this point, other than ‘please don’t kill me’?”

“Both of us know you’re not going to kill me, Mr. Brandywine. You wouldn’t know what to do with your life if I where not coordinating it. You think you hate this, but in reality, even that hate gives much needed structure to your life.”

“You—you greatly overestimate your importance, you pompous ass!” Brandywine snapped.

“I can see how it might appear that way to someone who’s plans for the future rarely extend as far as the next cutting remark you aim at someone you insist you’re going to kill without making the least effort to kill him.”

“You talk too much. Fear of death shows itself in the most curious ways.”

“I’m not afraid of death because I’m not going to die here. I am cross at the idea of it getting out that men in my Union were using such hackneyed plans as tying young ladies to railroad tracks. It rather shows a lack of imagination on their part, which reflects badly on me.”

“Well, if all goes well, the only thing you have to worry about reflecting on you is the underside of a speeding train.” Caroline snapped.

“Hush, Carrie, the men are talking.” Mr. Bittersweet scolded gently.

“And saying absolutely nothing!” she snapped. “I’m saying more than you’re worth, if only you’d listen.”

“If I were her, I wouldn’t be listening to you either, Mr. Brandywine. You spend too much time gloating because you think it makes you look intimidating. But if I don’t squirm, you watching me and waiting for me to do so becomes pointless.” said Mr. Bittersweet. He adjusted his position slightly so that his back was resting comfortably against Caroline’s.

“The only real question is how much are you going to annoy me before you realize doing so was a profoundly stupid idea?” Mr. Bittersweet asked coolly. “There is only time waiting to elapse before I have you at my mercy, rather than the other way around, and unlike you, I won’t be keeping you there to gloat over the situation. You’re going into the Boiler Room, or you’re going to die. And if you want to pick which one sounds less odious to you, you’ll untie me now.”

“Sir, in case you forget, I have already overpowered you. You are helpless, even a plea for your own life would fall on deaf ears. I’m certainly not afraid of you!”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” said Mr. Bittersweet. “As it shows you to be even stupider than I took you to be.”

Mr. Brandywine fumed. This confrontation was not going at all how he pictured it.

“As amusing as this conversation is-“

“To whom?” asked Caroline.

“I’m afraid I do have somewhere else to be.” said Mr. Brandywine. “The trouble with trains is they are so put out by having something blocking the track, even when they could easily just barrel over it. I have to make sure this coming train does not stop for anything.” He smiled broadly, doffed his hat, and bowed sarcastically at Mr. Bittersweet. “Goodbye, Mr. Bittersweet. Have a painful death.”

“Good afternoon, Mr. Brandywine. Report at the Repose at noon tomorrow for your punishment.” Mr. Bittersweet replied. Brandywine looked briefly down into Mr. Bittersweet’s smiling face before kicking a cloud of dust into it. With a swish of his coat, Mr. Brandywine strode purposefully down the railroad track and into the distance. The crime baron rolled his eyes.

“The man’s an idiot.” Mr. Bittersweet muttered. “If he had a single thought under that ridiculous bowler hat he would have stayed around to make sure the train actually hit us.” Caroline frowned heavily.

“That was a lot of bravado. I’m hoping there’s a plan to go along with it.” said Caroline.

“I have a half-dozen plans, the trouble is picking which one would be the most satisfying for Brandywine to never learn about.” Mr. Bittersweet grumbled, furiously trying to move his bound feet.

“How about the fastest one, in case it fails?” Caroline suggested. Mr. Bittersweet fidgeted in a manner most unlike himself. For a moment, Caroline wondered if he was trying to take advantage of their situation to grab at her, but even Mr. Bittersweet would not be so crass. He gave a soft crow of triumph and unbent one of his legs.

“That’s one foot free!” he announced, “Now if you can untie my hands…”

“I’ll untie your hands after I’ve untied my own feet.”

“Oh, but that’ll take ages…”

“You did it quickly enough.”

“Yes, but I’m…”

“Chattering at me when I’m trying to concentrate.” Caroline snapped. The two of them struggled with their bonds, both quite set against helping the other. Mr. Bittersweet knelt forward, trying to get his feet beneath him, while Caroline squealed in protest.

“Mr. Bittersweet! Give me a minute!”

“We don’t have a minute, we have to get off of this track!” With that, Mr. Bittersweet bent forward onto his knees, getting his feet beneath him. Caroline was pulled backwards by this action, and as Mr. Bittersweet drew to his feet she found that it was not possible to get her own feet beneath her, as when he leaned forward, she was lifted off the ground entirely.

“Ambrose!” she protested.

“Just a moment, love, I’ll get us out of this!” he announced, staggering forward a few steps before breaking into a slightly hunched run. Caroline screamed in protest, her feet flailing in the air.

“Where-? Where are you-?” she shrieked, trying to get her bearings. To her dismay, Mr. Bittersweet was not climbing off of the railroad track, but running down its length in the direction that Mr. Brandywine had disappeared in.

“Stop! Stop!” Caroline protested.

“When I get my hands on that odious little man, I swear-“ he growled, completely ignoring her.

“Bittersweet! Stop!” Caroline screamed, though she was become aware of the fact he wasn’t paying the least attention. So she attempted to become unignorable and slammed the heel of her boot hard against the inside of his knee. Mr. Bittersweet’s legs buckled in pain, lowering Caroline onto her feet. Caroline then leaned forward, got Mr. Bittersweet’s weight onto her back, and began to run in the opposite direction.

“You’re going the wrong way!” screamed Bittersweet.

“I’m trying to get off the tracks!” snapped Caroline, clambering with great difficulty over the railroad ties and off of the tracks. But no sooner had she gotten off of the tracks than Mr. Bittersweet kicked her legs out from under her and she found herself being borne on his back once again, running along the side of the tracks as fast as his long legs could carry them.

Hey! You down there! Do you like:

Steampunk?

Early cinema melodramas?

Deconstruction of tropes?

The Strong Female Character trope shamelessly blasted into oblivion by a variety of complex female characters?

Writing with clear influences from both Terry Pratchett and Lemony Snicket?

Absurdity with occasional splashes of social commentary?

Long books?

If you didn't answer a firm no to any of these questions, I have another question for you: Want to beta read a novel?

[navree]

anyway the only version of jason going non-lethal that makes sense is the version he brings up in #975 where he makes clear that he's going against his moral compass and his convictions on what he thinks is right explicitly so that he can maintain a connection with his family. none of this mealy mouthed 'jason realizes Killing Is Bad' thing (i'm of the opinion that jason's kinda the direct opposite of bruce in that where it would be too easy for the latter to start killing and not stop jason can kill and obviously has but the easier option for him is to just not do it and he does it because that's how his philosophy works) but jason admitting that he's taking the easy way out and being selfish at the expense of his own moral code so that he can still be a part of the batfamily. it's the only thing that makes sense to me.

[smallsinger5901]

imagine how Mello felt after being the best at Wammy’s for years, the best contender to succeed L, one of the only people there to have ever MET L in person. He knew what he was going to be with his future, his whole LIFE! Then Near turns up. And suddenly this random younger kid is beating him effortlessly, putting in none of the work and dedication that he did, and this person has none of Mello’s flaws, none of his emotions or impulsivity or anything else he was criticised for. All at once the place he was king of was oppressive and cold. He was just another random, nameless Wammy’s kid.

His whole LIFE had been taken from him. Then L dies and he’s told to ‘just get along’ with the person that robbed him unflinchingly of his life’s goal? i understand why he left.

[luck-of-the-drawings]

FOR A BEAT OF HEART, THE BREATH IS SHOT. AND WITHIN A BREATH, THE HEART IS CAUGHT. THE PIPES ARE BURSTING, UNDER GREAT STRESS, BOLTS TORN ASUNDER, MAKING A MESS. A FINAL COUGH, A FINAL RETCH, A GOREY SLOUGH, CLAIMED BY WRETCH.

[naarlar]

okie say what you will about arcane s2 but Ekko is the goat, king among plebeians, hero in a sea of messes

[thecrowsart]

👁️🦎🎯

(crops under cut)

[your-stranger-halfblood-things]

Sometimes it's okay to beat things up *grabs baseball bat* PENNYWISE GET YOUR ASS OVER HERE

[brionysea]

when max is depressed we know something's wrong because lucas says with his words that he knows something's wrong but when mike is depressed we don't think anything of it because will's right next to him rolling his eyes about how stupid straight people are

[spotsupstuff]

Cap's got a new voice claim! feat. a tiny bit of Sparrows n her's unchanged vc because 1. it's cute to hear them together and 2. I snorted. The vibes are so different

[songs: So Familiar by Jean Castel and Driving Myself Home by Rose Betts]

[theloveinc]

This may be an unpopular opinion about Todoroki but I feel like if you were dating and you didn’t want him to come over to your home because it’s not extravagant and maybe not the cleanest he’d be like the last person to judge you for it

GODDDDDDDD YEAHHHH, this is such an interesting take🧐🧐🧐 because like on one hand, he comes from money which makes it even harder to wanna open up in That Way to him, but then... he's so far from like noticing anything being wrong so long as you're happy that it's so relieving when you finally get to the point of like .. "okay u can come in sorry it's not much / messy blah blah" 🥺... ik he just sits down on your bed and is honestly happy to be there after weeks/months of outdoors dates that he couldn't care less abt the look of things.

(plus if u do wanna clean or organize or renovated he's SO prepared to help. buys all the supplies needed and any new furniture if you want it and it's like... PLEASE U DON'T HAVE TO !! GO AWAY !!! and he literally refuses to take no for an answer....

has this man ever picked up a sponge in his life? put together a piece of furniture? NO, but for he's gonna make it happen...)

also lmfao he's so sick of you acting like you can't touch anything in his OWN house. You know when you go to those extremely, neat richie people houses and it feels bad just sitting on their couch? Sho is truly like .... knocking stuff over just show you that it's okay.

you spill a drop of wine on the carpet and look like you're about to cry and he's tipping his whole glass over to just make you feel better !!!! and truly going ? huh ? when you scream