#my favorite crime scene investigation date

[andrastes-sacred-titmouse]

MINRATHOUS- The Cobbled Swan Case

[thebisexualdogdad]

With the new rookie season you gotta do more Lucy!!!

Maybe something like Lucy meets a PI who’s working a similar case as her and the two slowly flirt and nerd out on common interests.

Lucy Chen x Male!reader

● as a private investigator you were hired to follow a man who's wife was accusing him of cheating

● lucky for her he wasn't cheating, unluckily for her he became entangled with a gang selling drugs and now he's missing

● which is how you meet officer Lucy Chen

● “Excuse me? What do you think you're doing? This is a crime scene you can't be here,” she questions as you're looking at the faces of a bunch of newly deceased individuals after a drug deal gone wrong trying to ID your clients husband

● “I'm a private investigator, Y/N Y/L/N, I've been hired by Mary Jameson to track down her husband Luke Jameson who is involved with all this”

● “do you see him here?”

● “no but-”

● “then I'm gonna have to ask you to leave”

● you don't actually leave, you just hang around outside the crime scene tape waiting to get any more information on where you're missing guy might be

● “he's still here?” Harper asks Lucy who has been keeping an eye on you for the last several hours

● “yeah he thinks I'm gonna tell him details about the case because he's a PI”

● “PI's are the worst,” Lopez chimes in

● “I thought lawyers were the worst?”

● “they are but I'm not married to a PI,” she laughs, “he says he's looking for a guy who deals for this gang right? Lucy take him to the station and find out everything he knows, he may actually be useful in helping us fill in some missing pieces”

● back at the station Lucy has you in an interrogation room, questioning you about Luke

● you tell her you've been tailing him for three weeks, he went missing two days ago handing over the photos you have of him dealing drugs as well as meeting up with the leader of the gang

● you actually were quite helpful for Lucy

● and even a little bit flirty

● and to your surprise Lucy was flirting back

● you find out you like the same TV shows and music artists

● you spend a little too long talking about the latest season of your favorite show

● but just as you're about to ask her on a date to get to know her more Lopez and Harper interrupt bringing your attention back to the case at hand

● Lucy relays all the information to them and thanks you for the help

● and after you leave Lopez asks her, “were you flirting with the PI?”

● “no of course not that would be unprofessional”

● Lopez and Harper simultaneously “they were flirting”

● you show up at the station again the next morning with coffee and breakfast sandwiches to see if they have any new leads on Luke

● “you brought me coffee?”

● “with almond milk and a shot of espresso”

● “how did you know that's how I drink my coffee?”

● “I'm a private investigator remember, it's my job to know those kind of things”

● you and Lucy end up working together to find out that Luke is being held captive by a rival gang

● the cops raid the warehouse and free him though he is arrested in the process due to your photos of him dealing drugs which his wife is certainly not going to be happy about

● “Guess this is the end of our team up,” Lucy tells you when she returns to the station with another officer towing behind with Luke in handcuffs

● “Seems so but it doesn't mean it has to be the last time we see each other right? Can I take you out to dinner sometime?”

● “yeah, that would be nice”

● “great, I'll get us a reservation at the blue orchid”

● “that's my favorite restaurant how did you- oh right private investigator,” she laughs

[barblaz-arts]

Do u have any wenclair (or individual) headcanons that havent found their way into a fic or comic of yours? One of my favs is Wednesday stashing weapons on Enid/in Enids space bc she is nothing if not prepared.

That's pretty cute actually lol

Ooh I have a few, yeah. Some of these ideas are ones i hope to put in a comic or fic somehow someday

- Wednesday's favorite season is summer. Enid is surprised because she expects it to be fall or winter. Wednesday just likes summer because it's the season when Enid puts away the fluffy coats and sweaters and wears sleeveless shirts that show off her arms and more scars

- enidtendo drew Lucas and Enid taking Bianca and Wednesday on a double date to a hockey game and I really love the thought of that being a regular thing. Maybe even movie dates to action movies. Just a really nice bonus that it forces Bianca and Wednesday to bond lol

- there was a time when they had matching lockscreen photos. Enid's was Wednesday's half of The Window while Wednesday had Enid's side. Wednesday begrudgingly did it but then got mad when Enid changed her lockscreen only after like a week or so

- when Wednesday isn't in the mood for much physical contact, Enid will show affection by kissing her braid

- Enid has a petty, one-sided rivalry with Fester for being Wednesday's favorite person ever. Fester is oblivious.

- while people think that Wednesday is too gloomy, Enid knows that Wednesday is actually fuckin hilarious

- Wednesday totally got tickets to Loossemble, Odd Eye Circle, and Chuu's concerts when they toured in America for Enid. Wednesday glared the fuck out of Hyeju.

- When Enid is mad, Wednesday scrambles to buy/cook her favorite food. When Wednesday is mad, Enid tries to find the weirdest and/or oldest shit she could see in Uriah's Heap

Bonus, married Wenclair headcanons:

- there's always a rookie detective that makes the mistake of crushing on Wednesday when she started assisting crime investigations and Enid hates it

- Since Enid is a fan of kung fu movies, I like to think that she's a big fan of martial arts actresses like Michelle Yeoh and Cynthia Rothrock. 40's Enid has a pixie cut and no longer dyes her hair because it has damaged her hair, so when she was really sad about this, Wednesday cheered her up by saying "It makes you look like that Rothrock woman you liked watching".

(Rothrock is the white lady at the end of this video fyi. Also featuring Michelle Yeoh in the chase scene)

- Enid has a few simps because of her mild internet fame. Wednesday threatens them when they leave comments in her vlogs and Instagram posts ("i got the divorce papers ready bby just say the word" "YOU WILL START COUGHING IN THREE DAYS--")

- in the wedding, Yoko was Maid of Honor and Eugene was Best Man(or Man of Honor?). Pubert was the ring bearer. Later on, Yoko and Eugene are Vega's godparents(they also develop a rivalry over who is Vega's favorite)

[storyscribeforthesentiment]

the detective & the dark knight | chapter 4

Summary: Detective Marie Manning, investigating a series of brutal m*rders in Gotham, crosses paths with the mysterious Batman. As they work together, their mutual respect turns into a deep, passionate bond. Amidst danger and corruption, their unlikely partnership evolves into a profound love, forever changing their lives in Gotham’s dark corners.

Pairing: Batman/Bruce Wayne x f! main character

Author’s note: Prepare for soft Bruce getting in his feels over Marie. They go on a date, Marie overthinks their relationship (bestie needs to chill), and she nearly gives Batman a heart attack when she puts herself in danger. This is my favorite chapter so far! 

Word count: 4k

Warnings/tags: mentions of murder, mentions of police bribes, fighting

Marie Manning’s apartment was bathed in a warm glow as she moved around, preparing for her date with Bruce Wayne. She hadn’t ever expected to find herself in this situation, but here she was, picking out an outfit and checking the clock every few minutes. 

The doorbell rang, and Marie jumped, almost knocking over a nearby stack of case files. She hurried to the door, smoothing down her satin dress and taking a deep breath.

“Hey, Detective Manning.” Bruce greeted with his signature charm, holding out a bouquet of tulips. “These are for you.”

Marie’s face lit up. “Oh, thank you Bruce, that’s really sweet. You definitely didn’t have to. Come on in.”

Bruce took a moment to truly see Marie, appreciating her as she was—without the gala gown or her usual detective gear. She stood tall, her long dark hair cascading in soft curls down her back, and her brown eyes, usually so intense and focused, now seemed to hold a softer, more vulnerable light.

He had recognized her beauty during their first encounter at the docks. There was a raw, captivating charm about her, a blend of strength and grace that made his heart ache with admiration.

Bruce stepped inside and took in the stacks of paperwork and case files scattered about. His gaze landed on Marie’s cat, lounging comfortably on a pile of files.

“You really do have a cozy setup here,” Bruce said, nodding toward the cat.

Marie laughed as she arranged the flowers in a vase. “‘Cozy’ is one way to put it. I prefer ‘organized chaos.’”

Marbles stretched lazily before heading over to Bruce and rubbing against his leg. Bruce smirked. “I see your cat’s already made himself comfortable with me. Is that a sign of approval?”

Marie grinned and gave Bruce a playful nudge. “Well, if Marbles trusts you, then I guess I can too. So, what’s the plan for tonight?”

Bruce’s smile widened. “I’ve got a nice place in mind. It’ll be much better than our last interaction together.” He was thinking about their recent meeting at a crime scene for the Red Lotus case, but quickly corrected himself. “I mean, way better than the gala.”

Marie raised an eyebrow. “You’d better live up to that promise, Wayne.”

“I’ve made reservations at this little bistro I think you’ll like. It’s quiet and quaint—perfect for a night away from the organized chaos.”

Marie nodded, grabbing her long overcoat. “Sounds perfect. Lead the way.”

The restaurant's ambience was intimate, with soft jazz playing in the background and flickering candlelight lighting up the area. They settled into their booth, and Bruce raised his glass with a grin. “To a night free from crime scenes and paperwork.”

Marie clinked her glass with his, chuckling. “And what would you know about crime scenes and paperwork, Mr. Billionaire?”

He laughed softly. “You’d be surprised. Even billionaires have their share of chaos.”

“At least tonight, we get to enjoy a break from it all.” Marie responded.

Bruce nodded. “Absolutely. Here’s to a peaceful evening.”

Bruce’s words carried a subtle irony. He savored this rare moment of calm with Marie, yet guilt tugged at him. While she saw him as just Bruce Wayne, unaware of his alter ego as Batman and the battles he fought, he couldn’t help but feel a mix of selfishness and remorse for keeping that part of himself hidden from her.

“So, Marie,” Bruce said, “Tell me about your first days on the force. I bet they were something.”

Marie’s smile wavered slightly. “Shit, where do I start? My first big case was a robbery-turned-shooting, and I was completely clueless. I remember stepping over blood and broken glass, and thinking, ‘Yep, this is definitely not a drill.’”

Bruce leaned in, fascinated. “That sounds intense.”

“It was,” Marie said, “I remember one night, a few months in, I was chasing a suspect. I tripped and fell, and suddenly, I was staring down the barrel of a gun. I just froze.”

Bruce’s eyes widened. “Did anything happen?”

“Yeah,” She said, thinking back to that night, “A patrol car showed up just in time to save my sorry ass. But that moment… it made me realize how real this job is. And how easy it is to feel vulnerable.”

Bruce listened intently, his expression thoughtful. “I can’t imagine how tough that must have been,” he said, offering Marie a reassuring smile. He continued, “You know, Marie, you’re one of the best detectives Gotham has. And one of the few truly honest people at the GCPD.”

Marie looked up, feeling grateful, but surprised. “How do you know that?”

Bruce hesitated for a moment, then cleared his throat. “Oh, you know, Gotham’s a city where corruption is... pretty evident.”

Marie smiled, “I guess that’s true. It’s nice to hear someone appreciate the hard work we put in.”

Bruce looked at Marie with genuine curiosity. “What made you choose law enforcement?”

Marie’s eyes clouded with a brief, distant sadness. Bruce noticed and gently placed his hand over hers. “It’s a bit of a story,” she began. “My dad was a detective. He was killed on the job when I was a kid, going after some small-time crook. It was shitty—really shitty. It nearly shattered my family. Becoming a detective was my way of making sense of it all and staying connected to him."

Marie took a breath before continuing, "He loved his work, and I like to think he’d be proud of me for carrying on.”

“I understand that more than you might think. Losing parents is something I'm familiar with. It’s different, but I get the drive to honor their memory.” Bruce said, feeling enormously grateful that Marie opened up to him.

She gave a small, appreciative smile. “It’s comforting to hear that. It’s not always easy, but it’s what keeps me going.”

To lighten the mood, Marie took a sip of her wine and leaned in with a playful glint in her eye. “So, Bruce, what’s your life like outside of the high society events? What’s the billionaire playboy up to when he's not dazzling everyone?”

Bruce looked slightly taken aback but quickly recovered. “Oh, you know, just the usual—business meetings, philanthropy, and the occasional quiet evening at home.”

Their plates of spaghetti arrives, and Marie began twisting her fork in the noodles. “Sounds pretty standard. But surely there’s more to it than that. What’s a typical day like for you?”

Bruce hesitated, his fork pausing mid-air. “Well, I... I like to stay busy. There are always new projects and challenges. But I also try to make time for things that matter.”

Marie nodded, “Like what? Do you have any hobbies or interests outside of work?”

Bruce smiled, clearly choosing his words carefully. “I’m a bit of an adrenaline junkie. I enjoy activities that get my heart racing. Keeps me on my toes.”

Marie laughed. “Adrenaline junkie, huh? Sounds like you have a taste for excitement. I can relate. I guess we both like to keep things interesting.”

Bruce’s smile grew, and he raised his glass again. “Here’s to finding balance, no matter how chaotic life gets.”

Marie clinked her glass with his once more, her eyes warm. “Cheers to that.”

They spent the rest of the evening lost in conversation, their bond growing stronger with each shared story and laugh. When they finally left the restaurant, the cool night air felt invigorating. Bruce walked Marie to her apartment, her hand wrapped in his.

They reached Marie’s door, and she turned to Bruce with a smile. “This was a lot of fun. I never thought I’d get a date with a billionaire.”

Bruce grinned. “And I never thought I’d get a date with Gotham’s top detective.”

Marie glanced up at Bruce, her fingers idly playing with the edge of his jacket as she gathered her thoughts. “Bruce, can we talk for a sec?”

Bruce raised an eyebrow, intrigued. “Sure, what’s up?”

Marie took a deep breath, feeling the warmth of his jacket against her fingers. “I’ve really enjoyed tonight. You’re... well, you’re great. But I need you to know something before we get too ahead of ourselves.”

Bruce leaned in slightly, his gaze softening. “Okay, hit me with it.”

Marie fiddled with the fabric, struggling a bit with her words. “My job is... kind of all-consuming. I can get pulled into work at any hour, and some days it’s like working a double shift. I just wanted to be upfront about it. I know we’ve only been on one date, but—”

Bruce reached out, gently placing a hand on hers, stilling her movements. “Marie, I get it. You don’t need to worry about rushing into anything.”

She looked at him, feeling a rush of relief. “Thanks, Bruce. I just wanted to be honest about what you’re getting into.”

Bruce smiled, his hand still resting on hers. “I’m no stranger to unpredictability. My job can be like that, too.”

Marie’s eyes softened as she felt the warmth of his touch. “It’s really good to hear that. It’s nice knowing someone understands.”

Bruce chuckled softly. “I’m here for whatever comes next, whether it’s more of these nights or the craziness of your job.”

Marie's heart pulsed, “That means a lot to me.”

Bruce took a small step back, his hand lingering on hers for a moment longer. “I’ll see you soon, Marie.”

She nodded, feeling a mix of warmth and anticipation. “See you soon, Bruce.”

With a final, reassuring smile, Bruce turned and walked into the night. Marie watched him disappear, still in disbelief that she had just been on a date with Bruce Wayne. She lingered by the door, a gentle smile on her lips, savoring the moment before finally closing it behind her.

—-------------------------------

The next morning, Marie was back at the precinct, surrounded by the usual clamor of ringing phones and clacking keyboards. Marie and Gordon had taken a quiet moment in his office to discuss their next steps on the Red Lotus case. The blinds were drawn, casting long shadows across the desk, making the room feel calm amidst the usual unrest of the station.

Marie sat across from Gordon, fidgeting with the edge of a case file. She looked up, her expression uncertain. “Gordon, I need to talk to you about something. Something outside of work.” Gordon broke his focus from the paperwork on his desk and met her eyes.

“I’ve been seeing someone. Bruce Wayne. We went on a date, and it was… well, it was great.”

Gordon raised an eyebrow, leaning back in his chair. “Bruce Wayne, huh? The billionaire playboy. I didn’t expect that. Guess you guys really hit it off at the gala.”

Marie sighed and rubbed her temples. “Yeah, it’s been... complicated.”

Gordon looked surprised. “I thought you said the date was good?”

“It was. The date was amazing. He said he wants to see me again.”

“So, what’s the problem?”

“My job is a mess. Balancing it while being in a relationship is tough. I’ve never had time for anything serious before.” She felt a pang of insecurity upon revealing that detail.

She continued, “It’s not that I don’t want to be dating someone, but honestly, I’ve never even had time to download a dating app. And it’s not like I’m meeting guys while working late nights at the precinct.” Marie glanced out the window into the precinct’s lobby, where Harvey Bullock and a few other cops were hunched over, shoveling chips and sodas into their mouths. “Well, not any halfway decent guys, at least.” 

Gordon sighed, “Let me guess, you’re worried that work might affect this budding relationship with Mr. Wayne?”

Marie nodded, looking troubled. “Exactly. I could be on call at any hour, and I can’t just turn off being a detective. I’ve never had a life outside of this job. It’s like the moment I try to have something normal, it feels like it’s going to get swallowed up by work."

Gordon leaned forward, his tone firm but gentle. “Marie, this job will take everything from you if you let it. It’s a beast, and it’s never satisfied. But that doesn’t mean you should let it destroy everything else in your life.”

Marie looked up, surprised. “You think so?”

“Absolutely.” Gordon nodded, “You’ve earned this time with someone special. You deserve a balance, and you shouldn’t let the job dictate every aspect of your life. Hell, even I’ve had to learn that the hard way.”

Marie’s eyes widened. “How do you manage it?”

Gordon shrugged slightly. “It’s not easy. There’s no magic formula. But I’ve learned to make space for what matters, even when it feels impossible. You need to protect those parts of your life that give you happiness. Otherwise, you’ll end up a shell of yourself.”

Marie’s shoulders relaxed a bit, a small smile forming. “I’m just scared that if I let my guard down, things will fall apart.”

Gordon’s expression was encouraging. “You’re not alone in this. There’s no shame in wanting a life outside of this job. If Bruce is someone who makes you happy, don’t push him away because you’re afraid. It’s okay to let yourself be human.”

Marie nodded, feeling understood. “I guess I need to figure out how to make room for both parts of my life.”

Gordon gave her a reassuring smile. “You will. You’re one of the best detectives I know, but you’re also one of the best people I know. You deserve to be happy. Don’t forget that.”

Marie stood up, feeling a bit lighter. “Thanks, Gordon. I really needed to hear that.”

Gordon gave her a nod as she headed for the door. “Anytime, Detective.”

—-------------------------------

A few hours later, Marie was at her desk surrounded by a chaotic array of case files. The Red Lotus case had her on edge. Upon studying her most recent notes, she was convinced the next murder would occur at an old industrial plant near Gotham Hospital.

She found Commissioner Gordon in his office, packing up to head home for the day. “Boss, I need to get in touch with Batman. I’ve got a lead on the Red Lotus case.”

Gordon checked his watch before looking at Marie, a thoughtful expression crossing his face. “It's awfully late, don't you have a cat that will miss you if you're out too late?"

When Marie's expression didn't change, he continued, "There’s a broken floodlight on the roof. It’s not exactly high-tech, but it’s how I usually get his attention.”

Marie’s eyes widened with curiosity. “Really? That’s… oddly brilliant. I’ll go up there and give it a try.”

On the roof, Marie fumbled with the old floodlight, trying to get it working. After a few awkward attempts, she managed to get the light beaming into the night sky, resembling a crude Bat-Signal.

She stared at the light, feeling a mix of anticipation and impatience. “Come on, Batman. I’m not exactly an expert at this.”

Minutes ticked by, and Marie’s anxiety grew. She muttered to herself, “Maybe he’s caught in traffic. Or maybe he’s just not into following broken floodlights.”

Frustrated, she decided to head to the industrial plant on her own. As she drove up to the location, she noticed the place was as ominous as she had imagined. The shadows and decaying machinery made it feel like a scene from a horror movie.

Marie approached the entrance, her nerves increasing with every step. The shadows seemed to stretch everywhere, and the dim, flickering lights cast unsettling shapes on the walls. Her stomach churned with a mix of anxiety and determination. She had expected Batman to show up by now, but he was still nowhere in sight. The unease gnawed at her; she felt exposed and alone.

As she neared the entrance, the sound of engines roared behind her. Marie turned to see black SUVs pulling up, their headlights slicing through the gloom. She braced herself as Falcone’s men emerged, their intimidating presence amplifying her sense of dread.

“Looks like we’ve got company,” one of Falcone’s goons said with a sneer. The man had a brutish face, a scar running down his cheek, and his eyes were cold and menacing.

Marie tried to steady her breathing as she faced them. “Falcone,” she called out, her voice wavering slightly despite her best efforts. “Let’s cut the bullshit. Are you behind the Red Lotus murders?”

Falcone stepped out of the shadows with an air of casual arrogance. His sharp, tailored suit seemed out of place against the backdrop of the crumbling industrial plant. He looked Marie up and down with a dismissive smirk, making her skin crawl. “Why would I be behind those murders?” he drawled, his gaze lingering uncomfortably. “I’m being set up. Someone’s trying to pin this whole mess on me.”

Marie’s eyes narrowed, her anger bubbling to the surface. “Framed, huh? For what reason? Why would anyone go through all the trouble to set you up?”

Falcone’s smile widened, a glint of malice in his eyes. “Well, darling, that’s a question for someone with a bit more brain power than you. But it’s definitely easier to pay people off than to deal with nosy detectives.”

Marie’s jaw tightened. “So you’re saying you’re just handing out bribes to keep people quiet? Sounds like you’re more worried about covering your tracks than finding out who's framing you.”

Falcone chuckled, shaking his head. “You think you’re so clever, don’t you? But really, it’s easier to silence people than deal with the mess they cause. Especially when they’re poking around where they shouldn’t be.”

Marie’s patience snapped. “Enough with the crap, Falcone. If you’re not behind the murders, why are you trying to bribe me to back off? You’re hiding something.”

Falcone’s demeanor darkened. “Listen, detective, I’m not here to play games. It’s called ‘business.’ Sometimes you have to grease palms to keep things running smoothly. Doesn’t mean I’m behind every fuckin’ mess that happens in this city.”

She felt a surge of anger. “Business? Is that what you call it? Paying people off and getting away with murder? I’m not buying your bullshit.”

“I’m done with this, take her out.” Falcone announced, waving his fingers towards his groupies.

Before she could react further, his men moved in. One of them threw a punch, catching Marie off guard. She staggered, the blow hitting her squarely in the ribs. She gritted her teeth, trying to fight back, but the sheer number of attackers overwhelmed her. Each punch and kick seemed to blend into a haze of pain. She was able to land a few good punches before they overpowered her.

“Fuck you,” Marie gasped as another thug slammed her against the wall. A punch to her jaw brought the sharp, coppery taste of blood to her mouth. She spat the blood onto her attacker’s face, her struggle to defend herself growing more desperate with each agonizing second.

Just as the situation seemed dire, a grappling hook shot through the air, and Batman descended with a powerful landing that sent Falcone’s goons sprawling. The Dark Knight moved with expert precision, his strikes a blur of efficiency and force. Each of Falcone's thugs fell or fled under the relentless onslaught.

“Perfect timing,” Marie muttered bitterly, falling to the ground as Batman’s intervention ended the assault. The thugs were either incapacitated or running for their lives, leaving the grimy, derelict plant in an eerie silence. Falcone was nowhere to be seen.

Batman’s focus shifted immediately to Marie. He knelt beside her, his expression hidden but his concern evident in the harsh lines of his posture. He gently examined her injuries, his gloved hands careful but firm. His breath came in heavy, controlled bursts as he took in the extent of her bruises and cuts.

“This is what happens when you don’t wait for backup,” Batman said, his voice low but laced with frustration. “What the hell were you thinking, coming here alone? You could’ve been killed. This isn’t a damn game.”

Marie winced as he touched a particularly sore spot on her jaw. “I didn’t have time to wait,” she snapped, trying to mask her pain with defiance. “I was on a lead, and I needed to act before it got cold.”

Batman’s eyes narrowed beneath his mask. “You’re not invincible, Detective. You’re lucky I showed up when I did. What if I hadn’t been here? You were losing that fight. These guys will end you, and you'll never be seen again.”

Marie tried to sit up, but the pain kept her laying down. “You think I don't know that?" Batman didn't respond.

She spoke up, "Oh, and where were you when I used the floodlight? I waited, but you didn’t show up. You think I can just sit around and wait forever? What kind of detective would that make me?”

Batman’s anger was palpable. “I was following another lead. I didn’t realize you’d be in this much danger. This city is dangerous, and you should’ve known better than to come here without backup.”

Marie’s gaze was filled with pain. “Well, maybe if you were more reliable, I wouldn’t have had to face this alone.” Moments passed as Bruce continued scanning her wounds.

His voice softened slightly, though it remained stern. “I’m sorry. I should’ve been here sooner. But you have to be more careful. Gotham’s not a place for heroics without a plan or backup.”

Marie’s irritation didn’t wane, but she nodded, recognizing the truth in his words. “Fine. Let’s just get out of here. I don’t want to hang around for another round of thugs.”

Batman helped her to her feet, his arm securely wrapped around her waist to support her. Marie couldn’t help but notice the sheer size of his muscles pressing against her, and she felt a surge of irritation. "Great," she thought, "as if his stupidly amazing physique wasn’t already impressive enough." The tension between them was palpable as they made their way out of the industrial plant, Marie’s anger simmering beneath the surface.

Once outside, Batman glanced back at the ruined plant, his mind racing through the night’s events. His voice was quieter, almost softer, as if Bruce Wayne was momentarily taking over. “You need to be more cautious,” he said, struggling to articulate the depth of his concern. His words fell short, unable to fully express how much he cared for her and how deeply it hurt him to see her injured.

“I’ll make sure you get medical attention,” he continued, his tone firm yet caring. “Don’t think that you can keep doing this without consequences.”

Marie met his gaze, her own concern mirroring his. “I get it. I’ll be more careful. But remember, I’m not just another asset. I’m out here doing what I can to stop the madness.”

With a final, pained look at the darkened plant, Batman and Marie disappeared into the night.

[samasmith23]

A Study in Justice & Romance: Defending Makoto Niijima's Confidant Line

Regarding the romance options with Persona 5 Royal's confidant lines, I personally decided to have the protagonist, Joker, enter a relationship with Makoto Niijima during my initial playthrough.

In addition to Makoto & Joker having earnest & adorable chemistry together, but I chose to have the protagonist date Makoto because the latter ended up being my favorite character in the game overall due to her phenomenal arc as an intelligent socially awkward honors student who actively chooses to help victims of injustice as she gains the courage to stand up against the corrupt adults in her life who expect her to unquestioningly conform to societal norms. Developments that are greatly reflected through Makoto’s confidant line, or social link subplot.

While I’m aware that Makoto’s confidant line is not as well regarded by a sizable portion of P5’s fan base despite the character’s overwhelming popularity in general, I personally believe that Makoto’s confidant arc is criminally underrated! I loved seeing Joker spend free time with Makoto as she attempts to be more interactive & helpful to her peers as Student Council President. In particular, Joker assists Makoto’s efforts to help her new friend Eiko Takao escape an abusive relationship with a sleazy club host named Tsukasa. Essentially, Makoto’s confidant subplot functions as a great extension of her character development in the game’s main plot, since it further forces Makoto to reconcile with her past naivety to the interests & concerns of her fellow students despite her obvious book-smarts.

These developments come to a head during the Rank 9 scene of Makoto’s social link, wherein she confronts Eiko after she investigates her boyfriend and learns that Tsukasa has a reputation within the Tokyo underworld for forcing vulnerable girls into debt to exploit them both financially & sexually. Things come to a head though when a desperate Makoto literally tries to slap the lonely & confused Eiko back to reality while trying to convince the latter that her "boyfriend" is just a criminal trafficker. Heck, Makoto even almost attempts to directly physically challenge Tsukasa before Joker intervenes to protect his friend.

This scene is emblematic of both Makoto’s strong desire to bring about justice for victims of horrific crimes, as well as her own shortcomings derived from her social naivety & brash impulsiveness. Makoto later acknowledges to Joker that her slapping Eiko & trying to physically challenge Tsukasa is reflective of her tendency to not always consider the potential risks or consequences behind her actions in social situations before immediately acting on them. Character flaws that Makoto is determined to overcome after having spent the past several years of her teenage life suppressing her emotions to misguidedly appease authority figures in both her school & family life.

In essence, the Eiko situation is not the first time that Makoto is portrayed as acting so recklessly. Specifically, during the Kaneshiro arc of the game Makoto allowed herself to be captured to discover the location by the aforementioned money-grubbing Mafia boss when he began extorting students at Shujin Academy. Makoto was determined to prove her worth to others after being dismissed as "good girl type of pushover" and "useless" by individuals like Goro Akechi & Sae Niijima respectively, but Kaneshiro exploited Makoto's desperation by blackmailing both her and the Phantom Thieves into financial debt. While the game makes it clear that both Eiko's abusive "boyfriend" and the mobster Kaneshiro are fully to blame for their abhorrent actions, Makoto recognizes in both situations that she can act overly reckless due to having previously bottled up all her emotions to maintain a composed exterior because that’s what Japanese society expected from her as the traditional honors student who obediently followed the orders of authority figures, whether it be Shujin Academy's corrupt principal or her own older sister Sae (plus, I also personally headcanon Makoto’s lack of proper socialization skills and sometimes inappropriate reactions as her potentially being on the autism spectrum, similar to how her teammate Futaba Sakura is heavily autistic coded).

Additionally, the player learns throughout Makoto's confidant arc that her personal sense of justice is heavily inspired by her late father, who in addition to being a single parent who raised Makoto & Sae all by himself following their mother's passing, was a law enforcer who was tragically assassinated while attempting to shut down a human trafficking ring in Tokyo's red-light district. Makoto grew up with an idealistic perception of her father, seeing him as someone who worked tirelessly to protect the victims of horrific crimes exactly like those that Makoto's friend Eiko is at risk of falling prey to in the present day. However, Makoto briefly lost sight of her justice due to the increasing societal pressures that both she and her sister faced following their father's passing. In addition to Sae being forced to stressfully work up the ranks as a legal prosecutor for Japan's Special Investigation Team (SIU) in a sexist male-dominated industry (and her own sense of justice becoming heavily distorted in the process), Makoto herself misguidedly believed that like she had to be the unquestioningly obedient honor's student to not dishonor her older sister's status (which would only increase Sae's stress).

It's only upon awakening her persona, Johana, during the Kaneshiro arc and discovering her inner resolve as a member of the rebellious Phantom Thieves, that Makoto begins reevaluating her passion for studying. Remembering her father's advice, "The most important part of your life is how you choose to live it," Makoto's confidant line is about rediscovering her idea of justice by actively choosing to become more socially involved with the interests and needs of her fellow classmates. Furthermore, it is Makoto's experiences with Eiko in particular that inspire her to want to continue studying not simply because it’s what is expected of her in a patriarchal capitalist society, but because she wants to utilize her knowledge & intellect to protect her fellow students from the world's injustices. This is a goal that Makoto understands that she can’t achieve if she’s all alone, which leads her to actively choose to have Joker help her become more socially interactive and on the level of her peers. 

If I did have one criticism of Makoto’s confidant line, however, its her ultimate decision to academically pursue a career of becoming a police commissioner. While I do understand that Makoto simply wants to continue what she views as her father’s legacy of bringing justice to the victims of some of Japan’s most underreported crimes like sexual assault & human trafficking (which is sadly accurate IRL as well…), her wanting to become a police commissioner to achieve that goal does feel somewhat at odds with P5 Royal’s in-depth condemnations of systemic corruption throughout society, INCLUDING law enforcement. Police corruption is reflected in various examples throughout the game, including Makoto’s older sister Sae having a palace in the Metaverse after her heart became distorted when she actively enabled Japan’s infamous 99% criminal conviction rate to advance her own career as an SIU prosecutor, as well as both the Japanese police and SIU being under the direct payroll of one of the game’s main antagonists, the ultra-nationalist fascist politician Masayoshi Shido,

Despite my objections, I do strongly disagree with critics who argue that this single uncomfortable oversight in Makoto’s otherwise phenomenal confidant arc automatically “regresses/undoes all of her character growth.” As overly naive and idealistic Makoto's career goals & perception of her late father are, they do still make sense from both a narrative and character perspective. The core theme Persona 5 Royal is about reforming society through finding the willpower to stand up against & change the hearts of corrupt authority figures & systems. This is something that Makoto repeatedly demonstrates through her actions as a Phantom Thief, whether it be through emulating her late father’s sacrifice when she rescues Eiko from a human trafficker, her changing Sae’s distorted heart when the latter’s sense of justice is negatively influenced by corrupt bureaucracy, to her opposing the aforementioned Shido’s vast political conspiracy. In this regard, I choose to adopt a more charitable reading of Makoto’s future career dreams by interpreting her as continuing to be a Phantom Thief while eventually growing up into a figure like Batman’s Commissioner James Gordon, who is similarly portrayed as actively fighting against systemic corruption within both Gotham City’s police department & its other bureaucratic institutions (in contrast to a negative example like Harry Potter, who never even tries to reform the Wizarding World’s corrupt status quo and ultimately becomes a slave-owning wizard cop after Voldemort’s defeat). After all, Makoto herself freely acknowledges right before the base game’s final boss battle with Yaldaboth (a false god that serves as the physical embodiment of the corrupt status quo itself), that:

“Victory against a single criminal is meaningless… the true enemy is society itself. Regardless, this isn’t a situation with a straightforward answer. But even if there is no clear solution, I’ll just have to make one… with my own two hands. Before [the Phantom Thieves] came along, my life was defined by rules, set on a path of someone else’s choosing… but only a true loser would live such a rigid life! I… I will win… even if it means going up against the entire world!”

In large measure, it was Makoto's actively willingness to actively strive for positive change within both herself and society as a whole, combined with her keen intellect & altruistic passion for justice despite her social awkwardness & naivety, that ultimately factored into my decision to select the romance option with Makoto’s confidant line. In my playthrough of P5 Royal, I had Joker offer to to become Makoto’s “study partner” when she questions if she’ll ever truly understand romance after a heartbroken Eiko accused Makoto of being doomed to “flunk a test about love.”

The romance option between Joker & Makoto just felt like a natural progression & culmination of the unique bond that the two formed during Makoto’s Confidant Line after joining the Phantom Thieves. Spending time with Joker whilst fighting against systemic corruption and "those rotten adults" in both the Metaverse and the real world helps Makoto realize her own personal sense of justice that is derived from her passion for studying, rather than distinct from it. Additionally, both Joker & Makoto have natural chemistry with each other as intelligent & capable leaders who possess a strong sense of justice (heck… Makoto rarely left my party during combat missions due to her strategic intellect in identifying enemies’ weaknesses as well as her balanced offensive & defensive abilities). Plus, their romantic dialogue & “studying” euphimisms are just hilariously adorable! It was a welcome change of pace to see Makoto be the one to take initiative and ask for consent in the relationship instead of Joker, since most media sadly still downplays or denies the reality that women have their own agency & desires regarding their sexuality.

But yeah, I definitely ship Makoto & Joker as my personal canon couple in Persona 5 Royal due to the former's rich character development & heartwarming chemistry with the main protagonist! While Makoto may have started the game as the "pushover good girl type" who blindly obeys the whims & expectations of the adults in her life simply because it is what society expects from her, she quickly evolves into the Phantom Thieves' strong-minded battle-strategist who is motivated by the unselfish desire to provide justice for the victims of society's injustices. Those elements, combined with Makoto's continual willingness to learn & improve upon her personal shortcomings, as well as her social awkwardness despite her book-smarts (which I heavily related to as someone on the autism spectrum who consistently earned all A's & B's back in high school and college), that made her the breakout character P5 Royal for me!

Overall, it was through completing Makoto's confidant line that I was able to gain a deeper understanding & appreciation of the ideals which define her signature "fist of justice," while also having my heartstrings tugged at as she chose to study areas in life that she lacked experience in such as romance.

[alexanderwales]

TV Review: Ludwig

Ludwig is a very formulaic murder mystery show about a puzzle-setter who impersonates his twin brother as a detective. It's on the BBC, the first season is only 6 episodes, and it's got David Mitchell as an affably neurotic and somewhat frumpy upper class puzzle-setter, which was the real draw for me. Spoilers follow, but not the mystery solutions, just a bit of the season plot.

There are tons and tons of eccentric detective shows, and I've watched a fair few in my time. This is one of a subset, where the eccentric detective is not actually a detective, but brings in his own unique perspective from whatever his profession is, in this case, puzzles. One of my favorite detective shows of the last few years, The Afterparty, had the lead be a guy who designs escape rooms, and it's just a particularly sort of nerdy that I enjoy. (It honestly makes me yearn for a detective show where every case is solved by the lead being the biggest nerd ever, always having his epiphany on the basis of something he read in Star Wars fanfic or something, or looking at his poseable anime figure or something.)

There are two things this show does that really irritate me, and in fact this might be more of a "things that bug me about BBC's Ludwig and eccentric detective shows in general" thing than a proper review.

Ludwig's premise is that John is taking the place of his identical twin brother James, who has gone missing. James is a detective, John is a puzzle-setter, and it turns out that having a mind for puzzles makes you an excellent detective. There's often a "theme" for the case of the week, like "spot the difference" or "reverse chess", some puzzle that provides insight into the case. I found this theming to be somewhat on the light side, and wanted more of a puzzle-minded take on things. Here, it felt more like an informed ability, an "ah, this is just like reverse chess" and then we don't get to see any of the actual steps. Not really fair play, which ... I guess I can deal with, but I would prefer if the solutions were possible to guess at.

So one of the things about Ludwig is that John is pretending to be his brother for most of it, and while this is milked for some humor value, it's also extremely illegal, and when it comes to the rights of the accused, very fucked up. He's never the arresting officer, but he goes into crime scenes, handles evidence, interviews witnesses, and compels people to be present for a grand speech at the end, one of the staples of the show (which they hang a lampshade on more than once, since yeah, it does seem like a hassle for everyone involved to be summoned to a specific location by the police).

If this happened in the real world, which of course it could not, every case he solved would be in jeopardy, even the ones where he got a confession. In a criminal trial, the detectives usually need to take the stand, and this is a one way ticket toward a loss of credibility for the entire police force. Aside from impersonating a police officer being illegal, I would also argue that it's immoral, and that a basic understanding of the rights of the public should say that randos shouldn't be allowed to conduct investigations.

I kept thinking to myself "well now how are they going to square that", since it was clear that they were aware it was an issue that he was lying to everyone all the time, even people who were kind of friends with him. And in the end, he reveals that he was John all along, and then the Superintendent sweeps it under the rug. She puts forward a piece of paper says "hey, date this today, sign it, we're going to just pretend that all those cases were solved by your brother".

And like ... what? This is what you're doing? You're depriving these criminals of due process with a conspiracy that at least half a dozen people are privy to? You're just going to lie?

I wouldn't mind this if it didn't feel like the show was endorsing it, but it does feel like the show is endorsing it, and everyone breathes a sigh of relief, even though there is now this much bigger thing hanging over everyone's head, and it's now a police-endorsed miscarriage of justice rather than someone making a clown of the police. Call me a soft-hearted liberal, but I think the police shouldn't engage in conspiracies against the public, even the accused. (Also this feels like it's creating some big problems down the road, if any of these cases go to trail, because they're not going to be able to put James on the stand, and also if anyone pokes at any of these investigations it's going to require a lot of lying under oath from everyone else involved.)

The show has been renewed for a second series, and I'll probably watch it, but this time John will be back as a "consultant" rather than impersonating his twin brother, which makes me feel better at the whole "justice" angle of things. These shows are most often not about justice, they're more puzzles than anything else, and perhaps that's the mindset I should be going in with, but it does make me cringe. My favorite moments were not the mystery aspects, but instead seeing David Mitchell being awkward and neurotic and saying things like "I've never cared for metaphors, don't call a thing another thing, just say what it is".

[thegoldheartlocketandkey-blog]

911 Spoilers Season 2: You’ve been warned. 😅

Episode 11-14

Episode 11

• This mostly an Athena and Maddie episode. Honestly one of my favorite episodes. So, much Drama and we sadly get to meet Doug. We technically don’t know he’s Doug, but early on we as a viewer know, the vibes are off.

• Buck is helping Maddie, teaching her self defense. Brother sister bonding time, we learn Buck is dating Ally, but she’s in NY. Maddie pokes fun at all of Buck’s Girlfriends leaving.

• During the Shark rescue, Buck and Eddie standing near each other. Buck is extremely excited about the shark being released back into the ocean. Bobbie and Eddie standing near each other happy admiring the scene.

• Maddie asks Chimney out on a real date. The 118 standing watching this happen from the second floor and proceeds to cheer/taunt Chimney as Maddie leaves. Eddie and Buck standing near each other. Eddie being extra silly.

Episode 12

• Chimney begins. Great episode! Timing wise is tragic, because of the cliffhanger in previous episode. Still amazing.

• No Buddie.

Episode 13

• Buck finds Chim stabbed on ground, realizes Maddie has gone missing.

• Eddie goes to the hospital, is there for Chimney.

• Buck is helping in the way Buck knows how to in trying to track down Maddie. Buck stealing crime scene evidence, Chim’s Phone, out of desperation in trying to find his sister.

• Buck getting caught stealing Chimney’s phone, Eddie criticizing Buck, but ultimately understanding why he did it.

• Eddie attempts to comfort Buck.

• Athena takes Buck with her to further investigate and find Maddie.

• Hen, Bobby, and Eddie stay at the hospital waiting for Chimney to wake up.

• Eddie meets Michael.

This is not a Buddie episode but seeing how everyone reacts to Maddie’s situation with Doug. This episode really show cases how the 118 is a family, and how close they all have become. The fact that even Christopher was at the hospital waiting for Chimney. Shannon was also there and was trying to comfort Eddie. It might be my own delusion but it seemed like Eddie would have preferred her not to be there.

Over all super emotional episode. Maddie is experiencing something so incredibly traumatizing and the people around her that care so deeply for her, are experiencing a trauma along side to her. In a way show casing the people that will always be there.

Episode 14

• Eddie and Buck being apart of Bobby’s presentation for Harry’s class.

• Buck and Eddie sitting next to each other on the Engine when having to patrol LA.

• Baby birth emergency where the mom experiences complications after giving birth. The moment when everyone thinks mom is dead, Eddie spechieally looks over at Buck.

• We get this iconic GIF Moment

• Buck falls off ladder truck trying to save kid, Eddie is on the ground watching Buck closely.

• Eddie scales the building to save the child. Buck is overly concerned over Eddie’s safety, but acknowledges that he would be yelled at if he attempted the same stunt.

• Eddie saves kid, but is trapped in the burning building. Low on oxygen. Buck is outside, freaking out, wanting to charge into the burning building.

I understand Buck is always willing to do the risky saves for just about anyone, and is always putting his life at risk. But this knowledge isn’t inherent, we don’t really understand Buck’s suicidal tendencies until season 4 honestly. We can make assumptions, but nothing is really concrete until we meet the parents. So if you’ve only watched up to season 2, you can safely assume Buck’s eagerness to get in there is tied to it being Eddie. But in all honesty, I know Buck would have the same eagerness if it was Hen or Bobby. This specific moment is simply just an analysis on who Buck is as a person.

• Buck runs towards Eddie and makes fun of Eddie’s spiderman stunt. Obviously was worried and now relieved, this is Buck’s attempt at masking those emotions with humor.

[nightfurynova1217]

@deathnotetober 2024 #5 - First Kill

One heck of a prompt to be posting on General Conference weekend, lol. In any case, here's my take on some Beyond Birthday headcanons, and I'm super happy with how both the story (under the cut) and the drawing came out! Hope you enjoy!

Time Taken (for drawing): 1:50 hours

Rated Mature Content warning: Mention of sexual assault - Murderous thought processes - Graphic depiction of violence Words: 1597

Beyond Birthday met Trinity Goldberg two days ago. She was stumbling out of a bar, heavily intoxicated, and being not-too-gently tugged along by a much older man. The name that hovered above his head was Dexter Porter, and he was practiced in his craft. He cleverly and expertly claimed to be Trinity’s father and was sternly taking her home. If Beyond didn’t know better, he might have believed it. But once approached, Trinity was clearly drugged, and her remaining lifespan suggested that her death was not going to be an accident.

In case Dexter was a step-father, Beyond asked for their names. Trinity was too incapacitated to respond, and Dexter might have gotten away with his crime if he hadn’t lied about his identity and claimed again that they had the same surname. After that, Beyond pretended to be satisfied and let them proceed. Just as they were passing each other, however, Beyond rammed his shoulder into Dexter, surprising him and faltering his balance. In the second it would have taken for him to regain it, Beyond swung his fist at the man’s jaw. Not hard enough to knock him out, but it got him on the ground.

A wrestling match commenced between the two, but Beyond already had the upper hand, and all he had to do was stall for time. Police were called and arrived on the scene. Trinity was tested for drugs and taken care of, the few injuries Beyond received were treated, and an investigation opened on Dexter.

Two days later, Beyond visited Trinity’s apartment to check up on her. The poor girl didn’t think anything of the fact that he’d found her address. Instead she was more concerned with thanking him profusely for saving her that night. Then, there at her doorstep, they planned a date for that evening. If only she knew she wasn’t saved from anything. Trinity Goldberg was doomed to die in less than eight hours. And Beyond Birthday wanted to know how.

They were walking along an empty bridge in the cold night air of mid-spring, over an hour into their date. Trinity had only minutes left. This was not the first time Beyond had been this close to someone who was on the brink of death. First was his grandmother. Then his father. Then his mother, and all the other passengers who boarded the same train. Another handful of others, and then of course… A, just before he hung himself…

Beyond’s expression darkened. A was dead, and the existence of L was to blame for how it happened. He wanted L to pay. He couldn’t kill him, L wasn’t supposed to die for another almost sixty years, but Beyond wondered if he could ruin him. Destroy his reputation. So many ideas have spun in his head as to how he could do it–his favorite was to create a criminal case that was too difficult for L to solve–but none of them have stuck, as endless problems arose to successfully execute any plan.

However… Every death he’d witnessed, every victim of fate he’d ever crossed paths with, he’d try to alter the outcome. He learned quickly they would still die regardless of anything he did, but through experimentation, he discovered he could change how. He also couldn’t kill before their time was up, he’d tried that too. But Trinity was going to die in just a few minutes. If he timed it just right…

That would open up a lot of options for how he could ruin L.

Beyond glanced at Trinity, she was still talking about her childhood pet, and stared at her number. He stopped at the center of the bridge and leaned against the railing. She followed suit. He kept her occupied with conversation topics. The number ticked lower. He nonchalantly glanced around, successfully avoiding suspicion by appearing as though he was simply looking at the clouds and scenery. They were completely alone. Which then begged the question, how was she going to die? The barricade over the edge of the bridge was too high for her to trip and tumble over by accident. Unless she sat on it and lost her balance…?

It dawned on him then. Fate had decided she was going to die in less than five minutes from now, and had made that decision the moment she was born. He saved her from being trapped in a killer’s basement. Or if not trapped, she’d be set free after the man had his fun with her and she’d take her own life, unable to cope with the horror of what she’d gone through. Or be hit by a car. Or accidentally swallow glass. Or any number of things, really, there was no way to tell. If you saved someone from one thing, everything else will align to ensure the time of death remains the same.

And everything had aligned that there was no other way she could die, except by his hands.

He’d learned earlier on their date that going to the bar was a regular activity for Trinity, specifically for the purpose of finding a date. She was a young and outgoing woman–barely a year older than he was–relishing in new experiences, even when they were dangerous. Though the event just two days ago was the first time she’d ever been drugged, so by her perception up until that point, she was safe. But despite that, despite the very close call she’d just had, she had no reservations in being alone, outside of any public eyes, with a man she’d never met and knew nothing about. Though in her defense, the information she did have about Beyond was that he’d saved her from the close call, so it was a reasonable assumption that he was a safe person. It nonetheless taught him that she was spontaneous. Which made him wonder…

Beyond tilted his head as he watched her talk. He got closer, brushing his hand against hers. She noticed, grinning, and returned the gesture by getting closer to him as well, looking into his eyes and, very quickly, at his lips. Just as he thought, to her, a first date was plenty of time for a kiss with someone new. After all, she was young and outgoing. So he leaned down and did just that, and she eagerly complied. He repositioned his body to press her against the railing while he trapped her there between his arms, and she was none the wiser.

She urged the kiss into something more heated, more passionate, and this time he followed her, keeping count in his head at the same pace as her timer. She wrapped her arms around his neck, and he lifted her up to sit on the railing. She commented with a laugh that he was stronger than he looked, before immediately returning her lips to his, and spreading her legs to both let him stand closer, and to lend a hint that she wanted more.

He played along with the subtle request and ran his right hand down her thigh, prompting a giggle that bled into a moan as she held him tighter. He reached his left hand into his hoodie pocket and grabbed the bundle of napkins he kept from the restaurant they went to for dinner. Beyond pulled away, successfully playing it off that he was out of breath, and took one last glance at her timer. Less than a minute left.

What would happen if he did it early? By his understanding of the numbers, she wouldn’t die, her heart wouldn’t stop beating, until it reached zero. But the question he really wanted to know was whether or not he had to time it absolutely perfectly. Did he have to calculate how long it would take for her to fall, and he wouldn’t be able to push her until then? Would fate decide it was close enough and her timer would stop prematurely? Or… what?

She grinned at him as she gasped for air. Beyond Birthday tilted his head as he made a decision. Trinity Goldberg was going to die anyway. He repositioned his right hand to the back of her head, and she took it as a gesture to pull her into another kiss. The only thing he timed was when she inhaled. When she did, he shoved the napkins into her mouth, while holding a tight grip of her head to lodge them in her throat. Just as planned, she unwrapped her arms from around his neck in shock, and reached to ungag herself, amidst muffled chokes.

As soon as she moved, he returned his grip to the underside of her thigh and put his other hand on her shoulder, then thrust her off the ledge. Curious, he watched her fall. All she could do was look up, hair in her face, and reach toward him.

Trinity hit the rocks in the shallow stream, landing at an odd angle on her neck and back of her head. It didn’t immediately kill her. Instead, she laid there, her name and single-digit number still above her head. And then she twitched. Beyond had to admit, it was a gruesome sight. It was too dark to see if she was bleeding from her skull into the stream, or if her demise would come by drowning in her own bile as she convulsed again, wanting to vomit the napkins out of the way. Or if the seizures snapped her neck the rest of the way.

Either way, Trinity Goldberg died after thirty-one seconds, when her number finally reached zero.

DeviantArt Comic Tumblr Instagram Twitter AO3 YouTube Discord: @nightfurynova4112

[cultivating-wildflowers]

Brief descriptions below the cut:

Shawn Takes a Shot in the Dark - Shawn and Gus solve a mystery involving an ice cream truck. Origin of the beloved text-from-a-kidnapper's-trunk: "bin shot not lol".

Office Space - Gus rage-quits his job, then returns that evening to discover later that his boss has been murdered. And his fingerprints are all over the crime scene.

Last Night Gus - Shawn, Gus, Henry, Lassie, and Woody all wake up completely disoriented and have to piece together what happened the night before. "You killed Bobo!"

100 Clues - A parody of the 1985 masterpiece "Clue". With a secret chocolate room.

Tuesday the 17th - Shawn and Gus are invited back to their old summer camp to investigate a disappearance. "I've seen enough slasher movies to know that when a brother goes out to the woods, he doesn't even sorta come back."

Mr. Yin Presents - Mr. Yin lays out clues based on Alfred Hitchcock films. The episode ends with one of my favorite interactions between Lassie and Jules (though it is also a little heartbreaking).

Lights, Camera...Homicido - Shawn gets a role on a telenovela. "Me gusto queso."

Scary Sherry: Bianca's Toast - Jules enlists the boys' help in solving a series strange events surrounding a sorority. The boys discover they created an urban legend.

Bollywood Homicide - Shawn and Gus help a man who is convinced he has a curse that threatens any woman he dates.

Shawn (and Gus) of the Dead - Mummies!

[duhragonball]

JoJolion Ch. 109-110

Maybe the real JoJo Lion was the GUARDRAIL FROM 1941.

So, this is the "Radio Gaga Incident" a two-part arc that closes out Part 8. Like the mad lad he is, Hirohiko Araki ends the longest Jojo part ever by flashing back seventy years before the story's setting. What can we possibly gain from this? Well, it pissed off a lot of fans, and it kind of annoyed me too at the time, but I've made peace with it. Let's see if we can find the meaning together.

So it's 1941, and Lucy Steel from Part 7 has just arrived in Morioh. She was 14 in Steel Ball Run, which would make her 65 here. She's looking good, but not too good. Araki keeps introducing these older women in his stories and forgetting to make them look old, like Holly Kira and Caato Higashikata. That might be because Araki himself is getting up there in years, so maybe he's developed a blind spot with this sort of thing. But with Lucy, he seemed to get it right. She's got that Angela Lansbury face going on. She doesn't turn as many heads these days, but that guy at the train station who's here to pick her up? Yeah, he's checking her out. He won't carry her luggage to the car, so he's not that interested, but he's checking her out.

Some guy offers to carry her stuff, but he actually steals it instead, and no one will help. But the thief bumps into a young man as he runs, and then...

Coming through, coming through, coming through now

Coming through, coming through, coming through now

Coming through, coming through, coming through

Shake it like it's heat, Overdrive!

Yeah, it's Joseph Joestar. This doesn't quite get revealed until Chapter 110, but come on. It's 1941, and we all saw his name on the family tree. From the beginning of Part 8, I wondered if we'd get a flashback to other Joestars besides Johnny, and since Holly's already in the story and George was seen in Johnny's dead scene, that just leaves the one option. So as soon as a young man appeared in this flashback, I was wondering if it could be Joseph, and this bit where he foils a thief with his shoe basically clinched it.

And you know, Part 2's my favorite, so I can't get too mad at Part 8 for ending on a flashback to some Part Two-y goodness. Just the setting it nice. Battle Tendency never went anywhere near Japan, but the late 30's/early 40's aesthetic is still there.

Joseph carries her luggage to the car too, because he's such a nice young man, but he balks when Lucy offers him a part time job assisting her with her research. She wants to check out this orchard because she learned about some weird new fruit and she thinks people are bringing it to Japan. But Joseph is here to pick up his date from the train station, and besides, that place is the site of the "Radio Gaga incident". He doesn't think she needs to be snooping around there, regardless of whether he helps her or not.

But when he goes to meet his date, he suddenly realizes his wallet is missing. That thief grabbed it when he bumped into Joseph earlier, and Joseph was so focused on saving Lucy's stuff that he didn't bother to stop the thief from getting away. So now he wants the job. I'm not sure if his date canceled on him or if he's still got time to make enough money to make it up to her, but he's all in on Lucy's offer now. What confuses him, though, is that she's not with the police or any other authorities. She's with the Speedwagon Foundation, and she's here to study the land the orchard is growing on. Joseph is amazed that she didn't come here to investigate a crime, since the Radio Gaga incident might as well be a crime.

I like this bit here, where she explains that as you get older, you find a purpose for yourself in life. Not a job, but something chosen for you by heaven, or the universe, or fate, or whatever you want to call it. "Something you do for the world at large or for the sake of one particular person". That captures the spirit of JoJo's Bizarre Adventure pretty well, and Part 8 in particular.

So what was the Radio Gaga Incident? On the way to the site in the photograph, Joseph explains that there was a young couple on this road, near that guardrail, and the woman thought she heard someone calling out to her. Then she approached the guardrail, apparently took off all her clothes, and vanished. I don't think Lucy particularly cares much about this story, since she only came her to investigate the land, and this just happens to offer a great view of the orchard for photography, but as she starts setting up her equipment, the chauffeur starts hearing things and he approaches the guardrail, just like the woman in the story.

Then he loses his clothes, and vanishes. A truck drove by, so they couldn't see what happened to him, but it just doesn't make sense.

Joseph wants to leave immediately, but Lucy is fascinated. She came here looking for the Locacaca plant, but finding something else weird in this place is familiar to her. But as she ponders this mystery, she hears a strange voice calling to her, and it leads her closer to the guardrail. At first she thinks it's Joseph, but he's calling her to the car, so they can leave. Also, there seems to be some sort of siren song aspect to the voice, where Lucy can't resist its call.

Turns out, the guardrail itself is the culprit behind all this. It lures its victims toward it, then it sucks them into the thin gap where one section of rail is bolded to another. The victims lose their clothes first because this suction is powerful enough to rip the clothes right off a person. Then they get pulled in themselves, as we see in this page with the interior view of the driver's mangled body inside the guardrail.

So yeah, it's another bullshit Rock Animal. Well, this one's probably a Rock Insect, like the ones Toru used against Josuke. I mean, there's nothing insect-like about this thing, but that goes for the other Rock Insects as well. They just seem to disguise themselves as other objects and completely fuck up their prey with mind powers and other crazy powers.

Joseph pulls Lucy to safety before it's too late, but then something comes out of the guardrail to try to pull her back in. To their horror, they realize it's the driver.

Somehow, against all reason, the Guardrail creature is keeping the driver's body alive, and even using him as a proxy to recapture Lucy. That seems pretty far-fetched, even for Rock Insects, but then again, I'm still trying to figure out if Josuke ever pulled out a big wad of asbestos from his butt.

Somehow, Lucy gets clear, but Joseph is getting pulled in, and as his clothes are shredded, she notices a star-shaped birthmark on him. That gives her a clue, so she tells Joseph to use the car to save himself. She doesn't know how he can start the car from so far away, but she's sure he can do it, and she knows he knows it too.

So he flings his shoe at the car's trunk, which causes a bunch of stuff to spill out of it, and then...

HERMIT PURPLE FUCK YEAH!

Lucy can't even see it, but she's still making out for this. As far as I can tell, Part 8 Joseph needs a physical cable to make Hermit Purple work. Part 3 Joseph would have just sent the thorny vines to the car, but here it's like he had to pop the trunk first, get that power cord and channel Hermit Purple through it in order to reach the car with it. Maybe this is just how Hermit Purple works when you're just starting out. Part 3 Joseph might have had the same issues with it until he learned how to extend his range without a rope.

The end result is classic Joseph, though. Guardrail monster got you down? Just hit it with an entire car! That's how we do things in Part Two, you silicon-based motherfucker!

But Joseph's not done yet. It's called "Overdrive" not "A regular amount of drive". We achieved that with the car, of course, but Joseph needs to put an exclamation point on this. He briefly spots a pair of balls on a string? Like, this is supposed to be a reference to his Clacker Volley technique from Part 2, and that's awesome, but I have no idea what that would be here in Lucy's luggage. Joseph doesn't know either so he tosses 'em away and attacks the guardrail with some Part 2 beef. Also, Hermit Purple has a face in Part 8. Well good for him. I'm glad Hermit Purple is trying new things.

But we're still not done, because there's one more technique Joseph needs to employ...

Nigerundayo! Lucy!

As they flee, Lucy asks Joseph his name again, since he introduced himself as "Fumi-kun" earlier, but the birthmark identifies him as a relative of Johnny Joestar. Joseph explains that he's Johnny's grandson, and his grandmother Rina named him "Joseph", which in Japanese is "Josefu", and so people call him "Fumi-kun".

Lucy gets wistful over this, since the last time she saw Johnny was when she followed him here in 1901 to retrieve the Saint Corpse, and he was already dead by that point.

Actually, now that I think of it, this starts to add up. I thought it was Lucy who chased after Johnny in 1901, but the scanlation I read at the time left me thinking she was working for the government. But now we know she was with Speedwagon, and that makes more sense. At the end of Part 7, there was this big vault that the Saint Corpse was supposed to be hidden in, but Lucy stopped Dio from using it, and it was unclear what happened to it afterward. But maybe in the aftermath, Lucy searched for someone to help her decide how to deal with the Saint Corpse, and ended up getting to know the Speedwagon Foundation. It makes more sense for them to be the ones keeping the Saint Corpse, since leaving it in the hands of the U.S. government was Funny Valentine's plan from the beginning.

Anyway, as Lucy rides Joseph to safety, she catches a glimpse of Toru planting Locacaca plants in the orchard. Well, sure, it makes sense that he was around back then, but if he was bringing Locacaca fruit into Japan for seventy years straight...

I mean, the smuggling ring seemed like a recent operation. They needed Jobin to launder their profits, and that didn't happen until 2009 or so. And the research at TGU Hospital probably didn't start until 2001, when Toru began posing as Dr. Akefu.

I guess what confuses me is that he was at this for decades, but why did it take so long for him to execute this plan? Maybe he got sidetracked with some other project? Anyway, it's possible that Toru put the Radio Gaga creature out there on the highway to keep people away from his work, but it also might have been living their naturally. And Lucy does start bleeding from the mouth after she sees Toru, but she already had a lung disease leading into this story, so I'm not sure if she experienced a calamity.

Joseph leaves his sandals behind, and he was so worried about Holly that he accompanied her back home to New York. Then World War II happened, so they couldn't return to Japan. Holly died in 1944, and Joseph got a job in America and eventually became a naturalized citizen. Years later, Joseph would marry Suzie Q and have a daughter, Holly, who would become a doctor in Morioh, etc. etc.

Then we return to the present. Josuke and Yasuho are leaving the hospital after visiting Holly. Now that Kei is dead, Josuke is the only family she has left. Yasuho asks Josuke if there's any hope for Holly now that the Locacaca branch is gone. Josuke doesn't think so. Maybe someone could find a Locacaca plant in New Guinea, but there's no one left who would know where to look.

And this bothered me a lot, because it seemed like the whole point of JoJolion was Josuke's mission to save Holly, and it looks like he's failed. I think fans held out some hope that this would get picked up in Part 9, except JoJoLands is set about a decade later, and there's no way Holly could have survived that long in her 2011 condition.

I think it might have been easier to take if Holly simply died in this story. That would have provided some closure, but instead she's still in a coma. And maybe the hospital will have to move her to palliative care, like they tried to do after Kira's payments stopped, but her only chance was the Locacaca and that's gone now. Part 8 ends with her no better off than when she started, and it's implied that she'll just continue to deteriorate until she finally dies.

In the parking lot, they notice Josefumi Kujo's mother, and Yasuho points her own. Josuke knows her name and face by now, because he learned about her from Karera. But he no longer cares about connecting with her, or anyone else Kira or Josefumi may have known. He's spent this whole story trying to recover their memories, but there are none. That's because he's not Kira or Josefumi, no matter how badly he might wish it were otherwise.

And this is the true conclusion of Josuke's character arc. He only took up the quest to save Holly because he wanted to continue the mission Kira and Josefumi had begun before they got merged together. If he couldn't have their memories, he could at least take up their cause. It's like Lucy said earlier, as you live, you find a mission for yourself, something you do for a person or the whole world. The other JoJo's each found their own cause, and had to give up parts of their former lives to take up those causes. But Josuke had no former life. For him, the cause was all he had. He used it to try to define his identity.

And now that quest is over. Yes, he failed to save Holly, but he still saw it through. The truth is that the Locacaca fruit never would have saved Holly. It was the cause of her illness, not the cure, so I think that's one reason Josuke isn't sorry that it's lost forever. Maybe he would have sacrificed himself to save Holly with the New Locacaca's power, but I don't think Holly would have wanted that. In the end, all Josuke could do was avenge Holly, and Yoshikage, and Josefumi, and everyone else who died in opposition to the Rock Humans. That'll have to be enough.

But in pursuing that quest, even if Josuke didn't accomplish what he set out to do, he discovered himself. He has a past now, even if its only a few weeks' worth. He has friends and family, and dead to mourn. That's what this is really all about. Instead of trying to learn more about the men he used to be, he can focus on the man he is today, and live that life with people like Yasuho.

Speaking of Yasuho, she uses her power to go through Josefumi's mother's phone, and finds old baby photos of Josefumi. So even though it seems like she never cared about her son, it looks like she did have some feelings for him, and that must mean something, right?

Also, Yasuho discovers that Josefumi was named for a sandal his grandfather found by the side of the road, and it had "Josefu" carved into the wood. I know what Araki's going for here, but it sounds really awkward for Yasuho to bring this up to Josuke when even she doesn't know what it means.

Finally, Josuke and Yasuho arrive at the Higashikata Fruit Parlor, where the surviving Higashikata family are trying to pick out a cake for when Norisuke gets out of the hospital. He's going to be okay, although you have to imagine he'll never be quite the same after this. I mean, Jobin attacked him, and that's bad enough, but Jobin and Caato are dead now, and that has to be tough on him.

Anyway, there's plenty of cakes to choose from, but they're all too emotional to decide, so Tsurugi asks Josuke to choose. I'm not sure why Tsurugi is still dressing up like a girl if the curse is broken, but maybe Araki didn't feel like redesigning the character so late in the final chapter.

Josuke is surprised that they want him to make the decision, but they all agree, even Joshuu, who usually would be licking every person in the room and talking about his mom's boobs. I guess losing that arm did him some good after all. So Josuke goes to join them, and Yasuho sheds a tear as she leaves him with his family.

And that's the end. I was disappointed with this scene in 2021, mainly because I've resented the Higashikata family all along. They're all dipshits, and it just so happens that some of them are creepier and dipshittier than others. The idea of Josuke hanging out with them instead of Yasuho irked me. I think it irked a lot of people.

But the Higashikata Family was a throughline for this Part, and again, Josuke's character arc was about him finding a new identity for himself. Part of that is his integration into the Higashikata family. At first, it seemed like they only took him in as a means to an end, but then they became allies, and then friends. Now, after all they've been through, they begin to see one another as family.

The thought occurred to me that Josuke might just have taken Jobin's place in the family. Think about it. Jobin was set to inherit the Fruit Parlor, and now he's dead. Tsurugi can still take over one day. Notice how he was the one who asked Josuke to choose the cake. The little guy is already exerting a certain authority over his aunts and uncle.

But Norisuke's 59, and he's probably not going to be quite as exuberant after this whole ordeal. He'll need someone like Jobin to run things, and he can't wait for Tsurugi to grow up. And as I keep pointing out, Joshuu, Hato, and Daiya are completely unqualified to handle such responsibility. Josuke's the only option.

Early on, Tsurugi told Yasuho about the curse, and how the Higashikata family would sometimes adopt people to continue the family line. I think that's what Norisuke just did with Josuke, although he didn't realize it at the time. Josuke can become Norisuke Higashikata V, run the fruit parlor for a few decades, and then pass it on to Tsurugi once he's ready to become Norisuke VI.

That's why Yasuho left the parlor on the final page. She's Josuke's girlfriend, no doubt, and she's definitely part of his life, but she's not part of Josuke, and that's what this final scene is about. At long last, he has a place to belong, and a life to live, and a home of his own, just like Yasuho has. Going forward, they can have a relationship on equal footing. That's what this is all about.

So yeah... that's it. Part 8 is done. I gotta say, I'm pleased to finally wrap up a complete liveblog of this one, but I didn't expect to have this much fun with it. Maybe I should do another Part one of these days...

Not Part 4, though, because I am sick of typing out "Higashikata".

[mikewheelerfan2022]

Book review: I Hunt Killers

Alright, I’ve never done a book review before, but I Hunt Killers was so good I just have to gush about it. Honestly, when I first saw this book at Barnes & Noble my first response was: this looks cringy. The title and cover both turned me off. I literally judged it by its cover. But then I read the description, and was like “Huh. This looks interesting. I’ll get it.” So I did. It took a while, but I started it last night and read about 100 pages before I was so tired I couldn’t keep my eyes open anymore. Today, I’ve been reading it on and off, and managed to finish the remaining about 250 pages. Here are my thoughts.

The book follows Jasper “Jazz” Dent, a completely normal teenager, if you ignore the fact that his father is the world’s most notorious serial killer. So actually not that normal. The book establishes very early that Jazz’s upbringing was really fucked up. This has caused Jazz to have a different thought process from most people. When a normal person looks at a body, they’re disgusted and terrified. But Jazz is cold and fascinated. That makes for a really interesting POV. He’s low-empathy, but he hates it. He doesn’t want to be like his father, in fact a major plot point in the book is how he’s trying to stop himself from turning into his father. It’s genuinely one of the most interesting thought processes I’ve ever had the pleasure of reading.

At the beginning of the book, Jazz is sitting in a field, observing a crime scene with binoculars. Police are there, investigating the dead body of a woman. Jazz is intruded, yes. But he doesn’t care too much. Not until he sees what’s in a certain bag of evidence. (Minor spoilers ahead). It’s a finger. Three of the woman’s fingers have been removed, although only one remains at the crime scene. This leads Jazz to a disturbing realization: this isn’t an ordinary murderer. It’s a serial killer. The rest of the storyline follows his attempts to find this serial killer, and put a stop to the killings.

The two other main characters are Howie, Jazz’s best friend and Connie, Jazz’s girlfriend. Howie has a severe case of hemophilia, and bleeds very, very easily. I believe there’s even a passage in the book where it’s described that he’ll bleed if you look at him the wrong way. And yeah, without spoiling, there are a few situations where he does end up bleeding pretty heavily. I actually have a severe phobia of blood, and what’s funny is the descriptions of Howie’s injuries made me way more light headed than the descriptions of the bodies. I actually almost had to put the book down a couple of times and stop reading.

But anyways, on to Connie. I find her to be quite an interesting character. She doesn’t seem to care at all that she’s dating the son of a serial killer. And Jazz is thankful for that sense of normalcy. I wish I could say more about Connie, but I can’t without getting into some spoiler territory. Which sucks, because she’s such an interesting character and I love her so much. But oh well. She’s definitely my second favorite, just behind Jazz, if only because I find Jazz’s internal monologue so interesting.

There are also some more minor characters, which I won’t really get into. But practically every single one of them is a suspect, which is amazing. I constantly kept changing my guess of which one was the killer. Eventually, I just admitted “I don’t know.” Which honestly shocked me. Normally whenever I read a mystery book, I have a guess of who the culprit is, even if my guess is wrong. But with I Hunt Killers, I was genuinely stumped. That just goes to show the author is an absolute master at writing this genre. I was kept on the edge of my seat up until the ending.

Now, the ending. I don’t want to spoil anybody, so I’m not going to go into too much detail. But I loved the ending. I found myself shouting a few…interesting words in reaction to how it all played out. And you know a book is good when the first thing you do is immediately search up to get the sequels. Unfortunately my mom hasn’t put them on hold at the library yet, but hopefully she will soon. Until then, I will be desperately avoiding spoilers. If you have read the series, please don’t spoil me. If you haven’t, go read it right now. I’m serious. Right this second. Go on Amazon or Barnes & Noble and buy I Hunt Killers IMMEDIATELY. Or get it from the library, I don’t care. Either way, you need to read this absolute masterpiece.

5/5 stars!

[artzychic27]

What do you think about Nino, Nathaniel, Kim, Max, Rose and Marc having same-sex parents? The fact that Max has a mother, I know about it. I'm just curious. If so, can you describe: gender, work, character, hobbies, etc. And can you write how they had children?

Nino: Two Moms

They're actually his aunts because in my Trans!Nino au, his parents suck and gave up all parental rights to them

Chris is his cousin, but they see each other as brothers

His aunts/moms names are Anais and LaBrea

They both go by she/her pronouns, are cisgender, Anais is a lesbian and LaBrea is bisexual

They had Chris through a sperm donor so Anais could have Chris

Anais is a seamstress and LaBrea is an event planner. For Sweet 16s, Quinceañeras, weddings, etc, LaBrea will give Anais business cards. She gets more business, they take in more cash

Nathaniel: Two dads, one mom

Maison is demisexual with no preferences toward gender. He had been married to a man named Alois for five years, and Aya was the surrogate

But, Maison and Aloïs broke it off on good terms when Nathaniel was three. Later, Maison began dating Aya when he found out they had more in common, and they got married

Aloïs is gay and cis, Maison is Demisexual, and a demiman and Aya is pansexual and cis. When Maison isn't around, Aya and Aloïs like to simp over him

Aloïs works as a history teacher, Maison is a vet with his own practice, and Aya owns a diner

Nathaniel still calls Aloïs ‘dad’

Kim: Two dads, one mom

Kim’s dad, Teo Lê is in a romantic relationship with Éliott Ature and a platonic relationship with Khuyen Nguyên

Éliott and Khuyen kept their names and just combined them with Teo’s (Also, reading the wiki, and apparently, Chiên is Kim’s middle name…)

Éliott is out of the country most of the time for work, and Kim is often left with Teo and Khuyen while he sees Éliott mostly through video calls

Khuyen is aromantic, Teo is omnisexual, and Éliott is gay. They’re all cis

Khuyen is a trainer at the gym, Teo owns a cafe, and Éliott does some sort of business overseas, I don’t know

Rose: Two Dads

Her dads are Elliot and Emmet, and she was born through in vitro fertilization

They’re both gay, Emmet is nonbinary and fine with masculine titles, but doesn’t mind gender neutral ones, and Elliot is also cis

They co-own a small bookstore/tea shop with a cottagecore theme

Elliot is more eccentric a excitable like Rose while Emmet is more down to earth. They balance each other out. Also, they both like knitting and crocheting

Max: Two Moms

Claudia and Nubia married each other after they finished university

They had Max naturally because one of them is a trans woman, I won’t say who

Claudia is a lesbian, Nubia is polysexual, and they both use she/her pronouns

Claudia works as a conductor and is training to be an astronaut while Nubia works as a crime scene investigator

They liked trivia games until Max kept beating them every time, so they switched to Uno… Which he also beat them in

Their favorite past time is teasing Max about his crush on Kim

Marc: Two Moms

Marc’s a test tube baby

His moms are Penelope and Alyssa

Alyssa was originally from Greece, and Penelope is half Latina (Colombian)

They’re both cis, Alyssa is a lesbian and Penelope is BiRomantic, and they use she/her pronouns

Penny is an interior designer and Alyssa is a middle school teacher

Usually on weekends when Alyssa is done grading papers, they go out clubbing. Other times they stay in and pry any information about Nathaniel they can out of Marc

[magnumdays]

Magnum PI 5.06 - “Dead Ringer” review

Oh boy, the Miggy feels this episode gave me. 

Actually not just them, it just gave me feels all around. Rick being adorably awkward and wanting hope and TC and Kumu being them and the case being so sweet and Gordon and his son being goals. Even Higgy and Thomas showing up to ask for a favor and wish him good luck with his thing was so cute and on point. 

So yeah, new favorite episode?

Starting to feel like I say that every week but this one really *Chef’s kiss*

So we got Magnum and Higgins being Magnum and Higgins and disagreeing about how to go about the mystery case. They haven’t really done a lot of real disagreeing since being a couple and I think showing it and how they can still be them and together was really nice. And part of why I think Higgy can so confidently say it is “definitively working”. Because it is.

I did enjoy this bit though, where Magnum is just being sooo annoyingly smooth and Magnum...

But yeah, Magnum and Higgins working a case and being awesome PIs is def. just my favorite thing ever. Especially now with them just being a little extra adorable with their looks (okay, okay, they were always adorable with the looks!)

We also got this one! 

Isn’t it kind of funny that the long awaited kiss-lift moment really (while cute) was the one I cared the least about? Funny world.

Case of the week was really good. I liked that they found their “client” (even if I though getting DNA testing took like a bit of time even for the cops, but maybe I’m just not up to date on crime lab time frames.) and got the story using both their skills and method. I suspected the ‘dead’ girl would be alive as soon as we got the story from her dad, even if makes the whole “they’ll never find her body” kind of weird. Like maybe, I guess, because she’s not dead, no body to find, but still kind of weird.

Gordon being nervous and saying his peace and his kid being there and just all around them being an adorable father/son duo makes me happy. 

I wasn’t sure Gordon actually would get his badge back, I thought he’d be denied and like go into a dark depressed spiral of doom. Question now is - what does that mean for Childs? Maybe he stays until mid-season finale? I guess time will tell.

Rick and the Ohana at La Mariana being a hoot and then finally Rick and TC asking Magnum and him being all “Yup, that’s my girl and I’m all about happiness and joy now” was nice. 

Call back to last season with the Nuzo moment right? With the framing?

Final scene will forever be in my heart. Like doubtful I could have written a more fluff Miggy scene myself if I tried.

Yeah... peak Miggy right there! 

No Greene case stuff at all, but that’s fine (we’re worried enough about our TC as it is.) This episode was better off just focusing on the main plot of Magnum and Higgy (and Childs) investigating + Rick being all “they’re doing it” and Gordy’s hearing as side plots.

(Side note;I can’t wait to watch it the  whole episode in HD, because there was a distinct 2010 quality to the ones I’ve found so far!)

Next weeks promo looks... confusing. But from the summary “Magnum and Higgins investigate the robbery of an elderly man suffering from Alzheimer's. The ohana tries to help TC overcome a past trauma.” It seems we might get both a bit of Higgy backstory (if someone remembers her mom backstory) and TC and backstory is always fantastic. Plus more Miggy team up, that’s what we love to see!

I’m also excited for 5.08 which according to the summary will see Higgy undercover at a mental hospital. That is simply a to die for concept and I can’t wait to see it!

[nancywheeeler]

any movie recs??? 👀

oh anon, i love you and you have no idea the can of worms you have just opened. heck yeah do i have movie recs...

movies i've loved recently:

Rye Lane {incredible modern rom-com, awesome lead performances, gorgeous to look at, takes the "one chaotic day together" narrative structure and runs full speed with it}

Bound {the wachowskis' first movie! a very intense neo-noir thriller. the directing is giving "we're already conceptualizing the matrix" which means they direct the hell out of it}

Harlan County, USA and American Dream {both essential documentaries by Barbara Kopple about union efforts in Pennsylvania in the 70s and Minnesota in the 80s respectively. if you're then looking for a narrative feature with similar themes, Norma Rae is great}

Duck Soup / The Gold Rush / The General {three classics of the Hollywood Golden Age for one! go with Chaplin's The Gold Rush if you want snowy antics in Alaska, Buster Keaton's The General if you wanna see a guy almost die on a train many, many times, and the Marx Brothers' Duck Soup if you want a sharp-witted satire on fascism and war}

movies i personally never shut about:

All the President's Men {it's so sexy when people are good at their jobs! especially if that job is journalist who takes down the nixon administration! if you want a thriller that isn't bloody or overtly sexual, this is the thriller for you!}

The Full Monty {a comedy i believe everyone needs to watch. a 90 minute delight about a group of unemployed blue-collar guys trying to stage a strip show. given it came out in 1997, it's not nearly as dated as you think it'll be and stars a tumblr sexyman hall of famer, Robert Carlyle}

The Vast of Night {weird to describe a movie as gentle sci-fi horror, but that's exactly what this is. it centers around one eerie night in a 1950s town where the local radio station manager and a telephone operator begin picking up strange signals. it has vibes for days and does a lot with a very simple story and small budget}

Cure {...okay, this movie is not for everyone, but if you're down for a very unsettling horror movie, i cannot recommend this one highly enough. the premise is a detective investigating a series of murderers where each murderer has no memory of committing the crime. one of the best-directed movies i've ever seen. like it'll have you holding your breath in scene after scene}

The Last Waltz {since i recommended two other documentaries, i can't resist also recommending my favorite. it's Martin Scorsese's concert film of The Band's final show together. a great movie to put on in the background while cooking / doing chores since it's mostly musical performances, or you can do what i do and stare at Rick Danko the entire time!}

okay, i'll quit while i'm ahead now. if you're looking for movies in a specific genre (drama, comedy, romance, horror, sci-fi, sci-fi horror, horror comedy, romantic comedy with a dash of horror, throw me anything), let me know! i seriously could talk about movies for the rest of my life.

[unhinged222]

Sleepy hallow movie review

Spoilers are mentioned!! and these are my personal opinions!!!(TW: This movie contains g0re, bl00d )

I recommend this film for people who are into Horror, Folklore, can handle g0re and bl00d, and mystery!

As many of Tim's films this seems to be another one in list. The story is be based off of the tale of the well known “Headless horseman” who is figure in horror folklore which in other words is named the Galloping hessian. According to the folklore, he is a a headless man who holds a jack-o-lantern in one hand whilst riding a black horse. The story goes ,according to the story, that it was the ghost of a Hessian solider who was decapitated by the canon fire during the revolutionary war.

From my personal opinion, I think this movie was greatly produced just as the other films he has worked on. I absolutely loved how in the cast they have Christian Ricci as she is one of my favorite actors who also acted in other of my favorite movies ( Sweedney todd, Buffalo 66), she is such a great actor, she is absolutely so ethereal and overall is so beautiful. johnny Depp doesn’t fail to amuse me with his acting (Don’t come at me with the controversies) which the character her plays (Ichabod crane) became one of my favorite characters . I absolutely adore how they included historical aspects in the story plot such as witchcraft, the language back then, the clothing to the characters to make it seem that it adds on to the tail , thus in the end everything played out so great. As the movie was supposed to be placed in 1766, in which i cant see were they had to add the historical aspects. the Salem witch trials really took over my mind once i saw the witchcraft details took in place, Which in my personal opinion witchcraft really is a major aspect in the movie, because obviously the headless horseman was summoned through witchcraft and it seems to play a big part in the plot twist. But I don’t like how the person behind it ,when the scene of the lady explaining how she started all of it, she mentioned she offered her soul to Satan the moment she saw hessian died, which I thought was a bit stereotypical but reasonable because it took in 1766 where the Salem witch trails where around. A lot of people who do witch craft nowadays are stereotyped to be Satan worshippers which in a lot of cases may not partake in those activities, yet worship other deities like Aphrodite, Hecate etc.

Hence, The scenery of the movie is super eerie and mysterious just how it was supposed to portray which is really great, Tim burton films are well known for his gothic display in his movies, in which the style adds on to the mysterious aspect in the movies .

Honestly I was expecting the plot twist to happen, but once I saw it play out it really took me a while to understood what was actually happening. But in the end I figured it out once i saw it in action. It did shock me that the Lady van tassel was the one who governing the headless horseman, because I expected that it was one of the town elders who actually dressed up as the headless horseman and went around killing the people. But instead the movie played out that the elders where holding secrets in the town which played apart in Lady van tassels revenge which is pretty neat!! I loved how everything turned out in the end

Ichabod (The main character) In my opinion is on of my top favorite characters, to me he is so revolutionary. Literally in new York when they sent him to sleepy hollow to find out who was behind the murders to prove that investigations should be a thing behind the crimes going on instead of just executing them on the spot. Which was honestly very courageous of him, al though he is so stubborn. Not to mention his detective skills, he literally can tell what caused the wound which is TOP NOTCH criminologist skills I literally love that about it ( All though those procedures are kind of out dated) Not to mention bro is albert Einstein he made his own gadgets for his work which to mention are so unique, they give him a punk clock-work style to his character which fit so perfectly in his character

[whimsicaldragonette]

ARC Review: The Sinister Booksellers of Bath by Garth Nix

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Publication Date: March 21, 2023

Synopsis:

Return to the enchanting world of The Left-Handed Booksellers of London in this sequel by Garth Nix, bestselling master of teen fantasy, where once again a team of booksellers must fight to keep dangerous magic under cover before the stuff of legends destroys our world. There is often trouble of a mythical sort in Bath. The booksellers who police the Old World keep a careful watch there, particularly on the entity that inhabits the ancient hot spring. This time trouble comes from the discovery of a sorcerous map, leading left-handed bookseller Merlin into great danger, requiring a desperate rescue attempt from his sister, the right-handed bookseller Vivien, and art student Susan Arkshaw, who is still struggling to deal with her own recently discovered magical heritage. The map takes the trio to a place separated from this world, maintained by deadly sorcery and guarded by monstrous living statues. But this is only the beginning. To unravel the secrets of a murderous Ancient Sovereign, the booksellers must investigate centuries of disappearances and deaths. If they do not stop her, she will soon kill again. And this time, her target is not an ordinary mortal.

My Rating:

*My Review and Favorite Quotes after the cut.

My Review:

This was just as much fun, and just as much of a madcap magical adventure, as the first. I loved seeing Susan grappling with the wider questions and implications of being the Old Man of Coniston's daughter, as well as gaining confidence in her own decisions and choices. Merlin and Vivienne were the same as ever and made wonderful companions for Susan. I loved the reluctant collaboration (and clashing) of the magical booksellers and the non-magical police force. It kept things interesting. The pace was relentless, much as it was in the first book, and I read it in one sitting, rushing along the twists and turns of the plot at breakneck speed. It was so fast, in fact, that I never stopped even once to highlight a profound or amusing turn of phrase. It never felt too much like the characters were being dragged around by the plot, though, because they still had to make choices and decisions at every turn. All of the supporting characters were wonderful and felt unique. They had a lot of character and kept the meetings and necessary debriefings from becoming tedious rehashing of information. The lemon cakes scene, in particular, was quite amusing. I'm happy with where this left off, but I desperately hope there will be more Susan, Merlin, and Vivienne adventures coming in the future because I am not ready to leave them. And there is so much potential for adventure as they straddle the line between the modern world and the one of immortal entities. *Thanks to NetGalley and Katherine Tegen Books for providing an early copy for review.

Favorite Quotes:

He’d only escaped because he was wearing his coat like a cloak, his arms not in it, and whatever grabbed him had been momentarily confused as he slithered out of the two-pound Oxfam wooly bargain like a lizard leaving its sacrificial tail in a predator’s mouth.

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There was something familiar about the style of the stair ascent, a wholly unnecessary rapidity and joie de vivre in simply trying to leap as many steps as possible in one go.

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Merlin gravitated to those as outwardly attractive as himself, similar bright comets whose orbits crossed in a flurry of sparks and spun onwards to new collisions without looking back.

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“The wards are cast to repel living things of evil intent,” said Ruby. “And dead things of evil intent. But not animated stone of limited intelligence, or at least not this kind, whatever it is. An oversight to be addressed, now I think of it. I’ll bring it up at the next staff meeting.”

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“As I was saying,” he said stolidly. “I have reason to believe a crime has been committed…” He paused and looked over the broken pieces of statue and the shattered door.“ Though mebbe not the crime I thought it was,” he said.