#my hands are also tiny so i don't think my punches would be very effective

[brodorokihousuke]

Brody between Apollo and you, who'd win in a fist fight?

I'm going to say with 99% certainty Apollo would, I'm not strong at all lmao. You should watch me try to open anything, it's a miserable experience

[xaieia]

Can you tell me some of your Hector hcs? :]

Sorry for bothering you-

Please don't apologize you're not bothering me, I want people to ask me stuff about Candies 'n Curses and talk with me about Candies 'n Curses and stuff I'm just usually used to doing it in DMs

I actually have... a lot of headcanons for Hector... Like I made up an entire life backstory but I don't think now is the time for that

Here's some rapid fire tiny ones:

He has an incredibly low alcohol tolerance (like... unnaturally low)

He's a heavy sleeper (Would definitely act like he's totally alert through the night and will protect everyone if anything happened but he would sleep through almost everything lmao)

He likes spicy food and has a high spice tolerance (idk just seems like the type of a guy)

Besides using his crossbow, he also knows how to use a regular bow, knows how to wield a bat as a weapon effectively and has a fair bit of hand to hand combat experience (unfortunately, one cannot punch the ghosts)

For some shorter but more meaningful ones:

It's canon that Hector's crossbow doesn't work on ghosts but I've personally altered that a little bit to it only working on the ghosts that are somewhat corporeal (so like... Slimes are made of gumdrops, Spiders Jawbreakers (well with the exception of the Spitter Spider) and Bones... well, Bones; Those 3 are all like physical objects so the crossbow will work with... varying degrees of success but for Wraiths, Phantoms, Spitters, Knights etc they're just like ghosts so the crossbow doesn't do anything at all)

He's EXTREMELY stubborn. That's implied in canon with him refusing to switch his weapon to one that works against ghosts but I see him as the guy who metaphorically bangs his head against the wall until the wall breaks or he passes out and will only consider begrudgingly asking for help if he truly feels he can't do it with how he is or if something is more time sensitive

Hector has some kind of beef with everyone in the mansion with the exception of Paige (that one's somewhat canon but in my HCs it's like very definite lol)

Hector is usually a little bit more relaxed and is only being this snippy and aggressive because being stuck in the mansion for so long (in my HC that's 6 months) has affected him mentally; Though that's not to say he'd be all nice outside of the mansion, not at all. When he's not under heavy stress he'd be more of a gruff, cold, politely distant individual to strangers, as opposed to actively being a jerk to people

He's jealous of Olly having figured out how to function in the mansion and like deal with it on a day to day basis and lashes out at him a fair bit as a result. Ironically because of the fact he's aware Olly's somewhat reliable and (begrudgingly, like i said earlier) ends up asking him for help a decent bit. Olly does help out because he's nice but he definitely feels unappreciated.

He does care about the other people trapped in the manor even if he doesn't act like it a lot of the time.

And to end on something wholesome:

So Hector canonically has a daughter and I've made her into an OC but without going in depth on her because this isn't the Hector's daughter headcanon ask, I do think Hector would be a good dad. I'm a sucker for the trope of gruff guy who has a soft spot for his kid so- He would give her a lot of and maybe spoil her a bit but he'd try to raise her properly with manners and a good work ethic and he'd probably teach her some fighting too; Just he'd definitely be the type of dad who'd think his precious perfect angel can do no wrong and would blame literally anyone else if anything ever happened while she was involved

But well uh yeah here's some headcanons I'd be really curious to hear any headcanons of yours and if you wanna discuss more my dms are open :>

[rainy-weather-supremacy]

*my body gets hurled against your door with a loud THUNK* Hello

Do you think your characters are irredeemably evil?

Why is Daniel buried all the time. He’s a fucking landlord he has houses

Which of my ocs do you think would hold up against yours in a fight?

Someone’s childhood memory? Good or bad

What makes a character shut down. Like completely unresponsive (it increasingly sounds like I’m planning to fight your ocs lmaoooo)

Who needs to be put on a leash. Like, legit restrained from doing shit

Do your characters have any phobias?

What‘s an opportunity they would never pass up?

Character range. Rate your characters from „my bby“ to „my nasty little bastard.“

That’s all I’m probably having a presentation this afternoon so I’m actively dying. I’m sorry if these questions are weird but my mouth feels really weird rn I think me experiencing anxiety supreme edition. See ya

*I hand you a cup of tea that is not poisoned* Hello!

I don't think so, no. Some of them are pretty fucked up for no easily discernible reason, others got fucked up by things outside of their control, but I think there's some good in all of them and they could eventually be redeemed.

He just likes dirt tbh? Sure being surrounded by tons of concrete is great but the pressure of the earth all around is just something he likes. Man probably owns like seven weighted blankets. The smell is nice too.

That's an interesting question. It can of course depend a lot by location (Daniel for example can bring down any building and crush everyone inside but himself, but outside he pretty much can't do shit) and what would be "allowed". I'm fairly certain that most of them wouldn't survive a magical bomb if it was just dropped on them randomly and most wouldn't survive even if they knew. If we're saying one-on-one combat without magic, there are of course some people that would immediately lose. The Kilmoores seem pretty strong, so I think they could beat most of them. With using all the magic we'd probably have to compare to really know who would be most effective against who. If the museum archives people do things with life and death, they could probably get Leon to actually die but idk they don't seem the people the attack random 9 year olds. Also unrelated but I think Tara would make an exception to their "no blood on my hands" rule and punch Treeve on sight.

Avery's memories of her childhood are mostly from the hunts, which seem to all take place in the early hours of the morning when there's a lot of fog and the sky is grey with the feeling from before rain. Mary and Daniel have mostly bad childhood memories, both of the school and their parents, but they have a few of them standing up for each other or running away together for an afternoon one time that they would never admit they still remember or care about. Daniel has one he remembers well of a storm passing through and Mary letting him sleep in her bed so he wouldn't be scared. Jamie remembers hiding in his closet so he wouldn't have to go to school and pretending he didn't exist. Camilla's most vivid childhood memory is finding her brother dead on the street :D (Rip)

Good question but also. What are you planning. For Mary it's being trapped in a very tight space. Camilla it would be if someone were to take all traces of nature from her, kill her bugs, remove the moss from her hair. Daniel has some triggers that can just completely make him shut down, mostly ties, being shouted at directly by someone he considers a threat or is he's scared and being touched suddenly without asking. Both Arthur and Jamie would absolutely shut down in bright public spaces when everyone is looking at them. Leon isn't easily scared and immune to death himself, but seeing any of his dads or sister dead would fuck him up™️. For Avery, being backstabbed by someone it trusted completely. I'm sure there's more, but none I can think of right now.

Granny. She's like one of those horrible tiny dogs that bites except she also gives you a headache too look at. And scratches.

Mary has claustrophobia. Daniel is scared of heights and large open spaces. Jamie has scopophobia and Mikaela hates spiders. (I am once again worried 🧐)

That's a hard one, actually. Camilla, Toby and Arthur would want to bring Leon back to life. Leon would want to actually die. This one's abstract, but Arthur would absolutely leave into the sky to become a star. Toby would give a lot to have his 'powers' of stealing other's happiness etc taken away and Camilla for all humans to disappear. (I don't know why I'm so focussed on them lmao.) If Tara could have every person that has done what they consider a bad thing fall over and die they would, no matter what it would lead to. I guess a few of them would just kill each other if they had the chance.

I made this instead of eating lunch.

Good luck on your presentation remember to drink water and until I next make myself known by throwing things at your windos.

[daintyduck99]

One more bc I'm on a roll, lol: "was that your first kiss?" Peterpatterlina

Luke was wrong. If anyone’s a wrecking ball, it’s him. 

She’s so stupid! That fantasy she’d had? Luke’s nothing like that, with the fluffy hair and the button-up shirt and the gentle smile, floating with her all over the floor, lifting her to the heavens like he was made to hold her. Luke is a live wire, an electric guitar. He was made to hold music. 

He’s a wrecking ball only because she let him shatter her idea of him, of their interesting little relationship. That’s on her, and yet—

Julie furiously wipes at her eyes. She hugs her comfiest pillow to her chest, muffling her sobs. 

A gentle knock interrupts her pity party. “Julie? Can I come in?” 

Her stomach flips, a strange revival of the butterflies that were effectively squashed roughly ten minutes ago. That’s not entirely true, though, she supposes. She tells Reggie to come in.

He barely has his shoes off when she reaches for him. In a small voice, she asks, “Hold me?” 

Reggie gently moves her pillow, gathering her into his arms. She buries her face in his chest, somewhat soothed by the marvel of his heartbeat. His clothes carry the scent of cologne and some breezy detergent, now, and his hands are cool in her hair. He’s so real, and so kind, and she has no idea how she set herself up for heartbreak so hard when Reggie is right here. 

He rests his chin on top of her head, humming as he strokes her hair. He waits until her breathing evens out and she stops soaking his shirt quite so much. 

“Julie—you don’t have to answer. We don’t have to talk about it, but—was that your first kiss?” 

She cringes, bunching the back of his shirt between her fingers. “Was it that obvious?” 

"Not necessarily. I think most people would be upset, getting kissed out of the blue like that." He hesitates. "It was—I guessed." 

Julie bites her lip. There's more he hasn't said, but she might as well start. She exhales through her nose. 

"It's not even that I don't want to kiss him, you know? It's the way he kissed me. Even if it hadn't been my first—it was our first! Isn't it supposed to be—I'd hoped it’d be—more intimate, or—" 

"Romantic?" 

"Yes!" She flushes. She hadn't meant for the admission to burst out of her, even smothered into his shirt. "I guess he's not a romantic guy, and I feel silly for thinking he might be. Am I crazy? For daydreaming about that stuff?” 

“You’re not crazy.” Reggie squeezes her tight, and she has the bizarre urge to climb through his ribs as she squeezes back. Anything to be closer. “A first kiss can be a big deal. Like—sure, Luke’s passionate, but he’s not the most romantic person. Even then—you wanted it to be special. I totally get it.” He swallows. “So did I.” 

She squirms in his hold, shifting until their faces are level. “Your first kiss was disappointing?” 

“Yeah, um.” His blush deepens. “It was also Luke, actually. He was just excited about some idea I’d had. A chord progression, or something. So he vaulted over the table and—well, he kissed me, but it was more like he punched me in the lips with his lips. It made my teeth hurt. And he probably doesn’t even remember. I never told him that it bothered me.” 

Oh, Luke. It makes sense, in hindsight. Luke is very passionate, especially about music, and she’d been flirting with him via potential song lyrics when he cut her off in a similar fashion. She can absolutely see Reggie swallowing his hurt feelings over such a thing, too, but she couldn’t. She’d snapped and stormed out of the studio. 

Julie touches Reggie’s cheek. “I’m sorry, Reggie. You deserved a better first kiss, too. I just hope he doesn’t write a song about mine.” 

Reggie’s forehead creases. A tiny frown plays on his mouth. “What?” 

“Crooked Teeth? Didn’t Alex say that song is about you?” 

He gasps, eyes wild and sufficiently rosy-cheeked with the realization. “Oh my god! Why can’t he just communicate like a normal person?” 

Julie snorts. “Says the guy who never told him how said kiss made him feel.” 

He lets out a nervous little laugh. “Point taken.” 

She sweeps her thumb over his cheek, swallowing as she searches his eyes. They’re so pretty, always brimming with vivid emotions, somewhere between green and blue. “Reggie?” 

He tucks her hair behind her ear. She shivers as his calloused fingers trace her skin. “Yeah?” 

“I like you too, and I really want you to kiss me. Is that okay?” 

“That depends.” He grins at her, and his eyes shine, which brings the butterflies back in full force. “Promise you won’t write a song about it?” 

“I won’t,” she murmurs. Her stomach flutters as he rubs their noses together. “This is ours.” 

Reggie kisses her softly, threading his hand into her hair, and it loosens something in her chest. Every brush of their lips is cautious and slow and sweet, and he holds her like he can’t believe she’s real. It’s the sort of kiss she’d dreamed about, and she melts into it with a small sigh. 

He looks as dazed as she feels when they finally part, rubbing his lips. “Wow.”

Julie giggles. “Come on. We should go talk to him. Maybe see if he’s willing to try that again.”

[five-rivers]

Please don't make tinyToshi dislike how he turned out. All Might is /exactly/ the kind of hero a tween would want to be. Make Aizawa and Gran despair because of it. The gutpunch is his skinny form.

Sequel to this.

.

"So," said Toshinori, "what's old me like?"

"You're not old," said Midoriya, earnestly.

"Not right now," said Toshinori, "but, I mean, fifty is practically ancient."

"What does that make me, hmm?" asked Recovery Girl, reaching over to tap his shins with her cane. She'd healed him a moment ago, and was now checking for side effects.

"Someone who aged very gracefully."

Recovery Girl gave Toshinori a very hard look. "Well," she said, "other than being a teenager, you are now in perfect health."

"I told you so," said Toshinori.

Recovery Girl smacked his shins again. "Stay there while I take care of Midoriya-kun. I'll want to check you again in an hour."

Midoriya, it turned out, had broken a leg and several small bones in his foot.

"That's not too bad, then," said Midoriya.

"Yes, it is," said Aizawa, pinching the bridge of his nose. His eyes drifted over to Tsukauchi, then to Toshinori. "Detective Tsukauchi. Would it be helpful for you to have another set of eyes on Yagi-san?"

"It would depend on whose eyes they were," said Tsukauchi.

"I really don't need to be babysitted," protested Toshinori. "I can take care of myself."

"Adult you is worse than Midoriya," said Aizawa. "So, no, you can't. And it would be Midoriya's eyes, since he isn't joining our morning exercise today."

"What?" said Midoriya. "But, Aizawa-sensei, the door wasn't my fault-"

"This isn't a punishment, Midoriya-kun. This is about your health. I'm not going to have you participate while you're drowsy from Recovery Girl's quirk and your bones are still fragile." Then he sighed, deeply, as if he knew his next words would give him pain. "Besides, don't you want to spend some time with All Might? Before he turns back into his usual... bombastic self."

Midoriya opened his mouth, closed it, and started looking between Toshinori and Aizawa, conflict clear on his face. Toshinori saw the exact moment when his decision was made, although it was mared by a split second of what almost looked like a horrified realization.

A few minutes later, Toshinori watched with amusement as tiny old Recovery Girl shooed out the two adult heroes (don't you have classes to teach?) and Todoroki (don't you have a class to attend?).

"So, uh." Midoriya cleared his throat and massaged his apparently-healed foot. "You know when you'll be turning back?"

"Nope," said Toshinori, cheerfully. "But I might as well enjoy it while it lasts, right? Not often a quirkless person gets to come to UA. Even if I'll manifest a quirk later. Really hasn't sunk in yet. It'll be a strength enhancer? What does that look like? What do I look like?"

"Uh," said Midoriya, as Detective Tsukauchi sank into a nearby chair and buried his face in his hands. "Here, let me show you." He bounced off the bed and walked over to Toshinori's, sitting next to him.

Then he showed Toshinori his phone. There was a picture of an extremely muscular blond man on the lock screen. He was wearing a very cool jumpsuit that Toshinori was honestly going to be jealous of forever. He waited for Midoriya to unlock the phone.

Midoriya did not unlock the phone.

Wait. Wait.

"Is that me?"

"Haha, yep," said Midoriya, nervously.

"Oh, gosh," said Toshinori. "I'm going to be shredded. Do I have a six pack? Is that a real six pack? Midoriya-kun, please tell me I have a six pack."

"You have a six pack," said Midoriya, who had, for some reason, gone bright red.

"That's so cool! Take that, Hirota-kun! I can too exercise! I hope he choked when I debuted."

"A-All Might!"

Toshinori cackled. "How tall am I? I know I'm already pretty tall, but I get taller, right?"

"You're two hundred and twenty centimeters tall, exactly," said Midoriya.

"I get so tall," whispered Toshinori. "Can you show me more?"

"Ah, yeah," said Midoriya. Then he swallowed. "But, um, there's something else you need to know, and I don't, and I don't know if Detective Tsukauchi already told you..."

"There wasn't really time to tell him everything," said Tsukauchi, "and with other people listening in..."

"But Yamada-sensei and Aizawa-sensei already know about his other form, so..."

"The driver," said Tsukauchi, "does not. Nor does your friend."

"Oh," said Midoriya.

"I have another form?" asked Toshinori, almost vibrating with glee. "That sounds like those really old animes. You know the ones."

"Well, um." Midoriya fiddled with his phone. "This, uh, this is also you."

Toshinori blinked at the picture in front of him. It was of Midoriya (who looked thrilled beyond all reason and also had an ice cream cone) and standing next to him was--

"Is that a skeleton?" he asked.

"It's you," said Midoriya.

"It's you," confirmed Tsukauchi. "It's a national secret, but about six years ago, you were severely injured. Your quirk lets you transform, but when you're not using it..." The detective gestured at Midoriya's phone.

"Oh," said Toshinori. "Well. I don't know how to feel about that right now." Sick, maybe? It was certainly a gut-punch. "You couldn't have let me live in blissful ignorance for the time being? At least until I turned back into old me?"

Midoriya winced as if he'd been slapped. "Th-that's kind of why I'm telling you," he said. "It's a secret. S-so, if you turn back, I mean, I don't know if you'll be in your muscle form or not when you turn back, and you don't know when you'll turn back, and if it's in public..."

Tsukauchi cursed quietly. "I didn't think about that," he said. "There isn't a better place than UA, anyway, with all the people who want to kill him."

"So," said Midoriya quietly, looking first at Toshinori, then and Tsukauchi, "what are we going to do?"

"UA has many unused rooms," interrupted Recovery Girl. "I'm sure Nezu would let you use one. Or you could stay in his office, for the time being."

"You mean," said Toshinori, determined to make this fun again, "I could meet Nezu? Like, the real Nezu?"

"That's quite right!" crowed a squeaky voice. "It's nice to see you again, Yagi-kun!"

[snake-rot]

(EXCLAIMING)

(ORCHESTRA MUSIC BLARING)

(GROANS)

(WHIMPERS)

(GRUNTING)

(MYSTICAL INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC PLAYING)

(GROANS)

(COUNTRY ROCK MUSIC PLAYING)

(COUGHS)

Sweet home Alabama

Where the skies are so blue

WOMAN: Excuse me, sir, is there a commode?

Sweet home Alabama

(GRUNTING)

Lord, I'm coming home to you

(GRUNTS) Justin!

Quick, honey, take my picture. I got the pyramid in my hand.

(CAMERA CLICKING)

Yeah

Justin, you get back here right now!

No, stop!

GUARD 1: No, no, no! Stop him! GUARD 2: Go back! Don't climb!

(JUSTIN IMITATING AIRPLANE WHOOSHING)

Wait, wait.

Hold on. Easy, little boy.

Okay, stop, child! Stop right there. No!

(GASPS)

No, no, no, no, no! Oh! There he goes.

(GASPS)

Justin!

I've got him! I've got him!

(JUSTIN GRUNTS)

(AIR ESCAPING)

Outrage in Egypt tonight as it was discovered

that the Great Pyramid of Giza had been stolen

and replaced by a giant inflatable replica.

There is panic throughout the globe as countries and citizens

try to protect their beloved landmarks.

Law enforcement still has no leads,

leaving everyone to wonder, which of the world's villains

is responsible for this heinous crime?

And where will he strike next?

Gru: Freeze ray! Freeze ray! Freeze ray! [laughs evilly] Fred: Morning, Gru! How you doing? Gru: Hello, Fred. FYI, your dog has been leaving little bombs all over my yard, and I don't appreciate it. Fred: Sorry. You know dogs. They go wherever they wanna go. Gru: Unless they're dead. [laughs] I'm joking! Although, it is true. Anyway, have a good one. Fred: Okay. Yeah. Steamrolling whatever Gru: [groans] You've got to be pulling on my leg! Margo: Hello! Cookies for sale. Gru: Go away. I'm not home. Margo: Uh, yes, you are. I heard you. Gru: [gasps] No, you didn't. This... [monotone] is a recording. Margo: [scoffs] No, it isn't. Gru: Yes, it is. [o.s.] Watch this. Leave a message, beep. [Edith kicks the door] Gru: Ow! Agnes: Goodbye, recorded message. Margo: [o.s.] Agnes, come on. Gru: Huh? [screams] Kyle! Bad dog! No! No, no. Sit. My muffin. Dr. Nefario: Gru! Gru: Ah, Dr. Nefario. Dr. Nefario: I know how you must be feeling. I, too, have encountered great disappointment, but, in my eyes, you will always be one of the greats. Gru: What? What happened? Dr. Nefario: It's all over the news! Some fella just stole a pyramid. They're saying he makes all other villains look... lame. pause Gru: Assemble the minions! [throws Kyle off of his arm] Minions, assemble! Minion: Okay. Okay. Hey! Gru: Looking good, Kevin! How is the family? Good? All right. That's my Billy boy! What up, Larry? Hello, everybody! Yeah, all right! Simmer down. Simmer down! Thank you, okay. Now, I realize that you guys probably heard about this other villain who stole the pyramids. Apparently, it's a big deal. People are calling it the crime of the century and stuff like that. But am I upset? No, I am not! A little, but we have had a pretty good year ourselves, and you guys are all right in my book. Minion: Ooh! Ooh! Ooh! Gru: No, no raises! You're not going to get any raises. What did we do? Well, we stole the Times Square JumboTron! Nice! That's how I roll. Yeah, you all like watching football on that, huh? But that's not all. We stole the Statue of Liberty, the small one from Las Vegas. And I won't even mention the Eiffel Tower! Also Vegas. Okay, I wasn't going to tell you about this yet, but I have been working on something very big! Something that will blow this pyramid thing out of the water! And thanks to the efforts of my good friend Dr. Nefario... Dr. Nefario: Thank you! Gru: There he is. He's stylin'. Now, we have located a shrink ray in a secret lab, and once we take this shrink ray, we will have the capability to pull off the 'true crime of the century. We are going to steal... The Minions all pull out their weapons in response. Gru: Wait, wait! I haven't told you what it is yet. One of the Minions, Dave, shoots his rocket launcher at a crowd of Minions. Gru: Hey. Dave, listen up, please! Dave: Ditto. One of the Minions Dave shot walks over to him and punches him on the shoulder. Gru: Next, we are going to steal, pause for effect, the moon! The Minions cheer in response. Gru: And once the moon is mine, the world will give me whatever I want to get it back! And I will be the greatest villain of all time! That's what I'm talkin' 'bout. [picks up his phone] Yes? Dr. Nefario: Hello, Gru? I've been crunching some numbers, and I really don't see how we can afford this. It can't be done. I'm not a miracle worker. Gru:Hey, chillax. I'll just get another loan from the bank. They love me! Margo: Edith, stop it! Edith: What? I'm just walking. Girls: Hi, Miss Hattie. We're back. Miss Hattie: Hello, girls! Agnes: Anybody come to adopt us while we were out? Miss Hattie: Hmm... Let me think. No! Edith immediately puts a mud pie on Miss Hattie's desk, much to her displeasure. Miss Hattie: Edith! What did you put on my desk? Edith: A mud pie. Miss Hattie: [sighs] You're never gonna get adopted, Edith. You know that, don't you? Edith: Yeah, I know. Miss Hattie: Good. So, how did it go, girls? Did we meet our quotas? Margo: Hmm... Sorta. We sold 43 mini-mints, 30 choco-swirlies and 18 coco-nutties. Miss Hattie: [gets up] Okay.

Well, you say that like it's a great sale day. [furious] Look at my face! Do you still think it's a great sale day? Edith rolls her eyes in response. Miss Hattie: [hangs up a portrait] Eighteen coco-nutties. I think we can do a little better than that, don't you? Yeah. We wouldn't want to spend the weekend in the Box of Shame, would we? No. Girls: No, Miss Hattie. Miss Hattie: Okay, good. Off you go. Go clean something of mine. Girls: Hi, Penny. Penny: Hi, guys. Gru: Hello, Mom. Sorry, I meant to call, but... Gru's Mom: I just wanted to congratulate you on stealing the pyramid. [Gru sighs in disgust] That was you, wasn't it? Or was it a villain who's actually successful? [laughs] Gru: Just so you know, Mom, I am about to do something that's very, very big, very important. When you hear about it, you're going to be very proud. Gru's Mom: Ha! [sarcastically] Good luck with that. Okay, I'm outta here. [hangs up the phone before sending her karate instructor flying] Gru: Gru to see Mr Perkins Receptionist: Yes, please have a seat. Neil Armstrong: That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. Young Gru: Ma, someday I'm going to go to the moon. Gru's Mom: I'm afraid you're too late, Son. NASA isn't sending the monkeys any more. Vector: Hey. I'm applying for a new villain loan. Go by the name of Vector. It's a mathematical term, a quantity represented by an arrow, with both direction and magnitude. Vector! That's me, 'cause I'm committing crimes with both direction and magnitude. Oh, yeah! Check out my new weapon. Piranha gun! Oh, yes! Fires live piranhas. Ever seen one before? No, you haven't. I invented it. Do you want a demonstration? Shoot! So difficult, sometimes, to get the piranha back inside of my... Receptionist: Mr Gru, Mr Perkins will see you now. Gru: So, all I need is money from the bank to build a rocket. And then, the moon is ours. Perkins: Wow! Well, very nice presentation. I'd like to see this shrink ray. Gru: Absolutely! Will do. Soon as I have it. Perkins: You don't have it? And yet you have the audacity to ask the bank for money? Gru: Apparently. Perkins: Do you have any idea of the capital that this bank has invested in you, Gru? With far too few of your sinister plots actually turning a profit. How can I put it? Let's say this apple is you. If we don't start getting our money back... Get the picture? Look, Gru, the point is, there are a lot of new villains out there, younger than you, hungrier than you, younger than you. Like that young fellow out there named Vector. He just stole a pyramid! Gru: I've got it. I've got it. So, as far as getting money for the rocket... Perkins: Get the shrink ray, then we'll talk. Minion: Suckers! Suckers! Gru: We got it! What? Hey! Hey! What! Hey! No, no, no! You! Vectors: Now, maybe you'll think twice before you freeze someone's head! So long, Gru! Gru: Quick! We can't let him get away! Up ahead! Up ahead! Fire! Fire, now! Vector: You missed me! Gru: Come to papa! Take that. Vector: How adorable. Gru: Got you in our sights! Like taking candy from a... What? Vector: Hey, Gru! Try this on for size! Gru: That's weird. What is going... This is claustrophobic! No, no, no! Too small! This is too small for me! [groans] I hate that guy. Margo: ...and please watch over us, and bless that we'll have a good night's sleep. Edith: And bless that while we're sleeping, no bugs will crawl into our ears and lay eggs in our brains. Margo: Great. Thanks for that image, Edith. Agnes: And please bless that someone will adopt us soon, and that the mommy and daddy will be nice and have a pet unicorn. Amen. Margo/Edith: Amen. Agnes: Unicorns, I love them Unicorns, I love them Uni, uni, unicorns I love them Uni, unicorns, I could pet one If they were really real And they are So, I bought one so I could pet it Now it loves me Now I love it Gru: Don't you... What the... Good luck, little girls! Edith: Whoa! Cool. Margo: Hi! We're orphans from Miss Hattie's Home for Girls. Vector: I don't care. Beat it! Margo: Come on! We're selling

cookies so, you know, we can have a better future. Vector: Wait, wait! Do you have coco-nutties? Margo: Yeah. Gru: Light bulb. Dr Nefario! I'm going to need a dozen tiny robots disguised as cookies! Dr. Nefario: What? Gru: Cookie robots! Dr. Nefario: Who is this? - Gru: Oh, forget it. Mrs. Hattie: Well, it appears you have cleared our background check, Dr Gru. And I see you have made a list of some of your personal achievements. Thank you for that. I love reading. And I see you have been given the Medal of Honor and a knighthood. - Minions: Me, me, me. Me, me, me. Minion: Kevin? Mrs. Hattie: You had your own cooking show and you can hold your breath for 30 seconds? It's not that impressive. Minion: Idiot! - Minions: Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Fight! Mrs Hattie: What in the name of... What? Gru: Well, here's the dealio. Things have been so lonely since my wife, Debbie, passed on. It's like my heart is a tooth, and it's got a cavity that can only be filled with children. I'm sorry. You are a beautiful woman. Do you speak Spanish? Mrs. Hattie: Do I look like I speak Spanish? Gru: You have a face como un burro. Mrs. Hattie: Well, thank you! Gru: Anyway, can we proceed with this adoption? So, so excited! Mrs. Hattie: Please tell Margo, Edith and Agnes to come to the lobby. Margo: I bet the mom is beautiful! Edith: I bet the daddy's eyes sparkle. Agnes: I bet their house is made of Gummi Bears. [Edith and Margo look at her curiously] I'm just saying it'd be nice. [picks up a Cheeto] Aww. My caterpillar never turned into a butterfly. Edith: That's a Cheeto. Agnes: Oh... [eats said Cheeto, making Edith and Margo recoil in disgust] Miss Hattie: Well, Debbie was a very lucky woman. [pause] Gru: Who's Debbie? Mrs Hattie: Your wife. Hi, girls! Girls, I want you to meet Mr Gru. He's going to adopt you. And he's a dentist! Agnes: Yeah! Margo: Hi. I'm Margo. This is Edith. And that's Agnes. Agnes: [sing-song] I got your leg, I got your leg! Gru: Okay, that is enough, little girl. Let go of my leg. Come on. You can do it. Agnes: Higher! Higher! Gru: Just release your grip. Wow! How do you remove them? Is there a command? Some nonstick spray? Crowbar? [sighs] Okay, girls, let's go. [They drove off in the distance.]Vector: Uh-huh! Oh, yeah! Pretty impressive! What are you looking at? Boo-ya! You got shrunk, tiny mouthwash! Take that! You done been shrunk! (His phone rings) Yello? I got the shrink ray, all right. No, I'm not playing with it. Gru? Don't make me laugh! No. P.S., he is not getting the moon, and P.P.S., by the time I'm done with him, he's gonna be begging for mercy. (Shrinks a toilet) Okay, bye. (Hangs up) Look at you, a little tiny toilet for a little tiny baby to... [The toilet pops out and water sprays him.]Vector: Curse you, tiny toilet! [Gru and the Girls arrive at Gru's Home.] Gru: "Okay, here we are. Home sweet home. Margo: So... This is, like, your house? [realizing] Wait a sec... You're the guy who pretended he was a recorded message! Gru: No, that was someone else. [Margo gives a skeptical look before she, Edith and Agnes enter Gru's house, with Gru following suite.] Agnes: [scared] Can I hold your hand? Gru: Uh... No. Edith: [looks around] When we got adopted by a bald guy, I thought this'd be more like "Annie". Gru: No, hey! [screams] Kyle, these are not treats. These are guests. Girls, this is Kyle, my... Dog. Kyle snarls in anger. Agnes: Ooh! Fluffy doggy! [approaches Kyle before he runs away, much to her disappointment] Margo: What kind of dog is that? Gru: He is a... I don't know. Margo: Do you really think that this is an appropriate place for little kids? 'Cause, uh... It's not. [Edith sees a closet that is sharp and goes in it.] Gru: No! No! Stay away from there! It's frag... [He sees juice spilling on the floor.]Both: (Gasps) Gru: Well, I suppose the plan will work with two. Edith: [muffled] Hey! It's dark in here. [Gru opens the iron maiden, revealing Edith, who spits out a straw]Edith: It poked a hole in my juice box. [They went to the

kitchen.] Gru: As you can see, I have provided everything a child might need. All right. Okay. As I was saying... (Edith knocked a bottle down) Gru: (Cont'd) Hey! Oh. Edith: Somebody broke that. Gru: "Okay, okay. Clearly, we need to set some rules. Rule number one. You will not touch anything. Margo: Uh-huh. What about the floor? Gru: Yes, you may touch the floor. Margo: What about the air? Gru: Yes, you may touch the air! Edith: (Gets out a laser gun) What about this? Gru: (Screams) Where did you get that? Edith: [shrugs] Found it. Gru: Okay. Rule number two. You will not bother me while I'm working. Rule number three. You will not cry or whine or laugh or giggle or sneeze or burp or fart! So, no, no, no annoying sounds. All right? Agnes: Does this count as annoying? [popping] Gru: Very! [sighs] I will see you in six hours. Margo: Okay, don't worry. Everything's going to be fine. We're gonna be really happy here. Right? Agnes? Gru: Question. What are these? Dr. Nefario: A dozen boogie robots! Boogie! Look at this. Watch me! Gru: Cookie robots. I said cookie robots. Why are you so old? Dr. Nefario: Okay. I'm on it. Margo: Hello? Agnes: TV! Margo: What is that? Edith: Whoa! That is cool! Come on! Agnes: I don't think he's a dentist.Dr. Nefario: We've been working on this for a while. It's a anti-gravity serum. I meant to close that. He'll be all right, I'm sure. Gru: Do the effects wear off? Dr. Nefario: So far, no. No, they don't. And here, of course, is the new weapon you ordered. Gru: No, no. I said "dart gun," not... Okay. Dr. Nefario: Oh, yes. 'Cause I was wondering under what circumstances would we use this? But, anyway. What I really wanted to show you was this. Gru: Now those are cookie robots! Agnes: La, la, la, la I love unicorns Gru: What are you doing here? I told you to stay in the kitchen! Margo: We got bored. What is this place? Edith: Can I drink this? Dr. Nefario: Do you want to explode? [Edith kicks him in the shin] Dr. Nefario: Gru! Gru: Get back in the kitchen! Agnes: Will you play with us? Gru: No. Agnes: Why? Gru: Because I'm busy. Margo: [scoffs] Doing what? Gru: Umm... Okay, okay, you got me. The dentist thing is more of a hobby. In real life, I am a spy. And it is top secret, and you may not tell anybody, because if you do... Edith: What does this do? [She fires a laser and it hits Agnes's unicorn and it burns to ashes]Gru: Hey! Edith: Whoops. Agnes: My unicorn! You have to fix it. Gru: Fix it? Look, it has been disintegrated. By definition, it cannot be fixed. [Agnes gasps in shock, then starts holding her breath] Gru: That's freaking me out. What is she doing? Margo: She's gonna hold her breath until she gets a new one. Gru: [sighs] It is just a toy. Now stop it! (Agnes faints) Gru: Okay, okay! I'll fix it! Tim! Mark! Phil! This is very important. You have to get the little girl a new unicorn toy. Gru: Hey, hey, hey! A toy! Go, and hurry! What are those? Gru: They are my... Cousins. Jerry! Stuart! Watch them and keep them away from me please. [The three minions put on a disguise and head to the store.]Minions: Wow!- Wow! [Meanwhile the two minions and the girls are tossing toilet paper at each other. Gru comes up and he sees the Girls and the two minions having fun.]Edith: It was your cousin's idea. Jerry: What? Gru: Okay, bedtime. Girls: Aww... Minions: Aww... Gru: Not you two! Minions: Yay. Gru: Okey-dokey. Beddie-bye. All tucked in. Sweet dreams. Margo: Just so you know, you're never gonna be my dad. Gru: I think I can live with that. Edith: Are these beds made out of bombs? Gru: Yes, but they are very old and highly unlikely to blow up. But try not to toss and turn. Edith: "Cool." Agnes: Will you read us a bedtime story?" Gru: No. Agnes: But we can't go to sleep without a bedtime story. Gru: Well, then it's going to be a long night for you, isn't it? So, good night, sleep tight, and don't let the bed bugs bite. Because there are literally thousands of them. And there's probably something in your closet. Margo: He's just kidding, Agnes. Agnes: It's beautiful. Gru: Girls, let's go.

Time to deliver the cookies! Margo: Okay. But first, we're going to dance class. Gru: Actually, we're going to have to skip the dance class today. Margo: Actually, we can't skip the dance class today. We have a big recital coming up. We're doing an excerpt from Swan Lake. Agnes: Yeah, Swan Lake! Gru: That's fantastic. Wonderful. But we're going to deliver cookies! Come on! Margo: No. Gru: No? Margo: We're not going to deliver cookies until we do dance class. Really? Gru: Well, I am not driving you to dance class. So if you want to go, you are going to have to walk yourselves. What are you doing? Margo: Walking to dance class. Gru: Ya? Okay, fine. You just keep walking, because I'm really not driving you! Margo: Okay. Gru: You're going to suffer the wrath of Gru! Seriously, I'm going to count to three! And you had better be in this car! Here we go! One! Two! Teacher: ...three, four and five. And lift, and stretch. And one, and two... Agnes: Here you go. Gru: What is it? Agnes: Your ticket to the dance recital. You are coming, right? Gru: Of course, of course. I have pins and needles that I'm sitting on. Agnes: Pinkie promise? Gru: Oh, yes. My pinkie promises. All right. Our first customer is a man named Vector. Margo: But he's a V. You know, we're supposed to start with the A's. Then we go to the B's. Then we... Gru: Yes, yes! I went to kindergarten. I know how the alphabet works! I was just thinking that it might be nice to deliver Mr Vector's first. That is all. Almost over. It's almost over. Vector: Girls, welcome back to the fortress of Vector-tude! Do you have my cookies for me? Margo: Four boxes of mini-mints, two toffee totes, two caramel clumpies and fifteen boxes of coco-nutties. Vector: Exactly. I'd like to see somebody else order that many cookies. Not likely. Name one person who ordered more cookies than me. Margo: That'll be $52. Vector: Right. Seven, eight, nine... Tic Tacs! Where was I? Seven, eight, nine... Agnes: Why are you wearing pyjamas? Vector: These aren't pyjamas! This is a warm-up suit. Edith: What are you warming up for? Vector: Stuff. Agnes: What sort of stuff? Vector: Super-cool stuff you wouldn't understand. Agnes: Like sleeping? Vector: They are not pyjamas! Here you go, 52 big ones. Bye! Gru: Come on! Vector: What the...? Quiet down, fish. Down, boy!Gru: [laughs] We did it! Come on, girls, let's go! Margo: But what about the other people who ordered cookies? Gru: Life is full of disappointments... For some people. [chuckles ominously] Agnes: (Screams) Gru: Don't do that! Agnes: Super Silly Fun Land! Can we go? Please? Gru: No. Edith: But we've never been. And it's the funnest place on earth! Gru: "Don't care." Girls: Please? Please? We'll never ask for anything else, ever again! Pretty please? Please? Come on! Come on! Gru: "Light bulb." Edith: Come on! Gru: "Goodbye, have fun. [He began to leave. But a attendant of the roller coaster stopped him.]Carnival Ride Worker: Sorry, dude. They can't ride without an adult. Gru: What? [groans] [Soon Gru gets sick from the roller coaster ride.]Agnes: Oh, my gosh! Look at that fluffy unicorn! He's so fluffy, I'm gonna die! Margo: You've gotta let us play for it! Gru: No, no, no. Agnes: Come on! Gru: How much for the fluffy unicorn?Carnival Barker: Well, it is not for sale. But all you gotta do to win it is knock down that little spaceship there. It's easy! Agnes: Yay! Again! Margo: Wait! Edith: Come on. One more time! Agnes: Just one more. I accidentally closed my eyes. I hit it! I hit it! Edith: That was cool. Awww. Gru: Whoa, whoa, whoa. What was that? She hit that. I saw that with my own eyes.Carnival Barker: Hey, buddy, let me explain something to you. You see that little tin spaceship? You see how it's not knocked over? Do you know what that means, professor? It means you don't get the unicorn! Somebody's got a frowny face. Boo! Better luck next time! Gru: Okay, my turn. [Gru uses a fire gun and it blows up the whole booth.]Gru: "Knocked over!" Agnes: It's so fluffy! Yeah! Margo: That was

awesome! Edith: You blew up the whole thing! Agnes: Let's go. Let's try another game!Dr. Nefario: Gru, do you mind if I have a quick word? Gru: Okay, girls, go play. I got the shrink ray! Cotton candy! Dr. Nefario: We have 12 days until the moon is in optimum position. We can't afford any distractions! Gru: Get me Perkins. Sorry to bother you, Mr Perkins, but I figured that you would want to see this! Mr. Perkins: What? Well done, Gru. Rather impressive.Gru: Now, the rest of the plan is simple. I fly to the moon. I shrink the moon. I grab the moon. I sit on the toi-let. What? (girls start laughing) Sorry. Sorry! Could you excuse me for just one second? I told you not to touch my things. I told you, I told you. I've told you a thousand times. Margo: Hey, can we order pizza? Gru: Pizza? You just had lunch. Edith: Not now, for dinner. Gru: Dinner? Just... Fine, fine, fine, whatever. Just get back in there! Margo: Can we get stuffed crust? Agnes and Jerry: Stuffed crust!Gru: I'll stuff you all in the crust! Agnes: [giggles] You're funny! Gru: Just don't come out of that room again! All right. Sorry about that. Where were we? Mr. Perkins: You were sitting on the toilet. Gru: No, no, no! No, I'm sorry. It was a little attempt at humor. I know how much you like to laugh... [Mr. Perkins glares at him] Inside. Eh, now, I was saying... [the door suddenly opens] You don't seem terribly focused, Gru. Believe me, I am completely focused. Right? Edith: Hello! Mr. Perkins: What? Edith: That guy is huge! Agnes: Are we on TV? Mr. Perkins: What are those? Children?Gru: What are you doing? I told you to stay out of here! No, no, no! *Agnes: Freeze ray!Mr. Perkins: Mr Gru? Gru: Okay. As I was saying... Mr. Perkins: No need to continue. I've seen quite enough. Gru: But my plan... Mr. Perkins: Is a great plan. I love everything about your plan, except for one thing. You. Young Gru: Look, Mom, I drew a picture of me landing on the moon! Look, Mom, I made a prototype of the rocket out of macaroni! Look, Mom, I made a real rocket based on the macaroni prototype! Gru: I don't understand. Mr. Perkins: Let's face reality, Gru. You've been at this for far too long with far too little success. We're gonna put our faith, our money, into a... Well, a younger villain. Gru: But I... Mr. Perkins: It's over. Goodbye, Gru. Gru: Now, I know there have been some rumours going around that the bank is no longer funding us. Well, I am here to put those rumours to rest. They are true. In terms of money, we have no money. So how will we get to the moon? The answer is clear. We won't. We are doomed. Now would probably be a good time to look for other employment options. I know. I have fired up my resume as I suggest that all of you do, as well. What is it? Can't you see that I am in the middle of a pep talk? Yes! Yes, we will build our own rocket using this and whatever else we can find! Grab everything! Hit the junkyards! Take apart the cars! Who needs the bank? Let's go. Let's go! Mom! What are you doing here? Gru's Mom: And here he is in the bathtub. Look at his little buns. Gru: Mom. Not cool. Gru's Mom: And here, he's all dressed up in his Sunday best. Margo: He looks like a girl! Gru's Mom: Yes, he does. An ugly girl! Agnes: You're funny! Edith: Yes! Mine's shaped like a dead guy! Receptionist: Mr. Perkins, your son is here. Mr. Perkins: Send him in. Vector: Hey, Dad. You wanted to see me? Mr. Perkins: Yes, I did, Victor. - Vector: I am not Victor anymore. Victor was my nerd name. Now I am Vector! Mr. Perkins: Sit down. Do you know where the shrink ray is? Vector: Duh! Back at my place. Mr. Perkins: Oh, is that right? Back at your place? That's cool. I guess Gru must just have one that looks exactly like it! Vector: What the...?! Those girls sold me cookies! Mr. Perkins: Do you have any idea how lucrative this moon heist could be? I give you the opportunity of a lifetime, and you just blow it! Vector: No, I didn't. Mr. Perkins: Oh, really?Vector: You just wait until Gru sees my latest weapon. Squid-launcher! Oh, yeah! Man:

There's a squid on my face!Vector: Don't worry. The moon is as good as ours. Gru: Come on now, it's bedtime. Did you brush your teeth? Let me smell. Let me smell. You did not! Put on your PGs. Hold still. Okay, seriously! Seriously! This is beddie-bye time, right now. I'm not kidding around. I mean it! Edith: But we're not tired! Gru: Well, I am tired. Agnes: Will you read us a bedtime story? [pause] Gru: No. Agnes: Pretty please? Gru: The physical appearance of the "please" makes no difference. It is still no, so go to sleep. Edith: But we can't. We're all hyper! Margo: And without a bedtime story, we'll just keep getting up and bugging you. All night long. Gru: [sighs] Fine. All right, all right. Sleepy Kittens. Sleepy Kittens? What are these? Agnes: Puppets. You use them when you tell the story. Gru: Okay, let's get this over with. "Three little kittens loved to play, they had fun in the sun all day. "Then their mother came out and said, 'Time for kittens to go to bed."' Wow! This is garbage. You actually like this? Agnes: Keep reading! Edith: Come on! Gru: All right, all right, all right. "Three little kittens started to bawl, "'Mommy, we're not tired at all.' "Their mother smiled and said with a purr, "'Fine, but at least you should brush your fur."' Edith: Now you brush the fur. Gru: This is literature? A 2-year-old could have written this. All right. "Three little kittens with fur all brushed "said, 'We can't sleep, we feel too rushed! ' "Their mother replied, with a voice like silk, "'Fine, but at least you should drink your milk."' Agnes: Now make them drink the milk. Gru: I don't like this book. This is going on forever. "Three little kittens, with milk all gone, rubbed their eyes and started to yawn. "'We can't sleep, we can't even try.' Then their mother sang a lullaby. "'Good night kittens, close your eyes. Sleep in peace until you rise. "'Though while you sleep, we are apart, "'your mommy loves you with all her heart."' The end. Okay, good night. Agnes: Wait! Gru: What? Agnes: What about good night kisses? Gru: No, no. There will be no kissing or hugging or kissing. Margo: He is not gonna kiss us good night, Agnes. Agnes: I like him. He's nice.Edith: [turns off her light] But scary. Like Santa! Dr. Nefario: Only 48 hours till the launch, and all systems are go. Gru: About that, I was thinking that maybe we could move the date of the heist. Dr. Nefario: Please tell me this is not as a result of the girls' dance recital, is it? Gru: No, no, no! The recital? Don't... That's stupid! I just think it's kind of weird to do it on a Saturday. I was thinking, maybe a heist is a Tuesday thing, right? Dr. Nefario: Gru, you and I have been working on this for years. It's everything we've dreamed of. Your chance to make history, become the man who stole the moon! But these girls are becoming a major distraction! They need to go. If you don't do something about it, then I will. Gru: I understand. Dr. Nefario: Good. Minion: Butt. Butt. Butt. Gru: All right. Now, when we put our cups together, we will make the "clink" sound with our mouths. Ready? Edith? Gru: and Edith: Clink. Gru: There we go. And now we drink. And Agnes? Gru and Agnes: Clink. Gru: Very good! Excuse me, girls. Girls: Come on! Gru: Don't worry, I'll be back. Keep clinking. - Clink, clink. - Clink, clink.Gru: Miss Hattie, what are you doing here? Miss Hattie: I'm here for the girls. I received a call that you wanted to return them. [Gru gives her a quizzical look] And also, I did purchase a Spanish dictionary. [swats Gru's head with the dictionary] I didn't like what you said. Gru: But... I will get the girls ready. Agnes: Don't let her take us, Mr. Gru! Tell her you wanna keep us. Mrs. Hattie: All right, girls. Come on, let's go. Margo: Goodbye, Mr. Gru. Thanks for everything. Dr. Nefario: I did it for your own good. Come on, let's go get that moon. Gru: Right. What is this for? The recital? I am the greatest criminal mind of the century. I don't go to little girls' dance recitals! Dr. Nefario: Opening launch bay

doors. Commencing launch sequence. And we are good to go in T minus 10 seconds. Ten, nine, eight, seven, six... Vector: Oh, yeah! Gru: Nice work, Doctor. All systems go. Vector: Boo-ya! My flight suit. Oh, yeah! Once again, the mighty... Gru: I've got it! I've got the moon! I've got the moon. I can make it. Dr. Nefario: Wait a minute! Jerry: Kevin! Gru: Come on! Come on! Agnes: He's still not here. Margo: Why would he come? He gave us up. Agnes: But he pinkie promised! Teacher: Girls, girls, places. Edith: No, we can't start yet! We're still expecting someone. Agnes: Can we just wait a few more minutes? Teacher: All right. But just a few more minutes. Margo: He's not coming, guys. Dr. Nefario: Gru! Gru, can you hear me? Quick, we have to warn him, and fast!Gru: Okay, okay. There's the library. That's Third Street. The dance studio... There! There! There it is! Janitor: Sorry, buddy. Show's over.Gru: Over? Gru: Vector, open up! Vector: First give me the moon. Then we'll talk. Agnes: Mr. Gru! Vector: Zip it, Happy Meal. Gru: Now, the girls. Vector: Actually, I think I'll hold on to them a little while longer. Gru: No! Vector: Oh, yeah! Unpredictable! Gru: Listen close, you little punk. When I get in there, you are in for a world of pain! Vector: [laughs sarcastically] I'm really scared. Agnes: He is gonna kick your butt. Vector: What? He punched my shark! Dr. Nefario: There he is! Hang on, Gru. Oh, no! Gru: Vector has the girls. Go! Dr. Nefario: What happened to the ship? It's big again! Not as big as the moon is going to be! Gru: What? Dr. Nefario: The larger the mass of an object, the quicker the effects of the shrink ray wear off! I call it the Nefario Principle. I just came up with it now, actually. Gru: Oh, no! Margo: Did you see that? Girls: Vector! Help! Vector! Over here! Vector: Hey! What are you girls doing back there? Girls: The moon! Watch out! Vector: Ouch! Gru: Get as close in as you can. You got it. Margo: Mr Gru, up here! Agnes and Edith: Mr Gru! Gru: Okay, girls! Girls! You're going to have to jump. Edith: Jump? Are you insane? Gru: Don't worry, I will catch you. Margo: You gave us back! Gru: I know, I know. And it is the worst mistake I ever made. But you have to jump now. Margo: It'll be okay. Gru: Okay, girls. Margo: Jump now! Gru: Margo, I will catch you. And I will never let you go again. Vector: Not so fast! Gru: No! Margo: Let me go! Gru: Margo! I'm coming, Margo. Hang on! I got you.Vector: No! Oh, poop. News Reporter: This time, good triumphs, and the moon has been returned to its rightful place in the sky. But once again, law enforcement is baffled, leaving everyone to wonder, who is this mysterious hero? And what will he do next? Gru: Okay, girls. Time for bed. Edith: Come on! We want a story. Agnes: Three sleepy kittens! Gru: Oh, no! Sorry. That book was accidentally destroyed maliciously. Tonight we are going to read a new book. This one is called One Big Unicorn by... Who wrote this? Me! I wrote it. Look, it's a puppet book! Here, watch this. That's the horn! Agnes: This is gonna be the best book ever! Gru: Not to pat myself on the back, but, yes, it probably will be. Here we go. "One big unicorn, strong and free "thought he was happy as he could be. "Then three little kittens came around "and turned his whole life upside down." Edith: Hey, that one looks like me! Gru: No, what are you talking about? These are kittens! Any relation to persons living or dead is completely coincidental. "They made him laugh. "They made him cry. "He never should have said goodbye. "And now he knows he could never part "from those three little kittens "that changed his heart. "The end." Okay, all right. Good night. Margo: I love you. Gru: I love you, too. No, no! All right. Didn't I get you already? They're very good! Gru's Mom: I'm so proud of you, Son. You've turned out to be a great parent! Just like me. Maybe even better. Gru: No, I'm fine. Go ahead. No, no, no! THE END Hey, Carl! Hey. No, no, no. Me, me, me. John? No, no. Me, me, me. Oh,

poop. Oh, no! Stop! Stop! Hello, I am Gru. Back to work, back to work! Back to…

IS THIS THE ENTIRE FUCKING SCRIPT?

[wendystales]

Memories - lrh (Chapter Twenty Four)

Memories (also on Wattpad)

Chapter Twenty Three ※ ※ ※ ※ ※ Chapter Twenty Five

Marnie pov.

The sensation is like being punched in the stomach. You lose your breath and immediately feel a terrible pain gnawing through your entire body, reaching down to your last strand of hair. Your heart starts pumping blood faster, so that your body can overcome the pain and you have the strength to fight back, but I can't.

I can't get over the pain. I can't react better than staring at Pamela wearing his shirt, in his room. I can't move, let alone make my brain work to process all this. What is she doing here?

“What…” my voice barely has the strength to come out.

That wasn't the plan. She shouldn't be here. Luke called her? Have they been talking? How long has she been with him? I don't remember seeing pictures of them together recently. Does it also have John's finger in it?

"Marnie? I can't believe you actually came. God damn is a lot of courage, or lack of notion, I don't know.” she looks at me in utter disapproval.

I focus my eyes inside the room, wanting to find any clue that it wasn't Luke's room. It can not be. But everything indicates, unfortunately, I'm wrong. The boots at the door, the coat on the armchair, the guitar on the sofa, the scattered candles. It's his room. Shit, it's his room.

“What are you doing here?” I gather forces to confront.

“Stop it, Marnie. We are not innocent little children. We both know very well what I'm doing here. The question is, what are you doing here?” Pamela crosses her arms, raising her eyebrows.

For the first time in years since I've known her, I feel intimidated. Tiny against her. The slightest thought that Luke is with her makes me nauseous. I suck air, in an attempt to maintain my pose, even fragile.

“I came to talk to Luke. We have business to attend to. Where is he?” I move towards the bedroom, but she stops me.

“First, you have nothing else to deal with. It’s over. You ended it all yourself. Which, honestly, came as a shock to me. Nothing personal, but I always thought Luke would kick you.”

My breath catches, giving signs that I'm about to cry, and I can't bear the thought of doing it in front of her. My chest starts to rise and fall fast, demonstrating that her words are having an effect on me.

“Second, Luke is in the shower, as you can hear.” for the first time, my ears pick up the sound of the shower running. “It's been a long afternoon.” Pam flashes a disgusting smile. She lets out a short laugh.

I hug my body, wanting to get out of there or scream for someone to help me. But my voice doesn't seem to work. My brain doesn't seem to work. On the way here I even prepared myself for the sad possibility of running into Luke with just any girl, but not Pamela.

“Look, I know you must think I hate you and all that bullshit, but I never had anything against you. Even because deep down I knew that Luke's crush on you wouldn't last. I've known him for years and I know what he's like. He lives in moments and yours is gone.”

Pamela rests her hand on my shoulder, looking deep into my eyes. A chill runs through my body and all I feel is embarrassament. Embarrassed to be here. That Luke would want to see and hear me. To think that maybe he was waiting for me. That maybe everything would work out.

"If I can give you a hint as a friend, as a woman, if you like. Leave before Luke sees you here at his door and you have to be embarrassed more than you already are. Seriously. After everything that happened you come here?!” Pamela makes a face. “I mean, I was kinda hoping, but deep down, I thought you'd be better than that and not lend yourself to this ridiculous role. I say this for your own good.”

Nothing.

I can't say anything. I can't react. I can't even explode internally. I just wanted to dig a hole in the ground and disappear.

“Well, since we've taken care of everything, if you'll excuse me, I need to get ready for the show. Bye-bye.”

Pam doesn't even give me time to listen to what she says, and closes the door in my face, locking it. I stare at the wood for a few more seconds, before the pain engulfs me alive. My heart beats so slow and so deep that for a moment I think I'm going to pass out.

A sob echoes down the hallway announcing my crying. I force myself out of there, before any of them see me, before Luke sees me like this. Just imagining him looking at me with contempt for showing up there makes everything worse inside me.

I try helplessly to dry my tears, not wanting to cry anymore about it. I feel my body heavy with weariness. I can't take it anymore. I just want to get into bed and disappear into the sheets. My mind feels sluggish, also exhausted from struggling to think of solutions for how to get back to what I had before. Exhausted from deluding myself and getting disappointed by reality.

I walk down the hall, swallowing my tears with all the strength I have left, forcing myself to hold my ground, but I lose focus when I hear that whistle and just see him enter the hallway. I stop in my tracks, wondering if I'm fantasizing. I heard the shower.

I take a step back, not knowing what to do, watching the tall Australian walk towards me, focused on his phone, not noticing my presence. For seconds I'm rooting for it, but I know it's impossible. And I think deep down, I don't want to either. I want him to look at me, to feel his heart race, the same way I'm feeling mine right now.

Luke stops whistling when he sees me. He looks so different from the boy I met at Ash's party, or the man I saw when I woke up in that hospital. He looked a little thinner and his eyes were deep because of the dark circles under. How long has he not slept? I let myself drown in his blue eyes, which look more intense now. I delete everything, focusing only on him. Amnesia. John. Pamela, everything seems to disappear from my mind.

I lean against the wall, feeling the hallway spin. He's here. After a month away from him, he's here, so close I can smell his scent. I take a deep breath, taking an uncertain step toward him. It's time to settle this.

Before I can control myself, I walk faster towards him, bumping into his body, hugging him. It takes Luke a few seconds to process what was happening, but as soon as he realizes it's really me there, his arms go around me, squeezing me tightly.

I inhale his perfume, letting that fragrance run through my bloodstream, causing a tingle through my body and waking up the long-sleeping butterflies in my stomach.

“My God, you're here.” Luke whispers, pulling away a little, cupping my face. “Please say I'm not hallucinating.” he caresses my cheeks.

“You’re not! I'm here.” I crack a smile through my tears, hugging him again.

“Damn! I missed you so much.” his voice makes my body shiver.

His nervous and anxious hands run all over my body, squeezing me, making sure more and more I'm here. I don't judge him, as I do the same, touching his shoulders, arms and neck. Like a defibrillator shock, my body pulses when I feel his lips on my neck. Before I get distracted, I step away from him, keeping a safe distance, not letting emotion outweigh reason.

"We need to talk." we ended up talking together.

“Sorry, you first. What are you doing here?” Luke asks, smoothing his hair.

“I came to talk to you about what happened. I came to tell you the truth.” Luke takes a step towards me, touching my waist. Once again the touch releases a shock through my body, causing me to crave more.

“Okay. Come on! Let's talk.” he guides me towards the bedroom. I stop my steps when I notice. Luke looks at me confused and it all comes back to me. Pamela.

"What's Pamela doing in your room?" the question comes out before I think.

“What?” he ends up screaming, which echoes down the hall. “Oh shit! Okay, she's in my room, but that's not what you're thinking, Marnie. She soiled her shirt and I went down to buy a new one.” he explains quickly, stumbling over a few words.

I think about refuting his words, but the bedroom door opens, revealing a confused Calum looking sideways, eyes widening as soon as he sees me. I can't control my smile seeing your face after weeks.

"Marnie?" he asks, taking a step out of the room.

"Marnie?" I hear Ashton's louder voice, which in a few seconds, bursts through the door, nearly running over Calum, coming quickly towards me.

I let out a scream as his arms wrap around me, lifting me off the ground and rolling me in midair. Within seconds, still hugging Ashton, I feel more people joining the two of us.

“What do you do here?” Ash asks, confused.

“I came to talk to Luke.” I refocus on the blonde, who looked anxious and a little jealous “Actually, with all of you somehow. I came to tell you what happened and it's still happening.”

The four look at each other suspiciously, but agree. I approach Luke, still nervous, not knowing if I could pull him by the hand, even if I wanted to.

“I need to leave this in the bedroom. I will meet you in Michael's room.” Hemmings warns, taking on a serious expression, turning away from me.

I watch him enter the room and close the door. I remember Pamela in there and my stomach turns. Ash takes my hand, pulling me into Mike's room. With every step I take, I don't take my eyes off door 1504, wishing it would open fast, but it remains closed. Why is he taking so long?

I walk into Michael's room, finding Sophie standing there, twisting her fingers with a huge smile on her face. I walk towards her, greeting her with a hug.

“Good to see you again.” she reveals, taking me by surprise, after all we don't spend a lot of time together.

“Are you okay? Want something? Do you need something?” Michael starts to ask.

"I'm fine, thanks."

"Where's your arm cast?" Calum points.

“If it's not there…” Ashton looks at his friend teasingly.

“I took it out! My arm has already healed.” I answer Calum, ignoring sassy Irwin.

"What about amnesia? How are you?” Ash asks.

At that moment, I hold my breath. I focused so much on talking about John that I completely forgot about the end of amnesia. I open my mouth, working out a way to tell this without affecting the initial plan, unmasking John.

Lucky for me, someone knocks on the door and Michael rushes it open, revealing Luke. I notice her slightly flushed cheeks and her dark eyes. He's not okay. Awkwardly, I get up from the couch, facing him, as if it's the first time we've been seeing each other. I wait for him to take the seat beside me, but he takes a seat in the front, far away.

“ I'm going to take a walk at the hotel, it seems like a serious conversation.” Sophie gets up, but I stop her.

“No! Stay! It will be good for you to be aware of that too.”

Finally Sophie takes her seat beside me, putting me between her and Ashton. I scan everyone there who looks more terrified than I am. The time has come. I take a deep breath, feeling my mouth reach out. I thought I would be more prepared.

“I didn't do everything I did just because I wanted to. I never wanted to leave LA, nor ignore your attempts at contact, let alone break up whatever I was having.” I look at Luke, who looks away awkwardly.

"So what happened?" Calum asks. I take a few more deep breaths, taking in my courage.

"John manipulated me. It made me believe I was getting in your way. That my image was getting in your way.” the words come out at once.

I catch my eye on them, finding Michael, Cal, and Ash looking at each other in shock and Luke staring at me aloof.

“Wait, when did this happen?” Michael questions.

“On Friends of Friends day. I bumped into him leaving the studio. He asked if we could talk. At that moment he just wanted me to convince Luke and you guys to take that trip to promote the singles, remember?! And I was going to do it. But then the music came and he freaked out. He said that either I walked away or he damaged the band and I didn't want to take any risks.”

Dead silence fills the room. I start to take a deep breath, nervous about the reactions. Ash rubbed his forehead, upset. Calum was slumped in his chair, staring into space. Michael blinked rapidly, sighing. Poor Sophie didn't even move and Luke, staring at me with a frown.

“Why didn't you tell me?” Luke's voice finally reaches my ears. I stare at him, intimidated. He still looks confused.

"I didn't know if I should. I was scared, didn't I think t-”

“But we talked about it. Several times.” he interrupts me, standing up.

“Yes! Before amnesia. But then we never talked about John or what he tried to do to both of us. I was afraid of harming you, I didn't want to risk a threat. If it weren't for the amnesia, I wouldn't have listened to him.”

"And what made you change your mind now?" he folds his arms.

It's like a bucket of cold water. I prepared so much for this moment. For Luke not to want to listen to me. Listening to me and not wanting me back, but I didn't prepare myself for that.

I analyze your expression and body posture. He looks at me like he doesn't know me. As if I was saying something out of the reality that we live.

"You don't believe me, do you?" I suck in air, missing him.

I blink several times, processing the information and adapting to the new scenario. I rub my hands on my pants, feeling sweaty and cold.

“I'm not saying that, Marnie." he approaches. I stand up, wanting distance.

“You don't have to, it's in your face.” I accuse him.

“The point is, it's a sensitive topic. It's a pretty serious charge, he's our manager.” Luke raises his voice.

Nausea and irritation is all I feel. Luke doesn't believe me. I thought that would be impossible considering our background with John, but apparently I'm wrong.

“You know you could have told me.” Hemmings continues, getting irritated too.

“No, Luke! I couldn't. Because I didn't know. I had amnesia. I had no idea how to handle all of this. Fame, money, media. I didn't have any preparation. I got thrown into it. I had to learn from day to day, without an instruction manual. I sacrificed my happiness for you.”

“I never asked you to.” he points a finger at me.

Once again I lose my breath. I don't recognize it. In fact, I even recognize this posture. That's why we fought so much in the beginning. But it's not the same Luke. At least not mine.

"I didn't think it was necessary." my voice cracks.

“Marnie, the point is, it doesn't make sense. John spent this entire month taking care of me and asking me if I wanted him to talk to you, to try to get you to see me. And now, you arrive saying that he forced you to leave? You did have a chance to ask for help-”

“For you? For you do what, Luke? Argue with him like you always did and then you guys have to hear from the record company for ‘going against the manager's orders’? I'm sorry if I wanted to stop you from sticking your feet in and that it harms you more.” I end up screaming.

A sob escapes me and I realize I'm crying. That was the last thing I wanted.

"And how kind of him to act like he really cares about us. Even cuz he never interfered between us, right? He never insinuated that I cheated on you with Ashton and a million other people. Or that you were always drunk during the tours, causing trouble with the team. No! John has always been a saint.”

“M&Ms…” Luke tries to hold me back, but the touch annoys me.

“No!” I walk away. "I'm tired of this. I came to warn you about John and that's what I did. The decision is now yours.” I ignore everyone looking at us.

I grab my bag and march to the door. Luke still calls out to me, but I completely ignore it, feeling my body heavy as if I've competed in a triathlon.

I open the door, stopping abruptly. I stare at Ashton who's already on his feet.

“About my amnesia.” I turn my gaze to Luke, who has his jaw set. "It’s over." the last thing I see is his pupils dilate. I walk down the hall, hearing Ash call me, but I don't stop.

I choose the stairs, not wanting anyone to reach me waiting for the elevator. I manage to go down two flights, but unfortunately Ashton catches me.

“Hey! Listen me.” he yells as I try to break free. “I believe you. Okay?”

So I stop. My head stills for two minutes, reminding me of the fact that Luke didn't believe me. I cover my face, crying, letting Ashton pull me into his body, hugging me.

“Ignore everything Luke said. I don't think anyone expected that. He just doesn't know how to handle it. He believes in you, just let him take it all in.” Ash pats my back, rocking me like a baby.

“It was so hard to hold all that and walk away. And now that I remembered everything and saw that I could count on you.” My throat closes up, intensifying my crying.

“It's okay! It's gonna be okay. I promise you.” he squeezes me tighter.

I start to let go when I hear hurried footsteps on the stairs. Ash steps in front of me, but relaxes when Sophie enters our field of vision. I turn onto my back, trying to dry my face, embarrassed.

“Sorry, we were worried about her. Michael took the elevator down. Calum and Luke are upstairs. Luke wants to talk to you, Marnie.”

A fake laugh comes out as I shake my head no. If I see Luke now, it will make everything worse.

"I don't want to see him. I want to leave.” I go back down the flights to the next floor, calling the elevator.

I notice Sophie and Ash beside me. We walked down the path in pure silence, while I still shed tears of sadness and anger. As soon as the door opens, I head toward where Eddie had been standing, finding him standing, talking to Michael.

I ignore Clifford's presence, hugging my friend and begging him to get me out of there. Edward hugs me a little scared and starts pulling me out of the hotel.

“Can I go with you?” I hear Sophie's voice reluctantly. Everyone stares at her, who blushes. "I don't want you to be alone."

I look over at Michael, who just shakes his head, giving the girl a quick peck before she rushes to my side.

“Wait!” Irwin asks. “Where are you? I want to see you after the show. Know better about what happened.”

"I'll text you."

I say goodbye to them one more time and hug Eddie, I head to the black sedan that was on the other side of the street. I can feel my friend's eagerness to know what happened, but Edward controls himself, leaving me quiet in my corner, mulling over every word I hear.

Luke didn't believe me.

Luke pov.

I still hadn't processed everything that was going on. It was supposed to be a normal day, I didn't imagine I would meet Marnie in the hallway of my room. Yes, I thought about trying to go after her, thought about calling, but I couldn't stand the idea of ​​her despising me.

Then, like a miracle, I see her there, like the first time I saw her. Her hair was long and dark, like she was twenty-one again. I was afraid it was a piece of my mind, wasn’t really there, but it was.

The moment I felt her in my arms, it was like coming back to life. My body relaxed for the first time since she was gone. I felt the blood rush through my veins and pump my heart like never before. She's here.

My hands touched her entire body, wanting to confirm her presence, wanting to feel her touch. My lips tingled, begging for hers. I don't even know why she showed up, but I just knew I never wanted her to go again.

But she is gone.

It slipped through my fingers and I couldn't even hold it back. Why did I have to argue? Why did I have to debate? What a damn habit of arguing with her. Just listen. She was there, in front of me, so close. Then I could be alone with her. I could fix everything, but no. No, I had to be an asshole.

The bedroom door opens, showing Michael and Ashton. I get up, looking for Marnie's small body behind them, but they're alone.

“She left.” Ashton replies, even before I open my mouth.

"Did you let her go?" a rage born within me.

“No! I didn't do anything, Luke. You let her go. Was it hard to listen in silence? She comes here risking everything if John catches her, and you dispute what she says?” Irwin wears an expression as irritated as mine.

“What the fuck! I didn't object! But it is a serious charge. It's going to be her word against his and who do you think will win this shit?” I shout. "John can finish her off and you think I want that?! I just wanted to be completely sure what she was talking about. Evidence, I don't know. Things that could protect her. Things that ensure that I can protect her.”

“She doesn't want to gain anything, Luke. She wants you. She wants you to be by her side, no matter what. She wants you to believe her. Yeah, all this shit took me by surprise too. John has been with us for four or five years and has always taken care of us, but we can't pretend we don't know he's gone overboard a few times.”

“Few times?” Mike whistles, shaking his head. “Several times, and we talked about it a lot. Girls, birthday parties, special holidays. If don't agree with what he agrees with, he sticks his finger in the middle.”

I know John is not the best person in the world. He has every possible flaw. But I don't want to believe he got to that point. Threatening Marnie, forcing her to walk away from me.

I knew it was a lie. When she said she couldn't fall in love with me. I could see in her eyes that she was lying. So why couldn't I see that she needed help?

I should have gone after her. I should have come to New York before. Put her against the wall no matter how many times she yelled at me. But I let her go. I let it slip through my fingers.

“No. No. You're not going after her now.” Ashton, stop me.

"I thought I was supposed to be by her side." I retort, annoyed.

“And it is you idiot, but like that, in this state, you're just going to argue more. Remember what she said, ‘putting everything down’? We cannot do this now. Cool your head, organize your ideas and then you go after it. I arranged to see her after the show, to find out more details.”

"Why you and not me?" I cross my arms.

“Because I didn't argue with the girl. Pay attention.” he raises his tone, slapping my head. "I'll check her and then I'll try to convince her to talk to you. Now let's get ready for the show and stay calm. Let's go.”

Reluctantly, I head to my room, heading straight for a shower. I press my forehead against the wall, letting thoughts race through my mind. I go over the whole situation. I am very unlucky.

First, when I'm about to get rid of Pam, she ‘accidentally’ stains her shirt. Afterwards, I only leave the room for 20 minutes, but that's long enough for Marnie to show up and pick up Pamela. Then I manage to make her stay and tell me the truth and finally I shit everything up.

My heart sinks as my head shows me her teary eyes, looking at me like I'm a stranger.

I remember when she looked at me like that in the hospital and it was the worst pain in the world. I shouldn't have suspected her. I shouldn't. I finish my shower, heading to bed, lying down, not wanting to go to the show. I just wanted to stay here and pray that Ash would convince her to talk to me again. But I didn't have much choice.

Unfortunately, we still had an hour to go and I know that until then I'm going to get bogged down in my thoughts.

[...]

I go out the side of the stage, with my head still in the clouds. From the hotel to the studio, until taking the stage, I was silent, mulling over my mistake. I texted Marnie, but they didn't even come.

“What a show, guys. You rock it.” John congratulates us in the dressing room.

I notice everyone looking at each other, uncomfortable. I stare at John, wondering at the mood, but keeping that fake smile. I imagine him intimidating Marnie, leaving her terrified. Making her run away. I see her face in the back of my mind the day she broke up with me. Her apology before walking out the door.

I can feel my face hardening, as my heart races, making me take a deep breath. Without being able to analyze my thoughts and control my attitudes, I march to John, with that anger rising through my body.

Out of the corner of my eye, I notice Calum rising quickly and moving closer. John wipes the smirk off his face, taking on a worried face now.

"Did you tell Marnie to get away from me?" I question.

Letterman runs his eyes past me and the guys behind me. I feel Michael's hand on my shoulder, squeezing. I want to scream at him to answer, but John lets out a low laugh.

“That bitch even took a while to open her mouth.”

I hold my breath. Feeling that punch in the pit of your stomach. Now it was Calum and Ash's hand joining Michael's, trying to pull me away from John.

“What did you say?” I blow, with my chest swelling more.

“I told her to stay away from you, because if it weren't for me, you'd be in deep shit. Staying in Los Angeles taking care of that retarted while your career sinks, that's the-”

The movement is very fast. I manage to untangle my arm from Michael's grip and land a punch to the bastard's nose, sending him staggering backward. I step forward to hit more, however the three of them step in front of me, pushing me to the wall.

I know I'm yelling disconnected stuff, just to debate John, but I want to get him one more punch. For the band, for me and for my girl.

“Let me go!” I yell to the three of them just as Hale the security pulls Letterman out of the room.

"What the fuck was that?" Ash asks, his eyes wide.

"I couldn't look at his face knowing everything he did. I needed to confront. And did you hear him talking about her?” I pace, panting from adrenaline. “That son of a bitch. I will finish him.”

I advance towards the door. But the three of them hold me back.

“You're not going to do any shit. That's exactly what Marnie didn't want you to do.” Calum, push me to the couch.

“We have to deal with this.” Irwin begins. "We have to get John out of his post, otherwise he'll hurt us and Marnie."

Marnie.

I close my eyes, touching myself now from the shit I've done. Again. John knows Marnie told me and maybe he'll go after her to do something. I can't let him get close to her again.

"Where are you going?" Mike asks, watching me grab my wallet.

"I'm going after my girlfriend." I head for the door, willing to get anyone out of my way.

"Ashton didn't say to wait until tomorrow?" Hood asks.

“Screw this.”

It's the last thing I say before striding down the halls. I dodge a few photographers, giving a fake smile so as not to feed the headlines, and get in the car, trying to get in touch with her.

The problem is, she doesn't answer me. Who can help me? Who can help me? I scroll through the list of contacts, looking for the only name that could help me right now.

“Leah? I need Marnie's address, please.” I say as soon as she answers.

“I'm going to stick a stiletto heel up your ass, Hemmings. What kind of shit do you have in your head?” she screams. I roll my eyes.

“I know I screwed up and I'm trying to fix it. Can you give me the address or not?” I scream, irritated.

“Okay, but I didn't tell you.”

I give the address to the driver, feeling the anxiety rise within me with every street and traffic light the car crosses. I stop in front of a tall building, running to the interphone. I find her last name and dig my finger into the button.

Come on, Marnie! Answer me! Answer me! Answer me!

“Yes?” I recognize the male voice, the same as that day.

"Where's Marnie? I need to talk to her? Marnie, please, please listen to me.” The words slur as I speak into the microphone.

“Marnie isn't here, Luke.” the voice calmly warns me.

“What?”

I need to lean against the wall, feeling my blood pressure drop. Where is she? I look around, as if that's how I'm going to find her. Not again.

“Go up. I'll explain it to you better.”

The door unlocks and I rush inside. In the elevator, I force my mind to unravel where she could have gone. She came to New York a few times, but she never had a favorite place.

In the hallway, I spot this Edward, or Eddie, as Ashton called it, standing outside the apartment. I walk towards him, lost.

“Hi, I'm Edward. I was responsible for Marnie this month.” he holds out his hand, which I shake politely.

“Luke.” I introduce myself.

Edward invites me into the apartment. A shiver runs when her scent hugs me. I take a quick look at the decor, not finding my girlfriend's taste there. But that's not what I came to do.

"Where is she?" I turn to the boy.

“She left.” he sets a glass of water in front of me. “I know what happened. And I know why you're here. I also know you're going after her, but I just want to say something. Marnie is really hurt. For everything. She left, looking for help. She said something about a Dr. Prescott.”

“It's her psychologist.” I stop him, even with the lump in my throat.

“I know she loves you and I know you do too. So the only thing I ask, Luke, is that you take care of her like never before. She is a very special friend and I would hate to see her get any worse.”

The fact that she's running to Dr. Prescott again makes my stomach churn in fear. She helped Marnie through the worst time in her life and it breaks me to think she's living another one.

“Where did she go?” I sniffle, trying to control myself, to think clearly.

“She went home.” he raises his eyebrows. "Just got on a jet to Los Angeles."

I nod, not being able to speak. I thank Eddie, walking away, not wanting a stranger to see me cry. I think of the weight Marnie has borne all this time alone and fear that I have lost her forever.

Marnie pov.

I get out of the shower, sitting up in bed, thinking. After I left the hotel and got home, I told Eddie everything, and he stared at me in amazement. Even he, who had never met Luke, didn't expect that he would believe me.

After telling it all, I sank down on the couch in silence, trying to organize my thoughts and not drown in the darkness that surrounded me. Sophie stood next to me, not leaving me alone for a second, while Eddie went out to make some calls. I know that he was warning Leah, for the simple fact that she had been calling me non-stop.

The clock was ticking close to 7 pm when I started to insist to Sophie that I was fine and that she could meet Michael at the show. That's when the doorbell rang. From the couch I watched Eddie go to the door and come back lost.

“What's wrong?” I question.

“It's John!” he says with his jaw clenched.

“What?” I jump off the couch, walking to the door on tiptoe.

John was standing on the other side, looking not good at all. I take steps backwards, feeling the air shortage in me. Oh, shit. Shit. Shit. Luke had messed up. I knew it. I knew it.

“Sophie, come up. Please.” I order, trying to organize my head.

“No! I'm not leaving you with this guy.” she approaches.

“If he sees you here, you'll become his next target. If you're not already. Climb up and be quiet. Please.” I beg this time. I turn to Eddie.

“You can kneel, whatever, I'm not leaving you with this guy.” Eddie says, not even giving me a chance to speak.

“I wasn't going to ask that. Please don't leave my side.”

Fear. Total dread of what might happen when I answer the door. I don't know what he knows or doesn't know, or what he might do, but I don't want to find out. With Eddie standing a little behind me, I open the door facing John.

“What a pleasure to see you home, Miss McGonagall. I think we missed each other at the hotel. Since you arrived just as I left. What a coincidence, don't you think?” he lets out a harsh laugh.

“I don't know what-”

“Spare me your lame excuse. A little bird told me that you were there and that you talked to the boys.”

My body freezes at this moment. I didn't see anyone but the boys. Just some security guards. Fuck.

“Do you really think I wasn't preparing for you to show up?! I knew you wouldn't obey our agreement.”

“What are you going to do now? They already know about you.”

“But they didn't believe you.” I close my face. “That's the difference between you and me, Marnie, I know how to manipulate them. You don't. But I admire you for trying. I didn't think you'd have the courage to show up anyway. For you to see how I'm not the monster you think I am, I'll reconsider this slip. But if it happens again, I'll finish you off.”

I don't blink, staring at John with my eyes. I press my hand against the wood, wanting to actually punch him, but I wouldn't stand a chance. Letterman runs his eyes over Eddie, waving his fingers before he goes.

I slam the door angrily. I walk over to the couch feeling my legs weak. My head is heavy and my heart aches. Sophie comes slowly down the stairs.

“Sophie, you'd better go. If he gets there and doesn't see you, he might get suspicious.” I make it up, wanting to be alone.

“ I'll call a car for you.” my friend offers.

I don't wait another second, going up to my room and locking myself in. As soon as I hear the door slam, signaling that someone has left, I get up for a shower. With the deluded hope that the water would help me, that it would wash away my problems, but no.

Still sitting on the bed, I notice that the bath has not helped me at all. The help I need isn't here, and if I don't go after it now, I'll sink deeper and I'm afraid that later it will be too late.

I change and leave the room with my decision. I find Eddie sitting in the middle of the stairs, perhaps waiting for me. I sit down beside him, holding his arm and laying my head on his shoulder.

“I need to go away. I need my house. My family. My girls.” I begin, already feeling my voice cracking. “I can't take this anymore and I'm afraid of what might happen to me. I am so exhausted from falling, I don't think I have the strength to try anymore. I'm not well. I need help.”

The crying becomes overwhelming. Edward says nothing, just hugging me. I don't know how long we lay there, but he was in no hurry until my crying ceased, or in this case, subsided.

“When do you want to leave?” he asks.

“As soon as possible.” I answer softly.

“Pack your bags, I'll see what I can do.” he gets up and pulls out his phone.

“Eddie.” I hold him, pulling him into a hug. “I can't thank you enough for everything and for not giving up on me.” I squeeze him.

“Be well and take care. That's how you'll thank me.” he leaves a kiss on my cheek, before continuing to try a flight for me.

[...]

Everything was set up in less than 40 minutes. All it took was a few phone calls and the use of my name and I was on a jet to LA.

My mother and Leah had already been notified and were waiting for me at the airport. Because of the mess I had caused before leaving my apartment in LA, I would stay with Leah until my mother finished her makeover and then try to get back to my life.

I watch the city disappear into the clouds and lean back in my chair, trying to rid my mind of the millions of thoughts that surround me. I don't want to give up on Luke. I don't want to believe that those two years were just crazy thoughts in my head. But right now I know I need to take care of myself before I commit to anyone again.

I also need to let him think about everything I have confessed, because this affects not only our private lives, but also his professional one. After two hours of flight, I end up sleeping, only waking up when it's time to land in LA.

My heart seems to want to burst out of my mouth from so much anxiety. I grab my bag, quickly getting off the plane. I visualize my mother and Leah standing arm in arm, waiting for me. I run to them, feeling relieved to return to my safe haven, seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.

I was supposed to post it earlier, but I got a new cell phone after 6 years and got too excited and forgot to update it.

Please, don't be mad at me, I promise that soon everything will be fine between Luke and Marnie.

[fitzs-trained-monkey]

Chapter One: Lonely Together

Jack Kline x OC

Rated: PG

~I might hate myself tomorrow

But I'm on my way tonight

Let's be lonely together

A little less lonely together~

Sent: 10:52 PM

Merry Christmas, stranger. I hope yours is as bright as new fallen snow. Stay warm.

I smiled down at my phone before clicking it off and slipping it into my pocket. I didn't know who I had sent the message to. It was just a number I had punched in at random. I didn't expect anyone to reply.

Wrapping my dark green cardigan tighter around my body, I pulled my knees in closer to my chest and pressed myself closer against the wall of the bakery. The wall was only slightly warmer than the frigid air around me. It was December 2nd and icy gales were blowing in from Lake Superior and stinging the skin of the city's occupants.

The sky hung dark, low, and flat over Copper Harbor, Michigan. Copper Harbor was an itty-bitty town at the northern most tip of the northernmost part of Michigan. You know that piece of land that's only connected to the mainland by a highway, that in-between place that really should be Canada, but isn't? That's where Copper Harbor is and that's where I was.

Copper Harbor was the sort of town where newcomers and visitors are as common as flying pigs and are treated with about as much scrutiny. It's not one of those small, friendly towns just off the highway; the ones that are pleasant to find yourself in if you've taken a wrong turn. It's quite the feat to get lost and turn up in Copper Harbor, considering its miles away from anything and everything remotely interesting, unless you're searching for Bigfoot or a drunk Canadian that took a wrong turn. Though those two things might just end up being one and the same. No, nobody came to Copper Harbor unless they had a reason. That's just the sort of place it was. And aside from the mind-numbing cold, it was exactly the sort of place I wanted to be.

The clouds were so heavy with the snow that now drifted down, dusting everything in a layer of fine white powder, it seemed that someone standing on even the lowest rooftop could reach up and touch them. The snowflakes raining down from those clouds gave the appearance of tiny shooting stars. Many would have found the sight beautiful. I didn't. I just found it cold and somewhat depressing. Some people say that shooting stars are angels, falling to the earth to bless the lives of people in need. I've never liked those sorts of stories. The stars belong in the heavens. The dust belongs on the earth. Collecting in puddles, the sparkling, sugar-like ice crystals did nothing to ease the bitter cold. I shivered and coughed, my breath fogging in front of me.

I should have frozen to death hours ago.

But I can't die. At least, not that way.

Suffering, on the other hand, I can do that to no end.

I put my head between my knees, hoping to retain what little heat my walking corpse had to offer. I struggled to remain conscious. The story of the little-match-girl was playing in my head. I'd never liked that story's ending. Hallucinations really weren't my thing, especially hallucinations about things I tried not to think about, the things I tried to burry in the farthest corners of my mind. I had to distract myself, to think about anything that would keep me awake. The problem was, there was nothing to distract me.

Pling!

My phone buzzed in my pocket with a text. I grasped it quickly, greedy for a distraction, but I paused upon seeing the number displayed upon the screen. It was that number I had texted the Merry Christmas message to. Whoever it was had texted me back. I unlocked my phone and peered at the mystery person's message.

Received: 11:18 PM

Merry Christmas to you as well!

The message read. I smiled a little, surprised that anyone would care to return my quiet Christmas wish. The screen of my phone lit up with another message.

Received: 11:19 PM

Who are you?

The question was a simple one. Though tone can often be difficult to infer over written text, the question seemed to bear no hostility, only innocent curiosity. I thought for a bit about what to say, the answer was not as simple as the question had implied.

***

Located quite literally one thousand miles away from Copper Harbor, was the small, out-of-the-way town of Lebanon, Kansas. Now, in the outskirts Lebanon there was a hill. The hill was modestly sized and carpeted with thick grass painted with a layer of frost. Although it was a rather pleasant sight for some stray hiker to find, the hill was really quite unremarkable. That is, if you ignored the hulking steel door built into the side of it that looked like the entrance to a post-apocalyptic hobbit hole. See, built under that hill there was a bunker. It looked like any ordinary bunker if one can ever describe a bunker as ordinary. But inside this ordinary looking bunker, sat something rather extraordinary and his name was Jack.

Jack Kline was quite happy where he was. Sitting with his legs crossed on a chair beside the bunker's fireplace, Jack held Sam's beloved lap-top between his knees. Sam let him borrow it on the nights he couldn't sleep. Those nights were many. Sleepless nights were one of the many side effects of being half-angel, but he didn't really mind. Jack wasn't overly fond of sleep, not like Sam or Dean who adored the few hours they got. Jack would much rather be awake because if he was asleep then he couldn't observe. He liked to observe. He loved learning. He loved taking in anything and everything going on around him, soaking it all up like a sponge with legs. He especially loved to soak up a story. Epic ones with heroes that defeat powerful villains. Jack loved stories.

So, no; Jack Kline was not overly fond of sleep. No, Jack preferred to just sit quietly and watch those epic stories as they played out in front of him on the screen of Sam's lap-top.

Currently, he was watching Star Wars: The Clone Wars. The computer had said he would like it, and the computer had been right. He had just finished season 2 and had begun on season 3. Some small voice in the back of his mind told him he should slow down and draw the series out a little longer, but Jack just couldn't find the will to do so. This story was just too good to stop. Jack shoved a hand full of popcorn in his mouth as he pressed the play button on the next episode. He had managed to sneak several bags of popcorn from the kitchen and into the secret stash in his room a few nights earlier. It was perfect, except popcorn needed to be popped and popping the kernels without attracting notice was a bit of a challenge. But he found that if he popped them during the day, when everyone was clamoring about and busy with whatever, the noise from the popping kernels wouldn't peak any suspicion. The only downside to his strategy was that it left him with cold popcorn. Though this too could be remedied via his angel powers, if he was careful about it, he could warm up the popcorn undetected.

Now, don't get the impression that Jack was being starved, or held in this bunker against his will, or something awful like that. As was mentioned before, Jack was very happy there. The Winchesters, Sam and Dean, and the angel Castiel, lived there with him and took care of him. They were his family and Jack loved them. The only reason he had a secret stash at all was because Sam was the only one in the bunker who cared about the importance of having a somewhat healthy diet. Whereas Dean let the boy eat pretty much anything he wanted and Cas- well in Cas's mind food was food and that's all there was to it. But Sam didn't like it when he caught Jack eating what he referred to as 'junk food'.

Somehow, Sam always caught him.

"That stuff’ll rot your teeth, Jack!" He'd sigh, as he'd flip on the kitchen light and catch Jack eating cereal sometime around midnight. Then he'd look at Jack with a disappointed look on his face until Jack threw the cereal away and went back to bed. Jack hated it when Sam looked at him like that, he just couldn't bear to let the Winchesters down.

But Jack loved to eat. Eating was enjoyable as it brought with it something new every time. Yet more things to absorb and to experience. Although the younger Winchester disapproved of the more sugary foods; Jack liked those a whole lot more than the salads Sam tried to get him to eat. Jack didn't like the salads or 'Rabbit Food' as Dean called it. No, Jack liked popcorn a quite a bit more.

He smiled as he brought another handful into his mouth. Yes, Jack Kline quite enjoyed eating.

Plip! Ploop!

Jack's head swiveled away from the screen to stare at the phone laying face-up on the arm rest of the chair in which he sat. The screen was alight with a text message. He picked up the phone and unlocked it. The message read:

Received: 10:52 PM

Merry Christmas, stranger. I hope yours is as bright as new fallen snow. Stay warm.

That was all. Jack was quite confused; he didn't know that number. Who had sent the text? What should he do? Should he say something back?

Curiosity and caution struggled in a match tug-of-war in his head. He wanted to know who the message had come from. He wanted to know why that person had sent it. He also wanted to know why he had a strange feeling that whoever had sent the message was horribly sad. But would the Winchesters be mad at him if he answered? Sam and Dean had given him the phone just a few days earlier.

"For emergencies," Sam had said as he laid the device in Jack's hand before resuming his packing. Jack had stared at it, rather confused as to its purpose. Castiel had been off somewhere doing something and Sam and Dean had been leaving for a hunt, leaving him alone which Dean was completely and utterly against.

"Only for emergencies," Dean had stressed, jabbing his finger in Jack's general direction as he inspected various articles of clothing before tossing them into a duffle bag. "That means don't text or call unless someone is breaking in or you're dying!"

Sam shot his older brother a warning look. Dean ignored it and pulled a pair of socks out of his dresser, sniffing them briefly before making a face and chucking them to the other side of the room. Jack looked back down at the small black rectangle in his palm.

"Okay so, only text or call in case there's an emergency. Got it." Jack clinched the thin black box between his thumb and forefinger, carefully lifting it up as if it might explode in his face. "But, one question, if something happens like-like you said, like somebody breaking in or me dying, how-how would I do that?" He asked, looking back at the two brothers. They both froze their hasty packing and pivoted to stare at him, their eyebrows raised with disbelieving question.

"What?" Dean asked the young Nephilim. Jack shrank away a little, not wanting to upset the older Winchester.

"How do I text or call you? I don't know how to do that," Jack had timidly replied. Dean just shook his head and returned to over-stuffing the duffle. Sam, however, was much more understanding.

"That's right, you-you don't, do you?" Sam asked, realizing his mistake. Jack turned his attention to the younger of the brothers, shaking his head in an answer to Sam's question.

"Unbelievable," Dean muttered, rolling his eyes. Sam shot him another glare which Dean merely shrugged off.

"Well, come on then, I'll teach you," Sam had said. Jack watched as Sam set the contacts and explained how everything worked. He showed Jack how to send a text, how to dial and answer a call, and all the other things Jack would need to know. Jack just watched him and took note of every little thing. Watching and replicating was how Jack learned best.

"Now, if I don't answer my phone, you call Dean. But if he doesn't pick up, I want you to call me again, if I still don't answer a second time, I want you to call this number right here. That's Jody Mills, she's a friend of ours and she'll help you, alright? You get all that?" Sam finished explaining and looked for Jack to confirm his understanding. Jack nodded.

"I got it!" He said, enthusiastically. Sam gave the young boy a nervous smile.

"You do? Can you repeat it back to me?" Sam asked Jack the question the same way Sam and Dean's father had always asked them.

"If something happens, call you, and if you don't answer, call Dean. If Dean doesn't answer then I call you again, but if you still don't pick up, then call Jody Mills." Jack repeated all of Sam's instructions perfectly, grinning proudly at the younger Winchester when he finished. Sam laughed a little, but nerves twinged his voice.

"Good, yeah. Okay," Sam paused, thinking things over, "You know what, Jack? If neither of us answer your call and it's really that urgent, don't bother calling me a second time. Just call Jody right away if you can't get through to either of us. Alright?"

"Alright!" Jack nodded, grinning. Sam nodded back, stiffly.

"Alright." He seemed like he wanted to say something else but didn't know how to say it.

"You two done in there, Sammy?! We gotta go!" Dean called, walking in from another room. Sam stood and looked at his brother.

"Uh, yeah. I think we're good," He took a few steps towards the stairs that lead up to the door before pausing and turning back to Jack, "We're good, right? You're gonna be okay here by yourself?" Sam asked again. Jack grinned and gave him a thumbs up.

"I'll be fine. You don't have to worry."

Sam nodded and smiled with so much nervousness it almost hurt to watch.

"Okay, good. It's good. We're good," He said, nodding and trying to reassure himself more than anyone else. Dean raised an eyebrow at his overly anxious little brother, tugging his old leather jacket on over his shoulders, but he didn't say anything. Instead, he directed his remarks at Jack.

"Hey, kid. Whatever you do, don't do anything stupid," He'd said, half glaring, "We'll be back in a few days." Then they'd left.

Now, Jack glanced back down at the phone in his hands, remembering Dean's warning about not doing anything stupid. But his curiosity regarding the sender of the message was overwhelming. It couldn't hurt to text this person back, right? Was that what Dean had meant by his warning? Did this count as something stupid? What was the worst that could happen? Deciding that the benefits outweighed the risks, he texted back.

Sent: 10:18 PM

Merry Christmas to you as well!

Jack wrote.

Sent: 10:19 PM

Who are you?

No sooner had asked his question, he began to worry that he might have sounded rude. He waited with anticipation for the mystery person to reply. He didn't have to wait long.

Received: 10:20 PM

It doesn't matter, you don't know me.

I'm just someone wanting to give you a warm holiday wish.

Jack frowned. Again, he got the distinct feeling that the person on the other side of this conversation was deeply saddened by something. He desperately wanted to know what. So, he did the thing he did best. He asked and waited to see what would happen.

***

Received: 11:21 PM

If you don't know me, why do you care?

I don't mean to be rude. I'm just curious.

Why do this?

I read the person's question once, then twice, then three times and I realized that I didn't have an answer. Why did I care? Why was I texting some random person a Christmas wish? For all I knew, this person may not even observe the holiday. I had so many of my own things to worry about I was nearly drowning in them. I didn't know this person. I had nothing to do with them. So, why did I care about their holiday season? Why was I doing this?

I told myself it was just a random act of kindness. But deep down I knew what the reason was, and even if I didn't want to think about it, I felt it in my heart. I was doing this for the same reason I did everything. So, I took a few moments and came up with a reply.

Sent: 11:25 PM

I'm doing this because I believe that no one should ever have to be alone,

especially during the holidays.

I sent my reply and remembered to keep on shivering. I could hardly feel the cold anymore, I had gone almost completely numb. But I knew if I didn't keep moving, I would surely freeze in place and be unable to move until spring came. I vaguely wondered how cold it was. I remembered having heard on someone's car radio that this was supposed to be the coldest winter Michigan had experienced in the last decade. Though winter had only just begun, it was already cold enough for the district council to be suggesting face coverings to prevent citizens from getting frostbite and losing their nose.

I sneezed. I had no such face covering. Hell! I didn't even have a jacket! Let alone a coat or anything mildly warm. All I had was my oversized green cardigan, my black Star Wars t-shirt and my black jeans. That was it. Yet here I sat, outside a bakery in well below freezing temperatures, shivering myself into next decade.

I could go to a shelter. At least there I wouldn't have to endure the bitter biting of the wind as it gushed with double its normal force through these tight, abandoned alleyways. But if I went to a shelter then there was no chance of leaving undetected, I reminded myself. No, it was better to stay here, cold and alone, than to risk human contact.

I was pulled from my thoughts by another pling from my phone. Another message from that unknown contact.

Received: 11: 27

Are you alone?

Again, the question was simple. And although the mere thought hurt like a knife twisting in a fresh wound, I looked around at the dark, trash littered alleyway I sat in, watching the scattered rags of paper flutter and tumble in the winter gales, and I looked at the brutally beautiful puddles of speckled ice gathering along my body and melting on my skin, and I examined the bleak night sky, choked starless by the drifting dreary clouds; and the utterly silent stillness of the sleeping city revealed the harsh reality of my answer.

No one was here.

Nobody cared.

Not even the stars would keep me company. Because the stars never cared who I was.

So, with no reason to keep the truth hidden. I answered the question honestly.

Sent: 11: 29 PM

Yes.

Sent: 11: 30 PM

I am alone.

I was completely and utterly alone.

***

Received: 10: 30 PM

I am alone.

Once again Jack got the distinct impression that these words carried a heavy burden. It made him frown. What could he do to help a person he didn't even know? He wanted to ask this person if they had any friends, but something about those words told him the answer. When this person had said they were alone, Jack got the feeling they weren't just talking about the current moment. But maybe that's what this person needed. Maybe they needed a friend.

Sent: 10: 32 PM

Well, I'll be your friend and talk to you. There, now you're not alone anymore!

Jack smiled as he sent the text. The reply didn't take long.

Received: 10: 33 PM

Thank you.

You don't have waste your time on me but thank you.

It didn't take any special powers to read in between the lines this time, anyone could see the sadness in those words. Though Jack wasn't sure if it was his powers causing that strange feeling or if he was just imagining things.

Sent: 10:34 PM

I don't mind. Really!

Besides, I don't have anyone to talk to either.

Received: 10: 35 PM

Well, in that case, we can be lonely together!

Jack grinned. He'd made himself a friend. He couldn't wait to get to know them.

***

Received: 11: 36 PM

Since we're friends now, what's your name?

I smiled down at my new mystery friend's message. There was something about the words that made them seem innocent and earnest. It couldn't hurt to give my name, right? It’s not like he could find me. After all, I'm supposed to be dead.

Sent: 11: 37 PM

My name is Martina.

I sent my name and waited for the response. It came quickly.

Received: 11: 38 PM

I like your name Martina!

It's very pretty.

I flinched as I read the text. Something about seeing my name written in the text brought me back to a conversation with a different person a long time ago. It was a painful memory, and I didn't want to see it anymore. I didn't want another reminder of the still bleeding wounds in my heart. I remembered why I didn't let anyone call me that name anymore.

Sent: 11: 39 PM

Thank you.

But I would prefer you call me Marty.

I didn't want to be so sensitive to things like this, but I just couldn't help it.

Received: 11: 40 PM

Alright! I like Marty too.

It's a fun name.

I smiled; grateful they didn't ask why it was so important that they called me by a nickname.

Sent: 11: 41 PM

Thanks for understanding.

So, what's your name?

Received: 11: 42 PM

My name is Jack!

I grinned to myself. I'd made me a friend. I just couldn't wait to get to know him.

Sent: 11: 43 PM

Heya, Jack!

It’s nice to meet you!

I think this is the beginning of a wonderful friendship.

Received: 11: 44 PM

I agree, Marty. We are going to be great friends!

Sent: 11: 45 PM

So, what's your favorite movie?

And just like that, we talked until the sun came up. And suddenly, for the first time in quite a while, I wasn't completely alone.

***

"Hey, uh, Jack? We're back!"

Sam's voice drifted in from just outside Jack's bedroom door. Jack was surprised. He hadn't heard the brothers come in which, for him, was quite peculiar.

The door creaked open and Jack hastily attempted to pretend like he hadn't been using the phone.

He failed.

Miserably.

The device slipped from his hand and he fumbled to catch it before it smashed against the grey, polished concrete floor. He let out a sigh of relief as he snatched it just in time.

Sam peered around the door, checking in on Jack, who was now hanging halfway off his bed and clutching the phone. Scrambling to sit upright, Jack gave Sam a half-panicked smile.

"Hi Sam!" He waved a greeting, shoving his phone behind his back. Sam raised his eyebrows in a questioning expression and stepped into the room, shutting the door behind him. He folded his arms and leaned back on his heels.

"Hey Jack," Sam seemed a little distracted, "Have you seen Cas?" He asked. Jack shook his head vigorously.

"He's not back yet," He answered. Sam nodded and started to leave before stopping and turning back. Only now seeming to notice Jack's odd behavior. Sam gestured at the phone hidden behind the boys back,

"So, what were you doing in here just now?" Jack's eyes flew wide as quarters and his gaze shifted rapidly around the room, focusing on anywhere but Sam. His mind was working overtime trying to find a viable excuse.

"Uhhhh...Nothing!" Jack tried; his brain had gone blank. Sam raised an eyebrow.

"You sure about that?" Sam leaned forward a little, narrowing his eyes. Jack leaned back to match; his face scrunched up with the guilt he was trying very hard to hide. Everyone in the bunker knew how terrible Jack was at lying. He might be able to pass a few simple fibs by a stranger, but his family saw through him like he was made of glass. He couldn't deceive them. But that didn't stop him from trying, however.

"Yes..." Jack said slowly, his eyebrows pulling together in a rather sad attempt at looking sincere.

"Jack, what were you doing?" Sam asked more sternly. Jack looked at his feet and didn't answer. His shoulders moved up and down in a shrug.

"Do I have to go get Dean?" Sam pressed. Now Jack's head shot up. He stretched his hands out in a pleading gesture.

"No, no! Don't tell Dean!" Jack begged. Sam's expression shifted into one of concern.

"If you tell me, I won't tell Dean." Sam agreed, moving to sit on the bed beside Jack who shifted to give him some space. Sam waited patiently for the young Nephilim to speak. Jack kept his head down and rubbed his hands together nervously as he tried to think of how he should explain himself.

"Well, last night I was watching Netflix when I got this text from somebody wishing me a merry Christmas-" He started.

"Someone we know?" Sam asked, interrupting. Jack shook his head and continued.

"I asked them why they would do that, and they said it was because they thought that nobody should be alone this time of year. So, I asked if they were alone and they said, yes ─" Jack looked the younger Winchester in the eyes ─

"I don't know why but I just got this- this feeling, and they sounded just so sad, and now we're friends! But Dean said not to do anything stupid, and now I'm worried that I did! Are you mad?" Jack finished, worry coloring his features. Sam blinked. Once again astounded by the size of the half-angel's heart, he shook his head.

"No, Jack. I'm not mad," He said, softly.

"Really?"

"Really. I think you did a good thing. Everyone needs a friend." Sam patted Jack's shoulder and smiled. Jack looked down, grinning to himself as pride filled his chest.

Sam waited a moment before getting up from the bed. Stretching his back out and groaning a bit as he stood. It had been almost 48 hours since he last slept, and he was more than ready for a long nap. His hand rested on the doorknob and he paused a moment before turning back around.

"Hey, uh, Jack. Just one more thing. Do you by chance know this person's name?" Sam asked. Jack looked up briefly before looking back at the floor again, trying to hide the embarrassment creeping up to stain his cheeks.

"It's, uh, it's Marty," He replied. Sam nodded and moved to leave again but he stopped. His eyebrows pulled down with confusion before he turned back.

"And uh, is that a boy's name or a girl's name? Do you know?" Jack turned his head a bit to the side and picked at a thread in his jeans.

"Does it matter?" He questioned back. Truthfully, it didn't. Sam wouldn't make Jack stop if he didn't want to. But to say that the boy's current evasive behavior didn't pique his interest, would be a lie. Though, the kid’s flushed cheeks told him quite a bit about the answer.

"It doesn't matter," Sam said, shrugging, "I'm just curious is all." The tall man watched the boy's reaction. Jack nodded and shifted as if uncomfortable.

"Marty's a girl." He answered, trying to force his voice into sounding nonchalant. And failing.

"Okay, cool." Sam nodded, turning around again, and reaching for the handle. Jack's head whipped around.

"Wait, Sam!"

Sam looked over his shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"Don't. Tell. Dean!" Jack stressed. Urgency was evident in his voice. Sam huffed a laugh.

"Okay, Jack." With that, Sam pulled open the door and walked out letting the heavy steel swing shut behind him. Behind the door, Jack sighed with relief. He'd dodged a bullet with that one.

Walking a ways down the hall, Sam got to Dean's room where his older brother was now unpacking. The younger brother leaned on the door frame and expelled the laughter he'd been holding on to since Jack’s room. Dean turned around, holding a pistol and a pair of weeks old and hopelessly blood caked socks in his hands, he faced Sam with a questioning look.

"What's got you so giggly all of a sudden?" The older of the brother's asked.

Dean glanced at the pair of socks in his hand. He grimaced at the stench and held them further away from his face, trying not to breathe. It didn't work. The socks odor was so pungent, Dean could smell them through his mouth. There was no hope of washing them. Nope, those things would have to be burned. Though, taking another whiff of them, Dean wasn't sure that even incinerating the socks would do him much good now. The stomach-turning stink would be branded into his memory forever. Sam straightened up, shaking his head of shoulder length hair.

"It's just something Jack said." Sam smiled and laughed again before taking notice of the unholy stench wafting off the socks. He coughed. "Dude, those stink. Bad!"

"Yeah, it's a sad day, Sammy." Dean nodded solemnly. Sam covered his nose.

"Why?"

"These were my second luckiest pair of socks."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Well, they're not anymore," Sam pointed out. Now, they were just rancid.

"I think we should give em' a Viking funeral, something to honor their service. I mean, I remember one time when I wore these things for two weeks straight!" Dean reminisced, grinning. Sam looked mildly disturbed.

"That's, uh... nice... But, uh, is there somewhere we could put them before the funeral? Because they, uh, they reek." Sam was trying hard not to gag and couldn't understand how Dean could be holding them and remain unaffected. Dean smirked.

"You wanna go put em' somewhere?" He asked, waving the socks into Sam's face. Sam leaned away.

"Ah! God! No! Put those things somewhere! Please!" He choked out. Dean just grinned and moved to the other side of the room. Grabbing a cardboard box from off the shelf, he shoved the socks in there and sealed the lid. The stench quickly began to dissipate.

"Better?"

"Yeah, thanks."

"We're gonna have to burn that box too."

"Yup." Sam still felt a little sick but at least the socks were gone.

"So, what was it Jack said that you thought was so funny?" The older brother asked.

"Oh, uh, nothing. It was nothing," Sam said. But laughter began to creep up on him again. Dean rolled his eyes and went back to pulling more dirty clothing from the duffle bag.

"Are ya gonna stand there or are ya gonna spill?" Dean pushed. Sam sobered up again.

"Well, I'm not supposed to tell you," He said.

Dean shook his head, mildly annoyed. He knew Sam was going to tell him whatever juicy information he had gotten, just like he always did when he got that sly look on his face. Sam could be a bit of a schoolgirl that way. Except, of course, when it came to the important things, the things Dean was supposed to know. Those things Sam always kept to himself.

"Well, Sammy, if you ain’t gonna spill─" he used the gun in his hand to gesture from Sam to the duffle bag─ "get workin'."

The younger Winchester moved to the bag and started unpacking, grinning his face off all the while. Dean knew his little brother was waiting for him to ask about the thing with Jack again, so he said nothing. He just waited for Sam to look over to him eagerly, which is exactly what Sam did.

"So get this!" Sam started.

'Here it comes.' Dean predicted internally. Sam kept starring.

'Yatzee.' Dean thought. He knew Sam like the back of his hand. Actually, he probably knew his brother better than that.

"Apparently, Jack got a text from some random person last night wishing him merry Christmas. And, well, you know Jack! So he─" Dean stopped his brother mid-sentence.

"What's her name?" He interrupted. Sam looked confused.

"I didn't say anything about a girl," Sam trailed off. Dean sighed and shook his head.

"Geez, Sammy! If you love drama so much, you should go be an actor. You ain't foolin' anybody. We both know where this is goin' so just cut to the chase!" Dean sighed, opening a trunk and tossing in the gun he'd been holding along with several knives. His small outburst had startled his younger brother, but Dean didn't really care. Sam wasn't the only one who hadn't slept in 48 hours. Sleep was calling and Dean wanted nothing more than to answer. Sam frowned.

"Marty. The girl's name is Marty," Sam stated, sounding rather put out that Dean had guessed at his not-so-cleaver ploy. The older if the pair turned to the younger with a perplexed expression.

"Wait, wait. Marty?" He clarified. Amused disbelief written all over his features.

"Marty," Sam confirmed.

"Marty?"

"Yeah. Marty."

"Like the zebra in Madagascar, Marty?" Dean asked, grinning. Sam nodded.

"Yeah, like that. But remember, you didn't hear anything from me!" He answered, smiling as well. Dean laughed as he turned his attention back to the mess of clothing and weapons surrounding him on the floor.

"Yeah, whatever, drama queen." Dean rolled his eyes and kept working. The room was silent for a moment before the older Winchester burst out laughing again. He couldn't help himself; he found the subject hilarious.

"Ah, man. Marty! Now there's a name!" He exclaimed as he started folding the few clean clothing items laying in the pile. "What? Did her parents just take one look at her and say: 'Look at our beautiful baby! Let's name her Marty!'" Dean scoffed.

Sam snorted and shook his head at his older brother's bad joke. Then he leaned his head back and yawned.

"Man, I think we need some sleep," Sam sighed. Dean smirked.

"Is it your bedtime already?" He taunted, expecting a playful retort. But this time, Sam didn't argue. He just nodded.

"Yeah, I think it is." Though worried about his little brother, Dean held his playful smirk in place perfectly, just like he had been doing for so many years.

"Well, you go ahead and hit the sack. I'll finish up here." He said, easily. Even though he was just as tired and Sam was, he would finish out like always. Sam raised an eyebrow.

"You sure?"

"Yeah, o'course. There's not much left anyway." That was a lie and they both knew it, but Sam took the offer of sleep while it was on the table.

"Thanks, Dean."

"You're welcome, Sammy."

Sam patted his older brother on the arm as he stood and left the room. Traveling down the corridor he got to his bedroom and was out as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Meanwhile, Dean mouthed the strange name of Jack's mystery girl and chuckled about it to himself. Sitting on the floor in his room as he continued folding the rest of the clean clothes, cleaning out all the weapons and putting everything back in its place. The chore took him two more hours to complete but when it was done, he stretched himself out and laid back on his bed.

"Marty. Now, that's hilarious." Dean snickered to himself as he drifted off to sleep.

~I might hate myself tomorrow.

But I'm on my way tonight.

Let's be lonely together.

A little less lonely together~

Lyrics from: Lonely Together by Jasmine Thompson

[tricewithaz]

THOTS ON SHADOW AND BONE

Hello everyone! it is I, Trice, and i come with my thoughts on the Shadow and Bone show cause ive got many

I'm gonna divide this in what i liked, what i disliked, and what i think could have been better but didn't really bother me. Feel free to send your opinions too!

As a whole, I really liked the show and I think it's a great adaptation that both fans and newcomers will enjoy. It's super well done! and every episode had me glued to the tv even though I knew what was going to happen.

Beware this is long

To start,

What i liked

Mal and Alina

I never really liked Mal in the books, mainly cause he had like, nothing going on for him, and not having his pov made him no favors whatsoever. Alina's perception of him was everychanging, two factors that didn't make him unlikeable necessarily, but that made me not want to read about him. In the show he's way more likeable and even though he still doesn't have a lot going on for him, you can see that he's always trying to protect alina, and you also see a bit of his demeanor through Archie's acting. I think he made a great job at portraying him. And Alina! Alina who in the books was essentially a y/n sort of character (although she did get better over time), her character, likes, dislikes, her DRIVE was incredibly portrayed in the show. Also Jessie (loml, marry me) and Archie have incredible chemistry together and they sold their yearning SO WELL (and so did the kid actors portraying them as children oh my GOD)...yall...i cried when they held hands. My favourite scene was definitely when Alina took care of Mal's wounds (a favorite trope of mine). And the HURT in their eyes whenever they thought the other was in danger....i saw the show dubbed but I'm sure their voices made it beyond incredible as well, their face acting was just on. point. Overall the show rEALLY makes me root for them both individually and together which is something the books didn't manage to do.

The Darkling

AAAAA i really enjoyed the Darkling omg, incredible charisma, Ben does such a great job (and so did his voice actor in Spanish oh my GOD). His acting was just as I imagined it in the books and i loved how he could be as sweet and mysterious as he could be menacing. In fact! i liked him more than i did in the book, and i think it was a great choice to make him more human. I'm not sure if this was Ben or the writing, but i could really see his yearning for an equal, for Alina, his loneliness and his thirst for power and control too. Great love interest, even greater villain. And his wardrobe was phenomenal. I also really liked how they implied that The Darkling was a name given by other people, it was very believable that people would call someone who literally controls shade something akin to "son of the dark" or something of the sort, instead of it being a name he gives himself or his job title (both if which are incredibly pathetic and cringy to think about).

Jesper

No comments. He was just great. I love Kit.

Nina

Omg Danielle did SUCH a great job at portraying Nina, it's exactly how i imagined her in Six of Crows.

Helnik

THE. YEARNING. THE. CHEMISTRY. I didn't love their scenes at the boat but once that was over I was practically screaming at the screen to jUST KISS ALREADY. Calahan and Daniell have such good chemistry together and the few changes they made only served the story better. I did wish they had development over more time cause Matthias' change of mind felt too quick, but i get why they had to rush. Because of how good their chemistry was, their fallout also was incredibly painful.

Inej's fear of the Menagerie and her morals

Amita's portrayal of Inej's hurt, devotion and her refusal to kill (and later hurt cause she has killed) is incredibly subtle but so SO effective. She's so talented really and truly sold Inej's feelings throughout the show.

VFX

Man.....the fold, the volcra, the grisha powers.....kudos to the animators and overall artistic team cause they were incredible. Also seeing the different title animations in each episode was such a tiny detail that made me so excited and they all looked so good.

Ketterdam

Again, kudos to the artistic team, everything about Ketterdam felt so alive (and weirdly moist), truly sold a kind of aesthetic and life that is so characteristic if the Barrel, even when i didn't imagine it that way in the books.

David

He appeared like, twice, and both times were so cute and charming I can't wait to see more of him both on his own and with Genya.

The Wardrobe

So, at first i hated the keftas. I thought the looked tacky and costume, but when you see them on screen they're just perfect (although i have to say the patterns on some of the keftas were kind of...cheap looking? and the training keftas were just kinda boring. My favourite was the Darkling's. Aside from that, i really liked Kaz's and inej's clothes too. Very distinctive and recognizable (although it was kind of weird seeing Inej in teal instead of purple lmao).

And the queen's dresses. Chefs kiss.

It's...so cheesy (affectionate)

The whole show felt like the kind of movies I would watch as a kid like Harry Potter and Pirates of the Caribbean. The writing was stylized enough to make it incredibly dramatic and overall there was just so much heart behind all of it. Definetely a show to watch again and again and feel all of it, cause that's what it being so cheesy managed, to make me actually feel for it. It feels like something to watch on a rainy afternoon after a bad day....it's great okay i really enjoyed it, even (specially) the most unbelievable parts of it. And here's the thing, it's something that i think a lot of newer tv and film have lost, so this is good.

What i didn't like

Zoya

Mostly cause of the writing. Originally, in the first book, i didn't like her, neither as a character (stereotypical mean girl with no other motivation than to bang the love interests....all three of them....what's new i still think it's an incredibly sexist trope) or a person (hey at least this was intentional), but over time i grew to LOVE her (mean girl turns out to have a good heart and actually respects the mc and decides to fight alongside her cause it's what's right, without necessarily liking her or giving up her character??? AND she has strong motivations??? now THAT'S new). In the show, i hoped they would keep her mean girl nature while foreshadowing her depth, but all they did was turn her into a petty seductress with barely any screentime, and that only makes her not even a bad antagonist but just a boring character to watch. Not only that but they took away a big part of her character that needed to be developed in the next books. I wanted to watch her rivalry with Alina, her unjustified venomous tongue too, I wanted to be entertained by her and I wasn't. This was also a problem cause when she finally changed teams, and when she hugged Alina, it was incredibly unsatisfying, it would have had a way stronger effect if we had seen her being Ruthless Zoya with a big ambition. I also didn't like how we were told that she didn't like alina, or that she had a family, instead of it being shown on screen. Just from the show, all i can tell you about her is that she likes to bang people and she has a good moral code i guess. Yall, I'm so petty about this.

Kaz

So, I didn't hate him, in fact i think I would have enjoyed him if I hadn't read the books first, cause the two things that bother me about him were two essential characteristics of him in the books. FIrstly, he seems so strained, instead of the seemingly laid back, almost chill looking (even though we know he's not chill at all) Kaz we see in the books, the Kaz that always knows something that you don't. Show Kaz doesn't seem to always be in control, to always have the last word, the last laugh. Instead he seems strained, all the damn time. And I think this is mainly a writing and directing issue. And he also seems weak, something Book Kaz would never do. This is also an issue cause because he doesn't have the same presence he has in the books, the times where he is weak, don't seem as effective. Sure, Pekka Rollins has essentially reduced him and humiliated him, but I haven't seen enough of Kaz being actually dangerous for this to be shocking and for Pekka to seem even more hateable (and, i really liked Pekka, loved him as an antagonist more than i did in the books). Idk, Kaz was so charismatic and just fun and engaging to read in the books that his portrayal in the show felt lacking.

Alina's power's VFX

The little suns were cute and all but the light coming from within her was just ugly I'm sorry.

SFX

A lot of the sound design was just too stylized for the tone of the show i think. I particularly remember the sound of Mal's punches....what's that about.

What i think could have been better, but didn't particularly dislike

The Crows' storyline

And i think part of this is a consequence of Kaz not being as witty as he was in the books. Where's the incredibly complicated heist moves? the even more unbelievable C and D plans when something goes wrong? I didn't like that them getting Alina was essentially just luck, cause i didn't see enough of them being smart and quick on their feet. I also think it was unnecessary to have their storyline mixed with Alina's, i would have enjoyed watching a different heist, maybe in Ravka as well, and them incidentally crossing paths with Alina, more than i liked this storyline. ironically enough, the heist was the part i was least interested in

Genya and Alina

I just feel like her relationship with Alina wasn't strong enough, and i think it's because the show tried to make us believe they were much closer than they were without spending the necessary time in them.

Overall, I really really enjoyed the show, i will be watching it again (particularly cause i want to watch it in English) and i cannot wait for the second season omg (although i have to say, I'm scared for Nikolai)

I think that's all! I would also love to read yall's opinions and have a conversation.

[dearfellxwtraveler]

#2 for the whole squad pls!

OC Asks || Accepting

2. What do strangers notice about them first?

This got kinda long but it's simple quick things for each...uhh...some got kinda outta hand from "what others notice" to just "hey, here's what you'd notice" lol

The Deities

Ineas -> Bright pink hair! Wait...is it changing colors?! Oh, now it's purple?

Phyxhena -> Heterochromia eyes (her left is yellow and right is green)

Erdia -> Gothic and/or witchy outfits (and vibes)

Elous -> The stoic/knowledgeable air he gives off

Rozotl -> Radiates heat in a like fifteen foot radius...kinda hard to miss that lol

Phiona -> Her caring eyes! She hides nothing within them, everything is on display within them.

Duaris -> Smol tiny lady (5' tall short)

Ziphin -> The exact opposite effect as their brother (Rozotl)...super cold when around them!

Dhaagriel -> Literally has heart eyes (his pupils are shaped like hearts)

Marena -> What didn't they notice? I mean, Goddess of Pleasure so naturally....people notice everything...well, with her they do.

Ryione -> Has the moral high ground always. Sorry, Anakin...

Nuren -> Tol. He's 9'3....stupid tol dream demon....

Mennir -> Wears too many watches or times with clocks or hourglasses on them?? Like why do you need those dude??? ..oh right...deity of time...but like you should know??? Do you hand those out???

Cyklous -> Blood shot eyes....like dude pls go get those checked out

Ketix -> Half skeleton. Don't shake their boney hand pls

Edon -> No one's seen them in several centuries and oddly enough can't remember anything about them. How odd.

Ydis -> Duty bound. Born and breed soldier to a T. Will not hesitate to punch you. Feisty tol lady.

Xula -> Wife to feisty lady. Honor bound.

Mithos -> Were your feelings hurt upon meeting them?? Because they tell the honest and sometimes brutal truth.

Dharen -> Another tol boi...why the fuck are some of these deities so tall?? I mean, who needs a 7'1 tall God of Battle??? ...though that is intimidating to meet on the battlefield so....

Zodia -> Tol lady 😍 (7'4)

Lydon -> Snow White is that you??? Why the fuck you got so many birds and shit following around you???

Logen -> Why did he just commit himself to you??? Oh-- oh no he's being loyal...okay, yep makes even less sense now.

Varos -> Why are their teeth so sharp? Why is there a twinkle in their eyes?? Oh god they just did something tricky didn't they??

Phaion -> Why did they just ask you to pick a card??

Kexvian -> Stop speaking in riddles please it hurts to think

Cyias -> Oh god...it's Cyklous' brother. Wait-- I was joking! You're actually his brother?! Shit that makes sense...you're both so fucking angry.

Venmos -> Not everything has to be orderly dude!

Veella -> Please stop making so many baby yodas....please....this has to stop, honey.

Aean -> dO NOT TOUCH ANYTHING EVER AGAIN. YOU LITERALLY JUST DESTROYED STEVE'S SHOP. ALSO STOP BEING ANGRY WITH ME WHEN IT WAS YOUR FAULT DUDE.

Rothar -> Thor is that you?? I don't remember you being so....well....that.

Ragen -> Ẃ̷̢̧̙̳̘̝̣̫̳̙̋̋́̐͆̀ẖ̷͉͈̼̊̎̎ẏ̷̢͂ ̷̛̘̩̳͓̩̰̣̲̮̐̍̔̏c̸̤̙̫̓͐̔̊̔̌̇͠a̴̢͙̞̥̟̘̣̘̣͒̎̈́̀͛͝n̵̖̠̮̮̭̉́̎̿͝͠ͅ'̵̹́̌͝͝t̶̛͙̬̱̺̤͕̹̜͉̓̀̎͆̈́͛ͅ ̸̡̛̪̠̯̻͚͌̋̉͂͆͗̇I̵͎̫̻̣͉̐̀͠ ̴̤̤̘͖̉͑̈́͋̆̃̎̕̚r̶̢̠̋ẹ̸̛̼̭̼̻͖͉̄̈̀̎̒͆̅̆͂m̷͈̖͕͔̄e̵̡͚̟͚̰̰̓̉́͆̈́͘m̶̯͚̖̳͑̽b̸͚̤͖̃̐́̓̒̌̂͆̇̿ę̷̗̭̭̪̹̮̮͋́͋̿͜͝͝͝͠͠ṙ̷͖̓̂͆̂̄͝ ̶̬̖̲̣͉͇͖̟̿͋͊̈́͐͗͘̚͘y̷̧̮͂̂̌́̊̓̒͝ŏ̴̳̹̙̭̪̖̻̜̙̗͆͑̀̑̏̕ų̶̼̼͇̗͔͖̖͚̺͛ṟ̶̨̬̖̺͇͓͍͉͗̑͌̚͠ ̵͖̇́̌̈́̈͑̃f̵̟̠͋̂͝a̴̭̿́̄͗c̵̪̝̙̣̈͜ê̴̛͖̆͘͝͝?̴͍͍̎̈͛̈́͊̇͠ͅ

The Others

Nixilei -> You're so pretty and I just...wanna smooch? Wait-- no-- I shouldn't- How did I get here? I was at the market...with....I can't remember her name....

Nox von Aurwel -> I never knew Death employed people.....or...no....since when did Death wander the streets??

Vakas -> He's a very handsome elf! Though....I can't quite place it...but I think there's something off about him. Maybe it's just my imagination! He's done nothing but right by me.

Rissu -> Awe~! She's such a tiny little thing (4'4)...never thought aliens would look like that either...quite humanoid.

Vaemmaentie -> Her black scales! Is she part lizard? No...lizards aren't known for horns like that...dragon? No, those are extinct!

Ry Daevon -> There's something otherworldly about them....like something's with them but you can't see it. Maybe it's just their magicks! Magick is impossible to simply explain so yeah. That must be it!

[fly-pow-bye]

Powerpuff Girls 2016 - The Top Title Cards

One of the artistic choices the show makes is its use of unique title cards. On one hand, the reboot's title cards lack the punch of the original's. The original had the Powerpuff Girls flying, making. In the reboot, it's lumpy text with some drawings surrounding it with some soft ambient techno over it. On the other hand, the reboot lacks the punch of the original, so they fit perfectly.

One improvement I can see with these title cards is the variety. The originals do not have pictures, it's just white text on black background. The reboot has these works of art for each episode. I don't hate the original's title cards, far from it, but I couldn't rank them. Just for fun, I’m going to rank my top favorite title cards of PPG 2016. These will be ranked based on if they fit their episode and whether or not they look great.

10. The Trouble With Bubbles

Out of all the Bubbles coding episodes, this is my favorite one. While the title is actually kind of generic, it does show that this is an episode where Bubbles codes a clone of herself and prints it with a 3D printer. The title is even laid out in a way similar to Scratch, a beginner's programming language that the Powerpuff Girls even had a tie-in with at one point. It's a little more literal than something abstract or symbolic, but it works.

9. The Secret Life of Blossom Powerpuff

Yes, they actually believed that the Powerpuff Girls' last name should be Powerpuff in Season 1. Let's ignore that, as that's one of the few aspects they did change their mind on in Season 2. I like this effect of Blossom getting split into two different versions of herself, one in a Victorian dress, and the other as an astronaut. This does perfectly show what this episode is going to be about: Blossom imagining herself as different versions of herself much like Walter Mitty.

They had to leave out one Blossom for this title to look good. Honestly, I would have went with the breakdancer Blossom, as it would have been a contrast between the elegant Victorian Blossom. The astronaut Blossom still works as a "Past vs. Future" contrast, and the cynic in me also notes that they are also the low points of the episode.

8. The Tell Tale Schedulebot

Maybe I'm going for more of how it looks rather than what it represents. The title references a horror story, and, while it's not exactly a reference to the original story, the title card represents a horror theme. Yes, Schedulebot seemingly rises from the dead in one of the very, very few times they referenced plots from previous episodes, and the title card shows it as this zombie rising from the dead. They put this title card in this artsy cloud-esque smudge, with lightning inside of it, which adds to the effect.

7. Once Upon A Townsville

The episode's idea is that it's a Disney-esque princess in a modern day world. I did not get this at first, thinking this was just a generic city. I didn't even notice the little circle around it, which is supposed to represent that part of the logo where Tinkerbell flies around the Disney castle in an arc.

I think the less said about Once Upon A Townsville, the better, so let's move on.

6. Save The Date

Not all of my favorite title cards are graphically complex, as this one is pretty simple: just Ms. Keane and a really, really big shadow. The obvious meaning comes from how Ms. Keane turns into a giant in this episode. I can't help but see another meaning in this, referring to the other plot of the episode that is intertwined with.

Ms. Keane is on her first date with some random dude, and she is not confident about it. She can't walk in high heels, she has a zit that we thankfully never get to see, and she's late! Maybe I'm looking too deep into this, but I'll still rank it this high.

5. Breaking Bliss

Also known as part four of the Power of Four, which is actually five parts long. Each part of the Power of Four has a standalone version, complete with its own unique title card. This is the only special to get this treatment; Small World just uses that magic hat for every episode. Outside of Find Your Bliss, which just has the title on 3D glasses, they're all pretty good. I even like Bliss Reminisce's title card, with. I decided to choose only one, and it was a tough pick between this one and Blisstersweet Symphony.

In the end, I went with this one, which is a good representation of the episode. Bliss is utterly broken inside in this episode, and the title card puts that in a symbolic way that looks aesthetically pleasing. The only real problem with this one is that the text seems to be put as an afterthought. Granted, this title card never aired on US TV; Power of Four only aired as a special, and that only came with a rather generic title card of four Powerpuff Girls flying.

4. Power Up Puff

Rather than outright showing the aura powers that were the star attraction to this episode, this episode focuses more on how Blossom seems to be overshadowed by her sisters. I do like the idea behind this one; Blossom is just way in the background while her sisters do these poses.

I will say the drawing is a bit awkward here. They forgot Buttercup's all-important cowlick, which is shockingly common in title cards. so it's a little bit lower than another episode that has a similar idea.

3. Bubbles The Blue

Well, this episode seems to rank high in any PPG 2016 list I would make. Bubbles is sitting down, looking sad, while her sisters are very tiny. I would say it represents their understanding of the episode's situation, and not in a way that can be blamed on bad writing. This episode's title card is very similar to the last entry in this list. Honestly, I would have had this in a tie.

Also, they actually remembered Bubbles' pigtail bubbles. That doesn't look like Blossom or Buttercup, though. That looks like a wrapped peppermint and one of those Ring Pops. I can still see what they were doing there.

2. Can't Buy Love

One of the more artsy title cards. They could have just had a cupcake, but instead, we get this romantic shot under the moonlight. One may have to ignore the participants here. If it is your thing, that's fine, but I don't think a lot of people would have wanted BarryBucks. The joke is that's the case even in-universe.

This episode is about Princess believing this fantasy this title card seems to portray. Everyone else around her isn't even aware of this, including the hunk-in-her-eyes-and-only-her-eyes Barry. Since this episode is from her perspective, the title card decides to use a shot from her perspective.

1. Salamander

There's absolutely no way this title card wouldn't be #1. Just look at that volcano's majesty. The detailed lines, those two trees that give the title card more body, and that sculpt of the villain's face. This volcano lair looks like something straight out of those 80's cartoons with the over-the-top bad guys, which is exactly what they were going for with this episode's lead villain. This one is a work of art, plain and simple.

I'm not going to do a Bottom 10, because most of the bad title cards can be summed up as "yup, that's an X", with maybe some text put in as an afterthought. I will do a bottom 3, though.

3. Man Up 3: The Good, The Bad, and the Manly

One thing I didn't really notice is that they did remove the wacky inflatable tube man from the second Man Up. They didn't do it for this one. Man Up 4 at least had a different title card. Sure, it's just a strawberry, a reference to a plot that rarely even appears in the episode, but it's better than reusing the same log and tube man again and again.

The biggest flaw with this one besides the reuse is a similar problem the second one had: this title card doesn't convey Man Up 3 to me. It's just Man Up, with some really tiny fine print that says it is the third one.

2. Odd Bubbles Out

It's a Bubbles head surrounded by hearts, which has basically nothing to do with this episode, as Bubbles, surprisingly, never really got a love interest. Maybe it's supposed to represent the love of her friendship with Donny and only Donny that depends on his friendship with Bubbles and only Bubbles, but that's a stretch.

Also...Odd Bubbles Out? I know I'm judging these title cards based on their artwork rather than their titles, but that has to be addressed. It's a play on being the Odd One Out, which is certainly what's happening in this episode, but I can't even consider it a pun.

1. The Bubbles-Sitters Club

It just looks like a screenshot they put a sillohuette on. If they couldn't even bother to make the text not look like something they just slapped on at the last second, why should I put more effort in describing it?

Next week, I'm going to dedicate Saturdays to DuckTales 2017 reviews, since that show is returning. Just one per week; as much as I want to review them quickly, I'd rather not have another hiatus. I also need the time for college. See you soon!

[monsterbrush]

SO. I've been reading your asks, definitely giggling the whole time but I have a question about the nasty lizard. You covered pets, friendship/romance, and even his sexual preferences BUT... What if something killed his favorite f*** buddy? What would he do? How do you think he'd react? I don't mean a lover dying historic or losing a battle with fever, I mean bloody MURDER. What are Slit's stages of grief?

OHOHOHO I think we all know where this is gonna go. 

Warning for extremely unhealthy coping mechanisms, suicide, self harm, and depression, Slit is not gonna handle this well.

Disclaimer: I’m basing this on a Slit without significant character development. It is my personal interpretation of the character and can be subject to change.

Since the line between fuck-buddy and friend is kinda thin for Slit, his reactions to the aforementioned scenario are gonna be pretty damn similar between the two, and it is also important to note that it will not matter to Slit whether his partner deserved what they got or not, or that Slit might have done the same were the circumstances reversed, all that matters to Slit is his partner has been killed. What’s more is his partner has been abruptly taken from him and he. Is. Pissed. 

Slit doesn’t go into shock very often, and when he does, it is quickly followed by blistering anger. Anger is his automatic response to most things, it is his default, it’s how he protects himself from feeling soft, or sad, or scared, so his mind jumps to anger in situations like this. It’s just easier for him this way. So his shock doesn’t last long, he dives headfirst into his anger, channels it, fuels himself on it, and attacks. This line of action has two outcomes, so let’s explore them both shall we?

Option one: Slit gets his revenge. In his rage he will brutally slaughter the focus of his anger. Depending on his current level of coherence he will either kill them fast or choose to make them suffer first. Morals mean very little to Slit. He is mad, and they are to blame, so whatever he does to them is justified. It’s one of the things that make him such an effective War Boy—maybe not when directed towards his fellow Boys, but towards enemies it makes him very nice to have on your side unless you’re big on the whole “No unnecessary killing” thing, because Slit’s definitely gonna throw a wrench in that.

Naturally, once his enemy is dead Slit’s at bit of a loss. His partner is gone, and now so is the person that killed them. He might take his lingering frustration out on his surroundings, kick the corpse around a little bit longer etc. He’ll wear himself out until he can barely stand. War Boys aren’t taught to grieve for their fallen brothers, so with his anger out of the way Slit just… shuts down. He wanders around on cruise control. Doesn’t really do much here or there. His partner is gone, there’s a massive hole where they’re meant to be, so Slit does what any War Boy would do and gets the hell away from that. He changes bunks. He stops visiting the places where he and his partner used to hang out at. Avoids anything to do with them. He keeps their memory close sure, maybe carves a little doodle or two into his stomach to commemorate them, to take his mind off of it all—it’s his own twisted way of coping, being soft without being soft. 

If left to his own devices he’ll be quick to find his way to Valhalla, not out of glory but more out of a lack of seeing something else to live for. He can’t move on from this on his own. Slit’s not good at making new friends, he knows that, and he knows how unlikely it is for him to find someone else to fill the space his partner left, and he might not even want someone else, he wants his partner. So naturally Valhalla is his best bet, it’s impressed upon War Boys enough that dying in glory is what they might consider the only natural response to something like this. His partner is usually the one to help him out with his emotions and things so without them there’s not much he can do by himself in this regard, emotional support is vital and he does not have a lot of it. So he chases Valhalla in a blazing ball of fire and that’s it. That’s the end. 

Option two: Something stops him. Slit gets restrained, held back, or otherwise kept from achieving his desired revenge or dying in the attempt because you know damn well it wasn’t a sudden emergence of empathy that stayed his hand, and now Slit is left to fester. He is unsatisfied, stewing in his rage. It simmers and burns, churning his guts. He lashes out at everyone with the slightest provocation. Anything becomes worthy of a punch in the teeth to Slit. Any tiny little infraction. Without expressing his rage towards the one who killed his partner he inflicts it on everyone else instead, and when that isn’t enough he takes his frustration out on his environment, throwing things, hitting things, breaking things. Instead of avoiding the memory of his partner he soaks himself in it, he clings to the idea of vengeance and doesn’t let go. Never forgive, never forget. Under the right circumstances even Immortan Joe himself could become the target of his rage, if an adequate reason isn’t given for Slit to more easily accept his partner’s death. Gods and kings mean nothing to someone like Slit, it’s all about who’s on top, Slit knows that better than he knows God. As someone whose morals are so loose and subjective, his religious views are much the same. They are a means to an end for Slit. If something isn’t working, he either changes it to suit his needs or abandons it entirely. He’ll burn for himself before he burns for a God, his devotion ends where his God ceases to benefit him.

It is more than likely that this scenario ends with Slit destroying himself in some violent explosive death fueled by the rage he’s marinated himself in like a box of fireworks soaked in gasoline that’s been lit by a match, but on the off chance he does eventually achieve the revenge he so desperately sought after he is actually much better off for it (a relative term, nothing about how he is handling this is okay). Delayed gratification is one hell of a drug. Slit feels satisfied, he can move on with his half-life now, he can rest easy knowing the person who took his partner from him finally got what Slit felt in his soul they deserved. Now Slit can move on. He still probably ends up going to Valhalla, but that’s what War Boys are taught to do. 

Regardless of how things come to pass, Slit becomes self-destructive either way. His coping mechanisms are not healthy in the slightest. He doesn’t handle grief well. Or helplessness, or loss, or fear, etc. 

One might say he takes after Max Rockatansky when it comes to the loss of a loved one (haha that was a terrible joke, I’m so sorry Max). 

Ideally he needs intensive emotional support, a firm hand, someone to walk him through what he is feeling and support him through it, and an outlet for his emotions. Even then, the road to recovery is bumpy as all hell, as anyone who has experienced loss of that magnitude can tell you, and Slit will struggle and hurt practically every step of the way, but if he has even one of those things his chances of coming to terms with his partner’s death and moving on are better than if he is left to his own devices.  

[unreone]

Aren't You Glad to Have a Boyfriend Like Me?

PROMPT: SERIAL KILLER

Time Taken: 42 hrs 14 min (on/off)

Program Used: IBis Paint

Word Count: 4133

♥~♥~♥~♥~♥

She beamed as I present to her my gift. An expensive perfume that she saw on a shop five days ago. She is squealing in delight at the second she recognize it.

"Oh my gosh! Thank you, thank you, thank you!!! I can't believe that you manage to buy it~

How could I even return the favor?"

I laugh at how cute she is being right now. Little did she know, I did not even spend a single cent to get it. Wait...no I actually have. Just not mine.

"Don't worry, Giggles. To see your smile is enough for me to say it's worth it."

Nice, that's a smooth one Cuddles. My remark brought a blush on her angelic face. She then pulls me into a hug, something that I expected to get but could still appreciate.

"Aww, this is why I love you my fluffybuns. I'm so glad to have a boyfriend like you!"

I smile as I pat her head. Her wonderful scent wafts in the air as I caress her soft, pink fur. Oh how much I wanted to stay like this forever. However, a ring destroys the moment.

Both of us stop and look at each other. Withdrawing, she apologize and picks up her phone from her shoulder bag. I watch her expression change from bright to neutral and then grim.

"I know I understand...I will be there as soon as I can."

She ended the call.

"Something's wrong?"

She looks at me with guilt in her eyes. I could tell that she wanted to stay a little bit longer but the call has given her a reason not to.

"I am so sorry Cuddles but I have to go. The nurses who are suppose to work right now got into an accident and Lumpy couldn't handle it all by himself at the hospital. I guess I need to start my shift early."

What a bummer. Her shift is supposed to begin five hours from now. Despite feeling unpleasant, I manage to keep my cool.

"Ah don't worry my love. I understand. Just call me when you need a backup."

"Oh Cuddles. The world will be a better place if critters are as understanding as you. See ya later then. I love you!"

She pecks me in my cheek and runs toward the location of a bus stop. I truly adore her. Cupping my hands around my mouth, I shout out my response.

"I love you more!"

She turns around and copies my volume.

"I love you more than anything!"

Oh Giggles, my love for you is so much that I'm willing to do anything for you...

I wave my hand at her as she runs away. I did not stop until she is out of my sight. I sighed and walks away. I guess I have to continue my mission early too.

Pushing the boulder away from a certain spot, I stoop to pull the hidden latch, opening the entry to a bunker.

Jumping down, I swiftly takes my bag full of supplies and a vacuum cleaner. I also wear the "job outfit" that I borrow from a certain friend that must not be named.

After climbing up the ladder carrying my props, I close the hatch and push the boulder back to its original place.

As I stroll towards the house of my next target, I found myself recounting the moments I accomplished my first goal. It was...exhilarating. The adrenaline I got is much more than the one I have while skydiving.

True, I felt remorse and a tiny bit of guilt after doing it but I'd be lying if I say I regret everything. In the end, watching how that pedobear mofo suffers from my own paws is satisfying, and that's all that matters.

Critters tends to underestimate me since I'm just a kid in their eyes. Yeah I admit that I'm immature most of the times, but that doesn't mean I'm incapable of doing serious stuff. I watch enough movies and documentaries to say I know a thing or two with slaying rivals creatively.

It all starts with swaying the prey. Luring him is unsurprisingly not that hard. I just have to send him pictures and epic one liners on his inbox at that stupid dating app and boom! Charmed. He's willing to meet me at a specific, secluded place only me and him know. Never suspecting anything for a bit. He's like a really dumb fish who suddenly bites the bait despite a hook sticking through it!

As the fool arrived at my rented apartment room, he did not see the lover of the girl he always flirts with. Instead, he sees a purple female bunny wearing a cute outfit named Toodles who is infatuated with him. I let him in and offer snacks and tea, which he blindly accepts. As he eat, we talks just as the way we do in our chat.

I remember how he makes that disgusting face at me that he dubbed as his "fierce and flirty look" from time to time.

I am keeping myself from puking at the moment as he leans forward with that breath, asking me for a dance.

Despite feeling unpleasant, I manage to keep my cool. I did not become the best actor in drama club for nothing. I have to convince him that my character is so into him. So I did what I have to do in my script.

I pull him even closer, catching him off guard and making the pathetic asshole blush. This malicious pervert flipping blush! I can't even express my repulsion against this filthy degenerate.

"Maybe I would if you finish your tea~" I muttered in perfect, feminine tone.

Oh I just really smile as I saw that he finally ingested the damn fluid into his system. He, however, thinks it's because I fell in love with him. He drinks the whole cup in one go!

He was extending his hand out to me, about to say something, but found himself unable to do so. Or do anything else at all. His hand trembles before he collapses to the floor. I giggled as he flops like a fish. His mouth is gaping as he try so hard to breathe. He looks up at me with utter confusion in his eyes. Can't talk dirty now that you're paralyzed huh sicko?

"Nothing personal Disco. It's just that I heard that you're really messing around this town. You're pretty famous for being a headache for everyone. Now, let me tell you something. This is for harassing and killing every girl you encountered ~"

I grab the kettle and pour its boiling hot contents on his chest. Oh how euphoric it was to see him writhes in pain. The scent of his burnt flesh fills the room. I was grinning ear to ear as I watch in fascination how the tea spreads all over his fur.

"And this is for assaulting my brother's girlfriend, Giggles~"

I suddenly smashed the kettle on his crotch. He would be wailing in pain at the time if his throat isn't numb. All that came out in his mouth is pitiful gurgles as he pees on the floor. I move and stand besides his ugly face. My entire body is quivering in excitement and rage as I clutch on the shattered kettle tightly.

"And this is for killing her with a fucking kettle you ignorant pimp~"

And with that, I found myself bludgeoning the shittyhead over and over again with a kettle until he resembles a squashed tomato. I keep bashing on his shattered skull even after he stopped twitching. Finally, I stepped on his heart with my heels to satisfy my ears with that squelching flesh. Then, I went to the bathroom to shower the dye away. It takes me four hours to remove the fake color entirely off my fur. Of course, I did not leave without taking his wallet.

It's been three days since the incident and I haven't seen him around, which is a good sign. What I've done is super effective. I think after all that, he wouldn't bother Giggles anymore. Heck, I am confident enough to say that he wouldn't even dare to look at any girl ... hehehe ... look. Something that my next victim couldn't do. That makes everything easier.

I found myself on front of the house I seek. I casually walk towards the doorstep and press the doorbell.

Now I would have skip Mole over since the idiot mistaken Lumpy as Giggles on their blind date. That means, my motivation of killing him is not jealousy if that's what you're thinking. No. It's something deeper than that.

His obliviousness and idiocy is what ticks me off. He killed my precious girl by literally stealing her heart with a freaking stick. Then he just throws it in a filthy thrash bag like it was nothing. Oh how much I wanted to punch him square in the face when I see him pries the door open. But I didn't.

Sounding lanky and awkward, I announced my assumed identity.

"Randell of Happy Tree Cleaners, leaving your homes squeaky clean. Our company is very sorry since we couldn't send Petunia today. However, I am here to take her place. I hope you wouldn't mind, sir."

"Oh. Of course I wouldn't mind at all lad but I think you came pretty early."

Feigning confusion, I responded to him in a shameful tone (which I applaud myself for such a convincing performance).

"Oh I truly am sorry sir. I'm still new to the job and kinda not listening to my superior when she's passing the information over the phone..."

"Ah a newbie. No, don't worry at all. I actually admire you! Working so hard, always ready to face the task at hand as immediately as possible. You're also modest. You remind me of myself back in my younger days..."

Then a long time was wasted for his flashback that I could not see. I really hate delays but I'm not rushing so I let him do his thing.

"Oh silly me. What am I thinking letting you stand outside for so long! Come, enter my humble abode young one."

I thanked him as I went inside. The contents of my shoulder bag clatters against each other for every move I make.

As he leads me to the room he thought I'd bother to clean, I am appreciating the edginess of the vacuum's flexible hose that I'm holding. I am very proud to say I assembled it myself. I have tried it on cows and boy the precision of the cut was just fascinating. I left a clean hole through the chest of the dumb animal.

My eyes are locked on his back as he talks about taking pictures of a case that an evil mouse wanted or something like that. His keys are jiggling as he unlocked the door to his kitchen. He turns around to face me.

"-anyways, here we are in the kitchen, Early Randell. You may begin your "germ extermination," as Petunia put it."

"Oh, only she could do that sir. I have a different method and it's called "trash assassination."

"Really? Sorry to break it to you son, but I believe there's no such thing that's present in this room. There is just dust and dirty dishes."

"Excuse my language sir, but I could see one standing out in the middle of the room."

"Oh my, that must be the apple that I lost a while ago. Could you please take it out?"

"It's my pleasure to do so. After all..."

In a second, I thrusts the vacuum hose on his chest. It delights me how its end easily punctures through his clothes then his flesh. The idiot didn't react at first and only notice what I'm doing when I successfully take his heart out.

"The only thrash I see in this room is you. P.S. I know what you've done to Giggles. I'll come back if you repeat it again..."

He actually tries to escape but oh its just too late.

Resistance is futile after all, no matter how much you struggle old guy.

A few seconds pass before his body finally went limp. I smile as I let go of the vacuum hose.

Whistling the theme song of this town, I grab his filthy organ off of my vacuum. I take a moment to observe how it weakly pulses on my grasp. I find it fascinating that this thing is still beating despite its raptured state.

Then I pick the note I left from and continued whistling. I dump his heart into the thrash bag filled with decomposing materials and feces. If you're wondering where the heck it came from, its hidden inside the vacuum.

Of course I didn't want his heart to rot alone so I let his body join in. It's hilarious that his body would regenerate in there. Imagine respawning covered with shit.

I take out something out of my shoulder bag. Opening his fridge, I start lacing his food with cyanide. The medicines in his cupboard also get the same treatment. A sprinkle for this, a bunch on that and I'm done.

An hour was spent of taking care of the evidence. Cleaning is boring and tiresome but I have to do it. After disassembling the vacuum, disposing my outfit, sanitizing the floor and taking a bath, I went out of the house. I casually dump the garbages in the bin and then I take my leave. Two down, few more to go.

Up next is Flippy. He may seem to be an invincible rival but everyone have Achilles's heel – and I'm about to strike it. Wait, I'm not literally saying my target is the tendon at the back of his foot. The point is I know his weakness and its pathetic.

Currently, I am on my way to the psycho's location. My ears are flattened on the side of my head because of the hood of the black robe I'm wearing. My smiling skull mask is partially obscuring my sight. I am holding a blowgun disguised as a trumpet.

Anyway, for those who don't know what the flipping pants a blowgun is, it's a long narrow tube that shoots out an arrow or dart when someone breathes into it quickly and forcefully. Its content is not a dart though. It's peanuts.

Leaping few minutes forward, I am waiting at the entrance of an alleyway. My clothing blends well in the darkness. Flippy is visiting his psychotherapist and any minute now, he would leave the building and take the path in front of me.

Flippy... he is once my bro. He used to be the man I looked up on since he is serving the military from the age of 15. I thought he was cool but what he have done states he is far from that. We accepted him in our town and boy do I cursed the day that we did.

Turns out he gains an alter ego from the war who is a sadistic, bloodthirsty demon. Giggles and I have suffered hell from his paws. Now, it's payback time.

My thoughts were silenced by a voice whose source I'm too familiar with. As he walks into the desired spot, I blow the trumpet the hardest I possibly could. He screams, obviously surprised. Wasting no time, I push a certain button which allows air to pass through the blowgun. I watch a couple of peanuts shoots straight into his throat at bullet speed. All of this happened in just two seconds.

It seems that he didn't notice what just enter his mouth since he is busy catching up his breath. He looks stupid with his pupils dilated in fear. I toss the trumpet on the ground and run into the alleyway. He follows me, trying to match my speed. Amusingly, his body did not react instantly as I expected. Maybe it's because the number is fewer than the ones he ingested at the party.

"Darn it kid, why did you-"

It's not too long before he falls because of the tripwire I set up earlier. As I hear a dull thud, I turned around and smile.

He is groaning as his lips inflate. Multiple zits appeared on his face. His allergy reaction has rendered him immobile. I take out a knife from my shoulder bag, making sure he didn't see it.

His paws are trembling as he tried to stand. I am towering besides him when his limbs puffs up like a balloon.

"Something's wrong?"

Listening to his whimpers, I could tell how much he is suffering as his body painfully swells. I smirk as I kicked his ass hard, making him squeak in pain.

"You know you deserve it, Flip. If you can't handle the consequences, then you shouldn't have done these..."

As I said that last word, I throw photographs down for him to see. He knows he's to blame for all the mangled corpses in it. In the middle of it all is Giggles with a rose puncturing through her head.

I am overjoyed when I hear him cry. Oh the taste of victory is truly sweet. As time passes, he looks like a balloon animal more than anything. His arms give up since it couldn't support his weight anymore.

He mumbles something that resembles to an apology, which is empty since I've heard him say it countless times.

"You could only pay for your sins with death."

Desperate to live, he tries to drag himself forward, hoping he could move away from me. It's amusing that such an indestructible beast lives inside this wimp. We both know that those stubby fingers never help him in this situation in any way. It only makes him more pathetic.

I then dug my dull knife into his back and watch as his skin bursts. His body contorted as unimaginable pain washed over his body.

"What? You say you want more?"

I poked his shoulder with the tip of my blade and it explodes. The walls are painted by its disgusting contents. It's like I'm playing with a living bubble wrap.

"You like pain right? Don't you enjoy this? Huh? Huh!?"

I found myself caught in a frenzied mood of hacking and slashing. His body is constantly receiving new, multiple wounds. His ugly face is squeezed against the asphalt road. His head is twitching every time I plunge my weapon into his body.

For the final act, I hit the top of his head and zip his skull open, splitting his brain apart.

Panting heavily, I laugh. I've done it! I've defeated the unstoppable force. I stand to observe my work.

I turned around and meet the eyes of a preschooler dropping his lollipop. I could tell that he was about to take my trumpet when he saw something in the darkness moves. I guess my robe is really black. Imagine a floating skull smiling down at you.

He backs away as he saw the blood dripping from my gloves. I wave hi to him and he runs away. Yep, I just scarred a child's life forever. I have a pretty good feeling that he's gonna have nightmares about a skeleton and a trumpet tonight.

Welp, time to dispose this body. Good thing there's an incinerator conveniently placed at the end of this passage.

Dragging Flippy by his foot, I hum the coffin meme tune to myself. He's not that heavy anymore since chunks of his flesh pops like a bubble earlier. Scrapes form on his skin as I pull him.

With a heave and a ho, to the furnace he go. Don't forget the knife and the costume~

I just finished disposing my stuffs when my phone plays that special ringtone. Picking it up from the shoulder bag, I greet my precious Red Ribbon.

"Heya Giggles~ How are you?"

My expression shifts from bright to grim when I hear her weakly whispers that one word.

"Help…"

This was followed by a thunderous crash and a white noise. My heart sank deep into my guts. Running out, I only have one thing in mind – save her before it's too late.

I'm not really paying attention so I collided with someone riding a bike. As my butt hits the ground, I groan.

"Gah! What are you thinking running into me like that- Cuddles?"

Looking up, it's my best friend, Toothy. As he help me stand up, I quickly steal his ride.

"What in the-"

"Sorry Toots! Emergency, I'll return it later."

Huffing and puffing, I pedal like my life depends on it. Cars are beeping as I zoom by them. I've taken sharp turns and gave heart attacks to crossing pedestrians. I didn't even bother to stop when the traffic light is red. The only thing I care about right now is to get to the hospital as soon as possible.

Smoke is rising from the horizon. It didn't take long before the building came into my view. My heart skips a beat as I see its remnants. My blood runs cold as a thought of her crushed body appears in my head.

I am preventing the tears that is burning my eyes to fall. I hop off the bicycle and run closer. I keep telling myself that I'm not yet late.

Broken glasses are scattered around. Shattered walls are laying against each other. I found an opening and force myself to fit through it. As I successfully did, I start searching for any sign of her.

I am frantically shaking the doorknobs when I heard her voice screaming for help. It sounds faint, which means she's far from were I'm at, but at least I know her direction.

I crawl under a fallen pillar then run to a door I haven't check. As I press my head against it, I hear her whimpering. I started to charge myself against it, my new attempts stronger than the last one.

Hang in there, Giggles...

Out of nowhere, something crash which makes the earth trembles. I press my ears against the door again. She's not making any sound anymore.

This prompts me to try harder. Adrenaline is coursing through my veins as I imagined the worst possible scenario. The door slammed open with the force I've applied. I can't help but stumble forward a little bit after that. There she was, six feet from where I am. I could not believe my eyes for what I'm currently seeing.

The Golden Idol is laying on the floor, crushed into dust. The crying face of my love is kissing the guy I assume is responsible for the damage of the cursed figure. A sun ray, originating from a huge hole at the ceiling, illuminates the spot where the two are standing. Her hands are around his shoulder. Giggles withdraw and mouthed the words "Thank You" to Splendid.

My whole body is trembling in rage. When did we kissed like that? Oh right! When we're fucking dead. I clutch something from my shoulder bag. I coughed loudly, announcing my presence.

The two turn to my direction. She gasp. She's saying words but I could not understand them. A plain smile is painted on my face as I quickly walks towards them. I brush pass the girl who turns me crazy in love.

Splendid chuckles and spreads his arms, expecting a hug. That's exactly what I give him...with an extra stab on his chest with my kryptonut dagger.

He's lucky because I'm not gonna do what I have in mind for him. He kneels and screams as his body quickly degrades. I snap to Giggles with a huge smile on my face...

The grasses sway with the wind. The view of the sunset in this spot is truly romantic. I sigh as I look into her eyes.

"I'm so glad that you could understand me, Giggles. I've only done all of that because of you. Now, nobody would ever bother you and we can stay like this forever~"

I smile as I pat her head. Her wonderful scent wafts in the air as I caress her soft, pink fur. Oh how much I adore her cute face.

"I know you didn't expect me to forgive you after what you've done. That's just how much I love you. I will do anything and everything just to make you smile."

I touch the spot at the end of her lips and help her to smile. After all, she couldn't done that all by herself in this state. I smiled as I remember what she said to me this morning.

"Aren't you glad to have a boyfriend like me?"

♥~♥~♥~♥~♥

Since I turned Cuddles into a killer, does this story counts as a creepypasta?

Writing this is a doozy so I hope you like it the same way that I make it. Write your thoughts down the comments!

[maurine07]

MANAMEE!! THIS IS ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!! If happiness was a fic, it would this one. I seriously couldn’t stop smiling throughout reading the entire thing.

First of all, again happy (late) birthday to Pooja. I am super happy you created her. She’s an incredible woman and I admire and love her lots and lots and this fandom wouldn’t be the same without her💕

Second, I'm a sucker for time hop ficd and I loved seeing how Pooja spent her birthday every year. How she felt every year, her relationship with Ethan, her thoughts and feelings and you portrayed everything perfectly, as you always do. Also, that moodboard is gorgeous! How are so talented in everything?? Teach me your ways

I know I always say this so I'm very sorry about always repeating myself but I will never ever get how fucking beautiful and elegant your writing is. The story is already so amazing but how you write and describe everything just enhances the reading experience even more. I'm always so in awe of and in love with your writing. I could read anything you write all day everyday.

For Alekhya, the circumstances became vice-versa.

And this was the beauty of their bond.

Strong, Pure and Selfless.

I love the bond between Pooja and Alekhya and just her siblings in general. It truly warms my heart.

Pooja's thoughts and fears from the attack broke me. I really loved that you actually acknowledge the attack unlike PB and it still has its effects on her and I loved reading about that even if it hurt.

The new day hasn't even started for him, yet he remembers that it has, for her.

Their talks are interspersed with comfortable silence. For them, just the knowledge that the person on the other side is still there with them is enough.

I love them so much. I love how deep their relationship is that they just need to be in each other's presence to feel comfortable and safe and happy.

Crystal Clear but still seeming unreal.

Happy birthday, Pooja

Her thanks are intermixed with a light giggle, unable to hold back the pleasure that erupts within her, along with the flutter called butterflies in her stomach.

The way I smiled at this part. I totally understand what Pooja was feeling in this situation. Expecting someone to say Happy birthday can feel silly but I don't really think it is but I can't imagine how happy she felt when Ethan said it. Seeing her happy makes me feel happy. She deserves the world. And also, if he didn't remember, I would've punched him in the face lol

His hand wraps around her waist like a reflex deeply etched in his encephalon. For the first time in forever, their kisses are not chaste. Or momentary.

When he whispers a happy birthday wish against her forehead, that's what she would call intimacy.

This is so sweet and tender and I feel like crying right now. I LOVE THEM!!!!

Her legs carry her to the Diagnostics office.

Her Office.

I feel so proud of her. My baby finally did it!! She deserves all her success!

It hangs in the air like a diamond necklace around a maiden's neck. Like a tiny pendant that shines brighter than all elaborate jewels, all lengthy anecdotes.

Okay but I love this so much! You're so brilliant, Manamee.

Happy Birthday, Love.

Yeah, I'm fine, so fine. I just feel like I'm gonna die from how cute this is, that's all. PLS, this makes me so soft!!

They are puzzle pieces of the saga of her life, the absence of friends from early years, the gap, the void now filled.

And after years of searching, she thinks she has finally found it. Hidden in the normality, the simplicity, the mundanity of life.

Happiness.

I love how all the fic just comes together with this ending. It's so beautiful and I just love how at the end of every year, she was like “Maybe there is hope after all” and now she's just so utterly happy. God, my cheeks hurts so much from smiling right now. I love Pooja and P&E with my entire heart.

Manamee, you brilliant, brilliant human being, I love you. This was absolutely amazing and incredible. I love everything you write so very much and this was no different. Thank you for always providing us with such magnificent content, you beautiful soul, we don't deserve you❤❤❤

Eumoiriety (Ethan x f!MC)

Summary: Four Years of Pooja Sharma's Birthday, from her first year as an Intern to her first year as an Attending.

Eumoiriety: Happiness due to state of innocence and purity💕

A/N: It's my baby's birthday and I went overboard. This is purely self indulgent and since I have zero to negative self control, this turned out way longer than I expected it to. Anyway, I hope you still like it💙

Pairing: Ethan Ramsey X f!MC (Pooja Sharma)

Word Count: around 3.7K (I am sorry!)

Rating: General

Category: A bit angst, A bit fluff

Warnings: None that I saw.

Prompts: @choicesaugustchallenge Day 29 - Birthday

READ ON AO3

Intern Year:

She walks barefoot on the green floor as the dews clinging to grass tips, soothe her like the cold breeze on a summer day.

A few golden rays filter through the canopy that acts as a barrier to the shining sun overhead. When they fall on the grass, the view looks like gold intermixed with emerald.

She wears a white gown, which flutters behind her, as her heart dances with the bees going flower to flower to get their prize of nectar in return for their favour of pollinating them.

There is a calm spreading through her soul, an ease, a slow infusion of tranquillity with her heart beats.

A swish makes her turn. Her eyes capture a silhouette, drifting farther and farther, as if taking her calm along with it.

It's replaced by restlessness.

There is a cajole, a whispered cajole, that urges her feet to run, her mind to think, her heart to wonder.

She follows. One step, and another.

The scene changes.

There are no more trees, no more green with the sun's shine.

At a distance, the waves crash on the sandy shore, their meet with their shore echoing in the silent surroundings.

She looks around and sees it.

The silhouette, now apparent that it was a man, standing with his back to her. He looks unbothered. As if he stole her peace and gave her his unrest in return.

She tries to walk slowly towards, footsteps imprinting on the sand, but the distance never seems to lessen or end.

She tries running, but to no avail.

The waves continue crashing, the footprints continue to get imprinted and the man continues to remain still and silent.

The only change has been in the sky, which is now leaden, dark with humongous clouds.

The thunder begins to cackle.

Once, Twice, Thrice.

She closes her ears with her hands, eyes shut to reduce the impact of the thunderous noise reverberating through every single one of her bones. But the roar keeps getting louder and louder until...

Her eyes snap open, but the echo from her sweven doesn't leave her. She turns around to find her phone ringing, straining her eyes with incredulous bright light (that she forgot to dim). The caller ID is barely registered, but the voice gives away the identity.

It's her sister.

With a flash, all the haze from the peculiar dream gets lost and bubbly happiness takes up the emptied space.

It's their birthday.

The first one since she came here. She had been so busy unknotting the twisted knots of circumstances in which she found herself tangled, that she had forgotten about the once unforgettable occasion of her life.

Maybe she has really lost that childhood she held on so tightly to, she thinks.

But not without a hope. Of a chance to get it back.

Maybe differently.

But the want to relive those carefree days, where the colour of pens you get as gifts, and the decision of who gets the piece of cake with the chocolate masterpiece on it were the only things that held importance. All other worldly, societal woes were secondary, trivial, uncared for.

She wishes her sister and she wishes her back.

3..2..1.. Happy Birthday! To Us!

They scream-whisper together, carrying on the years' long tradition.

The only thing different? They were on their cellulars, ecospheres apart, instead of snuggling and shouting together, and annoying their brother for an entire day.

Subconsciously, a tee-hee escapes her. Thinking about her brother, she takes a look at the clock. Correct 12:03 am on 12th August. If she knows him, he is probably counting the seconds.

At 12:05 am to the dot, another shrill echoes through the silent apartment. Her guess is correct.

On the other side of the screen, sits Idhayan arranging the cake so that Pooja can see the eloquent buttercream designs he has hand made on it.

In the background, there is a blurry motion. It turns out to be Alekhya.

She jumps onto the couch beside their brother, putting an end to his steady concentration.

He makes an irritated face, while she laughs.

And Pooja just watches, giggling alone.

The pang in her chest reminds her, once & once more, about just how much she misses them.

How empty, monochromatic her life is, with all these miles between them.

For the past year, every time any event took a turn for the worse, broke her, or hurt her, she wanted to go back to her safe haven.

The place where the chronicles of her life begun.

Many times, she had found herself convinced (by others as well as her self doubting mind) that she didn't belong here. That she didn't have the calibre, the skills to strive in this fight of dogs, in this race of horses where she felt like a donkey.

Or maybe a snail.

She dreamed of sleeping in her mother's lap when she first found herself in the crossroads of feelings and reason. Making her muddled head clear with words that never crossed the barrier between dream and reality.

When Mrs Martinez died, she imagined herself sitting on the swing, her brother's comfort brownies reduced to messy crumbs, as she let the mountain winds take away the burden of dread that pressed upon her heart.

And the day when Landry's backstab became eminent? She visualized her sister ripping him down, shredding him with knives of words because that's what he deserved.

She knew her father would have made them both coffee like he always did when he came home during breaks from piloting. He would have said a mere few words, which would have been enough for her to see the path ahead.

The mini virtual celebration ends, and the silence settles again. Tendrils of sleep come and go, but never stay.

She is left alone with her thoughts and worries, and a fear of the unknown which is hidden by the curtains of the future.

--------

The day passes like a swift blowing wind in a desert.

It's quiet, too quiet.

And probably for the first time in her life, she adores it. To be away from the hustle of a celebration, which would have been a noise in the cacophony, given the situation.

To get a period of silence for her thoughts to drift away, to think about the unknown, to predict a make or break.

The pages are turned swiftly by her fingers, one of which is clad with a minimal gold ring, another old ritual of hers.

The library harbours the overworked interns, who are now pushing the boundaries of time to find a way to help their friend out.

Their tired eyes pain with the lack of sleep, coffee fuelling through their veins, and mind engrossed in picking up any clue, any line, any tip that could be supportive for them.

Hours pass, no-one utters a word. Pens run on empty notebooks, hands managing to create only messy scribbles. Black and Blue fill the white as if it never existed.

The clock strikes the end hour.

They all get up.

They go home together, for discussions and relaxation.

At the doorstep, everyone enters before her, while she stands still, too engulfed in worries to notice the happenings.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Confetti pops, her reverie is broken.

The smile shines like a jewel in a priceless necklace.

The arrangements are minimal, just champagne, cake and friends, but that's more than enough for her. To make her forget the dark fog of pessimism.

Maybe there is hope left.

-------

Second Year:

12th August.

The day that is drifting closer by the minute.

It has always been Alekhya's birthday for her.

On her phone, In her diary, In her mind.

People might regard it as a beautiful flaw of her nature, the flaw of always placing others before herself.

But to her, the instinct seemed natural, obvious. She had never delved into the whys, and she doesn't want to begin now.

For Alekhya, the circumstances became vice-versa.

And this was the beauty of their bond.

Strong, Pure and Selfless.

They never seem to realize that, though.

They hold onto the strings of simplicity, of sweet uncomplexity. And that is what helps them to bridge the gap between siblings and best friends.

After the tumultuous year, that very much resembled the completion of a voyage through the rough Indian Ocean, where storms ravage through days and endless nights, thunders crack, and waves that scale the heights between the ocean and sky to become mountains of water, crash on the feeble pieces of wood barely held together in the form of a boat, coming back to her origin, her hometown is a necessity.

Especially for her to find that normalcy again.

She survived.

Even though she fell, almost drowned, gasped for a breath more times she could count and nearly accepted her fate.

Until that is, the pale faces of the ones she holds close, the endless stream of tears that scale their cheeks, their breaking hearts, came to haunt her in her reverie and prevented her from closing her eyes & from letting that almost undetectable beat of heart stop.

The wishes from last year come back to her. This time, it wasn't virtual anymore. This time, it wasn't just painted in pixels, but written in buttercream letters, one which she could taste.

This time, the hugs weren't just virtual. They were very real, and very needed.

As she sits amidst the bushes of phenomenal florals, she lets her mind project in vivid colours, the extremities of the last year.

Her heart, breaking into tiny glass pieces, not perceived by the eye but sharp enough to draw blood.

The fear of losing and letting so many others lose along.

The coming close and going away, almost kisses and slide of unassuming hands, those which could easily be perceived as a mistake, but were anything but.

Competing in a nameless competition and almost dying in the process.

Getting the lost love back. Slowly, Gradually. (even if it felt too early to call it that)

And then... Her mind stops as the playful tunes start emanating out along with florescent light from the cellular, and the face of the one who has been a regular image of the thoughts that lull her to sleep.

On the other side, his voice is soft.

She can visualize him in the Diagnostics Office, leaning back on his chair.

Most probably on a break.

The new day hasn't even started for him, yet he remembers that it has, for her.

Their talks are interspersed with comfortable silence. For them, just the knowledge that the person on the other side is still there with them is enough.

All through the conversation, she waits.

In a hope that the irrelevant and unimportant date is written in faded letters somewhere in that brilliant mind of his.

As the line approaches its end, talks slowly halt, she feels a faint pang of sadness.

Maybe he doesn't remember it after all.

She bids her farewell, and as his finger hovers close to the end call button, she hears it.

Crystal Clear but still seeming unreal.

Happy Birthday, Pooja.

Her thanks are intermixed with a light giggle, unable to hold back the pleasure that erupts within her, along with the flutter called butterflies in her stomach.

Maybe there is always hope left, after all.

-------

Last year of Residence:

There have been countless moments when she has asked the time to wait, to slow its rushing footsteps that leave no mark behind.

Sometimes it's a beg, while in other vespertine hours, it's a mindless murmur.

This moment is one of them.

When a handful of sand is slowly released on a windy day, the swooshes and swishes carry them away, farther and farther, leave them with no choice but to fly along.

The minutes were being carried away by the same current, where they had no choice but to pass.

No one had the power to hold it, not even the mighties, the richest, the most supreme.

The conditions now extensively mimic the conditions during her first year.

Just this time, it was textbooks on internal medicine and medical procedure instead of ethics.

The wishes that day are hushed, the minimal party comprising of cupcakes and mug cakes and the gang, christened "The Invincibles" after they successfully tackle one hurdle and another but remain strong and together, in their PJs.

It must be one of the first nights since who knows how long when they spent their time doing an activity that doesn't involve colour coded tabs and complicated biological drawings.

And even though some of them make faux complaints about the wasted time, they all needed this break more than they could express.

The morning sun rays filter through the white curtains guarding the windows way too fast, making them unable to pinpoint the exact moment when the black of the night ceased to exist, when the sky became melanocrysus and when the golden took over the entire stretch.

A single text message pushes her to drop the blanket of laziness, the cocoon she inhabited. Getting up and placing a smile has never been as easy as it was now.

Come Over

------

The condo is inhabited by a stark silence when she reaches there.

She knocks. The click of the doorknob on the other side is almost instantaneous.

His hand wraps around her waist like a reflex deeply etched in his encephalon. For the first time in forever, their kisses are not chaste. Or momentary.

When he whispers a happy birthday wish against her forehead, that's what she would call intimacy.

The purity of the action touches her heart and makes it swell, with an emotion that she predicts will not remain unnamed any longer.

-------

First-year as an attending:

The celebratory vibes are in the air today.

Her stride is confident, heels playing a mellow harmony on the shining floors.

No one doesn't recognize her.

The intern who nearly lost her license to the Head of Diagnostics team, it was a journey that had thrown her off-road a million times.

Sometimes the barriers were pinpricks leaving no marks, and sometimes they were boulders crushing her.

And sometimes, one of these on-lookers would tear down her faith by stabbing her from the back, the cowardice of their soul, being mirrored in the blades of those knives of betrayal.

And yet she stands strong, her resolve unperturbed, as she faces the demons, those of others and those of her own.

It's a fight she has been learning to fight since she was eleven.

To curtain her tears with a glow in eyes, to hide the broken heart behind pretty lies. And just like practice makes one perfect, she has almost perfected the art of having to hide the real her inside.

As she passes the numerous congregations, amalgamations of patients and staff, she is greeted by wishes from old acquaintances whose kindness is apparent in their smile and by wishes of employed enemies, whose disinterest or sometimes blatant hate is too, completely apparent in their voice.

But they are not the ones she is worried about.

Interspersed between these two extremities are people who speak kind and in flattery lines with a sword behind their back.

Those who know how to hide their true intentions in the modulations of voice.

Every time she hears a wish where nothing is apparent, her heart stops for a while.

Strings of thought muddle her head and she tries to figure out the reality behind their words.

Sometimes she succeeds, sometimes she fails.

And sometimes she faces vehement opposition of her tired nerves who ask her to stop caring about those who are passing by.

But she never stops.

Her legs carry her to the Diagnostics office.

Her Office.

The swell of pride, of a fulfilment she last felt when she got into Edenbrook, make her head light.

She tries to stop but gives up the efforts soon.

If she has realized something through the twists of lawsuits and turns of almost dying, it is that if you keep waiting for the turns of the clock to approach a "right moment" for a chance to celebrate, you will probably keep waiting your entire life until your breath is being taken away and all that is left are regrets and missed opportunities of happiness.

So she twirls like a princess in her imaginary ball gown, beaming with satisfaction, and taking pride in giving herself the give of success.

Of making her loved ones and herself proud.

She gets so carried away in the train of thoughts, in which one bougie is connected by another, and one more, that she doesn't notice the person who preoccupies the room.

The halt is so sudden, that she almost tumbles upon the man. Almost.

She manages to get hold of herself, her hand on his back.

He turns, eyes meet.

If someone would have asked her what is cosmic, she would have said "The melt of glowing ambers into ice blue." Sure, she has looked into them more times than she can count or recollect. But every time their orbs meet, the reactions the action produces, she can only give the word seraphic to it.

When Ethan left for Amazon, she would often wonder why is she still keeping the lamp of hope alive. His absquatulation broke her, acted like a spark to her over-thinking mind. She would lie on her bed, eyes tracing the same lines on the ceiling above her over and over again, thinking just what she did wrong. She never reached the end of the path though, never really achieved the answer, even after meandering through a hundred courses of thoughts.

But now, she thanks her old self for living through it all. For not letting that lamp extinguish. For keeping it safe in a little corner of the labyrinths of her heart. Wordlessly, she hugs him, the plethora of emotions becoming quite too much to be expressed in minute syllables.

His whisper next to her ears, the innocently simplistic words induce a shiver in her spine.

But the last word.

4 letters, 1 word.

It hangs in the air like a diamond necklace around a maiden's neck. Like a tiny pendant that shines brighter than all elaborate jewels, all lengthy anecdotes.

It's enough, more than enough for her.

And as their smiles slowly spread like the slow rise of the golden sun, gently letting the rays spread through the humble earth. And those smiles, they shine together, brighter than the Sirius.

Happy Birthday, Love.

-------

Her casual gown, bearing floral patterns, flutters along with the soft grass, she feels a sense of wonder. Whether at the shimmering moon, the stardust spread through the stretch in the woods, or at the simplicity of her surroundings, she does not know.

Her unassuming footsteps walk slow, observant of her surroundings. After walking down the trail, she stops at the clearance.

At a distance, something shines under the silver moonbeams. Her mind beckons her to return back, but her intuition asks her to move on. She listens to the latter's plea.

A small cuboidal box and a bunch of white tulips lay peacefully out of place. She usually would have left it, just in case it was a trap.

But this time curiosity overtook reason and she picks the bouquet up. A small note amidst her favourite flowers.

I love you

No name. No initials. But she knew exactly who had written it. Not because he was the one who asked her to come here, in the heaven hidden amidst the chaos, but because those flourishes of his fanciful lettering would never escape her notice. Even if the only source of luminance was distant fairy lights on trees and the faint moonbeams.

Her eyes travel away from the articles. At a distance, the silhouette stands. The same silhouette from her sweven. But this time, there is no restlessness, no rush, no tension in the air. No thunder cackles and no waves crash. This time the silhouette waits for her, unlike the last time when it was her waiting for him.

He turns, only the shine of his orbs visible. And the shadow of the gorgeous smile that dances on his lips. The last time, his stone mask was too heavy, too powerful for any of them to break or move.

But this time? This time, the mask has fallen off, it has met the end of its existence.

He comes closer, the shadow now a clear image. He goes and picks up the cuboid and hands it to her.

"Open it" He whispers in a soft voice, that disappears as soon as it appears.

She takes it and opens it, as per his words. Everything is perfect and normal.

Except for the space in the middle.

Something sparkles, in silver lustre. Her first instinct is, Diamond? She decided to pick it up

It's a key.

She looks up to him, bewildered. Is it what she thinks it is?

Move-in with me?

She places the box of chocolates down, the key held tight in her fist.

And then she kisses him.

She doesn't have to speak a word, but he understands. After all, why would two intertwined hearts need verbal responses to know what the other one feels?

Only his home, can fill the brick walls of his house with love, and make it a home.

------

They both lay side by side on the lush grass, hands intertwined, hearts beating in unison, silence filling their souls like air fills their lungs.

They look at the stars and the moon. Or more appropriately, the gaze at the starry screen, but the mind plays significant moments from their time together.

Pooja's mind however thinks about the four of her birthdays since she set foot in Boston. The mundane softness of them, contrasting all the birthdays she has had in the rest of her years.

The photo frame of the interns from the first year. The group video call, her life from the second year. The PJ party from the third year. And the key from the fourth.

They are puzzle pieces of the saga of her life, the absence of friends from early years, the gap, the void now filled.

And after years of searching, she thinks she has finally found it. Hidden in the normality, the simplicity, the mundanity of life.

Happiness.

PS: If you are reading this, I am very grateful for you. Thank you for reading and I hope you have a great day🤎

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[book-o-scams]

Either 1. Do an analysis on the scene from Run for Your Ed where the Kanker's find that their ship-in-a-bottle is missing. Or if you don't want to do an analysis (please think about doing one though) you can just answer this question. Why is the Kanker's ship-in-a-bottle so important? * If you have any questions see the post on my blog. You have until Sunday to complete the analysis.

I’m excited to do this because ‘Run For Your Ed’ is a really great Kanker episode AND a really great LATER episode.  Season 4′s Kanker episodes have some of the most intentional character-exploration in the show’s entire run, and it’s really nice to see AKA so proactive about developing characters who are usually treated like extras, especially during an era  era where they were having trouble developing the central characters.  This season contains at least 3 episodes that begin from the Kankers’ perspective and humanize their motivations before setting them loose on the cul-de-sac, this being one of those episodes.  This season also contains ‘A Twist of Ed’, an interesting episode that begins from the Eds’ perspective but starts blending in the Kankers’ perspective when the Eds start to turn the tables on them.  It’s disappointing that we don’t really get any Kanker-focused episodes during the digital era of the show, but at least season 5 finally breaks status quo, first by having the Eds publicly declare the Kankers to be their girlfriends, and in the end by scaring the Kankers away for most post-s5 episodes.

Here’s a weird thing I noticed… for the last 3 episodes of season 4, the storyboard credit screen does not actually say “storyboard by.“  And although they are all episodes with the “Tout Le Monde“ credit--  a trend mostly used during seasons 2 and 4, while season 3 had more solo episodes and season 1 wasn’t credited very clearly, it’s a French phrase they use when all of the storyboard artists in the studio contributed pieces of the episode-- earlier instances of “Tout Le Monde“ as late as s4′s ‘Stuck in Ed’ included the “storyboard by“ line.  Kinda seems like an oversight as season 4′s deadlines got tight...  But obviously I know this is nitpicking, regardless it’s very interesting that Danny wanted the show to go out with so many group-effort episodes.  I wonder if perhaps it was to improve morale when everyone was feeling out of ideas?  Or if the artists actually disliked not receiving clearer credit?

Anyway the other reason I wanted to include this screenshot for Kanker appreciation month is that I noticed the Tout Le Monde episodes of seasons 2 and 4 (IIRC, it’s just Homecooked Eds, A Twist of Ed, Run For Your Ed, and technically the movie although it is not credited to Tout Le Monde) produced some of the most iconic Kanker moments and I think the Kankers’ group dynamics are influenced by the team spirit at AKA.

This is the first time we see the trailer park at night and the only time we see it at night without it being buried under snow.

Oh, I also have model sheets archived for this episode!  Here are some color tests using season 1 background lineart:

This episode is the only time we get to see the Kankers all sleeping in their bed, as well as the only time we get to see their pajamas.  I’m fascinated by which characters get pajamas and other sorts of alternate outfits.

So things begin peacefully enough, with Brahms Lullaby, lotsa night ambience, and a cute gag where the Kankers each have their own obnoxious snore that somehow doesn’t wake the others.

But soon enough, one crash downstairs wakes Lee and a second crash wakes Marie. 

The storyboarding seems to be intentionally framing this as the older sisters sharing a feeling of responsibility for their household.

Ohh, I also love whenever we get to see the Kankers scared shitless like this, it’s surprisingly not as rare as you’d think.

Have some cute sleepy Mays:

The girls have each others’ backs as they cautiously look down their staircase.

Thankfully I have the model sheet so we can fully appreciate this perspective:

In a subtle and effectively creepy little bit of animation, all the Kankers see is a tiny tin can rolling out of their kitchen.

Marie and May immediately turn to Lee for their next move.

LOVE this shot with the kitchen light.  Season 4 also has the hands-down BEST trailer backgrounds, we get to see so many interesting perspectives in these episodes.

Lee seemingly lets her sisters stay behind and charges to the kitchen with their wall-mounted swordfish (or is that a marlin…?).

However, the intruder has already left and we get a few more looks at the nighttime trailer park:

Relieved, Lee and Marie jump into the window and bark insults at the intruder.  Another good older sisters sequence, and this one I have a couple storyboard panels for:

They inspect their wrecked kitchen, and at first the background, Lee’s tone and the music sync up to make this look like a really depressing moment, this family with little to begin with having been eaten out of house and home.  And as fans, the next scene’s reveal that this is a redux of Ed’s sleepeating from season 1 is no surprise, and I think it’s being portrayed a bit less amusing now that it’s affecting families outside of Peach Creek’s ritzy suburbs.

But then we get this dramatic shot of Marie holding the table and it always throws off the mood of this scene to me…  I still love the scene as a whole but when Marie whines “why’s it always the good ones that get away!?” while looking at a bite mark out of something inedible, it kind of implies weird things about the Kankers and adult strangers and really any trailer park weirdo who might break in…  Especially after what the Kankers do without a second thought to Bro in BPS, this is more than a bit concerning.  It’s right up there with Marie saying “I LIKE cheaters“ in her second appearance, sometimes Marie’s defining trait in my mind is that she’s somehow LESS rational than the others.. Or maybe it’s just another reference to this specific interest they’ve picked up from their mom, in men who have big appetites…

I always want to believe this is actually a more absurd gag and that Marie is instead saying it to mourn the table where she eats all her meals, in more of a “why do the good die young” way… but then Lee and Marie continue the conversation, referring to this stranger as a bum they shouldn’t shed tears over and it’s cemented as a creepy moment.

Moving on, I love this unnecessarily detailed ketchup bottle Lee shakes and then tosses on the floor:

At least Marie ends up agreeing with Lee.  Then Marie makes a joke about May being the only one to clean this up and it gets a laugh out of Lee.

I love how much the later backgrounds in the show focus on how these homes look from various standpoints… Makes the world feel very lived in.

Take note of how the front door has been eaten through by Ed, exposing their yellow car out front. Ed apparently nibbled on EVERYTHING along that wall on the right…We also see a new telephone, a Chekhov’s Gun for a later gag in this scene…

Love the trumpets blaring as the camera swirls up to the missing heirloom.

“HOLY TOLEDO!” Lee and Marie exclaim in unison to underline that this is crossing a major line.

This angle is making my mouth water.  Latter-day EEnE backgrounds are to die for.

Getting back to my favorite time-wasting Kanker gag, even at their most personally attacked and mutually motivated, the siblings have to fight over who gets to hold the plaque first.

Marie strikes first.

Yay, May called first dibs before they jumped!

OH NO

Lee looks so much like Bro in this pose…

Could these just be Toomey’s drawings?  I’m not sure how often he storyboarded or how often he changed drawings during the design phase since the show’s so close to the boarders’ styles, but I feel like these square jaws are something I keep noticing when archiving Toomey’s model sheets.

Also, I love the phrase “someone shanghaied our ship inna bottle,“ very nautical.

May is moved to tears yet again this season as she fills the audience in on how this is a family heirloom that the Kankers were allowed to play with during bath nights at their old home.  Pretty cute memory, I wish the show had flashbacks at this point!

Does anyone know what it is May calls their old home here?  I’ve always heard it as “the Ol’ Hubcap“ which is convincing enough for me as a name for another local trailer park or just a nickname the Kankers would come up with for a nostalgic home, but it’s difficult to hear through her sobs.  Another popular theory, which I see is currently used on the EEnE Wikia’s transcript of the episode, is that she just says “the ol’ homestead,“ which is a pretty old-timey phrase if you ask me.. May’s certainly not made to feel “modern“ as much as Marie or Nazz are but it also seems unusual to give her such antiquated wild-west dialogue.

Marie covers May’s mouth before she exposes any more vulnerability or personal details about their backstories.

Marie is surprisingly lawful and proposes they call the cops.  I WISH WE GOT TO SEE THE COPS THEY MENTION AND THE FIRETRUCKS WE HEAR LATER IN THIS EPISODE, AAAARRRGGGHHHHH I just want to see more emergency vehicles, this season let us have an ambulance for Pete’s sake!

HEY LOOK IT’S THE PHONE I POINTED OUT.

“WHAT’S THE NUMBER YOU DIAL FOR 9-1-1?!”

Uh.. May, put the phone down, the Little Rascals Movie’s calling, they want their joke back.  Sorry, this episode came out when I was 12 and going through a terrible Little Rascals phase. 

This episode has really good camera direction…

“NO COPS!!“  Why do I get the feeling their mom would punch a phone to prevent the cops from getting involved in anything…

Such good looking backlit sparks!  Gonna miss backlighting during the digital era.

Can’t help but notice that these model sheets have been reversing the rimlighting on the Kankers…

In this very well composed and cinematic feeling shot, Lee vows to find the crook and recover their bath toy, “Kanker Style…“

Cue maniacal laughter and end scene!  It’s a pretty self-explanatory scene, but I really appreciate all the detail put into the Kankers’ poses and expressions and home life.  Season 4 doesn’t always sit right with me, but I think this episode has a pretty fun understanding of every character.  Hope you enjoyed studying this scene with me!