#never gets his shot at revenge or confront the father

[beck-nightengale]

Alternate ending to the Rhalâta questline:

[storiesaplenty]

A request if you will ... What if Armando meets this bubbly person who got on his nerves. her eyes always lightened up every time she was in his presence, she fell first and he fell harder. Straight concrete. The way she looked at him, the way his body responds to her. Even if he had a hard time showing it, his eyes said different things. It wasn't always love on his end because he was so focused on revenge for his mom. She put the pieces together that his mother was lying. He pushed her away but she was always there even if he didn't know

He was her weakness.

Bad Boys Masterlist

My Weakness

Armando Aretas x f/Reader

Just like all my other stories, this has not been proofread, but please enjoy.

Warnings: mentions Armando killing. His past crimes but it is just pure fluff.

Requested by anonymous. I hope you like it

WC : 1026

©️ storiesaplenty 2024: do not repost or translate my work. This is the only place I post my work.

Summary: Armando met you while planning to take down Mike Lowrey, as you are a waitress at a small diner. After seeing his bike on the news, you confront him, trying to convince him not to do this, but he didn't listen. Not until it was too late.

I kept my head down, making sure that my hat was covering my face, as well as the the sun glasses.

It was a sunny day as I stood outside her job.

I could see her smiling at the customers as she took their orders.

I still remember when I first met her.

It was at this very diner.

I became a regular here and she was my regular waitress.

She asked me for my name, and because I already knew hers, I figured I should tell her mine.

I would see the way how she would look at me, her eyes would light up when I would walk through the doors, the bell signalling that a customer has come in.

I would see the way how she would make sure I would sit in her section, and she would be all over me.

My cup was never empty, she would constantly tell me that my meal was on her.

I tried to ignore the way how my stomach would flutter when I would see her walking towards me.

Or when she would say my name, and knew exactly how I liked my coffee.

But I was in town for a reason, and I did not need to be distracted by someone who I would never see again.

But when I shot Mike that night, she seemed to know it was my bike, when the video I took was all over the news.

I was sitting in my usual booth, eating my food when I saw a shadow next to me.

I looked over and saw it was her.

She was staring at me, with a look I have never seen before on her face.

At the time, I didn't realise it was disappointment.

"What are you looking at?" I muttered under my breath.

"I know it was you Armando."

"I have no idea what you are talking about." I went back to scrolling through my phone, trying to ignore the way how my heart was trying to beat out my chest.

She sat across from me in the booth, and I noticed she wasn't wearing her uniform, so she must not be working.

"You told me you were in town to help your mom with something. Armando, please don't do this." She reached across the table to grab my hand that was placed on the table.

I moved my hand back, just out of her reach.

"Stay out of this." I stood up, and threw some bills on the table to cover my tab.

She followed me outside.

"Armando, you are better than this. She is just using you. Please stop before anyone else gets hurt."

I stopped walking and turned around to face her.

"If you know what is good for you, stay the fuck away from me." I snarled through gritted teeth.

"You don't mean that." She said, seeing right through me, but I was already walking around from her.

Believing I would never see her again.

◆

But as I spent time in jail, she was the only person who I thought about.

Not even my mother and how she lied to me for years.

Not even the man, who is my actually father, Mike Lowrey.

It was just her.

I thought about writing to her.

Sending a letter to the dinner and telling her how she was right, and maybe if I had the guts, I would tell her how I feel about her.

Then all that shit went down with Mike and Marcus, and now I am on the run.

But I found myself going back to that same diner, day after day, watching her.

I could see that her smile never reached her eyes like before.

She wasn't as bubbly as she was before.

But I had to move on, as I knew I would be caught if I stayed here much longer.

◆

I waited until the end of her shift, and watched from across the way to see when she would leave.

As expected, she walked out the front door at 8:05, just like every time she works.

She didn't live far from her work, only a few blocks, so she walks.

I thought I was staying far back enough, but she must have known she was being followed.

She turned around to look at me, and she was going to say something as an angry look came over her face, but I took of my sunglasses and her eyes got real wide.

She whispered my name and covered her mouth, not believing it was me.

I took a few steps towards her, trying gauge her reaction to me getting closer, but she ran towards me and wrapped her arms around me.

I wrapped my arms around her, not believing that she didn't run away in terror.

"Armando." She said as she cupped my cheek with her hand.

"I should have listened to you." Was all I said as I leaned into her hand, turning my head slightly to kiss her palm.

"Yes, you should have." She said, smiling at me.

"I knew you didn't want to do this. Not really. I could see with the way how you would look at me."

"Even when I told you to leave me the fuck alone?" I still remember the hurt that came over her face.

"Yes, even then. Your face said one thing, but your eyes Armando, they always said another."

I couldn't stop myself.

I kissed her, and she kissed me back even harder.

I pulled her closer to me, not wanting this to ever end, but then someone walked by saying that we should get a room.

"Shit, your still on the run. Let's go to my place."

She held held my hand, as the two of us walked through the crowd, with my head down and the sunglasses back on.

From time to time, I would see her look back at me, and she would be smiling at me.

I kept my face neutral, but she knew how I was feeling.

She knew me and she knew she would be forever my weakness as I am hers.

[deadsetobsessions]

A click. The closing and opening of a camera shutter. The whirr of film as it slides across the inner workings of his camera.

Timothy Drake heaved himself off of the concrete roof as soon as the vigilantes left his eyesight. He swaps the film roll, placing the used one inside of the tin with a barely restrained grin. He’d gotten good shots tonight- a confrontation with Harvey Dent, batarangs swooping to cut the new Robin free- and Tim was excited to race back to his dark room in order to develop those candids.

He climbs down the side of the building, the spelunking gear he’d splurged his parents’ money on working wonderfully on Gotham’s stone and concrete buildings.

“Mom, I want to be just like you guys!” He’d said, and his mom agreed to spare no expense for his new hobby. Well, their secretary did, with his parent’s disinterested permission. After all, spelunking is sometimes needed for artifact digs… probably.

Besides, the moment he had brought up Bruce Wayne’s propensity for “spelunking,” his father had immediately sent him more cave scaling stuff in order to “network with the other successful businessmen, Timmy!”

Tim slides away from the alley with full awareness. Even in Bristol, one had to be careful to avoid the multitudes of goons out and about. The Narrows are definitely worse than Bristol and Tim wasn’t about to let his hard work be taken away just like that. As he trudged home- taking a taxi once he was in a slightly more “trustworthy area”- Tim became slightly lost in his thoughts about the identities of Gotham’s vigilantes. Technically there’s only two.

Tim knows there’s three.

Batman.

Robin.

Nightwing.

Bruce Wayne.

Jason Todd.

Dick Grayson.

His sharp mind, now assuaged from the mystery of their identities, worked hard to match the fights he witnessed to the injuries the prolific Wayne family hid the next day.

Timothy Drake thinks he’ll never get bored following his vigilantes.

——

He’s bored. He’s so irrevocably, irredeemably bored.

Tim had been so excited to go, too! Perhaps for different reasons than everyone else because he was here to observe his heroes out of their masks, not for the Annual Wayne Gala that’s the end-all of high society life. As in, if you weren’t invited, that’s the end of your social life. Bruce Wayne held high society in his palms and Tim is only fifty percent sure he knew and/or cared. Regardless, he was prepared to be a pod-son to his parents’ fake good-parents act, and accordingly suffered thirty minutes of cheek-pinching and fake laughs just for the opportunity to see the three Bats in one place.

They’re not here. They won’t be here for another twenty minutes.

Anyways, he’s bored and irritated. Definitely annoyed enough for some bad ideas.

And Tim might not be aware of this fact about himself until much later when he’s more self-aware, but a bored and irritated Tim Drake is bad news for everyone.

He takes after Janet Drake, after all, and Janet Drake is only after Bruce Wayne in influence and cunning.

And his heroes, his beloved heroes, are the targets of his ire tonight. Tim smiles wider, pod-person smile widening to a baring of ravenous teeth incredibly off putting on a nine year old, and immediately changes course towards the delicate jello squares sitting at the buffet table.

The Waynes will be learning the importance of punctuality at their own galas by the time Tim’s done. He swears it. He even has a get out of jail free card!

Just. A small bit of petty revenge.

Tim nabs a bowl full of the jellos, snacking on one as he makes his way to the Wayne family’s most favorite balcony. Everyone knows it’s the one the family members go to when the Gala gets overwhelming. It’s an unspoken rule that no one else may enter it. Tim slips around the blind spots in the cameras.

High society might call someone a bitch in forty different ways, all hidden behind silk smiles and false eyes, but they’d respect the oddest things.

Tim… doesn’t care. He’s been breaking rules since he was seven.

He sets to his task, setting the jello cubes in the places he’d calculated that Jason or Bruce or Dick might step on. Mild revenge, yes, but Tim doesn’t want to bother Alfred too much. The butler had looked a bit tired earlier. Task done, Tim squeezes back into the party and smiles like his life depended on it.

“Brucie!” His dad boomed, and Tim felt his smile widen once more.

“Jack!” Batman’s Brucie personality bounced into the ballroom as the party kicked back up with the host’s presence. “How’ve you been, old chap?”

“The digs have been very fruitful!”

“I see you’ve brought someone with you today! Well, other than your strikingly beautiful wife, of course!”

“This is my son, Timothy!”

“Hello, Timothy. It’s very nice to meet you.”

Oh. My. God. He’s shaking hands with Batman!

“Hi. I’m Timothy Drake.”

“Oh my gosh, Tim!” His mom laughs, fake nails and laugh digging into his shoulders. Oops. Too informal.

“It’s alright.”

“BRUCE!”

Oh my god, it’s ROBIN. Tim’s smile twitches, barely containing his squeals.

“Jaylad? What’s wrong?”

“Someone left jello cubes all over the balcony!”

“What?” Bruce (Brucie, Tim decides is the name of the mask) turns to his parents and excuses himself.

“Mom? I’m going to go network with Bruce Wayne’s son.”

No, he’s not. He’s gonna go watch them lose their minds.

“That’s my boy!” His dad claps him on the shoulder and shoos him off. His mom narrowing her eyes at him but ultimately dismissing him.

Perfect. By the time he gets there, he hears Nightwing- Dick Grayson, oh my god!- asking “O” to figure out who left all those cubes on the floor.

“Drake?” Ah, shit.

“Weren’t we just talking to him earlier, B?”

“Yes, but I haven’t got the slightest idea why he’d leave jello cubes all over the place.”

“Assassination attempt?” Jason asks.

“Whatever it is, it ruined my running shoes!”

“Dick, please, just wash it off or give it to Alfred.”

“Ugh, we can just go ask him.”

“And make a scene?” Jason sounds eager.

“No. Alfred ordered us specifically not to.”

Silence. Tim grins and slips away, making his way through and voiding the cameras as usual.

—-

“Timmy!”

Tim smiles politely at Brucie Wayne while inwardly cheering. His dad looks at him with stars in his eyes and leaves him to work his magic.

“Yes, Mr. Wayne?” Pod-person smile!

“This is my son, Jason. And this is Dick.”

“Hi. I’m Jason!” He holds out a hand for Tim to shake. Dick smiles at him and Tim thinks he might expire on the Wayne’s ballroom floor.

“Hello,” Tim suppresses his urge to scream excitedly. “I’m Timothy Drake. It’s a pleasure to meet you.”

“Woah, you sound so stiff.”

“Jason!” Brucie Wayne chides. “Anyways, Timmy, you looked like you had something to tell me earlier. Something wrong, kiddo?”

No, no he didn’t. But… they don’t know that he knows their secret. And they don’t know he knows that they don’t know.

Tim acts confused, but then clears up with his expression like he just thought of something.

“Oh! I was wondering why you were late, Mr. Wayne. Did Batman stop you on the way back?”

“Huh?”

“Oh, I know you don’t really like Batman, Mr. Wayne,” Tim cackles inwardly. “But he saves you a lot. Were you stopping crime?”

“I… I’m not Batman.”

“Well, I know that,” Tim huffs. “It’s just weird no one’s seen you and Batman in the same room.” Tim cheerfully ignores the alarm making its way onto the trio’s faces and his dad’s frantic, further away, cut it out motion. “But obviously that’s because Batman’s busy putting on his gear, right?”

“And how do you figure that…?” Dick asks, tense.

“Uh, he always knows when you’re in trouble? He always comes in minutes of you guys getting held hostage. Is his base on the manor grounds? Oh, is it a secret that you’re funding him? Don’t worry! I know how to keep a secret! Can you tell the new Robin that I think he’s the best?” Tim grins cutely up at Batman. Ah, he means Brucie Wayne.

“Sure can, kiddo! Don’t tell anyone else, okay?” Jason swoops in, grinning back Tim.

Eeee!

As he nods, Tim can’t help mentioning the cubes. “Oh, sorry about the cubes! I thought I’d be able to track them with their shoe print if Batman and Robin came to save you guys but I guess that wasn’t going to happen. I’m really sorry!” He uses the “cute duckling” face and Dick visibly melts.

“No problem, Timmy! You should come over to play Clue with us sometime! I think you’d be good at it.”

“Oh! Really?” His words becomes a bit more genuine. “I’ve never played it. My mom and dad aren’t around much so. Um. Would it be okay if we do?”

“This weekend.” Brucie Wayne’s voice suddenly became more firm. “I’ll talk to your parents about it.

—-

As Tim waves the Wayne’s goodbye, he hears from Dick, “You only like him because he said you’re the best.”

And Jason’s reply, “Because he’s got good taste,” made the rest of his night. Not week, because tomorrow, he gets to poke around Wayne manor again!

[byemambo]

4Minutes EP. 6 - My Takeaways

Y'all...The way I was working OVERTIME trying to figure out how I wanted to explain my thoughts for this episode (this post is extremely long: take that as you will). So please welcome OG TymeGreat vs. NDE (near death experience) TymeGreat and their timelines (everything else under the cut!):

Great Version

Tyme Version

Key Events: Assessing the Timelines

I listed out key events that I felt matched up within each existing timeline (and I'm sure I missed more key events/details that aren't listed in my findings), no matter the person nor alternative reality they're in. For Great's timeline, the key events include:

Waking up to take his exam

Hitting Manee with his car

Receiving the call from Title

Korn being attacked

Great learns Tyme's identity as the attacker

Great confronting Tyme at the hospital the next day

Great confronting his parents for their crimes

Great renounces his ties to his family

While these events occurred regardless of the different decisions Great could make, what was striking to me was Great's distinct characteristics that existed in both timelines while also having characteristics individual to their respective timelines. For OG Great, he's extremely defiant and cynical, especially if he's able to get a rise out of his father for reasons prior to knowing about the business, I'm not exactly sure (except for him being the mistress's son before the first wife committed suicide).

Episode 6 vs. Episode 1

Given that we didn't get any scenes of him bonding with Korn throughout the episode unlike NDE Great, I can only imagine there's a bias towards Korn as the favorite son between the two where one listens and submits while the other vocal and disobeys. Along with being defiant and having the guts to gauge the wold with cockiness, he is also a coward that's easily persuaded and manipulated. This shows up most during scenes like the hit and run or when Title demanded Great to help get rid of Dome's body and in turn, become an accomplice to the crime.

Episode 6 vs. Episode 1

OG Great also operates on this mindset of being silver spooned his entire life more explicitly than NDE Great, and becomes hot headed when placed under immense pressure once he's unable to play mind games with his targets such as Tyme. Even though their hook up and Tyme leaking his sex tape caused a scandal with his dad's company, the amount of trauma Great has dealt with growing up (this kid never played a crane machine game so I can only imagine how lonely his upbringing was) resorts to him chasing after those dopamine hits and becoming shameless as a result.

One of the few times OG Great chose his own morals and acted upon them in the storyline was when he found out about his parents and their involvement with the scheme, but this decision only occurred when people he cared about died or got hurt, like Nan and Tyme. Because he had developed a short spanned codependency on Tyme (whether for more sex or because he found his serious demeanor amusing), once he had been left with nothing due to reasons beyond his control, he leaves his family behind after the confirmation of their crimes.

Unlike NDE Great, OG Great is self centered and only acts when pushed beyond his limits, but only if the consequences of that limit involves someone he genuinely cares about (this is the stark difference between Dome's demise versus Tyme's meltdown after Nan's death). Sure, people can argue that Great knows Tyme at a similar level of depth like he knew Dome (apart from being sexually involved with one another), but his interests peaks in Tyme once he finds out that he's seeking revenge against his father and finds that mere effort entertaining for him. In the OG timeline, Great's flaws directly causes his detriment in the end, getting shot by Dome's older brother Tonkla in vengeance.

Episode 6 vs. Episode 5

In Tyme's timeline, there aren't as many moving parts that we saw on screen as much as Great's (since their particular story is limited narrative through Great's perspective) but these events remain consistent in his story:

Tyme works a hospital shift

Den tells him about his NDE research

Tyme works the night shift with Great in his proximity

Tyme attacks Korn in search of Nan

Great confronts Tyme at the hospital the next day

What I found most interesting in OG Tyme's timeline was how linear and straightforward the events occurred in sequence, which would have been the case if Great never asked him about his occurring NDE symptoms like he did in the NDE timeline while being under Tyme's care. Tyme's prior knowledge to Den's research served as a seed planted in the back of his mind, which if Great hadn't asked him (if he chose to help Title get rid of Dome's body), Tyme would have went along with his plan and shelved Den's research with no intention in intervention. The difference in approach between OG Tyme and NDE Tyme was rooted in their initial encounters, both being Great bumping into Tyme and how it was handled.

If Great continued heading his way, Tyme's initial impression of Great would have been slightly annoyed (which we saw a preview of how he yelled at Great during the first cardiac arrest Great had when he bumped into Tyme and didn't help him). But if Great stopped to apologize and even help Tyme with the papers, there is a hint of consideration in that gesture, even if Great himself is a flawed person capable of doing bad things. For some, basic human decency isn't a mind blowing trait for people to fawn over, but this can be contrasted when Tyme asks P'Anne for his information and finally gets confirmation of Great's identity.

Episode 6 vs. Episode 1

Episode 6 vs. Episode 3

From the perspective of Tyme who's dedicated his personal life in bringing down the family responsible for the death of his parents, I'm sure having a painted image of what inhumane and vulgar things the family is capable of, Great's first impression as the younger son of the enemy is somehow normal? As if this man isn't capable of hurting a fly, let alone killing people like his father does (why did I think of fucking Lord Ozai and Prince Zuko when proofreading this loooooord someone send me to bed asap). Rather than treating Great as just a means to an end with no prior attachment and full intent in harming the family's reputation as OG Tyme would have, NDE Tyme's prior interactions with Great by him helping Tyme with his papers (the readiness to correct his faults while providing a solution to aid in the damage caused, big or small), Great bringing his hurt friend to the hospital without acknowledging his own injuries (a sign of selflessness and reliability) and asking Tyme about his symptoms related to his cardiac arrests and moments of NDE, there are layers being shed off of Tyme's preconceived notions about the family.

Episode 2

Episode 6

Not only are there layers, Tyme's curiosity peaks because why is the son of the family who killed his parents seemingly harmless and clumsy? Shouldn't someone of his background be more cautious and conceal himself more, especially when speaking to a stranger such as Tyme? Does he know what his parents do and the damage they have caused for countless families and victims? In comparison to OG Great who's callous and bold, NDE Great is soft and easily startled, therefore, needs a more calculative and somewhat honest approach to secure a connection to get closer to bringing the family down.

Episode 6 vs. Episode 3

Characterization: A vs. B

When writing my reflections, I found it interesting how TymeGreat's relationship develops within their respective timelines, especially how each encounter they had with one another fueled different emotions and residual feelings. In the OG timeline, their relationship is innately lustful with distance between them, their main objectives involve concealed vengeance, amusement in the series of events occurring between them and not being able to access the full story of the two worlds both individuals were a part of before their paths crossed.

Whereas in the NDE timeline, their relationship began with a curiosity that defied expectations and welcomed communication, such as asking intimate questions and offering valuable solutions to majority of their problems: Great asking Tyme about his cardiac symptoms, Tyme consulting Den about his research after Great's conversation, Great confiding in Tyme about his upbringing, Tyme revealing the cause of his parents' death, Great confronting his own family for their crimes and seeking accountability. All of these traits wouldn't have been present if that initial hit and run played out differently: they would have crossed paths regardless but their attitudes and motives would shape the state of their relationship.

Episode 6 vs. Episode 3

Episode 6 vs. Episode 5

However, there are innate traits that remained consistent in both characters. Great with his impulsivity and tackling his problems head strong, Tyme with his nonchalance and caring attitude towards the people he loves (such as his grandmother). What really caused the divergence of their whims were purely based in the circumstances they find themselves in during their initial encounters. When they met at the bar, Great's impulsivity charged the motion of their relationship, ending with his cowardice separating the two once Nan died at the hands of Samarn. Tyme's detached attitude that drove his girlfriend away from him and poses concern from Den as a fellow doctor in how he denies his patients of their own identity and autonomy, causes him to take advantage of Great's relations to the family, ending in his own death after denying the bribe by Great's father.

Episode 6

Episode 6

Episode 1

Despite it all, the most significant element that both Tyme and Great share is the leverage both have over one another through their emotional attachments, which may seem small in comparison to more flashy events within the storyline but for these two characters: it makes a world of a difference. When NDE Tyme reveals his identity during the ambush against Korn, which led Great to help Tyme find Nan and as a result, saving her life. This is critical as OG Great is inherently a coward with a dopamine deficiency and enjoys causing trouble for his father's reputation at his own demise.

Episode 4

When Tyme is willing to risk his life exposing Great's family to the press, Great reminds him of his grandmother, driving Tyme to accept the bribe from Great's dad and find safety at Aunt Ging's house together. Unlike OG Tyme, whose reserved and passive attitude enables his life to be filled with the absurd and mundane, that money is the driving force of life and the root of all evil that took his parents away from him, so what else is there to live for as long as he avenges his family?

Episode 5

Now for my questions for the last two episodes: if Great dies in the OG timeline and is actively dying in the NDE timeline, since Tyme's destined fate to die in the OG timeline has been altered once he's notified of Great's condition in the emergency room by Den, he has a chance of avoiding death that OG Tyme suffers from. It may be a stretch but look at the two hit men who targeted Tyme and Great.

Episode 1 vs. Episode 5

The hit man in episode 1 look significantly younger than the hit man in episode 5, but same facial hair? The shadow in the first image throws me off but it's freaky to speculate as it sent shivers down my spine whenever I got a better screenshot of them. If I put my two brain cells together: in the OG timeline, Tonkla targets and shoots Great but Tyme is also shot in episode 1, which makes me believe that their timelines are converging somehow as both of them enter their 4 minutes of limbo and their memories and experiences are warped.

In the NDE timeline, because Dome is saved and returns home to Tonkla, the only person reasonable in targeting Great would be Manee after she finds out which family is responsible for her son's involvement in illegal business (which her giving up her life savings and being given the 4th card during her ritual that calls for separation of loved ones). This separation in question is the separation of Tyme from Great as Great's fighting for his vitals to stabilize just as Tyme rushes to the OR?

Because NDE Tyme goes with his grandmother to Aunt Ging's instead of sending her on her own as OG Tyme does, both of them are technically off the radar from being targeted, or at least bought enough time to make a safe escape if Great's father goes back on his word outlined in the proposed bribe. Seeing as Tyme's wearing the same shirt in both timelines at this point, we're now waiting to see how this will play out, and I'm literally so excited to lose sleep all over again.

Episode 1 vs. Episode 6

If you made it to the end, pat yourself on the back! And if you've been actively reading my previous posts regarding my takeaways, I really appreciate the love they've been getting! I'm more than happy to hyperfixate on this series and help out with really digging deep in the details that could help those who are having difficulty following along with the series. Idk, y'all got to yell at Bible on Twitter then because he thinks he's so funny tweeting this:

If y'all would like to read more, check out my tags and thank you again for sticking around, see y'all next Friday or whatever day my brain finishes finalizing its thoughts to share with y'all :)

[hughungrybear]

So....Episode 6 is interesting, to say the least. It shows WHAT SHOULD HAVE happened if Great's 4-minute timeloops never happened (See my summary in this post).

Though the focus of this ep was very much Tyme and Great, it is fun to see that even with the timeloops, certain things seems to would have end up the same even if Great didn't messed with the timeline.

1.Great committed a hit-and-run against the woman in Ep 1. No hints whether she survived the incident. The woman died on the spot. Great's family helped covered everything up.

2. Title murders Dome with Great as a witness/accomplice. They throw Dome's dead body to the sea.

3. Great and Tyme still meet at the hospital, but under very different circumstances, then later have a hookup at the bar and sex on top of a snooker table 😶‍🌫️😶‍🌫️😶‍🌫️. Tyme uploads their sex video on the internet😱😱😱

(Sidenote: So, this is where all those sex flashback scenes came from whenever Great sees Tyme outside the 4-minute timeloop)

4. Tyme sends his Grandma to another relative for her protection. Tyme was still bribed by Great's father to back off. Also, what a fvcking reveal on Tyme's family -> this aligns with the new timeline but for a different reason

(In the new timeline, Tyme was threaten by Great's father so he would break up with Great).

5. So, it seems the original timeline starts their relationship with sex first, cute date at sidestreet stall vendor eatery later 😅

6. Nan is secretly working with Tyme to bring the Sriwat Cargo Business down. She sleeps with the creepy ass manager but gets caught and shot while trying to gain more evidence. -> What follows, again, aligns with the new timeline: Tyme follows and threatens Korn, but gets identified by Great.

7. Great still finds out where the syndicate is keeping Nan and sends Tyme the location. Nan gets killed and Tyme gets caught. He was only saved when Great intervenes.

8. Instead of Nan, Tyme releases the info about Great's family business to the media.

9. Great confronts his parents, learns the truth and practically disowns them. Mum and Great had a separate argument outside the company -> again, aligning with the new timeline.

10. Great still gets shot, but this time, by Tonkla as an act of revenge for killing Dome? (in the same place where he was shot in the new timeline). We still don't know how Tonkla knew or if is, indeed a revenge killing.

So, the timeloops are either a product of somebody making an offering to whatever deity is out there to save Great from being shot (but failed) or the timeloops were a product of Great's dying wish to make things right for everyone, excluding himself (However, there are unintended consequences).

[starlight045]

The Price of Revenge

| Chapter One |

| Luca Changretta X OC!

| Summarry: When Luca Changretta comes seeking revenge in the form of a Vendetta out for the Shelby family Elizabeth Shelby is forced to pick between two options. She can marry the man who has killed her brother or refuse and let the bloodshed continue. People get hurt, secrets are revealed and Elizabeth makes the unlikely decision. (This is set in 1925 during season 4 of the show Peaky Blinders.)

| I hope you guys like this story! And perusual feedback is encouraged. :)

Chapter One

1925, Birmingham, England

The rain came down steadily on the cobblestone streets in Birmingham. Luca Changretta stood in his hotel room looking out the window when Matteo came in. His sleeves were rolled up and his top buttons were undone.

“Luca,” Matteo said, taking his hat off. Luca stayed facing the window, turning his head over his shoulder to look at the man. He had his toothpick hanging out of his mouth.

“Matteo…dimmi.” he said, turning to look at him. Both Matteo and him had been close. Friends since infancy practically. Now they work together. Matteo helped him but sometimes Luca would lose his temper.

“John Shelby è morto. Abbiamo colpito Michael Grey ma pensiamo che sia sopravvissuto.” Luca nodded his head and walked up to the shorter Italian.

“Sì…sì, è grandioso. Perché quel fottuto Michael Grey è ancora vivo?” He asked, gritting his teeth.

“Someone managed to get him to the hospital on time I guess. I believe it was John’s wife.”

Luca shook his head and sighed.

“You can go Matteo.

____________________________________________________________

Angel Changretta who was Luca’s oldest brother and the eldest son of Vicente and Audrey Changretta was killed a year ago. It all started a year ago or so when the Shelby family found out Angel was the love interest of Lizzie Stark. So after Angel’s restaurant is burnt down Vicente goes to confront Arthur and John. But when both brothers threaten Angel the problem is made worse.

Vicente threatens the Shelby brothers and John gets into a fight with Angel beating him up and slashing his eyes. As a form of revenge, Vicente calls a hitman to kill Thomas Shelby but they end up killing his wife instead by mistake and later that week Angel is killed. This isn’t where the story ends as Vicente is ordered to be assassinated along with his wife Audrey but Audrey is spared and Arthur had shot Vicente.

With both his father and oldest brother dead Luca Changretta came from New York seeking revenge. The Changrettas were a family that belonged to a Mafia that dealt with liquor in New York. Luca was determined to avenge both his brother and father.

The Shelby family had all received black hands in their mail and were terrified. Everyone except for Elizabeth Shelby, the third oldest Shelby sibling.

When she received a call in her small neighborhood away from small heath she was surprised to hear the news. She came on the next train bags in hand as her family ushered her inside. “What’s going on? I got the call.” She asked setting her stuff down as Tommy and the whole family stood in the room together.

“Luca Changretta’s father and brother were killed by John and Arthur. Now he’s here from New York seeking revenge. It’s called a vendetta.” *He said, handing Elizabeth the card they all received.* __________________________________ And now here they were with John dead and Micheal in the hospital. Elizabeth hated staying in small heath; she promised herself she would never come back. She always hated what her brothers had been doing too. The killing, the illegal things, the never-ending wars.

But yet here she was and her younger brother was dead. He was killed by the men hired by an old flame. But her family didn’t know and she didn’t dare tell them.

Besides, it shouldn’t have mattered much. It happened when they were teenagers and Luca was just staying for a month as his father needed to clean up business.

He was different back then. Young, carefree, sweet, and caring. He was a doll. But now all Elizabeth heard was about how he had killed people or what he was doing in New York and that he had aged and grown cold. She knew a different Luca Changretta. And he knew a different Elizabeth Shelby.

____

The night was late and Polly Gray walked into a club wearing her red dress and fur shoulder wrap. She went to sit at the bar ordering champagne. As she sat a grey fedora was slowly placed next to her on the table.

The man’s tattoos were peaking out from under his sleeve, a black hand on his upper wrist, and a small cross on his middle finger. He stood letting the barman pour him a drink before sitting down next to her.

“This, is public enough, no?” he asked before taking a sip of the whiskey.

“yes.”

“So?” Luca asked in return.

“The boy in the hospital is out of bounds. And I’ll ask you to spare Finn and Arthur.” Polly said.

“In return for what?”

“Tommy Shelby.”

“And why should I trust you?” Luca asked before turning to look at Polly.

“Because you know our history. You know what happened between us.”

“You have an unlikely Cassius,” he said before drinking again. “You know…my mother. My mother knew your mother. She taught her how to read.” Luca said.

“Did she tell you that John and Arthur spared her life? When Tommy wanted her dead.” Polly asked not looking him in the eyes.

“Yeah and now she’s giving me the information about you people. So Tommy Shelby was right. his ruthlessness was justified. You should have killed her when you had the chance.” Luca told her.

“John was a good boy. Arthur tries. Tommy’s different. You take Tommy spare the rest.” Polly asked the man not once looking at him.

“But…What if it isn’t Tommy Shelby I want.” Luca asked which made Polly stop putting her dink down. “Years ago…I met this wonderful breathtaking girl. She was beautiful. Very polite in her mannerisms and all. I thought we’d get married one day.” Polly froze. He could only be talking about one person. “That is what I want. I want her.”

“Elizabeth is not a part of the deal.”

“Well, she is now. I marry her, we can end it.” Luca said as Polly sat there in disbelief not knowing what to do in this situation.

Polly didn’t look at Luca. She kept her eyes trained on anything but him.

“You know my mother used to say this about you. She said that ‘Polly Gray’ that child could never let go of a grievance.” Luca started making Polly look at him. “And she loves to dance. What do you say hm? Wanna dance?” Luca asked.

“I don’t dance, anymore,” Polly said as she stood up and pulled her fur shoulder wrap over her body before leaving.

“Yeah, that’s a shame. Cause you’re dancing with me.” Luca said as she walked off finishing his drink.

And Polly with this new news went to go tell Tommy that night. both she and him agreed that they wouldn’t settle with Luca’s new terms. There was no way they could marry off Liza who had never even picked up a gun in her life. It would kill her being married to an Italian mob boss.

A Week Later

It was a cold morning and tired of being cooped up in Small Health Elizabeth dressed up and went out. She was quite the painter and always had been. So as soon as she split from the chaos that was the peaky blinders she sold her art in upper Birmingham and even made it to a museum or two. She had planned on doing a few landscape portraits but couldn’t find the right tools at any of the nearby shops or vendors. So despite Tommy’s orders and wishes she went out in the outer parts of Birmingham and looked for what she needed.

It was at the fifth store of the day when she was looking at the different shades of blue when she felt the presence of someone standing behind her. Not thinking much of it she didn’t pay attention until it spoke up.

“That’s a nice shade.” He said and Elizabeth froze where she was at.

There was no way. It couldn’t be him. How did he find her if it was? Turning around Elizabeth’s suspicions were confirmed. It was Luca Changretta with his toothpick leaning against another shelf.

“Oh don’t tell me you don’t recognize me.” He smirked, taking his toothpick out and twisting it in his fingers.

Everyone was right. He did look older. He had a scar or two on his face and his eyes held more to them. As if he had seen the world and horrible things.

And of course, he was way taller and wore fine leather shoes along with tailored suits.

“Luca,” Elizabeth said softly.

“Elizabeth.” He said with a smirk.

“Are you here to kill me?” Elizabeth asked nervously.

“Because if you are just…just do it now.”

Luca just continued to smirk and he shook his head.

“No dolce I’m not here to kill you. Why would I do that?”

“Well because you killed my brother! You sent a black hand to my whole family except for me.”

“There’s a good reason for that Dolce. Besides it’s called a vendetta your brothers killed my brother and father.” And at that word, Elizabeth made a face.

“I just want to talk. Simple as that.” Luca shrugged putting his toothpick back between his lips.

“Fine,” Elizabeth muttered before going to buy her paints but Luca stopped her trying to buy them for her. “I can buy my own. I do make money Luca.”

“Let me be a gentleman, Liza,” he said putting the money down as Elizabeth rolled her eyes.

After the pair walked out Elizabeth was immediately met with the sight of Luca’s black Rolls Royce his men standing next to the car their pistols on their carriers.

Luca nodded to them before putting his hand on the small of Elizabeth’s back and walking down the street with him. She immediately swatted his hand away

With a spark of fear ready to ignite in her chest, she looked up at the tall mobster. “So Luca…if you’re not going to kill me. What the fuck do you want?”

“I met with your aunt, last night. She offered me a promising deal. To spare two of your brothers. and your cousin, for your brother Tommy.” Elizabeth’s head immediately snapped up to him her jaw dropped.

“Polly wouldn’t do that,” she said as Luca huffed out a laugh. “I didn’t think so either. She said uh, their history is why she’s doing it.” And Elizabeth thought about the story Ada had told her recently. how everyone was almost hung at the noose and Tommy saved them in the nick of time. Ironically it was also his fault.

“But I told her, Tommy isn’t the one I want,” Luca said looking down at Elizabeth. and Elizabeth felt the spark in her chest. Maybe he was there to kill her. Maybe he also grew into a liar. He was a mob boss now.

“I offered a deal. Marriage or vendetta?” which made her stop walking and Luca turned to look at her.

“You want to marry me.”

“I need a wife. I’ve got everything but one. Besides I liked what we had when we were young. I missed you.”

“Why would I marry you? You killed my brother. Almost killed my cousin. And you think things should be like when we were kids?” Elizabeth said getting bothered and upset.

“Hey, hey, hey,” Luca said gently grabbing her arm not wanting to draw attention.

“Get off of me,” she said yanking her arm off.

“I think you’d marry me, to stop this whole Vendetta. My mother told me about you now Elizabeth Shelby. You hate what your brothers do. You’ve never touched a gun. You hate your brothers for being like this. I hear you’re a great artist too. You already lost John. What about Arthur? or Finn? I know you’re close with Micheal at least. Wouldn’t be hard to kill that one. OR what about Ada hm? Your little sister.” Luca said as Elizabeth’s hands shook in fear and her eyes became wet.

Sure she wasn’t as bothered by Luca. But he unsettled her to her core. She knew she was no longer dealing with the sweet boy she once knew. She was now dealing with a grown man she didn’t know with the same eyes. They were essentially strangers. But strangers with memories.

“You choose, Liza. Vendetta…or marriage?” Luca told her. “You let me know soon amore,” he said pointing to her before Elizabeth turned around and walked away her legs wobbly. She couldn’t believe what had just happened.

____________________________________________________

[anhttydbookfan]

FIFTH ROLESWAP AU PITCH:

Rest Stops (or Rest Stoppers)

Several humans and dragons from both the HTTYD movieverse and bookverse end up transported to the opposite realities thanks to several mysterious dragons that seem to rip holes in space. Shenanigans ensue as the mixed-up casts attempt to get back home and stop several villains from using the mysterious dragons for their own gain. Things get even more hectic when characters thought to be long-dead appear, though they have certain…. differences that nobody seems to remember.

Rest Stoppers AU love it. Who are all these strangers and why are they looking at Snotlout like they're seeing a ghost? Stoick doesn't notice he's in another world for hours until someone confronts him about his recent... lack of being alive. Some of the Berkians think Stoick's a revenant at first, come to take revenge against the dragon that killed him. Most of the former Alvinsmen and Dragonmarkers are convinced that Snotlout's a revenant come to avenge his death. Especially the former Alvinsmen who shot the arrows that killed him. Everyone gives Fishlegs Ingerman funny looks when he introduces himself. Their king straight up tells him "no you're not" when he introduces himself as Fishlegs from Berk. A giant three-headed Dragon was about two seconds from eating him, it was terrifying but also what kind of Dragon is that he's never seen anything like it before it's beautiful. Camicazi finds herself in a strange new world and immediately starts committing crimes with her Amazing Talking Dragon. The King of the Wilderwest has to enlist the help of the Hysterics to help out a mute Dragon with a really ingenious prosthetic tailfin whose only drawback is that someone needs to be on his back in order for it to work. Berk's Chief has to help a fuzzy black dragon with a limp through a panic attack. Everyone Fishlegs No-Name introduces himself to asks if he's lost weight recently, even the tribe's chief, and it's really starting to get annoying. Astrid is apparently the only displaced person in either universe who actually tries to stay on the task of trying to get back home.

Chief Hiccup of Berk introduces himself to a newcomer, and they immediately laugh in his face. The next newcomer he introduces himself to asks him "are you sure?" and his own resurrected father doesn't recognize him.

King Hiccup of the Wilderwest isn't faring any better. He introduces himself to the newcomers and they're all in various states of "you're Hiccup." (said in the most sarcastic, skeptical tone possible) "What are you, eight? Where're your parents?" (said in the most dismissive tone possible) and "What's the Wilderwest?" (said in the most has-somehow-missed-the-last-three-ish-years tone possible)

i love this thank you

[pakhnokh]

I kept thinking on how HoG au could happen.

1. LZ must arrived to burial mounds and convinced WY to surrender in the time between when the siege start and the time when all preparation are made to storm it.

Because 1. All the cultivators are still afraid of the Yiling Laozu. They saw first hand on how he fought at the sun shot campaign. So having him surrender by the Hanguang Jun is a better option.

2. They have no way of knowing if or when WWX die, he would come back as a bigger problem. A calamity for example.

3. Gusu is a place where the resentment energy is the lowest, thus, also the place WWX would be the weakest.

4. People like JGS would still be very interested in WWX invention and power. So keeping him alive yet trap and under watch is a tempting offer. For if they find a way to safely command him. Or if their research into his works blew up in their face. Plus a scapegoat.

5. Everyone (except some who will not speak) think LZ hate WWX and his method. So they would think no one would be a better warden then LZ for WWX as a prisoner.

In HoG universe, Lan Wangji confessed his feelings to Wei Wuxian in the cave where he tried to heal him, confronted the 33 elders, brought Wei Wuxian back to the Burial Mounds and returned to receive his punishment which made him stay in his Jingshi due to all of the wounds. I believe he didn't know that the siege is planned (because in the novel he gets the news that Wei Wuxian died and it's shocking to him. I believe if he knew he would head there right away with all injuries) But in HoG Lan Wangji gets to know about the planned siege and storms there immediately. When he arrives he sees Wei Wuxian already kneeling in surrender, because he realized that if he goes on to fight he will probably lose and the Wens he protects will suffer a horrible fate. He is ready to surrender and be taken by whichever sect wants to have him, but at that moment Lan Wangji arrives, gets near him and begs him again to come to Gusu with him, gaining the courage to confess to him once again. Wei Wuxian thinks that this is some kind of a cruel joke, because Lan Wangji never liked him, and he thinks that this is Lan Wangji's way to lure him to Gusu to be cleansed, indoctrinated and punished, just like he always thought would happen when Lan Wangji asked him to come to Gusu with him. (It was always Lan Wangji coming to Wei Wuxian with the "your methods harm the body and the mind/soul" crap (from WWX's POV) and then asking of him to come to Gusu, so Wei Wuxian was always sure that Lan Wangji wants to punish him or fix him at most, knowing it futile since he can't the normal "right" cultivation without having a core. He declined the offer again and again.) But this time when he already realizes that the sects are willing to spare the Wens if he surrenders and comes with them, Wei Wuxian listens to Lan Wangji and decides that to go with him would be his best bet. He'd rather stay with Lan Wangji, whom he believes to be just and fair, rather than be with the other sects who are driven by hate and revenge (like Jiang Cheng), opportunism (like Jin Guangshan) or a strict sense of justice (like Nie Mingjue). Lan Wangji, like his father, takes Wei Wuxian and declares that he will bring him to Gusu and marry him so that he will always be under his watch. What he means by that is that Wei Wuxian will always be under his protection, but what Wei Wuxian and the sects think of that is that Lan Wangji is willing to sacrifice himself (meaning not to be married to any woman in his life, which is a big deal especially for a man of a high status like himself) and seal his fate to Wei Wuxian's just so that he can watch him, control him, and keep him from causing harm to the people and being a threat to the cultivation sects by encouraging simple people to cultivate in his method instead of relying on the sects for protection. They agree to Lan Wangji's declaration, as much as Lan Qiren tried to oppose it, but Lan Xichen, knowing his brother's true intentions, stopped his uncle from objecting. They demand that Lan Wangji will make sure that Wei Wuxian is locked in one place. They confiscated all of his weapons, and made Lan Wangji swear to them that he will have no access to anything that he can use to create dark magic. At the same time of course they took all of his writings, saying that they are dangerous and that they will get rid of them but in truth keeping them to learn from Wei Wuxian's methods themselves. Wei Wuxian asked Lan Wangji to ensure with the sects that the Wens stay safe, but the most he could do was to have their promise to keep them safe in a camp, but under the watch of cultivators from all sects. They are being kept alive but nothing more than that. Anyways Wei Wuxian goes back to Gusu with Lan Wangji and the Lans, they make a simple wedding rite just for the practical side of it, and Wei Wuxian is put in the house where Lan Wangji's mother was held for almost the same reasons. I'm sure that I will understand my own story better as it goes, so I might not have all answers now hahaha

[a-hazbin-reader]

Okay, let's continue.

So Alastor makes a few digs in about her family. He found out that her father had died a few years ago. She has three older sisters and one brother. He knew what he was going to do. 

So one day, he invited all of her family members to stay for a month in New Orleans. He's not going to finish them all in one kill; it's going to look suspicious, especially on her behalf. So he's going to take them down, one by one. 

First, he tricks her first sister into a tavern and buys her a drink that has poison. One down.

(Btw, I know he most likely killed them by hand in his way, but he needs to make sure the family is cursed by coming here somehow.) (So it's not going to look suspicious.)

Second, her brother. This one he killed by hand, but in the end, he made it seem like he died in an accident. He put his dead body on a car, then put a brick on the pedal, and off you go! Boom! It's crashed into another car. 

For the last two sisters, they tried to flirt with him (he was disgusted by them). So he used this advantage to trick them into this one abounded warehouse in the middle of nowhere and killed them in the most brutal way possible. His heart only belongs to his wife. 

Now for the mother. He already has her tied up in the basement. When he was about to finish him off, Katty came down to the basement to look for him. How shocked is she when she finds out about the scenery in front of her? Alastor tries to explain the situation while the mother begs her to let her go. She then slowly stood in front of her mother.

The mother: "Kat, please... Please let me go. Together, we report this psychopath's husband of yours and live a happy life. I know you never had a mother to grow up with. So let me give you one."

Kaltain: "You think I never know...why the reason my real mother died...? You think I never know why my father got into a car crash...? You think I will never find out that you are the reason behind this? I know you poisoned my mother, and I know you planned my father's accident. I would never want you, mother, love; you are not one to begin with. You make my life a living hell. Now I will make sure you end up in hell."

She then took a knife from one of the Alastor collections and stabbed her. Not once, not twice, but until she is satisfied and breaks down. She then slowly sank to the floor while crying. A pair of arms wrap around her and comfort her. 

Alastor then cleans up all the evidence and gets rid of the body. He then returned home and comforted her all night. The next day, she confronts her husband to see if he is the serial killer they are looking for. At first, he was scared that she would leave him, but his wife offered to help him with his killing. He declined at first, worried something was going to happen to her, but then let her. 

Surprise is written on his face when he finds out his wife is pretty good. So they became partners in crime (yeah!). One lures the victim; one finishes the victim.

Until he got shot. Oh, how sad Katty was sad when she heard the news! It took her a few weeks, maybe a month, to recover. So to continue his legacy, she keeps killing for him. This continues for 2 years until she gets murdered or shot. 

When she woke up, she was in a forest or swamp. Her appearance is also different. A hand is offered to her; she looks up and finds her husband in deer form. He quickly jumped into his arms. They finally reunited. The couple couldn't be more happy than they were. 

So they live happily ever after death.

The end <3

Thank you for reading ✨

OH SHIT BBY GIRL GOT HER REVENGE AND HER MAN

[possibly-god]

Camp Counselor Angel

My pitch for bringing Sleepaway Camp (1983) into Camp Counselor Jason - full credit to @junkmix/@junkmixart for the universe

(Because CCJ is comfort media for me, and considering how much Sleepaway Camp is derivative of Friday the 13th, it felt natural to bring them together)

Background: Rather than being written off, Officer Frank presses to have creepy camp cook Artie's "accident" properly investigated. The revelations of said investigation lead to the shutdown of Camp Arawak, and the removal of "Angela" Baker from Martha Thomas' custody, being returned to their father's partner Lenny. Five years and much soul-searching later, 18-year-old Angel Baker (he/she/they/any) and his cousin Ricky seek to confront some trauma and apply as counselors at Camp Crystal Lake.

Angel: Angel acts as an activities leader (she's a crack shot on the archery range and leads a damn good sing-along, though he still tends to avoid water activities due to trauma and dysphoria), soft-spoken, witty, and disciplined while providing a listening ear and outspoken voice for ostracized campers. The kids don't always understand their identity situation at first (Angel's not always sure he understands it herself), but generally come around as kids do to new ideas ("Are you a boy or a girl?" "I'm whatever I want to be."). While exploring said identity, he discovered the many gender-bending musical artists of the times (Bowie, Prince, Queen, etc.) and developed a love of music. They still carry a bit of a torch for Paul, staying in touch after their short stay together at Arawak, but lacks confidence that those feelings could ever be reciprocated. Pamela is a steadfast supporter and good influence for Angel, vocally condemning his prior abuse and encouraging their self-expression and -advocacy. Angel has a bit of a competitive streak (feeling in some way she needs to "prove herself"), and has a friendly rivalry with Jason as he seeks to challenge his "Counselor of the Week" streak. No matter how fierce the competition gets, though, Jason is always there to help pull Angel back out when she starts going back in her shell.

Ricky: Ricky manages one of the boys' cabins, leading them in baseball games and prank raids while making sure the fun never goes too far at someone's expense. He's distanced himself from his mother since learning of her abuse of Angel, moving in with them and Lenny the year prior, and is a little confused but has the spirit supporting his cousin's identity (he's definitely the type to pull a "his pronouns are they/them!"). He still has a fair but to unlearn about masculinity, but just being around Jason (sweet beefcake that he is) is causing some notable improvement. He's also still foul-mouthed ("Watch your goddamn language, you little shits!"), and still unlucky in love, flirting with Carrie and Laurie to no avail. He's also maintained his friendship with Paul, and tacitly encourages his and Angel's budding whatever-it-is.

Stuff that could happen:

Angel making "the face" into a flashlight while telling ghost stories

Artie and Mel seeking revenge for their injuries and the closure of Arawak (possibly a guest appearance from Meg realizing what a bullet she dodged in this timeline)

Aunt Martha applying to Camp Crystal Lake as a nurse, trying to worm her way back into "her babies'" lives

Judy redemption arc

(Am I being massively optimistic about queer acceptance in the 80s? Absolutely, but isn't optimism kind of the point of this whole affair?)

[strdstd]

{I'm so unwell abt the idea of Boothill starting out as a sweet, honorable, peaceful kid, likely staying that way as he grew up, only to have a reason to start using his revolver. Said he first fired a shot at a bandit at a young age, likely before his teen years or early teen years. So, what if, someone was trying to rob the family home, so that was when Boothill first fired at someone. So he picked up the gun in the name of protection & swore to never recklessly use it. No wonder he earned his high status & grew to be an honorable figure in his home planet/town.

"He had narrowly escaped death, tasted the flavor of taking revenge on a rival gang, seen friends lose their lives in the flight of a bullet and seen families fall apart in mere moments… He lost many, yet gained a lot as well. In the end, his courage earned him status and respect."

Meaning he likely had a little gang of outlaws that I like to think he was the leader of, since during his part of the 2.6 quest, he was excellent at gathering people together for the final act & helping in organizing the whole thing with Robin and Micah.

He'd already suffered losses & enacted revenge, so he'd had a taste of both. And I can see him beginning to harden & toughen up the longer he spent out on bounties & train robberies & gang conflicts. Only for him to begin to soften when he found his daughter & gradually accepted that she wasn't just a child he found, she was well & truly his daughter. Displaying a certain gentleness his family surely teased him for. Leading to him showing a new restraint and more of a diplomatic approach to conflict, bc he had to make it home to her at the end of each hunt. He couldn't, shouldn't take risks or jump right into firing off at the slightest hint of an impending attack in order to make the first move.

And I could only imagine how he got when the IPC started to use force against his home, once again using his gun in the name of protection & defense. And then him gradually realizing how ruthless he's becoming in the name of protecting his home/family/friends. Realizing he was doing exactly what he should not be doing. Making his dads worry abt him after they've likely already lost others (esp with the implication of Boothil being the only one who still lives with them to this day in the same house), taking more & more risks in the possibility of getting even the smallest victory (no matter how pyrrhic each one ends up being), returning home all bloody and shaken. A haunted look in his eyes each time he catches his reflection in a mirror.

Only for all the pain and mental anguish to melt away as Graey finally lets him go upstairs, where he gets to hold his daughter at the end at the day. He always did, otherwise, she wouldn't be able to sleep. Their shared room may as well be the last place of safety, his own solace in this chaos, her being a light he clings so tightly to and fights tooth & nail for. No matter how damaged he gets, he will come back to her.

Only for it all to culminate in the entire loss of his loved ones, him going on the complete & utter war path ("it's like Nick said, 'revenge needs no excuses'"). Resulting in his recklessness beginning to take hold & the loss of his arm (a hc from the image we get of Boothill while he's under Profnana Primon's teaching during the 2.6 quest) during an IPC confrontation making him realize his human body won't be enough. And then there's the implied IPC torturing him-

The idea, too, of Boothill deciding a self-exile from his home as a form of self-punishment for failing his family/planet, viewing himself unworthy of calling himself Nick & Graey's son, knowing that they gave him the honor of upholding the homestead when they either retire or pass. And he failed them, failed everyone who looked up to him, who trusted him.Yet, if he calls himself anything, he's still his daughter's father.}

[underforeversgrace]

healing the wounds we hid - 2

title: healing the wounds we hid

words: 3,203

Finally, the sequel to broken trust and the wounds hidden behind! (Refresh here on AO3 or here on Tumblr)

Story Summary: Now that his father knows, Danny's life is changing for the better. Jack encourages him to let his friends and the rest of the family into his small word. Unbeknownst to Danny, Jack is secretly worried about how Maddie will react to the news upon her return to Amity - and how to confront Vlad once Jack learns his true identity. Amidst it all, an enemy lurks and plots their revenge.

Chapter 2 of 11: Trusting in You

AO3

Tumblr Chapter One

(Tumblr Chapter Three will be here)

Beta by: @probably-dead and @scarletsaphire!

~~~~~~

When the last bell finally rang several hours later, Tucker nearly forgot his backpack in his rush to leave the classroom. He didn’t bother with his locker, heading straight outside to wait for Sam at one of the trees near the edge of Casper High’s grounds. He couldn’t remember the last time his heart had pounded this fast in anticipation. 

Sam met him less than a minute later, breathing heavily as she’d had to sprint across the entire campus to get here. “Ready?” She asked, though the word was still breathless.

Tucker chuckled. “Thought you aced that President’s Test?” He teased.

She just glared at him for a moment then grabbed him by one of the backpack straps over his shoulder and began pulling him.

“Why do you insist on pulling me everywhere?” He whined. “Have you ever considered saying please?”

“Never,” she shot back and sped up her steps, heading for the park Danny had mentioned. Despite her quick pace, Tucker kept up fairly easily, having grown taller since freshman year and now slightly towering over her.

He grinned and let her pull him, though he tried to ignore the fluttering in his stomach that grew more intense as they approached the park. He thought of all the things he had to look forward to, with Danny back in their lives - the all nighters playing video games together, the movie nights they’d started doing freshman year in Sam’s in home theater.

Simply having him back as someone to talk to, as someone to crack jokes with until all three of them were wheezing puddles on the ground and clutching at their chests as they laughed so hard they couldn’t breathe. He wanted his friend back and he would do anything he could to reassure Danny that Tucker could never hate him.

The two of them slowed as they passed into the park, Sam releasing her grip on Tucker’s backpack strap as they both scanned over it.

It really wasn’t much to look at, honestly. A few half rusted benches rested on cracked sidewalks, a water feature in the center that had long since lost its water and never been refilled. Trees dotted the landscape, flowers and weeds lining the sidewalk. Spring had set in and had finally reached a temperature that was almost perfect, just a touch too cold, and the trees had begun to regrow their leaves.

Sam and Tucker beelined for one of the benches that was in better condition than the others, plopping their backpacks onto the metal. Neither of them sat down, each too full of anxious energy, pacing instead.

For the next several minutes, they continued like that, glancing impatiently at their watches.

“I’m here!” A familiar voice called out, and Tucker grinned as Danny hurried towards them. He’d already mentally queued up a joke about being out of breath - Danny had never excelled in gym, after all - but was surprised to find Danny was not breathing deeply as he came to a stop in front of them. If Danny had started working out in the past year, Tucker was going to eat his own beret.

“You’re late.” Sam said sternly, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring at Danny.

Danny fidgeted, dropping his gaze to his feet as he pulled at his hands, another nervous tic Tucker recognized.

Tucker sent a look to Sam, trying to telepathically tell her to chill out. “It’s all good!” Tucker said, throwing a friendly punch to Danny’s right shoulder. Danny let out a yelp as soon as Tucker’s fist connected, grabbing at his upper arm and jumping backwards. “Whoa, dude, you good?”

“I’m fine.” Danny said immediately.

“You sure? Is your shoulder okay?” Tucker asked, reaching for the end of his friend’s sleeve to look.

“Got rammed into a locker by Dash.” Danny answered, smoothly avoiding Tucker’s hand, though Danny grimaced as soon as the words were out of his mouth.

“Okay…” Tucker said, letting his outstretched hand fall back to his side.

Sam sighed, letting some of the tension out of her shoulders. “We’re here, Danny. Are you ready to talk to us?”

Again, Danny fidgeted, but he didn’t hesitate before answering. “Yes. I mean… I think so.” He cleared his throat. “There’s a clearing a little bit further in and it’s kind of… private, remember it? Is it okay if we go there?”

“Sure,” Sam answered as Tucker nodded, both collecting their backpacks from where they’d dropped them.

Danny gave them a relieved smile then gestured for them to follow him - though Tucker did notice Danny waved with his non-dominant left arm, seemingly unwilling to use his right. Had Dash hit him that hard?

The three made their way into the tree line at the edge of the park. All of them knew the clearing Danny was talking about. They’d come here many times in the past several years, hiding from parents or bullies. Sometimes, Danny had invited them to watch the stars with him. The memories of stargazing with Danny and Sam to either side of Tucker pulled a soft smile to his lips.

They continued their short traipse through the woods until they broke through the trees into the small clearing. An odd sense of nostalgia grew within Tucker even as Danny tossed his backpack to the side, beginning to pace. They’d been coming to this place for so long and it had always felt so spacious. Now, after over a year of not being here, it felt smaller. They were growing, but the clearing hadn’t.

Sam and Tucker both sat down, leaning their backs against some of the trees. Danny remained standing, walking back and forth in front of them, sending them a panicked look.

“Danny.” Sam said softly, leaning forward and resting her arms on top of her knees. “Please talk to us.”

“We’re right here, dude.” Tucker agreed, mimicking Sam’s position, giving Danny his undivided attention.

“It’s… it’s a lot.” Danny finally confessed.

“And her ultra recyclo vegetarianism isn’t?” Tucker joked.

Sam playfully shoved Tucker with her shoulder. “And his obsession with meat isn’t?”

Danny finally stopped pacing, giving a defeated sigh as he ran his hand through his messy hair. “I honestly don’t know where to begin.”

“Well, freshman year is when you changed. Start there,” Sam encouraged.

“I…” Danny gulped. “I need you two to promise me something, first.”

“If it’s my first born child you want, you’ve got it.” Tucker joked, grinning, while Sam shoved him again.

Tucker’s efforts paid off, it seemed, as a cautious smile finally spread onto the other boy’s face, though it did slide away rather quickly. “It’s… I need to know you will keep this secret safe. No matter what you think of it or of me, you can’t tell anyone. Not your family, not any other students, no one.”

“Danny, of course we will keep your secret.” Sam said, frowning. 

“I need your word. From both of you. On everything you know or love or want, you will tell no one.”

“Dude, is everything okay? Are you in trouble?” Tucker asked, eyeing Danny warily. He didn’t think he’d ever seen Danny like this.

“It’s… hard to explain.” He answered avoidantly.

“Is it something illegal?” Sam asked, concerned.

“Uh…” Danny said, and Tucker felt dread coil in his stomach. “I… again. Hard to explain. The answer isn’t no?”

Tucker stood, taking two large steps until he was right in front of Danny. He reached out, grasping both of Danny’s wrists gently in either hand. Had Danny’s skin always been this chilly? “Danny, tell us what’s going on. We can’t help you if we don’t know what’s going on.”

Danny’s jaw dropped slightly. “Help me?”

“Help you get out of it, help keep you safe, hell, I’ll help smuggle you out of the city and make a fake ID. Of course I’m going to help you!” Tucker answered fiercely.

“Tuck’s right, Danny.” Sam said, joining at Tucker’s side. “Talk to us. We’re your friends.” And we always will be, Tucker added internally.

Tears began to swirl in Danny’s eyes and the small grin from earlier reappeared. “Your word. Both of you, swear it. This isn’t something to take lightly. This is big and I would get hurt if it got out. Swear to me.”

“Danny, look at me.” Tucker said, still gripping Danny’s wrists. Danny obeyed and Tucker stared into his best friend’s worried blue eyes. “I swear to you on meat, on technology, on everything I am. I will not tell anyone your secret. I am sorry we let you go so easily before. I’m not giving up on you. Not again.” 

Shock sparked in Danny’s eyes as Sam also swore herself to secrecy. Tucker was likewise surprised at his own words. He hadn’t meant to say all that.

Yet he had meant all of it, and would take none of it back.

Danny took a deep breath and pulled himself from Tucker’s grasp. “Okay.” He said, nodding to no one in particular. “Okay.”

He looked to the two of them, giving them one last chance to opt out, one last chance to turn around and forget about him and their friendship. Tucker stayed rooted in place, unyielding as Danny fought over a mental hurdle.

Danny took a step back, putting some space between himself and the other two. “Do you remember the accident I had a little less than two years ago? Right before freshman year started?”

“Yeah, something to do with the portal your parents had built that didn’t work? You said it turned on while you were down there.” Sam recalled as Tucker nodded. He remembered the incident. He’d been so relieved when Danny had walked away from that without so much as a scratch.

“I may have lied about some of it.” Danny admitted, fisting his hands at his side, clutching the hem of his shirt. “It wasn’t… it didn’t just turn on while I was down there. I turned it on.”

“Oh, no.” Sam said, eyes widening.

“Is that why you thought we’d be mad?” Tucker asked. “That we’d blame you for the ghosts?”

“Yes… and no. I…” Danny took a deep breath. “I was inside of the portal when it turned on.”

“Fuck,” Tucker breathed. “You’re lucky it didn’t kill you!”

Danny laughed humorlessly. “Again. Yes and no.”

Tucker and Sam exchanged bewildered looks, neither knowing how to respond to that.

He took their silence as permission to continue. “I… I died, guys. I died in the portal.”

Tucker’s stomach dropped clear through the dirt beneath his feet, grief a jagged agony with every heartbeat as he remembered thinking, not even two minutes ago, how cold Danny’s skin had been. It wasn't possible. It couldn't be possible.

"No," Tucker whispered, staring at Danny.

"That's impossible. You're not a ghost! You can't be!" Sam cried out as tears fell down her face.

"Well, yes and no." Danny said, making a so-so motion with his hand. 

"Daniel James Fenton, if you say 'yes and no' one more time, I'm breaking your nose, ghost or not!" Sam threatened.

“Okay, okay!” He said quickly, holding his hands up in surrender as a serious look settled on his face. “I… it’s hard to explain, okay? When the portal turned on, there was… it was a massive amount of electricity and ecto energy around me, immediately. I didn’t have time to run or think or do anything before… before a hole in the fabric of reality opened around me, through me, in me.” Pain flickered across his face and Tucker’s heart felt like it was being grabbed and twisted. “But… it brought me back as soon as it killed me. Well. Brought some of me back.”

“Some of you back?” Sam repeated numbly.

“Some of me back.” Danny confirmed. “I’m half ghost.”

Those words were a physical presence in the air, a weight smothering Tucker as he struggled to draw in breaths through the confused grief in his heart. He stared at Danny, horrified. How had he managed to not notice something so awful? Who doesn’t notice their best friend fucking dying?

“I’m still me!” Danny said hastily at Tucker’s look, taking a step back away from him. “Please believe me!”

Realizing that Danny had assumed Tucker’s horror was directed at him and not at Tucker himself, Tucker finally found his voice again.. “I know! I know. I just… I don’t know how I missed it…”

“Is that why you left us?” Sam asked. “You were afraid of hurting us?”

Danny opened his mouth to answer but stopped, instead making the so-so motion with his hand again. Part of Tucker wanted to laugh - even as a ghost, Danny was afraid Sam would make good on her earlier threat to break his nose.

Then the rest of Tucker’s brain processed (again) that Danny was a ghost and any humor died before it was born.

“Kinda? There’s more to it but… it’s a really, really long story. And I haven’t finished telling you everything yet.”

“There’s more?” Sam asked weakly, slowly lowering herself to sit on the ground again.

“Uh, yeah? It’s actually… the biggest thing?”

“You have something. Bigger. Than. Dying?” Tucker said disjointedly.

“Half dying.” Danny immediately corrected. “And yes. I’m half ghost and I have a ghost half. Like, that looks different? And you guys are going to recognize my ghost half…”

For a wild, wild moment, Tucker imagined Danny transforming into the Box Ghost and waggling his fingers as he shouted ‘beware!’ in the most non threatening manner ever. A ghost half? Who could he be? Tucker was wracking his brain to think of other low level ghosts he could think of when he realized Danny had stalled. He was waiting for permission to continue.

“Can we see?” Tucker asked.

Fear and apprehension danced in Danny’s blue eyes until determination pushed them away and he adjusted his stance, feet shifting further apart and shoulders tensing, hands still fisted at his side. “I’m goin’ ghost!”

Tucker wasn’t sure if his heart stopped, stuttered, or accelerated as he watched the scene unfold in front of him. It sure as hell did something, but Tucker had no idea what it was as white rings encircled Danny’s waist. The ring split into two, slowly sweeping up and down Danny’s body, changing him everywhere the rings passed. Danny’s baggy white shirt was replaced with skin-tight black material that glowed, his loose pants following suit. His pale arms disappeared under the same black glow, his hands into white material of the same type.

Tucker recognized the outfit long before the transformation finished. He wasn’t surprised when the rings passed along Danny’s face, turning his skin tan, his eyes green, his hair white.

He recognized Phantom immediately. He knew this was Phantom. Yet he struggled to reconcile that identity with Danny Fenton. The same timid boy who struggled to ask to borrow crayons as a child, who never raised his hand to answer questions, even if he knew the answer.

With Danny Fenton, the child who had ran to the new kid’s aid before even meeting him, who’d taken the punch a younger Dash Baxter had aimed at Tucker’s face on his first day of second grade. The child who’d made quick friends with Tucker, who took hit after hit to protect his friend on the playground.

Suddenly it wasn’t so hard to see Danny Fenton in the heroic Phantom, being repeatedly beaten into the ground, into windows, into walls, smearing glowing green blood everywhere he touched, even as Danny Fenton missed his classes and skipped plans made with friends.

Sam was silent beside Tucker, probably also reeling from the revelation. Phantom - Danny - floated slightly, only an inch or two above the ground, hugging himself as he watched them fearfully. Tucker could practically see the wheels turning in Danny’s head, convincing him they hated him for this. His self esteem had never been great.

“Danny?” Tucker asked softly, taking a tentative step forward.

Burning green eyes locked onto Tucker. They were so alien. He wanted to flinch away, but he refused to break eye contact. He could see Danny in those eyes, in that expression, the way his eyebrows arched, the way self-consciousness warped his mouth into a frown. “Tuck?” Danny questioned, his voice echoing heavily, hope layered into the reverberations.

Tucker didn’t think as he closed the short distance between him and Danny, wrapping his arms around Danny and pulling the ghost close against him. He felt like ice was burning his entire body, searing harshly wherever he pressed against Danny, but Tucker didn’t care. Danny had suffered for so long, Tucker could handle some frostbite.

“Tucker!” Danny exclaimed as Tucker pulled him close, wiggling slightly, but he didn’t phase through Tucker’s grasp. Tucker just clutched Danny close to him, setting his chin on top of Danny’s head. Sometimes it was really nice to be the tallest of the friend group, he decided as he buried one hand in Danny’s white hair. He winced at the icy pain even as Danny settled his head against Tucker’s shoulder, wrapping his own arms around Tucker.

“I’m sorry,” Tucker said, pressing his cheek to the top of Danny’s head. He wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for. For all the pain Phantom suffered protecting them, for letting Danny go, for all the times Tucker had been too slow to get out of the way and Phantom had protected him, for not seeing how much Danny needed them, for not fighting hard enough for him. He apologized for all of it. “I’m so sorry.”

He felt Danny adjust, moving to press his face against Tucker’s neck, felt as Danny started to shake. Felt as tears of ice dropped onto his skin, heard as sobs and muffled apologies filled the air as Danny clutched the back of Tucker’s shirt.

He didn’t hear Sam get up but he felt as her warm arms wrapped around them. She hissed slightly at the cold coming from Danny, but she seemed just as determined as Tucker, refusing to let the pain keep her from Danny.

Danny just cried harder, melting into the hug, into the two of them.

Sam and Tucker caught each other’s eyes over Danny’s head. He saw his own emotions mirrored in her face - regret, shame, determination, protection - and gave her a hopeful smile. There was no denying their lives would be irrevocably changed from this point on. Phantom had enemies; there was no doubt about that. Would one of them use Sam or Tucker? Hurt one of them to hurt Danny?

Stark realization doused Tucker as Danny’s sobs began to slow. As he triggered his transformation and left a human Danny Fenton between the two of them, no longer so cold it hurt, Tucker realized he didn’t care about the risks or the negative consequences.

He didn’t care because he loved Danny and he would be damned before he let Danny slip through his fingers again. He finally accepted that as he pressed closer to Danny, running one of his hands soothingly through black hair as Danny cried.

He loved Danny and he’d fight as hard for Danny as Phantom fought for Amity.

[ghostfacelegacy]

@ofakillerwithin

[Anger issues. I scoffed at the thought. Was I perfect? No. Did I get myself into sticky situations, from time to time, sure. Did some of the people on the receiving end of these situations end up needing medical attention? Yeah, but in my defense, they brought it on themselves. A defense that my parents didn't seem to understand... Well, adopted parents, to clarify, since it turned out my whole life was a compilation of lies, secrets, and scandal. It wasn't until nearing the end of high school that I realized the people I had been deceived into believing were my parents, were actually my biological aunt and uncle. If learning all of that wasn't enough to give a guy "anger issues," then I didn't know what was. Of course my aunt and uncle didn't see it that way. A fact that they unknowingly made known to me one night when I overheard one of their conversations. Okay, okay, so I roughed a guy up at school, but given all the shit he had been putting me through, he got what he deserved. To my aunt and uncle though, they overlooked the fact that the asshole had been bullying me and giving me shit for weeks, so when he came at me one night at a game, and I fought back, suddenly I'm the bad guy for breaking his arm, nose, and a few of his ribs too. Exhaling loudly at the memory. It was that same night that I learned my "parents" were actually my aunt and uncle, after overhearing my aunt ask my uncle if he thought I was turning into my father... My father? What the hell were they talking about? Of course I busted into the living room immediately to confront them that night, which was met with more lies and cover up attempts from them. Why the hell wouldn't they tell me the truth about who I really am? I had a right to know where I really came from! Their refusal to tell me the truth, and to add insult to injury, to feed me more bullshit, just made me even angrier with them for keeping all of this from me, for so long. Over time, and following a slightly physical altercation with the man I had learned was actually my uncle, my aunt confessed that my "cousin" Sidney, who visited the mountains here a few times a year, was actually my birth mother. Apparently she had me young, my father was no longer in the picture... Supposedly after learning she was pregnant with me, he bolted and left her on her own, so in order to give me the best shot at life, she turned me over to my aunt and uncle to adopt me. I confronted Sidney, and just like my adopted parents, Sidney also lied to me about my father; claiming he was just a one night stand, and she never heard from him again. Considering all of the bullshit my family had fed me over the years, I knew better than to believe this story either, which prompted me to do some research of my own on my birth father. This being the point where I made my first trip to Woodsboro to get some answers. I met Richie soon after arriving in Woodsboro, which was refreshing since he was the one who told me the truth about my life. Turns out my father wasn't some dead beat who slept with my biological mother, then bolted when he found out she was pregnant, like my adopted parents fed me. He also wasn't a one night stand like my biological mother told me. No, he was actually her long-time boyfriend, who allegedly turned out to be a mass murderer in the town of Woodsboro. Of course he never had the chance to defend the accusations made against him, since Sidney killed him first; costing me any chance to ever know my father. I was angry, to say the least, which prompted me to leave my adopted parents' home, and live on my own for awhile. Not long after high school ended, I learned my friend Richie had been murdered by some bitch named, Sam. Figures, the one person in my life I could trust was taken from me too. I had nobody now. Nobody! This fury and thirst for revenge bringing me to New York, where Sam and her group had moved to for college. I didn't know what I'd do or say once I finally came face to face with that bitch, but I did know, I'd make her pay for murdering my only real friend, Richie]

[fantomcomics]

What’s Out This Week? 3/1

Marching into March with a bevvy of b-e-a-utiful new books!

All Night & Every Day #1 One-Shot -  Ray Fawkes & Andrea Frittella

It's time to party! While celebrating is the last thing grief-stricken introvert Michaela wants to do, her friends drag her out for the night and end up trapping her in a hellish curse: a party that never ends, with no way to escape...not even by dying!

Now she must navigate the labyrinth of the legendary Banquet Hideous all on her own and learn its terrible secrets before she is consumed forever!

And We Love You #1 -  Fell Hound & Angela Wu

In the throes of a violent dystopian war, a young soldier perishes on the battlefield and begins to bleed out all her memories. Mixing heart wrenching emotions with stunningly gripping visuals, this is the tale of one woman's life, death, and the love which transcends both. A brand new epic from the world of the Ringo-nominated Commander Rao!

Buffy The Last Vampire Slayer Special -  Casey Gilly, Joe Jaro & Ario Anandito

It's been 4 years, and Buffy, Angel, and Thess have been living in relative peace as a dysfunctionally cozy family. But nothing can last forever... Tara might not be dead, but they're losing hope for her staying among the living, and strange new vampires have been sighted.

To get to the bottom of these unfolding horrors, our gang will have to head underground... and face the horrifying true cause of the decline in vampire activity!

Deadfellows #1 -  Kody Hamilton & Ramiro Borallo

Pete Miller has just gotten out of his two-year relationship, reeling from the chaos of it all without friends or family around. As he moves into his new awful, one-bedroom apartment Pete attempts to take his own life, but is stopped by a benevolent ghost. Moved by the kindness of this supernatural stranger, Pete sets out to bond with this ghost at all costs-but he quickly learns he doesn't understand the paranormal or their intentions.

Demon Slayer: One-Winged Butterfly GN -  Aya Yajima & Koyoharu Gotouge

Shinobu and Kanae ask Himejima to teach them how to slay demons. After he refuses, they must complete the impossible task of moving a giant rock to convince him to introduce them to trainers. In other tales, Zenitsu tricks Inosuke into helping him dig a hot spring under Uzui's training, Mitsuri grapples with her reason for becoming a Demon Slayer, Genya discusses his family with Sumi, the Hashiras try to make Tomioka smile, and Kimetsu Academy forms a rock band-much to Shinobu's chagrin!

Hunt. Kill. Repeat. #1 -  Mark London, Francesco Archidiacono, & Marc Deering 

It's Kill Bill meets Clash of the Titans in Hunt. Kill. Repeat. The all-new, action packed series by Mark London (Battlecats, Knights of the Golden Sun). When the Greek gods invade Earth, society is quickly forced to comply with their new rulers.   However, one god, Artemis, rejects her brethren's ideology and has found solace in the love of a mortal. When she is called to Olympus to answer for her betrayal, the gods strip away her godly powers and leave her for dead. Now, ten years later, Artemis is on a quest for revenge to confront her father, Zeus, for taking away everything she ever loved.

Phantom Road #1 -  Jeff Lemire & Gabriel Hernandez Walta

Dom is a long-haul truck driver attempting to stay ahead of his tragic past. When he stops one night to assist Birdie, who has been in a massive car crash, they pull an artifact from the wreckage that throws their lives into fifth gear. Suddenly, a typical midnight run has become a frantic journey through a surreal world where Dom and Birdie find themselves the quarry of strange and impossible monsters.

Nayra & The Djinn GN -  Iasmin Oma Ata

Nayra Mansour feels anything but at home in her New England boarding school. There's the constant pressure from her strict family, cruel bullying from her classmates, and exhausting friendship demands from Rami, the only other Muslim girl at school. Nayra has had enough. Just when she's considering transferring schools to escape it all, Marjan appears. As a djinn, a mythical creature in Arab folklore, Marjan uses their powers and wisdom to help Nayra navigate her overwhelming life. But Marjan's past in the djinn realm is fraught with secrets, guilt, and trouble that have a way of following them all the way to the human realm. And so they must face what they've done before Nayra is pulled into the mess they've made.

Muros Within Magic Walls: The Case Of The Cemetery Girl GN -  Paolo Chikiamco & Borg Sinaban

Manila-the walled city recently freed from a dictator's iron-fisted rule-is a magical metropolis where monsters flit and feed along neon-lit streets. In this noir-tinged dystopian graphic novel, the capital exists in an alternate reality where myth and fantasy collide. A one-armed Taga-Sagot-a gatherer of information, an answerer of questions, a fount of knowledge-is charged with finding the missing "daughter" of a small-town mayor lost amidst the temptations of the open city, now a den of pleasure districts and corruption. In a city now governed by the mysterious Societies, tensions between the human and nonhuman inhabitants are about to hit a breaking point.

Why Are You Like This: An ArtByMoga Comic Collection - Meg Adams

Finally, comics that answer life's most pressing questions: Is my partner actually upset or just hangry? Whose turn is it to remember the reusable shopping bags? Is it appropriate to put up Halloween décor two months in advance? (Spoiler alert: Yes. Yes, it is.) From the joys of marrying your best friend to the bizarre musings of a twelve-pound pup to the humor and heartbreak of anxiety, Meg's all-too-relatable comics leave no stone unturned.

We’re All Just Fine HC -  Ana Penyas

This heartfelt graphic biography is a tribute to the artist's grandmothers and a generation of women who quietly soldiered through over forty years of Fascist rule in Spain.

Artist Ana Penyas's grandmothers Maruja and Herminia live alone in their respective Spanish towns, largely neglected by their children and relatives, who never visit. But when Ana comes to see them, she realizes that these women, whose day-to-day existences now seem mundane, experienced firsthand an incredibly tumultuous and fascinating period of Spanish history.

In We're All Just Fine, Penyas weaves the memories of her grandmothers to craft a narrative quilt that pieces together what it was like for women to assimilate to Spain's dramatic political and cultural shifts in the late 1970s and '80s. The sudden transition from the authoritarian, repressive Franco regime to lively and liberating democracy was at once incredibly freeing but also destabilizing for women used to their traditional roles as dutiful housewives.

Through this intimate lens into her grandmothers' daily struggle - of their silence, the small acts of rebellion, and great gestures of resilience - Penyas gives voice to an entire generation of "invisible'' women whose stories have rarely been told. Combining collage and rough-hewn pencil drawings, and mixing past and present, Penyas offers a decidedly feminist tribute to the forgotten lives and legacies of her grandmothers.

We Live HC Vol 1 -  Roy Miranda & Inaki Miranda 

The year is 2084 and the world has changed. Wracked by calamities and crawling with monsters, the last remaining humans face a dangerous existence. And now, the Earth has been sent a message from the deepest reaches of space - a dark countdown to the extinction of all humanity. But there is hope! Five thousand children will be rescued by these mysterious message-senders. This is the journey of Hototo, one of the lucky five thousand - but only if his teenage sister, Tala, can safely deliver him to the nearest Beacon before time runs out.

Storyboarding For Visions Of Wim Wenders HC -  Stephane Lemardele

In 2014, storyboard artist Stéphane Lemardelé began work with legendary filmmaker Wim Wenders (Paris, Texas; Wings of Desire) on his newest project, the emotional Every Thing Will Be Fine. The opening scenes Stéphane worked on would become some of the most renowned of the film, but it was the relationship he built with Wenders that would truly change him. Through this graphic novel memoir, Stéphane captures not only the production of this film but moments of artistic reflection from Wim himself as he ponders the trajectory of his career and evolution as an artist, and the use of film as a tool to examine our own humanity. This book is a rare peek behind the curtain for all fans of cinema, featuring actual storyboards from the production.

Red Zone #1 (of 4) - Cullen Bunn, Mike Deodato, Lee Loughridge & Razzah

Randall Crane, an unassuming American professor of Russian and Slavic Studies at NYU, is called in by the US government for a secret international mission back to Russia, where his long-buried secrets come to light. When his support team of commandos is ambushed and killed, it's up to Randall to fight his way out of Russia using his "particular set of skills."

Wildheart: The Daring Adventures Of John Muir GN - Julie Bertagna & William Goldsmith

The exciting life story of John Muir-who sailed to America as a boy and ended up changing the world; told for the first time in a graphic novel. John Muir led an adventurous life, starting with his wild and playful boyhood in Scotland to his legendary exploits in America, where he became an inventor, a global explorer, and the first modern environmentalist; and even became friends with a president! His heart was always in the outdoors and he aimed to experience all he could. Most importantly, though, John Muir told the world about the wonders of nature. His words made a difference and inspired people in many countries to start protecting planet Earth-and they still do.

Whatcha scooping up to start the month, Fantom Fam?

[agentcable]

Supernatural Season 1 Ep. 21 "Salvation"

Sam has a vision of a family being attacked, so he, Dean, and John head off to save this family and kill the demon. Meg calls and says she'll kill their friends unless they return the gun. John meets Meg to deliver a fake gun, while the boys deal with the demon.

If you want to watch the series for yourself, stop reading! This post contains spoilers to the storyline.

In Blue Earth, Minnesota, a priest reads the Bible at his altar when Meg enters, seeking solace. The priest says, "Salvation is there for all who seek it," but when she reveals her black eyes, he retreats to an underground office with tools of a hunter. Meg follows him and kicks in the door. The priest throws a knife at her, but she catches it. He asks, "What do you want?" She asks for John Winchester's location. He won't tell her. She kills him with the knife.

In Manning, Colorado, John shares his 20-year research with Sam and Dean. He explains the trail and signs. Sam is angry and sad that he caused Mary and Jess's deaths. But John and Dean don't let him dwell. John sees signs of trouble in Salvation, Iowa. He wants to save another family from the pain and loss the Winchesters have suffered.

On the road, John learns that Pastor Jim Murphy, the priest from the beginning, has been killed, probably by demons. John feels the need to find the next family on the demon's list. John mourns his friend and says, "This ends now. I'm done. I don't care what it takes."

They split up to cover more territory and research all infants turning 6 months old in the coming week. As Sam leaves the hospital, he sees where the demon will go next. He follows the signs and meets Monica and Rosie. He can't warn her, so he goes back to Dean and John. John is angry that the boys didn't tell him about Sam's visions.

Dean says John is unresponsive and that it's harder to reach him than win the lottery. John agrees. Sam's phone rings. Meg, who they thought was dead, wants to speak with John. She says he killed Jim Murphy and is with Caleb today. She wants the Colt.

John plays dumb, and Meg kills Caleb. She'll keep killing his friends until he gives her the Colt. John agrees to meet her in Lincoln at midnight. The boys don't want to give her the gun, but John has a plan: they'll use a fake gun because Meg doesn't know what the real one looks like. He says he needs this job to be over. Dean returns with the fake Colt and pleads with John not to throw his life away. John tells him to do the same. He gives the boys the real Colt and the job of killing the demon.

John arrives in Lincoln to meet Meg. He looks for ways to escape and finds a reservoir to bless. John confronts Meg while the boys watch over Monica and her family.

John meets Meg and she is joined by Tom, a taciturn demon. John hands the gun to Meg, who hands it to Tom. She asks if he thinks it's the real thing. He shoots Meg. She's angry but still alive. In shock and anger, Meg turns on John. The gun isn't the real Colt. He runs and sprays them with holy water. John finds his truck tires slashed outside. He runs and gets trapped.

The boys break in to save Monica and Rosie. Sam faces the demon over Rosie's crib and fires a shot, but the demon vanishes too fast. They grab Monica and run from the burning house. They turn back and see the yellow-eyed demon in the flames. Dean stops Sam from going back into the burning building.

Back at the hotel room, Dean is trying to contact John. Sam is angry that Dean stopped him from going after the yellow-eyed demon. Dean asks if he should get revenge or sacrifice himself. Sam gets angry and tells Dean how he feels. Sam is shocked back to the present and focuses on John. Dean calls his father's phone again. Meg answers and says they'll never see their father again.

To be continued...

----------

For more behind the scenes, follow up here:

Podcast "Supernatural - Then and Now" hosted by Rob Benedict and Richard Speight Jr.

[bonniehooper]

SUPERNATURAL REWATCH, 1x20: “Dead Man's Blood”

-Oh, is this the episode that introduces the Colt?

-Is this old guy a hunter?

-Damn, they got from the bar to his place quick.

-Wait, is she a shifter? I thought she was a vampire.

-Yeah, they’re vampires, so why did her eyes flicker like a shifter’s do?

-Sam: “Maybe someday.” Shut it! I know you’re not going to see her again until season eight and it'll be horrible!!

-So, Elkin was a hunter.

-Is that the first mention of using salt to protect against demons or am I forgetting something?

-Was this place open or did they break in?

-Really John? You just show up randomly and scare the crap out of your boys.

-Wow, John never mentioned the possibility of vampires to the boys? Really?

-John, stop being so cryptic and tell them what the Colt is!

-Why do their eyes do the same thing as shifters? It’s weird to me.

-Sam: “I don’t see why we couldn't have gone over with him.” Dean: “Oh tell me it’s not already starting.” Sam: “What’s starting?” You know exactly what Dean is talking about Sam, don’t play dumb.

-I mean, it’s understandable that Sam is asking questions since they have never dealt with vampires before, but I get why Dean doesn’t want him to because Sam does seem more confrontational than curious.

-John: “Dean, why don’t you touch up your car before you get rust? I wouldn’t have given you the damn thing if I thought you were gonna ruin it.”

-I still can’t believe they brought this lady back in the series finale. It’s still so random to me.

-I appreciate that Luthor didn’t celebrate Kate killing Elkin and was concerned about the threat that could bring to them.

-Fucking Sam, you need to stop.

-Dean just wants his family to love each other!!

-Okay, we could have just put Kate’s wrist against her mouth. We didn’t need Kate to give her the blood with her mouth.

-John: “So, you boys really want to know about this colt?” No, John, they don’t care at all. It’s not like that’s what started the fighting between you and Sam.

-Oh shit, does she wake them all up since they turned her?

-John: “So somewhere along the line, I stopped being your father. I became your drill sergeant.” This is something John needed to acknowledge and I’m glad he did, but I just wish Dean was there to hear this two because he doesn’t just owe Sam an apology for the way he treated him when he decided to go off to school, but also for the way he treated Dean and actually continues to treat Dean.

-I love Dean finally standing up to John. Also, love that Dean points out that if John was really concerned about their safety, he wouldn't have sent them on hunts.

-So what did happen to the girl they turned? Did they let her go and she just wondered the Earth until she met the boys again in the finale?

-Wait, so Luthor saying “we have as much right to live as you do”, is that supposed to be the first hint that there are some creatures that just want to live and have no choice in what they are.

-Luthor’s death from being shot by the Colt is really cool.

-Does Kate ever come back to get her revenge? Is that just an open-ended story that they don’t resolve? Also, if Kate lived then how come she wasn’t the one to come after the boys in the finale? It makes so much more sense for her to want revenge, then this random woman who got kidnapped and turned...I’m so confused.