#no beta we die like all avatars do eventually

[junipernight]

Yangvik Week 2024 - Days 2 and 4

Prompts: Touch Starved, Family, and Hair

___________________________________________

Balm

“Alright, I’m ready,” said Yangchen, stepping out from behind the finned-caribou hide that partitioned the tent.

Kavik squinted at her. She was dressed in the blue furs of the water tribe, in a knee-length parka with a moon motif on the front panel. Her hair had been swept up and folded into a bun, with two strands on either side of her face hanging in braids and adorned with bone beads. Her arrows were completely covered by the warm mittens on her hands and the thick fringe over her forehead.

She looked every inch a Northern Water Tribe girl - even her eyes, normally a dark gray, seemed to have taken on a slightly icy hue, as if they were reflecting the arctic world around them—but there was something off about the disguise.

Kavik snapped his fingers as he figured it out. “You look like my gran-gran!” he said. Then his thoughts caught up with his mouth, and he said, “Wait, that didn’t come out right.”

Luckily, Yangchen seemed more amused than offended. “How was it supposed to come out, then?”

Kavik poked the bun at the nape of her neck. “Your hair. No one younger than my gran-gran wears their hair like that.”

Yangchen frowned. This had been her favorite way to do her hair, in one past life or another. She hadn’t even thought about it before tying her hair up—her fingers had remembered all on their own.

Thinking back on her time training in Agna Qel’a, however, she realized Kavik was right. She would stick out if she wore her hair like this, and it was very important that she blend in for the sake of the mission: Today, she was meeting Kavik’s extended family in Long Stretch.

And if everything went well, they would never suspect that “Ilagik” was the Avatar. 

Yangchen  peeked out the tent flap: the tundra greeted her, wide open and vibrant and abuzz with the frenetic energy of late summer. The sun was obscured by a light mist, but she could make out a bright spot low on the eastern horizon. “We have some time before we have to leave,” she said. “I can try again.”

“Let me help you,” Kavik offered.

Yangchen raised a skeptical eyebrow at him.

“My cousin taught me how to braid when I was little,” he said defensively, as if he were offended that she doubted him.

Yangchen shrugged, and flounced onto the nearest bedroll. “Ok then. You do it.”

Kavik took off his mittens and sat behind her. He pulled out the beads, untied the ribbons, and unpinned the fake fringe. Then he began to comb her hair. He started at the bottom, gently running his fingers through the strands and gently teasing apart tangles. Gradually he worked his way up to the roots of her hair.

Without meaning to, Yangchen leaned back into his touch, her eyes drifting shut. Having her hair brushed felt nice, nicer than she would have expected. It wasn’t an experience she was accustomed to; the last time someone had brushed her hair would have been back at the Western Air Temple. The older Air Nomad girls taught the younger ones how to deal with hair after they turned old enough; growing one’s hair out was an important marker of growing up. Yangchen didn’t remember whose hands had brushed her hair and taught her how to hold the comb, only that it hadn’t been Jetsun.

Yangchen winced. 

“Sorry,” said Kavik, thinking the motion had been in response to something he did.

Yangchen suddenly noticed that there wasn’t much braiding going on. “Are you playing with my hair?”

Kavik paused guiltily, “... maybe.”

“Keep doing it, it feels nice.”

Kavik was happy to oblige. He ran his hands through her hair some more, watching the silky strands slip through his fingers.

“Tell me about your cousin,” she said. “The one who taught you how to braid.”

Kavik began to separate her hair into sections. “I have a lot of cousins, but my favorite is Yuka. Every year, we used to see each other at fish camp, and we’d all go everywhere together like a pack of porcupine seals. Yuka is the oldest, and Kalyann and I used to think that cloudberries sprouted wherever she walked. She’s really smart, and she always had the best ideas for games.

“One summer, she was teaching my girl cousins how to braid their hair, and I cried until she let me learn too.”

Yangchen grinned as she imagined Kavik, baby-cheeked and innocent and tearful about being excluded.

“Real tears?” she inquired. “Or were you a master liar even then?”

“Very real tears,” Kavik assured her solemnly. . “I would never lie to Yuka.” 

Yangchen snorted, not believing him for a minute. “Will I get to meet Yuka?”

“I hope so. I heard she’s married now; hopefully she didn’t move away.”

“Do you mind if I use a little hair grease?” Kavik asked, holding up a small jar. 

“Umm...” Yangchen was willing to eat meat, if that was what was available. She was aware that the clothes she wore and the tent they were sheltered in were made from the hides of dead animals… hides which had been carefully waterproofed with the same animal fat Kavik now held up, no doubt. And yet, it still made her uncomfortable, the idea of rubbing cooked animal remains directly on her person.

She was about to say yes anyway, for the disguise and because it wasn’t really a big deal, when Kavik surprised her.

“It’s from Taku,” he said, twisting open the lid. Instead of the stench of animal fat, a fruity and sweet aroma filled the air, taking her by surprise. “I think it’s some kind of fruit oil.”

Yangchen’s shoulders relaxed. “Sure.”

Kavik rubbed the grease onto his hands and began to massage it into her hair. Whatever fruit it was, it was familiar. The scent called her back to some other place, in some other lifetime, but Yangchen resisted, focusing on the soft patter of rain on the tent and the gentle tugging of her companion’s hands through her hair; he was massaging her scalp now, digging his fingers into the roots of her hair; this was even better than the brushing.

No one touched Yangchen anymore, outside of occasional bouts of physical combat. In the western air temple, she had grown up in close proximity to dozens of girls, with whom she’d had very little physical boundaries. Her sisters and she had piled on the same beds, and huddled for warmth during festivals at the northern temple, and tackled each other both on and off the air ball court. And of course Jetsun had always been her greatest source of comfort, holding her close and anchoring her to the present when she was wracked by the grief and anguish of a thousand past lives. After Jetsun had died and Yangchen had left the temple, she’d been left with almost no one. Just a lonely figure at the top of an air spout, suspended in front of  an audience.

(Except for Nu Jian, when she still had him. Nu Jian couldn’t hug her, but at least she could hug Nu Jian.)

When had Kavik become the exception to her isolation? When had Kavik become the one that casually lifted her up and spun her around?

She was almost sad when he finally began braiding her hair, but they did have somewhere to be, and a long ride ahead of them. 

Kavik froze a thin sheet of ice, and held it up to her when he was done.

“What do you think?” He asked.

Kavik had braided the bulk of her hair into one long braid and pulled it into a loop that dangled from the crown of her head. He’d also redone the face-framing qilliqti that she had tried to do before. Yangchen had struggled to thread the thin braids through the beads, and her earlier attempt had been frizzy because of it. The hair grease combined with Kavik's skill had made the braids sleek and elegant.

Yangchen turned to thank him, and then immediately dodged a greasy finger aimed right for her nose. Another greasy hand came at her, and she grabbed Kavik’s wrists.

“Stop that!” She laughed.

“But you like my hands,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.

“I’m trying to give you a hug!”

“Oh!” It was Kavik’s turn to be surprised. “Okay.”

She hugged him. And then she directed his greasy hands back at his face.

“Hey!”

.

.

.

(They were slightly late to dinner with Kavik’s parents.)

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

The BBB

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/CtB7wmV by Im_Outside_Your_Window The bbq gods decide who lives, who dies, and who gets GRILLED! A total drama and survivor based game show all about barbecues. The prize: A brand new grill! Contestants from all across the multiverse will compete to see who is the true GRILL MASTER! There can only be one, and everyone’s got their eyes on the prize. Each day contests will be forced to tackle a brand new challenge on the grill. Including romance, betrayal, and death….? This new reality show coming the scene will be sure to have all of it! (Updates every Thursday) Words: 1480, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Metal Family (Cartoon), Miraculous Ladybug, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Loud House (Cartoon), Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Team Fortress 2, The Music Freaks (Web Series), DCU, Garfield - All Media Types, Cold Front (Video Game), Disney Movies - Fandom, 古見さんはコミュ症です。 | Komi-san wa Komyushou Desu | Miss Komi Can't Communicate (Anime), 古見さんはコミュ症です。 | Komi-san wa Komyushou Desu | Miss Komi Can't Communicate (Manga), Heathers: The Musical - Murphy & O'Keefe, Total Drama (Cartoon), Dead Plate (RachelDrawsThis Video Game), Doki Doki Literature Club! (Visual Novel), Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon 2005) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: Gen Characters: Drew Gooden, Danny Gonzalez - Character, Eren Yeager, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Joe Biden, Scout (Team Fortress 2), Lincoln Loud, Komi Shouko, Rapunzel (Disney), John Arbuckle, Gordan Ramsey, Rody Lamoree, Augustine Orlov, Batman, Monika (Doki Doki Literature Club!), Zuko (Avatar), Heather Chandler (Heathers), Chris McLean, Owen (Total Drama), Annabeth Chase (Percy Jackson), Glam (Metal Family), Drew (The Music Freaks) Relationships: wouldn’t you like to know weather boy - Relationship Additional Tags: Not Beta Read, we die like characters in this fic, Crack Treated Seriously, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Reality TV, Multiverse, Challenges, Romance, Eventual Romance, they are adults don’t worry, also no smut for you horn dogs, Game Shows, Character Death, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cooking People, Mentions of Murder, out of world corruption, cough cough monika, Bad Cooking, Like- REALLY BAD, like why is he on THIS show, I'm Bad At Tagging, Crack, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, comfort before the hurt fr, read and you’ll see read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/CtB7wmV

[metalwarrior22]

Someday

Read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/Txg7IK4 by gayestcatra You told me I found love. And here was Older Korra's answer, so simple, so huge, caught up in something as small and as world-shattering as a kiss and two words. You did. Future Korra didn't just kiss Asami. Future Korra loved her. Korra tried to speak, fought for words, and eventually managed, “You– I– girls– kissing– her?” Or Korra meets the future versions of herself and Asami, and has some realisations. (Companion piece to The Unexpected.) Written for Korrasami Week 2023, day 4: Future. Words: 2422, Chapters: 1/1, Language: English Series: Part 4 of Korrasami Week 2023 Fandoms: Avatar: Legend of Korra Rating: General Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: F/F Characters: Korra (Avatar), Asami Sato Relationships: Korra/Asami Sato Additional Tags: Korrasami Week 2023 (Avatar), Korrasami Week, Future, kind of?, that's the prompt anyways, Time Shenanigans, Pre-Relationship, But also, Established Relationship, ALL WILL BECOME CLEAR, Humor, Fluff and Humor, POV Korra (Avatar), Spirit Shenanigans, this is a companion piece, Realisations, meeting future selves, Funny, I hope, Time Travel, Past and Present, Oblivious, until she's not, How Do I Tag, I'm Bad At Tagging, no beta we die like hiroshi Read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/Txg7IK4

[good-rwbyaus]

Salem gave up on her plans of conquest because she got addicted to playing Fortnight. Being immortal, she can play it without stopping. Her greatest online rival is unknowingly Ironwood, aka MetalDong69.

// Cause even an obsessive omnicidal immortal needs hobbies.- lilac 

Title: MetalDong69

—–

1. Emergency Meeting

“The Grimm have been oddly quiet,” Ozpin frowned into the camera, staring at the faces of those he trusted the most. 

Glynda. Qrow. Leonardo. James. Theodore. 

“Vale’s extension into Mountain Glenn had been met with zero resistance,” he continued, “given this anomaly, I’m concerned that the Queen must be planning something. Something big.” 

“Have any of you noticed anything strange?”

Numerous shakes of the head and comments came from the participants of the call.

All except one.

James seemed oddly distracted, his face schooled in perfect attention, but his eyes would occasionally dart on the screen. He could faintly hear the repetitive clicking of his keyboard and sliding of his mouse. 

Was he working on something? 

“James, are you okay? You’ve been awfully quiet.”

———————————-

Loud keyboard clicking can be heard in the background.

With a small amount of guilt, James Ironwood pressed his microphone to speak into the trans-continental Zoom call. 

“Um, yes. Everything’s…fine.”

———————————–

Elsewhere:

[MetalDong69 has eliminated you!]

[You have placed #2!]

[KillAllHumans]: Who the hell camps in a barn with a shotgun?!

MetalDong69′s avatar starts crouching up and down on her corpse. 

[KillAllHumans]: You dare corpsehump me?! Just you wait you pre-centurian piece of shit.

[KillAllHumans]: I’ll put all my energy into destroying you and everything you love!

Bang bang bang bang. 

[KillAllHumans]: Stop shooting my dead body you asshole! 

============================

2. One Month Earlier

FortKnight had been released onto the CCT for a week now, the first MMO that joined all the continents together. The gaming company that developed it had close ties with Atlas due to the involvement of the CCT, so when they noticed something really strange, they reported it to Atlas - and in turn eventually reached the top. 

The top that also happened to be their top beta player, Ironwood.

“So wait, you’re telling me there’s an account accessing from an untrackable location AND has been playing 24/7 non-stop without any breaks whatsoever?” Ironwood said, his eyes bugging out.

No way.

“Can you bring up their profile?”

Several lines of profile information immediately popped up on Ironwood’s scroll.

“So she put her name in as Salem,” the company representative said, “She isn’t too great at the game, and we’re actually planning on banning her because of her extreme flaming and death threats to other pla-” said the company IT person. 

“No no no. Just keep her in. In fact, keep her account access unrestricted,” Ironwood continued, “If this is who I think it is, you might’ve done Atlas, no the whole of Remnant, a great service.” 

——————————————————-

[MetalDong69 has eliminated you!]

[You have placed #22]

[KillAllHumans]: You fucking hacker! You can’t get the sniper scythe that early! 

[KillAllHumans]: You must’ve cheated! I’m reportin-

[KillAllHumans]: Stop shooting me! Those are sniper bullets! You barely get fifteen of them in a round, and you’re emptying the magazine on my corpse!

[KillAllHumans]: Fuck you! Fuck your mother! Fuck your dog! Fu-

——————————————————–

A couple days later….

“There’s no need to ban this person, “ Ironwood said, “In fact, I’ll fund your company so long as you develop more games dedicated to capturing the attention of this one player. ”

“Uhh, why is this player so important, sir?”

“That’s a military secret. Just know you will be rewarded for doing so.”

================================

================================

3. Teamwork

Somewhere in the Land of Darkness:

“Cinder, Tyrian , join me. Together we will crush MetalDong69,” Salem ran out of the grand hall as she clenched her fist angrily. 

“Yes ma’am,” Cinder said obediently, “Who dares to oppose your might?” 

“We’re going to destroy him,” Tyrian said excitedly before following Salem going back inside the hall, “Wait why you’re heading back inside?”

—————————————————— 

[KillAllHumans]: oh my god why are all of you feeding?!

[StabbingYourMom]: WHY IS THIS METALDONG69 SITTING ON MY HEAD? IF I HAD MY TAIL RIGHT NOW

[KillAllHumans]: SHOOT HIM SHOOT HIM

[ImOnFire]: I’m trying! 

[KillAllHumans]: NO THAT’S A GRENA-

[ImOnFire has eliminated you.] [ You have placed #13 ] 

[ImOnFire has eliminated herself ] [You have placed #12 ]

[ImOnFire]: WHY IS HE CROUCHING UP AND DOWN ON MY FACE.

[KillAllHumans]: I’m surrounded by feeders!

============================

============================

∞: 

Ironwood slowly walked into the elevator, his hair with bits of white now. Penny, his daughter, and Ruby, her wife, followed behind him curiously.

“So what’s this secret you’re going to show us?” Penny asked.

“Yeah, what sort of secret needs a pair of pro-gamers?” Ruby grinned, an ex-Huntress-now-Gamer now that the Grimm threat had regressed. “And requires us to keep it from Mr. Ozpin?” 

“It’s nothing bad,” Ironwood comforted her as he placed his keycard into the elevator, the motion triggering, ”It’s just that I think Ozpin’s finally enjoying life now and shouldn’t be bothered by something like this.”

“But it’s still important. Because behind these doors is the reason why humanity’s had over a decade of peace.”

——

A bunch of men and women are at a bunch of computer stations, clearly working and designing video games. A large screen showing match-ups for a large game design timeline.

Current: FortKnight 3

In Development:  FortKnight 10, GrimmCraft, World of Remnant

“It’s here where all the magic happens. These are the men and women who have kept Salem at bay for more than a decade,” Ironwood proudly said.

The pair could only look at the man in confusion.

“You’ll see soon,” Ironwood said as he sat down onto a computer station clearly designated at his. He turned his head to one of his trusted men, “Clover, is she on?”

“Isn’t she always?” Clover laughed, “She’s about to get out of a game. Won it actually. I’ll put you in her matchmaking group right now.”

“Good,” Ironwood said with satisfaction.

——–

[KillAllHumans]: IT’S YOU. METALDONG69. YOU CAN’T KEEP BEATING ME FOREVER. 

[KillAllHumans]: You’ll die someday, you fucker, and then I’ll be the number 1 in FortKnight!

———

Ironwood turned down his speakers a bit. 

“That is Salem, the Queen of all Grimm and the number one negatively-reported player in all of Remnant. She is why I’ve brought you two in,” he said solemnly,  “One day, I’ll pass on, and Salem will become the number one in this game and lose interest based on our analysis. When she does, the world might end up going back to the way it was. It’s up to you two to stop that from happening.”

“You will be Remnant’s silent protectors. Two pro-gamers joining forces to stop this threat. Just an hour or two of your time every day. And you’ll allow Remnant to continue having peace. ”

“Now if you’ll excuse me, the game’s starting.”

———–

[MetalDong69 has killed you.]

[You have placed 100 / 100. ]

[KillAllHumans]: METALDONG69!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

[forthememsdump]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Avatar: The Last Airbender Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Katara/Zuko (Avatar) Characters: Katara (Avatar), Zuko (Avatar) Additional Tags: Tooth-Rotting Fluff, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Bending (Avatar TV), Friends to Lovers, Eventual Katara/Zuko (Avatar), Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, POV Katara (Avatar), Fluff and Hurt/Comfort, candy fixes everything, so does ice cream, no beta we die like men, Oblivious Katara, Angst and Humor, kind of in the beginning Summary:

Katara had a bad day. The type of day where all she wanted to do was go home and wrap herself up in a blanket burrito and ignore all of her friends' messages.

Zuko, though, does not listen to her request to be alone and appears at her door with all of the necessities needed to make her feel better.

Comfort food, wine, trashy movies, and dancing with no music on. A perfect end to a terrible day.

[toku-explained]

The 2 in 1 Eagle Pair

Trigger: Computer systems across Sorafune are infected by viruses, courtesy of Powered Dada. Like wow, that's a deep cut. Haruki and Kengo talk more as Akito uses the rescued Medals to create Z Hyper Keys of his other forms. With the virus cutting off computer systems at other TPU branches, GUTS-Select goes on high alert. An attempt to use old equipment allows them to pick up automated HQ broadcasts authorising autonomous operations. The Nursedessei has it's systems compromised. It's all hands on deck switching to manual, but Dada is managing to auto fire the Nurse Cannon and Nanase has to run a counter virus program, even Ignis is helping, as Kengo and Haruki manage to disconnect the Nurse Cannon's power right before a second shot fires. Dada instead takes control of King Joe to target Nursedessei, forcing Trigger Multi-type and Z Alpha Edge to fight it, after it uses all its forms they switch to using Power-type and Beta Smash. As Nanase gets control of the system back Dada avatars start appearing to attack the crew, when one attacks Akito, Yuzare takes over and destroys it, but then Yuna collapses. Dada appears to fight with King Joe, and Multi-type and Gamma Future hold it off until it tries fusing with King Joe, getting destroyed last second by Nurse Cannon. They switch to Sky-type and Delta Rise Claw, destroying King Joe but Haruki promising they'll repair him. Later Kengo thanks Haruki for his help, again stating how he's come to recognise Akito's help even if the man himself denies it. Akito gives permission to keep the Sparklencs, and so with Beliarok opening a dimensional tunnel, Z places King Joe's parts in a Travel Sphere and flies off, Akito agrees to grab ramen with Kengo. Akito returns to the lab to find Yuna, who can just remember Yuzare's action this time, and begs Akito to explain.

Galaxy Rescue Force: Sora is surprised by the appearance of Justice, bringing a message from Delacion to Queen Izana, who is unfortunately back on Kanon at the moment. Justice opts to wait, leaving Sora feeling awkward until Ribut arrives, impressed to hear Justice is associated with the Universal Justice. When Ribut thanks Justice for their help with Leugocyte Justice explains that Delacions wants to cooperate with the Land of Light and Galaxy Rescue Force in opposing Tartarus. They continue waiting, Ribut also feeling awkward, eventually running away to patrol, Justice eventually deciding to return the next day.

Revice: Wakabayashi demotes Kadota after both failing to defend the ViStamp lab and his failure with the Revice system, and requests Daiji persuade Ikki to fight for them. A caddie, Ibata, is fired by his boss, Araki, who has become irritated after his recent performance, Olteca appears to offer Ibata a ViStamp. Ibata summons tge Kamakiri Deadman. Ikkirefuses the contract, but when news of the Deadman attack appears still takes the belt, accidentally discovering Vice can possess his bike if it's stamped. They arrive and fight, until Vice tries to go eating again, Daiji passes Ikki the Eagle ViStamp, which turns them into the W themed Eagle Genome. Revi starts attacking Vice, who accidentally triggers their combined Eagle form to finish the Deadman, Vice then targets Araki until the transformation is cancelled. Ikki's family encourage him to help Fenix. Araki approaches the Deadmans, and the next day, when Ibara approaches to apologise, summons the Megalodon Deadman. When Vice mentions he told Araki unleashing your Akuma feels good Ikki transforms again to fight him until Daiji arrives to inform him of the Deadman, at which point he gives up the gear. Ikki and Daiji arrive at the golf course, where Fenix are already battling Giff Junior's, Ikki rushing in. He refuses tonuse the belt, since Vice will attack people again, but keeps fighting, until Vice swears to not attack humans anymore, making a contract to do as Ikki says, and Ikki now transforms again. Vice becomes envious of Ikki's Sealing Buster and borrows Daiji's Gunderphone. Ibata grabs Araki when he tries to power up his Deadman, wanting to put things right, and they combine into Rex form to finish the Deadman. Araki and Ibata make up,

Zenkaiger: No one has had any luck finding Mitsuko. Gaon offhandedly suggests she's escaped to some other world, and when Zox comes wanting an explanation for what happened in the last fight, Kaito asks for his help. Ijirude has no idea how Mitsuko escaped, Stacey confirming he'd put her in storage, and the Parallel World Gate was disrupted as she escaped thanks to Kudakk attack, so they don't know where she went, Stacey isn't sure this should have taken him away from the battle. Kaito, Zyuran and Magine join tge World Purates in travelling, with 20 or so worlds they can try, while Magine tries to divine where she is, Flint takes them to Kashiwa Mochitopia, where they meet the local version of Su-san, not having Kashiwa Mochi on your head there is comparable to public indecency. They try Retrotopia, where Su-san can't comprehend the Kikainoids. Kouritopia's Su-san has far less trouble with them, but hasn't seen Mitsuko, but Kaito is happy to see the freed worlds are at peace. Stacey and the Kudakks arrive, revealing Kudaiters gave been sent to other worlds for Mitsuko, as Gaon and Vroon, looking on earth, find. Kaito wants to split up to protect worlds, but Zox says they have to prioritise Mitsuko since the Tojitendo will just rampage until they find her. Su-san on Kinokotopia tries to have them stop attacking the mushrooms, as the Zenkaigers fight Flint declares she found Mitsuko, and Ijirude calls all forces there. When there the team shows they have Mitsuko, and fight. As things progress Stacey captures Mitsuko, but Kaito gets her back. Super Zenkaiser and Super Twokaiser destroy tge enemy forces, then they escape on CrocoDaiOh, Stacey essentially let's them go for Yatsude's sake, but is ordered by Ijirude to summon Black ZyuraGaon, which drags them back to Kouritopia, Zenkaijuoh facing the mecha and defeating it. They return home, and only now have Magine remove her disguise as Magine, since the Tojirendo won't go through other worlds if they think Mitsuko is home, just continue focusing on earth.

Yodonna 2: We start right where we left off, Mizuki distraught over the detective's betrayal, which Yodonna is able to understand due to her own betrayal by Yodon. The realisation that she has experienced sadness causes Yodonna to freeze. In Yodon hell, Hörn and Mose are in a meltdown over Yodonna's escape, Mose impulsively sends himself to earth after her. Yanako visits the Kuchinawa leader, whose eating whil watching his men give Shousuke a beating, Yanako wants to kill Mizuki. Mizuki retrieves the phone while bemoaning Yodonna's current state, but resolves not to burden Juru with her problems. She also finds herself feeling sluggish, unknown to her being due to the soul transfer. Mizuki arrives at the warehouse, where Enoshima is waiting with gang members, claiming his becoming corrupt was only natural. The regular lead goon grabs the phone, while Mizuki talks about how much Shousuke believed in him. The phone wiped, Enoshima reveals Shousuke isn't there, and they can't have her going around with what she knows. Yodonna takes control right as the fight begins, she's now experiencing anger on Mizuki's behalf. She starts fighting the goons, the boss watching via camera surprised by her skill and saying as much to Yanako. When shooting starts she uses a guy as a shield, and uses his gun to kill the goons. After admonishing Mizuki to exercise properly, she beats down the lead goon again. Enoshima puts a gun to her head, she steals it and shoots him in the knee. Mizuki changes back, happy thanks to Yodonna's help, she's really struggling to stay standing now, and Yodonna realises why. Mose approaches her, kills Enoshima for interrupting, then isn't sure what to do with Yodonna given the soul transfer. He intends to cut the hose, but then Yodonna will, disappear and there'll still be trouble for him with Hörn, better to let her steal Mizuki's life and then take her back. The revelation of what Yodonna was doing leads Mizuki to hate her too. At this point Yanako arrives and knocks Mizuki out. Mizuki wakes in the Kuchinawa offices, where Mose is waiting alongside Yanako and the leader, Kujirasaki. Mose has told them everything, and they seem content to wait out her death and let him have Yodonna after. Kujirasaki finds the whole situation amusing, and has Shousuke brought out so he can watch his sister die. As the process nears completion, Yodonna becomes visible and Mizuki starts fading. Yodonna explains the emotions she has learnt from Mizuki, and that she's realised she's just done to Mizuki what Yodon did to her. And so she pulls the tube out and destroys it. She's going to use the physical form she has until she fades to save Mizuki and Shousuke. She beats Yanako quickly. Goons drag Shousuke away, Mose in a panic uses Yodonna's whip to power up Kujirasaki. And then just goes back to Yodon Hell. Yodonna fights Kujirasaki, telling Mizuki to get Shousuke. As Yodonna and Kujirasaki are fairly evenly matched, Mizuki manages to disrupt the goons enough to free Shousuke. As Kujirasaki prepares an energy blast, Yodonna, knowing she's dead either way, swears to keep Misaki alive, and turns her whip into a scythe to block the blast. A final struggle fells Kujirasaki, and Shousuke declares him under arrest. Yodonna is glad to have won in time and collapses. Seeing Mizuki is alive she finds she's crying, Mizuki explaining she's feeling joy, right before Yodonna starts vanishing. Mizuki forgives her, and Yodonna fades gladly. Juru and Tametomo are still waiting for Mizuki, who finally gets back after Juru reminds Tame of his brief crush on Yodonna. Yodonna awakens back in Yodon hell, Hörn telling her that is she'd let him finish he was going to explain that if she could understand the 4 basic emotions he'd let her revive. He's already punishing Mose for running off after her. After reminiscing she asks if she can revive, but after her running off he's not going to allow it anymore. Unless she learns one more emotion, Love. She wonders who might teach her that...Tametomo perhaps?

[wolfandwild]

My Shadowlands Wish List

Now that we’re getting closer and closer to pre-patch and the inevitable launch of the expansion, I thought I’d rattle off a wish list of things I hope we get to see in Shadowlands, largely from a lore/story perspective. (Or rather, my stupid foot was hurting so badly I couldn’t concentrate on writing my fic properly, so I decided to ramble off some not-so-hot takes, honestly they’re pretty mild in the grand scheme of things). I was in the first alpha wave, so I’ve had a pretty good opportunity to play the game as it is thus far, and I did want to make it clear up front that I’m fully aboard the hype train. Shadowlands is looking like a great expansion for a number of different reasons, and while I do have a few areas of concern, on the whole I am currently feeling very positive. Please also note these are just my random, late-night personal musings - your mileage may vary, and that’s a-okay.  Mild Shadowlands spoilers below the cut.

You Get A Customisation! You Get A Customisation! Everybody Gets A Customisation! This one is pretty much a no-brainer. I don’t necessarily think Blizzard need to have absolutely every possible character customisation ready to go before launch, but I’d like them to continue adding further options over time. I move in a couple of different circles in Warcraft - I’m obviously involved in the writing/lore/character aspect of the game, but I’m also GM of a raiding guild and closely follow the gameplay/competitive side of things too - and customisation is one of those few things that gets everyone excited, regardless of their reason for playing the game. I’m looking forward to seeing a much more vibrant, unique and diverse Azeroth come Shadowlands pre-patch. (Mostly irrelevant side story - when Wrathion returned in the Patch 8.3 cinematics, my Twitter and lore Discords were basically going berserk with excitement, meanwhile there’s a hundred very confused dudes in my raiding guild who don’t read quest text being all, “What the hell is a ‘Wrathion’?”. I live in two different worlds, honestly). Another reason I’m excited about customisation (and I’m probably in a very small minority on this one) is because I actually really dislike allied races, and I think it gives Blizzard an option to add more flavour to character creation in the game without always having to cobble together a new race. I honestly think they should have simply gone for sub-race customisation from the beginning, to avoid having to ass-pull allied races out of nowhere. Using customisation over allied races also makes it far simpler to give something to both factions (e.g. high elves), or to add something for one faction without necessarily having to always add something to the other faction to keep things in balance. Giving an extra hairstyle to humans but not orcs generally isn’t going to cause that much of a fuss, but if one faction were given an allied race and the other wasn’t because there wasn’t a logical racial option, there would be a shitstorm of epic proportions. So you end up in a situation where one faction* gets saddled with a really random, sucky allied race just to be ‘fair’. *The Alliance. It’s the Alliance. Leave Britney Arthas Alone Arthas has never been a personal favourite of mine, but I respect that he has a fantastic story, and that he’s a cornerstone of Warcraft lore. His story is both satisfying and complete, and that’s exactly why they should leave him the hell alone. I don’t mind if he’s visited in flashbacks (like the Bastion cinematic), or if we explore how he affected still living characters (e.g. Jaina, Sylvanas, Bolvar), but I think it would be a mistake to try to make him a central character in the expansion. In contrast, someone like Kael’thas is an excellent choice for an additional arc, because his original story was a bit all over the place and there is still plenty of room for his character development. Arthas doesn’t need it, and I don’t think the minute potential gain is worth the risk of retroactively making the rest of his story worse. On a similar note... Warcraft III Was Released Nearly 20 Years Ago, It’s Time to Move On The Warcraft RTS was a landmark series of games, and was obviously without them we wouldn’t have the World of Warcraft. However, I think the future health of Warcraft’s lore depends on the ability of the writers to grow the story outwards and upwards, not to always default back to the same handful of characters for nostalgia’s sake. While characters like Jaina, and Thrall, and Sylvanas are great, they can’t carry the narrative forever. Shadowlands represents a unique opportunity to build up the next generation of characters and to blow the cosmology of the universe wide open. From what I’ve seen on the alpha/beta, Blizzard are definitely taking a step in this direction, and I’m hoping that’s what we get instead of Patch 9.2 - Oh Look, It’s Thrall Again. On an additionally similar note... Sylvanas Is Crazy, And She Needs To Go Down (I don’t actually think she’s crazy, but one should never miss the opportunity for an Avatar reference). One of my complaints about the recent lore developments in Warcraft its that it’s starting to feel a lot less like the World of Warcraft, and more like the Sylvanas of Warcraft. She’s playing 469D chess; she’s behind everything; she’s the sole driving force of the narrative. I don’t think that works in an MMO that’s meant to tell the story of an entire expanded universe. It makes things feel small. And before I get eaten alive, I want to be clear that I don’t dislike Sylvanas as a character - in fact, I think she’s very compelling and on a night when my foot wasn’t killing me so much I’d be happy to get into an argument as to why she’s actually one of the most consistent and well-written characters in the World of Warcraft. I don’t necessarily think she needs to die, either, but I think it’s time for her narrative to come to a close to make room for other characters in the story, and I don’t think Blizzard are going to get a much better opportunity to give her a satisfying ending than in a death-themed expansion. Justice for Tyrande (Or Vengeance, Whatever Uther Wants to Call It) Tyrande got done dirty in Battle for Azeroth, probably more than any other character. I’m not a massive night elf fangirl by any means, but their entire race was basically used as grist for the mill in Sad Orc Dad’s story, with no next to no narrative follow-up besides a cool cinematic that went absolutely nowhere in game. Outside the game, her character then got subjected to the cacophonous misogynistic crowing of the fanbase that occurs whenever a female character dares to be angry in the World of Warcraft. Much like Jaina, she’s decried for being ‘crazy’ or ‘irrational’ for, you know, being pissed that her people and her homeland were wiped out in an act of wildly disproportional aggression. I don’t know about you guys, but that would tend to make me a wee bit testy, but maybe I’m crazy and irrational too. In any case, I want to see her go off in Shadowlands. Fuck ‘em up, girlfriend. You Get One Villain. If You Drop It, I’m Not Buying You Another One I think most people will agree with me that the two weakest expansions (at least from a narrative perspective) were Warlords of Draenor and Battle for Azeroth. There are a few reasons for this, but for me one of the biggest issues was that they were chop-and-change expansions. Both were advertised and started off with narratives and themes that were wildly different from where they finished up. Warlords was part Iron Horde expansion, part Legion expansion; BFA was part faction war expansion, part Old God expansion... and that’s exactly the problem. Both times, I felt like we got two half-done expansions, instead of one single, cohesive narrative experience.  If you look at expansions like Wrath of the Lich King and Legion, both of which were very well received, a lot of their success hinges on their presentation of a consistent narrative with a clear goal for players within the story. The Lich King, for example, was a consistent and very present villain. He menaced you throughout your entire journey, and so his eventual defeat on top of Icecrown Citadel was meaningful and impactful. Defeating N’Zoth, by contrast, felt pretty hollow, as we hadn’t had enough narrative build up to really care about taking him down. Part of the reason I’m excited for Shadowlands is it looks like we’re getting a nice, focused story development that builds up to a logical and satisfying villain in the Jailer. Why Can’t We Be Friends? Look, I bleed blue. I love the Alliance... but the faction war should not continue to be a driving narrative element in the World of Warcraft. I don’t want the factions to be removed, I think they’re a core part of the Warcraft experience and I’d be pretty sad to have to let them go entirely, but the cycle of hating one another then teaming up in an uneasy alliance in order to defeat a bigger bad, only to go back to being at one another’s throats the next day is... tiresome.

Ideally, the war would have ended after Legion - it was the most logical place to do so, and I think it was a big missed opportunity that they ran with Battle for Azeroth immediately afterwards. Unfortunately, I think this means the Alliance is going to just have to forgive and forget, which doesn’t really make a lot sense at this point given everything that happened in BFA, but for the sake of the overall story, it might be a necessary sacrifice. That said... I Am Once Again Asking for Alliance Narrative Agency I know there are a lot of (valid) complaints to be had about the Horde storyline, but the one thing the Horde has always had over the Alliance is that they actually get to drive the narrative forward. The Alliance are pretty much exclusively reactionary, and in a lot of ways are side characters to the main Horde storyline. I’ve made this argument elsewhere, but it honestly wouldn’t be too hard to remove Anduin’s part in Saurfang’s storyline in Battle for Azeroth and have it turn out more or less exactly the same way... which says a lot about the importance of the Alliance in the overall storyline. In short, the Alliance are secondary players at best, and downright irrelevant at worst. One of my biggest hopes for Shadowlands is that we’ll actually get to see some Alliance narrative agency. To be clear, however, this does not mean a simple rehashing of Horde conflicts with a blue coat of paint. Alliance stories are not Horde stories, and nor should they be. Having an Alliance leader turn into a genocidal despot is not the only way to create conflict or agency in the story - there are plenty of opportunities for character growth, development and conflict on the Alliance side without having to have one of our leaders do a heel turn (e.g. Tyrande as the Night Warrior, Anduin dealing with his experience in the Maw, Jaina confronting the fates of people like Kael’thas and Arthas, Taelia meeting her father, etc.), and I really hope we get to see some of those narrative threads come to fruition. I Want to Mount Everything Add a hundred new mounts. Two hundred. A pot plant with googly eyes, the four hundredth Alliance horse, your mum. I’ll ride anything; I don’t even care. (Please note this is the most important opinion I have).

[lena-in-a-red-dress]

Supercorp SAO AU, Pt 3

Kara hasn't ever met Lena's husband. Honestly, she isn't entirely sure Lena has either. He's never home, Lena's apartment very much her own from the art to the books to the furniture. If not for the occasional tabloid photo, the wedding portrait on Lena's mantel, and the rings on her left hand, Kara might have assumed the husband to be a specter to dissuade would-be suitors. Even so, she can't help but notice the way Lena's smile dims when she sees his number on her phone during movie night. "It's nothing," Lena says, when Kara works up enough nerve to mention it. "He likes to pick fights. I used to enjoy the debates we'd have, but lately... I don't know. It doesn't feel like debate anymore. And at the end of the day I don't have the energy for it." Over the weeks and months, Kara learns about him in bits and pieces. That he was a friend of Lex's, and that they fell in love over the course of several summers. That he had his own tech company, who had just migrated to a new market on another continent, hence his absence. One time, Kara arrives to movie night to hear Lena almost shouting into her phone. Her tone is the kind Kara only heard once in all their time in Aincrad-- when she'd been on the verge of committing murder, against a player who had nearly poisoned Kara to death. Dark, menacing, and inhumanly cold. 

"Come anywhere near my company again, and I will slap you with enough lawsuits to keep you and your pathetic excuse for a firm underwater for the next thirty years. Do you understand me?" She barely pauses long enough for her victim to open their mouth before interrupting, her voice pitching even lower. "I said-- do. you. understand. I want to hear you say it."

Lena hasn't registered Kara's arrival yet, and so Kara shifts awkwardly as she waits, trying not to watch as Lena's lips twist into a cruel smirk. "Good boy." She ends the call shortly thereafter, and starts in surprise when she turns to find Kara standing in her foyer. "Kara! Gosh, you startled me!" She sounds like herself again, but Kara eyes her warily. "Is tonight a bad time? I can come back--" "Don't be ridiculous!" Lena beams, rolling her eyes. "Marital squabbles might be a bitch, but it'll take a lot more than that to keep us from movie night. What's on for tonight? Die Hard?" Before long, Kara is curled up against Lena's side on the couch, sharing a blanket as Bruce Willis yippee-ki-yays across the screen. The call lingers at the back of her mind, and she decides right then and there that if Lena's husband is someone who brings out that side of her.... he doesn't know Lena at all. Perhaps Kara's favorite part of their friendship is their party. It happens by accident-- Kara stumbles across her during a trial period of a new VR. She's an elf this time, and her username is Kieran, but her avatar still looks mostly like herself. "I didn't know you played," Kara says, scuffed her dwarven boot against the ground. She's a little hurt that Lena hasn't ever mentioned it. "I should have told you," Lena admits. "I'm sorry I didn't, but after what you told me about your time in SAO, I was worried if we connected in a game, I... I guess I worried I wouldn't measure up to her. It sounds really silly to say it out loud. I really cherish our friendship, Kara, and I was scared I might lose it if you spotted too many differences between us. Between me and her." Kara smiles, and throws her short, but strong arms around Lena and squeezes right. "Not possible." After that, they're inseperable in the VR world. They try new games together, and the nature of Lena's position grants Kara beta access to countless games still in development. They explore entire worlds together, and Kara finds that Lena needn't be worried at all. She is Lena. The Lena Kara loved in Aincrad didn't stray far from the template of her creator's personality and fighting style, and in VR Lena comes alive in a way she doesn't in the real world-- as though anything could top that. In VR Kara watches Lena lead raid parties with expert precision, sharp and intense but also warm and inviting. More than once Lena helps inexperienced players level up, and shares the secret spawn points for creatures that drop rare items. Kara misses Lena-in-Aincrad, misses what they shared together, but she loves this Lena, the whole of Lena, with her entire being. Eventually, they beta test ALO together, by virtue of the fact that Lena's husband headed the development team that produced the matrix for it. It's a world that rivals Aincrad in beauty and scale. Better yet, it allows magic use, and every race has the ability to fly. One day, they spend an afternoon simply flying through a rainstorm, dodging lightning bolts and collecting thunderbells to smith armor with. Somewhere between the rain on her skin and laughter that gets swallowed by thunder, Kara simply stops and watches as Lena loops into a tight corkscrew to snag an escaping ingot. Her grin is as bright as the lightning, and when their eyes meet Kara's chest tightens at the heated expectance that opens Lena's features into something intimately familiar. Before either of them can speak, the in-game alarm alerts them to the end of their scheduled session, Kara immediately wakes and rolls to her phone. I love you. She almost hits send, but the phone buzzes in her hand before her finger can tap the button. Not a bad way to spend the last day of beta, Lena texts, with pulsing dots following to warn of an incoming note. I think that might be my favorite quest so far. Catch you next rainstorm? Kara deletes her previous message. Launch Day is marked on my calendar. Can't wait. The pulsing dots appear and disappear several times before Lena's next message finally comes through. You're my favorite. Kara rolls over, clasping her phone to her pounding chest. As she drifts off to sleep, those three words sear themselves across the back of her eyelids. You're my favorite. --- "So when will you be back online?" Kara asks over the phone almost a month later. The ALO launch is coming up, and their standing date (it's not a date) looms in the back of Kara's mind. Across the line, Lena sighs. "I'm not sure." Lena's work has kept her busy since their night chasing lightning. They've barely spoken, let alone lunched or gamed. "Were still on for the ALO launch, though, right?" Silence answers her. In a rare moment of petulance, Kara pouts. "Lena, you promised." "Yeah," Lena breathes. "Yeah, you're right, I did. At this point it looks like I might be traveling that day, but I'll try to reschedule some things. I don't know how much time I can spare though." "That's okay!" Kara chirps, grabbing at the compromise with both hands. "I just want to see you. I miss you." "I miss you too, you have no idea." A rumble of voices on the other end cuts their time short. "Sorry, I have to go," Lena says. "But I'll do what I can, I promise." "Okay. See you then." From that night on, Kara counts down the days. When Launch Day dawns, Kara logs in immediately. She waits for hours, selecting an avatar that looks almost like herself. In fact it's  a dead ringer except for the white feathered wings that fold up snugly against her back, and unfurl between the slats of her armor. As she waits for Lena to log in, she experiments with her new wings (during beta, she'd chosen fairy wings), and revels in the power of every stroke. She feels the most like she did in Aincrad, and it feels like coming home. But as she waits, the faces who greet her aren't Lena's. She passes on joining other survivors for a commemorative hunt, even as the sun dips below the horizon, and in her heart she knows Lena won't make it. Still she waits. Just in case. When she finally logs out, Kara texts Lena, but sends only a frowning emoji. Then she turns it off and goes to sleep, determined to let whatever apology Lena sends sit unopened until she wakes. But no response is waiting for her when she gets up the next morning, and none comes for the entire week that follows. That week spreads to two, and then three. Kara's disappointment shifts to irritation when she assumes Lena is trying to avoid her after missing the launch, but then snaps to concern when even her calls go unanswered until her voicemail is too full to record any more. Something is wrong. She calls Lena's office, her assistant, sends countless emails, but gets nothing except a cagey brush off from Lena's assistant. When Kara goes to L-Corp herself, she's rebuffed at the door. "Orders came down from the top, Miss Danvers. You're no longer permitted in the building." "What? That's ridiculous! Lena wouldn't--" "You'll have to take that up with her, ma'am." "I'm TRYING." But to no avail. Kara gets nowhere, and is left bewildered and hurt and afraid for Lena who she can't quite believe would cut her out so abruptly. Alex doesn't have any advice to give her, except to be patient and keep trying. So all Kara can do is log in to ALO every night, and watch her friend list, praying that Lena will log in. She never does. Then, one night, Kara receives an anonymous message in her inbox. She doesn't know how a player could send an anonymous message, as the privacy on her inbox is set to friends only. Nevertheless, she opens it. "Meet me tomorrow night at 1am." It includes a National City address. She doesn't need Alex to tell her it's a bad idea. But her gut tells her it's about Lena-- maybe even Lena herself-- and so she goes to the location at the designated time with her heart in her throat. It's not Lena. Rather, it's her assistant, Jess. "Come with me," Jess tells her. Kara obeys, and after a furtive drive through the city, Jess leads her into a nondescript building that has more locked doors than Fort Knox. Finally, Jess swipes her security pass over the final sensor, and pushes into a room filled with medical equipment. For a moment, Kara sees her own hospital room, when she woke up from her SAO coma, filled with the same equipment. She's had this dream before. But the figure lying prone in the sterile bed isn't herself. It's Lena. "Oh my god." "She logged in the morning of the ALO launch," Jess informs her, her voice quiet. "She cleared her schedule for it. But she never woke up, and when we reviewed the game data, it never showed her syncing up to the game." Lena's features are slack inside the visor of the NervGear. When Kara takes her hand, her skin is cool, and waxy, like it isn't even human. But it is. Kara recognizes the scar on Lena's wrist, from a soldering accident when she was twelve. "I don't believe them," Jess murmurs. Kara blinks. "What?" "The new Nerv models are designed with multiple redundancies after the SAO incident. If she didn't connect, Lena would have woken up instantly." "Is it possible it could have been tampered with?" Jess shrugs. "Maybe. But the logistics of doing so without Lena noticing just aren't feasible." Kara regards her solemnly. "It sounds like you have an alternate theory." "It would be easier to alter the game data than tamper with the gear. Someone involved with the game's development would have easy access and ample opportunity." Someone involved in the game's development? Like... "Her husband?" "He's already assumed her seat on the board as interim chair. And he's already proposing changes Lena vetoed earlier this year. There enough members who agreed with Lena's veto that they've resisted him so far, but it won't be long before he wears them down." Rage burns low in Kara's belly. Bastard. Gritting her teeth, she meets Jess' gaze. The woman's face is well past angry-- she's exhausted, and at the end of her rope. It's clear that Kara is her last hail mary. "I'm going to lose my job the moment they find out I brought you here," Jess warns. "After that, I won't have any access. But I can't help her from here anyway." "You think she's trapped in the game," Kara surmises. Jess nods. "My guess is there's a backdoor that lets them control a small area of the game. To avoid detection by the moderating algorithms, they've probably built it into the context of the game-- an uncharted area that only becomes available after completing a legendary quest." Or clearing the final floor boss, Kara thinks bitterly. Her hand tightens on Lena's limp fingers. This is SAO all over again, except this time... This time, Lena is alone. "I've been searching every second I spend at home, but haven't found anything," Jess continues. "But I'm certain the answer to waking Lena up is in the game itself. That's why I reached out to you." Kara's head lifts sharply, surprised by the admission. Jess returns her gaze solemnly, her features hard. "If anyone can beat a broken game from the inside, it's you."

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[shayrey]

The Elements - One

Warnings: Light angst, eventual smut, language

Word count: 2.4k

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC

A/N: This is a soulmate AU! This chapter takes place during CA:CW and future chapters will tie in with other movies. This story will also be posted to my Ao3. Reblogs are fine, but please don’t steal! I want to thank the wonderful beta readers that helped me with this first chapter, it honestly came a long way thanks to them!! @queenofalotofdifferentworlds @eliza246531 and @chaotic-inkme Also, I am sorry, I have not figured out how to add the ‘keep reading’ on mobile...

https://archiveofourown.org/works/22577185/chapters/53952562

Three months. That’s how long it had been since Levana and Danica had experienced a transformation that changed their lives forever.

It’s how long Levana, eldest of the identical twins, had felt anything but self loathing, doubt, and fear. It gripped her heart so tightly it was hard to pretend like everything was normal, but she did. She smiled and laughed with her sister and their friends. She wished every day that she could be how she was, carefree and spontaneous, that she hadn’t gotten such destructive powers. While the twins were mirror images, their powers were complete opposites, no where in the same vicinity to each other.

Looking at her twin, Levana saw how her blue green eyes sparkled with laughter and her full lips fought to contain the laughter inside. Her short hair framed her face beautifully and she honestly looked like a cute pixie with her glowing complexion and joy radiating off of her. Her fingers took a lock of her own long, wavy hair as she continued to smile at something that had the others laughing.

It was all different now. Levana had to pretend like everything was fine, that she wasn’t affected by her powers.

“I promise, Levi, you will enjoy the show!” Shuri tossed a chunk of bread at the older woman, effectively pulling her from her thoughts and to the present moment.

Levana rolled her eyes as she caught the piece of bread and used it to soak up the juice from the curry she had helped Shuri’s mother, Ramonda, prepare for their dinner. “I would much rather go with T’Chaka and T’Challa to Vienna for the Accords signing,” she grumbled as she finished chewing her food.

Said prince looked at her from across the table. “Levana,” the warning was clear in his voice but she only leveled him with a droll look.

T’Chaka raised his hand and waved it dismissively. “She is allowed her feelings and opinions, my son. Being so new to her powers, it is understandable why she disapproves of the Accords. We are not forcing her to sign them, only hoping that she will in time.”

Silence fell over the table and Levana glance up at the king. He had been like an uncle to her and her sister most of their lives. There was a kindness in his eyes, even now on the eve of his and T’Challa’s departure to Vienna.

Ramonda cleared her throat and broke the silent tension. “Danica, tell us about this show you and Shuri are having Levana watch.”

The younger twin smiled and nudged her sister under the table. “It’s about people who can control one of the four elements, and one person called the Avatar that can control all of them,” she smiled first at her twin and then at Ramonda.

As her sister went on about the show, Shuri joining in excitedly, Levana focused on trying to smile and seem like nothing was bothering her; but everything was bothering her. These powers she now has weren’t as glorious and amazing as they made them out to be. No matter how beautiful and wonderful, they are also destructive and chaotic.

Dangerous.

She swallowed thickly as she thought about what had happened in Sokovia to bring about the Accords.

Maybe she should sign them and have a leash put on her before she could actually do harm.

“Levana, would you like to help me with preparing some tea?” T’Challa’s voice broke through her dark thoughts and she looked up to see a calculating look in his eyes. She nodded with a smile that she had to force and stood with him, both of them walking to the kitchen.

The sounds of the Shuri and Danica talking about a cartoon to Ramonda and T’Chaka followed them into the other room.

The two moved perfectly around each other to start boiling water and getting the teapot ready.

Levana remembered a time when she was much younger and had first been brought to Wakanda. It had been right after her birth parents had died, just outside of Wakanda, and the twins, only five at the time, had been brought in by Zuri’s wife. T’Challa had been the only person who could get the twins to open up and feel comfortable.

They were like family, siblings even.

“Okoye will not give me any details about your training, says it is not her place to disclose that information,” he didn’t look at her as she paused in her task of scooping tea leaves from a container to the teapot. “I’ve seen how you’ve changed, Levana, how your eyes no longer shine when you smile. There was a time you would talk to me about everything, little one,” the childhood nickname brought a small smile to her lips.

Tears stung her eyes as she finished scooping the leaves into the pot. “I still do, T’Challa, but this is something I have to work out on my own.” Her hand absently rubbed at her right hip, a motion that drew his attention.

“Why haven’t you gone looking for him? He’s in New York, isn’t he?” He didn’t want to give up on his friend, but he knew her well enough to know when she was going to shut down.

She shook her head, her brows drawing together. “I can’t bring an innocent into this life.”

Pushing away from the counter, T’Challa took a few steps to grab her shoulders and turn her to face him. “A life of peace and luxury?”

Levana scoffed and rolled her eyes as she pushed her forehead into his chest. “I’m enhanced, T’Challa, and not just any enhanced person. I can control the elements, that’s something anyone would love to get their hands on. I can’t put anyone else in danger because of my powers, it’s bad enough that you all insist I stay here,” she fought a smile as she pulled away and looked up at him. “I think the only thing keeping my powers in check is the constant training I’ve undergone with you and Okoye since mama and baba took Danica and me in,” she moved up to kiss him on the cheek before turning to the kettle and removing it from the heat.

A heavy sigh escaped the Wakandan prince. “You are as stubborn and immovable as W’Kabi’s rhinos,” he helped Levana by taking the teapot while she gathered the cups.

“I take that as a compliment, T’Challa,” she grinned, feeling a moment of relief from the dark emotions that gripped her heart.

“Eh, but a compliment it was not,” he teased as they returned to the table.

Levana gave him a mock glare before looking to his father. “King T’Chaka, despite your best efforts, your son is an ill mannered brute and I apologize for any future damage done to his person,” the serious tone of her voice was dismissed with the teasing twinkle in her blue-green eyes.

The King merely sat back as he accepted his tea and shrugged. “If he has not learned some manners by now, it is time someone else should teach him.”

T’Challa gaped at his father as they all erupted in laughter.

The dark emotions gripping Levana’s heart was pushed away for the moment as she laughed and teased her childhood friend. It was always there, always making her doubt and hate herself, but she had to remember that it couldn’t rule her life. She had agreed to stay in Wakanda and work with Shuri and Okoye to understand her powers and learn to control them so that they didn’t control her.

— — —

Horror and grief was a thick blanket over the room as the twins sat with Shuri and Ramonda watching the news of the bombing of the Accords signing. Levana stood behind the couch where Shuri was crying softly in her mother’s arms and Danica sat next to them.

The twins had watched the bombing happen first hand due to Danica’s power of sight. While Levana’s powers were more hands on and destructive, Danica’s powers were more aligned for support, allowing her to see events happening in real time anywhere in the world. Unfortunately, or fortunately in the case of the bombing, she couldn’t hear anything happening, it was only the ability to see what was happening.

They found that her gift of sight could be shared with Levana when they were touching, but it could only be shared with Levana, and Shuri guessed it was because they’re twins.

Watching T’Chaka die in T’Challa’s arms was heartbreaking and absolutely destroyed the twins. As they joined Shuri and Ramonda to watch the news and grieve, a resolve started to grow in Levana,consuming her completely.

Her fingers dug into the couch as the face of James Buchannon Barnes was posted, marking him as the person responsible for the bombing and death of T’Chaka.

— — —

“Levi, the psychologist has shown up to evaluate James,” Danica broke Levana out of her thoughts.

In the past twelve hours the twins had scoured the internet and multiple leaked S.H.I.E.L.D. documents trying to find a way to prove James Barnes didn’t plant the bomb at the Accords signing. Levana was convinced that he didn’t do it but couldn’t find anything to prove it.

The older twin stood from the table she was sitting at and walked over to where her sister sat on the couch.

They joined hands and Levana was no longer looking at her sister in T’Challa’s personal living room in Wakanda but looking at a man sitting at a table in front of a secure containment cell where James Barnes was locked up.

With no sound to give them an idea of what the psychologist was saying, the twins relied on facial expressions. Danica was getting better at lip reading, but she still struggled with understanding everything.

When the man pulled a little red notebook with a black star on it and James became visibly nervous, Levana cursed and her hand tightened around her sister’s.

“I knew it. It was a trap this entire time to get James right here so this man could bring out the Winter Soldier,” Levana shook her head as they watched the man start to read from the book, slowly walking around the containment unit. Their hearts beat faster as James escaped the chair and started punching the unit, trying to fight the programming.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t enough, and when he escaped the containment unit he just stood there, the two men standing face to face. It was clear that the Winter Soldier had returned.

Levana cursed and pulled her hand from Danica’s, the vision slipping away from her as she stood up from the couch. Danica blinked and her eyes refocused as she pulled away from the scene and looked at her sister who was picking up her phone from the table.

“What are you doing?”

Levana put the cell phone to her ear as she frowned. “I’m going to try and talk some sense into T’Challa. He’s going to kill the wrong man and I can’t let him,” she closed her eyes as she listened to the constant ringing. “Dammit, T’Challa, answer your damn phone!” She hung up and immediately tried again. When he still didn’t answer she set the phone down and rejoined her twin on the couch.

“We need to see what is happening,” she held her hand out for Danica and waited while her twin took her hand.

What they saw next was James, the Winter Soldier, fighting Tony Stark, Natasha Romanoff, and the CIA agent that had helped Steve and Sam find James. They watched with bated breath as T’Challa joined the fight.

“They can’t let him get away,” Danica breathed, her voice shaking in fear as the Winter Soldier started the helicopter.

Levana felt a chill run down her spine as Steve started running towards the helicopter. “What is he planning on doing, pulling the helicopter down with his bare…” her words cut off, stuck in her mouth as he jumped up to grab the foot rail of the helicopter, his shirt lifting to expose his hip bones and lower abdomen. The starburst shape on his right hip peeking out of the waistband of his pants caused Levana’s heart to lurch and she pulled her hand from Danica’s like she had been burned.

The vision fell away quickly as she stood up, her heart racing as her hand touched her right hip where a mark identical to the one on Steve Rogers was.

Danica’s eyes refocused as she looked up at her sister with a smile. “Levi, Steve, he’s…”

“My soulmate,” she finished, her bottom lip and chin quivering as she felt tears stinging her eyes.

The younger twin shot up, concern replacing the happiness on her face. “Levi, what’s wrong? Why aren’t you happy about finding your soulmate?”

The elemental shook her head and turned away, blinking away the tears in her eyes. Finding one's soulmate was supposed to be a joyful occasion, and on some level she was beyond happy to know who her soulmate is. Unfortunately, she wasn’t completely happy with this knowledge. The self loathing and doubt she felt was warring with the joy she felt.

If her soulmate had been some random person she might have been fine, she would have been happy with just keeping tabs on the person and keeping them safe. The fates had something else in store for her. Her soulmate is Captain America, a man that stood for freedom and justice, an Avenger. He could handle being her soulmate.

But she didn’t feel like she deserved to be his soulmate. The things she could do with her powers could classify her as a danger to humanity.

“I’m a monster, Danica. I can’t be with him,” she turned on her heels and started walking out of the room.

Danica ran to her sister and grabbed her wrist, pulling the elemental to a stop. “Levana, that’s ridiculous! Why would you say you’re a monster?”

Levana wrenched her arm from Danica’s grip, refusing to meet the seer’s eyes. “You wouldn’t understand, your powers can’t kill people. I can wipe an entire city, hell, an entire country, off the map with my powers. Someone like that doesn’t deserve to be with someone as good as Steve Rogers,” she quickly left the room, not waiting to hear what her sister had to say.

“Levana!” Danica stared after her twin with wide eyes.

[ao3feed-brucewayne]

The BBB

by Im_Outside_Your_Window The bbq gods decide who lives, who dies, and who gets GRILLED! A total drama and survivor based game show all about barbecues. The prize: A brand new grill! Contestants from all across the multiverse will compete to see who is the true GRILL MASTER! There can only be one, and everyone’s got their eyes on the prize. Each day contests will be forced to tackle a brand new challenge on the grill. Including romance, betrayal, and death….? This new reality show coming the scene will be sure to have all of it! (Updates every Thursday) Words: 1480, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Metal Family (Cartoon), Miraculous Ladybug, Percy Jackson and the Olympians & Related Fandoms - All Media Types, The Loud House (Cartoon), Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan, Team Fortress 2, The Music Freaks (Web Series), DCU, Garfield - All Media Types, Cold Front (Video Game), Disney Movies - Fandom, 古見さんはコミュ症です。 | Komi-san wa Komyushou Desu | Miss Komi Can't Communicate (Anime), 古見さんはコミュ症です。 | Komi-san wa Komyushou Desu | Miss Komi Can't Communicate (Manga), Heathers: The Musical - Murphy & O'Keefe, Total Drama (Cartoon), Dead Plate (RachelDrawsThis Video Game), Doki Doki Literature Club! (Visual Novel), Avatar: The Last Airbender (Cartoon 2005) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Categories: Gen Characters: Drew Gooden, Danny Gonzalez - Character, Eren Yeager, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Joe Biden, Scout (Team Fortress 2), Lincoln Loud, Komi Shouko, Rapunzel (Disney), John Arbuckle, Gordan Ramsey, Rody Lamoree, Augustine Orlov, Batman, Monika (Doki Doki Literature Club!), Zuko (Avatar), Heather Chandler (Heathers), Chris McLean, Owen (Total Drama), Annabeth Chase (Percy Jackson), Glam (Metal Family), Drew (The Music Freaks) Relationships: wouldn’t you like to know weather boy - Relationship Additional Tags: Not Beta Read, we die like characters in this fic, Crack Treated Seriously, Dead Dove: Do Not Eat, Reality TV, Multiverse, Challenges, Romance, Eventual Romance, they are adults don’t worry, also no smut for you horn dogs, Game Shows, Character Death, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Cooking People, Mentions of Murder, out of world corruption, cough cough monika, Bad Cooking, Like- REALLY BAD, like why is he on THIS show, I'm Bad At Tagging, Crack, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, comfort before the hurt fr, read and you’ll see via https://ift.tt/CtB7wmV

[bughead-fic-request]

I would like to thank @leaalda for making these amazing banners.

This is an effort to spread the word about all fan fiction writers in our little fandom. If you would like to be featured or nominate a writer, please contact me. Please reblog this post if you can and check out some of @stillscape work!

1. First things first, if someone wanted to read your stories where can they find them.

All my Riverdale fics are here, on Ao3.

2. Tell us a little about yourself.

I’m on the far side of 30 and I’ve had the same tumblr avatar since 2011. I gave up trying to pretend to be cool in my junior year of college, when I got drunk at a party and spent the rest of the evening yelling at people in iambic pentameter.

3. What do you never leave home without?

Just the usual boring stuff--wallet, keys, phone.

4. Are you an early bird or a night owl?

Kind of both, actually? Which is a problem, because I don’t do well on minimal sleep.

5. If you could live in any fictional world which one would you choose and why?

I suppose Harry Potter, but only because I can’t think of a better answer.

6. Who is the most famous person you’ve ever met?

Anthony Hopkins?

7. What are some of your favorite movies/TV?

Oh my god, so many. TV: Parks and Rec, obviously. Recently: GLOW, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, GoT, Better Call Saul, Fargo, BoJack Horseman...I watch a lot of TV.

8. What are some of your favorite bands/musicians?

I don’t keep up, honestly. My iPod is perpetually full of late ‘60s/early ‘70s rock.

9. Favorite Books?

AS Byatt, Persuasion; Michael Chabon, The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier and Clay; Margaret Atwood, Atlas Grace; Hanya Yanagahira, The People in the Trees; this list could go on for pages and pages so I’ll wind it down with my favorites from the Classics Shelf, Pride and Prejudice and Anna Karenina

10. Favorite Food?

The one thing I’ll almost never turn down is sharp white Cheddar cheese, so we’ll go with that.

11. Biggest pet peeve?

Noisy eaters.

12. What did you want to be when you were little? What do you want to be now?

I wanted to be either Pablo Picasso or an astronaut. Neither of those quite worked out.

13. What are your biggest fears? Do you have any strange fears?

I don’t think I have any strange fears. I’m averse to very large spiders and creepy deep sea creatures, but I’m not exactly afraid of either. I would just prefer to not look at them or be near them.

14. When you are on your deathbed what would be the one thing you’d regret not doing?

I do hope I’ve published a book by the time I die.

Okay… let’s talk about your writing!

15. Which is your favorite of the fics you've written for the Bughead fandom?

I haven’t written all that many, but I’ll say all the roads we have to walk.

16. Which was the hardest to write, in terms of plot?

Same answer. It’s really the only one that has a (long) plot, though.

17. How do you come up with the ideas for your fic(s)? Do you people watch? Listen to music? Get inspired by TV/movies?

They usually just arrive in my brain. all the roads came from my desire to read a fic of Jughead also being at Betty’s internship, and I couldn’t find one, so I started writing it--but before I got to the starting point of that one, I wanted a detailed prequel that I couldn’t find, so I wrote that too.

18. Idea that you always wanted to write but could never make work?

I’ve been able to make most of my ideas work eventually. It just takes time and effort.

19. Least favorite plot point/chapter/moment you’ve written?

Hmm. There are a few moments I wish I’d written a little differently, but more in the sense that I didn’t choose the right words. I’m sticking by all the plot points I’ve written.

20. Favorite plot point/chapter/moment you’ve written?

For Riverdale, I think it’s the New Year’s Eve video call at the end of chapter 3 of for the life of me.

21.Favorite character to write?

All-time, it’s probably Ben Wyatt. But for this fandom, I enjoy Betty and Jughead equally. I feel like my favorite other character to write is Veronica, but I’ve barely written any Veronica--so Cheryl, maybe? Jughead’s mom has been a fun exercise, but since we haven’t actually seen her on the show, she feels almost like an OC to me.

22. Favorite line or lines of dialogue that you've written?

This is my favorite passage, I think, which is from Chapter 4 of for the life of me:

One day towards the end of January, as they stand up to leave the cafeteria after lunch, Betty Cooper fixes her eyes on him, squints, and tilts her head.

“Mustard?” he asks. He resists swiping at his face only because he’s holding a plastic tray of flabbergasting detritus.

(He hasn’t eaten anything with mustard on it.)

“No.”

“Then what?”

(Ketchup, crumbs, giant hole in his shirt, he’s bleeding profusely from an unknown orifice, he’s developed a second head?)

“I think you got taller,” she says, thoughtfully.

Huh.

“What, like since we sat down?”

Betty makes the noise he’s noticed her making a lot lately. It’s a little laugh that’s somewhere between a snort and a chuckle but is definitely neither one of those things, and he cannot figure out a single word to describe it.

“See you in English, Jug.”

She’s right, he realizes later. He’s only about two inches shorter than Archie now, instead of four.

And that’s all it is in the end. He’s not a black hole collapsing in on himself while consuming every object within his gravitational pull. He’s just having one cosmic-joke-level inconveniently timed growth spurt.

(Which Betty Cooper noticed before he did.)

But my favorite single line is this, from Kevin trying to convince Betty to buy a more adventurous wardrobe: “Fine.” He throws up his hands. “Be that way. Keep dressing like a permanent tribute to the 2012 J. Crew Easter collection.”

23. Best comment/review you’ve ever received?

I always appreciate when people say something I’ve written has personally resonated with them, or given them all the feels, that kind of thing. I also love when someone points out a subtle detail that I wasn’t sure anyone was going to notice, since I generally try to live by the show-don’t-tell rule of storytelling. Or “I just found this and stayed up all night to binge the whole thing.”

24. How do you handle bad reviews or comments?

I don’t know that I’ve ever really gotten any. Sometimes I’ll get a comment and I can’t tell whether the author actually liked what I wrote, to which I usually just thank them for reading.

25. If you could change anything in any of your stories, what would it be?

Listen, literally every time I read anything over, I find at least three sentences I could have written better.

26. What is your favorite story you’ve ever written? Any fandom?

Well, this is going to make me sound like a crazy person, but I once wrote a fairly epic one-shot RPF of the Parks and Rec fandom pulling off a jewel heist. It had about 30 people/characters (because Andy Dwyer and a few characters from VEEP also showed up), and it was completely insane, and I don’t think I’ll ever hit that level of magic again.

27. What are you reading right now? Both fan fiction and general fiction?

General fiction: I just started Octavia Butler’s Seed novels. Fan fiction: I’m living for @lessoleilscouchants’ (my youth ain’t) tangled up in bad decisions, @onceuponamirror’s Heart Rise Above, @christah88’s Don’t Drink the (Maple) Water, and @cooperjones2020 Second City (as of this writing, I’m behind on reviewing those last three! I promise I will once I finish my chapter draft!)

28. Do you have an advice for writers that want to get into this fandom but might be scared?

Just do it! But before you do it, do your very very best to have your spelling, grammar, and formatting tip-top, because getting those things wrong are often turnoffs for readers.

If you’re nervous about posting or getting constructive criticism, ask someone to beta for you. Most writers, me included, are honored to be asked to beta and will do it when we have the time.

Be involved in the fandom. Leave comments on other people’s stories. Leave friendly messages in other people’s tumblr inboxes! Write meta commentary for scenes or characters and post that.