#not a big fan of the Lore Voice or really too much serious lore

[viscerast]

someone explain qsmp to me like in 5 years old im tired of not knowing about the latest minecraft

[sunderingstars]

zayne x reader + expressing his emotions/feelings via his and reader's heartbeat? Since he's not *just* her doctor...🪐

♡ heartbeat (zayne x reader) ♡

what the stars reveal: no gender signifiers for reader, (but can be assumed fem based off the game’s mc), slight allusions to lore, poetic prose taken directly from my brain at 3am

.𖥔 ݁ ˖ જ⁀➴ thank you for the suggestion, anon !! i feel like this ask was made just for me because i use zayne’s heartbeats as a way to de-stress every day LOL. i got a little bit carried away so i hope more than a few paragraphs is fine :3

It had started as a joke. Some silly, off-the-cuff banter you didn’t even remember starting, much less continuing until the two of you sat face-to-face on the couch in his office. It didn’t really matter, in your mind, how it happened. All that mattered was the thrumming; the steady rhythm of a heart, his heart, resting warm and stable under layers of skin and fabric.

It didn’t occur to you to be embarrassed. Not when you could feel it against your fingertips, burning through the outer layers of Zayne’s frost-tipped skin, coming to rest against you like a flower, like some sort of fragile thing with petals of ice. If you could, you wished to hold it in your hands, softly, tenderly, in the vain hope it would never crack. A prayer, perhaps, to a god you couldn’t remember.

“What is your verdict, doctor?” the teasing lilt of the last word brought you back to yourself, to the man in front of you. Zayne looked at you, eyes sparkling in amusement.

You coughed lightly. “It’s… uh… normal.” You didn’t remove your hand. “But kind of weird.”

Zayne’s heart stuttered along with his chuckle. “Weird?”

“Yes, weird,” you repeated, letting the lull of his heart diffuse from your fingertips to your chest. “I feel like I’m going to fall asleep.”

A beat of silence. “Go ahead, then.”

You blinked. Part of you thought you must’ve heard wrong — perhaps his heartbeat was laced with some sort of hallucinogen — but when you looked back to him, to the soft upturn at the corners of his mouth, you realized he was serious.

“What?” you asked. “Just like that?”

Zayne raised his eyebrows. “Why not? Leading research suggests that eight to ten hours of sleep is best for optimal performance. And someone I know is falling behind in that regard.”

You considered it, humming. Then you leaned forward until the side of your head replaced your hand on his chest. From here, you could hear the tempo picking up pace directly in your ear.

“It’s even weirder now,” you said.

“Is it?” he asked.

“Yeah.”

“Maybe it likes you.”

You smiled against his chest. “Maybe I like it, too. Maybe, even, I want to give it a big kiss on t—”

“Go to sleep.” His tone was faux-stern, the way he sounded when he wasn’t fully committed to deflecting something. You could have kept prying, you knew, just to see how far the heart metaphor would go, but you decided to give his actual heart a break.

“Fine,” you said. “But I hope it knows it belongs to a great doctor.”

Another stutter against your ear. “I’ll be sure to pass on the message.”

Content, you settle against him, not caring that you’re still half-sitting. It’s easy, then, to listen. To wash away. To hear the sounds of rising, falling, cresting like snowcapped mountains and falling stars, and feel as though you’re a falling star yourself, hopeless.

“I wonder if it loves me,” you murmur, half-conscious, half-hopeful, half-blurred.

The last thing you hear is the low timbre of Zayne’s voice, softer than you’ve ever heard it, sending you off into the dark.

“It does.”

💙 bonus hc 💙: zayne has different ways to check heartbeats depending on how close he is to someone. for his normal days on the job, he uses a stethoscope, but when it comes to those he gets close to, he’ll take it by wrist pulse or neck. when the two of you start dating, he becomes a fan of pretending he can only take your pulse if he’s resting his head against your chest, which usually leads to him falling asleep on you.

© 2024, written by sunderingstars. do not copy, repost, translate, modify, or claim my work as your own.

[lalasworld2x]

Reader Forces Shredder to Play Games

This one was requested by @keiko89yo !! Hope you like it ☺️

• Of course Shredder has a phone, but he really only uses it for any kind of business emails or things like that. He really doesn’t see the need for it when he can just send one of his employees to deliver a message, and he can just buy technology (like ear phones and wires and such) to listen in on conversations. But after meeting you, he bought an actual phone. (You can also imagine him using an iPad or computer as well if you want to lol)

• (Silly goofy Shredder would 100% be an iPad kid…)

• Not long into the relationship, you decided to add some modern fun into date nights… via games of course 🤪🤪

• He’s literally never heard of ANY of these games before. He had no reason to.

• Omg him playing Among Us gets scary… the threats and curses that fly from this man’s mouth is INSANE 😭 and you can definitely tell whenever he’s imposter because he goes dead silent as he’s thinking of strategies. I bet he also chuckled maniacally when things go his way. He’ll definitely force you to team up if you’re imposter, cause he actually rages if he loses.

• He somewhat enjoys Genshin and Honkai, but the constant need for grinding just to get good pulls frustrates him. The combat he definitely likes, and he enjoys seeing the connections between the in game world and our real world. Tbh he’d probably just ask you to do all the grinding and hard work for him while he does all the good stuff lol.

• Oof him playing games like Fortnite and Overwatch is rough… 😭 the fact that it’s real people who have played much much MUCH longer than him is aggravating, he much prefers the programmed characters. Don’t ever let him get a mic… there will be police at the front door step because this man will not hesitate to threaten a 12 year olds life and family.

• I think overall, dating you would make him less serious a brooding. Not by much of course but you will see a lot more modern behaviours in him just because you introduce him to more modern things.

• He would find Roblox to be really stupid and probably annoying. He doesn’t really understand how you could find so much enjoyment out of it. I think he would refuse to play the horror games just because there’s that inkling of worry in his stomach that it may genuinely scare him and he doesn’t want to look foolish in front of you lol. He wants to see more tycoons that involve taking over the world and expanding your evil empire, so Roblox, take notes 📝📝

• I think his favourite game would be Mortal Kombat because he could relate to some of the martial arts side of things, and who doesn’t love seeing influences of their own cultures in media they enjoy? I think he would also get a kick out of the voices overs lmao

• I think he would feel the same way about the Cookie Run games as he does about Genshin and Honkai. Not a big fan of the grinding, but does like to rank up, win good prizes, and collect the powerful characters. Although I think he feels a bit silly playing a game full of childish cookie characters full rainbows and sparkles lol.

• I don’t know if he would really be a big fan of going through the actual lore of games, I think it would have to be a much darker and gruesome game for him to sit through all of the dialogue and side quests and such.

• I’m sure he’d be a fan of the classics like Pac-Man, Space Invaders, Sonic, etc. Just because he likes to feel better by enjoying older games than the newer games for the younger generations cause we all know how the new generations suck butt ☺️ /sar

~~~~~~~~~

Sorry this one was so long, I hope it wasn’t TOO long😅😅

Masterlist

[mimzalot]

we never really needed the Zelda Timeline

 from twitter •  7th July 2019  

sharing my thoughts on the Zelda Timeline, oral tradition, gamer intellectualism and one of the best characters in Breath of the Wild. I may wrongly use 'oral history' and 'oral tradition' interchangeably but you get the gist of it.

hadn’t put this into words until recently but I think part of the reason the Zelda timeline never mattered to me was because Zelda has always been a bit more like oral history, rather than written history. it’s the Legend of Zelda, not the Cross-Referenced Facts of Zelda.

makes sense, too, why all the Zelda games have vastly different tones, but the same underlying themes and plot - Link is the archetypal hero (like Jack and Jill, Jack and the Beanstalk), and all the different ‘styles’ of game are the different voices they’re recounted by.

you got one person that tells the story with a light-hearted comedy tone! Wind Waker. you got that aunty that’s a fan of ghost stories and plans to terrify you! Majora’s Mask. you know that cousin who’s a big fan of birds? Skyward Sword! each legend embellished in its own way.

and not to be Me about it but it makes me wonder how much of this desire for Zelda’s timeline to be a written, coherent, step-by-step factual recount of events is tied in with the idea that historical, written fact is seen as intellectualism, whereas oral tradition is... not.

I’m used to oral tradition. as a Samoan, much of my knowledge of history has been told to me by family, and while there is value in finding the ‘truth’ of the matter, a lot of times, you just enjoy the story. there’s nothing to prove with it, you just listen and learn.

as a Samoan I’m also used to the fact that this isn’t really seen as a valid or intellectual form of academia. and as a member of the gaming and Zelda community, I know that there’s a pervasive obsession with academia, intellectualism, and proving video games are ‘smart’.

if you’ve been part of the Zelda community for longer than a minute you’ve probably at some point become aware that some Zelda fans - and Nintendorks overall - have suffered with an inferiority complex. the definition of ‘real games’ did not include games about fairy forest boys.

when ‘real games’ had to have the most realistic graphics, dark themes, competitive modes and, well, guns, Zelda fans were chuckled at by ‘real gamers’. it was a good game, but it was a kids’ game. Zelda fans scrambled for legitimacy in the gaming community.

evidence: when Wind Waker was first announced, the great source of fan despair? it was too cartoony, it wasn’t dark enough. how was Zelda going to be taken seriously when, while the rest of gaming was boasting realistic graphics, Nintendo had veered off-course into toon town!?

similarly when Twilight Princess was released, the great source of fan rejoicing was that it looked serious, dark and gritty. Link looked more realistic, and this looked like a game that wouldn’t have the Halo nerds laughing at you when you said it was the best series ever.

so what does the disenfranchised nerd with the inferiority complex do to intellectualise their media? how does the Zeldweeb prove their lore should be taken seriously? you take every piece of it and try to put it down on paper, in sensical order, as evidence. it’s history, baby!

you could probably skip the inferiority complex bit and jump straight to the fact that white audiences will naturally attempt to intellectualise through written history, because historically speaking, that’s what white history is all about. if it ain’t written, it ain’t legitten.

whether it’s because of an inferiority complex, or the cultural context within which media is consumed, or the nature of academia being steeped in white concepts of ‘truth’, we’ve been left with Zelda fans that are DESPERATE for the timeline to make sense. DEMANDING that it does.

and all I’m saying to my fellow fans is - it doesn’t HAVE to. it never had to! firstly because that’s an inherently flawed method of justifying the merit of something, but also because gaming elitism is dumb and there’s no need to force this game to be historically accurate.

because without this urgent demand for a Confirmed Zelda timeline, Hylian lore would be just like my ‘Fierce Deity Link is Sheikah’ headcanon, and numerous other Zelda fan theories - good, regardless of canonisation. speculative, like legends oft are. oral tradition, not written.

... but it’s 2019 now. the Historia was released, and you can tell the games are being made with other games and The Timeline in mind. and this isn’t bad! in fact it’s a pretty interesting progression from oral tradition into written that mirrors real world civilisations. sweet.

Breath of the Wild is the ‘convergence’ game, where all the haphazard timelines come together. to me this is a turning point in the Legend of Zelda, because from here on, games have a unified starting point. The Timeline can, from this point forward, be strictly abided by.

... but speaking of oral tradition and Breath of the Wild, I find it really charming that as Nintendo officially creates a ‘logical’ new-start for the written Zelda timeline, they also introduced an in-game personification of oral lore itself. or a birdification, rather. Kass!

was this thread just an excuse for me to gush about my favourite bird bard, Kass? I mean, no, but while I’m here, let’s talk about Kass! bc I love him, and also because there’s something very meta about a Legend of Zelda character whose sole purpose is to tell the Legend of Zelda

TLOZ as a whole operates mostly on oral lore. more often than not you are told of your history by others - from a great tree, a dead King, a Happy Mask Salesman. your sidequests are primarily word-of-mouth. music is integral in how you connect to Hyrule, past, present and future.

this has become a fundamental and seamlessly integrated part of how the series functions. just like you know that when you hit a crystal something will happen, you also know that in order to understand your surroundings you need to listen to people, stories and songs. NOT read.

... which brings us back to Kass! while the rest of the series (deliberately or not) makes gameplay out of oral tradition, Kass personifies that tradition. at the turning point of The Timeline, Kass both explains and demonstrates how Legend works, in-game and in-general.

and I find it extremely effective and maybe a little sentimental that while we can expect everything henceforth about The Timeline to be indisputable fact, there’s a character which exists purely to represent the legitimacy, excitement and cultural function of oral tradition.

(that the Rito seem coded as a tribal unit that live in a village and operate within a chiefly system not unlike my own culture probably adds to how quickly this comparison occurred to me, too, buuut culture-coding in Zelda is a topic for another day)

Breath of the Wild marks a junction. a new slate - ha ha. gameplay includes more elements of written history (filling a compendium, reading journals, visiting memories based on photos), throwbacks take full advantage of a chronological timeline (location names, weapon lore, plot)

Link is usually our bard, through which we create and share the Legend of Zelda. now, as Link, BOTW and maybe even the series overall develops in another direction, Kass is our bard, and he behaves as a testament to the original point of the thread - the oral history of TLOZ

and it’s just nice to think that this history is being fondly represented in the form of a big bird accordionist that gets bummed out when you don’t want to hear him talk about Zelda. I can relate to that. I think a lot of us can. especially the bird bit. huh? what? I DIGRESS.

ultimately, I didn’t need the timeline. I don’t really think anyone needed it as badly as they thought they did. but! I don’t reject The Timeline. a solid foundation opens up new avenues of storytelling - a direct BOTW sequel with reference to past lore, for example! EXCITING!

I just hope that while the franchise evolves with The Timeline in mind, we can still appreciate that, even untethered, in all its tonally diverse and time-insensitive glory, The Legend of Zelda was never ‘broken’, it was just a history unwritten - and no less enjoyable that way.

feel free to celebrate reaching the end of this thread by listening to this lovely song cover and joining me in prayer that Kass returns with more tunes for BOTW2. MAY THE LIGHT ILLUMINATE YOUR PATH!

additional notes: playing Tears of the Kingdom now and feeling INCREDIBLY vindicated rn. please no spoilers in the tags if you reblog but also SCREAMS AND RATTLES I LOVE ZELDAAA

[vyeoh]

this is your chance: wax poetic about an Empires or DSMP character of your choice to a fan who is new to both. Explain why I should love them. I need guidance in this new and meme-populated land.

okok this is a lot of pressure haha. Spoilers for EmpiresSMP and DreamSMP below, obviously. I wrote a lot so prepare yourself, anon

I watch a lot of empires POVs but the ones I most anticipate every week are Scott and Sausage.

c!Scott (I'll call him Smajor for the sake of simplicity) starts off the series chilling, not really getting involved with the rest of the server, and staying aggressively neutral. After all, he's an elf. He has lived far longer than most of the other rulers already, and will most likely outlive them for many years. So, the best thing is to stick to his mountains and not get invested in the dealings of mortal affairs, maybe sometimes causing problems on purpose and dipping because what's life without a little spice right.

But then, this demon comes to the server, Xornoth. He's going around causing havoc and wants to send the world into an eternal winter, but he doesn't bother the kingdom of Rivendell much so Smajor stays tentatively cautious but ultimately unbothered. But then, the puzzle pieces start falling together. The first thing that the audience noticed was was Xornoth sounded like Smajor, but we mostly thought that this was just due to cc!Scott voicing both of them and there was nothing more to it. However, then, the people the demon starts possessing start chanting in elvish. The demon hates mortals, and the elves are conveniently one of the two confirmed not fully mortal races in Empires.

This culminates when Smajor stumbles across a cave that contains the backstory of the patron god of Rivendell, Aeor. Basically, there's two opposing forces, Aeor and Exor, and both have a champion. In a previous life, those champions were two brothers, where Aeor eventually prevailed and banished Exor. In this life though, the champions are - you guessed it - Smajor, and the demon Xornoth.

So now Smajor is like. Well fuck. It's my literal god-given destiny to be responsible for defeating this demon who is technically my brother, and if I fail the server gets plunged into an eternal winter. And I have no fucking clue what is happening because I've just been here on this mountain actively trying to stay out of the issues outside my kingdom. We watch him panic and teeter on the verge of spiraling for an entire episode, and when the followers of Xornoth go to the End to kill the dragon, releasing Xornoth's full powers, he fails to stop him. Smajor is a character who was used to being the smart one, the prepared one, the one who has the least deaths on the server. But he's also a character who runs away from his problems and ignores them. Before and during the dragon fight, we hear the desperation in his voice, as he's thrown into a situation he is wholly unprepared for, and it's bigger than him going to the Cod Empire to kill their king, or assisting in other people's plans to kill the codfather. He can't run from this. cc!Scott plays this scene so well as well, as I've said before, one of the best parts of Scott's acting is how he's never super dramatic, but he's so effective in the little things like inflection to make you feel, viscerally, the panic and dread.

So after the dragon fight, Smajor realizes, I can't do this on my own. I've tried and failed. So he gets allies. We watch him, someone who has so strongly been an isolationist, learn the benefits of allies and watch him learn to trust others and watch him learn how to get that trust in return.

My favorite thing about Smajor's characterization is that he's an incompetent protagonist, but not in the way of the "plucky young adventurer". He's capable skill-wise, and fairly jaded and very pessimistic. However, his issue is that up until recently, he did not care about the rest of the server at all, and by the time he learned to, it was way too late.

Also, in 3rd Life, cc!Scott and cc!Jimmy were canonically married and they reference it sometimes in Empires. Like, Scott goes over to the Cod Empire every so often both in and out of character to kill and/or flirt with Jimmy, the ruler of the Cod Empire, which may develop as a secondary plot into the future who knows. So ty Scott for giving the gays what they want o7

Now onto Sausage: his is a story of Icarus, his hubris and ambition being his downfall. He's one of the two followers of Xornoth, who promised him endless power in exchange for his servitude. He started the series being eccentric, but not outright unhinged, but slowly gets more and more extreme as the series progresses, as he gets brought more and more to Xornoth's side.

One of the best parts of Sausage's character, in my opinion, is how his gradual corruption affects the people around him. Initially, he got into a conflict with the Cod Empire and was allied with two other people in the Witherrose alliance. They were allies, but also close friends. The fandom liked to joke that the three had sibling energy, and I'm pretty sure the ccs played to that even more lol.

It was painful to watch the other two members, Gem and fWhip, watch Sausage get corrupted right in front of them, and see them desperately clinging on to this old idea of Sausage in their head because if they faced the truth, it would mean that their friend was gone. Eventually, they do finally cut him out of the alliance, leading him to fully commit to the side of the demon. Sausage felt very clearly betrayed by this, and declared the remaining two Witherrose alliance members to be enemies.

He gets more and more possessed, and we even see the other Empires, his enemies even, slowly realize that something is very wrong with the ruler of Mythland. He starts doing more and more evil things, like killing people more, making sacrifices to the demon, and eventually helping to kill the dragon to free Xornoth. So things are good for Sausage, for a bit. He won, and is more powerful than ever. Then he finds out: he's going to die. Xornoth's possession is slowly killing his soul, and eventually, his body going to be fully taken over and he himself is going to be trapped in the spirit realm. So how do you react to this? Over the next few episodes, we watch Sausage struggle between "the demon is literally killing me" and "the demon has given me so much, and I love it", all while Xornoth takes over more and more of him. We hear him exclaim that "don't worry!! I'm still about 15% there!" while trying to downplay every time Xornoth completely takes over his body. We watch him willingly oppose anyone who is trying to end the thing that is killing him.

My favorite thing about Sausage is that he is undoubtedly evil and proud of it, but he's also undoubtedly human. If you like to watch evil characters go absolutely feral, he's the guy for you. He makes the deal with Xornoth in the beginning, knowing and fully embracing the evilness of the demon, but at the same time he knows what he's doing is detrimental to both himself and everyone around him, but he's gotten in way too deep at this point, and to be fair the demon has held up its end fo the bargain, right?

Also, I would be damned if I don't talk about cc!Sausage's editing. Every one of his videos is like a movie. The way he does camera angles and uses music is so skillful- every lore scene feels like something out of a high fantasy action saga (think: LotR). Every big lore event I always wait in anticipation for Sausage's ep because his editing truly takes lore to another level.

I'm just generally very excited to see where this series goes. Empires is such a good mix of talented builders and good lore. Part of the reason why the series is so immersive for me, beyond any other lore smp, is that they have the settings to back it up. There is a certain charm to the DreamSMP's objectively terrible builds (with a few exceptions) but in Empires, the settings help sell the plot so much.

Another part of why I love EmpiresSMP is how much the ccs are involved with the fan community. I'm sure you've seen the memes about Scott being on tumblr, and Sausage regularly goes through the EmpiresSMP fanart tag on Twitter and likes art, even ones not related to Mythland. Most of the ccs, in fact, have brought up tumblr content on stream at some point or another. Like, several ccs have said that they read tumblr lore theories and hcs and stuff and sometimes take inspiration from them. Fun fact: Rivendell's church was inspired by my pinned drawing; confirmed by Scott Smajor himself. It's just such a good cycle of ccs and fans being excited about each other.

As for DreamSMP, I'm gonna be honest here, the only person I really am invested in in Technoblade. I started watching when he joined the server, and he's the only person whose lore I keep up to date with.

Techno's fun to watch because he's like the Deadpool of DreamSMP. Virtually unkillable, very skilled and scary, but consistently cracks jokes and breaks the 4th wall during plot. His POV is just fun. Like, he does wild plans and gives speeches and some of the stuff that happens to him should be called deus ex machine if it wasn't for the fact that Technoblade is the one who's doing it, and all the stuff is grounded in the fact that cc!Techno is just that good at the game.

However, the fact that he rarely takes anything seriously makes the few times Techno is 100% serious so much more impactful. His whole character has a basis in being perceived as inhuman and being treated as such, and therefore in return trying to hide his humanity. So, when he shows that humanity, whether that's fear, anger, or genuine love for his friends, it really makes you go "oh shit."

Techno's often said not to have character development, but I'd argue that while he remains steadfast in his moral code, he develops leaps and bounds as a person. Like, at the beginning, he's brought onto the server to help Wilbur and Tommy overthrow a government; them knowing he's 1) an anarchist and 2) very very powerful. His character was more of a plot device at that point and was treated as such in the canon. Wilbur and Tommy straight-up lie to him about their plans to establish another government after they overthrow the current one, while he was led on to believe that they were abolishing all governments in the area. But he isn't a plot device. He's a person, as much as he only shows the terrifying, blood god side of himself.

After the establishment of New Lmanburg (the new government its a long story), his friend Phil joins. And for the first time, we see him be fully human with someone and we see someone treat him like a human. Like, we saw glimpses before, with Wilbur and Tommy in Pogtopia, but Phil is the first person we noticeably see he trusts 100%. Then Doomsday happens, and Techno essentially retires to the tundra. During this time, we see Techno learn to be more human, first with Ranboo, then Niki when he establishes the Syndicate. In fact, the two of them, along with Phil, canonically throw him a birthday party, which is a far cry from his treatment in Pogtopia.

Techno's development is one of a god learning to be human, and I just think he <3

[glassvines]

Finished Rise, and I have thoughts! Mostly mulling over the pros and cons, as this was definitely a series that prioritized focusing in on new ideas and character directions. There are some spoilers too.

To note, I’m not a gigantic fan of the franchise as a whole. I watched a little bit of the original 80s series as a child, the live movies, the 2007 film and the 2012 series. I’m not 100% up on all the lore or characters. At this point I’m most familiar with Rise and the 2012 series.

Pros:

1. The animation - in particular the action scenes! I liked the addition of their mystic powers, because that added a fun twist to any fight throughout the series. Once the show hit its stride it’s probably one of the most artistic and creative iterations of TMNT. I love the work this animation studio has been doing!! Legit some of the best action-oriented scenes to come out of a Western produced animated series.

2. For the most part, I like how the characters were handled! For instance:

A. April just being one of the gang from the beginning with no explanation. Still a teenager like the 2012 series, but no longer Donnie or Casey’s love interest. (Am I still shipping her with Donnie? Yeah, obviously.) Also loved the nod to her majoring in journalism in the movie.

B. Raph being the leader and not having any rivalry or jealousy issues with Leo. Absolutely LOVED this version of Raph. His characterization veering off into the older protective brother of the group felt right, and I hope this version of him sneaks into other TMNT series.

C. My favorite character change here was Leo. Making him the cocky goofball of the group was genius, because we’re so used to him being significantly more thoughtful and leader-like. We get to watch him grow into the role we were used to seeing him in. This also makes Leo’s usual conflict with Raph super interesting, because RAPH is the one who is always in the right throughout Rise. He just wants his brother to put his family first and to stop putting them in unnecessary danger.

Leo refusing to listen until he’s thoroughly CURB STOMPED by the consequences of his actions in the movie was the icing on the cake of their relationship dynamic.

D. Donnie was my favorite in the 2012 series, and despite the fact that he feels like a completely different character is Rise, he still manages to be my fave in Rise as well lmao. It’s clear they wanted to mix up his characterization, and while they made sure he’s still the nerd of the group, he’s much more grumpy and sarcastic here. Also Josh Brener is so hysterical. Donnie was constantly cracking me up. Dude’s just a total mean girl in this series.

E. Rise’s Mikey was just so adorable. I liked that they really emphasized more on his traits outside of the “youngest, naive brother”. Like his artistic skills and ability to smooth out family conflicts.

3. Listen. The movie is just-!!!

SO GOOD.

It has been living in my head rent free since it was released. (Please please please release an artbook and maybe even a bluray I neeeed them.)

4. Shredder and the Krang in this series were...kind of terrifying. Love me some effective villains.

5. The (English) voice cast was amazing. Just overall very memorable and fitting!

Cons:

1. The comedy was very hit or miss for me, probably just due to the fact that it’s a series for little kids. Don’t get me wrong, there was clearly a pretty big effort in this area, given the overt comedic and episodic nature of Rise. The voice actors all do a fantastic job with range, comedic timing, and gave the dialogue an imrov-ish feel. That’s a lot of good things! Only problem was it just wasn’t grabbing me at all times. Still, the show has enough laugh-out-loud moments to make up for this imo.

2. Would have liked a larger emphasis on the plot. I’m guessing the powers-that-be just wanted a more episodic series (because ad revenue - and this is the current money-making trend of the industry). The series would have benefited from more serious, plot focused episodes. Which it EXCELLED AT when they popped up!

The movie gets exceptionally DARK compared to the series. I would have liked to see just a little more of that.

3. It took me so long to get used to Rise’s version of Splinter. I can see why older TMNT fans maybe thought this series was just mocking the franchise as a whole at the very beginning and bounced. Splinter felt off-putting until they gave him a little more depth as the series went on.

Spoilers: He does end up getting a great backstory, and I definitely loved him by the end of the series.

Really thought he’d have like, this big reveal moment where he tells his sons that he’s Lou Jitsu? But no, they've just always known ahahaha. (EDIT: I stand corrected on this! There was a reveal scene at the end of s1. Obviously, I need to watch this episode again.)

4. New characters and villains were also kind of hit or miss, though I DID love Draxum and Big Mama an awful lot :).

5. Girl!Casey was really just there for me. Like, I have no major thoughts on her. She should have been her own character, though I am really amused they ended up making her, you know, actual Casey’s mom in the movie. That was pretty funny.

6. I know I’ve heaped a lot of praise on the animation, however, some of the non-action scenes at the beginning of the series were very clumsy looking. Not sure if that was due to budget issues, green animators/boarders, or what have you, but it was distracting. Again, I can see why older TMNT fans jumped the gun immediately to hate or indifference early on in the series.

However, now that we can see what the team behind the series came up with down the line, those initial fears should no longer apply. The animation jumps up in quality so severely, that the movie really could have had a theater release. It’s just jaw-droppingly gorgeous.

Aaaand that concludes most of my thoughts. Overall it was a really fun series that deserved more attention. Would love another movie or season if that’s on the table. Fingers crossed the movie is doing well.

[adhdeancas]

Dean Winchester (and the script leaks last night) possessed me to write this.

Dean happens upon Chuck's latest book: Carry On. Except it ends differently than it really went, and the ending? It's really fucking bad.

tw: suicide mention, transphobia (quickly shut the fuck down) 

Dean doesn’t make a habit of going to bookstores. Not because he hates books, contrary to what Sam might think; he just prefers to buy used books. There’s something comforting about a book that has already been worn and read over and over, that already shows how much the previous owner loved it. Plus, y’know, big corporations are evil and all that. And Dean only allows himself to overlook that when his stomach or his wallet wins over his hatred of the shitty mass-produced products. 

This time it was Jack who won; he’s obsessed with this new fantasy series and the new book just came out, so there’s no way he can hunt it down on Ebay. He makes his way to the fantasy and sci-fi section, eyes roaming over the displays of new releases, and his eye catches on something that turns his blood cold. 

“Supernatural: Carry On, The Final Book of the Winchesters’ Epic Journey” takes up a whole table, the generic and overly serious cover jeering out at him. 

He storms over to the display, anger covering up for the way his body feels light as a feather and like lead all at once, and picks up a book. “Why is Sam always fucking shirtless?” he mutters, the only thought that allows itself from the mess inside his head to his mouth. 

“Book sales.” A voice behind him says. He turns to see a teenager with their arms crossed over their work polo, pierced lip fixed into a customer-unfriendly frown.

“People want to see that?”

They snort, a small grin turning up the corner of their lips. It reminds Dean of Cas. “No. But that’s what advertisers think all ‘women’ want,” They use air quotes. 

He raises an eyebrow and asks. “Women?”

They shrug and uncross their arms, leaning back against the display table behind them. Their nametag says Jadyn. “Supernatural’s biggest block of readers is queer. I’d go out on a limb and say a lot of those the marketers think of as ‘women’ aren’t, or if they are, they aren’t itching to see Sam’s six pack.” Jadyn smirks. 

Dean takes a second to digest that, then grins down at the book, thinking past Sam’s apparently badly-received nudity now. “So how’d they like it?” he asks, waving the book a bit and looking up at Jadyn. Apparently they know a lot about the fans of the books, and for once, he’s proud of the way the story ended. 

Jadyn’s face sets into all hard lines. “Most people fucking hated it.” they say bluntly, then, probably remembering that he’s a customer, correct. “Sorry. I mean, it got some good reviews, mostly from people who like Wincest, but beyond that, it had some problematic plot points.”

Dean winces at the reminder of the ship between him and his brother, then scrunches his whole face together in confusion. “Wait, what? Why?” Why would Wincest fans like it? What was problematic about their end?

Jadyn shifts from foot to foot. “I don’t wanna spoil anything for you-”

“I don’t care about spoilers, just give me the short version.” Dean says quickly. A quiet panic is rising in him, and suddenly he has a horrible feeling that he’s not holding the truth in his hands anymore. 

“Uh, okay… Well, the most obvious thing is the bury-your-gays thing, then there’s the fact that it completely contradicted the rest of the lore. And it was ableist, misogynistic, and messed up, like, every character’s arc.” they take a breath, clearly worked up by it. “Even if they changed any of the details too, it was all built on Dean’s death, and that’s just bullshit. Sorry.” they apologize again, apparently mistaking Dean’s stricken expression to be in reaction to their rant and swearing. 

“No, nah, you’re… you’re okay. Uh, thanks.” he waves a hand and wanders away from them, only remembering Jack’s book when he’s almost to the register. He manages to make his way back and find the damn thing, but he’s still in a fog when he gets to the register. 

“Did anyone help you in the store today?”

“Huh?” he looks up and meets the middle-aged cashier’s gaze for the first time. Brent, from the nametag, looks at him impatiently. “Oh, yeah, uh… Jadyn. Jadyn helped me.” Brent scoffs and starts typing with a shake of the head. “Uh, is there a problem?” Dean asks, a little annoyed at this cashier’s unnecessary attitude. He usually doesn’t care if an employee’s rude, because they have to deal with assholes all the time and honestly Dean isn’t much better, but this one gives him a bad feeling. 

“No, no, sorry. It’s just - “Jadyn’s” got this idea that he’s a girl. Makes everybody call him that name now too. Just-” Brent shakes his head. “I mean, you get it. Their generation, everybody wants to be special.”

Dean glares. “No, I don’t get it, Brent.” He says through gritted teeth. “Seems to me like Jadyn probably deals with enough assholes like you that her asking for a little basic decency is the exact opposite of special. Sounds pretty normal, actually.” He can see the fear creep into Brent’s eyes, and he knows the cashier is reacting to the murderous look in his eyes more than his actual words. 

Brent hands Dean his bag of books with a quiet, “Here you go.”

Dean snatches it away. “Oh, Brent?” he checks over his shoulder to make sure they’re alone and then leans across the counter into Brent’s space. “You should find a new job, one where you don’t have to interact with other people. At least until you learn how to stop being a piece of shit.” He starts to ease away but thinks better about it. “And if you think that’s a suggestion, it’s not. My husband likes this book coming out next month that I’ll need to buy, and if I see you here when I come, well… it would be really embarrassing for you to tell all your little friends that you got your ass beat by a ‘special’ guy, huh?” He pats Brent on the cheek condescendingly and leaves with a huff. 

Damn transphobes. 

He only remembers the book once he’s back in Baby, and he takes the time to drive out of town before he pulls over to read it. It’s an old abandoned church, the cross long since fallen from the roof and the doors hanging off their hinges. He sits on the steps just because being in Baby seems claustrophobic for once in his life, and going back to the bunker to look at this is just… not happening.

Dean only skims the beginning to see that it starts the same. The ground erupting with bodies, hell spitting out its most-conveniently placed nasties, Rowena sacrificing herself, Cas leaving. His throat closes up at that, at Chuck’s description of Cas’s heartbroken expression as he climbs the stairs of the bunker. He clears his throat and skips to the end, right past Cas’s death that he doesn’t have the time to think about right now, past them defeating Chuck and then stops. He goes back a few pages, trying to find the disconnect. 

The story’s different.

After Jack takes on God’s power, in the book, he’s totally fine. Not almost vibrating out of his skin or anything, not crying like the three year old he is because he’s scared. Not like it really happened. He just smiles and leaves him and Sam, and they let him go. 

Dean scoffs, skimming over the story as it just gets more ridiculous. 

In the book, he doesn’t even try to save Cas. They barely even mention him. And they never mention Eileen, either. In fact, Dean notes disbelievingly, practically the only characters in the last few chapters are him and Sam. They’re hunting again.

“What, is Chuck trying to keep the series going?” he whispers to himself, anger flaring through him. They let Chuck live, and he decided to write obnoxious fanfiction about them? He’s gonna kill that shameless little fucker. For real, this time. He deserves it.

In the book, Sam and Dean torture some vampire mime, and they enjoy it. Dean cringes; this is really what Chuck thinks of them. Then they tussle with more vamps in a barn and- 

Dean’s brain stops working. He rereads the scene again and again. 

“There’s something in my… something in my back. It feels like it’s right through me.” 

Dean Winchester dies in a dirty barn, on a piece of freaking rebar. 

More than that, Dean realizes on his fourth read-through. This Dean? He tried to drag out his speech, Dean can tell by the way he pauses for fucking drama. He would never do that. He would never talk to Sam for fifteen hellish minutes when he could be trying. Trying to live, so he can actually get his life back on track, get his family back. No, he made that speech stalling. He made that speech so Sam wouldn’t try to save him. 

“You gotta admit, I had one helluva ride.” He was strangely calm.

Chuck made him kill himself.

Dean reads the rest of the book through blurry eyes, reading an ambiguous and nothing-ending, one where he’s somehow happy to be dead and driving around in heaven alone while Sam raises a kid into hunting and cries about Dean decades after he’s died. Eileen isn’t mentioned. Cas is mentioned once, and Bizzarro-Dean doesn’t even think about seeing him, apparently. The whole book ends with a hug between him and Sam, both dead. Both alone. 

Dean rips the ending up. He tears through the stupid paper covering and keeps ripping the pages up until they’re the size of confetti. His lower lip wobbles. He throws the whole thing against the side of the building, and it tumbles through the broken doorway and drops into a pile of dust and dirt. “That isn’t the fucking ending.” he grounds out, knocking his hand against the flimsy handrail. It gives a little under his fist and he kicks at it. “That isn’t the fucking ending!”

He’s having a panic attack. Again. He tries to take deep breaths, but they’re gulping, too big, they’re making him panic more. He scrambles back to Baby and grabs his phone, presses the first number on his favorites list and waits for him to answer on speaker phone.

“Hey Dean, what’s up?” Sam sounds like he’s been laughing. There are voices in the background, and Dean tries to convince himself one of them is Eileen. 

“Hey Sammy.” he chokes out, trying to sound normal. “You busy?”

There’s a pause, and then the sounds in the background. “Nah, Rowena’s just over.” he says casually. 

“So those voices in the background were-”

“Rowena and Eileen, yeah. They’re trying to convince me we need to go to Mexico. For the beaches.” A smile in his voice. Dean lets out a sigh of relief.  What’s up, Dean? You need something?” The smile drops, and Sam’s worried. 

Sam’s okay. Sam’s okay. “No, nah. Hey, you heard from Donna lately?” Dean just needs to triple-check.

“Uh, no, not since Sunday dinner… Dean, you okay?”

“Yeah, she just- she hasn’t been answering my texts. Just wanted to make sure.” Dean lies quickly. His breathing is still uneven, but his body is settling into uneven shakes. 

Sam sounds skeptical. “Yeah, well, she did tell us it’s been pretty busy at work lately. Y’know, everybody going out for the first time with COVID, getting stupid. Plus, y’know, nowhere’s drowning in EMTs right now.”

“Right. Yeah.” Dean takes a deep breath, a distant memory of Donna talking about that coming back to him.

“Pretty sure you were setting up a D&D session with Charlie while she was talking about that,” Sam laughs. Dean knows he means it as a subtle jab, but there’s too much relief flooding through him to care. Still, a string is pulled taut in him, and Sam can’t fix that completely.

“Gotta go, Sam,” Dean hangs up before Sam can say anything else, and goes to his next contact. It rings for far too long, and Dean’s heartbeat picks back up to thundering.

“Hello, Dean.”

“Cas,” Dean breathes out. “Cas, you know I love you, right?” He needs to test all the bounds of this, to make sure, just to make sure. Make sure Chuck isn’t still fucking with him. Because apparently, Chuck won’t let him be queer. Not in his story. Not out loud.

He can hear Cas’s eyebrow raise through the phone, and his chest is overcome with stupid fondness. “I would be a little worried if you didn’t.”

Dean grins widely. “Like, romantically. I’m in love with you. Because you’re the love of my life and I’m bisexual.” He says it all like it’s a checklist, like he expects some cosmic being to slap a hand over his mouth before he gets each next phrase out.

“Yes, Dean. We’ve been married almost two months.” Cas is smiling. It happens everytime he talks about their wedding. Dean adores it. “Is everything okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah, now it is.” His whole body relaxes, still vibrating with leftover panic, but satisfied. “I got Jack’s book.”

“Oh, good. He’ll be so pleased.” Cas pauses. “Dean, are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah. Yeah.” Dean eases off the ground and sends a last look at the dilapidated church before climbing into Baby. “Just- read a bad book. I’ll tell you about it later. When I get home.”

[adultswim2021]

The Venture Bros. #27: “Showdown at Cremation Creek Part I” | October 8, 2006 – 10:30PM | S02E12

Here comes a big episode, in that a lot of stuff happens in it. The Monarch and Dr. Girlfriend are reunited, and the Monarch asks her to marry him. She agrees, so long as he gives up arching the Venture Bros. Unfortunately for him, his henchmen have captured the entire Venture family after a chance encounter with Brock where they were able to get a jump on him. Luckily the Monarch is able to brush off this imprisonment with a quick lie: the Ventures are actually guests at their wedding and Dr. Venture is going to be his best man, an honor meant to prove to Dr. Girlfriend just how serious the Monarch is about quitting arching Dr. Venture.

Meanwhile, Dr. Venture realizes that Dr. Girlfriend had been the one that seduced him way back in season one's Mid-Life Chrysalis. Dean winds up getting locked in the engine room of the cocoon, I think? Yes. I'm pretty sure I'm right about that. Hank winds up with a fake goatee after playing with 21's toys and pretends to be a Russian guy to save face in front of Sgt. Hatred, a previously mentioned-but-unseen child molester who had touched both Hank and Dean inappropriately. This is of course, unacceptably insensitive and not funny at all. … AAAHAHAHAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!

Sorry. The sovereign, who I believe we saw previously in a couple episodes, is also attending the wedding. When he shows up in his non TV-screen form, we discover he's actually David Bowie (Jay Sherman voice: “celebrity voices are impersonated”). He shows up with Iggy Pop and Klaus Nomi, who died of AIDS in the early 80s. I love that they just decided to put him in this show as if he were simply still living in this universe. It's nice! Also: I feel like a not-very-cool-guy admitting this, but this episode was my introduction to Klaus Nomi.

Phantom Limb crashes the nuptials and a big fight is about to break out. TO BE CONTINUED!

This is a weird one for a lot of reasons – first is the lack of the regular lengthy opening sequence (replaced by a short music sting with a rapid succession of Venture character's faces and the title). I think from this point forward the full opening sequence become more of a rarity than not. In this episode what would've been the closing credits play over the opening scene where Phantom Limb is hunting all of the Monarch's cell mates from the season opener The Most Dangerous Game style. To intimidate Monarch, I guess. Anyway, it's yet another bit that absolutely requires prior knowledge of the previous episodes, though I guess it's sorta explained in dialogue. Later, when David Bowie appears a subtitle shows up with him explaining that the real David Bowie wasn't actually voicing him.

Sgt. Hatred has a bigger role in the series later on, but he's here with a similar voice (Brendon Small voices him here) and similar look; he looks more slender in season two. I guess his weight fluctuates. He was mentioned in I Know Why the Caged Bird Kills as having kidnapped and molested both boys, so it's especially dark that Hank is being asked to sit next to him at the wedding. Later he'd become their bodyguard, which is pretty freaking effed up.

I ultimately consider this particular set of episodes to be on the weaker side. There is way too much plot and not enough pure comedy. There's definitely jokes and funny character stuff, but the creators of the show were starting to go up their own asses with plot and backstory and lore and all that stuff. I think the writing and characters and design of the show are all pretty strong and can withstand the show being light on laughs, but boy, do I prefer the funny episodes. Like Viva Los Muertos, I remember being disappointed as a new fan of the show. But unlike that episode, this one doesn't grow on me. It's just okay.

Also, not getting to hear the closing credits music is a big let down. I really do wish they just did this one as an hour-long instead of a two-parter.

[dystopiandilfs]

I find it interesting how each Feral boy is with DreamSMP lore and how they approach it if they do. This is also some ideas and improvements. This is all my opinion and you don't have to agree or disagree.

Disclaimer this will be me using comparisons as it makes it easier to explain. This isn't me saying one person is better than another. Some might be negative points, some will be positive so no critical tags sorry. Even with me once again expressing my strong negative opinions on Tales. The idea is good the execution is not.

This is based off of multiple things; Character story, Character traits, Lore?, Plot holes, Fan theories, General enjoyment, Viewer impact, Clear goals etc

Dream seems to enjoy it the most as he offers to join everyone's lore as well as helping when he can and also trying to include others into "main" lore He also has managed to create a character with a full storyline without not once streaming from his perspective. He's very good at doing things that may seem small at the time but ends up having a huge impact. He manages to have a full storyline and a complete character but still leaves room for theories and headcanons for people to add on (Dreamon my beloved 💕). Because we don't see his perspective we don't know his intentions or goals so he's made his character detailed but mysterious which is actually quite difficult as he's the main character (Sorry Ranboo but it's true)

When it comes to acting he's very good at staying in character even when things get a bit scuffed obviously there's a few moments of breaking character but they're not him trying to get others to break character with jokes and voices they're genuine fuck ups (Accidentally blowing himself up and breaking character to both clear up confusion about it being canon and to switch from a tense atmosphere to give the audience a break for a bit and breaking character to say his Twitch handle after accidentally breaking TOS so George didn't get banned)

Dream said he's got a storyline from his perspective and it's all prerecorded which I'm excited for as I think it's going to be a bunch of flashbacks which could expand both character backstory but also create more storylines for people to bounce off of. For example if he did a flashback with some of the OG members they could build from that. It could give more of an explanation of why he changed. Essentially Dream's lore could be a bunch of behind the scene clips giving more lore for characters like him discussing the egg or prison with Sam, him and Punz talking more about the deal, him and Techno , him and Puffy, him and Ranboo. Dream is the main character because literally ever other character can do a flashback scene with him and build a whole storyline from it. For example Dreamon Hunters can be bought back in which already was linked to the Egg by Fundy. To sum it up Dream's lore from his perspective can not only made way for multiple new theories and headcanons but also is the easiest way for other characters to have more dimension even with a 20 second clip. And it gives more context to Dream as a character. Disclaimer this isn't me saying people can only be dimensional characters because of Dream I'm saying that Dream is the easiest way for someone to start a storyline that they can then work on if they want.

Quackity can do lore if he puts his mind to it. However it also has to rely on multiple things. Who the lore is with?, How serious is it? And What's the vibe? Basically if Quackity is with people who don't do serious lore or people who crack jokes often then his lore won't have that good quality lore I know it can be. For example Quackity's lore with Sam and Dream couldn't be replicated with most other people on the server. I can't even imagine if Karl and George were trying to do the prison lore. Even in Quackity's big stream you can see this difference Schlatt's bit dragged on and often got derailed because whilst they were both interested in the lore they weren't invested. The bit with BBH was a bit all over the place because they were both talking over each other and you could sort of tell it had little to no script or end goal but this was also partly down to them both being very into lore. They both tried to stick to their pre-existing character traits which clash Vs the Prison which had a clear script even if it was vague. Go to prison, convince Sam to bring weapons, Go torture Dream. Sam, Dream and Quackity are 3 of the most mysterious characters who have no clear plans, you can't predict their moves which is why any lore with them is good because they don't have a character personality that they have to stick to. For example Dream is known to adapt for each person so he could be nice one minute and demon child next.

Once Quackity has broken character he used to completely lose it. The vibe was gone however I was highly impressed with how he and Sam managed to keep the vibe when the prison broke. Previously Quackity would have lost his shit and derailed everything. I do think Quackity's strongest lore point is going with other strong lore members or just being on his own.

George and Sapnap I'm going to sort of link together. They both seen to be a bit meh on lore. I think it genuinely depends on what mood they're in. I also think that they'll both be much more comfortable doing lore that's prefilmed Vs live on stream.

Sapnap is very good at bouncing off of people so I think he'd be really good at lore with most people. I think Sapnap could definitely capitalise on the angst of being the abandoned one who is loyal to death but doesn't have the same in return. Like Dream both Sapnap and George are good at voice manipulation meaning if they want sad angst they can sound upset. Sapnap seems more tempted to do on the spot lore so he can't back out so that's another option. Like Sapnap has multiple headcanons handed to him and I know this bitch can act his little yeehaw soul out. Even if it's short clips talking to people like Punz or Sam who he seems closest to.

George has this strange ability to kickstart ideas for lore and then let's others build from it. (Also his ability for all of his lore to have a LGBTQ subtext like pack it up Dean Winchester) I genuinely don't think it's intentional however I think with a bit of thought he can have a general well rounded character. I know he did that lore the other day and has started to build up a character background however I think he's better with less serious lore people as I don't think he can do serious mood streams like Dream or Ranboo but can potentially hold it long enough for a bit like Techno or Phil. I think George's weakness is he'd rather someone else guide him through lore instead of doing it himself. Man really doesn't like being the main character.

Karl seems to want to do lore but doesn't have the ability to create it. He has all these ideas but can't form a proper story about it. I used to have this issue where I had all these cool bullet point ideas but I could never form a cool idea with them and I think Karl has the same issue. In my opinion if Karl does want to continue with Tales and bullet point ideas I think he needs help formulating a bit more of a story. Once again like Sapnap and George I think he excels in prerecorded lore however it's also either heavily scripted or he's having his hand held through it. Which is fine but that's why a lot of people can't connect Tales to DreamSMP as his streams are the only ones that are heavily scripted and it gives off a different vibe. Karl is also too bubbly to crack down on serious lore which is fine not all lore needs to be serious and angsty however he tries to make it deep. I personally think that Karl should capitalise on this uwu soft boy persona he has. No deep lore. Obviously choosing memory loss time travel involves serious moments but I think he needs to split it more between dark angst and wholesome Karlnapity moments. What I mean is that Karl on DreamSMP and Tales Karl seem like 2 completely different characters that just so happen to share a name. I think the prerecorded bit at the end needs to begin to add his DreamSMP personality a bit more.

TLDR: Dream is strongest lore, Quackity works best with serious lore with people invested or on his own with a bit of direction, Sapnap and George will probably be better off doing prerecorded lore as it seems more comfortable for them, Karl struggles to put his ideas into a storyline and would benefit from doing less heavily scripted pre recorded lore to make his storyline cohesive Vs a bunch of one shots.

To sum it up Dream is Hot and should bring back Dreamons, Quackity needs to work more with serious lore people, Sapnap should Capitalise on his loyalty trait and constant abandonment for maximum angst, George should cry on command more, Karl needs spend more time writing instead of paying for builds.

[the-silentium]

Murphy day - Epilogue

Masterlist - Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Part 4 -  The survivor

Pairing: Bad Batch x Reader, Hunter x Reader

Words: 2708 words

Warnings: None.

A/N: This side story became a prologue, so y’all enjoy this lil piece of fluff. If you guys have requests or ideas for some side stories, don’t hesitate to ask!

Taglist: @haloangel391​

Fors is an Original planet. I do not give permission to people to use it for their own fics, the planet, the animals, the Nightmares, the lore or anything related to Fors. Thank you.

"Today's the day!" Wrecker exclaimed excitedly, opening the door so quickly that it hit the wall before bouncing back to hit his arm. 

Unbothered, he pushed the door back to approach your frightened form on the bed to hit your shoulder playfully. 

"Ready to return to the ship, pilot?" He laughed like this was the funniest joke of the universe. Well. In a sense it was. 

"I'm discharged?" You asked, hopeful to finally get out of the medbay. Patch and Mylana have been very kind from day one and you were eternally grateful for their support through your healing process. But you were ready to get away from the white walls, bacta smells and occasional nocturnal pain screams down the hallway.

"You are!" He confirmed, placing a pile of neatly folded clothes with your clean boots on the bed beside your folded legs. "Crosshair got you some clothes." 

Your eyebrows shot to your hairline, well, what remained of it. To reduce the swelling of your brain they had to shave some of your hair to access the skull so Mylana offered to do a sidecut to save the remaining of your hair and make you a bit more fashionable. You were glad that you accepted, the style definitely suited you and the appreciative look you received from a certain sergeant made you forget what the word 'insecurity' meant. Added to your apparent scar, you looked badass. 

"Is there another Crosshair on base? 'Cause I don't think we're talking about the same Cross." You maintained his gaze, bewildered. 

Sure, the sniper had warmed up a bit to you. He came to visit, rarely, but still came nonetheless. He didn't talk much but his company was enough. He usually brought you holobooks about ships, from their mechanics to how to fly them. 

He'd sometimes talk about some of his flying experience or recall some pranks he and Wrecker pulled on the regs if you sighed from boredom enough times. Oh and he brought you a tiny cup of caf one time. Tiny victories. 

But to get you clothes? That you noticed were the right size? You must have done a lot more progress than you thought. 

"Yeah. Said the gown would smell bacta." He bent over to sniff near your shoulder. "And he's not wrong." 

You rolled your eyes, pushing his shoulder away.

"Fine. Wait outside, I'll change." 

With a salute, he exited the room and closed the door slowly this time. 

You grabbed the clothes, quickly pulled the socks on, followed by the black cargo pants. You admired in awe the lots and lots of pockets and immediately thought how many things you could put in them. Your own cargo pants didn't even have that many pockets. You swiftly removed the gown, folded it in a ball before throwing it in the basket in the corner of the room, cheering silently when you aimed right at your first attempt. Your arm really got better in the last 2 weeks the cast has been off. 

You traced the scars on your inner arm and abdomen, your proofs that you survived hell and came back stronger. With a smile, you pulled on the grey long sleeve shirt Crosshair chose for you. You pulled up the sleeves a bit until they reached just below your elbow and stepped in your boots to hurriedly get out. 

"Looking good Y/N!" Wrecker whistled looking you up and down, catching the attention of the nurses office. 

"I have to agree with that." Came Mylana's voice, admiration in her eyes as she nodded with a grin.

"It's all thanks to you." You winked at her, passing a hand through your shaved side, carefully avoiding your sensitive scar. 

"I dare to think that I did a good job with those stitches. I should have some credits." Patch appeared from around the corner, datapad in hands. 

"You did and I can't thank you enough!" You laughed, hugging him when he opened his arms. 

"You're welcome. Take care of yourself. No jumping off cliffs again." He chided, letting you go with a pat on your shoulder to join the nurse station. 

"I will! And I fell! Big difference!" You countered, earning a scoff with a shake of his head. 

"Well, this is goodbye until next time then! Although it would be nice if you weren't injured." Mylana hugged you, her hand softly patting your back. 

"I'll be careful mom." You snarked, chuckling. "See ya Lana! Take care!" You jogged to join Wrecker who took a head start. 

He walked you through the medbay, walked a long hallway and finally showed you the hangar where you spotted a familiar ship stationed at the far end. You took a deep breath in, letting out a moan at the smell of fresh air, oil and smoke. 

"I missed this." You informed Wrecker, arms open wide at your side to feel the breeze stroking your exposed skin. 

"I know what you mean." He resumed walking, glancing at you as you followed. "I was in the medbay for a month for that." He reminded you, pointing at his scar on the side of his face. 

"I was in there for three." You deadpanned, looking around to take in the clones moving crates around and the mechanics repairing ships. 

Before you knew it, you reached the ship where Hunter was waiting down the ramp. 

"Looking good." He approved, the smirk deforming his tattoo, the sight of which sent tingles to your fingertips. 

You remembered all too well the day Hunter fulfilled the one condition you asked for. 

"That's what I said!" Wrecker said, passing you to enter the ship. 

"Welcome aboard the Havoc Marauder." Hunter became more serious, his hand presenting you the interior of the vessel. 

You followed his lead, taking in all the information he gave you about the ship while creating a mental map of the structure and rooms. 

You weren't surprised when he showed you your cot, a small bed pushed against the far wall of a room where two sets of bunks were occupying the side walls. You quickly figured that a ship had very limited spacing and that you would sleep near them all. You weren't a fan of sleeping in your underwear anyway, the lack of clothing making you feel vulnerable. 

"Here." Hunter caught back your attention, a well-known knife and tap in his open hands. 

You took them back, eager to be your whole self again. Pocketing the tap, you traced the old tree carved in the wood of the knife handle, finding a deep comfort in the movement. 

"What does it represent?" He asked, genuinely curious. "The tree." 

"It's my family's crest. We've always been close to the jungle." You smiled, remembering the day your dad offered you the knife. "This knife has been passed down for many generations now-" 

You frowned at the light bleating sound echoing through the ship. This was unusual. 

"What was that?" You asked and when you turned around, Tech and Crosshair were in the doorway. You slipped the knife onto the nearby bed. 

"That? Nothing." Tech replied too nonchalantly. 

"You took him too?" Your eyes widen as a small green horned Shinehorn poked its head between Crosshair's legs. 

Your face broke into a smile as you fell to your knees to receive the excited animal into your arms. You patted his head and scratched its sides, stopping when Tech closed Shiny's mouth when he started to make happy noises. 

"He slipped in when we weren't looking. And he's not supposed to be here." He informed you, releasing Shiny slowly to make sure be wouldn't start babbling again. 

"Oh. Okay." You stood up. "Are you guys keeping him?" 

"Unfortunately, if the GAR finds him he'll be thrown away. So we have to take him back." Tech explained to your disappointment. 

"It'll be your first flight. Without pressure, perfect to practice. Tech will be there to help you." Hunter told you, watching closely for your reaction. 

"Cool! I feel ready for this." You affirmed, confident. Every day for two months you prepared yourself. You were ready for a first practical test. Your hands shot to your pockets by habit, reminding you of something. 

"Crosshair!" You exclaimed to everyone's surprise. You almost laughed at their slightly wide eyes. "Thanks for the clothes! I love them!" You flashed him a toothy grin, bouncing from your toes to your heels. 

"You're welcome." He grumbled, moving his signature toothpick in his mouth, snapping his fingers and leaving the room. To your surprise, Shiny followed Crosshair diligently, his tail straight up in the air, alert to Crosshair's commands. 

You watched him go and disappear around the corner, eyes wide, mouth slightly open in shock. 

"He tamed him!" You yelped, pointing to the empty spot that Shiny occupied only moments ago. 

"Yeah. He knows many commands now." Tech took a seat on a bunk, holding your gaze. "Stay, come here, lay down, light up and turn off. " 

"Aw it's so sad that we have to take him back there." You pouted, but you knew why it was necessary. Didn't mean you had to like it though. 

"It's for his best interest." Tech chipped, standing up to leave the room. "Oh and I brought you some food from the mess. Figured you'd get out of the medbay before they could give you your lunch." He told you in the doorway before going elsewhere when you thanked him for the kind gesture. 

"Think you're ready?" Hunter asked from his spot leaning on the opposed bunk. 

You smirked. "Doubting me Sergeant?" You asked, mischief sparkling in your eyes. 

"No. Simply confirming with you." He cleared, raising an eyebrow at your expression. 

"Then I confirm. I'm ready for a test run. I know all those manuals by heart and it's as boring as it sounds." You chuckled. 

He pushed himself up before taking a few steps in your direction, only stopping when a single inch separated your chests. 

"I bet that those manuals would be much more interesting if you'd read them out loud." He said lowly, eyes darting down to your lips before returning to your eyes, calculating. 

"Now, I really doubt that." You rolled your eyes at his silliness. "I'm sure you'd fall asleep without a problem though." 

"I'd have nice dreams then." He smirked and you couldn't stop yourself. 

Your hand rose to the ink at the corner of his mouth, tracing its length carefully like you did that day he completed his part of the deal. Rising up to his cheekbone and temple, his head moved to the side to feel more of your fingers ghosting his skin before they finally entangled themselves in his locks. 

He groaned, eyes closing in contempt like every time, his touch deprivation made him like putty in your hand. After that first day, he soon became your most frequent visitor and the Batcher who knew you the most. In turn, you became the first person outside of his brothers to know him well. 

"I sure hope so." You whispered, closing the distance between your lips to take his breath away in a passionate kiss, your lips moving with his in perfect tandem. He followed your rhythm, too entranced by all of you overtaking his senses to be able to take the lead. 

His fingertips barely touched your waist that you pulled away, the mischievous glint he distinguished before sparkling stronger. 

"I have duty in the cockpit." 

You tried to pass by him but he quickly blocked your way with his body. 

"My hell of a catch-" He growled, his lips crashing back on yours, this time initiating the dance that you eagerly repeated. "-is a tease." He finished, eyes half close but loaded with desire. 

"Only for you, sir." You purred, pecking his lips one last time when he straightened at the title, his breath catching in his throat. 

You noted the reaction for later and ducked to the side to grab your knife from the bed and took off to the cockpit where you'd execute your very first attempt at flying a metal can. 

On your way you took hold of the food Tech gathered for you and you sat in the pilot seat, checking the board before you with all its buttons, switches and levers while eating. You were happy to find out that you knew the vast majority of their functions. 

"These are your credentials." Tech showed you his datapad, where your name appeared on top of the page with numbers and letters just beneath it, forming your personal code. 

"How did you get that? I didn't do any studies here and even less enrolled in the army." 

"Simple." He started, scrolling down to a particular section of the page. "I hacked the system through an encrypted connexion, created you a new identity within the GAR and gave you all the background needed to be a real pilot." He showed you your supposed diplomas and certifications of countless hours of flying practice that you really didn't have.

"Wow. I'm a genius." You noticed the grades attached to some of your supposed diplomas. 

With high distinction, some of them read. 

"Well, to be assigned to a team of elite commandos, you kinda need to be." He shrugged like it was pure logic. 

"You say that but you got me. The freak who never flew before and lived on a planet where we still used bows to hunt." You stated flatly, pointing to yourself. 

He met your eyes, blinking a few times behind his glasses to process what has been said and maybe find how to answer correctly. 

"Can I take back what I said?" He asked, starting to feel the hot water he just put himself in. 

"So you think I'm stupid?" 

"What?!" 

"If you take back the fact that I'm supposed to be a genius to be able to work with you, then you think that I'm stupid." You pointed out for him, enjoying how a rosy tint invaded his cheeks. 

"N-no! Not at all!" He stammered, clearly panicking over his own words. 

"Relax Tech, I'm kiddin'." You laughed, almost dropping your food.  

"What's going on here?" Hunter asked, suddenly entering with his arms crossed over his chest. 

"Tech called me stupid." You pushed him under the bus before taking a bite of your lunch. 

"No I didn't!" He defended himself, the high octave of his voice almost made you choke on the food.  

"Tech, don't insult our pilot." He reprimanded jokingly before leaving. 

He slowly turned to you, the residual pink on his skin vanishing by the seconds, his half-closed eyes burned holes through your skull. 

"I'm not helping you fly this ship." He grumbled, insulted. 

"I'll do my best!" You affirmed before lifting a hand to your chin in thought and pointing to a random button. "That's the hyperdrive, right?" You faked innocence. 

Tech blanched a bit, eyes widening all the while shaking his head in mild crisis. "You're not flying this ship!" 

You shot your hands in the air in defense, chuckling at his expression. "Okay I'm done shitting you! Promise!" 

Then you proceeded to name and explain the function of each button, each switch and each lever. He approved, sometimes adding stuff you couldn't learn in books and soon you were ready to depart. 

"No more jokes." He glared before patting your shoulder and left the room to tell the others that you would soon initiate the take-off sequence. 

You contemplated the hangar from your venture point, munching on some dry bread when you realized that you've felt more alive when you were stuck in a medbay bed for two months than you've ever felt in your life in the village. 

The reckless gesture of leaving your house on Murphy day was stupid but it bring you so much more than you first anticipated. Instead of having a single day where you weren't stared at with distrust or even disgust, you found companionship, kindness, people who'd gladly talk to you instead of whispering among themselves behind your back. 

Relief tears welled up in your eyes when you became aware that the heaviness weighing you down daily was gone. You were happy. 

You found your home.

[daggerfall]

Personally, I rather like all your welkynar hot takes?? Do share more??

(Caluurion voice) if I must...

You're getting welkynar polycule lore since that's what came to mind first. If u wanted something else you'll have to specify wkgnksnfofja

So of the like 2-3 other welkynar fans I've seen, they seem to agree that 1) galenwe and relequen are dating and 2) olorime and siroria are dating. so I just kinda took the two together and said it's a polycule as a joke and now that joke is drastically out of hand to the point that its 100% serious.

My idea of how it works is that:

Siroria joined first and very young. She was on her own with the other's predecessors for around the altmer equivalent of 10 years before Relequen joined. They became besties once he officially took over for his predecessor, but it would be very easy to mistake then as not liking each other because they absolutely bully the shit out of each other.

Olorime joined a few years before Amilya's family moved to Cloudrest. Both Siroria and Relequen had feelings for her from the start but never really did anything out of fear that relationships among Welkynar were dangerous. Eventually though, Siroria confessed and the two of them got together. Relequen was happy for the both of them but admittedly was upset he didnt say anything first and still has eyes for Olorime. And despite being with Siroria, Olorime also still had some feelings for Relequen, but pushed them down after committing to Siroria.

Galenwe joined a few years later, and Relequen was happy to have another guy on the team since it had been all women besides him until then. He was also named Captain after Galenwe's predecessor retired. The two guys bonded a lot and eventually they too ended up getting together. But Relequen still had feelings for Olorime and after a while, Galenwe noticed. Once Siroria realized Relequen still had feelings for her girlfriend even after getting his own partner, they all had a discussion about how to go forward with this because the tension was starting to get weird. Especially considering they all tend to have their emotions and feelings amplified given the feedback loop between them and their gryphons, so things get uncomfy fast if not dealt with.

They all ended up agreeing that they were fine with not being exclusive and let Olorime and Relequen get together, and essentially turning their relationships into one big one. Over time though Siroria started to feel more uncomfortable with being together with the boys, only really doing romantic and sexual stuff with them whenever Olorime was there and just to go along with it. Spoiler alert she realized she was a lesbian and not attracted to them, and she and the boys had a mutual breakup but everyone still remained in the Welkynar order. Siroria worried a lot at first what would happen if she told the others she was only interested in Olorime, but they were all super understanding and felt no hard feelings.

So essentially Galenwe, Relequen, and Olorime are all bisexual and with each other, and Siroria is a lesbian and only together with Olorime. Olorime is the only one who can really get through to Siroria when she's being overconfident and reckless, and brings out Siroria's softer side. Siroria and Relequen are besties and she's the only one who can give him shit because she's more senior than him, but she ultimately respects him as a leader. Relequen is the captain of the order, but obviously not the oldest one. Relequen and Galenwe are kinda dudebro friends but also like husbands who can read each others minds they know each other so well. Galenwe and Olorime tend to be the more like (bonds over how ridiculous our partners are being) but still consider each other their partner as well. And Olorime and Relequen are very much heart eyes My Love to each other.

[dontmindmyshadowhunting]

The new Shadowhunter Academy - Fan Fic (Chapter 6 - Staying Alive)

Chapter 6 of the new Shadowhunter Academy (fan fic) is out! ;)

Kit & Ty are both at the Academy for a few days to act as guest lecturers :)

Dru is attending of course, and an unexpected guest might show up :)

AO3 link to Chapter 6 - Staying Alive

Link to entire fic up until Chapter 6 is here (fair warning - there is explicit content in Chapter 4 so skip it if you want to avoid it ;)).

****

Kit was ten minutes late. It wasn’t a big deal but given the students’ eagerness to learn from the famous Christopher Herondale, it seemed like hours of anxious babbling that he might not show up.

Dru was starting to wonder about that herself.

When the door of the training room finally opened, Kit’s cheeks were flushed, his blond curls soaking wet - as if he had just come out of the shower - and he looked… pissed. Like he wanted to be anywhere but in that room.

“What am I to teach you for the next hour?” He snapped.

“Spear?” Daniel, one of Simon’s mundane recruits, replied. He was an enthusiastic student who had been nicknamed “Harry Potter” on his first day at the Academy because of the resemblance he bore to the hero from the eponymous books (if said hero had acne problems).

“Oh, right. Spear.” Kit grumbled as he grabbed one from the table filled with multi-sized weapons and twirled it gracefully – the circle moves almost a blur – before instantly stilling it into a horizontal position in front of him. “See that pointed head? Well, you put that right through your opponent’s body. Preferably hit a vital organ.” He threw it toward the dummy placed at the far end of the room. The spear pierced straight through its chest where the heart should be. “Like that.” The students started applauding.

“That’s it. That’s the lecture.” Kit whirled and started toward the door. He stopped short before the figure of Catarina Loss barring the door. She looked furious, her blue complexion a shade deeper than usual.

“KIT HERONDALE, you go back in there and I don’t care if you look at your fingernails for the next hour, you are NOT LEAVING THIS ROOM.”

For the rest of the class, Catarina remained seated on a big granny armchair she had conjured up, in front of the door, knitting a tiny pink pullover (probably for Mina), while Kit told the students everything they needed to know about spears. As it turned out, he was an excellent teacher, and aside from technique, had several stories and anecdotes to share about these weapons, and their history through the ages. He certainly knew how to catch his audience with witty jokes and, yes, Dru had to admit, his Herondale charm and good looks.

****

He wasn’t what Henry had expected. Not by a long shot.

First, he looked nothing like his sister Drusilla, whom Henry shared most classes with. He had gray eyes - the color of iron - where hers were blue-green, and his hair was crow dark where his sister’s were a deep, warm brown. He knew that the Blackthorn siblings were born from two different mothers, but didn’t he have a twin who died during the Cold Peace, and who shared Drusilla’s traits? He had been too young to fight at the time but Henry had seen Julian Blackthorn on a big screen in Idris right before the battle of the Imperishable Fields and he definitely looked like his sister.

To be honest, when the rumour had spread that the best Centurion of his generation - and the creator of several groundbreaking inventions - had finally decided to make an appearance at the Academy, Henry had imagined a crazy inventor wearing oversized safety goggles and a dusty lab coat. Obviously not some Adonis, who looked like he belonged more on a runway than in a library or a lab.

Second, he was more than a little surprised to discover that he was shy and reserved, for a Blackthorn that was. His rigid stance and the way he kept stroking the pendant tied around his neck, to quote only a few tells, betrayed how nervous he was. The whole character was a mystery to him. If he had his reputation - hell, if he had his looks - Henry would probably be parading around like a peacock.

“I am curious. So we are going to start with a question,” the teacher said, his expression bemused and his gaze fixed above the students’ heads toward the far end corner of the room. Most of the time, Henry had noticed, it looked like he wasn’t really addressing them. “Why do you want to become Centurions?”

Several voices erupted at the same time, and he flinched, before lifting a halting hand. “Please. Speak when you are granted permission to.”

The voices subsided and several students raised their hands instead, including Henry.

“Gillian?” He asked as his gaze flickered to her. Henry realized that he never looked anyone directly in the eye.

“Because I want to study faerie lore, the real deal, not the load of crap they teach you at the Academy,” she said smugly, and most students sniggered approvingly.

The Centurion’s lips twitched but he nodded in acknowledgement.

“Henry?”

“Because we get to wear that hot uniform,” he replied, giving the Blackthorn teacher a slow once over.

There was a collective roar of laughter in the classroom. The Centurion just nodded, straight-faced, as if it was as good an answer as any. Henry realized that he was starting to like him.

“Shut up, Henry.” Her Highness Amber Cartwright said as she entered the class. She shooed a student from his seat in the front row and sat there. “I am sorry for being late, Professor Blackthorn,” she said in a sultry voice, as she crossed her long legs in an exaggerated gesture.

The teacher spared her a brief glance. Henry braced himself for the double take - everyone, boys and girls alike, did a double take upon beholding Amber for the first time - but... nothing. The Centurion’s face remained impassive. Moving on. There is definitely something off with him, Henry thought. He is either half-blind and not wearing his binoculars or one fucking hundred percent gay.

“Call me Tiberius. I believe we are all around the same age.”

Amber beamed, her usual scowling face alight. “Okay. Tiberius,” she said, her voice caressing his name.

“And you are…?”

“Amber Grace Cartwright,” she said proudly, as she brushed her fingers through her blond hair.

Tiberius moved to his desk and furrowed his brows as his gray eyes scanned the paper lying there.

“You are not on my list.”

Amber’s face fell a little. “I know, I did not initially register for these training sessions, but Talib agreed to give me his spot. You see, I changed my mind and I really really want to become a Centurion someday.” Henry wondered how she had managed to convince Talib. Only the twenty most promising students - among those interested in becoming Centurions, and Amber had never expressed such an interest - were allowed to follow the course and there was a waiting list.

The teacher just lifted a dark eyebrow. “Oh. Okay.” They all waited as he sat at his desk and started scribbling on the paper, dark curls falling over his face as he bent his head. He was nothing if not meticulous. At the start of the class, he had asked, one by one, each student’s name. Henry had the feeling he had memorized all twenty of them. “Xian?” He asked without looking up.

The girl’s eyes widened and she whipped her head right and left, wondering whether he really was addressing her. As if there was another Xian in the classroom.

“Yes, Pro- Tiberius?”

“You don’t need to pass that folded paper on to your friend Barbara, I can provide the answer to your question.”

“Oh.” She flushed a deep red, and hastily crumpled the paper that she had been clutching under the table. Henry wondered what the message had been about.

“The answer is no. I don’t provide my personal number to students, but if you want to communicate with me, you may either send a fire message or a letter to my attention at the Scholomance, depending on the urgency of the matter.”

His tone was even, his face serious, as if he hadn’t meant to humiliate the girl, but simply state a fact. A low chatter erupted in the class, students casting worried glances at each other. Henry wondered himself how the Centurion had managed to read Xian’s paper when he was seated at the desk in front of the class, a few feet from her. The only one who didn’t seem troubled by that was Amber, who turned to glare at her friend. Xian stuck her tongue out in turn. Oh, Henry thought. Let the Hunger Games begin.

****

After a short recess, the students had another hour of training with Kit.

“As you well know, Shadowhunters use Runes to heal faster when they are injured in battle. Sometimes, it’s all that you need. But other times, a wound needs to be tended before an Iratze is applied. For instance, if you have foreign bodies in your wounds, you have to take them out before using your stele. Except, of course, when it would do much more harm to retrieve them, for instance if it's an arrow. Also, and although you should carry a stele with you at all times, situations may occur when you are without them. Finally, although we have a stronger constitution and heal faster, us Shadowhunters are humans, and we suffer the same diseases as mundanes. We can faint. We can die of a heart attack. We can die of blood loss following a car crash. Therefore, it’s important - and Catarina shares my view on this - to train you in first aid.” A crooked smile lit up his gorgeous face, his blue eyes glinting mischievously. “So who wants to be my dummy?”

All students - save for Dru - raised their hands eagerly. Brianna actually elbowed the girl next to her so she would put her own hand down.

“Drusilla Blackthorn,” Kit announced, with a smirk on his face.

Dru rolled her eyes and came to stand next to him.

“I think it’s more efficient to work on the basis of real-life situations’ simulations. So, what happened to my dummy in this scenario?”

“She fainted!” A student said.

Several students giggled.

“Okay,” Kit said, then looked over expectantly at Dru.

She rolled her eyes again and mimed fainting. As she lay still on the floor, she wondered if he would consider them even after the demonstration or continue to make her pay for the trick she had pulled earlier that day.

Kit knelt next to her.

“Is she conscious or unconscious?” He asked.

“Unconscious!” Another student said.

“Dru, close your eyes,” he said. She did as requested, letting out a deep sigh. “Okay, so how do you check whether or not someone is unconscious?” He asked, and she felt his fingers brush her hand, then he pinched her. She swallowed a swear word.

“Dummy? Dummy? Can you hear me? If you can hear me, blink or move your fingers. No answer. So you can assume she’s unconscious. Next step: you have to check if she breathes.”

She felt Kit’s fingers gently cupping her chin and forehead and tilting her head backwards. He pulled her lips open. “Check the airway first. If the throat is clear…” His hair tickled her face, and the Blackthorn locket grazed her jawline, as Kit leaned over to put his ear directly above her mouth. “See what I am doing? I am checking for a breathing sound while observing the rise and fall of her chest. So, tell me, is she breathing?”

“No,” a student said. Dru recognized Brianna’s voice. You will pay for this, roomie, Dru thought.

“Okay.” Dru realized Kit’s voice trembled a bit. She opened her eyes and saw the conflict in his gaze. What was the matter? “If you are with someone else, that person must go fetch a defibrillator that’s now in every patrol car. If you are alone, you can’t leave the patient so you must call for help. Do not - and I repeat - do not leave your patient’s side to do that. You must practice CPR at once.”

Realization dawned on Dru. Oh, bugger.

“In a real-life situation,” Kit said, drawing the words out. “You should… take your patient’s shirt off or - more accurately - rip it open.” He flinched as he said the last words, but swiftly regained his composure. She had to give him credit for his professionalism. “You must give chest compressions on bare skin. In our case though…”

Dru smirked. “Didn’t think it through, did you?” She whispered to Kit. Seeing his look of dismay, witnessing him trip over himself, was surprisingly satisfying, and if there was something Dru never missed, it was an opportunity to play a prank. Especially when she had been the intended victim of the stunt. She just couldn’t resist. Adrenaline coursed through her veins, and she became reckless. Act first think later became her course of action.

“That’s fine”, she said out loud as she sat up. She pulled the top of her gear off before lying back, wearing only her bra above her gear pants.

There were a few gasps in the crowd. Kit gulped.

“First of all, make sure your patient is lying on her back on a firm, dry surface. If there is blood, move the body away from it. I understand Catarina already taught you how to deal with hemorrhage.”

A few students mumbled a confirmation.

“You should push on the chest at a rate of 100 to 120 compressions per minute, which corresponds to the beat of several songs you can use to help you maintain the proper tempo.” He fiddled with his phone and the sound of “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees started playing.

Dru snorted. Kit was barely looking at her as he plowed on.

“Position your hands above your patient’s chest, like this. Interlock fingers. Then, give chest compressions. Like this.”

Dru tried to hide a smile. Kit’s palm was sweaty against her bare skin. He was flushing a deep red, his face a mask of embarrassment. Punk’d, she thought. Had he known he would be giving chest compressions to Dru - that he considered like a little sister - he would have thought twice about using her as a dummy.

He stopped abruptly, after thirty compressions. “Okay, we are… going to stop here for today.”

“What about the rescue breath?”

“I’ll show you next time,” he choked, as he stood and almost tripped on his feet scouting back. It seemed like he couldn’t get away from her fast enough.

“Does… anyone have any questions on CPR before we move to another exercize?”

“Yeah,” Talib raised his hand. Shit. Not him, Dru thought. What the hell was he doing here anyway, wasn’t he supposed to follow the Scholomance training course?

Kit nodded to him.

“Is that the Blackthorn locket you are wearing?”

Kit’s mouth dropped open. Dru tensed. She knew that Ty had asked that they keep their relationship a secret. Only family and very close friends were in the know. Not because Ty was ashamed, far from it. But because, as a Centurion, he was entrusted with all missions related to the First Heir, and that would change as soon as the Scholomance found out how involved Ty was with the subject of his investigations. Ty didn’t trust anyone else with these missions, so he had begged Helen and Aline not to tell the Penhallows about Kit and him, even though the identity of the First Heir remained a secret to most. One could never be too cautious.

Watching his face fall, the glint of panic in his azur eyes, Dru started to feel really bad for the Herondale boy. She knew that if he had been allowed, he would have screamed his love for Ty at the top of his lungs, from the Academy’s roof. Instead, he lowered his gaze to his feet, swallowing hard.

“Yeah, it’s mine,” Dru blurted. “Seriously, Kit? I told you not to wear it at the Academy!”

Kit whipped his head up in surprise, his blue eyes wide and questioning. He looked like he was about to say something, but Dru wouldn’t give him a chance to deny. What was done was done. She whirled around and retreated to a corner of the training room, bowing her head in order to conceal the blush that had started creeping up her face.

****

“Do you know who founded the Scholomance?” The Centurion teacher asked.

Amber was the only one who raised her hand.

“Amber?”

“It was originally founded by an alliance between the Fair Folk and prominent Shadowhunter families.”

Most of the students gasped. Everyone turned a questioning look at Tiberius, whose lips quirked. “Correct. This is not common knowledge, to say the least. How have you learnt about it?”

“I read a lot and… I may have borrowed some of my brother’s notes. Cartwrights have been filling the ranks of Centurions for generations.”

“But…” Barbara said, looking confused. “I thought the whole purpose of the Scholomance was to investigate all Downworlders, especially faeries, since they are the Nephilim who possess the most extensive knowledge about them.”

“And where do you think the Centurions got their knowledge from?” Amber snapped.

“Why would the Nephilim create a school with Downworlders?” Xian interjected.

“About that,” Tiberius intervened. “The classification of faeries as Downworlders is not entirely accurate and has been challenged over the past few years. Contrary to general belief, some of the Fair Folk species do not have any demon blood. Maybe you’d like to carry on, Miss Cartwright.”

Amber pursued, with a smug look on her face.

“As the story goes, not long after the creation of the Nephilim, the Angel warriors and the Fair Folk made an alliance to protect the Earth from demon invasion. They shared their knowledge - the fey teaching the Nephilim how to use magic in the school they created together, a sort of real life Hogwarts - and even… consorted. After all, the biggest problem that the fey have been facing in the past centuries is the thinning of their blood. Why not mix it with that of Raziel’s chosen warriors? Ultimately, a union was arranged between the Faerie King and a member of a highly respected and powerful Nephilim family. Not all fairies were happy with the union and there was a secession. The Faerie lands were split between two courts from then on. The Unseelie court, choosing to acknowledge a Nephilim queen, considering her as part of the fey royal family, ara nothlir, and the Seelie court, refusing the Angel warriors’ influence.”

She paused to watch the effect of her words on the wide-eyed students.

“The Nephilim queen was not immortal but the King used his magic to stretch out her years. Although they were happy, they had to rule in troubled times. The strong divergence in traits, opinions and customs between the Fair Folk and Shadowhunters soon drew them apart. Raziel’s warriors criticized the fey for being cunning and strongly disapproved of the tricks they played on mundanes and the creation of changelings. Faeries thought Shadowhunters to be ruthless, overbearing and contemptuous.

The Unseelie king’s death - it came as a shock, everyone thought the mortal Nephilim queen was bound to die before him - without any heir being born from their union, was a fatal blow to the alliance. Unseelie laws were clear, the queen dowager no longer held any claim to the throne - the full fey blooded prince Arawn succeeded to his father - and she hid in Faerie under the protection of a few Nephilim who swore to protect her. They could easily be distinguished from the red caps as they wore black cloaks identifying them as Angel warriors. They were not sanctioned by the Clave though, which preferred to sever all ties to the Fair Folk. With the magic they had learnt from the fey, these protectors created an enchanted wall of thorns surrounding the tower where the Shadowhunter queen and her family lay low for hundreds of years.

When an heir was born from the union of the Seelie Queen and Unseelie King, most Nephilim took it as the last stroke of the Fair Folk’s betrayal. It didn’t help that there were whispers about a prophecy stating that the world would fall to shadow under the First Heir’s ruling. So began the witch hunt, the primary target being the cursed descendant. That’s how Centurions began to use the knowledge they had collected from their former allies at the Scholomance against them.

The chase officially ceased when the disappearance of the First Heir was officially announced by the Unseelie Court and the tensions between the Nephilim and the fey eased until they finally made peace with the signing of the First Accords in 1872. The Scholomance was closed then, as a show of good faith that Downworlders and Shadowhunters were no longer at war.”

“What has become of the Nephilim queen’s family?” Henry blurted.

Amber turned to look at him. She was positively gloating.

“They had nothing to be blamed for, so the Clave as well as the Fair Folk let them be after the signing of the First Accords. After all, they were a very influential family to begin with. So, they are still among us.”

“Who are they?”

“Before King Arawn changed the Unseelie Court’s sigil, the symbol was that of a full crown…adorned with a rose, symbol of his father’s attachment to the Lady of Roses,” she said mysteriously.

“The Nephilim queen’s descendants are known as the Rosales,” Tiberius specified evenly.

A low chatter erupted and the words “Inquisitor”, “Diego” and “Cristina” were thrown around repeatedly. They all knew the Council kept a lot of secrets, but the fact that the current Inquisitor belonged to a family that had forged an alliance with the fey in the past, confirmed how little they really knew about Shadowhunter politics.

“And what about their protectors?” A voice suddenly raised from a corner of the classroom.

Amber turned to look at the Centurion who nodded imperceptibly.

“Easy,” she said. “They were released from their oath a long time ago but they have kept their Shadowhunter names. Some say the earlier generations had sharp, elven features due to their closeness to - and interbreeding with - the Fair Folk. They were black cloaked warriors guarding the queen’s family like thorns protecting the delicate rose from its predators. They called themselves the Black Thorns.”

As the students suddenly burst into commotion, Henry’s gaze focused on Tiberius, who stood straight like an arrow, his expression unfathomable. He had a feeling there was more to the story but, whatever it was, Henry knew he would have to swear the Centurion vows before being allowed to hear it.

****

Being a Shadowhunter had major downsides. No matter how hard you tried to shut yourself from your environment, your highly trained senses betrayed you by fulfilling their role like obedient little soldiers.

Dru had never better understood Ty’s need for headphones as she weaved a path in the main hall towards the exit - she wanted to crawl in her bed and hide there until at least the next morning - and tried to ignore the glares and angry whispers that followed her.

“Seriously? Christopher Herondale and Drusilla Blackthorn? It’s like some stupid chick flick where the hot jock hooks up with the weird geek.”

“He’s probably with her because she’s easy. Did you see her take her shirt off in the training room like it was no big deal?”

“Oh, come on, every girl does that here. We’re warriors, we undress to draw Runes on each other all the time. And how is it different from when we train in sports bras when it’s summer?” Well, Dru was relieved to hear at least some girls had her back...

“It’s different when you have a pair of breasts like hers.”

“Right. Tell me about it. Best boobs at the Academy.”

“Yeah, I would definitely hit that.”

“You’re kidding? That girl’s creepy, I would be afraid to be strangled in my sleep.”

“What does he see in her anyway? She has a pretty face, but she dresses like a Goth freak. And don’t get me started on the size of her thighs...”

Dru never allowed anyone to say a single bad thing about her family and friends. But where her own securities were concerned, she was like an open wound anyone could poke. Dru bit back tears as she hurried her footsteps. She needed air. Fresh air.

She felt a hand on her shoulder and whipped her head around. It was Brianna.

“Seriously, Dru? Why didn’t you just tell me before I made a fool of myself?”

“Brianna. I just gave him a necklace. I am not dating him or anything. He’s just a member of Livia’s Watch, that's all. Hence the locket.” Why had she not thought of that excuse earlier?

Brianna lifted her eyebrow dubiously. Dru felt her temper rising.

“Fine.” She snapped. “Believe me or not, I don't CARE.”

NNNNEEEEW YOOOORK. They both startled as the voice of Alicia Keys suddenly blazed through the main hall’s stone walls.

As one, all the students rushed outside to see where the noise came from. Brianna and Dru exchanged puzzled glances before following them wearily out of the wide double front doors.

Dru blinked and, when her eyes finally adjusted to the sunlight, tried to hide her shock as she took in the incongruous sight.

In the Academy’s front yard, a crowd had already started to gather in a circle around the main attraction, giving it a wide berth.

A splendid charcoal grey convertible car was parked at the center of it, as if it had appeared there by magic. "Empire State of Mind" by Jay-Z and Alicia Keys was playing full on from the vehicle’s sound system.

Leaning casually against the hood of the car with his arms crossed was the tall figure of Ash Morgenstern. His platinum blond hair was peeking out of a green beanie and he wore an elegant gray cashmere coat that made him look like a British gentleman.

In the back of her mind, several questions buzzed like little alarms. Was he not supposed to be under house arrest? What the hell was he thinking showing up in front of the Academy ? Where did he get the car anyway?

But foremost in her mind was Ash. It’s Ash. It’s really Ash. How gorgeous he was - even more so than she remembered - and how she had never felt more relieved to see anyone in her whole life. She had missed him, she realized with surprise.

Ash straightened up and gave Dru a crooked smile as soon as he caught sight of her.

She couldn’t help it, she ran to him and threw her arms around his slender neck, burying her face in his chest. He smelled of aftershave, a sophisticated fragrance of amber, sandalwood, mandarin and jasmine. Ash stiffened at first, obviously startled by her sudden display of affection, then relaxed and squeezed her tighter.

“If I had known I would receive such a warm welcome, I would have broken out of jail sooner,” he whispered in her ear.

She drew back and shook her head disapprovingly, though a grin was still plastered on her face.

“What on earth are you doing here, Ash?”

“I have come to rescue my Queen.”

“Rescue me? From what?”

“Food poisoning, of course. You told me it was awful here. I was in the neighborhood and it just so happens that I know a perfect French restaurant in Manhattan.”

“And so you decided to break out of your confinement and show up at the Academy in a flashy sports car?”

He shrugged. “I thought it would be a more inconspicuous way of traveling.”

“Inconspicuous? Really? As compared to what?”

He raised a silvery eyebrow. “Flapping my dark wings?”

“Where are you going with my sister?” Ty demanded with a frown as he marched towards them, his voice louder than usual, probably due to the headphones covering his ears.

“Manhattan. For dinner.”

“It’s not safe,” he said, then glanced at the vehicle. “Is that an Aston Martin DB9 GT Volante?”

“What’s not safe?” Ash asked. “My company? The car? The whole idea of a crazy night out?”

“All of the above,” Ty answered, his gray eyes like saucers, still fixed on the car.

“Oh, so now you care about where I go and who I am with?” Dru intervened.

Ty’s gaze snapped back to her, and his eyes crinkled in confusion.

“Of course I do. Why do you ask? Wait- Are you… angry with me?”

“Of course I am! I had to find out you were at the Academy by eavesdropping on fellow students!” She was grateful the music was loud and the observers far enough that they could not overhear their conversation.

Ty’s eyes widened and his jaw went slack. “But... But I wasn’t sure I was coming until this morning. I didn’t want to tell you before I was certain. I thought you would be happy to see me.”

“Yes, Ty, I am happy to see you. But I started at the Academy months ago, and you have only decided to show up today! We both know who convinced you, and it certainly wasn’t me.”

The look of hurt on Ty’s face almost made her regret her words. As if on cue, Kit suddenly appeared, coming from the opposite direction to where Ty was standing. Dru realized with a pang that they were purposefully avoiding being seen together and maintaining a safe distance between them.

“Hey guys, I think I missed the invitation to the party,” Kit said playfully, but Dru knew him and could sense that his heart wasn’t in it. He was just trying to ease the tension.

“You didn’t miss anything,” Dru replied sharply. “Ash and I were leaving.” Ty opened his mouth to object but she cut him. “And you, Ty, do not get to tell me what to do.”

“Where your safety is concerned, I do,” Ty snapped back, red starting to creep up his white neck. His hands were now fluttering at his sides.

“If you’re worried about her safety, Ty, why don’t you come with us?” Ash offered in peace. “You too, Kit. Raziel knows we all need to… let off steam.” He looked like he was holding in a laugh and Dru wondered whether she was missing a private joke.

Ty’s gaze flickered to Kit then, and their eyes met for a brief second before they both hastily looked away. They were clearly blushing now, Ty nervously stroking his heron pendant and Kit thrusting his hands in his pockets and staring at his feet.

“I can’t,” Kit said, kicking a pebble. “I have to stay here where I am protected. Catarina and my parents will kill me if they know I left the Academy’s grounds.”

Ash raised an eyebrow. “Tell me, Kit. Who would you rather have as bodyguards? Me and the badass Blackthorn siblings?” He said, gesturing at their little group. “Oooor… these frightened little squirrels posing as Academy students?” He pointed toward the crowd of students who were still gaping at him. And the car. But mostly at Ash.

“I guess you have a point,” Kit conceded.

“Okay,” Ty answered hesitantly, looking away.

“Then jump in, Angel warriors,” Ash said as he opened the door for Dru. She ignored it, and instead, grabbed the edge of the back door to jump inside and landed on the front passenger seat. “What? I have always wanted to do that!” She told him when he lifted his eyebrow at her. Ash laughed and shook his head as he rounded the car to take the driver’s seat. Kit and Ty crammed in the back - the space had definitely not been designed to hold two full-grown Shadowhunters - and immediately stared out the car, pointedly avoiding looking at each other.

Ash put the Aston Martin in gear, as the students parted to let them through. The engine's roar was deafening, almost drowning the sound of the music still blasting from the sound system. Dru felt exhilarated, gusts of wind carrying away all her resentment and worries as they blew her hair. Everything was perfect… save perhaps for one thing.

“Ash,” she called over the noise. “Can you turn the music down?”

He threw her a puzzled look, his hands tightening on the wheel.

“Why? I thought you’d like it. We are in New York after all.”

“It’s not my hometown,” she observed, winking at him.

He grinned as he fiddled with the dashboard and suddenly 2 PAC's "California Love" was booming full volume.

“Better?” He asked.

Her answering smile was so wide it almost hurt her cheeks.

“Not just better. Perfect.”

[moomingitz]

I just finished Jak II last night, so I'll give my random thoughts and opinions both it and the first game(I played both back to back) while they're still fresh in my mind. Most of them concerns the second game in the trilogy. Also, I played the original PS2 releases on a CRT television set, because not only did I not want to deal with the potential problems with hooking up an old system on a modern smart TV, but I wanted to play them as they were intended to be played:

- These games look gorgeous on a CRT screen and they aesthetically still hold up very well to this day. I really do mean it when I say that these games, style and story wise, are tailor made for an animated series adaptation.

- While I really do like the more dark and dystopian direction the series took after the first game, and that it's an example of doing that sort of thing right is a hill I will die on, I still wish we could have seen more of the timeline in the TPL before they made the shift. I wanted to see more about the sages, the cast's lives and backgrounds in Sandover Village, and learn more about Gol and Maia, before the switch. I think we can all agree the transition could have been smoother. And again, I liked the direction they went with after the first game, so it’s not like I hated the change. But, I really do think the series would benefit from a remake, reboot, or being adapted into an animated series, as it would allow for a good opportunity to better ease people into the eventual tone and setting change later on. Like retcon certain things, add several hints and foreshadowing to Jak's real origin like maybe his explorer uncle being well aware that Jak is his descendant from the future, have the knowledge and research of the sages have an effect on what happens in the future(like in the fan fic, "Captive Voice", where surviving documents of Gol and Maia's experiments with dark eco became the blueprint for the Dark Warrior Program), and so on. Maybe even have something of an epilogue of the first game's story that serves a segway into the second game's story. Little changes and details like that would make a difference in helping the overall trilogy feel more cohesive, and even help make the tonal and setting shift hit harder.

- Playing through the first game feels bittersweet. What I mean by that is now having hindsight knowing that Jak will eventually go through some pretty traumatic shit, and seeing this as a happier period in his life where being a hero and adventuring was this romanticized thing to look forward to, when in reality it's something that would eventually take a very real emotional and mental tole on someone especially that young. Kind of like going back and watching the earlier episodes of Steven Universe. You know what’s coming.

- I don't think people understand just how much of a difference good voice acting, voice direction, and cinematography can make in a video game, especially story driven ones. I think the voice acting alone is one of the crucial reasons why Naughty Doge was able to pull off taking the series into a more mature direction and making Jak no longer a silent protagonist to project yourself onto. There are dark gritty serious games even today where it's hard for me to take seriously because the voice acting in it completely fucks it all up. Gonna keep saying it, but these games would translate very well into an animated adaption.

- Despite the whole darker and mature shift they took after the first game, Jak II is actually very tame by today's standards. Remove the occasional cursing and raunchy humor and the game, tone and story wise, feels just like an action cartoon that would have aired on Toonami(in a good way).

- Jak II has a reputation for being really difficult, but in all honesty I actually didn't really have a hard time getting through it. Don't get me wrong there are difficulty spikes in the game, and how the check points work in some of the missions is bull, but I think people tend to exaggerate the game's difficulty(unless you're playing hero mode). I pretty much breezed right through the first act of the game, and it was only until I got to the second act where the difficulty spikes began for me, but I still managed to get through them with some practice. While I did used to play and beat this game a lot during my edgy teen years, this was still my very first time playing in over 15 years, yet I had no where as much of a hard time as I used to back then. Hell, I only died twice during the final boss fight; the first time was on purpose so I could get full health back, and the second time was due to trial and error. I actually died more during the final boss in the first game! Playing the original PS2 release on an older CRT TV probably also helped, since it controls the best for obvious reasons.

Yes, the game can be difficult and unfair in some places(fuck that ring race with Erol and the ambush in the water slums), but it's no where near the level of a typical NES game. As long as you take your time, strategize, memorize the hub areas, and utilize the combat and weapon system that doesn't just involve spamming the jump spin and shoot move(like I used to), you'll get through the game just fine. Or just don't be DarksydePhil.

- I'm gonna have to agree with people that Haven City is just a bit too freaking big to traverse around. It's not as egregious compared to other sandbox like games, and I had the place pretty much memorized, but a warp gate or two could have made a pretty big difference in cutting down the time going from mission to mission.

- There's not really much of an incentive to further explore Jak II after you beat the main story campaign, unfortunately. So unless you're into the lore or world building of the game you won't really get much else out from it after you beat the game.

- Dark Jak is, unfortunately, very underutilized. The only time I really used that form was during the final boss fight and that was about it. Guess that's another thing this series shares with the Sonic franchise back in the mid 2000s when it comes to dark edgy forms...

****

Despite some minor gripes, I still enjoyed Jak II. Going to start Jak 3 later today or after I get home from work tomorrow. Thinking of playing Jak X and Daxter afterwards. I might try out The Lost Frontier... might.

[carmenxjulia]

I put together a transcript of the 2 hour Q&A Interview the Carmen Sandiego Discord did with Showrunner Duane Capizzi. All of the questions were submitted by server members. You can read everything below the break!

Duane Capizzi:

Hi there!

Am I in? Is this thing on?

PizzaHorse:

Hi, welcome!

Yep, you're in the right place!

Duane Capizzi:

Sorry I'm late, I was wandering around some empty Discord hallways looking for the right room haha

PizzaHorse:

No worries. Let's get started!

Who is your favorite character?

Duane Capizzi:

Moose Boy!

KIDDING!

Alright, how to NOT get myself in trouble if my answer isn't "Carmen" haha.

But really, they are ALL my babies.

So I know it's going to sound like a cop out to some that I can't pick just one. But hmm, some for instances...

I love that she's so morally evolved at such a young age; her ability to always take the high road and never lower herself; her drive and conviction and dedication. Her ability to kick serious booty and look good while doing it. Her progressive values, her fashion sense. I could go on and on. But then there's Shadowsan and his arc; Chase and his. Julia, who's every bit as strong as Carmen but shows it in different ways. The Cleaners don't get enough love.

I'll close that question with an anecdote about The Cleaners ...

I love that all our characters are embraced and that everyone seems to have favorites. Our sound engineer Marcel is a pretty serious guy: he has a serious job that takes high levels of focus and attention. He's always deeply focused and not prone to small talk. Anyway, we were in the middle of our first or second sound mix, and he suddenly stops in the middle and turns around to face us. I'm thinking, "uh oh, we're giving too many notes." That's when I notice he's freeze framed the Cleaners. He says "I really like these guys." Then he turns around, hits play and gets back to work.

PizzaHorse:

What was the biggest challenge for coming up with new stories and plot for the reboot?

Duane Capizzi:

THE biggest? Sigh. I'm not sure I could come up with just one. Plotting is always challenging and we had the brain trust of the room, our trusty white board, and writer assistant to keep the threads of the ongoing storyline together. I think the single biggest ONGOING challenge was tracking which character knew what at any given time.

The caper part was challenging - coming up with new capers and keeping them interesting and fresh. But, it was the characters and their interactions that kept things fresh and interesting. Another museum heist? That's okay - Chase is on the case and he gets to interact with "X" this time (for instance).

There were also some episodes - Duke of Vermeer and Crackle Goes Kiwi come to mind - where there was SO MUCH SET UP needed to get the payoffs to work. I was really worried about too much talk/too much detail. Very "Swiss watch!" It took a lot of work to make sure it all clicked and was clear - hopefully it seems effortless on screen but I can't say there wasn't some sweat and the occasional tear (mostly from me - I'm a big cry baby

But really, what made it fun was that we had so many buckets to draw from: sometimes a story germ initially began with a character idea; sometimes it was inspired by global location; sometimes it was a clever way to update or reimagine an idea from old Carmen lore. Usually, it was some combination of all of the above!

PizzaHorse:

What was your favorite scene to write?

Duane Capizzi:

I think we have a theme here! "How can I pick just one ...?"

As a film buff, I got to indulge in some serious fan nerdery on this show: I got to write spy movies, yakuza movies, spaghetti neo-westerns (though turning it on its head: spaghetti westerns usually involve REVENGE and because of Carmen's character make up, this was sort of anti-revenge).

Is writing coming up with the idea or typing it? Haha. An "if a tree falls in the forest" question. The writing team and I had so many cathartic "that's how it goes" in the room. But on my own, writing the Pilot, was a very inspiring time for me: I remember laughing out loud the moment I thought of Chase falling on his own car (in part because of doing my spin on "that trope" that we've seen in so many hard boiled movies recently). But also how emotional I got when I imagined the simple but potent image of Black Sheep deciding to take her destiny into her own hands and walk that long corridor to the Faculty who we were about to meet for the first time.

I think I've cited this in another interview, but there was a period where I was completely immersed in Chase's arc and the scene where he would crack the location of VILE island ... by listening to Julia in a dream ... was a big one for me. It revealed he was finally open to admitting he needed Julia more than he would ever admit - yet, it was his own subconscious speaking.

The next morning, after cracking that scene, I bumped into Raf Petardi (voice of Chase) ... at the supermarket! It was very strange and hilarious

PizzaHorse:

Did you scrap any lengthy or funny scenes that you would be able to share?

Duane Capizzi:

With few exceptions, most scene cuts are done at the script stage so that the story board team doesn't waste effort over boarding. A variety of trims to any script are common, but they are usually for the better

The easier question to answer might be scenes were part of our "wish list" at writer room stage, but never made it to story or script. I hesitate to go too deep here (in the event that we might ever do more Carmen episodes in this canon - I'm not giving up hope). And there were cases where things we wanted to do earlier in the series wound up getting nixed or not fitting for whatever reason, but we got them in later - USUALLY FOR THE BETTER. So there's sort of a reverse Murphy's Law/rule of good fortune somehow in these things. But some fun things that didn't make it into the show, that leap to mind were: a Bollywood dance sequence (!). A Vegas caper involving Brunt wanting to steal an Elvis jumpsuit against the backdrop of an Elvis impersonator convention. We also thought it would be neat to get Maelstrom imprisoned so that Julia could interrogate him and he would play mind games with her - very Lector/Clarice!

PizzaHorse:

Were there any different treatments of Carmen you pitched before settling on the one we ended up with?

Duane Capizzi:

I was one of several "pitches" that I'm sure HMH heard before running with my version. But I can honestly say I've never pitched anything as fully formed: the take on Carmen felt so right to me, and clearly HMH and by extension Netflix agreed

I'll answer your question with an anecdote: I had the entire Pilot pretty well worked out, and pitched it in the first meeting. But one key thing that changed (much for the better!), simply because it wouldn't have fit without slogging things down ...

In my Pilot pitch, Black Sheep's escape on the boat was off screen: we see Shadowsan corner her, then we cut away. The rest of the Faculty show up to find SS's broken sword on the rocks, and are led to believe BS killed him (!). In the present, Crackle points his weapon at Carmen and prepares to pull the trigger. We know that Chase is on the way and may rescue her. The compartment door opens to reveal - not Chase - but Shadowsan! Big surprise! Then we cut back to BS's escape and find out what really transpired etc etc.

Crazy, right? SS would have been hanging out with the gang in season 1; we might not have gotten to 203 with his back story, since his sword was broken and he couldn't return it. Just one of those magical things where "things work out" the way they are supposed to. THAT SAID, it made for a heckuva pitch

PizzaHorse:

Are there any characters that ended up taking a direction you didn't initially anticipate?

Duane Capizzi:

GRAY.

I didn't know we'd make him amnesiac when I wrote the Pilot, that was something we came up with in our first week Writer Room.

And even then, when it became clear he'd be a key piece of the bigger puzzle, we didn't know how exactly (mostly the Season 4 stuff).

We did get very deep with a version where 404 ended with his protective streak for Carmen kicking into high gear, and they would be fighting off Vile Guards back to back in perfect tandem. Then, having chosen Carmen over VILE, it was Carmen who actually orchestrates Gray going "off grid" so that VILE can never find him again. Funny, I know that is arguably the version of Gray's arc that many fans might have preferred seeing. But in the tradition of spy thrillers and film noir, and for a lone wolf character like Carmen who is focused on her life mission and not romance, we stand behind where we went with him. We felt it was so much more compelling ... and truly more emotional that he totally has a get out of jail free card when he sacrifices everything (including his life, potentially) to save Carmen.

when she needs him most!

I know I made some controversial comments about Gray "not being good enough for Carmen" and I'd like to clarify that I meant, until that final episode. What he did was so selfless and heroic. Is there hope for them in the future? Who knows?! But I do hope we get to explore that one day

I'm sure Gray is living off the grid somewhere now, inspired by Carmen's selfless good and thinking of her from time to time.

PizzaHorse:

You mentioned in the interview with Alicyn that Carmen is a love story, but you were cut off before you could finish discussing. Could you elaborate on your answer now?

Duane Capizzi:

Ugh, yes! Sorry about that. I actually answered that privately for someone so will cut and paste that response here. Let's see if it works.

Something we never said in the show, but something I imparted to the creative team was: Carmen Sandiego is (among other things) a LOVE STORY, where every character in our ensemble is in love with Carmen in one way or another. Even if they don't know it! That love can take different forms: we see how spurned by Carmen Coach Brunt feels and why she retaliates so excessively. Chase eventually comes to realize that he too loves Carmen, even if he wasn't initially aware of it haha. One of the most moving things to me about the series is how all of the different factions come to Carmen's rescue at the end when she's not "in her right mind," without knowing the others are there too. It's a massive group effort to bring back the Carmen they love. But we weren't looking for a fairy tale ending for Carmen with ANYone - Carmen's a classic lone wolf anti-hero, that goes with the territory. At least at this stage in her journey.

PizzaHorse:

Were there other locations that you wanted to feature in the show that didn't make it?

Duane Capizzi:

I think we managed to cover a lot of ground and "cadence" between different countries/cultures/continents was important to us. Many "iconic" locations of course, and it would have been nice to explore some lesser known locations if we had more episodes.

One that we almost did was Niagara Falls, Canada - actually literally going to the Falls and doing a big hydro-electric caper, where Player could actually get into the field with Carmen and the team.

But ultimately, we wound up bringing Player into the fold the way we did and wound up stronger as a result. It made his "first face to face" with Carmen even more impactful, IMO.

PizzaHorse:

Were there any changes in production between the first half and the second half of the series?

Duane Capizzi:

Well, there was that Covid thing

But while it was no doubt a colossal undertaking to get the entire staff transitioned to work from home (animators! and their equipment!), we managed to make up for lost time WITHOUT a dip in animation quality. My fedora's off to our amazing team at Wildbrain for pulling it off!

We did lose some staff between orders, but that is a natural part of production unfortunately. Namely, one of our episodic directors Kenny Park, our first storyboard artist Dennis Crawford, and our story editor May Chan were among those who moved on to other shows during the break. But, as hard as their shoes were to fill, fill them we did!

PizzaHorse:

What is your favorite season?

Duane Capizzi:

Easy. Hands down, Season 3.

(crickets)

KIDDING!

Again, another "they're all my babies" answer (and yes, I love Season 3 equally

It's hard, because really when you step back I'm sure you'll agree it's a series, with stand alone capers; but it's really all ONE BIG MOVIE.

Season 3 is like the scherzo of a symphony: the shortest movement of four, and the one that tees up the big finale.

That's my hoity toity answer but I'm going to put to rest all of the various theories on what happened with season 3. It was a combination of two things: Netflix's desire to experiment with different ways of "dropping" seasons, and their desire to do a holiday themed drop (in this case Halloween, naturally). It became our challenge to come up with a theme (easy enough: masks), and the bigger challenge to serve their need while not interrupting our ongoing narrative. A challenge to be sure, but a challenge met. I think the biggest bump was perception: it was a short season and I know that was disappointing to many. But, by design.

So, Season 3 = an essential part of the whole. I don't think there's a wasted episode, and it gets everyone into position for the big finish. I can't pick a favorite season - you can't make me

PizzaHorse:

Were there any characters you had wanted to give more time to but couldn't due to time/plot restraints?

Duane Capizzi:

Well, there's the "what was on the white board" answer but hopefully some of those ideas will see the light of day in some way, shape or form some day. I think if we had more episodes, we would have shaken up the internal dynamic of VILE a bit more (as hinted at Brunt's displeasure with Maelstrom for leaving her hanging out to dry at end of 405 - a seed we planted "just in case," as some have noted). And we had more scenes in mind with Chase's partnering with Carmen for the first time that we had to cut to the bone because of what little room we had in that otherwise packed episode (worry not: it's mostly more gags, more embellishment, more twists and turns - but the important stuff is there). Mostly, and I don't think it would have been right for Season 4 but I hope to tell in the future, I think there's an interesting history between Shadowsan and Lady Dokuso - possibly tragic - that I would love to explore one day. (She was a cameo in Duke of Vermeer at the dinner party BTW, I'm not sure if anyone noticed. And we built a bigger role for her out of that)

PizzaHorse:

What are some pre-2000/nostalgic Carmen references you snuck into the show? Do you have a favorite reference that was included?

Duane Capizzi:

Doing that was so much fun! I'd say roughly 60% of the characters were from previous iterations of Carmen, though often in name only. We had fun reimagining most everyone to make them more relevant or updated or giving them a more colorful personality for starters.

"Suhara" was Carmen's Japanese mentor when she worked at the ACME Agency in a flashback episode in the 90's series, for instance. I don't think I need to spell out how we turned that one inside out

And Tigress was also one episode only: she was a "rival thief" to Carmen, but revealed to be an ACME agent in disguise - a persona created solely to bait Carmen. It was really cool of course, but it seemed like untapped potential so we made her an ACTUAL Vile Thief.

My own internal rule was to make sure the references/easter eggs wouldn't confuse anyone - they were there for those who were in the loop and window dressing. The one and only time i broke that rule was Dark Carmen's line from 407: "I do it for the mental gymnastics." It was one of the most absurd lines from the 90's series (IMO) and i was determined to have it come out of Dark Carmen's mouth. I'm sure it left some 7 year olds scratching their heads

aside from that, the key references were the music: I still tingle at how we worked the Rockapella theme into the Interactive Special; and the 90's main title theme (composed by Mozart!), in our Vienna episode ("They're playing my song"). If you wanted Rockapella or Carmen as a bad guy, well ... be careful what you wish for!

PizzaHorse:

Was there any improvised content from recording sessions that made it into any episodes?

Duane Capizzi:

Yes! Not much, because a lot of it would have pushed us into TV-MA haha

Mostly Mary Elizabeth - Coach Brunt has a POTTY MOUTH!

Mikey and Abby usually riffed their banter WAY beyond what was on the written page and had us in stitches. Some bits definitely made it in! But mostly there was too much or it would get off point (hmmm, much like my interview answers maybe? haha)

Sharon Muthu did rise to Pun Goddess status with "Mask and you shall receive." And Raf pitched me "Chasse means hunt in French" after one session and I said: "I'm going to write that in." I don't think he believed me. You can't say I'm not a straight shooter.

PizzaHorse:

If you could get more season, would you do it, and what type of story would you tell?

Duane Capizzi:

Well if that hasn't been clear so far, ABSOLUTELY

There have been discussions of course. It's up to the powers that be at this point. I will say this: the beauty and tradition so far has been that every iteration has been its own thing. I definitely think there are more "different canon" versions of Carmen that can be had and be a part of this wonderful tradition. After all, there were many naysayers for our version when it was first announced.

I will also say that if we don't get to tell any more stories in this canon with these characters, we've left a perfect gem that will stand the test of time. I would rather go out on a high note than overstay our welcome.

All that said, we worked within the allotted episodes given, ended it as we wished, but left the door open for other stories. I'd love to do an expansion and a deepening: pick up where we left off; find out what happened in those two years; and proceed to do the equivalent of Godfather II or Better Call Saul as related to the amazing originals they followed.

Let's hope! Keep putting good vibes out there!

PizzaHorse:

If you could pick a character on Carmen Sandiego who'd you switch places with for a day (you get to control their life and they get to control yours) who would you pick, and why?

Duane Capizzi:

Okay, THIS is difficult. So you're going Freaky Friday on me?

on a Sunday?

Hmmm, I know Ivy would get along with my cat ... but then I'd have to hang out with Zack!

That's the trick: I can't pick my favorites cuz I couldn't hang out with them!

(not that I have favorites - they're all my babies haha)

Okay, I have one: ROUNDABOUT. I could fill Shadowsan's seat - how cool is that? Then, I could enact all my evil fantasies - but still have a get out of jail free card cuz he'd be sitting at my desk!

(cut to Duane being brain wiped - D'oh!)

PizzaHorse:

Who are two characters who don't really interact in the show that you think could be good friends or work really well together?

Duane Capizzi:

Hmmmm. Okay, now I'm going to give you quick and sassy answers. Gray and Julia! They'd be so cute banding together to rescue captive Carmen (for instance). And they could also duke it out and maybe settle things between themselves re: shipping controversies instead of dragging me into it

PizzaHorse:

The FINAL QUESTION. Have you learned anything super impactful while working on the show?

Duane Capizzi:

Aside from Iceland's terrifically low crime rate?

I think I have learned to never underestimate how meaningful characters can be to fans. Social media has obviously brought us a lot closer to our fan base in more immediate ways: it's been really gratifying to hear/see/read feedback and not be writing things in a vacuum. It's been gratifying to see that ideas that were meaningful to myself and the creative team on Carmen that were crafted with care, have also resonated with our fan base. THANK YOU TO EVERYONE who has traveled on this journey with us - for embracing Carmen's world view, and her friends and foes alike. Take care everyone! Stay safe! This has been fun, thanks for having me!

PizzaHorse:

HUGE thank you to Duane Capizzi: for being here today.

Thank you everyone for watching and reacting!

Duane Capizzi:

Okay, gotta run - just gotta find the door

Anyway, really: THIS HAS BEEN AMAZING. I speak for everyone involved in the creation and production of Carmen: it has been an amazing and inspiring series and we're elated to see it connect with such a CREATIVE, TALENTED and INTELLIGENT fan base. Take care everyone! Until next crime...

[sugas-sweetheart]

Hi May i have a mha matchup please? My favorite song is as the world caves in 🥺 I’m a bisexual 19 year old girl. I’m 5’9, caucasian, and i have wavy long brown hair, hazel eyes, and i wear glasses. I have a thin/athletic build. I have a soft light academia kind of style, and i love wearing sweaters.

I’m INTP, and i tend to be really antisocial. My sense of humor is really sarcastic, and i like to playfully tease people. People describe me as kind of intimidating sometimes, mainly because i’m usually quiet around others. I’m also pretty stubborn. Despite this, i’m also pretty childish sometimes, but i know how to be serious too. In a relationship, i’m a bit easily jealous, but i don’t like showing it.

I’m in college and majoring in psychology. I take schoolwork pretty seriously, and i’m also learning french on the side!

My love language is words of affirmation, and i’m not a big fan of physical affection! I take things slow in a relationship.

I’m very into fitness and health, and i exercise every day (mainly strength!). Some of my other hobbies include shopping, playing video games, and baking. I’m a stress baker, sometimes i’ll get upset and the way i’ll cheer myself up is by making a batch of cookies or cupcakes :) I’m into a lot of soft things, like animal crossing, minecraft, and sanrio, but i’m also a really big fan of horror games and movies!! My favorite season is fall, and my favorite color is purple. I’m also an avid coffee drinker, but i love hot cocoa too. Thank you so much in advance :)

You have been matched with… Tenya Iida!

Very respectable hero and cares about your comfort in the relationship the most and because of that he respects that you want to take things slowly and you two can go at whatever pace you see fit for your relationship!

I also don’t hc him as a very physically affectionate person who probably likes to keep the small affections he does like, to when it’s just you two alone

He likes to entertain the ideas of your hobbies to be able to spend quality time with you. Want to work out? He’s there. Want someone to try your baking? He’s ready and waiting for something delicious.

He will voice concern when he sees you stress baking but he knows it helps you and will mostly leave you two it and ask if you wish to talk about what happened during or after baking.

No one really knows how you two got together to start off with because of your antisocial character but a few playful and teasing jabs that made him blush probably got you there eventually

He really values his education and work so he likes that you’re also a hard worker and taking your studies seriously

He’s not that big on horror but he’d definitely sit through a movie or watch you play through a horror game, he gets invested in the story after a bit and starts to ask you more questions about it in a hushed voice while you watch/play - especially if it’s a game with loads of backstory and lore because he enjoys hearing you tell him about it all

He also absolutely adores your style <3

A/N; runners up for yours were Kirishima and Jirou!

[jadethest0ne]

In need of Refueling, Chapter 7 - Disappointment

Summary:  “You?! Why would I trust you? You have brought me nothing but failure. Time and time again; nothing but disappointment!”

His father’s words might have been a result of his possession by the White Bone Spirit, but whether or not they were his true thoughts, Red Son vows to prove them wrong. To do so he seeks to attain a power strong enough to destroy his father’s immortal enemy. After all, he’d much rather throw fire at his problems.

Word Count: 2578

Ratings/Warnings:  Teen and up; injury, burns, angst and hurt/comfort, toxic thoughts caused by toxic parents, Panic Attacks, Abuse (this one also just added)

Notes: This is the chapter in which Red Son realizes that he messed up. Also, fun fact! I looked it up and the exact name for the power of DBK's armor is called "ergokinetic absorption!"

Credits: Big thanks to @painted-arachnid and @simplyfornardo  for helping me bounce ideas off of them. And also thanks to @lemonsqueazie for providing me with “Journey to the West” lore. I don’t know much about the original novel or other iterations, but I still tried to keep some things compliant with the lore. You should check all of them out, since they’re really great content creators with neat ideas!

Read on AO3

———-

Red Son brings the defeated Monkey King to his family’s lair. He carelessly deposits the unconscious body just outside the Flaming Foundry, but finds himself hesitating before entering. Right, this is a big moment. He had subdued his father’s greatest enemy. Maybe he should think of some grander, more dramatic way of presenting the Monkey King to his father. Maybe he should do some grand fire display, part the fire like curtains, and take some sort of bow? Perhaps that was a bit too flashy? Or not flashy enough? You certainly don’t casually go up to the great Demon Bull King and plop his greatest enemy down in front of him? Do you? What would his father like the most? Red Son finds himself pacing back and forth in front of the entrance mulling these things over. A few sparks of fire spout unbidden from his hair and fists. He tries to quell the flames, but they seem to rebel at his thoughts. Between his mutterings and attempts to reign in the fire, he doesn’t notice the figure that approaches him until his thoughts are interrupted by a booming voice.

“Red Son, what are you muttering about this time?!” growls the Demon Bull King.

“F--father!” Red Son squeaks out. He hadn’t even noticed that he had been talking out loud. He wonders how much his father had heard. Well, might as well lean into it. He straightens up pulling a confident smile on his face, and twirls around letting out a little bit of fire to spiral in his display. The flames sputter a bit, as if mocking his half-hearted attempt at bravado, but he grins through it. “Hello Father! I am here to present to you, your greatest foe!” He skirts out of the way and makes some tiny fireworks around his prize. “The Monkey Ki---”

“Sun Wukong?!” DBK says in surprise.

“Uh, er, ye-es!!” Red Son falters a bit at being interrupted. “You see, father, I brought him here for you!”

DBK comes closer and starts inspecting the Monkey King. He blinks and shifts his attention to his son. “You?!” he says incredulously. “You can’t be serious?! Is he… dead? How? He is immortal!”

Red Son quickly corrects, “Not dead, no! I spared him for you father! I defeated him and brought him here to deal with as you wish! And I beat him... with this!”

Red Son quickly summons some blue fire to his palm. “The True Fire of Samadhi! It can’t be extinguished unless I put it out! I’ve got him immobilized with it!” Red Son says, proudly puffing out his chest.

DBK looks Red Son up and down, narrows his eyes, and huffs out a snort. “You really did this for me?”

Red Son’s confident pose wilts ever so slightly at his father’s tone, filled with suspicion. “Of-- of course, father!”

A large shadow crosses over Red Son’s slowly shrinking form as DBK towers over him menacingly. “Or did you do this for yourself?”

Red Son’s voice involuntarily goes up an octave. “I, um... am not sure what you mean.”

DBK lets out a humorless chuckle. “Are you sure you didn’t just do this to try to prove your dwindling worth? Because how can you think that this is something I’d want? Wukong is someone that I want to defeat. Myself. Defeating him like this, in such a sorry state? Do you not think I could face him at full power myself?!”

“That- that’s not what I meant at all, father! I-I…” Red Son is now cowering underneath the angry stare of his father. “True, I did want to show my... my usefulness! But, I only wanted to help--”

“Oh please, my boy!” Princess Iron Fan appears from behind DBK with both of her arms behind her back. He hadn’t noticed her presence. She looks over all three of them with an air of pompous derision. “It is poor form to defeat someone else’s mortal enemy!”

DBK gives a nod and a grunt and stares harshly down at his son. “You continue to be such a disappointment to me, Red Son.”

Red Son’s breath momentarily catches in his throat. He stares down at the ground, his mind gone blank. He doesn’t know what to do; what to say. The words alone stung, but the pure derision in his father’s voice hurt more than expected. How had he messed up so bad?

“I--I--” Red Son has to swallow to clear his ever tightening throat. “How-- can I make this up to you, father?”

“Hmmm,” DBK lets out a thoughtful grumble.

“Well, we can’t very well just let the Monkey King go!” Princess Iron Fan says thoughtfully. “We can’t let this opportunity go to waste. It might not be the way you wanted, dearest, but we can still rid ourselves from our biggest threat!”

DBK nods sagely. “I suppose so. But I would rather have a fairer fight with him. Red Son, can you put out the flames, so he can at least wake up and defend himself? There is no pride in this.” He gestures at the unmoving form of his enemy.

“Of-- of course, father!” Red Son frantically tries to concentrate to extinguish the flames that are still burning on the Monkey King’s side. He tries to take a deep breath, but he’s still reeling from his father’s words. Was he really doing this to prove himself? No, he really wanted to be useful to his father. But was that selfish? His father seems to think it is. The fire doesn’t go out, and instead flickers and burns brighter eliciting a shout of pain from Wukong. “Wait, wait, I- I just need to--” Controlling the flames was suddenly harder. Why did he think he could impress his father this way? With fire that he could barely control! Maybe it would have been better if it had been his father who-- Suddenly a thought crosses his mind, and as it did, the flames died down slightly. The idea was kind of scary, but maybe it would be a way to make this whole mess up to his father.

He looks to his father with a sudden seriousness, readying himself for what he’d say next. “I think I know how to make this up to you father…”

DBK gives him a puzzled look, but says nothing allowing him to go on.

“What if I gave you the Samadhi Fire? You can absorb it with the armor I gave you. That way you can be the one who wields the fire.”

A grin spreads across DBK’s face. “Yes… YES!” he says triumphantly! “That is a great idea!” Red Son feels a flutter in his chest that maybe he finally was able to provide something that his father approves of. Something to finally aid him, give him the tools he needs for destruction! Who better to wield the fire than his own father, after all?

As if to echo his thoughts, DBK says, “After all, I’d be able to wield the fire with much more skill than you, surely. My more powerful body would be able to handle it more.”

Red Son’s smile wobbles a bit. True, he had that exact same thought, but hearing his father say so makes something in this chest tighten. He brushes that feeling away, and situates himself proudly in front of DBK, ready and willing to give him the power that his father deserved!

“Anything for you, father!” Red Son says proudly, confidently. Despite the fire inside him resisting, as if recoiling at his command, he summons the fire to his palms and pushes outward as DBK activates his armor’s absorption abilities.

At first, the flames go in smoothly and calmly. Then Red Son feels a tug, he feels almost like he needs to take a step forward, as the fire is pulled with more force into DBK’s chest-plate. But that’s okay, any discomfort that he feels is fine. He wanted this and it will help his father. So he buckles down and pushes out more flames for his father to absorb. The technology that Red Son made for DBK is strong though, and the pull gets more and more powerful. It’s starting to feel uncomfortable, almost...draining. Red Son has to tell himself to not slouch. But he feels a small sense of relief as the flames finally change from blue to red, and he knows that his father has absorbed everything of the True Fire of Samadhi.

However, the pull on his flames does not stop.

“Wait… father…?” Red Son starts to protest. “You’re finished, you can stop, now…?”

But DBK doesn’t seem to have any intention of stopping. Blue flames swirl in his eyes, obscuring his vision. He growls angrily, almost as if he is in pain. “Such… power! So much!”

Something must be wrong. Red Son tries to put out his flames, tries to disconnect the path as his fire leads to the center of the armor. But he can’t. His fire keeps getting yanked in that direction and the feeling of weakness, of being drained, becomes stronger. He bends over, tired, his eyelids are threatening to slip shut. “Father… stop… please!” he begs, the sudden bout of weakness preventing him from thinking straight, all pretense of being a strong and proud son lost. His fire keeps getting drained away and he can’t stop it.

Princess Iron Fan steps in and lays a hand on DBK’s arm. “Dearest, you are behaving strangely. Stop that now.” DBK spins around, waving her off harshly. She has to step back and take up a defensive position. However, this movement seems to be enough to finally break the chain of fire that is being absorbed into DBK’s center, finally releasing Red Son from the pull.

With no more forces in play, Red Son leans forward and his knees wobble dangerously, nearly bringing him to the ground. His eyes droop tiredly and his entire body feels like jelly. A chill goes up and down his spine as he realizes that he’s suddenly very cold. He hugs his middle as if to try to keep any heat from escaping. His brain doesn’t really want to work and everything just feels wrong. He becomes aware of a prickling sensation on the back of his neck, and he sluggishly turns his head to look. The sensation moves and he realizes that it is his hair, which usually sticks upright, that is tickling the back of his neck. Before he can ponder that, his focus is drawn to yelling.

It is his father. DBK is shouting angrily, eyes literally ablaze with blue fire, and flames spouting from his mouth. He seems almost feral, rabid. It’s similar to how he was with the White Bone Spirit possessing him. He breathes flames around with no direction in mind; wild and unfocused. Princess Iron Fan has to jump out of the way of some of the blasts.

“It’s too much! Too much power! I can’t--- It burns! Everything burns! Everything else must burn!” DBK shouts. His eyes focus on Red Son. “YOU!” he snarls.

DBK stalks close to Red Son, who can’t do anything but stand there on unsteady feet and just wait for what is to come. Princess Iron Fan tries to jump in close to stop him, but DBK’s flames block her movements, and her wind attacks do nothing but stir up more fire. DBK reaches out a hand and snatches up Red Son around his arms and torso. He begins to squeeze. Hard.

“You did this to me!” DBK growls “You just want to show that you’re better! That you can control this better! That you can defeat my own enemy!”

“N-no, father--” Red Son tries to protest, but his voice is halting and weak. It cracks under the pressure on his body, and under the very weight of his own words that he can barely get out. “I just wanted--” He can’t finish. He doesn’t know what he wanted. Not this. He didn’t want this.

DBK squeezes harder, Red Son’s breath gets pushed out, and the pressure on his arms and chest are unbearable. He hears something crack. Somethings crack. But before he can even register that, pain flows in a rush of wind as a gust of blue flames envelop him. If Red Son could spare a thought, he’d think it was ironic to be burned by his own fire. He supposes he deserves it at this point. But all thought leaves him and is only left with HURT. Everything hurts! He’d scream except that he has no more air to scream with, and he can only press his forehead against the large gauntlet that is holding him as his only way to brace himself against the pain. Unconsciousness is almost about to overtake him when he hears a yell.

“STOP!”

The flames, thankfully, do stop, and the grip holding him loosens just enough to allow air to fill Red Son’s lungs. He pants tiredly, and shallowly, each breath bringing a sting of pain to his sides. His head still rested on the large hand, he rolls his head over to look toward where the voice was. To his surprise, he can see Wukong, still on the ground, still with his side on fire, looking up at DBK with a fire in his eyes blazing brighter than the flames burning his side.

“Your beef is with me, DBK, not him!” Wukong says, propping himself up on his elbows.

Red Son is not sure whether or not he feels more confused, surprised, or ashamed at being defended by an enemy. An enemy that he himself put in that situation. How weak must he appear that he’s being pitied by someone in that terrible state? He hates it. He hates that his plan didn’t work. He hates that his father finds him such a disappointment. He hates that he gave his father an unruly power that put him in this condition. And he hates that everything is now literally burning up in his face. He hates himself.

“Sun Wukong~” DBK breathes gutturally. Everything else seems forgotten to him as he turns towards the Monkey King.

He then yowls and charges at the Monkey King. In this motion, fire spins around him, throwing Princess Iron Fan back, and flinging Red Son away. Red Son flies across the now flaming area, meeting the ground a few times before smacking into a nearby building with such force as to leave a crater in the wall. He drops to the ground in a limp heap, landing on his chest, and once again, the wind is knocked out of him. His eyes are half-lidded as he sees his father’s charge be suddenly stopped as a form lands on the ground in between them. An angry wind whips around them causing DBK to come to a halt. Red Son’s eyes become blurry, but he forces them to focus just to see this newcomer.

Of course, he should’ve known that that little pain in the butt would appear eventually. It’s the Noodle Boy. Red Son is in pain, and tired, and his eyes are threatening to close, but he’d recognize that annoying face anywhere. Though this time MK’s eyes are filled with more anger and hatred than he’s ever seen in them. It’s that anger, that hurt, that Red Son sees last before his eyes finally slip shut and darkness finally overtakes him.

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