#not me rewinding it forward and backward

[skydiving-without-a-parachute]

sweet baby jesus fucking christ i am a believer

this scene isn't even 15 seconds long and i've been stuck on it for half an hour now

[here-for-fanart]

JINX REMEMBERS THE TIME LOOPS!

I'm probably gonna get a lot of nay sayers on this, but I don't care. I believe Jinx was fully aware of Ekko rewinding time. Here's why:

We know Jinx is medically enhanced with Shimmer. It has become fully integrated into her system, as we've seen her use it multiple times to move at super fast speeds (especially during a fight).

But it gets even better: She appears to actually glitch through time, when using it. She's THAT fast. Here's a few screenshots that show her partially glitching through time. In a few of them, she almost disappears entirely.

Now, I'm not saying she's physically travelling through time (yet). This isn't teleportation or rewinding; this is simply acceleration. But remember, Ekko himself said he was playing "with inversions on Jayce's acceleration rune", when he discovered the Z-drive. So, Jinx and Ekko's powers are connected, as they are complete opposites of what the other is doing.

So, how does Jinx manage to negate Ekko's travel backwards when she's travelling forward? Well, Shimmer is a substance made for adaptation and survivability during transitions. Hextech (which Ekko's Z-drive and her monkey bomb both use) has been known to have unpredictable results when combined with Shimmer. It's possible the shimmer in her system counteracts the Z-drive naturally, or it adapted to it to prolong Jinx's survivability during the first explosion.

The first time Ekko rewinds Jinx's explosion, she is zipped backwards just like the first time the Z-drive was used. But in the aftermath of this rewind, Jinx looks somewhat confused (indicating she has at least a noticeable case of deja vu, even if she does not fully remember the events).

One might think this is surprise in response to Ekko calling her name. But we know it's not, because she quickly dismisses his presence and goes back to blowing herself up. This is her way of saying, "Okay, my mind is doing a weird thing again but back to business."

NOTE: We don't get to see her initial reaction to the second explosion, but I think the second explosion is where she finally understood something was seriously off.

Because the next time we see her,

She's in experimentation mode. And the fact that she's watching Ekko, means she suspects he's the cause.

If you watch her micro expressions, during the third explosion, you'll see: default curiosity; a narrowing of the eyes, indicating suspicion (right before she pulls the pin); she keeps her eyes open and on Ekko during the explosion and does not blink; then when everything is set back, there's a slight widening of the eyes; her eyebrows raise; then her eyes narrow; before they dart downwards, noticing Ekko's blood and charred state.

[Before you start berating me for "reading too much into it", this is animation. Every single twitch is purposely added.]

After she sees the condition he's in, she knows this is his doing but that he can't keep it up forever. That's why she says "You're too late, Ekko" and goes again. It's too late for talking out her problems anymore. She's just gonna weedle him down, until he gives up.

But then, he says, "It's always a dance with you". Well, now, she's just curious about what the heck THAT means. So, she gives him a second to see if he'll tell her.

That's when Ekko says he's gonna sit there a minute, to see if he can talk an old friend out of blowing them up. And when it's clear he's waiting for her to say something, her mind focuses back on dying. "I'm tired of talking." But! She tries something new again. If he can stop an explosion, maybe he can't stop something else. She falls over the edge.

After this reset, we don't see her expression, but I can only imagine she's thinking through her slowly dwindling options. Then, he says, "Ya know, I learned from someone..." and suddenly, she's back to curiosity. How is Ekko doing it? Is he finally going to tell her?

"No matter what happened in the past, it's never too late to build something new". And that's when she notices the Z-drive and the monkeys. That's not Ekko's style. It's hers.

The next sentence actually doesn't make sense, grammatically, unless you follow it up with the previous sentence. "[It's not too late to build] Someone worth building it for."

And having just been given evidence that there is a good version of her, [There's no good version of me.] one who did fix things [It was something I could fix.], and who made it possible for Ekko to save her [big fat hero], she decides to try one last time.

It's curiosity that keeps her pausing over and over again. Even trapped in depression and suicidal ideation, she's still the girl with a brilliant mind and an inventive spirit.

It's my opinion that Ekko would not have been able to save Jinx, if she was not aware of the time loop situation. It was her curiosity of Ekko's new toy, combined with the realization that she helped build it, that led to her giving life another chance.

Lastly, remember when I said she's not capable of physically travelling through time yet?

Unless Warwick let go of her before the explosion, yes, yes she is. Or at least, she's come as close to it as she's physically able to. Either way, our girl is alive and on her way to a new life.

############################

[Thanks for reading, but don't take this too seriously. It was just some thoughts in my head I needed to get out.]

[ghostieblr]

Secret Life of Stiles & Derek

IT IS FINALLY HERE! Inspired from this post of mine (of which i posted a sneak peak here)... now i bring to you, the FULL FIC ON A03.

Thank y'all for showing interest in it <3

Here is a little bit of sneak peak:

*

He settles beside Cora, stretches there so his legs open to create space for Stiles. Stiles, who doesn’t even glance at Scott calling his name, too busy in arranging the snacks, and then finding the remote. Derek waves it once, and Stiles beelines for it.

“I want it! I get to choose the film, ok Sourwolf, because I called this pack night!” As he says it, he’s moving forward, and it makes Derek’s heart soar that there’s no second thought before he plops himself down between the V of his legs. Derek hands over the remote.

And of course Stiles puts on Star Wars, Episode III.

“Why.”

“Inflection, Der, use them. They’re the souls—”

“—Souls of language. Yes, I know, Stiles. But I love to—”

“—love to fight against period, commas and question marks because I love to see you squirm.” Stiles recites perfectly, thanks to the number of times they’ve had this argument, and then corrects himself, “I mean, you love to see me squirm, you asshole!”

Somewhere distantly, he hears Scott mutter, “Yeah he is. Come here Stiles.”

Derek puts his free hand around Stiles’ waist and pulls him backwards into his chest, and Stiles lets him do it. He settles firmly in Derek’s lap, like this is the easiest thing to do. It makes Derek happy.

“Now shush, let me watch the credits in peace!”

Derek takes the remote and fast-forwards it.

“Nephew…”

“You’re an idiot,” Cora tacks on to their uncle's reprimand, and then, “Why do you never learn?”

Stiles simply takes the popcorn bowl from his hand and puts it in Cora’s hands. She swats away Boyd’s hands from taking any of it, and then sighs loudly as Derek and Stiles devolve into a wrestling, writhing mass of degenerates beside her.

Stiles emerges victorious and wins the remote, so Derek pulls him in by his hips and wraps his arms around his chest. Puts his head on Stiles’ right shoulder and groans when he rewinds the film back to the starting point.

“Idiot,” Cora mutters, and hands back the bowl of popcorn to Derek. He isn’t really sorry about it, though. And both Cora and Peter know it, so they send him knowing looks which he steadfastly ignores.

The movie begins again. Stiles cuddles closer to him, Derek’s hands on his chest, his hips. Enclosing him in. He turns his head, and their faces are so, so close. Their noses touch. Their eyes are cross-eyed they’re so infuriatingly, blessingly close. Stiles says, “Der.”

He pulls back and picks up a handful of the popcorn, more salty ones than tomato flavored ones — they’re more his favorite, not Stiles’ — from where he’d kept the bowl between him and Cora, and feeds Stiles one by one.

Once the handful of popcorn has been eaten, Stiles turns back, and Derek picks up his own handful. A couple minutes pass by, the world on the screen the only noise, but then Stiles turns around again. He doesn’t say anything, but Derek understands anyways and feeds Stiles. It makes him satisfied in a way he’s both thrilled and concerned about, which basically sums up his life. But in this moment he focuses on Stiles, and the intimacy of their trust, the way Stiles allows him to provide for him. The way Stiles trusts him with these small things, and when it matters, with the big things. Like Stiles’ life.

This time, a murmur kick starts between the betas. Mainly Isaac and Erica, who are trying to tamp down their curiosity but are unable to do so. Boyd isn’t into the gossip, but Derek sees him watching them a couple of times.

On the other hand, he can smell Scott silently fuming, and Allison’s gentle scraping along his scalp, his arms. Trying to control him. Anchoring him. Derek smirks, unable to help the way his chest expands with possessive pride.

“What’s up?” Stiles asks, without turning. His eyes are locked onto the screen.

“Nothing. Just the popcorn’s almost over.” It is. They’re down to two handfuls each.

Stiles pauses the film, never one to miss even a second of it, and scans the coffee table. It’s still full with food. He frowns. “Nobody is eating?”

Nobody is replying, either. Stiles stands up and hovers beside the table, looks at Derek helplessly. He’d brought everyone’s favorite and some extra — he’d planned this down to every last detail. Except, of course, realizing that they don’t know about his and Derek’s history, or their current friendship.

*

You can continue reading it here on AO3.

Tagging the people who wanted me to tag 'em once i posted this fic:

@demonicfaery @lovehahajk @emilyinhouston @jadezdominion @sterekloverforever @hogwarts-starship @deliahale @princecharmingwinks

[mafiaanomaly]

"Webs Territorial"

predator!Miguel O'hara x prey!fem!Reader

CW: Rape play, CNC, predator/prey, masochism, sadism, dacryphilia

Summary: After watching a fox attempting to hunt a bunny, Miguel suggests hunting you down instead. You agreed, knowing the consequences of being caught. CW: Rape play, CNC, predator/prey, masochism, sadism, dacryphilia

The soft crunch of leaves beneath feet. The cold sting of autumn wind. Pale moonlight slicing through foliage. Ragged breaths ripping through raw flesh of a dry throat. 

Keep moving, keep moving, keep moving.

One foot after the other. No time to cry. A stumble. The sharp snap of a breaking branch. A sudden sense of weightlessness before gravity’s claws sink in. 

Pain. 

Dirt in mouth. Gravel embedding into skin. Soft flesh ripping across knees. Scrambling. Palms searching for purchase. Feet fighting to stand.

Not yet, not yet, not yet.

A pained whimper. Rolled ankle. Sprained wrist. Blood running down legs. Limping forward. Eyes searching. 

Adrenaline.

A rustle on the right. Head turning to look. A shadow between tree trunks.

He’s coming, he’s coming, he’s coming.

Hurt ankle dragging behind. Strangled sobs. Leaning on a tree. Head tossed back. Ears straining for more noise.

Breathe.

Inhale. Exhale. The call of a bird in the distance. The answering chirp of crickets. Changing direction. A falter in steps. A sudden stop.

Oh no, oh no, oh no.

“There you are, little bunny.”

Stepping backwards. A forgotten injury. Joint giving out. Body crashing to the ground. Crawling.

Escape.

A dark laugh. Stalking forward. He knows. You’re trapped.

“Trying to run away again, bunny?”

Kneeling down. Calloused hand gripping tender flesh. A rough squeeze on a twisted joint. 

It hurts, it hurts, it hurts.

Screaming. You’re screaming. Fighting to get away, but his grip only tightens around your ankle. 

“Aw,” He mocks you. Head tilted. Eyes alight. “You’re not getting away this time.”

He drags you forward. You try to twist away. Slight pressure. A warning. 

Immobilized.

Your thigh trembles. A whimper escapes you. One wrong move, and he could rip through you.

“That’s a good girl. Stay still for me and I won’t make it hurt that much.”

A shiver of anticipation. The sharp claws of defeat. He can see the way you fear your fate. Red eyes illuminated. The twinkle of stars

Gotta think, gotta think, gotta think. 

He leans forward. Eyes flutter closed. An idea. A quick inhale. Reel back. Ram forward. 

Crack. 

Hold released. Nose bleeding. An angry growl. Ignore the pain. Rush to stand. 

“You’ll pay for that, bunny!”

Stumbling forward. Don’t let the wolf win. Not without a fight. Pick up the pace. Break through branches. 

“You can’t run forever. Not on that ankle.”

Let's rewind back to what happen earlier...

--- Earlier ---

Miguel and you walked through the forest at the edge of city, taking in the beautiful summer day. You had decided to take a breather from the populated areas, so you proposed to have a walk in nature. You enjoyed the feeling of the sun on your face and the quietness of the birds singing nearby.

Miguel paused his step and gently grabbed your arm to stop you from walking as well.

“Shh, look. It’s a fox I think it’s trying to hunt that bunny.” Miguel whispered. The both of you stayed still as you watched the fox creep closer to the seemingly unimpressed bunny only a few feet away from it.

“Is… it gonna get it?” You whispered, feeling a bit nervous at the thought of a bunny dying so close to you.

“Wanna see?”

You felt queasy, not so sure how much you’d like to see that.

“No, not really.”

Miguel stepped forward, the sound of the twigs breaking under his step caused both the bunny and fox to run away.

“Come on, let’s keep walking.” He reached his hand out to you, smiling softly.

“Thank you,” you returned the smile and grabbed his hand, intertwining your fingers.

As you continued to walk, Miguel seemed unfocused from beside you, lost in his own thoughts. He did this often, sometimes not able to hear you talk to him when he got so deep in his own mind. You understood it was a habit he picked up when he was back home from missions, almost as if he was trying to filter through what he had witnessed. He seemed like he turned it over in his mind, trying to understand what he had done. It worried you seeing him so disconnected from reality, so you reached out for his hand to bring him back. He looked over at you, noticing the warmth of your hand.

During his daze, he was thinking of something else entirely. He could only think of you. Not in the way that was considered normal and fine, but he considered you pinned under him, unable to escape. The thoughts recurred to him often, the excitement of sadism rising up through his body and sending chills down his spine. He looked at you, wondering how it’d feel to chase you down like his own personal bunny. He knew he shouldn't bring pain to those that he loved and cared for, but how much different did his actions really make him from the monsters that he hunted down? He always tried to ignore these sorts of sadistic urges, but sometimes all he wanted to see was the fear in your eyes. Right before he brought out a paddle, a riding crop, or even as he lifted his hand to spank you. To punish you and make you succumb to him, all from your own will. To have you trembling from underneath him, spent and tired from taking him so well, tears running down your cheeks as you beg him to back off, but never fighting back.

The sunlight shone on your eyes and lips, making him want to see tears run down your cheeks alongside a trembling lip. He made up his mind.

“I want to try something,” Miguel said to you as he stilled his step.

It wasn’t often Miguel wanted to try something. Hell, he was happy to do anything you proposed and never really quipped in himself.

“Yeah?” You walked closer to him, standing in front of him now.

“What if I hunted you down?” He spoke gently, wrapping his arm around your waist as his free hand pushed the hair from your face.

“What? What do you mean?” You nuzzled your cheek into his hand, looking up at him with large eyes.

“Be my bunny, my love. And let me hunt you down.”

“Are you gonna eat me?” You spoke quietly, eyes wide as you saw Miguel's excitement increase as he looked down at you, grinning.

“Yes. If I catch I’m going to eat you.” His hand trailed from your waist down to your ass, squeezing the mass in his hand.

"But you have to fight me, bunny. You won't like what I'll do to you for me to eat you." He murmured as his hand trailed to gently wrap around your throat, not pressing, but sitting there. Threatening to squeeze at any moment.

You got the hint, and let the idea settle. Be hunted down? You never thought of that before. It’s Miguel, so how scary can it actually be? And yeah, you can fight a little, that's all part of the game… right? It must mean a lot to him if he took the time to ask you for it, so why not?

“Okay,” You nod and smile cheerfully at Miguel. His eyes filled with satisfaction before he grabbed you by the shoulder to turn your back to him.

“You’ve got 15 seconds to get in front of me, no using your spider abilities, mi amor” Miguel spoke into the shell of your ear.

Your heart quickened its pace in your chest as you stood in Miguel embrace. His hand over your mouth, the other gripping the base of your neck. His movements were so quick, you were stunned. The fear slowly developed in your stomach, making you feel nervous about the reality of what you had agreed to. It’s just Miguel, so you’ll be okay, right?

“If you can’t get away from me, you’ll see what happens.” He chuckled as he ran a hand down your breasts.

“Run, bunny.”

--- Back to Present ---

“Bunny, where did you run off to?” Miguel called out with a chuckle. He wanted to go easy on you, he really did, but he also wanted the prize. The sweet, delicious prize you’ll have to give to him.

No.

No.

You covered your mouth with both hands, trying to quiet your breath, horrified if he found you. You knew what was going to happen. And you hated yourself while you tried to rub your thighs together. The excitement ran down your spine, and you hated it.

Silence filled your senses as you failed to hear him. Had he left? Was it safe to keep venturing deeper into the woods? Or better yet, you should stay put in this spot and hope he never finds you. You slowly stand up from the crouched position you were in, eyes wide and alert, looking out from the tree you were hiding behind. You breathed quietly, stepping back a little, ready to venture deeper into the woods when you stumbled into something solid.

You panic, try to whip your head behind you to see what you stumbled into, but a hand finds its way around your jaw. Miguel's grip forced you to look up at him, seeing the gleam in his eye alongside his sadistic grin. He felt himself grow hard at the sight of pure fear in your face.

“M- Miggy...” You stammered, frozen in place.

“Oh my, bunny, I really tried to play fair. I really did.” His fake pouted at you as his voice reverberated against your back, sending chills down your spine. “But now it’s time to eat you.”

"Wai- no!" You squirmed from his grasp, trying to kick his knees, elbow his stomach, push him away from you, something! He grinned down at you, waiting patiently as he felt your futile attacks against him, staying perfectly still behind you as he took in every blow you gave him. Feeling you so weak beneath him only turned him on further, knowing how helpless and afraid you were.

His grip on your jaw moved your head to the side, exposing the side of your neck to him. He grabbed your body as he leaned down and bit into your flesh, causing you to scream. The stinging pain shot heat straight between your legs as you felt him lick and kiss where he had bitten you. You really weren’t supposed to like this. You're trying to make him stop, so why are you enjoying the pain?

He kept his grip on your jaw as you heard him unbuckle his belt. You knew it was going to happen, and now you had no choice. You felt the warmth in your stomach fight alongside the fear, your body at war with itself. You shouldn’t be turned on by this. This is sick. Really sick.

You were turned on by the idea of Miguel raping you.

In a few quick moves, he bound your arms behind your back with his belt. He kicked the back of your knees and made you buckle before he pushed your face down into the dirt. Your knees screamed in pain as all sorts of sharp edges cut into your skin. This only helped the warmth spread down your body, your breath quickening as you looked back at Miguel. He was so much bigger than you, much stronger, and this fact made your body tremble.

“N-no. Wait. Don’t-“ you stammered, feeling his talons find their way to your shorts and underwear, forcing them down your thighs, exposing your slick mess. He tore your shorts and panties away, using your own panties to stuff your mouth. Tears pricked your eyes as you were exposed to him, not able to fight back. The heat between your thighs only grew stronger.

Miguel chuckled at the sight of your wetness, unzipping his own pants before lining himself up behind you.

“I hope you like the pain.” He purred, rubbing his cock around in your slick, poking at your entrance. He was burning to be inside of you and abuse you so he could watch you cry.

In one slick move, he shoved himself inside, stretching you open. The pain was shocking, your body barely able to open up to the sudden stretch. No matter how many times you did it with him it always felt like your first time due to how fucking huge he is.

“Mmph!” You tried to negate him, to squirm away, to make him work harder for his prize, but he only pulled your hair and gripped your hips as he started to fuck you.

“Shut up, bunny. Take it.” He grunted as he let himself get lost in your tight cunt.

The pain faded away quickly, your own slick allowing him to abuse you further. Shame crushed your body as you let him fuck into you.

“What a slut, turned on by her boyfriend raping her.” He smacked your ass as he shoved his cock down to the base, balls slapping against your clit.

You tried to scream and push him away, but it was to no avail.

“I said, shut up!” Miguel growled and slapped your ass again. Over and over, he slapped you, the stinging pain causing you to flinch in pain from each blow.

You sobbed as you let him abuse your tight cunt, the sounds of your own body betraying you and turning you on further. The slickness of your cunt squelching against the treatment. You shouldn’t like being raped by your boyfriend. You should hate the feeling as his cock pushed against your cervix, making you whimper and squirm from the pleasure and pain. But you don’t hate it. In some twisted way, you loved the pleasure on the edge of pain, enveloping you. Feeling the pressure of his balls slap against your entrance, reminding you that you couldn't escape.

Miguel groaned as he got lost in the feeling of your body not fighting against him, letting him abuse you like it was meant for him. Letting his hips snap flush against yours, watching your tight cunt grip his cock. He lifted his foot up and pushed it down against your head, forcing your cheek into the dirt. This made you cry, the dirt digging into your flesh. The pressure of his boot on your head increased with every thrust. It hurt! It hurt! But the sensation was overpowered by Miguel's cock pushing so sweetly against your cervix.

You felt shame at the heat of your own orgasm creeping up on you, building up in your body. You weren’t actually going to cum from this, were you? There’s no way, right? You only continued to cry, the pain in your knees and the pleasure from your cunt mixing your senses together. Your cries muffled by the panties in your mouth, your drool slipping out.

"My poor baby is crying," Miguel cooed, "as if you weren't enjoying this," He laughed at you.

"Listen to yourself," He laughed as he pushed against your cervix, your slick running down your thighs. The sound of Miguel fucking into your sloppy, wet cunt was the only thing you could hear as the fire in your belly grew stronger. Why aren't you fighting back?

You continued to cry and drool as Miguel filled your senses. He was right, you are enjoying this. Enjoying being stretched by his thick cock over and over, your pussy betraying you as it wept with your slick, only allowing Miguel to snap his hips rougher. The fire in your belly finally snapped. You cried out and trembled as you squeezed against his cock. Your own body betrayed you, cumming hard from the rough treatment of Miguel's thrusts.

Miguel only laughed, snapping his hips into you harder, relishing in your cunt squeezing against your cock. Here you were, submitting to him, enjoying every bit of pain and pleasure he gave you. Exactly like he wanted to see you, stepping on you, watching the sight of your red ass bouncing against him as your cunt squeezed around him. The sight of your tears rolling down your cheek alongside the tightness of your cunt finally made him cum. Rope after rope of cum shooting deep inside of you, pushing against your bruised cervix.

You moaned at the warmth of being full, feeling Miguel give a few more thrusts as he let every last bit of his cum drip inside of you. You were spent, the force of your orgasm shook you to your core. You sniffled, drooling on the panties in your mouth, staring at Miguel from under his boot on your head. His chest rising and falling as he panted from the experience, looking down at your weak form under him. The both of you stayed like this for a moment, looking at each other, before Miguel finally slipped out from you. He took his foot off from your face, before unbinding your arms. He took the panties out of your mouth and laid you on your back, holding you. He kissed the tears from your cheeks, petting your hair gently.

“Hey, are you okay?” He asked as he rubbed circles into your back.

“Yes,” you nodded quickly. “Oh my god. Yeah. I’m okay. I didn’t think…” you were at a loss for words. You only sniffled, staring at Miguel with red eyes.

“Shh, it’s okay. I got you. Let’s get you cleaned up.” Miguel took his own shirt off and used it to clean the mess between your thighs. He helped dress you, and dressed himself, before picking you up bridal style.

Slowly, he carried you out of the forest.

“Talk to me,” Miguel asked. Reality finally set in and he realized the gravity of his actions. He looked at the marks on your face from his boot, the bite mark on your neck, and the cuts on your knees.

“I’m okay, Miggy. That was really good. I didn’t think I’d actually get turned on from something like that.” You chuckled as you lay weakly against his chest. The struggle alongside the crying really tired you out, not to mention the orgasm that overtook you.

“Yeah. I didn’t think I’d like it as much as I did either.” Miguel chuckled lightly.

You grabbed his cheek and made him look at you. He had a doubtful look in his eyes, so you kissed him.

“I’d let you hunt me down anytime, foxy. Except next time I get to wear pants.” You grinned as you pointed towards the cuts in your knees.

“Okay,” Miguel agreed before he kissed your forehead.

[air--so--sweet]

Was thinking about Five's powers and how they worked in End of Something when he follows Reginald's advice and travels by seconds. I've seen some people refer to this as a new power, where he rewinds time, but I never saw it that way, I just saw it as a short jump and seeing everything go backwards was just a visual choice to illustrate that he was going back in time. After all, in The Day that Wasn't, the same visual idea is used to illustrate the day being undone, with us seeing everything going in reverse up until the point where Five arrives in 2019, having used the suitcase to travel.

But then I thought, if it wasnt a new facet of his power where he rewinds time, if he was just travelling in time, wouldn'the still have gunshot wounds? And then it occurred to me, we refer to Five's power (and similar powers) as time travel, but what if his power isn't so much travelling in time as it is travelling in space while rewinding or fast forwarding time. So, in rewinding time, his wounds from getting shot heal, while he does a spatial jump at the same time, landing just inside the entrance of the barn. It also explains why Five, initially is just running against the flow of time, and the spatial jumps right at the end, because the point at which he jumps is after he reversed time to before they were shot, its the point where his gunshot wounds have been undone. It also fits with the visual of everything rewinding in The Day that Wasn't as well, and, while he travelled with a briefcase in that episode, a different version of Five being the founder of The Commision suggests the technology of the briefcases would work similarly to his powers.

And if you're thinking, okay but at the end of The Day that Wasn't Five got a shrapnel injury and that didn't heal when he travels, he got that shrapnel injury at The Commision HQ, a place that Five says in Kugelblitz exists 'out of time'. So if you can't reverse time in the place that's not in time in the first place, you can't use time rewinding to reverse an injury that occurred outside of time.

(This one made my head hurt a bit)

[qunaributts]

Dragon Age Veilguard Glitches I've Experienced So Far & Their Enjoyment Rankings

Fast Travel: To Your Desktop! - Game crashes when attempting to fast travel, possibly a built-in feature to remind me to eat food and stretch. Not particularly fun, but useful at least. 2/10

Face Swap: Solas Making Himself At Home - Every time I boot up the game, it resets my rook to the default presets... and makes them bald. Pretty funny, but also a bit annoying to have to reset at the mirror (saves my appearance). 7/10

Be Kind, Rewind: Go Backwards to Go Forwards! - At multiple points in the game I simply cannot progress because Rook refuses to make a jump, or the enemies they're yelling about just won't spawn in. Consistently solved by reloading the latest auto-save which drops me... after the issue-area? Pretty annoying but thanks I guess? 1/10

More to come.

[soshadysoquiet]

Five sucks at Math - A Headcanon

This is a personal fav of mine, not necessarily one I think is real in the show, but that I find endlessly funny for an AU and will now provide evidence for.

Sometimes it seems Reggie didn't give Five the same 'break em down' treatment as obviously as he did the others, but boy do we know Five was a frustrated child, so:

Reggie forced this lil toddler to believe his powers were equation-based, meanwhile Five had just Wanted to be in the pantry, what do you mean he needs to do numbers?

As soon as Reggie knows Five is bad at maths, he doubles down - this is why the boy has limitations on his powers that the others don't, Reggie needs to form him into the Correct way of using them.

Five is, of course, useless at maths to the point of near numerical illiteracy initially, not that he Can't learn how to do them with endless repetition and practice, but it does not come naturally, requires a lot of mental energy, and leaves Five extra exhausted and frustrated that he needs to do all this work and One just punches stuff and Two is allowed to work it out from just throwing things not calculate angles (Reggie tried, but we all know he had Zero time for Diego)

That won't stop him from being conceited and prideful: after all the others aren't even doing this kind of math and also it's a defence mechanism.

"Evidence" in the show:

Five can only do so many jumps, and they're very costly to him. The mental strain from calculating even remembered equations on the fly or accidentally slipping and jumping without thinking keeps him tied down.

His jumping is fairly predictable - Lila figures him out in no time, possibly because it was quicker and more strategic for Five to memorise a few set equations than come up with any math on the fly.

He does jump quickly - at what point do we ever see him pause to work out how to avoid being caught in a wall? He automatically jumps away from threat or being thrown (thank you Luther). That speaks to me that it's at least in part instinctual, he defo wasn't doing equations as a bub either.

The most brilliant use of powers Does come at a moment: When he jumps forward at 13, he looks to have no plan for a set destination and just channels his pent up anger and goes. When he rewinds time, he doesn't have time to write on the walls or a book (how we've seen him calculate complex mathematics before) he just needs it and he does it.

Five does not manage to come back from the Apocalypse via maths - now don't get me wrong, It's more complicated than anything I could comprehend and that's very validly the show's reason why. But in the books he Does make it - this Five is bad at math, and he spent horrible years in the apocalypse trying to calculate something he couldn't whilst he was starving and not understanding it.

Why was he forcing himself to find a way out by math if his powers were instinctual? Five says it himself "I told you" he hears in his head every day out there - being frivolous got him stuck, now he needs to follow the rules to get out.

When Five does work it out, he gets it wrong - makes a typo, after having that moment of inspiration. (Again, very valid for Big Complicated Math but stay on this journey with me)

We see him rewind time once, did he stop after this because his abusive childhood training taught him 'shit now I need to work out the numbers before I can do that again don't fuck it up'

Five doing math looks absolutely chaotic (again, many, many reasons for this obvs but lets look at this one) his probability walls produce names out of thin air - where'd you get the names from Five? The phone book? Did the numbers spell that out for you after you'd stared at them long enough? Did you pick some arbitrary people living in the city and work backwards? Complex math yes, but also a brain not wired to do them struggling so desperately to make the numbers make sense. They're meant to make sense. They have to make sense. I wouldn't be in this mess if I had made them make sense the first time-

Five has some little tricks with his powers - swapping a gun with a stapler. That we see him use all of once despite how much of a power move that could be (Viktor's violin? Here's the baguette Klaus was eating) I like to think of this as he found this power instinctually, showed Reginald who Ruined It With Math, and again learned one single practical combat equation that was drilled into him and it was so heinous that he never wanted to play around with more.

SPOILERS FOR SEASON 4.... Five has a doctorate of philosophy on his wall, not a doctorate for math. Powers gone? Awful. No more math? Guess there's the silver lining everyone always talks about.

Anyway, this is just a fun uno reverse that I wanted to write a story about but could never find the full picture for, so here it is.

I liked the idea of in a world with the apocalypse diverted his siblings start to notice Five's struggles with math and gently start helping to re wire that part of his brain that Five didn't have the experience to notice was all Reggie's bullshit.

[whumprecs]

you’ve prob done this but umbrella academy whump/angst recs?? all ur others are so good!

Sorry about the delay! So I am a huge Five fan, so most of them are slanted that way, though I think Diego sneaks in there a few times -but also they're almost all Family Fics.

I'm going to leave off the NSFW/non-con ones I know of, just in case. If you are interested, feel free to send another anon ask (or message if you would prefer) and I'll send links.

i'm walking backward into my own myth by eluvion  Five is in 1963. He’s in 2019. He’s in 2002. Time is falling apart, and Five is in every piece. Five is a disease, and time is coughing up a lung.

Or; Five Hargreeves breaks time.

I kept running (for a soft place to fall) by chromaticality He'd hoped they had given up. Really, he should have known better. The Handler thinks he's the solution to all her problems. Five thinks he'd like to turn the whole place into a slaughterhouse. But with Allison and Luther caught in the crossfire, Five has to cooperate with the Commission's plans until he can figure out a way to get everyone home.

No Time, No Time, Dear Brother O’ Mine by I_Logophile

At Gimbel Brothers department store, Five’s injury is a bit more serious than a simple bullet graze. Not that it matters to him.

That is, until the police show up while he’s trying to leave, and Five finds himself remembering things he’d rather forget. -- There’s something going on with his brother. That much is very clear to Diego.

Why else is Five at a crime scene? Why else is he attacking the people trying to help him? Why else is he going around ranting about time?

There’s something going on with his brother. And Diego is going to find out what.

He just has to get Five some medical attention first.

the walls kept tumbling down by Ingu It started small.

There was a nagging ache in his chest, phantom pain from where the bullets had pierced his flesh, in the overwritten timeline that never will be.

(the one where rewinding time doesn't miraculously resolve mortal gunshot wounds)

Here, Beneath My Lungs by beastboy12

After they get back from the 60's, Five starts investigating a string of suspicious murders while distancing himself from a family he's convinced he's already lost. So, naturally, Klaus and Diego join him. "Holy shit, Five," Diego says, rushing forward. "What the hell happened to you?" Five is off-balanced by the sight of Diego. Shouldn’t he be at the other address? What is he doing here? Klaus appears on the other side of Diego and lets out a laugh that sounds almost frantic. "Oh, thank God you can see him, too.” “Why are you here?” Five says. Diego scoffs. “Yeah, no, the one covered in blood doesn’t get to ask questions.”

Series

Part 1 of Five is an emotionally stunted yogurt lid

The Longest Roads Lead to Home by assaily (twistedskys) Five raised his glass to the rafters. “I’m home,” he said simply. “I’d like to take the time to enjoy that, y’know.”

Diego watched him pour another drink, suddenly understanding him. He’d been gone a long time, lost in a really terrible place that probably never felt like home unless he could somehow forget he was the last soul on Earth. ‘Home’ meant a lot to him.

When Five’s glass was ready again, Diego raised his own, still half-full. “To being home,” he said.

That earned him a smile, a real one that managed to soothe the crease in Five’s brow and make him look so incredibly young in its sincerity, and so incredibly old in its deep gratitude. He raised his glass and clinked it against Diego’s. “To finally being home.”

~-~

Or; Five gets kidnapped and it goes wrong (for the kidnapper).

heart heart head by morimaru

a series of hurt/comfort snippets featuring Five.

Blink by Lady_Origami When Five blinks, sometimes he's back in the world of ash and embers. It's hard to remember how to breathe when that happens. In which Klaus tries to play the role of supportive brother with Ben's help, and Five struggles more than he lets on.

Can you hug me as I go? by maddienole What if the FBI captured Five instead of Vanya?

2x7 canon divergence.

Simple by sharkneto Diego runs into Five at the park. He’s just here to catch a mugger. Why does Five always complicate things?

Lend a Hand by sharkneto If Luther’s being honest, he’s not sure how they’re going to get out of this one. Effectively trapped and powers negated, the Umbrella Academy is in a dire position.

Luther really needs to stop underestimating the lengths Five is willing to go to save his family.

Howling at the Moon by assaily (twistedskys) Five is now a permanent resident of the Hotel Oblivion. The rooms are crap, service is even worse, and he's pretty sure his family left him here. But at least they're safe, right?

A pre-season 3 AU of season 3, Hotel-as-a-prison concept from the comics.

lie awake, sleep awake by morimaru Number Five does not get sick. He refuses to be sick. His body obeys. Right up until it doesn't. (- this one is literally my favorite of all of these rec's, I have lost count how many times I've read it)

and all the kids cried out by morimaru The one where Five is sick, the Handler is clingy and hard to get rid of even after death, and Klaus has a ghost-busting side-gig that is a lot less exciting than it sounds.

Guilt Trip by I_Logophile In typical Five Hargreeves fashion, a drug ring bust with his family turns into a rescue mission, which turns into a complete and utter shitshow. Because, of course, things had to go sideways— No, scratch that. Things didn't just go sideways, things went upside down, backward, and inside out. And then got blown up. Literally.

In the aftermath of the whole fiasco, Five is left reeling, floundering, drowning in guilt.

Because how could he have done that?

How could he have attacked his family?

spoiled by morimaru Number Five is a survivor. He fought his whole life: he fought their father, the apocalypse, the commission, then – the apocalypse, again. Having made that fateful jump back to 2019, he unwillingly left his old body with all of its scars behind. Physical ones, at least. It’s funny, in a way, that the hardest thing for him to fight ends up being food.

The Dangers of Vigilanteing by aceofwhump Diego gets injured during one of his vigilante acts and is forced to go back to the one place he swore he'd never return: The Umbrella Academy

Also, the best way I've found to get to the fics I want in this fandom is to troll through favorites of the authors of my favorite fics. Most fandoms that doesn't seem to work, but this one it does. Happy reading, and again - sorry about the delay!

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Roadkill: Final Part

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.2k

Summary: Someone is using their vehicle to run people over, but why? What compels someone to take another life?

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there are any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them. If you’ve seen the show, then it’s the same level of angst unless otherwise stated

x

Not even a day later, there is news of another murder. This time, the victim is a man. He was chased down in a parking garage and nearly got away when the unsub rammed his truck into an elevator, nearly cutting him in two. There are crime scenes--one on the second floor where the initial contact was made, and the one on the first floor where the unsub made contact with the victim.

"The impact nearly cut him in two. His name is Victor Costella, a podiatrist. He works in the building," Detective Quinn says.

"This is the first male victim. So much for the rape theory."

"He ran down from the level above to try to get away."

You're brought back to earlier in the day and see Victor run down from the car ramp to the first floor. The unsub is right behind him with an angry look on his face. You can't see the unsub at all but you can tell by the way it's speeding at Victor that he is angry. Victor thinks he's gonna make it to the elevator, but it closes right before he can get on. That's when the unsub rammed into him.

You rewind the events and follow Victor up the ramp to the second floor. Victor's car is all the way on the other side of the parking garage, so he's running backward the more you rewind. You rewind it as far as it can go and let it play normally. Victor leaves the building and heads to his car, not having seen the unsub in his truck. When he gets halfway to it, the unsub speeds forward to hit Victor but the victim jumps out of the way.

He rams into his personal car, and that's when Victor starts running away. He passes by you in a mist that brings you back to reality.

"Is this the victim's car?" Spencer asks.

"Yeah, why?"

"Uh, excuse me for a second." Spencer takes out his phone and calls Penelope as he walks away. "Garcia, I need you to look into something."

"This is a reserved spot. The unsub knew where he was gonna park and must have gotten here early and picked this spot right across. Somebody might have seen him waiting."

"Somebody did," an officer says. "I talked to an x-ray tech on the third floor. She noticed a truck when she arrived."

"Was he inside it?"

"Yeah, but she couldn't see him because of the tint."

"How did she know if he was inside, then?"

"She said the window was cracked. The occupant was smoking."

"I don't suppose your people found any cigarette butts, did they?" The officer shakes his head. "What time did the tech get in?"

"Ten in the morning."

"He waited for seven hours. A proper addict could go through a whole pack." Rossi walks over to the spot where the unsub was waiting and notices the cigarettes on the ground. It looks like the cigarettes were stripped down. "He field-stripped these."

"What is that?" Emily asks.

"It's something they teach soldiers to avoid leaving traces in the field. They squeeze out the filter then ball up the surrounding paper."

"Then our unsub could be ex-military."

"We can get DNA on this," the officer says. "If we're lucky, he'll be in the system."

"If he's military, why would he choose a truck as his weapon?"

This gets you thinking. Why would he use his truck as a weapon if he could use guns? He's been in the military, so he should be comfortable using one.

"Yeah, a truck is loud and draws attention. Plus, he risked rendering it inoperable. This doesn't make any sense."

"It does to him. He needs to kill this way. I just don't know why."

"Guys, I think I know what connects the victims," Spencer says. You head back to the police station so that everyone can hear what he has to say while local police stayed behind at the crime scene. "All of the victims drove red two-door coupes."

"Don't you think that could be a coincidence?" Quinn asks.

"It's statistically significant. We haven't been able to find any other common denominators but this. If the unsub is targeting people because of their cars, then his initial contact with them would have been on the road."

"What if he had to use his truck as a weapon?" you say. "Think about it. He's in the military and gets hurt. If he's disabled, then he has no other choice but to use his car. I don't know why he chose these people as his victims, but I think looking into injuries in the military is worth it."

"I agree," Hotch says. "It's worth looking into."

"I spoke to the families about the victims' daily car travel," JJ says. "There's one road all the victims have in common. Route 7."

"Of course," Quinn sighs.

"Does that mean something to you?"

"Maybe we should take a drive."

Quinn takes Hotch and Spencer to Route 7 on a hill that overlooks the road. There are a bunch of crosses on the other side of the road where people have lost their lives. It's such a dangerous stretch of roads that the locals call it "Suicide 7". The crosses represent the fatalities of the accidents that have happened there. The fire chief put them up to remind drivers to be careful.

There are two lanes with no dividers, so there are either a lot of head-on collisions or people get run off the road. Maybe the unsub didn't get injured in the military but got injured from an accident he was involved in on this road. If he felt someone was responsible for his injuries, that could be how he's choosing his victims. Using his truck gives the unsub power and control that he otherwise lacks in his everyday life.

The idea that he's avenging his own physical suffering speaks to a victim mentality that's inconsistent with the profile, so maybe it's not just about his own suffering. It's safe to say that you're comfortable with giving the profile out. While you're giving the profile out, JJ is talking to the press about the same thing.

"As we speak, this profile and a description of the unsub's truck are being released to state and national media," Hotch says. "In addition to what we already know, we believe the unsub is ex-military, most likely Army or Marines. We also believe he's physically handicapped."

"From combat?" an officer asks.

"No, from an automobile accident. This accident may have occurred along Route 7 where the unsub finds his victims."

"Does that have something to do with why he's going after red coupes?"

"We believe that he holds the driver of a comparable vehicle responsible for his accident, and this person is the object of his rage. Since he can't confront them, he's taking revenge against a surrogate."

Emily walks in with two boxes in her hands followed by Derek with two more boxes.

"These boxes contain accident reports from a strip of Route 7 between Bend and Eugene. There's about five years' worth. We're gonna need everyone you can spare to comb through them."

"We've also compiled a list of local rehabilitation facilities where the unsub may have gone to recover. Use the profile as you canvass these places. Remember, we're looking for a white male in his early forties that is former military who may have sustained severe injury in a car accident. Though only owners of red coupes have been targeted at this point, we're asking all drivers to be vigilant on the road. Thank you.

Rossi, Quinn, half the BAU team, and some officers go out to canvass the area and the local rehab centers in hopes one of them knows who your unsub is. You grab some files from one of the boxes when JJ walks in with a man.

"Just wait right here," she says to him, and she approaches Hotch. "Hotch, we just got a walk-in. His name is Gil Bonner. It's about the unsub's accident. He says it's his fault."

"Sir, why do you think this accident is your fault?"

"It was late, and I'd spent all day in Eugene with my mom. She'd been sick. I shouldn't have been driving, but I just wanted to get home to see my little girl. It was darker than usual. I remember the moon was just a sliver. Right outside the cascades, my phone started vibrating so when I went to reach for it, I knocked it off the far side of the seat. It fell down by the door and I thought I could reach it. I took my eyes off the road but it couldn't have been for more than a few seconds. When I looked back up, there were lights and this horn was blaring. I swerved at the last second and kept on going without a scratch."

"You'd gone into the oncoming lane? What happened to the other vehicle?"

"That's the thing. It was in the rearview mirror and then it was gone. It vanished."

"Why didn't you stop?"

"It didn't seem real."

"Wait, you're saying you just pretended it didn't happen?" you ask.

"I guess if you tell yourself something for long enough, you can make anything true."

"Well, you're here now. Tell us about the other vehicle."

"It's definitely the truck you're looking for. When I saw the news, it all made sense. It's come back for revenge."

"When did the accident occur?"

"December of 2007, the second Saturday."

"There are no accidents reported in December of 2007," Spencer says, confused.

"No, I'm sure there was."

"Maybe you have your dates wrong?"

"I guess it could have been November."

"Uh, memories are like puzzle pieces, and it's entirely possible that in suppressing these for so long, you've sort of rearranged things. How long was your mother sick for?"

"Five months. She died in January, that much I know."

Gil wasn't able to get much on the unsub, but Derek and Emily did. What you know about the unsub is that he's ex-military that's good with his hands when it comes to cars. Even with that generic description, you're still going through five years with of patients with the same conditions. If you can narrow it down to a five-month window between September 2007 and January 2008, that would help a lot.

Some of the doctors refused to believe that a person who is paraplegic isn't capable of murder, but they have special rigging equipment that can help them drive. There is one person who went to therapy that made a lot of progress physically but wasn't advancing as well mentally. His name is Ian Coakley, and the doctors he worked with were baffled that he was making physical progress but none mentally.

The doctors have patients write and draw daily to help strengthen their hands, and when Ian was tasked to do this, he would draw trucks with spikes and other weapons coming out of them. Anger is part of healing, but the things Ian did is over the top. It's his murder fantasy that he's now making a reality.

The unsub is having a hard time trying to piece together what exactly happened, which is why his victims and their cars keep changing. His mind is trying to find out the truth about what happened. When it changes, so do his victims. When Derek and Emily got the date of his accident, they immediately send it back over to the office so you can go over what happened.

"September 28, 2007, Ian and Sheila Coakley crashed while driving home from Napa Valley going Eastbound on Route 7 around midnight. It appeared their car was run off the road and flipped numerous times with no witnesses. His wife was riding in the passenger seat. She died at the scene," Spencer reads.

"Coakley survived. Paramedics indicated spinal cord injury. Morgan said he fractured his T6 and T7 vertebrae. He's paraplegic."

"That's not all. He's a former light-wheel mechanic in the Army National Guard," you add.

"Does it say anything about a red car?"

"No. It says Coakley suffered memory loss after the accident. Short-term retrograde amnesia is common after a serious accident."

"I think it's safe to say he remembers now," Rossi scoffs.

"Do we have an address?"

"Garcia is working on it now."

Hotch calls Penelope but before he can talk, she does.

"Okay, the house Coakley and his wife bought was foreclosed on ten months after his accident. There's a paper trail that leads to a land called Nowhere. He cashed some insurance checks during a stay at Edelman House, but after he left, zilch."

"Are there any relatives he could be staying with?"

"No. I tried that. There's no family in the area. My exquisitely educated guess is he's either squatting or subletting with cash."

"What about his truck?"

"He owns a '79 Dodge D100. He bought it used ten years ago."

"He's had to rebuild it several times now. Those parts can't be easy to find for a truck that old."

"I smell what you're cooking, Agent," Penelope chuckles at Rossi. "I'll check auto suppliers in Bend." She pauses while she types. "Yeah, Rossi gets a fruit cup with lunch. He's having the parts drop-shipped through Syd's Auto Shop and sent directly to an address in Southwest Bend."

Your team heads over to Ian's house when Penelope sends over the address for Ian. He's not home, obviously, but this trip isn't a total waste. You don't have to step foot into the house to know if you go in there, you're going to throw up. Ian smokes so much that his entire house reeks of cigarette smoke. You don't care what job you're doing, you're not going in there.

That's fucking disgusting.

"Get all your vehicles off this street and set up a perimeter," Rossi says to Quinn. "If Coakley returns, we want to be ready for him."

"Got it."

"Rossi, Y/N, you'll want to see this," Derek calls from the garage. Thank God the garage door is open to air out the smell of cigarettes, but you don't need to go inside to see what's in there. A ton of grilles are on the ground... grilles that Ian has replaced. "Look at the grilles. They still got blood on them."

"He's been switching plates, too." There are different types of plates on his workbench. "We should revise the BOLO."

"Rossi, look at this," Derek says. He finds some pictures of all the victims in a nearby box. "This is stalk central. He has pictures of everyone."

"Who's this guy?" you ask and point to the last one. "Do you think it's possible there are other victims we don't know about?"

"I don't think so. Garcia would have found them."

"Then I think we've found his next target." Derek quickly calls Penelope. "Hey, baby girl. I need you to run a plate fast."

Half of the team went to talk to the wife of the next victim, James Burke. His wife was home but he wasn't. According to her, he goes on a bike ride with a club of people around town. Whenever he's on his rides, he doesn't take his phone with him so there is no way to call him and warn him.

He has a regular route on the Prineville Reservoir Loop which is a fifty-mile roundtrip from their house. Ian is going after him next and it's your job to find James before Ian does. You're in the same car as Rossi and Derek while Hotch is in the same car as Quinn. You call Hotch and connect him over Bluetooth so everyone can talk to each other.

"Hotch, we're on Route 26 heading toward the Reservoir. I think we're about halfway around the loop. So far no sign of him," Rossi says.

"Copy that. We're heading southbound on 20. Hopefully, we can hit Route 26 before they fly by us."

Emily, Spencer, and JJ are back at the station doing more research on Ian and his accident when Emily noticed something strange about the case. Ian got injured to the point where his memories started changing the more he thought of different theories as to what happened. Ian was driving his wife's car the night of the accident, and it was a red Coupe.

The only explanation for that is there was no other car on the road that night. The make and model of the car keep changing in Ian's mind like he knows they aren't right. His doctor at the rehab facility called it fluid memory since it's always changing, but what if it was more than that? If that accident was a single-car accident, then it's Ian's fault he ran off the road. He was driving back from Napa Valley which is a long drive in of itself. He must have fallen asleep at the wheel and driven off the cliff.

The thought that he'd be responsible for his wife's death was too much to bear so he projected the blame onto someone else. He blamed someone who was driving a red Coupe not knowing that it was him who was driving it.

"Gil wasn't responsible for the accident, Ian was. He just refuses to believe it," you say.

There are two cars chasing Ian who is chasing James around like a maniac. Ian sees the group of bikers that James is part of and lurches forward at top speed but Hotch is quicker than him. Hotch intercepts Ian and runs his car right into the driver-side door, causing a side-impact collision. The hood of Hotch's car is up and the engine is smoking but both occupants are alright.

Ian tries to back out and go after his target again, but the Detective gets out and aims his gun at Ian. Ian isn't the kind of unsub that will be stopped by talking to him. He's either going to get cornered and get arrested or he's going to kill himself.

He chooses the latter when he realizes it's his fault he killed his wife.

You come around the corner and see Hotch's accident, but he orders you to follow after Ian. Derek peels away from the scene and speeds off after the black truck, though, he never gets close enough to hit him. The mountains have curvy roads and steep inclines, and you're getting a bit car sick from all this, you have to admit.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," you groan and take deep breaths.

"Sorry, mama," Derek sighs.

Ian inches up the hill toward a spot where there are no other roads. It's a lookout spot for people to park and enjoy the view. However, Ian isn't planning on stopping. He presses the gas more the closer he gets to the edge of the cliff.

"No, don't do it, man."

Ian's car drives off the cliff at full speed, and you gasp in horror.

"Derek, stop!!" Derek comes to a screeching halt right before you can suffer the same fate. "Yeah, I'm gonna be sick."

Car chases and fast driving aside, you're glad this case is over. You get to spend the weekend with your boyfriend in a hotel room away from all this. You and Spencer can't be more excited which is why you two are packing up as quickly as you can.

"Alright, we are going away for the whole weekend. If you call, we will not answer," you joke. Of course, if it's an emergency, you'll come in but everyone knows not to bother you two. "Are you ready to go?"

"Lead the way," Spencer grins and grabs your hand.

"The human voice can never reach the distance that is covered by the still small voice of conscience." - Mahatma Gandhi

x

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)

[suguwu]

Please tell me more about the sukuna and wife who time travels I'm so invested in this idea. It's brilliant!

anon you're so sweet! it's not super fleshed out because i came up with it and realized exactly how much work it would be lol but again, the basic gist is every time reader uses their cursed technique (which allows them to rewind or speed up time by a few seconds or even a minute if they're straining themselves) they're thrown forward or backward in time as a side effect.

notably, into the body of one of sukuna's wives. it's a constant over the years—you always come back to the same body, to the same woman.

you're five the first time it happens. you've stepped on a spider and are in tears about it, the great heaving sobs of the guilty, and then something tugs at the tips of your fingers and you're back to the second before you step on it. you manage to avoid it, and then the world goes strange around you.

suddenly, your body is too big for you. nothing looks like the yard you were just in. there's a man with too many arms and too many eyes lounging casually in front of you. he eyes you for a moment before he hisses out an annoyed breath.

you've returned, then, he says.

overwhelmed, you burst into tears.

the man—the curse—recoils. asks you how old you are. clicks his tongue when you wail out that you're five.

there's a pounding growing in your head, buzzing between your ears like an angry wasp. the world stretches around you, goes long and lean like the horizon.

then it snaps.

when you blink, you're back in your yard. the spider is scurrying along on spindly legs. your mother is humming; the notes carry through the half-open shoji.

(next time, she won't hum. she'll wail, a long, drawn out echo spilling from the gash of her mouth, because she knows how this ends.)

from then on, you meet the curse at random times in your life, skipping back and forth between years, a firefly flicker.

it builds from there, and you're never able to make sense of why he talks to you, why he tolerates you, until you realize that what is linear for you is not for him. your first meeting is his eleventh. you haven't yet reached his first meeting, but that's fine.

he's already told you exactly what to say.

[marketableplushieenthusiast]

Team Past Propaganda

Because I started thinking about it again and now I'm all emotional-

I want to convey in words why I chose Team Past and why I don't think it contradicts the themes of the Splatoon story modes, because while the Squid Sisters do a great job of describing my basic reasoning in the Splatfest introduction, I understand why the story modes might feel like Present or Future are the "correct" answers.

(Spoilers ahead for all story modes, including Octo Expansion and Side Order)

Nearly every Splatoon villain is stuck in the past or heavily influenced by it in some way.

Mr Grizz and Tartar are the obvious ones: Grizz wants to see the return of mammals, and Tartar is disgusted with the current ex-sea life running the planet and wants to wipe it out and start over in favor of creatures more like his beloved humans.

In a way, being born of the regrets and desires of some escaped Octolings to return to their more orderly roots, Order/Smollusk can also be described as being motivated by the past. Even DJ Octavio does much of what he does because of the outcome of the Great Turf War and old grudges.

A recurring overall theme of these story modes, started in Octo Expansion and then expanded on (heh) in Rise of the Mammalians and Side Order, is that you can't turn back the clock, and you can't escape change. Even if Tartar and Grizz had "won", nothing would have brought back Tartar's scientist or the old mammals. In fact, their plans would have, ironically, destroyed humanity's last remnants. (And don't get me started on the thematic symbolism of Mr Grizz becoming biologically more fuzzy ink monstrosity than actual bear-)

I don't think it's a stretch to say that Grizz at the end of RotM is speaking with authorial intent in his final moment of clarity: "The times have changed. The world can never be as it was. Moving forward...is the future."

So the point of these story modes is that you can't move backwards. You can't rewind time; what's done is done, what's past is past, and obsessing over it and trying to revive it at the cost of the present and future isn't healthy (and doesn't work anyways).

But that doesn't mean you should never look back.

Rise of the Mammalians, like every other story mode dating all the way back to the Wii U, has optional lore, and it dropped an absolute bombshell for us lore nerds: the current ex-sea life of the Splatoon world didn't just evolve after humanity fell, their evolution was influenced by the desires of the last humans in Alterna. The species grew to leave the water because the Alternans' last wishes were to see the sun again. (And it was somehow transmitted through crystal detritus, which is some interesting sci-fi, but sure, why not?)

And this, in my opinion, is a pretty emotional reveal, and is treated as such.

Suddenly, all the significance given to Calamari Inkantation over the series pulls itself together - the fact it is an old, practically ancient folksong, described as being part of Inklings' very DNA, yet with the power to compel Octolings to seek the surface as well, and even transform Smallfry? If all that isn't enough to spell it out for you, the Inkantation is sampled in the credits' theme Wave Goodbye... Chanted by human vocals. The song that's been an Inkling battle anthem and the inciting moment of so many Octoling character arcs was passed down by humanity. Those scrolls from Splatoon 1 casually dropping that our colorful squid-kid world is a post-apocalyptic one come full circle.

Rise of the Mammalians tells us not to get so obsessed with the past that we try to turn back time... But in the same breath, reveals the past of the Inklings and Octolings and sea creatures we love so much and uses it to tie them together in the present.

Even Marina, a character who can "take or leave" her past and continually, consciously chooses to focus on the present (and to a certain extent, the future), goes out of her way to create the Memverse to help sanitized Octolings regain their memories of the past. She's also happy to reunite with Acht, who she shares a lot of history with. An exclusively present focused view could theoretically tell those Octolings that they don't need their memories to be whoever they want to be now, or could bristle at someone showing up from a problematic past, but Marina clearly doesn't hold to anything like that. She values the present the most, but she doesn't scorn the past.

And I think that's what I like about this Splatfest so much, and why it made me think about my choice for so long. Like Chaos vs. Order, (where they're careful to make clear that Pearl doesn't hate the status quo, and Marina doesn't necessarily want nothing to ever change), I feel they were careful to try and be clear that there isn't a definitive "correct" answer to this one. Callie herself points out at the start of her defense that all three of Past, Present, and Future are important, and I agree.

Splatoon as a series emphasizes living in the Present and not being afraid of a changing Future, but I believe it also values the Past. It loves to show where its characters and world came from to inform a little more about who they are today. (Just look at each member of Deep Cut getting a dedicated Sunken Sea Scroll about their family history!) I believe it takes a similar stance I do, that while your Past doesn't entirely define you (again, see Marina), it is nonetheless important - crucial even - to understanding who you are.

And someday, as you move onward through the present towards a brighter future, you'll look back at today - at the past - to see how far you've come.

So, uh, yeah. This cephalopod game makes me emotional and I love finding excuses to blab about it, so might as well get it in words before the actual Grand Fest starts.

If you read this whole thing, thank you so much, and whatever team you pick, I wish you the best!

[princessisfinethx]

König x FemReader...?

(I wanted to put that image of him sitting on top of that other guy with a knife on the side of his head, but I don't know if I'm allowed??Cause like the whole horse is there👀)

Warnings: Canon-typical violence, mentions of r*pe and t*rture (but not acted upon)

I put the translated words at the very end. I'm sorry if the German is rough, i was using Bing... arrest me.

⁘Enjoy!⁘

This is how you were going to die. At least it was dignified. You fought the whole time and, well you tried. That's how your teammates will see it hopefully.

Of course, when you're (average? sized female) going against a fucking beast of a man it didn't really seem fair. But this was war and those were the consequences. Death

You were pressed against the ground, trapped between the thighs of an absolute unit of a man. Your arms keeping his hand holding the hunting knife suspended in the air above your throat. You swallowed harshly once or twice, wishing you could have been given a quicker death. Staring at the eyes above you, you wanted to cry at this sight. He looked like the Boogeyman.

A sniper's hood shielded all his facial features except for his eyes. You wished he wore shades because his piercing blue eyes were petrifying.

"Hör auf zu kämpfen! Sie haben verloren!" His other hand grabs your wrist and holds it above your head. You bite your lip as his knife slowly started sinking into the tender spot between your collar bone and your neck. Tears filled your eyes and you let out a pained scream-

⩤Let's rewind to about five minutes ago.⩤

Gun fire alerts your senses, and you look at your watch. They arrived earlier than expected. You groan and wait for someone to radio you the signal to get out of the building. Making sure your gun was off safety, you checked your small surroundings. You were in an empty room on the third floor of an abandoned (but stable) building. You were the backup, watching the roof tops of the other buildings for incase enemy squads tried to take the surprise from above.

They did not.

You had been watching the grounds for the past 20 minutes. Word was that the men you were looking out for would be arriving at this town about 45 minutes before you arrived. Not on schedule but you knew your team would make do.

Your radio hisses against your shoulder and you're quick to press against the button. "Status?"

"-Must have gotten word, there's too many. We're retreating. Meet at-" A few gunshots and then heavy breathing on the coms. "-------osed areas! Chop----there in 10-" more gunshots, more static. You curse and hope to shit that they're okay. Getting up you began running down the stairs. You reach the second floor and pause. There's a smoke bomb hissing the last of its continents into the hallway and you press yourself against the wall. Pulling down your cloth mask to cover your head and face, you begin to walk with caution.

Your grip was tight over the gun in your hands. You stopped before reaching the wall of smoke. You really didn't want to go in.

As childish as it seemed, you knew that whatever was waiting for you in this smoke knew you were here. Or this could have been an accidental smoke bomb set off by your own team.

You doubted it. 

You narrow your eyes and slowly make your way through. Light from the windows helped to navigate your way forward. A noise beside you however made you pause. You’d be lying if you said you didn’t feel like an eight year old creeping through a dark house. Utterly terrified. Raising your gun, you carefully looked around. You made a slow circle around you but saw nothing. The smoke didn’t help. You were sure you were in the clear until a large form grabs your gun and kicks you in the chest. You gasped for air as you stumbled backwards and fell right back out of the smoke. 

You look up in time to watch the chamber of your gun being thrown in front of you, then the gun itself being thrown against the wall and falling into two pieces. Then like a scene from a chilling horror story, it emerges from the smoke. 

A man you’ve yet to know, König. 

As of right now, he is the stuff nightmares seem to be made of. Quite possibly the Boogeyman. He glares down at you through the eyeholes of his hood. You’re still on the ground but you were scrambling away. 

“Wirst du rennen oder kämpfen?” He spoke while stepping closer. His right hand unsheathes a large hunter’s knife from his belt and he twirls it carefully. 

This man was looking for a knife fight. You were looking to live another day. So you got up to your feet and began running back down the hallway. He disassembled your gun and all you had left on you was a swiss army knife and a small pocketknife. You were usually more prepared for this; your other two guns were left in the truck you arrived on. And you forgot them but didn’t tell your Lieutenant. You thought one gun and five clips of bullets were enough. 

You’re a dumbass and you’re going to die. 

The big man yelled something else in German behind you but you didn’t even look back. However, the rumbling crash of footsteps running did. He was gaining on you quickly. You curse to yourself and ready your puny pocketknife. It always felt like a good self-defense tool, but not paired against that.  He eventually caught up to you as you reached the stairs and grabbed you by the back of your vest. You turn with all your strength and jab the pocketknife into his triceps twice. He yelped in pain and let go, trying to kick you again. You rolled out of his way and jab your knife deep into his thigh before turning and running upstairs. 

“Du abscheuliches Geschöpf!” He yelled but of course you didn’t know what the hell he was saying. You made it to the third floor and ran to the first window. You swallowed harshly at the height of the building across from you. You just needed to jump. 1…2…3…You groan in frustration and grip the window ledge. You couldn’t. But you have to. The sound of a nearby explosion caught your attention and you looked up. A helicopter had been shot down, and it was heading for you. You step back and feel a body behind you. Looking up you see the man looking at the chopper coming down as well. You quickly tackle him down and feel both of you hit the stairs. He had enough sense to grab the railing so both of you didn’t tumble down the steps. 

The helicopter crashes into the side of the building, a few bricks and metal parts fly past the both of you but there wasn’t any serious damage to the structure of the building. Dust had filled the clearing but you didn’t let the shock of what happened hold you there. A hand was gripping your shoulders, keeping you pressed against his chest. Only partially grateful, you were quick to weasel your way out of his hold. Running towards the new opening in the wall, you had a bigger opening to jump across. So you ran and lept-

Only to be caught by the back of the vest and slammed down back onto the floor of the building you were trying to escape. This was the second time the wind had been knocked out of you. This guy just didn’t quit! He was breathing heavily as well, stalking toward you. You narrowed your eyes at him and tried to crawl away like before. This time he was on you, straddling your chest and readying his knife. “Danke, dass du mich gerettet hast.” His words were breathy as he showed you the knife he held above your eyes. “Aber es ist an der Zeit, dieses Spiel zu beenden.” Then his hand came down, almost slicing your neck but your arm held his hand back. 

You stare up at him, biting your lip so you don't make any noise. You were struggling, and were sure that he could have easily overpowered you. You thought adrenaline was on your side. You didn’t want to die. 

However…

This is how you were going to die.

⩥And here we are, where we left off.⩥

"Hör auf zu kämpfen! Sie haben verloren!" His other hand grabs your wrist and holds it above your head. You bite your lip as his knife slowly started sinking into the tender spot between your collar bone and your neck. Tears filled your eyes and you let out a pained scream.

The knife pulled away from your skin and you gasped. Opening your eyes, you could see the man above you glare down at you. Was he waiting for something? He was hesitant now, it seemed. His knife reaches down and tugs the edge of your mask, pulling it up skillfully without cutting your face. You closed your eyes as the fabric peels away from your face. The fabric bunched on your forehead, and you opened your eyes.

The man was staring at your facial features, his knife trailing down the side of your tear-stained cheek. The blade of the knife stops at your lips and he makes a scoffing sound. He sat straight up while still looking at you. "Du bist nur eine junge frau?" It looked like he was smiling, and you felt your heart sink.

You know what could happen to women in war. Especially if they're taken as prisoners or interrogated. Rape was one of the lighter punishments. That's what you were told at one of the meetings about a month ago. They had listed and shown pictures of the many colorful torture experiments used on women. You and a few other soldiers in the room were told, that if you had to choose between getting captured or dying; choose the latter. Harsh words, but it came from a woman who looked pained to even say it.

You didn't know what sick activities he was imagining but you were going to have none of it.

You shook your head and grabbed his hand that held the knife. You pull it back to your throat and shakily speak. "Don't. Just kill me. Kill me!" The man above you had complete control over the knife as he watched you carefully. "You probably don't understand me, but you can understand this." You yanked the hand closer, but it never got close to your throat.

He tilted his head, then leaned down and pressed the knife to your throat again. You swallowed and closed your eyes, letting a few tears slip down the side of your face. This was it. Maybe he had enough mercy to spare you of whatever torture treatment awaited you.

A dark chuckle told you otherwise.

Your eyes slowly peer open and see the man putting his knife away. "No!" You spoke up but he was already hauling you up to your feet. You tried pulling away but his grip was like an anaconda coiled around its prey. "No no no! Not like this please!" He sighed at your wailing and grabbed your face between his thumb and two fingers. You stare up at him with wide pleading eyes.

He took his knife back out but flipped it upside down. He turns your head the other way and you felt the blunt end of the knife handle hit the back of your skull. You knocked out, falling against the larger man as he picked you up and held you over his shoulder. Without another word, he began retreating back downstairs.

⁘Translations⁘

Hör auf zu kämpfen! Sie haben verloren! - Stop fighting! You've lost!

Wirst du rennen oder kämpfen? - Are you going to run or fight?

Du abscheuliches Geschöpf! - You abominable creature!

Danke, dass du mich gerettet hast. Aber es ist an der Zeit, dieses Spiel zu beenden. - Thank you for saving me. But it's time to end this game.

Du bist nur eine junge frau? - You're just a young woman?

[the-blind-assassin-12]

It’s Always the Same

1200 words for 1200 followers #4 

A/N: Hi friends! Welcome to the 12-A-Palooza! This event is my way of saying thank you for sticking with me. Your support and kindness toward me and my writing is out of this world and I’m grateful for every last one of you! This is one of two requests that I got for Jack, and they will be related... and I already have plans to continue it after all the 12-A-Palooza requests are done. So in addition to the Spectrum Soulmate Marcus Pike AU, the Jack Daniels Time Travel AU is now a thing. (And I’m not mad about it at all.) 💚

Warnings: mention of character death, mention of violence, this one is angsty and I am SORRY. 

Requested by: @azure-waves Song: Back in Town Character Choice: Jack Daniels - Thank you for sending this in! I hope you enjoy this, darling! I know it’s a little angsty, but I have a plan so don’t worry too much!!

Jack Daniels was the best Agent within the Statesman organization. 

Skilled, suave, brave, reliable, dedicated. Jack was everything the agency stood for, everything they valued. Because of that, he’d risen quickly in the ranks, becoming a Senior Agent after only eight years of service. 

But there was one thing that set him apart from the rest of the Agents even more than those attributes - his willingness to partake in tests of new, experimental technology that could help the agency gain advantages. He had been the first to step forward when researchers brought Alpha-Gel to trial, fully aware and accepting of the risks involved. 

Nothin’ much to lose if it goes sideways. 

So when Champ and Ginger came to him with the proposition of a new trial, Jack had all but signed on before knowing a single detail. 

“It’s not as dangerous as the Alpha-Gel testing was,” Ginger explained. “But it’s … delicate.” 

“Well, darlin’, I can be as delicate as a daisy when the occasion calls for it. What’s the mission?” 

He didn’t expect time travel.

They called it The Rewind, since for now Statesman only had the ability to move in one direction along the continuum - backwards, and only up to three years - and Ginger had been right to deem it delicate. Time was a fragile thing, and handling it too harshly left fingerprints where they didn’t belong. Those fingerprints could cause the present to cave in on itself and the future cease to exist. 

Jack silently hoped that they never gained the ability to travel beyond the three year mark. He knew that if it became possible to go back to the moment that his wife was killed, no amount of moral obligation would keep him from trying to save her. 

Future be fuckin’ damned. 

The Rewind hadn’t been engineered so Agents could change things that had already happened, though. It was created strictly so the agency could gather intelligence. It allowed a person to go back to a specific time and place, to witness that moment again and again from different perspectives, drop eaves on a conversation until it had been memorized, hunt for clues in the near past that might give them an edge in the present so they could put a stop to things before they happened. 

But it was still in the early stages. There was still a battery of experiments to run. That was where Jack came in. 

“We’ll be sending you back three years, to the night of July 19th. There’s a place on the outskirts of town called the Junction. Or -” Ginger arched one eyebrow. “There was. It closed down six months ago. But before it did? A lot of shady characters used to meet there. We think it’s where Dark Shadow did most of its recruiting.” 

Jack’s top lip curled at the mention of the crime organization. Dark Shadow had been a weapon smuggling ring that operated by overwhelming local law enforcement with a slew of small crimes so that they could pull off their larger ones while the authorities were distracted. They sold guns to drug dealers, who in turn put pistols in the hands of every sales soldier on the streets. They were the reason that countless hearts had been broken by the words “wrong place, wrong time” just as Jack’s had. 

Taking them down had undoubtedly been his proudest moment as a Statesman. 

Ginger explained that since they already knew how things shook out for Dark Shadow, testing the Rewind on their hideout meant that the stakes were low. “For now we just want you to go, spend a few hours there, act as though you’re just a patron getting a drink. You can talk to people as long as you don’t tell them anything that hasn’t happened for them yet. We’ll pull you back remotely when it's time, and then you’ll report on anything you can remember.” 

Jack nodded. “Seems simple enough.” 

“We’ll repeat this process until we’re confident that you’ve absorbed every detail of that night - what people were wearing, the texture of the bar top, all of it. That gives us an idea of how big a window we’ll have when we send Agents in for live missions. How long they’ll need in a space that size with the same number of variables and-” 

“Ginger.” Champ cleared his throat as a gentle interruption. “Think he gets the idea. Don’t ya, Whiskey?” 

“Sure. Like any old night on the town. ‘Cept it’s the same night every night until I can paint it pretty as a picture for you. That about it?” 

Ginger gave a sheepish nod, aware that she was prone to over explanation at times. “Yup. That’s about it. For now.” 

– – – 

Jack stopped outside the Junction, staring at the flickering neon letters on the sign that hung in the window. Like always, the C was dead. This time, though, he noticed that it was due to a crack in the lightbox that looked distinctly like a bullet hole. 

Well look at that. A new piece of the picture already. 

With that he went inside. He wasted no time lingering near the dart boards or sauntering through the billiards tables as he’d done his first few July 19ths. He’d already gained what he could from the people gathered around them on previous trips. This time his focus was directly on the bar. Or more directly on the woman behind it. 

You.

It was his twelfth time pulling up a stool and ordering a drink from you. Nine of those times he’d asked you your name and he’d given you his. You’d spent nearly half your shift ignoring other customers to talk with him on at least seven occasions. Five times he’d caught you looking at him in the bar mirror, a guilty - but not ashamed - grin curving your cheeks. There were four times when you had asked him if he wanted to get coffee at the diner on ninth street, three when he had said yes, and two when you’d invited him back to your place after that. The last time he walked into the Junction he ended up in your bed, with you panting his name into his ear. 

He remembered every detail of every interaction with you.

But for you it was the first time you’d seen him. You didn’t know his name or his drink. Didn’t know that he made you laugh or that his hands had already mapped your body. “What’ll you have, Cowboy?” 

He gave you the same smile he had the last few times - which meant that you couldn’t tell it was just a little sad. “Whiskey’n water, darlin’.” 

Always the same. 

He couldn’t help the twinge in his chest as you turned to make his drink. Jack wasn’t expecting the mission to be time travel. And he sure as shit wasn’t expecting to fall for a woman from a different timeline. But here he was. And there you were. 

The Alpha-Gel trials had been painful. Knowing that you would forget him every time was torture.

Still, when you asked him out for coffee, he grinned, standing from his stool. “You ever been to the 9th Street Diner, darlin’?” 

.

.

Thank you for reading! If you’d like to be added to or removed from the tag list, please feel free to let me know. You can also fill out the form on my Masterlist! :)

tags:  @something-tofightfor​ @paracosmenthusiast​ @cannedsoupsucks​ @dihra-vesa​ @disgruntledspacedad​ @littlemisspascal​ @hellovanessax​ @mishasminion360​ @nyctophiliiiiaaa​ @practicalghost​ @tanzthompson​ @harriedandharassed​ @woodlandmouth​ @swtaura @trickstersp8​ @princessxkenobi​ @imtryingmybeskar​ @wildmoonflower​ @mswarriorbabe80​ @theredwritingwitch​ @silverstarsandsuns​ @competentpotato​ @pedro-pedrito-pascalito​ @jedi-in-crocs​ @hannahkatharine​ @novemberrain221 @chiyo13​ @myloveistoolittle​ @spishsstuff @writeforfandoms

[elviola]

When the clock rewinds, would you choose me?

(ii) THE CONFRONTATION

Jake Sully x Reader

Set after the Avatar (2009) film.

PLOT: Formerly Intern from RDA, now a specialist in the reopened avatar program of Dr. Grace Augustine, you see the man–turned na'vi, that was once almost yours.

NOTE: not proofread!!! idk if i should write more lol i want this to be the end hwhwhwa

PRESENT:

ONE

THE BREEZE IS COLD. Rubbing your palms together, you try to squint to see the flock of Tetrapteron flying above. After reconciling with Norm, you tried your Avatar out. It felt like the past when you went in the pod, memories flooding through your head. Now you were walking through the greenery, stopping at a river nearby. You watch the Dinicthoid battle amongst each other, fighting for food to feast on.

Suddenly, you hear a branch crack behind, "Norm? I'm here, is Max finding us?" You croak out, yet no response makes you uneasy. A prey in its vulnerable state is an easy target for a predator. You clutch your dagger, getting ready to defend yourself when a giggle comes out from the other side. "Norm? Aysupe fula?" (Norm, what is that?)

It's a kid's voice, ears peeking through the bush. You knew the Na'vi language so it was easy for you to reply as if it were English. "I am sorry, I mistook you for someone. I am no harm." And so he shows himself, a short Na'vi boy. His braids were pulled into a ponytail and he had a handmade small wooden bow in his right hand. You notice then that he had 5 fingers when they had only four. "You're watching them too? They're funny sometimes, my older brother caught one before." You nod in awe, he's different. Eyebrows adorning his features, you ask his name, "It's Lo'ak, I shouldn't be saying it. I'll get scolded by my father—" You step forward, "What's his name?" He walks backward, spooked by the sudden change in demeanor.

"Jake Sully."

You can't process the information after Lo'ak runs off explaining he'll get in trouble. On your way back, you still in the middle of the forest, that old feeling creeping up your veins once again. Jake has a family, Jake has sons,

Jake has someone. Jake has Neytiri.

It explodes inside you like a bomb, the remnants spreading like a disease, and it's sought out to break your heart once again. You haven't moved on, not entirely when you heard his name and you want to go back to Earth and suffer the fate jealousy had brought you. You don't know what you're bitter about. That Jake has a family or that Jake has a family and it isn't with you.

You swore not to take that path for the next few days.

But Eywa is the one who chooses fate, so you meet him once again.

TWO

"______, get me the floral eucalyptus. Two of it, will you?" You grunt in annoyance. Laying at your stomach, you want to sleep the whole day instead. "If you don't get your ass up, I'll hide her." Your ass was, indeed, going to places. Swiftly linking with your Avatar, you go out to complete the task. Desperate to go back to bed.

As you head back to the lab, your elbow gets snatched by a hand. Max's basket dropped and things spilled. Grip as tight as a lock, you swish your dagger up its throat. Angry that your ears flatten on your head, everything you worked hard for was all on the ground. Dirtied and mixed.

"Who are you to—" His smile still makes your stomach jump backflips.

"______, where'd you leave off to?" His voice makes your knees weak.

His fingers tucking your braid behind your ear, you were sure you could count how much your heartbeat.

THE NOT SO CRISIS:

You're both walking to the village, the first time in 5 years to ever see it again. The tension is thick, not even the sharpest blade could cut through it, and you hope to strike up a conversation until your chances to were blocked.

"Ma' Jake. Have you seen Lo'ak? That boy will be the death of me, he does not stop wandering." Neytiri asks as she walks towards him. Jake clears his throat and gestures to you, " 'Tiri, this is an old friend, ____." You place a handout and she shakes it.

Disgusted, you're thinking of chopping it off.

Hours go by and nothing sounds sweeter than accidentally tripping over a rock and bumping your head. Jake is telling his stories to you as his kids play around the campfire. Neytiri sitting with their only daughter, placing feathers as she braids her hair. "Neteyam is my oldest, the next Olo'eyktan, the mighty warrior!" Jake shouts as he pulls the boy into a crushing hug, him smiling through the pressure. "Don't push yourself too much, Neteyam." You say as he nods enthusiastically in response.

"Lo'ak is stubborn but is strong-hearted." The 2nd boy scratched his neck in embarrassment. "Stubbornness comes use in many ways." You try to lighten the mood up and he smiles at you. You take notice he got his charm from his father.

You reason you can't spend the night with them, heart struggling to keep its pieces from scattering. That the tape holding them isn't enough, that going back on Earth for 5 years isn't enough.

It isn't enough to forget him. But you try to.

THE RESOLUTION:

"______, please!! I'll show you my rock collection! I use them to get the fruits off the tall trees!" Your heart strengthens, the face of Lo'ak lighting up when you fall for his rambling. Neteyam rolls his eyes in disagreement, and Jake watches afar. His eyes watch your form disappear from the bushes as you follow Lo'ak. He remembers your times before and an unrecognizable feeling paints his skin. He still doesn't know why you left, he'll ask you later. Do you still like yogurt? Do you still make awful jokes? Do you have a lover? Do you have a family?

“Jake? Jake!” He snaps out of it. "Neytiri, I'm sorry." He apologizes with his hands holding hers, kissing the top of her knuckles, she blushes. "I have prepared the hammock for ____, call her for I can tell the boy to not tire her so much!"

Jake follows the footsteps, slowly hearing the laughter coming from the riverside. He sees Lo'ak first, crouching to the creatures swimming. Then he sees you, trying to stop Lo'ak from throwing the fish out the water. "Lo'ak, go to your mother. She needs your help." The boy looks to his father with doubt, that he knows the first one they call is Neteyam. When Jake nods him off, he leaves.

Jake slowly approaches you, the crumble of rocks alerting you. The sun is starting to set and the birds are leaving to rest. You glance behind, stunned that he was near your face. That you almost kissed his nose, you walk backward. Yet Jake thinks otherwise, pulling you in even closer, "Why did you leave, ____?" He rants. "When I needed my friend at my lowest, where did she go?"

THE PROBLEM:

You expected a greeting from him but instead you nearly lose it from the sudden outburst. Head drumming with smoke, your ears flatten at your head, "You have no right to shout at me." You step away, trying to calm the situation. Jake moves to your face, "You had no right to leave. I was at war with you by my side and I see you suddenly gone? You saw me through thick and thin!"

"Oh. So when I tried to talk to you and you gave me no response. That was companionship, that was friendship? You treated me as if we don't spend our time together attached by the hip!" You argue, pushing his shoulders out of frustration. His eyes widen with angst and yours threaten to drip small tears. Jake dares to ask, "What do you mean? I was about to show you my achievement, that I learned the ways of the forest because of you. All of this is because of you!" You point back with an accusing finger at his chest,

"Then why are you with her?" A pregnant pause envelops the air. The cold breeze comes back and freezes your hands. "You left first. "

"And when you were in the process of doing it, I was always by your side."

Jake's gaze stretched out behind, thinking of what you said. His ringing ears makes it worse to rack his head to say something, to say anything to not let you go right now. To tell you everything he feels. He finds nothing when he swallows the words down.

Its become his habit, when he doesn't say anything when you pour out your everything. So you leave with disappointment carved on your face.

You leave him once again.

He messed up. He was supposed to know why you left 5 years ago, that when the war finished. He was yearning to find you to meet Neytiri. To meet, formally, the Omatikaya people. So when Norm said you left, his heart felt too heavy to not fall.

Jake focused on his new life, his new relationships. With Neytiri, with the forest, and with Eywa giving him the opportunity. He became Olo'eyktan, he became the hero everybody looked up to. He was watched by everyone, that every single moved he made was judged by the stares of the elders. By the stares of the People that believed in him. He thought of his duties that had to be done, the heavy weight he was carrying for their clan.

All of that didn't remove his thoughts of you. He still thought of you every single day and night.

He was a coward to his feelings for you.

He looks down to see the woven leaf craft of a Dinicthoid you and Lo'ak made. Picking it up as he walks back to the hut. Not realizing it had been hours when Neytiri appeared, the dark sky settled in and the stars twinkled in the sky. "Jake, where is ____? Had she went to sleep? I did not see her pass by." He looks softly at Neytiri, the woman he mated with. The woman he swore his life with. He doesn't want to hurt her. He doesn't want to hurt the both of you.

So he lies.

THE RESOLUTION LOSS:

He tried to understand, glue the pieces together on why you left. He concluded with only confusion setting in his mind. Today's meeting gave him an unexpected answer,

You liked him? Did you love him?

The lingering stares, the gentle touches. Did you really reciprocate his feelings?

Did you see him before?

Jake's heart shatters, guilty that he didn't wait for you. As how you waited for him.

You push the pod open, panting out of exhaustion. Norm rushes into the room, checking your vitals. "Didn't know you were coming back when you met Jake. When will you see him again?" You stand up, heading straight to the shower.

"I'll never see him again."

Weeks turn into months of not being able to see you. Jake grows stressed, he tries to capture your shadows whenever you run off but when he arrives. All that's left are your footprints.

You've studied the paths he takes. Mastering the skill of a fox, you take an alternative route one day. Not wanting to put up with him anymore.

One day, after collecting knick knacks and flowers for your bracelet, you walk back to the lab, spotting the river where two Na'vi forms sit. You go near, knowing who they might be, you should have sprinted off. Your body says otherwise, locked on the ground. Your leg numbing from the pressure of squating down, you listen, "____ has not been around for days, what had happened?" She asks, "I want to tell her all sorts of things. I want to tell her everything I feel." He replies, sighing. "It had been long since I've seen her. She was–" Your leg quitting the ability to squat, you miss the word he was about to say, standing by the tree instead. Neytiri laughs, "You have a strong heart, Jake. Courageous and Brave. Nothing will go wrong if you do." He grins, Neytiri's head resting on his shoulder. "You've done it before."

You walk away.

THE CLIMAX:

Jake sees you picking fruits from trees. Taking the chance to talk to you, he calls out your name.

You run off. He panics and goes after you.

You try to get rid of him, swerving from left to right, and hiding behind the tall flowers sprouting from its shrubs. You pull your tail in, anxious to get caught from it. It's early in the morning, he probably studied you too. It's silent for a moment and all you can hear are the chirping of the birds.

Tranquility ends with you getting pinned to the bark of the tree, you hiss at the perpetrator. "____! Stop! It's me." Jake's face full of worry, "Get off of me." You demand, pulling him off you. Jake weakens his hold but was still strong enough to not let you go. "Listen to me, please. For once?" Your eyebrows furrow at his words, for the first time in years, you would never imagine he would say those words. You believe him for now as he steps away from you.

"I want to apologize. I'm sorry, I'm sorry for everything. That I shouted at you, that I didn't tell you the truth. That I was the one who left first and I was too blind to notice it."

"I see you, ____. I haven't before but I do now."

That was the last straw of your patience, "You cannot do this to me. Jake, you have a family. You do not see me, but you see what could have been for us!" You express the hurt in your heart. His face going through his emotions all at once.

"You are unfair and cruel." Shaking your head down, the river beneath your eyes break out. "I don't deserve this, Jake.

I shouldn't have met you before." And If you knew heartbreak would come with him, then you wouldn't have thought to sit beside him at your very first meeting. Shouldn't have waited for him during lunch breaks, and shouldn't have let him in that deep in your skin.

Jake is as fragile as you are, the second he hears you speak the hurt in your heart. He breaks. All his training and hardships he did as Olo'eyktan weren't enough to keep him steady right now. He feels like a boat that lost it's anchor to an angry storm. Jake bonding with Neytiri and forming a family with her wasn't enough.

At the end he still wanted you.

THE END:

Wise men say that the things you want the most are the things you cannot have.

Jake cannot have you.

So you anguish at the fairytale story of the both of you and you know it can never happen. You'll stop wishing for it,

And you'll stop loving him. Completely.

[marengogo]

7 Nation Army - Part 3: And the Oscar goes to …

Listening to album FACE - by Jimin  ON REPEAT

[Music is a very big part of my life and I’m MOSTLY INCAPABLE of writing without music, so I just thought I'd share what I am listening to while writing this]

–🐺–🐺–🐺–

FACE by Jimin is a movie.

Before the pre-release of Set Me Free pt. 2, when I tried to guess what the theme of the album could have been from the information that we had, I perceived this alluring masterpiece as an opera, but, my dear ladies, gentlemen and enbies; I was wrong. This album is a movie and my filmmaker heart is all over the place in excitement to this realisation. As always, anything I write is my opinion, that being said, please allow me to introduce and dissect this elegant Psychological-Thriller named FACE.

Director: JIMIN

Writer: JIMIN

Starring: JIMIN

Taglines: Amazing Face, how sweet the pouring sound.

Genre: Psychological Thriller

Certificate: 16 - Profanity, Alcohol

The typical structure of a Psychological-Thriller usually has the movie/series start at some point which is a tiny bit earlier/forward than the current timeline so as to give you a imagery that will be very contrasting with the flashback/flashforward which will immediately follow, which will properly set the tone for the actual main part movie, which provides with all the issues and challenges of the main character. Towards the end we finally reach the actual current timeline, which in thrillers tends to be a situation worse than the beginning of the story. From here we would go to the conclusion where one of two things can happen; either it ends in tragedy or the character is able to find victory. Every once in a while depending on the story there might be a hopeful filler, and depending on where it is placed in the storyline, it affect the plot differently.

A bit before/after current timeline: Face-off

The circus-like music starts, giving us immediate context. When used as a metaphor the circus, or any circus-like imagery, almost always is indicative of the opposite of anything that is genuine. All the makeup, the constantly smiling, happy and funny entertainer, basically; we are in a farce. From here on the beat becomes a distorted and distant reproduction of the farce. A distant sound represents disassociation within the context. So for a moment, the protagonist is separating from their reality for a particular reason. 

In this case, Jimin has had it and is finally confronting/facing someone or something that has hurt him deeply. Following the lyrics, at this point, we’ve just started the movie, so we have no clue what is going on. However, we do understand that there is indeed an antagonist. Nothing we can do for now, all we have to do is to proceed within the plot:

🎵It's a beautiful night (Beautiful night)

I think you found me

Tonight, I don't wanna be sober (Sober)

Pour it up, it's all fucking over🎶

So what exactly has happened between our protagonist and this mystery antagonist?

Flashback/Flashforward: Interlude : Dive

The beginning of this track sounds like the typical time-wrap as you either fast forward or rewind. Usually, psychological thrillers go backwards, so rewinding we go, all the way to October 15, 2022 at the Yet to Come concert in Busan:

"Wow, everyone, I really missed you a lot.

We get to meet like this.

Everyone, this is Jimin."

The absence of vocals shows how this track isn’t an interpretation of any sort of feelings or thought,  but simply a display of truths of the time; there is NO farce here, only facts. This is 2022 and the pandemic has been over. Jimin should finally be able to meet with ARMY freely and life is seemingly going back to normal. Yet, at the very end we hear the sound of something pouring. Thanks to Face-off, we can deduce that it is some kind of liquor.

Hence, even though everything is supposed to be “back to normal”, something seems to have stuck with him, Jimin seems to be carrying some baggage he acquired during lockdown, something amongst perhaps many things he quite can’t seem to get rid of / set free from. This is the life he has now been used to; this is his Jimin’s new reality.

What does Jimin's new reality look like?

Main part/plot: Like Crazy

It’s a blur but it feels amazing, and it beats having to feel everything that he has been feeling thus far. Even though it is not eternal, because it will come to an end, he knows very well, but he doesn’t care, he needs “that fix”, so if it is just for a night, then the night will have to do:

🎵Baby don’t think about it

There’s not a bad thing here tonight

Baby, it’s okay to leave

Just stay for today🎶

When your poison of choice is alcohol, you are not going to have a trip or experience sensations you never had; alcohol is not that sophisticated. What it does though, very quickly and quite efficiently, is blocking inhibitions. When you are relaxed, and in a friendly environment, the body follows actions, like in a chain reaction and starts thinking happy thoughts, relieving joyful memories and just having a jolly good time really. 

For the sake and sole purpose of the plot of this movie, we are not going to mention how, at the same time, while drunk, functioning as a regular human being, is out of the question, as self-consciousness isn’t the only thing that is gone, any sort of control, sane judgement and more are also out the window 😬😬😬 …

Through the voices at the beginning of the song and the actual MV, this track adds more clues as to who the soon to become antagonist might be. There is a male voice and a female voice in the song. There is Jimin and a young woman mirroring Jimin’s movements in the MV. Jimin knows her; she is him. He always has a great time with her, she knows him very well, afterall she is him. So while he is spending this night incapacitated, he is just going to follow her lead and live on happily, while stopping time temporarily as long as they can.  

🎵My reflection in the mirror

I’m going crazy endlessly

I’m feeling so alive, wasting time🎶

But what happens the following morning? What happens that one morning  when you realise that “that fix” isn’t worth anything anymore.

Actual current timeline: Alone

The track begins with the sound of an alarm, which isn’t simply indicating morning, but also setting the story back to  the present time. Jimin’s actual reality. He has now woken up into that one morning where he is more sober than sober. That one morning when the hangover isn’t as uncomfortable as his realisations. That one morning where the risk of a failing liver isn’t as scary as the reality he is having to face. 

So there he is, face to face with the mess he willingly created amidst the inevitably bad situation he was shoved into. Him like everyone else. Yet, unlike most of everyone else, he fell badly. Finally, he has come to terms with the fact that he’s mentally hit rock-bottom mentally. And because misery loves company, any other bad/uncomfortable feeling/situation he had been successfully avoiding joined, merrily (perhaps all his identities, his sense of worth, his sense of loneliness, etc).

This is the heaviest part of the movie. The part where the protagonist is weak and where everything seems, and at times truly is against them. This is the part where the protagonist is at their most vulnerable. This is the point of the plot where, we would all be ending up at, no matter how anyone has interpreted the whole storyline (some may have associated it FACE with other issues, such as lovers, friendships, family, substance abuse, etc …). 

In my opinion, this track, on the timeline, is right before Face-off. In an actually movie, we’d have a collage which would mix Face-off with everything that has happened thus far:

[Face-off lyrics connected with other tracks]

🎵All right

I guess the blame is on me

Look at how I look right now 🎶 - Interlude :  Dive

🎵Break it down

Break it down

This is the story of ordinary me

Get it out

Get it out

Everyone shout like crazy yeah yeah🎶 - Like Crazy

🎵Gave you all the money

Gave you all my heart

Your Masquerade party

 I was fucking drunk

The damned days of the past

Are now over too🎶 - Alone

So … will our protagonist win his battle against all their antagonists?

Conclusion: Set Me Free Pt.2

The ominous sound of a choir, followed by glorious trumpets; Jimin is ready for his final battle and he is sounding, and looking, hella victorious. He hasn’t forgotten all his struggles. He acknowledges the battles he’s won, and the ones he's lost, which allowed him to get to where he is firmly standing right now. He hears the haters, sees the obstacles and acknowledges his shortcomings. At the same time he’s found a new resolution, developed a tougher skin and embraced all his faces. But above all, he’s realised that if he wasn’t gonna set himself free, who the hell was gonna do that for him? And so he did. 

🎵Look at me now

You can mock me but I won’t stop

Going crazy so I don’t go crazy

Put your hands up for the past me

Now set me free,

Set me free x 12🎶

Park Jimin, all his selves, is finally free. Free.

Roll the credit.

Hopeful Filler: Letter

At the end of the credits of any good movie MUST have an after credit scene, which usually serves to introduce a possible sequel or to add something to the way the actual movie ended. HOWEVER, as I do want to have a post just for this track, I shall end this here. 

… And now, it is with great honour and palpitation that I stand here, amongst a jury of my peers, in order to present the award for best, exquisitely unexpected, but rather awaited masterpiece, of the year.

And the nominees are:

… AND THE WINNER IS: Park Jimin in FACE.

And that's all from me, now I'll go and keep relaxing some. Also, can't wait to hear from Jimin during his live on the 29th!

As always, very respectfully yours,

Marengo.

[petitelepus]

About your merformers could I possible put a request for ultra magnus x natural human who wants to see what his home is like.

When you had befriended this enormous whale Mer called Ultra Magnus, you were fascinated by his way of living. He could see the small cottage by the sea which you had rented for that Summer, but you hadn't seen how he lived.

So you secretly took scuba diving lessons so you could experience Ultra Magnus' life below the sea. You rented a small boat and let the huge Mer pull you into the sea, towards his home.

"Are you sure you will be fine?" He asked, worried for your safety.

"Yes, I got you looking after, right?" You asked as you fastened your diving suit and checked your oxygen tank.

"Ready to go when you are!" You said happily as you put on your mask and the Mer nodded as he dove beneath the water and you dropped yourself backward into the salty waters, like your instructor had taught you.

"Are you alright?" Ultra Magnus asked and you nodded and gave him the thumbs up.

Seeing that you were fine, Magnus took you with him to the coral waters where his pod, the Lost Light lived.

The bright corals and the colorful fishes were gorgeous, but what excited you most were the different Mers that came to see who was with Ultra Magnus.

The whale Mer started to introduce you to Mer after another. Like this bright orange and beautiful Mer called Rodimus or this Mer with poisonous spines called Chromedome and his small partner Rewind.

Despite not being able to talk and you could only communicate with gestures, Ultra Magnus could tell you were very excited to meet his pod and see his home.

You would have spent more time getting to know the different Mers but you noticed at one point that a lot of time had passed and that your oxygen levels started to drop.

You gestured to Ultra Magnus that your time was running out and after saying goodbye to other Mers, the whale Mer took you back to your boat and helped you up.

"How are you feeling?" He asked as you took off your equipment.

You smiled as you looked at him, "That was amazing!"

"Really?"

"Yes! I didn't know you had so many friends and your home was gorgeous!"

"I'm... Glad you think so." Ultra Magnus nodded and you were about to say something, but then you looked at the sea and the setting sun.

"Wow, time flies by when you are having fun." You noted with a smile.

"Can I take you to your home?" The huge Mer asked and you nodded as you gave him the rope tied to your small boat and he pulled you to the shores.

"I had an amazing time Magnus." You confessed as you tied the boat to the dock, feeling a little sheepish, as if this was a date, "Thank you."

"It was my pleasure." He nodded and you couldn't help but to want to spend more time with him.

"Would you like to go fishing with me someday? I could grill what we catch!" You suggested excitedly.

Ultra Magnus tilted his head in confusion, "What is this grill?"

"Oh, you heat and prepare food with it." You said with a smile, "Trust me, you're going to love it."

"If you like it then I will also." He said and you smiled as you leaned forward and planted a quick kiss to his temple.

"Thank you Magnus." You thanked him before running off inside your cottage, leaving behind a confused Mer.

"What was that?"