#provisional name: Plot twist
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Robin and Dani.2
I redesigned them a lil more. I tried Robin with the buzz cut using the whole “hair holds memories” so his hair is big part to know his mental state. And Dani lanky tall long hair man because…. That’s my type
Anyway wanted to share them some more
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You seem like you really dig my story so i stayed up until 4 at night writing this im sorryvbtrbgdjf kgb
Last episode the plot thickened and I can't get these guys out of my head while i was trying to go to sleep so more writing about them, almost actually a written story addition and i did research on this one.
This one's got a little spice nearing the end but nobody does anything LIKE WAY OUT THERE
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
Bakugo doesn’t have time to focus on shitty relationships. His life is in a downward spiral that has nothing to do with a certain sparkly blonde, he’s trying so hard to focus on anything and everything else. He’s been stolen by the villains, he’d been saved all he wanted to do was lay the fuck down and go the fuck to sleep for once.
Not think, not wonder, just sleep.
No matter how hard he tried how hard he shut his eyes he couldn’t block out his insecurities about his feelings. It's hard for him to explain or put into words how Sparkles a small singed mark could take up every waking and sleeping moment of his life.
He couldn’t forget about him even if he tried, you can’t forget cause there was just something so memorable about the guy who nobody really even ever noticed
Bakugo twisted and turned, tossed around in his bed with his thoughts until he finally forced himself asleep.
Aoyama on the other hand did not sleep well period, he was ass in training the next day due to this which didn’t go unnoticed, many people asked him if he was ok only to get replied “Oui, just a rocky night” or “Does my dazzling not shine bright enough today?” The fucker was putting on an act he must have thought he was so sly, but Bakugo wasn`t fooled.
He let this continue for a few days because the license exam was coming up and he really needed/should be working on super moves. Creating AP shot was going swimmingly at least he had that going for him- that was until that nerd had to come along and pour not just salt but a whole shaker into his wounds. Saving All might like he was supposed to be a goddamn pro.
THE NERVE
This is the thing that made him nearly forget about his own problems, made him focus on what's in front of him instead of beside him.
Bakugo looked at himself in the bathroom mirror. “I’ll talk to him after the exam.” he thought watching the water droplets fall from his face into the sink. He scrubbed a towel over his face and went on his way.
Fate would allow him to avoid seeing pretty boy so his central point of interest stayed fixed on the exam. He viewed it as a good thing (but was it truly?)
After the shitty exam his classmates stood around him reading their papers searching for their names on the list of passers.
Those who weren’t fortunate enough to pass there was still a chance for them to get their licenses.there was going to be a special training course in March if they did well on their individual test they would issue provisional licenses to them. HOWEVER balancing special training with current school work was gonna be literal torture for a student. They were offering retakes for the exam in April which just wasn’t an option for Bakugo to slack off. He’d have to really dig deep in everything as if he already didn’t pour his soul into everything he did.
LIKE HELL HE’D LET AN OPPORTUNITY LIKE THIS PASS BY!
All of that stuff is super important but right now he needed to know something else.
“Come outside after everyone’s asleep. It’s about your quirk.” He passed by Deku, whispering hard. He made sure the nerd heard him and didn’t linger.
The first person he went to after his fight with Deku was Kirishima, he patched up his own wounds and knocked on his friend’s door. He let him in, let him vent, he listened to everything he needed to vent about that he could talk about cause unlike Deku he can keep his feelings out of other people's secrets.
He was there for a solid two hours before going to bed in his own bed. He wanted to stay god knows he would have preferred to sleep next to someone the way he felt in that moment. He honestly didn’t think he deserved it so he stayed in his own room.
Aoyama had to go to classes. Bakugo not being there didn’t stop him from staying a little longer to at least talk to him for a bit.
He watched the two of them vacuuming and cleaning up before he spoke up.
“I’m off.” He stood there making no attempt to do no such thing.
Midoriya more than glanced and nodded bidding him the day, Bakugo didn’t even look at him or so he thought. If you were a crazy person like Midoriya you would notice Bakugo stopped cleaning for a millisecond, started again. His head didn’t move but his eyes did, ruby red’s glared at Aoyama before he actually did make good on walking out the door.
“What was that?” Midoriya brought up breaking the silence a second time. Once for asking about how Kacchan thought about his fighting style, Now about whatever that was.
“What was what?” Bakugo snapped ever in the bad mood.
“Nothing i guess.” Midoriya shrugged knowing not to push it, Bakugo was being nice enough as is.
On the third day Deku was released from house arrest, Aoyama took this time to say more to Bakugo before he would go to his classes. He might not look it but he was smart enough to understand Bakugo didn’t want Deku in his business like that. Everyone was off while Aoyama turned back towards the dorm saying something like he forgot his special light up pen. Toru offered him her fuzzy pen but he said this one was special so they let him go believing the sorry excuse.
Stepping back onto the porch, he looked at the windows seeing if Bakugo was in the common area.
“What are you doing twinkle toes?” He asked lip slightly drawn up on the other side of the glass. He gave Aoyama a heart attack but he didn’t quite scream his mouth was closed so it was muffled by his tight lips.
“Aren’t you supposed to be lollygagging with the rest of the extras?” he would rest his arm against the window but he just clean that shit, he opted for shifting his weight onto one hip and crossing one leg over the other on the wall part next to the towering glass windows.
“Please don’t scare me like that!”
“Get your ass in here i don’t have a reason to be outside so i ain’t going.”
Aoyama hurried inside. The emptiness of the dorm was weird, he almost felt like he was skipping but he really just wanted/needed to talk to Bakugo.
“Spill it or get the fuck out.” he said in his usual snappy tone.
“I just wanted to say I wanted to talk with you if you have a minute...”
“About?”
“Well..” he shuffled. “I don’t think we have enough time to talk so i’ll have to tell you later or another time you're free.”
Bakugo stared at him like a lion, his eyes cold. He flicked his neck. to the stairs.
“Come to my room tonight.”
Aoyama couldn’t lie a faint blush rose to his cheeks across his nose at the sound of something so provocative coming from Bakugo. DONT GET HIM WRONG he knew what he meant he just had a dirty thought is all.
EVERY BOY DOES WHEN YOU LIKE ANOTHER PERSON he thought trying to convince himself there was nothing wrong with the way his brain was working right now.
“Stop making that fucking face, say what you can then go get your shitty light up pencil,” He walked closer to him. “Or were you just fucking with everyone’s heads?”
The closeness made Aoyama dizzy, not normal dizzy but hazy he guessed? Not uncomfortable the opposite! He wanted Bakugo this close.
he missed him this close.
He couldn’t find the words, like really he couldn’t he had forgotten what he wanted to say. “Um, even people like me forget i’m sorry.”
Bakugo huffed him off walking away. “Fuck off.” He didn’t mean it, he just wanted him to get going.
Bakugo was smirking with his back turned, he saw that stupid light up pen sticking out his bag, he didn’t want Aoyama to get in trouble for being gone so long so he ended the conversation.
Aoyama thought about Bakugo and tried to remember what he wanted to say throughout class. If he remembered he wouldn’t know cause when that third year who was part of the Big 3 knocked him and everyone of his classmates he really forgot everything and he was on the floor. When he came to they were being talked to about his this guys insane quirk worked but he honestly didn't care all that much.
He almost swore in his thoughts about forgetting what he wanted to say to Bakugo. The ragamuffin was rubbing off on him.
Aoyama spent the remainder of his day nursing his tummy and talking to his classmates about normal school stuff
until night fell around. He waited until everyone was supposedly asleep before sneaking up the stairs to Bakugo's dorm room. The door was left cracked open and he walked in slowly and quietly. Bakugo was nowhere to be seen so he was either in the bathroom or at their spot.
On the roof.
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
(DIPPING IN TO SAY SOMETHING turns out research is something you should always do because Bakugo’s room is nowhere near the roof and the only thing he could do is sit on the guard railing outside his balcony but i don’t give a flying fuck so pretend Bakugo and Kirishima live on the 5th floor cause i dont wanna move Bakugo’s room from being Kirishima’s neighbor)
back to the story
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
Aoyama closes the door behind him before going to Bakugo’s balcony to climb up onto the ledge to get to the roof where he spots his blasty boy.
He’s already got refreshments and blankets. One is light purple and the one he has around his shoulders is blue has yellow All Might initials on it. “We ran out of capri suns so we only have sunny D and Kool-aid bursts. Pick one and sit down.” It’s a weird order.
“Kool-aid please.”
Bakugo offers him a red flimsy plastic bottle that Aoyama rips the top off with his teeth like kids normally do and starts sucking on it to get the juice out.
Bakugo bluntly asks him what's been going on in the days of class he’s missed. Aoyama has to refuse. “I honestly couldn’t tell you even if I wanted to mon cheri. Mr. Aizawa would sooner have my head on a platter.” he jokes darkly.
“Well fuck i guess.” Bakugo sighs.
They stare at the dark blue sky for a bit before they start getting to the meat and potatoes that is a conversation they should have had a while ago.
Aoyama once again stares at his feet or anything else that isn’t Bakugo trying to come to what he can say that wont get him yelled at. Bakugo is already inside his mind because he tells him to “Stop over thinking shit and say what's on your mind damnit.”
He purses his lips trying to ignore how he even knew- nevermind. He opens his mouth to speak.
Here goes nothing.
“I’m sorry you didn’t pass.” Before Bakugo can swear about how he doesn’t give a fuck Aoyama continues on. “But i know you probably don’t care about that so you don’t have to say anything. Why bring it up in the first place i know.”
Aoyama surprises him by being 5 steps ahead of his brain so Bakugo shuts his trap since he knows everything that’s going to come out of his mouth apparently. “Fucker.” He says a smirk twisting his lips into a natural smirk. Not a angry one or a taunting one, he’s amused at how well someone that isn’t Deku knows him.
It’s endearing.
“Never thought someone would make me feel like that Twinkles, i can respect that i guess.”
“Oui,” Aoyama replies, wrapping the fuzzy purple blanket around himself a little tighter. “.. were you avoiding me because you were working on your moves or was it because of something i did?”
“I wasn’t avoiding shit, your the one who started acting weird and wanting space or whatever, i have other priorities ya know?” Bakugo shoots back.
“Oui,” repeats, closing his eyes for a brief moment. “Getting in trouble sounds important.”
“Shut up glitter face that wasn’t part of the plan, it was a byproduct!”
Aoyama brings his hand to his mouth to smother away his snickers. Bakugo isn’t really mad, he's just pissy. He likes it when it’s like this, talking, Aoyama doesn’t talk a lot so he loves to get to be half of his real self around someone like Bakugo who won't judge him.
He doesn’t have to fully pretend he can be sassy,
he can tease,
he doesn’t have to hide.
It’s nice, it gives him a chance to be a real person. Bakugo encourages this behavior all the time, he also likes it when Aoyama is this way which makes him glad he met someone like Bakugo.
He’ll miss this he really will…
“Did I truly anger you darling?” He’s smiling when he asks this but he doesn't feel like a smile, he'd hate to be the leading cost to Bakugo's anger. It rips his ribcage apart to even slightly have the other boy mad with him just a little bit. (Which isn't good for a number of reaons he'll leave alone right now)
“Like you could," he makes fun of him in a loving? manner? he jokes at him. "I'm not mad at you and I never was mad with you.”
“That’s good, that makes me feel better.” Aoyama says hugging his arms to his person.
Bakugo glances over at him, he looks comfy. He would look even more comfy if the thing he was hugging wasn’t a blanket but another human one such as himself. Bakugo stands up, receiving a look from the other blonde. He then stands in front of where Aoyama is sitting.
“Move, let me in.” he says in that voice of his. He asking for permission to be close. Aoyama looks at Bakugo for a second, before opening his arms holding the blanket open for Bakugo to come inside and share his warmth.
He gets on his knees and leans his head on Aoyama's shoulder. Pressing his face into his neck he misses the warmth of this body specifically. He whines quietly pressing his whole body against Aoyama in a hug while Aoyama wraps Bakugo in his arms.
He speaks in french, Bakugo doesn’t know what he’s saying (He honestly never knows what he’s saying half the time if they are being honest) but he knows it sounds nice. He kisses Bakugo’s hair. He missed that too. He’s rocking a little it’s like a lullaby in body language but not a sleepy one.
“Fuck.” Bakugo softly says.
“Whats the matter darling?”
“I… I missed this.”
For once he doesn’t beat around the bush he says what he means, no long ass figuring out anything to try and understand what this means he just says what he means, what he feels.
“I missed you.” He adds in.
Aoyama hums in agreement. “I miss you too,” He replies in a hushed tone rocking Bakugo like he’s a infant about to pass the fuck out in his parents arms and be put to bed soon.
Actually thats kinda fucking weird. He thinks… nope not gonna let it ruin it.
“Can we move this to the bed darling? It’s rather chilly tonight and it’s nicer for cuddling.”
Fuck he was cuddling wasn’t he? he ‘s like a big stupid teddy bear. Curiosity suddenly over takes him but he refuses to ask whats poking him. -Could Aoyama carry him?-
“Fine,” he opts for instead, they climb down from the roof and slug their bodies into Bakugo’s bed, Bakugo turns over on his side while Aoyama gets in next to him and spoons him, locking their legs underneath the covers.
“Don’t think i didn’t see your fucking face light up like a damn traffic light.” Aoyama’s semi sleepy state is awakened when Bakugo suddenly says this thumb rubbing over the hand that’s wrapped around his god given 27 inch waist. He was in a trance about to fall asleep this woke him the fuck up.
Bakugo’s smile is evil when he leans back to see Aoyama’s wide eyes. “You thought when i said come back to my room you were getting something you fucker.” He ever so gently rolls his hips into Aoyama's, causing the boy to turn red as a stop sign. (More like go sign)
“Heh, pervert.” He almost laughs, kissing him on the lips taking a simple love bite before doing that again.
Aoyama is dizzy again in that hazy way. He has to hold in any sound not to make a fool of himself (Honey you already have dont worry)Still he holds Bakugo a little closer. His toes curl in anticipation, was Bakugo willing to go that far? He wasn’t stopping him if he was but he surely wasn’t going to try and be the first to dive into such a thing. His thoughts are soon changed after a couple more kisses and body grinds, Bakugo is doing all the work and he’s just here for the ride.
He tries to dip his fingertips into Bakugo’s sweatpants to see if he truly feels strong about this but when so much as a fringe of skin makes contact with the other blonde he grabs him by the wrist.
Aoyama flinches into the kiss. He opens his eyes. (WHEN WERE THEY CLOSED?)
Bakugo finishes kissing him, pulling his lip a little before pulling away.
“No you don't,” Bakugo says. “Not tonight.”
There is a promise of another night in that statement.
Aoyama gulps nodding, he moves his hands away like a good boy replacing them to a more appropriate position. He's got him by the chest instead. His face falls between Bakugo's neck and shoulder He kisses him on the ear.
“You really are out to get me aren’t you?” It’s a joke but he isn’t laughing at all. Nothing is funny about teasing someone this way especially when life is hard enough as it is.
"Maybe"
The conversation doesn't get any further because Bakugo falls asleep, it was pass his bedtime. Aoyama is left alone and the bad part is he can't sneak off to the bathroom or go back to his room. (not that he really wants to,) He would have to just calm down and deal with it for tonight.
Like he has been doing for the past couple nights anyway..
<3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3 <3
I’m going to make a sideblog so i can actually just post these cause i don’t wanna put steamy spice in your ask box ITS GETTING THERE i honestly really did forget what i wanted Aoyama to say to him, promise me you’ll continue to have comments like you did on the other two if i make a side blog put them in the replies or something on the post i live off you reading my stupid little story you and everyone else MAWH lova ya keep being beautiful <3
OMG NOOOO PLEASE YOU'RE SO SWEET AND AMAZING, I hope you caught up on your sleep :((
I'm really sorry for taking so long to reply, I had to work over the weekend and couldn't get into my computer to read properly, but I'm so glad to have something to read today before I have to start studying again!! thank you so much for the effort you put into the story, let's go <33
My poor Bakugo is going through so much and has to deal with love pains on top of everything [and Aoyama is not doing any better it seems
"cause unlike Deku he can keep his feelings out of other people's secrets" he's so sassykdjjkdkdj
"If you were a crazy person like Midoriya you would notice Bakugo stopped cleaning for a millisecond, and started again." professional observant Deku in work mode
wouldn't it be funny if Deku pressed on the issue and Katsuki just exploded blabing everything that's been going onkjjkd
thank god aoyama asked for them to talk, can't handle this awkward phase
and ofc baby you can think whatever you want patpat
HELPLKDLKD okay we don't give a fuck about the canon aspects of his bedroom! his bedroom is close to the roof to US and that's all that matters <3
/his/ blasty boy cries
not the kool aid pleasekdfkjdfjldflj
I'm so sorry but every deku mention makes my bkdk heart skip a beat because yes how can someone other than Deku know him this well, I love how this is the bar for him
if this were ao3 this would be worth of the miscommunication tag, no them going "well I was only avoiding you because you avoided me first!!!"
"He’ll miss this he really will…" not you teasing us with the prospect of heavy angst….
BAKUGO WANTS CUDDLES AND HUGS, BUT NOT JUST ANYONE, HE WANTS AOYAMA IM GONNA EXPLODE
I can totally see bakugo being obsessed with aoyama's waist, yup yup makes sense
THE TEASINGGGGGG OMG, was holding my breath the entire time, so much tension fuckkkkkk
DAMN THIS WAS GOOD, FUCKKSDKJDSKJ I JUSTJJDJKSDLKSDKJ I NEED TO SCREAM
this chapter (we're gonna call it that) felt so much more structured, the way you write really sucks you into the story, it's like we're standing there watching everything!! idk I think u really should publish the story, I'm sure it could reach a lot of people and it's so enjoyable, i just be giggling, screaming and talking to myself the entire time
please do make a sideblog!! i would love to intreact even more for sure!! will make sure to be commenting and freaking out in the tags
i hope you had good days in your life, hope you're doing great, love u <3
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Bullet Train Review: A Perfect Movie
I go into movies nowadays expecting my enjoyment to be provisional; hedged. The state of culture is such that, while I can still enjoy good things, I almost always have to accept a fuck-up or twelve along the way, so it’s necessary for me to brace for disappointment before I enter the cinema. I continually have to make allowances for the depleted, ragged state of our naval-gazing western culture. I liked Movie A, but it punished one character and rewarded another for functionally identical behaviours and, no, it didn’t seem to know it was doing that. Movie B had some dialogue flaws, but ultimately redeemed itself. Movie C was excellent right up until the wheels fell off and it delivered a proselytising, straight-to-camera speech on a subject the average filmgoer couldn’t give a fuck about. Movie D would have been tolerable if it ended two clever-clogs plot-twists sooner. And Movies A, B, C and D aren’t specific, code-named exhibits: they’re any four of literally hundreds of good-up-to-a-point flicks that have come out since the mid-2010s. It’s not that I’m a cynical curmudgeon who doesn’t enjoy movies (I frequently praise the good ones on this blog), it’s just that my enjoyment is rarely, if ever, pure. It’s almost always tempered by some gripe or other- sometimes minor, sometimes major. Imagine my surprise, then, when I went to see a little action-comedy flick called Bullet Train and it turned out to be a literally perfect fucking movie.
It’s hard to overstate how fucking great Bullet Train is. It’s even harder to adequately express the pleasure I felt in seeing a movie set up and then deftly avoid the mistakes so common to the entire film industry lately. It doesn’t just do everything right by its own lights, it breezes past lesser films with its middle fingers raised cheerfully in the process. Without giving too much away, there’s one character who’s really fucking annoying and thinks she’s smarter and more badass than the entire rest of the cast and, in any other film, she’d get away with her bullshit because she has a sob story background and the right look. Something really fucking funny ultimately happens to her instead.
The premise is as straight forward as its possible to get and still be interesting. There are a group of hit-men, smash-and-grab operatives, wetworkers and gangsters on a train. All of them are after the same briefcase full of money; all for totally different reasons. At the end of the line is the brief-case’s real owner: an unhinged fucking psychopath who ties all the other characters’ backstories together. Obviously, with a ticking clock mechanic and a hot potato macguffin floating about to motivate everyone, things get very bloody and confusing very quickly… and it’s amazingly entertaining.
We see the action unfold mainly through the tired and endlessly sympathetic eyes of Brad Pitt’s codenamed character ‘Ladybug’, who- despite being an incredibly dangerous operative for a shadowy and unspecified organisation- has been doing some work on himself and trying to find his new-age place in the universe. This leads to some amazing moments. There’s a lot of comedic tension to be had from the essential contradiction between Ladybug’s job/narrative function and his meditative, conflict-adverse persona. I don’t want to spoil the best jokes, but there’s a bit where he asks a highly trained assassin if they can’t talk it out while the guy’s earnestly trying to kill him. It’s not until the guy’s actually said no, really unequivocally, that he throws an overpriced bottle of water at his head. Obviously, that’s not a super-funny moment- just a lighter joke between more substantive laughs- but it gives you an idea of the way the film plays with character roles and expectations.
On hand to provide verbal humour are two British wetwork dudes who go by Tangerine and Lemon and have a surprising amount to say about Thomas the Tank Engine and the nature of professionalism.
Oh, and Zazie Beetz shows up to basically just be Zazie Beetz for exactly as long as it’s funny to have her there, doing her shtick and not a moment longer.
The rest of the cast is too large to detail- especially if I want to avoid spoiling anything- but even the characters with less screen time or less comedic roles are excellent. It’s one of those movies where everyone seems to be pulling their weight. Nobody drops the ball or turns in a sub-par performance and, consequently, the whole thing manages to dance on a knife’s edge by balancing serious stakes with unbelievably funny character interactions.
It’s the little things that really make Bullet Train, though. The things I can’t tell you about here because they’re so subtle that you might blink and miss them or so ridiculous that spoiling them would be a crime. All I can say is that I cared about the protagonists deeply by the end of the movie… but also found myself laughing at them so hard that tears ran down my face. It’s been a long time since I left a movie theatre and couldn’t stop laughing for hours afterwards. I have Bullet Train to thank for that all-too-rare experience.
I’m a thirty-one year old man who has been watching the slow-motion car-crash of culture for more than half a decade. I go into movies nowadays expecting my enjoyment to be provisional; hedged… but I came out of Bullet Train feeling like the same wee lad who once sneaked into a showing of a certain age-restricted film because he knew it would change his life. This movie made me love movies again. Thank fuck this exists.
#Secret Diary of a Fat Admirer#Bullet Train#bullet train movie#Brad Pitt#zazie beetz#films#review#movie review
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An AU of DC with a mass crossover of PS4 properties.
Provisional name: Players Searching for Detectable Changes (Get the pun?)
The setup:
This is the future of DC, a world where the old guard has slowly withdrawn and the newer generations have risen to the occasion. The original Titans in particular, most of which have formed the new Justice League while many other, very similar teams had started to form across the world. One of which was a resurgence of the Teen Titans, led by an older and purified Raven. She wanted to make the Teen Titans something akin as it was for her, a place to belong and learn to use one's powers.
The first 'class' of such individuals include:
Stargirl (of the now-disbanded JSA and still getting used to the Starrod)
Blue Beetle III (Freshly attached to his alien symbiote and freaking out a bit)
Robin V (to work on his anger issues, mostly at the new Batman's request)
Kaldur (a half Atlantean half metahuman who is struggling with his identity and the surface world, Aquaman feels a kinship for the boy seeing their similarities)
Static Shock (a promising new hero but little experience working outside his city or in groups)
Mary Marvel (she's... she's going through alot. Fresh from a coma, her brother is distant as he acts as the new Wizard, and she may be, sorta kinda, being corrupted by Black Adam's gifted power)
The team was rough and there was plenty of head butting (Mostly between Stargirl and Robin/Damian as one is almost the unanimous leader while the other thinks he should be) but they were getting there. They were more of a clean up crew for the Justice League, they did more than the "kiddie missions" that the Outsiders didn't do, and they meant more than the PR grab that was the International team. Though they didn't seem to amount to more than that. They still did their best, pushing past the silent ridicule, as they went about their missions.
This may be why tempers were so high that day.
One day, outside a little city by the name of Weller's Point, the prisoner transport for the villain Plasmus had an "accident". Released and awakened the creature went on a rampage, heading ever closer to the populated area. Luckily, the mentor of the New Teen Titans could teleport. The new team did fairly well in the fight, though they did struggle a bit as Plasmus was not a being where simple brute force would work. It made the fight tricky and more than a bit... messy.
Messy enough that juvenile and emotionally compromised Mary Marvel lashed out against the downed villain but was stopped by her teammates... things escalated from there. Restraint turned blows and the whole team struggled to stop their powerhouse without hurting her. The ones who do the best are Raven, Stargirl, Blue Beetle, and oddly Static.
While both of the former could use their abilities to restrain her to a very effective degree Static was actively draining her of strength, or at least of the electic aura she was radiating and blasting with. Frustrated, done with the situation, and a bit petty Mary launched her largest attack yet by saying her magical word.
SHAZAM.
Virgil did what he did best, he handled that lightning as it came crashing down towards Mary and the Titans restraining her. Well, he tried. The bolt was just too powerful, too unlike anything he had ever encountered. He could not handle it and it was dissipating, if anything it clung to him or tried to jump towards the girl. He had to get rid of it and he had to get rid of it quickly, safely too if he could help it.
He shoved it into the ground, into the power lines. He did it as carefully as he could, trying to prevent overload or flashover as guided the charge into the power grid.
What happened next was a combination of a few things. 1. The Mystic and transformative properties of the Lightning, 2. It is effectively being filtered through a bang baby, 3. The kryptonite power plant owned by, provided by, and operated by Lexcorp.
This interaction, this new charge, cycling through the power grid interacted strangely with a number of devices but none more so than PlayStation 4s and the devices connected to them. This new electricity changed things, literally. It brought fantasy into reality.
Whatever game was loaded into became a part of our reality in a small way. Sometimes TVs, Controllers, and even the system changed to reflect items from the game but the bigger change came with the Players. If a person was playing their console during the surge then they would become a metahuman with abilities based on the playable character they were playing.
The city, the county even, was now flooded by an abundance of metahumans and items of varying power of devastation. Static felt horrible.
He couldn't help but compare what has happened here to what happened in Dakota City but on a wider scale. And this time it was his fault. His sense of responsibility wouldn't, couldn't, let that stand. He had to fix his mistake and his team was dragged along for the ride.
The story to follow is a mix of Final Crisis and Kingdom Come with a bit of the Young Justice cartoon in events and themes, a few twists and likely a bit lighter in tone but to the DC geeks this should give a rough idea… Maybe a bit of Marvel's Civil War but hopefully not the rushed knee-jerk mess that that ended up being.
But it's here that I start having issues with my planning. One part in worry as outside the set up we start to follow the perspective of OCs (something rarely smiled upon) and another part in wondering which OC to focus on.
Now, one thing I love in fiction is progressive powers and the conflict escalating from the different paths people take in said progression. In that vein, I have a pair of protags in mind as well.
The main two/co-protagonists:
The Lawkeeper- a cop before the change and now a member of a task force made up largely of those affected by the surge. A gamer, a man of color, and a believer of the spirit of the law. He doesn't always get along with his fellow officers but he believes in what the blue does. He believes that an organized response is what is best.
His abilities are based on those of Jesse Fades of Control. Meaning he has tremendous psychic potential but he needs 3 things to reach his full potential.
1.Items to bond to so he can generate these psychic abilities. Jesse's used altered items of her universe to get thematic abilities from them (ex: a safe to generate a shield, a carousel horse for a dash ability, ect). Here he can use items generated by the surge.
2. A patron/partner entity to help guide, give insights, and empower. It also let's the user enforce reality, basically becoming an anti reality warper.
3. A bonded morph weapon or a weapon to come to his hand when called.
The knight- a recent college graduate who instantly decided to go the route of the caped hero. She, after figuring out how to get her powers to work, instantly went the route of a caped crusader. Going out to the streets, saving lives, stopping instances of surge item abuse, and (in the humble opinion of the local Police Department) getting in the way of operations. In her opinion they were taking too long to get things done.
Her abilities are based on those of Prince Noctis of Final Fantasy XV. This means she has tremendous physical and magical potential but like the above she has a number of check marks needed to gain access to the character's full power.
1. A gem/crystal to draw power from.
2. 13 magical weapons to boost strength. The generated game weapons will do and I have most picked out in a way that likely would help the plot progress.
3. The blessing of 5-6 gods.
4. A power ring of some king to channel all this power.
I keep debating the two above as I do like the idea of both of them climbing in power and clashing over conflicting ideals of what to do with their power. At the same time, I think that just smooshing aspects of both into one (which is actually where they started, a single character) and play off the different ideologies of how best to help people from within her friend group and precinct along with internal conflict. Maybe have the one be a fellow officer they butt heads with because of the... precarious nature
Another OC I was thinking on, keeping with the theme of what to do when you have power, is a thief who played Persona 5. Like both of the above they would be crippled in their ability to use their abilities without a way to fake the connection to. In this case, without the Mementos App, they would need an item that could affect or enter the hearts of others. Luckily, more unlucky really, there are plenty of items floating around that can do just that. Namely Keyblades.
Most other Players are an odd mix but most are variations of the Shooter build. Peak physical humans who heal quickly and often have bullet time. But there are enough other variations to cause trouble. Demigods of unreal strength, men and women who can easily tap into a patron for powers from the outside, 2 variations of spider powers, cat eyed men and women who can cast magic with simple gestures, and so much more. But the real issue was the first two, the demigods without a parent to protect them and those easily connected to a divine source.
The disembodied New Gods of Apocalypse were very happy with those groups. For how bad this can be please look at what happened to Mary Marvel in canon Final Crisis.
Thoughts and opinions would be appreciated.
#dc community#fanfiction#dc fanfic#dc fandom#playstation#mass crossover#orginal character#dc fanfiction#dc fanfiction idea#outline
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top 20 favorite quirks
okay, but listen, though! it’s exactly what it says in the title. not best quirks, or most useful quirks, or most creative quirks. not even coolest quirks! I did try to take all of these things into consideration when choosing, but honestly? by far the most important factor was, “I JUST THINK THEY’RE NEAT.”
anyway but let me backtrack and post the actual ask.
you’ll note that at no point was I asked to pick twenty of them. I did that all on my own. so here is my list!
20. Solid Air (Tsuburaba)
Tsubaraba Kousei. all-time undefeated grand champion of The Floor Is Lava. or at least he was until Ochako came along. anyway, so this is an extremely nifty quirk with all sorts of utility ranging from defense to helping him get around. it’s super useful for catching bad guys, and apparently the only real limit is his lung capacity. this quirk has so much potential and I love it.
19. Copy (Monoma)
the fact that he can copy his opponents’ powers and use them against them is badass enough, but add in the fact that he can hold up to 3 (or 4??) of them at once -- for as long as ten minutes -- and this quirk starts getting seriously powerful. anyway so one thing you might note as you read on is that although Copy is on my favorite quirks list, AFO is not! and that’s because Monoma’s limits actually make the quirk much more interesting to me, because they force him (and Horikoshi) to get creative. this is a really fun quirk and I would love to see more of Monoma in action. about time we saw him fight some actual villains and not just class 1-A, honestly.
18. Brainwashing (Shinsou)
as with Monoma’s quirk, what really sets this apart from other mind-control superpowers (to me, anyway) is the fact that it has limitations. he can’t just control anyone at random; in order to take them over he has to get them to respond to him somehow. which leads to innovations like the voice-changer, and which as a result has made his battles so genuinely interesting and fun to watch. anyway so I really want Shinsou to hurry up and join 2-A, and for them to just give him his provisional license all “here you go, son” with no testing whatsoever, because we’re past the point of pretending the HPSC is actually responsible these days, and because I really want to see if he can help turn the tides the next time the heroes battle the League.
17. Zero Gravity (Ochako)
I feel like it’s worth noting that I don’t really have any kind of fear of heights or falling or anything like that. and so I can’t really explain why Toga using this quirk on Ms. Curious and her lackeys was hands down one of the most singularly disturbing scenes in the entire manga for me! but it was!! even now I’m wincing just thinking about it. she just lifted them all up and DROPPED THEM and they just FELL and DIED. just like that. holy fucking shit. anyway, so we should all be very grateful that Ochako is super kind and sweet and more inclined towards helping people rather than murdering them. because holy shit. anyways though this quirk is dope.
16. Erasure (Aizawa)
I once said that this quirk was “not very cinematic”, and I don’t think I’ve ever been so wrong about anything in my life. oh, past me. you truly underestimated the dramatic impact of someone with a terrifyingly powerful quirk going in for the kill, only to be all “NANI?!” as they suddenly realize that their powers are no longer working, and the camera pans over to a man with gorgeous floating hair and intense red anime eyes. I owe you an apology, Erasure. you are cinematic AF.
15. Black Hole (Thirteen)
I really wish we got to see Thirteen fight more often. they suffer from the same “too powerful” curse as so many of the other characters and it’s a shame. anyway so Black Hole is cool af and gives me a ton of Miroku/kazaana vibes, which I freaking love. this quirk is lowkey on a Tomura-level of destructive potential, honestly, and yet no one ever talks about it?? Thirteen could literally destroy anything they touched if they wanted to?? imagine if they ever Awakened, you guys. holy shit.
14. Tape (Sero)
this power is so fucking stupid and ridiculous and completely absurd and I LOVE IT. Horikoshi really drew a skinny guy with tape elbows and was all, “so this kid is basically Spider-Man but with tape. I have not put the least bit of logical thought or creative effort into this power beyond that, and I’m not going to, either.” and somehow we all just accepted it. anyway, dubious origins aside, it’s such a versatile ability and Sero has such amazing control over it. it’s offense; it’s defense; he can use it to set traps; he can use it for maneuverability. TAPE ELBOWS CAN DO IT ALL.
13. Outburst (Ms. Joke)
when will it finally be her time. Outburst is one of those powers that sounds super dumb at first, until you really stop and think what the ability to make someone laugh at will could actually DO to people. true uncontrollable belly laughter is a totally incapacitating thing. she’d have people collapsing to the ground and practically seizing up. and good luck using your own quirk to fight back when you’re doubled over struggling to breathe and can’t even see straight because of the tears in your eyes. that’s assuming any of her opponents are even capable of thinking straight long enough to try it. like, this is such a straight up brutal ability and the fact that we have still NEVER SEEN IT is honestly infuriating.
12. Glamour (Camie)
it’s an illusion quirk. of course I have to put it on my list. illusion powers make every battle approximately 100x more entertaining. and what makes this particular power even better is that in any other series, this quirk would have been given to some Tokoyami-esque super serious emo kid. but BnHA went and gave it to Karen from Mean Girls instead. what a fucking power move. goddamn.
11. Black (Kuroiro)
according to BnHA Ultra Analysis, Kuroiro’s Appearing Out of Nowhere skills are rated a 4 out of 6. I still haven’t figured out if this is meant to be a burn on him or not. this kid can ninja in and out of literally any dark object in existence. if it’s nighttime, that means he can basically move wherever he wants to at will. of course he’s skilled at Appearing Out of Nowhere. so tell me then, why is it ONLY a four out of six?? how could he possibly fuck this up?? who was grading him?? DOES HE JUST SUCK. I don’t know, but anyway it’s really funny to me and also I really love this quirk.
10. Transform (Toga)
Toga went and Awakened herself right into the top ten with the reveal that not only can she mimic other people’s appearances, but that while she is transformed, she can actually use their quirks. like excuse me, what?? holy shit??? it is honestly driving me crazy that we’ve only seen this in action once. Transform is basically Plot Twist: The Quirk. I really want to see Toga use it to its full potential and infiltrate U.A. and/or spy on the HPSC and/or murder someone with their loved one’s own quirk. I WANT HER TO GIVE SOMEONE THE MAES HUGHES TREATMENT. I want her to do something so shocking that people ragequit the fucking manga lol. I know I’m always saying the manga isn’t that dark, but this is honestly the one exception where I would freaking love for it to get dark as shit. anyway so yeah. if you want to fuck with people you really couldn’t ask for a better quirk.
9. Creation (Momo)
MACGUYVER: THE QUIRK. an unlimited inventory in the hands of someone brilliant enough to actually utilize it to its full extent. what’s not to love? honestly if it were me with this quirk it would be completely useless. not only would I get hopelessly bored two seconds into trying to memorize an object’s molecular structure or whatever, but even if I DID manage to figure out how to make stuff, I would never know what to do with the stuff, or when to use it. every time a new situation cropped up I would just create a bunch of random objects in a panic. but Momo is so elegant in her problem-solving that she often needs to create only one or two things to come up with the perfect solution for something. basically this is a good quirk that becomes a truly great quirk when placed in the hands of the best possible person in the world to wield it. the quirk is awesome because Momo is awesome, and I fucking adore quirks like that (see: next entry).
8. Permeation (Mirio)
ah, Mirio. the original victim of the “too powerful to be allowed” curse. remember that time he BEAT HALF OF CLASS 1-A IN UNDER SIX SECONDS, you guys. small wonder Horikoshi couldn’t even make it through one complete villain fight with him before he had to de-quirk the poor kid. anyway, so Mirio makes this quirk look so mind-blowingly awesome that it’s easy to forget what a terrifying and fucked-up power it is in reality. “yeah it makes me blind and deaf and if I’m not careful I’ll fall into the center of the earth or splice myself in two or some shit.” what the actual fuck Mirio. but because he’s worked so hard and because Nighteye trained him so well, he’s mastered the timing to such an insane degree that he could kick Overhaul in the face without harming a single hair on Eri’s body. and honestly, there’s no way I could not love a quirk that gave us a moment like that.
7. Warp Gate (Kurogiri)
unlike SOME OTHER PEOPLE whose names start with Kuro, I would bet you that Kurogiri’s Appearing Out of Nowhere skills are a full six out of six! alas, the top ten of this list is chock full of people whose quirks are so badass that they had to be written out of the story one way or another. with Kuro at large there was technically nothing stopping the villains from just dropping in on U.A. one night to kill All Might, or rekidnap Bakugou, or whatever else they might want to do. and that’s actually a really scary thought though lol so it’s no wonder that Horikoshi was all, “yeah I’ll just have them capture him now.” anyways do you guys remember that one time in chapter 18 when Kuro used Warp Gate to create an endless loop of All Might suplexing Noumu suplexing All Might?? fucking quirks, though. wild.
6. Fiber Master (Best Jeanist)
another badass quirk, another badass quirk-user incapacitated and taken out of the story before their time. Best Jeanist is honestly terrifying. if he wanted to he could immobilize and even strangle and kill pretty much anyone in the world, whenever he fucking felt like it. that alone would be crazy enough, but then add to that that this quirk for all intents and purposes is basically telekinesis. as long as someone is wearing clothing he can move them around however he wants, as we saw in Kamino. basically, everything Hawks can do with Fierce Wings, Jeanist can probably do with his own quirk. AND THAT INCLUDES FLYING, YOU GUYS. the more I think about it the more I think we truly were robbed. I need Jeanist to come back already and fly everyone at Jakku to safety and tie Tomura to a chair with his own cape before proceeding to style his hair.
5. Rewind (Eri)
IT’S MY LIST!! I CAN PUT WHATEVER I WANT, AND IF YOU SAY I CAN’T, I’M TELLING MOM. okay but listen. everyone always rags on this quirk and how stupidly powerful it is, and look, I get it. but isn’t it kind of interesting that everyone is also always speculating over who Eri is eventually going to heal with her quirk? like, fandom is always complaining about how broken it is but at the same time they’re out here hatching all of these wild theories that center around it. and to me that indicates that in truth, this is actually an awesome quirk -- just so long as it’s used right. obviously there have to be some major limitations or else this is just “Fix Everything: The Quirk.” thankfully, Horikoshi did limit it! it’s super dangerous, she has trouble controlling it, and most importantly, it’s ridiculously slow to recharge and so she can only use it once every few months. it’s basically Recovery Girl’s quirk with a bonus slow-replenishing stamina bar that, once charged, allows her to release one ultra-powerful SUPER HEAL special move. and that’s pretty awesome. basically I think this quirk gets too much hate and not enough credit for the additional menu options it adds to the story. it’s interesting and compelling and I can’t wait to see what Horikoshi does with it.
4. Dark Shadow (Tokoyami)
TOKOYAMI WHY IS YOUR QUIRK SENTIENT. Existential Crisis: The Quirk. do quirks have souls?? if you shot Tokoyami with a quirk-be-gone bullet would Dark Shadow fucking die??? if Tomura absorbed Tokoyami’s quirk would Dark Shadow grow out of his back and be all “hey um, who the fuck are you”?? and would Toko’s head turn back into a normal human boy head?? would Dark Shadow look like Tomura instead of a bird shadow?? what even IS Dark Shadow, actually?? obviously it is not just a shadow because shadows can’t punch people or shield people from attacks or pick people up and fly them around. but yet he’s afraid of fire and grows weaker in daylight?? is Tokoyami secretly the strongest character in the entire series?? is there any way I can possibly justify putting this quirk all the way down at #4 instead of #1 where it clearly belongs?? let me answer that question by not answering it and moving on.
3. Explosion (Bakugou)
is the fix in?? is “exploding hands” really a better quirk than a fucking sentient monster man who lives in your belly button and reads your mind and is made of ~darkness energy~ and is your best friend? apparently the answer is yes! to both of those questions. yes the fix is in. I love Kacchan and his quirk is fucking awesome okay. it just never ceases to amaze me how this one single quirk, which really only does one thing, is nonetheless so spectacularly powerful that it allows Bakugou to compete on the same level as the fucking protagonist with all of his godlike super-strength and Main Character Powers and wacky SIXQUIRKS!! shenanigans. in my opinion the coolest thing about Explosion isn’t even its firepower; it’s the way Bakugou’s adapted it to fly around and to boost his speed. I think he legit may be the fastest character in the series right now, or close to it. he’s faster than Iida and Gran Torino and Endeavor. he can keep up with Deku without breaking a sweat. and he knows how to use that speed, thanks to his insane reflexes. add in the fact that this is also without a doubt the most cinematic quirk in the entire series, and I think I’m justified in putting it this high up. and anyway I still put two others up above it so shh.
2. Search (Ragdoll/Tomura)
Hey, What’s That Guy’s Deal: The Quirk. I just really love this one you guys. it’s so fucking useful. Video Game HUD: The Quirk. one hundred people at a time?? locations and weak points?? works even when you’re not looking at the person anymore and have blinked your eyes, unlike CERTAIN OTHER PEOPLE’S weak-ass quirks?? check, check, and check. is it any wonder AFO wanted this? plus it just looks so damn cool. the visual representation of everyone as little stars on a map. Turn On Location: The Quirk. okay look I feel like I’m doing a bad job of explaining why I have this quirk all the way up at number two. it just has this subtle badassness to it, and its introduction after almost two hundred chapters of buildup was just so fucking cool. maybe it’s recency bias?? I don’t even know; all I know is that I love this quirk and want to see more of it in action.
1. Blackwhip (Lariat/Deku)
listen, I was obsessed with this quirk back when it was called “Venom” and was by far the absolute coolest part of the 1990s Spider-Man cartoon series. I’m not just going to suddenly not be obsessed with it just because fandom is mad that Horikoshi gave Deku an additional power beyond just Smashing Stuff. Blackwhip is hands down the coolest quirk, guys. I’m sorry, it just is. it has the coolest name. it had the coolest entrance. it does basically anything you could ever want a quirk to do in battle. it grabs stuff. it Bloops. what more do you want. you’re all just jealous because you wish that you could Bloop too. I know I am. I wish I had a Bloop. anyway so yeah, Blackwhip is the upgrade to Deku’s fighting style that we desperately needed after 200+ chapters of Delaware Smashes and Broken Bones. all his fights are cooler now. he can save more people! he can fight without instantly dying! plus you just gotta love powers that occasionally explode out of control if their user gets all emotional and pissed off about the fact that you insulted his boyfriend. so yeah. Blackwhip at number one! on this list of favorite quirks. not best quirks!! jesus christ. please don’t kill me I have a family.
so that’s my list! all 3000 words of it. how does this keep happening.
#bnha#boku no hero academia#bnha meta#bnha ranking#bnha top ten#bnha spoilers#mha spoilers#makeste reads bnha#asks#anon asks
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✨Linked✨ || BTS Soulmate AU Series || You x !Soulmate! Yoongi || Part 23 | FINAL CHAPTER
Text/Social Media/Narrative Series || Soulmate & College AU
Previous Part | Next Part
LINKED MASTERLIST
“According to Greek mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate parts, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves.”
― Plato, The Symposium
Credit goes to the incredible @789cream for creating this beautiful mood board for my series. Thank you so much, my love!
🎶 PLAYLIST 🎶
Pairing You x Soulmate! Yoongi
Word count 8.362
‘siblings’, according to age: Namjoon, Jimin, y/n, Taehyung (you grew up living in the same foster home as implied in earlier parts of this series)
angst, fluff
!WARNINGS! mentions of violence/injury, blood, hospitals, death, grief and funerals
A/N: Don’t let this scare you off, though. I promise, nothing is what it seems. You’re in for quite a few plot twists ...
Previously, on ‘Linked’…
Eventually, after years of successfully having avoided it, you have come across your soulmate. An ominous stranger of whom you know no more than the back of his head, his phone number and that he works as a part-time barista at your (former) favorite coffee shop.
Having been pressured by a friend into contacting him, things start to get complicated. Because your heart already belongs to another. And, haunted by the ghosts of your past, the last thing you want is for your soul to find its one, true, destined mate.
After texting back and forth for days with the man only known to you as your ‘Soulmate’, you are forced to break contact since he is starting to get too close and your boyfriend Jimin is anything but pleased with that. When your paths, however, cross, the ominous ‘Suga’, as he calls himself, refrains from revealing his true identity to you - which would mean an instant link of souls and the end of his torture - and, instead, is set on making his way into your life the right way.A fateful accident at your workplace is followed by a visit to the emergency room and a falling out with your boyfriend, Jimin, leading you to turn to a virtual stranger for comfort. A whole day you spend with the mysterious Suga who’s familiarity is an enigma to you. Until his true identity is revealed and things quickly turn sour, starting to snowball from then on, the events sending you into a rapid downward spiral. Until, by some twist of fate, your paths cross once more …
CHAPTER 23
"So, he basically proposed to you? In his kitchen? Out of nowhere?" Taehyung asks, for the second time already. He looks at you from across the table, his long fingers absentmindedly playing with the straw of his vanilla frappuccino. The drink is so cold, the cup keeps collecting drops of condensed water, sparkling like gemstones in the coffee shop's artificial lighting. You watch them make their way to the table top as you respond to your brother's inquiry without meeting his curious glance.
"Yes," you repeat your answer. "Yoon asked me to marry him."
"And you –?" He questioningly raises a brow.
"I freaked. I panicked. I literally ran away. I wasn't even wearing shoes. I still have blisters."
"Wow," Taehyung snickers. "I'm impressed, y/n. Your setting new standards. This is just a little over the top, even for yourself."
"I know," you whimper as you slide down in your seat and lean forward, placing your forehead on the table, your blushing face now hidden by a messy curtain of hair. "I'm mortified, Tae. How can I ever face him again?"
"I don't know. How long has it been since you last saw him?"
"Two days."
"Two days? And you haven't talked since, well, your highly dignified exit?"
"No. No word,“ you state, sitting back up again.
"And why did you say he proposed to you? Just like that?"
"It wasn't for no reason," you sigh as you sit back up. "He got a letter. From the Ministry of Family Planning. A Final Notice. Because he didn't finalize the Link. Which is basically my fault. But it seems they're holding him responsible for it. So, I don't know. We either have to link or get married or something. Which is why he proposed, sort of."
"Wow. Okay."
"What's that supposed to mean? I know that expression, Taehyung. You're judging me right now."
"Well, of course, I am. I mean, you're soulmates," he scoffs. "I really don't get what's so difficult about this, y/n. He's your soulmate, and his love for you goes even beyond the Link. I can tell. And you have feelings for him, too, obviously. And deep ones at that, I'd say. So, what more does it require for you to say 'Yes' and let things follow their natural flow?"
"If only things were that easy," you grumble, more to yourself, as you withdraw your hands into the sleeves of your sweater. Yoon's sweater, actually. His signature scent still inhabits the heavy fabric. You can feel your insides twist at the thought of him, the memory of his warmth, his embrace.
"Why must you always make things unnecessarily difficult for yourself?" Taehyung shakes his head in apparent frustration. "Why complicate this matter when it's actually so easy, the most natural thing of all? Just give in and link with him already. Go to him and do it, right now."
"I can't."
"What? That's bullshit."
"No. It's not, Tae. It's a fact. He wouldn't allow it. Yoon wants us to be real. A real couple, with real feelings. He wanted me to prove to him that I could do it without the Link. That I would still stay. And I got that. I respected that. And messed up. You know, part of me still hoped every single day for him to just tell me his full name and get it over with. Because I was scared, Tae. Really fucking scared. And now it's too late."
There it is again. That tremor in your voice and hands, the flutter of your heart. Merely thinking about Yoon and the drastic turn your last meeting took towards its end instills sheer terror into each and every fiber of your being. Taehyung must have noticed because one of his hands instinctively reaches out to cover yours, its warmness grounding, making it a little easier for you to breathe.
"Scared of what, y/n?" he asks, the sound of his deep voice, low and tender, a welcome distraction from the noise inside and around you.
You made the right choice in seeking out your brother, you now realize. Once more he proves to be the steady rock you learned to hold onto whenever the storm within threatened to overwhelm you. Your bastion of calm. A kindred soul wise beyond its age. Taehyung understands. He always does. Because the two of you aren't all that different. Now you see that you were wrong to have avoided him for these past few days. Taehyung wouldn't have judged you. He never does. Does he?
"You can tell me, y/n. What were you so afraid of if it wasn't the Link itself?"
“I was scared of the way he makes me feel, Tae,“ you eventually admit.
"Of growing too attached, too dependent. Too fond of him. Of being hurt. Of being left. Of being without him," you barely manage to croak out, struggling to blink back tears. "You know, Yoon makes me feel whole. He makes it so easy for me to let loose, to actually be myself around him, around other people. He makes me feel safe and vulnerable at the same time. And he makes me forget the pain, the sadness, my fears. When I'm with him. But the second I'm not, it all comes crashing down on me, and I get scared. What if he leaves me? For good? What if things don't work out in the end? Or if he, you know – Like my dad. If he –"
"Dies?"
"Yes. What the hell am I supposed to do then? How will I live? Once I let him in for good, once he's in there –" You point to your heart. "How will I survive and who will I be after he's gone?"
"I don't know. Nobody ever does."
"Right. And it's fucking scary."
"Of course it is." Taehyung's calloused thumb keeps on rubbing the back of your hand while he talks, his expression serious. "But ... Have you told him all this? Have you told Yoon about the way you feel for him? About your fears? Because, knowing you, I have a feeling you didn't."
"Of course I didn't."
"See, that's your first mistake. If you feel like that about a person, you need to tell them, y/n. Communication is key. You could be feeling a hell of a lot better right now if you had talked things over with him instead of me. And instead of just, you know, running, like you always do."
"Yeah, I know I screwed up, okay?" You pull back your hand to playfully punch Taehyung in the ribs. "It just happened so quickly. All I heard were the words 'Marriage' and 'Link' and 'Children' and I freaked. Hell, I don't even know if I want children yet. After what happened with my parents – I don't know if I could risk putting my child through something similar."
With a defeated groan, you let your head drop back down to the tabletop, tearing at your hair until Taehyung gently stops you by taking your hands into his own.
"But aren't those the thoughts and doubts we all have to face when considering to build a family?" he asks, the sound of his voice almost drowned out by the ringing in your ears.
Deep breaths, y/n. Deep breaths.
"Yeah. I guess," you sigh as you sit back up, provisionally fixing your disheveled hair as good as you can without a mirror in sight. "But Yoon's words just flipped a switch inside of me, Tae. Like, I literally panicked. I couldn't breathe, and then those nasty things just came pouring from my lips, and I don't even remember exactly what I said. It was like an out-of-body experience. I watched myself break his heart, and I couldn't even do anything about it. It was as if my protective instincts just entirely took over. I felt like a cornered deer or something. Trapped, blindsided. Like my whole world was being turned upside down, and I couldn't stop falling. Like, seriously, Tae. What did he expect me to say? Yes!?" You scoff, feeling your heart rate quicken again as you relive those agonizing minutes spent in Yoon's kitchen. "One second, we barely make it as a couple, and the next he asks me to spend the rest of my life with him?"
"Well, would you?"
"Would I what?"
"Spend the rest of your life with him? Can you see yourself doing that?"
"I – I don't know."
"You must know, deep down."
"I – I guess so. I mean. Yes. If I would have to spend the rest of my life with one single person, it would definitely be Yoon. That's for sure."
"Well, you better tell him that, y/n. Right now. Like, literally. Right this second."
You don't like your brother's tone. For some reason, it sends an icy shiver down your spine.
"Why? You sound pretty urgent, Tae. What is it? What aren't you telling me?"
"Y/n, I don't know if it is my place to tell you, but I'm afraid Yoon lied to you. Or at least he kept part of the truth to himself."
Taehyung flinches as your grip on his hands tightens.
"What the hell are you talking about, Tae? What did he keep from me?"
"Well." He inhales deeply as if he is bracing himself for a punch to the gut.
"Actually, there are not two, but three options the Ministry leaves people like him with. One, establish the Link no matter what or how. Two, get married first and ease, but still finalize the Link later, within a year. Or three." He pauses, holding your gaze, the look in his eyes frighteningly grave. "Get 'treated'. Meaning, Yoon will have to see a 'specialist' at the Ministry who will give him some kind of serum that will lead to a change in his DNA. He will no longer be linked to you but will be assigned a new Soulmate matching his DNA and the required criteria. The people at the Ministry will then proceed to erase his memory of you so he can have the life he was designated to live, based on his genetic code and his predetermined role in society."
"Wait. You're kidding me, right? They can't possibly do that."
"Yes, they can. And I know that for a fact. Nana works for the Ministry, you know. She tells me about these things sometimes. Heartbreaking stories."
"You're bullshitting me right now, aren't you?"
"No, I'm not, y/n." Taehyung slowly shakes his head, his expression unchanged. "It's true. And it's been done a lot of times. Did wonders for the suicide rate. It dropped by seventy percent ever since they legalized Erasure."
"How did I not know about this?" You can feel your throat grow tighter by the second.
"I guess this is knowledge parents are supposed to pass on to their children. Since you grew up in foster homes, this kind of information most likely got lost along the way in your case."
"Why don't they teach this in school?"
"They do. But I changed schools a lot before the Kim family took me in. You did, too, right? You were moved around a lot. So, you probably missed it."
"Shit. You're right. But Yoon must have known."
"I'm sure he did. And most likely assumed you know, too – or was hoping you didn't. One of the two."
"Fuck."
"And as far as I know, he must have already informed the Ministry of his decision. To abandon the Link. Because the party having received the Final Notice is usually required to report back to the Ministry within 48 hours. And keep the next possible appointment for Erasure. Which would be the first Wednesday of every month. Which would be –" A gasp escapes Taehyung's parted lips with one look at his wristwatch. "– today."
"Shit," you soundlessly breathe, sensing a numbing cold take hold of your limbs.
"The Ministry opens at nine in the morning. Now it's half past nine, so, Yoon's either on his way there or already inside, waiting for his number to be called. Maybe you can make it there in time if you run. It's not far. Just, like, fifteen minutes walking distance," you can hear Taehyung talk through the steadily thickening fog that threatens to smother you.
"Y/n? Can you hear me? You will have to hurry because the procedure is being performed on the subjects at minute intervals, for efficiency reasons. There's not a lot of talking involved, and he will already have filled out all the documents beforehand. Meaning, you should go. Now."
"Subjects? Efficiency?" you sneer, tears clouding your vision as you pull your hand from Taehyung's grasp. "What kind of fucked up world do we live in? We're talking about people here, Taehyung, about lives. How can Nana work for this government?"
"Y/n, calm down."
"The hell I won't!" you cry out, rising from your seat so abruptly, your chair falls to the ground with an ear-splitting bang. Heads are turning now, but you couldn't care less. "They can't do that! They can't just erase me like that. They –"
"Y/n," Taehyung continues in slowly getting up, his tone placating and one slender hand reaching out in a reassuring manner. "Please, calm down. You're making a scene."
"Of course I am. Because this is wrong. And everybody should know that. It's just wrong. They can't take that away from him. From us. Nobody has the right to just erase feelings, to erase a whole person from somebody's mind."
"You brought this on yourself, y/n. I'm not saying the government is right. I'm not saying they should handle these matters the way they do. But, think hard. Weren't you the one who kept pushing Yoon out of your life? Didn't you wish you had never met him?"
"That was ages ago, Tae. So much has changed since then. I love him. I fucking love him more than anything, okay!?"
"Exactly," Taehyung now smiles to your great confusion. "Exactly, y/n. That's what I wanted to hear. You love him. You really do. And he loves you. But that's the problem. That's what put you on the government's radar in the first place." He lowers his voice. "People like you and Yoon, you're deviations. You're dangerous. So, of course, they'd keep a close eye on you. And they will definitely see to it that Yoon gets paired up nicely with some dull little girl who will be a reliable housewife and give him a handsome child. And, soon, – give it a few days – you will find a letter in your mail, too, y/n. That's what they do. They fix you. The government. They fix people like you. They realize they've made a mistake in Linking you and Yoon, and now they wanna reverse it. Because the two of you are proof that the system is flawed. That love can't be controlled. And you should take pride in that. I sure as hell hope none of their spies are listening in right now, but I say screw them. Go show those people that you don't give a fuck about their rules. Break them. Break the system. Go get your man."
You're out the door before Taehyung gets to finish his sentence.
Sports were never your strong suit, running least of all. Nonetheless, you sprint down the street as if you were running for your life. Storefronts and faces keep rushing past you, and all you can hear is the sound your own heavy breathing combined with your rapidly pounding heartbeat.
You can't be late. You simply can't be.
This can't be it. You refuse to believe that.
No. You're going to be on time. You will be on time. And no one can stop you now. Not even your cowardly yourself.
Panting, your burning lungs desperately longing for air, you stop at a red traffic light, so eager to keep moving, the Ministry already in sight, that you almost consider crossing the broad main street despite the raging rush hour traffic. You can feel your blood burn through its vessels, urging you to go to him, to go to Yoon. To tell him that you want him to be yours for life. When the light finally turns green, your legs can't seem to carry you fast enough. Just about two hundred more yards separate you from the crowded plaza in front of the ministry building that towers over the surrounding boulevards like a fortress made entirely of white marble. The golden morning sun bouncing off its ivory walls and polished windows is blinding you, giving this architectural atrocity an air of divine superiority and innocence. What a shameless lie.
Struggling for breath, you come to a full stop in the middle of the plaza, searching the surge of people swarming to the building's pompous entryway for a familiar face. But you can't spot Yoon anywhere. Your heart already starts dropping, the fear that you are too late after all, that he is already inside and you lost him for good, weighing on it like a boulder when your eyes eventually meet his. For a few seconds, you forget how to breathe, how to exist, and time itself seems to come to a halt.
No way.
But it really is him. And Yoon stops cold in his step, staring at you in utter disbelief, his incredulous expression a reflection of your own.
People keep moving on around you like a ceaseless stream, but none of them matter. Nothing matters but him. Yoon. Your soulmate. Right there, mere steps away. In your reach.
Everything is going to be okay.
You will be with him.
The hint of a smile begins tugging at the corner of Yoon's mouth as he turns toward you, taking a first step in your direction.
You can't believe it. You made it. You actually made it.
This moment seems almost too good to be true. And in horror, you realize that it is indeed. Too good to be true.
Too late, you recognize the imminent danger, notice the truck advancing at full speed out of the corner of your eye.
The vehicle plows into the throng of people without slowing down, the sound of the crash being followed by an ear-splitting explosion and screams of pain and terror tearing through the brisk morning. The blast wave sends you staggering to the ground. For a split second, you black out. When you regain consciousness, you are surrounded by chaos.
Names are being called. Lifeless bodies are lying on top of each other, faces distorted by agony.
Almost nobody was left standing. The entire plaza is covered with future corpses.
And Yoon has disappeared.
It takes you a few seconds to break free from your paralysis. Eventually, you regain limited control over your limbs and can see yourself moving towards the spot where you last saw Yoon. The hollow ringing, caused by the explosion, does not leave your ears. It nearly drowns out the shouts for help and outcries of agony coming from all directions.
Blood. And so much of it.
Blood is everywhere. People, thrown on top of each other like broken dolls, their arms and legs bent in unnatural angles. A sudden surge of overwhelming nausea forces you to your knees.
Pain. So much pain. Death all around you.
Why? How? What happened?
Your brain can't process the images your eyes absorb, gruesome scenes that burn themselves into your mind for life.
You don't think, you act. Almost automatically, you keep scanning the square for Yoon, his face, his hair, the shirt he wore. Anything you might be able to recognize him by.
Stranger's hands are grabbing at your legs. The injured keep begging for your help, and it troubles you to leave them behind, but you have to know. If the searing pain on the inside of your wrist and the vague, harrowing sensation taking up your chest mean what you think they do. That Yoon is still breathing, fighting for his life, out there somewhere in this horrible mess.
"Yoon!" you call out his name, again and again, until your throat is sore.
Tears start clouding your vision, turning everything into a bloody blur.
You keep stumbling, falling over lifeless bodies. The sickly sweet, metallic stench of death rises to your nose, sending you staggering, vertigo almost overpowering your will to keep going.
No. No. This isn't right. Yoon can't be dead. He can't be. He isn't. You have to keep moving. You have to find him.
And eventually, you do.
An outcry of relief breaking free from your painfully constricted chest, you drop to your knees next to him who is struggling to move out from under a dismembered corpse.
"You're alive," you sob, carefully pushing the dead body off Yoon's legs. His plaid shirt is drenched in thick, red blood. Not his, you hope, no, pray.
"Barely," he coughs, cherry-colored liquid dropping from his pale lips.
No. No. No.
"Don't move," you urge him, scooting closer so you can carefully place his head in your lap. "You shouldn't speak. We don't know where exactly you're injured."
You try hard to hold back the tears, to be strong for Yoon, calm. But the sight of him makes it almost impossible for you to do so.
His beautiful face is covered in scratches and bruises. A horrendous gash stretches across his pallid forehead, just beneath the hairline, and his left arm seems to be broken, his hand already having turned an unsightly blue.
Now that he rests in your embrace, Yoon's trembling body seems to relax at least a little, easing into your arms. Lips pressed together to hold in another sob, you watch his eyelids flutter shut.
"Yoon? Stay awake, will you?"
He hums in response.
"Can you tell me where you're hurt?"
"Well, here ... for ... starters," he scoffs, using his right hand to point to his left side. Only now do you notice the piece of metal penetrating his body, right where his left lung must be situated.
"Don't look, y/n. I did and I ... almost ... puked."
"I said no talking, idiot," you hiss, gently pressing down on the wound around the piece of what could once have been a piece of the nearby steps' banister in an effort to keep his lifeblood from seeping out. You don't know how much more Yoon can afford to lose in his weakened state. Judging by the color of his skin, not much.
He needs to get to a hospital. Now.
Every second passing seems to stretch into an hour as you strain your ears hoping to pick up the sound of approaching sirens. But nothing. Not yet.
Hurry, you silently pray.
"You ... asked," Yoon coughs, a worrying wheeziness to his voice.
"And you answered. Now, shush."
It's so warm. The blood. His blood. Running through your fingers and with it valuable minutes of his life, one after the other. And there's nothing you can do but wait. Wait and hope.
"Why ... are you here, y/n?"
Yoon struggles to open his eyes, his face white as a sheet at this point. His question comes unexpectedly. For a few seconds, you simply stare at him, mouth agape, petrified, as he patiently awaits your reply, looking up at you out of glassy eyes.
"Well," you stammer, struggling to regain your composure. "To tell you. That I love you."
His eyes grow slightly wider.
"It's –"
"Yeah, I know. This is the first time I actually said it," you cut him off.
"Happy now?" you snivel, a first tear breaking your rigorously maintained barriers. "You know, I thought I would just call you in a few days, and we could maybe talk everything over, find common ground. I didn't know this would happen."
Yoon takes a shaky breath. You can feel his body shiver in your grasp.
"Well, we don't ... always ... get second chances."
"Shush. Shut your mouth. You're bleeding. I said no more talking."
You can tell he has a snappy comeback ready for you on the tip of his tongue, but fatigue seems to get the better of him before it gets a chance to leave his lips. Instead, he coughs up blood again. A sight that lets your heart skip a beat and sends an icy shiver down your spine.
No. No. No. This can't be happening. He's gonna make it. He has to.
"Damn. I didn't picture our next meeting like this, you know. Not at all," you start talking, fear loosening your tongue, leading the words to gush out against your will, without rhyme or reason, while hot tears stream down your cheeks. "This, this is fucked up. This can't be happening. It shouldn't. This is not how it was supposed to go. You're innocent. You – You never did anything wrong. This is all my fault. I'm the one who should be lying here."
"Don't … say that," Yoon frowns, his voice barely a whisper.
Finally, you can hear sirens closing in.
"But I mean it, Yoon. If I could, I'd take your place. But I can't, and it's killing me." You are cut short by a wave of violent sobs. "I'm – I'm sorry, Yoon. So sorry. Jeez, when is this fucking ambulance gonna get here?"
Unable to withstand Yoon's scrutinizing glance, you take a look around, pretending to search the scene for any signs of paramedics before your eyes eventually find his again.
"Stop it. None of this ... is ... your fault ... y/n. You ... didn't drive that truck ... did you?"
"No," you laugh through tears. "Of course not."
"See?" Just the hint of a smug smile now curves Yoon's pale lips that are covered with a film of dark red blood. His eyes stay closed. Not a good sign.
"I can't believe you," you shake your head. "How are you smiling right now?"
"Because ... I made you ... laugh."
"You're unbelievable. Seriously." You can hear the first ambulance arrive, car doors being slammed shut, steps approaching, tense voices shouting instructions. The police are at the scene just seconds after. It's just a matter of time now before help will be here. And before they take Yoon away from you, you realize, a thought that fills you with utter dread.
What if you never get to see him again? What if this is it?
"Yoon, help is gonna be here any moment now. But before the paramedics get here –– Please, tell me your name."
"No. Let's not ... do this ... right now," he frowns, not opening his eyes.
"But we may not get another chance. And I don't care if you die or not. Which you won't, obviously. I want it. The Link. Now," you insist. "Please, Yoon. I want my soul to be bound to yours eternally. No, I don't just want it to be. I need it to be. One with yours. Yoon, I really do. I'm not just saying this, I swear."
"But that ... would be ... cruel," he whispers, his voice barely audible, dark brows drawn together.
"I don't care. I know what I'm getting into. I said I want it and I do. Please, Yoon. This is my decision. Tell me your name," you beg, fighting to keep your voice steady.
Slowly, Yoon opens his eyes, obviously struggling to keep them open as his gaze locks with yours.
"I ... could never ... do that to you."
"You aren't," you assure him, placing one hand on Yoon's cold cheek. It feels unfamiliar to your touch. Not warm and comforting, but delicate. You can literally watch the life drain from his papery skin. Nonetheless, he looks beautiful. So beautiful it hurts. A fallen angel, gradually fading.
"You aren't doing anything to me, Yoon. This is my choice. And I already know that I love you. I love you more than anything. And, whatever happens, I will always love you. All my life, I was so fucking scared I would never be able to say this with confidence. To say this and actually mean it. But I can now."
You pause, inhaling deeply to catch your breath.
"I know I'm a little late. And I'm sorry it took me so long to admit it. But I love you, Yoon." Smiling, you look down at him through a blur of tears. "And it would be my honor to spend the rest of my life by your side. As your Soulmate."
One last, gleaming smile lights up Yoon's features that are so unbelievably graceful even in their current state before his eyes shut and his head falls back –– just when his lips were about to part and, lastly, carry his full name to your ears. You can feel his body go limp in your hold.
No.
"No. No. Yoon! Yoon? Can you hear me? Can you –"
"I'm sorry, Miss, but we're gonna have to take your friend with us, now," a medic explains as he gently pushes you aside, two more of them cautiously lifting an unconscious Yoon onto a stretcher.
"No pulse," one of them comments after checking Yoon's vitals.
Everything past this point is a blur.
It feels as if you were pushed into cold water, freezing over and trapping you underneath a massive layer of ice, helpless, drowning. Numb.
You can't even remember how you got here as you anxiously pace the grey linoleum floor of some hospital's colorless corridor. Your heart is racing and so is your mind.
Yoon. He is all you can think about.
They have been operating on him for hours now. How many, you can't say. Too many, that's for sure.
"Y/n, please sit down for a bit and have some water." Gently, Namjoon grabs you by your shoulders, bringing your manic wandering to a sudden end. "You need to rest."
"No!"
Of course, your feeble attempts at resistance are in vain. You never stood a chance against Namjoon. Not even back when you were still kids, squabbling with one another for kicks and giggles. But this, this is different. Right this instant, Namjoon's steady grasp is the only thing standing between you and literal, physical collapse, and you are infinitely grateful for his soothing presence.
Almost willingly, you allow him to guide you to a row of chairs and place you in the seat next to Taehyung's. Without lifting his gaze from his worn out black Converses, Taehyung pulls you close and puts your head on his shoulder, resting his own against your forehead.
"He'll be all right," he then whispers, his voice unwavering, bearing no trace of doubt. "I know he will."
"Here." Namjoon has a sad try at a smile as he offers you a paper cup filled to the brim with water. "I can get you more if you'd like."
"No, thanks. I think I'm good for now," you say after emptying it in one gulp, fighting the urge to throw it all up again.
"Do you want something to eat?" Seokjin asks, leaning over from his seat. "I could get you a sandwich."
"No, thanks."
You struggle to hold in tears, burning in your eyes like acid.
"Give her a break," Taehyung growls. "She isn't hungry, okay? Her soulmate is lying on the operation table right now, fighting for his life. Jesus."
You want to thank him but can't seem to find your voice.
"Sorry," Namjoon and Seokjin apologize. You merely manage a nod of your head in response.
"What's going on? Who's dying?" a breathless Jungkook comes to a slithering hold before you, panting heavily, beads of sweat coating his face.
"No one," Taehyung answers in your stead.
"What?" Jungkook frowns. "I thought –"
"Y/n's soulmate is currently being operated on," Namjoon calmly explains.
"Oh. Oh. I'm – I'm so sorry, y/n."
You can only imagine that Taehyung must have darted a deadly glance at him because Jungkook suddenly falls quiet and takes a seat next to him.
"– the Ministry of Family Planning where a gruesome terrorist attack took place just this morning," you can hear some news anchor's voice coming from the waiting room's television. Involuntarily, you lift your head and crane your neck to get a better look at the screen. You flinch as pictures of the crime scene appear, stirring up memories of death and destruction you wish you didn't have to live with.
"Could you turn that off, please? Or switch to another channel?"
Namjoon tries to keep his voice low as he bends over the counter and talks insistently to the nurse sitting behind the close-by reception desk, urging her to change the program, a plea she seems unwilling to succumb to.
"Please. My sister was there today, at the scene. And I'm sure being forced to relive her trauma won't make her feel any better."
"I'm sorry, young man," she responds in a tone that brooks no dissent. "But I'm afraid this is the only channel we get. And, quite frankly, operating the waiting room television does not fall within my jurisdiction. Besides, I have far more important matters to attend to. So, if you would please return to your seat, Sir. There's nothing I can do for you."
All the while, Namjoon keeps peeking over his shoulder, checking on you, his expression apologetic. As if all of this was somehow his fault. But none of it is. Because it's all on you.
The hours drag on like molasses. You can still smell Yoon's blood on your clothes, the smoke in your hair.
"Did you get your head checked on?"
Taehyung's question barely makes it through the dense haze of dull pain clouding your mind. It feels as if his voice reaches you in a dream, but you're not sleeping.
"What?"
"Your head, y/n," he repeats, looking at you with concern. "Did you have it examined?"
"What? Why?"
"Because you have a nasty bruise right there," he points at your temple, his fingers hovering over your skin, reluctant to touch it. "It looks serious. Maybe you should have one of the doctors check it out."
"No. No need. It's nothing. I barely have a headache. Plus, there's no time. There are so many people here who need help far more urgently than me. You should have seen them. The bodies. The –" Your thoughts get lost in the sound of your own blood roaring in your ears. You can feel a suffocating lump form in your throat, making it harder for you to breathe by the second.
"Yoon," you jump to your feet, the thought of him sending a fresh surge of adrenaline through your bloodstream. "Yoon. I need to see him. I need to know if he is still alive."
"Shush, it's okay, y/n." Taehyung gets up to pull you in for a close hug, firmly keeping you in place and from running off towards the operating room once again. "It's all right. Yoon's gonna be fine. He's gonna be just fine."
Somehow, your brother's words have lost their power, no more achieving their reassuring purpose.
Nonetheless, you give in and allow Taehyung to push you back down into your uncomfortable chair, your body, drained of all energy, none of it left in you to fight anymore, remaining in a state of absolute petrification whereas your thoughts keep racing, chasing themselves in an attempt to escape the undeniable truth.
That you might have lost him. For good this time.
SEVEN MONTHS LATER ...
Quietly, you run your hands across the straightened linens of the empty hospital bed.
You still can’t believe it, can’t seem to be able to wrap your mind around the happenings of the past few months. Just contemplating the course of events brings tears to your eyes once more. You're surprised there are even any left in your organism after all the hours you spent sobbing by Yoon's bedside.
Days and nights you spent in this cold, dull hospital room, your only company the never-fading smell of disinfectant and Yoon's unconscious body, bathed in the pale glow of LED lamps. Back then, you kept thinking what you wouldn't give to look into his deep, dark eyes once more, what you wouldn't give for them to open again by some miracle. But they remained closed.
"Do you think I was right? To ask the doctors not to tell me?" you wonder aloud, recognizing your brother's presence in the room without even looking.
"I don't know." Namjoon steps up to you from behind, putting his arm around your shoulder with a long sigh. "You tell me, y/n."
For a few seconds, you fall silent, your hands now tightly clutching the fabric of Yoon's plaid shirt. The one he was wearing on the day of the attack. You washed it a dozen times, but the bloodstains still wouldn't quite come off.
"Yes," you then nod with newly found confidence. "Yes. I made the right choice. I'm sure. And I'm glad I stuck with it. It wasn't the doctors' place to tell me Yoon's name. Thanks for always being there and making sure they didn't, helping me through the whole process. I don't know what I would've done without you, Joonie."
"Hey, hey, don't cry just yet." He gently brushes a stray tear off your cheek with the calloused tip of his thumb. Just like old times. Always the big brother. "Save your tears for later."
"I'll try."
"Good. Because we need to leave. Now. Or you'll be late for the ceremony."
Namjoon pauses, waiting for your reaction.
"Y/n? Are you ready?"
Forcing a smile, you take a deep breath and straighten your back before you turn around to face your brother, struggling to keep your eyes from welling up again.
"Yeah. I'm ready."
"No, you're not," you can hear Taehyung's voice coming from the hallway.
"No, I'm not."
"But you can do it, y/n." With a warm smile, Namjoon takes hold of your hand. "I know you can. And you will. You knew this day would come. And I can understand that you're scared. But you'll feel so much better once you went through with it."
"God, will you stop, Namjoon!?“, Taehyung rolls his eyes, linking arms with you, both of your brothers now guiding you outside and down the corridor, away from the memories. "You make it sound so horrible. No wonder she's scared.“
Taehyung indignantly shakes his head.
"Y/n, I can promise you, this is gonna be a life-changing experience," he now addresses you directly, his expression solemn but his tone sarcastic. "You'll see. You'll come out of that chapel a different woman. And after all these months, you will finally get the closure you deserve. Today, you start your new life."
"Shut up," you hiss through gritted teeth, smiling at a doctor who gives you a puzzled once-over in passing before you go on to kick Taehyung in the shin. "Both of you. You're only making things worse."
"Sorry," both of them grumble in unison. As you shift in his hold, you can feel Namjoon flinch, presumably scared of being the next one to receive a kick as punishment.
"Sorry," you lower your voice to a whisper when the tree of you come to a full stop before the hospital chapel's double door. "Sorry, I'm so irritable. I'm just –"
"Nervous," Namjoon finishes your sentence. "It's okay. We get it. That's why we're here."
"To make sure you don't run away," Taehyung teases.
"You really want me to kick you again?"
"No, thanks."
"Jesus," Seokjin's voice cuts through your whispery bickering. "Can't you guys stop squabbling for even one second? Not even on a day such as today?"
With a condescending shake of his head, he busies himself with fixing Namjoon's bow-tie.
"You look dashing," he smiles at his husband, quickly leaning in for a peck on the lips Namjoon happily gives.
"Yeah, yeah. But can we move on now?" Taehyung whines. "I've had, like, three sodas earlier. If we don't go right now, I'm gonna have to leave for the men's room."
"You're such a baby," Seokjin scoffs but takes a step aside, clearing the path for you and your brothers to finally enter the oratory.
"You ready?" he locks eyes with you, waiting for your signal.
"Yes," you nod your head, tightening your hold on your brothers' arms.
"Okay. Three, two," Seokjin starts dramatically counting down as he reaches out to pull open the tall doors leading to the chapel. "One. And go."
For a second, you freeze as the ceremonious music reaches your ears and you notice the first heads turning, familiar eyes watching you intently as you start to make your way down the aisle.
At first, you don't dare to lift your gaze off the floor under your feet, afraid the sight of him would lead you to break down in tears.
The sight of Yoon.
Waiting for you by the altar.
At this moment, you can't help but remember all the times when you sat by his side, considering your options, wondering whether you would be able to go through with an open-casket funeral. Back then, you never thought it would really come to this.
Lastly, you come to a halt before him.
With one last squeeze, Taehyung reluctantly lets go of your arm while Namjoon remains by your side. And you're glad he does, because your knees feel as if they were turning to water when the pastor now begins to speak, his rich voice echoing through the silent chapel.
"Thank you to the friends and family that are here today to celebrate this union."
Hesitantly, you let your glance wander upwards to meet Yoon's. His eyes are smiling.
"This occasion not only marks the beginning of their marriage commitment together, but it is a commemoration of the love nurtured and shared between these two. Together, they embark today on a new life together, built on the foundations of trust, compassion, mutual respect and a bond of souls that is never to be broken."
'Hey there,' you soundlessly form with your lips, barely resisting the urge to lean down and kiss Yoon right then and there. He looks unbelievably handsome in his black tuxedo.
'You look stunning,' Yoon soundlessly whispers in response, obviously in awe of your floor-length white dress.
"Who gives this bride today?" the minister asks.
"I do," Namjoon answers with pride before he, too, steps aside.
"If there is anyone in attendance who has cause to believe that this couple should not be joined in marriage, you may speak now or forever hold your peace."
All the gathered guests seem to hold their breath simultaneously while knowing eyes start searching the crowd for one particular face. You can't help but let out a short laugh when your eyes find Jimin who is looking around in bewilderment.
"Did you guys really think I would –?" he gasps, half laughing, pretending to be offended.
"No," you grin. "Of course not."
You give Jimin, who's fingers are intertwined with those of his beautiful girlfriend of four months, an apologetic wink before you swiftly bow to the pastor.
"I'm sorry. You may proceed."
He acknowledges your words with a forbearing nod of his grayed head and continues to speak.
"Marriage is an ancient human tradition. The personal and social merits that accompany the bonds of marriage have led to its continued endurance and have paved the way for us to be standing here before the Universe celebrating the union between these two people today that, by far, exceeds the nature of the mere Link."
From the corner of your eye, you can tell Yoon is watching you fondly.
"Marriage is, truly, a magical gift. As Mark Twain noted, 'Marriage makes of two fractional lives a whole, and it gives to two purposeless lives a work, it gives to two questioning natures a reason for living, and something to live for; it will give a new gladness to the sunshine, a new fragrance to the flowers, a new beauty to the earth, a new mystery to life.'"
The minister pauses.
Through a blur of tears, you look over at Yoon, sitting next to you in a wheelchair, his face gleaming with joy.
"At this time, before proceeding with the bonding ceremony, I would invite the couple to share their vows. Y/n, would you please deliver yours first?"
"Of course." You clear your throat and turn to face Yoon now.
“Today, I take you as my husband," you begin after a few seconds of absolute silence. As you go on, you barely manage to keep your voice steady.
"Quite frankly, I had lost faith that this moment would ever come. That we would stand here, together. But during these past few months, I prayed every single day that I would meet you again. Here, exactly like this, at the altar, witnessed by all the people we love. Because I love you, Yoon. I love you now as I've always loved you, and as I always will love you."
Yoon remains quiet. But you can tell by merely looking at him that your words mean more to him than he could ever say.
"And now Yoon, would you deliver your vows?"
"Gladly." The corners of his mouth quirk up almost imperceptibly. "I'm not a big fan of talking in front of people, so I'm gonna keep this short. Sorry."
He quickly looks around the room before his eyes lock with yours again.
"Y/n, today I take you as my wife, and there's honestly no one else I could imagine spending my life with. I love you now as I've loved you from the first time I saw you in that bar – and as I will love you till the day I die. Not to be dramatic. But it's true."
A murmur of hushed giggles goes through the crowd.
"Honest words," the minister remarks, apparently pleased.
"Y/n and Yoon, please join hands," he then demands. And you gladly comply, offering your assistance as Yoon tries to stand up, his legs still weakened from the months spent in a hospital bed.
"Y/n," the minister resumes. "Do you take Yoon as your cherished husband, in front of these witnesses, and promise to stay by his side through sickness and health, joy and sorrow, so long as you both shall live?"
"I do," you reply without even a hint of hesitation.
"Yoon, will you take Y/n as your cherished wife, in front of these witnesses, and promise to stay by her side through sickness and health, joy and sorrow, so long as you both shall live?"
"I do."
"The rings?" the minister arches a brow.
"Oh. Oh. Of course," Taehyung mumbles, a fierce blush tinting his cheeks while he frantically searches the pockets of his vintage suit jacket. "Wait a second." The tension is palpable.
"Here you go," he grins sheepishly.
Smiling, you roll your eyes as you take the rings from him, handing one of them to Yoon whose glance never once left you all this time.
"The wedding rings perfectly symbolize the never-ending love you two have for each other," the minister explains. "By exchanging these rings, you solidify a lifelong commitment to one another. The rings serve as a welcome and constant reminder of the bond you've formed with your partner. Please repeat after me."
He halts, his gaze fixed on you.
"I, Y/n, give you, Yoon this ring as a symbol of my enduring love. Just as the circle of the ring completes itself, so you complete me."
You repeat the words as you put the ring on Yoon's finger, your hands shaking so violently you almost fail even at the second attempt.
"Now it's your turn," the pastor turns to Yoon. "Repeat after me: I, Yoon, give you, Y/N this ring as a symbol of my enduring love. Just as the circle of the ring completes itself, so you complete me."
You can feel your throat close up when you listen to Yoon speaking those words with such sincerity and faith, you are sure you have never heard anything more beautiful in your life. Effortlessly, he slides the silver ring onto your finger.
"Y/n and Yoon, by the power vested in me by the Church and the Republic of Korea, I am pleased to pronounce you husband and wife, sealed together today both in law and in love."
The minister gives you a cordial smile.
"Yoon, you may now kiss the bride!"
And he does. You need to remind yourself that you're inside a church when Yoon's lips meet yours and have trouble detaching yourself from him when the minister demonstratively clears his throat.
"Ladies and gentlemen," he solemnly announces, shaking his head with a grin. "I now have the privilege of presenting, for the first time, Mr. and Mrs. –"
He stops, with a brisk nod indicating to Yoon that he is to continue.
"Mr. and Mrs.," Yoon takes over, your hand still resting in his, his onyx eyes locked with yours and his voice bearing no trace of uncertainty as he finally speaks his name, stretching out every syllable.
"Min Yoongi."
Almost instantly, you can feel a pleasantly warm surge of energy run through your entire being, originating from the point where both your palms are joined and shooting through your left wrist and arm until it reaches your heart. Yoon's grip on your hand tightens when you gasp for air, taken aback by the intensity of the experience.
You break eye contact with him only to take a peek at the inside of your wrist and discover Yoon's full name written on your skin in simple yet elegant letters.
When you look back up again, it's as if you see Yoon for the very first time, through a fresh set of eyes, his image brighter, clearer than ever before and his beauty all the more evident.
Your feelings for him, however, remain the same.
Nothing has changed even though everything is different.
And suddenly, you’re not afraid anymore.
Because you are whole now.
T H E E N D
A/N: Guys. I can’t believe I did it. I can’t believe I created this. 😭 This story took me places I never thought it would, it helped me grow and heal and brought me closer to you. 🤧 I never thought this series would become so meaningful to me. But it did. And I’m grateful I got to write and share it with you guys. 😌💖
[God, I’m so emotional right now.]
Thank you for reading! Thank you so much for staying with this series until the end, for your support, encouragement and lovely feedback. 💖 It means the world to me. 💖💖 I hope you enjoyed ‘Linked’ and that this, its final chapter, didn’t disappoint. 😌
Love, Ana 💖
Here you can find my Masterlist in case you feel like checking out more of my BTS fiction.
Also, if you have Spotify, you can listen to the ‘official’ 🎶 playlist 🎶 to the ‘Linked’ series here. It contains all the songs having been sent back and forth between Yoongi and the reader in the past and some more tunes fitting the series’ vibe.
Take care and have a great day! ☺️💖
#bts#yoongi#bts soulmate au#daeguboynet#kpopwonderlandtag#linked series#yoongi au#yoongi soulmate au#bts au#bts series#bts au series#bts angst#bts fluff#soft bts#soft yoongi#yoongi angst#yoongi fluff#Yoongi x you#yoongi x reader#yoongi scenario#yoongi imagine#suga#min yoongi#soft suga#yoongi series#bangtan#bts x reader#yoongi fic#yoongi fantasy
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Summer 2018 Anime I watched ranked from weakest to strongest
I watched six anime during the Summer 2018 anime season and I’ve now written full length reviews for each of them! So here my personal rankings of what I watched from weakest to strongest. Each anime title links to my in-depth review of said series, so feel free to click! For all the reviews at once, please see my anime overview tag here.
I wouldn’t call any of the anime on this list bad, nor would I give any a blanket anti-recommendation for any of them. It’s just some of these series were weaker than others in my opinion and there’s ups and downs and things to warn for. Hope you enjoy and find it useful!
Banana Fish (episodes 1-12)
Eiji meets a seventeen-year-old gangster named Ash Lynx on a trip to New York and is quickly pulled into a world of violence and conspiracies.
When we judge this series as an adaptation, its definitely the weakest thing I watched, because the modern update of this 80s manga is almost entirely superficial and that can be quite jarring. We’re supposed to believe this is set today, but the narrative is extremely 80s and some of the conversations the characters have don’t make much sense in a modern setting. Though the story is something that’s fascinating and valuable taken in the context of its place in the history of shoujo manga, removing it from that context doesn’t do it any favors.
There’s charm to both the characters and the sweetness of the romantic relationship between Ash and Eiji, but a lot of the content is both endlessly and melodramatically tragic and also potentially triggering. Definitely be prepared for a TON of rape, csa, abuse, violence and murder if you watch this.
Phantom in the Twilight
Bailieu Ton arrives in London expecting an exciting college life, but instead ends up on a quest to rescue her best friend who has been kidnapped by demons. She finds allies in a gang of supernatural young men who were acquainted with her magically powerful great-grandmother.
While the plot is mediocre and the animation even moreso, this series shows its value in being an otome story that has a truly awesome leading lady. Ton is dynamic, self-possessed, has a strong friendship with another girl and she kicks a TON of ass. She has a fun relationship with her squad of boy-toys and is always on equal footing with them and the few times any of them try to act controlling they are called out hard.. So if you want a reverse-harem story/paranormal romance that features a more active heroine and jettisons the more toxic tropes that pervade the genre, this is a good choice, even if the narrative itself is nothing to write home about.
My Hero Academia (episodes 52-63)
Izuku Midoriya continues his quest to become the greatest superhero and takes his hero provisional license exams.
This is probably among the weakest arcs MHA has had so far, though it still has its fair share of entertaining and worthwhile moments, not to mention one truly excellent episode. The characters introduced at the very end of the season have potential too. Mostly it was an enjoyable enough watch, but definitely didn’t live up to the high-stakes thrills of the arc before it.
Cell at Work!
Anthropomorphized cells do their best to keep the body they inhabit alive and well.
This is an extremely cute edutainment show. It’s nothing mindblowing, and the narration can be a bit much, but if you want an adorable, fun time that teaches you a little something about the human body, this is a good choice. Also I want to marry NK Cell.
Planet With
Soya Kuroi is an amnesiac boy living with with a weird cat monster and a cheerful but mysterious girl dressed like a maid and his life gets even stranger when he’s told to jump in a giant robot and fight the local superheroes.
These 12 episodes contained more plot and climatic moments than a lot of anime has in 50 episodes and despite the breakneck pace and huge amount of events packed in, it was extremely cohesive and solid story throughout. The characters were lovable and varied, there was a loft of thematic heft to the series exploration of pacifism and freedom vs justice and security, it was goofy and weird while also being emotional heartbreaking at times...I definitely recommend this show. It’s the full Wacky Space Mecha Anime experience in a compact package. Also, it has cool ladies.
Revue Starlight
Karen Aijou is doing her best at her Takarazuka theatre school, only for everything to change when her childhood friend Hikari suddenly transfers in. She follows Hikari down a mysterious elevator and discovers her friend is engaged in a bizarre swordfight competition to become the “Top Star”, preceeded over by a talking giraffe.
If you love Takarazuka, theatre, sword fights,lesbians, weird metaphors, Revolutionary Girl Utena and other Ikuhara work or all of the above, I definitely recommend this show.. The series surreally and smartly explores Takarazuka, show biz and adolescence with lots of creative, beautifully animated musical fight scenes and contains a lot of twists and turns along the way. While I think it could have stood to be a bit longer, more in-depth and bit stronger with its characters, it’s definitely a series that’s fun to analyze and I’ve enjoyed a lot of the discussion that’s come out of it (see some linked in my review). Strap in for a wild ride and enjoy one of the Top Stars of the season.
#summer 2018 anime#revue starlight#planet with#phantom in the twilight#banana fish#my hero academia#cells at work#boku no hero academia#shojo kageki revue starlight#anime overview
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City of … Clocks?
by Dan H
Sunday, 05 February 2012
Dan crawls back to Cassie~
Reading Cassandra Clare is, for me, like visiting an old friend. An old friend who is kind of a dick. An old friend who is kind of a dick, but who you are comfortable enough around that you accept their being a dick as part of the charm of their personality, and then after you get home ask yourself why the hell you were ever friends with that dick.
So yes. Cassandra Clare.
The Infernal Devices trilogy is a prequel to the Mortal Instruments trilogy, set in the same world, but in Victorian Times. Being Victorian Times means it is set in London, which is where the Victorian Times happened, and there are clockwork automatons, which is what the economy of the Victorian Times was based on.
The heroine of the prequel trilogy is an American Girl named Tessa Gray who has had to come to England to live with her brother. The hero of the prequel trilogy is Fanon Draco, as always. This version of Fanon Draco is called William Herondale. He is a sarcastic, emotionally withdrawn young man who has difficulty trusting people. He is not to be confused with Jace from The Mortal Instruments who was a sarcastic, emotionally withdrawn young man with different coloured hair.
I'm going to start by saying how much I love the name “William Herondale”. It just sounds so perfectly like what it is – a name invented by an American girl to sound really English to other American girls who have never been to England. The whole book is kind of like this – it feels a great deal like the cast of the original trilogy decided to cosplay as Victorians (and the cover of the UK edition looks rather like that as well – I've never seen somebody look less comfortable in a top hat).
The book opens with a nine page prologue, but the action of the prologue takes place directly before the action of the first chapter, so I really don't understand what makes it a “prologue” and not “chapter one”. Anyway the prologue delighted me by including the two things I've come to demand from the works of Cassie Clare, the first being incredibly ill-constructed similes:
Through the gap, Will could see the dark outlines of docked ships, a forest of masts like a leafless orchard.
It's not quite “the colour of black ink” but there's a certain peculiar genius to it. You can almost imagine her sitting at her keyboard and thinking “hmm, there's this forest of masts, but I need a striking visual metaphor to describe it, what would it be like … I know, a forest of masts would look like an orchard.”
And the second, of course, being an infeasibly hot badboy love interest:
Will smiled the way Lucifer might have smiled, moments before he fell from heaven.
As I so often say in these situations, part of me appreciates the sheer brass (and presumably in this case steam-powered) bollocks of it. Remember that this line appears on page twelve of the UK edition, and the prologue only starts on page seven. I'd say that she might as well have just written “and by the way, Will was really, really, really hot” but she actually does that as well a mere thirty pages later:
He had the most beautiful face she had ever seen. Tangled black hair and eyes like blue glass. Elegant cheekbones, a full mouth, and long, thick lashes. Even the curve of his throat was perfect.
I mean, it's nice that she puts her cards on the table, but seriously, we are on page forty-two here. I don't think I'd mind so much if it weren't for the fact that they don't even get together in this book – they kiss like, twice, and he makes inappropriate suggestions (because he is tormented) and that's it. I know it's the nineteenth century, but nobody in the entire book offers more than a passing nod to a period-appropriate worldview – at least TMI had the whole incest arc keeping the leads from hopping into bed with each other, all that stops the protagonists of this book from jumping in the sack is recycled Draco-angst and the fact that Tessa very, very occasionally remembers it's supposed to be 1878.
Anyway, the story of Clockwork Angel (spoilers follow) is that Tessa Gray is summoned to England, where it turns out she has shapeshifting powers, which she is abused into revealing by two scary old ladies called the Dark Sisters (I shit you not) who want to force her to marry somebody called “the Magister” (I still shit you not). She is rescued by
Draco
Jace
William Herondale and the other Shadowhunters, who are investigating the Dark Sisters and the mysterious “Pandemonium Club” that they work for and the sinister “Magister” who runs it. Investigation ensues, and it turns out that the Pandemonium Club are building a clockwork army to wipe out the Shadowhunters. The Shadowhunters try to take down the Magister, but it turns out they have been tricked by the real Magister into taking down the wrong villain. The identity of the true Magister is kind of obvious (clue, all Cassie Clare's villains have surnames beginning with “M”) but the reveal is reasonably well handled and while you can see the twist coming a mile off, the clues are mostly metatextual so the protagonists don't look too stupid.
Because it's the first book in a trilogy, of course, the book ends with a completely inconclusive confrontation, and a metric assload of foreshadowing during which nothing whatsoever is revealed about anything at all.
I'm sort of torn about the plot. I found the opening dull, was quite excited at the bit in the middle where they killed a bunch of vampires, was pleased with the revelation of the real Magister but then realised that (a) nothing was going to get explained at all and (b) there were still two chapters to go, which presumably would consist of nothing but setup and foreshadowing. I did provisionally like the Magister arc, which begins with the Shadowhunters being all dismissive and superior about mortals who dabble in the occult, and ends with the revelation that the Magister actually is an ordinary mortal who – it seems – has managed to achieve power in the world of the supernatural by being legitimately smarter than everybody else (which admittedly isn't particularly hard, Clare's secondary creation isn't exactly overflowing with competence).
Of course this touches on one of my perennial beefs with Urban Fantasy, which is its complete lack of interest in anybody who isn't touched by the Special Magic Fairy Dust. Long-time fans of my struggles with the good Ms Clare might remember that I felt that
City of Glass
was in part an attempt to “do right” some of the unfollowed plot threads in the later Potter books (specifically, any and all threads that related to Wizarding society being hella fucked up), in City of Glass the Clave really does have to make concessions to the Downworlders in order to defeat Valentine, and they (to some extent) have to confront some nasty truths about their society. Clockwork Angelseems (although I am more than ready to be disappointed on this count) to be making a similar attempt to address the Wizarding World's treatment of Muggles (and more generally, the treatment of mundane humans in urban fantasy as a genre). It's relatively clear throughout the book that the Shadowhunters have a really screwed-up attitude to mundanes, and part of the reason the twist works so well (despite being relatively obvious) is that you can absolutely see why they fall for it – it's clearly impossible for any of them to believe that they could be so utterly played by an ordinary human.
This does have a downside, however, which is that it leaves some parts of the audience (at least, those parts of the audience which are me) kind of rooting for the villain. Perhaps I'm just an asshole, but Clare does such a good job of making the Shadowhunters look like patronising douchebags that I could see a lot of sense in Operation Robot Army. Certainly I'd rather put my faith in a bunch of killer machines than in a group of invisible ninja wizards who think they're better than me. Of course the problem with this is that the guy is inevitably going to lose, which means that whatever Clare's intentions, it seems likely that the overall message of the series is going to wind up being “and remember, don't try to move outside of the sphere you were born into.” Like always.
As always when reviewing long running series by the same author, I find myself running out of steam around this point because, well, there isn't a lot I can say here that will be a surprise to anybody. I can I think say that Cassie Claire is getting less bad, although as always it might just be that I'm growing accustomed to her idiosyncrasies. For example, I didn't find the chapter titles quite as infuriating this time around – none of them were in Latin, most of them were short and descriptive, and only three or four of them contain the words “Heaven”, “Angel” or “Darkness”. Chapter two does reach a new low by being called “Hell is Cold” - a title which is justified solely by the fact that Tessa randomly tells Will (in the middle of an escape scene, no less) that “Hell is Cold” because the lowest levels of hell are full of ice in The Inferno. Which she has read. And which Cassie Clare has also read.
Oh yes, about that. While Ms Clare has very slightly restrained her urge to pack literary references into her chapter titles, she has more than compensated in two ways. Firstly, she continues her tradition of having her protagonists quote stuff all the damned time (this gets circular fast – frequently chapter titles are references to the fact that characters in the book quote a particular line in the chapter – as with “Hell is Cold” in chapter two). Secondly she opens each chapter with a quote from a poem. Poems which she helpfully informs us (in an author's note after the text – much like you might get in an H/D songfic) were all poems that Tessa would have known about, except for the bits that aren't – there's Wilde and Kipling in there despite the book being set in 1878. I wouldn't have minded this so much, but the Author's Note makes quite a big deal about how the rest of the poems are texts Tessa would have been familiar with, and I kind of think that if you're going to do a thing, you should do it properly, otherwise it looks a lot like you've just taken a bunch of random poems from some time vaguely in the past.
The book opens, incidentally with a full length poem called “Thames River Song” which was actually written especially for the book by a third party (one Elka Cloke, you can apparently find a full version of the poem at www.elkacloke.com). This poem is clearly supposed to be about the Thames as it was in the Age of Steam, and – I don't know – I think if you want a poem about the Thames in the nineteenth century you should go with a nineteenth-century poet. I can't help but suspect that the reason she didn't pick, say, Lines Written Near Richmond, Upon the Thames, at Evening or Steam-Launches on the Thames is because they didn't contain enough references to cogs, steam, machinery and all the other things that people who have never been to London associate with it.
I vaguely promised myself that this wouldn't turn into a rant about Steampunk, I've mellowed a lot on the (sub)genre over the years, and I'm happy to accept that good books can be and have been written in a steampunk mode. That said, a lot of things still hack me off about the subculture, one of which is its peculiar insistence that the Industrial Revolution was all about individual craftsmen building wonderful machines when in fact it was about masses of people in factories producing stuff in bulk. To put it another way, real Victorian poets didn't write about their world like this:
Each tiny golden cog has teeth, each great wheel moves a pair of hands which take the water from the river, devour it, convert it into steam, coerce the great machine to run on the force of its dissolution.
This is because people in the nineteenth century didn't give a crap about cogs and brass and steam any more than, well, twenty-first century people do (after all the vast majority of electricity is still generated in thermal power stations, which still use steam-driven turbines and which still contain cogs and gears and all of those other oldey-timey sounding things which are part of pretty much any mechanical device you might care to name). Real historical poets who lived in the real London wrote about real people who lived in a real city. William Blake's London for example, begins:
I wandered through each chartered street, Near where the chartered Thames does flow, A mark in every face I meet, Marks of weakness, marks of woe.
Wordsworth, in London, 1802 writes:
Milton! thou shouldst be living at this hour: England hath need of thee: she is a fen Of stagnant waters: altar, sword, and pen, Fireside, the heroic wealth of hall and bower, Have forfeited their ancient English dower Of inward happiness. We are selfish men;
Sorry, I've spent a really insanely long time banging on about this, but you might notice that neither of those poems contain any reference to brass, steam, lenses, goggles or any of the other steampunk nonsense that Clare felt was such a necessary part of her evocation of my goddamned home city.
Again, I should add that I have actually mellowed a lot on Steampunk over the years, but what bothered me about the steampunky elements in Clockwork Angel was that it isn't a steampunk setting. Steampunk posits an alternate reality in which the progress of technology is fundamentally different, but this clearly isn't true in the Cassandraverse – we know that, supernatural elements aside, the New York of the Mortal Instruments trilogy looks exactly like the real New York. Yet somehow the villain of The Infernal Devices is able to build humanoid robots which follow verbal commands, believably pass as human, and move sufficiently well to stand up to trained Shadowhunters in a one-on-one fight, and he is able to do this without using magic. Clare just seems to assume that because it is The Victorian Times people have access to steampunk technology that somehow ceases to exist somewhere between 1878 and 2010.
It's not the steampunkyness that I object to per se, rather it's the thoughtless assumption that (a) England (b) the late nineteenth century and (c) steampunk are basically the same thing. It's like Clare was unable to imagine a novel set in England that was not set in the Victorian era, unable to imagine a novel set in the Victorian era that was not set in England, and unable to imagine a novel set in either England or the Victorian era that did not include steam-and-clockwork-powered mechanical marvels.
It makes it quite hard to work out where to place the books. They're so tied to the original trilogy that they don't really make sense except as a prequel series, but they make enough changes to the way the world works (seriously guys, clockwork robots are a game-changer) that they don't feel quite like they're set in the same universe. It's a lot like the Star Wars prequels in that respect, you have to really squint to imagine that the events established in the original canon logically follow from the world established in the prequels.
The weirdness is compounded by the fact that half the characters in the book have the same surnames as characters from the previous book. I get that this provides a sense of continuity, but rather than making the story feel like part of a consistent world, it makes it feel like it's just set in a weird AU where everybody is a Victorian (like that Marvel comic where it's the X-Men except that they're in 1602). The strange fake feeling isn't helped by the fact that people not only fail to act in any way like actual Victorians but also draw attention to the fact that they aren't in any way acting like actual Victorians. So Tessa tries for about two chapters to refer to Will as “Mr Herondale” but then just forgets, she points out how peculiar it is that she Shadowhunters all refer to each other by their first names, but they still do it. Yes you can claim that it's all “Shadowhunter tradition” but it seems a giant fucking coincidence that the eternal and unchanging traditions of the Shadowhunters align so perfectly with twenty-first-century social conventions despite their having been instituted n-thousand years ago. It's like that bit in City of Ashes where they explain that “adult” in Shadowhunter tradition means “eighteen year old” because “teenagers are a modern concept”.
The awkward sense of history is at its most jarring when it comes to gender politics. Tess pays lip-service to having internalised sexism, but after expressing mild surprise that in Shadowhunter society Women Are Allowed To Have Power And Fight Like Men she just goes with it. Except later it seems that Shadowhunter society is kind of sexist after all (Charlotte, the Shadowhunter who runs the institute, can do so only because she does it jointly with her affable buffoon of a husband, and her gender apparently causes her political difficulties) which for me shoves the whole thing down the uncanny valley. If it's a gender-equal society, why does Charlotte get a hard time for being a woman? If it isn't, why don't they keep their women at home making Shadowhunter babies? Again it all feels oddly specific, like the Shadowhunters are eternally stuck in a kind of late-twentieth-early-twenty-first-century mindset with very, very vague nods to whatever time period they happen to be cosplaying as.
The gender politics get particularly confusing when we get to the character of Jess. Jess is the Isabel of this book (although she's fair-haired this time, meaning her hair is presumably the colour of blonde ink) only instead of being a badass dominatrix, she's a (relatively) proper Victorian lady who isn't interested in fighting demons at all, and who wants to move out of the Institute and find herself a husband. Jess is very nearly an interesting character, but I could never quite work out whether I was supposed to find her situation complex and ambiguous or whether I was just supposed to think she was shallow and stupid. Read charitably, Jess asks us to question the morality of Shadowhunter society (which is trying to force her into a life she doesn't want, just as Victorian society forces many mundanes into lives they don't want) and to recognise that some women really will choose marriage and domesticity over excitement and adventure, and that there is nothing wrong with this. Read uncharitably she's there exclusively to make the heroine look good.
I'm going to close this review by mentioning the two Author's Notes at the end (this really, really feels like a fandom thing to me – I half expect the next book to open with bold text saying: Disclaimer: I don't own any of … oh wait). I've already mentioned the one about the poetry, but there's also a lovely note about “Tessa's London” which begins thus:
The London of Clockwork Angel is, as much as I could make it, an admixture of the real and the unreal, the famous and the forgotten.
Good old Cassie and her thesaurus. But I do wonder what she means by “as much as I could make it,” surely as long as the book contains at least one real thing (like say, the name of the city) and at least one unreal thing (like say, the character of Will Herondale) then she has succeeded in her goal.
Either way, thus ends the review. A review that is, as much as I could make it, an admixture of the fair and the unfair, of sincerity and sarcasm.Themes:
Books
,
Young Adult / Children
,
Judging Books By Their Covers
,
Cassandra Clare
~
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Arthur B
at 01:20 on 2012-02-06
It's like Clare was unable to imagine a novel set in England that was not set in the Victorian era, unable to imagine a novel set in the Victorian era that was not set in England, and unable to imagine a novel set in either England or the Victorian era that did not include steam-and-clockwork-powered mechanical marvels.
To be fair, maybe she
could
imagine such a novel, but she (or her publishers) couldn't imagine it selling better.
I mean, if you're a hack novelist who's perfectly content to write the literary equivalent of popcorn - lacking in distinctiveness, flavour, nutritional value or surprises, but comfortingly disposable and familiar - and if you're facing a situation where the urban fantasy market is oversaturated, moving on to steampunk seems like the logical choice because there's a built-in subculture attached to it of folk who'll happily give your novel a chance provided there is a reasonable chance there'll be cogs and corsets in there.
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http://alankria.livejournal.com/
at 10:20 on 2012-02-06This is because people in the nineteenth century didn't give a crap about cogs and brass and steam ... Real historical poets who lived in the real London wrote about real people who lived in a real city.
I love you so much for saying this and for quoting poetry and for putting into words something that has bothered me about Steampunk Londonland for a while. Thank you.
I personally think steampunk has huge potential as a lens (a fun lens, even!) for looking at a very interesting and highly problematic era, with industrialism, imperialism, the beginning of the suffragette movement and many other issues and events - yet it mostly seems to be about gears and cogs and corsets and steam, rather than poking and prodding what it was that made the 19thC (in England and elsewhere) such a volatile time.
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Sister Magpie
at 19:09 on 2012-02-07
I'm going to start by saying how much I love the name “William Herondale”. It just sounds so perfectly like what it is – a name invented by an American girl to sound really English to other American girls who have never been to England.
As someone who once was an American girl who had never been to England, I sort of want to hug it just for that too because it is so naked in its appeal.
So Tessa tries for about two chapters to refer to Will as “Mr Herondale” but then just forgets, she points out how peculiar it is that she Shadowhunters all refer to each other by their first names, but they still do it. Yes you can claim that it's all “Shadowhunter tradition” but it seems a giant fucking coincidence that the eternal and unchanging traditions of the Shadowhunters align so perfectly with twenty-first-century social conventions despite their having been instituted n-thousand years ago.
This kind of fascinates me because when you read a lot of 19th century lit, well, as you said, the difference is just there. In the book I'm reading now I just read a passage where a woman refers to someone by just their last name in a letter, with a line about how the recipient might be shocked to hear her taking such liberties and she'll now explain that they have become much more intimate since she last mentioned him. There's also a scene earlier where the two dim-witted lovers have a breathless exchange about how they are totally going to call each other by their first names.
It makes me wonder about the decision to do that, I mean, to take a basic difference in the two societies and then toss it when it immediately makes everything seem that much more modern.
I actually just read another YA book that takes place in the 19th century in England where there wasn't many places to deal with this sort of formal convention but I was really distracted by how completely modern the personalities were. Like, not only did all the girls openly chafe against all the Victorian expectations (or lack of expectations) for girls, but they had personalities that were almost frightenly abrasive and aggressive for the time period compared to any other books I've read. Judged in the way the women in the actual 19th century book I'm reading, every one of them would be the villain.
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at 19:45 on 2012-02-07Yeah, steampunk in general bothers me for a lot of similar reasons. Obviously fantasy is fantasy, but people native to the 'steampunk world' simply wouldn't be so self-consciously obsessed with the purely cosmetic trappings of steampunk (cogs, steam power, goggles, etc.) that for the bulk of the poulation would be everyday mundanities. It'd be like a character in a typical fantasy setting going apeshit over common swords and shields and campfires. The setting isn't so fresh these days that mere mention of its tropes excites interest. James Blaylock wrote better steampunk novels in the 80s.
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http://angmar-bucket.livejournal.com/
at 23:21 on 2012-02-07I must be one of the few people who just doesn't get the appeal of the Victorian era. It's in the past, but in the relatively recent past by historical standards. I'd love to read a supernatural thriller set in ancient Egypt, or Mongolia, or Mesopotamia, or something like that. And what about Japan? If Ms. Clare doesn't want to use people's surnames, she should set a book in feudal Japan, where once upon a time only the nobility had surnames and everyone else had to make due without them (of course, there are a lot of other Cultural Restrictions in that setting, so perhaps nevermind to that idea). I suppose medieval Japan wouldn't be "classy" and "posh" enough.
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valse de la lune
at 07:13 on 2012-02-08Ugh fuck no, there are enough crappy, orientalist, exotifying novels written by westerners about Japan as it is. Let hacks continue to wank over Victoriana and leave everything else alone, it's much less insulting than rampant cultural appropriation.
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Janne Kirjasniemi
at 11:36 on 2012-02-08Of course, the thing about the industrial revolution is that not only were people not that interested in the cosmetic trappings, many of them were actively opposed and hated by many people as the industrial revolution brought with it not just miracles of engineering, but also the negative effects, a burgeoning uncontrollable urban growth and poverty, problems with sanitation and health and the pollution caused by the many factories situated quite near city centers. Trains were feared or treated with suspicion and in general, there were many who regarded the progress as a negative thing destroying a world that they had grown used to. But enough about that. I was both fascinated and confused by this line:
Will smiled the way Lucifer might have smiled, moments before he fell from heaven.
I am having a hard time imagining the exact nature of this smile. So, moments before he was cast outside the light of god into perpetual metaphysical darkness, Lucifer was smiling? Was this smile masochistic, defiant, inappropriate, insane or lackadaisical? That's one tough angel. One could imagine that this is the exact sort of positive attitude that makes one able to turn abyss into the fastest growing afterlife enterprise in the christian universe, but on the other hand it might be that he thought he was actually winning and was smiling about it not noticing that archangel Mikael had tricked him to step above a hole in the clouds and he was only moments away from realizing, like Wile E. Coyote above a ravine, that there's a long drop to abyss opening under him. But what exactly was Will doing, that made him pucker out a smile resembling such a specific expression from a future archfiend? Did the author elaborate on this? Even with the above speculation, I can't imagine what sort of a smile it would actually be...
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Shim
at 12:23 on 2012-02-08I would love to read something fantastical about Victorian Japan written by someone competent. Sadly given how likely genre fiction is to get translated, that's probably contingent on me learning Japanese. Really must find more non-Western fantasy to read.
Frankly I'd also like to read some steampunk that wasn't about London; did nobody notice the whole "industrial north" business? The whole "Sheffield: steel capital of the world" business takes on a whole new meaning.
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at 15:03 on 2012-02-08Well, there are the Kai Lung stories Ernest Bramah wrote, though those come off to me more as a satire of the West's distorted idea of China than anything else. A less charitable person could consider them really insulting cultural appropriation I guess, but this is just so exaggerated that I can't believe he was taking it seriously or intending it to reflect on China as it actually was:
"O illustrious person," said Kai Lung very earnestly, "this is evidently an unfortunate mistake. Doubtless you were expecting some exalted Mandarin to come and render you homage, and were preparing to overwhelm him with gratified confusion by escorting him yourself to your well-appointed abode. Indeed, I passed such a one on the road, very richly apparelled, who inquired of me the way to the mansion of the dignified and upright Lin Yi. By this time he is perhaps two or three li towards the east." "However distinguished a Mandarin he may be, it is fitting that I should first attend to one whose manners and accomplishments betray him to be of the Royal House," replied Lin Yi, with extreme affability. "Precede me, therefore, to my mean and uninviting hovel, while I gain more honour than I can reasonably bear by following closely in your elegant footsteps, and guarding your Imperial person with this inadequate but heavily-loaded weapon."
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valse de la lune
at 15:30 on 2012-02-08I'm not entirely comfortable with a person who's not Chinese doing that, to be honest.
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Janne Kirjasniemi
at 15:52 on 2012-02-08What of Robert Van Gulik's Judge Dee stories? I don't know any better, but I did get the impression, that he tried to interpret traditional Chinese detective stories to a western audience and he did seem to do a lot of research on it.
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valse de la lune
at 16:02 on 2012-02-08I'm not familiar with them, but there was a film about the same character--that is, based on the same historical figure--made by actual Chinese people, so I'm predisposed to be more interested in that than in something by whoever Gulik was.
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https://me.yahoo.com/a/XN0WFW88y4QZqlu6627sTvW6qWXOhmhF#91b77
at 16:14 on 2012-02-08
Here
is an interesting article about cultural appropriation in speculative fiction. It touches on ways an author might deal with elements of a foreign culture tactfully. While a member of the culture in question could obviously be counted on to deal with it from a place of knowledge and sensitivity, there's nothing preventing people who aren't from doing so as well.
It's just that the 'invaders' (to use Shawl's terminology) tend to be more common. Dealing appropriately with complicated and sensitive subjects like foreign culture is difficult. Making matters worse, the English-speaking speculative fiction readership is largely comprised of white western people, who aren't exactly likely to notice and be vocally critical of cultural appropriation.
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valse de la lune
at 17:13 on 2012-02-08Oh, I've written reams
on that subject
on particular
books
, particular
occasions
.
Truth be told though? Westerners get my culture(s) so wrong most of the time that I'm inclined to run the fuck away when I see one of them try. I no longer read anything about my country that's by a white person. Why should I, when there're plenty of my countrypeople writing?
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at 17:34 on 2012-02-08Fair enough, seems like you've thought quite a bit more about this than I have, what with it directly concerning you and your culture (surprise: I'm a white guy).
Still, I think you go a bit far. An outsider's perspective is often useful, and can be educational; should white people only read white people's opinions on what white people are like? Surely not. The difference I guess is in the claim of 'authenticity'. Like in that book by Paolo Whatshisname you wrote about; it's set in Thailand and told from the perspective of Thai characters, and so really needs to display a deep understanding of the culture, but he proceeds to prove his ignorance about it.
But say some other foreigner lived in Thailand for a period and wrote a book that drew from their genuine experiences with Thai people and their culture, from that foreign perspective? That would bring something much different to the story than what you'd get from a Thai author writing about their own culture and countrymen. I'm assuming, of course, that it doesn't just turn into more "white guy out-natives the natives" type of Dances with Wolves/Avatar/The Last Samurai crap.
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http://scipiosmith.livejournal.com/
at 18:37 on 2012-02-08
It's like Clare was unable to imagine a novel set in England that was not set in the Victorian era, unable to imagine a novel set in the Victorian era that was not set in England, and unable to imagine a novel set in either England or the Victorian era that did not include steam-and-clockwork-powered mechanical marvels.
It's occurred to me that, as you've described it, the Victorian English setting works as quite a nice paralell for the goings on around the villain. You have a society in which an established elite, perpetuating by blood, who come under assault by the little-thought-of underclass, and are completely blindsided by it due to their own complacency in their continuing place at the head of affairs. Meanwhile the revolutionary villain harnesses the desire of the working class to improve their station and uses it to sweep himself into power. This isn't just a YA urban fantasy, it's a metaphor for the rise of the Labour Movement and/or Irish Nationalism.
Pity it wasn't set in 1868, the Hyde Park riot could have been used as a backdrop.
Since I haven't actually read the book, does that make any sense at all?
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valse de la lune
at 20:20 on 2012-02-08
But say some other foreigner lived in Thailand for a period and wrote a book that drew from their genuine experiences with Thai people and their culture, from that foreign perspective? That would bring something much different to the story than what you'd get from a Thai author writing about their own culture and countrymen. I'm assuming, of course, that it doesn't just turn into more "white guy out-natives the natives" type of Dances with Wolves/Avatar/The Last Samurai crap.
Oh piss right the fuck off. Hahaha "genuine." God, white people like you are the very fucking worst. Jesus buggering cocks. I've read that shit and it's full of condescending assumptions, judgmental assholery, and general idiocy of every single flavor imaginable. It's the white expats living in Thailand that are the worst of all species of scum: racist, entitled, sexist, whiny. I have no idea why we give then long-term visas and if a political party promised to deport the whole fucking lot I'll vote for them with all my might, even if that same party also promises to club baby seals.
The idea that you believe POC need an outsider's perspective to educate us about our own culture/country is patronizing beyond belief. And very, very white. You didn't even have to tell me you were white.
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at 20:26 on 2012-02-08Jesus Christ, I'm sorry I offended you but that's not what I meant at all. I didn't mean white people could teach you about your own culture, I meant an outsider's perspective can teach you about how you come off *to other people*. The impression you make and all that. If you've read a lot of stuff written by expats and it's been largely crappy then fine, you've read more of that than I have and know better than I do about its failings. But I don't think it's a bad idea in principle, assuming it's approached with maturity and sensitivity (which according to you it isn't the bulk of the time). And what's up with your attack on 'genuine'? All I meant was, people who have real, actual, *genuine* interactions with people of different cultures might have something interesting to say about those interactions. They might also have soapboxes they want to get on to preach some "racist, entitled, sexist, whiny" message, but that's true of anything.
But seriously, you want to *punch me in the face* over this? If that would make you feel better, be my guest, but it's not going to change anything.
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at 20:42 on 2012-02-08OK, well you edited out the part where you want to punch me in the face. Is my face now safe? Look, I'm not *trying* to be patronizing, but I'll admit that if my comments were interpreted as you did that they would come across as very patronizing. I didn't mean them that way, and I could've worded myself better, given that it's obviously a sensitive subject for you. It's a complex issue and I'm certainly not an expert on it (duh!). I do think outsider perspectives can have value if they're handled well, but maybe when it comes to culture that's an unattainable ideal.
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valse de la lune
at 20:46 on 2012-02-08"Genuine" is a favorite buzzword used by a certain type of bleeding-heart liberal slacktivists who go around backpacking through Asia (usually on their gap year, because white people
love this sort of thing
), write travelogues, and congratulate themselves over how
amazingly genuine and insightful
they are. In fact, the bulk of travel literature is nothing but exotifying claptrap writing by smug self-satisfied privileged white people who know nobody'll question their shit and buy into how "genuine" their dreck is.
I didn't mean white people could teach you about your own culture, I meant an outsider's perspective can teach you about how you come off *to other people*. The impression you make and all that.
Like the west in general and tourists particular don't tell us how they perceive us 24/7? I mean do you think... this... is... something... new? That there's a gaping void that begs to be filled? Westerners love nothing more than to lecture everyone else on what to do and how to do it in a way that'll appeal to them, westerners, better. At a global level my country is defined solely through the perspective of tourist guidebooks and exploitative expat scum. Everything has already been said,
you people
can't stop blathering on, you people can't just shut the fuck up and
listen
. Whites have an opinion on every fucking thing and love nothing more than to shout those opinions (even if their opinions are
insulting/based on generalizations/on three days' vacation
), and best of all while drowning out the opinions that actually matter. Like, you know, the opinions of insiders. Who know what they're talking about.
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Janne Kirjasniemi
at 20:55 on 2012-02-08Do you happen to remember the english name if any of that film? It would be nice to see it.
I wasn't meaning to puff Van Gulik, it was just something that popped into my head. They're pretty good detective strories, but I don't really know what there is to get terribly excited about in them, if one can read the originals. Van Gulik was a Netherlandish diplomat who worked in China during the Second World War. I remember reading that he translated some of the original stories into english. Whether they(his stories) are in anyways accurate about Qing dynasty China or its justice system or what in general is to be made of them, I don't know. Hmm, according to wikipedia, one of them was translated to chinese. Doesn't mention how it was received, though.
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valse de la lune
at 20:59 on 2012-02-08
Detective Dee and the Mystery of the Phantom Flame.
It's an interesting reimagining of China with a queen as the sole ruling monarch. There's at least one wuxia show IIRC that features the same historical personage as well. He's a popular one.
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at 20:59 on 2012-02-08
Like the west in general and tourists particular don't tell us how they perceive us 24/7? I mean do you think... this... is... something... new? That there's a gaping void that begs to be filled?
Well according to your own post, doing it well *would* be something new! Granted, I would like to see more attention paid to insider perspectives in speculative fiction too. I'm really tired of medieval Europe (or America in Space) being the default setting and cliched western views of other cultures are worse. Are there any good Thai spec fic authors you might recommend? In translation, of course.
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valse de la lune
at 21:07 on 2012-02-08Hahaha the thought of Thai genre writers being translated. Heh heh heh. Nope. The Anglophonic publishing industry isn't generally super-interested in things that aren't English-language. Even works from parts of Western Europe that don't speak English don't cross over very often (hey Gollancz, what's holding up that translation of
Time of Contempt
?). There aren't even good translations of some well-known Chinese epics.
Sightseeing
by Rattawut Lapcharoensap is fairly okay, and it's by an actual Thai person too! Not SF/F, but what the hell.
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Janne Kirjasniemi
at 21:29 on 2012-02-08On that subject, there is a rare Finnish specfic book which is(I think) actually good, by Johanna Sinisalo, which has been translated into english, called
Not before sundown
. It's about a gay photographer who rescues a young troll. It is really a shame that lack of translations. There's been lot's of people I know learning chinese here so I should probably try it out as well.
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Michal
at 02:10 on 2012-02-09
Even works from parts of Western Europe that don't speak English don't cross over very often (hey Gollancz, what's holding up that translation of Time of Contempt?).
Poland is considered part of Western Europe now? I guess I should be proud.
But yes, the imbalance is hugely frustrating; last time I was in a Polish bookshop half the stuff there was Polish translations of English works and actual Polish books were squeezed into their own little corner. Meanwhile, barely any fantastika from the whole of Russia, Poland, Ukraine et al has recently been available in the English-speaking world. Even honest-to-God classic works in French haven't been completely translated yet (You'd think you could find a complete English-language edition of Louis Sebastien Mercier's Tableau de Paris, but nooooo); let alone works from, uh, most of Asia and Africa.
As for the topic of writing outside of the usual Victorian London/western medieval setting, here's thing: I would love to see a steampunk novel set in St. Petersburg, say. I just wouldn't want Cassandra Clare to write it. Because, you know, Daniel can snigger at Claire's not-really-London, but I think she'd step into unbelievable levels of failure if she tried to take on a culture or place "outside the norm". If anglophone authors can't even seem to get Russia right 80% of the time, how well do we expect them to do with non-white cultures?
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valse de la lune
at 06:02 on 2012-02-09Herp, I should've said
Europe
period.
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Shim
at 13:41 on 2012-02-09Okay,
Sightseeing
and
Not Before Sundown
added to reading list. Other suggestions welcome! Currently working my way through Alexey Pehov and Fflur Dafydd.
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Michal
at 16:23 on 2012-02-09If you want to add some early Polish horror to the list, Shimmin, a little bit of Stefan Grabinski has made it into English (and unlike most cases, the translation is actually quite good). He's a personal favourite of mine.
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Shim
at 19:53 on 2012-02-09Thanks Michal, I've made a note of it.
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http://angmar-bucket.livejournal.com/
at 22:30 on 2012-02-09All this being said, I'd still like to see more fantasy books set in other places and in other time periods. They're hard to find, and the ones I actually like are even harder. (To be fair, any time after the 1300s I generally find boring, and in my opinion the world really lost its shine after Trilobite and the early Tetrapods went extinct, but there you go...)
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Dan H
at 23:46 on 2012-02-09Wow that's a lot of comments...
From the top
@Arthur:
To be fair, maybe she could imagine such a novel, but she (or her publishers) couldn't imagine it selling better.
I don't think that's the case though - it's not a steampunk text, it's a YA urban fantasy with vampires and wizards, its chief selling point isn't the fact that it's got quasi-steampunky elements, it's that it's got hot boys.
@alankria:
I love you so much for saying this and for quoting poetry and for putting into words something that has bothered me about Steampunk Londonland for a while. Thank you.
Thanks. Like I say in the article I've actually mellowed a lot on Steampunk (I basically think of it as fantasy with more modern technology these days). I think the reason the poetry bugged me so much was that she'd put so much effort into picking "authentic" period poems for her quotes, and then had something made up for the big introductory piece. It's like writing a book about the life of Jesus, peppering the text with lines from the gospels, and opening with a long pseudo-biblical passage you got a mate to write.
@Sister Magpie:
As someone who once was an American girl who had never been to England, I sort of want to hug it just for that too because it is so naked in its appeal.
I know! It's kind of adorable.
@angmar-bucket:
I must be one of the few people who just doesn't get the appeal of the Victorian era. It's in the past, but in the relatively recent past by historical standards.
I think it's the recentness that makes it so interesting in some ways. It's a world that's recognisably *not* the world we live in now, but is also recognisably very *similar* to it. I had no problem with the book being set in Victorian England (although I kind of think Victorian New York would have been cooler and less done to death) - just with its being filtered through the cogs-and-steam lens.
@scipiosmith:
It's occurred to me that, as you've described it, the Victorian English setting works as quite a nice paralell for the goings on around the villain.
Interesting, I'd been thinking something similar (although to be honest I know crap all about the history), but it strikes me that the problem as always has to do with the fact that the guy is, well, the villain. Because trying to take power away from people who inherited it through no virtue of their own is bad.
Sorry for the bulk post, I feel like I've just written one of those circular Christmas emails.
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Cammalot
at 02:59 on 2012-02-10I like the bustles. They validate my African-esque physique. (What?)
As far as actual (UK) plots and dramas go, I kind of prefer the Edwardians to the Victorians. Massive societal change, changes in self-perception and whatnot...filling the gaps in my knowledge of WW1, which is technically after, but *right* after, and always seems to get included...
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http://fishinginthemud.livejournal.com/
at 15:36 on 2012-03-10I want to point out that it's frightening how easily writing reasonably well-received fanfiction inflates the ego. I wrote a drabble a few years ago and got some praise for it from people I didn't know, and I walked around for the next month thinking I was Hemingway.
I didn't try to write a novel, or anything, but I can see where this poor Clare woman is coming from. And of course she's a bestseller now, so she doesn't have to care what anyone thinks. I doubt I would either.
By the way, I hope it's okay for me to comment on an older article this way. I also wanted to let you all know that your podcasts have at least one other American listener.
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http://mary-j-59.livejournal.com/
at 18:53 on 2012-03-10Valse de la Lune, I'd like to point out something about Ernest Bramah, whom my mom and my sister have enjoyed enormously. He's not really writing about China at all. He's poking fun at his own culture. One of the wittiest stories in the collection deals with the rise of insurers and insurance agencies, and I don't believe for a moment that's something the West got from China, though we certainly appropriated many other things.
No offense, I hope.
BTW, I can't help thinking that there is also a difference between a genuine Victorian or Edwardian being unconsciously racist, and a modern person being so. Surely one ought to be far more offended by the modern author? Or am I wrong about that?
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Dan H
at 23:37 on 2012-03-10
I didn't try to write a novel, or anything, but I can see where this poor Clare woman is coming from. And of course she's a bestseller now, so she doesn't have to care what anyone thinks. I doubt I would either.
To give Ms Clare her due, I *do* think she's got better. As I've mentioned several times before, even writing a *bad* book is much harder than people think.
By the way, I hope it's okay for me to comment on an older article this way.
That's absolutely fine, we get comments on articles *years* after they go up, it's nice in a way because it lets us know the old content isn't dead.
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http://fishinginthemud.livejournal.com/
at 01:48 on 2012-03-11
To give Ms Clare her due, I *do* think she's got better.
From what I could tell, never having read any of her books and knowing only that she plagiarized a lot of people in her fanfiction, she had nowhere to go but up. I was always puzzled by the fanon Draco thing, and with the idea of "fanon" characters in general; I would have thought if you were going to change the guy's entire personality, you might as well give him a new name and write your own book about him. I now realize that was bad advice in Clare's case.
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Furare
at 09:30 on 2012-03-11By the end of HP, if you wanted to write a fanfic about any three-dimensional, moderately well-realised character, you'd end up not being true to the character as presented in the text. Just saying.
Mind you, I never understood the "fanon Draco" phenomenon either. It's much more satisfying to try to make the bugger vaguely sympathetic while preserving the notion that he's actually kind of a bastard.
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Michal
at 16:51 on 2012-08-19
Cassandra Clare made it on the NPR "100 Best-ever Teen Novels" list. Twice.
Meanwhile, I don't think Jane Yolen was even on the long list.
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https://me.yahoo.com/a/pwQl65QjyO_qKzMVXCk4NkWmA93bTB40uqFXg0tjtoso59j2K3E-#74262
at 11:06 on 2013-09-03People in the nineteenth century didn't give a crap about steam and cogs? One poet at least was an exception:
http://www.kipling.org.uk/poems_mcandrew.htm
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Dan H
at 13:04 on 2013-09-03Umm, pretty sure that poem isn't about steam and cogs at all - it's about being a Scots Calvinist boiler worker. It's no more about steam than From a Railway Carriage is about electricity or Radio Ga-Ga is about electromagnetic radiation.
Also, that's one poem by one poet in which the word "steam" features, that's hardly a national preoccupation.
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Fishing in the Mud
at 21:32 on 2013-09-04I can understand wanting to use a motif for the time period, but it's weird to focus on one specific thing that you don't have any actual experience with. It's like if people wanted to evoke the information age in 150 years and wrote poems all about USB ports and cat-5 cables.
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Dan H
at 19:20 on 2013-09-05
It's like if people wanted to evoke the information age in 150 years and wrote poems all about USB ports and cat-5 cables.
I really, really hope this happens.
How doth the little USB
improve each shining hour,
And transfer data all the day,
'twixt laptop, phone and tower.
#Ferretbrain#The Mortal Instruments#The Infernal Devices#Cassandra Clare#Steampunk#Victorian Times#Dan H
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BnHA Chapter 219: Two Good Boys and One Unlucky Broker
Previously on BnHA: Katsuki and Shouto had their licenses for all of 30 minutes (literally) before deciding to put them to the test. But let’s backtrack a bit! It was a beautiful snowy day in December and class 1-A was chilling out and watching the news. We were introduced to a company called Detnerat, and their CEO who’s apparently a big fan of this dead terrorist guy named Destro who wrote a book about quirk supremacy and how people with superpowers need to rise up and liberate themselves and shit. It’s actually really interesting and I can see how these ideas would create a divide within hero society much like Stain’s ideology did. But anyway, so the CEO casually murdered his assistant for mocking these ideas, so that was deeply horrifying. And then he went to meet with some other villains (because yeah! he’s a villain, apparently!) who are apparently descendants of Destro (as is he, I presume), and they talked about how they’re gonna arrange a meetup with the League of Villains so that they can FUCK THEM UP. Plot twist! Anyways and then we cut to some hapless citizens who were being robbed by some banditos, and that’s when Katsuki and Shouto showed up as previously mentioned. So let’s see how this goes!
Today on BnHA: Katsuki and Shouto take on Soda Sam (who I really did think was Aizawa’s old buddy for much longer than I’m proud to admit though), who fights back with some pressurized water jets. All Might saves a stupid Instagram lady and Katsuki saves the both of them, and also recovers everyone’s stolen wallets, because he’s a fucking boy scout now that the provisional course is over. Meanwhile Shouto whips out the ol’ hot+cold power combo of sports festival fame and knocks the villain out. Afterwards the two of them are enthusiastically congratulated by a pro hero called Slidin’ Go (who’s secretly evil, as it turns out, because this is a very strange arc) and hair ruffled by All Might and it’s fucking great you guys. We then cut back to the Detnerat guys, who bring in Giran, a.k.a. the League of Villains’ black market broker who just so happens to have balls of fucking steel. Good thing too, because the DetCEO plans to use him to track down and lure out the League so he can take care of them. Lastly, we cut over to said League, whose members are currently in the process of having their asses handed to them by Gigantomachia and are really not looking too hot, oh dear.
(As always, all comments not marked with an ETA are my mostly-unspoiled reactions from my first readthrough of this chapter. I’m caught up with the manga now at chapter 225 -- I haven’t read 226 yet -- so any ETAs will reflect that.)
so it’s come to this. the Symbol of Peace, reduced to directing traffic
listen kid, you’ll have time for autographs later all right? for now just DO AS THE MAN SAYS
meanwhile Shouto’s being a badass
Bakugou may be out of his element in the cold (and we’ll see if this poses a problem for him--he’s only got one gauntlet on top of that), but this lil lukewarm lad is fine and dandy
loooooll
you tell ‘em Shouto. that’s some nice property damage there son. I hope Katsuki tries to keep his own quirk contained, the last thing we need is you guys getting billed Mt. Lady style for destroying fucking main street here all of 25 minutes after getting those licenses laminated
(ETA: I guess he didn’t actually do any lasting damage though? hopefully nothing got flood damaged when he melted all of that afterwards.)
the title of the chapter is “go! sliding go!” which sounds like fun. sounds like more icy goodness
(ETA: why did they name this chapter after the weirdly unsettling and secretly evil THE FULLLLLL BULLPENNN hero, though?? my working theory is that it was Horikoshi’s way of ensuring we wouldn’t just immediately forget he existed so that we could be properly surprised when he returned a few chapters later.)
anyway so Aizawa’s cloudy friend is shaking off the ice, and now he’s chewing the boys out for fucking up his big purse-snatching operation
all that for a handful of wallets?? seriously??
LMAO
I don’t know if it’s that I’m becoming more like him, or if he’s just becoming more like me. but either way Katsuki you gotta get out of my head there kiddo, I’m starting to worry here
by the way is it just me or is he actually higher up than he was just a few seconds ago. are you actually climbing this thing. drunk on adrenaline or what
anyway so Kumo, who may or may not actually be him but we’re just assuming for now, is explaining that he controls carbonated water and he lives for thrills. his words. not mine
okay first of all, no you don’t. fucking no one in this series has more resolve than that lil monkey slowly inching his way up towards that traffic light there
and second, you spent a whole goddamn month planning a purse heist. where the fuck did you get these airs you’re putting on dude
wow you guys
I feel like we should be placing bets not on whether Baku and Todo will win, but on how long it’ll actually take them. I’m thinking not very fucking long
(ETA: this whole thing is wrapped up within ten pages. I could have literally have been present on the scene, said to myself “my what a lovely snowy day, I think I’ll go buy myself some hot chocolate,” ducked into the Starbucks on the corner, and it would have all been over by the time I stepped back out. “you missed it!!” shouts the excited ‘it’s All Might’ kid from page one. “there was ice and explosions and this stupid lady almost got All Might crushed with a pole!”)
MY DUDES WHAT IS THIS??
SIX IN ONE GO. THIS HIGH SCHOOLER IS THE FUTURE NUMBER ONE HERO I’LL HAVE YOU SUCKERS KNOW
AHHAHAHAHAHA
I’M LOVING IT. I’M LOVING THIS. FUCK ‘EM UPPPPP KATSUKI
WHERE’S THAT RESOLVE OF YOURS NOWWWWW
holy shit. it occurs to me that this is only the third time in the series we’ve actually seen him fight real villains. and the second time was at Kamino, and he was pretty much just on the defensive there and trying to keep them all at a distance, so it’s debatable whether or not that really counts. so basically this is the first time since USJ that he’s gotten to just let loose against a bunch of mooks. and I’ve only just realized how much I wanted this omg
apparently he wanted it too lol. also I’m surprised and extremely impressed that he can control his trajectory that well with only one arm. gives me hope that Shouto’ll be going airborne like his pop any day now
anyway so Kumo? is fighting back though
watch out Katsuki he’s got seltzer and he’s not afraid to use it
okay but damn though
is this fucking seltzer water slicing through this metal lamp post??
I just took a brief break from reading this chapter to go look up “water saw” videos on YouTube to try and get an idea of what exactly we may be dealing with there. and well, I found this. so uh. depends on what kind of firepower that thing on his arm is packing I guess. but he might be more trouble than I anticipated
meanwhile!
ALL MIGHT LET HER GO IT’S NATURAL SELECTION
FUCK
IF THIS STUPID LADY GETS ALL MIGHT KILLED IN FRONT OF THESE TWO BOYS WHO WERE SO GUNG-HO ABOUT FINALLY GETTING THEIR LICENSES, SHE BETTER PRAY THE GATES OF HELL CAN PROTECT HER BECAUSE I’M GONNA GET ME SOME FUCKING BOLT CUTTERS AND FOLLOW HER DOWN THERE MARK MY WORDS
OH THANK GOD
oh my goddddd
first of all, whew. and second of all I’m so glad Horikoshi let him have that moment, rather than Shouto. just in case there were any lingering haters out there thinking his heart still wasn’t in the right place and that the only reason he was all TEAM RESCUE, BITCHES in the previous arc was because he wanted to win
and I mean, he did, obviously. but IT CAN BE TWO THINGS, and now we have a nice little moment here with him rescuing his dad (whose body moved before he could think, AS USUAL) and this stupid lady who put her Instagram above her own fucking life
meanwhile
okay Shouto you have my permission to kick his ass
yeah go ahead and fuck him up
WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAT
PETITION TO PUT SHOUTO IN “GUESS I’VE GOT NO CHOICE” SITUATIONS MORE OFTEN
wow not!Kumo, he is literally the worst possible opponent you could have had huh. sucks to be you
lol Katsuki’s mad that Shouto got to be a badass
they’re getting along so well now. Shouto completely knows how to handle him, he’s like a Kirishima 2.0. he just completely ignores the fact that Katsuki is shrieking insults, and responds as though the questions were phrased normally
and Katsuki actually answers him despite everything. I know it’s crazy, but this is seriously progress
now Dad is running over to make sure they’re okay
“oh, All Might. didn’t see you there. we were just out here being heroic heroes. [stretches casually; yawns] all in a day’s work”
at least he didn’t reference his kidnapping! Kacchan’s protesting but really that’s the best he could have hoped for
so the dude’s asking if they did all of this and uh, yeah. who do think they are, amateurs? I’ll have you know they have provisional licenses, sir
did this motherfucker just pull 13 fucking wallets out of fucking hammerspace to hand over. Link?? is that you??
holy shit. is that why your pants were always so baggy?? WERE YOU JUST BEING PREPARED THIS WHOLE TIME
so not only did Katsuki not destroy so much as an inch of public property (aside from the pole which was already destroyed), he even had the forethought to rescue everyone’s wallets and hand them over to the authorities like the good law-abiding citizen he is
where the fuck is Gang Orca, I need to send that man a fucking fruit bouquet or something
oh my
new favorite panel alert
so this guy, whose name is apparently Sliding Go, says he’ll take care of the rest. okay. thanks man
meanwhile definitely!not!Kumo!mybad!sometimesI’mwrong’s little jet nozzle gauntlets are... exploding??
Detnerat? possibly??
good eye there Sherlock
so I wonder if they got them from Detnerat or from that black market guy the League’s associated with... Giran? I think is his name??
oh shit!!!
new new favorite panel alert
love how Shouto seems shocked at the unexpected gesture of fatherly affection (which hurts my heart. hey All Might you got room for a third son there), whereas Bakugou is just accepting it and probably even knew it was coming and is just trying to keep his cool and trying to calculate how long he can stand there basking in All Might’s pride before it starts to look like he’s actually enjoying it
sdflkjasldkj
SWEETHEART USE YOUR WORDS
Shoutooooooooo. ;_; that little smile is killing me, I’m melting. once the initial surprise wore off he was so happy. look at him shyly fumbling with his tie oh my baby I love you so much
oh to be a fly on the wall of that taxi cab. watching the two of them sit in the backseat as far away from each other as possible and looking out the window and being so pleased with themselves after all their hard work finally paid off. and meanwhile All Might in the front seat next to the driver, peeking at them in the rearview mirror and smiling softly
also fly!me would definitely try to sneak a peek at Katsuki’s fucking hero license because HORIKOSHI COME THE FUCK ON ALREADY WHY IS IT ALWAYS SECRET AFTER FUCKING SECRET
and I guess that’s that! a very satisfying fight that lasted all of 10 pages but had several cool moves, an opponent with a cool quirk, and several character development moments! that’s how it’s done! god this series has been fucking killing it lately I swear. I hope I’m not jinxing it but this is some good shit. the artwork and pacing are great, I’m liking the new plot so far... just, keep it up, Horikoshi, please
(ETA: for real though he is crushing it)
so now we’re cutting back to the ol’ villain corporate office in Gotham City or wherever
ah, so it was Detnerat!
well I can’t say this is a huge surprise. I imagine the villain market was too tempting to pass up
!!!
I swear to god this had better be more entertaining than the last League of Villains team-up
so now this dude with the shiniest, most luxurious hair I’ve ever seen is explaining that he worked fast because DetCEO told him “do so at once” and his words are the words of Destro
damn so there’s a pretty clear hierarchy here huh
OH SHIT
THAT’S FUCKING GIRAN. THAT’S THE DUDE. WHAT THE FUCK DID THEY DO TO HIM?? FIRST A MURDER IN THE PREVIOUS CHAPTER AND NOW THE LEAGUE OF VILLAINS’ FAVORITE BROKER IS GETTING FUCKING TORTURED BY CORPORATE THUGS, WHAT THE FUCK. ARE WE IN FOR ANOTHER HARDCORE ARC
(ETA: indeed we are, but this one is so much better though.)
careful, he’s sensitive and clearly not afraid to kill a bitch for less than that, Giran
!!
“the old man”?? is he talking about DetCEO’s father? or his? surely he’s not talking about AFO?
so now President Why So Serious is asking him how much he wants
and Giran is all “I happen to be picky about who I do business with, and since you all just kidnapped and beat the shit out of me, I’m inclined to say ‘no’ here”
(ETA: Giran is a stand up guy and it cost him a fucking hand. well that’s the risk you run when you work in the criminal underworld I guess.)
holy shit Giran
RIP Giran 2015-2019
but damn though, I gotta hand it to the guy, he’s got a bigger pair than I ever expected
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH
okay so I’m just gonna post the whole page and break it down
GIRAN IS FUCKED. THIS GUY IS A MANIAC AND HE’S LEGIT GONNA TORTURE THE INFO OUT OF HIM HOLY SHIT
AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH, AGAIN
GIGANTOMACHIA IS FUCKING INSANE
AND HOW DID HE GET SO BIG
AND IS COMPRESS FUCKING DEAD. AND WHAT DID YOU DO TO MY BEST VILLAIN GIRL TOGA OMG
SPINNER IF THERE WAS EVER A TIME TO REVEAL YOUR QUIRK AND HAVE IT TURN OUT TO BE REALLY BADASS IT’S NOW BUDDY
DABI AREN’T YOU GLAD YOU WERE OUT PLANNING NOUMU SHIT WITH HAWKS AND NOT DEALING WITH THIS UTTER SHITSHOW
IS IT JUST ME OR DOES TOMURA LOOK A LITTLE BUFFER THAN BEFORE? YOU BEEN LIFTING BRO
HOW AND WHY DID THEY GET TO THESE CLIFFS IN THE MIDDLE OF FUCKING NOWHERE
LAST BUT NOT LEAST, GIGANTO YOU’D BETTER WATCH IT, BECAUSE TOMURA MORE THAN LIKELY IS TRYING TO THINK OF A WAY TO BEAT YOU WITHOUT KILLING YOU, BUT IF HE DOES DECIDE HE WANTS TO KILL YOU, YOU’LL BE PRETTY HARD-PRESSED TO STOP HIM DUDE
oh my god. this is three awesome chapters in a row now. BnHA is killing it, seriously
#bnha#boku no hero academia#bakugou katsuki#todoroki shouto#all might#redestro#giran#league of villains#bnha spoilers#mha spoilers#makeste reads bnha#so guess who just noticed slidin' go's got a big ol' arrow plastered on his crotch#me#you guessed it#why is this man so sinister#him and his lack of friction#I can't believe he hugged my children#tomura you had better dust this cheeky mofo
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I was glad to see you enjoyed my Top 10 ask. You did mention you had a ranking for the arcs - would you do a ranking for them? Like, worst to best? (My guess (of the arcs you've finished): Internship arc, Hero Killer Arc, License Exam, USJ, Intro Arc, Culture Fest, Battle Trial, Pro-Hero arc, Final Exams, Sports Fest, Camino Ward, DvKp2; since you haven't liveblogged Joint Training Arc yet, no clue.) Just curious.
good morning evening everyone, and welcome to another Wednesday episode of “makeste tries to answer asks from two months ago while on the bus.” this one is a bit of an interesting challenge since it involves ranking and that always takes me a long time, but as you said, I did have an ongoing ranking of the arcs in my head, so we’ll see. at the very least the ones at the beginning and end shouldn’t be too hard, and you can probably guess them already. (in fact, you actually did.)
(ETA: yeah this took me two sittings to do, so I ended up posting it on the ride home lol. I just like BnHA you guys. almost as much as I like talking about how much I like it!)
okay so here goes.
14. Basement arc - yeah so let’s just go ahead and get this over with. this is the one and only BnHA arc that I actually dislike. fortunately it’s an outlier and suffered from a bunch of one-time issues, most of which stem from the fact that Horikoshi was apparently trying to write a longer and darker arc than usual. well he succeeded! and thankfully learned his lesson. and at least this arc gave us Eri and Mirio and some good Kirishima flashbacks and Chekov’s Quirk-Be-Gone bullets and the Highway to Hell. hopefully the anime can improve on the rest.
13. Provisional License arc - okay, so it might surprise a few people that this arc is all the way down here. let me explain. this is a perfectly fine arc, and I like it well enough, but it’s a bit longer than it needs to be, and not that much happens in it aside from our introduction to best boy Yoarashi Inasa, and the Great Toga Conspiracy (which is admittedly excellent). there are some great moments (Aoyama doing his best impression of “THE BEACONS ARE LIT” from RotK comes to mind), but overall it’s fairly forgettable, and it suffers from being placed directly in between my two absolute favorite arcs, which means I have a tendency to overlook it, which isn’t really the arc’s fault.
12. Hero Killer arc - this one is interesting because I really lost patience with it during my first read-through, but strangely enough when I watched it in the anime I actually really enjoyed it. it was also much shorter than I remembered. I’ve belatedly realized that reading it while doing commentary really slowed me down, because for the parts that I wasn’t feeling, doing the commentary took a long time and also left me dwelling on a lot of the things I didn’t like. but in actuality, Stain’s Annoying Rants aside, this is a pretty enjoyable arc full of Big Hero 6 flashbacks, hot revenge-driven Iida, Gran Torino’s introduction, Deku learning full cowl, Bakugou’s Best Jeanist internship, and Todoroki saving Deku and Iida’s lives by being glued to his phone when he really should have been paying attention to his own internship. get off that social media already Shouto.
11. USJ arc - this is a great arc, but it just feels small compared to everything that happens afterward. but it’s fun to look back on because there are lots of little hints for future developments to come. the traitor theory, for instance. and this is also our introduction to the League and to Tomura and the Noumu. and that final fight between All Might and the Noumu is still one of my favorite scenes in the whole series, especially in the anime. it’s so fucking good you guys. shit.
10. Intro arc - just FYI, I lump everything from the first chapter up until USJ into one arc since it’s easier. anyways, so this is roughly on the same level as USJ, but gets a slight edge because there are some iconic moments here. namely, the first chapter (which is still one of the best shounen intro chapters I’ve ever read, if not the best); Kacchan VS Deku 1; the entrance exam; and our introduction to the rest of class 1-A, particularly Ochako and Iida. oh, and Aizawa! gotta love how he starts out all ready to expel some bitches only to wind up falling in love with the whole class. fatherhood agrees with him.
9. Band AU arc - I actually love this arc. I just love all of the ones above it on the list a bit more, and I can’t really justify it being any higher than this. but it has The Band and the Babysitting Squad and Mirio being the best big brother in the world and Eri being just ridiculously, astonishingly cute. Gentle and La Brava are also great villains, if not quite my favorites. there are a few questionable plot holes in the arc, and it lacks any sort of big impact on the rest of the series, but it’s basically a canon filler arc and it’s so much fun and I can’t wait to see it animated.
8. Fanfic Lodge arc - you guys this arc started out so fucking cute and ended up so fucking tense. and this was our intro to the League of Villains proper, including Spinner, Twice, Tuxedo Mask, the prodigal Todoroki son, and my best girl Toga. Deku VS Muscular is still hard for me to read (his liiiiiiiimbs) but it’s one of Deku’s best moments regardless. and the angst at the end of the arc is almost unparalleled. god I love it.
7. Final Exam arc - a.k.a. the one where all the kids team up with each other to shoot their teachers in the fucking face. this arc has it all: Momo character development, Bakugou character development, TodoMomo, BakuDeku, and Aizawa being a total badass. (and All Might too, but he’s kind of overkill tbh. which is its own kind of awesome though.) there’s so much good stuff in this arc that this description is a bit vague because if I got any more specific we’d be here all day. it’s just a lot of good stuff that I like.
6. Joint Training arc - dudes I love this arc so much. class B and their array of ridiculously awesome quirks! class A and their impeccable teamwork! Bakugou joining the OFA Scooby Squad and showing off his new WIN AND RESCUE COMBO! Monoma! Shinsou!! SIXQUIRKS!!! god there’s so much great content.
5. Endeavorhawks arc - this arc would be even higher except that it’s a bit short (though it’s perfectly paced, so that might actually be a plus) and it doesn’t feature as many of my faves. but Hawks’s intro + our intro to The Great Noumu Conspiracy + Todoroki Family Drama + some of the best character development I’ve seen in a shounen manga (god I still can’t get over what a ballsy move it is to try and redeem Endeavor) = solid gold. and it’s so well done. and caps off with one of the best plot twists in the series to date, which sets up what promises to be one hell of an interesting arc later down the line. just. it’s so good. possibly the best-written arc to date, even if it doesn’t quite top my list.
4. My Villain Academia arc - and this isn’t even done yet!! and it’s still already this high!! Tomura flashbacks! Toga flashbacks! TOUYA FLASHBACKS???! (we’ll see??) creepy cults! my new favorite character One-Handed Giran, the biggest badass in the whole fucking series! worldbuilding for days! Dr. Robotnik! more Noumu shit! etc. etc. this arc has been non-stop goodness and I almost feel spoiled at this point.
3. Sports Festival arc - the most fun of all the arcs. I have rewatched the cavalry battle in the anime like a bazillion times. there used to be this show on Nickelodeon called Wild & Crazy Kids where kids teamed up for all these zany competitions (water balloons were usually involved), and I fucking loved that show, and parts of this arc kinda have that same kind of spirit. it’s just fun. and then to top it all off we have our Shouto character development, as well as Bakugou’s little character arc that he also has which is excellent. not to mention what is probably Ochako’s most badass moment to date. love it.
2. Kamino arc - guyyyys where do I even start? this arc is perfection. good VS evil. All Might taking a stand even when he’s got nothing left in the tank, because the world needs him and he won’t let them down. the sheer visceral terror of AFO’s introduction. my favorite character getting fucking kidnapped and being brave AF and his friends rallying to save him yesssss. and the reveal of All Might’s secret, which is arguably the most powerful scene in the series. I get chills every time. “my heart is still the heart of the symbol of peace.” if All Might had announced at that moment that he was starting a new religion I would have been like “yeah okay.” I would follow him to the ends of the earth. how can one man be that selfless and brave. anyways this arc is absolutely incredible and objectively one of the best in all of shounen.
1. Deku VS Kacchan Part 2 - nothing to see here, just two boys who’ve known each other since they were in diapers, who’ve done everything together and have always been together but have never actually understood each other until now. just the two of them finally opening up to each other, because the one who always tried to act so tough actually isn’t that tough, in truth, and in spite of everything, he trusts the other enough to let his guard down around him this one time. just two rivals, sorting out their shit and figuring out what it all really means. and their dad, helping to facilitate the whole thing because he knows that one day, somewhere down the road, this bond between them will mean absolutely everything. is this really even an arc?? it’s only like six chapters, and only one event actually takes place. but do I care?? yeah, no. Deku and Kacchan’s relationship is the series to me, so yeah. to me it counts as an arc. and not just any arc, but the best arc.
so there you have it! I hope I haven’t accidentally left something out lol. but this should hopefully be a pretty definitive list, at least for now. looking back at all of this really makes it sink in just how good of a story this is, though. damn.
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BnHA Chapter 109: Rescue Exercise
Previously on BnHA: Bakugou and Deku’s groups met up after passing phase one of the exam. Bakugou eyed Deku and was all, “I see you made that *~*~*BORROWED POWER*~*~* your own,” which caused me to lose my shit, but then he walked off without saying anything further. Aoyama and Iida were big damn heroes, but Aoyama really took the cake, firing up his laser and using it as a beacon to draw in the remaining class 1-A strays so that they could all regroup and pass. Which they did, with not a second to spare. Back in the anteroom, the 100 remaining examinees were directed to watch as the examiners demolished the testing field with a series of explosions, and then announced that phase two of the exam would be a rescue operation.
Today on BnHA: The exam guys explain that the second part of the test will involve rescuing old folks and little kids from a mock disaster site. The “victims” are professional actors who basically do this for a living. While the group waits for phase two to begin, Sero gossips to the others about Deku and the Weird Naked Girl from Shiketsu Academy. Meanwhile a polite Yeti from Shiketsu comes to apologize to Bakugou on behalf of his dick classmate (the meat lump guy from a couple chapters ago). Shouto goes up to Yoarashi and is all “is it just me or do you hate my guts” and Yoarashi is all “yeah I do, cuz your eyes remind me of Endeavor’s.” Phase two begins and the kids set off a-rescuin’. Deku gets chewed out for not being smiley enough, but recovers. Ochako decides she’s going to stop acting like she’s in a shoujo manga for the time being, which, finally!! The exam continues, with a plot twist or two very clearly on the horizon.
(As always, all comments not marked with an ETA are my unspoiled reactions from my first readthrough of this chapter. I’ve read up through chapter 148 now, so any ETAs will reflect that.)
~new volume time~!
oh. yeahhh
now that’s the shit I do like. my boys being two sides of the same coin
and in the background it looks like Yoarashi and Todoroki are indeed being rivals, and Todo looks to be embracing his fire side at long last!
and is that Gang Orca just randomly there in the background also or what
anyway
“IT’S ABOUT YOUR QUIRK FUCKWIPE”
(ETA: after this volume, FA got a new translator, and I feel like this was the original translator’s last hurrah lol. to be fair, the guy apparently had a ton of impact on early BnHA fandom. he was even the one who came up with “quirk” as a translation for kosei which obviously stuck. but all the same, I’ve definitely noticed a steep drop in the number of profanities uttered in FA’s translations since he left.)
oh my god shit’s gonna hit the fan. fucking finally. they wouldn’t have brought it up out of the blue in the previous chapter unless things were about to come to a head! I smell another Kacchan essay coming on before these next nine chapters are done
wow look at this title page though
Todoroki looks very ~moody~ here and I can’t help but feel more daddy angst is on the horizon. there’s got to be some reason why the otherwise stand-up guy Yoarashi keeps looking at him like he smells something bad
yay the character page has the characters in action again instead of just profile pictures of them! for a little while I was afraid Horikoshi was running out of steam to keep doing these. I really like them every time he does one and this is no exception
Bakugou looks like he’s gotten more jacked. been hittin the gym
is Tokoyami using Dark Shadow to fly...? can he do that?
Rat Principal’s just sitting there in All Might’s lap. interesting to see him here; I assume this means more plot stuff is on the horizon. WHO IS THE TRAITOR
poor Kirishima, shown here a split second away from falling flat on his face
Jirou is perfect as always, I wonder if she’s ever not been perfect
go away Mineta
anyways. on to the chapter
so the first thing I wondered upon reading this opening panel (“we’ll be having you conduct rescues as ‘bystanders’ at this disaster site”) is, what the fuck do they mean by “bystanders.” but thankfully the kids are asking the exact same thing
oh, you did it as a lesson once. REMEMBER? no I don’t fucking remember because I wasn’t there. I can’t believe you did a bystander rescue lesson without me. fuck you guys!
they’re saying that they won’t be acting as ordinary citizens, but as people who’ve already secured a provisional license. so basically, heroes who happened to be onsite during the disaster
and there are the old men and kids we saw earlier
I wonder if they’re going to purposely make things as difficult for the rescuers as possible
wow, apparently they all do this professionally. they’ve got fake blood and everything
the exam guy is saying they work for the “Help Us Company” or HUC for short. haha I love this
so okay, the examinees have to rescue them and do it as professionally as possible. but are there any other crazy requirements for this exam like there have been with all of the other ones
wow, apparently not. “this time you and your rescue efforts will be graded via points.” how curiously normal. almost suspiciously so
Iida and Deku are staring at the field
if that’s the case, I wonder is it just a rescue operation then, or did they hire any actors to possibly play villains as well...? like, exactly how realistic are they going for here
anyway, the resemblance seems to make this more personal for them. Deku’s looking serious and determined. “let’s give it our best shot”
hoh boy Sero is coming over to Kami and Mineta and says he has something to tell them, and immediately you know it’s gonna be about that naked chick from Shiketsu
I’m so torn on this because. basically they think Deku was fooling around with her and they’re like “WHAT, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EXAM??” and caught somewhere in between outraged and impressed. but like, they’re horny teenage boys and of course they’re gonna be interested
really, if it was just Sero and Kaminari (a.k.a. the two that actually respect their fellow students and haven’t groped and/or attempted to peep on and/or raid their underwear and/or all of the other disgusting things Mineta has done or tried to do), I wouldn’t mind it, because really they’re just gossiping and fantasizing. but as usual Mineta ruins everything
ffff okay screw it, this is pretty funny. I mostly just like that they all think Deku’s got game now. and this girl is not helping at all
now they’re all disappearing in a cloud of angry fight smoke (as one does), and Ochako is staring
c’mon Ochako you know he wouldn’t do you like that. you know him better than that
over by the refreshments table, some guys from Shiketsu are coming over to say hi to Bakugou
they’re asking did Seiji go after him and he’s like “yeah and I knocked his punk ass out”
this sasquatch-looking guy is apologizing for Seiji’s behavior. hmmm
hmmmmm. is this sincere? I don’t fucking trust anyone from any of these other schools until the exam is finally over
everyone else is skeptical too lol
Todoroki is remembering Yoarashi’s >:( face from earlier and is like, then wtf was up with that
Shouto they all have hats. be fucking specific
obviously he’s talking to Yoarashi though
so he’s asking if he did something
Yoarashi’s turning to him like
“no. absolutely nothing at all”
haha. no, actually he’s addressing him as “son of Endeavor.” so yeah I’m starting to get an inkling here that he doesn’t like Todoroki’s dad
okay, whoa
okay, HOLD UP. you come into my house and you come up to my son who’s already been through enough dad-related trauma for a lifetime and who already has ten thousand hang-ups about being too similar to his dad, and who is actually THE SWEETEST BOY WHO EVER LIVED, TRUFAX, and you go up to him and you say you don’t like him because HIS EYES ARE THE SAME AS ENDEAVOR’S? Yoarashi, I’ll have you know that I liked you. but if it’s going to be like that, I WILL MAKE YOU MY ADVERSARY IN A HEARTBEAT and don’t think for a second that I won’t!!
AND HE’S REALLY GOING OFF NOW WITHOUT EVEN FUCKING EXPLAINING WHY HE DOESN’T LIKE ENDEAVOR AND WHY HE’S CONDEMNED SHOUTO TO NOT BEING LIKED JUST BECAUSE OF HIS JERK DAD
ARE YOU TRYING TO UNDO ALL THAT SHIT DEKU WORKED SO HARD FOR DURING THE SPORTS FESTIVAL ARC?? DEKU’S ARMS DIED FOR THIS
and I’m not sure if Deku actually saw all of this happening, but now he’s asking if Todoroki is okay
or at least he starts to, but then this girl whose name I unfortunately forgot (hold on I’ll look it up again... Camie) is bidding him farewell and he’s getting distracted by that. and then immediately Kami and Mineta are tearing into him again
meanwhile Ochako is staring at Camie with a weirdly contemplative look
jealousy!?!??! like, is it not obvious?? there’s a whole shipping thing that Horikoshi is trying to do with you and Deku here, but I’m really skeptical of his ability to pull it off even remotely gracefully. but it sure doesn’t look like it’s going anywhere so I guess WE SHALL SEE
whoa now all of a sudden a voice is blaring over the speakers and interrupting all of their teenage shenanigans
finally. Todoroki angst aside, that was beginning to get tiresome
and here they go!
I wonder if they’re also going to be tested on their ability to work with the kids from the other schools here. because in a real life rescue effort, they’d have to put aside their differences. and that scene just before this sure did a good fucking job of establishing that various people here all have various beefs. I hope they don’t get sidetracked by that
so they’re all setting off, and they’re wondering how they’re going to be graded. well, my speculation is that the ones who bring the others together and work cooperatively will get the highest score. in other words, I think this test is going to weed out the ones with too much ego, among other things
so, Bakugou... lol. good luck kiddo
(ETA: sob)
like two seconds in and they already stumbled upon a crying little kid
oh shit these instructors are not fucking around
DEKU YOU FUCKED UP SOMEHOW
he’s screaming at him why didn’t he check if he was okay first, look at all the blood on him, etc.
he says heroes with provisional licenses need to be able to judge the victims’ situations at a glance. well thank you for the helpful hint dude
someone from another school is saying that they’re going to mark the area as dangerous, and someone else is saying no, make it a wider area because we don’t know if the damage might spread
someone else is making roads and helipads
and some of Ms. Joke’s kids are setting up a temporary refuge and triage station
Aizawa’s rubbing his head and says he knew his kids would fall behind when it came to this sort of thing. well how much training have they had for this?
okay this is actually really interesting. this is something we haven’t gotten into at all yet
and that kid that was yelling at Deku says that most of all, a hero’s first words upon arriving at the scene shouldn’t be, “OH NO THAT’S TERRIBLE,” but rather...
wow Deku you really did fuck up, huh. wasn’t this the entire reason you wanted to be a hero in the first place?
but thanks again HUC kid for your free advice
so now Deku is snapping himself out of it and getting his game face on
I kinda wish his game face wasn’t so cuddly, but I’ll take it
now the HUC kid is immediately getting back in character and telling Deku to go save his grandpa
so Deku’s directing the others to go help gramps while he takes the kid to the first aid station
Ochako is just STANDING THERE WATCHING HIM
I don’t know but get a move on, girl, I need you to get your license too so you can become even more of a badass
she’s thinking that she needs to push aside all of her DO YOU LOVE HIM??? feelings
and that whenever she sees Deku acting like that and never giving up, she thinks it’s just so cool
well, good, because this is the provisional license exam arc, not the Can These Two Crazy Kids Really Make It After All arc. we’re barely a hundred chapters in; there’s still plenty of time for that shit later down the line
and thankfully the last page seems to be introducing some sort of twist, because things were getting a little too straightforward for a finale lol
is that Todoroki? I can’t tell what’s going on. I GUESS I’ll just have to keep reading, oh well
BONUS:
Chewbacca here is first mate on a ship that might suit us
whaaaaaaaat he’s the class rep?? okay then, I guess that was a sincere offer of friendship. this guy seems like a solid bro
apparently he can freely manipulate his hair and make it longer and such. “though it’s tough how often it tangles up on him.” that sounds troublesome
I like him. Nagamasa... I’ll try to remember that
#bnha#boku no hero academia#midoriya izuku#yoarashi inasa#todoroki shouto#uraraka ochako#moura nagamasa#makeste reads bnha#todoroki shouto: [walks up to a group of students who all have absolutely nothing in common]#[other than the fact that they all have the same hat]#todoroki shouto: 'hey you with the hat'#in the anime he's more specific#but oddly enough I think I prefer this version lmao
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