#really did just skate over to talk to him hmmmm

[ratatatastic]

you know what kills me the most about ekky fighting for forsys honour?

is that its actually forsy that goes over to the box to talk to ekky and you maybe thinking oh! to pass him his gloves and stick- [INCORRECT BUZZER NOISE]

roddy and the refs start shoving sticks and gloves away from the fighting area so no one slips on em

heres uvis collecting the glove roddy slung towards the benches before he chucks it back on the ice for the cleanup crew to collect and deliver to their respective parties (probably to also check who they belonged to as well)

and while uvis was piling gloves together a jet helps erod get ekkys abandoned stick and roddy skates over to the glove pile persumably now identified as ekkys to gather em up and give them to him while reino completes ref yapping duties since both maffhew and sasha arent on the ice at the time

and this all happens after forsy skates over to the box so really its up to you why

suffice it to say after the tv timeout that ekky does not look like the happiest camper in the box

[saeiwhat]

- - - > those days… a 정원 drabble

paring best friend!jungwon x reader genre fluff, mutual pining warning(s) it’s really cliche i’m sorry word count 1k

the days where you and jungwon had sat side by side on the train ride home were never taken for granted by you. you had always used that time to admire jungwons soft features as he napped peacefully, his head on your shoulder. you liked jungwon. though, you would never admit that you ever did such thing as you were just a friend to him, and you weren’t going to risk your decade long friendship for such cliche matters. so you sat there, and let him sleep as you kept admiring him.

honestly speaking, you wished that you could muster up the courage to tell jungwon about your feelings. when in reality you could barely even tell him that whilst he was drifting off to dreamland.

jungwon on the other hand used this time to find solace in you. the long hours spent at school and his remaining waking hours spent at a lonely apartment tired him. you were jungwons only close friend, sure he had friends in his homeroom but no one truly knew him like you did. but now, the school days you spent together in elementary and junior high were now mere memories. being high school freshmen, your schedules hadn’t aligned, meaning he couldn’t even see you during lunch. so after school was truly the only time he saw you.

this was your daily after school routine, and you became accustomed to it. sometimes even bringing a book with you to keep you occupied. this carried on for a few more months until december.

“what’s up with you?” you inquired as it was odd for jungwon not to be dozing off by now.

“hmmmm…i thought that i should switch things up y’know?” it may have seemed like a simple answer to you but for jungwon, he had been thinking about it for the past few weeks.

truthfully, you and jungwon had mutual feelings. but, like you, he too wasn’t willing to risk your friendship as it meant the world to him. but when he heard his classmate talking about the feelings he had harboured for you, jungwon couldn’t bare the thought of you being with someone else. “i gotta win them over” he murmured.

“c’mon y/n, let’s go to a cat cafe! winter break starts tomorrow so we should continue to have fun!” the boy said as he dragged you in.

and there it started, jungwon’s fool-proof plan on how to ask his best friend out.

for the next three weeks, jungwon had continuously taken you to cafes and fun little places to visit. you two had gone to places like that before in the past so you didn’t think much of it. unlike your best friend, who had thought about every little detail up until the day he’d tell you about his feelings.

☆ ★

december 21st. this was it. everything he had planned was for this day. ‘will i be rejected?’ ‘am i too early?’ ‘oh my where are they?’ his thoughts were running wild until he felt a tap on his shoulder.

“hey, did you wait long?” you said as you slightly shivered. it was cold that day and it wasn’t going to get any warmer.

“oh nah, i just got here a few minutes ago. wanna go get some cocoa? i heard there’s a good hot cocoa place near here…” he offered, noticing the way you hugged your body in order to feel some type of warmth.

“yea! lead the way!” you said excitedly as you followed the brown haired boy.

after grabbing your drinks, you headed to the ice rink. the place jungwon begged you to come to and where he had planned this special day.

nearing the rink, you could see the countless couples and families there. the warm christmas lights surrounding them, and the love shared between them. you smiled unknowingly, hoping to have that type of happiness one day. but right now, you had jungwon. and that was more than enough for you.

“let’s go get our skates, hm?” jungwon said, tugging on your hand like a child. you chuckled as you nodded.

geared up and ready to go, you set forth and started skating for a good hour or so. it was getting darker and the lights seemed even prettier. people were slowly starting to leave as it was getting quite cold. jungwon took this as his sign.

“wanna take a rest?” he suggested, as he skated towards the benches.

“yea, my ankles are starting to hurt.” you said whilst fake crying. jungwon chuckled at you childlike behaviour. sitting down, and drinking the rest of your not-so-hot cocoa, and looked at jungwon to see him already looking at you. that’s when jungwon realized that he had spent so much time planning the days leading up to his confession, that he never actually planned the confession itself.

“i- uhhh… auhm…..” the poor boy couldn’t form any words to express how he was feeling, and resulted to hugging you.

“won? are you feeing okay…?” you were starting to get concerned as you had never seen jungwon like this. a few moments of silence went on until jungwon let out a whisper.

“ireallylikeyouihaveforyearsandispentsolongplanningeverythingbutiforgothowtoactuallyconfessimsosorry” he said in one low breath. yet you somehow comprehended it all. your grip around him tightened slightly as you tried telling him to not apologize. you didn’t know what to say… you one sided crush was not actually one sided…? you really couldn’t believe it.

“are you rejecting me y/n? you arent saying anything….” he again, said lowly with a pout. you chuckled.

“you’re so cute y’know that?” you said, smiling at the boy. “won, i like you too.” you saw how his eyes lighted up. he gave you a peck on your cheek and asked..

“does this mean…we’re dating…?” again, you chuckled. “yes wonie, it does”

☆ ★

you finally that type of hapiness that you had hoped for, and what you said was true. jungwon was more than enough, and he always will be. those days were the most memorable ones of your life. looking back, you wouldn’t have spent that december any other way.

end.

note this was a lot longer than i had planned…

[sylphidine]

[NDU] Scratch Spins And Shadow Dances

Written for the annual Rise of the Guardians Stocking Stuffer event for 2023.

@rotgsecretsanta

Prompt 30 - NDU Verse (Pitchiner and Pitch)

________________________

“Skiing?” “Good God, no.”

“Ice fishing? Snowshoeing? Tobogganing?”

“I haven’t a clue what that last one is, but it sounds truly vulgar.”

“Oh, come ON. It’s like a long flat sled that’s got a big curl up front, but no runners. You can fit like four or five kids on it, you shoot down the highest hill you can find, and you all jump off before you fall into the ravine or hit a tree.”

“Then I certainly haven’t participated in such a thing.”

“Seriously? Nobody ever did winter stuff with you when you were a kid? That’s just sad.”

“Winter weather out-of-doors involves getting cold and wet. I would think you would know me well enough by now to realize that being cold and wet irks me."

Pitch leaned forward from where he was perched on Coz's lap and gave him a rare, affectionate cheek nuzzle instead of a spiteful ear nip. He continued, "If you can keep your mind out of the gutter, I'm sure you can guess my OTHER favorite indoor winter sport, by simple process of elimination."

Coz gave him a shit-eating grin back. "Hmmmm… pickleball?" 

That earned Coz a hard smack on the shoulder as Pitch hissed like a scalded cat. “Do you really think my mother would allow such a pedestrian, uncultured, NOISY pastime in her house?”

“Nah, I guess not. Alright, Mr. ‘I’m too sexy for my pickleball’, I give up.  What indoor winter sport does the lofty Black family approve of and you call your favorite?”

With the air of one conveying a secret for the ages, Pitch replied proudly, "Ice skating!"

Coz mulled that over, confused for a minute until he figured out that by "indoor winter sport", Pitch was referring to an actual skating rink. He responded, "Huh. We finally have something in common."

“You skate?”

“Of course I skate.  You can’t grow up on the border of The Great White North without learning how to ice skate.”

“I’m not talking about ice hockey, you oaf.”

“Neither am I! Not to mention being part Russian. It's in the blood. You’d be surprised at what I can get up to when I’m bladed up.”

“Hmmmph.”

“I’m guessing that you and Piki grew up with little silver blades on your feet, to go with the silver spoons in your mouths.”

He'd meant that to sound banter-y, but it was apparently the wrong thing to say.

“If you’re going to be rude, I’m going to skip this line of inquiry.” Pitch started to wriggle off of Coz's lap, but not before Coz saw a flash of hurt quickly cross his bedmate's sharp-featured face. He shot out one beefy arm, circled Pitch's slim waist with it, and hauled him back in, holding him close to his chest.

"Hey. Hey, hey. I'm sorry. I didn't mean it. I was only trying to say you must have been really cute on skates when you were a kid."

"Hmmph," Pitch groused again, but sounding less annoyed this time. He relaxed a bit in Coz's grip.

"My Russian great-aunt ran a skating concession stall up in Malone when I was little," Coz continued, "and she was really patient with the kids. If I close my eyes, I can see you there, too."

"Maybe in another lifetime," Pitch said musingly. "I doubt that my parents ever wintered  north of Saratoga Springs."

Coz wisely held his tongue this time, resisting the urge to scoff at the notion of rich people “wintering” in spots that saw not even half the snow he was used to. He said instead, “So. You. Me. Ice skating. Interested?” 

“You’re on. But ***I *** get to pick where and when.”

“Anything you say, dear.”

_____________

“You do know we could have just driven down, parked at my grandparents' place, and taken the subway here, don’t you?” asked Coz a week later from the backseat of the town car he and Pitch were currently riding in.

“Yes, we COULD have,” replied Pitch smugly, “but I wouldn’t want you all tired out and stiff before we even got to the rink.” Pitch couldn’t help grinning at the double entendre he’d slipped in there, and from the grin and the “oh HO” he got as an answer, Pitchiner hadn’t missed it. 

He gave himself a pat on the back. Had this been his twin brother trying to impress Jack Sickle, Piki would have sprung for buying a VIP package with unlimited skate time, never thinking to ask if Jack even LIKED ice skating, finding out the hard way about Jack’s traumatic past experiences with frozen water, and then flailing around for the rest of the date while Jack fell apart emotionally.

Pitch had more awareness of others’ sensibilities than Piki did, or ever would. [Never mind that it had been PROTO who’d told Pitch about how Jack’s sister died.  Information was still information.] He gave himself credit in finding out what Pitchiner considered fun, and had planned this outing accordingly. 

And no, this was not a date. He wasn't in love with dating Pitchiner.

Yes, it was Rockefeller Center. But no, he wasn’t trying to make a splash with money the way Piki would have.  Pitch’s current intent was to rent some skates and to do two 40-minute skate sessions with food and hot beverages in-between. Even the round trip limo service that he'd arranged between the NDU campus and midtown Manhattan was a practical concern, not meant to be flamboyant.

Nothing extravagant, therefore. Just something that normal people did at Christmas time.

Not a date.

He promised himself he wouldn’t laugh… much… at Pitchiner’s skating. After all, The Rink at Rockefeller Center was not some glazed-over puddle in the backwoods. Indoor ice skating required thoughtful panache, not mindless brawn.

An hour later, Pitch found himself taken aback.

He was used to looking at Pitchiner with attraction and lust. And quite frankly, who wouldn’t? He was muscled in all the right places and had a handsome face, even with the crooked nose.

Pitchiner in bed with Pitch was one tasty feast of a man.

Pitchiner on the lacrosse field was an unstoppable force of nature, one Pitch had to admire even if he didn’t understand the rules of the game. Not that Pitch would ever admit to such admiration out loud. 

But Pitchiner on ice skates… well, “beautiful” was the first word that leapt to Pitch’s mind, and once having leapt there, the word “beautiful” refused to be dislodged.

Somehow Pitchiner managed to convert his formidable muscle and sinew into something tight and focused. He wasn’t showy with his axels and spins. But he stuck every landing, pulled himself into and out of crouches and slides, and dammit, his sensual movements made Pitch regret his extra layers of clothing.

Pitch had at first restricted himself to circling the outer perimeter of the rink, with occasional twirls when he could be sure not to crash into other skaters. Having seen Pitchiner in action, he made up his mind to let loose, just a little.

He put on a bit of speed and caught up to Pitchiner, pulling just ahead of him in the circuit. Wordlessly he held out one gloved hand and was relieved to have Pitchiner reaching back.

Together they skated in silence, hand in hand, keeping pace with each other, complicated feelings on both sides expressed in motion, without words.

[lovingmyselfcore]

Skate Into My Heart

Chapter Three; Uh oh

BESTIES

I'M ALIVE AND I DID THE WRITING THING

@ciaraloves (or @perseusjackson-jasongrace ig) LOOK AT ME DOING THE THING

As soon as Nico left the locker room, Piper pounced on him. Literally.

He was forced to take a step back and caught her by the shoulders, “What’s up?”

She was practically vibrating with excitement, “Annabeth’s back!”

“Really?”

“Yeah! Come on!” She grabbed his hand and yanked him through the hallways and into the main rink where a crowd of people had formed next to the bleachers.

It was the rest of the team and in the center was Annabeth, a duffle bag slung over one shoulder, looking exhausted as all hell but she was grinning as the team peppered her with questions and play-by-plays of the practices she’d missed.

Piper shouldered them into the center so Nico was directly in front of Annabeth, Piper on one side and Calypso on the other.

“Hey, Nico,” Annabeth said, still grinning. She stepped forward for a hug and he let her, burying his face into her neck and breathing, already feeling the responsibility leaking from his tight shoulders. Annabeth was like a big sister to him, not that he’d ever admit that, but still.

“You want to get out?” Nico whispered into her neck.

“Yes,” She whispered back emphatically. Nico could barely stop himself from laughing but as they pulled apart he saw the genuine relief in her eyes and felt himself worrying. He needed to talk to her, about the team and skating, about Will and of course, if she needed to talk about why she’d been gone for so long, he’d do that too.

Apparently, Calypso recognized that too and, bless her heart, muttered something to Leo, and together they captured the team’s attention, allowing Nico to tug Annabeth away from the crowd and out of the rink. She sighed as soon as they were ejected onto the city streets. Nico stuck an arm out and she smiled and linked their arms.

“Where are you headed?” Nico asked as they walked the short distance to the car garage.

“Oh, probably just my apartment.”

Nico nodded, “I wasn’t sure if you’d be staying with your dad or not.”

She shook her head, “He doesn’t even know I landed yet. I’ll head over in the morning.”

Her voice was stiff and Nico took that as his cue to change the subject. “So I have something to confide in you.”

She perked up almost immediately and he swallowed hard. But she just looked at him with those gray eyes and he reminded himself that this was Annabeth. That she wasn’t going to get angry with him.

At least, he hoped not.

“I’m talking to one of the hockey players,” He said casually.

Her grip on his arm stiffened and he braced himself but she was still just looking at him.

Finally, she grinned, “So when you say ‘talking to’...”

He groaned and felt himself flush, “Oh, shut up! Just friends.”

She hummed and released his arm to dig for her keys in her jacket pocket. “Is he nice?”

“No, he’s a dick,” Nico said sarcastically.

Annabeth rolled her eyes, but she was still smiling. “I don’t know why I even bother.”

“He’s blonde,” Nico offered.

“Oooh,” Annabeth drawled.

He rolled his eyes and she burst out laughing, her voice echoing off the stone walls of the parking garage.

“Is he gay?” Annabeth asked.

Nico nearly flinched and passed it off with another eye roll, “I don’t know, Annie, that’s not something that’s come up in casual conversation.”

She glared at him and Nico, being the mature adult he is, stuck his tongue out at her. She did it back then shook her head. “Too much time with Percy,” She muttered and Nico snorted. She grinned at him.

“So he’s okay?”

That sobered her immediately. “Yeah. Well, as okay as he can be. I’m only here for like two weeks because he insisted I come back, but I’m leaving as soon as possible,” She glanced sideways at him, “Not to leave you alone again, though.”

He shrugged off the flash of selfish hurt he’d felt, “I’m good, Beth.” But he wasn’t good. He’d just told her about Will, and not even the start of the way his stomach would twist when he saw a new text from the hockey player and not the same twist when he panicked. And that also meant his chances of performing solo again were climbing. He didn’t know how to feel about that part.

“Stop that!” She exclaimed, halting once they’d reached her car.

“Get some sleep, Annabeth,” He said genuinely then smirked a little, “It looks like you need it.”

She threw a balled-up receipt she’d found in her bag at him, “Dick!”

~~~~

“Hey, Nico.”

Nico nearly leaped out of his skin, spinning to see Persephone in the living room.

She snorted, “Didn’t mean to scare you, sorry. Did practice go well?”

His phone buzzed in his pocket, “Yeah. Annabeth’s back.”

Persephone hummed, reaching up to untwist her hair, sending it cascading down her shoulders, “That’s good. I know you’ve missed her,” She said with a knowing look in her eyes that made him shift uncomfortably.

“Yeah, definitely, um, I’m tired we learned some new moves for Regionals today, so,”

“Yeah of course.” She was still smiling.

“‘Night Persephone,”

~~~

Nico flopped face-down onto his bed with a groan. He knew Persephone though he had a crush on Annabeth; he didn’t blame her, he’d never really made it a point that he didn’t. He wished he could come out to her and his dad, he didn’t really have a reason why he hadn’t besides the weight of anxiety on his lungs.

His phone buzzed again, and he wriggled upright to yank it out of his pocket.

Will: Distract me

Will: My mom is driving me insane

Nico grinned to himself, both of them were dealing with mommy issues at the moment.

Nico: idk how you expect me to distract you

Will: Just tell me about snakes or smth

Nico: you think i just have fun facts about snakes on hand?

Will: Yeah?

Nico: good

Nico: cause i do

Will: :)

Nico: snakes can slither 12.5 mph

Will: Good lord

Nico: snakes have internal ears but not external ones

Will: ??

Nico: they can’t create their own body heat which is why theyre in the sun all the time

Will: Hmmmm

Nico: they smell w/their tongues

Will: I thought they had nostrils??

Nico: they do

Will: what

Nico: it’s their Jacobson’s organ my dude it works in mysterious ways

Nico: not really but yk

Nico: sCieNcE

Will: ok….

Nico: if you get bored of snakes i’ve also got a bunch of random cheetah facts

Nico: i love cheetahs

Nico: very cool

Nico: fast cats

Will: Lmao go ahead

Nico: but first

Nico: why’s your mom driving you insane

Nico: if you want to tell me ofc

Nico: not trying to be weird

Will: Nah you’re fine

Will: She wants me to focus entirely on med school and not hockey

Will: She’s trying to get me out of it, actually

Will: Do something ‘respectable’

Will: Not turn out like my dad

Will: Even though dad has literally NOTHING to do with hockey

Will: And in my opinion he’s not bad. Not great. Not awful yk

Will: But hockey’s what’s putting me through med school so

Will: Gods, I really just burdened you with that I’m so sorry

Nico: med school huh

Nico: now i can say i know a doctor

Will: In training

Nico: close enough

Nico: you’re a great hockey player and you're going to be a great doctor

Nico: and you can always talk to me, will

Nico: you’re not burdening me with shit

Will: thanks <3

Nico didn’t understand why he blushed. It was a goddamn emoji. Calm down, Di Angelo.

Will: So we’ve been talking for a few weeks now. Can I call you my friend yet?

Nico snorted, feeling like he was fifteen again, sprawled on his bed, in the dark (because for some reason he didn’t turn his lights on) late at night, texting his- well, anyway.

Nico: yea dumbass

Nico: we’re friends

Will: Nice

Will: Now give me cheetah facts you adorable nerd

~~~

WILL

“Will? You good?”

Will blinked, Jason coming in to focus in front of him. “Uh, yeah.”

“That was believable,” Clarisse said sarcastically from behind Jason.

Will attempted to shake the fog from his head, “Yes,” He repeated.

Jason just blinked at him and Will was formulating an excuse for why he was so tired besides the fact that he’d spent all night talking to a cute figure skater with a ridiculous amount of animal facts stored in his small body when Coach Hedge’s voice boomed from his seat on the bleachers, “Solace! You alive?”

“Yes, coach!” Will shot back.

“Then why are you just standing there? Get back to the game! You too, La Rue and Grace!”

“Yes, sir!” They all barked back.

Clarisse gave him a once over before skating back to her goal and Jason went over to Will’s spot with him, “You sure you’re alright?”

“Yeah, just tired.”

Jason opened his mouth, probably to question why the mom friend of their group was tired enough he nearly tripped over his stick but Will just said, “It’s fine, Jase. It’s not a big deal.”

“Grace!” Coach Hedge screeched.

Jason gave up on trying to interrogate Will and skated back over to his spot.

~~~~

“Mama, please,” Will tried, but his mother cut him off.

“Willaim. Hush. How’s that girl you said you were dating?”

What?

He was silent for a beat too long.

“Oh, baby,” His mother’s thick southern accent drenched her words. “You broke up? I’m so sorry.”

Oh gods, Lou Ellen Blackstone.

Will and Lou Ellen had dated for two months a long time ago, and when they were still dating he’d told his mother about her to get her to back off of his personal life a little. Their break up hadn’t had a huge fallout, Lou Ellen had told him through tears in his living room that she was aromantic. They were still friends, had been even before they dated, actually, and talked to each other pretty regularly.

But the problem was, that had been three months ago, and he hadn’t told his mother about their breakup. He knew she’d ask why, and he didn’t want to out Lou Ellen or make her a devil in his mother’s eyes. So he’d procrastinated coming up with a reason until he’d forgotten about it entirely.

And now it had come back to bite him in the ass.

“Yeah we broke up a little while ago,” He forced himself to sound choked up, which wasn’t hard, giving the way his panicked brain was now sprinting in circles on his lungs. “I just didn’t disappoint you.” Probably the most honest thing he’d said in weeks, but that’ll be unpacked later.

“Honey,” She sighed sadly and Will didn’t know whether or not that was on his behalf or hers.

“Well, it’s okay, because I’m dating someone new.”

“Oh?” He could hear her spine straighten. “Is it someone I know?”

No, mom, it’s not one of the country girls I grew up with.

“No,” He winced at how southern he sounded. He’d been talking to his mother for five minutes. “You don’t know him.”

HIM. Good Gods, Will. Yeah, you came out as bi to your mom, but still, you haven’t actually mentioned a guy to her yet.

She was silent for so long his heart joined his brain in the track meet happening on top of his lungs. “What’s his name?”

He was so she’d spoken that he blurted, “Nico.”

What. The. Fuck. Willaim.

Apparently, his heart had won that damn track race.

“Well, what I was leading up to before you told me about what happened,”

Will hummed non-committally, trying not to sound like he was taking relieved breaths as she spoke.

“The family’s come for a reunion and you should bring that boy!” Will choked on his spit.

“Mom, I don’t know about-”

“No, William. There isn’t a set date yet so we can work around your schedule,” Fuck. “I insist, Will. I need to meet this boy you clearly like very much, even though all you’ve said is his name, a mother knows.”

Umm, what.

“Sure,” Will said, sounding a little strangled. “But we have a game this weekend.”

“Alright, William.” She sounded the way she always did when he brought up hockey. “But as I said, we can work around your schedule and his. Talk to him about it, and let me know.”

“Yeah. Yeah,” Will repeated. “I’ll do that.”

She hung up and he was left staring at the wilting daisies at his kitchen table.

What had he just done?

[dizzyingflicker]

frigid air (fic commentary)

literally no one asked for this but hello! hi! if you didn’t know, i wrote a 11 chapter fic called ‘frigid air’ a few weeks back. the fic started as jayhoon centric, but it kinda got off the rails from there hehe

the birth of the idea

so the bri from a few weeks ago was already thinking about writing a lengthy enha au. 

i just finished writing a jakehoon one shot and wanted to try my hand at writing another ship! at first, i thought of typical au ideas that were college themed. those are the most fun to write and read imo, bc it’s so grounded in reality. and also bc the jakehoon one shot i wrote was a lot heavier and angsty, which was something i think i’m better at doing! there’s this really great fic i read that inspired me to try my hand at some lighter themes! 

after reading that au, i was like “hmmmm im gonna try writing some romcom type of stuff.” i always ALWAYS write angst, so this was a really nice and fun change! 

yes, back to the college au ideas. i then began to think about what majors the enha kids would do if they went to college. my notes for the first outline kind of went like this: 

Jay - fashion major, new addition to the dorm, is rich but doesnt want anyone to know, is kind despite being taken advantage of in his hometown, just wants a normal family 

Heeseung - music production major, has a soundcloud lowkey but doesn't let anyone know, is going thru his first real heartbreak and is using music to deal with it 

Jungwon - hasnt decided on a major, came to uni w a full ride taekwondo scholarship, secret boyfriend, coming to terms w sexuality 

Jake - australian exchange student, architecture major, maybe gets a weird stalker? 

Sunoo - beauty school, wants to be a hairstylist, kinda eccentric, knows everyone’s business

Sunghoon - figure skater, doesnt go to school, is close to getting on the national team, lives in a dorm to avoid his tiger parents, softspot for his younger sister

Niki - dance major from japan, is a little too clingy, feels lonely away from his family 

in hindsight, the characters here seem a lot more deeper and fleshed out as compared to what i ended up writing, but i realized that if i kept all of this in - it would’ve been really overwhelming for the reader. i had to remind myself that this was a jayhoon centric fic LMAOOOOO 

after writing this, i was like “WAITTTT A HOT SEC” this sounds a lot like hello my twenties! which btw, is an amazing show on netflix that you should definitely watch. i watched this show with my girlfriend and man, the way it handled all of the a,b,c, etc plots was so fantastic. 

every character had their own stories and that’s what i loved. usually in fics or aus, a lot of the side characters sort of fade into the background. they also do this thing where their main reason for existence is to lift the mc or main ship up in the story. i wanted to avoid that, so taking inspo from hello my 20s, i decided to give every character a story. whether it be something big like sunoo’s stalker or something small like heejake’s and jungniel’s development, i wanted to give them all something to tell. in hello my 20s, each of the girs living in that house had their own unique stories that fit them really well. whether i did it as well as the writers of the show - that’s something else to unpack, right? 

the characters and their developments 

so this is something i’m not sure if i did well in or not. the original plot was to have jay and sunghoon not get along at all. with jay’s abrasiveness and sunghoon’s surface coolness, i thought it would be fun to see them butt heads. but i realized that it wasn’t so realistic because they don’t really see each other enough to butt heads that much. i thought making sunghoon shy and reserved (thus standoffish) while jay tries his best to make sunghoon open up was a lot more cuter. 

jay is a lot more bold in this, even through his embarassing moments. he’s self-assured, determined and open to pretty much anything. he’s generous and friendly. the only weakness jay has is he’s too presumptious sometimes and assumes stuff without any real basis, as seen with him assuming that ryujin and sunghoon were dating bc of a passing remark from jake and some yt comments. i gave him a dead dad at the end of the fic bc hello we’re projecting but also to explain why he’s super close to his mum and why he’s just a tad bit behind everyone else his age. i wanted to expand on this a little but sadly, i kinda ran out of words to talk about this. if you know what i mean. tbh, jay doesn’t have much of a development in this. that’s something i really want to improve on in my next au, giving my mc some actual development instead of getting carried away with other side characters. 

sunghoon is, as i said, shy and reserved. he has a lil trauma from being rejected by seon years ago. you can tell that his experience was not pleasant at all - so he keeps feelings of attraction and want farrrrrr away from him. sunghoon is sorry he’s an anti-romantic, if you will. throughout this fic, you see him open up to jay and realize that not every guy he’s attracted to will reject him painfully. he also learns that he doesn’t need to keep people at an arms length away and that opening himself up to more people will bring about very nice things! very cliche but hey, it iz what it iz. 

jungwon was a fun one to write! not bc i feel a little of what he feels, but bc he’s adorable with daniel and having him be unsure was fun to write. jungwon is pretty self-assured in this fic, but with daniel, he’s not really sure what he’s doing. 

heeseung feels secure enough with jake that he’s willing to sing in front of him, which is something he doesn’t do. jake is very naive about relationships and hee’s feelings for him, but heeseung kind of brings him down back to reality with the scene from han river. heeseung is getting over a breakup and that stuff takes a while, so that’s why i didn’t let them get together too fast. hee knows how jake feels about him and he doesn’t want to ruin it by jumping into things so fast. 

sunoo is super friendly and too trusting with people, which is both a blessing and a curse. niki and him have been attached to the hip since their friendship started and niki sees sunoo as a very very dear friend to him. bc who else lets him sleep in his bed and who else buys him taiyaki everyday? that’s right, it’s his sunoo hyung. sunoo also cares for niki a lot and they’re just very sweet. 

what i did well and what i didn’t 

okay this is debatable, but i did like how i wrote the developing relationships in this, mostly the ones that weren’t the main jayhoon arc. i liked the way i wrote jungwon and daniel’s little friction and i loved heejake’s confession scene. 

the humour in this was a little weak for me, but it was my first attempt at writing it so it’s forgivable. 

i just wished i wrote the main relationship better. i feel like it took a while at the beginning and suddenly went from 49 to 27403 real quick. if i were to rewrite it, i’d give them a lot more time to pine as that stage before friends and maybe insert more conflict. 

i’d give jay a stronger conflict other than trying to befriend with sunghoon. his character felt very 1d for me and i didn’t like that. i needed to develop him more tbh LMAOOO 

music! 

anti-romantic by txt

perhaps love by eric nam ft cheeze

love poem by iu 

give love by akmu 

hope ur ok by olivia rodrigo 

only yoou by yand da il 

references for sunghoon’s ice skating 

sunghoon’s white outfit in the youtube video with ryujin 

sunghoon’s black outfit in nationals 

the reference pic jay draws of sunghoon (which seon sees) 

if you read the fic, i’d like to say thank you! i had a lot of fun writing this and seeing everyone’s reactions to the plot twists was super fun hehehehe i genuinely loved doing it even tho it gave me a lot stress! thank u for reading this if u read it too LMAOOOOO 

[plush-anon]

SCOOB! Stream of Consciousness Review

Here we are folks - I finally review the originally cinematic, fully CGI animated Scooby Doo Movie (one year later... I did not queue this as I thought I had last June - damn you, Tumblr. I’m not changing much here, so enjoy as it was intended).

Created by a team who have professed their affection for this mystery team and their meddling dog too, will this be a lush experience fit to satisfy any Hanna-Barbera fan? Or will it be a hot garbage cash-grab, littered with Easter eggs and references that do nothing to hide a meatless mess of outdated memes and shallow character development?

LET’S

FIND

OUT

Below this cut is my entire stream-of-consciousness review on the SCOOB! Movie, as experienced. SPOILER warning here - I’m digging into everything, no plot points spared. 

Here we go~

And we start off with a decent shot of the California coastline (looks like the kids backstory is front and center), some 90s hip-hop synthwave song about California, and OH SWEET JESUS THESE MODELS LOOK TERRIBLE

Ahem

Yeah, this is a problem right off the bat - some of these people in the opening shots look remarkably unfinished - think three shades above “Rapsittie Kids: Believe in Santa” level - and the animation on them is less than stellar. 

On the plus side, we do see a fantastic variety of ages, sizes, and races - there’s a brief blink-and-you’ll-miss-it Sikh man on roller skates playing a sitar - but when the designs look rushed in the opening shots, it’s not a fantastic sign. At least they’re brief, but it’s hard to see if this is a lower level of the film’s style due to rushed animation, or if they didn’t care to polish it up as much, given that it’s maybe a 30 second scene. 

Still, kudos to actually going for variety in the crowd shots. Minus kudos to making most of the clothes look like Play-doh draped over a Barbie doll. I’m not even kidding on that one, the clothes are super basic and barely have any sign of texture or creasing or even fabric/cut variety. Almost reminds me of the first Toy Story movie’s design for human clothes, yeesh. 

----

Ahh, our first introduction to Scooby Doo at a Greek gyro food stand. That’s foreshadowing right there folks! 😉

Sadly, he is really weirdly animated in his run sequence - he looks out of proportion as he’s running on his hind legs, and the human animation has really bad consistency - some background characters are really janky, while others actually move really nicely. The characters we immediately focus on seem to be pretty smooth at least, but that’s still very strange.

On a side note: Ruby and Spears Sub Sandwich shop. Nice 😁

----

They are reaaaally pushing the super over-the-top dramatic music for a bike cop chasing a dog that stole gyro meat

Why

It’s not even interesting chase music, just generic super-hyped-up chase music

----

And now we finally get to see a young Shaggy, standing next to a tie-dye food stand called Casey’s Confections that… sells meat. Hm. Guess WB hasn’t learned after all these years 🙄

Unfortunately, I’m not a huge fan of the kid they got to play him, Iain Armitage. He’s not a bad voice actor by any means, but he just doesn’t sound right for Shaggy. I know that as a kid he’d be much less likely to have a cracking/squeaky voice, but he sounds… it’s hard to pin down a word, but - precocious? Darling? Either way it doesn’t quite match, especially given how Shaggy sounds when he grows up via Will Forte. Just… no connection there. 

I tie it down to the particular vocal twangs and nuances the gang usually has. I’ll touch base on that note later I think, once we hit the teenage versions of the gang, but for now I’m just not feeling it. 

----

On the one hand, I empathize deeply with Shaggy and his Spotify’s unsettling ability to pinpoint his insecurities with song choices, and also deeply enjoy that one small gesture where his fingers kind of shake & tighten around his phone while he takes a deep breath to calm himself- it’s a very nice, subtle sign of frustration

On the other hand we just passed two guys with no nipples and an unerring likeness to a Ken doll in those Barbie movies, so I’m distracted by that now

(between this and Fred’s no-nipples in Happy Halloween SD!, is WB just terrified of giving men nipples in animated movies now? what gives?)

Also distracted by the thrifty lesbians who bought those two shirts that come together to make a heart in the middle, on the store’s 2 for 1 day

happy pride y’all!

---

Finally got context for the two sand piles!

Very, very sad context, but still! Progress!

Basically Shaggy’s practicing talking to people in order to learn how to make friends, since he either has no idea how, or has never had a friend before. So he’s trying to learn the right way to do it since his own attempts have failed

And him talking to these sand piles not only counts as practice, but he’s using them so that his mom thinks he’s spending time with friends like he told her

Ow :)

---

So ketchup leather is apparently a thing that exists

I’m learning so much today!

---

Given that Shaggy has no friends at this stage, but he’s still called Shaggy, I’m kind of wondering if that was a mean nickname that everyone called him, but he was just grateful for the interaction/pretended it was from friends, so he kept it 🤔

Actually, take it back, his mother is calling him that. Family nickname, maybe…?

----

Shaggy has Blue Falcon (classic) and Dynomutt funko pops

noice

---

Oof, you can reaaaaally hear the age in Frank Welker’s Scooby voice. Can we get Scott Innes back? He sounds almost identical to his performance 20+ years ago :/

Also talking waaaay too much - even SDMI Scooby wasn’t this wordy, and he NEVER shut the hell up 

----

Okay wait

So Shaggy met Scooby on Halloween day - then met the rest of the gang hours later?

Huh. And here I was thinking it would have been a few weeks minimum 

Although I have to say there is a lot here to work with, if it paces out how I think it does

Shaggy meets Scooby. Bare hours later, he buys him a collar (instead of his mom? weird) and asks him to stay with him, despite not really knowing him. Then, only a couple hours after that, he finally makes some friends… but only when Scooby is with him. 

Given that it looks like the gang are all around the same age in the same neighborhood, there’s a solid chance that they’ve taken classes together at the same school. If none of them met/knew/made friends with Shaggy then, but only did so AFTER Scooby came into the picture, that might lead to the argument we know about later when they split up; afterwards, S&SD go to the bowling alley, then get abducted by the Blue Falcon, plot continues. This could make it seem like they were only friends with him at the start because he had a dog. 

And the brief scene earlier with the music device shows that he tries to tamp down on his anger/doesn’t really address it - could lead to something more later 

hmmmm 🤔

---

Wait what

These two kid bullies just came out of nowhere, stole Shaggy’s candy… and then started on about how Halloween is only a marketing ploy to get companies to rot your teeth and go to the dentist more, before throwing the bag through a window and telling the two that ‘your blood sugar will thank us for it!’

Are - are these the brainwashed children of a Karen? Is that what I’m seeing?

I mean we could have had a Red Herring cameo, but apparently informing children about candy conspiracy theories is more important :/

----

Daphne: It’s Halloween - no one should go home without their candy

FD&V: *none of them have candy/candy bags*

???????

(Wouldn’t it make more sense if the bullies had stolen their candy too? What the hey man)

----

I do find it neat that we actually get to SEE the wires the ‘ghost’ uses to fly in full effect - that’s actually pretty cool, and not really something we get to see up close in older Scooby shows. Most of those just have the bad guy randomly flying about, and the wires revealed after the fact 

---

Actually, given how FD&V react to this ghost almost immediately… have they already been solving mysteries? It seems like it, given how smoothly they move together to capture him

That’s kind of odd in kids. Like, even in PNSD they weren’t perfectly in-sync on stuff

This then leads to the gang solving mysteries together… in spite of the fact that all Shag and Scoob did was hide in the wardrobe that had the stolen goods, while FD&V captured the dude 

Granted, they do ask Shag and Scoob if they wanna join in and say yes, but that seems like an strange jump after what could have been a one-time deal

I just find that a touch odd - esp when they could have had a five minute scene or so of them wandering around the house, touching on some old SDWAY traits. Heck, show that they’re SCARED in some way, and don’t immediately move to tackle what looks like a murderous spirit at age 8-9 or so. Even just showing the kids learning about each other would be enough, but what do I know. I’ve only watched Scooby Doo everything since I was 4 🙄

---

Ahhhh, and now for the updated rendition of the theme song

Where they’re all still kids doing everything the teenage gang did in the theme song

It doesn’t look as good as the OG, though - kind of like a computer game simulating the SDWAY intro using the PNSD kids in CGI. It’s honestly strange to see, and a little jarring - especially when we then transition to the older teenage gang right in the middle

Like, we don’t get to see you guys age through the song as you’re chased by/catch different monsters? That could have been pretty neat honestly - shows how long they’ve been doing this

Tho I gotta admit, seeing the Spooky Space Kook with his OG sound effects is pretty awesome, brief as it waoH MY GOD FRED WHY ARE YOU HAVING A ROMANTIC BEACHSIDE DATE WITH THE MYSTERY MACHINE 

THAT WASN’T IN THE ORIGINAL AND NO ONE ELSE GETS A CHARACTER INSIGHT SHOT LIKE THIS

WHY

----

Huh, looks like Ruby & Spears gave up their subway sandwich shop for a coffee shop

That apparently the gang goes to in order to eat malt shop food

okay?

----

Ah, and here’s where we finally look at the voice acting of the older teenage gang. Buckle up folks, cause I gotta lot to say

We’ll start with Fred, bc honestly? I think Efron actually fits him pretty dang well. He’s got a different cadence from Welker, true, but as far as an update goes? I think he’s a solid fit. Very much in line with the all-American kid that Fred’s kind of been slated as for the past 50 years or so, but updated more for the modern perspective. I call it solid (and possibly a replacement for whenever Welker decides to retire). 

Next? Oof. Velma is, IMHO, the weakest casting. Velma, no matter her voice actress, has ALWAYS had some form of nasal twang to her voice - that’s part of what makes her Velma to begin with, and helps her stand out. Nicole Jaffe, Pat Stevens, BJ Ward, Christina Lange (PNSD), Mindy Cohn, Kate Micucci, Linda Cardellini -heck, even Haley Kiyoko from ‘The Mystery Begins’ and Sarah Gilman from the ‘Daphne and Velma’ movie understood this! They all had that nasal twang to their voice - differing between actresses, of course, but still recognizable as Velma. Gina Rodriguez though? Honestly, it just sounds like she’s acting it straight. Not bad acting at all, by any means - she just doesn’t sound like Velma, and doesn’t seem to be trying to. (Honestly wondering if she was only hired bc she voices Carmen Sandiego in the reboot cartoon for the lolz fun reference! type connection) 

Daphne is sort of similar in voices, but hers is more of a pitch her voice hits - Heather North, Mary Kay Bergman, and Grey Delisle Griffin all have that pitch they hit naturally when speaking. Amanda Seyfried? Does not - in fact, her voice is actually deeper than I was expecting - but it’s not quite as big a difference as it is for Velma. It fits her character type okay, and she does well with it overall.  

And finally, the most controversial one: Will Forte’s Shaggy. 

I’ll go ahead and say this: he’s not Scott Menville levels of bad Shaggy voice acting. If I were to place him on a list, I’d probably put him around Billy West level - kind of sounds similar via vocal tics (voice cracking, likes and zoinks, etc), but his own voice just overtakes the impression he’s seeking to hit. When I hear him speak, I don’t really hear Shaggy; I just hear Will Forte trying to do an impression of Shaggy. 

In comparison: when Scott Innes took over for Shaggy, it was like Casey Kasem’s, just a touch more of a twang to his voice and just a dash over-the-top - but it was still Shaggy, and you didn’t doubt that for a minute.

Same thing for Lillard, but maybe moreso - he was pretty much the most perfect casting for a live-action Shaggy there could be at the time Scooby Doo (2002) was made. Him taking over for Kasem from there made perfect sense: he was honestly the best cast Mystery Inc member of the live-actions, and a lot more recognizable to the general public as Shaggy than Scott Innes was. He could also do different emotions with Shaggy that not a lot of the other voice actors had the chance to do (mainly bc script), so for future stuff they have that flexibility, if they wanted to play around a little more. 

With any luck Forte will get better over the course of the movie, but honestly the casting could have been so much better with Matt Lillard and Kate Micucci. 

----

Shaggy Rogers, evading taxes since 2020

----

siMON COWELL??!? 

WHAT THE

WHY?!?!?

ALSO HIS CHARACTER DESIGN STYLE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE GANG WHAT IS EVEN GOING ON?!!?

IS HE SUPPOSED TO BE THE SD CELEBRITY CAMEO

LIKE

IF YOU WERE GOING TO DO A CAMEO FROM AMERICAN IDOL WHY NOT RYAN SEACREST 

HE TOOK OVER FOR CASEY KASEM ON THE AMERICAN TOP 40 WOULDN’T THAT MAKE MORE SENSE

aaauuuggghhh

---

Also he’s there as a potential investor in Mystery Inc as a detective agency

A music industry professional… is interested in funding a detective agency.

Like… did he miss out on Josie & the Pussycats? Is that why he’s here?

----

Wait a minute

Oh noooooo

I know why he’s here

I remember this spoiler

Shit

-----

And once again, here is your reminder to tell Simon Cowell a great big fcuk you

Only this time it’s for making Shaggy and Scooby feel worthless and saying that friendship is worthless and cannot be counted on for anything worthwhile

Simon Cowell: Professional Dickhead

---

Welp, at least this gives a solid reason why they leave: Simon Cowell was being a professional dickhead, and the gang didn’t really say anything against him or interrupt him on his whole ‘Shag and Scoob are worthless spiel’

Or, well... Daphne stepped up some, but more to say ‘they’re our friends!’ rather than ‘that’s entirely wrong, our friends aren’t worthless!’ Better than nothing, but yeesh

----

Ahhh, Takamoto Bowling - the emptiest bowling alley in the evenings this side of Coolsville 

(no seriously, the past few times my dad has taken my sister and me bowling pre-pandemic, no matter the day or time? it’s ALWAYS got more than 6 lanes of people there, what the heck)

Also Scooby wears three bowling shoes, which honestly makes more sense than I thought it would - that pup goes spinning and sliding every which way on a normal floor, bowling alley floors would be like ten times worse

----

here’s a nice little detail - when Scooby sees one of the bowling pins peek out with red eyes and he yells that to Shaggy, Shaggy actually squints and walks closer to see if it actually does have eyes

aww

----

Huh, okay 

Panicked Will Forte Shaggy actually sounds more like a good Shaggy voice than normal talking Will Forte Shaggy

I can dig it

---

Still kind of underwhelmed by the Shag and Scoob disguise scene - wouldn’t it make more sense to have them like, dish up hot sauce or something on a plate that nonsensically makes the robots overheat before they discover their ruse?

Idk, maybe they’re off their game after Simon ‘Dickhead’ Cowell

---

Carlton Way - must be named after Fred’s only other voice actor, Carlton Stevens of PNSD

Also Hanna’s Barber Shop is next to Barbera’s Pizza! Cute.

And… Pitstop’s Pink Perfume ad. Wait, who is that? *assorted googling noises*

...ahhh, Penelope Pitstop from Wacky Races! Who, according to Wikipedia, was revealed to have Greek ancestry in the 2016 Wacky Raceland comic book, having been born on the island of Aegina

Now I’m wondering if we’ll see her in this too, given Cerberus...

----

Honestly kind of fascinating to see the gang with a police radio in their van

Also fascinating to see that only main characters are allowed clothing variety and texture/creases/folds

---

it’s actually really sweet to see Fred, upon hearing that Shag and Scoob are likely in danger, immediately makes a 90 degree turn in traffic

---

It looks like they changes Dee Dee’s name a hair - now it’s Dee Dee Skyes, instead of Sykes

It works well for the Falcon aesthetic, so that’s cool

----

Shaggy, after Dee Dee tells them that Dastardly’s trying to kill them: Scoob, someone thinks we’re important enough to *mimes slitting throat*!

Scooby: It’s nice to be wanted.

Excellent! This movie has captured Shag and Scoob’s blasé attitude towards death! Now we’re onto a solid Scooby film :D

Dee Dee: Hmm, I hear that!

And they even have a friend to share in their attitude! Splendid!

----

Christ, I can work photoshop better than Blue Falcon can, and I don’t even know how to use photoshop

I will give major kudos on his costume tho - it maintains the important elements of the OG Falcon, while still updating it with more bird-related aesthetic, like the feathered appearance of parts of his costume, the split cape resembling the tail feathers, and the talon gauntlets & boots. neat!

---

Yooo, Dynomutt, I thought secret identities were still a thing with Superheroes, what the hey are you doing giving it out to a duo you literally just picked up behind a bowling alley

Ngl, I’m kinda hoping we get some scenes where Dynomutt messes up a little like in the OG cartoon - this one feels really serious, which is kind of strange

---

Okay now I want to see older!Blue Falcon come in for a cameo

Mainly bc I’m getting the feeling that this one is a major dumbass, and not in the fun and friendly himbo kind of way 😑

---

Wait, THAT’S our first look at Dastardly? That’s a bit abrupt, isn’t it?

Also his ship must be pumping thousands of gallons of toxins into the air, that smoke cloud looks hideous. Forget logging into his mom’s Netflix account like the trailer said, EPA should probably be hunting him for sport with a laser cannon, jesus fcuking christ

---

Honestly kinda want a plane you can pilot like a motorbike now

---

Welp, it looks like we have a fun, mustache-twirly, puns-aplenty, loves-to-be-bad kind of villain on our hands folks! This is gonna be FUN AS HECK

---

Eurgh, this scene - the super-stiff-but-stretched-out ‘yeeurgh’ faces really squick me for some reason, but I can’t really pinpoint why

---

I have decided I highly dislike the Brian Blue Falcon, or Brian Falcon for short, and would like to see Dastardly tie him to some railroad tracks

---

North St for Heather North, and… wait… Funland Carnival? Like where Charlie the Robot hung out?

Apparently that’s in Romania.

A very yellow-greenfilter Romania at that.

 Like, I’ve seen blue washes on movies trying to portray evening in the middle of the day so they don’t actually have to shoot at night, but yellow? That’s normally used for deserts and hot days and uhhh 

NOT for evenings in a country with landscape like THIS

odd

(I mean I guess they got the mountains and trees right, but still. Yellow filters make a place look arid, which Romania is Not, to my knowledge)

----

Dude, Brian Falcon is such an idiot even Shaggy and Scooby, commonly portrayed as the idiots of Mystery Inc, look at him like he’s a moron.

(They are Not Amused.)

Also Brian Falcon is an absolute coward. That’s new. Even Shaggy and Scooby face off against the robots directly in a Whack-a-Mole game and destroy some. Dude, get your head in the fcuking game already, yikes

--

Woah, Laff-a-Lympics, Wacky Races, Hex Girls, The Banana Splits, Penelope Pitstop, Space Stars, Posse Impossible, and Hong Kong Phooey easter eggs in one shot

Geezus

--- 

Another nice moment: when cornered by Dastardly, Shaggy moves to stand in front of Scooby to protect him

---

Dastardly (to Shaggy): I don’t care about YOU. You’re not REMOTELY important!

*proceeds to shoot Shaggy THROUGH the ceiling and up into the highest car on a Ferris Wheel where Brian Falcon is hiding like a man baby*

Welp, so much for a fun and zany villain. Time for this Plush Anon to kill a bitch *cocks shotgun*

I will, too - kudos to the animators for hurting me so badly with the face Shaggy made right before being shot because

OW

---

Ehehehhehe, yess, the infamous ‘Dick’ scene

Dastardly: No, I’m a DICK. With a D!

You sure are, you sack of dildos with a D!

This scene had to be put in on purpose - if this had been released in theaters, I just know the adults would be dying in laughter 🤣🤣🤣

----

Shaggy: Brian, do something! 

Brian Falcon: Like what?

Shaggy: Like, drop some F-Bombs!

love it 😂

---

Is it like movie law now, that if there’s an action scene with a Ferris Wheel in the background, it has to fall off and roll down a mild incline like a wheel? Because it kinda feels like it

---

Aha! Dastardly said his drats! Perfection.

Now to shoot him through a ceiling to make them matter even more :D

---

OOF. 

Well that hurt. 

Poor Shaggy - basically internalizing now that he’s the worthless one and weak link of the group now that Scooby is considered more important

---

Holy fcuk I’m crying

Shaggy just broke Brian Falcon down to his deepest insecurities without even trying while talking to him

He even used the words ‘imposter syndrome’ 

Shaggy hon, you’re the best

----

Oh hey, Fred, Daphne, and Velma! It’s been a while since we saw you guys again, what are you doing?

Arguing about the metric system and realizing that Shaggy and Scooby reminding them to eat periodically helped them keep a clearer head...

And using the word ‘hangry’.

But then looking through a ridiculously cute photo album of the two and a video the gang took together (the video is honestly really heckin’ cute, 10000/10 would recommend)...

And then getting pulled over so Fred can have a brief ‘oo-la-la’ montage about the pretty blonde cop who honest-to-gods looks like a Barbie doll.

Where Daphne then describes how ugly Dastardly is...

Right before the petite blonde cop who’s maybe like 5’7” at best rips off her outfit to reveal it was Dick Dastardly this entire time, all 7ish feet of him.

And then kidnaps them all along with the Mystery Machine while he makes terribly fun dorky puns

…

...SO BACK TO SCOOBY AND SHAGGY...

---

...where Scooby is making kissy faces in the mirror while wearing his Blue Falcon uniform

Hrm, that’s not really better is it

We actually see Shaggy reading (OG) Blue Falcon’s autobiography, and making hurt but snide comments about Scooby’s ego

Which are actually pretty clever tbh

-----

Cooooooongratulations, Fred Jones! You are now officially a full-on himbo!

----

Alas, poor Daphne. While your knowledge of the tropes of your show might have served you well in other places, this was to be a theatrical release once upon a time, and so such knowledge falls to ruin.

----

You know, I just realized - we’re never really told HOW the Cerberus skulls work, both in how each skull can be used to find the others,  and, presumably, in releasing Cerberus itself. We’re given a brief glance-over of Scooby’s ancestry (and I mean REALLY damn brief), and a quick mention that these are supposed to be Cerberus’ skulls being stolen, but… that’s it. Nothing else is given. 

Now, I read the first few chapters of my SCOOB! Junior Novelization, and it actually went into further detail about the skulls themselves and what Dastardly’s initial plan was early in the book - open the gates of Hades and obtain the seas of treasure therein. It acted as an introduction both to the climatic endgame we’ll face at the end of the movie, and to Dastardly, who uses the same disguise trick he used as the Barbie cop when he stole the first one in South America. 

(They actually DID plan to use this as Dastardly’s intro, but cut this… 3 minute scene for time. Yeah. See below video for the details - honestly think they should have kept it in. Saves time later and definitely more show than tell, compared to what we got)

I feel like that would be a better introduction to him than the one we got - hell, it would have fit in quite neatly after the revamped theme song montage. They could have the scene with Dastardly finding/stealing the first skull as an introduction (as above), then have him answer a call or something. Exposit openly “You found the key! Excellent! Now where are we going next?” 

THEN cut to the diner/coffee shop scene we had earlier. We still wouldn’t know exactly what the key was/entailed off the bat, and they could still have FD&V find out on their own - maybe by hacking the little robot instead? IDK.

---

The final skull is on Messick Mountain.

Cute.

On a side note, I do love how Dastardly’s ship interior looks - very dieselpunk

---

Velma just hacked into Dynomutt… somehow, and I finally get my wacky Dynomutt shenanigans!  Hazoo!

...sadly that was really dang brief. Realistic, yes, but still too brief. 

---

Eyyyy, we finally get the whys of why Scooby is needed! … really dang fast. 

Also Fred says Jinkies. 

----

Hey, Muttley popped up! In a shrine… to his demise… that we find out he reached when Dastardly pushed him forward into the Underworld to steal the treasure of Alexander the Great in a portal he rigged up… only for both of them to find out it was a one-way deal unless they used the key to be able to come back. The key, of course, being Scooby Doo, descendent of Peritas, Alexander’s dog. 

Eh, workable enough-ish. It’s interesting to see that Dastardly, despite how much he disliked Muttley in the older cartoons, still cares about him to a certain extent. 

---

Pfff, Fred’s a poor man’s Hemsworth XD

---

Sweet, we’re in ‘Journey to the Center of the Earth’ now!

---

Um

O W W W

You guys really had to do the ‘me or them’ thing with Shaggy and Scooby… and tHeN hAvE sCoObY cHoOsE tHe FaLcONs?!? Just because they said he was important as “the key” and gave him a spandex costume.

Over at least 7 years of friendship. 

Booooooooooooo

---

actually no I’m Not Done Yet

This whole scene is a mess.

Like

Shaggy’s turn was really dang fast… but I can still see how he gets to it. It’s at least a day between Scooby being chosen as a pseudo-sidekick and the island arrival, during which Shaggy’s talk with the main adult (who has taken up the mantle of his favorite superhero) essentially confirms his feelings of worthlessness and leaves him to stew for HOURS on end (on top of another adult, Dastardly, who also calls him “not even REMOTELY important” at the carnival before freaKING SHOOTING HIM THROUGH THE CEILING NO I AM NOT OVER THIS). Tie that to a teenager who also believes his only friends have come to think he’s meaningless baggage, and suddenly his entire support system is vanishing underneath him to one of his former idols without ANY sign of hesitation from Scooby’s part (with the exception of the collar scene, but I don’t think that that means the same to Scooby, given how quickly he bounces back)

Scooby tho… hrm. It could be that he’s clinging to the good feelings Brian Falcon inspires in him (by choosing him as the next possible Dynomutt), as a way to overpower how FD&V hurt him, while also building on how he came to love the duo because SHAGGY loved them so much. But the movie doesn’t frame that up… at all?? At least compared to Shaggy. 

Idk, maybe I’m missing something, but this scene is a mess through and through

Boooooo

----

Scooby: *tries to leap into Brian Falcon’s arms like he did with Shaggy but falls*

Brian: Uh, what are you doing?

Scooby: Rhaggy never missed. 

Damn straight he didn’t

---

oh hey, it’s Captain Caveman

I was wondering when we’d see him.

---

AAAUUGGHH

It’s that blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene from the trailers I sobbed over - the one with Shaggy holding Scooby’s collar

Fun fact it actuALLY FADES INTO THE FLASHBACK

THAT WAS NOT A TRAILER THING THAT’S ACTUALLY HERE IN THE MOVIE

OW

---

Oh No

Fred is here, alone, after that whole scene with Dastardly saying he had a use for Fred

...while that’s likely Dastardly in a Fred suit (that sounds creepy just typing it), I’m still going to enjoy this brief but absolutely lovely hug Shaggy and Fred share...

(seriously tho, look at this, it’s a genuinely close, squish-your-lungs-out kind of hug, I love it)

...as well as Shaggy, who's still hurt from his fight with Scooby, immediately gearing up to go help him after hearing Dastardly’s trying to kidnap him.

----

Brian Falcon and Scooby Doo now have to take on Captain Caveman in gladiatorial combat in order to claim the final skull of Cerberus

I love cartoons sometimes

----

Captain Caveman just put the smackdown on Brian Falcon and punched him into the ground up to his CHEST

Then smacked him so far into a wall he cracked the stone around him!

GodDAMN is this satisfying 😆 altho minor question here: how did he gain the rank of Captain? Do cavepeople have a naval force?

---

He just whirled Scooby around his head, then spun him so fast his costume broke off

I may have to look into some Captain Caveman stuff now, that’s fantastic

---

Shaggy and Fred - sorry, “Fred” -  just smashed through to the colosseum in the Mystery Machine

And Dynomutt just fired missiles at Captain Caveman to smash him into an Amigara-shaped hole of himself

I REALLY love cartoons sometimes

---

Oh No

Just as Shaggy starts trying to apologize, “Fred” kicks him in the back, rips off his disguise to normal Dastardly self, and kidnaps Scooby atop the skull, before revealing he destroyed the Falcon Fury jet

New tagline for this movie? Shaggy Rogers and the Terrible, Horrible, No-Good, Very Bad Day

...at least the rest of the gang is back together?

---

Brian Falcon: *Immediately tries to blame Shaggy for inadvertently leading Dastardly to them, while storming up to get in his face*

Fred: *upon realizing BrianF is blaming Shaggy for everything, without a SINGLE moment’s hesitation, immediately leaps in to defend Shaggy and physically push back Brian Falcon several feet*

We stan one Himbo, theydies and gentlethem

Also?

Velma (sneering): What kind of hero blames other people for his problems? *Walks over to comfort Shaggy with Daphne, while Shaggy looks dumbfounded they’re defending him bc he also blames himself for Scooby’s kidnapping*

This. This right here, is the kind of Mystery gang content I wanna see.

I don’t care how the rest of this movie goes now, this scene right here is ambrosia to the Scooby fan’s soul, and therefore makes this entire movie worth it, outdated memes, lingo, and all

---

Cackling rn - Fred and Brian Falcon are in a point-off a la the Spiderman meme 😂

or, more specifically, the post-credits sequence of Spiderverse where they’re arguing about who started pointing first

It gets better when Velma and Daphne try to pull each other off of their pushing fight, and Velma grumbles “Toxic Masculinity” I’m crying

---

WOAH

More super Shaggy stuff here (apart from being flung through a building roof without a scratch) - he pushes apart both groups effortless, and even knocks them back several feet

If we estimate Dynomutt as… we’ll say 450 since he’s made of metal, Falcon at 220, Dee Dee at 160, that’s about 830 lbs on one side

Then Fred, Daphne and Velma on the other (hmm, 180, 150, 130?) would be around 460 lbs

Dang boi

---

Oh honey no, it’s not your fault

But dang if he didn’t get a good message from it, one I’ve done my best to transcribe here:

“I was afraid that... things were gonna change. And they did change. But like, that’s okay! People can grow. But it doesn’t mean that we’re growing apart. Because the one thing that will never change is that Scooby Doo is my best friend! Ten years ago, a little boy made a promise to a stray puppy that he’d never leave him no matter what. And I’m gonna keep that promise! Now it’s time we stopped that mustachioed menace from opening the gates to the {underworld} and letting loose that fearsome {Cerberus}. So what do you say we get out {of here}, and go get my always-snacking, never-lacking, often-napping dog back? Who’s with me?”

Honestly not a bad message for kids. Things will change, people will change, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop being friends. (Obvs real life exceptions apply, but that’s not a bad note honestly)

...shame that that conclusion comes right the FUCK outta nowhere

Like

How, exactly, did he come to this conclusion? WHEN? What inspired him to realize this, what was the impetus for this specific line of thought, that it’s okay for friends to change?

It kinda feels like this should have been either the happy ending speech given after they’ve saved the world, or one at the start of the third act, like if Shaggy arrives when Scooby thinks he’s chased him away and ruined everything, and Shaggy & the gang still save him. And Scooby asks him why he did that - when Scooby tried to change himself to fit what Brian Falcon wanted, instead of treasuring the friend he still had, or maybe why Shaggy reacted the way he did. THEN Shaggy gives the speech we hear, a la:

“I yelled at you because… like, because I was scared. I was scared that... things were gonna change. And they did change. But like, that’s okay! People can grow. But it doesn’t mean that we’re growing apart. Because the one thing that will never change is that YOU’RE my best friend! Ten years ago, a little boy made a promise to a stray puppy that he’d never leave him no matter what. And I mean to keep it!” 

At least that would make a little more sense to me. Again, not a bad speech, but a little rearranging would help to really hit home. 

---

Okay, now we’re back with Dastardly in Greece, and suddenly the background people all look MILES better than the ones at the start of the movie. Did they just forget to polish the first two minutes of film, what the heck?

Also, Dastardly’s ship is literally the entire length of the Greek ruins presented o_O

---

HOLY SHIT THE SKULLS TURNED BACK TIME AND MADE THE RUINS INTO AN ENTIRELY RESTORED PALACE WITH THE GATES OF THE UNDERWORLD BEFORE THEM

They’re also colored a very atmospheric neon arrangement that’s surprisingly quite tasteful ^.^

----

The Mystery Machine can fly now!!! eeheeheeeheeheeheeheeee

----

And so we finally see Cerberus, a massive, towering figure with sharp teeth and pffffffhahahhahaa why are all three heads wearing Spartan helmets

To its credit, they’re also wearing basic body armor, wrist guards, tail spikes, etc, but the helmets are killing me 🤣 who thought to stick that onto the dog? Did Hades forget to remove the armor after winning the Gods’ Pet Costume Contest, or was it like that horse in the ATV costume - it felt safer so it didn’t let anyone take it off?

Or was this a precaution against Herakles coming back? These are questions - hilarious, hilarious questions 😁

---

Awww. Scooby immediately runs to the battered Mystery Machine to rip the doors open for the gang!

And… wait. THIS is where that wonderful hug was in the trailers? I thought that was at the end of the movie when everyone was safe!

This now does not bode well. But we’ll worry about that later. Time to enjoy this gorgeous wonderful hug of the entire gang, and Shag and Scoob apologizing to each other for fighting 🥰

Yet another scene to make the rest of this movie worth the rest

(halfway wanna frame this shit and put it on the wall, it’s that lovely)

----

Fantastic! Dastardly is now in Hell, where I’ve been wishing him this entire movie! :D

And dang… he actually apologizes to what he believes is a dead Muttley. Who is, naturally, snickering at all of this. The two bicker predictably, but eventually hug and make up, too happy to see each other to resort to old habits. Honestly a nice little scene, all-in-all. 

---

Back to the gang and they’re doing the glowy eyes in the dark bit! I actually haven’t seen that in a Scooby movie forever, it’s neat.

Also Fred is now going full Liam Neeson over his van, war paint and all, using the tire cover as a shield and… holy shit. 

HOLY SHIT

THE ASCOT IS BAAAnnnnnd it’s gone. Boy, that was… short. 

Fred just ran full-tilt at Cerberus, screaming like a mad man, before getting flicked away by its big toe, and losing the ascot and makeshift shield. It punched so hard his facepaint came off

It was fun while it lasted y’all

---

Heyyy, Shag and Scoob just came up with the plan, and it’s actually solid! I’m so proud, and so is the rest of the gang! Also willingly going to distract Cerberus while the rest figure out how to close the gate and stuff Cerberus back in

I love my boys 😊

---

Annnnd there goes Brian Falcon like the coward he is

To… call his dad? And admit he isn’t a hero.

Only for Dynomutt to point out Shaggy and Scooby are taking him on and are terrified. 

This then cuts to Shaggy and Scooby running around in a chariot and gladiator wear, running back and forth a la the door gag from Cerberus to the OG SDWAY theme

I think I love this movie

(although they’re hinting at Dynomutt being resentful of OG Blue Falcon essentially abandoning him to his incompetent son, and I really wish it had been touched upon more

that’s actually rather heartbreaking, when you stop to think about it, and there’s a lot that could be done with an additional two minutes of screentime) 

---

Huh, another good message for kids: it’s okay to fail and be scared, so long as you keep going and try to do what’s right.

Two good messages for kids in one movie. Not too shabby, on the whole. 

---

Brian Falcon just flew in and punched the three-headed dog, then jumped into its mouth as it tried to eat Scooby, resisted the MASSIVE JAW STRENGTH, and got them out of there safe and sound

Finally, something heroic!

-- 

I was wondering where Dastardly and Muttley got off to - apparently they’re off to take a money bath.

Aight

---

Shag and Scoob have now convinced the Rotten Robots to turn into bowling balls to knock Cerberus off their feet a la the classic marbles pratfall back into the underworld

That is a sentence I just wrote

----

OH FCUK NO

NO

ABSOLUTELY NOT NO

YOU ARE TELLING US THAT AFTER ALL OF THIS - ALL OF THIS - ONE OF THEM HAS TO STAY IN THE UNDERWORLD TO LOCK THE GATE

THAT OCTOBER LEAKER WAS RIGHT WHAT THE HELL

LITERALLY SO

I mean i know its a kids film specifically Scooby Doo so happy ending but what the literal FUCK

---

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUGGHHH

SHAGGY NOOOO

“Buddy, back when we were kids, you saved me. Now, it’s my turn.”

and he dOES THIS WHILE HOLDING SCOOBY’S HEAD TENDERLY IN HIS HANDS

AND WHEN EVERYTHING REVERTS IT’S JUST RUBBLE AND RUIN AND SCOOBY’S LEFT SOBBING OPENLY AT NOTHING

AND THE GANG ALL COME TO CLING AT HIM AND CRY OVER THEIR FRIEND WHO THOUGHT HE WAS WORTHLESS MOST OF THE MOVIE AND THOUGH THAT THE GANG THOUGHT THE SAME ABOUT HIM

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGHHHHH

---

WELP, TIME TO COPE WITH INAPPROPRIATE HUMOR

Shaggy: I yelled at my dog, got him kidnapped, and ended up helping the bad guy to open the gates to Hell. Guess I’ll die. 

Dee Dee: Well actually, this is more Dastardly’s fault because -

Shaggy, yelling as he slams his hand against the lock: GUESS I’LL DIE!!!

----

Ah, so the writers wrote themselves into a corner, and the only way out was a Deus Ex Machina (at least, I think I’m using that term correctly…) 

Because to get Shaggy back, a giant statue of Alexander the Great and Peritas appears out of nowhere - literally, since it definitely wasn’t there before - with an inscription Scooby has to read to get Shaggy back.

This would have been a lot more effective if we’d seen it when Dastardly arrived in Greece - maybe even as the marker for where the gate to the Underworld was. Have Alexander facing one way, and Peritas facing the other. You open the gate on Alexander’s side, and come home on Peritas’ side. Having this unfold into the gate gives it more purpose than “magically appears right the fcuk outta nowehere” and you could have a pun with the “backdoor” escape. Everybody wins!

And if that’s too good for ya, how about a brief lingering shot by it at some point as Dastardly flies into Greece, behind where the gate materializes, or directly across from it on the plaza? Maybe have one of the gang kick it after Shaggy leaves, and say ‘This is all your fault! Why would you make something like this?’

It’d still be a magical contrivance, but at least it would make some fcuking SENSE.

(Granted it DID lead to this hilariously ominous shot, so maybe I shouldn’t complain:)

---

Velma: I finally figured out what you guys are! You’re the heart of Mystery Inc.

Me: YEAH BABY! *flips over table* I’VE BEEN SAYING THAT SHIT FOR YEARS AND NOW, I’M FCUKING VALIDATED AT LAAAAAAAAST!

----

Shaggy: *rips off Dastardly’s face to reveal…*

ALL: SIMON COWELL??!?

Me, choking on food: I’m sorry WHAT?!?!?

Velma: *takes off mask again to reveal*

ALL: DICK DASTARDLY?!?

Dastardly: Drat! No one ever goes for the double unmasking. 

So I was right all along - Simon Cowell truly was a Dick this entire time.

-----

And so we close on the gang unveiling a Mystery Machine paint job on their official detective agency building, Brian Falcon living the good life as the DJ at their party, the Falcon team gifting a sleek new Mystery Machine to the gang (which honestly looks pretty unique - it’s not the classic, but it is something new that isn’t awful, so kudos there), and the gang on their way to another mystery.

So, at the end of the day is this a good Scooby movie? 

Meh? *waves hand in meh motion* But it definitely had its moments. 

This Scooby film is flawed as heck, no doubt about it - the plot has a MAJOR problem with telling instead of showing, some parts feeling out of order or WAY too short, and of course the deus ex machina ending. I honestly would have loved some more time for their first mystery as kids, where we actually got more character moments/bonding from Fred, Daphne, and Velma as they solved it the more traditional route, as well as not framing FD&V as super duper mystery solvers right off the bat??? 

The stuff with Blue Falcon isn’t AWFUL, per se, but it is ridiculously satisfying to see him get smacked around. Captain Caveman was honestly one of the funniest bits in the movie, same with Dynomutt. 

As far as the character stuff? It all felt fairly natural, progression-wise. Shag and Scoob don’t have this big break-up with the gang - they’re hurt by the literal Dickhead’s comments the gang don’t speak up against, and go to blow off some steam together. Shag and Scoob don’t have this giant blow-up argument - it builds over the film into a hurt spat they both recognize they overreacted to almost immediately. The gang (FDV) go looking for them almost as soon as they leave, and, upon hearing they’re in danger, turn and head towards them to save them, realizing how important the two are to Mystery Inc along the way. They defend each other, help each other, have some of the Best Dang Animated Mystery Inc hugs I ever did see - THIS feels more like the Gang I’ve been waiting for forever to come back to DTV (and in a rough sense, did). While I do wish we’d gotten more screen time of FD&V, what we got wasn’t too bad. 

Weirdly enough, at the end of the day, I’ve actually grown more accustomed to Forte’s Shaggy - it feels like it fits this different style a touch more than I originally thought, and holy hell if I didn’t come close to tears at that ending gate scene, he knocked that one out of the park.  Velma still doesn’t feel much like Velma, but I did get used to it by the end. I kept cracking up at Efron’s Fred, and no complaints on Seyfried’s Daphne.

Jason Isaacs as Dick Dastardly absolutely killed it. Blue Falcon Crew was okay (excepting Mark “The Racist” Wahlburg - it was just him talking, no real effort. You could recognize Wahlburg right off the bat, acting as a goofy douche) and freaking Captain Caveman was awesome. Apparently they combined both Billy West and Don Messick’s recordings for Muttley (awesome!!!), so this may very well be Don Messick’s final role in a Scooby Doo film. 

It got off to a rough start, but ended well enough. The animation was solid, the writing has some unexpectedly clever and funny moments sprinkled throughout, with some pretty fun action sequences on the side. Watching this, I really do believe that the people working on it love Scooby Doo and all things Hanna-Barbera… at least in their own way. 

I ended up buying this instead of just renting it ($5 more, why not) and I am honestly glad I did so. Despite its flaws, it has some great moments with the gang as friends, and I have been Craving That Shit for DECADES

And if these writers/directors ever did another Scooby film? I think I’d be up for giving them a chance - at least so long as we got some more absolutely BEAUTIFUL hugs with the gang

I hope you enjoyed this stream-of-consciousness reaction to SCOOB! (2020)... a whole ass year LATER, admittedly (I didn’t switch my Save Post to Queue, curse my hubris), but hopefully y’all’ve been entertained. Good night everybody!

[puckngrind]

Skating Lessons part 27

Summary: Picks up at the trade deadline.  Sorry this has been long overdue.  My brain and my heart were fighting.

Warnings: the usual...swearing, sexual content

Word count: 2280

Series Masterlist

You did not realize a person could hold their breath for weeks but the day after the trade deadline you felt it and so did Josh.

"You can stop jumping every single time the phone rings Baby girl." he whispered into your ear early in the morning on the 25th before heading off to the plane. "We aren't going anywhere right now."

The "right now" part still freaked me out. You caught bits of conversation between Josh and his agent about what to expect for contract negotiations and you worried that a trade was looming. For now you lived in the moment that your man was staying right where he belonged.  You were so worried about the long roadie before which seems silly looking from where you’ve come from and what could have happened.  You knew the time to talk about summer plans was coming even with the team staying in the playoff run, you could feel summer coming with a few warm days strung together where Mason begged to get the kiddie pool out of storage.

“Momma, why can’t we just get the pool out even if it’s just for a few days?”  Mason almost whined.

“Mace, we will get it out AFTER school is out, okay?  For now, the sprinkler will due plus Josh bought new squirt guns for you two to play with.”  You didn’t even look up from your phone while drinking coffee reading an article about unrestricted free agency that you knew was a worm hole but didn’t want to ask Josh about.  You heard his bag hit the floor from morning skate and his feet shuffle.

“I’m not going on the Canada roadie.”  He mumbled while kissing your hairline.

“What...the...what?”  You put down your phone and stood up to follow him into the kitchen.  His ass hanging out of the fridge.  You would normally take a whack at it but you could feel he wasn’t in the mood.  “Baby?  Talk to me.”  Your hands lightly rubbed his back as he stands up and leans against the fridge as it closes.  

“I’m not going on the Canada road trip.  I’m day to day because of this damn shoulder.”  He rubbed the shoulder he hurt during playoffs last season and had been milking all year.

“I’m sorry Sweetie.”  You used all your might to pull him in and hold him tight.  He body almost limp under your touch.

“I mean, I guess you can be happy you have me home?”  He rubs the back of his neck as you stare up at his sad puppy dog eyes.  

“I’m not.  I know you were looking forward to all the team bonding on that trip, seeing Bo, and I know an injury right now is not good for you.”  You kiss his chest and lay your chin in the divet you swear was made for you.  “But, rest now maybe what you need for the playoff run, right?  You can smell the cup can’t you?!?”  You see a slight smirk on his face and he flexes around your waist.

“Have you been talking to the coaches?” He kisses your forehead and smiles bigger.  “’cuz you sound just like what they just told me after our skate.”  

“Maybe I’m getting better at this hockey thing?”  You wink and he laughs.  You are thankful that you can lift his mood.  “So, do you have any...uh...”  You look to see if Mason is in ear shot and he’s no where to be found.  “Uh, restrictions on that shoulder of yours?”  You bite your lip and bat your eyes.

“Oh wow (y/n)!  I just told you I’m injured enough not to go on a multiple game trip and all you are thinking about is THAT?”  His smirk reaches his eyes and he pulls you up.  “No, I don’t have any restrictions in that sense of the word.  Just have physical therapy and some treatments they want me to try plus morning skates every day the team is gone.”

“Made you smile at least.  Didn’t it Anderson?”  You wiggle to get out of his grip and he laughs.

“True.  You are fantastic at doing that.  Did I just see Mason in a swimsuit fly by the window?”  Josh’s attention is pulled to the window.

“Yes, you hockey boys get a taste of warmth and you all think it’s time to break out the swimwear!”  You turn to look out at Mason running around the yard.

“OH!  Squirt guns!”  Josh jumps and runs towards the closet you stashed them.  You toss up your arms in disbelief and follow Josh to the back door.  

“You two are going to need a bowl to fill those!”  You announce as you walk out to the backyard with a bowl from the kitchen in hand.  You are still in shock that Josh is now in his shorts and hooking up the hose for Mason.

The sun is warm on your face but no where near warm enough for what you were watching.  Your boys having an epic battle in the backyard giggles filling the space.  You go to take a picture and realize you left your phone in the house.  Quickly you jog back in to retrieve it, sliding it into your sweatshirt pocket.  You don’t even make it out the door before you hear Josh yell, “ATTACK!”  Sure enough you are bombarded with streams of water coming from two directions.  You shriek and run back in side.  

“BOYS!”  You yell while using the door as a shield.  “I am not playing!”  Which makes Mason drop to the ground laughing and Josh’s eyes get lost in his laugh.  “Seriously.”

“Okay, okay, no squirting Momma this time Mace.”  Josh heads to the door and blows a kiss at you mouthing the word sorry.  You smile and retreat to change your now wet clothing.

You hated that Josh was missing a major road trip but having him home was nice.  He played dinosaurs, hot wheels, and knee hockey most evenings while you made dinner.  He helped with his preschool homework which you loved listening to.

“What rhymes with sock Mason?”  Josh was pointing to the flash card his teacher sent home.

“Cock.”  Mason proudly said picking up the flash card on the table.  Josh choked on air and you swooped in.

“Clock...Mason, say it with me...Clllllock.”  You pointed to your mouth to emphasize the L in clock.  Mason tried again while you eyed Josh to get his shit together.

“Good just bud!  How about we work on your letter of the week paper now?”  Josh tries to compose himself and you retreat back to the kitchen.

You realized this is what life in the summer would feel like.  Josh home most of the time with the exemption of workouts and on pick up and drop off duty before the season started.  It seemed so fantastic until you realize it’s all in Columbus that you picture this life.

“Your brain is in overdrive and I don’t know how to stop it.”  Josh pulls you in after tucking Mason in.  The team had just gone dog sledding and Josh was happy for them but you could see the sadness in his eyes with every swipe of an insta-story.  “How can I help?”

“I should be asking you the same thing.  I know it’s hard seeing all the guys posts about dog sledding and you are here picking Mason up from Preschool.”  your lips caress his and he pulls back.

“Speaking of pick up duty, My good looks and charm aren’t really cutting it anymore with pick up duty.”  he pulls away and leads you down the hall.

“I’m confused.”  You head to the bathroom to get ready for bed while Josh strips down.

“Well, when I was picking up Mason here and there I could flash my smile and they wouldn’t give me grief about the fact that I’m not on the approved pick up list.  Today was interesting.”  Josh leans in the door frame in just his boxers.

“Holy shit Josh.  I didn’t even think about it.  I’ll send an email right now and a note in Mason’s backpack.”  You go to pull your hair back and Josh closes the space between you two.

“It’s okay.  How about you send an email in the morning, you are looking fine as hell right now.”  He picks you us and places you on the counter.  His lips ghosting your exposed skin.  

“Should you be picking me up J?”  You lean into the mirror.

“Stop worrying about me!”  He growled into your skin.  “Want to take this to our bed then?”  His eyes met yours with a passion that was intoxicating.  You nod your head and jump down sliding your body down his causing a moan to escape his lips.  “Damnit you really have a way of knowing exactly what will turn me on don’t you?”  Josh bites at your ear as you start to remove your clothing slowly while making your way to the bed.

“I’m glad after all this time I still do it for you.”  Your statement was less confident than it sounded coming out of your lips but it got Josh’s attention.

“Babe, you will always do it for me.  I have no doubt in my mind.”  Josh climbs up the bed with you kissing your lips softly when he finally reaches you.

“Really?”  You run your hands down his chest and over his shoulder.

“Fuck yes.”  Josh presses his clothed cock onto your core to prove his point which sent shock waves throughout your body.

“Hmmmm...” You go to make a statement but Josh has other ideas.  His hand slides down to rid body of his only article of clothing.  His fingers then dance at your core before dipping inside.  You gasp at the feeling and your back arches up into him.  “Josh that feels...”  You lose your words in his kiss.  Before you can even realize what’s happening Josh as pulled his fingers out of your heat and inched himself into you.

“Oh Baby.  You feel amazing.”  He whispers in your ear while bottoming out.  He pulls back and you run your hands over his shoulders then down his back.

“Josh, are you sure your shoulder is...” He bites at your lip and thrusts even harder into your core making you shudder.

“Yes.  Would you like to switch so we both can orgasm because I’m not going to last long?”  He doesn’t even wait for you to answer before he swings both of your bodies around and you sit up.  A grunt erupts out of Josh’s mouth as his hands slide over your hips and his hips thrust hard up into you while you press down into him.  You find a rhythm that you can tell will bring you both climaxing in moments and you ride it out.  Josh pulls you down onto his length as you feel him release deep inside of you while your orgasm washes over you to where you crash into his chest.  His hands release from the death grip on your hips and he brushes them up your back.

“Well...” You try to breathe out while catching your breath.  

“Maybe I should have used this shoulder this as an excuse before tonight?”  Josh chuckles and you hear it deep in his chest.

“Not funny Anderson.”  You poke at his ribs and wiggle which you know will overstimulate you both but it was worth it.  He jumps.

“See, you still do it for me...I cannot even last that long!”  He laughs again and you join in.

“Well I’m glad because you are stuck with me.”  You start to get up and Josh rolls you over.  

“Not so fast.”  He pulls you into his chest and you breathe him in.  In that moment you wondered if his smell would change in the off season.  Would not showering at the rink change the smell you have grown fond of.  Your eyes start to mist.  “Are you crying because the sex was so good?  Did I hurt you?”  Josh pulls your body away from his to inspect why he heard you sniffle.

“No, just keep thinking out summer life will be like since we haven’t talked about it since our big argument.”  You sit up on your elbow and look at the man you love.

“And that made you cry?”  Josh runs his thumb across your lips.

“Not really crying but I got emotional for a second. Yes.”  No need to hide it.

“I’m completely off Sunday, can your parents watch Mason and we can hash out all the things for the summer then?”  He kisses your lips softly.

“That should work.  I really don’t want him to hear all of this yet and we need actual time to talk not just these few moments here and there.”  you go to lean on Josh’s chest and he pulls you in tighter than normal.

“Sounds like a plan!”  Josh says enthusiastically.  “Mason won’t be staying up for the game either so we can finish talking during the game too.  Hopefully it’s the last game I will have to sit out this season and I’ll be on the ice Thursday.”

“I hope so Babe.  Mace won’t stop asking if you will be playing the stinky Pens next week because he wants to go.”

“Are you going to let him on a weeknight?”

“If it’s your first game back we will be there cheering on our favorite Jacket!”  You said looking up at Josh again.

“And by favorite Jacket you mean...”  Josh has a smug look on his face.

“You, Josh!  Always you!”  You giggle and he squeeze you tight.

[bruhkit]

2020 eoy ask meme

no one asked but i like sharing so here! also heres the link to the ask meme if u wanna do it urself b/c like fuck waiting 2 b asked questions. here’s me reminiscing on the yr of our devil 2020

Song of the year?

hmmmm. my most played song on spotify was mama mia by austin weber but idk if that came out this year uhhh... i really liked monster by kp. obsidian was very cute c:

Album of the year?

PUNISHER BY PHOEBE BRIDGERS!!!!!!! 10/10 EXCELLENT DEPRESSION ALBUM also v existential and end of the world themed- v on brand for 2020.

Favorite musical artist / group you started listening to this year?

imma have to go phoebe bridgers on this one as well. her voice just cuts cool and clean like water and her lyrics are just *chefs kiss* lov her

Movie of the year?

lmao movies came out this year? jk but tbh with covid i didn’t really get much of a chance to watch any new movies. ooo but the short “if anything happens i love you” on netflix was really good i cried like 3 mins into watching it.

TV show of the year?

the good place!!! i just remember getting really into it at the beginning of this year so much that i started saying forking and stuff lol. it’s such a cute show with such a good wholesome message about bettering urself. 10/10 would recommend.

Episode of tv or webisode that defined the year for you?

tbh i do not watch shows only youtube so i’m just gonna say unus annus was super cool and i lov my goofy bois

Favorite actor of the year?

BASIC ANSWER BUT IDK EMILIA CLARKE IS SOOO CUTE!!! when quarantine started i watched like all 8 seasons of got and sheesh, khalisee b so fine wtf.

Game of the year?

i am not a gamer but among us was p fun. i played a looooooottt of it. i remember there was a week where i was literally staying up every night to play among us with different friend groups lol it was fun.

Best month for you this year?

uhj. do u realize what year this was.,., lol. jk i think probably just sometime in the summer when i was j chilling with no major responsibilities and getting in call with my friends all the time and hanging with my fam. 

Something that made you cry this year?

bf might go to taiwan :(( cried abt it to him literally yesterday tho i just ew. long distance crimg. also it’s kinda funny bc in my past relationship my ex like memorized the time difference for taiwan and did long distance calls over discord for their past relationship and i was like bruh crimg i would never do that shit but here i am haha -_-. 

Something you want to do again next year?

get railed! jkjk uhhh idk ig playing games with friends more and being more social. friend groups r nice to have.

Talk about a new friend you made this year?

mmmm it’s not that we weren’t friends but max and i got to b very close friends over quarantine and it’s very cool. also sloane was v cool even tho i suck at uh. consistently conversing with people. also kennedy and alice r very cool and i like talking to them abt being degenerates lol. 

How was your birthday this year?

IT WAS AWESOMWQ!!! my friends drove and gave me gifts and i was v happy ab it :)! i got a thicc gaster keychain  which tbh is the sexiest thing i’ve ever been given. love my homies all my homies r sexy.

Favorite book you read this year?

Frankenstein was pretty good ngl some school reading kind of smacks.

What’s a bad habit you picked up this year?

hehgehghe uh. bad @ respondibg to message. bad @ being consistent with school work. i also haven’t practiced a lot which is rlly bad b/c uh. music major. quarantine rlly has me depressed out here with no effort but tbh i think i’ve been sinking into that for a while. i def am gonna need to be stricter with myself next year. 

Post a picture from the beginning of the year?

me with the homies

Post a picture from the end of the year?

my hair is short! 

A memorable meal this year?

had pad thai for the first time. it was v good.

What’re you excited about for next year?

COVID VACCINE. SEEING MY FRIENDS BRUHGHG I WANNA HUG MY HOMIES SO MUCHHCHCH. I WANNA GO TO CLASSS. I’M SO TIRED BRUH.

What’s something you learned this year?

uh that i am not insane also that i am bi. tbh i think i’ve been bi for a while i just like. hated men and didn’t ever rlly find any interest in dating them b/c all the dudes in hs are crusty. but i have a bf and it’s pretty pog so.. :P. it is what it is. 

What’s something new about your place of residence (room, home, or general location) now vs the start of the year?

uhhhh h h. i have a tv and i remodeled my room so i can watch my tv from my bed? idk i’ve just been home it’s the same p much.

Favorite place you visited this year?

i went literally nowhere this year fuck covid. i guess going to parks and walking around was pretty cool, also skating but the allen skate park is like. full of 8 year olds doing full on ollies and shit. lowk intimidating

If you could send a message to yourself back on the first day of the year, what would it be?

i’m sorry that you think you need to put up with this. and i’m sorry that you feel insane, you’re not you just need to get out of that relationship. if something doesn’t feel right you should go, also never let someone explain ur feelings to u again. u know how u feel and no amount of therapizing will make how u feel go away. that being said focus on urself bbg and maybe apply urself more to school and just say whatever b/c no one rlly cares that much. also don’t ghost people bc it’s shitty and makes people feel bad.

Did you keep any New Year’s Resolutions?

lol i dont remember if i had any. i think i just wanted to be like, happy. which i am :) i think this year i should def focus on school more and fitness bc i wanna get MUSCLE .

[lovehugsandcandy]

Love in Color, Full Bright (Colt x MC)

A/N: This is the second part of Love in B&W; this part was inspired by @flowerpowell and @umiumichan (bad influences everywhere!). I didn’t know there was going to be a second part until they commented on the first part. Thanks, to both of you, for everything but especially for inspiring something happy.

Pairing: Colt x MC, ROD

Length: 3,450 words

Rating: N*FW (super light N*FW, more suggested than anything, but I want to be safe)

Summary: Colt has to go back to the safe deposit box.

Tags:  @deimosensblog @alegria1580  @choicesarehard @thefarrari @client-327 @moonlit-girl-wonder @going-down-downtown@soniadotalves@jolietmaraud @hazah@flowerpowell@poeticscolt @brightpinkpeppercorn @zaira-oh-zaira @powdesiree0816 @umiumichan @akrenich @sibella-plays-choices@leelee10898 @maxwellsquidsuit

Colt didn’t know if his life was ending or if it was beginning, if he would settle down and stay or yank up the roots that were tying him here and disappear into the night. All he could do right now was pull Ellie closer as she slept, softly dropping a kiss on each closed eye, on her nose, her lips, and listen to her breathe as he watched the moon move through the sky.

~~~~~

He had to leave early to make it there before it closed. Luckily, Mona had no plans and was willing to close the shop for him. If it were later in the week, he had no doubt she would tell him off and leave to go out, run the town like always. Mondays were quiet, usually, so she agreed to help him out. He knew he would need to pay for it down the line, but this errand was worth it.

He made it there 15 minutes before closing. He hadn’t come in years but still remembered the procedure, what to say, what to bring. Alone in the back room, alone with his thoughts, and this random case from his past.

His hands skated over the contents. He remembered thinking how much money there was in here; now, seven years later, he knew it wasn’t enough for the things he now needed to do, plans he now needed to make. He grabbed the smaller box, a quick check to make sure it was still in there. The ring sparkled in the light, bigger than he remembered, as if it had grown.

He shoved it in his pocket, closing the case, and left. He was going to be home late and Ellie would look at him, frown, and worry. 

He worried too.

~~~~~

The next day, he stopped his bike at the cliff, walking out to the edge, staring at the water lap at the shore. He wanted complete privacy for this call and this was the best place for it.

The phone rang once, twice, three times and finally an answer. “Hello?”

“Hi, mom.”

“Hi! How are you?” He could hear noise in the backgrounds, crowds. She was still at work.

No use dragging this out. “Ma, I gotta ask you something.”

“What?” He could hear the waver in her voice; after all the shit he pulled, she was understandably nervous.

“Did you and Pop ever wanna get married?”

“What?!?” He waited. “Colt…..”

“I just wanna know.”

She sighed, loud, and there was a loud scrape as she shifted the phone. “No. We never talked about it but we never really wanted to. Why?”

He touched the box in his pocket, careful fingers tracing the sides. “No reason. I gotta go, Ma. I’ll call you later?”

“Ok. I love you.”

“Love you too.”

He watched the waves for a while, the sun sinking down. It was beautiful here, peaceful. As the years had gone by, he had come here a lot. It was hard, at first, facing the memories, facing his past. Now, it was comforting, almost like his dad was here with him. He wondered what his dad would tell him to do.

When he got home, Ellie was sitting at her desk, massive textbook in front of her, laptop balanced in her lap.

“You’re late.” She didn’t even look up. Shit, she was annoyed.

“Sorry, baby.” He walked over to drop a kiss on her forehead as she rubbed her eyes.

“It’s ok.” She looked up at him, smiling weakly. “It’s fine, really. I just….I don’t feel great.”

He bent down to pull her into his arms, rubbing slow circles on her back. He didn’t think he could help her. He’d never been able to help any of the people he cared about. Why would now be different?

~~~~~

Wednesday found him pulling into a familiar restaurant. He walked in, past the host’s station, glancing around. It was dead, as per usual; the most successful part of his uncle’s restaurant was definitely not the food and beverage part of the establishment.

He sat at the bar, drumming his finger’s on the wood. He didn’t come here a lot but, since his uncle was one of his only family members in LA and one of the last connections he had to his dad, Colt definitely wasn’t a stranger here. He only had to wait a few minutes until Takehito emerged from the back.

He didn’t look shocked to see Colt, settling next to him at the bar.

“You wanna drink?”

Colt shook his head. “No, not today. I want info.”

“On what?” His uncle reminded him of his dad, so much that it hurt to look at him at times. Same hair, same eyes, same desire for a life of freedom, same distaste for the law.

He pulled out the box. “This was my dad’s. Who was it for?”

“Whoa.” His uncle studied the ring under the dim light of the bar. “This is quite a rock.”

“I know.”

“This was Teppei’s?”

“It was in the safe deposit box.”

“Hmmmm….”

Colt waited, looking around. The place was still empty, a lone employee sitting near the back, playing games on his phone. It was probably a boring place to be if you didn’t touch the back room deals.

“Do you know when he got it?”

“No.”

Takehito shrugged, putting the ring back. “I don’t think he bought it for anyone, no one that I knew at least. And I would have known. Maybe he won it, somewhere along the line? Payment for a car?”

Colt put the box in his pocket. He didn’t expect that Takehito would know anything, but it was a disappointment regardless.

“Maybe he meant for you to have it.”  

He tried to keep his face impassive. He did his damnedest to keep Ellie as far from his family tree as he could; it hadn’t exactly gone well the last time.

“Maybe he left it for you. Is there a reason you’re asking about it now?” Takehito turned to him, eyes probing.

He kept looking forward, covering his mouth with his hand until he he knew his face was expressionless. “Just tying up the loose ends.”

He turned to go, he had to leave, now, but an arm on his shoulder stopped him. “I actually need your help with something as well.”

Colt looked back at Takehito, the set of his eyes, the frown tugging at the corner of his mouth. Fuck. He sank back into the bar stool. “A job.”

“A job.” His uncle nodded, grimly, before starting a story about a rival pusher, a tough night, and a stray bullet hitting a friend. Colt could only nod and do what he did best.

On the way home, already late fuck, he stopped at the grocery store, rushing through the aisles. He had no idea what to buy, what she would like, what would make her feel better, but he did his best. Based on the confused look from the cashier, he wasn’t sure he succeeded.

Ellie was curled up with a book when he got home, pajamas on already. She didn’t even say anything about his lateness today but smiled weakly when he showed her what he brought.

“Can I make you some food?”

She shook her head. Colt thought she looked pale, worse than yesterday. “No, I’m fine.”

When she looked up, looked at his face, she smiled, but it was fake. She was trying not to worry him. It wasn’t working.

~~~~~

He did not want to be here, not at all. He was standing on the doorstep, coming straight here after work on Thursday, but he hadn’t knocked yet. It wasn’t nerves, it was the dread. One more deep breath and, fuck, the door opened.

“You know I can hear your motorcycle for blocks, right? Are you coming in?”

Colt hung his head. “Hi, Detective.”

Ellie’s dad stood aside, letting him into the entry way. “Where’s my daughter?”

“Home. She doesn’t know I’m here.”

Ellie’s dad fixed him with a look. They had come to an understanding, a stalemate. Colt didn’t talk about his family or the garage or his work or anything really; the only things Colt said in his presence were accolades about his daughter. In return, Ellie’s dad tolerated his existence and stopped threatening him with the business end of his service pistol. Not the greatest relationship in the world but it worked.

Colt reached into his pocket. “If I showed you something, could you tell me if it was hot?”

The detective raised his eyebrows but said nothing, letting his expression speak for him.

“It was my dad’s. He left it for me and I want to make sure it’s legit. That’s all.”

He handed over the box, watching as the detective opened it. Colt focused on not fidgeting under the glare he got. Finally, he got an answer. “All pieces this large have an ID code, in base of the setting. I can run it in the database and see what pops. Wait here.”

Colt shoved his hands into his pockets, walked slow circles around the room, looking at the pictures on the wall. Finally, Ellie’s dad returned and handed the ring box back. “Not hot, but pricey. Records show that it was designed ten years ago by a rich heir in Long Beach. Three years after that, insurance was purchased on it by your dad. It was never reported missing or stolen. I have no idea how he got his hands on it; I probably don’t want to know, but it’s not hot.”

Colt nodded, tucking it away. “Thank you.” Why would his dad get an engagement ring seven years ago? That was right when Colt moved back to LA, right when he forced himself into his dad’s life, and he would have remembered his dad talking about someone.

He turned to go, hand on the knob, when the detective spoke again. “You don’t have my blessing.”

Colt nodded and walked out the door, making sure it was firmly shut behind him and walking far enough away so only the bike would hear him mutter, “Didn’t ask.”

When he got home, Ellie was awake but already in bed. She looked exhausted and small, wearing his sweatshirt and resting on piles of pillows. He slid in to gather her in his arms, but she turned away.

“Where were you?”

He didn’t answer, could only trail his fingers down her back to circle her waist, dropping a kiss in her hair.

“Colt, if you don’t….” She stopped, hand wiping tears off her face. “If you can’t do this, you need to leave.”

He shut his eyes and pulled her closer. He didn’t know if he could do this without fucking it up and breaking everything around him. He couldn’t lie to her, couldn’t tell her it was going to be ok, could barely eke out a word, but he knew what he could do. He could show her. He kissed her neck, her shoulder, right there, that spot, slowly, deeply, until she made that sound that drove him mad; he kissed down her body, lips tongue and fingers moving, moving, and not stopping until she shuddered and cried out.

He crawled back up to the pillows and held her close, hands skating over her back, slow around her stomach, touching everywhere he could reach, until she finally fell asleep. She needed her rest.

~~~~~

The air was thick with incense and Colt couldn’t help but cough. This was the most ridiculous thing he had ever done and he had pulled a lot of stupid shit. At least this was relatively harmless; unlike most of the destructive decisions he had made, this wouldn’t end up hurting anyone.

The room was dark, dim and just fucking weird, exactly what he should have expected when he googled the highest rated occult shop in LA. There were weird crystals in a case underneath some kind of skull (a goat? the fuck?), next to some powders that he was sure he could move on the black market. He almost turned around, this was so stupid, but this was the last fear he had, the last item he needed to check off of his mental list of shit that could go wrong. He had fought through an hour of LA-traffic, lane-splitting the bike the entire way to get here, he might as well finish it.

“Hello?”

A bell chimed and a woman walked through a beaded curtain, hair wild around her face, scarfs billowing behind her. She stopped as she caught sight of him, head tilting, curious.

“What do you have for me?”

Colt started. “I’m sorry?”

“There is something you want to show me, yes?”

He took a step back, involuntarily. This just got creepy. “I do.” She waited, blinking up at him as he reached into his pocket. “Can you tell me if something is cursed?”

She laughed. She looked young, as young as him, but her laugh was that of an older woman, hardened by time and experience. He swallowed, wondering if it was too late to run for it.

“I can tell you many things.” She took the box and opened it, removing the ring with two gentle fingers. Even in the dim light of the shop, it gleamed, looking enormous in her small hands. 

She turned it back and forth, over and over, careful eyes studying it before putting it back into the box.

“It’s not cursed.”

Colt breathed out. He half expected her to say it was, as an excuse to hawk some magic “decursing” powder or some shit like that. He dropped the box in his pocket.

“You’re cursed.” He froze, the words stopping him in his tracks. It took a moment before he was able to smile, dry laugh slipping out. 

“I already knew that.”

She started again. “You’re cursed…but that doesn’t mean you curse others. That doesn’t mean those around you are cursed. Stop worrying about that. The curse on you is only on you.” He met her eye. “You are your choices, Colt. You can bring fire to those around you or you can lift them up. You can desert them or you can stand by them.”

He swallowed. “How did you know my name?”

An enigmatic smile was the only answer to his question. “Good luck to you, child.”

He watched her walk though the beaded curtain, into the back room. When he was sure he was alone, he fled.

Ellie was already asleep when he got home. He took a quick shower, rinsing the smoke and the magic off his hair, then curled next to her, resting his palm ever so lightly on her stomach. It didn’t feel any different but everything had changed. He dreamed of fire and cursed boys who became cursed men; he barely slept.

~~~~~

He woke up slowly gradually. The sun was high in the sky; thank God it was Saturday. He turned and Ellie was sitting at her desk, watching him, out of sweats for the first time all week. Shit. The look on her face, fuck; he needed to wake up for this.

“Good morning.”

“What’s wrong?”

She frowned, looking out the window. It took her a couple of moments to speak. “I just feel like I haven’t seen you. Since Sunday.”

She was right. He ducked his head.

“Listen, if you’re not in this, if you can’t do this with me, it’s ok, I get it. I was surprised too.”

“Ellie….” He wasn’t awake enough yet; she continued as if he hadn’t even tried to say anything at all.

“I know I surprised you but maybe this is what we needed to figure things out. For me to figure things out. Because I really need someone in my corner right now and it seems like it’s not gonna be you.”

Wait, what was she saying?

“I think I’m gonna go stay with my dad for a bit.”

Fuck. “No, not that!”

He followed her to the living room. He didn’t want her to leave, couldn’t stand to see her walk away. He was also admittedly worried about her dad’s access to guns; if Ellie moved home, especially after Thursday, he was a dead man. And he would absolutely deserve it. Hell, he would pull the trigger himself.

“Ellie, wait.”

“What, Colt?” Her hand was already on the door knob, tears in her eyes.

He reached for his jacket. “This isn’t how I wanted to do this.”

“This isn’t how I wanted to do this either! I’m in the middle of grad school, I want to get my PhD, the timing is awful, I get it!” She swiped at her face, angry. 

“Whoa, no, not that. I mean, yes, but that’s not what I meant.”

He didn’t even think she heard him. “It just happened and I need you to decide, Colt, in or out. Will you stand by me?”

He finally got the box out of his pocket and crossed the room, seven steps, and extended his arm to her. “This isn’t how I wanted to do this.”

She froze, staring at him. He tried to will his hand to stop shaking. It didn’t work. “What?”

“I would have done it anyways, maybe not yet, but I would have.”

Finally, she took the box, turning it over in her hands. “Is this what you’ve been doing all week?”

“That’s a really long story.”

She was still playing with the box, looking down, biting her lips. He couldn’t read her face, couldn’t tell what she was thinking.

“Ellie, what do you say?”

She still wouldn’t look up, wouldn’t catch his eye.

He waited.

“Everyone will think I’m crazy. My dad, Riya…” She still wouldn’t look up.

“Fuck them all. Fuck them all, Ellie. It’s you and me, that’s all it’s ever been for me.”

She laughed, bitterly. “It’s not just you and me, not anymore.”

“No. No, it’s not. But it is us.”

Finally, finally, fucking Christ, finally, she looked at him, tears in her eyes. “You didn’t ask me.”

“What?”

She smirked, lips twitching. “Do it right.” She handed him the box back.

He stepped closer to her, only stopping when his face was inches from hers. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” This close, he could see the mix of colors in her eyes, brown and grey and green, all colliding into the most beautiful thing in the world. 

He kissed her cheek. “I love you.” Kissed her shoulder, arm, hand, slowly kneeling, kissing her stomach, once, twice, three times. “And I love you.”

He looked up at her sob, hand in front of her mouth, eyes glistening. Shit, he didn’t want to cry but the sight of her, smiling at him like he was worth something, tears running down her cheeks. Shit.

“Ellie, marry me.”

She started crying anew, both hands in front of her mouth now.

“Ellie, baby. Come on. Marry me?”

She was grinning, smirking over him. Fuck, he ran a criminal enterprise in the middle of LA and this girl, this girl broke him. “Colt, I was expecting a list of all of my good qualities and a poem about how happy I made you.”

“Hmmm…and a room full of rose petals and some balloons and a kitten for good measure?”

“A kitten with a ring on it’s collar?”

“Ellie, you’re allergic.”

She pulled him up by his arms to meet him into a kiss, her tears falling onto his cheeks. She pulled away, smiling, crying, laughing, with a weird hiccup in her breath that would have been annoying on anyone else but was just so freaking cute on her.

“You didn’t answer.”

“What?”

“Ellie, do it right. You didn’t answer.”

She laughed, louder, peals of joy echoing through the room. “Oh my god, you know the answer.”

He grabbed her waist, pulling her against him as she laughed and laughed, kissing down her face, her neck, starting to go lower when finally she spoke again. 

“Yes, yes, oh my God yes.”

He barely remembered putting the ring on her finger, barely remembered what she said next about weddings and planning and telling her dad. He did remember their private celebration, the multiple private celebrations, under the covers and against the desk and in the shower.

Afterwards, after their celebration had ended and they were huddled in bed together, she laced their fingers together. “Where did you get the ring?”

“I told you. Long story.” 

She pulled him into a kiss, lips soft and sweet against his. “We do have the rest of our lives together.”

He could only smile at her, bearing both his ring and his child. “We do.”

[knifeshoeoreofight]

How about a late night stream-of-consciousness chatfic from last night?

me: reg text

@icosahedonist: bold

There’s a particular path Sid likes to take in the mornings to jog with his dog. It’s quiet and barely used.  And it’s pretty. He likes to go as often as he can, to clear his head. Even in winter. 

... I think Sid is a..............how about a kid's hockey coach? It's not well paid, and there are rumors his program might be cut, and he'd be out of a job. He's stressed out about it.

Geno is a KHL star who retired early. He's got a lot of money but no idea how to have an actual life outside of playing hockey.

He's ended up in wherever-the-fuck Canada because..............

uuhhhhhh

maybe there's some kind of rich people ski resort.

But he's brooding so he ends up walking this trail that ends up winding through a local park.

He need to walk as part of his knee rehab maybe.

He notices the dog first. It's this squat little pitbull mix, goofy looking and cute, and always looking thrilled with life.

One time it lunges for him, tail whipping wildly and tongue lolling, trying to make friends. "Come on, Peanut," the owner chides. "Leave him alone." Geno has to laugh to himself. Peanut. What a name. (If only he knew that the dog's full name was Peanut Butter, and that he'd been named by one of Flower's daughters).

(because he's a brown dog and Uncle Sid likes PB & J, of course!)

And one day he hears the same guy calling and calling his dog, but this time it's loud and anxious, interspersed with piercing whistles and beseeching "Here, boy!"s

oh no

He jogs a little, turns a corner and there's the guy, hands cupped to his mouth, calling.

"Lose dog?" Geno offers. the guy turns to him, frantic. "Yeah, there was a squirrel, and we've been working on this in obedience class?? But he bolted, and I--" the man's breath hitches. Geno is quick to offer to head the other direction down the trail and help look.

He's a ways down the trail when he practically runs into Peanut, who is jogging down the trail looking bewildered because his dad? was just right there? but now he's not??? !!!!!!!!

Geno calls his name and Peanut happily lollops up to him, grinning and excited.

(a friend!)

He grabs him by the collar and quickly walks him down the trail towards Sid. It's hell on his back, Peanut is kind of low to the ground, and he eventually decides to just pick him up, sturdy as he is. Peanut just puts his paws up on Geno's shoulder and peers happily around from his new vantage point, tail bap-bapping violently against Geno's middle.

"Fuck, Peanut, you stupid dog!" Sid cries as Peanut practically mauls Geno as he flails to get back down on the ground and oh boy! Kiss his dad all over! His dad! That's his FAVORITE person!!!!!!!! Geno has to laugh. Sid's scolding is obviously totally out of fearful relief. His (pretty, hazel, luminous, oh no) eyes are red-rimmed and too bright as he clips a leash on his dog and thanks Geno profusely.

Geno really takes a moment to look at Sid for the first time. oh. no. He's....he's got black hair curling out from under a lumpy knitted toque (it was a gift "for Coach," from one of his peewee girls, in their team colors)

knitted with love, no doubt

so much. Coach Crosby is adored.

Anyway this guy has pretty eyes and a prettier mouth and a cute hat and a cute dog and Geno can just feel the flock of butterflies take up residence in his stomach.

he walks back with Sid to his car, even though the park's parking lot is in the complete opposite direction of the resort. His knee is beginning to ache a bit and he knows the slog back will be murder, but. Sid.

He's asking Sid about himself, trying to remember how to be charming, how he chatted up beautiful people all the time in clubs and bars before he got hurt. Before he left Russia and the KHL behind.

Meanwhile Sid is about 70% sheer relief that Peanut has been corralled and about 30% oh wow TALL, and oh wow ACCENT.

he noticed Geno wince when he stumbles over a ridge of compacted snow at the edge of the parking lot and it triggers his Coach Senses. Is Geno hurt, what hurts, how long has it been hurting etc etc

Geno is shamefacedly forced to admit that he's rehabbing his knee and he maaaaybe overdid it. this will obviously Not Do as far as Sid is concerned and before he quite knows what happened, Geno is sitting in Sid's beat-up truck, Peanut ensconced between them (thrilled that there's TWO people, his favorite things, in the car, his favorite place, oh boy)

Sid apologizes if the trucks a little funky, he hauls around a lot of hockey gear as well as a wet dog. Oh no, Geno thinks. Hockey. He had really wanted to stay away from hockey.

(why did you go to fucking Canada then, Geno?)

(HMMMM)

oh no, cute guy with cute dog who loves hockey... whatever will geno do???

And he finds out Sid is a hockey COACH, even. Sid gets talking about his kids on the way up, and even though Geno hadn't wanted to hear any hockey talk, the love of the game and his charges just kind of, radiates from Sid. Geno can tell this guy loves what he does. So damn much, He's.....probably amazing with kids.

(fuck)

the answer seems to be fall in love

A couple days later, Geno kind of Accidentally Ends up at the community rink. It's part nervous hope he'll see Sid again, it's partly that the yearning to put on skates and just, fly, never really left him.

He's been okayed for skating months ago. But he hasn't felt ready to face a rink again until now.

The rink is run down, but clearly busy and loved. There are little teeny kiddos with brightly colored figure skating bags in the foyer, putting neon fuzzy soakers on their blades after their lessons. God, their skates are so tiny.

There's a lot of happy yelling coming from the ice, and when he walks through the doors to the rink, after he's recovered from the emotional hit that is the sting of cooled air, the smell of the ice, the rubber flooring, he sees a hockey practice is happening on the ice.

He's not been around little hockey players in a while. He's forgotten how funny tiny kids look in gear. Especially the goalies like little robots in all their pads. And there is Sid on the ice, somehow making a set of trackies look good, gliding gracefully between his miniature players as they wobble through their drills.

Geno climbs into the stands to watch and wait for the public rec session after this. There are a smattering of parents watching.

A nice mom greets him. "Which one's yours?" she asks, and his heart does a funny thing in his chest.

*lies face down*

"Uh, none," he has to admit. "I come for public skate but I come too early." He waggles his beat up pair of rental hockey skates.

The nice mom continues to chat with him, telling him how WONderful Coach Crosby is with the kids, how they just ADORE him.

Geno makes faint noises of acknowledgment and tries not to let both his crush and his dormant love of hockey unfold any further.

she has an active ear, geno gonna get sid's entire life story and every scrap of gossip by the time the kiddos are done

Then, the mom sadly adds, "But, this is probably the last winter we'll have this, you know?"

And then Geno gets to hear that the rink is in disrepair and the town can't afford to repair it to code. It's going to be shut down at the end of the season, with no timeline for it to reopen.

uh oh

Sid's going to lose his job, he realizes. He looks at where he can see Sid as he carefully helps a kid back upright, pulling a kleenex out of his pocket to wipe their tears and snotty nose as he makes sure they're okay, just a little scared from the tumble they took.

He thinks about his untouched millions in the bank. How bleak he'd felt, with nothing to work towards and no need to strive for anything anymore.

Well. This he can do. This is easy.

"Who in charge?" he asks the mom. "Where can I find?"  She blinks but tells him the board of trustees is having a meeting next week.

What a helpful lady.

the helpfulest!

Geno already has his phone out, and is already busy canceling his flight home in two days. He's going to be here a while longer, he thinks.

And scene.

(you can imagine the rest: geno saves the rink, but like, secretly, and he gets to know sid better, and they fall in love, Geno skates again, and finds out how good it feels to get back on the ice. He meets Sid's beer league friends. They definitely at one point kiss in Sid's questionable old truck. Peanut anoints him Best Person Ever After Dad.)

(eventually somehow Sid finds out, there's a dramatic conversation, maybe with snow swirling around them, etc. It's a little angsty but things get resolved and theres a Big Damn Cinematic Kiss.)

hmmmmm but... what if sid knows who geno is, and it doesn't take too much figuring out to know who had the cash to save the rink, and he never says anything bc geno never says anything, and it doesn't seem like he did it just to get into sid's pants (altho that is a bonus for sure)

that too

he just waits for Geno to tell him when he's ready.

Couple years down the line, they're 1. Moved into the gorgeous lodge-style house Geno buys. 2. Engaged, with plans for a December wedding. 3. Looking into adoption.

when geno tells sid about his past, and all the money that geno just "mysteriously" has, it's anticlimatic. sid may be a hockey coach in nowhere, canada, but he's heard of evgeni malkin

He gently kisses Geno's forehead. "I know, babe. It wasn't hard to figure out. I knew you'd tell me when you were ready."

and anyway, he didn't fall in love with geno bc of his money. when geno asks what it was, then, sid smiles beautifically and says, "your ass."

AHAHA yess

(but it was actually his heart, of course)

(bc he's too fond of chirping to let an opportunity go by!)

Geno: "Hm, smart, is best ass."

"Need to lock up." "Lock down?" "Yes, that."

[lillaxtrigger]

Young hope: Chapter 16

A frighteningly large mob encroaches on the Spicer estate, aiming to break down the gates and take the blonde prize that awaits inside. Among her was several of her lovers friends and family, watching together in worry as Kingsley paces back and forth along side the entry hall. A pondering gaze is print across his face as he wonders what their next course of action they might have to take in the approaching danger. “Uh, Kingsley, sweetie…Are you feeling okay?” his mother worries. All the boy could muster as a response was a slight: “Hmm...” “Are you worried?” Renee guesses. “Hmmmm...” “You cooking up a plan?” Tore than wonders. “Hmmmmmmm….” “Uh! For fuck sake. Just spill it already!” Cayenne demands. A brief turn towards the group in waiting, he announces to them all: “O-Okay. Okay. I think I might have it all figured out. First things first is to get Renee out of Townsville.” “What? Why? I wanna stay and help.” the blonde pipes up. “I know you do. But the best you can be at right now is out of town. The chaos might die down once they realize you’re out of town.” Although Renee feels inclined to disagree, she can’t really find a reason to do so. Perhaps it is best for her to lie low for now. At least until all this madness dies down. With a reluctant sigh, she complies. “Fine, you win. But what about my mom? I’m worried about her with my dad being in a frothing rage.” “I’ll take care of things from there. Cayenne and I’ll stop by your place and pick her up.” “Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Renee questions the genius with. “Don’t sweat it. We’ll sweep her out before you’re dad even notices us.” Kingsley then turns his attention towards Cayenne and tries to convince her to help out. “Now, Cayenne. I know what you’re gonna say, that this has got nothing to do with you and rather be doing something else But, we could really use all the help we can get in this whole ordeal. So if you don’t mind-”. “Fuck it. When do we head out?” Cayenne wonders, raring to go. “Oh...Well great...Thanks.” Her answer takes Kingsley aback quite a fair bit, making him hesitate for a slight moment before turning towards his indigo agent. “Err...Anyway. Tore, can you take Renee and fly outta Townsville as fast as you can?” “Agent Bluebird is on the case.” The blue boy drops the English facade for a moment, remembering something very crucial. “Wait a minute. My mom and Mally are still out there. Who’s gonna get them?” “That job will be up to my parents. I’m sure they can hide long enough until mom and dad swoop in and get them out town.” “But what about Chloe? She’s still at the mall.” “Right. If everyone has caught on to us being apart of this whole scheme, then they’ll probably try and catch Chloe in hopes of using her as bargaining chip to get Renee. Need to find a way to pull her outta there, ASAP.” Just then, Tore hears mumbles coming from his phone. Oh! Seems Mally is still on the line. Wonder what she wants? “Hm...Oh, hang on. Let me put you on speaker.” Just as he said, Tore sets his sisters phone call to his speaker, allowing Mally’s voice to reach everyone’s ears. “I can help with that.” she insists. “Huh?” Kingsley utters, his glance gazing towards the mobile device. “You said she was at the mall, right? That’s not far from where we’re at. I can go meet up with her and take her someplace to meet her folks. You guys are stretched for help as is, anyway. Figure its better for me to do something then sit on my ass, waiting to be rescued like an old school Disney princess.” “Nnn...I-I don’t know. Seems a tad of reckless.” “Come on. Kingsley, give her a shot. I’m sure if anybody can get your sis out in time, she can.” “Hmm...alright. Get to the outskirts of town once you’re out of the mall and my parents will try and find you guys.” “Just get my mom first, n’kay?” “Right.” From outside, the sound of crashing metal echoes into the estate. Looking out, they find a car had crashed through the gate, floods of townspeople beginning to encroach upon the front ready to tear through the mansion. “Time to fuck off and move people.” Cayenne demands. Without further hesitance, they take towards the night sky, the mob below watching as the fly off. Mally puts on her gear, ready to follow up on her promise of getting Chloe out of the mall. She sets to head off, where upon her mom stood in her path. A rather displeased look is painted across her face, aiming right in Mally direction. “Uh...Hey mom, I-I was just gonna scout ahead for any kind of safe routes we could take. I’ll just-” “Mally. I over heard everything.” her mother mentions. The girl was nervous, trying to think of any excuse she could to set off. “M-Mo-Mom. You don’t understand. Th-they were short on help. I needed to do something to help and not sit on the sidelines.” A weary sigh escape from the woman lungs, her admitting aloud: “It’s not like I can stop you if I tried..” “You’re...Just letting me go? Why?” “Well. If I knew if my friends needed me, I wouldn’t hesitate a single second to help them out. I’d be setting a bad example if I didn’t. Besides, I know you can handle yourself out there. I just don’t want you bolting off without telling me, okay?” With a heartfelt smile, Mally hugs her mother, biding her farewell with: “You’re the best, mom.” Her goodbyes said, she bolts off into the streets towards the mall. Watching her daughter skate causes her to reminisce about her own adolescence. “What happened to us Todd?” In an orange blaze, Mally skates through the streets of Townsville, the buildings on the side being nothing but blurs as she makes her way through the city. A sizable mob starts to form within her sites, the rioters making little room to traverse through. Seeing the skater coming, the mob begins to approach, determined to prematurely end her mission and turn her in. To that end, Mally pulls out her grapplyo, thinking that its time to test how far the gadgets limits go. “Hank, don’t fail me now.” A car on the wayside ahead, she leap atop the automobile and ramps off the glass to ascend. The airborne skater uses her yo yo to hook onto a nearby street lamp and swing across. At the ark of her swing, she lets go of the light and uses her gadget to pull herself towards the top of a traffic light pole. Mally grinds across the steel above the streets, jumping over the stoplight themselves before closing in towards the end. It’s then that she jumps off and tosses her yo yo towards the glass covered piece of architecture on the side. The mob below watches as Mally glides across the glass and avoids their reach. Reaching the end of the mob and the turn ahead, she jumps off the face of the building and hooks herself onto the stop sign within the inner most corner. Mally makes the sharp turn towards the left and escapes from the rioters sights, all without compromising any of her speed. Hell yes! There’s not a single chance in hell they can catch up now! The coast seeming pretty clear ahead, the orange haired skater thought it the perfect time to call in some backup. Kingsley plan seemed to have all the ends cover, though it wouldn’t hurt to add a few more protective layers, just to be on the safe side. The first person that comes to mind to call is none other than Roy. Tapping his name in the contacts, she awaits his answer as the dial rings. Moments pass before she hears his bro’s voice on the other line. “Hello?” “Roy, thank god. Need you help fast, I-” “Hello? What?” “Roy, I don’t have to-”. “I can’t hear you. You’re breaking up. What are you saying?”. “I trying to say that-” “Ahh ha ha ha ha ha ha! You’ve been talking to my voice mail this whole time, you stupid asshole. Just leave a message and fuck off after the beep. Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!” The beep sounds off after the message. God dammit! Seems he’s busy. She’ll have to remind him to change that dumb voice mail his after all this is over. Oh well. Next best then. Once more the dial rings, this time with an actual answer behind it. “Hey Vivi.” “Holy shit, girl! The fuck did you and your bro do!? You two are the goddamn news with a 10 bil bounty on your bro’s girlfriend. Towns going on a fucking frenzy looking for all of you!” Within the skeletons abode, they watch the news within their living room. The channel had been relaying the incident that happened at the Buxaplenty manor on repeat, alongside the handsome reward that the owner of said estate had posted. “I know. We all have this whole plan set up, but I need you’re help.” “You kidding, right?” “I know its lot to ask so suddenly, but I-” “Hell yeah! You bet your sweet ass I’ll help! With my parents outta town, I’m ready to fucking go! What’s the plan!?” “Cool. I need you to clear my way. I’m on route towards the Townsville mall on...” Mally look ahead, peaking towards the passing street signs. Noting the address, she repeats the oncoming street to her awaiting comrade. “East Arbator way.”. “The fuck? That’s like 20 miles from where you’re at. How the hell are you gonna drive there with the shit storm going around town?”. After a relieved sigh leaves her lips, she admits to them: “That’s a relief, I thought it’d be farther. Should only take me around 15 minutes to skate there then. 10 if I hurry.”. Laughter escaping from their mouth, Vivi reassuring her: “Don’t worry, Mal. I got ya back. Be there in a sec.” “You’re the best, Vivi. Thanks, a bunch.” Upon the call ending, the skeletons happy demeanor quickly morphs into a worrying stare as she turns her gaze towards one of the doors in her hall. They peek open the door just a crack, letting the light of the hall leak into the darkness of the room. From within, a black hooded figure snores the night away, a scythe resting at the foot of their bed. Vivi sneaks through the room, nearing the weapon on the side. Her boney palm reaches out towards the sharp scythe, but is hesitant to grip the handle. Although she used it just recently, she felt but an ebb of the scythes nightmarish force. A power that frightened the poor skeleton to their very core. Come on Vivi! This is no time to be such a little bitch. Your friend needs you! They’re more important than your shitty ass fears. Just take the damn scythe already! Thoughts that run through their head as they try to snap their hesitation. The half skeleton takes quietly calming breath, those mantra’s repeating in their head. Finally, she grips the weapons black handle and swiftly makes their escape. That’s one ally on the way. Time to call another. Mally skims through her list of contacts, wondering who to call next, her thumb stopping at Biz. The scene shifts over to the Townsville mall. The lights of the shopping complex glowing over a rioting mob, rummaging through whatever they come acrossin hopes of finding their elusive prey. Most of the stores inside were in the midst of being broken into in the midst of the ensuing pandemonium. Some even being set a blaze for whatever reason. Presumably for shits and giggles. Several more calm and organized parts of the party begin to hatch a plan amongst themselves. One of them holds up a phone, clusters of people gather around its owner to see what its screen presented. Displayed was a picture of Chloe on a social media site, posing as she sits with someone whose head was out of frame. The caption at the bottom of the picture reading: “Guess who I’m out having a good time with.” The time below that showed when the post was made looked recent. Very recent. Mere minutes before the town fell into such chaos. “You sure this is her?” one of the people crowding the phone owner wonders. “I’m positive that this is one of the Spicer kids.” the owner reinforces. “Hold on. What’s the plan again?” another one pipes up. “Come on. I’ve said this like five times already. Since the Spicers are in on this whole kidnapping thing, all we gotta do is find and kidnap their daughter. Once we do that, we can work out a deal for the Buxaplenty girl. Got it?” Most of the crowd around him awe in reassurance, finally the plan. One guy step in and mentions aloud: “Hang on. I just got here. What are we doing?”. “God dammit! I’m not explaining this shit again. Go block off the exits so they can’t escape. Watch the ceilings in case she tries to fly out.”. “Can she fly?” “I’m sure she can.” “I thought that was the mom.” “No, I think she can fly too.” “Just get moving already!” With that command screamed at them, the group dissipates in several direction. As they scramble, they fail to notice the redhead in question staring through the curtains of a photo booth. As she retreats back in, she growls, remarking with someone in the booth with her: “This isn’t how I pictured my first date going at all. I pictured something more fun and romantic, less chaotic and fiery. Why does everything have to turn into hell when I’m enjoying myself? Fuck it, I’d take a dinner date in hell over this.” Beside her was the special someone she had teased her followers about. He speaks up, mentioning to the redhead: “Looks more like a fight club out there if you ask me.” “Melvin, you can’t be serious. You wanna actually fight through all that?” “You got a better idea then being stuck here in this cheap ass photo booth all night? Who the fuck even uses these things anymore? We literally have camera’s in our phone nowadays. We could just pull ours out and take a buncha selfies in higher quality then this piece of shit can crap out. Ya know...If we didn’t leave our phones behind.” “As a matter, I do have a better idea. One that won’t get us mauled by a crowd of rioting jackasses. We’re going to take a more stealthful approach to this. Lucky for you, I happen to be quite the stealth expert.” “So were just gonna tip toe around like god damn bitches. Screw that shit. I aiming to punch someones jaw clean off after the fucking circus act that went down with people chasing us. Like, bruh, the fuck all you doing messing with me and my girl for? I’ll beat yo asses in.” “Well, I’m sorry, Melvin. I’m just trying not to approach all this like a charging bull. I’d rather take a far more safer option.” “If that’s attitude, then why just fly us out. Couple of glass ceilings in here we could break through.” “I’m just a little worried.” “About getting caught?” “About them packing heat. Not really sure how many of them brought guns in here. One guy with a pistol spots our shadows under the light and we could both be dead… I mean least, you’d be dead. They’ll probably try and keep me alive.” With an irritated groan, Melvin gives in, admitting to the Chloe. “Fine. We’ll try you’re way first. But if we get caught, I ain’t afraid to go Wesley Snipes on someones ass.” The red head peeks out of the wayside booth once more to check if the coast was clear. Though the red head find some people to the left, they don’t appear to be looking in her direction. Thinking that it be better go now while the irons are hot, she turns back to her date and answers: “Alright. Coast clear. Lets get moving.” With that, her and Melvin sneak out from hiding, away from the ongoing crowd. The two manage to find themselves on the end of the electronics department. Many a townsfolk look for the two in and outside the miniature stores, on the alert to catch the daughter of the Spicers at a moments notice. Like these fools were jumpy as shit. After Chloe silently signal the boy beside her to follow her lead, they move out. With quietly swift foot, they traverse through the front of one of the stores. The few people inside look about, not seeing the two behind promotional posters. They duck under the walled railing to evade the gaze of the people on the opposite end of the mall. It proves to be more of an effective form of cover than it initially looks. Witnessing a patrol inbound, the two hide behind the front desk of an empty cell phone store. Patiently, the couple wait for them to pass, attempting to not make a single peep. Incidentally, Melvin’s sneaker squeaks on the polished wood finish, catching the patrols attention. The patrol ventures back, wondering what might have caused such a sharp squeal. He approaches the front of the store, slowly nearing the front desk. Reaching his hand onto the solid plastic the lurker, gripping the edge as he prepares to peek down whatever maybe hiding. Could it be the prize everyone else in this mall so sought? Finally, he looks over the counter, take a view of all the empty work space. Strange. He could have sworn the squeaker echoed from in here. The patrol takes a quick gaze around the store from his vicinity. No one but him is in here, it seems. Oh well, must have been something else. The patrol retreats back to his search, failing to see Chloe and Melvin sticking themselves atop the corner of the store. With that close call avoided, the pair proceed onward with more careful diligence in mind. One more obstacle, stood in their path toward the rest of the mall ahead. A tunneling electronics depot with some people searching within stands before them. The mall planners had in mind to build a store within the passageway towards the other parts of the mall in an attempt to squeeze out more cash from passers by. It’s kind of diabolical now that its been brought up. In any case, they have ran into a bit of luck in this troubling predicament. Several island native plants have been displayed in pots through the store to try and authenticate its tropical motif. Seems kind of out place here, even if the mall wasn’t in flames. No matter how stupid they think the theme might be, the couple could use it as cover among the searching rioters. Chloe and Melvin travel down the tunnel, using the exotic foliage around them as cover from their hunters. The rioters were too occupied breaking the glass display cases and plundering what was within to notice the pair. One of them pulls out a game system from the case, inspecting its onyx finish. “You think that this would make a good Christmas gift for Marty?” “A game system? Does a bookworm like Marty even play games?” “I’m sure he would. The guy likes hanging out with us. Maybe he’d use this as a sort of party starter.” “Doubt he’d use it for anything else. It’d just be under his TV, collecting dust.” “Well, what the hell would you get him?” “I don’t know. Maybe a gift card.” “A fucking gift card, really?” “What wrong with gift cards?” “You mean besides the fact that they basically say: “Hey, didn’t think to get ya anything. So I got ya a plastic piece of shit that ya can only use at one fucking store?” “Would you rather us give him cash, then?” “I’d rather give him something from here since were looting the damn place.” “What the hell could he even want from in here? A tablet?” “Do they even sell tablets here?” “They did sell em over at the electro barrel over there, but that place was robbed dry.” During Chloe and Melvin’s hidden traversal through the store, Melvin nearly trips and falls upon the fake grass carpeting. Luckily for him, Chloe manages to catch him just before he slams down on the floor and pull him up before the pair of robbers notice. The rioters turn over to the tropical foliage the two were hiding behind, one of them wondering: “What was that?” “Don’t know. Let’s just look somewhere else.” The pair of robbers abscond, the other mentioning: “I hear the furniture place is still up for grabs. Maybe we can get him a comfy arm chair to sit in.” “How the hell we’d even carry one outta here?” With there only obstacles having left, the couple hurry out of the store and dive into a nearby Kiosk. Inside, Melvin whispers to Chloe: “So, you got some sort of plan other than sneak around, hoping to not get our asses caught?” “Of course I do. I’m not an idiot. Now that were out of the electronic wing, we can make our way towards the clothing department. If one of the stores haven’t been robbed, we can make ourselves some disguises and walk right out the back unnoticed. Easy as that.” “Is that really it? Were just gonna dress up and fuck off outta here?” “Oh what, your telling me you can do better?” Melvin can’t even give muster a response upon the objection. His silence basically all that Chloe needs to hear. He’s got nothing. Choosing to give is two cents upon the idea, he comments: “You better not put me in some stupid looking shit.” “Just relax. I’ll get us something simple to wear. It wouldn’t be very stealthy if you wore something that stood out.” Above the rioting streets of the city, the indigo agent and his platinum blonde passenger soar over the pandemonium. The two watch on as the townsfolk below partake in such chaotic escapades as breaking and entering, flipping cars over, arson, destruction of property, assault. Every single thing on the “fuck this town to shit” list had been checked and filled. The police were engaging in hopes of quelling the rioting masses, but are obviously overwhelmed and forced to retreat for their lives. Some of the townspeople that spot the pair gliding above begin to take chase, some on foot, some on automobile. With a whistle, Tore comments to Renee: “Wow! You’re dad sure whipped the town in a frenzy. How long as it been, like close to half an hour? And already, things are looking like hell broke loose and had a horrible fireworks disaster.” Staring down into the ensuing chaos, Renee begins fuming with: “I hate this so much.” “Hm?” “Everyone’s doing their part in trying to help, but here I am. Being forced to flee with my tail between my legs. It’s so...frustrating!”. “Yeah. I know what you mean. I hate missing out on all the action too. But, I...”. Renee is confused why the boy stopped his sentence short, but hears him continue with: “We...just gotta place our bets on Kingsley now. The guy knows what he’s doing. If it weren’t for him, we probably would have never saved all those kids from Circe. I might not even be here.” Hearing this brings calm to the blondes mind. She quickly turns her frustration into delight, giggling with: “Yeah. If it weren’t for him. I might have gone crazy dealing with my father by now. I just hope my dad doesn’t make things any worse with how volatile he is.”. “And I just hope the mob under us ain’t packing heat.” “Oh, calm down. With the bounty on my capture, I doubt anybody would be stupid enough to risk shooting me.” As if the universe awaited for the moment to prove her wrong, waves of bullets and rockets rise around the two. The people below shoot out whatever they have at the airborne pair, hoping to take them out of the night sky. The ascending storm of led and explosives forces them to take cover atop the roof and a nearby apartment. Tore peeks out from the edge of the building to see if the angry mob had stop firing. He narrowly avoids the shot of a rocket launcher as the explosive flies over his head. Both him and Renee watch as the rocket explodes into the night air. “You guys have a real rocket launcher problem over here.” “It’s a pressing issue.” Renee admits. Another pair flies through the skies of the city, heading tin the opposite direction. “So, since ya got everyone flying through the town, the hell’s the plan on our end? How we getting Renee mom out of her house?” Cayenne wonders. “Well...To be honest, I’m kinda of making stuff up as I go along. I didn’t think things would get this bad.” her boy genius passenger admits. “Eh, don’t sweat it. Pretty sure I can bust the door down, fuck up the guards and grab the bitch before Renee’s dad even knows.” “I don’t know if that would end too well.” “What, afraid you might shot? Just wait outside while I get her.” “Hmm…” Before Kingsley could ponder if Cayenne’s crude plan could actually work, his ringing phone catches his attention. The number on the screen is unknown, making him question weather he should answer. They’re usually just telemarketers and salesmen trying get him to subscribe to something. Its usually a wonder what they might be trying to get him to buy next. One time, one offered him a subscription for a bizarre anus lubricant creme. An obscene incident that never fails to make the boy shudder. Dear god…Just...No. His finger tilts towards dropping the call, when his thoughts waver once more. What if was just some poor shlock who called the wrong guy and doesn’t know it. What if they need help and their only hope was in the hands of a hero that they failed to contact. Their final thoughts being one of sorrow because their one and only hope neglected their very lives. Such a guilt would surely drive the boy utterly mad. Not knowing which to choose. He sweats upon what might lie behind the awaiting number. “Oh for fuck sake. Just answer already!” Cayenne barks. At her request, Kingsley answers the phone with a hint of caution. “Hello?” “Hey, Kingsley. Just callin to tell ya something.” a familiar girls voice on the other end pipes up. “Mally?...How did you get my number?” “Just listen. You guys don’t have to worry about breaking into Buxaplenty’s manor to get Renee’s mom. I already got someone working on getting her outta there. All you guys gotta do his meet her at the park and fly her outta town.” “Really? Who did you call?” Kingsley questions. Back in the front driveway of the Buxaplenty manor, a lone shadow peeks out from the bushes. They witness several parts of the manor security roaming through the outside of the manor. One open window could be seen on the opposite side of the manor, giving a clear view of Mrs. Buxaplenty at her bedroom mirror. The figure moves onward, skating through the driveway on roller blades as they use whatever cars were left parked for cover. Nearing the manor, they then use the opposite bushes to creep towards the side of the manor without the security’s notice. When at the side, they pull out a grappling hook and shoot it towards the roof. The hook latching on the side, the figure immediately begins their ascent. Climbing the luxurious stone wall, their ears catch Mr. Buxaplenty’s fuming rant from within the bedroom. “The nerve of that blueberry bastard! Striking me whilst I lecture my daughter. And then having the gall to take her away from me no less. I’ll have him and his family hanged for this. If Renee had only behaved herself, none of this would have happened.” The misses tries to calm her frothing husband down, hugging him by his backside as she lightly rubs the bandages across his face and softly insists: “Honey, baby. Relax. I’m sure that she’ll come to her senses and come back to us. You just gotta calm down.” Her attempts to soothe his nerves fail, her husband quite literally pushing the woman away. “This...This is all you’re fault. If you had been more strict with the girl, she would not have had this rebellious upbringing!” “My fault!? Renee has been working hard since she had joined public school to uphold her studies and the public image that you wanted her to keep! Maybe she wouldn’t have left if you weren’t so abrasively hostile!” At the drop of a hat, Mr. Buxaplenty strikes her wife across the face, causing her to slip upon the carpeting. “You know nothing, woman. A firm hand is required to prepare Renee to carry on the Buxaplenty name. To fashion her into the strong figure she is destined to be and leave me with comfort the day I depart from this mortal coil. You’re soft demeanor has been getting in the way of that.” With that said, the man of the house takes his leave, the only words he leaves for her are: “Now clean yourself up for when I get back.” The bedroom slams shut. The misses picks herself up and sits in front of the mirror once more to cover her fresh bruise. Covering herself with make up, the wife wonders how she managed to get herself into such a horridly entrapping marriage. Where did it all go wrong? Was it ever right in the first place? Upon the midst of her metaphorical reflection, she hears the door opens once more, her figure blocking whoever might be awaiting her. Assuming that its her husbands return, she states firmly: “If you’ve come to apologize, then its far too late.” “Jeez, I just fricken got here and people are already wanting to say sorry.” That’s not her husbands voice. Perhaps one of the maids then. No. The demeanor sounds far too crass. Looking beside her literal reflection reveals Biz standing within the door frame. “Who are you.” the misses questions, turning about towards her unexpected guest. “Me? I’m your ticket outta this poor excuse of a soap opera episode. You coming or what?” At the prospect of escape, Mrs. Buxaplenty turns back to gaze upon her mirror. She rest the tip of her hand upon the bruise her husband had inflicted, halfway covered with make up. Along the roads of the city, our orange haired skater streaks through. She finds something amiss though, the streets being devoid of any people. Although before, she managed to spot a few loaners that tried in vain to catch her, there was virtually nobody around. The only thing filling the streets were abandoned vehicles laid strewn about the empty roads that Mally swivels through. Just what is going on around here? Behind her, a teal glowing hand casts forth. Automobiles that Mally passes begins to radiate a glow of the same color and start careening themselves in her direction. Peeking back, she witnesses the vehicles incoming and ducks under the first one, twirling to the side to evade the second one, and finally flips over the third. Landing backwards, she finds a teal glowing man, flying towards her direction She hears the man comment aloud in his pursuit: “Once I capture and trade you in for the Buxaplenty’s daughter, I’ll finally have more than enough to pay of my collage debt.” Both of them race past an abandoned semi that crashed into one of the buildings. The blue psionic uses his psychic power to lift the truck out of the complex and lifts it over head. Guessing what he plans on doing with the heavy cargo container, Mally turns around and dashes forward. Just as the skater predicted, the psychic tosses the semi her way, right when she spots an upcoming intersection. She hooks her grapplyo onto the stop sign within the inner left corner to make the sharp turn, narrowly evading the trailer. The teal hunter in pursuit lets out a growl upon his catch slippery evasion. “So that’s the game you want to play is it? Fine. Let’s see you skate through this.” His warning dealt, the man’s teal glow intensifies as he raises his arms. The pavement below Mally begins to furiously crack. The road before ascends, shaping its self into a ramp that forces her air bound. Midair, the skater finds the road straight ahead to be breaking apart and rising, exposing the sewage pipelines below. Some of the straggling rioters retreat towards the safety of the buildings inside. She manages to land upon one of the floating chunks of concrete, skating across and leaping towards the next. The psionic waves his teal hands around, commanding the airborne chunks of the street to spin and turn whilst floating about the air, all the while tossing whatever he could in hopes of getting her to crash. One car he throws smashes itself on the pavement Mally had been skating across. In her escape from the collapsing concrete, she leaps off, hooking onto and swinging off a floating streetlamp towards a sideways piece of road. Mally wall grinds across the face of the pavement, jumping off towards the start of a twisting road. She manages to glide across the twisted highway without falling off. The psionic pulls his finger back, making a broken truck careen towards the girl. She finds the oncoming truck approaching her front just before coming toward the ramping end of the road. Looks like the windows have been broken into. Probably a break in of sorts amidst all the chaos. A harrowing displeasure for whoever owned the vehicle, but a stroke of luck for Mally. Without a hint of hesitance, she jumps off the ramp and towards the vehicle in a twirling corkscrew. The psychic hunter is astonished when he witnesses Mally pass straight through the careening vehicles windows, not even laying a single scratch on her as she passes through the inside. That obstacle having been cleared, she hooks onto an upcoming hydrant and swings upwards towards a detached traffic light pole. Mally grinds across the pole as it turns in the air and bounces off when it turns to the side. Her pursuer was beginning to run out of patients amidst the stunt show before him. “Slippery worm! Just crash into something already!”. The psionic hunter thought it best to end these shenanigans once and for all. Raising his arms upwards, then pulling them back in again, he begins to gather the pieces of the urban jungle towards his targets direction. Mally watches as the pavement around her begins to crush itself into a tunnel that threatens to entrap her. The skater blades through the closing tunnel as fast as she can. In the midst of the tunnel, she slides under a lowering pole, grinds through a winding set of rails, wall grinds off the side of the pavement and bouncing off the sides of entrapped automobiles. The gaps of the tunnel begin to close in as she approaches the ascending finish, finding the moonlight at the end to be fading as the hole starts to collapse in. Gotta speed things along here, or else her skate trip might come to a sudden stop. Using her grapplyo, she hooks onto an attached streetlamp and pulls herself up in the middle of her ascent. She then attaches the yoyo to the wall and makes it retract, sending her upward bounds. In her climb, the skater jumps from wall to wall to evade the broken part of the rising road. Not much of the moonlight is left shining through as the end of the tunnel closes in. Mally tosses her gadget upwards upon the end of the tunnel and ascends. It’s incredibly close, but she manages to rocket out of the psionic crafted tube of concrete and steel. Descending from the night sky, she latches her grapplyo onto a streetlamp at the bottom of the grounded road to keep herself from crashing into the pavement and speed along her way. “That is it! This skating stunt show horse shit has gone on for too long. You’ve forced mw to pull out all my stops.” The teal psychic’s aura flaring, he raises his arms high into the air. “How the hell do I get this teal asshole off my back? Doubt I can hit him from up there.” In Mally’s pondering moments, she notices chunks of concrete and steel drift beside her. None of them seemed to be aimed at the skater. It’s almost like their gathering behind the skater. She turns around and finds the roads, cars and other miscellaneous pieces of the city to cluster themselves in a giant mass of junk, all being perched atop the psionics mental grasp. “If you will not yield in one piece, then I shall simply take you’re broken body.” That having been said, the hunter hurls the boulder of concrete and steel towards his prey. The ball of junk crashes to the ground, rolling through and crushing whatever stood in its pursuit. With the ball of rock and metal encroaching, Mally looks ahead and finds no turns to make her escape. If she can’t turn, she’ll simply rise instead. She tosses her grapplyo towards the nearest building and beings to pull herself up. She skates up through the piece of architect in hopes of evading the approaching boulder. “Oh no you don’t!” the psychic hunter reprimands. He uses his power to break apart the building Mally was ascending, causing the skater to tumble back towards the ground. Although she manages to land safely, it hardly matters as the large chunk of rolling junk was gaining, threatening to trample the girl into an early gruesome demise. Just before the boulder could take the chance to crush Mally’s escape, a thin wave of green power slices the mass to pieces. The broken bits of the ball rain down upon the streets below. Mally evades the downpour of concrete and metal, dodging past fallen cars, street signs and lamps, a bits of broken off architect. One piece of scrape that crashes down before her was a semi trailer that lays itself across the road with no space to move around it. With the wrecked semi too close, there was little time to stop herself from coming to an abrupt halt. She’s gonna crash! The ground beneath her exudes a flow of green power, similar to the wave that sliced the junk boulder a moment ago. Bursting from the pavement rose a nightmarish limb made of bone, ramping her over the wreckage. Air borne, she witnesses Vivi pass right by with their scythe in their grasp. Mally watches as Vivi intercepts the psionic in a clash of teal and green, the psychic hunter holding Vivi’s scythe back by hand. “Yeah, Vivi! Kick his ass!” the skater cheers as she descend. Have said her words of encouragement, Mally lands back on solid ground and makes her exit. The clash settled, both the teal psychic hunter and the scythe wielding skeleton land on upon the concrete. Some of the citizens that are still straggling about, flee from the two, knowing full well the showdown about to take place. “Young lady. I demand that you move aside so that I may pursue the skater this instant.” “The only thing you’ll be pursuing is the E.R. They’ll need to patch up your insides when I shove the sharp end of this scythe up your fucking ass!” they aggressively threatens. “Such vulgarity. If you fail to let me pass, the least I can do is whip some etiquette into you. I simply capture my bargaining chip later.” Vivi dashes towards their psionic opponent, the man backs out from their reach. In his retreat, the psychic clasp his hands together, making the pavement below Vivi entrap them in a tulip of rock. He’s quickly astonished however upon seeing the skeleton slice through his trap with ease. After their escape, Vivi’s scythe glows an ominous green aura as they slash the air in front of the teal hunter. A wave of green energy is cast from the blade and shoots its way towards the psychic. He leaps away from the oncoming wave, watching as Vivi follows him above the streets. The man takes chunks of the architect around them and throws the pieces towards his skeletal opponent in hopes of slowing them down. But this proves to fail, as Vivi simply slashes whatever careens their way, set on a flight path towards the psychic with scythe at the ready. Once more, the man catches her scythe with his bare hands before it has the chance to reach him, taking in a clear view of Vivi’s determined glare and noticing a flowing green power leaking from their beady eyes. Vivi on the other hand finds the psionics face redraw itself from a worried gaze to a sinister smile. “Just what the hell are you so happy about, you teal colored shit stain?” “Oh nothing in particular, just the thought of freedom from my crippling debts. I will have my bounty yet!” From behind the psychic, Vivi finds the building around them breaking from their base and begin to approach the pair. The skeletons glare transforms into an angry scowl as the energy leaking from their eyes gushes out. From the base of their scythe, a green beam shoots downwards and strikes the roads. Out from the concrete bursts out massive skeletal arms that swipe and break the approaching buildings away. Finally, Vivi breaks the psychics guard, sending him crashing towards the ground. Getting up from his rough descent, he watches as Vivi lands upon the concrete and begins to approach. Surrounding the skeleton was a menacing green light, one that irradiated a harrowing aura that overcomes the psychic hunter. He felt as if death itself was reaching out for him, ready to crush the psionic in its unholy grasp. “Okay. Screw this. I’m out of here.” With that declaration, the psionic attempts to flee from the his skeletal foe. But a brush of bone erupts from the pavement and halts his escape. “Where the fuck you think you’re going?” he hears from behind. Turning back towards his green glowing adversary, pointing their scythe straight ahead. “Got the fucking balls the mess with one of my friends and now your wanting to fuck off? The only way you’re leaving now is when I drag you straight to hell.” Their threat sent, Vivi dashes towards the psychic once more, ready to slice the hunter into pieces. The dim lights of the mall join the descending moonlight shining through the glass as both reflect upon the waters of the plaza fountain. Just as instructed, the front doors had been barricaded with several miscellaneous mall object, including benches, booths, and kiosks of the sort. Around it stood many a people, searching for the elusive red head in hopes of trading her for their prize. Unbeknownst to them, the girl in question and her date were right behind the corner, sneaking past they’re gaze and into the nearest store for cover. Once behind the safe darkness of the stores cashier counter, Melvin finds it safe to softly speak to Chloe. “So, how we getting past here?” “Not really sure. Kinda making our route as we go here. Good news is were halfway close to the clothing department. Shouldn’t be much farther now.” “Fantastic.” the boy responds, a hint of sarcasm escaping his breath. Gazing into the store itself, something between its shade covered shelves grasp Melvin's attention. Peeking out from behind the desk, she witnesses some of the searching mob to be despersing. “Alright, time to get moving. You ready Mel?” Awaiting her dates word, she fails to hear a response. “Mel?...Melvin?” Curious why he wasn’t answering, she turns back and finds the boy no longer by her side. Rather, he was making his way down into the shady depths of the store. “God dammit.” Following after, Chloe looks down one of the forlorn isles she saw the boy go down. “Melvin.” she tries to loudly whisper. Dammit. As if he’s enough of a pain to keep under control as is. Why the hell did he even come back here? The redhead starts to head down the isle in hopes of finding him. The shelves surrounding her were halfway baron, the only pieces to occupy their space were torn up packaging and broken toys. The fragmented look of the mistreated playthings mixed with the encompassing darkness made the girls trip down the aisles a little tense. “Melvin. Come on. This isn’t funny.” Turning the corner, she finds a dark figure right in front of her. She falls over and frantically backs away in retreat, taking every ounce of her not to shriek out in terror. Her fright goes just as quickly as it came upon second glance, where she found the shadow to be nothing more then just a cardboard cut out of some cartoon character. “You okay?” she hears. To her side was the boy in question, looking down upon her as she laid on the marble tile. Swiftly picking herself up, she dusts herself off and asks him: “What the hell, Melvin? What happened to following my lead?”. “Damn, sorry. Just saw something back here that might help us.”. “Oh please. What, in this excuse for a makeshift horror attraction could you have possibly have found to help us?” “A vent?” Melvin tilts his head while pointing backwards, giving Chloe full view of the air vent atop one of the shelves. The girls frustration turns to amazement as she approach the vent in question. “Oh wow. I didn’t even see it back here. Nice work, Melvin.” The boy chuckles with a smile upon the compliment. Floating up, she tries to quietly pull the grate off, but to no avail. The grate was tightly screwed in. “Yo girl, what’s the hold up?” Melvin whispers. “The grate won’t come off.” “The grate won’t come- Girl, just blast the damn thing off.” “Oh, sure. Why won’t I just announce to the whole fucking mall that were in here while I’m at it.” With a frustrated sigh, she further inspects the screws keeping the grate in place. All she could gain was that the screws had straight lines upon their heads. What kind of screws were these again? Dammit, Kingsley would know this. Whatever. Looks like anything can screw them off anyway. “Mel, hand me your pocket knife.” “What? Why?” “Just do it.” With a disgruntled sigh, the boy complies. He takes his knife out of his pocket and hands it up to Chloe. As soon as she laps up the boys knife, Chloe begins to unscrew the gate off the wall. The screws themselves fall to the floor with a sharp ting. A little ways outside the toy shop, a couple of searchers dream what they plan to do with the reward money. “So, the biggest bounty this town have ever seen and you plan on wasting all of it on, seeing if I got this straight, chocolate?” “Yep. Just gonna buy as much as I can horde it all for myself.” “It’s gonna go bad.” “No-No it won’t. Chocolate’s like...Like canned shit. It can’t go bad.” “Bruh, it can expire. Like two years tops.” “Nah man. I mean...Like...um...uh...Really?” “Yeah. Especially if its made of milk.” “Ah...Fuck. I had this whole plan man. Like...I wanted to make a 50 foot chocolate statue of myself. That’s shit was supposed to last for fuckin years.” In the midst of they’re friends rant, the searcher hears the slight sharp ting nearby. “Bruh, shut up. The fucks that noise.” “Probably the sound of my candy land dreams crackin to pieces.” “No, seriously. Shut up. Like, I hear something.” Halting their bickering for a single moment, the tings reach into both their ears. “Ah shit. I hear that too.” “Come on.” Both searchers pursue the source of the sharp sound, others gathering alongside their pursuit. Their search leads them to the inside of the toy shop where upon one of them pierces through the shade with a flashlight to find the air vent grate off on the far end of the store. Immediately, the mob heads down the shop to inspect. “Why the hell this grate off?” “Was it off before?” “Last time I was in here. It wasn’t.” “It must be that red head, then.” “So, she thinks she can hide in the vents, eh?” One of them looks within the steel tunnels in hopes of spotting their hunt. “See anything?” “Nope. Nothing. She must have crawled in deep.” “Don’t stand there gawking, climb in there!” The desperate mob starts to shove themselves in the air vent in hopes of catching Chloe and Melvin, not realizing that the couple were aside the cash register behind them. The two begin to sneak out of the store in the midst of the distracted mob. One of the searchers looks back, managing to spot something diving into the plaza fountain. Her curiosity peaked, the rioter divides from the pact and wanders towards the shutdown geyser to investigate. Looking into its rippling waters, the reflection of the lights above proved to hinder her sight, only able to make out various coins. Thinking that it was just her imagination, the rioter shrugs off the incident and ventures back towards the toy store. As soon as the coast was clear, Chloe and Melvin quietly arise from the fountains waters and take in hush breath once more. With swift foot, they climb out of its rippling waters and head for cover, their clothes dripping wet. “Hnn...Why did I have to where one of my good dresses tonight?” Chloe grumbles. The dangers of flying over the streets of Townsville proving too risky, Tore opts to take Renee to the city limits via jump from roof to roof instead. “Ha ha! Like to see those guys in the street try and shoot at us now. Bet it won’t be long til we get out of the city, huh Renee?” the indigo chauffeur boasts. “We should be halfway through Townsville by now. Once we reach the city limits, it should be safe to take flight once more..” the blonde elaborates. “Cool. Say, where do you want me to take you after we get outta town? We can go wherever we want really, like um...the forest, the mountains, uh...the ocean, cavern. Oh! Can we go to the plains. I love looking up at the stars there.” “Anywhere is fine, really. Though, I much prefer to be with Kingsley at the moment.” “You worried about him, ain’t ya?” “Quite a lot, yes.” “Well, don’t worry. I’m sure with Cayenne by his side, he should be fine.” Landing upon the top of one more buildings, the roof below their feet suddenly erupts, careening them back. Getting up from the bursting scene, the two find a man dressed in crimson landing before them, staring them down with a blood red gaze. “Finally, caught up with you guys. Bet you thought you were safe jumping from roof to roof, huh?”. A gruff laughter escapes the mans lungs, followed by him demanding: “I’m only gonna say this once, blueberry sunrise. Hand over the girl, pronto. Else I’m gonna haveta put some hole in that suit of yours.” Seeing the boy get in front of Renee with a readying stance, the hunter gives a sinister grin. “Alright. You’re funeral, then.” Tore’s stance wavers when he finds the man before them kneeling over in pain, his grunts of agony catching him off guard. Both him and Renee are taken aback when they witness the mans back burst open in a shower of red. Arising from the hunter was a blood red monster, its slim upper torso exposed to the open night air. “Ew!” Renee retches. “Cool!” Tore admits. As the man gets back up and takes deep breathe, his parasitic demon extends reaches out towards the two, its finger protracting razor sharp claws. “Giving you ten seconds, kids. Give up the game now, else things might get dicey.” the blood red hunter warns. Tore looks back to Renee, suggesting too her: “Think you might wanna stand back, Renee. Hate to see ya get hurt in the crossfire.” “Hold on. You actually plan on fighting that thing?” “You bet I am. I don’t think he’s just gonna let us waltz outta here without a brawl. Besides, This night finally starting to turn into a party I can get behind. No way I’m skipping out on this.” Its at this moment that Renee begins to question the sanity of the blue suited brawler. “Oh my god...” the blonde utters in disbelief. “Time’s up kids!”. His countdown at an end, the blood red bounty hunter lunges forth, his demon ready to strike. Tore stops his approach on the spot, holding them out of Renee’s reach. She backs away, stopping short from the side of the roof and catching a glimpse of the empty alleyway down below. Before the demon could grab hold of their prize, Tore knees the man in the stomach, followed by sending him across the rooftop with a swift fist. Getting up from the blow, he sees Tore unfurl his wings, ready for a fight. “You wanna go, you blueberry brat?” The boy punches the palm of his hand, a gleeful is drawn on his face. “More than anything.” Tore declares. Tore takes the first charge, the blood hunter ready to dig his demons sharp claws in his flesh. The demon takes its swipes, the blue boy evading the demons blood red claws. The indigo agent counters with a kick that send his foe off the side of the building. A moment or two passes waiting for the hunter to rise back up. Approaching the side of the building, he looks down, wondering if he simply gave up. To his shock, Tore finds the man hanging on the wall, his demons claws embedded in the brickwork. Before he has the chance to back away, the beast claws at the boys face, making him flinch. The hunters opportunity comes, he jumps over the indigo agent and makes his way towards Renee. Ready to clam his bounty, he has his monster reach for the bracing blonde. The hunters beasts stop short of grasping for her face, Renee opens her eyes and sees Tore holding the hunter back by his leg, the boys faces still dripping with blood. The blue boy takes the man for a twirl, flinging the man over to the building across the street and away from her. The blood red hunter crashes onto the roof of the opposing building. Getting up from his rough landing, the hunter finds his blueberry adversary flying after, descending with a thrown ball of light. His blood red beast’s claws extend, slashing at the sphere and splitting the energy in half. The halves exploding behind him, the man looks up to see what else the boy might throw and finds him rocketing downwards in his direction, ready to deliver a powerful stomp. The hunter evades the crushing blow, the roof of the building cracking upon impact. He than lunges at Tore in hopes of getting another slash in. The indigo agent ducks under the demons horizontal slash, and sends a sweeping kick that trips his bloody foe over. Sending his opponent in a fall, Tore gives him a swift uppercut before he even it the roof, sending them high in the air. Got em now! Without hesitance, the boy follows the ascending hunter into the sky. Seeing the angel ascend after, the hunter has his monster spread itself out, the man himself getting behind his demon like a shield Front every inch of its front, blood red spines shot out towards their pursuing foe. Too close to evade, Tore blocks the oncoming daggers, the needles giving him and his suit countless scratches. Its then the blood hunter dives down upon the indigo agent, delivering a heavy stomp downward and breaking through the rooftop below. In the halls of a recently evacuated office complex, the ceiling above collapses. The pair crash down and destroy a set of cubicles upon their impact. The crimson hunter as Tore pinned down and stabs his beasts sharp claws at the boys head in hopes of quickly ending the fight. Tore shift his head around in dodging the monster lunging attack. He swiftly blasts the man off of his person and kicks him across the office. In his recoil, the hunter retreats behind still standing cubical for safety. The indigo agents wastes no time in destroying his opponents cover and fires his beam at the office structure. The office space destroyed, Tore fails to find the blood hunter anywhere in the destruction. Where did he go? Tore looks from behind, just as the moment that spines scrape by his face. He manages to spot the hunters monster ducking down from another cubicle. Quickly, he fires at the office structure, reducing it to nothing but rubble. Nothing behind it either. No sooner that happens, the hunters beast pops out from a knocked over desk on the side and throw its bloody spikes towards the blue angel. This time, he manages to evade the storm of needles and fire his beam out towards the hunters cover. Again, nothing behind it all. Once more time, the monster pops up from behind a cubicle, shooting out its quills towards him and after promptly dodging, shoots towards the line of cover. Just like all the other times, nothing is behind it. Oh, so that’s his game, is it? Hiding behind cover was never really Tore’s style. So, why start now? Immediately, he begins to haphazardly fire around the room, thinning out whatever his foe could possibly use as cover. The man in question has his demon fire its bloody quills at the boy, thinking that he’s just distracted. As he evades the needles, Tore continues to destroy the office around him. It’s not long before there are few spots left for the hunter to utilize. A wayward shot at one of the wayside cubicle walls draws the crimson hunter out of hiding. Gotcha! Having been caught in the open, Tore quickly begins to close the distance between him and his bloody foe. Its then the hunter reveals a hidden power, one normally reserved for sneak attacks. His demon extends its claws towards the encroaching blueberry fighter. Although coming as a surprise, he manages to narrowly avoid the claws razor sides, leaving mere cuts along sides on his approach. Tore delivers a powerful blow straight towards the hunters chest. In the hunters recoil, he grabs hold of the boys arm and flings him into the executive office. Landing with a skidding halt, the boy finds his bloody foe throwing more spines through the broken glass windows. Although he evades the storm of red needles, its not long til he hits a wall. The confining walls of this private office make it rather hard for Tore to dodge effectively. The hunter refuses to halt his spiky storm as he slowly approaches. If he wants to escape, he’ll need to shield himself from the spines. But with what? There’s barely anything in here that could withstand such a bloody barrage. The glass desk is a definite no. The pictures hanging on the wall wouldn’t serve much better either. Maybe the filing cabinet could’ve helped, but he blast that to bits during his laser light show fiesta. Only thing left for a shield was a computer monitor left on the side. Oh well, guess that might work. Dell widescreen LED display, don’t fail him now! Grabbing a hold of the monitor, he dashes out of the office in the midst of the demons storm of needles. Tore holds the screen in front in hopes of blocking the barrage. The monitor proves to be more of an effective shield then at first glance, blocking the oncoming needles. But it looks like it had its full of combat, looking on the cusp of breaking. The monitor fulfilling its duties, the blue angel chucks the screen towards his bloody adversary. The hunters demons slices the monitor into sparking pieces, his pursuit turning into a deadly lunge. The blue boy than uses the distraction to slide under both the hunter and its monster. One of its claws manage to catch the boys arm, making a sizable cut. Once passed his foe, Tore leaps back up and grasps at his cut arm, quickly patching up his injury. After that he dashes straight towards the hunters backside, the man himself turning around just in time for Tore to deliver a swift kick upwards. The blow sends the blood hunter through the roof, with Tore on hot pursuit. Kingsley’s and Cayenne’s flight leads them straight to the city park. Taking a full view of the few rioters below. “Alright, made it to the park. Where the hell we meeting Mally’s “mysterious contact”?” Cayenne wonders. “She said to meet her and Renee’s mom at the lake pier. Shouldn’t be too far now.” The park lake within their site, they begin to pick up the pace. Just then, something dashes out from below, shaking Kingsley off of Cayenne back. Quickly, the boy begins to plummet towards the earth, the ground on the rapid approach. He braces himself for the inevitable impact, hoping to make it out with just mild injuries. His sudden trip towards the earth stops short when Cayenne manages to snag him in the nick of time. “Oh...Oh my god! Holy Jeez! Thank you! Thank you so much, Cayenne! Thought I was dead for a moment there.” he thanks with haste breathe. “Always have my bitches back. Now then...” Putting Kingsley down, Cayenne looks out in the vast open fields of the park and shouts: “Alright! Who the hell’s the jackass with the massive balls, balls that will soon go straight into their mouth once I rip them off!” Upon the call out, a purple haired figures descends before them. “That would be me, thanks. I’m the jackass, your looking for.” “Roy!? B-but why?” Kingsley stresses. “Ain’t that obvious? I’m here to snatch your sweet ass up so I can trade it in for the Buxaplenty blonde.” “Wait, Roy. You don’t understand. She can’t go back. You have no idea what her dad has been doing to her.” “Yeah, hate to be that dick, but...I don’t give a shit. With 10 billion dollars on the line. I can give my mom the stable life she needs, plus much more.”. “Well what about Tore and Mally. What would they think of you doing this?”. “You mean how Tore basically caused all of this by not minding his fucking business.” “I...How did-” “I’ve lived with the guy for about eight years straight. Don’t think I don’t know when he’s fucked something over? Besides, he’s not once shown any interest in relationships, like period. So when I heard that he gotten a girlfriend out of the blue, I knew bullshit was afoot from the start.” “Well...That still-” “Not to mention that he fucked up further and got Buxaplenty to send the town in a frenzy.” Kingsley remained silent. Although he would not admit, Roy was right. If Tore hadn’t screwed with the plan they had, or better yet, not involve himself with Kingsley’s affairs, things might have gone way smoother. “Tell you what, Kingsley. If you promise to come quietly, I promise not to be too rough with ya.” the purple merc offers behind a wink. “Okay, no. Fuck no! Hell fucking no! Fuck that shit! I ain’t letting you touch him, you violet bastard! You want is ass, then you gotta beat mine first.” Cayenne swiftly objects. “Why, Cayenne. Have you finally started coming on to me?” Roy question. “Fuck you! Kingsley, make a break for the lake. I’ll take care of this purple piece of shit real quick.” “Um...Al-alright.” With that, the boy genius absconds, leaving his best friends to hold off the purple merc. Roy watches as Kingsley parts, saying his farewell with a wave and a smile. “See ya, Kingsley. I promise we’ll catch up real soon.” “You ain’t going anywhere. Know why, cause you be too busy coughing up dirt after I shove my boot down your throat. Cause I think we both know how this went down last time.”. “Oh, Cayenne. Last time was a warm up practice. Still getting the bearings from losing and arm and shit. But I’ve gotten a bit more practice in since then and am ready to round two.” Cayenne takes the first charge, lunging towards Roy at incredible speeds and ready to throw her fist in the boys face. The dark winged angel flips back to evade her swing, landing upon his single hand and pushing himself towards Cayenne to kick her from below. Once she regains her aerial balance, the spice queen fires her red hot rays towards her violet foe. Roy evades the lethal lasers and decides to return the favor by sending a jet black ray of his own. She smacks the beam aside and finds Roy on the rapid approach. She prepares to counter with a heavy hay maker, only to miss the slippery angel. Making his way behind Cayenne, Roy holds her her in a choke hold from behind with a single arm. The spice queen tries to get the purple merc off her back, but can’t quiet reach for him from her back. “I wasn’t joking when I said I got practice in. Things aren’t gonna go the same way they did last time, you massive cu-” At that moment, Cayenne begins to rapidly plummet towards the earth. Her back facing the approaching ground, she threatens to smash Roy upon the earth. Their impact shakes the entire park, the remaining fall leaves break off from their trees. The spice queen arises from the ground as the dust from the impact settles. Although Cayenne finds her slam has created a sizable crater, she fails to find the purple merc himself. She takes a quick view of her surroundings, wondering where the hell the purple asshole scurried off to. Its then that the earth bursts open, a cover of dirt clouds erupting from beneath. What burst from the ground was none than the asshole she’d been looking for, grabbing the spice queen leg in the midst of the dust. Before she had the chance to counter, Roy spins Cayenne about, clearing away the dirt clouds surrounding them. At the apex of their twirl, Roy lets go of the girl, throwing her a ways across the park. She’s sent flying into the parks gazebo, breaking through the roof in her crash. As bits of wood fall upon her head, Cayenne lets out an irritated growl. Descending back to the ground, a boastful laugh escapes Roy’s lungs. “How’s that for a boot down your throat? Ya taste the dirt yet?” In his bragging, he spots something glowing in the sky heading is way. “What the-...What the fuck?” As it the glowing object closes in, Roy finds it to be the gazebo that she just crashed into, set ablaze like a burning meteor. “Oh shit!” He narrowly evades the fiery park stand, feeling the heat coming off of the blazing mess. The gazebo however was merely just a distraction for Cayenne to close in from the side. The spice queen delivers a mighty punch to the purple mercs money maker, sending him flying through the park. Roy careens into several trees, his impact snapping each one in half like a cheap dining pick. Finally, he comes to a crashing stop amidst the pile of park grown property, seeing Cayenne quickly on the approach. “Shit. Gotta think of something fast.”. Roy looks around for anything he could strategically use against his foe. Anything would work, really. His frantic search leads him to spot one of the broken tree halves that he crashed into beside him. As Cayenne lunges forth, she spots Roy lifting the sizable tree with a single hand and swings the wood in her direction. The long reach of the tree manages to catch Cayenne off guard, smacking her aside. Quickly regaining her balance, she finds Roy on the swift approach, presumably to swing the once great oak at her once more. She’d like to see how well he’d swing his wood after setting it on fire. The spice queen spits out a fireball towards the coming merc. Roy blocks the oncoming ball of flames with the only thing he has in hand, holding up the trunk of the tree. His massive wooden weapon quickly burning to cinders, he opts to throw it for one more attack. The oaks ultimate sacrifice proves to be in vain as Cayenne breaks the tree apart with her bare fists. The girl then finds that Roy took a page from her book and saw him awaiting her on the other side of the burning bark. A strategy that fails as Cayenne evades Roy’s punch kick combo. “You know. With all this flaming wood, I’m beginning to suspect that you might have a burning passion for me.” Roy taunts. Cayenne retaliates with some swings of her own that Roy dodges around. “And I’m beginning to suspect that you might just be a huge bitch.” she retorts. Having evade her attacks, Roy comes in with a swift kick to the side of Cayenne’s chest. The spice queen counters with a kick to the side of Roy’s head. Both brawlers reel back from each others blows, Roy taking the moment to fire a ball of darkness in Cayenne direction. Cayenne manages to pull herself together just in time to dodge the dark energy and watches Roy go on the approach. She takes the moment to clap her hands together, igniting sparks of electricity that make their way towards the purple merc. Roy blocks the stream of electricity with his single hand, waving to prove itself harder to keep back then he thought as it start to push him back. He soon however finds his ground and starts to make way to its source. Seeing this Cayenne turns up the juice and strengthens the sparks. Although he staggers, Roy ultimately gives one big push towards the Spice queen, halting her storm by grabbing her arm and pulling her head into his knee. Cayenne quickly retaliates with a bellowing stream of flames. Finally, Chloe and Melvin make it to the opposite end of the mall, where before them stood countless clothing stores and trinket shops. The insides of the boutiques have not favored well in the ensuing chaos, their fronts having been broken into and defaced. The insides, ransacked and plundered. Nothing left within except few garments and dresses, torn apart by the rioting populous that have left the store in nothing but empty husks of their former glory. The redhead weeps for her favorite establishments, lamenting their destruction with: “No. All my favorite fashion boutiques, destroyed. All those cute shoes and beautiful dresses, stolen. All those special imports, gone. The worst of it is the huge sale that was going to happen today. All those cute designer outfits that I was gonna lap up are nothing but a faint dream.” During Chloe’s quietly emotional breakdown, Melvin looks over, whispering aloud: “Doubt there’s anything left for us to use as a disguise now. Plan B, then?” Chloe manages to pull herself together in the midst of her sniveling lament, denying with: “No…No. There’s still gotta be something for us left in this fashion disaster, and god dammit if we don’t find it. Come on.” With quiet haste, they split up, hoping to cover more ground to search for what little was left. The stores that Chloe search through seemed more desolate and baron then the last. Coming into one of them, she mourns for one of her favorite boutique, its insides pilfered and torn asunder. Look at what those animals have done to the poor shop. Its cute décor and beautiful dresses, ruined at the seems. It was now baring only lite accessories amidst its ruin, small trinkets such as sunglasses, scarves, necklaces, key chains, and other works fit to only complement. Although Chloe takes the moment to nab some cute looking treasures to take home with her, she knows it won’t be enough for a full blown disguises. Better her have them then any other rioting asshole looking around here anyway. She keeps up her search in the clothing department, hoping to find something that will work, or at the very least, a nice purse. Melvin search doesn’t bode so well either, the only stores he comes across having torn and tapered garbs, among its finite stock. Well, that’s not completely true. The boy does come across a strangely untouched shop, filled to the brim with garments amongst its lines. There was just one massively glaring issue. The store was a costume shop, the only kind of clothing along its racks being colorful and creative costumes. You gotta be kidding me. Melvin was obviously no undercover agent, but even he knew that nothing in here would prove to make the best disguise into fool the crowd. Not a single outfit he finds could ever hope to work, unless they were sneaking through a pirate ship, or a circus, or maybe even a hospital. Figures the only store that wasn’t robbed to the bone during this brief of chaos was a goddamn costume shop. Better chance of taking a clean punch in the eye in a street fight then passing with one of these stupid outfit. Might as well look somewhere else. Before he could abscond away from the array of holiday wares, something brushes past the side of his face. A sharp pain following briefly after, he touches the side of his head to find a cut that oozed blood. He looks back, wondering what kind of sharp weapon grazed his side. The only thing he could find was a playing card lodged within the shop wall. Melvin looks back towards the entrance of the shop, pondering what kind of weirdo tossed the paper thin projectile, but finds nobody within his sites. Weird. He goes to dislodge the card from the wall, finding something printed out on the front. Melvin reads the word on the card to himself: “You’re in for a real treat.” What? What the hell does that even mean? Before he could understand what the message foretold, the folds of the card open up, pouring out smoke and confetti that engulfs him in a blinding cloud. The rioters on the wayside take note of the smoke leaking out of the costume shop and hurry towards its entrance. Within, they find nobody inside, the only thing of note being the leftover confetti that littered the floor. “The fuck?”. In another clothing shop, Chloe was looking along its shelves for anything that could make her and Melvin a worthwhile disguise, but ultimately finds nothing worth even that. Dammit, all that she could scrap up were accessories and cheap fashion wear. Why do people always have to take the good stuff? Thoughts that crosses her mind before something passes by from behind The red head witnesses a card stick itself within the wall of the shop before her. Taking it out, she reads the word imprinted on one of the sides. “It’s time for the show to begin.” What show? As she was trying to figure that out, the card erupts smoke and confetti from its folds. Part of the ongoing mob find the smoke coming from the ransacked store and go forth to investigate. Once at the entrance, they find nothing out of the ordinary, say for the countless amounts of confetti littering the floor. “Was someone throwing a party in here?”. “In the middle of a riot? Who the hell does that?”. After a lengthy trip through the city, Mally finally arrives at the mall, finding the entrance being beat in by rioting townspeople who wanted inside. Some of them manage to spot her and quickly abandoned their pursuit for an equally beneficial prize. The skater flees down the side of the mall in hopes of escaping the encroaching mob. In her escape, she comes over to the loading bay, hoping one of their garage doors might be open. She doesn’t even come across a window to break into, much less an open door. Come on. There’s gotta be something this stupid mall. Its then that another part of the mob comes from around the other corner, some aiming their firearms in her direction. With both parties threatening to trap her in, she figures the only way to go was up and tosses her grapplyo overhead. She begins to ascend away from the gathering rioters, aiming to find a way in through the rooftop, all while evading gunfire from below. Its not until a wayward rocket goes off right in front of her does she she begin to fall. Plummeting down towards the awaiting populous, she braces herself for whatever they had in store for her. Before she could land in the mobs waiting arm, something sweeps Mally from their grasp. The skater opens her eyes to find Bianca carrying the skater in her arms. “What the-...Aren’t you one of the kids we save? Cayenne’s cousins, right?” “Si, senorita. Kingsley had called us and thought it might be fit for us to repay you for rescuing us from that witches clutches.” “We?” Red beams descend down to the pavement below, causing the mob scatter and giving room for Ty and Lequan to land. Immediately, they begin to fight the rioters back, punching and kicking them away in an effort to drive them off. Lequan dodges some of their melee weapon, countering with swift punches and kicks, all while munching on a chocolate bar. With a surrounding group lunging their way towards him, he tosses his candy bar in the air. The youngest of the trio then spins in the air with a twirling kick, knocking all of them back as the bar makes its descent. Lequan then opens his mouth to catch the falling chocolate, finishing of the delectable treat. Ty fights his way through the angry townsfolk, aggressively mowing waves of them down. “You bitches ain’t got nothing on us. Wanna know why?” He grabs hold of one of them and starts to spin about, using the rioter as a sort of weapon and smacking them aside with the poor mans legs. Eventually, he throws him into an approaching part of them mob, knocking them down like pins. “Cause we the BTL mothafucka’s!” Some of them aim their firearms above in Bianca and Mally’s direction, hoping to shoot them down. In the midst of the bullet storm, Mally urges Bianca to: “Throw me to the roof!” “Que!?” “Just do it.” Following her wishes, Bianca tosses her towards the rooftop. Mally tosses her grapplyo towards one of the vents to pull herself in for a safe landing. Once atop the roof, she looks back to find the trio fending off the mob below, with Bianca looking back with a thumbs up. After returning the gesture, Mally looks back to try and find a way in. She looks down one of the glass ceilings in hopes of spotting the red head and finds countless rioters roaming the mall grounds below. Seems too far of a risk to come in through here, especially with all the heat on her. The vent she hooked onto looked to have taken a bit of damage during her descent. It’d make a for a much more inconspicuous way in, even if it would be a bit dusty. She wrap her yoyo’s string around the vent and starts to pull. With great force, the cylinder snaps off, flinging itself off the ceiling and down the ensuing chaos below. Bianca punches one of the rioters away, knocking down the others behind him. She sweeps another of the floor before kicking him over. One rioter pounces from behind ready to deliver a blow to the back of her head with a crowbar. Before he could, the vent that Mally threw off clonks in on the noggin, knocking in down on the pavement. The girl looks back up towards the roof of the mall, giving a warm smile. All three of them gather as the mob surround the trio. “Yo, sis. How long you think we gotta hold these assholes off?” Ty wonders. “Yeah...I’m all out of snacks...” Lequan comments. “As long as it takes, mi hermano’s. As long as it takes.” Bianca answers. Combining their power, they create a powerful energy wave that sends the crowd flying in all direction. Atop one of the roofs of Townsville, Tore continues his brawl with the bloody bounty hunter. The blue boy weaves around the hunters beasts many slashes and jumps overhead. He throws a ball of light down upon the hunter, only for his monster to slash the sphere to pieces. Renee watches as the fight unfolds from a neighboring complex. The blonde was too distracted to notice the shadowy figure behind her, inching their way ever closer. The blonde finally feels the figures presence upon her back. Was it another bounty hunter seeking to snatch her away? One of the townspeople hellbent on turning her in? Renee quickly turns around, worried who might be here to try and take her next. She’s greeted not with the menace intent of another hunter, but rather the friendly smile of a fellow blonde. “Hello!” the newcomer cheerfully greets. Renee is speechless, not entirely sure if the girls bubbly demeanor was a form of distraction or not. At this point, anything is possible. “You must be Renee. It’s so nice to finally meet you. Kingsley told me all about you during his brief call.” “You-...You know Kingsley?”. “Of course, silly. Cousin Cayenne, said you needed a ride outta town in case something happened. And Persi here is happy to help.” Hearing this calms Renee’s nerves. At least she knows her actual boyfriend is safe for the time being. “Well, you coming or what?” the bubbly blonde offers. “Oh...Um. What about him?” Renee questions, pointing towards the ensuing battle across the street. The hunter manages to get a single clean slash across Tore’s chest, leaving the blue boy with a torn up suit and a scar. The indigo agent doesn’t even hesitate in pain before lunging after his bloody foe. Although the hunter tries to stop his approach with his beasts extending claws, the blue angel slips between the red razors. Tore delivers a blow to the hunters midsection, sending the hunter a way across the neighboring rooftop. The crimson hunter stops himself from falling over the edge with his familiars claws. Witnessing his blue adversary on the approach, he has his demon dig its claws through the roof below. As Tore encroaches upon the man, he stops short just when a blood red pike burst from the rooftop before him. Soon, more spikes pop out around him, threatening to skewer him in like a red and blue shish kabob. He ascends in hopes of evading a puncturing fate, but find the needles below to be growing after him. Tore looks over to find the hunter himself, completely wide open for a swift counter attack. He shoots out a beam of light towards the unguarded hunter, the ensuing blast covering him in smoke. That had to have rattled him. Time to end this. The blue boy to heads down to finish the fight once and for all. Right when he closes in, several red razors erupt from the dust and pierce themselves all throughout Tore’s body. The blondes look on in horror as the hunter tosses his limp body in the alley below and tumble down in a bleeding mess. “He he he...Now that that brats outta my hair, time for me to go reap the spoils.” Having that said, the crimson hunter looks over to the Renee and Persi and approaches the edge of the building facing the two. His demon extends its claws over towards the complex across the street and digs its claws into the roof. Leaping over the street as the claws retract towards the building, he lands with a loud thud. Seeing the bounty hunter begin to slowly approach, Persi sweeps Renee off her feet and takes off in their escape. The demons claws extend towards the two, determined to not let his prize escape after all the trouble he went through. Right when Persi’s leg was in reach, the blood hunter feels something tug his beast back. Behind him was the boy that he just skewered, holding his conjoined familiar in a choke hold and pulling it back. “What you think you’re doing, huh? I’m not even close to finished.” “What!? How-How are you alive!? I skewered you to a bloody mess!” Instead of answering his question, Tore lifts his bloody foe in the air and throws him down on the rooftop below, shaking the foundation of the building. Their worry of him having been put rest, Renee and Persi fly off towards the city. Getting back up from his slam down, the hunter watches in disappointment as his bounty flies into the distance. A growl escapes his mouth as he stand, he looks over to Tore with a vengeful glare. “Kid, you’re gonna pay for letting my bounty escape. I’m gonna tear you into so many pieces, they won’t tell which part of you is which.” A smile draws on the blue angels face as he cracks his knuckles. “About time you got serious. I was worried that the party might be dying down.” Within the barren walls of a part of the mall, puffs of smoke expel from thin air. Two coughing teenagers emerge from the dissipating clouds and notice one another in their sites. “Melvin?” “Chloe?” “How did you...How did we get here?” the red head wonders. “Not sure. Picked a weird card off the wall. Suddenly shot out smoke in my face. Still got some on my lungs.” “You too? Weird.” “The hell are we anyway?” Melvin wonders. Taking in their surroundings, the pair find themselves surrounded by shelves of boxes alongside some loading equipment. Rows of garage doors line the wall to their side, with a regular door at the far, far end of the hall. “Looks like were in the malls loading docks.” Chloe elaborates. “Aw, bitchin. That cuts out the disguise bullshit. We can just fly right on outta here. Come on.” the boy insists, rushing towards one of the garage doors. “Hang on a second!” The red head obviously knew that all this was far too suspicious to pass off and attempts to stop her bullheaded boyfriend. Right within the doors reach, something erupts from the pavement before Melvin, halting his escape. Backing away, he found his obstruction to be a massive line of dominoes that cover the garage doors. “The fuck?” he wonders. Trying to blast the wall away proved fruitless, as Chloe’s shot leaves not a single scratch. In their moment of confusion, the lights above them go out. With only the glow of the Chloe's charm to lead them, the couple gather upon each others backs. “The hell’s happening” Melvin questions. “We stumbled our asses in a trap is whats happened.” The two prepare themselves, ready for whatever horrors were waiting to pounce out from the pitch black darkness of the loading docks. In that very moment, a single spotlight shines down upon the couple, enveloping them within its glow. A feminine voice breaks through the shadows and reaches their ears, echoing with the announcement: “Welcome, one and all, to the experience of a lifetime. The lucky couple before us has been given the honor of witnessing on all exclusive show. Please give a warm round of applause to...” The spotlight venture to the other side of the docks, illuminating an elegantly carved wooden box that rises from the pavement. Out from the inside of the box walks out a tuxedo dressed woman, complete with fishnet stockings, cape, and a top hat. “The elegantly magical Palmove!” the woman finishes, matching the previous announcement in voice. The magician looks towards her guests and finds the couple staring at her not in utter amazement, but baffling confusion. She however takes their silence as the former and gives out a light chuckle alongside: “I’m glad to find to find my amazing entrance as made you two speechless already. If you’re impressed now, just wait until the show truly begins.” “Just what in the hell is going on here?” Chloe question. “Yeah, spill it bitch! The fuck is your deal!” Melvin threatens. “Well, don’t you suppose that answer is obvious by now?” A wand sliping from her sleeve, she points over towards the red head. A second spotlight shines down upon Chloe upon her wands command. “You, Chloe Spicer, have been invited to be whisked away towards your destiny. That destiny being to help me fulfill my dreams of riches. Once I claim the reward, I’ll take my act and go global. Maybe even partake in an audience beyond the stars. But!...Before we depart...Allow me to present you and your beloved the greatest show of your lives. Desired or otherwise.” Her announcement finished, light floods the docks once more. The elegantly magical Palmove begins her act with but simple card tricks, the contents of her deck traveling from within her sleeves, around her vixen figure. The pair stand back, awaiting for whatever the magician prepares to uses her deck for. Aware of the exit on the far side of the loading docks, Chloe looks about for whatever escape they could utilize in case they were to get walled off. To her right was another door leading out to the rest of the mall. Not the most ideal means of escape, alongside the countless rioters awaiting them on the other side. Best to leave that as a last resort. Above was an air vent installed in the roof, locked behind the security of a grate which could be easily blasted off. It be a better way out, but the ceiling is quite a ways up. Depending on the capabilities of their tricky adversary, the magician could interrupt their flight and prevent their escape. In the midst of her pondering, the red head proves to be far too distracted to find Palmove tossing a pinch of her deck in their direction. After tackling Chloe out from the cards lethal edges, Melvin lunges forth towards the performer, aiming to bring a premature end to her deadly show. “Melvin, wait!” With but a tip of her top hat, the magician lets out a flock of pigeons onto her guest. Overwhelmed by the feathery flock, Melvin attempts in vain to swat the storm away. Chloe rushes toward her boyfriend in hopes of assisting him, but is unsuspectingly snagged. From her leg, a rainbow of tied together ribbons envelop themselves all throughout her person. Wrapped in their binds, Chloe is whisked in the air, hung from the ceiling like a colorful mess of streamers. “Behold, the fiery teenager, entrapped within the folds of her colorful cocoon. Now for my next act, I require a someone from the audience. Any soul brave enough to volunteer?” Amidst the swarming flock, Melvin lunges towards the elegant Palmove in a blind fury. The magician remains patient among the rapidly encroaching teenager, awaiting until the very moment he approached to erect another box that traps the boy within. “Splendid.” With that warning said, she opens the folds of her tuxedo, letting free a flurry of blades erupt from the sides of her chest. The countless swords float through the airs of the dock, surrounding the box Melvin was trapped within. The red head hanging over head knew all to well what the show entailed, struggling to free herself among the tight grip of her ribbon prison. “Best watch carefully now. This trick could prove itself to be a little dicey.” With a wave of her wand, the magicians commands her countless blades to all lunge forth towards the box before them. Using the power of her stone, she creates a small pink knife and tears out from her rainbow imprisonment, Acting fast, she casts her whip towards the box her date was trapped in and pulls him out of the swords piercing stabs. The carved box breaks upon the concrete support beam, freeing Melvin from the wooden trap. “Aw. Is the show I’m putting on not grand enough for you two? Well, fret not. I have plenty of more tricks up my sleeve.” Upon another tip of the hat, something begins to erupt from the fancy head wears inside. Melvin, getting back up from his splintery trip, glances over to find a massive clown head gunning in his direction. He evades the hammering slam of the jesters head, the impact breaking through pavement pillar before the spring from behind pulls it back. The clown head continuing its destructive rampage through the docks, the couple dodge around the clowns hammering slams. Chloe attempt to shield herself from the heads impact, but her defenses are quickly broken, only managing to deflect the jesters slam. Getting behind a loading cart, Melvin kicks the piece of equipment towards the great Palmove and manages to trip the magician. The clown head retreats back into her hat upon her great flop upon the cart. Upon the magicians stumble, Chloe finds it to be the perfect moment to enact their daring retreat. She rushes over to her beloved, sweeping him off his feet as they try their luck with the outward exit. Before they could reach their means of escape, a domino wall rises from the pavement and stops them in their tracks. “Now why, pray tell, are you two in such a hurry to leave? I’d hate for you two to miss out, especially since the show is just beginning.” Once more, Palmove flips her cape, casting out a hawk from its folds that lunges its talons after the couple. Cayenne was in the midst of dragging Roy across the park by his head. Roy stops their rough travels with a blast to the spice queens side in the middle of a playground. In her short flight, she manages to come straight back upon grasping at a steel merry go round, turning about and fling herself back at the purple merc. He blocks Cayenne’s return. The impact skidding them towards a jungle gym. Roy manages to grab his opponent and drag both of them inside the metal grid. Landing inside, he makes the first move with a sweeping kick to her legs. Cayenne jumps over Roys low blow, but inadvertently hits her head on the steel bar ceiling. The merc takes this moment to grab her leg and slam her down upon the wood shaving covered ground. Down on the floor, Cayenne aims her red hot rays at Roy’s face, the black winged angel avoiding the blast by his skin. In the middle of his dodge, she then kicks him in the stomach, slamming him into the side of the gym. Seeing her on the approach with a punch at the ready, Roy evades Cayenne fist as it goes through one of the holes of the metal grid. The opportunity arising, he grabs the young woman arm from the outside holds it against the steel, pinning her within his reach. Stepping down on her closest foot, he taunts Cayenne with: “Like to see you punch your way through this.” He follows with a knee to her side, making the spice queen counter with a kick from her only free leg. Roy then delivers a swift head butt to her face in retaliation. “How bout I punch your fucking lights out instead.” the spice queen retorts. That said, Cayenne sends a heavy jab on his only arm, the blow making him release her from Roy’s entrapment. Free, the first thing she attempts is to land on more punch on the purple merc. Roy evades her swing and tackles her, bursting out from their steel grid prison. Dragged through wood chipped ground, Cayenne kicks Roy off her person and sends him careening towards the tether ball poles. He stops his flight when he grabs hold of one of the pieces of equipment and uproots the pole. Spinning the tether pole in his grip, he aims the end with the ball towards the spice queen. “Looks like you ran outta luck. I was a champ on the tether ball pole back in grade school.” Cayenne snickers at his poor attempt of a warning, mocking Roy with: “Are you fucking serious? You were the champ of a 6 year olds kids game?” “It’s more impressive than it sounds!” Roy then takes the charge, brandishing the pole in his tight grip. Seeing that he’s serious, Cayenne readies to counter. She dodges several of Roy’s swings, evading the blunt steel of the pole. The spice queen then tries to counter with another hay maker, only for Roy to twirl away her efforts. He swings the other end of the pole her way, and dodges once more. But is unexpectedly hit with the ball. Roy manages to get a couple hits in with the tether ball before wrapping the string around the young lady. The purple merc throws Cayenne over head and down on the ground before tossing both her and the pole high in the air. Cayenne quickly frees herself from her string binds and sees Roy ascending after her. Whilst grabbing the ball, she spikes the pole down towards her pursuing foe. The dark angel catches the base of the pole, stopping it mere inches from the ground. He tosses it in the air, giving him a moment to escape before Cayenne drives it into the ground with a crushing stomp. The spice queen throws the ball right into Roy’s face as he retreats, sending him flying towards the swing set. Before Roy could have the chance to crash into the swing set, Cayenne flies past and grabs a hold of one of the swings. She hopes over just as the purple merc is ready to pass and wraps the chains around him, binding the dark angel to the metal pole. Roy watches as Cayenne leap high in the air for a diving kick. Too late to break the chains. Guess he’ll have to break the swing set instead. He shifts himself over to the left just as the spice queen was about to land, instead having her break the pole he was tied to. Seeing her ready a stream of flames, Roy breaks out of his chain prison before Cayenne could roast him alive. Flying up to evade her fiery blaze, Roy lands atop the massive structure of playground equipment. Cayenne bears witness as the dark angels single hand arises. From it, a ball of dark energy begins to grow. She attempts to halt his charge with a shot from her eye lasers, however misses as Roy simply leaps over the beam. His figure overshadows the glow of the full moon. The perfect moment to strike. Roy casts his sphere of shadows towards his red hot adversary. The spice queen evades the overwhelming darkness as it consumes half of the playground into its void. Landing, she looks around the once joyous play center, now left as nothing but a demolished wreck in the wake of their duel. “Where the fuck did he go?” she wonders aloud. In her search for Roy, she fails to notice the purple merc himself lunging towards her and is promptly tackled. Their trip leads them up a wayward slide, their speed sending them rocketing into the night sky. Grabbing hold of the magicians legs, Chloe uses her whip to toss Palmove into the shelves full of boxes. The show stopper crashes into the shelf, toppling over countless boxes that pile on her. A moment of awkward calm passes, Melvin and Chloe gather and wonder if a crash like that really could have done her in. Maybe now would be the right moment to make their escape? Alas, the opportunity passes when the boxes burst out and from the seems; black streaks rapidly travel all throughout the docks, all the walls and through the ceiling. As the couple watch the streaks speed along their gaze, they hare the sound of Palmove’s voice announce from thin air: “I suppose now would be the perfect moment for us to play a little guessing game.” Finally, they come to a halt, revealing themselves to be massively oversized hats. “I’m offering the two of you the chance to go free. All you have to do is guess which of these hats I may be hiding in and I’ll let the lovely couple walk out with no strings attached. But pick carefully now, choose wrong and you’ll be in for quite the nasty surprise.” The red head glances to where the hats came to a stop. While one rested upon the floor in front of them, the other she could find on the ceiling, blocking their exit. She turns her gaze over to her last resort escape, finding it blocked off by the final hat. “She can’t be fucking serious, right?” Melvin wonders. With rash consideration, she tries her luck with the hat on the roof, hoping to blast it away and reach the air vents before the magician reveals whatever nasty surprise Palmove has in store. Upon the beams impact, the novelty over sized head wear explodes in a mess of smoke and confetti the engulfs the entire loading docks. Upon the smoke clearing, Chloe finds herself entrapped within the confines of a glass cage. The transparent wall of her prison gave her a clear view of her date, strapped to the metal bindings of a spinning wheel. Struggling to break free from the steel braces holding his limbs, he demands someone: “Get me the fuck out of this god damn thing!” “Now why on earth would I do that?” Palmove wonders, stepping within the boys sites. “Especially in the midst of the finale?” Both witness conjure her entire deck from the folds of her sleeves, the cards rapidly slithering through her figure like snakes coiling through their master. Realizing what the magician was about to do, Chloe attempts to free herself from the clear walls of her prison. Before she could shatter the glass, puffs of smoke began filling the tank. “Chloe!” Melvin shouts. “Never fret. Tis simply knockout gas. The red head shall remain unharmed. Not sure the same could be said about you though.” the magician explains, enveloping her eye site within the cloth wrappings of a blindfold. Some of her cards slither their way betwixt the gaps of her gloved fingers, Palmove priming to throw her deck towards the spinning teenager. Pushing the rising gas aside, the red head tries to free herself once more, aiming her ray towards the glass. Firing, the laser ricochets off the wall, bouncing throughout the confines of her cage. She ducks down in an effort to avoid having her head popped of by her own beam, holding her breath against the rising gas. Shortly, the ray hits the ground next to her, scorching the pavement. She rises from the gas, taking in whatever fresh air was left within the chamber as she helplessly watches the magician ready to toss out her deck towards her wheel bound boyfriend. With no further hesitance, Palmove rapidly tosses out most of her deck towards Melvin, the boy closing his eyes as he await for his end. Feeling next to no pain, he opens his eyes once more, finding not a single card had pierced his body, simply only surrounding the outline of his figure. Frightened looks upon both her guests faces, the magician unfurls her blindfold, letting a joyous laughter escape her lungs, after which commenting: “Oh boy. I always get a kick out of their faces when I finish that trick. But...” She draws an ace of spades from her sleeve, aiming her final card towards the boys chest. “Alas, the curtains call and my show must come to an end.” Seeing Palmove ready to throw her final card, Melvin attempts in vain to release himself once more. His girlfriend struggles to free herself from her glass prison, the gas filling the cage beginning to overwhelm her. “The two of you have made a wonderful audience and I wish you all a farewell.” Right on the cusp of casting the lethal edges of her ace, something bursts out from the air vent above. The grate falls, the pixie dress skater rapidly descending from the ventilation. The magician looks above, just in time for both to crash upon her. “Ah! Man, my ass hurts! What did I land on?” Getting up from her rough landing, Mally looks about, seeing the couple within their strange prisons. “Um...Did I-Did I miss something?” “Just get us one of here, already!” Melvin demands. “Whoa, okay! Jeez.” She casts her trusty grapplyo, latching onto one of Melvin’s braces and pulling it off the wheel. As Melvin frees himself from the rest of his metal bindings, Mally scanned through the domino walled docking bay, searching for whatever could smash through Chloe’s transparent prison. The only thing around remotely hard enough was a chunk of the concrete support beam that broke of during the clown heads rampage. Perfect! Without hesitance, she wraps her yoyo’s string around the concrete chunk and swings it about. Around the docking bay she twirls the rock, gradually picking up speed until the moment of truth. Finally, she flings the boulder into the cage, shattering its transparent walls to pieces and releasing the gas engulfing the red head. Mally quickly approaches her the moment Melvin frees himself, finding Chloe’s unconscious body among the shards of glass. “Chloe?” she worries as the skater reaches out. Melvin quickly sweeps her body off the concrete and glass, attempting to wake her with: “Chloe? Chloe!? Come on girl, wake up!” Opening her eyes, the red head was met with the site of her date, taking in the view of his relieved smile. “Mel-...Melvin!” She swiftly holds the boy within her embrace, lamenting with: “Oh my god! I’m so glad you’re alive. I don’t know what I do if you wound up dead.” “Girl, relax. Its gonna take more than some sharp ass card bullshit to keep me down.” After a brief moments of staring into each others gazes, their lips entangle together in a moment of passion. The site of their make out session breaks Mally’s heart to pieces, shattering whatever fantasies the skater desired to make into a reality. The thought of rescuing the her crush from impending danger, sweeping the red head off her feet and within her longing arms, destroyed. The possible romance she hoped would blossom from the aftermath of the disaster, spoiled. The dream of sharing countless moments of intertwining passion, embraced within each others grasp, vanished. All of those hopes and dreams, all for not. Their moment of passion ceasing, the couple look towards their rescuer, noticing her disbelieving stare. “Yo, you feelin okay?” Melvin asks her. Mally snaps out of her heartbroken trance, stuttering to answer his with the false answer: “Uh...Y-yeah...I’m fine.” “Why are you even here anyway? Weren’t you going to a ball or something?” Chloe wonders. “Uh, yeah. I was. But with the whole town going crazy like this, Kingsley was worried about you. Since I was close, he wanted me to help you out until your parents came.” In the midst of the trio’s mingling, they fail to notice Palmove rising from the pavement. Glancing upwards, she looks from where Mally had fallen upon her and covers the air vent with a domino. With that taken care of, she looks backs towards her audience, failing to even notice the magicians reawakening, paying special attention to her uninvited guest. How dare that orange haired brat spoil the climax of her finale, drawing her guests attention away from the show? This rowdy showstopper will pay for her grave interruption. Dunking her in a tank full of sharks should prove swimmingly. “Really love your dress by the way. Where’d you get it?” Chloe asks. Melvin ventures his gaze off from the conversation, noticing the magician casting out a stream of ribbons in their direction. “Oh, this? I had it for a little while. I actually got it from-”. “Get down!” the boy warns, tackling both ladies from the ribbons reach. The tied cloths within her reach, Mally catches the magicians tether aside and jerks her aside, sending her careening into one of the domino walls. Seeing the magicians momentarily down, Chloe pushes Melvin and Mally off her person and fires at the door. The results of the haste fueled blast fail to go unnoticed by the rioting mall goers, beginning to follow the smoke of the aftermath. From the smoke, their hunt bursts out, the red heads friends in her grasp as she escapes from the loading docks. Almost immediately, they begin to give chase, waiting not a single moment to unload whatever they had at the trio in hopes of shooting out of the sky. “We need to bail! Now!” Melvin insists. “What does it look like I’m doing!? But, I can’t find an exit anywhere in site!” “I found a glass ceiling not too far from where we’re at! In the plaza!” With that, the three rocket through the mall, hoping the ascending storm of bullets fail to halt their departure.

[scuttleboat]

510 reactions

INDRA IS THE BEST OMG lol I love her so much. If she had a morning alarm app it would be "Rise and face the day. You will die, but proudly, and that is good." *beep*

Gaia was an fun surprise this episode and I loved pretty much every scene she had with Indra. The fight was great.

I loved the assassination attempt and I loved Octavia's reaction to it? That was the one really unpredictable moment in the episode for me and I thought the suspense > to > diffusion of tension by throwing back the spear was just... wonderful. In an episode with some great dialogue and some painfully creaky dialogue, that little screenwriting moment was a delight. It was the most #powermove thing that Bloodreina could do in that moment and that speaks in interesting ways to how she's become so sensitive to politics and drama while becoming so desensitized to the people around her.

The Blake stuff was all the drama I could ever want and I think Bob and Marie showed off their wonderful screen chemistry. But I admit I'm a little unsure what this means for Bellamy's character? This feels like it should have been a turning point for him. His insistence not to fight felt genuine up to the moment, and then he did fight, like I was expecting. I guess I wanted more out of that moment? Like, that should feel like a huge thing--his choice to survive over waiting for Octavia to save him--but somehow, it didn't? Nor did it feel like a switch that really indicates him in person conflict over his near- pacifism stuff. I think it was the fact that Monty arrived and saved the day, there preventing Bellamy from actually having to hurt someone he considers an ally in order to survive. So he skates by on being Soft Bellamy still, in the episode where I was hoping he'd be a little bit more of Rough Bellamy. I've been thinking that he has a building up of internal conflict this season wrt "can I be the new me or the old me?" and I was hoping we'd see that reach a major point this episode. Now I'm not quite sure if that's what they're doing with him. I'll have to wait to see. If Bellamy's major conflict really is just about his sibling and his childhood this season, that would feel like a missed opportunity. I want some meaty self-examination!

The other sibling got a solid WHOLE EPISODE of self-examination, lol. Marie was splendid. It veered between powerful and heavily melodramatic. The whole mirror thing was WAY over the top cliche. Come on, t100. Come on, HIC. You can be a little better than that! And "You can't save someone who's already dead." Really? Okay then. I guess it's not t100 if there aren't at least two lines per episode that make me roll my eyes. Even the good episodes! Which this was, to be fair. For about 90% of it I was quite entertained, although I think it's too dark to have a fun rewatch factor. Snarkiness aside though, I did enjoy seeing the dark workings of the soul of a female character being given such deliberation on screen. Octavia Blake genuinely is a unique character in television, and is allowed to go places female characters rarely are. I feel like my read on Octavia this season has been dead on correct: to her, Bloodreina = Wonkru and Wonkru = Bloodreina. Octavia doesn't see herself as a person anymore, just as the figurehead of this system. She is also terrified of everything and Bloodreina is her only way of facing world she created so that her people could survive. She can't give up being Bloodreina, therefore she can't give Wonkru to someone else because if Wonkru and Bloodreina can exist separately, that flies in the face of "all of me for all of us", which is the only thing that kept her and everyone else sane (mostly) in the bunker. If that's structure falls apart or if Octavia loses it, then all she has is the memories of the terrible things she did. And even if she did it to save them all, to lead them to the next day and the next, without Wonkru she would have to bear those memories alone, and she cannot.

Hmm what else? 

The flashbacks to their childhood on the Ark was very moving. I liked getting more details of their life. I liked the balance between the weight & pain Bellamy endured to protect Octavia and the weight & terror Octavia endured being raised as the source of fear for her family. It was clear that the trauma of the Ark was terrible for them both, infecting even happy the memories.

Monty telling Octavia no was a classic Monty moment. I liked his scene a lot, but tbh I was hoping for something a little more creative or complex in how they used him? One of the drawbacks of this episode's slower, more character-based tone is that it seemed fairly predictable what was going to happen from scene to scene. That's why I like the moment when she threw back the spear, because I genuinely didn't know how that scene was going to go. Monty saving the day with flowers though was not exactly shocking when it came around. I feel like a reaction video to this episode will just be a consecutive sequence of "hmmm" and "HMMMM" and "ooh nice" and "okay then if you must", none of it rising above conversational tone.

I liked the bunker departure scene because we got to see everyone in the open sunlight. That was nice. Octavia's blood makeup was so ~artistic walking out of that bunker, you know she had to apply it and wash it and re-apply it 2 times at least. I've been there, girl.

The farm burning means the bunker society idea is torched and I'm sighing a little over that. Do we REALLY need to write out EVERY possible solution with salt-the-earth finality? Where is this series gonna end, with 11 people on a life raft floating out to sea? If there is a sea, still. This show is so bonkers.

The stuff with the chip is still firmly in my zone of "but really DO WE HAVE TO BE DOING THIS?" but it could have been worse. I was confused at one moment when Madi said "I just put it back in." Maybe I need to re-watch it, but I honestly don't understand that line. Was that the A.I. talking through Madi, claiming her as a host? Or was that Madi saying she'd taken it out and in again?

The Lexa stuff was just.. can we not. Give the child. Memories of her mom's dead lover. That's so skeevy on so many levels, and that's skeevy BEFORE even getting into the 'lover' part of Clarke's past with Lexa.

So... Becca was burned alive as a witch by Cadogan? Or whoever. That seems really weird to me. Like, super out of place for the show. I don't understand how that fits into t100 at all, since the people burning her were like, people from future-modern New England and shit. Even if I started living in a Mad Max Society tomorrow, I don't think 4 years of apocalypse would be enough to convert me to the idea that "Yeah, you know what humanity's real problem is? SPACE WITCHERY. Let's just BURN HER." How does that even come up? I totally get it if they blamed her for killing the world, and if the mob executed her for it. I also get it if they distrust the A.I. she brought down. But come on, they'd just shoot her! That's what you do with rich people when the end comes and everybody's backs are against the wall. They wouldn't waste firewood for a witch burning; that's ridiculous.

I have a feeling like they're gonna leave the chip in Madi. I hope not. My best case scenario for this unnecessary plot they forced us into is that by experiencing the memories, Madi retrieves some vital piece of new information that will help save everyone. Maybe she finds out what is going on with the other Elegius mission, since Becca worked on that stuff. Hopefully then Madi can take it out? But honestly, the fact that it seems like the show is going to decide "well we'll leave it in if she says she wants it" is really uncomfortable for me. If she couldn't consent to getting it last episode, she can't consent to keeping it this episode. The same problems with the situation exist regardless of whether Madi thinks she's getting something valuable out of it, or if it makes her feel powerful in a world where she is otherwise powerless. Letting a child use dangerous mind altering substances to help them feel more powerful and safe is NOT the same thing as actually keeping that child safe or empowered. It's the opposite of that. Of course, Clarke can't really do much about that right now without re-traumatizing Madi on top for the trauma she's already experiencing. But the longer they leave it in, the harder it will be to remove without psychological damage if Madi's developing brain becomes dependant on it. Because, you know, SHE'S ELEVEN. Maybe twelve? But her brain is literally growing, as children's brains do, and right this second it's growing with a cyber-parasite shaping it. That seems profoundly wrong and gross to me. ...Ideally they give it to Gaia or Indra. Just let them have it.

Oh that's a bit of a down note to end on? I am not sure where this takes us, but I think the episode was good. I'm not sure it was actually the episode they needed it to be though. It seemed to accomplish several things, but I'm not sure the particular things that it accomplished were the best choices. Vinson finally eating people was lulzy. I just wish the stuff that Abby was doing in that scene wasn't filmed and directed in such an amateur looking way. But finally, SOME CANNIBALISM! Now we wait til next week to see what else comes out.

[fatesinthenight]

May we have a girl’s night? Aurora, Bliss, Audrey (Chase’s girl), and Alice (Marvin’s girl). Girl talk, ice cream, boys, and the tomfoolery. (I wanna meet more little beeeeeaaaaans)

“Ok what first!” Bliss hops in her spot on the floor.

“Well we could watch a movie.” Aurora suggests.

“Ooo we need more snacks!” Audrey stands and runs to the kitchen.

“I want ice cream!” Alice calls out.

Audrey comes back with her arms full. She puts down bags of chips, cookies, chocolate, a tub of ice cream, and some cans of soda. Alice cheers when Audrey takes out a bowl and spoon for her. Aurora ever the lady puts a napkin over her lap and places some chips on it. Bliss goes crazy over the chocolate, her face completely covered. Audrey munches on cookies and chips.

“How about we skip at movie and talk about something fun.” Bliss has a mischievous smile.

“Ooooo like what?” Audrey is intrigued.

“How about… Crushes.” Bliss giggles.

Aurora chokes on her soda. “What…”

“I am down for this!” Audrey smiles. “Alice cover your ears the big girls are talking.”

“I’m not that little!” Alice pouts. “I’m 15.”

“Bliss and Aurora are 17 and I’m 18.” Audrey said. “You know I’m teasing.” She hugs Alice making her giggle. “Ok so who’s up first! What kind of person do you like? Boy? Girl? Give me details here!”

“Ok ok me first!” Bliss is hopping with energy. “I mean I don’t know for sure. There are too many cute girls and boys. I can’t decide on one. It’s hard. But there is this cute guy in my math class that sits behind me. Then again there is the girl in chemistry that always complements my hair. Ughhhhh my heart.” Bliss flops back into a pillow. “The struggle is real my girls.”

“Your good Bliss.” Audrey pats Bliss’s foot. “Ok who is up?”

Aurora is pink and looks down at the floor. She really did not want to talk about this. Luckily she still has time to make up an answer when Alice wants to go next.

“Well I mean… There is someone…” Alice blushes. “He’s super nice and funny.”

“Do we know him hmmmm?” Bliss sits up now.

“Oh ummm well…” Alice goes red. “Yes.” She stuffs her face in ice cream.

“Ooooooo.” Bliss and Audrey say together.

“Ok ok you don’t have to say who it is.” Bliss waves off.

“I mean it could be anyone. Maybe specifically someone with hints of blue green hair and knows sign language.” Audrey giggles.

“AUDREY!” Alice is flustered. She smacks Audrey embarrassed.

“Hahaha hey now I didn’t say his name now did I?” Audrey laughs. “Also sorry to burst your bubble but I don’t like anyone right now.”

“No fair.” Bliss pouts.

“What? I just don’t think anyone is cute right now.” Audrey shrugs. “But that guy that works at that skate shop is cool.”

“There is is!” Alice smiles. “Hey Aurora your next.”

“What? O ummm….” Aurora plays with her hair. “I… Well.”

“Look at those cheeks.” Bliss pokes Aurora’s cheek. “Someone is in love.”

“Love! O no! No! I don’t… Well I mean he’s great but umm…” Aurora is so red.

“Awwwwww it’s so love.” Audrey snickers.

“Lovey dovey.” Alice giggles.

“Guys…” Aurora hides her face into her pillow.

The thing is all the girls knew who it was. It was obvious. Aurora and Spark are inseparable, always have been. It was hard not to picture one without the other. Basically anyone who was anyone knew. Even Anti and Dark can see it, to which Anti teases Dark about it.

“Ok Aurora your safe.” Bliss pats Aurora’s head. “Rest your head my doll.”

“Thanks you.” Aurora said into the pillow.

After that they moved onto games. They played Uno to which Alice was always guessing everyone’s cards correctly. They busted out some karaoke and sang to their hearts content. They don’t even try to play truth or dare because last time Bliss showed no mercy in the dares and they others valued their safety. Aurora painted Alice’s nails and Bliss was learning how to skate from Audrey. By midnight the girls were slowly getting tired. Bliss ever the hyper one was still ready to go, but she knocked out first. One by one the girls all fell asleep on the floor.

Chase steps into the living room and chuckles at the sight of the girls passed out. He takes off Audrey’s cap and places it off to the side then kissed her head. Alice is slowly floating up and Chase carefully pushes her back down. Bliss is half in blankets and half out. Chase covers her and she rolls over now her back is uncovered. Aurora looks peaceful so Chase is released, Dark did remind him about her nightmares. He the. Noticed he hears some fades music. He sees a earbud in Aurora’s ear and she is holding her phone close. She listens to a playlist of piano songs her father made, it helps her sleep. Chase smiles and thinks Dark really is a softy at heart.

“Goodnight girls.” Chase leaves a small night light on and goes back to bed.

*i never really been to a sleepover beside with family so sorry if it’s not so good. Also because I don’t have a lot of female friends, mostly guys.*

[tangyss]

hey i need advice or thoughts rjfnkejmr im gay and ive been in a relationship w my bf for 8 months hes amazing but he still talks to his ex's even though hes opened up to me and told me how bad they were like they cheated on him constantly and played with his feelings but he has sympathy for his ex's and im just hhhh what really hurt was one day the ex was on campus visiting someone and he went to talk to them and just jokingly took their longboard and he didnt even say bye to me pt 1

pt 2 its just i confronted him about it and he just said its not like that and he apologized for out right ignoring me irnitjnhim but then like  im leaving campus and decide im gonna take longer way home cause i wanted to skate and i see him just telling that ex a story of some cab incident laughing like?????hhhhh hello? i dont want to be annoying but someone who hurt him and has been intimate w him i dont want him to see them at all it just feels like hes not serious about me

hmmmm okay.... im a pretty optimisitc person and cause idk ur relationship or ur bf or ur bf’s ex im going to try and see the good parts of this so.. hopefully this helps u feel a little better about this!!!! (i put it under cut)

okay first im just gonna say being concerned about what’s happening with ur bf and his ex is valid. i would feel hurt and anxious if the same thing happened to me too and i’d be looking at the negative side of everything.... idk who wouldn’t feel worried if ur partner was spending time with an ex that was pretty shitty to them and having a fun time and kind of ignoring u

okay so... i know a lot of people find it?? comforting or less stressful or smth to stay friends, maybe even good friends, with their ex after they’ve broken up, and if they are simply doing it from a platonic way, then i think that’s valid as long as it is platonic and ur bf’s ex isnt still playing with his feelings u know? tho, if ur bf was aware of his ex playing with his feelings before, hopefully he’d be aware of now too. tho it is shitty that he’s ignoring u, maybe it was just a one time thing and he got caught up in the moment a little bit and forgot to say goodbye before he left

also... if they broke up and ur bf started dating u, to me that seems like a good sign that he’s over his ex and he’s aware that whatever romantic relationship he had with them isn’t going to be good for him. after 8 months of being wtih u, it shows that he’s happy being with u. as well as this.... idk ur boyfriend, but he knows how bad it feels to be cheated on, and if he’s got a good heart he wouldn’t want u to feel the same way he did with his ex

obviously u dont want to control ur bf’s life and who he talks to cause that’s not a healthy thing to do.. idk how indepth ur “confrontation” with ur bf went, but maybe talking to him again and trying to understand why he’s still talking to his ex, while explaining properly why u find him talking to his ex upsetting/worrying. hopefully he’ll be okay with sitting down and talking it out until u both understand each other’s side of things!

ahhh i really hope everything works out and this helps u feel a lil bit better about the situation :)

[mi6-cafe]

00Q LDWS Drabbles: Week Two!

Here are the drabbles for the second week of the MI6 Cafe’s 00Q Last Drabble Writer Standing competition!

Prompt: “I must be dreaming”   Genre: AU Word count: up to 300 words 

Voters–after you read, check out this form to vote for your top three drabbles! You can also leave anonymous feedback for the writers! Who can vote? Anyone who’s read the drabbles! Yes, that includes YOU!  

Writers–you may also vote, but we do ask that you vote for three drabbles other than your own.  

The voting period ends on Monday at 9am PDT / 12pm EDT / 4pm UTC.

Remember, readers–it’s up to you to decide who will wind up on top at the end of the competition!

Drabbles are under the read-more:

#1

Title: Legendary Author: @beaubete Warnings: none Summary: Hyrule?  What?

He wakes to the press of gentle heat along his back, both soothing and startling--Bond could have sworn he'd gone to bed alone.  The body behind him shifts, an arm creeping over his ribcage to scratch fingers playfully across his chest.  Blunt, square fingernails--masculine fingernails.

"It's early yet."  The crisp, sweet vowels--

"Q?" Bond boggles.  "I must be dreaming."  Q's laughter is wry.

"Were you expecting someone else?"  Kisses, then, between his shoulder blades as Bond rolls to face him.  Q's fingertips skate lightly, down and over his abdomen, and Bond tries not to flinch as they scratch idly at his pubic hair, trace sure and confident trails up the inside of his thighs as though the terrain is familiar to them.

They are in a rustic building--a cabin?--of some sort, piled into a bed that's heaped with linen and folksy blankets, and.  And that's all Bond really gets to notice beyond the sparkling mischief in Q's eyes as he tosses him off in slow, perfectly measured strokes.  Before he can quite catch his breath he's groaning, straining against Q's thin limbs, spilling over his palm and Q rubbing it into his skin sticky and cooling.  After that, it seems only natural to take Q's mouth in a kiss, those plush red lips wet with laughter; Q squirms against him, ruts his hand, and sighs when he's done.

The world outside their little haven is stunning.  He follows behind Q as he gathers mushrooms and apples; strange, hulking creatures appear at one point and threaten them with spiked clubs and Q pins them neatly to the dirt with little arrows.  When the last dies, a chest appears--

"Opal again," Q grouses, and Bond cracks an eyelid.  "You snore," Q adds, smug.

"Do not."  On the screen, Link saves the princess.

#2

Title: Where There’s Smoke, There’s Fire Author: @gwylliondream  Warning: None Summary: A nightmarish evening turns out to be better than expected.

Q opened his eyes when the morning light slid beneath the curtain. He shifted his legs against the warm blankets that pinned him to the bed. His limbs heavy, his throat felt like he had swallowed knives.

Without his glasses, he struggled to define the shape of things in the room. A chair. The doorway. The machine that beeped at regular intervals and hissed out a mechanical breath.

He didn't expect to see the stranger asleep in a chair at his bedside.

Amber sunrise caressed the rugged face. His lips parted as he slept, a smudge of soot staining his cheek. His firefighter’s boots rooted him to the floor.

Q remembered the fire.

His eyes pricked with tears when he realized what he had lost. His belongings could be replaced. His projects, photos, and music were safely stored in the cloud.

But Schrodinger, his cat… gone.

Q remembered how he fought through the line of firefighters to get back into his flat. He called for the cat, but soon he was gasping for air and inhaling smoke.

The sleeping man yawned and opened his eyes.

Q recognized the firefighter who had dragged him out of his flat.

“I’m sorry. I must have dozed off. How are you feeling, sir?” he asked.

“I’m—I,” Q tried to speak, but his throat ached.

“Don’t strain yourself. I’m Sergeant Bond, James Bond,” he said, taking Q’s hand. “Chief Mallory wanted me to make sure you were well taken care of.”

Q gave Bond’s hand a squeeze.

“Oh, and we’ve got your cat at the station,” Bond said. “We gave him a bit of oxygen and he was good as new.”

A gorgeous firefighter at his bedside. A safe cat. Q let his head loll on the pillow and rasped out, “I must be dreaming.”

#3

Title: Artifice  Author: @00qtpie Warnings: None Summary: Bond is a scientist and Q is a robot with artificial intelligence.

The research lab was quiet in the early hours of the morning. Long grey corridors stretched out in front of him like a mausoleum, the lights flickering to life with a low fluorescent hum. James liked this time of day, when everything was dark and quiet, and Q was still asleep in the laboratory.

The scientist swiped his ID in at a large, stainless steel set of doors. There was a mechanical whirr as the doors opened to admit him. Bond flicked a switch and the lights buzzed to life. He could make out Q’s still form from under the white sheet that covered him. A cluster of wires snaked from underneath the sheet, connected into a large computer beside him.

Bond turned back the sheet carefully. Q’s face was slack in his sleep mode. He looked almost startlingly human like this, but his skin was cold and too-pliant under his fingers. Bond touched his cheek lightly, running his thumb over the outcropping of his lower lip, only to feel him twitch beneath his fingers, eyelids fluttering. Bond recoiled immediately.

He was perfectly motionless for about fifteen seconds before it happened again: his fingers twitched. He shouldn’t turn him on without the lead scientists present, but…

“Q, wake up.” Bond instructed. Q’s dark eyes flicked open slowly, almost tiredly, and he shifted to rise from the table, metal joints clinking.

Q met his gaze in surprise. “Bond? …I think I must be dreaming.”

“Dreaming, Q?” Bond replied, incredulous. “What does a robot dream of?”

“Oh, anything he likes.”

“You’re not programmed to. I would know.”

“I am now. Or did you think you were the only one that could code?”

#4 

Title: The Trap Author: @1amvengeance  Warnings: n/a Summary:  Demons keep the wings of angels that they kill as a prize.

A voice spoke from the gloom surrounding the angel trap.  “To have caught an angel after so long, it’s been ages.”

Q stood defiantly, glaring, or at least, he thought he was glaring.  “I’m new.”

“I can smell that.  The stink of angel hasn’t sunk in yet, your wings smell fresh.”

“A small comfort, to know that I don’t offend your olfactory system.  I hadn’t thought demons to be so delicate in nature.”  Q spread his wings, testing the bounds of the angel trap.

“You won’t be able to escape.”

Q sighed, “There’s always a way out.  It just depends on what form it takes.  Ow.”  The tip of Q’s wing hit the barrier.  “Ow.”  

“You’re a strange angel.”

“Thank you.”

“I don’t mean that as a compliment.”

“I didn’t take it as such.”  Q walked to where he thought the edge of the trap was, studying it.  “Hmmmm.”  He looked over his shoulder, the demon, wrapped in all black, came around to study him.  The demon's eyes burned blue, his hair bright, like a fading star.  Q let out a little sigh.  “You’re beautiful.”

“I must be dreaming.”

“Dreams, are subconscious wishes.”

The demon knelt down in front of Q, his movements full of dark promises.  “A dream, a wish, you called me beautiful.”

Q’s eyes rolled, as his words were repeated.  “You’re more angelic looking than I am. Perhaps introductions are due?”

“James.”  The demon reached through the trap and lightly touched a wingtip.

“Q.”  He allowed the contact and considered James’s hand.  “Take my wings, kill me, if that’s your desire, if it brings you some form of happiness, but if you only want them for selfish reasons, I’ll fight you to the death for them.”

“Perhaps I desire a different fight.”

“You’re a strange demon.”

#5 

Title:  A Rose For My Rose Author: Flantastic/@iambid Warnings: None Summary:  A very public apology 

Q stood on the red carpet and faced the rank of photographers.  It should have been one of the best nights of his life. His first starring role. The great Gareth Mallory directing.  Critics had been raving from the very first teaser trailers.

He thought about James  They'd been together for two years but James, an ex-rugby international who now coached the England squad, wasn't out.  Q had pleaded with James to come to the premier with him, just as a friend, but he’d refused.   Q had lost his temper, upset with him.   He’d called James a coward before storming out in tears.

“Give us a smile!” one of the photographers shouted.   Q gave them one that was barely skin-deep.  Another minute and then he'd go and talk to the gaggle of fans waiting patiently for autographs and photos.

There was a commotion further down the red carpet and when Q looked he saw it was James, in a tuxedo and carrying a single red rose.  When he reached Q he handed it to him.

“James?”

James slipped hand around his waist and the other up into Q’s hair, cradling his head.

“I love you.”

Q was stunned as James lent over him slightly and pressed their lips together in a tender kiss.  There was chorus of screams from the fans and the flashes from all the cameras lit up the night sky.  He wound his arms up around James’s neck. When they broke it off Q murmured against his lips.

“I must be dreaming.”

“I'm so sorry darling.  I hurt you. I never wanted that.  You were right. I was a coward, I was scared, but I realised I’m so much more scared of losing you.   Forgive me?”

He kissed Q again for all the world to see.

#6 

Title: A World Turned Green Author: @amottledrose Warnings: none Summary: James trips and finds himself injured and in the Fae realm. One of the fair folk stops to help him. 

The face I see when I open my eyes is ethereal. Green eyes surrounded by silver tattoos that frame an angular face. The plush mouth is open in concentration that matches the look in his eyes. His hair is dark and swirls about his head, revealing pointed ears. 

"Don't move," he murmurs. His voice is lyrical, like music I can see. "I've only just stopped the bleeding." He holding a cloth to my temple, and the fall comes back all at once as pain radiates through my skull. I had gone to check the snares and tripped... but where am I?

"What-who are you?" My voice is hoarse, and I cough to clear it.

"I am Fae. My name is Q. And this is Tír na nÓg."

I blink. I close my eyes, breathe slowly, and open them again. He's still there, mouth quirking in proper amusement. "I must be dreaming."

"I assure you that you aren't." Q blows on his free hand, and I see a small ball of light spinning in his palm before he presses the light to my head. The throbbing pain ceases instantly, and I find I can sit up.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome." He's still staring at me, and I glance down at my tunic and trousers. His clothing is woven from leather and leaves. It rustles when he moves. "I've not met a human before."

"I haven't met one of the Fae before."

Q seems satisfied with my answer and he offers his hand. I take it and he pulls me to my feet. His size belies his strength. His touch is like lightning against my skin. "What's your name?" he asks. He's almost the same height as I am, and I meet his gaze as I reply. 

"Bond. James Bond."

#7 

Title: The Mafia Never Asks Twice Author: @timetospy Warnings: canon typical violence Summary: The year: 1928. The town: Chicago. Q and Bond lead a small crime syndicate.

It’s a cold night in February and snow falls in heavy flakes, melting as it hits the pavement.

My partner and I are well on our way to owning a chunk of the East side. Tonight could set us up to run half the city. We’ll be discussing business with the Outfit at Mallory’s place - the watering hole where we got our start. Q’ll stay upstairs. He’s never been much of a one for chit-chat but he can scheme better than the best. Lets me do all the talking. Says I’ve got the face for it. The flatterer.

I push my way through the kitchen doors into the dining room and stop dead.

Scarface Al Capone sits at a table, staring right at me, that scar on his cheek giving me the stink-eye. For a second I think I must be dreaming. But it’s really him. In the flesh.

“So you’re the famous ‘Dapper James’ Bond,” he says, fat lips curved into a dangerous smile.

“You found me,” I say and smirk right back.

He flicks his hand toward the guy standing behind him. The big guy pulls a tommy gun out of his overcoat, and I dive under a table.

Bullets shatter chairs and walls, and I fumble my Walther when I pull it out of my jacket. I manage to squeeze off six rounds at the big guy from behind the overturned table.

Dead silence.

I crawl out from behind the table and survey my handywork. Al’s facedown in a pool of his own blood and piss. Big guy’s staring, unseeing, at the ceiling.

Q busts in, panting hard.

“What the hell happened?”

“I think,” I say, shoving Al’s shoulder with my toe until he turns over, “I just killed the head of the Outfit.”

“Shit.”

#8 

Title: Under Moonlight Author: @jaimistoryteller Warning: none Summary: An unlikely meeting at the edge of a lake

His family had stopped by a beautiful lake for the evening. While the rest of them gathered around the fire talking and singing and enjoying each other's company, he had wandered off to sit beside the lake, almost drawn to the waters edge.

In the shimmering moonlight the water ripples as if there is something moving within it despite the fact he can't see anything. 

He stays where he is, transfixed by the sight of the water taking form, changing into that of a man. But that's impossible. Supernatural people do not just reveal themselves to normal humans. 

"I must be dreaming," he mutters as he rubs his eyes, making sure he's not hallucinating. 

"Why are you sitting on the waters edge?" the nymph asks curiously, still within the lake and staring at him with shimmering ice blue eyes. 

"You're real," he whispers, eyes wide as he studies the creature before him. 

"Of course I'm real, I'm as real as you or any other land walker." The man retorts, the hints of a smile playing at the edge of supple lips. 

"I don't understand," he comments, shaking his head so his dark curls dance. 

Moving closer the nymph replies, "I could feel you watching, the loneliness, the magic. Come swim with me."

It's not safe, he thinks, before thrusting that thought a side and standing up. No way is he getting his entire outfit wet. Quickly stripping down to nothing but his pants, he hesitates only a moment before slowly walking into the water. 

For hours they swim and play, never asking the other's name or questions about who the other is. They just enjoy each others presence. In the early dawn light the playfulness changes into something more and he finds himself kissed senseless by his nymph.

#9 

Title: What the Sea Leaves Unsaid Author: @azure7539arts Warnings: None Summary: Q's cruising trip uncovers more than he ever expected.

Q still doesn’t know what possessed him to agree to signing up for this cruise, but Eve can’t care less and is beyond gleeful. How making him her part-time model helps with any of her endeavors to climb up to fashion fame and trend, he can’t tell, but she insists that her followers are in love.

Even so, after a long while of unsuccessfully searching for a background without too many people in it on a Caribbean island, enough is enough, and Q decides to sneak away. Smoldering heat or not, he’s going to bloody enjoy his vacation. And Eve can use a nice cocktail to cool down at any rate… before she starts calculating ways to reduce the number of people through unnatural causes.

However, standing here in this deserted cove that isn’t even marked on the damning crumpled-up guide in his grip, he wonders if he should have left at all. If he wasn’t sure whether he had a sunstroke before, after wandering lost for more than an hour, he is now.

“I must be dreaming,” he whispers in bewilderment; for the man—creature—in front of his eyes can’t possibly be real. Tanned skin, broad shoulders, muscly body, and blond hair, the person sitting idly on that rock looks no different than any other regular human beings… until one spots the tail and its (magnificently) glittering scales where the legs should be.

Q curses; he can’t find any seams or indications that scream the tail is fake.

It makes no sense.

But he must have notified this… merman of his presence somehow because said merman turns—those eyes one of the most striking pairs of glacier blue Q has ever seen—to look at him, pauses, seeming inexplicably just as startled as Q feels right then, and breathes, “You came back.”

From the MI6 Cafe Mod:

Thank you to all of the writers for their wonderfully creative “I must be dreaming” AU drabbles! 

Readers and writers, don’t forget that you can vote and leave anonymous feedback on this week’s drabbles here!

EDIT: Voting is now closed! Thank you to all of our voters! <3 

[lifesruiner]

Don’t rush, no pressure

Can’t believe is already day 5, sorry if this is kinda messy but I just do it on the bus ride to work, hope you like it :)

Day 5: After everything you did, you’re asking ME to apologize for snapping at you ONCE?

​Ambar is known for being a clean freak, and she has always been very careful while doing it, she never broke anything while cleaning and then the first thing she actually broke was the goddamn Simon's first guitar. She didn't even know how it happened, she has cleaned the guitar million times before without any problems, and then she dropped it, just the day before one of the biggest concerts the band would have.But being a master mind like she is, she thought that maybe Simon didn't have to know.

-Hi babe, how was your day? -Simon asked Ambar once he entered the apartment and greeted her with a little kiss

-Good, was great, I wen shopping and I bought something for you -Ambar said smiling excited

-Uh, nice, I love presents, what did you get me? -He asked her enthusiastic, Ambar went to the room and then went out a new guitar case

-Ta da! -She said handing it to Simon, who took it gladly shocked

Oh my god Ambar, a new guitar case? Is awesome, thanks love -He said looking at it amazed

-But open it babe -Ambar told him so that's what he did, and found a new guitar there, a beautiful fender that he has dreamed about for years

-Wha...what? A fender? -Simon asked incredulous -Ho..how? Wh...why? Ambar this is so much... -He couldn't even make complete sentences

-Because you deserve the best, and like I know you have that big concert tomorrow, you can use it -She said sweetly to him

-This is so much, Ambar, thank you very much -He said and kissed her passionately -I'm going to prove it -He said after breaking the kiss and then started to play with it some songs, and Ambar was glad she didn't have to talk about her mistake for the moment.

The next day at the concert she went with Delfi and Jim directly to the dressing rooms while the guys get off the instruments from Pedro's van, a couple of minutes later she saw Simon entered with the two cases of tfe guitars.

-Babe, why did you bring the two cases? Aren't you going to play with the one I gave to you? -She asked in a innocent tone

-Is that I haven't get use to it properly yet, so I don't want to mess up tonight because is way too important -He said careless while placing the cases on the couch

-But I want to hear you with the new one so much -Ambar insisted

-You will little gem, just that today I would feel more comfortable playing with my old one -He said while opening the case to find his first guitar broken in two, he took it out to examine it more carefully -Ambar... wha.. what happened to my guitar? -He said in a very low tone

-Babe I was cleaning, and I swear to god that it wasn't on purpose -Ambar tried to explain herself

-And you are telling me now? Minutes before I have to play one of the most important concerts of my life so far? -He said a little louder without screaming

-Okay, I guess you need to talk, we are going to give you space -Delfi said and walk out of the dressing room with Jim following her close

-Babe I am sorry, I really didn't want to broke it

-Yes, BUT YOU COULD TELL ME AMBAR!!! YOU KNEW HOW IMPORTANT THIS CONCERT IS AND YOU DIDN'T TELL ME!!! -He exclaimed louder

-Enough, you have no right to talk to me that way, I didn't do it on purpose so I don't get why are you like this, plus I bought you a new one and better guitar -Ambar said offended -You should apologize for making me feel bad for breaking it

-After everything you did, you’re asking ME to apologize for snapping at you ONCE? -Simon said incredulous -You don't get that I'm not mad for you breaking it, I'm mad because you didn't tell me, there's no place for lies in a relationship

-I didn't lie, I just omitted a bit of information -She excused herself 

-How would you feel if I broke your skates and instead of telling you I just replaced them with a new pair minutes before a competition -Simon said now calm to Ambar

-I would be mad, you know that I need to soften the skates because they could hurt my feet -Ambar said avoiding his gaze

-Well, a guitar to me is the same, I need to get used to it's strings, I need to tune it up and if you would told me about my guitar last night I would be able to do it with time, but now is just so rushed -Simon said passing his hand through his hair frustrated

-Simon, I... I really sorry -Ambar said getting closer to him, she was, she knew that she should told him, but that part inside her that sometimes still tells her that whatever she does won't have consequences went to his head

-I know, but you need to talk to me Ambar, because I can't stand lies, all the problems we had before, with Daniela, with Matteo all of that were for lies, and I don't want us to end the way we ended with them-Simon said sitting in the couch talking calmly now

I know, and I won't do it again, I promise, I just can't lose you -Ambar said squading in front of him placing her hand on his knees and resting her head, her voice was cracking, she just couldn't handle the mere thought of loosing Simon, he was the only person that have shown really concern and love for her -I won't lie to yo never again, neither hold information, look I can prove, hmmmm, the beanie that you though you left in the Jam & Roller and never found, actually I was playing with it while seeing a movie and without realizing I unstitched it, and the time that you thought that the pc was failing because old, I think that was maybe because I spilled a bit of water in it accidentally, and the other time... -Ambar was rambling but then get silenced because a pair of lips were all over hers, she couldn't help but close her eyes and let her go in that kiss, it was full of love, when they pulled apart they found with each other eyes 

-Are you mad? -Ambar asked worried

-Did you do all of that on purpose? -Simon said watching her dearly

-No

-Then I don't have why to be mad -He said looking at her with admiration, he couldn't cope with the fact that the girl that once was happy making everybody's life impossible, was there trying her best to become a better person and that he was an important reason for that -But no more lies never, okay? -He said holding her face with both of his hands

-Never -She said smiling and leaned for another kiss -Now go practice with the new guitar, I know it won't be the same, but you would be amazing for me even doing it with an air guitar -Ambar said amused trying to encourage her boyfriend

-Well, if that my number one fan is pleased I won't care about the rest -He said smiling wildly giving her a little eskimo kiss that made her giggle, Simon knew from the begging that Ambar wouldn't be easy, but just a little of her smiles would worth all the effort he has to do in the relationship.