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sufferu · 1 month ago

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...Three years?

I thought it would be the much more reasonable year total. (6 months for 1 and 2, and six months for the recovery).

So you know, it's A Roughhousing and not complete abuse that justifies Subaru one day vanishing to the ether (preferably) back home with his parents.

B, your telling me that Beatrice Otto Roswaal Garfiel Felix Reinhard Emilia, and all the others didn't have a single spark in their brains about Subaru's situation?

That's Beatrice (1), Otto (2, by proxy of Patrashe), Puck (3), Reinhard (4), and Liliana (5) people who can sense Emotions and they didn't realize Subaru's distress?

this extra two years makes it a Full Second Order Idiot Plot:

In literary criticism, an idiot plot is one which is "kept in motion solely by virtue of the fact that everybody involved is an idiot",[1]: 26 and where the story would quickly end, or possibly not even happen, if this were not the case.[2] It is a narrative where its conflict comes from characters not recognizing, or not being told, key information that would resolve the conflict, often because of plot contrivance. The only thing that prevents the conflict's resolution is the character's constant avoidance or obliviousness of it throughout the plot, even if it was already obvious to the viewer, so the characters are all "idiots" in that they are too obtuse to simply resolve the conflict immediately.

Science fiction writer and critic Damon Knight, in his 1956 collection In Search of Wonder, says that the term may have originated with author James Blish.[1]: 26 Knight went on to coin the term second-order idiot plot as a narrative "in which not merely the principals, but everybody in the whole society has to be a grade-A idiot, or the story couldn't happen".[1]: 195 The term was later popularized by film critic Roger Ebert.[3]

Thanks wikipedia.

To decrease it being an idiot plot, go with my suggestion of six months for each half of the story, therefore everyone is too busy with every other thing to have time to sit down and actually think about wtf they are doing.

The other major issue I have with Back To Zero is that its answering a fundamental question Wrong.

"Would it have been better if I never existed."

The canonical failed loops answers: "The World is Objectively Worse Off without you."

This is the objective right conclusion each and every time I've seen it come up anywhere.

See, there was this old 1930s-40s movie called "It's a Wonderful Life" the main premise is that we get a guy tortured for an hour, by the bank that he's trying to prevent his town from falling victim to, by the townsfolk around him, and by nature itself.

then in the last half hour, he's so depressed that he literally attempts suicide but is stopped by an angel who shows him a world where he didn't exist.

The bank took over the town, his wife didn't marry his superior, and generally everyone hates being alive.

it was his presence that gave everyone the ability to fight against their apathy and their oppressors.

hence why its copied many, many, many times for being a classic story about Self Worth.

BTZ, however, says: "Subaru was only holding us back."

You know, like the much hated episode of Fairly Odd Parents' Season 5, episode 10: "It's A Wishful Life."

My suggestion to avoid a chunk of the hate heading your way, shrink the timescale and intermix the events.

Such as that abuse disguised as sparing with Julius. cut everything after Julius sits on Subaru and have another character interrupt that scene.

Like have The Blue Lightning guy do the kidnapping event from there.

Or have Patrasche decide that Subaru needs to be her space heater.

Or have Emilia and Beatrice come back from fighting the witch cult for resupply and have Emilia showcase a single iota of care for Subaru and be angry at Julius for his treatment of her dog.

Hell, let's go full crack.

That's when Elsa is revealed to be part of the emilia camp.

But as it, with a Full Three YEARS, they have become Villain Protagonists who no longer fall under the umbrella term:

"Never Attribute to Malice, What can be explained by Incompetence."

nonononnoono, now what applies to them is:

"Cuddling and Torture are synonyms."

them taking an interest in you is simultaneously a desire for closeness and a desire to subjugate and torment. A very common expression of love in Japanese fiction is “I want to know more about you”: with fiends that might well mean “I want to vivisect you”.

you know, the type of things that True Made from Pure EvilTM Demons do.

You know,

The Witches.

So Either A, They're Incompetent (in which case they should be losing against the Witch Cult and need the Story Breaker Power that is Subaru's Curse to Survive).

B, They are actively Malicious and Subaru needs to GTFO like the MC of The Truman Show.

Or C, in the course of viewing Subaru's life, everyone broke and here's the story of this massive group of insane individuals deal with returning to reality.

Okay, I feel that you have made a number of assumptions about the foundations of what I am writing that are simply untrue. I think you’ve misidentified some key themes, motifs, and foundational intentions of the prompt that I am working with here, and that a lot of your explanation of how to “fix” the story’s perceived flaws misses what I am trying to do with this fic and what kinds of tools I am working with in order to do it.

[First point: “BTZ is an Idiot Plot.”]

This is not the sort of claim that I can really argue for or against at the moment, because BTZ only has one chapter and the concept of an “idiot plot” is FAR more dependent on execution than it is on the prompt alone. Plenty of perfectly good story ideas have been turned into idiot plots due to poor execution, and good execution have taken many “iffy” prompts involving miscommunication and transformed them into very charming pieces of fiction.

I do not believe that BTZ is an idiot plot. I am taking great care to make sure that the line of thoughts that these characters are following are reasonable considering what they know, how they are perceiving their situation and interpersonal dynamics, and how they are both attempting and failing to present themselves in turn. BTZ — and ESPECIALLY BTZ II — is better defined as a comedy of errors: an event or series of events made ridiculous by the number of errors that were made throughout. These errors sometimes stem from the characters’ innate personal flaws or shortcomings, sometimes they come from wacky hijinks or the inherent flaws in the nuances of interpersonal relationships, and sometimes it is just pure bad luck. Once BTZ II comes around it really does lean into the absurdist humor of just HOW MANY THINGS needed to go wrong in order for things to go as badly as they do in BTZ I.

Of course, I cannot say that this is not an idiot plot yet because I have not executed the story yet. So I guess we’ll see.

[Second point: Central questions]

You argue that BTZ is answering the fundamental question “Would things be better if I never existed?” incorrectly, but the thing is: that is not the question being asked by BTZ. I have watched “It’s A Wonderful Life,” (and I actually really didn’t like that movie, whole other thing), but it has absolutely no relevance to BTZ from a writing angle because they’re not asking the same questions. They have a completely different thematic structures, central conflicts, and conclusions.

BTZ I and II aren’t about Subaru seeing a world in which he never existed: they’re about the dangers of personal pride, making assumptions about the perspectives and desires of other people, and the refusal to communicate with those around you. THOSE are the core themes of the narrative, at least when it comes to the central conflict about the constant, ever-growing miscommunication between Subaru and the rest of the cast. Nobody but Subaru is even considering that they might be better off without him. Hell, half of the internal monologues surrounding Subaru in BTZ II are them turning to the camera and saying, “Man, I sure love Subaru a whole lot! I’m so glad he’s here with me right now, and I hope I can facilitate a future where he can be safe and happy and a part of my life for the rest of our days!” The idea that Subaru is somehow a burden is — Subaru himself is literally the only one who would even suggest such a thing.

Hell, even if you were to ask “Would things be better if I never existed?” about BTZ — “Yes” is not even the right conclusion? Because BTZ is ONLY POSSIBLE because of everything that Subaru has done for all of these characters in the old timeline, that’s the whole point. As far as everyone else is concerned, Subaru already sacrificed everything for them, and now they have the chance to return the favor. The only reason it doesn’t look like that in BTZ I is because Subaru himself does not have the context necessary to recognize it. This is not a timeline where Subaru does not exist, it’s one where a different version of him already did all the work. In that sense, the conclusions reached by BTZ and “It’s A Wonderful Life” actually are the same regarding that central question, lol — but it’s still not really the intended central question of BTZ.

[Third point: Good intentions]

I’m gonna start this off by saying that I do not care about receiving hate on a fanfic: if I did, I never would have even considered the Julimilia subplot, and I probably wouldn’t have posted BTZ I on AO3 at all. I’m never going to change what I’m writing solely because I’m scared that I’ll get backlash for it. That aside, I have my reasons for keeping BTZ I and II on such a long timescale and I’ll get to that in a second, but first — I think your main suggestion fundamentally misses the point of what I am writing.

You are suggesting that I make everyone else in BTZ either intentionally cruel, insane, or completely incompetent as a way to justify this colossal misunderstanding. I will not be doing any of that, lol, because the whole point of BTZ is that everyone is genuinely trying their best. Changing that fundamental aspect of BTZ would transform it into a different story entirely. Is it a challenge to create a scenario in which the characters can fuck up this bad without being stupid or malicious? Yes — but it is a challenge that I believe is worthwhile, and one that I believe I can pull off.

[Fourth point: Why it’s so long]

The reason why BTZ I and II last as long as they do is because BTZ II is about everyone fully managing to accomplish their goal of conquering the plot of Re:Zero without getting Subaru involved: they defeat the Witch Cult, quell the Four Calamities, slay the Great Mabeasts, complete the Royal Selection, everything, and they do it without Subaru dying even once. They went back three years in time, and now they have fully managed to come full circle and can finally proceed after they have fully redone all of their worst mistakes and come out the other side. (—And then BTZ III happens and they realize that they kind of screwed up in an entirely different manner, of course.) For that to happen, BTZ II basically HAS to take place over a three year period.

Also, I mentioned before that BTZ II is a comedy of errors, where a large part of the central point is exploring just how many things would need to go ludicrously wrong in order for BTZ I to get as bad as it does and go on for as long as it has. This is also why the timeframe is so long: the fact that things go so badly for so long is effectively the punchline.

And like — it’s honestly not hard for things to keep going badly once they start down a certain path: once a pattern is set, it’s easy to keep repeating it. It might not seem like it from here, but I fully believe that the timeframe is honestly going to be one of the least challenging things to make believable. It’ll need work, sure, as will everything else about this story, but there are other things that will be more challenging to get right than that.

Anyway, those are my thoughts, lol. I have a lot planned for this fic yet, and a lot of it is going to be challenging to get right. But that’s kinda what makes it fun, eh? ;)

#me tag #back to zero if #meta #my inbox

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celinin-archive · 4 years ago

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Celestino Vietti, I’m one with the bike

From the Piemonte Alps to Moto2. Interview to the SKY Racing Team VR46 talent

“The most beautiful memory I have of my childhood is tied to a three wheels bike. My dad had built it for my older brother, using the engine of a grass trimmer. I used to look at my brother going around on it in the backyard, then one day I asked to try it: once I got on it I irremediably fell in love with engines. Once I got down from that first trial I immediately asked my dad to buy me a two wheels motorbike. “To have a bike without training wheels you first have to know how to ride with them”, was his answer. So I started training and at eight years old I found myself riding in my first italian championship...”

Celestino Vietti is lightness, a youthly lightness, a mature lightness, a fast lightness, cheeky to the right degree. Not yet twenty, he’s approaching his first Moto2 season, wearing the SKY Racing Team VR 46 leathers on Marco Bezzecchi’s side.

Leathers that ‘Celin’ paints with the colours of his region, Piemonte. Right in Coassolo Torinese, small settlement wedged between the Valli di Lanzo, two wheels racing had started indelibly marking his life. An atypical place, Alpi Graie, to be the natal place of a world championship level rider. A place that becomes typical as soon as you open wide the doors of the Vietti’s home.

“My uncle and my dad have always been big enthusiasts. My dad even did some uphill races when he was young. I lived all my childhood in a motorsport enviroment. My relatives had and still now have an agricultural machine repair shop that rapidly became a mandatory stop of my summers. There I used to take apart chainsaws and everything else I could find. Now I realise that the time spent in the repair shop gifted me a better feeling with the engine, with mechanics. My dad also gave me a lot of tools to read and understand the bike’s problems: thanks to him my bond with the bike got to a superior level. It’s as if I feel more merged with what I have under me, I listen to every single sound, I know how to decipher and manage it...”

A management that for this young promise of two wheels racing hasn’t been and isn’t limited to the technical side, overflowing in the character, human one. Sat in the shades of the WITHU paddock, what immediately hits you of Celestino are the lucidity in the self-analysis, the ease in communicating, in summarising the different steps he took in such a short, but already so full, life.

“To follow my dream I had to move out of my home during adolescence. The first months were so fast, everything was new, new experiences, new acquaintances. Once you settle you start thinking that once you get home from training nobody is there to wait for you. Relatives, friends, everybody is distant, everything starts getting hard. I had to grow on a personal level and, consequently, as a rider. Situations like this teach you how to manage yourself on the emotional side: sometimes I tend to get angry easily, being this much on your own helps you to reflect, to remain lucid”

Vietti’s growth was mainly through the motorsport Academy for definition, that two wheels paradise build by the tarmac’s ‘Doctor’. A restricted cenacle reserved only to those who are destined to make an art form out of racing. Disciples, students, riders waiting to see their own boundless talent explode.

“Getting into the VR46 Racing Academy was a turning point. It's important to realise your luck, the privilege you have to train every day with the best riders in the World Championship. Every time you get on track it’s an enormous challenge, there’s always somebody faster than you. I try to look at everyone, we’re many, we’re ‘colourful’, everyone has a certain characteristic to learn from: I have by my side two World Champions and then Vale, my idol, I think there’s nothing else to add...”

He slightly moves his hair out of the way, Celestino, when he talks about topics he’s particularly sensible about. He smiles, a sincerely emotional smile, when he gets asked what the bike means for him, for his being. A question that strikes way higher chords than the sports one.

“When you go really fast you become one with her, you find a magic harmony. Whatever she wants to do, you do it too, you become one thing. When she wants to do one thing, and you want to do another one instead, you struggle. True struggle. You can feel the separation between the two bodies. For me the bike has some sort of life of his own: it’s something difficult to explain”

Difficult to explain, evocative to listen to. There’s dept in the words of this barely more than teenager rider of the Sky Team. On him also weight hopes and expectations of many italian fans, charmed by his results in the 2020 Moto3 season and the two first places obtained in the Styrian and France GP.

Celestino is lucid in his analysis of the big jump to Moto2, a natural jump, even though initially complex. The piemonte rider need a settling period, an adjustment phase that now appears completed, processed. To demonstrate it, an always growing confidence in placements and continuity of performances, an exponentially growing mental and sensorial presence.

“The impact with Moto2 was difficult. It’s a very particular category, unlike Moto3 it rewards constancy, precision, the bike doesn’t want to be assaulted, you can’t afford to do ‘crazy’ lap and feel satisfied. You have to curate the rhythm, you need surgical attention. Now my goal is to get as high as I can in the standings, to continue with the positive feelings of the last races and to keep building up unity with the bike. The future? Everybody’s dream is to become world champion, it’s useless beating around the bush, I’ll work hard to be able to make it”

#y: 2021 #interview #vr46 racing team

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zapreportsblog · 1 year ago

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HAHA i'm back again hi srry my mind is overloaded with ideas😭😭😭

can you do volturi (or just the kings idm) x newborn reader who has the power of life and death inducement (platonic or not idrc) Who doesn't love an extremely overpowered y/n HAHAHHAHAHA ik i do!!!

❝your end and your beginning ❞

✭ pairing : volturi x reader

✭ fandom : twilight

✭ summary : (Y/n) awakes as a freshly turnt vampire and the first thing she wants to know is does she have any cool powers? So with the help with her the other guards she finds that she can does indeed have powers and ones that the volturi are lucky to have on their side

✭ authors note : well welcome back then

✭ twilight masterlist

The darkness enveloped her as she lay motionless, suspended in a realm between life and death. (Y/N) had always been aware of the existence of vampires, the elusive creatures of the night that haunted the realm of myths and legends. Little did she know that soon, she would become one of them.

Her journey to this otherworldly existence had begun weeks ago, when she was selected by the three vampire kings themselves. Chosen for a destiny she couldn't fathom, her life had taken an unexpected and perilous turn. The transformation had been agonizing, a relentless torment that seared through her very soul. It felt as though her very essence was being torn asunder, only to be rebuilt with newfound strength and power.

The moment she awoke anew, (Y/N)'s senses were immediately heightened. The world was no longer shrouded in darkness; instead, it was bathed in an eerie, crimson glow that revealed details she had never noticed before. Every sound was amplified, every scent a vivid tapestry of the world around her. The hunger, that insatiable thirst, clawed at her throat.

Her first instinct was to test her newfound abilities. She needed to understand the extent of her power and how to control it. Pushing herself to her feet, (Y/N) hesitated for only a moment before making a decision. She would call upon the other guards chosen by the kings, her comrades in this new existence.

With a thought, she summoned the twins, Alec and Jane. They appeared before her like wraiths emerging from the shadows, their expressions a mixture of curiosity and concern.

"What is it, (Y/N)?" Alec inquired, his voice like a whisper of silk.

"I wanted to know if you could could train me,” Alec raises a brow at her as if he knew there was more to just this training she suggested and urged her to continue, “And I also wanted to see if I had any abilities," she replied, her gaze determined. "I want to see what I can do."

Jane nodded in agreement, her crimson eyes locking onto (Y/N)'s. "Very well, let's see what you've got."

As they began to train and test her newfound powers, Felix and Demetri approached cautiously. These two were seasoned guards, their loyalty to the kings unwavering.

"May we join the training?" Demetri asked, his tone respectful yet inquisitive.

(Y/N) considered their request for a moment. She was well aware that their skills were far superior to hers, and she had much to learn. "Yes, but only if you promise to train me," she responded, a note of determination in her voice.

Felix cracked a half-smile, revealing his sharp fangs. "We'd be honored to help you, (Y/N)."

Underneath the oppressive weight of the castle, the dungeons sprawled out like a dark labyrinth. This was where the guards typically trained newborn vampires, where stone walls bore witness to countless battles and training sessions. As the chosen guards of the three kings, Alec, Jane, Demetri, and Felix led (Y/N) down into the depths of the castle, guiding her through the dimly lit corridors.

Felix was the first to speak as they descended into the dank underground chambers. "This is where we hone our skills, (Y/N)," he said with a sly grin. "Prepare yourself for a taste of true vampire training."

(Y/N) met his grin with a determined nod. She had come to embrace her new existence as a vampire, and this was her opportunity to prove herself. Felix's offer to be her training partner was a challenge she eagerly accepted.

"Alright, big guy," she replied, her eyes flashing with excitement. "Let's see if you can handle me."

In an instant, the cavernous training room became their arena. The shadows danced around them as the others stepped back to watch the clash of strength. Felix and (Y/N) circled each other, their eyes locked in unwavering focus.

The fight began with a blur of motion. Felix lunged at (Y/N), his movements fluid and precise. She countered with agility and speed she had never known before, dodging his attacks with grace. Their movements were like a violent ballet, each one testing the other's limits.

As the battle raged on, Felix's immense strength became apparent. He was relentless, his blows powerful and calculated. (Y/N) had to rely on her agility and quick thinking to avoid being overpowered. But she refused to give in, her determination burning brighter with each passing moment.

Then, in a split second, Felix managed to land a powerful blow, sending (Y/N) sprawling across the stone floor. She grunted in pain but quickly pushed herself back onto her feet.

Felix chuckled, a deep rumble that echoed through the chamber. "Not bad for a newborn," he taunted.

The taunt hit a nerve, and (Y/N)'s emotions flared. Her anger, intensified by her newfound vampire abilities, surged within her. With a flick of her wrist, she sent an invisible force toward Felix.

Time seemed to slow as Felix froze in place, his eyes wide with surprise. He stood immobilized, as though trapped in a momentary stasis. The others watched in astonishment as he teetered on the brink of balance before finally collapsing to the floor.

Demetri's incredulous expression mirrored the bafflement in his mind. He had seen countless battles and faced numerous opponents, but what he had just witnessed left him bewildered. "What even just happened?" he muttered, his voice tinged with confusion.

(Y/N) stood over the immobilized Felix, her heart pounding in her chest. Panic began to creep into her as she tried to wake him, shaking him gently, but he remained unresponsive. "Felix, come on!" she pleaded, her voice trembling.

Her attempts to rouse Felix only escalated her panic. Desperation welled up inside her, and she could feel the powerful emotions threatening to spiral out of control. She glanced at Alec, who had been watching the scene unfold with a concerned expression.

Alec stepped forward, his eyes locking onto (Y/N)'s with an intensity that sent a shiver down her spine. "I need to numb your emotions," he said firmly.

(Y/N) nodded, unable to speak as her emotions threatened to overwhelm her. Alec extended his hand, and a soothing wave of calm washed over her. It was as though a heavy fog had settled in her mind, dulling the frantic panic that had taken hold.

Demetri, still bewildered, retreated from the training area to alert the kings about the unexpected turn of events. Meanwhile, Jane approached Felix, her crimson eyes focused. She reached out with her own unique power, attempting to rouse him, but there was no response.

She persisted, her brow furrowing in concentration, but it was as though Felix had been locked in time. The others watched, tense and worried, as minutes passed without any sign of change.

Finally, the kings, Aro, Caius, and Marcus, accompanied by another formidable vampire, entered the training chamber. Aro's eyes, which seemed to miss nothing, scanned the scene before him.

Alec, sensing their presence, withdrew his powers from (Y/N), allowing her to regain control of her emotions. She gasped for breath, still shaken by the events.

Aro, with his perceptive gaze, turned his attention to (Y/N) and inquired gently, "My dear, what happened here?"

Trembling, (Y/N) recounted the events that had transpired—the fierce training with Felix, her newfound power, and the inexplicable immobilization of her training partner. Panic threatened to overtake her once more, but Aro's calming presence held her in check.

Caius and Marcus exchanged knowing glances, while the other vampire in their company observed with keen interest.

Aro stepped closer to (Y/N), his voice soothing. "You have a unique gift, my dear," he said, his tone filled with a mixture of curiosity and intrigue. "One that we have never encountered before."

Aro's crimson eyes gleamed with curiosity as he watched (Y/N) closely. His fascination with her newfound ability had not waned since their encounter in the training chamber. He decided to delve deeper into this enigma and turned his attention to the other vampire who had accompanied them.

"Scan her, and tell us what you find," Aro ordered, his voice smooth as velvet.

The other vampire, whose power lay in the ability to discern the presence or absence of abilities in other vampires, stepped forward. Their eyes met (Y/N)'s, and in an instant, their expression shifted from curiosity to astonishment. Their eyes widened, an unprecedented reaction that had never occurred during their countless assessments.

Caius, growing impatient, broke the silence. "Well, speak already! Is this the doing of a gift, or are we wasting our time?"

The assessing vampire nodded slowly, their voice measured. "Yes, it is the result of a gift," they replied, their tone filled with a mixture of wonder and uncertainty. "But it is unlike any gift we have ever encountered."

(Y/N) felt a pit of dread forming in her stomach. The anticipation in the room was palpable, and she couldn't bear the weight of their scrutiny any longer. "What... what is it?" she stammered, her voice quivering.

The assessing vampire hesitated, their gaze still locked onto her. "It appears that (Y/N) possesses the unique gift of life and death," they explained carefully. "She has the ability to both end and restore life to a vampire, even when they have been incapacitated."

A stunned silence fell over the chamber as the revelation sank in. Aro, Caius, and Marcus exchanged incredulous glances, while the other guards looked on in a mix of awe and uncertainty.

(Y/N) felt her heart sink as the implications of her power became clear. Her mind raced back to the training chamber and the moment when she had unintentionally restored Felix to life after immobilizing him. She had never meant to wield such a gift, and the consequences of her actions weighed heavily on her.

"I didn't know," she muttered, panic lacing her voice. "I didn't mean to..."

Aro raised a calming hand, his expression thoughtful. "There is no need for distress, my dear. Your gift is a remarkable one, and it may prove invaluable to the Volturi. We shall train you to control it and ensure that it serves our purposes."

Despite Aro's reassurance, (Y/N) couldn't shake the guilt that gnawed at her. She had unintentionally brought back a fellow guard, altering the course of events in the most unexpected way.

(Y/N)'s heart raced with a mixture of fear and curiosity as she watched Felix being led away by Alec and Jane. She couldn't help but worry about what lay in store for her, especially after learning the true nature of her unique gift.

Turning her gaze to Aro, she voiced her concerns. "What's going to happen to me?" she asked, her voice trembling.

Aro's smile remained serene as he responded, "Nothing to worry about, my dear. You will receive training to harness your abilities properly, and you will become a valuable asset to the Volturi."

Relief washed over (Y/N) at Aro's words. She trusted the guidance of the Volturi, despite the unexpected turn her life had taken.

Her gaze drifted to Marcus, who had remained silent during the discussion. His eyes held a deep understanding, and she couldn't help but ask, "What happened to Felix?"

Marcus sighed softly, his voice gentle as he replied, "It appears that when you used your abilities on him, it not only ended his life but also brought him back in a human state."

(Y/N) was stunned by this revelation. Her gift had the power to bring a vampire back to their human state? It was an astounding discovery, one that left her with more questions than answers.

The assessing vampire who had revealed her gift's nature stepped forward to explain further. "It's a complex interplay of life and death, (Y/N). When you unintentionally ended Felix's life and then brought him back, it seems to have triggered a transformation back to his human state."

Aro, his eyes gleaming with fascination, absorbed this information with a calculating expression. He said nothing but appeared to be pondering the implications of her gift.

(Y/N) was still trying to process the extraordinary turn of events. She hadn't meant to turn Felix human, and the fact that her abilities had such a profound impact on him left her bewildered.

"I didn't know," she whispered, her voice filled with remorse.

Aro, ever the observer, spoke softly, "My dear, your gift is a wondrous discovery. It may hold secrets and possibilities beyond our current understanding. Rest assured, we will study it further."

(Y/N) couldn't shake the overwhelming desire to see Felix. She had unintentionally changed his life, quite literally, and the weight of that responsibility weighed heavily on her. With the kings' permission granted, she was led to the room where Felix was being kept.

As she entered the room, her eyes widened in amazement. There he was, Felix, sitting on a bed and looking every bit like a human. It was a sight she couldn't have imagined, and it filled her with a mixture of awe and remorse.

Felix looked up as she entered, and a warm smile spread across his face. "Well, look who it is," he greeted, his voice tinged with amusement.

(Y/N) couldn't help but feel a rush of gratitude that he wasn't holding what had happened against her. "Felix, I'm so sorry," she said, her voice filled with sincerity.

He waved off her apology with a chuckle. "No need to apologize, (Y/N). It's not every day you wake up as a human after being a vampire for so long. It's... an interesting experience."

Feeling a surge of relief and happiness, she couldn't contain herself any longer and wrapped her arms around him in a tight embrace. But in her excitement, she momentarily forgot her newfound strength.

Felix winced, his face turning slightly red as he struggled to breathe. "Careful there," he managed to say through strained breaths.

Alec and Jane, who had been standing nearby, quickly stepped in. "Easy now," Alec cautioned. "Remember, he's human, and you have to be more delicate."

(Y/N) released her grip on Felix, her face flushed with embarrassment. "I'm so sorry, Felix. I forgot."

Felix let out a hearty laugh, his humor infectious. "No harm done," he assured her, his smile never fading. "Just reminds me how much it sucked being a human."

As the three of them shared a moment of laughter

The harmonious laughter between (Y/N), Felix, Alec, and Jane was abruptly interrupted as the door to the room swung open. Aro entered, his presence commanding immediate attention. His smile remained charming, but there was a hint of business in his demeanor.

"My dear (Y/N), I'm afraid it's time for you and the others to leave," Aro announced, his voice carrying a note of finality.

(Y/N) exchanged a worried glance with Felix, uncertainty gripping her. "But what's to happen to Felix?" she asked, her voice quivering.

Marcus, ever the one to speak the truth, stepped forward. "Felix is a valuable member of our guard, and we cannot afford to lose him," he explained. "He will be changed back into a vampire."

Aro nodded in agreement, adding, "It is the only way, my dear. Felix will return to his duties, and you will continue your training. We have a destiny to uphold."

(Y/N) felt a mixture of relief and sadness wash over her. She had grown fond of Felix in the short time they had spent together, and knowing that he would be changed back into a vampire was bittersweet. She nodded, her understanding clear.

The three of them, Alec, Jane, and (Y/N), prepared to leave the room, but not before one last look at Felix. His expression was a mix of gratitude and determination, ready to embrace his role in the guard once more.

As they exited the room, (Y/N) couldn't help but feel a sense of responsibility weighing on her. Her unique gift had brought about both wonder and challenges, and her journey among the Volturi was far from over. Felix's transformation back into a vampire was a reminder of the complexities of their existence, and it was a chapter in her story that would shape her path in ways she had yet to discover.

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the-bus-called-graveyard-8 · 6 months ago

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Madagascar in Nickelodeon Magazine (part 4 of 4)

This last part is some miscellaneous Madagascar content that has appeared in various issues of Nick Mag. I used to keep all my Nick Magazines in big binders so I could reread them, but some years ago I decided to finally get rid of them. I only kept a select few (the Madagascar ones, of course) but before I tossed the rest I flipped through five years' worth of issues looking for any scraps of Madagascar. I don't know which issues any of these bits and bobs are from, but here they are nonetheless!

First we have a prank DVD cover for an absurd mashup of several 2000s animated movies called "Flushed Through the Hedge in a Happy Car". One of the characters parodied is Alex the lion, and several aspects of Madagascar appear in film's description. Full transcript under the read more.

Front cover:

"Flushed Through the Hedge in a Happy Car"

A penguin, a taxi, one wild ride...

Starring Will Smith, Tom Hanks, Ellen DeGeneres, Wanda Sykes, and Luke Wilson

From the creators of "Charlotte's Open Barnyard"

Back cover:

A break-dancing New York City Penguin named Happy (Wanda Sykes) is accidentally shipped to a zoo in Mexico City. The homesick bird escapes and meets a hilariously sassy taxi named Turbo McCab (Will Smith), who offers to drive her home. Along the way, they get stuck in the woods during hunting season, freeze solid during an ice age, and visit an underground rodent city, where they pick up a tuxedo-wearing mouse named Wobbly (Tom Hanks). Just outside of New York City, Turbo gets a flat. A nerdy raccoon named AJ (Ellen DeGeneres) offers to take Happy over the hedge to find a spare.

Once in human territory, Happy becomes obsessed with Dancing in the Suburbs. Will Happy find happiness as a reality show star? Will her lion dance partner (Luke Wilson) ever learn his moves? Will Turbo ever get to race in the Madagascar 5000? Can penguins really talk? And who is paying for all of Turbo's parking tickets?

2-Disc DVD Collector's Edition

Bonus features include:

A step-by-step look at the 350-day process of creating convincing CGI fuzzy dice.

Deleted scenes that were cut because they stink real bad.

Voice talent farting into the microphone during recording.

Trailers for other penguin movies.

Director's commentary.

Director's dog's commentary

Rated P for Penguin

Digitally mastered for superior penguin cuteness

Next we have three ads I snipped out of different issues.

Top left: Madagascar video games

"Madagascar and the all new Madagascar: Operation Penguin

Go from the zoo to a place that's totally new

Rule the city and the jungle in two hit games based on the hit movie. In Madagascar, play as Alex, Marty, Gloria, and Melman in a wild adventure. Available on all video game consoles. In Madagascar: Operation Penguin, play as Private Penguin in madcap missions, available only on GameBoy Advance."

Bottom left: Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa video game

"Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa

For PS2, PS3, Xbox 360, Wii, PC, and DS

Play as all the main characters—including the penguins—through the story of the Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa movie.

Tip: In the soccer match in the In Madagascar level in single-player mode, Mort the lemur can be a tough goalie. Raise the Power Meter to the 75 percent mark and you can kick the ball over Mort's head and score nearly every time.

Zelda the roving reporter: Do you have a license to drive that?"

Right: TPoM world premiere

"What's New on Nick

Penguins of Madagascar

The penguins are back, and this time, it's for their very own show! Catch the premiere immediately after the Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, March 28. And check out the first-ever Penguins of Madagascar online game at nick.com."

Lastly, we have this crossover comic of the Penguins with Aang from Avatar: The Last Airbender. I don't have the cutout of this, but I distinctly remember seeing it in the Gag Station of one issue's Comic Book section. I was able to find it online but unfortunately I don't know the artist.

And that's every time Madagascar was featured in Nickelodeon Magazine!

#nickelodeon #nickelodeon magazine #madagascar #dreamworks madagascar #the penguins of madagascar #tpom #penguins of madagascar #pom #promo material #grvyd8.pics

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cho-aaacho · 1 year ago

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Date Night ( Albert Wesker x Reader)

Masterlist I Archive Of Our Own

Tags : Fluff, Romantic Fluff, Humor, First Dates, Boss/Employee Relationship, Soft Albert Wesker, Crushes, Date Night, Flirting, Reader is genderless

A/N : This time I'm writing from Wesker's POV. Thank you for reading!

My voice echoed as I called you in the hallway. My heart responded with a rhythmic beating, pounding in my chest like crazy. I could hear my blood rushing through my veins as excitement surged through me.

With a simple "Good morning," you smiled at me. I touched my heart in anticipation, but I failed to cover my red cheeks. Pretending like something never happened between you and me.

Chris believes my behavior has changed since your arrival. I am acting unreasonably. Maybe they've finally noticed the captain's weird demeanor over the past three months.

Yet, these emotions are seeds I planted in my heart. Every day, every time, it's been growing within me, blooming beautifully.

Perhaps, I seem insane and go crazy each time I gaze at you. I know you couldn't detect it under my shades, and I know you would never notice it because I've never shown it. The fact that you aren't part of S.T.A.R.S. makes me frustrated sometimes.

How can I draw near and reach your soul? How could I hear you calling my name when you're not on my side? It's frustrating me, really.

You turned, smiling, gracing me with calming eyes, their shapes akin to crescent moons in the night veil. Oh, how I ache for your aroma each time, each day—I miss every nuance. It's senseless. How do I feed my ego?

"Oh, Captain Wesker! Good morning. You look nice today. Do you need some help?"

Despite the fear, you stood gracefully on your own, throwing your gaze into me and avoiding a pointless banter. You captivate me, really. You're unlike any other officer. Why did I realize this so late? Such a fool.

"Oh, nothing, Officer. I'm sorry to call you this way. I just haven't found a good moment to talk to you."

Mesmerized, our eyes met, and, immediately, I daydreamed of a happy ending. Pathetic, perhaps, but that's the reality. What am I supposed to do?

"I thought you were still in the Arklay Facility. I assume your mission went well. So... what did you want to discuss?"

Smiling, I tried to release my calmness, showing my warm side and gentleness, trying to touch your soft spot.

"Thanks to the Alpha Team," I replied, using my sweetest voice.

"It's because you are their superior, Captain. I envy them sometimes."

As winter falls, a chill of sorrow wraps around me, making me so lonely each time the snow touches my skin. Yet, you, with your calm and relaxed nature, have become a sun to comfort my cold side. Guiding me through this heart-wrenching season.

"Are you free on Saturday? I'm buying a new oven, and I've been trying to bake cookies lately. So... I want you to become my taster."

What the hell am I talking about? I don't even have a new oven.

But you.

You.

YOU!

How can you comfort me with a warm smile for someone with a stern and cold demeanor like me? I don't deserve that.

A serene smile danced upon your lips, but this time I couldn't predict what the smile was for. Perhaps you thought I was joking or talking nonsense. My azure eyes fixed on you, locking your eyes on mine, waiting for your response.

"It depends, Captain." You smirked, dragging me into the mysterious realm. What did you do to me? Why are you smirking like that? Is that a flirt? Are you trying to flirt?

"Oh, I'm sorry, Officer. But I don't understand."

Fits of giggles escape as your gaze falls into mine; undoubtedly, this is the most delightful smile I've ever seen this morning. I suppose I have a beautiful morning.

You said, "If other people ask me, I will answer that I am busy. But if you do, I'll say I have plenty of time..."

"So... it means—" I paused, trying to find fine words in my brain. But I can't think of a single word to describe it. My gaze meandered towards you, and I nervously smiled.

"Yes, I'm free. You can ask me anything at that time. My time is yours, Captain."

I found myself lost in the daydream and reality. My mind is trapped in a gentle fog without a light on it. What should I do now? Did you just accept my offer or—

"Captain, are you okay?"

A playful chuckle escaped my lips as I wrapped myself in my arm. "Oh, thank you, Officer. I thought you were going to reject my invitation."

"No. I love cookies, and I'm sure your homemade cookies are just as nice as you, Captain. See you tomorrow!"

I made a fanart for this situation. Lmao.

#resident evil #resident evil wesker #wesker #albert wesker #wesker x reader #wesker x you #albert wesker x you #albert wesker x reader #resident evil fluff #fluff x reader #wesker x reader fluff #wesker x you fluff #albert wesker fluff #wesker fluff #albert wesker fanart #wesker fanart

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cassiefromhell · 1 year ago

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Clairvoyant: Visions (pt. 2)

Nanami Kento x International Sorcerer!Clairvoyant!Reader

Prologue (heavily encouraged to read this first.)

wc: 2.3k

warnings: mention of blood/gore (brief descriptions), very short sexual cues, SPOILERS SPOILERS SPOILERS you MUST be finished with season 2 please & ty

a/n: requests are always open, submit shit, im bored <3

“Nanamin,” Yuji calls, finding his teacher standing in the back of the assembly hall, his face pale. “What does this mean?”

“It means we’re getting a visitor,” Nanami frowns, hands tensed at his sides.

“Then why is everyone so worried?”

“Because,” Gojo joins in, grinning, having appeared out of nowhere. “Everyone here is a worrywart. Nothing is going to happen.”

“Did you not receive the code?” Nanami raises a brow. “The damned Reaper Repeller is coming. The kids don’t deserve to be lied to.”

“…What’s the Reaper Repeller?” Yuji tilts his head to the side. “Some weapon?”

“I met her a couple times,” Gojo’s smile widens. “She’s pretty damn cool. She’s part of the International Squad and can see the future, so when she shows up it either means that our superiors deemed that a mission needed an extra hand, or that she saw something and is coming to change what she saw. Last time, she saw that I was gonna make a building fall or something, so she gave me a certain set of rules, like what to not do. No buildings fell, so she’s pretty legit.”

“That was an 18C18 code,” Nanami grumbles. “That didn’t even require an assembly. This is an 18J18.”

“…What’s that one, again?” Gojo gives a sheepish smile.

“I’m so lost,” Yuji mumbles, looking between the two. “18?”

Megumi walks up, followed by Nobara, and joins the conversation. “This is a J?”

Nanami nods.

“How do you break down the codes?” Nobara adds.

Nanami sighs, pinching the bridge of his nose. “The eighteens are for R and R, due to her nickname. The letter in the middle represents what she saw. For example, she showed up to Canada a few months ago on a code 18A18, which meant a battle would cause some sort of dispute that would stir trouble. B means she saw a civilian or two die. C means she saw mass civilian death. And so on, until J. It’s the maximum letter.”

“And?” Nobara pushes, raising a brow.

“It means she saw something very bad, and everyone has been gathered to be told who is set to die.”

Stepping off the jet, you haul your suitcase behind you, and are immediately greeted by two men. You know them both — you studied the entire Japanese Sorcerer database on your way here.

Kiyotaka Ijichi, clad in a suit with a grimace on his face.

Masamichi Yaga, principal of Tokyo Jujutsu High and teacher to one of the students you watched die.

“We would welcome you, but we know you aren’t here with good news,” Yaga says with a sigh, straightening his uniform. “Please, follow us. Ijichi will take your bags.

The pilot of your jet is already helping Mila unload the twenty-three suitcases you brought, all full to the brim with weapons and necessary training items you handpicked to make sure you turn the gate of Shibuya.

“My associate will get them,” you gesture to Mila, who is currently hooking all of the bags onto her extra limbs, leaning back a little from the weight. You grip the handle of your singular personal suitcase.

The two men nod, not bothering to even try arguing with you. Why would they, when you’ve come with death biting your heels?

You slip sunglasses off of your forehead and over your eyes, following them as you approach three cars, sleek and black with a subtle Jujutsu symbol on the back license plate.

It’s a short car ride over, one in which you and Mila sit silently in the back of a limo, while Yaga tries to ask you questions. Nobody gets a private briefing, that’s just how you operate. You avoid all his inquiries with vague comments, crossing your legs and sipping a glass of sparkling water. International sorcerers are known for kind of being hardasses anyway, so

You pull up to the school in no time, and Yaga escorts you and Mila through the building, down hallways and around corners. Eventually, he stops outside a large set of double doors and turns to face you.

“This is the assembly hall. All of Japan’s sorcerers are gathered behind these doors,” he gestures to the entrance. “Please remember that we have children in there.”

“I know,” you whisper. “One of them dies.”

Yaga goes very still, and you walk past him, opening the doors and immediately finding yourself on a slightly elevated platform.

A massive crowd of dark blue uniforms stands before you, all falling quiet at your entry.

You step forward, approaching a podium. Mila has her spider limbs tucked away, as to not appear threatening. She hands you a stack of papers, and you gather them, placing them on the podium as you lean forward to speak onto the microphone.

“Good Evening, sorcerers. My name is (Y/n). I won’t stretch this meeting to be longer than needed. My technique is Clairvoyance, and I am here because I have seen the future of a battle here in Japan. It will take place in Shibuya, on October 31st.”

A murmur goes through the crowd, but you clear your throat to recapture their full attention.

“I do not want you to be afraid. My visions can be changed. Without me, there will be sorcerer death, irrevocable damage, and the snuffing out of thousands of lives, including civilians. But I am here to help. To do so effectively, I will call forward the names of the affected. I will save your lives. Stop you from losing limbs. Prevent disaster. Do not be afraid.”

The room goes deadly silent.

“Nanami Kento.”

And just like that, the crowd erupts once more.

A man in the back of the crowd — the blond that you saw burnt and ultimately exploded — nods to the pink-haired boy at his side and starts making his way through the crowd.

With a sharp raising of my hand, the crowd goes silent once more, as Nanami passes soldiers who give him solemn nods.

“Kugisaki Nobara.”

You continue calling names, until you have at least a dozen sorcerers in front of you. Too many are children. There are managers, too, and other people in suits.

Your eyes skim the crowd, then fall back to your paper, which has crumpled in your grip. You call the last name, knowing what reaction you’ll get.

“Gojo Satoru.”

The crowd erupts, the room filling shouts and surprised cries and confused discussion.

The Untouchable.

You take a steadying breath at the rowdiness and gesture towards a private briefing room to your left, raising your voice to a shout.

“I will now ask for those who have been called to follow my associate here into a separate room. You all will be privately briefed. The rest of you… you will get the minimum details from your superiors.”

With that, you step back from the podium, and even more of the gathered sorcerers start shouting, demanding more details. You ignore them — you have to. Mila guides the called ones into a side room, just as you approach a small group of superiors and give them the very basics: there will be a city cratering, and the start of many bad, bad situations. You inform them that you will be making ideal teams for the mission, which you will release in a few days’ time.

With dragging feet, you force yourself to walk to the side room, where all of the ill-fated sorcerers are.

So far, at least.

Dealing with the future is a tricky business. Changing one thing, even so simple as this meeting, will cause different futures, which you will see and have to adapt to.

You swing open the door, and find everyone already sitting at a long, oval table.

“I’m sure you’re all not happy to be here,” you take a corner of the room to stand in, crossing your arms and attempting to look as non threatening as possible. “Unfortunately, this meeting is necessary. I’ll call you each one by one into a private space, to be told what will happen without intervention. From there, we’ll talk about options—”

“(Y/n),” Gojo interrupts, leaning back in his chair like this is all just a game. “You know me. I don’t really need to be here, do I?”

“You do.”

“What’s gonna happen, I get a scratch? Lose a limb? Shoko will fix all of that,” he drawls, putting his hands behind his head.

“Gojo, you’re going to be sealed in a box, and then a shit ton of people are going to die or be injured trying to save your ass,” you reply, narrowing your eyes. “You need to be here.”

No more arguments come.

You step forward, softening your expression, and your eyes land on the blond man, sans goggles — Nanami Kento. He’s handsome, even if in the back of your mind you still see that burned half of him. You decide he’ll be the first.

“Kento, right?” You drop the formalities — which you’re happy to do anyway, since you usually struggle with those when you’re in Japan. “Please, come with me.”

His jaw tenses as his eyes flick over you, and then he stands. You escort him into a small private room, closing the door behind you. There’s three comfortable chairs and a little coffee table, which has tissues and a pitcher of water with glasses on it. Comfort items, because people often cry.

Kento sits in one chair, and you take the one across from him. He’s exactly as you imagined in your vision. Tall, muscular, with a sharp jaw to match. He smells like vanilla and cedar. Except this time, the putrid scent of burning flesh is left out. He’s so… lovely.

“Lay it on me,” he clasps his hands together in his lap, after pulling his goggles off.

You chew your bottom lip. You usually don’t have issues with this part of the process; the bluntness is part of your job. But something about this man is putting you off, making your mind stagger behind your duty. Typically, there’s a sniffling/worried/sobbing/angry person in front of you. But Kento? He’s so… ready for this. Not upset at all.

“You would die a hero,” you whisper.

Then you blink, realizing what you said. There’s no need for comfort here. Excessive sweetening of the truth is just counterproductive. And yet, something in you is screaming at you not to stop.

“In your current fate, a curse burns half of your body. And yet, you still fight. On death’s door, you would be noble. A good mentor for your students. One they would miss dearly,” a tear pricks at the edge of your eye. “The curse by the name of Mahito is the one to finish you off. But we will stop that path. You will live, that I can be sure of. I’m sure your future has already changed, just because this conversation is setting the base for the weeks of prevention training to come.”

If anything is going through his head, he doesn’t show it. “Does your technique show you when the future changes?”

You scratch the back of your neck. “In a way. My technique has a mind of it’s own. I can typically foresee imminent death a few moments before it happens, but I can also get mass visions like I got of Shibuya. If I need something more specific, like to see if your future changes, I would have to touch you, and then see what my technique gives… me…”

You trail off as he holds out his hand, eyes focused with intent.

“Please,” he murmurs.

You nod, slowly sliding your hand against his—

“Oh my gods, that’s a lot of roses,” your jaw drops, eyes widening at the sight before you.

Your bed is littered with roses. The floor is covered in its petals. It’s beautiful, and the scent fills your nose with a loveliness like no other.

“You deserve every last one,” Kento grins, coming up behind you and kissing the nape of your neck. His arms slide around your waist. “For honoring me in being my wife.”

“Wife,” you giggle, tossing your head back to gaze up at him. “I’m never gonna get used to that. Mrs. Nanami,” your tone becomes sing-songy as you admire your engagement ring.

“Always and forever, my love,” he leans down, claiming your mouth with his. His thumbs rub against your hips, then move inwards, moving up and down the seam of your jeans crotch, as you feel him against your ass—

You pull your hand away quickly, blinking as you snap back to reality. You look to his hand, then to his face, but all you can see are his lips, those lips that kisses you better than you’ve ever been kissed in that vision—

“What did you see?” He asks, leaning forward. “What did you see?”

You open and close your mouth. Once. Twice. Thrice.

“Well…” you start, chewing your lip. “…You live past Shibuya, that I’m certain of.”

Relief crosses his face, and he relaxes, all as your heart pounds harder.

You glance down at your left hand, the hand that now feels too light without a diamond on it. Then you glance back up to him, and even though his expression gives nothing away, you know from that vision that something else is brewing in that beautiful, beautiful head of his.

Because this man? Nanami Kento?

He’ll be your husband.

taggies: @vxmethyst @techs-ass @gasp-a-homo @doubtsanduncertainties (me when tumblr isn't showing you as a user when tagging: ) @vee-ai

want to be tagged on the next part? comment and ask!

#jujutsu nanami #nanami drabbles #nanami kento #jjk nanami #nanami x reader #kento nanami #jujutsu kaisen #jjk fanfic #jjk x reader #clairvoyant #cassiefromhell #writing #fanfiction #fanfic

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wharfspider · 10 months ago

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after watching all of msm 2017, my official hot take is that it’s really funny (and more than a little disappointing) that they did something fun and original by making their Doc Ock Peter’s Guy in the Chair after the Superior Spider-Man arc, only to kill him off almost immediately and struggle to fill his role for all of season three until the show’s potentially covid-induced death. Seriously, the number of times a scene with Max Modell or Grady (ESPECIALLY GRADY LATER ON) would pop up and I’d be like “oh, this is what they’d be doing with Otto if he were still alive” is ridiculous. I don’t wanna complain just because I like Otto and he died, but if you still have things for his type of character to do, and the audience is already attached to him…why not just keep him around to do those things???? (Esp bc imho he had way better chemistry with Peter and the rest of the cast and was just generally a more fun character to see overall. Also I don’t like how Anna Maria got completely written out of the show once he was gone ☹️)

#msm 2017 #spider-man #otto octavius #doctor octopus #msm doc ock #wharf.txt

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thesorcerersapprenticeu · 1 month ago

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Chapter 14: Reunion And Understanding

The story continues: after a devastating loss, you and Jinx must somehow move on. What was just okay is now turned upside down, and the two of you are alone again, without Vi or Caitlyn to provide a bit of normalcy.

But in the midst of the confusion, you and Jinx finally get closer. As adults, you realize how much you actually missed each other. This realization leads not only to a kiss, but also to several emotional breakdowns and tears.

But the path leads you further - to the bridge, where you try to retrieve the Hex Crystal. It goes without saying that there will be a fight along the way.

It also gives you a little insight into your past.

---

Enjoy reading this chapter! I've really put in a lot of work to slowly bring us closer to the end of the first season. It's been emotional and intense, but we're getting closer and closer to the big confrontation!

---

In a battle between magicians, it is not the strongest who wins.

That was the one truth that ran through all your years of traveling. An unshakeable foundation in your thinking.

No matter where you were - it proved true again and again. You had won battles, mastered conversations and survived dangers, not through brute strength, but through intellect.

"Survival of the fittest", they say, and for you that meant: the smartest.

You have a woman to thank for this way of thinking.

A teacher whose lessons have shaped you like nothing else. You met her in a raging snowstorm, near the border of Noxus. Or rather, she found you.

You remember her cold, penetrating gaze, how it almost froze you before the snow could. She thought you were an intruder, someone she could have killed without hesitation.

You used everything you had - your spells, your mind, your aura - against her. But it was an unequal fight. She was superior to you.

But at that moment, in this life-threatening confrontation, you understood something.

"Risking your life and throwing it away may seem alike, but they are two totally different things. "

Her words were like a cut through your mind. Basically, you already knew, but you had never really thought about it.

It was the trauma from back then.

The consequences of what happened on the bridge and the Cannery, and the years that followed. You couldn't bear them, so you stayed away from it all. You avoided confrontation whenever possible.

But not every confrontation could be avoided. The ones that were unavoidable shaped you.

These encounters drove your development forward.

Your intellect was sharpened, your understanding of magic deepened, your aura became stronger. You learned not only to survive, but also to dominate, through planning and calculation.

Your tactical thinking, your precise use of magic - everything skyrocketed.

And now?

In that moment, in the darkness with Jinx, Vi and Caitlyn gone, and the world against you, all those lessons, all those experiences - they're all you have.

"Then I guess we finally have some time to ourselves."

Her words penetrate the darkness, accompanied by a grinning face that beams at you - honest and yet tinged with something dark.

Your mind remains blurred.

Hazy.

You stand there, unable to form a clear thought, while everything that has just happened washes over you like a wave that threatens to drown you.

Three things you can't understand.

The first:

You met Powder again.

No, not Powder. Jinx.

The little sister you've longed for all these years. The one whose face you saw in your dreams, whose laughter never left you. Now she stands before you, changed - scarred by this cruel world.

And you yourself?

Aren't you also drawn?

The second:

The Firelights.

You have the Hex Crystal, an object charged with magic. You felt it immediately - the signature was unmistakable.

What do they want with it?

The question remains unanswered, but it drills itself into your head.

The third:

Vi and Caitlyn.

They were kidnapped by the Firelights while you just stood there. Your mind was not ready.

All the memories, the images from back then, the guilt - it had overwhelmed you.

You didn't react, you didn't help. And now they're gone.

The old days...

They are over. They have left nothing but scars - on you, on Jinx, on everything you once were.

You look at Jinx.

She's still grinning, but you can see it in her eyes - the emptiness that lurks there.

"Powder..." Your voice breaks before you can continue.

She raises an eyebrow, tilts her head and takes a step closer. "What's wrong, don't you want to be alone with me?"

Her words are playful, but the undertone stings. A reproach hidden in sweetness.

You don't talk.

For seconds, you just stare at each other. The silence is oppressive, broken only by your frantic breathing and the slight crackling of the remaining smoke.

Your mind fills with memories.

Images from your shared past flash before your inner eye. You try to push them away, to concentrate, to remain rational - as you always do.

But this time... it doesn't work.

You're usually quick to accept things and move on. That has always been your greatest strength. Your ability to adapt has taken you further than any brute force or pure magic.

But now, with Powder - no, Jinx - in front of you, this strength collapses in a single moment.

"It..."

You try to speak, but your voice breaks. The lump in your throat gets bigger, your throat is so dry that it hurts.

Your eyes are burning. Tears threaten to burst out while your heart beats so fast you think it might jump out of your chest.

Your legs are shaking, your whole body is trembling.

"It..."

You try again, but you fall silent once more. You are only one step away from each other.

You feel how everything that has held you together so far is breaking away. The weakness from back then, the weakness that led you to this moment, lies open before you.

The weakness that thought it could help - and ruined everything in the process.

Then you collapse.

Your knees give way, your façade shatters. You cling to Jinx, your arms tight around her as the tears flow freely. You can't hold them back any longer.

"I'm... I'm so sorry!"

The words come like a cry, like an outcry from your soul. All the guilt, all the remorse, all the burden you have carried all these years - they burst out of you.

Jinx says nothing.

She stands there, surprised perhaps, or simply still, while you cling to her. Maybe she is crying. Maybe she looks puzzled. Maybe she has a pitying look on her face.

But you can feel that she is not pushing you away.

"Hey... It's okay."

Her voice is quiet, almost soothing. She tries to comfort you, but you don't respond.

You both sink to the floor.

Jinx crouches down slightly, and you follow her, your hands still clutched tightly to her. You almost sit in the rubble and dust, her minigun lying next to you as you continue to let your tears run free.

The world around you fades away.

It's just the two of you, two lost souls who have finally found each other again.

For this moment, you are not Jinx and The Sorcerer's Apprentice.

You are simply Powder and...Y/N.

And you hold on to each other as if you could save each other from the darkness.

Jinx slowly wraps her arms around you.

She hesitates for a moment, but then she pulls you closer to her. Her grip is firm, almost desperate, as if she never wants to let you go again.

"I'm sorry too..." she finally whispers, her voice barely audible, full of fractures and pain.

Your tears mingle with hers.

You just sit there, side by side, surrounded by the ruins of your past and the darkness of your present. But in this moment, you are both just two souls sharing the pain that the world has inflicted on you.

The world seems to stand still.

And for the first time in years, you no longer feel alone.

Her warmth, her understanding, her presence - it's just like back then.

Even though the world has changed you, even though you had heard so much about her - from Caitlyn, from the posters that portrayed her as a monster - you can see it.

She is still powder.

Her face is so close to you that you can feel the sweet taste of her presence, the tang of salt, the sweat of battle and the tiny trace of metal, perhaps from her lipstick or the air from Zaun.

Your eyes are firmly locked together, and in that moment everything melts.

The world, the ruins around you, the smoke, the losses - everything fades.

She leans forward and your heart beats at a rhythm you can't control.

Then it happens.

Her lips meet yours.

The first contact is light, almost cautious. But it only takes a second for the reticence to disappear.

Her lips are soft, supple, with a sweet, almost intoxicating taste that captures you instantly. It's like honey and fire at the same time - sweet and burning, tender yet intense. It is dangerous, addictive.

Her breath mixes with yours.

You feel the light warmth of her body radiating from the closeness. Her hands reach for your face, gentle but firm, her fingers tender but firm. She holds you as if she's afraid you might disappear.

Your hands find themselves at her waist, trembling slightly as you hold her carefully. Her skin is warm through the thin material of her clothes, a feeling that burns straight into your core.

The kiss deepens.

It's no longer just a simple contact, it's a dance, an exchange.

Her lips move in sync with yours, a hint of moisture enhancing the sensuality of the moment. You taste her - the salty aftertaste of tears, the bitter tang of gunpowder and yet that inexpressibly sweet undertone that is uniquely hers.

Her tongue lightly touches your lips, as if she wants to make sure you're really there. A tickle, a moment that overrides everything else.

You let yourself go, surrender to the moment while your senses are flooded. Every breath she takes becomes your own, every touch a spark that flows through you.

When the kiss ends, she slowly pulls away.

Her lips are slightly red, a hint of gloss lingers on yours. Her breathing is heavy, she gasps slightly, and you can feel your own breathing becoming irregular.

She wipes her mouth, a slightly mischievous smile on her lips as she looks at you - her eyes sparkling, still silvery blue, but now with a hint of warmth that you've missed for so long.

"I missed you too..." she finally says, her voice soft but full of emotion.

"And it's not fair that only you apologize for... back then."

You are too speechless to answer. The words echo in your head, but you are unable to say anything.

Instead, you carefully pull her closer again, and this time you kiss her.

The second kiss is calmer, gentler.

It's not a storm of emotions like before, but a moment of peace. Your hands remain at her waist while hers rest gently on your collar.

You move slowly, tenderly, almost as if you want to hold this moment forever. And in this moment, it feels like it's just the two of you.

When you separate from each other, you are both red in the face.

She smiles, gently, almost uncertainly, as she pulls at the collar of your coat.

"You'll never leave me though, right?"

Her voice is soft, almost pleading, but with a hint of playful seriousness.

"Never," you answer without hesitation.

Your voice is firm, full of conviction, and you are sure that no one would dare to duplicate it.

Jinx's hideout is impressive - and somehow oppressive. A huge room at the bottom of the rift, hidden beneath the depths of fencing. The air is stale, and a huge, disused fan towers above you, like a relic of an experiment that never worked.

The hiding place is chaotic, full of colors, drawings and improvised constructions, but it bears Jinx's unmistakable signature.

She throws her gun onto the table with a dull thud.

"Make yourself comfortable..." she says in a seemingly relaxed voice, but you can tell by her posture, by her aura - she is anything but calm.

You let your gaze wander around the room, but stop. Nothing here seems inviting. The chairs are askew, the floor crunches under your boots and everything seems to be infused with a gloomy energy.

As you look at her, you warm up again.

Her silvery blue eyes, the slightly tousled blue hair with the long braids hanging from her ankles - the whole sight of her casts a spell over you.

But there's something else: the thought of the kiss. The moment that feels like a dream, one that you have imagined countless times.

And now it is a reality.

"So you already know the Firelights?" you ask, your voice calm, but with a slight tension that you can't quite hide.

She turns to you, her eyes narrowing slightly. "They've really been getting on my nerves lately."

Her voice sounds annoyed, almost bored, but you can feel the sharpness behind it. It's not just anger at Vi and Caitlyn. There's more to it than that.

"They kidnapped Vi and Caitlyn," you say, your expression serious. "That's no accident. They wanted to break up the crystal and us. At least one of them knows you, or Caitlyn for sure. Otherwise they wouldn't have struck at the perfect moment."

"Why do you think?" you continue to ask, your words calm, but you watch her closely.

She looks at you, her eyes flash.

"Because they think they can stop me." Her voice is sharp, almost defiant. But you notice that her aura is still wavering, restless.

"It's about more than just you," you say. "The crystal... What was that?"

She avoids your gaze for a moment. "Hextech," she finally mumbles. "But you know that, don't you? You sensed it."

You nod. "I did feel it. It was infused with magic, Jinx. More than Hextech usually is. Why was that?"

Her hands clench into fists and she stands up abruptly.

"Don't ask me what I don't know!" she shouts, her voice echoing through the room. "I've had enough of people who want to know everything about me!"

Strong signs of schizophrenia. She also seems to get angry easily, especially when it comes to such topics.

You remain calm, watching as she pushes herself off the table and begins to walk across the room.

"You're angry," you say, your voice quiet but clear. "Not just at them. Not just at the Firelights. At yourself, aren't you?"

She stops, turns to you, her eyes blazing with emotion.

"And if it is?" She bites her lip, her voice trembling slightly. "Then what are you going to do, huh? Save me? Cure me? You know how it used to be, don't you?"

You walk slowly towards them.

"No," you say quietly. "I just want to be with you."

Your attitude is changing.

The tension surrounding her does not completely dissipate, but for a moment she seems to relax. Her hands, which had just clenched into fists, slowly slide down.

"So they got Caitlyn and Vi... that crystal too..." you mumble, more to yourself than to her as you try to sort out the situation. "But what exactly are they going to do with it? They could use the energy from it, but how exactly?"

Jinx stares at you, her eyes full of unspoken thoughts.

"What do I know?" She shrugs, but her voice is less pointed. "The Firelights show up, make a mess and disappear again. Maybe they have a plan, maybe they don't."

You walk slowly to the table where her minigun is lying.

"It's about more than chaos," you say thoughtfully as your gaze wanders over the messy plans and scribbles on the table. "That crystal - it was different. I felt it, Jinx. It wasn't ordinary hextech energy."

She steps closer, her arms crossed in front of her chest, and leans slightly against the table.

"You sound like all those smart alecks from Piltover," she says with a wry grin, but it lacks the sharpness from earlier. "Always thinking they know everything better. You haven't turned into one of them, have you?"

You ignore the comment and look her straight in the eye.

"Jinx, listen to me. They wanted that crystal - and they wanted to break us up. That was no accident."

She returns your gaze, but you can see how she is inwardly reluctant to open up.

"And what do you want to do now?" she finally asks, her voice soft, almost mocking. "Fix everything? Save the world? Vi was only here to get the crystal, she didn't even want to see me again. And this Enforcer is only coming along to put us in jail at the end."

You shake your head slowly.

"No," you say, "but I'm going to get Vi and Caitlyn back. And I'm going to find out what this crystal is all about."

"Why?" she asks, her voice a little louder, a little sharper. "Why are you doing all this? After everything that's happened? After what we both did before."

Your answer comes without hesitation:

"Because I can't lose you again."

She says nothing for a moment.

She turns away, picks up a tool lying on the table and plays with it nervously. "Family," she finally mumbles. "You're still talking about it like it means something."

"It does for me," you say calmly as you walk towards her.

"And you're one of them, Jinx. No matter what was. No matter what comes next."

She pauses.

"You really are an idiot," she says, but the tremor in her voice betrays that she's trying to hide her emotions. As she turns around, you notice the moisture in her eyes - a spark of the old Powder you once knew.

"Yeah..." you say with a slight smile, trying to break the heaviness of the situation. "We both are."

"But you..." She squints her eyes and looks at you like a child trying to solve a riddle. "Something's different now. Something about you... What is it exactly?"

She raises a hand as if to stop you.

"Wait! Don't tell me! I want to guess!"

She turns around in her chair, giggles slightly and sticks a finger in the air.

"Okay! First guess: you've become a psychic!"

"No," you say calmly, your smile widening.

"Mhm..." She continues to spin as if organizing her thoughts. "Oh, I've got it, you've become a secret fighter in the ruins and you've got a killer six-pack! Let me see!"

"Neither, no," you reply dryly as your eyebrow rises slightly.

"Hmmm..." She leans back, taps her lips with one finger and a mischievous grin spreads across her face. "So maybe you've become... a totally famous magician and are now enchanting girls all over the world?"

"Definitely not," you say with a feigned sigh.

"Or wait!" Her grin widens and her voice takes on a cheekier tone. "You must have gotten married along the way, and your wife let you go off alone because of your noble mission. How noble, how tragic!"

"Wrong," you say and cross your arms, trying to hide your amusement.

"All right..." She leans forward, her voice softer, more conspiratorial, and her eyes sparkle mischievously. "Then tell me: did you secretly learn stripper tricks somewhere to finance your magic? I mean, if you did, you should just tell me. That would explain so much."

"No!" you say quickly, feeling the heat rising in your face.

Jinx bursts out laughing, throws her head back and pats her thighs.

"Oh man, your face! You look like I've just caught you in the act!"

"You're impossible," you mutter, but a small smile remains on your face as you watch her.

"Okay, okay, last try!" She leans forward, her hands on the arms of her chair. "You're secretly a prince from Piltover, and all this is just your mission to win back your throne!"

"Also wrong," you say dryly, shaking your head slightly as you try not to laugh out loud.

She leans back, her arms crossed over her chest, and snorts playfully.

"All right, then tell me, Mr. Mysterious! What is it?"

You look at her, your smile softening. "It's quite simple," you say. "I'm only here because I promised you back then that I would never leave you."

Her eyes widen and the mischief disappears from her face for a moment.

"You really are an idiot," she murmurs softly, a blush rising in her cheeks. But this time her voice is soft, almost vulnerable.

"And a magician," you add, with a wry smile that you can't suppress.

Her eyes widen and she looks at you as if she has just seen you for the first time.

"What?!" She blinks, as if to make sure she's heard you correctly.

"Yes, really," you say calmly, and your tone is almost casual, as if it were the most normal thing in the world.

"No shit?" she asks, her voice now louder and full of curiosity.

"No shit," you reply dryly.

"And where's your wand?" she asks with a wry grin as her eyes scrutinize you as if she's trying to discover a secret detail about you.

"Do I have to answer that?" you ask back, the heat rising in your face and you can feel her mischievous energy spreading.

"If you don't want to..." She raises her shoulders, her tone innocent, but her grin betrays her true intentions. "Then why don't you show me a spell?"

"Do I have to?" you ask, although you already suspect that she won't give in.

"Oh come on!" she says, her voice laced with feigned whining. "I'm so terribly sad." She puts on an exaggerated pout, and you can't help but smile.

"Something to cheer me up."

"Shouldn't we worry about Vi and Caitlyn instead?" you try to change the subject, even though you know it's pointless.

"No, we're coming forward now, aren't we?" She slowly steps closer, her grin widens and her steps are deliberately exaggeratedly slow. "After all, we're in a relationship now!"

Her words hit you like a blow.

It was what you had always wanted. Back then, when you were still children, you never really understood the feelings, but now you realize it.

You like her - more than you would ever admit.

"What's the matter? Are you being shy?" She tilts her head slightly to the side, and her voice has a playful undertone, but her eyes rest intently on you.

"No," you say quietly, but your voice betrays you.

"Oh, really?" She's very close now, her face just a few centimetres from yours. "Then show me what you've got, mister magician."

You take a deep breath.

"All right," you finally mumble, and you feel the magic tingling in your fingertips.

You stretch out your hand and small points of light begin to form from your aura - slowly at first, then faster and faster until they dance around you like tiny stars. With a gentle movement of your hand, a shower of sparks shoots into the air, exploding in bright colors and shapes.

Jinx's eyes widen.

"Holy shit!" she exclaims, her voice a mixture of amazement and excitement. She whirls around, following the glowing arcs of light with her silvery-blue eyes. "This... This is incredible!"

A broad grin spreads across her face.

"It looks like you stole it straight out of a storybook!" She claps her hands, her enthusiasm is infectious. "How do you do that? How?"

You smile faintly, feeling the magic slowly fade and the colors in the air fade.

"It's... just something I've learned," you say calmly, your voice trembling slightly.

But when Jinx turns to you and looks directly at you, something changes.

"How?" she asks, seriously this time. Her voice is softer, but with a hint of curiosity. "How did you learn magic?"

Her eyes meet yours and suddenly everything inside you starts to spin.

Your breath catches. The world around you becomes blurred and instead the memories come crashing down on you like a tidal wave.

Memories that overwhelm you.

The first pictures that come are of your "family".

You are a child, sitting at a table full of scientists, all concentrating on their work. Your parents - scientists, rationalists, unshakeable in their belief in logic and evidence.

"Magic is nonsense, Y/N," says your father. His voice is cool, almost dismissive. "You'll stop believing in those fairy tales eventually."

But you never stopped.

Then come the other memories: Mylo.

"What kind of nonsense are you reading again?" he sneers as he knocks a book out of your hand. "You're just a useless dreamer. No wonder no one takes you seriously."

His words cut deep. Every time you open a book, you hear his voice.

The apartment of Jayce Talis.

The moment you felt the crystal slam into the ground. You could feel the magic - a raw, uncontrolled energy that hit you like a blow.

The Cannery.

You see the explosion again. Your throw with the enforcer gadget at the monkey bomb. The shock, the chaos, the smoke. Vander, Claggor, Mylo... everything shatters before your eyes.

You lie under the rubble. The hours you spend buried under it, screaming, crying, praying that someone will save you. But no one came.

And then...

The arm.

The moment you saw it - the remains of the Corpse digging into your body, into your arm. The magical symbols that appeared on your skin, Latin letters you couldn't understand.

Singed.

His laboratories. His experiments.

"Your Talent is Magnificent" he had said. "Don't Waste it, you're special. "

But then...Vander. The moment you found out - he had Vander. Alive, for his plan to pass him on to Silco.

"He could be saved," Singed had said. But you couldn't. There was nothing you could do.

Your travels.

The countries, the teachers, the fights. Every step is an attempt to repair the shards of your past.

Everything hits you at the same time.

Your breath quickens, your heart races. Your chest feels like it's being crushed.

"Y/N?" you hear Jinx's voice, but it sounds so far away. "Hey, are you okay?"

You can't answer. You are trapped in the images, in the panic.

Her hands reach for you.

"Y/N!" Her voice becomes sharper, more urgent. She shakes you slightly, and finally the fog breaks.

"I..." You take a deep breath, your hands shake.

"I'm sorry," you whisper, your eyes still fixed on the floor.

"Sorry? For what?" she asks, her tone now softer, almost gentle.

You finally look at her, tears in your eyes.

"For everything," you whisper, your voice breaking, and you feel the tears running unstoppably down your face.

Jinx just looks at you for a moment, her eyes glistening wetly, and then she pulls you back into her arms.

"I know," she murmurs, her voice low and full of emotion. "I know, Y/N... and it's okay."

You both cry, together, your bodies nestled close to each other, as if you could save each other from being crushed by the weight of the past.

After a while, as the tears lessen, she leans back slightly, her hands still resting on your shoulders. "You're still a crybaby, you know that?" she says with a faint smile that you immediately recognize - that's Powder, somewhere deep inside her.

"And you're still cheeky," you reply, and despite the heat in your face, you manage to smile back.

Then it happens again.

Her eyes meet yours and the closeness between you suddenly becomes electrifying. Your faces are only centimeters apart and you can feel her breath on your skin.

Slowly, almost hesitantly, she leans forward, and this time you are the one who bridges the distance. Your lips meet and everything else disappears.

The kiss is gentle, but full of longing, as if you both want to turn back time - to the moment before everything fell apart. You taste the sweetness of her lips, feel the warmth she radiates, and it's as if the world stops spinning for a moment.

Her hands slide to the back of your neck and you pull her closer, almost panicked, as if you might lose her if you let go.

When you finally break away from each other, you're both out of breath. "You're still so damn dramatic," she murmurs, leaning her forehead against yours.

"And you're still so..." You search for the right words, but all you can come up with is: "perfect."

"Idiot," she says, but her smile shows she's enjoying every word of it.

You sit down next to each other and slowly you start to talk - about everything that has happened.

She tells you about Silco, about her time alone in Zaun, about her struggles, her fear, her anger.

And you open up, tell her about your travels, your lessons, your fights, Singed and magic.

Because it just feels right with her.

You are standing in the middle of the bridge, your arms crossed loosely, your gaze fixed ahead, while the night casts its cold veil over the city. The memories are like a ghost that haunts you - incessantly, relentlessly.

The wind, cool and biting, carries the sound of distant conversations, the rhythm of the city, but you block it all out. Here, in Piltover, it feels like the past is lurking around every corner.

Caitlyn. Vi.

Thoughts of them burn into your consciousness, and you can't help but think of the chaos their decisions have caused. Vander's sacrifice. Vi's arrest.

"If it hadn't been for the Enforcers back then..." you murmur, your voice little more than a whisper carried on the wind.

The anger rises. It's not quick anger, but a quiet, smouldering fire that burns deep inside you. You can feel your magic reacting to it, stirring under your skin, a steady flicker at your fingertips.

But you hesitate.

You know that this path is dangerous. The dark magic fueled by anger is seductive, stronger than anything you could ever control. One part of you wants it, but the other... The other remembers what this darkness can do.

Your aura, normally calm and controlled, flows slightly outwards, forming a warm shield against the cold. You breathe in deeply, your senses wide open. The nearby auras - faint, flickering - are just reminders that Piltover is not what it used to be.

Nostalgia.

That's what's really bothering you. This place - the bridge - is more than just a part of the city. It is the place where you have lost yourself.

You close your eyes and feel the past playing out in front of you, like a living movie.

A younger you, full of dreams.

You remember how you stood here, the spell book firmly in your hands, your face full of hope. The red smoke back then. The screams. The chaos.

And the revolution that destroyed everything.

You shake your head as if you want to banish the images, but they remain. You know they will stay.

"I shouldn't be here," you mumble, and yet you don't move.

It's not just the nostalgia that binds you to this place. It is also the realization that no matter where you travel, you will always return here - to the place where it all began.

You wait for Jinx, and the night drags on, but your heart remains restless.

You feel them first. Three auras, each unique in its own way. One is fierce and determined - undoubtedly Vi. Another is calmer, strategic, but no less vigilant - Caitlyn. The third, however, gives you pause. She is strangely familiar, but alien at the same time. A mixture of self-confidence and power, like a storm that could break out at any time.

Without a moment's hesitation, you let your magic flow into your legs and arms. A warm, familiar tingling sensation spreads as the aura passes through your body. Without a sound, you take a step back, then another, until you reach the railing of the bridge. With a powerful leap, supported by your magic, you pull yourself up onto a ledge.

The platform you climb onto is above a bridge pillar. It is narrow and offers hardly any support, but it is enough for you. Up here you are out of sight, hidden by the darkness and the heavy steel structures that support the bridge.

You breathe quietly, concentrated, as you sit down, legs bent, ready to react immediately. From up here, you have a perfect view of the group below you. Vi, Caitlyn and the man.

Who is he?

Your gaze lingers on him. He is tall, slim and muscular, with dark brown skin that shimmers in the dim light of the streetlamps. His hair is white, bundled into thick curls reminiscent of a storm. You recognize a hoverboard on his back, and his posture radiates a strange mixture of tension and self-assurance.

You continue to analyze him. His movements are smooth, almost silent, like those of a hunter. But there is also something wounded, something he is trying to hide. His gaze wanders over the surroundings, and he speaks softly to Vi and Caitlyn. You can't hear the words, but you recognize the dynamic.

Vi seems focused, perhaps angry, but also unsure. She keeps glancing in your direction, as if she suspects you might be hiding nearby. Caitlyn, on the other hand, is calm but tense. Her fingers clutch her gun, ready to use it at a moment's notice.

Then the man. The name suddenly pops into your head like a flash of lightning that illuminates the darkness.

Ekko.

Of course it's Ekko. The boy you used to know, who was always full of dreams and ideas. But the Ekko standing here is no longer the same. He has changed, just like you. He has become a man, a leader. But which side is he on now?

You press your lips together and feel your heartbeat accelerate. The situation is dicey. Ekko is carrying a container, and even without looking closely, you can feel the magical energy emanating from it. The Hextech crystal.

Your thoughts are racing.

Why does he have it? What does he intend to do with it?

And above all: how will I get him back without a confrontation that we will all regret?

As you watch from your hiding place, you feel your grip on the steel ball in your hand tighten. No matter what happens - you're ready.

So he had them kidnapped, he is the leader of the Firelights.

You even sense a presence climbing up the small platform next to you. You look to your right and see her in the dark: Jinx.

"Oh, you here too?" She says, playfully.

Jinx leans closer to you, her eyes fixed on the scene below you. "Do you hear that?" she asks quietly, her fingers drumming nervously on the platform.

You nod barely noticeably, your eyes still fixed on the group. "Yes, they're planning something. Maybe an escape or a deal."

Jinx snorts softly. "Vi always thinks she can handle everything by just walking right through the wall." Her voice carries a mixture of mockery and affection, a reflection of her inner conflicts.

Your aura, which is focused around your ears, makes the quiet voices clearer. Ekko speaks calmly but firmly. His words are heavy, as if he carries a responsibility that weighs him down with every sentence. Caitlyn sounds doubtful but determined, while Vi, typically for her, sounds driven by emotion.

"Why are you just sneaking around?" asks Jinx, nudging you with her elbow. "In the past, you would have jumped down long ago and done something stupid."

You can feel the memory hitting you, but you don't let it show. "Maybe I've learned to stop acting mindlessly," you reply coolly.

"Boring," she mumbles, although her eyes are studying you intently. "But you know, that down there... it's all for show, isn't it? You're not going to make it."

"Why?" you ask without looking away.

"Because they have no idea how Piltover works," she replies, almost casually. "You don't survive here by playing fair."

You give no answer. Your mind works, analyzing the auras of the three of you. Ekko seems focused, Caitlyn tense, and Vi - wavering between determination and what looks like a spark of hope.

"If you don't do anything, I will," Jinx finally says, her voice challenging.

"Not yet," you reply, and she falls silent for a moment. But you can feel her energy rising, her impatience growing.

The crystal at Ekko's side pulsates slightly, a faint but clearly perceptible glow. You can feel the magical resonance and it evokes a memory in you - one that you would rather have suppressed.

You watch the scene in silence while Jinx mutters quietly to herself. Her voice carries that typical tone, half sarcastic, half painfully honest. You sense the heaviness in her words, even if she tries to cover it up.

Vi and Caitlyn slowly back away from each other, their movements hesitant, as if they don't really want to part. The auras around them are soft and full of warmth - a stark contrast to Jinx's tense, pulsing energy that you can feel next to you.

"Looks like they're getting on well," you say quietly, almost to yourself.

Jinx reacts immediately, her eyes narrowing. "Pfft, sure. Big sister's found a new lover now, hasn't she?" She laughs softly, but her hands are gripping the platform you're on so tightly that her knuckles turn white.

You give her a quick sideways glance, but say nothing. There's nothing you could say at this moment that would reassure her. Instead, you look down again.

The scene continues to play out in front of you. Ekko now steps forward, his stance confident, almost leader-like. His aura pulsates calmly, a manifestation of his confidence. You can feel the small, subtle vibrations of magic in his hoverboard and the crystal at his side.

Jinx notices it too. "Look at him," she mutters, "acting like he's got everything under control."

"Maybe he did," you answer cautiously.

Her laugh is short and sharp. "No one is in control of anything. Even you should realize that."

You leave the words uncommented, your eyes fixed on the crystal. Its resonance is strong, almost demanding. It feels as if it is calling you - or warning you. You're not sure which of the two it is.

Jinx moves restlessly next to you, her impatience almost palpable. "Shouldn't we just go down and get the crap?"

"Not yet," you say, your voice calm but determined. "I need to know what they're up to."

From your hiding place, you watch as the group splits up. Vi walks in one direction, with a firm, purposeful stride, while Ekko and Caitlyn move in the opposite direction. It's almost too quiet until a bright light suddenly shines on Ekko and Caitlyn.

"Stop!" A sharp, authoritative voice echoes through the night and breaks the silence. Your focus immediately sharpens and your observation reaches new heights.

"What are the cops doing here?" Jinx's voice is strained, her eyes sparkling in the darkness. "Don't tell me..."

"But..." You reply, your eyes fixed on the scene as the pieces of the puzzle fall into place. "They want the crystal too."

Before you can form the next words, the situation changes in a flash. Marcus, an enforcer, raises his weapon and fires. The shot doesn't hit Ekko directly, but it's enough to force him to the ground. Caitlyn easily takes cover, her eyes desperately searching for a way to save the situation.

Vi, who was already a few meters away, returns abruptly, running at full speed, her eyes fixed on Ekko and Caitlyn.

"Liar..." whispers Jinx next to you, her voice low but full of venom. Your eyes move to her, and at that moment you see her holding a small remote control in her hand. Her finger hovers over the single button on it.

"Jinx, what are you doing?" you ask, the alarm bells in your head ringing loudly. She looks at you, a strange grin on her lips that barely conceals her uncertainty.

"Just a bit of fun," she says, almost casually, and presses the button.

You look back at the bridge, and there you see them: Hundreds of tiny butterflies, glowing an ominous green, moving silently behind Vi. They dance in the air, beautiful and yet deadly, an illusion of splendor and destruction.

They are definitely explosive.

A shiver runs down your spine. You could jump up, run downstairs and warn them all. It would be the right thing to do. But a cold, bitter voice in your head asks: What difference would it make?

It's like back then. The memory grips you with all its might, forces its way into your thoughts and paralyzes you. You stood right here, on this bridge, once before, without the power to change anything - and you failed. Now everything is repeating itself, and this time you do nothing but watch as the chaos takes its course.

The Enforcers, arrogant and confident in their superior numbers, don't even realize that these shimmering creatures aren't real butterflies. You see Marcus, Caitlyn and Ekko looking around, irritated and suspicious, but not understanding what awaits them. The green creatures buzz around, sit on metal armor, helmets and weapons - and wait.

You feel Jinx move behind you. She stands up, takes a step closer and suddenly places her hands on your ears. Her touch is firm, almost reassuring, but there's a tension in her grip that you can't ignore.

"It's about to start," she whispers, her voice so quiet that you can barely hear her. It's a mixture of euphoria and madness that resonates in her tone.

You want to say something, want to stop her, but the words get stuck in your throat. What would you even say? And then she presses the button.

Boom.

The explosions don't come all at once, but in waves. First one, then two, then a dozen. The butterflies shatter in a greenish firework display, and each detonation tears apart metal, flesh and stone alike. A deafening noise fills the night, accompanied by a sharp, acrid smell of smoke and burnt material.

You feel the pressure of the explosions through the ground, see the bridge begin to shake under the force. Jinx continues to hold her hands over your ears, but the noise comes through, a dull thunder that overlays everything.

The enforcers collapse beneath you. Marcus is hit directly by a detonation, his body is thrown backwards like a doll and remains motionless. Caitlyn and Ekko try to find cover, but the butterflies are everywhere.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Jinx whispers again, her face close to yours. "Like a painting... Our little work of art."

You can't say anything. Your mind is racing, trying to find a way out of this nightmare, but you are paralyzed. You could have done something.

As the last explosion fades, the bridge lies in silence. The smoke hangs heavy in the air, green sparks flickering in the debris. You can still feel Caitlyn and Ekko - their auras are faint, but they are alive. You want to move, to do something, but your legs feel like lead.

The enforcer's spotlight flickers, a weak, unsteady light that bathes the destroyed bridge in a ghostly scenario. People are scattered everywhere - enforcers moaning in pain or lying motionless. Blood mingles with the smoking rubble, the sweet smell of burnt metal and flesh hangs heavy in the air.

And then you show up.

Your footsteps echo on the cold steel of the bridge, the soft sound like a harbinger of something inevitable. Jinx hums a melody, the same one she hummed back then. It's a song that burns in your ears, conjuring up images you'd rather forget. But now you follow her again - just like back then.

She strides forward, her silhouette dramatic in the fog, revolver held loosely in her hand. You are right behind her, your steps steady, calm, deadly. You stretch out your aura, letting it wash over the bridge like a wave, separating the living from the dead.

The result will not surprise you.

Six alive. The rest are lost. Their auras are faint, like flickering candles just waiting to be snuffed out by a breeze. There is no threat left, nothing that can really stop you or Jinx.

You wonder, in a fleeting moment of clear thinking, what has become of the Y/N you once were. The boy who found solace in the silence of books, who told stories even when no one was listening, who tried to understand the world, not destroy it.

But the answer is simple.

He died under the rubble.

Jinx raises her revolver and points it at an enforcer crawling on the ground in front of you. His movements are slow and shaky. You see it immediately - the explosion has caused internal bleeding. Even if he survives, his death will be agonizing. But you feel no pity, only a piercing cold.

Jinx turns to you, her eyes sparkling with excitement, her lips twisted into a small, ominous smile. She seeks your gaze, as if she wants your approval. And you give it to her - a single nod, barely noticeable, but enough.

Without hesitation, she pulls the trigger.

The shot echoes across the bridge, cutting through the silence like a knife. The enforcer slumps, his life ending before it really began. You see the blood pooling under his head, a small river running into the cracks of the bridge.

Jinx continues to hum her song softly as you walk along, her eyes darting over the dead and living bodies scattered across the bridge. You feel her shifting emotions like waves hitting you - anger, satisfaction, a fleeting trace of sadness.

Your mind wanders.

Dr. Blythe...

A healing spell you developed yourself to close injuries and save lives when it wasn't too late. You could still save some of these people if you tried. But instead you move on, with every step you take you move away from the possibility of doing it.

You reach your destination. Jinx stops in front of one of the bodies, her gaze fixed on the dead Firelight's belt. She bends down and reaches for the small package containing the Hex Crystal. The energy of the crystal is palpable, like a pulsing heartbeat in the air. She swings the belt around her shoulder and straightens up, a triumphant sparkle in her eyes.

But your gaze has already turned forward. And there you see them.

Vi.

She supports Caitlyn, whose movements seem sluggish and painful. Vi has Caitlyn's arm around her shoulder, supporting her as they both walk slowly in the opposite direction. It's an image that immediately shifts Jinx's mood.

Her aura changes abruptly, a storm of anger and pain. You feel her charging the air around you as she raises her minigun. You see the sparks of emotion in her eyes, the inevitable chaos that will follow.

The moment suddenly takes place in slow motion. Jinx pulls the trigger. Three shots. The bullets hit the ground in front of Vi and Caitlyn, tearing through the metal and sending sparks flying in all directions. Vi recoils, pushing Caitlyn away from her to get her out of the line of fire.

Jinx takes aim again, and your body reacts instinctively before your mind even realizes what's happening. Your fingers clutch the steel ball tightly as your aura ripples through your muscles in a single, concentrated pulse. Your movements are faster than you would have thought possible.

But then you feel it - a third living aura, calm and purposeful, but with an energy that burns with determination. It emerges directly between the two of you, where the gunfire has just stopped. It's Ekko, and he's faster than you ever expected. He stands on his hoverboard and charges straight at you.

What the...? Can he hide his presence? How could I not feel him before?

The moment is a chaos of movement and surprise. Before you or Jinx can react, he's already there. With a deft swipe, he knocks the minigun out of Jinx's hand and it skids across the bridge with a clatter. The surprise is too great to act immediately, but Ekko doesn't stop - he drifts off and aims straight for the next hit.

This time, however, you are prepared. Your mind works at lightning speed and you use the few seconds to act. With a precise movement, you snatch the hex crystal from the container on Jinx's belt and slip it into your coat pocket. Just as Ekko is about to strike again, you skillfully move into his blind spot.

You analyze his movements, his reflexes. Ekko has sharp eyes, you know that, and if he sees that Jinx is looking at you, he'll understand the attack. You have to outwit him, force him to focus on the wrong thing.

Ekko smashes the belt on which the container is hanging with a well-aimed blow and thinks he has made it. But before he realizes it, you've already fooled him. He gets back on his hoverboard, ready to escape - but there you are.

Your steel ball flies through the air with precision and incredible speed. Magic, rotational energy and pure will power it. It hits Ekko directly on the right cheek, like a well-aimed punch. The force of the impact hurls him brutally to the side and the hoverboard tilts dangerously.

Ekko lands hard on the ground as your steel ball flies back into your hand in one elegant movement. You can feel the energy pulsing through your body and your breathing becomes heavy.

Jinx continues to laugh, an uncontrolled, almost triumphant sound that echoes across the ruined bridge. She swings her minigun over her shoulder and takes a step forward so that she is now standing right next to you. Her gaze fixes on Ekko, who is standing up again and facing you, belt in hand.

Ekko deftly throws the belt to Vi, who catches it and immediately hands it to Caitlyn.

"Go!" he calls, his voice determined but tense.

Vi and Caitlyn don't hesitate for a second and hurriedly disappear into the darkness, their footsteps echoing across the bridge. But you stop, your hand still clutching your steel ball, and a faint smile spreads across your face.

"I expected much more from you, Y/N," Ekko finally says, his voice calm but full of disappointment.

"Oh, look who it is. The Boy savior." Jinx starts to laugh as she fully understands that this is Ekko.

The words hit you. Not like a blow, but like a cold, sharp wind that makes its way inside you. You see Ekko looking at you, his eyes penetrating you as if he wants to search deep inside your being for answers.

"Expectations?" you mumble as you slowly slide the steel ball in your hand back into your coat pocket. Your gaze remains fixed on Ekko, your tone dry and full of underlying anger. "From me? And what exactly did you expect, Ekko? You think you can judge me here just because you've built something up? Do you even know what this crystal can do?"

Ekko's eyes flash with disappointment and frustration, and he takes a small step forward. "I expected you to be better," he says sharply. "Better than... This." His gaze shifts to Jinx, who lingers near you with a superior smirk. Her fingers play casually over the trigger of her minigun as she fixes Ekko.

"This has nothing to do with you," you reply sharply, the patience slowly fading from your tone. "And even if it did - you wouldn't understand anyway."

"What are you now? A mage, or what?" Ekko's voice becomes louder, a sharp contrast to his usual calm. You can feel the tension in his aura building more with each passing second, like a wave about to break. "No matter what you are - you two won't get the crystal."

You might laugh. I already have it.

You don't let on, but the threat of battle is palpable in the air. Your mind races, and as Jinx slowly begins to raise her weapon, you feel your own magic building up. A light aura settles over your entire body, almost invisible, but its presence is palpable to someone like Ekko. His eyes narrow, and you recognize the moment he notices.

Ekko hesitates, but only for a fraction of a second. His hoverboard lifts off slightly, hovering just above the ground, ready for a quick movement. Jinx's giggle interrupts the silence, a nerve-wracking sound that echoes across the bridge.

"Oh, I like it when you're so confident," she says with a mocking smile, her eyes shining with anticipation. "Let's see how long you can keep this up, Boy Savior."

You feel your magic tighten further, ready for when the moment comes. Ekko moves a step closer, his posture tense, and in that brief moment you feel the world around you narrow. Only the three of you are still there, everything else seems to fade away.

"Ekko," you say calmly, your voice cutting. "Think carefully about what you do next. This isn't a game anymore. And it's not like it used to be."

Without a word, Ekko sprints towards you, his focus ironclad, his movements precise. Jinx raises her minigun and fires in short, controlled bursts. But Ekko moves as smoothly as a shadow, dodging the bullets with an ease that seems almost superhuman.

That's impressive, you think. He not only has the raw speed, but also the control that can only be achieved through endless training.

The moment seems to stretch out, time slows down in your head. You analyze his every move, his every decision.

He is better when it comes to physics. You admit that without hesitation. But his will? His creativity? These fields are yours. Jinx has grenades on him, and you can cast spells that Ekko could never foresee. You've survived more dangerous opponents. This one? This is nothing.

Bullets slice through the air, smashing into the ground and the bridge railings. Jinx grins, almost playfully, but you notice: she hasn't landed a fatal hit, she hasn't even really aimed. What is she doing? Is she trying to spare him?

Ekko is counting the time. You suddenly realize that. There is a method to his movements, a plan unfolding before you. But what is he trying to do? You sense his concentration, his determination. But to what end?

The fight lasts maybe seven seconds - at most. But in those seconds, it feels like the world stands still.

Then he is there. Ekko breaks out of his serpentine line and closes the distance between you. Your mind registers that he is aiming directly at Jinx. Instinctively, you summon a spell, but he is faster. With a powerful swing of his metal staff, he hits Jinx's weapon and hurls it across the bridge.

You want to react, to let your aura flow around your body, but Ekko is already on you. With a precise blow, he hits you horizontally on the arms as you try to defend yourself. The force throws you back two meters. But your aura absorbs most of the force. No damage, just a disturbance in your focus.

The difference between the two of you is clear. Your life energy, your aura - they far surpass his. But that's not enough. You can't breathe a sigh of relief, because Ekko immediately uses the interruption to attack again.

But it doesn't protect you from the next situation while you're observing events.

Jinx is suddenly lying on the ground, overwhelmed by Ekko, who is leaning on his staff with all his weight. Then he strikes with full force, his fist hits Jinx in the face, and you just stand there. Everything reminds you of the past - of the fights you used to have on this bridge as children.

Back then, it was always just Powder and Ekko. You were the one who watched her beat him again and again. Of course, you can't compare it to the present moment, but the picture is similar. You just watch, let it happen, just like back then.

Jinx tries to push the staff away from her throat, but Ekko strikes again, harder, with more purpose.

What's wrong with you? You have survived so many battles, so many opponents who seemed superior to you, and yet you have won. With your magic and your wits, you could finish Ekko off in the blink of an eye. You could end this fight, bathe the bridge in red and leave everything behind you.

So why are you hesitating?

Why don't you move? Why don't you jump in where Jinx is struggling for air?

That is the answer.

You are in your right mind. And your mind tells you that this fight is pointless. The bloodshed here is pointless. You already have the crystal, Vi and Caitlyn have escaped. So why let this violence escalate any further?

It's the nostalgia of this moment that paralyzes you - this place, this situation that reflects so much of that time that you let it blind you.

But now you decide to act. You focus your magic, your aura enveloping you as you leap towards them with determination. Your thoughts run faster than your body moves.

Jinx is still wrestling with Ekko, her hands are shaking, but she won't let go. Ekko seems more determined than ever.

A tenth of a second. That's all you need to activate your spell - the same one you used in your last fight against the Firelights.

But at that very moment, when your body reacts automatically, you realize the seriousness of your mistake.

"No."

Jinx's voice is quiet, almost a whisper, but it cuts through the air like a knife.

Too late.

With a quick, jerky pull, Jinx snatches the pin from one of her grenades. The explosion begins, in bright, screaming shades of pink, engulfing the scene in the blink of an eye.

At the last moment, you stretch your aura, forcing it beyond its limits to protect both Jinx and Ekko.

You feel the force of the detonation breaking through you, hitting your body and almost tearing you apart. Black. Everything goes black.

The force of the detonation has scarred your body, your mind is still reeling between reality and powerlessness. But as you look down at Jinx, you realize one thing: you can't afford to be weak now.

The voice snaps you out of your state. "Jinx!" It sounds rough and full of panic, and although it sounds familiar, it takes you a moment to place it.

Silco.

It clicks in your head. Of course, who else? But you don't care. Jinx needs you now, and nothing else matters.

The smoke on the bridge is relentless, penetrating your lungs, burning your eyes. The air is filled with blood, fire and burnt metal. As you rise to your feet to go to Jinx, a sudden nausea brings you to your knees. You throw up, blood and stomach acid mixing on the floor to form a disgusting pool.

You tremble, feeling the familiar tug in the Corpse's arm, which supplies you with magic. You gratefully channel the energy into your body, allowing it to strengthen your muscles and sharpen your senses.

You find her. Jinx lies only a few meters away, her figure almost seems to blur in the smoke. Her body is covered in wounds - burns, cuts, blood. Her usually vibrant hair sticks dully to her face, covered in soot and dirt.

Your heart breaks as you kneel over her. Tears stream down your face, mixing with the sweat and dust of the bridge.

"JINX!" Silco's voice is closer, booming through the smoke-filled air. But you ignore him, focusing instead on the wounds in front of you.

I protected them... but not enough. The magic was evenly distributed. If I had concentrated everything on her, Ekko wouldn't have survived.

You feel the gravity of the decision, but there is no time for regret. You tighten your aura around her, stabilizing her condition as best you can.

Suddenly you hear footsteps behind you. Heavy, but determined. You turn your head and see Ekko.

His figure is just as marked as Jinx's. Blood runs from a wound on his forehead, his movements are sluggish, but his gaze is fixed on you. He looks at you, shocked, and... respectfully.

He understands. He felt how you wrapped your magic around him, even though he was your target.

"Just go," you say, your voice weak but firm. You straighten up a little and look him in the eye.

For a moment, the boy from back then is there again. The boy to whom you told stories, who listened to your words in amazement, full of curiosity and hope.

"We have a lot to talk about," Ekko says quietly. His gaze lingers on you for a moment before disappearing into the smoke. "I know about the Corpse."

His words echo in your head, but the meaning slips through your fingers. No time to think about it.

You feel another aura behind you. You turn around and look into Silco's face.

His face is illuminated by the flames around you in an eerie glow. His eyes are sharp, piercing, that one distorted by the scars that run across his face. His suit, otherwise immaculate, is covered in ash, and his gaze is a mixture of anger, worry and... Pain?

Silco stops, just a few steps away. His gaze is a mixture of threat and plea, as if he wants to read every possible reaction out of you.

"Wha-"

"We don't have time to argue." You interrupt him, your voice firm and insistent. With a serious expression, you slowly stand up, Jinx in your arms. "I don't care about mutual hatred, Silco. If we don't act now, she'll die."

For a moment he says nothing, his eyes wander from your face to Jinx, whose motionless body lies in your arms. You see his gaze harden, then soften again as he realizes the gravity of the situation.

"Why should I trust you?" he finally asks, and you can feel the tension in the air.

You immediately recognize what he wants to hear. Without another word, you reach into your coat pocket and pull out the hex crystal. The blue glow of the crystal cuts through the darkness, illuminating Silco's face for a brief moment.

His eyes widen slightly - a mixture of surprise, fear and astonishment. He knows immediately what that means: you had the big picture while everyone else was lost in chaos and destruction.

"She trusts you... I can see that." His voice is rougher, quieter. "And if she does, then so do I."

You nod curtly as your grip on Jinx tightens. Her wounds and weak breathing are all you can see now, all that matters.

"I know someone who can help her." Silco pauses for a moment, as if collecting himself. "But... You won't like it."

A name pops into your head and you feel cold.

"Singed..."

---

And there it is again - another chapter!

A lot really happened, and I mean a lot. Jinx and Y/N kissing, the whole bridge scene, and then the fight where you drift off a bit with your thoughts again.

I've tried to be a bit shorter this time so as not to write as much as I did for the last chapter, but I want to finally get to the end of the first season. I've already watched the second season and can't wait to get our dear wizard into the story.

At the same time, I'm still undecided as to how exactly I should incorporate Y/N into the final act - the battle in Piltover is coming up, and I'm considering three different scenarios:

All-rounder: Y/N fights, heals quickly and supports everyone with tactical moves.

Together with Jinx and Ekko: Y/N goes into battle against Vander and ends up facing Viktor with Ekko.

The emotional climax (my current favorite): Y/N can't take all the pent-up feelings any longer, knows Piltover will lose the fight, and stakes everything on one last confrontation. With all his potential and full of determination, he makes a pact to get all the power he'll ever have and finally fights Viktor.

There are many options, but unfortunately also far too little freedom of choice - almost like in the story itself.

Thank you to everyone who has read this far!

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