#sentry adam park

[augment-techs]

Bulk: I want romance.

Kim: I want intimacy.

Trini: I want the 2 am love making.

Zack: I want consistency, loyalty.

Scorpina: I want the random looks of admiration.

Drakkon: I want to know you're just for me.

Jason: I want date nights.

Adam: I want love so pure and true.

Skull: I want it because I can return it.

[augment-techs]

"WAS THIS YOUR TRAP TO MAKE ME FALL INTO THE ENDLESS PUDDLE OF THE ELTARIAN WAR????? because i think it worked"

Truly, I think my brain can't help but want to draw people into the fact that the Eltarian War was absolutely NOT perfect...but see how many things could be made better with the fandom's help? So much potentional~

Also, I'm glad we agree about Billy's hair. To me, his hair is like Tommy's ethnicity. Some artists are on the same page, and some of them think that he has not grown since the Forever Rangers special. He is SIXTEEN, not FIFTEEN. It's been over a year. Hair grows back--STOP DOING THIS.

Broken Rocky and Adam might be new future toys to play with~ I don't know when, but I'mma do it eventually.

The Red Lady, is Grace Sterling's Grid Ghost/Billy's sleep deprived delusion in the aftermath of trauma. It's kind of up in the air.

I think Zedd was trying to be Meta, but I can't be sure. He might have been keeping this in his back pocket for later to tell Zartus "I told you so" if Zordon hadn't gutted the fucker.

I myself screamed at this panel. You wouldn't be alone there. It's so weird and so much in keeping with Power Rangers I had to pause from reading it to laugh.

I honestly found the Eltarian soldiers threatening Alpha with death to be especially funny since not only did they NOT get to melt him, but he sent the drones he built to subdue DRAKKON on them. One K-O for each of them, it was great.

I also love Marco Renna's Bulk and Skull--they're so soft and delicate, yet ultimately strong. The following art is my dynamically inclined for taping an invading force get into a brawl, but I like them with Ernie here. They're so smooth~ (and yes, they're taping Matt, which is very much a bonus on our end ^^)

Blue lady is Candice/Zelya, yes; but it's less about her as it is illustrating all the Eltarians AROUND her. They obviously know this is bullshit, but are going to be incredibly annoying the whole time. Like, dude, grow some backbones.

Yeah, the bald thing is weird, but I assume they had to have some OTHER particular qualities other than blue skin, or it wouldn't level out. They are high up in the intergalactic pecking order for a reason, and looks are not one of them.

The Empyreals in LITERAL viewing range of blowing up TWO locations that Bulk and Skull CAUGHT ON FILM. I have no idea why the writers won't allow them to put two and two together, like, "Hm, they blew up Promethea, but why all the way out there? Maybe we should check it out?"

Although they did get rounded up by alien soldiers with weapons to record Zartus in his "greetings" for claiming earth, so I suppose they were delayed...

(I'm just gonna assume the angry old general man for the memes is pleasant at least? Because Zartus is a sociopath, so I have a feeling the approximation is all visual ^^;)

I CAN'T HELP IT ABOUT GOLDAR! When he's not being a blood thirsty little bitch, he's actually kind of a cutie. Look at his widdle tail~

YESSSSSSSSSSS I love that little imagine of Bulk! One of my top favorites in this series. Look at him, he's so bebe!

Glad to give a good recommendation during your break! (but seriously, if you imbibe, start from MM #11 and PR #13, because the rest will give you a headache)

Just gonna toss some random PR at you and see what sticks now that you're out of hibernation:

MMPR #121 is out and I....hate it:

I really, really, really want to be happy that we get to see Adam and Rocky and some character development in the wake of their possession, and get an entire issue based around Billy, but it all really just goes downhill from here. The only nice thing I can say is that Hendry Prasetya's art has gotten very smooth and I quite like it compared to previous chapters.

However, revisiting old Dual MM and PR chapters has made me happy finding little gold nuggets around that actually speak to true personality:

Next to Dan Mora, Marco Renna mighty be my favorite artist for this series. At least I can stand to look at Zedd with this style.

And also: THIS ☝🏿☝🏿 I miss this kind of thing.

I know we've all had fun throwing rocks at the Eltarian War Arc, but I cannot be the only one that sees the VERY EASILY streamlined version of events where this would have been perfect for Identity Reveal, Action Survivor, Big Damn Heroes, Big Ego/Hidden Depths, The Chosen Zero, Karmic Jackpot, Kleptomaniac Hero, Chekhov's Gun, Everything is Trying to Kill You, Strolling Through the Chaos, and an Establishing Character Moment tropes for...our babies Q_Q Honestly, so much fanfic possibility. Wish I could figure out how to make it work...

Also, just random pics of the minions being CUTE.

AYIYIYIYIYIHFRBHJTFBRVDCENDFR

This is the best thing i could've gotten coming out of hibernation, tbh. THANK YOU.

what the FUCK have they done with Billy's HAIR. Why do they look like THAT. (They've drawn Adam and Rocky beautifully but wtf billy.)

Feeling SO bad for adam and rocky they look BROKEN 🥺

Who's the lady in red?? Is she a ghost?? Can nobody else see her??

Zedd looks very overconfident, and is talking about how overconfidence will be the end of them... hmmmmmmmmm

i really like Zedd's art style! Marco Renna does a GOOD JOB O.O

But seriously wtf was that with Billy's hair.

i think i screamed at this. THIS IS CHARACTER <3

7. THEY HAVE AN EXECUTION ORDER TO MELT ALPHA???? i know it's supposed to be a serious scene but THAT many eltarian soldiers for one alpha, it's making me laugh awdhydfsvfadwfrgt 8. BULK AND SKULL BULK AND SKULLLLLLL!!!!!!!! HELLO BABIES!!! I love this style for them, they look so CUTE and smushable and cheek-pullable. Skull being depressed about Candace and bulk distracting him and cheering him up AND THE WAY THEY RUUUUNNNNN *wipes stray tear from eye* BEAUTIFUL CHILDREN <3

9. who is this man. why does he look like that girl from hinger games. 10. did they melt the alpha yet??

11. THIS ART STYLE. FOR THEM. YOUR HONOR I LOVE THIS PANEL (and they're shooting Matt. Lol i love that) 12. The empyreals?? IS THAT A BLUE KATAPPA 13. Jailbreak blue lady is Candace, I assume?? (She'd have looked prettier with blue hair, tbh. Why couldn't they just make zordon the bald eltarian. Why'd they have to make ALL ELTARIANS bald????) 14. Bulk and Skull are literally interviewing aliens. I don’t know how amazing THAT is, but also i cant stop laughing at the image of Mr. Blue katappa in my head.

For reference, this is Katappa.

Angry old general man who is one of the biggest memes here.

15. ERNIEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 16. "Honestly, so much fanfic possibility. Wish I could figure out how to make it work..." <- you say, let me read this arc. Then I'll yell at you about it.

17. WAS THIS YOUR TRAP TO MAKE ME FALL INTO THE ENDLESS PUDDLE OF THE ELTARIAN WAR????? because i think it worked 18. GOLDAR!!!!!! Kim going "saved by gOlDaR?? I’m gonna need a minute" *cackles*

19. Taking a minute to appreciate THIS. How CUTE. AUGH. 20. and Goldar in that veryyyy last panel. BRO. GOLDIEBRO. I FEEL YOU. it's the downfall era for ALL of us. WHY MUST WE SUUUFFFERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

i have so many thoughts here awdsfghbdfjsvns I NEED TO READ THIS ARC!!!!!!!!!! THANK YOU AUGMENTT ASDNRGHJFDSCSEJDFG

[lordkingsmith]

Snippets of a coinlessverse Ollie/Jack fic I probably won’t write further than this, and this is probably a part one. The scenes trapped in my head rent free.

But @augment-techs @skyland2703 enjoy my brainrot with me XD

When Ollie had been captured with Aiyon, he’d assumed that would be it. He’d be tortured, degraded and if he was lucky allowed to just starve to death and expire with some dignity. Aiyon had gone by infection after they’d both been beaten to hell and back for information, so Ollie wasn’t too worried about that likelihood.

Even when Lord Drakkon graced Ollie and Aiyon’s cell, Ollie was still not worried about what was going to happen. Even if he assumed he was too low on the ladder of the Coinless for Drakkon to bother with him personally-stranger things had happened. Maybe he’d be made an example of. Annoying, but at least he’d be dead.

Instead Drakkon crouched to where he was sitting, curled in the corner as far away from the now rotting corpse of his ex as he could. The Dictator’s smile was chilling. Chipper to the point of mania. A gloved hand grabbed his face, forcing his head into different angles as his hands partially came up and clenched, trying not to resist. “You’re right.” He said to the two sentries filing in behind him. “He’s the right look. Dirty, but that’s fixable.” Ollie stared at him, confused now.

“Congratulations” Drakkon said gleefully. “On your new career and promotion! Do your empire proud” Ollie tried to bite him and his face was let go before he was slapped, the force sending him into the dirty floor. “Luckily for you, that biting habit is one of the reasons I need you.”

Ollie stared, cheek stinging like hell and felt an impending sense of doom. “Park, Skullovitch. Get him cleaned up. Tend to his wounds and make sure he actually looks like he’s eaten by the time they arrive. We only have three weeks.”

He turned his attention back to Ollie, eyes cold. “I’m going to make an offer you’re not going to be able to refuse.” Drakkon said. “And then I’m going to tell you what you’re going to do to earn it. And then you’re going with my head sentries to do what I tell you. Do you understand?”

Grid damn him, Ollie nodded.

-*-

Sitting in the room full of his mind controlled friends was, frankly, exhausting. Pretending this was fine, and he wasn’t bothered, and he was just as insane as they’d gone actually, was draining. Generally he could get away with letting the other four do their thing and be quiet and in the background; this had always been the group dynamic. It just got complicated when he had to balance that with also being his mother’s right hand beside Cygnus.

Night Swan, with the chosen one and his friends in tow, had made quick work of the other Danciverses. Corrupting or killing or simply capturing the rulers of each as she saw fit. She kept Traveler in her chambers, and Si’ha her personal guard, a swan soldier and unresponsive of the man who still loved her. She wouldn’t hesitate to kill herself on the orders of her mistress and neither would their son, and for that Traveler did what Night Swan told him.

Once Night Swan became self titled empress of the danciverses she decided perhaps it was time to turn her attention back to her birth reality. Unfortunately for her, someone else had already conquered it. Jack and Wanderlust had gone through some weeks ago with an unusually reserved Sara.

Drakkon was not someone even a mind controlled Sara wanted to deal with. Which was concerning to Jack, for a variety of reasons. Sara talked about him the same way she had before the corruption had twisted her. He was the only part of her past she held with the same fear and caution as before.

Making contact had been tense, to say the least. First was the initial meeting, then Night Swan inviting Drakkon and a few of his inner circle to Cygnus City. It’d sparked appearances of the Spectronizers, which had unfortunately led to the rumor Jack was head over heels for Adam Park.

To Jack’s utter chagrin Adam had a knack for almost discovering Jack’s involvement with the Spectronizers and the the rebellion against his own mother. The only way he could get Adam from realizing anything was borderline sexual harassment. However, it seemed to be what everyone expected, Night Swan included for intimidation tactics, so nobody thought twice.

Or so he’d hoped.

Being invited to the earth castle of Drakkon in his city for an extended stay had hit him like a suckerpunch. Despite his protests, he and Cygnus and Brezziana had been volunteered for an extended stay while Drakkon sent over three of his own. The night of their arrival had been a party, and thankfully he’d been surrounded by his friends during the depravity. Temporarily evil or not, having a buffer between himself and the activities of Drakkon’s court. He didn’t like drinking, or drugs. He didn’t like using someone’s body for his own amusement, sexual or otherwise.

He could, however, sit in the room while the other four made fun of it and commented on the human origami and food. Watching, nodding along, quietly looking for an excuse to leave without being rude. They’d been forced to dance for Night Swan and Drakkon when he’d come to their reality. Dancing the whole night until their feet bled and even Wanderlust was starting to hallucinate from fatigue. Jack wasn’t blind to the similarities, even while his friends couldn’t comment. He just braced himself waiting for it to be done.

The night of the first time he’d had to distract Adam Park by attempting to kiss him, he’d had a rare moment with Traveler. Traveler had been pulled out of Night Swan’s rooms for the time being. He looked completely haggard, and Jack had tried to offer him a drink. Might as well be completely black out to deal with the night. They watched Wanderlust, Mihaly, Sara, and Brezziana dance. “You should be there, protecting him.”

“I am.” He muttered. “I’m always protecting him.” He was here wasn’t he? Instead of leading the resistance in person and not with a pseudonym and secrecy? He was here, keeping Wanderlust safe, and alive and away from Night Swan. He was always making sure Wanderlust was the happy one in the situation. But no that wasn’t enough was it? It never was. “I talked her out of poles” he hissed, just to watch Traveler grimace. “I’m trying. Or do you want me brainwashed too? Then who’d help them? You?”

He shoved the drink into his father’s hand and walked away, suddenly needing to cool off. He was handling it. It wasn’t going the way he wanted but he was handling it. There was a problem with a mysterious “Coach Sunset” leading the rebellion, orange and red and dancing hope and chaos into the overrun danciverses.

And okay maybe that wasn’t the best way to do it; but he was working on it. He was! He was doing the best he knew how. Facing Night Swan head on never worked. Subterfuge had to be the way they could defeat his own mother.

Which had led to seeing one of the Spectronizers in Swan Tower conversing with Cygnus with a small drive of information, Adam almost running into the pink, and Jack throwing him against the wall so he didn’t see the two being suspicious. Stuttering out a flirtation and then pretending he was drunk and walking away. Too bad for him it kept happening.

As well as the interesting point of several of Drakkon’s army were now Swan Soldiers, due to badly executed espionage. This had led to them agreeing to a shaky sort of truce, and now here they all were. At this creepy party welcoming Jack Rose as a political hostage.

“C’mon, let’s see your room.” Wanderlust said finally, and Jack nodded gratefully. “This is just getting boring.” Yellow swan eyes swept over the party, glancing over Jack among the throng, uncaring and unimpressed. Jack wanted to shake his little brother. It wouldn’t fix the spell problem but it’d make him feel better.

They went as a group, walking among the mostly empty halls. Sara swung her arms around Jack’s neck, giggling. “Are you ever impressed by anything?”

“The city is impressive” he offered her, hands fisted into his suit pockets. “Maybe I’ll find more to be impressed by the longer I’m here.” She pouted before pinching his cheek and waggling his face back and forth. “Prude. You liked some of Drakkon’s sentries. None of that impressed you huh.”

“I-” he cleared his throat. “They didn’t strike me as having fun? I’d rather be in a place where everyone is having a good time. But” he rolled his eyes. “Yes the naked bodies looked nice, get off now.”

She did, giggling meanly when he rubbed his stinging cheek. He liked her better when she wasn’t…a little witch. Brezziana pointed at their rooms, happily located near each other. And the two sentries next to the doors. Jack groaned low in his throat when his took his helmet off.

Mihaly laughed. “A boy toy closer to your age!” They told him as he could only smile weakly at them, and the guard. His was a red sentry who could almost be Adam’s son, and Brezziana’s was a yellow, a young woman. He could scream.

“Lord Drakkon wishes to show his hospitality” the yellow said. “We’re here as your guards, guides, and whatever else you could need.” Said the young woman. “I’m Rose”

“And what’s your name?” Wander asked after a long moment, smiling wolfishly at the red. The man’s eyes narrowed and Wanderlust laughed. “Oh you’ve got a spicy one Jack!”

He lunged, forcing the red to step back. “Oh how adorable. He’s trembling.” Jack pushed past Wanderlust and the others with a sigh.

“What’s your name?” He asked quietly.

“Ollie. Ollie Akana.” Jack nodded. “Lord Drakkon wanted to make sure no-one here could want for anything.” Jack patted Ollie’s head.

“I’m going to bed” he said, reaching past the sentry. “Alone. I’ll see you all in the morning.”

Brezziana snickered. “What the younger model not doing it for you?”

“I just don’t like having sex after parties” he decided on before opening the door and slipping inside. He eyed Ollie watching him almost helplessly, and at the other three looking at Ollie and Rose like they were steak. He gestured for Ollie to come in. “You can guard me better if you’re actually with me.” He decided. Sit by the windows, watch the door.”

When they were both safe inside Jack began undoing his feather capelet. “I know you’re here to spy on me.” He said with a shrug. “So ferry this back to your Lord. I really am sorry about Adam.” He grimaced. “That was incredibly inappropriate.”

“It happened six times!”

“I’ve decided I’m going to not drink anymore. It was a problem, but alcohol is currently off the table. So no more problem.” Jack said after a moment of blanking. “Now. Good night, sentry Akana.” He toed off his shoes and fell face first into the bed, nearly immediately out to the world.

-*-

“Ollie, do you even…like men?” Jack asked, half naked and watching Ollie intensely. Ollie swallowed wrong in quick succession, processing the question and the twining tattoos along Jack’s arms and shoulders. Next thing he knew Jack’s chest was to his back and his fists were wedged under Ollie’s ribs. It didn’t really help. Eventually the sandwich piece dislodged from Ollie’s throat and Jack went from heimleck to hug, wrapping his arms around Ollie’s waist and burying his face in Ollie’s neck as Ollie gasped for air. Olly elbowed him in the stomach when he was able.

“You almost kill me with your question and then just hug me half naked, huh?”

Jack let go, though reluctantly. “It’s not-I’m just glad I didn’t kill you on accident.”

Ollie turned to him, slowly. “I don’t think my preferences matter, here.”

Jack scowled and folded his arms. “They do to me. And I want to know how to treat you. Friend or…” he trailed off, shook his head and tried to walk past Ollie. “It doesn’t matter. I’m sorry.” Ollie grabbed Jack around his waist, the ensuing small struggle sending them both tumbling onto the bed. Jack pinned under Ollie, and Ollie staring intently down at him.

“Could always kiss me” Ollie said. “See if either of us like it.” Jack grabbed the helmet off the nightstand and nearly slammed it onto Ollie’s head. Jack patted the helmet like he would Ollie’s cheek as he slid away from the arms.

“Poor thing” he murmured. “Shaking like a leaf” Jack snatched his shirt off the end of the bed and looked at Ollie still standing there, feeling shellshocked and stupid.

“I don’t know.” Ollie said. “What I like. That’s not why I’m here.”

“Ollie Akana” Jack was business like as he began sliding into his suit jacket. “You’re here because your boss wants you to get every secret they can wring out of me. Unfortunately for you I was raised by my mother. You think seduction isn’t something she did? She chose partners based on what they could give her.”

Jack sighed. “So what did Drakkon promise you for fucking me. That’s more important to me.” Ollie felt his cheeks go blazing hot.

“Nothing!” He snapped. “Why do you even care.” Jack shrugged.

“If it’s nothing I guess I don’t. C’mon, I want to see more of the city. Show me around.”

Ollie stared at Jack, who stared at him coolly back before nodding curtly. “Yes, sir.”

-*-

Jack kept the spectronizer orange helmet on as Ollie and the other sentries stared at him, along with the duplicate he’d made before slipping out for the night. Thank the flow, too. He had the urge to grab his little sentry, but saluted them and took off running instead. He had a bag full of medicine pulled directly from Drakkon’s personal med wing, and he knew exactly where to take them.

The only song he could think of was in the hall of the mountain king as thousands of sentries took off behind him. Jack bounced off walls, spun in dance steps and kick flips while protecting the precious goods he’d nicked. Once the Coinless and the Dancers had met, there’d been a synchronized effort to help each other. And ‘Coach Sunset’ was in the perfect place to aid both groups. Orange streaked just ahead of a horde of yellow, red and black. Sunset indeed.

He was close to one of the small side doors to one of the many gardens when a hand pulled him into a small alcove. The helmets were the only things keeping Jack and Ollie from being nose to nose. “Who are you?”

“Spectronizer Orange”

“Got balls, stealing from in the castle itself. What makes you think I shouldn’t go get Drakkon?”

Jack was speechless and he clutched the bag tighter. “There are sick people in the Coinless. Even you-”

“This is for the Coinless?” Jack nodded. Ollie sighed. “Follow me, orange.”

There was a small hole in an evidentially forgotten courtyard. Jack stared at it, and looked back to Ollie.

“Me and-a friend. Used it to get in for medicine.” Ollie said. “He died. I never told them how, and it looks like they never figured it out.”

“When was this? How are you here? Is there anyone I can tell you’re alright?”

Ollie shook his head. “Drakkon offered something I couldn’t refuse. It was a little before that prince and his friends showed up from the dance world” a snort. “And no. Aiyon was the last person who’d care. Plus. I’m sort of a traitor so.”

Jack reached out to Ollie, thought better of it, and used the escape offered. Though he made himself stop and turned back. “Jack Rose…the prince…he works with us.” He said, hoping this information wouldn’t be somehow ferried to Drakkon. “He’s how I got in. You can help us by helping him.” And then he was gone, leaving Ollie in the courtyard.

When he snuck back in as Jack, Ollie was dozing by the window. Jack brushed hair from his face before flinging himself onto the bed, back to Ollie.

Ball was in his court, as was the very real possibility Jack had somehow gotten into a love triangle with himself. He wouldn’t know any of it till he came to it, and with nothing else he could do, he fell asleep.

[smokeandjollyranchers]

Let’s do our best to kill our own funk by projecting hard on a funkless character shall we?

It’s the unfamiliarity, Gansey thinks, that makes it so hard to look away.

Perhaps he’s heard the word “no” less than most people. Perhaps he’s just fought against being told no longer and vehemently, ever since he nearly said yes, breathing his last as a child, the sound of buzzing still echoing in his chest. I don’t quite think I enjoy being denied. He hums, mind slow but still unable to lose consciousness. Which brings him to the same place it always takes him, the soft beat of his heart, the only noise in the open warehouse he’s made his home.

Then again, for someone who doesn’t like being told no, the voice that he often seeks first, in the haze, in the silence, in the sorrow, is the first one to tell him no. Gansey can’t close his eyes, not right now, because if he does he’s going to be met with the small pieces he’s collected, the pull of smile on a split lip; the silent shake of laughter on shoulders already carrying the world, the absolute rage staining eyes that shift from blue to green to brown to gold to blue—disgusted at the idea of Gansey’s help.

On anyone else, his dulled, slow mind offers. You would hate that face

Fuck, he would rather be asleep right now. He moves his head, eyes falling on the miniature city he lords over, a giant against the Henrietta skyline both in and outside of Monmouth. He tries so hard to settle into a place that will never be big enough, but he tries. He needs to make the trailer park next, but his traitorous hands clench into fists at the idea. He doesn’t want to make the one corner of this beautiful little city that makes him ill, he doesn’t want to create a little trailer, knowing his perfectionist mind will insist on adding that crack in the siding that he couldn’t help but notice was exactly at Adam’s head height, didn’t want to create the small graveyard of cars that Adam would hide himself under when he knew Gansey would be coming. He doesn’t want to make the tiny door that always houses that empty eyed woman in it, the one that makes his jaw clench and temper flare.

Adam’s mother watches him like a hawk every time he comes over, like she wants to say something. Like she wants to say nothing. Like she’s the sentry who’s only orders are to keep Adam close enough that he stays miserable. To keep him from reaching enough water, enough sun, to keep his roots half dead and desperate on what little sustience they can find. If Gansey searches back through his entire day, his entire life, his mothers eyes were always alight, excited, loving.

How could you feel nothing toward what you’ve created? Gansey arguably has only created stories, things he dreams and hopes and wants to be real, and these dreams, these ideas, he loves them. He loves mystery and hope. He loves the faith and the trust and he loves the people who return his own faith, hope and love to him. How could she not—

I hate your parents, Gansey imagines saying, to Adam. No preamble, no tip toes, none of that editing that Gansey carefully does before he speaks to Adam. Nothing but the truth from one Richard C. Gansey III.

And the moment makes him feel so light, right up until he has to imagine Adam’s eyes the millisecond after he finishes speaking. He and Adam don’t tell each other the truth. Not like this. Not when Adam hasn’t admitted it’s a truth. He hates ultimatums, he hates having to chose, he hates perimeters and confusing boundaries and the way people who are trapped in darkness seem to dig their feet in and refuse to save themselves.

On anyone else… the voice in his head is more awake now, more angry. You would hate that face.

Gansey wonders if it means something that he doesn’t hate that face when Adam is wearing it. A deep, deep thought in his mind, in his chest, hits his bloodstream like epinephrine, toes and fingers going numb like he’s had to use the pen he carries around with him. Like he narrowly skirted death. Again.

Problem is, you’ll let that face keep hating you.

It’s a mean, bitter voice, and Gansey isn’t quite sure if it’s his or not. He doesn’t often dwell in mean, bitter thoughts. They aren’t helpful, they aren’t productive, they aren’t befitting of a Gansey.

Besides, that face doesn’t hate him, at least he really doesn’t think so. Adam does not have the patience to put himself through any sort of encounter that he doesn’t want to be in. He won’t entertain anything beneath him, so long as Adam makes the ruling something is beneath him. Adam won’t put up with the constant prattle of their classmates, or even some teachers. Adam will go home to the same trailer every day, and maybe die at his father’s hands.

Why isn’t that beneath you?

Gansey sits up in his bed, sheets falling from him, comforter long kicked off and abandoned. He presses the heels of his hands into his eyes, until stars explode in his eyelids, and it makes his chest ache. We can make our own stars, we can make our own world, so little can stop us, and you go home to Death.

“How aren’t you afraid of it?” Gansey mutters into the darkness, like somehow he can reach Adam in his dreams, in the ether, in the other. “What has happened to make you so unafraid of death?”

Gansey knows his classics, Gansey has been moved by Odysseus, he’s been smitten with Achilles, he has run after each mythical king knowing that he means to stand among them someday. But he is terrified of the darkness, the dance with the Reaper, the buzzing sound that stopped his heart. He’s paralyzed by death, for how gleefully he wishes to spit into its face. And Adam? Adam wants to live, he’s made of fire and spite and anger and an unstoppable force. But the light dims and the fire dies when he gets closer to his home. Someone else leaves Gansey’s car to walk up those steps, and it makes him sick even now.

Gansey exhales, and it seems to echo through the open air. He narrows his eyes, and flops back on his bed, trying to ignore the phantom feeling of insect-like feet crawling on his skin. Something is wrong. He decides, firmly.

Something is wrong, and he can’t hear Ronan screaming, there’s no nightmares plaguing the angriest Lynch, there’s no noise from Noah’s room, which is ideal and typical. Noah keeps long, quiet hours when the sun goes down, and it’s no different now. There is nothing wrong. There is nothing wrong in Monmouth.

Gansey closes his eyes, hard, screwing them shut against the implication of this feeling. You can’t even call him. Is he alive? Did they kill him? Will they tell you if they did? Will you go to pick him up and there will just be police cars and that woman’s empty eyes watching him from the porch. Would she fucking cry? Does she know you’re her child?

He’s on his feet. He’s on his feet and grabbing his keys and he has to stop himself. Since when does Gansey stop himself, but he stands, the moonlight from the high up windows pulling his shadow into long, splintered directions. You can’t go. The voice in his head hisses, desperate and low, the hair on the back of his neck standing up as Adam seemingly speaks directly to his heart. If you go and they hear you, you wake them—

Gansey throws his keys against the wall, grateful for any noise to interrupt the way that voice sounded afraid even in his own head. He can’t go on like this, but Adam will insist on it. He will insist on bruises and beatings and missing the school day he cares so much for he puts up with this life. What is the point of getting everything you want at the cost of everything you are? Adam is smart. Smarter than this. Smarter than him, so how did he logic this out in his head? How is accepting the help, accepting his help, somehow worse than being beaten to death?

Why in the fucking world would Adam rather die than just. Live. Survive. Thrive?

Ain’t one of your fucking dolls, Gansey.

Christ, Gansey thought, taking in a shaky breath as he hears the thought. Jesus fucking Christ.

They aren’t his. That’s what’s so fucking frustrating. Ronan isn’t his, Noah isn’t his. Adam isn’t his. Why can’t Adam understand that, when Ronan never didn’t understand it? Gansey is theirs. He belongs to them.

Maybe he doesn’t want you.

Gansey sighs, pressing the hell of his hand to his eyes, heartbeat suddenly intensely noticeable behind his eyelid. If he doesn’t, he offers the voice, coolly. Then he could just say so.

But Adam doesn’t say that. Adam doesn’t…he doesn’t act like he doesn’t want Gansey around. Most of the time. Some of the time. All of the time. It’s only when Gansey pushes, that he takes steps back. But if Gansey doesn’t push, how long before they’re at a small service for a boy with eyes that are never the same shade, standing several hundred feet back so as to not pull ire from the people that killed their son.

God. God.

Gansey is tired. But that night, he’s more afraid to wake up than he is to sleep, a bad feeling settling across his bones, his heart, his eyes, vision swimming and the echoing of a grunt desperately hidden by the person making it.

Stop. He offers his mind, quietly. Uncharacteristically small, even in his own head. Please. Please stop showing this to me. He’s fine. He’s okay.

Sleep doesn’t come, but the sun does, hours later, where Gansey is found curled up in his small city, a giant among men, ruining cardboard with what could be sweat but is unfortunately tears. Gansey listens to Ronan come alive, hears Noah’s voice without hearing his door, and he sighs.

He’s fine, he’s okay. He’s fine, he’s okay.

Please. The voice in his head whispers, mantra long having become a prayer. Please.

Please let that face that hates me be there today.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

The Bezzle excerpt (Part V)

I'm on tour with my new novel The Bezzle! Catch me TONIGHT in SAN DIEGO (Feb 22, Mysterious Galaxy). After that, it's LA (Saturday night, with Adam Conover), Seattle (Monday, with Neal Stephenson), then Portland, Phoenix and more!

I'm out on tour with my new novel, The Bezzle, a cyberpunk revenge thriller about Marty Hench, a two-fisted forensic accountant, and a guerrilla war he wages on a prison-tech provider that treats incarcerated people as assets to be strip-mined:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/16/narrative-capitalism/#bezzle-tour

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this thread to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/22/self-censorship/#acab

As part of the promotion for the book, I've been serializing an excerpt: Chapter 14, in which Marty takes on a side-quest to recover the stolen royalties of one-time funk star Stephon Magner (AKA Steve Soul) which were stolen by his scumbag manager and then sold on to an even scummier sample-licensing clearinghouse.

Today, I bring you part five, in which Marty's simple cross-referencing project is violently altered by an encounter with the criminal gangs of the LA Sheriffs Deputy departments, a real crime-syndicate whose reign of terror continues to this day:

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-05-17/dozens-of-lasd-deputies-ordered-to-show-suspected-gang-tattoos-reveal-others-who-have-them

I'm posting this installment en route to San Diego, where I'll be appearing tonight at Mysterious Galaxy

https://www.mystgalaxy.com/22224Doctorow

From there, it's back to LA, where I'm appearing on Saturday evening with Adam Conover at Vromans:

https://www.vromansbookstore.com/Cory-Doctorow-discusses-The-Bezzle

And then on Monday I'll be at Third Place Books with Neal Stephenson:

https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/cory-doctorow

From there, I'm off to Portland, Phoenix, Tucson and points further:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/16/narrative-capitalism/#bezzle-tour

Here's part one of the serial:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/17/the-steve-soul-caper/#lead-singer-disease

Part two:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/19/crad-kilodney-was-an-outlier/#copyright-termination

Part three:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/20/fore/#lawyer-up

Part four:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/21/im-feeling-unlucky/#poacher-turned-keeper

And now, part five!

The storefront had an old break room with a first-­aid kit, and a bathroom with a sink. I sponged myself clean in the mirror, ate two expired Aleves and three 200 mg expired Tylenols out of the kit. The ass was ripped most of the way out of my pants, so I moved my wallet to my front pocket, which my massage therapist had been nagging at me to do for years.

I opened the door more carefully this time and limped out into the parking lot. My rental—­a little red Civic—­was the only car left in the parking lot, except for a rusted junker with no tires that was the perennial sentry of its farthest corner.

I bipped the doors open with my fob, checked the back seat, then slid inside. I checked my reflection in the rearview mirror and winced, which pulled at my bruises and set blood oozing from my lip and cheekbone again, which made me wince harder. I was already halfway to Quasimodo and I tried to remember if there was a 7-­Eleven on the route home where I could buy a couple of bags of frozen peas for the swelling.

I reset the mirror and backed out of my spot. The pain was increasing. They’d have Advil at the 7-­Eleven, and I’d remembered where there was one on the way back to my Airbnb.

As I waited for a red light at Eagle Rock and Colorado Boulevard, I watched as a homeless man labored across the road with his shopping cart. I was still watching him when I realized the light had been green for some time and had just toggled yellow. I made the turn and headed up Colorado, but I was barely a hundred yards down the road when I heard a siren blat and saw the police lights. I checked my mirrors and saw the LASD cruiser directly behind me, racing right up to my bumper, slowing only at the very last moment. The cruiser’s high beams blinked insistently and the siren whooped.

I pulled over.

I waited while the officer slowly got out of his car and walked to my driver’s-­side window. I kept my hands at ten and two. The officer tapped my window and made a roll-­down motion, so I hit the button, moving slowly, putting my hand back.

I got a light in my face, squinting and thus reopening my cheekbone and lip.

“Everything all right, sir?”

“Yes,” I said, feeling the blood ooze down my chin. “I was beaten up,” I said, stating the obvious.

“That is unfortunate,” the officer said. “License and registration.”

I got my driver’s license out of my wallet and found the rental papers in the glove box and handed them over. He crunched back to his cruiser and I watched him in the side mirror. He’d left his cruiser’s headlights on and in the glare it was hard to tell, but it looked like there was another cop in the car whom he was conferring with. After a long delay, he came back.

“Step out of the car, please.”

I did. He turned me around and had me plant my hands on the hood, kicked my feet apart, and roughly frisked me, getting his hand inside the rent in the seat of my pants and patting my boxer shorts and giving my balls a hard squeeze.

“Sir, do you know why I stopped you?”

“I don’t,” I said.

“You proceeded unsafely through a traffic signal. Have you been drinking, sir?”

“I haven’t.”

“Have you consumed any cannabis or other drugs?”

“I haven’t.”

He turned me around and shone his light in my eyes. “If I search your car, am I gonna find any drugs?”

“No, sir.”

“Because I am gonna search that car and if I do find drugs and you’ve been lying to me, this is gonna be a lot worse than it needs to be.”

I didn’t dignify that with a response. My head hurt. My face hurt. My back hurt. This was a bullshit stop.

I expected the deputy’s partner to get out of the cruiser while my tormentor tossed the rental car, but he stayed put. I did, too. Obviously. I wasn’t going to take off on foot. I’m a forensic accountant, not a gang kid getting fifteen minutes of fame on Cops.

He spent long enough on the rental that I started to worry. Who knew what some previous driver might have shoved between the seats? But after pulling out the floor mats and tossing them onto the grassy verge beside the car, he finally stood up.

“All right, sir. I’m going to go and get a breathalyzer test. You can refuse it and I will then suspend your license for twenty-­ four hours. I will arrest you for a suspected DUI and bring you in for a blood test. If you fail that test, you will be subject to additional criminal penalties. Do you understand me?”

He had old coffee on his breath. My face hurt. “I’ll take a test.”

Back to the cruiser. It had been half an hour at least. Once the breathalyzer was done—­fifteen minutes, if memory served—­I could go to the 7-­Eleven for painkillers and frozen peas. I decided I’d add a six-­pack, I was so tired. My face hurt. I knew that mouthing off to this cop wouldn’t make things go faster, quite the opposite, but as he took his leisurely time coming back to me, I was hard-­pressed not to.

I blew. “May I sit down?” I asked. “My face hurts.”

He didn’t bother to look up from his phone. “Stay where you are, sir.”

I stood. My face hurt. Time crawled. Finally, the breathalyzer beeped. He held it up and squinted at it, then used his phone to light up its face.

When he did, his sleeve rode up and revealed the “998” tattoo on his forearm. Suddenly, I didn’t care so much about the pain in my face.

The cop looked at me. He was an older guy, but quite a silver fox, in a Clooneyoid sort of way. Had the same smile lines at the corners of his lips and eyes. But on him, they looked mean. Dangerous. A man who would smile at you while he beat your face in.

“All right, sir,” he said. “I’m going to write you a citation for reckless driving and you will be free to go.” He smiled. “Thank you for your cooperation.” It sounded like “fuck you.”

Back to the cruiser again. When he was done writing, he switched off his headlights, and the bubble light inside the car lit up his partner. Heavyset. Smiling. Excellent teeth. He gave me the same look as he had just before kicking me in the ribs. I gasped involuntarily and my ribs burned. His smile got bigger.

The Clooneyoid deputy returned with my ticket. I looked at it and then I realized he’d said “reckless driving”—­not “dangerous driving.” This was a summons, not a citation. For a misdemeanor. Two points off my license and I’d have to go to court. Depending on the judge, I could be in for fines or even a jail sentence.

Clooneyoid saw me figuring this out and he smiled, too. Everyone was having a great time tonight except for poor old Marty Hench.

“See you in court, sir,” he said.

I exercised extreme care on the drive to the 7-­Eleven, even backing out of my parking spot and reparking so that I was perfectly centered between the white lines. The clerk didn’t bat an eye at my hamburger face. I gave myself five minutes to bury my bruises in the frozen peas before I backed out and drove the rest of the way to my Airbnb.

I drove five under the limit the whole way, and when I got out of my rental, I looked long and hard up and down the street for an LA Sheriff’s Department cruiser.

ETA: Here's part six!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/22/self-censorship/#acab

[augment-techs]

Character Voice Tag Game

Thanks for tagging me, @ajgrey9647 This is what I assume is the source of the game, for the others to be tagged:

Rules: Rewrite the line of dialogue from the person who tagged you into the voice of your Fandom Characters/OC’s! (You can include a short beat of action to help establish character if you want.) Pass on the tag with a new line of dialogue.

Bulk *third in command of the Coinless after Zack and Trini, looks halfway between absolute fear and the kind of sorrowful acceptance that has come with the new world order*: You should not be here. There was no warning-- Adam *not of the Coinless, part of Drakkon's army out of necessity but not wanting to be; in grungy civilian clothes, with a look of bitchiness that usually does not grace his features*: I'm not here for a friendly chat and get together, I'm here because Skullovitch could not make it. He won't be back from space for a good month, maybe more, and I'm perfectly aware that your lot don't appreciate radio silence without getting antsy. Or, at least the selfish bitch doesn't. Bulk: Don't talk about Trini like-- Adam: After the shit she puts Eugene through on the regular because she's apparently incapable of being happy with what he can provide if he can't get Jason out of an impenetrable fortress in the mouth of hell, I'll talk about the manipulative slit however I want.

Bulk *grinding his teeth but unwilling to rebuke the truth of Trini's bad behavior towards his bestfriend*: Fine. Am I to assume that this is Drakkon's version of punishing Skull for showing him up over the Hartunian attack? Adam: Yep. Bulk: Terrific. So no warnings, no food, no medicine, no being let out of friendly fire for the month? Adam: Not...exactly. Most of the rest of our Division are not nearly as stupid as Drakkon thinks we are, and are willing to be...half-blind, half-deaf, half-forgetful for as long as a couple of weeks. If you can hold out asking for things for fifteen days, I can secure you at least enough goodwill from the others to provide enough to keep you afloat.

Bulk: I...I don't think Zack would be willing to risk letting you in on our private communications. You understand that Eugene isn't a risk and we can trust him, but not even Aisha and Rocky can vouch for you since The Last Battle. I'm sure you mean well, but I just...I can't see anyone trusting you.

Adam *all demonic smile and a light in the eyes that could almost be considered jade or aurora ice; a very disconcerting flavor against the rich brown that was almost black*: I don't think you understand. You have no choice. Me and mine have no love lost for Drakkon, and certainly not from your Coinless given that the bastard just loves dumping us into zones your lot are more than happy to shoot first and ask questions never within. But if more of you died than was necessary, it would turn Jason into a sloppy, mouthy, whining little princess at Drakkon's ear in their shared bed; which, in case you haven't figured out by now, would end up getting Eugene dumped on. I am not going to allow his suffering even more for your hubris, thank you very much.

Tagging: @estel-eruantien @skyland2703 @lordkingsmith @ranger-ribbons @koragg1

Your line: never, ever holding hands Bonus: someone come home with me

Tagged by @vyuntspakhkite-l-darling

My line: What is wrong with you?

Finn: "Why would you say that?"

Rose: "What the FUCK"

Jak: "If you ever do something like that again, I swear to the 12 gods I will kill you"

Pherun: *starts crying* (Jak kills you after)

Silas: "Wh-what?"

Lyra: "You need Therapy"

Taka: "Well... uh... that was uncalled for... could we... not? Please?"

Khaz: "I'll give you a ten minute head start."

@ajgrey9647 @agirlandherquill @smudged-red-ink and anyone else who wants to join in :]

Your Line is: "There's only one way to get out of here"

Bonus Line: "You need me"

[wanderlustwayadventures1]

Boston 2 Day historical Trip

2 Days 2022

Day 1 August 28

We arrived at 11am at the Hilton Boston Downtown/Faneuil Hall. Hilton was amazing they vail parked $57 and was able to check in early. We freshened up and dropped off our suitcase in the room.

We walked about 15 mins to the Boston Common Visitor Center to take our Boston Freedom Trail Walking Tour with Costumed Guide: Tour Of the Freedom Trail which started at 11:30am.

See top Boston sites such as the State House, Granary Burial Ground, and Old South Meeting House.

The Granary Burying Ground in Massachusetts is the city of Boston's third-oldest cemetery, founded in 1660 and located on Tremont Street. Along with Massachusetts governors, mayors and clergymen, visitors will find the graves of three signers of the Declaration of Independence: Samuel Adams, John Hancock, and Robert Treat Paine; Peter Faneuil, benefactor of the famed downtown Boston landmark; patriot and craftsman Paul Revere; James Otis, Revolutionary.

Paul Revere passed away 203 years ago today, buried at the Granary Burying Ground on Tremont Street. A coin left on a headstone or at the grave site is meant as a message to the deceased soldier's family that someone else has visited the grave to pay respect. If you leave a penny, it means you visited.

James Otis, Jr. (February 5, 1725 – May 23, 1783), a lawyer in colonial Massachusetts. The phrase "Taxation without Representation is Tyranny" is usually attributed to him.

Samuel Adam’s stone at the front right of the graveyard marks the tomb of Samuel Adams (September 16, 1722–October 2, 1803), an American leader, politician, writer, and political philosopher, and one of the Founding Fathers of the United States.

Boston Latin School, founded on April 23, 1635, is the oldest public school in America. It offered free education to boys - rich or poor - while girls attended private schools at home. Until the completion of the schoolhouse in 1645, classes were held in the home of the first headmaster, Philemon Pormont. A mosaic and a statue of former student Benjamin Franklin currently marks the location of the original schoolhouse.

We Tour Old state house, this was The Boston Massacre. A cobblestone circle beneath the Old State House balcony marks the site of the 1770 Boston Massacre. The incident began with local boys taunting a British sentry on a cold March night. When the sentry struck one of the boys, the situation quickly escalated.

Old south meeting house: we experience history where the Boston Tea Party began! This hall rang with words from Puritan sermons, public meetings, and the tea tax debates - visit Old South Meeting House and add your voice to history.

The Paul Revere House, built c.1680, was the colonial home of American patriot and Founding Father Paul Revere during the time of the American Revolution. The oldest remaining structure in downtown Boston.

After the tour ended we walked over to little Italy and enjoyed a late lunch while a parade was going on.

After lunch we proceed to go to make our way to bunker hill, where we climbed so many stairs!

The Battle of Bunker Hill on June 17, 1775, was the first major battle of the Revolutionary War and predicted the character and outcome of the rest of the war.

We then headed towards the Navy yard to see the USS Constitution.

Launched in Boston in 1797, USS Constitution is the oldest commissioned warship afloat and earned her nickname "Old Ironsides" during the War of 1812 when she fought the British frigate HMS Guerriere.

We then proceed to go towards the Ferry that would take us back to downtown area. As we walked there we had a chance to view amazing sculptures, great for some photo ops.

Day 2 August 29

We checked out of our hotel at 10am and took a 12 minute walk to the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum Experience.

Guided tours of the Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum last approximately one hour to an hour and 15 minutes. We had a chance to Participate in a re enactment of the assembly that vote for the Boston tea party to happen. We then took viewed a virtual exhibit and authentically restored tea ship were we re enacted throwing the tea into the sea!

After the experience we headed back to the hotel to pickup our car and made a quick stop at Harvard university and had dinner before we return back to NY.

[callmebrycelee]

AMERICAN HORROR STORY REACTION

This reaction is for season 11, third episode "Smoke Signals" which originally aired on October 26, 2022. The episode was written by Brad Falchuk and Manny Coto and directed by John J. Gray. Spoilers ahead!

SMOKE SIGNALS ...

Last week we got two killer episodes of American Horror Story: NYC and I'm still feeling pretty good about the direction of this season. Adam and Gino continue to be my favorite characters thus far, but Russell Tovey's Patrick is starting to grow on me as well. Before I launch into my reaction to episode number three, I must say, I was initially skeptical about most of this cast being newcomers to American Horror Stories. All those doubts are officially gone because Charlie Carver, Joe Mantello, and Russell Tovey are definitely holding their own acting alongside AHS vets like Leslie Grossman, Denis O'Hare, and Billie Lourd.

Okay, let's talk about the episode. We start off with Fran (Sandra Bernhard) and Dr. Hannah Wells (Billie Lourd) at a diner after the latter's run-in with Big Daddy in Central Park. At the end of last episode, Fran told Hannah the government is responsible for the virus she is currently studying. She further elaborates by mentioning something called Operation Paperclip. Apparently, back in the 1952, the United States used Nazi scientists to create new viruses made from both human and animal diseases to use against the Russians during the Red Scare. They did manage to come up with a good virus but it was too big to be airborne. However, it could be transmitted via mucous membranes.

Naturally, Hannah pushes back against this and asks Fran why the government would wait nearly thirty years later to release the virus. Fran tells her that the Cold War is heating up, so the United States is bringing back the virus that was created back in 1952 and testing it out on people who are considered undesirable, i.e., drug addicts, homeless people, and prisoners. They also used ticks to help transmit the virus but the virus broke free of the island and it's now starting to spread amongst the gay population in New York City. Hannah asks Fran what she's supposed to do with this information. Fran tells Hannah that she believes some of her patients are infected with the virus and she should go to the press about it. Hannah tells Fran that in order to do that she will need proof. Fran tells her she needs to think of something and think of something fast because the government is on to her.

Meanwhile, Stewart (Taylor Bloom) escapes the cage he is being imprisoned in and flees Sam's apartment. It should be noted that when Stewart heads out into the hallway, Big Daddy is standing sentry by Sam's apartment door. Stewart acknowledges Big Daddy's presence, and my theory is that we know Sam has the same virus that several of Dr. Hannah Wells' patients have and if he hooked up with Stewart, chances are he passed on the virus to Stewart. I believe Big Daddy is a manifestation of the virus that will become known as AIDS and those who have the disease are able to see Big Daddy while those who don't have the virus can't see him.

Stewart goes to the police station and Patrick takes his story. Stewart tells Patrick that he answered a payphone outside of a leather bar which is how he ended up at Sam's apartment. Patrick is a wee bit judgmental, but he does go to Sam's apartment to investigate. Sam (Zachary Quinto) is having a party and when confronted by Patrick, they head down to his basement where his sex dungeon is kept. Sam knows that he can't be arrested because according to him, what transpired between him and Stewart was consensual. Patrick insists that something unsavory did take place and he tells Sam that Stewart is worried about his reputation. Sam throws this back in Patrick's face and strongly insinuates that he is well aware of Patrick's own vices and how they could affect his reputation. Patrick backs off because he doesn't want to risk getting outed at work.

Patrick talks to Gino about his encounter with Sam and Gino speculates that perhaps Sam is the one who held him prisoner. Patrick assures Gino that Sam is not the guy. Gino shows Patrick a sketch of the man he believes abducted him but Patrick seems unconvinced. Gino justifiably gets frustrated because he believes this is Patrick yet again not wanting to lead the charge towards finding the person responsible for recent rash of murders. Gino also is having a difficult time trusting Patrick because Patrick lied about his leather fetish. Patrick admits to liking leather bars and tells Gino he used to go to leather bars before they got together. These two could benefit from some couple's counseling. Patrick needs to be more open about what he's thinking and feeling and as much as I love Gino, he needs to be a little less judgmental. It's the classic case of someone having to come to terms with their sexuality early on and not allowing others to have their own journey towards self-discovery. Gino tells Patrick that he should check out the payphone outside the leather bar but Patrick reminds him he's not a private detective and therefore he has to have cause for doing such things and he doesn't think he can rationalize to his coworkers why he needs to stake out a payphone. Gino, in order to motivate Patrick, appeals to his desire to be dangerous and reckless which surprisingly works because the next scene we get is Patrick standing next to the payphone.

Patrick continues to wait by the payphone for what feels like hours until he gets a phone call from Whitley (Jeff Hiller). Whitley gives Patrick an address to go to and Patrick is led to an underground party. We see Hans (Casey Thomas Brown) giving a performance. Patrick wanders further into the venue and heads into a darkened passageway. He sees an unmasked patron (played by Zach Meiser) wearing the same kind of leather gear that Daddy wears. This is clearly not Big Daddy because even though this guy is quite muscular, he is not hulking like Big Daddy. Patrick aggressively confronts the bespectacled man and finds a switchblade on him. Rather than further interrogate him in regard to all recent murders, Patrick starts kissing him. He then turns the guy against a wall and uses a cat-o-nine tails to beat him. I believe this scene is here to show us just how deep Patrick's leather kink runs. It's important to point out that it does appear that his behavior is consensual.

We then see the performer Hans heading into a very empty subway. He sees an older, unkempt, heavyset woman standing on the other side of the platform and for some reason he decides to follow her.

Over at the Native, Adam asks Gino if he knows why his captor let him go instead of killing him. Gino tells Adam that the guy saw his United States Marine Corps tattoo on his chest and then thanked him for his service. He then shows Adam the drawing he had made of what the guy looks like. Adam speculates that there are two killers - the guy who abducted Gino and Big Daddy. Adam tells Gino he has a date at a bar and Gino tells him to be careful, especially if he's going around inquiring about the Mai Tai killer. Gino doesn't want Adam to become the next victim. He then asks Adam who he's seeing, and Adam tells him it's Theo. Gino tells him that he's heard some pretty dark stuff about Theo's partner, Sam.

Gino goes to The Ditch and talks with Alana (Rebecca Dayan) who is busy cleaning blood off the sidewalk outside the bar. He shows her the drawing of the man who abducted him, and she confirms that he's been at the bar. She mentions that when she encountered him, he had a dark aura about him. She suggests that maybe he was in Vietnam. Gino tells her that he needs to be captured and begs her to let him put some flyers up in the bar. Alana does acquiesce and she tells him that if he's going to hang up flyers, to be careful not to tear the paint off the walls.

Adam arrives at another local bar called Ascension and is greeted by the hostess, Dunaway (Sis). She tells him it's a member's only establishment, but Adam tells her that he's with Theo Graves (Isaac Powell) and she immediately ushers him inside. Adam asks if he can put up some flyers, and Dunaway tells him 'no'. He asks her if she's heard of Big Daddy, and she answers back that she hasn't but if he ever finds him to send him her way. I love Dunaway! I hope we get more of her this season!

Theo arrives at Ascension and Dunaway takes him to Adam. We do see Big Daddy standing behind Theo in the doorway but neither Dunaway nor Theo acknowledges his presence. There is some flirtatious banter between Adam and Theo. Adam is quite taken by Theo and the feeling seems mutual even though Theo is currently in a relationship with Sam. Adam shows Theo the drawing of the man who abducted Gino. Meanwhile, Gino is at the Brownstone talking to Henry (Denis O'Hare), showing him the same drawing.

Henry recognizes the man in Gino's drawing and tells Gino that he was at the Brownstone the night before. Gino asks him why he didn't call the police and Henry insinuates that the police wouldn't have been much of a help. I loved Henry's story about how he ran away from home at age 13 and ended up in New York City. He talks about how he was nearly murdered three times and how he's lost so many friends, acquaintances, and lovers over the years to violence. He tells Gino that if he had tried to figure out what happened to each of those men, he would've ended up dead himself. I find this story so important because people like Gino tend to see inaction as laziness. For men like Henry, inaction, not getting involved, is a matter of survival.

Gino tells Henry that the last night they spoke, he ended up being drugged, kidnapped, and tortured, but Henry remains unphased by his story. Gino gives up and leaves the bar. Meanwhile, back at their apartment, Patrick goes into his closet and puts on his leather gear. it should be noted in this scene, while Patrick is flexing in front of the mirror, he notices some sores on his shoulder. 

Back at Ascension, Adam interrogates Theo about Sam and Big Daddy. Theo assures Adam that Big Daddy is dead. While the two of them continue to talk, a man in leather gear, who looks a lot like Big Daddy, locks the main doors preventing anyone inside from getting out. What follows is an exciting sequence where Adam is given a Mai Tai by an unknown patron at the bar. He looks up and sees that the guy at the bar is the same man in Gino's drawing. At the same time, Dunaway discovers they are locked in and while Adam tries to go after Whitley, Theo manages to kick open the front door. At that moment, the man in leather gear tosses a Molotov cocktail inside the bar setting the whole place ablaze. The man then adjusts the chains and locks on the door and walks off leaving those inside to burn to death.

Hannah meets with an official at the local hospital and her request to draw blood from patients exhibiting signs of the virus she's been studying are denied. As she is leaving the hospital, she sees several patients arrive from Ascension. Hearing that the patients are coming from a gay bar, Hannah springs into action.

Adam and Theo manage to escape from the inferno with minimal injury. Adam suffers from smoke inhalation while Theo has some burns on his extremities. Other patrons like Dunaway, aren't so fortunate. I felt so bad for Dunaway who appeared to have third degree burns all over her body. When a nurse tries to check out Adam who is suffering from respiratory distress, he starts to freak out. After he is restrained, he begs Theo to call Gino.

Theo calls Gino, and Gino shows up with Patrick in tow. Adam tells Gino that the Mai Tai Killer was at the same bar he and Theo were at before the fire and tells him that he needs to find him. Gino shows a nurse the drawing of Whitley and she tells him that she saw him in one of the triage rooms. When Gino and Patrick arrive at the room, they discover that Whitley is gone. Gino suggests that he and Patrick split up so they can find him.

Hannah talks with Dunaway who tells her that she saw the man who started the fire and that he is not only coming for the gay men, but he’s also coming for everyone. This piece of dialogue stood out to me because it further confirmed my theory about Big Daddy being a manifestation of the AIDS virus which has yet to be named.

The biggest twist of the episode came when Hannah went to see Adam and we learn that they already know each other. We don't get much insight into their relationship, but Adam tells her that he feels good about what he and Hannah did. Now that I know that these two characters have a history, it sort of changes how I feel about Adam. He knows more than he's letting on but a part of me still believes that he is the good guy and whatever he and Hannah are working on is something good.

Hannah goes to Whitley's room and draws a sample of his blood. Whitely is paranoid and immediately leaves. He heads out the front door and is confronted by Gino. Whitely pushes Gino down and runs back into the hospital. Without waiting for Patrick, Gino pursues him and is led to the morgue. Gino is subdued by Whitley and locked inside one of the freezer drawers. What is it with American Horror Story and burying people alive? We saw it with Madame LaLaurie and Misty Day in "Coven" and then we saw that poor couple in "Cult" get locked inside twin coffins. The episode ends with Gino screaming and begging to be let out while Whitley gets away.

At this point, I'm sitting on the edge of my seat waiting to see what happens next. Thankfully, I don't have to wait long because while I find it odd that FX is releasing episodes of American Horror Story two at a time, I'm also grateful because there's no way I could have waited an entire week to see if whether or not Gino would be okay.

This episode, like our first two episodes, was pretty amazing. I love the dark tone of this season and I can't say this enough - I'm so happy they chose to go super grounded this season rather than venture into the over-the-top campiness that has been prevalent in the last several seasons of the show. Adam and Gino continue to be my favorite characters, but Hannah and Theo are not too far behind them. The verdict is still out on Patrick and as far as I'm concerned, Sam can go. He's nasty and vile and I don't think he's going to make it out of this season alive. Our OGs - Leslie Grossman, Denis O'Hare, Patti LuPone - aren't given much to do thus far and perhaps that's by design. For the longest time Jessica Lange, Sarah Paulson, Lily Rabe, and Evan Peters were the faces of this series and they've gone on to do other projects for Ryan Murphy. New blood (no pun intended) is exactly what this series needed, and we are getting it in spades with top notch performances from Charlie Carver, Joe Mantello, Russell Tovey, and Isaac Powell. After episode four we will officially be halfway through this season. I am still feeling pretty confident about where this season is headed. Stay tuned for my reaction to episode four. Until next time ...

[augment-techs]

Lamb, Cherries, and Bone Broth for any of the MMPR pairs of your choice?

@skyland2703

[augment-techs]

Jason (in a sleek red outfit not terribly unlike members of court in China or Japan at the turn of the eighteenth century, staring out into the courtyard of Drakkon's palace, overrun with alien war ships and downed sentries and foreign warriors running amuck while also trying to get into the fortified walls to seek an audience with Drakkon, despite the tyrant being off world to deal with another issue with the Interplanetary Defense): There's no place to hide, the walls won't hold, and I can't imagine what the Coinless are going through right now...

Adam (trying not to sound bored, as if this was something that hadn't happened at least four times already since Drakkon began his career as an eager young upstart amongst intergalactic tyrants and empires): Hiding was never an option, and it would be a fool's jest to try and run. You're forgetting that humans have quite a few more tricks up their sleeves than just bluster and cowardice and self-interest.

Jason: Drakkon--

Adam (scrunching his nose in distaste but still smiling not unlike a sly cat): Is not available at the moment to punish me for that comment or deny the truth of it. Nor First Division, or Second, or the rest. There is only the lot of us sad and forgotten Eights that go utterly unnoticed in the grand scheme of things. And what a boon that will be by the time this is done!

Jason: ...I don't understand.

Adam: You don't have to. You just need to continue to sit on the throne and pretend to know what you're doing, as if you you've always been in command of this sorry situation you've been thrown into by the universe and its funny sense of humor and let my Captain and my comrades do our jobs.

Jason (finally allowing himself to look somewhere between afraid and justified in his anger at this predicament): You're not warriors, though! You're not fighters or techs or powerful in any way! The meager amount of Power you get for your suits doesn't even hold a candle to what is necessary to fight off even one band of Hartunians, let alone the entire envoy they've brought along to take over. How can I be expected to act like nothing's wrong when I've seen what Eighth Division does and none of it is something that can be used to defend against a full scale world invasion?!

Adam (taking a deep breath in pantomime, waving for Jason to do much the same before setting a hand on his shoulder like the man was still that teenager who got rattled to his care at facing monsters sent by Rita while still having a curfew set by his parents): See, Jason, that's where you're wrong. We have everything we need; not to defend against an invasion, but to stop it from happening in the first place. It is not an invasion yet, merely a show of force from one blustering egomaniac towards the palace of another that isn't even here right now. The King of Hartunia will come down in less that an hour from his ship, probably with his Queen--who hates him, too, I should add--to seek an audience with who they think is Drakkon or at least the next best thing; you, the one he's courting. Which, to an asshole like that, is just as good as a Queen or Regent. All you have to do is be polite and a little pompous and keep the king talking.

Jason (still wanting to argue, still so very out of his depth and afraid and wishing more than ever that he had his coin instead of a collar around his neck, or golden bracelets he couldn't take off; rubbing his face to feel at the smooth skin still fresh from a shave he'd had before the first explosion went off and he was lucky Adam had nerves of steel and didn't cut into his jaw): And what will you and your Captain and Eighth Division be doing?

Adam (giving an even wider, sneaky grin, before turning around like a showman, arms stretched out and away from him as he walked off to the wing of the throne room with the little old fashioned strings and buttons and bells that lead to other places that only Eighth Division ever seemed to be aware of, given that they were always the ones fulfilling the needs of Drakkon and everyone else, whether they knew it or not): Everything else. Do not worry~

Tagged by: @ajgrey9647

Tagging: @lordkingsmith @skyland2703 @madhare0512 @estel-eruantien and anyone else who might like to try.

Your phrase is: Oh please, please, please, please.

Bonus phrase: Huh. That actually felt...good.

Character voice tag game

Line provided by @vyuntspakhkite-l-darling: "We have to Go"

(With characters from TCOT and I'll reblog with J&R Side WIP)

Kasi: Please, go.

Xhaazi (Shady): Let's get out of here!

Chrin: Come on, let's go!

Sokuna: We can't stay here!

Mouse: Can we leave yet?

Marril: Hurry up.

Viasaki: *just picks you up and leaves*

Kila: If you spend another second staring at that wall I will Feed you to the wolves

Shyre: Please, we need to leave, now.

(I will be doing these for a while because I am now obsessed)

@ajgrey9647 @smudged-red-ink @clever-naming-convention and anyone who wants to, your phrase is: "I can't do this anymore"

[theorangerangers]

Lineage Post Request: Adam Park, (whoo boy) MMPR/Zeo/Turbo/Drakkon's Black Ranger Sentries in Shattered Grid.

[satoshi-mochida]

Some thoughts on my last Gamefly rental, Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid(Switch base version).

I’ve liked Power Rangers since way back when, though I’ve only played the SNES game and kind of dropped off watching it partway through MMPR, but have been keeping up seeing with the new series are like from some YT videos about the series.

The Story Mode seems to be a heavily abridged version of the Mighty Morphin' Power Rangers: Shattered Grid comic arc, which I’ve heard of but never read myself, but after playing this and reading up on it, I kind of want to. The story cutscenes are voice acted, and look kind of like comic drawings, with a small bit of animation in them, and look good, imo.

I mistakenly thought it’s Story Mode to be easy on the default Normal difficulty,, but boy I was mistaken; the CPU can be pretty merciless, with me getting combo’d hard when they got the chance to. The Mastodon Sentries feel a bit cheap too, since they can shoot you from afar, and a few battles have you fighting more than one, and once up to 3 of them, on a team. While I did get better eventually, I decided to just switch to Easy Mode after a while. 

Fights are similar to the Marvel Vs. Capcom series in that you have up to three characters on your team, being able to call them in for assist attacks or tagging out(hitting the assist button once or twice, respectively). I think some people from those games actually worked on this.

You can also select a Megazord, or Goldar, to help you in battles. During fights, as you take damage, a meter fills up for them, and can be activated as either a counter or an extra set of attacks from them when filled up. You can even pick Goldar even when playing as him(which happens a few times in Story Mode, too).

Since I got the base version, not the ‘Super Edition’, there were quite a few characters behind a lock on the character select screen in Arcade/Training Mode. I’m a bit disappointed in that, since a few I wanted to play as, like Adam Park and Anubis ‘Doggy’ Kruger. If you do plan on getting this game, and have a Switch, make to to get the ‘Super Edition’.

There’s also an Arcade Mode, which is has a small unique ending for each character after 7/8 battles. Characters that still need to be bought are fought in this mode, too(probably since the fights would be much less varied otherwise).

Here’s everyone available after updating the game and without DLC:

MMPR

Jason Lee Scott(Red Ranger)

Kimberly Hart(Pink Ranger)

Tommy Oliver(Green Ranger, with White Ranger costume/moves as DLC)

Goldar

Lord Zedd

Power Rangers Zeo

Trey of Triforia(Gold Zeo Ranger)

PR Lost Galaxy

Mike Corbett(Magna Defender)

PR Time Force

Jen Scotts(Pink Time Force Ranger)

PR S.P.D.

Kat Manx(S.P.D. Kat Ranger)

PR Mystic Force

Udonna(White Mystic Force Ranger)

PR Super Megaforce

Gia Moran(Yellow Super Megaforce Ranger)

Power Rangers (2017 Movie)

Cenozoic Blue Ranger

Boom! Studios Comics

Trini Kwan(Yellow Ranger in Dragon Armor)

Ranger Slayer

Mastodon Sentry

Lord Drakkon

Some of the characters are voiced by their actors from the show, though a few aren't, some for more obvious reasons(namely Trini and Lord Zedd, since their actor and VA respectively have passed away). It’s nice to hear those that returned playing their characters again.

It took me a bit to really get decent at the game, though I played the worst as those with long range skills, like Kimberly, Ranger Slayer and the Mastodon Sentry, but the Magna Defender can be a real fun beast to play as. I definitely recommend Training Mode before just jumping into the game.

Despite having so many characters annoying locked as DLC in this version, it was pretty fun, and nice to see a fairly wide variety of characters from the series to play as. Wish less fighters as of late would stop having so many characters end up being DLC until a more complete version releases, though.

Next game being sent is: ConnecTank.

[augment-techs]

Small but true to the form of these two under the circumstances~

"Why haven't you been eating?" & "When's the last time you slept?" + World of the Coinless Sentry Adam & Skull~

So, forgive me for any mischaracterizations, I know zip-zero-nada about these versions of these characters. Also, apologies for how short it is. Here we go!

~

Adam throws his helmet down on his bed. It's been a long day and he just wants to shower and sleep. Well, not sleep. He knows damn well he won't be sleeping.

Adam gronas, letting his head hang back.

"When's the last time you slept?" asks a new voice from the bed.

Adam snaps to attention, turning on a dime and dropping into a fighting stance. His eyes adjust to what he's seeing and he relaxes. "Oh, it's you," he says.

Skull's eyes flick up and down Adam's body with such critism, Adam can almost see the cruel twist of lips Skull must've worn in highschool. "Yeah, it's me. When's the last time you slept, huh?" he asks again. "Or how about, why haven't you been eating?"

Adam makes a noise, looking down and away. He crosses his arms.

Skull scoffs. "Fine. Let's go." He stands.

Adam yelps as he's suddenly tugged off and away from his bedroom. "Hey," he snaps, twisting his wraist.

Skull moves his hand with Adam's twist. "Nope," he says. "Let's go, Park. We're going to get you some food."

"Skull," Adam protests.

Skull doesn't budge. "Take better care of yourself, idiot, or Drakkon's missions will kill you before you can get the glory of dying for him."

Adam goes to protest again, but then he hears unexpected warmth in Skull's voice. He sighs and lets Skull pull him on. "Alright," he murmurs.

~

@augment-techs

[ranger-ribbons]

Telling each other "I'm here" + "Why haven't you been eating?" & World of the Coinless; post-Drakkon, Adam & Skull

Sure sure sure! This is more one-sided than each other, I'm sorry about that.

~

Adam's eyes flicker open to face another day. He groans, twisting to lay on his back and stare up at the ceiling. Rocky and Aisha won't be back for a few days, helping with relief efforts in the Coinless and Adam's just so tired. He sits up with a long sigh and looks around, checking his watch to see it's almost five o'clock in the afternoon. He's positive he didn't use to do this. Drakkon had required that his Sentinals be up at 7, drills at 8, and positions at 9. No breaks, no hesitation, no mistakes.

Adam doesn't know what to do with himself now that Drakkon is gone and he's got more freedom.

A loud knock echoes through the house, followed by the door opening. "Park!" shouts a familiar voice. "Let's go, we got things to do! Get breakfast and let's get out there." A pause, then Skull continues, "And don't try to bullshit me! I know you haven't been eating! Why haven't you been eating?"

Adam groans and falls back onto the bed, dragging the pillow over his head.

~~~

Skull hands Adam another juice box and drains the last of his water in one long gulp. They've been out here for three hours, the sun's beginning to set. Slowly, it sinks down behind the trees. Adam watches it go and wishes, not for the first time, that he knew what he was doing, what he could do with his life now that it didn't revolve around Drakkon and drills and missions against the Coinless and survival-

"Hey."

Adam jolts as something- the back of a hand?- hits his shoulder. He turns, finds Skull watching him intently. "Get out of your head and focus, Park. You're here to watch a sunset and talk. So, watch the sunset and talk." Skull twists open another bottle- some kind of exotic drink, Adam thinks when he sees the color- and takes a swig. "Or don't," he continues. "You don't have to talk to me about shit if you don't want to. Just." Skull sighs, meeting Adam's eyes with weary eyes. "I'm here, okay?" he asks. "So, don't bottle shit up when you can talk to me about whatever."

Adam thinks about that. It would make sense to talk to Skull, who knows what it was like under Drakkon's thumb. Adam could talk to Skull, who was a Sentry like him, Red instead of Black but still the same job.

Adam could. He could talk to Skull. He could talk ad talk and they could take comfort in the fact that they're still alive. They're still here. They survived the war, didn't they?

Adam slowly leans against Skull, eyes watering. "I'm here, too," he says softly. "I'm here, too."

Skull smiles. The sun sets and with the darkness comes the knowledge that Adam, while still hurting, is not alone. He doesn't know what to do with his life and he has way too much time on his hands, but he's not alone in that.

"I'm not okay," Adam says softly.

"Okay," Skull replies. "Let's talk."

~

@augment-techs

[lordkingsmith]

Adam Park OC Children

Adam’s a great guy and a total fucking sweetheart and the comics have and do him a disservice. I can’t fix that, but I can soothe my inner annoyance and give him a load of kiddos and loving relationships in all the alternate realities I can think of. And talk about the child he does canonically have in Coinless. Nameless Coinless boy also gets an au version. he deserves it, and his dad too.

Canon Children:

Unknown Mother;

Apparently a boy of unknown name, personality, or age. Child aged, maybe? So…probably anywhere from newborn to early preteens because the kid would probablyotherwise have been a sentry? I don’t know, I just… think they could have done a lot more with this mystery kiddo? child being assumed dead and then avenging Adam dying would have been a very cool plot twist! but no! he's so light on character he's not a character! He's a mention in a backstory to make Adam tragic! Who's his mom, who is he, how old was he, what illness did he die of, did he die of an illness, I-c'mon. there's light on character and then there's this. May the child come back in a reboot or just in general. And be a badass. I wish this for all of them, by the way.

My OC and Alternate Reality Kids for Adam:

Eugene Skullovitch;

Eugene doesn't believe in himself, but Adam does, did, and always has. They started dating after Adam encouraged him to play the piano in the talent show. Adam loves his music, and they're both encouraging of each other. Aisha is a surrogate for their son, Lukas. Given how close she was to Adam, it was only natural in her mind to offer. She loves him, loves he's found happiness, and when they decided they wanted kids she wanted to help that happiness grow. Lukas Park's 17, plays piano, and volunteers at the animal shelter. Adam's a doctor and while Lukas respects and likes this, he'd rather be a veterinarian. Or, like Skull, a professional classical pianist. They support Lukas with whatever he wants to do or be, and he loves the fact he's not being pressured. Skull once sat him down with a list of every job he's ever done (the list was actually more like an entire manila folder bursting out the sides, it was frankly impressive), a ranking system and how much each profession made. Everything from a cop to a detective to an undercover agent for the government to a waiter at a bar to a judge at a pet show to rockstar to pianist-it was comprehensive and a little overwhelming, but at the end of each profession Skull said if it was what he wanted, he'd be proud. At the end it left Lukas fairly calm and certain no matter what choice he made, it'd be the right choice for him, and his dads would support him in this. not associated with a color

Tommy Oliver;

They’d been friends since a bit before the transfer, and Tommy was Adam’s leader for years on three or four different ranger teams. There’s a level of trust there you don’t usually get, and they were both black and green rangers in their lives. After Tommy became Dino Thunder Black, and shortly after a divorce between him and Kat, Adam and Tommy started spending more time together. The getting together thing was an accident. Both of them at a Christmas party and then things going from one thing to the next, and Tommy says he’s never felt so at home waking up in someone’s arms.

They have one son together, Isaiah Park. Tommy cashed in on a favor owed by Grace, and soon enough JJ Oliver was trying to figure out where his baby half brother had come from. His opinion was Adam, because he was shorter. It wasn’t until several years later they were able to explain it in a way JJ would understand and accept. But they never let him live the cute story down, to his embarrassment. Given Tommy’s immunity to time fluctuations and manipulations by the Machine Empire, they found out they were living in the same town as Time Force. Tommy was able to complete a doctorate in, to Adam’s perception, a day. Tommy is a lead paleontologist due to this, and Adam works at the museum. However given Tommy being Tommy, there is currently a divorce. Tommy wears his trauma on his sleeve and Adam has given up trying to fix him.

Isaiah Park is sixteen. He’s quiet, thoughtful, and tends to think with his emotions rather than his mind. Lucky, charming, and a natural heartthrob to his school, though he doesn’t seem to notice. Loves music, especially classical, and reading. He hasn’t really thought about being a power ranger, though he wouldn’t say no if he was asked. He was babysat by the Dino Thunder team as a kid, and kidnapped by Mesogog once. All hell broke loose when this happened, and Isaiah’s unsure if he wants to be a ranger when this sort of danger could happen to any of his loved ones. Tommy and Adam are currently in the process of divorce, and Isaiah’s getting used to that idea as well, but it’s nice having JJ to talk to about it.

He has enough to deal with with his dads. They love telling the story of when he was three, they’d go “see you later alligator” and “after awhile Crocodile” and he’d respond, loudly and enthusiastically; “bye bye, froggie!” To this day he’s been unable to get them to stop telling this story to his friends, love interests, and any adult who’d listen. JJ feels the pain. Isaiah is not associated with any color. This is probably a good thing. However if he was, it’d be black.

Aisha Campbell;

It was just natural for them to get together. They’ve been friends together since forever, they’ve always been friends and it progressing to a little bit more made sense. They got married a little after joining SPD together. They have four kids together. Wendell, aged 26, Rocky, aged 26, Koniqua, aged 19, and Jacqueline “Jaq” Park, aged 17.

No way they weren’t going to name one of their kids after their closest friend aside from each other. Rocky was best man at their wedding even. When they found out they were having twins they simply used the middle name they were intending for a boy for Wendell. Rocky’s the older by eight hours, Wendell was a more difficult pregnancy and took his time, which actually was a foreshadowing to the twins’ personalities.

Rocky Park is rambunctious and a goofball. He loves making people laugh. Like his mom he’s empathetic and strong willed. Like his dad he’s prone to flashes of intense introspection, but never for long. Surprises people with his love of classical music. He’s enthusiastic to the point of being intense. Can be hard for him to dial it back. He’s a yellow ranger for his team.

Wendell is everything Rocky is not, and is a little bit of a little shit. He's often not noticed by other people, and tends to use that to his advantage. He knows his brother is a yellow ranger, and while he's not a ranger, he takes the opportunity to tackle or ram cars or steal from the monsters of the week. he's not noticed and it gives other rangers openings usually. He's given Rocky everything he's stolen, and is pleased when they're incorporated into the team's arsenal.

Koniqua is a lover of poetry, fables, and the history of the power rangers. She's determined to be one of the scientists who creates a new team, or unlocks the mysteries of the grid for general use. Pragmatic, quick thinking, happy to help her dumb brothers. They don't think she knows. She knew who'd saved her as soon as Rocky said "you're safe now civilian" and tried to act dumb. She barely resisted the urge to call him out. Doesn't bother fighting the monsters, her brothers got that covered, but she does help get other civilians to safety when needed. not associated with a color. She's going into historical costuming, with the intention of working for tv productions.

Jaq would love to know why earth is so valuable to bad guys that they keep trying to take it over. Genre savvy type, and doesn't take shit. Has psyched out two villains and one of the comedy duo by just asking over and over "okay but why". Not popular, has two best friends and they're all kind of outsiders. Prefers it this way. You will not find Jaq anywhere near the monsters when they appear, she's gone and dragging her friends off with her. not associated with a color, but has made the big bad main villain question themself and then cry. her brother was torn between disappointed, impressed, and terrified of his little sister. Jaq's considering maybe being a therapist specializing in rangers and their villains would be a lucrative career move.

Rocky DeSantos;

They make too much sense for anything else, they were best friends since the beginning. They adopted a kid who lost their home in a fire brought on by a monster. Peter's eleven and scared of the world. Adam and Rocky fully understand, but hope he can open up. They care for him and are worried about him. Peter DeSantos doesn't know how to feel about power rangers as parents after what happened, but he's glad Adam and Rocky are stable and they do try. It's just hard to open up. They have time, though, and that's what matters. Adam's been helping with his anxiety by showing him how to sew. Whenever he gets scared and his dads aren't there, he sews little projects. It helps and he's proud of what he makes.

tangential au; Rocky and Aisha and Adam are together with all above mentioned kids, and Aisha and Rocky's two kids. They live on a large ranch and the kids are thriving.

Scorpina; fascinatingly there is an episode where the Stone Canyon Trio deal with her in a human form as an exchange student named Sabrina. Adam was way into her. Coinless version Adam's finding Scorpina hot in general and she's flirting. A weird pairing but hey, there's a good history of evidence for mutual attraction! Of the trio Scorpina was always more flirtatious to Adam than Rocky or Aisha (this also makes him similar to comic!Skull in that a love interest is a long lived alien pretending to be a teenager for ulterior motives. imagine bonding over that extremely specific thing happening to you, yikes).

Scorpina is not banished to the dark dimension, and like Rita and Zedd, becomes good via Z-Wave. She simply takes the form of her human persona, the now young adult exchange student Sabrina. As Sabrina, she decides to see if she can patch anything up with Adam. Adam for his part needs to think about it. It's not that he doesn't trust she's redeemed, it's just so much has happened can he forgive her and accept the version of her genuinely trying to make things right? It takes a year and a half, and in the meantime they do see other people. But, eventually, they get together. They have a kid who's half alien, as Sabrina's species wasn't changed, she is more interested in looking human to help distance herself from her misdeeds, and blend in. For a time, at least, she eventually goes back to her true form when their daughter Luna Park is thirteen and develops her stinger. This is mostly to teach their daughter how to correctly use said stinger and other abilities without hurting herself or loved ones.

Luna Park is nineteen, very fashionable, calculating, and very good at getting her way. She generally doesn't do this maliciously, and works at a youth center, as the fundraiser manager among other things. She's extremely good at getting people to invest their money in good causes and very good at public events. She's a shapeshifter, but not as accomplished as her mom. While she looks like she'd be snotty or full of herself, she takes a lot after Adam and is very considerate and very polite and encouraging. However this doesn't mean she's a pushover, and she's sent more than one person who thought they could rough her or get handsy to the hospital. Rarely uses her stinger, Luna is an accomplished fencer and hand to hand combatant, though prefers kickboxing to martial arts. Think Daphne Blake with a stinger. Luna is not associated with a color

in a tangential au, she's a power ranger mentor and the green ranger for the team, when necessary.

tangential coinless au; Scorpina keeps protecting Adam, affectionately nicknaming him 'my little froggie' (to his concern), and doesn't let him die. However this annoys him because it sometimes mean she doesn't even let him fight. Eventually they produce Luna, and she's raised in the palace, often passed around by the sentries and Kim. Adam's not allowed by Scorpina to partake in anything potentially life threatening while Luna's young, and he gets placed as stay at home dad/personal body guard to own child duty. Eventually, Luna becomes a commander of black sentries, and works fairly well with the coinless. for the most part. Not much is different personality wise except she's more willing to commit murder and injury. Skull adores her too, and helps with the training when she's a kid.

Carlos Vallerte;

Several years after Adam transfers Carlos his Color, and after they team up, and a year after Adam joins SPA, he and Carlos reconnect. They got along well each time they teamed up, and after everything they get the chance to actually be able to get to know each other again properly outside of power ranger stuff. While both are busy with respective lives and careers, they do have joint custody over two kids, Miguel and Gwena. Aisha surrogated for Miguel, Gwena is an adopted alien girl from Inquiris. It's been a challenge to balance their careers with their kids, but they make it work. Generally, they don't live on earth, they currently live on K0-35 when not on duty with their kids.

Miguel is 13, and quite interested in nature, and earth. He's never actually been, because life kept getting in the way, but he wants to eventually. He's been promised he will, and that's nice. He likes ninjas and puzzle books and horror movies. Especially likes vampires, Carlos is just. Accepting this is going to haunt him for the rest of his life. Told Miguel if he wants to become a vampire that's fine but he needs to wait, and find someone who's not on the galaxy's most wanted list. Or working with a warlord or conqueror. the list of suitables is extremely small. Miguel's also thirteen, and he's realizing maybe he just likes the species in general more than the idea of becoming one. Loves vampire and zombie movies best. Not associated with a color.

Gwena is seven and from Inquiris. Any question given to her is answered with a question. Given how much human children do this in general...you can imagine the annoyance. Carlos and Adam quickly learned to phrase the questions as open ended statements for Gwena to respond to with statements of her own. She's very smart for a seven year old, and wants to know all the answers to all the questions, but is happy to question everything for the sake of asking the question. One day wants to go to earth, but also wants to go back to Inquiris again. She's also heard a lot about two infamous women from Inqiuris; Dimitria and Divatox, twins and very proficient in their own rights. At the moment, she flips between pretending to be Dimitria the good mentor, and Divatox, the pirate. She's seven so neither Adam nor Carlos are worried, but they do hope she'll decide Dimitria, who's a friend of theirs, will be a worthy role model, and not Divatox before the Z-Wave. not associated with a color, that anyone knows of. However Inquirians tend to gravitate to white or red color schemes in their clothing so it's hard for her dads to actually tell. Likes fables and magic and playing pirates. Vicseron, a friend of Dimitria from Inquiris, is Gwena's biological father, but was killed. Her mother also died, and Gwena had nobody. Dimitria had reservations about how well she and Divatox could look after a child. She brought the child to the most dependable ranger couples she could think of.

Prince Trey of Triforia;

While Trey crashed in Aquitar and needed help, when they sent him to earth to the other zeo rangers he helped them first, several times. Adam was, like the rest of them, very curious who the mysterious gold was. When they met properly, he had a little bit of a crush. When Jason took gold so Trey could slow down whatever was happening to him (his logos, pathos and ethos had split into three people, thoufh all of them were of the same mind. Triforian thing, apparently. It took a bit to get used to, to say the least.) Adam spent as much time as he could in the command center with Billy and Trey. They talked quite a bit, and Trey got a bit smitten with the curious green ranger.

When Trey was restored and he got zeo gold back, he decided to stick around for a little while to assist the other zeo rangers, and he and Adam began seeing each other. Adam thought it was kind of odd a prince wanted to date him, but he wasn’t against it at all.

They have one daughter. Crown Princess Tara, aged 20. Adam’s a diplomat between earth and Triforia, and Tara lives mainly on Triforia with Trey. She inherited Zeo Gold, and is noble, calm, and carry’s herself regally as she can. She does have her moments though, and feels like she can’t live up to her parents legacy, sometimes. She does try, though. She never stops trying. She’s going to be the best queen. It’s hard for her to believe it, but she’s going to be. Trey’s a great king, and he’s her dad. And Adam’s awesome, and he’s her dad too. And her teammates are awesome too.

Tangential au; Triforian life span might be longer than humans (I’ve got no idea, heellpp) and she’s the gold to the canon grandson of Tommy’s team. She’d be in the equivalent of early 20’s, in the hypothetical longer lifespan idea.

(we needed a green/gold lol. and this works, they did talk a little in canon. not much but I'm taking the opportunity)

Dulcinea;

She thought he was charming and sweet, and every bit a prince if he just had the self confidence to see it, himself. She made a child using magic, some years after the events of the movie. It killed her, but the child is hers and Adam's. He was confused and deeply saddened when he got the kid and the explanation. He loves Garrett, but it's a bit difficult. Garrett is an owl shifter, like his mother. He greatly resembles Adam. Garrett is 16, and doing his best. He's friends with the punks at his school, and has the constant air of wiser beyond his years. Often lives with Rocky or Tommy and Kat or any other dozen of Adam's friends while Adam's working off earth. He's got an odd, very inhuman air around him, even to other half human alien hybrids. There's something about his owl self that bleeds into his human form. He's never felt at home anywhere he's ever been, and he feels like he should go back to the planet his mother's from, guard what's there. He's a bronze ranger, and Adam wonders if this is from Dulcinea.

Unnamed Mother;

Adam made a mistake in highschool and while the girl wanted to keep the baby, her parents didn't think it'd be a good idea. Adam offered to take the baby off her hands, and while his parents disinherited him over it, Nemo grew up with a village for parents. Skull, Bulk, Aisha, Rocky, and Tommy and a few others off and on, all helped him during high school, with Aisha and Rocky stepping in during college, and Skull after, helping with whatever expense Adam needed. Nemo's fourteen, healthy, happy, and thriving despite everything. Adam's doing okay as a single parent, it's been hard but he's doing good. Adam's a tailor and Nemo mentioned wanting to go into this as well, and Adam about teared up he was so proud.

Coinless verse child has been given a happy alternative woo~

-

if I missed any, let me know! I think I covered most of Adam's possibilities ^-^

[jamesashtonisbae]

I made a list of all my Choices MCs and LIs to avoid studying, so here it is :) 

BTW: I am done for the semester on Wednesday and on Friday will probably start writing again, so look for Part 6 of Why Not Both? my Open Heart series with Bryce x MC and Rafael x MC.  I’ll also probably crank out a couple of TF chapters with James x MC.  At the top are pairings I could see myself writing for, so I may write some other stuff too!  If any of those pairings look like something you’d want, I’d be happy to give some a shot if you want to let me know!  With the exception of Open Heart, the pairings are listed in the order I prefer the pairing (for example, I prefer Lauren x Thomas over Lauren x Levi for MOTY).

Pairings I would write:

Bach: Michelle x Ash

BSC: Tara x Dallas

TF: Lacey x James

LH: Mellie x Ben

MOTY: Lauren x Thomas; Lauren x Levi

OH: Bentley x Bryce; Bentley x Rafael; Bentley x Bryce x Rafael

Platinum: Anniston x Raleigh

PM: Maren x Damien (with others in background, but main focus on Maren x Damien)

ROD: Aleigha x Colt; Aleigha x Logan

VoS: Phoebe x Grant; Phoebe x Naomi

WT: Lila x Jaime

All Pairings

ATV: McAllister Elara - Zekei Sentry

AME: Darian (?) Michaels - Derek (?)

BB: Louise - Clint Covington

Bach: Michelle Wilkins - Ash

BSC: Tara - Dallas James

BB: Hattie - Jax Matsuo

ACOR: Hera - Syphax

DD: Lilith Harper - Luke Harper

TE: Addison Russell - Griffin Langley

ES: Riley - Sean Gayle

TF: Lacey Jae Morgan - James Ashton

THM: Harlow - Rye

Hero: Diedre - Grayson

HSS: Billie Carlson - Caleb Mitchell

HSS: CA: Dianne Walsh - Rory

HFTH: Laurie Joy - Nick Peralta

LH: Mellie - Ben Park

MOTY: Lauren Day (Waverly Day) - Thomas Mendez and Levi Schuler

NB: Nala - Cal

OH: Bentley Rogers - Bryce Lahela and Rafael Aveiro

PTR: Mallory - Ahmed

PM: Maren Park - Damien Nazario, Alana Kasuma, Hayden Young, Sloane Washington, Khaan

Platinum: Anniston Michaels - Raleigh Carrera

RCD: Ava - Matt Rodriguez

ROD: Aleigha - Colt Kaneko and Logan

TRM: Torrence Rosario - Kayden Vescovi

TRR: Queen Eliley Loretta Vanderbilt-Rys - King Adam Rys

ROE: Raya - Daniel Sloan; Tom - Elena Sanchez; Mimi - Audrey; Tess - Blake Yasuda

StD: Liv - Simon Hendricks and Fitz Mercado

SK: Merris - Samson

VoS: Pheobe - Grant Emerson and Naomi Silverhawk

WT: Lila Majors - Jaime