#shifty powers image

[1waveshortofashipwreck]

Easy Company as Pokemon Trainers Part 3

guess what lads we goT MORE COLLAGES OF THE BOYYSSS!!!

Find Part 1 (Guarnere, Popeye, Luz) here and Part 2 (Speirs, Roe, Lipton, Winters) here ! I might make a masterlist/place for the links after this post lol

Smokey Gordon - Steel Type Trainer

Companion Pokemon - Empoleon

Joe Liebgott - Fighting Type Trainer

Companion Pokemon - Lucario

Bull Randalman - Ground Type Trainer

Companion Pokemon - Clodsire (no I didn't give him dugtrio to represent hashey garcia and miller idk what you're talking about)

Harry Welsh - Ice Type Trainer

Companion Pokemon - Glalie

Shifty Powers - Fairy Type Trainer

Companion Pokemon - Dachsbun

(Honestly Shifty's and Luz's might be my favorites lol)

Other Collages in the Works - Buck Compton (Rock), Chuck Grant (Steel), Babe Heffron (Ice), Don Malarkey (Grass), Johnny Martin (Ground), Skip Muck (Water), Lewis Nixon (Psychic), Alex Penkala (Bug), Frank Perconte (Rock), Floyd Talbert (Dragon), Joe Toye (Dark), David Kenyon Webster (Psychic)

Other Ideas I wanna work on - Pokemon League Easy Company, Easy Company with non-battling jobs, multi-type/more personalized teams for the Boys (shoutout to @neptunes-blue for the idea!!)

Taglist: @panzershrike-pretz , @neptunes-blue , @dontirrigateme for smokey ✨

If you have any PokeBoB ideas/requests or you want to be added to the taglist please let me know !! 💖💕

[nerdypixel]

I am crying, because I'm laughing so hard. This. Is. Brilliant!

POV you work or live on whickber street, soho london

the A.Z. Fell & Co bookshop is a money laundering scheme (it is never open and nothing is for sale) and a front for the mob (the main visitor is a guy who wears sunglasses at night and drives a million £ car) and Mr. Fell is a sugar daddy (the sunglasses guy has no job but can afford his lux lifestyle plus he just has that vibe) with ties to the criminal underworld (how do they pay rent without ever selling anything and sometimes people in bespoke white suits come by). there was a violent gang war (a scary horde calling themselves 'the demons' attacked the shop) and Mr. Fell killed all of them (there was screaming and booms) and now the shop is a crime scene (there is a cop inside all the time now) and Mr. Fell is either on the run from the law (he has disappeared) or in prison (sunglasses sugar baby is crying)

[footprintsinthesxnd]

Paper Rings

This lovely request came from the even more lovely @ronsparky. Jess I hope this is a hat you had in mind. I hope you enjoy it! Pairings: Shifty Powers x f!reader Warnings: implied sexual images

Shifty had always welcomed the sunrise, the golden light streaming through the window bringing forth a new day. He’d always admired how the greens and blues had disappeared into vibrant oranges and yellows. He always felt as though it embraced the sky like long-lost lovers torn apart by the night.

The warm body beside him reminded him of the safety of being home. No longer stuck in a foxhole somewhere, cold and unwanted. He felt safe and loved and as the sunlight trickled through the curtains, casting shadowy glows across her face, Shifty knew he had found his home.

Fingers trailing in feather-like touches across her face made Y/n scrunch up her nose and stir from her dreamless sleep. Shifty smiled down at her, his rosy cheeks and boyish good looks seemed to be highlighted by the early morning sun.

“Good morning Sleeping Beauty,” Shifty’s lips brushed against her own and Y/n couldn’t help the smile that grew on her own face.

“Good morning Handsome.”

“Did you sleep well?” Shifty asked, sitting up on his knees expectantly like a puppy waiting for his master to get up and start their day.

“I did thank you,” Jess yawned, stretching her arms up to wrap around Shifty’s neck and pulling him back down towards her. “I slept very well.”

Shifty grinned from ear to ear, his hands once again finding their home on her hips, rubbing gently at the bruises that had formed overnight.

“I’m sorry. Was I too rough?” Shifty fretted as his eyes followed the purple marks adorning her curves.

“No, Darrell, please. It’s okay I’m not that fragile,” she laughed, stroking his face fondly. “You were perfect.”

Shifty felt the heat growing on his cheeks and he tried to bury his face in his wife’s chest but the cool metal against his skin stopped him.

Y/n hand ran down his chest, her cool wedding ring caused Shifty to shiver, picking up his wife’s hand to admire the jewellery.

“I can’t believe you’re actually mine.”

Y/n blushed under her husband's gaze, “And I cannot believe you are mine.”

Shifty smiled, placing his lips on the palm of her hand. “You know, I loved the ceremony and I’m glad all our friends and family were there but I’d have married you even if it was just the two of us in threadbare clothes, in a field, with paper rings,” he admitted, kissing her forehead once more. “Because I don’t care where I am as long as you are with me.”

Y/n chuckled, unable to comprehend how soft her husband was, “You are such a softie.”

“But I’m your softie,” Shifty replied, grabbing onto his wife’s hand and pulling her into his lap, his lips brushing against the soft skin of her throat, his teeth grazing it slightly causing Y/n to gasp. Shifty’s hands found their way to her hips, pulling her even closer and groaning when her thigh brushed against his lap.

“You're going to be the death of me, my Love,” Shifty moved her so she sat sideways, lead in his arms.

“Now don’t go dying on me now, Powers. I’ve only just tied you down,” Y/n jested, smoothing down the ruffled hair on his head.

“There’s no fear of that,” Shifty chuckled, “I’m not going anywhere.”

Tags: @georgieluz @iceman-kazansky @yeahcurrahhe-e @lieutenant-speirs @sharpshootershifty @liberteuniteegalite @msmercury84 @blvestxr @dustyjumpwjngs @theflyingfin @jump-wings @kafka-ohdear @kmc1989 @mads-weasley @docroesmorphine @liptonsbabe @merriell-allesandro-shelton @sweetxvanixlla @hesbuckcompton-baby @ronsparky @mutantmanifesto @malarkgirlypop @panzershrike-pretz

[sortasirius]

Frail State of Mind

Fandom: 911

Pairing: Evan Buckley/Eddie Diaz

Words: 1630

Rating: T

Summary:

It's a strange thing, when Eddie realizes how he feels about Buck. For a while, he thinks it's indigestion.

Title comes from this song.

Also on AO3 here

Eddie was laughing. Really laughing too, that kind of laugh that stretches across your chest, makes your face hurt and your breath catch in your throat.

They were all sitting around the dining table in the firehouse, finishing off Bobby's famous lasagna, and laughing uproariously at a story that Bobby was telling about his figure skating days.

"You just don't understand...the art of the dance," Bobby said, waggling his eyebrows, sending the entire table into another wave of hysteria. He smiled at all of them, standing up and walking around to deposit his dish in the sink. "Clean this up so we don't come back to a pile of dirty dishes after the bell rings."

Chim and Hen got up, clearing Buck and Eddie's plates,

"You two are useless at dishes," Chim informed them, "Let the professionals take it from here."

"And you can do the bathrooms," Hen smiled at them sweetly, ignoring their shared groaning.

"You want to come over later?" Eddie was pleasantly warm, probably from the fact that Buck was a certifiable furnace, and their thighs were pressed together on the firehouse couch, digesting after dinner watching Hen and Chim argue over the dishes, "Chris has some new game he wants to show you. We could order takeout."

"Thanks man, but I'm seeing Tommy later," Buck's smile was mega-watt, so bright that it could probably power the entire west coast, "Tell Chris I'll take a rain check."

Something undefined settled in Eddie's stomach. Something strangely heavy that went from his stomach all the way up his chest...

Before he could spend too much time thinking about it, the bell rang, and he and Buck sprang up.

"Oh come on!" Chim gestured up to the alarm with soapy hands, and Buck laughed, sprinting down the stairs three at a time.

Eddie decided to chalk the strange feeling up to indigestion. He would have to start taking tums after lasagna now, he guessed.

At the end of their shift, when morning had just broken over the city, Eddie was sitting next to Buck again, this time in the locker room. They were pulling on their socks in tandem, chatting idly about the call they had taken that night, which involved a couple and an extra large jar of peanut butter of all things.

"It's just gross," Buck was saying, pulling his sock on his right foot. His socks were always mismatched, he said he didn't see the point of sorting them. Eddie had always thought it was strangely charming, if a little silly. "Not to mention a waste of peanut butter."

"The waste of peanut butter was the problem for you?" Eddie asked him, eyebrows raised, "Not...everything else?"

"Everything else was definitely a problem too," Buck shook his head violently, like he was trying to rid himself of the mental image of the call, "Ugh. Gross."

"Breakfast?" Chim poked his head around the corner, "Bobby said he's buying. Peanut butter pancakes for all."

Buck gave a huge fake heave that Eddie couldn't help but snort at.

"Sorry," he grinned at Chimney, "I have a ride."

"Buck, turning down plans for breakfast that Bobby's buying?" Chim looked stunned, "It really is the end days."

Buck ducked his head, a blush creeping across his cheeks.

"Tommy's taking me out for breakfast."

"And so we're nothing to you?" Chim covered his heart with one hand, "I'm hurt, Buckley, really."

"Whatever," he shrugged his shoulders, pulling on his shoes and giving a shifty sort of look to Eddie, "I really hope you don't eat peanut butter pancakes for breakfast."

Eddie shook his head, still grinning.

"Captain's orders, I can't disobey them."

Buck wrinkled his nose.

"Gross."

They finished getting dressed in a comfortable silence, swinging their bags over their shoulders and bumping into each other as usual, making their way into the bay where Hen and Chim were arguing over what the superior breakfast item was.

"Evan!" Eddie nearly jumped at Buck's given name, looking up to see Tommy striding towards them, a wide smile on his face, but with eyes only for Buck, who seemed to shoot up two feet besides him, striding forward to wrap Tommy in a tight hug.

That feeling in his chest was back, that indigestion from the lasagna. Maybe he had GERD or something. He should ask Hen about it.

"Ready to go?" Tommy asked, his hand skating down Buck's forearm.

Eddie swallowed, not sure why he felt so sick to his stomach all of a sudden.

"Sure am," Buck turned around, that bright smile back on his face, giving Eddie a wave, "See ya, tell Chris I'll be around."

"Later, Eddie," Tommy waved at him, before slinging an arm around Buck's shoulders and placing a soft kiss to the side of his face

Eddie swallowed with an audible click. He felt hot all over, like he was about to be sick.

Man, that lasagna had really done a number on him.

He watched them walk away, until they thought no one was watching them. He watched Buck spin Tommy around, kissing him full on the mouth this time. He thought he should look away. It was weird, after all, to watch anyone kissing, but especially two of his friends. Especially his best friend.

He sat with that heavy feeling in his chest long after Buck and Tommy had split apart and disappeared, willing himself to understand it, understand why he felt like this, why looking at Buck made it worse.

He considered the worst case scenario: that looking at Buck and Tommy made him so uncomfortable it made him nauseous.

How could he even be thinking this way? He was an ally! He had been an ally for years! Hen was one of his best friends!

"You okay, Eddie?" Hen's voice came right by his ear, and he jumped, blinking.

"What? Oh. Yeah. Yeah I just...did that lasagna earlier do a number on you too? I've felt off for a few hours."

Immediately, he watched her stance shift from concerned friend to Doctor Wilson mode. If he hadn't felt so crappy, he would have laughed.

"What are you feeling?" she asked him, looking over the thick rims of her glasses.

Eddie shrugged, feeling almost dejected. Normally he would have brushed it off, but Hen was probably the best fountain of knowledge for little ailments like this.

"Just...heavy in my chest and my stomach. Not all the time just- Just..." he trailed off, staring blankly into space.

It was like someone had just moved something from the recesses of his head, pulling forward a tiny box in an abandoned corner of the back of his mind, a place he never bothered to go, and had opened it.

Buck.

Buck.

A man who had shaped his life from the moment he entered it. The only other person he would really trust Chris with long term. The only person he would trust to make medical decisions about himself. A man who had slotted himself so easily into his and Chris' routine it was like he was meant to be there.

He knew his pizza order, he knew how he liked his eggs. He knew what it felt like when his heart stopped beating for three minutes and seventeen seconds.

He couldn't live without him.

The reality of that came crashing down on Eddie like a tidal wave, like a California riptide. He felt like he couldn't breathe, like he was back to having panic attacks.

"Eddie," he felt Hen shaking his shoulder, "Eddie!"

The truth of the matter, that he was just realizing now, that it may be too late, made him feel like he was caught in a whirlpool, spinning endlessly, unable to catch his breath. That image of Tommy and Buck, so unbelievably happy, so utterly adoring of one another was burned into his brain, he could see it when he blinked, when he closed his eyes.

Had he lost the opportunity for something more real than he may have ever had before he even realized that he wanted it.

"Eddie!"

Bobby was standing in front of him, both hands on his shoulders, craning his neck down to look into his face.

Eddie came to enough to look up, shaking his head back and forth experimentally, knowing how completely insane he must look to the others.

"Yeah," he finally croaked, knowing that this would do nothing to help his case, "Sorry I- I'm fine."

"You sure about that?" Bobby looked him up and down, "Doesn't seem that way."

"I just..." he searched wildly for an excuse. It's not like he could tell them about this revelation. "Got tired all of a sudden. I think- I think I'm gonna skip breakfast. Go home."

"Eddie-" Hen started, but Eddie had already pushed his way past them and headed towards his truck, pulling out of the lot immediately, not daring to look back.

It wasn't until he parked in his driveway that he took a shuddering breath, resting his forehead on the steering wheel.

He wished he could just force this new knowledge about himself back into its little box. It had lived there for so long, what was a little more time? Save himself the embarrassment of pining over his best friend. Who was happily taken by his other friend.

What a nightmare.

His phone lit up in the cupholder next to him. He picked it up, his heart leaping into his throat when he saw the message was from Buck.

Hey, Hen just texted me. You okay?

No. He was decidedly not okay.

He sighed. He could do this. He wouldn't ruin what he had with Buck. He refused to ruin it.

Yeah, totally fine. That lasagna, you know?

Fuck. He was so fucked.

[next-autopsy]

A/N: Well, hi there! Sorry in advance, this chapter gets awkward (why is it so weird writing about periods?) and then dark/sad. Get ready to say good bye to someone….

Based on the actors portrayal/hbo show and written with no disrespect to the real life veterans. Also all images found on Pinterest.

TW: Period talk (it’s awkward), implied assault (not detailed),….. lmk if there’s something I should add here

Made of Glass

Chapter eight: Unrequitable Generosity

The next few weeks started to merge together. The daily routine was set and unmoving with little to no time for much other than PT and lectures. Birdie is yet to experience a weekend pass as her CO finds every excuse to revoke hers week after week.

She had walked into the mess hall the day after Sobel’s failed attempt at starving her and took note of the lack of chalk circle. It had been smudged out and Sobel never explained himself or told her to stand in that spot again, he just glared at her as she stood in line. He still threw the occasionally comment at her but was mostly back to ignoring her presence.

She and the other women were finally allowed to shoot their weapons on the rifle range and while Birdie wasn’t bad at shooting she wasn’t great either.

Not like Shifty Powers. He was promoted to sharpshooter and eased through target practice. Birdie asked him one day how he got so good at shooting and he told her about his father. He had taught Shifty how to aim as soon as he was big enough to pick up a rifle. They often went hunting together, it’s how he spent most weekends back home in Virginia.

He gave her some tips like hand placement and how to brace for the recoil properly and it honestly helped her more than the advice from the actual instructor. Pretty soon she was hitting the target every time and getting more bullseyes than half of the men.

Shifty and Birdie spoke frequently, he was one of the men who joined the designated ‘Birdie table’ at meal times, along with Toye and Bill. Her latest collection of friends was growing; George Luz was almost always found alongside the woman, cracking jokes like it was his job.

Bull Randleman had become close with her too, they had many inside jokes and sayings that only the two of them seemed to understand, it was like they spoke another language. By extension; Johnny Martin, who had begun to stare down any one who whispered about Birdie, whether she was present or not.

Don Malarkey, Skip Muck and Alex Penkala were never separate and adopted the female into their exclusive trio. Skip kept trying to convince her to help him with practical jokes and pranks aimed at the other two but she never gave in, aiming to avoid offending her fellow second platoon men.

After bonding with Toye and Guarnere, the men of Easy company embraced Bernadette quickly. They knew she could handle herself, they had seen it first hand but many opted to treat her like their younger sister, some light teasing and vicious protection.

Birdie had noticed the decrease of catcalling or whistles thrown her way by non-Easy guys but made no comments, even though she knew someone had said something to cease that behaviour.

She had witnessed some Fox guy staring at her in her PT uniform one morning, he had opened his mouth wide, grinning like the Cheshire cat before quickly dropping the look of glee, closing his mouth and leaving. Birdie's eyes followed him in confusion as he left the area, she whipped her head around to look behind her and caught the tail-end of the multitude of death stares he was receiving from her friends. She wanted to laugh at them and playfully scold them but she settled on sending an appreciative smile and resumed the stretches Winters had set for them.

Birdie was scheduled to be on (what should've been her first) guard duty that night and the day was dragging on. She struggled up Currahee that morning, her legs ached more than usual.

During lunch, her appetite was non-existent, she picked at her food but eventually offered her plate to Toye and Guarnere who flanked her. Toye gave her a pointed look but accepted the food.

Birdie stood up too quickly and a wave of woozy light-headedness hit her, she braced onto the table in front of her for a moment before she was ready to move on.

A dull discomfort ached in her lower stomach and she finally clicked onto what was happening. She had been off all day and wondering why but now she understood, her monthly had arrived.

Easy had lectures that afternoon, Thank God, so when Bernadette excused herself to use the bathroom finding crimson leaking into her undergarments was exactly what she'd expected. She hurried off to retrieve a health sponge and headed back into the lecture hall after cleaning up and applying it.

The pain only seemed to worsen and pool in her head as she sat and listened to the droning tone the lecturer used. For the rest of the day her skull hurt as much as, if not more than her stomach.

“You okay, Bernadette?” Eugene Roe had spoken up at dinner, he had seen her pale over the course of the day and noticed her avoidance of food increase since that morning. Toye and Guarnere stiffened beside her, waiting for her answer.

Birdie nodded with a weak smile on her face, she didn't want to worry her friends, she could pull through. It wasn't usually this bad but today her womanly time had hit her hard and all at once and now the only thing on her mind was her night shift and how she would rather run up Currahee ten times than wake up at one in the morning.

“Just tired. Thanks, Doc.” Birdie mumbled, resting her head on her folded arms that lay on the table and closing her eyes. Nausea rolled over her body causing her to sit up in a flash and excuse herself. Her friends watched her go, troubled by her abnormal behaviour, Toye mentally reminded himself to check up on her the next day.

Bernadette rushed to the dedicated women's bathroom and dry heaved into the trash can, not having enough time to make it to a toilet. She had a thin sheen of sweat covering her forehead, reaching her arm up she wiped it away.

“Birdie?” A melodious voice echoed into the lavatories. “Are you alright? I saw you run in here.”

“Yeah....” Her tone wasn't very convincing. She stood and adjusted her clothes once she had caught her breath, Harriet watched her splash water on her face and regain her bearings.

“Oh, honey.” Harriet sympathised with the brunette, she didn't look well, it was either some sort of illness or a really agonizing period. When Birdie clutched at her lower stomach Harriet knew which one.

“Come on, you need to rest up. I bet Sobel will have you running Currahee tomorrow.” The blonde held onto Birdie's arm and guided her to their shared barracks. No doubt the woman needed to lie down.

“Here.” She offered her poorly friend some water, Birdie gulped it down happily and the sick feeling that racked her body began to mute. The southerner changed into her sleeping clothes and crawled face down into her sheets, which were held open by the angel of How company.

“A full nights sleep will do you some good, I'll tell the other girls to keep it quiet tonight.” She rubbed small circles onto her friends back, attempting to help her aching body feel better.

“Except I have fourth shift tonight.” She mumbled, eyes closed and ready to pass out.

“I'll cover for you.” Her brown eyes blinked open, she pushed her body up onto her elbows and stared blankly at the blonde woman sat on the edge of her bed.

“I can't ask you to do that.” Bernadette was dumbstruck by the offer, touched by the kindness of her fellow woman.

“You're not asking, I'm offering.” Harriet put slight pressure on Birdie's shoulders, signalling for her to lay down flat on the bed.

“Really? You sure?” Birdie's muscles ached and she felt her body begin to shut down out of sheer exhaustion.

“Of course I'm sure.”

“Okay, but only if I cover your next shift in return.” Birdie mumbled out, sinking into her pillow and mattress fully.

“Deal. It's next week.”

“Thanks, Harri.” Birdie's voice was barely a whisper, she shut her eyes once more and dozed off soundly. Harriet smiled warmly at the Easy company girl and tugged her blanket up around her shoulders.

————————————————

Everyone knew something was wrong the second they woke up.

Loud bangs sounded from the door of the women’s barracks instead of the usual trumpet that roused them from their sleep. Birdie sat up in her cot, startled and looked around the room in confusion. Most of the others were sitting up now too, just as dazed and confused as her.

The blaring knocks came again and this time Lucy, who was closest to the door stood up to answer it. By now, the ladies were getting out of their beds and pulling on jackets to keep decent in front of their unexpected visitors.

Bernadette looked over to her right, the sight of Harriet's empty, unused cot made her uneasy. She should have been back and curled up in her blankets by now but her presence was lacking and it worried Birdie greatly.

Her mind was still catching up with what was going on when three men entered the room. As the door swung shut she got a glimpse of several more uniformed men lurking outside the steps of the barracks, talking amongst themselves.

“Ladies.” Colonel Sink's unmistakable drawl rung in Birdie's ear and she turned her head to see him stand with Major Strayer and a Lieutenant she'd not yet met. They had grim looks strewn upon their faces and Birdie felt like she could vomit. Her intuition was screaming at her that something bad had happened.

Something really bad.

“Where's Harriet?” She couldn't stop her thoughts from falling out of her mouth. Sink's eyes went straight to her, he grimaced before explaining the events that had brought him to the barracks so early in the morning.

The room went deadly silent.

Connie gasped, slapping her hand to her mouth in shock, Blythe and Charlotte hung their heads. Several jaws were dropped but nobody said anything, really allowing the news to be comprehended.

“Can we see her?” It was Lucy who asked the question, her hands fidgeted in attempts to distract herself.

“I'm afraid that's not possible. Private Huntington was transferred to Atlanta City hospital an hour ago. She's elected an honourable discharge....She will not be returning.”

A/N: And then there were eight.

~ next-autopsy ~

Chapter nine

[visxionaries]

who: @domericstone when and where: the tourney celebrating the coronation of king jaehaerys targaryen, moments before the king graham royce of the vale is unseated by a mystery knight. in some moments, it will be clear there was foul play and intention at hand here. the men are getting onto their horses and readying their equipment. what: at this moment in time, cedric tyrell found himself in discussion with lord domeric stone - of the vale. or the north. both men remain unaware of what was about to happen.

the tiltyard was a different sort of game, and one that cedric tyrell was not the most talented at: whilst all men in the reach were trained in the arts of chivalry that made up the essentials of knighthood, there were only a number that truly meant it. it was something he often heard the high commander ranting over, the nature of those who earned their knighthood instead of those who had simply been purchased - it mattered little to cedric. in fact, it did not matter at all; there was little difference between how notions of romanticised knighthood impacted both men and women alike.

the crowds were vast, the seating high, though cedric found himself amongst the sides of the track, one of the many men who cheered on lord florent. the annoyance at his face continued to amuse him to no end as he patted the man's mare.

and in some spaces beside them were the vale faction, a matter that was a bigger deal to the knights of the reach rather than the king himself: all knew of the rivalry that came between the two regions when it came to the matter of chivalry and knighthood, the history and the essence behind it. time passed, and as men continued to speak, cedric tyrell found himself within the group wishing luck to the king consort of the vale - including the likes of the master of coin. a man whose name will go down in legends equated to a name uttered to scare children into scrambling into their beds.

"truthfully, we are still in the process of banking internally. we have investments within the iron bank that remain; though house hightower has established a bank of it's own. it is a slow process of transference - move too quickly, and the whole thing will come falling down." cedric tyrell believed himself more than able to read facial expressions, to grasp a good judgement of people and yet this one - there was an exception here. and it quietly bothered him, regardless of the conversation that passed between them.

"there comes advantage in owing debts to banners, rather than a power across the sea. i suspect matters would be dealt with far quicker." the iron bank were known to not enjoy waiting. they too, did not appreciate debts not being paid. there was one thing he could grasp about the master of coin, and that was the fact he detested meaningless discussion. meanwhile to cedric, no conversation was truly meaningless; there was always something to gage from a situation, or an individual. especially from one as shifty as domeric, whom had seemingly had many names, many positions, and many reputations.

the discussions continued as the jousts continued, pausing to view the tilts and the clashes each time they roared through the air. "how have you found aiding the north in their repayment of the iron bank?" cedric asked, his question pointed - considering all had heard of the way in which the three sisters had involved themselves by looting a manderly vessel. then there was an ominous silence from the sisters, according to the reports of his mistress of whispers. and he listened as domeric began to respond, his arms crossed against the blue of his tunic as he leaned against a wooden stand; when he heard it. the clash, and the gasp.

glancing to the direction of the shock, he realised what was happening. the king consort of the vale had rolled away from the incoming stampede of hoofs, and then suddenly the image was blurred by the dust that was kicked up by the horses. what he saw, was a large group of nobles stand; knights of the vale pretty much lept over their stands, rushing like the sea onto the track. cedric remained silent, clearly watching the scene unfold.

[porcelaintoybox23]

Final thoughts on UWE

I was iffy on the art style with this dark fantasy, steampunk story but I’ve grown to love it over the last few months. The animation is wonderfully exaggerated and fluid. The faces are incredibly expressive. I think this has expanded my mental image archives for OCs and art.

Even with a possible season 2, I do think a lot of information wasn’t touched upon. Merlin is shifty as hell. I won’t forget about how he lied about Melinda’s powers to Morgan or blamed a child. This whole “eternal” battle thing reeks of bullshit.

We have no information on Alfie and Dimitri. We have no clue where Merlin got Copernicus or why he awakened early. Otto is dead so where did he come from? We spent most of the finale with Emma running around. The final battle was about 5-7 minutes. Even with crunch time, I can’t let that slide. Edred’s backstory had a longer run time.

Speaking of Edred, there were times that I felt he was the main character. I know more about him, how he feels, how he thinks, his life, etc than the entire cast. If anyone is the mc of this season, it’s Emma and by extension Melinda. I wanted more of that inner conflict and both their histories. Yeah, he’s a pretty elf but his screen time should have been shared with the others.

What is the evil? Why is it evil? Has no one questioned Merlin on why Melinda’s powers created it?

I’m not Indian but that psychic dude felt….racist? Please correct me 🙇‍♀️

I just love Emma’s parents.

Winston is still best boy. Yes he is *rubs his belly*

I don’t think Winston or Edred were irrational in their feelings. Edred has been with Melinda for centuries and Winston and Emma are childhood friends. Yeah, I wouldn’t react well either. I still think Edred is more wrong tho.

If it was possible, I would grind him between my teeth like gum. I would spit him out. I would yeet him into a trash can. I don’t hate him. I actually find him adorable. He’s a sad, little man. I want to whump him.

Emma, I absolutely adore. I love her. She’s compassionate and empathetic when she has every right to not be. Instead of hating unicorn, she cares for them, she comforts Melinda. She abandons her parents to return to the cosmic realm. I wish we had her internal thoughts more. How did these bonds form?

Speaking of Unicorn, we saw like 2. What kind of motif is this? 😭

I hope it gets a second season. It’s a weird little thing, but it’s fun and has a lot of potential. The fandom is also fun. I’ve enjoyed my time on twitter and interacting with others. There’s great art too.

Rating: 7/10

[nostalgia-tblr]

This is not a shallow post, honest

Reading Thor-era MCU fic of late I noticed that a few writers drew attention to Loki being very covered-up clothingwise, and at first I was like "...is he?" because he's not abnormally covered compared to men you might see in the street, but he is by MCU standards, isn't he? Not that I've bothered to been able to check before writing this post, but I feel on fairly safe ground saying that most of the MCU Leading Men had got their tits out shirtless by about the end of the second Avengers film, or failing that had spent much of their screentime wandering about in unusally tight t-shirts. By contrast Loki doesn't even have naked arms until... whenever. When he got shirtless in the Loki show (thanks for the confusing title there, Marvel, it makes discussions so much easier) it was because a robot...thing?? stripped him, not because he decided to do it himself. And I, of course, have A Theory about this, based on not much more than conjecture. Don't worry, though, I shall include some pics in this 'essay' to keep things lively and entertaining.

Hang on, I need to Google something.

This is taking longer than I expected it to. Please wait.

Okay, fuck it, this'll do. Sorry for not having sufficent sensible images of these characters on my PC.

Okay, so: an attempt has been made. Not in a meme way, I mean I do think an attempt has been made in these films to make one of these men look smaller than the other even though the difference isn't as vast as fanfic turned it into. You know how in fic Loki's at least a foot shorter than Thor and all skinny and weedy and whatever? I reckon this partly comes from the fact that in terms of plot and character it does kind of make sense that Loki ought to look like he does in fanfiction. He should be weaker-looking, a bit shorter, a bit - dare one say - "drowned rat" next to Thor Whose Power Is He Carries A Big Hammer And We Go On About Him Being A Warrior. We invent a contrast because it feels like there's more of one than there actually is on screen. We all know what the wee shifty one should look like! If he doesn't actually look like that then we'll just say that he does!

And in costuming terms Loki is dressed in black (slimming! slenderising!), with diagonal stripes (narrowing!), a quite strangely-tailored flappy coat (significant in some way! i assume!). His shoulders are less emphasied, the arms that we later learn are fairly muscular are fully covered to hide any obnoxious biceps, and aside from maybe a bit of neck skin showing (whoreish!) we shall see naught of his actual body - he will not be getting his tits out shirtless until such time as he gets his own show and exists not in contrast to Big Beefy Thor but - at last! - as a proper MCU Leading Man. Because as soon as Loki gets kidnapped by the TVA, this happens:

No wait I didn't mean that one I don't even have that one on my PC why would I have that one of course I don't have it pretend you didn't see that.

I mean this happens:

Oh no, normie clothes! Normie clothes being a shirt with the traditional 'Marvel Dudes in shirts' fit (ie: a bit too tight) and the sleeves rolled up, and there's a tie (a TIE! how standardly manly!) and I reckon there are two factors at work here, aside from the aforementioned "we no longer need to pretend this man is short and weedy" thing:

Yes, they have made him look "normal." I know it's a common complaint and sometimes a bit... fervently expressed, but I do think it's a valid point. This show has obviously been made for a 'casual viewer' to some extent. They've seen some of the MCU, and they might feel a bit odd about everyone wearing capes all the time. Let's be real here: the Marvel-nerd audience was already going to be watching this show anyway. The people who know how many Spidermans (Spidermen? Spidersmans?) there are, and who can name well over two of the Avengers. Some of the aesthetics have been changed to appeal more to the 'casual' people, I do think that's what's happened here. (But as one of those people who can't tell you the correct plural of "Spiderman" I don't mind it. It worked! Here I am! Annoying everyone with my noobness! Hi!)

...shit what was the second thing again? Dang it, I've forgotten. Sorry about this, give me another moment to get my thoughts back together.

Oh, that was it: this is now the man we want the audience to think is hot. Some of them did before but we didn't necessarily want them to. And yes I agree that is a bit insulting, given that they did not cast an uggo here. Or even someone short and scrawny. On which point...

I don't want to say they should have cast someone who already looked they way they dressed him to look because obviously that all seems to have worked out perfectly fine in the end, but they could have. In some ways it is an odd choice, worthy of being remarked upon in long rambling tumblr posts that didn't have anywhere near as many photos as were promised earlier on. (Sorry about that.) There's a bit of a mismatch going on here between someone my granny might have called "a sneaky wee bastard" and someone she'd describe as "a six-footer." And this is why in a lot of fanfic this has been... shall we say 'corrected' in some way.

(Not-quite-an-aside: in fic that is specifically about the Loki show and not the other bits of the MCU, Loki usually does not shrink in height and width. This, I would argue, is partly because of the different visual reference points (AKA "we've seen his tits him in relatively revealing clothing") and partly because he's being paired off with different characters, and neither of the usual two (Mobius and Sylvie) are being contrasted as physically stronger than him. If anything those fic writers tend to go on about how tall he is. And now I'll stop before I say anything about obvious height-difference kinks and the fact that yes, your readers have noticed.)

In conclusion,

[virtuouswhitehatorganization]

Green Rod's Romantic Interests And Admirers

1. Coyote/Brain Z. Romero- This guy is her main love interest and ultimately the one I see winning out. Even though he's the archnemesis of her mentor, she's always had a thing for him from her superhero career. It gradually evolves from secret crush to eventually kids and marriage. They actually bore their daughter out of wedlock, married later, and have their twin sons. They would eventually even adopt a daughter. Chances: 10/10

2. Letuma- A true neutral bounty hunter who really likes tripping between both sides. She also interacts with Green Rod a lot and she and her have a lot of romantic tones between each other. She also calls her up when she needs info on stuff and even has gone on hunting trips. Overall, one could say she is the second best. Chances:9/10

3. G-Lo/Gloria Grentina- As a friend and fellow sidekick, they are close as they can be and have a tight relationship with one another. They have each other's numbers and tend to call when they can. They sometimes fight together on missions assigned and couldn't even more closer besties. Due to their close relationship, it teerers on between being just friends and romantic. They do a couple of dates and decide it's best they remain friends. But she would consider it if they would go farther. 9.5/10

4. Drakeflame/Asher Drakeflame- This guy was unexpected from her but she really grew to have feelings for him due to what turned his family evil and has pity for him. They both on a lot of levels trust each other and respect one another. I also think there would be times she would help him out of a jam when it's needed. 8.5/10

5. Wildcord/Brisa Tormenta- She's her archnemesis and also thirsty as heck for her. Even though she tries to deny it, she really wants Green Rod ever since she first defeated her and gets jealous if any other villain tries to go for her. Although Green Rod knows she is crazy about her, she also seems to see some thrill in being pursued by her and toys with the idea of them being a thing even if she is unstable. Chances: 8/10

6. Le Couturier/Mael Tisserand- Yep, this guy would really grind her bones. Although he usually flirts with other girls, she is his biggest target and she often rebuffs him. Her dad wants her to get with him for personal reasons, but she really is repulsed at the idea of them even being with one another. Girl would rather run as fast away rather than spend another date with him which she did to see what he was like and regretted it. Chances: 2/10

7. Clone Commander/Claus Chief- Oh man, this guy really makes her mad because when he was her mentor he used to sexually harass her even though it was an abuse of power dynamics. She was never comfortable around him and he wasn't often trying to be as perverted towards her. In a case of her dad being a good father for once, he put his foot down to stop his behavior and transfer away from him and even tried to get him kicked out but was overruled to not bring up a scandal. And it's not surprising she despises him just as much when he turns villain and he tries to do the same nasty stuff he did as a hero. Chances: 0/10

8. Double Take/Steven Shifty- If you think Clone Commander makes her mad then you got nothing on Double Take who really makes her on alert. This guy due to having the ability to shapeshift really likes to play mind games and use the images of people she actually is romantically involved to psyche her out. He's been a creepy ever since he's met her when she was freelancing and is obsessed now with getting into her pants. Even though he is pervy towards many women, he's especially pervy towards her and she is really never comfortable around him and will do everything in her power to hurt him. Chances: -10/10

[heliads]

So because there can’t be enough drama (if you don’t want to write that it’s okay!): Male squaller that is now married to Genya, travelling with the darkling (basically being a second Zoya) on the hunt for the amplifiers with the kidnapped Alina. However when Stormhound arrives he realises how dangerous the darkling is, throwing Genya onto the other ship and saving her this way. Now the one who gets tortured by the shadow monsters, always forgetting their names, is him (since he clearly worked against the darkling and the darkling probably is like „who needs two squallers that are fiercely loyal when you already have zoya?“) and when they finally met each other at the chapel he is convinced he isn’t worthy of Genyas love anymore because of the scars. Pretty dark, but at least he is staying alive in this one 😹

i love drama with all my heart

masterlist

It is a difficult thing, realizing that you might be on the wrong side of a war. It is worse knowing that your friends were aware of the truth all along and failed to convince you to come to the right side. Now, you’re stuck among monsters, wondering if you’ll ever get a chance to switch sides or if you'll be doomed to die with the wrong people. 

Being trapped on a ship with somebody who you’re now growing to appreciate is the enemy certainly doesn’t help matters either. The Darkling has always been cold, always shifty, but now you can add treacherous to that mix.

It’s not the best place to be at the moment, to say the least. Factor in the fact that you also got your wife into this mess and you’re looking at far more risk than you’d ever like. Outside the protective walls of Os Alta, the danger seems to be heightened tenfold. Your mixed feelings only add to that paranoia.

Usually, this is the point at which you go to your wife and beg for her counsel. Genya Safin is brilliant at strategy, a fact that bewilders most people who don’t know her well. They take one glance at her then stop cold, thinking that gilded trappings and pretty, batting lashes are all they need to gauge someone’s character.

You thought differently. Perhaps that’s why you were lucky enough to marry her. Since you first arrived at the Little Palace and were able to practice your gifts as a Squaller without fear of death, all of your memories have seemed to glow with light, but your wedding day shines with an entirely different kind of power. Images of Genya smiling at you and reciting her vows are the sorts of things that never leave a person. Even a man as tormented as you.

You’ve come to rely on Genya’s advice, but in times like these, she’s just as worried as you are. Ever since Alina ran from the Grand Palace the night of the Winter Fete, ever since the Sun Summoner was dragged back and had those antlers locked around her throat, ever since she blew up the skiff and ran, Genya has been conflicted. Some part of her wonders if she’s truly doing the right thing. You wish you could help ease her mind, but you’re struggling with the same thoughts.

After all, what proof do you have that the Darkling’s side truly is the right one? Yes, he supported you as a young Grisha in need of a home, and yes, he protected the practitioners of the Small Science like no one else, but he’s done some terrible things as well. Alina tried to tell you that the Darkling was the one to create the Shadow Fold in the first place. Maybe she was right.

The two of you are reminded of this revelation in twofold now that Alina is back with you again. The Darkling managed to capture her and that otkazat’sya tracker, Mal Oretsev, a short while ago, and now you’re all on the same ship, searching for a new amplifier. You have no idea if you’ll truly be able to find the sea whip, but you seem to be growing closer by the day, if Mal’s restless mutterings are to be believed.

As more time passes, you find yourself convinced that the Darkling is in the wrong. You’ve seen how he keeps Alina locked away, how he leverages lives in an effort to regain the Sun Summoner as a weapon. Genya doesn’t want to talk about it, but you get the feeling she’s starting to come around, too.

It is now, in the depths of your terrifying revelations, that you gain a new piece of information. It was not meant to drift to your ears, this conversation, but any words whispered on the air have a way of making their way to a nearby Squaller. You and Zoya learned this trick a while ago, and you use it now to great effect.

The secret you learn is that the captain of this ship, Sturmhond, is planning on deceiving the Darkling as soon as the sea whip is found. He’ll have another ship join up and then ferry Alina, Mal, and the mythical beast away under the guise of an attack.

Seeing as you’re supposedly on the Darkling’s side, you have free rein over the ship, able to wander wherever you see fit. This allows you to visit Sturmhond’s office later and present him with a deal:  you won’t tell the Darkling about the privateer’s upcoming escape attempt if he takes Genya with him.

At first, Stumhond isn’t having it. He has no proof that you or Genya won’t turn him in anyway, and besides, he only counted on having two extra mouths to feed. It takes a bit of bargaining, but you think you’ve managed to win the captain over. The only problem is that you’ll have to find a way to get Genya onto Sturmhond’s ship when it pulls up, a feat which will be difficult to accomplish in the middle of the fight.

Regardless, you’re willing to do it. Alina needs a shot to free all of you from the Darkling’s influence, and you need an opportunity to get your wife to safety. You harbor no illusions about being to escape alongside Genya; the Darkling will be fighting to reclaim all passengers trying to leave him, there’s no way you’d be able to flee as well. If you’re lucky, Genya can make it over, but not you.

That’s a fate you’re willing to accept, however. You bide your time, and soon enough Mal is shouting that the sea whip is within sight. Harpoons are launched and the beast is dragged close to the ship. You have to hand it to Sturmhond, he picked his moment well. In all the tumult of trying to capture the sea whip, no one notices another ship approaching, especially not with Sturmhond’s Squallers conjuring up mists to disguise it. You’re certainly not about to inform the Darkling otherwise.

Before you know it, dozens of rogue sailors are appearing out of nowhere, securing the sea whip to their ship instead. You see Alina and Mal being tossed over to the ship, and through the chaos of the scene, you see Stumhond nod once at you. It’s time.

Genya is by your side; she doesn’t like to leave you, not when both of you feel so threatened by the Darkling’s wrath. You pull her close one last time, and whisper in her ear that you love her, you always will. Genya has just enough time to realize what you’re about to do. Her face drops with horror, but you’re spreading your hands, using your gifts as a Squaller to lift her carefully to the other ship. 

With the last of your energy, you join Sturmhond’s Grisha in pushing the Darkling’s ship away. You sense shadows looming around you, and then all is lost. The last sound you hear of your lover is her scream carried over to you by the whistling winds, begging you to return to her. You’re not sure that you will.

Although all Grisha feel protected by the Darkling’s might, none of you much like the idea of crossing him. The Darkling’s temper is infamous, his ideals of revenge bloody and brutal. You have the chance to understand that fully now that you’ve betrayed him by helping Genya and the others escape.

You are not sure of where you are, nor where you got where you did. All you know is pain, neverending pain, the howls of the Darkling’s merzost shadow creatures as they tear into your flesh and bone. The Darkling wants information, but you have none. You did not turn him into a rival agency, you simply wanted to protect your wife. He keeps searching, expecting some corner of your mind to give up your secrets if he applies enough pain, but there is nothing. Still, he keeps looking.

The names disappear first from your head. You’d thought it would be the faces. Usually, that’s how memories work, isn’t it? You picture scenes from your past but the characters themselves are blurred, blocked from you forever by an inability to remember the details. As the torture progresses, you start to forget just why you’d betrayed the Darkling that day on the ship. 

It was for someone, you remember that. A woman. A brief thought occurs to you that she was yours, but it disappears just as quickly. There’s a ring in your finger, but you can’t remember why. Those gaps in your memory aren’t enough to convince you to remove it, though. Something much deeper than your own distinct thoughts keeps the ring with you.

The pain stops eventually. It might be months later, maybe only weeks, but it is for quite a long time indeed. You run your hands over your face when that light pressure doesn’t produce agony and marvel at what your fingers find. You had a vague recollection of what you looked like, but the deep scars and gouges in the skin are new. One of your eyes is gone, plucked from your skull as penance. An eye for an eye. The Darkling was always quite literal in his threats.

There are fragments of memories swirling around in your subconscious. A woman with red hair, smiling at you and only you. The churning of a restless sea. Someone screaming a name that could be yours. You suppose you’ll never know why or how it happened. There is only the pain, and then the uneasy restlessness of being alone in endless darkness.

The Darkling comes for you again, forcing you to walk with him. He travels a great distance to somewhere that seems familiar. The merzost creatures snap at you, reminding you how much they enjoy the taste of your blood. You stay by yourself. You stare at your hands, which have remained untouched. Although the Darkling punishes traitors, he would never rob a Grisha of their gift. That is his idea of mercy.

You are needed some time later. The Darkling stands in the ruins of a church. He surveys a battered and bruised group of Grisha before him. They can’t see you, not yet, so you have a chance to study them. A quiet voice in your head whispers in shock that this can’t be it, that surely there are more of you. You have no idea what would tell it otherwise.

A girl at the front of the group, dark-haired, holds up her hands and they glow with light, forcing the shadows back. Another young woman stands at her side, her face as entrancing as a fantasy. Something twists in your throat, bringing tears to your eyes, and you realize she’s the redheaded woman from your dreams, the one who refuses to let you rest. Genya. Your Genya. Yours no longer.

As if reading your mind, the Darkling extends an arm, and you’re forced to your feet. Genya’s face contorts with horror, and you feel sickness expand in your stomach. She is beautiful, always has been, and what are you now? Some scarred thing, a wreck of blood and bone. If you were ever fit for her, you certainly aren’t now.

The sun-girl raises her arms, shouting for the rest to go. You stay motionless, waiting to die, but Genya rushes forward, dragging you back with her. You move on instinct, running with the rest of the pack until you stop moving. You hear whispers that you’re protected by the Soldat Sol and you’re in a place called the White Cathedral. You don’t like to talk to anyone much, even after the running starts and the hiding begins. The others have a way of staring and muttering that you don’t much like.

There is one person who refuses to leave you alone, though, and that is Genya. At first, you cannot fathom why. She keeps up a happy bubble of conversation, utterly one-sided. It only faltered once, and that was when the dark robe you wear shifted back to reveal your scarred hands. She saw the ring on your finger, how you stubbornly clutch to it like it might save your life, and burst into tears.

She was better after that, and slowly, carefully, you remember why it might have upset her. Genya is your wife. You are her husband. She thought you were dead, and in truth, you might be, but even in the midst of life-ending pain, you kept your wedding ring. That is love if nothing else.

As the memories start to piece themselves together again, you tell Genya to leave. She doesn’t deserve to be stuck with someone like you for the rest of your life. You are the thorns to her rose, scars and grief compared to a flawless image. She refuses every time, recounting how you’d stood by her when she needed help. You were the only one who saw her as more than a face, she said, and now she’ll do the same with you.

It will take a while to fully let yourself believe her. It will take longer to mend and heal and come back to who you were. Still, you think you’d like to try. It would be nice to be you again. It is good, then, that you have someone by your side who remembers who that was.

requested by @schroedingers-kater, i hope you enjoy!

grishaverse tag list: @rogueanschel, @deadreaderssociety, @cameronsails, @mxltifxnd0m, @story-scribbler, @thatfangirl42, @retvenkos, @amortensie, @gods-fools-heroes, @bl606dy, @auggie2000

[redvioletarts]

Dumb shit I made that will probably never sell but I love it anyway, episode 1

1) This idiot

[image description: digital art of a gray pigeon holding a french fry in its beak. It has angry eyebrows and stands in a triumphant pose against a dark blue-green background. Next to the pigeon's head are the hand-lettered words "Ultimate Power." End ID.]

Your mishandled treat Treasure for a loitering Carbohydrate thief

It's been several years and I still think this drawing is hilarious. It's been on Redbubble and/or Etsy this whole time and I think I'm the only one who's ever bought it.

I don't know how to explain the appeal using SEO keywords. There is no niche to market this to. I don't care. This pigeon needed to exist.

Currently available as a sticker, a tote bag, and a metal pin button.

2) Up to no good

[Image description: Digital art of a Siamese cat with yellow-green eyes, wearing glasses that are taped to the sides of its head. It has a shifty expression and holds a yellow-green book titled "Wreaking Havoc for Fun and Profit." The background is a darker shade of the same yellow-green. End ID.]

Hang on, I think I had haikus for some of these because at one point I got tired of writing descriptions. WAIT YES. I'm going back and adding the pigeon one too.

Do not disturb him This feline is working on His Master's degree.

Again, the taped-on glasses endlessly amuse me. I have a T-shirt with this guy on it. Appropriately, our most havoc-wreaking cat once poked a hole in it with a claw.

Currently available as a T-shirt, tote bag, and sticker.

I still don't expect these to sell tbh but I am going to celebrate their existence by posting them here.

[aquillis-main]

Ignoring Jehtt's parody for a sec

-It was 200 years of Iblis. I legit don't think there's a profit to scamming people into thinking they can save the future. 2-3 gens directly tied to the Great Disaster already are dead, and GUN seems gone too

-We already beat Iblis only to see him reincarnate again. We can already infer Silver beat him many times with no difference. In fact, he legit considers giving up in frustration

-Mephiles wouldn't even be the first suspect. Blaze's fire powers scared survivors, but Silver stood by her (sadly this is in bios)

-The intro CG cutscene notes the generational divorce from the event. No one knew where Iblis came from cuz it's been so long, only that it ravaged the planet for eons. Silver is noted to question the origin, getting nothing

So yeah, I'll take hearing this shifty stranger's new theory, cuz repeatedly killing Iblis 3 million times is doing nothing but exhaust me, regardless if I die to this stranger or not. It's not like I can make this worse (in my context)

Other things;

-Silver's reaction to Meph saying to time travel:

Not "oh yeah I immediately believe you" like 90% of parodies, it's him gauging interest after dismissing the first prompt

Even to Meph saying "Oh yeah, I can time travel" it's more dismissal (though tinged with amazement)

when Meph notes the Iblis Trigger the first time, both Blaze and him just ponder a sec before hesitating to ask if killing him would save the world, their first true mistake. But again, better than just mindlessly killing Iblis over and over

Then Meph bothers bringing articles on screen showing the Egg Carrier's crash and release of Iblis, then the Emerald showing Sonic's visage in the fire (glares slightly more angry), Blaze being perturbed cuz she knows of one, and Meph immediately time traveling them before much of anything can be said in protest

If it were me, I'd have them question how he found this info, with him revealing that he stumbled upon a Chaos Emerald that showed him the image of a blue hedgehog (which he'll show to Silver like OG, only with Sonic expressing better than wood), leading him to do research on him, and finding the article of Elise dying in a crash despite his chase. He'll then note research of time travel done in GUN logs of when they checked Eggman's base after the crash, noting the process being risky. Silver and Blaze can ask why he can't do it, which...I mean look at him, he's deformed and barely hobbling (interestingly nowhere as much as the Shadow release scene, or later twirl), likely frail as heck (we know he isn't if we the audience played Shadow's story first). He'll attract unwanted attention outside supposed fraility, vs how the powerful Blaze/Silver look a smidge more stable. They'll admit having nothing to lose/repetition, then Meph warps them

But otherwise, I feel the Silver bias is glossing events a wee bit too much, and parodies aren't helping. It's legit wanting to break useless repetition that drives most of Silver's hasty actions

"But he looks evil"

The entire world is homeless. Being remotely not brazen is an anomaly if anything (Blaze at least has an excuse)

Also what's he gonna do, jump the guy that has psychokinesis? He looks weak as hell

I still think that Silver shouldn't have jumped to follow Mephiles so easily when the latter spouted out shit about 'Chickens and eggs', especially since it seems he and Blaze just willingly follow Mephilies into his crack den of info he shouldn't have. I'm sorry, but I feel Silver just hopped on a little too quickly. If there was a scene of him and Blaze arguing with each other about going to follow, I'd buy it a lot more than it is now. However, since the cutscenes skip that moment and have Silver and Blaze immediately follow Mephiles to his crack den without thinking, it still comes across to me as Silver and Blaze being stupid, not naive.

I appreciate you trying to help clear out some aspects of this, but without the key moment of Silver and Blaze arguing about going to listen to Mephiles or not, it comes across as an idiot kid being taken by a guy with a white van to me, especially since the only time Silver stops to consider his decision is when Amy tells him to not kill Sonic and dashes off. After that, he doesn't ever really question if he's doing the right thing, and just blindly trusts the guy that showed him a vision of Sonic in fire with a really pissed off look, and not much other information besides anecdotal evidence.

[can-i-make-image-descriptions]

[Image IDs: Text reading: For a man who changed the world, Henry Ford traveled in very small circles. He resided his whole life within a dozen miles of his birthplace, a farm at Dearborn, Michigan, just outside Detroit. He saw little of the wider world and cared even less for it.

He was defiantly narrow-minded, barely, educated, and at least close to functionally illiterate. His beliefs were powerful but consistently dubious, and made him seem, in the words of The New Yorker, "mildly unbalanced." He did not like bankers, doctors, liquor, tobacco, idleness of any sort, pasteurized milk, Wall Street, overweight people, war, books or read, J. P. Morgan and Co., capital punishment, tall buildings, college graduates, Roman Catholics, or Jews. Especially he didn't like Jews. Once he hired a Hebraic scholar to translate the Talmud in a manner designed to make Jewish people appear shifty and avaricious.

His ignorance was a frequent source of wonder. He believed that the earth could not support the weight placed on it by skyscrapers and that eventually cities would collapse in on themselves, as in some kind of biblical apocalypse. Engineers explained to him that a large skyscraper typically weighed about sixty thousand tons while the rock and earth excavated for the foundations would weigh more like a hundred thousand tons, so that skyscrapers actually reduced the burden on the earth beneath them, but Ford was unpersuaded. He seldom let facts or logic challenge the certainty of his instincts.

The limits of his knowledge were most memorably exposed in 1919 when he sued the Chicago Tribune for calling him an "ignorant idealist" and an "anarchist." For eight days, lawyers for the Tribune entertained the nation by punting through the shallow waters of Ford's mind, as in this typical exchange regarding his familiarity with the history of his own country.

Lawyer: Did you ever hear of Benedict Arnold? Ford: I have heard the name Lawyer: Who was he? Ford: I have forgotten just who he is. He is a writer, I think.

Ford, it transpired, did not know much of anything. He could not say when the American Revolution was fought ("In 1812, I think; I'm not quite sure") or quite what the issues were that provoked it. Questioned about politics, he conceded that he didn't follow matters closely and had voted only once in his life. That was just after his twenty-first birthday, when, he said, he had voted for James Garfield. An alert lawyer pointed out that Garfield was in fact assassinated three years before Ford reached voting age.

And so it went, day after day. The world was so delighted and enthralled with Ford's ignorance that one enterprising man sold hastily printed copies of Ford's testimony for 25 cents each day outside the courthouse, and bought a house with the profits. (Eventually the jury found in Ford's favor, but the jurors—twelve solid Michigan farmers who clearly believed they had better things to do with their time—awarded him damages of just 6 cents. The Tribune never paid.) /End IDs]

From “One Summer: America, 1927” by Bill Bryson.

[random-movie-ideas]

Superboy (Movie Outline)

And now for the last of our planned Superman movies set within a cinematic universe as of right now. This movie follows shortly after Steel, and pits Conner Kent/Superboy against our young Clark, displaced from another universe, and documents said young Clark’s fall to evil as Superboy-Prime, setting the stage for Infinite Crisis to take place.

We begin with Conner Kent in his bed on the Kents’ farm, tossing and turning as nightmares fill his head. He sees images of an angry fist punching at an invisible world between their reality and the other realities that no longer exist. With every punch, he sees flashes of another world, including images of a Lois, Jonathan, and Martha that aren’t the ones he knows, a white dog, a man building toys, a pink-skinned parasite, and a girl with lightning powers. Finally, he sees an angry but familiar face and jolts awake.

We then cut to the next day, when a ship is being launched from Earth, with the express purpose of returning to the ruins of the planet Krypton, to see what could be salvaged of the history of their people, as well as to attempt to terraform it and make it habitable again. Conner is there, with bags, being seen off by Jonathan and Martha, Lois and baby Jon, and John Henry and Natasha Irons. Emil Hamilton sees him off too, giving him a pack of “sun charges,” which contain collected yellow sunlight that will allow him to have powers there if he needs them.

Among those also departing are Conner’s “uncle” Zor-El, a human scientist named Anthony Ivo, a leader from the new Kryptonian colony of Daxam named Lar Gand, and the young Clark Kent from another universe. Conner greets Clark like a friend, while Clark acts shifty at first, but puts on a good smile, and they pair sit together as the ship takes off.

We will probably have a few scenes while on the journey, of Zor-El and Lar Gand telling stories from ancient Kryptonian history, and Anthony Ivo talking about researching all of the fascinating Kryptonian technology he hopes to find there. Ivo and Clark seem to know each other, but Conner just brushes it off. He still deals with the same nightmares on the way.

Once they arrive on the planet, we get a scene of them all stepping out onto the barren wasteland. Conner goes first, and he gets to explore the real Kryptonian homeworld for the first time. Clark follows after, and starts wandering out on his own while the others start setting up camp. He works his way up into the mountains, accidentally stumbling across a white Kryptonian dog turned feral after all these years alone. Believing it to be Krypto, Clark tries to chase it, and in the process, stumbles across and activates an ancient Kryptonian robot called the Eradicator.

The Eradicator immediately detects and targets the camp around the ship and heads for them. It attacks, prompting Conner to activate one of his sun charges, gaining his superpowers back and facing off against the Eradicator, quickly defeating it and ripping out its power core. Anthony Ivo shows an almost concerning fascination with the machine, while Clark is awed by the sun charges at Conner’s belt.

Zor-El and Lar Gand both explain what an Eradicator is, ancient robots built by a militant warlord to “wipe out corruption” which they ended up interpreting as nearly all Kryptonians, and were ultimately shut down and buried. It seemed that some had been unearthed. Later that night, Conner goes to sleep, and deals with intense nightmares again, only to be awoken by someone wearing armor that looks a lot like the Anti-Monitor. The armored person quickly produces a shard of Kryptonite and places it on his chest, then steals all of his sun charges. Thanks to the Kryptonite, Conner is unable to go after them.

The next morning, Conner is found by Zor-El, and he tells him what happened. Lar Gand, the leader of the camp is disturbed by this news, that someone in their camp would do such a thing. Clark seems confused about it all, but sympathetic to Conner’s plight. Conner decides to investigate.

Several days go by, and their project seems to be working. Zor-El’s attempts to terraform the planet prove fruitful, and the crew all work together to expand the camp and make strides to revive the planet. We see several scenes of Conner and Clark becoming close friends and bonding with each other. Clark tells Conner stories about his old universe and how much he misses everyone he cared about. Conner is taken aback a little when some of the things he describes match elements of his nightmares. Meanwhile, Conner’s nightmares become more and more intense as the days go by.

As they work, Zor-El starts to notice strange readings cropping up around the planet, like several Eradicators being activated every night, then just as suddenly going offline. He also detects readings that seem similar to the fluctuations between universes during the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Conner looks into this more and more, noticing strange behavior from both Clark and Professor Ivo. He decides to investigate a lead-lined part of the ship normally closed off (Ivo had consistently told them that was the engine). Inside, he finds Clark and Professor Ivo working together on what Conner recognizes, from reading about it, as the device Ultraman had built in order to tear a hole between dimensions. It seemed to have been repaired by them. He also notices the Anti-Monitor suit hanging on one wall.

Later that night, Conner invites Clark to sit and chat with him. Clark does, and they talk. Conner gets onto the topic of Kryptonite, mentioning that he’d done a little reading and figured out that Kryptonite from this universe doesn’t affect Clark, and points out that he hid the shard under his chair. Lar Gand and the other Kryptonians surround them, telling Clark that he’s under arrest. Clark looks scared and panics, screaming at them that they don’t know what it’s like to lose their home and family forever. Zor-El says that he does. Clark points out that he still has his people, and that he’s out here, trying to restore his old home, so why is it so bad if he tries to restore his. They try to remind him of the devastation that had happened in the Crisis, but he doesn’t care. He pulls out a Sun Charge, uses it, and knocks everyone away, flying off into the distance.

The Kryptonians try to march on Ivo’s lab and destroy his work, but Ivo reveals a secret project he’d been working on behind Clark’s back. He had been taking the destroyed Eradicators, that he’d been having Clark awaken and destroy for their cores, and rebuilding them with his own tech, to create an army of machines called Amazos. The Amazos attack the camp, completely overwhelming the de-powered Kryptonians and humans. Ivo says he cannot let them destroy his work now, not when he’s about to become more powerful than any superheroes or supervillains ever were. He activates the machine and starts ripping a hole in the universe.

The Amazos take all of the camp hostage. Conner tries to fight them, but without his powers, he is helpless. He ends up running, an Amazo chasing him up into the mountains. Just as one’s about to catch him and kill him, Clark sees it and is about to step in, when the white feral dog leaps out and defends Conner from it. The Amazo pauses, then vaporizes the dog without a second’s hesitation. Clark flies into a rage, launching himself at the robot and letting Conner escape. The Amazo is able to overpower him for a moment, but Clark calls in the Anti-Monitor suit, which he had found at the same time he found the multiversal generator, and uses it to destroy the Amazo. Unbeknownst to him, one of his sun charges came loose and fell to the ground.

Clark flies back to the lab to see that all of the Kryptonians and crewmen have been taken hostage by the Amazos. Clark goes to Ivo and demands him to stop, saying they’ve gone too far. Ivo refuses, having suited up into an Amazo exoskeleton of his own, connected straight to the machine and drawing out multiversal power. Ivo tells Clark about a vision he experienced during the crisis, showing them that in one of the universes, he had been the most powerful man on Earth, and that he had overthrown the Justice League and killed them all. He had pretended to be helping Clark get his home back, but in reality, all he wanted was that.

Clark and Ivo fight, and eventually Clark manages to break through Ivo’s defenses, break his suit off of him, and fly him out of the compound, miles above the ground. As Ivo struggles in his grip, Clark remembers sparing the Toyman all those years ago, and all the other monsters and criminals he had spared because of his parents’ influence. Parents who were now gone, as well as all the criminals and all the people he’d been protecting. He finds himself unwilling to care anymore, and drops Ivo to his death.

Clark flies back down, destroying all the Amazos and telling the crew to run, to savor what is left of their existence because he’s going to get his universe back one way or another, and he doesn’t care what happens to this one. His universe will be the prime universe, and he will be the prime Superman. Lar Gand tries to fight him, but Clark powered by the yellow sun and the Anti-Monitor suit blasts him away without a struggle.

Zor-El and the others rush to the mountains, where they encounter Conner tending a wound. Zor-El tells him what happened, and Conner feels furious and betrayed. Zor-El talks him down, drawing from his own experience, remembering the things he felt when he learned his home was gone, imagining it must be so much worse for Clark because there is nothing left of his world, while he still had his wife and daughter. Conner realizes he needs to stop Clark but not kill him, pulling out the sun charge that Clark dropped.

Conner flies to the compound as Clark does his best to control the machine. Flashes of the universes wiped out in the Crisis flash by, including the 50s universe and several others. Conner arrives, punching Clark away from the controls and trying to shut it down. Clark fights him, the pair clashing back and forth. Clark mostly overpowers Conner, thanks to his Anti-Monitor armor. Getting the upper hand, Clark gets to the controls and manages to find his universe, seeing Jonathan and Martha and Lois and Krypto and Leslie and everyone he loved. He tries to cross through, when the world around him starts warping, as does the world where all of his family is. He tries to touch the portal and is thrown back by the sheer power of it.

Conner tells him it’s not going to work. He’s just going to start another Crisis, and then both of their universes will be destroyed. Clark shouts that there’s a chance that his universe will be the one to survive, and Conner replies that they don’t know that, and even if it is, then this universe and all the people in it will be destroyed, and this time, the blood will be all on his head, and all those people he loves will know exactly what he did. He asks if they’d be proud of him, what they’d want him to do? Clark tearfully says he just wants to see his family again.

Cursing, Clark launches himself at the machine, trying to destroy it. The universe keeps warping, and the energy given off is too much for Clark to handle alone. Conner helps him, the two working together to shut it down. Though Conner manages to work the controls and get it down, they need someone really powerful to cut off the stream of energy. Clark decides to take it, getting bombarded by multiversal energy and falling into the gap between universes just as it closes, disappearing forever. Conner remains behind, seeing that Clark is gone.

A short time later, Krypton is now flourishing. Emil Hamilton arrives on a new ship, as do Martha and Jonathan. They greet and hug Conner, asking him if its all true, what they heard about the alternate Clark. Conner nods. He says Zor-El has ideas about what happened to him, and that he might be alive, but there’s no way to get him back anymore. Conner tells Emil that he wants to find a way to restore Clark’s universe without causing another Crisis. Emil says they’ll figure it out together.

A post-credits scene shows Clark in his Anti-Monitor armor, glowing with multiversal power, floating in the world between universes. His eyelids flicker, and he wakes up.

And that's it. Now I want to work on the Batman series of movies, starting with Batman and Batgirl fighting the Mad Hatter.

[kurt-wagner-official]

Post #80: XF issues 2-5

I’m gonna power through the rest of Layton’s run cause I’m already sick of it. Issue 2 opens with a bunch of exposition before cutting to Hank and Bobby, who are apartment hunting and run into Hank’s old girlfriend Vera, who to his horror has turned into a hippy. They’re interrupted by a brand-new villain named Tower, who has size alteration powers and beats up Hank and runs off with him. Back at X-Factor HQ, Scott finally decides to call Maddy, but she disconnected her phone. His angst is cut short by X-Factor being called to Vera’s apartment to clean up Tower’s mess, where Bobby fills them in. We learn that Tower was hired by Dr. Carl Maddicks, who interfered with Hank’s experiment years ago that left him stuck in blue form. He wants to use Hank as a test subject for his own version of the experiment, which he hopes will turn his mutant son Artie into a human. To get rid of loose ends, he calls X-Factor on Tower, which of course backfires.

X-Factor gets Maddicks’s location from Tower, and off they go. For some reason, Maddicks is doing his experiments in the basement of the legitimate company that he works for, so our heroes have to break through all their security to get to the bottom. Maddicks, horrified, explains everything, and asks that they save his son while he holds off the guards, who’ll kill them all if they get there. X-Factor escapes with Artie and the comatose Hank, who wakes up to find that Maddicks’s experiments reverted him to his original appearance. This was a really dumb story. I love Artie, but there was no reason to revert Hank. He went from a visually distinct character with ironic symbolism to another guy with the power to be slightly stronger and more agile than a human. Also, I still don’t like the way Layton writes Scott and Jean, although to his credit I really like his Bobby.

Our heroes are trying to train Rusty and Artie (whose powers are to be mute, pink, and project mental images), but they kinda suck at it. While they’re away on X-Factor business, which turns out to be a dead end, Rusty decides to run away, but he’s captured by Frenzy, a mutant with invulnerability and strength. Frenzy belongs in the henchmen hall of fame, and is in my opinion Layton’s best contribution to X-lore. Artie warns the others where Rusty went, and they save him, although Frenzy escapes. Everybody apologizes for pushing Rusty too hard, and it’s a happy ending.

Issue 5 is Layton’s last issue, and his best. At the beginning, our heroes are working out and goofing off like they’re kids again, but secretly they’re all wondering if their old friendship still exists. This is the first time in the series where it seems like it was a good creative decision to reunite these five together, and I wish Layton had shown more interest in the group friendship dynamic from the start, rather than just the Scott/Jean/Warren love triangle. Meanwhile, Jean has started taking night classes in psychology, a plotline that I think is really interesting, although I don’t remember if it goes anywhere. Probably not. Anyway, the case of the week is Michael Nowlan, a mutant with the power to augment other mutants’ powers. The downside is that it also gives the other mutants an addictive high, so he’s been kept prisoner by the Alliance of Evil, a team that includes Tower, Frenzy, Stinger, who zaps people, and Time Shadow, who has weird time-shifty powers. Michael has escaped their custody and gone to his ex-wife Susan, who calls X-Factor on him due to his own drug addiction. X-Factor finds Michael, but the Alliance kidnaps Susan and confronts X-Factor in Michael’s motel, where he has no choice but to boost the villains. They beat up the heroes and go back to their master- Apocalypse. And that’s the end of Layton’s run. It was not good. The only thing this run seemed interested in was sixties nostalgia. Simonson, who’s about to take over, sees the book as an opportunity to explore how time apart has changed the friendships in this group, but Layton just wanted to bring them all back to where they were in 1970. I’ve complained enough about this. Time to move on to the next chapter of X-Factor.

[tastydregs]

Welcome to the Wet Hot AI Chatbot Summer

Late last year, I attended an event hosted by Google to celebrate its AI advances. The company’s domain in New York’s Chelsea neighborhood now extends literally onto the Hudson River, and about a hundred of us gathered in a pierside exhibition space to watch scripted presentations from executives and demos of the latest advances. Speaking remotely from the West Coast, the company’s high priest of computation, Jeff Dean, promised “a hopeful vision for the future.”  

The theme of the day was “exploring the (im)possible.” We learned how Google’s AI was being put to use fighting wildfires, forecasting floods, and assessing retinal disease. But the stars of this show were what Google called “generative AI models.” These are the content machines, schooled on massive training sets of data, designed to churn out writings, images, and even computer code that once only humans could hope to produce.

Something weird is happening in the world of AI. In the early part of this century, the field burst out of a lethargy—known as an AI winter—by the innovation of “deep learning” led by three academics. This approach to AI transformed the field and made many of our applications more useful, powering language translations, search, Uber routing, and just about everything that has “smart” as part of its name. We’ve spent a dozen years in this AI springtime. But in the past year or so there has been a dramatic aftershock to that earthquake as a sudden profusion of mind-bending generative models have appeared.

Most of the toys Google demoed on the pier in New York showed the fruits of generative models like its flagship large language model, called LaMDA. It can answer questions and work with creative writers to make stories. Other projects can produce 3D images from text prompts or even help to produce videos by cranking out storyboard-like suggestions on a scene-by-scene basis. But a big piece of the program dealt with some of the ethical issues and potential dangers of unleashing robot content generators on the world. The company took pains to emphasize how it was proceeding cautiously in employing its powerful creations. The most telling statement came from Douglas Eck, a principal scientist at Google Research. “Generative AI models are powerful—there’s no doubt about that,” he said. “But we also have to acknowledge the real risks that this technology can pose if we don’t take care, which is why we’ve been slow to release them. And I’m proud we’ve been slow to release them.”  

But Google’s competitors don’t seem to have “slow” in their vocabularies. While Google has provided limited access to LaMDA in a protected Test Kitchen app, other companies have been offering an all-you-can-eat smorgasbord with their own chatbots and image generators. Only a few weeks after the Google event came the most consequential release yet: OpenAI’s latest version of its own powerful text generation technology, ChatGPT, a lightning-fast, logorrheic gadfly that spits out coherent essays, poems, plays, songs, and even obituaries at the merest hint of a prompt. Taking advantage of the chatbot’s wide availability, millions of people have tinkered with it and shared its amazing responses, to the point where it’s become an international obsession, as well as a source of wonder and fear. Will ChatGPT kill the college essay? Destroy traditional internet search? Put millions of copywriters, journalists, artists, songwriters, and legal assistants out of a job?

Answers to those questions aren’t clear right now. But one thing is. Granting open access to these models has kicked off a wet hot AI summer that’s energizing the tech sector, even as the current giants are laying off chunks of their workforces. Contrary to Mark Zuckerberg’s belief, the next big paradigm isn’t the metaverse—it’s this new wave of AI content engines, and it’s here now. In the 1980s, we saw a gold rush of products moving tasks from paper to PC application. In the 1990s, you could make a quick fortune by shifting those desktop products to online. A decade later, the movement was to mobile. In the 2020s the big shift is toward building with generative AI. This year thousands of startups will emerge with business plans based on tapping into the APIs of those systems. The cost of churning out generic copy will go to zero. By the end of the decade, AI video-generation systems may well dominate TikTok and other apps. They may not be anywhere as good as the innovative creations of talented human beings, but the robots will quantitatively dominate.