#something i drew after ii 17

[potatobugz]

huddling for warmth

[shanastoryteller]

hallo! i hope your day is going well!! what’s one of your favorite details that you’ve written about siat recently? or if not that, in another fic or snippet

in ta'burni, after tony's parents die when he's 17 at MIT, we get this from rhodey's pov (bold for emphasis)

“They’ll eat you alive,” Tony says, reminding him a lot of his mother just then. Rhodey watches Tony get in a limo surrounded by cameras, his black jeans his own and mostly that color because of one too many motor oil stains and the black button down too long and too big in the shoulders because it’s Rhodey’s, a streak of black against the blinding white of a thousand camera flashes.

later in the fic pepper meets tony when he's 30 and she's 25 and showing him around a gallery auction, she compares him to barton newmans's now ii

this is what she says about it:

“Barnett Newman completed this three years before his death and it’s a wonderful piece,” she says, head held high. “He said he wanted to paint as if inventing painting from scratch, as if no one had ever done it before.”

“It’s just a line,” he repeats, still amused. “That’s what he thought needed to be reinvented?”

She doubts she’ll ever be standing in front of Tony Stark again so she has to get this right, has to say this in a way that hopefully won’t offend him, because the other option is to say something she doesn’t mean and that’s a waste for both of them. “It’s a perfect line. Perfectly straight, perfectly black, and surrounded by perfect white. Not in color, it’s not the blackest black or the whitest white, but the tone matches perfectly. Their perfection is only obvious in their togetherness.” She could stop here, she could not embarrass herself in front of the most powerful businessman in the world, but she has achieved nothing in her life by being a coward. “The first time you drew a line, it wasn’t perfect. It probably wasn’t even straight. But you drew it again, and again, until it was, and now the lines you draw are turned into designs and schematics that change the world, from weapons you send overseas to the processor in my computer. You design as if you are inventing the world from scratch, which is why you’re doing things that others claim can’t be done, which is why you’re doing it better the rest of them.”

He's not smiling anymore, but he doesn’t look angry, or bored, or anything that will get her fired.

She swallows and continues, “Barnett Newman said of his paintings that he hoped that they had the impact of giving someone the feeling of their own totality, their own separateness, their own individuality, as that’s what they did for him. This line is you and everything that you will do. You make it look easy, Mr. Stark, but that doesn’t mean it is.”

in iron man 2, the print that he takes down and replaces with a color pop portrait of iron man is now ii

i figured the chance of anyone noticing was pretty much 0, especially when part of it is in the movie and not the fic

but for me it was tony's life

before. becoming. became

[petitelepus]

A Loner's Unexpected Journey, Part 3

Kimetsu Academy!Genya Shinazugawa X Fem!Reader

Summary: You start saving for a new game by cutting your lunch and Genya isn't that excited about it, but he has an important question for you.

Warnings: None

A/N: Modern!AU, Kimetsu Academy, Female Reader, Genya Shinazugawa

PART 1 II PART 2 II PART 3 II PART 4 II PART 5 II PART 6 II PART 7 II PART 8 II PART 9 II PART 10 II PART 11 II PART 12 II PART 13 II PART 14 II PART 15 II PART 16 II PART 17 II PART 18

Days that passed turned into weeks and you and Genya kept eating lunch together at the old abandoned classroom that the school used as a storage room. As the two of you kept meeting, you both started to open up to each other more every day.

Soon enough, you found yourself looking forward to lunchtime and Genya's company every weekday. For such a huge and scary-looking guy, he was really sweet and shy around you. For some reason, it made you happy.

You started to notice the changes that were happening to you also. Genya's company was like a healing potion. You felt… Happier with him around? You were still cynical and hated every other human being, but he was different than others and you liked it.

As you were heading towards your school, you would stop by your usual convenience store on your way there. You would buy your usual lunch and enjoy it with Genya as your company yet again that day. Maybe you should do something different though. Maybe buy something sweet also to balance the meat on the rice?

Would Genya like some? Would it be too bold to offer him some? You frowned as you thought about it, not knowing what was appropriate between friends.

Yes, you would buy the two of you some chocolate! Yes, that would no doubt make Genya happy!

Or so you thought, but on your way, you passed a game store that you glanced quickly and that was when you saw something amazing on display.

A brand new active-time turn-based strategy RPG game where you can create all sorts of different demons and monsters with different strengths and weaknesses!

You almost drooled at the sight of the new game. You loved that game series, how did you miss their newest game release?

Ah, you noticed a small note by the poster of the game, saying that the game wouldn't come out except after a couple of days on Friday. Shit.

Dammit, you were disappointed but also excited. According to the poster, tons of old and new demon classes would return or come. That was a good enough reason to wait, but then you noticed the price tag and your heart dropped.

It was expensive as fuck, but damn, you wanted that game.

That in your mind, you headed to the store to get your lunch.

The morning passed pretty quickly as you imagined what kind of adventure awaited you in the game. You also drew little doodles on your notebook as you took notes during classes to kill time.

Soon the long wait for lunch came and you rushed out of the class and towards your usual meeting spot. As you expected, Genya was already there waiting for you.

"Hi there," The young man greeted you as you stepped into the room where you always ate.

"Hi ya," You greeted him back as you sat next to him.

"Genya, I have to tell you something amazing!" You said excitedly as you grabbed your lunch, but before you could say anything, Genya raised his brow in confusion at your lunch.

"Is that all you got to eat?" The man asked as he looked at the melon bread you had bought from the convenience store.

"Yeah, it was the cheapest thing they got that I actually like." You said as you opened the bag and took a bite of the bread.

"Why? Don't you have money?" Genya sounded worried. It made you feel a little happy that he worried about you. You swallowed and smiled as you shook your head, "No, I'm just saving money for this new game that comes out this Friday."

"A game?"

"Yeah, a video game." You said, but he still looked unsure. You frowned, "Wait, Don't you have any games?"

He shook his head and you frowned, "Have you played any video games, like, ever?"

"No." He shook his head, his wild hair moving with his head, "Me and big brother were pretty poor when growing up so we never had any games."

"Oh…" Oh no, now you felt so bad. How could someone live without video games? That was just brutal! You were about to ask, but then you understood what a jackass you were being.

"Would you…" You looked at him from under your eyelashes, "Would you like to play some?"

"Nah," He shook his head, "I doubt I would be any good at them…"

"It's easy!" You grinned a little, "I can teach you if you'd like?"

"But…" Genya frowned, "I don't have any consoles or whatever you need to play the games?"

"I can always borrow you one?" You said as you grinned, "What do you say Genya? Would you like to experience an adventure unlike anything else?"

The way you asked was so innocent and genuine, it made the tough man blush as he looked aside, not daring to look at you, "L- let's see…"

You smiled as you nodded and you were about to take another bite of your bread when you noticed movement from the corner of your eye. You turned to look and saw that Genya was holding a piece of meat picked from his lunch box in front of your face.

"You gotta eat something else than just bread!" He said but he still couldn't dare to look at you. You blinked and you felt confused as you felt your chest tighten at his sweet gesture.

You thanked him as you accepted the piece of meat and you smiled. For some reason, the meat never tasted better.

The week passed and each day you and Genya would meet during lunch, he would offer you some meat and rice from his lunch and you would explain the earlier games' lore while munching on your melon bread.

The long-awaited Friday came, the game's official release day, and after school, you rushed to the game store to buy the game and you even managed to get your hands on the Deluxe Edition!

That weekend you barely left your apartment, completely focusing on your new game while still taking pauses to play with Lady the Fair kitten.

Before you knew it, it was Monday and you had been playing your game the whole weekend and you were honestly so excited about it. You decided to take the game to the school with you so you could show your different characters to your best friend Genya.

"Genya!" You cried out as you ran into the room you usually ate in and you startled the young man so badly he nearly dropped his lunch box.

"W-what was that?!" He exclaimed and you grinned as you put your bag down and took out the console you had brought with you.

"Look look!" You said excitedly as you started the game and showed him the characters you had. The young man frowned a little as he leaned over your shoulder to see what you were doing.

"Is this the game you told me about?"

"Uh hu," You nodded, your eyes glued on the console's screen as you went through your different characters. He frowned, "I don't get it."

"This is a turn-based game Genya! It's like chess but with demons and monsters of different classes and abilities!" You explained, but he still didn't quite seem to understand…

"Look!" You showed the demon wearing a blue cowboy hat to Genya, who squinted his eyes at the creature on your console, "What's that?"

"He is a demon class called Gunner! I made one and named him after you!" You said and Genya looked at you in wonder. Carefully, he asked, "You named something after me?"

"Yes!" You exclaimed excitedly as you showed the character you had created to your friend. "He is my best gun user and long-range attacker!"

Genya nodded as he listened in awe at how you explained the tactics to him, but then you took your lunch out and he squinted his eyes at you, "What is that?"

"Huh?" You blinked as you looked down at your melon bread, "My lunch?"

"Didn't you save money by eating melon bread last week?!"

"Yeah, but it wasn't quite enough so I'm still eating the bread," You replied before quickly adding, "But it's only this week! Then I'm back to our usual lunch!"

"That's barely enough!" Genya snapped but you chuckled, "What, I'm fine! God knows I could lose some weight also-!"

"No, you don't!" He snapped before averting his gaze, his face crimson red, "Y- you're perfect as you are…"

"Ah," You felt your cheeks burn after hearing him say that. You quickly averted your gaze and laughed awkwardly, "Ha ha, you jokester! You're just saying that…!"

"I- I meant it…!" He grumbled stubbornly as he tried his hardest to look at you, "In fact, I've been wanting to say something to you…!"

"What is it?"

"You have changed… You're more open-minded and happy and it makes me wonder if it's because of us…"

"Ah…" You blinked as your cheeks tingled. You thought about it and the more you did that the more you would connect Genya to the feeling of actual happiness.

"I…" You blushed as you averted your gaze from him, suddenly too shy to actually look at him now that you felt like he had realized something even you didn't know.

Genya grunted as he collected his courage to look at you properly, "So I want to ask you something…"

"W- what is it?"

"W- would you…?" He swallowed before exclaiming, "Would you go out with me!"

You blinked as you felt the world around you slow down… And the panic settled in.

"I, ah…" You frowned as you felt rippling fear crawl over your back and squeeze your heart.

"I don't really do dating…" You mumbled quietly as you felt your heart close up again in fear… But he didn't give up.

"One date!" Genya begged, "Please give me one date! Give me a chance to show you how I feel and if you don't like it then we can just be friends!"

You were so afraid, but what of? That you couldn't be friends anymore if things didn't work out? That he would end up being a jerk? That you would be the horrible one here?

…Or that you would like him back the same way he liked you?

"…One date." You finally managed to whisper, and it was like time froze around you, only thing that was moving was the smile on Genya's face.

"One date." He repeated as he nodded, "Thank you."

[skelezomperman]

Revising A Tale of Star-Crossed Knights - Chapter 14

Link to chapter: https://archiveofourown.org/works/39015690/chapters/103248081

Chapter 14 was written to continue the paralleling plot structure of the previous two chapters. Specifically, the parallels are between Finn's escape from Leonster and Erinys' escape from Silesse Town. The existence of Leonster's Fall made writing that scene with Finn much easier since many of the details were provided. On the other hand with Erinys, I had to make up details. Admittedly, when I was planning this fanfic I had two major misconceptions about Silesse during the interwar period. One of them was that Erinys always became queen even if she weren't married to Lewyn. That said, I decided to have her become the ruler of Silesse anyway. I admit that it's contrived that Lahna has the power to make a random knight the leader of an entire nation, but I think it's cool and it's not like Silesse had any better options.

I did cut out another OC name, that being of Caroline who is a former knight turned advisor to Erinys. Similarly with Hedwig, I don't want to name OCs that don't get serious screentime. Maria, on the other hand, will stay especially since she got an entire fanfic. Looking at my original A/N, Caroilne wasn't even supposed to have a name so I think it's for the better if that gets undone.

Original Author's Notes:

Parallelism, the chapter.

Finn's retreat from Leonster with Leif is well known in the lore of Jugdral. I drew from the short story "Leonster's Fall" written by the FE5 developers as inspiration, but I didn't want to copy it. Raydrik betraying Calf is an actual thing that happens there, as well as Alfiona dressing as a knight to go fight in the defense of Leonster. But I changed a couple points to suit the story more. Dryas/Dorias goes with Calf while in "Leonster's Fall" he stayed behind in Leonster. Glade does not accompany Finn in the story and Selphina doesn't even appear. They did not immediately go to Tahra in the story. Finally, in the story Grannvale intervenes because Ulster wanted their assistance; in this fanfic Grannvale intervenes because Thracia tries to attack Melgen.

Erinys' flight to Tofa/Thove is something that is not illustrated in any official works, as a contrast. In this fanfic it happens in 764, a year after Leonster's fall and not too long after Tine's birth. Erinys, like Finn, is forced to "abandon" her city for a greater cause since her queen ordered her to do so. But she at least is in a less precarious spot than Finn because Grannvale is going to be totally unable to take Tofa. She also gets to keep Ced and Fee away. Azelle and Tailtiu on the other hand fall to Grannvale offscreen Friegian forces kill Azelle and take Tailtiu/Tine with them. Arthur on the other hand was playing on his own but he flees and ends up hopping from orphanage to orphanage. Arthur will reappear in the future.

Finally, there's the point of Erinys being crowned as queen. In the past I thought that this happened irregardless of who she or Lewyn married, but I recently discovered that Erinys is only referred to queen in Thracia - i.e., where she is already married to Lewyn and is a queen consort. In this fanfic, Erinys becomes queen simply because Lahna trusts her more than anyone else. Lewyn and Silvia poofed away and they have no way of knowing that Silvia had children offscreen. So she's shouldered with this responsibility of being queen and single mother at the same time...

Chapters 15 and 16 will probably be focused on fluff to develop the two sides. Part II will probably conclude at Chapter 17 which will have been the saddest thing I ever wrote.

Miscellaneous notes: Carl and Lurvin are names from "Leonster's Fall" although I slightly changed what Lurvin's role was. Perhaps Alfiona was a troubadour when she was younger? I can imagine that Leonster employs troubadours in their forces. It's probably the only female-dominated part of the army although there are female knights like Selphina. Gunna is Asbel's grandfather. The scene where Erinys agonizes from Finn was originally from the sketch "Pining" that I wrote last year. However, in that version Erinys was already crowned queen. I had to change it to make more sense with my timeline. I can imagine young Ced being...inquisitive. The next chapters will also have to introduce Ced and Fee as independent characters that the story will focus on too - characters whose POV we will end up seeing just like how we saw their parents' POV. Caroline was originally unnamed but I want to keep her as an OC in the next couple chapters.

[poussacha]

Best of Dasey: An Essential Fanfiction Reading Guide

I read every single fic in the Dasey tag on AO3, so you don't have to! Instead, here's my guide to the best of the best Dasey fics in the tag.

This guide does not include Derek/Sally/Casey, only Derek/Casey. So, if one is missing that you think should be here, that's probably the reason.

(Note: if a fic has a * at the end, it's a sequel and the first in the series will be above it.

If a fic has ** at the end, it's unfinished, but it's on this list because it is THAT GOOD.)

Best of Casey Goes to New York

this damage you did to me

by theredhoodie | rated E | 12,403 words

It’s been over a year since Casey left her life in Canada and moved to NYC. Derek shows up unannounced at one of her performances wanting to talk about his feelings, while in contrast, Casey’s all about avoiding those feelings.

Who will win this fight, and is there even a fight to win?

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Dasey Sharing a Bed

break the silence

by illicitaffair | rated M | 12,368 words

"Prove it.”

There was a beat of silence as Casey stared up at Derek in confusion. “What?”

“If you really have your life planned out and you’re sure you wouldn’t have any fun engaging in some teenage rebellion, then prove it,” Derek said. He drew in his bottom lip to bite and Casey inhaled sharply.

alternatively: three times derek and casey share a bed and one time they make out instead.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

Your Heart Says Otherwise

by abitofstardust | rated G | 10,023 words

"Derek and Casey were doomed to hate each other for eternity, or at least pretend to do so. Falling in love with her stepbrother was never in her plans, and she hated when things escaped her control. Except this. She didn’t hate this. Not one bit."

Or the one where drunk Derek confesses his feelings for Casey.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Dasey Sharing an Apartment

Two-Step

by avocadomoon | rated T+ | 12,467 words

Pacing back and forth in her bedroom that night, Casey makes a list of everything she's feeling, which is something her therapist told her to do whenever she feels like throwing something expensive out the window. It reads as follows:

1. ANGRY

2. ANGRY

3. ANGRY

(It goes on like this for a bit longer.)

14. GUILTY

15. SAD

16. HORNY ANGRY

17. LONELY,

- which is where she finally stops. It's only going to get more pathetic from here.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Vacation With Derek Fix-Its

Two Pictures of Chaos

by Shadowfox1119 | rated E | 23,969 words

“Yeah, ‘step-sister,’ ‘sister.’ It’s all the same difference, right?”

My take on the before, during, and after the "Vacation with Derek" movie.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Derek is Getting Married

then you come crashing in

by thencallitwinter | rated M | 22,349 words

It ends like these things always do: with that one guy who's in love with this other girl and first hearing about it from Edwin of all people. Derek/Casey. Casey/Jesse. Derek/OC. One-Shot.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Derek's Directorial Debut, but make it a POV

How To Play Charades

by youcallitwinter | rated T+ | 1,675

The thing to know about him is; he's always been clueless. Like that movie Casey likes so much. The one in which those step-siblings get together. And it's not as if he's ever wondered whether that was supposed to imply something.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

right in plain sight

by donutcats | rated T+ | 3,661 words

"I'm seconds away from asking myself some weird philosophical question like 'what is inspiration’.”

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Dasey goes to University

Act II: College Life With Derek

by MoreThanOneInterest | rated T+ | 27,504 words

"So let me get this straight? You want to pretend we don't know each other?"

That's the idea, and Derek thinks it's a good one, so he can distract himself from Casey while at college. It works... at first. Until he can't get her out of his head, and it completely backfires on him. Because she starts dating Prince Charming.

T-M Rating. Might go up, might stay down. No one knows (officially).

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

In Truth (and Otherwise)

by falsettodrop | rated M | 14,230 words

Sometimes she and Derek spoke like this. In little half-sentences, unspoken truths hidden deep within them, too difficult for the average person to find. But they both knew—they knew where to find them, and they knew what they’d find.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

Salomé, as Experienced by Derek Venturi

by APHands | rated T+ | 3,196 words

Derek helps Casey read lines.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Dasey What-Ifs

I Do/I Don't

by retreatingwings | rated T+ | 11,141 words

Derek throws one last house party his senior year of high school. Tispy, he kisses Casey. The next morning, she asks him if it was a drunken mistake, or if he meant it. He imagines the two paths their lives could take from that moment forward: one where he says he didn’t, and one where he says he did.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ 4/5 stars

-

Best of Dasey Texting Fics

Llamas and Siblings and Pies, Oh My!

by WakeUpSoon | rated T+ | 3,727 words

Edwin: I’ve invited you all here today to talk about the elephant in the room.

Lizzie: why do you keep doing this?

in which edwin has points to make, dasey have some secrets, and family is everything.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Hurt/Comfort

If You Hadn't Gone

by Shommey99 | rated T+ | 14,499 words

Derek had always been under the impression that once Casey finally left him alone, he’d be at peace.

Until she did.

⭐⭐⭐⭐🎊 4.5/5 stars

Universe & U*

by Shommey99 | rated M | 19,124 words

Casey knew there was something between them, she wasn’t stupid. She remembered that night at the club so vividly, how she was ready to risk it all if he just asked. But it was him and her, so of course, it was going to be more complicated than that.

Or: A sequel to ‘If You Hadn’t Gone’, from Casey’s point of view.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

Nightmares and Daydreams

by chunchun | rated T+ | 20,278 words

Derek's been having nightmares lately. Casey's trying to deal with a different side of him she's never seen before.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Bittersweet Endings

you are my favorite what if

by donutcats | rated T+ | 1,051 words

No one really talks about unhappy ever afters.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

She Wouldn't Be Gone

by Born2Read | rated T+ | 2,979 words

While searching for Casey to right what he broke, Derek reflects on where he went wrong. If he's lucky, maybe it isn't too late to repair the damage.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

Dancing On My Own

by UntoldGalaxies | Rated T+ | 5,525

It was like a scene out of a fairy tale. Flowing gowns and romantic music swept the room, and they danced.

And Casey watched.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Dasey Reality TV AUs

Dasey: Love Island**

by kensington_queen | rated E | 13,801 words

It's gonna be a long, hot, summer.

The Dasey Love Island AU ;)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Dasey Secret Kid Fics

Serenity

by Born2read | rated T+ | 38,974 words

The child arches her brow. “I didn’t come for an autograph. Hockey is a vile, violent sport.” She sniffs, and Derek’s reminded of…

“Hey, kid, where are your parents?”

“My name is Serenity,” she starts, pausing and eyeing him. Whatever she’s looking for in his expression, she doesn’t find it. “Serenity Venturi.”

Or, the one where Casey keeps the kid hidden from Derek and he finds out... when she shows up on his doorstep.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Battle of the Bands AUs

Shot in the Dark

by Born2Reach | not rated | 29,096 words

Derek finds himself in debt and starts a band. Casey gets involved. Both have grown from their D-Rock days, and maybe they'll learn to get along. Or, more likely, they'll bicker and fight and deny any type of friendship. Either way, they're determined to win the Battle of the Bands.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

Best of Dasey Slowburns with Divorce

so tell me when you're gonna let me in

by avocadomoon | rated M | 16,037 words

In which real, grown-up life is uh, actually not all that fun, sometimes.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 5/5 stars

-

✨Best of the Best | God Tier Dasey Fics✨

Turn to Stone

by Shommey99 | rated T+ | 12,907 words

How well do you really know the people closest to you? Can you help them see reason before it’s too late? Basically, this is The Derek and Casey Show. From the point of view of everyone who’s not, well, Derek and Casey.

✨⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 10/5 stars

The Last Time*

by Shommey99 | rated M | 26,920 words

Eight years in the lives of Casey and Derek. Including denial, longing, fights, and what really happened in Cancun (twice).

✨⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 10/5 stars

A Thousand Years Go By (Love Don't Die)

by WakeUpSoon | rated T+ | 7,714 words

Dear Casey, the letter reads, Blah blah blah there’s some ghosts and shit. You guys wanna come see? Xoxo

They’ve been doing this a long time, but it’s not often they get a chance to help an old friend in need rather than a stranger.

Or, the one where the McTuri Siblings have a long-running paranormal investigation show on Netflix, and Sam gets a haunted house.

✨⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 10/5 stars

This is Life With Derek**

by justcallmedaisy | rated M | 124,619 words

After the announcement of Casey and Derek going to the same university and their "same difference" conversation in the kitchen, the reality sets in for both of them that they are in fact setting forth on this new chapter of their lives together. Both have to work through their ffff-feelings about it and about... each other?

✨⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 10/5 stars

Defining Life**

by APHands | rated E | 15,994 words

Casey McDonald was ambitious, to say the least. She had every moment and aspect of her education, career, and life planned out before she even entered high school.

And then, instead, her mom married George.

✨⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 10/5 stars

Ripple Effect

by abitofstardust | rated T+ | 5,820 words

synopsis: When Marti has to go to the hospital, Casey is faced with the task of comforting Derek. But maybe she's the one in need of comfort.

✨⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 10/5 stars

even if it's a lie

by anniebibannie | rated M | 14,685 words

Casey hadn’t known when she started the stupid, little game it would spiral out of control into… whatever this was turning into. It had been harmless, mostly. But whatever was happening between her and Derek now? Decidedly not harmless.

✨⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 10/5 stars

Changing on the Fly

by cacnophonous_noise | rated E | 48,005 words

But on that victory lap he finds himself wishing it was still high school, cause when he looks up into the stands, among the thousands of faces, there is one he never sees.

✨⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 10/5 stars

A Kind of Merry War

by blithers | rated E | 37,167 words

Three games that Derek and Casey played.

✨⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐✨ 10/5 stars

[a-silent-symphony]

NIGHTWISH Announces 'Human. :II: Nature. (Tour Edition)'

NIGHTWISH will release "Human. :II: Nature. (Tour Edition)" on November 18 via Nuclear Blast. It will be made available as a luxurious 2CD plus Blu-ray digipak and include the band's latest album alongside NIGHTWISH's two interactive experiences in May 2021 when the group performed in a tavern called "The Islanders Arms" built in a virtual world. On both nights, the fans experienced a one-and-a-half-hour performance, hearing songs live off "Human. :II: Nature." for the first time ever. Each of the two nights had its own slightly different setlist. Originally available just as a DVD release and on Blu-ray in Japan, this new edition is the ultimate version to re-experience this unique and magical show NIGHTWISH created after their world tour had to be canceled.

Half a year in preparation and premiered on May 28 and May 29, 2021, "An Evening With Nighwish In A Virtual World" was not just a regular streaming show. It was an exceptionally ambitious production, allowing fans to follow the band playing live in an astonishing 3D world, designed according to the band's vision, while interacting with each other.

NIGHTWISH's two interactive experiences drew 150,000 viewers, setting the record for the largest paid virtual concert in Finland's history. Most of the viewers came from Europe and North America, but the performance was a truly global event, with fans in 108 countries purchasing tickets to the show and the box office gross exceeding one million euro.

"This is definitely one of the coolest things NIGHTWISH has ever done," the band comments. "Entwining visual elements, technology and music in such an extraordinary way offers a unique experience to us all."

About 30 people from seven different countries, many of them longtime fans, put everything they had into the game to craft a high-quality virtual concert featuring a NIGHTWISH-themed tavern, elaborate animations and 3D models that provided an atmospheric and inimitable stage for the group's 100-minute-long, stellar career-spanning set brilliantly mastered by Mika Jussila at Finnvox.

Celebrating the announcement, NIGHTWISH has released a video for "Noise", taken from "An Evening With Nightwish In A Virtual World".

"Human. :II: Nature. (Tour Edition)" track listing:

CD 1: Human. :II: Nature.

01. Music 02. Noise 03. Shoemaker 04. Harvest 05. Pan 06. How's The Heart? 07. Procession 08. Tribal 09. Endlessness

CD 2: All the Works of Nature Which Adorn the World

01. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Vista 02. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - The Blue 03. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - The Green 04. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Moors 05. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Aurorae 06. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Quiet As The Snow 07. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Anthropocene (incl. "Hurrian Hymn To Nikkal") 08. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World - Ad Astra

Blu-ray: Virtual Live Show From The Islanders Arms 2021

01. Intro 02. Noise 03. Planet Hell 04. Alpenglow 05. Élan 06. Storytime 07. How's The Heart? 08. Harvest 09. Dark Chest Of Wonders 10. I Want My Tears Back 11. Ever Dream 12. Nemo 13. Sleeping Sun 14. Pan 15. Last Ride Of The Day 16. Ghost Love Score 17. The Greatest Show On Earth 18. All The Works Of Nature Which Adorn The World: VIII. Ad Astra

NIGHTWISH keyboardist and main songwriter Tuomas Holopainen recently spoke to Rauta about what fans can expect from the band's upcoming follow-up to "Human. :II: Nature.". He said: "I feel it's gonna be the third part of a trilogy started by 'Endless Forms Most Beautiful' [2015] followed by 'Human. :II: Nature.' and then finished by this upcoming album."

According to Tuomas, NIGHTWISH's next LP will cover previously uncharted ground while continuing in the more cinematic style that has characterized some of the band's recent efforts.

"There's always something new," he explained. "It's important for my own mental health, when it comes to writing music, that you need to search for some new territories and try not to repeat yourself. And that can be heard on the upcoming album, for sure, already on the demo that we've done."

Asked if NIGHTWISH's upcoming LP will once again be an exploration of evolutionary science, as was the case with the previous two releases, Tuomas said: "Yes and no. It sails on the same waters, but there's some new surprises there as well."

Holopainen went on to say that NIGHTWISH fans will have to wait a while before hearing new music from the band. "We'll enter the studio next year and the album is gonna come out maybe early 2024," he said.

In August, Holopainen told Knotfest that he and his bandmates had spent "the past few weeks" listening to a demo of the next NIGHTWISH album. "Because of COVID, lots of free time, I decided to use that well, so I wrote all the songs for the next album, demoed it, wrote the lyrics, and now we have been brainstorming over it with these guys," he said, referring to drummer Kai Hahto and the rest of NIGHTWISH.

Added Kai: "Yeah, it's been great. The six of us, in the same room, listening to fresh demos for the upcoming album, checking the lyrics and the vocal parts and stuff like that. So it's been wonderful. This man [Tuomas] has been really productive."

Earlier in the month, Tuomas told Rock Sverige that he spent "about a year" working on the music and lyrics for the next NIGHTWISH album, "and then we finished the demos about two months ago. We're hitting the studio next summer, so in about a year from now," he revealed. "Like I said, might as well use the time for something."

Asked if he got any kind of inspiration from the pandemic, Tuomas said: "Yeah, lyrically there's a couple of things that reflects the pandemic, but not in the way you would expect."

"Human. :II: Nature." was released in April 2020. The follow-up to 2015's "Endless Forms Most Beautiful" was a double album containing nine tracks on the main CD and one long track, divided into eight chapters, on CD 2.

In August, NIGHTWISH announced the addition of bassist Jukka Koskinen (WINTERSUN) as an official member of the band. Koskinen, who made his live debut with NIGHTWISH at the band's two interactive experiences, had spent the last year touring with NIGHTWISH as a session musician.

[paunchsalazar]

hey!! i loved your hoo playlist! can you explain more or less where which book begins and ends? or just your thought process behind picking the songs?

omg hi!! this is going to be really long I’m so sorry... I vaguely broke them up by book and sorta character/event/theme, it’s not super strict or anything but that was the logic!

I kinda imagine it playing out like a movie or tv series.. and so some of these kinda play over a scene or transition to the credits in my head? some more than others! otherwise it’s like punny titles or just songs that remind of plot points!

Lost Hero

- Goodbye Stranger - for Jason, since he has no idea what’s going on lol

- Teenage Dream - for the three of them, but mostly Piper!

You think I'm pretty without any makeup on You think I'm funny when I tell the punch line wrong

- Parachute - kinda Jason and Piper, I think as she realizes their relationship isn’t quite what it seems? (and just playing with his flying lol!)

- Metal Guru - Leo! 

- Pretty Girl - Piper, I was imagining this when she clashes with Drew/learns about the Aphrodite cabin

And I could be a pretty girl Shut up when you want me to And I could be a pretty girl Won't ever make you blue And I could be a pretty girl I'll lose myself in you

- The Sky’s The Limit - when the three of them take off on Festus

- Snowqueen Of Texas - this was for Khione lol

I'm on my knees, your majesty; Snowqueen, save a cold kiss for me I'm on my knees your majesty

- Sweet Talkin’ Woman - this is book-wide but it’s for Piper’s charmspeak!

- Are You Gonna Be My Girl - is sorta general but I was imagining it when Jason and Piper kinda decide to be together/give it another go

- It’s Not Unusual - I think this was sorta the entire book/wider series but I just think it’s cute and fun and a Guardians of the Galaxy type end credits song? And just them accepting their very bizarre situation 

Son of Neptune + Mark of Athena

I put these together because there wasn’t really a set bookend in my head!

- Hello Stranger - finally reuniting with Percy! (and I wanted the Percy and Jason songs to mirror each other)

Hello stranger (Ooh) It seems so good to see you back again How long has it been? (Ooh it seems like a mighty long time)

- Diamonds - Hazel 

- Don’t Go Breaking My Heart - Frank trusting Hazel with the wood, also Percy + Annabeth, everyone really

Don't go breaking my heart You take the weight off of me Oh, honey when you knock on my door Ooh, I gave you my key

- Beautiful Soul - I literally don’t know why I added this I just wanted an excuse to add a Jesse McCartney song (which feels so tonally correct to me?) but also I think it’s Frank liking Hazel in spite of her big secret and Percy loving Annabeth

- Pocketful of Rainbows - encountering Iris!

I don't worry Whenever skies are gray above Got a pocketful of rainbows Got a heart full of love

- Am I The Same Girl - Annabeth’s POV upon reunion!

Why don´t you stop And look me over Am I the same girl you used to know?

Why don´t you stop And think it over Am I the same girl who knew your soul?

- Bizarre Love Triangle - Frank, Hazel, and Leo

- Treasure - Hazel again + the literal treasure?

Pretty girl, pretty girl, pretty girl you should be smiling (you should be smiling) A girl like you should never look so blue (blue) You're everything I see in my dreams I wouldn't say that to you if it wasn't true

- The Sweet Escape - off on the Argo II

- Okay Okay - to Italy! and I just think Italian disco is so fun

- On An Evening in Roma - walking around Rome, seeing all its history

Though there's grinning and mandolining in sunny Italy The beginning has just begun when the sun goes down So please meet me in the plaza near your casa I am only one and that is one too few On an evening in Roma Don't know what the country's coming to But in Rome do as the Romans do Will you on an evening in Roma

- Stuck on the puzzle - Annabeth + the Mark of Athena

- Coca Cola - I was imagining the pirates+sacrifice to Dionysus/ his appearance

- Edge of Seventeen - I think Annabeth remarks to herself something like am I really going to die at 17? so this is for her and all the kids just on the cusp of being 17

And the days go by, like a strand in the wind In the web that is my own, I begin again Said to my friend, baby (everything stopped) Nothin' else mattered

- Landslide - when everything goes wrong and they start falling to Tartarus

Oh, mirror in the sky What is love? Can the child within my heart rise above? Can I sail through the changin' ocean tides? Can I handle the seasons of my life?

Well, I've been afraid of changin' 'Cause I've built my life around you But time makes you bolder Even children get older And I'm getting older too

House of Hades + Blood of Olympus

these are more thematic I think? but a few moments in particular

- Head Over Heels - falling down... 

I made a fire, and watching it burn Thought of your future With one foot in the past, now just how long will it last?

Something happens and I'm head over heels I never find out until I'm head over heels Something happens and I'm head over heels Ah, don't take my heart, don't break my heart Don't, don't, don't throw it away

- You and Me - Percy and Annabeth in Tartarus

If the stars don't shine If the moon won't rise If I never see the setting sun again You won't hear me cry as I testify Please believe me boy you know I would I lie As long as there is you and me

- Don’t Worry Baby - Percy and Annabeth in Tartarus, on the shore of the river

Well it's been building up inside of me For oh I don't know how long I don't know why But I keep thinking Something's bound to go wrong

But she looks in my eyes And makes me realize And she says "don't worry, baby"

- It’s Only A Paper Moon - the mist and Hazel starting to understand it

You smile, the bubble has a rainbow in it Say, it's only a paper moon Sailing over a cardboard sea But it wouldn't be make-believe If you believed in me

- Money, Money, Money - Hazel + Pluto

Money, money, money Must be funny In the rich man's world

- Magic - the whole story, but particularly with the presence of Hecate 

- Summer Wind - Jason harnessing the winds!

The summer wind came blowin' in from across the sea It lingered there, to touch your hair and walk with me All summer long we sang a song and then we strolled that golden sand Two sweethearts and the summer wind

- Mala Femmina - the return of Khione

- Would You? - Leo and Calypso

Well, you know she took my hand And we walked away And I can't understand why she would stay Would you like to fall in love with me?

-  Love is Like a Fire - Leo and also Frank 

- Don’t Wanna Fight - Percy and Annabeth

Take from my hand Put in your hands The fruit of all my grief Lying down ain't easy When everyone is pleasing I can't get no relief Living ain't no fun The constant dedication Keeping the water and power on There ain't nobody left Why can't I catch my breath? I'm gonna work myself to death

- Love Really Hurts With You - Leo after leaving Calypso’s island

- What Makes the Sunset - Percy and Annabeth (and by extension Bob and Damasen)

What makes the sunset? What makes the moonrise? What makes the tide remember to hide and why does it soon rise? What makes a star fall? Where does it fall to? Why does its flight make us stop in the night and wish as we all do?

- Dedicated to the One I Love - everybody, but an ode to Bob and Damasen (their goodbye made me cry!)

While I'm far away from you my baby I know it's hard for you my baby Because it's hard for me my baby And the darkest hour is just before dawn

Each night before you go to bed my baby Whisper a little prayer for me my baby And tell all the stars above This is dedicated to the one I love

- Please, Please, Please, Let Me Get What I Want - Percy and Annabeth in Tartarus, I was thinking about this post-curses and them being so done with everything

Good times for a change See, the luck I've had Can make a good man Turn bad

So please, please, please Let me, let me, let me Let me get what I want This time

- Lonely Boy - Nico 

- Fantasy - indulging all their visions... the mist, etc. 

- Stupid Cupid - Nico and Cupid (of course)

Stupid Cupid you're a real mean guy (stupid Cupid) I'd like to clip your wings so you can't fly (stupid Cupid) I'm in love and it's a crying shame (stupid Cupid) And I know that you're the one to blame (stupid Cupid)

Hey hey, set me free Stupid Cupid stop picking on me

- Suzanne - still Nico, looking over at the couple (sorry... all the mopey songs)

- Dream A Little Dream of Me - dreams... also Percy’s wishes of the future

Stars shining bright above you Night breezes seem to whisper "I love you" Birds singing in the sycamore tree Dream a little dream of me

- Our Day Will Come - I think Annabeth says a line almost like this? somewhere at the end of HOH, I think when they’ve just gotten out of Tartarus and are all sitting together, like haven’t they had enough? won’t their day finally come?

Our day will come If we just wait a while No tears for us Think love and wear a smile Our dreams have magic because We'll always stay In love this way

- Call Me - all of them! also Nico and Reyna, just being there for each other

Tell me and I'll be around Now don't forget me 'cause if you let me I will always stay by you You've got to trust me, that's how it must be

- Nobody - Nico... oh buddy 

Venus, planet of love Was destroyed by global warming Did its people want too much too? Did its people want too much?

And I don't want your pity I just want somebody near me Guess I'm a coward I just want to feel alright

- I’m a Believer - Jason and Piper

I thought love was only true in fairy tales Meant for someone else but not for me Love was out to get me That's the way it seemed Disappointment haunted all my dreams Then I saw her face, now I'm a believer Not a trace of doubt in my mind

- Summertime - Piper singing and it being the end of summer

- Happy Trails - more singing ( I want to include the songs actually mentioned!)

- The End of the World - the big battle!!

Why does the sun go on shining? Why does the sea rush to shore? Don't they know it's the end of the world? 'Cause you don't love me any more

- Too Late To Turn Back Now - departing with Festus (I think Leo almost says this too!)

- Here Comes The Sun - day comes, the Athena Parthenos is back

Little darling, it's been a long cold lonely winter Little darling, it seems like years since it's been here

- Walking On Sunshine - Will Solace

- Evil Woman - Gaea fight

Evil woman, how you done me wrong But now you're tryin' to wail a different song Ha, ha, funny, how you broke me up You made the wine, now you drink a cup I came runnin' every time you cried Thought I saw love smilin' in your eyes Ha, ha, very nice to know That you ain't got no place left to go

- Seven Wonders - the seven! also traveling the world... making it this far

If I live to see the seven wonders I'll make a path to the rainbow's end I'll never live to match the beauty again The rainbow's edge

- This Will Be (An Everlasting Love) - to me this is just after Annabeth and Percy’s kiss, shots of everyone back to camp, wides of people running around, new cabins under construction, the sun is shining, the camera pulls out 

Loving you is some kind of wonderful Because you showed me just how much you care You've given me the thrill of a lifetime And made me believe you've got more thrills to spare, oh!

- Love Makes the World Go Round - like the end credits! last pov with Piper, love makes it all happen

Without love flowers wouldn't grow in the spring And without spring, yeah the birdies just couldnt sing Everybody needs love to watch the twinkling stars above It makes a boy and girl, Say they feel so fine, now

[jamiemackenziefraser]

All That Was Fair

Chapter 17: A Faerie and a Fool

Summary: Jamie and Claire enjoy their reunion

Read on AO3

Read chapter 17 on tumblr below the cut

Previous, master list, next

a/n: Me: Can I skip a little time somewhere in this story? Please? Just a bit?

The Story: no. You must write moment for moment or you’ll die.

--Anyway... we pick up directly where the last chapter left off hahaha. Welcome to the beginning of Arc II :)

Chapter 17: A Faerie and a Fool

***

It felt like a dream. Jamie’s deepest desires— hopes so great he’d been paralyzed in the face of them— were contained in the form of the faerie in his arms who was holding on to him like she was ready to build a home there. 

“You really love me?” he asked, scarcely allowing himself to believe it was real. 

“Yes, Jamie—” was all she managed to breathe out before Jamie cut her off with another exuberant kiss. He couldn’t possibly spend another moment knowing that she loved him— knowing she was going to stay with him— and not be kissing her. 

So damn long had he ached for this, but that only made it all the sweeter as he savored the feeling of her smiling into the kiss. He had imagined more times than he’d care to admit, and the mind-numbing flawless reality overshadowed anything he could have dreamed. She was perfect. More than perfect. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that she would be his everything for eternity. 

There was no way he could ever stop. He only managed to pull away for tiny gasps of air before leaning in again, melding his mouth to hers like his life depended on it. He was drunk on the feeling. The intoxication bubbled up inside him until he was dizzy with it. 

His brain, which had been on overdrive for weeks now, had finally quieted, and his torn heart was mending contentedly in the peace and knowledge of her love. 

“Jamie,” she gasped. A wee hand pushed gently against his chest, so he reluctantly drew back, looking down at her with soft eyes. “I can’t breathe,” she mustered with a bright smile that indicated she didn’t actually mind in the least. 

“Sorry,” he panted with a sheepish expression, “it’s jes’ that I was dreamin’ of that since the moment we met and now I canna seem tae stop.” 

“Since we met?” she questioned. Her head tilted up slightly. 

“Aye. For days I’ve been tryin’ to talk myself out of my feelin’s for ye. I didna want to take advantage of ye— me bein’ yer only anchor in the human world. I couldna risk it…”

“Only I wanted you this whole time,” she whispered with an edge of something akin to desperation. 

“You— you have?” He gasped. He reeled with the revelation that all this time… all this time she’d felt the same? “Oh Christ! Oh God, Claire. I’ve been a bloody fool.” 

“I told you,” she said with a playful smile. Growing more serious again, she continued, “I knew you were mine. We’re connected, Jamie. I can’t even explain it, but I’ve known for a while now that we aren’t meant to be parted.”

Jamie had to resist the urge to cry that was welling up inside him. 

“Aye. Ye’re mine. And I’m yours.” 

He gathered her in again, feeling like his heart would surely burst. He wound his arms around her back and molded her body to his before taking her lips again. The kiss was slow and languid, and something about the tenderness made the impulse to sob with joy all the more compelling. It was finally setting in, truly, that this beautiful, compassionate, enchanting creature was his to love and care for forever. 

It was then that Jamie noticed a warmth tingling through his veins. The sensation was similar to when an extremity falls asleep— like tiny pinpricks— only it felt pleasant. The feeling seemed to course through his body from center to finger tips, caressing him, taking all the hurt away. As he kissed Claire, he reveled in the gentle buzz. 

His eyes fluttered open, blissfully intoxicated by her and wanting to see her expression, and was startled to find light emanating from her hands. One of her arms was wrapped around Jamie’s neck while the other was pressed to his side, and her eyes were closed as she found herself caught up in him. But the hand against his side was glowing with golden light, and Jamie’s brain managed to identify that as the source of the sensation coursing through him. 

“Claire,” he murmured, breaking away from her lips. 

Her eyes remained close in contented bliss as she dreamily responded, “Jamie?” 

He wasn’t sure exactly how to ask her what she was doing, but after he remained quiet for a second, her eyes popped open. They went wide as she looked down and noticed her glowing hand where it rested familiarly over Jamie’s ribs. 

“Oh,” she gasped. 

A flush rose in her cheeks as she quickly withdrew her hand. The glowing ceased at once, along with the warmth inside of Jamie, and he actually found himself mourning the loss of it. 

“I’m sorry,” she said, an abashed smile creeping onto her face. 

“Dinna fash, it— it felt nice. What... was that, Sassenach?” Jamie stuttered over his words as a slight blush rose in his neck as well, although he wasn’t entirely sure what he was blushing about. 

“I— I’d tapped into your energy. Your center. Essentially I was healing you, although you don’t have anything to heal at the moment,” she patted his stomach in appreciation, and Jamie felt a swell of pride. 

“Oh,” was all he could say. He looked down at her in enrapturement, feeling so incredibly lost in the wonder of her. There was so much he had yet to learn. 

Distracted as he was, Claire was still speaking. 

“It’s not surprising it happened now. It’s tied to intense emotion, you see…” she said. 

Jamie broke free from his trance-like state, blinking in surprise at this new tidbit. “Is that so? Ye can manipulate energy better when ye’re feelin’ strong emotions?” 

She gave him a nod, “Don’t even ask me how it works. I think I’m just more in-tune with the energy around me in hyper-aware states.” 

“And what extreme emotion are ye feelin’ now, mo nighean donn?” he asked her, a bit teasingly despite his very real longing to hear her talk about it. He hovered his lips closer, leaning down to her while keeping their eyes locked. 

“Agitation that you’re a bloody fool, Jamie Fraser!” she teased, narrowing her eyes in mock frustration and pulling away from his lips that were about to descend to take hers. 

Jamie laughed— taken aback— and pursued her, wrapping his arms around her waist and holding her against him. 

“Is that so?” he asked huskily, raising his brows. 

“Well… that and a few other things…” she said with a smirk. 

“What might those be?” Jamie asked, successfully having drawn nearer to her again so that their breaths mingled together in the tiny space between their lips. He could feel her heart beating against his chest, quick as a rabbit’s. She was still playfully leaning back from him, struggling to keep the distance between them to the point that the only thing keeping her upright was Jamie’s grip. 

“Love,” she answered, her face turning from playful to serious, “relief. When you left me on that hill, Jamie Fraser, I thought my heart would surely break. But now… now I’ve never been so happy.” 

He couldn’t stop himself then. His body seemed to move all on his own as he kissed her, making a thousand promises and apologies. Delighting in the fact that she was his. Feeling the same onslaught of emotion as she was. 

“I’m sorry,” he said against her lips, cupping the back of her head to hold her against him, “I’m sorry I left ye there wi’ out even askin’ ye what it was you wanted. Ye’re right, I’m a bloody fool. But I’ve never been such a lucky bastard as I am right now.” 

“I forgive you,” she said breathlessly, her lips brushing his, “I forgive you, Jamie. Just never leave me again.” 

“I promise.” Recognizing the gravity of the moment, Jamie tore himself away from her mouth so he could look her in the eyes. Meeting that honey-gold gaze that made his knees go weak, he repeated, “I promise ye, mo nighean donn. If it is in my power, I wouldna have us parted ever again.” 

“Good,” she said firmly, “because I bloody well cannot do without you, Jamie Fraser.” 

Her hand came up to stroke along his jaw, punctuating her point. Tiny tingles of warmth followed in its wake, and Jamie smiled, feeling the truth of her words in his very bones. 

Smiling down at her, he couldn’t resist leaning forward to press a sweet kiss to her forehead. 

It blew his mind that he could do that now. To know she wanted his touch… that he would act on all the impulses he’d been stamping down for weeks… it was pure bliss. 

“Well…” he said warmly as he drew back, “shall we go, mo ghraidh?” 

She smiled up at him, the crinkles around the corners of her eyes the most adorable thing he’d ever laid eyes on. She breathed “yes,” and then added, as if she wanted so badly to say it again, “I love you, Jamie.” 

***

a/n: It was a shorter chapter but the next chapter makes up for it, I just had to split it there. Should have the next one up on Sunday! Also, I forgot to mention last time, but I’m on twitter now! @jamiemackfraser if you want to keep up with me there. Thanks so much for reading, darlings <3

Next

[duhragonball]

[FIC] Luffa: The Legendary Super Saiyan (155/?)

Disclaimer: This story features characters and concepts based on Dragon Ball, which is a trademark of Bird Studio/Shueisha and Toei Animation.   This is an unauthorized work, and no profit is being made on this work by me. This story is copyright of me. Download if you like, but please don’t archive it without my permission. Don’t be shy.

Continuity Note: This story takes place about 1000 years before 66 years after the events of Dragon Ball Z.

Hey, it’s the Hero Lab!

[1 July, Age 726.    Planet Plant.]

The latest reports from the frontlines were very encouraging.    The Tuffles were a stubborn enemy, but the Saiyans had managed to drive them out of the north quarter of Orange City, while the Truffle pushback in Cidertown had slowed to a virtual standstill.   Nappa smiled as he laid the report down and enjoyed the view from his new penthouse.    The blood of the previous owner still stained the walls and floors, but he rather enjoyed the scent of dead Tuffles.   It gave the place some much-needed personality.    

"You seem to be in a good mood today."  

Nappa looked up from the balcony and spotted a young Saiyan floating overhead.    He didn't recognize the man, but judged him to be part-alien from the color of his hair and the strange clothes that he wore.    He looked more like a Tuffle than a Saiyan, but the scent was proof enough that he wasn't Nappa's enemy.    Whatever the young man's parentage, his blood was nothing like the kind that decorated his new home.    

"Why wouldn't I be happy?" Nappa asked.   His thin mustache framed his smile as he crossed his arms over his massive chest.    "The Tuffles have been lording over us for years, and now we're finally taking over this planet, just as easily as I took over this apartment.    Before long, the Tuffles will be the ones begging us to let them stay on Planet Plant."

"I guess you're right," the man said.   "At least until someone stronger comes along and takes it all away from you."

"I like you, kid," Nappa said with a gravely laugh.    "You sure do know how to tell a joke.   What brings you here?"

"I had some questions," he said as he alighted on the balcony.  "I need information, and I heard you knew my father, so I thought I'd start with you."

Nappa eyed the man suspiciously.    "I know a lot of fathers," he said.   "None of them wore long black coats, or carried a sword, though.    What's your dad's name, kid?"  

"Vegeta," he said.  

Nappa laughed.    Then he looked at the young man more carefully, doing his best to ignore the blue eyes and the lavender hair that hung around his face.   Then he laughed harder.  

"Something funny about that?" the man asked.    

"I do see a bit of a resemblance," Nappa said.   "Guess King Vegeta II had a few 'unofficial' heirs over the years, huh?   Who knew he had it in him?   So which is it?   You want to blackmail the royal family?    Or were you hoping they'd give you a cushy civil service job?"

"Nothing like that," the man said.   "I just wanted to ask you some questions.    Nothing personal, just general background stuff."

"Yeah?  Well why should I help you?" Nappa asked.    "For that matter, killing you would probably be a smarter play.    One less would-be usurper for the king to worry about, right?  I’m sure your old man would make it worth my while."

"Oh, I probably should have been more specific," the young man said.    "My father isn't Vegeta the Second.    It's Vegeta the Fourth."    

Nappa gave him a sidelong glance.    "There is no Vegeta IV," he said warily.  

"Not yet, anyway," the man said with a knowing smile.  

"That's it, I don't know what your game is, punk, but I'm through playing!" Nappa said.    "You can tell your lies in hell!"  

He drew back his arm and threw a punch that would have killed most Saiyans on contact.    Nappa had made a name for himself on the battlefield for defeating entire companies of Tuffle mechatroops all by himself.    He fully expected to turn the young man's head into a cloud of red mist.    

Instead, the man blocked his strike with such incredible speed that Nappa couldn't even tell that he had moved.   In one instant, the man had been standing with his hands in his pockets.    And then in the next, the man was now gripping Nappa's palm with his thumb and index finger.    He squeezed slightly, and Nappa nearly dropped to his knees from the pain.    

"Nnnghhh!" was the noise he made as he struggled not to show how much it hurt.   His free hand reached up for his scalp, where he tugged at the tuft of thick black hair on his head.

"Look, let's cut to the chase, all right?   For you, this'll only take a few minutes, but I might be doing these interviews all night, so don't waste my time, okay?   Those Tuffles you're fighting might be pushovers, but I'm not.    So now that you know that you can't brute force your way out of this, what'll it be?"

He released Nappa's hand, and Nappa gasped with relief as he cradled it in his other palm.   He stared at his hands for a moment, then at the man.   Then he paused to consider the sword, and how much worse it would get if the young man decided to make use of it.    

"Heh.   Uh, yeah, sorry, Your Majesty.   I-I should have recognized you sooner.    Anything you want, just let me know, Prince... uh... Prince... What'd you say your name was?"

"I didn't," he replied.  "So, let's start with a simple one.    Have you ever heard of a Saiyan named Luffa?"

*******

[1 December Age 893, Earth.]

"Honestly, I didn't expect him to know Luffa.    Nappa didn't recognize her when she faced him on a Time Patrol mission, but he did fill me in on a few things."

By Age 889, the arcade game Super Dragon Ball Heroes had become a popular pastime, and the city of Hero Town became the global headquarters for the craze.    Gaming enthusiasts from around the world traveled to Hero Town to partake in the game, which was based upon actual events from the previous century.   Trunks had logged many hours in front of an SDBH cabinet, though his reasons had nothing to do with recreation.   For all its popularity, the game had a very strange secret.    It was the Capsule Corporation who developed the software, but the world within the game was actually made possible by the Time Patrol.   Deep beneath Hero Tower was the Hero Lab, where the Time Patrol occasionally conducted secret research and reconnaissance.  

"I don't get it, Master," said a teenage girl standing near one of the main computer terminals that surrounded nearly every surface of the Hero Lab.    "You formed the Dragon Ball Heroes Team to help you defeat Sealas, right?   So why didn't you come to us on this Towa situation?"

"Note's right, Trunks!" said a teenage boy eating mochi from a bag.  "I'm Goku's descendant, after all!   It's not fair to leave me out of a case like this."

Trunks deactivated the Hero Switch device and handed it to Anne, one of the scientists who maintained the lab.    His black trenchcoat and sword hung next to several labcoats on a metal rack in the corner, revealing the olive-green sweater he wore underneath.   He smiled at Note and Beat, and then Dr. Leggings, the project director of the Hero Lab, who was programming the next simulation.

"I understand where you're coming from, kids," Trunks said, "and I appreciate the offer, but it's not that simple."  

"Why not?" Beat asked.   "From what you've told us, Luffa's a Saiyan, right?   If that's all you needed, then I could have tackled these missions for you.  I'm a Saiyan, too."

"Oh, here we go..." Note grumbled.  She made sure to roll her eyes dramatically enough for everyone in the room to see.

"What?" Beat asked.    "It's true, isn't it?"

"Beat, even I have Saiyan ancestry," Dr. Leggings said without looking up from her computer terminal.   "After a hundred and thirty years of Saiyans living on Earth, it's not as uncommon as you might think."

"She's right," Trunks said.   "We have a lot of Saiyan-Earthling Time Patrollers back in Toki Toki City from the next century.   A few of the stranger ones call me 'Your Highness', but I try not to hold it against them.      Besides, if all I cared about was Saiyan blood, I'd go to my father for help.   So that's not why I recruited you, or Luffa, for that matter."

"Then why did you recruit Luffa instead of coming to us?" Beat asked.  

"Listen,” Trunks said.   “In my timeline, No. 17 and 18 had destroyed much of the world.   Son Gohan was the only Z-fighter left, and he was reluctant to train me.    He needed the help, but he was worried about me getting hurt.    I think eventually he decided he didn't have a choice.    He knew that if anything happened to him, there would have been no one else to defeat the Cyborgs.   But now I understand how his reluctance.    After he... well.... Later on, when I was on my own, I was determined to defeat them alone.   I wanted no part of my mother's plan to use her Time Machine to get help from Goku."

"But, Master, if you hadn't gone back in time," Note said, then you never would have joined the Time Patrol, or formed the Dragon Ball Heroes Team!"

"Exactly," Trunks said.    "Working with Goku and his friends in the past, I learned how valuable it can be to have allies.   It's not just about having extra hands to help with the hard work.   You can learn from each new friend you make.    And they can learn from you, as well.    I think that's why the Supreme Kai of Time created the Time Patrol in the first place.  So it wouldn't be right to keep turning to the same handful of allies every time.  Besides, I need you guys here, keeping an eye on things in Hero Town."

"Well, yeah," Beat said.   "I guess that makes sense.   But it's been so dull around here lately."

"Tell you what," Trunks offered.   "Once things settle down in Toki Toki City, I'll pull a few strings, maybe bring you guys in on a Time Patrol mission.   How's that sound?"

"Really?!" Note cheered.   She jumped into the air and kicked her heels behind her with excitement.    

"Awesome!" Beat said.  

"Don't get too carried away," Trunks said.    "I can't make any promises.   Ultimately, it's up to the Supreme Kai of Time.    But I think we can manage something."    

"I think we're ready for the next session, sir," Leggings said.   "Assuming these coordinates you gave us are valid.   Are you sure we can trust Nappa?"

"She's right, Master," Note added.    "He's bad news.   Just because you're stronger than he is doesn't mean he would have had any reason to tell you the truth."

"Which is exactly why I'm using Hero Lab to access the game world instead of traveling back in time," Trunks explained.   "Our research teams back in Toki Toki City are constantly using time machines to observe historical events, but they can't interact with anything or ask questions, because it might alter history."

"But the SDBH game is a simulation based upon the Scroll of Eternity itself," Dr. Leggings said.    "Meaning it's a nearly perfect copy of the real world, one that you can tamper with and not have to worry about permanently changing anything."

"Of course!" Note said.   "It's like how Sealas used the game to learn what changes he could make to alter history.   He used the game like a practice run for the real thing."

"Only, instead of changing the way things happened in the past," Beat said, "you're using the game to find out how things are supposed to have turned out.   But how does that help you learn anything about Luffa?"

"I asked Shenron to bring me a powerful ally," Trunks said.    "I should have been more specific about the wish, but I was kind of desperate for the help.   Shenron sent me Luffa, but she had no idea what was going on, and neither of us knows how to get her back where she came from.   She talked to one of our historians, and it's starting to sound like she's from some other part of the universe, or maybe from another timeline.   But wherever she's from, she's still a Saiyan, and not a descendant of Goku or Vegeta, like we are.    So I think if I go far enough into the past, I'll find some historical information we have in common, and maybe I can follow that thread back to her home."

"Phew!" Beat said.   "That sounds like a lot of work!  I'm worn out just thinking about it."

"You're not even doing anything," Note muttered.  

"There's no telling what kind of trouble I might run into in the simulated history," Trunks said.   Dr. Leggings has only ever run the simulation in a very narrow time range.   A few centuries at most.   I may end up taking the simulation into uncharted territory, and everything I know about Saiyans tells me that they had plenty of enemies to fight.    If things get hairy, I'll need some backup, and that's where you two come in.   I can't think of anyone better qualified than my two top students."

"Gosh...!" Note said.

"Yeah!  Now you're talking!" Beat cheered.    

Anne handed the Hero Switch back to Trunks.   The device was a powerful computer, but it looked like a black bracelet covered in glowing blue lights and a Capsule Corp. logo.   Trunks placed it onto his right wrist and prepared to activate it.  

"In the game world," he said, "Nappa told me that "Saiya" was a name for several planets colonized by Saiyans throughout history.   The most recent one was destroyed around four hundred years ago.    Hopefully, someone there will know more about King Rehval, or the Camelian Empire, or this Planet Nagaoka that Luffa once mentioned."

"What if they don't know, sir?" Anne asked.  

"Then I'll have to keep traveling backward until I find someone who does," Trunks said.   "Wish me luck."

"Wait, Trunks, one more thing before you go!" Dr. Leggings said urgently.

"Huh?   What's wrong?" Trunks asked.    He held up the Hero Switch on his wrist and pointed at it.   "Everything looks good on this end."

"It's just... are you sure you don't want to wear the Great Saiyaman 3 outfit for this mission?" she asked.  

"I'm positive," Trunks said.   Before anyone could object, he activated the bracelet, and vanished into the game world.    

*******

[12 May, Age 513.    Planet Saiya.]

"You picked a fine time to ask about the weather, stranger."

The Saiyan’s name was Reeque, and Trunks had no idea how old she was.   The small settlement he found on Saiya was it's largest population center, and they directed him to an old hag who lived in the wastelands.   Trunks found her easily enough, but then the blood-wraiths attacked, and they had to take their conversation on the run.   Powerful as Trunks was, his technology and ki were useless against the intangible creatures, and Reeque's warnings were enough to convince him that he should keep his distance.    

"They become solid every seven months," Reeque told him.   "Then we pay them back a thousandfold, but in the meantime, we run and hide until dawn.    They say the storms left them behind, but I doubt that.   Not even Luffa would be so cruel."

She carried a walking stick carved from some gnarled length of driftwood, but Trunks was impressed with how swiftly she crossed the rough terrain.    Her dark red robes flapped behind her back like the wings of some great ugly hawk.    

"I apologize for not making myself clear, ma'am," Trunks said as he hopped over a rock.    "The Luffa I asked about is a Saiyan, not a storm system."

"Well that's perfectly clear to me, boy," Reeque said, "but it doesn't change the fact that you're mistaken.   Only Luffa I've ever heard of is the one my great grandmother told me about.     Wiped out the entire Kingdom of Saiya in a single day.   The smart ones fled while they could.   The rest stayed, but only the hardiest few survived.   The environment here was harsh before Luffa, and it only got worse from there.    Without the supplies from allied worlds... well, you learn to savor the taste of roast blood-wraith."

"Then where did the Saiyans go when they abandoned this planet?" Trunks asked.

"Hell," Reeque said.   "If there's any justice, they went to hell.  Otherwise they scattered across the galaxy.     There was a kingdom on Sadala, but my life wouldn't be worth a zinc coin on that forsaken place.   My parents were banished, and they joined the usurper kings during the civil wars.    Fifty years ago, they tried to rebuild Saiya, like the name alone would restore their fortunes.   But there's nothing left here.  Nothing but blood-wraiths and ruin."

None of this was surprising to Trunks, since Nappa had told him this planet would eventually be destroyed altogether.   He had tried to arrive on Saiya well before that day, but it seemed like the destruction of Saiya had been set into motion long before whatever warrior finally put it out of its misery.

"And King Rehval?" Trunks asked.    "What became of him?"

"Why should you care, boy?" Reeque asked.    "You've come a long way in search of the dead."

"I think he's my ancestor," Trunks said.    "I, uh, I'm trying to settle a dowry on another planet, and they're very interested in genealogies."

"Social climber, huh?" Reeque said.   "Well, I can't help you with that.   Anything else you wanted to know?"

"The Camelian Empire," Trunks said.   "Do you know where I can find it?   I don't need exact coordinates, just a general idea will do.  Er, is something wrong, ma'am?"

She began to make a sort of rhythmic coughing sound from her throat, and Trunks eventually figured out that it was laughter.    "You're an amusing fellow," Reeque finally said.   "When I saw that purple hair of yours, I thought I might be seeing things, but my imagination isn't wild enough to dream up such silly questions.   Oh, I've spent countless nights like this one, running from bloodwraiths, but I think I'll remember tonight for a long time to come."  

"Then you can't tell me about Camelia either," Trunks said.    

"There's nothing to tell, boy," Reeque said with a rasping chuckle.    "The Camelian Empire fell more than three hundred years ago!"

*******

[23 February, 238 Before Age.    Chai I.]

"The ‘Super Saiyan’?   Now what in the world is that, Trunks?"

"It's a legend I heard when I was a boy," Trunks said.   "According to my father, once every thousand years, there's a Saiyan who surpasses the limits of what Saiyans can do.   They're considered the ultimate warriors.   Powerful, invincible, and with an insatiable craving for battle."

Rehval III considered this tale for a moment while admiring the bouquet of his wine.   At last, he took a sip from his glass, and sampled a bite of his fish entree.  Trunks waited patiently at the other side of the table.   The restaurant looked fancier than any Trunks had ever seen on Earth, in any century.   And this was merely a section of a minor administrative building in the Camelian capitol.      

"I'll be blunt, Trunks,” Rehval finally said.    “You seem like the kind of man who likes to get to the point, so I won’t keep you in suspense.   I have no idea what you're talking about."

"I see," Trunks said.    

"Do you believe in this legend yourself?" Rehval asked.  

"No," Trunks said after a pause.  "In my experience there's no such thing as an invincible warrior.  There are extraordinary Saiyans, but not necessarily one every thousand years.    There could be two or three, or a hundred, or none at all."

"I'll tell you what I think," Rehval said.   "I have heard tall tales of ancient Saiyan heroes.   Chanisp was said to have lived about a thousand years ago.    For all I know, they've been saying "a thousand years ago" for centuries.   I mean, a year ago, was anyone saying Chanisp lived 'nine-hundred and ninety-nine years ago'?   Of course not.   The round numbers make for better storytelling, but I deal in precision."  

Rehval paused his meal to point at a gold watch on his left wrist.    "My summit with the Camelian Imperial College begins in three hours and twenty-two minutes, Trunks.   I can't afford to offend the Camelians by rounding up.    Time can be a strict mistress."

"I take your point," Trunks said.    "And I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me."  

"Not at all," Rehval said.   "There aren't many Saiyans in this part of the galaxy, besides common raiders, I mean.   And you're a man of unusual manners and poise, Trunks.   You're exactly the sort of citizen I want in the Kingdom of Saiya.    I think you'd find life very prosperous under my rule."

"I am... interested in hearing more," Trunks said.    "Let's put it that way."

"Well, then, it's a good thing you found me during this gap in my schedule," Rehval said.    "I have all afternoon to convince you to come home with me."

Trunks smiled as though amused by his remark.    In fact, this had been his third attempt to speak with King Rehval III.   An earlier visit to the Camelian capital world gave him access to important diplomatic records, which showed him the exact date and time of an official visit by the Saiyan King.    Trunks found him on the first try, but he was too busy to talk.    Trunks reset the game world simulation and tried again, approaching Rehval three hours earlier, but wasn't able to catch the man's interest.    This time, he figured out that the key to Rehval's attention was to show interest in joining his cause.   Rehval’s Kingdom was the most powerful Saiyan faction in this era, but his subjects made up less than half of the Saiyan population, and Rehval was very keen on getting more Saiyans to rally to his flag.     Even half-aliens like Trunks were welcome, apparently.    

"Where did you say your mother was from?" Rehval asked.    Trunks was pretty sure Rehval had aims for establishing diplomatic ties with Earth, even if he had no idea where it was or if it was worth his time.

"The Yajirobe System," Trunks lied.  "It's pretty far off the beaten path.     But what were you saying about Chanisp?"

"Well, there are lower classes in every society, Trunks," Rehval explained.   "It's not something Saiyans think about much, but other civilizations have demonstrated it time and time again.    The problem is that, in disorganized societies, these lesser citizens don't understand that they have a duty to follow their betters.    And so, in their confusion, they turn to superstitions."

"Go on..." Trunks said.    He took a bite of his salad and chewed thoroughly.  

"They say Chanisp defeated a mighty demon and liberated the entire Saiyan race from slavery.    Did it actually happen?    Maybe.   Was he one of your father's 'Super Saiyans'?    He might have been.   How does any of that prove that there should be another one like him ten centuries later?   Oh, and the cycle just happens to reset in the present day.   So the tale expects us to believe that, at any moment, any one of us might miraculously transform into an invincible, demon-slaying superhero.   How convenient."  

"Well, when you put it that way..." Trunks said.    

"I'm not one to brag, Trunks, but as far as I know, the strongest Saiyan alive is sitting across the table from you.   That's not a challenge, or a demand for respect, just a statement of fact.   I'd have to be stronger to be the king, or I wouldn't be the king for very long, now would I?"

"Makes sense to me," Trunks lied again.   

He only brought up the legend to gain historical context.   Rehval seemed to enjoy discussing it, so that worked to Trunks’ favor, but what he had truly wanted to know was whether Rehval had heard of a golden-haired cryptid running amok in the galaxy.   He had not, which meant that there had been no Super Saiyan in this era, or that the Super Saiyan hadn’t appeared yet. 

"These legends are just stories people invent to convince themselves that there's a way out of their reality.     When the thousandth year passes, they move the goalpost, or invent a new story to replace the old.   'Oh, the Super Saiyan is real, he's just invisible and working in secret, but he really is here to help us all.'   That sort of thing."

"And that's why you're pursuing diplomatic ties with Camelia," Trunks concluded.  "You can't afford to wait for a messiah."

"The Saiyans are at a crossroads, Trunks," Rehval said.    "If our race is going to survive, we need to follow the same well-tread path as the Camelian Empire.    Statecraft.   National unity.   It's not as romantic as your father's legend, but it works.    It's a path that leads to prosperity.    If we all unite as one kingdom, under one law, then we grow stronger as a people.   That means forming alliances, brokering treaties, and all the other minutiae that goes with it."

"Well, this has been a very interesting discussion, but I'm afraid I need to get going," Trunks said.   He stood up from his chair and gestured to the waiter to bring his coat and sword.    "It's been a pleasure, Your Majesty."

"Wait," Rehval said.   "I thought you wanted to hear more about Planet Saiya.   The great society that I'm building there.   I'd like you to be a part of that society, Trunks."

"I'm sure you would," Trunks said as he put his arms through the sleeves of his coat.    "But I've already seen how Saiya turns out, and I'm already a part of the society you envisioned.   What's left of it, anyway."

"I don't understand."

"It's simple.   Your vision isn't all that visionary, Rehval.   No matter how strong you think you are, there's always someone stronger who'll come along to challenge you.   That's not a leader, that's a gunfighter daring someone to come along and defeat him.   I've grew up in a world ruled by strength alone, and you're half-right.   It is a well-worn path, but it doesn't lead to prosperity."

"What do mean you've already seen Saiya?" Rehval asked.   "Who are you?"

Trunks activated the bracelet on his arm, and vanished from the game world.    The simulated Rehval who existed within it was left with more questions than answers, though he would not ponder them for long.    Soon enough, the simulation would be refreshed, and he would have no memory of this encounter.

NEXT: Burning Questions

[blackswaneuroparedux]

The Many Lives of Lee Miller: Surrealist icon who photographed World War Two

If you were one of the few women photographers accredited by the U.S. Army at the start of World War II, chances were you were far from the front lines. Military regulations at the time dictated that female photojournalists, unlike their male counterparts, were not to enter combat zones.

But Lee Miller, the Poughkeepsie-born photographer and noted Surrealist operating as British Vogue’s war correspondent, was not one to be constrained.

Miller had made a habit of not taking no for an answer long before she accompanied American forces to document scenes such as the Blitz; nurses operating hospitals after D-Day; women serving across the armed forces; and just-liberated concentration camps.

Elizabeth ‘Lee’ Miller was born on the 23 of April 1907 in Poughkeepsie,  New York. She was the middle child of Florence and Theodore Miller, a mechanical engineer and avid amateur photographer. She was something of a tomboy, always ready for the next big adventure and to try the biggest stunt.

Her first coup was gracing the cover of U.S. Vogue in 1927 at age 19. Lee Miller was walking down a crowded street in Manhattan. She was ravishingly beautiful: blonde hair stylishly bobbed, lips painted red, her slim figure clad in the latest fashions from Paris.

Perhaps it was Paris she was thinking about so deeply. Whatever it was it absorbs her entirely that as she stepped off the sidewalk she didn’t see a car speeding towards her.

At the last minute a man whisked her to safety. He turns out to be none other than the publisher Condé Montrose Nast. As soon as he saw the woman he saved, he decided she must model for his magazine.

A few short months later, Lee Miller’s face, drawn by Georges Lepape with the New York skyline for a backdrop, stares out from the cover of Vogue.

That cover launched Lee Miller’s modelling career. Within months she became a fixture on the New York social scene, hobnobbing with the likes of Charlie Chaplin, George Gershwin and the Vanderbilts.

Fashion greats such as photographer Edward Steichen zipped her into Lanvin and Lelong, draped her in pearls, swathed her in velvet. In one picture she models a Chanel evening gown covered with geometric embellishments, her body resembling a glorious art-deco building.

Lee was fêted and pursued by suitors. A glassware manufacturer even moulded a champagne coupe in the shape of her breast. It was all very glamorous but, for Lee, not wholly satisfying. Later, remembering her New York years, she said, ‘I looked like an angel but I was a fiend inside.’

This contradiction – stemming from a traumatising childhood into early adulthood,

Her father, Theodore, was an amateur-photographer and had begun to photograph his naked daughter long before that, in 1914, when she was seven. According to Miller herself, in that year, she, then known as Elizabeth, had been sent to stay with family friends while her mother was in hospital.

During the trip, she had been raped by a sailor; the attack left her with gonorrhea. For the next year, the child was subjected to daily douches of potassium permanganate, and k twice-weekly visits to the hospital to have her cervix painted with picric acid. Everything she touched at home was immediately sterilised.

It was during this year that Theodore had begun to photograph his daughter in the nude, his first composition being a take on the French artist Paul Chabas' September Morn, a painting of a nubile girl bathing, which had caused a scandal when it was shown in New York in 1913.

For his own picture, Miller required his daughter to pose, nude but for slippers, in the deep Poughkeepsie snow: the resulting picture was called "December Morn". Theodore made it using a stereoscopic camera, so that, viewed through accompanying glasses, his naked child appeared three-dimensional.

The early childhood experience would plague her throughout her adult life, and arguably cause her to constantly try to reinvent herself, wondering if she ‘ever was meant to fit together’.

Those reinventions – as a key figure in the Surrealist movement, fashion photographer, muse and tormented war correspondent – have made her the subject of plays, film scripts (Nicole Kidman wanted to play her in a film written by David Hare that was never made).

Reinvention of otherworldly beauty was also so evident in all her photographs. But Lee wasn’t happy as a model. A sketch she drew in her journal in 1930 shows a woman standing against a studio backdrop, daggers pinning her into place, as another woman in a hat looks on. No wonder, then, that she was hungry to forge her own identity beyond the camera’s frame – a frame that, to a woman who had been looked at by men her entire life, represented an implicit power imbalance. 

She gave up her modelling career and set sail for Paris, intending, as she provocatively stated, to ‘enter photography by the back end’.

Bags of confidence, together with letters of introduction from Edward Steichen, convinced Man Ray to take her on as his assistant. He was instantly enchanted and their professional relationship blossomed into a love affair so tumultuous that it affected them both for years afterwards.

Miller was to befriend other iconic Parisian artists like Max Ernst and Picasso and intellectuals like Jean Cocteau. She would vacation with some of the most prominent figures in the art world at the time. Picasso would paint Lee six times and the two remained friends throughout the rest their lives. Picasso wanted to bed her but she held her distance.

It was Lee Miller, not Man Ray, who discovered the photography technique known at "solarisation" bu turning on a light in their darkroom before the negatives had fully developed. It creates a dark line around the subject of the photograph and created groundbreaking images at the time. Ray is often credited with this discovery and he used it often in his own work, but it was actually Lee Miller who made the first picture of its kind on accident.

Man Ray’s portraits of Lee are sensuous and romantic, but even he never seemed able to see her as a whole, often depicting her body broken up into pieces.

He painted her lips floating disembodied in a mackerel sky in ‘Observatory Time: The Lovers’, and in his photographs her breasts, neck and eyes are removed from their context, palpably humming with sexual energy, the ultimate surrealist objects.

In December 1930, Miller's father, Theodore, had come to Paris from Poughkeepsie, New York, to see his daughter. Like any good parent might, he had taken pictures of her. Unlike most fathers, these photographs were shot in the nude, in the bathtub of their shared hotel suite. Lee Miller was 23.

The shots Man Ray took of Lee and Theodore Miller, she in a demure print frock and curled, child-like, in her father's lap, are deeply weird. They seem less of a father and daughter than of an older man and his much younger lover.

Perhaps Ray had heard rumours that Theodore had been Lee's actual childhood abuser, or he may have imagined it for himself. (No charges were ever brought against the unidentified sailor-rapist.)

In terms of age, Ray's own relationship with Lee was also ambiguously paternal: he was 17 years older than her, a pattern that would mark all her relationships with men. At any rate, Theodore and Ray seem to have gotten along famously. Together, the two men photographed Lee, nude, lolling on a bed with three other naked women.

It is hard not to see all this in psychological terms, if not in moral ones. Cursed with a perfect beauty, Miller became a focus of Ray’s internal need to violate. For Man Ray, this was aggravated by the masculine drive to compete.

If the countless celebrities photographed by Man Ray – Wallis Simpson, Aldous Huxley, Virginia Woolf, Picasso, Chanel, Schiaparelli, himself – the one he went back to most obsessively was Lee Miller. You can see why. Miller was a physical ideal, the kind of perfectly moulded, ice-blonde beauty beloved of Hitchcock; flawless, or at least imaginably so.

Lee Miller and Man Ray's exciting, passionate and tumultuous relationship ended and Man Ray did not take it well. In fact, one of his most famous pieces, Indestructible Object, includes her eye ticking on a metronome.

Ray's instructions to fans on how to make their own version of the work suggest the violence of his anatomical method. "Cut out the eye from a photograph of one who has been loved but is seen no more," he writes, bitterly. "Attach the eye to the pendulum of a metronome and regulate the weight to suit the tempo desired. Keep going to the limit of endurance. With a hammer well-aimed, try to destroy the whole at a single blow."

That done, the photographer, ever the drama queen, sat for a self-portrait called "Suicide" with a noose around his neck and a gun pointed at his head.

Hell hath no fury like a Surrealist scorned.

When their affair ended, Lee moved back to New York and opened her own studio, where she worked ‘in the style of Man Ray’, as she advertised in a bold appropriation of his name.

She hardly needed the help. Clients such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Elizabeth Arden paid handsomely for pictures by the woman who was herself ‘one of the most photographed girls in Manhattan’.

But in just a few years the Lee Miller Studio closed when Lee married an Egyptian, Aziz Eloui Bey, and moved with him to Cairo. She felt stunted by Egypt’s restrictive society but produced some of her best work there, driving into the desert with her trusty cocktail kit in the boot to take photographs of the landscape.

Her husband, however, let Lee spend extended holidays in Europe with the Surrealist set, where she met painter and art collector Roland Penrose, the man who eventually became her second husband. They would be happily married for the rest of their lives until death. She at last found someone who accepted her whole. But it still wouldn’t be enough for Lee. 

By 1939, it was time for another reinvention. War broke out, the Blitz rained down on London, and Lee, urged on by her friend, the photojournalist, collaborator and sometime lover David Scherman, got accredited as a war correspondent for (of all places) British Vogue.

Her editor, Audrey Withers, expected soft-focus photo-essays about war privation, but Lee had other ideas.

Her reportage was gruesome, intimate and important. On the front lines at the siege of Saint-Malo, Lee documented the Americans’ first use of napalm and described a company ready for action, ‘grenades hanging on their lapels like Cartier clips, menacing bunches of death.’

She shot close-ups of the faces of German Nazis who had committed suicide in Leipzig and took powerful portraits of starving prisoners following the liberation of Dachau and Buchenwald.

When she arrived in Paris during the Liberation the first thing she did was go to Picasso's studio. There they are pictured smiling holding each other tight, probably beyond relieved that they were both alive. Picasso is quoted saying in astonishment "the first Allied soldier I should see is a woman- and she is you."

When Hitler fled Munich at the end of the war, Lee and Scherman were the first of the press corps to reach his apartment, where they drank his cognac and napped in his bed. They propped a picture of Hitler on the rim of his bathtub, set Lee’s dirty combat boots on the bathroom rug and took the now-famous photograph of her bathing in Hitler’s tub.

The war made Lee feel alive.

The image of Miller in Hitler’s tub was the one that led to the end of her Vogue career. The public was outraged at what they interpreted as flippant disregard for the ravages of war. Being accused of insensitivity inevitably took its toll, but it was what she saw, felt, and experienced during those years that would eventually send her into a struggle with depression.

She loved her uniform, tailored on Savile Row. She loved roughing it: washing in her helmet and subsisting on K-rations. And for a woman always searching for meaning in her life, documenting the war for readers back home gave her purpose. ‘Believe this,’ she cabled to Vogue, and the pictures she sent back were indeed horrifying. They came at a cost: Lee was never able to distance herself from her subject. She threw her entire self into her work.

Lee suffered mightily postwar.

The trauma of what she had seen haunted her for the rest of her life. Today we would call it PTSD. In postwar England, Lee was told by her doctor ‘we cannot keep the world permanently at war just to provide you with excitement’.

On her return to London after the war, she was feted. "Who else has written equally well about GIs and Picasso?" her editor said. "Who else can swing from the Siegfried line one week to the new hip line the next?"

Desperate to ward off a sense of anticlimax, she returned to eastern Europe. But soon she was pregnant at 40 years old and finding the prospect of motherhood scarier than any front line.

She missed the action, despite suffering post-traumatic stress. She also felt increasingly sidelined: in staid, patriarchal postwar Britain, her husband was the one in demand.

Finding the inspiration to write and take photographs became harder and eventually she gave it up entirely, hiding more than 60,000 negatives and contact sheets in the attic and becoming so tight-lipped on the subject that even her own son, Antony, knew nothing about her war work until he was an adult. An entire piece of herself was boxed up and placed out of sight.

Depressed at her loss of looks and gain in weight, she found solace in drink and cooking elaborate gourmet meals for her guests at Farley Farm House in East Sussex, her home until her death in 1977. 

She could have written a very good cookbook by all accounts. She was a virtuoso chef. 

She remained friends with the Paris crowd. In particular she was close to Picasso. Lee Miller's son recalls going over to Picasso's home as a child. He even wrote a book about the time he bit Picasso, as a child, called ‘The Boy Who Bit Picasso’.

Lee even reconciled with Man Ray. Lee and Man Ray last met in London in 1975, at Man Ray's retrospective at the Institute of Contemporary Arts. By now, he was in a wheelchair and Lee Miller was a drunk. 

Lee Miller died of cancer in 1977. By the end she was overweight, an alcoholic, ravaged by depression, and tortured by her husband’s affair with a trapeze artist. Anyone meeting Lee Miller then would have been surprised to know that she was once considered the most beautiful woman in the world, second only to Greta Garbo.

But just as she, and her reputation, went out of sight for years. There has in recent years been a resurgence of interest in Lee’s photography, bringing her legacy, and her enduring appeal, further into the light.

As a female icon she never saw herself as a victim. It's remarkable that Miller was able to delight in her body (and in the pleasure others took from it). She saw sex and love as two very different beasts. She was very comfortable living out the truth as she believed it."Emotionally, I need to be completely absorbed in some work or in a man I love," she wrote, but she didn't see why going to bed with someone should upset whichever man she was currently in love with.

Lee insisted that she couldn’t be kept and that women should be able to be as sexually free as men. She was radical, and people made her suffer for it  - Man Ray included.

Strikingly beautiful, she was used to submitting to the male gaze and even subverting it. A less spirited woman might have been crushed by these alpha males, but Miller, unfazed, determinedly transformed herself from passive model to active artist.

Her son, Antony Penrose, observed in his 1998 biography of his mother, The Legendary Lee Miller: Photographer, 1907–1977, her unique background capturing uncanny moments and haunting, bizarre portraits during the heyday of the Surrealist movement served her well in war photography. Penrose wrote:

“Unexpectedly, among the reportage, the mud, the bullets, we find photographs where the unreality of war assumes an almost lyrical beauty....On reflection I realise that the only meaningful training of a war correspondent is to first be a Surrealist—then nothing in life is too unusual.”

But it was the very nature of unconventionality of her career trajectory that hampered her historical reputation.

Her early association with the Paris Surrealists - particularly her role as Man Ray's "perversely enchanting muse" - overshadowed her own artistic accomplishments.

Her abandonment of photography, and the consignment of all her work to her own attic also limited her impact during her lifetime.

Her association with fashion also coloured the interpretation of Miller's work. As her biographer Carolyn Burke states, "to this day, her life inspires features in the same glossy magazines for which she posed...this approach turns the real woman in to a screen onto which beholders project their fantasies", and further perpetuates the legend of Lee Miller as an "American free spirit wrapped in the body of a Greek goddess".

The force of her beauty, effervescent personality and high octane biography will always remain central to interpreting her work.

Today Miller has been recognised as among the most original and ambitious photographic artists of the 20th century, and a subtly transgressive artist, who - as Lynn Hilditch asserts in Lee Miller, Photography, Surrealism and the Second World War - took off from her Surrealist background and "pushed the boundaries both of art and war photography, often using unconventional methods to comment on such multifaceted issues as sex, gender, death, and war"

[metalgearkong]

Little Nightmares II - Review (PS4)

2/17/21

Developed by Tarsier Studios, released February 11th, 2021

Creepy little games like these are what I live for. Tarsier Studios pinged my radar when they released Little Nightmares in 2017. Its dark 3D aesthetics and disturbing mysterious world immediately drew my attention. The design and movement of the characters was very akin to a stop-motion animated film consisting of a dollhouse-like level design. The game does operate in a 3D world, but most of the movement is lateral with a familiar side-scrolling left to right overall pattern. Little Nightmares II was highly anticipated by me and took longer than I expected to release. Little Nightmares II expands the world of this series while retaining the visuals, atmosphere, and gameplay of the original.

Little Nightmares II adds two main new mechanics to the series; a simple combat system, and teleporting between old tube TVs. We play as “Mono,” a boy with a paper bag over his head wearing a trench coat. Like the first game, Mono is never mentioned by name, as this series famously uses no dialog and very little HUD to tell its story (if any). Beginning with Mono in a bayou, he soon discovers a dilapidated hunting cabin, where another small child is trapped within. Freeing the other child, the two team up to escape a hunter, and eventually find their way to the Pale City where the rest of the game takes place. It appears that a central signal tower controls or absorbs the life force of the people of the city, giving them the distinct Little Nightmares distorted look. 

Little Nightmares II follows many of the same beats as the original; move from one location to the next, with each area ruled by a terrifying and deformed monster who must be evaded. Regularly, you will find yourself solving environmental puzzles with no aid, waypoints, or dialog from the game to explain what to do. I mostly like this aspect of the series where you simply have to observe the environment around you and put two and two together. Having the secondary child with you helps make the game feel slightly less lonely, and much of the time the puzzles require cooperation to overcome. Only if you seem stuck in a couple of moments does the game remind you of the controls, acting as a hint for what to do. But only happened during one moment that I found, leaving me to figure everything else out on my own.

Little Nightmares II also seems to offer at least one zone I completely missed, and seems to be totally optional. At one point I had to carry two fuses around to unlock certain doors. The game actually glitched too much for me to access one specific door, but I found out I was able to continue the game without ever accessing that area. Either Mono would disappear temporarily, or the fuses would disappear completely. I tried this two or three times but gave up on it, and only planned to pursue it if truly that was the only way forward. After seeing scenes online of that area I missed, I wish the game hadn’t glitched to the extend of exploring that area impossible. This was the only technical drawback of the entire game I experienced, and I hope the developers come out with a small patch to smooth this issue over.

The atmosphere and mystery is retained from the original game as well. The world is plunged in decay, as everything seems old, neglected, rotted, and dilapidated. The oppressive fog and rain makes you feel claustrophobic and powerless. Hiding is the only option apparent in any encounter with a deformed human. Working together to manipulate the environment is the only way to escape. I absolutely love how this series looks like something Laika Studios would make, as the jerky animation reminds me of the eerie claymation movies I loved growing up. The story itself is one of the biggest enigmas, and I was fascinated to uncover what exactly is going on. But just like the original, the story leads to a crescendo wrapped in vagueness and confusion. Only upon analysis and a bit of online research does it all come together (and comes together well in my opinion).

Not every little thing will have a specific tangible answer, of which plays into the nightmare-like world of this series. The truths of this world are maluable depending on the player, and piecing everything together is part of the intrigue and fun. Unlike the first game, Little Nightmares II offers a basic ending, and true ending only shown if you find all the collectibles. I did not obtain the hidden ending upon first attempt, but events shown in it confirm my suspicions from the beginning: Little Nightmares II is a prequel. I hope this series gets a third main entry, as I’m fascinated with this world and want to see even more expanded about it. This game does feel mechanically shallow at times, and occasionally the physics or controls do let me down, but this is another great experience no better or worse than the original of which fans of dark and ominous games will enjoy.

8.25/10

[kindafooey]

Blood Chains - Chapter 25

Prologue

Arc I: Chapter 1 // Chapter 2 // Chapter 3 // Chapter 4 //Chapter 5 // Chapter 6 // Chapter 7 // Chapter 8 // Chapter 9 // Chapter 10 // Chapter 11

Arc II: Chapter 12 // Chapter 13 // Chapter 14 // Chapter 15 // Chapter 16 // Chapter 17 // Chapter 18 // Chapter 19 // Chapter 20 // Chapter 21

Arc III: Chapter 22 // Chapter 23 // Chapter 24 // Chapter 25 // Chapter 26 // Chapter 27 // Chapter 28 // Chapter 29

Epilogue

Entry No. 26.

Even if it means resistance.

When Ford came to, it felt as though reality itself was slightly out of its usual place.

The flames had extinguished. The old researcher found himself sprawled on the floor, his right hand still outstretched before him. His fingertips stung with a burning, radiating pain; they had been barely an inch away from the all-knowing fire before the grip of Mabel’s grappling hook had stopped his desperate launch in Bill’s wake, and the left shoulder of his traveling coat was badly torn where the hook had fastened to the thick fabric.

Then, instantly after the hook had halted his steps, but certainly not because of it… he’d doubled over in a jolt of blinding pain and fallen unconscious.

No more than ten seconds could’ve passed since then.

Mabel, held by her waist by Stan who had clung onto her to stop her from being yanked along with the momentum of Ford’s flight, let down her arms, still trembling from the strain. “See, Mabel?” she muttered to herself. “Always have the hook on you. Always.”

“Oh my gosh”, Dipper yelped, slamming down his hands that had been busy interfering with the Blood Chains a moment ago. “Great uncle Ford, are you – are you crazy?”

The boy’s words cleared Ford’s mind in an instant. He lifted himself up from the floor, wincing as he briefly let his weight on his injured hand.

“Bill – is he –“

He found Bill lying limp under the shadow of the judges’ bench. His glow was dim and his eye closed.

“No. Bill…”

Ford dove to the ground and hoisted him up more roughly than he probably should have. The sight of his companion was eerily similar to what he’d witnessed last summer… only this time, his physical form was glossy clean and unharmed, making it look even more like an empty, lifeless husk.

Darkness rose from the verge of Ford’s mind, and for a moment, he loathed his family for stopping him.

But before the numbing pain could surge from his brain to the rest of his body, Bill’s eye opened in an all but violent flash.

”Ah! ”

It was so sudden that it elicited a small yelp from Ford as he flinched and nearly dropped Bill from his hands. Instead, he held him even tighter, bringing his arm around him for support; and as the golden surface drew closed to him, his eyes saw something that his brain deemed more urgent to register than any measure of relief over Bill’s awakening.

It was an image reflected on Bill’s bricks, one that was so clear he could recognize his own handwriting. They were pages from one of his journals – the one that he’d –

“YOU WROTE IT DOWN?”

“W-what?”

“YOU WROTE IT DOWN, JACKASS? I CAN’T BELIEVE – DON’T YOU HAVE ANY – LET GO, YOU –“ Bill fought his way out of his securing hold and leapt high above his head, staring down at him in a state of abhorrence. “YOU WROTE IT DOWN?” he kept shrieking. “EVER HEARD OF PRIVACY, PAL? EVER HEARD OF PERSONAL SPACE? THAT WAS – THAT WAS A ‘WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS STAYS IN VEGAS’ KINDA DEAL, AND YOU – YOU WROTE IT DOWN?”

“Bill, I don’t –“ Ford went ashen pale mid-sentence. “You… You saw the –“

“I CAN’T BELIEVE THIS, AND THAT’S A LOT COMING FROM ME!” Bill shrieked. “YOU WROTE IT D– WHAT KIND OF A SICKO DOES THAT? I KNEW YOU WERE A FREAK AND I’M RIGHT THERE WITH YOU, SIXFINGERS, BUT EVEN I HAVE SOME STANDARDS! I’D TAKE YOUR ASS FOR ANOTHER ROUND OF COURT FOR THIS, BUT WE ALREADY KNOW THERE’S NO JUSTICE FOR BILL IN THIS LITTLE PLAYHOUSE! YOU WROTE IT DOWN, OH, OF COURSE YOU DID! Well, why stop there? Why don’t you SEND IT TO YOUR NEAREST PUBLISHER? Why not CALL A NEWSPAPER to REALLY GET THE DISTRIBUTION GOING? Why don’t you PUT IT ON THE INTERNET while you’re on a good roll, HUH? Why don’t you WRITE A THESIS and share it with all your nonexistent nerd friends so you can compare notes? Or better yet, why don’t you team up with Question Mark and WRITE FANFICTION ABOUT THE TIME WE –”

“DON’T!”

A metallic sound chimed softly through the courtroom.

At the very least, the result was what Ford had hoped for: Bill fell completely silent, glaring at the additional yet more familiar pair of handcuffs around his wrists with a look of confusion and disbelief. “Really, Sixer?” he asked blankly after a while. “Really? I know mortal promises are a scam by definition, but for this?”

“Are you crazy? My whole family is right there”, Ford hissed back to him as quietly as he possibly could. “Did we not agree to never speak of it ‘in this life or the next’? Let alone in front of an audience!”

“That was for you, dimwit! I don’t have a life or the next, and why would I limit my own freedom of speech, anyway? Who does that? And what’s your excuse, huh? I saw your stupid spin-off journal, thanks to the little system update back there!”

“I had to sort out my thoughts”, Ford mouthed, desperately gesturing at Bill to keep his voice down as well. “I’ll get rid of it at the first chance, I swear.”

“Oh yeah? Like you swore not to pull this crap again?” Bill shook his fists furiously, making the links of the Blood Chains clatter against each other.

“I’m sorry, Bill”, Ford muttered with a cringe of shame as he quickly willed the chains to disappear. “The chains were merely a reflex, I had to stop you, and besides, would you have preferred me not to? You were about to…” he lowered his voice down to a whisper. “…expose us both in front of everyone! And please understand that writing it down was nothing but a – it’s just an old habit, I wasn’t… No one else was ever supposed to see it –”

“IT’S RIGHT THERE, YOU MORON! IT’S BARELY OUT OF SIGHT! EVEN CHICO COULD JUST BUMP INTO IT ONE DAY, AND THE GAM-GAM OF THE HOUSE HAS PROBABLY READ IT BY NOW –”

“Wait”, Ford interrupted his enraged outburst, “‘probably’? So you’re not certain if she’s… You don’t know – Bill, what happened? What did you see?”

“Everything, Brainiac! For one quadrillion of a second! Then it all…” Bill closed his eye and pinched it. “Ugh, I tried picking up something I could use against you, something you’d never want me to find out, which just had to be your dumb journal, and that was it. Figures! I could’ve collected any tidbit at all to take with me, and all I got was your dumb journal! So thanks a bunch, pal! Real jackpot you got me there!”

“But you…” Ford reached out his hand, then hesitated, “you’re okay, right? You don’t feel… different? In your form, or your…” He gulped. “…mind?”

“Nah, same old”, Bill shrugged. “What, you thought I’d actually waltz back in that old hellhole and close the door behind me?”

“What do you mean?”

“Come on, Fordsy, d’ya really think these topknot kindergartners would let their prodigal son steal the family heirlooms and go about his old ways? Think again! What they do is lock you in and shame you for wandering out in the first place! Nah, if getting all the fancy toys in existence means you’re just getting locked up in the same dusty showcase you were born in with no access to the playground, I’ll just stay outside and stick with setting pinecones on fire instead! At least I’ve got the know-how on how to make my own, and a business partner to boot!”

Business partner? That threw Ford off for a few seconds. “So, had you gazed any deeper into the Omniscience…”

“Look, I waited for one trillion years to gain the bare minimum of a physical form, and whoever said that crap about madness and repeat was talking out of their eyeballs, because even I’m not insane enough for another round of that! The twenty-four years I’ve got left until you drop dead is a walk in the park – and a waste of time, maybe, but at least you get better riots in parks than in solitary pens!”

“Nevertheless…” By now, Ford had recovered from the consequent series of shocks he’d gone through to venture a small smile. “You could’ve regained unlimited power. Instead… you chose limited freedom.”

“Ha! My freedom isn’t as limited as you think”, Bill threw back arrogantly. “Does the ocean pine for waves during a calm, IQ? Nah, they’ll come around when the odds are right! Wouldn’t say no to a nice typhoon, though!”

“Dogs, I’m not keeping up with this conversation at all”, Soos commented from the justifiers’ seats, scratching his chin, “but I know a short-circuit when I see one. Whoever grounded our trusty triangle dude must be a better repair guy than I am. Good for you, Mr. Bill!”

“That makes sense”, said Ford slowly, glancing at Bill. And judging from the surge that had traveled through him, the one who’d ‘grounded’ Bill was…

“It is proven without fail.”

The echo of Jheselbraum’s voice made them turn back to the judges’ bench.

“Bill Cipher can no longer join the Omniscience, nor does he pose a threat for it. Hence, it is not in our power to confine him.”

Ford sucked in a breath of relief, but before he could let it out, the oracle continued.

“The Corporate has reached its verdict. What say you?”

A heartbeat of silence followed.

“Bill Cipher is freed of all charges.”

“YES!” Mabel raised both of her fists in the air and shot her grappling hook towards the ceiling as Soos and Melody joined her in her chant: “Freed of all charges! Freed of all charges!”

“The liability for his crimes is moved over to Dr. Stanford Pines, who has claimed full control and responsibility for his deeds”, Jheselbraum continued without blinking an eye. “Thus Dr. Pines is found guilty of all charges, and is sentenced to a lifetime of arrest.”

“What?”

Mouth open in shock, Ford turned to stare at Bill, who burst into wild laughter.

“HAHAHA! What a twist! Guess there is some justice for Bill after all!”

“A lifetime of arrest? You can’t – you can’t do that! If I’m arrested and Bill is freed, then – who do you think is going to supervise him? This is madness!”

In the meantime, Bill was finally released from his futuristic handcuffs, and the first thing he chose to do after his liberation was flying at Ford’s face at an alarming speed and pinch his cheeks with a smirk. “Aw, don’t worry, Fordsy, I’ll come visit ya! Once in a decade, at least! Hahahahaha!”

“I cannot accept this. I invoke my right to appeal!” Ford tried in distress, seeking eye contact with each juror respectively. “I… I have such a right, don’t I?”

WHAM.

Before he got his answer, nearly everyone gave a start at the sound of Stan slamming his fists on the testifiers’ table.

“Okay, that’s enough, Poindexter!” he roared as he clambered over the table and headed to Ford’s direction. “You already took the cake of being sued first, but now you’re just trampling all over my territory! Alright, listen up, folks – if this court really is as ridiculous as he said, then go ahead and jail me too! You all know I’ve had exactly one honest day in my life, and even that was because of those stupid magic teeth!”

Soos gasped loudly, made a determined face and scurried to the middle of the courtroom in Stan’s footsteps. “I’ve never committed a crime in my life”, he announced, “but if the Pines bros are going to jail, then I’m coming too!”

Melody knelt down and locked eyes with Trevor. “You wanna join the life of crime, honey?”

“Life acrime, hunny!” Trevor exclaimed with a wild grin.

“All right!” Taking her son by the hand, Melody marched to join the others. “If they’re in for life, I’m in for life! Not many of you know that I’ve left a trail of crime and terror in my wake. Now, I’m ready to confess everything! I”, she declared in a clear voice, “dropped the screw”, she took a firm, wide-legged position in front of the jury, “in the tuba!”

“Ooh, the humanniteeh”, Trevor accompanied her cheerfully.

Stan frowned in confusion. “You dropped the what in the what now?”

“Remember the incident four years ago when Dipper was playing his tuba –“

“It’s a sousaphone, how many times do I have to tell you guys that?” Dipper put in annoyed.

“– and a screw flew out and hit Abuelita in the head? Yeah, that was on me”, Melody admitted. “It just seemed like a good place to store small items.”

“Aw, don’t worry about it, Pumpkin”, Soos comforted her. “At least no one died, right?”

Bill cackled loudly in the background. “Oh, don’t be so sure!”

As he gradually realized that everyone was leaving the table, Gideon cracked an awkward grin. “Uh… Y’all mind if I just stay here?” he asked in a small voice. “Y’know, since I’m the lawyer an’ all, so in case y’all ever decide to appeal…” He continued in a miserable whisper: “I don’t fancy goin’ back to prison.”

“It’s okay, Gideon. Grunkle Stan wouldn’t last a day in the same cell with you, anyway”, Mabel comforted him and rolled up the sleeves of her pajamas. “All right, is it my turn now? Because I have a ton of things to confess! I’m the real criminal mastermind here!” she enthused as she hurried to join her family. “Let’s see – I caused the apocalypse, got into a fistfight with a unicorn, lied to a Time Police officer, cheated in a minigolf competition, broke into a museum… Dipper, you did a half of those things with me! Get over here!”

Dipper threw an uncomfortable look at his fellow jurors. “I really shouldn’t.”

“Dipper”, repeated Mabel in a warning tone, “you’ve got two options: get your butt over here or face my eternal fury, and probably death, too!”

“That’s three options”, Dipper retorted.

“Nuh-uh, the death part comes with the eternal fury!”

“How can I face your fury eternally if… You know what, never mind. Mabel, I need to sit this through, okay? I can’t just leave –”

Mabel took a step towards him. “Remember last summer, bro-bro? Look me in the eyes and tell me you’re not being just as stupid right now as you were back then.”

That did it. Though his hesitance didn’t fade, Dipper clenched his fists and glanced warily at Blarbador, who, surprisingly, smiled gently back at him.

“Do what you must, dear.”

Dipper let out a sigh of relief. “Whew, thanks.” He tossed the pink robe off himself with one forceful pull, hopped nimbly over the bench and ran to his family.

Blarbertine didn’t seem to agree with Blarbador’s decision to let him go. “Mason, my dear boy, what is this? You have jury duty!”

“He’s just a child, Bertie”, Blarbador hushed.

“Sorry, guys”, said Dipper as he turned around to face the jury and put his cap back on. “You know what I did. And if my family is going to jail, that’s where I belong, too. And for the last time, my name is Dipper. You really should make the effort of learning it.”

“Wh – don’t talk back to me, son!” Even unhappier, Blarbertine rapped its hammer on the table in a pace that was verging on comical. “Order, I demand order! Order in the court!”

“THERE IS NO ORDER IN THIS COURT!” Ford thundered, empowered by his family’s presence. “None of this has made any sense to begin with, everyone is constantly talking out of turn, you tried to interrogate a toddler and took a bribe in front of everyone, for god’s sake! This has nothing to do with order, let alone justice! So if you wish to arrest someone, you’ll have to imprison us all!”

The rapid hammering finally stopped as the sound of loud sobbing caught everyone’s ears. One of the guards had broken into tears.

“I-it’s all so touching”, he bawled, “and so pointless…”

His colleague stepped up. “Look, we already told you there’s no room, right?” he said with an impatient frown. “We barely have space for the triangle guy in one of the old bird cages – technically the tot could fit in, too – but a whole family? No can do. Sorry, folks, but you’re gonna have to take your dimensional arrest and call it a day.”

“That’s outsourcing, baby!” a third guard chimed in.

“No! I will not – wait – Did…” The fist Ford had risen in protest hung still for a second. “Did you say ‘dimensional arrest’?”

And at that, Ford felt a sharp sting around his right ankle. As he looked down, he could see a strange glow coming from the leg of his boot; something heavy, a metallic cold, settled against his tarsal bone, and the weight stayed even after the light dispersed a few seconds later.

“What was that?” he asked, bewildered.

“It’s a spell, my dear”, Blarbador told him with a gentle smile. “It’s for your own good, you see, to ensure that you don’t go wandering off to any dangerous dimensions from now on.”

“Oh, quit the sugarcoating, Dory”, Blarbartine jabbed at its larger lookalike. “I’m sure Dr. Pines can handle the truth. My son, you are arrested because you’re a threat to foreign dimensions, not the other way round. That’s all there is to it.”

“What – I – are you telling me this is a monitoring device?” stammered Ford, while Bill, slowly catching on to the added irony of the situation, did a lousy job of holding back another burst of laughter. “Does that mean I… we’re not being imprisoned after all?”

“As much as we’d like to keep you safe and sound in a closed facility”, Blarbador said in a condoling tone, “it is as the guards told us – we simply don’t possess the funds needed to sustain an environment suitable for mortal long-term inmates. I’m sorry, but this arrangement will have to do.”

“It’s a perfectly good arrangement, Dory”, muttered Blarbertine. “Look, they’re happy about it.”

“I’ll say”, Stan commented in turn. “Nobody here wants to go to jail, right?” He gave his brother a look. “Right, Sixer?”

“O-of course not”, Ford sputtered, still too caught up in his asserted fearlessness to realize he was finally allowed to let his guard down.

“One more time from the top, guys: YES!” Mabel shouted again, and the chanting recommenced, the words now replaced with ‘dimensional arrest’.

Ford stood still in confusion and watched the bizarre sight of Soos trying to steal a triumphant hug from Stan while the aforementioned was busy shaking his fists at Bill, who raced across the courtroom with Trevor, evidently encouraging the toddler to throw any objects he could find at the jury.

The old researcher glanced cautiously at Dipper, who gave him an equally wary grin.

“Well, you won the case”, the boy said tamely. “Congrats.”

“I… Uh, thank you.” Ford scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. “Dipper… I cannot take back anything I said, but I want you to know that I’m sorry for the way it came out.”

“Me too”, answered Dipper, though he kept his eyes averted. “Not all of it, but some of it. Most of it. Also… We need to talk about my position as your apprentice.”

There were rather discouraging undertones in his choice of words, but Ford had no choice but to swallow the bitter pill and accept them. “Very well.” He placed a cautious hand on the boy’s shoulder. “There will be plenty of time to explain all of this”, he said quietly, “but for now, can you tell me why? Why join the Axolotl’s alliance?”

Dipper’s shoulders slumped a little as he let out a voiceless sigh. “Remember Guy Ceylon, and the vague code Bill tricked me into giving to him? It’s haunted me ever since, and in the end, I… couldn’t live with it anymore. I just couldn’t live not knowing what my actions might’ve caused. I kept imagining the worst possible scenario, and how I had no control over it… That’s what the Axolotl gave me, I guess. A sense of control, and a peace of mind.”

“And what did she want in exchange?” asked Ford warily.

There was a moment of silence. “I did make a deal, as you said earlier”, Dipper said at last. “Not with the oracle, but with the Axolotl herself… If Bill had been locked away, the responsibility for dealing with the second portal would’ve been taken off my shoulders. Now it’s officially up to you and me… and we’re running out of time.”

After throwing an unreadable glance at his grand uncle, Dipper turned his back on him and walked back to the rest of the jury. Ford watched him in quiet worry as, after a few words and nods exchanged amidst the jurors, the last two knocks of the hammer resounded throughout the room.

“Court dismissed.”

It was finally… over.

“We made it”, Ford muttered to himself, still in a state of stunned astonishment. “We’re…” He glanced down at his ankle. The cold sensation was gradually fading away, but the added weight would probably take some getting used to. “Well, I wouldn’t call this freedom, exactly.”

He turned to face Bill, who was lounging mid-air by his side for a change. “It seems like this was our first and last journey to the Multiverse”, he said bleakly. “On the other hand, the sentence could’ve been much worse. It’s not ideal, but…”

“Eh”, Bill shrugged. “Never was an idealist, never will be.”

Ford raised an eyebrow. “That’s odd. Truthfully, I was expecting you to rebel more.”

The triangle demon shot a cheerful look at him and tapped the upper part of his frame. “Time to think inside the box, Brainiac. You really don’t see the obvious loophole? Oh well, might as well save that for later.”

“A loophole?”

“Clam up, Six. Nanny’s on the move.”

Jheselbraum was approaching them at a tranquil pace.

“If there is a loophole”, Ford whispered to Bill regardless, earning an irked look, “I’m quite sure she knows about it, giving how she knows everything.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to go outta your way and tell her that.”

“I won’t.” Ford cleared his throat and faced the oracle as she stopped still before them.

“It appears the ruling was turned to your favor”, she said. “The all-knowing voted for your lifelong imprisonment, Stanford Pines… but the Corporate overruled our arbitration.”

Ford raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “How is that an arbitration?”

“Your role in these hearings was merely tangential, as was mine. This was a matter between Bill Cipher and the Corporate.”

“So why is it that I am now placed under arrest, and Bill isn’t?”

The seven-eyed gaze slowly moved from Ford to Bill. “The both of you are not to leave your dimension.”

“You forgot ‘or else’”, Bill pointed out with a smirk.

“You are not to leave your dimension”, the oracle repeated adamantly. “That is the end of it.”

“Better not give him any leeway there, sis.” A reek of old liquor snuck up to Ford’s nose, signaling Rick’s nearing presence before he’d even uttered a word. “Since old Fordsy clearly thinks he’s OG now, tell him not to jump off a cliff and he’ll do it just to show h-how bad he is, right? So listen up, tough guy”, he turned to give Ford a dull stare, “here’s the deal with your arrest. If you even try hopping dimensions, you’ll be dead as a stone before you can say ‘thug life’. Got it?”

“That still doesn’t answer my question”, Ford insisted, swishing off the row of snarky jabs in desperation of trying to understand the situation. “Why is Bill not arrested as well? Does this mean he can leave as he pleases without –”

“Oh yeah, that’s a great idea! Why don’t you let him try it right now?” Rick mocked. “T-tell you what, how about I escort him to another dimension, just so I can be there and watch him turn to quantum dust with my own eyes the second he crosses the border? His form is glued together with the Blood Chains and falls apart without a host, you dumbfuck, I’ve told you that a million times.”

Ford frowned. “You haven’t told me that once.”

“Huh, guess I haven’t”, Rick hummed indifferently. “What, you thought it’s my job to warn you about every stupid thing you might do? Oh, sorry it never crossed my mind to tell you specifically that tossing the guy to a separate dimension from where you are will turn him toast.”

“Do you have any idea how dangerous –“ Ford started furiously, but Rick cut him off with a loud burp.

“Bo-ring! Ugh, where’s the lesser embarrassment of the twins? I gotta go harass him while he still has more than two functional brain cells at work. Congrats, by the way”, he added with a sardonic grin. “If anything good came out of this shitshow, it’s that y-your brother looks a lot less like an idiot after you revealed your inner circus clown back there. ‘Destroyer of worlds’, my ass…”

He wandered off, followed by Bill with “a good old roast-off between two human wrecks? Like hell I’d miss out on that”, and left Ford facing the oracle.

“In other words”, she said, “his rebellion against the arrest would end your life, and your rebellion would end his. It is a balance of terror.”

“I don’t think a balance of that nature is necessary between us.”

Jheselbraum remained silent.

“In the end, Bill was pardoned for his crimes”, Ford continued, quietly looking for any signs of emotion on her face. His search was in vain. “After what you called a favorable outcome for Bill and myself, I suppose you expect me to show my gratitude.” The coldness of his voice made clear that he had no intention of doing so.

“I have no such expectations”, stated Jheselbraum calmly.

It was Ford’s turn to fall into momentary silence. “You told me Bill was never my friend”, he said eventually.

“That is correct.”

“I can only assume that the way you choose to see it, you were not a friend to me, either.”

In that moment, for the first time since their reunion, Ford thought he could find an inkling of the lenity in the seven eyes gazing down at him that had given him a sense of dearly needed comfort many decades ago.

“Come to me, Stanford Pines.”

Ford took a step forward and, oddly enough, found himself half-expecting the oracle’s cloaked arms to draw him into a maternal embrace. He resisted the urge to shake his head to get rid of the mental image that felt a little too uncanny after their earlier confrontation, but didn’t flinch when Jheselbraum knelt down to his eye level and placed her hands gently on his shoulders.

The gesture wasn’t followed by a hug, which, admittedly, was a relief.

The oracle closed her eyes for a brief moment, then opened them again, and the unnatural depth of their suddenly paled color sent a fearful shiver down the man’s spine; she didn’t utter a word out loud, but Ford could hear her voice clearly in his mind.

“You know more”, the voice told him, “than there is for a human being to know.”

Ford felt an anxious lump in his throat. He’d almost forgotten that who he was facing was truly an all-seeing creature. And yet, he then realized – no matter what she’d seen of him, or him and Bill, there was no fear of her using that knowledge against him. That was the Axolotl’s doctrine… and what had separated Bill from the unbroken harmony of omniscience.

The voice continued. “A time will come when you are to make a choice beyond mortal judgment… A choice that has the power to change the course of all that is.”

Ford’s heartbeats seemed to slow down to match the pace of her voicelessly sung words. He stared at her aghast. A choice…? What choice? What do you mean?

“You have learned love of self. Your choice will determine whether you are worthy of it.”

The prophecy was over. It left Ford stunned and frozen in place, barely aware of his surroundings as the eyes closed and the hands on his shoulders retreated. It wasn’t until the light rustle of her cloak as she turned her back and began walking away that startled him out of his haze.

“Wait.”

 Something didn’t quite sit right with him.

Jheselbraum didn’t turn back to face the man, but she stood still, listening. Regardless, Ford held his head high and spoke to the hooded back of her head.

“Everyone is worthy of self-love”, he said, the clarity in his eyes not betraying a hint of hesitation. “No one deserves to be captive to another.”

After the oracle was gone, Ford let out a heavy sigh; despite the firmness of his answer, Jheselbraum’s revelation had left an unnerving echo in the back of his mind. He doubted it would appear any less obscure no matter how much he worried about it right now, so he decided to leave trying to decipher it for a later time and glanced around in search of his family. Perhaps Rick was still keeping them busy…

“Hey, d-dork. You done with the pink lady? Huh, more like she’s done with you.”

No, there he was, standing right behind Ford with his arms crossed and a suspicious look on his face.

Ford turned to him. “What about you? Are you done harassing my brother?” he asked with a sharp note. Even though he knew Rick’s wording had likely been provocative on purpose, he didn’t like the sound of it.

“Can’t do much harassing when everything just flies over the target’s head”, Rick shrugged. “That fossil’s probably missing two thirds of his wits already, doesn’t even know what a bozo he is anymore.”

Ford glowered at him. “What is it that you want, Rick?”

“Listen, I don’t even know why I bother asking, but what the hell was that?”

“What was what, exactly?”

“Don’t play dumb with me, Sixer –“

“Aren’t you the one always calling me idiotic to my face?”

“Oh, so you’re all bold now, smartass, b-big whoop, not impressed”, Rick snarled. “I’m asking you why you defended that shitlord’s ass to begin with. I thought you were best compadres with the intellectual sugar mama, and even she gave you a verbal spanking for sticking up for that guy! And you’re all, ‘look at me, I’m Stanford, I’m tough and I don’t care’. Would be real cute if that shiny psycho wasn’t involved here! So lemme ask you, what in fresh hell is going on with you and Cipher? You two bang or something?”

The corner of Ford’s eye twitched. He crossed his hands behind his back, but his mind was devoid of a proper response.

Rick raised an eyebrow at his silence. “Okay, you’re a nerd, comebacks aren’t your strong side, I get it. But don’t leave a guy hanging, okay? Little too much room for interpretation here.”

Ford opened his mouth, but nothing came out. He averted his gaze as a rosy color started to spread across his cheeks.

“Jesus Christ, Sixer, at least deny it.”

Well, Ford thought as his hands were starting to sweat, it might be too late for that.

Oh, well… It wouldn’t hurt to try.

He took a deep breath in preparation for a white lie he knew would no longer pass for a feasible one; and before he even knew it, words of foolhardy honesty started stumbling out instead. “While Bill and I have had –“

“Oh, fuck, no! What have you done, you sick bastard?”

“– three encounters of a sexual nature –“

“No, no, no, Jesus, Mary, Moses and God on a stick!”

“– I cannot either deny or confirm your tastelessly worded remark, because such instances have been strictly circumstantial and are in no way a determinative basis of our relationship – Rick, where are you –“

“As far away from you as possible, you disgusting sonuvabitch! Urrgh, I think I’m gonna hurl! I-I can’t believe I ever helped you! That’s it, I’m never talking to you again! You can kiss this face goodbye! No, forget that, just keep your freak mouth the fuck away from me! What the hell were you thinking? I’m done, buddy, I’m done with you and your stupid family! See you never, motherfucker! See you never!”

Ford watched helplessly as his friend – perhaps a former one, and even a past status was debatable – marched off in his usual swaying fashion, still swearing and grasping at his already messy hair in a fit of disgust.

A resigned “oh boy” was all he could come up with.

And to make matters worse, he could hear a familiar nasal cackle nearing up to him.

“Wouldya look at that, another wrinkly nerd having a hissy fit! Tell me, Fordsy, what’d you screw up this time that got his slacks in a swivel that bad?”

“Uh…”

But a glance at Ford’s reddened ears was all it took for Bill to catch up with the situation.

A look of horror-induced fury replaced his cheer in an instant. “Seriously?” he wheezed. “You just up and told him?”

“He won’t tell a soul”, Ford blurted out quickly; now that the deed was done, he had to make do with what there was left to save. “I guarantee it. Look, he had the perfect opportunity to humiliate me in front of everyone present in this room, but he chose to leave instead, see? What I told him will stay between the two of us.”

“So you just up and told him?” Bill raged on, not in the least relieved by the avoided disaster. “After that whole tongue-tying shitshow you pulled on me earlier?”

“I already told you that was an emergency measure”, Ford muttered. “And it’s not like I was planning this, either. I couldn’t bring myself to lie to his face after he asked me if we – I knew he wasn’t serious, of course… I could’ve just laughed it off.” He covered his eyes with a hand in embarrassment, crooking his glasses in the process. “My god… This would’ve never happened if I had just laughed it off.”

“Uh, yeah! It’s avoiding touchy subjects 101, you moron! You could’ve changed the subject to the weather, or your twelve doctorates, or pulled a card out of your sleeve, any literal or figurative smokescreen at all, but you couldn’t just keep your loud mouth shut!” Suddenly he paused as if interrupted by a passing thought. “…wait, is that it?” he then asked, now more intrigued than furious. “You couldn’t keep your loud mouth shut? It didn’t even cross your mind that he might not praise you and pat you on the head as a result?”

“Well…” Ford started, then fell silent and scratched his chin at a rather bold mental proposal that was fighting down the embarrassment plaguing his mind, eager to be said out loud. He decided to give it a chance. “I know I’m not exactly in the position to say this, but… Would that really be on me?”

“Huh?”

“I mean”, Ford explained, feeling more confident now that Bill seemed to listen to him instead of hissing accusations, “why should I anticipate his every possible action, and let them determine mine? Am I supposed to censor myself to the point of minimal risk simply because the other party might react in a less responsible manner? That’s just absurd. I can’t be held accountable for the quirks of everyone else, now can I? Rick is a grown man perfectly capable of making his own judgments. If he chooses to worsen the situation for everyone by making a scene, well, that’s unfortunate, but most certainly not for me to prevent at all costs.”

Bill squinted. “So what you’re saying is…”

“Simply put”, Ford stated, “I refuse to feel guilty for causing a situation I merely enabled by speaking my mind – or better yet, by striving to do right by the world around me.”

“Like when the good pristine judges over there tried to get my karmic bill out of their hair by dumping it on your moral credit card, just because you did the bare minimum of bringing me back?”

The man frowned in firm agreement. “Yes, precisely. I’ve spent far too many years shouldering the blame for numerous predicaments I had very little to do with.”

Bill gave him a long, odd, quiet look.

“So I wanna be clear here, and you should consider that a rarely available treat”, he said slowly. “You could’ve been nice and polite, but then you stuck it to common sense and decided to be obnoxious instead? You told the guy, because you don’t give a damn about the consequences?”

Ford scratched his head. “Well, perhaps not because, as that obviously wasn’t my original mindset… But now that it is done”, he added, and even managed a small yet audacious smile, “I suppose you could say that. I stand behind my own actions, and that is all I can do. Any pointless fear of consequences beyond that can… take a hike.”

Bill kept staring at him in silence. There was a barely discernible change in his expression as he eventually turned to face the other way. “Okay, pal”, he grumbled, “just control yourself. Sheesh.”

Ford raised a confused eyebrow. “What a strange thing to say. Since when did you ever want me to –“

“I was talking to myself, genius.”

“Oh. That’s… even stranger.”

It took him a while to puzzle the pieces together, but soon the meaning behind Bill’s quietly muttered words dawned on him. He coughed covertly. “It appears they plan to send us back to our dimension soon”, he said. He felt a mixture of relief and pain at the thought; this courtroom would be the last he’d ever see of the Multiverse. “When we get home, if… there’s anything you need…”

“Well, since you asked, I could use a drink after all this.”

“Leave it to me”, Ford smiled. “It’ll be no match for the delicacies we were served in the Tea Dimension, but… I suppose we have no choice but to settle for earthly tea now.”

Bill threw a quirky glance at him. “Actually, I think I’m in the mood for something stronger than tea this time. It’s been a toastworthy day for the wicked, don’tcha think? You still got that old bottle of whatever hard stuff you used to store in the bunker?”

Ford made a surprised face at the uncanny idea. “You mean alcohol? Well, yes, I do have some whiskey left. If you’re sure it’s safe for you to drink… The bunker is rather chilly, though. Should I bring the bottle to the house instead?”

“Nah, the bunker’s fine. Nice and private.”

A couple of years ago his remark would’ve come off as ominous; now, it only brought the earlier flushed color back on Ford’s face.

Looking around the room, he found each member of his family engaged in a conversation with someone else: Stan was discussing something with Gideon, Mabel had dragged her twin to the side for an evident interrogation of her own, and Soos and Melody could be seen chatting up the tendril-faced member of the jury, who was holding Trevor in its terrifying talons with a look of adoration.

He approached his brother first. “Stanley?”

“Oh, hey, Poindexter.” Stan raised his hand in a subtle greeting. “Just finishing up some business with this twerp. Hey”, he then snapped and fought off the small-statured teenager clinging onto his midriff. “For the fourteenth time, hands off.”

Gideon let Stan go of the awkward hug he’d wrapped him in and put a hand on his arm instead. “I forgive you, Stanley, you old nincompoop”, he said with a woeful voice and a trembling lower lip. “I forgive y’all for all the times you’ve ever wronged me. Bless your heinous family an’ your darlin’ wrinkly face!” After which he ran off sobbing rather grossly.

“Yeesh”, said Stan with a small grimace. “Says he’s had a change of heart or whatever, but he’s just gotten creepier if you ask me.” He turned to Ford. “What’s up?”

“We should be heading back home soon. Are you ready?”

“Sure, if you are.”

Ford glanced at his twin. “I have to ask. What kind of business would you have with Gideon Gleeful of all people?”

“You told me to write a will, right? And I said I’d do it as soon as I found a lawyer shady enough for the job. Turns out we got one right there. Sort of.” The corner of his mouth twisted up a little at the sight of Ford’s incredulous look. “I know, I know, he’s just a kid and not even a real legal eagle. But who knows how much or how little time I’ve got left to consider my narrow options? And hey, he actually didn’t do half bad a job here, observing one moment and making a scene the next. Those skills are sure to come in handy when setting up legal potholes for everyone who might try to collect after I’m gone.”

“I suppose you’re right. And if he is someone you can trust with the task…”

“Hah!” Stan snorted with laughter. “Wouldya believe? That brat stole my house, messed with the kids, and probably threatened my life somewhere along the line, too. And now I’m supposed to trust him.”

Ford smiled at the familiar echo in his words. “Do you?”

“Eh.” Stan shrugged. “Sometimes a guy’s got no choice.”

“That I can agree with.”

Stan threw a look at him. There wasn’t any particular emotion to be read from it, but Ford could sense that the parallel he’d drawn in his head wasn’t apparent only to himself – and it seemed to be a rather unpleasant one to his brother. He half-expected a snarky comeback, but was met with silence.

Had his testimony been too much for Stan to hear? Had the disclosure of some of his most obscure feelings broken something between the two of them?

“So, Sanchez is gone again, huh?”

“Ah… Yes.” Despite his earlier assertiveness in front of Bill, he now found himself with a hint of guilt over what his thoughtless moment of honesty with Rick had resulted in. “Before he left, I, uh, told him something that appeared to upset him deeply. He’ll probably want to avoid me like the plague from now on… I’m sorry, Stanley, but I doubt he’ll be back any time soon.”

To his surprise, Stan’s face was split in half with a wild grin. “Oh, he’ll be back all right. I stole the sucker’s wallet.”

They had a good laugh together as they made their way to the younger set of twins, whose loud bickering had eased up significantly from what it had been a while ago.

Ford’s eyes met his apprentice’s. “Are you coming home with us, Dipper?” he asked, trying to present his question matter-of-factly out of respect for Dipper’s asserted independence.

“Of course he’s coming home!” Mabel exclaimed in her twin’s stead and gave him a huffy look. “See? This is exactly what I meant, nobody knows what’s going on with you anymore! It’s like you didn’t learn a thing last summer.”

“I’ll explain everything, I promise”, Dipper tried to appease her – for the hundredth time, judging from the signs of tested patience creasing his brow. “But that can wait until tomorrow, right?”

Mabel puffed her cheeks.

“Hey, dudes!” Soos, Melody and Trevor found their way to the rest of the family as well. “Guess who just got a huge dragon-octopus monster demigod bro for an additional godparent. This dude did!” He pointed at his son, whom he was carrying under his arm like a housecat. “It’s his fifth in order, just after Mr. Bill.”

“Better safe than sorry, right?” Melody stated with a sage nod. “Besides, there’s no way we wouldn’t make it an honorary Ramirez after it gave us tips on how to repel the ‘great everlooming shadow of old’ that sometimes jams the kitchen fan. Total godparent material.”

“I never learned how to get rid of that thing”, Ford mused, and laughed at Trevor’s unbridled fascination with everything surrounding him. “While I must apologize for this awful mess I unwittingly dragged all of you into, I’m glad to hear you’ve found new friends as a result.”

“Oh yeah, these guys are surprisingly chill considering they were going to throw us all in jail”, Soos chortled. “Tell you what, I even got a job offer from the Corporate dudes.”

“You what?”

“Yeah, they wanted me to be a, uh, diplomat or something, I guess. They were mega convinced of my mad good guy stats after that purge thing they put us through. But”, with another chortle and a gentle look at everyone around him, “I told them I’d rather stick with the fam.”

A guard approached them, adjusting his transit device. “Time to head home, friends from the distant past. Is everyone ready?”

Mabel, who had been chewing on her lower lip for a while, drew a deep breath. “Okay”, she sighed nervously. “I can’t just leave and not do this. Be right back.” She turned on her heels and waved frantically at two figures standing nearby, getting ready to leave as well: Fiddleford McGucket and Dipper from the demolished dimension.

“Hey, other Dipper – yeah, you, I’m talking to you! Wait up!”

The eyes hers met were familiar but different, startled but oddly trustful, as if involuntarily so.

With a few bouncy steps, she reached the lookalike of her twin. “Hey”, she said again with a cautious smile. “I’m not your real sister, so this is gonna be just a regular old friend hug, okay? Here goes.” Not waiting for a permission, but not until after she’d hesitated for a second herself, she spread her arms and wrapped him into a tight embrace.

Tears prickled in her eyes as she felt the other Dipper freeze completely in her arms.

“You’re going back to the Multiverse, right?” she spoke gently, trying to keep her voice steady. “You know, they say there’s an infinite amount of all of us out there, so I bet there’s at least one lonely Mabel without a bro-bro of her own who would love to be your friend. I want you to go find her, okay? I know you miss your own Mabel, and I know she can never be replaced, and I’m sorry… But please don’t be stupid and abandon everyone else like your Grunkle Ford did. You deserve happiness, and there’s nothing wrong with trying to glue the pieces back together. And you know who’s always gonna be there for you? Mabel, that’s who.”

There was a moment of silence, but eventually she could hear a broken response whispered weakly beside her ear.

“…okay.”

“Good. And hey, the robot arm is actually super cool. And the face scars are sort of badass, too, even though one of them looks like a bunny. Try not to hate them so much, okay? Bye, Dipper.” She squeezed him one more time, then let go and turned away, not glancing back once as she ran back to her own family. She was still fighting back tears as she reached them, but seemed to be at peace with what she’d accomplished.

“You did well”, Ford told her gently. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah”, Mabel nodded with a quiet sniff. “Kinda felt like a breakup, and I’ve got another one of those coming up… so I guess it was good practice.”

“I’m sorry to hear about your boyfriend.”

She shrugged. “Eh. Maybe we weren’t a match made in heaven, but at least he made me feel smart. I think I want something like that… Just maybe not with him. Unless…” She made a focused face. “I think his name was… Blarb. No, that was one of the jurors, right? Ugh, this is hopeless.”

The guard tapped the screen of his device. “Everything set? Sorry for the rush, but I gotta file a report that no one will ever read.”

“Ah… yes.” Ford allowed himself one final look around the room, and his eyes lingered on the last glimpse of the two homeless travelers before they disappeared from sight, heading into the vastness of the Multiverse.

He recalled Bill’s off-handed mentioned of a loophole in his dimensional arrest. Perhaps, he thought, this isn’t the end after all.

“We’re ready.”

“Superb. See you around, folks… Well, probably not.”

With that same strange ‘ssschwop’ sound Ford had heard when the family had appeared in his jail cell, he felt like he was squeezed into a tiny speck for a fracture of a second. The next thing he knew, he was lying on his stomach in the Mystery Shack’s living room.

“Ugh, those time cops are just like regular cops. No respect for the civilians”, he could hear Stan muttering from underneath a pile of people; Ford had been more fortunate and landed a little to the side from the others.

“Ah, there you are”, a placid voice called out. “I’ve been worried about you. Soos, por favor, be a good boy and go get the medicine for your Abuela’s rheumatism.”

Soos lifted Dipper off himself like a light blanket and clambered up on his feet. “Abuelita, I have a million questions for you! The lizardy judge-bro said you’re –“ He paused, a shade of worry appearing on his face. “Wait, you haven’t taken your medicine yet? Oh, that’s bad, Abuelita! Why didn’t you get up and look for them yourself? They’re not that far away, the bottle’s on the… kitchen counter…” He scratched his chin with a look of confusion. “Now that I think about it, I haven’t seen you get up from that chair in years.”

“Soos, I don’t think she is able to”, said Ford warily. Bill’s carefree remark at the end of the tuba story hadn’t missed him, and a ghastly realization had been haunting him since. “I’m sorry. I don’t know how to tell you this, but…”

“What is it, Mr. Ford?” Soos squeezed an invisible fez in his hands; it seemed to have turned into a nervous tick of his. “She’s okay, right?”

Placing a hand on Soos’ arm, Ford turned to look at the calm smile of his grandmother, while Dipper answered in his stead.

“She’s a Category Eleven.”

“Hahaha, sure I knew! Who do you think I am?”

“You could’ve told us, or at least hinted at it in some obnoxious manner like you usually do. I cannot believe you’ve never attempted to do anything with that knowledge.”

“What, you want me to tell you the exact time and cause of everyone’s death now? Knowing your own isn’t enough for ya?”

“That isn’t what I meant…” Ford paused and raised his eyes from his empty glass of whiskey. He grabbed the bottle for a refill, pouring one for Bill as well. “Wait”, he uttered. “Do you mean you still know everyone’s time and cause of death for a certainty? Even though you’re no longer –“

“You really wanna know if I know, Fordsy?”

“Well, I…” The man fell into wary silence. “I can only assume that you do”, he said then, “judging from how convinced you’ve remained of my death at the age of ninety-two… However, you’ve also told me more than once that it isn’t set in stone. That I should strive to conquer it… Does that mean your knowledge is no longer absolute?”

“Nah.” Bill took another sip from his glass and shuddered a little, like he’d done with every other sip he’d taken so far. “It’s a bit of a Schroedinger’s cat and mouse kind of situation, but going by a general rule, death finds a way.”

“But… it’s still alterable, isn’t it? For instance, if I jumped off a cliff –”

Bill let out a laugh that had an unusual note to it. “Bhahaha! Why don’t you give it a shot and find out?”

Ford smiled into his drink. “And you’re back to messing with me.” He didn’t mind; in fact, he was grateful for Bill’s evasiveness. This was the one time he preferred not to be given a straight answer.

That didn’t stop him from continuing on the topic, though. “So you knew… You knew about Abuelita all along.”

“To be realsy with ya, I thought it was pretty obvious from the get-go! Gal doesn’t eat or sleep, just sits in that same old chair like she’s rooted in it, and when she’s not in the chair, it’s more like she dropped off the face of the planet just because she felt like it…”

“That is true”, Ford admitted. Now that he thought about it, the signs of her having long passed the mortal plane had been rather unmistakable.

“And hey, it’s not like me dropping the bomb on Question Mark would’ve changed anything! She was a fareweller before your pal Bill was a comebacker.”

“Nevertheless”, Ford said, “perhaps Soos would’ve wanted to give her a proper service, and preferably a little sooner after her passing.”

Bill leant lazily on his elbow. “Well, if that’s so important, she could’ve given him the morbid heads-up herself! Ever occur to ya there might be a reason why she didn’t? As far as my sources from – uh, lemme just – six? …yeah, six years ago are anything to go by, the old gram knew the small but fatal head trauma from the screw would take her down, so she arranged everything to a tee months before she kicked it. Even bought her own coffin and lay down in it the night before! There should be a tombstone, too, just go see for yourself.”

“That is quite impressive of her. It also explains the flowers from the Valentino family on our third winter spent in Gravity Falls”, Ford reminisced, taking a thoughtful sip. “So why… did she choose to stay?”

Bill shrugged. “Because she wanted to? I think I’ll leave working that out to you, Brainiac!”

“I’ll look into it the first thing tomorrow”, the old researcher nodded. “This is a whole new category in my study of ghosts as well. To continue leading the daily routines amongst mortals and even pass for one for several years… I’ve never seen anything quite like it.” He watched Bill in deep thought. “Is this a path one can simply choose to take in the moment of their death? Perhaps…”

“Not if your brain’s in a stew you can’t, that’s for sure”, Bill shot him down without mercy, swishing his hand around in a gesture that seemed a little more languid than usual. “Forget it, Sixer. You already ghosted your twin for half a lifetime, he’s not gonna do the same favor to you. I like the way you think, though! Just keep broadening those horizons, IQ, I’m sure you’ll come up with something!”

“Why?” asked Ford. “This is the second time you’ve encouraged me to interfere with Stanley’s life expectancy. You said you don’t care.”

“That’s right, I don’t”, Bill gruffed. “Why the hell would I care? You know I can’t stand the old hack. When he drops dead, it’s gonna be a dance party for Bill. On his grave, if possible.”  

Ford was quiet. He would be a fool to expect a different answer… Then again, he thought, perhaps there was something Bill knew, and wouldn’t tell him… for whatever reason.

At last, he decided it was time to change the subject. “You said something earlier”, he said, “about Schroedinger’s cat… and mouse?”

“Hah! You got that right”, Bill confirmed with a secretive smirk, gulping down the rest of the liquor in his glass in one go.

Something told Ford there was more to it than just another case of Bill’s nonsensical wordplay. “What does it mean?”

“Hmm… Gimme something to demonstrate it with, would ya?”

After looking around, Ford reached to pick Fiddleford’s aged Smez dispenser from atop of the storage drawer. “How about this?”

“Haha! Works fine for me.” Bill turned the dispenser upside down and dropped several pieces of candy on the table, blocking Ford’s view of two of them with his hand and revealing them in turns. “Ya see, it’s pretty simple! As long as the cat is alive, chances are the mouse is long dead. If the mouse is alive, goes on to say that the cat was dead all along. Or they could both be dead, or, if the odds are just right, they could be two freaks of nature with no interest in the usual prey-and-predator game – all at the same time! You think humanity discovering quantum physics is the stuff of advancement, but what you guys are missing completely is a whole new layer of nuclear relativity inside just waiting to be theorized!”

Ford’s eyes were wide. “Fascinating… No, that is… groundbreaking.”

“Right?” Bill cackled. I’m feeling generous tonight – boozed up, too – so feel free to juggle this piece of knowledge as you please! Show off to your fellow nerds, snatch that big-name Icelandic science award, embrace your inner mad doctor and invent a dual-core subatomic bomb, I won’t judge! In fact, it’d be a real cute sight to see!”

“C… cute?” Ford repeated.

“Haha, that’s you, hot stuff! I can’t even envision a non-cute scenario here. No matter where you go with this, cuteness ensues! Hell, I should’ve ditched my plans for world domination and focused on giving you treats and playing fetch with you instead.”

“Bill, stop talking about me as if I was your pet.”

“Fine, just let me have this, okay?” He gave Ford an absent-minded stare that was peppered with needlessly slow blinks. “You should see the look on your face right now, it’s adorable. You’re adorable. Why do I keep saying that?”

“Well, it’s probably the intoxication talking”, Ford pointed out the obvious, struggling to keep a straight face. “You’ve drunk quite a lot in proportion to your size. How are you feeling?”

“Free and breezy, pal, free and breezy”, replied Bill cheerfully. “Snacky, too. You got anything to devour in this place? Oh, wait, got a bite-sized jackpot right here.” He picked up one of the Smez he’d scattered on the table. “Here goes nothing!”

“Wait, let me make sure they’re still edible… Oh. Fair enough.“ Ford tilted his head curiously as Bill chucked a piece into his mouth without further consideration. He shrugged, took one for himself and chewed it thoughtfully. “Hmm. The aftertaste is a bit dusty, don’t you think?”

“Hard to say, as I’ve got no idea what dust tastes like! Keep in mind that I’ve never eaten anything in this fleshcage before – well, aside from your face!”

Ford nearly choked on a piece of 40-year-old candy.

The sight sent Bill into another hysterical burst of laughter. “Hahahaha, priceless! I mean, what’s done is done, there’s no point in calling a spade a pitchfork now, is there? You can’t deny I’m one hell of a kisser, and you’ve gotten a nice hang of it, too! So pucker up and let the magic happen, bud, it’s a shame-free zone down in this bomb-proofed kissing booth! Come on, Fordsy, get your cute dork face over here and give your favorite triangle guy some sugar!”

“Bill, you’re out of control”, Ford laughed along with him; he wasn’t sure if his burning cheeks were due to the effects of the drink or Bill’s happily shameless prattle.

It wasn’t until his own laughter had eased off for the most part that he noticed Bill was staring at him with a half-lidded eye again, rather expectantly this time.

“Well?”

“Well… what?” asked Ford with a quizzical smile.

Bill fiddled with the rim of his glass. “You’re not catching any signals here? Y’know, vibes, innuendos, not-so-subtle hints, that sort of thing?”

“I… oh! So you weren’t just joking around… Right, of course.” The man cleared his throat and adjusted his glasses. “It should’ve been obvious. I, I did catch your meaning as early as after the hearings, when you said you… wanted some privacy with me. I mean”, he backtracked, “not that particular choice of words, per se, but the way you said it, and the way you… looked at me. Just like, uh, you do now.”

Granted, Bill’s stare was still just as intense and not at all impatient, but his fingertip was tapping lightly against the wooden table. “Well?” he asked one more time. “What’s the holdup, then?”

Ford ran a hand through his hair, not knowing what else to do. His mind felt too buzzed to figure out the right way to act, so he settled for rambling on. “Uh… I suppose I’m waiting for you to take charge, since it’s more your area than mine… And it’s always been your avidity that has set… all this… in motion. I can’t seem to, uh, enter the appropriate state of mind, unless you… take the first step.” He sighed in resignation. “I have no idea what I’m doing, do I?”

There was a moment of silence.

“Listen, Fordsy”, Bill started, “you need to learn to take some of the initiative here, okay? I know I’m terribly good at this, but I can’t do all the work for ya.” Despite his choice of words, he didn’t sound annoyed in the slightest; his tone was more of an imploring one. “I can lead you on, sure, give you a friendly nudge to the right direction, throw you for and out of the loop, and shred you to bits if need be, but there are things you gotta do your own damn self. You can’t just expect me to keep convincing you forever, okay?”

Ford raised his gaze. This wasn’t just about what had been going on for some time now; this was something more urgent. Something… more.

“You gotta take matters into your own hands, old friend.” Bill’s fists were clenched in desperation. “You have to, or else everything’s just going to end up exactly the way it’s designed to end up. And we won’t have that, right? We’re not gonna bend over backwards for their stupid laws, right? So what’s it gonna be, Stanford? Are you going to persist like you said you will?”

And at last, Ford understood what the demon was getting at – what he was being goaded into, and why.

For a twisted, deluded moment, he’d wondered if Bill actually cared for Stanley’s wellbeing enough to urge Ford to look for a cure. But everything Bill had said had been true. There was no goodwill, no pity, and he truly didn’t care one bit… for Stan, that is.

“In twenty-four years, I will die”, he said quietly, “and you… cannot face it. That’s what this is about, is it not?”

Bill stared at him in unbroken silence, his pupil strained and narrow, as if in a state of anguish. And without another word, Ford reached to take his hand, drew him close and kissed him.

For a moment, Bill was completely limp in his hold; then he felt two smaller hands slowly find their way into his hair, and a light touch of fingertips sliding to trace the outlines of his face. The agitated tension was gone in a barely audible breath.

His surface was warm, and Ford’s own skin was warm. Despite the chill of the bunker, everything felt strangely warm.

Nothing came between them for a long while; when Bill spoke again, his voice was gentle.

“You’ll come around.” He let himself be cut off with another kiss. “You’ve got twenty-four years left to be stubborn, and so do I.” And another one. “You think I’m just gonna let you roll over, and give your muse a bad name?”

“Just focus on the moment, Bill.” Usually, it was the other way around.

The irony didn’t escape Bill, either, and he could feel him laugh against his lips.

“Oh boy. Lately…”

“Hm? Lately… what?”

“You’ve been making it a real pain to hate your guts.” That was enough to make Ford’s focus trail off as well. His companion drew back for a second to give him a meaningful look. “Don’t get me wrong, bucko, I still do. It just takes an effort.”

Ford didn’t know how to answer – fortunately, he didn’t have to. He’d been told to take more initiative, but it wasn’t like Bill had refused to take any of his own.

However, after a while, something urged him to speak.

“In the courtroom, I said… I told everyone how, after your betrayal, I would’ve given anything to be able to trust you again. And – six years ago, when I thought you were dead… there were times when that same spur of madness took ahold of me.”

“Sure”, said Bill, “I remember your sad little confession last year.”

“My imagination kept racing against the dare I’d given myself. And once I finally managed to decrypt your message in Stanley’s memory container, it was no longer a stray thought… it was a fixation. At the time, I had no excuse to resurrect you. But I knew I would, as soon as I could find one – simply because I knew it was possible.” He felt a hint of his past weariness when he looked at Bill. “If that is how you feel about my eventual passing… I understand why you…”

Bill watched him in quiet while absently running his fingers through tufts of grey hair. “Let’s put it this way: as long as we’ve got unfinished business, you and I”, he said then, “you’re not getting off the hook that easily.”

“I wonder… Will there be a day when everything between us is reconciled? No grudge, no conflict…”

“That, old friend”, hummed Bill as he took a gentle grip on Ford’s face, “is what the effort is for.”

Ford smiled against the lips on his. He remembered the time he’d dreaded the thought of daily opposition and verbal combat his remaining years with Bill would surely be filled with; now, he couldn’t imagine a life without Bill’s quarrelsome astuteness and casual little challenges.

All he felt was perfect peace.

He found himself not allowing his eyes to flicker open, not even for a second; Bill couldn’t see, so he shouldn’t, either. Perhaps he was seeking the same connection they’d once shared. Though he couldn’t feel it right now, he remembered how their senses and sensations had melted into one… Like nothing had separated his world from Bill’s.

The thought, merely by itself, was a little frightening.

Then again… Bill had told him to grow more eager and spontaneous, hadn’t he? So perhaps… he should venture a little further. Just to see if the peace between them would evolve into something else, and if that same yearning was still smoldering somewhere beneath the surface, waiting to be awoken. The heat he could feel glowing through Bill’s frame was a different kind of passion than the desperate need that had driven him on many times before, but… who was he to tell?

But as his fingers strayed hesitantly to fumble with the pitch-black bowtie, they were gently held back by a set of four.

Again, Bill pulled back just enough to open his eye and glance at the hand on his front. “What’s all this, Sixer?” he murmured.

Ford blushed. “I… I thought you… So, I take it you don’t…”

“Well, do you?”

The man gazed into the hazy eye, listening to the nonexistent heartbeat that gave the rhythm to Bill’s breathing. “Only if you want me to.”

“And if I ever do”, said Bill softly, “I’ll make sure to let you know. How’s that sound?”

“Perfect”, whispered Ford with a smile. This was not the time, and perhaps there would never be such a time again… But if there ever was, he knew he would feel it, too – through their bond, and together with Bill – and not be held down by uncertainty.

“As long as you don’t write any of it down, you freak.”

The researcher had to break off the half-formed kiss in order not to choke on his burst of embarrassed laughter.

The aged drink and candy – a rather horrid combination, now that he thought of it – on the table were left unattended as he found a relatively comfortable position on the skeleton of a bed by the wall, pulling Bill into a loose embrace and allowing all of his attention to be stolen by the warmth against his skin. It was too cold to stay for the night, but there was no rush to return to the Mystery Shack, either. They would have all the time to sleep late into the afternoon, and the bunker was, as Bill had said, nice and private… As he breathed against the smooth golden surface, he felt endlessly grateful for the fact that after all the nightmarish scenarios he’d tortured himself with during the trials, the knowledge of these moments had miraculously remained only between the two of them.

Something prodded at his memory. “Bill?”

“Hm?”

“Back in the courtroom, you used a word I’ve never heard before.” The old man tilted his head curiously. “What is ‘fanfiction’?”

Bill rolled his eye. “Tell you what… Do me a solid and don’t look it up, so I don’t have to act like I get what’s going on there, either. Too much chaotic energy in that can of worms for even old Bill to handle.”

[disneyphantomlover]

Thoughts on BATIM’s Crack-Up Comics, Part 2

“Now, to tackle the Dime-Store Comics!

Good Golly, Charley is such an overzealous bad guy! It’s rather hilarious.

Also, the “door” for the ship has a cannon. I think that’s a decent “No Solicitors” warning.

OMG the damn soup....

Is it just me, or does Alice look like someone completely different? I know it can be chalked up to style and all, but seriously. Boris and Bendy look just like their comic strip selves, just a little more animated. But Alice? She’s got a different face, her eyes are much larger, her body is SIGNIFICANTLY slimmer, she’s lost her cleavage and her stockings, her heels are flats, and her hair is thinner. Not to mention she has a slightly different personality. Is... Is this meant to be taken as Susie was replaced by Allison between 1935 and 1936?

This... This is so absurd. The Bendy Scouts of America thing just makes me laugh though.

Okay! Okay, okay, okay... Boris saying “Good Golly Gosh” is too good for me. 

Well. There he go!

Again! Alice’s horns getting huge and her halo shrinking, along with that serpent tongue?! Please tell me this gag continues whenever she gets pissed off!

...These guys look like Instant Martians from Looney Toons. I’m not the only one thinking this, right?

NOT THE BEES!

YES, THE GAG CONTINUES.

Boris, your alliteration is impeccable. Somehow I wasn’t expecting that out of you. 

Bendy. My dude. Little Devil Darling. HOW the HELL do you continue to dig your own grave here? Alice is so done with your shit. 

I’m just imagining Boris saying all this in the most deadpan voice ever, and complete with the image of the moon? I died laughing.

I know it’s a plot device, but having the main character apologize for his actions, leading to finding a way out of the predicament he’s in? I love that shit. 

Also, that’s a lotta cheese. 

HOW ARE THERE WANTED POSTERS OF THEM?!

Sheesh Alice, leaving Boris to the vultures?

....These last two pages are absolute madness. Now there’s lasers? Boris can understand the vultures? They can catch a shooting star home? They landed on Charley?! What IS this?? Did they suddenly run out of paper and had to chop up the writing or something?

...What is this postman? WHAT IS THIS?? It’s a fucking clone with wings and a mustache, that’s what!

Huh. So that’s interesting. Yes, they got Pluto’s name and title right, but looking at the pitchfork and the later picture of him? He looks more like a Christian form of Satan rather than the staff-wielding, helm-wearing Pluto. I’m guessing it’s because they wanted to throw in a little flair and not directly reference Satan.

And can we appreciate that the letter had a little heart on it? And worry that it was signed “Hate, Papa Pluto”?

Somehow, I feel kinda sad at this. Bendy got all this power thanks to someone he knows, and he tries to better himself and others around him. And you just know it’s gonna get fucked up. 

Boris, your personality is getting a bit food-based.

Alice blushing is the cutest image ever. 

I. FUCKING. CALLED IT.

....Again. Feel kinda sad that Bendy is getting screwed over by something his dad gave him. 

Okay, can Alice just... float? For no reason whatsoever? I’m okay with this, I just need to know. 

AND she can charm a tree into doing what she wants?

Of course it takes an angel to shatter a devilish pitchfork. 

BENDY. At least retain your lessons for 5 GD MINUTES. 

Wait, again? What have you two idiots done to get a bounty on you a first time?!

Constable Alice is amazing and I love her. Even when she’s being a lil shit.

YES, the gag’s back!

I thought “parka squirrel” was a joke. Nope. Actual name for an Artic ground squirrel. Especially in Alaska.

The dialogue in this one is great. As is the slapstick. It has an almost Wile E. Coyote feel to it. 

Also, Bendy is the one having all the ideas that just fall flat. Sounds a lot like some asshole named Joey Drew we all know.

That is a legit river of gold. I don’t know if it’s making fun of the Klondike Gold Rush, or the “liquid gold” known as oil in Alaska, but I love it.

Much as I love the hijinks of the two going down the mountain, what the HELL kinda skeleton IS THAT?!

I don’t even care this comic is ripping off old superhero comics. It’s too damn funny and it’s the right amount of absurd. 

I just noticed all the irradiated bacon soup in the china cabinet. If that’s a reference to Fiesta Ware, I’m going to scream. 

“Fiesta commenced commercial sales of colored dinnerware in 1936. Most colored ceramics made prior to World War II, including Fiesta Ware, contained uranium oxide.” SON OF A BITCH! 

Yep. Had to pay homage to Superman. But it’s Boris, so I’ll let it go. I like the implication that Boris is a strong boi.

....I’m sure many have said this but... That CameraMan is too damn similar to the Projectionist. 

UMMMMMMMMMM. HI BRUTE. You are um... Something. 

Not sure what I think of Miss Twisted. Adore her design! But... Man, what’s with this random shoe-ing in of the antagonists of the game?

...Okay, as menacing as they try to be, I love that the Camera Man and Brute think the worst thing to do is knock apples out of trees and steal candy from babies.

BORIS! Ever hear of SPACING THEM OUT?!

This whole fight is silly, but it works! It’s just stupidly cute and simple. Wish it was that easy to beat the Projectionist in the games. Or take Brute Boris down. 

....They 100% referenced Spiderman there. Like, it’s clear as day. What the hey?

I kinda like the idea of Alice being a pilot. Yah know, since she was in the skies so often anyways. 

I almost want to make fun of the nun OF COURSE showing up asking Alice for help. But... I mean... Who better to ask help from other than an angel who knows how to fly well?

“Niuport 17″... Why is that familiar?

“The Nieuport 17 C.1 ... was a French sesquiplane fighter designed and manufactured by the Nieuport company during World War I.” .....Huh. We’re learning things today! It even looks like Alice’s plane!

Kinda amazed the Morse code is correct.

This is so zany and silly. Also, I don’t think pills work that quick.

YES. USE THE POWER OF THE CHILDREN. 

I feel like I should call bullshit on that. But at the same time I like the idea of all the nuns in that abbey running an undergrounds mechanic shop for the Allies. 

Hang on. Either this is a minor mistake or someone messed up the timing again. But War Bonds in comics didn’t start until December 1941. And this is supposed to be between 1936 and 1940. I mean, they were originally called Defense Bonds, but specifically “War Bonds” were after Pearl Harbor.  

[forgcdstrength]

Cordelia “Cory” Chavez

“I AM A LOST BOY FROM NEVERLAND, PROBABLY HANGING OUT WITH PETER PAN.”

NAME: Cordelia Anne Chavez

AGE: 17

PARENTS: John and Lucy Chavez

DOB: May 3, 1813

PLACE OF BIRTH: Jamaica

ORIENTATION: biromantic homosexual

HOGWARTS HOUSE: Slytherin

FACECLAIM: Jessica Sula

Biography:

Cordelia Chavez was born in 1813, in Jamaica, to an African mother and a Jamaican father. Born a slave on a sugar plantation, her first years were horribly difficult. Her life became better – and worse, in ways – when she was sold away from her mother and onto a European tobacco plantation at seven years old. By the time she was seventeen, she’d been put to work as a kitchen slave in a London pub.

For a girl who’d lived first surrounded by sugar fields, and then tobacco fields, spending her days peeling potatoes in a dark, dank cellar was the epitome of torture. So, she ran away… but she was caught, and brought back. Beaten badly, she was left for dead in the same cellar she’d tried to escape – much to the horror of he young boy who had been put in her position during her absence.

Fading in and out of consciousness, she awoke once to the muffled screams of her unwilling roommate, and to a black cloud in the form of a man standing over them both. The figure grabbed the boy, and Cordelia barely managed to take hold of the boy too before the figure began to fly with both of them tow, clutching desperately at one another so that they wouldn’t fall. Fatigued and in agony, she passed out the moment she was on land again.

When she woke once more, she was surrounded by a pack of dirty, wild-looking boys – and the boy she had arrived with was among them.

“You’re a girl,” a redhead announced with an upturned nose. “My shadow has made a mistake; you need to go back to where you came from.”

But the other boys argued for her, curious about this new specimen who had been dropped into their world, and even the boy known as Peter Pan caved under the momentary, childish threat of mutiny from his Lost Boys.

Cordelia became one of them, and that new life fit her better than living in a kitchen ever had. The Lost Boys drew out the buried, wildest parts of her, and she’d never felt so free. Peter shortened her name to a more masculine “Cory,” and no one really cared to mention that she was a girl ever again. She was a Lost Boy, just like any of the others, and that was that.

Verses:

A New Normal: (OUAT) Life continued practically unchanged on Neverland for 200 years, until Peter Pan himself was convinced to return to the “real” world – the world of time, the town of Storybrooke – with the Lost Boys in tow. Once the ship docked in Storybrooke, the Lost Boys were split up, going alone or in pairs into “adoptive families,” while the rest were put up in Granny’s rooms – leaving Granny to become the mistress of an impromptu boys’ home. Though she would’ve much rather gone with the bulk of her mates to Granny’s, officially Cordelia was placed with a family, without any of the other Lost Boys at her side. Unofficially, she did her best to avoid her new “family,” and practically lived at Granny’s regardless. She had followed Peter and her mates here, and with him dead and the Lost Boys all but scattered, Storybrooke holds very little appeal… but once again she feels trapped with nowhere to go, and though she’s trying in her own way, she’s not sure how to be happy in this little town in Maine.

Lost on Another Island: (Descendants) Neverland was raided as the villains were first rounded up and sent to the Isle of the Lost. All the children on Neverland were classified as “evil,” and sent to the Isle. Because of that, Cordelia spent her young adult years trapped in a dirty, claustrophobic cityscape, hating the crown as much as the next Isle-dweller. And what’s worse is that, unless something changes, even by the time people are slowly being allowed to leave the Isle, she’s too old to qualify, and so she still feels like she’s ran out of options and is doomed to live out her life on the Isle of the Lost.

The Beginning of Everything: (Pan) Blackbeard’s pirates (instead of Pan’s shadow) stole Cordelia away to Neverland and the mines, and while she’s perfectly aware of the fact that she’s only exchanged one form of slavery for another, it’s still better here. The food is better and plenteous on Neverland, and she’s made friends with some of the boys, and the supervisor lets her slip away during their scant downtime so that she can go and visit with a few of the natives she’s stumbled upon and made friends with. They teach her their songs and dances, and she teaches some of them the sounds and dances she remembers from her mother and the plantations. Living in Neverland is hard under Blackbeard – and when the time comes, she is curious to see exactly what becomes of the rebellion of the newest Lost Boy, Peter – but she has more room in her life for dancing and music and comradery then she ever has before. She’s free enough, and so she’s happy… enough.

First Star to the Right: (Disney’s Peter Pan) If she’s being honest, Cory doesn’t see the point of bringing the Darlings to Neverland, but there was once a time when someone had talked Peter into bringing her along with them to Neverland. He didn’t have to; he chose to, and so she pays him back by keeping her thoughts to herself now. She can see where the boys might want a mother, but she doesn’t, and Wendy really is – in her eyes – more trouble then she’s worth. But for the duration of the Darlings’ stay, she does her best to simply stay away from the other girl. It’s not as if Wendy’s going to last long in Neverland, in any case.

Road Less Traveled: any other AU threads

AUs:

Ever Ever After: (Fairytale) wild girl who lives in the woods with her gang of fellow runaways

Borrowed Babies: (Foster Care) foster daughter taken off the streets

I Solemnly Swear That I’m Up To No Good: (Harry Potter) Slytherin fourth-year

There Was an Idea: (MCU) homeless Inhuman with the power of geokinesis (the ability to manipulate/control earth)

All That Gleams and Glitters: (Modern) foster child taken off the streets

Alternatively 1902: (Victorian) rebellious servant girl

Grow Up With the Land: (Wild West) taken off of the orphan train to be a worker at a farm

Forward To Victory: (World War II) a member of the French Resistance

Starter Call

[puroresu-musings]

NJPW SENGOKU LORD in NAGOYA Review (July 25th 2020, Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium)

Taiji Ishimori vs. Yuya Uemura  **1/2

Togi Makabe, Satoshi Kojima & Ryusuke Taguchi vs. Tomohiro Ishii, Toru Yano, & Gabriel Kidd  ***

Hirooki Goto, SHO & YOSHI-HASHI vs. Tetsuya Naito, SANADA & BUSHI  ***

Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, Yuji Nagata, Hiroyoshi Tenzan & Master Wato vs. Taichi, Zack Sabre Jr., Minoru Suzuki, Yoshinobu Kanemaru & DOUKI  ***1/4

Kazuchika Okada vs. Yujiro Takahashi  **1/2

NEVER OPENWEIGHT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: Shingo Takagi (c) vs. El Desperado  ***3/4

IWGP HEAVYWEIGHT AND IWGP INTERCONTINENTAL DOUBLE CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH: EVIL (c) vs. Hiromu Takahashi  ****1/2

Photos.

New Japan returned to Aichi with a socially distanced crowd of 2,200 for an enjoyable show that was probably a little better than the two Osaka-Jo Hall shows from a couple of weeks ago, though obviously not up to the usual high New Japan standard, for obvious reasons. Taiji Ishimori defeated spirited Young Lion Yuya Uemura in a standard opener, when he pinned him with Bloody Cross in 8 minutes. Togi Makabe pinned another promising Young Lion, Gabriel Kidd, with a German Suplex to end a decent six man tag at 10:25. What was notable here is the match was also supposed to feature Honma and Yota Tsuji, but both were pulled as a precautionary measure as they were on a TV show earlier in the week with someone who tested positive for COVID. Another enjoyable multi man followed, in which SHO was the star of the show. He had great exchanges with everyone, then of course was submitted by SANADA’s Skull End (get a new finish, man!) at the 10:31 mark. It’s worth pointing out here that Naito, the former double champion who was betrayed by one of his best friends and subsequently screwed out of said titles by said friend was once again a nonchalant body, merrily going through the motions, exuding no fire, or anger, and just doing a match. In the post match, the LIJ victors even beat up the referee for shits and giggles. I’ve no idea whats going on here.

There was an announcement that they’re doing a big Jingu Stadium show for the first time since 1999 on August 29th. That should be interesting. The first show 21 years ago drew nigh on 50,000 people and was headlined by an absolutely wretched No-rope Exploding Barbed Wire Double Hell Death Match between The Great Muta and Atsushi Onita. I can only but hope this coming show has a better main event. An all-action 10 man tag followed that was highlighted by Suzuki and Nagata destroying each other throughout. Tana and Ibushi were going at it with Zack and Taichi, whilst Wato and Kanemaru kept their burgeoning programme going. The finish saw Ibushi pin, you guessed it, DOUKI, with Kamigoye at the 12:55 mark. Kazuchika Okada, to the surprise of not a single solitary soul defeated Yujiro with his new Cobra Clutch Variant at 13:43 of a decent enough, but deeply uninteresting encounter next. It was literally just a match, and cemented the fact that Takahashi just isn’t cut out to be at the top level. Okada has been in a weird impasse since losing the title at WK 14, and just feels kind of lost on the card at this point in time, if you ask me.

The NEVER Title match that followed was great stuff indeed. Shingo is without doubt one of the standout wrestlers of the year, and whilst this was by far his weakest Title defence thus far, it was still thoroughly enjoyable. Despy worked over Shingo’s knee with chairs in the early going, and Takagi would battle back with his power moves. Desperado took the cheap road by nailing Shingo with the Title Belt, then locking on his Numero Dos Horse Collar submission, but Shingo makes the ropes. Takagi then starts hammering the challenger with hard forearms and Lariats. The Dragon finally hit a massive Pumping Bomber, and put Desperado away with Last Of The Dragon to retain in 17 minutes. As I say, this was a great match, but it was just missing something that really put it below excellent for me. That and the fact no one bought Despy winning.

Then the main event. I’m certain this will be an incredibly divisive outing, but I thought it was great, and was by a wide margin the best match of the night. The crowd were into this at a level that nothing else on the show was at, and the action was tremendous. Now yes, the shenanigans in the finally few minutes were the wrestling equivalent of deflating a balloon, but on the whole, it didn’t ruin this for me entirely, and it was a potentially star-making outing for Hiromu. They never once brought attention to the fact he was the Jr. Champion, and they never made it seem like he wasn’t capable of taking the top two singles titles. This was also a great outing from EVIL, who looked like more of a star here, and pulled out a better match than either of his Osaka matches with the top two guys in the company. He’s also dropped the leather skirt, which is an added bonus. EVIL lived up to his namesake in the build-up, threaten to re-brake Hiromu’s neck, like the dastardly evil bastard he is, and worked over it in the early going. Hiromu fought back, hitting a Death Valley Bomb on the apron and that crazy Senton Plancha to the floor, wiping out the double champ and Uemura and Kidd at ringside. Back n the ring, EVIL incessantly dropped the challenger on his neck with a series of devastating German Suplexes, but Takahashi fought back with his Casadora into a face buster for the comeback, and scores a near fall with a huge Lariat. A corner clothesline inadvertently takes out Red Shoes, and then the shenanigans started. Dick Togo, decked out in a fancy suit, hit the ring, and he and EVIL laid Hiromu out with the Magic Killer. Togo goes up top for his beautiful, patented Senton Backsplash, but Takahashi kicks EVIL into the ropes, causing the veteran to spill to the floor. EVIL tries the STO, but Hiromu counters into one of his own... but no ref! Hiromu then hoists EVIL up and hits a horrendously uncomfortable looking running Death Valley Bomb into the exposed turnbuckles, then hits Time Bomb for a super believable near fall, which had the Nagoya faithful going crazy. Hiromu then hits Time Bomb II, and just when it looks like he’s about to pull off a miracle... Dick Togo pulls Red Shoes out of the ring. After an EVIL low blow, Togo chokes Takahashi unconscious with his dreaded garrotte, allowing the Double Champion to hit Darkness Falls, followed by the EVIL STO, to successfully defend both titles for the first time in 33:57. 

I loved this match. I’ve never hated the interference spots as much as some, but too much can get tiresome, and they’re really running the gamut with these EVIL matches, even if it is succeeding in getting him heel heat.  I suppose the major question when watching all of the “heel stuff” in the final few minutes is the same I asked during the Naito match; where the hell is the rest of LIJ? They’re honestly the most useless friends to have as they don’t come out and help at all. Well, except Hiromu, who came out to save Naito in both his matches with KENTA and EVIL, but where in God’s name are SANADA and BUSHI? It gets fairly ridiculous at times and you start to lose interest in the match as you yell these questions at the TV/computer screen instead (well I do anyway). The post match saw Taiji Ishimori come out and nail Hiromu with Bloody Cross and stand over him with the Jr. Title. These two had an absolute classic in the 2018 BOSJ Finals, so I’m very much looking forward to that one. Then Naito sauntered out to confront EVIL, so it looks like that is potentially your Jingu Stadium main. I must confess, I’m not too bothered about that happening again so soon. 

NDT

[art-now-russia]

My little planet, Galust Mkhitaryan

I created a "world list". Even many famous and good people did not get into this work, but they are much more on the list, I'll draw the next time. In the picture all the colors, all the styles in the painting. 252 people, 252 masterpieces, portraits. in this picture are depicted 252 influential people of our planet. People who created our world. The painting is a real museum exhibit, where he painted 252 masterpieces. The very first king from the Mesopotamia, known science Alilum a2 - Lu-Lim XXX BC famous Gilgamesh XXVII-XXVI and the first pharaoh of the first dynasty of Egypt Menes. in my list found the places Iisus Hristos, Muhammad, In the list I painted portraits of great scientists and artists. Great artists and athletes. My heroes, from all over the world and states. There are heroes from China, America, from Central America, from Europe, from Russia. from Armenia and from the East. Successful businessmen of all time, the famous Morgan, Rockefeller and today's Mark Zucemberg. In the picture I drew and negative people in the negative form is Hitler, this is Stalin is Lenin and others. Features of the picture. Thanks to my work, many ancient heroes found their faces. Based on ancient sketches, sculptures and bas-reliefs, I created their faces. Now, Kleopatra,. Tutankhamen, Gilgamesh, Hammurabi have their scientific faces. I was inspired to this work by a portrait of SirWinston Churchill and Charlie Chaplin. After I thought of drawing all the influential people. In the picture, I decided to use different styles, and genres for a change. I also want to show the world to the whole world that the 1915 scum of the Turks cut out such a talented people as the Armenians, and I drew representatives of the Armenian people such as Aram Khacaturyan Charles Aznavour Michel Legrand and many Armenian origins. This is my list of the World, I believe that it is necessary to create such a picture list and make people happy, so that everyone can see on one canvas at once. In the future I will draw even more people, many modern people who did not get into the picture let me be forgiven, because this was the first work. and was very difficult. I think that the picture will be very interesting and attractive. People will walk with phones, turn on the Internet and look for those who are pictured in the picture. At the opening of the exhibition, there will be a queue for viewing portraits. This picture I spent 7 months enjoying the viewers, I dream that people learn from newspapers and from the Internet go and look at this work, in any city where I go to show, there will be numerous views. I specifically tried to draw different styles and techniques. I documented the video snapshots sent by representatives of Guinness World Records. I hope that a positive response will come and I will set a record., The real value of the picture is 1 million Euro. I in other sites exhibited a picture for a million dollars. In Saatchi there is a limit of 100 thousand dollars, so I put out 100 thousand. If in the Saatchi Site the first person who buys something I will sell for 100 thousand dollars. .List of people 1.Gautama Budda Born c. 563 BCE or c. 480 BCE Died c. 483 BCE or c. 400 BCE 2.Maria Mother of Jesus Third quarter of de icentury BC. The middle of the 1st century 3.Iisus Hristos 4 î.Hr. 33 d.Hr. 4. Muhammad April 26, 570 January 8, 632 5 Hayk XXXII or XXX centuries BC. E. 6.Piotr Weliki 30may 1672 28 January 1725 7.Elizabeth I. 7 September 1533 24march 1603 8.Alexandr Graham Bel 3 march 2 August 1922 9.Charlies Robert Darvin 12 February 1809 19 April 1882 10.Enrico Fermi 29 September 1901 - 28 November 1954 11.Tomas Woodrow Wilson 28 Dekember 1856 3 February 1924 12.Winston Churchill Sir 30 November 1874 24 January 1965 13.John F. Kennedy 29 May 1917 - 22 November 1963 14.Charles de Goulle 22 November 1890 9 November 1970 15.William Henri Gates 28 Oktober 1955 16.Minas Avetisyan 20 July 1928 24 February 1975 17.Galust Gulbenkian 23 March 1869 20 Juli 1956 18.Arshille Gorki 15 April 21 July 1948 19.Grigor Shldyan 20 August 1900 1 April 1985 20.Jean Jansem 9 March 1920 27 August 2013 21.Vuslim Magomayev 17 August 1942 25 oktober 2008 22.Demis Roussos 15 1946 25 January 2015 23. Goyko Mitich 13 Junen1940 24.Stiven Frederic Segal 10 April 1952 25. Jean-Claude Van Damme 18 October 1960 26. Alilum a2 - Lu-Lim XXX BC 27. Gilgamesh XXVII-XXVI 28.Menes 2800 BC 2700 BC 29. Kleopatra 2 November 69 12 August 30 BC 30. Nefertiti 1370 BC 1330 BC 31. Tutankhamen XVIII Dynasty of the Nev Kingdom 1332-1323 32. George Washington 22 Febrary 1732 14 December 1799 33. Hammurapi 1820 1750 BC 34. Johann Sebastian Bach 21-31 March 28 July 1750 35. Merritt Singer 27 October 1811 23 July 1875 36. Alfred Bernhard Nobel 21 October 1833 10 December 1896 37. Amerigo Vespucci 9 March 1454 22 February 1512 38. Coco Chanel 19 Augusta 1883 10 January 1971 39. Gianni Versace 2 Dekember 1948 15 July 1997 40. Stive Jobs 24 February 1955 5 October 2011 41. John Davison Rocefeller 8 July 1839 23 May 1937 42. Sr John Pierpont Morgan 17 April 31 March 1913 43. Raymond Alfred «Ray» Kroc 5 October 1902 14 January 1984 44. Andrew Carnegie 25 November 11 August 1919 45. Walter Elias Disney 5 December 1901 15 December 1966 46. Martiros Saryan 28 February 1880 5 May 1972 47. Ciorgio Armani 11 July 1930 48. Jack" Kevorkian 26 May 1928 3 June 1911 49.Garegin Nzhdeh 1 January 1886 21 December 1955 50. Arthur Abraham 20 February 1980 51. Sergei Parajanov 9 January 1924 20 July 1990 52. Tigran Petrosyan 17 June 1929 13 August 1984 53. Alessandro Safina October 14, 1963 54. Antonio Banderas 10 August 1960 55. Mark Elliot Zucemberg 14 May 1984 56. Sir Isaac Newton 25 December 1640 20 March 1726 57. Will Smith 29 September 1968 58. Leonardo Di Caprio 11 November 1974 59. Alla Pugachova 15 April 1949 60. Gyros 590 BC 530 BC 61. Flavius Valerius Aurelius Constantinus 27 Febrary 272 23 May 337 62. Asoka 304 BCE 232 BCE 63. Gaius Julius Cesar 13 July 100 BC 15 March 44 BC 64. Aleksandr Makedonski 356 July 323 BC 65. Genghis Khan 1156 - 1162 25 August 1227 66. Ferdinand Porsche 3 September 1875 January 1950 67. Emest Hemingway 21 Jule 1899 2 Jule 1961 68. Nikolaus Copernicus 19 Feruary 1473 14 May 1543 69. Michelangelo 6 March 1475 18 February 1564 70. Galileo Galilei 15 Feruary 1564 8 January 1642 71. Boris Piotrovski 14 February 1908 15 Oktober 1990 72. Henry Ford 30 July 1863 7 April 1947 73. Baron Amchel Mayer von Rotscchild 23 Febrary 1744 19 September 1812 74. Cornelius Vanderbilt 27 May 1794 4 January 1877 75. Alexander Vasilyevich Suvorov 24 November 1730 18 May 1800 .76. Vasco da Gamma 29 September 1469 24 December 1524 77. Mikhail Gorbachov 2 March 1931 78. Abraham Alikhanian 20 February 1904 8 December 1970 79. Shavarsh Karapetyan 19 May 1953 80. Andre Aggasi 29 April 1970 81. Komitas 26 September 1869 22 Oktober 1935 82. Yurik Vardanyan 13 June 1956 83. Cher Cherlyn Sarkisyan 20 May 1946 84. George Clooney 6 May 1961 85. Jackie Chan 7 April 1954 86. Jean-Paul Belmondo 9April 1933 87. Alain Delon 8 november 1935 88. Elton Jhon March 1947 89. Elvis Presley 8 January 1935 90. Cai Lun 48-62 CE 121 91. Aristotel 384 BC - 322 BC 92. Emperor Wen ot Han 202 BC 157 BC 93. Sui Wendi 21 July 541 AD 13 August 604 94. Erik Raudi Thorvaldsson 950 103 95. Leonardo Da Sir Piero da 15 April 1452 2 May 1519 96. Willam Shakespeare 1564 23 April 1616 97. Ludwig Van Beethoven December 1770 26 March 1827 98. Alexander Dumas 24 July 1802 5 December 1876 99. Mikhail Lomonosov 19 November 1711 15 April 1765 100. Fridtjof Nansen 10 October 1862 30 May 1930 101. Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela 18 July 1918 5 December 2013 102. Mother Tereza 26 August 1910 5 September 1997 103. Indira Gandhi 19 November 1917 31 October 1984 104. Karl Marx 5 May 1918 14 March 1883 105.Viktor Amazaspovich Ambartsumyan 18 September 1908 12 August 1996 106. Ovanes Aivazovski 17 Juny 1817 2 May 1900 107. Arno Babajanyan 22 January 1921 11 November 1983 108. Aram Khacaturyan 6 June 1903 1 May 1978 109. Andranik Zoravar Ozanyan 25 Feebruary 1865 31 August 1927 110. Kirk Douglas 9 December 1916 111. John Winston Lennon 9 October 1940 8 December 1980 112. Louis Daniel Armstrong 4 August 1901 6 July 1971 113. Charlie Chaplin 16 April 1889 25 Dekember 1977 114. Louis de Funes 31 July 1914 27 January 1983 115. Bruce Lee 27 November 1940 20 July 1973 116. Lise Koch 22 September 1906 1 September 1967 117. Lavrenti Pavlovich Beria 29 March 1899 23 Dekember 1953 118. Heinrich Luitpold Himmler 7 October 1900 23 May 1945 119. Lenin 22 April 1870 21 January 1924 120. Adolf Hitler 20 April 1889 30 April 1945 121. Tamerlane 9 April 1336 19 February 1405 122. Spartacus Diet in April 71 BC 123. Hipokrat 1 March 460 CE 370 CE 124. Niccolo Paganini 27 October 1782 27 May 1840 125. Robertino Lorreti 22 October 1946 126. Wolfgang Amadeus Mazart 27 January 1756 5 December 1791 127. Cristopher Columbu 31 October 1451 20 May 1506 128. Albert Einstein 14 March 1879 18 April 1955 129. Andrei Dmitrievich Shakarov 21 May 1921 14 December 1989 130. Ferdinand Magellan 3Februari 1480 27 April 1521 131. James Gamble 3 April 1803 29 April 1891 132. Isbella I de Castille 22 April 1451 26 November 1504 133. Che Guevara 14 June 1928 9 October 1967 134. Micho SUzuki 10 February 1877 27 october 1982 136. Dalai Lama 6 July 1935 137. Mesrop Mashtoch 361 17 February 441 138. Ovanes Bagramyan 2 Dekember 1897 21 September 1982 139. Gevorg Vardanyan 17 February 1924 10 January 2012 140. Hovhannes Toumanyan 19 February 1869 23 March 1923 141Movses Khorenatsi 410 CA 490 142. Raj Kapoor 14 Dekember 1924 2 June 1988 143. Fatima Rashid Nargis Dutt 1 June 1929 3 May 1981 144. Paul Mc Cartney 18 June 1942 145. Alexander Sergeyevich Pushkin 6 June 1799 10 February 1837 146. Garsia Lorca 5 June 1898 19 August 1936 147. Tigranes II 95 CE 55 CE 148. Josep Stalin 18 December 1878 5 March 1953 149. Pol Pot 19 May 1925 15 April 1996 150. Enver Pasha 22 November 1881 4 August 1922 151. Mehmed Talat pasha 10 April 1874 15 March 1921 152. Delphine La Laurie 19 March 1787 7 December 1849 153. Herostratus Diedc 356 BC 154. Amin Idi Dada 1923 16 August 2003 155. Shiro Ishii 25 June 1892 9 October 1959 156. Stiven Allan Spielberg 18 Dekember 1946 157. Julio Iglesias 23 September 1943 158. Monserrat Caballe 12 April 1933 159. John Christopher Depp 9 June 1963 160. Mark Tvain 30 November 1835 21 april 1910 161. Confucus 09 -28 551BC 479 162. Napoleon Bonapart 15 August 1769 5 May 182 163. Mansur Hasan Firdousi Tusi 935 1020 164. Nizami 1141 1209 165. Omar Khayyam 18 May 1040 4 december 1131 166. Quanah Parker 1845- 1852 25 Feburary 1911 167. Robert Bosh 23 September 1861 12 March 1942 168. Jams Clerk Maxvell 13 June 1831 5 Novwmber 1879 169. Martin Luther King 15 January 1929 4 April 1968 170. Lev Nikolaevich Tolstoy 9 September 1828 20 November 1910 171. Armen Dzhigarkhanyan 3 October 1935 172. Charles Aznavour 22 May 1924 173. Jivan Gasparyan 12 October 1928 174. Yousuf Karsh 23 December 1908 13 June 2002 175. Kim Kardashian 21 October 1980 176. Serj Tankian 21 August 1967 177. Luciano Pavarotti 12 October 1935 6 September 2007 178. Viktoria Ronjina 7 December 2011 179. Arnold Schawarzenegger 30 July 1947 180. Mel Gipson 3 January 1956 181. Sylvester Stollone 6 July 1946 182. Amitabh Bachchan 11 October 1942 183. Adriano Celentano 6 January 1938 184. Bridgitte Dordot 28 September 1934 185. Sophia Loren 20 September 1934 186. Sara Brightman 14 August 1960 187. Elizabeth Taylor 27 February 1932 23 March 2011 188. Jean Alfred Villain-Mararis 11 December 1913 8 November 1998 189. Janne d. Arc 6January 1412 30 May 1431 190. Arhimed 287 BC 191. Paul The Apostle 5-10 67 192. Jacques-Yves Cousteau 11 June 1910 25 June 1997 193. Yuri Gagarin 9March 1934 27 March 1968 194. Julius Robert Oppenheimer 22 April 1904 18 February 1967 195. Mikhail Kalashnikov 10 November 1919 23 December 2013 196. Dmitri Ivanovich Mendeleev 8 February 1834 2 February 1907 197. Simon Bolivar 24 July 1783 23 December 1830 198. Salvador Dali 11 May 1904 23 January 1989 199. Wassily Kandinsky 16 Dekember 1866 13 Dekember 1944 200. Andy Warhol 1 August 1928 22 February 1987 201. Michel Jean Legrand 24 February 1932 202. William Saroyan 31 Augusta 1908 18 May 1981 203. Artem Ivanovich Mikoyan 5 August 1905 9 December 1970 204. Larry Gagosyan 19 April 1945 205. Jean Carzou 1 January 1907 17 November 2000 206. Vasily Alekseyev 7 January 1942 25 November 2011 207. Angelina Jolie 4 June 1975 208. Aishwarya Rai 1 November 1973 209. William Bradley Pitt 18 December 1963 210. Jennifer Lynn Lopez 24. July 1969 211. Dahram Singh Deol Dharment dra 8 December 1935 212. Hema Malinini R Chakravarth c 16 Oktober 1948 213. Jordi Cruyff 25 April 1947 24 March 2016 214. Eusebio da Silva Ferrera 25 January 1942 215. Herd Muller 3 November 1945 216. Pele 21 October 1940 217.Sergei Pavlovich Korolev 12 January 1906 14 January 1966 218. Muhammad Ali 17 January 1942 3 June 2016 219. Ronaldinho Gaucho 21 March 1980 220. Adrey Shevchenko 29 September 1976 221. Pablo Picasso 25 October 1881 8April 1973 222. Paul Gauguin 7 June 1848 8 May 1903 223. Vincent Van Gogh 30 March 1853 29 July 1890 224. Zurab Tsereteli 4 January 1934 225. Ayrton Senna 21 March 1960 1 May 1994 226. John Tavares 20 September 1990 227. Lev Ivanovich Yashin 22 October 1929 20 March 1990 228. Wladimir Klitschko 25 March 1976 229. Vitali Klitschko 19 July 1971 230. Carlos Ray Chak Norris 10 March 1940 231. Alfredo James Pacino 25 April 1940 232. Michael Joseph Jackson 29 August 1958 25 June 2009 233. Marilyan Monroe 1June 1926 5 August 1962 234. Diego Armando Maradona 30 October 1960 235.Ronaldo Luis Nazario de Lama 18 September 1976 236. Lionel Andres Messi 24 June 1987 237. Cristiano Ronaldo 5 February 1985 238. Oleh Blokhin 5 November 1952 239. Michel Francois Platini 21 June 1955 240. Alex Ferguson 31 December 1941 241. Steffi Graf 14 June 1969 242. Franz Anton Beckenbauer 11 September 1945 243. Carl Lewis 1 June 1961 244. Irina Rodnina 12 September 1949 245. Michael Jeffrey Jordan 17 February 1963 246. Ezekiel Kemboi Cheboi 25 May 1982 247. Serhii Nazarovych Bubka 4 December 1963 248. Shaguille Rashaun O' Nea 6 March 1972 249. Valeri Kharlamov 14 January 1948 27 August 1981 250. Michael Schumacher 3 January 1969 251. Mike Tyson 30 June 1966 252. Mkhitaryan Galust 1 January 1959

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