#storytelling-wise

[korkorali]

#I have Ideas(TM) on how I would want to handle the island scene #which in turn bleed into 'ideas on how I'd remake the show if I could'

#okay wait bestie where's your tangent analysis @justaboot

And that's all you needed to say in order to get me into full tangent mode so buckle up, I have no idea where this is gonna go!

(Posted as its own thing and put under a cut because hoo boy it is long- seriously, open at your own risk)

First thing's first- I'd make it so that Della's attempts to evade the pursuing Moonlander ship lead to both the Sunchaser and the Moonlander crashing on the deserted island. This would be so that the 'comedy' aspect necessary could be largely carried by a third party -a very confused Moonlander who is pretty sure that none of this is healthy- which would allow for the main cast to focus less on having to become comic relief. And I'd also have it happen for one other reason (which will become quite relevant later).

But the biggest thing I think about the island scene is that it had a lot that it wanted to do (show the twins interacting again for the first time in ten years, show that Della really isn't as okay as she'd like to admit, wrap up Louie's arc, allow the kids to interact with Donald again for the first time since the beginning part of the season), and didn't really have a bunch of time to do it in.

So to change that, I would make the deserted island scene it's own full episode. (Which would subsequently mean changing Moonvasion from a two-episode finale into a final arc- which would still really start with Timephoon).

It would allow for it to cover a lot more, go into more depth with the characters and their interactions with each other, starting with...

Della and Donald's first interaction with each other to be fighting. That'd be a very big part of what I'd want the episode to be about.

They're both exhausted, traumatized, angry, relieved, scared- they've got a whole cocktail of emotions brewing inside of them and they're just so tired of it all.

The episode before The Island would basically end with Della and the kids crashing onto the island and having Donald enter screen. It'd also end with Scrooge and the gang having 'beaten' Lunaris (thanks in large part to Fethry and Gladstone having shown up just in time), which, again, will become relevant later.

The episode would start in largely the same way as the island scene but a little more drawn out, with Donald and Della just sort of stuck in a 'is this actually real? Did I die and just not notice it?' trance before the kids snap them out of it.

And once they do, once they finally approach each other for the first time in ten years and the kids are all waiting with baited breath to see what'll happen... they don't fight.

Not at first.

They also don't cry and hug each other either. They just- greet each other. Awkwardly. Stilted, like they've forgotten how to act around each other. (And they haven't, but they're so scared, they don't want to ruin things and everything is going wrong and they don't want this to go wrong and after so long apart are they even the same people anymore?) So they to be polite, like 'How are you? What's happening? Why are you here? It's good to see you, how's life been?'

And of course the kids would think it's weird- they're twins, and yet they're acting like complete strangers around each other!

But as the conversation progressed, things would start to get more heated. 'Why weren't you around? Why didn't you try to find me? Why'd you leave Scrooge? Why didn't you send any messages? Why didn't you tell the kids about me?' Before they knew it, it'd turn into a full-on screaming match, ten years of pain and regret and loneliness and 'why did you leave?' all forcing it's way to the forefront, unable to be held back because of all the pain running through everybody's minds right now.

And the big difference comes in in that they wouldn't stop fighting. They wouldn't suddenly go 'I missed you' and have everything be okay. The kids would step in and pull the two of them away from each other, so that they wouldn't end up fighting while they've got a hostage (the Moonlander, whom the kids -namely Webby- would've tied up in the background during the whole fight) to talk to.

The moonlander explains what's happening as they're interrogated, and the kids start making plans to get off the rock. Della immediately objects, saying that they need to stay put, and looks to Donald for backup (after all, she knows her brother, right? After everything they've been through, and everything the kids have said about him, she knows that he'll probably advocate for the kids staying out of danger, too).

And Donald instead sides with the kids (which hammers home that Donald has indeed changed to Della). They need to get off the island and go help. And immediately they start making plans to fix the Sunchaser to fly out.

To which Della still objects. Much more heartily, this time. Everyone's a little concerned at the heat to her objections, which she brushes off by insisting that everything's fine, that they're all fine here, that Scrooge has it handled, that they're safer here, that they can't leave her behind, that all their needs will be taken care of, that all these thoughts of bravado and being able to leave in the first place are just going to hurt and they should just give up now, that they're obviously just delirious from lack of oxygen and should change out their Oxy-Chew, she has some spares in her pocket that they can use if they...

Oh, no.

And everything would come crashing down around Della in that moment. It'd click in a really ugly way for her- she's not on the moon anymore. She isn't.

And yet, she's still acting like she is. And has been the entire time- she stopped acting like 'Della' and she doesn't know when, but she realizes that every time something's happened since she came back she's first reverted to 'Moon Della' problem-solving than anything else.

And that'd be overwhelming in and of itself, and including the fact that the sun is glaring down overhead and the kids are staring at her like she's grown a second head (like she's been afraid of ever since coming back) the fact that she doesn't actually know if Scrooge will be alright or not and that's killing her inside (it would've been so much nicer if she could've grabbed him and loaded him on the Sunchaser as well) the fact that Donald is staring at her with that concerned look that she was sure she'd never see again (it's been so, so long)- it's all too much. She needs space.

So she runs away. Deeper into the deserted island, despite the cries of the rest of her family.

The episode would refrain from following Della in order to stick around with the kids and Donald. They all have some stuff to talk about after all, despite all of them being very worried about Della.

And they'd talk (I think they should all get to air out their grievances at their names at least a little), and hug, and try to decide what the next course of action will be. Most of them want to try and find Della, but Donald assures them that she'll be fine, and it'd be better to figure out how to get off this rock before they 'go and try to kidnap her to get her outta here' (He's still a little upset with her).

That being said, at least at the start all of them head out to go search for her as a group (and have a talk about how 'She's a lot different than you made her out to be'/'I don't think she's the same Della who left you behind'/'She really missed you'/'And I know you missed her too')

One by one, after they've said their piece to Donald (most of which are some variation of 'give her a break, she's been through a lot'), each member of the search party would fall back to the beach. They aren't getting anywhere, they need to get work, and they need to trust that Della will come back to them.

In the end it'd just be Donald and Louie, and Donald would mention something about how if Louie has something he'd like to say about the subject, it's okay if he wants to share it. Donald would be happy to hear it, even if it kinda hurts.

And Louie just shrugs and asks Donald what he would've said to them if he'd been there when Della returned. What he would've said if they'd had issues with her coming back and didn't know how to handle it.

Donald would say that he would've assured them that they didn't have to forgive her if they didn't want to. That just because she came back, just because she's sorry, just because she didn't want to hurt them, doesn't mean she didn't. And they're not required to forgive her- even if they do want her to be a part of their life.

And Louie would just say 'Then right back at ya. If you don't wanna forgive her, then don't. If you do wanna forgive her, then do. If it's more complicated than that, then let it be complicated.'

After that (and maybe a little bit of Donald hiding his tears) Donald would say that he should get back to the others to make sure they hadn't killed the hostage, but that he trusted Louie, and if he wanted to keep searching then he should.

Which Louie would do- and only a little bit after Donald left, he'd find Della. Alone in a small oasis, on her back, staring up into the sky.

Now going way back for a moment before continuing (you remember how I said this would bleed into 'how I'd change the show in entirety?'), something that'd be vaguely important to this scene would be a change to Glomtales.

Specifically (a 'canon change' that I've seen talked about on the internet before and gone 'ooh yes gimme' to) that Della didn't head out with the rest of the family on the adventure. Instead, she stayed behind with Louie while he was grounded- which would change a lot of the issues with Glomtales in my humble opinion.

It'd make it more interesting because it'd really hammer home just how alike Louie and Della are. Mainly by having her thwart his every escape attempt by always being one step ahead of him (because she knows the mansion, knows how she would attempt to escape, and knows the order she'd most likely do it in).

It'd also allow for them to have a talk in the Glomtales episode as well- because Louie pointed out in Timephoon that 'Hey, you did the exact same thing, you know' and it would have been really really great to have had Della be able to respond 'Yeah, I did. Look at how that turned out, kiddo.'

She would've sat him down around the end and explained why she was so insistent that he needs to not keep messing around in the way he has been (because it reminds her way too much of how her childhood was and that didn't exactly lead to a healthy outcome), definitely also accidentally pull back the curtain just a tad on the fact that she is not okay (which would lead to Louie mostly just being concerned about her instead of listening), and would allow her to say, specifically-'Your family will always try to be there for you. We will always gladly be your safety net. But having the best safety net in the world means jack if you refuse to use it. And if you keep going doing what you're doing, you might end up in a place where we can't reach you.' (Which, sidenote: I think is what they were attempting to get across in the show, but just kinda fucked up at.)

And largely Louie wouldn't really take what she said into consideration until The Richest Duck in the World, where he'd very quickly find himself in exactly the position Della described.

Anyways, all that said, going back to The Island. Louie finding Della, alone, not doing the greatest.

And Louie would do what Louie would do. He'd head over, lie down right next to her, and make some dumb quip, which she'd snort at and return. ('Seems a little difficult to stargaze in the middle of the day.' | 'Hah- after the moon, any 'starry night sky' on earth just looks completely blank.')

And they'd finally talk. Della would get to explain how she didn't see this coming, and how much that sucks. And Louie would be like well it's not your fault Lunaris is a conniving ass, but Della would shake her head. It's not that she didn't see this betrayal coming (well, she didn't, but honestly at this point in her life it wasn't much of a surprise), but how she didn't see- this. Herself. Breaking.

She never saw this coming. Maybe she just hadn't been looking, but she never could've believed that she'd break like this. That she'd carry this- weight around, even after the moon. (She'd escaped the moon, after all. She really thought she'd be able to leave it all behind.)

She was Della Duck, for crying out loud. She always claimed that nothing could stop her, and yet- here she was. Unable to move on.

And Louie would agree. She couldn't move on- not by herself, at least. But what was it she'd told him, again? 'Family was a great safety net, but only if you actually used it' or something like that?

There was no shame to be found in breaking sometimes. You couldn't be expected to keep moving forever, without any breaks, until the end of time. Hell, he broke all the time- and took breaks all the time too, which helped a lot.

And there was no shame in asking for help, either. In admitting that you cannot solve every problem on your own, that you can't see every problem on your own- sometimes stuff affects you in ways you'd never be able to catch on your own.

But she wasn't alone anymore. She had family. And she could break now (well maybe not now-now, since the world was kinda ending at the moment), let herself shatter. And they'd all be here to help her pick up the pieces.

Della would 100% be in tears by this point, and Louie would bust out the song for her and Della would finish it (because that's just a beautiful scene), and Louie would get to explain to her after she asks that Donald sang it to them every night when they were little.

And that would be what finally gets her up and ready to head back. Ready to talk to her brother again, to face the world.

So the two would head back to the beach, where the Sunchaser is still kind of in disarray (without Launchpad around, none of them know how to fix it quickly), though the Moonlander has managed to get the rocket in pretty much tip-top shape by this point.

The kids notice that Della's back first, and immediately run to give her a hug (she apologizes profusely to them for her 'episode' back there, and promises not to react so poorly to one should it happen again), then back off to let her and Donald talk again.

And, again, they're back to that- awkward stage. They've forgotten how to interact with each other.

Della makes an effort to resolve this by lightly punching him on the shoulder. 'You refused to tell 'em anything about me, but you sang my song for them every night, huh?'

And Donald would snort and bandy back. 'Well hey, it was a good song. ...And even if I couldn't manage to talk about you, I thought they deserved to know a part of you, at least.'

And finally (finally), it'd come crashing down for both of them. Della was back. Donald was back. After ten (well more like eleven but who's counting) long years, they were finally back together.

Cue the waterworks. They'd immediately launch into a hug that looked like they were trying to squeeze the air out of each other, blubbering unintelligibly all the while.

Then the scene would be cut short by a loud booming noise. Off hundreds of miles out in the distance, the large Moonlander mothership would be seen blasting up, up, up into space.

And they'd breathe a sigh of relief (and maybe a little disappointment from the kids). Apparently things had been resolved while they were away. Lunaris was retreating. They were okay.

And then the mothership would turn around. And everyone's stomach would drop.

And that would lead into the final (or maybe penultimate if I wanted to be really self-indulgent) episode of the arc, which would start with the end of the episode before the island- Lunaris's defeat at the hands of Scrooge (well really Glomgold, Gladstone, Fethry, and Mitzy). The group is celebrating, momentarily not paying as much attention as they should. Lunaris takes the opportunity to run back to the ship and launch it into space. Everyone's like 'ah damn, wish we hadn't let him get away, but still- a victory's a victory.' At least, until the ship turns and they realize that he's going to try and do a suicide run into the earth. Which is good for absolutely nobody.

And as they realized this, a battered Moonlander radio that had fallen out of one of the ships nearby would start blinking.

Back on the island, the group would be freaking out. What could they do? What was gonna happen? The earth was doomed, everything they did, everything they tried to do- all for nothing.

And Della would look to the fixed up Moonlander ship, steady her shaking hands, and move towards it. And Donald would notice, understand exactly what she was going to do, and immediately run to object.

And they'd have an argument that, while we never saw the first, mirrors the last fight they had before Della went up into space the first time. Which Donald would hint towards by saying stuff like 'I just got you back, I can't lose you again!'

But Della would manage to cut him off eventually. This time was different. She wasn't running away. She knew the risks, she knew that this probably wouldn't end well.

There'd be a whole argument of 'It's the only thing we can do! Would you really be willing to let the whole world die for one person?' 'Yes!' 'Then what about the kids?'

Complete silence.

Della would tell Donald that she knew what he'd pick. If it was between her or the kids, she knew who he'd choose, every time. Even if it would kill him each time. Hence why she wasn't making him choose.

She'd then look over his shoulder and ask the kids if they'd ever seen what the stars looked like outside of the city. When they'd mention that no, they hadn't, she'd offer to show them.

With strengthened resolve and clear minds, the group would all head into the ship and fly up, up, and up to go meet Lunaris's vessel.

But there'd be a complication. Maybe caused by the earth moving out of orbit, maybe just pure coincidence, but as the Moonlander ship made its way into orbit, it'd slowly get harder and harder to see. To navigate. Maybe Della was just cursed, or maybe some force in the universe just really hated her guts- the second time she rocketed up out of earth, she was greeted by another cosmic storm.

But this time would be different. It had to be different- her whole family (obviously much more important than the world) was relying on her now. So instead of waiting, instead of trying to brave it herself- she immediately flips on the radio and tries to hail someone who could guide her through the storm.

And back on earth, Scrooge would pick up the blinking radio and his niece's voice would come out of it. Tinny and slightly shaking, but still putting on a brave face. As she says 'Hey, so promise not to be mad, but I might need your help,' he'd realize what's going on. It's happening again. His going to lose his whole family. Again.

Except- it wasn't happening again. Because this time it wasn't just him and Della. This time Donald was there. And Beakley. And Webby, and Huey, and Dewey, and Louie and Fethry and Gladstone and Launchpad and even Glomgold for crying out loud!

It wasn't just two people acting like they were gods this time. It was a whole group, a whole family, with a mission.

Since the mothership touched down close to the Money Bin, Scrooge could quickly get the remains of the earth team to the long unused command module. A little bit of blowing off dust and very shoddy science, and they could get it working- mostly.

It was nothing fancy, nothing wonderful, but all their heads combined they could figure out a way to track the mothership through the cosmic storm, and lead the space team to it.

What would follow would be a bit of a cat-and-mouse game between the mothership and the Duck ship, with the cosmic storm acting as cover and sort of a mask for both ships. They'd both be flying blind- but the Ducks would have the earth team to guide them. (Mostly Scrooge and Beakley, though Gladstone, Fethry, and Launchpad would help as well- Glomgold not so much. He would be trying, though, and that's gotta count for something, right?)

And all combined, they'd manage to do a decent job! They'd deal significant damage to the mothership, especially when taking into account just how small their ship is in comparison.

But even with all of that, disaster would still strike. In the form of a lightning bolt from the storm getting a lucky shot and frying their systems, leaving them dead in space (it would be specified that it was only temporary, though- the Moonlanders had built in backup systems that'd take over should a cosmic storm fry them after Della told them her tale). Which would already be bad enough- and then the storm would clear.

Granted, that would bring momentary relief to Della (flying through it would not be comfortable for her for pretty much the entire time) it would quickly be replaced by dread. Because without the cover, without the engines- they're sitting Ducks. Lunaris would very easily end them.

Thankfully though, it would end very similarly to how the Moonvasion ended regularly: Penumbra would come flying in at the last moment (in the original Spear of Selene, no less) and blow up the ships engines, momentarily leading to a tense moment where it seems like she died- then she slams onto the window of the Ducks' ship, and it'd be okay.

For the space team, at least. When their systems were fried momentarily, they'd also lose the radio. So earth team -specifically Scrooge- would have to sit in anticipation and dread as it really did seem like everything was going wrong exactly like it did last time.

And then the radio would blip back on, the signal would come back, and the earth team would rejoice. Everyone would rejoice- the earth would get pushed back into position, the space team would land back at the mansion and everyone would get to have a 'We Just Successfully Averted the End of World and Nobody Died! Thank Fuck!' Party.

(And if I was being really self-indulgent -which I totally haven't been already- I would make the 'holy shit we actually made it' party it's own final episode, maybe with a little bit of the 'fighting the big bad mothership' part for the beginning.

It'd actually largely be after most of the other people had left or had passed out in one of the guest rooms, and would be a bit of a mirror to the first episode of the season- Game Night. But this board game night would be -relatively- more chill, and just a thing focusing on what the Duck-McDuck family does to cool down after a large adventure like that.)

So yeah that's like- a little bit of my tangent of 'How I Would Change Ducktales If I Wanted To Make It A More Dramatic And Plot-Heavy Show'

If you got this far I hope you enjoyed it (and I feel real sorry for you if you didn't)

TL;DR: I'd make it so that the Moonvasion finale was instead a final arc, and I'd make The Island a full episode in its own right. I'd also make it so that they fly up to meet Lunaris in a space fight right after The Island, leaving Scrooge and the other cousins to guide them through a cosmic storm

[podargus-strigoides]

every image of a tawny frogmouth is perfection. i've never seen a single picture of a tawny that dissapoints.

[got-brainrot]

when i watched HotD (with no knowledge of the book) i was like, ok this is a bit cringey they’re obviously trying to make a pro women narrative and it’s turning out a bit cringe but whatever; and the more i learn abt the actual book the more i’m like, not whatever actually! why is this shit so cringe when you could’ve had much more powerful womens stories if u just stuck to the fucking book plot lines. in trying to make a “feminist retelling” they have just, stripped? most of the female character of most of their personalities??? I can see where they’re coming from w certain ideas, like having Helaena chose her daughter over her son could work in certain stories, but learning abt the book and how important Maelor was to that story it’s just, weird af that they did that? it feels LESS feminist to take away a huge part of Helaena’s story for this like middle school level lesson that daughters r infact just as important as their princely brothers and u probably shouldn’t sacrifice them to kidnappers, like thanks i think we all knew that actually,,,

tired of men trying to make feminist movies with their 3rd grade level understanding of feminism

[hoarderheart]

Okay, I know that “it’s actually originally meant to show the passage of time instead of being bi colors” and all that…disregarding how that’s such a vibrant pink and a harsh, rigid, and very linear gradient for a supposed sunset, and that it’s already night (not sunset or twilight) at the crypt, whatever.

But regardless, I think putting a suspiciously bi-colored gradient behind cross-shaped bars, in the climax scene of the arc where Angel of the Lord Castiel’s heavenly biological family—who considers his deep connection with a man named Dean Winchester to be “corrupt,” as it is something that pulls him away from Heaven and is therefore forbidden and punishable under their rules—brainwashes him into detaching himself away from and almost killing said man, after they have chosen to introduce a new, very clinical set design for Heaven in this season for the sole purpose of having it go along with the lobotomies that they repeatedly have Cas go through for the said brainwashing, and all of this being done with the intention of having it be Dean’s CONFESSION and Cas’ LOVE for him that breaks the brainwashing and saves both of them, is—to be quite frankly—crazy, crazy work. Certainly a choice A Series of Fascinating Choices if you will.

[duncanor]

One thing which is only implied in the fall is that by destroying the ship he was in,

Knives killed his mother Rem

But he also killed his biomother, as she was too a plant from that ship.

From day one, he sacrificed his kin to destroy humanity,

Starting with his own mothers.

[thebramblewood]

She's working late 'cause she's a writer...

After checking off several major career goals, Gwen celebrated by asking Kirby out on an official date. Even though it's been a dreary winter, they had a lot of fun at the Winter Festival together - that is, until Elvira's number one fan spotted them kissing and wasted no time calling up the tabloids to smear Gwen's reputation.

[maacbrem]

I’m still laughing about the new VM character art (which I love and have wholesome pure thoughts about) cause like. Percy, darling, you’re in your fifties. You are not actually a gilf yet. Good for you cultivating the aesthetic but you’re in your FIFTIES. Also same thing with the level 20 M9 art BEAU YOU ARE IN YOUR THIRTIES. CALEB IS LIKE FORTY. It’s so funny I’m dying these bitches can’t wait to be retirement age

[messymoonmad]

Hey, am hi, what about Eurymachus x Antínoo x Telemachus?

Honestly i dont ship thruples. Cause i like possessive or jealous love or love triangles like:

Eurym likes antinous who likes tele who hates them both and so eurym hates tele out of jealousy.

and antinous being torn between purchasing his femboy crush or considering that his pretty goth best friend might actualy be the love of his life.

[chronicowboy]

love that buck had no qualms about asking if the poker place was mob run out loud, just blind faith "if this is the mob, eddie will protect me 🥰" girl get a grip on your dignity or suck that man's dick and earn his protection ffs

[earthmoonz]

WIFEY. | EPISODE EIGHT (8.0)

start / previous / next

It was early June now. Nearly two weeks had passed since that night in Henford. Max and Lena had maintained an uncomfortable distance. Their interactions had grown cold, and robotic, not that they were filled with warmth before. But now there was an awkwardness - neither could bear to reveal their true feelings. It was unfathomable that their thoughts could be consumed by a single drunken kiss. A silent understanding had developed. It couldn’t happen again. Life was too complex, too dangerous to allow such frivolity. 

(transcript below)

(LENA): That’s him.

(DIMITRY): Let’s go.

[Text]

[MAX]: [picture] ?

[LENA]: That’s fine. I’ll order it to yours.

(LENA): [Exasperated] C’mon Cam. How long have we known each other?

(CAM CASEY): That don’t matter Lena. I don’t wanna be involved in this. Everything with your lot always ends in a fucking drama. [Off Lena’s hard gaze] Fine. I dealt with Luis once. He wanted some gear shifted and I sorted him out but that’s it. 

[Text]

[MAX TO ROSE]: U up ?

*(MAX/LENA): [Quietly] Fuck.

[d8tl55c]

early in the morning after dead'nt, orange has a question.

usually he'd still be asleep long past now, but he wanted to ask about... TDL.

without the others interrupting.

so, he goes to chosen's door.

immediately this plan starts to slip off the rails.

no one knows where dark is.

...........because the others may or may not have spent the entirety of last night searching for him in every nook and cranny except there and they said they'd tell him if they found him and no one woke him up yet so

that means, the only logical conclusion is: he's in chosen's room.

so how is orange gonna ask chosen his question????

well, usually, chosen lets him just walk in.

s0!

here goes nothin

he opens the utterly silent door.

green made it special for cho, because they didn't want anyone to ever hear it being opened.

as a special bonus, yellow was able to code the door in such a way that it would never need any maintenance related to sound: its hinges and latches would stay pristinely quiet, forever.

so chosen doesn't wake up when orange sneaks inside.

they wake up when orange takes one step in, spots bright red, and fails to stifle a gasp.

"oh shit!!" orange whispers.

chosen's eyes peek over the covers.

"I'm sorry! i didn't know- uh, i would've- if um- i can come back later-"

they stare at him. "what's wrong." chosen prefers clear and concise, especially early in the morning.

"you-" orange carefully picks his next words. "and him-"

they're in the same bed.

"yep." chosen nods.

orange stands there.

then he shrugs.

"um, sorry. on our shows, this is always a big point of conflict. we don't know why. so i just didn't want to- you know. assume otherwise."

"oh. thanks...?" chosen blinks sleepily. "yeah, it's okay."

"okay!"

"you wanted something?"

"yeah, so-"

orange cuts off again midsentence.

TDL is beginning to stir.

dark emits the highest little squeak-whine that orange has ever heard (even compared to red's baby rabbits), and raises a hand to tug chosen back down to the pillow.

chosen turns their entire face to him, trilling.

they both perform a little brushy-brushy head bonk thing.

then chosen maneuvers their body (under the covers) so it, presumably, mingles more tightly with dark's.

this is satisfactory - for now. dark grumbles about it and stuffs his head under chosen's chin.

orange stands pixel-perfectly still by the door.

"you were saying?" chosen finally turns back to him.

"uh," orange stalls.

dark's eyes open.

he awakens with terrifying speed, untangling from chosen, hoisting up from the covers, and raising a warning fireball within milliseconds.

the room shifts into blazing color and stark shadows.

he shrieks,

"GET OUT!!!"

it seems dark does not, "okay" this situation.

orange drops, scrambles, and miraculously operates the door with enough precision to tumble out the other side unscathed.

silently, the door shuts itself behind him.

...

the fireball is put away.

...

"cho, why do you allow The Beast into your room?"

chosen snorts. "it was him who rebuilt you."

dark snarls. "are you SURE it wasn't some trick? you watched the whole time? i don't trust it."

"i trust him."

"why? how?? you do understand why i have reservations about it???"

"yes," chosen nods. "But I trust him."

They press their very cold head into dark's very warm head, and both of them sigh in relief.

"He brought me you."

dark huffs. "mm."

...

"and other things," chosen concedes. "you... weren't there."

"tell me."

...

outside, orange is still collapsed, upside down, against the wall, across from chosen's door, where he crashed earlier in his escape.

red has just found him while coming upstairs to check out the commotion.

"orange!? u okay?"

"yeap," orange strains. "all good."

"what happened?"

orange's hand flops on the floor towards chosen's door. "you were right. dark's in there."

red takes a second to digest this.

then his hands fly up to his mouth.

"what're they doing in there?????? did you see???"

"yes. i dunno."

"were they ? ? ?

fucking ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ? ?"

orange squints at him.

through the door, two voices loudly interrupt,

"NO!"

the angrier voice adds,

"AND FUCK OFF!"

red squeaks and hurries back down the stairs.

orange sighs deeply.

this has been a terrible learning experience for all.

[shorthaltsjester]

i contain multitudes and can say that i am a little :( about vex and percy being teammates with benefits because i think there’s something particularly heartbreaking about the dynamic that was neither of them ever said a thing even though they both were aware of it and it took losing percy for vex to finally admit it and Even Then, she couldn’t say it to percy’s face when they got him back, percy was the one who had to make the first move (that they were both alive for at least) and he was only able to do that because he’d heard her confession, because he never would’ve thought otherwise. to be clear, i also very much enjoy the story being told, i think i just wish they’d maybe committed more significantly to This Is A Campaign-Inspired Story Rather Than A Retelling sooner in the show so that maybe there would be a bit more grounding or set-up for the storylines the narrative is focusing on (and i understand why they wouldn’t), because i think they’re doing very well with percy’s arc for example, because they started with focusing on his and keeping his beats mostly the same and that seems to be much the same case as some of his second wave of meaty character stuff has arrived. but with vex they’ve aimed for the same character beats but it doesn’t always feel as earned or really feel like much character at all; i think saundor particularly was a bit of an :/, since in the campaign it was really a catalyst for vex interrogating her role in the party and her morality and something she struggled to get over and that haunted her far beyond the walls of that tree, but in the show it hasn’t really had a clear impact on vex beyond the scope of the episode itself — syldor certainly has, but the challenge that saundor presented didn’t really have much weight beyond its moment. and obviously a large part of that’s also probably just, 7 protagonists and wanting to expand the perspectives to antagonists and give more room for side characters is a lot of things to cover. and, i say with love, perhaps a bit too ambitious for a 12 episode per season, ~22 minute runtime show if they want their characters to have the kind of depth that really makes campaign 1 shine the way it does.

[svampira]

let me COOK with this one also everybody clap at least the thumbnail isnt purple

[freshmangojuice]

ever think about how ace's ship is the only other red ship we've seen besides red dwarf?

[a-star-that-burns-brightly]

Part 2 of Haru singing praises about the less popular songs in the Milgram discography Triage fucking slaps and I am so tired of pretending it doesn't