#the rest of the world braces for nuclear war

[submalevolentgrace]

sitting around nervously waiting to find out if the massive military empire, already occupying and politically controlling a third of the world while provoking the rest, decides to implode into a volatile dictatorship or a volatile civil war

[cyberbenb]

Ukraine war latest: Biden says Putin won’t use nukes; US cluster munitions already in Ukraine

Key developments on July 13:

Ukraine receives cluster munitions from US, says commander

Biden: ‘No real prospect of Putin using nukes’

Ukraine confirms striking on Russian military barrack in occupied Berdiansk

EU parliament adopts plan to increase ammunition production for Ukraine

The U.S. has already delivered the cluster munitions it had pledged as part of the latest $800-million aid package to Ukraine just a week ago, Oleksandr Tarnavskyi, the commander for Tavria military sector confirmed to CNN on July 13.

He hasn’t specified the number of delivered cluster munitions. Cluster munitions are air-dropped or ground-launched explosive weapons that disperse multiple smaller submunitions over a wide area.

“We just got them, we haven’t used them yet, but they can radically change (the battlefield),” Tarnavskyi said.

Cluster munitions will give the Ukrainian forces an advantage on the battlefield, forcing Russian troops to give up the territory targeted by these munitions, according to Tarnavskyi.

The U.S. President Joe Biden’s National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan announced the new $800-million aid package, including cluster munitions, on July 7.

While Russian forces have been using munitions with the dud rate of 30-40%, the U.S.-provided cluster munitions would have the dud rate not higher than 2.5%, according to Sullivan.

Cluster munition duds can injure civilians, which caused the debate over the delivery of such weapons to Ukraine. Some NATO allies were concerned over the delivery.

Over 120 countries banned using, developing, producing, acquiring, stockpiling, or transferring cluster munitions in the 2010 convention. Ukraine, the U.S., and Russia are not signatories to the convention.

Brigadier General Tarnavskyi told CNN that Ukraine’s leadership would decide where to use these powerful weapons, emphasizing the restrictions on using clusters in heavily populated areas of Russian-occupied territories.

“The Russians think that we will use it on all areas of the front. This is very wrong. But they are very worried,” said Tarnavskyi.

In response to increasing Western military support for Ukraine, Russian officials are issuing explicit or implied nuclear threats against Kyiv and its allies.

U.S. President Joe Biden said on July 13 that there is no real prospect of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin using nuclear weapons against Ukraine or the West.

“Not only the West, but China and the rest of the world have said: don’t go there,” Biden said in Helsinki, Finland, at a press conference taking place after the NATO summit in Vilnius.

Read also: Locals near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant brace for potential disaster: ‘It would be the end of us’

Ukraine confirms strike on Russian barrack in occupied city

The General Staff of Ukraine’s Armed Forces has confirmed the July 11 strike on a hotel in the occupied port city of Berdiansk in Zaporizhzhia Oblast that was used as barracks for the Russian military.

In its morning update on July 13, the military reported that Russian forces had been actively transporting the bodies of killed troops from the Dune hotel to local morgues.

Russian pro-war Telegram channels reported on July 11 that the strike on the Dune hotel killed a top Russian general, Oleg Tsokov. They claimed that a Storm Shadow long-range missile was used in the attack. The Ukrainian military didn’t say what weapon was used in the attack.

The next day, a Russian lawmaker and former commander of the 58th Army Andrey Gurulev said on Russian state TV that Tsokov had been killed.

Ukraine’s General Staff hasn’t mentioned Tsokov or any other possible targets in its report confirming the attack in Berdiansk.

Berdiansk is in southern Ukraine, in the area where Ukrainian forces are conducting its counteroffensive, launched in early June.

According to the exiled Russian media outlet, Meduza, Tsokov was deputy commander of Russia’s Southern Military District.

Tsokov was reportedly injured in Ukraine in September 2022.

Russia’s attacks

The General Staff in its evening update on July 13 reported that Russian forces launched two Kalibr cruise missiles, an Iskander-M ballistic missile, and 20 Shakhed kamikaze drones across Ukraine over the past day.

Ukrainian forces reported downing all the Kalibr missiles and Iranian loitering munitions, according to the report. The military didn’t say whether the Iskander-M missile was downed or hit a site.

Around half of the 20 drones targeted Kyiv. Although they were reportedly downed, the debris has fallen in five out of Kyiv’s 10 districts, injuring two civilians and damaging houses, according to Kyiv authorities.

In addition, Russian forces conducted 46 airstrikes and about 40 shelling attacks against the Ukrainian positions, as well as cities and villages, causing civilian casualties and infrastructure damage.

The attacks were reported in Sumy, Chernihiv, Kharkiv, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Donetsk Oblast.

Russian forces focus their military efforts in eastern Ukraine, where 20 combat clashes were reported in the areas near Kupiansk, Lyman, Bakhmut, Avdiivka, and Marinka.

Read also: Investigation: EU inability to ramp up production behind acute ammunition shortages in Ukraine

EU parliament adopts plan to increase ammunitions production for Ukraine

The European Parliament adopted a $560-million plan on July 13 to increase ammunition and missile production for Ukraine to help the country defend itself against Russia’s invasion.The Act in Support of Ammunition Production (ASAP) also aims to speed up delivery to the Ukrainian military.

ASAP is part of the EU’s plan first presented early this year to deliver $2.2 billion worth of artillery rounds to Ukraine. The shipments should include both current stocks and newly produced shells.

“We delivered on the most urgent aspect of the law: ensuring the provision of more ammunition for Ukraine. It is a testimony of Europe’s solidarity and for our collective security,” said the leader of the parliament’s negotiating team Cristian Busoi.

The legislation needs to be approved by the European Council to become law.

Read also: Former NATO envoy to Moscow: ‘Potential escalation with Russia is a myth’

[oraclerose]

i know we’re all bracing for a run of the worst and most traumatic deaths in mw3, and if that happens, I’m going to happily(crying) pretend it doesn’t happen and just exist in mw2 nebulous time frame forever. BUT. What if everyone lives? 

Roll with me here: it’s been a long time since the first mw games, we as a culture know how war and military media is supposed to go. We know and expect it, it’s the political climate we live in, it’s the media reality we’ve gotten used to because war is hell in reality and in fiction. We know our death flags. It’s upsetting but not unexpected anymore.

But Gaz is already alive going into mw3. Farah and Alex weren’t in the past games. Neither was Alejandro and Rudy. We’re in very different countries in this story with very different climates and very different end games. Alex lived when we swore he was gone, Farah got her revenge. For all intents and purposes, we as the players won in both of these games.  So where does that leave us? The team is much more meshed together, we have lots of dialogue and character time to build up those relationships. We have supporting characters that are strong forces that willingly help 141 and trust them. Laswell lived because of Farah. Ghost and Soap survived Las Almas because of Rudy and Alejandro and the rest of Los Vaqueros. Meaning Shadow Company is likely in tatters already without Graves, meaning Shepherd has to find another PMC to use or he he’ll likely end up right with Makarov to try and cut a deal. Which may take another battle out of the equation. We’ll probably be playing the nuclear risk game again in mw3, that or bioweapons since both are pretty real fears in the world currently, I’m still hoping for Roach and Delta Team Metal and some more of Griggs and some of the other forces to make cameos. We’ll see if the game decides to go the WW3 route or not. It’s a pretty touchy idea right now so we’ll see how the writers go. But I think it’s a fair thing to hope for everyone living, because we as a world are getting very tired of senseless death and I would very much like to see a flip side where we go a bit more A-Team and get to see everyone survive, and win, because they earned it. Because a little hope would be very welcome after this game sucked all of us in so hard, and I think that would be more of a surprise than anything at this point!

[fostersffff]

Thinking more about my experience reading Chainsaw Man and wondering if knowing about one of the characters in advance fundamentally altered how I feel about them:

(tremendous Chainsaw Man spoilers directly under the break, do not click if you are an anime-only)

I really like Makima. And not in the BARK BARK BARK way (a little in the bark bark bark way), but in the “this is a REALLY good antagonist” way. There’s an ancient meme about how the best antagonists are ones who have goals that are difficult to argue with, but Makima lives up to that: she wants to use the power of Chainsaw Man to erase all of the world’s ills, and she will do anything to achieve that goal.

Critically, she’s not lying here, because... why would she? Effectively, at this stage of the story, she’s in a win-win scenario. The only way she meaningfully loses to Chainsaw Man is if he erases her from existence, and in that case, she’ll always be with her hero. Kishibe poses no threat to her one way or the other, so what’s the harm in letting him know?

Also, really thinking about what she says here: Chainsaw Man eating those devils doesn’t just make everyone forget about them, it actually erases them from existence. In the world of Chainsaw Man, nuclear weapons no longer exist, which is why pieces of the Gun Devil are the go-to armament for national security. This is even reconfirmed in Part 2 where Yoru says there haven’t been any wars since "the World War”, which is actually a double confirmation of how his eating devils works, because that means Yoru, the fucking War Devil, forgot about World War II.

Even if she only had her own abilities as the Control Devil and Chainsaw Man’s ability to erase, she could create a theoretically perfect world.

The qualifier “theoretically” is what throws a wrench in everything, though.

There’s a (very strong) argument to be made that Makima crying while watching the last movie on her date with Denji was just another performance to manipulate him, but I’d hazard this is what got Denji to asking about Makima’s perfect world. Even if she was just mirroring him, his own reactions to movies that were in stark contrast to the rest of the audience betray the fact that no single person can create a perfect world for anyone but themselves.  And that’s the worst part; to borrow the thesis of another very good post, there is no "real” Makima, there’s only the Control Devil, avatar of the fear of being controlled. She is utterly incapable of creating a perfect world for anyone.

Anyway, circling back to my original point: because I had a rough idea of how fucked up Makima was, I braced myself, and as such, I don’t think I had the intense emotional reaction a lot of people did going in blind. I’m not saying she’s a precious skrunkly who did nothing wrong- she is a fucking monster- but I also find her super compelling.

[shades-of-stony]

Heavy Angst (And Not-So-Heavy but Still Angsty) Stony Fanfics!

I’m absolutely love a good Tony whump and hurt story so prepare to see a lot of those here! Get your tissues ready!

Push by phoenixreal

Summary: Tony Stark was known for pissing people off, it was a given. Then, after the man everyone thought was nothing more than a selfish prick decided to nearly kill himself saving Manhattan from a nuclear bomb, even the most sure of Tony's bastard status had to rethink it. And then, his team who were sure they had him pegged, they were invited (ordered) to move into Stark Tower with him. To their surprise, they found he had furnished full floors for each of them, somehow knowing their tastes exactly, including a floor dedicated to the resident Asgardian who would only be there some of the time. Surprised, and please, they all wonder at the enigma that is their host. After a couple months, Pepper Potts stops coming around so much, and they realize that something has exchanged between them because they are rather professional to each other. Pepper still frets over Tony, but instead tells the others to keep an eye on him rather than doing it herself. They easily forget that Tony is, and always has been, simply a human civilian. Then things get strange when they find themselves locked down within Stark tower, and after a harrowing viewing of a mysterious video, they find their resident playboy is completely gone.

Note: Prepare to cry and be hurt! This fanfic dabbles with Tony’s insecurity, self-worth, and issues. Please heed the warnings!

The words you choose to say by masterlokisev159

Summary: After the SHRA, the events around Steve’s death and Tony discovering he deleted part of his brain, Tony finally decides he's done enough. With Osborn taken care of, Tony leaves the Avengers and decides to quit being Ironman effective immediately.

He tells himself it doesn't hurt when Steve agrees. Why should it? After everything he's done, the team's better off without him.

However before he can truly move on, there are things he needs to take care of, and it's not long before he realizes he's dangerously close to losing his company. He's desperate and willing to do anything to keep it together.

So when, after months of silence, Steve asks him to drop everything and come work for Shield, Tony finds he doesn't have a choice. He agrees, no matter how much he knows he shouldn't. His reputation isn't exactly the best after the SHRA and he's heard stories of what he'd done as Director. He's knows what he's done. He's knows he's responsible for what happened to Steve.

He just wishes someone had warned him first. He hadn't been prepared to deal with the consequences.

Note: A 1000/10 angst fanfic that made me weep at 3 am in the morning. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. READ IT AND PREPARE TO CRY BUCKETS

Protocol SOTERIA by GoldenFinches

Summary: Friday's primary objective at all times is to protect one Anthony Edward Stark. And she will fulfill that objective no matter what it takes. Even if it means including certain people she thought she would never have to deal with again.

(Basically the Rogue Avengers get some sense knocked into them with the help of Friday and handful of videos.)

Note: A HIGHLY RECOMMENDED ANGSTY FANFIC. I CRIED SO MUCH READING THIS. 

Straight to Voicemail by YouMakeMeDokiDoki

Summary: "I DID!" Tony screamed, cutting Steve off mid-sentence and whirling around to glare at him. 

"I CALLED YOU! EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!"

Or

The one where no one answered their phone and things got out of hand. 

Note: this will absolutely break you heart.

Sunshine and Luck by ImportedfromMunich2

Summary: Months after Siberia, Steve and the rest of the defectors are pardoned and allowed back onto the Avengers, with the help of Tony Stark. Now that they're back - nothing is the same as before. Tony is even avoiding Steve at all costs.

Then one night - Tony barges into Steve's bedroom while he sleeps, and they have spontaneous, passionate sex.

Only, the Tony Stark he just fucked isn't from this universe.

Now, Steve has to find a way to explain to Tony that he had sex with his counterpart from another dimension.

Note: A good Steve whump fic! 

When You Mess With Him... by REM_It_Up

Summary: During an event with the Avengers, Tony is kidnapped by an unknown group of men right in front of the team. The group who took Tony taunt the Avengers by leaving small clues to Tony's whereabouts. When the kidnappers finally get in contact with the team, they are forced to watch Tony get tortured on camera.

The Avengers desperately search for their missing friend before they never see him again.

The kidnappers are smart and fast, they have everything figured out in order to get away with their plan...They just forgot one thing--

Colonel James Rhodes

Note: Now this is really heavy! Brace yourselves for a kidnapped and tortured tony! Also, protective honey bear aka Rhodey bonus here!

To Need is Not To Want by Brixon

Summary: All his life Tony has been used as a means to someone's end. Always someone's tool in a game. Carelessly thrown aside, once they had no longer use of him. He keeps it bottled up because, because he's Tony Stark. But he's always had this desire that one day someone would come who would stay because they wanted and needed him. He thought he had that with the Avengers, but after everything with the Accords and everyone leaving after Civil War that hope of having something of his to stay was gone.

Despite being burned constantly, Tony still has this wanting. So when Ryder, an old college friend, comes back into his life and actually seems to want to stay because he wants AND needs Tony, Tony is beyond thrilled. Because Ryder is staying. It doesn't matter if the bruises stay too.

But what happens when the Avengers return and Tony finds himself wondering once again exactly what he wants and what he needs.

Note: I’m sure, from the summary, you can tell that it’s a heartbreak here. 

Hiding Things Is All Too Easy - Until It Isn't by audhds

Summary: Tony hasn't been the same since Bucky arrived at Stark Tower. That much is obvious. But Steve is overjoyed to have his best friend back and is somewhat oblivious to how Tony is withdrawing away from him. Because surely Tony is just overworked as usual. He must be quiet and jumpy because he is sleep deprived. And of course he has a few cuts and bruises on the visible parts of his skin - he fights and works for the Avengers as a living. It's part of the job description. Until it isn't.

Will Steve discover the physical and mental trauma that Tony is going through before it is too late?

Note: This is even heavier! Please read the tags carefully! Also, this has some serious Bucky bashing! If you are a Bucky fan but still interested in this, please prepare yourself. 

No Trait As Much As This by KandiSheek

Summary: Tony gets hit with truth serum. It's a terrible time for everyone.

Note: A bit lighter than the others but still angst nonetheless. The added truth serum element makes this even more interesting!

Good For You by @orbingarrow

Summary: Steve doesn't understand why Tony dates people who abuse him. Tony doesn't understand why Steve cares.

The rest is bad choices, good choices, rehab, milkshakes, paintball, YouTube videos, couples therapy and learning to put the past in the past. Or: How Tony finds his happy ending.

Note: Another Tony-in-abusive-relationships fanfic!!

hold the things you wanna say by SailorChibi

Summary: Tony is still a consultant, and between SI, the team and SHIELD he's overworked and exhausted. That's okay.

He and Steve have been having sex for weeks but that's all it is, just sex, and Tony wants more but he'll never get it and that's okay. Really.

What's not okay is the fact that Howard Stark has somehow appeared in the future and is the same as always.

This is definitely going to fuck up his schedule.

Note: Anyone up for some Howard-travels-to-the-future fanfic?

Childhood is the Kingdom Where Nobody Dies by MemoryDragon

Summary: Seven-year-old Tony Stark wakes up on a Hydra base, lost, afraid, and alone. He has to overcome his fears before it's too late for the Avengers and Captain America.

Note: De-aged Tony just screams heavy angst and hurt!

Advanced Protocol by masterlokisev159

Summary: The Incursions are coming. The Illuminati have surrendered and everyone has come together to take one last stand.

Everyone except Tony. And Steve is tired of waiting. He wants answers.

There's something the Illuminati aren't telling him.

Note: If you don’t know what the Avalon is in Marvel, I recommend you search it up, or you could read this fic. You will be heartbroken with what you find. 

Flower Child by itsallAvengers

Summary: The point was this, though:

In a hundred million universes, in a hundred million different lives, there would never be a single one of them in which Tony Stark deserved anyone like Steve Rogers. Ever.

So this? Nonsensical.

Note: Another fanfic that highlights child abuse and Tony’s insecurities! 

What Pays All Debts by KandiSheek

Summary: No one is supposed to survive the date written on their skin. And yet Tony's numbers keep piling up.

Note: Angst + Death dates? You could probably foretell how much of a gut-wrench journey this is.

Falling Into You by sabrecmc

Summary: Tony and Steve end up as fuck buddies after the events of The Winter Soldier until Steve calls it off. When Loki's spell wipes all of Steve's memories since the last time Loki was in town, Tony decides it will be so much easier to just not tell Steve they had something of a relationship. Spoiler: It isn't.

Or, how Steve fell in love with Tony and forgot about it, and how Tony fell in love with Steve and realized it.

Note: There are just something about amnesia fanfics that makes it so goddamn heartbreaking. 

Art Freaks and Comic Geeks by Coil

Summary: Tony Stark had made himself a phenomenally renowned writer. The world had fallen in love with the heroes that appeared in his novels; captivated by his vivid words of life and colour.

His next ambition was to publish a comic book series starring the much-beloved heroes of his novels. There was just one problem. Brilliant as Tony may have been with his words, his skills in the field of drawing were less than great. It didn’t help that he barely knew what his characters ought to look like in the first place.

Enter: Mister Steve Rogers – an up-and-coming artist/illustrator with the potential to be brilliant.

Their paths happen to cross at Comic-Con.

Note: this is a much lighter angsty fanfic but is still angsty. It is a Modern AU mixed with Artist!Steve and Writer!Tony.

Unwritten Endings by XtaticPearl

Summary: Tony takes the bullet meant for Captain America at the end of their war and through his death, brings together the team again. Only, he isn't really dead and when he comes back, the equations between the team-mates begin to alter and reform, writing a new story altogether.

Note: Of course, you can’t have an angst fanfic rec without a fake death fanfic!

WIP

Need Is Just A Word by masterlokisev159

Summary: A month has gone by since the war and Tony has never felt more alone. of course, with the unrest within the government, the disappearance of the Avengers and the obvious lack of Steve Rogers, it was only a matter of time before the UN finally flipped out and decided to act on the last available Avenger. Too bad they didn't realise a promise had been made by Captain America to be there when Iron man needed him.

Note: a gut-wrenching Post CA:CW fanfic where tony is suffering the consequences of the civil war.

Take me out tonight by masterlokisev159

Summary: When Steve gets invited to a formal party with the government, Fury tells him he can bring a plus one of his choosing. While listening quietly in the corner, Tony heaves a sigh of relief because the team could really do with some positive publicity and any of the Avengers are a good choice for Steve. Tony just wants Steve to be happy after all, even if he knows Steve's gonna pick Natasha. He knows Steve doesn't like him and he's aware there's never going to be anything more between them. They're barely even friends really.

So of course he's absolutely shocked when a gold filigree letter rests in his palms two days later. He's the worst person for this.

Why on earth did Steve choose him?

Note: AHHHHHHHH, INSECURE TONY IS JUST A FAVORITE. Also, confident!Steve that knows who he wants is just a whole new mood!

The Soul Stone's Sacrifice by masterlokisev159

The soul stone demands a sacrifice that Tony and Steve are not prepared for, but in the end, one life is sacrificed for the many. Steve lets Tony go for the last time and mourns a future they never had.

That is until Tony comes back.

Note: A scenario where Tony and Steve where the ones to go to Vormir. 

[sergeantsporks]

More stuff about my color coded OCs bc I love them

Sylvia (the blue one) - Physically 27 - Demiromantic asexual - five six and 190 lbs, she’s very pillowy and soft, good for hugs or falling asleep on - Welsh - Brown hair, green eyes, freckles! - Team mom - Accident when she was five broke her leg very badly. Due to limited medical technology, she used crutches and braces to get around most of her life, but in the age of modern medicine, she’s had extensive surgeries that reduced the support she needs down to a cane and a brace - Makes stained glass bc it’s my fantasy world and I’ve decided that sexism doesn’t exist - The most in touch of my immortal characters, she roamed the world while the rest of them sat in immortals-only bubbles, so she knows the most about the modern world - She also has a gun. She will use it. - She has a magical item friend that’s a glowing ball of light named Sven. He can see the past and present on demand and sometimes gets random unhelpful visions of the future. He’s very shy and pretty much only talks to Sylvia - Lived with a dragon for a bit (Sven was in his hoard)

Kore (The purple/gold one) - Physically twenty-five (but she’s the “oldest” of the three in terms of her immortal life) - I’m not sure if she’s a lesbian or somewhere on the aspec. Possibly both. - five nine and 140 lbs, she’s tall and skinny and she could knock you over if she wanted. Not very comfy to lean on. - Greek - Long black hair, brown eyes, tattoos, oh, boy did she get a lot of tattoos in her emo phase (she’s still in her emo phase) - Joining the war against autism on the side of autism - Alchemist - The most out of touch immortal, she lived locked up most of her life (not her choice) - Needs background noise, sometimes it’s someone she trusts talking while she works. This becomes Sylvia :) - BOY CAN SHE HOLD A GRUDGE

Caelan Jr. (The green one) - Physically 17 - Aroace (green :)) - five seven (and that inch over Sylvia is VERY important, okay, he’s known her since she was five, and she CANNOT be taller than him - Irish - Red hair with white streaks in it, brown eyes, freckles! - ADHD - As an ADHD immortal alive for centuries, he’s dabbled in almost everything ever invented. - He’s very smart, but he’s also very laid back about it, so he doesn’t really come across as some kind of genius until he’ll say something about his degree in nuclear physics or whatever - He traveled the world, but spends a lot of his time in an immortals only bubble, so while he’s more in touch than Kore, he’s not as in touch as Sylvia - Currently in his emo phase, has tattoos and piercings and wears all black and boots and loves eyeliner. He’s still sunshine incarnate, but he likes the Vibe

[kyber-crystal]

Unspoken Words

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Words: 4.2k (I POPPED OFF LOLLLLL)

Summary: In which the night before being deployed on a covert black-ops mission overseas with Natasha, you write Steve a secret love letter that you never intended to give him. But, it still ends up falling into his hands.

Warnings: fluff, soft angst, cute steve hehe

A/N: once again, shamelessly stole this idea from the kdrama im watching adsfasdf

To Steve.

You always told me it was time I found someone who cared for me just as much as I cared about others. For the longest time, I had myself believing I was set for life since I already had the team. That I didn’t need to find a man to sweep me off my feet and take his last name, to have as my own, as every time I seemed to let my feelings wander astray, it’d end in tragedy.

After waiting for too long to say this, I guess I'm gonna come clean now, so brace yourself. I felt as if this would be easier for me if I was saying it on paper rather than in person, so here you go.

I realized I'm in love with you. You never leave my mind. You're always there, mentally, if not physically. It's hard for you to comprehend all at once, I know, it's hard for me to wrap my mind around, too. It still feels unreal that I'm actually admitting all this to you. I could've sworn I'd only acted this way in my dreams, but hey, reality can sometimes come up behind you and slap you in the face, you know?

In the middle of the storm, a war that rages on in my mind, you’re my safe haven. You’re the gentle center who keeps me steady and prevents me from teetering over the edge and losing my grip on reality. You keep me centered, and I don’t know what I’d do without you by my side. Steven Grant Rogers, I’m in love with you. I know, it doesn’t seem real. As crazy as it sounds, I’m hopelessly in love with you.

Steve, you are my one stability in a chaos-ridden world and I thank you endlessly for that. I so desperately needed something to hold onto, something to convince me I was still alive and breathing and somewhat sane. It's hard for me, it's hard that only today I've accepted the feelings I'd been harboring inside for years. But I've decided to admit defeat and admit I've officially fallen in love with you. Because what I'm beginning to feel now is far too strong for me to ignore; it's impossible to keep up this act when you're all I can seem to think about.

It's all strange, honestly. The feeling of butterflies flying around my stomach and tickling my insides makes me feel as if I'm up in the sky, my head in the clouds, but it also overwhelms me and makes me scared at the same time. The fact that I'm in so deeply in love scares me because I know when I'm really in love with someone, it's hard to escape once I've completed the act of falling for them.

Weird, right? Who knew the great Y/N was so capable of being a romantic sap?

It feels dangerous yet completely safe at the same time, as if someone's given me peace and my heart is dancing around in my chest because it's so happy, at the same time there is a Captain America-shaped hole there in the center that I was never aware was there in the beginning. My chest aches at the thought of having to leave you or you not reciprocating my feelings, but I know I might just suffer that fate, since the world as I know it, isn't kind whatsoever. I should know this better than anyone, after fighting countless battles.

It scares me more than excites me, how you can go from being really close friends to then being completely infatuated and in love with them and wondering how you were ever able to go on with your daily life without them, because I sure as hell can't imagine that now. In the beginning, I told myself it's not right, I still had so much of my life ahead of me, so much time to plan out what I'm going to end up like in the future but my brain is screaming no, no, it is right, it's meant to be.

The team tries convincing me to do something about it but I'm terrified. Terrified that I'll have to bring down the thick and heavy walls I spent so much time building up in the fears of being hurt and damaged and my heart shattered to a million jagged pieces.

I know most people would consider me to be foolish and naïve for spilling my feelings through a sappy love letter, but it's true when I say I love you so much more than I could ever love myself. You're my best friend, and as cheesy as it sounds, you are my everything. My anchor.

I fell for you all on my own. Not because I was pressured to or anything, but because I made the decision myself. I don't just give my heart to you by default as if there's no one else available for me to open up to. It's because I choose to. Every day that I wake up, every day we're fighting for our lives or fighting each other or going about a normal day or whatever, I'll keep choosing you over and over again, and I hope someday you'll do the same.

I love you more than you know. And if you don't feel the same way, then it's perfectly fine. I understand, and I'll wait for you as long as it takes, no matter what.

Whatever it takes.

Y/N

You let out a long sigh and set down your pen, folding the paper up into fourths and tucking it under your lamp before pushing yourself away from your desk and standing up, stretching your arms in the air. What even was the point of doing that, anyways? It’s not like Steve’s just going to come in here and read the letter. 

The downside of living with the Avengers was that word got around very quickly, especially about your love life. There was no hiding anything from anyone, as they’d find out one way or another. If Tony didn’t find out first, it was Natasha, Sam, or Bucky who did.

“Hey, Nat,” you spoke without turning your head to look at who was behind you, knowing your red-headed best friend was leaning against the doorframe, observing you carefully. 

“Y/N,” Natasha nodded and made her way inside, sitting at the edge of your bed and you took a seat next to her, as she rested her head on your shoulder. “You alright? I can tell something’s on your mind.”

You shook your head. “I’m fine.”

“Something tells me you’re not.”

“Did Wanda read my mind for you?” you raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

“No, she didn’t,” she replied honestly, “she’s busy baking cookies with Vis and Peter right now. You think you wanna tell me what’s up? As your best friend, I’m obligated to know what’s going on.”

You closed your eyes and let out a long sigh. "You know what it is."

"You mean who?"

"Why am I letting this happen to myself?"

"You can't control who you fall for,," she explained. "Your heart sometimes just has a mind of its' own."

“He’s Captain America,” you deadpanned.

“And you’re the badass Y/N!”

“I shouldn’t even have feelings in the first place. And I shouldn't have written that love letter that I won't even give him anyways, or...you know."

"You wrote him a letter?"

You got up and tugged the letter from underneath your lamp and gave it to her, watching as her eyes scanned over the paper with your tidy, typewriter-like handwriting filling the sheet from top to bottom.

"So..."

Natasha handed the paper back to you. "Why can't you just tell him?"

"Because he doesn’t like me back."

"You should tell him at some point. Keeping this all to yourself isn't healthy."

"You sound like Tony."

She chuckled lightly. "What?It's the truth."

"Fine," you threw your hands up in the air in defeat, "I’ll consider telling him after we get back from Kyiv. I’m only considering it. And if I do confess...will you take me out for shawarma? Bucky took me last time and I barely got to eat anything because he stole most of my food."

"Alright, I promise," she laughed. "You got a deal."

...

SHIELD was always taking advantage of your almost unparalleled skill in the art of covert espionage and hand to hand combat and sending you off. Normally, it would last no longer than a few days or weeks at a time, so to hear that you'd be gone for four whole months made Steve feel sick to his stomach. He was dreading having to watch you leave, because it would mean spending the next third of a year by himself, without being able to see your face or your smile or simply have you around for some good company.

You pulled him aside after dinner one night to tell him the news.

"Nat and I were called in by Fury early this morning. We're being deployed to eastern Europe to stop a nuclear missile launch."

"How long will you be gone?" He tried to keep his voice as steady as possible, but it was a dead giveaway that he didn't want you to go at all.

"Well...if things go right, 3-4 months."

"And if doesn't?"

"Six, maybe seven."

Steve felt a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach at your answer. "Why is it gonna take so long?"

"I don't know," you sighed, "just trying getting in and out isn't a very short process. We have to maintain low profile for a while before we infiltrate the base. If we're discovered too early on...then...well, we're basically screwed."

"Oh."

"Hey, I'm going to be fine, if that's what you're so worried about," you took his hand in yours and squeezed it tightly, "I know you're thinking I can't handle this, but I can. Nat and I are gonna look out for each other. I promise I'll be okay."

"When are you leaving?"

"First thing in the morning. We gotta go at four."

You didn't have to add on another sentence to tell him it meant you were unable to say goodbye to anyone. He nodded, swallowing the lump in his throat and trying to ignore that weird feeling in his chest as you kept holding his hand, not letting go even when you had the chance to.

Later that night, you were able to get five hours of sleep before Natasha came in to wake you up and you got ready. When she noticed how your eyes had lost the light to them and your shoulders slumped as you boarded the jet, she knew something was up.

Guilt clawed at your insides. You should’ve told him you loved him before you left, you idiot. What if you don’t make it back alive? Hm?

A set of footsteps echoing across the hangar bay suddenly made you turn around. You turned around to see Steve, jogging towards you and calling out your name. Knowing it was only a matter of minutes before you finished boarding and took off for a mission thousands of miles away, with very little ways of communication as you were supposed to be as discreet as possible when undercover, he didn't want you to leave without saying goodbye.

A mix of surprise and relief is on your face when you see him. You shake your head and give him a reassuring look, that everything was going to be okay and you'd be just fine.

"What are you doing here? You should be sleeping," your brows furrowed together in confusion as you unloaded your weapons, tying up your combat boots. "I thought you—"

Steve quickly comes forward and crushes you into a tight embrace that tells you he's going to miss you much more than he's letting on. You were quick to return the gesture, wrapping your arms around his torso and squeezing him back, resting your head against his broad chest.

"Stay safe out there," he murmured into your hair, pressing a light, fleeting kiss to the top of your hair.

You don't question his sudden act of sentiment, and just gave him a small smile in response. "Don't worry. I will."

With that, you turned around, stepping back up the ramp with Natasha. The gates to the hangar bay slid open, and within seconds you had taken off.

Steve stands there for a while even after the Quinjet is out of his sight, and it's only when Bucky pulls him back inside that he realizes he's been standing there for over an hour without moving at all.

The first few weeks pass by in a blur. He hardly eats, he hardly sleeps, he hardly even gets up for his morning runs or trains at all. After the first two months came and went, Tony grew rather concerned seeing him deteriorate and decided to ask him what was going on.

"Tony, I'm fine."

"Like hell you are. What's up with you? You haven't eaten a solid meal in over two months. You've lost some weight around your face, you almost look like a skeleton. When you haven't gone on your morning runs in forever, I should have a reason to be worried about you, Cap."

"It's been five weeks and she hasn't checked in with us yet," he stated plainly, gulping down his third cup of coffee of the day. "She should've called a week ago."

"God, I never thought you'd be the one to get so worked up over a girl," the billionaire let out a long sigh, pouring himself a cup of coffee as well at the kitchen counter before taking a seat at the island next to him, "but here we are now."

"What if she got injured?"

"Her and Nat are looking out for each other. I'm sure she's fine. She's going to be okay, so why don't you eat something solid for once? Tell me what you wanna order, I'll get it for you."

Thanks, Tony. I'll take Thai." (You and Steve often ate Thai takeout together.)

"Anytime."

Way over in Ukraine, you and Natasha were sitting on the bed in your hotel room watching the news on TV in silence because neither one of you felt like sleeping yet, until she decided to speak up.

"Why haven't you called Rogers yet?"

"I...don't know."

"He's gotta be missing you like hell, you know."

"I know. And I miss him too...a bit too much. That's why I can't call him. Because every time I hear his voice or see something that reminds me of him, it makes me fall even more in love with him and I can't afford having that. I don't want to risk getting hurt. Besides...I already summoned every last ounce of willpower to write that letter."

"You really should give him a call. It's not doing your heart any good to purposely drain yourself of him."

"Fine."

Steve had somehow allowed himself to get roped into a Mario Kart showdown with Bucky and Sam, when his phone suddenly lit up with a familiar number he could recognize anywhere. Your contact picture filled up the screen: you grinning wildly as his arms wrapped around you from behind, Pietro photobombing in the back as he made heart signs with his hands.

He picked up the phone and answered it after only one ring.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Steve," you spoke over the phone, "how's it going?"

"Hey," he couldn't help but break into a smile, "are you alright?"

"Yeah. We got the data files downloaded onto the flash drive and then destroyed it yesterday. So for now, we're just waiting around and maybe doing some tours of Kyiv while we have time."

"What time is it over there?"

"Half past midnight. You?"

"2:30."

"How are you holding up?"

Bucky and Sam looked over at that exact moment, wiggling their eyebrows up and down as they gestured for Steve to say something. "I'm doing fine. Got pulled into a Mario Kart deathmatch with the two idiots."

"Tell Bucky and Sam I send my regards and that I'm bringing back those baguettes I promised for when we stop over in Paris," you told him.

"I will. It's good to hear your voice, Y/N."

You couldn't help but feel your heart flutter at those words. "It's good to hear your voice, too. Look, I'm sorry...but it's getting late, and my data on my phone is low, Fury didn't give me an unlimited plan so I gotta go now. See you soon."

"Okay. Try to get some good sleep, alright? I don't want you getting hurt because you didn't get a good night's rest the night before. See you."

"COME ON, MAN!" Sam yelled as soon as you hung up. "You didn't even have the decency to say 'I love you?'"

"I love her, but not like that."

"Sure you don't. I saw the way your face lit up when you picked up the phone."

"Two months," the super-soldier let out a sigh of disappointment, setting down the controller to watch him and Bucky tear each other apart on Rainbow Road, "two more months."

He picked up his phone again and clicked on his camera roll, mindlessly beginning to scroll through until one picture caught his eye. It was during summer break when you were vacationing in the Bahamas for two weeks along with several SHIELD agents, and Coulson had taken the team picture. Fury had somehow been convinced to come along as well.

As his eyes scanned all the faces in the picture, he came across himself and noticed that he wasn't smiling at the camera, but at you instead, and you were doing the same. Both of you, gazing into each others' eyes as if the two of you were the only people left on Earth.

He felt a pang in his chest as he realized, at that moment, that he was in love with you and hadn't gotten the chance to tell you so before you left. And now, it could be too late.

The letter ends up reaching Steve much faster than you'd anticipated it to. The next day, he went to drop off the sweatshirt you left in his room last time you’d had a movie night together and comes across a single sheet of paper lying out on your desk.

All the color quickly drains from his face when he realizes this wasn't actually meant for him to read. He knows what he'd just done was wrong, but the fact that he was so oblivious to how you felt about him makes him feel even worse.

...

The mission had gone extremely well. You and Natasha were in and out of that base probably faster than you could summon Tony after yelling out that one of his suits had been tampered with.

Natasha thought it'd be fun to surprise him by coming back a month early and could tell instantly that you loved the idea, judging by the way your eyes lit up when you boarded the Quinjet.

You decided to call him again on the flight back as she sat at the front piloting the jet.

"Steve?"

"Hey. What's up?"

"Uh...I'm afraid there's been a change of plans."

"What plans?" His voice quickly grew worried as he tried masking his disappointment at the fact that you weren't announcing your return.

"I'm afraid I can't tell you that, I'm sorry, but...I just wanted to call you to update you on what's happening. Signal's not very good up here, Nat and I are flying out again so I'll call you when we touch down."

"Okay. Talk to you in a bit."

After making a quick pit stop at a bakery in Paris, you were up in the skies again, zipping back towards the Avengers HQs where the rest of the team was waiting.

"You know, I think Rogers is in love with you," Natasha gave you a knowing look as you touched down.

"What makes you think that?"

"When you guys were going after Bucky...I think that's when it all happened."

"But that was several years ago?"

"Exactly."

You unbuckled your seatbelts and stood up, picking up your duffel bags as the opening gates dropped down and you stepped off the ramp to an awaiting Bucky, Sam, Clint and Peter.

"Y/N!" Peter rushed forward, squeezing you in a tight hug. "Hi! You're home early!"

"Yeah, I am," you grinned ruffling his hair as you pulled apart. "You make sure Bucky and Sam didn't misbehave?"

Sam shot you a glare as Peter replied. "Well, they were alright. Happy dropped me off here yesterday and I monitored their Mario Kart matches to make sure nobody killed someone, so yeah. Clint was good too."

You went over to Bucky as Natasha went to talk to Sam and Clint about mission details."

"Y/L/N."

"Barnes."

"How was the flight?" His hard expression softened slight as he gave you a quick hug. "I heard everything went pretty well."

"Yeah, it was okay. A bit jet-lagged, but other than that I'm fine. And speaking of flight! I got you guys something."

You motioned for Nat to bring the box of pastries from the jet, and as soon as she did everyone's eyes lit up with excitement.

"Dude, you're the best," Sam exclaimed as he bit into an eclair. "I love Parisian pastries."

"We don't wanna be here too long, now do we?" Clint spoke up. "Y/N, I think you have a special someone to surprise inside."

"Oh?" you raised an eyebrow at the archer before following him and the others inside the compound.

Steve was busy reading a news article on his phone at the kitchen island, sitting there in a plain grey T-shirt and dark jeans when he looked up and met your gaze.

"Hey, soldier," you greeted with a smirk, "miss me?"

His face broke into a grin as he set his phone down. "You're back early."

"Fury was a bit more lenient this time," you shrugged, taking your hands out of your jacket pockets, "so he let us go. Since we got the job done pretty fast."

He chuckled lightly, pulling you close in response and wrapping his strong arms around you. "I'm glad you're back."

"So I take it you really missed me, huh."

"You could put it that way."

"Like hell he missed you. You should've seen him while you were gone, Christ," Sam groaned. "He wouldn't eat anything solid for an entire week."

"Oh!" Wanda piped up, "I believe he has something to tell you? Right, Steve?"

"No, I don't?"

"Uh, we'll leave now, then," Clint awkwardly cleared his throat. "Let's give these two a minute."

With that, they calmly filed out of the kitchen, leaving the two of you to yourselves.

"You look tired," Steve raised an eyebrow at you as he noticed the dark circles under your eyes.

"You look worse," you joked, earning a small laugh from him as you circled your arms around his torso. "I'm just a bit jet-lagged. The ten hour time difference wasn't very kind to me."

"Well, I'm glad you're back," he breathed out, "I missed you."

"Ah, there it is," you mumbled into his chest. "But yeah, I missed you too. And here I was starting to think Captain America didn't have the heart to care for someone so much."

"Only for you, Y/N," he chuckled, pressing a light kiss to your forehead, "only for you."

“Wait a second,” you pulled away and saw a familiar piece of paper sticking out of his jacket pocket, “what’s that?”

Your eyes widened as you pulled it out and realized it was the letter you’d written him several months back. “Oh shit...”

“Was I not supposed to read this?’

“NO!”

“It was addressed to me, though...?”

“I never meant for you to read it!” you hissed, “Now give it back!”

“Ah ah ah! I don’t think so.”

You let out an annoyed groan, going up on your tiptoes to try and snatch the paper out of his hand. “Screw you, Rogers. Why do you have to be so damn tall?”

You jumped up and down in an attempt to get the letter back for several minutes until you finally gave up, arms growing sore. When he towered half a foot above you, it was hopeless.

Your hands landed against his chest as you let them fall and you just stood there for a few seconds, or minutes, maybe, in utter silence, with his warm breath falling against your neck and you hated yourself for wanting this moment to last longer. 

The air was suddenly buzzing with anticipation, like the world was holding its breath to see what was to come next. Steve’s gaze lingered on your lips before he tilted his head downwards, placing a hand on the small of your back and pulling you in for a kiss. 

His lips met your own so softly, so gently that you swore that you were dreaming for a split second, and you let out a sigh as your arms slid around his waist and tightened their grip around him. 

“In case I haven’t made it obvious enough, either,” he hummed, “I’m in love with you too.”

You felt heat rise up your cheeks. “You weren’t supposed to read that!”

“Too bad,” he smirked, resting his chin on your head, “I read it already, three times. You bet I’ll be keeping this for myself.”

“I hate you so much.”

“That’s not what the letter says.”

“I hate you.”

“You love me.”

“No I don’t.”

“Yes, you do.”

“Fine! I love you.”

Steve laughed lightly. “I love you too, Y/N.”

[dragonrajafanfiction]

Lost Lineage

Dofi hurried in the dark narrow corridors of the ship, in near pitch black darkness. They were surrounded by dead waiters and had to pull all the ship’s electrical power into the fight. He knew his brother Do, the Ship’s Chief Engineer, had designed the ship this way. This was a dragon-slaying ship. Every drop of fuel, every battery, every nuclear engine could reroute its full might into deadly weapons until the enemy was vanquished or the ship rested at the bottom of the sea.

Even now, the ship was loud with constant machine gun fire and thunderous booms from cannons. 

His brother Foli was captaining this war at sea. He was the firstborn and the leader of the Aido-Hwedo, destined to be on the Council in the future. Dofi had no such destiny. He was a shadow merchant, supporting his brother in covert actions to protect him from the rear. Dofi kept this vow of secrecy close to his heart. Even though his brother acted like a naive little fool in the sun, he would be there, in the shadows like a ninja, destroying anyone who came at him from the shadows.

Now he felt his brother had played the ultimate fool. He had trusted Grant Baldwin to keep this operation secret and now they were surrounded by ships from the Secret Society. Someone had fired rockets at the dragon being awakened in the sky, awakening him early. How was he supposed to save him from this?

Foli should have known that the sons of that Dark King Betrayer could not be trusted. All four of the quadruplets went to the same school and heard the same stories. 

Nidhogg and the White Queen Izanami were inseparable rulers. Together they produced one egg that hatched the ten great serpents into the world. Each one they granted authority over humans. Quetzocoatl,  Nuwa, Anima, Minona, Legba, Ouroboros, and the twin headed serpents, Taipan-Typhon and Mawu-Lisa.

For centuries they ruled over humans, some harshly, some more gently. But the Dark King was always fickle and full of suspicious thoughts. The White Queen could take it no longer and rebelled against him. Ouroboros, Mawu-Lisa and Legba agreed. But the White Queen was defeated and her children were forced into hiding from their vengeful father.

They hid among their human hybrids in Africa. But were revealed when war broke out among them. The hybrids of Mawu-Lisa attacked the hybrid city of Ouroboros, but were defeated. In retaliation, Ouroboros devoured Mawu-Lisa. Then, strengthened greatly by the meal, turned on Legba.

Legba fled back to Nidhogg. He hoped to be protected by his father, so he betrayed Ouroboros’s location to him. But Nidhogg killed him anyway, and then went to find Ouroboros. But Ouroboros somehow vanished, him and his people. He was a master of the sacred arts of Nibelungen and could produce them at will. When the forces of Nidhogg arrived, there was nothing left but a crater.

Nidhogg never found Ouroboros and turned on the rest of his children. It didn’t matter how loyal they had been in the past. They were the White Queen’s children and couldn’t be trusted. One by one, every single serpent that had hatched from the egg was destroyed and all their hybrids were slaughtered. In their place, he created the Four Lords and forced them into eternal submission. He erased every vestige of the existence of the original ten and their mother.

Yet, knowing all this, that silly Foli still put his head into the palm of these elites of Cassell College. These sons of the Betrayer King!

“Foli… Foli, I tried to warn you…” The ship was rocking like a tree against the winds and the waves. Every joint groaned as the waves lifted it and shuddered violently as it crashed to the ocean. The sense of vertigo was immense and he put his hand to the wall to steady himself. He was almost there.

He had to protect his brother.

And the key was in his pocket, wrapped in gauze. The vial of that girl’s blood. The girl who wasn’t on the roster of the Action Team. The girl who came from Ace Commissioner parents with no past. Born in a dragonslayer Academy. And yet somehow had no dragonblood according to the dragonblood divination.

His brother originally had this suspicion of her, but he’d discarded it after a little sweet talk from that Betrayer son. But Dofi was not so easily fooled. 

He’d reached the end of the corridor and swiped his card; the door slid open to reveal a darkened lab, faintly lit by an alternative power source. At the center was a server rack that blinked green and blue and red like festive lights in the dark. A single laptop controlled it all. On a table, along with a microscope and other tools, there was what looked like a box. Dofi braced himself on the table and pulled out the vial of blood from his pocket.

He carefully opened the metal box. Inside, was a spinning centrifuge. The divining plate could only work based on the Four Lord’s Lineage. If she was not of that line, then the alternative was that she was either human or not of the four lords. And she was not human.

He tucked the vial with trembling hands into the centrifuge and closed it and flipped the switch. The vial began to spin until it was a blur, to break up the blood and reveal the genetic material. The computer here had more than the lineage of the four lords but also of Legba and Mawu-Lisa, the Ancestors of the West African Hybrids.

The lights suddenly started to flicker. Dofi looked up at them as they swung. Their shifting pools of light moved over a scaly clawed foot, like the claw of a dinosaur. When they swung that pool of light away, gleaming eyes peered out from the dark. Those eyes were embedded in a massive dark shadow, about the size of a horse. It crouched on all fours, it’s body stretching into the hallway where he had just been.

Dofi’s heart squeezed painfully in his chest. He had thought he was alone in the corridor, safe and protected by his brother’s stalwart efforts outside, but he was being stalked by this unseen and quiet predator the whole way down. And now he had reached a dead end in every sense.

Unlike his brother, Dofi had no aggressive skills, only the Soul Skill Mirage that could distort his form as he saw fit. But how could he fool someone who had already seen him as he truly was? They faced each other now, each one as they were. Predator and prey.

Normally, he could consider escaping, use his soul skill to frighten the enemy, confuse them, or vanish. But he could not leave this beast in this room and he had to stay here for the results of the DNA test. There was no clever escape this time. Only a fight until the monster was eliminated. He reached behind his back, his hand closing around a weapon there. 

Dofi’s eyes moved first to the left, away from the computers. The monster’s limbs tightened and it rushed in, thinking Dofi was making his move. The split second error was all that was needed. Dofi pulled a grenade from behind him, yanked out the pin and threw it into the beast’s mouth, just as it closed. The creature’s teeth pierced the metal shell. Corrosive liquid, poisonous to dragons sprayed out under intense pressure right down the monster’s throat.

With the grenade stuck on his tooth, it could only shake its head. The silver solution spread all over the floor and under its claws and it slipped and fell. Its screaming as the solution burned its skin rattled the walls. Blood oozed from its mouth in a steady stream coloring the liquid on the floor. The vapors stung its eyes and sent blood weeping from there. Its scales loosened and hung from the skin of its neck.

But its target was gone. Disappeared from the room. Its nostrils flared to try to catch a scent of him, and then it coughed, jaw hanging open. A thin blade, like the foil of a fencer, had pierced its throat from the side. In comparison to its thick neck, it appeared like a hypodermic needle through the gap in its eroded scales. It wasn’t even a hole big enough to bleed through, but inside the throat, the jugular vein had been punctured, and the brain was quickly being starved of oxygen.

With such a precise attack, there was no need for a strong Soul Skill or Physical Strength.

Dofi revealed himself to be holding the end of the blade, having hidden himself when his Soul skill while the beast struggled with the grenade. He held a cloth to his face to guard himself from the noxious fumes, but he knew it was too late. Such powerful poison would be the end of him as well. Already, his skin was starting to turn soft and sore. It burned and turned a whitish grey as he staggered back to the laptop.

The Genetic test results were completed.

According to the blood test, this girl was a descendent of Nidhogg, as all dragons were. But unlike all dragons, she was also a descendent of the Whtie Queen Izanami. As he suspected, she really was of the stock of the original ten serpents out of the great egg. 

She was not a descendent of Mawu-Lisa. She was not a descendant of Legba.

Leaning against the table, Dofi’s vision swam. He picked up the phone and put his brother on the speed dial. Despite the desperation of the situation, his brother picked up immediately.

“Dofi! What is it? Where are you?”

“Foli… my dearest brother. I have completed the investigation of the girl.”

“What? Dofi, I told you to stop. Where are you now? What are you doing?”

“The girl is of a Lost Lineage. She is not of Legba… or Mawu-Lisa.” He coughed and felt like he was drooling uncontrollably. But when he looked down, his shirt was stained red.

“Lost lineage…?” His brother’s voice was still in his head. “Where is the girl? Where are you?”

But Dofi couldn’t speak any more.

[thevaultturtle]

I got one for you: Companions react to Sole getting so caught up in helping others they forget to take care of themselves and get proper sleep and it ends up biting them in the ass

Companions React to an Exhausted Sole Survivor Falling into Danger

Notes: First request on this blog! It’s also my first companion react post, so let me know what you think about it! 

Warnings: None. It’s just under a cut because it got a little long. 

Exhaustion wasn't something thatSole was completely unfamiliar with. They had faced it many times intheir pre-War life, especially after Shaun had been born, and becauseof that, they didn't think anything about facing it again.

Thatwas a mistake.

Inmost cases, exhaustion wouldn't have got you killed in a pre-Warworld, but in the post-apocalyptic nuclear Wasteland, it would getyou killed in almost every scenario. Sole learned that the hard way.

Afterlearning the truth about Shaun and the Institute, helping people wasone of the few things that kept Sole going in the new, unforgivingworld that they found themselves in, and they dedicated their everywaking moment to it. If they had to go without food or sleep to doso, so be it, so long as they helped everyone that needed it. Soledidn't necessarily consider themselves a hero, but they knew that theworld would never get better if people didn't help each other, andthey would give anything to fix the world so people could livepeacefully again.

Thiswas Sole's obsession, and although it was born from good intentions,it was still dangerous, not so much for others, but for Sole.

Ithad been days since Sole had properly slept, and as much as theytried to deny it, they were running on fumes. They were so dead seton making it to the next settlement to offer them help, that theydidn't even notice the feral Ghoul wandering out of a nearby ruinedbuilding, but it sure as hell noticed them, and before Sole knew it,they were being pushed to the ground, the feral's decaying handspoised to tear at their face.

Therewas nothing that Sole could do, and they closed their eyes, bracingfor their impending death and the eternal slumber that they wouldfall victim to, sure that nothing could save them, but then a bulletrang through the air. The feral fell dead, and Sole looked aroundthem, only to see their companion rushing over to them…

Cait

She will quickly take the feral's place, kneeling over Sole and yanking them up by the front of their shirt so they have to look her in the eyes while she yells at them.

She's pretty pissed, needless to say.

There aren't many people that Cait trusts and cares about in the world, and seeing one of those precious few nearly torn to shreds because they refused to take care of themselves will set off a righteous fury in her like nothing else could.

She's tempted to punch them for their negligence, but by some miracle, she restrains herself.

She will make them rest before setting out again, and she won't take any objections to that. Sole will sleep whether they want to or not, even if she has to indulge herself in that punch to make it happen.

Curie

"Oh! Why did you not say something?"

It's actually a bit surprising that she let Sole get to this point, because with all of her medical knowledge, Curie is no stranger to the signs of exhaustion.

Maybe Sole just hid their symptoms a little too well, but whatever the case may be, she'll be putting Sole on a bit of a lockdown for a while at the nearest bit of shelter that she can find.

She'll monitor them herself for that entire time, and she won't medically clear them for travel until she is 100% sure that something like this won't happen again.

She will also insist on giving Sole more frequent checkups for that same reason.

Danse

"I expected better from you, Soldier."

He's mostly just disappointed in Sole.

He expected them to take better care of themselves, especially while they had such an important mission (taking down the Institute) that they were so close to finishing.

He expected more from them as a member of the Brotherhood, and he hoped for more from them as a friend.

His disappointment mainly stems from his concern for their well-being, and he will put a halt to everything that they were doing until Sole rests.

He will also make them get a checkup from Cade when they return to the Prydwen, and he'll make sure that they don't budge until Cade clears them for travel again, because he refuses to let another comrade and friend die on his watch.

Deacon

He'll hide it well, but Deacon is actually really worried about Sole.

Before the feral incident, he tried to sneakily get Sole to take a break, complaining that he was tired and that he was the one who needed a break instead, but that obviously didn't work.

He was trying to spare their pride since he knew how important helping others was to them, but after the feral almost clawed their face off, the gloves will come off and he'll finally say something to them.

"Look buddy, you need a rest. You won't be able to help anyone as chewed up minced meat."

His tone will be completely serious, and that in and of itself is enough to make Sole rest for a bit.

He'll keep a close eye on them from then on out, and if Sole gets any worse, he'll bring them to Carrington, and he'd really like to avoid that, for several reasons.

Hancock

"And I thought I was tripping pretty hard."

He'll keep things jovial because he doesn't want to make Sole feel any worse than they already do, but he's undeniably worried about them.

"You need an upper, buddy?"

He won't actually give them chems, but he sure as hell will take some himself, and those chems will definitely be downers so he has an excuse to make Sole stop traveling for awhile.

The chems will conveniently last until he thinks that Sole has had enough rest, and he will repeat this performance as often as necessary until Sole starts taking care of themselves again.

MacCready

"Do you want to get ripped apart by ferals?!"

The situation hits him pretty hard at a deep level, for obvious reasons.

Mac feels like he can never truly repay Sole for what they did for Duncan, and in that split second before he took the feral out, he was afraid that he had truly and utterly failed the person who saved his son, in the exact same way that he failed Lucy.

It hit him hard, and it hurt.

He's relieved that he was able to save them in time, but he's pissed that the situation happened to begin with, so he'll berate Sole for a bit until he calms down.

He won't necessarily make Sole take a break, but he will take point on whatever it is that they're doing, regardless of any objections that Sole might have.

Nick Valentine

"Look, we can't have you sleepwalking your way through the Commonwealth."

His reaction is pretty calm, but that's not because he's any less concerned than any of the other companions.

He's worried about Sole, but he probably saw this coming a mile away.

He has strong memories of human Nick working himself to a similar point of exhaustion, so it wasn't hard for him to see this coming, and he was ready for it because of that.

He also knows how stubborn Sole can be when it comes to helping others, so he figured they'd need to learn the hard way why they had to keep taking care of themselves.

Needless to say, with his own personal lecture to go along with this hard-learned lesson, Sole will gladly take a rest before they move out again.

Old Longfellow

"You're not gonna survive out here for long if you don't rest some time, but if you want to keep goin’, I won't argue with you."

He also knows that Sole will have to learn the hard way, so he pushes them to keep going.

He thinks that this is the best time for them to learn this lesson, too, since they're already shaken up from the feral, and he also knows that they'll still be safe because he's watching their back.

He'll keep pushing them until they finally break down and can't keep going any longer.

He'll make them realize just how truly miserable they feel, and just how open they left themselves because their senses were dulled by their exhaustion, pointing out that if it hadn't been for him, the same thing would have happened again numerous times.

He'll be straight to the point with all of this, and it'll be more than enough to make Sole realize that he's right, and that they need to rest to help people to the best of their abilities.

Piper

"Take it easy, Blue! I know you're itching to help people, but you kind of have to stick around and, you know, stay alive to do that!"

She's a little exasperated that Sole put such little thought to their own wellbeing.

Like, it utterly baffles her that someone who focuses so much on every little problem that everyone else has could be so oblivious to their own ailments.

She'll tell them that, too, in a long, frustrated rant that Sole is bound to fall asleep during, and even if they don't, she'll still rant long enough that they'll have had plenty of time to unwind a little.

It's certainly not a conventional method of getting Sole to take a break, but it's undeniably effective.

Porter Gage

"Why the hell are you lookin' so weak, boss?!"

He's pretty disappointed and pissed that Sole let themselves get into such a poor position.

Weakness has a very high price in the Wasteland, especially when you're running around with raiders, and Gage would rather Sole not have to pay that price, not just for their sake, but also because he would probably have to share in that expense, as well.

He knows that he can't let something like this happen again and that Sole needs to shape up, so he'll tell them that, and he won't leave any room for argument.

He will also tell Sole that they need to stop wasting their time on helping a bunch of weak nobodies, but he knows that's a bit of a long shot. He can still try, though.

Preston Garvey

"General! Are you alright?"

Just pure concern right here.

Preston knows what Sole is going through because he's been through it himself.

He understands that unbrittled need to help others because that same need haunts him every day.

He also knows what that need can lead to.

His failure at Quincy broke him, and he almost didn't make it through that. He doesn't want Sole to go through the same thing, especially when the Commonwealth depends on them so much.

He'll practically beg them to rest, telling them that they'd never forgive themselves if they failed to help someone because they neglected to take care of themselves, and that is bound to strike an emotional chord with Sole, especially once Preston makes the connection to Quincy and his own struggles.

X6-88

"Unacceptable. We're leaving. Now."

X6 thinks that helping Wastelanders is a waste of time anyway, so he will have no issue relaying Sole back to the Institute at the first sign that there's something wrong with them.

Looking out for Sole is his priority, his mission, and he won't fail in that mission, no matter how much Sole argues against it.

Strong

"Hmph. Human weak. Never find Milk of Human Kindness like this."

Strong is on his own mission and he won't let a little bit of exhaustion get in the way of that.

If Sole can't keep going to do what they need to do and to help him with that mission, then he'll just carry them so they have to help him anyway.

Sole might as well just catch some sleep while he does that.

Ada & Codsworth

Ada: "Sir/Ma'am! I cannot advise that you go any further."

Codsworth: "Oh, Sir/Mum, I do wish that you would get some rest! I'm worried that you won't make it home at this rate!"

These two have pretty similar reactions, in that they will voice their concerns, but they won't actually do much to stop Sole if they want to keep going since they both have an inherent desire to serve and follow orders. 

However, with how often they voice this concern (especially Codsworth), Sole will probably rest just to get them to stop. 

[hunters-of-the-wastes]

Pigeons, often known as rock doves, are gentle, plump, small-billed birds with a skin saddle (cere) between the bill and forehead, that live commonly within human settlements, eating the remains of food, specially bread and grain, left behind by the city inhabitants. Pigeons are often domesticated by people and as a result Coops can often be found in front of certain homes within a settlement and NPCs can often be seen feeding them and their irradiated variations.

But did you know that in certain parts of New America, hurting a pigeon in certain Settlements is actually considered a crime?

The utility of the pigeon as a messenger bird, was re-discovered by many civilizations dotted across New America, most recently within the Free-States surrounding Boston. This is because with good weather and wind on their side, a healthy strong pigeon, is known for its ability to find its way home over extremely long distances, and can carry a note as much as 800 miles in a day.

Because of their natural homing abilities, the pigeons were transported to a destination in cages, where they would be attached with messages, then the pigeon would naturally fly back to its home where the recipient could read the message. Pigeons are also easy to train to fly from one place to another by associating each place with food, or indeed a home base while they travel, and have never been known to get lost if they have imprinted on a location. As a result most cities have vast rookeries with pigeons linked from their home and some place throughout the known world.

In addition to this, They are often fitted with backpacks or leg braces to deliver messages and armor on their necks and heads to protect them from hawk or other predatory bird attacks. Even with the advent of wireless communication and radio’s, in certain particular applications pigeons provide the only method of communication- the diligence, endurance, and utility of these birds has them held in extremely high esteem in many locations, much like how it was back in the old days when they were considered companions and friend’s and not abandoned to the cities where they would soon be deemed a nuisance or Street Rats and loathed by the populations.

Because of this renewing of old relations, to kill or brutalize one of these birds is strictly considered to be taboo, and even considered a war crime in certain places, as most pigeons will carry notes regarding the surrender or declaration of war, or the death of someone of High Esteem.

However despite their usefulness they are often plagued with stiff competition by other birds when it comes to who is the best messenger, with one such bird being the Crow.

Curious birds with exuberant black plumage, Crows are docile and fearless animals, enjoying much like the pigeon living close to human civilizations, for their own benefit, feeding on leftovers leftover by their inhabitants. These bird’s have coexisted with humanity for thousands of years; being plentiful in some areas in pre-war times, that humans regarded them once as pests. Often animal’s with a preference for the cloudy cold climates, they are often found populating mainly the cities at the north of New America, building their nests, and resting, on roofs and other tall structures. They also populate fog-filled marshes, in search of food, especially any eventual carcass, be it animal or person.

These avian’s have an omnivorous diet, which contributes to their evolutionary success as a species. They can be immensely opportunistic and versatile when looking for sources of food - feeding on insects, carrion, berries, cereal grains, small animals, food waste, and fruit. These bird’s are also incredibly intelligent, which can be seen thanks to some very notable feats of problem-solving. In New America, Crow seem to have survived the nuclear conflict mostly untouched by the twisted and mutating effects of radiation, carrying on with their lives as usual - only presumably with much more carrion to choose from.

In spite of their increased survival against the odds, during the reign of the institute, the crow population around the Boston Commonwealth saw a substantial drop in it’s numbers. This was because of discriminate culling by the residents in the fear that any or all crow’s were “watchers”, synthetic animals made by the institute to spy on the surface world.

As a result, even year’s after the destruction of the institute, Crow’s are still very untrusted animals around certain parts of the Commonwealth, often finding themselves poisoned or shot on numerous occasions. Despite this however, the crow still stands as a subject of much of the art, literature, folklore, and mythology throughout much of the land’s surrounding Boston.

Despite them not being as protected as Carrier Pigeons, with their Intelligence, and loyalty and ability to be domesticated, there has often been debate on whether or not they make better messenger birds then Carrier Pigeons, despite the fact Carrier pigeons are more widely used then Crow’s are, with only a select few area's using Crows as carrier animals.

[tazzytypes]

Apocalypse: Sanctuary - Prologue

Read on AO3 or read more chapters on the master post!

Hope ya’ll enjoy this! Uploaded it a thousand times because for some reason it wasn’t showing up in the tags. Keep in mind this is a slow burn so the first few chapters will just be setting up the story... there will be a LOT more to come. A LOT.

If you can reblog and/or give this a like. Haven’t posted my writing online in a long, long time and we authors are thirsty for readers opinions.

Fists banged against the glass shield that had settled into place before her, knuckles white as paper. She might have been crying. Honestly, she felt detached from her own body — a ghost. All she could hear was the overwhelming silence of whatever room she had been thrown into and the echo of her fists hitting the glass.

“What about you?” She screamed at the person who stood on the other side of the glass, voice cracking and trembling, “You’re going to die!”

The world was shifting around her, head light and heart pounding. She stared at the man before her, dressed to the nines in a black suit. At first, she had been angry at him, viewed him as the enemy. What was she supposed to think? He and a SWAT team had barged into her home and thrown her into the back of an armored car.

How things could change in the matter of a day.

“You’ll find the things you’ve requested in your assigned room,” He told her, voice even and calm. The only sign of fear was in the bead of sweat falling down a dark brow. “Should the others not reach you, you have enough food to last you for at least twenty years or more.”

Panic set in, she began gasping. The man had been her handler for the past day. He hadn’t given her his name.

“Complimentary,” he had said. He liked that word a lot. She was only given the vaguest idea of why she was here. The world was ending. Revelations had come and Emily was one of the chosen few to survive.

When he looked upon her, he felt pity. Pulled from the east coast to the west, their only option was to transport her directly to the bunker. His pity could only go so far… she got to live, after all.

He continued as calmly as one could when faced with immediate and horrible death, “The bunker is designed to withstand 2,000 feet of impact and could withstand the heat of the sun should things not go according to plan.”

This all felt like a dream. Nuclear war… of course, it would be nuclear war. Anger was set ablaze in her belly. Those men at the seats of power. The corrupt scum that saw dollar signs and their own pride before they saw people. Selfish, irredeemable—

A thick metal door began to close on top of the glass one that separated her from her companion. It eclipsed the only light she had from the outside world.

“No,” She begged, choking on the frog in her throat, “no, no, no, no, no, no—”

She yelped as a blast of air hit her from behind, hands going over her head as she quickly curled into a ball. When she finally looked up she could only see a sliver of light. Her eyes nearly bulged from her head as the clear afternoon sky was taken up in colors of red and orange. It looked like blood was striking into her prison. It was but an instant, but it would be burned into her mind until the day she died.

Then her world was cast into shadow.

Trembling and sniveling, Emily pulled out her phone. Pushing short and curly brown hair out of her eyes, she turned it on and cast it upon the room she was in. It was small and square with dark wood walls.

On hands and knees, she began searching. The man had pressed something into her hands before pushing her in here, causing her to stumble and drop whatever it was in the process. It wasn’t a hard or long search, finding it in the matter of a few seconds. A piece of paper had fluttered to the corner of the room, in pen there was a hastily written script which was slightly smudged.

“Room 6” it read, accompanied by an iron key taped below.

Carefully, she took the paper in her hand and flipped it over, doing her best to keep the light steady enough to see. A picture of a sunny day was on the other side, blue skies with clouds that reminded her of those she had seen in oil paintings. The light shook even more as a low whine left her mouth, hot, salty tears falling down her face. Sobs turned into screams, partly out of fear and partly out of rage but either way deafening. The way the walls were formed made it sound like a hundred people were screaming into her ear but she couldn’t stop. It felt like her body was caving into itself, back arching as she curled against the floor wishing for it all to be a dream. She wanted to ram her head into the floor until she was forced to wake up.

Finally, her voice went raw and she couldn’t cry another tear. Everything was numb and heavy. Slowly, she rose to her feet, pocketing the picture and casting the light onto the rest of her surroundings. On one half of the room sat a control pad with numbers and familiar symbols — elevator keys. There were only a few floors to choose from, three or four. She pressed a level with a star etched beside it.

It didn’t light up, didn’t make a sound. Part of her was afraid it was busted and she’d spend the rest of her life in this small chamber like a vestal virgin sentenced to death to retain the balance.

“Damnit!” she muttered, slamming a fist into the wall.

“Damnit!” She shouted, voice like an old crone as she kicked out in frustration. The elevator lurched, making her fall back and land painfully on her back with a grunt. She could hear mechanical whirring under her ear. Another lurch caused her to sit up and brace herself for a quick descent down a shaft possibly a mile deep. Instead, she was surprised by a slow descent.

It felt like a horror movie, but after being kidnapped and watching the world end right before her eyes she had grown accustomed to the feeling. Didn’t convince her heart to stop pounding in her ears, however… or her palms from being covered in a cold sweat. Why couldn’t they at least install lights?

She emerged at the bottom floor with caution and with her light hidden away. Just because that man said she was welcome didn’t mean she was. That’s how cults worked, right? What if she was a doomsday sacrifice? Or was it more like Cloverfield Lane?

Hands out to feel for her surroundings, Emily turned her head this way and that to listen for any sounds of life. The silence, as before, was deafening. Her ears couldn’t stand it, ringing ever slightly in revolt.

Once she was certain of her solitude, she once again turned on the flashlight on her phone. It was an underground mansion with innumerable hallways and elaborate stairwells one would expect to see in a movie. She couldn’t even begin to wonder where room 6 was. It took all her brainpower to remember how to get back to the elevator. Every step brought her further and further into an unending maze.

A rumbling beneath her feet made her pause. Were the bombs really that close? Would the walls cave in around her? She pushed herself forward until another, more intense shaking made her stop. Her body vibrated with anxiety and it took all her control not to fall into a panic attack.

“Keep moving,” she told herself, a mantra to get her to focus on anything other than what was happening up above and keep her legs from turning to stone, “keep moving.”

Another shake, strong enough to make her curl up on the floor with her hands over her head, made dust fall from the ceiling and bits of paint to the floor in front of her. Panic rose in her belly and she covered her mouth to keep herself from being sick. A chime made her yelp, her phone buzzing in her hand. Then another chime, then another. Her phone sounded like it was screaming, multiple chimes and dings echoing through the halls.

Something had returned the signal to her phone, but when she looked at her lock screen she really wished it hadn’t. Final messages poured in from her friends — shock, followed by fear and finally resignation. She cried as she got messages from people she hadn’t heard from in years, apologizing for wrongs and reminding her of their love. A message popped up saying her voice-mail was full, asking her if it wanted to play what she missed.

Emily threw her phone to the side as the messages began to play, not even realizing she had hit the button to do so. There was screaming, there was crying, there was begging for salvation. She couldn’t stand it, hands going to cover her ears to block out the world. The earth shook again and again, bombs falling somewhere above her head. All those people-- all the people she cared about were gone.

“It’s not real,” She muttered, voice catching as she rocked back and forth, “it’s not— it can’t—”

The worst part of this wasn’t that everything was gone. It was that she was alone.

[cyberbenb]

Biden: No real prospect of Putin using nuclear weapons

U.S. President Joe Biden said on July 13 that there is no real prospect of Russian dictator Vladimir Putin using nuclear weapons against Ukraine or the West.

“Not only the West, but China and the rest of the world have said: don’t go there,” Biden said at a press conference in Helsinki with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö.

The U.S. president was commenting on the likelihood of a nuclear strike due to growing disarray among the Russian leadership, particularly following the Wagner Group rebellion on June 23-24.

As the West is ramping up military support for Ukraine, Russian officials are responding with open or veiled nuclear threats against Kyiv and its partners.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the provision of the U.S.-made F-16 fighter jets will be treated by the Kremlin as a “nuclear threat,” as these aircraft are capable of carrying nuclear warheads.

Russian Security Council Deputy Chairman Dmitry Medvedev has also threatened to strike nuclear facilities in Ukraine and elsewhere in Eastern Europe and said that the increased NATO support for Ukraine could lead to World War III.

Ukraine’s officials have warned that the occupied Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant has been mined by the Russian forces in preparation for a nuclear terror attack.

Locals near Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant brace for potential disaster: ‘It would be the end of us’

Editor’s note: For this story, the Kyiv Independent talked to residents who live in Russian-occupied settlements in Zaporizhzhia Oblast. For their safety, we have changed their names. From the rooftop of his home, Anton can easily see the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant, the largest nuclear plant…

The Kyiv IndependentDaria Shulzhenko

[pinnithin-writes]

Good Jokes

Chapter 21

The portal stole their breath from them, chewing them up and spitting them out in a dark, red cavern. Tommy was up to his shins in some kind of tarlike fluid, but he was less put off by the wetness in his socks than he was by how warm it was. Pocked stalagmites reached up from the floor like long, spindly fingers and the air was thick with a humidity that made it hard to breathe. Firelight flickered overhead. It was unexpectedly quiet, save for the lapping of water around their legs as the team assembled raggedly and gained their bearings.

“Oh my gosh, this place is huge,” Gordon breathed.

The unnerving qualities of this womblike place were second to the great, crouching thing that watched them from the center of the chamber. Benrey’s arms were tucked in at odd angles, and his form rose up from the murk like a tumor. From where his wide, pallid face was resting, Tommy could see that dark fluid sloshing into the corner of his mouth.

Gordon sounded as unsettled as Tommy felt when he asked, quietly, “Is he dead?”

Sure, dead like a possum. Benrey’s eyes may have been unfocused and glassy, but Tommy wouldn’t believe for a second the creature was deceased until he personally watched his final breath leave him.

As if sensing Tommy’s thoughts, the entity’s gaze lasered in on Gordon when he took a tentative step in his direction. “Hey.”

“Hey,” Gordon responded automatically, halting in his tracks.

“I knew this was gonna happen.”

Benrey’s voice echoed off the sides of the cavern and rippled the water around their calves. Firelight flickered hot and yellow off his tractor tire irises, and Tommy had to look away.

Gordon had a bit more resolve in him, keeping nervous watch on the entity. “What?” he asked. “What do you mean you knew this was gonna happen?”

“I’m telling you - look, I’m... I like everything, I'm a great cool...” Benrey trailed off.

Tommy watched a confused glance pass between Gordon and Coomer while the entity went on.

“I feel a good, but you make me angry. Rememb-”

“Why,” Gordon interrupted, frustration edging his voice. “Because I don’t have my fucking passport? Is that what this-”

Benrey cut him off abruptly with a flash of his serrated teeth. “No. You remember? The first time we met... you wa- you walk in- I’m on my shift, and you come in, and you got a dick slip in your... in your HEV suit.”

There was a fraction of pause, an iota of processing during which the gears spun in everyone’s heads, until Tommy saw Bubby mouth the words, dick slip? and suddenly he was forced to hold in a riot of shocked laughter.

Gordon threw a glance over his shoulder at the others, astonished light dancing in his eyes. When he turned back and demanded, “What?” Tommy heard humor in his voice.

“And I tried - I tried to stop you. I tried to tell you. I was stopping you - I was going, ‘hey, yo dick out,’ but you didn’t-” he broke off, giant forehead wrinkling in consternation. “I was tryna be nice, and then you were talkin’ to my friend, J- Jefferem, and you’re telling him like, ‘Aw, I don’t have my passport…’”

As Benrey spilled more nonsense out of his mouth, Gordon turned, one hand propped on his waist, to give a “you’re hearing this, right?” look to his teammates. Dr. Coomer exhaled loudly out of his nose, shaking his head as he took this time to reload his weapon. Gordon looked to Tommy, the corners of his mouth quirked up ever so slightly and brows raised like a child asking for a dare.

The entity continued to rumble the cavern as he spoke. “And... he was so upset - he has anger issues - I was gonna protect you from him, we were - I was gonna be nice to you. Remember that?”

“Yeah,” Gordon answered, “and then you contradicted yourself almost immediately. I didn’t say shit to you, you immediately started attacking me, and you just harassed me-”

“No, that’s just my job!” Benrey huffed, eyes rolling in Gordon’s direction.

“To do what?” he demanded. “What is your job? What is this - where the fuck are we?”

Tommy was about to tell Gordon that prying answers out of the entity would be ultimately fruitless, even in possession of a crowbar, but he stopped short when he saw that the man was… smiling. Grinning outright, like he had just told a bad pun and was waiting for everyone to tell him to fuck off. This conversation was on purpose, Tommy realized, prodding Benrey to keep talking -  not to make sense of his story, but purely because its utter ridiculousness brought Gordon glee. He fought down a giggle and watched the exchange unfold.

“I - I mean,” Benrey went on, “if there’s a dick - if, y’know, someone’s dick out on the job, I gotta stop ‘em.”

“What are you on about? What?”

“But like... you don’t remember?”

“My dick has not been out all day.”

“No, no! Like... the first time we met.”

“Yeah, in fucki- before the test?”

“What test?”

Gordon exchanged a glance with his companions. “What does this have to - I don’t understand. I-”

“ Listen, ” Benrey said, and launched into an argument that Tommy could barely parse.

Deadly serious, the entity droned on about PlayStation 3, a game called Heavenly Sword, and the embarrassment of asking his coworkers for some kind of exclusive gaming membership. It was nonsensical, difficult to track, and Gordon was loving every second of it. Nearby, Coomer and Bubby were keeping a wary eye on their adversary, weapons in hand, but they were chuckling to themselves, as well.

Somehow this gigantic, horrifying creature was digging himself into a hole with every word, reducing little by little to just… an annoying guy with bad video game opinions. Benrey could immolate them on the spot, stretch out a massive hand and crush them like insects, and instead he was arguing with Gordon about the likelihood of a dick slip in the armored casing of a hazard suit. All Gordon had to do was keep him talking. Tommy felt a flood of admiration as he watched the guy ham it up with that shit eating grin on his face.

“How does that have to do with fucking anything?” he asked, punctuating every word with a gesture of his hand.

Benrey fell suddenly silent, pupils dilating like a cat out to hunt. “My friends are here,” he uttered quietly.

Gordon cut his eyes around the cavern, searching for signs of movement. “What friends?” he asked. “What is he talking about?”

Benrey’s volume rose in agitation, shaking the chamber and raining bits of gravel on their heads. “Sony CEO Jack Tretton survived a nuclear- a nuclear bomb!”

“What?” Gordon barked, taking a startled step back. “What? Should we…?” he looked to the others. “Should w-”

“Sony CEO Jack Tretton hired Nintendo CEO Reggie and they built a big bomb that was gonna go off... but I saved the world!” Benrey bellowed.

Tommy was convinced at this point that, if Benrey was ever occupying the same plane of reality the rest of them were in, he was no longer a part of it. His form began to shift and stretch, shoulders rolling and neck straining as he began to rise out of his false rigor mortis.

Though a touch of laughter remained in Gordon’s voice, he was beginning to sound alarmed. “Should we stop him?” he asked. “Should we just start shooting at him? Cause I d- it’s not gonna do-”

“No, no!” Tommy interrupted sarcastically. “Let hi - le- let him finish. We need to understand.”

Coomer let out a harsh chortle as he racked a round. “It would be rude to interrupt,” he agreed.

As Benrey continued to rise from the murk, a thin, skittering sound could be heard from the walls of the chamber. “So I didn’t - I didn’t have a big plan. I was ‘sposed to be nice, but you forced me to be baaad so I’m gonna be baaad, friend.”

Judging by the way Gordon’s eyes were skimming the area, he heard the noise, too, but laughter was still shaking his words. “How did I force you to… how did I force-?”

Benrey angled his chin toward Gordon, unimpressed with his mirth. “The big plot is slowly unraveling before our eyes,” he intoned. “Look at this.”

“Look at what?” Gordon demanded.

A horrible sound wrenched through the cavern, a sonic bass that Tommy felt deep within his chest cavity and shook the very room they stood in. The scratching grew louder and he caught flickering glimpses of skeletal hands in his periphery, reaching from the burrows that honeycombed the walls. He braced himself and raised the stock of his rifle to his shoulder.

“I don’t know what he’s saying anymore,” Gordon said, “I-”

There was a sickening rip-tear and a subsequent wave of red water rolling in their direction as Benrey hauled himself all at once to a standing position. He stared cooly down at the four of them, murderous intent clear on his face even at this distance. Fluid trickled down his form in red lines like blood. Tommy readjusted his aim.

Gordon took a couple frantic steps back, water sloshing around his legs. “What’s happening. What is happening?” he asked. “What is happening to him?”

“I can feel a change in his DNA,” Coomer answered thinly, right before Benrey became a nightmare.

His form unspooled like a helix torn in half. Flesh and bone separated, sinews snapping apart as whatever it was that made this thing Benrey released itself. The creature fanned wide, covering the space with limbs that shouldn’t function, eyes that shouldn’t be able to see, serrated and hungry. All this time it made a terrible noise, war made sound, shaking the cavern in its horror.

This wasn’t a joke anymore.

Several things happened at once. Skeletons poured from the walls, clawing and scraping toward them in a rattling wave. Gunfire exploded around Tommy as his teammates began firing - at Benrey, at the undead, at anything that moved to stave off the onslaught. The entity roared his frame-shaking bellow, and through the whirlwind of movement and all the terrible noise, the Science Team was scattered like dandelion seeds caught in a lawnmower.

Reality blurred for Tommy after that, boiling down in his brain to the pull of his trigger finger and his own heartbeat in his ears and Gordon, somewhere, frantically calling his name. Hearing it almost hurt worse than the psychic waves crashing over his body while the skeletons pursued him. He swung the stock of his rifle and shattered a stray skull as he ran.

Where did he run to? Where else was there to go but into oblivion? Panic rose in his throat as he fired off rounds and dodged the reaching fingers of the thing that once was Benrey. Distantly, he heard calls from his teammates, and then a hand locked around his wrist and he was being yanked into a portal.

Atoms scrambled, heart hammering in his throat, Tommy landed on the other side with his ears ringing, stumbling and tearing his palms open on the gravelled ground. For a second, all he could focus on was the steady beads of blood rising to the surface of his skin, hypnotic and scarlet in their mortality. But then a strong pair of hands were under his arms and Dr. Coomer hauled Tommy back to his feet. A heavy slap on the back knocked him back to reality.

Gordon, after checking that they had all made it through, swept the room with a cautious gaze as he rallied his nerves. “Are we safe?” he asked. “What is this?”

Did it matter where they were? Somewhere else in the monstrous structure that was Xen. A vesicle, an artery, the porous space inside a network of bronchioles. All Tommy could think about was how heavy his arms felt as he carried his gun. A pool of unidentifiable fluid lapped nearby, its depth unguessable.

“What the fuck is the plan?” Gordon asked them. “What do we do?” he passed a glance between Bubby and Coomer, who could only offer a collective shrug. His voice was on the verge of breaking as he went on. “I don’t know. I’m scared as shit.”

Bubby worked his jaw contemplatively. “I’m… confused,” he admitted, quiet in a humility Tommy rarely saw from him.

Dr. Coomer nodded in agreement. “I’ve never seen anything like this before, Gordon.”

Gordon turned his gaze to Tommy, who slowly shook his head. Stay alive. That was the plan right now for him. He wiped his bleeding hands off on his lab coat and said nothing.

“Okay… We know that he likes PS3… and that my dick-” he broke off to drag a hand down his face in frustration. “What the fuck? ”

“And he and his friend just got a - uh, month of PSN,” Tommy added.

“And Heavenly Sword,” Coomer agreed.

“Okay,” Gordon uttered automatically, backtracking with his brow furrowed. “I don’t kn - I’ve never played that game. Is there anything he said that’s gonna help us kill him? How do we kill this fuckin-”

“Well, he said it’s not a ripoff of God of War,” Dr. Coomer added, unhelpfully.

This somehow drew the entity’s ire, his terrible voice thundering through the chamber, source unknown. “It’s not a ripoff.”

Suddenly the walls were crawling with skeletons again and the once quiet room exploded with gunfire. As Tommy spun and popped off rounds, he distantly heard Bubby cry, “Into the water!”

His mouth was halfway open to bark wait waitwaitwaitgunsdon’tworkinwater - when there was a splash and his companions disappeared below the surface. Tommy spat out a curse and followed them.

Muffled silence pressed into his ears as he slipped into the depths. Tommy blinked against the gloom, darting his eyes around as he tread water with his rifle in one hand. There was Gordon, a furious figure filling hollow skulls with gunshot wounds. Bubby and Coomer backed him up, honing in on something dark and swirling beneath their feet. This shouldn’t be possible, shouldn’t be working in this way; physics were definitely, definitely busted here. A skeletal hand clutching at Tommy’s pant leg tore him from his thoughts and he twisted to kick it away.

Well. When in Xen. He bicycled his legs to stay afloat and started firing.

An explosion of something deep beneath them sent the water boiling, forcing the team to haul themselves to dry land while the skeletons perished around them. Tommy spluttered and coughed at the lip of the pool, limp and unresisting as someone hauled him out. Unsteadily, he found his footing as his lungs expelled water. He wiped his eyes clear of the brackish fluid and blinked them open, gaze finally focusing in on Gordon. He stood before Tommy with a steadying hand on either shoulder, space between his eyebrows creased with concern while rivulets of water ran off of him.

Tommy let out a quiet sigh and gave him a weak nod. I’m okay.

Gordon released him as soon as he was sure he could stand on his own. “Tommy, was that your passport?” he asked, chest heaving as he caught his breath.

“That was Tommy’s passport,” Bubby confirmed.

Tommy paused, brow furrowed, trying to recall ever seeing anything passport shaped in the murk. Water dripped and puddled around his shoes. “...No,” he said. How would that even make sense? A passport the size of a flatscreen, spinning in some alien pool, detonating upon impact? Seemed impossible, but so did a lot of other shit in this place.

Gordon’s eyes were alight, like he was on the edge of some conclusion. “That was your passport,” he insisted. “Is it in- it’s not in your pockets. Check your pockets. What’s going on?”

A span of silence stretched as Tommy wrestled with his exhausted brain for context. Maybe this was another physics thing, a side effect of existing on Xen. He scrubbed the side of his jaw with his fingertips in exasperation as he worked over his thoughts.

“He’s checking his pockets,” Gordon explained to the group, humor touching his voice. “He does it with his brain. With his mind.”

That was enough to surprise a light laugh out of Tommy, and when he met Gordon’s eyes, he saw that he was giving Tommy a weary smile of his own. Making jokes even now, even here, just for him. It was a balm to Tommy’s troubled soul.

“Tommy,” he prompted.

Okay, he’d humor him. Tommy slung his rifle over his shoulder and began patting the pockets of his slacks. “That was - ah- that- that wasn’t-” Hmm. Wallet, phone, keys. He checked the waterlogged pockets of his lab coat, too - old receipt, rubber band, gum wrapper - and came up empty. “Yeah, my passport’s missing,” he sighed.

“Okay!” Gordon exclaimed. “Okay, so he took our passports. And that's gotta be-”

“One by one,” Benrey interjected, disembodied voice shivering through the room.

“Oh, fuck,” Gordon hissed, freezing to check for more incoming denizens. When no threat immediately arrived, he continued hurriedly. “There’s gotta be some kinda energy field around it, and the skeletons…” he trailed off, raking his hand through his hair. “I don’t understand this. I don’t get it. But we gotta blow up the rest of those passports. We gotta put an end to this bullshit.”

He dropped his hand and looked to his team. Gordon had suspended his disbelief for the sake of taking down their enemy and was asking the others to, as well. Tommy fingered the rifle strap over his shoulder as he thought it over.

The way Gordon laid it out, this sounded vaguely like some video game thing. Benrey had pulled from Earth again to create an off-brand horcrux out of their passports, for what, spite? To fuck with Gordon? Tommy could hardly parse his motives, why he would set up an elaborate stunt like this when he could just outright kill them. What was he waiting for?

Tommy realized belatedly that three pairs of eyes were fixed on him, expectant. He sighed heavily through his nose and nodded. Okay. It was hope. The tiniest, slimmest claw of it, but it was hope. He’d try it. If Gordon was reaching for it, by god, he’d try it.

---

The subsequent three hours of Tommy’s life were some of the hardest he had to endure, and he’d lived through some pretty shitty ones in the past week. The Science Team hurried through Xen, weapons in hand, dodging skeletons and shockwaves of noise and the horrible flailing limbs of the thing that was Benrey as they sought out the other passports. All of it swirled together in a cacophony of gunshots and white noise, but Tommy knew there were things he’d see on the backs of his eyelids at night after this.

Bubby’s failed prototypes, crawling and lockjawed. Colored lines of psychic barriers, trapping him in place and squeezing the air out of him. And the skeletons. The skeletons were possibly the worst thing, because Tommy realized he recognized some of them. Nametags clipped to half-shredded uniforms told him that these were the people Benrey had killed in Black Mesa, and now they were conscripted to pursue Tommy and his friends through this nightmare. Looking at them made him sick. Shooting them made him sicker.

They eliminated Bubby’s passport. Then Coomer’s. Benrey attempted to flaunt his, and they took that one out, too. They fell back and regrouped, shaky and warweary with the blood roaring in their ears. How all four of them were still alive was a miracle. Water sloshed around their legs, thick and red.

“Gordon,” Coomer panted as they retreated from Benrey’s looming form. “We’ve got all the passports, but… You - you never had yours with you, did you?”

“No,” he ground out through gritted teeth. His legs were shaking with the effort it was taking him to stand. “It’s in the locker.”

“Bad little boy,” Benrey rumbled from across the room. The skeletons that had loped around him like a pack of wolves were gone, but he still cut a menacing image in his oversized state.

Gordon’s shoulders slumped in defeat. “He’s just waiting to kill us,” he huffed. “He’s just playing with us now. There’s no more portals.”

“No,” Bubby said suddenly.

Tommy, Coomer, and Gordon cast him curious glances.

His eyes glittered, defiant and steely, behind his glasses as he set his jaw. “I don’t accept this death,” he said with resolve. “I have a plan.”

Tommy caught on immediately. It would be putting Gordon at a huge risk, but it was likely the only chance they had. He turned to Gordon, already hating himself for the suggestion on his lips.

“Do you think you can still get your passport if you go back?”

Gordon cut his eyes over to him. “How can we go back, Tommy?”

We, he said. We, not I. Tommy dropped his gaze, unable to look at Gordon. He wanted nothing more than to follow him back to where this all started, to stand at his side and fix this mess together. The thought of sending him through alone felt like tearing out one of his own organs. He swallowed thickly and didn’t answer him. Tommy was needed here. He would stay here.

Bubby was already unholstering the weapon he’d kept stashed since they departed from Darnold’s lab. It hummed as he powered it up. “We can go back,” he said, with confidence.

“Portal gun,” Coomer exclaimed.

Gordon blinked. “So that’s what th-”

“Everyone,” Bubby cut him off. “I need space.”

Tommy and Dr. Coomer exchanged a glance before retreating to a safe distance behind Bubby. Coomer raised his rifle and locked the sight on Benrey in a warning. The entity stayed put, tracking them with his big yellow eyes.

“This’ll be a little trippy,” Bubby warned. “It’ll be a little fucked up. But we’re going to have to take you back to the past.”

“Send me back, Bubby,” Gordon said, bracing himself.

Coomer didn’t take his eye away from the scope as he offered a final, “Godspeed, Gordon.”

“Alright, one last warp,” he sighed. He tossed a disdainful look over his shoulder at the entity. “Later, Benrey,” he growled.

“Peace,” Benrey sneered at a distance, grinning like a wolf.

Tommy raised his rifle to provide suppressing fire with Coomer while Bubby pulled the trigger. There was a discordant snap to his reality that left his ears ringing as a flashfire of green billowed out. He flicked a final look at Gordon, met his eyes just before he blinked out.

The man smiled, determined and lovely, as he disappeared.

Chapter 20 <-----> Chapter 22

[kinetic-elaboration]

September 13: 1x14 Balance of Terror

A little late this week because Friday didn’t work out but here I am with my liveblog (ish) of Balance of Terror.

This is the one that starts off with Kirk officiating a wedding, which is adorable. He loves this part of his job. He loves love so much!

Also they’re going to broadcast this important event through the whole ship. And Scotty is walking the bride down the aisle, which is so on point for him.

Sulu, shut up. Kirk’s busy officiating here. He broke out the romantic lighting on his eyes and everything.

The Earth-Romulan War, over a century ago. That’s a long time. Interesting that it wasn’t a Federation war, although Spock mentions allies. Either that was pre-Federation within canon, or pre-Federation in the writing of Star Trek, or if it really was just an Earth war. Were Vulcans allies?

I’m just....... eternally fascinated by Romulans. It fascinates me too that this whole history is ALSO the background to the Kelvin attack in AOS, which is 35ish years before this. So at the time, the Romulan war had happened, but Earth didn’t know what Romulans looked like, and then one shows up on this big-ass ship and just destroys a Federation vessel for no reason. It’s not even clear if they knew Nero was a Romulan if I remember correctly. Basically my point is that AOS should have done way more with this.

Also outposts on asteroids.

This engaged couple is adorable.

A space vessel attacked your outpost? A space vessel? In space? How could it be??

Spock’s make up on point as usual.

Time to screen share.

“Their invisibility screen must work both ways.”

Kirk is so smart and has such a great command presence. I love him.

Today’s one allotted use of Kirk’s first name by Spock: “The exact heading a Romulan vessel would take JIM.”

I mean it was obviously a Romulan attack lol. I know from the last ep Kirk really likes to be sure of stuff but who else could it possibly be??

Stiles suggests there could be Romulan spies on the Enterprise, for reasons I missed because I was busy thinking about how he was dumb. I respect Kirk for listening to his men when they’re being smart but on further reflection... how the heck would Romulan spies get on a Federation ship?? Also nothing ever came of this so...

Dun dun dun, big reveal! Everyone’s so shocked and Spock is like initially surprised and then faintly resigned. “I know how this is gonna go... brace for racism.”

Alternately: “...Dad?”

Yeah, Kirk, shoot down that bigotry on the bridge. “I said I’m sure you’re complimenting my husband on his decoding abilities, RIGHT?”

Spock probably could decode the message though.

...Thinking about it now, did they ever decode the message? Or was it just important for like figuring out where the ship was or that it still existed even though invisible or whatever?

Cry me a river about wanting to go home, Romulan Commander, you were the one who crossed into Federation territory and attacked outposts for no reason lol. “I can’t believe our acts of war are going to lead to war.”

He’s like Romulan Pike. So world weary and dramatic. “Danger and I are old companions.”

Stiles is all like “well Spock’s an expert on Romulans” but he’s not an expert? He’s just making up what he knows about them based on very old Vulcan history.

I know later “canon” killed this theory but I took Spock’s reference to Vulcan’s colonizing past as him guessing that perhaps Vulcan colonized a planet and then forgot about it, and those colonists missed out on the Surakian revolution. And I find this pretty hilarious so I’m just gonna stick to it.

Romulan Commander would not get along well with Nero. Here he is waxing all poetic and stuff. Bet he’s never met a miner in his life.

Kirk’s profile when he’s looking down... you can see why CPine was a good choice to reboot him.

Lol random Janice Rand. Just here to hug Kirk since Spock is too busy being on the floor.

What the heck was that with Spock and Stiles? He just shows up at the navigator’s station like “Hey. I dare you to be racist right now.”

People who don’t like Kirk need to watch this ep, along with the Corbomite Maneuver. His gravitas, his sense of command.

RIP Centurion.

The Romulan Commander is so “oh woe is me, I am so far from home, I only wish to see my familiar stars again” but BITCH you left home! You attacked people for no reason!

Enterprise after dark.

Kirk just lying around, looking handsome. Resting handsomely.

Taking out Chris Pine’s tiny violin while Kirk whines about command.

When McCoy started in on his speech, my mom was like “McCoy has been drinking” and honestly......lol and she’s probably not wrong. He’s still being sweet though.

Spock what the hell man. Stop being so awkward and clumsy, bitch.

“He reads the thoughts in my brain.”

Woah forgot the part of this where they blow up a literal nuclear warhead.

Sulu’s into this Navigator Uhura thing. Real step up from Stiles.

Commander’s so fed up with this Decius bitch.

Spock runs like a dork, too. Still there to save the day and Stiles’s ass though!

Firing the phasers isn’t very pacifist of him.

“In a different reality, I could have called you a friend.” They should have rebooted him, and had him meet CPine’s Kirk.

No, not Tomlinson!!

The irony of the groom dying is the part I remember from this ep, that Kirk did a good job, destroyed his enemy, avoided the neutral zone, and got away with only one casualty--but that casualty was the man who was about to get married--but the actual literal ending is bizarre. “There there, crewman... okay time to get back to work.”

Then striding through the halls alone.

I love this episode and it holds up, although I sometimes missed the finer points of their maneuvering. I think this is partly because there’s a lot of technical stuff going on along with a lot of other stuff in the span of less than an hour and partly because this is SUPER space Navy, like one of the straight up Naviest episodes they ever did, and Naval battle narratives is not a genre I’m super familiar with.

There is way more to unpack here than I am really up for lol. First, while I love Kirk and Kirk-centric eps and the whole ‘he and the Commander are so similar they basically have a telepathic connection’ stuff... there’s a lot of barely touched upon Spock stuff here. My mom and I are disagreeing about how much he knew. She thinks he did know what Romulans look like, or that at the very least some Vulcans, like important Vulcans (and we know Spock is important) would have to know, because the whole concept of katras makes it impossible for them as a people to really forget anything. But I think it’s more interesting, and more in keeping with what this episode implies, if Spock specifically did not know. So this is a big reveal for him. And then in addition to dealing with Stiles’s shit, he has to assimilate that an Earth/Federation enemy is a relative of his people. And it’s a glimpse into the pre-Reform era, which you know even Vulcans have gotta be fascinated by. AND his positions in this episode are just... not super pacifist. Like the stuff he has to advocate, and actively do, like in firing the phasers and so on, is exactly what his dad warned him about when he was like ‘hey I’m gonna join the military, peace out.’ Then there’s the added wrinkle that the Romulans probably also don’t know what the Vulcans look like and Spock is conveniently never around for the Romulan Commander to see him. Not that he could take the info back with him, but they never have any confrontation even between them. So that’s a lot right there.

If this were a S2 or S3 ep, it would have been Spock-centric.

Literally can’t believe there were only 2 Romulan centric eps in the whole of TOS lol. Major missed opportunity there.

Next ep (hopefully this Friday!) is Shore Leave. In which McCoy has 3 ladies and Kirk has a homoerotic wrestle in the dirt with a man and somehow everyone still thinks he’s the space slut.

[annabethfuckingchase]

The Princess and the Half Bloods

It was eleven at night when the music started floating into Annabeth’s open window.

Fast-paced and loud, the punk music seemed to flow directly into her already throbbing head. Writing a four page paper on the demographics of the Confederate army during the Civil War this late at night will do that to you, especially when you have dyslexia. The cool, fresh air from the window was the only thing keeping her sane right now.

But the consistent beat and the screaming of the lyrics by the boy next door were working hard to undo all the relaxing that the night breeze was doing for her. There was no way she could focus on her work with all that noise not ten feet away from her. She kept her legs crossed under her laptop but let the top half of her body flop backwards on her bed, burying her head in her pillows. There was no doubt in her mind how the conversation was going to go, but she really needed to get this paper done.

Sighing, she sat back up and unfolded her legs, going over to the window. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, back to her, belting out the song and playing along with his guitar. He was singing and playing in a different key than the song, weaving his own sound into it. He was good, very good. Not that Annabeth would ever admit that to him. Especially when his window was wide open and that sound was keeping her from her work.

“Percy,” she called, leaning out part way out of the window. He didn’t hear her. She tried again. “Percy!” Nothing. She leaned out as far as she could without falling and yelled, “Perseus Jackson!” He hated his full name.

It worked. He looked behind him, frowning. He seemed annoyed to see her, which was fine as she was constantly annoyed to see him. 

'What?’ He approached his window and called over the music, 'What do you want?’

“Can you turn that music off? Or at least turn it down?”

“I can’t, I’m practicing. Besides, this is a great song!” he shouted to be heard.

“Well I have to write a paper and I can’t focus with it so loud. I have to get it done tonight because tomorrow is the football game and-” she started to explain, but he cut her off.

“Why don’t you just shut your window, then?” he rolled his eyes and started to turn from the window.

Annabeth could’ve tried explaining about the calming effect the open window had on her, but she suspected that wouldn’t get her very far. Though to be fair, the route she chose didn’t get her very far either. “Why don’t you?” she shot back. “It’s eleven PM, you shouldn’t be playing it that loud anyway. Some people are trying to sleep. What about your mom?”

He faced her again. “What is your problem tonight?” he asked exasperatedly.

“What yours?” she demanded. She was starting to get frustrated. “I’m just trying to write a paper. You don’t see me screeching at all hours of the night when you’re trying to do your homework. If you ever did any, that is.”

“You are my problem! My practicing is every bit as important as your paper.”

“How is your hobby as important as work I need to do for a class?”

“Just close your window! It’s not like the whole world is subject to your personal rules!” He was nearly screaming at her now, and she wasn’t sure if it was to be heard over the music or because he was growing increasingly upset.

“It’s not even a personal rule! It’s being polite! I have to do this work because I’m a productive member of society. You aren’t. You sit there, playing in your little band, not even making an effort to get out of your garage, not doing anything in school, not preparing for life at all! What are you going to do, Percy? Because you’re going nowhere fast!” Something that looked like hurt flashed in his eyes, but Annabeth blinked and it was gone, so fleeting it might not have been there at all.

They had both been leaning out of their respective windows, hands braced on the sills to keep from leaning out too far, but now Percy lifted one hand towards her, middle finger extended. “Sit and spin, Princess,” he snarled.

Annabeth growled and slammed her window closed, the glass shivering from the force. Percy slammed his right after, despite the fact that he had technically won the argument when she had closed hers. Idiot. She flounced onto her bed and crossed her arms angrily, glaring at her unfinished homework. She stayed in that position until her father came knocking to check on her.

“Hey. What was all that noise?” he asked, looking around for the damage.

“Me,” Annabeth responded curtly.

Her dad rolled his eyes. “Thanks, but I’d figured that out myself, funnily enough.”

She sighed. “It was the window. I slammed it.”

“Why?”

“Percy Jackson is a problem.”

He chuckled and leaned against her door jamb. “You two used to be so close. Couldn’t separate you for anything. Why do you have to go picking fights with him now?”

“I don’t!” Annabeth cried indignantly. She flung her finger toward the window. “He purposely antagonizes me.”

She glanced over into Percy’s room, where she could see that he was in the same predicament. Sally, his mother, had come to see what had happened and the conversation seemed to be going exactly the same as Annabeth’s, down to the finger pointing through the window at her. She quickly put her hand down.

“Okay, kid, whatever you say. Just keep it down and try not to break anything,” her father said, turning back to his home office.

“I’ll break him and his stupid speakers,” she muttered under her breath. She looked at her mostly finished paper and sighed. It’d be fine for tonight, she could do it in the morning. Coffee and quiet were what she needed now.

In the Chase household, there was nearly always a fresh pot of coffee either made or brewing. She wanted to stomp the whole way, but instead Annabeth crept into the kitchen, wary of her father’s warning and her stepbrothers sleeping. She returned a few minutes later with a steaming mug, holding it closely with both hands.

As soon as the door was closed, she locked it and went to her closet, pulling up the little rug that decorated the floor. A little square, two feet by two feet, lay underneath. A little indentation just big enough for her fingers was carved out as a handle and she pulled it up. Hidden there was a vertical tunnel that went down for a while, ending well below ground. A rusty old ladder was attached to one of the walls, and Annabeth slid herself into the tunnel until her feet rested on one of the rungs. She carefully lowered herself down with one hand on the ladder and her back braced against the opposite wall, desperately trying not to spill her coffee.

She reached the bottom- without spilling a drop of coffee she noted smugly- and walked down the hallway to the metal door at the end. There had been a handle on it once, on both doors, that wouldn’t unlock without a key but Sally had taken them off long ago so the kids could play in the bunker beyond.

The Jackson’s and the Chase’s had been close as far back as anybody could remember. Her great- times whatever- grandfather and Percy’s great- times whatever- grandfather had built these houses themselves over a hundred and fifty years ago. During the Cold War, Annabeth and Percy’s grandparents had built the bunker together, preparing for the possibility of a nuclear war. When Percy and Annabeth were five, their parents had shown them the bunker and allowed them to turn it into their private fortress, complete with an arsenal of nerf guns and makeshift nuclear missiles for playing war and some old furniture that was no longer needed in the houses above. The toy weapons still sat collecting dust in a toy box in the corner.

It had been years since Percy Jackson and Annabeth Chase had been friends. It started as a normal drifting apart, as friends do. It hadn’t turned openly hostile until Annabeth had started dating Luke in the eighth grade. He was a senior in high school at the time, and Percy had said one day that it was inappropriate. He was right, of course, but she hadn’t seen it that way at the time. She’d accused him of being jealous and things had spiralled from there.

The funny part was that Annabeth had actually been the jealous one, when he started dating Rachel. Or maybe it wasn’t actually all that funny.

Annabeth sat down on the torn up couch with her feet curled under her and sipped on her coffee as she got lost the past. She had come for some quiet, and she had certainly gotten it. It was almost too much. The silence was ringing in her ears.

She leaned over and turned on the old CD player that sat on the little table next to the couch. A song was just ending and ‘She’ started to blast out from the speakers, way too loud, but it didn’t really matter now that she wasn’t writing. Annabeth leaned her head back on the armrest, closed her eyes, and began singing along.

“She, she screams in silence, a sullen riot penetrating through her mind.”

“Waiting for a sign, to smash the silence with the brick of self-control.”

Annabeth shot up from her relaxed position, a little bit of her coffee sloshing out of the mug and landing on the concrete floor. She hadn’t even heard Percy come in through the door that led to his own room. She narrowed her eyes but still sang the next line. “Are you locked up in a world that’s been planned out for you?”

“Are you feeling like a social tool without a use?”

“Scream at me until my ears bleed!”

“I’m taking heed just for you.” Percy came over and lowered the volume on the CD player before sitting on the opposite end of the couch. “I didn’t know you liked that kind of music.

She scowled but answered quietly, “No, I suppose you wouldn’t. What are you doing down here?”

“I come down here a lot at night, actually,” he replied at the same volume.

Annabeth rolled her eyes and spoke in a normal voice. “Yeah, I know.”

“Really?” he asked, surprised. “How?”

Annabeth gestured to the CD player. “You change the cd every couple days.” Then she pointed to the corner, where a recliner sat. “Sometimes you leave your jacket on the chair when you fall asleep in here. Which I know you do because I’ve walked in on you crashed on the couch. I come in here in the mornings.”

Percy nodded. “I know. You leave coffee cups.”

Annabeth raised her eyebrows. She hadn’t realized Percy ever noticed her early morning escapes. He’d never mentioned it. Then again, she’d never said anything about him coming down here either.

“But what are you doing down here now? I thought you were listening to music in your room,” she pushed, looking up at him and hating that she had to look up. For most of their childhood, she’d been taller. Only in the last couple years had he hit a series of growth spurts that put him above her.

“And I thought you were writing a paper in yours,” he countered. “I came to just… get away for a little while.”

She nodded slowly. “Yeah, me too.”

“I’m sorry. About what I said earlier, “ he said nervously after a long pause, picking at a frayed part of the couch. “The, you know, sitting and spinning part.”

“Yes, thank you for clarifying.” A small smile lifted her face and he returned it. “And I’m sorry about what I said about your future. You didn’t deserve that.”

“Don’t be,” he sighed. “You were right. We’re never getting out of Jason’s garage.”

“You just need to start playing some small gigs first. Parties, bars, that sort of thing. Maybe get some recording time and make a demo to hand out to people. You’re… actually very good,” she forced out.

Percy’s smile grew. “You think I’m good?”

“When you aren’t interrupting my schoolwork, you definitely are. I haven’t heard the rest of your band but if they’re half as good as when you were playing earlier, I’m sure you could get anywhere you want to go.”

“Thanks, Annabeth.” He put his hand over hers on her knee and stared off in the distance, thinking. She didn’t move her hand and neither did he. “We have recorded a demo, actually. Christmas gift from Jason’s mom. But we don’t really have any recording execs to give it to. We mostly hand them out for free to anybody that seems interested. Which is mostly just family and some friends. Grover and his girlfriend Juniper are probably our biggest fans.”

Annabeth looked at him, contemplating for a moment. Then she looked down at her lap. “Look, I don’t know if this will help much, but The Big House is a kind of bar slash music venue in the city. Sometimes industry execs hang out there, looking for new bands to sign.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard of it,” Percy said. He still hadn’t taken his hand back and it was warm where it touched hers.

“Well, I kind of know the owner. Actually, I work there semi regularly. I could set something up for you. And maybe we could start selling your CDs. You know, assuming you guys are any good,” she offered, throwing in the barb in case she was getting too friendly with him. He didn’t answer for a minute and she glanced back up at him. He was staring at her, mouth slightly agape. “What?”

“You’d do that? Really?” He looked like he couldn’t believe she’d do something kind for him. Which, she mused, shouldn’t have surprised her. It had been a long time since she and Percy had been kind to each other. 

“Well sure. It’s a win-win.” She took her hand back and put on a haughty air, conscious of Rachel. She probably shouldn’t be holding hands with another girl’s boyfriend, even if it was warm and comfortable, familiar. She shook her head to clear it. “You get to play for other people and maybe one day get signed, and Chiron- the owner- loves me for bringing him new talent that might bring in more customers. If you’re willing to play regularly, that is.”

It took him a minute to formulate an answer but then he was enthusiastically babbling. “Yes, yes, of course. We’d love to play there regularly. I mean I’d have to talk it over with the band, but I’m positive they’ll be in. And that’s such a good idea, selling the CDs there. I just- thank you.” She found herself wrapped up in Percy’s arms, getting squeezed just slightly too hard. “Thank you so much.”

“Any time, Percy,” Annabeth laughed when he let up enough for her to breathe.

He pulled back and it was his turn to contemplate her. “Really? You mean that?”

“Yeah, sure. Why not, right?” she shrugged, a smile still on her face.

“Well then, you’re hired.”

“What?”

“You’re hired. You’re going to get us a gig and a place to sell our demo, you more than deserve it,” he grinned. 

Annabeth paused for a moment, considering. “Yeah, I could do that. Actually, I’d be great at that.”

“Don’t I know it. Looks like we’re going somewhere after all, Princess.”

[des-shinta]

Access Flash!  On Gridman and it’s new anime.

  So Tsuburaya Productions recently branched out into the realm of anime with this collaboration with Studio Trigger.  And for those who haven’t been following, it’s with a series you 90′s kids might recognize.

The name Tsuburaya should need no introduction if you’re in the Tokusatsu or giant monster(Kaiju) Fandoms, but for those unfamiliar; Eiji Tsuburaya is the special effects wizard responsible for all the effects in the original Godzilla.  A Life-long fan of scale models and recreating the world in realistic miniature, he is in many respects considered the Japanese Counterpart of Legendary filmmaker Ray Harryhausen.  In example of his amazing talent and attention to detail, he was consigned during world war Two to make propaganda films of the Japanese military winning in engagements across the pacific and the productions for the time were paid so much attention to detail that no-one at the time was able to tell that they were fakes. He got a lot of flack for that after the war ended, and was barred from filmmaking in Japan for several years.

His company, Tsuburaya Productions has carried that fortitude for effects and quality storytelling with it throughout the decades.  Since 1966, their primary product has been the “Ultra Series” Franchise, Primarily focused in The titular Ultraman of the entry, and their adventures.

The franchise focuses on benevolent Giants from the M78 Nebula (though some originate from elsewhere as there’s actually an Ultra-multiverse) who act as troubleshooters for random giant monster calamities; bonding to specified hosts (or on occasion take human form themselves) to conserve their own powers while away from their own homeland; allowing the chosen humans to utilize their powers to defend their home and what’s precious to them.  The downside of the Ultra’s is that in planetary environments they can only use their immense powers for approximately 3 Minutes before they need to rest, as their powers are garnered from light energy given off by stars, who’s rays aren’t intense enough to sustain them in-atmosphere.

The currently running series, Ultraman R/B is actually really good, and has a lot to say on the subject of caustic fans who miss the point of the merits of a series due to only caring about the action/spectacle of a fight and adherence to Tropes, and not understanding what a hero may actually be fighting For.  While that might initially read poorly to some people as it attacking fandom (as a certain other current toku series does every week)--and that not helped by words from the Head of Tsuburaya from before R/B debuted--it’s more focused in social commentary refuting the Idea that the genre is message-less nonsense, and wants people to actually put thought into what being a true “Ally of Justice” means; Doing the right thing.  Links to 3 Relevant twitter threads discussing this: 1.  2.  3. For the interested, R/B is currently being fansubbed by the group Color timer, as Tsuburaya has not had luck in getting it officially distributed as of yet.  Crunchyroll, who’d previously been getting the import library, has recently begun dropping Ultra series left-and-right in favor of other licenses, with the only ones remaining being ones they originally subbed. If you’d like some older Recommendations, Ultraseven (available from Shout Factory) is considered the best overall series, And has multiple sequels with the adventures of Seven’s Son Zero (trying to list all of Ultraman Zero’s appearances is ridiculous, as he’s mainly been the star of a long collection of movie’s), and then 2017′s Ultraman Geed (available on Crunchyroll, the movie for the series also from MCS fansubs), focused in turn on the Son/Clone of Zero’s Greatest enemy Ultraman Belial which then had Zero act as a secondary protagonist part of that series’ Ensemble. Tsuburaya however has been having something of a hard time the last several years.  The chinese Company Chaiyo, using falsified documents, laid claim to many of the showa-era (pre-1989) ultraman series and all Distribution rights to All of The related content of the franchise from Tsuburaya, preventing them from making money internationally while Chaiyo flexed those rights themselves to make them an immense sum of money.  The litigation and lawsuits basically bankrupted the company as Chaiyo argued under the technicality of having a proper authentication of their document from one of Tsuburaya’s sons that the agreement was a foregone conclusion; requiring Tsuburaya productions have an in-part buyout from company Namco Bandai to continue running.

This is why recent ultra Series (Ginga, Victory, X, Orb, Geed, R/B), have ended up being awash with collectibles; Bandai over-merchandises every thing they can get their hands on.  Previously the merch licenses resided with Takara/Tomy (transformers, zoids), and were a LOT more restrained as while Tsuburaya Pro Knew merchandising was important to the longevity of a series as an additional revenue source...the storytelling of the series would come first.  with series before this, most of the toyetic items came in the form of scale models and figures of both the title ultra’s, some roleplay items, and an assortment of assist vehicles and jets the normie humans would use in battle to support the main protagonist against the situations of the week. That monetary support however helped, and in a newer lawsuit Tsuburaya won through and prevented Chaiyo from screwing with the company again...however, the legal distribution rights for their own assets are still in legal limbo, as the latest case only allowed them to claim Dominance over north-American distribution.  which while still a significant market is still small in comparison to the rest of the world; especially with the stigma these live-actions show have in the US. to the non-converted. Really, I think that’s part of the reason why they ended up pushing a new entry of a series that Chaiyo had NOT previously been able to touch at all.

Denkou Choujin (Lightning superman, though the title is localized as Hyper Agent) Gridman was a 39-episode Tokusatsu series that ran in 1993, and more recently was imported and subtitled to completion by the US Premium channel TOKU.

It followed the adventures of Naoto Sho and his friends Yuka and Ippei as they, after encountering the titular Gridman inside of a video game they’d been developing on a kitbash computer (Junk), must assist him in defending the computer realm from the attacks of Khan Digifer (subtitles writing it as ‘Digipher’).

Yes, we know he looks like the shredder from TMNT. Both Gridman and Khan originate from the “Hyper world”, a realm comparable to cyberspace where all entities exist as living data (*cough*Digimon*Cough*), and thus can manipulate less complex data to their own ends.  With Khan’s goal being the destruction/conquest of the computer world, which would allow him to transcend digital limitations and begin his conquest of the real world, ala Code Lyoko XANA means of devastating anything electrically powered which could lead to bad ends for those involved (like, say, screwing with a nuclear power plants regulation systems).

PLOT.  POINT.

Khan’s efforts are Assisted by Takeshi Todo, A classmate of Naoto and Co who is an introverted social outcast and Victim of bullying; though Khan’s manipulations have turned him into a selfish, petty man.  Khan uses him to create the series’ monsters-of-the-week by Takeshi programming them into a homebrew game similar to the one Naoto found Gridman in, with Khan’s incentive for doing so being to allow Takeshi some catharsis from the awful things that have happened to him in his life, oblivious/not caring towards the entities deeper machinations as making homebrew monsters in his game was how he’d previously endeavored to vent his frustrations in a healthy manner...that Khan has just taken to the opposite extreme.  Though the show makes clear that Takeshi is fully an Indoctrinated thrall of Khan’s power to even allow him those indulgences so he can’t see the outstretched carrot is naught but a Stick.

To Fight Khan’s attacks, Naoto uses the transformation trinket the “Accessor” brace to Digitize himself and fuse with Gridman, With the transformation cry “ACCESS FLASH!” allowing his body to be turned to data and fuse with Gridman to upgrade his capabilities.  Yuka and Ippei likewise assisting them with the programming and transmission of weapons and vehicles/robots that add additional arsenal to Gridman’s counterattacks.

And unlike Previous tsuburaya productions, Gridman was the first to have these assist robots...actually be able to combine with the core hero.

Now, you 90′s kids in the audience might be thinking, “Hey, this all looks familiar” And you’re right.  Because the series got imported in 1994.

In response to the rise of Power Rangers Adapting the Japanese super sentai series, there was in turn an attempt to make bank on...basically doing the same thing.

Saban made SEVERAL adaptations of other tokusatsu series from toei’s library; Making VR Troopers and Beetleborgs from Toei’s “Metal heroes’ franchise”, and Saban’s masked rider from the Kamen Rider series “Black RX”.  They did not do as well as Power Rangers, primarily because they repeated many of the same mistakes MMPR made but grew out of, and lacked quality storytelling to really keep people invested. While VR Troopers and Beetleborgs To this Day have their merits and defenders...well, the only thing Worse than Saban’s Masked Rider that Saban has made, is Power Rangers (Super)Megaforce...Though some argue That Samurai, Dino Charge and Ninja Steel are very close as well. But THAT is where We Find DIC in all this.

DIC entertainment Was a Company active in the late 80′s, 90′s and 2000′s most known now-a-days for being the original distributors for Sailor moon and it’s awful original Dub, and producers for Inspector Gadget, The Real Ghostbusters,  the 90′s Sonic Cartoons, the 90′s Carmen Sandiago series, and Alienators: Evolution Continues. Those were their “good” Productions, most of the rest of their library was schlock and terrible both at the time and looked back on in hindsight.

Stargate fans do Not talk about Stargate Infinity.

But in the Power Rangers craze, DIC made two contributions to this in an attempt to cash in on the Hype. The first...is the infamously awful tattooed Teenage alien Fighters from Beverly Hills.

A Transparent ripoff if there ever was one, while many of the PR-clones of the era are accused of being ripoffs, ALL of them with exception with this show ultimately did their own things.  TTAFfBH though?  No.  On every level it’s an awful, obvious knockoff, and only True Power Rangers Ripoff. Not-so for the series we (in the round-about way I’ve taken) should actually be discussing:

Yeah...Ironically, that name was decided on to avoid hedging in on Power Ranger’s naming conventions, SSSS was originally going to be imported as PowerBoy. No, seriously.  it ended up doing the opposite, but the intention was to have no relation.

The series...actually did a lot of things right.  Co-Produced with Tsuburaya, SSSS was pretty much a direct adaptation, with the plots of the week being adjusted to an Americanized setting. culture and subplots...just with the standard campiness expected of a DIC production...and even less of a budget than Power Rangers at the time had.

A Teenage basement band calling themselves Team Samurai (though why they called themselves that escapes me, I’ve yet to get the show on DVD so am working on memories from 1994/1995 and clips on youtube), end up involved in stopping that attacks of cyberspace monsters after their lead guitarist Sam Collins (Played by Matthew Lawrence, later the sidekick to Will Friedle when he would join the cast of Boy Meets World) somehow gets zapped into his computer and endowed with the powers of Gridman’s counterpart Servo, who then take up the duty of stopping the machinations of the Escaped military AI program KiloKahn (voiced by the ever-awesome Tim Curry.  Seriously) and his Human servant Malcom Frink (basically just takeshi’s character again) as their various attacks upon any devices connected to electricity can end-up having real-world consequences...Just as they did in the original gridman series. Astoundingly, SSSS ran Longer than Gridman did, totaling in at 53 episodes; padded out with creative re-cutting of battle-footage alongside getting some test footage for a Gridman sequel that...unfortunately never got made.  It was rumored that had SSSS done better a full sequel Starring a character named Gridman Sigma would’ve been greenlit to provide more footage and story for adaptation...but sadly by 1995 and the show’s end, much of the PR Ameri-toku craze had ended, and Gridman/SSSS became a backburner to history. ...at least, until 2015

Co-Produced by Studio Trigger,  Denkou Choujin Gridman: boys invent great hero was an animated short for the japan Animator expo.  taking place 22 years after the original series (and the opening several minutes acting as a recap of it), Former villain Takeshi Todo seeks his own redemption for his past actions when Khan (or potentially a successor) re-emerges with more power; Takeshi taking the form of the blue-bodied Gridman Sigma to engage in battle with Digital kaiju that now appear to be manifesting within the real world with intentions to rewrite reality. Again, PLOT POINT. ...which thus leaves us with 2018′s recently released SSSS Gridman.

High school Freshman Yuta Hibiki awakens one Day Sans his memories, and begins to see illusions of Giant monsters in the skyline.  Finding Gridman within a Junk computer at his friend Rikka’s Home, he sets out to uncover the mystery of his lost memories, why these monsters are appearing, and what it means for his world as the kaiju begin emerging into the real world, forcing him to fight in the real world as the new Gridman. The series is written by Keiichi Hasegawa, who over the years has written more content for  Tsuburaya than any other person; Writing on Utlraman Tiga, Dyna, Gaia, Cosmos, Nexus, Mebius, Ultraseven X, and Most of the Ultraman zero content. He has also worked on Kamen Rider’s W, Fourze and Drive, The Big O, and Zoids Chaotic Century and new Century Zero. the series is being directed by Akira amemiya, previous on the series inferno Cop Already, if you’re aware of the backstory of Gridman, a few things pop out at you.  First off:

The Kaiju apperaing as phantoms before they fully emerging intro reality?  While also echoing enemies in Digimon and Rockman.exe, This is the same thing that was showcased in the ‘boys invent great hero’ short and was the endgame the heroes were trying to stop in the original series.  Thus, the same inference: Khan’s successor--

 --(called  Alexis・Kerib) has succeeded in transcending the limitations of digital existence and now is seeking to conquer and Destroy the real world.

Kerib has set himself up as a benevolent ‘genie’ to the social outcast and kaiju Fangirl Akane Shinjo, and is then proceeding to do the same thing Khan himself did with Takeshi; use her and her social issues to create his minions and monsters, realize them in the real world and devastate it while incidentally dealing with her real-life antagonists. This all conveyed through Studio trigger’s excellent visual storytelling, when Akane heads home to find it empty, and her room’s floor populated with an insane amount of bagged garbage; something no-one with actual parents in their lives would let happen.  A pseudo-social outcast with no-one to turn to; no parents in their lives to give nurture and comfort, seeking companionship through the internet as a source for what can’t be found in real-life so they can be happy, only to be manipulated by a predator for the vulnerable?

All we’re missing is a marred-up desk and suicidal thoughts to make her a Yandere version of Chigusa “Atoli” Kusaka from .hack//G.U.  Still time to do that, too. I honestly feel like there’s a Lot more to say on this character and the nuances to her portrayal thus-far that makes her character and actions work in a far better light than those who endlessly try to excuse other utterly-irredeemable people who bear similarities in their backstory.  it’s clear she’s just lashing out and kerib--like Khan--creating an environment and unhinged mental state where she thinks any slight can be wished out of existence to make her empty life better.  And people lashing out?  They can be reasoned with, talked down and reformed.  Not-so with those who would, with clear thought turn others into victims and steal from them their own lives; those who are truly abusive in their conduct towards others for petty reasons or only received retaliation in response to their own awful conduct.  And yet the reverse is often shown to be true; the irredeemable given the chances they’d wasted before and the consequences of their actions ignored or handwaved to not be applicable, while people like Akane and Takeshi are left in the dark to suffer and be punished to start the cycle anew. However...this time there’s a twist to the kaiju attacks.

The people who died in the kaiju attacks...Die Retroactively.  Whatever Kerib is doing, it allows him and Akane to in limited way rewrite reality.  in the First/Second Episode, it’s revealed that The volleyball team at Hibiki’s high school were killed in the first attack, but it was noted when Hibiki and Rikka went to school the next day that not only was the school undamaged from the previous night’s attack, no-one remembered the girls that were on the team, or a team for the sport even existing. The best way I can describe the phenomena, since Kerib is appearing to manipulate the world as if it were one gigantic computer, is The kaiju metaphorically clicked on the folder containing all information on the volleyball team, and dragged it to the recycling bin; deleting their existence as the team, and killing off the girls part of it at the point the team would’ve been formed.

And even as hibiki is the newest person to take on the identity of Gridman--

--The battles at best are ones that will only prevent more people from Dying. As we’re only two episodes into the series right now, it’s unknown if any other bystanders caught in the crossfire are also being erased, or if it’s only focused on the targets Akane points out.  We just don’t know at this point. What we do know is this series is not supposed to have a direct connection to the original, but because so much of SSSS Gridman is based upon the worst case scenario from the original, that could mean anything at this point; even the posibility that reality itself has been rewritten and is the cause of hibiki’s amnesia.

As a Studio trigger anime series though, there are some things that fans have been pointing out. First off, the names of the volleyball team victims are an amusing collection of homages: Tonkawa  Sakiru > Tonka and Cy-kill  Toiko  > ToyCo  Kena-chan >  Kenner Doi Hako  > Toybox (Hako means box) Takara Nana > TAKARA and Seven (Nana means seven)  Cy-Kill was a Gobot from Tonka’s gobots series that was absorbed by Takara and transformers respectively.  ToyCo is a toys and collectibles retailer, as Was Toybox.  Kenner/Playmates was the US toy liscenser for SSSS toyline in the 90′s, and Takara...well, is Takara. the animation of course, is full-on Expected studio Trigger gar in it’s homages as well

Feel the Obari Pose! Expect the Obari Pose! Love the Obari Pose! “you know, when they do that, it makes it look as if they have a giant Di-” IGNORE THE OBARI POSE!   

but the well goes far deeper, my friends.

This is SSSSGridman’s character designer.  Just...look at that desk.  I spot 5 power ranger/super sentai mechs (Kyoryujin/DC megazord hidden on the top right), gaogaigar, The box for Brave exkaiser, Gurren Lagann, a 3rd-party Optimus Primal, and Shattered Glass Megatron. that last one is kind of important, as the director, Akira amemiya, is a Huge fan of shattered glass transformers.

Shattered glass, for those not in the know, is basically the transformers mirror universe originally created for the transformers convention botcon.  it’s a Universe where the autobots are the bad guys and Decepticons the good guys. For more info, I will leave a link to Chris McFeely’s transformers: the basics video on the subject. Watch him, it’s good stuff. Now why is that relevant? Every character in this show is based on a transformers design or color-scheme.  Most Significantly those from shattered glass. Akane?  Shattered glass Optimus Prime

Hibiki, Rikka, and Sho (who’s knowledgable on kaiju and Ultra series tropes) are cliffjumper (Classics-verse autobot who jumped into shatted glass), SG Sideswipe, and SG megatron.

The autobot Matrix

SG Starscream and Soundwave/ravage.

aaand just a few more for you all.

These four are based on the movie-verse Dinobots, and are gridman’s support programs turned into human beings.  the one on the top left whose name is Samurai Calibur (yes seriously) turns into Gridman’s sword the Gridman calibur.  The other three turn into the support mechs showcased below. oh, and for the checkback?   Sakiru Tonkawa from the volleyball team:

But it doesn’t end there.

The jet booster and drill cannon Combinations:

yes, seriously. The heavy arms configuration as well is a common practice seen with partial-combiner robo’s as well, particularly with those lacking certain combination limbs, particularly those part of the scramble city play gimmick these robot configurations are also homage-ing with the limbs and legs being swap-able.  And as all the support arms are based on Dinobots:

“Me grimlock have Anchor arms:  now am Jerk and everybody loves me!”

So yeah, to wrap things up, SSSS Gridman is Tsuburaya’s revival of a 90′s gem in an era where a lot of similarly-themed series exist and have done what it has since this series ( Digimon, .hack, Rockman.exe, Code Lyoko just to name a few), but is bringing it back with a fresh transformers-toned coat of paint for a new generation and original storytelling based on the worst-case scenario of the original series, and thus-far it is absolutely glorious, and I hope is able to follow through ‘cause I just generally love series in this little subgenre.

And I will leave you with 3 things:  First and second, The Anime’s opening mashed up with Gridman and SSSS openings (link and Link) and lastly an Image of hibiki’s English VA roleplaying with the original series’ toy sword while recording his voiceover:

SSSS Gridman is available from Funimation.