#the way he’s holding his gun in that last panel is so funny to me

[somewherefornow]

BRUCE WAYNE & JIM GORDON in BRUCE WAYNE: THE ROAD HOME: CATWOMAN

[disniq]

i havent read all of the comics post urban legends to gotham war with jason, but as far as i remember between them jason didn't really kill anyone? tfz is on my mind (he tried to kill 'bane' but didn't). i suppose he couldve been murdering off screen as well but i also have no idea if that's hinted at

anyway with tmwsl and the beast war stuff having him kill it means:

urban legends -> stops killing

gotham war -> is brainfuckedup by bruce. cant do shit

tmwsl -> joker unbrainfuckedups him, he proceeds to go ham and kill some goons/tries to kill the jokers

beast world -> still killing in larger amounts

so if bruce had left his ass alone would he still be in a holding pattern with the bats? way to fuck it bruce (though im happy. so.)

obviously the doyalist explanation is they probably realized jason was in a bit of a limbo atm and decided to shake it up again. but watsonian is soooo funny to me. good job b

Thank you for bearing with me anon, I'm finally free from work and mostly compos mentis at the moment, so!

My initial instinct when I got this ask was to disagree, because I didn't read Jason's behaviour in the last issue of MWSL as any more or less violent than he was in the earlier issues, I don't think he ever actually killed anybody in that run (though do correct me if I'm wrong on that), and I'm extremely reluctant to take the Beast World characterisation into account because it's a, uh... reductive view of Jason, at best.

But.

BUT!

As I was turning this over in my head, I realised why it was pinging at my brain.

It's because this exact thing *has happened*, back in RHatOs Rebirth.

Pre-rhato 25 my beloathed, Jason had been consistently using less-lethal methods in exchange for Bruce's implicit approval and regular interaction with the batfam. He specifically says this on panel in The Trial of Batwoman, this is a choice he chooses to make against his own beliefs;

Detective Comics #975

This holds until six months later, when Jason shoots Penguin. And then Bruce famously snaps and beats the everloving shit out of him in a brutal and notably one-sided fight.

After which, Jason changes up his outfit, swaps the guns for a crowbar and a katana, and becomes significantly more lethal again.

RHatO (2016) #25, RHatO (2016) #26

And when I thought about it, well. I think you could argue that each of Jason's more lethal spells are proceeded by an altercation with Bruce.

Brothers in Blood, where Jason plays a murderous, knife-wielding Nightwing to annoy Dick, is the first Jason story after the infamous Under the Hood showdown wherein Bruce chooses to cut Jason's throat instead of... doing literally anything else instead.

Batman: Under the Red Hood, Nightwing (1996) #118

And after working relatively civilly with others throughout Countdown, Jason goes full murder gunbats in Battle for the Cowl after Bruce's delightful little "you're broken and you'll never be fixed" hologram speech.

Battle for the Cowl #3 , Battle for the Cowl #1

Now, I absolutely do not want to come across like I'm saying Bruce is responsible for all Jason's more extreme actions at all, because I'm not about that lack of agency shizzle at all. Obviously Jason was already very much down to kill prior to his final confrontation with Bruce in UtRH, and I think he does genuinely believe some people deserve to die.

But I think this pattern of Jason reacting to Bruce's outright and often violent rejections by escalating the very behaviour that has Bruce repeatedly rejecting him is super interesting as a facet of their continuous cycle of abuse.

So regardless of Beast World, I wouldn't be at all surprised if Jason does lilt more lethal for a hot minute before he inevitably makes consessions to get back into Batman's good books.

[deludedfantasy]

Trimax Vol 11 Ch 4-6

Half of this is just me having emotions about Livio. For a character who showed up so late in the game, he's very quickly wormed his way into my heart.

Ch 4

Return of the wicked? So Legato rejoins the game.

Oooh, Zazie butterfly! You know, it was really funny reading Trimax after watching Tristamp which was chock full of worm lore and realizing there’s just…none of that here. All you know is there are worms, Zazie is one of them (perhaps the leader?), and they’re sorta kinda on Knives’s side. Except not anymore if Knives apparently throws them off the Ark. 

BABY KNIVES!!!! I am not immune to baby Knives. 

It’s interesting that Zazie says that because Independent Plants can produce matter, they’re better candidates for coexistence. I assume the problem with humans is they only cause destruction. But while Knives is certainly capable of creation, that’s very much not what he’s using his powers for at the moment. On paper, he looks great! In practice, not so much. 

Well, I should’ve kept reading because Zazie very much so doesn’t mean that. Apparently, they’re using worm poison to incapacitate everyone on the ship and go after Knives. Zazie does see how much of a danger is to their planet, and seeing as its their own, they won’t stand idly by anymore. 

BLEGH I FORGOT ABOUT THE CROTCH WORM.

The concept of a control worm is so interesting. Is that how Zazie is “possessing” the body they use to appear human? But also, the idea of her using that to control Knives is so insidious but so fascinating. I actually want to know what they would do with him and whether they’d be able to wield his powers like that.

I never understood this bit with Legato’s wires. Because he never seemed to need wires to do his body control trick before. Or maybe it just wasn’t explained that that’s how he was doing it until now. He’s yet another puppet master character, except what’s terrifying is he’s somehow using the strings to control his own body. I’m taking back my snarky comments about Vash finding Legato scary earlier. This is terrifying. Imagine the willpower it takes to do this, to endlessly carve metal wires out of the coffin you’re in and use them to remake and control your own body. 

All of Elendira’s teasing and joking takes on new meaning too. She was doing that partially because she thought Legato was pathetic and couldn’t do anything to her. How horrifying is it to realize he was just holding back? He was biding his time until he was needed and he could’ve snapped her neck whenever he wanted. 

So that massive explosion was Knives expelling Zazie’s poison by gathering it into a gate. This is another one of those times that we’re reminded just how capable of destruction Plants are and just how much power they hold.

Vash watches this explosion calmly and then goes back to making his own special Plant-powered bullets. The way the panels focus on his hair and we realize that it’s gotten even blacker. He’s very purposefully using up his power to make these and that just…that hurts to see. 

Because for a moment, in the last volume, he really wanted to live. And now he’s actively pushing himself closer and closer to death. He’s back in that terrible place he’s lived in for so long where his life doesn’t matter, only his final mission, only defeating Knives. It’s an incredibly painful manifestation of his grief and it’s even more pronounced for how Nightow just shows it to us without any commentary. 

Chapel…when Vash refers to Wolfwood’s coin he calls him Chapel. Because the man who held that coin wasn’t his friend. He wasn’t even real. He won’t call it Wolfwood’s because it isn’t, because Wolfwood ultimately wasn’t a Gung Ho Gun or a killer. He was his friend.

Ch 5

It’s so exciting to see the Earth Fleet and see how much advanced tech they have. Not only that, but how much knowledge they have about Plants. Most excitingly, the existence of other Independents, like Chronica! 

This opening scene reveals a lot too, about the relationship between Independents and humanity in Earth society. Chronica is obviously a respected member of this crew if this man is asking her opinion. It’s unclear how much power she has in making decisions and such at this moment, but it doesn’t look like she’s hated or anything. Then there’s the fact that apparently, they’ve had enough problems with Independents fusing with dependent Plants that whenever new Independents are born they have their neural pathways rewired so they can’t do that. Apparently, Knives isn’t the only Independent who decided to use their powers to wreak havoc on humanity.  

Meanwhile, Vash and Livio are being idiots together. I love the relationship between them and how much of a goofball Livio is now that he’s coming out of his shell a little. 

You know, if some guy coughed up a worm in front of me, I’d have that reaction too. This is a big mood. 

I love that Vash just presses the button on the case. Doesn’t even go, “Huh, I wonder if this is an explosive or if it’ll trigger something bad.” Guess he trusts Meryl and Milly’s assessment that it’s safe. 

Legato giving his evil villain speech:

Vash: Can’t believe I have to listen to this bullshit. 

Vash, rude!!! Don’t call Elendira a bitch!!! 

Hey!! Look at that, Vash asked someone for help! Not in so many words, but he admits that he can’t take on Legato and Elendira at once. He needs Livio’s help to get past her and get to his brother. 

And that means so much to Livio, being entrusted with this duty! He can do something good, he can do something to protect rather than harm, and he’ll do it with the body and powers the Eye of Michael gave him. He’s taking the evil that was done to him and using it for good. 

The way he says, “She’s a monster too, right?” it makes me so sad. Because you know he means, “like me.” Only a monster can fight another monster, so he’s the perfect man for the job. I like how even though Livio is finding ways to be a better person, part of him is still stuck in his old way of thinking. It’s so real! He’s making progress, but he’s not quite there yet. 

I know everyone has talked about this page but man…it hits hard. They weren’t even directly talking about him, but the idea of being a protector, of taking the horrible things done to you and turning them around to use them for good is a very Wolfwood idea. Both Vash and Livio are taking strength from it. His presence is so powerful they don’t need to say anything to invoke his memory, he’s that meaningful to them. This is a moment of Vash and Livio bonding over that shared memory, and I see it as the first step for Vash in forgiving Livio. He believed that Livio was a good guy, but now he’s seeing it. After all, faith can only take you so far. And he sees how much Wolfwood’s sacrifice means to Livio too. 

Also, I just realized Vash hurt himself trying to punch Livio in the stomach. That man has abs of steel. 

I think this is the first time Vash explicitly talks about how he can hear the Plants’ thoughts. This is a very revealing moment for him, showcasing his inhumanity, and it’s a big deal. But he’s using it to try to do something good, which is very much becoming a theme of this chapter. 

“Is it possible for something created by humanity to break completely free of their creators?” Something something we create our own gods (literally in this case) and then they develop a will of their own. Quite often, that’s what happens with human inventions. The minute you put an idea out in the world, tangible or intangible, it’s no longer yours to control. Plants have always had some will of their own, but until now they hadn’t exercised it. Knives is forcing them to make a choice about whether to save humanity or doom it. But they’re so alien and unknowable to humanity that it’s hard for anyone to imagine how this will go or how they can convince them that human life should be spared. 

Vash asks more people for help!!! I’m so proud of him. 

Also love that he calls the Plants “the girls inside.” He really sees them as his sisters, as individual people, with wants of their own, and talking like that in front of others might one day help change their minds about how they view Plants too. 

Awww, no, his goodbye with Meryl and Milly :( 

The girls have lost him so many times and they’re watching him walk away again, straight into danger. Vash teases them over it, because this man is incapable of accepting that people actually care what happens to him, but it’s getting to him too. Maybe it’s reminding him that he has something to come back to. Their little goodbye fist bump means everything to me. 

You tell him Milly! Let Meryl feel her emotions!

Love that none of those guys even realized they were talking to Vash the Stampede. They just went, “Yeah, we’ll take advice from some random dude with weird hair. Seems legit.”

I don’t understand why Chronica would want to turn off her limiter program if that’s what’s keeping her from fusing with other Plants. I’d think keeping Knives away from her and all the information in her head would be a top priority.

Ch 6

Livio centric chapter!!! I’m really falling in love with Livio’s character on this reread. I think the first time, the hangover from volume 10 was so strong, I couldn’t appreciate it. 

That moment when he saved Jasmine defined who he wanted to be, even if later what he did to her dog overshadowed it. But it’s telling that when he faces Elendira, this is what he’s thinking about: how he wants to be a protector.

Oh Elendira. She really knows how to twist the knife. She’s so mean. But it’s so fun to watch. She’s the best kind of villain because her taunts are so truthful, so accurate, that it instills the tiniest seeds of doubt. Oh, she’s good. 

But evil. EVIL. THAT IS SO EVIL. 

Like I said, she’s good. She knows exactly how to bait Livio. Though I really do wonder how she knows all of this. Not about Wolfwood being dead but about how much he matters to Livio and the way Livio is trying to turn his life around. 

Right, this is the part of the story where Livio just becomes a human pincushion. Truly, no one else could survive Elendira. I’m not sure Vash could. Livio’s regeneration abilities are the only thing that make him stand a chance against her. 

Also, I don’t understand Elendira’s gun or her powers. Sometimes, I swear the nails can’t be coming from her gun and she’s just creating them out of thin air like in Tristamp. This is one of those things I’m just trying not to think about too hard. 

Elendira, you mysterious woman, why are you so focused on the destruction of the world? Who hurt you? More questions I will never get answers to.

Unlike Legato, I don’t think she’s doing this out of any sort of devotion to Knives himself. She seems to just want the world to go to pieces and Knives is a means to that end. Because I really can imagine that if Knives told Legato right now that he’s changed his mind about destroying humanity, Legato would get with the program. But Elendira would blow the bomb anyway. 

Oh no, those poor kids! They just saw some guy get impaled! And then cough up blood and pull out all those nails?! That’s horrible!

Awww, Livio’s reaction to them though! He’s trying to keep them calm and make sure they’re safe. He’s never cared about kids before, but now they’re the reminder he needs of what he’s protecting (and what Wolfwood died to protect). 

This last scene with Jasmine and the kids, where they give him their clothes as a thank you is so so important that I’m having a hard time putting it into words. 

Jasmine obviously doesn’t recognize him, but Livio left the orphanage because of how scared she was of him. She was someone he was supposed to protect and instead he hurt her. He couldn’t live with that. Unknowingly, he’s now protected the children she’s in charge of. He’s made it up to her. He’s proven to himself that he can make amends and do good. And it gives him something to fight for that’s more than the nebulous wants of a dead man. These people are living and they’re his to protect, so they can continue to live in the world. This is the only way Livio knows how to love and it’s bittersweet to see him put in action. Protection isn’t the only way to show love, but it’s how he understands it and at least he has that, when for so long he had nothing.

[mikeys-bike-slut]

Untitled - Sequel - PT.6 -EDITED/fixed

AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hey darlings, I apologise for the long delay things been just chaotic lately and trying to find the right picture to edit stressed me out so for my own sake I decided to stop doing my fake panel edits. I'm sorry :( I hope you will still read it <;3

Here's part 6 hope you will enjoy! Thank you for @kokonoiscoconut for being my muse and for letting me use Monica <3 we stan Monica in this house.

Previous Part

T.W: n/a

***

The next day Monica and I met up quite early and spent the entire day together. It was nice to be away from the whirlpool I had back at home with Wakasa and just have fun and be free of those drowning thoughts.

The day went by quite quick and neither of us wanted it to end so Monica came up with the idea to go out clubbing, apparently she knew a good place for it. Of course we did a last minute dress shopping, I let Monica pick my dress out; it's been way too long since I went out without Waka and I always dressed to impress him and to keep his reputation up. Even if I still wasn't the most feminine woman ever it still felt nice to look pretty for my own accord. Not gonna lie I actually liked the dress she picked out; short, tight, black with a low cleavage decorated with some thin chains and crystals. I actually felt very confident and surprisingly comfortable.

"Are you ready?" Monica asks excited as she leans into the bathroom to check on me.

"Hell yeah" I grin and she gives me a thumbs up. "Drinks are on me" she winks at me as she holds Kokonoi's black card between her delicate fingers.

"Sounds good to me" I return her wink then grab my phone and place it in the small clutch bag Monica let me borrow.

Of course Kokonoi called a limo for us, he couldn't join us but he reassured Monica he'll be at the club. After getting to the club we found Kokonoi quite quickly and he lead us to the top floor of the club aka the VIP section. The beautifully decorated terrace had different booths most filled with rich men and young women on their lap, nothing I was not used to from Wakasa. As we walked to the corner where the biggest booth were I noticed weapons laying around and many of these men wearing either guns or swords which made me slightly uneasy.

"You're safe with us" Kokonoi reassures me as we sit down at the booth. "What would you like to drink?" 

"Whiskey, straight, please" I nod with a smile.

"Oh by the way I might have invited my two single friends" Monica leans to me with a grin and I just shake my head with a smile. "They're idiots but they have a good heart, and as I said, they're very cute and very single" she winks at me and I just chuckle. 

"So you're my new wingman, huh?" I chuckle. "I am fine though, but thank you"

"Say that when you meet them" she winks. "Darling, get me my usual please" she says to Kokonoi who nods and kisses her before standing up and going to the bar. 

I watch Kokonoi walk off and suddenly starting to feel a bit awkward, it has been a long time since I had a night out with friends so I wasn't really sure what to do, but thankfully Monica took over. Her and I started talking about men and exes and shared our weird and funny experiences, we continued the chat until I suddenly hear someone spoke up behind me.

"Alright Moni, we're here, where's this bombshell you were talking about?" I turn around and I almost choke on my drink as I find the Haitanis standing there. Monica notices me choking and just chuckles.

"Told you they were hot" she winks at me.

"Sweetheart?" Ran's eyes widen along with his younger brother's as we just stare at each other. 

"Wait... you guys know each other?" Monica cocks a brow as she look at us then her eyes widen. "WAIT, ARE THEY THE GUYS???" she blurts out excited and my face goes red.

"Oh, you've been talking about us, sweetheart?" Ran asks with a smirk as he leans down to me. "What was she saying, Moni?" he asks with a grin as he looks over at Monica. 

"Not my place to say, you three maybe should have a nice long chat" she winks. 

"I support that idea" Rindou speaks up. "Let's go to our spot" he nudges his brother. 

"Sounds good" Ran grins as he extends his hand to me. "M'lady?"

"Suck up.." I roll my eyes with a smile as I take his hand and he helps me up.

"See you guys later" Monica grins at us and waves as I walk off with the Haitanis. 

The brothers lead me to an empty secluded booth that has their initials on the side of it. Once we sit down Rindou pulls me close to him and gives me a tight hug, without hesitation I wrap my arms around him and bury my face in his chest inhaling his scent, that scent that I missed so much. For a second the world stop spinning and the blasting music is drowned out by his rhythmic heart beat. I let out a soft sigh then pull away from him while I reach up and caress his cheek. 

"My beautiful Rin" I smile softly and his lips curl into a small smile as he closes his eyes and rubs his face against my hand. 

"We missed you, you have no idea how much" he says then motions to his brother. 

"Hey, sweetheart" Ran smiles as I turn to the older brother. "You look stunning, as always. The red really suits you" he smiles as he runs his softly runs his fingers through my red hair.

"Thank you, you both look very handsome. What happened to your locks Ranny?" I ask softly as I play with his short hair. 

"Got bored of being mistaken for Wednesday Addams" Rindou answers with a grin and Ran just flips him off with a laugh. 

"It was getting to be a pain, long hair not really practical when fighting" he chuckles. "You don't like it?" he asks as he runs his hand through his navy blue and lavender locks with a flash of worry in his tone. 

"No, it looks really good, it suits you. You look like a gentleman" I bite my lip as I caress his lips. "You both do" I glance back at Rindou who offers me a smile. "So does this mean, I can see you guys again?" I ask but both of them goes quiet as the smile disappears from their faces. 

"I don't know..." Ran sighs. 

"What if we meet in hotels? I can even wear a disguise" I suggest as I look at back and forth between them.

"Maybe. We have to think this through properly. You're in a lot of danger" Rindou says and I look at them confused.

"What do you mean? Rin, Ran, just what is going on?" I look at them confused and they once again go quiet. "Please... Or if you guys don't wanna see me just say that..." I say with a slightly annoyed tone to which both of them picks their heads up. 

"God no!" Rin blurts it out then groans. "It's not easy for us. You think it was easy for us to leave you at the pet shop?" 

"So it did happen... I knew it wasn't a fucking dream" I say gritting my teeth in annoyance, unsure if I'm more annoyed at the brothers or Wakasa.

"Don't blame Wakasa... we asked him to lie to you, because we knew if you knew we're back you'd look for us and God forbid you ever show up at Bonten HQ" Rindou explains. 

"Look the only reason I wanted to know more about Bonten because of you, but now that I have found you I can stop looking, unless you guys disappear then I have know other choice but to investigate Bonten more" I shrug my shoulders with a smile being fully aware I got them.

"You're so fucking bothersome..." Rindou groans then shakes his head with a smile.

"If we promise we're back in your life, will you promise to stop look into Bonten?" Ran cocks his brow as he looks at me.

"I promise" I smile as I draw an X over my heart with my finger. 

"Then it's a deal" Rindou smiles then sighs as his smiles suddenly disappears. "What about Wakasa?"

I suddenly go quiet. What about him? Suddenly my head turns into a whirlpool as I'm trying to figure out what and how I feel but all I can think about is having my brothers back. 

"I don't know..." I admit it quietly as I look down.

"If you're happy with him, we respect your wishes and we can leave you be" Ran explains. 

"I don't know. Lately the butterflies he used to give me just turned into raging moths that turns my stomach..." I say with a sigh as I lean against Rindou.

"Have you talked to him about this?" Ran ask as he caresses my back, giving me comfort. 

"Not yet, I don't even know how to start to be honest... Honestly? I miss the old days, the fights, the excitement, the last minute rides and races to the beach... I feel like I'm just a shell of who I used to be. I'm no longer Toman's Angel" I say quietly and sniffles as tears start to form in my eyes. 

"Oh petal..." Rindou sighs as he holds me close. "Wait... if you're the girl Monica meant then does that mean you're the one who's personal friends with Jekyll & Hyde?" he cocks a brow.

"Yeah.. that's me" I nod quietly.

"I swear to God..." Ran chuckles. "You just turn everyone into lapdogs aren't you?" he nudges me with a smile making me let out a chuckle. 

"I wasn't planning on it, I swear!" I chuckle as I wipe my eyes. "Hyde used to know my brother, and we bonded over that" 

"You have a brother?" Ran asks and Rindou just punches him in the arm making him exclaims in pain. "What?!"

"Ignore him, Petal" Rindou says and I chuckle softly as I shake my head. 

"No, it's okay. I used to, but I was quite young when I lost him, he died because of me, so I have just buried his memory deep hoping I can just forget it, no one knew about this except Mikey" I explain and Ran just gives me a short hug.

"Sorry for bringing it up. But on the positive side; good to know that Ginza's two psychopath are your bodyguards" he chuckles. 

"Yeah, at least we know you're in safe hands" Rindou shakes his head with a smile. 

"But I missed my other psychos" I smile as I hug them both.

[hikennosabo]

trimax vol 13 random thoughts (ch 5-9)

part 1 here!

chapter 5:

okay, it took me way longer than it should have to figure out what happened in this scene, lol. razlo gets behind elendira and blocks her nail gun with the nail that's already in his body which jams her gun and pushes the nail further into his torso which takes them both by surprise.

"some dumbasses"?? do you mean wolfwood and vash?? LOL

come on, come on, come on!!! he's so cute, lol. he's like a dog who wants to play.

i love watching razlo fight!!! it's so fun seeing him fight a different way due to not having his punishers/third arm anymore. he's having so much fun too, it's infectious~

UNTIL ELENDIRA USES A PSYCHIC ATTACK ON HIM. JESUS CHRIST. THAT ONE ALMOST HAD ME.

chapter 6:

ma'am could you please stop serving cunt for a second i'm trying to read manga and you are distracting me

AAAAAGH AND THEN SHE BLASTS HIS LEG OFF. THAT ONE WASN'T FAKE THAT ONE WAS REAL. he'll be okay but :(

CHEKHOV'S VIAL?!

uuuueeee... wolfwood... just seeing the little panel of him... i miss him so much... and the reminder of wolfwood brings livio back out. ueee... waaahhhh...

i'm sitting here trying to articulate my feelings about livio and razlo and i can't, really... :') livio feeling so bad and apologizing that he has to rely on razlo so much, razlo doing his best to encourage livio... they really care about each other a lot. it's very sweet. i care them. :(((

oh this is so very much not how DID works but it's both cool and important to their character arcs so it's FINE!!!! it's fine

huuuhhhmmmmm something something symbolism in livio's guns being reversible and livio and razlo working together, two as one... is this anything? am i connecting any dots here?

they were able to bring elendira to her knees with their teamwork!!!!

chapter 7:

uwaaahhh! young livio flashback!! this is where his twinky stampede self came from i guess. i hope season 2 gives us a beefier version-

...wait. wait, wait, wait, wait, wait wait wait. hold on. speaking of stampede. give me a second.

*returns 30 minutes later* HUH. INTERESTING. so stampede shows us livio working hard in EoM to catch up with wolfwood, but in the manga, it's all but outright stated that he's trying to catch up with razlo.

sorry i'm just fascinated by the tristamp/manga differences and seeing younger livio doing pushups reminded me (stamp!livio does pushups the same way!!)

we're not supposed to know that razlo exists yet in tristamp; i wonder if or how season 2 is going to reframe any of this. it's not like i dislike livio and wolfwood's relationship in stampede!! i think it's really sweet, introducing livio into ww's story earlier is a good move, and livio joining EoM to catch up with ww makes everything in the relevant episodes more emotional. but the relationship between livio and razlo is just as important!!

razlo encouraging livio is SO cute, uwaaaahhh...

WAAAHHHHH!!!! I LOVE THESE TWO SO MUCH!!!!!

babygirl, please, i am begging. why are you so sad. tell me who hurt you. i am on my hands and knees.

to him... while drinking wolfwood's last vial... i am going to fucking throw up i feel so normal about this

chapter 8:

elendira, killed by her own nail... oh girl... my beloved... i did not expect her to live but i'm still sad she's gone. what a fantastic fight though. might be my favorite fight in this manga.

also livio's gonna have an interesting time trying to get up and get her off of him once his limbs regenerate... uh... if they can regenerate? i'm assuming they can...

i am gonna fucking CRYYYY... calling him by name... wwwaaaaahhhhh...

he would be so proud of you, livio!!!! WAAAAHHH!!!

okay, time to cut back to my other faves having their own battle.

it's so funny that legato thinks this. dude, she hates your guts. if she knew she was gonna see you in the afterlife soon she WOULD worry.

huh? that's her name? like the painting?

also i've been wondering this whole time why she looks like that. like why is she designed to look like a woman. did legato design her himself?? is this his aesthetic sense??

haha ouch! thanks for spelling out the metaphor so plainly!

ahhhh, july flashback... this was uhhh... *checks* ten years ago. supposedly. i'm not sure how much i trust the timeline anymore.

actually i do wonder how measuring time works on this planet. like, everything seems to be measured the same way it is on earth, so does noman's land also have 365 days in a year and 24 hour days?

he's so cute, i am holding him gently in my hands.

knives is so mean... to be just a tiny little bit fair to him, i too would be low on patience if my brother just blasted me with a death beam and someone suddenly started handling my guts that were hanging out. but he's so mean!! i feel bad for legato!!

i AM surprised that knives is still conscious... and that he's still mostly intact. like his guts are hanging out but it looks like his legs and arms (or at least one arm) are still attached, and he's still got. y'know. most of his skin. certainly more intact than his stampede self, lmao.

vash, honey, what on earth makes you think he plans on living through this fight any more than you are. :')

i just like this spread.

chapter 9:

OH BOY, HE'S FERAL!!! truly, he is going out in a blaze of glory just like he wanted. i wouldn't expect anything else from him at this point.

ahhh... stampede!legato talks a lot about discarding emotion in favor of devotion. but emotion and devotion are intrinsically linked. legato is a pretty emotional person, he cries a lot and yells a lot... as long as he can express his devotion to knives, he feels like he's fulfilling his purpose, so he's happy... i'm glad he's having fun at least... :')

WAAAAHHH VASH IS REMEMBERING WOLFWOOD NOW... his face is not quite visible but... vash is remembering wolfwood's words because he's thinking he really is going to have to kill legato to end this fight... killing legato just like in the 98 anime...

i get caught up in the action, but every time they bring wolfwood up i realize how much i miss him...

this panel fucks.

i love watching legato go fucking crazy fighting. i wanna see this fight animated so bad :''')

when i read the top panel, i was like, "because of knives, right?" then i read the bottom panel... ahhh... not just knives... every plant... it's a good thing tristamp established this relatively early because we don't really see vash doing this in the story lol

i'm remembering "do you think we can become friends with them?" "yeah... it might take a lot of effort though..." :'''')

chronica, girl, i know you're very angry with knives, but as far as revenge goes, you need to get in line. you got here like five minutes ago, there are other people with much longer-lasting beef than you who deserve a shot at him before you.

the smallest meryl u can imagine...

WAAAAH this is so sweet, they love him so much :(

i said this already but i LOVE seeing legato go all-out, it's cool!! it gets me pumped up!!! this is just... such a good fight!!!

wait, is the earth ship falling because chronica used up so much energy firing the cannon multiple times?? GIRL...

THIS PAGE FUCKS!!!

THIS SPREAD ALSO FUCKS!! the way that the debris fades out above them, they're only focused on each other...!!!

final thoughts... i'm surprised legato survived this volume?! i really thought he would die in this one... he lasted longer than i thought he would, not that i'm complaining... UUAAAAAGHHH i am gnawing on my arm rn, i can't believe there's only one volume left?! i'll be finished *checks day* TOMORROW?!?!? if i don't procrastinate on reading... which i might do because i don't want it to be over... waaaah...

how will knives be defeated? can humanity survive? will livio's limbs regenerate? and most importantly, HOW WILL VASH GET HIS WILL TO LIVE BACK?!?!

[who-is-shades]

raz dnd 25

last time uhhh bye teya :(

awkward silence as they walk. android is just steaming in rage. kay is listening in since teya is gone lol.

walking for hours and we hear something stommping? here comes a giant metal beast made of random bot parts and peoples bodies strapped to it? already dead lol.

parsley and wheatley are so fucking tired lol here we go again. roll initiative!

android is pissed and just starts shooting at it. parsley hurls his axe at its head and hurls the other one then uses rage. wheatley uses heat metal. the creature attacks! it opens its mouth and fires out gas! senna is paralyzed! it attacks zen! but zen dodges nice. zen attacks! good job and he paralyzes it! senna unparalyzes herself nice but that uses her turn fuck.

android just keeps shooting. parsley yeets his javelin then misses his sword stab. wheatley uses branding smite on his gun nice. the beast is paralyzed lol. zen punches it nice. senna uses witchbolt nice. the beast falls apart!

parsley goes to collect his weapons. senna starts removing the organics bodies and parsley begins pulling it apart. it looks welded together. old circuits and one of those soul jars in it. parsley manages to take it out! wheatley gives him a thunbs up. senna tells him to break it. 'on it boss.' he flies up and yeets it at the ground. good job.

senna finishes removing the bodies. she inquires their souls were used in that power jar, and hes trying to control organics the same way he controls robots. (cave johnson is william afton) zen sighs and says its camp time, cause were all just tired. long rest!

we continue! nothing happens, more awkward hours. wheatley holds sennas hand this time. parsley carries SP. we come to a clearing in the woods. theres an abandoned building, looks like one from the time bubble but its ancient. an old outpost? wheatley drags senna with him toward it. he thinks its a mimic hes so sick of it lol.

its covered in foliage. its mostly empty with some panels. racks on the walls with robot bits, super rusty. wheatley ponders how he missed these things for 800 years. wheatley taps on the consoles but nothing happens. android finds a more intact screen and taps away and it flickers.

senna opens a door and inside is a stock of weapons. old, rusty, and broken. she goes to open the other door. a big metal table with a big old map with specific points on it. she picks up their current spot on the map. outpost map nice. she calls out and tells them.

zen comes in to check the map. he compares it to his projection. most are out of the way but 2 of them are on the path their taking. they'll talk about it at camp, since those might be too dangerous. he puts the pins on his map.

androids tablet turns on and displays files! theres an introduction file. goddamn cave johnson aperture sound lol. they can hear zorbolts voice. parsley walks in to hear this. senna comes in cause she hears parsley. zorbolt explaining the outpost, prepping for invasion. sleeping quarters down below for handlers. then its over.

wheatley asks if theres more files. theres a crackle of blue energy! theres a big flash of light! its spingledorf jingles crust. teya sent him? oh he brought teya!? shes dressed like a witch. spingledorf gave it to her and a magical broom lol. space core makes happy beeping noises and wheels over. wheatley looks distrustful. 'you chose to forget us. to leave them behind.'

android starts trudging over very pissed. she didnt wanna forget us. he punches her in the stomach ouch. 'yep deserved that one.' he walks away. zen gives her a big hug awww. 'am i allowed to just join back up?' wheatley says she chose to leave us behind. 'i couldnt do it.'

parsley asks if she got it out of her system. 'fuck you.' 'yep, there she is.' 'damn make up your damn mind.' 'want me to leave again?' 'that would be kinda funny.' sunnie convinced her to return? wheatley brightens up at that lol. sunnie read her journal xD wheatley says its gonna be a long time before he can trust her again. shes hopeful though.

senna slowly walks over and asks zen to put teya down. she just stares at her for a while. she slowly takes teyas hands and kisses her forehead. 'welcome back teya.' senna is holding back her tears a bit. (is she not mad? hmm) 'hey parsley. missed you.' 'fuck off!'

zen glows yellow again. he was just about to send bots to her lol. shes got lots of people to protect now. hes pissed, so many lives are in danger when she left. she just didnt see herself at able too. but he chose her. shes not alone. he says if she decides to jump again he will take her memory immediately. teya wants everyone to agree to let her in. android grumbles but allows it lol. wheatley says teya's negative talk is what made her leave the first time.

zen is back to normal and he hugs teya again lol. wheatley walks over and looks at her complicated. 'please dont leave me behind.' then he hugs her awww. then he tells her about the videos. gotta find the bunker. android slams on the floor and opens a hatch. now they wanna know wtf a video is lol android vaguely explains it. he gives up lol. wheatley explains it better.

wheatley wants to plug into the fucking tablets and project his memories oh no. senna talks him out but now hes trying to project with his eye. he finds one from when he woke up. waking up in a field of wheat.

back to the tablet video files. 1 more file, the others are corrupted. Plan of attack oh no. its asking for a password. android cant get in darn. parsley shoves wheatley over and asks him to try. he wouldnt know he was cannon fodder xD android gets it though lol. it was his name.

a map projection. army formations. outposts attacking certain kingdoms and projections of the areas. one with a giant wheat field in the background. its the closest to Novis. capture people or kill them if they fight back. bring back damaged bots for repair. wheatley is disgusted what he was made for. but he did fight wars after waking up.

senna goes down the hatch. parsley and wheatley follow. theres skeletons. parsley lights his torch. teya wants to put the skeletons in the token lol. dorf finally speaks up lol. no one cares teya wants the bones lol. wheatley asks if she can speak with dead but she cant.

teya stores 7 skeletons in her token nice. wheatley wont give her back the sending stone though. he squints and slowly hands it back when she says shes not going anywhere. teya suddenly gets launched at the ceiling lol. dorf says the broom is temperamental. then wheatley says he doesnt like spingledorf DX

parsley keeps lying that he missed teya and gets hurt lol. time to leave. wheatley is upset he isnt sp's favorite, its teya lol. senna thanks dorf for bringing teya back. time to go! 'may the wind be at your back spingledorf.' he disappears. wheatley fucking says he hopes he never comes back the bastard. parsley says senna has bad taste cause she likes dorf and is dating teya lol she hits him.

back in the woods! senna tells teya about the beast robot and the god juice stuff lol. zen says robotgod used the wards to understand the evil stuff and made better wards for them nice. as we walk teya gets pulled into the ground lol that broom is a dick. senna tries to lift her and the broom shoves teya right into her. senna is gonna try carrying her lol. the broom is tugging her backwards lol. teya threatens to put the broom in the token lol. gonna keep carrying her.

SP is doing donuts around them shouting about the broom lol. after hours we find a big plain. we see a giant structure in the distance. old crumbling walls its huge. a small kingdom? the road we follow doesnt go there but there is an old path that does. zen says we can go yay!

the grass is long. parsley and sp are too short lol. wheatley sees something in the grass. its an old rusted bot missing parts! wheatley covers sp's cameras. he asks parsley to take SP. senna asks if hes ok. he shoots a bolt directly into its head making sure the processor is destroyed. he wont let them get back up. zen says it wasnt necessary, its gone.

zen pulls out a scanner. its the battlefield. wheatley looks ill. the drone finds something! one of the bots isnt as damaged. time to go find it. parsley is still on babysitting duty. wheatley is pulling out some rope. we find a rusted but good condition bot. senna offers to tie it up for wheatley. gotta be careful and all that. we yank it from the ground cause its stuck. tie it up nice.

the switch is already on. oh. he turns it off and on. nothing happens. god shows up to help! its still affected when god turned them off. wheatley has us move out of the way. (rick portal lol) wheatley is checking him out. he asks about the war. wheatley asks android for help. android feels uh complicated. he does explain tho.

he can feel things! his mind is free! yay! no more control! but his purpose is gone. wheatley tells him he can pick his own. and god can help him if he wants. hes got nothing else going on so wheatley unties and helps him up. very rusty. wheatley hugs him lol. they talk about their handlers. rick asks wheatley his designation. its just wheatley now.

meanwhile senna and teya talk about war. and teya pisses off parsley about treating kids like pets lol now senna is trying to message him.

rick says he wouldve been on the frontline if he hadnt been shut off. wheatley wishes him the best. he introduces us to him nice. protecting us is his purpose ;-; rick can make his own choices! he introduces himself to us. senna shakes his hand. he registers her in his database lol. teya also greets him. a milipede falls off him and lands on teya lol. wheatley takes it off.

parsley tries to find us lol. wheatley pings him. rick has an alarm he thinks parsley is attacking and tries to tackle down but just falls over. wheatley introduces parsley lol. senna and wheatley pick him back up. Parsley hands SP back to wheatley and rick registers that fairies can fly. he gets to meet sp nice. robotgod grabs him and clears up the rust. he registers him as my lord lol.

rick is accessing old files. he knows god cool. he can access files easily, they are mostly undamaged. rick says wheatley can have files imported. androidis in his files ooo. wheatley corrects rick on the name. rick says it may be best to delete the corrupted files but says he can do what he wants.

[acourtofidiots]

OKAY I HAVE A REQUEST

obvi there’s no hurry but your writing is always so good it gives me butterflies, so, i propose:

jason todd as red hood but it’s after he’s betrayed the team. you run into him at wayne manor (like it’s the reader in the place of beast boy in the last episode) and you’re hesitant to trust him but when one of scarecrow’s bribed cops holds a knife to your throat, he saves your life with his fucking hot ninja moves and all that stuff. ft. jason being super broken and begging you to give him the benefit of the doubt. he’s so broken up about everything he’s done and he wants to fix it so bad the poor babie 🥺 him and the reader were really close before all this happened, and he wants that back. he’ll do anything to make it up to you.

this could lead into smth fun where you make him do a ton of funny / soft / sexy stuff ~ whatever you wanna do or are in the mood for

or you could end it before that happens, it’s just an idea. this makes me rlly soft idk

he’s an absolute baby :(

“head down the hallway and shut off the alarm” comes dicks voice through the comm. you press yourself against the wall against the door, heart hammering in your chest. you couldn’t believe you were doing this. out of everyone, dick just has to choose you to help set up a remote access to the bat cave to stop Crane from detonating the bombs that he planted across Gotham.

“i see it,” you reply, carefully making your way to the panel on the wall. you entered the code, relief flooding you as a robotic voice told you that the alarm was disarmed. “alarms off now.”

“good. in my dresser there should a button that allows you to open the false bottom. do you see it?” you make your way back to the dresser, getting on your knees in front of it and rummaging around the contents of the top drawer. condoms, video game controller, clothes—

“i don’t see it, dick,” you huffed, setting back on your haunches as you awaited for further instructions.

“try the left leg of the stand,” he suggested and you reach around the drawer, hand scrambling to feel the smooth button on the wood. you find it, pressing the button and hearing the sound of the drawer being released.

you reach inside the drawer, finding the drawer deeper than before. rummaging around, you clasp your hand around a pair of wire cutters. “got it,” you reply as your feet carried you to the panel once more. but before you could get there, an arm wrapped around your waist, the cold steel of a knife pressed against your neck.

“what do you think you’re doing?” the cop hissed, pressing the blade into your skin. oh fuck me, you think, body still as another cop appears before you.

“trespasser?” the second cop says, gun pointing in your direction.

“yeah, Dr. Crane isn’t gonna be happy. but I think we can have some fun before we take you down to the cave.” your stomach drops at his suggestion, body squirming as you try to escape the iron grip of the GCPD officer.

he tightened his grip, breath fanning over your ear. “don’t fucking move sweetheart, if you know what’s best for you.” what’s with police officers and being horny all the fucking time?

“y/n?” your eyes snapped to the end of the hallway, seeing jason pointing his rifle at the the three of you.

“ah, has mr. red hood come and save the day?” the second cop sneered, firing a few rounds at jason. the vigilante ducked, somersaulting once before coming up on one knee and shooting the cop, his body falling to the floor with a thump.

the cop who held you pressed the blade deeper into your neck, blood trickling out of the wound. “don’t come any closer or she gets it,” he growls. tears pricked at your eyes, silently willing jason to just leave so you don’t have to humiliate yourself in front of him.

jason narrows his eyes. “let her go.” 

the cop laughs. “or else what? you’re gonna tell your dadd-” 

his response was cut off by jason shooting the painting behind him, the massive frame falling foward, causing your captor to release you to get out of the way. you scramble to the side before the painting falls, watching jason shoot the cop before facing the hallway once again. 

“go and take care of the router, i got the hall. ”he was breathless, like he was looking at you for the first time, before he left the Titans. oh how you wished you could go back then. 

~~~

after Crane was thrown back into arkham, dick took you to hep clean up the manor. you didn’t think much of it, glad to be over with all the drama Crane had caused. 

as you were sweeping the dust from one of the guest rooms, you felt a presence behind you. “i’m almost don-” your words were stuck in your throat when you saw who was in the doorway. 

jason fucking todd, dressed in a black jean jacket and t-shirt, with his signature jeans and converse. 

“jason,” you breathed. even after all he has done, your heart fluttered at the sight of him. he gave you a half smile. 

“i just wanted to come and apologize,” he started, stepping into the room. he sat on the bed, facing you as you stood there with the room clutched in your grasp. 

he took a deep breath before looking at you. “i’m sorry that i let you down. i’m sorry that i wasn’t the person you thought i was. i turned into a monster, y/n. i killed people, i killed hank for fuck’s sake. i know i messed up and you’ve probably moved on, but i know that one thing’s for certain.” his hands were trembling as he spoke. 

you sat down beside him, concern washing over your features as you watched him stumble through what he was trying to say. 

“i still care about you, y/n. i still love you. nothing in the world made me happier than when i was with you.” there it is. the words that you were waiting for ever since he departed from the Titans. 

he continues, holding your hands in his own. “i would do anything to be with you and i know you’ll probably never forgive me for what i’ve done but i wanna fix things with you. i love you so fucking much, y/n.” you felt your heart burst at his words. 

“fuck, jason,” you say, the hot prick of tears starting to form at your eyes before you smash your lips onto his. he instantly relaxes against you, his chapped lips moving against yours as his hands move to cup your cheeks. 

you pull back after awhile, resting your forehead against his. “you have my heart, jason todd, always and forever.” and for the first time in a long time, you had some hope for the future. 

[wtfevenismypage]

Pro Fighter

request: Hi, i have a request. Spencer x reader or bau team x reader where she gets kidnapped but no one knows that she was trained in the red room. The unsub live streams it to the bau team and *cue the black widow interrogation scene from avengers (2012)* and they are just whatthefuckwhatthefuckwhatthefuck lmao. The ending is up to you, sorry if the request is a bit messy.

Warnings: Fighting, Cursing, Shook team

A/N:Guys I’m so bad at writing fight scenes it isn’t even funny, i’m better at making peoples hearts ache from fluff or angst! But I tried my best! This definitely isn’t my best work btw

Shit.

You woke up with a booming headache and a sharp pain in your ankle.

Looking around, the light is dim. A single hung light-bulb on the wooden panels of the ceiling. The smell is horrible, but you know what it is once you look around. Dead cows dangling from the ceiling. Rotting.

A camera is placed in front of you. The unsub is either streaming to the dark web, or to your team. Probably your team to drag them into his trap.

“Well well well, look at you! Finally awake huh sweet girl?”

A low, raspy voice spits out, walking out of the shadows and standing right behind the camera.

Tall, big gut, greasy black hair, and a rotten toothed smile.

“Good evening Mr. Meyer.”

He smiles, showing off his moldy yellow teeth.

“The rest of your friends are watching by the way. So unless you want a world of pain I advise not dropping any hints. In fact, don’t speak at all.”

You repress the urge to smirk, and you look directly in the camera, before feeling a wet trickle down your forehead.

Blood.

“Damn. I’m off my game today. I blame you Morgan. You kept yapping and yapping last night and I never got any sleep.”

The man seemed to not like you talking to them. He frowns, stomping forward and grabbing you by the hair. He yanks your face up and you can only hope that Garcia isn’t looking.

“Don’t talk to them sweet girl. I want your attention.”

He let’s go, crouching in front of you. His breath stenches of rotten fruit and eggs. 

“Now then, since you are going to die tonight, figure I might as well have fun and tell you a story beforehand.”

You almost sigh, knowing that the team is scrambling to find you, but you have to get information. Of course you weren’t worried. You were raised in the red room for your entire childhood. Fighting on a sprained ankle and a concussion would probably hurt, but it would be alright. You would survive.

As long as you don’t get too terribly hurt.

“Once upon a time. There was a little boy.”

He stands, raising a hand and smacking you across the face. It stings, leaving a searing red feeling on your cheek, nearing your eye.

“This little boy had a father who had a lot of anger. His father brought women home every night, killing them slowly, like I’m doing to you.”

Another slap.

“But what father didn’t know, is that his precious son watched from afar, admiring the work he did. I am taking my father’s place in this world. His legacy will continue with me!”

He delivers a harsh punch to your stomach, making you groan and curl over,  shutting your eyes tightly.

Alright time to end this guy.

“His legacy huh? You wanna make him proud? You won’t get the chance.”

You lean back in your chair as he leans in, smashing your head against his and knocking him back, standing up in the chair and spinning to hit him with the chair, breaking it in the process.

He stumbles on the ground for a moment before getting up, running straight at you. You hop up, landing on his shoulders and bashing at his head with his elbows as he tries desperately to beat your lower back and thighs.

“You fucking bitch!”

You continue to bash his head in with your elbows until he stumbles to the ground, passing out on top of you.

“Hey guys, you find out where I am yet? Because I have no fucking clue.”

You turn to the camera, wiping at the blood staining your dress shirt.

-

-

-

-

-

Meanwhile, the team was still trying to process what happened.

“Did anyone else see that? She just took down a 379 pound man who’s twice her size by herself. Did we- did we teach her that?”

“No we did not. Let’s hope she tells us what that place is or we’ll never get to question that.”

“Alrighty what do we have here? It looks like a butcher place? Or whatever you call them. Ummmm, There’s a whole lot of dead cow. He couldn’t have taken me far. The clock on the camera says it’s only been twenty minutes. I’m sure you guys have questions but I am getting tired of the scent of rotten meat, please hurry.”

“Garcia, Find her.”

“Already there, got two Butchery’s Within a fifty mile radius, go get my girl please.”

They split up into two teams, Rossi, Morgan, and Spencer on one team, while Hotch and Prentiss were on the other. 

You busied yourself on the floor, tying the man up with the rope that was previously tied around your limbs.

Your entire body ached with the feeling of his fists beating you up before you had woken up.

“Ugh... My head is killing me...”

Your brain was throbbing from under your skull, the pain worst at the sight of your bloody gash. It was overwhelming. You could feel the way your mind so desperately wanted to shut itself down, but you couldn’t let it until they got you safe and sound.

There was a loud rapping on the large door from outside, an aggressively familiar voice following it.

“FBI agents put your hands up! We’re coming in!”

“It’s me Morgan, unsub is unconscious and alive.”

The door opens, Revealing three of your favorite agents. A smile on your face as their guns return to the holsters. Morgan rushes up to you, holding your head and checking to see how bad the injury is.

“Well my pro fighter, you have a whole lot of explaining to do when we get to Quantico.”

You shrug, wrapping an arm around his and Reid’s shoulders for support to walk. 

“Yeah well, I might pass out so it can wait.”

PERMANENT TAGLIST(OPEN) @pinkdiamond1016 @spencer-reids-snow-white @sheepfather @eusuntgroot @libradolan

[free-pancakes]

Oh hell yeah pancakes!

Desert, punishment, balloon, secret, laughter

“This is my punishment, isn’t it?”

Levi muttered to himself as he crawled through the air vents. His last mission out in the scorching Nevada desert had cut it real close, and it put his boss, Erwin Smith, on edge—probably why he put him on such a complicated assignment this time around.

The identities of his fellow undercover agents normally remained secret, but this time, he’d be meeting with one. Once he acquired the info they needed from Zeke’s super computer, he’d be meeting with them—he was given no description, and that he’d just have to trust they’d pick him up immediately after leaving the building.

Levi finally slid right over the computer lab, and stared at Zeke’s henchmen underneath: Reiner and Bertholdt. He slowly unscrewed the metal panel beneath him, and he landed right on top of Reiner with a loud crash, knocking him out cold. Bertholdt pulled for his gun, but he was too slow. Levi had already swiped his leg, tripping Bertholdt, both struggling until Levi managed to have him trapped underneath him, restraining the poor guy with handcuffs.

“Filthy,” Levi sighed, wiping the dust off his pants from the struggle. He proceeded to plug the USB into the computer waiting for it all to download with anticipation. He heard the sound of hurried footsteps outside the room, so he promptly planted a small explosive to the computer. When the screen glowed with the words “100% downloaded” Levi swiped the drive and in came Zeke’s henchman heavily armed.

They froze and held fire as Levi held Bertholdt in front of him, practically like a human shield. Levi pointed his gun and backed away with Bertholdt struggling in his grasp.

And at the last possible second, Levi clicked the button in his pocket, resulting in the explosive blowing up like a balloon and detonating at the desk between him and the rest of Zeke’s men, and made a run for it, shielding his face with his arms as he broke through the 7th story window. He grabbed at anything he could, using the awnings of the windows to help break his fall, but unfortunately he landed horribly, his ankle twisting as he hit the ground. He kept himself from shrieking in pain, and got up to haul himself out of there. He limped quickly as he tried to blend in with the now panicking and screaming crowd of people in the nearby city square in reaction to the explosion he caused—he had to get out of there before Zeke’s cronies could catch up with him.

Levi looked around desperately—he had to trust that his unknown partner would find him and help him out of there. Surely the explosion was loud enough for them to have realized it was him.

And suddenly, Levi stopped dead in his tracks.

He locked eyes with a brown haired bespectacled mess of a human being across the square, standing there, just as dumbfounded as he was. Both of them stood absolutely still as everyone rushed around them, alarm bells sounding in the city.

“...Petra?” Levi mouthed.

The two would have stood forever if not for the cracks of gunshots rang through the air, waking them from their daze. Zeke’s men located them and they had to leave immediately.

Levi looked back and she was gone, leading him to fall into a panic. He spun around thinking of a way out when suddenly he heard the sound of laughter and the revving of an engine from his left. There she was, making a scene on a stolen motorcycle driving directly towards him.

“Hop on!”

She slowed down to let Levi sit behind her, and took his arms and wrapped them around her torso. Levi felt his face grow hot—there was no hiding the blush spreading across his cheeks, and she giggled at him.

“Hold on tight, okay?” she said with a smile, and sped carefully through the crowd and out into the small streets.

“You got the files, right?”

“Of course,” Levi answered.

She smiled and looked ahead, laughing to herself.

“What’s so funny, four-eyes?”

“I mean, of course Erwin put us in the same undercover workplace without telling us, and then puts us on a mission together halfway around the world to make that reveal. Of course.”

Levi scowled, a bit peeved that he had to keep this secret from her when they were working together at the restaurant for the last 3 years—he’d smack Erwin later for this. Levi knew that she understood him a little too well...

“And my name isn’t really Petra, by the way. And i’m guessing... your name isn't Moblit either, huh?”

She felt Levi shake his head against her back as they continued to ride the motorcycle out to their meeting location with Erwin.

“Hah, well, the name's Hange. But you can keep calling me Four-Eyes if you like.”

“Hm, okay. And you can call me, Levi. But you can stop calling me Shorty."

[frobin]

Okey serious question here. How much do you actually believe that Oda ships Frobin? Like do you think he actually have like doodles/sketchs of them in a pairing kind of way? like for the strong world film riding the motorbug? (Personally i would love it to be true but he has stated one piece isn't about romance in that way)

Hey there anon! Thank you so much for your question and I hope I can answer it seriously enough. Also once more sorry for the late response. I felt like a question like that needs some research and that is what I did these last few days.

So... I think I'll start with the tl;dr because that way people can read that and ignore the rest.

So, long answer short: I 100% believe that Oda has one or more sketchbooks with drawings of his characters that are absolutely self-indulgent. I am 98% sure that he has drawn Franky and Robin in a romantic way at least once (and supported the ship). I am 80% sure he still is shipping FRobin.

Little disclaimer: I actually have no idea if any of this is true. I pull everything in my arguments out of my own experiences and knowledge and since I'm not a 46 year old Japanese Mangaka my perspective might be WAY OFF.

argument - reason- example - conclusion... behind the cut (or in the google doc)

So, why do I think that Oda has a secret sketchbook?

Simple answer is that he is an artist. He is drawing a lot and no artist will publish everything. That can have multiple reasons like imposter syndrome or because the artist thinks it’s not good or interesting enough or they just forget. There are even more reasons I forget and every person has their own.

For Oda I can imagine two big reasons as to why he would keep secret sketchbooks.

First: He is a horndog. You can skip this part if you don’t want to read about it, to the second reason.

Anyway, we know thanks to answers in the SBS, the way he likes to draw big-breasted women and how some of his characters are classified as perverts that he can be considered one too.

Let me show you a few of a few lewd SBS questions he likes to answer in a funny way:

Chapter 228, Page 46

D: How are ya, Odacchi? I know how much you like getting butt-naked, so this must be a favourite season for you. <3

O: Yes, yes. I just LOVE getting completely naked. In the summertime, after I take a bath I just run STRAIGHT OUTSIDE!! And when the girls' softball team running on the sidewalk looks over at me, they say, "Yup, it's really summer now!!" ... AS IF!! I'D GET ARRESTED!!!

(x)

Chapter 433, Page 68

D: If Lady Robin can use her Hana Hana Powers to make any part of her body sprout somewhere else, does that mean she can do it with her ample bosom as well? "Nyurin-zaki" (Breast Sprout) Boy, I'd like to take a hit from that sometime... P.N. Ero Ero no Mi Devil Fruit User.

O: "Ichirin-zaki" (Single Sprout) "Nirin-zaki" (Double Sprout) "Nyurin-zaki" (Breast Sprout) Very clever!! NO IT'S NOT!! STOP THAT!! I'm sure she CAN do it though ♡

(x)

Chapter 798, Page 64

D: Oddachi, I'll give you a pornographic book, so please answer my question. Sanji won't allow anyone to waste food, but what will he do if a woman does so? P.N. Smoker's Cigar

O: I think he would grab the plate and eat it up. Now please give me the pornographic book.

(x)

Nowadays I’m sure there is a focus on those lewder questions compared to the beginning because that is what 13 year old boys laugh about and we all know that is Oda's main demographic (of course).

I think a very good picture of that is given by Tekking101 in his breakdown video of SBS Volume 100.

“Let’s get diving into these questions (...) now, this is a huge moment. I mean, not many Manga manage to reach 100 Volumes, Okay? Now I know Oda usually starts these off with questions relating to boobs and things that don’t really… you know, aren’t really relevant but you know, this is a big celebration so we’re gonna dive right into it. I bet the most important things that we need to know about the One Piece Story are right here in these pages, okay? I printed them out. That is how important this is. So let’s start off, shall we? Epic voice, Barry!

‘Mister Oda, there is a UFO over there with huge big-breasted beauties on it. That memorable 100 Volume of the SBS is about to begin.’

[pause] Yeah, like the first five of these are all related to boobs in some way. You know what Oda? Sticking true to your guns! Godspeed, Sir Oda. Godspeed.”

(end at around 2:30)

So, Oda is a man who likes beautiful women and who draws.

Coming to the conclusion that he will draw his own characters in suggestive poses, naked and even doing adult stuff is not hard.

Obviously he would not show these sketches just around. He would probably keep them in a secret sketchbook that he keeps at a safe location. Maybe his wife and some close friends know about it? Maybe it is his and only his little secret.

I don’t think it would be unlikely to learn about this years into the future, maybe the next generation of Anime Fans will hear about this.

And it would not be the first time that something like this happened.

Not that long ago the daughter of Osamu Tezuka - groundbreaking Mangaka, known for his works of “Astro Boy”, “Kimba the white lion” and many more - found his adult Furry art. Source; Japanese article;

It’s a fact that many Mangaka did indeed start their career with art of the more risque kind and/or as doujinshi artists.

So again, I have no doubt that Oda, a known pervert, has one or more secret sketchbooks with „the p0rnography“ in it. Is there only hot stuff in there? Not necessarily.

The second reason to keep a secret sketchbook would be to collect information in there, that could be considered canon but he is not willing to use it in the Manga. Maybe they are not important enough or will be used later.

What am I imagining here? Anything that could be considered too weird for the normal sketchbook but isn‘t too risque. Funny things that might still not be „appropriate.“

Like a sketch of the male Strawhat ding-dongs with the sizes beside it. All the lewd jokes the fans did about Luffy's stretching qualities? I’m sure Oda thought about them too and drew that in the past if he had the time and it made him laugh enough.

But also maybe there are scenes in there that never made it in the Manga. The Strawhats interacting with each other in their daily lives, ideas for colorspreads and maybe chapter-titles. Oda probably has noted/sketched down a lot of unofficial stuff somewhere.

Another example, even an artist like Oda himself would have needed to exercise drawing two people kissing. Why not use Characters he thinks that might work out together?

Why not Franky and Robin? I would imagine he sketched up a few panels of Franky and Robin having a romantic date, going shopping together in Dressrosa, having a conversation that we never got to see because it was too on the nose.

Which brings us to the second point of me being very sure that Oda had drawn FrankyXRobin at one point.

I’m sure in those sketchbooks there is at least one drawing of them doing anything couple-related together. Again it does not have to be downright nasty but it could be them holding hands, kissing or even just Robin leaning onto Franky while reading, like all those fanarts that exist out there.

It’s not hard to imagine. Even for other Characters I think that is possible

And there might even be proof for that idea. The sketch of the Strong World movie you also mentioned, anon. The one movie that can be considered canon is Strong World. It was basically written/directed by Oda. Shiki the antagonist had an appearance in the Manga.

This sketch is drawn by Oda. Robin is holding onto Franky.

Can it be read as romantic? Yes. Can it be read as Robin holding onto Franky because there is nothing else to hold onto? Also Yes. But couldn't she just have used her power to keep herself secured on the bike without holding onto Franky? WELL YES. Could Oda never have thought in these circles like I do right now? I hope he did not because I hate it and I don’t wish it upon him.

In the movie Robin is NOT holding onto Franky. Now the really interesting thing - that is neither proof pro nor anti FRobin - is that we can see the sketch provided by Oda as a “between the scenes”.

In the movie Strong World the old trio is collecting information at the Pirate assembly. The next time we see them they use the Batta GT-7000 to slowly approach the destroyed village, which had been ravaged by the animals, and start to look for their friends. No need to hold onto Franky and no need for Brook to lean back. They are looking around.

The sketch is clearly not the same scene as the one we see in the movie.

In conclusion the drawing is indeed a between the scenes drawing. And yes if there exists one, who is to say there aren’t more?

Talking about Animal-Bikes...

Is there any meaning about the fact that in the opening scene (that is part of the talked intro after the opening ‘We Go’ - a huge thanks to antiherofangirl, ccb0nnet, JFL_Estudios and Maems, over at twitter!) Franky and Robin build another grasshopper-based vehicle? Maybe not but I still feel like it’s quite a callback.

Where did the idea to put this in the beginning come from? a) an editor had the idea inspired by Strong World; b) maybe it’s another sketch that Oda provided.

Neither seems very far-fetched in my opinion.

So yes, I am very sure that Oda has drawn things that we would consider FRobin.

Now to the last point (the first being Oda having a secret sketchbook, the second me arguing that Oda might have drawn FRobin).

As I said in the beginning I’m very sure that at one point Oda did and kinda that he still does ship Franky and Robin. Because even though every Interaction of two characters can be depicted as romantic or platonic, Oda used ROMANTIC TROPES with Franky and Robin.

They have never kissed on screen but we had

finishing each other's sentences

coordinated clothes

one using the others lap as pillow

hand on cheek caressing

and we can’t forget that Robin had answered Franky's invitation to ride on another animal-themed bike with a heart.

Edit: I didn‘t say anything about „no romance in OP“ so ask again if you want me to talk a bit about that. Sorry!

Those are things an author of Oda's level would not write or draw without being aware about how teasing this is. He has to be aware that every single line he draws will be analyzed to the end of the universe and back. People earn money by saying their opinion and interpretations about the Manga on Youtube.

These interactions are not something outlandish like “There was once an Anime Scene in which Robin was wearing something blue and exactly 28 episodes later Franky was wearing something violet and then 39 episodes later they both stood beside each other for exactly 69 seconds.”

Whenever I think about these facts, things that are not about interpreting but are factual, black ink on white paper but also about the little things, about how Frank and Robin help each other to become better, how they support each other… I want to say YES! ODA IS 100% on board! While in reality I’m 80% sure and 20% of me is wondering if I’m not actually analyzing too much into it. If maybe he really is abandoning ship. Maybe I will become the person who will curse his name and throw my Mangas and fanfictions in an active volcano?

I don’t know and it’s impossible to say what is going to happen.

And with that I've concluded this answer, and it only took me around 2k words and four days.

[stxleslyds]

MY TOUGHTS ON PART ONE OF RED HOOD BY CHIP ZDARSKY :)

Finally I have read part one of the Red Hood story in Batman: Urban Legends!

This story is very interesting, we start with the Red Hood looking for the people who are providing Gotham with a new drug. This drug “Cheerdrops” has been passed around for weeks at this point and it has had devastating results among it's users. If you know Jason you understand that drugs are a big issue for him and one that he treats very carefully and seriously. 

As he interrogates people he arrives to the building where one of the dealers of this drug is supposed to be, there he finds a horrific scene, a boy is desperately trying to wake up his mother who appears to have overdosed in her bed. Jason is quick to call an ambulance and get in contact with Oracle in order to find the boy's father who is (as he finds out later) the man that he was looking for. 

Jason sees this scene and can't help but compare it to the time he went through this situation with his mom all those years ago, so he takes the boy with him so he can take him to his father, who Jason is hoping is a good man that had to sell drugs in order to help his family.

That's basically the premise of this first part of the story but now i will write about my thoughts on the specifics of the story.

The story begins with Jason giving a speech about fear and how it's used, 

"Fear. Its a tool, it's his tool. I never really adopted it, maybe because he kept that fear all to himself." Then he continues with "Never had to rely on it, had to work harder to take out the bad guys, had to be...more direct." he finishes that thought with "Rubber Bullets. So that fear doesn't get turned around on me."

I for one really liked this Fear speech, it does really sum up what the Batman does, he relies on the Fear that he imposes on Gotham's criminals and such while Robin on the other hand was never meant to work with fear, which is true.

It did remind me of the speech that Alfred gave in issue #10 of Under the Red Hood about how Batman works with fear and Jason had some thoughts on it, here is some of it, 

"Master Jason had a condescending practice of referring to the costumed criminals elements as 'dress ups'. He also noted that such individuals did not fear the Batman the way street thugs and mafioso did. The 'dress ups' did not believe he was a monster." "...the boy did say something to me that chilled me to the bone...even then. 'They all know he won't kill them.'"

Anyway let's go back to the actual comic I am talking about...

Jason speaks from his position as Red Hood in current time and says that he uses rubber bullets in order to keep the Bat at bay, the fear that the Bat uses against other criminals cannot be used against him if he plays within the Bat's rules.

As he was doing that he was actually trying to get info about who is making the drug but all he was able to get was who was selling it to the person he was interrogating. This drug is dangerous and Jason has to work fast. 

Here is where we see the first flashback scene, we see Jason in the cave before he was able to go out as Robin and he is not to happy about it. The art is very beautiful but sadly in these panels i found my first problem with the context of Jason becoming Robin and how Zdarsky seems to set Jason's feelings on the first Robin.

It seems that Zdarsky is going for the “Jason believed Dick was the perfect Robin and no matter what he did he would never be as good as him” route, which fine ok, that's your right but, is it really necessary? I must admit i am a little tired of this particular thing because i adore the fact that when Dick and Jason first met they were fine with one another (even if a little wary at the very start). And the whole competitive and “i will never be as good as X person” is really tiring in the Robin/Batfamily fandom.

That problem is not as significant as the next one though.

Jason not thinking that Robin was “badass”. Well this is not only a bad take but it's completely OOC for Jason, no matter how you see it. From his first appearance as Robin to the flashbacks in Winick's UtRH and even through both of Lobdell's runs Jason has always loved the concept and the mantle of Robin as a child. 

Batman v1, #385.

So that whole take is wrong, i don't like it and also who on this or any universe would rather call themselves Batboy? Honestly i hope this is never brought up again or i will cry. ((((Also in this house Robin will always be the name that Mary gave Dick and then he used as his hero name so it hurts a lot more))))

Also at the end of this first flashback Jason discovers a room full of firearms and is obviously surprised because Batman hates those so he asks why he has them, B responds that he has to understand how they work for his detective work, but that's not all he says, he also says this “...Guns are a coward's weapon, and we will not be cowards.”

Alright Mr. Zdarsky i see the irony... i also see the Daredevil / Punisher thingie right there.

Anyway we are now back to the present where we see Batman seeing the effects of the drug in one of its victims, after saving that person he takes some samples of the drug. We also get to see two police officers with different views on the “masks”, that's a nice way to set the story after the Joker War and before the Magistrate. 

Back to Jason, he seems to be struggling, he can't find the people making/providing the drugs in Gotham and is also doubting his skills, he tells a man that if the information that he gave him is incorrect he “will find him” followed with another internal speech full of self doubt, “...sure thing Red Hood, right now you can't even find a street drug. Half of Gotham's teenagers could find it no problem. You never were the best detective.”

Alright, so Jason feels insecure about his skills now? First you have pre-Robin Jason not feeling like he could be able to keep up with the first Robin and now, Jason as a grown man has doubts about the skills that he has used for a long while now? I mean, press X for DOUBT because UtRH showed us how much of a badass and extremely skilled he is. This man planed everything in order to turn the Bat's world upside down (and this story has references to UtRH so it definitely happened) and now he feels like he is not that good? 

Shit. i know where this is going, first the insecurities that he has already worked out... I can see it coming, the next big thing will be Daddy issues. Wonderful i hate it and i hope i am wrong because those “issues” are more than resolved, i know that's the only trope DC throws at Jason but honestly how different will it be this time?

Fine, lets move on. Jason finds himself in one of the apartments and what he sees is horrifying. Lying on a bed there is a woman completely catatonic with a horrible smile on her face and right next to her a terrified little boy.

Here is the best take on Jason's character so far. 

Realizing that the child is scared of the situation and the masked man that just came into his home Jason takes off his mask and reassures the kid that he is there to help, it's quickly made obvious that the woman has overdosed on Cheerdrops, he makes sure to call an ambulance for her stating that she seems to be in a  drug-related coma.

Its important to note that Jason is doing this as he is having troubling thoughts about how much this scene reminds him of the time he was in this little boy's (Tyler) shoes. Its hard for him but he soon realizes that he needs to make sure Tyler is safe. 

He asks Tyler if he has another parent, he does and his name is Andy, after taking a look around the house Jason deduces that maybe the father is also taking drugs so if the police comes they will surely take Tyler and put him in the system, this idea is not one Jason is fond of so he calls Oracle, he asks if she can locate Tyler's dad's phone, when she asks about the kid Jason says that he will be the one keeping him safe.

Now we find ourselves back with Batman where he is investigating the components of Cheerdrops, he finds out that the drug is a modified version of Scarecrow's fear gas that gives the victim a sense of extreme happiness instead of fear.

Here we get confirmation of when in the timeline this story occurs, which is after the events of Infinite Frontier (where there was an attack on Arkham and many patients/prisoners were killed or escaped).

B suggests to Oracle that maybe Crane didn't die there and that he might be behind this drug, he will be on the job right away! To this Oracle is like well shit, so she tells B that Jason is also working this case...and here comes a funny yet confusing interaction. 

Barbara says “I know you two aren't exactly friends right now but...” before she finishes Batman interrupts her by saying “He is a killer Barbara. I will do this alone.”

OH BOY is this interaction confusing! First of all may i point out how different this conversation is from the one in Three Jokers where the roles were basically reversed??? Please tell me that i am not the only one who finds that funny! Anyway that story doesn't matter here, but Red Hood Outlaw from Rebirth does, right?

Here is the thing, the last person that Jason “killed” in rebirth was Penguin and he actually didn't do it, he had him trapped in a panic room in his own Casino. Batman already beat the living shit out of Jason in RHatO #25 for it...and some time has passed, B surely found out that Jason didn't kill Penguin by now, i mean isn't he like the best detective to ever detective in the history of the universe??

Not only that but Jason has been using rubber bullets for a while and even at the start he mentions that, he basically implies that he is playing by the Bat's rules to keep him off his back. Maybe B hasn't let go of the duffel bag full of heads or any of the shitty people Jason killed during UtRH??? If B still holds that against Jason then why would he try to make Jason part of his Bat clan at the beginning of RHatO Rebirth? 

Maybe he still thinks that Jason killed the penguin...but even then isn't B working with Harley and Ghost-Maker? You know, people who have killed? Why is Jason different? Did Jason kill someone recently that we don't know about? Jason only kills a very distinct set of people (that are very not nice) so i guess i don't see the logic...

Anyway second flashback, and this time we have a look at what was going on in the Batcave with B and Alfred during the events of UtRH! Nothing that wasn't explored in UtRH is said here but we do see Alfred explicitly telling Bruce how much they failed Jason. There is a heavy insinuation that the fact that Batman keeps sending the Joker to Arkham only for him to escape and kill more people actually makes B responsible for those deaths and i love that. Thank you. 

Back to Jason and Tyler we get to see some very adorable scenes between the two. Jason gives the lower half of his mask to Tyler to protect his identity like a superhero and we have a really sweet moment in which Tyler chooses the Blue Hood as his name because he likes the colour blue (same Tyler).

After he leaves Tyler in a place where he will be safe he goes to the building where Andy should be and let me tell you the more Jason sees the less hopeful he becomes about Andy being just one of the people selling the drug... He does some shooting and incapacitating and then follows the man that is trying to escape and here is when shit hits the fan. 

Andy is a disgusting human being. He hates Tyler's mother and doesn't care that she might be dead and the piece of shit hates his son so much that he gave a barely 10 year old drugs. 

Yeah. BANG BANG BANG MOTHERFUKER. 

If you think that this leads to Jason being a little more like his UtRH self, you know the guy that said that people who gave drugs to kids will get killed without a thought...yeah that's not happening, here comes the guilt!

I get it he just killed a man, but, did you read what that man said?

Anyway that's how the first part of this story ends. 

The story is good. it has things that don't make much sense but i think it's because Zdarsky is a Batman fan and not a Red Hood fan in the sense that he doesnt know much about Jason's character and that this is his first ever DC work.

I cant wait to see where this story goes, while i hope “unresolved daddy issues” doesn't become a theme yet again in a Red Hood story i believe it's where we are headed. I will keep on reading because i am invested in Jason and Tyler's relationship and what is going to happen now that Jason killed Andy.

Let me know what you thought about the issue and my post if you want! Bye!

[themadauthorshatter]

... What time is it?

Toppat!Henry time!

In case you're just now tuning in, you can catch up with the links below:

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4 and revision

Part 5

Part 6

In the last part: Charles made it to his destination, The Wall, and got more intel on Henry and his seni-estranged father, who payed his son a little visit. However, when the Toppat Clan arrived and caused another outbreak, Charles failed to escape and was captured by Henry, who let slip what he was REALLY after.

Just a heads up for this one, too, TW if you will: there's A LOT of Stickvin in this one and unwanted touching and getting into physical and mental personal space.

With all that out of the way, BACK TO OUR REGULARLY SCHEDULED PROGRAM!

We start off with Galeforce outside as he stares at the sky, hoping there's a Wall helicopter coming with Charles piloting it.

It's been a couple days and there's been no call or sign from the pilot, so everyone's on edge.

Calvin and Konrad approach the General and take a seat next to him.

"Think he's alright?" Konrad asks.

"He's Charles," Calvin replies, feigning confidence. "Of course he's alright. He's made it out okay other times, so..."

Konrad hums and holds a knee to his chest. "Still hope he's alright."

"Me, too, boys," Galeforce says, surprising them both. He's still watching the sky and keeping his eyes off the twins. "Me, too."

Funny that they talk about Charles because, CUT TO THE ORBITAL STATION!

Charles is hanging by his wrists in a cell as he comes to with a groan.

TV/camera perspective we'd see his vision is blurry and swimming around from getting knocked out by Henry, who's standing in front of him with a very 'waiting' look on his face; he's not being impatient or showing concern or anything like that, he's just watching Charles wake up and regain his focus, which he does. He's not in the Wall uniform anymore, by the way.

Charles shakes his head and tries to talk, but stops when he realizes he's gagged, with tape over his mouth that's from ine side of his jaw to the other.

He also remembers what happened in the woods and fully wakes up, looking around in complete shock.

"Sleep well?" Henry asks.

Charles looks back at Henry and glares at him, mentally calling him every swear in the book.

Henry only smirks and shrugs. "I got worried I hit you too hard, that's all. Just a friend looking out for another friend."

Charles throws a kick at Henry for that, shouting behind the tape.

We are not friends.

It only amuses Henry more and he walks in a circle around Charles, moving slow enough and out of reach to taunt him; 'Go 'head. Kick me. What's stopping you now?'

Charles only watches him, glaring as he waits to see what Henry will do next.

"I guess you're still wounded by my 'betrayal,' right?" Henry asks as he stops at Charles's side.

Charles sharpens his glare further.

"Since you're clearly not listening, I'll reiterate."

Henry stops smirking and leans into Charles's ear.

"You. Kidnapped. Me. Why would I want to help anyone after that?"

Charles cringes at the lack of space, but drops his gaze, at least before looking back at Henry and replying to him, despite the tape over his mouth.

Henry moves back in front of him and yanks the tape off, causing Charles to yelp.

"I didn't get that. What were you saying?"

After a second of light panting and rubbing his lips to get the stinging away, Charles fixes his glare back on Henry. "I said, we were going to pardon you, if you helped us."

Henry folds his arms over his chest. "Were you? Because, to me, it looked like you weren't going to let me free at all."

"I wish that was the case," Charles snaps.

Henry, not appreciating the salt, rests a hand on Charles's side, under his coat and on his shirt, where his injuries are. The action makes Charles get a little uncomfortable and nervous, especially when Henry feels the bandage that holds Charles's ribs.

"Careful," Henry warns as he pushes his thumb on the bandage. "You're not on Earth anymore. There isn't anyone here that's going to save you."

Charles winces, but glares again; he'd love to kick Henry again, but doesn't want to know what he'll do if he does.

"I don't need anyone to save me."

Henry raises an eyebrow and smirks. "Really? Then why were we interrupted during the heist? If you don't need saving, then how were you going to escpae?"

This time, Charles does kick Henry again, but harder this time, enough to knock him into the wall.

Henry grunts when his back hits the wall, but Charles smirks, proud of himself.

"That's how."

Henry scowls at him before chuckling. "What stopped you that day?"

"You held a GUN to my head."

Henry shakes his head and paces around Charles again, the pilot watching as closely as he can from where he's hanging.

"I've always wondered why you were in the military. Why you are a pilot, of all things, and why does the General keep you so close to him? I thought higher-ups didn't play favorites."

Before he can answer, Charles stiffens when he feels Henry lean against him, the two being back to back.

Henry plays coy, however, folding his arms over his chest and tipping his head back. "I was wondering why you didn't arrest me, at least, seeing as how that was your mission. It got me thinking.

"How many people have you lost? And why would it lead you to spare me when it really mattered?"

Charles pulls at his restraints while Henry's distracted, not wanting to continue the conversation.

You know that gesture where someone snaps their fingers and points up as they say, "Ah"? Henry does that, like he's pretending a lightbulb goes off in his head.

"I remember now."

Henry turns and wraps his arms around Charles, under his arms, one hand on Charles's shoulder and the other on his head and forehead, toying with his hair.

"No one wants to deal with a show-off, especially when he's the youngest pilot in the force."

"That has nothing to do with it," Charles replies through gritted teeth.

"Right. Which begs another question: Why a pilot? Who did you lose to make you go down a path that would leave you so lonely in the end that you'd try befriending a thief?"

"I have friends," Charles barks. "I just don't like getting them hurt."

Henry stares at the floor and simply hums at Charles's words. "How noble. Tell me, have any of these friends ever... returned the favor? If you don't want them getting hurt, then shouldn't they try doing the same for you?"

Charles opens his mouth to say 'yes,' but hesitates as he thinks about how they didn't follow him, but they weren't supposed to, as established by Henry and Charles during their agreement.

Henry, however, takes it as Charles simply not having an answer.

"Funny how you're willing to almost die for those two twins. What else are you willing to do to keep them safe?"

Charles turns and glares at Henry. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Henry moves his hand to Charles's hip, which further disturbs Charles because he doesn't like being close enough to an enemy to be checked for a hernia(please tell me you got the reference. Breaking Bad, btw).

"Just wondering what you'd do, if we decided to pick up those twins you're close to and bring them here."

That implication/threat is the last thing Charles needs to hear, and his glare drops into a look of panic as he watches Henry walk around him until they're face to face; trained soldier be damned, he cares for the twins like brothers, and he doesn't want them anywhere NEAR Henry or the orbital station.

"Don't."

"What about Officer Price? I'm sure he'd be more than happy to see you."

"Dont."

"Or what?" Henry barks. "You're already trapped here, so fighting isn't going to help you."

"If you want to know where that stupid sappire is, it's in the ocean," Charles snaps. "We broken it into pieces and spread across the water! Beyond that know one knows where it is!"

Henry leans close to Charles and rests his arms and hands against Charles's.

"You and I both know that's a lie."

Charles glares again. "What'll you do, if I don't tell you? Go back to the base and the General will make aure you don't leave, but keep wasting your time with me and you'll never find it. And I'll die before telling you, so you might as well let me go."

Henry smirks and lowers his hands until he's holding either side of his head.

"All good things come to those who wait, Charlie."

The two stare at each other for a little bit before Charles gulps and breaks the silence:

"Just... for the sake of argument, let's say I did tell you where the sapphire is. Would you let me go?"

I should note here Charles is not really going to snitch on the twins. He's more testing the waters to see what his choices are here.

Henry's smirk grows and brushes some hair out of Charles's face.

"Like I said before: why would I ever want that?"

With that Henry backs away and leaves, turning his back to Charles, who watches him put in a finger swipe code on a panel and hears rattling as he leaves, tossing something up and down in his hand.

Hope you paid attention to Henry moving his hand because the thing he's tossing up and down is Charles's ADD medicine, which Charles instantly notices and gets a cold sweat as he realizes he's now against the clock for getting to the panel and escaping; he needs all the focus he can get and cannot do that without his medicine.

"You'll come around eventually. Until then, enjoy your stay."

The door closes behind Henry and Charles listens to him leave, hearing his shoes against the floor.

Once Henry's gone, Charles tugs and pulls at his restraints again, more desperately and panicking when they don't give.

Seeing he won't be breaking the cuffs and aching from his wounds, Charles stops and screams to the ceiling, swearing and calling Henry a bastard.

[bokunoheroanalysisforthefuture]

And the last chapter of the first volume! Though technically there’s after-chapter content that will be in a separate post from this, but for now, what matters is finishing up the quirk assessment and getting into the battle trial!

Honestly, it’s a good thing that I just shoved all the opening arcs from before the USJ together into one tag, because this chapter literally goes from the quirk assessment into the beginning of the battle trial stuff, and trying to separate them out would have been a mess and a half. Better to just have it all in the ‘opening arcs’ tag.

...weird title for something that only comes at the end of the chapter, but whatever, it’s not like we don’t see that happen later on in the series as well.

[No. 7 - Costume Change?]

And we immediately come back to where we left off, with All Might realizing what just happened and what Izuku did and even why! One of those little peeks that remind us that All Might is very smart! Also god, him with a small fanboy moment over how proud he is of his kid and how cool that workaround was, mmm this is the Dad Might content I signed up for. 

Izuku is still standing firm, even with his finger swollen and damaged, biting back the pain. Ochako is cheering about that record, Tenya notices Izuku’s finger is damaged and thinks back to the entrance exam, calling it a ‘strange quirk’, Aoyama says it’s stylishly done, and Katsuki is brain broke.

I’m sorry that’s just so fucking funny. He is such a goddamn gremlin, but he’s also completely shook. He thinks about how quirks never manifest past age four, but somehow Izuku has a quirk. 

He then recalls Izuku saying ‘he earned this’ and gets pissed, blasting forward to demand an explanation while Izuku freaks out-

Only for Katsuki to have his quirk cancelled by Aizawa and also get caught up in the capture scarf. 

Beauty. Grace. He’ll bite off your face. 

Katsuki notes the cloth is stiff, while Aizawa tells him that it’s a capture weapon made of carbon fibers and a special alloy wire, then tells Katsuki to stop using his quirk already. Which is interesting; can Aizawa sense when people are trying to use their quirks while under the effects of his? If so, is he sensing the aborted movement of whatever quirk factors exist, or ??? 

(All I’m saying is that that is some possible fuel for a Dad For One connection but for Aizawa instead of Izuku… you know, just in case.)

As we sort of saw from the last chapter, Aizawa’s quirk has the side effect of giving him dry eyes (he was putting eyedrops in his eyes after using his quirk on Izuku). Izuku thinks that sucks since his quirk is so awesome. Aizawa lets his quirk and scarf drop, telling the class to prepare for the next event.

Katsuki is standing where he was stopped, glaring at Izuku who is holding his hand while Ochako worries over him and his finger. He’s caught up in a flashback (which again, reminder that this is chapter 7 and we already have flashbacks), thinking about how up to then, Izuku was just another pebble in his path. We get a brief cut to a memory flashback (not a chapter flashback) to when Izuku and Katsuki were still friends, and Izuku was waiting for his quirk to come in still, and then repeats that Izuku was only supposed to be a pebble. Single track mind, much?

Discord:

Ah, that good Bakugou discourse. This is why you do this stuff in a server with friends.

Izuku narrates a short passage of time - over the rest of the events - while handling the pain of his injured finger. Aizawa tells them it’s time for the results, with Izuku thinking about how he’s going to get expelled because the only record worth mentioning was the throw, and how the endurance running failed hard because of the pain. Aizawa says he won’t explain the process behind the scoring process, just that they reflect performance.

And then he reveals he was lying about expelling someone. 

The trio’s faces. Aizawa’s manic smile. The trio’s faces. And Momo there like ‘what did you expect?’ God, I can’t help but giggle.

Izuku just fucking ascending to a new plane of existance here.

Aizawa turns to leave, saying they’re done there and that the documents about the curriculum and whatnot are back in the classroom. He then calls out Izuku, who is shaking in panic (probably about Aizawa changing his mind again - I wonder if teachers before UA pulled that sort of ‘syke’ on Izuku… yikes.)

Instead, he just gets handed a pass to the nurse’s office (not even filled out fully, incredible) and then turns and walks off.

The class is left to stare after Aizawa in bafflement, with Izuku’s narration noting that he’s safe for the moment, but still has too much he can’t do, and that he’s literally starting from the bottom - but here’s there to learn so he can get closer to his dream!

Class rankings:

And- ah, he walked past All Might, who calls him out as a liar. Aizawa either didn’t notice him watching or didn’t know it was All Might specifically who was watching, but either way calls it ‘wasting time’ - which makes sense when all the teachers know about his time limit that he’s spending there watching Izuku the kids do their trials.

All Might notes that April Fool’s was over a week ago, and that the ‘rational deception’ thing falls flat when he expelled an entire class of first years the previous year. Aizawa discards those with zero potential, but he went back on his word here, and then asks if he sensed Midoriya’s potential as well. While giving Aizawa finger guns. Have I mentioned this man is a complete dork yet?

Aizawa catches onto the ‘as well’ bit, and determines that All Might’s supporting the kid - which isn’t his usual style. He then starts walking off again, saying Midoriya doesn’t have no chance, but that’s all he’ll say on the matter. He then says that if the kid had no prospects, he’d cut him loose, since it’s crueler to let someone chase half-baked dreams. 

All Might determines quietly that it’s Aizawa’s way of being kind, but out loud states that they can agree to disagree. Meanwhile, in the background, Sero and Sato notice All Might, which probably leads to class 1a going after him and him fleeing for safety. 

We transition to when Izuku is heading home, with him exhausted because of his trip to Recovery Girl. Tenya checks in on him, and Izuku says he’s fine, with us seeing a temporary flashback to the nurse’s office. Izuku notes his finger’s better, but he’s exhausted all of a sudden (he doesn’t remember last time since he was unconscious). 

A couple of things:

Kamui Woods pez dispenser 

Oh, so if he doesn’t have stamina he’ll die! Good to know! :)

Anyways, Izuku thinks about how he can’t keep going on like this and has to figure out how to regulate his power fast. Tenya goes on to talk about how Aizawa had fooled them, making them think that was how it was, only for it to be a deception. (The irony that the mercy was actually unplanned all along gets to me.) Izuku is more relaxed around him now that he realizes Tenya isn’t scary, just super serious.

Ochako rushes over to catch up, asking if they’re heading for the station. Tenya calls her ‘Infinity Girl’ and Izuku repeats it mentally in surprise. Ochako introduces herself, and then brings up their names - though she mistakes Izuku’s name for ‘Deku’, because of what Katsuki said during the test. Izuku corrects her with awkward hand gestures, saying his real name and that the ‘Deku’ is just Katsuki being a bully. 

Tenya and Ochako both acknowledge this, with Ochako apologizing, and then mentioning how ‘Deku’ sounds like ‘do your best’, and that she likes it. Izuku goes beet fucking red and immediately replies that Deku is fine, with Tenya chastising him for not showing backbone while Izuku calls it like the Copernican Revolution and Ochako questions who Copernicus is. 

The narration takes over, noting that even if there’s a lot he can’t do, he’ll do his best, but having All Might and even some friends behind him… it’s more than he could have asked for. 

Good children. Best friends. God, these were the good days… more OG Dekucrew content please and thanks.

We get one panel of Toshinori that Izuku’s got no time to rest, and that tomorrow the real test begins. Then we’re onto the next day, aka the first day of actual classes - and oh, right, UA has clubs, that’s something that’s easy to forget when we never see it with the hero classes. I mean, considering that the actual hero training classes probably overlap the usual club hours, not surprising, but still.

Present Mic is shown to be the English teacher, trying to get the kids in the spirit of class, but pretty much everyone is finding it boring - asides from Izuku, who is actually trying to answer the question mentally, even if not out loud. The narration notes that the mornings are for normal classes, and that lunch is top-notch food for dirt cheap in the cafeteria (as cooked by Lunch Rush), and then hero training is in the afternoon… possibly after lunch? Which isn’t great when people could end up throwing up. Ah well.

These fucking dorks. Two peas in a quirkless-to-superpowered pea pod.

And of course, more meta from the class on how All Might’s drawn differently.

Anyways, All Might gets into Hero Basic Training, how it’ll mold them into heroes, and that there’s no time to waste as he shows off a card reading ‘battle’ before stating that they have battle training. 

Have I mentioned he’s a dork? There’s more ham here than in Shatner’s performances in the original Star Trek series!

Katsuki is thrilled with battle training, of course. All Might notes that for battle training, the class will need - as the wall clicks and opens several drawers with numbered cases, each with contents in accordance with the quirk registry and the special request forms fill out before admission - costumes! Which the class is super hyped about. Izuku is holding his backpack in excitement, and All Might orders the students to come out to Ground Beta in ranking order once they’re changed, to which the class agrees. 

As he takes his leave, he notes that looking good is important, and to look alive, because from today on, they’re all heroes! We also get some nice transition moments showing pieces of people’s costumes, with Izuku being the last one out as the rest show theirs off.

So cool! And what a way to end a chapter and a book! And a nice nod to the prototype costume for Izuku. Time to say goodbye to it before the end of this arc. 

Next time, I’ll try to get through all the bonus stuff for the end of the volume, and then we can get into the battle trial proper! Looking forward to that.

[fedtothenight]

this competition asked to write a short story in the dystopian genre and my entry's below - don't rb!

the sweetest fruit

The boy gasped, straining against the padded frame of the jeep just as the vehicle slowly came to a halt. ‘Look!’ he shouted, pointing at a spot about a hundred feet from the group. ‘Look, Mum! That’s so cool!’

Half-instinctively, his mother had already grabbed a fistful of his tank-top, ready to yank him back. She had spent the entirety of the trip sitting as still as possible, facing forward, eyes stubbornly fixed on the self-cooling top of the car in a pointless effort to fight her motion sickness: her patience was already wearing very thin without her eight-year-old personal safety hazard trying to get himself killed.

‘Ethan, for the love of God,’ she snapped. ‘I already told you to stop leaning over the frame! Do you realise how dangerous that is?’

‘No, Mum, you’ve got to look!’

‘Emma, darling,’ her husband whispered, a gentle hand on her shoulder. ‘You should really look at this. It’s magnificent.’

Whatever it was, even her fifteen-year-old daughter - who had spent the last thirty minutes texting her friends back home without so much as a glance at the scenery - was jaw-slacked, so she slowly got up on her wobbly knees and peered over her shoulders.

In the shadow of a tree, protected from the sweltering heat, two lions were feasting on a zebra. Perhaps belatedly, as it’d taken her a second to drink the sight in, she realised that the poor thing was still alive: writhing as blood, red and hot and pulsing, gushed out from where the bigger lion - the male - had bitten into its back.

The smaller one, the female, soundlessly sank its teeth into the dying animal’s neck, and the latter gave one last weak kick, finally falling limp. When the lioness stood again, it was almost impossible, from this distance, to see her eyes amidst the bloodied mess on her face.

‘Oh, my God, Matt,’ Emma said. ‘This is beautiful. Nature truly is beautiful.’

‘You don’t really get to see this kind of show anywhere else today,’ their guide said from the driver’s seat. He sounded proud, as if he’d hunted and fed the zebra to the lions himself.

Alberto wasn’t wrong, Emma reasoned. Given that they were parked in the middle of the privately-owned biggest North American savanna, he - or rather, his employer - was the one effectively feeding the lions. Like feeding mice to cats. She glanced at her children, glad they could have a window on a reality that was long gone. To think it would have taken a trip around the world to watch this spectacle - imagine the motion sickness then! If only, she considered wistfully, there could be a way of replicating glaciers just as accurately.

‘Honestly, it seems a bit unfair that they get to eat real meat,’ Ethan said at the dinner table a few hours later. He was picking at his plate, moving the fried grasshoppers they’d been served for dinner around, but not really eating any. ‘While we are stuck with insects and microprotein or whatever.’

Emma pinched the bridge of her nose. She was tired and sunburnt, her sensitive pale skin suffering under the blistering sun of the region, so different from the temperate weather back home North. She had a splitting headache, too. She was, yet again, at the so-called end of her tether. ‘Ethan…’

‘You should be glad you get to eat at all,’ her daughter said at the same time. ‘There’s a reason it’s illegal to eat meat. These animals are here for show, anyway. They were originally from Africa.’

‘Shut up, Becca,’ Ethan mumbled. ‘Everybody knows there are no animals in Africa. There’s nothing there.’

Becca’s cheeks were tinted pink, eyebrows furrowed. ‘Of course there were animals. There were animals everywhere before the Climate Crunch.’

‘Both of you, stop it,’ Matt interjected. ‘Ethan, your sister is right. You should be grateful that we are here in the first place. That said…’ He leant forward, voice down to a whisper: ‘I have a surprise for you. Or, well, Richard has a surprise for us. When he arrives tomorrow, he’ll bring us real meat. Bovine meat.’

‘But it’s illegal,’ said Becca.

‘It’s technically illegal,’ Matt acknowledged. ‘It’s not if you know how to get some and no one from Animal Conservation finds out. Do you think our president only eats insects? Please, Becca. Use that big brain of yours.’

‘Yes,’ Ethan snickered. ‘Use your brain, Becca.’

‘That is too generous,’ Emma said. ‘Inviting us here in the first place was, when even he hasn’t gotten here yet. Now this. I wouldn’t know how to repay him.’

Truly, all she felt was jealousy. Her guts twisted with the sheer force of it. Yes, she had known that Richard was comfortable. The gated, heavily guarded estate spanned for thousands of acres, comprised the 5000sqt villa they were staying at (five bedrooms, seven bathrooms, a cinema, marble floors and solar panels on the rooftop), an indoor swimming pool inspired by vintage photos of Amalfi, two indoor tennis courts, and the savanna they’d explored earlier in the day. ‘The biggest conservation area in North America since they repurposed the Midwest,’ he’d bragged in a video call, two weeks before. ‘You will love it. The holiday you deserve. Make yourselves at home.’

But meat? He could get meat?

Matt’s family had designed DeNuketify, which was basically the only effective way of purifying ocean water from whatever nuclear waste Japan kept spewing so that it could be used and, most importantly, drunk. They had managed to flee the continent with the last handful of greencards about the time her family did, too, taking their precious Queen’s accent with them to found Nova London. She was the governor of Nova London now, for God’s sake. The bloody queen herself was long dead but she was alive, and yet, yet - they had never had meat.

‘We don’t have to, Emma,’ Matt said. ‘We just need to remember how lucky we are to enjoy this meal, this house, this holiday. Look at that,’ and he nodded towards the TV screen again. ‘Actually, Alexa!, volume up!, I think the Italians have finally surrendered.’

The war correspondent’s voice grew louder. She - they, Emma reminded herself: Becca always told her not to assume anyone’s gender - was wearing a dust mask and reading from a bundle of documents. ‘The last military hospital in the island of Palermo was destroyed four days ago by a Canadian airstrike,’ they were saying. ‘The rebels surrendered soon after, followed by the group of extremists in the Nebrodi island. Etna had already surrendered last year.’

‘It’s important to remember that these actions were necessary to finally put a rest on the instability of the region,’ they added. ‘Canada will fund a complete restoration of the Southern archipelago. The remaining civilians will be provided with a shelter and then, when the time comes, a suitable job. Nova Italia will be the sixteenth Canadian state, the fourth offshore. There are also hopes to extract petroleum from the seabed of the sunken city of Gela.’

‘Watch them make it into a holiday hotspot,’ Matt commented. ‘The weather is still nice there.’

‘Ooh, I heard about this.’ Becca picked her phone back up and started furiously typing away. ‘There’s this journal entry soldiers found over there, under the rubble, that’s gone viral. It was translated into English. Wait, I’ll pull it up. Alexa, volume down.’

‘I’m not sure I want to hear it,’ Emma said, uneasy. ‘We’re on holiday. Should we not watch a movie? Something funny?’

Becca waved her away, as if she was an annoying fly. ‘It’ll be good practice for my drama class.’

Matt didn’t help—he simply shrugged, half-apologetic, as if to say: Let her do her thing.

Becca made a show of clearing her throat, too, before she started reading from her phone—her high voice now grave, studied, as if she were speaking to a larger audience: ‘I wonder what peas taste like.’

Right then, the scene on screen changed to footage of what looked like a destroyed village, something out of an apocalyptic movie. Emma found herself unable to look away.

‘Nonna used to say that her own great-grandmother grew them in her garden. Figs, too,’ Becca read. ‘They say they were the sweetest fruit.’

Emma wondered if this journal was actually written by a child or a teenager. It didn’t sound like an adult at all. She couldn’t help but picture a girl, a brunette, not much older than Becca, perhaps a rebel, or a trainee nurse on the sweet cusp of adulthood, holding this journal of hers, or perhaps a gun. It violently reminded her that her own daughter, too, would have to serve her time in the Forces in three years.

On screen, the Canadian soldiers walked among the ruins, zigzagging between torn up clothes and discarded weapons, surely looking for surviving rebels under the rubbles.

‘Isn’t it silly that we can hear the fighters overhead and that all I can do is think about food?’ said Becca. ‘I wish we could also eat figs and be happy.’

On screen, the camera zoomed in on a long-forgotten man's shoe, some crumpled photographs, on a pile of bodies in black bin bags.

‘Grandma - I miss her - left me a poetry book, too, from T.S. Eliot. I hope the book is with me when I die, so I can give it back to her when we meet again, afterwards. So I can tell her that T.S. Eliot was wrong.’

On screen, one of the soldiers approached and showed a little trinket to the camera: a bloody, heart-shaped locket that must’ve once been golden, hiding the miniature pictures of two brunette children that would never have a name.

‘That’s enough,’ Emma said. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. ‘Stop reading.’

‘The world may have not ended with a bang, but it didn’t end with a whimper, either: the world didn’t end at all. Sometimes,’ Becca finished reading, ‘I wish it had.’

‘What a load of rubbish,’ Matt scoffed. ‘Everyone should feel lucky to be alive. I bet this journal is a fake. Alexa, turn the TV off.’

As the screen faded to black, Ethan finally popped a grasshopper in his mouth. ‘I can’t wait to have meat tomorrow.’

[duhragonball]

BEGIN: Battle Tendency Liveblog.   JJBA Ch. 45-47

🇺🇸🗽🧗‍♂️🧼🪀🌵Part 2, Hell Yeah!🌪️🎈🛩️🌋🚬

I'm pretty friggin' excited for Part 6 anime, and Part 6 is one of my faves, so one could understandably assume that Part 6 is my favorite.  And I post a lot of other JoJo stuff on this blog, so it's probably not obvious, but Part 2 is the best.   

I got into JoJo in 2017, watching Parts 1-4 in anime version, then reading the scanlations of Parts 5-8 while I waited for the anime to catch up.    Then I re-liveblogged the Part 5 manga because there was finally a proper translation available.   And technically the Part 8 liveblog never ended, since the manga is still ongoing.  

As I developed an appreciation for the manga, I started to feel like I should go back and check out the comic versions of Parts 1 through 4.  Where better to start than my personal favorite?   But I never got around to it, until now.

There's a few things I want to explore with Part 2.    First, I want to go through and work out why exactly I like it so much.   It's kind of tough to articulate, but usually I just say that it's fast-paced and something's always happening.   Part 1 takes a while to get going, and Parts 3-8 rely on the Stand concept, which means that each of them occasionally fall into the trap of becoming formulaic.   Part 2 doesn't have the hassle of introducing all the lore, and it doesn't have the luxury of just doing a gauntlet of Stand Battles to pad out the story.   But I think there's more to it than that.  Battle Tendency has a charm all it's own, and that's what I want to talk about.

Second, now that I've become familiar with Parts 1-7 (and most of 8), I want to go back and see how 2 holds up as part of this mythos.   BT sort of gets overlooked, I think, and that's fair, since it doesn't involve Dio, Stands, or the more outlandish costumes of the later installments.  A lot of fans write off Parts 1 and 2 for being "boring", but at least Phantom Blood carries the prestige of starting it all, and providing the origin of Dio.  Something I think a lot about is whether or not Part 2 "connects" with the later entries in the JoJo series.  It forms a trilogy with 1 and 3, and Part 4 features Joseph's legacy in an important way, but what about the later ones?   Parts 5 through 8 owe a huge debt to Stardust Crusaders for introducing Stands, and to Phantom Blood for introducing JoJo's, but what does Part 2 give them, if anything?   

Third, I'm interested in seeing how BT holds up in isolation.    It's a direct sequel to Part 1, and it ends with a prelude to Part 3, so it's clearly designed to function as part of a larger saga.   But Parts 4 and 5 really don't operate that way, and that got me thinking that maybe Part 2 is more self-contained than I give it credit for.  

But enough about that, let's get this started.

There's two plot threads in these opening chapters.  One reintroduces Robert E. O. Speedwagon, now a 70 year old oil tycoon, and Straizo, who has succeeded the late Tonpetti as the Ripple Master.   Speedwagon has been using his oil fortune to fund a research organization called the Speedwagon Foundation, and it discovered something major during an archaeological expedition: an engraving of the stone mask, the same one Dio used to turn himself into a vampire 50 years earlier.   Note that the mummified corpse lying on the slab with the engraving has vampire fangs.   Whoever this guy is, he didn't just know about the masks, he used one personally.

It might get revealed later in the comics, but I'm pretty sure the anime version had Speedwagon explain that he primary purpose of his foundation was to learn more about phenomena like the Stone Mask, which is probably why they were digging up an Aztec temple in Mexico to begin with.   As I recall, the Stone Mask was discovered in that part of the world, and taken back to Europe, where it eventually came into the possession of the Joestar family.   Speedwagon would know this tale, and so if he wanted to find out more about the mask, he would have known where to start.   Fifty years later, he seems to have hit paydirt.

But the mask engraving isn't why he called Straizo all the way in from Tibet.   Deeper in the temple, there's a weird looking area that looks like something from out of an H.R. Giger painting.   In the center stands this column, or pillar, if you will, and mounted on the pillar is...

...This guy, surrounded by more stone masks.   When I first watched this part of the anime, I though the big reveal here was that there were lots and lots of Stone Masks, which would be a big problem, since Part 1 made a big deal out of destroying the one Stone Mask that started all the trouble.   And maybe the guy in the pillar was the one who invented the things, I thought, but the bigger problem is that he made so many of them.   But no, Speedwagon explains that the "Pillar Man" is not an image carved into the stone, but a living being, in some form of suspended animation.  He even has a pulse.   

So who is this guy and why did he create the Stone Masks?   Speedwagon does not care.   He only wants this Pillar Man destroyed before he wakes up, and that's the sole reason he called in Straizo.   The two of them were the only survivors of the battle with Dio 50 years ago, and Straizo's Hamon power, also known as the Ripple, can destroy vampires that were created by the Stone Mask.    So he's desperately hoping Straizo can finish off the Pillar Man the same way.   But Straizo doesn't seem as concerned about it, and he asks about Joseph Joestar instead.    So I guess I ought to circle back to the other plotline... 

Fifty years after Jonathan Joestar sacrificed himself to defeat Dio Brando, his wife Erina and his grandson Joseph have moved to New York City.   Joseph tries to buy a Coke, but this kid swipes his wallet.   Kind of funny how Joesph's first and last appearances in JJBA are him getting robbed. 

But the kid runs afoul of the local corrupt cops, who bludgeon him with their batons and threaten to put him in jail for 20 years unless he agrees to give them a cut of whatever money he makes from pickpocketing.   When Joseph catches up to this scene, the cop even says he's going to keep Joseph's wallet "as evidence".   I gotta say, not everything from Battle Tendency has aged well, but this police brutality stuff has become incredibly relevant.  This could be 2021, except the cop would have had a gun, and he would have shot Smokey, then Joseph because he mistook the Coke bottle for a rocket launcher.  

Joseph tries to defuse the situation by claiming he gave the wallet to the kid as a gift, but the cop doesn't believe that story, and he wouldn't care even if he did.   He even smears boogers in Joseph's face just to prove that he can say and do whatever he pleases.    Up to this point, Joseph looks and seems a lot like Jonathan.  Later artwork tries to downplay that resemblance, probably just so it's easier to tell them apart.   The anime gave Joseph different color hair, and Hirohiko Araki himself started drawing young Joseph with aviator goggles all the time, even though he doesn't wear them that much in this story.  But starting out, the idea was that Joseph is the spitting image of his grandfather, and it almost looks like this is just an clever way to sneak Jonathan back into the story and transport him forward in time, except....

Coming through, coming through, coming through now  

Coming through, coming through, coming through now

Coming through, coming through, coming through 

Shake it like it's heat, Overdrive!

Yeah, so Joseph can do Hamon/Ripple tricks just like his grandfather, and all the others guys who could use Hamon back in Part 1.   The difference is that when Joseph does it, it looks coooooool.  After breaking Officer Hulk Hogan’s trigger finger, Joseph takes a big swig of soda, because it’s awesome.

To Smokey’s surprise, Joseph did all that badass stuff a second ago, but he’s terrified about his grandmother scolding him for it.  So Joseph wants to run for it, and that suits Smokey, so they rush off together, beginning a long tradition of JoJo’s running from things.   Enemies, consequences, you name it. 

Smokey asks Joseph how he learned how to do that trick with the coke bottle, and he says he has no idea, he’s just always been able to do it.    He knows his grandfather had the same power, but he’s dead, and so are his mother and father.  Curiously, Joseph’s father did not have Hamon powers, so it seems to have skipped a generation. 

And that sets up the other side of the plot.   Speedwagon wants Straizo to destroy the Pillar Man immediately, but Straizo first asks about Joseph.   He had heard some time ago that Joseph had innate Hamon abilities, and he had used them once to rescue Speedwagon from a kidnapping attempt in midair.   A flashback shows us this moment, with guys threatening to ransom and kill Speedwagon, but Joseph is just chilling in the back with a Superman comic. 

Okay, time out.   This panel rules and all, but the Superman comic book didn’t start until 1939, a year after Battle Tendency begins.   Superman was featured in the 1938 magazine Action Comics, but this scene on the plane is a flashback to Joseph from his early teens.   Also, the earliest DC bullet logo didn’t appear until 1940, so what is this?  Some kind of magic, time travelling comic book?    I hope someone got fired for this blunder! 

Anyway, Joseph was content to ignore the hijackers until one of them struck him, and even that wouldn’t have upset him except he got his own blood on his clothes, which Erina bought him, so that sends him into a rage.   Speedwagon was worried that Joseph might clobber the hijackers, but instead he knocks out the pilot, then drags him and Speedwagon out of the plane before it crashes.    The main thrust of that story was that Speedwagon was more worried about what Joseph might do than the hijackers who had already threatened to murder him.   Joseph is slow to anger, but once you piss him off he’s going to go to war, and he doesn’t always think things through.

But he’s never been trained to use his powers like Straizo’s order.  Upon hearing this, Straizo kills his own disciples, and all of the Speedwagon Foundation guys, then knocks Speedwagon himself out.   This will anger Joseph when he hears about it, but Straizo is counting on this.    As he explains, Hamon power can slow his aging process down considerably.   He and Speedwagon are both about 70 here, but he looks much younger.   Even so, he’s feeling his age, and he confesses that he always admired Dio for his immortality and power.   So now that there’s Stone Masks available, he’s decided to use one on himself, become a vampire, and become “a being that surpasses all”.  

And that’s a theme that runs through all of Battle Tendency, along with the rest of the JoJo franchise.  The main villains always seek power to position themselves above the rest of humanity.  At first, it seems kind of random for one of the men who opposed Dio to suddenly switch allegiences like this, but in truth, it’s human nature to be tempted by this kind of power.  Dio succumbed to the lure of the Mask, and now we find that Straizo would have done the same.   He just didn’t have the opportunity until now.

But the reason he’s concerned about Joseph is that he’s thinking this through.  Dio was defeated after all, so Straizo wants to eliminate anyone who could potentially defeat him.  Aside from himself and Speedwagon, the only others who know about the battle with Dio and the Stone Mask are Erina and Joseph.   Once he eliminates them, he’ll be free to do as he pleases.

Back to New York, this is a pretty sweet drawing of a car.    I’m not a car guy, but even I can get behind this.  By now, Smokey has met Erina Joestar, and he finds out some of the backstory from Part 1.    Erina’s husband died at sea, and she was pregnant with their son, Joseph’s father, and had a baby girl whom she rescued from the same incident at sea.   The two children grew up, married, had Joseph, and died, the father in World War I, and the mother of some unspecified illness.  Perhaps out of loneliness, Erina is “unflinchingly kind” even to someone like Smokey Brown, who doesn’t seem to think he’s worthy of her favor.

Anyway, Erina wants to take Smokey out to dinner at this nice Italian restaurant, but this racist mafia guy makes a big stink about a Black person being allowed to eat there.    Joseph gets up to kick his ass, but first he has to check with Erina to make sure it’s okay, and she’s like “Yeah, destroy that guy,” because even though she doesn’t approve of Joseph beating up people, she can’t abide disrespect to her friends.   This leads to the memorable fight scene where Joseph is like eight steps ahead of his opponent.  He goes for his brass knuckles, but can’t find them, and Joseph deduces where they are because of some bloodstains on his shirt.  He even suggests what this guy is about to say next because he’s so predictable.

Then he dodges every blow, moving so quickly that this jerk thinks he was hitting Joseph, when in fact he was punching a hat rack behind Joseph, and somehow he didn’t notice that he impaled his hand on broken wood until Joseph explained it to him.     And honestly, this feels like the prototype for a lot of Stand Battles down the line.  I’ll have more to say on that later.

What puts Battle Tendency over the top is how Joseph not only outwits this big lummox, but the rest of the diners at this restaurant all start applauding him for doing it.    They’re just honored to be present in this insane comic book where literally anything can happen.   “He made that asshole punch a hat rack!   This is awesome!”

Then this dude suddenly speaks up.   He’s not only the mafia guy in charge of the first guy, but he’s also heard a hot tip about Speedwagon getting murdered in Mexico by a Tibetan man.   He knew Erina would be interested in hearing this, but he’d never met her before.  Small world, huh?  

How would this guy already know about it, though?  I guess Straizo deliberately leaked the story, specifically so Joseph would find out about it sooner, but it seems awfully convenient.   But that’s how Battle Tendency rolls.   This thing’s only seven volumes long, and we’ve got a lot of ground to cover...

[riversofmars]

Ohhhh prompt. How about...13 meeting Mel's !

Here you goo! Gonna carry this one on with a couple more prompts later, so this is sort of part 1. Hope you like it! <3

Rating: G

Genre: Humour/Fluff

Chance Encounter 

“Ahh shoot…“ The Doctor exclaimed as she stepped outside the TARDIS. They had landed in a park and not at all where intended.

“Wrong again?“ Graham asked as the Fam followed her outside. 

“10-ish years early…“ The Doctor huffed sniffing the air. She picked a leaf off a nearby bush and stuffed it into her mouth to be sure. “You’re doing this on purpose!“ She huffed at the TARDIS.

“Not Sheffield either…“ Ryan observed looking around. This place didn’t look familiar at all. 

“Leadworth.“ The Doctor nodded, still chewing the leaf. “Why are you taking me here? This could get so complicated…“ She mumbled to herself.

“What’s the deal with Leadworth?“ Yaz asked slightly confused. It wasn’t exactly a place of great significance in her book. 

“Long story…“ The Doctor sighed scratching the back of her head. 

“Finally!“ A voice exclaimed making them jump. “Where is he?“ They looked around to see a teenager in school uniform heading straight towards them.

“Ohh… here we go.“ The Doctor mumbled to herself as she recognised Mels coming up the path. It was all the more disconcerting when she pulled a gun on them. 

“She’s got a gun…“ Graham was the first to raise his hands. 

“She usually does.“ The Doctor chuckled nervously and raised her hands as well. “Can we help?“

“Where is he?“ Mels demanded to know as she came to a halt in front of them. 

“Stepped out for a moment, went that way…“ The Doctor gestured to the left.

“Do all of you travel with him?“ Mels frowned looking them all up and down. The Fam were too confused to answer but the Doctor carried on:

“Sort of.“ 

“Well, then you should know where he is…“ Mels pressed on. 

“Are you looking for the Doctor?“ Yaz asked confused, trying to put the pieces together. The girl kept saying “he“ so maybe she didn’t know the Doctor was a woman now. 

“Yes.“ Mels nodded enthusiastically feeling validated. 

“Well, she’s…“ Ryan started but the Doctor interrupted: 

“He’s not here.“ She interjected quickly. “Won’t be back for a while.“ 

“Mels?!“ Another voice exclaimed at the bottom of the path. A ginger teenager who seemed furious with her friend stormed after her. Mels looked around and the Doctor used the opportunity to turn the TARDIS invisible with her sonic screwdriver before Amy could get close enough to see it behind the bushes.

“Where did it go?“ Mels turned back, shocked that the TARDIS had disappeared. 

“What are you doing? Where did you get that?!“ Amy hurried up to her and pointed at the gun in her hand. 

“What? A girl’s got to protect herself.“ Mels huffed but she wasn’t really paying attention, she was more concerned with the TARDIS disappearing. 

“From what?“ Amy exclaimed. “So sorry about this…“ Amy pushed the gun down and the Fam relaxed visibly, looking at the Doctor for guidance who remained surprisingly quiet. 

“Amy, they travel with the Doctor.“ Mels exclaimed as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“You need to drop this already.“ Amy snapped, clearly annoyed. “He’s not even real.“ The Doctor watched Amy. Beautiful, bright, young Amy. Amy before they started travelling together. And Mels before they went to World War II Berlin. God they were both so young, so alive. It made the Doctor’s hearts ache more than she cared to admit. 

“It was here a minute ago, the blue box.“ Mels insisted. 

“Do you know what she’s talking about.“ Amy addressed the group feeling utterly ridiculous.

“Not me.“ Yaz shook her head after the Doctor shot them a look. 

“No idea.“ Ryan shrugged. 

“Sometimes we see what we want to see.“ The Doctor offered. 

“Amy, I swear to God, it was the blue box, he must be here somewhere.“ Mels glared at the group in front of her, as if they had betrayed her. 

“For God’s sake Mels, it’s just a story. He’s not real, I just had an over active imagination as a child. Come on now.“ Amy grabbed hold of her friend’s arm. 

“It’s never just a story.“ Mels snapped. 

“We’re all just stories in the end.“ The Doctor gave her a soft smile, thinking about the woman she would become one day. River Song was far in Mels future but her fire and determination shone through already. 

“Sorry to bother you. Come along Mels. And put that away before anyone sees it, oh my god, is that actually real??“ Amy pulled her along as Mels eyes lingered on the Doctor for a moment, before giving in and following her best friend. 

“Neat trick with the TARDIS…“ Graham observed as the two teenagers were out of earshot. 

“Lucky she was looking for a boy version of you…“ Yaz added crossing her arms in front of her chest waiting for an explanation. 

“Yeah, they haven’t seen this model…“ The Doctor replied absentmindedly as she watched them walk away. 

“Who are they?“ Ryan asked as the Doctor turned away at last and made the TARDIS visible again when she was sure they were gone. 

“They will be…“ She corrected him as they went back into the TARDIS to make another attempt at getting to Sheffield. “They will be my wife and my mother in law.“ 

“Sorry what?“ Yaz wasn’t sure she’d heard her right as they joined her at the control panel. 

“Where are they now?“ Ryan asked confused. None of them realised the Doctor had a family. 

“Dead… both dead… or rather somewhere where I can’t see them again.“ The Doctor answered softly as she set coordinates on the console. 

“I’m so sorry, Doc…“ Graham offered, the silence was heavy around them. 

“Are you okay?“ Yaz asked softly as the Doctor avoided looking at them and pretended to be busy with the controls. 

“It’s funny you know… I never expected to see either of them again…“ The Doctor mumbled absentmindedly as she though of the women they would become one day. “And here they were, they might not know it but for me… it’s a funny old universe isn’t it…“ She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry, to be grateful for the fleeting encounter or feel fresh grief at their loss. 

“The universe might surprise you.“ Ryan offered with a half smile and Yaz added with a grin: 

“Constantly.“ 

The Doctor chuckled, accepting their words of encouragement. Yes, it was nice to see them again, even if their time had come to an end.

“Alright then Fam, let’s try again with Sheffield 2020…“ But before she could engage the controls an electrical surge stopped the TARDIS in its tracks. “What the…“

“Now, there’s only very few people who can fly her, ways and frays should keep their fingers off it, even the pretty ones.“ The Doctor and the Fam whipped around to see a woman dressed in a long evening gown standing in the middle of the TARDIS control room. Her messy curls fizzed with Artron energy as she placed her hands on her hips. “So then, where is he?“

“Okay, this is about to get a whole lot more complicated…“ The Doctor stared at her wife in shock.