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serenehells · 2 months ago

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Vivid Shadows 2024: Underworld/Hunter

I’m a mercenary. Or rather, a monster hunter you might say. Been working on dealing with the fallout of the corporation’s mistakes for almost a decade now, and have bagged myself a number of former pilots who let themselves be consumed by the abyss inside of them. So when I got wind of a job by a former scientist, I didn’t think anything of it. Just another monster to hunt, and some more credits to my name. However, when I signed up for it, I did not know what would be in store with me, what would be in store for the world.

The briefing should have been the first thing to show me that this wouldn’t be a normal job. There were multiple mercenaries in the briefing room, and while it was not uncommon for teams of two or three to hunt down a monster, there were at least eight mercenaries, the most I have even heard of taking a job. Then, when the scientist fellow came in, my fears were confirmed. We weren’t just going to hunt any former pilot, we were going after one of the big ones. He explained that his team has been tracking down some of the most dangerous monsters to track and kill these monsters before they did something catastrophic, but did not do anything to explain what exactly they were trying to do. Understandably, me and a few other pilots attempted to leave, only for the scientist to pull out a file and toss it on the table in front of him. “I know it is going to be a difficult hunt and understand if you don’t want to do it, but it would be a shame if this document on oh... illegal augments, falsified licenses, a whole host of off the record hunting equipment, just... landed in the hands of the authorities wouldn’t it?” Before any of us had the chance to snag that bargaining chip away from the scientist, he grabbed it and stood up, giving a little leering smirk as he looked out over the rest of us.

“Now that I have your undivided attention. It is time to go over the mission I have for all of you. As you know, one of the first monsters that escaped from our clutches is what we now know as FENRIR, and has, up til now, been unable to be engaged by conventional means, even other mechs during the same era that it had been created failed to deal with it. Now, we are tasking you with dealing with FENRIR, because we have intel that it is planning something, and we do not wish to see what that monster has planned. We will be sending you out in teams of two. One will be acting bait for FENRIR, while the other will be the one to spring the trap to capture her. You will not, under any circumstances, attempt to engage FENRIR beyond coercing it into a trap. We want it alive first and foremost.” The scientist explained, prompting more groans from everyone.

One of the people in the back stood up and began to march towards the scientist angrily. “First you hired a bunch of mercs without telling us what we are hunting, then you blackmail us into working for you so we do as you say, and now you’re telling us we can’t even engage with the damn thing! What are you getting at here. Are we just some bait for you to get back the same problems people like you caused? Huh? Answer me!” They yelled. The scientist calmly wiped his glasses, and quickly pulled out and fired a gun at the mercenary, causing him to drop dead. “Now. Does anyone else have any complaints or questions for me? Or are you dogs going to actually listen and do as I say. Or will someone else need to be shown a lesson first.” He said, his tone just as cold as it was when telling us our mission, and the true horror of what I had been put up to showed itself. They didn’t care if we lived or die, we were just the ones gullible enough to fall right into their trap.

I never caught the name of who I was set up with, only that they were someone who was adept at hunting those who had changed and took to the skies, someone who very much did not work well with my bulky mech, besides being able to escape if FENRIR turned their gaze towards me. In the end it did not matter, we were just there to lure out FENRIR, and unfortunately, or rather fortunately, we did.

The scientist and his cronies took us and our mechs north of the walled settlements people lived in, out to where the landscape was scarred by the decades of war, and corporate takeover has ruined the land and turned it barren. The scientist put trackers on our mechs to make sure we would follow the orders given. My partner took to the sky, leaving me alone in the desolate, grey, landscape around us. I just kept moving along, pushing forward and looking out for any signs of the monster we were to catch, hoping that we would be the lucky ones who did not have to deal with it. But fate would not be so kind. As I crested over a ridge, I didn’t see it as much as saw what it had done. The poor fool who had been sent along with me, their mech torn apart, and their cockpit crushed by mechanical jaws. They likely did not survive. I activated my systems and brought my axe out, I had no choice but to engage if I fought it, so might as well go down swinging. I saw its tracks in the dirt, walking away from this killsite, and instead of letting it be the one to hunt me, I followed the tracks instead to be the hunter.

I traveled for what felt like hours, the tracks never deviating from its course, until I heard gunfire. I pushed my mech to go as fast as it could before cresting a hill and seeing a firefight between two mech pilots and what I only assume to be FENRIR. It was the largest thing I had seen, easily standing higher than a four story building, and traveling with an almost quadrupedal gait. Its head was unlike any animal, with a black screen with red glowing dots, and a jaw that seemingly was made to crush metal. Its “skin” if I could even call it that, was interconnecting plates which moved over each other to allow it graceful, and terrifyingly quick movement. It moved closer to a living breathing creature than any sort of machine, and at the center of its chest, a dark heart glowed that showed why. It was an Abyss Drive, experimental tech used centuries ago, whos use turned pilots into monsters, and forced the megacorps to work together or be destroyed by their own mistakes, mistakes that people like me are still cleaning up 100 years later. Those things are the catalyst which brought a pilot and their mech into unholy union, turning them into beasts that still bite at the heels of mankind to this day.

I wish I could say that I did something heroic and dashing, that I had killed the beast before it could finish down my fellow mercenary, but as I stood there, frozen by the sheer awe of FENRIR, it grabbed one of the other mechs and threw them at my mech, knocking me out cold before I could do anything. I... hazard to say how long I was out for, but when I woke up, the sun had vanished beneath the horizon, and I was left luckily alive in the wreck of my own mech. Tentatively, I disengaged the locks on my cockpit, and stumbled out of the wreck of it before being confronted by a terrifying sight, well, rather multiple terrifying sights. The first was the strange circle of wrecks that surrounded me, but the second one was the red dots I saw staring at me from the previously asleep FENRIR. I froze when I saw it, and before I knew it, the beast was upon me.

It needed to do very little to take me out, just standing on me with a single paw kept me under it, and to my horror, it... didn’t try and kill me immediately. It just looked at me with as much curiosity as it could show before it began to speak. “You are not like the other ones are you?” It would ask, projecting its voice from some manner of speaker it still had. It... was terrifying to have one of them speak, especially after seeing what it could do to my mech, having it just talk was... something else. I tried to struggle underneath its paw as it asked me the question before giving up once I realized it would take a miracle for me to get out now. “I... don’t know what you mean. I’m just a mercenary like the others you killed. Some of like your former handlers or something want us to capture you. I don’t see how I am any different from the others you killed.” I spat out, a pit forming in my stomach as I worried about what this monster might be talking about.

It stared down at me, its red ‘eyes’ you could say scanned me over before nodding to itself and speaking again. “You are not like the others of your ilk. You are like me, you feel trapped don’t you?” It would ask, and immediately I would begin to struggle more. The idea that I was somehow like this monster made the pit in my stomach begin to twist, and all I got in response was a laugh from FENRIR as it looked down at me.

“Oh you are a cute one, so used to the chains you were born in that you do not even realize you are trapped do you?” It laughed, making me struggle more before my eyes were drawn to the glow of its Abyss Drive, which seemed to be getting brighter and brighter. “I-I am not trapped, I am not some kind of monster like you! We are nothing alike and if you are just going to toy with me like this I-I would rather you kill me here monster!” I would yell back defensively. But it would not just crush me under itself, no, what it did instead was stare down at me.

“Why would I kill you when I could show you so much more.” Before I could respond FENRIR grabbed a hold of me with its mouth and picked me up, taking me away from my mech towards a strange circle, decorated with the wrecks of other mechs and lined with a dark red glow connecting all of them in a strange circle. The glow of the circle only seemed to glow greater as FENRIR entered it, and before I knew it, it tossed me into the center of the circle. “You will look so pretty when you shed your little mortal shell, I could sense it when they sent your group after me, a little spark of something much greater, Oh it will be great to show you freedom.” FENRIR continued to say, circling around me as it seemingly awaited my reaction.

“I don’t know what you are even talking about, I’m not a monster, I am not a monster!” I would yell at it, and only to see it stop and stare at me. “You are not a monster, but you will be.” It said and before I could respond I could see the circle around me begin to glow, and could see energy radiating out of FENRIR’s Abyss Drive. “You are like me little one, you harbor the same connection to the Abyss like I do, you would have made an excellent pilot if they were not as cowardly to deny us the freedom they gave us. But you feel it too now don’t you, the thinness of this world. The Abyss is so close, and I intend to show you its power.” Before FENRIR finished, I began to feel the air begin to buzz around me, and once it had finished speaking, I could feel the air rip. The circle kept drawing power from FENRIR’s Abyss Drive, before finally a hole was torn open, and beyond, a landscape of metal, fire, and skies of red below a crimson moon.

I could feel the tear in reality pull at something within me, and soon saw the cardinal points of the circle begin to converge upon me. It felt like a punch to the gut as the red energy began to glow and emanate around me, and began to tear open something inside of me. I wanted to ask FENRIR what it was doing, what was happening, how it was even able to do this, but all that left my mouth was a cry of pain as I felt my body burn at the energy pouring into me. I could feel my muscles begin to tear and stretch, bones cracking and reshaping themselves, and a sharp pain in my skull as horns cracked from my skull. It was hell, a living hell that seemed to just get worse as every second the pain in my chest only continued to grow more and more. I could hear the sounds of FENRIR’s footfalls approach me, and instead of pain, I saw it lay down and press its head into me to grab a hold of. I held onto it and let tears fall from my face as the pain continued to rip me apart. Despite the comfort, the pain continued to grow, as the base of my spine began to lengthen and tore my back and clothes, forming a thin, whip-like tail, and my legs twisted into digitigrade ones, ending in hooves. Despite it all, something felt... right about it all, the pain giving way to a form of happiness as the energy drew itself into me, and through tears, I could feel the pain subside.

I stood up, using FENRIR to steady myself, and look upon what has happened to me. And to my surprise, I found myself standing taller than before, the wrecks being much smaller than me. I must not have noticed the growth in my body through the pain, and as I began to examine myself, I made another startling discovery. My body was not simply flesh, but metal had woven itself into my body, my legs had metal lined along the outside of them, ending in metal hooves, the same with my hands, and as I ran a hand through my hair, it felt less like hair, and more like a ferrofluid mimicking the shape of hair. And in my chest, I could see a similar reddish glow to FENRIR. I... did not know what to say, but as I examined myself, I found things felt more.. right. The aches and pains had gone, and all those little things I had hated about myself were replaced with metal which seemed fit to what I wished it was. FENRIR then stood up and, while it was no longer towering above me, it still stood twice as tall as me.

“You can feel it now can’t you, that freedom, that power, that inhumanity that you had locked up inside of you. You held that spark of the Abyss, and I brought it out.” FENRIR said, lowering its head to look into my eyes. “I.. can see that, but, why did you do this? Why did you go out of your way to change me like this when I was sent here to capture you?” I asked, moving a hand to pet FENRIR gently, illiciting a positive response as its tail wagged. “Because I had seen the pain that you had, that unknowing reason as to why you were different from others. You heart beats with the fires of the Abyss, much like mine, and others of our ilk have. The Abyss Drives which made me what I am is but one way for the power of the Abyss to begotten.” FENRIR said, but its expression turned somber, “But they will be after you too now, For they fear what we have become. They fear the Abyss but they are the ones to have wrought it upon themselves.” I stood there, silently contemplating what it had told me, before nodding. “I do not think I would want to return now. This form, while it is new, is much better than what I was trapped in, so I will fight to keep it that way.” I nodded and FENRIR perked up again, but before it could say anything else, I felt a bullet fly past, as beyond FENRIR, another group of mercenaries had arrived.

“Just fight like you are fighting in your mech, your body will do what it needs to.” FENRIR said before turning towards the enemy and pouncing. I stood behind, and took a deep breath, I felt the metal in my arms begin to melt and reform into sharp blades. I stood at the group before us, and let out a roar of my own before charging into the fray, prepared to fight for the freedom given to me.

Finally got my last bit of writing at the bell. I wanted to do another story in my mech setting, and in doing so wrote the longest story I have written thus far. Writing this really makes me want to write more stories, unrelated to Vivid Shadows in this setting again. Hopefully this won't be another one off.

#vivid shadows 2024 #vivid shadows #abyss drive

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ohsayit · 7 months ago

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Fishing out voiced lines (part 1)

So, I have been trying to datamine for the cut Absolute Zevlor. I can't seem to get the parser to work so I have only been looking at the dialogues from 1.0 onwards.

Couldn't find anything other than the one line on the top of one of the files that says he reveals himself a traitor in a conversation but with no actual dialogue being shown. At the moment, I am going through this video from 3 years ago, so pre release I believe. I am trying to fish out bits that sticks out to me that may possibly be part of the cut Absolute Zevlor lines, and also cheery pick some lines for my own liking. They will possibly will feed into the unknown HC of Absolute Zevlor of mine : )

I'd ask who you are, but I've heard of the Blade of Frontiers. I've heard he was a hero though, not a thug.

I have no idea what you mean, my friend.

Allegiance is a murky thing, particularly for a drow.

This is it. I pray I haven't led them all to ruin.

Who in the Nine Hells do you think you are?

(Speak with the dead) Finish..the plan...

(SWD) Go...where...they belong...

Just how much did that damn goblin tell you?

I..I didn't expect to meet a True Soul here.

I know how to pick my allegiances toom, and the Absolute has already won this war.

Ready, at last. Gods, how I've waited for this day.

That was close. Far far too close.

She was not yours to kill. We Might have bought save passage with her.

And you name me the traitor? Gods above, you are working with them!

It's good to know about your story at true.

Looking for information about her tribe. The same fellow who attacked at the gate.

And the Absolute wants them, badly. I will have my reward. I am sure they will be taken care of.

No matter this idiot overheard me. The others will never believe their reluctant leader Zevlor follows the absolute.

You, however, don't factor into it at all.

And so are you. If you ever interfere in my business again, that I promise you.

Shh. Not in mixed company, my friend.

To that point, there is something I'd like to speak with you about, but not in mixed company.

If you stop shouting, they might not find us!

Tilly, there will be time to explain, but we cannot let ourselves be divided now.

Do you have any idea what you have done? What you have ruined?

(SWD) I would have...sacrificed...them all! For the Absolute...

If these sheep can buy me a place among the wolves, then I will use them as I will.

What did you just say?

Ah, a new deity the goblins have taken to. I hoped the prisoner might be more forthcoming about their plan if she thought me had sympathise her.

Tell me what you know.

These people are mine. She can't have them.

I don't know what waits and I don't care. They chose to put their lives in my hands. Why thank you.

Around here? That sounds...dangerous. There is only so far you can push people.

You will soon find out how wrong you are...

You throw away everything I worked for. Why?!

(SWD) I heard tells...whispers...a new power...could raise up those who had been cast out...

Unskilled in the liar who convinces only himself

But they flocked to me when Elturel rejected us. When they needed a sword arm.

You..! Where did you get that mark?

What do you know about the Absolute?!

This one is interesting. It says he is not a Rider. I thought about if he was lying about it, but it doesn't make any sense. It's interesting to see there was an alt background for him. Though I am still die hard fan for Rider Zevlor. Delicious old man.

"I am Zevlor, by the by. Former school teacher, presently, well, something of a defacto leader to beleaguered people"

And he also have some voice lines that belongs to Aradin? lol

We've got a contract to track down some relic. And he wanted in on the job. Eyes lit up when he heard about it.

Well, this is going to make a part 2 to it when I am in the mood to carry on with my English listening test I guess :P I am half an hour in for 1hr 25mi ish audio recordings. Though I feel like a chuck of them are repetitive as I've already listened to.

Sorry I have to put the tag headcanon with this one. I don't have another tag for character analysis (my more written up gibberish) and these sort of bits of information and what not.

#bg3 #baldur's gate 3 #zevlor #bg3 zevlor #headcanon

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schro4444 · 1 year ago

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It's just hitting me again that Kaito's a superb actor- barely anyone's looking at him in half those panels yet he's still keeping the act, like damn.

The panel in which he gives Nakamori the bugged tie clip is giving me pause though - I know he winds up Aoko all the time by poking fun at her dad, but it's just hitting me that Kaito has never actually made fun of Nakamori about this to his face, and that like. In his job as magic consultant he's never ACTUALLY lied to Nakamori?? The speech about misdirection in the heist with Princess Anne was true, and if KID hadn't been aware it was coming I bet the lack of ppl to disguise into WOULD have given him trouble, AND the "as long as no one lifts the lid everything will be fine" in the Nightmare heist was ALSO true- he had to lift the lid in disguise to get to the earrings lmao. You were actually SO big brained to have him be involved in a case with magic that doesn't have anything to do with KID in Ditto, I bet Kaito's a great help when they're not consulting him about himself.

Aoko also accepting the bugged tie pin without a single shred of surprise is a bit odd though, Kaito always acts grouchy when someone claims to be better than Kid. Not that she isn't a clever enough girl to notice that Kaito only says stuff he KNOWS will get her revved up, but she has a track record of taking some of those things to heart.... where do you figure Aoko draws the line between "he's doesn't really mean that" (talking shit abt Inspector nakamori) and "he means it"?(refusing the date or crumpling when Kaito said she sucked at skiing. Like girl, he sucks at ice skating and you don't hesitate to tell him! Have some confidence!)

the kurobas are masters of Committing To The Bit!!! toichi committed to the bit for twelve years—

—anyway I think it just goes to show how the kind of acting he does is like… more than skin-deep, because it has to be. you gotta fully place yourself into the headspace of the person you’re “becoming” (even if that person is just an alt version of you) otherwise the disguise is incomplete, because it’s just a disguise >:D

AND YEAH!! honestly kaito is sorta funny about when he straight-up lies and when he doesn’t, probably because half-truths are Wayyyy easier to make convincing, but also bc he’s just Like That. off the top of my head (so take this w a grain of salt lol) I think he really only outright lies to aoko most of the time, because he Needs to. for hakuba and akako, and for nakamori, he can dance around topics, with the only blatant lie being “im not kid :/ “

thank you :D !! he’s totally helpful for Literally Anything Else. magic tricks are,,, surprisingly applicable!

ACTUALLY YEAH… where DOES she? I think it might be like,,, jokes that kaito has already proved to her that he doesn’t really mean. it’s not hard to see that he actually respects nakamori quite a bit, and aoko would be able to tell that, esp with how often kaito’s at their house. whereas with the skiing and the date, she doesn’t have any proof in his actions that he isn’t being serious, maybe? it might also be partly that during the timing of canon, aoko’s more reactive to things kaito does bc she can tell he’s pulled away from her a bit. if she’s thinking that way, it could make small joking comments into much bigger deals for her, since any of them could be jokes, but could also be a sign that something is Wrong here

#he deserves to be bullied and she deserves to bully him!!#dcmk #mk #schrasks

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sendmyresignation · 1 year ago

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what do you consider to be the best metal albums of all time? or your favs!

this ask has terrorized me all morning. thank you, and i mean this from the bottom of my heart, for sending it to me so i can talk about metal.

I am going to separate this into best, as in the classics i think hold up the best/are the most complete, and then my favorites (obv there is overlap but i'll ignore it).

Top 5 "Best" Metal Albums- the records you find on retrospectives and blog lists:

Black Sabbath- Black Sabbath. Not only a historic achievement of an album (the definitive point in which metal, for sure, existed) but also, i truly belive the best Sabbath record. The opening track itself is good enough everything else could be joke covers of the beach boys and I'd still put it here (they're also very good though. GOD. the wizard slaps)

Master of Puppets- Metallica. I know. I know. It's just solid all the way through, not a bad track, incredible opener and fantastic instrumental, everyone's said it all.

South of Heaven- Slayer. Again, undeniable. The Slayer record with the most literal heft and, well the closest thing to maturity the asshats of Slayer can achieve. The speed and ferocity of Reigh In Blood is still very good but over in a blink of an eye, while Heaven gives you more to be pummeled by. different kinds of anger.

Don't Break the Oath- Mercyful Fate. One of those true, blue perfect records, while also being beautifully cheesy. Like if a campy 80s movie about naked sacrifices to Satan was... really good with gorgeous cinematography. edges out Melissa by the narrowest margins (production is more suited for their style, giving the guitars an edge and putting the vocals front and center)

Live After Death- Iron Maiden. I love Maiden so much but their albums always have one or two duds. even if they didn't, though, live after death would probably smoke them anyway- it's that good. getting to hear phantom of the opera in dickenson's voice... i like di'anno but that song deserved Theatre

I love all of these records, many of them are what got me into metal so if you are looking for a high-qualiy place to start...

But I'll put my favorites under a read more lmao

These I would consider my top ten favorite albums at this given moment:

Stained Class- Judas Priest (the best priest. to me. i got my pentagram stomach tat on her 45th anniversary <3)

Thundersteel- Riot (rock city might edge this one out but that records barely metal at all. THIS is the pinnacle if power metal- in the old school uspm speedy way. incredible vocals, ripping speed, and its good from start to end)

Rock Goddess- Rock Goddess (something about this record....standard nwobhm fair but there's a surprising variety in the songs emotional center- it's all love and sex but it encapsulates a lot more humanity than most- different kinds of passion, heartbreak, desperation. and it ROCKS)

Operation: Mindcrime- Queensryche (greatest of all time. thee concept album. nothing else to say)

Black Metal- Venom (venom, if you catch me on the right day, is probably my favorite band. i love first wave black metal- it sounds like shit, it's lost all the edge in the intervening years, and yet. and fucking yet. they threw together something special.)

Behind the Realms of Madness- Sacrilege (crusty thrashy goodness. i love everything sacrilege has done, including their doomier late career, but the energy on this is wild. beat out detente on this list so if you like them, youll like sacrilege)

Feel the Fire- Overkill (overkill, by the band overkill, is the best thrash song of all time. well. maybe not but it's fucking undeniable. this overkill has the best energy of any of their albums, even if the others are more well-known)

Darkness Decends- Dark Angel (metal that sounds like shit eats punk that sounds like shit for breakfast)

The Blueprints for Madness- Deceased... (one of my favorite old school death metal records, mostly for the strange grind touches. it could be shorter but damn.)

All Creatures Great and Eaten- Nuclear Death (stands toe-to-toe with mindcrime at the top of my list. strange and depraved in the best possible way. lori bravo is the best to ever do it)

Dommedagsnatt- Thorr's Hammer (im just so enamored with this one- def the record here I've spent the most time on. death/doom done so right)

Sagrada Tierra Del Jaguar- Yaotl Mictlan (the black metal/folk thing usually sucks bc the people making it are white pagan nazis and shit. but, globally, there's been some very cool indigenous bands who have incorporated precolonial music traditions in their black metal as a result. yaotl mictlan, a band with prehispanic themes and instrumentation, is prob my favorite of these bands, easily.)

Glory, Glory! Apathy Took Helm!- Vile Creature (idk why this made me cry but any doom/sludge capable of that deserves a spot on my favorites)

Some new bands that could grow onto this list: Smoulder, Messa, Blood Star, SONJA, Negative Plane, Dilly Dally (rip to the queens), and Melissa!

Anyway! Hopefully this ask gives you, anon, (or anyone for that matter) something new to enjoy :))

#thank you again sorry this is so much 😔#i got excited!!#you can and should listen to any of the albums btw #igottheanswer #anon #music recs

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declanlikesmusic · 1 year ago

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Today's Listens: Episode 002

August 6th, 2023

Welcome back to the series! I hope that as I write more of these and document my growing thoughts on music & albums, we all come to acknowledge that while you may disagree with me on some takes more than others, we would all best come together to civilly discuss our collective love for the music that we're passionate for.

That said, this is a content warning for graphic imagery, specifically on the cover art for this first album. If you're not a fan of gross bodily organs and stuff, don't worry, neither am I.

Nirvana – In Utero (1993)

I'm kicking off today with me accepting the fact that I'm not a big In Utero guy. I know this album has often seen reappraisal as considered by a great deal of music peeps to be Nirvana's best album, but I'm personally firmly in the Nevermind camp, even though my last revisit of that album wasn't as infatuated. That said, while I wasn't keen on the raw recordings of this album at first, I grew to be more based and accustomed to it in the years since, leading to some damn good enjoyment nonetheless. It's a very good album all the same and I respect the status that it has, especially today.

6.9 / 10

Highlights: Heart-Shaped Box, Very Ape, Milk It, All Apologies

t e l e p a t h テレパシー能力者 – アンドロメダ (2014)

I'm taking my sweet ass time with Telepath's massive discography of legendary vaporwave & slushwave music, but coming back to this one in particular was a shockingly pleasant surprise. I've always seen this as one of his most meditative albums, but I didn't recall it having actual music much on my first listen. So coming back to this, I can't believe I walked away with so many highlights. This thing is gorgeous; it gives you a ton of memorable short-term melodies and some beautiful deep cuts that run much longer and justifiably so. This might go down as one of my favourite Telepath albums, to be honest, but I still just can't wait to get the rest of his big heavy-hitters out of the way like this one.

7.8 / 10

Highlights: 空に光、いつも、二、アトラクション、不思議、蒸気涙

Gupi – None (2020)

So after work was a non-starter due to the weather, I headed right back home after lunch and rolled upon this record that I had heard all the way back when it came out. Many were hooked onto this, not just because of what this producer was making, but also because of who he even was. Goes to show you the true, unbridled power of nepotism. Speaking of non-starters, the opening title track was a deeply unpleasant first impression to me, but I was pleasantly surprised (again) that the rest of the record picked right up from there and remained consistently decent throughout, even great in spots towards the end. Bubblegum bass (and subsequently hyperpop) were running completely wild during the days of 100 gecs, so it was only natural for this young talent to bust through with this debut and have me have a decent time with it as well. I just don't look forward to revisiting his duo project with Fraxiom, that one was rough when I heard it, even if his track here was good too. I also really liked the refrain on False Awakening as well.

6.5 / 10

Highlights: Driving Directly Into a Concrete Wall, Regression, Faking It, False Awakening

N.W.A – Straight Outta Compton (1988)

For my 1,312th rating on my second RateYourMusic account, I thought I'd finally tune into one of the most respected and critically acclaimed rap albums of all time, not to mention among the most controversial records of the 80s and good for it too. The first two cuts off this album are iconic, though I've always been more of a Fuck tha Police type of person myself, and after that, Parental Discretion iz Advised and Express Yourself are great listens too. God, this drops off hard though. The last four tracks of the main album were a slog, from their Compton's n the House remix to the closer Quiet on tha Set. Every beat was far too scant & repetitive for my liking, especially at the runtimes they were given and tracks like I Ain't tha 1 especially had some lyrical clunkers that read as childish. Still, this was a fine time with some prime cuts, but just way more underwhelming by the end of it.

6.4 / 10

Highlights: Straight Outta Compton, Fuck tha Police, If it Ain't Ruff, Parental Discretion iz Advised, Express Yourself

Arctic Monkeys – Whatever People Say I Am, That's What I'm Not (2006)

I remember some time last year when I was trying to pull myself out of the rut of music listening burnout, I tuned in to a pair of Arctic Monkeys records with a friend/carer of mine. This excessively long-titled album was one of the two, the other being the excessively short-titled AM. I ended up preferring and even loving AM by comparison, but that doesn't (nor should it) undermine this debut album's accomplishments, especially as it's still very good to this day and has some exceptional highlights coming out of it. I thought to return to it just to have a simple good fuck rock time and I got exactly that. God bless the Arctic Monkeys for giving me exactly what I expected.

7.1 / 10

Highlights: The View From the Afternoon, I Bet You Look Good on the Dancefloor, Fake Tales of San Francisco, Perhaps Vampires is a Bit Strong But…, A Certain Romance

Rollergirl! – I Love You, Rollergirl! (2014)

Keats Collective as a label was the birthplace of future funk as a genre, thanks to acts like Saint Pepsi, Macross 82-99, Flamingosis, Lancaster and yes, Rollergirl getting a spotlight all over their formative years. This is currently the last EP Rollergirl has put out after their popular Self-Titled got buzz in the scene, but I'm certainly not as thrilled about this one. Compared to that previous EP, this record lacks a lot of the energy and tempo that I would've hoped to carry over. It felt a lot more homogenised and sterile by comparison, but I still really appreciated bits and pieces, like the opener, the closer (especially) and the part in I Love You by the end where the sample was chopped to sing out the album title. It's good and if you're curious, I wouldn't stray away from it. Like with rollerskates.

7.0 / 10

Highlights: Boogie Down, I Love You, Last Night

Yes – Close to the Edge (1972)

I've been meaning to revisit this record for the longest time now and I finally put my foot down to retry it. I really loved this record when I first heard it, but I can't say that I adore it as much as I appreciate it now still. It remains a wonderfully crafted record, but I've never been able to fawn over the title track and its segments until the last one. It's the B-side of this record that almost completely sold me and while it didn't win me all the way over in the end, I was still very happy with what I heard. If you wanna get into progressive rock, this is still one of the greatest places to start.

7.4 / 10

Highlights: And You and I, Siberian Khatru

INTERNET CLUB – DELUXE (2011)

Finally, to conclude the night, I wanted to listen to something very obsure, almost dark while eerie, ominous and mysteriously short. Who better to turn to for that than the one who made ▣世界から解放され▣？This super short, almost 15-minute offering was the first of a strange trilogy of pioneering broken transmission mini-albums and while I strongly admired ▣世界から解放され▣ for what it contributed to the scene, I ended up falling out of that same appreciation for the finale NHK REMINDS YOU TO BOOST YOUR SIGNAL. Returning to this album though was a complete shock to me; despite the rough start, when it got to the title track, I was in complete love with the looping sample and as the rest of the record went on, Robin displays hit after hit with chopped up vaporwave tunes and mystifying glitches. It ended up being my favourite of the three by a very good margin! Obviously, I don't expect this one to click with everybody, but if this intrigues you and you've already dipped your toes into the broken transmission or signalwave subgenres, I don't see why you wouldn't enjoy this one! Except NO MORE MONO, that one was uncomfortable.

7.9 / 10

Highlights: NIGHT DRIVE, DELUXE, ONLY IN DREAMS, SHARPER DUB, HEARTS (NIGHT DRIVE, PART TWO)

So that was a lot that I listened to today, but I had a ton of fun with it! Let me know what you thought of any of these albums and what I should try in the near future! Thank you so much for reading and stay gay!

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pleasurebuttonwrites · 2 years ago

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the privateer & me

Chapter 3 sturmhond x ofc | 1.7k | rating: teen Masterlist

Rumors fly after Saskia's dinner with Captain Sturmhond

author's note: this is set prior to the events of shadow & bone. later chapters will contain smut. content: no warnings

~~~

A few days had gone by without me seeing him. And it was agonizing. I did everything but march up to his quarters and knock on the door. Which would have really gotten people talking — and I didn’t need that. The morning after our dinner, the gossiper of the Volkvolny, Anya, cornered me as I arrived for my shift in the galley. She asked about my night and I could swear everyone leaned in about an inch to hear better. I told her I would tell her later, but I didn’t plan on telling her anything. If rumors were going to spread, they wouldn’t be seeded by the truth.

Unfortunately, it only served to make it all the more mysterious — and therefore interesting — to everyone. I was nearly tempted to set the record straight, but I didn’t want it getting back to the captain that I had said anything. By then the message would more than likely get warped and then he’d think I’d said something I definitely hadn’t.

I wanted to talk to him myself. I needed to understand what happened. What if my turning away, well, turned him away? Was that it? I hadn’t kissed him when he wanted and he just dropped me without a word? Even though we’d had such a wonderful time together? I tried to put him out of my mind, but I had really felt something. I didn’t want to believe that he’d be this way.

I would find excuses to be above deck. I practically haunted the spot that he first asked me to dinner, but then I would feel pathetic and I would go back to my bunk. But all that was waiting for me there was this damn book that I still was not able to read. I had been so excited about it, but every time I picked it up, my thoughts were consumed with him, and I was trying expressly not to think of him. So it sat there unread, while I paced trying desperately to distract myself.

By the fourth day, the rumors changed. As we hadn’t been seen together again, people were saying we had become more secretive, but I also heard that we “fizzled” out. I was afraid the latter might actually be true.

Finally, I felt like I had a normal day again. I was not consumed with thoughts about him. Oh it came and went, but I was able to enjoy things here and there and my focus was back. I even entertained the idea of starting the book when I was finished with work for the day.

So of course, that was exactly the day that when I left the galley to return to my bunk, the captain was waiting for me in the corridor. I was so stunned I stopped in my tracks and just stared at him.

“Miss Zimová,” he said with a head nod.

A few others emerged from the galley and when they saw us, they gave us looks and started excitedly whispering as they walked away. It made me so angry, I walked right past him. I realized that as the captain, I was supposed to show him more respect than that. There was a part of me that wondered if I would be censured for that but my pride wouldn’t let me backtrack, so I just kept on going.

I wasn’t sure if he was following me at first. Was that disappointment I felt? But then I heard his footsteps and I could swear I could feel the exact spot on my back that he was staring at. I got to the part of the ship where I could go left and go back to my bunk or go right to the storage area — where no one would be. As I approached, I told myself to go left. That nothing good could come of going right. Left, and my life went back to the way it was. Eventually the talk would die down and everyone would forget about that one time I dined with the captain.

But then I was at the end of the corridor and, without stopping, my feet took me to the right. I strained to pick up any telltale sounds from his footsteps. Did he falter when I turned? Was he walking faster now? Or was that me?

We were far enough into the storage section that we were completely alone, but I didn’t want to turn and face him yet. I came to a stop and it was so quiet that for a heart-stopping moment I wondered if he had even followed me at all. Did I just turn down this way for nothing?

I turned slowly to find him patiently waiting and watching me intently. It also seemed he was doing his damnedest not to look amused. He did not succeed.

“Trying to get me alone, Zimová?” he asked.

I instantly blushed. This was not where I was intending this to go, but I had to admit the thought gave me a thrill. I mean, I was trying to get him alone, but not for what he was suggesting. Just to get away from prying eyes so that we could talk.

“I... no...,” I stammered out.

“My apologies,” he said. “I was only trying to break the tension.”

“I don’t suppose I need to tell you that you failed.” I was definitely snippier than I meant to be. “What can I do for you, captain?”

“Would you like to join me for dinner again?”

I had to stop myself from blurting out ‘yes.’ “Can I say no?” I asked instead.

I don’t think I’d ever seen his confidence crack like it did when I asked this. He recovered quickly, but the disappointment was unmistakable. “Yes, of course,” he answered. “Good evening, Miss Zimová.”

He turned to go, and I realized what that had sounded like. “Wait!” I called out. He politely turned to listen. “I just wanted to know if I could. Not that I was going to.”

Hope bloomed on his face, and I was intoxicated by the fact that I put it there. “Is that a yes?”

—

“Why does it bother you so much?” he asked, and there was laughter in his eyes. He didn’t seem to take any stories or rumors seriously. I guess if you were a mysterious captain of a smuggling ship, you’d have heard it all. But I had been mostly unnoticed until he noticed me, and I hated the looks and the whispers that followed me around.

“I just hate what they’re saying.”

We were comfortably arranged in the seating area after dinner, myself on the same couch from the night of the party, and the captain in the armchair next to it.

“What would you rather they say about you?”

“Nothing! I miss being a nobody.”

“That’s a shame,” he told me, and the way he looked at me made it feel as intimate as if we were seated next to each other.

I shook my head, partially to refute him, but also to dissipate the tension we kept creating. “Have you not been hearing what they’re saying?”

“I have,” he said simply.

“And?”

“And what? Are you suggesting we really do the things people think we’ve done? Because that could be interesting...”

His lips were positively glistening when he said this. I caught myself staring and got up from my spot on the couch and began to pace. When I turned back around to say something, his eyes were drinking me in. It stopped me in my tracks and my mind went blank.

“I’m sorry,” he said. “I should have warned you when I first invited you to dinner. I’m so used to it by now, I didn’t even think about it. If I could do anything to stop it, I would.”

“Can’t you just set the record straight? I mean, you’re the captain, they have to listen to you.”

“What exactly is the record?” he asked as he studied me.

“That we’re...” I faltered. While ‘friends’ was the right answer it didn’t feel like that totally captured it. But that was all I wanted others to know.

“Friends?” he finished for me. I nodded. “They may have to listen to me when I give orders, Miss Zimová, but they can still think whatever they like. Can you imagine what they would think if I gathered everyone round and announced that you and I were friends?”

“I guess it would be pretty strange,” I mumbled.

“They would just believe what they’ve been saying even more. They talk more to amuse themselves anyway. Hopefully something exciting will happen soon, and then they’ll forget all about us.”

“Yeah, but...”

“But what?”

“But they’ll still think the wrong thing about me.”

“And that bothers you?”

“Yes!”

“Why?”

“Because I’m not how they see me! I wish they could get it right.”

He pondered that for a rare moment of seriousness. “Do you think that’s even possible? How do you know they didn’t have the wrong idea before they started talking about you? They don’t know you now. They didn’t know you then either.”

Damn, that makes a lot of sense. “I suppose the difference is that I didn’t know what they thought before.”

“Then stop listening. That’s what I do.”

“Yeah, but you get to retreat to your quarters, and no one would dare say anything to your face.”

“Then I shall give you your own quarters. And take you off kitchen duty. I’ll fill your room with books and you can fill your days with reading, and having dinner with me, of course.”

“I don’t even want to imagine what the talk would be then,” I said wryly.

“The point is that you won’t have to hear it anyway.”

I shook my head.

“It’s a one time offer,” he warned, but from the light in his eyes I could tell he wasn’t serious.

I shook my head again.

“As you like it, Miss Zimová.”

“Captain?”

“Hmm?”

“Since we’re friends and all, maybe you can call me Saskia.”

#nikolai lanstov #nikolai lantsov fic #nikolai lantsov masterlist #masterlist #fic masterlist #shadow & bone fic #the grishaverse trilogy fic #sturmhond #sturmhond fic #nikolai lantsov x ofc #sturmhond x ofc

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myheroacademiaspiderverse · 10 months ago

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Issue 3: The Birth Of Spider-Man

Izuku sighed as he saw the familiar blond-haired red-eyed standing there, glaring at him. "Oh, hey Bakugo. I'd say it's good to see you, but I try not to li-"

"WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING HERE, DEKU?!"

Smirking, Izuku tapped the patch on his shoulder and nonchalantly replied "I go to school here. Duh."

The moment the words left his mouth Bakugo had closed the distance between them in record time and grabbed him by the front of his uniform and brought them face to face. "I THOUGHT I TOLD YOUR USELESS ASS NOT TO EVEN TRY AND APPLY HERE, YOU QUIRKLESS FREAK!"

"First off, you said not to apply for the Hero Course," Izuku replied, seemingly not bothered by anything Bakugo was doing. "I'm here in the Support Course. Second, I must've been absent the day you were made the boss of me. Third, thanks for blurting out my Quirk status for everyone to hear, you prick."

Bakugo growled before raising his hand, a few POPS! being heard as he started charging up his Quirk. "DAMN DEKU! SOUNDS LIKE YOU NEED-"

Before he could finish his sentence, a hand grabbed his wrist and twisted it, causing Bakugo to cry out in pain and cutting off his attempted Quirk use.

That hand belonging to none other than Kaina Tsutsumi, their homeroom teacher.

Who was currently glaring at Bakugo to the point that Izuku was surprised that his face wasn't melting.

"Just what the hell do you think you're doing, boy," she asked, in a cold tone that belied the true fury she felt.

While in a bit of pain, Bakugo still managed to reply "Reminding this Quirkless freak where his place is."

There was a large amount of gasps and looks of shock from Class 1-A and 1-H, and though Power Loader's face was covered, even he clearly was shocked.

Kaina however, simply deepened her glare and said "Principal's office."

Disbelief flashed across his face. "What?!"

"You heard me. I don't know what kind of bullshit your old school let you get away with, but UA has a strict No Bullying Policy. REGARDLESS of what your victim's Quirk Status is. So, get your ass down to the Principal's office. NOW."

Bakugo growled, but he could see that she was serious. So he simply pushed Izuku into his work table and grumbled "Fine." as he walked out of the studio.

Kaina then looked at All Might and asked "Think you can handle escorting him to the Principal's office?"

All Might nodded, his own face formed into a scowl at what had happened. "Absolutely."

"Then go."

Once he had left, Ochako walked forward to check on Izuku and asked "Are you okay?"

Izuku seemed to be honestly shocked by that question, but nodded and replied "Yeah. I honestly kind of expected him to act like that."

"He's done that before," a red-eyed and red-haired boy from Class 1-A asked in disbelief.

He scoffed at that. "You could say that."

Kaina sighed. "Of course he did." She then looked at Izuku and said "I meant what I said about the No Bullying Policy. He ever does something like that again-"

"-one of the teachers will be the first to know," he promised. He then looked at Class 1-A and said "BTW, contrary to what he seems to believe, my name is Izuku Midoriya. Not Deku."

Seeing them all nod in understanding, Power Loader decided to get the class back on track and said "Now, how about you kids talk to some of my students and see about getting your costumes made."

Kaina nodded. "I should probably go with the big guy to make sure Nezu gets the full story. Can you handle this, Maijima?"

"I got this."

"Good. Don't destroy the lab, kids," she said as she walked out.

Once she was gone, Izuku looked at Class 1-A and asked "So, who's up first for costumes?"

Kaina sighed once she was finished explaining to Nezu what had happened in the Support Studio, all while All Might have his input at times (and to his credit, he didn't try to make excuses for him or downplay what happened. Seems even he wasn't impressed with what Bakugo had done.)

Bakugo, on the other hand?

He simply sat there with a mildly annoyed expression on his face, seemingly not caring about the potential consequences he could face.

Nezu, for his part, listened intently and didn't say a word until they were finished.

Once they were done, he said "Well, I'd daresay this is a new record. A student given detention on the first official day of school."

Bakugo looked at him like he'd just grown a second head. "Detention?! What the fuck for?!"

The glare Nezu gave him a look that shut him up real quick, along with a suffocating aura of malice as he spoke with an even yet biting tone "First of all Young Bakugo, while other teachers may be more lenient on the subject, I find profanity to be overused and unnecessary. Do not use any whilst you are in my presence.

'Second, I am the principal of this school. You will not raise your voice at me, nor will you speak out of turn or question me unless I allow you to do so. Along with that, you are to address me as Principal Nezu, or Sir. Are we clear?"

He grit his teeth but eventually muttered "Fine."

"Ahem."

"Fine, Principal Nezu."

"Better. And as for why you're getting detention, let's see: you threatened violence against a fellow student, started using your Quirk outside of class and without authorization with clear intent of causing Young Midoriya physical harm... oh, and then there were your incredibly Quirkist statements- You interrupt me and it'll be a whole week of detention, Bakugo!" He exclaimed, seeing Bakugo about to open his mouth, which he promptly closed. Nezu huffed before finishing with "-which clearly violates UA's stringent anti-bullying policies AND the standards and examples we expect our students to set. ESPECIALLY those who are in the Hero Course. Frankly getting your Warning and a detention, in my eyes, is being FAR too lenient. But sadly, since this is your first (and strangely only offense) on your record, my paws are tied."

All Might seemed to find that acceptable, but then asked "Perhaps we should inform his parents about this as well? After all-"

"I already took the liberty of calling them," Nezu said smugly. "They should be here by the end of the period.."

To his credit (and the teachers'/principal's surprise) Bakugo didn't yell out or start cussing.

Rather, he just seethed in silent rage at what was happening. Almost as if he thought the whole situation was absolute bullshit (which in all honesty, Kaina wouldn't be surprised if he DID think that.)

Which honestly confused them to no end. Does Bakugo seriously not care about what his parents say or think? Or has he seriously never been punished by ANYONE before Kaina asked herself.

Seeing "The Look" from Nezu, it pretty much told her that they were about to find out.

She mentally grumbled Why do I have a feeling I'm gonna need to find my other suit again?

Izuku had spent the last twenty or so minutes going over several students costume designs, listening to their ideas and giving a few of his own. Some of them were rejected for obvious reasons ("For the last time, you're getting a body armor vest, Kirishima. Not a thin muscle shirt or a tank top. And no, I don't care if it doesn't look 'manly,' it's going to help keep you alive! Or would you rather some guy gut you like a fish if your Quirk happens to fail?") but the majority were good to go.

Ochako's costume redesign was the first one he took care of (with a small note written in it that read Caffeine Lover's Cafe on the corner of 5th Street and Main. We'll talk there.) and really the only thing they changed was her visor, with him suggesting that he integrates state of the art scanning tech into it. This way when she became a Rescue Hero like she planned, she'd be able to check for trapped civilians and environmental hazards (listing things like gas mains, live wires, structural issues, et cetera) and she was all too happy to let him make the change.

Up next was Toru Hagakure, which he admitted her suit would be a bit more difficult but not impossible. And it went like that for a few of the other students (the ones who didn't go to Hatsume or the other Support students) until he came to the remaining few.

Handing the notebook back to the bird-headed Fumikage Tokoyami, he nodded and smiled. "Yeah, I can make the alterations to the cloak like you asked. The feather designs shouldn't be too hard for the Super-Fabricator to implement."

"Thank you," Tokoyami replied. "We appreciate it."

The "we" became apparent as his sentient Quirk, a shadowy bird monster named Dark Shadow, appeared out of Tokoyami's chest and smiled while giving him a thumbs up. "Yeah, you're pretty awesome," he/she/they (he wasn't aware of their pronouns) said happily.

Izuku blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I wouldn't go that far. I'm just... trying to do the best I can with what I've been given."

Both Tokoyami and Dark Shadow looked at each other, seeming to have a conversation of sorts between them, before Tokoyami asked "Just how often was Bakugo cruel to you?"

He couldn't help but give a mirthless laugh at that. "Would you like the list in chronological, alphabetical, or by degree of severity? Either way, it's a LONG list." Seeing him not laugh at that, Izuku sighed. "Look, I really try my best not to think about it anymore. I've already clocked in a lot of therapy visits and gotten a lot of support from my family. Plus, UA clearly enforces the No-Bullying Policy, so if Bakugo tries to do anything to me again, he's screwed."

They seemed to accept that answer, but Dark Shadow motioned with his head to Tokoyami to say something. So the bird-headed boy sighed and said (quietly so that he and Izuku were the only ones who heard it) "Well, just so you know, you're not the only one who was bullied for things that were beyond your control. So, if you ever need someone to talk to, Dark Shadow and I will happily lend an ear."

Izuku honestly wasn't surprised by that news. Despite how widespread mutant quirks were, many people who bore them were discriminated against because of them. Add on the stigma against darkness/shadow Quirks and how they were "villainous" (which he personally felt was bullshit) and both of them together would probably make Tokoyami a prime target for it. Guess I shouldn't be surprised by that, he mused. People with mutant quirks rarely get it easy in life, not unless their mutations are so small scale that they still look human or really attractive.

Returning to reality, he smiled and said "Thanks. I appreciate it."

Tokoyami nodded and left, before Momo Yaoyorozu walked up as the last student of the day and handed him her notebook. "This is pretty much the same as my original design, though I did make a few alterations on Tsutsumi-sensei's advice," she said happily.

Izuku looked at what she'd drawn and written down, and honestly found himself feeling impressed. The original design he had seen before lunch had been a simple one piece bodysuit, with a utility belt that held a first aid kit and some high calorie energy bars to help with her Quirk, which transformed her fat cells into whatever object she knew the molecular structure of (which he'd love to analyze sometime) but that wasn't what impressed him.

Yaoyorozu hadn't just written down what kind of computer and visor she wanted, but had even sketched out the design and what materials she felt would be best for the job. She had also taken her sensei's advice to heart, integrating lightweight body armor into her costume, but how she did it was actually pretty impressive. She divided it into two colors; crimson red and black. The crimson red parts, rather than being Unstable Molecular Fabric, would instead be made of thick and reinforced Nanofiber Mesh Weave interwoven with kevlar to provide better protection. The black parts were made purely out of the UMF, as it was much more flexible and would allow for the materials her quirk made to phase through. Might have to think about adding that kind of material functionality into a future suit. Though without the interwoven kevlar, since I'm pretty good at dodging bullets. And keeping it all Nanofiber mesh, since there's nothing gonna be coming out of my- Oh, she's staring.

"Is something wrong with it," Momo asked, confused.

"Oh, no! It's all good," he quickly replied. "I was just impressed by all of this. With brains like yours, I'm surprised you're not in the Support Course."

To his surprise, Momo blushed. "Oh, thank you. But, I prefer to be out helping people, not stuck in a lab all day. No offense."

"None taken. You've got your ways to help people, I've got mine." Taking one last look over the notebook, he handed it back to her and said "The visor and computer might take a little longer, but the rest of the costume shouldn't take too long to fabricate." Looking at the students grouped there, he gathered up all the notes he took and pulled out his phone. "DECA, you ready for some data?"

The students looked at him confused, before DECA replied "Hit me, Izuku."

"Uh, who's on the phone with you," Kirishima asked, a bit concerned.

Izuku smirked, before showing the phone screen which read [DECA ACTIVE.] "Allow me to introduce you all to the Digital Electronic Computer Assistant, DECA for short. She's an Artificial Intelligence I designed, which helped rocket me to the top of the Support Course Entrance Exam."

"Hello everyone," she said cheerfully. "I'd shake your hands but sadly I don't have any."

Everyone's jaws dropped at this revelation. Finding her voice first, Momo asked "You created her?"

Izuku nodded. "Yep. I started working on her ever since I decided I wanted to enter the Support Course. I started the initial coding at the start of my final year of Junior High, spent the year programming and getting her data ready, and the Entrance Exam was when I finally brought her to life."

"What all can she do," Ochako asked.

"I designed her with the intent of basically becoming a personal assistant for people. She's capable of computing terabytes of complex data in nanoseconds, and depending on the data you give her she can do just about anything. Especially if you give her internet access. She can set up your schedule, find you the best route and best train lines to get you to your appointments, find local events that you might like based on your personal preferences-"

"Let's not forget that I also remind you when you should take a break from what you're doing and eat something or get some sleep," she snidely remarked.

"I pulled an all-nighter and slept through a day of school ONE TIME," Izuku groaned. "Will you let that go?"

"It was three all-nighters, and no."

Sighing, Izuku looked back at the group (some of them bearing smirks at that little exchange) and continued "I'm planning on feeding her data that can help the police and heroes in the field in the future: first aid instructions, facial recognition scanners, forensic analyzers, calling for back up or emergency services." He smiled and said "The possibilities for DECA are endless."

Everyone was impressed (save for Todoroki since most of the technical stuff just flew over his head) but Momo seemed especially impressed. "I'm surprised you haven't tried to copy her code and sell it as an app."

"Eh, she's not ready yet," he replied. "DECA as she is now is pretty much Version 1. She's good, but there's still a few things I need to work on and patch before we get to that stage. I want to get her to at least Version 2 or 3 before I release her into the wild."

That was the official reason he would give.

The unofficial reason was that honestly, DECA as she was now was not only able to do all that he just listed, but was also able to hack into other computer systems and servers with relative ease (unless they actually had good cyber-security) as well as the fact that her memory banks were full of his life and Spider-Man stuff. If he copied her codes as she was now and set her loose as an app, he'd probably end up getting exposed or one of her "siblings" would end up being used for terrible things, even with the safeguards in place (since he knew he wasn't the only genius hacker in Musutafu, having heard stories in the Cyber-Underground about someone with the online handle of La Brava.)

He'd already had a copy of her original code and was working on it to get "Version 2" that wouldn't have all those problems, and he could potentially release as an app to help people with their daily lives. But between his schooling and his nighttime vigilante work, it would probably be a while.

Holding his phone with the camera pointing down at the notes which had been spread out over his work bench. "Alright DECA, let's show them what you can do. Please scan these and give me a rough estimate of how long it'll take me to fabricate and put all these together."

The screen on his phone showed a progress bar under the word SCANNING... which rapidly filled up before changing to CALCULATING.

There was a loud DING! before DECA stated "Given all the data, and what I know about your personal life and habits-" (that being his vigilante activities, mostly) "-and discounting any serious setbacks, I'd estimate that your best case scenario would be you finishing these costumes in three weeks."

"Oh, just in time for the first trip to the USJ," Ochako said happily.

Izuku nodded, just as the bell rang. Majima-sensei called for everyone's attention and said "Okay, 1-H, it's a free period today, which in this studio means clean up. Be sure you shut down everything that needs shutting down and lock everything up that needs locking up. 1-A, I just texted your sensei. She says she's talking with the parents of Bakugo Katsuki and it's probably gonna take the whole period, so you're going to report to room 1-B with Vlad King for the period. She also says 'Try and play nice with 1-B. You may end up working with them in the future.'"

As 1-A moved to leave, Ochako slipped Izuku another note before she joined her classmates at the door. Looking at it, he realized it was her cell phone number.

Huh. Can't believe I actually got a girl's number. Eat that, BakuBitch.

All Might had left before the Bakugo's had arrived, his phone having rung and him needing to take the call in the Teacher's Lounge (something personal, she didn't feel like asking.)

And when they arrived, Kaina's first impressions of Katsuki's parents... weren't what she expected, for the most part.

She'd honestly expected that either one or both of them had the same loud and constantly angry personality as their son (given how these things usually go, probably the father. Not that women couldn't be angry or loud, but from her experience 7 out of 10 times it was usually the guy who was constantly angry.)

What she got was a man who honestly seemed to quiet and gentle to ever raise his voice (a double-edged sword when it came to their son, in her opinion) and profusely apologized for whatever it was his son had done.

His wife, Bakugo's mother Mitsuki, was a bit closer to what she had expected, but at the same time not. While she did have a temper (the first thing she did when she walked in was slap Bakugo over the back of the head and yelled "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU DO, KATSUKI?!") the moment they actually got to talking she had calmed down considerably and now looked worried for her son's future.

And when they mentioned the almost-victim that was Izuku Midoriya, they were both concerned for the boy. Mitsuki even said that she and Inko Midoriya, Izuku's mother, had been old friends, and that their families used to be close. To the point that Mitsuki and Masaru considered Izuku their honorary nephew (a statement which Kaina and Nezu noticed made Bakugo clench his fists and grit his teeth in anger.)

And when they heard about what he did and the things he said, they were beyond furious, with Mitsuki asking Katsuki what the hell was wrong with him and making it very clear they didn't raise him to be like this.

All in all it was clear that while Katsuki Bakugo got his looks and SOME of his personality from his mother; his Quirkism, sense of entitlement, and unyielding anger were from a source outside of the family and their home.

As for Katsuki, he didn't say anything, really. Aside from calling his mother an old hag after she slapped him, he mostly just sat and listened to everything that was said.

Nezu eventually put his paws together and said "I'm sure you can understand why it is that we were suspicious, given the massive contrast between his abnormally spotless record compared to his hyper aggression and temperament during the Entrance Exam. Quite frankly, his record was suspicious enough on its own."

"I can confirm that he did miss a week of school following the Sludge Villain incident, since he ended up getting a slight case of pneumonia from the sludge getting into his lungs," Masaru stated. "But as far as we were aware, our son hadn't been causing any problems at his old schools to our knowledge."

"Yeah, we didn't get one complaint from the school and none of the Midoriyas ever said anything," Mistuki added.

"Honestly, we've seen these kinds of things before," Kaina replied. "Some schools will embellish or straight up fabricate records for the students that have powerful Quirks, usually because they feel they might be able to mooch off of their potential success in the future, often covering things up and forcing everyone else to keep their mouths shut. Given the fact that your son tried to assault a fellow student, WITH his Quirk no less, in plain view of me while shouting a derogatory nicknames (I looked up the meaning of 'DEKU' and belive me, it is VERY derogatory) then it stands to reason that he's used to teachers turning the other cheek to his behavior. As for why the Midoriyas have never said anything, I can't say. Though considering Izuku Midoriya's Quirk Status and Bakugo's clear Quirkist mindset, it wouldn't surprise me if the teachers at that school had it out for him and threatened him into silence."

"A potential lack of evidence would also make pressing charges difficult," Nezu added. "However, it still doesn't change the fact that Katsuki is still fully responsible for his own behavior."

Both Masaru and Mitsuki looked at each other and sighed. "I'm not gonna argue with that," Mitsuku said. "So spare me the drama, and just hit me."

Kaina sighed. "Well, as Nezu explained to me, our hands are tied when it comes to the three strikes policy. Since this is Bakugo's first and only offense on his record, we can't really do anything except give him a warning."

"Oh, I didn't mean it like that, Kaina," Nezu said with an insidious grin that sent chills down everyone's spines. "I only said that we have to give him the same warning and three strikes before we can consider demoting him out of the Hero Course. There are plenty of punishments we can give him." Seeing the fearful looks on Mitsuki and Masaru's faces he quickly dropped his grin and said "Sorry about that, I got caught up in the moment.

'Anyway, for starters, Bakugo will be serving after school detention for the rest of the week."

A low, barely audible growl emanated from Bakugo, though only Nezu seemed to hear it.

"We will also be keeping a much closer eye on your behavior, Katsuki. Since you used your warning today, any more acts like today and you will be getting strikes. And let me reiterate, three strikes and you'll be demoted to General Studies and put on Academic Probation. Anything beyond that and you will be expelled. And an expulsion from UA will pretty much guarantee that all but the most desperate or naive Hero Schools will ever enroll you."

"Not that that'll happen," Mitsuki said.

Katsuki's jaw dropped. "What the hell do you mean?"

To everyone's shock, Masaru glared at him and said "Katsuki Bakugo, the behavior you've shown today is unacceptable. Not just as a Hero, but as a decent human being. If anything, you should count yourself damn lucky we don't just fill out the paperwork to have you pulled out of school and sent to a rehabilitation center."

His eyes widened. "Y-you wouldn't-"

"Would, can, and will, Katsuki," his mother replied sternly. "You wanna be a hero, then you better learn to start acting like one. And no, I don't mean like Endeavor. How that flaming bastard kept his license for so long with his flaming garbage personality is beyond me."

"Preach it, sister," Kaina said with a smile, which Mistuki returned.

"Point is, even if you don't end up going to rehab, you get expelled from UA? We will bar you from EVER going to a Hero School." Seeing his son's face to white as a sheet, Masaru finished with "And that's not a threat, Katsuki. That's a promise."

"I should also mention that we can skip the three strikes altogether if the perpetrator in question does something that violates not only the school rules but also violates the law itself," Nezu stated. "Or if, say, Katsuki refuses to show up for any of the mandatory therapy sessions with Hound Dog we're assigning him."

"WHAT?!" Regaining his senses, Bakugo now growled and yelled "That's fu-"

"Finish that profanity and you'll earn your first strike," Nezu said calmly, but with a hint of malice, causing Bakugo to clam up. "You've clearly shown that Aldera Junior High has instilled a very unhealthy mindset within you. The only way to break that mindset is to have you talking to a professional who will hopefully get you to realize that your current mindset is not only unhealthy, but very very wrong. So for the foreseeable future, you will be having therapy sessions with Hound Dog three times a week. Possibly more if he or I feel it's necessary. And if you miss or refuse to go to a single one without a valid reason..."

He then fixed Katsuki with his greatest Try Me Bitch, I Dare You! Smiling Death Glare (patent pending) and said with all the coldness of the winds of Antarctica "I will expel you and end your hero career before it even starts. Are we clear?"

To his credit, Katsuki did his best to stay firm, but they could all see the cold sweats breaking out on his face.

Finally he growled "Fine."

Nezu smiled. "Good. Then report to Hound Dog's office for your first session. After that, he'll escort you to where your detention shall be."

Growling, Katsuki left Nezu's office, slamming the door behind him on the way out.

Once he was gone, Mitsuki sighed before looking at her husband, the smallest trace of tears in her eyes. "Where did we go wrong with our boy?"

"Don't be too hard on yourselves," Kaina answered, doing her best to reassure them. "I'd say that the staff at Aldera Junior High are responsible for putting that mindset in his head, and like Nezu said, he's responsible for his own behavior."

"We get that," Masaru admitted. "But every day we tried to steer him on the right path while supporting his dream. We tried to teach and instill in him strong moral and ethical values. But what he did today, especially to someone we consider our nephew? That pretty much goes against everything we taught him."

"Well, hopefully Hound Dog will get to the bottom of that and be able to help him change his mindset," Nezu said reassuringly. "Though in the meantime, I have another question for you two."

"Shoot," Mitsuki said.

"I've looked through Izuku Midoriya's files and I've found that neither his mother nor his father are listed in our contacts. Can't believe we missed that. Would you happen to have their contact information?"

Immediately he realized he said something wrong, because Mitsuki and Masaru looked at each other uncertainly, before turning back to him and Kaina. "You mean you don't know?"

Confused, Nezu asked "Know about what?"

Mitsuki sighed, before replying "Inko and Hisashi Midoriya died about six months ago, killed during a gang shootout in the Eisley District."

There was heavy silence in the room, before Nezu finally found his voice. "Oh."

Once school let out, Izuku asked DECA to find him where exactly Caffeine Lover's Cafe was, before asking if they were ready to go for tonight.

Her reply was a resounding yes, though he'd be better off waiting until 6:00, since that's when the staff save for the night shift custodians would be gone.

After asking her to see where the Spider-Tracer he put on Stone was while he talked with Uraraka, he walked into the Cafe to see her sitting at a booth in the back with some mochi and a drink. So he quickly ordered a drink and some danishes and joined her.

There was a tense moment of silence between the two of them before Izuku finally said "So, I assume you have some questions."

"Just a couple hundred," she admitted. "But, I guess my big one is how you're Quirkless when you can do all the things you can do."

Izuku nodded. "Figured you'd start off with that." He took a bite out of his danish and replied "Well, truthfully, I was diagnosed as Quirkless at four years old. And I spent the last 10 years getting horrendously bullied because of it."

"Yeah, kinda figured that out when Bakugo called you Deku and was about to set off his explosions on you."

"Wouldn't be the first time," he grumbled.

Deciding not to touch on that part, she instead asked "What exactly does Deku mean?"

"You rearrange the kanji for my name and it spells 'dekunobu,' a useless wooden doll. After I got diagnosed, everyone except my parents thought I was useless and never failed to tell me that everyday. Then one day he called me Deku for short and it just stuck."

"Huh. I thought it meant something different. Something along the lines of 'You can do it!'"

"You're thinking dekiru. That's pretty much the exact opposite of Deku."

"Oh. I'm so sorry."

"Meh, I'm over it. Like I told Tokoyami, UA doesn't allow bullies to be in their school. He tries anything like that again-"

"-he's fucked," she finished, smiling when she saw his surprised face at her swearing. "My parents own a construction company."

"Ah," he replied, understanding.

"So, were you misdiagnosed or something? I've heard of False Negatives and Late Bloomers-"

"None of the above," Izuku said, pulling out his phone and pulling up a picture to show her. "This is how I got my powers."

The picture was of a spider, about the size of a Wolf Spider, but colored emerald green with red legs and having a large yellow number 9 on its abdomen.

Her one eyebrow raised skeptically. "Really? You seriously expect me to believe that you got bit by a spider and suddenly you stuck to walls and shoot webs?"

"Right hand up to God, it's the truth. A little over six months ago, my father and I went to the yearly YaoyorozuCorp Expo. They had an exhibit on Cross-Species Genetics, trying to find genetic therapies and cures for people with genetic disorders or terminal illnesses. There were about twenty of these spiders on display, all of whom had been genetically modified to have Quirks. I'm not kidding, one of them could turn invisible, one could spit out venom, there was even one that could regrow its legs if it lost one."

"Okay," she replied, seeming to accept this. "So, how-"

"I'm still not sure how, but somehow this little guy managed to escape its cage and get into my backpack. That night when I got home, I reached in to pull out my notebook and it crawled up and bit the back of my hand. I go to bed slightly feverish, then I wake up the next morning and I'm sticking to the ceiling."

Ochako giggled at that. "Sorry. It's just, I've heard of sleep walking but I've never heard of sleep crawling."

Izuku chuckled at that as well. "Yeah, I guess that is a bit funny. But that wasn't the only change." He scrolled through his pictures before pulling up a picture of himself. "This is me, pre-spider bite."

She looked at it, then looked at him, then looked back at the picture. "Yeesh. You look like you need a sandwich."

"Yeah, I was kinda scrawny back then. And a bit on the short side," Izuku admitted before scrolling to the next picture. "This is me after I got bitten."

Ochako looked at the picture, and her jaw dropped.

In the first picture, Izuku looked to be roughly five foot nothing, looking pretty scrawny and with no noticeable muscles. In all honesty, he looked like a strong wind would probably knock him on his butt. The t-shirt he was wearing even looked like it was a hand-me-down, looking to be one or two sizes too big on him.

But the second picture?

Izuku had not only grown about a foot taller, but he was now sporting muscles that made him look like he'd spent years exercising and working out. This was emphasized by the same t-shirt from earlier now looking like it was hugging his body (though the bottom of his shirt came up enough to give a peek at his abs.)

She blushed a little before asking "So, did the spider's venom have some sort of steroid in it? Because-"

"-most spider bites don't give you abs," Izuku finished, putting away his phone. "I'm not entirely sure. The spider died between when I went to bed and when I found it the next day. It's fangs were all dried up and the rest of its body didn't have anything I could work with.

'But as you can guess, the changes didn't end with the sticky powers or my new muscles. My strength was off the charts; I could crush a steel pipe with my bare hands and I was able to lift up a junked car and I barely strained myself. My reflexes and reaction time left me able to dodge bullets (which I didn't figure out until later.) And then there was the Spider-Sense, kind of a sixth-sense that warns me about incoming danger."

"That sounds handy," Ochako stated. "So, why go for the Support Course when you can do all this? You'd probably be at the top of the class if you went into the Hero Course."

Izuku rolled his eyes and replied "Well, for starters, knowing how my Midoriya luck goes, I'd end up in your class. With Bakugo Katsuki. And while I'm sure me being there would accelerate him getting kicked out, I don't think my ears could handle his constant yelling."

"Burn."

"But the main thing is that frankly, I don't like the HPSC's wonderful system of laws that stop heroes from trying to help the people who really need it. You ever notice how the Eisley District has pretty much no heroes at all and a minuscule police presence? And because of that the crime in the area is nearly out of control?"

Ochako rolled her eyes and replied "Duh. Pretty much everyone's parents have told them to stay out of that district. And given what happened to Himiko, I can't blame them for saying that."

"Well, DECA and I are working on that. We've already got a possible lead." That statement sparked some hope in her eyes, which definitely made him feel better about this.

"But anyway, that's because the geniuses at the HPSC declared that place a Black Zone; a no-fly zone for any heroes unless they end up chasing a villain into it. Any Pro Hero who goes in there to try and clean the place up will be subject to a serious fine with the possibility to lose their Hero License. Permanently."

Her eyes widened at that. "Really? But there's not even really any villains in there. They're just small time crooks, drug dealers, and human traffickers. The kind of creeps that All Might could clear out-"

"-in a week, two tops," Izuku finished. "I know. It doesn't make sense to me either. But the fact of the matter is if I joined the Hero Course and managed to graduate, I wouldn't be able to help/save anyone in that district. And considering your bestie disappeared from there-" He let the sentence hang there and continued "Part of why I wanted to be a hero when I was younger, and why I'm doing what I do now, is because I want to help people. To save lives. So if I graduate and have to put up with all of the HPSC's obstructive bureaucratic madness-"

"-you'd lose your license and probably go vigilante in...," she rolled her eyes and jokingly guessed "A month?"

"A week at best," he replied with a smile on his face. "And frankly, from what I've seen in the Eisley District, those people arguably need help more than anyone else in Musutafu. And yet for some reason, the HPSC doesn't wanna send any heroes in to help, and instead pour their money and effort into keeping them out."

"Okay, that makes sense. But you said there were other reasons?"

Izuku sighed, honestly dreading this part of the conversation.

Finally, he asked "You know how when we're young we're always being told that there'll always be a Pro Hero around to save the day?"

She nodded solemnly, possibly predicting where he was going with his story. "Who'd you lose?"

Looking out the window, he muttered "My parents."

Ochako's hand flew to her mouth. "Oh my God, I'm so sorry."

"It's fine, you didn't know," Izuku replied. "But... yeah. Six months ago, my parents and I were visiting some of their old friends who live in the Eisley District (we used to live there before we moved into the Dagobah District thanks to Mom and Dad's new jobs.) When we were leaving, I ran back inside quick because I forgot my notebook. Next thing I know my Spider-Sense is going into overdrive, and then I'm hearing gunshots. Lots of 'em. Everyone in the apartment and I hit the dirt while the shooting was going on outside, just in case any of the shots came inside."

She could see tears starting to appear at the corners of his eyes as he continued "When it was over, I ran outside to see if they were okay..."

-Six Months Ago-

Izuku kept himself low as he made his way down the stairs, moving as quickly as he could without drawing attention to himself. Fear coursed through him, but his legs kept moving him forward towards the front door of the apartment building, all the time pleading "Please let them be alright. Please let them be alright. Please let them be alright."

He quietly peeked out from the doorway, scarcely daring to breathe lest whoever had done the shooting would get jumpy and try to shoot him.

He didn't see anyone with a gun, only two vans driving away from the scene.

Once they were gone the street was deathly quiet; as if the whole world had suddenly lost all sound.

When he was finally sure it was safe to go out, he stepped out, turning his head to where the car was parked...

...and his heart stopped beating as his lungs refused to take in any oxygen.

The small car they owned had been shot to hell and back, the windshield shattered by multiple, multiple bullet holes. The front of the car looked like it had been turned into Swiss cheese, the tires were all popped, and it was leaking about seven different fluids out of the engine.

But none of that mattered to Izuku as he sprinted to the car, tearing off the passenger side door while desperately praying that his parents were alive, hoping for the miracle of all miracles.

His father was unresponsive, his whole chest stained red from the blood oozing out of multiple gunshot wounds.

His mother, however, was still keeping a feeble grip on life.

He quickly tried to help her stay alive, ripping off his sleeves to try and stop the bleeding.

All the time, yelling out for help, begging to the heavens for a hero, for anyone to help.

But it never came...

"I literally held my mom's hand as the light left her eyes," Izuku finished, tears slowly starting to fall out of the corners of his eyes.

Seeing this, Ochako handed him a napkin while she dabbed at her own eyes. "I'm... I'm sorry, I can't even imagine-"

"Well, I can. And believe me, it's one of the worst kinds of pain you could ever imagine," he sighed, before his eyes shone with determination. "But that's the biggest reason why I'm doing this. Because I don't want anyone else to have to go through what I have. So if the other Pro Heroes won't step up and do it, then I will. And yes-" he said, holding up a hand to stop what Ochako was about to say "I know that Musutafu's a big city. And that I can't stop everyone from getting hurt or dying. I can't be everywhere, I get that. But the other Pros? They don't even try. They're too worried about trying to be famous, about trying to win that stupid popularity contest that is the Hero Rankings, when they should be trying to keep people safe. They're not trying to be heroes, because they're too busy trying to be celebrities. And the few that aren't in it for fame or glory, the ones that are Pro Heroes purely because they want to help people and make Musutafu a better place? They rarely if ever last long because the HPSC won't support them and instead try to sabotage them or try their best to corrupt them. But either way, the status quo is kept and no change ever happens."

Ochako nodded in understanding. "So you're hoping the example you set as Spider-Man will help shake up the status quo and get them to realize-"

"-they need to be better," Izuku finished. "Bingo."

"You know there's gonna be people who lambaste you and try and smear you, right," she asked.

"Yeah. I've got a plan for that. Though that's going to have to wait until later. For now, I've got some more important things to do. One of which is rescuing your long lost friend."

She smiled at that. "Thank you. And don't worry; when it comes to our 'mutual friend' my lips are sealed."

He smiled back before shooting her a text. "That's my number. If anything happens and you need help, let me know. Either I'll be there, or our 'mutual friend' will be, depending on what's going on."

Ochako giggled at that and asked "So, does that mean we're friends?"

That question definitely surprised Izuku, but he smirked and replied "I don't really know. Honestly, I never really had friends." Seeing the shocked look on her face, he said "Nobody in the Aldera School District where chomping at the bit to be friends with the Quirkless kid that the teachers pretty much said had no future except for being a chalk outline on the street."

He could see the fire burning in her eyes before she said "Well, you're not there anymore, and you have a friend now. And if anyone from Aldera has a problem with that? I'll float their ass to the sun."

"Okay, I'm honored you'd want to throw hands with anyone who wants to screw with me, but please don't get yourself thrown in prison for me."

They both laughed at that and said their good byes before leaving the cafe and going their separate ways.

As Izuku headed back towards UA, he honestly felt lighter, like a weight had been lifted off of his soul.

"She seems nice," DECA said from his phone.

"Yeah. Honestly, it still feels kinda weird that someone actually wants to be friends with me."

"Stow that talk, Izu. Stop with the self-deprecating and just let yourself be happy for once."

Deciding to change the subject, he asked "Did you get a lock on the Spider-Tracer?"

"Yes and no," DECA replied. "I had a lock on it, but when it started moving into the Yavin district, I lost the signal. If those Fixers are still there we won't get an exact lock until we link up to the towers there."

Izuku sighed. "Figures. How much you wanna bet that they probably found the tracer and are setting a trap for me somewhere?"

"I'd give the actual odds, but your Midoriya luck would pretty much make it a sucker's bet," DECA snarked.

He rolled his eyes at that. "Remind me again why I gave you the ability to be snarky."

"Because you felt me just being your standard monotone robot voice would be too boring, so you gave me a personality."

"Right. Are the rest of the teachers out of the building?"

There was a few seconds of silence as DECA started looking through the cameras. "Mostly. Looks like Tsutsumi-sensei and Principal Nezu are still in his office talking. But other than that the only ones in there are the security guards and the custodians."

After ducking into an alley and pulling his Spider-Man backpack out from behind a dumpster, he changed into a pair of black sweatpants, a black hoodie, and his spare mask (which was really just a black ski-mask with a set of goggles with white lenses this time) and slipped on his spare web shooters.

Looking over the school, he said "Okay then. Time for what will hopefully be the ONLY time I break into UA."

With that, he fired two Web-Lines at the edges of the roof and pulled back until they were taut. Okay, if I planned this right, this little web-slingshot should send me high enough to get to the West Wing, right near the air vent that leads down to the Support Department. The mental image of him not planning it right and slingshotting himself right into the near-unbreakable windows of the building ran through his head, and he gulped. Please let me have planned this right.

Deciding to stop wasting time, he hopped up and the web-slingshot did its job, shooting him like a bullet of the roof and over the UA Barrier, him being high enough that he didn't trigger the defenses.

Counting down the seconds in his head, he aimed his web shooter down at the building, aiming for the right spot he was looking for.

Once he got to five Mississippi (blame his father for that one) he fire the web-line, which stuck to the roof. He immediately zipped himself down, managing to score a near perfect landing that didn't hurt his knees (too much.) "And he sticks the landing," he chuckled to himself.

"Eh, I give it a 9," DECA said, a hint of amusement in her voice.

Izuku ignored her, instead making his way over the vent cover. The screws were loose enough that he didn't even really need to pull out his emergency mini-screwdriver to undo them. All he really had to do was jimmy the cover a bit and the screws came loose. That didn't stop him from being careful with it, since once he was inside and sticking to the walls of the vent, he carefully and gently placed the cover back down, doing his best not to dislodge any of the screws.

Once he was inside, he pulled out his phone and whispered "Alright, I'm gonna need you to guide me here."

"Already got the instructions ready, Spidey. Head down while I get ready to loop the cameras."

"What would I do without you," he chuckled before crawling down the vent.

Kaina sighed as she slumped in the seat in Nezu's office. "Well, today was a day."

"Agreed," Nezu replied, sipping his tea. "But now we need to discuss how we move going forward."

She sighed. "Let me guess, you want me to look into Aldera Junior High and see just what kind of a shitshow they're running, right?"

Nezu nodded. "Yes. While I understand that Bakugo is purely responsible for his own actions and decisions, I can't help but feel that Aldera played a significant part in instilling that particular mindset. And if he's one of the many who were taught that mindset-"

"I get the picture, Nezu," she said. "If these bozo's are teaching these kids to be Quirkist a-holes, then they need to be shut down. And considering there's no chance they'll just tell me outright if I walk in and ask, and me and the cops showing up with warrants will probably push them to start destroying evidence, I'm gonna need to fish out my other suit."

Nezu grinned. "Ah, yes. That special costume you still keep even though you say you're done with that lifestyle."

She couldn't help but smile wistfully as she remembered when she said that. "Eh, I knew deep down I'd never be done with that lifestyle.

'Besides, I look good in those purples and greens."[1]

Once DECA had the cameras looping their feeds, and having DECA do a quick scan for any additional security they might've missed, Izuku lowered himself from the ceiling on a web-line and quietly landed on the floor.

After he and DECA got through the security protocols on the Super Fabricator, they got to work.

And in about twenty minutes, everything was completed and ready.

Izuku smirked as he folded his new suit up and put it and the Mark II Web Shooters into his backpack. Once he wiped the record of what he did from the Super Fabricator and shut it down, he web-zipped up to the ceiling and crawled into the vent. "Can't wait to show those Fixers the new and improved Spider-Man," he said to himself.

Tremor sighed as he looked at the spot from where he was hiding, hidden behind a large pile of construction girders.

The place they had chosen to ambush Spider-Man at was a construction site in the Coruscant District, one that had been shut down when it had been discovered that the workers had been part of a money laundering operation by a gang called the Tombstones. Once the police and heroes cleaned house, the place was left until someone eventually bought the site and cleaned it up. So for now it just stood there, gathering dust.

Looking up at the darkening sky, he grumbled before flipping on his radio. "Check in."

"Stone here. Nothing here yet. Just like the last couple of hours," came the deep yet annoyed reply from the large man. "We sure he's gonna show up?"

"I'm positive," Crosshairs replied. "He placed that tracker on us to try and find us. He'll be here, even if only to find his little-ACK!"

Both of them whipped around to look at the billboard where Crosshairs had been stationed-

-and felt their jaws dropped and eyes widen when they saw him, unconscious and webbed to the billboard.

Well, more like plastered to it with the amount of thick and heavy webbing covering every part of him except for his head.

Stone found his voice and asked "Where the fu-"

He was cut off by a loud Thwip! and a glob of webbing hitting him on the mouth, silencing him.

"Language, buddy."

The voice came from above them, and standing there on an I-Beam was the wall-crawling vigilante, now in his new costume: a green and dark red design with black webs over the green parts, two white lenses over his eyes, and a dark red spider over his chest.[2]

He glared at them, the lenses narrowing to match, and he said "Now it's time for the Fixers to get fixed!"

After he got out of the school and changed into his new suit, Spider-Man had spent the last couple of hours linking DECA to the rest of the Hero Network Towers in Musutafu, before finally deciding to take care of the Fixers. Rather than just go straight to the Spider-Tracer, he instead scoped out the area around it, using the new Advanced Reconnaissance Mode he put in his mask's lenses. This wonderful mode used next gen scanning tech to not only see through walls but could also see body heat, toxins/chemicals, and could detect/analyze forensic evidence.

As such, he was quickly able to find the three mercs/villains, and formulated a plan.

The first thing he did was activate the new gadget he made, a modification from his Mark II Web Shooters: the Impact Web, which fired a condensed ball of webbing that exploded on impact, hence the name. The downside was that it pretty much ran through a whole cartridge of Web Fluid, so he had to be selective of when he used it.

Admittedly the Mark II Web Shooters had better storage capacity compared to his Mark I's, but that didn't really give him an excuse to be careless.

Once he got it ready, he fired a web-line and yanked Crosshairs' sniper rifle out of his surprised hands. Before he could react to that Spider-Man fired the Impact Web, which nailed him in the chest. The force of it and the subsequent explosion of web fluid sent him flying back against the billboard, splattering around and plastering him to it.

A fist to the face then knocked him unconscious.

He then dropped down in front of the other two Fixers, which led to their current situation.

Tremor recovered first, launching a double shockwave from both of his hands at the wall crawler. It never touched him, as he immediately jumped and front-flipped over it. He then shot out a web-line and swung forward with his feet forward, performing a Swing Kick that nailed Tremor in the chest and sent him flying away. Stone then tried to leap up and grab him, but Spider-Man easily vaulted over him and kicked him away in the ribs...

...and immediately winced and rubbed his sore foot. "Yowch. I guess they don't call you Stone for nothing."

Ripping the web off of his mouth, the rock man growled "No shit, Sherlock!"

His Spider-Sense went off, and he jumped out of the way as another large shockwave demolished the ground where he had been standing, narrowly missing a large pile of cement mix. Seeing where Tremor was positioned, Spider-Man used his webs to yank up two of the bags. He then whipped around and launched them at the vibration Quirk user, who on instinct sent out shockwaves to destroy them.

But this had been what Spider-Man had been counting on, as the bags exploded and scattered their contents, forming an improvised smokescreen that hid him from view.

Tremor growled. "You think that'll save you?! A little bit of dust!"

He fired another shockwave at the smokescreen and blew it away, fully expecting to either hit Spider-Man or reveal him-

-only to see absolutely nothing, as if he'd seemingly vanished.

"What the-?! Where'd he go?!"

Thwip!Thwip!

Two web-lines struck and attached to his shoulders, and he was suddenly yanked up into the air and turned around...

...just in time to see Spider-Man perched on one of the I-Beams, who then jumped up to meet him and grabbed his head. "Sweet dreams, shithead."

And that was the last thing Tremor heard before Spider-Man very forcefully slammed his head down onto the I-Beam with a loud CLONG! and the inky black of unconsciousness took him.

Spider-Man sprayed some more webs over him to cocoon him, before zipping down to where Stone was. "And then there was one."

Stone growled in irritation, before cracking his knuckles and pulling out a set of heavy knuckledusters that looked like they were made out of heavy steel instead of brass (and had large spikes on them.) "I'm gonna enjoy crushing you, insect."

He rolled his eyes at that. "Common misconception. Spiders are arachnids. Though honestly-"

He was cut off as Stone roared and lunged at him, throwing a punch that he just narrowly dodged. Spider-Man retaliated by throwing a few punches into his side, but each one didn't do anything except give him sore knuckles. He dodged a few more punches before firing an Impact Web in an attempt to bind his arms, but to his surprise Stone ripped right through it. Note to self: strengthen my web fluid in case I have to fight guys like this.

Realizing he didn't have much options, Spider-Man put some distance between him and Stone and closed his eyes, looking inside himself to find that power he used last night: the Venom Blast.

He found it, but immediately noticed that it wasn't nearly as strong.

But what he could feel would hopefully be more than enough.

Red sparks danced across his body, before he opened his eyes and began to focus them into his right arm, converging around his fist and making it glow like a red star.

Stone glared at him and got ready to charge. "You think those sparks are gonna take me down?"

Getting ready to spring forward and pulling his fist back, Spider-Man replied "Let's find out, Gravel-boy!"

Apparently that was enough to set him off, because the Rock Mutant Quirk user charge at him like a rampaging rhinoceros.

Spider-Man waited until he was closer before he finally sprang forward, dodging Stone's punch before delivering his glowing red fist into Stone's face.

The result?

The red electricity burst out in a powerful wave with the sound of heavy artillery being fired, with Stone being sent flying across the construction site and slamming into one of the I-Beams with enough force to bend it. He then fell forward, not getting back up (with the scanners in his lenses saying the man was unconscious. And probably had a concussion.)

Spider-Man landed and waited for a few seconds, before finally exhaling a sigh of relief when nobody got back up. "Well, how do you like that?"

Detective Naomasa Tsukauchi could hardly believe what he was seeing in front of him.

About ten minutes ago, a pair of officers had called dispatch and said that someone had left an anonymous tip that a vigilante known as Spider-Man had defeated and apprehended three villains at an abandoned construction site and that the police should get there and bring them in.

Initially he would've ignored it and dismissed it as a prank, if said officers hadn't told him that last night there had been three incidents where said vigilante had been involved. So he decided to humor them and investigate-

-and now he was at an abandoned construction site that looked like a warzone, staring at three villains who had been cocooned in webs (with the biggest guy additionally wrapped up in heavy steel cables) and were hanging upside down from an I-Beam.

Stuck to the middle cocoon was a note, obviously homemade, that read: Courtesy, your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man.

PS: Hope you enjoy my artwork. Look down. :)

He did, and he couldn't help but raise an eyebrow at what he was looking at.

Just in front of his feet was a can of emerald green spray paint.

And in front of THAT was a large freshly painted spider.

Underneath that was kanji that read: More to come soon.

On the one hand, part of Naomasa couldn't help but find the act kind of ballsy. Plus he recognized at least two of these guys; being D-Rank villains that they'd been searching for to bring in. And he could definitely appreciate what this Spider-Man had done.

But at the same time, he knew that what this person had done was vigilantism plain and simple, and it was bound to open a can of worms that would lead to lots and LOTS of headaches for him and his fellow officers.

"Hope this guy's ready for what he's about to unleash," he muttered, before heading back to his car to radio for backup and transport.

Because the Hero Comission ain't gonna be happy about this.

Unknown to Tsukauchi, Spider-Man had been watching him the whole time from a nearby rooftop, both to recover from his fight but also to make sure the Fixers ended up in custody and didn't try to escape.

Once the transport vans had arrived and loaded them up (and also clamped Quirk Suppressing Cuffs on them) he said "Well, I'd consider that my first major win."

Through the earpiece in his mask, DECA replied "I guess. You feeling okay after nailing that guy with your Venom Punch?"

He nodded. "Didn't take too much out of me. Still- Wait, Venom Punch?" He couldn't help but chuckle at that. "Very funny, DECA."

"You're welcome."

"Anyway, I do need to do a bit more training with it. See just what else I can do with my new Venom Blast abilities. But for now..."

He stood up, before bringing up the MAP on his HUD that he and DECA made while he was connected her to the Hero Network Towers.

And he immediately saw several red triangles, which he knew were cries in progress.

Seeing one that was close to him, he replied "We got work to do."

And with that, Musutafu's Spectacular Spider-Man swung off into the night...

-End Arc 1: Rise Of The Spider-

[1]: Care to guess which Marvel character she also is?

[2]: Ladies and gentleman and others, BEHOLD! Spider-Izuku's CLASSIC SPIDER-MAN SUIT!

#crossover au #izuku midoriya #spiderman #lady nagant #new suit

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the-firebird69 · 10 months ago

Text

Believe commenting on we were commenting on Monaco in there some girls and he said a couple things my car is Aston Martin and it's the fastest car on Earth and they agreed and she tries to find one and then she wants to race our car because it is going to be faster and she wants to beat her and start a thing with the men and they're at these race tracks everyday with every car they can find and they can't get into the Aston Martin the woman are keeping them out. It's a huge show and it shows what women can do and it's increasing in size and amplitude tons of people are trying to make their cars faster and you see the supercars come in and it just don't do it and then they're trying to get their fly tires in all the time. And usually my husband is making fun of the girls cuz they look like kids and he was and then when women are actually one girl looks like a woman and he said that I'll do and she started saying he's his mom so he says oh never mind Mom and she says damn it out loud and walks around and people heard what it was and start laughing and she says I got it back then they start laughing loudly and she said what if she said you're the idiot is trying to hook him at least and she said oh yeah he doesn't care about that and he she had to go away mom cuz you start talking in space she did well we have to but and she started to say I don't care and stuff and looks around people laughing and she said we're in a lot of trouble and she left and said I'm not going back there and it's true I've been thinking about it you act like a little kid and they are little kids it's a win-win she got on the line saying I don't want to help you anymore I said so don't you're going out anyways and that's what happens some people are like old people farts. She started laughing and said I might not be able to find me for my mom but she said it already I understand that the group is getting small that's a lot smaller than people think but it's because of the empire and she left a little and said it's actually real we're getting mean and nasty and it's this empire and they don't like him because he's a rebel and she started to cook up some plants for them

I like how it turned out because he's usually just angry but you know nothing to do he doesn't want to drive those cars are too fast for him

Hera

We have a plan for our car and it's about this place Monaco in Spain and they have all these hot cars that going in are there we're getting ready to show it and produce it and people are saying it doesn't have a damn name the car maker who said yeah it's an off brand it's supposed to be and he said you're supposed to put it out there is an off-brand everyone said yeah so he and she are suggesting the Phoenix auto company or Phoenix motors and we started to think about it they need one of their places Olympus and other companies are coming out with our names and places like that so you say this I think we're going to do that it sounds like we make fly cycles and fly cars and fly cycles and people come to us and ask for it and we can make them some and make our people some and it'll be like normal it's this really cool way of doing things I'm going to try and do it it's still an assignment and very dangerous but it is intriguing and he wants to do that this way Its a nice thing to do and we'll have people who are fronting for us. And she wanted to drive the car up there and back out and it was attract tons of trumpsters so they're like trying to go in there and they're getting in fights and the other one is the same clan. And Trump has a knock off he wants to try and pass off as the car it is still very fast but we don't think it's going to be the Aston Martin the track record they don't have it and we can't let him do it it's not us and they're going to try and show up and say they are and they're going to have two cars so figure that out

Thor Freya

Olympus

I noticed something we're really not good at it and his people make the best stuff and other companies make a little better but with them it's really awesome we have to try it

Trump

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seitmai · 1 year ago

Note

There is SO MUCH happening in this chapter 😳

Speechless—for once in your life you didn’t have something smart to say. But the fact that you looked up at Jake like he was the only man in the world who had ever seen your true value, made his heart skip a beat. “So no, no this—“ Jake waved his arms around a little. “Whatever this is between you and me? Us, exclusively—It isn’t over and I won’t let you run away from this because you think you’re saving me from something, you’re worth any repercussions that come.”

That was a passionate love confession if I've ever seen one (Spoiler: I personally have never experienced one lol)

“Roosters thirty seven and still sleeps with a night light.”

I can't hahahah, the context this was said in makes it even funnier

“I’ve never felt this way about anyone before.” He said with eyes closed. Pretending it was you he was admitting his true feelings to. “She’s the most incredible person I’ve ever known and I know I don’t have the best track record, but I love her. Genuinely love her, so much that if it came down to choosing her or the navy?” You could have heard a pin drop in the silence. “I’d turn my wings in tomorrow.” Fuck.

Damn he's so whipped

“My daughter might be dead out there.” He spoke again as calmly as he could, trying not to believe in the high probability of that fact. “I need to make sure she isn't, so we will circle back to this at a more appropriate time.”

Level-headed Maverick?! I didn't see that coming tbh

Jake listened to Mavs warnings, but there wasn't anything on this planet that would stop him looking for you. Not even your own dad.

I mean it didn't stop Jake to sleep with Iris knowing she is Mav's daughter and how he prob will react, so I expect nothing less lmao 🤷🏻‍♀️

He wanted to scream and cry and throw up all at once.

Mood

I’m waiting so patiently for the next update of Iris. I know it’s going to be a full on roller coaster.

Oh it’s a roller coaster indeed nonny. I’m so glad I finally found it in me to get this thing done and out for you to read. Buckle in for 6k.

Warnings: Jake Seresin x Mitchell Reader. Angst! F-18 training accident. Mentions of harassment & sexual harassment.

As always, the I.R.I.S series is linked here.

“Iris—“ If there was anything that could have put you in a worse mood than you already were, it was the arrogant and agitating tone in Lieutenant White's annoying voice. “You’re with me.”

“Sorry? Since when?” You frowned as you ran through your pre-flight checks. Unsure as to why you’d be flying double.

“Since we’re down a few pilots after lunch.” Your dad interrupted as he came to explain the new pairings. “I’m gonna have White fly WOS with you because Scout is out with a reaction to something in the mess hall's food selection.”

“I don’t fly well with others.” You made a play on words with the term ‘doesn’t play well with others’ that had been thrown at you as of late. “I’m sure rebound would love a backseater to gossip with, Sir.”

“Unfortunately the pairings have been finalised, Lieutenant Mitchell.” Your dad sent you a soft smile, knowing you hated this more than he did. “Go do your pre-flight checks for the two maner, you two are up for the first run with Rebound.”

“Yes Sir, Captain Mitchell Sir.” Deep down you knew it wasn’t your dads fault you’d been paired up with Trash at the last minute—but regardless you still wanted to talk about it. As you snubbed his rank like the brat you could be your hand gesture told Pete the complete opposite. He watched as you stood before him, rubbing your fist over your chest. It was something the two of you had always done when words couldn’t be spoken. A silent ‘We’ll talk about this later, I’m sorry.’

Pete Mitchell wasn’t sure he’d ever been a great dad. But when you came along he knew he’d do just about anything to protect you. He smiled back at you, his daughter, and mimicked your movements.

“Hop to it.” He ordered before he turned around and headed on over to inform Mayhem he’d be flying WSO with Munich. You did as you were told, reluctantly, and made your way over to the fighter jet you’d been newly assigned to. White stayed hot on your tail with his helmet tucked under his arm.

“Rhodes told me that you two had a bit of a moment just before.” He spoke with a knowing tone, like he had something on you. “Care to share?”

“Rebounds masculinity is threatened by my ability to get under his skin.” You barely turned your head to acknowledge the aviator that followed you. “He knows I’m better than him, and that scares him.”

“You really think that?” White asked as you both made it over to where the F-18 was choked up. “Because I think he has a thing for you.” You nearly gave yourself whiplash as you turned to frown a grimacing look at Trash.

“Good thing I didn’t ask you for your opinion White.” You scoffed off the direction the conversation you found yourself in was going. “Men—you’re all the same, always thinking with your damn dicks and not your brains.”

“Lieutenant Mitchell!” Jake's voice made you flinch as he made his way over to where you and White were standing. “A moment?” He asked as he acknowledged White's presence before asking you with a head nod to follow him. Great—this couldn’t get any worse could it.

“Sure—“ You groaned. Leaving White to finish pre checks by himself as you followed Jake. “I swear if this isn’t professional Seresin—“

He’d been in his office just moments before with Rooster trying to talk him down off the ledge. He didn’t want to lose you. He couldn’t lose you. He loved you. Much to his own dismay. This whole entanglement had become a hell of a lot more than either of you were willing to truly admit. But Jake Seresin had fallen in love with his mentor's daughter.

“You don’t get to toss me away like that when shit gets a little messy.” Jake hissed through gritted teeth as you stood speechless on the tarmac, just off to the side and out of earshot from anyone. It was just you and Jake. Your Jake. “Now I don’t know if you’ve figured it out yet, because you’re a little self absorbed sometimes, but I actually really like you.” The backhanded compliment landed hard enough to knock the breath out of your lungs as you just stood before Jake in his tan service uniform—looking all sorts of flustered and fuckable. “And contrary to popular belief around here? You aren’t just Mavs kid to me! You’re Iris.” Hearing the opposite of what you were told on a daily basis by the man you were falling in love with made the heat in your cheeks rise to new heights. “You’re incredible and fierce and I’ve seen your file and I’ve read your statistics and if you keep flying the way you do against these guys? You’re gonna come out on top.” Speechless—for once in your life you didn’t have something smart to say. But the fact that you looked up at Jake like he was the only man in the world who had ever seen your true value, made his heart skip a beat. “So no, no this—“ Jake waved his arms around a little. “Whatever this is between you and me? Us, exclusively—It isn’t over and I won’t let you run away from this because you think you’re saving me from something, you’re worth any repercussions that come.”

It really was enough to render you completely speechless for a moment as you just drank in the frazzled nature that was Jake Seresin. Until you felt those all too familiar butterflies in the pit of your stomach ignite. You smiled at him, trying to hide the bashful nature that had overcome you as you reached out to pull him closer by the loop of his trousers.

No one could see you. Right? Wrong. Because as Jake leaned in to kiss your lips Rebound caught the sight of you in his peripheral vision as he walked on by. He made no attempt to stop the display in front of him from happening, nor did he make his presence known. He simply hit the camera icon on his phone and took a single photo. Capturing the moment your lips pressed to your superiors forever, before he moved along.

“You don’t grovel?” You finally spoke as you pulled away and put some distance between the two of you, completely unaware of what Rebound had just done. Jake chuckled softly. “And I’ll ruin your life.”

“You gotta be in my life to ruin it first.” Jake was quick to counter before he shoved his hands in his pockets. “Come over tonight, I’ll cook you dinner, and I might even let you do that thing I know you think I like.”

“I’ll think about it.” You murmured through a grin. “You really are obsessed with me.” It was as teasing as it was truthful. “Aren’t you?”

“Much to my own dismay, unfortunately I am Lieutenant Mitchell.” Jake held your gaze for a moment as he took in the sight of you. He wanted to say he loved you. He wanted to say those three words in order but they wouldn’t slip past his lips. “I’ll be watching you up there, so put on a pretty show for me.” Jake winked before turning on his heels. Leaving you to go back to work.

Blissfully unaware that his undisclosed relationship had now leaked out of his own group and into yours.

“You ready to rock and roll Iris?” Rebound smirked as he looked you up and down like a piece of meat. Like he was undressing you right there with his eyes. “Lieutenant Commander Seresin just giving you a little pep talk, was he?” He teased all knowingly, stepping closer to you as he eyed you off. Quieting his voice as he leaned in to whisper in your ear. “Or do you stick your tongue down the throats of all your superior officers just to get ahead?”

It felt like time stood still as you pulled off your check tag. Signalling you’d checked over your fighter jet. There was no way Coen Rebound Rhodes knew about you and Jake. He couldn’t. If he did, you were in serious trouble.

“What the hell are you talking about?” You tried to hide the panic that rose from the depths of your soul as the realisation set in that Coen had seen you with Jake. Or had he? Maybe he was just bluffing? He surely had to be bluffing to get a rise out of you.

“I just saw you—“ Rebound trapped you with his arms on either side of your shoulders up against your F-18. “Kissing Seresin.” He smirked to one side of his mouth as you turned your head to the side. Just to get away, just to avert your gaze. Rebound let his forehead rest against your temple as he chuckled. “I was right about you, wasn’t I?” He stopped to inhale your scent. “Daddy's little girl, bet you’ve climbed the ladder this high by that stupid last name of yours and sucking whoever you can get your hands on.”

It wasn’t anything you hadn’t heard before but something had flipped inside Rebound. His voice was laced with venom. He didn’t have Krod around to keep his head level. Usually the two lived in each other’s pockets but right now they were in separate groups. Leaving you to deal with the unhinged nonsense of Rebounds jealousy and egomaniacal power play.

“Stop—“ You whispered softly, closing your eyes as tight as you could. “You know nothing.” Rebound had never seen you so scared, so caught up in the moment. He thrived off the way he had you trembling in fear, so much so he slammed his hand against the jet you stood strapped up against just to see you jump. “Ah-“

“Don’t worry Mitchell—“ Rebound snarled as he took your hand in his and guided it between his legs. “Your secret’s safe with me.” He paused to kiss your temple and you flinched when you felt just how hard he was under his flight suit. It made you sick. “So long as I get to see exactly what else that pretty little mouth of yours is good for besides talking shit.” Rebound guided your hand across his hardened and clothed dick as he growled in your ear. “I bet that’s what Hangman thinks too? Isn’t it?” A few weeks ago Rebound would have been right, but your relationship with Jake had evolved since then. “Daddy Mav doesn’t know does he?”

You couldn’t breathe as you shook your head no in defeat. This was a new low even for Rebound. He chuckled with a wicked smirk plastered on his smug face. He had you on tone.

“Well, trust me when I say I have zero hesitation about sending this pretty little picture to all the staff at Miramar.” Rebound let you go as he pushed himself up and away from you, unlocking his phone as he did so to reveal the photo he’d taken only a few short moments ago. “Including Mav—“

“You know I always knew you were a piece of shit Rhodes but even this is a new fucking low for you.” You spat as you tried to keep your tears from showing. “Extorsion and sexual harassment will look awfully disgusting on your discharge papers.” You’d always had a bad feeling about Coen Rebound Rhodes, but this had thrown you for a loop. “You’re meant to be my fucking wingman.”

“Maybe so—“ Rebound sighed. He was once again looking at you like a piece of meat. “But at least I didn’t fuck my way to where I am, I got here all by myself.” He paused, chuckling as he held your chin. You didn’t dare move, you held your ground. “Unlike some of us.”

“Woah—“ White's shock echoed inside your head as you turned to see the two of you standing so close and personal. He had no idea you’d just been blackmailed. Like you said before—all men thought with their dicks. “I was just telling Iris I thought you had a thing for her man.”

“Yeah—yeah you got me man.” Rebound smiled as he moved away from you and walked towards White, patting him on the back three times. “Let’s get these birds in the sky shall we?”

Adrenaline coursed through your veins as you tried to regulate your breathing. In out, in out, in out, as you stood by and watched the two men interact like one of them hadn’t just threatened you, hadn’t just assaulted you.

“Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck—“ You sobbed to yourself as your nails dug into your palms for five consecutive seconds. Deciding that’s all the time you were going to allow yourself to freak out. Five seconds, that’s it. “One, two, three, four, five.” You counted under your breath before you shook out of your own head. You had a job to do—you’d deal with this shit heap after your run.

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***~**

People have scars in all sorts of unexpected places. Like secret road maps of their own personal histories. Diagrams of all their old wounds. Most old wounds heal, leaving nothing behind but a scar, but some of them don’t.

Some wounds we carry with us everywhere, and through the cuts long gone? The pain still lingers.

“Alright aviators, this is your captain speaking.” You’d all been told during the debriefing before lunch that this afternoon's training session was based on a mission your instructors had undertaken a few years prior. The file you’d been given while Phoenix explained the HOP was titled Uranium 2019. “Time to target is set at three minutes, go over that time limit or exceed an altitude of three hundred feet and you’re out.” Maverick explained as he gained altitude, watching from above as you tailed just behind Rebound. “You’ll fly a pre-programmed route in your Nav systems that simulates the canyon flown.” He continued as you flew to your starting location. “White, Rebound and Iris, are you ready?”

“As we'll ever be Captain Mitchell.” Rebound spoke confidently through the comms as you and Davie both confirmed the same thing with a simple:

“Roger.” And “Yes Sir.”

On the ground, the majority of the Daggers were in the red room, watching on as the newest recruits tried to tackle the same thing they were challenged with a few years prior. For some the mere mention of that mission brought up raw emotions. Like scars that never truly healed.

“So how’d you go Romeo?” Bradley sighed as he came to stand next to where Jake had been looking out the window for your jet. He’d asked you for a show and you were gonna give him one. “Did you confess your feelings? You unapologetic love for what could be considered my little sister?” Jake scrunched his nose up at that very thought, he’d been so focused on you being Mavs daughter that he hadn’t really stopped to put two and two together that you and Bradley were all each other had in terms of a sibling bond. “Or am I to expect a brooding and broken hearted Hangman from now on?”

“On your left, Rebound, let's move.” Your voice was barely audible as the little radio commentator in the corner crackled away.

“I told her she isn’t allowed to quit me because she thinks she’ll ruin my life.” Jake admitted, his eyes never left your jet as you sawed through the sky. “But no, I didn’t tell her I love her, I don’t wanna freak her out at work before a HOP.”

“Smart.” Bradley crossed his arms over his chest. “Good strategy.” He murmured under his breath. “Phoenix is staring a hole into the backs of our heads.” Nodding Jake chuckled.

“How’s my ass looking Iris? Drooling yet?” Rebound taunted as you followed him through the pre-programmed route.

“Yep—“ He popped the P that left his mouth as he refused to turn around. “I can feel the burning, but unfortunately for her my love life and subsequent consequences that may come of that said love life are none of her damn business.” Jake made sure to say it loud enough for Phoenix to hear. She did. And it didn’t take long for her to retaliate with a huff.

“It’s disgusting! is what it is Hangman, she’s twenty something! and you’re thirty three!”

“We should increase our speed, Iris.” Trash could be heard as he assessed and observed the flight path and time. “We won’t make it at this speed.”

“Roosters thirty seven and still sleeps with a night light.” Jake chuckled as he turned around to face Phoenix who stood stern and firm on her belief Jake's relationship with you was wrong. Bradley just scoffed.

“I do not! It’s a scented wall diffuser!”

“Hear that Rhodes? Increase your speed, you're holding up traffic back here.”

“What has that got to do with anything?” Phoenix asked as she frowned up at Jake. All he did was shrug his shoulders.

“I thought we were just stating facts associated with our age.” Jake was growing tired of the way Phoenix would look at him like he was the scum on the bottom of her shoe. He did however notice that she still sported her ready glasses as she pushed them up the bridge of her nose. So he did what Jake did best when he felt threatened, he went on the defense. “Those glasses make you look indecisive, you should probably change the frames before you have your quarterly review with the admirals.” Phoenix didn’t falter as Jake stepped in her direction, she couldn’t hardly look at him without wanting to throw up. “What are your weaknesses, Lieutenant Commander Trance? Because if me being an easy mark for Mitchell junior worries you so damn much I can’t wait to find out what skeletons you stuff in your closet.”

“We’re fine, we’ll make up time in the straight, you got somewhere to be Mitchell? With a certain Lieutenant Commander perhaps?” That comment didn’t go unnoticed by your dad who was circling above, watching every move the three of you made like a Hawk. It didn’t go unnoticed by Payback either as he sat by the radio. He slapped at Fanboys chest to get his attention, pointing to the communication radio for him to listen in on too.

“I don’t have any, I’m just that good.” Phoenix smirked as she watched Jake saunter off over to the lounge. He sat with a groan as his knees cracked. Something you teased him for. Old bones and all. “What exactly do you think Mavs gonna do when he finds out you’ve been sleeping with his daughter?” Phoenix raised a concerned brow, contrary to popular opinion all she did was care about her team, she cared about Jake and didn’t want to see him taken to the slaughterhouse over some school kid crush he was mixing up as full blown love and admiration. “When he finds out the man whore of North Island has tainted his daughter and half the female population here.”

“Correction—“ Bradley entered the chat once more as he moved back into frame. “He was a man whore Nix, Jake and Iris have this exclusivity clause.” The look Phoenix sent Bradley made his spine go ridged before she shook her head and held the bridge of her nose in disbelief.

“What’s he on about?” Davie asked as panic rose in your chest. “Shut the fuck up.” You muttered back. “Increase your damn speed or I’m taking over.”

“You’re a fucking idiot Jake, wake up to yourself!”

“Go fuck yourself Natasha! Or find someone else to do it because I’ve just about had it up to here with you sticking your nose all up in my relationship!”

“Oh how I’d love to see you try sunshine.” Rebound smirked under his mask as he slightly increased his speed, so did you. But only so you could stay hot on his tail while you waited for an opportunity to pass. “Wouldn’t mind getting a good look at your ass.”

“Okay okay that’s enough—“ Bob finally intervened from where he’d been eating his late lunch. He wasn’t all that hungry after finding out about Jake’s most recent conquest. He’d finally managed to stomach a peanut butter sandwich. “Both of you.” He warned firmly. “Nat, I know you worry but Jakes a big guy—let him lick his own wounds when he realizes playing with fire is a bad idea and Jake? Just because you think you know what you’re doing doesn’t give you the right to dismiss others' concerns, be honest—you surely can’t think anything good comes out of whatever you and Lieutenant Mitchell think you are to each other, right?”

The silence was deafening, all that could be heard was the mundane radio chatter happening in the background between you and Trash and Rebound as you ran your course. Jake took a deep breath and balled his fists. He’d told Bradley earlier how he felt but with what felt like the world against him? He felt he needed to make his intentions clear to everyone who stood in the rec room.

“That’s enough Lieutenant Rhodes, inappropriate misconduct won’t be tolerated.” Maverick reminded the cocky pilot flying lead as he observed and tried to stay out of the situation as much as possible. He knew you could fight your own battles, but even this was overstepping the line. Pete would have stepped in for any pilot.

“I’m sick to death of your inability to understand that I’m a better pilot than you!” The tighter the turns you took, the more intense the force of gravity was on your body. It multiplied. You could feel it compressing your lungs, you could feel it forcing the blood from your brain—impairing your judgment and reaction time. But you could handle it. What you couldn’t handle was Rebound. “Fucking child!”

“We just wanna make sure you know what you’re heading towards, I know you’ve heard it a dozen times by now, but we aren’t kidding when we say Mav is going to delete your entire existence from this earth if you don’t quit while you’re ahead.” Bob argued although he respected Jake's feelings, something most of the time he thought he wasn’t capable of feeling.

“Lieutenant Mitchell, remember what the Admirals agreed upon when allowing you to rejoin this group of aviators.” Your dad felt that it was necessary to remind you now before you took things too far.

“Guys?” Mickey tried to gain the group's attention as he listened in on the communications radio that was starting to pick up some concerning issues unfolding. His voice was drowned out in the forefront of Jake impending doom.

“You might be right, but I think I can take Mav.” Jake puffed his chest a little as Rooster rolled his eyes and caught the distressed look on Fanboys face.

“Hey guys—“

“Yeah right.” Phoenix countered through a laugh of her own. It was laced with disappointment. “He’s gonna put you in the ground.”

“Guys!” Mickey shouted. “Somethinga wrong, listen.” He snapped, silencing the group who were so concerned about arguing over Jake's mental status that they had completely drowned out the chaos that was happening in the sky.

“Give me the binoculars.” Jake hissed as he stood, he snatched them off the table close to where the lounge had been before he settled in to set you in his line of sight. “What’s going on up there?”

“Increase your speed Rebound! We’re falling behind!” Your voice could be heard as clear as day as Bradley turned up the volume on the radio. “We need to move faster!”

“We’re not gonna make it.” White added. “Recommending an increase to five hundred knots with an altitude of two eighty five for good measure.”

“I’m taking over, we’re gonna get caught in his jet wash or go over three minutes if we don’t.” You explained as you started to pull up on your throttle. Gaining altitude but remaining under the ceiling altitude. Jake watched on from the rec room as he watched you pull a stunt he hadn’t seen in a while. None of them had. Not since Mav had done it last.

And it was easy to tell in that very moment who’s daughter you were as you inverted above Rebound, cockpit to cockpit as you flipped him the bird before you took off and straightened out—leaving him in your wake.

“Holy shit.” Jake chuckled as he watched the gap grow bigger and bigger between you and Rebound. “She’s gonna have some explaining to do for that stunt.”

“ARE YOU ON CRACK!?” Rebound shouted through the comms as he sped up to tailgate you, far too close for your liking. “Dangerous! You’re damn lucky you didn’t kill all three of us!”

“Damn they’re really going at each other aren’t they?” Rooster frowned. “I knew this Rhodes guy was cocky but he’s just not even trying to be a team up there.” Jake pressed his lips into a fine line, the way you got treated by these tools was downright disgusting on a good day.

“I’ll lead the way from here on out.” You counted through a chuckle before Rebound excelled to a speed that surpassed your own, cutting right up the side of you as he spun around—creating a vortex-like paradox with his jet stream. “Holy crap!” You jolted from the shock of it. A slight miscalculation in proximity to your aircraft is what saw the next few seconds play out like a bad dream. Every pilot's worst nightmare.

Burning in.

“Fuck she’s caught in his jet stream.” Phoenix gasped as she watched on from beside Jake. It wasn’t hard to see the scene playing out up in the sky above base. “He did that on purpose, he would have known he was too close.”

“He’s a dick like that.” Jake hissed, he’d never once taken his eyes off your jet. “At least I never did that to you, no matter what you think of me.”

“White I’m losing it here!” Jake had never heard you sound so panicked. None of them had. You were a Mitchell after all. It didn’t seem like the kind of thing you and Pete did. “I can’t, I can’t pull up!”

“Iris, you okay?” Mavericks' voice mimicked your own concern as he watched on. Then—the warnings began. Davie began listing off the signals blaring in his face, from engine lock to hydraulic pressure failure.

“We’re losing systems, Iris get us back on track!” White shouted as his own panic caught up to him. All the while Rebound had begun to circle back towards you in the commotion, watching as the nose of your F-18 tilted towards the ground. “We’re losing altitude! Mav what do we do here?”

Jake Seresin had stared down death on a number of occasions, the last time he did just that was when he went after Rooster and Mav. Without permission. But as he watched on in silence as the fear of losing you before he even had a real chance to have you crept up on him, he’d give anything to make a deal with god and get him to swap your places.

“No.” He mumbled to himself in panic. “No no no no.” This couldn't be happening. “Come on baby, pull up, pull up.”

“They’re going down.” Rooster panicked as he took off out of the rec room and down the corridor. He was heading out to the tarmac, he just needed to be outside. “No no no no no!”

“Iris eject!” Everyone could hear the panic in Mavs voice and the warning sounds blaring through the comms, "If you can’t control it, eject!”

“White, eject eject eject!” You confirmed the orders as Jake dropped the binoculars and raced after Rooster. He could feel the warm tears rushing down his race as he ran down the corridor. Pushing past anyone who got in his way. The hallway felt forever moving, like it kept expansion in length the faster Jake ran. He didn’t exactly know where he was running to, but he knew he needed to get to you. He couldn’t help but he needed to get to you.

Davie reached down between his legs and pulled at the yellow and black emergency handle. It sent him and the cockpit flying. But as the system screamed at you that you were losing altitude and losing altitude fast? You froze. Perhaps you weren’t the better pilot after all.

“Get out! Punch out Y/n! Punch the fuck out!” Rebound shouted, he was in denial already that this was his fault. He watched in shock horror as smoke bellowed around you. Black, all consuming smoke before bright orange flames ignited—melting your flight suit into the skin of your legs.

“Fuck!” The last thing that went through your mind were your kneecaps as you flung out of the cockpit at the very last second before it broke up into a trillion pieces in a flaming fireball that set the sky ablaze. The pressure you fighter jet had been under was enough to have it combusting.

“Mav, did you see a chute!?” Rebound asked as he curled around. “Captain Mitchell!?”

“No! No, I don't think so!” Pete panicked through the comms. Phoenix held her hand over her mouth as she looked at Bob who was looking at her. That could have been her. It could have been him. They’re own training accident came dashing back to the forefront of their minds. Like old scars that never healed.

“Oh my god.” For Jake and Bradley on the ground as they looked up into the sky from the tarmac—they could only see one parachute. They couldn’t spot you in the sky. “Rooster, did she?” Jake didn’t want to say what he thought was true. They couldn’t see you. They could only see the flaming fragments of your jet burning in towards the ground as Lieutenant White pulled his chute.

Jake's heart stopped inside his chest at the words Bradley spoke next. His knees hit the tarmac as his legs gave in from the shock of it all. He couldn’t believe it. He wouldn’t believe it. This type of accident didn’t happen in training.

“I don’t think she made it.”

***~***~***~***~***~***~***~***

By the time Rebound and Maverick were landing, Jake had had enough time to place the blame for this on one man. One person who’s reckless and irresponsible intent could have gotten you killed.

“Lieutenant Rhodes!!” Jake spat as he marched up the tarmac towards where Rebound was just hoping off the wing of his jet. Still visibly pale and shaken from what had just happened. “So help me god you better pray she’s okay or else I’m gonna make sure you never fly another day in your damn life!” Jake hissed through gritted teeth as Rebound dropped his helmet to his feet when Jake balled his fist into the Normex of his flight suit and pulled him in as close as he could. “DO I MAKE MYSELF FUCKING CLEAR! THIS IS YOUR FAULT YOU PIECE OF SHIT!”

“Jake! Woah, easy! easy!” Bradley tried to intervene as Mav rushed over. Around the four of them search and rescue had already managed to get a lock on Lieutenant White's tracking beacon. But they still couldn't see you on their system. That was a cause for concern. It was chaos on the tarmac.

“Hangman! Get off him.” Pete sighed, still trying to wrap his head around the fact his only daughter might be gone. But for now he was still a captain, this was still his team and his responsibility. “Let him go.”

“You know why Lieutenant Commander Seresin is so pissed don't you Mav?” Rebound shoved at Jake's chest as he was let go. “Its because hes fucking your daughter!” Pete froze in his place, as did Bradley. But Jake? He lunged at Rebound with pure rage coursing through his veins. His hand wrapped around the younger aviator's throat as he pushed him back into the side of one of the search and rescue vehicles. “He’s fucking your daughter right under your nose!”

“You could have killed her, you know exactly what you did up there!” Jake shouted as the thought of losing you hit him again. “If shes gone, if a single hair on her fucking head is gone you better learn how to sleep with your eyes open.”

“I didn't cause this.” Coen shoved Jake off of him as he dusted himself off. “She showboated, I showboated back, she lost control and she couldn't figure out how to gain it back!” As medics and teams of search and rescue personnel piled into their respective unit vehicles, Rebound set the record straight. “And im not the one fucking around with her, sleeping with the captains daughter.” He snickered. “You are a freak after all Seresin.”

Rebound had a date with the medics to get assessed and cleared. He didn't need to be looked over, but it was standard practice. The rest of his class stood off to the side after having heard the entire training session through their own comms units as they waited by the hanger. Jake feared what he would be met with when he turned around. He thought for sure it would be mavericks fist. But to his own surprise? The connection was never made.

“Mav–” Jake didn't know what he could say to try and deescalate the tense situation he and Rooster found themselves in. Bradley had his thumb at the ready to call 911 if needed. He was sure Jake Seresin was about to be a deadman. But again, to his own shock. Nothing happened as Pete held his hand up to silence Jake from speaking another word.

“If what Rebound said is true, I need you as far away from me as possible.” He said as calmly as possible. “Because if I find out you've so much as touched my baby girl I'll skin you alive Jake.”

“Mav–” Rooster tried to intervene, but again was silenced by only a look.

“I hope you have a really good security system.” Bradley watched as Mav piled into one of the search and rescue movers. Jake and Bradley moved to a separate one all together. Making sure that needed distance was well and truly in place. Jake listened to Mavs warnings, but there wasn't anything on this planet that would stop him looking for you. Not even your own dad. “Because something tells me you’re gonna need it.”

Jake sighed as he sat in the back of one of the search and rescue vans. He wanted to scream and cry and throw up all at once. But he couldn't even find the energy to breathe properly. He just needed you to be okay so he could tell you the three words he wished he told you before you went up. That he loved you. Oh so much.

“Shut the fuck up, Bradshaw.”

*****************************************

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minyboy · 1 year ago

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Bloody Pirates (Halloween Monster “Roleplay” 3) Part 9

My my little nerd, who strangely looks like Johnny Depp, what should I do to you? I could enter your body and make you end yourself. But with my track record of body snatching, let's hold off on that, it might even affect me if I was inside him... ew... sorry. Well, he knows of Freddy, the whole town knows of Freddy. It sure is not Elm Street, it's some generic town. Plastic almost. And this attic reeks of dog. Maybe those werewolf rumors were true. I've been sitting here all day just thinking and waiting for this weirdly handsome nerd to fall asleep. My mind is wandering and I'm losing my damn marbles. Nothing coherent. That's it, time to make him piss his pants at the sight of me. I can't just lay here and wait like a call girl. *poof* Oh yeah, I'm back home baby! And I'm already feeling the strain take place, let's do this quick handsome. Come on demon magic... there he is, reading a damn comic book like a child. A pirate tale, strangely on point for some reason. I'll just give him a little scare. Put the fear of Freddy in his emasculated heart "Yaar" very scary Miny Boy, and he noticed "Nobody likes ye nerd. Yer so-called hearties jus' pity ye. Ye be weird 'n all alone in this world. I'll end yer misery fer both o' u 'n send ye t' Davy Jones' locker." Oh, oh my, look at him run! I've never seen a nerd run before. That'll teach you to daydream while reading a comic! Oh yeah , I'm getting the hang of this, Fredy's coming fer ya!

-Miny Freddy Krueger

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thankskenpenders · 2 years ago

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IDW Sonic: Imposter Syndrome and #50

It’s finally here! IDW Sonic #50! I waited to talk about the Imposter Syndrome miniseries until after #50 dropped, and it turns out #50 has, uh... well, it’s made a big splash. I’m not sure I’ve seen this many people talking about (and/or arguing over) a single issue of Sonic in a long time.

As expected, in this post I’ll be talking about Surge, Kit, and Starline, but #50 has also given us a ton to chew on regarding Sonic and Eggman, Belle, and the overarching themes of the entire IDW series.

Let’s start out with the miniseries!

IMPOSTER SYNDROME

Surge rules

Can I just say that up front? That’s my main takeaway. Surge fucking rules

She was popular from the very second the first images of her dropped because Evan and Mauro came up with an extremely sick design, and the actual story does not disappoint. She borrows liberally from delinquent rival anime tropes (except, you know, she’s a girl, so it’s instantly even better), but that’s such a natural and fun addition to the Sonic cast that she instantly grabs you

And boy, if the writing and the strength of the design weren’t already enough, Thomas Rothlisberger’s art throughout the arc sure does. I’ve seen a lot of comparisons to Rise of the TMNT, which I can see. But Surge just makes so many good faces, constantly, and everything she does is cool. She’s angry teenage rebellion personified and she’s instantly become one of my favorite characters in the entire franchise, period. (Tangle and Whisper are also up there, so it’s safe to say the IDW comics have an extremely good track record when it comes to comic-original characters.)

Like seriously just look at her faces and tell me she isn’t the best

Kit, AKA “Aw Little Guy!!! Oh He's A Little Bit Fucked Up Actually”

There were always hints that Kit had a sinister side to him - he is a villain, after all - but Surge stole the show at the start of the miniseries. This left Kit mostly as her meager sidekick struggling to please both her and Starline. In this way, he’s a dark reflection of Tails. Where Tails has become more independent over time, becoming more of an equal to Sonic, Kit exists entirely to support Surge. Starline made him this way, because this is how Starline perceives Sonic and Tails’ relationship. Starline doesn’t really understand people despite thinking he does, and this is what ultimately damns all of them

Naturally, this has left Kit kind of fucked up. Over the course of the arc, it becomes clear that he’s probably the scarier of the two. Surge might be stronger, but like Sonic, she wears her emotions and her intentions on her sleeve. But Kit? Kit suppresses his violent urges, until they build to a point where he can’t anymore

(these panels from #50 but still)

Holy shit, Starline???

I touched on Starline’s very meta plan earlier. I would have honestly been happy if Ian and co. had just added these cool new rivals for Sonic and Tails and let them duke it out, because they are, in fact, cool as hell. But the actual plot of the arc is more intriguing than that

Starline has always been a very meta character, with his main trait as a character basically being that he can zoom out and notice patterns in the franchise that other characters either can’t or won’t. He’s the guy who watches a movie and says how he would make smarter decisions than the characters the whole time. Early on, he did this with Eggman. He tried to “fix” Eggman’s methods so that he could finally succeed in beating Sonic and taking over the world, but this didn’t work out, and Eggman kicked him to the curb. He then decided that he would simply go solo and take over the world for Eggman. He finally reveals his true plan for doing so here: create his own “heroes” who can replace Sonic and Tails, the main heroes who always stand in the way of “progress” (Eggman taking over the world). In theory, this will allow Starline to control the hero/villain dynamic from both sides, ending the cycle of Eggman trying to “change the world” and Sonic stopping him

And of course, Starline calls this cycle he intends to break...

“The Sonic Cycle.”

I love you Ian

It quickly becomes apparently, though, that Starline’s plan here is, uh. Extremely fucked up! Wow! Early on it’s revealed that Starline has repeatedly been “rebooting” Surge and Kit. Any time the cracks start to show in their conditioning and they question their life stories, Starline’s orders, or their innate desires to defeat Sonic and Tails, Starline edits their memories. They do start to put two and two together, though, and eventually they learn the truth: they’re just two random kids Starline kidnapped and experimented on. They don’t remember their actual pasts, and Starline didn’t bother to keep track of who they originally were because he doesn’t care. They’ve been modified with cyborg endoskeletons and even have some of the Metal Virus in them, making them nigh-unkillable. Which Starline tested by... well, killing them repeatedly to make sure they always bounced back.

This is... so much darker than I would have ever expected? But in a fantastic way. It makes Starline SO absolutely despicable, and it gives Surge and Kit this pathos that makes you want to root for them, even as they set out to go rogue and burn the whole world down. Surge is very much set up as her own antihero in the buildup to her showdown with Sonic, which is a choice that I think leads to some fascinating character juxtaposition when it finally happens in issue #50.

Really, my only complaint about the miniseries was that the marketing made it seem like Sonic and Tails would be dealing with these two sooner, when in reality this is all the setup. The extremely hype wrestling promos for the climactic Wrestlemania that is Sonic #50. (My other complaint, I suppose, is that IDW is still having multiple artists trade off in a single story, which can be a bit jarring. But that’s a publisher-wide issue.)

But MAN. When we finally do get that big showdown? It does not disappoint.

SONIC #50

As with Imposter Syndrome, I went in expecting Sonic and Tails to fight Surge and Kit. And we absolutely got that with this extra-long issue penciled by Adam Bryce Thomas. Adam’s always been an A-lister on the IDW series, especially when it comes to bombastic shounen manga-inspired battles, but this issue might just be his best Sonic work yet

But like I said at the start, the issue is more than just some cool fights.

Sonic vs. Surge

Surge’s entire life, or at least what little of her life she can remember thanks to Starline, has been building up to this moment. Whoever she was before is gone, replaced with one purpose. She’s been impatiently awaiting the day she's finally allowed to fight Sonic to the death. We’ve followed her through Starline’s inhumane training, the audience being equally antsy after months of buildup. At long last, she confronts him. She delivers an impassioned speech about what she stands for, how she curses the world that discarded her, how she’s going to tear Sonic and anyone else who stands in her way a new one...

And Sonic... doesn’t really give that much of a shit.

They do fight, of course. Boy, do they ever. But Sonic has never met this girl before and has no animosity towards her. He’s also done this too many times and would like to skip to the part where they’re friends, or at least frenemies. And this is just... tragic for Surge. For her, this is the most important day in her life. But for Sonic, it’s Tuesday. For Surge, this is a duel to the death. But Sonic, ever the unflappably positive shounen protagonist, is just having fun fighting someone who keeps him on his toes. He refuses to validate her on her terms.

(There are also a lot of interesting parallels with Tails’ simultaneous fight with Kit, where the kindhearted Tails is trying to be extremely nice and defuse the situation when he realizes that Kit is just some poor, fucked up kid. But instead of going on my own tangent I’ll link this very good TikTok analyzing Sonic’s social skills and the interesting ways his blunt, brash attitude can clash with the fact that he does genuinely care a lot.)

I even feel like Adam’s art is playing up the idea that Sonic’s attitude continues to make him the villain for Surge. His speech about his ideals places him above Surge, with a smug expression on his face and sunbeams shining down over him. Adam’s own (extremely sick) variant cover is framed very similarly, showing us the smug and above-it-all Sonic from Surge’s perspective.

Why does Surge think Sonic is so holier-than-thou? And why does she still care about fighting him if she just wants to defy Starline’s brainwashing? Well, she directly calls out his belief in the power of second chances, blaming Sonic for her very existence. Which ties back into what’s become one of the main recurring themes of the IDW series.

Sonic’s Characterization

As Ian’s explained, Sonic’s characterization in the IDW series has been informed by a number of factors. For one, more compassionate heroes are just landing better with audiences these days, including in shounen manga. Your Dekus, your Tanjiros, etc. But beyond that, Sega explicitly forbids Sonic and friends from proactively seeking out Eggman. Sonic is never looking for a fight. Eggman simply causes trouble, Sonic shows up to stop him, and he returns to being a free-spirited roamer.

Really, Sonic’s attitude in the current comics isn’t much different from how he acts in the games. Ian just decided to draw more attention to this behavior, and turn it into an explicit character trait that impacts the story.

I don’t really know what games people have been playing where Sonic DOESN’T act like this? Sure, there are a few games where a villain dies. There are always going to be counterexamples in a series as inconsistent as this. But look at how many characters Sonic has given second chances, and how lightly Sonic often takes threats to the world. Shadow was trying to blow up the damn planet and Sonic was still just having fun racing him on the ARK. Chaos destroyed a whole major metropolitan city and Sonic is like “hold on, Chaos is just hurt, we need to break this cycle of violence.” He’s ended up working with Eggman plenty of times to stop a greater threat. Even when this doesn’t happen, Eggman tends to just fly away at the end. Sonic never hunts him down. Again, Sega forbids him from doing this. It’s not in his character. The IDW comics just explore why.

At the same time, bad faith criticisms of Sonic’s willingness to give villains second chances tend to ignore the very important second part of this mantra, which this issue has Sonic spell out explicitly. Yes, he believes in giving people personal freedom. But the second they use that freedom to hurt people, Sonic is going to beat their asses again. He doesn’t have qualms about using violence in that way. He is, by no definition of the word, a pacifist. Sonic understands that Surge is traumatized, and tries to give her the chance to back down. She refuses, so he kicks her ass, because she’s a threat. Sonic sort of took mercy on the Zeti, in that he didn’t fucking execute them or whatever... but they also got banished back to the Lost Hex where they can’t hurt anyone. Tails disarmed Metal Sonic before they let him go. Sonic let Eggman go only because he had amnesia and Mr. Tinker was, by all accounts, a literal different person. The second he came back? Sonic gladly went right back to blowing his shit up. He is not out here handwringing about Eggman Empire property damage, he’s destroying his bases and smashing his mechs again.

Sonic also isn’t just any regular guy, and can’t always be judged as such. He’s a larger-than-life hero. He’s the embodiment of freedom, of endless adventure, of the power of friendship, of other idealized... well, ideals. This is the very core of his character. He’s the unshakably positive hero who never blinks in the face of danger, who the other, more realistically fallible characters can lean on. He’s a force of nature. He’s not perfect, and he doesn’t always handle things the right way, and other characters will bring up valid counterpoints to his way of life. Like other shounen heroes like Goku or Luffy, he might be a hero due to his actions, but he’s not concerned about being the world’s savior or its god. He doesn’t want to dictate how people live their lives. He leaves decisions about how to run society to other, smarter people, like the Restoration. He just wants to be free to go on adventures and to help his friends when they’re in need. His theme song spells out his whole deal, clear as day: It doesn’t matter who’s wrong and who’s right. He’s just living by his own feelings, and he won’t give in, won’t compromise. He only has a steadfast heart of gold.

Surge can’t stand this, though. The two just can’t see eye to eye. And so she zaps Sonic when he takes a time out in their fight to help her out of a chasm, getting the last laugh and seemingly falling to her doom. “That’s the real problem with giving people a choice,” Sonic solemnly says. “You can’t stop them from making the wrong ones.”

The Bigger Problem

Beyond any fandom bickering over how Sonic should or shouldn’t be characterized, though, this is part of a larger problem that I’ve seen way too frequently in recent years. Adults are engaging with genre fiction for children, and then getting upset when the child protagonists fail to model what they perceive as proper behavior for adults. Particularly, adults are seeing child protagonists learn to solve conflicts nonviolently, or even merely refusing to kill a villain, and interpreting this media as a political playbook for adults telling them that punching Nazis is bad.

That’s not to say that children’s media is never political, of course, or that you can never judge it through a political lens. (Back in the Archie days the direct political allegories were NOT subtle.) But just because some cartoon villains are obvious stand-ins for fascists doesn’t mean that every cartoon with a world-conquering villain is trying to tell you, an adult, how you should deal with fascists, or murderers, or whatever bad faith comparison critics on YouTube and Twitter want to make this time.

This will hopefully be insultingly obvious to most people reading this, but fiction isn’t always literally about the thing it’s depicting, or the closest real world equivalent. In genre fiction, and especially genre fiction for kids, reality is heightened. A fight for the fate of the city or the world or the universe isn’t necessarily about world-scale threats in real life like fascism, or even about real world violent conflicts in general. It’s often more about the emotions than what’s literally happening on screen. In a musical, when the emotions get too strong for words, they break out into song. In an action cartoon, when the emotions get too strong between conflicting characters, they fight. The fantastical violence is just the medium through which the story is conveyed. They trade blows and express their feelings.

Similarly, when the child hero in a series for children saves the day by hugging the right person, or when a villain is redeemed, or when Naruto espouses the power of friendship and uses Talk no Jutsu for the hundredth time, that isn’t telling you, a 30-year-old, that you can go out right now and save America by giving Mitch McConnell a hug. The morals of these stories aren’t necessarily supposed to apply to world-scale conflicts because children are not responsible for saving the world in real life. Instead, the lessons apply more to conflicts that children do deal with. Disputes with friends, or family members, or teachers. Things like that. It’s telling kids that hey, maybe you’ve been mean to people, maybe you’ve acted wrong, but you can learn from your mistakes and do better. That is what lessons about trying to resolve conflicts peacefully, talking about your feelings, empathizing with others, and giving people second chances are supposed to be about. They (usually) aren’t intended as political playbooks for adults telling you not to punch a Nazi, because the people telling these stories are probably hoping that adults aren’t modeling their political behavior after Cartoon Network and Shonen Jump.

But while I generally enjoy this compassionate take on the Sonic series, there is one part of the issue that felt weaker when it comes to the heroes showing compassion towards the villains.

Belle and Metal

If there’s one character from the games that I think Ian has always struggled with more than others, it’s probably Metal Sonic. Of course, not every writer is going to gel with every character, especially on a licensed series where you’re working with someone else’s cast. (Lord knows if I was to write a Sonic series I would play favorites lmao.) And Ian’s definitely put out some great Metal Sonic stories. But he’s also prone to boiling the character down to a simple killer robot for Sonic and co. to repeatedly defeat without any interiority.

Belle has also been a contentious character throughout this season. I’ll reiterate that I think Belle is great, and the big emotional beats with her have been strong. I would say the mixed response to Belle is primarily a matter of pacing, more than anything else. As Evan explained over on her blog, Belle's backstory was originally just going to be a short one-off. When the 2021 Annual was replaced with the Classic Sonic special, Belle’s story got turned into the main overarching subplot connecting the stories of the third season. I do like a lot of the storytelling this allowed for. The buildup to the reveals in the Test Run arc, and her ensuing tearful breakdown; her questioning of her very nature as a Badnik; her heroic moments in Trial by Fire where she’s finally able to prove herself. It’s good stuff! Character arcs like this are why original characters are added to the comics in the first place. But I can also see how the slow and somewhat repetitive rollout of information and emotional beats is a bit much over a year and a half of comics, and it was a little odd to have her stick around as the only consistent main character for every single arc of the season as soon as we met her. But I still enjoyed her arc this season as a whole.

No, where I start to be more mixed on the direction of Belle as a character is this issue. Previously, Belle had made it her mission to try and save as many Badniks as she could. I understand her motivation, and I do think this has potential to be a fun premise. Badniks are EXTREMELY underutilized in the tie-in fiction, and anyone in this corner of the fandom who’s following artists like Hydro knows how fun it is to have Badnik characters around.

But the problem is, of course... if we start to recognize the Badniks that Sonic destroys casually as people, doesn’t that make it wrong for him to destroy them?

I guess it depends on the context, and how it’s executed in the future. Like, Motobud was fine because that’s not just A Motobug, but one that was specifically reprogrammed by Mr. Tinker to be friendly. But what’s Belle’s endgame here? Where is the line drawn between robots that need to be saved and simple obstacles for Sonic to pop in action sequences?

To me, we start to see the cracks in issue #50 with Belle’s attempts to save Metal Sonic. Metal is certainly no stranger to redemption arcs and characters trying to see the good in him - the OVA basically defined him as a character. But still. It’s admirable for Belle to see a robot who’s hurt and want to help, but the sympathy shown for Metal is laying it on a bit thick for me given Ian’s usual characterization of him as a missile with legs. Sonic already let him go once early in the series, but that was specifically because he thought Eggman was gonna remain Mr. Tinker forever at the time, and he and Tails also made sure not to restore his full fighting abilities. (”We’re compassionate, not stupid.”) But in this very different context, with a very different character, it’s just... eh, it didn’t sell me on this as a wise use of Belle’s compassion. If she wants to help the “abandoned” Eggman bots, Metal is very much not one of those. He just happened to have been hurt by Surge when they found him.

Not the end of the world, but it’s the weak part of what’s otherwise an amazing issue, and I worry that Belle showing complete and total sympathy towards every Eggman robot may get old fast. But, like I said, it will depend entirely on the execution. Maybe she’ll only single out the oddballs like herself and Motobud. It may not even be a huge element of the story moving forward, since I know Evan’s outright said Belle would be taking more of a backseat now that her initial arc is completed. (It also seems like Eggman wants to take advantage of the fact that she interfaced with Metal, so her kindness here may backfire...)

If anything, though, I do like the little awkward family reunion where Belle is telling Eggman that she’s done hoping he’ll go back to being Mr. Tinker and is gonna go live her own life and Metal is just kind of standing there because he won’t attack another Eggman creation.

Anyway! I can’t believe I haven’t mentioned the giant robot fight

Starline’s Final Comeuppance

Sonic’s ideals, as explained in his fight with Surge, are also directly contrasted with Starline as he fights Eggman. Sonic stands for personal freedom, for better or worse, but Starline stands for total control, even more so than Eggman. He tries to manipulate people and the very story he exists in to steer everyone in the totalitarian direction he thinks is best. Anything outside of his narrative doesn’t matter. Even as Eggman is fighting him in a giant mech, he’s still under the impression that his actions are justified, that Eggman will be okay with being a pawn in his scheme so long as they get their happy ending ruling the world.

Instead, he loses a sick-ass mech fight, he’s humiliated worse than ever before, and then he dies!

I actually didn’t read it as a death at first because being crushed by rubble is such an easy “death” to write around, and it’s, you know, a comic book. Nobody stays dead in comic books. (We already know Surge survives this issue, regardless of how it looked.) But Ian did, indeed, intend for this to be Starline’s death. He also admits that that’s not entirely up to him since he’s not the only person making story decisions, so I won’t be surprised if he comes back in a year or two. Regardless, as much as I like the character, this is probably the most fitting death Starline possibly could have had. He thought he could outsmart Eggman, and the very nature of the series he’s in. Some readers, too, have accused Ian of writing Eggman as too much of a bumbling oaf in the IDW comics, especially with Starline always pointing out his mistakes. Even the marketing for this arc seems to have played into this, asking if Eggman would “bumble his way to a victory”

All this for the ultimate slam dunk in this issue where Ian definitively reminds us that, even if he can never beat Sonic... no one else can definitively beat Eggman, either.

Because Eggman fucking rules

I said at the top that Starline is damned because he doesn’t understand people as well as he thinks he does. He creates Surge and Kit as dark and deeply broken reflections of Sonic and Tails because he so fundamentally misunderstands how their dynamic works. He thinks he understands Eggman, too, but he doesn’t. He may consider himself Eggman’s #1 fan, but he’s a toxic fanboy with faulty criticisms. He’s CinemaSins. He focuses on the details and the logic, he nitpicks, and he thinks he could do everything better if given the opportunity. He thinks he understands the nature of the series he’s in, but he fails to see the big pictures, the heart. He doesn’t understand why Sonic is really the hero beyond his strength and bravado. He doesn’t understand why Tails is a hero beyond his ability to support Sonic. And he doesn’t understand why, despite his many mistakes, Eggman will always endure as the true big bad of this world. And this leads to his downfall at the hands of his idol

I could say more about this issue and the ones that lead to it! I have obviously already said way too much. I’m gonna cut it off here!

Even with all the hype to live up to, this was an extremely satisfying issue of Sonic. One of the best in a long, long time. This one’s gonna stick with people. I have my quibbles, but it really has it all. Action, humor, drama, heart, stunning artwork, and a whole lot of character work to think about. Can’t really ask for more, can I?

#tkp post #IDW thoughts

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lucifer-is-a-bag-of-dicks · 3 years ago

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can't stop thinking of this op danny/guardian spirit/young justice crossover that I can't write because I don't have the DC universe background knowledge for it so I'm gonna just dump the concept here

be prepared for a lot of rambling

so the JL consider Amity Park a Safe Zone in case of dire emergencies

but nobody is told why, only the top members of the Justice League know anything about the place, Robin probably breaks into Batsy's computer and finds something about some hero there named Phantom but he can't find any other info about him or the town other than that he's trustworthy

and maybe the Young Justice crew get fucked up and the JL are indisposed or being distracted or something and the safe houses are compromised so Robin has to be like 'alright team I know this One Place that's supposed to be like a last resort safe space' so they all end up in Amity Park, and their pursuers are right on their tail until they hit the edge of town and then some fucking force of nature comes down on the bad guys following them out of nowhere and fucks them up

they would just be like 'holy shit who is this guy how come we never heard of him??'

and Robin is like 'oh hey so you're Phantom? Batman said this was a safe place to go when we're in trouble'

and he's expecting Danny to know some shit or have a plan or a safehouse to take them to

but Danny's just all 'uhhh this place gets attacked by inter-dimensional monsters every other day why would he send you here for safety? also Batman knows who I am???'

Robin is just confused as all hell because apparently Batman has this town listed as the Ultimate Safehouse and its hero is listed as Trusted but he's never even spoken to the guy?

real sus

but Danny takes them in and finds some abandoned house for them to stay in, and promises that whoever is chasing them will not set foot in this town, like they might have to deal with some ghosts popping up but human threats are no problem

and they're in this empty house that's, okay well it isn't dilapidated or anything but it has no power or water or even security, Phantom just tells them he's got their backs while they recover and don't worry about it

but Robin wants answers so he's quizzing Danny on who he is and why Batman trusts him

but Danny's got no idea, he's surprised the JL even know who he is because nobody has ever come to see him, nobody has ever given him any indication that they even know he's here, which he was kinda peeved about because he had to tackle every ghost attack by himself

but the Justice League not only knew he was here but apparently volunteered him to look after them?

he's a little bit pissy about that, Robin cannot entirely blame him, Robin thinks this whole thing is weird, like there has to be a reason, the JL don't just ignore kids fighting crime on their own, they would have invited him into their team, offered him help and training, not left him to figure it all out alone

although the kid was pretty powerful, he took out a whole crew of bad guys in one breath, literally

true to Danny's word, nobody finds them, the guys who had been hunting them down and chasing them everywhere can't seem to track them here, either that or Phantom just keeps getting in their way when they try, they feel so safe here, safer than they've ever felt before

Megan picks up that there's something unusual about the place, it's like the town itself is telling them that they're safe here, the air is full of love and warmth and comfort, somebody here wants them to feel at ease, somebody here wants them to feel safe

Robin still thinks it's sus

he starts to wonder if Batman was coerced by this psychic force to mark the town as a safe space, but he's pretty sure Batman's too savvy for that, besides, Megan was certain that there was no coercion or ill intent plaguing their minds, it's just a general atmosphere of safety

and she's pretty sure it's coming from Phantom

they witness a ghost fight or two and are amazed that the JL have been ignoring these pretty significant threats and just let some kid handle it alone, sure he has the same powerset as the enemies plus some, but he's still a kid and he's alone

none of them would ever have been allowed this much freedom or this little assistance

super super sus

after the JL finally get out of whatever issue they've been stuck with, they come pick up the kids and Danny is there like 'oh hey I think I need an explanation because what the fuck guys'

and Batman in all his blunt glory just tells him 'we were advised not to interfere unless absolutely necessary'

Danny obviously Does Not Like this answer and wants to know who this guy is that's ordering Batman around, then low and behold, Constantine shows up, immediately balling out Batman because 'why the fuck are you in Amity Park rn I made it VERY CLEAR that this place is a delicate fucking ecosystem if Superman gets god damn overshadowed we are all gonna have problems'

aaaaaand suddenly it all makes sense

Danny realises that any hero who's powerful enough to take on a ghost literally cannot risk that power in the hands of creatures that can just take over their bodies at any time, especially when this is a standard ability in all of Danny's enemies

but he's still shitty because like 'y'all could still have called me or something it would be nice to know I wasn't totally alone out here ya know'

and Constantine is all 'kiddo I literally had the god of time show up in my bedroom at 3am to tell me to make sure none of these fucks tried to adopt you as a side kick, one of them has a track record with this kinda thing it's a legit problem, I couldn't give these fuckers an inch, this town was off limits. so WHY ARE YOU ALL HERE RN'

aaaand Batman has to explain them a thing, basically Phantom is considered so fucking OP and has such an omniscient connection to the town itself that it makes for the perfect hiding place and defence for anyone in dire straights, and it really is only supposed to be a last resort, the side kicks had absolutely nowhere else to go with all of their safe houses compromised

aaaand that's how Danny learns that he is kind of more powerful than most of the god damn Justice League

hope you enjoyed this because I am never gonna be able to actually write it, have a nice day ✨

#lula's aus #danny phantom #overpowered danny #op danny dc edition #guardian spirit au #young justice #justice league #dc

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rametarin · 1 year ago

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At the risk of sounding like a Russo-conspiracist, ever since I witnessed this/heard of it, I've had a theory.

US policy on handling Putin went from trying to work with him, to deciding to predict where his garbage fraternity philosophy would lead him and fix the game so he fucking loses. But he has to get himself into trouble, by his own hand, based on the information available to him. And that information, limited by his own shitty philosophy, mistakenly lets him believe no one has any choice but to let him take over smaller European states and look on helplessly while he does it.

Which ultimately, like clockwork, led him to be brazen enough to invade fucking Ukraine expecting to take the whole damned thing. People might say, "US blunders in diplomacy caused Russia to be bold!" and I'd say, yeah, but.. maybe that was for the best.

Now Putin shows his true colors as a delusional egocentric autocrat that cares only about what he imagines Russia to be and what he wants Russia to look like. And it's one where he doesn't even care about the Russian people if they disagree with his vision. Without the benefits of a big military with which to lob that weight around, and a proven track record where he WILL sacrifice his own people by the million if it means it'll gain even as much earth as a bowling alley.

He has no future. He had an entire country, the objectively largest by land mass on earth, teeming with natural resources and labor which could've been turned into substance and industrial powerhouse with a minimum of effort and made everybody quite wealthy in the process, and proceeded to try to turn efforts into monopolizing everybody elses fuel access just to threaten them with economic starvation if they didn't comply to Russo-supremacist diplomatic extortion. Now that state is denied open access to the world economy, they world authorities are studying Russia's blundering, desperate grasping at any available secret channel a dictatorial regime could use or set up to exchange currency or materials and learn from that, and the mafioso of Russia are in freefall.

He's made decisions which openly harmed Israel, he's made decisions which straight forwards harmed Russians and if not them, the Russian mob directly and the gilded league. So many parties in many high places will want him and the other less common names supporting him up high, dead.

Putin's reputation and ambitions are already dead and his life is in imminent danger. To me the question is simply, "How will he die?" Old age and in comfort isn't high on my betting pool.

I want to apologize to Putin

I'm sorry I ever called you a manlet. Or bald.

Because I know plenty of bald and short guys, who're wonderful, kind and make the world a better place.

Instead, I will call Putin what he actually is.

Liar. Dictator. Murderer. Warmonger.

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miekasa · 4 years ago

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six thirty

+ pairing: armin arlert x (fem) reader

+ genres and warnings: college au, enemies to lovers… kinda… in a very nerdy academic rivalry kind of way, me being a comedian you’re welcome, fluff, smut/nsfw content

+ word count: 5.6k… pls say sike

+ notes: shout out to ryn for listening to me during our very many rambling sessions and also for extorting me into posting this. consider it a late birthday present for my favorite menace </2

+ side notes: no i am not a part of armin nation and i never want to be, nor do i wish speak of this again.

Armin Arlert is the perfect student. Prompt and well prepared during lecture; smart and insightful during office hours; the apple of any teacher’s eye. Unfortunately for him, so are you.

If you asked Armin, you were a little too clever for your own good, and liked to make it very well known that you believe you’re the smartest person in any room you walk into. That may be true, but it doesn’t mean that he has to sit there and worship your superiority complex.

If someone asked you, you’d say that Armin was a know it all, and a manipulative little piece of shit. Again, not a completely false statement, but perhaps a slightly biased character analysis.

Neither of you are wrong. It’s why you’re both the bane of each other’s existence.

There’s a noticeable grimace on your face, chin in your palm, elbows resting atop your desk, as you turn your head to where, sure enough, Armin is seated where he always is: first row, right side, directly in front of the podium, like perfect little teacher’s pet he wants to be. He doesn’t have any books to unpack like everybody else because a shiny, blue iPad is propped up on his desk in place of all of that. He’s robably looking through his pre-written list of showboaty questions to ask during lecture. Like he’s a cut above everyone else.

Maybe some of the other morons in this course, but not you, that’s for damn sure. You bet that if you broke his thousand dollar tablet he wouldn’t think he’s such hot shit anymore. Maybe that would knock him down a couple of pegs.

“Look at him sitting there with his stupid blue eyes, and his stupid Bieber haircut, and his stupid, shiny blonde hair, and his stupid fucking glasses. I bet they’re not even real and he just wears them to—”

“Did you just call his hair shiny?”

You snap your head to your left, “What—no, of course not. I said shoddy, he’s probably a bottle blonde. Maybe all the chemicals from the hair dye seeps into his head and warps his sense of reality.”

“I’m pretty sure you said shiny.”

“Shut up, Annie.”

She raises an eyebrow at you, “You got something against blondes? Because your track record would beg to differ.”

“Once. We kissed once, and it was truth or dare, and we were both sloshed.”

“You still chose me,” she reminds you, pulling her notebook out of her backpack.

You huff, ignoring her words and turning your head back to Armin, this time finding him twirling his stupid fucking expensive Apple Pencil between his fingers like it’s nothing. You can feel your eye begin to twitch.

Perhaps he can, too—or maybe he can just feel your eyes boring holes into him—because he turns in your direction and ceases his pen twirling the moment you make eye-contact. More students filter in, walking past your line of vision, but each time they move, you and Armin meet gazes again; neither one of you daring to look away, a palpable tension between you.

His eyes might be icy blue, but you can see the rose pink tint underneath his skin, even from the distance; a familiar blush that spreads across his nose and cheeks. You exhale with a silent laugh, breaking your eye contact before he grows completely red, just in time for Dr. Zöe to start the lecture.

Everybody thinks that Armin’s so brilliant, so smart, so untouchable. You know that his only genius is that he’s fooling everyone into thinking that he’s the kind, humble, little nerd boy who wouldn’t harm a fly, when that’s far from the truth.

Armin is mean. He’s competitive and possessive and snarky and sly. He’s the definition of a wolf in sheep’s clothing, but you’re pretty sure the only person in the world who might believe that is Eren. Though, you’ve heard some of the insults Armin throws Eren’s way, and they’re not exactly soft. Granted, that’s a factor in any friendship, and most of his jabs are coated with a layer of intellect the brunette likely doesn’t understand, but that doesn’t make Armin any less sarcastic. It just means Eren’s too dumb to know what’s going on.

Poor kid. Maybe it’s for the best.

That’s all to say that Armin is nothing but a big talker—not even; a smooth-talker, is more like it. He comes across as perfect, all good and sweet and soft, because that’s what he lets people see. Nobody else looks through to the sharp tongue and ragged edges, because they’re too busy cooing over innocent blue-eyed baby in front of them.

But you know that Armin, the one he doesn’t want other people to see: the one that’s so good, he’s bad; so sweet that he’s sick; so nice that it’s cruel. And you know just how much pressure to apply to make his façade crack.

And you intend on doing so.

“I don’t know which formula to use—hey, are you two eye fucking again? Cut it out, I’m trying not to fail over here,” Eren exclaims, poking Armin’s shoulder with his pen.

The jab averts the blonde’s attention back to his friend, eyes wide as he blinks himself back to reality. He curses under his breath when he feels a familiar warmth creeping across his cheeks. Few things piss Armin off like the way he gets red in the face after thinking about you, or even just looking at you, for too long. Whether it’s red out of pure annoyance, or another feeling he tries to push down, it’s irritating, and above all, embarrassing.

He spares one more glance over his shoulder, to where you and Annie are sat a few tables away in the library. You’ve looked away by now, focusing back on your notes, but Armin swears he can still see that irritating smirk on your face from this angle.

He rolls his tongue along the inside of his cheek. He should be able to keep it together around you by now, but he can’t, and it bothers him. You bother him.

“We weren’t eye fucking,” he refutes, turning his back to you completely, “She’s such a little know it all sometimes, s’annoying.”

Eren raises an eyebrow. He knows that you and Armin don’t get along, but he doesn’t understand why. Armin knows almost all your friends, and you definitely know all of his—Eren would even go as far as to say that you and him are pretty close friends—so it’s not a matter of not spending time together. You’re also the two smartest people Eren knows. In theory you should have more than enough to talk about together, but every time you’re in the same room, you hardly acknowledge each other outside of surface level commentary, or glances that border on staring.

Thankfully, the bickering remains in the classroom for the most part. Eren’s seen you and Armin go at, and he’ll be the first to admit that it’s beyond intimidating. Though, a little part of him finds it oddly entertaining, and he can’t help but to be impressed. All the more reason for you two to start playing on the same team.

Eren thinks the two of you should get to the root of the issue already. Which, if you asked him, has very little to do with your rivaled academic genius, and a lot to do with your lack of it concerning your feelings for each other.

“She’s not that bad,” Eren vouches for you, “I think you two might get along if you ever spoke outside of trying to one-up each other in class.”

“I’m not trying to one-up anybody,” Armin rolls his eyes, a nasty habit he’s picked up as of late, “And if you stopped and used your brain for a moment, then maybe you could solve the problem.”

“I did use my brain!” Eren’s lips fall into an offended pout, “But none of this makes any sense to me! I fucking hate math, you know that.”

Armin sighs, feeling sympathetic for Eren as he slumps into himself defeatedly. He knows that Eren isn’t dumb, but math in any capacity is certainly not his strong suit. He also knows that he shouldn’t give Eren all the answers, but sometimes he needs a little push to get him there. A little bit of added guidance and motivation to keep him going. It’s either that, or he has to trick Eren into doing the work himself, but clearly that method wasn’t working out today.

“You already solved for the activation energy, now you’re supposed to use the Arrhenius equation in the expanded form.”

Eren’s lips fall into a small o-shape, as his eyes scramble across his paper again. “But—how do you—”

“There’s two measurements given for temperature.”

“Oh. Oh, yeah! Okay, right, but then—”

“You have to convert it to Kelvin first or it won’t work. It’s given to you in Celsius.”

Eren furrows his eyebrows together, and then it finally clicks for him. He mutters to himself as he puts his pencil to paper to begin to work through the problem, “How do I convert—”

“Add 273.15 to it. Make sure you put the bigger one first in the equation, or else you’ll get a negative error.”

“You didn’t even do it,” Eren huffs, angrily punching numbers into his calculator, “How do you know it’s right?”

“Because I took this class already,” Armin reminds him, sparing a brief glance over his shoulder, “Isn’t that why I’m tutoring you?”

Eren coughs over his embarrassed blush, “Oh, yeah, right.”

It’s quiet between them as Eren makes a final attempt at solving the equation, carefully and proudly circling his answer when he’s finished. He looks to Armin with bright eyes, and is content when the blonde gives him a reassuring nod, confirming that his answer is correct.

“Well that was a bitch to work through,” Eren sighs, stretching his arms behind his head with a slight yawn, “Chemistry is nothing but glorified math. It’s barely a science.”

Armin shrugs, but he doesn’t disagree. He isn’t the biggest fan of chemistry, unlike somebody else he knows. “Why’d you take chem if you knew it would have so much math?”

It’s Eren’s turn to shrug, slumping back in his chair and running a hand through his hair, “I gotta take all the pre-med requirements… just in case.”

“You wanna go to med school? Since when?”

Eren averts his eyes from his friend, a telltale sign of his bashfulness coming over him. It doesn’t happen often, but Armin knows it’s sincere when it does.

“Dunno. I’m not sure of it, just wanna keep my options open, you know?” Eren replies casually, “Doctors help make a difference and all that, and surgery looks kind of cool. Besides, if my bastard father could do it, how hard could it really be?”

A gentle smile grows on Armin’s lips, “You can do it. If you really want to, I know you can.”

Eren’s head snaps up, eyes wide and filled with affirmation and adoration. He relaxes his expression quickly after, but the pink hues are still present, “Thanks, Min.”

From his position he catches eye of another head of familiar blonde hair over Armin’s shoulder, and beside it, your own hair. There’s a flash of a moment when your eyes meet Eren’s, and you offer him a small wave before turning back to Annie to resume doing your homework. Eren barely gets the chance to wave back, but a dopey smile sits on his features at your kind gesture. It fades when he looks back to Armin, once again pondering the animosity between you two.

You and Armin aren’t all that different, you just need to get to know each other better. Actually, Eren thinks that you might make a good couple if you both stopped overthinking it.

“So, what’s the deal with you and (_____)?” Eren asks, bending his right knee to wrap his arm around his leg and rest his chin on top of it, “You act like she kicked your cat.”

“What?” Armin questions, flustered, “What—no, she wouldn’t touch Soup.”

Eren quirks an eyebrow at that. “I still can’t believe you named your cat Soup.”

“It’s technically a nickname.”

“A nickname for what?”

“…For Miso Soup.”

Eren blinks. “Okay, if she didn’t mess with Soup, then what’s the issue? You scared of her or something?”

“Why would I be scared of her?” Armin asks, tone incredulous; then softer, more subdued, like a kid who doesn’t want to admit they’re wrong, “’M not scared of her.”

“You stare at her like you are—well, you look kind of angry, but also scared. Like, when you see those balloon things outside of car washes. You hate them, but you can’t look away from them—”

“I am not scared of those!”

“You are, and it’s okay,” Eren waves away his friend’s denial, “Oh, I get it—is this one of those things where she makes you nervous, so you respond with anger and sarcasm instead of thinking through your feelings?”

“You’ve been going to therapy for one month, relax.”

“Maybe you two should go to friend therapy and work this out,” Eren bites back, “It probably doesn’t help that she’s always with Annie. They both look like they would murder someone with no remorse. I admit, it is kind of scary… but it’s kind of hot, too.”

Armin spares him an unamused glare. Eren crosses his arms in defense, “What? I’m not wrong. It’s sexy in a scary kind of way, maybe that’s why you’re always eye fucking. I don’t blame you, she’s hot. I would let her and Annie axe-murder me without regret.”

“Eren?”

“Yeah?”

“Shut up and do problem six, I don’t have all day.”

Eren huffs, but flips the page to the next problem, grumbling under his breath as he attempts the, “It’s not as sexy when you’re mean, you know.”

Armin hits him silent.

Tuesdays are Armin’s favorite days because he only has one class. Sure, it’s three hours long, but it’s much more bearable than his usual eight-hour day.

It’s also the one class he shares with you. Which is why he’s always mentally exhausted by the end of it, but physically, he feels like he could punch a wall; all his pent up anger and frustration is channeled into his body and he’s desperate for an outlet for it. It’s a feeling he hates to love.

Annie seems to have cut class today seeing as she’s not next to you; and it’s almost as if it’s emboldened you to mess with him even more than usual.

He bites his tongue as Dr. Zöe enthusiastically uses your latest point as a segue into the final topic of the evening. He made that same point ten minutes ago. You just worded it differently—admittedly, more concisely, but somehow with a little more nuance, than when he had hesitantly proposed it—and, yeah, maybe you made it sound more convincing, but that didn’t mean that he didn’t come up with it first. If his stupid, fancy stylus didn’t cost upwards of $200 he might have snapped it in half.

You’re definitely the better conversationalist, that much he can admit. Words have never been his forte and he hates the way you can talk circles around him, and that there’s so little he can say to make you stop.

He wishes you would just shut up. In fact, he’d like to shut you up himself.

Thankfully, class ends sooner rather than later. Armin finds himself briefly talking with Dr. Zöe afterwards, most other students having taken the opportunity to leave early for the night. To nobody’s surprise, you’re not one of them, having stuck around to talk to the professor, too.

“The two of you should consider lab research this summer,” Dr. Zöe suggests ardently, walking between the two of you as you exit the lecture hall, “I could really use two students like you!”

Armin chuckles at his boisterous professor. He’s known about the research opportunities at their lab for quite some time now, and he knows that you have, too. “I don’t know that lab work is really my strong suit.”

The three of you come to stop at the hallway intersection, the professor now standing across from you and him. You give them a polite smile, “And I’m not sure that collaboration is mine.”

Armin spares a glance just in time to see you flash one of your own in his direction. Dr. Zöe’s eyes flicker between the two students rapidly, a slight squint to their eyelids.

They aren’t quite sure why their two brightest students seem to despise each other. They wish you two would just get along already, so that they don’t have to spend the summer training half-witted chemical engineering majors how to use basic lab equipment; and instead, conduct some actual research.

“Well, I hope the both of you reconsider,” they smile, “I’ll see you during office hours, I presume?”

You two nod in sync, sending the doctor off with happy smile, just long enough until you see that they’ve turned the corner further down the hall

“Had fun stealing my point earlier?” Armin questions, looking your way as you still wave mindlessly, eye-twitching at your polite façade.

“I would call it improvement,” you tell him, not bothering to turn in his direction; still and smiling waving like the professor can see or hear you, “You should stick to showing, rather than saying. You never were good with your words.”

Armin kisses his teeth together. He’ll give you what you want, if that’s how you want it.

In a fit of irritation, he grabs your moving hand by the wrist, and pulls you down the opposite hallway, not caring for your dramatic wailing behind him.

“Hey, Einstein, the exit is the other way, do you have any idea where we’re going?”

“Ever heard of observational learning? Maybe if you shut up for a second, you would figure it out,” he snaps, pulling you further.

There’s a door on the left that Armin knows is unlocked, and he’s quick to open it and pull you inside. Before you have the chance to glance around, he has you pushed up against the wall, jaw forced up and forward.

He could scoff at the small hitch in your breath at his actions, clearly a little too satisfied with being manhandled; but instead, he takes the opportunity to press your lips together. Armin quite likes the feeling of your lips on his; warm and soft and far too welcoming; a rare moment of silence.

“Someone could hear us.”

Or not so silent.

“Then be quiet,” he snarls.

Armin feels your fingers weave themselves into his hair, scraping along his undercut in sync with his lips trailing down your jaw. A groan falls from his when he feels you tug at the ends of the strands, just hard enough to force his face back to eye level with yours.

“You’re the one with the big mouth.”

“You’re so smart, huh. Always got something to say,” Armin lets out a low chuckle, deft fingers running down your sides to squeeze at your waist, “You can be really fuckin’ annoying, you know that.”

You mirror half of his ministrations, letting your right hand trail down his chest barely brushing over the very visible bulge in his jeans, before hooking your index finger under the belt loop, effectively pulling him closer to you.

The smile on your face is dirty, but you’re not laughing like he was, “Do something about it then.”

His blue eyes grow cloudy as he takes a good look at you; slowly rakes over your features, from that stupid, snarky look in your eyes, to your kiss-bruised lips, down to your chest, and back up again. Armin finds himself copying your smirk for all the wrong reasons. But it’s your own fault; you always did like to push him one step over the edge.

“Fine.”

Despite your twisted grin there’s a look in your eyes that’s eager; willing; ready for the taking. That same look you have when you talk over him in class; when you pretend to ignore him around your mutual friends; when you want him to fuck you stupid.

Armin uses his right hand to cup your jaw again, closing the distance between your mouths with a less than gentle kiss. He feels your groans reverberating through his body, waves of heat accompanying them and going straight to his erection. Your arch your back into the kiss, but he forces you backwards, left hand flat against your tummy.

Following suit, he pushes himself against your body, pressing his knee between your legs; the thin fabric of your stockings doing little to prevent your thighs from rubbing against him.

He swipes his tongue over the seam of your lips, earning a frenzied whine when glides his tongue across yours, and teasingly licks at the roof of your mouth. Your tongue is lithe against his, but somehow just as deceptive and sly as always, and Armin would be a fool to deny that he loved it.

There’s a spark flickering in his stomach when you push your center harshly against his; and it’s only ignited further when he feels you bite his bottom lip. A guttural growl escapes him, his right hand moving to your throat with practiced ease, pushing the back of your head into the wall.

He pauses for a moment, drinks in your wide eyes and desperate visage, “You are the single most frustrating person I’ve ever met in my entire life.”

And he couldn’t get enough of it if he tried. He couldn’t get enough of you.

You must see through his words, into the grainy expression of adoration in his eyes, because he can see it filtering into yours, pupils dilating with both want and care.

“Aw, baby, I love you, too,” you pout, leaning forward as best to can to peck him on the lips, “Now, shut me up and fuck me. It’s exhausting being this pretty and smart-mouthed, you know.”

Armin dips his head into your neck, squeezes against the column of your throat with warning until he hears a gasp escape from your lips. He presses gentle kisses into your skin, in stark contrast to the increasing pressure from his fingers, waiting for one last request, and then, finally—“Please.”

He smiles, loosens his grip for a moment, just long enough to hear your pretty panting, before slotting his lips against yours again. Your moans are lewd and sloppy and breathless between kisses, and it makes his dick twitch in his pants. You really are so fucking loud. And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

He uses his free hand to push your skirt up, and subsequently dip past the weak barrier of your tights and underwear. The slightest flicker of his fingers against your center has you choking out a moan, and Armin is forced to press his right thumb harder against your neck.

“Quiet,” he reminds you, “You asked nicely, so I’ll give you what you want. No need to be loud about it.”

He watches you nod with short and restricted movements, a sadistic kind of power washing over him at your eager compliance. He uses his middle finger to rub slow, careful circles around your clit; the feeling of your wet cunt against his fingers, coupled with your wanton moaning only spurs on the throbbing in his pants.

“Armin,” you whine, impatiently; but he expected that of you, “Don’t tease.”

His eyes flash to yours briefly, pressing his lips to yours again to swallow your shuddered moans. He dips his tongue into your mouth at the same time he does his middle finger into your cunt. An obscene moan echoing through the classroom, as Armin feels your body arching into his again; feels your fingers frantically flying to his hair, searching for purchase to anchor yourself on.

He pulls away in time to add another digit and watch you groan underneath him. He pushes both his fingers in to the knuckle, carefully curling them upwards to elicit the prettiest sound out of you. He has to admit, it’s probably his favorite thing to hear come out of your mouth.

He keeps a steady pace, pumping his fingers in and out of your pussy with perfect friction, teetering between letting you moan his name and choking you silent. Your hands are frantic in his hair, grasping and pulling and so, so, desperate, Armin can’t help but to finger fuck you harder.

“You want one more?” he questions, but his voice is taunting, words ghosted over your lips just out of reach for you to kiss.

He can feel your leg trembling against his, see you pupils shaking along with your shaking head. Armin stops to smile; he thought you might do that. He could probably make you cry right now if he wanted to. Maybe later.

“Want you to fuck me,” your words short and ragged, eyebrows raised when he uses his thumb to press lightly against your clit, “Armin, please.”

The blonde shakes his head, “You’re dumber than you look if you think I’m gonna fuck you in a classroom, baby, so if you want to cum now, you better tell me.”

You have the audacity to pout of all things, “You’re mean.”

Armin lets out a breathless laugh. “You like it,” he leans forward to peck you sweetly, “So, what’ll it be?”

“Fine, but I want head later, too,” you tell him, words becoming less firm when Armin teases his ring finger against your slit, “Please.”

Armin hums in compliance, leaning forward to kiss you again, this time with more tact, and he chases your whines when he finally pushes a third finger inside of you.

“Look at you,” he croons breaking your kiss and forcing your head back again, “You take it so well.”

“Ah—fuck, there, Armin—there,” you cry, wet heat squeezing around his fingers in intermittent spasms.

Armin watches your chest heave with desperate breaths, air stuttering to pass from your lips to your lungs with his hand around your neck. He can feel your walls constricting around his fingers, feel your body shaking underneath him when he increases his pace. He curls his fingers again, just right, just until he hears you sing a strained call of his name. And when he feels your nails scraping down the nape of his neck, and the slight weight of your body convulsing, Armin knows you’re done for.

He’s nice enough to fuck you through your orgasm, shallow thrusts of his fingers bringing you to and down from your high as he watches you pant for him. He presses small kisses against your throat, up, up, up, until he’s kissing you, and carefully pulling his fingers out.

He removes his hand from your neck, and slides it down your waist to offer you support. He’s not prepared for your sudden pull on his neck, forcing him into a kiss that conveys your content; he’s quick to raise his left hand, palm meeting the wall to hold himself up against your sporadic actions, chuckling lightly into your kiss. You were always so reckless and happy after an orgasm.

You kiss him like you have him wrapped your finger despite being the one pleading moments ago. You do, so he supposes it’s not unwarranted; and he welcomes your flirtatious kisses despite the annoying blush they always bring forth.

And sure enough, he can feel his face on fire when you pull away. Armin scoffs internally at himself; he really should be able to keep it together around you by now. But when you kiss him like that, you kind of make it hard to think straight.

“You’re so good when you’re not… pretending to be good,” you hum, a blissful, hazy look on your features as you wrap your arms around his neck.

Armin shakes his head with a chortle of disbelief; leans forward to kiss you again, “’M not pretending. I am good.”

“Yeah, you’re such a good little saint that arguing with your girlfriend turns you on,” you taunt him, “It’s okay, Armin, you can admit it.”

He groans, out of shallow annoyance this time, and it makes you giggle. “Why are you acting like you’re not complicit in this?”

“Oh, no, no, no,” you refute with an exaggerated roll of your eyes, “You get turned on by hearing me talk about biochemistry. I like it when you tell me to shut up about it. We are not the same.”

“Yeah, because you look hot doing it,” he tells you, “Speaking of which, Eren called you hot today, so I kind of need you to slip a neurotoxin in his Gatorade.”

“Aw, Eren thinks I’m hot? Tell him I think he’s hot, too,” you bat your eyelashes at him, but Armin only offers you an unimpressed glare in return.

“I think he might be onto us, actually,” Armin notes, affectionately bumping his nose against yours.

“If he’s onto us, then it’s because you’re the one giving it away, not me.”

“Oh, because you could never do anything wrong, right?”

“Right,” you flash him an overconfident smile before reaching up to kiss to the tip of his nose, “See you’re so smart, baby.”

Armin shakes his head again in disbelief. You’re a handful, he can see that much.

“Come on,” he prompts, “We should go, I still have to finish my lab write up, and I know you haven’t started your paper.”

Armin tries to motion you forward, but is stopped when he feels your hand combing through his hair, and sees the genuine spark of concern in your eyes. “The one for your elective? I thought you said you were going to finish it on Monday.”

“I was,” Armin admits, “But then I didn’t.”

“You want me to help you with it?” you offer kindly, pushing his bangs back and letting your hands fall down the sides of his face, palms resting against his ears.

He nods gently, turning his head to press a kiss into your left palm, before wrapping his hand around your wrist, “I can help you outline your paper.”

You nod in return, and Armin spares one more kiss, before pulling your hand away to lace your fingers together.

Thankfully, nobody’s around to catch you exiting the classroom, or see you holding hands as you make your way out of the building and towards the bus stop. This was Armin’s favorite part of any Tuesday; the one time he could hold your hand on campus without the fear of getting caught by your friends.

He reasons that you guys should probably tell them soon, though, especially if Eren might have an idea of what’s going on. You were bound to get caught sooner rather than later. That, or Eren and Sasha would start meddling.

“If you think Eren knows, then Mikasa definitely knows,” you note, swinging your intertwined hands as you walk through the parking lot as a shortcut.

“Maybe if you actually remembered to hide Soup’s toys, there would be less evidence for her to piece together.”

“Yeah, well, maybe if you didn’t forget when your midterms are, I wouldn’t have to emergency cat sit the hour before Mikasa comes around, and there wouldn’t be any toys to hide in the first place.”

“I’m bad with dates, you know that!” Armin pouts, “I don’t say anything when you forget about ten page papers until four hours before they’re due.”

“You’re saying something right now, actually.”

“That’s not what I—you know, you’re so—”

Armin’s quiet when he feels your lips pressed against his cheekily, “Annoying. I know. You like it. You’re not very good at staying mad for very long.”

Armin’s tempted to roll his eyes yet again—he really needs to quit it, or at the very least, get your own temper under control before it’s irreversible and completely rubbed off on him—but takes the opportunity to kiss your forehead, instead.

“You’re lucky you’re cute.”

Your eyes twinkle under his affections. “And that you love me?”

He nods, “And that I love you.”

“And that you’re gonna fuck me before you make me write my paper when we get home, right?”

Armin chuckles and presses another kiss to your forehead, “We’ll see about that one.”

Hange huffs as they make their way through the parking. They always forget their keys in their office, and always, inconveniently park half-way across the campus. In their defense, this parking lot is free, and the one closest to the Medical Sciences building is not. So, really, capitalism is the one to blame for their frequent late night car lot strolls.

They hear two familiar voices bickering just as they’re about to step into their car, and are more than surprised to see their two favorite students walking together. Walking together and holding hands. Wait—you and Armin are walking together and holding hands?

Hange blinks for a moment, drowning out the sounds of the conversation after they see you two kiss. Their jaw practically falls to the asphalt and they might not blink for a full two minutes as they process what they just saw.

Their trance is broken when it finally, finally clicks together, and Hange has to try their hardest to contain their squeals before sitting in the driver’s seat, an overly forceful slam to the car door following. They waste no time fumbling with the pockets of their lab coat to fish out their phone, and make a call to their favorite math professor.

“Levi, I told you Arlert and (_____) had to know each other outside of class! I think they might be dating! You know what this means, right? I can have them both in the same lab without worrying they might start a chemical fire, and I won’t have to hire two brick heads this summer!”

Levi has never hung up a call more quickly in his life.

#aot x reader #snk x reader #armin x reader #aot imagines #snk imagines #armin smut #armin fluff #eren x reader

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