#there’s a lot more I was gonna include here like some dialogue but eh

[mur-art]

Some Historical Calivada- a.k.a. How it started:

(The rest under the cut; cw for some suggestive content)

Nevada’s most prominent settlement in the mid-1800s was Virginia City, founded as a silver boom town, and, as quoted in this Wikipedia article was considered the “sophisticated interior partner of San Francisco.”

Vs. How it’s going:

It was only a kiss, how did it end up like this??

You’ll never tell me this isn’t total ex behavior 😂

[tobiasdrake]

Digimon Adventure 01x32 - Tokyo Tower is Hot! DeathMeramon / Gatomon Comes Calling

Previously on Digimon Adventure: FUCKING. CATS. Why are you like this?

The Eighth Digivice is still out in the wild, last seen in possession of a crow. But now that it's been spotted, Vamdemon has left Hikarigaoka and is zeroing in on Odaiba Shibaura. The home of the Eighth Child has been found!?

Ooh, I've been waiting for this. Vamdemon's first night in Tokyo, getting his Dracula on. I vaguely remember this scene and have been looking forward to revisiting it.

We open on a slow build-up of a young woman walking alone at night. Vamdemon's carriage pulls up and he steps out to meet her. The woman, in a dreamlike state, leans up to kiss him.

Vamdemon sinks his fangs into her neck instead, drinking her blood. When he's finished, she falls limp to the ground. Vamdemon gets back in his carriage and departs, leaving his victim lying in the road with two visible fang marks in her neck.

This entire scene plays out with no dialogue and only a quiet, haunting melody for background music. The dub, as usual, adds dialogue. Myotismon greets us with a monologue.

Myotismon: Ahh, darkness. The perfect cloak for my evil. Ideal conditions for producing fear. Human blood always tastes better with a dash of fear in it. Woman: (stops walking and gasps) What is that? A carriage?

Once Myotismon arrives, they stop talking in words though there's still vocalized utterances, including a lot of ominous mouth-breathing from Myotismon. They do learn in hard on the "Woman and Myotismon are about to kiss PSYCHE HE'S A VAMPIRE" bit, playing this cute little romantic ditty over their initial embrace before the fangs come out.

Then they have the woman making muffled screams while he's drinking her blood. Oddly, they censor out the shot of the woman crumpling to the ground when he's finished, but they leave in the closeup of her lying on the road with fang marks in her neck.

They do, however, add in some audible groaning from the woman so you know she's okay. Don't worry, American kiddos; Myotismon did not kill a woman. She's gonna be fine.

We're going to hear about this again later on. Place your bets now if you think they censored out a corpse.

From here, we join PicoDevimon, waiting on a boat for Vamdemon's arrival and wondering aloud what could be keeping him.

I have some guesses.

PicoDevimon: He's late. What could be keeping him? Eh? (Vamdemon's carriage rolls up) PicoDevimon: Vamdemon-sama! Hurry!

The carriage door opens, and another woman flops out the door so abruptly that it's practically comical.

PicoDevimon does not enter the carriage but instead flies up to the window to speak with Vamdemon.

PicoDevimon: The dawn will be here soon! Vamdemon: No need to rush. Now that I know the Chosen Children are here, I must store up enough energy to fight them in this world. PicoDevimon: But if you're too reckless-- Vamdemon: No matter. This world will belong to me in the end.

Once that's settled, Vamdemon's carriage levitates into the air, settling down onto the waiting boat.

The woman from inside the carriage has mysteriously vanished due to a continuity error in the animation. So either she crawled away to safety or she disintegrated into pixel dust.

In the dub, DemiDevimon's getting frustrated.

DemiDevimon: I hate this fog! Master, where are you!? I'm getting mildew on my wings! ...Aha! (Myotismon's carriage rolls up) DemiDevimon: Finally! Sheesh, you couldn't take a cab like everyone else!?

They censor out the woman flopping out of the carriage. This censoring ironically makes the animation flow more smoothly, at the cost of the near-comical realization that Myotismon's been binge-drinking all night.

DemiDevimon: At last! I was starting to worry! Myotismon: Calm down. I went out to have a bite to eat and to get familiar with the city. It is always so difficult to get a good meal when one is away from home. DemiDevimon: You're right! So what do we do next, boss? Myotismon: We are continuing the search for the Eighth Child. The details are of no concern to you! DemiDevimon: Well, as I always say, uh, whatever you say!

The dub drops the context both that we're near dawn and that's why PicoDevimon's worried and also that Vamdemon's hunting has a purpose. Drinking those women is how he's accumulating power for his next confrontation with the Chosen Children. The dub plays it like Myotismon's just hungry, and also he only drank one.

However, I do like how wickedly he describes attacking that woman. Solid vampire-ing right there.

The dub inserts their first commercial break here, separating out Vamdemon's cold open from the start of the episode proper. Good spot for it.

The following morning, Taichi attempts to rifle through his and Hikari's belongings.

It does not go well. The crashing sound from everything in their room exploding at the speed of mistakes brings Hikari in. Also the sound of Taichi screaming in pain and surprise.

Hikari: What are you doing? Taichi: I'm looking for my phone book. The one from first grade. Agumon: Yeah, his phone book. Hikari: Phone book?

Agumon seems to have recovered enough to regain Child-stage last night.

Realizing their mother is out in the kitchen, Hikari steps into the room and shuts the door behind her.

Out in the kitchen, Yuuko's washing dishes while listening to the news for background noise. Staticky amateur footage of Raremon emerging from the bay plays on the TV.

Anchor: Viewers are advised to take caution against the possibility that more of these mysterious creatures could emerge in the future. In other news, two young women from the Nerima and Itabashi districts were found collapsed in the streets last night. They were taken to the hospital to be treated for anemia.

Yeah, the dub got that one right! The women aren't dead. If you wagered that they were then you owe the Americans a cookie.

Incidentally, identifying that second woman as being in Itabashi tells us exactly what route Vamdemon's taking to Shibaura. The floppy woman is a map marker. Here, I've drawn a red circle around Odaiba and a green circle around Shibaura.

Nerima, which is where Hikarigaoka was situated, is in the top left corner of the map here. Itabashi is east-northeast of it. On the other side of Itabashi is the Sumida River, which will take him all the way down to Tokyo Bay. Not the big river but that smaller squiggly one next to it that exits out right in front of Shibaura.

But, in any case, with the boat trucking along while Vamdemon takes shelter from the sun, he'll be in Shibaura well before the next sunset.

More maps to come as we follow the kids' and Digimon's trek through the city today.

While the news is talking about current events, the doorbell rings. Yuuko answers it, then comes back.

Yuuko: Taichi! It's Koushiro-kun! Taichi: Got it!

The dub gives Tai some extra dialogue while he's searching for the phone book.

Tai: Aw, c'mon! Where did I put that thing? (opens drawer) Junk. (opens another) Stuff. More junk. More stuff. Man, I was a messy kid. Can't believe how unorganized I was--AUGH!!! (catastrophe) Kari: (opens door) Whatcha doin'? Tai: Looking for my old phone book. It'll have exactly what I need. Agumon: And I'm helping! Kari: (comes in and closes the door) How come?

I like Tai's "Junk, stuff," exchange. Feels his age, right along with the "I was a messy kid!" from someone who is still a kid. He's getting to be that age where kids become impatient to be considered grown up.

Also, Agumon shouting "I'm helping!" while lying helpless under a pile of stuff got me. XD

Anchor: And now, today's top story: The monsters that are plaguing the city! Still no official comment on where the creatures are from or what they might be after. We will keep you updated throughout the day. Meanwhile, in other news, health officials report young women all over the city are being hospitalized for anemia. No word on whether the cases are connected but doctors are voicing concern that so many seemingly healthy young women are being struck down so suddenly. Yuuko: (checks the door) Tai, it's your friend Izzy! Tai: Coming!

Oh, so that's why Myotismon was late.

Vamdemon attacked two women on his way to Sumida River. Myotismon, I guess, went on a bender. This is even funnier when you remember that they cut the plot point of Vamdemon storing power to fight the Chosen Children. After declaring at the end of last episode that he's going to go deal with the DigiDestined himself, Myotismon then spent all of last night roaming the city randomly drinking women left and right for funsies.

DemiDevimon frantically pacing on the boat wondering where he is. And then Myotismon rolls up like, "Chill out, little bat dude. I had to get my thing on with the ladies, bruh."

Taichi very unsuspiciously smuggles Agumon past Yuuko's peripheral vision, and they head outside to see Koushiro.

Taichi: Yo. Koushiro: Good morning. Ah, Agumon! Agumon: I ate so much, I evolved. Tentomon: (approaches) Mornin'. Taichi: Tentomon! I almost didn't recognize you. Tentomon: Thank you, thank you.

Even the simple way everyone greets each other is dripping with personality.

Tentomon is still wearing his disguise from last episode. Fortunately, wearing a hat and cloak makes it impossible to tell that you're a ladybug monster. In fact, the hat is new, so that's even more disguise power.

This is the same energy as the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles wearing trench coats to keep anyone from ID'ing them as turtle monsters. Some things are universal.

Taichi: It looks pretty good on you. Agumon: Eh... Taichi? Taichi: You want one too? Agumon: (nod) Mm...

This promises to be a disaster.

In the dub, that subtle parallel of greetings is gone.

Tai: Hey. Izzy: Hey, ready to go? Agumon, you Digivolved! Agumon: You bet I did! All I needed was a good meal. Tentomon: Psst! It's me! Tai: Tentomon! Nice disguise, dude! Tentomon: Thanks, Tai. I put it together myself. Tai: Wait 'til Mimi sees you. Agumon: I need one too. Tai: Yeah. Any ideas? Agumon: (nod) Mhm....

Tai is using Mimi as a cudgel to bash Tentomon's disguise passive-aggressively.

The Chosen Children all head to a nearby park to meet up, with varying degrees of disguise for their Partner Digimon. The award for best disguise goes to Mimi and Palmon.

Haha. Hahaha. Hahahahahahahahahaha.

It's kind of perfect because she looks like a young girl pushing her doll around in a baby stroller. That is a form of play that girls are encouraged to do under the rigid gender binary. Mimi Purity/Sincerity Tachikawa: Disguise sensei!?

On their way to the meetup, Koushiro and Taichi briefly discuss Taichi's failures.

Koushiro: Were you able to find the student phone book you had back in Hikarigaoka? Taichi: Uh... Well, y'know... Sora and I were in the same class, so.... Koushiro: (disappointed) You didn't find it, did you?

The children meet up in the park, and the narrator briefly explains the intent of this meeting.

Narrator: All of the Chosen Children were notified that the Eighth Child was spotted last night in Shibaura. Sora & Piyomon: (running to join the others) Good morning! Narrator: In order to discuss what to do about this turn of events, they decided to meet up.

No word as of yet about what happened when Taichi went bird-chasing. I guess by the time he made it out of the complex, the crow he was unknowingly chasing was long gone.

Note: Sora's "Good Morning" is distinct from Koushiro's earlier "Good Morning" in a key way. As Sora and Piyomon are running up, they call out, "Ohayou!" This is a casual way of saying "Good morning" to close friends and family.

What Koushiro said was "Ohayou gozaimasu." The addition of gozaimasu makes the phrase formal and respectful. He greets Taichi as if he were greeting a colleague in the workplace. Which is not a measure of their relationship but of Koushiro, as we spent last episode learning that he's talking like this to his parents too. This is how he is, and has been for as long as we've known him.

(But not as long as they have.)

Both of these greetings, meanwhile, are still more respectful than Taichi's "Yo."

Mimi arrives after Sora, pushing Palmon in her stroller.

Mimi: Palmon, you're heavy. Come out. Palmon: No! You said I have to stay in here, Mimi! Mimi: It's fine now!

Palmon was the one who told Patamon to say nothing when their train pulled into their stop too. Palmon takes this whole disguise thing very seriously.

The dub uses Tai again to snark at Agumon and Tentomon's bad disguises.

Tai: (sarcastic) Yeah, real inconspicuous!

I mean. It works. Nobody stops them to ask about the monsters. So don't knock it.

Izzy: So, Tai, did you find your address book from school? Tai: Oh! Uh... Well, Sora was in my class so I thought we'd just use hers. Izzy: (skeptical) Uh-huh. Couldn't find it, huh?

Izzy and Tai's brief discussion is a straight adaptation with no changes, and then we move on to the meeting. Tai has to fill in for the narrator.

Tai: Alright, listen up, everybody! I called you all here today because... Well... There was nothing good on TV! Matt: Ha ha. Very funny, Tai. Now where are the others? Sora: (runs up) Hey, wait! Don't start without me! (gasps for breath as she reaches the group) Good morning. Tentomon: Okay, so where's Mimi? Izzy: (dismissive) She's probably out buying clothes. Mimi: (pushing Palmon's stroller) Oh, get out and walk! You're too heavy to push! Palmon: Mimi, how's that going to look? I'm supposed to be a widdle baby. Mimi: You just grew up! Now get out!

Bit more context missing here. We lose the explanation that we're meeting up to take next steps now that we know the Eighth Child is in the area. Tai's remark is clearly not meant to be taken seriously; He's goofing off while they wait for the others. But it replaces the actual reason why they're meeting.

Also, (ugh), another sharp comment directed at Mimi for no reason. It's not even a laugh line like Tai's earlier Mimi barb at Tentomon was. Izzy's being pointlessly mean to fill silence. She shows up immediately after he says that.

The gang's all here, save for one conspicuous absence. Mimi, too, has brought her school phone book. You can't see it in this shot but even Takeru has one with him.

While they wait for Jou, the kids chat about what's happening.

Sora: This is turning into a mess, isn't it? Yamato: Ever since I woke up, it's all they've been reporting on TV. Taichi: It's weird, though. Agumon: What is? Taichi: When Agumon and I came back to this world earlier, the Digimon appeared. But back then, only Hikari and I could see them. Now everyone can see them and it's getting media attention. Izzy: It may be because they used Vamdemon's Gate to get here. Yamato: That must be it. If more Digimon use that Gate to enter our world.... Takeru: That would be terrible.

The group collectively imagines Seadramon, Shellmon, Vademon, Devimon, Kuwagamon, Ogremon, and Etemon all attacking the human world.

(In fairness to Seadramon, we started that shit. They were minding their own business when we set them on fire. They do not deserve to be lumped in with the rest of these assholes.)

Mimi: Oh no. Koushiro: That's a likely outcome. Taichi: Then we should hurry up and find the Eighth Child, so we can make sure that doesn't happen! And to save the Digimon World too! Sora: (momentarily taken aback by Taichi's enthusiasm) ...right! Koushiro: Let's do it. Yamato: Yeah. Jou: HEEEEEEEEEY!!!

We should probably also gank Vamdemon while we're at it. He's the lynchpin in the "Digimon coming through the Gate" threat. If he isn't there to unlock it then it can't open.

In the dub, Matt demonstrates that Izzy did not recap them about Raremon.

Sora: Hey, did you guys see it? It was all over the news on TV this morning. Matt: More and more of Myotismon's Digi-bozos are popping up in the city! Tai: And they're very real. Agumon: What do you mean? Tai: The last time we came back, there were Digimon all over the place like now. But only Kari and I could see them. Everyone else walked right by 'em as if they weren't even there. Now even normal people see them and they're on the news and everything. It's like they're really here this time. Izzy: Maybe it's because this time they came through the Gate that Myotismon made. Matt: I don't like it. If they can be seen then they're physically here, and if they're here physically, they can do a whole lot of damage. T.K.: Yeah, like what? (Imagine Spot of attacking evil Digimon and one unfairly maligned sea serpent) Matt: Do I really need to remind you what those evil Digimon are capable of!? Mimi: Creepy! Izzy: Complete systems failure. Tai: Agh, so what are we sitting around here for? We'd better get out there and find that eighth kid if we want to stop these guys. Save the Digi-World and we'll save our own! T.K.: Go Tai! Sora: Uh-huh. Matt: What's the plan? Izzy: Well I've got a theory-- Joe: STOOOOOOOP!!!

Man, Matt woke up on the Captain Obvious side of the bed today. Yes, Matt, we know that they can do damage if they're physically here. They've done a lot of fucking damage thus far. This replaced a salient point that more and more Digimon forces could be moved into the human world through the Gate, meaning the humans could be facing full-scale invasion if Vamdemon wins here.

Sora's momentary shocked Pikachu before hesitantly agreeing with Taichi gets drowned out by T.K. talking over it. It's easy to miss her quiet startlement.

That said, I do like how Tai gives his "It's like they're really here" explanation.

For reference again, the green circle is Shibaura, where Koushiro encountered Raremon last night. The red circle is Odaiba. Shibaura is directly across the bay from Odaiba, connected by the Rainbow Bridge - A huge double-decker suspension bridge allowing both vehicle traffic on one layer and rail transit on the other.

Jou sprints up, finally joining the group.

Jou: HEEEEEEEEEY!!! I had a hard time finding my old phone book! Taichi: Talk about killing the tension.

Now that Jou's here, we can talk about where we go from here.

Koushiro: The Eighth Child should have seen the Digimon with us during the incident in Hikarigaoka four years ago. Also important is the events in Shibaura last night. Mimi: Does that mean the child is living in Shibaura now? Yamato: They might have moved like we did. Koushiro: That's why I think we should split into groups and thoroughly search Shibaura. Yamato: Agreed. Mimi: It's a little hot, but that's fine by me. So what do we do with these phone books? Koushiro: There's a strong chance the Eighth Child is listed in one of them. We should call around and ask if anyone was in Shibaura last night. Jou: ...I start my summer classes tomorrow. I can make my phone calls, but I won't be able to go all the way out to Shibaura. Group: Eh!?!? Taichi: That's low! Jou: I can't help it! I'm studying for my entrance exams!

Education in Japan is a big fucking deal. Jou is about to graduate from elementary school into junior high. The exam he's talking about is to get him into a selective private junior high school, which will put him on track to a higher-paying career in the future.

This is what was so important to Chi-Chi in Dragon Ball that she had Gohan studying for it since he was four years old.

The tests he's studying for may shape the course of his entire life. It's something the other kids won't have to even think about for another year or two, but for Jou it's coming up fast.

In the dub:

Joe: STOOOOOOOP!!! I want to hear Izzy's theory! Don't start until I get there! I love Izzy's theories! Hold on! Tai: Alright! We won't start without you!

Aww, that's sweet.

Izzy goes on to explain his theory - while also getting confused on... basically everything about what we're trying to do here.

Izzy: We've already concluded that when the Digimon attacked four years ago, all of us including the Eighth Child were there. It is also safe to assume that each of us were given Digivices for a reason. Last night, I picked up an unidentified Digivice reading. I think it was the Eighth Child. Obviously, I lost the signal, but it's clear that the Eighth Child was in this vicinity. That's why the monsters are here too. Mimi: Monsters? Worse than snakes! (holding phone book) And this is supposed to help us? I'm lost. Izzy: My conclusion is that the Eighth Child is somewhere in one of these address books. Somehow we have to make a lot of calls and patrol the city for monster attacks at the same time. Joe: Well, I guess I could do some calling, as long as my folks don't find out. But I really gotta do some serious studying, so I won't be able to go on the search with you. Tai: What!? Joe, it's summer! Joe: I'm getting an early start! This year I'm really going to be prepared.

Yeah, this plot point for Joe was turbo-fucked from the get-go. It was going to be difficult to explain why Joe needs to spend all summer cramming for junior high without spending this whole scene explaining the Japanese education system to the American kids at home.

It was gonna be either this or sending Joe to summer school because he failed out of 6th grade. That he ends up looking like a useless flake is the price you pay for culture shock.

The bigger problem is Izzy, who is once again using smart words to be incredibly wrong about the plot. First off, the monsters aren't here. They haven't come to Odaiba at all. The Eighth Child is here because he's so wrong that he wrapped around to being right again. But the monster he encountered was in Shibaura, across the Rainbow Bridge.

Which, second off, is where we're going back to so we can find the Eighth Child. Patrolling the city for monster attacks, Izzy? The monsters aren't attacking random--

...

The monsters except Mammothmon aren't attacking randomly. They're trying to find what we're trying to find, and that's why we keep getting in punch-ups with them.

We do not have the manpower to be running all around Tokyo like Spider-Man looking for rogue Digimon. Nor would that help us find the Eighth Child. There was a plan here. A bad plan, because the Eighth Child is in Odaiba, but a sensible one.

In the wake of Jou bowing out of this mission, Mimi has an idea.

She deposits her phone book in his hands before he even knows what's going on.

Mimi: Then make my phone calls for me, okay? There's my address book from Wakaba Preschool. Jou: Huh!? Yamato: That's a good idea. (places his book on top of Mimi's) Here's mine from Dai-yon Elementary School. I'm counting on you. Koushiro: (places his book on top of Yamato's) It might be good if one of us focuses on making the calls. Sora: He has a point. (places her book on top off Koushiro's) Thank you, Senpai! (Taichi approaches Jou) Jou: N-No, not you too, Taichi! Taichi: Relax. I'm not gonna push my workload on you. Jou: T_T Aww, you're the best guy ever! Taichi: Ehehe.... You don't need to go that far. Sora: (to Koushiro) He couldn't find his phone book, could he? Koushiro: How did you ever guess?

To be fair, it would have been the same as Sora's anyway. So if you think about it, Jou's already doing Taichi's.

There's only one change in the dub: Matt is super aggressive about his line.

Matt: Joe, we're talking about the fate of the world here! If you're going to chicken out then you can call all the names in my book too! Seeya!

I want to say Matt's being his usual English Jerkass Matt but given that Jou's entrance exams have changed to Joe wanting to study for no particular reason, Matt's got the right of it. I'd be pissed too.

The kids take the train across the Rainbow Bridge, giving them a good look at the wreckage in Shibaura.

Taichi: So that mess is from your fight last night.... Yamato: It looks like a disaster zone. Takeru: The Eighth Child is somewhere around there.

However, they're not the only ones closing in on Shibaura. Vamdemon's boat has reached Tokyo Bay. Inside, PicoDevimon is steering it.

PicoDevimon: If I remember right, this is where the Eighth Child was last night.

Both factions race to Shibaura, on a collision course as they seek something that isn't there to find.

The dub lightens up the kids' exchange, taking out the somber tones of the original.

Tai: Whoa, look at all that damage from last night's battle! Matt: And there'll be a lot more too if this goes on. T.K.: We've gotta hurry up and find that Eighth Child! Matt: We will! We're not called the DigiDestined for nothing!

For the dub, this is a hoorah moment of rallying the team for action, rather than a somber moment of reflection on the carnage Kabuterimon and Raremon unleashed upon Shibaura.

Meanwhile, DemiDevimon makes me want to throw things.

DemiDevimon: Master, are we almost there yet!? 'Cause all this water's making me queasy!

Who the fuck are you talking to? He's in the carriage right now. Also, YOU are the one who knows where we're going! He's trusting you to get us there! Oh my god, DemiDevimon.

As the boat passes under the Rainbow Bridge and moves northeast, the fog follows it, blanketing the area in its wake.

See that building with the big spherical structure? That's the Fuji Broadcasting Center in Odaiba. We're going to see quite a bit of it.

Inside, two men gaze out the window at the mysterious weather phenomenon.

Man 1: Look outside. It's foggy. Man 2: I've never seen fog this thick before. I heard there was even snow falling in Tama. What is causing these strange phenomena?

Holy shit, Tama! There was snow in Tama! That must be where their camp was!

...is what you might be thinking, but no. The real-life route they took to return from camp doesn't go anywhere near Tama. It's in the wrong direction from Tokyo entirely.

In the dub, DemiDevimon delivers a silence-breaker as the boat passes under the Rainbow Bridge.

DemiDevimon: Those DigiDestined brats are probably miles away by now!

This is a continuation of his whining, but there's no reason for him to say this. It's a joke, with the irony being that the kids' train is passing over the Rainbow Bridge at the same time his boat is passing under it. But it falls flat because. Like. Why is he saying this joke?

Man 1: Hey look, that fog's coming in again. I've never seen anything like it! Man 2: At the same time, we're having the hottest weather on record! Man 1: And I heard that somebody saw snow falling last night. The ozone layer must be messed up worse than we thought.

The dub also misunderstands where the fog is coming from. Vamdemon and/or his carriage is producing it. It followed him from Nerima through Itabashi and now it's arrived with him at Shibaura.

All of the weather phenomena are being created by those weird Digimon that seem halfway in and out of reality. There's Meramon creating the droughts and Yukidarumon creating the snowfalls. Vamdemon and/or his carriage is producing this fog.

So. No. The fog is not coming in "again". This is the first time it's visited Shibaura.

Good catch on it being hot, though. They changed Mimi's line earlier where she sets up that it's a blazing hot day, so adding that in here lets them compensate for that and still foreshadow the plot-important heat wave.

Vamdemon's carriage departs the boat and moves into Daiba Park. A void in the shape of a grave appears beneath it, and the carriage descends into a dark abyss. There, waiting in silhouette, are Tailmon and her forces.

Let's take a moment to appreciate his choice of venue. Daiba Park is a man-made island named for the daiba for which Odaiba takes its name.

The daiba were gun batteries created in the 19th century to repel invasions by sea. It's a beautiful park now, but Vamdemon's squatting in what is effectively a historic military fort.

Tailmon: We've awaited your arrival! Crowd: Vamdemon-sama!

Tailmon sounds very enthusiastic when she shouts "Vamdemon-sama" but the rest of the crowd is murmuring it with zero energy. That's fair. They're here for the paycheck, not to join a cult.

Vamdemon: (stepping out of the carriage) This is a good place. We will make this our new headquarters.

From there, Tailmon ascends back up to the grassy field. She starts walking, but PicoDevimon calls after her.

PicoDevimon: Where are you off to, Tailmon? Tailmon: Our mission is to search for the Eighth Child. PicoDevimon: Trying to take the credit, huh? That's just like you! Tailmon: (feigning innocence) What? PicoDevimon: It's true, isn't it? I'm the one who found the Eighth Child first. Tailmon: Hmph! Do you really expect the Eighth Child to stick around in one spot? PicoDevimon: If that's what you think, then I'm sure you won't have a problem searching over there instead! Good luck finding them, if you can!

PicoDevimon flies off to get started on his search. As he departs, Tailmon's face contorts into a furious snarl. She was, in fact, trying to steal the credit from him.

Since he caught her red-handed, she gets stuck with the shit work. The "over there" he's referring to is this side of the bridge. He's sending Tailmon to go wander uselessly around Odaiba while he gets to go find the Eighth Child in Shibaura.

There is an irony at play here.

In the dub, there is no lukewarm team cheering of "Vamdemon-sama".

Gatomon: Welcome, oh great one! All is ready. Myotismon: (stepping out of the carriage) Perfect, Gatomon. As always, you have done excellent work. (Gatomon heads up topside) DemiDevimon: Hey whiskers, what do you think you're doing? Gatomon: I don't think. I know why I'm here; I'm finding the Eighth Child. DemiDevimon: That's my job, Furball! I'm in charge here. Gatomon: Yeah, right! DemiDevimon: Listen up, Puss in Boots! Quit sucking up to the Master! "I'm the Master's cute little pet!" GAG ME WITH A FURBALL!!! Gatomon: It's really hard to feel threatened by a bowling ball with feathers. DemiDevimon: Blah blah blah blah. Just keep out of my way! I'm finding that kid, not you, got it! Take a cat nap, kitty litter! HAHA!!! Gatomon: (scowl; thinking) That flappy-winged joker couldn't find water if he fell out of a boat.

Once again, the plot is just... not here in this version of the scene. The plot-specific rivalry of Tailmon trying to steal PicoDevimon's thunder and then accidentally talking herself out of it is gone, replaced by Gatomon and DemiDevimon generically bickering for six lines over who sucks more.

While PicoDevimon and Tailmon split up to scour Shibaura, the Chosen Children do the same.

Koushiro: Does everyone know which areas they'll be covering? Yamato: Yeah. Taichi: Don't worry! Sora: Let's get started!

Going their separate ways, they set out to do the same thing Tailmon's mercenaries are doing: Finding places where kids would be and holding up their Digivice to see if they get any readings.

Taichi and Koushiro buddy up for one team. Exploring the district, they momentarily pass a restaurant.

Agumon: Taichi-- Taichi: No!

They find some kids to scan, but get nothing.

Yamato and Takeru partner up because of course they do. They head down to the harbor.

Takeru: (checking Digivice) They can't be around here. Yamato: Yeah....

Jou starts making phone calls, as agreed.

Jou: Hello? This is Kido. I used to be in your class in second grade....

While Mimi and Sora explore the residential areas, pushing Palmon and Piyomon together in Mimi's baby carriage. It's only big enough for one of them, unfortunately, and the space is causing some hostility.

Palmon: You're smothering me! Why don't you go fly instead, Piyomon? Piyomon: Palmon, you've gotten fatter! Palmon: That's rude! Sora: Don't fight, you two. Babies don't act like this. Mimi: Could the Eighth Child really be around here? Also, it's really hot....

This isn't going well for anybody.

In the dub, it's Tai making the plan as usual rather than Izzy.

Tai: Okay, so we'll split up into pairs so we can cover more of the city, got it? Matt: Got it. Izzy: Let's go! Sora: Good luck everybody!

Fittingly, Koushiro's plan designated each team to a particular place but Tai's plan is just "Split up and go looking."

Agumon: I see food! Tai: Agumon, keep your mind on our mission, okay? (Tai and Izzy scan some kids and get nothing. Meanwhile, down at the harbor) T.K.: Aww, doesn't look like he's down here. That would have been too easy anyway. Matt: Yeah right. (Joe makes some calls) Joe: Hi, I know this is kind of strange but I was in second grade with you.... (Mimi and Sora deal with pushy Digimon Partners) Palmon: Hey! Stop pushing! Biyomon: I am not pushing you! You're kicking me! Palmon: You pushed the line onto my side, you big cheater! Biyomon: I am not a cheater, you're a liar! Palmon: I'm telling! Sora: Knock it off! If you two keep fooling around, someone's going to get hurt. Mimi: I know how they feel. Just walking around in this heat's enough to make anybody cranky. You know what this is, Sora? A big fat drag!

It's pretty much all the same, but longer. Palmon and Biyomon's fight once again demonstrates that Americans are the masters of writing characters behaving like assholes.

Also, we have immediately abandoned the dub's plot. Remember, according to Izzy, we're not looking for the Eighth Child; We're patrolling for monster attacks. That stopped being a thing almost immediately after it was spoken and now we're back on script with the Eighth Child search.

While the kids are out searching, Tailmon is doing the same.

Alright, let's break out the map again. Green circle is Shibaura, where PicoDevimon and the Chosen Children are all hunting the Eighth Child. The black circle is Daiba Park, Vamdemon's base of operations. Tailmon begins her search at Odaiba Beach, which stretches from Daiba Park around to Odaiba Seaside Park; That's the blue circle.

The red map marker below the blue circle is the Fuji Broadcasting Center, in case you're curious where that was.

Fun fact: If you look close enough next to it, you might also see a blue marker labeled "Statue of Liberty". That's exactly what it sounds like. There's like four copies of the Statue of Liberty in Tokyo. That other marker on the other side of the Fuji building is a life-size Gundam statue. Tokyo is just. Like that.

So, we find Tailmon on Odaiba Beach watching the humans have summertime fun.

Tailmon: How peaceful. There's not a chance the Eighth Child is among them.

She departs the beach and moves deeper into the district, entering Odaiba Seaside Park.

At that moment, Hikari too is in Odaiba Seaside Park, searching for her cat. We briefly see Meeko run past before Hikari enters the frame.

Hikari: Meeko! Where are you? Meeko! Where could she be....

Hikari and Tailmon briefly pass one another. Then Hikari stops, looking Tailmon over and studying her more carefully. Tailmon, too, stops to look back at Hikari.

Hikari: Are you one of Agumon's friends? Tailmon: !!! Hikari: You are, aren't you? Tailmon: ...meow! Mrooowr! Hikari: What's your name? Tailmon: Mrowrowr! (runs away) Hikari: Huh? Wait!

Tailmon's rejection leaves Hikari sad, but she doesn't give chase. She's here to look for Meeko, after all. She turns and walks away.

Tailmon V.O.: That girl! How does she know about Agumon!? Could she be the Eighth Child!?

Yeah, that's probably bad. PicoDevimon should have let Tailmon search Shibaura with him.

Over in the dub, Gatomon takes offense at all the fun being had on Odaiba Beach.

Gatomon: What silly creatures! Pea-brained dolts! Laugh it up! When Myotismon is through, you won't be laughing!

Okay? They're windsurfing, Gatomon. Chill out. Unlike the Gatomon and DemiDevimon argument, this doesn't replace much in terms of plot cohesion, but it is another bit of dialogue erased in favor of having the bad guys just spout Bad Guy Speak.

Kari: Meeko! Come back here! Where'd you go? Meeko! (Kari passes Gatomon) Kari: What a funny looking kitty. (stares, slowly realizing) ...hi there. Are you a friend of Agumon? Gatomon: !!! Kari: (cheerfully) Are you one of them? Gatomon: Meow! Meow! Kari: What's your name? Gatomon: Meow! Meow! (runs away) Kari: Wait, don't go! Mm... (isadly walks away) Gatomon (V.O.): So, she knows about Agumon. Hmm... Is it possible this little squirt is the Eighth Child?

It's mostly the same, with one key tonal difference in Gatomon's last line. Tailmon was freaking the fuck out when she realized she might have found the Eighth Child, while Gatomon is calm and contemplative.

Her Cosplay Crest doesn't react, but that's because it reacts to her Digivice as established last episode. She doesn't have that on her.

Once Hikari leaves, Tailmon chases after her in secret. Stalking Hikari all the way home.

Once Hikari gets to the front door, she turns towards Tailmon who's creeping around the corner. Tailmon panics and hides, but she's obviously been seen.

Hikari: Come here! Tailmon: MROOOOOWR!!! (bounds around the corner) Hikari: My mom's out. I'll leave the door open.

Nat 1 on her Stranger Danger check right there.

True to her word, she leaves the door wide open for Tailmon and goes to watch TV. The news is now talking about the mysterious fog that's rolled in over Tokyo Bay.

Reporter: The extreme humidity in the Tokyo Bay area of Odaiba is rare, even for summer. The cause behind it is unknown.

While she's watching, Tailmon creeps into the Yagami home. Studying Hikari carefully, like an actual cat.

No change to Kari's line in the dub, though the news report is a little different.

Reporter: Weather experts can't explain the unseasonable fog. In fact, they have no explanation for any of the bizarre weather conditions we've been having, including this heat wave.

They add in a reminder about the steadily rising temperatures going on in the background of this episode. Though they also seem to think fog can't form in the summer, which isn't so. Summertime fog isn't uncommon in a humid climate like Japan.

You'd think "weather experts" would know how advection fog forms on the Pacific coast. This isn't even a culture thing; The coastal U.S. gets it too, particularly California.

We return to Sora and Mimi, still searching Shibaura while pushing their Partner Digimon in a stroller. Mimi has questions.

Mimi: Why do we still have to do this even though we just got home? Let's take a little break, Sora-san. Sora: Again? Okay, but make it quick.

The girls all sit down at a bench in the shade. Sora, however, still has her eye on the ball, checking a map of the surrounding area and marking it with a red pen.

Mimi: Ahhh. I slept in a soft bed last night with the A/C on. That's when it really sank in: Home is the best. Palmon: The food was great too! Mimi: Yeah! My mom's cooking has never tasted so good. Piyomon: The food at Sora's house was amazing. Sora's mom seems really kind, too. Right, Sora? Sora: (looking up from her map with a smile) You think so? Thank you. Now, back to work.

Sora marks up the map with X's.

Sora: Let's see... hm.... Mimi: She's working so hard (ganbaru). Isn't she hot? Palmon: You two have different levels of endurance. Mimi: ...I'd rather be a delicate girl. Oh! Sora-san! Let's try a place with huge crowds of people! Sora: Huge crowds of people? Mimi: Yes! Over there!

Mimi points to the Tokyo Tower, circled in blue on the map. We're about two miles out from Shibaura right now, albeit two miles of whatever city-combing manhunt pattern we've been making. We're resting in that park right by the tower.

Tokyo Tower is a major landmark for the city. Inspired by the Eiffel Tower - Again, Tokyo is just like that - Tokyo Tower serves two purposes. Its lofty height makes for a fun recreational place to visit, giving people a gorgeous view of the city from its two observation decks. Additionally, the tower has transmitters for broadcasting various network signals, such as those from Fuji TV back in Odaiba.

Even in this brutal heat, Sora remains mission-focused on finding the Eighth Child. Ganbaru wa ne. She's persevering and working hard to push through these conditions. Mimi has trouble relating to that.

In the dub, Mimi's upset because pushing the stroller is hard, which takes the nuance out of her position.

Mimi: I'm not meant for this kind of work! If I ever have a baby, I'm gonna hire somebody to push her around, that's for sure. Hold on, how about a break, okay? Sora: Again? Well, make it quick. (They sit on the bench) Mimi: Ahhhh! Last night, I got to sleep in a soft bed with the A/C cranked up watching my own TV; Wasn't that the best, Palmon? Palmon: Dinner was really something too! Mimi: Wasn't it great? My mom knows all the best takeout places in the city; She never has to cook! Biyomon: Sora's mom made our dinner and it was terrific! Well, all of it except for this kinda green mushy stuff. What's it called? Sora: (looking up from her map with a smile) What? Spinach. Now let's see, where was I...? (Sora resumes marking the map) Sora: Hmm.... Mimi: Would you look at that. She's not even tired. Palmon: You're different. You like to take things easy. Mimi: Finding this kid's harder than finding a good sale. (gasp) Hey Sora, if we really want to find this kid, we should go where lots of people gather. Sora: You thinking of any place in particular? Mimi: Yep! Right there! (points out Tokyo Tower) Besides, we can see the whole city from up there. Really get the lay of the land, you know?

Besides Mimi complaining about pushing the stroller, there are a few other differences. Mimi's mom no longer has fine cooking but instead fine takeout skills; This is presumably to mesh with the dub's characterization of Mimi as coming from extravagant wealth. Though if she's rich enough to shit-talk Cockatrimon's cruise ship, you'd think their family would have a private chef or something instead of ordering takeout.

A subtle difference, but the original exchange with Palmon was about Mimi having low physical stamina; By her admission, she wants to remain that way. She likes being soft and delicate, and doesn't aspire to be a hard, rugged tomboy like Soccer Striker Sora.

This goes along with that other comment the dub didn't bring over, about "Why do we still have to do this?" It's unfair that they finally got to go home but still have to be Digimon World child soldiers.

The dub's version of this has Palmon call Mimi a slacker. Mimi then quips instead of responding to the accusation.

The girls head to Tokyo Tower. Unfortunately, someone else has his eye on this same spot.

One of Tailmon's mercenaries approaches the tower, looking up at it. Then he notices Sora and Mimi entering the building.

The girls take the elevator up to the observation deck, stepping into the refreshing coolness of an indoor environment.

Mimi: Ahhhh, it feels so good! It's great to be in a place with air conditioning! Palmon: I'm coming back to life! Sora: Yeah, I thought as much.

Sora saw right through Mimi's plan, but went along with it anyway. You know, as someone who had to spend weeks without functioning A/C in the midst of a heat wave, I sympathize with Mimi. This is an ironic episode to do right after getting the A/C fixed.

The girls approach the observation window to gaze out at the city.

Piyomon: Sora, that's where your house is, right? Sora: That's right. This is the world we live in.

In the dub, Sora's a bit slower on the uptake.

Mimi: Ahhhh, there! Isn't that better? Nice and cool. I knew this place would have A/C. Palmon: Feels great! Sora: Should have guessed you had an ulterior motive. (The girls go to the window) Mimi: Isn't your house over there? Sora: Yeah. It sure is strange being back in our own world again.

I'm not sure why Mimi knows where Sora lives and can point it out. I do, however, like Sora pointing out that it's as much an adjustment coming home as it was going to the other world. They spent months adapting to life in the Digimon World and now they have to re-adapt to what was once normal.

Or, at least, she does. Everybody handles things differently. By her admission earlier, Mimi has no adapting to do at all. To her, this was a bad disruption to normality that finally ended. I love this implied commentary on their character dichotomy, that Sora got used to the Digimon wilds but Mimi never stopped longing for home.

Then someone else arrives on the observation deck.

Tailmon's mercenary steps out of the elevator, and instantly the room stops being so relieving.

Palmon: Mimi, does it feel a little hotter in here to you? Mimi: Yeah, I guess the air conditioning isn't very strong over here.

The girls move over to directly beneath the A/C vent to escape the sudden pervasive heat.

Palmon: Ahh, a cool breeze. Piyomon: Feels great!

But then the A/C shuts off.

Mimi: (pout) It's getting warmer.... Sora: Maybe the air conditioner broke-- Mimi: (turns her head and notices Tailmon's mercenary) EUGH!? HOW IS HE ABLE TO WEAR A FULL-LENGTH COAT IN THIS SUMMER HEAT!?!? I'm getting hotter just looking at him! Sora: Mimi-chan, he'll hear you! Mimi: It's true though.

Ironically, Mimi is absolutely correct to blame that trench coat man for making her feel hotter, but not for the reason she thinks.

In the dub:

Palmon: Does it feel like it's getting warmer? Mimi: Yeah, it does. Let's move over closer to the blowers, ahaha!

For some reason, they play the A/C shutting down noise on the first shot of the vent, while it's still blowing, instead of the second shot where it shuts down.

(A/C blows fine but makes shutdown noise) Palmon: There, that's more like it. Biyomon: Wonderful! (A/C shuts down silently) Mimi: (pout) What happened to the air? Sora: Hm, maybe this heat wave finally got to be too much for it. Mimi: (turns her head and notices Gatomon's mercenary) EUGH!! Look at that weirdo wearing a coat in this heat! And such an ugly one too! Sora: Hey, Mimi, be quiet! He'll hear you! Mimi: Oh, and what's he gonna do?

Mimi is dripping with personality in this scene. Both versions go hard on their particular Mimi takes.

The man in the trench coat turns around suddenly, facing the girls.

Sora: See, he heard you!

To everybody's surprise, he flames up. Blue flames cover his body, burning away his trench coat and revealing his true identity. Blast! It was another Ninja Turtle trench coat disguise all along! With an actual trench coat!

Sora and Mimi scream when they realize he's here for a fight.

Sora & Mimi: AHHHHHHHH!!! Palmon & Piyomon: A DIGIMON!!!

In full view of the rest of the crowd on the observation deck, Palmon and Piyomon leap from the stroller to face down Tailmon's mercenary.

No change in the dub. But after the mercenary burns off his coat, Mimi helpfully comments:

Mimi: Well, I guess that explains the coat!

XD It sure does, Mimi. It sure does.

Now that the mercenary is raring to fight, the heat turns up so high that Taichi and Koushiro can see it from a distance.

Agumon: I think it just got hotter all of a sudden. Tentomon: I can't believe it.... Koushiro: Tokyo Tower looks like it's bending. Taichi: That's impossible.

The heat around Tokyo Tower is now so thick it's distorting the air.

Taichi: It's true!

He takes out his mini telescope to get a closer look at the tower. Giving him a chance to see Birdramon explode out of the window with Tailmon's mercenary leaping out to pursue her.

Taichi: IT'S A DIGIMON!!!

No change in the dub.

Birdramon kicks off the fighting with an inadvisable Meteor Wing. Her flames strike the mercenary, swirling harmlessly around him. Togemon steps up with Chiku-Chiku Bang-Bang. The mercenary counters, slapping her needles out of the air with his flaming chain and cracking her across the face and knocking her on her ass.

Kabuterimon flies in overheard, ferrying Taichi, Koushiro, and Agumon to the fight. Koushiro pulls up their opponent's information on the Digimon Analyzer.

Koushiro: That's DeathMeramon! He's Perfect-stage!

DeathMeramon is a Perfect-stage Data-type Flame Digimon. Hailing from, you guessed it, the Nightmare Soldiers release, DeathMeramon is the evolved form of Meramon.

Narrator: DeathMeramon. A Perfect-stage Digimon whose body is enveloped in blue flames. His special attack is Heavy Metal Fire.

Not the most informative of rundowns, to be sure.

In the dub, despite having the Digimon Analyzer open, Izzy asks Agumon of all people to deliver the rundown.

Izzy: Explain this to us, Agumon. Just who is this guy? Agumon: He's SkullMeramon. His element is Fire. He's tough and he can sure dish it out!

His element is Fire? What, do we have to keep track of a Pokemon Type Chart now?

Note: I'm just poking fun. Some Digimon video games do in fact have a Pokemon Type Chart, in addition to the Vaccine/Virus/Data triangle. But that hasn't been a thing in the anime up to this point.

DeathMeramon's name was apparently too intense for the censors, despite the fact that we have had usages of "kill" and "die" in the show before. So they swapped it out for SkullMeramon, which is still pretty edgy. But. Like. He has a Jason Voorhees mask; Where does the skull come in?

In any case, I don't know why we're turning to Agumon for this. The Analyzer was added to the show so we could stop leaning on the Digimon for explanations, since they aren't supposed to know much about Digimon from outside of File Island.

As soon as the narrator finishes explaining Heavy Metal Fire, DeathMeramon shows us exactly what that is.

Of note: That's not fire he's breathing. He's spewing liquid metal. It's heavy, it's metal, and it's fire. Kabuterimon evades, but his shot of Heavy Metal Fire lands on a support beam for Tokyo Tower. The glob of burning blue liquid comes to rest on the beam, melting straight through it.

The tower above containing the second observation deck begins to fall. There are probably people in there.

Koushiro: It's falling! Kabuterimon, hold it up!

Kabuterimon's forced to withdraw from the fight so he can hold up the tower and prevent it from falling on the city below. Which he manages successfully. Holy hell, the force of those gossamer wings.

DeathMeramon: I'll burn you all to the ground! Taichi: We won't-- Agumon: --let that happen!

Agumon leaps from Kabuterimon's back, evolving to Greymon to join the fight.

The dub calls SkullMeramon's attack "Metal Fireball".

Tai: The tower's gonna fall on the city! Izzy: Grab it, Kabuterimon! Hurry! (Kabuterimon holds back the tower) SkullMeramon: Don't you know not to play with fire!? Tai: Are you ready!? Agumon: Yeah!

They add a line so that Tai can be involved in the tower support.

The combat banter is all different, but in a way that isn't better or worse than the original. Lateral change.

Taichi and Greymon barrel into the fray and immediately make everything worse.

Greymon lands on DeathMeramon, divekicking him in the chest. When DeathMeramon shrugs that off, Greymon follows up with a Mega Flame. DeathMeramon absorbs the attack and grows twice as large as before, much like Meramon did way back when.

Taichi: He got bigger after absorbing the Mega Flame! Koushiro: He's Perfect-stage. An Adult-stage like Greymon is no match for him.

In the dub:

Tai: Now we've really made him mad! He swallowed that Nova Blast like a hot fudge sundae! Izzy: All it did was make him stronger! Unless Greymon Digivolves again, he's toast!

Is Izzy implying that we need to Super-Evolve because of the buff? Because we don't. We needed to Super-Evolve from the beginning, and the buff only made things worse.

The dub hilariously picks here for Hey Digimon. A point in the fight in which Greymon achieves nothing and gets dunked on. They make the weirdest choices in how they use that ditty.

Errors have been made. Avoidable errors if Taichi wasn't so reckless and had paid attention when Koushiro talked. Greymon Super-Evolves to MetalGreymon and continues to struggle against the now buffed up DeathMeramon.

MetalGreymon and DeathMeramon throw themselves into a grapple. But in his buffed up state, DeathMeramon's strength wins out, forcing MetalGreymon to his knees.

Birdramon and Togemon return to the fight. Birdramon strafes by DeathMeramon, pulling his attention while Togemon rushes him from behind. Unfortunately, he's on fire, so this backfires in hideous and predictable ways.

Togemon: (charging in) TOGEMOOOOOOOOOON!!! (DeathMeramon moves slightly backwards and strikes her with his back, engulfing her in his flames; Togemon runs screaming) Mimi: Togemon! Get a hold of yourself!

Even Mimi's yelling at them for how bad that plan was. Maybe we should have a Pokemon Type Chart to drill into everyone's' skulls. Everybody is fucking up today.

Sadly, Dub Togemon does not scream her own name as a battle cry moments before being hilariously shitstomped.

Togemon: Lightspeed Jabbing! (SkullMeramon moves slightly backwards and strikes her with his back, engulfing her in his flames; Togemon runs screaming) Mimi: Watch out! This guy is scary!

It's not nearly as funny.

While Togemon KO's her own goddamn self, DeathMeramon lands a direct hit of Heavy Metal Fire on Birdramon's center mass, knocking her from the sky.

The distraction, however, buys MetalGreymon the time he needs to get up into the air and out of close combat. By. Uh. Flying? I guess he can fly with those tattered wings of his.

MetalGreymon fires his Trident Arm at DeathMeramon. DeathMeramon jerks aside and wraps his chain around it as it passes, so that when it retracts, he now has a grapple around MetalGreymon.

DeathMeramon: I've caught you! HEAVY METAL FIRE!!!

MetalGreymon twists sideways in the air to dodge the attack.

MetalGreymon: Who caught who now? DeathMeramon: What?

MetalGreymon spins in the air, using the leverage from the chain to yank DeathMeramon off the roof of the observation deck and hurl him up into the air. There, he lets off his Giga Blaster, obliterating DeathMeramon with two direct hits.

The dub adds a taunt to MetalGreymon's attack.

MetalGreymon: Hey! Up here, bucket of bolts! MEGA CLAW!!!

Uh. Pot, meet kettle? DeathMeramon isn't even a cyborg. He just has a spooky face.

No other change in the dub.

While all this fighting is happening at Tokyo Tower, something else is going down in the Yagami home.

Hikari is still watching the news, with Tailmon lurking around the corner of the couch.

Reporter: According to eyewitness reports, kaiju have been spotted fighting with each other. Tailmon: (thinking, kinda freaking out) She is definitely not an ordinary child! I should kill her now! Reporter: Speculation has arisen that this may be connected to the kaiju uproar that occurred yesterday.

Tailmon hops up onto the back of the couch and creeps up on Hikari. She raises her sharp, gloved claw to strike.

Hikari: (turns around and holds out her hands) Come here.

Tailmon is so startled that she loses her balance and falls off the back of the couch.

Losing all of her nerve, she turns around and heads for the door.

Hikari: You're leaving? But you'll come back, right?

Tailmon breaks into a four-legged sprint to get out of there as fast as possible.

Tailmon: I can't act when I have no proof that she's the Eighth Child! Narrator: At this time, Tailmon had yet to realize that this girl, Yagami Hikari, would soon hold special meaning for her.

Spoilers, narrator. Fuck. Why are you like this?

In the dub:

Reporter: While the clash of the monsters caused extensive damage to the tower, no casualties were reported. Gatomon: (thinking) She isn't so bad, for a human. Better company than some Digimon, that's for sure. Reporter: But fear is in the air and there's a general feeling of public unrest. (Gatomon climbs up on the couch and stealthily approaches Kari, holding out her claw to strike) Gatomon: (thinking) Still, orders are orders and I'm not gonna be the one who lets the Eighth Child get away. Kari: (turns around) Hi! Gatomon: HUH!?!? Uhhhhhhhhhhh.... Kari: (holds out hands) C'mere! (Gatomon falls off the back of the couch, then gets up and starts to leave) Kari: Are you going already? But you'll come back again, right? (Gatomon flees at the speed of panic) Gatomon: Her sweetness makes me lose my edge. But I'll be back and next time, I'll be ready for her! Reporter (V.O.): While no one knows where these monsters are from or why they're here, it's clear the Earth is at some sort of crossroads. The question is, down which road does our destiny await?

Credit where it's due, the use of the reporter to stand in for the narrator and deliver some genuinely ominous parting comments? Inspired. I love it.

Gatomon remains cool and composed compared to Tailmon's panic attack, but it remains clear that Kari is a chink in her malevolent armor. I like Tailmon's more emotional performance better, but as I said about Mimi in the observation deck, both of these scenes make great use of their respective interpretations of the character.

The episode ends here and I have absolutely no idea how we're going to repair Tokyo Tower. I bet it stops being a problem between episodes. That seems likely.

Assessment: Taichi again shows up to steal Mimi's thunder because we're holding off on letting Palmon hit Perfect. I thought this was the episode. Tragic.

It felt like they were going somewhere when Mimi and Palmon were comparing her relationship with her femininity to Sora's. Like this was going to be Sora and Mimi's episode to explore their differences. But then they fucked off once the fighting started so Taichi could be the rockstar.

That's disappointing. Nothing happening from a plot perspective is the point; Everyone's searching the wrong area. Given that, it's good to have an episode where nothing can happen. The funniest thing in the episode is when PicoDevimon punishes Tailmon for trying to get a head start on him by banishing her to where the Eighth Child actually is.

But it also feels like nothing happened from a character perspective, which is more damning. Sora and Mimi had a chance to have an interesting side adventure and learn about each other. But they didn't. They got hot and then went up Tokyo Tower. That is all they got to do.

So this one kinda sucks? It's pretty good while the story is moving all the characters into Shibaura, but the back half of the episode comes off like filler to give Hikari and Tailmon's plot time to transpire.

And the dub isn't any better. It screws up multiple times at explaining the plot as we're getting the characters into Shibaura.

I understand that they weren't going to be able to explain the geographic elements of this episode but they could at least have compensated. Yeah, kids won't know which side of the Rainbow Bridge is which, but they've said the kids are in Odaiba in the past. DemiDevimon could say something like, "Shibaura is mine! You can go search Odaiba."

But they didn't bother. This one isn't great in either version.

[indestructibleheart]

Fic Writer Interview

Thank you to @stereopticons, @hgejfmw-hgejhsf and @vanillahigh00 for the tags!

1. How many works do you have on AO3?

32

2. What’s your total AO3 word count? 

181,061

3. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

I'll kidnap all the stars and I will keep them in your eyes [buddie + christopher, G, 1k] the story of who I am [david/patrick, T, 3.5k] now your heart is in my hands, I won't give it up [david/patrick, T, 2.3k] feet, don't fail me now [david/patrick, T, 3.9k] Collect Me With Your Steady Hand [david/patrick, T, 5.6k)

4. Do you respond to comments? Why or why not?

I try to! I see comments as a way to engage with the fandom, and it means a LOT to me when people take the time to comment on my fic. So I like to at least say thank you!

5. What’s the fic you’ve written with the angstiest ending?

I have never written something that didn't end happily, LOL.

6. What’s the fic you’ve written with the happiest ending?

Hmm. I don't know if it's the "happiest," but I think the joy at the end of and we'd swear to remember it (all too well) probably has the best payoff because of how things start.

7. Do you write crossovers?

I haven't. I do write AUs based on things, though.

8. Have you ever received hate on a fic?

Eh. I've gotten a lot of backhanded compliments, but not direct hate.

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

I have only written one PWP (’till the gravity’s too much) and it was very recently, but I've included smut in longer fics several times. Apparently, I only know how to write smut with feelings.

10. Have you ever had a fic stolen?

Not that I know of.

11. Have you ever had a fic translated?

No, but I think that would be really fantastic!

12. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

I have! parallax with @stereopticons, lights like you (glow all year long) with @lilythesilly, and with mischief in sight, we're all merry and bright, which was a large group effort!

13. What’s your all-time favorite ship?

I'm assuming this means that I've written, and I absolutely shan't choose between David/Patrick and FirstPrince. You can't make me.

14. What’s a WIP that you want to finish but don’t think you ever will?

I have a small amount of a summer camp AU written for Schitt's Creek (featuring David/Patrick, Twylexis, and Stevie/Ruth), and I totally lost momentum on it because I don't have any idea where it's going. I'd love to finish it because I really like what I have, but... alas. That is not going to happen.

15. What are your writing strengths?

I like my prose, and I have a lot of great ideas.

16. What are your writing weaknesses?

I have too many ideas and have been struggling a lot lately with the follow-through... Though, to be fair, it's been a rough year, lol.

17. What are your thoughts on writing dialogue in other languages in a fic?

English is the only language I speak fluently. So, I'll only include full lines of dialogue in another language if it's a common phrase I'm super familiar with (particularly in Italian or Spanish) AND/OR if I have a friend who can translate. Google is great for single words, usually, but it's terrible when it comes to actually translating phrases in a way people actually fucking talk, lol. If I want to communicate that someone is speaking another language, I'll generally do something like: "Insert phrase of dialogue here," they said, in [insert language here]."

18. What was the first fandom you wrote for?

Oh, god. Uh... I'm pretty sure it was Twilight. We're not gonna talk about it.

19. What’s a fandom/ship you haven’t written for yet but want to?

I definitely want to write some June/Nora and June/Nora/Pez, and just more of the Super Six in general. The lil New Year's thing I'm working on was supposed to just have June/Nora, but it's kinda starting to look like June/Nora/Bea, so. Oops!

20. What’s your favorite fic you’ve written?

I think and we'd swear to remember it (all too well) has my best writing for sure.

Tagging some lovelies under the cut (in alphabetical order lol). If you have not been tagged and you want to be, consider this your tag!

@blackandwhiteandrose, @cha-melodius, @cricketnationrise, @hgejfmw-hgejhsf, @hippolotamus, @inexplicablymine, @jettestar, @kiwiana-writes, @lizzie-bennetdarcy, @lilythesilly, @missgeevious, @myheartalivewrites, @nontoxic-writes, @notspecialbabe, @rmd-writes, @rosedavid, @three-drink-amy, @treluna4, @vanillahigh00, @welcometololaland, @orchidscript, @ships-to-sail

[fuzzydreamin]

What The Companions Say About... Synths! (gen 1-2)

I'm posting these just because I find the companions in-game reactions to things rather interesting. You might be surprised by what some of them have to say about certain things.

These are just their dialogues for during combat and after combat or walking through areas inhabited by this enemy type. It does not include anything from specific areas, quests, or other dialogue.

⌨ Ada

⌨: The technology these synths utilise is quite sophisticated. ⌨: Advanced CPUs, streamlined power systems… why didn't you build me like this? ⌨: Advanced CPUs, streamlined power systems… I often wish their hardware was compatible with my own. ⌨: Now I know what it feels like to be obsolete. ⌨: {Neutral} Synths have a way of making me feel obsolete. ⌨: I'm detecting high levels of jealousy and envy… oh, wait… that's me. ⌨: It's a shame you can't fit one or two of their limbs onto my chassis. It would make a wonderful upgrade. ⌨: {pause for effect between lines} Synths truly inspire me to be a better robot. Did that sound strange?

☘ Cait

☘: I'm gonna rip out your goddamn battery! ☘: Synths! Take 'em out!

☘: Synths are nothing but Institute lackies in sheep's clothin'. ☘: Careful, synths are bristlin' with Institute tech. No tellin' what they might have up their sleeve. ☘: Spare robot parts are worth their weight in gold. I'm just sayin'. ☘: Wonders of science, eh? Slag the same as robots if you ask me. ☘: Mindless lunatics. Where's the off switch?

⚙ Codsworth

⚙: Synths!

⚙: {Curious and thoughtful / Thinking} Imagine the good these synths could do if only programmed with the inclination. ⚙: {Nervous} There's something unnerving about synths. You never know if one's going to spring to life. ⚙: {Sympathetic at first, then more defiant, with attitude / Thinking} I almost feel sorry for synths. Institute fodder, really… But try to kill me, and I'm afraid sympathy goes right out the window. ⚙: {Slight disgust / Neutral} The Institute sure is frivolous with their toys. ⚙: {Concerned} Careful not to trip over any loose parts, mum.

⚕ Curie

⚕: RobCo did not make robots such as this. ⚕: The technology to make this. Incredible. ⚕: Is this what is called… a "synth"?

⚕: What a technological marvel these synths are. ⚕: Madame Fowler posited the idea that robotic evolution could surpass that of their creators. The synths prove this quite neatly. ⚕: To talk with the Institute would be a dream. So many marvels they have created. ⚕: Do synths have a psychology? Or are they merely sophisticated machines? ⚕: I dislike the idea of destroying such works of engineering and science.

♞ Danse

♞: Melt them down to slag! ♞: Blow those things to bits! ♞: Institute vermin! ♞: Synths! Destroy them! ♞: Burn them down!

♞: {Muttered to self… you hate the synths.} Abominations, the lot of them. ♞: The Institute must not be allowed to create these freaks any longer. ♞: Synths are nothing but technology run amok. ♞: Free-thinking machines are an insult to our way of life. They need to be destroyed. ♞: I refuse to rest until every one of these nightmares is eliminated.

🕶 Deacon

🕶: Killing these old synths always… Well, if we gotta do it. 🕶: Glory's going to lecture me when I get home. Sorry, pal.

🕶: I understand why Glory hates wasting Gen 1s and 2s. A very fuzzy line. 🕶: I'm alright if we have to take out the Gen 1s and 2s. Barely, but alright. 🕶: Tinker records every place we find the early gen synths. He says it'll reveal the Institute's "Master Plan". Yeah, right. 🕶: More synths. Great. 🕶: EMP works well against synths. Well, the early models.

☠ Gage

☠: I got your "sensor anomaly" right here! ☠: Ain't no way you're replacing me!

☠: God, I hate synths. They ain't robots, they ain't people… the worst of both worlds, wrapped up in one. ☠: Seems to me, if you're worried about someone being a synth, you shoot 'em. Problem solved. ☠: It's not bad enough that the Institute had to go and make robots to do their dirty work. They went one step worse and made 'em look human. Ugh. ☠: Ever feel the tiniest bit hurt that the Institute hasn't tried to replace you with a synth? I mean, c'mon, I'm important… I'm worth replacing. ☠: Their robots may be creepy shit, but Institute tech sure is fun to play with. ☠: All the lights and clicking don't mean shit against a man with a good head on his shoulders.

☣ Hancock

☣: {Neutral} You ever wonder if maybe you're a synth and don't know it? I got a lot of time I can't account for… ☣: {Stern} If the Institute has its way, they'll replace us all with these damn things. ☣: {Amused} Institute gives its lackeys some fun toys. ☣: {Question} These things are the future? So far, not impressed.

☸ Longfellow

☸: {Wary, uneasy} Robots lookin' like people… that don't sit right with me. ☸: {Wary, uneasy} I ain't fond of fightin' any kind of robot, but that goes double for synths. ☸: {Wary, uneasy} You can pull some good salvage off these bots, if you can stomach lookin' at 'em. ☸: {Wary, uneasy} Synths are downright disturbin'. No other way to say it. ☸: {Wary, uneasy} Makin' a machine that looks like a man… if that ain't madness, I don't know what is.

⨁ MacCready

⨁: Institute toasters! ⨁: Synths! Blow 'em back to hell!

⨁: Institute synths carry some valuable tech. Don't leave anything behind. ⨁: Damn synths are worse than rodents. Kill one and two more take its place. ⨁: If the synths know we're here, the whole Institute knows we're here. ⨁: I don't know how these things get around so fast. ⨁: Don't underestimate Institute synths. They're lethal killing machines.

♥ Nick

♥: {Stern} Sorry, friends. Don't start what ya can't finish. ♥: {Stern} Hate to put you down.

♥: {Neutral} Institute treats synths like tools, tossed away without a thought. ♥: {Sombre} Wish we could just make these things see reason. ♥: {Neutral} Goodness. Do I really look as bad as these models? ♥: {Neutral} Never did understand why the hell they programmed us to feel pain.

✉ Piper

✉: {Neutral} Institute scrapheaps. ✉: {Stern} Back to the scrapheap for you.

✉: {Stern} Sure, the Institute made these things killing machines, but they're still killing machines. ✉: {Stern} If the Institute and its synths think we're going down without a fight, they're in for a damn big surprise. ✉: {Neutral} The Institute sure gives its lackeys some serious firepower. ✉: {Neutral} Nick's the only synth I've met that didn't seem to have a screw loose. Wonder if that's why they got rid of him? ✉: {Question} Wonder what the Institute's looking for in a place like this?

☀ Preston

☀: It's the Institute! ☀: Synths! Hit them hard!

☀: Why can't the Institute just leave us alone? ☀: One of these days we're going to have to put a stop to the Institute. ☀: It's uncanny. They're not robots, but not exactly human either. ☀: I wish I knew what the Institute really wanted up here. ☀: Talk about science run amok. ☀: Hmm. Usually aren't so aggressive.

☢ Strong

☢: False men should fear Strong. ☢: Robot try to be humans. Stupid robots. ☢: Why fight false men. Can't eat them. ☢: Institute fighters. Strong will destroy you. ☢: Super mutants smash all false men.

☾ X6-88

☾: Some of the older model synths were built over a century ago. ☾: I should get a team up here to retrieve these units. ☾: {Gen-1 is short for "generation 1"} The gen-1 synths you see out here are usually part of a work crew that got hit by raiders. ☾: The synths won't see us as a threat. Their programming prevents it. ☾: {Disgust} I hate the idea of Institute tech in the hands of surface-dwellers. What a waste.

-----

My Notes:

Ada is jealous of synths for their advanced design. (On a flip side, Nick has tried fitting robot parts on himself - it didn't work.)

"No tellin' what they might have up their sleeve." It's nothing. I wish the synths had more going on than just shooting or beating us with a baton. It is a stun baton, but maybe it would've been cooler if the synths themselves let off an electical charge at close-range.

Much like her feelings on the Brotherhood, Curie really wants to talk with the Institute on an academic level. Unfortunately, just like the Brotherhood, they would only ever see her as a lesser being.

The first time Deacon mentions Glory's dislike of killing early gen synths, the directors note indicates that he disagrees with her. Here he's more on the fence.

Considering Gage's position with the bosses of Nuka World, having influence but not being the boss, he probably would actually be a target for replacement if the Institute haad any interest in that place.

Longfellow is friendly towards the synths of Acadia, but I guess he really doesn't like looking at DiMA. No wonder he stays outside.

Early gen synths, including Nick, feel pain. 🙃

Preston's "Usually aren't so aggressive." line implies that it's possible for people to wander past an area being scavenged by the Institute and not get shot up, so long as they leave it be. Most people probably hightail it anyway, to be safe.

"Some of the older model synths were built over a century ago." implies that early gen's continued to be, and perhaps still are, built well after Nick and DiMA got free, since the two are about a century old themselves.

X6's dialogue implies that early gen synths go of-course when met with hostility, causing them to stop performing their jobs and not return to the Institute on their own, thus needing to be collected manually.

[evanescentdawn]

5, 15, 16, 19!

thanks, lovely. 🥰

5. what fic of your own won’t you read?

“won’t read” is a strong phrase. more like detest to read is more like it. I wouldn’t want to reread like that t7/sasusaku old naruto fic, because god, what was I doing there….lot of inexperienced there, and me just posting the fic into the wild with no real plot or direction and just. posting the next chp despite that NFKFKKFKFKF tho saying this, im getting the urge to reread it….

and I really don’t want to read my current long fic, because it’s so embarrassing and because every time I did read, it makes me wanna rewrite the thing. also there’s typos that make me go hhhhhh

I didn’t think I wanted to read my sasusaku fics I’ve been posting recently, but I’ve surprised myself! turns out I do want to read them. ah. that kaneki&kaneki fic and toukabday fic. I don’t want go back to them because I feel like there’s a lot of mistakes(?). no, mistakes isn’t the right word. but there’ll be a lot of want fo reread.

….okay, surprisingly there’s a lot of my fics that I wouldn’t want to generally reread again, ahaha. but also want to, just to see how I wrote them, y’know.

15. How do you think your writing as improved over time?

YES !!!! a partially improve I’ve definitely noticed is how I write dialogues!!! I was so hopeless at them, before, ahaha. still not the best but yoooo, I can write them AND love to write them. I’ve been tracking my writing closer, and do deff see improvements. but — also, it’s hard to see track the improvements because it’s….different across fandoms. what I might be struggling for particular fandoms and such, I might be excelling in other’s. because lmao, I deff to regress in writing sometimes when writing for some stuff which is funny.

that reminds me. a particular improvement that just came to mind. ACTION SCENES !!! lol, okay, I don’t even think you can call also this an action scene. but like it was action adjacent? anyways, I used to be so terrible at them. couldn’t even. but learned !!! like I just focus & cut on things. I don’t have to write things fully. it’s a big advice I’ve taken one and it’s been extremely helpful. AND YES… HAVE IMPROVED ON MY SMUT…. but that one is always depressing, lmao, because I keep forgetting variations of words I can use. but v good generally, compared to beginning, lmao.

cutting off here before I go into a big ramble, ahaha. but yes !!! I have improved in writing !!

16. Do you re-read old fics? Is there a time in your writing you won’t go back to?

YES I LOVE REREADING OLD FICS……! particularly, fics that have that Taste that is just for me. and just generally really love how I wrote it.

I don’t want to go back to the old naruto era, LMAO. like ffnet. but like, eh, some of the stuff WAS good there. but I like where I am rn, much better…..AH. NO. I know where I exactly I don’t want to go to. last year, March. god. my early orv era was so terrible. I don’t know what it was but I felt like I degressed SO much, there. I really didn’t like any of my orv wips, then. it was so….urgh…..

19. If you could write an ideal fic, what would it include?

I’m a cringe person so obvs….

MY IDEAL FIC IS THROWING DIMENSION TRAVEL+TIME TRAVEL AND THROWING ALL THE VARIATIONS OF THE CHARACTERS IN ONE ROOM AND FORCING THEM TO WATCH THEIR LIFE…

the drama, the general horrification of some how future would play out to them — and…jeez, I was gonna say something but lost that train of thought. and like, I want fights !!! I want complicated feelings !!! I want that distant feeling of being connected with that “future self” because it’s technically not you yet and hehe, the denial…..that you’ll Do that…..and OF COURSE, my ships. and how they’re not at all love yet, and is the weirdness of seeing yourself being so in love with a particular stranger OR EVEN BETTER YET ur enemy.

like god, I want to write it so badly. BUT NOT OF THAT SKILL LEVEL YET AND GOD JUST THE SHEERNESS IT WOULD REQUIRE. which ahaha….I don’t have at all rn……but someday…..! someday……!!! ITS THE DREAM

I know it’s possible because I have started some of my ideal fics that I would never think I would be able to before so HELL YEAH !!!! ITS OBTAINABLE….!!!

[vermanaward]

6.1 stuff. here be spoilers (all content)

msq  - generally good. the new dungeon is neat. love the armour set. tataru’s glam set was a surprise, but a pleasant one. tickled me just how many people i saw running around in it (dyed or otherwise). it’s a nice set; simple, but nicely detailed. my only gripe is there are no pants for some reason?? tataru pls

pleasantly surprised that we’re touching on Void stuff again so soon. disappointed that the void quests from shb had zero mention but them’s the breaks.

i adore the contrast between the cowards of sharlayan and the alchemists of thavnair. sorry but if your response to ‘we built an artificial voidsent’ is not ‘holy shit that’s awesome’ what kind of scholar even are you. (little disappointed that allag’s artificial voidsent saw no mention but i guess those only really show up in like. fates and not story content)

...i should go talk to cylva and unuk (and beq for that matter) again to see if they have any new dialogue. (they won’t, but hope springs eternal)

drk 🤝 rpr 🤝 blm [spending the 6.0 patch cycle looking into the camera like they’re on the office]

my drk-trained-blm wol eyetwitching every time someone refers to the void as ‘the abyss’, like

i like a lot the implications of That Voidsent turning up free from Contract. curious if he or golbez are going to attempt a heel face turn. little sad that the Cloud is seemingly confirmed dead, but until we see a body etc

awful plot twist could be that vrtra’s sibling is the Cloud. or That Avatar. don’t know how probable it is squex would go that route but. dragons are by their nature unsundered, which would give her a huge advantage over other voidsent...

alliance raids - The Monkey Is Up To Something. i initially mistrusted deryk too but it seems to be just good old fashioned social anxiety? idk!

the art style for the ‘twelve’ makes me think a lot of the Four Lords, which makes me wonder if they are ancient auspices or something of that sort.

raid itself is a lot of fun. far more colourful in design and variety than the nier trainwrecks, music slaps, wiping on nald’thal twice because half the alliance (me included) didnt realise you could see the scales was more funny than it has any right to be. armour is gorgeous. i was on rpr and scored the chestpiece, idc about stats it’s just pretty

endsinger - lovely weapons. music is eh but i got tired of that just being pulled into msq endsingers. fight itself is gloriously mech heavy. had a bash at it last night and we got her to 50%ish. i confused the fuck out of both the static healers and my usual melee buddy by tanking (our usual OT was otherwise engaged). healing your own living dead is fucking glorious.

pve balance - mch’s ‘balance’ is insulting, ,nobody was surprised. smn and rpr players doomposting are the bane of my existence. sam got dumped on big time, we all knew it was coming, yoshi p knew they would hate it, and yet. as a drk enjoyer i feel for them i really do, their dps just got fucked. drk came out extremely well and i’m just going to enjoy it while it lasts.

pvp balance i’ve only had a chance to play the new mch in pvp but. bruh. if pve mch fucked half this hard i would never play anything else. deleting players across the map is grand. everything feels satisfying to use, and there’s a better risk/reward for pressing your buttons versus just spamming heat blast. drk looks like a blast but i only had time after raids for a couple of matches before i crashed. ngl am tempted to mod the appearance of the drk pvp lb onto pve shadowbringer

pvp mode seems fun?? only played a couple matches, was weird to get feast achievements lel. took me a while to work out the whole team needs to be present to ‘lock’ a crystal’s progress but it makes sense. matches are fast at least. gonna try ranked later and see how it goes.

kinda eh about the majority of ‘new’ pvp rewards - upscaled hw af armour, and old feast weapons. yay. there are some new weapons (for some classes only, ones added since hw i think??) available for the season rank currency which look nice. gnb is sick. rdm is just. weird.

[your--isgayrights]

F, M, S :?

Hiiii stella i really liked your new fic just so you know okay hello :))

Gonna put my answers to these under the cut because they’re really long ^_^; thank you for sending me an ask for this but also dont feel obligated to read my long winded answers aslkfjfdsf

F: Share a snippet from one of your favorite dialogue scenes you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

Hmmmm this question is kind of hard because even though I really see myself as someone who likes writing dialogue more than prose, lately most talking I write is like heavily interlaced with like these character actions that are supposed to be indicative of tone, you know? Also I have a lot of dialogue I like that isn’t technically attached to anything yet... uh...

Okay, I like these lines from A Dream in Which Yoo Jonghyuk Plays Mario Kart:

"Kim Dokja." Yoo Jonghyuk says.

"... You're gonna tell me to shut up, right?" Kim Dokja tries to guess from the vast experience he has of this man. "To not worry so much about useless things? To just be here in the moment..."

He trails off on the word moment. His eyes are suddenly far away, clouded with the memory of a destroyed Seoul skyline.

The hand on his shoulder tightens. Just enough to bring him back.

"Eh?" Kim Dokja's eyes refocus, blinking up at a Yoo Jonghyuk who is looking at him in the eye instead of over his shoulder. "Well?" He asks a man whose broad back is now far too sore in the mornings to carry the weight of the world. "Am I right?"

Yoo Jonghyuk does not answer any of the questions that Kim Dokja has posed with a 'yes,' a 'no,' or even a 'shut up.'

He does, however, give his husband a peck on the lips that lasts for just a moment shorter than a dream and conveys the exact same message.

When he pulls away from this kiss, he meets his husband's eyes once more and says five magical words.

"Watch me win Rainbow Road."

Um the thing I’m most proud of here is that I made Yoo Jonghyuk being a gamer anything approaching “romantic.” The “Watch me win Rainbow Road” line is basically the main thing holding this ficlet together as an actual piece of writing akdjfslfjsf. But like I said, a lot of the emotion in the words comes from the deviance from expectation set up around the dialogue rather than the dialogue itself, so I’m not sure if it counts? Fun anyway!

M: Got any premises on the back burner that you’d care to share?

Hmmm most of my premises I’ve been trying to adapt somehow into my current WIP, like I had this soosang idea that I thought about adapting as some sort of epilogue? It was like about HSY and YSA being childhood friends and the way that HSY wrote passages in her stories differently based on the way she viewed their relationship. But then like... hmm.

I guess Actual premises would include stuff like “AU where Kim Dokja is there when Yoo Jonghyuk regresses,” which I’m always daydreaming about just a little bit because 1. I kind of want to write YJH perspective on KDJ in the early rounds because I think its hilarious how he probably thinks very highly of him actually and thats SO diffferent from how KDJ views how things are happening, and then 2. VERY funny to have KDJ make the choices he makes confidently in timelines where he doesn’t realize YJH knows about him, or like 3. how KDJ would adapt to YJH knowing about him and whether he has back up plans for that.

My only hang up on that premise is that I’m not going to write it because A. It would take WAY too long for me to flesh out that premise in a way that I was happy with because I’m terrible like that and even slice of life relationship stories have to have like 40k long chapters for me to be happy with development. And then B. It’s definitely a premise that’s been used before, and even though I’m usually cool with doing bland premises with my own spin on them, I think that a lot of people already have like... set opinions on what they think this type of au would look like and mine differs a bit and I don’t want to argue with people on the internet, haha.

Anyway since I’m never going to write it, I can tell you that I think that the climax of my AU would probably be all of the KDJs of every timeline some how reviving YJH at the same time across their parallel timelines. It would show the perspectives of KDJs who were briefly mentioned in YJH’s building angst train, even ones where he was an enemy and in fact killed YJH himself, and other ones where he was a deeply trusted comrade, and we would think that the KDJs are doing some part of the scenario until they all do the same thing at once and it’s revealed what the item they were trying to obtain did. It exchanges his own life for that of YJH’s.

YJH in whatever regression he’s in has this moment of being completely saved, where all of these lifetimes where he died peacefully of old age by his companion’s sides come rushing into him, but even though he realizes Kim Dokja is the one responsible, he has no memory of him making it to the end. So he resolves to spend that last lifetime vowing not to die and to save Kim Dokja no matter what when previously he had given into the regressor depression of only trying to save himself.

Also not about fanfic but uh here’s some songs that I daydream orv amvs to sometimes: A Death - An Unkindness, I’m Gonna Win - Rob Cantor, Achilles Come Down - Gang of Youths, Squaring up - Sir Chloe.

S: Any fandom tropes you can’t resist?

Ahhh you know I think I’ve said this before that I really like slow burn and long complicated relationships like childhood friends to enemies to friends and or lovers you know, but I’ve been thinking about it recently and realize that I actually do use a lot of fandom-ey tropes! Like it was pointed out to me that my big WIP is very much based on an AU used in other fandoms, and I realize that I really like writing troupes used in fandom in a way that puts my own twist on it,  you know?

Like this is a bit embarassing, but I think the first fics I ever wrote were definitely from me seeing a specific kind of AU being overused in the fandom and wanting to write that AU from what I viewed as like... THE. RIGHT. WAY. to do it asdlkfjsfasfasf. Like the main emotion that actually gets me writing something down is spite alskfjf. Like sorry allos but I don’t understand why they would have kissed there so heres a 50k+ fic where they gaze longingly at each other for a much much longer time okay thanks.

[eyrieofsynapses]

First Thoughts on YJ S4 Panel

WARNING: SPOILERS for the DC Fandome YJ S4 panel!

Okay, before I start chattering away, can I just saw how much I love this title poster? Because I love it. LOOK AT IT. LOOK AT HOW BADASS IT IS. 

Warning: this first bit is a teeny bit ranty, but that doesn’t mean I didn’t genuinely love the panel. It was really fun, but I have a few gripes with the amount of information we got. If you wanna cut straight to the cheery bits, check under the cut.

So... uh. I’m not gonna say I’m disappointed? Because I’m not, this was good, we got info, it was nice to see the voice actors. But I’m... underwhelmed. I definitely wasn’t expecting a lot but this was still, mm, not as much as I thought we’d get. No poster, no previews of character designs, not a peep as to when we’re getting the new season, nothing on where it’ll be streaming, nothing as to new characters, nothing as to who’s going to be the villain, and the Q&A session was maaaayyybe 3 minutes long. Oof, guys. Thought you said you’d leave us with something that’d leave us “more than just ‘whelmed.’” 

Essentially all we got was the title, and a few snippets of information regarding what the current status of the Team and its characters is. They didn’t really get the chance to talk to us at all about the actual season, either- I think Brandon spoke maaaybe three or four times? He got the title reveal, but, well, we knew that already, not that it’s their fault, but still. I love hearing the voice actors chat about their experiences and we got none of that, so that was disappointing. I’m wondering if there wasn’t some material cut, actually, because I distinctly recall seeing a clip on Twitter with Phil Lamarr talking about what it was like returning to the show, and it wasn’t in this. So what’s the deal, DC? Short-changing us on YJ again? When are we gonna get some actual news? 

There is the little problem that their big reveal of the title was spoiled, oh, maybe three or four months ago, and that isn’t their fault, but it does make that revelation more of an “okay, well, glad that’s confirmed” rather than an “OH MY GODS IT’S PHANTOMS WHAAAAAAAT” like I think they were hoping. Still, that’s definitely exciting to hear, and the new title poster looks cool. 

I got a “WHAT!!!” moment maaayybe three times, which is significantly less than I thought I would. There just wasn’t that much new info. But I think that’s less of a Grandon/production team problem and more of a world state and DC problem. I’m not annoyed at them, I’m annoyed at DC and at the pandemic, because I’m willing to bet their snippet was cut short by DC and what information they could’ve revealed just isn’t ready yet because of current events. Probably we would’ve gotten character designs if it weren’t for that.

As for the audio play, it was pretty good. They were definitely struggling what with having a distinct lack of people to pull from for a voice cast, but made some tongue-in-cheek references to it to take off the edge. I don’t think I realized just how many people voice for YJ until now... or how many characters each actor does. It’s a bit janky, and weird what with the arguing over who’s narrating the story (why, are they telling us the story, or are they telling it to someone else? Are you breaking the fourth wall, are you not? Make yourselves clear) but I’m blaming that on the fact that they’re more used to scripts than they are audio plays. These are different mediums, so there’s an inherent gap there; this probably would’ve gone better as an actual episode. 

So, FIRST watch-through, here’s my HAPPY cheery thoughts and reactions, in no particular order! I might do a second one later, we’ll see. (Under the cut, because it’s long.)

Return of Bowhunter Security! 

Clipboard makes a comeback!

The Supermartian marriage has taken place and they’re making reference to taking a long journey with Conner, M’gann, Bioship, Gar and J’onn. So... Mars? Do we finally get to see Mars?  

Forager gets to be sassy! And a hilarious narrator! Which, c’mon, it’s Jason Spisak, honestly, I don’t know what I expected.

Ahahah, Jason makes the most delightful faces when he’s voicing Forager. (And a few flubs, but he’s good at covering them.) We all miss Wally, but man, he does a good job with this character. Also, hey, that’s how he does the clicks!

Rocket! Even though she had a relatively minimal presence, sigh. I’m hoping they build her character more this time, she always get short-changed. 

ARTEMIS IS LEADING THE TEAM, repeat, ARTEMIS IS LEADING THE TEAM!!! YES!!! 

And she also makes a reference at some point to being in this fight for ten years, which, HMM, do I hear a reference point for our time jump? They started back in 2010, so this implies that the season’s caught up to 2020. So... season one was 2010, season two was 2016, season three was... 2018, I think? So does this make the next time jump two years too, or am I off? It also takes place on February 23rd. Eh, either way, it’s absolutely not as long as a lot of people were fearing- heck, I’m thinking this might be the shortest jump yet. Yay!

I’m not sure if the Snapper Carr dialogue is cringy or hilarious. I’m going with hilarious because I’m betting this would’ve been great if it were animated. It definitely loses something without the animation. 

Is... is Crispin Freeman playing four characters? Five? Will, Roy, Jim, Captain Boomerang... I think I’m missing someone, I’m gonna have to go back and rewatch this later, but wow. He switches between them so fluidly, too, that’s impressive.

Forget Freeman for a hot second, Nolan North, what are you doing, dude? Conner, Clayface, Mallah, at least one or two others, with a LOT of animal noises included... wow, okay. I definitely didn’t realize how many of these guys do two or three characters. 

Phil Lamarr doing Brick, Black Manta and Kaldur all at once is definitely impressive. I’m gonna take a guess and say he likes doing Brick best. He seems to get a little grin sometimes when he’s playing the character.

Ahhh, Danica McKellar definitely likes playing Terrence Terror. Don’t ask me why, I’m just getting that feeling watching her. Villains are fun to play.

...Wolf? Where’s Wolf? Uhh, guys? Where’s our fluffy doggo? Don’t tell anyone but I’m scared. 

Oooookay, that was unexpectedly gruesome. Dehydrating a man into sand? I mean, okay, it’s Clayface, but we didn’t know that till later. Eeeewww. Y’all, ik you’re going more dark, but that wasn’t an image anyone needed.

Jokes about Dadbod!Will are... hhh, cringy or funny, cringy or funny... I’m going sorta funny for now. Not enough to make me laugh, but enough to make me smile. 

Okay, Will’s definitely still hilarious. Literally that entire scenario with Captain Boomerang was amazing, and only made better by the fact that it was entirely Crispin Freeman. The “are you the Green Arrow fanclub president or something?” “...you have no idea” moment, the “boomerangs are better and Batman said so!” “...okay, FINE,” FLINGING CLIPBOARD, Boomerang teasing Will for his dadbod and Will answering with a wicked uppercut... ah, man. This is 100% Roy/Will Harper and I am here for it. 

I can see some people disliking this humor, but personally, I’m gonna just sit back and enjoy it. YJ has some quirky humor, but honestly, if you’re part of the fandom and you don’t like it, why are you even here?

Huh, Raquel’s a vegan and nobody’s making jokes about vegan burgers? Nice!

Oh, my gods, Forager deciding that Lian and Amistad playing with the food is an educational activity is AMAZING, 100% in character, and something I really, really want to see. 

(Fanartists? Fanartists, pleeeeaaasse?)

Will and Artemis ribbing each other will never get old.

...wait. Hang on. Is Will the comedic relief character now along with Forager? Is this a thing? I guess it is. If you’d asked me who out of the original Team would replace Wally as the comedic relief back when I had finished the second season, I would not have thought of him first, but I think I’m good with this. It’s definitely in character to his comic version. 

Ahh, Conner and M’gann’s relationship is still... interesting. Still not sure how to feel on this one. But hey, they’re married (?) now? Uh... nice? 

Nightwing’s off on some mysterious mission, hmm? I’m assuming that’s because of Jesse McCartney not being there, but I think I’m gonna headcanon that there are Other reasons for this. 

Yay, Clayface getting redemption! I love this in the Rebirth Batman: Detective Comics, so I’m 100% down for seeing it here. 

Tim did that for Clayface! Sweet! Not a plot thread I expected to go anywhere from that one season three episode, but one I am very happy to see used. 

...more secrets. Uhh, M’gann keeping secrets from Conner is... icky... again... but granted, keeping them because of confidentiality agreements is, well, a better excuse than she’s had in the past. Still, this is getting old.

Huh, so Waller will let out the Team’s secrets if they tell anyone about Belle Reve. I think this was already covered in the third season, but maybe not so explicitly. The reactions... hmm. Of course Conner’s okay with letting out all their secrets (and M’gann’s willing to... go along with that? ...okay...?), but the others, maybe not so much? Hmm. I wonder what Dick would have to say about that one. He definitely has something to lose. Not sure about Kaldur or Artemis, though. 

Jason did NOT get to make any Wally references. That makes me even sadder than if he did make one that made all of us cry. C’mon, guys. Let him have his references. 

I’m always a little meh on M’gann, but hey, M’gann gets to be a 100% certified badass! Saving Clayface AND taking down a ton of baddies with telekinesis, yay!

Oh, my gods. LOOPHOLES. WHAT IS WITH THIS TEAM AND LOOPHOLES. I love them so much.

The Team signing on as Bowhunter Security- oh my gods, all of the Team in fucking Bowhunter Security uniforms- oh my gods, so very in-character, so very true to YJ, so absolutely goddamn hilarious, I wanna hug whoever came up with that. That is the BEST mental image and it is a CRIME that they didn’t animate that. 

And, of course, Kaldur just immediately goes along with it. The Team’s corrupted him fully now. I mean, we knew that, but he’s done now. 

Black Manta attempting to roast Kaldur for his security uniform and Kaldur roasting him back 100 times worse is wonderful. “I wear my dignity on the inside, Father. Where do you wear yours?” KALLIE I LOVE YOU 

Ooooo, Artemis is inviting Roy to the Team? This should be interesting. He’s definitely not totally stable, but it seems to me that Artemis should be able to more or less keep him in check. Hopefully. She had to deal with Wally for five years, surely she can keep Roy in check?

...hmm. We’re all thinking there’s gonna be a Red Hood arc... Roy’s joining the team... Roy and Jason did have that run as the Outlaws in the comics with Kory... and this version of Roy has the sort of temper and attitude that I can just see Jason possibly getting along well with... hmmmmmmmm... 

Hah, villain shenanigans. Having Task Force X argue all the time is in character and admittedly sort of funny, especially as Black Manta’s sort of pulling a Kaldur and playing the absolutely exasperated denmother. I dislike BM thanks to him being a Baddie and all, but watching (listening to?) him struggle to contain them is enjoyable if only because I like watching him suffer. 

Ahh, watching the VAs is fun. It’s definitely nice to see that little view behind the camera. There’s the little smiles, the tiny grimaces at the icky bits, the responses to various bits, the way their demeanor changes with each character, everyone egging Nolan on when he’s yelling for Clayface being disintegrated... I’m sad we didn’t get to see them chat, but watching them interact while they work is fun. Pity Jason and Stephanie didn’t really have any interactions, though, I bet watching them work together would’ve been fun. Ah well. Still fun overall.

There’s a lot of variation in where they are/what setups they have. Some of them seem to have proper studios, some of them don’t but they have mics, Danica’s on the lower bunk of her son’s room with what I’m betting are several sheets hung behind her, and then... well, then there’s poor Stephanie with earbuds and what I’m betting is her phone at her friend’s house XD Also, Greg’s library is really awesome, can I steal it please?

Green title card... I know people have been positing this for a while, but Lazarus Pit? Also, the thing people haven’t talked about: Mars?! Is this a nod to the Martians, since M’gann, Conner, Gar and J’onn seem to be going there? 

Lots of speculation regarding Phantoms, but that’s been going around for a while, so *shrug* I’m not gonna spend any time on that for now.

Someone’s gonna have to write this out, methinks, for further examination. We’ll see if I get around to doing that or not before Fandome ends. I’m betting someone will record it and post it on YouTube, but a written-out version of the script would be useful. If I do, I’ll probably post it, so keep an eye out. 

So... season 3.9, episode 1? Hmm. Does this come directly prior to the fourth season? I kinda wanna say it does.

I have more thoughts, but I think I need to do a rewatch first, maybe in a little bit. Anyway... not what I was expecting, I sincerely miss Dick and Wally, but lots of funny jokes all the same, and lots of interesting information on the fourth season even if it’s nowhere near the amount we wanted. I might be underwhelmed but I’m certainly not disappointed. 

[petri808]

@kyoruweekofficial One Bed prompt

What do you do when you have two co-workers who obviously have crushes on each other, but neither have the guts to make a move? Well, according to Arisa Uotani, you make it for them. So, with the help of co-conspirator Saki Hanajima, the pair decide to play Cupid and stage a romantic intervention. For you see, Saki is the project manager at their company, and it was her job to schedule conference attendances for the employees. How lucky for them that the perfect opportunity presented itself. Oh, this was going to be good! They just wished they could have been there to see it.

The longer the hotel receptionist talked, the more Tohru could feel her ears burning and her cheeks turning a cherry tomato color. “W-Wait a minute, are you telling me we were booked into the same hotel room?!”

“Yes, ma’am, that’s what your company booked for you and Mr. Sohma. Four days in our honeymoon suite while you attend the conference. Is there a problem?”

“Yeah, there’s a problem!” Kyo Sohma, Tohru’s co-worker grits back. “Our company must have made a mistake, so change the booking to two separate rooms.”

“I’m really sorry sir, but the hotel is at full capacity because of the conference, so I can’t do that. If there’s a cancellation later, I could put in a request, but that’s all I can offer.”

“It’s okay, Kyo,” Tohru’s meek voice cuts in before the man has a chance to respond. “There’s nothing this lady can do and it’s just three days, so w-we can figure something out.”

He turns and realizes just how embarrassed his co-worker looked. Though her eyes were averted to the ground, her rosy cheeks, and the glow in her face, stops him cold. Fuck, she looked so cute like that! “Fine,” he feels the heat in his face increasing, “then just give us our keys please, so we can be on our way.”

Kyo takes hold of both their luggage handles, “grab it from the woman,” he tells Tohru and walks toward the elevator to wait.

“I’m really sorry,” Tohru apologizes to the receptionist. “This was a surprise for us.”

“Don’t worry, mistakes happen ma’am.” She placed the items on the counter. “Here are your card keys that includes the WiFi password on the sleeve along with instructions. If you require any extra amenities, do not hesitate to call the front desk for assistance. You’re scheduled to be here for three nights and four days, with check out at 11am on Thursday. Again, I’m very sorry for the inconvenience.”

“Not your fault.” Tohru politely thanks the woman and grabs the items, then joins Kyo to head towards their room.

While he waited, Kyo fumed over the whole situation. Being sent to the same conference as Tohru was the first red flag, but not completely out of the norm since they were working on the same project, so he’d chalked it up to coincidence. But now the receptionist said it was a honeymoon suite. Why would Saki book them a honeymoon suite! Rhetorical question, he had a pretty damn good suspicion on the answer. ‘Those two meddlers!’

“Kyo, I have the keys. The room is on the top floor.”

He’d been so focused on his mental dialogue, Tohru’s voice suddenly right beside him, catches him off guard. His body stiffens for a second as if caught in the act of a crime. “Great.” He acts like nothing’s wrong and hits the up button for the elevator. ‘Just... great...’

As soon as they walk in, the pair deadpan at the interior of the room. What did they expect when they’d heard the worlds ‘honeymoon suite,’ a normal hotel room? ‘Oh, you’ve got to be kidding me?!’ Kyo let’s go of the luggage handles and makes a visual sweep, before landing on the single bed near the window. Not only were they sharing a room, but sharing a bed, and a bathroom for four days! ‘They’re dead. Saki and Arisa are so dead when we get home!’ What the hell were they thinking by sticking us in this kind of a room! ‘If they’re so hell bent on hooking us up, have they ever heard of a blind date?!’

Tohru at this point was faring no better, but instead of frustration her emotions ran more along the lines of simple embarrassment. She was starting to realize that this whole situation was set up by their friends, and she didn’t know if she should thank them or never speak to them again. Because deep down, she was a little excited for this opportunity to be closer to him, and also terrified if Kyo happened to feel the same way. Saki and Arisa were adamant that the man liked her too, a lot, and maybe he, they just needed a push to get things moving. But this was a pretty big push!

“I could just sleep on the floor?”

“What?! No,” what kind of man does she take him for? “I’m not gonna let you sleep on a floor, that’s crazy Tohru. I-it’ll— it’ll be fine,” Adam’s apple bobbing hard, “it’s a big bed, w-we can make it work.” ‘Have to make it work.’

“O-Okay,” she smiles and pretends that everything really is so. If they were going to be stuck in this situation, they might as well make the best of it. “It’s a really pretty room.”

For that Kyo had to agree, and he wondered just how Saki was able to justify its rental in company records. The color ambiance screamed love and romance. Come on, a velvet red bed frame, matching love seat and contrasting white bedding. Red walls, red curtains, and dark cherry oak furnishings really heightened the overall affect. The full bar was definitely getting tapped tonight!

They go about their business pretending everything was fine, hanging up clothes and putting away their things, setting up the bathroom with their items in a ‘his and hers’ manner. If they were going to be stuck together, they needed to be civil and not let things get too awkward. Or so they hoped. At least they had things to prepare for the conference to keep busy, information to go over including a booklet that was sent ahead of time to familiarize themselves with the schedule. The organizers planned on break-out sessions for participants to meet with others working on similar ideas so they could bounce ideas off of each other. It was interesting add on considering these are competitors, but because green initiatives has been a focus for the government, they’ve pushed for more collaborative efforts.

When dinner time rolls around, the pair go to the hotel’s restaurant for convenience, since it was on the property. It had fairly decent reviews on its food offerings, and Kyo was more than ready to have a few beers to settle his nerves. They put the meal on a company credit card. Tohru orders a simple meal, but Kyo spares no opportunity to take full advantage of the most expensive offerings. ‘Saki can kiss my ass on the bill!’

He was quite surprised when Tohru ordered a glass of wine cause he’d heard she wasn’t much of a drinker. Kyo chuckles in his head, she probably needed a relaxer just like him. It irritated him a bit to know other guests probably assumed they were a couple. They sure did look like one, on a date, a romantic one at that, and he swore the server had almost asked, then changed their question at the last second.

By Kyo’s third beer, Tohru’s rosy complexion was really making it hard to stay professional. He knew it was just the alcohol working, but it made her look nervous and embarrassed in a first date kind of way. So innocently adorable, he couldn’t keep his eyes off of her. They managed to keep the conversation casual, but it was slowly becoming evident, they’d had other thoughts going through their minds.

When the server returns with their credit card slip, the man asks them if they were there for the conference to which they reply yes. “So, you’re co-workers, not a couple?”

“Yeah, why,” Kyo responds to the man.

But instead of answering Kyo, the server brazenly turns to Tohru instead. “I think you’re really pretty, and since I’m about to finish my shift, I was wondering if you’d like to go to a club with me?”

“Eh?” Tohru freezes, “I-I...”

Kyo stands up quick as a flash, getting right into the servers face. He jabs a finger into the man’s chest. “Fuck off guy, or I’ll report you to management!” He then grabs Tohru’s hand and pulls her away from the table, “let’s go!” Oh, he was so pissed! Co-workers or not, the balls on this guy to pull such a stunt right in front of him, what the hell was he thinking?! ‘He’s lucky I didn’t knock him on his ass!’

She knew better than to say a word and simply let Kyo pull her away towards the elevators. It was a little weird, wonderful, surprising, and frankly endearing for him to have defended her like that. Her cheeks were now heating up for other reasons, and the warmth of his hand in hers made her feel special. Did he realize he was still gripping tightly to her hand? Even as they stood there waiting for the elevator and the threat now over, he held on. As she watches his face carefully through her periphery, his serious expression wasn’t wavering. So, hoping not to startle him, and to avoid further embarrassment when he realized what he was doing, Tohru gently squeezes his hand back.

“Yeah?” Kyo’s eyes flare wide. “Oh!” Shit! He lets go. “My apologies.”

“It’s okay,” she smiles softly and keeps her voice low. “Thank you for defending me back there.”

“It was nothing,” he turns his head to hide his blush, mumbling a response. “That guy had some nerve interrupting us like that.”

Safely inside their hotel room, the pair preps for a quiet evening. Tohru changes into a comfortable set of pajamas, while Kyo sticks with a t-shirt and cotton shorts. Nothing racy at all. He offers her another drink as he grabs a beer and again is surprised when she takes another glass of red wine. “You know,” he questions as he pours the glass for her, “everyone said you’re not a drinker.”

She sits down on the bed and takes the offered glass, placing the rim to her lips as if to muffle her words. “I’m usually not,” Tohru answers honestly, but leaves out more details like she needed a bit of courage juice to make it through the evening.

Leaving about a foot of space between them, Kyo sits down on the bed as well. He takes a deep swig of the bottle. “Me neither.” Which was true, he only drank on occasion when he’d go out with friends. But tonight, it was keeping his nerves in check.

They sit there quietly in a companionable silence, sipping their drinks and lost in thoughts of what to say or do next. Kyo would never try to take advantage of Tohru, but the desire to make a move ate away at him, practically screamed to do something to break the stalemate. He’s had such a major crush on the sweet woman for so long, but he always thought he wasn’t good enough for her. As far as Kyo was concerned, Tohru was a perfect complement to his more outgoing nature, and yet deserved someone better. Their co-workers teased him so much about the crush too. Ugh, his cousin Hatsuharu kept telling him if he didn’t make a move soon, he’d steal Tohru. It was a hollow threat considering the man was already seeing another woman, but it still got under his skin.

He could still remember the day Tohru was hired to his family’s company. She was friends with Saki and Arisa, and they’d given the woman glowing reviews so the Co-CEO Shigure Sohma decided to give her a chance. Tohru walked into his office confused trying to figure out where she was supposed to go, and it was love at first sight. That was two years ago.

Tohru could feel the effects of the second glass of wine coming on stronger than the first one had hit her. Which is what she wanted to happen. It made her feel much more relaxed, but not quite drunk, and warmed up in the cooler air conditioning of the room. It wasn’t however, helping with the courage department. She wanted to ask him so badly, just to finally know where she stood, if Kyo had any romantic interests in her. What if he said no? But what if he said yes?!

“That guy was right...” Kyo suddenly breaks the stalemate. “You are very pretty.”

Eh?! “I, um, thank you,” Tohru sputters but goes for the gold. “You’re very handsome too.”

When he looks at Tohru, Kyo finds her staring at the floor with her adorable red cheeks on fire. He chuckles inwardly and places his beer on the nightstand, then reaches over and takes the glass from her, placing it on the table as well. It was now or never. He tips her chin up and forces her eyes onto him. “May I?” His eyes zero in on her lips, communicating his desire. She nods sheepishly with her approval, eyes closing as he leans in and places a soft kiss on her lips.

This wasn’t her first kiss, but it was the best one by far. His lips were so soft and pressured, his fingers gently keeping her from pulling away. They move from her chin to cradles her cheek, his thumb sweeping lightly against her skin as their heads change in angle. Oh, it was such a sweet move! It’d been worth the wait! As he pulls away, Kyo places one final kiss on her forehead.

“We probably shouldn’t rush things but,” he takes her hand and kisses the back of it, “is it too forward to ask if we could cuddle tonight?”

Fuck no! Tohru squeals giddily in her head, but on the outside kept her cool. She smiles and squeezes his hand back. “I’d really like that.” And reminder to self to thank Saki and Arisa when we get home...

[silver-wield]

Do you have the language of flowers body language discovery event analysis? Would like to know your thoughts on it.

Okay, language of flowers discovery, which is something else that's all about Zack.

Ok, spoiler warning for ppl who haven’t played – do I still need to do this? Eh ok, (I tag FF7R spoilers as final fantasy 7 remake spoilers) and it’s gonna be long.

Also, this is one person’s interpretation of the scene, so if you disagree that’s cool and we’ll agree to disagree.

You’re also gonna have to excuse the janky quality on some of the screens, I’m grabbing them from Youtube and it’s frustrating af trying to get the exact moment I want.

Please check my master post to see if I've already covered your question, thanx

Let's mosey!

Recap time!

After completing all the quests in sector 5, which Cloud was not a happy bunny about, he and Aerith head back to her house because her mom made dinner. Before that, though, Aerith heads over to one of the flower beds and calls for Cloud to join her.

Just gonna add that this is completely avoidable if you ignore Aerith and go into the house, same as alone at last is avoidable if you go back to the bar. Because I did this. I checked it out. After some dumdum tried to say you can't skip it. Because you can.

Also, you have Marle in alone at last who stops Cloud for a chat, but here, it's just Cloud and Aerith with no one else for a pre-chat chat.

Yeah, that's Cloud's face the second we see him. I mean, the boi doesn't look impressed. He's like “da fuq?”

And when Cloud asks if Aerith's talking to the flowers, not that he even gets to finish that question, she shushes him. What's really interesting about that moment, is that although Aerith initially gives Cloud a bright smile like she's playing, before she's even brought her finger away from her lips she's giving him a less than pleased expression. Then there's the fact she shushed him at all. For people who say this is romantic, shushing somebody when they're trying to talk to you is rude.

And it's here that the black, white and red butterfly first appears and begins hovering near to Aerith. It stays around for the entire scene. The symbolism of this type of butterfly is drawn from several sources, but the overall implication is that it's a departed soul of a loved one. Since Aerith is obviously talking to Zack and not the actual flowers during this scene, the butterfly symbolises his presence beside her.

Aerith speaks the line about the day she had in a resigned tone, indicating she wasn't having as much fun as she made it seem. Aerith is someone who hides her feelings behind a bright smile – which is often misinterpreted by her fans as something it's not. She likely endured much of Cloud's bad mood just as much as he endured her. The meta knowledge she has says they're friends and she misses her friends because she gives each and every one of them a bright smile when they meet again, but she's also aware that she could hurt Tifa because of Cloud, so she's already making an attempt to keep him at a distance, while also trying to become friends with him again.

This is so obviously her thinking about Zack I shouldn't even have to bring it up. She looks like she's having a conversation with him, tilting her head, smiling and looking more happy than the entire time she's spent with Cloud. We get zero shots of Cloud during this. Instead, we get a shot of the flowers. Surely, if she's trying to engage with Cloud we'd see him? It's like he's been cut from the scene. There's no sounds from him to say he's part of the conversation and there's no reaction from him to show he's even still there. Aerith's focus is totally on that flower bed and Cloud could've left and I doubt she'd notice.

And if the fact she's ignoring Cloud isn't evidence enough, she's blushing here. After tilting her head to listen to something the flowers said and one touched another. So, a language of flowers kiss from Zack to Aerith and she sighs and blushes.

Zack's a bigger dork than Cloud.

And that butterfly is still hovering around Aerith, because one of the meanings of that kind of butterfly is that it shows up to chase away any potential rivals. Cloud isn't even a rival, but it's gonna make sure he doesn't get a chance to become one lol

We can't see Aerith's face exactly here, but her mouth is a straight line and she's looking at the ground with a vacant stare. Seems like she's lost in thought.

We still don't get to see Cloud's face during this. He's basically a totem that the audience is using to sit on so they can watch Aerith. It could literally be anybody standing there and we'd get the same result of that character being detached from what's happening because we don't get to see their reaction.

And then we get a mid range shot of the two of them standing pretty far apart with the butterfly flitting about between them. In the background we can see the house with its triangle windows, which are dark for now indicating the LTD aspect isn't lit up, which means we've not reached any LTD references yet. Which is interesting because in the OG we've had several before we reach Aerith's house.

That line is such a Zack thing to say there's no way she wasn't talking to him and imagining what he'd say to her. He died five days ago and she knows that, so it's actually heartbreaking that she'd choose something he'd say as a reply here. It shows how close they were that she'd know his speech patterns and phrases he'd use. It shows how much she loves him that even when she's hurting from his death she'd choose something he'd say just to try and bring herself closer to him.

And that butterfly is still between her and Cloud.

Cloud offers polite interest because he's been learning lessons and applying them. It's called character development and isn't that special seeing how he already asked Biggs about Jessie and then offered Wedge encouragement when he felt down all the way back in chapter 4. He didn't say anything with the level of importance of “if you wanna talk, I'm listening,” because he doesn't know Aerith, but he's trying to join in the conversation and not be such a closed off asshole to people.

Aerith they didn’t say anything, but she looks depressed as she says that because she wishes she could hear Zack’s voice. It’s in her downed dialogue that she hears his voice calling to her. 

Then we get Aerith looking at us. Because Aerith does that. A lot. Of all the cast who do a 4th wall break and look at the audience, Aerith does it the most and usually it results in her trolling the players. Which is hilarious and I support it!

Aerith shrugs and, still looking at the camera—us—says it's not like we'd believe her. This is so damn funny! She's basically saying even if she outright said to everyone that she loves Zack, she isn't interested in Cloud and actually likes Tifa and doesn't wanna be part of their toxic nightmare LTD that those people still wouldn't listen to her. And the look on her face when she says it is like “We've all tried for 23 years and you still won't listen.”

And Cloud barely gives her enough eye contact to suggest they're talking to each other and then dismisses her. Which feels like it relates to the meta message Aerith just gave about fans not listening to them.

Then he stops. Has another thought about not being an asshole. This is all soldier Cloud btw, I checked and there's none of those real Cloud hints we get around Tifa and and post resolutions.

Aerith seems surprised at this change in him, since she's not done anything to warrant it, but obviously she doesn't know about stuff he's done with Avalanche and anything outside of her general knowledge. She wouldn't know about Marle or the Jessie job or him flirting with Tifa or any of that. She only knows about him from what OG Aerith knows and she'd only know about Cloud from the moment they met.

And again, Aerith's looking at the flowers. Obviously this message is plot related and hints at Aerith's upcoming fate. She says it won't be much longer now, meaning she doesn't have much time left to live. The flowers having an important message to give her is one of those mysteries that we're not gonna get an answer to yet because it's something that's related more to how the flower metaphors unfold and isn’t part of any romantic context.

And when we cut back to where we can see Cloud we see he's not even looking at Aerith. Polite interest, like I said. He's not actually interested. But the butterfly is still flitting around Aerith, so it cares at least.

Then we get a shot of Aerith's right hand, which is a symbol of strength, protection and resolve. Aerith knows what her duty is and she's determined to see it through, even though she's likely very scared about what she has to do.

Cloud looks meh about this. There's literally no reaction happening here and the only reason I'm including it is to show that Cloud has no reaction to what Aerith just said.

But when Aerith speaks of giving up and it's what she does best he gets another big mood face on. If what she did that day was giving up then he probably doesn't want to know what she's like when she's trying lol

He even says he doesn't believe that about her. “Could've fooled me.” People really don't listen to Cloud, do they? He's not meta, doesn't do double speak. He says what's on his mind. He doesn't say everything on his mind at every moment, but when he shares, he's straight with it. If he thinks Aerith isn't like how she thinks she is then that's how he thinks.

Aerith says today is special, Cloud looks away as he asks why and then we get another bit of Aerith trolling the camera. She gives it a long look, laughs and keeps her gaze on it and gives it this knowing little look like she knew people would get all excited by her doing that and that's why she laughs. It's got nothing to do with Cloud. Although we know Cloud doesn't like it when people laugh at him, so she probably accomplished a couple of goals there by alienating him a bit more.

Which, yeah, she did, because his face is not amused. Cloud doesn't like gossip or being made fun of.

Cloud says to the flowers to learn to talk to her, but the flowers are a representation of Zack during this scene, so he's saying to Zack to learn to talk to her, and then we get the butterfly in the frame again, front and centre this time confirming the symbolism.

I might've suggested Cloud's words were about himself with Tifa, but he's very much soldier Cloud during this, so I don't think he'd say anything out loud about her unless real Cloud prompted him to, and since he's absent from this scene I can't see it being anything other than soldier Cloud drawing on real Cloud's dork personality trait and trying to sound cool with it.

Aerith asking if the flowers said anything and Cloud repeats the Zack line. Her answer of “that's the spirit!” has a double meaning. It could mean that's the attitude you need to have towards it. Or, it could mean, that's Zack's spirit.

In conclusion

This is pretty much Aerith and Zack with Cloud as a bystander/third wheel. There's some great meta moments from Aerith where she trolls the players and calls out their bs about LTD stuff and anything else to do with her or the other characters having their own opinions.

On the surface of it, the only reason I can see for people to even think it's something it's not is the fact that Aerith is smiling and perky. Like, someone isn't allowed to be like that unless it's romantically motivated. But, Aerith is like that. She's the girl who hides her pain behind a smile.

Cloud isn't really present for much of this scene when you really notice it. We get his back more than his face and when we do see his face he's not looking at Aerith or he's looking bland af. The most animated expression he makes is right at the start with the one eyebrow lift. After that, his face is in lockdown lol

[ckret2]

“Bulgarian Goat Herder Alastor” really made me laugh. do you have any tips for writing angel dust (or any of the other main cast, really)? i know you kinda focus on alastor and pent but i suck at dialogue and could really use some advice :)

Thanks! :D

General non-character-specific advice? Honestly the best advice I have for capturing any character’s voice is “when in doubt, find a transcript of the dialogue and re-read that character’s lines in particular and study it closely.” The slang they use, how long the sentences they use are, what kind of vocabulary, how often they’re sarcastic vs sincere vs grumpy vs whatever other tone, etc. Nothing helps like going back to the source material and re-rereading the dialogue to get their voice fixed in your head. Here’s the wiki’s transcript for the pilot episode.

I specifically recommend transcripts over just rewatching the episode because, for me, I find using transcripts more useful than rewatching the episode, since as a writer my medium is text—I don’t have animation or a voice actor to support my dialogue—and so looking at the dialogue presented solely as text is more helpful for me to figure how to directly translate it into the medium I work in.

For Angel Dust, I don’t have any good overarching advice to tie his whole voice together—I haven’t written him as much so I don’t yet have his voice systematized the way I do Alastor’s or Sir Pentious’s. But instead I’ve got sort of a laundry list of individual points that I keep in mind while writing him, both in terms of his voice and characterization:

- Don’t write him as dumb. In fact, if you want to overcorrect and write him as smarter than average, it won’t hurt. That doesn’t mean using big fancy vocab words, just let him have a thinking brain in his head that shows when he talks.

- Sex is his job. It’s his profession. His relationship to sex work—and how he talks about it—ought to reflect how other people in service jobs talk about their jobs. If you can take time to track down accounts by actual real world sex workers talking about their jobs to draw from as inspiration, that’s fantastic and I recommend it, but if you can’t then just say to yourself “Angel Dust talking about his job ought to sound the same as a Starbucks barista talking about their job, except instead of making coffee he’s having sex.” The biggest consequence of this is going to be the tone with which he talks about sex. He’s not obsessed with it, he’s not drooling over it, he’s matter-of-fact and casual about it. As casual as talking about the weather or getting groceries. (Take your cues from canon: he says, “I can suck your dick! ... Eh, your loss.” He does not go, “Please let me suck your dick!” It’s “I can,” not “I want to.”) He’s gonna talk about sex a lot, but not in an exaggeratedly horny way.

- On a similar note: I try to separate out the sex he’s probably hypothetically having for fun during his time off from the sex he has for work, and he treats them differently: he approaches Fun Sex the same way most other folks do, and Work Sex is where he goes into matter-of-fact service worker mode.

- I haven’t got a strong grasp yet on which slang he does and doesn’t use, but overall his manner of speaking sounds a lot more modern than, say, Alastor’s. He sorta sounds, like, 30% 1930s gangster movie, 30% 2000s stereotype of how gay guys sound, and 40% Millennial/Gen-Z cusp kid who learned how to argue from Twitter and Vine. Any questions about which specific slang terms he uses should be answered by going back to the transcript of the pilot and his prequel comic and re-reading his lines for the fiftieth time, but for the most part he sounds pretty modern.

- But in my heart I feel like any slang term from the 1940s to the present should be legal for him to use as long as it doesn’t sound dated/incomprehensible to modern ears. In Angel’s normal day-to-day dialogue, if you throw in a term from the 50s or 80s that you happen to know and that sounds obvious and easily-understandable from the context, you’re good. If you throw in a term that you learned off of a “52 Great Slang Terms From The ‘40s We Should Bring Back” listicle that nobody will be able to understand in context unless they go look up the term, it doesn’t fit in his mouth, because in canon his slang is never so dated as to be incomprehensible.

- Angel’s got an accent that some people (including the folks that transcribed the pilot’s dialogue onto the wiki) render by dropping all the G’s on -ing words and switching out “you” for “ya”. (Example: “And it's obvious ya ain't catchin' on.”) General advice on this, for Angel and for any other character: don’t do this. On rare occasions, to imply emphasis, is fine. But if every single G is dropped? Yeah, we saw the show, we know what his accent sounds like. Constantly emphasizing an accent by spelling words unusual ways is like pointing a finger at an accent and going “look, isn’t that person’s voice weird??” which ain’t cool—and on top of that is distracting and, if the written accent is too heavy, makes it hard to read. Put Angel’s voice in the word choice, not in the weird spellings. This essay on writing accents is, despite being nominally about Transformers fanfic, the single most useful accent writing advice I have ever received in my life, so even if you don’t know Transformers I recommend reading the essay anyway—because the advice in it applies just as well to writing Angel.

- Angel’s inclined toward snappy, quippy, snarky dialogue—sharp, rapidfire comebacks with clever wording and phrasing. Writing clever snappy dialogue is hard, I don’t have advice on how to make it easier. I’m just pointing out that it’s a thing he does. If you wanna write Angel: get witty. Good luck.

- This is more on body language than on dialogue, but remember all his hands. He’s very expressive with them in canon—lots of gestures and finger-snapping, lots of having different sets of hands doing different things. You don’t have to describe where all four-to-six hands are at all times, or else we’re gonna get bogged down with obsessively keeping track of all of Angel’s hands rather than moving the story forward—but supporting his dialogue with hand gestures and maybe an occasional mention of different hand sets doing different things can help add realism to the idea that he’s got extra limbs and capture the sense of physical expressiveness he has in canon.

[ljandersen]

3, 4, 5, and 7 for Burning Barriers? :D

Thank you for the ask!  This was fun.  This is for “Burning Barriers.”  It’s from this list.

3: What’s your favorite line of narration?

Wow, this is a hard one, mostly because I don’t think of myself being particularly skilled at narration.  I’ll just go with the first thing that occurred to me, which isn’t a big spoiler for the story.  At this point, Kaidan is losing Shepard and thinks back to the war and a important moment between them in Anderson’s apartment:

Shepard’s head rested in his lap with her fingers intertwined across her stomach.  He studied the firelight on her face as she watched the flames.  It was everything normal.  What life should be except for this.  What life would never be.  Not for them.  He touched her hair, and she looked up.  His heart stopped.  Watery eyes looked back at him.  He’d never seen her cry.  It was the only time.

He brushed the tear away with his fingertip.  She rubbed the back of her hand roughly across her face, stood, and walked off.  Kaidan bent forward and folded his hands in front of him watching the fire.  After some time, he stood up.

She was in the upstairs bathroom hunched over the sink, arms bracing on the counter.  The faint, green glow of the jacuzzi button was the only light in the darkness.  He walked over.  He put his palm in the sunken space between her shoulder blades, and her eyes squeezed shut.  

She cupped a hand over her mouth but let him pull her to his chest.  The green light cast shadows around them on the wall, and cold air blew down the back of his neck from some overhead vent.  After a moment, she clenched a fistful of his shirt and pressed her face into his chest.  The wad of fabric twisted in her hand to the point it was tight across his back and exposed his stomach.  Strands of her hair stuck to his jaw, and he brushed them away, leaning his cheek against the top of her head.  He closed his eyes.  She was warm and close to him, and his heart slowed.  Each breathe smelled like her shampoo.  The faucet dripped under the sound of their breathing.

She drew her head back.  Everything had a soft emerald shade cast over it, including her features.  The light reflected off her eyes as they searched his face.  She kissed him softly.  The briny taste of tears mixed on their lips.  The kiss was slow and gentle, and her palms flattened on his chest.  Tender.  And Shepard was rarely tender.

Only twice did she say she loved him, and then, only when everything accelerated out of control.  At that point, they were certain to be dead in the space of days.  She’d said it then, their last night together and in London.  But it was here, in the dim light kissing tenderly, tasting tears, he knew she loved him.  He’d already loved her for so long.

4: What’s your favorite line of dialogue?

This is another hard one simply because picking a favorite out of 300 K words is daunting.  Also, every passage I think of sounds good in theory until I actually go back and read it.  “Gah!  This can’t be my favorite.  It’s nowhere near good enough to qualify as a favorite.”  I could end up rereading the whole story and never find something “worthy.”  Haha!  I’ll just go with something I thought of right away.  

This is early in the story.  Kaidan and Shepard have broken up.  Kaidan sneaks into her barracks in the middle of the night to see her one last time before shipping out on assignment.  They may not see each other again for a long time.

“Take a seat, Major.”  She motioned to the sunken living room.

“See, that generous hostess again.”

He came down the steps and sat on the far couch.

“Hell, yeah, I’m generous,” Shepard said.  “It’s the middle of the night.  You’re not aware of conventional visiting hours?  You’re way passed the cut off.”

“Didn’t see it posted anywhere.  Your own fault if there’s confusion.”

“You need visiting etiquette posted, huh?  Do I also need signs to keep your boots off the table and use coasters for cold drinks?”

He looked down at his boots.  “They’re clean.  Besides, I don’t have anything cold to forget to put on a coaster.”

“Are you asking me for a beer?”

“A generous hostess would already have asked.  You need more practice.”

“I’ll have to get my visiting hours posted first.”  She walked up the steps to the fridge.

“You don’t really have to get me one.”  He twisted back to look at her.

“Did you bring your ID?” Shepard pulled two bottles out of fridge.  She strolled down the steps and handed him one.  “Here you go.  On the house.”  She clanked their bottles.

“On the house, eh?” He twisted off the cap and took a drink.  “Even after I missed happy hour?  I take back what I said about your hostess skills.”

“Phew.” She came around him and sat on the other couch. “Could have lost ten minutes of REM tonight worrying about that.”

“Ten minutes?  That shouldn’t be worth more than five.  You’re more sensitive about your hostess skills than I thought.  Good thing I apologized.”

“Did you apologize?  I don’t think that counts as an apology.”

“I said I took it back.  Redacted it.”

“Well, good enough, I guess.”

They perched on the edge of the couches.  Kaidan gave a wide look around the room and took another drink.  “Swanky, Shepard.”

“See what celebrity buys.”

“Didn’t buy a large flat screen TV with it though.  Guess celebrity can’t buy everything.”

“I have a large flat screen window.”  Shepard motioned in front of her.  “Why do I need a TV?”

“That you do.”  He stood up staring at it.  “Pretty amazing actually.  Not a lot of windows like this in barracks.”

“Celebrity, like I said.”

“Probably doesn’t get bioticball though.”

He bent to the coffee table and paused, bottle hovering in his fingertips.  He looked at the end table and then back to the coffee table.  “Shepard!  You don’t even have any coasters.”

“Oh.”  She took a swig.  It was good.  Everything felt right -- the beer, everything.  “I may have put the cart before the horse on that one.”

“Cart before the horse?”  He smirked then laughed.  “Think how many generations of humans have said that.  How many more generations will?”

“Still works.”

“Well, yeah, it makes sense if you know what a horse is.  Have you even seen a horse?”

“I was born on a colony.  It’s not like I never spent any time on Earth.  I did N7 training here, you ass.”

“You didn’t answer the question.”

“Fine.” She put her beer on the table.  “I’ve seen pictures.”

“Pictures? Oh.” Kaidan set his beer down next to her bottle.  “Sitting with a horse expert the whole time.”

“Damn right.  Over my lifetime, I’ve probably seen five different pictures of horses and, after you leave, I’m gonna look up five more.  Then I can say I’ve seen ten.”

“Wow.  Slow down.” Kaidan put his palms up.  “I see I’ve touched on something there.”

“So, I take it you’ve seen horses?”

“Sure, lots of time, even ridden.  But I grew up on Earth, lived on property.  Not really that impressive coming from me.”

Shepard stood.  “I think I’ll stick to fish.”

She rounded the opposite side of the coffee table and walked to the window.  Kaidan came beside her.

“Kaidan, I’m impressed.”  She glanced over at him.  “You actually looked for a coaster.”

“Well, you may be an excellent hostess, but I’m an excellent guest.”

“An excellent guest would have brought a house warming gift.”

“Coasters,” they said in unison.

5: What part was hardest to write?

Extended action sequences by far are the hardest for me to write.  There were numerous operations or battles that required chapters of progressing action in this story.  Myself, I often get bored as a consumer of action sequences, either in a TV show or book.  The conclusion is forgone and all the time to get there is just spectacle.  It doesn’t further the plot or characters.  I just want to get back to the story.  “Yeah, yeah, I know they escape.  Come on.  No more cars off bridges and guys jumping on the windshield, please.” Of note, I also feel this way about musicals.  

It took some creativity to find what would make those actions sequences interesting to myself as a reader.  Even then, they’re always a challenge.  All around, long action pieces with multiple scenes stacking together are the most difficult parts of an action adventure to write.

7: Where did the title come from?

“Burning Barriers” had a double meaning.  It referred to the plot in terms of biotic barriers.  When it came to biotics, I wanted to show biotics having different strengths and skill sets.  Kaidan is dexterous and can manipulate fine details from far away.  Shepard is good with barriers.  Through the story, she uses barriers various ways and part of that involves fire.  Her skill with barriers is important to the ending.  

The second meaning refers to Kaidan and Shepard’s relationship.  The story is also about the barriers between them.  There’s friction working together after ending their romantic relationship, and in a sense, it’s trial by fire to either come out closer than before or finally, truly go their separate ways.

Thanks for the fun asks!!!  I appreciate it so much.  It’s always a huge compliment to be asking about writing.   

[fruitridernews]

The Gaim news was craaazy yesterday, and since I was busy that night, I couldn't cover it in a lot of detail. Let's do a rundown of what happened. The Tokusatsu Network will do its own more detailed and refined articles, so I'll to em when they happen. This is a quick and dirty rundown.

Oh, side note, my Ask box is open again. Forgot to do that before. 

First and most important... Gaim Gaiden was revealed! It's called Kamen Rider Gridon VS Kamen Rider Bravo, featuring a form for both characters. This is a two-part story released on the Toei Tokusatsu Fan Club, an exclusive thing for Japanese fans.

If you haven't heard of it before, it's where we got Ex-Aid's Brave spin-off, Zi-O's Shinobi spin-off, aaand Drive's Brain spin-off. It's a place for short low-budget content. Part 1 is out now, so I guess keep an eye out for fansubs! I'll link em when I see em.

Oh, and Figuarts of these two new forms were teased. Neat. 

I linked to the SO-DO Pop podcast I do, so you know that the SO-DO Chronicle line is doing two waves of Gaim figures. Today they also revealed a Premium Bandai set, featuring Duke, Malika and Sigurd. Ignore Zangetsu-Shin here, he’s from the second wave. 

With how much original tooling is involved with these 3, it’s invitable they’d get Premium Bandai treatment. It means they get to exist and have a good budget behind them. Now I fret as I wonder if this will be my first Premium Bandai purchase... 

Arguably bigger news than that, the Complete Selection Modification release of the Sengoku Driver is up for pre-order! If you haven't looked into CSM, they specialize in doing expensive high-end versions of the Rider belts, making them more accurate while also pumping them full of new audio.

There's various little improvements, notably the Lockseeds have new molding to make them more show-accurate. The regular Sengoku Driver set comes with the Gaim faceplate, Orange Lockseed, Kachidoki Lockseed, and Kiwami Lockseed. 

There's also the Project Ark Edition of the Sengoku Driver, which comes with a blank faceplate (apparently representing Jonouchi as a Kurokage Trooper) and no Lockseeds - it's much cheaper, but still expensive. 

A main feature of them has been adding snippets of background music, as well as character dialogue. Gaim apparently is making use of this with the faceplates, and...

... It seems they have a lot of cast members doing dialogue for this one. Well, I have my theories on how they might be getting some of it since Duke's actor is famously... no longer acting because he's problematic. Could be reused dialogue from the Lemon Lockseed, in my opinion.

Even so, there's a lot here that they wouldn't have recorded toy dialogue for, like Bujin Gaim and Kurokage, and heck they even have Kamen Rider Maja from the stage show! It's wild.

Speaking of wild, they've also put up the Lockseed Charmont Set, which includes faceplates for Gridon and Bravo, the Donguri and Durian Lockseeds, as well as the Lockseeds for their new Gaim Gaiden forms! They are, as the transformation lines say...

"Lychee Arms! You're The Hero!"

"King Durian Arms! Mr. Violence!"

So those are the new forms. They're slightly remolded from their original armors. Eh. Could be worse. Like that other Rider that apparently is appearing, reusing parts of Idunn. 

In addition to these, they teased a Lockseed Team Baron Set with an image of Baron and Knuckle, as well as a Lockseed Kureshima Set with an image of Ryugen and Zangetsu. One could wonder if these are just their main Lockseeds or a full set, but I'm about to share which one that could be.

Now this is crazy.

https://toy.bandai.co.jp/special/gaimfes/helheim/

The Gaim Festival site put up a little interactive thing where you navigate through the Helheim Forest and can find Lockseeds. This shows you some of the things they have planned for release.

Let me just share what's all listed...

Sengoku Driver:

Orange Lockseed

Kachidoki Lockseed

Kiwami Lockseed

Lockseed Charmont Set:

Durian Lockseed

King Durian Lockseed

Donguri Lockseed

Lychee Lockseed

Lockseed Team Baron Set:

Banana Lockseed

Mango Lockseed

Kurumi Lockseed

Lockseed Kureshima Set:

Budoh Lockseed

Kiwi Lockseed

Yomotsuheguri Lockseed

Melon Lockseed

Watermelon Lockseed

Shin Kachidoki Lockseed

Really painting a picture here about how many Lockseeds we're getting. And it doesn't stop there!

I kinda didn't go super deep in this, enough to fully confirm things like Shin Kachidoki in the above list, buuut if you go to the URL for the Lockseed images... you can find the rest of them. I ran into a few of these following ones, which simply said they were gonna be getting a release, didn't say how or when. But you'll be impressed by the results:

Ichigo Lockseed

Pine Lockseed

Suika Lockseed

Lemon Lockseed

Black Orange Lockseed

Matsubokkuri Lockseed

Forbidden Ringo Lockseed

Helheim Lockseed (Related to Gridon VS Bravo, image used above)

Blood Orange Lockseed

Black Ringo Lockseed

Maja Lockseed

Fifteen Lockseed

Himawari Lockseed

Golden Ringo Lockseed

Silver Ringo Lockseed

That is... (checks own blog) just about every Lockseed accounted for! None of the Energy Lockseeds were in there, and I suspect that's probably because they were having fun and being accurate with the Helheim stuff. Energy Lockseeds don't come from Helheim, after all.

There's a few things missing. Of note, I guess the Sid Lockseed, the numberless Banana Lockseed used by Black Baron, Fresh Orange, and anything that didn't have any sort of fiction attached to it. Oh, and Legend Rider Lockseeds. Out of all of these, I feel like the numberless Banana Lockseed has the best chance of a release since it’s gotta have a faceplate with it, but the others are potentially easy to skip. 

And, hoo boy, that’s all FOR NOW, but of course we could always get more reveals. 

[scaryscarecrows]

Bat-recs

Y’know, for fun! Add your favorites; we were all new to this hell at some point, maybe this could be useful for someone.

Batman: Gothic

This was actually the second one I bought; it came across my table when I volunteered at a used library books organization. Two bucks. Immortal murderer? Haunted underwater monastery? Generally freaky? Sign me up! NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THE WEE BABES, we got child murder, mentions of sexual assaults, and a literal head in the trash can. Poor Bruce. This story put him through the absolute wringer and I want to hug him.

The Cult

Also freaky! Bane says he broke Batman. Bane broke Batman a few years LATER; Blackfire...jeeze, man. (So far, two for two on the whole ‘immortal evil religious figure’. Hm.) Psychological horror out to HERE, and there’s a couple of pages that just WORK so WELL, when Robin!Jason finally finds poor Bruce. Also not for children, here there be a lotta bodies. And rats. And Bruce being...uh...well, we don’t need to talk about that now.

Scarecrow Year One

MY FIRST AND FAVORITE. (Ahh, evil religious individual! But not immortal this time.) Jonathan Crane’s backstory-one of them-with bonus Batdad content. Sean Murphy's sketchy artwork works really, really well for, well, Scarecrow, and Baby Crane is a little cutie. Protect him at all costs. Eh, if you or your kid’s a frightened type, the swarms of attacking crows might be a bit much, but there’s no corpse-stacks or child murder this time.

Li’l Gotham

Tired of everything hurting? Say no more. Tooth-rotting fluff is HERE. Batfamily getting along. Damian loves his mom and she loves him back and I am HAPPY ABOUT IT. This is what you’d think DC is like all the time, based on fic. Worth having for when they inevitably ruin something else. The same team has since done Once Upon a Crime, which is also precious.

White Knight

Did I see ‘Sean Murphy’ and smash the preorder? Yeah. Do I decree that this Ivy design is the best Ivy? Yeah. Elseworlds/Black Label, so he’s free to deconstruct Batman...and Batman’s proclivity for destroying Gotham in the pursuit of one asshole. (I feel a little called out, given my driving in Arkham Knight.) Has a sequel, and I’m waiting for the TP, but I’m sure I’ll love it just the same. Harley’s looking good here, guys; she is taking no shit AND she’s not being treated as a bimbo. She has brains and she’s not afraid to use them! Eh, mild nudity and violence, but barring Jason Todd’s standard woes, I’d rate it about the same as SYO in terms of ‘will this traumatize my kid?’

Under the Red Hood

1) No kids. There’s a bag o’ severed heads lovingly detailed like, five pages in. Red Hood ain’t Batman, a fact that he would like to make very clear.

2) THE SASS. THE SAAAAAAASS. EVERYBODY IS A SNARKY BASTARD AND I LOVE IT ALL. Well, almost all. I will grant that the animated film fixed my one big grievance with the ending. :) Seriously, though, ‘oh, my goodness gracious! I’ve been bamboozled!’ is golden and I’m WAITING for that line to make it to screen. Don’t be cowards, DC.

Haunted Knight

Everyone’s gonna rec The Long Halloween, as well they ought, but Haunted Knight-same team-is also great. Scarecrow’s design is...I’m torn between loving it and wanting to yeet it into the sun, but it works for him. This is a short story collection featuring Mad Hatter, Scarecrow, and and a Bat-ified Christmas Carol.

Arkham Asylum: A Serious House on Serious Earth

OKAY. This is sort of like The Long Halloween in that it’s frequently considered ‘required reading’, but I do legitimately enjoy it; it’s very, very, creepy. THIS is where the Arkham Asylum game takes a lot of its inspiration; the Rogues do not go to Batman. He goes to them. This also establishes Arkham’s history. I will say that you should pick up a newer edition with the annotated script included (most of them have it now) because there’s a LOT of symbolism in the art that you might miss, and knowing it really adds to the experience. I’d totally teach this in a psych class, though. Or an English class. It’s great. Bonus for everybody having their own style of dialogue: Joker does not have speech bubbles, for instance, Bruce is  black and white. Really gives you an idea of how they talk. It’s also nice that most of the Gallery gets some page time, even if they don’t talk; Scarecrow, for instance, has no dialogue, but he doesn’t need it. His presence is enough. Hard R-rating for scary images and implied childhood sexual abuse.

The Animated Series

Yup. Start here. START. HERE. Every major rogue (and several obscure ones) gets an episode in the limelight, Bruce is at his absolute best-that perfect combo of ‘gettin’ real tired of your shit, Villain of the Week’ and the compassion that’s gone missing lately-Harley looks great (and, y’know, LIKE A HARLEQUIN), and although it is kid-friendly, it doesn’t treat the viewer like a kid, so you can enjoy it as an adult. (You’re a lying liar who lies if Baby Doll’s episodes didn’t make you teary-eyed. It’s okay. There’s no shame to be had.) Bonus: Dick Grayson is a little ray of sunshine compared to Batman, but that’s not all he is and the writers remembered that. :) And, well...

Iconic.

The Arkham Series

These are almost the animated series for a more mature audience (complete with a lot of the same voice casting!); murder is now allowed to be confirmed. If you’re intimidated by the comics, this is also a good place to start. Again, all the major rogues and a few lesser-knowns get some time to shine, the characterization is working (Bruce is not here for Joker’s shit, but he can still take a minute to calm down a panicking guard), and yeah, I love the designs.

Look at my baby. THAT is legitimately frightening. 10/10, would run from again. Bonus: not only do we get Alfred, we get three whole Robins AND Oracle. That said, while the games give you PLENTY of options to go ‘I’m Batman’, Bruce takes almost none of them, so you have to do it. You gotta. It’s the law.

EDITED TO INCLUDE

Gotham County Line

Batman deals with the psychological guilt of not being able to save everyone, and there are...zombies. Sort of. Amazingly, Scarecrow is nowhere to be seen, yet Bruce does admit, straight-up, ‘I’m afraid’. Me too, Bruce. Me, too. 

10/10 for creep factor here. I went into this unaware it was possible to be scared of Alfred. It is. It is possible. I am a changed woman now. Nothing really...comes of it...but I swear, I turned the page, and this was waiting for me:

Mommy...

Also unsettling; the hanged man in general. A+ unsettling artwork, I’m sure that guy will haunt me. Added bonus: Zombie Robin Jason popping in to save Bruce’s bacon, because he is a good boy, and Zombie Waynes being proud parents. I did not expect the Feels Crowbar...but it was a nice surprise.

[madlori]

Unveiled - Chapter 1

Unveiled, Chapter 1

by MadLori Word Count: 3300 Fandom: Men’s Hockey RPF Pairing: Sidney Crosby/Evgeni Malkin Rating: NC-17 (like, heed this, please) Tags: Arranged Marriage, Modern Royalty AU, Mpreg, Not Omegaverse, No Consent Issues, Veiled Sex, Weird Traditions, Don’t Think Too Hard, Handwavey Biology

Read this on AO3

[there will not usually be this many notes, it’s chapter 1]

Biology note: This is mpreg but NOT omegaverse. All genders have both reproductive systems, meaning anybody of any gender can get anyone else pregnant. Men and women exist, but gender presentation is a result of how things are arranged/presented. I'm not super into getting into a ton of details about this. Handwave, handwave.

Note about language: I made the conscious choice not to render anyone's dialogue in a particular accent or dialect, as I felt that in this setting it would be a distraction. We're gonna go with "everyone in the story is fluent in whatever language you'd like them to be speaking."

Note to my existing readers: This is my first story in this fandom. If you have followed me here from Sherlock or another fandom, please take note of the tags - this is unlike anything I've ever written before. My first foray into mpreg or RPF. If those things don't work for you, that's fine, then this fic isn't for you. No need to inform me.

Thank you to burning-up-a-sun and luckie_dee for excellent beta services, and to ljummen and right-of-the-curve for reading and reacting as I banged this out in record time.

-------

Zhenya had hoped to sleep in on his last morning as a bachelor, but his eyes flew open just past dawn and would not close again. 

His wedding day. The culmination of several years’ work -- the selection of his consort-to-be, the negotiations, the contracts, the preparations...all of which he’d had minimal part in, because one simply didn’t arrange their own marriage, let alone their own embargoed marriage.

He lay in bed, staring at the ceiling, going over and over it in his mind. Ceremony, blessing, consummation, and then...life as usual? Regular people had celebrations after their weddings. They gathered together with their friends and families, ate and drank, danced and celebrated along with the person they’d just married. Lots of photos, smiling faces, Instagram posts and hashtags.

For embargoed spouses, such celebrations were pointless. It was hard to rejoice with your new life partner when you weren’t allowed to see or speak to them, or even to know their name.

All that he knew about the consort was that he was from New Scotland, was Zhenya’s age, and of noble blood. It had been tempting to at least Google him, but poking around an embargo like that was inappropriate, not to mention insulting to the significant sacrifice being made by his new consort. This man had agreed to a restrictive situation to become Zhenya’s husband and bear his child -- the least Zhenya could do was respect his decision. Besides, the consort’s entire online presence would have been digitally embargoed by the palace tech team, which was really meant to shield him from the rest of the world’s snooping, but also served to thwart tempted spouses.

  Zhenya’s parents had asked for quite a bit of input about what sort of person he hoped for as a life partner. They had already known that he preferred a male spouse, and had accepted his one additional condition for a match, but beyond that, he trusted them. He’d known since childhood that his marriage would be arranged and had accepted it, was even grateful for it. It was difficult to meet people when you were a Prince. Zhenya had dated his fair share of men, but he was never sure about their motives -- was his money a factor? his status? his fame? -- and his dates were often put off by the press attention, not to mention the trappings of royalty. He thought his chances of finding happiness with a spouse selected by his parents were possibly better, and certainly no worse. Besides, he didn’t really have it in him to rebel. Refusing to have an embargoed arrangement would be a serious break with tradition, and the very idea was just -- exhausting. 

Sasha, his boisterous, gap-toothed valet, banged into the room at 7:00 a.m. sharp; Zhenya groaned and pulled a pillow over his head. “None of that, now. We have to make you look royal, so God knows we need every last second.” Sasha grabbed the blankets and yanked them off. Zhenya yelped and curled into a tight comma on the bed. “Up, you lazy, posh twat.”

“Why did I make you my valet. Why,” Zhenya said, muffled into his pillow. Sasha had not come up through the ranks of the palace staff, as most valets did. He had been a teammate of Zhenya’s on their university hockey team, and some fit of insanity had led Zhenya to conclude that his total lack of finesse in matters of protocol and politics was appropriate for the job. 

“Because you knew I wouldn’t put up with your bullshit and you were right. You’re getting married today, so let’s try and fool all these rubes into thinking you’ve got class, eh?”

Zhenya slumped out of bed, only to be manhandled out of his pajamas by Sasha. “Hey!”

He snorted. “Like I’ve never seen your dick before. And a lot more people are going to be seeing it today, so get over it. Shower, now.”

Zhenya spent the morning being scrubbed, polished, trimmed, neatened, and perfumed to within an inch of his life. Breakfast was brought in, an unusually light meal. “Are they afraid I’m going to throw up?” he grumbled, eating his toast.

“Probably. Are you?”

“No.”

“You’re not nervous?”

“I’m a little anxious. Excited. What’s to be nervous about?”

“I mean…” Sasha made vague gestures all around him at everything.

Zhenya swallowed and sipped at his tea. “Have you heard...anything?”

“I’m gonna need you to be more specific.”

He rolled his eyes. “About my betrothed.”

“Even if I had, I wouldn’t be allowed to share it. If you want to know, you’ll have to hire a hacker to un-embargo his Instagram.” Zhenya just looked at him. Sasha sighed. “All I know is that he and his entourage arrived two nights ago.”

“‘Entourage?”

“His parents are with him, and he’s got his own guards. He’ll have the guards until he’s unveiled. You knew that, right?”

“I know.”

“Other than that they’re all keeping to their quarters. He’s not supposed to be seen until the wedding.”

“He’s not going to be seen after the wedding! Not that anybody knows what he looks like. He could be walking around the palace in a bathing suit eating peaches and nobody would know it was him.”

“The embargo is for your own good, and his. And the kingdom’s.”

“I get it.” And he did, really. If his consort hadn’t conceived within a year, he would be replaced, and that process would be a lot easier for everyone involved if he, and the citizens, hadn’t gotten attached to him. Hence, the embargo. At least, that’s what the clerics said. Endlessly. “I understand the principle. It’s just going to take some getting used to, being married to someone and having sex with him without seeing his face or talking to him.”

Sasha snorted. “C’mon, Zhenya. You’ve had more than your share of hookups.”

“So?”

“How many of their names can you remember, or even their faces? You’re telling me you had deep conversations with them?”

“That’s different. This man will be my husband.”

“I heard that the prince of Patagonia and his consort broke their embargo and fell in love. She didn’t get pregnant so she had to leave, they were both heartbroken, he almost abdicated his throne, it was a horrible mess, he wouldn’t sleep with the new consort and so she had to be replaced, the first consort was disgraced and went into hiding, nobody knows what happened to her and he’s a giant ball of depression.”

Zhenya blinked. “That’s terrible.”

“Honor your embargo, Zhenya.”

He sighed. “I intend to.”

Embargoed marriage ceremonies were small, private affairs. The unveiling was really the big public spectacle, when the kingdom could at last meet their prince’s husband. The wedding was more for the clerical blessing and the witnessed consummation, and a huge gathering for that was considered unseemly. Zhenya had been trained since childhood not to feel immodest for this occasion, but he was still glad that there would only be a few witnesses present.

He walked to the chapel in his custom-made marriage robes, simple but lush as was the current style. Standing outside the chamber were six of his consort’s guards. Their uniforms were pleasingly clean-lined, black and tailored with deep gold trim, and they snapped to attention as he approached, disciplined and in perfect formation. Zhenya nodded to them -- he imagined he’d be getting to know them soon enough -- and passed through.

A heavy drape hung in the center of the dais with a small hole cut in it for their hands to pass through. Zhenya took his place on the left, nodding to the head cleric. He heard rustling from the other side of the drape and a shadow fell upon it; his new consort had taken his place on the other side.

They did not speak during the ceremony, as their embargo forbade them from hearing one another’s voices. The cleric spoke to them; they acknowledged his words with nods of assent to his questions and directives. When he bade them do so, they joined hands through the hole in the drape. Zhenya noted that his betrothed’s hand was square and strong, and gripped his without hesitation, exhibiting no sign of a nervous tremor. A promising start. He shut his eyes and sent up a prayer to whatever deity might be handy...please, let me like him. Please, let him get pregnant quickly. Let him be smart. And if it’s not too much to ask, please, let him be...not hideous.

“You are joined,” the cleric concluded, simply. Two deacons appeared and removed the drape.

His consort was dressed in elegant marriage robes of his own, including a cape and a veil that hid him from view entirely save for his hands. The only new information Zhenya received with the removal of the drape was his consort’s height, about half a head shorter than Zhenya. He smiled at his new husband and they bowed to each other. Zhenya watched as his consort made a silent greeting to his parents, the Duke and Duchess of New Scotland, who Zhenya did not know at all. With over seventeen thousand peerage titles in the world, one couldn’t meet them all, or even a tiny fraction. The consort’s guards had materialized in the chapel and now surrounded their master and escorted him off the dais and off into the chamber where the next and final step would happen.

Zhenya turned to receive his own parents’ congratulations, and a back-slapping hug from Sasha, wildly overstepping his role as a valet as usual. Zhenya’s father rolled his eyes but didn’t chastise him; his parents loved Sasha as they loved Zhenya himself. More, he sometimes suspected. 

The cleric hovered at Zhenya’s elbow. “Your Royal Highness, you are awaited in the antechamber.” 

Sasha winked at him. “Good luck. Do it right the first time and this embargo can end quickly.”

“I don’t think it’s entirely up to me,” Zhenya said, but he hoped for the same. He couldn’t imagine waiting for months on end, walking on eggshells every day, everyone looking askance at him if it dragged on and wondering at his virility if he failed to impregnate his spouse. As if it would be for lack of trying. 

He followed the cleric into the antechamber. His consort would have gone on ahead to be prepared and arranged by his personal attendants, although Zhenya wasn’t quite sure what that meant, beyond the obvious. This situation was generally not intended to produce arousal in both parties, so he damn well hoped that his consort’s “preparation” involved vaginal lubrication of some kind, for both of their comfort. He’d find out soon enough, but first there was still all manner of ceremonial mumbo-jumbo to attend to.

Zhenya wasn’t particularly devout, a fact he kept mostly to himself. At minimum, a visible attention to custom was expected and valued by the citizens, and Zhenya had no wish to disappoint them, or more accurately, to give them cause to distrust him. He respected the beliefs of his parents (mostly his mother) and of the clerics, but he’d have dispensed with the whole rigmarole if he’d had his choice. But this was his duty, so he stood quietly and allowed the clerics to say their blessings over him and waft their burning herbs as his outer robes were removed.

Underneath his robes were his tunic and trousers, which had been made with a flap at the front (“easy access,” Sasha had joked). He wouldn’t undress further than this, at least not for this ceremonial consummation. He’d be expected to achieve a minimum objective today, the most that could be hoped for in these high-pressure and decidedly not private circumstances.

One of the sub-clerics stood at his side. “Your Royal Highness, will you require assistance readying yourself?” he asked, quietly. Sasha, lurking behind him, snorted.

“Assistance?” Zhenya said, puzzled...but then it hit him. He was being asked if he’d need help getting it up. It stood to reason that he might, with people watching and the Fate of the Kingdom Depending and blah blah blah. Anxiety was not typically the friend of erections. The sub-cleric was offering a helping hand, so to speak. Zhenya had heard stories. Supposedly there’d once been a groom nervous enough that the sub-cleric had to use his mouth on him before he could manage it.

Zhenya didn’t think he’d need quite that much assistance; indeed, he hoped he wouldn’t need any. “Let’s...proceed, and we’ll see,” he said. The sub-cleric nodded and went to the door into the main chamber.

It was dim inside, fragrant with burning herbs. Several clerics were lined up at the far side of the room, chanting quietly. Behind a screen stood half a dozen shadowy figures; witnesses, drawn from the nobility and the royal family. Zhenya didn’t know who was back there and he didn’t care to know. He would likely never know; it was considered rude to disclose one’s presence at such an occasion. Zhenya had himself been a witness at his cousin’s consummation five years ago. You really couldn’t see much at all, through the screen and the awkward angle.

At the moment, however, his attention was captivated by the bed in the center of the room, and his consort upon it. He was laid out on his stomach, covered in drapes even including his head -- Zhenya worried for a moment if he could breathe adequately under there. Two of his guards stood at the head of the bed, eyes fixed firmly forward. The drapes extended from over his consort’s head past his feet, and in the center was an oval-shaped cutout exposing what was, without question, the most fantastic backside Zhenya had ever seen in his life, and he’d seen his fair share.

No. He would not be needing assistance. In fact, he felt himself swelling at the sight of just this one part of his new consort’s body. It was odd, and unexpectedly titillating, to be presented with a more-or-less disembodied ass, even if he could see the shape of the rest of the man under the drape -- but, he supposed, that titillation shouldn’t really be unexpected; why else did glory holes exist? Not that he’d ever partaken of such things, in clubs, in his slightly-wilder youth, absolutely not. But this was his husband, not a late night quickie. It wouldn’t be like this all the time, he assured himself. This was just for the ceremonial bit. Future couplings would be much less...ritualized.

They were all looking at him, waiting for him to get to it, but there was a step to be taken first. He glanced at the cleric and nodded. The cleric hesitated, then moved to the head of the bed. This was Zhenya’s personal addition to the ceremonies, and the cleric had been reluctant to deviate from the traditional sequence of events, but Zhenya had insisted.

He had no interest in a spouse who’d been forced into marrying him, as he’d made sure his parents understood before they set out to find him one. “I do have one condition, and it is non-negotiable,” he’d said.

His father had looked surprised. “What is it, son?”

“I require absolute assurance that any consort of mine enters into marriage to me of their own free will, and not under duress.”

His parents had exchanged a glance. “That should not be difficult; marriage into our family is considered very desirable.”

“Be that as it may, I need you to promise me, Father..”

His father had nodded, and seemed even pleased by this directive. “You have my word, son.”

And now, the cleric spoke to the consort on Zhenya’s behalf. “Your Highness,” he said, using the man’s new title -- after the embargo was lifted, he would become His Royal Highness, the same honorific that Zhenya received. “Prince Evgeni wishes me to ask you for your consent before he joins with you.” Zhenya saw the consort’s head turn to the side. “He values your agreement to this consummation.”

The man hesitated. Zhenya saw the surprise in his shoulders. His head turned further,  seeming to look back over his shoulder at Zhenya, and he nodded.

The cleric straightened up. “Does this satisfy Your Royal Highness?” There was just a touch of “are you happy now?” impatience in the cleric’s voice which Zhenya chose to ignore.

Zhenya nodded. He removed his gloves and handed them to Sasha, who was being appropriately quiet and invisible for once in his life. He unbuttoned the flap on the front of his trousers; he was half-erect already and filling fast.

He knelt on the bed. He wasn’t supposed to make any unnecessary contact this first time, but he couldn’t help but run his hands briefly over his husband’s smooth, muscular rear. Just like that, he was fully hard and more than ready. He placed his knees within the drapery cutout on either side of the consort’s hips; the man shifted slightly, spreading his thighs a little bit to give him room. Zhenya reached back and tucked his cock down and against the man’s entrance, relieved to find that he was, indeed, slick. He pressed forward and entered him; Zhenya stifled a groan and felt a shudder pass over the man beneath him. He was tight and warm; Zhenya held still for a moment with his eyes closed and hips pressed against his consort’s impossibly plump ass. 

He braced on his hands and shut his eyes, making smooth, even thrusts. There’d be time later to investigate what kind of sex his husband enjoyed, but now was the time to be quick about it and get the job done. He tried to visualize success, as the clerics liked to say during their instruction, and picture his seed finding its target and blossoming in his consort’s womb. The minimum embargo time was three months; even if he conceived right now, early pregnancy was so delicate that it wasn’t considered official until the three--month mark. After carrying to three months, the consort was accepted into the family and unveiled, even if the child was subsequently lost.

Zhenya had often wondered about consorts who failed to conceive and were replaced. Who was to say that it was their fault? Both parties underwent pre-marriage medical testing to minimize this risk, but bodies were unpredictable. Of course it might not be the consort’s fault; the would-be sire could just as easily be the one whose biology failed them, but such a thing could not be admitted for a royal scion. He’d heard one tale, possibly apocryphal, of a prince whose consort hadn’t conceived -- unwilling to accept defeat, the prince had asked his consort to get him pregnant, which she had done, and their embargo was released.

The contemplation of such machinations was premature, he knew. He and his new consort had only just begun.

As keyed up as he was, it didn’t take long for him to finish. He thrust in deep and spilled, clenching his teeth against the desire to cry out. He felt his consort sigh and press back against him a little, a welcome signal of acknowledgment. Zhenya let his head droop for a moment, then straightened up and pulled out. Sasha was right there with a cloth for him to clean himself before he refastened his pants.

The cleric stepped forward and blessed the union, prayers for the success of the joining, yadda yadda. Zhenya barely paid attention. Sasha was replacing his robe on him, but all Zhenya could do was look at the draped form of his new husband, especially the one part of it that he could see, and hope that it wouldn’t be too long before he could see the rest of it.

He let Sasha lead him out of the chamber, glad that was over -- but in another, very real sense, it was just beginning. He was now a married man, with a responsibility to his consort, who was at something of a disadvantage in this situation. He hoped he could be a good, supportive husband to him, until at last the day came that he’d be allowed to see his face.

Next Chapter

[diabolikmosquito]

Just-Watched Thoughts on S3

Alright time to write this while I’m still here recovering so I can go to bed already. I might add more/clean this up once I get some proper sleep. Tagging it but putting Castlevania Season 3 spoilers under a cut just in case people haven’t got tags hidden and such. Here goes-

Overall I’m honestly just kinda shocked? I think it’s because a lot of things were easy to predict (that the cult might be trying to bring back Dracula, something was up with the Judge, Hector was obviously gonna fall for Lenore’s bs, etc.) so when things happened I didn’t see from a mile away.. 

When I was only like an episode or two in, things actually felt a little stunted to me? Something about it felt like “This is what people liked from before, right??” particularly with certain action or such, but I feel like it picked up pretty quickly from that. I’m still kinda in winding-down-emotions mode so I can’t really definitively say what storylines I liked and which ones I disliked for the most part. I liked Isaac’s, and the design of the... Hivemind Magician? Was all pretty sick. It felt like the first thing that was actually a massive challenge for him, and nearly overtook him, but he overcame it and even came out of it thinking through what he wanted for the future. It’s a nice change from seeing him steamroll anything that came his way. 

I like that Trevor and Sypha’s storyline ends up with them not getting their heroic grand time like they did last time. Yes, there were sacrifices made, but before it still felt grandiose: they’d worked together to kill Dracula, something the world didn’t even think possible for the most part. This time, they sacrificed a lot more and ultimately didn’t win a thing other than their own lives, and were helping a hidden monster in their process of killing other monsters. What a crushing thing for them to have to go through, and I think Trevor’s conversation with himself before (and later with said monster, ironically enough) about missing parts of his old non-heroic non-adventuring life was pretty somber and interesting. 

The whole Lenore/Hector route was exactly what’s expected from the beginning, but it was done well for what it was, and I don’t think they were trying to fool anyone with the direction it was headed. Carmilla’s plot was.. eh, more or less not much seemed to actually happen, but it did introduce us to the awesome vampire sisters so I’m more than down with it. I wish we got a little more about Saint Germain’s whole deal with that portal and such, who he was looking for and how he knows they’re still alive in there, but I assume that’s a next-season kind of thing. I’m gonna ramble if I write anymore so here’s a more concise/clear list:

Things I liked -  Trevor and Sypha’s chemistry! I thought it was good the first couple seasons (which apparently puts me in the minority?) but they felt much more compatible as a couple this time around. The little exchange about the “taste for rougher things in life” is wonderful, and I definitely snorted when she sleep-bapped him in the face. - The tidbits of funny dialogue! Seems to still be a show specialty. Some of them were understandably a bit funny (using “Nope! speedwalks away” in place of “shut it” is pretty good), and others weren’t funny but I just found it hilarious (e.g. Morana’s repeated fancily-stated things that boiled down to “... Lenore, seriously, TMI”) - The soundtrack! Not really any surprise, despite it not being the famous Symphony of the Night tracks people clamored for trust me I totally get that and despite it still not being released even from season 2 much less 3,  it was very nice to listen to.  - The vampire sisters! While it was obvious from the beginning Lenore was the “cutest/nonthreateningest-looking of the scary bunch but actually the scariest” one I liked the energy they all had, especially Striga and Morana and their relationship. I liked that we got to see Carmilla’s attitude bouncing off of other vampires who (while respecting her skill) also called her out for it from time to time. - The references! I’m sure there’s more and I’m a dumbass who only spots the obvious ones, but... the fact there’s demons that’re exactly ones out of the ol’ Symphony of the Night game again, like the Malachi and Fire Demon. It’s so dumb but I love shit like that, especially since they obviously stray far from the game canon and don’t have to do that but do it anyway. - Some of the action scenes. I cannot mention what I like without mentioning the parts that made me go “... Okay, yeah, that was badass.” You know the ones! When Cho busted that sword with her hands, when Sypha chopped that angel-like demon into pieces. ... A lot of the stuff Sypha did, actually, I’m glad she got some more epic moments to kick ass this season. I thought the earlier action scenes of the season were just alright, but by the last fight it was definitely starting to feel like that awesome dynamic fight style we saw in season 2. - The fact Dracula saw an opportunity to return and didn’t want to. Not much to say here other than the obvious - I feel like that’s extremely fitting, and I’m glad they made it clear without bringing him back and having him be angry/regret it or something like that. Without any dialogue, even. - The ending.. somewhat. It destroyed me a little on the inside, but I actually like that nobody really had a happy ending. Particularly if there could be another season, it feels really fitting. I’ve seen some people complaining “They ended up where they started! Trevor and Sypha are back on the road, Isaac’s traveling with his army, Alucard’s alone in the castle and Hector is a slave” but I couldn’t disagree more. Of course if you boil it down to the words themselves, it’s “the same,” but did ya see the sheer trauma literally everyone was put through? Obviously some had it worse than others (and we’ll fucking get to that) but nobody came out unscathed. Everyone’s now had some belief challenged or retreated further into a fear/mistrust that already existed - previous events planted the seed for it and the hell the cast went through gave it growth. 

Trevor and Sypha are going to have to challenge their goal they’d been following since working together/getting together: they can’t just go headlong adventuring and fixing people’s problems, because things like this can happen. Their new allies and the entire town were slaughtered or trapped somewhere, and the man they’d trusted and been helping this entire time was a serial killer, particularly of children. Alucard is drifting into a state of consciousness not unlike his father before he met Lisa, but potentially in a worse place since he’s witnessed and felt true kindness, but has retreated away from it even so due to the betrayal he’s suffered at an already-fragile time for him. Isaac has to reconsider what he’s going to do once he has his proper army, and even if it’s worth it to get his revenge or to carry out Dracula’s original plans. Saint Germain.. I mean, he’s in psychodelic hell searching for that person and presumably a way out, I assume it’s tragic. Hector’s learned a hard lesson in trusting and is going to have to figure out if his freedom is worth risking pain or death. Likewise I think the characters grow this way. Even if it was a happy ending, or an ending where everyone “wins” some small victory somehow, I think it’d ultimately have been worthless if nobody was fundamentally changed by the end of the season.

Things I didn’t like - The sex scenes. I’ve seen a lot of people like “If you’re gonna put in gratuitous sex then actually include Trevor and Sypha??” and I’m gonna have to disagree with that. While I love the ship and all, I’d like to give the benefit of the doubt and say sex scenes weren’t thrown around randomly or just to flex the rating - they were only tied to actual story, hence why I’m down with the bedroom stuff of the show’s main ship only being alluded to. However, I gotta say that the long broken-up sex scenes mixed with battle/action was not the way to do that. I think I know what they were going for (it definitely drove my anxiety up having those scenes back to back with intense action/violence, I can tell ya that!), but it just wasn’t a good idea. Yes, they were obviously made to be uncomfortable (particularly since I’m pretty sure one of them was dubious consent at best?) but that was reflected well just in a few key frames/actions - it didn’t need to be drawn out and mixed with the action. It made me want to skip through (I didn’t out of fear I’d miss battles, which isn’t really good design) and I’d like to bet parts of the finale are unwatchable for some. For the record, yes you could say “well they got into an adult-rated show, deal with it,” but the fact of the matter is up until now sexual violence/discomfort wasn’t heavy-handed and in-your-face like this. Non-sexual violence was definitely all over the whole series, but it’s still a bit like whiplash considering. Also, the fact people think the scene with Alucard was at all chill. I see it from a story standpoint (though I honestly think their motivations were weak and there’s other ways to betray someone/get their guard down), but I think the people going on about “power bottom” and this and that are forgetting that the absence of a no is not a yes, particularly with someone severely emotionally damaged after spending months alone not only without a support group but without any contact, immediately following the death of his father by his own hands. I’m no expert but I don’t think that’s someone in the proper state of mind to consent to anything sexual, even if there were a couple weeks or whatever of spending time with these new friends. He very well might’ve been on the way to a stress disorder before they turned his world upside-down and frankly I’m wondering how he’s going to be faring come the next season (assuming there is one.) That’s more of a fandom gripe than the show itself I suppose but it’s worth a mention. - The pacing. It’s hard to pinpoint it, but something about it felt off, especially in the first half. The best way I can describe it is when you pump the gas and brakes because your brakes aren’t working great and you’re loosening them up - maybe it was necessary to get things going, but it’s a bit destabilizing/odd for anyone in the car. I think it’s what contributed to that stunted sense I got until things picked up a little more. You can see it more in just how packed with stuff the latter half is, some things which could’ve been planned a bit better through the whole season. - Sumi and Taka. I honestly felt that they wanted to get in a way to have a punch-in-the-gut arc with Alucard (not a bad idea, I am one for tragedy), wanted to kill off some characters who were actually important, and decided to do these both with one stone. I don’t think they were successful on the second part, because these two absolutely contributed to the stunted feeling I had about some of the season. They had a good start in terms of backstory, and the idea of two people working together to fight vampires without having some big legend tied to their name to drive it (e.g. Speaker magicians, Belmont legacy, Alucard’s heritage), as well as a connection to/fleshing out of one of the nameless generals, sounded like a great concept. A great concept, but it was rushed I felt, to the point that their motivations for turning on him were so packed and squished in they just weren’t believable if we’re supposed to believe these two were sane. They had some sort of mental/trust issues due to their backstory - that’s fine, and could contribute some emotional problems. However if their distrust in Alucard had been given more time to fester and grow, more little comments of Alucard’s brushing off their attempts to learn about specific things, and more cues from him that could be misinterpreted by them as him causing trouble and lying (not just them not believing him by itself), it would be more believable that the past and misinterpretations of the present get into their head and poison their thoughts of him. You can plant a seed of doubt but just like any other character bonds, it has to be given time to grow. Alucard’s rapid bonding with them could be attributed to his loneliness, trauma, and need for a support system, but you can’t make that excuse for Sumi and Taka’s motivations going from “Hm.. I wonder what he isn’t telling us” to “We need to emotionally gut him and then kill him” basically overnight. Edit:

I forgot to add a conclusion last night, so I guess the TL;DR is season 3’s a good 7.5/10 for me, -1 for the overall pacing, -1 for missing a bit of the punch from before, and -0.5 because the last few episodes jumped me with a bat and I let it happen.