#they've been haunting me for the past week

[kakmem]

i need more content of them fr...

[kyoten19]

i return with lesbians

[charlotteking23]

The Lion's Lamb - Chapter 4 - MV1/33

Max Verstappen x reader

The Lion's Lamb Series: Aesthetics, Ch.1, Ch.2, Ch.3

The Dutch and American couldn't keep each other out of their thoughts for the next few days.

Max found himself wanting to be around you more often. He found something other than racing, that he felt joy to be around.

You found herself drawn to the dark and mysterious aura that the Dutchman unmistakably had. Something about him made you feel something you never felt before.

In the days since they last saw each other, Max made good use of your number. Within an hour of leaving the coffee shop, he texted you.

Since then, they've been communicating nonstop. If they weren't busy with work, they were either texting or calling each other.

It wasn't until the upcoming Thursday that you felt like Max was becoming distant with you.

You were saddened by the thought. You rarely put Yourself out there, especially towards men, but something about Max made you want to try it.

By Sunday afternoon, Max had called you, extremely excited after winning the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix. It was a close race between Ferrari and Redbull, but Max ultimately won in the end.

You had spent your Sunday painting, trying to keep your thoughts clear of a certain Dutchman. You wouldn't allow herself to think about it more than you should.

You had put yourself out there and was ghosted. You wouldn't wallow in self-pity for a man You had only met once. At least that's what you told herself.

In front of you lay a painting of piercing blue eyes that stared right back at you. You stared back, getting lost in the familiar gaze before the sound of your phone ringing broke your thoughts.

Quickly grabbing the phone without looking at who was calling, you answered, "Hello?"

"Hey," you heard the rough voice of the man who has been haunting your thoughts recently.

"Max?"

"Why do you sound surprised to get my call?"

"I didn't think you would call me," You said lightly, your heart racing just from his voice. "You seemed to not want to talk to me recently."

"I'm sorry, little lamb," You heard him sigh through the phone. "I was away for work and things got busy."

"Oh," You blushed at the pet name he said, "So you weren't done with me?"

"Little lamb, you can't get rid of me that easy," you giggled at his answer before responding.

"How was the work trip then?"

"It went well, but I can't wait to come back and see you again."

"When do you come back?"

"Tonight. I'd love to see you again sometime this week."

"I would love to see you too," you bit your lip nervously. "You have to tell me all about your trip."

"I will little lamb," he chuckled.

The Redbull driver couldn't keep the smile off his face. His little lamb wanted to be around him when he came back.

He was upset that you believed him to be ignoring you when that wasn't his intention at all. Max didn't tell you that he had gone away for work. He's used to people knowing who he is.

The name Max Verstappen has become a household name overnight it seemed. After winning his World Championship title last year, especially under the circumstances, he had built a name for himself. Good and bad.

So for him, you were a breath of fresh air. Being around someone that did know him, or what he does for a living, made him feel normal. As an F1 driver, normal is hard to come by.

Daniel Ricardo, the McLaren driver, and Max's closest friend, watched him on the phone from a distance. He had never seen his friend's face light up as much as it did when speaking to whoever was on the other end.

Daniel was there for the Dutchman since the beginning of his career at Redbull. Max was his younger brother in his head and he wouldn't have it any other way.

The McLaren driver knew that the Dutchman past, knowing he hadn't had the easiest life and his life revolved around racing. After watching the Redbull driver win his first title, the Aussie watched him slowly start to become a recluse.

Riccardo knew the young driver had been struggling since his world championship title came with a lot of controversy. Max wanted to prove to everyone, including himself, that he was a great driver.

Seeing the Aussie walking towards him, the Dutchman quickly told his little lamb goodbye and that he'd call back when he got the chance.

He didn't want anyone to know about you just yet. You were his escape from reality and he refused to share that escape with anyone else in fear of losing it.

"You all good mate?" The Australian driver asked once he got closer to the other driver, noticing the small smile on his face.

"Yeah," he responded shortly, letting the smile drop from his face.

"Who were you just on the phone with?" The driver smirks at his old teammate. He couldn't help but be nosey.

Especially after noticing how quickly he got off the phone when he approached. He wouldn't be Daniel Riccardo if he didn't know any drama.

"No one," Max shook his head quickly, refusing to fall for the other man's antics.

"Did our little Dutchman find a girl?"

"No," Max deadpanned. If he told the Aussie, it wouldn't be long before Lando, the other McLaren driver knew. And the younger driver couldn't keep a secret to save his life.

"You don't smile, especially on the phone, for just anyone."

"Daniel," the younger driver sighed, knowing the smile on his friend's face meant he wasn't going to stop pushing him. "If I tell you something you will drop the subject?"

The Aussie nodded his head vigorously, his classic grin plastered on his face. He just wanted to know what was going on with his friend.

If a girl is making him this happy, he'd like to know about you.

"You can't tell anyone about her okay? I don't need this getting out especially since it just started."

"I promise I won't say anything."

"She's amazing. She's gorgeous and absolutely the most innocent human being out there," he smiles thinking about you he hopes to see tomorrow. "The best part is, she doesn't know who I am."

"She doesn't?" That surprised Daniel, seeming how almost everyone knew who he was. "I don't want to say this, but is she faking this personality to get close to you?"

"No," the Dutchman shakes his head, not even entertaining the thought, "this girl can't lie to save her life. You can see it in her eyes that she has nothing but good intentions."

"Alright," the Aussie nods, choosing to believe his friend. "Where'd you meet her?"

"Coffee shop in Monaco."

"She's from Monaco and doesn't know who you are?"

"She's American, she only moved to Monaco for work."

"An American? Should have just started with that," the McLaren driver grins, "you know how much I love Americans."

Max shakes his head at his friend's comment. Thinking to himself how right his friend is.

The McLaren driver does love Americans, everyone on the grid is pretty positive that the man is a secret American pretending to be Australian.

"Look man," Daniel says while grabbing the Redbull driver's shoulder, "if she's making you this happy, who am I to say shit."

The Dutchman gives the Aussie a slight smile, thinking about you. He can't see you fitting into his lifestyle, yet at the same time, he can't seem to want anyone but you here.

"I want to be the first one to meet her," Daniel slowly gets a mischievous look in his eyes, "I can't promise that she won't choose me instead of you once she sees this beautiful face."

Taglist: @shelbyteller, @smithieandy, @fangirlforever2000, @herexpertcollector, @vip-access

[villainofmyownstory]

Blurry

masterlist

next ->

pairing: exhusband!Captain John Price x fem!Reader

summary: You visit your ex-husband, in your once shared home. The memories are painful. But only for you. Unfortunately, after that one bloody mission, John doesn't remember you. The memory of your life together, blurred in his mind.

tags: afab reader, hurt, ex lovers, ex-husband, recollection of death, loss of memory , ambiguous/open ending

1.6 k words

author's note: Once I wrote some random thoughts about our gorgeous captain. Today I've put it all together. Comments welcome, let me know if it's worth writing another part, because I don't know what to think. I guess I like sad stories…. and can't get the ex-husband plot out of my mind. Sorry not sorry <3

——————————————————————————————————

The clock ticked quietly somewhere in the distance, deep in the corridor, steadily, rhythmically. The water in the kitchen tap dripped, quietly reminding you that you need to change the gasket but also to fix some other things in the flat. Even though you moved here a few months ago, you still don't feel at home. You feel uncomfortable. Like a guest in a hotel. All the objects seemed foreign, belonging to someone else. Or maybe nobody's. Everything has been renovated, painted, bought and new. Just for you.

Cat curled up in a ball, lies next to you on a small red sofa. And in front of you on a small, vintage coffee table steams warm coffee. Another one that day. The only meal for many weeks. You rub your eyes, even though no more tears have appeared in them for days. It still burns you and you feel this tingling under your eyelids. Something like fine sand, irritating your eyeballs and hurting the soft delicate flesh of your eyelids. You try to take it in stride. On days like these, weekends, holidays, when you are left alone in a small flat. You fall apart into millions of pieces. Alone. The pain under your ribs, the pressure in your sternum, your throat squeezed like in a vice. Memories haunt you at every step. A constant battle with the past, something you beg for every sleepless night to finally go away. To be finally erased. You should burn the photos, throw away the gifts. Bury the past at last. To move on. After all, this is what you wanted. A lot of time fighting, trying. Days of sweat shed, of anger, of trying again and again. And in the end, powerlessness.

Sunk in your thoughts, you stare, with heavy eyelids, at the empty space under the TV. Once, in another warm home, the shelf was filled with DVDs of one's favourite films. Classic.

A familiar sound interrupts your gloomy rush of thoughts. Looking at the phone screen, you smile slightly. Your boys have been calling every day. ‘Hi Johnny’ You say with a grunt, trying to chase away the sad thoughts, not letting him know that you are tormenting yourself with the past again.

You should not agree. The paperwork you signed, and the arrangements in the documents, were approved, many months ago. That was not the deal. This is not how you discussed the contract. This is not why you are sitting here now. Yet, you can't say no to them. Not after all they've given up their lives, made sacrifices and…

Sitting in an old rusty cheap car. In your familiar driveway, in this new, friendly neighbourhood. You hesitate to get out. Your hands are sweaty, in a firm grip on the worn-out steering wheel. So you give yourself a few minutes to calm down. You never wanted to show them, him, that you were continuing to suffer badly. That you haven't really moved on.

You have to be tough.

As the door finally slams shut behind you with a quiet click, the same scent reaches your nostrils once again. Earthy and heavy from the cigars and the cherry wood burning in the fireplace, a slightly sweet smoke with a subtle fruity aftertaste, with a slight bitter note. A scent so familiar, so close. But it's not your scent. The resignation has been signed. The decision had been made. There was no going back. Johnny stands in front of you looking at you apologetically. ‘Sure I understand. Duty calls.’ You say gently squeezing his shoulder in a gesture of understanding. Or maybe you want to convince yourself that you're not angry. There's no problem. Some kind of confirmation that it's not their fault you have to be here again. That you are standing in this big modern house, from a dream project . In the place that was supposed to be your home.

Of course boys hired 24/7 nursing. But also they themselves, his squad soldiers, alternated days and nights here. They practically lived here. So if the medical caretaker went for a few days' holiday and the three men had to go on a sudden urgent mission for a few days. It was your job to be here and help. You couldn't let them down. You could not say no. You could not answer the phone. Pretend it doesn't concern you. You had to be here. You had to be strong. For him.

When you are finally left alone in the hallway and the big car disappears around the corner. You feel that hole in your heart, opening up again. Those missing pieces to fill it. They are just behind a thin, wall. A couple of steps. A few seconds.

When you finally stand in the large room, as usual, dark curtains hang from the ceiling to the floor, covering the terraced windows. The semi-darkness of the room has always accompanied him when he watches movies. You stare at his profile illuminated by artificial television light. Despite the years spent in the army, the many litres of blood shed, the many scars on his body. He continued to watch the same films. War movies, classics. The screams and gunshots accompanied him since he opened his eyes and when he closed them. It was already burned into his mind. Written into his gut. It's just a shame that this one fucking wound, made him forget. He forgot about you. ‘Hi.’ You say uncertainly standing in the corner of the couch. You can't look at him.

You don't want to see the ocean blue of his irises, the wrinkles around his eyes. The slightly grey hair. The little freckle on his nose. The fidgety trimmed beard - which his boys were now taking care of. ‘Oh, mornin’ ‘ His voice seems even deeper to you, slightly hoarse. Perhaps already stranger. ‘How are you feeling today. Captain?’ You spit out the last word like a poisonous snake. You want to say something completely different. To shout what you said to him every night. Every morning intertwined when you were here, together. Alone. ‘You don't have to be so official, ma'am. I'm out of the army.’ John is gallant as ever. It's the same every damn time. Ma'am, lady. Miss. He's never said your name since that day. Forgotten. That hole in your heart, never to be filled by his pieces again.

The conversation goes on as usual, John again thinking you are just another medical assistant employed by his former teammates. Brothers in arms. Brothers in war. Brothers in the last of the battles. You want to shout to him how much you hate him, how much you despise him. How much it aches you. How much it hurts you that he doesn't remember anything. A bloody mission. Yet, as usual, you sit and listen once again to the same questions, the stories. As if you've turned on that worst episode of your favourite show again. The last one.

Every time he leaves. During every time he was away. On every such occasion. You were ready for the funeral. The black dress continued to hang in that wardrobe, a few rooms away.

Perhaps it would have been better if it had simply been buried six feet underground. In an oak dark box. Cold and with an equally empty head about you. Maybe it would be easier for you that way. You've already said goodbye to one light casket with his last name on it. Because that hole in your heart was much bigger than the missing fragments of your husband, ex-husband.

For a longer monologue, more memories, of his past work. Of his previous life. What you counted as ‘before’. Because what was ‘after’ was a blur. No matter. John stares at you, finally taking his eyes off the TV. The end credits move lazily across the large TV screen. You smile slightly when your gazes finally meet. He is handsome still. Maybe even more beautiful than you remembered him. It would seem that the man's calm face does not hide his wounded, hollow mind.

Physically he looks maybe even better than during his time in the army. In fact, better than at the time of your marriage. Unwittingly the corners of your mouth gently lift up. Doubtless Simon has been training with him, the hard workouts and the proper diet prepared by the new Captain are yielding great results. A well-deserved successor. A plain red t-shirt lightly framed John's broad, muscular shoulders. Grey casual sweatpants once too loose were now gently stretched around his massive thighs.

You don't have the strength to explain to him once again who you are. So when he once again addresses you as a total stranger you don't react. You wanted so badly to climb on his thighs, to punch him in the chest, maybe even scratch him. To make him feel some kind of pain at least for a moment, that thing you feel non-stop, something to bring you two together again. Feel his heart beat faster, and enter his mind, scratch out every shadowy particle. To brighten and put your memories there. Ours.

Nothing in this house resembles that life anymore. There are no pictures here. There are no flowers. There is no more laughter and joyful banter. No more singing and quiet murmurs of delight. The three of you are gone.

Finally, as you lower your gaze to his hands, which hesitantly stroke the fabric of the armchair. The image is blurred. Finally, tears well up in your eyes. You can no longer see a trace of the ring. No lighter stripe stands out on the slightly tanned skin. There is no faint hollow in the fleshy part of his worked-up ring finger. Although everything is a blur. The gold glistens gently reflecting the soft light of the television. The object that was such an important symbol. A vow. A promise. As if playfully winking at you.

[jokeroutsubs]

🎈🍰Nace Birthday Special🍰🎈

Nace Jordan's interview for Suzy magazine, published 14.06.2024. English translation by drumbeat and @beeoftheanxieties, proof read by TWT klamstrakur.

📝ENG Translation: Joker Out's Nace Jordan: 60 Kilograms to Happiness

Twenty-nine-year-old Nace Jordan is considered one of the most emotional, thoughtful, and responsible Slovenian musicians.

CAPTION: He’s spreading tolerance and respect to everyone.

He was the last one to join the group of four highly admired young men, but that doesn't mean he's the fifth or the spare wheel. His inspiring story makes him a great role model for teenagers, showing that working on yourself is worthwhile, because you never know when an extraordinary opportunity will come your way. After making a major change in his lifestyle, he got rid of past burdens to focus on a bright, melodic future. With the loving support of his girlfriend, the first signs of a family are already visible. They've been joined by Pino, an adorable dachshund, who brought new responsibilities and lots of joy.

CAPTION: Joker Out gained a first-class member with Nace.

INTERVIEWER: How quickly did you feel accepted as fully fledged member, considering you were not a co-founder of Joker Out?

Nace: Initially it might have appeared as if I instantly took on the role of bass guitarist with confidence, although deep down I was quite confused. The guys already had their banter, even a kind of a jargon I didn't feel familiar with. They are after all five years younger than me, almost a different generation. But they have welcomed me in a very embracing way, we have started to develop a communal story and we have become a unit. Even after we had recorded 'Carpe Diem' and I was offered a permanent place in the band, I was still haunted by the feeling that I might not be perceived easily as a part of the band by the most devoted fans.

Was Eurovision your ultimate test?

Sort of. I was told I aced it, and as a fill-in member, it made me happy when the decision to welcome me into the family was final. The whole idea was to first try and see how compatible we were, without any pressure or expectations. On stage, it was obvious that we were a perfect match. But I tended to hold back when it came to the bigger decisions. Bojan is, after all, the frontman, the dominant one, so I didn't want to interfere with the pre-established dynamics. It was only after the Eurovision euphoria was over that a new era began and with it the most precious gift - the appreciation of the entire group. They are exceptional young individuals, extremely talented, and they wanted someone who could feel their vibe and bring them together, not tear them apart.

This opportunity has come as a reward for your challenging personal journey, a tremendous transformation of body and spirit. How has this affected your self-image?

I am still trying to work on myself. I have lost 60 kilos and broken free from the shackles of a troubled adolescence, when the slightest deviation from the average is frowned upon. It is unimaginable that you can lose so many kilograms, one whole person. It was gradual. After the first ten, you are overcome with excitement. Your reflection in the mirror gets nicer by the week, you gain confidence in yourself and see that it is not difficult to follow your goal. I gained an unstoppable will to keep going, and the most extraordinary things started to happen. I got to play in the backing band of the popular show ' V petek zvečer' ('Friday Night'), and then realised a childhood dream when I managed to join a band as skillful as the Jokers. A time came when I walked around with a huge smile on my face and I hoped that it would not fade from my face for a long time to come. At the same time, I was driven to give it my best shot, because I simply couldn't let this opportunity slip away.

You have used the dark times of COVID for something bright, inspirational. When did you decide you were tired of living in a bigger body?

The stomach pains were the first indicator that I had to roll up my sleeves and work on myself. I had always been chubbier, but I got saved by my height because the kilograms were evenly spread. I was able to exercise, go hiking, [and] be active in water sports, particularly wakeboarding. I wasn't immune to the looks of naysayers, that someone with so much weight could move so capably. I had reached a point where I no longer felt comfortable. I didn't like myself, the walks were getting more and more exhausting, I didn't have a girlfriend for a while, which was a big motivation to change my lifestyle. At the beginning, I was embarrassed to work out in front of others. Would they be thinking, 'What is this fatso doing here now'? So at home I would climb up and down the stairs from the basement to the attic. For half a year, every evening. First for 15 minutes, then I progressed to 45. It seemed like a waste to ruin this effort with unhealthy food, so I changed my diet. I eliminated all the guilty pleasures and after the first 20 lost, I decided I was ready to train outdoors. By running. It might not have been the smartest idea because of my knees, but it all worked out well in the end. Something that I resented for a long time became my norm. To this day, I still enjoy putting on my running shoes to clear my mind. Whenever my mind is in a frenzy, running saves me.

Humans are really odd, shallow creatures. We can't see what's underneath the excess weight. It was only after you have transformed that the requests for more collaborations started coming in. How did you manage to heal these emotional scars from the entertainment business, where the physical appearance still takes precedence over the heart?

That's the hardest part, not to lose faith in yourself. You question your self worth because of the labels the public has stuck on you. Of course, the medical aspect of excess weight is the first signal for a radical change. The results would be significantly better, if people around us were more sparse with negative comments and dismissive attitudes towards anything that is not to their liking. I must confess that I have never felt better than I did after saying goodbye to cigarettes, alcohol, and, for a period, even meat. Imagine you are carrying a 60 kilogram backpack. And then you put it down. A different world opens up.

In all this, music has been your most faithful companion and supporter. Would it have been possible to go through all this without it?

The power of art is amazing. The bass guitar is my lifelong love. Even if I was a butcher or a carpenter, I would play and create for myself. We are used to these kind of stories in the movies, where after a difficult ordeal you find yourself in the midst of your teenage dreams. After the third concert with the Jokers, a girl came up to me and confided that she was contemplating suicide, but our songs had saved her. She thanked us for taking the time for our fans and talking to them. Their honesty is a sign that you are part of something great. The power of music goes beyond the limits of our imagination. There are countless similar confessions. This realisation is also therapeutic for us. You receive confirmation that you are doing something right.

Have you ever wondered why you play music at all?

Many times. The doubts of who will listen to my work, or now our work, are a constant in the career of a professional musician. But if you put your heart first, you quickly get the confirmation that we are not just pretty boys on stage, but individuals with depth and a message.

As a teenager, what motivated you to follow your aspirations?

I wanted to be like my cousin. He is five years older than me and he had his own band. He introduced me to foreign bands, like Led Zeppelin. It sounded rather innocent, but it was the start of a profound passion. Recently, Jan, the guitarist, and I were talking about the role models who have defined us. I told him that there must be an aspiring young teenager in Slovenia who looks up to him and has begun strumming the strings because of him. I am convinced that we have brought a breath of fresh air to the local scene and given a boost to young bands who are not yet established. It is very healthy to encourage others, to be each other's support and competition. I didn't feel that before.

When did you first feel that the stage was your everything?

We had a kind of talent show at the school camp. I wanted to sing the ballad 'Behind Blue Eyes' by The Who, but the teacher wouldn't let me because it wasn't an appropriate song. I cried with sadness, so she mellowed down. I took advantage of her faith, put on my sunglasses and a headscarf. That's when something stirred inside of me. Finally, now that we are touring Europe and are excited to discover how the power of music brings people together, I am calmed. Even as a kid I stood my ground and I am grateful to my stubbornness for getting me this far.

You have a strong bond with your mother. How does she keep track of your exceptional progress?

She is proud to say that she is my biggest 'fan'. She was happiest at Eurovision, which she has always followed. It was the first time she was able to experience it live, she and Bojan's mum cheered loudly and I have to admit that it's the greatest thing to be able to make the most important woman in your life happy. It has only strengthened our bond. We have a trusting, friend-like relationship, but first and foremost she is my mum, with all the worries and all the loving helpfulness. I was not a typical child and she had to endure all my whims. She was constantly encouraging me to take up a sport, but I preferred to stay at home and draw. She tolerated my struggles at school because she knew I wasn't like the others and allowed me to develop to my full potential. My younger sister is also responsible for making me who I am. Her kind words are a balm for a wounded soul.

Have you always wanted to be a musician?

As a child, I had two things in mind - to be a zoo manager, because I love animals, and to be a singer, even though I later swapped the microphone for a guitar. Sculpting fascinated me. In short, expression through art.

Your love for animals has lasted. You have a three-month-old dachshund named Pino in your lap.

Finally! I've been longing for a puppy for so many years, and dachshunds are one of my favourite breeds. If music hadn't drawn me in, I would certainly be a vet. One summer break I was helping out at a wildlife sanctuary instead of playing with my friends. It was a wonderful experience.

You are away from home a lot. How do you maintain your long-distance relationship with your girlfriend?

Some people reassure us that technology helps because we can see each other through the camera. But it is not the same. It's important that all my loved ones and dear ones, meaning my girlfriend, my mum, my family, and my friends, believe in our work and are willing to sacrifice time with me so that I can follow my dreams. But we are in constant contact with each other and we let each other know how much we love each other all the time.

~ -~ - ~ - PLEASE DO NOT REPOST, AND IF YOU QUOTE, PLEASE LINK BACK TO THE ORIGINAL POST!

[such-expensive-mistakes]

halfa!Steph AU (part 1)

I'm still working on the Superpham AU but I couldn't stop thinking about this idea.

-----

Once upon a time, there was a girl who thought she could be a hero. And then she died. She died slowly and painfully and steeped in guilt over having accidentally set off a gang war that destroyed the city. It's a neat little story about hubris and knowing your place and why Batman is always right.

Except she didn't. Die, that is. She flatlined on the operating table and Leslie faked her death. And when that girl came back, she put on a costume again and became the third Batgirl. It's a heartwarming story about stubbornness and learning to rely on others and proving Batman wrong.

The truth, Stephanie thinks, is somewhere in between.

When she talks about having died, people treat as— not as a joke, the pain is still too raw for that, but as an exaggeration. Dramatic license.

Sometimes Steph thinks that's all it is.  But she feels like she died.  She dreams about it sometimes.  Not just Black Mask, although he does haunt far too many of her dreams, but something else.  Something in-between.

It's probably just the trauma.  That's what Leslie says, when Stephanie finally asks her.

Stephanie doesn't ask Leslie about her newfound strength, or about how sharp her senses have become.  

You can't go through something like Stephanie did and come out unchanged.  That's what Babs says, and she would know.  Steph doesn't think they're thinking about the same kind of changes, though.

-----

Stephanie lands on a rooftop and looks down at the white van parked below.  It's not a particularly notable vehicle, except for the occupants.  

"What are they doing?" Steph asks.

"I don't know."  Babs sounds frustrated, and no wonder.  There aren't many people who can keep Oracle out of their systems, and Steph wouldn't have judged these guys to be among their ranks.  "I'll keep trying to get through their firewalls, but I'm flying blind here.  Keep an eye on them, but be careful."

"You know me," Steph says.  "Careful is my middle name."

Babs doesn't even bother to muster up a sarcastic response to that, which is how Steph knows she's preoccupied.

These guys have been running all over Gotham for the past few weeks.  They're dressed in immaculate white suits and carrying unfamiliar weapons, and they seem to be taking some kind of readings on unfamiliar instruments.  None of that is a crime, but it's suspicious, and Oracle's inability to find out any more about them is even more suspicious.

And that means they're officially Steph's problem.

The men are doing the same thing they've been doing the last few times Steph has watched them.  It's not particularly exciting.  

"Batgirl," Oracle says.

"Please tell me there's a robbery or something that needs my attention," Steph replies.  "These guys are so boring."

"Sorry.  Do you think you can get one of their gadgets for me?  I want a better look."

"Can do, boss."  

Stephanie carefully climbs down to street level, staying out of sight.  She's gotten a lot sneakier since her not-death.  She tells herself it's all of her training and practice, finally paying off, but regardless of the cause, the guys in white have no chance of spotting her.  

They're standing near the front of the van, arguing about something.

"The apparition was spotted here last night," one says.

"That doesn't mean it's going to return!" another responds. 

Sounds like they're looking for something in particular.  Which Steph and Babs had already guessed, but it's nice to have confirmation.

Steph slips toward the back of the van, which is wide open.  Not smart, especially in Gotham, but she's got a feeling these guys aren't from Gotham.  

The inside of their van reminds her of a sci-fi movie; everything is blindingly white and chrome, with glowing green accents.  And lots and lots of those weapons.  Whoever they are, they clearly have a nice sized budget.

Steph grabs one of the guns and a handheld instrument like the one the guys outside are waving around, but as soon as she does, all the instruments the guys in front of the van are holding start going wild.  

"There it is!" one of them yells.  They all start shooting at her, which is how Steph learns that they're using some kind of fancy laser guns.  Because regular guns just aren't space age enough for these guys.

That's Steph's cue to get out.  She grapples back to the rooftop, just barely avoiding getting hit by the laser guns.

It’s easy enough to lose them from the rooftops.  At Oracle’s direction, she makes her way back to Firewall.  She tugs her mask off and hands the stolen tech over to Babs.

“The’re looking for something,” she says.  “An apparition.”

Babs hums in acknowledgment.  “Hopefully these will have some answers.”  She switches on the— scanner?  Steph’s pretty sure that’s its function, anyway.  It starts beeping wildly.

Steph jumps back, startled.  The beeping stops.

“Well,” Babs says.  “I think we have an idea what they were looking for.”

[themainreactor]

"Please, don't leave me... I'm sorry."

In which, Akaza finds you, a lady that brings the thought of his Koyuki back to him. He grows an unhealthy obsession with you and the memories of the beautiful woman haunting his mind. He can't lose her, not again, so he does everything in his power to make sure that he doesn't lose you. Whether it be killing someone or watching you all hours of the night, he'll do it.

How does one know when they've won?

Well the first question is, what did they win? What was the goal that they believe they've achieved to begin with? Then they have to cover all the bases, make sure that they do everything correctly in order to win.

Even the smallest of things that lead to one big accomplishment need to be done as best as they can so that it all fits together perfectly. Akaza knows, his one and only goal is to get stronger, it always was and always has been.

Well, he always thought it was.

Until he saw you.

He can't remember what he was doing that led him to you. He might have been killing demon slayers, maybe he was on an errand for Lord Muzan.

All he knows is that his gaze rested upon your scared expression that night.

He hadn't done anything, it's not like he was standing over a dead body with blood on him, he's not even sure that he moved in a way that should have scared you. Maybe it was his appearance, after all, he didn't look anything like a normal human.

Yet you didn't try and run away from him like most people did, you just fearfully stared at him. It was as if you had internally given up already and expected him to kill you. He would have let you go if you tried to escape, if you chose to run now he wouldn't hurt you.

It was only then that he noticed something else in your eyes besides some unknown crippling fear. Curiosity.

Dare he says that you had a show of admiration in your gaze, a fascination for what you didn't understand.

Koyuki....

... Koyuki? Who was that?

Akaza's brow furrowed, replaying the faintest memory of a woman in his mind, her beautiful yet hazy face was from a dream, or maybe a dream of a dream.

He looked upon you for a moment longer, indulging his mind for the female that didn't try to run. You reminded him so much of the woman from long, long ago. He can't remember who the woman is, but he can feel the love he held for her in the past tightening his chest.

He can't help but stare at you. He's not sure what makes him want to walk closer to you, possibly allow himself to touch you, hold your face, a face he thought he had long forgotten. He silently cursed himself but refused to move, he doesn't know why he wants to focus onto your eyes as if he was studying something.

He hated studying.

"Run." Akaza finally orders, noticing how you flinched before a show of uncertainty embraced your expression. But you didn't hesitate, you obliged and did what everyone else normally did.

Everyone ran from danger. It was in their human nature to do so, especially from a demon, their natural predators for about a thousand years.

But why hadn't you ran until he told you to? He didn't understand and yet it intrigued him to no end.

He needed to know you. He needed to see you, so he could see her again.

And so days went by, days turned to weeks and then turned into months of him just following you. To the point where he knew what you liked, the things you did, the people you talked to.

Akaza couldn't help but follow and learn everything there was to know about you, it confused him still because he didn't believe that this was his first intention. He had just been curious.

He wanted to know just what type of person you were, to have the audacity... No, the gal, to stay still that night, to look at him with a silent interest. To remind him of someone, the one and the only in his past life.

His Koyuki.

So he mindlessly followed you. Stalking was the right term he believes, though he would rather not call it that. Unlike Douma, he felt at least some level of shame when it came to things like this.

It made him feel uncomfortable that he'd somehow let himself become a creep. He would much rather call it a romantic walk with an unknowing person, though he supposed that was too long of a name.

Of course he could only do it in the dead of night, he couldn't follow you around in the sun and it makes him want to find the blue spider lily more earnestly. He had almost died on way too many occasions just watching you right before the sun rises, scaring him into hiding as to not get burned.

Thankfully, you seem to be out a lot at night, usually just doing your job. For a bit he almost felt bad about you working so hard and so late at night, but the few times that he'd see your accomplished smile forbade him to pity you even with the exhaustion that followed after.

When you are inside of your house at night instead, he'll find somewhere to perch himself on, whether it be on one of the neighbors houses or the outside of your windowsill, he'd watch you as you did what you pleased with your fleeting but simply precious life.

Akaza has almost convinced himself to enter your room while you were asleep more than once so that he could be closer, nearer to you, maybe hold you in his arms. Key word, almost convinced himself to enter your room more than once, he still thinks about it.

It makes him feel weak, you make him feel weak.

Each time the thought occurred, he quickly scolded himself, not wanting to scare you. He wouldn't want you to think that your life was so fickle that he could just enter your place of safety and comfort.

Though, It was fickle, he could just enter your place of safety if he really wanted to.

He later found out more about you, more of what you liked and what you didn't. He found out you were quite strict with yourself when it came to what you did around other people compared to when you were alone.

When you felt safe, you were outgoing, you were more outwardly passionate with your life when you were alone. You only felt safe because you didn't know he was watching, he didn't mind though.

He also found out rather quickly that you could paint and cook as that is what you did for the most part. When you were really bored, you dared to occupy yourself with things that men did like learning how to fight, which almost made him laugh.

He can remember the first time that he watched you, for the first week you painted someone on a canvas, it wasn't a big one, about the size of a book, one that didn't take much effort to paint on.

Yet you treated it with such care that it made him feel conflicted about why he liked watching you. Whoever it was took up so much of your time and rest that it made him jealous.

Your hands, gentle and careful when using your paintbrushes. You confidently creating whatever you deemed fit for the canvas while still choosing to keep it hidden instead of showing your hard work off to others.

That perplexed him.

Gyokko would have loved this passionate display of craftsmanship, of course Akaza thinks that with sarcasm, he'd never let the demon know you were alive to begin with. Or he'd have to kill him.

Strangely enough, it seemed like you tried your best to keep everything that you were proud of hidden, whether it be out of embarrassment or to keep your humble stature he wouldn't know.

What baffled Akaza even more in the week that he watched you paint the specific canvas when you had the time, was that during the end of it, he realized that the person you were painting was him.

Him?

You tried to paint him from memory.

He couldn't fathom it, why? A woman that just by chance laid eyes on him, chose to try and remember him rather than forget his existence. When he realized it was him, he waited until you had left the room to enter through the window and look at the painting more thoroughly.

It looked a lot like him, though of course his demon form. You painted him the same way you had probably seen him, late at night with few lights, shadows etched on his face and the environment around him.

It almost scared him just how accurate your painting was, after all, why would you try to remember a demon like him? But it warmed his heart. So after the painting, he had decided he would work up the courage to face you, so that you could see him again. Maybe paint him again.

He found himself watching you every spare minute he could. Your tranquility, the way your eyes lit up with emotion each time something interested you. The way you smiled at the smallest of sweet things. He couldn't comprehend what the feeling was.

He watched you to the point that he didn't even realize he was hungry, unintentionally starving himself, to which Muzan caught onto one meeting and questioned him about it.

Akaza wasn't sure how to answer at first, so he just claimed he lost track of time, which was the truth in a sense and Muzan let it go.

That scared him, that he was so infatuated with you that he actually had forgotten to eat. You kind of scared him. Which brings him back to a question.

How does one know when they've won?

Well... Normally you have to figure out what you've won first to determine whether or not you have actually won anything.

Akaza thought he was losing at the moment, that he couldn't get to the top and this was as far as he'd go. All he had to do was kill the last two demons in his way, Kokushibo and Doma and he'd be first, but he found that to be exceedingly difficult.

But now, he's not sure if this sick obsession with you is just another place he should win at or not. You would now be his new goal, he could care less about becoming stronger right now, not when he was so close to remembering her.

So he continued his nights of sightseeing, still working up the courage to let you know he was watching you before he saw him. A man that had bumped into you and then hung out around you just to claim he wanted to be like a mentor to you of sorts.

Akaza knew better though, the way the man looked at you said otherwise and as reserved as you were, your innocence unfortunately gave you a disadvantage in protecting yourself.

Akaza immediately felt anger towards the man, hating him with a passion. It wasn't because of the fact that he was flirting with you, oh no, it wasn't even because of how he placed his hand on the small of your back right near your ass and basically hinted at how much he'd love to have you at his mercy.

Not even that.

But because after Akaza took a little detour to investigate this man and he found out that the grown ass son of a bitch that wanted your virginity was already married.

He had a bunch of kids along with a caring wife, but he was a drunken bastard that didn't take care of them.

Even if he were to leave his wife and marry you, there was no guarantee that he would be faithful to you. He gave the man some time, he waited for him to do the right thing for the span of one week. But after that, Akaza cut off his life as quickly as he had entered into yours.

Akaza couldn't even force himself to eat the man because of how grossed out he was from how the man acted with his own family. So he just left the body for the authorities to find and they believed that he died in a bar fight.

It was better for the man's family anyway, the only one that mourned him was his wife, and she only cried for a little bit, the rest of the kids didn't seem to mind so much. It didn't matter, he killed men in worse ways than when he killed that one.

Akaza wasn't jealous, he genuinely would understand if you wanted to marry someone. He would understand if you wanted to be with a human, after all that was the normal thing to do and you didn't even know that he was watching you.

He saw how men looked at you so he knew that it wouldn't truly be hard for you to find someone to marry, but he was smart enough to identify which look was which. Which was was an actual look of a man admiring you for who you were and which one was a corrupted man, filled with a deep rooted lust.

But he also couldn't help but want you to stay alone, he wanted to keep you for himself. He didn't want to lose you.

But after a couple more weeks of watching you, killing men that wanted to harm you and forcing himself to leave the men that respected you alone (even though he also had a strong urge to kill them too), he finally worked up the courage to see you again.

Well, he worked up the courage to be near you, you didn't know he was there though so he's not sure that counted.

He had quietly entered your house through one of the windows he forced open, making sure not to break the glass or make any noise that would disturb you since you had just recently gotten home.

He let himself down on your wooden floor, taking a few steps out of the room that he realized was the kitchen before entering the living room. He slowly stepped, making sure not to wake up the dog.

He wasn't entirely sure what he was doing, what was he supposed to say? It had been three months since he first saw you, that night when he only spoke one word to you.

What in the world was he going to say? He didn't have a clue what you liked in men, he only knew that you thought most men in general looked pretty and he only got that from eavesdropping. It was funny how his stalking didn't seem to help with the information in that category yet.

His ears perked at the sound of humming and his chest tightened at the thought of seeing you. How would he know that you wouldn't try to run off? You might just tell the police that some demon or crazy looking monster had entered your house.

Of course he could deal with anyone that tried to harm him, heck, he could just kill all the people in this village and then take you for himself. But for some reason he didn't want to do that either. Would you even give him a chance to begin with? He was so nervous he felt like throwing up.

He silently followed the humming, entering a hallway before crouching down on the floor. The door to your room was closed and he didn't want to open it, maybe it would have been better if he came in through that window like he normally tried to do.

He couldn't give up now, this was the farthest he had gotten himself near you.

He listened to your humming, allowing your voice to calm him down. Your voice was beautiful to him, one that was unique to you and he's still not sure why you remind him of his Koyuki. All he knows is that when he sees you, he feels closer to her.

He barely opened the door, quickly moving away and ducking when you stopped humming to look at your door.

Shoot.

You eyed it for a moment before chalking up the door movement as wind, after all you didn't have the best or strongest doors.

You went back to humming, hanging up your kimono before blowing out one of the lamp lights.

It was darker, it was quiet, you suddenly felt something moving.

Another gush of wind appeared and in an instant the other lamp was out. You would have freaked out if you knew what it was.

Who were you kidding? You were freaking out right now.

Quickly you peaked around the corner, forcing yourself to look in the hallway before looking through your room for the source of the wind.

You weren't really scared but you felt like you were going crazy. You almost thought you saw a silhouette of someone in the shadows.

Safe to say, you didn't sleep that night.

Now, did Akaza run away? Yes, yes he did. But at least he made some progress. Gosh, he just knew that Kokushibo would look down on him for cowering in fear from a mere WOMAN.

He couldn't help it though.

Make no mistake, he didn't run out of fear, he ran because of you and he admitted that to himself no matter how embarrassing it was to do so.

He continued to stare at you from a distance, peaking from one of your neighbors roofs while silently hyperventilating. He could see the way you were sweating, how you looked around while holding a pillow, as if smacking an intruder with something that soft would protect you.

He almost did it, he almost touched your hand but he couldn't get himself to do it. What would he even say after that? Most people don't touch each other in their first interaction.

He waited another week, testing himself each time while entering your house whether you were at work or not. Slowly but surely he was getting himself closer to you, you never did see him even though half the time he would be right behind you but he didn't mind.

Finally one day he couldn't handle it anymore, it had been four months since he first saw you and he desperately wanted to hold you in his own arms, protect you, help you in any way he could.

He had thought swirling around in his mind, thought he knew he only had because he was a demon. He wanted you to be his, his and his alone.

No, you were his. You'd be his until the day you died and he wanted you to only belong to him. Whether you knew it or not.

Heck, he never wanted you to die either, he'd bring you into the demon world soon just to make you one and stay with him.

He wanted you to know you were his.

But for some reason he also wanted you to want him. It wouldn't be worth it, for him to take you and make you his own if you didn't want it. He would hate that, if you stayed with him only out of fear.

He felt like he had asthma, he couldn't breathe properly, he might pass out. This was almost similar to whenever he forced himself to face Muzan. You were nowhere near as strong as Muzan, you were just a beautiful human and nothing more.

So why was he so worried?

He harshly shook the thought away, hyping himself to enter your room. You were already asleep because he couldn't bear the thought of talking to you just yet.

He wasn't surprised that you had fallen asleep so early either, he had come as soon as the sun went down and you apparently stayed working almost three hours after you were supposed to leave.

With your dedication, Akaza's sure you'd be a strong demon if someday you allowed him to turn you into one. He would like to force you to become a demon, but he won't do it against your will.

He opened the window like he always did, slowly entering in as to not make the floorboards creek before closing the window behind him. As soon as he entered, he was graced with your sleeping presence, your quiet snoring and tired expression, you were even drooling a bit and it made him want to smile.

But he didn't, he was just focused on not waking you up. He stood there for quite some time.

What was he supposed to do now anyway?

Why did he always ask that same question when he came in here?

He could just talk to you while you were sleeping, he always did that, maybe give you a kiss on the forehead for once, after all, you slept pretty hard.

He could make you his.

Akaza punched his nose immediately when the thought occurred, so hard that he could hear the recoil of his neck in his head. His body healed the wound almost instantly but he wasn't worried about that in the slightest.

"I know you never hear me... I suppose it doesn't matter anyway." He starts, talking to your sleeping form as he chooses to sit on the floor.

"It's Akaza... Y'know, you're interesting..."

"..."

The silence was annoyingly unbearable and yet, it made him feel more comfortable about being this close to you.

Akaza sighed, leaning his forehead against the mattress as he tried to continue talking. He couldn't think of anything, he really wanted to find a way to talk to you someday when you were actually awake.

"You kind of make me embarrassed, but one day, I want to talk to you normally." He continued, lifting his head up again to look at you. "I like your painting of me too... I tell you that all the time though don't I?"

He chuckled a little, watching as you just stayed still.

Until you moved.

Crap.

Akaza jumped up, about ready to run out the window from your movement because why wouldn't he? He was nowhere near ready to let you actually see him.

Then he realized you were just stretching so he didn't need to run.

Aw, that was cute. You looked like those dumb little orange cats that he sees in peoples windowsills that's always stretching like they've actually worked at all.

"Don't scare me like that." Akaza grumbled as if you'd reply. Though he could imagine, if he was a human that you might giggle at him.

If he was a human, you'd treat him normally, he wouldn't have to sneak anywhere just to see you either.

Life was confusing wasn't it?

He's been alive for a long time, but you've only been alive for a while. Did that mean that his infatuation with you was wrong? It didn't feel wrong.

It felt so right.

You were his Koyuki, you had to be. Sure, you were you but you reminded him so much of her that it hurt him.

He could still barely remember her.

All he knows is that he had her, and then he lost her.

No, not again. He won't lose her again. He won't lose you

Akaza looked down at you again, slowly moving to sit on the bed at the thought.

You weren't his Koyuki, that much was certain.

But you were just so damn... Perfect. It didn't matter to him that you might never love him, you were his and he didn't care.

He couldn't lose you again.

"Sorry." He finally spoke, his voice sounding like a whisper when he turned back to your sleeping figure. Something got a hold of him and without thinking, he moved closer to hug you.

By the grace of God, you haven't woken up yet, but he isn't sure why he's so attached to you when you clearly aren't the same person as the woman in his past.

"I'm sorry I didn't protect you." He murmured, apologizing really to her and not you. He was protecting you, that's why he had been watching you so diligently. He isn't even sure why he's saying all this, it's not like he could remember everything from his past.

And yet, the words that kept escaping his mouth just came naturally. A silent plea to bring something back that he never truly was able to have.

It hurt so damn bad and yet her couldn't stop smiling. He just held onto you as gently as one could whilst trying to show some semblance of a human emotion. Was it relief that he found you, someone that was somewhat close to Koyuki? Probably not.

Grief. He doesn't normally feel grief, he can sympathize, but he hasn't felt guilty about something in his past. He couldn't even remember anything about his past before until he saw you.

"I'm sorry, don't leave me... I'm so sorry." He finally cried, one drop and then another spilled from his eyes and rolled down his cheek. He quickly wiped them away before they dropped on you or the mattress but he couldn't stop it.

He let go and started moving away from you, exiting the house entirely through the window. He'd much rather not cry in front of you, even if you were sleeping.

You are the most beautiful woman he's ever had the honor of being near. He doesn't understand why but he's seen you, he knows how kind and selfless you are.

He knows how you are, he knows his Koyuki.

You were his too, you had to be. He needed you to be, so he would do everything in his power to protect you, even if you never did see him again.

He'd be your secret protector, then maybe, just maybe, he'd be able to atone for the terrible things he's done in his life.

Did he even deserve that? He doesn't know, all he knows is that he'll be happy with whatever you allow him to be.

If you saw him someday and chose to love him, he'd be pleased. If not, then he'd just make sure you were safe. If he could never work up the courage, he'd still hum the same tune you always hummed alongside you outside the window.

So has he won yet?

That wasn't really a question was it? There wasn't a point in winning anyway, he didn't have an end goal with you in all of this either. He didn't cover all the bases or make sure everything was in his favor.

They say that the smallest of things that lead to one big accomplishment need to be done as best as they can. So that it all fits together perfectly.

He knows that, his one and only goal is to get stronger, it always had and always would have been. If he didn't see you and you didn't see him that night.

So that answer to that question was that he's not sure and quite frankly, doesn't care. After all, he'd probably die from a demon slayer someday.

So maybe winning didn't matter.

Maybe he didn't have to win or be the strongest.

But who knows? He sure doesn't. This odd and probably unhealthy love he had for you was difficult to understand sometimes.

[genericpuff]

The Mishandling of LO's S3 Midseason Hiatus - Part 1

So Lore Olympus' return is right around the corner, and I realize I've never actually talked about the S3 midseason finale. I think I said I was going to, but then I just sorta didn't, probably because I was still reeling in the absolute absurdity of it for weeks afterwards. In hindsight, I should have written about it back when it was still fresh, but I feel like I can do it just as much - if not more - justice writing about them in hindsight, now that they've had time to sit and I've seen what Rachel and WT are clearly planning to do after the comic ends (whether or not they succeed... that's a different story).

CAUTION: THIS IS PART 1 OF A 3 PART SERIES IN WHICH I WILL BE SPOILING MUCH OF EPISODES 251-253. THIS EPISODE CONTAINS DEPICTIONS OF VIOLENCE INVOLVING STRANGULATION. THIS WILL BE A LONG POST. BRACE YOURSELF.

So one of the things that really motivated me to finally talk about this was a conversation that happened recently in the ULO Discord - the realization that there are many readers who still don't know what happened after the free to read finale cliffhanger.

Y'know, the one where Hades gets possessed by Kronos and attempts to choke Persephone-

Now, awful dark jokes aside about how Persephone frankly deserves to have her balloon head popped, this was a wild cliffhanger to leave on for free readers, but the strange thing this time around - unlike with the previous midseason hiatus - is that this is where the cliffhanger has stood for free readers for the past 3 months, and it will be 4 months by the time the series returns.

And frankly... this just highlights a huge problem with LO's writing, because this cliffhanger? Like all the others, it's literally resolved within the next episode. The one that's currently under the FP lock.

Man, isn't it a little fucked up that we only ever get trigger warnings when it's concerning Persephone? Where was the warning for when Minthe got turned into a plant? Where was the warning for the entire episode that depicted Hera's trauma from Kronos and how it's still affecting her in the present? It's always either the Persephone, Hades, or Apollo focused episodes that get the trigger warnings, they couldn't care less about the violence being done onto other people in the story.

Anyways. Episode 251 opens up by reminding us, oh yeah, Kassandra exists!

Remember back in Episode 227 when Psyche stole Apollo's USB drive (and by "stole", I mean she picked it up off the ground where Apollo had conveniently dropped it?) And they found a folder with a picture of Kassandra? Well, Episode 251 opens by reminding us of her... 24 episodes later. SEVEN MONTHS OF REAL LIFE TIME, LITERALLY THE LENGTH OF BOTH THE SEASON 2 AND SEASON 3 MIDSEASON HIATUSES COMBINED-

Anyways, I guess Rachel finally figured out what she was gonna do with Kassandra after all that time, and it's... really stupid.

But wait, don't worry about that yet, because only the comic's opening reminds us of Kassandra, we gotta establish the title first and get back to that cliffhanger from before, the one that free to read users have been waiting 4 months to see.

(pay attention to the episode titles here btw, it's probably one of Rachel's lamest 3 parter title sequences yet)

Turns out Kronos is still intent on getting his hands on Hera, even though we've literally already seen Kronos haunting Hera. Is he just a ghost? A hallucination of her traumatized mind? We don't know, it never really explains itself. So Kronos is still looking for Hera.

(kinda weird that we're getting all these redrawn fullbody angles of Hades-possessed-by-Kronos choking his noodle-bodied wife who is doing literally NOTHING to actually fight back besides yelling at him, but okay.)

Turns out Hades isn't really hyped about this choking game going on between his dad and his niece wife, so he goes full on "release the beast" Naruto mode on his ass.

And that's it. That's literally the conflict resolved. The cliffhanger that free to read users were left with over the 4 month hiatus is resolved literally within a handful of panels and Hades just "believing enough" to save his wife.

And then that's just it, it cuts away, and we get this sorta awkward conversation between Persephone and Hades (now himself again) over the fact that he just choked out his wife.

The scene transitions to Hades waking up in his bed (literally that last shot of him and Persephone was it, it transitions immediately). I'm trying not to use up Tumblr's 30 image posting limit so I'm not posting the 3 fucking copy pasted panels of this that just involves Hades waking up, use your imagination lmao

There's literally no actual conversation here, no amount of Hades asking "what happened", somehow despite his possessed state he remembers everything so succinctly that he jumps right to demanding Persephone to see her neck.

(literally removed the panel of Persephone saying "Hades..." because these types of "let me do the thing" "Hades :(((" "let me do the thing" exchanges are literally just Rachel trying to hit her panel limit, once you start seeing these '3 panel' exchanges that copy paste the same shit over and over again, you can't unsee them and you realize this is why so little happens in the comic as a whole, because it's just constant repetition of dialogue and reaction panels to pad out the episodes).

And then we get what I like to call "guy in a position of power manipulating his more vulnerable partner into pitying him without actually apologizing":

No for real, I didn't cut out a single thing from this exchange aside from a couple copy pasted reaction panels, this is the entire conversation. Hades doesn't apologize, he doesn't ask Persephone if she's okay, he just pulls the "you can leave if you want toooo :(((" baiting Persephone into further trapping herself with this jackass. SHE'S the one who's stuck with HIM.

Like, obviously Hades wasn't the one who choked her, that goes to Kronos, but he doesn't even ask her if she's okay. He just looks at her moldy ass bruises and immediately goes "YOU CAN LEAVE IF YOU WANT TO I'M A MONSTER OH GOD-" and then of course she's having to comfort him which is fine but where's the balance? It's always Persephone having to comfort him and listen to his trauma and we never get Hades doing the same for her - the times we do get Persephone talking about her trauma and struggles with him, he always finds a way to make it about him.

Hades proceeds to talk more about his childhood and more of the shit he's already talked about multiple times before, I don't even need to go over it at this point.

That said, Rachel does remember to bring his stutter back. When's the last time he stuttered? 200 episodes ago ?? (literally I don't remember, it's like when he used to twist his napkins, he doesn't have these character traits consistently anymore).

THERE we go, finally some semblance of an apology. It came after more trauma dumping, but at least it's something-

Oh for fuck's sakes.

This is literally such generic "you've come so far!" motivational jargon. And it's made even worse in LO because what has Hades overcome exactly? Just a reminder, here are the things we've seen in Hades' backstory since he was rescued by his brothers:

He started a business in the Underworld that he's been operating with slave labor and profiting off ever since as a tyrannical oligarch

He entered a multi-century-long affair with his brother's wife, his own sister in law

He cost Demeter - Persephone's own mother - the role of Queen of the Mortal Realm and Persephone still does not know this.

He abused and neglected his adopted son - who was literally abandoned on his doorstep - for hundreds of years and used his role as his adopted father to guilt trip his son for getting "special treatment".

He never took responsibility for the financially dependent relationship he created between himself and a lower class nymph and tried to bribe her out of his life as soon as he fell for a 19 year old intern

HE LITERALLY FELL FOR THE 19 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER OF A WOMAN WHO HE HAD SCREWED OVER AND PRETENDED LIKE THAT WOMAN WAS IN THE WRONG FOR NOT APPROACHING HIM DURING THE EVENTS OF THE ACT OF WRATH, AND THEN HE HAD THE GALL TO PROPOSE TO HER DAUGHTER RIGHT IN FRONT OF HER WHEN SHE BASICALLY HAD NO OTHER CHOICE BUT TO SAY YES.

Everything he's legitimately had to overcome involving his trauma has gone completely ignored until pop in comes the pink cinnamon roll girl to solve all his problems and do for him what apparently even a therapist couldn't do (because haha he thinks his therapist is a hack.)

Persephone saying "look at all you've done" should be a reminder of all the crimes Hades has committed against people weaker than him, but instead it's used as a term of endearment, because Persephone literally got with him when she was 19 years old. And apparently the whole "eternally 19" thing applies to more than just her body, because even now, 10 years later, she's still lacking all the smarts and self-awareness and maturity to realize marrying this man was a mistake.

At this point Persephone isn't too naive or stupid to realize what she's gotten herself into, she's just a terrible person who's entirely complacent in Hades' bullshit and frankly, they deserve each other.

They literally keep talking about him for several more panels. Hades literally whines on and on about how much of a failure he is, how he feels like he failed the child who's trapped in Tartarus, and then of course Persephone tells him "no honey, you're the most important being in this process!" and she's LITERALLY STILL JUST TALKING ABOUT HIM, THIS WHOLE EPISODE IS PERSEPHONE TALKING ABOUT HOW WONDERFUL HADES IS, NOTHING ELSE HAPPENS. HAVE YOU NOTICED WE HAVEN'T EVEN SEEN KASSANDRA YET ?? HAVE YOU NOTICED THE COLD OPEN FOR THE EPISODE HASN'T BECOME RELEVANT YET ?? I'VE ALREADY HIT THE 30 IMAGE LIMIT AND I HAVE TO START CUTTING STUFF OUT-

Persephone and Hades talk about how they should name the interloper, but they don't come up with anything before transitioning to Leuce and Thetis.

And y'all, this has gotta be one of Rachel's worst cases of backpedaling in the entire series. You thought how she turned Leuce - Hades' first wife - into a homewrecker was bad? You thought it was absurd the plot tried to turn Leuce into Minthe 2.0?

Remember those text messages that Leuce and Hades sent between each other? The ones we never saw but kept getting alluded to? Well of course we couldn't have Hades actually text Leuce during Persephone's banishment, because then that would mean he isn't 100% loyal to his little pink cinnamon roll "qween", so what was the next best thing? Kronos possessing Hades and texting Leuce like so many people - even fans - assumed? No. It's worse.

The text messages... weren't real.

This literally makes no sense. First of all, it's once again Rachel creating drama out of "haha woman delusional!" much like she did with Minthe. But second, it literally doesn't make sense after what we've seen leading up to this.

Leuce didn't just talk about Hades texting her. She went to his office, intent on seducing him, with the knowledge of these text messages being real. She even TALKS ABOUT THESE MESSAGES WITH HADES.

But of course, they were interrupted before Hades got a chance to respond, so this was convenient enough for Rachel to try and pull off some 'twist' where she could easily absolve Hades of "cheating" on Persephone (again, the girl he only knew for like 1-2 months) but also not have to deal with the weird logic of Kronos possessing Hades just to text some random nymph.

This is absolutely one of the most absurd retcons Rachel has ever tried to pull to get herself out of the corners she writes herself into.

Now the episode is still going and FINALLY, it gets to Kassandra, after teasing her at the beginning of the episode and proceeding to do a whole lot of nothing throughout the entire thing.

This has to be one of the funniest panels in the entire comic, bar none. Rachel's gotten worse at drawing men despite making this comic for 5 years and having plenty of opportunity to improve, and he literally just looks like the fucking Amazing Bulk, haunting this poor mortal woman with his very presence.

So yeah, it turns out that the "curse" Kassandra suffers from in this "retelling" is, rather than having prophecies no one believes (or at least, if she does, we don't see that), she sees Apollo and no one believes her. Again, Rachel takes these weird liberties with the original myths that don't make a whole lot of sense all for the sake of seeming original, but whatever, Rachel hit her panel limit for the week, because that's essentially where the episode ends, with Apollo greeting Kassandra. As quickly as it was shown at the beginning of the episode, the one part of the episode actually featuring Kassandra is wrapped up in literally 7 panels.

THOUGHT VOMIT TIME

So with Episode 251 now summarized and out of the way, I really wanna talk about how this episode operates as the first FP episode after the midseason finale for free readers.

Despite the fact that it was a 4 month break and despite the fact that WT has always still released these episodes for free on schedule - with the idea that every reader will be up to date with the current content and can start fresh with a new set of FP episodes when it returns - this time around Episodes 251-253 have remained locked.

And I say Webtoons specifically because as far as I know, the creators typically don't have control over this type of decision. From what I've heard from other Originals creators, it's often WT who decides shit like coin costs, FP release dates, etc. This is why during hiatuses the numbers on the episode unlocks never actually align with their real return dates, sometimes they completely undershoot and reset, sometimes they overshoot and tell people LO is coming back in January despite the fact it's been confirmed it's coming back in November. This isn't Rachel's doing. It's clearly Webtoons trying to squeeze as much money out of this series as they can so they think the 4 month hiatus will motivate people to pay... but even the newest episode is still only sitting at 17.9k likes, which is just slightly above the average amount the FP episodes normally wind up sitting at by the time they're unlocked after 3 weeks, but this has been after four months. The hiatus of the comic and its communities absolutely put LO out of sight, out of mind.

That said, I don't know what this means for the series' return, if it'll have 6 FP episode unlocks going forward or if it'll just return with one new FP episode and Episode 251 unlocking for free readers, but holy shit, if that's the case, this is gonna be a shitty way to return from 4 months of nothing. The cliffhanger from 250 implies so much more than what it ends up being and it's, again, highlighting a fundamental issue within LO - it operates purely on a week to week basis, producing episodes on the fly, and concerning itself more with filling up its panel quota so that it can get readers from beginning to end when they can drop some new cliffhanger that likely won't lead to anything or will be completely resolved within three swipes of the next episode. Season 3 has been especially egregious with this and it's clear Rachel has run out of track to run on.

There is speculation that perhaps the reason the timing of this cliffhanger is so off is because Rachel didn't know the hiatus was going to happen and WT forced her on it. That said, it's not something anyone can really confirm besides Rachel. I wouldn't blame her for taking the time she did considering she was attending both NYCC and SDCC this past summer, and it's hard enough for her to keep up with any sort of buffer to begin with, so those conventions would have definitely resulted in episodes getting postponed anyways.

What I'm really interested in seeing is the reception when the comic returns. Hiatuses like this are brutal for traffic, it's incredibly difficult to get every single person who you started the hiatus with to return after it's done. It's not uncommon for comics to come back to only a fraction of their readerbase - and that's where the marketing comes in.

S3's return has been incredibly undermarketed. I've talked about it already but I'll mention it again here - they have done nothing to hype up LO's remaining audience for the ending of LO. Not only has the fact that the comic is even entering its final part been mentioned on either Rachel's or WT's social media pages, but the fan groups have been shut down for almost the entirety of this hiatus, shutting fans away from discussing the comic, making predictions, and just participating in their most active and direct part of the fandom. This was an absolutely absurd decision on Rachel's part, I don't know if this was her trying to shield herself from criticism or if she genuinely just doesn't give a shit about her fanbase anymore, but it's not a good thing if the only active groups to be found online during a comic's hiatus - it's final hiatus before the series ends - are the critical ones. Fans of the comic should not have to find out about its ending from me. I know I've got a way with words, but it's not fair to the long-term fans of this comic that they're being shut out by the comic's own creator, simply because she either doesn't care or is just so afraid of the critics that she'd rather hurt her relationship with her fanbase by shutting them out just to maybe shut out any critics who are nearby.

I don't know what the reasoning is and I don't know how it could have been beneficial. But that leads us to the other theory, one that I can see as plausible-

I don't think Lore Olympus was supposed to end here.

We've talked about this theory before, but to reiterate - it's been speculated for a while (prior to the news at NYCC that the comic would be ending) that S3 of LO wasn't going to be the final season as so many people had been assuming based on past info. There was no indication or marketing implying this was the final season - meanwhile webtoons like City of Blank were marketing their final seasons from day 1 of the premiere - and there were loads of new plot threads being established in S3 that we knew couldn't possibly be wrapped up by the end of the season. Case in point, it took Rachel seven months to get back to Kassandra, and while during that time she's rushed plotlines that shouldn't have been rushed (the wedding) other plotlines have proceeded to drag at a snail's pace or been dropped altogether. The speculation that S3 wasn't going to be the final season was plausible.

But now, suddenly, LO is coming to an end, likely within the next 20-30 episodes, and neither Rachel or Webtoons have said a word about it. No announcement post, no hype, no promotional art, no statement from the Webtoons VP of what to be excited for (which he's done before). It seems like they're either intentionally trying to bury it to keep people from panicking while Rachel retreats into the shadows to hide from the crimes she's committed, or they're intentionally keeping the ending of the comic unannounced so they can backpedal on it later to generate hype over it "deciding to stick around". Chances are, it'll be based on how the return of the series goes, and whether or not it's able to get the performance numbers back in the green.

I do not think it will. As I said already, hiatuses are already notorious for destroying built up traffic, especially on Webtoons where people (many of whom are teenagers and children) are conditioned to expect regular content on a schedule. But there's one other thing that's been bugging me - there hasn't been a shred of promotional art. We're currently less than a month away from the return of LO and not only are Rachel and WT being incredibly hush hush about it, but all the art Rachel has put out has been largely on her Blue Sky, where she has the smallest following, and none of it is exactly indicative of being "promotional art", rather just random sketches and doodles that she's doing on her downtime. Everything else has been promos for her books, SDCC/NYCC, of course, Rachel Smythe Presents, her next venture which she has been hyping up more than the actual return or ending of the comic that made her famous in the first place.

At this point, I'm not even fully convinced she's even started working on the next episode yet, let alone any sort of buffer. If anything, she knows that she's coming back to the series with 3 episodes still locked under FastPass, so all she'll need to technically have ready for launch is one new episode. Rachel has never been good at building buffers, not even in the beginning when she apparently started off with 2-3 episodes of buffer. Even when her comic is nearing its end, she's not learning any lessons, she's not setting herself up for success. And I'm not setting myself up for the hope that the series could possibly come back any better than it was when it left - if anything, I think we're about to see Rachel and the comic outdo itself once again on how bad it can possibly be.

And we still have two more episodes to talk about, which includes the cliffhanger for FP readers that we've been waiting four months on. Part 2 and 3 of these FP episode analyses will be going up as soon as I can get them done, ideally I'll have all three parts done before it returns so we can start off fresh with the newest episode.

Buckle up folks. Pour yourself a drink. We're gonna need it.

[fighting-these-demons]

Royal Flush Haunted Honk - The Updated Bones!

Hello Internet Stranger looking up G Gundam on Tumblr dot com!

This is an idea for a Horror Alternate Universe involving Queer Non-Canon Relationships between the characters of the series.

It is based on the idea in the post that is linked above.

If you are not looking for this content please scroll on.

If you ARE looking for this content - and you're ok with reading my and other's Headcanons for this Alternate Universe I've haphazardly spun up -

Then go ahead and feel free to:

Check The Tags Of This Post For The Pairings

and click the Read More below!

Also the majority of the brainstorming is happening in the replies if you're so inclined.

--------------------------------

Behold! The Update! It's the bare bones intro and the outline! It's 2.5K! Whoops! 😅

Some of this is just straight copy and pasted from the notes and other bits have been lightly reworded or built upon to connect to other bits.

I've gotten some scenes sent to me by @thedragonchilde that I loved and I think will fit in well with what we've got so far for the fic.

If you'd like to link or reblog them please do!

@amplexadversary feel free to message me or reblog with scenes you've thought up or written up! I can't wait to read them!

I think we've set the stage pretty well to start brainstorming the horror and whump! 😃

I'll see y'all in the replies for ideas on new plot points! 🪦💥🌩

-----------------------------

This is backstory and general outline only.

It is barely edited. Typos abound.

The dialogue is extremely minimal and it is a framework upon which to build the fic. 💖

I am giving this explanation for the benefit of internet strangers as all parties working on this fic are already familiar.

Hello Internet strangers! 👋

--------------------------------

Wherever the tendrils of the Devil Gundam hovered over the earth, and subsequently were destroyed, are places that may have had DG cells distributed through the atmosphere.

Atmospheric DG plumes have lead to DG infection in those areas. There's also likely tendril debris.

Neo-Japan, since the Devil Gundam's destruction,  has been working with Neo and world governments on a cure for DG infection.

At the moment the current treatment involves Kyoji or Schwarz controlling the DG cells of the individual and shutting them down; however, they are making breakthroughs with advancements on a nanocite injection that they're synthesizing with an executable program that shuts the DG cells down.

The biological compatibilities are the hurdle at the moment as evidenced in animal testing.

Kyoji and Domon are traveling to some sites in the USA that were affected by tendrils. Domon is there as a body guard since Schwarz is handling infection cases elsewhere (unspecified).

Chibodee is their escort. America is a Different Beast to Japan even in the future. So they'll need an escort to get through the militant landscape and across the sheer distance of it all.

Rain wanted to come with them, but with the volatility of the current landscape of the US - Especially where they're going - Kyoji didn't want to needlessly risk her safety.

He's assured her that Domon, Chibodee, and Chibodee's team will be watching his back.

Dr. Kasshu will be with them for the first days in New York to help with setup of the mobile lab before heading back to Neo Japan to continue working alongside Rain.

Once they've rested and are ready to head out, Domon, Chibodee, Kyoji, and The Gals will take Neo America's Core Lander and a mobile lab to the TD Site and it should be a fairly straight forward affair since they've gotten permission from the national and state governments, as well as permission from Gunsinto to be in the area.

They shouldn't be more than a few days travel to get there and retrieve samples and data and get back. He should be gone a week at the absolute most.

Kyoji gives rain the contact info to their hotel in New York as well as their sponsored Gunsinto accommodations in the Midwest and lets her know that he'll call once they've arrived palnetside.

He makes good on that promise the next day, letting Rain know that their shuttle landed, Chibodee and the girls picked them up without hassle, and lets them know that they're set to have a great dinner at a favorite restaurant of Chibodee's that evening.

Seeing Chibodee is like a breathe of fresh air that Domon didn't know he needed. Life has been so needlessly complicated lately but after Chibodee releases him from the bear hug given in greeting and throws an arm over Domon's shoulders they fall into step as if they'd never been apart.

Keeping in touch wasn't exactly easy. Domon doesn't respond quite as often as Chibidee would like, but every message Chibodee left was listened to and saved.

Ever since they got wind of this mission it's all either of them has had on their minds for days.

I need some help here with feelings and dialogue and inner thoughts but Basically

They both independently realize with clarity over the days leading up and the time in New York how much they've missed each other and how easy and comfortable it all is - being teamed up again.

Domons semi-recent revelations and feelings fresh on his mind. Chibodees crush ever looming.

Hearts racing. Feeling lighter than they have in God Knows How Long. Chibodee smiling so much his face cramps. Domon feeling so comfortable and nearly zen he loses his permanent frown from constantly thinking and just vibes. Smiling occasionally even!

Chibodee proposes they spar real quick before dinner "To work up an appetite! And C'mon! I wanna see what I'm up against in the upcoming Gundam Fight!" With a grin slamming his left fist into his open right hand. (He's left handed right? Or was that someone else?)

They Spar and there's Feelings

(I have a small scene outline put together for the spar for your consideration. @thedragonchilde has submit 2 scenes that would be great for just after the spar and are an awesome read! I'll include my outline for the spar scene in a reblog)

Then they have dinner together and later part to settle in their hotel rooms for the evening. 

The next day they focus on briefing the expedition and setting up the Mobile Lab that The Gals will be in charge of transporting. 

Once the lab is set up, they see Dr. Kasshu off on his shuttle back to Neo Japan that has been on standby since they arrived.

Kyoji volunteers to ride with The Gals under the excuse of getting a head start on some data processing - to give Domon and Chibodee some time alone together. 

Chibodee is not about to let himself be alone in a Core Lander with Domon for HOURS. He may blurt out something he regrets. He insists that Kyoji ride with them and leave the Gals to themselves.

As they make their way out west, Chibodee starts explaining why they'll want to keep their guard up. 

There's been a lot of unrest recently and especially the last 10 years since Gunsinto bought out the last of their land and displaced so many communities. 

Domon asks occasional questions but Kyoji isn't saying much of anything at all. Opting to rest most of the journey. Domon seems tense, which is understandable considering the events before they left New York. 

Suddenly they hear gunfire and what might be a canon of some kind. 

They expected resistance outside of Gunsinto territory but they didn't expect it after they crossed the border!

Aren't the Greenlords supposed to be patrolling the area???

So they're on the run from a group that blames Domon and Kyoji for all the bullshit post DG Incident. The group is made up of various parties working together to hold Neo Japan responsible for their crimes against humanity since nothing held up in court and Neo Japan is currently in control. Plus near endless bitterness at America's loss of Super Power status for decades and the effect that that has had on their economy and natural resources put under stress from these Big Space Battles. 

Chibodee and The Gals are aware of THIS group of violent individuals… but they're not aware of the OTHER group of violent individuals. (The Clown gangs are kept under wraps by the Greenlords - Gunsinto's private militia similar to to the Pinkertons as going public would be an embarrassment and an open invitation to more trespassers.)

They have a good idea of what weapons they have at their disposal and what their general tactics are. 

They decide to split up and have The Gals create a distraction to lure the majority of the aggressors off before rendezvousing close to the TD Site in this region.

After they split, the core lander has some issues and breaks down in the middle of nowhere. As they break down Kyoji has an awful headache. There's a terrible signal he can feel and he knows it affected the core lander's processors but he's not sure what it is. 

(It's a device that broadcasts a malicious signal that infects the processing units of hovering vehicles - was gonna be an emp but realized that would mess up their gps. It has only a very mild effect on DG cells it seems. Their GPS was made by the Kasshus with DG tech so it's unaffected. - Their communicator was issued by Gunsinto and was not so lucky - it's dead.)

Luckily for them their map data integrated into their GPS shows there should be a former town nearby.

The nearest town is seemingly abandoned. There's simply not enough water here according to Chibodee. 

The only building not completely crumbled is a lone Motel. Chibodee curses his Rotten Fucking Luck. (Clown Music!)

They're exhausted from carrying their emergency supplies through the heat of the day. They're not going any further. This will have to be it. Domon is clearly tense and Chibidee seems about to jump out of his skin but Kyoji doesn't really know why. He could be over sensitive after sitting with their tension in the core lander and then walking with them through the heat. 

Chibodee considers attempting to convince them to camp outside but with the wind picking up as bad as it is, he has no leg to stand on. They'll be sleeping inside. 

Strange though. There's a light on. That's odd.

----------------------

Meanwhile The Gals have incapacitated the pursuers after radioing in help from the Greenlords who are cooperating on this mission. 

They're of course like “Whaaaaaat? That's Crazyyyyyyyyy.” And don't breathe a word of the Other Issue inside The Fields. Instead electing to simply refuel the mobile lab and send some extra men with The Gals as escort.

The girls start back on their journey to Rendevous with the guys. 

The arrive at the TD Site with no sign of the guys. After waiting 2 hours they decide to try and ping their location. 

There's no result. What they assumed was poor signal is worrying them now.

As they double back in the direction the guys should have been coming from they discover the crashed Core Lander and some prints headed South West.

They check their maps of the area which indicate a former town a few miles south west. They hop in their mobile lab and head that way. 

When they make it to the town, the only standing structure is a Clown Themed Motel that looks like it was pulled straight out of a historical classic horror film. 

They share a look. There's no way Chibodee would be here. They decide to check for other towns and head further south.  Eventually as it starts to get dark the escort advises that they head to the designated accommodations for the evening and the Greenlords will start a search.

Kyoji kept his word to Rain that he and his father would check in when they arrived in New York. When the second day stretches on with no word Rain starts to worry.

Her father has made it home, but she's still heard no word from Kyoji.

On Rain's 5th call in as many hours -at about 2:00 AM- The Gals answer.... it's Bad News.

They've been separated by a roaming militia group hellbent on serving American Justice to these Neo Japan Planet Destroyers. The Gals were supposed to Rendevous with Chibodee and the guys at the TD site but they never showed and they didn't find them on their way to the Gunsinto Accomodations either.

The Gals reassure her that the Greenlords and Gunsinto are starting a search and they should have word soon.

Dread starts to settle in the pit of Rain's stomach.

------------

Meanwhile The Guys walk into the Hotel expecting it to be abandoned. It certainly looks that way from the outside. 

As they walk in though, they meet a rather average looking man smoking a cigar and watching some movies on a TV in the corner of the dark Lobby. 

He looks surprised (he isnt) and quickly stubs out his cigar in the ash tray nearby before walking into the only light in the lobby by the front desk.

He welcomes them with a smile and asks how many guests. Letting them know that unfortunately he's only got one room available and There's Only the One Bed. He asks if that's alright.

Chibodee sputters. Shocked that there's someone here at all. He asks as much and the man says that the Hotel is a side business of the Greenlords’ for “Employee Services” if you catch his drift.

Average guy asks after them as he's never seen them before. Kyoji has a bad feeling and smooths things over by advising that they're there as horticultural graduate students studying genetic modification with their Professor and a few other students. Kyoji tells a tale of how they got separated in the fields and this was the closest area with shelter according to their map data.

The Average guy is surprised to hear that they have a functioning GPS and says that this area has bad signal. It's a blessing they can find their way.

He directs them to their room and leaves back toward the lobby.

Kyoji has a bad feeling. He can sense a ton of corrupted DG cells nearby. Somewhere underground, but isn't sure why or what it means. 

He also keeps getting flashes of screaming men and women in clown costumes….

He relays as much to Domon privately as Chibodee is clearly already on edge and doesn't need any more stress. 

Kyoji asks Domon if Chibodee is alright. Domon informs him that clowns and clown imagery is a problem but there's really nothing they can do about it in this situation. His fists are clenched. Domon i's pissed they have to stay here.

Kyoji takes a moment to let Domon know he'll take the floor and for Chibodee and Domon to take the bed. This throws Domon for a loop, but before he can argue Kyoji insists that out of the 3 of them he can probably take the most stress and that Chibodee looks like he needs someone to sleep next to. 

Kyoji also mentions that he'll be blocking his hearing on a nano level to give them privacy in case they need to talk. Domon is a bit flustered by this but decides to take it in stride and go to Chibodee who is pacing and silently melting down. He looks like he's about to both through the window and back into the fields. 

Domon puts a hand on Chibodee’s shoulder and suggests they go ahead and bunk down for the night. 

He and Domon each take a seat on the end of the bed while Kyoji remains standing and they discuss Watch Rotation.

It'll probably be better to have 2 people awake and 1 person resting at any given time.

None of them trust this guy at the front desk. Especially not Kyoji.

-------------------------

Not sure how to segue from bunking down to the horror bit below gracefully; but I know we need to.

I feel like it's the perfect time for Domon and Chibodee to take Kyoji up on his offer of audible privacy to have a quick heart to heart..... before it's unfortunately and terrifyingly interrupted. 😨

Mostly because I'm mean. 😂

-----------------------

My first thought for 4 is that it probably looks like a normal-ass bed but in the middle of the night when both the guys are like half asleep, a clown hand bursts up from the center of the mattress in a classic zombie style Then an improbable amount slowly crawl out of that same hole as Chibodee drags Domon to the door (Domon for his credit is ready to beat a clown with another clown)

Since the FC does have the lightest touch of Newtype bullshit (mostly seen in the Schwarz/Rain chase scene where Schwarz gets the newtype flash), I'm interested in it being ghosts because the NT thing sometimes goes that way.

Ghosts usually have some kind of backstory as to why they're around, and I think it fits the setting to have a sort of clown culture war going on

so you have gangs like the one that killed Chibodee's mom, and then you get ordinary clowns going vigilante to hunt the ones that do that down for flagrant violation of the clown code

But the problem with vigilantism is you sometimes get the wrong guy, so that eventually happens and another group of clowns goes vigilante to go after the first group because they've gone bad (doesn't matter whether or not this is true for our purposes). And then you get more guys like the original circus terrorists playing themselves off as vigilantes as an excuse to kill people.

So now you have a clown gang war and more clown terrorists than you started with. And with the other problems Earth and the Colonies have it isn't *really* a big enough deal for anyone outside of the business to really care, so you get a sort of uneasy status quo with occasional bursts of clown violence.

The motel in question has a ghost problem because it's a former base of operations of a clown gang, where they would frequently dispose of their clown victims.

Chibodee is not at all aware of this. Or else he never would have agreed to this. He would have had some sort if Military backup. Gunsinto and The Greenlords have kept this under wraps to avoid broadcasting their farm territory as terrorist territory.

The clowns were affected by DG cells pre-murder and with Kyoji nearby they seem to be activating.

Yikes.

Kyoji can affect DG cells in a lof of situations... but can he affect them to his advantage here???

-----------------------

Stay Tuned to Find Out!

[luxetobscuritas-blog]

books that magically found their way into my home this month.

The Latern of Lost Memories by Sanaka Hiragi

Carmilla by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu

Medusa by Jessie Burton, wonderfully illustrated by Olivia Lomenech Gill

The Full Moon Coffee Shop by Mai Mochizuki

Sämtliche Erzählungen / The complete stories by Adalbert Stifter

Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones

What you are looking for is in the library by Michiko Aoyama

Selected Works of the Brontë Sisters

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy

Back in summer, I stumbled upon Sweet Bean Paste by Durian Sukegawa and I fell in love with its atmospheric simplicity while simultaneously addressing important issues like loneliness, illness and the societal discrimination that comes with it. I was intrigued to read more Japanese fiction, and it seemed like I wasn't the only one. Bookstores in my town jumped on this interest as well and in a section specifically decorated for Japanese fiction, I found The Latern of Lost Memories and What you are looking for is in the library.

Carmilla is a book that I absolutely adore and I've been eager to replace my worn-out edition, filled with post-its and notes, with a beautiful hardback version, and I've stumbled across this gem last week. I am just waiting for a rainy evening to cuddle myself into a warm blanket with some freshly brewed tea before I let myself get lost in this wonderfully haunting gothic classic.

Medusa has a special place in my heart as it quite beautifully rewrites the myth of the Gorgon monstrosity, highlighting the vulnerability of being human amidst unjust power dynamics. Medusa explores the difficulties and challenges of being a woman in a world made by men and also the struggles men eventually face in the world they've created against men and women. The narrative is both heart-breaking and heart-warming, capturing the complexities of gender in a profound way.

I couldn't resist taking The Full Moon Coffee Shop with me. There are cats on the cover, and the story revolves around a magically appearing café entirely run by cats. :3 I've got pretty high expectations of this little tale.

I also recently purchased Adalbert Stifter's "Sämtliche Erzählungen" to delve a bit deeper into the nuanced craftsmanship of this often-overlooked literary figure. Amongst lovers of his stories, he is celebrated for his profound exploration of nature, human emotion, and moral philosophy.

Howl's Moving Castle was a pre-order from Fairyloot, but I received it this month. Ugh, this book and the movie just feels like home to me, and I know that I am not the only one. I got a little teary-eyed because whenever I revisit stories, movies, or games from my childhood that have carved themselves into my heart, I realize how much time has passed and how fleeting life is, but it's a great reminder to appreciate the magic that not only surrounded us as children, but that is still there in adulthood. We just have to be willing to see it.

The Selected Works of the Brontë sisters consists of classics that are an absolute necessity to my little library. I've always loved classics where female characters and the portrayal of femininity challenge societal norms, a passion that began during my university days when I wrote term papers on gender and femininity in Victorian literature. The Brontës’ powerful narratives continue to inspire with their bold depictions of women navigating a heteronormative, restrictive society.

Sorcery and Small Magics was part of Fairyloot's October adult-subscription box that I receive monthly. It's the first book of "The Wildersongs Trilogy" and the story revolves around Leovander Loveage who specializes in small magics, like summoning butterflies or turning hair into different colours. Powerful spells always backfire on him, so he swears not cast them ever again. But after a forbidden spell binds him to his nemesis, Sebastian Grimm, they must find a counterspell, and their search leads them on a journey filled with monsters and outlaws, and Leovander needs to confront his true magical potential. Of course this wouldn't be a typical contemporary fantasy tale without some romance, so I expect a typical enemies-to-lovers story with this one.

[craziestfangirl98]

That was an amazing amazing finale. I was soooo worried that we would loose out on some key points. But it stuck the landing brilliantly. I have zero complaints.

The moment Dohoi went to see HyeonHo about the case, I knew that HyeonHo would not take the route and I think that was the moment of healing for him. For so long he has been seeing himself as a failure. He is stuck at the moment where he saw himself in the mirror holding a knife to his father. He is stuck at the moment he called the police earlier and it went the wrong way and hurt the only person who has cared for him, something he still feels guilt over. He is stuck at the moment where he decided that although he hasn't actually gotten into Hanseol Uni, he is going to let people believe that because he loves the reverence people have over that. They have been haunting him for so long. And will probably continue to do so. So the moment he chooses to call the police when he sees Gwangmo at the school being hurt is a break through moment for him. It has me sobbing like a baby.

I love the way the tutoring centre all came together because they realise that as much as he did falsify his credentials he still helped the kids improve.

I love that Juyeong gets to be a little more vocal, honest. Seeing Dohoi be able to live life honestly makes it easier to stop walking on eggshells for him because it's such a stepping point.

I loved that we got to finally also give HyeonHo some relief. There has always been this anxiety about what he means in Dohoi's life, so seeing him and Dohoi saying that he was his friend must mean so much to him and means so much more to me. It doesn't feel empty or undeserved or unfinished. It has a completion to all the angst of not just the past 10 years but more.

On a side note: it feels so powerful to think that one instance, had such a significant impact on adding to the guilt of all three of them because they only knew their own side of the stories. At the same time the one person who probably should feel guilty couldn't give a damn.

The moments of pure domesticity, them going back to the village and reckoning with the moments in the past. Juyeong absolutely refusing to accept any kind of a separation. Everything was put there to bring everything together, help us see just why they work well together. Till last week we were all at various levels of worried about them not being able to end the series together because I personally didn't fully get what would rectify the mistakes and hurt they've caused each other and themselves and these moments gives us a breathe of relief because it's no longer suffocating and suppressing but rather let's them breathe. I love it.

The fact that Juyeong gets to keep Taekwondo for himself still is so important to me because I was constantly thinking since I started, how they are gonna 'fix' the curse and just by letting it be what it is supposed to he they have healed so much.

Also! Loooooove Juyeong's colleagues spilling his sob story. We stan!

I ESPECIALLY LOVED the conversation about going back to uni, Dohoi being sooooo exhausted with Juyeong's bathroom habits and the final scene with Dohoi seeing Juyeong's search history.

Juyeong's search history reminded me of Jiang Tian's 'moments' in The On1y One and again absolutely wrecked me.

All in all, it was fantastic and I am going to keep coming back to this so so much.

[preciouslittle-bhaalbabe]

I got to thinking about what goes on between durge and Astarion at night for him to know and understand their nightly torments. And it turned into a very fluffy little fic lol I used my durge Ellie and I have so many feelings about these two. The whole enemies to lovers trope is a popular one for a reason lol. Anyways, enjoy my sappy thoughts <3

Ellie's soft auburn waves were always pinned to perfection in a half updo every day. She wouldn't leave her tent without having her hair and face looking immaculate. Except the night she was bombarded with nightmares.

A sea of crimson and gore with her as the only living being. A lonely soul in a dead world. A final sacrifice to, something, she never knew what. She plunges a dagger into her heart and then, nothing. Silence. Dreadful, lonely silence. All that carnage for what? Was this a memory? Or a prediction?

She has had this same nightmare for days. Astarion has been watching her rest since they met unbeknownst to her. Partially due to his nocturnal tendencies but also to make sure the camp is secure. He has noticed her struggles but didn't want to pry. They have gotten much closer in the past weeks though.

But gods, if Ellie tries to seek comfort from him she won't hear the end of it. "oh is princess having bad dreams?" she can practically hear his mocking voice in her head now. And, she hardly looked the part. Her bed head a mess of waves and knots, her face bare and pale. No. She couldn't.

And yet, if there is even a small chance of her getting rest tonight it would be with the safety of knowing someone is there. She's not as close with the others and she has the feeling they wouldn't be too happy about being woken up. She has to swollow her pride and make her way to his tent. Moving with a cat-like silence and stealth she glides over to Astarions tent. Noticing a faint glow from within. He must be awake reading.

"Astarion?" She whispers, barely able to get his name out at all.

"Oh, hello Darling. It's quite late for you isn't it? What can I do for you?".

Astarion had noticed her get up and attempt to fix her hair and squeeze her cheeks to get some colour in her face before walking over. But of course he would never let her know that.

"I'm sorry Astarion I just, I can't be alone right now".

"Ah I see, you're looking for a little...Company?"

"No! Nothing like that I assure you. I just-". She hangs her head in resignation.

"I haven't been resting well these past days. My trance is haunted by visions of red and death."

"I see. Well Darling, your hair is a mess. Would you like some help?"

Ellie is a bit taken back by Astarions lack of mockery. No jokes, no quips. Just understanding? It's not like him at all.

"Really? I mean yes but, you seem unsurprised by my presence. I know it's late and I don't mean to bother you"

"Have you considered that I might actually enjoy being around you, Princess?"

There's the sarcasm. He has called her princess since they met. It was initially used to mock her. But now it seems the meaning has shifted a bit.

Astarion grabs an ornate comb and gestures for Ellie to sit in front of him. She tentatively sits cross-legged between his legs. "I don't blame you, you know. I know what it's like to be haunted by nightmares. If I was having a rough time I have the utmost confidence you would do the same for me".

He speaks softly, while gently brushing the comb through her hair. "Astarion?" Ellie croaked. "Yes, Darling?"

"Thank you, really".

Astarion lets out a low chuckle. How much they've changed in these past weeks. Not even a tenday ago they were at each others throats about helping the tieflings. And now he's brushing her hair in his tent.

Ellie doesn't speak for a while. Astarion can't see but he can tell her eyes are closed. He gently untangles her waves with expertise and puts them into a soft loose braid. It's only a matter of time before he notices Ellie falling backward onto his chest. Poor thing has finally fallen asleep. He can feel the heat of her skin and the pace of her breathing slow.

He's unsure what to do. Does he wake her? It would seem almost cruel. Instead he slowly pushes her forward to get leverage, picks her up and places her on his bedroll. Covering her up with a few blankets.

He grabs some pillows to prop himself up to lie next to her. He gets his book and blows out a couple candles so the tent is slightly more dim. He's used to the dark he has no problem reading in low light.

In the silence he can hear Ellie's soft breathing. Her chest slowly rises and falls in deep rest. He's almost jealous. But the jealousy is overwhelmed by his longing to be close to her. As soon as he thinks it, Ellie sluggishly rolls over to rest her head and hand on his chest. Astarion is frozen. Was it the tadpole? Did they connect and he accidentally revealed his desires? No. She's deep in trance. Astarion shakily closes his fist then rests his hand against her shoulder. Holding her close without waking her. He's not sure what this is, or what they are. But he knows one thing. This? This is nice.

[tgmsunmontue]

Caring, Keeping and Collecting Transformers - A Guide 5/?

Maverick is unknowingly surrounded by Transformers. He knows something is up though. Just not quite what it is exactly.

Bradley and Jake, having never met, are embarking on their own journeys and will have to learn to deal with the fact that they've both been adopted by Transformers.

Despite having years more experience, Maverick is no help at all.

ONE TWO THREE FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

                “Admiral.”

                “How should I address you?” Tom asks, because he’s spoken to Mav’s P51 plenty, been jealous of it even, however it’s never spoken back. That one time he kicked the wheel it a fit of pique is currently haunting him.

                “You can call me Sally,” she states, and Tom raises an eyebrow. “I like the song.”

                He nods, and he wonders if all the ammunition he can see is live. He’s guessing so, and he knows it isn’t helping his blood pressure right now. He doesn’t want to be caught in a firefight if things do go south.

                “Please relax Admiral. I do not hold your past actions against you. Maverick is a difficult man to manage.” Tom blinks, wonders how the hell he is somehow commiserating with a Transformer over dealing with Maverick’s antics. “As annoying as he might be, I would never let any harm come to him. Not while I was letting him pretend he is in charge.”

                Tom’s lips twitch in amusement at that, and then he decides to just outright grin, a little disbelieving laugh escaping him as he considers the fact that all this time Maverick thinks he’s been flying the P51 it’s been because a Transformer has been gracious enough to let him pretend make believe. He really wants to make sure he’s around to see Mav have that realization. He needs to gather information, pretty sure the conflict resolution and managing difficult people workshops can be applied to Transformers and humans alike. God he hopes so.

                “Starscream was it? I’d like to talk to you.”

                “Sir! I can’t –” the Transformer who’d driven him here at breakneck speed tries to interject, and Tom can tell he’s military of some sort by the way he instantly falls quiet at the sharp look Tom gives him.

                “I appreciate your concern, however I believe I am in charge here and I will speak to whom I think necessary. I doubt Starscream will do anything when all he seems to want is help with having Jetfire fixed. And that help is hopefully on the way.”

                “Walk with me,” Tom instructs Starscream, and his tone doesn’t invite argument, but he can tell that the other Transformer is not used to accepting or following orders, no matter how much he wants to or not.

…            …            …

                “Do you think they’ll be okay?” Bradley asks and Jake looks at where Starscream and Admiral Kazansky have walked off down the runway. The other Transformers have watched them go with suspicious eyes, the Jeep, Hound, hasn’t stopped grumbling under his breath, what looks like a weird smoking grenade launcher rolling around his lips the same way Jake worries a toothpick when he’s nervous or mentally working through something.

                “He’s mouthy and sarcastic, seems to think he knows… well, everything. But he does care about Jetfire. I think he would have killed me if he’d thought I was responsible for their condition.”

                “So… how long have you known about Transformers then?”

                “Only a few days,” Jake admits. “I’m on leave for four weeks and I get a feeling I’m going to be spending it here.”

                “Yeah, maybe. Can you show me Jetfire?”

                “Sure.”

                He leads Bradley to the horse truck and pulls himself up, feels him closely follow and then they’re standing there looking at the broken pieces of Jetfire. It’s obvious from looking at them all that Jetfire is a larger Transformer, like Sally or Starscream.

                “Holy shit.”

                “Yeah. You think Maverick knows about Transformers?” Jake asks, and he still can’t believe that the man he’s been idolizing for years, along with Admiral Kazansky, are now people that will know he exists, or will do shortly once Maverick arrives. He’s not entirely sure this is a good thing.

                “If he does, he’s managed to keep it a secret. Mav isn’t the most, uh, subtle of people.”

                Jake snorts, because a man like Maverick does not get the reputation he has by being subtle or a shrinking violet. Or by following the rules. He just skirts beside them and holds his hand over the line.

                “Pretty cool guy to have as your godfather. Have someone giving you tips about flying.”

                Bradley snorts then and Jake turns to look at him, takes in the twist of lips and sad-angry-annoyed look. He can’t quite place it, but they’ve just met.

                “Yeah, you’d think. My dad was a RIO. He died when I was three.”

                “Oh shit. Sorry man.”

                Bradley shrugs, kneels down to look at some part of Jetfire and he takes it as the very obvious change of subject Bradley wants it to be.

…            …            …

                Tom isn’t sure he should be having this conversation when none of his superiors know about it, however he also didn’t get to where he is without improvising and using his initiative.

                “Are you here to attack us? Attack Earth?”

                “No. I’m not even here to attack the Autobots, even if they deserve it.”

                Tom decides to leave that statement alone for now.

                “And what do you want right now?”

                “My friend rebuilt and recharged.”

                “And do we have that capability?” Tom asks, because while he might know Transformers exist he has no in depth knowledge about their general inner workings. The idea that Mav might, and doesn’t even know that he’s been working on them for years, well, a lot of things slot into place. Vehicles just appearing. The Bronco being one of them. Huh.

                “There are rumors,” Starscream mutters and Tom raises an eyebrow.

                “Rumors? You travelled here without first confirming it is actually possible?”

                “Wouldn’t you? If it were your only hope?”

                Oh.

                Tom understands that feeling of desperation well enough.

                “Okay. I will do everything in my power to assist you.”

                “On what condition?” Starscream replies, staring at what Tom assumes is the horizon, although he can probably see further than a human. He’s smart, he’ll give him that.

                “You remain neutral. You do not attack anyone on Earth. Or our allies.”

                Starscream makes a noise Tom can only classify as a scoff, although it sounds mechanical and grating, like he’s annoyed.

                “And if it’s in self-defense?

                “As long as you can prove it was self-defense, you’ll have my support. For now, you’re under my protection.”

                Starscream makes the same sound again, and Tom knows it probably seems ridiculous to a Transformer of Starscream’s size that Tom can offer any protection, but he shrugs, because either Starscream will accept it or he won’t.

                “For until I leave Earth I swear a vow of neutrality. I will only raise arms against those that do myself harm. Or Jetfire harm.”

                Tom doesn’t know how deep the bonds between Transformers go, but he nods.

                “Accepted.”

                God he hopes he doesn’t lose his job over this.

…            …            …

                He can see the dust cloud and hear the roar of engine before he can see Maverick, although he’s there soon enough. Bradley scrambles down from the horse truck and walks toward him, not quite sure how to approach him after nearly eight years of radio silence. Jake is following closely behind him, Ice and Starscream about two-thirds back up the run-way and walking toward them. He desperately wants to know what they’ve talked about. Instead he’s got Mav staring at him like he can’t believe he’s there. Like somehow Bradley is somehow the oddest thing to look at when there are dozens of Transformers standing around.

                “Bradley?”

                “Hey Mav…”

                “What? What are you doing here?”

                “Maverick!” Ice calls out, and he’s striding back toward them, legs fully stretching out like he’s resisting the urge to run.

                “Ice… Bradley’s here.”

                The look Ice gives Mav is fond, less fond when he then looks to Bradley.

                “Yes. He is.”

                “I thought –”

                “I know what you thought. Captain Mitchell I need you to pay attention.”

                Bradley blinks. He’s never heard Ice call Mav anything other than Maverick. Or Pete. Or Mav… The fact that he’s just used his title means that he’s legit pulling rank and it must not happen very often because Mav is shifting and straightening up, looking around then, eyes widening as he registers the actual fucking Transformers assembled around them.

                “Holy shit… what is going on?”

                “You don’t recognize them?” Ice asks, his gaze serious, and Bradley realizes that Ice is very firmly in work mode right now. It’s a little bit terrifying to see.

                “Not like this I don’t… But I always wondered… fucking hell. I knew something was up!”

                Bradley can’t help it, is staring at the motorbike Mav arrived on expectantly, waiting for it to change; knows Jake and Ice are sort of expecting it as well.

                “Uh… why… wait. What the… you can stop staring at the bike, it’s just a regular old normal machine,” Mav says, waving his hand dismissively, staring in open-mouthed wonder as he approaches the line of watching Transformers. “Oh my god. You’re my Kawasaki…”

                “Ninja,” Ninja provides, and then Bradley can’t believe it but Mav is hugging it.

                “Thank you. For saving me that time.”

                “What time?” Ice interjects.

                “Oh, years ago now. I had a motorbike accident and went over the side of the cliff.”

                “Hmpf. Stupid way of trying to kill yourself,” Ninja says and Bradley doesn’t miss the clenching muscles in Ice’s jaw. He wonders just how many years ago they’re talking, wonders what he’s missed, stomach clenching at the idea that maybe this is something recent. Ice looks similarly concerned, although Bradley doesn’t think they’re going to get any answers right now. Mav has moved to stand in front of Sally, the look on his face one of awe.

                “You’re beautiful…”

                “Thank you Maverick. You do tell me that fairly regularly.”

                “Oh my god, this is amazing. Ice! Isn’t this amazing?”

                “It’s certainly something alright…” Ice says, and Bradley shares a look with Jake, because Ice seems less than pleased.

                “Did you know about them?”

                “I have a sufficiently high security clearance. I had never met any before today though.”

                “We are meant to keep our existence… secret,” Sally states, and her whole demeanor is radiating disapproval, however it seems to be aimed at the other Transformers. Neither Bronco or Starscream seem to care, and Hound just huffs, the sound accompanied by a cloud of smoke and sparks.

                “It has been a secret. If there was any chance Maverick could have had a conversation with a plane there is no way I wasn’t hearing about it.”

                The smile Maverick gives Ice is wide and happy and Bradley’s stomach twists a little, feels like an outsider to their relationship now.

                “Are we sharing secrets?” Bronco asks, and his tone of voice is low, like he’s not grumpy and Bradley wonders what other secrets there could be that are on par with the fact he’s been driving around a transforming robot for several years. God. Did he ever actually learn to drive?

                “What secrets…” Bradley mutters, looking between the Transformers and then also Mav and Ice, who have both gone still. Bronco is staring at them and Bradley isn’t used to reading the expression on his face yet, but he’s put money on him being pissed.

                “He pulled your application at your mother’s request.”

SIX

[nuctoria]

Ghosts of the Past AU (Part 1)

Finally, after endless weeks in that prison he was finally out. It shouldn't have taken this long but seems like that old man had grown more mindful of keeping him trapped but no matter. He was out and on a mission.

At least it was no trouble travelling to the Underwhere, what would be travel was finding the two souls he needed in the mess of the damned. He asked some passing Shaydes if they knew of any souls by the names of Antasma or Dimentio and the only slightly useful information he could get from a few was that they've heard of them or some places where they have been spotted. Seems like they knew how to hide, and it only made it more difficult for him since this place was no smaller than the living realm. This had better be worth the effort or he'd reduce the population to its lowest.

He wasn't sure how long he'd been here but finally he found one of the souls he was searching for and surprisingly, it was Dimentio. With a sinister grin, he approached the jester and started light talk, to which he responded to with a theatrical greeting, "Ah! Such a delight to be approached by the haunting presence that rules over the Boos!". So he knew of him, the Boo took that as a good start.

"I happen to have caught wind of your name and a bit of information from your living days and I must say, I am quite impressed. Even more so when I found out you had met someone I know pretty well, which is why I am here in the first place." The king grinned, making the jester walk closer and tilt his head curiously, "Someone you know, you say? Do enlighten me, your majesty".

This was it. He had to be careful with what words he used, they had to appeal to the jester. "It is a human that has been a thorn in my side for far too long, an individual that keeps slipping through my fingers. He's ruined my plans for long enough and I seek sweet revenge against him. I hope the name 'Luigi' rings a bell".

Dimentio stood straight, the smile on his mask gone and his eyes wide. He repeated the name for confirmation and the smile slowly came back when King Boo nodded, a giggle escaping his lips that quickly turned into an ecstatic laugh. Fate was truly a strange thing to the jester, it could be so cruel to some yet so lovely to others. He hardly needed any more convincing for him to join in on the king's plans, he'd be able to get out of this dull place and come face-to-face with the Man in Green once more. Oh, so many ideas were already forming in his head and he wondered if he should pick the best ones or try them all and see just how much the poor plumber could endure.

But they couldn't leave yet, not until they found the person needed, the Bat King. If finding Dimentio was hard, finding Antasma was even harder. He may not move around much unlike most but he knew how to ensure he wasn't found by others. But with enough effort anything is possible and the bat was found inside a well-hidden cave that they could barely move around in. He looked ragged and tired but his hostility was not one to underestimate. They'd need to be careful, this one would be tricky to talk to.

They started by introducing themselves, only to be met with a growl. They let him know that they have heard of his days before death and offered an escape and revenge. Antasma shot it down immediately, not up to be used and betrayed again. He could just smell the insanity and eagerness reeking off of them and wanted nothing to do with it. King Boo asked that he at least heard them out fully before making a decision and they would leave if he refused. Annoyed, he agreed and listened to their rant of their defeats and humiliations, seeking revenge against the second Mario brother, to which Antasma interrupted having heard enough, saying he wanted revenge on Bowser, not a human most couldn't even bother to remember the name of. "If zhat vretched Koopa King hadn't ruined everzhing, I vould have never ended up here!".

King Boo struggled to continue in a way that would sound convincing and was so frustrated that he was ready to drag Antasma with him and force him to cooperate, which was why he learned to be grateful that he found Dimentio first. The jester's sly tongue truly did wonders as he talked to Antasma of just who Luigi truly was in the shadow of his older twin, asking him what he could remember when he faced him in Pi'illo Island and what he learned when observing the adventurous duo.

Antasma slowly but surely started to truly think about the green plumber, from their first meeting in his dream to his very demise and was caught by surprise each time. That human, so forgettable and meek looking was far more powerful and strange than originally thought. His dream powers were nothing short of amazing, even legendary, with his Giant Dream Version being close to that of the very Dream Stone. He thought back on their final battle, how he'd managed to capture Dreamy Luigi and ate him to frighten the red pest, only to be filled with immense power he thought only the Dream Stone could provide him with. He felt like he could end anyone with a single attack. He was a power source and now that he knew, he was greedy to obtain it.

Antasma agreed to join.

The trio was finally formed.

And their target was nothing but clueless.

--------

I really hope this is a good start, this is my first time making an original AU. This took way longer than it should've. ^^;

Just gonna tag some friends that I want to notice this real quick.

@keakruiser @istadris @itsavee4117 @darknadaworld @jell-o101

If you guys got any constructive criticism, suggestions or ideas please let me know.

[liminalmemories21]

Does this one light the spark plug lim? 👀

Early days, between S1 and S2 - Carlos takes TK to his favorite art gallery in Austin 👀

He's half listening to Lexi talk about the new frontier of trying to date during COVID when it occurs to him that they've never gone on a date - him and TK, not him and Lexi. He pauses halfway to taking a bite of his sandwich and Lexi stops talking to stare at him. "I didn't know you cared that much Reyes."

He rolls his eyes at her because he's been her emergency get out of a bad date call more than once, and she grins. "What'd you just remember? Did you leave the milk out?"

He shakes his head. "I realized I've never taken TK on a date."

She lifts her eyebrows. "TK, your boyfriend? That TK?" She takes another bite of her sandwich. "You landed that without a date? Tell me your ways, Oh Mystical One."

He huffs a breath. "I don't recommend our process." She make a skeptical noise, and then a call comes in for them over the radio and the discussion gets shelved.

He thinks about it on the way home though. They'd gone to darts at the bar, and that was kind of a date. Sort of. But also not really. And, more specifically they haven't gone on a date since they became official, since they lay on the hood of his car and TK took his hand and called them a team. The 126 comes over to his condo for game night, and he's been to the Strand's for dinner with TK's parents, and TK sleeps in his bed more nights than he doesn't, but they've never gone on a date. There are reasons. The world shut down barely a week after the solar flares hit, and even if there'd been anywhere to go they'd both been too exhausted and too haunted by the world falling apart around them to even think about a date.

But things have settled now, some at least. COVID is still the headline in the newspaper every day, but it's possible to think about something else now, just making it though the shift doesn't require every part of his energy anymore. He has the breathing room to think about a date.

He hasn't exactly been on enough dates to have a usual. And, none of the things that are traditional date material are really an option at the moment anyway. All the restaurants he'd daydreamed about taking TK to are still take-out only, and even if he wanted to take TK to a club on a date - which he doesn't, he wants a different kind of intimate - they're closed.

It leaves him stuck for days, thinking it over while he patrols. It isn't until he's idling at a traffic light outside the LINE hotel staring up at the Women's Votes mural that he has a stroke of genius. He remembers early - when every moment with TK over lunch or dinner at taco stands felt stolen and chancy - the way that TK would stop to look at any gratified street art they came past, the way he'd cock his head and pause.

It takes him another week to figure it out, and then another week to wait for a day when they're both off with no commitments. He won't tell TK where they're going or what they're doing, just tells him it's a surprise, and to wear comfortable shoes.

TK spends the evening trying to wheedle and then seduce it out of him, and Carlos devotes himself to fucking him until TK's barely able to remember his name. He feeds TK scrambled eggs and buttered toast and grapefruit for breakfast and does not let the way TK moans around buttery bread distract him from his plans for the day.

He drives them across the South Congress bridge and eases his car into a space just barely large enough to fit it, and flushes when TK whistles low. "Nothing sexier than a man who can parallel park in one move, baby."

They wander down South Congress hand-in hand, detouring down side streets as they catch a glimpse of color that promises a hidden treasure. They pause for coffee, and then for nachos, and then ice cream. TK stops to say hello to almost every dog they pass, and hoists two small children up so that they can write a wish on the Chalkboard on Elizabeth Street and Carlos trades helplessly charmed smiles with their mother. She leans against a tree watching and says quietly. "He's a keeper."

He nods agreement. "That's the plan."

It's winding into late afternoon by the time they make it back to the car, footsore and a little burned from the late autumn sun. TK waits until they're in the car before he leans over the gearshift to kiss Carlos slow and soft. It's not chaste, but it's sweet and heavy with an emotion neither one of them has named out loud yet but he thinks they both feel.

When he pulls back Carlos licks his lips, chasing the taste of TK and the tamarind jarritos he'd bought on the way back to the car. "Does that mean it was a good date?"

TK rubs a thumb over his cheekbone. "Best last first date I ever hope to go on."

[estro-gem]

Ragatha x Pomni (Platonic): Charting the Landscape

The Amazing Digital Circus AU: Oasis

Author's note:

I'm not dead! I'm sorry for not posting as much; life has me in a chokehold and you all know how things can get this time of the year.

Excuses, excuses, right?

This is exposition of the 'Oasis Lore.' Although this is an event in which Pomni and Ragatha tries to figure each other out, this is centered around Pomni's slow start to working her way into fitting into the Oasis. These two are having 'the talk,' as it's loosely mentioned by Jax in the story 'Anywhere the wind blows.'

Unfortunately, this is not really a ship-fic, but there are more of those coming in the future, though!

I don't think this one will do so well, but eh, I'll keep writing regardless...

I'm keen to bring in some more angst into this AU. Things are too happy in these works for my liking. I want to go into just how messed up Oasis can be, since it's a very unhealthy system they've got going on.

Warnings: Nothing too serious.

Little angst and very little fluff (like, a literal speck)

Frustration (For the characters involved, as well as you poor readers)

Unhealthy coping mechanisms

SUMMARY:

After Pomni had a strange encounter with Kinger, she was struck with the need to work about developing her status to something more positive among the other Circus members. She decides to start by approaching Ragatha, who ends up giving her the friendliest reality-check she could ask for. Pomni was in more trouble than she thought.

CHARTING THE LANDSCAPE

Pushing on.

That was what drove the jester this far.

That was the only thing that she was certain of. It didn’t matter that she didn’t see what the future held or what size and difficulty the obstacle was. It didn’t matter how impossible it seemed and it didn't matter how far she was forced to push herself.

She was a wreck, but she was just as stubborn.

The past few weeks have been tough. Her first day in the Digital Circus was apparently one of the worst that Kinger had ever witnessed for a newcomer to brave through. Her effort to push her mind through Caine’s demented joke of an exit – an unfinished, never-ending maze of a project (as his unfinished work usually was), was ‘admirable,’ as the chess piece called it.

He said she reminded him of his younger self.

Kinger glanced at Pomni to briefly meet her eyes, as if he was checking that she was still paying attention, before falling into a trans-like state. Disappointment tugged at her thoughts upon the realization that the most comforting moment that the little jester had had since she got damned to this digital plain, slipped away with the mere echo of the King’s words. When he suddenly jolted into animation again, she saw the sobriety reigned back and her heart lifted at the chess piece’s effort to force away the fog from his mind.

The fool witnessed the tug of war in Kinger's eyes; the clouded haze of nothingness as empty as death was straining to smother the powerful, but saddened twinkle of clarity. Despite the struggle, he spoke with ease – saying that the digital circus was not a fate to be faced by one alone, but instead, to be experienced by many in collaboration.

“You need to share you use.” He said, blinking rapidly as if looking through fog, “If you share, you are safe. If you are selfish, you will be left-”

Silence.

The king piece was frozen in place and his eyes fogged over. Whatever he was trying to say, died with the ember of hope that the girl had built up for his encouragement. He was gone.

Sudden hysterical laughter ripped the little’s fool’s thoughts from her head as she jumped in fright. After catching her breath, Pomni spotted Jax crawling on the floor as he wheezed with laughter, while she heard Ragatha’s bright voice chime in with near-manic cackles. She had half the mind to pursue the curiosity of knowing the context of their situation, but Kinger’s words haunted her mind.

Pomni was still starstruck by the white king’s clear, sober words. She didn’t think to interrupt him or break the apparent spell that was befell upon the one she first thought of, as the group’s loon. At the time, she was silent and eager to just listen to Kinger’s praise, but ever since she had some time to digest his words, they brought an icy sting of fear with their implication.

If she was like him, did that mean that they shared the same fate?

On that day, from then on, Kinger was the epitome of the loon she that grown to recognize, ever since she was casted into The Amazing Digital Circus. Despite her hopes of having another special moment with the King, she was only met with vague commentary and silly ramblings.

At least it was nothing she wasn’t familiar with.

'You need to share your use.'

Kinger said she had use… and that she needed to share it. Pomni didn’t know what use she had, but that wasn’t the part that she was concerned about. Sharing would imply that she had to have someone that would be willing to accept something from her. While Pomni wasn’t familiar with her new prison, she was far from stupid. Stubborn, yes, but not stupid.

She knew that she had no one.

The unfortunate aftermath of her first day and her decisions she made at the time, labelled her as a reckless, cowardly renegade. No loyalty. No sense of dignity.

Selfish.

Something Kinger warned her against.

Although it was never spoken aloud, Pomni was made aware that she was cast aside. She ran for an exit instead of helping a possible friend. She was ignored by Jax for a reason unknown to her. She was avoided by Zooble for making their partner uncomfortable. She was estranged by Gangle for being too eager – too interested – in the beauty that was the strange, sentient ribbon. She was abandoned by Kinger’s unreliable state of sanity.

She left Ragatha for dead.

And yet...

The ragdoll was Pomni’s only chance. If she was going to get her foot in the door, she was going to have to do everything in her power to get through to that doll. Ragatha was the only one who spared her a glance, aside from Kinger. She even stood aside the jester after she was abandoned by Pomni. It was a clear as day that Ragatha was either crazy, or too good for this world… and the fool was going to bet on the latter. It had to be the latter.

The doll was kind, sweet and reassuring. She constantly provided the little fool with a calm, cool image that Pomni couldn’t help but mirror; like the doll was a surface of a still pool in the dry earth. Ragatha acted like a human. Ragatha also looked mostly like a human. It was something the jester clung to on her first day – someone was still human in the digital world.

After the events of this previous day, she counted Kinger as a weird technicality.

Presently, Pomni was slowly creeping towards a lone, plush couch in the main area with a doll seated comfortably onto it. She was engrossed in the needle and thread piercing though the blue fabric that matched the colour of her dress. From what Pomni could tell, Ragatha was working on something smaller and finer than an article of clothing, but the jester didn’t bother to focus on it too much.

How was she going to start this conversation?

“Hi, it’s me again! You know, the girl who ditched you at the first sight of an amalgamation, came back to give you false hope, then ditched you again, when I saw the first thing resembling an exit. Wanna be friends?”

No, that wasn’t going to cut it.

Pomni didn’t have much to offer aside from her will to make this work, but if that was what she had, she would use it. She wouldn’t make it through another day alone – she wouldn’t! She wasn’t driven to insanity just yet; and be as it may – this digital realm would have to swallow her whole as she fought, thrashed, clawed, and screeched all the way down in her decent.

Pushing. On.

“Oh, hello Pomni!” Ragatha’s voice seeped through her mind from very close by.

That was sudden…

“Hey! Um- what are you making there?” Pomni stumbled through her words. She silently cursed herself for dissociating to the point where she forgot that she was approaching the doll with purpose.

“This?” Ragatha made a lack-luster attempt to gesture to the blue cloth on her lap, “I was just making a little dress for the ragdoll I made. I always find it so awkward to make these tiny clothes. There’s not much room to work with!”

The jester fixed her eyes on the sowing project, using it as an excuse to only glance in attempt to meet the doll’s eyes every now and again. She saw Ragatha scoot herself against one side of the couch before patting the space beside her in invitation for Pomni to take a seat. The ragdoll looked unbothered by her presence, but Pomni didn’t trust the performance.

Gangle wasn’t the only one in the Circus who wore a mask – the ribbon’s mask just happened to be physical.

“I saw you chatting with Kinger the other day.” The doll spoke again, nonchalantly, “Interesting choice in friends you have! But who am I to judge? I’d like to think I’m friends with everyone here, but between you and me, I’m pretty sure that we are all one minor inconvenience away from losing it. Power to Kinger for holding out for so long!”

The gentle easiness of Ragatha’s chatter, while undeniably comforting, felt… well… off – in a sense. It was senseless chatter, but hardly babbling, like small talk. Very well done and maintained by the Ragdoll, who was idly sowing the little dress skirt to the waist of the dress top.

But Pomni realized that that was just it.

The Ragdoll’s words felt like they were rehearsed… and Pomni was just part of a play that she wasn’t aware of. It wouldn’t make sense for Ragatha to be acting so unbothered and calm unless this was staged or practiced. While Pomni wanted to melt into the seemingly normal conversation that Ragatha was trying to coax her into, a deep, primal instinct was screaming for her to remain wary.

She wished for it to just quiet down for once.

“He’s quite the character.” Pomni said with a nervous cackle, to which the doll seemed to beam at. Taking it as a chance to keep the conversation alive, Pomni opted to find answers, “He was acting weird on that day.” That was too vague, Kinger always acted weird, “But like, weirder than normal. But not because he was weirder than normal – it was because he was acting normal.” What was she even saying…? “Well, I mean… normal for Kinger’s standard, which is weird because that is not normal. For him.” She wasn’t making sense! “I MEAN-”

“Whoa! Whoa, easy girl!” Ragatha flagged Pomni down with a easy chuckle, “I understand what you are saying, don’t worry.”

The jester felt the burn of desire to explain herself in the back of her throat, but obliged to the doll’s clear attempt to quiet her down. Instead, she reluctantly awaited Ragatha’s response.

“It sounds like you were describing one of his little ‘resets’ as we like to call them.” The doll explained, calmly and inviting as ever, “It’s like a moment of clarity that he gets occasionally. You’re lucky to have been there for it!”

Pomni decided to let her self-explanation die in her throat, even though she still felt the urge to do so. The doll’s description was good enough for Pomni to push on, “So he’s not completely insane?”

“What? No! None of us are – I think…” Ragatha reassured, while admittedly fading off into her own thoughts as she ended her sentence.

Pomni would think about those things later.

“So… what he told me wasn’t just crazy rambling, then?” she hesitantly asked, looking up to the doll with a fixed gaze for the first time since their encounter had started.

“Likely not!” Ragatha almost cheered, before glancing around and leaning closer to whisper to Pomni, “What exactly did he say?”

The jester paused, wondering what to do and what she could share. From how Ragatha was acting, the things Kinger shared during his ‘resets’ wasn’t something spoken about so casually. If Pomni had an advantaged by knowing something that no one else did, wouldn’t that mean that she had the upper hand in this scenario?

“Come on, Pomni!” Ragatha asked, leaning in even closer, now seeming eager as ever to hear what had the little fool so hesitant to speak, “What did he say?”

Kinger’s warning of selfishness rang in her mind again, causing the ideology of lying to appear less attractive than it was before, but stubbornly, the jester settled on a half-truth instead, “He just told me that I basically need friends.” She laughed in a bitter tone, “A bit of a slap in the face, but I guess he’s right in a sense.”

“Oh!” Ragatha, leaned back to resume her position as she huffed a little laugh, “Well, having friends is healthy! And lucky for you, we are not going anywhere, so you can take your time when warming up to us. No rush – we’ve all been where you are now.”

“That’s a bit hard to believe.” Pomni sighed, causing the doll to look at her in pity as she continued, “You all seem so… happy? No. Adjusted? Everyone is just doing their own thing and minding their own business like it’s nothing.”

“I wouldn’t say that we 'keep to ourselves' and 'mind our own business' as much as you think.” Ragatha spoke, taking the calm and cool, but hardly uninviting demeanor, “We are actually all up in each other’s business. We look out for each other…”

“You call Jax being the spawn of Satan to everyone around him, as him just ‘looking out for you?’ I don’t think that’s a ‘healthy’ relationship, Ragatha.”

“Oh, Jax shows that he cares in his own special little ways.” Ragatha dismissed too easily for Pomni’s liking, “It’s when he ignores you, that you should be worried. It usually means that he couldn’t care less – that he considers you… well… for a lack of a better way to say this; he maybe considers you… kind of… a bit of a, um, waste of his time…?”

Pomni allowed the poor attempt of the doll trying to soften the delivery of the news, to sink in. She reflected on the fact that Jax barely spared her a glance and even acted like she didn’t exist at times. As much as she despised the person that he chose to be towards his fellow Circus-members, it disturbed her just how much he was avoiding her, while he practically tormented the others. If his sick pranks, harmful jokes, and twisted taunting really was more than him just satiating some sadistic fantasy… and if what Ragatha said about him ignoring someone held any form of truth…

Then Ragatha’s words were a warning.

Ice clawed its way up Pomni’s spine. She wasn’t ready to consider that she was already a lost cause – deserted by everyone and only humored by the ragdoll out of common curtesy or pity. Logical reason cried out for the little fool to remember that Jax was still a bad person and that it may be a blessing not to be involved with someone as harmful as he was, but the fact that he looked right through her, while deliberately being a menace to everyone else, had the jester beginning to believe that there was a method to Jax’s madness after all.

The others had been trapped in the Digital Circus for years. Years. If he was really that bad of a person, would the others have made it this far? Clearly there was something that she was missing. Clearly there was something bigger than the bunny being a borderline sadist and the ragdoll being an unconditional saint.

If only she could figure out what it was.

“You drift into your own head a lot.” Ragatha commented with no real thought behind her words, “I can tell that by now. You go quiet when you start thinking. I suggest for you to be careful though – thinking too much is dangerous here.”

“Oh, uh, noted!” Pomni smiled sheepishly, “Thanks, I guess.”

“It’s nothing, maybe I spoke too soon, right?” the doll huffed brightly, “Maybe you are like Gangle… I swear that girl hosts entire conferences in her head. She might be the only one I know of, that’s able to do that without losing it. Trust me, I would know! I’ve been here long enough, second to Kinger, of course.”

Pomni struggled to keep up with the load of information that was being poured onto her.

Jax was a menace, but apparently there was a good reason for it, and he only acted that way with those he regarded. Pomni was being shunned by him, evident by the fact that he ignored her. Kinger was here the longest, followed by Ragatha. Pomni should refrain from thinking too much. Gangle was known for being the thinker or the group.

Her gut was screaming at her mind: everything said, was important – even if she didn’t know why.

But things needed to slow down.

“Gangle is the thinker, huh?” Pomni jumped in before Ragatha could speak again, “So that means she isn’t avoiding me too, right? At least there’s that-”

Ragatha cut her short, although it didn’t seem to be malicious, “What makes you think Gangle is avoiding you?”

“Oh! The other day, she came to talk to me… but things got weird – I made things weird.” Pomni nervously fidgeted as she briefly weighed her limited options to embarrass herself or leave the statement as it was.

She decided on the former, as embarrassment is a small price to pay for survival, “I think I came on too strong? We’re all human, but our bodies are not. She looks so weird, but strangely… I think she’s beautiful. I tried to tell her that, but she backed away very quickly. Her excuse was something about checking in on Zooble and Jax. She’s been walking wide circles to avoid me ever since…”

Pomni looked over to the doll with the intention of seeing just how much she made her cringe with second-hand embarrassment, but she was surprised to find something different.

Something unsettling.

Ragatha was staring ahead with an unfocused expression. Her face was struck with something akin to dread... and although she didn’t have a human body, she appeared as pale and a sheet. Pomni had half the mind to ask if the ragdoll had seen a ghost, but Ragatha’s slow movement to turn her head towards the jester, caused the words to die in her throat.

“Gangle and Zooble are romantically involved.” Ragatha said, any previous cheer from her voice vaporized to nothing but cut-throat, blunt indifference. From what the jester could tell, the doll was done playing coy and dancing around the elephant in the room.

No more games.

“I figured that one out after Jax’s comments about being grossed out by them making out in public.” Pomni shrugged, hoping to ease the atmosphere.

Ragatha refused to deflate, “He was making it clear for you to back off. You- y- you’re in a worse position than I thought, Pomni. No wonder Kinger took pity on you…”

“What do you mean? What are you saying?”

Ragatha finally tore her gaze away from Pomni with a huffed sigh, looking as stressed as she was on the day of Pomni’s arrival, “You need to get your foot in the door. If you don’t get you act together, it will only be a matter of time before they refuse to let me talk to you. Heaven knows how protective they can be at times-”

“Ragatha, I don’t know what you are trying to tell me. Who’re ‘they?’ Why do ‘they’ force you to do anything you don’t want to do?” Pomni asked as confused as she was becoming frantic.

“Pomni, listen. Focus. This is important, okay?” Ragatha turned her whole body to face Pomni, reaching out to rest her hands onto the little fool’s shoulders, only to pull away upon seeing a very familiar look of discomfort in anticipation to the doll’s touch – something she recognized in Jax.

That was something to unpack later.

“Pomni, you have Jax AND Gangle against you now. And you are well on your way to having Zooble reject you too. Do you understand that?”

Pomni nodded, hesitant, but silent.

“If it was just Jax, you could’ve had Gangle to get through to him, but now Gangle is avoiding you too, only leaving Zooble open – and that’s a very generous statement, considering that you were practically flirting with their partner.

“If you can get to Zooble, you’ll get to Gangle. Don’t worry about Jax for now, I’ll handle him. You need to win Zooble over. This is the only way you can win Gangle over. If Gangle shuns you, you are done for. Do you understand?”

Pomni’s head was spinning, but she got the gist of it down.

For some reason, it was important to be in Gangle’s good books. Apparently, the only way to do that, was to befriend the abomination she came to know as Zooble, Gangle’s partner. It made sense that someone would choose to get along with your partner’s friends rather than to resent them, but what didn’t make sense was why it was so important.

And what was that about being shunned?

“Listen, I get it – the ‘getting along with Zooble’ thing, but honestly, what does it matter? There’s people who doesn’t like me and that’s all there is to it, isn’t it?” Pomni desperately pried.

“Not here it’s not.” Ragatha shut her down, “Things are different around here… and here we all need each other. Especially when it comes to Gangle and the role she plays; the roles we all need to play to survive here. I can’t explain everything now, but please… do whatever you have to do to befriend Zooble. It’s the only chance you have for you to be accepted.”

“Fine, I’ll do it! Just calm down!” Pomni exclaimed as she was disturbed, “I don’t get it, but if this cult-thing will make things easier, then so be it. I’ll get Zooble to like me or whatever.”

Ragatha looked defeated as she flopped back to rest her back to the couch, “I know it hard to understand it now, but you will in time. Just focus on Zooble for now.”

“Ok! Ok! I got it, ok?”

Finally… silence…

There was a moment of silence for Pomni to digest the whole encounter. She didn’t understand what she was getting herself into, but she would just play along for the time being. It wasn’t until now that the jester realized how much she craved to have a normal conversation, an argument… hell, she craved to just be mad for a reason other than for things she couldn’t control.

While it was cathartic to engage in the encounter with Ragatha, she couldn’t help but feel hopeless and frustrated with her lack of understanding.

The doll’s voice was soft as it beckoned for Pomni’s attention yet again.

“About Zooble... They like fashion and abstract art. They also prefer to be alone most of the time, so try to catch them when they venture out to start a conversation with someone like me or Kinger. That way, you won’t be a bother.”

Pomni listened keenly as Ragatha continued to give her pointers, “Try to keep anything about you and your thoughts or feelings under wraps to maintain that factor of mystery. Believe it or not, everyone here is still very curious about you, even if they don’t show it – they are just trying to protect themselves from getting involved with someone who might cause them harm. Trust me, you are the talk of the town – use that. Not even Zooble is immune to gossip, as aloof and unbothered as they might seem.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.” the jester affirmed.

Pomni slowly stood from her seat and stretched briefly, “Thank you. You actually… might have helped me a lot.”

“Honey, as it stands, you need all the help you can get.” Ragatha quipped without missing a beat. It earned a little chuckle from the fool.

“Yeah, you’re right. Thanks for the reminder.”

Pomni missed the little, tired smile that crept up the ragdoll’s face as she turned away. Pomni wanted to walk around outside. She wanted to clear her head and regain her strength before she braved an encounter with the Zolo-being. Just before Pomni could walk a few steps too far, she stopped in thought, turning around to face the doll once again.

“Hey Ragatha, why exactly are you helping me? Even after everything I put you through?”

“Don’t sweat it, New Stuff.” Ragatha scoffed with no real bite.

Pomni felt a real smile creep its way up her face for the first time since she was trapped in the Circus, “You really are too good for this place... you know that, right?”

Looking over to the doll once again, Pomni saw Ragatha’s face sporting an unreadable expression. It was almost as devoid of emotion and robotic as her voice was, when she spoke words with far too much weight for Pomni’s liking;

“I just do what I have to do.”

Oasis: TADC AU list

Masterlist