#this is my first time drawing fire btw have mercy on me..

[tobisoundx3]

(edit: turn your brightness up to see the details better😭)

THIS TOOK LIKE A WEEK TO DO OMG.

anyways i havent posted madcom content before but uhhh i like the series :3

[stromblessed]

Mizu, femininity, and fallen sparrows

In my last post about Mizu and Akemi, I feel like I came across as overly critical of Mizu given that Mizu is a woman who - in her own words - has to live as a man in order to go down the path of revenge.

If she is ever discovered to be female by the wrong person, she will not only be unable to complete her quest, but there's a good chance that she'll be arrested or killed.

So it makes complete sense for Mizu to distance herself as much as possible from any behavior that she feels like would make someone question her sex.

I felt so indignant toward Mizu on my first couple watchthroughs for this moment. Why couldn't Mizu bribe the woman and her child's way into the city too? If Mizu is presenting as a man, couldn't she claim to be the woman's escort?

However, this moment makes things pretty clear. Mizu knows all too well the plight of women in her society. She knows it so well that she cannot risk ever finding herself back in their position again. She helps in what little way she can - without drawing attention to herself.

Mizu is not a hero and she is not one to make of herself a martyr - she will not set herself on fire to keep others warm. There's room to argue that Mizu shouldn't prioritize her quest over people's lives, but given the collateral damage Mizu can live with in almost every episode of season 1, Mizu is simply not operating under that kind of morality at this point. ("You don't know what I've done to reach you," Mizu tells Fowler.)

And while I still feel like Mizu has an obvious and established blind spot when it comes to Akemi because of their differences in station, such that Mizu's judgment of Akemi and actions in episode 5 are the result of prejudice rather than the result of Mizu's caution, I also want to establish that Mizu is just as caged as Akemi is, despite her technically having more freedom while living as a man.

Mizu can hide her mixed race identity some of the time, and she can hide her sex almost all of the time, but being able to operate outside of her society's strict rules for women does not mean she cannot see their plight.

It does not mean she doesn't hurt for them.

Back to Mizu and collateral damage, remember that sparrow?

While Mizu is breaking into Boss Hamata's manse, she gets startled by a bird and kills it on reflex. She then cradles it in her hands - much more tenderly than we've seen Mizu treat almost anything up to this point in the season:

She then puts it in its nest, with its unhatched eggs. Almost like she's trying to make the death look natural. Or like an accident.

You see where I'm going with this.

When Mizu kills Kinuyo, Mizu lingers in the moment, holding the body tenderly:

And btw a lot of stuff about this show hit me hard, but this remains the biggest gut punch of them all for me, Mizu holding that poor girl's body close, GOD

When Mizu arranges the "scene of the crime," Kinuyo's body is delicate, birdlike. And Mizu is so shaken afterward that she gets sloppy. She's horrified at this kill to the point that she can't bring herself to take another innocent life - the boy who rats her out.

MIZU'S ONE MOMENT OF SOFTNESS AND MERCY, COMING ON THE HEELS OF HER NEEDING TO KILL A GIRL TO SPARE HER THE WORST FATE THAT THIS RIGID SOCIETY HAS TO OFFER WOMEN, AND TO SPARE A BROTHEL FULL OF INNOCENT WOMEN WHO ARE THE CASTOFFS OF SOCIETY, NEARLY RESULTS IN ALL OF THEIR DEATHS

No wonder Mizu is as stoic and cold as she is.

And no wonder Mizu has no patience for Akemi whatsoever right before the terrible reveal and the fight breaks out:

Speaking of Akemi - guess who else is compared to a bird!

The plumage is more colorful, a bit flashier. But a bird is a bird.

And, uh

Yeah.

I like to think that Mizu killing the sparrow is not only foreshadowing for what she must do to Kinuyo, but is also a representation of the choice she makes on Akemi's behalf. She decides to cage the bird because she believes the bird is "better off." Better off caged than... dead.

But because Mizu doesn't know Akemi or her situation, she of course doesn't realize that the bird is fated to die if it is caged and sent back home.

Mizu is clearly not happy, or pleased, or satisfied by allowing Akemi to be dragged back to her father:

But softness and mercy haven't gotten Mizu anywhere good, recently.

There is so much tragedy layered into Mizu's character, and it includes the things she has to witness and the choices she makes - or believes she has to make - involving women, when she herself can skirt around a lot of what her society throws at women. Although, I do believe that it comes at the cost of a part of Mizu's soul.

After all, I'm gonna be haunted for the rest of this show by Mizu's very first prayer in episode 1:

"LET" her die. Because as Ringo points out, she doesn't "know how" to die.

Kind of like another bird in this show:

[leo-interactive-fiction]

Hey Leo first off sorry I just came at you with that question like that lol I really love your book and the characters might be one of my favorites. Okay sorry for the same day questions but Since I found out you love Dmc (and you are my favorite now btw) what would the Ro's weapons (and or abilities if you wanna get creative) be if they were in that universe as devil hunters like Lady or Trish. I wanted to ask a question I hope you would get really into have a great day Leo!

No problem! Ask as many questions as you want. I apologize if I don’t get to them right away though. It makes me happy to know you enjoy my work and that I’ve become a favorite for someone haha. Your question is really interesting, and it’s unfortunate that I probably won’t be able to come up with iconic weapons like the ones provided in Devil May Cry haha. I think I can get into this one though, let me see if I can be kinda creative with it. For the sake of it, let’s say all of the characters are playable in an upcoming game...Triaina Might Weep. I’m a complete nerd, so forgive me haha. I’ll try to list stuff the same for each. Also some of these ideas are things I’ve already come up with...for future use, so yeah haha.

Emma/Emil:

- Playstyle: A fast-paced acrobat, using punches and kicks paired with momentum-keeping spins.

- Weapon: Retracer, a pair of gloves and shoes that create tangible afterimages of whatever E does, multiplying the amount of hits they do.

- Restep (within the same vein as Dante’s Styles): E can selectively choose the creation of their afterimage, either using them as multi hit, attacking multiple enemies, or shadow-boxing from range.

- Five Step Sibling (within the same vein as Virgil’s Judgement Cut or Dante’s Sin Devil Trigger. An ultimate attack per se): E pushes Retracer to its limits in creating five doppelgangers whom act independently as each one flashes in and out of the battlefield before simultaneously colliding on the strongest enemy.

Ren/Robin:

- Playstyle: An unorthodox playstyle that relies heavily on small chances for incredible damage.

- Weapon: Ace, a deck of demonic cards that act as a conduit and feeds on R’s overwhelming luck. They hold a mind of their own and can be used either as a defensive wall, offensive ranged weapon, or incapacitating net.

- Draw: R’s cards are always facing away from them. He can select four cards at random, the effects of which are dependent on the outcome. If none of the cards are above Ten, R regains health and power. If some cards are suits, does a small explosion for small damage. If all cards are suits, does a large series of explosions around them. If R draws four aces, causes the other 48 cards to home in on enemies and explode.

- Luck of the Draw: Only usable if R draws four aces. They toss out the last four cards they hold in the direction of the toughest enemy, causing an attack that kills them instantly, no matter the amount of health.

Leah/Levi:

- Playstyle: A counter playstyle that relies on knowing the enemy’s attack and reacting to it.

- Weapon: Omniscient Guide, a book holding forbidden knowledge that allows them to build up power equivalent to the amount of times they counter and evade.

- Premonition: L can tap into the power of the forbidden scripture to summon floating eyes which see and convey the movements of all enemies around them five seconds in advance.

- I Know Your Every Move: After L counters/evades enough attacks in succession the forbidden book will grant L power, allowing them to take the offensive with high-damage sweeping lasers while automatically evading any attack that comes their way.

Vee/Vin:

- Playstyle: A duel wielding playstyle focusing on fast suppression and quick elimination.

- Weapon: Silvy and Gold. Silvy is an angelic silver pistol with the ability to summon firearms they’ve claimed in their various battles. Gold is a sacrificial golden knife that feeds on emotion for power.

- Battlefield Tactician: V can switch between a ranged gunner playstyle using Silvy and their various summoned firearms, to a close ranged fighting style using Gold and their various powers.

- All That Glitters...: After enough kills, V will enter Apathy Mode. In this mode, they will do more damage with Silvy and less damage with Gold, however using Gold will activate ‘All That Glitters...’ and V will immediately exit Apathy Mode as they summon various large-scale bombs before setting them off with a barrage of bullets from two Silvys.

Pinna/Pierce:

- Playstyle: A slow, powerful, bruiser playstyle whose damage increases as their health decreases.

- Weapon: Abaddon, a demonic chain that wraps itself around P’s arms and is used primarily in a sweeping, whip-like attack. The chain is wreathed in flames and curses the wielder with insatiable rage.

- Rage: When P takes damage or inflicts damage, they receive points into their Rage. The more Rage they have, the stronger their attacks and the longer their chains get as the fire burns stronger.

- See You In Hell!: When P’s Rage reaches Max, they’ll have access to this ability, which causes a large area of ground in front of them to set aflame as various giant chains wrap around each enemy and pull them towards the ground before setting a chain reaction of explosions. After the ability, P will lose all rage.

Mary/Matthew:

- Playstyle: A slow, disabling playstyle who relies on incapacitating an enemy first before killing them.

- Weapon: Niflheim, a translucent scythe permeating a chilling icy mist. The scythe grants its wielder power in exchange for darkened souls.

- Encroachment: M has the passive effect of chilling mist surrounding them and slowing down nearby enemies. The more darkened souls they reap, the larger this field becomes and the stronger the effect is.

- A Cold Sleep For All. M extends the reach of their Encroachment effect to its limit, slowing all enemies in sight before delivering a rending circular cut with Neflheim, dealing an incredible amount of damage. If the souls reaped from this ability, exceeds a specific amount, M will extend the attack with a snap of their fingers, killing the enemies hit and allowing the use of this ability one more time.

Raven:

- Playstyle: A stealth-oriented close combat playstyle that relies on disabling and striking the enemy from blindspot.

- Weapon: Bloodletter, a demonic pair of knives connected by a thin wire. Drinking the blood of the strong allows them to grow stronger.

- Sadistic Mercy. Raven cannot outright kill their enemies, instead putting otherwise dead enemies into Fear of Death state. The more enemies within this state, the more damage and speed Raven gets. Raven can execute an individual in Fear of Death state with a secondary input, allowing bloodletter to feed.

- The Bell Tolls For Thee. When enough enemies are put into Fear of Death state, a frenzied Raven will cut themselves with Bloodletter. A distant bell will sound, signaling the despair of all enemies as a shadow falls across each enemy in Fear of Death state, executing everyone simultaneously.

Snipper/Snatcher:

- Playstyle: A speed-based playstyle that focuses on jumping in and out of combat.

- Weapon: Sand, an humanoid angelic spirit embodying the forces of the desert. Forming a pact with this spirit, S can summon objects from sand as well as fight side by side on equal footing with them.

- Dynamic Duo: Whenever S and Sand do a combination attack, S gains points into this meter. S can use this meter to summon various objects, command Sand, or instantaneously switch places with their partner.

- Full Throttle Overkill: When S fill up their Dynamic Duo meter, they will have access to this ability. S summons Sand, who takes on the form of an angelic motorcycle. Using insane speed, the two flash through the battlefield several times before driving in a circle, creating a large tornado of sand that cuts up anything caught within.

Fray/Flay:

- Playstyle: A methodical playstyle reliant on clever traps and ranged attacks.

- Weapon: Eden, a demonic bow made of twisted wood from the Forbidden Tree. Has the power to bring to fruition nature and life, and in exchange curses its wielder with the preternatural insight of their own death. Despite this, F has found ways to cheat death using this forbidden insight, a feat which the bow revels in.

- So Predictable: F gains points in this meter whenever they successfully hit an enemy with a trap. They can spend points to create larger traps and stronger attacks using Eden. 

- Predestined Death: When F gains enough points in their meter, they will enter Conniving mode for a short period. While in this mode, any damage taken by F will instead transfer to the attacker. If damage reflected exceeds a specific threshold, F’s conniving mind will find a way to cheat their death yet again, instead using the power of Eden to transfer their misfortune onto another.

This was a lot of fun to create, although it took some time. I hope you enjoyed it. I know I did cuz I’m a hardcore nerd. I’m honestly kinda thinking of expanding on it somehow hahaha. Thank you for the fun ask :) and have a great day yourself!

[twdmusicboxmystery]

Acorn Symbolism: Romance, Promises, and Peter Pan!

Morning Everyone! Sorry it’s taken me so long to get this posted. As I keep saying, cray week. So, I said before that I thought they represented romantic love And I stand by that. For one thing, there are both a male and female component in the germination of acorn seeds. Hence, the romantic love symbol.

But let me mention a few other important acorn references as well.

@frangipanilove​ pointed out Daryl’s line to Carol last season about Ezekiel being “corny.” A play on the word acorn, perhaps? Now, maybe that’s a silly word play, but given the Serious/Sirius references and “Del Arno Foods,” it’s obvious that the TWD writers don’t mind silly word plays.

Now, @frangipanilove is working on a “nut” theory that will probably be much more comprehensive than this one. She has other “corn” references that are specifically around Ezekiel. I’ll leave that to her. But I suppose you could argue that this is a Carzekiel thing, rather than a Bethyl thing.

Or is it?

I would argue that it might simply be…a romantic love thing. After all, people in love tend to wax a little corny, right?

But there’s something else @wdway​ thought of that kinda proves the acorn reference is tied to Beth. I’d completely forgotten about this acorn reference in the show, so kudos to her for her awesome memory.

Do you remember there being acorns in the show before? Think about it for a minute. I will say it’s pretty subtle.

Okay, so take a stroll down memory lane to 5x11, The Distance. That’s two episodes after Coda and the one directly after 5x10, where the music box woke up. TF brings Aaron into the barn, Rick knocks him out, and they spend the episode trying to figure out whether he’s trustworthy or not, and also driving to Alexandria for the first time.

At one point, Rick sends everyone out of the barn to hide in various places and keep watch in case Aaron is part of a larger group that might be a threat to them. Then Judith starts crying because she’s hungry, and Aaron offers the applesauce in his bag, right?

But just before that, Rick tries to mash up acorns for her to eat. Voila! Acorn reference!

Why is that important? Because this scene has almost every major TD symbol in it, sitting in that barn. We have the flare gun (fire), a bottle of water with "Greendale springs” written on it, the music box itself, bullets, toilet paper, the applesauce, and even a dog reference (Fido) on top of the applesauce jar.

And this is the barn from 5x10, outside of which the music box has just awakened.

So, the acorns are most definitely a Beth reference.

Where do we take it from there? I’m not sure. I do think it’s significant that we saw acorns around Aaron right after the music box woke up, and we’re seeing them again now, right when something is happening with Aaron and the Whisperers. To me, that says Beth is about to appear.

Also, I won’t go into all the details now, but 5x11, The Distance, is another episode you should go back and watch if you can. There are SO many amazing references in that episode that we had no way of identifying the first time through. Eugene makes a “copulating dogs” reference. Rosita says, “we’re halfway there,” which I can’t help but see as S5 being half way to S10, suggesting the “dog” will return in S10. Tons of stuff like that all through it. Go watch! 😝

If you look up acorn symbolism, they can represent strength, much like the oak tree (which I’ll talk about in a minute). But that could also represent Beth’s strength. They can tell the future, so yes, they definitely portend something Daryl’s future, and are kind of the ultimate foreshadowing symbol. They suggest looking deep within ourselves (Daryl feelings for Beth) and that if something is nurtured in the right way, it can become powerful. Again, Beth nurtured Daryl like no one ever has.

@frangipanilove​ and I researched the phrase Carol uses, “double capper.” It doesn’t seem to be a real thing. I just figured it was slang, but it’s not coming up in online searches as even that. So I don’t think it means anything by itself. It’s just something mean to draw our attention to the acorn and its symbolism.

Also, the “double” part (2) might represent that we’ve hit the second phase. This hearkens back to retellings and the fact that carrots take two seasons to grow into maturity. It’s something I haven’t mentioned for a while, but we always figured there would be, symbolically, two stages or two times around for Beth and Daryl. The first was S4/S5, and they, as characters, hadn’t matured all the way at that point. We always saw it as Beth returning as stronger, more mature in her character and survival skills, etc. But it’s true of Daryl as well, at least emotionally. This is something I have touched on recently, about how he does understand his own feelings now and will be able to communicate them. So again, the “double” part might represent that we’ve entered phase 2, which is just a fancy way of saying we’re in the part where Beth will return.

Oak Trees

Let’s talk about oak trees, which produce acorns. You might even call acorns the offspring of the oak tree.

Sometimes it’s hard to tell what kind of trees we’re seeing, because we don’t get close up shots of the leaves. But we think all the trees in Fear, on which we’ve seen ladders painted, and Alicia is now painting Phoenixes, are oak trees. (Ladder Theory, Phoenix Theory).

We also talked about the tree in the opening credits—the one the plate glass windows hang from—and whether it might be an oak or not. We also looked up biblical symbolism because we all know biblical symbols are big in TWD, and they’re a big deal in the bible as well.

There are several cases of the holy men of the bible (including Abraham, Jacob, and Joshua) making sacred vows under oak trees. Sometimes they bury things in token of these oaths. Jacob’s is very significant, especially as it is entangled with the story of Jacob’s ladder, and remember that in FTWD, we’ve seen ladders painted on oak trees.

One story that stood out to me was that of Joshua. Reading it, I became convinced that the tree we see in the opening credits is, indeed, an oak tree. Let me explain.

In the story, Joshua utters the famous line, “as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” He then asks if the people will do the same. They make a solemn oath to always serve the Lord, and they do it under an oak tree. Joshua puts a rock under the tree (which represents Christ, btw) and says if they break their promise, the rock will testify against them in judgement.

So, the oak tree = a solemn promise. It occurred to me that’s pretty much what Rick did under the tree with the plate glass pictures hanging on it at the end of S8. He made an oath to honor Carl’s last wishes and not kill Negan. (“My mercy overcame my wrath.) And if that was an oak, then the one in the opening credits must be as well. (Bc of the plate glass pictures.)

And the more I think about it, the more significant that becomes. I don’t want to go into all the details of this today (because this post is about acorns), but I’ve said before that I think Negan will lead to Beth in some way (hence all the bats we saw around her). And the only reason Negan is still alive is because of Rick’s “oath” to let him live in order to honor Carl’s last wishes.

Remember the Phoenix near Carl at his death? (Alicia is painting phoenixes on trees in FTWD.) Well, if Carl hadn’t died, I absolutely think Rick would have simply executed him at the end of AOW. And if Negan is as instrumental in Beth’s return as I think he’ll be, then that’s super important. You could argue that but for Carl’s death, Beth wouldn’t have ever returned. Which explains the phoenix we saw just before Carl’s death.

Also, these new opening credits that start and kind of center around the oak tree began in S9, after AOW ended. Which says to me that Rick’s oath (keeping Negan alive, etc) is what’s driving this part of the story, now. So, this really is all beautifully and intricately connected.

And how do we go from the oath under the oak tree to an acorn symbol? How should we interpret that?

Well, this may become more specific as we learn more, but for now, here’s how I think of it. Just as the acorn is the offspring—or offshoot, if you will—of the oak tree, so Beth’s return (and Daryl’s happiness) will be a result or offshoot of Carl’s death and Rick’s oath.

Peter Pan:

All right, I’m going to switch gears and talk about one more possibility for this acorn reference that the lovely @weapon13whitefang​.

She said between the acorn in this scene with Carol and Daryl, and the “kiss” reference, she was immediately reminded of Peter Pan. In Peter Pan, there are tokens of kisses exchanged. Like thimbles. Peter didn’t know what a kiss was, so Wendy gave him a thimble, which was a token of a kiss. 

In return, Peter actually gives Wendy an acorn button. Now, technically, this is not an actual acorn (though many PP interpretations use actual acorns). Rather this was a term for a button made of wood, which in slang, was known as an “acorn button.” (Source) In symbol of their friendship, Peter and Wendy wore their gifts for one another around their necks on necklaces. Wendy’s acorn button even saved her life when the Lost Boys (on Tinkerbell’s angry lie) shot her out of the sky. The button stopped the arrow from piercing her heart and killing her.

This has SO many promising implications.

But first thing’s first. My first thought was about what this meant for the question of romance. You all know I don’t think this signifies romance between Carol and Daryl—I know it doesn’t—but I need to be able to explain why.

So, Wendy and Peter exchanged tokens, much like Carol giving Daryl an acorn in this past episode. The question is, was there ever romance between Wendy and Peter?

Meh…a little bit. Wendy was definitely crushing on Peter when she first met him, though it was as much the prospect of adventure as anything else. (Which might have also been true of Carol early on, especially as Daryl helped her search for Sophia.) 

But think about it in the long term. Things don’t work out romantically between Wendy and Peter. Wendy leaves Neverland, grows up, gets married and has kids, where Peter doesn’t. They always have a deep and abiding friendship—and even love—for one another. They wear their token necklaces for decades after their adventures together. But romance? No, it’s not really part of the story.

In fact, if you want to get REALLY detailed, why did Wendy first become disillusioned with Neverland? Because she came to understand that Peter brought her there, not as a girlfriend or companion, but to be a MOTHER to the Lost Boys. (Daryl and Carol have a mother/son relationship, as confirmed by Norman in S7.)

You could also argue that Carol finally putting the tragedy of Sophia behind her and marrying Ezekiel and finding happiness represents Wendy moving on from Neverland and getting married and having kids. Daryl is still Peter Pan in Neverland who’s never sustained a real relationship before. Of course, we think he will, when Beth returns. But for now, the Peter and Wendy analogy is very apt.

And it opens up a lot of possibilities for me. I’m super intrigued as to what will happen with this acorn. He put it in the pocket of his vest. Will it save his life? Deflect a bullet or something? Or is this less literal than that? If it represents Beth or his relationship with her, maybe it foreshadows that she’ll save his life in some way. (Something we’ve all theorized about for a LONG time.)

I also think it’s interesting that Wendy was flying when she was shot out of the sky and the acorn button saved her. They even called her the Wendy-Bird. Now, granted, in this analogy, Carol, more than Beth is Wendy. But still. 

1) We saw a plane crash this past season on FTWD, and we’ve seen several helicopter crashes, including one on the roof of Big Spot in 4x01 (Beth) and one when Merle returned in 3x01 (resurrection of character). 

These are representations of birds falling out of the sky. You MIGHT even be able to lump the satellite in with that. I don’t know if satellites are ever referred to as birds, but it did fall out of the sky, after all. 

2) How many birds have been used around Beth as symbolism? Blue Heron. Yellow Wagtail. Phoenix. Songbird.

3) And of course there’s a major precedent for the writers using children’s stories as symbolic templates in the show. The Wizard of Oz. Little Red Riding Hood. The Little Prince (FTWD). Why not Peter Pan?

So yeah. I gotta stop now, but let’s just say I’m still loving the acorn symbol and the acorn scene. They portend great things for TD and Bethyl. 🎉

Which acorn interpretation is your favorite and why?

[o-dasaku]

i was wondering if you could explain the descriptions on your fgc posts and how they relate to the characters? i'm v interested

oooo for sure

don’t you (forget about me) > don’t you try and pretend, it’s my feeling we’ll win in the end. 

this one’s kind of obvious, the back half of the lyric is my brot3 tag for blamtina - they’re altogether hopeful kids that go through some (a lot of) shitty times. they’ll come out on top in the end, they’re sure of it.

here comes the sun >  here comes the sun and i say, it’s all right.

it’s a metaphor!!!!!!!! dani’s the sun, you fools!!!!!!!!!!! i don’t want to say that santana spent all of s4 hung up on brittany, but santana spent all of s4 hung up on brittany. i have no doubt she hooked up with her fair share of beautiful ladies, but she definitely didn’t date - i don’t think it’s because she was waiting for brittany to dump sam (okay she was, but not so they could be together again), i think she genuinely just didn’t feel super comfortable with it - she never really dated brittany, they were best friends and then they were girlfriends too and santana doesn’t want to leap into that minefield for the first time with just anybody.

enter: daniella perea, struggling musician who picks up a job at spotlight to help pay the bills and gets along with everybody, which is fucking rare because 90% of that diner’s staff are broadway divas in waiting (and santana) so people take notice and santana doesn’t want to like her, but she does. she really does.

so moving on from britt is hard and it’s scary, but it’s alright. she has dani. they’ll figure it out.

creep > i want a perfect body, i want a perfect soul.

i almost picked like twenty different lyrics here because it’s a Very Them song, but i feel like this speaks very well to their characters: this lyric is rachel in a nutshell, she doesn’t just want to the best, she wants to be perfect. it speaks to brody because it’s the antithesis to him: he doesn’t care to be perfect, he just wants to be himself (who, lucky him, happens to be very talented).

sidenote: i think brochel really work on that level, rachel challenges brody to want to be better while brody can remind rachel that being less than perfect is perfectly okay. i’m still sad about how they treated him.

never can say goodbye > though i try and try to hide my feelings, they always seem to show.

listen, i hate to draw riverdale/glee comparisons, but quinn’s veronica lodge. you want fire, cheryl bombshell? sorry, but my speciality’s ice. quinn wants to be cold, wants to be this untouchable ice queen but-

she just isn’t (just like veronica, funnily enough). quinn fabray feels so much and isn’t that just the worst? i don’t think quinn wears her heart on her sleeve the way so many characters on this show do, but she feels things very strongly, much to her own annoyance. whether or not the world sees isn’t really up to her either, as much as she wishes it was.

(on the riverglee comparisons: santana is cheryl, puck is reggie and sam is archie. i know people cast finn as archie but ehhhh. i don’t have anything super solid on anyone else, but rachel is probably betty and kurt is probably kevin (i’m not saying that because they’re both gay, more “i exist solely to prop up betty/rachel when needed”). jbi is evelyn from the farm and i will hear No Arguments on that.)

being alive > i’ll always be there as frightened as you to help us survive being alive.

i’ll be honest, there is an infinitely more kurt line in this song (someone to crowd you with love/someone to force you to care/someone to make you come through) but um, this is literally one of my top 3 musical theatre songs and that lyric is one of my absolute favorite lyrics ever, musicals or otherwise. 

but this line does relate to kurt (and blaine, i guess- this song is clearly meant to implicate him- for the first time, i really know what it means) well enough. i know there’s a fuckton of kurt and death meta but i don’t claim to know him well enough to make sense of any of it so we’ll look at this very shallowly - i think kurt experiences life quite differently to the normal person, and we can owe that to his mother’s death or the long term bullying or whatever tickles your pickle, but he does seem a little... removed, i think. i don’t think he’s afraid to be alive, but i do think he has a long list of reservations about being alive. i think that’s where blaine generally works for him, because blaine is so alive - even if he’s scared to death about it (see: sadie hawkins, the slushie incident, literal depression), sometimes. 

i’m not here to shit on any ships, but i do wish i shipped klaine more. oh well. i’ll always have s2.

i feel pretty/unpretty > i was told i was beautiful, what does that mean to you?

i know this is a quinn line (and a very good one at that), but i find it interesting when i apply it to both of the girls. quinn and rachel are both very beautiful, though in clearly different ways - and they both have trouble believing that. or more accurately, quinn finds herself beautiful but not her self. 

anyway. i wonder if quinn’s parents ever called her beautiful, before she was quinn. they seem incredibly shallow, even if judy develops away from that - i have a headcanon that lucy was very close with their pastor (not...in a creepy way jdsdlaks) and he was pretty much the only positive interaction she had with any elders until after quinn was a thing but ANYWAY he always told lucy that she was a beautiful person but only tells quinn that she looks lovely. that informs a lot of this performance (especially this line) for me. anyway. whatever.

so to rachel: her brief interactions with her fathers make me think that she grew up being told she was beautiful quite often, but then her peers are always telling her differently - i have no doubt that places more esteem in her father’s opinions, but i’m sure that being told two different things would confuse the fuck out of a kid. quinn was likely spearheading the “crazy berry is ugly” craze in their freshman year, so. i don’t know. the what does that mean to you? is an interesting question for that line of thought.

being good won’t be good enough > i’ll be the best or i’ll be nothing at all.

please, she said emphatically.

everytime > every time i try to fly, i fall; without my wings, i feel so small.

listen. what a marley mood.

it’s all coming back to me now > there were things i’d never do again, but then they’d always seemed right.

rachel Fucks Up A Lot. we been knew. i do think she learns from a lot of her fuck-ups (not all, see: leaving nd for cabaret and then leaving funny girl for that’s so rachel), but she did genuinely think she was doing the right thing a lot of the time (see: telling finn about drizzle’s true paternity and robbing puck and quinn of that opportunity) and i don’t think she’d change much, if she had another chance - she just wouldn’t go repeating the bare majority of fuck ups.

hand in my pocket/i feel the earth move > and what it comes down to, my friends, is that everything’s just fine, fine, fine.

listen, considering this is their proposal song, i would’ve hoped for something a bit more meaningful. but i do think that there is something to the simplicity of this song, - brittany and santana are happy. they have no issues this season (outside of britt’s bridezilla tendencies) and as much as they’ve always been the type to get their feelings out via song (see: landslide, songbird, mine), they’re definitely at a point where they can just. talk about their feelings.

their song is simple because they are too, finally. what it all comes down to? they’re fine, fine, fine. :P

human nature > see that girl? she knows i’m watching, she likes the way i stare.

another song i almost picked like, five different lyrics for lmao. while the others spoke nicely to characters, this lyric is quite indicative of their mid-s3 relationship (mercy is still w shane, sam’s trying to push in on that) and uh, i think this is an unpopular opinion. so. hang tight, kids.

while mercedes and sam were certainly attracted to one another, i think there’s a few more things at play here: sam likes being in a relationship, knows that he and mercedes could be good together and he’s trying to recapture being sixteen again, so dating the girl he’d been embarking on something with is a pretty great way to do that. mercedes? i think she likes the attention, likes actually being noticed. she likes the way he stares, basically. (i’m dropping lyrics into explanations now, sue me.)

crazy/u drive me crazy (you guys are all on notice for letting this flop, btw) > tell me i’m not in the blue, that i’m not wasting my feelings on you.

marley’s spent all episode being warned against jake, but i think it’s interesting that she’s basically seeking him out here and asking are they right? his response leaves something to be desired (tell me i’m the only one you’ll see) but at least it’s a conversation they’re having? it does speak well to marley for the rest of the time she’s on the show - she’s best when talking her issues/concerns out (see: her eating disorder v her wanting to stay abstinent, neither end well for her but she seems more at peace with the latter) while jake is. jake.

(i love jake always!!!!!!!!!!)

and finally, need you now > guess i’d rather hurt than feel nothing at all.

i changed this like, twenty times. the alternative was their ship tag (and i wonder if i ever cross your mind/for me it happens all the time), but i think this speaks a lot more strongly for their characters than that does to their relationship. puck and rachel are both very all-or-nothing characters, but 99% of the time they’re going to pick all. it fucks them over a lot of the time, but i don’t think they regret it much.

[mooneryder]

Genji Cybernization Speculation

WARNING: LONG POST!

For a fanfiction I’m currently working on, I’m developing a theory on a certain subject currently shrouded in mystery in the Overwatch lore: What the living fuck did Hanzo do to Genji to warrant cybernization, and how did Mercy save his life?

For this post I will be using pictures as references. Sorry for the mediocre image quality!! Here’s a link to the original quality images: https://imgur.com/gallery/7DCJ5 

So to kick things off, I simply downloaded a picture of Genji’s Blackwatch skin.

Why the Blackwatch skin specifically?

A lot of my story involves Genji’s time with Blackwatch.

It shows which parts of Genji’s body are cybernetic and which are still organic more clearly than his classic skin.

Next I recorded my initial thoughts looking at this skin. I was mainly looking for how Genji’s body appeared to be operating and what Hanzo might have done to cause it.

I quickly realized, however, that in order to go further I needed to consult a basic diagram of a human male’s internal organs. (Funny enough cause I got a C in bio, lol :P)

I did a side by side comparison and sketched a rough outline of Genji’s internal organs – as they would be in his organic body, that is.

As you can see, most of Genji’s vital organs are covered by cybernetics. Since there are tubes clearly pumping something to the inside of the cybernetic armor, it can be concluded that he does indeed have cybernetic parts underneath it. Which draws me to this conclusion: Genji’s left arm and face were the only organic body parts to survive. Well, at least the only organic body parts to survive enough to remain functional without cybernetic implants.

So, what was the damage to Genji’s vital organs?

In case you can’t read the key I used on the left:

Gold is moderately damaged.

Shit brown is extremely damaged but still salvable.

Burnt brown is damaged beyond repair and needs a replacement.

(THESE ARE ALL BY MERCY STANDARDS, BTW… which means damaged beyond repair is literally unrecognizable as organs)

This is all speculation, but judging by where the aforementioned tubes in the middle of Genji’s cybernetics lead and where the cybernetic armor is in general, I think it can be safe to say the majority of his vital organs were damaged beyond repair. The reason some of his organs are only severely damaged instead of damaged beyond repair (since y’know all of them are technically covered by the cybernetic armor save for most of his left lung) is because they lie closer to the left arm – or the one part of Genji’s organic body that was spared. This includes the heart (NOT THE AORTA though, so technically not his entire heart), the lower part of his left lung, and his left kidney.

Now, keep in mind that the violent confrontation between Hanzo and Genji was pretty clearly a swordfight; the slash in the tapestry at Hanamura, the scars on what remains of Genji’s organic body, and their mutual talents in swordplay are evidence enough of this. But how did a sword inflict such devastating damage to Genji’s internal organs? And on top of that, how can there be such a huge difference in the amount of damage between Genji’s left arm and the rest of his body?

The answer is simple: the dragons.

Think about what Hanzo’s dragons do in game. They’re a huge wall of “oh shit avoid this” that’s relatively easy to dodge if you aren’t caught off guard. They’re unleashed via his weapon; he fires an arrow, they appear. But keep in mind: the bow was not originally Hanzo’s weapon of choice. Of all the skills listed on Hanzo’s official bio, swordplay is the only one we haven’t seen him use. He presumably abandoned the sword because it was what he used to kill Genji. But a weapon is a weapon is a weapon, and more likely than not Hanzo’s unleashed the dragons with his katana in the past.

Think about Genji’s dragonblade. If you’re caught in that ult without a way to escape, you’re more or less fucked. On a squishy like Genji, two blows and you’re dead. Strike after strike after strike. Each one doing horrific damage. And Genji only has 1 dragon. Hanzo has 2.

Imagine Genji’s dragonblade with double the pain, double the damage, and double the devastation – both physically and emotionally. That was what Hanzo did to Genji, in the broadest of terms. He unleashed his own dragonblade onto his brother. In game-mechanical terms, that would bring the damage from just a single strike – originally 120 – to 240. Genji has only 200 health. It could only lead to disaster for him.

To make things even more complicated for Mercy, I believe that when the Shimada dragons “consume their enemies,” they literally burn them from the inside out. (Because seriously, consider the idea that the dragons burn a person from the inside out. It sounds fucking badass.) Hanzo’s dragons roasted Genji’s vital organs. He is left with horrific burns on the inside of his body – both 3rd and 4th degree – and to top it all off, Hanzo slits his brother’s throat. (Thus the destroyed larynx/vocal chords.)

With this theory in mind, it’s easy to understand why Mercy would be overwhelmed. She’s never seen injuries like this before, let alone the damage. She doesn’t know what caused them. She doesn’t know who caused them when she first rescued Genji. She doesn’t even know what would have the capability of doing such damage – and leave the target still alive, no less. But she does know one thing: she has to try to save him.

Listed in dark purple are Dr. Ziegler’s medical solutions for the damaged organs. (This does not, of course, include the enhancements made for the sake of making Genji a living weapon.) Most are synthetic replacements, but the organs not damaged beyond repair were treated with bionic healing. Mercy did not want to replace anything unless there was absolutely no chance of salvaging it.

Which brings me to the specifics of Genji’s cybernization.

I haven’t been talking about the back of his body as much because I haven’t completed a thorough analysis of it, but here is the work I’ve done thus far:

My writing is kind of small, so I’ll elaborate.

There are two types of cybernetic enhancements in Genji’s body: those needed to keep him alive, and those that make him more of a living weapon.

At the base of it all is a power module: the big glowing circle on his right shoulder. It powers all of Genji’s cybernetic body. Power tubes carry the power from the module to all of his cybernetic parts – both organs and limbs.

Genji’s synthetic major organs:

Right lung

Aorta (part of the heart)

Stomach

Liver

Intestines

Vocal cords and/or larynx

Genji’s cybernetic limbs:

Right arm

Both legs

Both feet

Synthetic muscles on his right arm and back

Other miscellaneous cybernetic enhancements include Genji’s cybernetic spine – which holds his stitched-together body up – and his biotic lenses – which enhance his vision to a near superhuman level. Obviously he also has shriukens built into his right hand that he can fire and reload at will.

And keep in mind: this was only the first prototype. I haven’t even started on the specifics of Classic Genji’s cybernization. Actually, in comparison to Genji’s current cybernetic body, Genji’s Blackwatch cybernetic body was very clunky and primitive. But that’s a topic for another post.

I think I kind of rambled, so I hope someone was able to follow this! XD If anyone has any questions, comments, or suggestions, I’m all ears :)

[gettinziggywithit]

God, I think I finally got this little blurb written after initially having the idea in like May? >_< This is based on @thebananafrappe and @azulandrojo‘s horrifyingly beautiful creation, Axetale along with @mercy-monster‘s fantastic drawings crossed over with Repo! the Genetic Opera’s song, Legal Assassin.

I shared the idea with Banana and she wrote her take on it, which is fantastic btw, go read it. She beat me to the punch with some details, so if you see similarties, creative minds think alike sometimes? I tried to keep to the lore the creators made for this world, so if there’s something that doesn’t jive, write it off as creative liberties. 

Enjoy part 1! 

Assassin….                     Butcher….

                      Murderer....

      Monster….

             sans…                 Demon….

Assassin….       Monster….                Butcher...

                  Murderer….      sans….

Monster….                                        Demon….

MURDERERASSASSINDEMONBUTCHERKILLER….sans….

sans. sans. DAD!

The snow blew in from the open door haphazardly, the wind fierce enough to chill someone, even a skeleton, down to the bone.

Sans hadn’t moved from in front of the entryway since Aliza ran out the door. He hadn’t meant to lash out at her, his own daughter. She didn’t know the simple locket she held in her hand was so precious to him. No one, not even Papyrus was allowed to hold it. It was his and his alone.

He slowly walked over to where she dropped it and cradled it in his cracked and worn fingers. He clicked it open and the fractured image of his beloved filled his two toned vision. The ever present smile he wore on his face stretched a little wider, comforted by her loving gaze. In a moment of clarity he looked towards the open door to see the bones he sent shooting wildly still embedded in it and the surrounding wall. A splash of blood covered one of them and silently dripped to the floor.

“Aliza…”

Where did our daughter go? It's me she must escape. My burdens I can't erase. The mother I might have saved.

He stared at the dark, snowy landscape just beyond the door for some time more before snapping the locket shut. His Frisk was gone...and now Aliza had fled. He couldn’t lose her, not when she was the only thing that kept him tethered to the real world. What was real anyway now? The Hunger had taken everyone and there was very little hope that the Underground would ever recover from such a disease.

Assassin...Murderer...Monster...

The whispers never left him be. Always in the back of his mind, they tormented him relentlessly.

Sans turned back and crept to the fireplace and moved one of the items on the mantelpiece to the side and an audible click sounded. Slowly, the fireplace moved to the side, the rusty gears grinding loudly. He placed the locket around his neck where it belonged and began a slow descent into the darkness.

At the bottom, he palmed an orb shaped indention on the wall and one by one, sickly lights began to manifest. What was once a place of knowledge and science and the odd ketchup bottle littering the floor, was now a dusty crypt of distant memories. Little knick knacks and photographs lined the countertops in mad disarray along with a single portrait of his beloved Frisk on the wall at the end.

A small striped sweater dress was carefully folded at its base and sans delicately ran his fingertips over the soft material. He gripped the material gently and brought it to his face, her faint scent filling his nasal cavity. He placed the dress back in its spot and smoothed it out, keeping it like it was never touched to begin with.

His gaze slowly moved over to a dust covered floor length mirror. It was cracked from when he slammed his fist in a bout of anger and sadness when Frisk first left. Glass shards were permanently embedded into his hand because of it. He looked at his fractured self and for a split second he saw the ghostly image of Frisk behind him and he placed a hand on its cold exterior in sullen silence.

Frisk, I need you now. Look what I've become. The nightmare that she should fear Is the father you left alo~ne!

 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Meanwhile, out in the forest...

Aliza’s lungs burned with exhaustion, but she couldn’t stop running. She had no idea the locket she found out by the dilapidated sentry station was her father’s, but was even more surprised to find her own mother and father from obviously better times staring at her as she clicked it open. Her fingers ran across the photo, tears stinging her eyes.

It was obvious this was her mother, and to see her father, whole and happy in her embrace was comforting. When she went to ask sans about it, he was adding logs to the small fire. She mentioned the locket and he stiffened and turned, his hand going to his chest, frantically grabbing for something.

His gaze landed on her hand that held the locket and his calm demeanor suddenly twisted into  unbridled rage. The right eye extinguished as his golden pupil crackled with energy as jagged bones manifested out of thin air and shot towards her. In a panic, she dropped the locket to shield herself as a bone grazed her cheek and she instantly felt pain. She saw no recognition in his glare as he stalked towards her and her fight or flight instinct was triggered. She wasn't about to fight the only kin she had left and chose to tear open the door and fled into the snowy forest.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The years roll by without you, Frisk. 15 years have come and gone. I’m raising our Aliza with the best intentions. But there is something I can't tell her. I am lost without you here! I am only living out a lie!

His hand slid from the mirror and he turned and paced the room, staring down at all of the trinkets and photos that held so much memory in them. A lone, dusty box was on the end of the tables and he brushed the dust gently away and lifted the lid. Inside were homemade gifts from some of the Underground residents to him and Frisk. Many of the items were baby themed as Frisk’s pregnancy was much anticipated before she was forced above ground.

There were tiny cooking gloves from Papyrus, a small recipe book from Queen Toriel, a small toy spear from Undyne who was more than ready to train a small baby right out the womb much to his and Frisk’s uneasiness. Alphys had chipped in one of her fantasy mangas, Napstablook quietly left a pair of headphones, and Mettaton had so graciously given the two of them TONS of baby clothing, with his brand name all over them, of course. And lastly, from his dearest friend, Grillby, a beautiful glass baby bottle handcrafted from his own fire with a faded sticky note that still read, “free of charge”

Tears formed in his one good eye as he rummaged through to the bottom where he found his own gift to Frisk, the tiny pink slippers that matched his own set he once wore. He held them close as the tears flowed and dripped silently onto them as he mourned the birth of his child he was unable to see.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. He was so close to finally having his happy ending, free from the turmoils of the resets, the countless deaths, and was relieved to finally be starting a family. Then it all went to Hell when that damned flower tore his entire world apart. He placed the slippers back into the box and replaced the lid, once again taking careful note to set it exactly where it had been before. He crept back to the portrait of his beloved and collapsed to the ground, grasping his head in his clawed hands, crying loudly.

After a few minutes of letting out the grief that had been steadily building, he whispered to himself, “it’s so hard, Frisk. It’s so hard not to just give up and waste away like the others. You’ve gone, Papyrus is…” He smiled weakly, “Papyrus is so good to Aliza. You’d be so happy to see how they get along. He treats her just like his own baby sister...but now I’ve frightened her away. What will happen to her? To us? ….I’m the monster I always knew myself to be…” He gazed back up to the portrait and his eyes went wide as a familiar voice whispered back to him.

“I love you, sans, but sometimes you are the biggest bonehead”

Sans smiled a little as he sniffed and wiped away some of his tears. Somewhere in what was left of his rational mind, he knew these whispers were not real, but just an evil aspect of the Hunger that ravaged his magic. But, still he continued to talk to it, as it gave him the only comfort he could find. “Yeah, yeah Frisk, I know you must find this humerus, but…” His smile fell again, 

“...you’re not real.”

He needed to get a grip and start coming to terms with Frisk’s death, no matter how big the hurt it put him through. The air was silent before a tiny whisper echoed through his skull, “I may not be anymore, but our daughter is real and she loves you very much.”

He got to his feet, eyes blazing as he angrily pointed a finger at the portrait, “she doesn’t even know what happened! What I’ve done, the blood I’ve shed! I just...I just want what’s best for her. I don’t want her to suffer the same fate as us..as you did!” The portrait remained unmoved and he started to cry again, his eyes dimming till nothing remained the but the deep, dark sockets and he clutched his locket. “I can’t do it, Frisk. It hurts too much to see you in her face, her voice, hell, she’s even got your same stubborn streak.” He sniffed and rubbed the dirty tears from his face.

Aliza can never leave. She is my everything. Nothing can bring you back Aliza is all I have!

“Heh, tibia honest, maybe it’s my stubborness that she has. She doesn’t take to the puns like you did and tells me to stop with all the dad jokes. I can’t help it, she’s my last line holding me together...without her, I’m nothing”

A cold, comforting veil wrapped around him almost like a hug. He swore he could feel Frisk’s arms around him once more, her warmth seeking the chill of his bones. He returned the ghostly hug as best as he could as he heard her faint whispers disappearing into the thin air. “She will not hate you, sans. She is your daughter as you are her father. Tell her everything and guide her as she grows with magic. When you see her, know that I’ll always be with you. That means forever, bonehead.”

He felt a phantom kiss press against his teeth and then the voice faded away, “Go now, Aliza needs you…”

Aliza’s screams pierced the silence and sans slowly came to his feet. His left hand outstretched as both pupils blazed to life to bring a weathered, but razor sharp axe into being. He flew up the stairs and as he dimmed the lights, he gave the portrait of his smiling Frisk one last look.

“See ya around, kid.”

[securitybreach]

Loki’s fighting skills

Loki’s Knives

I just read this great post about Loki’s knives and why the idea that Loki is physically weak and no warrior at all is so popular while all his fighting scenes in the movies just prove the exact opposite.

Honestly, I wouldn’t like to cross that guy.

I think it’s a scam Loki and Thor have made up, and somehow the idea of Loki not being a skilled fighter got stuck in people’s minds.

So I wrote this ficlet to explain how the rumour got started...

Loki and Thor are ambling along a lonely, possibly dusty road. They had to sell their horses because the quest they spend several months on went wildly wrong, and the brothers have found neither fame nor fortune on their way.

Honestly, with this recession going on even dragons are hard-up, and the last lair Loki and Thor had tried to raid turned out to belong to a nice elderly lady-dragon who had very few jewels left, and offered them tea instead. She roasted a few slices of toast on her own flame for them which turned out to be just a bit stale, and only a little charred.

 It had been one of their better days.

  Now the problem is that Odin’s birthday (name day, coronation anniversary, whatever) is approaching, and the idea of the quest was to find a really special gift for him. Since this has gone awry, it’s only logical that there’s a lot of bickering. Also, several attempts at blame-shifting are being made. Furthermore, nightfall is near and there’s not enough coin left for an inn. Thor is very miffed about missing supper, and Loki moans for his daily bath. Both hate the idea of having to sleep behind some hedge again:

 Thor:

Well, Loki, if you hadn’t wasted so much gold on that bloody useless magical artefact, we’d be better off now.

Loki:

Is that so? Pray tell me then, brother, who spend the change on ale and wenches?

Thor:

Just a bit of fun...

Loki: ...

(sulks, because he had not been invited along to join the party)

  Suddenly they see a group of five bulky men approaching. Thor hides Mjolnir under his cape. He hopes that he and Loki won’t get recognized, and that the strangers will leave them alone.

 No such luck, though.

 The strangers turn out to be genuine bullies who do not recognise the princes and try to pick a fight soon enough. But they look wealthy, so Loki gets closer to his brother and whispers four words into his ear: ‘meal tickets’, and ‘remember Vanaheim’. Thor grins, and grabs Loki by the neck.

 “Ah, brother,” Thor says. “Always ready to do a runner, are you not?”

 Loki smiles embarrassed. His shoulders drop by an inch, and he is slouching now while his eyes are wide open in his best deer-caught-in-a-headlight impression. Thor is impressed.

 “What did he say?” One of the bullies asks (he probably looks a lot like Volstagg, Fandral or whoever you like least in the MCU) (making him actually look like Odin would probably be a bit too much).

 “My brother feels that a little fight would do him some good,” Thor answers, a nasty smile on his face.

 The strangers look at Loki, who is no longer only in distress, but obviously about to panic. He whimpers, and manages to get behind Thor where he puts his arms around his brother’s waist while trying to hide under his cape at the same time.

 It’s a stupid idea, and does not work at all.

 The bullies watch the graceless performance in silence. Then they start to grin.

 This is beginning to look like fun.

 One of them tells Thor that, although they are warriors and far above such simpering mollycoddles like his brother, they feel it’s their duty to teach him a lesson.

 At this point, Thor suggest a bet. “My brother fights one of you. If he wins, you’ll let us pass, if he loses, you’ll get this.” Thor shows them a well-filled leather pouch. Yes, Loki’s up to his old tricks and has cast an illusion.

 “Could be copper,” one of the strangers says.

 Thor opens the pouch and lets the bullies see a handsome collection of gold coins. He can almost feel how greed is taking over the other men’s brains.

Good. This means that Loki’s plan is working.

 “Very well,” another stranger says. “Why don’t we take this off you right now?”

 The God of Thunder lifts his cape a little and lets them have a short glimpse at his war hammer. “Because of this.”

 This changes everything. Although the bullies do not recognize Mjolnir, Thor’s celebrated theurgic weapon, they know that a big, determined guy with a large hammer can do a lot of damage before getting overwhelmed. So they back off a little.

 “It seems a bit unfair, though, that only one of us is allowed to have some fun.”

 Thor laughs. “Don’t get greedy, friends. I don’t feel like carrying my brother all the way home.”

 Everybody (except Loki) laughs. “Done that before, what?”

 “All the time,” Thor says and drags his squealing brother in front of him. “Just take a look.”

 BTW: Loki is putting on a great show. There’s just any amount of whimpering, wailing, sobbing, begging even.

 The bullies look at the pale, scrawny man with the drooping shoulders and bad posture. Loki is trembling, and looking firmly to the ground. His long hair is covering his face.

 “Looks ergi to me.”

 “Ah, I’ve heard that before. Let’s just say he’s a disappointment to our family in many respects.”

 “So we all could have some fun afterwards?”

 “And why not? You know the type. It’s all the same to them,” Thor tells the strangers. He knows he’s playing with fire here, risking perhaps even more than Loki has bargained for. But hey, he’s the Mighty Thor, the God of Thunder, and he’s got Mjolnir on his side. He can always punch their way out, so why not? 

 Loki is down to pleading now. “Brother, please...”

But apparently his golden sibling refuses to listen.

  The strangers are drawing straws while Loki desperately clings to his brother’s arm in a last attempt to safe himself.

 “Does he have a weapon?” Asks the bully who has drawn the short straw.

 Thor shrugs. “Do you carry a weapon, brother?”

 “Fruit knife,” Loki sobs.

 This earns him another round of laughter.

 Without showing any signs of mercy, Thor pushes his younger brother forward.

 Everybody’s silent now, and Loki looks up very, very slowly. Anything that seemed submissive about him only moments ago has gone. He’s wearing a wide, nasty sneer and has got a wild, almost feral expression in his eyes. Even his hair manages to look somehow aggressive.

 Moreover, he’s holding a vicious looking blade in his right hand.

 “That’s a fruit knife?” The stranger asks stupidly.

 Loki looks at the knife like he is noticing it for the first time. “Well, yes,” he says. It’s the knife he uses for pilfering from Idunn’s garden, and oh boy, the Goddess of Spring and Youth knows how to grow a mean fruit. Some of them fight right back.

 Loki attacks, and of course he downs baddy #1 within seconds. Then he beats the crap out of the remaining four just for the hell of it.

 Thor watches him with a proud smile. Yep, that’s him. His little baby brother.

 “You know, brother,” Loki says. “I think my armour got a little soiled while I was busy teaching this lowly scum a lesson.”

 “In that case I think we should demand a modest fee for your trouble.” Thor meets exactly zero resistance from the fallen warriors as he starts to collect their coins.

 It’s a good haul, and the brothers sleep in an excellent inn that night. There’s even enough to buy an appropriate gift for Odin, but that’s Chapter 2. I’m more than willing to tell you what follows, just not today. Sorry.

*****

Thanks to @mosellegreen for suggesting that Loki could slay anyone while being armed with only a fruit knife.