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lex-munro · 4 months ago

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[More Like Grand-Ish: Part 6] Reverie

OPLA ZoSan randomness continues; Sanji’s POV and speech use UK English.

A little light whump as a treat for morale. And chiffon cake is what happens when you add oil and flavoring to angel food cake (because the low fat content of angel food actually means that it can’t hold on to flavor well).

Timeline is shortly after Alabasta, in that nebulous pre-Water-7 period that’s ripe for filler arcs.

Canon divergent/universe alterations, gay!Zoro and anything-that’s-pretty-enough!Sanji, Chopper is Done With This Terrible Patient, Zoro still hasn’t warmed up to Miss All-Sunday, ubiquitous bad language. Recognizeable characters belong to Netflix, Oda, Jump, etc.

***

Reverie

Wounds were inevitable on a pirate ship; it was why Chopper was so important.

Wounds were especially inevitable for a man who waded into battle, regardless of his skill, with weapons both fewer and of poorer quality than he was accustomed (a long and embarrassing story…Buggy would no doubt show back up with the Loguetown blades and try to challenge Zoro to a duel, or something).

The shallow slice across Zoro’s ribs was the result of a shitty substitute blade breaking when he tried to parry a blow to the throat. The nasty stab through his foot was from the broken blade itself, and it had him half-blind with frustration (especially since that pointy-faced hag had been the one to save him from the next blow and fetch Chopper).

He had never been a good patient at the best of times, but sitting on the makeshift cot (a salvaged tabletop on the salvaged halves of a broken barrel) in Chopper’s little slapdash infirmary after the utter embarrassment of that morning put him in a contrary mood.

“No walking,” Chopper said in his scariest tone. “None. No weight on it at all. Passive therapeutic motion only. No kicking, no shoving, no standing or walking.”

Zoro grumbled. “What about a crutch?”

Chopper’s face turned terrifying. “You’ve shown before that you can’t be trusted with crutches, you fuckin’ fool, so just sit on your fuckin’ ass and rest, because it’s not gonna be my fault if you can never use that foot again.”

Fair point. He’d been very bad about over-utilizing his legs right after Little Garden, and Chopper had been aghast at the long-term damage he’d then insisted on working to repair.

Zoro scowled, but didn’t argue. A swordsman’s footing was crucial, and he’d never be the best if he lost strength or flexibility in a limb.

“You’re not leaving that bed without my permission—otherwise, I’ll put you in a diaper and drug you into a week-long coma.”

Zoro could and would suffer a lot of indignities, but that was over the line. He’d rather be helped than helpless. “Fine, I’ll stay in the stupid bed,” he promised.

“If you cheat…I’ll know,” Chopper said, and slipped out of the room while maintaining very threatening eye-contact.

Doctors were scary when they had a disobedient patient…

Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad; he’d just sleep and meditate, reviewing the battle and his own performance in it, looking for the moment he should’ve known not to depend on the second blade that he’d scavenged from a treasure haul the week before.

Oh, shit. Who else would be looking for a turn to scold him, though? Chopper’s infirmary was currently located in a partition of the forward cannon room that everyone but Usopp refused to call a battery (the little reindeer had tried for the galley but been chased out at knife point, and he’d deemed the men’s cabin ‘too rowdy’), so people would be wandering past at all hours, and anybody might slip in to guilt-trip him. Nami could get pretty mean when she was worried (as Usopp and his nearly-constant bruised shoulder could attest). Robin should know to keep her distance, though she might turn up to mock him. Sanji so far had been the type to dote while being depressing if Zoro got injured. Zoro felt an ache in his stitched ribs just thinking about the crushing hugs and the crying.

Or maybe, since the wounds were from his own inattention, he’d get a third scolding instead (he harbored no hope that Nami wouldn’t hunt him down to call him five kinds of idiot).

The door opened.

Sanji stepped in with a covered tray. “My poor, sweet man!” he cooed. “You must be going stir-crazy at the thought of being confined to a sickbed for a week!”

Doting but happy? Zoro did not trust that. At all. Sanji being doting but happy was a situation for girls.

“I’ve brought you some soup, precious,” Sanji went on, setting the tray aside and leaning down. “Good arm only—no tearing your stitches, love.”

Bewildered, he obeyed, clinging to Sanji’s shoulders as he was moved into a sitting position with pillows supporting his torso.

“There. Because we wouldn’t want you to incur Chopper’s wrath, would we?” Sanji said sweetly.

“You’re not pissed like he is?” Zoro asked carefully.

“You were making faces at the shitty sword all morning,” Sanji said. “You knew it needed to go, but it’s not like we had time to replace it. And you’re the sword expert—I’ve got no authority to tell *you* what went wrong or why. Plus, seems like being stuck on bedrest will make you miserable enough without any nagging.”

That put a funny feeling in the pit of Zoro’s belly. “Sorry. For a minute, I thought you were buttering me up so you could go feral on me for…I dunno, ‘being reckless,’ or something.”

Sanji smiled. “Yeah, well, we’d hardly be anything like we are now if you weren’t reckless. And that’d be a shame, because I’ve never been with anyone, man or woman, longer than a week or two until you, and I’m hard-pressed to think of a time when I was happier, overall.”

Zoro stared and hoped he wasn’t blushing. “You said you brought soup?”

Sanji laughed, and he certainly looked genuinely happy. “Absolutely, darling.”

And when Zoro tilted his chin up, Sanji took the hint and kissed him. (The whole time they were in Alabasta, he had completely missed every hint, and they’d had a few spats about it until Zoro said in no uncertain terms that he refused to verbally ask for a kiss every time, which had led to a discussion where Sanji finally realized he’d been extremely oblivious.)

“I’m glad you’re not in too much pain,” the blond noted as he held the bowl and let Zoro use the spoon.

“Hm?”

“You’d be yelling and complaining about unrelated shit if you were. So at least I know it’s not too bad.”

He shrugged. “Prob’ly hurt like hell if I moved my foot or raised that arm.”

Sanji beamed, complete with crinkled eyes.

Zoro wrinkled his nose. “Oh my god, if you start cooing some lovesick shit, I will use my good foot to kick you.”

Sanji laughed.

“Stop it—you’re the worst.”

“I thought Miss Robin was the worst.”

“You’re becoming her rival for the title.”

The bastard cheated—he kissed Zoro again.

“Tell me about that dream again,” Zoro said, instead of pointing out just how gross and syrupy Sanji was being.

At that, Sanji’s voice turned wistful. “Our ship was called ‘Kuina,’ and her figurehead was a woman-samurai, armoured but with her hair unbound. Somehow, I’d learned your favourite food, and I was making it, but when I looked, the ingredients all blurred or vanished. I’d grown a beard, though I don’t recall why. You had a dashing scar over one eye, and sometimes prospective students would make the mistake of attacking your blind side…”

Zoro let the words wash over him as he ate his soup. Building blocks. A blueprint for what sounded like a wonderful life. Find the All Blue, become the greatest swordsman, find the One Piece (in some order); get a ship with the perfect galley, get a crew to sail it who wouldn’t spend half their time offending Sanji and the other half being punished for offending him.

Sanji trailed off, just smiling in silence for a while.

Zoro dabbed self-consciously at his face. “What?” he prompted.

“Nothin’. Just can’t wait to grow old with you, that’s all.”

He got kicked for that.

And if Zoro was bright red and refusing to let the damn cook see his face, that was nobody’s business but his own.

“I hope you realize I don’t plan to be celibate for a week.”

Sanji clutched his chest. “Surely you wouldn’t corrupt poor little Chopper!”

Zoro kicked him again.

Zoro was showing visible signs of mental strain by lunch of his third day of bedrest. Between bedpans and boredom, he had a wild, unfocussed look to him, and he was always relieved to have visitors (even ‘the hag,’ as he termed poor Miss Robin).

So Sanji started deploying the layabouts when he had to be in the galley. Usopp said he told stories but didn’t think Zoro was really listening; Robin said she talked about the history of warfare with him (and he pretended to be bored but was clearly fascinated); Luffy’s games and random conjecture could be heard almost anywhere on the ship (because he was especially attached to his first mate, and insisted it was his conversation that healed Zoro from the brink of death after the duel at Baratie); Nami bluntly said it was none of Sanji’s business what she talked about, boyfriend or not.

Sanji asked Chopper to teach him how to help take care of the stab wound. The younger teen was reluctant—feet were surprisingly delicate and complicated, and the physical therapy was painful.

“I don’t think it’s good for you to have to hurt him,” Chopper said. “Assuming you can even bring yourself to do it right, out of fear of causing pain…”

“He’s gonna get stabbed again eventually,” Sanji cajoled. “Someday, he’ll have his own pirate ship under Admiral Luffy—or Commodore, if he likes that better—and you won’t be there, and someone will have to take care of him.”

“By the time he has his own ship, he’ll have his own doctor,” Chopper pointed out.

Sanji sighed through his nose. “All right, look…I want to be able to do something that helps him without making him feel like an invalid.”

Chopper levelled him with a hard stare. “He is an invalid. That’s what you call it when somebody’s confined to a bed for their own health.”

“You’re the one who sees him most, aside from me—surely you’ve seen the emotional toll all this is taking.”

“If you mess up my hard work or chicken out, I’m not bothering to teach you more.”

“Deal.”

So Chopper showed him how to check the health of a puncture wound, how to palpate the track to check for undue swelling that might signal internal problems, how to move to limb to avoid stiffness or disadvantageous scarring while avoiding the use of the damaged muscles. And Chopper taught him the physiological signs of pain and shock, as well.

“He can try to put a brave face on it, but the fluctuation of pulse and temperature are good indicators that his body’s producing the chemicals triggered by a certain degree of subjective pain. There are a lot of nerves in the human foot—that’s how you can do all that fancy footwork. His threshold is impressive, but this is a catastrophic injury, so it’s going to hurt.”

“I’m literally right here,” Zoro grumbled.

“Shut up like a good teaching dummy,” Chopper ordered.

“What happened to the sweet little guy who blushed when Nami called him a hero?”

“He got used to how stupid you are and how unlikely you are to do as you’re told when he tried the sweet bedside manner!” was the grumpy retort. “All right, Sanji—try the mobility exercise.”

And it turned out that he was good at it, because Zoro would sit perfectly still, enthralled by Sanji’s touch and more stories of his ideal restaurant.

“I didn’t mean to fall in love with you, you know,” Zoro said on the fifth day, while Sanji was moving all the fiddly little bones near the ankle.

Sanji glanced up past the curtain of his hair. “Oh yeah?”

“Mm. Figured I’d sleep with you till you got bored and we’d just be…I dunno, rivals or something. Sparring partners.”

Sanji grinned. “Well, I never meant to fall in love with you, either.”

Zoro looked positively enchanted by that answer. He gave one of his tiny little smug smiles.

“The sex is great,” Sanji admitted, “but it’s your…resolve, I guess. That’s the part that drew me in more. And then, suddenly, all the little things made me long to get used to you: to know your sleeping face, and your favourite food, and whether you liked sunrises or sunsets best.”

“What would the staple dishes be?” Zoro asked, possibly proud of remembering the phrase. “For your restaurant on our ship?”

“Hm…I think a nice miso soup, a salad with a tangerine vinaigrette, broiled salmon with creamy spring potatoes, and some kind of chiffon cake.”

“What’s chiffon cake?”

“I’ll preface this by saying it doesn’t have to be very sweet…but it’s the smoothest, fluffiest cake you can make and still have a strong flavour. If you could turn the soft, tender chewiness of mochi into cake, that’s chiffon cake.”

“Sounds nice,” Zoro mumbled, and when Sanji looked up again, he was asleep.

Getting his stitches removed wasn’t great, but it was a signal that Chopper thought Zoro might be ready to move around.

“You’re not sleeping on the floor,” Chopper said firmly. “None of your foolishly random napping. You can sleep in a hammock, or you can sleep in the infirmary. And no climbing the mast to sleep in the crow’s nest, either!”

Zoro scowled.

“Discomfort is expected, but sharp pain means something is wrong,” Chopper finished, holding out a crutch. “If you try to put weight on it and it feels weak, ease off. I know you heal quickly, but feet can be tricky.”

His first stop was the galley, where Sanji was cleaning whatever mysterious fish Usopp and Luffy had caught that morning.

“Up and about already, sweetheart?” Sanji said without looking up from guts and scales.

“Can I help?” Zoro wondered (a little desperately).

Sanji smiled. “You precious thing—so tired of being stuck in bed you’ll even come do busy work. All right, if you’ll sit and give your foot a little rest, you can finish raking the scales off this absolute beast the captain reeled in.”

So he slid onto the bench and waited while Sanji laid out a canvas tablecloth before depositing a monstrous forty-pound thing that might have been some kind of snapper or bonito.

“Don’t worry bout being tidy with it,” Sanji advised as he set down the scale rake. “Just try to be thorough, since they’ll spoil the texture of the crispy skin. I’ll make stock of it later.”

“Hey, waiter,” Zoro said as Sanji started to turn away. He raised his chin.

“You make your demands known like a cat,” Sanji teased, but kissed him. “It’s adorable.”

Zoro ignored the remark. “Tell me more about chiffon cake.”

Laughing, Sanji leaned in and kissed him more thoroughly. “I love you so, you bloody barbaric cabbage.”

.End.

#fanfic #opla #zosan #bestie made me post it #CANON DIVERGENCE #universe alteration #fic series: More Like Grand-Ish #Diet Whump(TM)#non-graphic description of wound care and physical therapy #Robin's not bad Zoro just hasn't warmed up to her yet

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alterchaos · 4 months ago

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THE KING OF BONES

Let me tell you a story of a boy consumed by greed...

(cw: implied physical/sexual abuse, implied non-consent [nothing is described beyond a short mention out of respect; this does NOT involve my oc or any heroes], graphic violence, death)

(cn: The story told in this chapter is based on extensive research I did into the original tales of Aladdin and King Solomon of the 1001 Arabian Nights. Both are very interesting reads and inspired the story I ultimately came up with here alongside lore related to the Sonic and the Secret Rings game and a bit of my own creativity. I hope you enjoy!)

PREVIOUS CHAPTER: THE EVE OF DESPAIR

NEXT CHAPTER: SUSPICIONS

The girl with the golden, snow-dusted locks, along with the guidance of the bony, skinless hand resting gently on her shoulder, soon found herself in a snowy clearing beyond the mountain. Massive, bony archways decorated the far rocky walls along with various caves and passages carved into their sides. With each soft, crunchy step rose a group of frosted bones from behind her, each silently gathering to form the various skeletons to which they belonged. They followed her, some curious while others looked on at her limp and seemingly lifeless friend in her arms with sorrow. The girl didn’t notice them, too caught up in her grief and rhythmic steps to pay attention to her surroundings.

For all anyone knew, she was one among the dead, wandering aimlessly with no end in sight.

clatter clatter

“Huh?”

She turned, the bones falling to the snow once more as she did. The world fell silent, still, and Eve finally took in her surroundings properly. She looked up, noticing the gentle snowfall unlike the blizzard she’d waded through before. It filled her with a peace she hadn’t known since the day she’d entered the storybook a few weeks prior. A genuine smile escaped her as she continued to look up.

“Look, Sonic…The snow is so beautiful…Do you see it?”

Silence.

“I-” She looked down at him, fighting back a few tears and forcing a cheerful smile, “I-I’m sure you do…A-And…And if you don’t-” She choked back a few more, “Well…” She smiled again, losing her battle against the tears, which slid gracefully down the sides of her dry, red cheeks, “I-I’ll just show you…Y-You know…When you wake up…”

His eyes remained glossed over.

Eve bit her lip, trembling slightly before continuing on with determination.

She was going to save him.

She had to.

“Whatever it takes, Sonic…I promise…”

He remained unresponsive.

“Whatever it takes.”

MUSIC END

—----------------------------------------------------------

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The girl exhaled a few heavy breaths as she entered the massive coliseum, her body growing exhausted once more from her grueling journey to save her friend in her arms. Torches as tall as the homes back on Mobius lined each side of an aisle down the center. At the end of the aisle sat a grand, velvet throne with a massive, lifeless skeleton seated upon its cushion. All around the aisle, smaller skeletons lay, filling the rest of the coliseum with their quiet, equally lifeless presence.

The skeleton hopped, pointing excitedly.

“Huh? You…want me to walk towards the throne?”

The hand nodded.

Eve gulped, a chill running down her spine from the death-filled air, “O-Okay…”

She took a step.

Then another.

Then-

clack

clatter clatter

“Huh?”

The girl with the golden hair froze, looking around her as full skeletons began to rise, all watching her intently as they did. Though she shouldn’t have been given her adventure aboard the pirate ship, the sudden liveliness of them still managed to take her by surprise. She froze, trembling slightly as one of them approached, hand outstretched. As it did, the hand on her shoulder hopped onto it, crawling to its other side. The skeleton then popped the bony hand back into place at the elbow joint before bowing deeply at the girl.

Her eyes widened, “You…You’re the swordmaster from the ship, or captain I guess I should say now.”

The skeleton nodded, placing a hand on her shoulder with kind, smiling eyes.

Her eyes scrunched with tears, “All this time…I-I wasn’t sure who was leading me but…I-I had a f-feeling a-and…” She choked back some tears, “I’m just so happy I was right…”

The skeleton placed a hand on the back of her head, pressing their forehead to hers as she cried.

“P-Please…” She sniffled, unable to fully contain the storm of emotions pouring out from within, “H-Help me save him…”

The skeleton captain smiled once more, moving their hand down to the girl’s upper back and leading her along. As they faced the end of their journey together, more and more of the skeleton crew joined her side, offering hugs and reassuring hands so that she knew she wasn’t alone anymore. One even popped a comical thumbs up like the hedgehog who’d ‘invaded’ their ship that night, eliciting a small but hearty laugh from the girl as she continued to release the emotions she’d pent up for so long. A few met her at her front, taking the catatonic hedgehog from her arms and walking beside her so she could rest. Another then approached from behind, offering her the same coat she’d worn once as their captain and saviour aboard the ship they’d once all called home. She nearly collapsed to her knees as they did, the fatigue from her journey mixing with the comfort and warmth of the soft, velvety fabric. The current captain caught her, helping hold her up and offering encouragement along with the various other skeletons at her side.

Together, the girl with the golden hair finally reached the throne at the end of the aisle.

She’d made it.

Until the end…

She smiled weakly as the looming skeleton wriggled upon its throne, coming to life as she approached. It grabbed its staff from the side, reaching out its other hand in a welcoming gesture.

“Come child…take a seat…”

Her eyes flew wide as a few skeletons approached her, covering the floor with pillows of the finest silk, “...You can talk.”

The skeleton nodded, “Indeed, for I possess a greater connection to my human consciousness than those I raised with my power.”

Eve sat, being offered food and drink as her unresponsive friend was laid to rest beside her, “Your power? Then that makes you-”

“I am Solomon, King of Bones and the underworld in which the dead reside.”

The girl’s eyes widened once more, unable to fully take in the skeleton king’s grand and commanding presence. After a moment, she jolted, setting her food and drink aside and bowing her head to the rocky surface beneath, “Y-Your majesty! Please! Help my friend! Take away his flame! Give it to me if you have to! I-I’ll give you anything! My life! M-My freedom! Even my soul if I must! I-I’ll join your legion of skeletons! P-Please!! Please just save him!!!”

Solomon watched as the girl trembled in fear, though he could hear with his wisdom the sincerity in her voice as she frantically pleaded with him. He chuckled, waving a dismissive hand as she jolted once more.

“Child, raise your head. You do not need to beg me for anything.”

“Huh?” Eve lifted her head, a few loose tears rolling down her cheeks.

“I am more than grateful to aid the hero who rescued my subjects from that urchin’s reign of terror. You see, I set them free from my domain for a time to travel the seas and experience the world outside. If you hadn’t intervened when you did, they may have very well crumbled into dust at this point, my magic unable to protect them from such a distance forever. I do not wish anything in return for such an act of kindness.”

Eve stared in bewilderment, “...kindness?”

Solomon rose from his throne, kneeling and bowing before the girl, “Yes. You have my gratitude. Whatever is within my power to grant is yours to command.”

At this, all the skeletons throughout the coliseum kneeled, bowing their heads as well in respect.

The girl with the golden hair remained silent as she tried to process what was happening around her.

Hero?

Kindness?

Her?

MUSIC END

She blushed bright red, waving her arms frantically, “Nooonononono! Y-You have it all wrong! I-I’m not a hero! I-I’m just…me!” She pointed to the blue hedgehog resting beside her, “H-He’s the real hero! He’s the one fighting to save your world from the Erazor Djinn! I-I was just-”

The skeletons all jolted in shock, including Solomon. A dark and serious look settled in his gaze.

Eve began to sweat, “W-What.. What did I say?”

The King of Bones rose to his feet, retaking his place upon his throne.

“It is just as I feared…”

“W-What is?”

“The Erazor Djinn…” He struck the base of his staff against the ground in rage, “How far must that MONSTER spiral before he is satisfied!!!”

Eve watched Solomon knowingly as the tension left her, “So…Erazor took something from you too…”

“Yes…my life…”

Her eyes widened.

Solomon held up a bony hand before his dark, scowling eyes, “He was the one who cursed me into this form…all because I refused to meet his demands…”

“What kind of demands?”

Solomon paused for a moment as he recalled the distant and painful memory, “I struck a deal with him once, promising him riches if he retrieved for me an object of desire. When the time came, however, he refused to hand it over, striking me down instead in his greed.”

Eve’s brow furrowed, “What was the object?”

“An oil lamp.”

“An oil lamp?”

“Yes, child. An oil lamp with the power of a genie inside.”

“Wait…Why would you request the help of a genie to fetch…well…a genie?”

“...”

“King Solomon, please. I know it’s hard to face such painful memories…” She glanced to the side, whispering under her breath, “...believe me…” She looked back up at him, “...but I need your help…whatever wisdom you can give to help us win against him…”

The King of Bones sighed, closing his eyes, “He…was not always a genie…He was human once…one who went by a different name…”

Eve’s eyes widened, “What was his name?”

Solomon opened his eyes.

“Aladdin.”

Eve froze, recognizing the name from a popular cartoon she’d seen once back on Earth as a small child. In that story, Aladdin had been a misunderstood boy who, despite his circumstances, had grown to be kind and generous to all. He was someone Eve once looked up to alongside all of her other favorite heroes in her desire to treat the world better than she’d been treated.

That had only been a story though…

This…

This was real…

And reality, she knew better than anyone else, was not always what it seemed…

Solomon leaned in, “Hmm…I see recognition in your eyes…”

“Ah! Nonono…It’s just that, well, Aladdin is heralded as a hero in the world I’m from…I…didn’t know there was another side of the story…”

“Yes well…” Solomon leaned back into his throne once more, “The world does often prefer a good story over one that is true, does it not?”

Eve looked down, remembering her first few weeks on Mobius, “I suppose it does…”

The King of Bones watched her for a moment, recognizing, once again, the sincerity in her gaze. He gestured his hand towards the food and drink she’d set aside, “Eat and recover your strength, brave child, and I shall tell you the true tale of Aladdin and the Seven Rings.”

The girl with the golden hair nodded, resettling next to her silent friend as she made herself comfortable.

“Long ago, Aladdin lived with his mother, the two of them destitute and bound to their trade by hunger. I ran into the boy on one of my many excursions across the worlds of these pages, for you see, I was a grand magician who sought out all the wisdom, treasures, and mysteries I could ever seek. It did not matter what feats I had already accomplished. It was never enough. I wanted more. When I saw his cunning and skill…well…

I was…a different man back then…

I tricked the boy into believing I was a distant relative, abusing his trust in me to have him snatch that which I sought next…the oil lamp. Once he discovered the truth, however, he turned his back on me, keeping the lamp to himself in hopes of peddling it for a few measly dirhams. That was when he discovered the truth of the lamp.

A genie resided inside, one by the name of Ornias.

Ornias took pity on the boy, mostly because I was the one who trapped him in that sorry state a few years prior. You see, he was a partner of mine, one who sought to betray me and steal our many riches for himself. As a result, I tricked him into using the world rings we had collected in order to become an all-powerful genie. Then, I sealed him away inside that lamp, casting it out where not even I would be able to find it. Well…I suppose being an experienced treasure hunter has its…benefits…

Aladdin used Ornias’s power to shower him and his mother with infinite power and wealth. Though they were no longer hungry and destitute, it was not enough for the boy. He had already become consumed by the limitless power of the lamp, seeking next the hand of the fair Princess Badroulbadour against her will. Realizing my mistakes, I sought to stop the boy before it was too late, but he was too far gone. With Ornias’s power, my flesh was melted until nothing but these bones remained, my soul bound to them forever as I was cast out to this desolate land. Since that day, I have been unable to leave this place, cursed with the gift of an all-knowing mind as I roam for eternity among the dead.”

Eve gulped, “A-And then…?”

“Aladdin won the blessing of the sultan and married the princess, yet it still was not enough. You see, when he cast me from my flesh, he stole two invaluable relics from my person.

The first was a magical ring in which a genie named Bezebul was bound in servitude.

The second was a scimitar blessed with incredible magic, for it possesses the power to strike down even the mightiest of spirits.”

Eve began to sweat, “W-What…? Th-That’s…CRAZY! How can a spirit be struck down without a physical form!? It doesn’t make any sense!”

“Spirits exist on another plane of our reality, one that is similar yet separate from our own. Anyone or anything with the ability to cross over is able to make contact with such spirits and the stardust that makes up their beings.”

“...Then…what would happen if a human was struck by his blade? Would they be safe since it exists on that other plane?”

“No. Quite the opposite actually…Any human struck by his blade would perish in both body and spirit. In other words, they would fade into nothingness, their souls lost to the stardust for all eternity.”

“And…there’d be no way to save them?”

“It would take a power far greater than any genie to save a soul lost to his blade.”

Eve gulped, clutching her locket against her chest.

She couldn’t imagine it…

…meeting such a grim end.

Solomon took a moment to pause before continuing, “Aladdin took command of Bezebul alongside Ornias. Together, they overthrew the sultan as well, the boy taking the throne for himself in a display of greed and power.

That was when his reign of terror truly began.

Believing he could no longer be denied whatever his selfish heart desired, he took command of far more than simply the genies’ magic and the throne upon which he sat. He…” Solomon paused, trying to find the words to convey what he needed to the innocent girl before him. He clenched his fists in frustration, “He…hurt those closest to him…took advantage of them…Bezebul and Badroulbadour…all in the name of ‘love’...”

The girl with the golden hair watched the skeleton king in slight confusion as she hung onto every word. She finally looked down, fiddling with her locket once more, “So…he bullied them…for his own twisted enjoyment…”

The king’s skull furrowed slightly between the eyes, “...Yes, child.”

“...” Eve remained silent, taking in the information before looking back up and continuing, “...What happened next?”

Solomon chose his next words carefully, “...Aladdin became a father. He had six children, all of whom were daughters of the ring. He…’bullied’...each of them as well…in order to establish himself as their master and king. Truly a monster…” Solomon clenched his bony fists even tighter, “Eventually, his mother confronted him with the aid of Ornias to put a stop to his madness, though when they did…”

“What, your majesty?”

“He struck them both down wielding the blade he’d stolen from me.”

Eve’s face grew pale.

“Following that incident, his heart was consumed by rage, and he continued to strike down any and all who opposed him…” Solomon closed his eyes in sadness, “...including my dear Bezebul…”

“King Solomon…”

“Though she was my ‘servant’ in name, the two of us shared a special bond, one built on true love. It tore up these bones that I was unable to aid her in her greatest time of need…”

A few tears plopped down the girl’s cheeks.

“...I watched as he slaughtered each of his daughters…one by one…as they resisted his command…Then, he was alone, his only company that of his wife and princess. It…was not long before he was to have another child, yet without the aid of his servants, she soon fell terminally ill. Unwilling to lose the only other person in his life, Aladdin journeyed forth in search of the fabled world rings in hopes that she could be healed. Before long, he was able to retrieve six of the seven rings, though one eluded him despite his ceaseless efforts.”

“Which ring was that?”

“The white ring of wishes. For you see, it is the only ring tied to the spirit dwelling within rather than the mortal bodies which wither and decay. It is one that is drawn to the strength of the wielder’s soul, and Aladdin, in his pursuit of selfishness, lost that very soul he needed in his darkest hour.”

“The ring of wishes…” Eve didn’t want to think about it, the possibility of falling short like that. She couldn’t, not if she wished to remain calm and save Sonic.

“Upon his return, his wife perished. Aladdin, consumed by overwhelming rage and sorrow at losing the woman he coveted so much, was possessed with the power of their respective rings. He absorbed pieces of their energy, scattering the rest and transforming into that of the djinn you fight against today. For his deepest wish was to obtain more power in the end rather than find peace in his solitude. After that, he took on the name ‘Erazor’ and dedicated his now-immortal existence to seeking the true power residing within the world rings at any cost. He rose his palace into the heavens where the door between worlds resides.”

“What is it, the door between worlds?”

“It is a portal to the great beyond, both our Heaven and our Hell, and also the birthplace of the mysterious world rings. Erazor wishes to open that door and unleash its power to reclaim the lives and spirits he, himself, destroyed.”

Eve clenched her fist.

“If he should succeed, I fear the worlds of the Arabian Nights would unravel, damning us all to an eternity between the realm of the living and dead. Life would lose all meaning…all purpose…Not even you would be able to escape back to your world.”

“But if we don’t open the door, Sonic will-” The girl froze, unable to finish that statement.

“Do not fear, child. Even if the door between worlds is opened, there is a chance to seal away its power before it is too late. Though…it would take an incredible power…one far beyond your capabilities I fear…”

Eve looked down in frustration. So…She had to choose between the world and Sonic’s life…all because she was powerless?

Weak?

Human?

…

No.

Even if there was a slim chance…

Eve shook her head, looking back at the king in determination, “Even so, I won’t give up until I find a way. Sonic and I promised to go home together…I won’t abandon him so easily…I can’t…” She smiled, “I have faith that we’ll find a way to stop Erazor AND save Sonic. After all, we’re experienced heroes. We’ve saved both each other and the world countless times. I believe in us!”

Solomon smiled with his eyes, “Then I shall put my faith in you as well, captain.”

“Hehehe…”

Solomon gazed at the catatonic hedgehog, falling silent as he did. His tone grew serious, “There is something else you should know.”

“What?”

“In recent years, in order to aid in his new search for the rings, the Erazor Djinn took in another servant.”

Eve’s eyes widened in shock, “Another servant?”

Solomon’s brow bone furrowed, “Yes, and I fear you have been deceived. After all…” Solomon looked down at the hedgehog lying next to the girl once more, “...she has been the one guiding you to this very door you seek.”

Her pupils shrunk in hurt and confusion, “Wait what?” She shook her head slightly, denial overtaking her gaze, “What are you talking about?”

“The Erazor Djinn, upon his many journeys across these pages, realized he could not gather the rings himself for fear of the destruction their power could bring to him. Alas, he found himself another servant, the one you know as…”

“Sharah…?” Eve continued staring at the ring, her expression being overcome with betrayal as her breaths grew quick, “No…Nonono sh-she wouldn’t do that! Sh-She…She’s our friend! I-Isn’t she?”

“The genie of the ring will choose their master based on the one whom they place their trust in most. Sharah is torn between two, both of whom have command over her heart.”

“No…No you’re wrong…”

“Child…I, the wise King Solomon, am all-knowing. If you do not believe me, then ask her yourself when she emerges.”

Eve continued to stare at the ring, mouth agape. She couldn’t believe it. She didn’t want to. It didn’t make any sense.

No.

It did.

Sharah…she said she couldn’t use her powers outside of her master’s command, didn’t she?

Then how-

Her eyes slowly narrowed, their pupils flashing red for a moment as they did.

Yeah.

She’d confront her alright.

But for now…

Eve shook her head, the glow subsiding from them as she turned back to face the king. There were more pressing matters at hand, “Your majesty, thank you for the information, but you said you could help him, didn’t you? Please…Can you remove the flame?”

Solomon searched her pleading eyes, guilt weighing on his conscience, “No. I cannot.”

Eve gritted her teeth, dropping her head in frustration as tears sprung to her eyes.

“Though…”

She whipped her gaze upwards once more.

Solomon held out his hand, “I can use some of my limited magic to ease the flame’s effects…” With that, a soft glow emanated from his bones with a similar glow shining off the catatonic hedgehog as well.

He gasped.

“SONIIIIIC!!!!!!!” Eve flew to his side, watching on her hands and knees as his eyes began to rediscover the life they’d lost. They fluttered and closed gently as he twitched slightly, slowly returning to the world of the living. When Solomon was finished, the hedgehog seemed to only be sleeping, though Eve wasted not even a second before grabbing and holding him in a tight embrace. She wept, pressing her forehead into his as she trembled, “Thank you…Thank you so much…”

The King of Bones smiled with his eyes, “Of course, child. Though, I should warn you, his time is still running short. I would head to Erazor’s palace directly if you wish to open the door and save his soul in time.”

“Thank you…hic sniff…Thank you…”

“For now though, you should rest. You will not be able to make the journey in your current state. My subjects will attend to your needs.”

Eve wasn’t truly listening anymore, “Okay…We will…I-I will…Just…Thank you…”

“...Of course, child.”

With that, the girl was escorted away along with her friend and the ring to more comfortable sleeping quarters. The King of Bones watched intently, jolting slightly in shock as another premonition overcame him. He brought a hand to his face in despair, before looking once more at the girl disappearing down one of the corridors.

MUSIC END

He paused, closing his eyes in remorse.

“...I sense death approaching…”

CHAPTER END

#alter chaos #sonic the hedgehog #sonic au #sth #sonic oc #sonic fanart #sonic fancomic #sth au #sth fandom #sth fanart #sonic and the secret rings #erazor djinn #aladdin #alter chaos seven rings saga #Spotify

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mmkin · 1 year ago

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It's Kuroobi's turn for some loving!

If you've been reading my Arlong Pirates story, you'll be happy to know that Kuroobi gets his turn with a reader of his own! Link and snippets under the pictures. Yes, as with previous chapters this has some NSFW content. Arlong Pirate simps, let us all rejoice.

You take off your sandals and wade in the shallows, feeling a bit of buzz from the rum you’d been drinking, but the sharp ocean breeze keeps the buzz from being too much. Without thinking, you walk further down the beach, your companions becoming nothing more than shadows stretching from the bonfire. It’s a lovely place, and it’s no wonder that some humans want to live out here. Well, they can if they pay their tribute to Arlong. You chuckle to yourself before you become aware of the sensation of being watched.

Further down the beach is Kuroobi, looking ghostly pale in the moonlight, stark against his somber clothing. You gasp softly, wondering when he’d come here. Last you saw him, he’d been near the fire with the rest of you. He’s standing there with his arms crossed, staring off into the void.

Your first instinct is to back away. It would be rude to interrupt someone's meditation. But it's hard not to just stand where you are, the waves crashing around your ankles as you silently admire him. Your vision blurs a bit, so that all you see is black and white, the darkness of the sky and the sea and Kuroobi's hair and clothing, and the paleness of the crescent that hangs above the two of you, the pinpricks of the stars, and his exposed flesh. You've been attracted to him from day one but never hinted at it. He was your superior and your mentor. Not only that, but you didn't think he liked you that way. You weren't sure if he had any sort of inclination, and you know what, that was just fine. It didn't mean you couldn't admire him from afar, right? He could still be a good influence in your life, and you could continue to learn from him. Maybe that was all it was meant to be.

You would be lying though, if you said you never fantasized about him. He was a remarkable physical specimen after all, and you were a healthy female with natural desires. And how many times had you seen him in action, either in battle or against him in the ring?

You’re so lost in your thoughts that you are startled when something obscures your vision, and you realize he is standing right in front of you!

You blink and wonder how the hell you’d been so careless as to let someone sneak up on you! Thank goodness it was Kuroobi and not some human in the throes of desperate heroism. But then, it had been Kuroobi who distracted you…

Your heart is pounding as you tilt your head to look up at him, his face cast in shadow. You have to remind yourself to breathe as you register his nearness.

“M- my apologies,” you offer quickly. “I did not realize you were here. I thought you were back there,” you offer in a truthful explanation.

“I see," he replied neutrally. You have no glib comment to offer and swallow thickly as you again register how near he is to you. “So you chose to stand there and stare at me.”

You quickly look down, bashful and embarrassed. A finger presses against the underside of your chin, and you are guided to look up at him. It’s difficult to make out his features, but you see his eyes fixed upon you.

“I’ve been keeping my eye on you, Y/n. Since you first appeared at the park.”

“… Oh.” Again, no glib comment. Anything that pops into your head just sounds trite. It’s just now occurring to you that there is a chance that Kuroobi might reciprocate your desire. At least, if you’re not misunderstanding him.

“I know you’ve been watching me.”

You can not deny that. What can you say? Apologize for checking him out? “Um. I’m your student, I’m just trying to learn what I can,” you offer. It’s not the whole truth, no. But it’s a smattering of honesty, at least.

“You have learned much. But that’s not the only thing you’re interested in.”

How the hell did he know? You take a step back, blinking in surprise. Like most people in this sort of situation, your first thought is to offer a denial, trying to bluster your way out. But that would be dishonest. You’re afraid to say yes, so all you offer is silence.

“So… instead of honesty, you think silence is the safer option?” he asks. You could swear there is an edge of disappointment in his tone.

“Honesty and silence are both virtues as you pointed out, though sometimes one is better than the other, depending on the situation… although… silence can sometimes offer a greater truth.”

This time, it is his turn to be silent. You didn’t expect to have a philosophical discussion with Kuroobi here, but let’s roll with it. “Sometimes silence says more than a thousand words ever could. If you know where to look…” As a warrior, Kuroobi knows this well.

So Kuroobi acts swiftly and decisively, and you wonder how long he’d been wanting to do this as you feel his lips against yours. You jolt for a moment before relaxing, instinctively reaching up with one hand to hook it against the side of his neck, feeling the pleasingly hard flesh of these thick muscles. Your other hand grabs the side of his shirt, and his hands go to your sides, pulling you to himself as you slide your tongue against his lips, and he parts them to reveal even, square teeth. His tongue rises to meet yours, and you arch as one of his hands reaches down to cup your ass.

Your head is swimming with all this pent-up desire, and you turn your head to break the kiss, panting quietly.

“I’ll be honest. I want to fuck you,” you say.

“Good," he says roughly, and he lifts you to throw you over his shoulder, making his way to where he'd been standing before, on a bit of sandbar that jutted out at the curve of the island. Unless someone comes looking for either of you, you're guaranteed privacy. You reach down and run your hands across Kuroobi's broad back as he makes his way, savoring the feel of him.

“You’re quite a fine lad,” you coo as you slide your palms while pressing them down, giving him a bit of a massage as you feel his muscles flex. “I’d grab your butt, but I can’t reach that far down.”

The chuckle that comes from him is surprisingly warm, and when he comes to his destination, he handles you smoothly, lowering you to the sand. You ache hotly, and even though there’s one basic way to satisfy that ache, every man is different, and you wonder how Kuroobi will go about doing that.

Your garb is similar to his own, though that is a mere coincidence. As someone who'd trained in martial arts on Fish-Man Island, you found it convenient to go around in garb that did not impede your motion. So no skirts or other overly feminine garb, and you liked darker colors too. You liked how the muted colors set off the color of your scales, so you're clad in a wraparound shirt with short sleeves, and matching capris that from the distance, look a lot like Kuroobi's gi.

You're aroused, but nervous as hell. Losing virginity in itself isn't what concerns you, but how this encounter will be and how it might affect your relationship with your mentor. You feel his hand on you, sliding along your clothed body – shoulder, breasts, stomach, thighs, knees, and then circling back up the same route, more slowly this time, your skin warming under his touch. It almost feels like a massage, and you arch into his touch because you're surprised at how amazing it feels.

If him rubbing you through clothes feels that good, then what will intimacy be like? Your brain almost short-circuits trying to analyze that.

“Kuroobi…” you sigh, resting your hand on top of his own. “That feels too damn good.” You look up at him and you do not doubt he can see the desire in your features or the heat in your half-lidded gaze. He repeats the cycle a few more times, leaning in a bit closer every time. His hand slips under your shirt and waistband, and without question, you spread your knees, feeling him work his way past your panties, a finger and then another one sliding in.

Hoo boy, he moves fast, but then, you just told him you wanted to fuck. He looks down at you with a smirk, working in silence, making note of every sound and squirm you make in response to what he’s doing with his fingers. He maps you, prodding along the moist folds and up your slick channel, and circling your clitoris before rubbing that sensitive nub.

“Ah… fuck!” you breathe as you press against his hand. Taking some initiative, you grab his shirt to pull him down for another kiss, his hand continuing its work as you probe his lips with your tongue. He opens his mouth, his tongue emerging eagerly to slide past your jagged teeth so that he’s now plunging in both ends. You growl into the kiss but are careful to not bite him.

You grope around, feeling toned abs and powerful thighs before you find what you’re looking for, and fuck, it feels thick under the fabric of his pants. You massage it, feeling it twitch and pulse, and you ache as you think of this sliding into you, opening you up.

“Eager, are you not?” he asks with a pleased rumble, his hand thrusting against you with a rapid-fire motion, like the punches he does.

“Ye- Oh! Ah- Fuck!" His cock forgotten for the moment, you writhe around on his hand as his fingers bully your clit and g-spot, and you have to bite your lip to keep from screaming when you tumble over the edge. After a few moments, he withdraws his hand and tugs your pants off. You tug your shirt open to offer him a view of your chest, and he nods approvingly as he pulls his shorts to his knees, spreading you open and nudging your quivering slit with the tip of his cock. You look down, and even in the semidarkness, it's an impressive sight, long and thick, turning pink near the tip. It gets slightly thicker around the middle and under the head, which is already oozing precum. His fingers are wrapped around the lower half of the shaft, and you look up, meeting his fierce gaze.

The teasing feel of his manhood almost feels too much. Your insides clench as you think of that buried inside of you.

“Relax,” you hear him say, his free hand squeezing your knee, thumb caressing the side of the joint, which you do find soothing. You nod slowly before he brings his hips forward, spearing your slick womanhood in one brutal thrust.

You muffle another scream as you arch against him, eyes watering for a few moments as your body acclimates to the intruder. Ohh, you’re going to be feeling that in the morning.

“So… fucking thick. Yes…” you moan as you look up at him. “I knew you’d be big, but holy fuck, you’re big!”

He smirks in masculine pride before starting to sway his hips. There are a few jolts of pain at first, but you grit your teeth and it subsides, leaving you with the feeling of fullness, not just within you, but between your thighs, as Kuroobi dominates the space there, his pelvis grinding against you as he bottoms out. You kind of wish he had loose hair that you could grab, and you know better than to mess with his ponytail, so you content yourself with grabbing his shoulders.

As you expected, he goes at you with focus, hitting that spot inside of you again and again, and it’s a miracle you’re able to hold back screams, but that doesn’t mean there weren’t a few squeals and very loud whines. His stamina is more than you expected, and you end up begging for mercy.

“Mercy?” he chuckles into your ear, heatedly biting along your jaw. “Y/n, you asked for this. Are you surrendering?”

“N- No! Ah!" More fierce thrusting has you seeing stars, and you bury your face against his chest so you can scream. One of his hands cups the back of your head to keep you there, comforting in how large it is, leaving you feeling secure even as he fiercely thrusts into you.

#writing #one piece #strawberrycatbeans #villain gets the girl #fanfiction #arlong pirates #opla #kuroobi #fishmen are sexy #fishmen #op x reader #one piece x reader #kuroobi x reader

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artsymeadowblog · 5 months ago

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Anne Bonny

Research + discuss:

Anne Bonny was a pirate who served under John Rackham. She was born in the late 17th century and has been found in the baptism records of Ireland, but her name doesn't sound Irish. 'Anne' is a more common English name of the era.

During the Golden Age of piracy between 1690 and 1730, pirates developed a reputation for adorning themselves with vibrant and distinctive attire, along with various accessories.

Her clothes consisted of baggy trousers, which had the advantage that they could be easily rolled up when swabbing the decks, climbing, or wading ashore. Both shirts and trousers were typical of male mariners in battle.

#research #discussing

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a-musing-mixologist · 1 year ago

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"As if I care about those lizards! I would have liked to take out that pretentious beach ball Queen myself, but that Black Leg did a damn good job of it." At least someone had put the bastard in his place.

He fixes the weather witch with a golden-eyed stare. "What do you want me to say, woman?" He hisses out an exasperated sigh. "You think I don't know how many people had a hand in this? I'm not a complete idiot. It did help not havin' to wade through a sea of Beast Pirates at every turn." Sure, they were fodder as far as he was concerned, but he'd been able to save up a little extra energy for the real battle, at least. Damned Punk had taken everything he'd had left.

"Your whole damn crew is crazy. You all get on my nerves, and I'll be glad when I can leave you lot in the dust." A wild grin splits his features.

"But this was a hell of a battle, and I don't think anyone else could have pulled it off. Just like that stunt back at Sabaody. At least I can say it wasn't boring, cause that's the worse sin of all. So fine, tell the brat thanks for me. Just don't come cryin' next time you piss off an Emperor again."

@climatact

"You can't get mad at me for telling the truth." An idle wave of her hand. "Don't act like you didn't have help with her," she smirks, crossing her arms. "I was doing just fine thanks to an eight year old that pulled more weight than you the entire night."

"Yeah I had help, but it sure as hell wasn't from you or your long-nosed friend. Least I got stuck with a guy who can stand on his own two feet." Does every member of Straw Hat's crew have a death wish?

"I heard a hell of a lot of screaming for someone who was doin' just fine. Anyway, make sure to thank Trafalgar for sendin' that stormcloud your way. I know he ended up bringing it down from the roof."

"Yeah? And what Emperor did that eight-year-old send to hell? Was there a third one we didn't see?" It's only his respect for her captain that's keeping his violent tendencies in check.

#🌷Muse || Kid #climatact

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historyhermann · 2 years ago

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"Kim Possible" Is A Fun Comedy and Action-Adventure

What if an ordinary high school girl saves the world on a daily basis, but is more afraid of her life as a teenager than any villains plotting to take over the world? Kim Possible answers that question in this well-regarded comedy-adventure series.

Reprinted from The Geekiary, my History Hermann WordPress blog, and Wayback Machine. This was the thirty-second article I wrote for The Geekiary. This post was originally published on March 6, 2022.

Kim Possible is an all-ages animated comedy, action, and adventure series created by Bob Schooley and Mark McCorkle. It ran for 87 episodes across four seasons, with episodes ranging in length from 11 to 22 minutes. Even though Kim Possible aired from 2002 to 2007, and many shows have come and gone since then, it shines in its own way.

As a warning, this recommendation discusses some spoilers for Kim Possible.

Kim faces off against Shego

Kim Possible centers on its titular hero (voiced by Christy Carlson Romano), a high school student who fights crime and saves the world at the same time. In fact, she finds being a teen even tougher than fighting villains like Dr. Drakken (voiced by John DiMaggio) and Shego (voiced by Nicole Sullivan). Kim is helped by her childhood friend, Ron Stoppable (voiced by Will Friedle), his naked mole rat, Rufus (voiced by Nancy Cartwright), and a computer genius named Wade Load (voiced by Tahj Mowry).

The story is mainly told from Kim's perspective, as she tries to balance her life as a crime fighter and a teenager in high school. Major supporting characters include Kim's parents, James (voiced by Gary Cole) and Ann Possible (voiced by Jean Smart), and the "tweebs" as Kim dubs them, Jim (voiced by Shaun Fleming) and Tim (Spencer Fox), who are Kim's younger brothers. Her brothers are a little like Phineas and Ferb, and have a bigger role in helping Kim and her friends in the show's fourth season.

Throughout Kim Possible, Kim faces off against Bonnie Rockwaller (voiced by Kirsten Storms), who is equivalent to Mandy in Totally Spies!. She is a rival classmate that is inconsiderate and is the complete opposite of Kim.

Kim is also helped by one of her best friends, Monique (voiced by Raven-Symoné), who helps her achieve a healthy work-life balance. In the fourth season, Monique designs Kim's new mission suit and even gets Kim a new pirate uniform in one episode. Since she knows a lot about fashion, she is akin to Tomoyo Daidouji, who designed all of Sakura Kinomoto's outfits in Cardcaptor Sakura.

When Kim, Ron, Rufus, and Wade, known collectively as Team Possible, aren't battling Drakken and Shego, they fight a variety of other villains such the half-monkey/half-man Monkey Fist (voiced by Tom Kane), Scottish golfer Duff Killigan (voiced by Brian George), German evil scientist Professor Dementor (voiced by Patton Oswald) and the wealthy father-son team, Señor Senior, Sr. (voiced by Ricardo Montalbán and Earl Boen) and Señor Senior, Jr. (voiced by Néstor Carbonell). The latter two are villains only because they are bored.

Since the show is for all ages, it doesn't have any gratuitous violence nor any mature themes present in series like Human Kind Of, Inside Job, and Disenchantment. Despite this, the show is still strong with funny jokes and situations. Even though it ended 15 years ago, the humor holds up.

The dialogue of Kim Possible is fast-paced and meant to cater to adult viewers, along with some visual jokes. This makes it similar to Phineas & Ferb, which has a spy subplot between a crime-fighting platypus and a evil scientist. Kim Possible is different because Drakken was formerly a classmate of Kim's father, making for intriguing stories throughout the series.

Unlike other Disney productions, the series is not very musical, meaning that there aren't songs in almost every episode as is the case for its more recent shows like Elena of Avalor, Milo Murphy's Law, Mira, Royal Detective, and Sofia the First. Even so, there are occasional songs throughout the series. Furthermore, the theme which opens every episode ("Call Me, Beep Me!," sung by Afro-Cuban actress and singer Christina Milian) gets you in the mood to watch each episode.

The characters, especially Kim and Ron, develop over the course of Kim Possible and realize who they are as people. This makes the viewer more invested in these characters and want to watch more episodes. Each plot, even if a simple one, is fascinating and pulls you in, building the story and making you care about what happens next. The series doesn't take itself too seriously, which makes it even more appealing.

Much of the comedy in Kim Possible comes from Drakken's hair-brained schemes or Ron's antics. Only Kazuda Xiono in Star Wars Resistance and Oscar in The Proud Family rival Ron's goofiness. He matures through the series. In the process, he becomes more romantically attracted to Kim, while she is attracted to him. He remains afraid of monkeys, making Monkey King his main arch-foe, while gaining what is known as the "mystical monkey power."

I have not seen the James Bond films that the series is parodying, nor that many spy films, but that didn't make me less interested in the show. I did see similarities between Kim Possible and the more recent Carmen Sandiego series, which has a similar set-up. I wouldn't be surprised if Kim Possible had somehow influenced that show. Unlike that show, Kim Possible has storylines which criticize celebrity culture, boy bands, consumerism, school popularity, fast food industry, fashion industry, corporate world, and not accepting other people.

Kim Possible is different from other shows in that Kim does not follow any stereotypes about women, which are often ingrained within and manifested by female characters. She can easily serve as a role model for people, just as much Carmen Sandiego in the new series about her, or Rapunzel in Rapunzel's Tangled Adventure. This is because Kim has a loving family and supportive friends. She has a group of people ready to stand by her and help no matter what, even doing missions for her if she is too sick.

Kim is a bit of an optimist, as made clear by her slogan that she can "do anything." This comes to a head in some episodes as she begins to realize that she can't do everything, and she should have others help her if she is in trouble.

Similar to Adora in the award-winning series, She-Ra and the Princesses of Power, or Carmen Sandiego, Kim has no secret identity. Instead, everyone knows her name and who she is, which makes her vulnerable at times. Even so, she is still able to travel the world and fight evil wherever, while keeping her social life back in the town of Middleton.

The voice actors of Kim Possible are well-known for other shows, like Futurama, The Simpsons, and Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show has an air of authenticity since Romano was only 16 years old when she took the role of voicing Kim, meaning that she was maturing as the show was moving forward, just like Kim herself. This is similar to what Abbi Jacobson, who voices the protagonist in Disenchantment, said about her voice acting for Princess Bean in that series.

Shego talks to Kim after saving her from Warmonga in Season 4

One character in Kim Possible stands out: Shego. Although she is a villain and a criminal mercenary, some have argued that she is a feminist icon because, like Kim, she is no damsel in distress. She is a powerful woman who often makes sarcastic remarks and can have an abrasive personality at times. She can stand face-to-face with Kim and is her match in more ways than one, as she can be cunning and ruthless. In fact, she is perhaps one of the smartest characters in the series, even able to take over the world in the 2003 film, Kim Possible: A Sitch in Time.

Sullivan, her voice actress, delivers her lines with such precision that it makes you love Shego that much more. Unlike other villains, Shego is never shown killing anyone in the series, even if she views human life in a callous way.

She is clearly a badass and has a moral compass, unlike other villains. Despite the fact that others respect her, she could care less for them. She would rather read villain magazines, file the nails on her gloves, paint her nails, listen to the latest pop music, or go on vacation. She is unique in that she possesses green energy which can be generated from her hands. She is also as agile and fit as Kim. Their fights are just as epic as the sword fights in Star Wars: The Clone Wars, Star Wars Rebels, and Star Wars: Clone Wars.

This has led some fans to ship her with Kim. Kigo has over 400 fanfics on Archive of Our Own. In the show's canon, however, Shego has a romantic relationship with Drakken following the conclusion of the show and is shown crushing on various men throughout the series. In the show itself, Kim and Shego have a mutual respect for each other, even though they are rivals. Kim even worries when Shego becomes "good" in a Season 4 episode and occasionally working with her.

Shego is very popular with fans, garnering thousands of stories, cosplays, and fan art. Even voice actress Amber Romero, who voices Parsley in High Guardian Spice, gave a nod to naming her cat "Shego."

Ron and Kim talk on the phone at the beginning of Season 4

The show's staying power is a testament to the fans. After the airing of the show's first three seasons and 2005 film, Kim Possible Movie: So the Drama, production on the series was halted by Disney executives. The success of the film convinced executives to renew the series for a fourth and final season, giving the series another 22 episodes, which Schooley called a "bolt out of the blue." The series makes clear that fans have the power to push for a show's continuation and can convince executives to change their minds.

The fourth season has a different tone than the previous seasons, as Kim and Ron are in a romantic relationship, something which started at the conclusion of the 2005 film. Much of the season is focused on that, and the strain it puts on both of them. The theme song is the same, but the opening sequence is different than the one used in the first three seasons.

In the season, Kim wears a battle suit, is more nimble, and is in her last year of high school, as are Ron and Monique. She also deals with the tweebs in school as they are now freshmen in her high school. Wade falls for Monique, Kim gets her own car, tries out a new crime-fighting outfit, and attempts to get Ron to eat a balanced diet.

Other Season 4 episodes focus on raising a young sibling, a shapeshifting villain, pirates, living history, job insecurity, voice-activated technology, social isolation, robots, mentorship, pneumatic tubes, babysitting, mind control, information control, lost pets, nannies, roleplaying games, high school graduation, alien invasion, and genetic mutation.

Beyond that, some of my other favorite characters include Camille Léon (voiced by Ashley Tisdale), Electronique (voiced by Kari Wahlgren), Motor Ed (voiced by DiMaggio), Will Du (voiced by B. D. Wong), Master Sensei (voiced by George Takei), Yori (voiced by Keiko Agena), and Zita Flores (voiced by Nika Futterman).

By Season 4, however, Yori's crushing on Ron has come to end, as Kim and Ron are dating. She is like a strong female character in anime and she respects Ron for who he is and is a skilled fighter. Camille is a terrible slimeball, but her ability to shapeshift into anyone makers her a worthy adversary. Motor Ed is an intriguing, but terrible, character not because of his often use of of the word "seriously" or that he plays air guitar. Rather it is due to the fact that he is a male chauvinist who has an eye out for beautiful women, like Shego, who understandably wants nothing to do with him.

Most reviews of the series are positive, but some are more critical. For instance, Lyn Mikel Brown in Girlfighting was dismayed at Kim for promoting a thin and beautiful heroine as an "average girl," the reliance on Ron, her biggest threat as Bonnie, and Kim set against other girls. This has some truth to it. Kim is a pretty and smart action hero and more cartoons have said that all body types are beautiful, not just those who are thin and athletic. However, Brown is forgetting that one of Kim's closest friends is Monique.

Additionally, there's nothing to say that Kim wouldn't have more female friends, since she has a network of people across the world who owe her favors. Some have argued that Kim is bisexual and have done so in some fanfics. They've even extended the same to Ron or to Shego.

The series has a bit more diversity, even with two White protagonists, than some more recent Disney series like Tangled and Phineas & Ferb. Wade's voice actor, Lowry, is part Afro-Bahamian and Monique's voice actor, Raven-Symoné, is a Black woman. Although both have important roles in the first three seasons, they have even bigger roles in the show's fourth season, with both going directly on missions - more for Wade than Monique. Additionally, Kevin Michael Richardson (as "Slim" Possible) is a Black man, Roz Ryan (as Wade's mother) and Sherri Shepherd (as M.C. Honey) are Black women.

There is other diversity in the cast. Adam Rodriguez (as Burn) is of Puerto Rican descent, Brian George (voice of Professor Acari) is of Indian descent, Gedde Watanabe (as Professor Robert Chen) is of Japanese descent. Clyde Kusatsu (as Nakasumi), Lauren Tom (as Miss Kyoko), and John Cho (as Hirotaka) are Japanese, while the late Montalbán was Mexican, and Carbonell is of Cuban descent.

Despite this, the show does not feature any outward LGBTQ characters even though Raven-Symoné, Wong, and Takei are gay and part of the show's cast. The closest we have are characters cross-dressing: Professor Dementor wearing a dress in an attempt to trick Kim, Ron and Wade dressing up as women in one episode, or Mr. Barkin wearing a dress on multiple occasions. If the show was to get a fifth season or was rebooted, hopefully this would improve, with complex and captivating LGBTQ characters, more diversity in the cast, and having protagonists in college like the later seasons of Totally Spies!. Some additional racial diversity in the series would also be a plus.

Kim Possible continues to remain popular, garnering a crossover episode in Lilo & Stitch: The Series in August 2005, and a live-action film entitled "Kim Possible" in 2019. Even so, it is very unlikely that it will return, regardless of the recent revival of The Proud Family. This is because the series ended on a declarative note, similar to the final episode of Futurama, except that in this case Kim and Ron graduate from high school, and the story is not starting over. However, some have pushed for another season.

Is it any surprise that Kim Possible was nominated for Annie Awards, Primetime Emmy Awards, Kids' Choice Awards, and Daytime Emmy Awards? In 2005, the series won a Daytime Emmy for "Outstanding Achievement in Sound Mixing," specifically for live action and animation. Of course, awards aren't everything, but the fact it was nominated for 15 awards between 2002 and 2008 says something about the series.

Even though Kim Possible ended over 14 years ago, it has staying power now and in the years to come. It can currently be watched on Disney+, where it is not in chronological order, or through DVDs of all four seasons which can be checked out from your local library.

#wordpress #kim possible #kp #comedy #action adventure #shego #kigo #libraries #lgbtq #arcane

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duhragonball · 2 years ago

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Dragon Ball GT 58

✨GT Stands For Gamechanging Timepiece✨

Last time, the final Shadow Dragon, Syn Shenron, showed up and completely wrecked Goku’s shit. Not even Super Saiyan 4 worked against this guy, and now Goku’s completely exhausted and this big chalky asshole is about to throw him down onto a pointy-looking statue.

The big question now is: What can Goku possibly do next?

✨"Good" "Ideas", Poorly Executed✨

The answer, unfortunately, is the exact same stupid bullshit he did the last time this happened, back when he was fighting Oozaru Baby on the Tuffle Planet. Right before he hits the sword on the pirate statue, Goten jumps in to catch him, and he’s joined by Gohan, Trunks, and Uub. Also, Mr. Satan, Chi-Chi, and Videl are here, although I don’t see why. I think the idea here is that the whole world is falling apart right now, so they’re no worse off here than they would be anywhere else.

So the three of them surround Goku to lend him their Super Saiyan power, so that he can get back to full strength, but Syn isn’t interested in waiting around for that, so he starts attacking. See, I hated this dumb idea when they did it in the Baby Saga, but the one thing it had going for it was that they had some room to maneuver, and Uub was inside Baby’s body to provide an idea distraction. Here, Syn Shenron has already demonstrated that he’s far more powerful than Baby ever was, and he knows he can just wade into the Saiyan contingent and tee off on any of them.

So how is they supposed to charge Goku back up when Omega Shenron is standing right there in the middle of them? Simple: GT Logic.

So first thing’s first? Even though the other characters are completely outclassed by Syn Shenron, and even though Syn beats the shit out of them and has zero reason to hold back, Syn never seriously hurts any of them. Up there you see Syn punch Gohan so hard in the stomach that blood trickles out of his mouth, but then in the next shot he’s totally fine. Gohan and the others are now effectively immortal for the duration of this series.

Second, remember how Goku couldn’t use Instant Transmission in his kid form? Well, forget about that, because now Goku can teleport whenever he wants. So if Syn gets too close, they can just move their power-up circle to someplace else. Transformations are now meaningless. Base Goku = SSJ4 Goku.

Third, and this is the most important bullshit rule of all: No matter how many times Syn says he’s through screwing around with the good guys, he will always screw around instead of killing them right away.

In theory, this is supposed to be the ultimate battle in the ultimate arc of Dragon Ball. Syn Shenron is the strongest villain to date, and Super Saiyan 4 Goku is the strongest hero. But GT ruins the entire mystique of this battle with these three simple rules. Syn constantly has a huge advantage throughout this arc, but he consistently looks like a helpless, incompetent fool, because he can’t kill the heroes or stop them from doing anything. With his lack of agency, he might as well just stand still and wait for the good guys to beat him to death.

And that says it all really. Normally, when people talk about characters having a lack of agency, they’re discussing protagonists or major supporting characters. But Syn Shenron is the villain. How do you have a villain who lacks agency? The whole point of this story is that the Shadow Dragons arose to destroy the world. None of this would be happening if he couldn’t make a decision or control his own actions. And yet, Syn is constantly shown just blithely allowing his enemies to take action around him. He can’t stop them. He can hit them, but it never hurts them in any permanent way.

Okay, so they finally get Goku recharged, but how will this be any different from the last episode? Terriffic question. Here’s the stupid-ass answer: Goku told the boys to give them even more power than his full power. Remember how they charged him to full power on the Tuffle Planet, and he kind of had this red highlight to him? Well, this time they’re going to give him even more power than that, and it will not make him look any different at all.

What’s really bullshit about this is that when Gohan worries that Goku’s body can’t handle all that power, Goku says that he needs to “overcome his own limits”. And that’s just... pfft!

When you have to keep borrowing power from other Super Saiyans just to function in a battle, then it isn’t a matter of “your” limits anymore. This is what makes Super Saiyan 4 so friggin’ dumb. It’s presented as having miraculous, invincible power, but then the show keeps making Goku look incredibly weak with it. Goku needed outside help to beat Baby, then he needed help from 18 to beat Super 17, and now he needs help again against Syn Shenron. The only time we ever see Super Saiyan 4 Goku win a fight without any assistance from anyone else is when he kills Naturon Shenron. Eis Shenron almost counts, except Goku would have gotten killed if Nuova hadn’t thawed him out during the fight.

So in a flash, the tide shifts back to Goku, so Syn suddenly turns into another chickenshit cheapshot artist like every other Shadow Dragon. He tries to hide, but Goku can sense his ki. So he rips the clockface off a building and tries to throw it at him, thinking that an inanimate object will get around Goku’s ki senses. And since he’s still blind from the last episode, Goku won’t see it coming, right?

Wrong, Goku dodges it on the first pass, then catches it when it flies back around to hit him again. This whole part of the episode is so fucking stupid. WE JUST WENT OVER THIS WITH EIS IN THE LAST EPISODE. Goku is blind, but it doesn’t matter, because his other senses are sharp enough to compensate. Syn is supposed to be this next-level threat, but it’s only his second appearance and he’s already repeating ineffective tricks from past episodes.

But it gets worse. Goku flings the clockface back at Syn, and even though the dumb motherfucker can see just fine, he still lets the thing distract him long enough for Goku to set up a 10x Kamehameha. Well, maybe it’s an 11x Kamehameha, since he said the 10x wouldn’t work.

Everyone congratulates Goku for winning, but when they start looking for the Dragon Balls, it turns out Syn survived the blast.

Wait a minute. He was fine that whole time, and no one sensed his ki? Maybe Goku’s blindness really has affected him.

So Syn decides he’s done screwing around, and he swallows the other six Dragon Balls, this causes an epic transformation which leaves him...

... Mostly unchanged! He’s supposed to be much stronger this way, but Syn was already supposed to be much stronger than the other Shadow Dragons, and they managed to piss that idea down the drain during this episode. He has all seven balls on his chest instead of just the one on his head, and that seems to be the only difference, really.

✨Positivity Page✨

Honestly, I’m kind of at a loss. This episode sucks really bad, and I can’t think of anything in particular that redeems it, even a little. I guess Omega Shenron’s Dragon Ball layout is kind of sharp. Let’s just go with that.

✨Is This Episode Worse than "The Roaming Lake"?✨

This episode is a classic demonstration of GT’s flaws. As with Baby and Super 17, Toei managed to raise the stakes and build hype to the big final battle, but they have no idea how to pay it off in a satisfying way. This is basically Part 2 of 7 for the final battle with Syn/Omega Shenron, and despite all the powering up and bluster, nothing has changed.

I mean, Uub took a beating and his face is on fire, but we’ll see him again soon enough, and he’ll be completely fine. None of it matters. You could just skip straight to Episode 63 and not miss much at all.

The Roaming Lake, on the other hand... well, Nam’s village has no water at the start, and then it does have water at the end. And then a sandstorm covers the water, and the magic lake appears to provide additional water. It’s dumb as hell, but at least things get done. TRL wins, 59-0

✨The Blade Braxton Memorial Haiku*✨

Tick-tock. Tick-Tock. What

Time is it? It’s time to find

Better shows to watch.

#dragon ball #dragon ball gt #really sucks #2023dbapocryphaliveblog #*haiku does not come with crown as illustrated #goku #pan #trunks #gohan #goten #uub #chi chi #videl #syn shenron #omega shenron

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psychotecha · 2 years ago

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Title: Once Forward, Twice Back Pairing: Kid x Law Prompt: 22. Babysitting their nakama after Bonney's appearance. AND 3. Tattoos Notes: Entry for one of the KidLaw Summer event put on by @kidlawevents.

If Kid didn’t know that the theory of there being some sort of all reaching cosmic justice was pure bullshit before he now has all the evidence he needs to denounce it.

Kid glares at Law, sitting easily in the shade of a tree. Legs stretched out and crossed as he relaxes with a ball of white fluff draped over his chest. The child-sized –or is it cub?-- Bepo makes a nearly inaudible sound as he stretches, the shift snuggling the tiny bear more fully up under Law’s chin much to both of their obvious pleasure as Law makes his own sound as he shifts to accommodate his crew member. Law looks fucking comfortable and blissful in a way that Kid’s not used to seeing from a man who claims to have insomnia.

Mink kids apparently need a lot of naps. Kid wonders why human kids couldn’t be the same.

Killer shrieks as he tears through the surf with a stick larger than his now too small body. Slapping it against and through the water until a big enough wave comes along and dumps him on his ass. Killer’s up and screaming again in seconds though. Louder and more delighted than ever about it, and Kid growls as the sound makes his head pound. Yelling at the brat does nothing more than make him get louder, and the kid’s stubbornly sticking to the water too. Knowing, somehow, that Kid can’t just haul his ass out of it without getting sapped of strength, and there isn’t a single scrap of metal on the brat for Kid to pull on.

If it were any kid but Killer, Kid could wade out and have enough energy to haul them to shore, but it’s not just any brat. It’s Killer who can and will take advantage of any sign of weakness, and Kid doesn’t feel like figuring out how far he can get before drowning becomes a serious threat.

“It’s fucking bullshit,” Kid growls as he slumps down near Trafalgar and his bear. Neither of whom so much as twitch from their nap at the sound or the glare he sends them. It’s all Bonney’s fault. “I’ll kill her when she gets back.”

If she comes back, Kid tries not to think as he slumps back. The breeze coming off the sea is cool, and this far from the surf Killer’s cries aren’t nearly as piercing. The soft sounds from Trafalgar and his first mate are –not adorable Bonney can fuck right off with that nonsense– somehow relaxing. After a half day of chasing the newly young Killer, Kid feels justified in letting it work on him.

He doesn’t fall asleep like Law –the lucky bastard– but he sits in the shade and watches Killer fight a losing battle against the sea.

Tattoos

Despite the fact that Law hasn’t seen Kid wear a shirt in years, the man is incredibly pale. Not sickly like some pirates get, Kid is naturally pale. Something that is common to the people of the most remote areas of the South Blue seas. He’s never seen Kid tan or even burn once. Law hasn’t even found any trace of a single freckle or sunspot, and he’s had plenty of opportunities to study Kid’s body.

It’s rare that he gets an opportunity to do that uninterrupted though, and Law is taking full advantage of it now as Kid lounges back in a rare lazy mood. His attention focused on Kid’s impressive chest. Specifically on the square patch of dark skin directly over his heart. Law’s skin is a stark bit of color that he traces with his finger, feeling the beat of his own heart as he follows the partial lines of black ink.

“Have you ever thought about getting a tattoo?” Law asks idly, fingers mapping the arched curve of ink from one end to the other. Out of curiosity, he splays his hands out over the skin. Using his fingers to block out the straight line of tanned flesh so that he can fool his own eye into believing the tattoo belongs on Kid. The black ink is even more striking, the contrast too much. “Something in red maybe?”

Kid’s scars are numerous. Some faded with age and care, others still harsh and vivid. They’re all various shades of red that suit him though. Law imagines what a red tattoo might look like on Kid, and it’s easy to imagine something with bold lines there.

“What, you want to put another heart in me?” Kid cracks one eye open, nose wrinkling in the near silent scoff he lets out. His right hand rises to run knuckles over the neat square of pale skin that interrupts the tattoo on Law’s chest. “Starting to think it’s more of an obsession than a theme for you.”

An anatomically correct heart with blood is exactly the sort of morbid and threatening tattoo that would suit Kid. Somewhere on his back or side maybe. Before Law can suggest it though, Kid’s hand snakes over his shoulder pulling him down fully on the bed next to Kid. Law stubbornly locks his arms in place to prevent his face from being smashed flat against Kid’s chest.

“Technically speaking it would be on you,” Law points out before making himself comfortable. Slinging one leg over Kid’s and digging his chin obnoxiously into the dark patch of skin. “And it could only improve your image.”

Kid growls out a curse and rolls. Quickly pinning Law under his bulk and obscuring his vision with wild red hair. “Oh, shut the hell up and go to sleep.”

Law chuckles at the petulant tone Kid can’t quite manage to hide. He’s never seen the other captain this exhausted before, and he’s tempted to keep poking at Kid. Annoying and antagonizing him to see how far this oddly patient apathy would last. Kid radiates warmth though, and the weight of him over Law is comfortable enough to remind him that Kid’s not the only one who pushed the limits the last few days. Law drags his fingers down Kid’s side and feels the sigh the man lets out as much as he hears it, and decides that closing his eyes for a few hours does sound nice.

#kidlaw #fanfic #kidlawevents #eustass kid #trafalgar law

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swan2swan · 3 years ago

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People don’t Get what Super Star Destroyers are, really.

They’re not supposed to be invincible battleships. I mean, they are, but the Executor isn’t supposed to be wading into a battle zone. She’s there to end battles and intimidate people--and that’s overkill, really.

The point of an SSD is to get in the middle of a star cluster where you can’t find a planet to safely put down bases and supply lines without saboteurs and to become the new base.

That hangar underneath is big enough to dock multiple Star Destroyers. Imagine how many Gozanti cruisers, escort carriers, and light freighters could fit inside. You dock a hundred small transports in there, launch to a star system, and deploy them fully fueled, crewed, rested, and linked to one of a thousand command hubs.

That’sa full metropolis there. I’m sure there are countless repair bays, warehouses, garrisons, and weapons depots nestiled inside that cityscape, all protected beneath shield domes and artillery pieces. Your garrison on Bagtaki IV just suffered damage because terrorists snuck in a bomb? The training center five kilometers from the bow just now certified another twenty troops for combat, they’ll be there in three hours. Furthermore, Carida has already dispatched a transport carrying a hundred more graduates, and they’re scheduled to arrive in two days--they can take the bunks of those cadets, and the other troops who will be shipped out soon. A skirmish with pirates cost the local garrison three TIE fighters? The ship carries two hundred surplus fighters, freshly loaded from their last stop at a shipyard system, they’ll put three TIEs on the next Gozanti to arrive with a cleared schedule.

It’s a command ship. The purpose is to project power. There’s no need to worry about atmospheric reentry, land routes, weather...yeah, the thing can methodically eradicate every major city from a continent in a matter of hours, but really, does it need to? Summon every governor from a hundred lightyears around to attend a meeting on the bridge, give them some game plans, and then send each of them back to their planet with a thousand fresh stormtroopers, two dozen starfighters, and maybe some armored ground units. That’s a much more productive way to spend an afternoon.

#shut up super star destroyers are awesome #star wars #giant supercarrier command center

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centaurianthropology · 4 years ago

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Far-Too-Specific Predictions for Critical Role C3 that will Absolutely be Wrong (but I like)

Setting and Flavor

I would love to see a group of veterans after a massive war that left both sides devastated. Matt likes to play with difficult moral conundrums, and a setting where two warring parties both came off poorly, and now they’re both limping through a reconstruction could be really interesting for a long-play game. I would also really like to see both sides of the conflict represented in the group. The one thing I wanted to see more of in campaign 2 was a native Xorhasian perspective in the group (aside from Essek, who wasn’t a PC). I’m placing this as post-major Dynasty/Empire conflict at some point in the future, so it would be the same geographical setting as campaign 2, but time skipped enough that we don’t really have a ton of recurring characters. Cameos from the longer-lived Campaign 2 characters are still possible, though.

Player characters

These predictions are based on my perception of player preferences, interesting roleplay opportunities, and focusing on things that the players seem interested in but haven’t been able to explore yet. I have also built prior relationships, because I loved having PCs come in with relationships to build the group on and give early opportunities for trust and character building:

Travis: Human Cleric (Order), with possible multi-class Fighter (Battle master). I would love to lean into a tactical, Imperial battle-commander type character for Travis, who can hit, but leans more support. I also would love to see him play a cleric with wavering faith in how he used to believe and practice. He has seen too much of war, too much of dying, to be overly-devoted to a single law or side, and is on an active quest of faith to find a higher sense of order and morality. He maybe left the army in disgrace, or went AWOL, but either way he is persona non grata on his former side of the war, with only one ally having followed him into exile. Prior relationship: Ashley’s fighter. When he went AWOL or was driven into exile, she was the only soldier who followed him. He struggles with his choices and his faith, and she acts as his rock and has become far more of an equal because of that.

Ashley: Warforged Fighter (echo knight). Ashley loves a straightforward fighter, so I wanted to give her something without complex rules to stress her out, but one that still has some really interesting flavor and possibilities once she gets into the groove. Echo knight is ideal, because it’s not a hard subclass to play, but it can be seriously fun. I like the idea that her character was built as an answer to Xorhasian dunamancy, to double herself and fight as two. As she evolved and became less a machine and more a person, she became more and more attached to her commander rather than blind patriotism, to the point that when he left, she went with him. Prior relationship: Travis’ cleric. He was her commander, and she still tends to act as his soldier, despite his wavering faith. She followed him when he lost faith, and she continues to be the one who follows and believes in him.

Laura: Full Orc Barbarian (wild magic). Laura loves to hit things, and has clearly wanted to play a hardcore tank for a while. I want her to be able to wade into any fight and tank a ton of damage, and full orc and barbarian both play into that. I figure her character would be Xorhasian, was a soldier for a while, but could never fit in because of her taste for wild magic and her chaotic nature. Having her be a full orc would also allow her to explore playing a character who can’t be traditionally sexy, which would be a fun change from Vex and Jester. I see her as someone who rapidly went AWOL from the army, and is generally unaligned and doesn’t want to think about the war or what it did to her country or her people, and wallows in wild magic to avoid it. Maybe she went to the Menagerie Coast during the war to get away from the fighting and dive deeper into her path, at which point she met Sam’s character. Prior relationship: Sam’s sorcerer, as they walk the same path. They share a faith, and that drew them together before the campaign, and they’re chaotic, happy best friends.

Sam: Satyr Sorcerer (wild magic). Doubling up wild magic would be nuts, but would allow Sam and Laura to play with some crazy combos in roleplay and in combat. Sam loves unpredictability, and so I could really see him leaning into the dice roll and relishing when things go wrong as a wild magic sorcerer. Satyr would also lean into this chaotic bent, and would stack well with the charisma-based sorcerer build. I see him as being from the Menagerie Coast, unaligned in the war, but touched by it somehow (possibly lost someone / his home / etc to the fighting?). He and Laura’s character met due to their mutual inclination and tie to wild magic, and are very close friends who have tried to spend the entire war pretending there isn’t a war. Prior relationship: Laura’s barbarian. They are on the same wild path, but perhaps have different connections to it or opinions about it to give them different flavors and different approaches to the same chaos.

Marisha: Yuan-ti Pureblood Rogue (swashbuckler). Let Marisha play high charisma! Let her play a pirate! I would love to see a snake-y pirate lady, unaffiliated with everything, acting as a sarcastic outside observer. I would love to see her lean into snark and the scoundrel-with-a-heart-of-gold archetype, especially in a race than is stereotyped as evil. Maybe she’s getting out of the pirate’s life, or did something horrific that riddles her with guilt that she covers with snark. I would just love to have her get a dark, but non-political backstory. Prior relationship: None. She is a wildcard character, deliberately. She comes in and adds a very different flavor and perspective, and as such, probably shouldn’t have a relationship with any of the other characters.

Liam: High Elf Artificer (artillerist). Liam’s love of describing his spells’ mechanics in C2 was what inspired this. I think he would enjoy being an inventor steeped in tragedy, possibly as someone who invented a weapon of mass destruction for the Empire, and still wants to believe in his homeland, despite what he did and what they did. Give me Liam as the man who has become death, destroyer of worlds. It plays into his love of tragedy and redemption, and I am here for that. Prior relationship: Taliesin’s wizard. His shame has kept him a hermit, but chance brought Taliesin’s character to him, and he saw Taliesin’s character as a means of redemption or better understanding. Having his closest tie be to someone from the other side would also play into the tragedy of his character.

Taliesin: Drow Wizard (homebrew dunamancer). Taliesin has always been Matt’s go-to for exploring homebrew content, and introducing dunamancy into C2 was a ton of fun. I would love to see this get expanded and explored with a Xorhasian dunamancer character PC, and Taliesin has a talent for taking something Matt has played with (Firbolgs, blood hunters, etc.), and making it unique. He’s definitely the player I could see taking the dunamancer and making him very distinct from Essek and the pre-established notion of what a dunamancer is. This would also fit with my notion that his character was tightly tied to Dynasty politics, possibly a courtier background, prior to the war, and found himself tied up in it. I would love to see Taliesin play a character more politically tied to the central story than Caduceus was, as he has a talent for driving plot and being a lynchpin for Matt’s larger plans. So centering the deep-lore plot on Tal and Liam could be really great. Prior relationship: Liam’s artificer, though theirs is not a long acquaintance. They met shortly before the campaign, and though they have a bond, it’s new and somewhat untested. Not to mention that the combination of an artillerist who built a weapon of mass destruction and a dunamancer make for the potential for some explosive blowouts as secrets get revealed.

#Critical Role #C3 Predictions #travis willingham #taliesin jaffe #marisha ray #liam o'brien #sam riegel #laura bailey #ashley johnson #These predictions are far too specific #and absolutely pulled out of my ass #so I don't expect any of them to actually happen #I just had a fun time trying to fill all the necessary party slots and cater to apparent player interests #feel free to add your own thoughts #can you tell I just dove into CR finally #and am really enjoying getting back to my TTRPG roots?#matt mercer

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omegas-spaghettios · 4 years ago

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The Batch can 100% rescue Crosshair, y'all just haven't thought about it.

I have seen some posts and comments bemoaning Crosshair fans' frustration with the Batch not rescuing him. "Omega is their priority, they can't do it without putting her at risk, the Empire is too powerful.", all things I have read that supposedly make it so the Batch can't attempt to liberate Crosshair.

All of them are false.

I am going to go into excruciating detail of all of the ways I can think of that the Batch could reasonably do it.

Also, all of these are not just my ideas! I talked with @bimormondisaster pretty lengthily about this, a lot of the ideas are hers, check her out!

Now, the first "reason" why the Batch can't.

1) They can't put Omega at risk

I agree that taking Omega to try and liberate Crosshair is putting her at risk. But guess what? Cut Lawquane exists.

Cut has already shown he would happily take Omega in and raise her in his family. I seriously doubt Rex or the Batch have lost contact with him when he moved, they could contact him and ask him to watch Omega, he almost certainly would. Best case scenario the Batch succeeds and Omega just got a fun few days at Cut's house, they all have a reunion where Crosshair gets to see Omega and Cut again, they can have a nice reunion and celebration party. Worst case? The Batch fail and die, where Omega is safe and in good hands with Cut's family. Since the Batch's chips are removed and there is no evidence in canon to suggest they can be replaced, there is little risk of the Batch being reprogrammed and hunting after Cut.

Omega is also just part of the Batch now, guys. They've said this. The Batch has agreed to let her take any risk they take, and she could be incredibly helpful on a Raid on Kamino if it came to it, she could be a big help in saving Crosshair and I'm sure she would LOVE to help.

2) Kamino/The Empire is Too Powerful

First of all, no they aren't. The Clone Wars has shown us on multiple occasions that Kamino is able to be infiltrated. During the Rookies arc, we see that Ventress made it on planet with Aqua droids. They relied on Debris to build attack ships, but Ventress and the droids got there BEFORE Grievous did. This shows it is possible to get on planet undetected. Then the Conspiracy arc shows that if you are smart, you can navigate Kamino's defenses. Fives and AZ ALONE managed to infiltrate the medical bay, the DNA chambers, and the place where the earliest clones were being grown. They did that on there own! Not to discredit Fives, he is incredibly capable. But so is the Batch. Tech probably already knows that place inside and out, but if he doesn't he can learn very quickly. Omega also likely knows the facility incredibly well. If they don't, they could just convince a Droid like AZ to help or flat out reprogram them. Also, once in the facility, Hunter would certainly be able to track Crosshair. Bonus points, Fives got from the water up into the facility undetected, so between those two TCW arcs there is a clear demonstrated path to get into and around the facility.

Also, the Batch's entire Clone Wars career was designed around impossible missions. They were the ones called in when literally no other clones could cut it, I seriously doubt Kamino is the worst thing they have waded in to.

But even if it was too hard to do that for them (it isn't), they could try other avenues. The Batch could create a staging ground and dare Crosshair to come after them, which is almost certainly would. The Galaxy is so freaking big the writers could come up with countless planets and staging grounds for the Batch to create a good defensible position, but a good idea is a CIS war outpost.

We saw in Rebels that many old outposts and forts from The Clone Wars were abandoned. While I severely doubt that the Republic ones have been abandoned by this point in the timeline, they could have pretty good luck finding a CIS one. Most of the droids were deactivated, so finding a Fort or outpost or armory and seizing it should be easier than storming Kamino. They may have to deal with scrappers or pirates, but they are decidedly less intimidating than Kamino. Take a CIS post, take a few days to learn it, get it running, and modify it for a battle, and they're golden! Those facilities were DESIGNED for war, the hard part is just getting it functioning. They could fix it up, dig in their heels and dare Crosshair to attempt it, which they could capture him during the battle.

3) "They don't have the manpower"

Sure they do, I have already established that Kamino is not impossible to get around, one clone and Droid did it, for Christ's sake. But fine, they don't want to do it with just Hunter, Wrecker, Tech, and Echo. Good news! They have allies!

They could ask Rex. Rex at least has Trace and Rafa, undoubtedly more. If they went to Rex and asked for his help in exchange for their help in the future, that can boost their numbers.

Then they have Cid. Now she will charge. But if they spend time doing jobs and saving up, they could pay for Cid's help in acquiring supplies or allies who would be willing to help for hire. Cid also might just be willing to point them in the direction of someone who could help.

Then there is Saw Gerrera. They would have to find him, but I'm SURE he would help. If they went to him and said "hey, we need your help rescuing a brother, in exchange for your help we will give you guided access to Kamino and help you sabotage or damage it while we are there." Saw would almost certainly jump at the chance.

Then, absolute worst case scenario, they could find battle droids. We have already seen in the series where they could find some, they are probably not incredibly hard to get. They might even be on Bracca, too. They could take some time and find droids to reprogram and build themselves a force that way.

Even just ONE of those 4 options could help. If they went for all 4, they legit have the allies to form a small army, that's enough.

4) How to remove Crosshair's Chip

This isn't criticism I have seen but it's more evidence, you can remove his chip easily. Do it on Kamino during the raid, for one. The procedure itself takes only a few minutes. Granted, that is a lot of time in a high stress situation. But even if Crosshair took as long as Wrecker to recover, taking an unconscious Crosshair out of Kamino would be just as easy if not easier to take than an unconscious or tied up Crosshair with an active chip.

I also doubt the empire figured out why the Batch were on Bracca, most likely thought they were just scavenging. They could return to Bracca on another ship and use their facility. But if they don't want to do that, the ship Rex went down on in Season 7 has one. If not that, Tech has worked personally with the equipment on the ship, he could certainly find somewhere in the Galaxy with comparable equipment to do the procedure.

In Conclusion

Please stop saying shit to Crosshair fans about this. The Batch is well within their power to do this, they have the resources available. They can do it now, but they haven't yet. I am aware a lot of these resources were found during the first half of the season. But now they have them and no explicit goal, they can 100% look at all of these ways or even ways I haven't thought of, pick one, and do it.

#star wars #the bad batch #tbb #the clone wars #tcw #hunter #omega #crosshair #tech #wrecker #echo #fives #battle droids #AZ #saw gerrera #rex #cid #cut lawquane

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