#war and hate on planet earth forever until i figure out how to be better at this

[snarlicbread]

this is so embarrassing why is writing fanfic so hard im sitting here its almost 1am im just like...this is so dumb but I cant not write it and I just want it to be finished exactly how I want it What do you Mean I'm the only one who can write the exact fic I want to read this is so fucked up and sick and twisted. and it's so terrible I do this to myself Like every 5 years and that's why im so bad I never practice but what do you do when practicing is so so cringe I can't help being so cringe im sorrrrryyyyy

[junglekookbook]

Papilionem

Yoongi × reader

Genre: crack, yandere, angst

A/n: I write for my one muse and one muse only, I am scared to be posting again but it really helps to have a friend always have your back and support you. Hopefully I don't disappoint people with my writing. @cosmostae

Prologue (for context)

The human species as Y/n would soon come to understand was extremely selfish and pompous. Not a week had passed since she had crashed onto this planet and suddenly it became her job to save them. Like she owed it to them, when she barely managed to survive there was not one huan that worried about her but only criticsed her and called her incompetent and said that she was bad at her job. Duties aside, she did not deserve this. Why was babysitting this ungrateful species her responsibility. Her duty was to protect earth, the planet not it’s inhabitants. Maybe she should let these pitiful creatures just freeze to death. She hated Yoongi, but somehow she had grown to loathe the human species more. She had managed to secure a home in a rundown building far away from the city. Really far away. Something called ‘radioactivity’ or something was present in the area. She found it funny. ‘Just another one of those superstitions’ she thought. Her large crimson wings shimmered in the golden light of the setting sun. The warmth soothed her skin and helped her take away her attention from the pain from all her injuries that she had sustained while duelling with Yoongi. Her species was really not equipped to handle the cold. A cold dry laugh escaped her lips, finding it comical how over the years while the species of other planets focused on evolving traits that could be weaponized, hers had focussed on peace and aesthetics. Look where that got them. Cryonovians had evolved a trait to specifically destroy her planet and win the long cold war while her planet focussed on stupid things like ‘what is the meaning of life?’ “Mass extinction” She blurted out bitterly. Whilst it was true that her loyalty would always be with her home planet she could not help but be filled with disdain at the pompousness of all those philosophers. Sounds of cracking glass shook her out of her thoughts, straightening her back she poked her head from the sill to survey the surroundings. It definitely was not a human, they were very rigid with this superstition. Swinging her legs off the window sill she floated over the floor to the source of the sound. Her hands were already preparing a small ball of energy. 

Yoongi stood leaning against the door frame, a plastic bag in his hands. Y/n was in no shape to fight and he knew that. If she chose to fight now, she could die, only he wouldn’t let her. He had always found them to be like lamb and lion. There was no winning chance for the lamb but he found it cute how it still tried. His amusement had developed into an infatuation that he had denied for a very long until Hoseok, his closest friend from the neighbouring planet had made him realize that he was smitten with the lamb. It was from then that he did everything in his power to get the two of them together on Earth, away from all the dirty politics, of course he did not want the annihilation of her planet, but then that Jimin showed up and suddenly that planet needed to go. The first time he saw her on this filthy planet, looking so vulnerable, he was ready to recite the confession he had spent days preparing. He expected her to be angry or cry but he really did not expect the way his throat constricted and heart raced at the sight of her. His words formed a lump in his throat that made it hard for him to breathe.  That night she had knocked him off his feet, in every sense of the phrase. The days that followed seemed like a fun show to put on. He realized that watching her lose made him happy. This part of himself he was still battling with. How could he enjoy hurting someone he loved? Was it the fact that he hurt her or the fact that he never killed her? He enjoyed the control and the act of mercy he showed her everytime they duelled. It felt like a bonding activity to him.

“What? What are you here for? You are going to kill me aren’t you?” Y/n asked when she saw him leaning against the door. Yoongi took in her bruised body, and ripped wing, the bruises on her knuckles when she had had the grand idea of using physical attacks with him, it had felt like punching a brick of ice. It pained him to see her like that, knowing that he was the reason for it. That is not what he wants their future to be, when they do get married he would not be caught dead hurting her. “Why would I do that?” He asked, furrowing his brow. Y/n’s lower lip jut out in annoyance, eyes glaring daggers at him. “Oh, right I forgot, you prefer to mock me publicly everytime we fight.” She spat. “Mock you? I-” Shaking his head, he chose not to talk about it, “I came here bearing gifts.” He said raising his hands and showing her the plastic bag, the act making her flinch and making a dull pain settle in his chest. She did not feel safe around him, but he would fix that, starting with these juice boxes and packed potato chips. “I want nothing from you.” she said, moving away to create distance between them. “No, don’t say that! I had to freeze the cashier for these!” He protested, walking towards her again. 

“I don’t have a home to go back to. Do you know what that is like?” She blurted out, her eyes welled up and voice broke at the end of the question. Yoongi felt his heart constrict, “I would not go back either, I will stay here with you.” He offered, he did not want to see her in more pain, he had already caused her enough of that. His offer was met with the faint feeling of getting hit by her energy blasts on the arm. She did not have the strength to hurt him, it felt like a slight tap on the shoulder at best. “You have people to go back to. People who love you, care about you, who are waiting for you. I- I am alone on this planet, trapped with no where to go, their stupid atmosphere feels like a glass jar. I have no one to go to and no one who would take care of me! I can’t live with this loneliness forever!” She screamed, tears streaming down her face, she hid her face in her hands, falling to her knees, cutting them against the glass shards. Green blood dripped from her wounds, unlike the humans it was nitrogen her species needed. Most species relied on nitrogen and helium, luckily earth had enough nitrogen to sustain her. “You’re right, I don’t know what that is like.” Yoongi finally admitted, he took slow steps when approaching her, with great caution he wrapped his glacial arms around her “but I am willing to understand. We are away from all the war, away in a world of our own, maybe sometimes we just don’t have to fight,” He cooed at her, running his hand through her hair. He did not receive an answer from her, but as the sun set, Y/n cried herself to sleep inYoongi’s embrace. 

When she woke up in the morning, Yoongi was not around, a cool sensation lingered on her arms but it wasn’t the kind that caused discomfort, it made her understand why humans used ice on wounds. After breaking down last night in front of the man she had sworn to kill, she felt the pain fade and dull in a manner that fomentation with ice could only do. His words played in her head “A world of our own” he had said, no one would know if they fought or not, last night she felt a comfort she had not felt in a long time, but then again, she had not been shown kindness in a long time. It was the bare minimum on Yoongi’s part, she brushed it off as basic courtesy, as for what he said, she would give him an answer once her wounds healed. In the words of the human philosopher, Taylor Swift “Band aids don’t fix bullet holes” and she had just endured air bombings. 

The wings took the longest to heal, it took great patience to see them come together and for the scar to disappear. She took a day for herself, tried those potato chips and almost gagged at the ridiculous amount of sugar in that litchi juice box. Given that she hated sugar so much, she figured that she would use it to address Yoongi. She was growing tired of using that Cryonovian name. She wrote him a letter that day, to be fair, she wrote him at least thirty but sent only one. 

“Dear Yoongi, Yoongi, Suga,

What happened between us, nothing happened betw Maybe it is easier for you to ask for a few moments of peace, you have not lost everything that you had known to be true about your existence or purpose. With my planet no longer existing, I have often questioned why I must still keep the promises of an extinct species, but I understand it now. You froze a man to death for some edibles, something I could never do, these humans, they are so fragile… they need my protection, I must protect them from people like you who simply take and take and take. You took my home and my love, you are taking from these people too. I may not be strong enough to defeat you yet, but I will never stop trying, so long as humans can see that I am good and you are not, I will fight. When next we speak it will be as rivals.”

They did meet as rivals again. High above in the sky, a crimson winged fairy fought a white haired cryokinesis wielding assassin. With new found motivation coursing through her veins, she fought Yoongi. A part of her acted impulsively, filled with denial for finding comfort in his arms. She was relentless in her rain of energy on his figure. She knew that she was doing better than she ever had, she might just win, maybe she would mock him too. Let him live to be defeated again. Make a spectacle out of him like he did everytime. She allowed herself a small glance at the crowd gathered below that cheered for her today. That believed in her after so long. Only… they didn’t. They hated her for doing well against the mysterious bad boy villain with ice powers. They hated her for trying. They hated her no matter what she did. A sudden sense of despair consumed her, making her mind go numb, a window that Yoongi used to gain the upper hand. He had not intended to hit her heart, he aimed for her arm, he watched with dread filled eyes as her unconscious body started falling through the air. In his panic and desperation he reached out his hand to hold her, letting her survive that fall. Losing control of his powers in his state of distress he watched the icicle impale her heart in horror. The screaming of the crowd died down and the sound that echoed in his head over and over was the thud that had accompanied Y/n’s fall. He had killed her.

[glamrockmonarch]

The Land That Our Grandchildren Knew (B!Reader x Brian May)

THIS WORK IS PART OF THE ORIGINAL TIMELINE

Requested: NO

Type: SFW, FLUFF ?, ANGST.

Summary: A little glance at life back to normal after Brian and B!Reader get over the cheating scandal.

Warnings: None.

A/N: So this came out of nowhere in my mind. I have struggled with being creative for a while and I just do not know why(?) but here we are! I hope someone out there enjoys reading this one.

*For anyone who does not remember (lol it has been a while): B!Reader (often B!R) is "Brian!Reader", and R!Reader (or R!R) is "Roger!Reader".

“The one thing he did not know was how much I loved him. In a previous life, in a time when things were so much more complicated. When war was splitting us apart and leaving us breathless. Motionless in a world of aggressive turmoil. There was little we could do when everything was amiss. All around us things were blowing up, giving in upon themselves the buildings fell, and the cities died along with their lights and spectacles.

“The love I grew and nurtured for him was the last reminding power of the old Earth, scattered through the cosmos like dust as I searched for him in a ridiculous journey. I did not meet a king in a tiny planet, and I never saw a rose grow on the dry lands of the foreign space countries. We had each other but time made it so that I was here today while he was here yesterday. Today was never ours, today was a promise we believed and ate up and followed with blind eyes until the moment when the sound of truth, deafening and cruel, locked us out of each other’s life. And still, forever, my love for him is true and enduring. Out there, I know he will feel my presence in the air, see me in the clouds, savour me in the smell of rain and grass. He will miss me when the night is cold, and the sound of wind reminds him of my voice… Yes, he will be empty when he hears the silence, the way I will always feel too when I look back at Earth and regret every second spent away from the one who called me Venus.”

The crowd claps and smiles and I see the people in the front look at the books in their hands with expressions of confusion and deep thought. A good reason to write something is to make people wonder, so for B!Reader this one was a success. She had taken so long to finish the manuscript, not that she was being lazy; with the scandal of Brian cheating and the twins taking sides, it was hard to focus on this. This book was not what she intended on writing when she began doing research for it. It started with the Irish War of Independence, she went around Britain meeting historians with much better understanding and knowledge on the topic. It soon turned upside down when the news appeared on every single form of media… Brian’s stunt. She would call it what it was now; he had cheated.

It was hard to get over it. B!Reader took time off with her mother in Scotland, she had taken the kids with her, much to Brian’s displeasure, but he was in no position to complain. When she came back home, she was still defeated by the details. Brian’s lame explanation sounded more like an excuse but even she had to admit that her husband did not have the best track record when it came to women. She was probably the one he had been the most loyal to at that point – even when he had cheated on her once.

So, she tried. They sought professional help. A therapist. First couple’s therapy, and then one-on-one sessions alone. She hated every second of it, which could not have been fun to hear for their therapist. Nothing seemed to be helping, in fact B!Reader talked to a lawyer in secret… but her career was also on the line at that point, and she was desperate for ideas, desperate to reconnect with the only man she ever truly and completely loved. Her manager had the idea, “read some of Brian’s stuff, maybe ask him about his PhD work, maybe he will inspire you and if he doesn’t at least you will have spoken to each other… it’s worth a try”. And so B!R did that, although not in the way her manager had meant. She was stirring her on the direction of reading some of his lyrics not his space dust thesis… Nevertheless, the story began there.

B!R could not understand much, and she wound up spending a lot of time talking about physics and space with her husband. Brian was a patient teacher, she already knew that, but it was now being confirmed to her. He was also happy to be able to go on and on for hours, the topics where his cup of tea, and they had numerous cups of tea too while B!R took notes and began toying with a historical fantasy mix for her next book.

Today she was reading from her favourite chapter in the book. It had been a massive hit; one she could not quite understand. If she was being honest, the book was more like therapy for her than her actual therapy sessions had been. She cried while writing it and poured a lot of emotion into it, which she rarely did. Her writing had always been more …impersonal, presented almost as a sort of biography of fictional characters rather than real moving parts of the imaginary world they were living in.

She had never written such an odd story before, with time skips and a weird space journey concepts implanted in the middle of 1920 Ireland.

“You did great, mum.” A proud Fred wrapped his arm around her middle.

Even though the teen boy was still that, a teenager, he managed to already stand a couple centimetres taller than his own mother.

“Thank you love, did you get anything of that?” She wondered, wrapping her arm around him in the familiar way a mother does.

Arm around his shoulder, soft play of the tender fingers on the dark curls on the back of the head of her “little boy”.

“Nothing at all,” he smiled and shrugged, honesty dripping in shameless glee from his tone. “But that’s the cool part, I don’t think anyone gets it.” The younger of the twins looked at his mother up and down in her bright blue dress. “Except Dad. Was that the point?”

B!Reader looked at her son and inhaled a deep long breath, which she held for a moment. Her brows furrowed and her mouth moved like that of a fish.

“Maybe.” She conceded.

“Hey mum, would you sign my book?” Harry interrupted, bringing along Jazz and a peculiarly uninterested Max.

Harry gave his mother a wide smile and put a copy of her own book in her hands.

“For Harry, please.”

“Dork,” Max rolled his eyes.

He was the only one to admit he had not finished the book yet the previous weekend when Fred mentioned his mother was doing a reading at a local bookstore while they sat by the Taylor’s pool. And he rushed to get through it. Max was not dumb, and he managed to grasp some of the concepts in the complicated plot, although he did not let on to any of his friends.

“Loved the wormhole bits Mrs May.” Max said once Harry had his signed copy reading for Harry with Love. “That dark hole and the speed of dark and light near the end were mind-blowing. I never thought of you as a fantasy writer!”

B!Reader nodded and blushed at the compliments. Max was a lot like Roger in that he did know how to make a girl blush with what appeared to be little effort.

“I am glad you liked it,” she said, a trace of pride in her voice.

“I really wish Darragh and Conor had ended up together,” Jazz voiced from around Harry’s tall lean and awkward teen figure. “They were obviously meant for each other.”

Fred had been in tears when he read the ending of the book. Of course, he would have hoped for his mother’s first queer paring to end together but what that did was echoing life.

“You have to be the eighth person who’s said that to me today.”

R!Reader, Roger and Brian were in a conversation of their own next to the long table B!Reader was about to sit before to meet some fans and sign as many copies of her book as time allowed.

She eyed the silver hair on her husband’s hair, she had been discreet when describing Darragh in her book. A tall, talented, middle-aged, idealist Irish man. A man born in a difficult time. A man who fell in love by mistake, with Conor. A young man described often as immature, who enjoyed a quiet life on board of a spaceship when he got caught up in a black hole and wound up going back hundreds of years and miles into the past. Conor had almost been killed in his attempts of helping his beloved Darragh in fighting what he considered to be hiswar. The battles gave their relationship meaning, although it was never spoken about between them. The adoration was always palpable and present to the last page. Down to the moment when Conor acknowledges that his lover cannot come with him once he finds the way back into his ship, and then it turns into a matter of will. Darragh is revealed to have a similar story, only that… he was left stranded in 1905 with no way back to his ship. “The voice of Venus” was really a metaphor for B!Reader. A complicated one, as her feelings were when she had to love the man who broke her heart. She felt lost the way Conor felt, but she could tell Brian had been lost for a while before the entire ordeal – defeated in the same manner as Darragh. And it was fitting, he was older, he was educated. He should have known better than to play in the physics lab with those dangerous materials. Brian should have known better than to play with that old woman. Conor could have turned his back on Darragh, he knew he was of no help now that he was so invested in the past – now their present. He knew Darragh and himself would never be able to be together if he stayed and they would most likely get killed if they marched on. So B!Reader made them split. She was about to leave Brian when she started writing her book, so it made sense. And when she realised, she did not want to end her marriage, she still wrote it that way because this was the ending she had seen coming for herself before – one she fortunately managed to evade, which still was the ending for many couples.

B!Reader watched the teens as they began discussing the book, Max and Jazz were defending the plot, Fred joined in and the three of them seemed to be getting passionate about proving Harry wrong. The eldest of the group was stubborn about his stance on Conor being right to leave Darragh.

His mother could not help but remember that same stubbornness from the first few weeks after the story broke. Harry had been the one to take it the hardest. When they packed for Scotland, she had to stop him from shattering his project guitar, the yellow guitar he and Brian had been working on for a while. “I don’t want it! I do not want anything from him! He is a liar!” He had yelled, with the side of his face still reddened from a slap he received from Brian. She still could not believe she managed to stay impartial at that moment after the mess that had happened in the kitchen when Harry insulted his father – earning a slap from him.

“It’s alright,” B!Reader placed her arm around the twins’ shoulders. “Conor had to go back anyway. He had a family in the spaceship.”

“What?” Jazz was the first one to open her mouth.

With a laugh, the young writer looked at the confused faces around her. “He could never stay…” She shrugged.

Harry’s expression flashed with a difficult emotion, which both Jazz and his mother noticed.

The short girl flipped her long blonde hair and checked the time on her phone, “no wonder I’m hungry! Who’s coming?” Her blue eyes searched around in an almost innocent manner.

“You got to be joking, we JUST ate.”

Max stepped back from his sister and Fred followed, “sorry, I told dad I’d get lunch with him.”

Blue eyes flipped onto Harry’s figure. B!Reader gave him a squeeze and let go, the sigh he let out being enough of an answer for Jazz to show a large smile, reaching out to grab his hand and pull her to her side. It almost seemed a pass of the baton.

The boy walked taller than Jazz and still, it looked like he was the smaller child. She was sure they had been doing a good job as parents, although that slipdid a number on Harry. The curly haired boy pulled the glass door open and let Jazz go first, only to have her childishly cling on to his arm once they were outside, a smile breaking his serious expression when his young friend told him something – they were too far for B!Reader to make out what Jazz said.

“Where are those two going?” Brian walked up to her.

He had a cardboard cup of coffee in his hand, which he offered to her. With a mumble she took it and had a testing sip – it was too bitter, but it would do. “Nando’s. Probably.” She gave her husband a soft smile.

Brian nodded in silence, a reflective look on his face.

“He needs some time, Bri.” She guessed what he was thinking about.

“It’s been a year,” he said with caution.

“He is getting over it, love.” She took a step closer to Brian and whispered, “he’s picked up the guitar again.” They shared a look before someone called for B!Reader and she left her husband with a peck on the cheek.

[alarajrogers]

Locked Tomb, so many questions

I read the additional material at the end of Gideon the Ninth and now my host of questions has spawned even more. I can’t figure any of this out.

Contains spoilers, so if you haven’t read Harrow the Ninth proceed at your own risk.

-          John claims humanity died of something that sounds like climate change and nuclear war (“Rising sea levels and a massive nuclear fission chain reaction”), but that should only have affected Earth. How were the other planets and the sun killed?

-          It’s pretty obvious that the Nine Houses are supposed to be our solar system, but Sol cannot become a black hole. (https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/goddard/2019/why-the-sun-wont-become-a-black-hole) So why will Dominicus become a black hole if John dies?

-          There’s something unusual about the system of the Nine Houses – necromancers can only be born there, and in no other system. According to the notes at the end of Gideon the Ninth in paperback, the system of the Nine Houses is in a stable thanergetic condition, which means things can still be born on those planets and the planets aren’t dying; but this cannot be replicated anywhere else. why not? John, what did you do?

-          Augustine claims the power levels don’t add up… he can’t figure out where John’s power comes from aside from being a perfect Lyctor. But if A.L. was one of the resurrected, John could not have been a perfect Lyctor when he resurrected her. How do you take the thanergy generated by nine planets dying and use it to make nine planets live again? In nature, there are no perpetual motion machines; it always takes more energy to undo entropy than to speed it along. John would have needed more energy than was given off by the massive die-off to undo the massive die-off.

-          Some people weren’t resurrected until now, or still haven’t been. Was John using necromancy to keep them stabilized before the invention of some kind of mechanical stasis? How much power did that use?

-          Lyctor power levels don’t make sense either. Harrow is the product of the thanergy of 200 children dying, but is just a powerful necromancer, not an immortal regenerating entity. Lyctors consume one soul and it powers them for 10,000 years. How? Does this mean that if a Lyctor-to-be killed more than one person they would be more powerful, or is it only possible to absorb one additional soul?

-          Where does the power come from if instead of consuming the soul the two souls co-habit, which is implied by the concept of perfect Lyctorhood and the fact that Harrow’s thumb regenerates while Gideon is in there? If a living soul could provide more power than a dead one, Lyctorhood wouldn’t be a thing, it would have stopped at power siphoning.

-          Shouldn’t this have meant that Gideon the First would have regenerated notably faster and better than his fellow Lyctors?

-          If Resurrection Beasts are the souls of the dead nine planets of Sol System, now Dominicus and the Nine Houses… what is serving as the souls of those planets now? Reproduction can’t happen on soulless planets.

-          Why would the Resurrection Beasts particularly hate John? Was he responsible for their deaths? If he’s found perfect Lyctorhood with A.L., why would they have ever gone after him at all?

-          “And when the cost of Lyctorhood was paid, when the emotions were at their peak … we found out the price for our sin. The monstrous retribution. To be chased for our crime to the ends of the universe, to have our deed stain our very faces and follow after us like a foul smell.” – but this makes no sense if the purpose of creating Lyctors was to fight the Resurrection Beasts. (Wait, is that actually something the Emperor said? I can’t find the reference, but I could have sworn he claimed the Lyctors were necessary to fight the Resurrection Beasts.) If that’s not the case, then what was so important as to justify everyone murdering their cavaliers?

-          Teacher claims the purpose was for the ten original disciples (only 10?) to live forever without the Emperor’s power having to keep them alive. That does not sound like a good reason to kill half of them. But the cavaliers died willingly, so there was something important enough to be worth dying for.

-          “But don’t forget that he’s spent the last ten thousand years on a perpetual search-and-destroy mission out of, as far as I can tell, purely symbolic retribution. John is never as sentimental as you think.” Purely symbolic retribution against who? John claims to be running from the Resurrection Beasts because they’re in constant pursuit, and certainly Augustine, Mercymorn and Gideon, and the dead Lyctors, don’t/didn’t behave as if their fight against the Resurrection Beasts is purely symbolic retribution.

-          We’re told there were gaps, and that Cytherea came later (generations later). Alfred and Augustine were the first, apparently, and Mercymorn is now one of the oldest. Does that mean that Gideon and Cytherea both came in late? But Cytherea was there when the Lyctoral process was discovered, so why does Teacher claim there were 5? Is this because only dead people are real in Harrow’s simulation in the River? But Gideon the First isn’t dead yet; Pyrrha says he was killed fighting the Resurrection Beast in the River, after Ortus, Nonius, Dyas and Protesilaus went to help, which happens at the end of Harrow’s bubble long after Teacher claims there were 5 necromancer/cavalier pairs in the beginning. Maybe he can only detect entities in the River, and Gideon’s been in the River fighting since the start of Harrow’s bubble?

-          Where is the ninth Resurrection Beast?

-          Not really the same kind of question as the others, but why does Gideon Nav think the Emperor should have been sucked down a stoma when she knows that this would turn Dominicus into a black hole and kill everyone in the Nine Houses? Dude may have lied to everyone, but if his life protects the life of everyone in a solar system, I kind of think that counts higher. She is very disappointed when Ianthe rescues John rather than Augustine, but she was there when Mercy killed John the first time and she and Augustine discussed how Dominicus was about to turn into a black hole.

-          Also, once again, I’m sorry, how does being attached to one other living soul give you the power to keep a star alive?

-          Necromancy only seems to work on things that are alive. Does this mean that stars, like planets, have souls? If so, why weren’t there ten Resurrection Beasts?

Ugh, so many questions and I have to wait until 2022 for any canonical answers to any of them...

[retvenkos]

created // nyx squadron

Star Wars: The Clone Wars - A Nyx Squadron Story

teaser for a long fic, feedback is appreciated! author note at end.

“He who faces himself, finds himself.”

The day was hot enough to roast the tips of your fingers if they were exposed for longer than ten minutes, but under the weight of his armor and bucket, Styx thought it might just be the lesser evil. Master Kanai wanted to get to the bottom of the craggy mesa before resting for the day, and some of the troopers - Tye most especially - thought they all might die of heatstroke before they got there (“Can’t put bacta on that, eh, Styx?”). The only thing that kept the squadron going was the stern eye of Captain Vic and the Jedi’s promise of sleeping until nightfall, seeing as there didn’t seem to be any droids on the outskirts of the planet. The only thing here was the sweltering heat, their footprints in the earth, and heat mirages towards midday.

Desert planets. Every clone in the GAR hated them.

“With all due respect, General, where are we going?” Vic’s tone was polite and delivered lightly, but there was gravity in his words. Styx had seen the Captain’s gaze on every trooper in his squadron since the sun had first shown it’s flaming crown on the horizon, nearly three hours ago. Vic’s worry for his troopers is what Master Kanai said she liked about him. But if Styx knew Jedi, obedience to the Order and greater cause came first, and Vic’s loyal charm would soon wear off.

“You mean other than the mesa?” The Jedi’s eyes were bright and her lekku twitched playfully. The Twi’lek hailed from the Jixuan desert on Ryloth and had no qualms with the overbearing heat. Even though she hadn’t lived there long enough to find beauty in the desert heat, she was made from it. Her body knew it, even if her mind didn’t.

What did the clones’ bodies know? Kamino? Mandalore? From where did they hail? What life did Styx’s bones (that no longer felt like his) know from a lifetime ago, when he was not many, but one?

“I know you boys aren’t used to this kind of sun, but we’re headed to a village not far from here to meet with an informant of Master Kenobi’s.”

Tye, who had never taken well to formalities, scoffed. “A friend of General Kenobi and they sent us?” Styx could imagine his brother’s eyes rolling behind his helmet, his mouth hanging open as though waiting for a punchline.

The Jedi just laughed. Styx heard an echo in it, like a distant scream. Everyone had it, anymore. It was the sound of fallen soldiers and broken Jedis; the echo of ghosts.

“They sent General Kanai. You’re just a glorified luggage carrier.” Clik slammed his elbow into Tye’s arm, his gruff voice more laboured than usual. The two troopers continued to push each other playfully, forgetting the instigating question entirely.

It wasn’t of real importance why they were on this maker forsaken planet, meeting up with an informant who wasn’t their own. At the end of the day, they’re actions could be chalked up to ending the war. It’s what they were bred to do.

Besides, if Master Kanai wanted to keep secrets, no amount of prodding would win her over. Clones weren’t made to keep the secrets of the war. They were made to end it.

By the time they made it to the sparse shade they would sleep under, even Kanai was losing steam. The sun was almost at its highest, now, and it beat down on them without mercy. The group laid down (Clik taking the first watch) and fell into an uneasy sleep, plagued with unwelcome memories.

--

It was chilling to see the body of what he had once been; a child, seemingly drowning.

The bluish light above was meant to be calming, but it put his nerves on edge and gave him the overwhelming urge to shiver. He was paralyzed, only able to move his eyes from cloning chamber to cloning chamber, hundreds of bodies floating in thick liquid behind impenetrable transparisteel.

They called his number but he didn’t have the strength to turn away.

It had only been three years since he had left his own tank. Perhaps his body knew that and had an inexplicable desire to return while his mind looked at the eerie room and wanted to run from it, explaining his inability to move.

His body knew this place. His mind wanted to be separated from it forever.

Suddenly, as though hit by a wave, anger flooded his body. Why bring him here? Why show him this? What kind of cruel punishment was this?

A clone would spend his whole life trying to become more than the chamber he was created in. The visions of this place would never leave him. No matter what he did for the Republic, he would always be a body locked in a nutrient bath, drowning.

Clones were bred for war, death, and pain.

Was this his first test of will; his first reminder of what he was created to be?

They called his number again. He pulled his eyes away.

…

“There’s a village about 15 klicks to the east.” Clik looked out onto the horizon, his visor set to night vision. The sun had gone down a while ago, when Styx had been unceremoniously woken by the older clone. Even with the light gone, the heat lingered - the dry, dusty earth still hot to the touch. “17, exactly,” Clik finally determined, his eyes the sharpest in the squadron.

“Is that the one we’re looking for?” Vic turned to Master Kanai, exhaustion clipping his tone.

“So I’ve been told.” Master Kanai looked at the troopers determinedly, rolling her wrists nervously. “This planet is neutral, but the Separatists have been encroaching on the land, so we may run into trouble. Keep your eyes open, boys. We might have to make a run for it.”

The troopers nodded and started their trek across the rocks. Clik (true to his namesake) counted the klicks as they went, his gruff voice alerting them of when they made progress. It was a habit of his, one that Vic allowed because it did them good to keep in mind just how far they had to go before they reached their goal.

Styx followed silently, considering his older brother. Clik was the best with numbers, in their small squadron. Even though every clone was good with numbers, Clik understood them better than anyone else.

There was no explanation as to why he understood them the way he did. Vic said it has something in their shared DNA, a predisposition of facts and figures that hit Clik like a truck. Styx thought it was a byproduct of being known as a number - it was only natural to understand what you were.

Numbers were forged into their skin, on the inside of their wrists. Clik was older than Styx and Tye; maybe those numbers had migrated, trapped on the inside of his mind.

A trooper’s life was distinguished by the number of clankers he could shoot down. His skills lie in counting the number of klicks between one target and the next. His legacy was written in how many days he would achieve, how many battles he would be devastated in.

How many klicks had Clik counted? How many more would he count before he was felled?

He counted another, the village closer than before. Styx shook his head. There was no use in focusing on the inevitable, Clik had told him so on multiple occasions. You had to focus on what was in front of you, otherwise you would be paralyzed to the spot.

Styx could feel Master Kanai’s eyes on him, the Jedi not bothering to probe his mind, but keeping tabs on him nonetheless. There was always an uneasy tension between the two of them, not quite suspicion, but far from trust. Both soldiers had seen too much of the war to believe in anyone for long. Perhaps the Jedi could sense those nightmares that plagued every clone from the moment they were created, those realistic images that filled him with such visceral feelings it seemed real; it was real, in some regard.

Perhaps he knew that when it came down to it, his Jedi General would desert him. If he were to be compromised, he would be replaced. Would Kanai mourn for him the way he mourned the loss of his brothers?

The village was upon them; each hut identical, a thatched roof covered with dust, a small fire within. Styx watched as Vic scanned the area, looking in every corner for a droid or sign of life. All was quiet, as though the village had been abandoned.

Tye, the youngest and shiniest of them all, scoffed. “I think you’ve been lied to, General.” Captain Vic turned his head, shooting him a glance, and the trooper quieted.

“You weren’t misled.” A voice called out from a nearby home, feminine and accented with something otherworldly. As though their vocal chords were made for something foreign - different than anything else in the universe. “My name is Xavina.”

A short woman, eyes averted, stepped out from the shadows. In the dark, little could be distinguished, but as they entered the candle-lit hut and took off their helmets, more of her features came into focus. Her skin was a warm brown, and when she moved her head, her cheekbones and temples glinted, metal laced into her skin.

Styx stared at the cyborg,  his interest in the informant palpable in the dim room. It wasn’t everyday the troopers interacted with a cyborg. He had seen a lot in the GAR - in the galaxy entirely. He knew of cyborgs - had fought against them, sometimes - but being close to one was something else entirely. By the placement of the metal, she was an Inteli-Unit, her brain altered to function properly - chips and wires added to her biological makeup. What secrets did Xavina have hidden in her mind?

“Xavina, this is Nyx Squadron - Captain Vic, Tye, Clik, and our medic, Styx.” Master Kanai interrupted the silence, her voice as professional as always; efficient.

The informant nodded at them all in turn, and the troopers watched her, their eyes catching onto the way her cheeks glinted in the firelight.

What was she created for? The war? Something else?

“How do you know General Kenobi?” Tye, forever the inquisitive, leaned in to get a better look at her.

Xavina smiled complacently, used to the questioning. “I’m a Xenolingust and Translator. I’ve worked with the Senate on multiple occasions.” Her voice dipped in volume, then, her Basic taking on a formality; something that made Styx feel like a soldier, something that brought him back to those cloning chambers. Something that made him feel different. “I’m not simply on this planet to study unknown languages. The Separatist movements here are also of great interest.”

Master Kanai nodded in understanding, “So you have something for us?”

The cyborg nodded.

--

A/N: so i finally caved and started to write that clone fic that i asked about a while ago. this is the most cohesive part of what i have (written and planned) so far, and i just wanted to post a part of it to gauge reactions to it.

it’s not going to be an x reader, just an oc story with mentions of canon characters.

also,,, i wanted to add a cyborg character to the mix because i have some angsty ideas coming! i scoured the wiki pages to find some info on cyborgs in star wars,,, but it was largely uneventful. i figured it was fine to bend canon, though, because isn’t that what fanfic is for? to explore new avenues in an already established world? anyway,,, let me know if you have any actual knowledge of star wars cyborgs,,,, i’m at a loss, lol.

also, i think i’m just going to write one long fic for my squadron, i’m not exactly sure how everything works in the star wars universe, and i feel like just getting it all out will be easier than trying to make it a multi-chapter thing (plus, we all know my track record with multi-chapter fics is sketchy at best).

umm,,, if you ever want to ask me questions about nyx squadron or any oc characters involved, message me! they’re my first oc’s that i’ve shared with people, and i would love to flesh them out more.

i hope you liked it.

[captaincharpen]

Movie Optimus and Megatron are actually really deep guys, seriously

You know what, screw it, I’m dropping all of my thoughts on why I think Bayverse Optimus and Megatron are tragically underrated here. So buckle up kids, here we go

So everyone seems to think that the Optimus Prime and Megatron of Michael Bay’s movie series are either terribly shallow husks of their classic characterizations at best, or atrocious bastardizations of sacred childhood icons at worst.

However I, an intellectual, have unwisely spent several hours of my life poring over every detail of them to come to the conclusion that there’s actually a lot going on with them. So I’m going to drag you, kicking and screaming, into my head and break down exactly what makes these two tick. Starting with Megatron.

Now most people see this guy and think “generic movie bad guy. Makes evil plan, screws up evil plan, slinks away to return in sequel with a more messed up face”. But this Megatron actually has so much going on for him that I think he could almost be seen as a would-be hero in his own way.

While starting a war that effectively killed his planet does dock him quite a few sympathy points, one thing that can’t be denied is that he truly cared about Cybertron when all’s said and done.

While his plots to destroy Earth to restore Cybertron can easily come off as bog-standard bad guy scheming, looking at it from his perspective, he’s fought for centuries to reform his home for, what he thinks, is the greater good. And now that he’s done so much damage to it for that goal, he’s determined to fix it, no matter what it takes.

That’s why he risked stranding himself on an alien planet to find the Allspark when, arguably, it would’ve been easier to simply press on with the war he was winning and find another planet to colonize when the dust settled. It’s also why, no matter how many times he’s left for dead or forced to work with people who’s ideals he’d normally hate, he still chases every chance to restore life to Cybertron anyway. Because that genuinely is the most important thing to him, and he’s perfectly willing to give his life as many times as necessary to save it

And even though his negligence of human life seems terrible from our perspective, in his eyes it’s a necessary evil to sacrifice a bunch of tiny aliens to finally bring his home back from the brink of a death that he’s effectively responsible for. Of course that doesn’t make it okay, but it’s not like he’s a cackling villain who wants to screw over humanity for fun. From his perspective, Optimus abandoned the planet they’d waged thousands of years of war over for the sake of some random alien planet he decided he liked better. And the thing is, he’s kind of right

The Optimus Prime of the movies is usually seen as either a noble, if bland, hero or a psychotic maniac who’s prone to chronic bloodlust. But honestly, he can be, and very much is, a little bit of both

So it’s obvious that this Optimus is a little cracked in the head, and it’s hard to see how he could NOT be after having his figurative and/or literal brother turn on him and failing to stop him from nearly destroying their homeworld and killing millions of people, all of whom Optimus was responsible for protecting. Not to mention being forced to willingly seal his planet’s fate by throwing the Allspark, the one thing that could save it, into the far reaches of who-knows-where.

And through all of this, he HAS to maintain a stoic, optimistic appearance. He can’t show any doubt, hesitation, grief, or even the effects of the general stress of the job, because he’s the one pillar holding up what’s left of the Autobots. They’ve lost literally everything else, and if their perfect leader who’ll get them through any crisis were to ever show that he’s vulnerable, the last thing they could really believe in would effectively be shattered.

So instead he dedicates himself to an, admittedly very unhealthy, black-and-white view of “Autobots and humans good, Decepticons bad”. He’s tried pleading, negotiating and showing mercy to the Decepticons and it got his planet nearly destroyed and him and his loyal friends stranded light-years away. So he’s essentially lost faith in himself and allowed himself to go further than he ever would otherwise just to see an end to the Decepticons for good

I think the best character to compare him to would be, believe it or not, Batman. No matter how far he goes, he’ll always hold onto his one rule. And for Optimus, that “one rule” is humanity. He clearly sees humanity as a reflection of what the Cybertronians used to be and as a result, projects his guilt over his failures and desire to see Cybertron start over, and do things right this time, onto them.

When he makes the decision to sacrifice himself and the Allspark to save Earth from Megatron, it’s arguable that he was effectively running away from what he sees as his failed legacy and giving a new chance to humanity in its place. Now obviously that’s an incredibly short-sighted idea, which even Sam could see, but by that point Optimus had effectively given up on Cybertron and adopted Earth as his “new Cybertron”. In his final speech at the end of the first movie, he seems incredibly dismissive of the loss of Cybertron and seems totally fine to just chill on Earth forever.

And no matter how many times the Decepticons uncover new ways to fix Cybertron, at the expense of the humans, he immediately shoots them down, while never trying to find a more mutually beneficial solution of his own. Even when the cracks start to show in the Autobots’ alliance with the humans and his own mentor and father figure seemingly comes back from the dead to tell him he’s given up on Cybertron, he still gives an optimistic speech at the end of DOTM and says that he’ll never turn his back on humanity. Even after seeing his old world right in from of him, he seems to feel no affinity for it anymore.

That is, until he has his mid-life crisis after the soft reboot of the last two movies. Humanity outright betrays him, almost all of the last of his loyal followers and friends are dead because of it, he could’ve seen the obvious signs of this coming, but he didn’t.

He decides to break his one rule and kill whoever’s responsible for all of it, but still clings onto his black-and-white defense mechanism of convincing himself that this one human is the SOLE instigator of their betrayal, as he’s still unwilling to admit that his new favorite aliens could be just as terrible as his own people can. And when he does finally kill him it’s only when his new human friend would die if he didn’t act immediately.

But once that line was finally crossed, he hits rock bottom. Sure, he goes back on his threat to abandon Earth and commands his Autobots to protect yet another special human friend, essentially falling back on his old ways of having maybe a little too much faith in humans. But once he leaves to find his creators, to “find himself” essentially. He’s forced to confront his failures yet again, this time in front of someone claiming to be his creator and, by extension, the supposed authority on what he should and shouldn’t be. And, in his vulnerable state, he allows himself to become corrupted into “Nemesis Prime”.

Now one could argue this was just simple brainwashing, but I could argue, have you SEEN this Prime? This is essentially what he’s like all the time, only now he’s stripped of the tenuous limits he’s placed on himself. In keeping with the Batman comparison, he’s “lived long enough to see himself become the villain”.

But the thing that brings him back from the brink isn’t one of his precious humans, it’s the voice of the one Autobot who stuck by his side all this time and is still there believing in him even at his worst. When he’s finally reminded of what he’s really fighting for, the Autobots who pledged their loyalty to him, knowing that he could lead them to victory, his faith in himself is restored. Maybe not completely yet, but he’s remembered that the awe inspiring leader that his Autobots see isn’t just a facade. Which is why his “did you forget who I am” scene is one of the most underrated badass moments in the entire movie series. Even without my painstaking overanalysis in your head to back it up.

And with that, I think I’ve rambled long enough that your brain has been reduced to a fine paste, so if you’ve really soldiered on this far, total props to you on that and I appreciate you caring this much about my mad rambling. Obviously, I’ve romanticized both characters here quite a bit, but I kind of had to for the sake of the argument. In practice, both of them are unstable, single-minded and admittedly kind of selfish. But I just wanted to point out that both of them have their own reasons for being the way they are, that could have easily gone deeper and made them into truly iconic takes on these characters if the movies had only run with the concepts they set up.

And so my only solution was to amend that with a hastily slapped together essay on my Tumblr blog that nobody reads. Anyway thank you for coming to my TED talk

[spectraspecs-writes]

Revanasi fic

If all you know about Knights of the Old Republic is my kotor fic, and you’re super involved in it, and you don’t like spoilers, don’t read this, bc there’s a pretty honking spoiler. Although hell, I can’t stop you. 

Fandom: Star Wars, Knights of the Old Republic Universe: Kotor fic, New Canon, fem!Revan Ships: Revanasi Word Count: 1677 No trigger warnings. Fluffy

I can’t sleep. I haven’t been able to sleep. Not since… Alek. I didn’t remember his name for so long. But then the Rakatan homeworld happened… and I remembered being his friend.

And then I killed him. For better or worse, he used to be my best friend. And I think we were more than that, but I can’t quite remember.

So I just… wander. I’ve done a lot of wandering. The Jedi want me to stay in their enclave on Alderaan, their new enclave. But I don’t feel comfortable there. So many of the Jedi there, especially the apprentices, the young ones, see me as a savior, or proof that the light side always triumphs. But I can’t do it. I can’t stand being there.

I spend a lot of time on the Hawk. I think… I think I’m ready to leave. I need to leave. Sure, I’m a Jedi, but that’s not… who I am. The Council made me a scout when they changed me. And I can’t stand sitting still.

But Revan wants to.

I did some reading in the archives about her, at Mission’s suggestion. (Of course Jolee advised it as well, and Bastila had more than a few words to say about it, but I am sick and tired of doing things because the Jedi told me to.) Her name was Marina, but she went by Rena more often. My name. She was from Corellia. More of a city planet. I would hate it there. She was a Jedi Consular. More strong in the Force, like Jolee. I can’t figure why we made different decisions. Alek… Malak was a Sentinel. More skilled in saber wielding, though, than the Force. And that was apparent when we fought.

Revan liked droids, too! She hadn’t made HK yet, not until after the Mandalorian Wars. But her Master noted a strong connection to machines. I guess that’s something we have in common.

Sometimes… I can remember my training. Not all of it. Bits and pieces. My Master’s name… escapes me at the moment, but I’ve remembered it before. She liked to challenge me, as me questions, her other Padawans, too. “Is a Jedi still a Jedi if they aren’t connected to the Force?”

A trick question, of course, Revan says in my head. All life is connected to the Force, even in death. I don’t remember how her Master responded to that. But I do remember trusting her wisdom. Probably too much.

I don’t like Revan. I don’t like thinking about her, I don’t like her methods, i don’t like people asking me what I would do if I had been there. It’s well-meant, I know, being asked if I would have defied the will of the Council to fight the Mandalorians. I understand by asking they’re not seeing me as Revan, and I’m glad of that, but what good does asking me that do? I don’t know! I have no idea what was going through her head when she did that. And as much as it would pain Carth to hear, I have no idea what I would do in that situation. But she was there and that’s the end of it.

I haven’t seen Carth in a week. I’m not sure if he’s avoiding me or if I’m avoiding him by accident. I know more or less where he is, he’s still here on Alderaan, the Republic hasn’t sent him off yet. He wants to go to Telos, Dustil’s waiting there for him. But for now he’s still here. We just… haven’t seen each other very much. But I feel nervous about seeking him out, I don’t know. I mean, yeah, we both confessed out love to each other, but I don’t know, that was sort of a heat of the moment thing, I had just fought Bastila for the first time, Juhani had just told me she had feelings for me (and, side note, if I hadn’t met Carth I would be going for that, because I do care deeply for her. I don’t know how well that would have gone, though, because I’m not sure if Juhani is in love with Revan, the Jedi who freed her from slavers on Taris, or if it’s because Rena was Revan and turned away from the Dark Side so totally, something she’s been struggling with. I don’t know, going there feels like a bad idea. Anyway.) And then we went to the Star Forge and saved the Republic. I don’t know, a lot has changed since Carth and I said we loved each other, and I don’t know if it’s the same, you know? And I’m scared of having to confront that.

But T3’s been good to me. He’s let me do some tune-ups, go through the motions even though he’s still in really good condition. Helps me not think about things. Just me, a droid, and my spanner. About to do the super delicate task of tuning up T3’s core… I just have to —

“Hey.”

The sound startles me so much, I throw my spanner up in the air and yelp. Thank God I hadn’t opened T3’s core yet! The spanner hits the floor of the Hawk with a metallic clang. Great, I’ll have to retune it again. I sigh and turn around to see whoever it is that interrupted me.

Carth.

“H— hey,” I stammer, still on the ground in front of T3, hearing his droid head rotate to look at both me and Earth. “Wha… what are you doing here?”

“Looking for you,” he says, “It took a bit of questioning to get it out of him, but HK told me you spend a lot of time here.” He sits down behind T3, and the droid spins his head around. “That droid is quite a piece of work,” Carth says, “Speaking, of course, as someone who doesn’t know a whole hell of a lot about droids.”

I scoff and chuckle a little. “You don’t even know the half of it.”

“I haven’t seen you for a few days,” he says, “You haven’t been hiding from me, have you?” He smiles at that, like he’s inviting me to play, like we always have. Always did.

But I don’t feel like I can play right now. “Not hiding, exactly,” I say, but I leave it at that.

“Well, good,” Carth says, accepting that I don’t want to play, “I was… starting to worry that I had… misjudged you or scared you.” He scratches his neck. “Moved too fast, you know. You just — I had you figured for the kind of person who liked to move fast.”

“No, no, you’re right,” I reassure him. Because I am, well, Rena is, the kind of person who prefers that. Cut through the bullshit, as it were. I mean, I figured at the beginning that I’d be waiting on him if a relationship ever happened, I’d be punching down walls just to meet other, more emotional walls that are easier to break form the inside. I could tell it wouldn’t be me stalling things.

And yet now it is. “I’ve just been…” I say slowly, having started this sentence before I figured out the end, “… really tired lately, I guess.”

“Well, that makes sense,” he says, “Given that you’re up so early right now.” He shakes his head at me and sighs. “You really are a lousy liar.”

T3 gives a scandalous beep and turns to look at me. “Would you stay out of this?” I say to the droid, who beeps scandalously again before whirring off. “Well, it wasn’t a complete lie,” I say to Carth, “I really am tired, I haven’t been sleeping well.”

“Oh, come on,” he says in a playful voice again, “You never have, not as long as I’ve known you.” And then his face drops and he looks way more serious. “Or… is this about… before I knew you?” he asks, “About… Revan.”

You’re so tactful. I don’t know, maybe it is about Revan. “I know you better than you think,” he says, “When you get all quiet like that. You always have a snappy comeback, a witty retort, especially if someone’s wrong. But when you get all quiet like that, it means there’s nothing to say.” He’s quiet for a second, then he comes and sits on the floor next to me. “I’m right, aren’t I?” he says, “This is about Revan.”

I sigh. He is right. But I can’t… look at him, I don’t know, I just can’t. “I get so many different memories coming back, disjointed, out of sequence, I don’t understand them, they don’t always make sense,” I say, “I can’t tell what’s real anymore. Which ones happened to Revan and which ones happened to me.” Carth doesn’t say anything. He just listens. “And I… I feel like things are different now. Now that we’re not fighting the Sith or looking for Star Maps. I feel like I’m different. Like I’m- I’m not the woman you fell in love with anymore.” I take a huge breath, and I can feel tears in my voice. “And I’m scared,” I sob. And that’s all I can say.

Carth wraps his arms around me and holds me close. “As far as I can tell,” he says in that soft voice I could listen to forever, “you’re the same woman you’ve always been, ever since Taris. You’ve proven to me that you’re not Revan anymore. And that’s all that matters to me. That’s all I need to know.”

I lean into his chest, breathing easy for the first time in weeks. “I want to be with you,” he says, “I want to be a part of your destiny, just like I said. I want to protect you, I want to help you. Don’t ever doubt that.”

I can feel myself crying into him, tears falling on his shirt. “Just hold me, please,” I whisper into him.

He holds me tighter. “I’ll hold you for as long as you want.”

[naruwitch]

Code Geass: Paladins of Voltron Chapter 5: Rise of Voltron Part 5

"Alright, let's not panic!" Lelouch said as soon as Sendak's transmission ended.

"Not panic?" Shirley asked, her voice already shaking, "Th-the scary purple alien thing is driving his battleships toward us. We only got five lions-"

"Technically only four working lions," Suzaku pointed out.

"That's right, thank you, Suzaku. Four working lions, and a castle that's like ten thousand years old!"

"Actually, it's ten thousand, six hundred years old," Coran informed them and adjusted his collar as if about to give an important presentation. He always loved speaking about his proud family line. "You see it was built by my grandfather-"

"Thanks, Coran, thank you for that," Shirley interrupted, pinching Coran's lips shut, much to the man's shock and disappointment, "See? Now is the perfect time to panic!"

"No, it isn't!" Milly argued back, "If anything, now's the time to put our heads together and come up with a plan! We won't win this battle if we act like a bunch of wild dogs chasing their tails."

"Wait!" Allura exclaimed in realization, "This castle has a particle barrier we can activate!"

"Okay," said Kallen, "and how long will that hold?"

Coran pulled up an outline of the Galra ship on the screen in front of them. The main cannon on the battleship highlighted in red. "The barrier won't hold Sendak's ion cannon forever. The Galra technology must have advanced since we fought them last."

"Panic now?" asked Shirley, still trembling.

"No," Lelouch said firmly, "we just need to figure out our plan of attack, and figure it out fast." Lelouch's brain was working in overdrive to try and figure this out. However, there were so many unknown factors; he was having a hard time thinking of a plan. After all, this would technically be their first official battle with the Galra. He didn't count their scrimmage on Earth or Rivalz and Shirley's retrieval mission since the first didn't count as a 'battle,' and Lelouch wasn't present in the later.

Rivalz spoke up, raising his hand, "I say we pop through a wormhole and live to fight another day."

"I second that, yes," Shirley agreed immediately, "I mean, we tried to find all the lions, right? Gave it the old college try, couldn't do it. We only have four; we can't form Voltron. I-I mean, I guess we could form a snake? Or a worm! To go through the hole, Rivalz was talking about."

"Then it's settled," Rivalz said before smirking flirtatiously at Allura, "Allura, you ride with me." He then leaned his head towards Coran, "One of you take the old guy." Coran began fuming in rage at the comment.

"Wait! We can't just abandon Arus!" Rai protested, "The Galra will keep destroying planets and capturing prisoners until we stop them!"

"That may be true," Suzaku said, "but if you think about it, the Lions are ultimately the Galra's targets. If we leave Arus, the Galra may follow us and leave the planet alone. That's what happened on Earth, remember? There must be some planets the Galra are willing to let be."

"Yeah!" Rivalz nodded, "Then we form the snake thingamajig, and we sliver out of here!" He made slivering motions with his arms to emphasize.

Milly spoke, "But now Zarkon knows the Lions are back. Even if we do run, how far will we get before they catch us, not to mention the number of planets and people he'll kill just to do it? It's only going to get more dangerous from here on out! Also, if I may add, judging by their complexion, those Galra guys could use some beauty sleep… or a facial, I'm just saying."

"Exactly!" Rai agreed, "About the Lions and all that, not the facial thing… although I'll agree with you on that too."

"Besides, why don't you use your quiznacking head for a moment," Kallen protested, glaring at Suzaku. Coran and Allura flinched and gaped at Kallen as if she just said a foul word. "Did it occur to you that Sendak could just destroy Arus, and then come after us anyway? Staying is our only option!"

"First of all, I don't think you used that 'quiznack' word correctly, and second you don't know that!" Suzaku objected, gritting his teeth.

"We're not abandoning these people!"

"We're leaving!" Suzaku shouted.

"We're staying!" Kallen yelled back, with more vigor than they ever witnessed back at school, but everyone was too caught up in the situation to notice.

"Leaving!" Rivalz exclaimed.

"Staying!" Milly and Rai proclaimed together.

"Snake!" Shirley cried in panic.

"ENOUGH!" Lelouch roared with a tone of finality, showing pure fury on his face, "Listen to yourselves! Arguing isn't getting us anywhere! I've said it once, and I'll repeat it if we want to survive this; we need to work together!"

Everyone else turned their backs to one another, the votes to leave and stay divided in half. Suzaku, Rivalz, and Shirley stood on one side wanting to go, and Rai, Milly, and Kallen on the other wishing to stay and fight. C.C. stood off to the side, observing.

Letting out an exasperated sigh, Lelouch turned to the one person in the room who may know what to do, "Princess Allura, these are your lions. You've dealt with the Galra Empire before. You know what we're facing better than any of us. What do you think is the best course of action?"

For the first time since the new paladins arrived in her castle, Allura felt doubt and fear swell inside. For truth be told… she didn't know what to do. It had literally been thousands of years since she had faced the Galra. As much as she hated to admit it, Shirley was right. Without the Red and Purple Lions, they couldn't unlock the Black Lion to form Voltron, and she knew that they needed Voltron to win this war. With Sendak on his way to destroy the planet and only four working lions, there was no way to know if it would be enough to beat them.

"I-I don't know," Allura admitted, looking down at the floor in dismay.

"What do you mean you don't know!" Kallen exclaimed in frustration, which only seemed to make the princess falter more.

"Perhaps… your father could help," Coran said, catching their attention.

"My father?" Allura asked in confusion.

"Wait," Rivalz said, voicing everyone's confusion, "I thought you said her father was dead?"

"Well… not exactly."

o~o

Allura followed Coran down a dark corridor, pitch black except for the neon blue glow of the Altean symbols on the walls and ceilings. A large door slid open in front of them, revealing a holodeck interface on the inside — a glowing light in the very center.

"Coran," Allura gasped, "what is this?"

"King Alfor knew there was a chance he might never see you again. So his memories, his very being, was stored in this computer for you." Coran explained as Allura approached the glowing orb of light.

Allura reached out her hand to touch it as the orb rose into the air. Suddenly, blue sparks expanded, growing in size, turning from blue to yellow, showering the dark room, filling it with light. The pretty scenery changed from a dark room to a field of lush green grass and beautiful magenta flowers — mountains formed in the distance and white puffy clouds floating in the crystal blue sky. If the inside of the room still didn't smell of metal, Allura would have thought that it was real. Her eyes shimmered with unshed tears as she never imagined she'd see anything of Altea again.

A metallic ringing filled the air. A ray of blue light arose from the holodeck, forming the body of a man. It was transparent as a ghost, but he still looked as sharp and regal as when he was alive. His skin tone was identical to Allura's with icy blue eyes, silvery-white hair, and white and yellow battle armor with a long blue cape adorning his form. Despite this, though, King Alfor's eyes looked tired and worn but still held the immense love they always had.

"Father!" Allura gasped and ran towards the holoform, "Father, it is so good to see you!"

"Allura, my only child, how I've missed your face," the image said with a sad smile.

Despite her happiness, though, Allura could barely hold back tears of despair. "I'm so frightened! A Galra ship is set to attack, and I don't know what to do," the princess explained, all but collapsing at the image's feet, "Please, Father, I need your help."

"I would do anything to take this burden from you," Alfor responded sadly.

"I don't know if we should run, to preserve what we have, or stay and risk everything! I want to fight, but the paladins of old are gone… I know what you would do," she said, gazing up at the man as if she were only a child.

"I scattered the Lions of Voltron to keep them out of Zarkon's hands. You urged me to keep them and fight, but for the greater good of protecting the universe, I chose to hide them."

"I think I understand," Allura said.

"No daughter," Alfor said, "You were right. I made a terrible mistake, one that cost the universe countless lives. Forming Voltron is the only way to stop Zarkon. You must be willing to sacrifice everything to assemble the Lions and correct my error."

o~o

It didn't take long for Allura to exit the room her father resided. When she entered the control room once again, she was now wearing a full-body white jumpsuit, with purple, black, and pink outlines. Her hair was styled into a messy bun with ringlets by her ears. The look on her face and fire in her eyes all but told the paladins, C.C., and Coran her answer.

"You seven paladins were brought here for a reason," Allura said, no tremor present in her tone whatsoever. "The Voltron Lions are meant to be piloted by you, and you alone. We must fight and keep fighting until we defeat Zarkon. It is our destiny. Voltron is the universe's only hope. We are the universe's only hope."

Lelouch responded with a sentence he never thought would come out of his mouth again in his lifetime. But it still held the same finality as when he was commanding the Black Knights as Zero. It was a tone that left no room for argument. "We're with you, princess."

C.C. only grinned in anticipation as the other paladins nodded, some reluctantly, in agreement.

'This just got interesting…'

o~o

Allura led the seven paladins to a dark room that suddenly lit up with light as they entered. Within it, in a semi-circle against the wall, were seven pods almost identical to the ones Coran and Allura woke up from. Only instead of people inside, there were seven identical suits of armor. They looked almost like the armor that medieval Britannian knights wore, just with a bit of a sci-fi flair added to them. They consisted of dark gray to light black full-body undersuits and topped with stiffer segments of white armor, and just like Allura's suit, they each had a large 'V' showing on the chest plates. The only differences in them were each had a different color outlining it: blue, red, yellow, black, purple, green, and orange.

"Your suits of armor," Allura presented as the paladins walked up to their corresponding color, examined it, mumbled in admiration and amazement at the design.

"Cool!" Rai said.

"Nice," Kallen grinned.

"Outstanding," Lelouch breathed.

"Neat," Shirley said.

"Love it!" Milly exclaimed.

"I'll take it," Suzaku said.

"This is going to be awesome!" Rivalz squealed like a fangirl as he looked at his blue armor with stars in his eyes.

"Princess," Coran said, pulling at his mustache as he eyed them with skepticism, "are you sure about this? They aren't exactly the best and brightest the universe has to offer."

"No, but they're all we've got," In any other situation, Allura would have shared her caretaker's same opinion, but time was of the essence.

"Paladins of Voltron!" Lelouch proclaimed with a smirk on his face, shared by all the others, "Suit up!"

Armor was placed, belts were buckled, plates were adjusted, helmets were mounted, and (for Shirley and Milly) hair was pulled up in buns. It wasn't long before the new Paladins of Voltron stood before the Alteans, an air of confidence surrounding them all.

Allura placed her hand over a glowing table in the same room, a symbol glowing brightly in the middle. The blue outline then vanished to reveal six handle-like objects which levitated before them, each corresponding to a color of the paladins.

"The Bayard is the traditional weapon of the Paladins of Voltron," she explained as the Bayards all floated towards their respective wielder, "it takes a distinct shape for each Paladin."

Once the Orange Bayard landed in Shirley's palm, the object glowed a bright orange before narrowing and widening to form a very sturdy and versatile bow. A quiver of arrows appeared behind her back along with it. She hummed in slight skepticism as she never really used a bow or any other weapon in her life. Still, if the princess said it took shape depending on who wielded it, she'd have to figure it out.

The Red Bayard found its way to Kallen's hand, which immediately shifted into what looked like a sizeable gloved gauntlet with what appeared to be silver opening that was closed in the middle. She raised an eyebrow in confusion she nearly leaped back in surprise as three long claw-like blades appeared between her fingers. They looked almost identical to that of Wolverine's claws from the X-men. Smirking, she raised the clawed cestus to her face the same way she'd seen the famous X-men do on the movie covers, a matching wolfish grin spreading across her face.

When Milly got hold of the Yellow Bayard, it also glowed until she felt what appeared to be metal in one hand, and a handle of something in another. After the light cleared, she quirked her eyebrow in intrigue as a scythe attached to a silver chain appeared in her hands with yellow outlining it. Milly had seen ninja from old Japanese anime and movies wield a weapon like this. A kusarigama, she recalled. Grabbing hold of the chain just below the handle, Milly twirled it around in a tight circle before grabbing hold of the handle stop it.

"Stylish, functional, and deadly," the Yellow Paladin smiled mischievously, "the perfect combination."

Suzaku reached for his Bayard, which took the form of a traditional Japanese katana blade but seemed to have the handle of a longsword, mixing both Japanese and Britannia sword styles. Then the purple band on his wrist created a transparent blue shield, making him look like a sci-fi knight in shining armor. The Honorary Britannian smirked as he swung the katana around a few times before striking a finishing battle pose.

Rivalz held his Bayard as it shifted into the form of a rifle. Confidently, he laughed as he aimed the gun around, pretending to shoot at oncoming enemies.

Rai's Bayard turned into an arrow-like blade, glowing a bright forest green. He swung it around, pretending to slice at an invisible threat. It was the smallest of all the Bayards, but it also seemed to be the most agile and most comfortable to control.

"Aw! You got a cute little Bayard, Rai," Rivalz teased. Rai smirked and struck Rivalz with it, which sent out an electric shock through the secretary's body, causing him to cry out in pain before falling to the floor, twitching slightly. Milly and the others all laughed.

"Yeah," the platinum blonde said, smiling smugly, "it is pretty cute."

The only one who hadn't received his Bayard was Lelouch, whom Allura turned to with a show of regret on her face.

"Lelouch, I'm afraid your Bayard was lost with its Paladin."

The former prince simply shrugged. He probably would be useless on the front lines anyway with his lackluster body, unless he was inside his lion. And if all else failed, he could always use his Geass. "I'll just have to make do then."

o~o

Back in the control room, the Paladins, Allura, and Coran pulled up the image of the battleship once again, planning their course of action.

"You'll have to retrieve the Red and Purple Lions from Sendak's ship," Allura explained.

"That's a pretty big ship…" Suzaku said.

"Yeah," Kallen said, "how are we going to know where the Lions are?"

"Well, it's not a matter of we," Milly said, "it's more of a matter of you two." Suzaku and Kallen blinked in confusion.

"The Prez is right," Shirley said, "once you get in, you'll be able to like feel its presence and track it down."

"Yeah, you know how Rai felt that crazy energy back on Earth by the lake?" Rivalz asked.

"Yeah…" Kallen said with Suzaku slowly nodding.

"Hey! Didn't you make fun of me for that?" asked Rai accusingly.

"Yep! And I'm proud of it, but it turns out it's exactly like that mumbo jumbo."

"Kallen, Suzaku, remember, though the Red Lion is more than the Purple, both of them are extremely temperamental. You'll have to earn their respect," Allura said.

Kallen and Suzaku both tensed, Lelouch and C.C. being the only ones noticing. Unlike everyone else, who just found their lions and poof instant connection and new mechanical cat to ride, they were both going to have to work to ride their lions. Just like everything else they had to do in their lives, whether against or for Brittania. They had to earn it.

However, they received some reassurance when Lelouch placed his hands on their shoulders. They could do this.

"Alright," said Lelouch, "here's our plan of attack..."

o~o

Shirley and Rivalz soared above the atmosphere of Arus, approaching the Galra battleship cautiously.

"The Galra Empire knows about the Blue and Orange Lion…"

Meanwhile, Milly and Rai flew in with their lions from behind, carefully so that the battleship didn't notice. They weaved in and around the asteroids before them.

"...However, the advantage we have is that they don't know we have the Yellow and Green Lion as well. Shirley, Rivalz, you two will act as decoys by pretending to give yourselves up…"

"Attention Galra ship," Rivalz said after seeing the Galra picked up their signal, "do not fire, we're surrendering our Lions."

Shirley gulped, "I hope this works…"

"...While Sendak is distracted, Milly, Rai, Suzaku, Kallen, and I will sneak onto the ship in the Yellow and Green Lion. Suzaku and I will go to find the Purple Lion, while Kallen and Rai find the Red Lion. Milly will guard our exit. Rivalz, Shirley, find some way to take down that ion cannon."

Milly and Rai both landed on the underside of the ship. Making sure that the Lions would stay in place, Rai exited and used his Bayard to cut a clean hole in the wall, allowing the five to sneak in.

Meanwhile, a set of giant doors opened in front of the Orange and Blue Lion. Not knowing what would happen next but remaining calm, Rivalz spoke through the commlinks in their helmets, "Milly, what's your ETA?"

"We're in," came the reply as the helmet's lower mask vanished, sensing there was oxygen available around the paladins inside. The team deduced that they in a power room, seeing as several bolts of purple lightning were connecting to the roof and floor. The walls and place, in general, were dark, the only light present was the faint glow of dark purple light along the walls. Even without the dim lighting, the team could immediately feel that there was something off about the ship. Lelouch, out of habit, activated his Geass, as if he anticipated an enemy leaping out behind the metal walls. Like the Castle, it felt alive, but with a much more sinister and evil presence surrounding them, making them all the more eager to get the Lions and just. Get. Out!

o~o

From the pilot room on the other side of the ship, Sendak quickly took action to obtain the Lions. "Activator tractor beam."

From outside, a bright purple light began to emerge from the opening doors in front of the Orange and Blue Lions.

"What's that thing?" asked Shirley.

"I think that's our signal to get out of here!" Rivalz shouted. He yanked on the controls of his lion, causing it to leap out of the way of the purple beam that came shooting out, just in time. Shirley followed suit, the beam hitting nothing but space.

Sendak grit his teeth angrily, "They lied to us! Launch fighters!"

Hatches opened on the sides of the ship as dozens of fighter jets were launched out already firing at the duo.

"Shirley, you dismantle the ion cannon while I take these jerks on a space ride!" Rivalz said, grinning in anticipation as he launched his lion into the pool of fighters.

"Copy that!" she replied, tightening her grip as she too sped off, this time straight towards the ship. Rivalz began to give her covering fire maneuvering and dancing around fighters, blasting beams while also getting them to shoot at each other from time to time.

o~o

Back inside the ship, Suzaku cautiously looked around the corner in search of patrols. Finding none, he gestured to the others to follow him. Lelouch, Kallen, and Rai emerged after him while Milly squatted to the ground behind them, covering their exit as planned. She gripped her kusarigama tightly in her palm, giving off a faint golden glow.

Rai suddenly stopped, looking down the dimly lit hall. It suddenly seemed to getter larger and more prolonged the more he stared. A vast array of disturbing images flashed before his eyes. A dark cell, surrounded by several other creatures, robots dragging him along the hall someplace, the screams and cries of others filling his ears. The feel of a surgical needle impaling his left eye.

Rai gasped and nearly stumbled backward. He panted as he attempted to regain his composure.

Milly acted fast and steadied him before he could tip over. "Rai, what's wrong?"

"I-I've been here before!" Rai realized as everyone else stopped moving to listen, "After I was taken away from Earth, somehow, they brought us here."

"Wait, 'us'?" asked Lelouch, alarmed. Rai made no mention of there being others with him.

"My mom, and my sister, and I, we were all captured," Rai nodded, holding his head, before snapping his head up in realization, "They could still be here! I have to rescue them!" he tried to run down the hall, but Lelouch stopped him for a moment.

"Do you know where they could be located?" the exiled prince asked seriously. This was the first time Lelouch honestly felt real empathy towards Rai. If he were in Rai's shoes, he too would do the same, especially for Nunnally, and maybe even Euphemia.

"Yes," Rai nodded vigorously, "I remember where the prisoners are held!"

"Alright, we'll get them out," Lelouch said, but Kallen then grabbed his shoulder.

"Lelouch," Suzaku said, "I know we shouldn't endanger innocents, but we probably won't have time to free them! We have to find the Lions and get back to Arus! Who knows how long Shirley and Rivalz can keep them distracted!"

"But we can't just leave prisoners here either!" Kallen exclaimed at the Red Paladin, "They have families and friends waiting for them too, you know! Isn't that what Allura said we are? 'The Universe's only hope?' How can we give that hope if we can't even save half-a-dozen prisoners."

"Kallen's right Suzaku. Besides, we can free prisoners, and still get the Lions if we split up," Lelouch said firmly, "Milly and I will go with Rai to get the prisoners out of here. You two go find your Lions."

"By ourselves?!" Suzaku exclaimed in disbelief.

"It's just a minor change of plans," Milly said, "and like we discussed back at the Castle, you two are the only ones who can find the lions anyway. You'll be fine. You just have to keep focused on the goal. Those are the words I live by."

"In both a good and evil way," Lelouch muttered under his breath. Milly, fortunately, didn't hear him.

Before the topic could be discussed any further, the sound of opening doors to their left filled the area. Their time was up for now.

"Run!" Lelouch half-whispered, half-shouted, as he, Milly, and Rai ran in one direction, while Kallen and Suzaku ran in the other.

The Red and Purple Paladins panted as they ran down the hall, having no real idea where they were supposed to go.

As they ran, a thought came to Suzaku as he watched Kallen easily keeping up with him. Unusual, especially for someone not allowed to participate in P.E. due to 'health' problems.

"You-you've never been 'sick' from school, have you, Kallen?"

The redhead scowled in annoyance. Were they talking about this now?

Fortunately, Kallen was rescued from having discussed this as the pair came to an intersection leading down three halls. "Great, now which way?" Kallen growled.

Suzaku looked from one hall to the other just as frustrated. His eyes eventually fell onto one of the two identical symbols in between the chambers. The glowing purple Galra emblem. For a moment, he couldn't look away from the image, no matter how angry it made him feel inside. The sharp edges and sinister formation embodied the race's ruthless and cruel nature to near perfection. Suzaku, no matter how reluctant, already noticed that this race was a lot like the Britannian Empire back on Earth. He could tell that Kallen, and especially Lelouch also saw the parallels, and already hated the Galra for it.

'No,' he shook his head, 'Brittania can still change for the better; there is still hope. The Galra have been doing this for thousands of years longer. This. Is. Different…' but for some reason, no matter how much he repeated this mantra, he couldn't quite bring himself to believe it wholeheartedly.

"Suzaku hide!" Kallen's urgent whisper broke him from his thoughts as he was shoved to the left away from the center hall while Kallen leaped to the right. Not a moment too soon either as a pair of Galra droids emerged from the center hallway before walking past them, remaining unaware of the two paladins. Suzaku and Kallen made eye contact afterward, both nodding before they continued down the hall they had hidden in. As Lelouch said, it may be riskier, but splitting up gave them a more significant chance of finding the Lions.

o~o

Back outside, Shirley gritted her teeth as she set her lion into a nosedive straight for the ion cannon. If she could get a good hit on it at least once, then it would still take a while for it to get fixed so it would be able to buy Allura and Coran some time. Shirley was sure with the amount of armor on the lion, it could probably even smash it to pieces. Just as she was about to hit it though, she felt herself and her lion bounce off of something. It almost like they had run into a flexible steel wall. Flipping backward to regain balance, Shirley flew around to see why she was bounced off, and then she saw it.

"What the quiznack?" she gasped, seeing a translucent purple barrier surrounding the ion cannon, "What is that? A forcefield?"

This was going to take longer than she thought.

o~o

"Particle barrier up!"

At Allura's command, a transparent orb of blue energy surrounded the castle. It remained solid for about two seconds before it suddenly vanished.

"Is… that what's supposed to happen?" asked C.C. curiously with a raised eyebrow.

Allura shook her head. Something was wrong as the barrier should have remained on. Coran and the princess quickly rushed to a small control panel where the energy to power the dome should be. Opening the hatch, they looked inside, and Coran promptly spotted the problem.

"Oh, the barrier crystals are out of alignment!" he gasped.

"You use crystals to power your technology?" asked C.C.

"Yes," Coran said, "Don't you Earthlings?"

C.C. was about to answer 'no' when she remembered that the sakuradite mineral was what helped provide the main power for Knightmare Frames. She shrugged, "I suppose, to an extent."

"We have to fix it immediately," Allura said, "without the particle barrier, we'll be defenseless!"

"We're all too big," Coran said, referring to C.C. as well, "what could we do?"

C.C. was about to say they must have some sort of tools that could fix this, obviously, but found that it was not needed as the four space mice squeaked and scampered into the hatch.

"The mice!" Allura smiled.

"How do they know how to do this?" Coran asked.

"I can hear them talking to me," Allura explained, as the mice worked together to get the crystal back in alignment, "I think our minds are connected! It must be from sharing the sleep pod for ten thousand years!"

C.C. raised an eyebrow minutely at this. While she couldn't call anything impossible anymore, this was a first in her book. Then again, though, she hadn't expected to be transported with Lelouch and his fellow classmates to a far off planet either.

After the crystal was realigned, the controls lit up, and the barrier finally manifested around the Castle, in full power this time. The critters squeaked with joy, waving their paws happily.

"Thank you, friends," Allura said with a smile.

Coran then placed his fingers on his temples, his eyes comically wide as he stared intently at the mice, straining so much he began sweating.

"Coran, what are you doing?" Allura deadpanned to her assistant, while C.C. could only look on in amusement.

"I'm trying to get them to make me a sandwich."

o~o

Kallen and Suzaku each ran down a hallway after hallway, neither of them having luck finding their lion. Shouldn't they have at least felt their presence, or whatever the others said by now?

Suzaku made a sharp turn around the corner only to run headlong into someone, knocking them over. Suzaku quickly scrambled to his feet, Bayard in hand just to put it away right after when he saw that he had run right into Kallen. Kallen had mirrored his actions as she realized who crashed into her.

"Come on, Kururugi! Watch where you're going!" Kallen snapped.

"Sorry," Suzaku swiftly apologized, until he registered just where correctly they had run right back into each other… which happened to be the same intersection they had split up from, Suzaku coming in from the right and Kallen from the left this time. They had been going in circles!

"Oh, come on! You've got to be quiznacking kidding me right now!" Kallen cursed in Altean as she caught onto what Suzaku noticed.

Suzaku regained his composure though and took a deep breath before closing his eyes in concentration, "Okay, let's just calm down. We're the only ones who can really find them. We just need to focus. I'm sure we can find them."

Huffing in irritation, Kallen relented before doing the same. Both the paladins waited and listened, then they both heard the sound of a growling purr coming from two areas of the ship.

"There you are!" Kallen smirked as she sprinted down the hall they originally came from.

"Got ya!" Suzaku said shortly after, taking down the hall he had just exited from, smirking.

o~o

Lelouch, Rai, and Milly made a turn to the right down a corridor, the lights changing from purple to green as they traveled. They stopped abruptly when a hovering prism-shaped drone flew before them. The markings covering it glowed a cool red as did the small light at the corner of it, moving up and down as if to scan them. But before it could alert anyone, Rai shot it down with his wrist laser that had been built into their armor. The robot short-circuited and fell to the floor with a clank.

"That thing saw us," Lelouch said, as Rai approached the little droid, "we should get out of here."

"Wait," Rai said, removing the robot's hood and messing with the wires, "I think this could come in handy." Lelouch and Milly watched in awe at how easily Rai seemed to understand this technology already. Even Lloyd Asplund would be jealous of his skill.

He flipped the covering closed after finishing the last wire, "Now I'll just reset the controls..." the robot leaped back to life, but instead of red and purple lights, bright blue lights lit it up, "...and it's working for us!"

"Rai! You little genius, you!" Milly grinned. She would have given him a nuggie had he not been wearing his helmet. Lelouch nodded with a smile before turning serious again and glancing down the hall to make sure no one was behind them.

Rai smiled at their new companion as they turned down another hall, "I'm gonna call you Rover. Follow me!"

The three made their way to a large pair of metal doors that were sealed shut. Rai recognized it pretty well. This was a prison cell that very likely held many innocent aliens inside.

"Open up," he ordered Rover, in which the little drone happily complied, a beam shooting out from its lens, it scanned its ID before the door opened.

"Nice job, Rai," Lelouch nodded. The doors to the cell opened with a groan, one side rising up, and the other going down.

As light entered the cell, it nearly brought Milly to tears as the distressed cries, whimpers, and moans of the alien prisoners inside.

"Mom? Sophronia?" Rai asked as the three entered. The prisoners only cowered in fear, all different types of alien species; some were green, red, blue, and yellow. Some had claws instead of hands, and others had multiple arms. One alien, a slender gray one with a fish-like face, was hugging what appeared to be an adolescent yellow alien with a single eye and yellow skin.

As Rai slumped in disappointment, seeing that his mother and sister weren't present among them, Milly and Lelouch came up behind them.

"Don't be afraid," Milly said with a kind smile, "we're here to help you escape."

The gray alien scanned over Lelouch and Milly before his eyes fell on Rai again. His eyes widened in shock and… awe?

"It's you!" he gasped, as Rai brought his head back up, his eyes widening in confusion, "It's you, the Champion. If anyone can get us out of here, he can."

"Wh-wait, what did you call me?" asked Rai. He didn't remember any of these aliens at all. And the champion of what?

"We don't have time to wait," Lelouch said as he exited the cell, "Let's get them to the escape pods and meet up with Kallen and Suzaku. Quickly!"

"Right," Milly nodded as she and Rai started waving prisoners out, "let's get going."

o~o

Rivalz, made a sharp turn around the ship, laughing and whooping as he went, avoiding a shot from two more vessels. Even though he was technically in a life or death situation right, he couldn't help but feel how exhilarating flying the Blue Lion felt.

"Yeah!" he grinned, "This is way more fun without anyone puking on me!"

On the other hand, Shirley wasn't having much success breaking the particle barrier surrounding the cannon. She attempted to break through by slamming against it with the Orange Lion, only to be bounced off and drift away again. She had hit it so hard she had nearly hit her head on the controls, and she already felt a massive headache forming.

'This is going to hurt in the morning,' she thought miserably.

o~o

Kallen followed the energy of the Red Lion until she reached her destination. Taking out her clawed cestus, she cut through the doors that led to the other side like butter. Rushing inside, she was soon confronted by a warm red glow from the end of the room. There it was, the Red Lion, hovering a little above the floor inside its particle barrier, its eyes faded and dark, indicating it was still asleep.

"Bingo," she grinned as she ran up to it and placed her hand on the particle barrier, "Let's get out of here. Open up!"

Unlike the other Lions, though, who lowered their barriers the moment their respective Paladin made contact, this lion was stubborn and refused to connect to Kallen. The Red Paladin knew getting the Red Lion's trust would be more complicated than the others, but she honestly hoped that it wouldn't be this way.

"It's me, Kallen, your pilot," she insisted, trying to use a tone she would use if she speaking to a friend of hers, or even her brother Naoto. Kallen scowled in frustration. Come on! What would it take for this thing to like her?!

"It's me! Kallen! Your- I am your Paladin!" she exclaimed rather bluntly, but the lion still didn't move.

Kallen grit her teeth as she banged on the barrier. She must be doing this wrong; there was something she was missing. She didn't have any more time to think, however, as several Galra droids started to fire at her. She activated her wrist shield to protect herself from the blasts as she continued to try and wake up the Lion.

"I'm bonding with you! Come on! We're connected! Or whatever you want to call it!"

Still no response. Snarling in a fury, Kallen reactivated her Bayard, the three cestus claws shining menacingly from the lights in the hanger, and charged the droids. She wasn't necessarily angry with the Lion; she knew she was going to have to make it trust her… somehow, but she was far more than annoyed with these droids firing at her.

"You're not getting this lion!" she shouted as she blocked one of the droids strikes before slicing its legs off. She sliced another droid to pieces right through the middle. She ducked to avoid another attack from above and reached up, grabbing the droids head, intending to crush it.

She then heard a 'click' in her gauntlet hand and what followed she could only describe as a significant robot malfunction. The palm of her gauntlet glowed a bright red, and the droid expanded and melted at the same time before going up in a little inferno, blasting Kallen back against the control panel. The blasts kept coming, but Kallen stared, astounded at her gauntlet. The center with the silver circular opening still smoking before closing shut over a red light.

"Woah-" Kallen couldn't finish her sentence before one shot nearly knicked her ear. She looked around frantically before eyeing a sizeable glowing button at the bottom of the control panel. Following her instinct, she lowered her shade to cover her entire mouth so she could breathe before slamming her fist onto the button. The hatch beneath them opened, sucking all of the Galra droids into the soul-sucking darkness of space.

Kallen held onto the control panel with all her might, looking up desperately at the Lion, almost pleading with it to do something. Debris and other parts of the ship zoomed past her face, one of them hitting her hand. She yelped as she lost her grip on her left side. She attempted to reach back and get another hold, but another piece of debris hit her square in the face. She knew that if she hadn't been wearing the space helmet, that surprisingly remained intact from the blow, she probably would have been knocked out cold. She lost her grip, screaming in terror as she was sucked into space.

She floated in zero gravity, her eyes flickering frantically, unsure what to do now.

To her surprise, though, it turned out she didn't need to do anything. The Red Lion came swooping out with a mighty roar, nipping her up and settling her in the safety of its mouth.

Despite the initial shock of the experience, she smirked as she sat down in the pilot seat and was brought to the head of the Lion, where the controls rested.

"Good kitty," she said, placing her hands on the control handles, "let's roll!"

o~o

(Happening at the same time as Kallen's)

Suzaku sliced through another droid as he continued to charge toward a hanger door that he felt the Purple Lion was in. Unlike Kallen, who didn't run into any droids until reaching the hanger, droids were hanging around every corner!

"Seriously! Don't you guys have something better to do?!" Suzaku complained as he pushed through another pair of droids. Panting, Suzaku looked around seeing nothing but droid scraps surrounding him, some still short-circuiting from recent wounds. Looking at the door, he saw that there was a hand-scanner of some sort.

"I wonder…" Suzaku said aloud as he squatted next to one of the droids before taking its hand, which was only dangling by a few wires and held it against the scanner. The scanner glowed a faint violet before the door in front of him opened. Looking inside, he almost didn't see the Lion, as the purple lights nearly matched the views of the ship itself, but it was there as he could just barely make out its outline.

"There you are," he smiled as he began running toward the Lion. Before he was even halfway there, a blast flashed by his head, nearly hitting the side of his neck. His military training was the only thing that probably saved him from certain death. He whipped around; his Bayard activated he saw that it wasn't a droid that had shot at him, but an actual Galra officer. And he was HUGE!

He grinned, lowering his rifle that almost claimed Suzaku's life. His hair and fur were brushed neatly, and hard, cold amber eyes stared into his very soul.

"So," he said with a deep voice that sent shivers down Suzaku's spine, "you're one of the new Paladins. You must be the new Purple Paladin. Obviously, of course, why else would you be seeking our lions."

"They're not your lions!" Suzaku snapped, his Bayard still at the ready, "They belong to Princess Allura of Altea. You have no right to any of them!"

The Galra could only laugh a hearty, belly laugh as if mocking the boy. More droids fell into the room, surrounding him, "On the contrary, we did find it first after ten thousand years. As the saying goes 'finders, keepers.'"

"Finding it doesn't make it yours! And besides, I don't see that lion coming over to defend you right now. It only serves the one it chooses!"

The Galra stopped laughing before sneering at the Purple Paladin, "So, you're a know-it-all type, are you? I hate know-it-alls." The guard swung his rifle outwards, causing what looked like a hidden compartment to open, turning the gun into a wicked-looking scythe-like weapon.

Suzaku's eyes widened as the Galra charged at him. Suzaku barely had time to bring his Bayard up to block him, even then, though, the strike from the Galra was strong enough to throw him back at least a yard. He slid backward, nearly losing balance before bringing his sword up to block again, the Galra soldier bearing down on him. The metal underneath them creaked at the strength of the Galra above him, sweat already dripping down his face.

"Well, well," the Galra grinned, his yellow teeth bared, "you've got some spirit I see. I might just let you live if you give up."

"Never," Suzaku gritted out as his grip on the Bayard beginning to shake. Seriously, was this alien made out of boulders?!

"You do realize if you don't quit now, you'll die. Not much help to the Princess dead now are you?"

"That doesn't matter," Suzaku grunted, "there were Paladins before us. If I die, they can find another. All that matters is getting the Purple Lion back to the others."

"Tch, how pathetic," the Galra mocked, "throwing your life away for something so worthless. Fine then, if you're so eager to die, I'll grant you that wish!"

The Galra pressed his weight down on Suzaku even harder, Suzaku nearly losing his grip on his Bayard. Suzaku could swear he heard his bones creaking as he yelled in pain and righteous fury.

Death, however, was not Suzaku's destiny that day, as a mighty roar suddenly filled the room. The particle barrier around the Purple Lion dissipated and began charging straight for Suzaku and the Galra soldier. The soldier and Suzaku both looked up in shock, though the soldier more in fear as well. The Galra in sheer terror tore himself away from Suzaku and made a run for the door. Suzaku was too stunned to move as the Lion leaped above him, standing proudly above with him protectively between the Lion's front paws.

"SHOOT HIM! SHOOT HIM!" the Galra ordered frantically to the droids. Before the droids could even raise their guns though, the Lion roared, and its tail shot out beams of energy, hitting each droid dead on. It wasn't long before they were nothing more than scrap metal.

The Galra, now terrified, attempted to run for the exit but didn't get far as he felt sheer agony tear through him, from his back to his torso. Looking down, he was stared in horror at the purple and white blade protruding from his gut.

"You're no soldier," Suzaku muttered, pulling his sword out from the Galra, "you're nothing but a coward. Why you decided to become a soldier, I'll never know!" The Galra gurgled before slumping forward, his scythe-rifle falling limp from his hands.

Suzaku panted as he stared at the dead Galra, already feeling bile rising in his throat, painful, unwanted memories rising to the surface of his mind. His right hand was trembling to the point he nearly dropped his Bayard.

A soothing purr soon filled his mind, pushing the memories away. Suzaku turned to face the Purple Lion in apprehension. Did she see that? Did she now know what he did? Another purr filled his mind as the Lion lowered its head to let him in.

Suzaku smiled in absolute relief, he knew he would have to reveal his secret to the others eventually, but right now, he just wasn't ready yet.

"Let head back," he said as he gripped the controls in the pilot seat.

o~o

Lelouch, Milly, and Rai led the prisoners through the ship to the escape pods as fast as possible. The aliens were moments away from freedom. They had been locked up for so long they nearly forgot what it felt like to be free.

"Halt!" a droid called out, followed by four more. Milly kept herding the prisoners into the pod as Lelouch and Rai prepared to face the droids. Rai activated his Bayard while Lelouch raised his fists. His body may not be the fittest, but he would do everything in his power to get the prisoners out safely.

Lelouch and Rai both suddenly felt a jolt of pain in their right eyes, and it wasn't long before they saw red, clutching their Geass eyes in pain, collapsing to their knees.

o~o

C.C. blinked as she suddenly felt a pulse of energy run through her body. The red mark of the Geass Code flashed across her forehead before fading. It did leave stinging pain in her head, though.

'What was that?'

o~o

"Lelouch? Rai? What's wrong?" Milly's voice was nothing but a muffle in the background.

'What's going on?' Fear was suddenly gripping Lelouch. He didn't remember calling upon his Geass; he wasn't even planning to use it as he wasn't sure it would work on droids. He remembered C.C. mention this before. She called it a 'Runaway Geass' and had warned him that if he used his Geass too recklessly, then his Geass would activate permanently. Was it happening already? He hadn't been using his Geass for that long, right?

'And when did Rai get a Geass as well? Did C.C. give him one as well? And if so, when? Wait-' Lelouch suddenly realized that Rai was in pain similar to this back at the Castle, right before he got some of his memories back. 'What was going on-'

Before Lelouch could think anymore, his mind suddenly went blank, the blazing red seal of his Geass shining brightly in his left eye. Had he looked at Rai, he would have seen the same thing happening to him. They both looked up, looks of pure murder on their faces.

Rai shot forward while Lelouch squared his shoulders, a red-tinged aura surrounding his wrists and arms, crackling red electricity seeming to surge from them.

Rai quickly blocked the laser shots with his Bayard and armor before slicing and dicing it to pieces. Two droids broke through Rai's guard, but they didn't get far as Lelouch reigned his arms backward before shooting them forwards again, red energy erupting and blasting through the droids before rushing forward to meet more. Rai flipped over one of the droids that were shot backward and sliced the heads of three more droids off, and Lelouch slid under him and, with his bare hand, stabbed straight through the chest of the last droid, hand still crackling.

Milly could only watch slack-jawed at the now useless pile of droids that surrounded the two boys. 'Since when could Lulu do that? He's been holding out on us!'

Lelouch and Rai blinked and shook their heads, the Geass in their eyes disappearing. They both looked around in confusion at the now fallen droids. What the heck just happened?

The sound of the escape pod doors closing shattered the illusion as the trio looked at the prisoners in the pod as it drew away from the ship.

"Thank you, Zephyr," the gray alien smiled at Rai as the pod reeled away, the aliens being escorted to safety. Rai reached out to them, confusion on his face.

"Wait- who's Zephyr?" Rai asked before realizing that now wasn't the time for questions; they could wait until they got back to the castle.

"Rai, who were they talking about?" Lelouch asked suspiciously, in which Rai could only shake his head helplessly, just as confused.

"Lelouch. Lamperouge." Milly harrumphed, "Explain yourself, young man! What on Earth have you been doing to compensate for missing gym class?"

"What?" Lelouch asked, now the confused one.

"Just a minute ago, you two were completely wiping the floor with those things. And last I checked Lulu you can't even run two without looking like you ran a 5K afterward!"

Rai still looked completely confused while Lelouch slowly covered his left eye, and looking down at his right hand after.

"I-I don't know…"

o~o

Finally, having enough, Shirley yanked down on one of the handles as hard as her hands could muster. A bright blue beam of energy shot out of the Orange Lion's mouth and directly at the particle barrier, purple cracks beginning to form.

"Come on! Just break you stupid thing!" she exclaimed. Finally, after putting everything she had into the blast, the barrier shattered, leaving the ion cannon wide open for attack.

"Score one for Shirley!" Not wasting another second, Shirley zoomed down and slammed the Orange Lion into the side of the ion cannon, leaving a significant dent in it. Not exactly the most excellent example of vandalism, but it should at least buy them some time before it was fixed. Looking up, she saw four more lions swiftly pass overhead, Milly's, Rai's, with Kallen's Red Lion, and Suzaku's Purple Lion.

"You guys made it!" Shirley cried in happy relief.

"Kitty Rose has left the stage!" Milly replied with a grin.

"Let's get the heck out of here!" Rivalz said as he directed the Blue Lion to fly back to Arus.

"I hope I stopped that cannon," Shirley said, "I could barely make a dent in it!"

o~o

"They stole both the lions!" one of the Galra officers said to Sendak back on the ship's bridge.

"After them!" Sendak snarled, "Either we get those lions, or we blow this whole planet to cosmic dust! Fire the ion cannon!"

"Sir! The ion cannon has been damaged!" the officer, Haxus, said.

"Then send the drones to fix it!" Sendak order in exasperation as the Galra ship began approaching the Arusian atmosphere.

[originaljediinjeans]

MCU Rewatch: The Avengers (2012)

I cut out a lot from the individual character metas but it’s still pretty long and IDK how to summarize, maybe just read the bolded text for some of the juicier points

LOKI: Unpopular opinion, I do not believe that Loki was directly mind-controlled by Thanos. I don’t care if it’s “canon.” However, there is no denying that Thanos hurt and tortured Loki. Whatever he went through, it was bad enough that Loki agreed to cooperate. But Loki thinks he 100% deserves a planet to rule of his own after being kicked out of Asgard when he was the “rightful ruler”. (Who thinks that when they’re being mind controlled, really?) He must have done some real persuasion to convince Thanos that he could bring him the Tesseract and that he would not fail. But even then the Other is really hard on him. Loki is doing someone else’s bidding and he knows it. And he tugs at the leash. But he’s “come too far”--been tortured too much--to fail.

Loki as the villain of this film is perfection. And the scene with Natasha blows me away every time. The montage during his speech just syncs with it perfectly. Poetic cinema, as they say, but in the most literal and professional sense of the phrase.

My headcanon ever since the first time I saw this movie is that Loki can read the minds of Midgardians. Even if Barton told him everything (which I might not sure is even possible), Loki being slightly psychic is still cooler. Loki in this movie is freaking SCARY. (but that’s why he’s great, give Tom Hiddleston an Oscar already, Hollywood what is wrong with you?)

Who is the Other? He kind of reminds me of the Mouth of Sauron in LOTR. Is he another sick, twisted sycophant who believes in Thanos’ cause? Of course. He is proud to represent Thanos, and what’s more, acting creepy and giving people poetic threats is his way of doing his job: intimidating people into cooperation. Well, not like it matters much. I laugh every time I watch GOTG and Ronan kills him.

Coulson’s murder made Loki a murderer

I love Loki but I still want to punch him for what he did to Barton and Selvig and not to mention Coulson and just doing lots of bad things for bad reasons and I hope when I do punch him that it hurts, I don’t care if he’s a fictional character I’m going to punch him

THOR: Asgard must have some kind of dope intelligence system. They knew about the Chitauri–they didn’t know where they were from or who they were working for, but they knew enough and Thor knew enough to figure that he’d better get Loki before it got out of control. Also, the rest of the universe knows that one  paramilitary organization on a small planet was experimenting with an Infinity Stone a really powerful energy source to use as a weapon. So Thor going to Midgard isn’t just about getting Loki: it’s making sure that a world under Asgard’s “protection” isn’t overrun by an invading army. And don’t forget, Thor has officially designated himself the Earth’s protector–he’s willing to share that responsibility with the Avengers, after these events. Willing enough to go search the universe for answers about the Infinity Stones. Maybe after Infinity War he regrets that.

Thor admits to Coulson for being embarrassed for himself and his people because of all the destruction and chaos Loki has caused

The moment when they’re in New York and Thor and Steve are taking a break–that’s when they bond. Other people see Steve Rogers as a mere wooden soldier but Thor recognizes a kindred warrior spirit. Thor and Steve’s friendship is criminally underrated and has a heinous lack of screentime.

CAPTAIN AMERICA: I have to admit, on this viewing Steve’s characterization seemed a little wooden to me. But it makes sense if you keep in mind that Steve is under stress about being in a new place and time. 

I’ve always liked Steve’s uniform in this one, even though it’s not very popular or not as “cool” or practical as some of the others. What I dislike, though, is the helmet. The more it’s off, the better.

Steve actually doesn’t deal with stress that gracefully 

I hate to say this, but Steve walks away from this movie with a deep-seated mistrust of Tony Stark and it’s only going to get bigger and get worse

I can’t help thinking of this famous saying: “It is better to remain silent and be thought a fool, rather than to open your mouth and remove all doubt.”

All of the above considered, Steve Rogers went through a lot of crap during the War. And it wasn’t all just fighting Hydra. He must have led the Commandoes on other not closely related missions, too. But he’s been in a lot of different situations. He knows how much bad there is in the world. He knows what kind of people want to take over the world. That’s why he isn’t taking crap from anyone. 

And even if Steve isn’t psychic he sees right through Loki. Steve and Loki don’t get much screen time together but Loki knows how Cap feels about him and it bugs him. And that’s why Steve is so pushy about wanting Tony and Bruce to stay on task because he knows Loki and Loki’s accomplices are up to no good and they need to stop it 

Cap actually has been on some pretty bumpy plane rides.

I agree with the fandom that it is unfair that someone as young as Steve (only like 25 years not counting the ice) is pushed into a lot of leadership positions. But he gets called on to lead because he has that wartime experience. He knows how to lead a team, he knows how to fight battles of all sizes. And being a leader, Steve knows when and when not to trust the people in charge. I think Tony takes a cue from him when he deals with Loki.

IRON MAN: Between Iron Man 2 and when Avengers opens, Tony is actually Living his Best Life(TM) with Pepper and the fact that the events of this film ends it forever kills me. 

When he sees the portal open and the Chitauri coming out, the response “Right–army” sounds cute but he’s genuinely terrified. He’s already bruised from his brief encounter with Loki when he literally flies into the Mark 7.The longer the battle goes, the worse it gets.

The Nuke: Tony made his fortune building/designing weapons and then he stopped when he saw that they were being used to kill innocent people. The government ordering a nuclear strike on Manhattan is horrifying to him. He figures out a good way to get rid of it and stop the Chitauri. He doesn’t let go until he’s absolutely sure that it’s over, regardless of the cost to himself.

Summary: Tony goes from being in a good place to a bad one. There are some things even shawarma cannot cure.

Tony already knows Bruce Banner’s history and has studied his scientific work. Tony already knows about all the crap that Banner has been through. Tony relates to what Bruce has been through. He validates both the Hulk and Banner. The science bros are actually a really big deal and they mean a lot to me. 

I am so glad Pepper was in this movie and I am so glad that Pepperony exists so help me if the Russos kill off Tony in Endgame–

Steve and Tony really almost got into an actual fight in that lab scene. They really did. 

I never got the line “We are not soldiers” until this time around. He’s referring to those airmen in Afghanistan who died in vain to protect him from the terrorists that kidnapped him. He doesn’t want to think that of himself, or anyone else of the Avengers, or even Coulson. I wonder if maybe to an extent he can’t deal with the guilt or the mentality of going to war. Golly, figuring that out is a gut punch.

THE HULK: I don’t really feel like there’s much to say about Bruce this time around. Except that I’m so proud of him for actually going to Calcutta and helping people who needed help. I’m glad that SHIELD wanted him for his expertise and not just the Hulk. He is happy to be used for his knowledge. And meeting Tony Stark was probably the best thing to ever happen to him. 

Even the Hulk cares about Tony–the Hulk likes Tony Stark/Iron Man better than he likes Bruce Banner.

BLACK WIDOW: Natasha has a legitimate fear of the Hulk and it’s actually kind of incredible that she did get past that. If there was something in this film about Natasha’s fear versus the Hulk that was supposed to be continued in Age of Ultron, bad writing killed it. Either that or there wasn’t enough exposition.

There’s an implication, with how Natasha is the first of the big 6 shown, how she’s asked to go find Banner, that Fury and Coulson kind of looked to her as a leader or co-leader for the Avengers. Would her responsibilities include bringing and keeping them together? Yes.

Natasha still thinks about the big picture during the battle. She knows that her teammates have limits. She knows what they’re up against. 

I think she does get kind of scared when she’s riding the Chitauri chariot thing and she’s trying to control it. It’s not an easy task and there’s also speed and the risk of falling.

Clint and Natasha’s relationship is amazing. It’s one of the best things about this movie and it’s a travesty we don’t really see this again in the MCU (holding out hope for Endgame). They talk and fight and work together like they’ve known each other for years. She looks up to him because he helped her change her life. And now he looks to her because she saved his.

HAWKEYE:  I just…need more Clint Barton in my life. Seriously he is so cool. Like he really needed a stand-alone movie in Phase 2. He just deserved better period and by that I mean more screen time. Maybe it wouldn’t have worked for him to have been in Cap 2 but he needed something.

COULSON: Agent Phil Coulson is the heart and soul of this movie. 

The Stark Tower visit: Pepper calls him “Phil,” she notices that he looks shaken (even though it’s hard for even me to tell). She asks Phil about the Cellist and Tony offers to even fly him out to Portland to see his SO–do you know how much plane tickets cost that is huge. It is more than safe to assume that Phil has kept in touch with Tony and Pepper and even come over to hang out. Like enough that Pepper can read his moods. Good grief Pepper must have been destroyed when she found out.

Despite the initial bureaucratic unfairness, what if Coulson has kept in touch with Jane and Darcy? Maybe been a liaison to SHIELD for them. Did he suggest to SHIELD that they recruit Selvig?

Coulson is naturally a friendly person, and Thor is comfortable enough with him to talk about his concerns about Loki. Like they are friends. Like THOR WATCHES HIS BROTHER STAB AND KILL THE SON OF COUL, CHAMPION OF MIDGARD, AND HE WILL LIVE WITH THAT FOR THE REST OF HIS LIFE. 

If Steve Rogers thought he’d escaped the Captain America fans boy was he wrong

But more importantly, Captain America is Coulson’s hero and Steve knows it. When Coulson dies, Steve knows that it was because he was trying to stop Loki and that Coulson was a good man.

Do you see why I want to/am/should be writing fanfiction about Coulson?

Coulson also knows Nick Fury very well. I would go so far as to say that on a certain level they are like brothers, even. Gosh they better get quality screentime in Captain Marvel! 

Of course Coulson has known Clint and Natasha for years, maybe even as long as they’ve been at SHIELD. You hear the concern in Coulson’s voice when he tells Nat that Barton’s been compromised. It’s redundant to say this but it’s audible. He knows what Clint means to Natasha. He’s probably one of the 5 people who know about Clint’s family, maybe Phil is friends with Laura. And it’s implied that he has a personal relationship with Clint. 

TL;DR Phil Coulson genuinely cares about the Avengers individually and as a group. He probably knows about Steve, Tony, and Banner more than they know each other by the end of the film. He knows that they’re the only real line of defense. He knows that the guys and Nat are capable of doing great good. He believes in heroes .Nick Fury tells them as much in his pep talk and for dramatic effect he uses the cards. Subtext: Coulson cared about you guys. He believed in you. And he wanted you to go kick Loki’s butt. Phil Coulson just really cares about people no matter how well he knows them. And I love him for it.

NICK FURY: Knowing what we know now--because Coulson and Fury will be in Captain Marvel which takes place 15-ish years earlier--Coulson and Fury in this movie already know that there are bad ETs and they play rough. Even after the Chitauri are finished, Fury knows that this is just the beginning. He may have even suspected that Loki didn’t get that army on his own. That explains why Nick Fury asked the World Security Council to approve Insight. And the Dark Elves in Thor TDW may have made it more urgent.

You have to keep in mind, though, that Nick is under pressure from the Pinheads on the World Security Council and Hydra sleepers working under him

Nick is no stranger to pressure, however. He knows what he’s doing. 

“I was playing something even riskier.” Riskier than weapons because people with superpowers can’t always be controlled or at least do what you want or even ask. Riskier because he suspects (rightly) that they won’t always get along. And that if they do disagree they may turn on each other. Riskier because people with superpowers cause destruction, sometimes more than they can fix. But always less than they prevent if they can do their job. 

The events of Civil War may not have been that surprising to him as he watched from a distance wherever. He may have been quietly rooting for Cap. Or even worked with the Secret Avengers...where was I?

(Not that he doesn’t love Tony)

I actually appreciated Nick more on this viewing

Nick Fury is, in fact, the Main Character of The Avengers. We just didn’t realize it until now.

SHIELD AND MISCELLANY: I may need to watch this movie again soon because the peanut gallery that is My Family made it kind of hard to watch

But one of my brothers suggested why not have Cap hook up with Maria Hill? I admit it’s intriguing but they don’t actually have that much interaction in this film or in CATWS. Ships have sailed on more shallow waters but I don’t think this one floats for me.

The soundtrack is perfect, a great blend of dramatic epic themes with spy movie beats, with some chilling backdrop music to set a sinister tone for Loki.  Alan Silvestri’s best work.

THE AVENGERS THEME MUSIC IS MAGNIFICENT, IT DESERVVES AS MUCH ATTENTION AS THE STAR WARS THEME 

Infinity Stones do what they want. 

Infinity Stones are also connected and that might be important in Endgame.

This is still one of the greatest superhero movies ever made. Still one of the best movies ever made period. Granted, you have to have seen the other movies for it to make any emotional sense but The Avengers is a masterpiece. Every character interaction has weight. Every detail is connected. The storytelling here is matchless. That’s my opinion and I’m sticking to it as fact. 

Age of Ultron was just so “bad” that the rest of y’all forgot how good The Avengers is.

I would love to see this movie on a big screen again one day. Maybe a summer drive-through. It might be the only MCU movie besides GOTG that would be appropriate for that.

Jane Foster isn’t stupid y’all. She would have figured out something was up when SHIELD shipped her to consult at a remote observatory. The moment she saw Thor on the news her suspicions would be confirmed, when she heard about Coulson and Loki she would be even more hurt and confused about why Thor didn’t even at least look her up to say hello

The Original 6 Avengers are bonded in a way but they’re not really a family. 

Actually they are but they aren’t at the same time, it’s hard to describe. Even when they spend more time later and build a working relationship they aren’t quite the family some of them think they are. Some of them are part of each other’s families but they’re not really a solid unit. Age of Ultron and Civil War split them along the subgroup lines that are already there.

Eric Selvig looks like a mess when he comes out from the mind spell. Is he ever okay again?

The guy who found Banner in the abandoned hangar may have seen aliens before.

While Thor opened up the MCU to “other worlds” it was really The Avengers that established that there was an entire UNIVERSE beyond where the Avengers were from--beyond even Asgard and its conquests--full of worlds that had lots of alien races--and plenty of them could pick a fight with a puny blue planet of people with relatively primitive technology if they wanted to. I think GOTG establishes that most don’t. But some still do.

I really don’t think there’s anything to compare with being on a movie set where Robert Downey Jr has been turned loose.

I still think Loki should have had that drink and I hope he did

Coulson might one day forgive Nick Fury for doing what he had to do--but those trading cards were in near-mint condition. Sheesh.

Well, that’s down to ten pages from around what could have been sixteen.

[comic-movieheroesranked]

Thoughts on Endgame

I haven’t used this account in ages but I’m still not over Endgame and just wanna rant about it. Obviously SPOILERS under the cut below!

Ok, so overall I did REALLY enjoy the movie. It definitely had some flaws (their rules of time travel was a little confusing) but overall I think it did it’s job of wrapping up 10 years of movies. I will admit that besides Iron Man and then later Cpatain America and Thor, the original six never really interested me so I did slightly get over all the original six tributes while pushing most of the other characters on the shelf until the final battle. I think I’m just gonna ramble about what I liked, didn’t like, and wanted more of with each character because I have so many thoughts haha

Tony Stark/Iron Man:

-I think I’m one of the few people who’s ok with how he died?? Like I had a feeling he wasn’t going to survive but how he died still shocked me and made me sad to see him go. I don’t think it was out of character though, I totally think it’s something he would’ve done so I’m a little confused why people disagree on that.

-Besides that, I really loved watching him be a father with Morgan those were definitely some of the more tender scenes in the movie for sure!

-Also Morgan in general was just too cute!

-Also loved his reunion with Peter, and his talk with his father.

Steve Rodgers/Captain America:

-AMERICA’S ASS

-Him getting annoyed with his past self was great and I loved that there were two situations (”Bucky’s alive” and “Hail Hydra”) where he knew what to say to get out of the situation.

-Basically Captain America going back to New York 2012 was my favorite part of his story for this movie

-Now I DO agree with most people with how it didn’t make sense for him to go back in time. Like yeah it’s sweet, I guess, that he went back for Peggy but I kinda thought he got over all of that by the end of his trilogy? I honestly lowkey thought the girl he was dancing with wasn’t going to be Peggy. Like how wild would it be if it was just some random girl he met in the past and decided to be with her?

-Also does this mean Sharon Carter is his niece or???

Bruce Banner/Hulk:

-I HATE STAIRS

-Honestly it took me a minute to get used to the whole Professor Hulk thing but I did and it’s fine

-When the gauntlet messed him up after he used the snap to bring everyone back I knew that someone was gonna die using it (but I didn’t think of Tony when I was watching the movie)

Thor:

-They kinda kept mocking Thor throughout this movie and I don’t know how to feel about it after the Russo brothers basically erased all of his progress in Ragnarok.

-Don’t get me wrong, I didn’t mind him growing his hair and getting belly. In fact I loved that he was still going toe to toe with Thanos regardless.

-His scene with his mom was sweet but I found myself asking if it was necessary? But this might also be because I didn’t care for Thor: Dark World.

-Well I guess it makes sense in the end when he joins the Guardians of the Galaxy. Definitely one of the funnier scenes in the movie and I think he’d fit in well with them.

Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow:

-Like I said before I didn’t really care for the original six but I FELT Black Widow’s death. It’s was beautifully tragic and I’m lowkey a sucker for that kinda shit.

-I knew SOMEONE was going to have to die when they went for the Soul Stone but before the movie I always thought it was gonna be either Cap or Tony and then during I thought (or, if I’m being honest, hoped) it would be Clint.

-I feel for the people saying she was robbed. She def should have had a proper funeral and it’s such a shame she couldn’t be apart of the EPIC A-Force team.

-Also I think I was the most bored (although it wasn’t too bad to be fair) during the scenes after her death and before the final battle because after they killed her our team became just a bunch of white guys, War Machine, and an evil Nebula. And that’s just a big YIKES that could’ve been avoided if they just included Okoye or Valkyrie in the mission.

-Also shouldn’t be alive? Since Cap returned the stone?

Clint Barton/Hawkeye:

-His family getting dusted in the beginning was ROUGH

-But honestly I’ve never cared for Hawkeye and didn’t in the film. I’m surprised he survived honestly.

Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel:

-I love that as soon as Carol came back she found Tony and Nebula and then proceeded to kick Thanos’s ass and help take him down

-I love that haircut, MY GOD

-I love that she showed up at the end and destroyed that entire ship.

-Her smile at Peter was so sweet.

-I really like that they had her go toe to toe with Thanos and basically beat him WHILE he had on the infinity glove. This just means the Avengers should have contacted Fury during IW so that he would’ve just called her during the last stand of Wakanda.

-Also with her fight versus Thanos, I like how they had him beat her. Let’s be fair, because she’s so powerful she’s a bit arrogant, which is why Thanos was able to pull a fast one and remove a stone to sneak attack her. It shows that yes she’s hella powerful, but she still has a few weaknesses that can be exploited.

-Love her in that black outfit.

Nebula and Gamora:

-I LOVED how much story arc Nebula got in this movie, it was one of the things I was hoping for.

-Her bonding with Tony was really sweet

-BUT NOT AS SWEET AS HER AND ROCKET HOLDING HANDS WHEN SHE RETURNED TO EARTH

-So her and Nebula 2012 are on the same wifi so that’s how their plan got ruined, right??

-Also how in the hell was Nebula 2012 able to get not only Thanos, but his WHOLE ASS ARMY to the future??

-Nebula killed her past self real quick though.

-I like that Gamora 2012 didn’t take forever and a year to help out the good guys

-Also what happened to her after Tony snapped?

-I love the bond between her and Nebula but I really thought they should have went up against Thanos at some point. Like towards the end right before he fought Carol and instead of Thor and Cap again (but again this movie catered to the original six so can’t want that

Valkyrie and Okoye:

-These two were the main reasons I was excited to see Endgame so I feel ROBBED

-How are y’all gonna go and recruit Thor and then just leave Valkyrie behind? She fights as good, if not better, than him? And I think she was more stable?

-Once they found out about Jane from Thor, they should of just switched him out with Valkyrie since Rocket had no problem finding her once they were there.

-Also it was kinda funny during the promotions of the movie to see SO many people confused about Valkyrie surviving. Like y’all not pay attention? Thanos only murders half the population of every planet he invades. Like that’s a theme that’s been very much established lol

-And not hearing about Okoye (besides that meaningless hologram scene) or Wakanda after the snapped was wack. Her home was attacked trying to protect a doomed robot and she lost T’challa and Shuri because of it. HOW ARE WE NOT SEEING HOW SHE DEALS WITH IT??

-Honestly they should’ve just dusted Okoye and Valkyrie if they were just gonna only use them at the end when all the other characters return.

-But they’re fight scenes were SO good.

-Valkyrie on that pegasus ripping that giant monster apart was a MOOD

-It’s cool she ends up Queen of Asgard but does that mean she won’t come back for a Thor sequel?

Wanda Maximoff/Scarlet Witch:

-Wanda showing up and beating the living shit out of Thanos was my favorite scene in the movie.

-I literally whispered ‘Hell yeah’ when she landed in between Thanos and T’challa

-Also I really hope Vision comes back so we can somehow get Billy and Tommy and get a Young Avengers movie

T’Challa/Black Panter and Shuri:

-When these two walked through the portal with Okoye I turned to the stranger next to me and said “Oh finally, we’re getting shit done’ and they laughed nodded haha

-T’challa should’ve fought Thanos by himself but it’s fine he didn’t I guess

-Also I’m almost positive the Russo brothers dusted Shuri only after IW was done and that’s why we didn’t see it. Because they realized it probably wouldn’t have taken her five years to figure out a way to bring back the others.

-It would’ve been neat at the end when Scott and Hope realize the time machine was broken if Shuri just showed up and fixed it in seconds.

Rocket and Groot:

-Rocket was funny throughout the movie but didn’t really do much.

-We needed more Groot in the end. Like action wise and moments with the other characters wise, but I’m just greedy because I love him haha

-Rocket should’ve stole Bucky’s arm.

Sam Wilson/Falcon:

-MY CAPTAIN AMERICA IS BLACK NOW BITCHES, THAT’S IT

Everyone else was cool and didn’t really leave a lasting impression on me except for maybe Ant-Man but he was just really funny the whole time to me. Again I really liked the movie and I admit that I knew I wasn’t going to be fully satisfied since this movie was about the original six. But I just hope the next time we get a movie with this much characters involved, we really use more of them story wise and not just for big fight scenes at the end. Infinity War was close but I need more (I’m annoying I know haha)

Also the movie did not feel like it was three hours at all, so good for the Russo brothers when it came to that!

Feel free to message me to chat, I’d love to hear all of your thoughts about the movie too!

[eternityunicorn]

Elijah’s Eternity Part Ten

Author: eternityunicorn 

Genre: Romance/Fantasy/AU

Pairing: Elijah Mikaelson x OC

Warnings: Violence, Language, Smut (Smut marked +18)

Summary: Elijah Mikaelson didn’t know what to expect when he encountered the strange archer in the night, but he certainly didn’t think his whole world would be turned upside down by it. Yet, he quickly learns that she is more than what she seems, having come looking for an Original after a large spike in supernatural being populations started cropping up on Earth a thousand years ago. Now, he must help her decide if the supernatural community should stay on their home planet or leave it for good? A task that is made more complicated along the way, as his life is changed forever.

NOTE: OC is from my up and coming novel series. Other elements from said novel series also included. 

———————————————————————————————————

The walk to the Art Institute of Chicago was frankly quick. It was just located a couple of blocks away from the penthouse, not a long walk at all. Elijah walked with Eternity by his side, her hand nestled in the crook of his arm with her other hand resting on his bicep. It reminded him of their time in Maine, just a couple nights before. 

They moved steadily toward their destination, while Elijah spoke of his few past adventure in the city. She smiled at his retelling, at the excitement he displayed whenever he would paint the imagery of the old landscape for her. She didn’t say much in reply, contented to simply listen to him speak.

His telling made the already short journey feel even shorter. It wasn’t long at all until they were climbing the steps of the Art Institute, recognizable by the green lions that stood guard on either side of the large stairway. Once inside, he took the lead in showing her around the place, having wanted to show her his favorite pieces and periods of art.

For a while, they simply wandered about, viewing this painting or that sculpture. He would tell her of his knowledge in each piece. Again, Eternity was content to let him tell her what he knew, seeming to absorb everything he said with high interest. She would comment here or there on what she had experienced in regards to the time periods each piece was from, but for the most part, she was just content to look and listen. 

One of the exhibits of the institute was that of old Viking swords and shields. Here, he stared at each piece with a certain fondness. A lot of the items locked behind the glass had been apart of his life long ago. They generally reminded him of a time long since past - of home. He began talking about the construction of the swords and shields in a step by step fashion, becoming more animated as he went. He remembered these things like they had happened yesterday and not a thousand years ago.

Then Elijah started speaking on the symbols etched into the metal. On one of the hilts was a worn etching of Loki, the Trickster God of Asgard. All he had to do was mention the figure’s name for a dark look to cross Eternity’s face. It was similar to the ones he had seen before upon her lovely features. 

She wasn’t looking at him, but at the sword he had mentioned. Her body was tense and it seemed like she was trying to light the old blade on fire with her stare. It didn’t light up, as he partially expected, which was good. It would be impossible to compel that many people into forgetting such a strange incident. Yet, he was concerned as to the cause of such a disturbed look. It didn’t settle well to see her upset.

“Eternity,” Elijah called to her, reaching to gently grab her arm.

The moment he touched her, she snapped out of it. She smiled shyly and laughed nervously at him. “Forgive me,” she whispered.

“Are you alright?”

“Aye. Just remembering...the past.”

With those words, Elijah was immediately more interested in her than the artifacts. “Explain.”

Eternity looked back at the sword with Loki on it, though this time her expression was light and animated, if not also a little sad. “Loki, along with all the figures of the old Norsemen’s religion, are real people,” she told him softly. “It is the same for some of the other mythologies too. Zeus, Hera, Hades. Anubis, Osiris, Isis. Odin, Thor...Loki. All of them are real.”

Elijah was taken aback by her words. So, there were gods amongst the immortals she spoke of. While he admitted he was surprised, it wasn’t as if he hadn’t expected to find out something of that nature from her. In fact, it made sense that some of the figures of human mythology would be real. But what puzzled him was why did the mention of Loki affect her so much? 

“Loki and I have history,” Eternity answered his thoughts. “He killed my grandmother, who was the Universal Queen before the duty fell to me. They hated each other and so, Loki acted as he always does: with malicious intent, slaying her before should even defend herself.”

“So, you seek revenge for this crime,” surmised Elijah. 

“No, not revenge,” she responded quickly. “I am a guardian. Revenge is not in my nature as a result. Though justice certainly needs to be fulfilled for his actions, but not with his death.”

Elijah didn’t understand. A man committed regicide and yet death wasn’t to be the automatic punishment for such a heinous crime? Maybe the laws were different for the immortals, he reasoned. Perhaps, they understood death was too swift a punishment and so, chose other methods to execute justice.

“You know, all those old Norsemen stories that you and your family grew up on were mostly complete fabrications,” smiled Eternity, changing the direction of their conversation. 

He allowed it, figuring it was best for now. So, he smirked playfully, “Is that right?”

“Aye, it is,” she nodded. “Odin, Loki, and Thor used to come here to Earth, to tell tales of their godhoods to the poor naive humans. Odin was especially full of himself when he spoke of how he created the universe and life itself to the humans. Of course, it never happened. Odin is not a creator god or any sort of god for that matter. He, like all immortals of light, are fallible creatures with only a higher calling of guardianship. Yet, he and many others, still like to think themselves gods toward those they deem lesser than; humanity being number one in that.”

“They sound delightful.”

“They are quite ridiculous. A little pathetic as well.”

Seeing how indignant she was becoming, Elijah observed, “You’re very impassioned by this distasteful attitude of your fellow immortals.”

With deadly seriousness, Eternity replied, “When they think themselves above others, you’re damned right I’m impassioned by their distasteful attitudes. Nobody is better than anyone else. No matter their station in the greater scheme of the universes.”

Elijah was impressed by the fierceness in her, in that moment. Her sapphire eyes were unyielding and intense with a noble sense of compassion for others, particularly in regard to those weaker. It was beautiful to see light in someone nonhuman like him. He had lived in darkness for so long, hoping to see light shine in on his world. Now, here she was doing just that with her value of others, of the innocent. His heart swelled for her and before he knew it, he was cupping her cheek and pulling her close. He kissed her passionately. 

Though a little surprised at first, she reciprocated eagerly, curling her hands up into his hair tenderly as she did. 

Elijah didn’t know how long they stood there wrapped up in each other, but by the time they parted, both of them were absolutely breathless. He took the opportunity to whisk them away to another area of the institute, holding her hand in his the whole way.

“You know, I’ve spent the past thousand years doing as I pleased,” he found himself telling her as they went. “Justice for the Mikaelson Family has always been based on self-preservation or selfish pursuits, including killing those that dare oppose us, humans included. Niklaus is the most ruthless of us, but we’ve all killed, maimed, tortured whenever it suited us. Even I’m not excluded from such...darkness.”

“I know,” Eternity said. “The darkness is powerful. It is easy to give into it, to let your darker nature prevail, especially when you have a brother who is a master of it; of fear, or control, of revenge. Live like that long enough and it’s difficult to live any other way, even if you wish it. But there is always light, even in you, Elijah - in Niklaus. If you can find it, then you can be different, better.”

“Maybe I just don’t believe that,” he smiled humorlessly.

“Perhaps it is simply something you have to discover on your own,” she countered, “but in the meantime, may I suggest you consider this: would I be here with you, if you were such a monster? If you are not capable of more?”

Elijah gazed at her profoundly, considering her words, but he didn’t reply. Instead, he turned back to the tour of the Art Institute, trying to turn their outing back to a happier tone.

Soon, they reached the Far East exhibit and Eternity was enthralled by the art there, as she gazed at some old Japanese artworks from the Feudal Era. Their previous talk had been abandoned for the time being.

“My family is from Japan,” Eternity informed him casually with a fond smile. “They lived in the region before the Great War. We’ve adapted many of the customs and whatnot from our ancestral home on Earth.”

Elijah looked surprised, “Really?”

“I also have a different cousin from the one I mentioned before,” she said, “whom still lives there. She runs a small shrine and tends to the wounded and sick mortals who wander into her forest. Though it’s technically illegal, she does also revive people from the dead, but usually only children. However, that should always be an exception to the rule.”

“I’ve been to Japan, years ago, and now that you mention it, I do recall hearing about a mystical shrine that performed miracles,” admitted Elijah, after some thought. “I thought it was utter nonsense, as many tales like those are. I suppose I shouldn’t have been so hasty in dismissing the stories.”

“Perhaps, it’s for the best that you did dismiss them,” Eternity replied. “Kaname wouldn’t take kindly to a vampire entering her woods. Not even one that meant no harm. Dark creatures are simply not allowed there.”

Elijah couldn’t take offense to that. It was true, he was a dark creature; a being created with dark magic. No doubt, her cousin had the same purpose in life as Eternity did; to protect others from the darkness. 

With that thought, he began to wonder why Eternity was with him? He was a being of darkness, and she was one of light. They shouldn’t be together. She shouldn’t want to be with him. Yes, they had an arrangement, a temporary partnership. But it was more than that. She had allowed more and in a short amount of time. Eternity was right by his side, as his lover - a companion. He didn’t understand it. Yet, he wanted nothing else than her by his side. He believed she felt the same way. 

“I’m with you because I like what I see in you,” Eternity told him, reading his thoughts again. “You are a complex man, to be sure. You are fiercely devoted to your family. You care about their well-beings over all others, a noble cause. Of course, you’ll commit whatever terrible sin you must to protect your family and that can lead to terrible deeds. But I can see that you are capable of love and compassion and forgiveness, qualities that are of light, qualities that I can appreciate, despite your flaws.”

Elijah gave a small smile, reaching out to touch her cheek tenderly in appreciation, before moving on.

From there, they explored other parts of the institute, their conversations resuming their lightness. Eventually, they reached the food court and decided to take a break from their wanderings. There were others around, families and couples alike, getting food or sitting about conversing. The voices echoed in the vaulted room, making each conversation blend in with the others.

Elijah bought lunch for them and they sat together, at the outside seating with big green umbrellas at every table, where it was much quieter. He had ordered a couple cold sandwiches and juices for them to enjoy; though in truth, Eternity enjoyed the food more than he. He wasn’t exactly fond of the low quality rubbish that the institute provided. 

“Human food is amazing,” Eternity hummed appreciatively. “Their cuisines are so much better than most of the immortal worlds.”

“Is that right?” He replied, amused by the way she vigorously scarfed down the subpar ham sandwich as any ordinary person might. “I would think that theirs would be the superior cuisine.”

She scrunched her nose at him, “No, it’s not. It’s because most immortal food is produced through magic. The magic makes any food created from it taste artificial, stale even. It’s not appetizing in the least, believe me.”

“Is that why you come here to this world? To have decent food?”

“One of the reasons, yes.”

He chuckled humorously. 

Before anything else could be said, the loud sound of gunshots rang out into to the air. The sound had alerted Eternity, especially when many screams accompanied the continuous sound of firing guns. Elijah was mildly curious about it, but he didn’t get involved with the affairs of humans. Human matters were of no concern to him, an Original. Though from what he knew, he could surmise that it was either a robbery going wrong or a crazed madman going on a rampage. 

“It’s coming from outside the institute,” Eternity informed him needlessly, getting up swiftly.

“So it is,” replied Elijah with slight disinterest.

She didn’t seem bothered by his reaction. In fact, she looked understanding of it. “Normally, I don’t get involved in human affairs either,” she said hurriedly, ‘but that’s mostly because I’m not around to be involved. I’d like to see what I can do to help. I simply cannot abide by any innocent getting hurt.”

Of course, she couldn’t. 

Elijah sighed, “Well, perhaps if we go to the roof, we can see what we can do without letting the entire city know about us. I do like to maintain a low profile.”

“Just what I was thinking. Shall we?”

“As my lady wishes.”

With vampire speed, Elijah got them up to the roof of the institute. They moved to a spot where they could observe whatever was going on down below without notice. From their vantage point, Elijah could see a dozen police surrounding their suspect who had a hostage in his grasp - a gun pointed to the young woman’s head. From the looks of things, it also looked like a couple of people were wonder, bleeding on the ground. The smell of human blood was strong. It was good that Eternity’s blood was still sustaining him or else he wouldn’t have been able to remain so composed. 

The scene was full of onlookers and rescue teams. There wasn’t any way from him to do anything with so many witnesses. It was lucky for the humans that they happened to had a goddess watching over them in Eternity.

She swiftly assessed the situation. “The gunman is being controlled,” she observed. “I sense weak human magic - a dark variety of it.”

“A witch.”

“Aye.”

“Well, what do you suppose we do?” He asked, finally becoming interested in the situation, but only because one from the supernatural community was involved.

Eternity smiled, “I got this.”

Instantly, her outfit shifted into the corset and leather legging ensemble she always wore when going into battle. In her hands, her yumi bow and a single arrow already notched there appeared. The arrow head glowed bright blue like her horn did when she was a unicorn. She took aim at the possessed madman and let the arrow fly. 

To Elijah’s surprise, the arrow wasn’t meant to wound the man, but instead landed at his feet. Immediately, the blue light waffled up into blue vapors that swirled around the human. The gunman ceased holding the gun at the woman in his grasp and he slowly released her in a hypnotized sort of way. Within moments, he swayed and then collapsed in a heap on the ground. 

“The spell has been broken,” Eternity informed Elijah. 

It seemed to be true. The gunman recovered from his fall and began looking around him in confused horror, wondering what was going on. Then the realization hit and the man panicked, screaming that he wasn’t responsible for the crime, just as the police were moving in to subdue him. He begged and pleaded, but it fell on deaf ears.

“He’s a pawn,” observed Eternity, as the gunman was being carried off into the awaiting police car. “The lover of a vampire is he, but he doesn’t know that his lover is of supernatural origin.”

“This vampire probably angered a witch and the witch sought revenge through the human,” supplied Elijah. “I wonder if he or she is a member of the local vampire clan.”

“You refer to the one we’re to meet.”

“Yes. That very one.”

Eternity’s outfit shifted back into the lovely lavender dress from before. Her bow vanished as she changed as well. “Now I’m even more intrigued to meet this clan.” 

Elijah held out his hand to her then, “Yes, so am I.”

She took his hand without hesitation. The two of them headed down off the roof. Their exploration of the institute was over. Though the tour of the city was still on the agenda. There were other places that Elijah knew she would find interesting. 

They spent the rest of the day, going around the city, with Elijah telling her of the history, of his own personal experiences there. He also took her to the shops around town, letting her explore the human world at close range. The people they passed all stopped to stare in awe of Eternity. Some were curious and others were wary. Children were the most amusing in their admiration. They would stop and look with wide eyes and excitement. It was as if they could see what she really was, despite her human visage. Maybe they could. Either way, it was fascinating to see.

Eventually, the evening set in and Elijah took Eternity to a high end Italian restaurant, where they were served the best wine and far better food than that of the Art Institute’s food court. They sat and talked about a variety of things, nothing of great importance. It was just light talk, the same as it had been since earlier in the day. There was nothing but enjoyment in each other’s company. 

Then just as they were leaving the restaurant, Elijah felt the hunger stir inside him for the first time since he had tasted Eternity’s blood. Outside, he told Eternity, “I must feed.”

Eternity nodded understandingly, taking Elijah by his hand and leading him away toward the back of the building. Once they were concealed in shadows, she turned to him and said, “Feed on me.”

He didn’t hesitate this time. He pulled Eternity to him, embracing her tightly in one arm, while the hand of the other reached up to trace the column of her neck tantalizingly. He could feel the blood coursing through her beneath his fingertips, it caused the excitement of the feed to course at a greater pace through his own body. 

Without waiting another moment, Elijah descended up Eternity. His mouth traced open mouth kisses to her skin, his tongue reaching out to taste the soft flesh. He felt her sigh and relax against him, just before he let his vampire teeth sink into her neck. 

She gasped and tensed, but only for a moment, relaxing against him again almost immediately. She clutched him to her, a hand cupping the back of his head tenderly, while he pulled the blood from her. She moaned deliciously, the sound driving him. As before, the taste of her was exquisite and it warmed him to that same higher degree, making him feel far stronger and  completely sated than any human could. 

When Elijah eventually pulled away and looked down at the woman in his arms, Eternity had that glazed, flushed look about her again, giving the impression of drunkenness. “That was amazing,” she sighed contently. 

He grinned down at her, “You seem to enjoy my feeding on you.”

“I do,” she replied without hesitation. She smiled widely, while still clinging to him. 

Elijah chuckled, keeping his arm securely around her to keep her from falling. She simply didn’t seem to be able to support herself. “Come on, Sweetheart, let’s get you home. We can rest there until it’s time to meet with my acquaintance.”

Eternity nodded. She let him guide her out of the shadows and back out into the open. Together, they headed home to wait for the midnight hour to strike and their meeting with the vampire clan to commence. Little did Elijah know, what adventure awaited them when they arrived there.

[tobiramainprofile]

@madatobiweek​

2: Alternate Universe - Part 1/2

Madara doesn't dream anymore.

In truth, he doesn't really sleep. Something about the chakra of the demonic statue, something about the whispers of the zetsu, those things make true rest difficult.

So, when he hears a woman's voice, whispering in his ear, he does not dismiss it as a dream or a hallucination. Instead, in the silence of the depths of the earth, he inclines his head and listens.

(Hello, child.) The words are barely audible, even here.

"I've lived longer than any human on this planet," Madara tells it, crossing his arms over his chest.

(And I have lived longer still,) the voice says, soft and calm. (I have a favor to ask of you, Uchiha Madara.)

"A favor, hm?" Despite himself, Madara is curious. It has been a long time since he spoke to anyone but Zetsu. Still, he remembers how such negotiations go. "What's in it for me?"

(Happiness.) Madara might have expected the woman - or whatever - to anger at his bluntness. Most of the people he'd negotiated with before would have. But her tone is still soft, still calm.

"Happiness cannot be given," Madara folds his arms over his chest. "It can only be taken away."

(It cannot be given by you,) the voice disagrees, still infuriatingly serene, (I am not bound by your rules.)

"Prove it," Madara challenges.

(Very well,) the woman whispers.

-

Madara's limbs are heavy and warm with sleep. His face is buried, half beneath his own hair, half in warm skin, and his limbs are undeniably wrapped around someone else.

He fights the urge to sink back into sleep, to nuzzle closer and hold tighter. Instead, he lets his shinobi instincts propel him to a sitting position.

The room is simple, but elegant and spacious. It's dark, but Madara thinks he can recognise Hashirama's handiwork on some of the carvings. He'd have to activate his sharingan to know for sure, so instead he turns his attention to his bedmate.

Madara lets out a cry of horror and shock and scrambles backwards, towards the edge of the bed.

From the other side of the bed, Senju Tobirama blinks bleary red eyes at him.

Madara draws in breath - whether to calm himself or to scream again, he's not sure.

"Come back to bed," Tobirama grumbles, voice scratchy and slurred with sleep. "Whatever it is can wait."

Madara lets out a thunderous shriek. Tobirama, irritatingly, rolls over and pulls a pillow over his head. As though he's used to this sort of thing.

It is, frankly-

-

"An insult to me- no, to my entire clan. How dare you presume I would lower myself to sleeping with Izuna's killer-!"

(In that reality,) the voice says, sounding distinctly amused, (he is not.)

Madara gapes at empty air. "You - Izuna is alive?"

(In that reality,) the voice murmurs, (yes.)

"Send me back!" Madara demands, "I need to-"

(As you wish,) the voice says.

-

Madara is standing in the kitchen, halfway through the motions of making breakfast. There's enough food for two, and he squints at it, but lets his hands continue the work.

There's no reason to be a churlish lover, after all. If he stays here, he can simply not invite the Senju back to his bed.

Tobirama snags a cup of tea, poking his head around the corner of the kitchen. He doesn't move for the food, at least not until Madara gives him a pointed look. He doesn't cook often, Tobirama ought to appreciate it.

The other man certainly has no aversion to the quality of the food - he eats like he's been starved, practically shoveling the food into his mouth. It's good for Madara's ego, after a lifetime of Izuna refusing to let go of the one time he burned boiling water.

He goes to refill the other's plate, when Tobirama mentions, in a tone of nonchalance so perfect it must be deliberate, "I happened to recall, Izuna was supposed to return from his mission yesterday. Perhaps you ought to check the hospital for him."

"The hospital?" Madara shrieks, whipping around to glare at the other man.

"Well, he hasn't returned home yet," Tobirama points out, bringing his plate back to the kitchen. "I must be going, there is work to be done."

Madara eyes him with suspicion as he edges his way out of the house, but Izuna is a more pressing concern.

-

That rat bastard," Izuna seethes, when Madara bursts into his hospital room. "He sold me out! He-"

"You mean Tobirama?" Madara leaves off of tucking Izuna more firmly into his bed to give his brother an incredulous look.

"He's the one who told you I was here." Izuna makes a face, then glares out the window as though planning eternal revenge. Madara approves. "He said he'd keep it quiet for a few days so you wouldn't - ooh, I get it, you were fussing."

"I do not fuss," Madara growls, moving one of Izuna's pillows to better support his back.

Izuna snorts. "I'm not going to dignify that with an answer. What was it? Were you trying to feed him again?"

Madara folds his arms over his chest. "He likes my food!"

"He's a living trash compactor, brother!" Izuna waves an arm wildly, then winces and puts it down. "One time I put Uncle Takeru's special chili sauce on his takeout and he ate the entire thing! No hesitation!"

Madara gapes at him, but pins his arm to the bed so he won't flail anymore.

"He said he noticed it was spicy, but he didn't want to get up and get something else."

Madara shudders. The sensation of blowing out a katon is less spicy than Takeru's chili sauce. "Well," he grumbles, "Clearly someone must teach him about food."

Izuna rolls his eyes, a deplorable habit he's had since he was eleven, and slumps back to the pillows. "You're disgusting. Stop being sappy."

The implication being, then, that he's aware Madara and Tobirama are sleeping together. And that he thinks Madara is attached.

He isn't, of course. He can’t imagine that even in this world, where happiness is supposedly possible, that he would be fool enough to attach himself to a Senju.

“Oi, Madara,” Izuna interrupts him, “Are you ok?”

“I’m fine,” Madara snaps his attention back to his little brother, where it belongs. “You’re the one who got stabbed!”

“You just looked lost for a minute there,” Izuna grumbles, sinking back on his pillows and watching Madara with his too-sharp eyes.

-

(I think it is time I told you my favor.) The whisper sounds, almost deafening in the sudden silence.

Madara crosses his arms. “Very well,” he says, thinking of Izuna in his hospital bed. Deliberately not thinking of Tobirama, exasperated and fond. “Tell me your conditions.”

(Zetsu offers one path to peace,) the voice sounds calm as ever, but there is an edge to it that Madara can’t understand. (I offer another. In order for my peace to become a reality, he must die.)

“That doesn’t make any sense.” Madara squints balefully at empty air. “Zetsu is my will. Are you asking me to kill myself?”

(No, I am asking you to kill Zetsu.)

“As expected from a being that thinks I would be happiest with Senju Tobirama,” Madara growls, “You make no sense. There is no path to peace without the infinite tsukiyomi. I cannot kill Zetsu.”

(Do you truly hate Senju Tobirama?)

Madara blinks, momentarily stunned into silence. That is what the other chooses to question?

“What does it matter if I hate him?” he asks, glancing up at the ceiling of the cave. “Our clans are destined to be at war. Even if you’ve revived Izuna, it’s only a matter of time before one of us kills someone precious to the other. I cannot afford to like him.”

(Your clans are destined for nothing.)

“They are destined for war,” Madara corrects.

(No.)

“Yes.” Madara disagrees, folding his hands over his chest.

(You are extremely frustrating.)

-

Madara is standing in the middle of Konoha’s main street, shinobi and civilians weaving around him. They don’t give him as wide a berth as they used to, but Madara is not a comforting person. If he stays here, that will change.

Without his permission, his feet have begun to move in the direction of the Uchiha district. He lets them carry him to the shrine, to kneel in front of the stone tablet. He doesn’t attempt to read it, just sits, his eyes shut.

It feels like it’s been only seconds before another chakra signature approaches. Madara does not move as Tobirama enters the shrine, as he pads over to kneel by his side. He does not open his eyes, not until Tobirama speaks.

“You’ve been troubled, lately.”

Madara doesn’t move.

“And,” Tobirama says, seemingly unbothered by his silence, “You never ask for help.”

“I ask for help,” Madara says, stung. Thinking of years pleading with Hashirama to see the truth. “You just don’t listen.”

The Senju snakes an arm around his shoulders and presses his forehead briefly into his back. “I’m listening now. What’s wrong?”

Despite himself, Madara doesn’t push him away. Instead, he opens his eyes, and leans a little into the other man’s touch.

“Imagine,” he finds himself saying, eyes fixed on the tablet, “there is a giant wheel, turning. With every rotation it brings greater misfortune. I’m trying to figure out how to remove my clan from its path.”

“Why not stop it?” Tobirama’s voice is reasonable, calm.

“That’s not possible.”

“No?” Tobirama still sounds even, though his fingers are tight around Madara’s shoulder. “You haven’t stuck a stick in the spokes? Tried to break the rim? Even tried to divert it from its path?”

“It’s been tried,” Madara informs him, “It has not resulted in any progress.”

“Then perhaps you ought to kill the person that’s maintaining the wheel.”

“What?” Madara twists in Tobirama’s grip, gaping at the other man’s face.

“It’s simple logic, Uchiha,” Tobirama says, sounding unhealthily smug. “Nothing continues forever, much less when someone is trying to stop it. Wheels halt at the bottom of the hill, wildfires burn themselves out, rivers meet the sea. If your wheel has turned this long, someone must be spinning it.”

“Or we’re not at the bottom of the hill yet,” Madara grumbles, but his mind is turning. What does it mean if the conflict between the Uchiha and the Senju was made and maintained? Who or what could do such a thing for so long?

When he looks at the stone, he sees two long, thick scratches through the words about the Infinite Tsukiyomi.

[harriet-tuttle]

Highlights from Mark Watches Death Note

Episode 1

Ryuk is… well, he could be on a friendly baking show, and I’d still be terrified of him. HE LOOKS LIKE WHAT I THINK ALL CLOWNS LOOK LIKE: ENDLESSLY FRIGHTENING.

Episode 2

I mean, word of advice, Light: stop acting like an arrogant teenager who discovered Ayn Rand or something. FREE ADVICE FOR YOU, DUDE.

Episode 3

Watari stands by the laptop that’s connected to L, which has to be the most boring job imaginable.

Episode 4

He stops viewing these people as humans and instead seems them entirely as pawns. They’re good for nothing more than his goal: to rid the world of all criminals and create a utopia. What utopia that might be is left unsaid, not because the show is trying to hide it from us, but because Light probably hasn’t even decided what it’s going to be.

Seriously, Light is the worst. (That is an odd sentence to type. Makes it sound like I hate electricity or something.)

Episode 5

Initially, I was convinced that he just wanted to misdirect Penber. That was easy to do, and after Penber got off the bus, I figured that was it.

But no.

Nope.

NOT AT ALL.

Episode 6

L ACTUALLY SMILED. (That was my single favorite moment in the whole episode.)

Episode 7

When we’re not focusing on how Light is THE LITERAL WORST PERSON IN THE UNIVERSE, Death Note gives us more of the relationship between L and the police officers who have won his trust.

Episode 8

So how will the future of this anime look? I don’t think you can sustain this kind of back-and-forth for nearly thirty episodes, especially since Death Note is already barreling forward as it is. Will Light slip up and reveal something about himself to L? Is there a third party I haven’t met yet that will mess things up? And what of the very strange subplot involving Ryuk’s withdrawal from apples? Was that there to drop a hint about the shinigami, or was it weird just for the sake of it? (I realize I’m asking for background information on a floating reaper who looks like a clown, so… whatever.)

Episode 9

I honestly thought that L and Light wouldn’t meet until well past the halfway mark because… well, that’s why all the tension existed! Neither of them were ever in the same physical space, and they were exacting a war against each other from a distance.

That’s why L’s actions are so fucking flagrant and brilliant. No one expected this. Not me, not Light, PROBABLY NOT ANY OF YOU.

Episode 10

Even if he has Light investigate himself, it only means that he’ll eventually lead them straight to him anyway. It’ll happen either through his fantastic deductive work, or Light will give away something to the team. But does that mean that L will have to introduce Light to the other officers on the task force? That seems like a bad idea

Episode 11

Somehow, Kira had killed Ukita without knowing his real name. Understandably, EVERYONE FREAKS OUT. THAT INCLUDED ME. How? How had Light been able to do this while standing in his bedroom? He couldn’t have possibly known who would show up to the police station. But let’s say he did. “Assault” takes things a step further when Light’s father drives a bus into the station. Will Light risk killing him if he discovers who drove the bus? Oh, but let’s take this a step further: two random cops who show up to deal with the police bus that sits in the lobby ARE KILLED. There is a 0% chance that Light knew their names, so how? HOW???

Episode 12

There’s so much going on in this episode that I was positive the show would cut away right before Second Kira’s shinigami revealed how to kill him. Why would they reveal something this huge so early into the show? Because Death Note doesn’t give a shit about me, and I was shocked to watch an extended flashback sequence play out.

Episode 13

In the thirteenth episode of Death Note, I will repeat myself endlessly while reviewing this: HOW DOES IT KEEP ESCALATING.

I just have to expect this show to throw me into an abyss every episode. I just have to do this to survive.

Episode 14

At the very least, I don’t think Misa will last much longer because she’s too much of a risk to Light. IT’S GONNA HAPPEN, I’M CALLING IT.

Episode 15

I get that catching Kira is a big deal for all of these people, and I’m happy that they all believe that Kira’s murders are 100% wrong. Does that mean they should be allowed to do something like this to a teenage girl??? No, not at all!!! It’s horrifying! Did they feed her? Anything???

Episode 16

NOW I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHO THIS SHOW IS ABOUT. WHAT THE FUCK.

Episode 17

As for Light? Well, he’s now handcuffed to L. FOR TWENTY-FOUR HOURS A DAY. (Major BOOOOO to that weird-ass line where Misa calls them gross because boys shouldn’t be handcuffed together? Yuck.)

[N.B.: This is the first and only remark by Mark Oshiro, Gayest Reviewer on Planet Earth, that in any way acknowledges subtext between Light and L. Behold the glory of this non-barking dog, my psychotic fandom.]

Episode 18

At this point, does L even suspect anyone else aside from Light and Misa? No, not really, even when he guesses (correctly!) that Kira’s “power” can jump from one person to the next. I don’t think L will ever take his eye off of Light for the remainder of the show.

Episode 19

In the nineteenth episode of Death Note, I really loved this, and MATSUDA IS GREAT.

Episode 20

Yet this is where the main schism happens. L, unsurprisingly, wants to follow the option that allows his theories to be proven. That’s who he is. He’s nearly as averse to being impulsive as Light, so he doesn’t want to move ahead with an arrest UNLESS he can prove every bit of his hypothesis. In this case, that means letting people die, despite knowing that these men are going to use Kira to kill them. There is a tragic irony in the fact that Light finds this plan abhorrent because DUDE, YOU HAVE KILLED MORE PEOPLE THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THIS DAMN SHOW.

Episode 21

However, then she stated that she wanted to do something to get even closer to Light and impress him.

HOW WAS A DATE WITH HIGUCHI GOING TO HELP HER DO THAT? Oh, Mark, YOU DON’T GET IT.  Look, the very nature of Death Note means I’m always going to act like a fool whenever someone tells the truth.

Episode 22

Look, I kept thinking that EVERYTHING was going to go wrong. When Light called the Yotsuba men, I was certain they’d spoil the plan. Then I thought that Higuchi wouldn’t actually go through with murdering Matsuda. And then, as each piece fell into place, the tension got worse because WHAT IF HE ACTUALLY REVEALS HOW HE KILLS? How is Misa going to react to that?

Episode 23

How the hell are there fourteen more episodes??? HOW???

Episode 24

I’m so nervous about this development, though, because it allows Light to be completely free of the investigative team. Oh, sure, he’ll probably stick around so he can monitor everything, keep these people from getting close to him, but now? He’s won, hasn’t he? At least for the time being. However, there are now a bunch of variables and chaotic factors just sitting around. All these detectives and cops and investigators all know the truth of the Death Note. (Well, except that Light lied about one of the rules that governs the notebook. HE IS SO EVIL, Y’ALL.) How are they going to approach this case knowing the truth? I bet that Light will start killing criminals in the next episode, and I don’t know how this will progress from there. Don’t they all know way too much? Can’t they use the knowledge they have of the Death Note to be better detectives? How many red herrings will Light give them to keep them busy?

I am comfortable stating that something like that can’t last forever. Something will have to come crashing down. What could that be???

Episode 25

What the hell is wrong with this show.

Episode 26

Y’all, Death Note doesn’t even fuck around when it comes to CLIP EPISODES.

Episode 27

WELL, THIS IS HOW THERE ARE MORE EPISODES OF THIS SHOW. THE DEATH NOTE IS INTERNATIONAL NOW, AND LIGHT IS GONNA GET FUCKED UP. Episode 28

The elaborate, complicated, and utterly ridiculous means that Mello and his men go to in order to obtain the Death Note is significant because, as I said before, no one had been able to truly best Light. Ever. Ever. L tried, and LOOK WHERE THAT GOT HIM. (I miss him.) But Mello comes out of nowhere, concocts a truly absurd method to get what he wants, and executes it flawlessly. Seriously, let’s go over this. He:

orchestrates the quietest hijacking of an airplane ever, all so that it can land somewhere in the middle of the desert in America and then continue on to its final destination of Los Angeles. (Can you imagine how fucking terrifying that must have been if you were on that plane? IT LANDED IN THE DESERT!!!! Good lord, they’re probably all traumatized now.)

is fully aware that Soichiro will be monitored by satellite, so the entire swap is UNDERGROUND IN A SECRET BUNKER THAT SOME GANG OR MAFIA ONCE USED.

has his man utilize a revolving door that is so deviously brilliant that I can’t even believe a human thought of it.

has that same man making the trade test out the Death Note before accepting it

then has two separate “vehicles” leave the compound at the same time so that those surveilling him don’t know which one has the Death Note on it.

makes one of the vehicles a missile. I cannot even remotely exaggerate here, y’all. A missile. A MISSILE.

I THOUGHT LIGHT WAS RIDICULOUS AND OVERLY-DETAILED ABOUT HIS PLANS, BUT HE HAS CLEARLY MET HIS MATCH.

Episode 29

(Does that mean he gave up half his life AND HE ONLY HAD A FEW HOURS LEFT ANYWAY? Good god.)

Episode 30

In order to subvert what Near is doing, he turns the President against the SPK and has him PUBLICLY DECLARE THAT THE U.S. WILL NOT PURSUE KIRA. He knows that everyone is afraid of him, so the threat against the President’s life is easy. It’s a no-brainer. But when Near gets a little too close to the truth, Light takes matters a step further, unleashing Demegawa’s dogma as a weapon. He stokes the flames of anger and resentment, and he lets this man loose on the airwaves, and A GIANT CROWD OF PEOPLE ARE BREAKING INTO SPK HEADQUARTERS TO OSTENSIBLY MURDER EVERYONE THERE AND HOW IS THIS A MORAL, PEACEFUL WORLD, LIGHT? PLEASE ANSWER THAT.

Episode 31

But how? How does Light slip up so terribly after meticulously constructing this entire existence meant to protect him?

I think the answer to that can be found in the way that Near behaves. It’s so much clearer now that Near is NOTHING like L, and his brash, aggressive manner speaks to that. I believe Light composed his master manipulation with L in mind. There was a code of sorts that L followed. Near, however, doesn’t give a shit. He really doesn’t.

Episode 32

WELL. I said that I wasn’t sure why Mikami had been introduced to us so suddenly and without a real sense for who he is, AND THUS, I GOT THIS EPISODE.

Episode 33

She then requests five pages of the Death Note and tells him to continue killing people with a “fake” notebook. Which makes no sense to me! How can Mikami kill anyone if his notebook is fake? Perhaps I misunderstood this, and Mikami scheduled out deaths in order to cover himself. But what did he do with the real Death Note? Hide it? Give it back to Light? Of course, all of this is useless to talk about if Mikami didn’t actually do as he was told. HOW THE FUCK DID MIKAMI KILL THAT MAN ON THE TRAIN? How?????? I DON’T GET IT.

Episode 34

Credit for that goes to Gevanni, who was given one of the most difficult tasks on the whole team. Surveilling Mikami had been bad enough, but he’s asked to break into the man’s locker at the gym and touch the Death Note. IT’S SO TERRIFYINGLY RISKY, ISN’T IT. Yes, it’ll give him the power to see a shinigami, but Ryuk could be RIGHT THERE. Watching him. READY TO WARN MIKAMI ABOUT HOW CLOSE THE SPK ARE.

Bless that man’s heart. That whole sequence was terrifying.

Episode 35

I’m still struggling to understand why he did it. Why kidnap Takada? If his goal was to catch Kira before Near did, then I suppose he was trying to draw Kira out by kidnapping someone associated with him. As Kira’s spokesperson, Takada was the only person that Mello had access to who could make this goal of his a reality.

Lord, does he underestimate EVERYTHING, though. Kidnapping a high-profile media personality was bad enough. Did he think no one would follow him or figure out a way to locate Takada? However, it’s Takada’s resourcefulness that ends up taking Mello down. I still don’t know how this fits in with Light’s plan for Mikami. Does he have a fake Death Note or not? We do see what Takada does with one of the pages that Mikami gave her, but I’m also a little confused by that, too. As far as I understood it, Light genuinely did not expect her to have that page, nor did he think she would use the Death Note to kill anyone if she was ever captured. Indeed, that’s part of the conversation that they have over the phone near the end of the episode. Light refers to a vague “plan” that he had discussed with Takada about what should happen if she were captured. Which was???? We don’t ever find out because she made her own choice.

Episode 36

The show drags this moment out to an impossible length, and even if it’s seriously unbelievable (WAY MORE THAN THIRTY SECONDS PASSED, COME ON), it’s compelling and nerve-wracking. This is it. There’s no leaving that room unless one side wins. You know, Death Note has been fairly cynical along the way, so if it ends with Light’s victory, I wouldn’t necessarily be surprised. But I want Near to reveal that he knew this would happen because… well, I want to see Light pay for what he’s done. I want to see him fall from his unnatural height because he’s played with human lives as if they are nothing more than pieces of garbage to be discarded as he saw fit.

I want Near to bring justice to this world because Light has no idea what justice is.

Episode 37

I found it incredibly powerful that after thirty-six episodes of this man proudly and defiantly claiming that he was at the head of a moral mission to protect the world from evil, Near called him a murderer. IT IS ABSOLUTELY THE BEST SINGLE EXCHANGE IN THE ENTIRE EPISODE, PERHAPS THE WHOLE SERIES. In just a few sentences, Near obliterated Light’s logic. He called him a serial killer and a murderer and refused to accept a single shred of this man’s terrible logic. I LOVE IT SO MUCH, EVERYONE. I think it’s a perfect lead-in to what comes next: Matsuda’s reaction. After Near so brilliantly dissected what was wrong with Light, I believe that Matsuda broke. And honestly, I don’t think there was a better choice of a character to finally go up against Light and to fatally harm him. Look at his transformation! He went from the goofy, underused investigator to the man who wanted desperately to be seen, to be respected. Then, as L was killed and Kira became an undeniable part of the world, he turned into a fanboy. He began to support the idea of Kira, perhaps not totally, but enough to be entertained by the drama that unfolded around him. He couldn’t take the case seriously because… well, did anyone take it seriously?

So when he found out that he’d been played, that the killer they’d been searching for the whole time was right next to him, he snapped. This story belonged to Matsuda, and it’s about the best closure I could ask for.

This was a fun journey, y’all, and now I know why people had been recommending me this show for so many years. I UNDERSTAND.

[katelynrushe26]

Looking Back on Loki - Part 1

Well, it's been a little over a week since the premiere of The Avengers: Infinity War, and like many fans, I'm still reeling from the film and pondering what to expect in its sequel. I feel like enough time has passed that most people who wanted to see the movie already have, so a spoiler warning might not be needed, but to be safe, here's mine:

SPOILER ALERT!!

THE ESSAY YOU'RE ABOUT TO READ WILL GIVE AWAY THE BEGINNING OF

INFINITY WAR

.

YES. THIS MOVIE IS SUCH A COLOSSALLY EPIC ENDGAME THAT EVEN THE BEGINNING CAN BE RUINED.

--

With that said, I want to talk again about my favorite character, Loki. He's one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe's oldest, most pivotal, and most popular figures, as well as one of its most compelling villains. That's why it came as a huge shock to a lot of viewers, including myself, when the villain Thanos abruptly killed him in the opening scene of Infinity War. It's probably one of the top three saddest deaths in the whole film, which is no small feat, so I'm writing this two-part essay as an in-memorium of sorts. It's a film-by-film look back on Loki's story arc throughout the series that hopefully does justice in showing what a terrific character he was.

We have five movies to discuss, so in the words of the late God of Mischief, "Send the rest."

Thor (2011)

According to screenwriter Zack Stentz, Marvel Studios gave the writers of the first Thor film a very specific instruction: "Give us a villain as good as Magneto." Magneto was the villain of the original X-Men film trilogy, and his goal was to wipe out humanity so that his people, the mutants, could inherit the Earth. This didn't stem just from a feeling of superiority over humans, but also from the horrors he endured as a child in a Nazi concentration camp. Magneto's goal was to protect his new people from those who distrusted them, which he couldn't do during the Holocaust, and the hate that drove him to pursue this goal turned him into the same monster that he was trying to defeat. He was a villain who thought he was the hero, and no one could tell him otherwise.

With this in mind, the writers of Thor gave us Loki. As Thor's jealous, overlooked younger brother, his goal was to lie, scheme, and manipulate in order to keep the God of Thunder from becoming King of Asgard. This type of villain may have seemed like a tired trope at first, but the writers knew how to make him more engaging as the story unfolded.

Hence, we got a scene where Loki discovered that he wasn't Thor's brother at all; he was the abandoned son of the Frost Giant Laufey, Asgard's enemy, and Thor's father Odin took him in as a baby and turned him into an Asgardian to raise him. What's more, when Loki confronted Odin about this, we learned that his adoption wasn't strictly an act of kindness. Odin also wanted to raise Laufey's son on Asgard as a way to eventually bring peace between their races. It just happened to involve lying to Loki about who and what he was for most of his life while always showing him less favor than Thor for reasons he couldn't understand.

If I had to pinpoint the exact moment when the whole Loki fan train started, it would probably be that scene. His tragic backstory was the kind that the protagonist usually had in a superhero film, not the antagonist, and Odin's flimsy explanation for keeping it a secret really made viewers side with Loki in that moment. And that's the core of what won us over. We could side with Loki. Unlike with Magneto, who was always pitted against people with a clear moral high ground, we were made to see Loki's view of everything very early on and could genuinely believe he was in the right.

Thor would make a terrible king. He was a complete loose canon who almost got Asgard into a full-scale war with the Frost Giants, and Loki getting him banished to Earth was probably the safest way to keep things from escalating. Loki didn't even really want to be king in Thor's place. He just didn't want the only home he'd ever known to be placed in the hands of an idiot.

It wasn't until much later in the film, after he'd learned the truth about himself, that we learned Loki's new goal. Along with wanting to protect Asgard, he now wanted to have Thor killed on Earth and impress Odin by wiping out the Frost Giants. He wanted to set up a crisis that would prompt Asgard to end their truce with Laufey, and with Thor gone, he would be the one to defeat their enemy. He would be the hero that everyone in Asgard admired.

If this had been Loki's goal from the start, we might have felt differently about him, but we saw what made him snap and decide to do this. That gave us hope that he could be reasoned with and brought back to his senses before going through with his plan. In the end though, he couldn't be reasoned with, and after Thor saved the day and Loki saw Odin's disappointment in him, he abandoned his home and sent himself hurtling into a black hole in space to his supposed death. Everything he had ever known was a lie and he saw no way to salvage it, so in a moment of weakness, he gave up.

The Avengers (2012)

Released one year after Thor, The Avengers was one of the biggest movies of the 2010's. Not only had it been hyped up for four years with a string of prelude films, but it ended up being every bit the action-packed, crowd-pleasing popcorn blockbuster that it had promised to be. It's made Marvel Studios pretty much the king of the box office to this day, and since Loki came back as the villain in The Avengers, he was bound to leave way more of an impact on viewers this time around.

And of course, he did. I would daresay he even gained a bigger overall fanbase than any of the heroes after this movie. It's easy to see why too; he was working towards a different goal from all the other characters, so he stood out, and since he had an underdog backstory, you still kind of rooted for him. Also, it was entertaining as hell to watch him try and maintain his dignity throughout his increasingly hilarious defeats. Loki had the same insecurities and emotional conflict as before, but instead of being depressed about his shortcomings, he was trying to stay confident and enthusiastic. You kind of had to admire that.

This wasn't to say though that Loki was totally eager to conquer the Earth in The Avengers. One of the human characters, Agent Coulson, even observed that the God of Mischief didn't have enough conviction in what he was doing for him to succeed. I didn't read many fan theories at the time, but my understanding was that Thanos found Loki floating in space after Thor, recruited him, offered him the chance to prove himself by stealing the Tesseract from Earth, and Loki took that offer in exchange for being allowed to rule Earth afterwards. He made this deal somewhat impulsively; he was still angry at Thor, so taking over the planet that his brother had grown to love sounded like the perfect revenge at the time. Loki soon realized that he was in over his head with Thanos, but it was too late to back out of the deal by then. We even got a scene in The Avengers where Loki was told that Thanos would torture him beyond imagination if he failed to complete his mission.

If Loki wanted to survive, he would have to reinvent himself and fully embrace his conquest of Earth—the "glorious purpose" that he was now burdened with. This seemed to work at first, so much that his mission even delighted him at times, but then Thor came to stop him. That was what stirred up Loki's conflicted feelings again and made him start to lose momentum. Thor wasn't just ordering him to give up his mission, he was offering to bring him home and help him pick up the pieces of his old life. It was extremely tempting, but since Loki still yearned for respect and feared punishment from Thanos, he did whatever he could to remove that temptation. That was why he tried to kill Thor in the middle of the film and then stabbed him during the climax when Thor was starting to get through to him. He didn't have the conviction to win those arguments otherwise.

Not that any of it paid off in the end. The Avengers defeated Loki's invasion army, the Hulk wiped the floor with him, and Thor took both his brother and the Tesseract to Asgard to be locked up forever. This was actually where Loki's story arc in the films was supposed to end, but once Marvel saw how much the fans loved him, they knew they had struck gold with this character. They had a villain who was better than Magneto now, at least from a marketing standpoint. They had a charming, mysterious, and sympathetic villain who added genuine dramatic weight to Thor's storyline even at the silliest of times. If they wanted to keep making successful Thor movies, then they had to keep Loki around.

To be continued in Part 2...

--

[akelyokikagu]

Seekers

You could they say they were alike. Most people would. They had dead red eyes that had seen too much and there wasn't much left in their soul besides destroying and killing and it was funny how they were both in police forces like chained beasts. Well, he still had a better luck than her, he was much less of a crazy bitch and had the whole Shinsengumi as a family but that didn't mean he'd accept pity-gifting Imai of his now only female influence. He was a selfish man, always had been and always will be.

At first, he thought they were friends and it never bothered him since China had always sought female friends, which seemed normal to him— there were only men in her entourage. Both Imai and she hated him, though differently but the enemy of your enemy is your friend and his crotch remembered well how they had almost torn him apart. China certainly brightened up upon the creation of the Sadistic Sisterhood Three, though they might bring his demise one day or another he judged the Princess and Imai to make good friends enough for the China girl, even if he never really trusted Imai. He trusted China; however, and that was enough.

Maybe he shouldn't have, should have killed this woman before any harm could be done. Those were his thought when, all of sudden, Kagura jumped in between them as he was about to cut her down. His dominant arm trembled, a lot, she was all open and ready to be slashed but she knew it. It made things worse when the dark-haired girl's blade swung to Kagura's neck, and that the latter didn't budge ever so slightly.

"You're hurting," she said as if it was obvious. "Earth is the planet of freedom, yes?"

It was only then he noticed the blade that looked so threatening, so assured, had been in fact trembling the whole time. That beyond her expressionless face there was something akin to despair, the tears silently rolling off her cheeks. She must have been wondering too, what could this brat understand, why could she read them— trained murderers— like a book?

Just then, Okita noticed a change in Imai. It was as if something had reborn within her, he too had felt like the world lost its meaning when the Shinsengumi disbanded. The Shinsengumi he protected, his Shinsengumi had been destroyed and he thought it really was until she came to him with a sigh and knocked some senses into him.

"Why are you still wearing this uniform then?"

"We are not the kind to meekly bid farewell, yes?"

Okita remembered how relieved he felt when Imai dropped weapons— figuratively before the damned Crow charged on them. Then they needed to leave, and he forgot everything but their last words of parting when they were on that bridge and he swore he'd come back stronger than her. He thought he had failed her when he was crawling after Utsuro pierced him, along with other soldiers, he really thought he was dying and so was Kondo and Hijikata, that the China girl was forever going to be disappointed but he found the force to get up.

He loved the stare she gave him when they all swung their weapons at Utsuro. They were facing each other and her furrowed brows only meant hey what are you doing Chihuahua, I thought cockroaches were hard to kill?

Utsuro died. The Immortal had died, and so was the war they all fought together. He didn't remember what happened afterward because he collapsed and woke up in an equally collapsed room with a lingering trace of a hospital room. His heart stung a bit when she didn't spare some time to go visit him but with a recovering speed like hers she must have gone out if ever gone to the hospital at all and took care of some matters. Like her family, he pondered a long time if she wasn't going to follow her father, maybe her pirate of her brother too. If she didn't come for a parting match with him then he was going to, broken ribs and all.

It came out as a surprise when he saw a redhead walking beside Imai on the streets, weapons out and beating the shit out of criminals, probably. It had it him that Edo was recovering from the war, too, and needed protection in its frail state.

"I can't let a piggy steal my job," he said as if ribs still hurt and he had to muster all of his will to keep a poker-face. But China didn't look impressed.

"I bet you're still all broken, you can't protect anything if you die. And if you die I'd need to carry out the mission to protect Edo and I'll be able to become an alien hunter, yes? Papi wanted to leave right now but thanks to you tax-robbers it's going to be belated."

"Good grief, I won't miss you," he muttered. "I hope you're not violating any laws with her."

Imai stood there, removed the donut from her mouth and glared at him. He knew something was up when he felt possessiveness oozing out of the girl.

"Never knew you swung this way," he joked. "I take back what I said, I hope she's not violating any laws with you, if you know what I mean."

"What are you talking about Sadist?"

"Kagura is my donut," Imai said out of the blue. "Lay your hands off, bastard," she said.

China girl was a brat, snot, a China doll even, but a donut?

What was this supposed to mean? Did Imai want to eat her? Or was she just hungry?

"Why am I a donut?"

"Because I love donuts, and I love Kagura so you're my donut."

World seemed to be upside down, suddenly, as the older female swung her arm around Kagura's neck and her face was gently going downward to China's lips and—

He made her taste his blade, all too literally.

"Oi, oi this is not Gintama Not! yet what do you think you're doing?"

"Eating my favorite donut."

"I love you too Nobu-chan, you're one my bestie with Soyo-chan."

"China you're missing the point!" He growled back.

He knew. From the start.

They were alike, so he wasn't surprised when he noticed she had the same soft spot for this one, red-dressed China, and that was partly why he didn't do anything when she befriended Imai. They were sheathless swords that only knew how to destroy, but Kagura taught them how to protect.

They sought the same solace, the kind that would always a strip of sour seaweed in her mouth, without manners but oddly able to understand them the best. A sheath. Always there, always had been and always will be—

"Don't joke," he grinned and deftly swung his sword again and drew a slit of blood on Imai's cheeks. "I've seen her first. She's my sheath, tabasco or whatever."

He could only laugh inwardly as his China doll tilted her head in incomprehension, contrasting with the fuming Imai who apparently got the dirty joke. Not that he was bragging but she spent a night alone with him (attached to a pillar, he wanted to take a shit), he knew her ovulation cycle (only when eggs literally slid off her clothes, around the crotch area), proposed her (to go to jail) and confessed (indirectly).

So he definitely wasn't going to lose against anyone but China herself.

[aion-rsa]

Clarke Griffin Deserved Better Than The 100’s Final Season

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This THE 100 article contains MAJOR spoilers for the ending of the series.

For The 100 fans, our fight is finally over. The series wrapped up its seven-season run with an hour that saw Lexa return (sort of), Octavia save the day (sort of), and most of humanity choose to completely abandon corporeal existence entirely rather than continue to suffer through life on the ground (again…sort of). Long story short: If you can’t entirely explain what really happened at the end of this show, you’re probably not alone.

As a proper ending, The 100 series finale hedges its bets in multiple directions, counting on years’ worth of viewer affection for these characters to do a heck of a lot of emotional lifting and narrative gap-filling that the writing doesn’t support. Technically, everyone dies, but also (almost) everyone lives. Beloved characters return, but aren’t really themselves, they just sport familiar faces. Our favorites get a happy ending, of a sort, but they are also the last of the human race.

Whew.

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Such a bleak conclusion is par for the course for this show, which loves to remind us that every joy can only be achieved through the application of intense pain. And, to be honest, this finale is probably the best ending we could have expected for most of these characters. It’s peace, of a sort, even if The 100 doesn’t do much in the way of interrogating or explaining why the characters who chose to reject apparent eternal peace in a hive mind consciousness in favor of one last lifetime on Earth.

But it’s also a final condemnation of Clarke Griffin, which feels deeply wrong – and quite frankly, cruel – after her journey thus far. Her character honestly deserves better than this, and so do the fans that love her. Clarke’s seven-season arc doesn’t really conclude so much as just stop, and her pseudo-happy ending only comes about because the other characters recognize the breadth of her sacrifice rather than the show itself. Clarke herself is, once again, denied anything like real interiority in the show’s final hour, and other than a line about not wanting to be alone we have precious little insight into her final decisions or feelings about anything.

Read more

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Season 7, as a whole, has struggled to figure out what to do with Clarke in this final run of episodes, frequently forcing her character to the sidelines of the narrative and generally ignoring her perspective. We still don’t really have a clear idea of the fallout from all her various traumas in Season 6 – Sanctum, Josephine, the Primes, Abby’s death – let alone how everything that’s happened this season (Bellamy, Madi, dooming all of humanity to die) has impacted her. (Will I be bitter forever that we got roughly four minutes of screen time dedicated to her decision to kill Bellamy? Yes. Yes, I will.)

Instead, it feels as though The 100 simply gives up on her character entirely and, let me be clear: I hate it.

On paper, the idea of Clarke as a Biblical-type figure, a Moses who fights to get her people to the promised land but who is barred from entering it herself makes a certain amount of sense. But in actuality, it feels as though Clarke is being punished in ways that others in the same universe are not, and her final judgment is just one more heaping dose of suffering dumped on a woman who’s already seen more than her fair share.

Every other major character on The 100 has done terrible things. As much as we all love Octavia, you don’t earn a nickname like Blodreina without going full dark, no stars a lot. Echo, Raven, and Murphy are all guilty of what the religious among us might call fairly mortal sins.  And poor, dead Bellamy stood beside Clarke, offering moral support and tacit approval during some of her darkest moments, which makes him complicit. No one who came to the ground back in Season 1 is innocent, is what I’m saying, and everyone has done things they wish they could take back.

There’s certainly an argument to be made that Clarke’s lack of repentance – she’d absolutely commit genocide again, if she had to – is what dooms her. But other than the Lexa-faced god-judge commenting on the fact that Clarke shot a man in the middle of a moral test she never signed up for in the first place, it is not really one that The 100 makes on its own or that holds up to much scrutiny.

Though Clarke ultimately ends the series on Earth, surrounded by the found family she’s formed over the course of the show, it’s an ending that rings hollow. They’re literally the last of humanity, and when they die, the human race will vanish with them. She’ll never see the daughter she loved so much again, and it turns out she killed her best friend in cold blood for nothing. (And he turned out to be right, after all.)

Though showrunner Jason Rothenberg has insisted in post-finale interviews that Clarke isn’t a hero, it’s hard to square that analysis with the character we’ve spent the last seven years watching. We’ve watched Clarke grow up on this show, becoming a leader, a fighter, and a mother by turns. She’s done terrible things – by accident, vaguely on purpose, and by deliberate choice. She’s made mistakes. But she also never stopped fighting for the things she cared about, and she’s the reason humanity even made it to their judgment day, multiple times over.

Part of the reason that The 100 finale feels so off for me is that the episode suddenly becomes about judging Clarke for all that she’s done wrong, without ever bothering to celebrate the things she did right – or even extend the character any grace for the countless impossible choices she’s had to make over the series’ run. Is Clarke Griffin perfect? Of course not. But she does deserve to be applauded for her strength and resilience, as well as her constant willingness to sacrifice herself – whether that means her physical body, her moral compass, or her inner well-being – in the name of others.

We’ve watched her keep fighting no matter what dire situation she found herself in, and struggle to build meaning out of the ashes of destructions both large and small. In the series’ final season, viewers might well have thought that she’d earned some modicum of peace. Instead, there’s simply more suffering, as Clarke is forced to shoot her best friend, watch her daughter be tortured until she can no longer move or speak, and scrabble to hold together the last vestiges of her people on an alien series of planets.

As The 100 approached its end, many viewers were likely hoping that Clarke would get the chance to experience a real reckoning of sorts in its final hours, one that might allow her to fully internalize the things she’s done, realize their cost, and choose the path of healing. Instead, The 100’s primary heroine is judged and found wanting, and punished accordingly. This isn’t how any of us saw her story ending – and even if the final destination was an ultimately acceptable one, it’s difficult not to be disappointed in how we got there.

The post Clarke Griffin Deserved Better Than The 100’s Final Season appeared first on Den of Geek.

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