#we have remixed siblings

[doublel27]

The balance of Home and Pang being utterly ridiculous while Peach and Kan are entirely unimpressed is my jam.

Pang joyfully unboxing her online shopping purchases and throwing the wrapping while Home bops his head excitedly because he also loves a purchase.

Home yelling at the portrait in the house and Pang egging him on until he sees the ghost and then demands s everyone stay over Kan and Peach’s objections.

[oncillabrigade]

Consider:

The Bats all have personalized ring tones for one another, but everyone has both a civilian and a Bat ring tone. The civilian ones are chaos, with everyone choosing whatever they want for their various family members and friends. BUT! Everyone has a single Bat tone that all other team members use for them.

The catch? Bruce forbid them from choosing their own Bat ring tones because he proposed this plan back in Dick's Robin days and he IMMEDIATELY picked "Toxic." The choice was not well received.

Bruce: Dick, I will not be alerted to the fact that you're in danger by some Britney Spears song.

Dick: First of all, it is not some Britney song, it is the Britney song. That song finally won her a Grammy.

Bruce: *sighs*

Dick: Second of all, it won't tell you when I'm in danger... it'll tell you when Robin is.

Bruce:

Bruce: I'm taking the Walkman out of the Robin kit.

Dick: *offended gasp*

(Yes, Dick is old enough for a Walkman. No, you will not change my mind. Yes, the Tim-and-on siblings all find that hilarious. Yes, Jason has to be VERY careful not to mention that he borrowed that Walkman for years because he was uncomfortable taking expensive electronics out and about with him.)

Anyway!

Dick then proposes a slew of other songs for the whole team to use, all of which are pop culture references, e.g. the Scrubs theme because they're not Superman and also they're a dysfunctional family of coworkers; the theme from the Godfather because "let's be honest, B, we are basically our own mafia"; "Where is My Mind" by the Pixies because lol identity shenanigans, etc. The list is endless. Bruce spends weeks groaning every time his son texts him.

Eventually, they compromise on the version of "The Entertainer" from The Sting because they're hiding in plain sight to enact a mission defending good people in a hard world. Bruce, Dick, and Alfred are all so pleased with this that they each take a different section of the song as their ring tone.

Then Barbara becomes Batgirl, so she gets a section... and then Jason becomes Robin and gets one, too... and then Tim, then Steph, and then Cass is taken in, and... uh oh. That's a lot of people for one song.

But it's family tradition! They can't stop now. That would be so unfair to the new kids, B!

So they start using alternate arrangements of the song. Bruce has mellowed slightly on the "no choosing your own" thing. As long as it's a version of "The Entertainer" (within reason) he'll allow it.

Tim retroactively changes his ring tone to a weird groove-ska arrangement Bart randomly sent him on YouTube because have you met Tim Drake? Of course he went for hilarious obscurity. (Bruce grits his teeth and approves it after lots of prompting from Dick and Alfred). Steph makes it her mission to find a weirder one (Bruce agrees because he's too tired to deal with accusations of favoritism).

Cass creates her own arrangement on theremin because apparently she knows how to play the theremin. No one is sure why. Upon inquiry, she just says, "spooky noises are fun," but does not elaborate further even when she's asked to do so. A Batgirl's gotta have her secrets—Babs taught her that.

When Jason starts working with his family again, he pays an aspiring music producer within Red Hood's ranks to create a minor key remix of the original Robin II ring tone. His siblings (minus Cass) are VERY jealous he has his own personalized arrangement. Dick, Tim, and Steph end up paying this goon who owns Garage Band to do ones for them, too. Duke does the same when he joins the team.

Meanwhile, in a fit of little brotherly pique, Damian steals Tim's original ring tone. He hopes to rub salt in the Robin replacement wounds. He fails! Tim finds it beyond funny that Damian's ring tone is groove-ska. So Damian quietly pays the amateur producer to make him one that's cooler than Tim's. He pays a ludicrous amount, though, because Steph paid for one cooler than Jason's and Tim paid for one cooler than Steph's.

(Dick wanted one cooler than Jason's too, but he had $63.02 in his bank account at the time and Bruce flat out refused to use the Batbudget on "a super cool ring tone that's better than Jay's." Eventually, Dick just paid himself for an averagely cool one. In installments.)

At this point, the Bats have single-handedly given this fledgling producer enough money to quit being a goon and start an indie music studio. His first customers are mostly superheroes from out of town who like what the Bats have going on and want their own team ring tones. Harley and Ivy get in on that action, too.

Then, as word spreads, every local crook/henchperson with a side band (there are many) flocks to the studio to have their stuff produced by one of their own. Gotham rogues suddenly have an unemployment problem, while the city finds itself with a flourishing indie music scene that puts Metropolis' to shame. The entire state of New Jersey is celebrating the dual victory.

Dick has never been so glad someone doesn't like Britney Spears' magnum opus.

[jungkoode]

死 KKANGPAE | #11 死

† embers in the night †

"Camping trips are not your favorite thing in the world, but if Moon made it a thing, then you might as well swallow it up. Just like you swallow up Jeon's glances across the fire during the truth or dare game, or the way the flame of his cigarette glows amber in the distance and you somehow manage to know it's him.

next | index

⚔ chapter details ⚔

word count: 6.5k

rating: mature

content: camping trip stuff, grab the flag game, jessi and V bantering, jessi being a queen, friendship, truth or dare, sexual tension, hidden cig encounters, lowkey innuedo

☠ author's note ☠

You bitches. You unhinged little chaos goblins. DID YOU miss you trees, tension, and team-building trauma? Well, here's more of that.

Who would've thought? Not Moon. He just wanted to force the criminal girlies into the woods like it was a corporate retreat gone feral.

This chapter was so much fun to write. Like. The sheer range. One second we’re all sunburnt and pissed, and the next we’re watching Jessi roundhouse-kick a flagpole while V monologues like he’s in Phantom of the Opera (Violent Remix).

I really loved exploring the absolute clownery of this “team bonding” mission while sneaking in all these little character moments. Jessi and V’s rivalry? I LOVE THEM. SIBLING VIBES BUT MAKE IT DEADLY. ALSOOOO JM’s cardigan diplomacy? Flawless. Takama being a soft deadly kiwi?? I weep.

And then there’s Jeon.

Brooding. Smoking. Being allergic to feelings like it’s his job. (Which, to be fair, it kind of is.)

That last scene?? Baby girl. Baby DARLING. If you didn’t feel that in your knees, go reread.

Also. Also. Can we take a moment to appreciate the absolute tomfoolery of “Never Have I Ever” in a group full of criminals?? Like—everyone’s drinking. Everyone’s unwell. AD’s collecting blackmail. JM’s watching V with that “I’m not touching you but I’m thinking about it” gaze.

And Y/N?? Dropping that bomb about attraction like the menace she is. Girlie took a sip of that chaos juice and said “bet.” Queen behavior.

Anyway. All I’m saying is... get ready for next chapter. Hihihi.

⚔ socials ⚔

read on ao3

read on wattpad

tumblr/twitter: @jungkoode

⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾ ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☁︎

The sun is being a real bitch today.

You wipe the sweat off your forehead for what feels like the millionth time, cursing whoever decided winter should feel like summer.

Moon, that conniving bastard.

His brilliant idea of "team bonding" in the mountains somehow got RM's stamp of approval, and now here you are, hiking up this godforsaken trail with the rest of Kkangpae's finest.

The gravel crunches under your boots as you trudge along. Something about seeing each other's "true colors" and "building trust," Moon had said. You snort. Leave it to him to turn a camping trip into some deep psychological experiment.

Up ahead, Jeon's leading the pack like the brooding commander he is. You watch him navigate the path with that focused intensity of his, all broad shoulders and purposeful strides. Everyone else keeps their distance—smart of them, really. His storm-cloud aura is doing that thing again, the one that makes the air feel electric and h̶o̶t̶ dangerous.

V bounces around near him like some deranged mountain sprite, which would be funny if it wasn't so unnerving. One second he's scaling rocks like some kind of professional climber, the next he's pelting people with pine cones, cackling like a kid on a sugar rush.

The contrast between him and Jeon is almost comical—darkness and chaos, wrapped up in two very different packages.

"Watch your step here," Flower calls out from behind you, her voice steady and sure.

You glance back to see her expertly maneuvering around a particularly treacherous patch of loose rocks. She makes everything look effortless, even hiking in this heat.

God, teach you her ways.

Jessi's voice cuts through suddenly: "Keep up the pace, we're not here for sightseeing!"

You can't help but grin as you watch her march ahead, red ponytail swinging like a battle flag. Even in hiking gear, she manages to look fierce as hell. Her division members trail behind her like ducklings, trying (and failing) to match her energy.

Something about seeing everyone out here, away from the castle's shadows and politics, feels weirdly raw. Real. You're all still the same dangerous people, just... dustier. Sweatier.

Maybe that was Moon's point all along.

Sneaky bastard.

The late afternoon sun bathes everything in gold, and you can't help but snort at the sight before you. It's absurdly funny seeing Kkangpae's finest trudging through nature like some twisted corporate retreat.

AD looks particularly out of place, blonde hair catching the light like a beacon as he leads his team of tech nerds through the wilderness. They're all following him like lost puppies, probably experiencing their first dose of vitamin D in months. You notice how his casual slouch doesn't quite mask the way his eyes keep scanning the treeline. Old habits die hard, huh?

"For fuck's sake, watch where you're stepping!" J-Hope's voice cuts through the air, his usual crankiness making a brief appearance as one of his medics nearly trips over a root.

Still, there's something different about him out here.

Less Dr. Jekyll, more... well, still Dr. Jekyll, but maybe after a cup of chamomile tea.

His team's got enough medical supplies to handle a small apocalypse, which is probably smart given this crowd.

And then there's JM, floating through it all like some ethereal woodland creature in his oversized cardigan. His financial team looks hilariously out of their element, but they're managing to keep up, probably because JM's presence is as calming as ever.

Though you'd bet good money those designer shoes aren't going to survive this trip.

The path finally opens up to a view that actually makes you pause.

Damn.

The valley stretches out below, all misty blues and greens, and for a moment, you forget you're part of a criminal organization of sorts. Everyone else seems to feel it too—this weird, peaceful vibe that has no business existing among a bunch of gang members.

"Alright, let's set up camp here." Moon's voice breaks the spell, all business as usual. But even his sunglasses can't hide the fact that he's actually enjoying this ridiculous situation.

You watch as everyone scrambles to follow his orders, divisions mixing like some bizarre summer camp activity—and it's kinda funny, seeing assassins and hackers arguing over how to pitch a tent.

Moon clears his voice like a professor about to announce a pop quiz. "Alright, everyone!"

You fight back an eye roll. Of course. The camping trip is not but some structured learning experience.

"Before we set up for the night, we have an activity." There's something almost gleeful in his tone that makes you nervous. "It's a team-building exercise, but with a Kkangpae twist."

Oh great. You watch as everyone exchanges looks, probably sharing your thought that nothing good ever comes from the words "team-building" and "twist" in the same sentence.

"We're going to split into mixed teams," Moon explains, pushing his round glasses up his nose. "Your task is to find and retrieve a flag hidden somewhere in this area. First team back wins."

You catch Jeon's subtle shift in posture—that slight straightening of his shoulders that means his competitive side just woke up. Meanwhile, V's grinning like someone told him there's cookies, which is honestly terrifying given his track record with "games."

"You'll need to use your skills cooperatively," Moon adds, like he's reading from some corporate manual. "This exercise is about strategy, teamwork, and understanding each other's strengths."

"Sounds like fun," Jessi cuts in, hands on her hips. "But what's the catch, Moon?"

Moon's lips curl into what might actually be a grin—holy shit, someone document this rare occurrence—before he drops the bomb: "You must stick together at all times, no one can be left behind. And remember, the forest can be deceptive. Stay alert." He pauses for dramatic effect. "Whoever wins gets to choose sleeping tent and partner."

Well, fuck.

The clearing erupts into motion as people start grouping up, and suddenly you're caught in the middle of what feels like the world's most dangerous game of musical chairs.

Your team's a weird mix, but maybe that's the point.

There's Jessi, JM, and Takama—the powerhouse trio you actually know—plus a handful of faces you usually just pass in the castle hallways.

There's Hyun from Medical, who looks like he'd rather be anywhere else but manages to radiate competence anyway. Seojoon from Cyber's got that twitchy energy all AD's people seem to share, like he's searching for a WiFi signal in this godforsaken forest. And then there's Minji from Stealth, who moves like she's made of smoke—seriously, how does she make hiking look graceful?

"Okay, team." Jessi's already taking charge, because of course she is. Her ponytail swings as she surveys your group like a general reviewing troops. "We've got a diverse set of skills here, and we're going to use them to win this."

JM hums in agreement, somehow making his oversized cardigan look appropriate for a hike. "Let's keep communication open and clear."

"The flag's probably hidden somewhere difficult," Takama cuts in. You've seen him around Jeon enough to recognize that tactical mind at work. "We should start in the denser areas."

The others chime in with their two cents—Hyun promising to play medic (thanks, but let's not need that), Seojoon muttering about search grids like this is some kind of programming problem, and Minji suggesting stealth like she's on an actual mission.

You nod along, trying not to roll your eyes at how seriously everyone's taking this glorified scavenger hunt. "Alright, we've got a plan. Let's just... not die in the process?"

Your ragtag team heads into the forest, and wow, Moon really picked the worst terrain possible. The ground's basically trying to trip you with every step, and these bushes are definitely winning the war against your clothes. But between Seojoon's weirdly effective grid system and Minji's silent-assassin routine, you're actually making decent progress.

Maybe this won't be a total disaster after all.

You can't help but grin as you listen to Jessi and JM's back-and-forth.

"You know," Jessi starts, that trademark smirk of hers making an appearance, "I'm not one for all this sneaking around. If it were up to me, I'd charge through these woods, make a beeline for that flag, and dare anyone to try and stop me."

JM chuckles, and you swear you can feel the calming effect it has on everyone. "That's exactly why we're here, Jessi. To learn different approaches. Besides, subtlety can be just as powerful as brute force, don't you think?"

"Maybe there's some strength in silence," Jessi admits, nodding at Minji. "But come on, it's hard to deny the rush of a good brawl."

"I get that," JM says, his eyes scanning the trees like he's trying to find a hidden Excel spreadsheet or something. "But we're a team. This is about more than just strength. It's about using our heads, too."

Jessi lets out a laugh that probably scares off half the wildlife in a five-mile radius. She claps JM on the back, and you wince, half-expecting him to topple over. But nope, he doesn't even flinch.

Guess that cardigan's hiding some muscle.

"That's why you're here, Jimin," Jessi grins. "You keep us grounded and thinking. But if we do come across another team, I'm not holding back!"

"You wouldn't be Jessi if you did," JM responds with a smile that's way too sweet for a guy who probably knows twenty-five ways to launder money through a lemonade stand. "Just make sure to keep that energy until we find the flag. We'll need it."

You watch as they fall into step together, and it's kind of... nice? In a weird, 'we're-all-criminals-but-hey-found-family' kind of way.

"You're the calm to my storm, Chimchim," Jessi says, and oh, this is the first time you're seeing her softer side. "But let's not forget, we've got Chaewon in another team and there's no way I'm letting her beat us."

JM grins, and you swear you can see the gears turning in that big brain of his. "Not a chance. We've got this." His eyes flick to Jessi's feet. "Just watch your step, though. Can't have you charging off and spraining an ankle. We need you in top form, Jessi."

You bite back a snort. Leave it to JM to be all caring while also low-key telling Jessi to chill the fuck out.

As you trudge along behind them, you can't help but wonder what the other teams are up to. E̶s̶p̶e̶c̶i̶a̶l̶l̶y̶ ̶J̶e̶o̶n̶'s.

Not that you care. Nope. Not at all.

Your throat feels like sandpaper, and you realize with growing irritation that your water bottle is probably sitting pretty back at camp, completely useless to you right now. Great going, genius.

You're in the middle of cursing your own stupidity when Takama falls into step beside you. For Jeon's second-in-command, he's surprisingly... not terrifying?

"You look like you could use this," he says, offering his canteen with a smile that actually reaches his eyes. It's weird seeing such a genuine expression on someone from the Assassination Division.

"Thanks, Takama." You accept the water, trying not to look as desperately thirsty as you feel. "I can't believe I left mine back at camp."

The water hits different when you're this thirsty. You try not to chug it like some dehydrated gremlin, but it's a close call.

"It happens to the best of us," he says, and there's something almost kind in his voice. "Just remember to stay hydrated. We've got a long day ahead of us."

You hand back his canteen, feeling weirdly touched by the gesture. "I owe you one."

"No worries. We're all here to look out for each other, right?"

He says it so easily, like it's the most natural thing in the world. Like we're not all part of a criminal organization where trust usually comes with a price tag.

It hits you then—Takama's actually nice. Not in that fake, calculated way some gang members are, but genuinely considerate. The kind of person who notices when someone's struggling and helps without making a big deal out of it.

You watch him scan the forest ahead, radiating both competence and awareness at the same time. You can't help but think it's almost funny how he ended up as Jeon's right hand—they're like night and day. Where Jeon's all storm clouds and sharp edges, Takama's more like... well, a really deadly teddy bear with a shaved head?

A soft kiwi, maybe?

What even is this gang anymore?

Hyun's voice interrupts your inner chatter. "Eyes peeled, everyone. We're approaching a likely area."

You resist the urge to roll your eyes. No shit, Sherlock.

And then the trees loom overhead, casting weird shadows that make every bush look like a potential hiding spot. You're starting to think Moon's got a sadistic streak, making you play hide and seek in this green maze.

Minji glides forward like some forest nymph, graceful and silent. It's almost annoying how effortlessly she moves. You, on the other hand, feel about as stealthy as a drunk elephant.

"We're making good progress," Seojoon mutters, probably to his imaginary friend.

The guy's been muttering to himself this whole time. You're half convinced he's got a spreadsheet running in his head.

The sun's starting to dip, painting everything in that Instagram-worthy golden hour light. It'd be pretty if it didn't also mean you're running out of time, because where the fuck is the goddamn flag?

You all keep moving together until Jessi throws up her hand like she's hailing a taxi in the middle of the woods.

"You hear that?" she whispers, and there's this glint in her eye that screams 'trouble'.

You strain your ears and—oh. Oh shit. That's definitely the sound of people nearby. Your heart does this weird little skip, part 'fuck yeah' and part 'oh fuck'.

"We move quiet, we move fast," Jessi hisses. "Remember, they're not expecting us. We've got the element of surprise. Let's use it."

You all nod like a bunch of bobbleheads and spread out. You try your best to channel your inner Minji, but you're pretty sure you look more like a constipated ninja.

Jessi peeks over some bushes, and bam—there it is.

The flag.

Your golden ticket to a decent night's sleep and maybe, just maybe, a chance to stick it to Jeon.

Your heart's pounding so hard you're surprised it hasn't alerted the other team.

This is it.

You watch as Jessi's eyes narrow, and you know that look. She's not just seeing what's there—she's looking for all the ways this could go wrong.

Then it happens. A rustle in the trees that's definitely not the wind, and before you can process it, you spot him. V, looking like some demented forest creature, perched in a tree like he's auditioning for a horror movie.

The moment Jessi and V lock eyes, the whole atmosphere shifts. Because fuck. You've seen enough of the chiefs' competitive bullshit to know this is about to get wild.

They both move at once, like someone fired a starting gun. V launches himself from the tree with that unnatural grace of his—so that's where Minji's gotten it from huh?—while Jessi... well, Jessi does what Jessi does best: something absolutely batshit crazy.

Instead of going for the flag like a normal person, she fucking roundhouse kicks the pole. The flag goes flying through the air like some patriotic frisbee, and you have to bite back a laugh because of course she'd pull something like this.

The look V and Jessi share is almost funny—like two cats who just realized they're both after the same mouse. Although it seems to be accompanied by this weird respect, probably buried under layers of competitive spite.

They both land, and V's got that smile on his face. You know the one—that 'I'm about to be an absolute shit' smile that you're really starting to associate with him.

"Well, well," he drawls, brushing off his hands like he didn't just parkour through the forest. "I must say, Jessi, you still know how to make a man's heart race."

Jessi straightens up, and you can practically feel the eye roll coming. "Please, V. The day you can outmaneuver me is the day the Council of Nine turns into a knitting circle."

V's chuckle is low and lazy, like he has all the time in the world. His grin stretches wide, equal parts mischief and provocation.

"But isn't that what makes it so fun?" He gestures between himself and Jessi with a flourish. "You, all brute force and chaos. Me, dripping with finesse. A perfect match, don't you think?"

Jessi crosses her arms, utterly unimpressed. Her gaze could cut steel, but V? He's eating it up.

"Finesse? Is that what we're calling your sneaky little stunts now? Sounds like bullshit with extra steps to me."

The air suddenly turns... weird. Like it's cracking with adrenaline and... whatever the hell their dynamic is. Though it's clear neither is willing to flinch, and the rest of you might as well not exist.

"Ah, but—" V bows theatrically, one arm sweeping out like he's on a stage instead of about to throw hands. "Subtlety is an art form. And me? I'm nothing short of a masterpiece. You know, not everyone gets the honor of sparring with the Stealth Chief."

Jessi barks out a laugh so sharp it echoes through the trees, momentarily silencing the usual rustle of leaves.

"Stealth Chief? Is that what you call scurrying around like some feral house cat? Hate to break it to you, sweetheart, but sneaking isn't exactly fighting. It's just running away in slow motion."

Her stance shifts slightly, weight rolling to the balls of her feet. It's the kind of posture that makes you take a cautious step back, because you've heard of Jessi when she's motivated, and it's not pretty—for the idiot on the receiving end.

V doesn't even blink. Instead, his smirk deepens, resilient as ever.

"Coward, hmm? That's what sore losers say when they can't keep up." He tuts softly, shaking his head as if she's the one being unreasonable.

Oh, boy.

You can almost feel Jessi's hackles rise. Her eyes narrow into slits, a dangerous glint stealing across her face.

"The only finesse you're gonna have is figuring out how to pick your teeth out of the dirt, pretty boy."

It's like the temperature drops a few degrees—or maybe it's just the shadow of their looming chaos. Everyone else stays frozen, like one wrong move will get them caught in the crossfire, and honestly? You wouldn't blame them.

V circles her slowly, scornful expression still intact, obviously. But there's an edge to it now, playful but keen, like the blade of a knife.

"Oh, Jess," his voice turns mocking, "I'd consider you competition... if we were in the same league."

And that's it. That's the match to her gasoline fire.

Jessi lunges first—of course she does. She's all instinct, fast and explosive, and it's honestly terrifying how much energy she has left even after the trek through the forest. Her feint is quick, purposeful, a snap to the left designed to bait him.

But V's not a rookie. He doesn't take the bait. Instead, he stays planted, watching her with that maddening patience of his, tracking her every move like she's easy to figure out.

"Come on, V," Jessi taunts, her voice bright. "What's the matter? Scared I'll knock that smirk off your face?"

V leans back slightly, just enough to dodge her next swipe. He looks far too calm, that smirk of his like a permanent fixture.

"Oh, Jessi, Jessi, Jessi." His voice is mockingly soothing, like he's trying to calm a rabid dog. "I'd actually have to notice you to be scared."

You don't know whether to laugh or take cover. Probably both.

V springs into action like some unholy mixture of a cat and a ninja. This is the first time you've seen him fight, and honestly you're not entirely sure he's actually trying.

Maybe it's just the pure glee radiating off him as he dances around Jessi's attacks.

Jessi's not making it easy for him. She's fierce, determined—and girl's got stamina for days. But V? The bastard's treating this like his own personal performance art, ducking and weaving like he does this while eating a bagel for breakfast.

"Come on, Joo," V taunts, narrowly avoiding Jessi's grab. "Getting slow in your old age?"

"I'll show you slow, you little shit!"

Suddenly V feints left and Jessi takes the bait, lunging forward with enough force to probably knock out a bear. But V's already spinning away, cackling as he dives for the flag.

His fingers brush the fabric, and for a second, you think he's got it. But Jessi? She's not Logistics Chief for nothing. She hooks her foot around his ankle—dirty move, you love it—sending him slightly off balance. It's not much, but it's enough.

They both grab the flag at almost the same moment, and suddenly it's a weird game of tug-of-war mixed with what looks like interpretive dance. V's got the advantage of height, but Jessi's got pure stubborn determination on her side.

"Let go, you overgrown weed!" Jessi grunts, yanking hard.

"Ladies first," V purrs, and you see the exact moment Jessi's eye twitches.

She does something then—some crazy mix of a twist and a roll that makes you dizzy just watching—and suddenly V's grip slips. The flag comes free, and Jessi stumbles back, barely keeping her balance but clutching her prize like it's made of gold.

V's jaw falls, and it's like he's about to curse her out.

But then, he simply straightens up, brushing dirt from his clothes with exaggerated care. His hair's a mess and there's a leaf stuck to his shoulder, but he's still grinning.

"Well played, Jessi." The words come out warm, genuine. "You've still got the moves."

Jessi's victory dance consists mainly of waving the flag in V's face. "Not too shabby yourself, pretty boy. But let's not forget who the winner is here."

You watch them, these two ridiculous powerhouses of Kkangpae, playfully shoving each other like actual siblings.

Maybe this is exactly what Moon wanted you to see.

The walk back to camp feels like a victory parade.

If... victory parades involved a bunch of criminals trampling through the woods.

Jessi's leading the charge, waving that flag like she just conquered a small country.

The clearing comes into view, and suddenly you're all celebrities. The other teams are gathered around, some actually cheering, others looking like they just bit into a lemon. You catch a few eye rolls—sore losers much?

"And then—" Jessi's voice booms across as she launches into her dramatic retelling. She demonstrates her kick, nearly taking out a poor sapling in the process. "—the flag was mine!"

"Ours." JM corrects.

You bite back a laugh. Trust Jessi to turn a game of capture the flag into an epic saga.

"That's my girl!" Chaewon hollers from the sidelines, looking like a proud mom at a soccer game. She bounces over to Jessi, and they fall into their usual rhythm of playful jabs and inside jokes.

The attention shifts to JM, who's scanning the crowd intently—but before he can even open his mouth, V materializes next to him like some kind of demented jack-in-the-box.

"Come on, JM," V purrs, draping himself over JM's shoulders. "You know you want to bunk with me. I'll keep the monsters away."

JM sighs, but you catch that little smile he's trying to hide.

"I suppose someone needs to make sure you don't terrorize the entire camp." He shakes his head, fond exasperation written all over his face. "Fine, you win."

Now it's your turn. You glance around the clearing, weighing your options. Your eyes land on Yunjin, and something in your chest settles.

After all this chaos, her gentle presence feels like finding a quiet corner in a noisy room.

"I choose Yunjin," you say, and watch her face light up like a sunrise. "We'll take a two-person tent."

"I'd like that," she replies softly, and you know you made the right choice.

At least someone in this camp won't try to murder you in your sleep.

Hopefully.

The sun finally gives up its assault as evening rolls in.

Everyone's hustling around, pitching tents like they actually know what they're doing (spoiler: most don't), while someone gets a bonfire going. You find yourself plopped down next to Yunjin, watching the flames dance.

The clearing's alive with chatter and laughter—gang members discussing random stuff like normal citizens.

You notice from your periphery that Chaewon and Jessi are cackling about something, probably roasting someone (metaphorically, for once).

Their friendship hits different when you see them like this, all guard down and genuine.

Not far from them, V's got JM trapped in what looks like the world's most animated conversation. He's all dramatic hand gestures and shit-eating grins while JM just sits there, dropping these little zingers that have V practically bouncing.

The fire crackles, bottles clink, and for a moment it's like... you're at some normal camping trip.

If normal meant with your dysfunctional criminal found family thing.

"Alright, folks!" V slaps his thigh like some demented camp counselor, grinning like he just thought of the best worst idea ever. "How about we spice things up a bit? Never Have I Ever—you drink if you've done it."

The response is a mix of "hell yeah" and "oh god no," but you know everyone's going to play anyway. That's just how V's chaos works—it's like a black hole, sucking everyone into its orbit.

AD shifts against his log, looking way too comfortable for someone sitting on literal dirt.

"This should be good," he drawls, and you can practically see the blackmail material forming in his brain.

"Just remember," J-Hope cuts in, trying (and failing) to sound responsible, "I'm not drinking tonight."

You notice how AD's eyes flick to him for just a second, unspoken words being thrown into the space between them.

You don't have enough time to decipher it though, because soon enough everyone is grabbing their drink (or in J-Hope's case, what looks suspiciously like apple juice).

This is either going to be the best team-building exercise ever or the start of World War III.

"Never have I ever..." V drawls, and you just know he's about to say something stupid. "Gotten a tattoo I regretted the next day."

A few drinks go up, and AD mutters something about a phoenix that sounds suspiciously like a drunk decision gone wrong. You catch J-Hope trying not to laugh at that—probably because he's the one who had to deal with the infection afterward.

The game picks up speed, stories getting bolder with each round. Your brain's starting to feel fuzzy around the edges when it's your turn.

"Never have I ever..." You tap your bottle against your chin, grinning. "Bailed someone out of jail before sunrise."

The response is instant—bottles going up everywhere like some weird criminal toast. Jeon takes a particularly long drink, and you can't help but wonder how many times he's had to rescue his disaster squad from lockup.

"Never have I ever," AD announces, shooting J-Hope that shit-eating grin of his, "been caught in a ridiculous, bright yellow suit that could be seen from space.

J-Hope doesn't miss a beat. "Never have I ever walked into a glass door because I was too busy admiring my own reflection."

The clearing erupts with laughter, and AD shoves him like he wants to murder him. You swear these two are one bickering session away from either killing each other or adopting each other.

Then it's your leader's turn, and she confesses to some wild midnight adventure that has Jessi cackling, and then Jessi drops the bomb about her secret karaoke obsession—which weirdly, surprises nobody.

The alcohol's doing its job, making everything feel warm and loose, when V suddenly turns to you. His eyes are glinting with mischief in the firelight, and you know you're about to be targeted.

"Your turn," he purrs, and everyone's eyes swing your way. "Let's hear something juicy."

Oh, it's on.

Maybe it's the alcohol, or maybe it's the fire's dancing in your vision, making faces blur like some abstract painting—but suddenly you've got what might be either the best or worst idea ever.

You lean forward, propping your elbows on your knees, and oh—maybe sitting up so fast wasn't the smartest move. Still, you've committed now.

"Never have I ever," you drawl, feeling particularly bold (or stupid), "found someone in this circle attractive."

The silence that follows is delicious.

Then, the clearing erupts in laughter and the telling clink of bottles.

Your eyes scan the circle, catching all those little tells—the shifted gazes, the not-so-subtle glances. And then—

Oh.

Across the fire, Jeon moves. It's subtle—barely anything at all. But you see it. The way his dark eyes find yours, steady and unwavering, even as he lifts his bottle to his lips.

Slowly.

Deliberately.

Your breath catches, just for a moment, before you collect yourself. The fire crackles as if mocking the heat suddenly pooling in your chest. Goddamn him.

Yunjin's trying (and failing) to be subtle about her giggles, taking the tiniest sip from her bottle. Next to her, Eunchae's practically glowing, her laugh carrying across the fire as she drinks.

Kazuha makes drinking look like some fancy tea ceremony, all grace and poise, while Sakura's grinning like she's got secrets to spare. They share this look that makes you wonder if there's a story there.

And then; there's Takama. His face does this thing where it's completely blank before he drinks, but there's this little smirk playing at the corner of his mouth that says he's in on some joke the rest of you aren't.

V, though? He doesn't even hesitate. "Looks like we've got a crowd full of admirers," he says dramatically, raising his bottle like he's toasting to a room full of fans.

Your eyes catch how they flick toward JM for just a split second, and well—that's interesting.

Laughter ripples through the group again, and the tension eases, though your heart hasn't quite caught up yet.

It's still hammering in your chest, louder than it has any right to be, especially with Jeon sitting there, calm as a fucking statue.

You dare another glance at him, only to find his eyes still on you, half-lidded but watching.

Always watching.

The firelight dances across his face, catching on the silver of his lip ring, the sharp line of his jaw. You can't read him, and that pisses you off more than it probably should.

"Think you're clever, huh?" V says, pulling you back to the moment. His voice is teasing, but there's that signature chaos behind it, something wild and unapologetic. "Careful, sweetheart. Questions like that just set the wolves loose."

You smirk, forcing your gaze away from Jeon. "Good thing I don't mind wolves."

V laughs, throwing his head back dramatically as if you've just made his entire night. Meanwhile, Jeon hasn't moved, hasn't said a word. But you swear you can feel the weight of his presence pressing against you.

Like the goddamn hurricane he is.

You don't miss how JM takes a slow, deliberate sip from his bottle, and that little smirk playing on his lips. His eyes flick briefly toward V before darting away.

Huh.

"Guess we're all a bit fucked up, huh?" Jessi announces with 0 subtlety, taking a long drink and throwing a wink across the fire.

J-Hope leans back against his log, grinning despite his apple juice. "What can we say? We're a good-looking bunch."

Coming from anyone else, it might sound conceited. But J-Hope manages to make it sound like he's sharing some universal truth.

AD just sits there with that infuriating eyebrow raised, looking like he's cataloging every reaction for future reference—and the way his lips curve up at the corners... Yeah, he's probably acquiring blackmail material.

The game keeps going, and you all keep drinking. Everyone redoubles on the alcohol, guards slip a little bit and then the fire's dying down, but the energy around the circle is still very much present.

You blame the booze for the way your skin prickles every time you feel Jeon's gaze slide over to you.

Not that you're keeping track.

The crowd around the fire thins out as the night deepens.

A few stragglers remain—Yunjin and Eunchae huddled together like gossiping schoolgirls, while Kazuha and Sakura stare into the flames like they're trying to divine their futures or something.

You sit there, watching the fire die down, feeling that pleasant buzz from earlier starting to fade.

Then you spot it—a tiny orange glow in the darkness, like a misplaced star.

Cigarette.

And there's only one brooding asshole who'd be lurking in the shadows at this hour.

You get up, picking your way through what feels like a minefield of sleeping bags and empty bottles. You make it through some trees and bushes, and an owl hoots somewhere in the distance, probably judging your life choices.

Then he's there.

Jeon.

Standing there like some noir film character, all broad shoulders and moody silence.

The cigarette between his lips is the only thing giving him away in the darkness.

Dramatic bastard.

"Smoking again?" You try to keep your voice casual, but it comes out softer than intended. Maybe it's the lingering alcohol, or maybe it's just... him.

He doesn't even flinch—of course he doesn't. Mr. Perfect Assassin probably knew you were coming before you did.

He takes a long drag before answering, smoke curling from his lips.

"Yeah." His voice is rough, low. "Had to hide from J-Hope. He'd have my ass for this."

"And here I thought you quit." You lean against his tree, close enough to smell that addictive mix of tobacco and him.

Pine and wood and petrichor.

He finally turns to look at you, and fuck—the way the cigarette's glow catches his features should be illegal.

That smirk doesn't help either.

"Old habits die hard."

"Bad for your health, you know." You're not sure why you're still talking, but something about this moment feels... different. Significant.

His laugh is dark, barely there. "Ain't much about our lives that's good for health, is there?"

Silence falls between you, like tiny droplets of water during a sizzle.

You both know what this is—what it isn't.

You watch him take another drag, mesmerized by the way his lips wrap around the filter. The only sounds are some distant snoring and the occasional hoot of that judgmental owl from earlier.

"You ever think about quitting? For real, I mean?" The question slips out before you can stop it. Blame it on the lingering alcohol, or maybe just the way the moonlight catches on his lip ring.

Jeon rolls the cigarette between his fingers, and you try not to stare at the way they move.

Really try.

"Sometimes," he murmurs.

And god, his voice shouldn't sound like that—all gravely and burnt at the edges from the nicotine dragging down his throat.

"But it's like this—" He gestures vaguely at the darkness around you, at your whole fucked-up world. "It's a part of me. Even if it's not the best part."

Your eyes drift to his face, tracing the sharp line of his jaw, lingering maybe a second too long on his lips as they part to release another cloud of smoke. There's something dangerous about the way he looks right now, something that has you holding yourself back from doing something stupid.

Something really stupid.

Before you can talk yourself out of it, you reach out and snatch the cigarette right from between his lips. His expression shifts from surprise to something else, something you can't quite grasp. His mouth stays slightly parted, just for a moment, before he catches himself.

You bring the cigarette to your own lips, taking a slow drag. The filter's still warm from his mouth. You hold his gaze as you inhale, watching the way his eyes track the movement.

"Look at you," he finally says, voice rough and low, "preaching about bad habits."

You exhale, letting the smoke curl between you like a secret. "Consider it a public service. Just looking out for you."

You can't help the smirk that tugs at your lips.

He leans in—fuck—close enough that you can smell pine and rain and tobacco.

"By taking on the bad habits yourself?" His tone is teasing, but his eyes... his eyes are something else entirely.

Another drag, slower this time.

You're playing with fire and you know it.

"Someone's got to make sure you don't fall off the wagon." Your voice comes out lower than intended, smoke dancing around your words. "Might as well be me."

Your chest burns, and you wonder if it's really just the nicotine. 

Dangerous territory, babe.

You watch as Jeon's eyes track the cigarette between your fingers. He doesn't ask for it back, and somehow that feels more intimate than if he had.

"You're a hell of a contradiction, you know that?" His voice is soft, barely there, but it hits you like a punch to the gut.

You can't help the wry grin that tugs at your lips.

"Aren't we all, in this game?"

The question hovers between you like the smoke curling up from the cigarette still nestled between your lips.

Loaded.

With all the things you're not supposed to say, not supposed to want.

His laugh, when it comes, is low, obscure. Utterly dangerous. It does things to your chest that you refuse to examine too closely.

"We are," he admits, and fuck, the way he's looking at you makes your skin feel too tight. "But some of us are better at playing the part than others."

You pull the cig out of your mouth, roll it between your fingers, watching the smoke curl up toward the stars.

Anything to avoid drowning in those hurricane eyes of his.

"And which one of us isn't playing their part right now?"

You catch the way his jaw tenses, the slight shift as he leans back. It's subtle, but you think you're starting to learn to read these tiny tells of his. The way he holds himself, like he's physically stopping from moving closer.

"We're both walking a thin line here," he murmurs, and there's something in his voice—exhaustion maybe, or resignation. "You know the rules as well as I do."

"I do." The words taste bitter on your tongue. "Doesn't mean I have to like them."

Doesn't mean you have to like the way he makes you want to break them. Squash them. Fuck them.

F̶u̶c̶k̶ h̶i̶m̶.̶

He watches you like he's trying to memorize every detail, and you hate how it makes you feel exposed.

Like you're simply made of glass and he can see right through to the mess underneath.

"We don't get to pick and choose which rules to follow." His voice drops so low you almost miss it. "Not without consequences."

Consequences. It's a horrible word and you suddenly can't help hating it. Fucking stupid consequences.

You take one last drag from the cigarette, letting the burn ground you. It's almost funny how that tiny ember matches the heat that floods your system whenever he looks at you like that.

With a flick of your wrist, you send it spinning into the darkness, watching it burst into sparks before fading to nothing.

"Then I guess we're good at playing by the rules, aren't we?" Your voice stays steady, even if your pulse is doing gymnastics in your throat.

His eyes follow the dead cigarette's arc before landing back on you, and fuck—there's something in that look that makes your chest ache.

"Yeah," he says, and you catch that hint of... something in his voice. Like regret, maybe. Or defeat. "We're the best."

It's almost funny how these stolen moments have become your new normal—these little pockets of time where you both pretend you're not thinking about breaking every single atom of space between both of you.

But rules are rules, and Jeon... well, Jeon follows them like his life depends on it.

And maybe, it does.

Too bad his dedication to the rules doesn't make him any less fucking attractive.

goal: 160 notes. If we don’t hit it, I’m putting you all in Moon’s next trust fall workshop. With V as your partner. Good luck.

next | index

🔪 taglist 🔪

@cannotalwaysbenight @livingformintyoongi @itstoastsworld @redcherrykook @somehowukook @stutixmaru @chloepiccoliniii @kimnamjoonmiddletoe @rpwprpwprpwprw @jimineepaboya @annyeongbitch7 @mar-lo-pap @whothefuckisthishoe @mikrokookiex

© jungkoode 2025

no reposts, translations, or adaptations

[pandoraroid]

(nearly) live reacting to Pack Smash Tournament II: The Remix

i dont get shit about smash so a lot of shit probably went above my head 😃

Warning Spoilers Ahead!!!!

milo is appalled?? shocked?? that asher has a spreadsheet for the whole thing

david shares in his astonishment. bro (asher) is locked in he does not play about the tournament !! (haha get it... doesnt play about the tournament.... i'll see myself out)

david: "that's my laptop"

milo: "and that's my hat from two solstices ago!"

THEYRE SO SIBLINGS LMAAAOO

asher: "uh milo, sam says he's hungry byeeee"

bro pinned it on the vampire. the one of two (well three) guys who dont need to eat. genius.

BABE AND SWEETHEART LAUGHING THEIR ASSES OFF. MORE MATES BONDING SJDGJDVD

milo: "what are you eating sam? (proceeds to list off all the foods)"

sam: "milo im a vampire"

the fact that asher got milo to shift his attention to sam, whether or not he forgot he was a vampire, and milo also probably forgetting that is HAHEFSBDFV

milo: "nobody's going hungry on my watch" THE IMPLICATIONS!!!! somebody shoot me.

vincent: "then i hate to see what quickly going insane looks like" VINCENT BABY LOOK AT ME AND YOU'LL FUCKING KNOW

the reference to the summit 😭 im fucking deeaadddd

david: "i know i've said it before but, if there's anything we can do for the two of you you've got it" MY POOR TENDER HUMAN HEART. that wasnt meant as a jab at... yknow

NOT ANGEL AND DARLIN HOARDING THE BROWNIES (same)

NOT LOVELY JOINING THEM??? (would)

asher: "babe give me the glasses" BLIND ASS FUCKER HHAHAHAHAHHAHA same. haha ass fucker... well 😏😏

vincent: "always a great sign when you're stunned by your own success *giggles*" VINCENT UEHSIBDCV SIJFUHBD that was so cute omg

asher: "how many times are you gonna kick me in the head david?"

david: "how many times are you gonna roll onto my feet?"

milo kissing sweetheart as like a comfort thing :( the way the gun appeared into my hand IM KIDDING

milo: "not the victim blaming"

asher placing milo with the two vamps... that was a targeted attack wasnt it

milo: ur majesty? ash i dont know if he still calls himself a prince anymore!

ash: i had limited material to work with!!

vincent: it's a great name asher dont worry about it

sam: "hey milo look you're in the background" BYEEEEEEEE

the way my foot stepped off the building /POS I SWEAR

THE TRASHTALKING BETWEEN ANGEL BABE AND LOVELY. FUCK I NEED TO HEAR IT

milo: "LISTEN GRAMPIRE-" CACKLING WHAHHAHA

judging by asher's reaction im guessing babe told him to shut the fuck up THEY ARE LOCKED INNNNN BROOOO

NOT ANGEL HITTING(??) ASH WHAHAHAHAHAHA

sam: "holy shit darlin i actually won" LEMME KISS YOU MWA MWA MWA MWA YOU BEAUTIFUL MAN

asher: "ONLY SLIGHTLY FLAWED COWBOY HIMSELF - SAMUEL COLLINS!!!" SLIGHTLY?????

vincent: "i dont think he's gonna survive the night"

david: "Sam?"

everyone watching david and sam fight ARE LOCKEDD THE FUCK INN or at least i imagine angel and darlin doing the shit talk for their manz

vincent: "Asher"

SAM WINNING AGAINST DAVID HOLY FUCKK

sam: " i cant believe i just fucking did that" i can HEAR the disbelief and the smile in his voice DHEFSAVNJ

milo to vincent: "you got so much recovery and i got none"

asher: "dont get hit them you wont need it"

milo: "oh stellar advice lemme write thaat down" HAHDWEHBSCXA

milo: "next time give me one of my mains"

vincent: "who's that? pichu?"

had to look up what the fuck a pichu is but LMAAAOO

vincent: "you got this lovely *kisses* beat his ass" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA IM IN LOVE WITH YOU

vincent: "it's the home court advantage it has to be*giggles* *kisses*" AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA

sam: "i get to see it twice"

milo: "i wanna be mad but he's so earnestly happy"

oh samuel collins i love you

babe and asher facing off ToT

asher: "honestly i have no idea how im still in this"

milo: "neither do we"

babe DECIMATING asher. put the relationship on pause for sec It's On Site.

SAM WON YAYAYAYSYAYAYYAY

vincent: "am i rooting for you sam? what does the equal opportunist say?"

IMMEDIATELY GOING IN FOR THAT KISS WITH DARLIN THAT'S FUCKING GOLDDDD

that was indeed fact gold

milo: everything?

vincent: for what it's worth milo, when you all leave for the solstice, he has to hear everything.

david: everything.

vincent: everything.

HAHAHAHAHHAHA

i still dont understand a thing about smash i love to see vincent and lovely get included and sam winning. it's a good day to be a vamp lover.

[crepesuzette2023]

Before I forget: Paul live in Paris, Dec 4, 2024

At some point, there was real life and having to take care of 1001 things in order to come here, but I can't remember. The Stadium is enormous, the view clear, the sound sublime. As the venue fills, a DJ creates a set of deep cuts and remixes from Paul, Beatles, & Wings that paints a broad but incomplete mural of the man's music. On the screens, an endless building scrolls past: a castle or a tower, inhabited by all these friends and lovers—only to culminate in the birthing of two Höfner basses from—flowerbuds? Star nurseries? I don't remember. Anyway, it's appropriately lusty Gemini symbolism. Earlier, my seat neighbor @i-am-the-oyster spots an angry skull in the QR code innocently leading to Sir Paul's website. Also with us are @packyourromanticmind, @s-l-martin a little further away, @crumblingcookies down on the floor, and next to me Mr. Suzette.

Can't Buy Me Love. We're underway. It's over almost before it begins. More more more. • Junior's Farm. My God, that figure down there is really him. These delicate wrists, bright white shirt, but also — these hands on the strings? Above all, a musician. • Letting Go. Red Lights, throbbing beat, sleazy bassline thrumming. I bet this is a personal favorite of his. • Drive My Car. The thrill of singing Beep Beep M Beep Beep Yeah in sync with thousands. • Got to Get You Into My Life. Damn, his voice his soaring. • Come On to Me. What? My fiction brain supplies so many "everyone comes on Paul, and Paul returns the favor"-scenarios. • Let Me Roll It. The first taste of actual ecstasy. Paul switches to guitar. Too far below me, a sea of people is swaying and singing. He gave me loving in the palm of my hand.

Getting Better. How dare he jump from the churning vortex of Let Me Roll It into the happy, skipping optimism of...this? Of course it works, and he sings it well. • My loudest scream of the night goes to Brother Michael in Let 'Em In. This one feels like a sibling of Getting Better—that relentless, easy rhythm, stripped of Lennon's edge. • My Valentine. Elle est ici. This one's for you, Nance. Dark, old, honest love song in black and red, with the voice just this side of breaking on this love of mine. • Still behind the piano, Sir Paul feels the need to bounce on it, and does so with Nineteen Hundred and Eighty Five, no holds barred. • Since we're going insane, why fight it? Maybe I'm Amazed, absolutely a highlight so far—the piano, the shredding guitar. The screams and falsettos.

And then he's suddenly standing in front of the stage singing I've Just Seen A Face. Infuriating. • In Spite of All the Danger. This holds up, lifting the entire stadium with its gentle melody—until it's time to lose it when Paul plays George's guitar solo. McCartney—Harrison. • Love Me Do. George Martin name drop! No more audition nerves; this is a now a singalong tune. Excellent harmonica playing by Wix Wickens. • Michelle. In Paris! Makes me think of Ivan Vaughan's wife, who helped with the French. So much history in this room, in this work. The I Love You's are for everyone present. • Dance Tonight. That's right, get up and shake it! Palate cleanser.

Blackbird. I know: a forever song. The simplicity of him with a guitar. His hands. This is still that body. • Here Today. His voice is more firm singing this than it was in the past, not as close to tears—but if anything, it makes the line I Love You even better: strong, sure. Let's hear it for John. (Applause.) (Demanding gaze.) (More, louder applause.) That's right. • Now And Then. I miss John's voice. The vibes of this song are: It was beautiful, now it's over. Oof. Thank you, John, for giving us the beautiful song.

Enough of this. Sir Paul escapes behind the colorful piano. Lady Madonna time! • And right into Jet. Why not? A bit jarring, but hey. Triumphant fucking song, and just what we need now. • Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite! At this point you're just fucking with us, Paul, and we let you. Disturbing to discover the lyrics to this song reside in the same brain that seems to be incapable of remembering actually crucial information with real life consequences. • Something. And like that, the heart is pierced again. It's just Paul and the ukulele at first, and thousands of voices singing for George. The man was loved. And the song is genius.

Me, before the concert: I could do without Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. Me, during the song: goes nuts. • Band on the Run is a cool song, and it makes you feel good inside. It's time we all admit this. • Ram it home Paul, we want it: Get Back. What a song to play live. Gift of the gods.

Another change of pace as Paul sings Let It Be, surrounded by glowing wish balloons and the stars of the audience phone lights. Incredibly gorgeous and cathartic. My mother's second name was Mary and she died much too young; don't expect me to be normal about this song. • Live and Let Die. Okay then. Time to just surrender to the insanity of it all. I had *heard* of the fire show, seen it on small screens. I am not prepared. Not to mention the musical...orgy. • Hey Jude. This is my chance to come down a bit. What a peaceful melody. And then he screams and hollers during the ad lib section like the One Hand Clapping sprite he is...!

Encore: I've Got A Feeling. Paul and John sound crisp together. John looks so, so beautiful. Also, Paul still has the energy to almost scream in tune at this point. • Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band Reprise. Nooo, don't go! Also, Sgt. MF Pepper's exists because of this man and his bandmates. And it's just one song of the encore. Have to make choices, right. • Time to pull all the stops, and there's so much left. Helter Skelter. No, we will not take it down a notch. • Golden Slumbers. Damn you, Paul. • Carry That Weight. The first signs of the voice possibly being done for the night, but who cares when everyone sings along? • The End. The guitar solos! All this man wants to do is make music, either alone or in a good band. Both are fine with him, really.

When he's done, he's pretending to be humbled by the applause while actually soaking it up, and leaves the stage with a spring in his step, waving coquettishly at the camera that follows him for a bit. Is he kissing the camera? I forget. I think I remember the end. We see it all on the big screens: that lithe, white-haired figure, weaving past others until he's truly gone. Touch Me. Not a chance.

[lukes-curls]

finished rooney’s intermezzo this morning. WOW. i adore the way she wrote it (i said what i said) idc if it’s controversial. the experimental prose, short sentence, lack of punctuation marks appeals to the brainrot part of my brain that reads and consumes in this hungry, relentless way. i have always been a rather insatiable, quick reader but i devoured this novel like i had been starving before. pages consumed with bad table manners— chewing with my mouth open, licking my fingers afterwards.

and oh my god the people in this piece. as the certified little sister (acknowledge your privilege, little girl!) i felt so much reading this. the strange disappointment that goes unsaid. the strange love that goes unsaid. knowing your siblings did the best they could when ur parents inevitably grow tired of being a parent and perhaps marriage breaks down or someone simply checks out (parenting is hard) so your siblings (who probably resent you a bit in theory for being little) in all their three/ten/thirteen (true story) years more on this earth take to protecting you. that felt rather self-insert oops. knowing said effort and love and care does not mean they are unflawed (yes, i’m talking about peter telling ivan he had the pup sorted when he did not in fact have the pup sorted and so it fell into ivan’s lap thank god and he handled it out without any acknowledgment or thanks because peter was ‘handling’ it and so he did (it was SO much more than a dog)). i’m also talking about the weird entitlement they feel over you. your achievements are indirectly theirs, too, because without them you would have never picked up chess or gotten good at something. and the strange guilt they feel for abandoning their little sibling in the house they have a new reprieve from. and i pity those who don’t get to experience the sibling dynamic; those who don’t know what it’s like. there’s so much there.

also can we talk about the women in this book? i love margaret and i love annie and i love sylvia and i love naomi and i adore them all together though i will admit that there were times i grew incredibly frustrated to the point my cheeks got hot because they really need to simply stand up sometimes. like STAND UP! but that’s to be expected. also it did take me a while to get used to them being perceived by men; their limits assumed, their softness assumed, their vulnerability assumed (which is flawlessly executed by sally, oh my goodness). i love the unconventionality imposed by naomi and sylvia loving one man. i love how much peter loves women. everytime i felt emotionally about an event in the book (i had to walk away when peter hadn’t exactly told his girlfriends what was going on and he was cheating on them (call a shovel a shovel) until it was like overtly acknowledged and established by them all that it was a poly situation happening but this also rubbed me the wrong way a bit because why does peter need to have his sexual desires met (i’m talking about being bossy with naomi and sweet with sylvia) and his emotional or domestic desires met simultaneously like this man really got the best of both worlds and this made me upset cause he’s literally a man but i think this is my own issues. to circle back to my point— i would have these big feelings about what should be happening and then something would occur and i would see more of what was really going on and it suddenly mattered less that peter was getting the best of both worlds because sylvia and naomi understood perfectly well what was going on. idk i guess what i mean is i felt this initial impulse to feel a certain way which was soon corrected by me experiencing the narrative, peeling back that layer and that’s a lot like life i guess. that is what sally is so good at doing. writing something that is so much like life.

and the way sally structurally screams ‘art is just a pastiche of everything an artist loves’ or whatever they say (let’s sort it out on the remix) by putting the direct excerpts she stole (endearingly) at the end— bits and pieces even the smartest kid couldn’t pick apart with absolute certainty without some sort of external help. the fact these external pieces blend so seamlessly just proves her point. and i want to mention the length. the stream of consciousness. the hypocrisy. emphasis on catholic guilt. there is so much packed into this little novel. it is so much more than a silly little read though even if that is the idea you walk away with then you’re also so right?

anyways these are my initial silly thoughts, there are lots more but this is a long ass post. pls talk to me about it. i can’t wait to check the tag without fearing i am spoiling anything 🍽️

[alien-of-earth]

Wrote down my thoughts while watching DR S3

Ep 1

* I really thought they were gonna bring up the Oni again at the start…. sigh…

* Thunder fang looking kinda weird… like dawg idk if you are a dragon. Wings are sick af tho

* Thunder fang really got beat by the arch-dragon of locking tf in

* Ooh remix and SICK ASS OPENING

* NOOOOO NOT ARINS PICTURE ON THE PIE CART AUGHHHHH

* Girl not Sora already mourning Arin 😭

* Lobbo is dead. Death by pie.

* Awww Jayaaaa, she’s daydreaming

* Siblings are fightinnggggg, I love annoyed Nya

* “Greatest hits of evil warriors” Lloyd what 😭 they’re not artists dropping the next sick ass album

* Cole just say you want to be with Geo

* ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COLE BEING A GHOST IN 2025? HELL YES

* Oh Frak bless you heart, you’ve got a lot of unlearning to do

* Stop Frak is just like Arin 😭

* YEAH THATS WHAT I JUST SAID LLOYD

* YES SORA AND FRAK BONDING AWWW

* They actually have such a funny dynamic lol

* No way Zane wouldn’t teach Sora to bake, this is character assassination

* SORA AND FRAK ROMANCE??? (Boy she’s a whole lesbian)

* Not this fuckass rock insulting Vincent Tong’s voice, I WILL THROW HANDS

* I’m gonna be so fr, I’m sick and tired of this ugly ass puppet

* Wyldfyre’s disguises are something else 😭

* Why do so many ninjago species have an affinity for throwing rocks

* Frak being a conspiracy theorist was not on my bingo list

* Also, so is Cole just gone? WHERE IS HE??? TELL ME HE’LL BE INVOLVED WITH THE PLOT PLEASE

* Giant evil puppet controlled by gay sword. Got it.

* LMAOOOO WYLDFYRE NOT AGREEING TO “LOVING JAY” ahdiajdhakdbsk

* I gotta agree with Kai on this one, Nya. Jay is many things, but the heart of the team? Idk

* Awww ok the rocks are actually cute

* Nya really said “when diplomacy fails, start waterboarding everyone”.

* To be honest I thought Nya might leave Kai behind. Wyldfyre, maybe not, but Kai, maybe.

* Why is Zarkt kinda……..

* Kur is ugly af, pick up a toothbrush already mf

Ep 2

* Noooo Ras is isolating Arin

* Aw Arin’s still such a sweetheart awww

* This is gonna go bad

* New theme goes so hard

* Oh Arin is going to kill that doll

* LMAOOOO ARIN FEEDING RAS LIKE A CHILD

* Ok grandpa let the boy eat

* DO NOT HIT THE CHILD, RAS WHEN I CATCH YOU RAS

* Arin sweetie anger is not sustainable

* CAREFUL IS NOT YOUR MIDDLE NAME ZANE, YOU HAVE ABSOLUTELY ZERO SELF PRESERVATION SKILLS

* Sora being salty is kinda funny

* Wyldfyre sending “selfies” and Kai photobombing is the funniest shit I love them

* Wyldfyre immediately siding with Kai is gold fr

* “Sorry for not being a fish” lmaoooo

* NEW NINJAGO SPECIES DROPPED OOHHHH

* ONI MENTION!!!!!!!!!!!!! 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️

* Oh we are definitely seeing an Oni in this season

* “Old ladies know everything” TRUEEEE, Gladys and Linda always be snooping 🔥

* C Y C L O P S. 🙂‍↕️

* Sora used: Emasculate. It was very effective!

* “Serpent-splain” SORA WHAT 😭

* Ras is such a whiny baby in this 😭

Ep 3

* “I see mental conflict in you” ok furry I see physical conflict in you. Who’s the one needing to be carried around by a teenager, huh?

* Hearing Kai say “speedrunning” was so crazy wtf

* Kai knowing exactly how to lure Jay in? Alright plasma fans are getting fed well this season

* Not Kai implying video games are the at the core of Jay’s being 😭

* Wyldfyre: Video games are boring

* Kai: 😨 (<- Currently considering putting her up for adoption)

* Ras is the definition of a pathetic little meow meow in this season

* LOBBO GOT THE DRIPPPP 🔥

* LOBBO LORE??? LOBBO’S MOM HATED HIM???? 😭😭

* Lobbo that hat is a whole fire hazard

* EW KAI STOP CARESSING THE VIDEO GAME

* Wyldfyre discovering fun video games is so wholesome actually

* MORRO???? *distant crowds of fans screaming*

* Morro helping Arin? Yooooooooooo

* Ok that creature design is super super cool

* Oh no Wyldfyre’s hooked and Kai’s locked in, rip Nya.

* The cut from Nya smiling with Jay and Kai to both Kai and Nya looks defeated…. Ow

* Morro’s growth being shown here is actually very bittersweet

* NO WAY NINJAGO ACTUALLY HAVING SOMETHING COMPLEX WITH SOULS AFTER THEY DIE

* AND MORRO PROTECTING LOST SOULS

* W WRITING

* Morro not moving on…. Hhhhhhhh

* lol I love how Kai knows exactly what Jay’s playing style is

* The wind blowing after Arin calls Morro noble… wow. I was concerned about them shoehorning Morro in for fan service, and while I still think his return wasn’t exactly needed, I think they handled his character really well.

* “I’m not leaving you” Morro probably needed to hear that

* Called it, Wu isn’t dead

* Arin seeing Morro as a hero…. damn…….

* Why did they give Drix such juicy lips

* WHY IS THUNDERFANG KINDAAAAA

Ep 4

* “White, blue and pink is where it’s at” I KNOW WHAT YOU ARE SORA 🏳️‍⚧️

* RAPTON WENT WOKE???!!?!

* ICE CREAM NINJA LMAOOOOO

* ZANE SAID THE LINE! HE SAID THE LIIIIINE!!! (It cannot be!)

* Gay toaster sighting!!!

* Who tf is putting all these Nindroids in metal cocoons

* PIXAL! THE QUEEN HAS RETURNED!

* Money first 💅💵 ok Jay getting that bank

* AHHHHH ZANE MIMICKING THEIR VOICES THAT IS HORRIFYING

* Rapton is a theater kid confirmed lmaoo

* COOL MASK PIXAL (wish it had some color tho)

* Oh PIXAL the girlboss that you are

* GIRL THIS IS SO COMICAL STOP GIVING ZANE NEAR DEATH EXPERIENCES

* Love how the Forbidden Five are just doing a fetch quest on their own time

Ep 5

* Hey Roby how’re you doing buddy

* Awwww Roby’s little dragon messenger is called Hermes awwww

* Geo’s got a gig with Roby!!! Cute!

* Oh they’re definitely gonna kidnap Geo to fix that blade

* Well rip Roby it’s been good knowing ya

* WHAT THE FUCK IS A SHINY NEW MECH DOING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DESERT???

* Honestly Rapton’s commercial was sick af, I might be convinced

* So many subplots and WHERE IS COLE

* Kai being so ready to beat up Roby if he broke Wyldfyre’s heart 😭 big brother behavior fr

* “Take me to Roby town” aw Wyldfyre

* Oop I forgot Sora hasn’t learned spinjutsu

* Yo it’s so cool to see Riyu fight!

* Sora said “glow up” 💀

* ILY PIXAL BEAT HIS ASS

* Zaneus Prime

* HOLY SHIT, AIN’T NO WAY ARINS PARENTS DIED

* Ohhh wait nvm Ras is probs gaslighting him

* Still the visual of Ras talking to Arin from in between his parents’ graves goes crazy

Ep 6

* ZEATRIX PUTTING A HIT ON RAS IS KINDA FUNNY LOLLL

* Awww Arrakore or however you spell his name rebuilding Djinnjago by being the anti-Nadakhan

* DARETTHHHHH

* The Dareth theme is back lolll

* The setting is actually so pretty

* LMAOOOO ARRAKORE W, CLASSIC DJINN TRICK

* Damnnnn Nya was going for Rox’s throat, respect

* LET SORA HAVE KITTENS NYA

* Lollll, Sora and Riyu crushing Lloyd and Nya landing on Kai’s head

Ep 7

* SAMURAI MOMENT SAMURAI MOMENT

* “I got swole for buffness” ZANE RESPECTFULLY. STOP TALKING.

* Is it just me or are PIXAL’s eyes huge

* I actually love how Arin’s staying kind and virtuous despite Ras’s influence

* JAY IS DROPPING BOMBS????

* Ras really loves his child endangerment huh

* WHY IS A BABY THE QUEEN

* WHO LET WYLDFYRE OPERATE A VEHICLE

* AINT NO WAY LORD RAS DECAPITATED THE FIRST SPINJUTSU MASTER, BEYOND SACRILEGIOUS MY GUY

* Arin fighting Riyu’s family… man……

* Wyldfyre angst nooooo

* “For some illnesses, there’s simply no cure” OUCHHHHH

* THE NINJA DO NOT THINK YOU’RE A VILLAIN, ARIN

Ep 8

* Aww baby Sora 🥺

* Reverse snake whisperer is a horrifying concept

* Ras Lloyd custody battle real

* “Of course the ninjas masks are flame resistant, they have to be with Kai around” lmaooo Kai being a walking fire hazard is confirmed

* NOT THE WAY RAS GOT SNATCHED UP LIKE A TINY DOG GETTING GRABBED BY A HAWK 💀

* WHY ARE SOME OF THE PEOPLE IN THE CROSSROADS SO MEAN TO BABY SORA

* NOOOO THE NETHER SKELETONS ARE SENDING CHILDREN TO THE MINES

* Arin and Sora’s friendship is genuinely so sweet

* HOW MANY TIMES IS RAS GOING TO NEED TO BE SAVED

* The lightning bolt knives are pretty cool

* Sora fucking kills Jay

* Stronger together 😢

* The hug……

Ep 9

* Thunderfang will rise? And he’s a dragon? Dragons risi- *gets shot*

* We love communication please work things out guys

* LOLLLL KAI CANONICALLY CRASHED ONE OF JAY AND NYAS DATES LOL

* Ok it’s episode nine WHERE IS COLE

* Stop, Sora holding onto one of Zane’s claw-finger-things is so cute

* YES SORA UNDO THE BRAINWASHING

* Nokt is a petty bitch, lowkey respect it

* Top 10 anime betrayals

Ep 10

* COLE THERE YOU ARE

* PUT A PIN IN YOUR HONEYMOON OR WHATEVER HELP KILL THE GIANT DRAGON

* Aw Frak and Arin getting along :>

* ARIN LET THE CAT DIE HE HASNT DONE SHIT FOR YOU

* YEAHHHH RGB SIBLINGS COMBO LETS GOOOO

* NO THUNDERFANG STOP TRYING TO VORE LLOYD

* Cole and Geo protecting the family, aww

* Wait what is Jay doing here

* “Random mercenary” Nya that is your husband

* Noooo Wyldfyre stop getting hurt

* Kai punching Thunderfang in the eye was so comical

* JAY PUNS ARE BACK!!????

* WAIT WHAT

* LLOYD

* LLOYD WTF

* Wait Arin

* Arin what are you trying to do buddy

* Arin they’re playing the “I’m going to sacrifice myself” music don’t do it

* NOW THE FLASHBACKS

* Welp rip Thunderfang

* And welcome back Lloyd! First fakeout death of the season!!!

* Aw hugssss

* Shut up Ras you salty bitch

* This is all so sweet but there’s like five minutes left yet so I’m scared

* WHAT SORA????

* Ras stfu

* Poor Riyu :c

* Jay you’re fooling no one

* He actually has that fuckass haircut 💀

* He’s still pathetic lmao

* Awww Cole getting Geo some pie, so cute

* “Get away, weirdo” Jay sounds so fruity 😭

* I KNEW ARINS PARENTS WERE ALIVE

* Morro being like a Hermes (guiding souls to the underworld) is actually a really cool character development for him

* “You’re a big one” is crazy lol

* NO WAY HE JUST VORED MORRO

[banamine-bananime]

carolina and epsilon have just the best relationship because it's such a moving remix of blood family and found family - find the people in your blood family worth sticking with, who you never previously had a chance to be close to amidst all the whirlpool of familial dysfunction. drag your way out of that whirlpool and cut out the patterns and relationships that refuse to change. recontextualize what your blood family can be and mean to you, together with someone else who Went Through It.

and then also because they're still pretty dysfunctional. yeah develop a level of codependency where you constantly share thoughts with a sibling who shares your neuroses about being the bestest most usefulest, and needing to control everything because you're obviously solely responsible for protecting everyone and fixing everything. that's what i call a MENTAL HEALTHY DECISION BABY

but most importantly, because carolina busts down the door of a high-security secret military archive like "WAKE UP EPSILON, i've got no time for your coma, we have THINGS TO DO" and church is waking up with the worst nap hangover like "HNNNUGHGGHG??? can i not have one fucking second to finish some fucking life-changing self-reflection here???" "no. get in loser, we're going to kill Dad." And that's how they meet.

[womanofwords]

Air Jail

As the tallest and strongest of the siblings, Hammerfist had to be the most gentle of her siblings in case she broke something (or worse, someone). Everything and everyone was fragile and easily broken, and it would be all her fault if that happened.

However, there were some advantages to her size. She could scoop up humans and carry them with ease. She could even do this with her own siblings, except for Oakleaf. He was almost her size, after all. This made her the perfect administrator of a little something known as air jail.

"Put me down, Hammy!" Mischief complained.

"Come on, I don't want this!" Mayhem whined.

"Nope, you two earned this for trapping Remix in a net. You know he's off-limits!" Hammerfist shook the twins in her giant fists.

"We're sorry! We're sorry! Just put us down!" the twins begged.

"Not yet. I need to make sure that you're really, really sorry about all this." Hammerfist sat down and relaxed. "I think I'll wait for Dr James. He'll negotiate your release."

(PAUSE)

"Hammerfist, what are you doing?" Nikola asked.

"I am the warden of air jail, and these are my inmates," Hammerfist explained, as Mischief and Mayhem struggled.

"Nikola, help! Make that giant jerk put us down!" Mischief yelled. "It's awful up here!"

"Warden, making any exchanges?" Nikola asked.

"You'll have to take it up with the sheriff," Hammerfist said.

"On it," Nikola said, retreating inside. Hestia met him with a smirk.

"Warden of air jail back at it?" she snarked.

"Precisely. The . . . inmates are very upset," Nikola said.

"The inmates should have thought of that before they messed with Remix," Hestia said. "What a bunch of jerks."

"We heard that!" Mischief and Mayhem yelled.

"Good!" Hestia yelled back.

"Hammerfist, why are you holding Mischief and Mayhem?" Dr James asked.

"They're in air jail, and I'm the warden. However, you can negotiate with me concerning their release." Hammerfist sat back and relaxed.

"Hammerfist, why are they in air jail in the first place?"

"They pranked Remix." Hammerfist crossed her arms, her sisters still in her hands. "They are now in air jail."

"If released, the inmates will be on probation for two weeks and be required to perform community service."

"What kind of community service?"

"Janitorial work around the lab."

"Deal." Hammerfist said. Slowly, her hands unfurled and lowered to release the twins.

"Thank you," Mischief sighed. "Nice trick you pulled about probation."

Dr James pulled a broom out of thin air. "Who said anything about a trick? I'm serious."

"Oh, great," Mayhem groaned.

[felixcloud6288]

Dungeon Meshi Chapter 52

It took me a moment to fully understand the title image this chapter. Each party member is sharing a meal with friends and family before they met each other.

In the third image, we can see the dragon doll that was under Chilchuck's desk in the chapter 21 title image on the right. So that's probably Chilchuck's daughter.

Marcille is remixing some hairstyles now that she has those bangs. Most of her hair is tied into a loop at the back with a single short braid from the back and hanging from the side.

You'd think they encountered a cucumber with how skittish Izutsumi is acting.

Speaking of Izutsumi, this is the first chapter we're seeing her in her regular attire.

No one questions what a trolley is so I guess something like it exists in the world.

For some reason, Ambrosia is in that form it takes when Marcille uses black magic.

It would seem Marcille is still Izutsumi's favorite.

Laios's magic circle isn't perfectly drawn and he didn't include any runes. It works; he just needs to practice more to get it to work better.

Laios filled in a few gaps in what we know about his past. We already learned he dropped out of school and left the army. And he's really just trying to figure out what to do with his life.

I'm pretty sure his father was the leader of their village, so Laios probably would have inherited that position if he'd stayed. So abandoning the village meant abandoning a guaranteed purposeful life.

Laios definitely doesn't think long term. What I just find insane is he left the village because he was disgusted over how the people treated Falin, but he left her behind. I think that's just an excuse he came up with. He and Falin were both pariahs, and Laios just wanted to run away from that situation. He doesn't react to abuse directed at him, but he will react to abuse directed at his loved ones.

Still, maybe he was also angry at Falin when he left. She wasn't bothered by how everyone treated her. Maybe it's just natural to her; maybe it's because Laios was around. Either way, maybe Laios just left Falin because somewhere in his mind, protecting her became a burden he was tired of.

When they reunited before becoming adventurers, I imagine the role between the Touden siblings kind of reversed. Laios decided to become a guard for the gold peelers but had no actual plans. He had the skill he got from the army, but he looked penny-less when they first arrived on the island. Falin probably had to be the one to watch over and take care of Laios for a while.

This panel tells so many things about how Laios met everyone.

Marcille was not happy that Falin left the academy to be with Laios. She probably thought he forced her to join him.

Chilchuck was indeed introduced to Laios by the half-foot in chapter 45.

Namari was probably drinking buddies with Laios before officially joining his party.

Looks like Laios just casually approached Shuro and asked him to join. Shuro probably only agreed because he didn't know how to just directly say no and Laios never got the hint. Maizuru was not happy about this.

And then there's some other woman.

This series has always been about the intimacy of sharing meals together. I feel like it's been getting a bit more emphasis since Izutsumi joined, but this chapter is all about that idea.

When she joined, Izutsumi scarfed down her food, didn't hold her utensils right, got impatient waiting for food, and acted aggressively if anyone approached her while eating. She's been with the party for maybe six days, but her more recent behaviour shows she doesn't feel afraid the others are going to mistreat her. She eats slower, doesn't get anxious around meal time, and isn't scared someone will try to take her food from her. She's also trying to be better behaved, probably to fit in with the group more.

And chapter 49 literally involved the party sitting together for a meal so Senshi could overcome an issue from his past.

The chapter image was everyone sharing meals with people they cared about. Laios ate with Falin; Marcille ate with her classmates; Chilchuck ate with his family; even Izutsumi ate with Tade and became closer with her because of it.

But everyone Senshi would want to share a meal with was long dead. He's not eating a meal. He's not even making a meal. He's just staring at all the tools he will use to make one.

When Marcille began crying, she didn't say she wants to see Falin, or spend time with her, or anything like that. She specifically said she wants to eat with her again. Hearing Laios say Falin always ate alone before meeting her struck a cord in Marcille.

There's a lot of things I can think of that combine to make this moment. I think Falin uses sharing food as her way of expressing she likes someone. And Marcille learned last chapter just how short Tallmen lives really are. Marcille heard from Laios how big a deal it is that Falin liked sharing random things with her, and Marcille has probably taken Falin's feelings for granted.

Right now, they're on a desperate quest to try getting Falin back from Thistle and undo the transformation on her. There's no certainty they'll succeed. When Marcille says she wants to share a meal with Falin, she's saying she wants to show that she loves Falin in a way Falin understands. And she probably wants to do this for as long as she has the time to.

Izutsumi is super uncomfortable and annoyed, but she understands Marcille needs this.

Senshi's idea about Falin being like eggs and bacon and them being able to pull Falin and the dragon apart by only eating the dragon parts is kind of insane, but it makes sense in a sort-of way.

I think the biggest concern is figuring out where the human and dragon halves meet. It's like that thing brought up in MMT1 about basilisks where no one really knows the point where the snake stops and the chicken begins.

Sidenote: What if cockatrices and basilisks were originally highly successful chimera experiments that were capable of reproducing?

Laios...got angry. He got angry and yelled back at the others. And they got scared when he did.

They yell at Laios all the time when he says, does, or suggests anything that sounds inane, and he always just takes it and meekly follows. But he's not putting up with them this time. Not for this. Not for Falin.

And going back to the "intimacy of sharing meals" thing from earlier, it would be an appropriate end to this story if everyone Laios has met and befriended on this journey came together to share a meal, and that act became the final step to solving the primary problem the story is focused on.

Also, I look forward to seeing Kabru suffer the consequences of lying to Laios when he said he was interested in monster cuisine.

So the plan is simple.

Free the winged lion

Beat Thistle

Eat Falin's dragon half

?

Success

Laios has the power to inflict psychic damage through time and space as we go back in time to Kabru, Namari, and Shuro feeling a sense of dread and foreboding.

It's doubtful the Western elves would wait a whole week to begin their expedition. At most, it's only been a day since the aboveground events in chapter 45. The ending of this chapter at its earliest is happening at the start of chapter 39, and at the lastest somewhere in chapter 43.

back

[midnight1nk]

So, this week's episode...

[spoilers below cut]

ooooh, a Luigi-centric episode? This will be interesting :)

(the following is my live reaction:)

we gotta have the sponsor, also hi Mario :D

Happy Memes Giving, guys!

Oh god, the Team's already killing me with the found family stuff, STOP IT /j So much going on, I need to go frame by fram:

I love that SMG3's talking to SMG1 and 2 here

Return of the Side Characters (TM)

SMG4, Mario, and Meggy are such a trio, that we need to come up with a name. Well, we already have the Star Trio (Four, Three, and Mario) so hmmmmm,

The Primaries (as in the primary colors and also being main characters) "But Meggy's orange-" Shhhhh, don't look too much into it, also a version of Meggy wore yellow in the Inside Out episode

I saw InkCap going around which is honestly a good one too

The Sillies (??? /hj)

The 3 Musketeers

I got nothing lol ANYWAY, Tari and Saiko are adorable honestly

Listen, I am a Megari shipper but also a multishipper soooo "wow, two cakes :) "

Kaizo's here too, hell yeah

Melony, Bob, Boopkins, and JubJub.... found family, please? 👀

sorry I just love this so much. If the Team's gonna do a Christmas episode, can we have a scene like this? I already wanted to be 3 and 4 just going shopping together to buy the gifts but it would be sweet to see everyone at the Castle opening their presents. We gotta keep going

Turning Red reference! That somehow fits Luigi perfectly

That's actually very sweet of you, Mario

OH that's right, Mario tried to do a Thanksgiving feast last time and that didn't go so well

It turns out that anyone can cook, and Mario has improved his skills. Anything is possible, very inspiring. Be like Mario :)

"Maybe I really am adopted." PFFT sorry that somehow got me

Aww, Luigi, it's okay. Anyone can have bad days, but you always have your bro to lean on.

....oh shit, what a jumpcut.

oh nooooo, I feel so bad for Meggy CAN I GIVE HER A HUG PLEASE?!

also Three, really? Or are you just putting up a front and do actually care? Because you didn't need to come, but you did anyway. (Unless you were, like, forced to.) We all saw what you did in the "Welcome to Puzzle Park" episode, you tried to save Four & Mario. I suspect that Three's like "Mario went along and did something stupid...again." Well, Three, what else did you expect? Besides, Mario did it for his bro

Mario could handle eating poison sooo it's must've been that bad of a food poisoning. at least he's alive

also TARI NEEDS A HUG TOO, THANK YOU SAIKO FOR COMFORTING HER

and ooohh, Karen feels upset about it too. After all, it was thanks to Mario, Karen was able to bond with her kids.

NOOO LUIGI DON'T FEEL BAD, YOU DIDN'T MEAN FOR THAT TO HAPPEN

holy shit, that car was just speeding (very realistic tbh)

oh hey Old Man, you're free!

[*looks at watch*] Eh, screw finals. It's time for my daily heartattack

OH the voiceacting! Hell yeah!!!

woah Luigi, you were so lucky... OMG PFFT I did not expect the truck to just crash into an orphanage

He did it!

oh Mario got out of the coma, hooray!

also very accurate pfp

"HI GUYS!" "Hi Steve!"

...wot?

they really are brothers :)

(mario without his mustache is still cursed)

ay the alarmo reference is back!

HEY don't you start comparing them! he's doing a fantastic job >:(

HOLD UP LUIGI GOT SOME MOVES, GO LUIGI GO

[*sigh*] how did we get here for this direct to be accurate?

Four still having a grudge against nintendo is so funny to me for some reason

BREAKING NEWS?!

can we have powerpoint presentations on the Wii from now on?

"Year of Luigi 2" I honestly wouldn't be surprised if they did that in real life bc Year of Shadow is doing so good right now

wait... don't tell me... WHAT DO YOU MEAN YOU'RE GONNA KILL HIM OFF

AAAWWWWWW DUDE STOPPPPPP

TRUE SIBLING MOMENT

HOLY SHIT THIS ANIMATION HOLD UP

wait a second... OMG, IS THAT A REMIX OF PHOENIX WRIGHT CORNERED THEME IN THE BACKGROUND??!??!?!?!?! WHOEVER PUT THAT IN THERE, THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU

THE BROTHERSHIP MEME, love that

HOW DARE THEY USE MY OWN WEAKNESS AGAINST ME? THAT'S NOT FAIR WTF

LOOK AT ME, NO DON'T LOOK AT ME /ref

can we give a round of applause for this one bc wow this was incredible

anyway, congrats to _SunFlower_sl for your art being featured in the credits 🎉 as it turns out, it's 3&4 as Sonic & Shadow which is honestly perfect (manifesting 3&4 to join Mario in a future Sonic Movie 3 episode, fuck it I'm gonna write it)

actually, this might be a sign hmmmmm

.・-: ✧ :--: ✧ :-・.

BRAVO! BRAVO! This was an amazing episode! I was already in a great mood seeing that we were getting a Luigi episode but the Team really went above and beyond on this one, especially the writing. We got to see some development for Luigi too. I really did love Mario being a supportive and loving brother. As the oldest sibling, this has my stamp of approval! (No, I'm not crying, what are you talking about?) Then, just the little nods here and there with callbacks and references, I really appreciate that.

Now, let's not forget the animation, voice acting, and editing! Great job, Team, as always. You guys manage to surprise me every time. And whoever put the cornered theme, I owe you everything 💙

Overall, 1000/10, highly recommended! I do hope they continue on this streak of well-written episodes. (I wouldn't mind another funny/wholesome episode.) Give yourself a pat on the back, Team, every one of you did amazing!

That's all from me! Now, I have to go and study for uni finals, wish me luck!

[acotarfrustrations]

An ongoing list of ACOWAR grievances I'm keeping track of while I read (because there's too many to make a post about all of them) pt. 2

I'm on chapter 15 now and feeling the urge to complain again so here we go

1) the writing is way too overdramaticized. Like every other paragraph is some remixed version of feyre going "I wondered whether it would be eggs or bacon for breakfast. But when I looked at Rhys I realized that he was giving me my own choice. My mate, my high lord. In our home. With our family. Every thing was always my choice" and its CONSTANT, LIKE OH MY GOD GIRL SHUT UP

2) every thing about Lucien's plotlineand the elain mating thing. I HATE this subplot with a PASSION

3) feyre immediately fucking rhys when she got back instead of going to see her sisters

4) feyre and rhysand acting like they've ben separated for forty centuries instead of a month

5) the contradictions about how the high lord thing works. Like it was established that its a government position given to you through basically fate and being chosen by the cauldron or whatever which is why siblings kill each other for a chance for the throne and yet they just went to a priestess and swore feyre in as high lady?? It makes her title not feel real like it's purely ceremonial. It doesn't even make sense that she would be able to be HL of the night court as she has no more ties to that court than she does any other court. Is it because she's mated to Rhys? I don't understand the HL lord at all, it just keeps changing

6) the fact that Feyre, Rhys, and Cassian tell Lucien about their tragic backstories and everything that's happened to feyre at the NC and he just immediately does a Feyre™️. Like he's suddenly "Oh yeah you had a horrible childhood and took feyre into your found family without letting her explore relationships outside of the IC, that totally makes up for all the evil shit THAT IVE SEEN YOU DO WITH MY OWN 2 EYES. wow i cant believe youre not evil even though you killed 50 winter court children and sexually assaulted your mate and mind raped her constantly to get her to like you"

7) the way they're treating Nesta. It has been a MONTH since she was stolen from her home, brought amongst a race that she is terrified of and THAT ENSLAVED HER PEOPLE, and was forcefully turned into ONE OF THEM and the IC is acting like she's being unreasonable for not wanting to talk to them or to mate with Cassian. WHY THE HELL WOULD SHE EVEN BE THINKING ABOUT CASSIAN RIGHT NOW?? WHY THE HELL AM I SUPPOSED TO FEEL BAD FOR HIM? Instead of him worrying about how his mate is doing regardless of his own comfort he's like WOE IS ME, SHE DOESNT WANT TO FUCK ME?????? GET OVER IT ASSHOLE?? WHY IS FEYRE EVEN LETTING CASSIAN COME NEAR HER AND ANTAGONIZE HER?? DOESNT SHE LOVE TO FLAUNT HER HL STATUS AROUND?? THIS IS THE TIME TO USE IT, PROTECT YOUR GODDAMN SISTER FROM HIM? ITS SO OBVIOUS THAT SHE DOESNT GIVE NEARLY AS MUCH OF A SHIT ABOUT NESTA AS SHE DOES ELAIN!!

8) the fact that sjm didn't keep cassian's wings shredded. Him learning to live with that would have been a badass character development but now sjm doesn't want me to have good things

9) the mating bond in general. I think it could be a potentially good plot device but no one ever employs it well and sjm is definitely the most egregious with it

10) the fact that the ic never gave consequences for their fucking actions. Feyre dies in acotar? Turn her into a fey and give her ALL of their powers. Stealing a precious artifact that they didn't even end up needing and getting a bounty on their head in the summer court and then getting that court invaded? That's fine because feyre is SOOO brave and says things that are common fucking sense which makes her SOOOO smart so we obviously need her as an ally so we'll just rescind the blood rubies. Getting the spring court sacked? That's fine we didn't like them anyway. Rhys and feyre's bond gets snapped? Well they didn't know about our super secret mating bond that is actually the only thing that gives our characters chemistry so we still like each other. Rhys causes irreparable damage to every court for 50 years and kills 50 kids? Well that's fine he was being held hostage and hey! We don't know he actually killed those kids 😡 Feyre, a 20 year old girl who's been fae for like 6 months and training for even less goes up against thousands of years old beings? She beats them effortlesslessly! Rhys gets sexually assaulted for 50 years! Well he planned all of it so it has no negative consequences on him. Cassian gets his wings shredded? Well he worked really hard and they're fixed now 🥰. Rhys FUCKING DIES?? Well that's no problem, tamlin can just resurrect him, nvm the fact that there's no reason why he WOULD. like no harrowing situation is ever interesting cause we all know sjm isn't actually going to do anything to the ic

11) "my mate" STOP SAYING IT PLS IM BEGGING

12) "males and females" STOP SAYING IT PLS IM BEGGING pt. 2

[ultimate-marysue]

I love writing Tim as this well-meaning but often unaware kid stuck in one of his action movies. Like, he wasn't meant to be Robin, this is not the life he envisioned for himself. Now he's stuck juggling a lot of things at the same time and that inevitably makes you a bit of an asshole.

He may want to be a good friend, or boyfriend or sibling, but he's spending most of his spoons in being a good Robin. Not to mention, he interiorizes a lot of his mentor's and hero's values. Which can be a good thing, like valuing human life, or a bad thing like martyr complexes and ridiculous standards.

He may think it's Jason's fault that he got himself killed, he never heard about his mom tricking him and it bodes well for his sanity to believe that he'll be safe if he's enough of a good Robin. He may consider Steph as his responsibility because that's how Bruce sees it, blaming himself when something bad happens to her instead of Bruce for not training her (let alone consider her own agency in the matter).

He often works on pity and guilt instead of empathy without meaning to. He doesn't realize the condescension because that's how Bruce works most of the time and his heart is in a good place. He's been conditioned to believe himself above most people as part of his training, not because Bruce wants him to have self esteem, but as a way to push all the responsibility on his shoulders. He's not just another vigilante, he's meant to be better than that.

Bruce, Babs, Dick and Cass are above him in the scale of responsibility, but everyone else is below it. So yeah, he comes across as patronizing despite his dreadful self esteem because it is his job to keep everyone else as safe as possible, civilian or hero. It's as unfair to others as it is unfair to him, and that's why DC needs to go back to humbling him instead of validating his feelings.

Is it his fault that he was raised like that? No. Does that mean that we should all collectively ignore his flaws because he's such an uwu small bean that means well and is actually getting just as screwed over? Hell no. Quite the opposite, if you loved Tim Drake you'd want him to learn the lesson and free himself from a mental framework that is as harming to him as it is annoying to everyone in his immediate vicinity.

I don't know, I love me a good understandable character flaw that isn't just some remix of "I'm insecure/I overwork myself/I care too much about others". Like yes, I get where your coming from and I know you have only the best intentions, but read the room.

[squeakyleftsneaker]

Watching Voltron for the 1st Time: S7 Ep 9-11

GUYS I AM STILL HERE, this goddamn show has NOT killed me yet. If you're new, here's the long of it, and the short of it is that I got into this at first because a kid I tutor loves it, and now I'm still here out of pure spite. Unfettered ire, and desire to unpack every little thing wrong with this show because it's consumed my life. I think about how catastrophically wrong this show went too often now. I told my fucking situationship about this show that's how much it bothers me. So here's the list of things I liked and the much longer list of things I didn't about this run of episodes.

I am not mad

Shiro's fierce winged eyeliner is really the only thing working here isn't it anyway I love Shiro's fierce winged eyeliner.

Iverson liking the damn dog is so real because me too

Keith and Hunk actually talking is very sweet jfc it's about time there was some interpersonal interaction

I will fucking take them bringing back the Sendak shit from alllll the way back in the day. That is actually good use of an established plot point. Finally.

Veronica teasing her brother is unironically great sibling shit

Teleporting space wolf is overpowered as hell but I think he is so cute n fluffy I forgive

Sanda betraying them was very predictable and I am okay with this, it's a nice enough plot point. I'm okay with it in principle.

Shiro geting his lil Captain Kirk moment from Coran awwwwwww. He's got a half-alien too! (I wish I was watching Star Trek rn. I fucking wish anything in this show have the joys of Captain Kirk. I wish this show had Spock. I wish this show had anything even approaching THE LOWEST LOWS of Star Trek the original series. I WISH I WAS EXPERIENCING STAR TREK FOR THE FIRST TIME INSTEAD OF THIS)

I like them using the lions remotely. We love astral projection and tripping balls in the astral plane as I've already established.

Okay cool so the Atlas spaceship is going to turn into a fucking robot mecha because if there's anything I learned from this show it's that "abilities I never imagined" literally just means "giant robot mecha"

It IRKS me. IRKSOME stuff.

Guys it still really really really bothers me they never swapped armor colors I really really am so bothered by the bayards not matching

Hey guys wouldn't it be so fucking funny wouldn't it be so fucking useful. Wouldn't it be ideal. IF THESE CHARACTERS FUCKING INTERACTED LIKE PEOPLE OMFG also like look me in the eyes and tell me that this show AT NO POINT investigates the fact that ONLY military people got to survive shit

Keith saluting is the most out of charcter bullshit I've ever seen omfg

I FORGOR THEY KILLED ADAM OMFG THEY COULD'VE LET SHIRO HAVE LITERALLY ANYTHING IN THIS STORY YOU MEAN TO TELL ME HE AND THE ONLY REAL PERSON HE TALKS TO KEITH HAVEN'T SPOKEN AT ALL AND HE HAS NO FAMILY ON EARTH AND THEY KILLED HIS WONDERFUL BITCHY EX BOYFRIEND???? BRO???? UNBURY THAT GAY RIGHT THE FUCK NOW

I REALLY dislike how they gave Shiro a Sendak-ass floating arm. That feels. So gross for him given how greatly bothered he was by being compared to Sendak. If I had any faith in this show it could be something interesting to explore but why would we ever explore something in this show!

Keith is just MASSIVELY out of character this is the first time in this show where something happens to Shiro and he DOESN'T go ballistic (among other things lmfao what have they done to him)

Did they run out of animation budget with the amount of still shots in this run of episodes

Bro I am so deadass if I have to watch another military planning meeting I'm going to LOSE MY MIND this is NOT going to make exposition dumps better THIS IS WORSE

I THOUGHT WE'VE ALREADY ESTABLISHED THE FUCKING LIONS CAN PULL UP WE'VE BEEN KNOWN THIS THEY SHOULDN'T BE DOUBTING IT I'M– HOW DO YOU ESTABLISH THINGS AND THEN KEEP PRETENDING THEY'RE NEW

You're telling me we never see Keith and James kiss and make up and work it out on the remix? The remix happened offscreen? Homie I cannot do this anymore

This show really likes people fighting to have the same abilities, presumably to level the playing field. Lotor vs Voltron in their giant mechs, Keith vs the druid Macidus w the teleportation, Allura vs Haggar w the magic back in the day, so I presume they hit upon Shiro vs Sendak as a big final fight thus Shiro must have a Sendak arm. I think this is LAZY. You can have fights on an equal or even slightly skewed playing field with people having DIFFERENT ABILITIES! Those are the fights in this show that worked BEST!

They have nothing for Shiro to do :( give my unemployed king with the fierce eyeliner a JOB. They gave him a stupid ship called the Atlas bro I THINK SHIRO SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO SHRUG (I really do hate that book) (This show just reminds me how much I miss the joy of original Star Trek) (I really just can't stop thinking about how much more I like Star Trek) (They WISH they had A SINGLE interpersonal relationship on this show with EVEN AN OUNCE of the depth that Kirk and Spock had) (you do not have to read those two romantically if you don't want to the whole point of their relationship is that it's all and none of the options you think it is) (Star Trek did big ensemble cast big story sci fi RIGHT)

I like that their new "Well we don't know what to do with this character anymore" move is just to kill em off.

Dear reader I miss watching Star Trek so much when I watch this show. I really, truly, deeply miss watching Star Trek.

I really cannot believe how poorly this show has gone. I LOVE science fiction. I love retro sci fi. I grew up on fucking Heinlein juveniles and Star Trek and Ender's Game (god the way Orson Scott Card has ruined so many good memories for me by being a homophobic piece of shit. I am so unspeakably angry about it). Getting me to like a throwback revival of an 80s campy sci fi staple should be a SLAM DUNK.

The fact that I just. Hate this. Is MIND BOGGLING. THIS IS RIGHT UP MY ALLEY! YOU HAVE TO FUCK UP SO HARD FOR THAT. I AM AN EASY PERSON TO PLEASE.

I don't care anymore man I just need this show OVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRR IT'S BEEN WEEKS OF WATCHING EXCEEDINGLY POORLY CRAFTED WRITING AND I REALLY JUST FEEL SO HOLLOW!

I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING. I have nothing. I have no rambles in me left, I have take no joy in this really. There's just BETTER STUFF out there. There's stuff that is arguably MORE fraught in terms of race and gender and yet still overall does a BETTER JOB at telling a story because this show was so RUSHED and can't do anything right.

I just. Need a bit of a palate cleanser. After this show ends I might liveblog a totally different piece of media that I actually like, because really, I am just so fed up with this show that it's making me question why I even liked this genre to begin with.

[tracing-in-gold]

People I'd like to know better meme!

Tagged by @weisscreamcake and @elysianstars, thank you so much! Tumblr moots are so kind \(;O;)/

last song: Massive Attack, "Angel". (TW: stalking in a parking lot; strangers)

I heard the remix in some YT shorts, had to go back and hear the original. Ooh, my middle school and high school years. This is a song for those 3 a.m. nights of the soul; slow; brooding; prowling. You are not up at this hour for a good reason, and you like it that way. Do you have a Posse that needs to roll up? This is the song. Decided you want to have a group meet with your inner demons? This song puts them on speed dial and speaker phone.

The video itself is both ridiculous and profound. One guy, getting chased in a deserted parking lot by more and more men. Strangers dressed like him. It's a flashmob of tag, but before flash mobs were invented (it was the 90s). But at the end of the video, the man stops. Turns around...takes a step towards the huge crowd, being IT. And now he's the hunter, and there is soooo much prey.

It reminded me of all the anxieties and things we find we don't like about ourselves. The more we turn our backs and flee, the more they follow, haunting us. Not till we're face to face with what we're scared of, do we wrest power back to do something about them. The people chasing the poor guy don't disappear all at once, they still exist, just like all the not-fun shit we're accumulated in life. I like to think that even if they do not/can never go away, meeting them head on can empower us and we affect them back.

favorite color: my first color love has always been purple. BUT teal and coral also fill up my closet and things I carry.

last book/fic: Uhh, anything in the Fire Emblem Engage tag on AO3. Constant refreshes on that tag during my lunch. Indiscriminate kudos!

last movie: Suzume, plus the beautiful song that plays during the trailer. Not saying much about the plot because when you realize what event the movie is referencing, it hit me like Truck-kun.

last tv show: Been listening to whatever pops up on my YT feed, but I always stop to watch shorts from Love, Death and Robots.

sweet/spicy/savory: Sweet is my first impulse, but I can keep going on the savory!

current obsession: whyyyyyy Fire Emblem Engage?! I wasn't even looking for it, I just saw some FE Three Houses and saw there was a new Fire Emblem? And yes, the first time I saw the Alears, I understand the cringe. But I started watching, and the VAs for both Alears, especially m!Alear and the rest of the cast totally won me over. The VA for Zelestia, god I love her voice. I even got the game for Christmas, AND the art book, AND got to steal my siblings' Switch, just waiting for a good weekend to settle down and play and never ever sleep again.

last thing i searched for online: besides the song links, the open hours for my local pub. Last week was hell, I needed the blea--alcohol to not go for the worse stuff. Unfortunately, that meant I couldn't write either! D: The bright side? The bartenders remembered me, and the non-alcoholic menu is getting better too!

looking forward to: writing and hopefully posting fanfic this year! I actually got permission from another AO3 author to write a spin off of their oneshot. *happy dance* It's gonna be a spicy slow burn <3. Sooooo now I'm kinda obligated to finish it. On top of the AU that seized me bc I wanted Alear to have siblings (;____;).

Much as I flail at the proliferating fic ideas today, I'm coming off a six year dry spell where I couldn't really write anything. Work, school, historic pandemic, US political shenanigans, etc. As @purplehelleborewrites so eloquently put it, nothing grabbed my groin. I thought my drive to write was dead, that I'd never write anything ever again.

At least now I understand that my feelings were just the ride, but the actual skill is always there, whether I have the motivation or not. I'm not gonna take this second wind for granted this time <3 <3 <3. And that I can still write, even when my brain and heart have gone into Safe Mode to help me survive.

Tagging @purplehelleborewrites , @chrisemrysfics , @kitty-bandit , @daydreamingsommie , @benicchiis , @faerieniche , @brightchrysaor , @thefinalsnart anyone else who feels like participating. Don't feel like you have to though!

[angstmongertina]

7KPP Week 2024: Day 1

So I said I wasn't going to finish this but I decided I needed to start getting in the habit of posting SOMETHING to kickstart my muse again, so here we are already late for day 1 of 7KPP Week 2024.

Technically, the prompt was Background (Remix) and this is perhaps a loose at best interpretation of this, but when @teaandinanity went "psychic MC who is actually aware of the other lives she's lived re: new game plus bonuses," my brain decided to latch onto it and work that into one of my existing characters, so now here we are. Thank you for the inspiration, Tea! ILY!

It's short, but still, to spare you my nonsense, the actual writing is under the cut!

It was a strange thing, the brief glimmers. The feelings of familiarity, the tingling sensations, the sudden visions that would flash before her eyes, vivid and intense and oddly, impossibly, comforting.

She knew better than to talk about them, now. She did once when she was a child, following in Constance's shadow as her sister led her away from the nursery. As they shuffled through the hallways, her feet dragging, tangled in clothes both too big and too rough against her skin, a flash of boisterous laughter and thick furs and pouting blue eyes, bright against a rough snowy mountainside, steadied her footsteps, until she fairly floated down the hidden staircase and through the servant's entrance into the city. The bright bursts of the fireworks shadowed the worry in Constance's eyes, but could not disguise the urgency in her voice, in the hand that gripped her arm, gentle but firm. Grave.

After all, imagine the shame of having an Arlish princess who was half-mad or worse, had been touched by witchcraft.

So instead, Princess Fidelity learned to hold her tongue, watching, knowing, as she grew, as tutors came and went, marveling over her knowledge of history (comfortable companionship and shared responsibility) and academics (nights spent poring over scrolls and tutors in a language at once both foreign and familiar) and politics (bargaining and machinations in a palace that gleamed like a jewel against golden sand), as she plotted with the memory of necessity and talked her way out of trouble with the finesse of handling two powerful crown siblings, as her beloved sister sailed off to the Summit, pale and docile and never to return, ensnared in the web of a brute of a man she has never met but knows she already loathes with the burning fire of multiple suns.

She learned to recognize backgrounds, languages, people, far more varied, more interesting than the parade of nobles through the castle. Honeyed flirtation and quick banter would help her draw attention, while a vague pitching under her feet hardened her spine. Sharp catlike grins approved of careful maneuvering and clever conclusions. Tall, stoic nobles and bright, grinning captains commended her wit, her command. She said nothing, but, in flashes and bursts, she knew them all, loved them all.

So when the king and queen held a banquet in her honor, she knew what was to come. Seven years had passed since her sister had set forward on her path. She would sail to Vail Isle. She would attend the next Summit. And she would do it well.

After all, it was time now to find out her story.