#we're falling as we grow (platinum run)

[lovesongbracket]

Reminder: Vote based on the song, not the artist or specific recording! The tracks referenced are the original artist, aside from a few rare cases where a cover is the most widely known.

Lyrics, videos, info, and notable covers under the cut. (Spotify playlist available in pinned post)

Dancing in the Dark

Written By: Bruce Springsteen

Artist: Bruce Springsteen

Released: 1984

The first single off of Springsteen’s seminal album Born In The U.S.A., this track was written two years after most of the other songs on the album. Producer Jon Landau thought the new album lacked a guaranteed hit and pushed Springsteen to draft one more song. The two men got into a brief altercation, after which Bruce wrote “Dancing in the Dark” about his ‘difficulty writing a hit single and his frustration trying to write songs that will please people’. Its music video contains an early appearance by actress Courtney Cox. It also helped introduce Springsteen to a younger audience, setting the stage for a seven-single run of top 10 hits from the album. “Dancing In The Dark” became Springsteen’s highest charting single the Boss has ever had, spending four weeks in the #2 position of the Billboard Hot 100 in the summer of 1984, held from the top spot by Duran Duran “The Reflex” and Prince “When Doves Cry”. It also spent six weeks at #1 on the Mainstream Rock chart. This single is also Springsteen’s only to be certified platinum.

[Verse 1] I get up in the evening And I ain't got nothing to say I come home in the morning I go to bed feeling the same way I ain't nothing but tired Man, I'm just tired and bored with myself Hey there, baby I could use just a little help [Chorus] You can't start a fire You can't start a fire without a spark This gun's for hire Even if we're just dancing in the dark [Verse 2] Messages keep getting clearer Radio's on, and I'm moving 'round my place I check my look in the mirror I wanna change my clothes, my hair, my face Man, I ain't getting nowhere I'm just living in a dump like this There's something happening somewhere Baby, I just know that there is [Chorus] You can't start a fire You can't start a fire without a spark This gun's for hire Even if we're just dancing in the dark [Bridge] You sit around getting older There's a joke here somewhere, and it's on me I'll shake this world off my shoulders Come on, baby, the laugh's on me [Verse 3] Stay on the streets of this town And they'll be carving you up all right They say, "You gotta stay hungry" Hey, baby, I'm just about starving tonight I'm dying for some action I'm sick of sitting around here trying to write this book I need a love reaction Come on now, baby, give me just one look [Chorus] You can't start a fire Sitting 'round crying over a broken heart This gun's for hire Even if we're just dancing in the dark You can't start a fire Worrying about your little world falling apart This gun's for hire Even if we're just dancing in the dark [Outro] Even if we're just dancing in the dark Even if we're just dancing in the dark Even if we're just dancing in the dark Hey, baby [Outro Saxophone Solo]

Monster

Written By: Half Shy

Artist: Olivia Olson & Half Shy for Adventure Time (alternate version by King Princess)

Released: 2020

Cover included: King Princess, 2020

“Monster” is a song from the second episode of Adventure Time: Distant Lands, “Obsidian”. This love song was composed by Marceline while living with Bubblegum and sung to her while they were stuck in a cave in the Glass Kingdom.

[Verse] I know we'll never grow old together 'Cause you'll never grow old to me You're the pink in my cheeks And I'm scared 'cause that means I'm a little bit soft [Pre-Chorus] But don't beat yourself up, Bonnie It wasn't just the sun that I was hiding from We were messed up kids who taught ourselves how to live And I'm still scared that I'm not good enough [Chorus] I've always felt like a monster Long before I was bit But only seen as a monster Let's just say I'm used to it And I grew tough 'cause love, it only hurt me back But loving you's a good problеm to have And I'm used to that, but I could get usеd to this Yeah, I'm used to that, but I could get used to this [Outro] And I know we'll never grow old together 'Cause you'll never grow old to me You're the pink in my cheeks And I love that it means I'm a little bit soft You're the pink in my cheeks And I love that it means I'm a little bit soft

[enigmatist17]

Seeley Booth was a simple man.

He went to church, helped take killers off the street, and ate at his favorite diner with his son.

He did not talk to vampires.

He did not fight demons.

Vampires didn't exist, the supernatural didn't exist, so what the hell was he looking at?!

"Angel, either help out or get out of the way!" The blonde with a face that had changed snarled at Booth, deftly dodging axes and guns from creatures that had looked normal seconds ago.

-----

He'd been tracking down members of a gang that seemed to be killing targeted people, when he'd become surrounded by some of his current suspects in some warehouse district. He knew something was wrong with how they stared at him like Booth was some sort of a snack.

"Hey fellas, I was looking for you all over town." He joked, hand resting over his holster with a grin. "No chance you're coming quietly?"

"This meal likes to joke. I don't." The tallest person, a man who Booth had to clock at almost 7' tall growled, head tilting to the left at an unnatural degree. "Suppertime."

"Uh, where are we all eating?" Booth felt the alarm bells in his head going off DEFCON 1 as the man in front of him laughed, the gun that was drawn in the blink of an eye disregarded.

"Here, and we're eating human." The man took a breath, and the air was filled with the cracking of bone as he and the others surrounding the FBI agent turned into the stuff of nightmares, his eyes wide as what he could only describe as demons of varying shapes and sizes began to converge.

"Holy SHIT!" Booth took a breath before beginning to fire, dodging the swipe of a large set of claws to nail one creature right in the eye with a precise shot, the body falling back with a thud. His moment of victory didn't last long when some sort of tentacle looped around his waist, flinging the agent clear across the worn parking lot against his car.

"I call first dibs." A smaller demon thing snarled, running on all fours towards the agent who scrambled to his feet to try and run.

"I don't think so." A new voice joked, and a blur of something pale came from nowhere, the force sending the smaller creature off-course and into the wall of the closest warehouse. Booth blinked at the man standing between him and the hesitating creatures, a pale hand slicking back platinum hair as he turned to give Booth some sort of remark, before being cut off by a snarl. The pale man let out a short laugh before his face changed, Booth's eyes growing to the size of dinner plates when the man turned away. "Playtime!"

After that, it became a game of dodging demons and resisting the urge to not shoot the British man-demon thing, who had gotten irritating within five seconds of shouting at Booth. Eventually, the fighting drew to a close, and the pale man whistled a tune as he poked around at the bodies.

-----

"So, Angel, when did you start toting around guns? Figured swords and lawyers were your weapons these days." The pale man snorted as Booth emerged from his vantage point, eyeing him with a raised eyebrow.

"Who is Angel, and who are you?" Booth isn't sure what good his gun is going to do against this...guy, but trains it on him all the same. "What are you? What were they?"

"The 'ell you on about who is Angel, is this a joke or something?" The blonde cocks his head to the side, hands on his hips, and thoroughly unimpressed.

"I'm Special Agent Seeley Booth, I'm asking for your name again, don't make me ask twice." The man squints a little as he regards the man, before his eyes widen in surprise.

"My my my what a surprise this is, you really aren't him." The blonde steps closer, not missing the gun that trails without hesitation. "Heart beatin' and everything, and minus a few scars, a spittin' image."

Booth just stares, clearly at a loss.

"My name is Spike, and you human Angel, just survived a demon hit squad who are not happy you're close to shutting down their little operation. Oh, you're welcome by the way."

".....Spike. Your name....is Spike?" Booth pauses before lowering his gun, hoping it was the right call. "That's a stupid stage name."

"Oi! It's not a stage name!" The other hissed, and Booth couldn't help but snort. "You little prick."

"Spike, what a stupid...okay, name aside, how many more of these...things are around? They've killed a lot of people, and I'm putting the kibosh on that." Spike couldn't help but watch Booth clear his throat and kneel down beside one of the bodies, brow furrowing in an all too familiar way.

"If I had to guess? Maybe half a dozen, these little fuckers are hidin' my own mark." Spike hopped up to sit on the hood of Booth's car, scoffing at the chipped paint on one of his nails. "Oh bugger."

"Do they eat like, y'know, people?" Booth waved at the bodies uncomfortably, and Spike laughed.

"These lot no, but their leader most likely does, and is not trying to keep a low profile if the...what are you again? Cop? Military?"

"FBI, the Feds?" Booth looked over, and Spike shrugged.

"I've been around the block for a while, seen government sects come and go." Booth continued to stare, and the vampire grinned. "Sounds fancy though, got that goin' for you."

"Look, as much as I'd like to shoot the shit all night, I have to call this in." Booth shook his head, pulling out his phone before in the blink of an eye, it was gone.

"Nuh uh mate, can't let you do that." Spike shook his head, having moved from Booth's car to the top of some crates ten feet away and up from where Booth stood. "Look, you go back to wherever you work, and I'll make this mess disappear, I'm not having the copper's up my arse while I'm here."

"Again, not a cop, give me my damn phone back." Booth lets out a sharp whistle, and Spike says something to himself before tossing the communication device to him. The agent goes to call his office, but pauses when he realizes the vampire has a point, who was going to believe he helped kill demons?

"Go, this'll all be gone by morning." Spike has materialized beside Booth, making the agent jump in surprise.

"This isn't over." Booth finally snaps his phone shut, rounding on the vampire who is grinning at him. "Where are you staying?"

"Already in your phone love." The vampire finally lets Booth have his personal space back, checking his watch as he does so. "I'm a night person if you need the hint."

"Right..." Booth heads back to his car, and slides into the driver's seat with a quiet grunt of his bruised back not being pleased with the seating arrangement. "So where..."

Spike is gone, and so are two of the bodies, the agent shakes his head as he quickly heads out of the area and back toward the city, hands gripping the steering wheel tight.

The early morning light a short hour later had never been a better sight.

[adamantlocked]

Distortion

It was a whirlwind of events. First Cyrus managed to summon Dialga and Palkia, then Giratina appeared to break the Red Chains and drag Cyrus into the Distortion World. Cynthia and Lucas hopped in after them to try to calm Giratina and restore stability between the two worlds.

Then, when they finally found Cyrus, he challenged Lucas to a battle. And it was rough. The fact that none of his Pokemon fainted seemed like a miracle in itself, but Cyrus really gave him a run for his money.

All of those events led to this: it fell to him to face Giratina and try to...what? Calm them down? Battle them? He didn’t think he could do that; he didn’t know much about Giratina, but he knew enough of its siblings(?) to know that they were just as strong as Dialga and Palkia. What hopes does a trainer like him have against a primordial force?

Catching it probably wasn’t the best option either. Even with the Master Ball. If Cyrus’ theory was right, catching Giratina would create even more instability. That’d be playing into Cyrus’ hands, and he did not want to do that.

So, as he looked up at the legendary quietly watching him, Lucas made his decision.

“G-Giratina...I don’t want to fight!”

He didn’t know what to expect, but it wasn’t a voice piping up in his mind. Not unlike Garnet practicing telepathy with him, but it was a different voice than what he was used to. (Oh really, now? So what is your intent? Do you plan on capturing me with that purple capsule of yours?)

The response threw Lucas off for a moment (because how did she know about the Master Ball?), but he responded after a moment, “I’m not gonna do that either."

(So you do not wish to fight, and yet you will not try to capture me? Do you not wish to free yourself from this world?)

“I do, but what am I supposed to do? Fight you?! It’s not like I’ll win: not because I don’t have faith in my Pokemon, but because you’re a primordial deity! Even if I do manage to beat you, does it really solve the problem?”

(And what if I said it does? That it does not matter whether or not you fight me? Do either of you truly think that I can be brought down?) 

“Well...” Shit, Lucas didn’t think that far. So, he just said the first thing that came to mind: “W-Well...far be it from me to not want to spite the man who tried to use Dialga to create that new world of his! After everything I’ve gone through thanks to him, can you really blame me for not wanting to play into his hands?”

(...Palkia as well.)

“What?”

(Just now, you mentioned Dialga and him alone. He was not the only one that brought to Spear Pillar. Did you forget?)

“Um...” Oh...right. Did he really say that? But it was both of them that Cyrus had summoned; he could visualize it plain as day. But...how come he could visualize Dialga just as easily? 

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn’t realize how close Giratina had gotten until she was right there - just a breath away. She could very easily kill him if she wanted to, but Lucas didn’t find it in himself to run. 

He did cover his eyes with his hat, though. Since he did that, though, he didn’t notice that Giratina was watching him with curiosity if her eyes. He didn’t see how the legend was simply observing him, and he didn’t see how her gaze eventually landed on his arm (the one with the scar).

(Now I see. I thought it was strange that your Aura would remind me of Dialga, but now I know why. One does not witness his Roar and come out unscathed.)

That threw Lucas for a loop, and he slowly removed his hat. “What?”

(I have said too much already. Although, I would seek Dialga out if I were you. If anyone can explain this, it is he.)

And then Lucas got an idea. One that could very well convince Giratina to let them out (if she hadn’t been thinking about it already): “How am I supposed to do that? Not like I can do that here.”

A moment of silence before Giratina spoke up again. (You speak the truth. The Adamant Orb is not in this world. Very well. You and your Champion may go.)

Before Lucas could respond, he got...what he supposed was a vision. Suddenly the image of a waterfall came to mind. Before he could think about what that could mean, he felt a strong gust of wind; so strong that it nearly knocked him over.

Once the gust died down is when Lucas saw it; in Giratina’s place was a bright light. Lucas squinted, and he could see flowers and a lake. Was...Was this a portal to the outside world? 

He didn’t notice the other two approaching: Cynthia with a sense of wonder, and Cyrus with fury. 

“That shadowy creature...you quelled its rage by refusing to battle it?!”

[one-boring-person]

Only Traitors Consort With The Damned. (Part Seven)

The Lost Boys x reader

Warnings: mentions of death

Context: (Y/n) has to go into hiding, or has to face the consequences.

A/N: I suck at descriptions 😅😅

Masterlist

For a moment, none of us move, my words ringing around the expanse of the cave ominously, my fate sealed in them as they have been since I pulled the trigger, a dull sense of finality and resignation setting into me. Grimly, I let my eyes roam over their shocked and confused faces once more before turning to leave again, adjusting my grip on my rucksack strap as I do so, preparing myself for a long walk, aware that whilst it may be the slowest way of moving around, it is the most discreet, soemthing which is in my best interest. As I go to take a step, however, I feel a sudden cold hand on my arm, stopping me from moving simply from the unexpectedness of it.

"Where are you going?" David's voice is low in my ears as he turns me around to face him again, his blue eyes still a little hesitant, though his grip is light and careful.

I shrug dismissively.

"I don't know. Anywhere and nowhere." I laugh bitterly, "I just need to hide."

"Why can't you stay here?" Marko calls out from the interior, my eyes briefly meeting with his.

"They'd find me instantly. Elijah knows where I live, remember?"

"No, that's not what I meant. Why can't you stay here?"

"What, here? In the cave?" I question, surprised by the indirect offer.

"Yeah, why not? You'd be safe, it's not like he knows where we live." The blonde reasons, only shutting up when he receives a sharp glance from David.

Speechless, I look back to the leader. He stares at me in response, as if contemplating something, icy eyes regarding me in an odd manner whilst he does this.

"No, but they're very good at finding people. I'm not safe anywhere, not whilst I'm alive." I explain to them, "I'd rather not put you guys in danger any more than I already have. I should've moved on months ago and left you alone. As it is, I've probably got you all on the Most Wanted list because I was too stupid, so I don't think it's such a great idea if I stay here."

"I'm glad you didn't move on. I'm pretty sure we'd have been caught by now if it wasn't for you - you SRS Hunters are getting better at your jobs." Dwayne chips in, dark eyes appraising me thankfully as David subtly manages to lead me back into the cave, his grip pulling me into the confines.

"It's because of me you're probably gonna get caught." I scoff sourly, letting the vampire lead me inside with no complaint.

"We won't get caught." Marko assures me, but I know full well he can't promise that.

Sighing, I allow myself to be led to the sofa, where I'm sat down beside Paul, my rucksack falling to the floor as a sudden fatigue sets in. Slumping back into the soft surface, I bite my lip and remove the gun from the holster at my belt, ignoring the vampires' hiss of warning as I shove it into my bag, trying to prove that I won't use it on them, doing my best to relax my muscles and mind. Unsurprisingly, the tensions only grow, my head starting to hurt a little as I think over what I need to do.

"Stay here, (Y/n). You'll be hidden enough until you've figured something out." David prompts me from his place on his wheelchair, the platinum blonde watching me closely as I meet his gaze.

"Are you sure? I really don't want to get you guys killed."

"We're sure, (Y/n). We owe you anyway after helping us out with so many other Hunters." Dwayne says, smiling at me.

"Oh come on, you don't owe me anything, I only helped you because you're my..." my voice trails off as I realise what I'm about to say, knowing now that this is what my downfall was created by.

"We're your what?" Paul asks, smirking slightly as he shuffles closer to me, slinging an arm over my shoulders.

"You're my friends." I blush at the proximity, finding it to be comforting in my current state of mind.

"Aw, thanks (Y/n)!" The previously shaken vampire grins at me, happy to hear the words leave my mouth.

I shoot him a quick, tired smile, before I start removing the rest of my weapons, stashing them in my rucksack; all except my knife, which I keep at my hip as a safety precaution. It won't kill vampires, but it will hurt them.

"So why exactly do they want to kill you? Just because you're friends with the enemy?" David interjects after a few minutes, leaning forward in his chair.

Making eye contact with him, I sigh, sitting back in my own seat as I tell them the basic premise of why I'm doomed.

"Well, before joining the SRS, you have to give this oath which says you'll never side with the supernatural over a fellow human, and that you'll never compromise a mission because of your feelings. Tonight, I broke both of these rules, so would theoretically be arrested and relieved of my duties, where I'd be left to rot in some manky prison for the rest of my life, but I also broke the biggest, most important rule of all. I nearly killed another Hunter, which is an offense punishable by death for us. Normally, there'd be someone else on site to take care of the problem execution-style, but as there were only two of us, and so no one else to carry it out, I'll be hunted down and killed as soon as they find me. It's hopeless to run, but I'm not really one for accepting defeat, so I'll give it my best shot." I explain, watching their expressions change accordingly.

After I've finished, there's a momentary pause, in which none of them say anything, just thinking over what they've been told, trying to formulate their own ideas of what could happen to me.

"So they're gonna send someone after you?" Paul finally speaks up, looking at me questioningly.

"They'll send a Clean-up Team to take care of me." I clarify, rubbing my temple.

"A Clean-up Team?" Marko lifts an eyebrow.

"A group of highly skilled agents who specialise in killing Hunters, as opposed to killing creatures."

"They have those?! " Paul exclaims in disbelief.

"Yeah, they do. Before this happened, I was on my way to becoming one of them." A sigh leaves me at the thought.

"Really? Why?" Dwayne chimes in, looking slightly confused by my words.

I shrug at him.

"I know how Hunters work, which gives me an edge in outsmarting them, and I was getting bored of this work until I moved here."

"Fair enough." The brunette nods, eyeing my rucksack with trepidation as he notices the holy water grenades stuck in the drink holders.

A sudden yawn leaves me, my body trying to tell me it needs some sleep, my eyelids starting to droop a little.

"You look pretty tired, (Y/n)." Paul points out, all of them having picked up on my not-so-subtle hints.

"Well spotted." I reply, sending him a tired smile to show I mean no offense.

"Where do you wanna sleep?" Marko inquires, picking up my rucksack for me as Dwayne moves to try and lift me, only to stop when I gently wave him away and sit upright again.

"Wherever's easiest. I'm just grateful you're putting me up at all."

"There's an old spare bedroom just past the collapsed hall, over there. You could use that? It's got a functional bed." David reveals, getting up to lead the way.

Wordlessly, I follow him through a rundown corridor, the ceiling having fallen through decades before, and into a small room, where there is a surprisingly clean bed, as if they were expecting visitors.

At my expression, David chuckles.

"We always keep a room ready in case we ever bring someone home." The vampire clarifies, smirking at my reaction.

"Oh, well, fair enough. Thank you for letting me use it, David. I feel terrible for putting you boys in this position." I say to him, watching as Marko walks in and places my rucksack down on the floor by the bed, the blonde vampire shooting me a grin as he leaves again.

"Don't. We owe you enough as it is, and I won't hear anything on the contrary." He silences me with a stern look, "If you need us, just yell as loudly as you can. One of us will hear you."

With those words, he exits the room, leaving me alone in the dimly lit room with my thoughts. Going to the bed, I collapse onto it and try to relax, only to work myself up even more as my mind continues to race on.

Sighing, I settle down for a sleepless rest.

Part Eight

[thesoujishow]

S01E02 - Raimei Tsubusu

[vaporwave lo-fi song]

Souji: Testing? Hello?

Raimei: WUUUUSSSSHHGFGSHSHSHSHSHSHSHS...SSHAAAAAAAA....

Souji: Ok. There we go.

[INTRO - glitchy transition music]

Souji: Hello, and welcome to the Souji Show. I'm Souji and this is a show where I talk about anything I want. 'Cause this is my show, and not yours.

Souji: This episode is sponsored by WcDonalds! WcDonald’s wants to remind you that the most important meal of the day is breakfast. [ominously] So why would you let a morning go by without staring deeply into the mirror until you no longer recognize the face staring back at you – mimicking your every gesture, mocking your every movement?

Souji: [confused + ominous] How else will you get the energy you need for a full day’s work or recreation if you aren’t silently screaming into the visage of a person who gives you such uneasy spirit, such unshakable terror, a queasy feeling every time you make the connection between what that thing is and what you are becoming? What you have become? Where does the void end? Where do you end? When do you end? What time is it now? You’ve been crying, but for how long?

Souji: [cheerful] WcDonald’s! I’m lovin’ it.

[MAIN - glitchy transition music]

Souji: For this very special episode, we have an extra special guest. You may know her as the Violet Vendetta or the captain of the baseball clan. Everyone, give it up for Raimei Tsubusu! You look fantastic today, can you tell our listeners what you're wearing?

Raimei: My sincere apologies for the white noise that was the sound of a closing inter-dimensional portal.

Raimei: It's good to be here. And a great sacrifice on your part, Souji. Not a lot of men would have the guts to expose themselves to this level of danger. As for my attire, these are unique garbs crafted by the Lunarian Moon People, forged in the pits of the thirty-second moon crater. They have plus fifty resilience to all forms of stabbing, cutting and elemental weapons, and the shirt comes with the added benefit of granting me the unique ability: Instantaneous Gangstah Charm. With this ability, I can instantaneously cast any Gokudō spell written within the Book of Yamaguchi.

Souji: Gokudō, that's a synonym for the yakuza, right?

Raimei: Yes, it is. It means the Extreme Path, the hidden school of mysticism I and others subscribe to—one of the five routes to enlightenment, alongside the Mafioso talent tree, and Mexican Cartel Member.

Raimei: In terms of appearance, I had the most excellent designers from Gucci collaborate with the moon people to compress it all down into a pair of pearl white trousers, a tuxedo jacket, white dress shirt, and leather shoes. The Gucci Glasses of Information allow me to see in infra-red and night vision, and I've also got a watch made of platinum that tells me the timezones of all the countries on the world, the moon people's time cycle, and of course, it also dual functions as a holographic mind reader.

Raimei: Some people believe Prada is better. They are wrong.

Souji: I'm more of a thrift store kinda guy, but to each their own. I'll have to get some tips from the Lunarian Moon People on how they make clothes. Most of my clothes are custom made for my Quirk to work on them so I like to sew them myself. Does your inter-dimensional portal go to the moon as well?

Raimei: I lived in this dimension for almost three hundred years before I finally managed to make my first slip into the dream-zone, and that was nearly one hundred years ago. It isn't precisely possible to take a direct, inter-dimensional portal to the moon itself. But it is possible to reach the mirror version of it in the ninth dimension. In that dimension, the moon's where the earth is. So that solves a lot of things. Has to do with the Lunarian's Mystic Mirror view. As you probably already know, portals like these are dependent on reflections. So their mirrors make that impossible by reflecting everything back onto the earth. That's why the moon looks white. It's actually a verdant landscape, filled with grass and trees and everything. But it seems like a rock because we're just looking at a dull reflection of our own planet.

Souji: That's a very unique way to look at the moon. Shoutout to the huge unknown object that smacked the shit out of the Earth billions of years ago and gave us the moon. The sun is cool but that was the real MVP.

Souji: I gotta say, you do look very gangstah. Not to mention a holographic mind reader? Quick, what am I thinking of right now? [laugh]

Raimei: I'm... not sure if that would be appropriate for me to say. Last time I mind read a guy... didn't end well. Besides, this holographic watch would also immediately turn it into a visualization, which can be very embarrassing. So I'll spare you that. But maybe I'll show you a glimpse of my power at the end of this podcast. Sounds good?

Souji: Sounds good. Guess the listeners will just have to stay tuned and find out. Tell me Raimei, how does a multi-dimensional creature end up in Kyoranki Academy? What motivates you to become a hero?

Raimei: That's a good one. There are several reasons. I've lived for about four hundred years in total, so technically speaking, there's no reason for me to go to school. But you might've noticed that there's an expansive underground movement hidden beneath the shadows... the recent events were just one example of that. The CIA, FBI, Interpol, Europol, they're all part of it in some way, preparing for the inevitable Todeskrieg Event. All the major crime groups are getting ready for that, so we are too.

Raimei: On a different level, related to my current incarnation, I'm not unfamiliar with thrift stores either. My dad works long hours... so I want to find a way to help him. I don't know, it's not really black or white. But why Kyoranki Academy? It's one of the best schools in the country. A lot of my middle school friends didn't even get to go to high school. So I consider myself very privileged. I think that alone is motivation enough to be here.

Souji: I get what you mean about helping your family. I think that's a noble cause, Raimei. I grew up poor and mum and dad were mostly out making ends meet. The money's still my number one motivator but it makes me happy knowing that I'll make the city a little bit better for everyone living in it.

Souji: I'm excited that we finally get to go on missions. It makes you think how much far we’ve come. It’s been a crazy year and now we’re actually doing our part to be heroes. I don’t know about you but I’m excited to take down my first villain.

Raimei: I'm concerned people are going to be misinterpreting their roles in this entire thing. Based on what you said earlier, you're from a poor neighbourhood as well, right? So you know what it's like on the streets. What I'm just concerned by is that a lot of the people in our class, like, ... I watch them. I see that the majority don't have that. They don't have any street smarts, they don't know what it's like to be in that situation, to be poor... to be under the influence of junkies across the street. Yea, we've been trained, but I'm unconvinced that we've been prepared to deal with those situations.

Raimei: I think we can take down villains, sure. And there might even be a few out there we could stop. But I'm not excited about running into one; nothing is exciting about meeting someone that potentially wants to kill you. And I'm not sure we're helping the city by pushing our authority down people's throats, especially by a bunch of teenagers that have been told this is their big shot at heroism. Your local twelve-year-old marijuana seller doesn't need juvie, they need role models; good, role models that can inspire them—structural improvements to their lives, like decent food.

Raimei: You know how crazy it is that I can buy five fast-food hamburgers for the price of one piece of supermarket vegetable? If people wanna help the neighbourhood; go help out at a shelter—a soup kitchen. Hand out food; give your homeless newspaper salesman some cash to get him through the day. Japanese society is harsh, man. The second you fall out of the boat, your chances are pretty much zero. Everyone despises you. Your family ousts you. It's not fun. I know it, I've seen it in friends; how they're getting torn apart just because they're like, half-Chinese or something.

Raimei: I hope our peers just remember that when they're going out. If you're going in there guns blazing, you're just going to hurt more people than you'll save.

Souji: I get what you mean. I grew up in the middle of downtown Osaka, nothing but skyscrapers. Our high rise apartment was small, but it kept us safe from the streets. The news spoke of heroes that roamed the streets, shutting down crime wherever they went. People spoke of bright, shining icons in colourful suits, flashing cheesy grins at the camera. But only a few came to ours.

Souji: Growing up in the poor meant that at a young age, I was very cognizant of how the money would and could limit me and my life as I attempted to get to the place where I am supposed to be. Most people our age will never know about ketchup sandwiches, adding water to milk or to an empty shampoo bottle to get more shampoo. Hand-me-downs clothes, books, toys. Having a ‘candle day’ because the lights don’t work. [chuckle]

Souji: When I say to people I know downtown Osaka like it's the back of my hand, I really do mean it. I know which places to avoid during certain times of the day. You had to be street smart to survive, those are the rules of the game.

Raimei: Mhm, mhm. That's what I'm saying. I'm from the outskirts of Airin-chiku, so it's pretty much the same issue.

Souji: It's easy to get caught up in the title. A hero. Believe me, I'll admit that fame is enticing but at the end of the day, we're here to protect the whole city. Trust is a fragile thing. I think most of us in Kyoranki know that because of what happened. Villains and heroes are two sides of the same coin. We're both them in nature. Both are corrupted by the noble illusion of spreading ideas and helping others who on the 'good' side defined by them respectively. It's always been the human struggle in defining 'help' more importantly 'the others'. I don't know if I'm making sense but that's how I feel. [chuckle]

Raimei: And there's a couple of areas in between that too, mind. Not everyone's a bad guy, and not everyone's a good guy like the heroes that just pander for attention or the bad guys that are in it to support their families financially.

Souji: This Todeskrieg Event sounds interesting, what's going to happen?

Raimei: The Egyptian Pyramids. The moon landings. Global warming. Why did they happen? Did they happen? Or were these just small glimpses out of a much larger conspiracy? Why dedicate millions, tens of millions of dollars only to put a guy on the moon?

Raimei: The various gangs around the world know the answer. At least, the established ones. It's all a part of this cybernetic A.I that has kept us trapped in a virtual reality dimension, Souji. You think all of this is real, but like, do we have any proof? How can we reliably say that this isn't just...computer generated?

Souji: I'm a big arcade, video game fan so this is right up my alley. I had the same hunch as you, Raimei. The truth is that there’s much we simply don’t understand about our reality, and I think it’s more likely than not that we are in some kind of a simulated universe. Now, it’s a much more sophisticated video game than the games we produce, just like today World of Warcraft and Fortnite is way more sophisticated than Pac-Man or Space Invaders. If we develop the ability to produce even one simulated reality, we will almost certainly produce more than one.

Raimei: That's what confuses people. They think I'm going on about some sort of magical thing. But magic and science are one and the same, magic's just another way of trying to add rationality to it. And that's part of the Todeskrieg event. It's French for "Totem Pole Disaster"... it's written about in various religions. Some call it the Apocalypse, others Ragnarok ... basically the end of the world. When the simulation will be using too much data for the computer to handle.

Souji: Maybe we're just figment of imaginations and our creators are just forcing their every whim to us for fun. They're our writers, and we are their characters. Maybe they're just a bunch of roleplayers in a Discord server together? Do you hear that creator? I'm The Glitch now, a bug in your system. A disruption to the simulation.

Raimei: Based on archaeological data, humans, in our current shape and form... have existed for about two-hundred thousand years. Now, of course, imagine you're a person living in those sorts of environments. Yes, you'll be stuck most of the day, collecting food and whatever. But do you think those people were dumber than us? Of course not! They might've not had the schooling, but they had the same type of brain.

Raimei: Now, imagine that sort of situation. Okay, so, the first generation of Humans... they got it hard. The second one does as well. The third generation, well, it's a bit easier. And the fourth one... we're talking about everything within the span of a hundred years, considering people lived shorter lives.

Raimei: Now multiply that by a hundred. One hundred thousand years and they're trying to convince us that people only invented farming techniques twelve thousand years ago? It doesn't make sense. You can't convince me, people, before that time didn't... invent something. Didn't create something. Didn't create a civilization. Imagine, with our technology, with our A.I systems, our virtual reality capacities... I mean, if you're into gaming, look at the last fifty years.

Raimei: Now multiply that by four. Imagine just how bizarre that technology would be. Already, we've got games that are borderline lifelike. So how can we know that this isn't just.. some giant simulation? We can't. And we have to look at the empirical, most logical type of data. There's more evidence to suggest all of this is just a program than there is evidence to the contrary. But scientists aren't willing to recognize that.

Souji: I know! I can't believe no one is talking about this. Paranormal events like hauntings or alien encounters can be glitches in the simulation. Stuff like the Mandela Effect is supposedly proof that whoever is in charge of our simulation is changing the past. And don't get me started on Quirks! Superpowers born from radiation. You’re not going to get proof that we’re not in a simulation, because any evidence that we get could be simulated. If I were a character in a computer game, I would also discover eventually that the rules of our universe seem completely rigid and mathematical.

Souji: We’ve spent billions sending probes through outer space and should probably have found evidence of extraterrestrials by now, right? Not so fast: Aliens would likely be far more technologically advanced than we are, the thinking goes, so the fact that we haven’t located them suggests we live in a simulation they’ve figured out how to escape from. Or maybe the computer we’re in only has enough RAM to simulate one planetary civilization at a time?

Raimei: That's what we've been preparing for. The drug trade, the crime cartels, it all has to do with that.

[ASK SOUJI - glitchy transition music]

Souji: Now, let's shine the spotlight back towards the main focus of his podcast... me! Now, Raimei, it's your turn to ask me questions. C'mon, don't be shy, ask anything you'd like.

Raimei: are you sure you want to give me that sort of power? Because if I get to ask anything I like... First up, what's the deal with you and Ken? I don't want to pry into your love life, but you two looked very cosy in that meeting room.

Souji: Me and Ken? Love life? Oh, umm. I mean, umm. No, we aren't. You know. Together like that. [stammering]

Souji: We're just rivals! Yes, rivals. We started talking over the summer and we got closer during the campfire trip. Bunk buddies. Yeah, that. No love life here.

Raimei: Uh-huh. ... Bunk buddies. Well, if that's the official answer...

Souji: ...yes! Bunk buddies. That's the official answer.

Raimei: And I guess, another question is... why did you start this podcast? I'm not exactly famous or especially well-liked around the school, so I'm wondering why you're inviting someone like me to do this sort of thing.

Souji: I started this podcast because of Starlight. He's my favourite hero as you can probably tell. I always watched his talk show growing up, and it was what inspired me to enrol in Kyoranki in the first place. So this podcast is me passing it forward. I want to inspire other kids just like what Starlight did to me. One interview at the time.

Raimei: That's good. That you got a role model to follow, I mean... that you know what you want to do, and who ya wish to emulate. It's the same thing with the guys I mentioned earlier. ... Don't have plushies of them though, unfortunately.

Souji: You say the weirdest stuff in our group chat and I like it! You're interesting, zany and fun. You have a unique point of view, and having you in my show is an honour in it of itself.

Raimei: And I appreciate that about inviting me on your show I mean. Glad I could mention those frustrations I've been holding up. Don't have to go out of your way for me though, I'm okay with sticking to my own little bubble. That's just the life of a made-man. Forever in the shadows.

[Qs from the GC - glitchy transition music]

Souji: Let's move on to our audience questions! These were submitted by our classmates in our group chat. Ready?

Raimei: Yea, audience questions. I'm honestly surprised anyone finds me interesting enough to ask questions, but okay, let's go

Souji: Chia wants to know who are the special people in your life? What's something you're proud of and embarrassed by?

Raimei: Special people, huh? Well, I've got my dad. My mom ran out on us when I was little, so it has always been us versus the world. I've been going to a gym now for about... five years? And the people there are my role models, I guess. They inspired me to get into sports, like boxing. One in particular... the guy's a genuine sumo wrestler. But of the old generation? But yea, those guys have made a significant impact on me.

Souji: Haruto asks, why is your skin purple? Likewise, Ao inquires, do you know the girl who turned into a blueberry in Wonka's factory?

Raimei: As for my skin colour, ... I guess I've gotten a bit desensitized to questions like that. It's a skin mutation on my mother's side, supposedly to do with Quirks. I don't know, I always find it a bit weird to talk about. That nickname they gave me too, it's like calling someone with a darker skin pigmentation the "Black Vendetta". I mean, not that I mind. Asking about the pigmentation's no problem because it's odd. I'm just saying, it feels a bit shitty to compare me with some fucking Willy Wonka scene when like six months ago a kid got bullied out of school because people kept comparing him to a video game character; so, uh, Ao, you're cool. No hard feelings. I'm just going to subtly compare you to a fucking Star Wars Droid if you try that shit again.

Souji: Ken wants to know what you think of the recent baseball team tryout. And to that I say: we have a baseball team? Can I also try out just to beat that monkey boy?

Raimei: Yea, we got a baseball team! I mean, we got teams for nearly every popular sport, right? It's a prestigious school, after all. But we're doing our best to try for the nationals. And you're welcome to join up if you want, we can definitely use a few more clan members. As for our most recent try-out... that all depends on whether he joins up or not.

Souji: Kotoe inquires, do you play the bass?

Raimei: I don't play the bass or any other instrument.

Souji: And finally, Fumi wants to know your favourite genre of book.

Raimei: My favourite genre of books is crime novels.

[ENDING - glitchy transition music]

Souji: Well, we're nearing the end of our show, Raimei, is there anything you'd like to remind our audience, maybe plug whenever they can find you online? Maybe some tips on how to prepare for the Todeskrieg Event?

Raimei: I had an excellent time Souji. Thanks for inviting me. As for preparations, the people can make for the Todeskrieg Event, consider this a bit of an unofficial announcement; we are in fact a highly secretive group. But we, that being me and a few other highly skilled individuals steeped knee-deep in the criminal underground, decided to create a sparring group a few months ago. A fighting ring, as it were.

Raimei: There's no real focus on anything other than fighting a lot, gaining that sort of experience. I don't really bother with rankings or who's best or whatever either, I mean, my choice to just not participate in that tournament should prove of that. So there's no ego thing going on. Whether ya win or lose, it's all good. It's like a clan...But our meetings are sorta irregular, so you can still be part of another, like how I'm still in the baseball clan.

Raimei: As for the best way to contact me, all the usual underground channels work.

Souji: You've been pretty cool to talk to, so before you leave, I have a special surprise just for you. But don't forget, you promised to show me a glimpse of your power.

Raimei: And I did promise to show you a sample of my hidden, mystical power, didn't I? Alright- I'll try and make sure to contain it so that we don't blow up this entire office.

[sounds of moving chairs]

[sound of an 80s disco beat from silly cartoons transformation scenes]

Raimei: Ultra-Mobster, transformation! Percentage; three hundred!

Raimei: Yamaguchi-Gumi spell; Fifty-Five! Gokudō code, page three. Entering heat mode. Specialized skill; DISROBE.

[sounds of thunder]

Raimei: Looks like I got a new favourite shirt. Thanks, Glitch.

Souji: What a way to end the show! [applause]

Souji: Well listeners, if the world does turn out to be just a simulation, remember to make the most of it. Make a point of seeing some good in every day. Drop your resentments. We all have them. Make every day count. The end of the world is coming but until then, to keep up with the show follow me @thesoujishow, and to support my small clothing business, follow @glitchgear on all social media platforms. Once again, this has been Raimei Tsubusu and Souji Yoshihiro, and you’ve been listening to the Souji Show! A show where I talk about anything I want. 'Cause this is my show, and not yours. Until next time. Insert catchphrase here.

[vaporwave lo-fi song]

[EXTRAS - glitchy transition music]

Souji: If you listen to this podcast, chances are you go to Kyoranki Academy. Kido Kotoe is looking for a bass player for her band. So if any of you are interested, please contact her at [Kotoe's school email].

[adamantlocked]

Now that he has all the Badges, he should think about how he’s gonna handle Victory Road. It takes a lot of HM moves to make it through, doesn’t it? Maybe he should go with the team he used to beat Volkner. 

Marnie has Surf, Skipper has Waterfall and Kale has Rock Climb...Garnet has Strength, and is there anything else they need?

[adamantlocked]

The last time he was in Mt. Coronet, Lucas nearly got lost. It took him the entire afternoon to make it to the other side, and the ordeal left him and his Pokemon absolutely exhausted.

This time though, he couldn’t afford to make a mistake like that. He had set the Lake Trio free, but that wouldn’t stop Cyrus from accomplishing his goal. In a strange way, he didn’t need Saturn to tell him that; the knowledge seemed to be instinctual.

So, after he set the Lake Trio free, he went straight to Mt. Coronet. He had to get to Spear Pillar. It wasn’t likely that he would reach it before Cyrus, but he could only hope that he could get there in time to stop him.

Current Team 

Garnet / Lucario / Female / Quirky / Highly curious / Steadfast

Arty / Crobat / Male / Lax / Good perseverance / Inner Focus

April / Blissey / Modest / Highly curious / Serene Grace

Bebe / Luxray / Female / Bold / Mischievous / Intimidate

Marnie / Gastrodon / Female / Quiet / Highly persistent / Sticky Hold

Kale / Torterra / Male / Serious / Strongly defiant / Overgrow

[adamantlocked]

Mine Badge Get!

Finally, a Gym victory he could actually enjoy! Between Marnie and Kale, Byron’s team stood no chance. There was a bit of worry when Bastiodon turned out to have a Sitrus Berry, but Marnie’s Mud Bomb hit with just enough force for it to not matter much.

[adamantlocked]

Route 207

“YAY!” He needed a Fire-type in his team for a lot of reasons - while he wouldn’t be able to do much in the upcoming Gym, this Ponyta should be able to help out a lot going into Eterna Forest and the Gym there. 

Roy / Male / Naughty / Highly persistent / Likes spicy food / Flash Fire

[adamantlocked]

Route 208

He seems to be finding a lot of Psychic-types tonight. Not that this was a problem for him, but with the next Gym being a ghost-type Gym, it was a bit of cause for concern.

...Although, he won’t lie, he’s really happy with this one.

Alger / Male / Brave / Often dozes off / Likes spicy food / Synchronize

[adamantlocked]

Trophy Garden

Lucas figured maybe he should try training some of his lower-leveled Pokemon, so he’s been re-visiting some of the routes he previously went through.

This was the first time he’s been here, though. Now that he thought about it, did he even catch anything in Route 212...?

Maybe he should catch something here first, and then check his notes. 

Pixel / Female / Jolly / Capable of taking hits / Likes sweet food / Static

[adamantlocked]

Route 222

That reminded him...he never checked the stats on the Wingull he caught in Route 222, did he? Maybe he should do that while checking up on Arrow.

Jonathan / Male / Rash / Somewhat of a clown / Likes dry food / Keen Eye

[adamantlocked]

Victory Road

That was probably the most terrifying catch he’s ever gone through!

He was prepared when the Steelix started using Curse, but he hadn’t been prepared for Rock Polish! That nullified the Speed drop from Curse, and the Steelix nearly KO’d Garnet because of it!

Thankfully, the Steelix was caught before he could seriously hurt anyone, but he still had to turn back to get everyone healed up afterwards. That was annoying, hey...not every day you catch a Steelix.

Arrow / Male / Gentle / A little quick tempered / Likes bitter food / Rock Head

[adamantlocked]

Beacon Badge Get!

All of that training was worth it! Skipper, Marnie, and Kale all put in an equal amount of work in the fight (although Electivire did scare him when it used Fire Punch on Kale).

[adamantlocked]

Lake Acuity

Lucas had given his Pokemon the time to relax and take a load off. After all, it was a long and hectic day they had; Lake Valor, Lake Verity, and then chasing Barry all the way up to Lake Acuity. The Gym Battle with Candice aside, everyone was exhausted. As much as Lucas wanted to chase after Jupiter too, he knew that everyone needed to rest. He needed to rest.

So, Marnie ferried them off to a patch of land on the opposite side of the lake. Why did he ask her to do that? Well....there were a few reasons. He did want to give his Pokemon a chance to rest, but he also needed a minute to process what was happening.

I was too late. I couldn’t stop it. Why does this keep happening, why couldn’t things be different this one time, why does all of this seem SO FAMILIAR-

He didn’t even realize that he was crying. He could barely process the cries of distress coming from his Pokemon, a rustling of grass and SOMETHING VERY COLD BUMPING AGAINST HIS BACK-

He shrieked and very nearly fell into the water. Well, that was one way to get him out of his head! The Snorunt (because that’s what had approached him) shrieked as well and ran off to hide behind April. 

It seemed to be a pretty awkward conversation between the wild Snorunt and Lucas’ team.....but Snorunt seemed to want to come along with them, so........

Ophelia / Female / Naive / Likes to thrash about / Likes sweet food /  Ice Body

[adamantlocked]

Icicle Badge Get!

The fight started off pretty smoothly. Garnet OHKO’d Sneasel, and Jade held up well against the Piloswine. 

And since Blissey as a Pokemon were notorious for having a high Special Defense, Lucas got the idea to send April out against Froslass. She had Light Screen and Shock Wave, which would bypass Double Team. 

....He has no idea how he didn’t think that Candice would switch Froslass out for Abomasnow. 

It didn’t take long for the decision to be made for him; before Lucas could figure out what he wanted to do, Kale burst out of his PokeBall to face the Grass-type. It gave Lucas time to switch April out, but Kale took a beating in the process. Thank Arceus Abomasnow just used Wood Hammer; he didn’t want to think of what would’ve happened if she decided to use Avalanche. 

Roy took on Abomasnow once Kale couldn’t take anymore, and that was followed by a long standoff between April and Froslass. The Blissey eventually came out on top, and Lucas got the badge.

Kale was immediately taken to the Pokemon Center, where he was all healed up. Lucas was relieved, but that was short-lived. “Kale, buddy...please don’t do that again. You nearly gave me a heart attack!”