#when faced with a Real Human instead of the demonized Other on tv its different. at least sometimes and thats hopeful :)
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Sometimes, I think about Scott Allie saying that he doesn’t think much about what year something takes place, in regard to the BtvS comics and saying he himself doesn’t believe the translation of show-year to real year was 1 to 1 either.
Only that it was though, time in the BtVSverse works exactly like in our real world.
Buffy dies in the season 5 finale, airing in May 2001, and her gravestone says that she lived from 1981-2001. We have the years of her graduation class too. Heck, the gravestone of Tara literally says the specific date that Seeing Red aired as her death day - May 7th 2002.
The thing that he brings up is how the characters didn’t really react to 9/11 in season 6, which started airing in October 2001.
And that argument just... stuck with me, because it’s so weird.
I do understand that Americans, even non-New Yorkers, had a very strong reaction to 9/11 that did outlast September by a couple decades.
But that’s the real world and we’re talking about a fictional world and I genuinely think that a group of young people who have faced the actual apocalypse, multiple times, and who have all had personal losses at the hands of demons are a bit more sanitized when it comes to a fully human tragedy that doesn’t directly affect them.
Not to mention that I have never seen 9/11 be brought up on TV for a longer period of time. I watched a fire fighter show that took place during it, and was set in New York, they dedicated two episodes to it and then mostly moved on. But, again, these were personally affected characters.
I genuinely don’t remember any show that took place in 2001 to actually dedicate time to a... reaction shot... to this real human tragedy? The only times it’s ever been brought up is if it directly affects its characters; either by them having been in New York during that time or having personally lost someone in the attack.
So if every random “modern day” set show from 2001 doesn’t have to dedicate time to discussing 9/11, I don’t entirely see why BtVS should have. This happened only months after the latest near apocalypse and Buffy is dead. Buffy is dead and they are scrambling to keep up the appearance that she is still alive, to keep the demons at bay.
Season 6 Scoobies, in particular, really had other things to worry about than to pause their plot to discuss the Twin Towers? And they had absolutely no ties to New York at all either. If any of them had family living in New York, or if a recurring character we’d known before had moved to New York, or heck if AtS took place in New York instead of Los Angeles, there would be a reason for it to come up, but New York is on the entire different end of the US and no character we know has any relation to it.
So why would that have come up. Why would these former child soldiers turned college student soldiers who just lost their best friend and are currently trying to prevent a demon uprising concern themselves with this...?
Again, I have absolutely no measurement how real Americans reacted to this during 2001, but if you’re talking about a fictional show, you ought to hold it to the standard of other fictional shows, who only bring it up as a point of discussion when it actually affected the story at hand, and you also ought to consider the personal situations of the characters you’re talking about - and neither of those really leave me with a feeling that I need to see Willow and Xander debate 9/11 while they’re patrolling the graveyard.
It’s just. It’s such a weird thing to say that you don’t believe BtVS runs on the same timeline as our world solely based on the fact that they didn’t have a proper reaction to 9/11 during its 2001 season.
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Devil may cry parent headcanons
Dante
He probably is a fun dad but at the same time don't leave your kids with him, it would be a disaster
Will wake up to crying at 12 am and try to put the kid back to sleep, ends up with both of them watching tv instead
This man will do anything with your kid, they want to go to the park, sure he'll have to keep an eye on them. They want to see the movies, sure has to be below pg or he will never hear the end of it from the nightmares his kids have. Want to go to the zoo, sure he just needs to make sure they don't go into the exhibit.
He will play dress up and tea time with them. He will put on a dress and have them do his makeup just so he can go to tea time, and might start some beef with Mr teddy for stealing his cupcakes, but he will do it proudly.
He will try to do their hair in the morning for school, again he is not the best at it and will probably give them crooked pigtails, he's trying he really is.
Can't cook for shit, I'm sorry if you think he could cook please take a look at all the pizza box stored around his shop. Like he will take cooking lessons or watch cooking shows but dear god how do you set fire to milk.
He will always be there for his kid to vent even if he doesn't know how to respond he will sit and let them rant about stuff, also trying to cheer them up because he doesn't want to see them sad
If they brought their homework to him he would be confused he can barely pay his bills i don't think he knows how to do math, but drama he will rock that stuff his acting skills are on point even if it's cheesy
Will waste all his money on the kid, toys, clothes, video games, you name it he will buy it and give to the kid
Remember how I said not to leave your kid alone with Dante yeah, he may or may noteave his weapons/devilarms around for the kids to grab them, like halfway of Dante walking into the main room and he sees ebony in his kids mouth he tricksters all the way to them and quickly grab ebony before anything bad happens, but the kid will start crying and he has to find something for them to mess with or he'll get a headache
He accidently devil triggered in front of his kid now depending on which one he get two responses and he's expecting screaming for both, but if its regular dt like humanish looking one, "woah, dad grew scales and wings, are you a lizard king?" Now its his Sin Dt he would get "Oo, daddys a gaint dragon" for both case they will proceed to touch his scales? And will be all over him trying to climb him to the point he literally has to switch out of dt so they don't get hurt. Also he's a heat source for winter if the heating doesn't get paid for.
If his kid comes out as any of the lgbtq+ he would be supportive and loves them for who they are, I also see him being apart of it too.(I know a few people see him as asexual I do too, as well as bisexual)
Vergil
Look this guy probably has no clue what he's doing, even if we wish he could've taken care of Nero (at least I do) he didn't and now he has another kid to take care
Please help him hold the baby, he can't properly do it at all, he's just holding them by their chest and staring at them with confusion as the child cry, "why won't they stop screaming?"
He will get the hang of taking care of the kid, but please don't leave him alone with them for long he still has no clue what he's doing half the time
"Hey can I hang out with (insert name) at the mall?", "Do I know their mom?", "Uh, no", "Do I know their dad?", "No" Then that settles it, you can't go", "But-", "No buts, if I don't know their parents you can't go, and that's finale"
Can he cook, probably but he's been in hell for most of his life and doesn't know what he's doing half the time. Thank god for cooking shows and book he at least tries a learn how to cook, and doesn't burn anything unlike someone else
He will read the kids William Blake or other bed time stories before bed time, and will do activities where they try to make up poems he has to thank Nero for the idea
Speak of Nero, if Vergil has a mission he will leave his kids with him, he's not trusting Dante at all. Nero absolutely loves his step siblings even if their like a few years younger than him, they will either play with the other kids at the orphanages or play Nero which consist of Video games, sometimes sword fights if they beg long enough, or just talk about the stuff their dad and uncle does that are stupid and make fun of them for it.
Also that one dad to try and help with math homework but makes the kid cry because they don't understand the problem and he's yelling at them "What's 2 x 2?" Its traumatizing please someone tell him to cool it or his kid is going to have problems when it comes to yelling and math, also complains how he didn't learn it that way as a kid, I promise you he was homeschooled.
Now his kids can vent to him but he has no clue what to do nor have much good advice but he will give what he knows even if it's not the best.
This can go many ways, this man know his kid is getting bullied he will go down to the school with the Yamato and threaten someone's life, give his kid the sword for them to deal with it instead, or use some brain cells and deal with it like civil people and we hope he chooses the last one
Now he's a little careful with his devil trigger and doesn't want to scare his kids, but its by accident really and he expects screaming, just like Dante he gets two responses. Regular dt and I'm going off of 4 because I don't think he has one in dmc5, "Dad, why didn't you tell me/us your secretly a bug, don't worry well keep you away from shoes." If its Sin Dt, "Wow, your a dragon this whole time, does this mean I'm also a dragon, where do you keep your stashed gold?", I feel like for his regular dt they will sometimes smack him with a fyswatter and he has to turn out of his sin dt quickly because they want to mess with the fire coming out of him.
If his kids come out as lgbtq+ he will be supportive and a little confused because he has no clue what it is. They have to explain what it means and what their sexuality means, he'll still be supportive and loves his kids no matter what they are
Nero
Out of Vergil and Dante, he's probably the one who knows more about taking care of kids since he grew up with them in an orphanage and takes care of them
I feel he's like a mix between Dante and Vergil, Fun dad but will put his foot down on somethings
If its a girl you bet he will go out to a store at whatever time it is and buy then pad/tampon when their monthly comes no questions asked he just knows. If its a dude he will give the talk, not just protection but what not to do, like when a girl tells him to stop he needs to stop, no advancing on or anything like that (I feel like the no advancing will also go for the girl)
Doesn't do favoritism, he hates that stuff since he technically dealt with it as a kid, if one kid ask why he loves the other more than them he will shut that down quickly and tell them he loves them equally and will move moons for them to both be happy
Best cook hands down, and will let his kids help if they want to but keeps them away from sharp objects. He will also take them out to dinner if he doesn't want to cook
He's decent with homework, and goes about it in a fun learning experience for the both of them, if they get an answer right they get a point that they can trade for something special later kne, if they get it wrong they will go over it again, but still get a point because no favoritism. He also help make a volcano, but also put a little extra pizzazz to it, and might have caused the whole kitchen to be a different color now.
His kids can vent to him, he will understand and try to help give advice for some issues, also takes them out of the house to do something they want to do to cheer them up
He will encourage his kids to follow what they want to do, play a sport? He will show up to every game, even if that means giving Dante his mission he will. A club? He will make sure they have everything they need for that club and be on time for it, be it art, book, yearbook, student council, etc. They want to do boy scout/girl scout, he will make sure he gets them a vest and help put pins on as well. He will be the number one supportive dad
As soon as his kid comes to him crying about how some other kid is bullying them he will be mad, he'll reassuring his kid that they are amazing first, then go to the school, if they don't do anything he will go straight to the parent and make sure that their kid doesn't mess with his anymore.
Will watch anime with them, if they agree that is don't want your dad into your stuff. But like he's absolutely into it, he seems like the person to like Bleach (this was not intentional I complete forgot that the voice actor for Nero also did Ichigo) or Cowboy Bebop. Maybe sailor moon but you won't hear him say it
Look he's really new to the devil trigger business, the only thing close he had was that ghost creature, so keeping this thing in check and not popping up randomly is hard. His kids reaction are, "You hair is longer, are you like rapunzel, oh wait you have wings and a crown your an angel. Oh can I braid your hair please," of course he will let them braide his hair he can't say no to a pouting face, they also will poke his wings to see if their real.
He will definitely support his kid if their aprat of the lgbtq+, will buy them flags, merch, you name it. He want his kid to feel safe and loved
Lady and Trish
Look I can't separate these two, when I first saw them I thought they were girlfriends, and I can't let that go. But these two would definitely be the fun and protective mom
So considering Trish and Lady are both females they definitely have to adopt of course, now Lady may not know if its half demon or full, but Trish does and she probably would help the kid when they get older since she knows about the demon body considering she has one, if its human Lady knows the most about the stuff going on when they get older and has I already planned out.
Now Lady has to be the protective mom because the shit happen with her dad she definitely doesn't want anything bad to happen to their kid, and Trish is like you do you kid if you get hurt you learn from it "its the demon way of raising" she says. Though she still will watch over them and make sure they don't get themselves severely hurt
They will buy their kid anything, and take them out shopping. It's like a spin the wheel of pay to see if they will pay for the stuff or put it under Dante's name for shits and giggles
Lady has to like keep her weapons locked up somewhere safe, unlike Dante, she's more careful with her weapons
If their kid is mad or something Trish will take them to some deserted area with some random stuff she found that isn't in use and have their kid throw it in the air so she can blow it up with her lighting, you know to blow steam off
Trish or Lady tell their kid the stupidest thing Dante has done or said, if they visit Dante please note one will scream if Dante says something about a soul, "I should have been the one to fill your dark soul with Light" and get the voice crack right too, he will look so embarrassed
Now Trish might not know anything about homework she'll support the best she can but Lady knows most of the stuff and will help.
Trish will tell their king everything about Hell, who's in charge, what creatures are there, the history of it all. Its a great learning experience until you tell them that the female demons kill the male after finishing mating
If they are out in public and some guy is hitting on their kid and their tell him no, protective mom mode is on. Mostly Lady has to stop Trish from frying thr guy, but Lady will give the man a price of her mind saying if he tries to do this shit again with her kid he will be going home with a foot straight up his ass. So now no man tries to hit on her
Definitely let the kids go venting to them, they give the best cuddled, some good advice, and shopping if they say someone's bullying them they will see that the parent deals with their kid.
They knew their kid was apart of lgbtq+, of course their supportive of who they are, they are dating of course. They will take them to a pride march in June
Kyrie
Look, LOOK, she is an amazing mom, so caring but also will put her foot down on somethings
Besides Nero she is a good cook and baker, while she doesn't want kids in the kitchen while she's cooking will will have them help with baking sweet
Reads bedtime stories and tucks her kids in and kiss goodnight (ugh my heart hurts I love this)
She will play video games with her kids mostly on the wii, she still the champion on Mario Kart and Just Dance no one has taken their spot yet, even Nero tries
Packs lunch for her kids and puts a note in it telling them that she loves them and hope they have the best day
She does worry about them from time to time when they go over a friends house, only because of what happened to her brother and then Nero she doesn't want anything to happen to her kids
Tells them not to climb the tree in their backyard, what does one of them do, they climb it and accidently falls down. She goes to them saying "You know I told you not to do it, and you did it anyways, you need to be more careful and listen to me. I'm not doing this because I'm being uptight I'm doing this for your safety I want you to be able to do the things you want in the future"
I feel like she's the same way with friends like Vergil, if she doesn't know the parents then you can't go out or over their house
She is really a good listener and help with advice, so venting to her is a really great idea also will ask about your feelings and how your doing someday, like she knows your in a sad mood
She also good with homework, I feel like she wanted to become a teacher as well as study for it, but instead stuck with taking care of orphans, so she probably homeschools her kids too
She also makes the kids clothes time to time, they have little sweaters or shirts that are soft and comfortable
She is so supportive of her kids if they come out lgbtq+, she doesn't care as long as their happy thats all that matters.
Nico
Now I love Nico amazing and pretty girl but don't leave a child with her, just like Dante it will be a disaster, but she probably would try to be a better parent than her since he technically wa this weird freaky man who experimented on demons or was weird.
Let's start with teaching the kid every swear word she knows and tells them to go up to Nero call him one of those names, she will hear her name being screamed and find an angry Nero going over to her as she burst into fits of laughter
Will be extra pair of arms when getting a tool they need for fixing the van, when Nero does understand what a Dohicky is
I think Nico can cook, its decent not bad or good, she did nearly burn the van down from trying to cook turkey.
She will try and cut back on smoking or at least not doing it when the kid is around because its bad for them, Nero scoffs because she nags him when he tells her to stop, but not her kids
Now her kids could bring homework to her, like he's good in math, engineering, and probably biology, but she'll act as if she never even seen the stuff in her life, because she wants to get her learn it and not her just giving them the answer. But if their kid is in a science fair I bet she will help make something totally child friendly(its not really), it kind of gets her and her kid ban from doing anymore science fairs.
She will teach then everything she knows about Demon, mostly the biology of it, and when Nero brings a demon part for his breakers, she goes in explain how she turns them into those.
Will tease her kids if they talk about their crush, she's a huge teaser so saying something about someone they really like or anything its a mistake, she will embarrass them in front of their crush, but she means well
If they try to change the channel of the radio she swats their hand saying the driver picks the music and the passenger has to sit and listen.
If she's busy with something she will let Nero and Kyrie babysit her kids, she trust them and the kids love Nero and Kyrie.
Tries to teach her kids how to drive when their of age to learn, but Nero and Kyrie won't let her considering how she drives and that the instructor is more legal to do it.
No but she will tease her kid a bit if they come out lgbtq+ too, of course she supportive I kind of see her being apart of lgbtq+ as well
*Bonus because it seemed reasonable to just put this one here like this*
Nero, Dante, Vergil, Lady, Trish, Nico
They will teach their kid self defense, and how to use a weapon. While they rather their kids have a normal life instead of a demon hunter for many reasons, they at least want their kid to take care of themselves if they find themselves in a situation where their life is on the line
#devil may cry#devil may cry vergil#dante devil may cry#nero devil may cry#devil may cry headcanons#dmc kyrie#devil may cry nico#devil may cry lady#devil may cry trish#devil may cry headcanon
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Part 4: The Sixteenth Fear
The Magnus Archives was a horror podcast. It is now completed. Many of the show’s mysteries were never explained on the show. I intend to explain them. Spoilers for the show, but also spoilers if you wanna solve these mysteries yourself.
In part 3 I said every fear has an opposite. But the Flesh didn’t exist before the industrial revolution. So there would have been 13 fears then, an uneven number, and not every fear could balance against an opposite. So how could that be?
The answer is, there were only 12 fears before the Flesh. The Corruption and the Desolation used to be the same fear.
Diego Molina of the Lightless Flame cult worships Asag. A Sumerian god of disease that could make fish boil. So Asag seems to be of both the Corruption and the Desolation.
In Infectious Doubts Arthur Nolan complains about it: “Not like I can vent to the others about what a prat Diego is. Got a lot of funny ideas. Still calls the Lightless Flame Asag, like he was when he was first researching it. I just really wanna tell him to get over it; I mean Asag was traditionally a force of destruction, sure, but as a church we very much settled on burning in terms of the – face we worship, and some fish-boiling Sumerian demon doesn’t really match up, does it? Plus there’s a lot of disease imagery with Asag that I’ll reckon is way too close to Filth for my taste, but no, he read it in some ancient tome, so that’s that –“
Ancient is the key word. The tome predates the industrial revolution and the Flesh. Asag probably isn’t a thing anymore and Diego is indeed a prat for worshipping it.
In The Architecture of Fear Smirke writes “I know you say the Flesh was perhaps always there, shriveled and nascent until its recent growth, but to grant the existence of such a lesser power would throw everything into confusion. Would you have me separate the Corruption into insects, dirt, and disease? To divide the fungal bloom from the maggot?”
It is not random that Smirke uses the Corruption as an example here. The Corruption is the opposite of the Flesh, so the Corruption is the fear that Smirke believed had no opposite for hundreds or thousands of years.
In part 3 I said vampires where Corruption/Desolation/Hunt. This is a little far-fetched, but I wonder if the vampire’s we’ve seen have been old ones that predate the Flesh. And that’s why they are part Corruption, since Corruption and Hunt used to be next to each other. Maybe there are more modern vampires without the long sucking tongue. Maybe instead of sucking blood, when they bite you begin to burn or boil. Since the Hunt is now next to the Desolation instead of the Corruption-Desolation combo.
In Vampire Killer Trevor says “I have killed five people that I know for sure as vampires, and there are two more that may or may not have been.” There is a missing middle part of Trevor’s statement. Maybe there he talks about killing two vampires that are modern and therefore different so he’s not sure if they’re actually vampires.
Speaking of fears splitting up, why is the Darkness the opposite fear of the Slaughter? In Last Words we hear of the first fear “A fear of blood and pounding feet, a fear of that sudden burst of pain and then nothing.”
And of the second fear “The fear of their own end, of the things that lived in the darkness, became a fear of the darkness itself.”
I think the first was a general fear of violence. It includes what became the Hunt “Blood and pounding Feet...” and the Slaughter “...Sudden burst of pain and then nothing”, and the End “The fear of their own end…” And the second fear was the Darkness. They were the opposite by default, simply for being the two first fears.
When the Buried became a fear, the Hunt split up from the Violence to oppose it. When the Vast became a fear, the End split up from the Violence to oppose it. All that was left of the Violence was Slaughter, still opposing the Dark. When humans began warfare, fear of war fit nicely with the Slaughter.
The Eye might have been part of the Dark at first. Still from Last Words: “...because they knew the dark held flashing talons and shining eyes…”
When the Lonely became a fear, the Eye split up from the Dark to oppose it.
So what about the Extinction? Does it have an opposite? Yes! There is a sixteenth fear. And what can be the opposite of the fear of the end of the world? The fear that the world isn’t real. That we’re all just living in a computer simulation. If you think the world isn’t even real, you’re not gonna be so worried about it ending. I’ll call it the Simulation.
Here is how the fears are arranged on the wheel, with the two latest fears added:
Description of image: A circle with 16 spots similar to a clock. On each spot is a number and the name of a power: 1. Corruption. 2 Extinction. 3. Desolation. 4. Hunt. 5. Slaughter. 6. End. 7. Lonely. 8. Stranger. 9. Flesh. 10. Simulation 11. Spiral. 12. Buried. 13. Dark. 14. Vast. 15. Eye. 16. Web.
The Extinction is next to the Corruption. Disease and garbage are both gross. Possessive is an Extinction episode, even if not acknowledged as such by any of the characters. It’s about garbage. And Maggie is creating people out of garbage. She is making the inheritors mentioned in Time of Revelation. There are also creatures made of garbage in Concrete Jungle. And Maggie was full of moving insect legs, showing Corruption influence.
Quote from Adelard Dekker from Rotten Core: “I’ve spoken before about how keenly I’ve watched news of possible pandemics, which is where I suspect the Extinction may pull away from the Corruption during its emergence.” Adelard knows the Extinction is next to Corruption.
The Extinction is next to Desolation. That fits, nuclear weapons cause fire. Quote from Times of Revelation, describing corpses: “They were stiff, and desiccated, mummified by some process Bernadette could not begin to guess at, but that rendered their flesh like tightly packed ash” Ash as if they were burned.
The Simulation is next to the Flesh. The Flesh makes you think humans aren’t people, they are just meat. The Simulation makes you think humans aren’t people, they are just NPCs.
The Simulation is the next to the Spiral. Both make you question what is real. The Spiral makes you doubt your mind, the Simulation makes you doubt your world.
There are four episodes about the Simulation: Binary, Zombie, Cul-de-sac and Reflection.
In Binary Sergey Ushanka uploads his mind into a computer. He becomes a simulation and it hurts. There is influence by the Spiral, the statement giver isn’t sure if she’s going crazy. And there is influence by the Flesh. Ushanka uploads himself into a computer and then he eats the computer. So that’s cannibalism.
In Zombie the statement giver thinks other people aren’t real, they’re philosophical zombies, In other words they like simulations or NPCs. The man that follows her repeats the phrase “Just fine, thank you for asking” and says nothing else. Just like some NPCs in video games will say the same phrase over and over. The man is identical the three times they meet, except for his t-shirt changes color. Sometimes in video games some NPCs will be identical, except for some colors are changed. (Because it’s less work to recollar a character than to draw one from scratch.)
John thinks Cul-De-Sac is about the Lonely. And yes, the statement giver was lonely. But the people affected by the Lonely choose to be lonely, and the statement giver didn’t. His boyfriend broke up with him because of cheating and then he lost his friends because they sided with his boyfriend.
I think the theme of the statement is unreality, not loneliness. In the Magnus Archives, when someone gets marked by a power it is because they made some wrong choice. The choice the statement giver makes is to return to the place he found dead and soulless. He drives back to his ex-boyfriend to deliver the moose, rather than send it by mail. He specifically wants to meet his ex. Not an act of loneliness, quite the opposite. Also he is returning a moose that is angular and creepy, in other words it is unreal.
When the statement escapes from the nightmare it’s because he got a phone call from his ex. And he says “I love you.” and that fits neatly with the Lonely. But it also fits with escape from the unreal. He escapes because he communicates with a real person.
The road signs says “Road” and “Street”. Generic and unreal. All the houses look the same. Like in a computer game. The statement giver wonders if they are the same house. Like in a computer game where one might reuse the code for a house many times.
The house he enters has stock photos. Unreal.
The people on TV have something wrong with their eyes, similar to the eyes of the zombies in Zombie. And it's a fake cooking show, and a fake infomercial.
The dead woman upstairs was someone who had social media profiles, and that nobody notices had died. Meaning she lived her life online. That sounds like she was lonely. But living online also makes her a good victim for the Simulation. Everyone she talked to was on a computer, she couldn’t know for sure if they were real.
The woman had killed herself with a mirror. I think what happened was she had looked into the mirror and seen that her eyes were wrong, like the eyes of the people on TV. And she had thought she was just a simulation, like everything around her. And therefore she killed herself. Or perhaps she wasn’t reflected in the mirror at all? Like in…
Reflection. Adelard speculated that this statement was about the Extinction, but I don’t think so. The protagonist was in a world that seemed unreal. A fun fair is artificial so that fits the theme. The people were playing games, which fits the theme via computer games maybe.
Adelard says “I can’t quite get past the detail that there was no reflection at all in the mirror he used to return.” It is almost at the end of Adelard’s letter, it’s clearly meant to be significant. The no reflection might be symbolic for the statement giver starting to think he isn’t real, which might be what happened to him after he gave the statement.
Reflection has influence by the Spiral, with the maze of mirrors. There is influence by the Flesh, with the cannibalism.
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i'm kind of interesting in your cryptid au - what type of monster is each character?
Glad you asked and I'll be happy to answer! I'll also try to explain why I chose each cryptid for each character.
Alright let's start with our protagonist, Hajime, this one is pretty simple, he is a shapeshifter. This is one is pretty self explanatory, as it's meant to represent Izuru possessing every talent where as here Izuru has the ability to possess the forms of his fellow freakshows. He is one of the most anticipated acts in the freakshow, but constantly transforming his body everyday for the audience does a number on his psyche, eventually bringing Izuru out.
Nagito: As I revealed in an earlier post, was a vampire. I chose this due to his general appearance and also his condition of being sickly. I also chose it to form an interesting dynamic for Nagito. See, as a vampire, Nagito needs to drink blood but a vampire's powers increase when they are hungry, so hope's peak intentionally starves him for his shows. So, nagito grows more unhinged from starvation, and starts thinking of feeding off the freakshows. But he still has his hope complex and worships the freakshows. So he's caught in a struggle of his body and his will.
Chiaki: Now she isn't exactly a cryptid but I like what I decided for her. So she's a TV head, which I chose due to her gaming fixation but also because she was an AI, which is sort of the same here, albeit more of a kiibo situation where she is an AI in a physical body. Her shows aren't as elaborate as the others, mostly consisting of her showing emotions through the swapping of channels and playing videos games in her mind which is portrayed on her TV screen. She doesn't have as severe issues as some of the others but she faces her own problems as an AI among humans.
Ultimate Imposter: Simple enough, he's a doppelganger. This is of course referring to him being the ultimate imposter, the only real change being that his true form is that of a gray amorphous blob. His shows consist of him copying the other freakshows, though it differs from Hajime tho, as UI can only morph into people and is restricted to morphing into those he knows whereas Hajime can shapeshift into anything, even things he has not seen.
Teruteru: So, quite an odd choice, but one I'm quite pleased with. So Teruteru is a basan, or a japanese fire-breathing chicken. As for a human form, he doesn't have one, he's just a fire-breathing chicken who's a great cook, the jokes make themselves. He's still a perve but less so simply due to most of the forms the freakshows take, only really having his eye on Peko and Sonia who are both very capable of killing him with a single strike so he keeps his cards to his chest as it were. His acts of course consist of feats of fire breathing and dual acts with akane.
Peko, my beloved: So Peko is a gorgon, in the sense that she has the bottom half of a snake. I chose this because Peko reminds of a snake in the best way possible. She's fierce and mysterious with piercing eyes that cut through your soul. As for abilities, she does possess the stone vision of gorgons, but she can control when she uses it, and she doesn't like having to use it. Just because she doesn't use her stone vision doesn't mean she should be underestimated tho, she still is a pro swordswoman and is arguably more adept than she would have been with legs. She has a dual act with Fuyuhiko, more specifically an arena type duel. Of course they don't fight to the death but any injury they sustain is fair game. Peko of course always objects to this but pushing hope's peaks buttons risks detainment for a freakshow, ultimately, she doesn't have a choice.
Mahiru: Okay so, she was really hard but I decided on making her a nymph. This is because I imagined that being able to blend with nature would be able to help capture people in their most natural state, in regards to her photography of course. Her acts are also not the most eventful, just her blending with different natural surroundings. That's honestly about it, wish I had more but Mahiru has always been a blank slate for me.
Ibuki: Ibuki! So, ibuki is a Siren, this is pretty obvious, as I chose this due to her being the ultimate musician. However, I do have an interesting dynamic with her and her ability. So, since sirens usually have melodious voices and show their victims what they desire most, I wanted to flip that on its head. So, since Ibuki doesn't exactly have a melodious voice, (a great voice, yes but not melodious nonetheless) her power doesn't show those what they desire but instead their deepest fears. This causes Ibuki to hide her singing, excluding her acts, and to grow self-conscious of her aspiration for music. Her acts consist mostly of water tricks and of course her singing, which audience members say they get a thrill and a since of comfort being able to face their deepest fear. Ibuki thinks differently, wanting her music to encourage and inspire people rather than send fear through them. And that is her central conflict throughout this au, which I'll end off here for sake of brevity.
Hiyoko: Pretty pleased with what I decided for her. So Hiyoko is a kitsune, I chose this because of her noble lineage and I think the kitsune is a pretty noble animal, despite having some cursed elements. She was still forced into the whole dancing thing, which she mixes between her human and fox form. But, her mischievous nature fits that of the kitsune as she's still her normal abrasive self. She tries staying out of her fox form as much as possible as it reminds her of her lineage that she hates but she of course has to transform into it for her acts. These consist of fire tricks as well as a showcase of mastery swapping between forms.
Mikan: Alright so Mikan's is kinda wild but stay with me. So Mikan is a lich and here's why. So I chose this for her because I know I wanted her to be undead, because she would constantly have to patch herself up. Decided on a lich to give an air to her that something isn't quite right, that she holds more power that she let's on and simply doesn't express it. Also I have some extremely dark reasons as to how she became a lich but I won't get into that here for brevity's sake.
Nekomaru: So Nekomaru's pretty fun, he's a minotaur mainly just because I think it fits him, and he definitely gives off jovial bull vibes. Despite his appearance he still has his joyful personality and still takes pride in his talent of team leader. His acts consist of feats of strength primarily, nothing much besides that.
Gundham: So Gundman is an imp, because he definitely deserves to be a demon but he's gonna be the lowest demon there is. Cause I still want to emphasize his whole "overlord complex" despite him just being an imp. He does still have his hamsters and he takes very good care of them, the four dark devas live a fulfilling life even if their master doesn't. Gundham can perform some lesser demon abilities like changing his appearance, in terms of pigment, small fire control, and flight. Of which he showcases in his acts. Even tho he's just an mere imp he is the Supreme Overlord of Ice and he will not accept any other titles.
Fuyuhiko: Finally! We have arrived at the boy, Fuyuhiko. So, Fuyuhiko is a werewolf, because he's an angsty boy and because I like werewolves. The story plays out much the same way as before, though Peko was assigned not just to protect Fuyuhiko but also to protect him from himself. His acts consist of arena battles with Peko, of which he always intentionally loses. He's able to transform each day to a drug they inject in him before every match that forces a transformation. These drugs make him agitated and irritable, more so than usual and also causes him extreme mood swings. Even if sometimes he wishes he could be detained, he stays for Peko. He knows she wouldn't forgive herself if he was taken away, regardless of her involvement, so he stays in this condition. It isn't all bad tho, spending time with Peko outside of the area isn't so bad. He also is often found hanging out with Kazuichi, who Fuyuhiko refers to as a "fucking moron" and yet still hangs out with him most days. They've formed an unlikely friendship that the two cherish even if Fuyuhiko won't admit it. He also has a pretty good relationship with Ibuki, her being Peko's girlfriend and all.
Kazuichi: Okay, Kazuichi, so Kazuichi is a gargoyle and man how I got there is a story. So I wanted Kazuichi to be something constructed, something manmade in a way so that he could rebuild himself as well as other things. So orginally he was a golem but I just couldn't vibe with that so I ended up settling with a gargoyle. I do think it fits him in a way, not sure how, but it suits him imo. So he's got the standard gargoyle abilities, he's got wings and can fly and can also change into his stone form at will. He prefers to sleep in this form, and he often turns into this form when scared which is often. His acts consist flying around the stage and testing the endurance of his stone skin. He also has a close relationship with Fuyuhiko and of course Sonia, though he doesn't see her as often as he would like.
Sonia: So, Sonia's is very different but I really like it. So she is a basilisk, not the serpent one but the more giant chicken with a serpent tail. Her cryptid form is one that affects her in and out of her form, and both are just as deadly. So since she's a basilisk, she has lethal vision and this is active in and out of her form. So she walks around with a blindfold on, and she has yet to see any of the her fellow freakshow's faces. She also is kept within her enclosure at almost all times, she's only let out about twice a day and these outings don't last long. In her basilisk form she easily stands 20-feet tall, with a wingspan of 25 feet, her feets are huge and equipped with deadly talons. From her beak she leaks venom that is capable of causing a limb to be amputated with a single drop. Not as lethal as her vision, but enough would easily be able to cause death. She doesn't perform, merely has visitors come and visit her in her basilisk form. She's very lonely, wishing with every part of her that she wasn't cursed with her form, but she does appreciate the visitors she gets. Chiaki and Akane often come to visit her, Kazuichi also comes by often, Fuyuhiko having to drag him off when he's overstayed his welcome. She holds on to her friendships, as it's all she really has.
Lastly we have Akane, so I decided on making Akane a dragon. For one dragons are known to have a voracious appetite, and two, Nekomaru in the main story talks about Akane having untapped potential, which I think would fit her as a dragon. Yeah, so contrary to Hiyoko, Akane primarily stays in her dragon form, even when just walking around the freakshow traveling caravan. She's not a huge dragon as she still isn't fully grown, so she's only slightly bigger than the average person. This is partially her just preferring her dragon form, (doesn't have to wear clothes, can fly, can eat more), but it's also because if she's a dragon no one can objectify her. She doesn't have to deal with the male gaze if she's a dragon and she quite likes it that way. Her acts consist of typical dragon shit, flying, feats of strength and a dual act with teruteru for fire breathing, (she can't breathe fire herself so she places teruteru in her mouth like a mama croc does with her babies and he does all the work. Before you say anything, teruteru actually doesn't get any perseve enjoyment out of this, or at least he doesn't anymore, just gets an excuse to take a bath).
And that's about it! Had a lot of fun coming up with these guys and I do have a story in mind for them if you'd like to hear. I also will answer that ask about the talentswap, I know it's been a while and I apologize for that but I have an excuse to work on it now so I'll get to that. Thanks for the ask!
#danganronpa#super danganronpa goodbye despair#cryptid au#hajime hinata#nagito komaeda#chiaki nanami#ultimate imposter#teruteru hanamura#peko pekoyama#mahiru koizumi#ibuki mioda#hiyoko saionji#mikan tsumiki#nekomaru nidai#gundham tanaka#fuyuhiko kuzuryu#kazuichi soda#sonia nevermind#akane owari
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Hell is a Relative Term (1/2)
Title: Hell is a Relative Term Category: Plays/Musicals » Les Misérables Author: AliceInSomewhereland Language: English, Rating: Rated: T Genre: Supernatural/Romance Published: 05-21-13, Updated: 05-22-13 Chapters: 2, Words: 9,662
[Part I] [Part II]
Summary: Eponine is one of the few who stand between humanity and hell, sworn to fight evil and protect the helpless, even if it costs her her own life. Vampire slayer!Eponine. e/e. Rated for language/content
Original author’s note: Ok guys, here we go with fic #2 for the Fic War on tumblr! This one was a prompt from tumblr user poeticbibliophile: "Modern AU prompt? One line for you, m'amie — 'Are you afraid of the good you can do?' from Les Miz, V. Hugo. Tag me if you chose this. TY!"
Part I
What if I told you the stories were true?
What if you knew that there really are things that go bump in the night? Things that live under your bed and in your closet just as much as they live in your mind, things that stalk you in the dark and prey on your terror? That all the monsters your parents ever promised you were pretend exist? That sometimes, people die, evil wins, and that the light cannot always banish your fears?
*
The world was hell.
There was no other way to put it.
No one really knew why these creatures existed, but they did. They ruled the night, mauling and feasting and terrorizing the population all the world over. It had always been this way; God had long ago forsaken the world and its inhabitants. Hell had swallowed Earth, and its demons walked with sorry humanity.
But there were people to fight it. Men and women, chosen for their strength, their character, their skill. They were given tasks, they learned the weaknesses of the different creatures, and eventually specialized in one specific type of Hellbeast.
*
"Eponine!" a voice shouted.
A young woman, olive-skinned, brown-eyed and dark-haired, stopped short, closing her eyes in trepidation before slowly turning.
"I've been looking for you everywhere," the man said sternly. He was middle-aged, with a close-cropped, graying haircut and a beard that matched. "I want you to patrol tonight."
The girl, Eponine, clenched her jaw. "I promised my brother I would be home tonight. He needs me. You have Musichetta, send her instead."
"Don't question me," he scolded. "I'm sending you."
When Eponine opened her mouth to protest, the man cut her off. "You are a vampire slayer, Jondrette. This is your job. This is your duty. You were chosen to protect the people of the world, and you will patrol tonight."
"One of those people I have to protect is my brother, Javert," she snapped. She loved the man, but he so frequently forgot that she was one of the rare slayers who had people at home to take care of. She had yet to lose everything, and she planned on keeping it that way. "I have a duty to him, too. And I promised him I would be there tonight. Send Musichetta instead."
Without waiting for his response, Eponine turned on her heel. She knew that Javert would probably punish her later for her insubordination, but she didn't care. Gavroche needed her.
*
Eponine was a vampire slayer. One of few slayers, in fact. Most of the women who became slayers died young.
It was not a fate she coveted.
In fact, she hated everything this life. But she had been chosen, as Javert constantly reminded her, by a power bigger than herself. And since he was her Guardian – the Guardian of all the slayers in this quadrant – and essentially her boss, it was he she answered to.
She was on the train, headed home to her brother. The dark world rushed by her, and she wondered how many vampires were out and active tonight.
She hated them with a burning passion. When they Turned, they kept their souls, but the bloodlust was so intense that they rarely heeded what little remained of their consciences. Eventually, most lost themselves in the Hunger or went insane from the guilt of what they did when their urges were unbearable. Most that she had met, however, loved killing. She had yet to meet a truly guilty vampire.
True to legend, they could not be in sunlight, and a stake to the heart or a clean swipe of the head from the shoulders would kill them immediately. Crosses, churches, hallowed ground – all unbearable to them. They couldn't even speak the name of God; that's how damned they were. They were vicious, evil creatures, and she wanted nothing more than to kill them all.
She hated being a killer, but she loved the fight, loved the moment when they lost. She would watch them victoriously, almost arrogantly, as they died in front of her. It gave her a rush, and afterwards, she would run through the streets, high on adrenaline, hungry and horny and happy.
She would find Montparnasse when she could, but otherwise she would grab a burger and indulge at least one of her urges until the high wore off and the real world crashed down on her again.
*
Several weeks later found Eponine back on patrol and deep in the throes of combat with a vampire. She could almost taste her victory when she felt, rather than saw, the presence of more of the loathsome bloodsuckers.
Panic bubbled up in her; she faltered and was knocked to the ground. She could feel blood trickling down from her brow, and her opponent, standing above her now, bared his teeth menacingly. She was surrounded
"Good job, little 'un," a grating woman's voice cooed.
Eponine felt her insides go cold. From her place on the ground, she stared up into the eyes of her mother.
She had hated her parents when they were alive, and had not been surprised when the police showed up one night, delivering the news of their deaths. She was, however, surprised when she saw them months later, their faces twisted as they sucked a woman dry.
But that was years ago, well before she was a slayer.
"Hello little Eponine," the creature that was once her mother sang.
Eponine pounced, fighting like a madwoman. But she was outnumbered; she only managed to slay the original vampire she was battling before she was repeatedly beat down… by her mother and her father and the rest of their gang.
Her father wrenched her head back by her hair, exposing her neck. This is it, she thought, fighting against those who were pinning her to the ground. I'm about to become another dead slayer.
The vampire broke her skin with his teeth, followed on the other side by her mother, and Eponine heard herself cry out. It all seemed to be happening from somewhere else; she knew and understood that she was dying, but she couldn't feel it, barely noticed it. Heaviness spread through her body, and her eyes began to get heavy.
Just before they closed, she became aware of a movement to her left. Her mother was ripped away from her neck.
Then everything went black.
*
When Eponine woke, she felt like she had been out drinking all night. Her body was heavy, her head was pounding, and she felt sick.
When her eyes adjusted to the daylight seeping in through a crack in the curtains, she looked around – turning her head slowly so as to prevent the exaggeration of her nausea and headache.
The room was simple, bare. There was some framed art on the gray walls, though her eyes were too weak to make out the pictures. A small flatscreen TV was on a small bookshelf that was packed with more books than DVDs, and even more books were piled on the dresser near the bed, as well as on the nightstand next to her. Those, she could make out: The World According to Garp, an anthology of the works of Sartre, Catch-22.
The bedspread was red, the sheets were white. Thick, black curtains were pulled together, though a ray of bright sunlight streamed through a crack.
Where was she?
Eponine wasn't sure how much time had passed, but she was several pages into The World According to Garp (whoever lived here had great taste in literature – this was one of her favorite books) before a gentle knock rapped on the door and it opened.
A man stepped in. Tall, curly blonde hair, casually dressed in dark jeans, a white v-neck t-shirt (that gave her a peek of just a little hair on his chest below a defined collarbone), and a black jacket. He was like a marble statue come to life. His eyes, she noticed, were impossibly blue, and his face was achingly handsome. A small bit of stubble covered his jaw and the top of his neck. She had no idea whatsoever who he was.
"How are you feeling?" the man asked. Eponine, in spite of herself and the weirdness of the situation, found that she liked his voice.
Instead of answering – Eponine hated answering direct questions, especially when she didn't know the inquirer – she countered, "Who the hell are you, and how did I get here?"
The man perched himself on the edge of the bed, purposefully staying as far from her as he could. Still, he smirked at her. "I saved your life last night, Slayer. You were outnumbered by the Thénardier Coven, and they would have killed you."
Eponine glared at him. "They took me by surprise," she grumbled. Then, "How did you know I'm a slayer?"
The man snorted. "You slayers wear your rank like a badge of honor. It's impossible not to know."
Eponine actually felt a little affronted, even though he had answered the question lightly.
He shrugged, apparently aware of the insult, and added, "Plus I was watching you."
"What?" she asked, dumfounded and staring at him.
The man grinned again. "I was following the Thénardier Coven, and so were you. You fell for their bait, you know. They were planning to ambush you. You should be more careful," he admonished.
Eponine raised her chin indignantly, but said nothing.
"Yeah, you would've died if it weren't for me," he continued.
He was actually fishing for a thank you. She couldn't believe it.
"Slayers are only women," she pointed out, ignoring his comment.
He ignored hers as well. "You're sleeping in my bed, you know. I saved your life, brought you back here at my own personal risk, nursed your wounds. A 'thank you' wouldn't be unwelcome," he said pointedly. It angered her that he seemed to find all of this so humorous.
She sniffed, realizing that he wouldn't talk about anything else unless she voiced her gratitude. "Thank you," she said tightly.
He smiled. Dear god that was a beautiful smile. "Why, you're welcome," he deadpanned.
"Now, who are you? Where am I?" she asked impatiently.
The man frowned. "You may stay as long as you need. At least, until you are well enough to make it home. Get some rest, and I'll bring you some food. You need your strength," he said, ignoring her questions. He stood, reaching the door in two short strides.
"Why won't you answer me?" she asked, before he could take his leave.
He stopped, hand on the doorknob, the door partially open. Then he shrugged, turning back towards her and seriously replying, "This is the last time you'll ever see me, so it doesn't matter." Then he was gone.
*
Montparnasse was a vampire.
What was worse, he now belonged to the Thénardier Coven. They were the most violent of the covens in this part of the world, and the most deadly. But also one of the biggest.
Javert had lost many a slayer trying to eradicate their ranks, their power.
Eponine was determined not to become one of them. Especially since she was the human daughter of the clan leaders.
But Montparnasse had been her last friend from her old life. He was in love with her, as a human, but he knew she was uninterested in him, even before she had become a slayer. Still, he had let her use him (not that he didn't console himself with some on the side, anyway – he was no virtuous man).
She felt guilty about how she had treated him now, though. He hadn't deserved to be used for sex. He was a good looking guy, and could've found someone who might have loved him back, even if he had some issues with alcohol and was kind of a klepto.
Eponine found that she was crying as she drove the stake into his heart. She hadn't noticed during their fight, as she was far too entranced by their dance to the death. But she would not lose.
"I'm sorry," she whispered to him as he died.
This time, she felt neither hungry nor happy, and definitely was not horny.
It was Montparnasse that she had gone to for that reason. And here she was, responsible for his death, in so many more ways than just this one.
When she looked up, tears flowing freely from her eyes, she thought she saw a flash of blue eyes and blonde hair disappearing into the shadows, but she couldn't be sure.
*
Marius, Azelma, and Gavroche were the only good things in her life anymore.
She had met Marius not long after becoming a slayer, and had fallen in love with him almost immediately. Sometimes when she had gone to Montparnasse, it was because she wanted Marius, and she could close her eyes with the other man and pretend that he loved her too.
The thought caused a wave of guilt to flow through her body. The hurt of Montparnasse's death (by her hand) was still very close.
Marius was kind to her, though. He was a sweetheart, always stopping to chat and inquire after her and her sister and brother, always ensuring that she was uninjured and being safe on her patrols.
She hoped that he might someday fall for her too. Eponine felt less damaged and depressed and hopeless around him. Perhaps he would even be willing to put up with the uncertainty of her life, her future, for a few passionate years by her side.
But one evening he ran up to her, more excited and worked up than she had ever before seen him.
"'Ponine! Oh, 'Ponine, I've fallen in love," he told her dreamily, taking her hands in his and spinning her gaily.
For a fleeting moment, Eponine thought her meant her.
"She's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen. Her hair is long and so blonde, her eyes are beautiful, and my god she probably has a wonderful soul to match."
Eponine gave him a strained smile.
"Can you find her for me, 'Ponine? You know your way around, and you're good at finding people."
Before she could stop herself, Eponine heard herself agreeing to help him.
*
She found the blonde beauty, all right.
Her name was Cosette.
She was the daughter of Jean Valjean.
Jean Valjean was the patriarch of the Fauchelevent Coven.
That idiot Marius had gone and fallen for a vampire.
Jealousy and contempt bubbled up inside of Eponine. She didn't know what to do with herself. Or with Marius. And when she had told him what she had learned, he had dismissed it.
"Not all vampires are bad, 'Ponine," he insisted. Eponine wanted to punch him for his stupidity. He might as well have been suggesting that he take a leisurely swim in the ocean in the middle of a hurricane. "She's a good one, I just know it. Besides, the Fauchelevent Coven has always been fairly peaceful. They don't attack humans, not like the Thénardier Coven or the Tholomyes Coven or the others."
Eponine stormed out, going on a hunt.
She would kill something tonight. She could only hope that it was a vampire, not that idiot, love struck boy she had left in the bar.
A few hours later, Eponine was on her third kill (she had been on the offensive tonight, though it wasn't strictly protocol to hunt alone and without a secure plan that Javert knew).
That's when she saw him.
When the vampire woman was dead, Eponine spun on her heal, flicking her sweaty hair out of her eyes.
"Why are you following me?" she demanded.
The blonde man regarded her seriously. "You seem angrier tonight than usual."
Her eyes narrowed. "Are you stalking me?"
He gave this some consideration, before replying, "More like ensuring that you don't get yourself into any sticky situations again."
She took an involuntary step closer. His eyes were so blue. "Why?"
He shrugged. "You're not like the other slayers."
"And what is that supposed to mean?"
He thought for a moment. "They're all driven by something. You just go through the motions, but you're so talented. What's keeping you from rising to your full potential? You could be the best slayer alive, if you wanted. You could eradicate the entire Bloodluster population if only you tried."
Eponine regarded him incredulously. "I don't even know you, I'm not talking to you about my reasons for slaying!"
He was watching her closely, looking for something in his face. "Are you afraid of the good you can do?"
Her face darkened. "Look, bro, my reasons for slaying are my own, and are certainly none of your business. And, I will have you know, I'm not afraid of anything."
"Whatever you say," he scoffed.
Eponine shoved him back angrily; he grinned, lazily taking a step back to keep his balance. It only pissed her off more.
"You're intriguing, little slayer," he said, quirking a half-smile at her.
Without missing a beat, she replied, "And you're an annoying jackass, mystery asshole."
He laughed at that.
*
Eponine still did not know his name, but she began to enjoy his somewhat constant presence when she patrolled. Somehow, he always seemed to pop up in time to see her fight, and ended up staying with her until her patrol was finished just before dawn. Then they would go their separate ways.
"Don't you ever sleep?" she asked as they walked slowly together through the empty streets. No one was ever out at this time of night except for the slayers or the occasional other fighter. She often wondered what his specialty was.
"Don't you?" he countered.
Somehow he always kept things balanced between them. She wasn't sure whether he answered her questions with questions of his own because that's what she did or because he wanted to maintain a certain balance between them. She was fine with boundaries, but the more time she spent with him, the more curious she became. She liked this marble man, this beautiful boy that seemed to gleam with the light of the sun even at night. She wanted to be his friend. She enjoyed hearing about his true friends, the ones that knew him as more than the Marble Man, and she found relief in telling him about her own fucked up life.
Rather than taunting her by knowing her name (which she had never actually told him) while she did not know his, he mostly referred to her as "Slayer" or "Little Slayer." She couldn't decide whether the whole thing was creepy and whether or not she liked his nicknames, nor could she decide if, when he did call her by her name, the shiver that went down her spine was because it sounded so foreign on his tongue or if it was because she liked hearing her name on his lips.
They had become friends, somehow. She wasn't sure what exactly had happened, but she truly did appreciate that he had saved her life, and he hadn't left her alone since, for whatever reason, and she had grown to like his company.
He was driven. He talked a lot about his dreams of helping the people, saving them from these circumstances, finding a way to eradicate the violent covens and hopefully rehabilitate the rest.
Eponine was less in favor of rehabilitation, but her Marble Man insisted that not all covens were violent like Thénardier. He told her frequently that she was blinded by her hate for her parents and what they had become. When he said this, she told him to fuck off and mind his business, usually storming off and leaving him behind. And he usually let her go.
It irritated her to no end that he knew her so well – seemingly without even trying – when she knew nothing about him. Was she that easy to read? He always seemed to guess her emotions – which she had spent so many years learning to hide – without any effort at all. He was always telling her about her potential, about how her circumstances could improve if she only tried a bit harder. He knew her name, he knew her story, but she knew nothing about him. Not even his name.
So one night, she asked him. They had been friends now for a few months. He had watched her fight, had even stepped in a few times when she got a little too close to death for his comfort (though she loved the rush that just escaping death gave her).
"What's your name? You know so much about me, but I know nothing about you."
He was silent for a long moment, and Eponine was fully expecting him to change the subject or stay quiet until she felt humiliated enough by her prying to change it herself, just as he always did. But tonight:
"I'm Enjolras," he told her quietly.
She froze in shock, unable to keep walking. He had actually told her. Her Marble Man had a name, and he had finally given it to her.
After a tense moment, in which she stared at him with an unattractively open mouth and he stared back with trepidation and dark eyes, he stepped up to her. She couldn't read his face as he searched hers, slipping his hand into her own.
Eponine wasn't sure what he found in her face, but he must have been satisfied because he was suddenly turning away, tugging on her hand to pull her with him so they could resume their walk.
But she didn't move. Instead, she tested his name, whispering it into the slight wind. "Enjolras…."
He immediately turned when she said his name, cupping the side of her face with his hands and bringing his lips urgently to hers.
Eponine was waiting for him; her lips parted almost immediately against his, her arms wrapped around his neck, and she pressed herself into him just as he pulled her closer with his free arm.
Enjolras deepened the kiss, meeting the tongue that had only moments ago held his name so tenderly. She shivered as his hand traveled down her rocky spine to rest at the slight valley that had formed at the small of her back.
He kissed her passionately, and she rose to meet the challenge, just as she did with her slaying. His kisses moved from her lips to her jaw, to her neck, to her collarbone. His hand preceded the actions of his lips, tracing their route before he made it. Now, his fingertips traveled down her chest, lips following as he unzipped the jacket she was wearing to reveal her cleavage.
Her hands were entwined in his hair and god she had forgotten how good this felt, and his fingertips and lips and tongue had just reached the top of her breasts when he cried out in pain, leaping away from her.
Eponine stared as a bit of smoke rose from his fingers, as though he had been on fire. He was staring at her with a torn, almost heartbroken, and pained expression.
She knew that she was staring back in horror. Her hand found the pendant buried in her cleavage – a silver cross. It was meant to protect her from her foe.
Anger like she had never before felt suddenly overtook her and she wanted nothing more than to kill him where he stood.
He just continued to stare.
"You're a fucking vampire!" she screamed at him. She could hear the hurt and anger and fear in her voice. What had she done?
"Eponine–."
"No!" she snapped, cutting him off. The way he had implored her with her name – without even needing to say anything else – had twisted her heart in her chest. "If you ever fucking come near me again I will stake you through the heart, and cut your head off, and cause you a lot of fucking pain as I do it!"
Enjolras listened to her scream, holding his burned hand in the palm of his uninjured one. Staring at her with almost heartbroken eyes.
Then he was gone.
#enjonine#enjonine fanfic#enjonine fanfiction#enjonine fic#eponine x enjolras#enjolras x eponine#e/e#é/e
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The taste of wine - Chapter 1 - Siege-O-Ween Oct 29th
Prompt: “I suppose, my secret’s out”
I welcome everybody back! It’s been such a long-long-long time, since I actually enjoyed writing something. I mean, times like that happen to any kind of writer or artist, and I’m just so happy to be out of it. This was so much fun, and why would we stop at just 6000 words? Come on!
Okay, honestly, I wanted to stop. I wanted to write a shorter one, but it kept going and going and going and now I’m planning like... 4 more chapters and a prologue :’) DoN’t HuRt Me PlEaSe <3
As always, I can’t thank @r6shippingdelivery and @freedert95 enough for helping me with the beta-reading. You two are absolutely life-and-sanity-saving and I love you both very much.
Oh and also, this is for @dualrainbow‘s Halloween event, so thank you guys too, for resurrecting me from the dead!
I hope you enjoy!!
“I want you to help me die.”
Mike turned towards the man standing on his right, eyes wide with shock. He let his gaze wander, just for a second, on the other. His tall, proud posture, his handsome face, basking in the dim candle light, his gentle, green eyes now looking at him full with hope, expecting help. How could a so-called monster look this innocent, the soldier couldn’t fathom. Why would he want to die? And more importantly, why would he want to be killed by somebody like Mike?
In his wondering, he almost missed the way the other’s lips pulled into a small smile. “You won’t help me, will you?”
Lifting his chin a bit, Mike looked the other in the eyes and he couldn’t help, but think ‘what a waste’, but shook his head anyway. “I will.”
The man seemed caught off guard- almost surprised for a second, but his smile widened as hope filled him even more.
Mike shook his head, looking away. What a waste.
But how did he get into this situation in the first place?
The Boogie-man. Zombies. Ghosts. Mummies. Werewolves. Monsters . Mike Baker had never really understood them. He understood the concept, and the literature, but he didn’t understand the need. It was just the need to be scared. Or even more, the need to force the fear of darkness into the shape of something understandable. Because that is what all these so-called supernatural monsters were, weren’t they? Just images made by scared children on a moonless night. A howl? A wolf! A growl? A zombie! A mug falling down? Definitely the leftovers of a dead person. Not the wind. Obviously not the wind.
Mike never said that he didn’t believe that something was hiding in the dark, far from it - being a soldier, facing new threats every other day made him learn that in fact there was always something around the corner, ready to attack. But nonetheless, he was sceptical of the supernatural.
Living in this world for 54 years he never met any kind of supernatural monster that could have been killed with only silver, salt or fire. In fact the only monsters he met were people. People acted way worse then any animal or entity ever could, hurting others and themselves, acting selfish and rude, being agressive and stupid. Obviously not every person, but he was facing terrorists, he believed he had seen the worst of worsts. He had seen men murdering innocent people, he had seen organizations turn children into mindless soldiers and he had seen mothers killing their loved ones and then themselves for the ‘greater good’. He had seen a lot. Like a lot . But he had never met any kind of supernatural monster, so yeah.
He had every right to be sceptical, and ironical, because he did not understand the fear of the unknown and darkness like a normal person did. Howls? There was no werewolf able to sound as a friend dying from an open wound. A growl? The unhappy sound of a terrorist being cuffed. A mug falling down? The reaction to a newly found biochemical weapon. No monsters, just people. Bad-people.
He started to feel bad for the monsters in books, tv shows and poems at one point. All that screaming, shouting and wanting to capture or kill them… Why were they the ones being chased? That was the other question. Why were the monsters always bad? Why would a werewolf or zombie or mummy or anything attack the human beings, like they did in the stories? To hunt them, taste their blood and eat them and their brains? Oh come on.
The fact that sharks don’t even like the taste of human meat must mean something!
But it could be the blood... All animals had blood, why would a vampire attack that one human being, when they could hunt a calm cow, or something. Much less screaming, much less effort, much easier target.
And don’t even start with the brain bullshit. Why would anything try to eat the brain?! The people mindlessly attacking others for being a little bit different than they are were empty anyway!
And also, why would a demon or spirit or whatever the fuck attack humans after their life? What if they are stuck and just need help? What if they just want to be friends?!
He believed in ghosts, tho, he did. But not the… ‘the white sheet with two holes for the eyes on it’ kind, obviously. He believed the ghosts of the past. The screaming in his nightmares about the wars, the eyeless people standing behind him in the mirror, the feeling of his mother’s gentle hand on his shoulder.
Ghosts.
But not the hollywood ghosts scaring innocent people. His own ghosts. Some of them were bad, some of them were good, even soothing. Mementos of his childhood, his first love, his daughter. Good ghosts, who never wanted to hurt him, in fact most of the time, they helped him in their own way.
And after all… everything started with a ghost.
The ghost of his father.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
When he first noticed the familiar figure, he was in the middle of buying baked beans in the supermarket. He was all alone, thinking about calling Penelope after dinner, to ask where would his grandson want to go this year for a little Trick-or-treating during Halloween, minding his own business with the cans, when he noticed a tall, dark figure just outside the shop’s front window.
He didn’t even notice it first, but when he felt the unmistakable feeling of being watched, he looked up, right at the dark figure. The long coat, the old hat, the wide shoulders; he caught himself thinking, Dad…? But his father died at least thirty years ago, so yeah. It was kinda suspicious.
He looked around, trying to find out if anybody could see the figure, and as he looked back, the window was empty.
Strange.
But the ghost of his father had never been a bad omen. Maybe he should visit his grave. Or perhaps it was a reminder that he forgot to put on his watch this morning, the one that once belonged to his father.
Shrugging, he went back to pick the beans and that was it.
Or so he thought.
Because, not long after this, he noticed the figure again. He was just arriving to his boat after a disgustingly long day of work, ready to open a beer and crash on his couch, when he saw the familiar silhouette from his peripheral vision. He turned his head, but as the last time, the figure was gone.
Mike lifted an eyebrow. It was his father’s birthday coming up soon. Heh. Motherfucker never missed a chance to make people wish him happy birthday after all.
Shrugging it off again, he entered the boat, and did as he planned with his beer and couch.
But obviously, it happened again. The tall figure standing patiently, just looking at him from afar when he arrived home, bought his supplies, walked down the streets. The well known shadow never moving, never looking like it was alive, never changing.
He once even noticed the figure standing at the docks, as if waiting for him to get home. It was strange and the feeling of being watched never seemed to disappear.
The last straw was when he noticed the shadow during the night he was with his daughter and grandson, Trick or treating, having fun. He almost missed it again, the silhouette standing in a dark alleyway just the other side of the road. As he saw the shadow there, Mike got furious all of a sudden. Hanging around, waiting for him was one thing, but bugging him during family times? A real jerk move.
As he noticed, he immediately stopped in his track and turned towards the figure, stepping down the pathway. His gaze was fixed on the figure that looked like its usual, frozen self, but as it noticed his attempt of getting closer, it did the strangest thing: it moved.
It wasn’t a scared wince or anything a normal human would do when they were discovered doing something bad, it was just a surprised lift of shoulders and a slight tilt of hat, but it was something . And as Mike took one more step forward, the figure did the same thing backward. And that was when the good omen of his father turned into a human monster, because who else would follow him around every night just standing still and watching. He had a stalker. One of the most disgusting kind of monsters.
His instincts kicking in, he reached for his gun, but the second he touched it an ear-rippingly loud car honk pushed him out of his state of mind. He was standing in the middle of the road and a very angry driver just honked at him again.
Looking at the man behind the wheel, Mike sniffed and let his gun slip back into its holster. He glanced back at the figure, but that motherfucker was gone. Of fucking course.
Great.
Not caring for the loud honking at all, he turned back and stepped on the pathway again.
A stalker.
Glancing back at the other side of the road, he lifted his chin, looking around.
A ghost? A stalker? A monster, maybe. A human one, who was apparently afraid of him.
It didn’t matter. It was time to end their relationship.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
Except the figure disappeared.
Not in the term a ghost would, because Mike still felt like he was being watched, but he didn’t see the silhouette again. It pissed him off, but he was smarter than giving up. Instead, he turned to his team.
He asked Marius - one of the best tinkerers the world has ever seen in his opinion - to install a few cameras around his boat, so that he can monitor every movement from within his home, and Marius - although a little bit weirded out - delivered. Mike was satisfied, he finally got a chance to get ahead of the mysterious staker, now all he needed to was to be patient and he never had a problem with that.
He waited for three weeks without seeing the shadow again, but on the fourth Friday, he finally caught it on record. Since the cameras were recording live, and he spent his nights sitting in front of them, he just caught a glimpse of the figure’s coat. It was fucking four in the morning, and he was doozing off before, but the second he saw the movement, he got on his feet and reaching for his gun, he rushed to the exit of his boat, all tiredness forgotten.
The adrenaline was rushing in his ears as he burst out of the door, gun in hand. It took him just half a second to find the figure in the darkness, then he was already charging towards it, running like he never ran before.
“Stop right there!” he shouted and again, he caught the figure off guard; it winced from the sudden sound in the otherwise peaceful night. It looked around, trying to find a place to hide, clearly trying to escape, but the old soldier was fast. The moment the figure turned away in an attempt to run, it made a mistake and Mike caught it’s arm in his iron grip. The force of him tugging at the figure efficiently knocked it’s hat off just to reveal a patch of sweaty, ginger hair. He lifted an eyebrow, tugging at the arm again, trying to get a better look, but the figure just seemed to have more than enough of this abuse.
Knowing all too well that trying to slip from Mike’s grip was a useless motion, it instead planted its feet and turning on its heels it kicked the soldier on his side, efficiently knocking the air out of his lungs. Wheezing, Mike immediately let go of the arm, gasping for air. Growling swears he looked at the figure, but it was on the run already, making distance between the two of them.
Spitting, Mike got himself together, and rushed after the figure. He had been waiting for this fight since Halloween and he wasn’t going to let that motherfucker run away once more. The figure was fast, but Mike was angry, and it made him more dangerous and reckless. He had no problem keeping up with the pace, in fact, he was catching up to the shadow step by step. He was ready to finish this.
In their chase, Mike kind of forgot to look where he was going, but it didn’t really matter. The only thing in front of his eyes was the prize of finally catching this motherfucking stalker, the changing of landscape around them didn’t matter at all-
Until it did.
Mike had no idea how, but they ended up in the more abandoned corner of Hereford. There were mostly suburban areas or empty factories on this side of the town. How did they even get here!? He looked around in concern, taking deep breaths. He had no idea, he only started to notice everything around him just now.
He still had the figure right in front of him, but their distance started to grow as his legs got tired of the running. The adrenaline in his blood slowly faded away, and with that, his energy did too.
He soon noticed himself gasping for air, his sight getting a bit blurry, slowing down, which was- not a problem namely because the figure was heading towards the last building in the line, which turned out to be a… a church? Really? A church.
Before he could ridicule the shadow in his head, he saw it run straight up the front stairs of the building, and the next thing reaching his mind was the loud band of the door being shut.
Taking big gulps of air, Mike let himself collapse on the ground, eyes fixed on the building. This might have been the strangest night of his entire life, and it was far from over. Giving himself a few minutes, he just sat there, watching the building, kind of waiting for the figure to escape again, but there was no movement around the church. Odd.
He wiped the sweat off of his forehead and stretched as he stood up. Twisting, he popped his spine and with a low groan he approached the church. He couldn’t see any movement around the door, but as he stepped on the first stair, he noticed how a light had been lit in the window of the church tower. So, there was somebody home.
He pulled his gun out - just in case - and stepped to the door, slowly pushing it in; it wasn’t even properly closed. Holding his weapon as steady as possible, Mike stepped in. It was pitch black. Grimacing, he fished his small flashlight out of his pocket, turning it on. The narthex was empty, only a few old benches left, waiting since god-knows how long, for people who never came.
Mike looked around and noticed a smaller entrance door. Stepping there, he glanced inside the nave and seeing no movement, he entered. Looking around, he lowered his gun a little. Rows of benches, hand-made pillars, a few old, wooden sculptures of Saints here and there, with their additional little plaques of info. Mike hummed, directing his flashlight at each of them. There was nothing unusual, really just a worn down little church. He didn’t even know that there was a church in this part of the town and he has been living here for a good 10 years now.
Getting deeper into the building, he started to measure the space in his head, trying to find the stairs into the attic. It was a small church so it was not many places where they could hide the way up. His hard guess was behind the main altar, so he made his way there, making sure he was as silent as possible.
As he arrived into the crossing, he stopped to take a quick look into both of the transept sides, that was when he noticed it. It wasn’t a big thing to notice, but it was strange on its own. On one side he saw an old Virgin Mary, the other held an equally old St. Joseph. Squinting, he glanced back at the other sculptures in the nave. All of them were old, but otherwise clean. The benches were left to rot, but every statue was in the best shape, not a single part missing or paint being spotty.
“What the fuck?” Mike heard himself whisper, but glanced in the direction of the main altar. The Jesus there was in the best shape possible. Mike shook his head, and stepped up to the main altar. He glanced at the sculpture, tilting his head a little. “Listen, if he is just a strange fan of mine I won’t hurt him, but otherwise… I can’t promise you anything. Don’t come after me later, okay?” with a smirk, he shook his head. Always an atheist.
Behind the altar, he noticed a small door, hidden from even the front rows. Getting more and more relaxed in this very strange situation, he lowered his gun completely as he entered the small door and there he found it. The stairs to the attic! According to the soft lights at the top of the stairs, he found what he was looking for.
He switched off his flashlight and started to climb still as silent as possible. He was about… 99,9% sure the stalker knew about him, but still. This time, he wanted to be the one hiding in the dark.
~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-
He was around half of the stair when he heard some kind of a rustling under his boots. He froze in the middle of his movement - not wanting to be heard -, and looked down in a slight panic. Squinting, he leant down; a plastic bag? Okay, what now?!
He gently stepped off the bag and lifted it up in the weak light of the staircase. Mike’s eyes rounded as he recognized the object in his hand. It was a very strong bag with rows and rows of writing printed on it, informing the handler about the date, the place and the type of blood. 0-. Mike closed his eyes and opened them again, hoping that the plastic bag would… maybe miraculously turn into fairy dust and butterflies, but the plastic bag remained. Normally he was okay to see this bag, it was a useful little object, you know, saving lives here and there, but- this one was empty. Why the fuck was it emtpy, it was clearly used before. He glanced up at the top of the stairs. Okay what the fuck.
Taking a gulp of air, he stuffed the bag in his pocket and continued his way up. As he got to the last few steps, he first noticed a door on top of the stairs, and it being slightly open, he heard a soft sound. Stopping yet again, he tried to concentrate, and soon could make out the sound of fabric rustling and gentle tones of a piano.
Getting more and more confused, he finished his journey up, lifted his gun in front of himself, and without knocking or giving any warning, he burst into the attic, just to be greeted by a pair of green eyes fixed on him. He lifted his eyebrows. He has seen this look somewhere, but he couldn’t, for the love of god, tell where.
The eyes belonged to a - very - handsome face of a young man. He had elegant and sharp features, with a bit of arrogance hidden in his posture. He was without a doubt attractive, but Mike couldn’t care, because the young man had locks of ginger hair on his head, and who had that as well? His dear stalker. So he pointed the gun at the other, who was annoyingly calm.
“It took you long enough to get up the stairs. Might be the age,” said the stranger, with an amused little smirk. He looked away, down to the table and reaching out he poked on the phone laying on the surface. The soft piano stopped. “I started to get worried.”
Anger building in him, Mike gritted his teeth. “Who are you? Why are you following me? What do you want? What the fuck is this?!”
The stranger smiled at that, looking back at him, never noticing the gun. “My name is Olivier Flament. I have been following you, because I need to ask you a favour. I would like to ask for your help in an important matter. As for what… I believe this is my home.”
Struck by the strange honesty of the other Mike blinked a few, lowering his gun just a tiny bit. “What matter? Why were you following me?”
“I told you, I need your hel-”
Mike cut in. “Why were you following me everywhere for almost three months?”
The man fell silent, he glanced at the table. He almost seemed… shy?
“Spit it out!” Mike grumbled, making the other look up. His posture might have been calm, but his eyes were like the sea before the storm.
“I didn’t know how to approach you, see my lifesty-”
“So you decided to follow me, even with my family and when I try to catch you, you run? Almost not suspicious.”
Olivier looked at him for a few long seconds, trying to figure him out. It has been harder than he planned so far, and if he didn’t play it cool, he would get into a deep problem. “Look, I didn’t mean to scare you, but-”
“Oh you didn’t scare me.” Mike lifted his gun, pointing straight to the other’s head. “You made me angry. ”
The young man turned his head down, now looking guilty. “I didn’t mean to. I would never hurt you or your family, I swear to God. I need your help. Please, just listen-!”
Mike watched him, standing there, one hand on the table, leaning there a bit, trying to move away from him. He noticed something… inhuman in this man, something otherworldly. The posture, the face, the eyes… It was so strange. Not unpleasant, far from it, just odd.
The soldier lowered his gun a little, and took the plastic bag out of his pocket, throwing it in front of the other. “What is this crap?”
Looking down, Olivier hummed. “That’s my favourite. I probably had the same type back in the Dark Ages, and now I find it delicious.”
Mike’s grip on the gun tightened. “Quit the jokes, mate!”
The young man didn’t answer, he just glanced to the left. Following his eyes, Mike looked away, just to see a little fridge. It had an open cooler bag in front of it, what had about 10-15 similar blood packs in it. He looked at the man again, grimacing in disgust. “You are sick.”
The other shook his head. “I am really not. Don’t think that I enjoy drinking human blood in particular. It is not a very exciting diet after 800 years, but it does what it needs to, and still better than starving, or hunting and hurting the innocent.”
Mike glanced at the bags again, and then back at the man standing in front of him. “If you tell me, you are a fucking vampire, I will vomit.”
The sides of Olivier’s mouth pulled up into a gentle smile, and crossing his arms in front of him, he nodded. “I suppose… my secret’s out.”
“You are joking!” Mike blinked.
Olivier shook his head with that amused little smile. “No. And you didn’t vomit. Surprising.”
The soldier shook his head. “You are crazy!”
“Says the man who chased another through a town, gun held high, ready to murder.”
With an unamused grimace Mike rolled his eyes. “You should be happy that I’m just holding my gun and not using it.”
“Not to sound too smart, but that wouldn’t do too much harm on my body. See, this is the problem. As far as I know, I’m pretty undestroyable.”
Mike lifted an eyebrow. “Huh?”
Olivier nodded. “If you would like, I can show you,” before finishing, he already reached for a letter opener on his table. It looked sharp, and he held it out for Mike to see, then without a heartbeat, he pressed the edge into his own palm.
For reasons unknown, Mike immediately reached out, to catch his hands before he could hurt himself, but confusion hit him even more, when there was not a single drop of blood coming out of the wound. In fact, the raw flesh - or at least what was supposed to be the raw flesh - did not look the way it was supposed to look like. It was not red and healthy, but grey and… there wasn’t any blood. Not a single drop.
Mike slapped his palm across his mouth, and shutting his eyes, he took two steps back, turning his face away. There was no blood, there was no smell, there was nothing . Nothing human. What the fuck. Now he felt like vomiting. He looked up at Olivier. “What the fuck is… What!?”
The man looked at him and humming, he put down the letter opener. He picked up a piece of fabric, wrapped it around his hand. It didn’t really serve any purpose other than hiding the disturbing wound from Mike out of pure sympathy. It wasn’t an easy thing to see. “You seemed very confident in yourself just a second ago.”
“Fuck.” With a huge sigh, Mike held back his dinner, and taking a deep breath he adjusted his posture. “Okay. Okay. Let’s pretend, for a second, that I believe you. What do you really want? What kind of help do you need from me ? Do you want to eat me, or something? That is why am I here?”
Hearing this, Olivier suddenly seemed annoyed. “If you would just calm down a little, I would tell you everything!”
“Get on with it!” Mike shouted suddenly, with his gun held up again.
The man- or vampire- or what the fuck stood there, mouth slightly open, eyes helpless. He bit his bottom lip and turned his head down again, lifting both his hands in a soothing motion. “Please... “ he glanced up at him again, almost scared. “I know exactly how this sounds, alright? But I… I don’t want to cause harm to you, I swear. I wanted to introduce myself to you, but I have spent the last… forty-something years of my life being in- being alone, and I had no idea how to approach you! This is the truth, I don’t- I don’t want to hurt you, you are not my type! I do not even enjoy hunting humans, all that screaming and blood and waste…” Olivier shook his head slowly, looking Mike in the eyes. “I swear. I don’t want to eat you, I don’t want to harm you, I’m more than happy with those bags. I genuinely need your help!”
With jaws clenched, Mike watched his every move, considering his options. He slowly lowered his gun, and side-eyeing the vampire, he turned around to observe the surroundings. It was a way of getting used to the situation, and also it was a test of the other. He wanted to see how Olivier reacts to him in his own home, if it could even be called that. With a frown, he looked around.
The attic was spacious, with a few smaller windows built into the roof. It was divided into two, a smaller room, which reminded him of an office, that was where they were standing. It had a heavy, old table - Olivier waiting patiently beside that - pushed under a window, close to the wall, an equally old leather chair, a few cabinets with papers, candles, smaller and bigger containers, a small, locked chest, and other unusual stuff piled on them and the fridge with the fantastic blood bags in it.
The other half of the attic was just behind Olivier. Not knowing what to expect, Mike looked around. He didn’t see a bed or a coffin or anything where somebody would be able to rest comfortably, but he had a hard guess that Oliver - if he was truly what he said to be - didn’t really need sleep. However he saw an old couch and two nice armchairs in front of a- a- a bookshelf. Well. A bookshelf was a very, very weak expression. It wasn’t just one bookshelf, he saw at least three or four of them, and each one was stacked with books. And not just the shelves, no, there were books everywhere. Everywhere. It looked like a motherfucking library over there. Piles of books behind the couch, around the armchairs, stuffed into the window slots, put on the beams and around the columns. It was so messy, yet amazing, Mike couldn’t help but let an amused little snort out.
He looked back at Olivier, who was still standing next to the table, waiting for him, without a single movement. He didn’t take a breath, he didn’t blink. Sniffing, Mike lowered his gun completely. “A vampire?”
Olivier nodded.
“How old are you?”
“As far as I remember, I have been turned-” he hummed. “ around AD 750-850.”
Mike lifted an eyebrow. “What do you mean ‘around’?”
Olivier cleared his throat, looked away as if he was embarrassed. “We didn’t really have birth certificates back then and my memory is kind of blurry from a 1200 years of perspective, don’t judge me.”
Mike hummed. “Is this your real name?”
“I have been called many names over the years, I don’t know if you have noticed, but it’s sort of suspicious if somebody uses a name for 1200 years, but don’t worry. For those who I wish to get close to myself I am Olivier Flament, yes.”
“Why are you talking like this…? I’m a simple man.”
“Then you might know that old habits die hard.”
Not being able to hold back, Mike smirked at that. “Touché.”
Olivier nodded gently. “Would you like to ask anything else?”
“Who turned you? Are there more of you?”
Looking away, Olivier started to fidget with the phone - actually an iPhone - on his table. “I don’t really know who turned me and I don’t know about the others. To be honest, I don’t wish to have any connection with them anymore. I have had enough, especially since the so-called “Dracula” figure ruined our reputation in popular culture.”
Lifting his eyebrows, Mike almost burst out laughing. “You are- you are hurt by the movies?”
“Since they tell false facts, obviously yes.”
“Why don’t you correct them, then?”
Now it was Olivier’s turn to lift his eyebrow. “And how do you expect me to do that? March over, knock on the silver gates of Hollywood and say ‘Excuse me, we do not actually sparkle under the sunlight, says me, an actual vampire!’ or what? I’m not a fool. As soon as I tell the humans what I am, there would be one of these two options: one, they would want me to turn them into vampires as well, for the fun of living forever, or the second, they would panic as the herd of animals they are and chase me until they either catch or kill me. Not like they would succeed in any of these options, but it’s easier for me to just lay back in silence and busy myself with the old knowledge of the early ages.”
Mike, taken aback, just shut up for a few seconds, lifting his palms in a protective gesture, but it was for the looks only. He somehow did not feel the need to protect himself anymore, in fact, Oivier reacting so seriously to a simple joke put him at ease. He liked it here, and he found himself being interested in the other. It was still a far-fetched idea, and he was still 60% sure that he will wake up on the ground in his boat, with a few empty bottles of whiskey around him, but this wasn’t so bad after all. The vampire seemed almost nice, and he was never really down to judge at the first glance, so why not wait and hear him out?
Noticing his own rambling, Olivier fake-cleared his throat again and turned down his head. “I’m sorry.”
“I assume you have been saving this up since a very long time.”
“Indeed.”
With a small, amused smile Mike shrugged. “It’s okay. But if you don’t want to tell people what you are, why tell me?”
“I have heard about you before, and I trust that you won’t tell my secret to anybody. I believe you could help me with my problem. I know it is very hard for you to understand my reasons and drive, but I put my trust into you.”
Mike narrowed his eyes. “What do you need my help for?”
“I want you to help me die.”
Mike turned towards the man standing on his right, eyes wide with shock. He let his gaze wander, just for a second, on the other. His tall, proud posture, his handsome face, basking in the dim candle light, his gentle, green eyes now looking at him full with hope, expecting help. How could a so-called monster look this innocent, the soldier couldn’t fathom. Why would he want to die? And more importantly, why would he want to be killed by somebody like Mike?
In his wandering, he almost missed the way the other’s lips pulled into a small smile. “You won’t help me, will you?”
Lifting his chin a bit, Mike looked the other in the eyes and he couldn’t help, but think ‘what a waste’, but shook his head anyway. “I don’t enjoy murdering people, but if you have a good enough reason I will. But you have lots and lots of explaining to do before we get to it.”
The man seemed caught off guard- almost surprised for a second, but his smile widened as hope filled him even more.
Mike shook his head, looking away. What a waste. He didn’t like the idea of killing the other. He kind of started to like him in a very twisted way, but he understood why somebody would want to die after 1200 years of living in the dark.
Olivier stepped closer to him, offering his hand gently, a smile as bright as the sun.
Mike glanced away with a low sigh. “What have I gotten myself into? Mike Baker, by the way.”
“I know!” with a soft laugh, the vampire shook his hand. “I told you, I have heard about you. And as for what… Let’s just sit down, and let me tell you my story first, okay?”
Stepping back a little, Mike looked him in the eyes. After a long pause, he nodded. “Okay. You can start with how you know me.”
Olivier nodded, and stepped into the other part of the attic, gesturing towards one of the armchairs. “Have a seat.”
Mike put his gun on the big table and followed Olivier into the ‘living-room’. He looked around a bit, observing the piles of books here and there and with an amused smirk, he sat down. The armchair creaked under his weight and he frowned. “How long since you invited anybody here?”
Olivier looked at him, sitting down on the couch. “This is a fairly new place for me, truth to be told, I have only lived here for about ten years. But in the term of having interaction with humans and other vampires… It’s been just about thirty years or so. I prefer being alone.”
Nodding, Mike kicked off his shoes and put his legs on top of a strong pile of books. Olivier rolled his eyes with a smile, but he didn’t say anything. “So,” Mike began. “Why me?”
Fidgeting with his fingers, the vampire looked away, and then back at Mike. “I knew your grandfather, and also your dad.”
Let me know what you think!! <3
#dragonwrites#dragontries#dualrainbow#siege-o-ween 2020#r6s#rainbowsixsiege#fanfic#fanfiction#r6s Thatcher#r6s Lion#r6s Bandit#r6s Jäger
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75 Must Watch Supernatural Episodes in preparation for Season 15
As you might recall, a while ago TV Guide posted an article about their choice of the top 75 episodes of Supernatural to watch as a catch up of the series before the final season.
I read that article, and found myself absolutely horrified at many of their choices and outraged that many of the all time best episodes (including ones extremely important to the story) were missed off.
Everyone has their own opinions of course, but when I disagree with something that much it tends to motivate me to act out of pure spite - I do love a good spite motivation - and so I have made my own list, for the fandom, of the 75 absolute must watch episodes for anyone who wants to understand the integral story of Supernatural.
I have to hand it to TV Guide, whilst I adamantly disagreed with their choices, I admit that this was EXTREMELY DIFFICULT and having to sacrifice some of my faves so that I could include others that were more important to the story HURT, but that’s how it is.
Full list under the cut. Let me know what you think of my choices and my reasons!
1. Pilot
You cannot start a series catch up anywhere else, and we have to include the pilot episode. Introducing us to Sam and Dean, and setting up the story including the back story with the family tragedy. You just can’t beat a good old fashioned female fridging for man pain. *jokes*
2. 1x06 Skin
I feel like Skin is an important episode to watch as it is our first real look at Dean’s psyche as a character, where we start to realise just how much he is hiding behind his tough macho man exterior. The speech by Shifter!Dean to a horrified and confused Sam is heartbreaking and very revealing.
3. 1x12 Faith
This is still hands down one of Supernaturals best episodes. It was also the first time Kripke started considering a bigger mytharc involving faith and Christianity. We can all thank this episode for planting the seeds that would later give us the hugely popular character Castiel, and the hugely successful mytharc plots of Seasons 4 and 5. Also, one of the best music moments from the show with the “Don’t Fear The Reaper” chase scene.
4. 1x14 Nightmare
This episode introduces us to the Special Children story line which was of paramount importance to the first two seasons. It gives us the first glimpses of Sam’s powers to come, and is also the first time we get some hints of John Winchesters abuse of Dean.
5. 1x18 Something Wicked
I chose this episode because it is the first time we get to see more of Sam and Dean’s childhood, and how horrific it was - especially for Dean. A brilliant episode that once again clearly demonstrates how John Winchester is not a man to be messed with. If at this point you aren’t itching to call child services on his ass you probably need to read up on your understanding of child abuse.
6. 1x22 Devils Trap
The Season 1 finale gives us the show down between John Winchester and the Yellow Eyed Demon Azazel, some heartbreaking moments between father and sons, and a cliffhanger that leaves Baby and Dean both broken.
7. 2x01 In My Time of Dying
I love this episode. Dean’s out of body experience at the hospital, Sam’s grief, John’s deal, Tessa’s introduction to the show. C’est magnifique!
8. 2.05 Simon Said
I just think Simon Said is a great episode that further develops the special children plot whilst being both funny and dark at its core - classic SPN.
9. 2.15 Tall Tales
Our introduction to Gabriel - well, to the trickster as he is known here. This episode is gloriously funny and a must watch!
10. 2.21 All Hell Breaks Loose: Parts One and two
Okay I’m cheating a bit and putting these two episodes together, but in my opinion they count as their own feature length episode as you can’t watch one without the other. The climax of the special children arc, the deeply emotional Sam death scene and Dean’s bedside vigil, and Dean selling his soul. This two part season finale packed a lot of punches and is a definite must watch.
11. 3.03 Bad Day at Black Rock
How can anyone forget Sam’s run of bad luck in this hilarious episode. He LOST HIS SHOE!
12. 3.10 Dream a Little Dream of Me
This is another must watch episode for the deep dive into Dean’s psyche. We also get more of a backstory to Bobby Singer, but the real brilliance happens when Dean spends part of the episode talking to his own dark mirror, revealing all sorts of subconscious fears and insecurities on his part.
13. 3.11 Mystery Spot
I couldn’t not put Mystery Spot on the list. This infamous episode of Supernatural will have you singing “Heat of the Moment” over and over again whilst sympathising with poor Sam every time Tuesday comes around. Don’t let Dean eat the funny tasting tacos!
14. 3.16 No Rest for the Wicked
In lots of ways, Season 3 was a weak season. It was drastically shortened due to the writers strike at the time, and Kripke & Co didn’t get to tell the story they initially planned for, instead they had to come up with an alternative which gave us this dark finale in which Dean is condemned to hell. That can’t have been a fun hiatus for fans watching live... Still, it was a memorable finale and that is why it is on my list.
15. 4.01 Lazarus Rising
This episode. Here begins Supernaturals “golden age”. Enter Castiel, Angel of the Lord and future fan favourite right up until 2k19. How many people out in the world saw that now famous entrance and immediately fell in love?
*holds up hand*
If you do nothing else, and you’ve never seen a single episode of Supernatural before, just watch this one, and I guarantee, I GUARANTEE, you will want to keep watching.
16. 4.07 It's the Great Pumpkin, Sam Winchester
The problem I have with season 4 is that I want to put basically every episode on the list. To this day it remains my favourite season of the show (and not just for the extreme DeanCas sexual tension). I kept this episode on the list simply because I love the Halloween theme, I love the frankly horrifying Samhain, and I LOVE the journey that Castiel goes through in this episode alone. Bonus points for Sam Winchester fangirling over Castiel proving he is no different from the rest of us. :P
17. 4.16 On the Head of a Pin
I say season 4 is my favourite season, and On the Head of a Pin is one of my all time favourite episodes. This is Supernatural at it’s finest and it’s not surprising as it was written by the great Ben Edlund. It is a perfect blend of horror and angst as we watch every character painfully spiral downwards. Sam hungrily drinks Ruby’s blood much to the audiences horror, Castiel faces his internal and external conflicts as all starts to unravel in the heavenly plans, and Dean plays a terrifying game of wits in an outstanding performance with the demon Alistair, his hellish torturer. It was a performance that Jensen Ackles should have won an Emmy for in my honest opinion. This episode has forever ruined the song “Cheek to Cheek” for me, but it was so worth it.
18. 4.17 It's a Terrible Life
It’s one of the classics. This AU world in which the angels flex their power over the Winchesters is another well loved fan favourite and quite frankly deserves to be here purely for the hilarious scene that many office workers all over the world would wish they could reenact as Sam quits his job in the most Sam Winchester way possible.
19. 4.20 The Rapture
I had to keep this episode here because it is so important for future story lines. As Castiel gets closer to Dean, heaven takes action and we meet Jimmy Novak, Cas’s tormented vessel, and in Castiel’s own future words “his greatest regret”. It’s a deeply emotional episode that proves even angels have their dark sides.
20. 4.22 Lucifer Rising
The Season 4 finale is still one of the most epic in my opinion. Sam and Dean’s dramatic fight in the episode before has left them both vulnerable to the angels and demons that are manipulating them for their own purposes. Ruby’s villain reveal speech is still one of the best, and as she shows her true colours to a horrified Sam, Dean makes an angel fall for him. In every way.
21. 5.03 Free to Be You and Me
This episode is another classic and many fans of Destiel would put it among their top episodes. As Sam and Dean go their separate ways, Dean grows closer to a now fallen and socially awkward Castiel.
22. 5.04 The End
Another epic from the mastermind that is Ben Edlund. The End has inspired much extremely angst ridden fanfiction over the years (and a very romantic song in a future musical episode) and is notorious for breaking fans hearts the world over. As Dean is unwillingly sent to a future apocalyptic world, he meets his harsh and brutal future self, and a drug addled hedonistic human Castiel. The most memorable and painful moment being his confrontation with a sharply dressed Lucifer wearing his brothers face. Tears flowed freely from fans the night this episode aired.
23. 5.08 Changing Channels
Changing Channels is another of those infamous episodes that even non fans of SPN are aware of for it’s sheer lunacy. Sam and Dean once again find themselves up against the trickster aka the archangel Gabriel, who puts them into a TV world where they must “play their roles�� in order to survive.
Highlights include Sam’s herpes commercial and Dean’s heart eyes for Doctor Sexy MD.
24. 5.16 Dark Side of the Moon
Dark Side of the Moon is a beautiful episode. The race through heaven and through each Winchester’s memories gives us a far greater understanding of their complex and troubled relationship. The heartbreaking scenes of Dean’s heaven with his mother that Sam could not be part of were especially painful to watch. The climax reveal that God wasn’t listening and Castiel’s subsequent loss of faith only added to that heartbreak. Another must see episode.
25. 5.18 Point of No Return
As is the case with season 4, it was so difficult not to just put every season 5 episode on this list. I do think that both seasons just need to be watched in full to truly grasp how brilliant they were. Point of No Return needs to be on this list though because this episode is the breaking point, the tensions remain high throughout as each character makes desperate choices as they all spiral towards the Endtimes.
26. 5.22 Swan Song
Swan Song is often considered the number 1 top episode of Supernatural. It is always at the top of these “rank the episodes” lists in the media, and that is why it is on my list too. It is brilliant in many ways, but if I am being completely honest it doesn’t even come close to the top of my own personal list ranking SPN episodes. It is certainly emotional, and there are some extremely heartbreaking scenes. Lucifer plays his hand, Dean plays his right back with the power of love, Sam makes his swan dive. It’s heartbreaking, it needs to be watched, but the “endings are hard” meta moan by Kripke always felt slightly too pretentious for my tastes. Don’t make excuses dude, this episode didn’t need them.
27. 6.11 Appointment in Samarra
I’ll be honest, I didn’t like season 6. Whilst some of the individual episodes were good, the mytharc was weak and I think the season struggled to find it’s feet for many episodes at the start. I didn’t like soulless Sam, preferring my Sammy to be the compassionate caring sweetheart he always was before. That being said, Appointment in Samarra is a brilliant standalone episode simply because the character of Death is so very compelling. Dean’s time playing Death was fun whilst also being a deeply emotional exploration of cause and effect in the universe. It’s a must watch.
28. 6.15 The French Mistake
I couldn’t not put this episode on the list. If Season 6 did one thing right, it was this ridiculous episode.
29. 6.20 The Man Who Would Be King
The only other thing Season 6 did right. 6x20 is Ben Edlund’s masterpiece and without it, frankly, the entire mytharc plot of the season would fail miserably. This beautiful episode told from the point of view of a hugely conflicted Castiel not only birthed an entire new generation of Destiel shippers, but canonically confirmed that Castiel’s every decision was motivated by his love for Dean.
*Ouch my shipper heart*
30. 6.22 The Man Who Knew Too Much
The season 6 finale is on this list purely for two characters: Sam and Cas. Sam’s journey to put himself back together inside his own head is as enjoyable as it is emotional. Castiel’s spiralling through into utter villainy is simply soul destroying - especially for those of us who are heavily invested in this character.
31. 7.01 Meet the New Boss
I had to keep the season 7 premiere in this episode as it is the only hint we have of what could have been an AMAZING season story line! Sadly, it was not to be, and Castiel’s run as God lasts this episode only before a very misguided showrunner wrote him off the show (thankfully she saw reason and brought him back dramatically later on, even though the damage and huge drop in ratings was already done.) Worth watching purely for enjoying a power drunk Castiel wipe out a homophobic preacher - he really doesn’t like those homophobes!
32. 7.10 Death's Door
The first time I watched Death’s Door I sobbed for 20 minutes straight. Bobby Singer was the best father Sam and Dean (and Castiel at times) could have ever had, and this heartfelt goodbye to the character as he fought against his reaper and his own memories really packed a punch.
33. 7.17 The Born-Again Identity
The episode that turned it all around. The Born-Again Identity sees a desperate Dean take a chance on a mysterious healer to help a haunted Sam. That healer turns out to be everything Dean has been waiting for. Castiel’s dramatic return to the series answered both Deans, and many fans, prayers.
34. 7.20 The Girl with the Dungeons and Dragons Tattoo
The introduction of Charlie Bradbury was a must on this list. She immediately became a fan favourite with her upbeat quirkiness. Created to be an avatar for fandom in many ways, she was a breath of fresh air compared to the previous fan avatar the show introduced us too who the less we mention the better. This episode was a lighthearted fun episode in an otherwise downright depressing season.
35. 7.23 Survival of the Fittest
It’s a must watch for the dick jokes alone. In all seriousness, I like this episode, even if it is another weak finale compared to others. The dynamic between Dean, Sam, Meg, and a Castiel who isn’t quite himself, is enjoyable, even if the villain of the season isn’t all that interesting.
36. 8.02 What's Up, Tiger Mommy?
Where the season 8 premiere focused on the present day, and what Sam had been doing in the year between the season 7 finale and now, episode 2 focuses more on purgatory. Dean’s time in purgatory desperately hunting for an AWOL Castiel is definitely worth the watch, especially when their purgatory reunion was so heartbreaking. Bonus points for Sam being worthy of Mjolnir!
37. 8.07 A Little Slice of Kevin
I make no secret of the fact that Castiel is my favourite character in Supernatural, or my love of Dean and Castiel’s relationship. This episode is on my list because Castiel’s return to the real world and an emotional Dean gets my fangirl heart pounding. This episode must use every romantic trope in the book on these two heartbroken dumbasses and it will always be a favourite.
38. 8.08 Hunteri Heroici
This episode is another one of my favourite. The boys finally bring Cas along on an otherwise regular monster of the week hunt, and it is hilarious. Not to mention the hunt is extremely loony and for that reason alone, it is a must watch.
39. 8.11 LARP and the Real Girl
The reintroduction of Charlie Bradbury is a delightful episode where the boys get a taste of LARPING. This is one of those memorable episodes where we get to see the Winchesters both out of their element, and also embracing a bit of fun outside of their normal dark lives. It is a joyful episode to watch.
40. 8.12 As Time Goes By
An integral episode that ends up being a game changer for the show. Thanks to a time travel spell, the boys find out their grandfather was part of a secret organisation. This episode is a must watch for the introduction of Abaddon, the Men of Letters, and the Winchester’s new home base that will see them through to the end of the series - the Bunker.
41. 8.17 Goodbye Stranger
Goodbye Stranger is one of those episodes that will break your heart and leave you screaming. Castiel finally breaks free from heavens grasp - but what broke the connection?
42. 8.23 Sacrifice
I adore the season 8 finale. Crowley’s confession, Sam’s heartbreaking speech which kicked off a long ongoing arc over the next 6 seasons exploring the darker side of the Winchester’s codependency, Metatron’s betrayal, and Castiel’s fall to humanity. The final scene with the angels fall to Earth is beautiful and emotional and I just love everything about it.
43. 9.01 I Think I'm Gonna Like It Here
The season 9 premiere is another deeply emotional episode which explores the aftermath of Sam’s trials to close the gates of hell. Sam is once again on deaths door, but Dean has ideas to save him - and his choices drastically affect the course of both brothers, and Castiel’s, lives for the next several seasons of pain and downward spirals into darkness.
44. 9.06 Heaven Can't Wait
The first ever episode written by our angst goblin king Bobo Berens and what a first episode it was. This episode was like a twisted mix between tragedy and romantic comedy but it worked brilliantly. Fans of Dean and Cas both laughed and wept at it’s perfection. It also was the episode that birthed a thousand fanfics thanks to one well placed “fanfiction gap”.
45. 9.11 First Born
This episode is one of the highlights of Season 9, with a brilliant performance by Timothy Omundson as Cain, this episode sees Dean make the terrible mistake of signing a contract before reading the terms and conditions. Bonus side plot of Sam and Cas getting some Bunker bonding time.
46. 9.18 Meta Fiction
This Castiel focused episode from the genius mind of Robbie Thompson is another must watch. The villainous Metatron manipulates Cas into playing a role in his own scripted story. Bonus guest appearance from fan favourite Gabriel adds to the appeal of this episode. (Following the season 14 finale I can’t help but wonder if this episode had some influence on the current writing team - could we even call it foreshadowing?)
47. 9.23 Do You Believe in Miracles?
The season 9 finale was another very strong episode which must be watched if only for the huge cliffhanger ending. Dean spirals into his own darkness under the effects of the Mark of Cain, and pays for it with his life. Thankfully Crowley is there to make things “better” and take the wayward Winchester under his demonic wing.
48. 10.03 Soul Survivor
Like many others, I feel that we were robbed of a longer Demon!Dean arc. I also feel like the show could have gone far darker with the character given everything we know about poor Dean’s psyche. Whilst episodes 1 and 2 took a lighter touch the demon, Soul Survivor was as close as we got to a truly evil representation of Dean and this episode shook me with the truly brilliant yet terrifying performance Jensen gives us.
49. 10.05 Fan Fiction
Fan Fiction is one of those episodes that you will either love or hate. Created as a love letter to the shows fandom, Robbie Thompson poured his heart into this episode and I do think it is a necessary watch even if just for the beautiful rendition of Carry on Wayward Son at the end. Some may find it cringeworthy in parts - many in fandom don’t exactly like the show drawing attention to their “dirty laundry” and I don’t think anyone will forget a fangirl telling Dean Winchester directly that “you can’t spell subtext without S-E-X” nor the break-the-forth-wall look Dean gives the audience upon hearing that. Nevertheless, we can officially say that both Destiel and Sastiel have been mentioned directly by the Winchester brothers - funnily enough Sam seems totally cool with the concept of hooking up with Cas; Dean though, well, as the saying goes “the lady doth protest too much”.
50. 10.14 The Executioner's Song
Like with First Born, this episode is a must watch for Timothy Odmunson’s performance as Cain, and how brilliantly he and Jensen work together. A haunting and tense episode with a heartbreaking conclusion. It’s dark and deep and pretty damn epic.
Bonus Episode Shout Out - 10.16 Paint it Black
I am not actually including this episode in the list, as it is a generic MOTW for the most part. But I do want to give it an honorary mention for one scene in particular. If you are new to the show, and are planning on using this list to catch up, then for this episode, go to YouTube and search “Supernatural 10x16 Dean’s confession”. TRUST ME. If like me, you love analysing Dean’s character to death, his church confession in this episode is like being given the key to figuring out the meaning of life.
51. 10.22 The Prisoner
I have chosen this episode over the Season 10 finale because this episode depicts Dean’s spiral into total darkness, whereas the season 10 finale always felt like a particularly weak episode to me. Following Charlie’s horrific (and highly controversial) death, Dean lets the Mark of Cain consume him and goes on a killing spree. The ending of this episode ripped my heart to shreds as Castiel promises that he will stay with Dean forever, only for Dean to beat him to near death and only stop at the last minute thanks to that final shred of humanity left in him. If the shot of a bloodied and heartbroken Castiel staring at the angel blade that narrowly missed his head doesn’t make you cry, then I don’t even know why you watch this show.
52. 11.04 Baby
Another fan favourite told from the point of view from the Impala which at this point is definitely its own character and so much more than just a car. Baby is an extremely well put together episode which confirms that there is more than a little bit of magic in that sleek 1967 muscle car.
53. 11.11 Into the Mystic
Into the Mystic introduces us to Eileen Leahy, a character who we all immediately fell in love with, and not just because she is literally PERFECT for Sam Winchester (yes I ship it), but also because she is a badass female hunter and this show is most definitely lacking badass female hunters. It also keeps us on the edge of our seats as Lucifer disguised as Castiel infiltrates the bunker and manages to trick Dean. Epic stuff.
54. 11.17 Red Meat
A well known controversial episode, Red Meat penned by Angst Goblin Bobo Berens delves into the darker, more toxic parts of the Winchester brothers relationship, and highlights just how horrific their codependency has become. Love it or hate it, you can’t deny that it highlights that these boys have some serious issues, and this episode marks a turning point from which both brothers, but especially Dean, start to move upwards, towards a more healthy bond.
55. 11.18 Hell's Angel
The fight to save Castiel from Lucifer’s clutches would be so much easier if the depressed angel actually knew how much he was loved by his Winchester family. Unfortunately for him, Dean is a dumbass who never uses his words. Hell’s Angel is heartbreaking but a must watch if you have any doubt in how much Dean Winchester cares for his angelic guardian. Lucifer’s mockery of his desperation is a particularly nasty knife twist, but then again us fans lap this stuff up.
56. 11.20 Don't Call Me Shurley
The dramatic return of Chuck AKA God. Another must watch episode which explains in some way what the hell God has been doing all this time, whilst Sam and Dean fight to save a small town from a deathly supernatural fog. The tear-jerking song “Fare Thee Well” sung by Rob Benedict at the end not only foreshadows God’s “death” at the end of the season, but also the departure of fan favourite writer Robbie Thompson from the writing team. Emotional indeed.
57. 11.23 Alpha and Omega
The season 11 finale marks the first time in the shows history that a finale doesn’t have a single death. The uplifting ending in which the boys manage to save the world and reunite God and his sister is a one off for Supernatural, especially when it ends with another shock character resurrection - symbolising a new direction for the show and a new showrunner. This was an epic finale that I thoroughly enjoyed.
58. 12.01 Keep Calm and Carry On
The Season 12 premiere saw the return of Mary Winchester, an awkward introduction with a shocked and overjoyed Castiel, and a dramatic race to save Sam from the British Men of Letters. It sets up a far more human mytharc plot than the previous seasons world ending battles between Gods, but with Mary’s introduction, and Andrew Dabb at the wheel, the story is about to get a whole bunch more personal.
59. 12.10 Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets
One of my all time favourite episodes, Lily Sunder Has Some Regrets gives us a very small peek at Castiel’s pre-Winchester past, and his beautiful female former vessel (no matter what form Castiel resides in, he is always beautiful - a fact referenced in show almost as often as out of it!). It also confirms that no matter how much Cas and Dean may bicker with each other, no one else insults Dean Winchesters angel and gets away with it! Bonus points for long suffering third wheel Sam Winchesters epic bitch faces and eye rolls throughout.
60. 12.11 Regarding Dean
This episode is one of those rare beauties which gets the balance between humour and heartbreak just right. As Dean rapidly loses his memories under a witches spell, Sam and Rowena fight to save him. Regarding Dean explores deep themes including Dean’s loss of childhood innocence at a young age, and how a life shrouded in darkness has effected him. Pure heartbreak. Bonus points for THAT scene on the bucking bronco.
61. 12.12 Stuck in the Middle (With You)
Another all time favourite, directed by our very own Richard Speight Jr in a highly stylised homage to Reservoir Dogs and other Tarantino movies. Castiel takes the role of Mr Orange in this gruesome tale, much to the distress of Mr White AKA Dean. One absolutely devastating love confession later and there isn’t a dry eye in the house. DO NOT SKIP THIS EPISODE.
62. 12.19 The Future
The episode that shook the fandom to it’s core thanks to one tiny moment. A desperate Castiel makes some bad decisions, but not before first using Dean’s love for him against him. The knowledge that Dean at one point made a tailored mixtape of his favourite Led Zeppelin songs and gave it to Castiel as a gift BROKE ME. To this day I am still not over this information. To this day I cannot quite get Dean’s soft voice saying “it’s a gift, you keep those.” out of my head. Just remembering the scene as I write this makes my heart flutter and I STILL can’t believe that the writers took the show in this direction. It’s beautiful.
63. 12.22 Who We Are
This heartbreaking episode reveals the importance of Mary’s return to the show, as Dean goes into his mothers own head to try to save her from brainwashing. A truly epic performance from Jensen Ackles (once again) in which Dean finally admits his own burdens, explains how he was robbed of his childhood, and how he was forced into the role of parent to his younger brother when he was 4 years old. Ah that character development is truly delicious.
64. 12.23 All Along the Watchtower
The season 12 finale packs a lot of punches. The imminent birth of Lucifer’s nephilim son causes a rift in the universe, opening a doorway to another world. As the tension builds to a dramatic conclusion, Lucifer plays his hand, unwittingly trapping himself in the AU world with one beloved character, as another sacrifices himself and a third tragic death leaves Dean shattered and broken on the ground.
65. 13.01 Lost and Found
The season 13 premier was everything I have ever wanted from a Supernatural episode - namely PAAAAAIN. The last 10 minutes of this episode in particular had me ugly crying into @margarittet and @tinkdw‘s laps. In fact, every time I rewatch this episode I cry again. As we are introduced to Jack, we say goodbye to Castiel, and my god, I will never get over watching Dean Winchester wrap the body of his angel in preparation for the pyre and try so hard to keep it together. Same Dean. Same.
66. 13.05 Advanced Thanatology
Where Lost and Found broke my heart, Advanced Thanatology stamped on the shattered pieces until the final seconds in which it magically pulled me back together again. This episode was the climactic end to a 5 episode mini grief arc for Dean who just couldn’t get over Castiel’s death. In this episode, we realise just how badly that death has affected Dean, as he foolishly risks his life in his desperation for any kind of win he can get. Episode highlights include a brilliant performance from Billie who has assumed the role of Death as she knocks some sense into Dean, and the final dramatic return of Castiel, proving that “it’s never too late to start all over again”.
67. 13.06 Tombstone
Following 5 episodes of extreme angst and pain, the audience is finally given some relief in this joyful episode which sees the reunited Winchesters take their new son on a trip to cowboy country. Honestly it’s worth watching purely for Castiel’s attempt at playing cowboy to make Dean happy, and Sam Winchesters knowing looks as he pointedly calls out Dean’s dramatic 180 turn from uber depressive to ecstatic happiness following his angels return to the world of the living. Bonus points for this episode getting the hashtag #brokebacksupernatural trending on Twitter.
68. 13.10 Wayward Sisters
The episode that should have kicked off a whole new spin off were it not for the idiotic decisions of a group of suited white guys with no concept of what decent TV is nowadays. Yes I’m still bitter, Yes Mark Pedowitz can go to hell. Wayward Sisters was a brilliant episode that gave us a whole new generation of badass hunting women, and a story that I was 100% invested in seeing more of. It’s a damn tragedy this never got picked up for its own series.
69. 13.16 Scoobynatural
I can’t write a list of top episodes without adding Scoobynatural. The three Winchester boys find themselves zapped into TV land and meet the Scooby Gang. This episode was just hilarious and brilliant. Bonus points for Castiel’s bond with Shaggy and Scooby, and only a minor deduction for Dean’s over the top flirting with Daphne.
70. 13.21 Beat the Devil
In true Supernatural fashion, as the end of the season gets closer, the tension builds to extreme levels. In the apocalypse world the Winchesters try to find and save Jack and Mary, but Lucifer is on their tails. An unexpected attack leads to a highly traumatic and shocking scene in which Sam is killed and a distraught Dean is only pulled away from further danger by a terrified Castiel. The final scene of this episode in which Lucifer resurrects Sam in a truly horrific display of power over his former victim and vessel is haunting and brilliantly acted by Jared Padalecki. The fear he radiates around Lucifer being the only thing that allows me to continue to take the devil seriously at this point in the show.
71. 14.08 Byzantium
I know what you are going to say, I have skipped a BIG chunk of episodes in my list. I have to be honest here and admit that the season 13 finale was possibly one of the worst episodes in Supernatural history and I can’t in good conscience add it to this list. I also think that the writers struggled to pull themselves back up to the high standard of early season 13 after that dreadful finale, so the first half of Season 14 always felt a bit dull for me, however Byzantium does make up for it, in it’s emotional story of how Sam, Dean, and Castiel all deal with the death of their son. The highlights of this episode have to be the scenes in heaven, where Jack reunites with his mother Kelly, and Castiel finds them both in her own piece of paradise in another tear-jerking scene. Castiel’s deal with the creature from the Empty leaving Cas fans everywhere horrified and distraught, but also rather excited at what exactly may trigger the deadly deal. Hopefully this plot point will be picked up next season, as it is definitely highly anticipated.
72. 14.10 Nihilism
Another dream episode for any Dean fans who like to analyse his beautifully deep and layered psyche. Sam and Cas must dive into Dean’s mind in order to free him from the archangel Michael. What they find is worth several essay’s of analysis on this fascinating and wonderful character. Dean’s bar; surrounded by symbols and hints of his life and a very apt song put on repeat - Will Dean ever get his rainbow ending? Only one more season to go until we find out.
73. 14.14 Ouroboros
Following all the drama and separation of the Winchester family, they finally all reunite in this episode to hunt a gorgon. I always prefer the episodes where Sam, Dean, Cas, and Jack all work together, and this episode explores the group dynamic perfectly. The gorgon is a charismatic villain who taunts our heroes and has them all fighting to keep up with him. Put it simply this is just a fun episode and exactly what we want from our MOTW episodes in the new Supernatural era.
74. 14.15 Peace of Mind
Just like the previous episode, Peace of Mind is simply one of the more fun and enjoyable episodes of the season. So much so in fact that I have probably re-watched it a dozen times because I loved it so much. In a rare team up between Sam and Cas, they find themselves stuck in a Pleasantville type place. Hilarity ensues, and poor Sam gets himself stuck in a 1950s style marriage and a sweater vest. Castiel reads some raunchy erotica and enjoys it. You will find yourselves laughing at “H-E-double hockey sticks” for hours afterwards. A must watch lighthearted episode in an otherwise dark season.
75. 14.20 Moriah
The season 14 finale was certainly one of the more epic finales we have had, and a meta masterpiece penned by showrunner Andrew Dabb. As Dean’s anger and grief following Mary’s death only deepens, and the rift between him and Castiel continues, it is Sam who discovers that all this time, for their entire lives, they have all been nothing more than characters in a world created by a cruel and manipulative writer God. Chuck’s return and reveal as the villain of the entire show came as a shock to many fans who saw him as a beloved fan favourite, but to many others, myself included, this reveal harmonises this entire story and the Winchesters long and traumatic journey and blows my mind at just how perfect it all is. God Was Never On Your Side, and this has always been a show to stress the importance of free will in a Godless world.
*chef’s kiss*
Bring on Season 15.
#supernatural#top 75 episodes#spn meta#destiel#dean winchester#castiel#sam winchester#supernatural episode summaries#my opinions#seriously these are just my opinions#and I had so much fun writing this#and i am kinda proud of it#my stuff
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Quarantine (or Confessions under Duress)
@inukag-week Implied smut ahead. Length: roughly 5.5 pages “No, Inuayasha, we can’t go back!”
“Because of some stupid cold? It’s nothing! You see I’m fine!”
“But Sango, and Miroku, and Shippo might not be if we go back. Look, I know it’s hard to take a threat seriously if you can’t sense it, especially since people didn’t know very much about disease in your time, but please believe me it isn’t safe.”
“You said yourself lots of people are recovering. Our friends are strong, they’ll be fine. Let’s go back to hunting Naraku!”
“Sit!”
“Look, our whole view of health is different now. In your time people couldn’t travel very far and they got used to things that were near them. Their bodies and their knowledge developed with what was nearby. Kaede knows how to heal battle wounds, and what herbs are good for which poisons, but in my time people travel across the entire world every day. I have fruit in my kitchen that Kaede will never see in her lifetime. Everywhere around us are tiny things that we eat and breathe. The tiny things in my world are completely different from the ones in yours. You probably haven’t noticed because as a demon you’re strong enough that small changes in your environment won’t affect you, but I bet if you came here on a human night you’d feel different than you do in your time. Lots of people are getting really sick from this disease. Healthy people who are used to living here and now. Whose bodies are used to this environment. If we take this disease back we’d be letting it loose on villagers who have no immunity to anything like it. It could devastate your whole era, Inuyasha!” the thought of causing such a tragedy nearly brought her to tears.
“Okay, okay, don’t cry. We’ll stay here. How long until we can go back?”
“I don’t know. It could be months.”
“MONTHS!?”
———————————————————————
The tension growing between them was exhausting. She understood Inuyasha’s restlessness, but it was getting on her nerves. It wasn’t like she loved being stuck inside all the time, but she was making an effort to use the circumstances as best she could. It was particularly lonely since it was just the two of them. The rest of her family went visiting out of town before she came home and were now trapped in their own right. She longer to see her grandfather, to talk to her mother, to tease Souta. The tense silence between her and Inuyasha was more than she could handle right then.
“Hey, why don’t we watch a movie?”
“A movie? What’s a movie?”
“It’s like a play, but someone recorded it so we could watch it later.
”Inuyasha didn’t reply. She could watch a movie at least, and distract herself for a while. She pressed the first tape she could find into the machine and settled on the couch; determinedly staring at the TV and ignoring Inuyasha’s continuing sulk.
“I was just your typical teenage girl - until my 18th birthday that is, when I discovered I was a witch.”
“A witch!?” In one swift move Inuyasha had drawn his sword and stepped into the glare of the screen.
“Inuyasha, stop! It’s not real; it’s just a story.”
“Bah.”
“Come on, put that away.”
But he was transfixed by the quick-paced colours on the screen. How could somebody draw so realistically? How could they fit so many pictures in that little box?
Kagome put a hand on his shoulder. “Back up, I can’t see.”
Still transfixed Inuyasha sheathed his sword and sat on the couch.The tension Kagome had hoped to ease with the digital distraction greatly intensified when the main character had a steamy birthday makeout session with her crush. When Kagome grabbed a random movie, it hadn’t occurred to her how much worse a ‘90s romcom would make her situation. Naturally, being a teenager, and it being the ‘90s, that was pretty much all she had on hand.
She gazed intently at a bird out the window, carefully avoiding looking at her equally embarrassed companion. But she couldn’t keep her thoughts still.
Look at this girl, living her best life. I’ve never been kissed at all, definitely not like that. If only I was being held like that. If only Inuyasha would hold me like that…
Inuyasha, red as a beet, found himself unable to look away from the graphic scene. His normal defence mechanism in these situations was normally for his mind to blank, but he, like Kagome, felt he was missing something the characters had.The scene ended, and the pair on the couch eventually decided it was safe to look at each other again. As the movie went on they were able to relax and the discomfort from earlier was forgotten. That is until the next bit of romance came on the screen. And this time the characters were undressing.
“What the Hell?! Who would watch something like this!? Is everybody in your time a pervert?!”
Inuyasha thought if this was how people told stories in Kagome’s time, no wonder she liked the feudal era so much.Kagome jumped up, and fumbled for the remotes on the coffee table as she tried to answer.
I haven’t even been kissed. Who knows if I’ll ever do that. At this rate I’ll die alone.
“Well, some people like to imagine themselves in her shoes, I guess. Especially if they don’t have a boyfriend themselves.”
Kyah, when did we get so many remotes!? Where is the fast-forward button? When did the label rub off? Will this scene ever end!?
It was Inuyasha’s turn to avert his gaze. He kept his face turned fully to the blank wall beside him. Beneath his disgusted exterior, in the deepest corner of his mind, he wondered when he would get to do that with someone - with Kagome.
Something smells different.
Inuyasha glanced at Kagome, who had given up on skipping the abrasive scene and had her eyes closed in a long sigh.
She smells different. It’s raw and intense. What is it?
Dawning slowly seeped into him. This movie had aroused something in her. This deepened Inuyasha’s blush.
Kagome resignedly sat back down on the couch, on the middle cushion this time, instead of the far one.“Hey, what are you doing? Why are you getting so close now?”
“What? I wasn’t!”
Kagome jumped a cushion over and Inuyasha immediately regretted saying anything, but his fear of intimacy made him panic when she was so near. Particularly right after that.After the interrogation Kagome’s musky smell started to dissipate and the rest of the movie passed uneventfully, both of the viewers too distracted to really notice what was happening on screen.
“Okay, well, guess it’s bedtime. Good night Inuyasha.”
“Uh - good night.”
When her family was around Kagome preferred Inuyasha to sleep in her room, sitting on the floor by her bed, poised to defend her if something nefarious found its way into her room. But alone, she felt it too scandalous. She changed and crawled into bed, but struggled to sleep.
Well, that definitely made things worse. How can I look him in the eye now? I barely could before that disaster.
Little did she know on the other side of the hall Inuyasha was kept awake by slightly different thoughts.
That moo-vie. She was excited during that moo-vie. All I can think about is her intoxicating smell. If we watched it again would she react the same way?
——————————————————————
The following day Kagome was able to avoid Inuyasha by burying herself in cooking. She wasn’t sure what he was doing upstairs, but she was grateful for the respite. Eventually Inuyasha came down when she called him for lunch.
“Hey, so I thought we could watch another movie. But don’t worry, I found one that’s all about samurai fighting. No romance at all.”
He determinedly stared at the bowl of ramen Kagome had placed in front of him as he answered “that’s okay. We could watch a moo-vie like yesterday’s. We see plenty of real-life fighting anyway.”
“Oh. Uh… okay.”
After lunch Kagome put on another romcom.
I wonder what’s with Inuyasha. I know he has a soft side, but I’ve never seen him ask for an emotional moment before.
Occasionally Inuyasha would glance at Kagome, particularly during romantic scenes, but he never noticed more than small blush. How disappointing.
If we keep watching movies surely another one will excite her. Maybe iI’ll be luckier next time.
Nope.
The time after.
Nuh-uh.
Come on, this time?
No.
“Inuyasha, we’ve run out of movies.”
Maybe it wasn’t the TYPE of movie Kagome liked, but that specific movie.
“That’s okay, Kagome, we can watch the first one again.”
“Oh, uh, sure.”
When the got to the sex scene that had flustered them so badly before, Inuyasha stared intently at Kagome, holding in too much anticipation to even try to hide it this time.
“Well, Kagome?”
“Well, what?”
Inuyasha faltered “never mind” and went back to staring at the screen, thoroughly annoyed.
“I’m pretty surprised you wanted to watch this, twice even. I didn’t think you’d like it.”
“Of course I don’t, I’ve been sitting here watching these boring movies and you aren’t excited by anything!”
“Ex…cited?”
Shit. Why did I say that?
“Inuyasha? Why did you want to watch these with me?”
“The first time we watched this part… you…. uh…. you smelled different. Good different.”
“Excited different?” she joked. But when he cautiously nodded understanding hit her and she hid her face in her hands so Inuyasha wouldn’t see the sheer terror spreading across it.
He can smell that!? He knows when I’m… excited!? He must have known I was thinking about him! Or what if he didn’t and he’s jealous of imaginary guy? … Wait, he’s been watching movies with me just so…
Resolutely she straightened herself and looked Inuyasha in the eye. They looked at each other in silence and then -
“Kagome…” that smell.
She moved closer.
“Inuyasha, why have we been watching all these movies?”
“So I could smell you like this again.”
“Like what?”
“…Aroused.” he said in a tiny voice. But he gained some confidence when Kagome inched closer. “I want to be the one you’re aroused for. I love you, Kagome.”
“I love you too, Inuyasha.”
That night they stopped sleeping in separate bedrooms.
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i’m going insane lol
so i feel like the next step in working hard is to not even perceive the work i’m doing as tiring. (rereading this it’s making me lol.) it seems weird that i find a part time job at a restaurant this exhausting? and like i can’t pretend that i’m not tired, but i have to somehow take better care of myself and set the conditions to not be tired from it.
i’ve been thinking about baudrillard/barthes a lot still -- pleasantly surprised that their theories are interesting to apply to any- and everything. for example, they both go into how every statement can also be read as its opposite or negation. so, to quote baudrillard, saying “i am not afraid of communism” also implies that communism is something you should be afraid of.
i’ve been using this as a kind of paranoid way to gain insight into why people tell me that i am “strong” because i don’t really know what that means. (other things i am told i am often: sweet, intense). it’s like what they’re saying is, there’s some kind of context, a milieu of weak people i’m being compared to. or like they want to reassure me that i am strong, because i actually come across as how i feel: like a particularly lost, unstable, emotional, sensitive, and lonely person.
i can’t with restaurant work anymore. it. SUCKS. i want to fucking get out, i am like a rat scrabbling at the walls of a glass aquarium. all novelty has worn off, all misguided overtures of honest work or “people skills.” and i’m still stuck here, still holding my breath in the deep end until i can find the eject button. i am tired, my body aches. my body aches!!
i want to just grind my way out (here we are with barthes again -- well if you truly wanted to do that you’d just shut the fuck up and do it instead of writing about it), but here i am, eating another round of chocolate (i don’t smoke, i don’t have sex, i truly just eat), constantly fucking hungry. then like a bull mowing into a red flag i realize i have been grinding...in a completely useless direction. it is like my passion for learning about things gets scattered every which way and i just can’t start, every path is equally exciting and awful and the injunction to “choose” is not “clicking” in my “head.” it’s like my mind cracked open at some point in my teenage years (when i started smoking weed, when my child universe was decisively fractured by a friend) and now the crack is snowing fireworks and glitter and i shift in and out of unreality.
reality is almost too painful to bear. nobody’s happy: you can find contentment by accepting your current lot, but “happiness" is really just contrast or relief from pain. it comes in and out. most people are too lazy or small-minded or too busy complaining to feel content, or their lives are just too twiggy, got too long in the wrong direction or are just too fucking hard. i guess i still am happy, and still love life, in a sort of ferocious and bloody and hungry way.
love is bleak, though. i barely even know how to define it anymore. (culture defines a love which we yearn for; we experience “love” insofar as our real love fleetingly resembles this model, only to come up short -- baudrillard). re: love, to use my mom’s favorite school-of-hard-knocks memory device for the laws of thermodynamics -- a subject she took? -- you can’t win, you can’t break even, you can’t get outta the game (and death and taxes). you are going to get royally FUCKED by love just like everybody else, and you are STILL gonna play, you beautiful mortal fool. like the tarot cards lauren dealt me, putting away the three cards she’d used to describe my near future and then flipping through the entire deck, picture side up, without realizing that i was quietly watching it describe my whole entire life -- clinging at the edge of my seat to see some eventual combination that spelled good, strong, lasting love and seeing only struggle, happiness, struggle, pain, struggle, and finally ending, at my death, in a small statue made of gold.
see also, other realities i hate to swallow: nearly all interpersonal problems are insurmountable and better left undealt with, and work basically sucks unless you are very lucky and very smart.
work. let’s go back to that. i used to think my work would be respected off its merit; now i see the merit in literally fucking my way up. i wonder if i should even be an artist at all. artists are kinda like showponies or whores; they’re not actually important. the more honest and wonderful they are, the less important they probably are, like schoolteachers. they have an impact on an individual level. but on a societal level, you have no control as an artist. you just get played by bigger fish. better to find a way to have your hands on the gears; that way you have a shot at making a higher-order change to society. but alas, the (capitalist) system is totally out of everyone’s hands and will keep running as usual no matter what you do, still savage in equal amounts, i think. doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try. but at this point i’d give a toe or finger to work for someplace like youtube. at least it’s reached critical mass where i could do something cool and make a difference with emerging media.
that or i pander to whatever blathering brain-melting slop, drivel, they’re putting on tv for kids and adults. or manage to convince a smaller nonprofit that i am “good at talking to people from diverse socioeconomic backgrounds,” whatever the hell that fucking means. or maybe, ugh god, i’ll work for an ad agency? or do digital strategy? and um, i could say some shit about how capitalism is darwinism and money is a form of social control that works so well because it’s out of the hands of any individual person, and i should probably just stick with art and believe in it, and maybe like, apply for grants. but i want a job, a full-time job. i want stability and enough money that i don't feel guilty buying new underwear and i don't want to hustle to keep the tap running month-to-month and i want to spend the majority of my time doing something i find fulfilling. and soon enough i'll get that, and all my dreams will come true: i’m going to get married and become a fat mom taking my kids to piano practice and saying “the meeting went on forever today,” and i’ll have a husband who never cleans the house enough, and then we’ll get divorced and he’ll find someone 20 years younger and i’ll live out the rest of my years semi-happily alone and i don’t know how i will ever have time to make art again. or if i do i just hope it’s not hobby-like, second-rate.
i wish i could have (feel) the bare-faced honesty and love of sha’carri richardson hugging her grandmother after she worked her ass off for a race. instead everything is this weird simulation where i never feel like i love anybody enough or like i’m working hard enough. i can’t speak honestly except when i am writing about myself (strong, sweet, intense, narcissistic) or things i have noticed, as directed to my own imaginary friend. when i try to communicate irl (or, worst of all, “be real”) it’s all so overthought, overwrought, self-conscious. the only person who knows my real private self is the girl winking at me on my black lives matter poster. i hope she doesn’t mind being here in my room. ducky, the stuffed animal brandon gave me, was also supportive but i put him away because it seemed bad to tell future guys that my stuffed animal is “the child of divorce.” and now /you guys/ know me a little bit, because i took the time to pretend you were all my imaginary friend, my dearest pen pal who laughs at all my jokes and gets all my references, and stopped pretending i was anything besides what’s written here.
and i think, like, a lot of people now live in this weird simulation? and are so confused about romantic and familial love to the point where everyone is getting off on family members fucking each other and can’t decide if it’s normal to think kids are hot? but i guess that was always some weird fucked-up demon side of human existence? another thing i’m supposed to accept. (also sorry trigger warning.) and another thing i took for granted as a child, that most people, if not everyone, is weird/gross/evil, but now that my mind is cracked this shocks me all over again and i seek some sort of explanation. it’s like i can’t find a real hunk of closeness anywhere. i’m close to my own family, but in my other relationships we’re either too distant or too close and i’m desperately searching for just some normal friends. and to be able to give a speech where i tell someone i really love them and for it to ring true. but i try to be grateful that i live in driving distance to the beach and there’s air conditioning and once i stop being a stupid baby there’s probably more friends and work and stuff out there for me. and then i’ll have some new problem.
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Smitten with the concept, not with the execution.
I want to start things off with a question: have you ever been invested in something, a television show, movie, video game or other, and not known why? Something like “this is boring, why do I continue with it?” I absolutely do and want to explore this with you.
See, I have a whole shed-load of things that I “enjoy” despite the execution not being to my taste. The horror video game series “Five Nights at Freddie’s” is not at all my normal cup of tea, the final chapters of the pseudo-horror game “Bendy and the Ink Machine” were disappointing and sci-fi game “Nier: Automata” is not what I like in my gameplay; but I bloody love them.
Same with the “The Flash” television show, the “RWBY” web-animation and even the “Star Wars” universe as a whole. I continue to persist with The Flash despite being pretty sure that my brother dreads my running commentary of its flaws every week; I may not keep up with it but I do eventually catch up with RWBY despite its execution being…lacking, and I feel that nothing in the Star Wars franchise quite lives up to what exists in my head, although it stands head, shoulder and even waist above the others in this paragraph. So why do I keep up with these stories that I apparently can’t talk badly enough about?
Cause I do love them.
As the title says, I love the concepts behind these stories. Five Nights at Freddie’s (frequently shortened to FNAF because, let’s face it, the title is a pain) is a game where you do the same few things again and again, all to try and prevent being scared; the gameplay is far too tedious for me to play myself and honestly, I’m too much of a coward to actually do so. But the lore woven into the games has captured my heart: murdered childrens’ souls stuck in animatronic bodies that are protective of other children and incredibly violent to adults? It’s so sad, largely because it’s so terrifying and there is more added to the story with each game, cumulating in a sad tale that actually doesn’t quite compare to that in my head (although put that down to preference). It captured my heart, and more importantly my mind.
Bendy and the Ink Machine starts with a man returning to the animation studio where he used to work, where he helped to bring to life the game’s equivalent of Mickey Mouse (the titular Bendy) only to find that Bendy may have literally been brought to life by ink and madness (and magic). The game is beautifully unique in its design, with backgrounds and items and everything seemingly having been hand-drawn. There are tapes to be found that tell the individual stories of animators, voice actors and even caretakers who were caught up in the chaos, tapes to be collected while avoiding the demonic and malformed beast that was supposed to be Bendy.
I’ll be brief with Nier: Automata, but this beautiful game with beautiful music explores ideas of machines and emotions and life, at least within my own mind (I never finished watching someone else play the game so I can’t say for sure). The Flash had my heart from the beginning, all through the boring soap opera drama and plot contrivances, just because I love the concept behind the world that it was set in. RWBY is much the same, although it didn’t have me from the beginning; there are little details in RWBY that could become something amazing, but that are unfortunately overshadowed by poor dialogue, trite characters and unfulfilling season-long “stories”.
And you all at least know vaguely about Star Wars, but it’s the idea of the prequel’s Jedi Order that has me enthralled. I love the idea of an order of warriors, so feared for their combat prowess that they don’t actually need to fight; warriors who could kill you with a telekinetic thought and yet refuse to on principle, yet have enemies who share this power but without the same scruples. And Lightsabers. Lightsabers are cool.
There is so much to love about Star Wars that unfortunately a lot of the media never seems to embrace, instead erring on the side of convenience.
As an aspiring author I find all of this fascinating. FNAF and Nier Automata are examples of fascinating stories locked behind gameplay that I’m not interested in, although in the case of the former I do believe that the head-cannon that I developed was actually better than the real story (both of which I have forgotten by now). Nier Automata’s story may be better than my own ideas but as I said, I never finished watching the story.
Bendy, Flash, RWBY and Star Wars are cases of poor execution though. Spread over five chapters, Bendy started strong but lost what it was that made the early chapters good, going from tense atmosphere to just hit everything with a pipe. The Flash tv show is a victim to its medium: it’s meant to be something for people to watch as they relax in the afternoon with drama, relationships and just a hint of excitement; it was never meant to be a superhero show like the early seasons of Arrow and they are so focused on what I just mentioned that they didn’t put the same effort into being consistent or even all that compelling to someone like me. Not saying that I’m a higher quality viewer, just that I want different things.
RWBY is a real disappointment to me though, with the most important flaw being the forced climaxes without any real story. I’m not interested in the action when the season doesn’t seem to have led up to it and the best thing I can say for it is that each finale at least feels like a mid-season finale. But I will give it this: season three started (started) to change this for the better.
Finally, Star Wars (primarily the cartoons) is a problem because it ignores its own rules. Jedi are supposed to be reverent towards the Force, not using it trivially and never to injure; watch any Star Wars cartoon that follows the Jedi and you will see them regularly and callously attacking with the Force. Another weakness would be the lack of rules regulating the Force.
Any good magic/superpower system has rules or else there is nothing it can’t do and it would seem that there is nothing the Force can’t do. So, if the Jedi apparently don’t follow their own rules on using the Force then what’s the point of lightsabers other than as a symbol? They could crush armies with a wave of the hand; weapons can be torn out of one’s grip and enemy Jedi thrown through walls.
Imagine a completely independent group who are such capable warriors that they never need to fight. They stroll forward and armies give up. So much can be done with a concept like this and to a writer like myself I would love to have free reign with it.
And that’s that. So what would I do with these series if I had the power? FNAF is a hard one for me to give suggestions for because as I said, I’ve forgotten, but Bendy and the Ink Machine is easier. As I said the later parts became an action game with fetch quests that nobody asked for, so get rid of the quests, reduce the enemies and retain the disconcerting atmosphere. I’m not asking for anything the creators haven’t proven themselves capable of. Nier is another one that’s hard to give suggestions for as, as I said, I don’t yet know the whole story; what I can say is that it’s the androids and the possible exploration of their humanity (and why they are designed to be so- and I can’t believe I’m using this word- “thicc”) that has me so fascinated.
The Flash is a victim to its audience so rather than an improvement, I’ll mention what I’d like to see instead: a superhero show. This may seem like an odd thing to say about what is ostensibly a superhero show but it’s really more of a soap opera (which, btw, got it’s name from radio operas being sponsored by soap manufacturers); a real superhero show wouldn’t defeat the best one episode villain yet off camera while instead focusing on character relationships. I mean, way to give a side-character the chance to prove themselves, but at least let us see it. RWBY needs to either give up the idea of series long storylines and slowly build a larger story up, or to better plan each series so that it naturally leads to a climax.
And finally, Star Wars needs to set and explain the limitations of the Force; doesn’t need to tell us everything, just what it can’t do or if there are means of defending against it. If a Force user can block another Force user, then we need to know that so we don’t just complain about Jedi battles not being who can put the other through a wall first. And finally, I’d love to see people treat the Jedi appropriately, with respect and fear.
So that’s it. I love these stories for what I think they could be, but what they are honestly puts me off. It’s a shame, but as an (aspiring) author I’m hoping that I can somehow use these as inspiration for my own (and most importantly unique) stories.
-Note= And no, inspired by does not mean ripped off; break any story down to its bare bones and it will look identical to (and stolen from) almost every other story.
#first puffin#opinion#web series#rwby#television#dc television universe#the flash#cartoon#star wars#movies#video games#fnaf#five nights at freddy's#nier automata#bendy and the ink machine#fiction#stories#storytelling#thosetagswilldofornow
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Maou-jou 9 - 12 (FINAL) | Idolish7 s2 10 - 15 (FINAL) | SLS 2
I’ve been holding off new seasonals because of other things, but after I post this I’ll have enough time to get around to them. That’s why I can’t guarantee winter 2021 seasonal tags on this post...maybe the next one will have them...
Maou-jou 9
…it seems shopping channels even are the same in the demon world.
Now even the demons have quests! (The frame is different to the princess’s, though.)
Oh! The quest failed.
Neo Alraune: in flower language, “the 2nd coming of happiness”. The worry from a little while ago was, “I’m worried about my brother.” The worry from recently: “I didn’t think about being happy that the princess didn’t kill my brother.”
The penguin demons are pretty cute!
Don’t you know how parents forbid children from sleeping until they finish all their homework? Must be something like that.
Yoku ganbarimashita! – Syalis worked hard!
LOL, mental age: 3. Poseidon likes cute things…I can’t read a lot of this…the hardsubs cover the JPN text.
They…both succeeded! (…LOL?)
Maou-jou 10
Owarinocity = Endopolis. It’s a good equivalent, if I do say so myself.
…oh yeah. What happened to Alraune? Update: There she is!
Also, that blonde guy in the infomercials doesn’t look too bad…*makes chef’s kiss gesture with one hand* Nice.
I wonder, was Twilight once human…?
LOL, there’s a goat symbol on the cleric’s pyjamas. Also “first time”, LOL.
I think they were playing shiritori at one point.
Hanamaru saikou yoku dekimashita!
Maou-jou 11
…How does one “sleep cheerfully”, anyway?
I think I saw Twilight drop something…some kind of paper…
Aw, Twilight blushing is kinda cute!
LOL, 70s shoujo style. Also, “It cannot be!”
Whoa, she cancelled it?!
I read up on this series on TV Tropes…and apparently the Demon King captured the Princess in her sleep.
Kagemusha? Like a ninja or something?
Apparently the Demon Cleric is much older than he looks.
Ooh! Hypnos is back!
A-whatsit really is abysmal levels of stupid!!! (LOL)
Maou-jou 12 (FINAL)
Who’s that one tiny guy occupying one of the Ten Kings’ seats?
*watching after Christmas, about a week after the anime finished* This is not seasonally appropriate!
…*thinks for a second, then spits* That’s the 2nd Nemu in the fall 2020 season!!!
Ooh, the head paladin doesn’t look that bad, either.
“…is it good to be…”
“…has seized the princess!”
“…that demon king is rather cute.” – See? Someone agrees with me.
Anyways, that was a fun series. See you soon!
Idolish7 s2 10
…Back at it after so long…(I can’t help it though – Crunchyroll, per month, is about double the local Funimation sublicensor’s fees, and for much less content that’s worth my money to boot!)
I’ve always thought Momo was like Sasara (HypMic), so seeing him anguished hurts me in the kokoro too…
I know Banri was involved with Re:vale somehow…this must be it.
…Male idols are also popular among men? Is this why there are 8 (!!!) idol anime in winter 2021 alone…? (Also, that’s why HypMic became popular? Multidemographic appeal crossed over with obvious merchandising opportunities?)
It’s kind of scary how Momo stepped the formality towards Yuki like that (to -san).
I guess in his heart Momo still reveres Yuki, some way or another.
The rakugo curtain really sold the moment that they (current Re:vale) were acting like an old married couple.
Yay! Silver Sky is such a cool song! Of course I recognised the intro when it came on.
…I see. The elder Kujo is entrusting his dream to Tenn, so that’s why he banned Aya from seeing Tamaki. However, it’s hard to know what to feel when Aya speaks in the vaguest terms possible.
I think that was a special ending for only this episode. I don’t know what its name is, but I guess I might recognise it on Spotify one day.
Idolish7 s2 11
LOL, Nagi’s reaction.
Considering the ‘rona is getting worse outside our very windows as we speak (type?), I think it’s correct to be concerned about your future right now.
Looking at these narrow streets reminds me of going to eat hotpot at the end of my Japan trip…only Japanese streets look like that, I think. Hong Kong’s streets are more crowded than that and America likes their suburbia.
Of course, when you say hajimemashite (nice to meet you), someone’s gotta say it back, hence the reply.
Considering there are people all over the world watching the Idolish7 anime, I would say you are telling the world about I7, Riku.
Oh! Restart Pointer! There was an MV for that one…I think it was around the time Idolish7’s MVs started getting better.
So this is the context around the new outfits! Cool!
There have been way too many puns about “idol” being…y’know, “ai (love) doll” and stuff like that…
I have one Twitter person who I follow (DejiNyucu, part of the creative team for Autumn’s Journey) because I don’t get much I7 content and they keep mentioning this “Haruki” person…and suddenly a “Haruki the Betrayer” showed up in the graffiti…they might be the same person, I think. Not Deji, but Haruki. Update: Sakura Haruki, perhaps…?
Sougo’s such a bad liar…
Sometimes, the best way to deal with things is to be direct…(I’m not very good at that, I naturally talk in a very roundabout sort of way.)
Sougo with long hair like Yuki would be really pretty… (<- has an obvious thing for guys with long hair)
Idolish7 s2 12
Nagi’s stupid accent is generally what he’s best remembered for (for me), so seeing him speak normally, and do a press conference on top of that, is…impressive.
A kabedon on top of all this! Whoa!
Shibuya 109 parody…? (I’ve seen that once or twice – parodying that means people know their stuff about Shibuya.)
I think the “it’s overflowing!” is referring to the hype in the “room”.
…this dejected Momo is worrying…(well, he is worrying and I am worrying about him.)
Oh, I see. The person responsible typed the letter so that they couldn’t be traced back. Kind of like those old movies where the culprit would cut letters out of newspapers to make threat mail, but…with even less traces than that, because cutting letters out leaves evidence.
…wow, it took a while for this ep. to have an intro…
…LOL, I just spotted Kenjiro Tsuda cited as the “fake Zero”, meaning the real one might never show up this season.
There’s something really stupid and infectious about these managers’ enthusiasm for drinking energy drinks. It puts a goofy smile on my face.
Is Musubi Tsumugi’s mother…? Update: Yes, she is.
…Wait, so the Chiba Shizuo guy is actually important?!
Idolish7 s2 13
Whenever someone says “by the way”, it means they’re changing the subject. I hate to state to obvious, but Sougo is clearly deflecting the topic of conversation from being about him.
I wonder if this guy (Haw9) is the actual Zero graffiti vandal…?
Hmph, I didn’t realise Tenn doesn’t refer to Kujo-san as his father, but…like that (“Kujo-san”) instead.
Oh hey! These are shots from Vibrato!
Most dramas can be solved with the power of Good Communication. That includes this one.
I feel like “he has a dark side” describes both Tenn and Kujo-san.
“Everyone, remember to wash your hands and gargle thoroughly.” – This is always a good thing to remember in the time of ‘rona. Reminds me of Jakurai’s line in ARB (<- this game started just after the ‘rona came down).
What did Sougo go to uni for (what specialisation)?
Idolish7 s2 14
I just realised Banri calls Momo -kun. Hmm…
Denki = electricity, LOL.
I feel like Tenn is basically Ramuda, give or take actual pink hair…guys in musical groups with pre-existing angst that they become the “centre” of. The fact Fling Posse have Saito Soma and so do Trigger strengthens the connection.
I would watch the heck out of a musical like that! Make it come true, Idolish7! (Also, today is I7 day! I’m not much of an I7 fan outside the anime, but…that’s cool!)
That shot of them jumping! I remember seeing it on the official site before!
Idolish7 s2 15 (FINAL)
There you go! I was wondering where Banri’s injury was – that was the only bit that didn’t add up for him to be Yuki’s old partner.
Hmm…Momo is 4 years younger than Yuki but 2 years younger than Banri…
This episode has a real concert vibe to it, to the point where I got startled by how loud the yell was at one point. (Even if it is mostly stills.)
LOL, lookit Okazaki!
Apparently, if you’re a hako oshi, you like all the members of a group. Someone with a green light and a pink light likes both members of Re:vale.
LOL, Usagi for Asahi beer.
…I forgot Nagi is 19.
…Ooh, I think that’s the kid from ZOOL. No wonder they needed a season 3!
That’s all. See you next time!
SLS 2
“fine and upstanding person” – That’s…hard to believe, Hayato.
I wonder how many bois Toboso designed for SLS…?
…The episode title is actually “Blank”. Not “Break”.
One of the guys’ shirts says moteki on it. That’s a period in one’s life where one enjoys more romantic attention than usual, literally “popularity season”.
The subs missed an I, so initially I knew Kiriyama’s name as “Kiryama”.
There are meant to be 2 wings, right…?
“He who controls information controls everything, right?” – For once, I’m surprised Hayato is right (and not just in that smug way of his).
“…I’m being treated like a manager.” – But Hayato is a manager! (In a sense.)
The plait guy jumps to nicknames really fast…also, why do I get the feeling Maeshima will lose the key?
I hate to say this Maeshima, but I side with your childhood friend (Kiriyama) here. As much as the anime wants me to back you, I’m watching for everyone else at this point.
That blocky building looks pretty cool. I think Zel (Archi-Anime) would like it.
Sasugai’s setup looks pretty cool, including his chair.
…hmm, Maeshima’s like me in a sense. I learn best by copying others, but memory is my best asset. If I don’t regularly train the fundamentals, I suck at everything. That said, I don’t have an eidetic memory. Also, I didn’t quite figure out Ken = Ken(sei Maeshima) until I watched long enough to connect the dots.
LOL, Derry’s. (<- reminded of a word for “butt” <- derriere)
Well, the guy’s (Souta…?) shirt does say moteki…
Kiriyama kinda looks like Jyuto (HypMic), come to think of it…Right down to his angry streak (although Jyuto has a reputation to keep as a “cool dude”, while Kiriyama is more of a Manza (Boueibu HK) and he’s more angry than he looks).
…This ED is nothing special.
…Hmm? Is that a small Terauchi and Maeshima…?
I think I’m sold for now, but I’m rooting for the other team, not Maeshima’s…not yet, anyways.
#simulcast commentary#skate-leading☆stars#idolish7#Idolish7 Second Beat!#Maou-jou de Oyasumi#sleepy princess in the demon castle#Chesarka watches I7#Chesarka watches Maou-jou
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Hazbinstagram: The Case of the Missing Blitzo

A Hazbinstagram ™ story
An ongoing story from the great creators and artists of "Hazbinstagram!"
For as long as he could remember since July, Blitzo had found a new horse to be his loving friend. He loved her so much, that he gave her different names everyday. During his everyday life at I.M.P. Blitzo had claimed that his horse had helped him make decisions. His associates thought the horse was part of his imagination. Stolas wanted to meet his horse as well, to see what she looked like.
But one day, Blitzo mysteriously disappears after posing in a picture full of static. Many speculate that he had been kidnapped.
But who? Could it be the demon who photo-bombed his last photo? His horse? A rival company?
Or perhaps a familiar radio loving demon with sinister plans of his own...
Alastor has a shadowy horse creature with a skeletal body, sharp teeth and black wings. The eyes glow teal and the mane and tail are thick and black. The creature may have captured Blitzo and gone back to its master. (Art and idea by Radio Hazbin!)
Fun Fact: Alastor was also the name of one of Hades' horses when he rose from the ground to capture Persephone.
Blitzo was seen smiling as he took a selfie in static. Red and black shapes were behind him, appearing to be a distorted form of reality.
Blitzo spoke and texted with static lacing his words: “Hanging with my horse, Enamel Pin. She said it was ok for me to take a picture with her. O3O.”
Cherri Bomb responded: “What the hell type of horse does this to a camera?”
Other comments soon appeared on Instagram, or rather, Voxtagram as the TV Overlord owned all technological platforms.
“No horse does that, but I know a deer who does.”
“Who else is red, got antlers on his head and doesn’t like being on camera?”
“I don’t think that’s a horse, I think that’s a certain deer overlord.”
“Alastor, is that you?”
“I think Blitzo’s horse friend might be a certain radio demon.”
“Oh deer.”
“I wonder if the horse and Alastor are related. He also has the effect on pictures.”
“Are we speculating that Blitzo is riding Alastor…a new ship is coming!”
“Please save Blitzo from that thing.”
Stolas was concerned, and began to type. “Hm…Blitzo, I’m a bit concerned about your horse friend. I haven’t read anything on horses distorting cameras. Can we talk?”
Blitzo replied in an arrogant tone: “I don’t know what you’re talking about. My horse can do whatever she wants. She’s just cool like that.”
Stolas responded: “Alright, if you say so. I may do some more research on this. But I am glad she’s so kind to you, Blitzy.”
Blitzo added: “She’s very nice and eats the cockroaches at my place.”
Later, Blitzo posted a child-like colored drawing of himself holding an iced coffee in his hand. Below the drawing was a colored tan horse with a black mane with her head lowered, surrounded by gray. The picture read: ”How I met my horsie. One day, I was just walking to get coffee again. She was all alone. I asked her if she wanted coffee. She said “You bet I do.” As we sat at the table, everyone ran away screaming for some reason.”
Blitzo posted: “The comic of my horsie and me meeting for the first time.”
Moxxie responded with: “Will all due respect sir, your “horsie” looks nothing like that.”
A commenter asked, “Does he look like a deer?”
Moxxie was flabbergasted at the comments. “Why do you guys keep saying that thing looks like a deer? That thing looks nothing close to those. You humans are weirdly obsessed with deers.”
Another commenter warned: “It might be the Radio Demon. Please warn your boss, Moxxie.”
The grumpy imp wasn’t having it. Moxxie posted: “What are you all talking about?! That “horsie” looks nothing similar to the Radio Demon. Your strange obsessions over the Radio Demon worries me, humans.”
(That’s the fandom for you, Moxxie!!!)
Another commenter yelled: “Moxxie, what the hell does the horse look like?!”
Moxxie replied: “I’d rather not talk about it.”
Blitzo stepped in. “It was because my horse was amazing and beautiful. Moxxie is just being a puss.”
Moxxie grumbled and typed: “I disagree, sir. Just keep that thing away from me.”
Blitzo was offended: “She has a name, Mox!”
Moxxie: “Sir, I can’t keep up with all the nonsensical names you keep giving it! What even is it right now?!”
Blitzo: “Her name is Sandal! She is just very fond of getting her names.”
Stolas added: “This is sweet. I’d really love to meet your horse friend someday.”
Moxxie had a bad gut feeling inside him. It was the same feeling he had when his boss had brought one of the Furby imp creatures home. They were known to inhibit an old organ that was now in Alastor’s possession “Your Highness, I really don’t think this is a good idea.”
Bitzo then took a selfie of himself with iced coffee in his hand. Behind him, an imp wearing a gray mask was seen standing with a knife over another imp on the ground. Blitzo posted: “Just got coffee and I was taking a selfie when this guy photobombed my picture. Not cool. My horse (renamed to Glove) is down the street. Waiting for her right now.”
Stolas agreeed: “Some people are so inconsiderate.”
Someone asked: “How does the coffee taste?” Blitzo replied with “Gooood.”
Somebody else asked: “Why does this look like Moxxie killing Millie?”
Moxxie fumed as he responded: “What the fuck is wrong with you humans?! Why would I ever hurt Millie? You humans are disgusting.”
Several hours pass by. A concerned and confused Stolas held his white rotary phone with little wings on it in his hand. He posted: “Blitzo didn’t answer for our scheduled call. I suppose I’ll try again tomorrow.”
The next day passed. Stolas stared forlornly at his rotary phone. He posted: “Tried calling Blitzo again. His receptionist said he hasn’t been in today but she’d have him call me back (I don’t think she will). Via is mad at me. This is a terrible day…”
Someone asked, “Why is Via angry?”
Stolas responded: “Via is angry with me because I wouldn’t let her go to a concert without supervision.”
Moxxie later posted a picture of himself in his room by closed blinds. He had a sad, far-away look on his face, a contrast to his usually grumpy demeanor. He posted: “I enjoyed how peaceful it has been as of late. But this is just awfully quiet…Not that I care, but has anyone seen the smooth brain noise maker that is my boss?”
Stolas texted Moxxie: “He hasn’t been there at all?!”
Moxxie said: “No, Your Highness. I haven’t seen him around since he went out to get coffee.”
Stolas: “Have you contacted his daughter?”
Moxxie: “Well, yes, but she keeps ignoring me.”
Stolas texted Moxxie, Millie and Loona: “Has Blitzo been home? Is he alright?”
Loona: “He’s not on his couch, so no. I don’t know man, maybe he found horses outside, ran after them and got lost…”
Angel Dust came in to the conversation as well. “Man, mystery shows are hitting real now.”
Loona posted a picture of an empty couch with a pink pillow on it. She said: “He’s not home yet, I thought he’d be back by now.”
Stolas: “We’ll find him.”
Loona: “He’d better have a good fucking excuse.”
Moxxie: “For once, I agree with you, Loona.”
Stolas later held up a flier of Blitzo flipping the bird. On the top, the flier read, “Have you seen me? Goes by Blitzo, the “o” is silent.”
Stolas: “Had these made. Will be giving them to Moxxie, so Blitzo’s associates can put them up around the city. If anyone knows anything, please call I.M.P.”
Cherri Bomb offered words of encouragement. “I’m sure that little guy is around somewhere, Your Majesty. He’ll show up eventually!”
Moxxie to Stolas: “We will do everything we can to find that idiot, Your Highness.”
Stolas to Moxxie: “Moxxie, I wish I could help you, aside from making these posters.”
Moxxie to Stolas: “Much appreciated for the posters, Your Highness.”
Angel Dust: “Aye, keep looking feathas. Hell ain’t too big a place ta miss the guy with horns that big.”
More theories were posted:
“Maybe he was taken by his horse or furby.”
“Loona, I don’t think Blitzo has an excuse, I think he was kidnapped.”
“It’s either the horse or the dude stabbing in the background.”
“Don’t worry, he’ll be fine. His horse is taking care of him.”
Meanwhile, in a dark hideout…
Blitzo’s yellow eyes were wide as saucers as he sat terrified on what appeared to be a green floor with missing tiles. A head of an imp rested in the background. He seemed to have been kidnapped by a gang of imps, perhaps jealous of I.M.P. and looking for money.
Blitzo: “Ok those guys finally left me alone so I could turn on my phone. You wouldn’t believe what I had to do to keep my phone. (RIP my third burner phone). Anyways, everything is fine. I wanted to get on this Voxtagram (Vox controls all technology and media websites). Because if I tried texting everyone, it’d take too long and calling would alert the dumbass kidnapper. Can someone come pick me up before they try to kill me?”
Stolas bellowed at the top of his lungs: “Blitzy! Where are you?!”
Blitzo responded: “I don’t know. Smells bad, though. I’ll get out, just ask my horse to come get me, please.”
Moxxie was terrified too: “Sir, where in the living Hell are you?! Are you hurt?!”
Blitzo instead yelled and typed in all caps: “Send horse!”
Angel Dust typed the emoji for wide eyes.
The next picture showed a blurred Stolas rushing forward. Stolas could do nothing but type in gibberish in all caps.
Blitzo: “I don’t know where I am, Stolas! Just send my horsie!”
Stola began to panic. “I don’t know how to send for your horse! That is why you needed to introduce us!”
Crash!
One of the walls concealing Blitzo in darkness burst open, sending bricks and dust everywhere. Blitzo squinted as a circle of light shone into the space. A figure stepped through the hole on all fours, tall and majestic. Blitzo took one look at the savior creature and raced toward it, happy tears falling from his face. The energy radiating from the horse was beyond anything found in Hell…or anywhere else for that matter.
It was a tall shadowy horse with a skeletal black body, reminiscent of a thestral or a nightmare horse from legends. The hooves were pointed and curved, shaped like miniature weapons. The horse’s mane and tail flowed long and black, outlined in a red aura. The horse’s neck was long and thin as was the head. Its eyes glowed teal and white, giving off an ethereal feel. And although there was static surrounding the horse, it didn’t have the malevolence associated with Alastor and his minions.
Did this creature decide to shapeshift around Blitzo to watch over him?
The horse spoke to Blitzo telepathically, her voice that of a human female laced with static. At the same time, the voice commanded divine respect.
“I am SpindleHorse. You are safe now, Blitzo. Let us be off.”
SpindleHorse had indeed, broken the (fourth) wall.
Without hesitation, Blitzo climbed up on the horse’s bony back and with graceful gallops, the horse vanished into the shadows. Blitzo grinned like a little kid as the horse speed down the streets, enjoying the bumpy ride.
Blitzo ecstatically typed his next post: “Rescue! I told you all my horse would come get me! Spindle broke the wall down! She said I could post the picture. She’s giving me a ride home. I can’t wait to see everyone!”
Loona, Millie, Moxxie and Stolas cried with joy and relief. For although Blitzo could be a childish annoying asshole, he was still a dear member of their family.
Loona posted first: “Thank Satan you’re alright! Cuz I…”
Loona paused, trying to defuse her inner feelings…
“…because we’re out of food! I need you to go grocery shopping, that’s the only reason I’m relieved. The only reason.”
Underneath the meth, drinks and her short temper, the hellhound secretary was relieved her adopted father was safe. Life was simply too lonely without the group of imps around.
Millie beamed. She, of course, was very happy that her boss was safe and sound. Stolas as well, was overjoyed that his lover was unhurt. Even Moxxie, who constantly chided Blitzo’s mannerisms, had a soft spot for his boss.
Stolas was overjoyed. “Oh thank goodness! I’m coming over, immediately!”
Moxxie said: “I still don’t want to get close to her but…thank you, Spindle.”
Stolas rushed over as Blitzo dismounted the horse in front of the palace. The imp was soon locked in a feathery embrace. Stolas let out some hoots and draped his feathery wings over him.
“Blitzy, you’re alright! Oh I was worried sick. Missed you so, so much!”
“Arugh, heh, heh, okay, Stolas, I missed you too…” He was struggling for breath. “You can…fuck…let go now.”
Stolas did before opening his beak in a smile. “Did you say you want to fuck?”
“No, not now!” Blitzo exclaimed, brushing wrinkles off his dark blue navy suit. “I gotta rest then get back to work.”
“I completely understand. I’ll take you home right away!”
Stolas traced a glowing yellow symbol in front of him and a flaming portal appeared, leading back to the I.M.P. office. Blitzo stepped through it before turning around.
“Thank you…Stolas. For sending me my horse and all.”
“Of course,” Stolas replied. “I hope I can meet her sometime. If you need anything, please don’t hesitate to call me. And I mean anything.”
“Will do.”
Stolas closed the portal and posted a picture of him and Blitzo hugging.
Stolas exclaimed in all caps, “Blitzo is safe and sound! Thank you, Spindle!”
Moxxie typed a message to his boss: “Sir, please be more careful. The next time you go out to get coffee, take your horse with you. I will put a slight increase to the horse budget for the time being. Please rest up for today.”
Blitzo found himself in the middle of a group hug, surrounded by Loona, Moxxie and Millie. Millie squealed happily as she hugged him. “I’m so glad you’re okay, sir!” she said. “Mox and I were very worried.”
“You guys do know that I was only gone for like a day, right?” Blitzo asked, rolling his eyes. Tears fell from his eyes despite himself.
“Still…that doesn’t exclude the fact that…we may have missed you a bit,” Moxxie replied. Loona uncharacteristically enough gave Blitzo a small kiss on his forehead with her tongue. For a moment, Loona was smiling and wagging her tail like a happy puppy reunited with her owner. Then, all too soon, she separated herself from him, her tough demeanor returning. “Yeah, you’re fine, good. Now I really need some fucking food and drinks right now.”
Millie was the last one to let go of Blitzo. “If you need anything or want something done, we’ll be happy to get to it. Need anything? Iced coffee? A horse song? Two new human heads?”
Blitzo had to chuckle. “Thanks Millie, but I’m fine. Let’s get to work everyone.”
Thus, the ordinary day at I.M.P. continued on.
Blitzo then posted a picture of a fork in a cup of ramen noodles with an egg in it.
Blitzo said, “Everyone was bugging me today. It was kind of nice. Everything finally calmed down, so I had some 3 AM noodles.”
Stolas added: “Don’t hesitate to call if you need anything!”
Moxxie chided: “Cup of noodles isn’t healthy for you, sir. Next time, if you want to consume some 3 AM noodles, I will make some just for you.”
Blitzo sighed. “I don’t need to be babied, Mox. Don’t worry about me. For real, I like noodles in a cup, though.”
Moxxie decided to let him enjoy his noodles.
Moxxie then had an idea. He did something that he would normally never do. Millie had said it was a great idea and that Blitzo would love it. Moxxie placed a gift on Blitzo’s desk the next day. It was a bag of horse shaped pasta noodles colored yellow, green and pink. On it was a note: “Feel better soon! P.S. please stop consuming junk food in the middle of the night.” From Moxxie and Millie.
Moxxie posted: “About to deliver this homemade pasta to my boss. Millie and I made this so my boss wouldn’t consume extremely unhealthy things in the middle of the night. Recipe on VoxTube. Horse shaped pasta mold is a Satan send.”
Blitzo responded: “Oh I love this, but I still wanna eat ramen at 3 AM.”
Moxxie replied: “What you had was obviously a cup of noodles and that is extremely bad for your body. Do you have any idea what they put in those? For crying out loud, please refrain from eating such cheap and unhealthy things.”
The next post showed Blitzo under a blanket getting ready for bed. His head was just in front of his pink pillow on the couch. A plushie of Spirit the horse lay next to him.
Blitzo posted: “Gonna stay in bed today. Got to lay low since everyone wants to talk to me. You guys knew I’d be fine.”
Stolas mentioned, “We were just worried. I’ll give you some space for a while. Rest all you can. Pet your horse. I’ll talk to you at a later date.”
Blitzo smiled and picked up a little brown horse figure beside him. “I also found my little horsie that looks like my horse! I wonder where she’s been…”
The next day, Blitzo posted a selfie of him in the woods on Earth. Two raccoons were fighting over food from behind him.
Blitzo: “Went to my job today and took this picture in the living world!”
Someone asked, “Yo, are those two raccoons fighting back there?”
Blitzo replied: “It’s not about them. This is all about me!”
Later that night, back in his room, Blitzo was woken up by a soothing voice.
“Blitz…”
Blitzo bolted up from the couch and stood upon shaking legs.
“Spindle!”
It was Spindle the horse. The air around her briefly warped and morphed into little shapes. Bits of other worlds faded in and out, even showing a slice of Earth before fizzling out.
“Is everything alright?”
“Yes,” she responded. “I woke you up to say my goodbye.”
Blitzo was stunned. “Y-you’re leaving?”
“My work here is done,” she said. “I did my part to keep you safe. Now I must ensure that others are safe as well. I have other worlds to attend to as well: Heaven, Earth, Zoophobia…”
“Wait, zoo what?”
“Nothing of concern.” Her voice mixed with an eerie sounding neigh of dismissal. Her red aura illuminated the darkness. “Thank you for the iced coffee, by the way, it was tasty.”
Blitzo couldn’t stop the tears falling from his eyes. This regal marvelous creature had saved his life and bonded with him for many months. She was like the friend he had never had…perhaps almost like a motherly figure.
The horse nuzzled close to him, their foreheads touching. Blitzo’s hand cupped under her long chin while a black tendril tenderly touched his shoulder.
“We will meet again, soon. Whether in this life or the next. Farewell for now.”
“Goodbye, Spindle. Thank you for everything.”
Spindle stepped back, turned around and disappeared through a hole of white light. Then, in the blink of an eye, it was dark once more.
The other characters briefly got to see Spindle as well. As she trot noiselessly against the asphalt, everyone stared to look, almost transfixed. Even the Radio Demon stopped what he was doing and stood respectfully. There was admiration for SpindleHorse’s immense power in his red eyes. Niffty jumped for joy next to Charlie whose eyes were shining with happiness.
“Please come back again!” she called out. “The Happy Hotel welcomes all.”
In a rare moment, Husk and Vaggie had genuine smiles on their faces, as if staring at the horse long enough would make their problems go away.
“Thank you, Spindle!” called Angel Dust with several waves of his many hands. “You saved that imp’s life.”
“Much appreciated,” Cherri Bomb added. “Catch ya later!” The characters waved one by one.
SpindleHorse neighed and reared up on two hooves as static filled the air. The horse vanished through another white portal in static before all was quiet and normal once more.
Blitzo posted a picture of him and his horse saying goodbye. “My horse woke me up in the middle of the night saying she had to go because she repaid me by saving me. I got her coffee, and she saved me, so we’re even. One last picture together before she has to go. She says the name is Spindle, so it stays.”
Stolas knew that the goodbye was bittersweet for Blitzo. He tried to comfort his friend. “I’m so sorry Blitzo…Perhaps someday, she’ll return and visit. You were always good to her.”
Stolas sent a picture of himself posing seductively with his grey fluffy chest exposed. Another showed Stolas displaying his butt and dark gray tail features in front of the camera. “Maybe these will cheer you up!”
“Stolas, stop sending me nudes when I’m thinking about my horse!” Blitzo responded in sudden annoyance.
Stolas chuckled a bit. “Sorry, I thought they would get your mind off things!”
Even Loona was feeling the melancholy in the air. It was like everyone was suddenly feeling an unexplained connection to the elusive equine. “She will be missed…”
“Just like the end of Spirit,” said a commentator, recalling when Spirit had reunited with his mother and galloped freely in the vast meadow.
“You get me,” Blitzo responded, pleased to have someone else share their love of the classic film.
Moxxie, too, couldn’t escape the strange feeling. “Can’t believe I’m saying this, but I am going to miss her. I do wish she has a good horse life.”
“Thank you, SpindleHorse!” Millie added. “We love you and we miss you!”
Blitzo then posted, almost to himself: “You only know what you have when it goes.”
Stolas then posted his drawing of Blitzo smiling at the tall skeletal horse.
Stolas said, “Wanted to make something Blitzo may like while he’s recovering. I’ll just drop it off later. Maybe have it framed if he’d like…” He added, “I’m proud of this one.”
But Blitzo, ever the stubborn one, bluntly said, “My horse doesn’t look like that.”
“Oh…”
Stolas was taken aback, hurt. There was no reason for him to be rude like that, even if the drawing wasn’t the same as the real horse. Stolas decided to give the imp some space.
Then he thought about his daughter. Maybe Octavia might not be mad at him like she was before. Sure, she wanted to go to Lilith’s Resist rock concert playing at Loo-Loo World for a while, but overprotective Stolas wasn’t going to allow it. There she was, a typical diva teenager who didn’t want her goofy dad to follow her everywhere.
“Just another day in Hell,” thought Stolas with a sigh.
Meanwhile in a parallel universe...
Alastor eventually captures Blitzo and conjures his next plan:
-Interrogate Blitzo about I.M.P.
-Have Blitzo led the way to I.M.P.
-Retrieve the book to gain access to the human world
-Offer Blitzo an opportunity to achieve musical theater dreams.
- Persuade Blitzo and other imps to make deals (songs almost always work!)
-If deal works, their souls will be mine
-Profit off I.M.P. and take over the company, thus claim Imp City as territory
-Enter human world and cause more chaos
-More souls = larger army and greater influence
-(Visit New Orleans and mom’s grave again.)
-Eventually take over both worlds for endless entertainment
-Figure out what this pandemic is in living world
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Aziraphale’s Lies and Crowley’s Truth (A 3-Part Series) Part 3: Liminal Spaces, Happy Faces
A final installment of a series I started!! Will wonders ever cease? >tbh I want to preemptively start this final installment saying that I’ve been staring at the word doc for a solid 3 months trying to will the right words to come to me... let’s hope these are good ones?< #sorrynotsorry for the delay
Honestly, I could do a whole other series about why Crowley is fallen and Aziraphale is not. However, I wanted to refocus this series on my central argument that honesty (or lack thereof) is a strategic tool for establishing their in-between status...their humanity, as it were.
To grossly summarize parts 1 and 2 (but no seriously check them out) Crowley can lie, he’s actually pretty slippery but he chooses to be honest and forthright with Aziraphale on purpose. Meanwhile, Aziraphale wields his lies like his sword, trying to protect the two of them from Heaven’s wrath.
The problem is, when Crowley is so heartbreakingly honest, like genuinely, unapologetically honest, to Aziraphale, he leaves both of them vulnerable. Without the security Heaven claims to provide him, Aziraphale panics, is afraid that revealing his hand -- that he feels for Crowley, wants to go to Alpha Centauri with Crowley -- will put both of them in danger. So, he does what he does best, he lies, cutting both of them. They fall out of sync, they’re set up for failure, they’re not on the same page, and ultimately they’ can’t occupy the same space or same side.
See Aziraphale’s face here? [a gif where Aziraphale is shouting at Crowley that “We’re on opposite sides”] The tone of voice? The desperation in his face? It’s clear that he’s lying, and it’s detrimental.
BUT when Aziraphale (and it has to be Aziraphale) realizes he’s miscalculated his lies, realizes that his position is not protecting Crowley (or the earth), but realizes that he IS, and perhaps has always needed to be, on Crowley’s side, the true nature of Heaven is revealed (to him).
Once they are reunited, their lies are weaponized, their honesty is protective, and they create a new space for themselves and humanity to exist. They don’t fit in Heaven or Hell or even in a garden. In a very real way, they become more human once the realize the impact of their actions and the weight of their choices.
No, I don’t mean I literally think they’re human now, they’re as magical as ever. But by the end of the series, they DO become a new kind of hybrid, occupying the same liminal space between holy and hellish that humans do. And the evolution of their honesty and lies -- their supposed “flaws” -- enable them to form their own side.
It allows them the freedom of choices.
ANGELS OF LIES
I think it’s important to point out that Aziraphale isn’t the only lying angel.
All of them lie. Often.
Examples:
We first see the lies appear when Gabriel praises Aziraphale for trying to “turn” Warlock to the good side. It becomes evident that by the end of the series, the angels never had any intention of stopping the war.
We see Michael lie (by omission) when she shows Gabriel the photos of our ineffable duo. She neglects to mention that she got them from Ligur.
The only true difference is the target of their lies and the fact that they all justify their actions under the flag of dogmatic loyalty and their presumed “goodness”. None of the other angels ever quite question their own actions. They simply “do” in the name of the Lord. Their prophecy of a great war drives each of their actions, and each reads it as an immutable fact.
While the vague nature of the prophecy allows them some wiggle room (like Michael conspiring with Ligur, and Gabriel with Beelzebub) to behave and build an ineffable bureaucracy around it, at the end of the day, none of them act like there is even a choice. They presume their destiny has been solidified.
Looking at Gabriel’s insistence that “Wars are not meant to be avoided, they're meant to be won” demonstrates, at least on some level, he firmly believes that angels are predestined to fight, to win, and to crush demons under his shoes. There is no question in his mind then, no wayward thought asking “should we do this” or “is this right”, he simply is following “orders”. There is the implicit belief then, that “to war or not to war” is not “find the solution with the least harm” but rather a really toxic “win or die” mentality. Any dissent, in this framework, must be squashed.
Any dissent...like Aziraphale.
In the GIF above, when Aziraphale asserts that the angels have a choice, “there doesn’t have to be a war.” Look at the condescending posture and the fake smile. His response “Of course there does, otherwise, how would we win it?” speaks volumes to how he sees the situation. There is no choice for him, not necessarily because he doesn’t see there’s no choice, but because the alternative would be losing, and Angels don’t lose.
There’s a real danger for Aziraphale at this moment, although he has been conditioned not to see it. If he is honest to Gabriel, the way Crowley needs him to be as a partner, for posing the question, for insisting that there is a third option. This moment of honesty after several bald-faced lies makes Aziraphale very vulnerable to retaliation. Retaliation, mind you, that we DO see him endure (a la Sandalphon).
THE DEMON IS IN THE DETAILS
Similarly, the demons show that they believe this is their chance to overcome Heaven. That there is no choice on whether or not they will fight, because the choice has been made for them. They must fight. The only question is if they will win. Like the Angels there is no question if they can fight or not, they simply must, and everyone is vying for a role in the destruction.
Interestingly though, while Ligur and Hastur condescend “what is the world coming to if Demons started trusted Demons”, we also see an honesty streak.
Hastur, in particular, is oddly a beacon of honesty, but particularly gullible. Yeah, he’s malicious (we see him burn down the church, threaten Crowley, and kill another demon) but we don’t really see him lie... do we see him lie? Sure he’s wrong a lot, but he’s not good at lying like Crowley is, nor prone to it like Aziraphale is.
For example, we see him openly and honestly communicate with Ligur while they’re sulking, waiting for Crowley to show up. Sure, he’s wrong about what “Caio” means, but is it a lie? It seems more like his arrogance of Italian, transliterating it to an English word than an actual lie.
The closest lie I can think about is when he’s disguised himself to capture Crowley. He doesn’t even lie when he’s reading out Crowley’s crimes to the audience.
Instead, we actually see that he’s actually surprised by Crowley’s lies. As much as he claims not to trust other Demons, when he’s actively pursuing Crowley and Ligur is killed, for a split second, Hastur looks like he believes Crowley’s lie that “the Dark Council” is testing him.
This seems to put extra emphasis on Crowley’s ability to lie but not be unnecessarily cruel (whereas Hastur is cruel but doesn’t lie). Or that choosing to lie to Hell, for the sake of Aziraphale and himself, is paramount.
Crowley, in contrast to Aziraphale, realizes this “must and at no point tries to be honest with Hell. He’s smooth, he’s suave (at least he tries to be) he tries to get out of it, flatly stating that his own role in it (delivering the anti-christ) is not his scene. Then, he tries to stop the end of the world, he convinces Aziraphale it’s needed, gives him the pretext to make that third option a reality, and actively refuses the dichotomy of their bosses.
It’s not until Aziraphale is fully out of the picture (read: presumed dead) that Crowley gives up, that he succumbs to the idea that it really is hopeless. Which, I will come back to.
HUMANITY’S VIRTUE
Meanwhile, humans don’t take well to black/white dichotomies. They neither are heaven incarnate nor hell incarnate. They simply are human. And that means they have choices.
This manifests a few different ways in the series, but first, let’s look specifically at the dynamic between our “predestined” Anathema and our “what the actual fuck is happening right now” Newt.
Anathema (in the series) is pretty much trained in the ways of reading and interpreting Agnes Nutter’s prophecies. She has trained every moment since she was a child in the ways of occult studies and believes to a fault that she has no choice. The clearest example is how she doesn’t (really) choose to sleep with Newt because she liked him, or knew him, or seemed to care at all about his feeling on the matter, but because it was foretold. There is no real sense of choice.
Now, it seemed to have worked out, with them happily ending, but it’s “happiness” balances upon the fact that with Newt’s support, Anathema CHOOSES to reject the predestined nature of being a descendant. While I’m sure Aziraphale weeps over the loss of more accurate prophesies from Agnes Nutter, her decision to burn the second book is crucial not only to her sense of self but to the core message of what it means to be human. To have choices.
Then, there’s Adam, the adversary... >incredibly long title/name<. His friend’s support allows him to make the choices he wants to make, and be proactive with his powers. Aziraphale says it best when he says he feared Adam would be Hell incarnate but hoped he would be Heaven incarnate, but he’s neither, and that’s a GOOD thing.
“An Ineffable Game of Own Creation”
But why go through all of this in an Honesty series?
Consider, for a moment, this phrase “God does not play games with the Universe”. It’s a phrase that nicely bookends the series, appearing prominently in the first few minutes of episode one, and again after Adam and his friends have bested War, Famine, Pollution, and Death. But, what does its appearance mean, if anything?
Choice.
This (book/tv) series is really predicated upon choice. And, consequently the presumed lack thereof our characters have. Again and again, we are shown that the Angels, the demons, Anathema, and even God herself, repeat the idea that “God is not guessing” or “we make no real choices”.
But Adam, Crowley, and Aziraphale reject this notion and actively create an alternative.
Adam rejects his destiny, he rejects his demonic father and chooses to leave the garden (versus the original Adam and Even who were shunned, cast out, and really isn’t that a traumatizing experience in itself?) because he chooses to be human.
But Adam is Human (at least now) how is this relevant to the ineffable duo? Two unquestionably supernatural entities?
Well, Crowley is as far as I can tell upon my 6,000th review of the series, has the series’ best ability to lie, even though few of his demon counterparts do. We’ll chalk it up to his imagination, but with this great power to deceive, he actively chooses to trust Aziraphale, to be honest, even if he’s hurt in the process.
Aziraphale meanwhile is a shit liar, especially compared to Crowley’s and the other Angel’s abilities. But he is a defensive one. He needs to protect himself, then Crowley, then humanity, but he can’t do that until he chooses to occupy the liminal space between Heaven and Hell.
But they can’t do this alone.
This “third” option that they’re carving out for themselves requires them to be blunt and honest and defensively protective of each other. This is why, when Crowley is in the bar, convinced Aziraphale is dead, he breaks down. Without Aziraphale, this third option is unobtainable because there is no one else who could share the space with him. There would be, nobody to love, as it were.
This is also why (I think) the lies from Metatron breaks Aziraphale. If it’s clear, even for an instant, that no one on his “side” is willing to consider an alternative option, an option that would spare demons, then he wants no part of that option. He flatly refuses to fight in a war that would mean the destruction of Crowley and tells the quartermaster as much in his epic swan dive out of Heaven.
This new space is distinctly not human in the literal sense (neither of them is human), but it’s also not heavenly or hellish. It’s a space for them to leave the garden, to continue to be who they are, fight for what they love and feel safe knowing they are a team (romantic or otherwise).
A third space is really what Crowley and Aziraphale have been working for since day one because no other force will consider that maybe, just maybe, there are alternatives to the good/bad, angel/demon, live/death dichotomies Heaven and Hell create for themselves. It is the place that Aziraphale will lie to protect, and Crowley will honestly confront if it means they are finally going the same speed, together.
TLDR: The way that honesty and lies work in this series allows for Crowley and Aziraphale to “break free” as it were and create a space for themselves to exist.
Thanks for coming to my TedTalk
#good omens#Ineffable Husbands#good omens meta#Aziraphale#crowley#anthony janthony crowley#gomens#gomens meta#in this essay I will#thanks for coming to my tedtalk#good omens honesty#good omens lies#meta#please give me feedback#i take constructive criticism#someone give them a hug
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Middle of the Night (1D) Ch 2
Word Count: 1,555
I ran a hand through my hair with a sigh and walked out into the main cabin of the bus. The guys ate pizza as they lounged in the dining booth. The boys stopped and stared at me, jaws wide open. What? Good one, Izzie. Ask it aloud this time.
I cleared my throat. “What?”
I noticed Liam shift uncomfortably in his seat and it looked like he was trying to cover something up. My eyes went wide. It didn’t take a lot now to realize what was going on. I had plenty of experience with this. I knew I was not alone in my apartment, so my normal pjs of an oversized tee and boyshorts were probably not the best option. But we were all friends, I had no interest in any of them, and half of them were taken so this shouldn’t be a big deal. Most of all, I hadn’t thought to pack other pjs. I guess we’d have to stop somewhere so I could buy more proper ones.
I made a low whistle. “Sorry guys, I don’t have any other pjs.”
Louis shot up from where he was sitting, fast, and went into the back bunks. He came back with a pair of joggers and tossed them to me. “Wear these for tonight, love.”
“I would ask if you’re joking, but I know you’re not,” I replied with a smirk. I tugged the black sweatpants on right there, then flopped down beside Louis.
I reached out to grab a slice, took a bite, and internally cringed. But I smacked my lips dramatically. “Mmm, good pizza.”
My mind trailed to what I needed to do later. It wouldn’t be too hard to escape out, but the finding of food would be the real test. A rat or something would be better than nothing.
Harry snorted. “What movie should we watch before sleep?”
“Insidious two,” Niall answered deviously.
I’ve seen a lot of scary things. I was considered a scary creature. Yet, I still did not like scary movies, especially demons taking over humans. Which I knew was ironic.
I couldn’t stop the look I shot him.
Louis wrapped an arm around my shoulders and gave a couple pats. “You can hide your face in one of our chests, don’t worry.”
“Y’all wish… Please pick something else.” I lightly shoved his hand off. I didn’t have the patience for it.
“Nope.” Niall stuffed the last of the crust into his mouth before he stood.
I groaned. There was no getting out of it. That was clear. I was going to have to put my big girl fangs on and suck it up.
***
My eyes were glued to the screen even though I wanted to look away. I was snuggled up next to Niall, his arm around my shoulders, and a blanket covered us. It was now I closed my eyes tightly and hid my face in his chest. This was the last thing I needed to watch before I slipped out into the night and possibly fed. I was probably the wimpiest vampire ever in those regards.
I stayed like that until I heard someone whisper, “The movie’s over.”
I peeked one eye open to look at the TV screen, it was turned off. I sat up straight and realized we were the only two out here.
“They all went to get ready for bed,” Niall filled in.
I mouthed an ‘oh’ with a slow nod. I gestured towards the back. “You should probably go do that.”
He smirked. “No need, I don’t sleep with anything on.”
I rolled my eyes. “So I can’t wear the oversized shirt, but you can wear nothing? That’s a lousy double standard.”
“In all honesty, we didn’t think girls slept like that.”
“Women like to be comfortable too.”
He chuckled. “Touche.”
I stood, leaving the safety of his arms and the blanket we snuggled under. “I’m going to bed.” But really, it was a ploy of hope they’d follow in suit.
Louis snickered as he walked back out in a pair of Adidas shorts and a loose tank. “So soon?”
I raised my brows. “I’m surprised you’re not with the day you have tomorrow. I’m not even doing half of what you are and I’m already feeling the energy being drained from me at the thought of-”
“I was only teasing, we’re all going to bed soon,” he replied.
“Right, then goodnight.”
I squeezed my way past the other three to find my bunk. Once I was under the covers and bundled, I shifted myself to face the wall. It was easier to pretend to sleep if they couldn’t see my face.
Eventually, I heard all the others climb into their own bunks and the light was shut off, and now the area was illuminated by the emergency light strips. All my senses shifted to my hearing and focused on the boys’ breathing patterns. It was easy to tell when someone was actually sleeping by their breathing and heart rate; slow and steady was what I wanted. Once I knew they were out, I tiptoed outside.
The hope to not have to fly was low. Being in the suburbs did not lend the luxury of a lot of animals. I sniffed the air for something. Anything. I caught the scent of a deer. About twenty miles North from here. There must be small woods. I bent my knees a bit to give leverage and pushed off to fly.
I followed the scent all the way up till the edge of the woods. My feet planted on the dirt floor and I searched around. The deer hid a couple trees over from me. I tiptoed over to hide behind a tree and check it out. There was a low growl and I noticed the bobcat in the distance, it’s eyes set on my meal. Fuck this. I sniffed it out first. I guess I’d have to feed on the bobcat instead since it would never back down. Plus, I’d rather let the deer live than this predator.
My eyes narrowed on the bobcat that stalked toward my old meal, who didn’t seem to notice it. I lengthened my fangs and took an attentive step forward, which revealed me. The bobcat noticed and hissed at me, showing its fangs.
I snickered. “I have fangs of my own.”
I charged at the bobcat and tackled it to the ground. It fought against me, hard, by wiggling its body. It forced me to double down on my hold, using up any strength I had left. I opened up the neck by setting one of my hands under it’s jawline then I sunk my fangs into it- a dying growl leaving it for a moment. Now the sounds of my gulps were present. Then warm, metallic ran down my throat and slowly I could feel my body getting stronger again. The control of every cell returned. It didn’t feel like I was walking on pins anymore.
Once I finished, I retracted my fangs and wiped my face off. I drug the bobcat and stuffed it into an empty log, then I took some brush rubble and covered it up. I brushed off any evidence that I would lead someone to believe I’d been in the woods before I flew back to the bus.
I snuck back inside, going straight for the bathroom to clean off the dirt I couldn’t wipe off, and took my contacts now since I didn’t need them anymore. But when I took them out, my eyes were still red.
“This is… bad,” I mumbled.
Vampires were not created to survive only on animal blood. We could get away with it for a few centuries. But eventually our bodies needed the nutrients that only could come from humans. This worried me immensely. There was the chance of going ripper again; it was a completely different person. I couldn’t control them. I couldn’t just wear the contacts for eternity and pretend. The wait would only make it worse.
I let out a low breath and put my contacts back in for now. I’d figure out a way to get human blood without hurting a person. I climbed back into my bed and heard Harry stir, which made my breath hitch in the back of my throat. I waited a few, hesitant seconds before he rolled to face his wall. A low breath left me and I completely pulled myself under the covers.
“Where did you go?” someone mumbled tiredly.
Shit. I looked across the small hall at Louis; his bunk was on the opposite side of me.
“Just had to use the loo,” I answered, the british slipped out. The loo? I really hated myself right now.
There was a moment of interest flickering in his pupils, then he licked his lips and snuggled more under his covers. “Okay,” he muffled into his pillow.
Not even a full 24 hours and I almost blew my cover. It was easier to be a loner when I was who I was. Yet, that was a miserable life. Trust me, I tried for centuries. The connection of relationships made this sentence less horrible. Once I had human blood, hopefully without the demon inside of me taking over, I’d be able to hide myself.
Next: Ch 3 (to come...)
[Masterlist]
#Middle of the Night#1D#1D fic#1D fanfiction#fic#fanfiction#vampire#supernatural#niall horan#Louis tomlinson#harry styles#liam payne#one direction
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You Decided That I Was Worth Saving | 1 |
Pairing: Sojourn!Michael Langdon x fem!Reader
Chapter One (1): “As I Lay Dying”
Summary: You were driving home from work, when something – or rather someone – literally got in the way. Against any reason, you let him into your life. Michael would make you question your entire worldview. Were your paths meant to cross? Did you two meet by accident? By fate? Or there’s an evil force behind it, scheming and plotting with a devilish purpose?
Warnings: car crash(!), mention of injuries, different POVs, some swearing
Word count: 4.7K
A/N: Hey lovely friends! Here’s a sort of Sojourn AU-ish, since the plot starts in that particular moment of Michael’s life. Still don’t know if I’ll include witches and satanists…we’ll see. It’s gonna be a series so I guess I’ll divide it into a few chapters. I loooove angst and slow burn, so I’m sorry but there’s no smut. Yet. Also, for this chapter, I took inspiration from: the scene of Elena’s car crash from 1x11 of TVD and a song, my fav of all times, that I listened to while I was writing this chapter and that is also the song playing in Y/N’s car; Apocalypse by Cigarettes After Sex. Okay, that’s it. Enjoy and thank you so much for reading it, despite the grammar mistakes (my apologies) and the fact that probably it really sucks. (‘WHAT AM I DOING?’ was the mood while I was writing it tho.) Anyway, love you and please, let me know what do you think and what I can improve!! I’d really appreciate any FEEDBACK!! I kinda need it, because I’m not sure I’m doing this right. THANK YOU xxx ♥
You've always thought you could describe your whole existence with a wide range of adjectives, but 'adventurous' wasn't one of them for sure. At least, that's what you thought 30 minutes before the event that would have changed your life forever. Nothing would ever be the same again; just like a hurricane comes and goes, so that day, and the following ones, would have drastically rocked your world. And mostly your beliefs.
It was late. But you were used to it. You had recently got a new job, which allowed you to move out and finally get your own place, the smallest rentable apartment on Earth. Or in Los Angeles, no doubt. This was the most stressful moment since you were born, it was up to you taking care of your own now. Mommy and daddy no more.
Shifts were endless and you often found yourself staying late at the office, to finish what you've started. This new routine was already messing with your biological clock. Every single night, you looked forward to going back home, eat and fall apart on your bed. Even today, you were already savoring the anticipation of your sadly-glorious homecoming; you were dying for a relaxing hot bath and a slice of pizza. But who are we kidding, right? A whole pizza. Then, sleepiness permitting, you would have watched your favorite TV show petting your cat. A real party girl, uh? Well, that was your life now.
You have just finished college and this was the first experience as an independent person. At the very beginning, it has been hard leaving your parents' house, but soon you realized it was time for you to go on your own way. You were so full of dreams and expectations. You hoped to achieve great goals. Of course, what you haven't taken into account was that your future weekends wouldn't have been under the banner of fun, alcohol, and friends. But instead, your crazy Saturday nights consisted of you kneeled in front of the washing machine, hands in your head and a YouTube DIY video for dummies playing on your phone, which explained all the ways to get the laundry started and what products must have been used. All your life has become a huge dumb Netflix comedy. More like a parody, perhaps. You hung out with your friends less and less; you felt deeply guilty about that, but you were way too tired to make up for it.
As mentioned before, it was a late Friday night. It was raining, pretty hard. You were driving your beloved brand-new car (THE much-demanded graduation gift) and 'surprisingly' you hit traffic. At 9 fucking p.m. TGIF, they said. Sure. Your friends were definitely having fun and drinking in some random club by then.
You, on the contrary, were running out of patience; your shiny Lexus had not moved an inch in 10 minutes, so as soon as you could, you took a highway exit. That was supposed to be a kind of shortcut, according to the navigator. The pouring rain and the cadenced motion of the windscreen wipers sounded like a lullaby. A slow-core song started playing in the background. It was quite soothing and maybe, on second thought, you should have to turn it off…or had coffee before leaving.
You could feel your eyelids getting heavier and heavier, the exhaustion slowly prevailing. Trying so hard to keep your eyes open, that they've started burning; and not to miss anything, you got a bit of a headache accompanied by a soon-to-be-wrinkle frown.
Meanwhile, you were driving down a deserted one-lane road, going a little over the speed limit in your rush, in order to make it home as soon as possible. The wheels were slipping a little on the wet pavement, but you kept the car steady. You peered through the front window trying to see what was ahead of you; it was pitch black outside, with not even one dammit lamppost; only the moon's pale light absorbed by the dark green leaves of the forest beside the road. You had no idea where you actually were.
Suddenly, the annoying metallic voice of the GPS started bullshitting about recalculating a new route. "Wait what? Fuck NO NO NO…come on! You stupid thing, why are you changing direction???" you maddeningly screamed, looking at the display and trying to change the settings with your right hand. You weren't exactly paying particular attention to the road ahead. Huge mistake.
Outside the windshield, the rain was coming down in torrents, blurring your vision even more. The wipers went back and forth, attempting to clear away the large droplets clinging to the glass, but it seemed they weren't moving fast enough.
As if the universe had something big in store for you, right at that moment, something – or rather someone – came out of the dense vegetation, slowly limping while crossing the street, no concern for surroundings.
Your eyes were still glued to the GPS tracking your position; but all of a sudden, your distraction was abruptly erased when you caught a glimpse of a human shape in the middle of the road, illuminated by the car's headlights.
A goddamn person.
You had perhaps three-quarters of a second to register this.
You didn't realize it until it was too late. You couldn't have stopped all this now. The blood drained from your face. It all happened in a few seconds, but the moment seemed to last forever. The shock made you tense your muscles; your heart skipped a beat and your eyes suddenly widened. There was a scream coming from within that forced its way from your mouth as if your terrified soul has set a demon free. It was the kind of scream that makes the blood run cold.
With adrenaline flowing through your system, you slammed on the brakes. Your fists clenched with white knuckles around the steering wheel, immediately swerving to avoid the crash. Somehow you managed to not run over him, but you were going too fast to stop.
Your car rolled over and over, while clips of your life flashing like a slideshow. The vehicle has flipped so many times that you started drifting in and out of consciousness. The noise of the metal being bashed over the asphalt was deafening. When it finally stopped, you were stuck in your seat upside-down, coughing up pieces of the broken glass coming from the shattered windshield.
Then everything became still.
You could only hear the sound of rain on metal. Aware of the bloody taste in your mouth, you still weren't able to figure out if you were injured, because the seatbelt tugged on your chest was too painful. Heart pounding in your ears, you tried to scream for help, but it came out more like a gasp.
Meanwhile, the young man was still paralyzed to the spot in the middle of the road, like an unfamiliar force was holding him in a tightening grip, keeping him from leaving. For a moment he believed that that must have been another hallucinated vision. Then he slowly turned his head toward the wrecked car. An odd thought came across his mind: the driver crashed in order to not run over him. But why? Humanity had failed him so many times. He had lost the only one that truly cared about him. His Father had abandoned him and he wasn't able to understand what was his purpose, not anymore. He actually knew that a car was coming that way, but now he honestly didn't give a damn about his life. He had failed. He was utterly lost. This was the best coincidence possible to put an end to his suffering. But now, he felt something he couldn't explain, almost a need, the need to go and check if the driver was okay. Still confused about this new foreign impulse, he started to walk towards your car.
Once there, he kneeled and took a look inside, from the broken side window.
"You look stuck." he commented with an apparent childish but plain voice.
If you weren't, like literally, in that position, you'd have certainly sassed back to that dumb obvious statement. But your conditions weren't the best at all, you might have some broken bones, actually.
What, instead, came out from your mouth was stammering confused words.
"I-I-It… m-my… my s-s-sea..b-be..t" you tried to speak, holding and shaking the restraining belt tightly in your hands, while tears gathering in your eyes.
He hummed and shushed you. "Let me get you out of here." he whispered, thinking again about why he was actually doing this, it was none of his business. And yet, he stayed on.
"I want you to put your hands on the roof." You were about to obey his calming demand, but in that moment, you realized your left arm had to be broken and it hurt like hell. So somehow you managed to raise only the other one and take also your phone.
Then he closed his eyes for a couple of seconds and all of a sudden, the seatbelt mysteriously unhooked, as if by magic or an invisible force. But you were too rattled to think about it.
You fell and he gently grabbed and lifted you from the car.
"I got you." he smiled, holding you in his arms while standing up. "Are you okay? Can you stand? Is anything broken?" he questioned with a caring honeyed tone.
You nodded pointing your arm and moaning, still dizzy from the car flipping over. The stranger carefully set you on your feet, yet not letting you completely. Good, because immediately after you slipped, too weak to stand, but he caught you by the waist. Your head was spinning so fast.
"Hey hey, easy, don't force yourself, you're clearly not okay." he observed "Look at me." and he placed his thumb on your lower lip and chin to hold your head steady as he spoke. What was he feeling right now? Pity? Concern maybe? He thought he had already turned off those pointless human emotions.
You tiredly opened your eyes to meet the most beautiful pair of ocean eyes you've ever seen. Unfortunately, you couldn't focus on him any longer, neither when he run his hand down your water-stained cheek.
"Hey stay with me, don't close your eyes." he urged, just as your vision went fuzzy and your eyes rolled back. Within seconds everything went black.
You passed out into complete and utter darkness.
He caught you before you hit the concrete, gathering your limp body into his arms and walking away from the car. He abruptly stopped. What he was supposed to do now? He had literally come from the woods, after days of fasting and sleeplessness. He was covered in damn dirt. Not to mention that he had no place to go. He was too exhausted to reason. So he chose to gently lower you to the ground, kneeling, so half of your body was on his lap. He stroked your wet hair, wondering what to do with you. Just right now, looking at your face, he noticed how beautiful you were, how innocent and angelic. He swallowed and smiled. A soft side? In his evil and corrupted soul? Impossible.
It was still raining. You were both soaked and there was no shelter in the proximities. He thought he couldn't do anything more. That's when he remembered about your broken arm. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, placing his hands above your head. Nothing. Maybe he wasn't focused enough. He took your hands in his own and tried again. This time his eyes rolled black until they showed only a white surface; then he started to mutter Latin words. He lifted his head up speaking louder, but his nose began to bleed, until his vision blurred and the car suddenly exploded. He lost consciousness right next to you, nevertheless his hand still on yours.
The next thing you knew, you were on your back on the ground and very disoriented. Also completely drenched. Making indistinguishable noises because of the pain, you turned your head resting on the asphalt. The rain in your eyes didn't let you have a clear view of the surroundings, but you immediately felt an extremely warm presence at your side. You blinked twice and finally saw the boy that had helped you, laying there unconscious. Hell, maybe you had hit him with your car after all. The plot thickens.
Saying that you were confused about the whole situation was an euphemism. There was nothing for it but to try to reach your phone, almost five feet apart from your leg, hoping that it didn't break in the crash. Despite the acute ache in your arm and the burning cuts and wounds, you were able to crawl back to it, so you dialed the number and called 911. You explained everything and asked for help with a wisp of voice. You probably had a concussion.
The rain eventually stopped. You were starting to feel cold, so you found your way back to the stranger. Little droplets of water drenched his hair, covering his features, and you couldn't help yourself, you brushed a few strands from his face, caressing his sharp cheekbone. Right after your head started spinning and your vision filled with white spots, until you fainted again, against the stranger's chest.
-
You woke up in a hospital bed. It was early in the morning; the sunlight was peeking through the blinds, the constant beeping of monitors echoing throughout the room. You sighed loudly and squinted with a grimace. Luckily you were just a little sore, nothing too serious. You took a look at your arm: you had a pretty unaesthetic cast. The universe's way of telling you, "Here, take this you little bitch." Amazing.
You got up very slowly and entered the bathroom, looking for a mirror to better check out your wounds.
"Wow, nice Halloween make-up though." you muttered rolling your eyes. You had a stitched cut on your left upper forehead, a split lip and dark circles under your puffy eyes. A Miss Universe at her peak. Not to mention a great number of bruises all over your body.
You called your parents shortly afterward. Downplaying the details of the accident wasn't enough, they completely lost their minds at the phone. They were shocked and worried about your conditions, so they insisted to get on the first flight to LA, to help you. You reassured them you were fine and ready to go home. It wasn't necessary for them to come. They even offered to pay for a new car, since yours was, sadly, destroyed. You refused though; you would have dealt with the car-issue later. Even though you couldn't still get over the fact that your precious SUV has gone for good.
A truly kind doctor got to your room and, after having checked out vitals and injuries, refreshed your memory about what happened last night. Shoot! In that moment you realized you had totally forgot about the boy. You immediately asked the doc if you could go visit him. He nodded but not without first warning you. John Doe here had to be sedated because, when he regained consciousness in the ambulance, he had refused to go to the hospital and started thrashing around. Luckily, he was too weak to harm anyone.
The doctor kept saying that they had found no ID, nothing that could tell them where he came from. He was completely dehydrated in addition to previous wounds. He probably hadn't eaten for days either. For these reasons, the cheap version of Derek Shepherd wasn't sure whether he should call the police.
You were listening to his words with much more concern you thought you could feel. Well, maybe because you had almost run over him. But you felt you had to go check on him. He helped you out of the car after all. He…saved you someway? What you couldn't understand was why he had stopped in the middle of the road; he hadn't even tried to get out of the way…Oh shit. Was there any chance he wanted to, like, get killed? No, c'mon, there are way too many other – and less-painful – "methods" to do it…It couldn't be.
When you arrived in his room, you immediately noticed he was tied to the bed and carefully, you set his wrists free. After a few seconds, he woke up. You tried not to pay attention, but he was undoubtedly attractive. To be honest he was much more than that. Handsome to say the least. He seemed almost angelic. Baby blue eyes piercing your soul with a magnetic gaze, golden messy curls spread around his head on the pillow like a halo and God-given sharp features. Despite that, he was still covered in filth and wounds. But even in such a miserable state, he was hypnotizing. You wondered why no nurse took care of him yet.
"Hi!" you whispered, sitting down on the nearest chair.
"Hi." he said back, almost imperceptibly. "Thank you" he added, pointing at his bruised wrists.
"I should be the one saying 'thank you'..." you stated; he gave you a half-smile, "…you literally saved my life."
"No need to thank me, I caused your crash so.." he stopped for a second "…we can say you saved me instead." he admitted heavy-heartedly, with his eyes down. He seemed so sad and so lost, and you really felt for him.
"Well, thank God we're both still alive!" you didn't know what to say anymore. And this cringy comment wasn't helping.
" Sure " he scoffed.
What were those, tear-stains? Has he been crying?
Then an awkward silence filled the room. You were starting to feel a bit uneasy, and the continuous biting your lower lip – despite the cut on the upper one – made it absolutely obvious. You could feel something was off about him. The sadness and despair in his eyes were pretty noticeable, and you were the kind of person that can't look away.
"Uhm, are you okay?"
"Yes" he was still staring at the void. No emotion showed.
"Sorry, I don't want to be pushy…but it's clear you're not."
"Why do you care? What do you want from me?" he snapped turning his head, but his face softened instantly, as if he regretted the outburst.
You honestly didn't know why you cared that much either. It was an odd sensation coming from your guts, it was pulling you so deeply into him. He needed help, and you wanted to give it to him.
"You got anybody I could call? Your relatives or a friend?" was the only answer you could articulate.
" No.. " he mumbled, "..I have no one."
Suddenly, you felt the urge to ask him if he wanted to go home with you, to recover. You would have never done – or even thought – anything like that before. This was against all the good bits of advice your mum ever gave you. Like, don't invite in strangers that could easily kill you in your sleep?! But it was as if, deep down, you knew you could trust him. You took the risk.
"Listen.. ahem.. y-you could come home with me. I have enough space in my apartment and we could help each other until you'll feel better" you paused.
He was staring at you now, with glistening eyes. He was speechless. No one has ever shown him selfless kindness. He was in disbelief.
"I don't want your pity."
"No, wait. This isn't pity. In case you haven't notice, I have this lil problem here" you chuckled, swaying your cast in the air "I wouldn't mind a hand" you said to release the tension.
"I-I can't. Please, go. Just leave me alone." he shook his head. The fear of being abandoned or rejected again was too overwhelming for him to open up and accept some help.
"Oh," you whispered, a bit down in the dumps, "got it."
You headed for the door, but before leaving, you turned one more time "I'll leave my number to the receptionist in the hallway, in case you change your mind." you winked and smiled, leaving him alone.
He sighed and slammed his head against the pillow; he didn't even have a phone, also because, come on, what good it would do? But above all, what kind of paradox was that? Him, the motherfucking Devil's spawn, needing help? From an innocent little soul like you? No kidding. He had performed a human sacrifice and eaten raw hearts for fuck's sake. Yes, he may not know what to do, and probably he had made mistakes, but it wasn't over yet; his satanic plan needed to be adjusted. This way, he would eventually recreate the world in his Father's image and earn his trust again.
He needed to leave as soon as possible, before some stupid human being started asking him though questions.
-
You were finally home. The entire Uber ride had been silent and for that you mentally thanked the driver, because you weren't in the mood to talk at all.
As soon as you turned the doorknob, your little friend immediately greeted you purring, making you jump. He really missed you…or at least that's what he wanted you to believe. You locked the door behind you.
"His Majesty is hungry, uh?!" you said mocking your furball "Yeah, me too dude...but hold on a little longer, I need to take a shower I smell like hospital, jeez."
Only now you noticed. There was a rather unusual atmosphere when you walked in, an unsettling silence sending shivers down your spine. An inexplicable heat radiating from the house itself. It was too hot in there and you're positive it wasn't normal in the middle of November. The room seemed saturated with unfamiliar vibes.
You went to your bedroom and started to undress. Then you entered the bathroom, ready to finally wash the last night events off you.
Odd. It was like you could feel eyes on you, all the time.
Whatever. You were too worn-out to indulge your paranoid thoughts.
But the same feelings still followed you, even later when you were eating your delivered dinner, half-dead on the couch with the fluffy monster curled up on your lap.
"Maybe it's a sort of twisted PTSD." you told yourself. Yet your heart wouldn't settle. Something wasn't right there.
Anyway, you chose to ignore your instinct; it was time to get ready for bed. You reached your closet as you slowly took off hoodie and sweatpants, changing into even more comfortable clothes, just a t-shirt actually. Since it was that hot, no pants. The loose garment barely covered your bare thighs though.
You were half asleep when your cat jumped up and suddenly rushed out of your bedroom like he was possessed. You stretched and changed position, that enormous cast wouldn't let you fall fully asleep. After 5 minutes of turning and tossing you heard what sounded like footsteps. Your pulse started racing.
"It's nothing," you told yourself, "I'm imagining things."
But then the typical creaking of your fridge being opened reached up to your room. Twice.
You froze, heart in your throat. You were most definitely not alone. Someone was in the house.
But right after you shook your head, "Ugh, probably it's just that furry devil."
Being as quiet as possible, you got up and made your way to the door, straining to hear, but your heart pounded too loudly and your breathing was harsh. Moving towards the switch, but on second thought you decided against it.
Nothing. Complete silence.
It was when you were finding your way back to the mattress that you heard a white noise, a loud thud and the clear scraping of a chair against the floor. You froze again with wide eyes. You swallowed breaking out in cold sweat.
The squeaking of the cupboard followed by the tinkling and banging of glasses and dishes. You almost had a stroke.
You internally cursed yourself. You had left your phone on the couch. Fuck fuck fuck. The only option left was trying to reach the door and ask for help from the next-door neighbor. But you couldn't do it, the kitchen had a space divider, but it wasn't long enough to avoid being seen.
Weapon, your mind screamed. You needed a weapon.
A relieved smile appeared unexpectedly on your features. You recalled about keeping a knife hidden in the drawer. 'Never say never' when you live alone. Well, it seemed it had been a good idea after all.
You slid your fingers around the rubber grip, dismayed by how much your hand was shaking.
Heading down the hallway barefoot, you hold your breath and slowly approached the living room. With one motion you sneaked into the kitchen, with the blade facing the intruder, and screaming,
"I'm calling the police!"
But what you saw made your jaw drop in shock.
It was Him, the guy from the car crash.
In your kitchen.
Eating your motherfucking chocolate chip cookies.
At 01:00 am.
"Uh, sorry..." he spoke while chewing the leftovers and then swallowing loudly, "..you wanted some?". As if he felt guilty for real, with that childish expression.
You couldn't keep quiet any longer. The situation was too far-fetched.
"WHAT THE HELL?" you snapped. He chuckled at the reference.
"I can't cook. I was starving and I found these. I didn't want to wake you, but this monster here won't get off me..."
"What are you doing in my apartment?"
He tilted his head, pretty confused. "You invited me to stay here..." he remarked, with a hint of displeasure in his voice.
"Yes, I did. But it doesn't mean you can break in without me knowing." You were still a bit scared; he could be dangerous as far as you knew, and his actions had already proved it.
He didn't say anything. He stood up from the island counter, making his way to you. You were slack-jawed in astonishment, still holding and pointing the sharp surface toward him.
"Put that knife down."
"No."
"Why?" he frowned.
"I don't trust you. Don't come any closer!" you ordered.
"I can't take you seriously looking like this" he smirked pointing at your 'night attire'.
He took another step and you run to reach the handle; it turned but the door wouldn't budge.
"It's locked." you turned to look at him "Don't you remember? You did that yourself." he observed, like it was obvious.
"Then how did you get in here?"
"Transmutation."
"Tra-what?" you supposed he must have been out of his mind.
The circumstances themselves were unbelievable. But he was right, you offered him help.
Now he was leaning against the wall a few feet apart from you, locking his eyes with yours, his beautiful features veiled by a shade of dejection and misery. Suddenly, the feeling you had at the hospital came back. Trust.
"I know I'll regret this, but yes, you can stay."
A thankful smile crept across his face and if it weren't for the dark, you could swear that he was also crying.
"But if you don't behave I'll kill you." you threatened in a playful tone, but you needed to scare him a little.
In that moment he understood that he had done the right thing, deciding to take your offer. He had to pick up the pieces and get back on his feet. He couldn't have done it alone.
And mostly, he liked you. You were a warrior. There was something special in you, he could feel it. He could trust you.
"You scared the hell out of me by the way…do not do that again." you spoke as your eyes narrowed.
"I promise" he whispered.
He was kind of a weirdo, but you imagined he'd been through a lot. For this reason, you decided to place the knife on the table and get closer to him.
"But anyway, sooner or later you're going to tell me how you did it." you chuckled showing him the door. You were standing right in front of him now. He was taller than you thought.
"We haven't officially met, I'm Y/N."
In that moment – a moment you'll never forget – he vanished right before your eyes.
Then a sudden voice – that didn't hide insecurity and expectancy – coming from behind, made you turn around and left you in absolute shock.
"I'm Michael. Michael Langdon."
___________________________________________
Tagging (hope you don’t mind, in any case just tell me!) @michael-langdon-appreciation @hecohansen31 @so-langdon @emmyrosee @ladynuwanda @sammythankyou @sojournmichael @hplotrfan
#michael langdon#michael langdon x reader#michael langdon fic#michael langdon x y/n#michael langdon x female reader#ahs apocalypse#ahs fic#american horror story#michael langdon fanfic#fanfiction#michael langdon x fem! reader#michael langdon smut#michael langdon imagine#ahs8#sojourn michael#ahs imagine#michael langdon writing#duncan shepherd#jim mason#my writing
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How to summon a demon
This is just something I wrote ‘cause I was bored xD I suppose it could become a chaptered fic if anyone is interested?
“I’m telling you, Remus, it works!”
Remus rolled his eyes at his friend. “Come on, James, you don’t actually believe we can summon a demon with that thing, do you?”
James nodded very seriously as he put the ouija board on the table. All lights were dimmed in Remus’s living room. Usually, it would’ve felt cosy but the two boys had stayed up all night telling ghost stories and there seemed to be a spooky vibe in the house. Besides, it certainly didn’t make it better that they were home alone, Remus’s parents gone for the entire weekend. “You heard what Marlene said!” James reminded him. “She tried it with some friends, and it totally worked! They talked to a demon and everything!”
“It’s bullshit,” Remus said, rolling his eyes again. “But whatever, if you really wanna try it so bad.”
Grinning triumphantly, James placed the planchette on the board, before lighting a few candles around them. “Ready?” he asked excitedly.
“Yeah, let’s summon those demons,” Remus answered unenthusiastically.
James put his finger on the planchette and looked expectantly at Remus, who reluctantly followed his move. “This is so stupid,” he muttered under his breath.
James hushed him. For a moment, there was complete silence in the house. Then James spoke in a weirdly dramatic voice: “Is there a demon present?”
They both stared expectantly at the board. Nothing happened. Remus was about to pull away when the planchette suddenly moved to ‘YES’.
James gasped dramatically.
Remus glared at him. “Stop it!” he growled.
“What? I didn’t do anything!” James said defensively.
“I’m not stupid,” Remus said. Was James really dumb enough to think he’d fall for that? “I know you moved the thing.”
James shook his head, staring at the board in awe. “I didn’t do anything,” he said.
He was lying, Remus knew that. He’d known James since they were very young and for as long as he could remember, the slightly younger boy had had a tendency to do stupid pranks and scare people.
“Whatever,” Remus said, looking away from his friend and back down at the ouija board. “Let’s continue.”
James nodded. “What should we ask it?”
“What it wants?” Remus suggested, even though he really didn’t care. It’s not like any of this was real, just a stupid game meant to scare you, and he wasn’t gonna fall for it.
“Good idea,” James said, lowing his voice. “Demon, what do you want?”
Again, they sat for a while, waiting, until the planchette started moving around to different letters. Even though Remus knew it was just James making it move (there was no other explanation), he followed it closely, making a mental note of every letter it landed on. ‘P….E….A….C….E’
“Peace,” James said in a hushed voice as he stared at the board in wonder. “It wants peace.”
“Well, that’s lucky for us,” Remus said, rolling his eyes. James seemed so genuinely invested in this. He definitely put up a good act, Remus thought. Usually, when doing pranks like this, he wasn’t able to keep a straight face.
“Let’s ask it something more,” James whispered. “Demon, what’s your favourite colour?” he asked.
What a dumb question, Remus thought, but watched anyway as the planchette made its way across the board, spelling a new word:
‘BLACK’
James grinned. “How edgy.”
Remus sighed. “James, can we stop now? This is really dumb.”
“Dumb?” James stared at him in disbelief. “What are you on about? This is insane, Remus, we have to continue!”
Annoyed with James’s stupid games, Remus pulled away from the board. “Demons aren’t real James! There is no demon!”
Just as the words left his mouth, all of the candles went out. Every single one of them, leaving the room completely dark.
James gasped, Remus jumped to his feet and hurried over to the other side of the room to turn on some lights.
“I told you!” James’s voice was a little shaky like he was trying to hide his fear. “The demon is real!”
Remus shook his head, refusing to believe it. “It was probably the wind,” he muttered, ignoring his quickening heartbeat.
“There is no wind! All of the windows are closed, Remus!”
The incident had managed to freak out both boys, whether they wanted to admit it or not. None of them dared touch the ouija board again, in fear that something would happen, so instead, they tried putting on a movie. However, the TV was acting strange. It kept turning off or randomly going to another channel. Remus tried explaining it as ‘a loose wire’ but neither of them were convinced.
After a short while, James said he had to leave, giving a half-hearted excuse about needing to be home so he could help his parents.
“Seriously?” Remus glared at him, feeling betrayed, and perhaps a little scared. “James you can’t just leave! This was your idea in the first place!”
James looked apologetic as he gathered his stuff and put on his jacket. “I’m really sorry, Remus. But I’m sure it’ll be fine.”
“Easy for you to say,” Remus growled, frowning as he watched James go.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow,” the boy said, one hand already on the handle. “I’m really sorry.”
And with that, he left, leaving Remus alone in the house that suddenly seemed way too big and scary.
He sat, curled up in his couch, waiting for something to happen. And something did happen. Suddenly, he could hear the wind howl from his room as a window flew open. He jumped up, running to close it.
That was normal, wasn’t it? Windows could open by themselves. Except it had been locked...
“Hello?” Remus called out, voice shaking a little more than he’d like it to. “Is anyone here?”
Suddenly, all the lights flickered, and everything went completely dark.
Remus didn’t understand. Who was behind this? He knew it wasn’t a dead spirit or a demon or anything. Those didn’t exist. Perhaps it was James? Would he really have gone that far?
He looked around, but couldn’t see anything in the pitch blackness. “Please, turn on the light!” he begged desperately.
As he walked into the living room again, the candles that had been blown out before, suddenly lighted themselves, making a bit of light in the living room.
This no longer made any sense. Candles don’t just light themselves, Remus thought as he looked around the empty living room, heart racing at an incredible speed.
“W-What do you want?” he asked, calling out to whoever was behind this.
He looked around after any signs and saw to his horror that the planchette from the ouija board had started moving again. Quickly, he made his way over to see what it was spelling:
‘I WANT TO GO HOME’.
“Then go home!” he almost begged.
Shortly after, it moved again, spelling something more:
‘I CAN’T’
Remus let out a shaky breath. This was too much to handle. “Please just leave,” he begged quietly. “I don’t want you here.”
‘WOW. RUDE!’
Oh no, he thought, panic rising in him. Had he angered the spirit now?
It seemed that the answer was yes: Shortly after, all of the windows started opening and then violently slamming themselves shut. This couldn’t possibly be the wind.
“Show yourself!” Remus demanded. He wasn’t sure what he had expected. Perhaps nothing. Perhaps another strange but vague sign of ‘paranormal activity’. What he did not expect, was for the demon to suddenly be standing in his living room.
It looked like a human. A boy about Remus’s age with dark hair, falling in waves around its face until it reached just above its shoulders. Its eyes were cold grey and it was looking directly at Remus, a playful smirk on his face.
Remus wanted to run, or scream or do something, but he couldn’t. It felt like he was frozen in place, unable to do anything except stare back at the strange boy. This couldn’t be real. It had to be some kind of surreal nightmare.
“What are you doing here?” Remus asked, his voice barely more than a whisper.
When the demon (or whatever I was) spoke, it’s voice was strange: almost like it wasn’t there, yet Remus heard it clearly, like an echo from the past, whispering in his ears: ‘You summoned me.’
He shook his head. “I told you to leave!” he said, his tone pleading.
The demon laughed: a laughter just as strange as its voice. ‘That’s not gonna happen, Remus,’ it said.
Remus gasped very audibly. “How do you know my name?”
The demon rolled his eyes. ‘I’ve lived here for decades,’ it explained as if that was obvious. ‘I’ve known you since you and your family moved in.’
This was so much to take in. Remus shook his head, eyes fixed on the demon. It seemed to expect him to say something and when he didn’t, it went on talking:
‘My name is Sirius,’ it said. ‘And I promise that if you help me, I’ll leave you alone.’
#this is kinda dumb#but i hope someone likes it? maybe?#i dunno#please lemme know ur thoughts#hp#writing#muggle au#ouija board#demon summoning#demon#remus lupin#james potter#sirius black
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