#when my aunt passed I listened to Going to Your Funeral and Dead of Winter on repeat and just bawled

[angeltannis]

I found a copy of one of my favorite albums of all time at the thrift store today!! I never owned this one physically, and now for $2 I do 😤

[crimson-dxwn]

Origins: Clan Wren

Summary: A millennia before Star Wars: Rebels and the Skywalker Saga, the Mandalorians are on a mission to conquer the galaxy. Krownest was not always under Mandalorian control. How did Clan Wren originate? The answer is below. 

Love the enemies to lovers trope? I’ve got you covered. Born of my obsession with the Old Republic and Mando culture.

Rating: Teen. Probably going to be explicit at some point. 

Warnings: mention and brief description of injury, mention of slavery

Many many thanks to @detroitbydark​ for listening to me obsess over my OC’s and Mando culture as well as many HC’s.

Chapter 1 - Surrender

The last thing she registered was the smell of burning flesh and singed hair as darkness overtook her unwilling mind. Screams echoed in the deep blackness as the sensation of being lifted tugged at her body. Were they hers or her enemies’?

It could have been hours later, days, seconds as Seren woke. Instead of the battlefield, it’s obvious she was in some sort of med center. Every surface was swathed in clinical white and durasteel. The scent of disinfectant filled her nostrils instead of the sweet, metallic tang of blood, grounding earth, and spent tibanna. Her brain, slow to gather information, was jarred from what she imagined must have been a grenade blast, if the soot under her fingernails was to be believed. Seren willed herself to take deep breaths against the panic of being in an unfamiliar place, dressed in a hospital gown, her rifle nowhere to be seen. Monitors connected to tiny stickers on her skin, tethering her to the machine beside the bed that beeped softly. Before she could rip the leads off and form a plan of attack, a med droid entered the room, no doubt summoned by the monitor.

Will it start speaking Mando’a?, she wondered. Her brief assessment of her surroundings had given her little evidence to the victor of the battle to defend her homeworld. Krownest. The med droid remained stubbornly silent as it unwinds the thick bandage wound around her left forearm. Pain flared in the limb as the last layer peeled away, taking new pink skin with it. A hideous burn glared back at her. No wonder I passed out. The droid removed the old bacta and replaced it as she watched. Bacta was expensive. There was no way the Mandalorians would waste it on a foot soldier, let alone one from the opposite side. She let out a breath of relief, finally satisfied with her answer.

“I am BD-47, medical droid for The Dauntless-”

No…

A scene from before the battle replayed itself over the buzzing in her ears. “This is The Dauntless, flagship of the Mandalorian Navy. Surrender now or prepare for invasion.”

- you have suffered a third degree burn to your left upper appendage, but are otherwise unharmed. I have applied a final bacta treatment which will complete the healing process. You will have light scarring that will fade in time.”

“Where am I?” she croaked out to the droid’s retreating backside.

“You are in a field hospital on the surface of Krownest.”

“My aunt…”

“-is right here.” A clear, familiar voice cut through the modulated drone of BD-47. The prickle of tears was difficult to resist as her aunt carefully embraced her, sitting on the edge of her hospital bed.

“I will leave you to rest,” said BD-47. The droid hastily left the room, as if it could sense human emotion and was repelled by it.

Iryn’s hand hovered over her bandaged arm. “Thank the goddess you’re safe. I saw them carry you in, unconscious-”

“My rifle?” The woman shook her head. Destroyed, most likely. Her aunt seemed unhurt, despite the ferocity of the earlier fighting. Their people had put up a fierce resistance. After all, they came from the same origins of the same Mandalorians trying to conquer their world. Her people had just adapted differently. War wasn’t their religion, their creed, their way of life. But threaten Krownest, and the warrior genes would show themselves. Cin’ciri demagolka. Snow demons. But none of that mattered now. They had been defeated, and the rush of energy from battle had faded into soreness and melancholy. What will become of us? They hadn’t dared speculate on the fate of their world if the Mandalorians had been allowed to win. Now it was a painful reality that demanded to be faced.

Her aunt Iryn’s hands enveloped hers, warm and dry. “They gave us a choice. Surrender or be executed. I wasn’t about to let our people be exterminated in one fell swoop. We surrendered. Krownest belongs to Mandalore now.”

----

Seren gaped at her aunt Iryn’s defeated expression. The once-proud woman’s shoulders were bowed, and pain was evident in her golden-brown eyes.

“Mother?” she dared ask. “Gone,” her aunt replied. Dead, then. Iryn embraced her as they wept. Her father, Iryn’s brother, was long gone. Seren only had her aunt now.

“She loved you so much. Ursa would’ve wanted you to survive.”

She paused at her aunt’s comment. I did survive. What will happen to us now? Her hand strokes the side of her face as she says it, tears still sliding down her face. Her chin, normally lifted and imperious, wobbled. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.

“Aunt Iryn. What did you do?” her own voice wavered despite her efforts to keep it steady.

“I did what I had to to save our people. We can keep our culture, our gods, our land for the most part,” she pause dto take a shaky breath, “but Krownest is now a Mandalorian colony.”

“Surely they didn’t agree to such generous terms after we put up such a fight.” Iryn considered her for a moment, but gave nothing away.

“You always were shrewd. It will serve you well in the future,” she said wistfully. Not for the first time, Seren wondered if her aunt was in shock.  

She was tired. Tired of her aunt’s evasion, tired of confinement, of being kept in the dark for goddess knows how long. She didn’t care if she was rude. At this point, she just wanted to know.

“Iryn. Tell me the truth. Tell me what you agreed to.” Her aunt’s face turned ashen. Slaves, she thought immediately, they’re going to sell us. Seren suddenly felt her face drain as gray as her aunt’s. It certainly explained why she was in a med center and not dead in a ditch on Krownest.

“You’re not fully healed yet. I’ll come back when the bacta is finished working.”

“No,” she said, with as much conviction as she could, “You need to tell me now. I deserve to know.”

“Brides,” Iryn choked out, “-they want marriages. They want to settle Krownest, start a base here.”

All Seren could do was stare. Yes, she expected something this vile, but hearing it was another thing entirely. This is where you hoped you died in the fighting. So was the fact that her aunt, the Countess, had agreed to such humiliating terms. She was essentially selling their people under the guise of a treaty. She bit out a harsh reply.

“How could you -” she spat, and began to continue her tirade, wounded and terrified. Her aunt cut her off before she could elaborate. “-it was this or die. Compromise or execution.” She looked down at her folded hands. “Could you say you wouldn’t have done the same? Condemned our entire people to death?” Unshed tears shone in Iryn’s eyes, beseeching her niece.

Seren wanted to say no. She wanted to say she would’ve fought to the death to prevent the Mandalorians from settling their world. At any cost. But what was the point in defending a world if all its people perished? If there was no one to say funeral rites for them, to wrap and burn the bodies, to continue their way of life? Her rage abated, and a heavy understanding took its place in her chest. The finality of the defeat sunk in, the grief of her mother’s death. Her head bowed of its own volition.

“No,” she said finally, “I would have made the same compromise. Our people can still survive.” “I wish it didn’t have to be this way,” he aunt offered, lamely.  

------------

Tor Wren’s head hit the ‘fresher wall with a thump. The adrenaline of battle was wearing off, as it always did. The water was still running pink as his legs struggled to keep him upright. He spat his own blood from a split lip down the drain as the blood of his enemies washed off his body. Weary eyes watched the bloody swirls mix together and wash down the drain.

Eight blessed hours of sleep later, his comm beeped insistently. Tor desperately needed rest, but he answered his CO. Briefing room at 0700 for orders. He replied Affirmative, and flopped once more onto his spartan bunk aboard The Dauntless, clad in only his black undershorts, having no energy for any other activity. The cry of his alarm woke him at 0600 as usual, and Tor finished his usual workout in record time, despite the soreness from the battle planetside a day before. He reveled in the warmth seeping into his body from the exertion, drops of sweat running down his spine. Krownest was a temperate planet, and it was winter. As much as he hated to admit it, their men had struggled fighting in the snow. They’d lost many more than they should have to attain victory. The knee-deep wet pack had slowed their warriors - they wouldn’t make the same mistake again. Nor would they have to, on Krownest at least. He recalled their enemies rushing towards them, seeming to float over the white ground, moving faster than he thought possible, as he trudged through the heavy pack in his durasteel boots. Snowshoes. They fought in snowshoes. His intel hadn’t told him that.

Tor rinsed off in the fresher as quickly as possible and donned his beskar’gam. The gleaming plates had saved his life more than once. It was his legacy, his heritage. He hoped his ancestors were proud of the accomplishments he’d made, the battles won with honor.

All his life he’d been looking for a fight. As a boy he’d been teased for being from a farm family, which theoretically shouldn’t have made him lesser. But for the other boys and girls he played with, it was a sign of weakness, otherness. His father knew how to fight, as did his mother. They just chose another path. A sense of inadequacy still burned him deep down, even as a man. Some wounds always chafed open again.

Making his way to the briefing room, he nodded at a few familiar faces as they hurried to their duties. Would it be Kalevala next? Or somewhere beyond the Mandalore sector?

The briefing room was packed with men and women of many ranks and Tor found an open seat close to a few friends he knew from his battalion.

“As we spread our way of life across the sector and across the galaxy, we will need bases. Bases farther from Mandalore and strongholds of our people and culture. We can do this in two ways: conquering worlds and recruiting.”

“Our newest acquisition, Krownest, has ample resources and an enviable planetary position for strike forces. We plan to start a Mandalorian colony here where our people can live and work, as well as establish a base. The inhabitants will be allowed to coexist, keeping their own ways if they so choose.”

It was a reasonable strategy. Mandalorians were intensely proud of their own culture, but tolerant of others as long as they stayed in line. They would never be able to hold conquered worlds otherwise.

“As part of the treaty with the Countess, three hundred of our warriors will make alliances with theirs to help ensure that the treaty remains intact.”

“Alliances, sir?” someone spoke up.

Commander Von looked a tad uncomfortable for a moment.

“Marriages,” he replied.

Tittering voices rose up across the room.

“All of you are expected to form alliances with the people of Krownest. Respect their culture and they will respect ours. These partnerships will be crucial for the long-term settlement of this world. Do not think your assignment is any lesser than those who move on with the fleet,” Tor could practically feel the anger and anxiety that was rising in the room, “We know this is a controversial move, but think on it and we know you will understand its strategic value. And on that note, we will not tolerate any improper or illegal behavior. You will treat your partners with respect, and affection will come in time.”

Tor couldn’t hold his opinion in any longer. He stood, his seat squeaking out behind him with the force of the movement.

“Forgive my candor sir, but you’re expecting me to marry someone I’ve never met, whose planet we just conquered,” he remarked, as calmly as he could. Tor wasn’t even sure he was asking a question, it was more repeating an order he’d never thought he’d receive.

“Captain Wren. I expect you to do your duty to the Mand’alor.” There it was. The command they couldn’t refuse. The tittering voices were silenced as the words sunk in. If the Mand’alor ordered, as true Mandalorians, they were duty bound to obey.

“You will stay on Krownest, train as commandos, and establish a new base here. This should be regarded as an honor. Dismissed.”

Tor expected many things from this briefing, but an arranged marriage was not one of them. His place was on the front lines, with his men. He’d left his family and their profession back on Concord Dawn. He didn’t want to settle down, and he sure as kriff didn’t want to marry a woman who hated him. Humble as his family origins were, they would frown on their eldest son marrying an aruetii woman, an outsider. The Mand’alor was cunning, he’d begrudge her that.

----

She had crushes, before. Nothing serious, just puppy crushes, mooning after boys she thought were cute. As Seren got older, she started dating, but nothing stuck. A few months here with one, a few months there with another. Marriage had never been a consideration with any of her past flings. She kicked herself for being so flippant. Maybe if she’d found someone before the battle, she would have been spared this. Or died, the voice in the back of her mind reminded her.

Now she stood in front of someone she’d never met, her sworn enemy, murderer of her people and conqueror of her home, reciting wedding vows in a foreign language. They’d put her in her mother’s dress. Her mother, who hadn’t even been cremated yet. Seren’s stomach turned at the wrongness of it. We don’t get married in wintertime. Then again, something about having a traditional ceremony would have felt just as wrong, more wrong even.

But the Mandalorians were impatient to solidify their position, to move along to scorch their next earth, and so here she was, standing in front of the Parliament building holding hands with a helmeted figure she’d never met. Thank the goddess for his gloves and gauntlets, because she was sure she would’ve been sick if his skin touched hers. She tried to focus on the icy wind chilling her to the bone through the thin weave of her dress. Their leader instructed in Basic, with her aunt beside as a figurehead. That was all she was now, a flimsy symbol of their conquerors’ grace in victory.

That morning, Seren stood in front of the mirror in her aunt’s house for what must have been an obscenely long time, staring mutely at her reflection. She wanted to be wearing something - anything - else. The dress didn’t fit, and she looked like she was trying much too hard to impress at a wedding that felt like a funeral.

“Beautiful,” her aunt said, brushing her dark hair over her shoulder. Traditionally, this would be the last time she’d wear it down and loose.

“-doesn’t matter. I don’t want to look beautiful for them.” Iryn sighed and met Seren’s eyes in the mirror.

“This isn’t how I imagined this day either. But our people have been through hardships before, and every time we’ve come through stronger.”

In response Seren ground her heel into the floor and looked down, desperately trying to detract attention from the tears threatening to form - again. There wasn’t any use in crying, and she didn’t want them to see her as weak or afraid. Platitudes weren’t helping.

“I wish Ursa was here to see you.”

“Me too,” Seren offered.

In truth, she was glad her mother wasn’t here to see her marry a stranger. Seren was Ursa’s only child, and she had dreamed of planning her daughter’s wedding and getting to see her in her own dress, decorated with embroidered patterns that were passed from generation to generation. She’d never looked much like her mother, but even now, wearing her wedding dress, Seren could only catch wisps of a familial resemblance. It was easy to see where her features came from with her aunt peering over her shoulder. Green fabric gaped at her breasts and stretched tight over her hips and thighs. Ursa had always been built like a rail, whereas her daughter grew curvier, with a small waist and wide hips that had been the bane of her existence as a teen, but men loved to trace with their eyes and gather into their hands.

The simple dress was better than the backless gown she’d left at the med center, but only marginally. She’d rather her trousers, tunic and vest, but they’d been burned to a crisp in the grenade blast. She wished it showed less collarbone. Everything the dress was meant to accentuate, Seren wanted to hide. Looking around, all the Mandalorians had their armor on and she felt soft, vulnerable - a turtle without its shell left to die in the sun. Her hands ached for the stock of her rifle.

Fortunately, the vows were stiff, impersonal and over before she knew it.

Mhi solus tome, mhi solus dar’tome, mhi me’dinui an, mhi baj’uri verde.

We are one when together, we are one when parted, we share all, we will raise warriors.

Tor had always thought it strange that their traditional vows didn’t mention love. Now though, he was grateful for it. Wrens don’t break their word, he could practically hear his father saying. And if he said he loved this stranger, he certainly would be.

[dexi-green]

Avengers:Endgame References/Easter Eggs/Connections SPOILERS!

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

I knew there had to be at least one connection to each MCU film so I decided to write down what I saw. Some might be very vague or be reaching a bit, but there are some solid ones I think. SPOILERS OF COURSE! I’ve included lines, cameos I thought were significant, shot parallels, etc. Plus some extra stuff at the bottom that deal with comic, actor/write cameos, etc. Enjoy! Please let me know if there is anything wrong or missing! It’s a long post. I’ll put it under a cut if someone wants me to. I tagged everything I could think of.

Iron Man 

 “I am Iron Man”

The sound at the end of the credits is of Tony making his first Iron Man Suit.

Morgan wanting Cheeseburgers and Happy’s response references how Tony wanted an “American Cheeseburger” after he was kidnapped and rescued.

Tony walking out of The Benatar is similar to him walking off the plane after he gets rescued.

”Don’t post this on social media”

”I just want peace” Tony does a peace sign like the soldier at the beginning of Iron Man.

Tony leaves a message for Morgan like his father, Howard did for him.

The “Proof That Tony Stark Has A Heart” Arc reactor display that Pepper made for Tony with the first small arc reactor he made to keep shrapnel out of his heart, is sent off on the lake during his funeral

The Incredible Hulk 

 When Steve asks Hulk how he knows he would survive using all the infinity stones he says, “We don’t. But the radiation is mostly Gamma. It’s like I was made for this”.

Iron Man 2 

“It’s always you” was the line Tony said to Pepper when making her CEO of Stark Industries

Thor 

Erik Selvig shows up among the dusted.

New Asgard is in Tønsberg, Norway, which is where Odin led the war against the Frost Giants.

Captain America: The First Avenger 

Steve and Peggy’s dance that they he promised her before going into the ice is finally fulfilled.

The compass with Peggy’s picture Steve has is the same from TFA.

“I can do this all day”

“Don’t do anything stupid?” “How can I? You’re taking all the stupid with you”

”I went in the ice in ‘45 right after I met the love of my life. Woke up 70 years later.”

After their plan to get the tesseract from New York failed, they went to Camp Lehigh which is where Steve trained before having the Super Soldier Serum injection.

In Peggy’s office there is a picture of young, pre-serum, ‘skinny’ Steve from his training at Camp Lehigh before he got the serum injection, on her desk. This is the same picture that was in the records she was reading after he went in the ice at the end of TFA.

New Asgard is actually Tønsberg, Norway, which is where The Red Skull got the Tesseract from in the beginning of TFA

When returning Steve the shield, Tony says, “He made it for you”. Howard made the Shield for Steve after he saved the soldiers in TFA.

The jacket that Steve is wearing when he returns as an old man is the same jacket he wore at before he met Abraham Erskine.

The Avengers 

During the events of this movie is the time they go back to to get the Space, Power, and Time Stone (from the Tesseract, Scepter, and Eye of Agamotto respectfully).

Agent Sitwell appeared briefly in Avengers and Winter Soldier.

“We do our best work after the fact, we’re the Avengers”

Steve’s eye when they first go to fight Thanos at the beginning, seeing outer space for the first time, mirrors when Tony went through the portal during the Battle of New York, and saw outer space for the first time.

”We’re a long way from Budapest”.

When Scott, Natasha, and Steve visit Tony asking for help he says, ”The table’s set for six” which could be a reference to the six original avengers.

”You pulled this off. I remember a time when that seemed pretty impossible too.” Natasha referring to when the Hulk was more out of control.

Steve uses the scepter on Avenger’s Era Cap similar to how Loki used it on Clint and Erik Selvig.

When they go back to right after the Battle of New York, Tony and Thor tell Alexander Pierce they are headed to lunch, referencing the iconic Shawarma post credit scene

Steve tells Tony that he isn’t the, ”guy to make the sacrifice play. Lay down on the wire and let the other guy crawl over you”. Tony ultimately sacrifices himself for everyone.

Iron Man 3  

Harley Keener, the little boy who helps Tony in Iron Man 3, is the teenager standing alone at Tony’s funeral.

Pepper wears the armor Tony made for her which was hinted at in IM3 when she wears pieces of Tony’s armor to save Tony.

Thor: The Dark World 

Thor basically explains the events of the movie when talking about The Reality Stone/Aether.

During the events of this movie is the time they go back to to get the Reality Stone.

Frigga

Thor says “I like this one” to Carol like Loki’s “I like her” to Jane.

Loki uses his magic to make fun of Cap similar to how he does in TDW, and when Avenger’s Era Cap sees Steve he even thinks that it is Loki.

Captain America: The Winter Soldier 

“On your left”.

Natasha wears the same arrow necklace she did throughout WS.

Steve hosts a support group for survivors of the Snap/Decimation like Sam did for Veterans.

”You here to do your laundry?”

Alexander Pierce

The scene where Steve has to get the scepter is almost shot for shot the same elevator scene from Winter Soldier, he also uses the knowledge from that movie that HYDRA had infiltrated SHIELD to get the scepter.

After their plan to get the Tesseract from New York failed, they went to the same bunker in Camp Lehigh that was a SHIELD base, where Natasha and Steve confront the A.I. Zola.

While at the SHIELD base in Camp Lehigh, when Tony is getting the Tesseract, Howard shows up calling for Arnim, this is Dr. Arnim Zola.

Steve still thinks a hat is a disguise.

Steve tells Avengers Era Cap that Bucky is still alive to break his focus.

The song Steve and Peggy have their dance to at the end is “It’s Been A Long Time” by Harry James, a song that was popular at the end of World War II. This is the same song that Nick Fury is listening to when Steve finds him in his apartment. It could also be a reference to Peggy’s line, “It’s been so long”.

Guardian’s of The Galaxy 

During the events of this movie is the time they go back to to get the Power Stone.

The opening is used when Quill is dancing.

Nebula and Gamora from the time period of GOTG appear.

Nebula and Rocket mourn losses similar to how Rocket and Drax do at the end of GOTG.

Natasha kicks an Orloni (the rat like creature) on Morag like Quill does.

Howard The Duck appears in the final battle with a gun behind Wasp.

Rocket recreates his pose with a gun on Groot’s shoulder, just on War Machine’s shoulder.

Avengers: Age of Ultron 

“That up there...that’s the Endgame”.

“We’ll do that [lose] together too”.

Mention of the original idea behind Ultron.

”I saw this a few years back. I had a vision I didn’t want to believe it...What we needed was a suit of armor around the world.”

When testing the time travel devices Clint goes back to his farm, and starts out the film there with his family.

Clint’s Family (including Nathaniel Pietro Barton).

Tony gets a lake house, out of the city, similar to Clint’s farm.

Steve is able to pick up Mjolnir, and when he does Thor says “I knew it!”. During the party scene in AOU Steve tries to pick up Mjölnir and it budges a little but he ultimately can’t, however Thor’s line hints that Steve realized he could pick it up but decided to pretend like he couldn’t.

In the Final Battle against Thanos, Thanos breaks Steve’s shield and it looks similar to it’s broken appearance in Tony’s Vision.

When Peter uses his web to grab onto Mjölnir, it’s similar to when Pietro grabs onto Mjölnir and is pulled away.

On Natasha’s desk is an old pair of ballet pointe shoes, ballet was the cover for her assassin training as seen in her vision.

In Tony’s vision, he see’s all the other Avenger’s dead, when talking to Fury about it they say the worst part was that Tony was the only one in the vision that didn’t die. At the end of Endgame, Tony and Natasha are the only original avengers who died.

When Bruce asks Thor if he knows who helped him during a tough spot, Thor asks if it was Natasha, referencing their romantic storyline.

Ant-Man 

 In the SHIELD base in Camp Lehigh, Steve is looking for more Pym particles, there is some ants in an ant farm and an older looking Ant Man helmet.

Captain America: Civil War 

Aunt May is at Tony’s funeral.

Tony returns Steve his shield after telling him to leave it in CW.

”This is Scott Lang. We met a few years ago? At the Airport? In Germany? I was the guy who got really big…”

”Whats up regular sized man.”

Nebula comments to Rhodey “I wasn’t always like this” and he replies “Me either” referring to the mechanical crutches on his legs that Tony made to help him walk after his fall in CW.

T’Challa says, “Clint, give it to me” when they are passing around the Gauntlet. In CW when Clint introduces himself, T’Challa says “I don’t care”.

Steve calls Peter ‘Queens’ referring to their small exchange in CW.

When Tony is using his B.A.R.F. technology to play out a memory he says that he wishes he told his dad, “I love you...I know you did the best you could”. When Tony and Steve go back to 1970 to Camp Lehigh he is finally able to tell him.

Doctor Strange   

The Ancient One

The Ancient One uses similar magic on Bruce that she did on Dr. Strange

”Strange is meant to be the best of us”

Guardians of The Galaxy Vol. 2  

The Benatar ship

“Thanos spent a long time trying to perfect me” Nebula talks about how Thanos replaced parts of her to get her to be stronger.

The jump points they go through to get to ‘The Garden’ at the beginning look exactly like how they look in GOTG (not really a reference, just nice consistency).

Spider-Man: Homecoming 

Ned Leeds

The photo Tony has in his house of him and Peter is them holding a certificate for Peter’s Stark Internship.

Peter gets his real hug from Tony.

”Activate Instant Kill”

Peter grabs onto Mjölnir, In SM:H he did an impression of Thor holding Mjölnir.

Thor: Ragnarok 

 Korg, Miek, and Valkyrie/Brunhilde

At the end of Ragnarok Thor says they will settle the Asgardians on Earth, which they show he does, making New Asgard in Tønsberg, Norway.

Black Panther 

Shuri and T’Challa show up amongst the dusted, and in the final battle.

Queen Ramonda

In the Final Battle, Shuri wears her battle armor and hand cannons from the final battle in BP.

Avengers: Infinity War  

Mention of Vision’s death

“We’re in the Endgame now”

Tony and Pepper’s kid is named Morgan. Tony mentions a dream of having a kid and naming the kid Morgan after Pepper’s eccentric uncle.

Peter talks about the Snap from his point of view,

 “I lost the kid”

 “He wiped my face with a planet while the Bleecker Street magician gave away the stone”

“The Garden” Where Thanos retired to after the Snap

Thanos’ scarred arm and face from using the Infinity Gauntlet and all the stones at once.

Thor chops off Thanos’ head and says, “I went for the head”.

Bruce continues to use the Hulkbuster armor again instead of becoming Hulk in the first part of the film.

When they are talking about where and when to go back to to get the Infinity Stones Bruce is seen eating Ben and Jerry’s ice cream, ‘Hulk-A Hulk-A Burning Fudge’.

San Francisco has erected monuments to all the “Vanished” from the Snap/Decimation.

Bruce is in the same position, laying on his back looking up at the sky, as he was when crashed into the Sanctum Sanctorum. In both cases he was also the first person in that setting to know that Thanos was coming (in Infinity War he was sent down to warn everyone, in Endgame he is looking up at Thanos’ ship).

Wanda crushes Thanos with his own armor, similar to how Thanos crushed Rhodey in his War Machine suit.

Carol held onto The Gauntlet when Thanos was wearing it to stop him, similar to how Cap did in IW, drawing a parallel between the Captain’s and the Final Battles of each film.

When the Asgardian’s are chasing Rocket away they yell “Get that rabbit!” Like how Thor referred to Rocket as a Rabbit

Tony’s final moments with Peter, mirror Peter’s final moments in Infinity War with Tony.

Ant-Man and the Wasp

 Luis’ X-Con Van with the Quantum Tunnel in the back.

Ant-Man has been trapped in the Quantum Realm since the end of AMATW.

The suits they wear to go through the Quantum Realm are Red and White like Hank Pym’s Quantum suit, and have the same helmets the Ant-Man suit does.

Captain Marvel  

Carol lingers on a picture of Nick Fury when he shows up among the dusted hinting at their friendship that was formed in CM

“Where have you been all this time?” ”There are a lot of other planets in the universe..”

Extra 

Cameos

Stan Lee’s cameo is when Tony and Steve go back to Camp Lehigh, he is the man in the car who says, “Make Love Not War” He also has a bumper sticker that says “Nuff’ Said” one of Stan’s catchphrases.

James D’Arcy makes an appearance as Edwin Jarvis who he played in the Agent Carter show.

Ken Jeong and Yvette Nicole Brown cameo. The Russo brothers worked on the show Community and gave some of the cast members cameos in their MCU films.

Jim Starlin, the writer of the Infinity Gauntlet and the man credited for making Thanos, cameos in the support group scene.

Joe Russo, one of the directors of the film and other MCU films, cameos in the support group scene as the man who cried on a date.

Comics

Carol’s haircut after the Five Year jump is like Carol’s iconic short hair in the comics.

Thanos’ armor as a scarecrow the same way it is in the Infinity Gauntlet comics.

When they go back to 1970, Steve’s disguise has the name Roscoe on it. Roscoe Simons replaced Steve as Captain America in the comics at one point.

During the remake of the Elevator Scene from Winter Soldier, Steve uses the knowledge from Winter Solider of HYDRA having infiltrated SHIELD, and whispers “Hail Hydra” to Agent Sitwell. This is a reference to the Secret Empire story where Hydra made a clone of Steve.

In the SHIELD base in Camp Lehigh, Steve is looking for more Pym particles, there is an older looking Ant Man helmet, which looks exactly like the old Ant Man helmet from the comics.

Okoye mentions a seismic incident on the ocean floor, this could be a reference to Namor, The Sub-Mariner, one of the original characters, debuting in Marvel Comics #1 published by Timely Comics (which later became Marvel).

There is a comic series called “Asgardians of The Galaxy”.

Morgan Stark is the name of Tony’s evil cousin in the comics.

Captain America standing alone against Thanos is similar to a scene from the Infinity Gauntlet comic.

The first time ‘Avengers Assemble’ is (finally) spoken in the films. The first time it was spoken was by Thor in Avengers #10.

Ant-Man’s van is in lockup 616, Earth-616 is the main universe for the comics.

Clint calls his daughter by his alias, Hawkeye. The female Hawkeye in the comics is Kate Bishop, not his daughter, but she does train under Clint.

A middle ground Hulk/Bruce is called ‘Professor Hulk’ in the comics.

In The Mighty Thor #390 Captain America picks up Mjolnir and hands it to Thor.

MCU/Marvel Films

During his message to Pepper he says “It’s day 21? No 22”. Endgame is the 22nd film in the MCU.

”The table’s set for six” could be a reference to six original avengers. Or Tony, Pepper, Morgan, Happy, Peter, and Rhodey.

Rhodey suggests killing Thanos when he was a baby. Similar to the baby Hitler scene in Deadpool 2.

Wakandans, Asgardians, Ravagers, and Master of The Mystic Arts’ all show up in the final battle against Thanos, making up the larger groups outside of the individual heroes. Chitauri and Outriders make up the bulk of Thanos’ army.

From this movie it looks like the official deaths from Infinity War and Endgame are; Heimdall, Loki, Vision, Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow, and Tony Stark/Iron Man. Gamora was brought from the past to the future by Thanos, and fought in the final battle against him, but seems to be missing by the end of the film.

Within The Film

When Tony and Pepper are discussing whether he should use time travel and help the Avengers she asks,”But would you be able to rest?” When he is dying at the end she says, ”You can rest now”.

Steve tells Natasha “I think we both need to get a life” Natasha says, “You first”. Later Tony tells Steve he needs to get a life. At the end of the film, when Steve comes back older he says he “tried one of those lives Tony was talking about”.

When Tony agrees to help, he says to Steve that he wants to ”Maybe not die trying”.

Before Hulk uses the gauntlet Tony made to Snap everyone back into existence, he says “none of you would survive”. Tony dies after he snaps Thanos and his army away.

One of the last people we (sorta) see get dusted is Clint’s wife Laura, after Hulk snaps everyone back, the first person we get indication of being back is Laura when she calls Clint’s phone.

The newest character/hero we see in the film is Pepper Potts in her Rescue armor.

TV/Books/Media

’Time Heist’ is Scott’s suggested name for their plan. It is also the name of a Doctor Who, a show about time travel, episode from 2014. Karen Gillan who plays Nebula, played Amy Pond in Doctor Who one of the Doctor’s companions.

Several Time Travel films/shows are mentioned by name, “Back to The Future” “Bill and Ted’s Excellent Adventure” “Star Trek” “Terminator” “Time After Time” “Time Cop” “Quantum Leap” “A Wrinkle In Time” “Somewhere In Time” “Hot Tub Time Machine”

Sebastian Stan plays an antagonist character, Blaine, in Hot Tub Time Machine which is mentioned by Scott and Rhodey.

Jeff Bridges plays Obadiah Stane in Iron Man and also The Dude in the Big Lebowski. Several characters call Thor ‘The Dude’ or ‘Lebowski’ and he just does actually look like him in Endgame with the robe and sunglasses

Tony calls Rocket “Ratchet” like Ratchet and Clank, where the Ratchet character is feline like, kinda raccoon-ish, who is a mechanic like Rocket.

”This is the part when spikes come out with skeletons on the end of them and everything. When you enter a place called the Temple of the Power stone there’s gonna be a bunch of booby traps”. Rhodey referencing movies like Indiana Jones.

Ken Jeong’s cameo character reads a book called The Terminal Beach by J.G. Ballard which includes a short story called “End-Game”

A-113 shows up behind Bruce when they are testing Tony’s time travel devices. A-113 is a common easter egg, referencing a room number at Cal-Arts, hidden in many Pixar and Disney films.

[mattyslittleworld]

dead mans coffee

July / 2020

Just woke up in my front seat, at a rest stop in Tennessee. First thing I saw was my ALL WILL SUFFER tattoo on my leg. A constant reminder of a different person. Tomorrow I’m getting coffee with Skrillex’s right hand man in Nashville, and I’m nursing a cold coffee in the heat watching this crazy lightning shoot across the skyline. It looks like the end of the world. Or some fucked up Lucero song. I must’ve pulled over for a second and closed my eyes and just dropped dead for hours while parked, I’m on the way to my hotel. 

I am sitting in a diner on broadway in Nashville, TN. Nursing another shitty coffee booking meetings. As the texts come in I ignore them because they are covering the screen and distracting me from reading and studying how to properly sell my soul to the devil at the crossroads In Mississippi. 

Clarksdale, Mississippi

12:30 am

Where Robert Johnson, Bob Dylan, and now, Matty Carlock, sold their souls to the devil. 

December / 2020

Sitting in my home, in Hollywood, CA. I have the window open, and I hear the subtle sound of LA breathing, cars passing on the boulevard, sirens off in the distance, and a vinyl record of mine spinning at the lowest volume possible for me to still hear yet ignore it. I feel calm and at peace, although, it seems like a parallel feeling is war, confusion, imposter syndrome, abandonment, and skeptical. How could these two umbrellas of emotion coexist? Its very interesting. Ive been recording so much music that has nothing to do with my artist project. Its been liberating to put that aside for something greater. A new focus. Leaving artistry a vessel solely for extreme self expression and cathartic release. 

July / 2020

Winding the day down, 10:30pm. With an open tab that reads “Tigers Jaw holiday show” - on pause. I open my Mac book on my couch, ready to go through stems and ratchet strip club beats, and it catches my eye. I press play and it leads me down a rabbit hole. I find myself watching “Never Saw It Coming” right into “Chemicals” / live in Boston. Like lightning it struck through my entire body. Maybe it was the 2 hour long conversation with Andy? And the memories we were trading. The bond we have over hard times, innocence, violence, literal blood on the pavement, years of freezing in the winter....nowhere to go. The people that were around - we made forever memories to these two songs. I right away, made a playlist that consists of “The Sun, I Saw Water, Chemicals, Never Saw It Coming, and Planes”. On top of that I found the live acoustic set they recorded and put out. When I was young on DIY tours, sleeping on floors, dirty as shit, poor as shit, a human being at the very best.....the uncertainty of my near future was so bleak. I remember Title Fight came out with their record “Shed” - and the song “where am I?” would lay me down on long drives, or on the floor. I’d watch white lines pass one by one by one into the abyss of nothing. 

The line 

“Another floor

A different ceiling than the night before

Where am I?

While you’re back home”

Missing my girlfriend at that current time, leaving, and just laying on a strangers floor thinking where am I while you’re back home? What am I doing? Maybe there’s nothing only this moment?

On the tigers jaw live EP they covered this acoustic and it’s everything right now. I am fortunate to live a block away from the sunset strip - and I grabbed my skateboard and just bolted into the night. 

This SO SPECIFIC FEELING of these songs. That nobody in this environment will ever understand. It’s so beautiful. It’s so real. It’s so raw. It’s exactly what I need right now - as the past 3 weeks I’ve been living here have moved faster than the past 4 years. A loss of identity easily awaits you. It’s like you fight your whole life for that moment, to get to where you dream of, to get a shot. Scrape and crawl. And then reset. Since I’ve been living in Hollywood my day to day has been a huge mirror for me. The parts of myself I’ve been trying out run have caught me. Maybe all of this could coexist? 

March 2nd / 2021

Spring is here. Its 75 degrees in LA and theres this new thing I noticed while driving around…..the overbearing smell of flowers in the air. It sounds like a movie. Its fucked up cause It felt like a funeral in my car. I was like what the fuck is happening? It smells like a small funeral in here….are my dreams dying? Am I dying? Is punk dead? Okay its just a Ryan gosling movie out here I guess. Whatever lets go. Here’s some hatrebreed. But the windows are down. My mood is different. My spirit is lifted, which ive been desperate to say. I automatically get punched in the guts with the feeling of driving so fucking fast, and blasting title fight. Skateboarding. Looooooooooong drives with fucked up friends to out of state shows no one will be at. Im listening to Stab by Title Fight - off the Shed LP. What a specific time in my life this brings back. That I usually talk about on this little throw up blog often. Spring is such a pivotal time in my life every year. Since covid shows stopped - human decency stopped - community stopped - my natural habitat was taken from me, and all of my friends and family. I remember living in New York in 2011. At the New Yorker. I was studying at the Institute Of Audio Research to be a janitor in my home town. Because that’s what they teach you. Instead of studying compression, and listening to washed up hacks talk to me about music, I would walk out my building onto 8th ave. B Line it Penn Station. Get on the LIRR and ride that shit right into the best LI shows every night I could. Id meet all my friends from Jersey / NYC / Philly and even Baltimore because it was so common to make it a priority to no matter what, drive hours on end to support a hardcore shows and to not lose touch with the hundreds around the country that you call family. Drive to Richmond for a shows on a Monday night, go off, hit a diner after with your new found tribe, then drive home, be back at 6 am, and just stumble into your bullshit job with a black eye or scratches all over you. It was all worth it. Probably quit that job anyway to go on tour with your friends band and live as gypsies for the entire summer too. Spring embodies this spirit for me. Church parking lots in Doylestown, PA - full of kids from all over the country, who left their problems in their hometown, to just get on the road with their best friends and basically start a new life. It is just amazing how formative those years were for a lot of my friends. I have people I met at shows from all over the country messaging me always checking in, and supporting, and sometimes it feels like I know them better than my first cousins, aunts and uncles. We were at war together. We fought against the world together. We found ourselves together. We created shit from nothing. Determination and passion. Oh no….Planes by Tigers Jaw just came on. You know the vibe. This shit just hits so different now as a pop / hip hop producer. This PA scene, mixed with NJHC, just stood me up and gave me confidence to have my own voice, my own thoughts, and to fight back. Something about being in a shitty car and it smells like dirty vans and like…..axe to cover up the smell. BELTING Basement and car moshing and almost driving off a bridge. Listen. I know every single blog is about this. But fuck you fight me. ITS CALLED SELF EXPRESSION GRANDMA. SO STRAP INTO YOUR BOOT THINGS AND ENJOY THE RIDE TO NOWHERE. Its been crazy living in LA. I live directly on Hollywood BLVD, on the Walk Of Fame. Where I was almost killed two weeks ago over someones gang that my ass is not in. My guy looked at me and said YO YOU MATTY? And I was listening to Taylor swift in my headphones walking back from Starbucks and it was so funny how different my energy was. I was like bro can you kill me already dude because these Taylor tones are so good that they gunna just end up killing me anyway. So perfect timing. I think the guy was mad at my friend to say the least lol. But every night its loud 808’s, the sounds of the city, amazing energy, and neon lights shining in from lit up billboards off the BLVD. Its such a culture shock for me. I feel like im too aggressive just from being east coast. But its just what it is. It took me a little to adapt to being in sessions and meetings with seasoned people in this industry who have major cuts and recognition. But I just learned to double down on myself, and be as authentic as I possibly can be. Theres nothing like crushing writing sessions in the pop realm, then turning off my shit, unplugging, and run into the night with my skateboard and old punk records. It’s almost like my own secret that is becoming my blood. I haven’t been communicating with the ones who like my music, have interest in what im doing, come to my shows etc - since I touched down here….I just unplugged….started writing HEAVY and decided to dedicate months to getting better, learning, becoming smarter, discovering a vision that’s much broader than what were sold, finding myself, making sure my wisdom is parallel to my age - if not wise beyond my years. A lot of artists and bands SING, PLAY, PERFORM, PROMOTE. But I have decided to WATCH, ATTEND, and LISTEN. Everynight I sit down with tea, unplug, and spin records on my turntable…in the dark, in my living room, alone….all kinds of records. From The National, to Springsteen, to Title Fight, to Hendrix, to the rare Troublemaker LP and 7” I have…..Sharon Van Etten, Jesse Malin…..ugh. Its just bliss. Pure bliss. Right now im drinking coffee and bouncing from listening to Into It Over It and American Football. I spent all last night rapping my ass off, mixing, and singing ref vocals for other people. It was so fun. Im finding a lot of my new material is this spirit im talking about - but over hip hop production. I want to tell my life story and combat the stereotypes of modern rap and pop music with true intentions and unique tones of untold stories that press, radio, and this market usually doesn’t get fed. Ive also realized a lot of music I was promoting over the past year to come out (prior to the pandemic) hasn’t come out….and I know people are questioning that….what is happening? So before covid I had German solo dates booked - and then I was going to the UK right after. I have a bunch of single drops lined up with music videos. Some you can guess with who. And then the pandemic hit and I canceled everything and decided to pivot my focus into my passion for songwriting and production, instead of sitting around “waiting for shows to come back.” I pretended that shows were never going to come back and doubled down on my career as a producer, that at the time, still is, moving forward at a faster rate than my artist shit. So I packed my shit after offers, and opportunity presented themselves. Touched down on a Tuesday, with meetings that Friday. Off to the races. In sessions that following Monday. Fast forward here we are. Hungry, learning, learnt, turned 30. Looking at the next decade like Mcgregor at the weigh in. Fight ready. Ive learned so much since the fall that all of the music I had planned on releasing, I loaded it back up, tore it apart, and re built it. So its not stale, so its not expired, so its not “then”….so its NOW. Which im so glad I did, and im doing. I don’t think ive been in the booth more. My mind is so stimulated by this wave im on. And its got me in a good place. Now that the spirit of spring is here, my mental health is going to be taking a big leap as well and im going to do everything I can to just flood all of this content. I think Never Meant by American Football is the best song ever made. Me and Mike were talking about doing a song together a few months ago and that would be such a trip for me. 

I wanted to talk about my recent trip to Joshua Tree. I was invited by Christopher Thorn from Blind Melon to live at his studio for a few days to write together. I didn’t really know what to expect. I met him once or twice thru Clinch, and just around the Sea Hear Now circle back east, and I was familiar with No Rain (his hit). We got on the phone, picked a weekend where it’d work for both of us, got some covid tests, and boom. Packed my shit again (right off a flight back from New York, where I shot 3 music videos, and did 1 remote session in 2 fucking days), and drove out to the desert. There is no address so I had a map. It was epic. It was in the desert desert. Like THE DESERT FAM. Coyotes at night, snakes and shit. The air was so dry, your lips would get chapped to let you know death was right around the corner so you better man up baby boy. Beforehand - from all the traveling and flights, and burning myself out on videos and sessions, I found myself listening to a lot of acoustic Nebraska Springsteen type shit. John Moreland, or even like acoustic bayside, Lucero, Leonard Cohen, Tom Waits…..just pure music with no samples, not gridded, not sold, no machine, no click, just real live country music inspired by the human condition….of the earth. It was just speaking to my soul…..so when we booked this to get in the room together….man was I ready. I don’t think ive had an experience so fruitful to the soul. And ive played shows in Slovenia, and sipped espresso on a bridge that looked like a painting, staring at subtle mountain tops off in the distance like I was a character in some book. We started working at night and ran it up till like 3 am. As the sun came down the lights off in the distance miles and miles away were so clear because we were just the only life form around….and it would just shine into the studio windows and reflect on the perimeter making it seem like we were surrounded by New York City. It did a lot for my soul to play drums, acoustic, sing, play piano, shred electric, even mix a little. I felt like I made a very fast lifelong friend. Its been a minute since I got on with someone like that. We talked a lot about growing up touring. And wed finish each others sentences regarding topics that ONLY people like us would know. Like Subway being a life line for DIY touring, or the weird strange feelings of comfort from rest stops in the middle of nowhere at 4 am, the rest stop coffee that you get to just make the next 2 hours of the drive into town bearable. But then you see your boy from your band in the other aisle so you throw shit at him. Then you all stumble back into the van/bus and just disappear into the night. This shit was so needed for me. When Id wake up, id make espresso, and just sit out front and listen to Joe Rogan, at this random chair that was behind his studio, facing the mountains. Just endless property waiting to leave you 6 feet in the ground. I sat there and sipped my espresso, and just reflected on the long journey of my career. How many random moments like this ive found myself in since I was 15. In the middle of the desert where Springsteen hangs out with my heroes, off the strength of my songwriting. Or in Romania drinking coffee, fucked off, on a bench far from the venue, by random train lines in the pouring rain by myself. The farthest from humanity I can be. Or the random VFW hall in my head that I don’t even know where it is, with my little punk crew, who all smell like complete shit and cigarettes and soda, fucked off god knows where, just to finger point and sing along to this band we found on myspace that were in OUR hometown the weekend prior singing to our band. Theres just an endless string of memories that can go on forever, with stories that just fulfill a lifetime, of conversations that just make the white lines on I95 move faster. Or just everyone is quiet - reading a book - texting - exhausted from the night prior - and you just ABRUPTLY turn on teenage dream by Katy Perry SOOOO LOUD - take your shirt off and start dropping it like its hot from the passenger front seat, and catch a mid afternoon front flip stage dive into the backseat. From those youthful days of this underground spirit, to existing in a realm of pure monsters of my craft, I truly believe this next decade could co exist and be one for the books. Damn I feel good. Also me and Sasso started a book club called BSU and you can’t be in it because you probably read books and the only rule for our book club besides not speaking about book club is, you can’t read books. Okay im going to go buy a bike right now so I can ride It to Mexico and get abducted by the cartel and sold for bitcoin. FAREWELL EARTHLINGZ. 

[leigh-kelly]

Always a Heartbeat From Me

[heartfeltheart]

Alchemy: Tiny Steps

Chapters: 13/45 Fandom: Fullmetal Alchemist/Harry Potter Rating: T Relationships: Edward/Winry, Lan Fan/Ling, and May/Alphonse. Primary Characters: Edward Elric, Severus Snape Additional Tags: Crossover, Teacher!Edward, BrOtp Edward/Severus. Sassy beyond measure. Pro!Snape Series: Part 2 of 9. Summary: Part two of the Alchemy Series.  Politics. Either you love it, hate it or you live it. For Alchemy Teacher Edward Elric, he lives it, hates it and loves it when he gets the upper hand. Here is to another year of hell… D/C: I do not own Harry Potter or Fullmetal Alchemist. Discord: La Red(Mesh Mash of… stuff.): https://discord.gg/KYjmVAb Alchemy Series: https://discord.gg/DejEYNJ

Tick. Tock.

Tick. Tock.

Tic…Tic…

"They're late."

Alphonse shrank into his seat as everyone in the room focused on him as the time continued. Inwardly, the youngest Elric Brother is cursing at his brother for being late and for dragging Mei along with him, even taking the chimeras with him. There he is… alone… Edward is going to pay dearly for this. "My apologies… My brother… tends to lose track of time…"

"I would have suspected it would be General Mustang fault for the tardiness…" Amelia murmured into her cup of tea, this prompted Alphonse to hide his face with his hands. Alphonse wouldn't even be bothered to act surprised if that was true. Having the Flame and Fullmetal Alchemists in the same vicinity is never a good thing. Then to add the Northern Wall into the mix? Alphonse will wonder if either of them will survive her wrath.

"It is a combination of both him and my brother." Alphonse resigned to the fact he will more than likely become an only child by the end of the day. "I would not put it pass either of them to get themselves killed by the Major General's sword."

"Sword?" Kingsley to Amelia with an eyebrow raised.

"Major General carries a sword that has been passed down the Armstrong family for generations. If you were to compare the Armstrong's to a family here… they would rank similar to the Malfoy's or Black's. Keeping in mind they are not focus minded on blood purity and have a strong presence in Amestris Military." Amelia responded, she glanced up to give Alastor a warning look to keep his thoughts to himself. Last thing she needed is the man to be the reason for the Major General to focus her anger towards them all. Let's hope it will go over toward the other side...

"Typical muggles… barbaric…" Dolores said sweetly, her lips curling up in that sinister smile.

"Yes… keep talking like that… Your demise will come very soon, Ms. Umbridge." Alphonse deadpanned, looking at said woman with dead eyes. "With that mindset of yours and many others is the reason the Magical World is not advancing forward…"

With that in mind, Alphonse dropped his head onto the table with a loud thump uncaringly. He would rather deal with the wicked toad woman than the Major General. He might as well start planning his funeral and writing his will.

"The way you are speaking, only makes my case." Dolores strained out, her smile is quickly becoming into a sneer.

"No, it only makes his case even more valid." A chilling voice called out from the entrance of the meeting room. Everyone turned their heads minus Alphonse, who still is now repeatedly banging his head against the table. There stood a slender woman with striking cold blue eyes with long eyelashes framing them and waist-length blond hair. Her lips full lips twisted into a stern scowl and wearing what appears to be an Amestrian uniform, only that she is wearing a militaristic winter coat. What caught everyone's attention is that the woman sports a rather muscular build and is easily carrying a fully uniformed Mr. Colonel Edward Elric and General Roy Mustang over her shoulder. In her other hand, she is holding a silver sword that looked like anything but for show. If the sword did not sway the people of her intimidation level, then the familiar sparklers that sparkle all around her. Sparklers that are reminiscent to her younger brother.

Standing next to the stern woman is a male that stood taller than her with a dark complexion and has silver hair pulled back with a hair tie. He is wearing a similar uniform as the blonde-haired woman, only he is wearing a pair of goggles that completely covers his eyes. His entire expression showed nonchalance as he kept a close eye on everyone in the room.

"This is why we can't have anything nice, sir…" Riza stated as she walked into the room, she looked far too calm considering the situation.

"I… regret… nothing." Roy managed out in-between groans of pain.

"I… regret… everything…" Edward responded out just as much in pain.

Olivier gave both males a look of disgust before she dropped them on top of Alphonse. The youngest of the Elric Brother's let out a squeal of shock and it was outdone by Roy and Edward's yelps of pain. "Next time you decide to put me in the middle of a political war… think about it. Think about it real long…"

"Is it safe to come out?" Mei called out from the door along with Zampano and Jerso hiding behind her.

"Nooo…" Came out a muffled response from the pile of bodies.

-.-

Clear and utter intimidation.

No one had uttered a single world the moment Major General Armstrong took a seat at the head of the table. Legs crossed at the knees and both arms crossed across her chest, looking at everyone with a tense expression. Well… only one person did not speak as she is waiting for someone from the other side of the table to talk and mess up while doing so. However, it appears she will have to take lead once more.

"Major General, how are the latest prototypes?" Bones asked curiously, prompting many witches and wizards interest to be piqued.

"The Research & Development department came out with a new model of a tank. More power and durability." Armstrong stated, her eyes darted over towards Bones to give her entire attention. "How is your niece?"

Bones lips quirked upward and her eyes temporarily showed kindheartedness at the mention of her niece, whom she had taken full custody of. Madam Bones had mentioned to Major General Armstrong how her niece had wanted to become an Auror and to follow her aunt of hunting down Dark wizards. "Frustrated. Susan is born just a day off from being able to enter Hogwarts this year. At least it gives her more time to continue on with her personal studies."

"She still plans on following your footsteps?"

"Once I told her about you, her resolved only grew. Once she heard you were coming to Great Britain, Susan keeps insisting meeting you."

"Maybe you should bring her next time?" Mustang pipped out, he shrunk into himself when Armstrong and Bones both looked at him intensely.

"Hem hem… everyone, this is a political meeting, not some festivity." Umbridge attempted to get the meeting to go back on track but it seemed she was being ignored once more. Everytime she attempted to get the meeting going, those filthy muggles would deter the conversation or cause a complete ruckus and end any potential of gaining any sort of footing anywhere.

"That is what I have been saying the last couple of days. But does anyone ever listen to me?" Mr. Elric rolled his eyes at Umbridge's poor attempt to get everyone's attention back onto the meeting. "You have better chances of getting me to write lines than trying to strong arm Major General Armstrong into doing what you want. You would end up dead."

"Typical muggles…" One of the wizards from Fudge's side spat out under his breath. The majority of the table went silent, this was supposed to be a civil place. Not a bloody bloodshed and future graves.

-.-

Loud crashes rang out the meeting room. The entire room quaked, creaked and even the walls look like they about to give way. Many witches, wizards, and everything else considered magical stopped whatever they were doing to wonder what exactly is going on behind the door. Someone was actually playing a game of rock paper scissors, to see who was going to figure out what was happening in the room.

Then… all the sudden everything went quiet. The doors sprung open to reveal Major General Armstrong walking out of the room as she took off her white gloves. Walking just right behind her is Major Miles, who took out a pair of white gloves from his person and handed it to his commanding officer. Armstrong took the gloves without saying anything as she continued to walk down the hall. The observers glanced at each other wondering what just occurred in front of them and they all quickly headed towards the room.

The inside of the room could only be describe as a warzone. The table was flipped over and had somehow managed to be tuck onto the ceiling. Chairs thrown at random directions, some were even on the ceiling or walls. Papers stern everywhere and quills floating around in the air. In one corner of the room are Professor Elric and Princess Chang, holding onto each other with sheer terror shown in their eyes. General Mustang and Mr. Elric are clinging onto Captain Hawkeye's legs, blood completely drained from their faces. Several individuals that were supporters of Fudge's scattered around, all groaning in pain. Fudge is still sitting in his chair, that was wedge between the ceiling and wall. His expression manic and spoke in complete gibberish, clinging tightly to the chair. The only ones that seemed to be left untouched by the carnage are Madam Bones and her two standing in as her guards. If anything, Madam Bones is holding her cup of tea and the small plate in her other hand.

"I varned zem... I varned zem... Zey did not lisden..." Edward chanted out repeatedly, his Amestrian accent back in full blast.

[meandmywackydad-blog]

Two more years of... all this.

I am bringing back coffee. My dad: Did you go to the market for coffee? Me: No. My dad: You should go there. The coffee is good. Plus there's always these old guys there. Me: Uh huh. My dad: PLUS, if you go from there up to the McDonalds on the highway, there's also old guys talking there. I think it's the SAME old guys. Me: That's a Ray Bradbury story. My dad: It is pretty Bradbury-esque. Me: No, it IS a Ray Bradbury story. It's The Crowd. My dad: And when you go to McDonalds it's the same old guys, and they're talking about the same things! Me: I've clearly read the story, Dad.

*** My father is describing the book he's reading. My dad: It's all about how the chemical company polluted the environment, and the one intrepid person who crusaded against them, stopping their tyranny, all that shit. Me: Intrepid? My dad: Oh she was quite intrepid. But of course it's a big corporation so nothing was actually accomplished. You know how it goes. Mister Smith went to Washington, Mister Deeds went to town, nothing happened. Me: Yeah. <pause> Me: That's also the worst Neil Young lyric ever. My dad: Yeah! We pause thoughtfully. Then I hear my father take a deep breath and realize what I've done. Me: NO! My dad (in Neil Young voice): MISTER SMIIIIIIITH WENT TO WAAAAAAAAAAHINGTOOOOON! MISTER DEEEEEEEEDS WENT TO TOOOOOOOOOOWNNNNN! Me: It's my own fault for saying it.

*** "Bagpipes! Oh good! That's one of your favorite sounds." - my dad

*** Alex Trebek on Jeopardy: Plato, Aristotle, Socrates. Me and my dad in unison: Morons.

*** My father and I are watching the Open when the horrible dog across the street starts barking. Me: Let me tell you how much I hate that goddamn dog. My dad: Why do you hate it? Me: Uh, possibly because it sounds like a trumpet being put in a garbage disposal? My dad: How do you know what that sounds like?

*** Text from my dad: "Bad showing from Chelsea." I immediately regret all the work I did the last 18 months.

*** Jeopardy prep. My father: What country is the largest producer of dates? Me: <chuckling> Bad dates... My father: So what was - Me: RAIDERS YOU DOPE.

*** Jeopardy prep. My father: The category is time travel movies. First question. "A Christmas Carol - " Me: A Christmas Carol isn't a time travel movie. My father: Sure it is. He goes to the past, and the future - Me: No, he's shown visions of the past and the future. My father: It's a sort of - Me: A Christmas Carol isn't a time travel story, it's a holodeck malfunction episode.

*** Jeopardy prep. My dad: This held the staff of Aaron as well as the tablets of the law. Me: What is the Ark of the Covenant. My dad: Are you sure? Me: Pretty sure.

*** Watching the golf. My father has been talking non-stop for 20 minutes. Including commercials. My father: Chris Kirk has the laziest golf swing ever. Look at this. 290 yards off the deck! With driver! And he overcooked it. These guys are so good. Ooh, I've never seen this commercial before. Me: JESUS! Do you ever take a breath?! My mother: He only does this when you're around. Me: What? Why? My father: You're a more receptive audience. Me: But I hate it! My mother: He doesn't care if it's good attention or bad attention. My father: So he wears Cobra hats instead of Nike now? 5 consecutive birdies! I think my record is three. Me: I'm going to kill myself.

*** My father: When you use soap, do you put it on in the back of the shower? Me: I, uh... I've never really considered the... geography... of it.

*** Me: Han Solo and the combined cast of Farscape couldn't come up with a worse plan than this. My father: I don't know what that - Me: IT MEANS THIS PLAN IS TERRIBLE!

*** At the grocery store laying in supplies for my father's return this weekend. Cashier: So, how many kids do you have? Me: <sigh> Me: Just the one.

*** My father is limping down the stairs. Me: Think it might be doctor time, Dad. My father: I went to the doctor. I didn't do what he told me. Me: Think it might be listen to the doctor time, Dad.

*** My father: Why hasn't someone scored yet? Me: Dad, the season is six minutes old. My father: Someone should have scored by now. These guys suck.

*** The mail has arrived. Me: Your check from SCH is here. My father: NOICE. Me: <horrible silence> Me: Please don't ever say that again.

*** Just before everybody goes to bed. My father: Did you put the sheets in the dryer? Me: Not... as such. My father: What does that mean? Me: No. <pause> Me: What else could that possibly mean?

*** Watching the Red Zone. My father: That was a dumb move there from Adrian Beat-her-son. <annoyed silence> My father: BEAT-her-son, get it? Me: Dad, the problem isn't that I don't get it.

*** Discussing our plan of attack this week for the house. My father: Agreeing to store your sister's bed was a bad idea. Me: Oh my god I'm going to pour poison in your ear while you're asleep.

*** My father: But I was a real arrogant son of a bitch back then. Me: "Was?"

*** My father has discovered Sporcle. Please kill me.

*** My father: Aside from the touchdown plays we dominated the game. Me: Dad, you lost 38-0. My father: AND WE DOMINATED.

*** Watching the Weather Channel. Me: It's weird. It's like a nor'easter, but it's coming from the southeast. My father: No. It's a southeaster. Me: THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT I JUST SAID.

*** My father: You do realize the Ravens have had way more success than the Eagles, right? Me: Yeah, Dad, I can count to two.

*** My father: Merrill, what the hell are you watching? Me: Stop being mean to Merrill. My father: Nah. Me: You're awfully obnoxious for a guy who lays on a couch all day.

*** Discussing our plans for today. Me: Well, while you are reviewing film I am going to be at the matinee of Crimson Peak. My father: Dear god, why? Me: Uh, because it's a haunted house movie made by Guillermo Del Toro with Jim Beaver and Jessica Chastain. I would go see that if the tickets cost a hundred dollars. <pause> My father: You have weird priorities.

*** Finally got my dad on board with my theory that Phil Martelli is a lich. Explaining to him what a lich is could have gone better.

*** Watching the football game. My dad: I don't know what's worse about Colin Kaepernick, how inaccurate he is, or how much he looks like Squidward. Me: Like WHAT? My dad: He's a dead ringer, right? Me: What the fuck are you talking about? My dad: He looks just like Squidward! Me: Have you had a stroke? My dad: Haven't you seen SpongeBob? Me: Have -I- had a stroke?

*** My father is apparently really upset at my ignorance of SpongeBob because he's done nothing for ten minutes straight but give me a complete executive summary of the show punctuated by him shouting what I assume is the theme song.

*** Everyone is waking up. Me: Saturday morning, Dad! You know what that means! My father: Yes. It means we watch Chelsea lose. Me: I... it means I make us breakfast, dick.

*** Dropping my father off at SCH. He is wearing shorts, a long sleeve dress shirt, a windbreaker, and Crocs. Me: All right, I'm going to Penzey's. I'll be back for the game. My father: Okay. Me: You look like an idiot. My father: Don't care. Me: You should. My father: Get out of here.

*** Eating the chili. My father: Are you crying? Me: No. Shut up. It's not the chili. I'm just... thinking of the end of Gladiator. My mother: You must have stolen that line from SOMEWHERE. My father: <sigh> He didn't.

*** Talking about today's game at Malvern. My father: You have to admit, he's a good little receiver. He's like the Wes Welker of the Interac! Me: Is he going to get blown the fuck up like Wes Welker? My father: Oh yeah. Especially if we keep calling that Y-Under pattern.

*** Talking about my birthday present. My dad: I am not getting you a BMW. Me: Hmph. My dad: I tried. Me: Try more.

*** My father's aunt passed away last week and the funeral was today. I asked him how it went. My dad: Well, the people on your mother's enemies list didn't start a huge fight with her. And she didn't fight with the people on her enemies list, so I'm calling that a win. <pause> Me: Yeah. It's good that we set the bar so high. My dad: Of course, that's just the Florida edition of her enemies list. We'll see what happens when we're back up there. Me: Yup. Can barely see over that bar, it's so high.

*** My phone rings. It's my father. Me: What's up? My father: Have you gotten to the scene yet where he talks about how he hates sand? Me: <sigh> Me: Yeah, Dad. My father: Because it's so coarse! My father: <cackling> Me: <hangs up>

*** After my father and I have talked out the Pedersen hire. Me: Oh, hey, speaking of Florida winter weather, it's going to be 52 here tomorrow! My dad: I'm going to visit Tony in St. Louis tomorrow. Me: Oh, nice. What's it going to be there? My dad: 7. Me: Seven? SEVEN? My dad: 7. Me: <loud, hideous cackling> My dad: Shut up! Me: <more awful cackling> My dad: <hangs up>

*** Me: I am watching one of your favorite movies! My dad: Which? <I send a picture of the TV> My dad: Your obsession with Michael Mann is really, really weird. Me: Please. My obsession with Michael Mann doesn't crack the top 20 weirdest things about me.

*** When I arrived at Moffitt Cancer Center. My dad: Oh, good, you're here. Me: Of course I'm here. My dad: <pointing at the remote> Turn on the golf.

*** The doctors are making their rounds and telling him he has to start walking. My dad: I don't want to walk. Me: We'll walk to the pantry, it's thirty yards away. My dad: Shut up, John. Doctor: Well, uh, I think I'd like to see a more positive outlook. Me: <sigh> That IS positive.

*** My dad: Pick me up at the infusion center and we'll meet them at the bar. Should time out nice to the end of the game. Me: Going to the bar seems dumb, Dad. My dad: But I wanna go to the bar! Me: Sure, but - My dad: If nothing else I want to go so I can throw up on everybody. Me: Uh, I don't think they'd appreciate that. My dad: Fuck 'em. I got cancer. I throw up on who I want.

*** Every significant disagreement my father and I have about literature always ends up with me shouting "that interpretation is not supported by the text." Literally shouting those exact words.

*** We are watching scout tape of Hill vs. Perkiomen. Me: What's the nickname for Perkiomen? My dad: I don't remember. Me: I think when we played them they were the Indians, but I doubt they are any more. My dad: Yeah, kinda racist. I pick up my phone to look it up and my dad points at the TV. My dad: They just showed it. They're the Red Raiders. <pause> Me: Oh my god that's even MORE racist! My dad: It's like they were trying.

*** Me and my dad are talking about the start of the NHL season. My dad: How about his guy who scored four goals last night? Me: Yeah, Matthews. He's good. There's a reason he was the number one pick. My dad: And how about them losing anyway? Me: There's a reason they HAD the number one pick.

*** My dad: They stink right now. Me: THANK YOU DONNIE.

*** My sister calls my father while we're watching the football game. Me: Phone's ringing, dude. My dad: Thank you, Donnie.

*** Watching the Camping World Bowl. Me: Hey, look, former Eagles coach Pat Shurmur plays for Vanderbilt. My dad: It's his son. Me: No it isn't. My dad: It's his son! Me: You're making that up! Just admit you don't know something! My dad: He's really good. He went to LaSalle. Me: Fine! If you're going to constantly make shit up I'm going to find out who this guy actually is. <tapping on phone> My dad: What's it say? Me: Shut up.