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bubbleteycosplay · 2 years ago

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What ifs Sigyn's stories

Part 13

So many different universes, so many different possibilities. And in some loves Sigyn and their different stories. Pictures and brief information have been written about some of these possibilities.

But what is her full story, we don't know. But we can spin them further in our thoughts ^^

The whole project here serves to show the possibilities and potential that Sigyn would have had within the Marvel Universe. How she could have been reintroduced, her story made new and more exciting. #JusticeForSigyn stands for creating Sigyn content because Marvel doesn't give us any.

Inspired by @fauna-and-mythos @dailylogyn @dank-art @jonquilclegane @sigynoffidelity @sigynthevictorious @thewitchysystem @shenanigans-and-imagines @timeladyjamie @therese-lokidottir @puckwritesstuff @sigynappreciation @sigyn-obsessed @ellecaterina @roruna

Amora's promise

After the death of the only person who always welcomed Amora with open arms, even though she betrayed Sigyn more than once, she just couldn't help it. Amora promised Sigyn, no, she swore to protect her child with her own life no matter what the cost. It was ironic in all of this, but much too late Amora realized how much Sigyn had trusted her and would do it even beyond her life. And now Amora was standing here on a peaceful planet holding four year old little Vali, overcome with grief and guilt. But she would keep her vow!

Olympian Sigyn Story by @jonquilclegane

After the fall of Vanaheim, the Queen and her daughter ran away, very very far. Sigyn, one of Queen Freya’s daughters, thought she could find refuge in the realm of her father, Nidavellir. But alas, Thanos soon attacked and destroyed everything. The mad Titan killed everyone, and Sigyn barely escaped. She had now a very powerful enemy looking for her, wanting her dead. She decided to lay low, but soon met an old friend: Thena. She comforted Sigyn and reminded her she could always find refuge among her kind, the Eternals, or ask for the Olympians’ help.

And so, Sigyn took the disguise she had chosen centuries ago, when she visited Mount Olympus with some of her sisters. She was still Goddess of Victory, it was true. But for the rest? No one, except for Thena, would have known. She had wings with beautiful golden feathers, and her hair were brown instead of blond. She was now Nike, Thena’s little winged friend and lucky charm.

Some gods, male and female, tried to flirt with her and get her into their beds, but she never accepted their advances. Her heart belonged to a god, yes, that was true, but the god in question was far, far away, and he did not even know she existed.

She had loved Prince Loki with all her heart since childhood, but had been much too shy to ever speak to him. Now, he was dead, or so they said. It was much too late for regrets.

When she heard of Ragnarok, her heart broke for her friends and the few family members she had left on Asgard. Loki dying again… she did not know how to take it anymore. Surely, he had survived, as he always did. She wanted to go to New Asgard and check for herself, investigate, find out if he was truly gone this time, but Thanos was too close and powerful. She did not dare to leave her hiding place.

Was she turning into a rat now? She cursed her cowardice, but after crossing paths with Thanos, she was still traumatized, unable to forget the murder of her father and brothers in front of her very eyes.

One day, however, Zeus had some visitors whose faces and names were familiar to her. One of them was a Valkyrie, a former friend and lover of her mother, and Thor, God of Thunder, Loki’s brother. Some of the goddesses fainted at the sight of his naked form, which made Sigyn laugh. She did not care about it, however, she wanted to speak to him, and ask if he had news of his sibling.

Unfortunately, before she could, Gorr the Butcher attacked and killed most of the Olympians. Sigyn helped Thor and his friends, but alas they were separated in the battle. Gorr wanted to kill all the gods, and so, she knew she would be on the list.

Once again, Sigyn went into hiding, finding refuge on some desert planet, far way from the fights and the god-killing villains.

The last queen of Jotunheim story by @jonquilclegane

When Sigyn had married Prince Loki of Jotunheim, none had rejoiced. Laufey had had what he wanted: a princess bride for his son, one that would bring him the blood of Freya and the Dwarves’ gold. Prince Loki was already married to a Frost giant lady called Angrboda which whom he had three children. Therefore, the Vanir Princess was meant to become his second wife and consort, with no hope of ever being queen or seeing one of her sons on the Jotun throne.

The Jotnar royal court was dangerous and deadly. The young bride knew better than anyone a word spoken too quickly or a clumsy gesture could bring her downfall. Sigyn seemed meek and weak, but she was not. She was a survivor. At first, she had been depressed to be sold to an another realm as some common broodmare, but it was the fate of most princesses. Her husband was feared by all the gods, and slightly terrifying at first. But with time, Sigyn learned that it was only a mask. He needed others to fear him, so they would not plot to have him assassinated. She gave him two sons, Vali and Narvi, and was rather happy neither of them would ever be kings.

However, Laufey suddenly died – poison, some said. And Angrboda and her children decided to leave Jotunheim, hoping to discover and conquer some exotic realms. Sigyn became Queen, though she had not wished for a crown, knowing its weight and deadly danger. However, she accepted it with grace, always a smile on her face. The perfect lady, as her mother had taught her to be, even if her heart and soul knew this glorious day would end in tears and blood.

A new war arose, one with the Aesirs. Loki had been a threat to the AllFather for centuries now, and he had finally decided to crush his rival under his boot. Jotunheim stood strong for weeks, not giving their mortal enemy any rest, never showing any sign of weakness.

Unfortunately, during the final battle, the royal palace fell into the enemy’s hands. The men – adults and children- were killed, the women enslaved. Some nobles, seen as potential hostages, were made prisoner. This was Sigyn’s case, as Odin knew her father would pay an enormous ramson to see his daughter given back to him unharmed.

But the Queen of Jotunheim refused to leave her husband’s side – even more after their old enemy had killed both their sons in front of their eyes. Odin wanted a show of force, and he did. The scene was atrocious, barbaric. Any person with some heart witnessing this monstrosity would have understood who was the real villain, and revolted against the bloodthirsty tyrant.

Yet, no one moved. No one did anything to save her innocent children.

Sigyn was outraged and sickened. She wanted to kill them all. But there was no point. Even if she conjured her axe, she would not be able to slay the AllFather… only a few would perish. Not enough. Angrboda and her children would take their revenge. For now, Loki needed her.

Her poor king was bounded to a rock, Vali and Narvi’s entrails turned into chains. A huge snake was hanging over his head, unmovable, his venom dripping into her husband’s eyes.

Quickly, the Last Queen of Jotunheim conjured a bowl and protected her king as much as she could.

She hoped Angrboda and her children would be victorious. She prayed they would make the Aesirs pay.

Evil Sigyn Story by @jonquilclegane

Her whole life, Sigyn had been good. Too good. Too kind. When her sisters wanted one of her toys, she gave it to them. Whenever her mother asked for something, she did all she could to obey and give her satisfaction. Her uncle Feyr demanded of his nieces to be pure and virtuous, and so she was. One day, she went to a tournament on Asgard. That’s when she first met Theoric. He asked for her favour, and she gave it to him. When he won, everyone applauded, and he soon asked for her hand. Her father agreed, and so she did.

When Loki demanded she would be his, it was the first time she ever said no to anyone about anything. But what he asked of her was so fundamentally against everything she had been taught, how could she have ever accepted?

However, when it turned out Theoric was dead and she was now stuck with Loki, she accepted her fate and resigned herself to become his wife. At least, she was not his whore, so her uncle Feyr would be satisfied.

But with the murder of her children, something snapped inside of her brain. It was too much. The unfairness of it all, the tragedy she had not deserved. Why were the Norns so cruel towards her? She had never done anything wicked. She had always been a model of kindness, a perfect wife and mother. So why did all those bad things keep happening to her and her family?

Her husband hated her, humiliated her, cheated on her, and yet, she kept her calm, kept on loving him, even if he did not deserve such love and devotion.

Her father-in-law, Odin, despised her for not being enough, for not being able to change her son into a good person. He had expected her love for him to turn him into a son he could be proud of. Unfortunately, it had not been the case. So the AllFather looked down on her, casting her aside, sending her away with some words of reproach.

She was tired.

She started wondering if the Norns were expecting something else from her, if her sweetness was not the reason for all her pain. Maybe they did not want her to be good and virtuous as she had been raised to be. Maybe they expected of her to be pure evil.

Kindness had brought her nothing but misery. Could evil lead her to worse? Sigyn was starting to doubt it…

So, when Amora, one of her husband’s mistresses, came to her one day, to gloat and insult her, Sigyn smiled at her gently, while hiding her knife. The stunning Enchantress did not see the blade and fell on the ground, surprised, holding her own slitted throat while her blood soiled the ground.

Loki was next. When he came home, Amora’s corpse was still warm. He saw it, and then looked at her, as it was the first time he truly saw her.

“You do have a spine, after all this time?”, her husband asked with a laugh.

Sigyn held her head high, and casted a spell on him quicky, turning him into a rabbit. Before the God of Mischief could turn himself back, she snapped his neck and looked at the dead animal, before nodding.

“Yes, you’ll make an excellent pie for the AllFather. I’m sure he will love it”

The story of a crazy bet

Sigun always won all bets he never lost. Until Thor and Loki met and this bet would lead him not only to Amora but also to the adventure of his life.

A Sigyn x Amora story

Life is beautiful, falling in love is even more beautiful (AU)

Sigyn is a lawyer and her best friend and companion is Amora. Together they are a resilient team. They simply share everything with each other, their feelings, their life, even their life is not excluded and what could be nicer than losing yourself and your partner also doing it.

The shadow I killed

When Sigyn was born, Frayer was near death. And Sigyn was also born sick, she didn't manage to survive her mother. Frayer died 3 months after birth but with her last words she cursed Sigyn's father who lured her into his bed just to father this child. With that she died and Sigyn father became the sole ruler of Vanaheim.

Sigyn had 4 siblings who were all much older than her and three of them were just her half siblings. They all became very married and lived their own lives on other worlds. If they come to visit, it was only on occasion and otherwise they never came.

But Vanaheim has always had its difficulties with Jotunheim, and during one of her raids, one of the Jotun mages stole Sigyn's shadow, causing him to fall into a coma and never wake up.

Sigyn's body was treasured and her father did everything to get her shadow back. But he was unsuccessful and Asgard didn't want to interfere, happy to be at peace with Jotunheim. And so the centuries passed until Loki attacked Jotunheim and half destroyed it. The magician who had once stolen Sigyn's shadow was also killed with it, so Sigyn also died and her mother's curse was fulfilled. Her curse was that her father should lose the most precious thing in his life and Iwaldi`s precious one was the love of his wife and their last child together.

Avengers Sigyn Story by @roruna

Beth was just a waitress. Or at least, she worked as a waitress and her name tag said “Beth”.

She actually had no idea if that was her name. She couldn’t remember. She had no memory of her life before a college student going on a road trip over winter break found her walking along the interstate leading into New York City and took her to the nearest hospital.

Beth stayed in the hospital for a couple of days while they ran tests and took MRIs, only to find that other than not remembering anything about herself like her name or where she came from, she was perfectly fine. Beth was actually a name she picked for herself because while she was stuck in that boring hospital room, she found a copy of Little Women and read it over and over until she was released.

The only clue she had to who she used to be was a business card for a crumbling apartment complex in the Bronx and an apartment key. When she first stepped inside ‘her’ apartment, she missed the hospital room. It was worse than anyone could have imagined. It was smaller than a toolshed and had all the personality of a motel room. If she burned the whole block down, it would’ve been a nicer place to live. The best she could say about it is that it had a bed, an ancient creaking mess that folded up into the wall, electricity and running water. It looked like she’d just moved in but for a total lack of boxes.

She got a job as a waitress for a Manhattan restaurant across from Stark Tower. It drew huge crowds of tourists on weekends and Mr. Stark was known to order delivery sometimes which meant serious tips. Except for her tiny studio apartment where even the cockroaches were just staying until they got back on their feet, life wasn’t bad. It was just lonely. And exhausting. And empty.

The loneliness was really starting to get to her when an attractive blond man came to eat at her restaurant. He was drawing the view of Stark Tower on his paper place mat. He wasn’t the first person she’d seen do that but there was something about him. When she went to talk to him, she hoped, she prayed that he was someone from her past life. But when he spoke to her, there was no hint of recognition. He was just another customer. But he reminded her of someone.

Just not someone she remembered. Someone quiet and artistic or someone old fashioned and larger than life.

She tried to remember all day until someone turned on the restaurant TV for a bit of background noise.

There was breaking news that some… terrorist or something attacked a charity gala in Stuggart, Germany and killed a prominent scientist. She almost dropped the tray of dirty glasses when the camera fixed itself on the terrorist. He was dressed in leather armor in black and green and a gold horned helmet that should have looked silly but on him, looked terrifying and stunning.

He spoke of subjugation and of freedom and humanity’s true nature was to kneel. She couldn’t breathe. And she wished that she was that appalled by his bloodshed but she wasn’t. All she could think as she watched him was how beautiful he was. He looked every inch a conqueror.

He looked divine. She had to lean against a chair to keep herself from falling to her own knees.

Then he smiled at the camera like a little kid sneaking a cookie before dinner and her legs buckled under her.

Her boss made her leave early and asked one of the dishwashers to take her home. She didn’t sleep at all. She just got on her cheap laptop and watched online videos of the Stuttgart attack.

She went to work the next day because it was either that or pace around her miserable apartment. She’d been hoping for some semblance of normalcy and fate laughed at her.

There was an alien invasion just outside her door and she didn’t know how but she was sure it had something to do with the man in Stuttgart. She searched the skies as often as she dared looking for some sign of him. He was the key to understanding who she truly was and where she came from, she just knew it.

The next time she saw him was when a reporter approached her to ask her questions about the invasion, the Avengers who stopped it and the man who started all this trouble in the first place.

The reporter showed her the mugshot and said ‘Loki’. Then it all came back to Beth in a huge wave. Her name wasn’t Beth, it was Sigyn. And her previous job before becoming a waitress in New York was as princess of Vanaheim, daughter of the goddess Freya.

She grew up haunted by dreams of a beloved that was kept hidden from her but she inherited her mother’s talent for seidr and those dreams that were supposed to only be vague memories of parallel universes bleeding into people’s subconscious became as clear and vivid as if she’d lived them herself. She knew that Loki Laufeyson was supposed to be her husband, she knew their love was the stuff of myths and she knew her love wasn’t supposed to be a failed alien conqueror but something terrifying and unstoppable like a firestorm.

Sigyn followed Loki and Thor back to Asgard, concealing herself from Heimdall’s sight just as Loki had done the previous year. She found Loki’s cell. She broke him out. She told him everything she knew about the multiverse and their past life together. And he believed her because he had those dreams too. So together, they fled Asgard. Even knowing that it meant a life on the run from Odin, from Thanos and from the wicked fate that exiled Sigyn to earth in the expectation that she would die by her own husband’s hand, they were happy and hopeful because they were finally together.

The Melody of Death

There is a legend that when someone dies they leave a melody. This melody holds in all living beings that were connected to each other. But why does Sigyn's melody stop in Loki again even though they never met.

Murder mystery story by @jonquilclegane

One day, the Allfather called upon his two sons in the throne room. They were still young, but both were princes, and therefore had duties towards the realm. Their father explained that an alliance with Vanaheim was necessary, and that one of them would have to marry Queen Freya’s daughter, Princess Sigyn.

At the time, Thor’s heart was taken by Sif, and to break them up seemed too cruel, as Sif had loved Thor for all her life. And so, it was decided that Loki would marry Sigyn, though he was not enthusiastic at the prospect. His mother could not stop praising the girl, but she was obviously only doing that to calm him down and soothe his justified apprehensions. After all, princesses were boring and frivolous. The moment she would see Thor and Loki, she would prefer his brother and start a tantrum over it, Loki was sure of it.

Most of all, why was Thor allowed to have a love match while he was stuck with an arranged, loveless marriage? The whole thing was so unfair! Of course, the AllFather would not have let him marry Amora, as she was not trustworthy enough to become a Princess of Asgard… still. She was so fascinating and beautiful, she would have been a more amusing company than Sigyn of Vanaheim, plain and predictable.

But then, some news arrived from Vanaheim that changed everything.

Princess Sigyn had died.

How sad.

Anyway, that meant Loki was free, so he was relieved. Not happy, as he would not have wished such a sorrowful ending to an innocent creature, but still. This settled everything, so he was certainly not going to complain.

However, his Father was not satisfied. It turned out the circumstances of the Princess’ death were suspicious, and he asked Loki to investigate.

Great. That silly little girl would have been a bother to him, even after her death.

But the more he investigated, the more things did not match up, and he ended up being fascinated and obsessed by the whole affair. Who could have want the Princess’ downfall? Some jealous rival? Another realm who hoped Asgard would pick one of THEIR princesses over the Vanir one? Or had Sigyn some secrets of her own? At first glance, no, she was your typical princess, courteous, her nose on some tapestry she was embroidering, or some other nonsense noble ladies were told it was fashionable to do these days. And yet, after searching through her things, he found a small book under her bed that made him start to wonder.

“Spells and traditions from the Elvish realm”

Well, well, well… Had his future bride been interested in the magical arts?

Had some of her magic tricks turned against her and caused her death?

He had to be sure.

Vanaheim was the realm of Sigyn’s mother. Her father was, Iwaldi, a famous smith living in Nidavellir. The AllFather had wanted him to marry a half-dwarf lady? Ugrh! How repulsive must she have been!

Most importantly, he had to figure out who she truly was – he only knew parts of her Vanir side. But what about the Dwarf one? Surely her family in Nidavellir could tell him more about her…

So he went to her Father’s shop. Iwaldi was not there, but his two sons greeted him with more interrogations than he himself had.

“And why are you asking questions about our precious sister? You’re free now, so why do you care?”, Nabbi asked in a threatening fashion.

“Yeah, why come bother us with your questions? We are in mourning, don’t you see?”, his brother Daenne continued.

In truth, they did not look in mourning at all, busy with their work and with their father’s shop.

It seemed… strange, to say the least.

But before Loki could say one more word, the two dwarves had taken him into their forge and had chained him to a metal chair.

“You talk too much, Dark Prince!”

Loki had not said a word.

“How about we sew those pretty lips of yours, so you stop asking questions, right?”, Daenne was now holding him tight, while his sibling was preparing metal threads. Oh Norns, they were not going to sew his lips for real, were they?

“Have you lost your damn minds?”, a female voice screamed, making both brothers stop their infernal plans.

“Sigyn, don’t bother with this! That demon has come to take you away!”, Daenne explained.

“Yeah”, Nabbi went on, “He has come to force you to marry him, but we won’t let him! We will protect you, sister!”

“That’s touching, but there is no need to sew his lips for that, I can protect myself!”, the princess – alive and well, it seemed- replied.

“I mean”, Daenne suggested, “we could kill him. Now that he has seen you, he has to die!”

But their sister would not let them hurt Loki, and for that, the Prince of Asgard was grateful. She shielded him with her own body, looking defiantly at her brothers.

“No, he does not. You two don’t realize the consequences his death would have on both Vanaheim and Nidavellir. Please, think before you speak!”

She was right, of course, Odin would destroy both realms if he ever found out Dwarves had hurt his son, and to protect the Vanir princess’ secret. He was not the favorite, that much was obvious, but he still mattered, he hoped. At least, enough to be avenged.

The princess helped him, unbinding his chains with an incantation… Oh, an incantation fetter? How rare! How intriguing! Looking at her now with more interest, she was very pretty. More than pretty, if he was honest… The essence of beauty in truth. She was not very tall, but not a dwarf either. Pretty eyes, pretty hair, pretty lips he could not wait to kiss… Her voice was melodious, when she was not screaming at her brothers, but even then, she had done so to protect Loki from them, which made Loki love her even more.

“I am very sorry, your royal highness. Please, forgive my brothers. They are …something. But they meant well. They only wanted to protect me.”

Loki smiled and nodded. He still would have to take his revenge on Daenne and Nabbi, but that would be for another day.

For now, his lovely bride had taken over his mind. Her plan to fake her death to escape their arranged match showed a spirit full of mischief that pleased him more than he could tell.

She would make him a fine bride. His mother had been right to praise her and assure him she was his perfect match. What a fool he had been not to listen…

Sigyn was looking at him, a little unsure, a little doe watching carefully a walker in the forest, wondering if he was there to admire her or hunt her down…

Feeling his desire rise inside of him, Loki took Sigyn’s hand delicately and kissed it gallantly before winking at her.

It would be fun to seduce his wife, he decided, and give her all the reasons in the Nine realms to stay by his side.

Here you can find the last 4 parts

Part 14 is in progress ^^

#sigyn #loki #marvel #logyn #justiceforsigyn #loki x sigyn #lokiswife #marvel comics #goddessoffidelity #norse mythology #sigyn and loki #amora the enchantress #Sigyn Amora #sigyn stories #sigyn reboot

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jasmine-the-fox · 4 years ago

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Pusher... Is pushed and punished

OK so this salt fic is very dark... There will be severe bullying and threats and demands of suicide, there will be blood too but please understand that this fic will be explained at the end... Also I got the idea from watching some meme’s to the song pusher.

Lila Rossi never thought she would go down like this... All because of her attempt to kill Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

It was all going well, she had made the class hate her... Except for Chloe and Sabrina, they followed her to the back and glared at them when they spoke bad about Marinette but she didn’t care! The girl was getting what she promised, then she took Adrien from her, once Alya gave up on helping Mari dating Adrien as she didn’t want to “Stop bullying Lila for being jealous of her connections” Alya turned to help Lila date him... And his father was forcing him to date Lila.

She didn’t get a reaction, Marinette just shrugged and walked away... That pissed her off, so to get back at her, each time Mari was alone, Lila would attack, a punch here, a kick there, a bucket of water poured on her here, trash dumped on her there she even tore her clothes once! And each time she got away with it because the class claimed she was being clumsy! Even better Adrien looked upset with Mari for causing a scene!!!

Now that was fun... But she wanted the girl gone, Marinette was still smiling, each time she harmed Mari, Chloe would tell the principal she called the police to investigate because “Mari couldn’t have been clumsy like that! These bruises were done to her!!” she then ordered her father to get cameras set up because it didn’t make sense for the girl to be soaked with water or covered in trash... Once Lila had grabbed trash from her place since the day she would do it had been trash day and Chloe figured it out.

So Lila couldn’t do much more now, but the class did and they were getting punished... Even accused of being the ones who attacked Mari when it was Lila, they denied it but there actions matched the ones Lila did... So they were suspended or given detention, Lila felt a little bad for them but it kept her safe though... But Marinette was still here and Lila Rossi didn’t like that one bit as she sighed while in her room.

She would need to get her hands dirty once again.

It wasn’t the first time she caused a death, in Italy she moved to 5 different schools before moving to Paris because she had caused three classmates to end there lives... While she had to kill two and were believed as suicides, and she didn’t mind that because it was easy, just claimed she being bullied by the student, her classmates claimed the same and then claim you think they ended there lives to say sorry... Simple right?

Well... Not with Marinette Dupain-Cheng it wasn’t... For she was very clumsy.

Mari was heading to visit Kagami for a sleepover, Lila knew this because Alya overheard them and told Lila how she was certain Mari was just trying to get money or something... Lila didn’t listen, so after school, Lila ran home and called her mother to tell her she was going to be a little late when heading home as she had to go do something, leaving her bag behind but taking her purse, Lila rushed over to the bakery and waited for Marinette to leave and walk over to the Tsurugi house.

Once she saw her leave, Lila waited a bit before following... It went easy on that part now she had to wait for a car to get a green light for her to push Mari in the street, they were just getting to the corner of the Tsurugi home when the light turned green, cars began to move and as Lila saw Mari get to the corner... She ran, Lila ran as fast as she could without making a sound and just as Mari turned around... Lila pushed her into the street.

She wished that was true for once.

As Mari was falling, her nails pierced into Lila’s close as Mari tried to gain balance to keep standing... And as she pushed up to stand to get the police on what Lila tried to do... Lila fell into the street just as a car was moving in... And everything went black on the Italian.

When Lila woke up, she found herself in a hospital... Handcuffed to the bed, a nurse had just walked in, her mother standing before her with a furious look... And a police officer in the room, turns out there were cameras who filmed her stalking and following Mari to the Tsurugi house, then at one point Mari had texted her parents and Kagami about someone following her so they called the police, they got there just as Mari was trying to save Lila’s life, she was covered in blood that Lila was losing and had even used her jacket to try and stop the bleeding, while Kagami was calling for an ambulance and her mother was keeping the drunk driver there with them.

But when they brought her to the hospital... Things were discovered on Lila, she was found out... It turns out that the three students she pushed to end there lives left a dying message to there parents about Lila and her actions but sadly by the time they got the police involved... Lila had changed schools, as for the other two, they had left either a journal entry or a video claiming how they felt like Lila was planning to do something to them... Something to make them disappear actually, and since they had just witnessed Lila about to cause Marinette to die... They had the proof Lila was dangerous.

Two weeks after being in the hospital, Lila was for three months in court stuck before a judge to decide her fate on the three suicide cases, the two murder cases and the now first attempted murder case, Lila’s family lawyer told her that the other lawyers were refusing a plea deal... Because all the people she had lied about also put her to court and the judge agreed on no plea deal, so whatever was decided... She wasn’t getting out of it no matter what.

She ended up being put into juvenile detention until she was an adult where she would then be transferred to jail in Italy... And there was no way she was going to be able to get out, of course to her luck her lawyer got the judge to agree she does her last year of school at least... But that didn’t mean she was all over the news with what she did all this time.

When she arrived on Monday... The whole class turned on her, called her a monster, a demon, Adrien broke up with her, Gabriel terminated her contract, the Agreste family put a restraining order on her, the class was being fined for what they did to Mari, Alya was being fined for all the lies she posted about Lila on her blog... On and on the class went at her, while Mari walked in with Chloe and Sabrina who trying to give her some comfort on what she went through... And then Mari spoke “You know Lila... I really would have wanted to be your friend if you hadn’t threatened me in the bathroom, or started to attack me and getting it accused on the class” she said as Lila’s eyes widen as she looked back to the class.

While Chloe grinned like a maniac, Sabrina comforted Mari and Marinette sobbed quietly... The class got violent on Lila for what they just found out about Lila, all this time she caused all of this to them... And they wanted justice, the principal had been brought in by Caline as the class revealed that Lila was the one who attacked Mari from the start at school and not them, they demanded justice now.

By lunch, Lila was expelled and failed her last year of high school.

She was placed into juvenile detention the next day, they did allow her to retake her school years yes I said years... Turns out Lila got her classmates to do her homework for her and other things, when she couldn’t she lied to Caline and never turned anything in... So she had to retake three years of high school, at least she was busy with that, during that time the class struggled in trying to figure out there lives, Lila had lied to them about all kinds of opportunities she had opened up for them... But they were all lies in the end, not only that but they all tried to fix things with Marinette.

They believed that sweet Marinette would forgive them and be there friends again... Even helped them with there dreams, but she refused everything, she was done being a doormat, done bending herself in different angles to help them all, done with giving them free things which she billed them for and sent copies to all there parents where warned that there kids had only a month to pay her back before she adds increasement charges of 10% for each week they don’t pay her back, they tried to escape this... Even tried getting Adrien to help but Chloe helped her too not break and had Sabrina take care of refusing them there request.

They were doomed with how much they owed her in the end.

For three years, they have pushed her to make them baked goods and didn’t pay her for them... She paid for the ingredients from her pockets, then there was the free clothes they got... Also paid for fabric and yarn from her pockets, but not once did they think it was expensive, turns out that Ivan has an allergy to sheep wool so Mari had to order and get shipped alpaca or llama wool to knit him certain things that he asks her, or the Mylène asks to make so she can gift to Ivan, what’s worse is that Alya discovered the alpaca wool and demanded Mari knit her things with it, and if it wasn’t the alpaca wool she would get pissed, go to Mari’s room and destroy it in front of her before yelling at her to make it again “with the correct wool this time”

Mari always cried after Alya was gone.

Her parents even banned the class from the bakery, with how much they owed there daughter they told there parents that there kids were banned until they paid back Mari and learn that they need to ask in advance and pay her in advance in full when they want something from her... Then they would be unbanned, Nino was the first to fully pay her back, it cost him his pay from his recent gig but at least he could now have the eclairs they make again... Just needs to pay for them, then it was Rose and Juleka, the two had pawned a few of there things to pay her and got the whole amount on the last day of the month.

Sadly Alix and Kim only paid her a small part so they had to get jobs each, it took Alix a month before she could pay her back in full... Kim took two and a half, Max paid her in half of the month he had to pay her, same for Mylène while Ivan had to sell his drum set and get a job to pay her back due to the whole she had to order for him all this time, Adrien didn’t need to pay her since he still didn’t know the scarf he wears she made for his birthday and Alya... She was still paying her back after a year, a month, two weeks and four days later.

Nathaniel also never ask for anything of the sorts, he was the only one who never thought Mari would bully Lila, but he believed Lila... He also always paid for the things he asked for her to make and he asked her months in advance so she had a bunch of time, but she sadly couldn’t forgive him yet since he did believe Lila over her, but he was working hard to be forgiven and he wasn’t going to give up.

Gabriel found out about everything from the news, once he saw what Lila did in Italy he worked hard to cut all ties to her and then demanded that Adrien tries to date Mari with the claims of “She will make the brand rise higher then miss Rossi ever could, she will even be able to restore the shame miss Rossi brought upon us with what she has done” so Adrien tried to contact her... But his number was blocked, also she had a new phone and number so he couldn’t speak with her, he then tried going up to her but Marinette’s friends always got to her first and pulled her away before he could get close.

Then came Valentine’s day, he decided to leave her gifts and cards around for her, at the bakery, as she was leaving for school, in her locker, on her desk, secretly placed in her bag... Anywhere right as she wasn’t looking, then as school was ending he left her one last note in her locker, asking her to wait for him at the school doors, and she did wait, he walked up to her with a bouquet of roses and asked her on a date.

But she rejected him... Claimed she didn’t have feelings for him... And was dating someone else.

That someone else being Luka Couffaine, Juleka’s big brother, had walked over at that moment to ask Mari if she was ready to head to The Liberty where his mother had prepared for them and Mari’s parents a dinner for them to meet, she agreed and then left Adrien there... Alone without the girl he had tried to have date him... Him, Adrien Agreste the most beloved model in Paris, the one girls went to there knees trying to ask to date them... And he was rejected by the first girl he ever asked out on a date... And was beaten by a quiet guitar player.

When he returned home, his father was disappointed in Adrien, said he would fix his mistake and have Marinette Dupain-Cheng to not only agree to work for him but agree to leave Luka to date Adrien in the end... He knew his father was right, Gabriel Agreste always got what he wanted when he decided on it, so why would this be any different?

But it wasn’t.

Marinette refused the deal, said that what Adrien did to her when Lila had harmed her at school traumatized her and she didn’t feel safe with him, she feared that if she did something, he would act like she was “causing a scene” again when she wasn’t doing anything wrong in the end so she ordered them to leave her alone and to never speak to her again.

After that things staid like that, Lila was taken to prison in Italy, Nathaniel at last was Mari’s friend again, Chloe, Sabrina, Kagami, Marc, Aurore and Mireille found success in life, Mari and Luka got married and then had a daughter named Melody, the class still suffer to this day for believing Lila and Adrien ended up dating a model his father picked for him to be with, he got her pregnant with a boy and was being planned to marry her without him being able to put in his opinion.

This was there life now... All because they believed Lila Rossi.

What did you think about this fic? Sure in the meme’s the victim is pushed by the bully to fall and almost die and then something happens making them jump for real to there death... But please try to understand the message i’m putting in here.

People are being bullied... And they did nothing wrong to deserve it. They just went to school, tried to get good grades, made friends and maybe even got in a relationship.

But then someone ends up bullying them, and sometimes no one helps the victim.

Take this story for example, imagine your either Lila or Marinette alright?

If you pick to be Lila, how would you feel if you were being bullied all of a sudden? How would you feel when your attacked but the bully claims you did it to yourself or harmed them? How would you feel when you leave behind a message to your parents and you end your life? How would you feel just going home or something and the bully causes you to die and they get away with it by claiming you bullied them and you ended your own life?

How would you feel?

Now if you picked Marinette, how does that make you feel? What Lila did to you? Making you classmates pull away from you? The guy you had a crush on look at you like what your doing is wrong? Your classmates attacking you because Lila claimed you hurt her? Lila lying that your clumsy after she attacks you? Lila getting away with what she did by getting your classmates punished for it? Lila trying to kill you only for her to end up almost dead?

What about Lila being punished for everything she did to you and people from her past schools? The class being punished for what they did to you? The class finding out what Lila did all this time in the past and to you? You not accepting your classmates in the end? And then you living the happy life while your classmates are still suffering to this day because of Lila?

Do you see where i’m going with this? If you don’t then that’s fine cause at least you tried to understand and at least read this right? So thank you for that at least and for reposting this fic to your page so others can read it and understand that bullying is wrong and needs to be stopped.

#miraculous ladybug #lila salt #lila gets exposed #Attempted murder #suicide #bullying #attacks #lies #School transfer #proof #Dying message #Marinette gets lucky

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sufandomgirl · 2 years ago

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Amphibia Fanfiction 3 Omegaverse Part 2

Andrias x Leif

!Swearing and Mature Themes Warning!

9 Years Later...Remote Compound...

{It wasn't easy, but Leif managed to hide her daughter's parentage from everyone. Granted, this was aided by the fact that they were so remote from the capital, but it was still hard. The only people that came here from outside were the soldiers responsible for securely delivering their research notes to the capital and their supply delivery, neither of which had any business questioning the origins of the children in the compound. They were an Omega-only unit. Leif's research and advancements were groundbreaking. She actually cultivated a plant that grew inside armor from the metal within seconds, dismantling the suit in the process. She was working to advance this in denser metal structures like robots and tanks and the results looked promising. In addition, she'd made a cure and vaccine for the Dominance Sickness so that it couldn't infect any Alpha again. In both respects, she was seen as a hero. She'd been promoted to Head Agricultural Innovator. Of course, she still had to report to her Compound Supervisor. Speaking of, she was called into her office.}

Supervisor: Leif Plantar, Head Agricultural Innovator?

Leif: Yes, ma'am?

Supervisor: We've received word from the capital that your advancements are really paying off in the war effort. The production of war robots and armor has all but disappeared, making our campaign more cost-effective in addition to less soldiers needing to be deployed. The higher-ups and I congratulate you on your breakthroughs.

Leif: Thank you, ma'am. The remote environment has helped me clear my head.

Supervisor: Then, I have bad news.

Leif: How so?

Supervisor: The King himself spoke to officials, saying that enemies have discovered the compound's location. The entire department must be relocated to the castle, immediately.

Leif: (eyes go wide) What?! How did this happen?!

Supervisor: We are unsure, but the incident is being investigated. As the Head Agricultural Innovator, you're required to have an audience with the King about the progress of all ongoing experiments.

Leif: What about Madison?!

Supervisor: She's well-behaved, I'm sure that the court would allow her to be present. You both will be accomodated accordingly. Are there any other concerns?

Leif: (exhales) No.

Supervisor: Then, go and prepare. The soldier escort will be arriving tomorrow.

Leif: (nods head and leaves)

{Someone discovered their compound location. The only people who knew were few trusted delivery services and high-ranking soldiers and of course, the General and the King. Andrias. Leif had not seen or talked to either of them since she left right after rhe coronation. She knew about Barrel being the General and had sent congratulations anonymously. She was still terrified of what Andrias would say or do. Now, she would be speaking to him as the Head Agricultural Innovator.}

The Next Day...

{The escort arrived and after everyone else was loaded up, Barrel recognized Leif.}

Barrel: (bows) Head Agricultural Innovator Leif Plantar.

Leif: (curtsies) General Barrel of the Amphibian Armed Forces.

{The two dropped the act and hugged, almost in tears.}

Barrel: I was so worried. 'Drias was too. Neither of us heard or knew what had happened to you after you were reassigned!

Leif: (tenses at the mention of Andrias) Me too, I missed you so much!

Madison: (staring up at them)

Barrel: (sees her; separates from Leif) Can we help you, kid?

Madison: (looks at Leif) Mama, (points to him) this Uncle Barrel?

Barrel: (shocked; looks at Leif) 'Mama'? Wait...you were...?

Leif: (looks way, nervously) We can talk about it on the way, Barrel. Madison, why don't you get in and play with the other kids?

Madison: (smiles, widely) Okay, Mama! (gets into cart)

{Barrel helps Leif load up and sits next to her in their own corner as the signal is given to the driver.}

Barrel: So, Madison? Do you know...who...

Leif: (brings knees up to chest) Yeah. No one questions paternity around here. There's no need to.

Barrel: Not much time to when you're saving the world, huh?

Leif: (rolls eyes) Barrel, it still isn't enough. I need to improve the formula to combat denser metals.

Barrel: You've already saved so many lives on our side while raising your daughter alone. You should give yourself some credit. How do you think you'll hold up...talking to him?

Leif: As long as I keep my head down and don't meet his eyes, I should be fine.

Barrel: That's a problem. You know that 'Drias hates when people avert their eyes when talking to him. Says that shifty eyes are untrustworthy.

Leif: Oh, right. Shit, what am I gonna do, Barrel?

Barrel: We'll figure it out, Leif.

The Next Day...

{They return to the castle. Each step towards the throneroom made Leif's stomach wrench up. When the doors finally open, she sees him sitting there, a lot taller than he was the last time they'd spoken. She gulped and kept her hood up and eyes away from his. Not that that made any difference. As soon as he breathed in and undoubtedly picked up her scent, he straightened his posture and his gaze locked onto her small form. At the apporpriate distance, she knelt, bowing her head.}

Leif: Your Majesty.

#amphibia #amphibia andrias #amphibia barrel #amphibia leif

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strawberrywritings · 4 years ago

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No time to die.

A/N: Based on the songs “No time to die” by Billie Eilish for the James Bond movie and “Legends never die” from League of Legends.

I’m also linking this and this because why not (and because I like them more than the originals).

/ Masterlist

Warnings: violence, shitty ending (and shitty writing in general, i apologize in advance)

Summary: one night, shit goes down and Rio is forced to make a decision

He knew that the conversation was long overdue, you had started to pick up on some things, you were not stupid. And that was also why he loved you. On your side, you didn’t want to push him, you knew that whatever he had to say, he would say it when he wanted to. Rio was waiting for the right time to tell you what he really did for a living, but what time is the right time? He had no chance to think about it, because everything blew up in his face. Literally.

Every time you bleed for reaching greatness

Relentless you survive

It was supposed to be a fast meeting, he just had to meet this person, work things out for the business, come home to you. He didn’t like the vibe that the guy had, so he pressed to make the conversation quicker. Once they had agreed on the deal, he followed the guy out of the warehouse, quick and meditated steps, then watched him and his men drive off. He was supposed to go back inside the warehouse, finish a couple of things, but he stayed outside for a bit, some of his men coming out, too. Then, boom.

The warehouse exploded, the remainders going up in flames, smoke coming out of every opening. He turned abruptly towards the building; his eyes full of rage: everything that was inside was gone. Police was bound to be there soon, and he knew he had to sort this mess the same night. So he shot you a quick message, saying something came up at work and he had to fix it, meaning he was going to find whoever did this and kill him but not before taking his damage compensation.

But you'll never see the price it costs

On the other side of town, you were sitting in your car in front of his house, having just got there in hopes to be with him. Frowning at the text, knowing that was nothing good, you replied with a “No problem, baby. I’ll be at home waiting, stay safe.” and a heart emoji, nonetheless. You took your bag from the passenger seat, opening the car door and getting out, locking the car, one hand in your bag to find the spare key Rio gave you to his house. You were about to put the key in the lock when you heard tires screeching behind you but didn’t have time to turn around at the sound as two loud shots resonated. From there, everything was blurry: collapsing on the ground, the pain, other shots and random voices.

Rio, of course, had left two guys in his house, who rushed to the front door as soon as they heard the commotion outside, finding you on the ground gasping for air and a car trying to run off. One of them started shooting at the car, but with no result. The other guy was pressing his hands to your wounds: one on the back and the other on the shoulder. They looked at each other, helping you into the house and calling Rio straight away.

“She was shot twice, it’s bad, boss, what do we do?”. Rio took a second to process what the guy said, before shouting at them to call an ambulance, he knew his doctor couldn’t do that much.

The two men did as they were told, the ambulance coming a few minutes later and rushing you to the hospital.

Rio sat in his car, somewhere out of the city, thinking about what went wrong. His warehouse burnt down and you in the hospital. Should he go back home? Police would be at his house soon, and some of them were probably already at warehouse. It was not looking good.

Oh, pick yourself up, 'cause

Legends never die

When the world is calling you

Can you hear them screaming out your name?

Rio knew it was not coincidence, someone was trying to bring him down. Of course, hurting his business was a fair move, but hurting you? That was low. And whoever it was, they were going to pay for it. He did not know what to do, his mind was in overdrive. You came first, but he knew he couldn’t just show up at the hospital. Rio knew some people there, and he got the information he needed: you were shot twice, probably a handgun, you had lost a lot of blood, one of the bullets was at a bad angle and one of your lungs had almost collapsed. You were still in the OR, you had a possibility of making it out, but recovery was going to be long. As he listened to what the nurse was telling him, he kept thinking about how scared you must have been, if you would have made it, and he couldn’t lose you. He stayed silent for minutes, Mick was scared, nothing good ever came out of his boss’s silence. So he did what he knew how to do best: channel his anger into violence. That was his life and he was used to it, but would you ever be okay with this? Would you even want to see him again? Rio was stuck in his head, avoiding all the possible answers to the questions.

“Call everyone that you can think of – he turned to Mick – we’re gonna need help with this. We will find whoever is responsible for what happened tonight and I want them alive”. In a matter of minutes, his main men were there, everybody else was waiting for a call with instructions. All eyes were on him. The king. He took a breath and straightened up; this was not the time to be weak. He could not let what happened affect him. He had to focus.

It didn’t take long for his men to find something, everyone that had information was brought to him. He spent the night awake, and before dawn he had found the men responsible for the attacks; Mick, who had never left his side, and him drove to another one of his warehouses, where these men were being kept. The building was packed with security, Rio’s crew was in every corner, making sure no one came near the warehouse while he was there. Rio entered the building, looking straight in the eyes of the man in charge of the attacks against him as he approached the chair to which this guy was tied to. On the side, other men were in his same situation, all tied to chairs with tape on their mouths. All of their faces bruised. Rio took calculated and slow steps until he was in front of the man. Crouching down so he could look better into his eyes, he spoke calmly.

“Do you have a death wish?”, he asked and the man shook his head fervently, clearly understanding where the situation was going. His words were muffled by the tape on his mouth, but Rio did not want to hear him anyways, his questions were rhetorical. “Let’s make a deal: if you tell me the truth, I’ll have some mercy, yeah?”, Rio continued, “Were you the one who blew up my warehouse?”, the man nodded. “Were you the one who tried to have my girl killed?”, the man nodded again. “Okay, thank you for the honesty”, in the next second, Rio had his gun out and shot the man right in the head. His men tried to scream and protest, the tape on their mouths not letting the words out. For a second, his anger calmed down, knowing that the man at who orchestrated this whole operation was dead, and soon his associated would be, too. Then the anger came back in full force but towards himself: he had let you get hurt, he was not there with you when it happened, his mind was filled with ifs. Rio walked out of the place, Mick right behind him, as he let the rest of his crew handle the remaining men. He wanted to make an example of them, everyone had to know what the consequences were for trying to bring him down.

He went to the hospital, wanting to see how you were, if you were okay. With every step, he felt the knot in his throat tighten, his hands were sweating and his shoulder tense. He got the number of your room and stared at you from the glass. You were still sedated, but the more he saw you lying there with the oxygen mask on and the machines around you, the more he felt like he had failed you.

“Sir? Sir, you cannot be here”. Rio turned around to see a cop standing behind him. “I’m her boyfriend”, the man nodded and turned around, saying something into his radio before turning back to Rio. “Sir, I’m going to have to ask you some question regarding what happened and your relationship with the victim”. Rio nodded, his mind being elsewhere, he didn’t really care about the investigation, but he sat down with the cop, answering his question with vague answers or “yes” and “no”, the uni not getting much out of him. Everything was a blur for the next day and half. Rio couldn’t eat, sleep or shower without being overwhelmed with guilt. The house was quiet when Mick called, saying you had woken up. Rio was at the hospital in minutes, and of course police beat him and were in the room when he got there, already asking you questions. He waited patiently outside the door, putting on his brave face, he couldn’t let his guard down, not now, not when you were still in a hospital bed, he had to stay strong.

Once the cops were out of the room, he took a deep breath and leaned against the frame, knocking loud enough to get your attention. You looked his way, your eyes tired and you still had the oxygen mask on. “Can I come in?”, you nodded, trying to sit up a bit and flinching once the pain hit you. “Hey, don’t strain yourself- here, let me help”, he rushed to your side and helped you up, making you almost sit up completely and putting more pillows under your back for support. He sat down in the chair next to the bed, his hands staying in his lap although the only thing he wanted to do was to hold you. None of you was speaking. He was scared he would ruin everything with just one word, and you were scared of the truth.

Are you death or paradise?

“I’m sorry, mama”, your eyes, still trained on your hands, began to fill with tears and Rio noticed, his shoulder sagging. “Is there anything I can do?”, his voice was just above a whisper. “Tell me the truth”. Even your voice sounded tired, “I deserve the truth, Rio”. “What do you want to know?”, he lied back into the chair, getting himself comfortable: he was going to be there for a while. “The cops… they said some things, about what you do. I need to know if what they said is true, and then I want to hear the rest, everything there is to know”. He started at you for a moment, then he started shaking his head. “That would put you even more in danger”, “More danger? Do you see where I am?”. “I want you to be clean of this shit”. “I think it’s too late for that, Rio”. He closed his eyes, trying to buy himself some time to decide what to do. He knew that this was coming, but he didn’t see this conversation happening in a hospital, with you hurt because of him. “You either tell me the truth or you walk out that door now”, you were looking at him, your voice a bit steadier. He snapped his eyes open, “You don’t mean it”, his eyes were trained on you, watching you intently, and he was scared because of what you were implying. He knew you loved him, and he loved you, but he didn’t want to do it like this. When he saw how determined your stare was, he got up, walking slowly towards the semi-closed door and grabbing the handle, standing there motionless for a moment, before closing it and making his way back to you and sitting down. “I’m here, mama. You ask, I answer”.

Was it obvious to everybody else?

That I'd fallen for a lie

You and Rio talked for hours and by the time you were done, he had cleared every doubt you had about his life and what he was involved in. He was still sat beside you and you had listened, but now the room was silent. Rio was getting nervous, until you spoke. “Why didn’t you tell me sooner?”. You sighed and let your head drop back onto the pillow behind you, closing your eyes. His warm hand closed around yours, this was the first time he had touched you since coming into the room and he felt a bit more calm. “It’s not easy to talk about these things, mama”, he squeezed your hand and stroked his thumb over your knucles. "Right”. The room fell silent again. “I didn’t say anything to the police, I swear”, you spoke softly. His lips turned up into a small smile at your words, “I know, I trust you... and... I took care of the people that did this - he motioned to your current state - you’re safe now”, his hand had always been aroud yours and now he intertwined your fingers.

Rio stayed at home during your healing process, leaving only if strictly necessary (and always having a couple of his men in the house if he was not home) and he wanted to always be there for you through your convalescence; needless to say, he didn’t let you move a finger, he did everything for you until the doctors told him that you could slowly start to get back to work and into the routine. You had multiple conversations about how things were going to be from that moment in terms of safety, and they always ended with him reassuring that he was never going to make you feel unsafe again. His lifestyle might not be the safest, but you were going to make it, together.

#rio x reader #rio good girls #good girls rio #rio imagine #my writing

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sharinluna · 5 years ago

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Chapter 16 Analysis - The Greatest of These is Love

I try to stick to the canon English version text as much as possible. But in this analysis I had to take some liberties and merge my own translation, because sometimes Elex translation just doesn’t fit with the purpose of my analysis. So please excuse me.

1. Hades’s Reset Plan

A Black Swan member called Hades is trying to put his Reset Plan to action.

Hades: Complete slaughter is the highest respect one can pay to a civilization. Not everyone is fit to become an Evolver. This world belongs to us, and those low-level creatures that do nothing but breed had lived too long.

The rest of Black Swan is skeptical about this plan however, calling it “a powerless clown’s ridiculous trick.” However, Hades thinks the Reset Plan should be carried out because “the previous operations were too slow.”

We can speculate here that what Hades’s trying to do is considered unreasonably aggressive and nonsensically radical even to Black Swan. Hades wants Ares to work with him, but Ares maintains a “Let’s see how well you do on your own first” attitude.

2. Flu Investigation

The news on the TV was talking about a new, mysterious flu that was sweeping the city. The presenting symptoms were the same as regular flu: cold, fever, weakness. They’re calling it a flu, but none of the current antibiotics or cold medications are effective against it. There haven’t been any deaths, but the number of infected has been steadily increasing. The national laboratories have all been working to find a pathogen, but to no result. The virus is spreading faster than anything, and lack of information is making people more worried.

Perry from chapter 15 had this flu. It seems that this strange influenza is spreading. When Yōurán arrives at her office, she overhears the security guards talking and gets suspicious.

Guard A: Did you hear? Smitty got sick. His wife said he couldn’t remember her.

He didn’t even remember his own wife… How is that a symptom of a flu?

Gavin is away and Victor is in the future. Lucien turned Ares on her and Kiro is missing. Yōurán consults the only Evolver she knows: Dr. Song(the Evolver doctor from chapter 13). They figure out the truth of this flu.

Yōurán: Demographics typically vulnerable to diseases like the elderly and small children only make up a small percentage of the infected. Most are in their primes.

Usually, the elderly and small children who have weaker immune systems are the likely target for the flu. But this time, it’s the opposite. Healthy, young people are getting infected by this new flu instead.

Dr. Song: That’s right. Aside from that, I’ve found that out of all the infected, not one is an Evolver. My guess is that the virus is selecting based on genetics.

As the both women figure out, the virus is intentionally infecting healthy, strong, ordinary non-Evolvers.

Later, Yōurán goes to visit a flu patient.

His file said he’d been in a coma for about 10 days, during which he got up once as if sleep walking and tried to assault bystanders with a blunt object. His symptoms were the same as Perry.

She uses her powers to see the man’s future to get the next clue.

I saw him fallen on the ground, his face pale, his eyes about to bulge out of his head, his entire body shaking.

Pretty familiar with Perry at the end of chapter 15, right?

Let’s link their findings with Hades’s Reset Plan. I’m going to guess what Hade’s Reset Plan is in four steps.

Step 1: Hades spreads the virus.

Step 2: The virus infects healthy non-Evolvers who are likely to survive the symptoms.

Step 3: Some people manage to overcome the virus by “evolving”, aka attaining Evol genes and becoming Evolvers. Those who cannot form Evol genes or cannot handle the process die.

Step 4: All non-Evolvers are dead and only Evolvers are left on this earth.

3. Two Conflicting Feelings.

News: Lucien Bioscience Research Center announced a press conference for tomorrow regarding a new reagent targeting the recent flu outbreak.

It had been a long while since I’d heard that name. Ever since that day he disappeared from my life. I asked myself once, did I hate him? But the answer was no. This world is not black and white, and I won’t judge people using just one perspective of right and wrong.

Even though Lucien “betrayed” Yōurán in chapter 13, she can’t hate him. Still, it hurts so much that she doesn’t want to think about him ever again. But that alone tells us that she has lingering feelings for him yet.

I didn’t know what I was running away from. Was I scared to hear those doubts I’d already heard straight from his mouth? Did I want to avoid confirming that this virus was connected to him, so that my rational mind wouldn’t be able to connect the dots? Or was it… that I just didn’t want to face him?

She has two conflicting feelings. She wants to go to the conference and see Lucien again, but at the same time, she wants to stay far away from him to avoid dealing with all this.

In flight or fight, Yōurán has never chosen the former. She decides to go to the press conference regardless of what the consequences might be.

4. The Press Conference

The press conference is my favorite scene in chapter 16 nay, the entire End of Abyss arc. Sadly, I saw a lot of translation errors in this part and some word choices were just not adequate. So please excuse me if some of the quotes are not exactly word-for-word of the Elex version text.

Lucien: I wish that more people would be test subjects. The advance of science is a continuous sacrifice. And deaths and injury along the way due to mistakes are inevitable.

I couldn’t help but worry for him. What was Lucien trying to do speaking cruel truths so frankly? For him, this was all perfectly reasonable. An unpleasant feeling welled up inside me. I wanted to get out of here.

Notice here that Yōurán doesn’t exactly think that Lucien is wrong. She just thinks that he is being cruel. She said earlier that she doesn’t hate Lucien based on the fact that there’s no one correct principle of right and wrong. However, his nonchalant attitude of accepting inevitable deaths as “reasonable” is what upsets her.

Yōurán: I want to ask Professor Lucien a question. What is this “sacrifice” you speak of?

Lucien: Physiological death.

Yōurán: That is to say, it’s normal to sacrifice the minority for the whole of society?

Lucien: Yes. I personally wholeheartedly agree with this statement.

It’s easy to misunderstand her stance on this because Yōurán is against sacrifice in general. But she doesn’t say that sacrifice should be forbidden at all costs. However, a society that demands individual sacrifice to maintain itself is problematic.

Lucien: Like the classic Trolley Problem. Choosing left or right will both land you in a moral quandary. But in reality, whether it’s for societal advancement or not, many people will be eliminated for a variety of reasons, by death or other means. So whether we want to face it or not, survival of the fittest is an eternal principle of existence. It’s what keeps humanity going.

Yōurán: In your eyes, is life so capricious? All life forms should be respected. Every one of us is doing their best to survive. It’s what every person desires and deserves. Their will to keep on living is their right. And you can’t deprive people of this.

Lucien talks that the survival of the fittest is the principle, while Yōurán talks about the natural rights that all people are inherently born with. Every individual on earth have a right to live. She is asking Lucien: Are you so readily throwing that out the window for the continuation of the rest of society?

Yōurán: Maybe you didn’t notice, but there are hospitals full of critically ill people. They may be comatose, but their consciousness still cling to life. Kids in foster care, the broke and homeless, they’re all struggling to survive.

I was confused at first when she said this, but now I understand what she is saying. There may be some volunteers for Lucien’s research, but believing that all test subjects will be willing participants is naïve.

Realistically, homeless people, those who can’t afford continued medical care, or people who have little to no financial support will be the ones who’ll be so-called “volunteers” for this experiment. While the rich sit back and wait for the cure to come out that’s based on the lives of these unfortunate sacrifices. Sacrificing these people with low socioeconomic status to sustain the rest in the name of “survival of the fittest” is a form of discrimination.

Lucien: You have a point. But you speak from the point of view of the minority, and therein arises the paradox. People cannot think in purely logical terms. That is a property of the divine. From primitive society to today, humanity has been sacrificed in political struggle, and died on the battlefields of war. But for some of these people, that sacrifice has been pointless. Fairness is not the only principle. As a cornerstone of civilization, survival stands above all. If it can bring incredible progress, then that sacrifice shouldn’t even require their permission.

But to Lucien, all of that throughout the history of wars and political struggle can be justified in the name of survival. He goes further and says that for survival, people should be sacrificed even against their will.

Sidenote: My thoughts.

Figuring out what’s right and wrong is always difficult and there’s no one right answer. But I lean more on Yōurán’s side. Historically, researches like Lucien’s have always been unethical. We should outgrow the necessary evil of human subject research.

“Sacrifice the few for the whole” is a touchy subject. In reality, many people in position of power or the majority have used that logic to justify their oppression of the minority. And many times humanity chose to sacrifice a small part of their society instead of looking for an alternate solution because it’s more efficient or faster.

Even if sacrifices are unavoidable, the attitude of how you treat people to be sacrificed is important. Do you respect them and feel guilty? Are you careful not to treat them as mere tools for a goal? Did you try your very best to minimize the sacrifice? Did you keep looking for other options until there was absolutely no choice left? I’m afraid that Lucien’s answers for these questions would be all negatives. He is too practical. He doesn’t care about sentiment. If it’s a way to solve problems efficiently he just does it with no emotional attachments, because they are a hindrance to achieving what has to be done.

But when it comes to these matters, maybe we need some hindrances that come from our conscience. Maybe feeling regret is the courtesy we owe to the people we killed so that we could live. Being indifferent to sacrifices is worse than the sacrifice itself. Reluctance and hesitance should always be accompanied when deciding whether we should sacrifice or not. Because when sacrificing a part of us becomes too easy, we will keep chucking out bits and pieces until there is none of us left.

5. Trying to Sever Ties (and Failing)

The conversation between the two becomes more personal at this point.

Yōurán: If… the person to be sacrificed was you, would you be willing?

Lucien: I would. If it meant allowing humanity to take a great stride forward, I would happily do so.

Yōurán: And what if it was someone important to you?

But Lucien just looks at her, not answering the question. Thinking that the unspoken answer is “Yes”, Yōurán falls into despair. At this point, she gives up on him.

Yōurán: Thank you for your answer, and good luck with your research, but I could never support your beliefs. Because in my heart there’s something that will always be more important than survival.

In chapter 16, Yōurán tries to sever all ties with Lucien, but she still has lingering attachments. I already said this in my chapter 15 analysis. The importance of “bonds” is a key element in her nature. No matter how hard she tries, her connection to Lucien can never be cut. Even if it pains her, she cannot bring herself to discard it.

Yōurán: My relationship with Professor Lucien is purely for business, and in the future Miracle Finder will have a new program consultant. I ask that everyone focus on the press conference. Excuse me.

Later she founds out that she left behind the pen Lucien gave her. She can’t abandon it and goes back for it, but when she’s found it she gives it back to Lucien.

Lucien gave her the pen as a way of giving his heart and she is giving it back to him. But because of what happened in chapter 13 he understands and accepts it back.

However, he’s not so accepting that he’s losing yet another connection with her: an excuse to approach her again. Probably the last one left.

Lucien: I just learned I’ve been let go from Miracle Finder. Is it out of line to ask for an explanation?

Yōurán: You’ve strayed from the principles that Miracle Finder strives to uphold. In my mind, the Miracle Finder is about justice and tolerance.

Lucien: Very understandable. I accept your explanation.

Yōurán refuses him because their principles are complete opposite. Lucien accepts her decision but this time she’s the one who’s hesitant to let him go.

Yōurán: Wait! Are you connected with this recent flu?

Please, oh please let your answer be no.

She is just desperately clutching at straws here. She knows what the answer is.

Lucien: Yes.

Hearing those words, something came crashing down in my heart.

Confirmation that she and Lucien are walking different paths.

6. Even if I Had the Gift of Prophesy

Lucien: The justice and goodness you uphold, has it gotten you the results you want? Is that what you think is more important than survival? I’d also like to know, in the face of what you value, would you sacrifice someone important to you?

In the press conference, Yōurán asked Lucien if he would sacrifice someone important for his survival of the fittest belief. Here Lucien is asking her the same thing. Would she abandon someone important to her to uphold her belief of what’s right?

Before she can answer, she is attacked (by Hades) and Lucien instantly pulls her into his arms protecting her.

An instant worry and fear flashed in his eyes, as if… he was afraid of losing something precious. But that look vanished instantly.

Time seemed to have jumped back to a month ago, when he was still Lucien. At that time he was also holding me tight like this… protecting me.

Yōurán: Are you alright? Thanks for saving me.

Lucien: I was just ensuring your safety.

Yōurán: My safety…. is needed in your plan, right?

Lucien: Of course. I don’t engage in worthless endeavors.

The last time we faced off, the people dressed in black also said to make sure I was alive. It was always like that. So all those times he protected me before was also like that.

To Yōurán, it seems like Lucien is saving her just because he needs her alive to use in his scheme. That his feelings for her were not real.

Lucien: Now, answer my question.

Lucien was still blocking my path. I couldn’t see his face clearly through the haze. Maybe this haziness was for the better.

To Yōurán, Lucien’s true intentions has always been vague since chapter 13. Does he care for her? Or was all that a lie? Him giving mixed signals in chapter 16 certainly doesn’t help.

In the end, she decides to go along with this vagueness. She cannot abandon her principles nor can she abandon her ties with Lucien. Without the haze, she would have to face the fact that Lucien is blocking her “path” her belief. In ambiguity, she doesn’t have to choose one for the other.

Yōurán: I wouldn’t. If I had the gift of prophesy and knew all kinds of secrets and knowledge… If I had faith to move mountains, but didn’t have love, then none of it would count for anything. The truth of this world unfolds itself for people only through disappointment and suffering. Even if the light’s source is put out, I’d still try to keep my own shining. No matter how difficult, or how dark it gets. Or how foolish or ridiculous. Someone very important to me once taught me that, and I’ll never forget it.

Lucien first quoted The Corinthians in chapter 13 “For now we see through a glass, darkly.”

Now, Yōurán is quoting lines from The Corinthians too. “If I had the gift of prophesy and knew all kinds of secrets and knowledge… If I had faith to move mountains, but didn’t have love, then none of it would count for anything.”

It’s delicious irony that Lucien is the one who taught her to keep following her own principle when he himself is against it.

In this scene, Yōurán’s greatest strength shines in her words. She may not have powers to move mountains, she may not have all secrets and knowledge. But she has faith, hope, and love. And the greatest of these is love. Against all odds, she will never stop pursuing the light.

7. Despite Everything, My Heart Still Goes out to You

In a flash, an unlikely person popped into my head. Why would I think of him? The next image in my mind was the anxious way he looked at me during that danger just now. I closed my eye and decided to take a chance. That he’d save me, that what I’d seen in his eyes was really there.

After their confrontation, Yōurán faces danger in a deserted alley. She remembers the fleeting moment when she thought she saw genuine fear in Lucien’s eyes and decides to gamble on that to ensure her safety.

Also, even with her multiple tries to sever Lucien from her heart, in times of danger, her thoughts automatically go to him. At the least, Ares said that he needed her alive for his scheme.

And she won in this gamble. Because he did come for her.

Yōurán: Did you really come to save me?

Lucien: I am a man of my word.

Yōurán: Is that also for your goal too?

Lucien: Yes.

Although I had guessed it, hearing it from his own mouth made my heart sink.

Lucien is only telling the half-truth here. His heart truly yearns for her and wants her to be safe. But he doesn’t tell her that, letting Yōurán think that she is just a means to his end.

Meanwhile, Yōurán is still wavering between seeing him as Lucien and seeing him as Ares. Her head tells her that he is her enemy Ares, but her heart keeps pining after Lucien, the gentle scholar who asked her to teach him how to love in New Light Date.

But we already know what her answer will be. She subconsciously keeps reaching out for him.

Lucien: Why aren’t you asking me about what just happened?

Yōurán: But you’re bleeding…

She just saw Lucien kill a man in cold blood(well, it turns out later that this was just a dream and not real but still) but instead of being scared she is worried that he is injured.

Hades thinks that Yōurán is Ares’s weak spot and tries to use her to threaten Ares into working with him.

Lucien: You think the weak spots I let you see, are really weak spots?

But Lucien is one step of Hades. He already knew that Hades would try to get to Yōurán and devised a way to get back at him.

Lucien: Remember the exit I told you about. Cross over. Don’t hesitate.

My heart sunk like lead, and a sudden, intense feeling of dread welled up, almost to my throat.

Lucien: Now, leave my side.

Yōurán: No! You…

Lucien: Do as I say. I will find you.

He spoke in that familiar old tender tone, and then the next second, he shoved me away.

Yōurán: Lucien!

Lucien turned his head and gazed into my eyes. His eyes were as before, tender as the falling tide. There was even a hint of a warm, crisp smile, the likes of which I never saw before.

This smile is probably the most earnest expression he made to her. Pure and sincere with no hidden sides.

I’d never imagined I’d face a situation like this with Lucien. I ran on, and the sound of fighting in the distance grew more intense, along with my tears. I kept telling myself, Lucien would be fine. He was clearly my enemy, only saving me for his own purposes. I had resolved to be done with him… So why does it hurt so much?

I stopped, my trembling body simply unable to take the next step. My heart felt like it was being ripped apart. I couldn’t breathe as if someone was gripping my heart tightly.

As she is running towards the exit that Lucien told her, Yōurán keeps telling herself, Ares is my enemy. I shouldn’t be connected to him anymore. But her heart, her reasons for going on in life, are based on the bonds she’d formed with others, including Lucien. How can she cut that lose when he’s a part of herself?

8. Will You Sacrifice Someone Important to You?

Hades: Ares, I’ll give you one last chance, join me. I will create a world different from today’s, for Evolvers’ only. Advanced, free, beautiful. Isn’t that what you’ve always wanted to see?

Ares: Fool. That world will never exist. An advanced civilization can never be created. It can only be reached by selection and evolution. Your so-called creation is just an excuse to hide your incompetence.

At the risk of oversimplifying things, Ares is telling Hades that he thinks the Reset Plan is stupid. Eliminating non-Evolvers won’t stop the struggle of survival of the fittest.

Yōurán: Lucien!

All in an instant, looks of shock, doubt and disbelief came over him, as well as a joy that he hadn’t shown before, mixed with the others.

Lucien is showing many emotions here. Shock that she still hadn’t left the dream. Doubt whether he is seeing her for real. Disbelief that she would abandon her safety again. And Joy. Pure, primitive delight that she still cares for him enough to throw her life out for him.

Lucien: Why didn’t you listen? Don’t you even care for your own life?!

This is the first time that Lucien ever yelled at Yōurán. (erase the True Love Date from your memory) This is one of the scarce times that Lucien loses his cool and reveals his true emotions raw and bare.

I yelled back at Lucien in a tone I never knew I had.

Yōurán: Liar! You had no intention of coming to find me, did you?! You deceived me every time! This time I’m not falling for it!

(By the way, I would put Yōurán’s words in capitals if I were the translator, to emphasize the yelling when she’s usually soft-spoken.)

I love that Yōurán didn’t put up with his I’m-only-saving-you-for-my-goal nonsense. I love that she saw through Lucien acting like Ares and forced out the truth that he truly loves her. I love that she was more upset that he lied about him being safe than the fact that he lied about him being part of Black Swan.

I’m sorry, but if I just go and let you take all the danger, I’ll never be able to forgive myself. Even if we are enemies. I still want to prove to you that even in the darkness, I’ll persist in my faith.

In the end, the question is he Lucien or is he Ares didn’t matter. That he was her enemy and have opposing beliefs from her didn’t matter. All that mattered in the end was that Lucien was the one who taught her to keep pursuing her light, and she was the one who taught him how to love. The unbreakable bond between them.

Lucien: Yōurán, Do you want to know my answer from the press conference?

Finally, finally, Lucien answers truthfully to her questions in the press conference. The first time he didn’t evade her questions regarding his feelings with silence.

Lucien: I won’t. I won’t sacrifice someone important to me. That is my answer.

I am infinitely glad that Lucien said this to her, and also infinitely mad that she forgot this in the end.

Lucien grabs her hand, and Yōurán sees a vision of Lucien’s past memories.

A white moonbeam appeared instantly before my eyes, solidifying into a blade, striking at me. A split second later there was a rupture, and a black liquid flowed from my pupil. For a moment, color was restored to my vision. I saw a pair of bloody eyes flicker past me. Then it was all black-and-white scenes of the TV tower, the park, the research center… As well as, a black-and-white me.

This makes me think that Lucien lost his ability to see Yōurán in color when he stabbed his eye in chapter 13. If he could still see her in color, he would have noticed her coming back for him earlier. He lost his only color in the world for her.

9. Hazy Like a Fog

Yōurán: Lucien, you’re hurt!

Lucien: You knew it was dangerous. Why did you come back?

Yōurán: Because you saved me. I couldn’t just abandon you.

She came back because Lucien is part of her. When he gets hurt, she gets hurt too. When he dies, the part of Yōurán that belongs to Lucien dies too. She cannot break the tie that pulls her towards him.

Lucien: I saved you because it’s better for me if you’re alive.

He seemed to always be stressing this point.

Yōurán: So why did you tell me the direction of the exit and make me leave by myself… Why didn’t you go with me? Didn’t you consider your own safety?

(Yōurán: Don’t play dumb with me, mister. I know you love me.)

Then she learns that all of this was part of Lucien’s plan. That her coming back for him had no influence in it.

Had he planned all of this?! And he didn’t tell me! All the while I cried like a fool, agonized over decisions, and left myself be vulnerable again and again! Liar!

KR translation is a bit different here.

I cried endlessly like a fool, I kept making choices endlessly, and I endlessly took out and looked at my feelings(heart) and agonized over them! Liar!

Notice the repetition of “endlessly” is used to describe the depth of what she felt before she made her decision to come back for Lucien. I would love to know what JP and CN translations are.

But still this liar hadn’t hurt me once the whole way though… My heart overflowed with loss, grief, doubt… a complex wave of emotions.

Again, her emotions regarding Lucien becomes a complicated mess.

A large hand suddenly covered my eyes, feeling slightly cold.

Yōurán: And I’ll forget everything that’s happened here too?

There was a long pause, and then I heard Lucien’s soft voice.

Lucien: yes.

Then I felt his finger tremble a bit, and my heart trembled with it.

Yōurán: Lucien… what kind of person are you really… Why even though we are enemies, do you always save me risking everything? Why do you always push me away again after saving me… Why can I see the futures of other people, but not yours…

Whenever she tries to discern Lucien, she is met with a vague fog. She got his answer to the question: Would he sacrifice someone important for his goal? But more questions came up that would never get answers. Even the one answer she got is about to be taken away from her.

10. Back to the Real Owner

Lucien carefully took out a pen from his pocket and placed it in the girl’s hand.

I said before that Lucien’s pen means Lucien’s heart. Yōurán tried to give it back to Lucien.

Then he leaned over and whispered into her ear:

Lucien: Next time, don’t rush into danger by yourself. Especially, on my account.

This scene reminds me of the end of chapter 15 when Gavin whispers to unconscious Yōurán to wait for him to come back. It hurts that she doesn’t receive the final messages they send to her before they leave her.

11. Again, Alone with Only a Memento

Just like in the end of chapter 15, Yōurán wakes up in her room alone. But this time, she forgot what has happened to her.

Large beads of sweat fell from my forehead. I opened my eyes to a pitch black ceiling. Black-and-white images were scrolling through my head. Too bad those images were like photo negatives and too blurred to make out.

I remembered I was being followed on a street. How was I waking up in my house all of a sudden? There seemed to be a chuck missing, but I couldn’t put a finger on it.

Although she doesn’t remember it, everything she felt still remains in her heart.

When I thought of Lucien’s name again, an intense feeling of grief and longing washed over me.

Because you can’t erase feelings even when you erase memories. PTSD patients sometimes forget what they went through that caused their trauma, but they can still feel the pain and suffering they felt. But they don’t know why they are hurting.

This was when I seriously began to worry about Yōurán. In real life, she needs professional help.

In chapter 16 she tries to put a distance between Lucien but fails utterly and admits to herself that she can never stop caring for Lucien. But after all they went through, her memories, her decisions, her revelations are gone. She feels empty, and sad.

She is only left with Lucien’s “Iridescent” pen. Just like with Gavin and his ginkgo bracelet.

12. Conclusion – This Love Hurts Like Hell, but It will be Worth It.

The press conference and chapter 16 in general depicted what I love the most about Lucien X Yōurán relationship. Their love goes very deep. Enough for Lucien to not hand her over to Black Swan and enough for Yōurán to trust him despite suspecting that he has hidden agenda.

Still, their ideas about humanity and morals are different and they clash. I like that none of them is abandoning their principles for the sake of love. I like that a female character has enough agency to have her own opinions that contradicts that of the male love interest. Instead of passively accepting the thoughts of her lover.

Their continued war of words. This is how the thoughts of great philosophies are made. They both stand firm in their ground. They’re on opposing sides and will battle each other ferociously. However, they still love each other and would go to great lengths to keep each other safe. Can you imagine the euphoria when despite all hurdles their love triumphs all in the end?

“No degree in love’s progress was left untried by our passion, and if love itself could imagine any wonder as yet unknown, we discovered it.” – Historia Calamitatum

#mlqc #mlqc analysis #mlqc lucien #mlqc chapter 16

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mintchocolateleaves · 5 years ago

Text

Reaching Horizon (1/?)

Summary: In Kenfair, Shinichi and Ran are investigating the happenings to their friend's disappearance. In Camden, two criminals are searching for the missing thaumogenic tubes that belonged to a man now dead. In the Estyan Capital, a knight and a witch are sent to ensure the necropolis is not opened. And at the middle of it all, is the link of Suzuki Sonoko's disappearance. // Fantasy!AU.

Notes: It’s Shinichi day. Happy birthday to the boy. Have something I’ve been slowly working on while working through this pandemic. ((Also, yes, I created an entire fantasy world and did all the world building just for the funsies. just. yeah.))

The knock comes in the dead of night.

From where he’s been lying restless in his bed, Makoto shifts. The knock isn’t loud enough for it to be originating from their home, but rather from the annex next door, from their shop.

A customer this late?

Makoto thinks that no good can come from this.

Still, it’s probably for the best if he takes control of their late-night guest instead of his father. He’s always been strong, and not altogether incapable of using the weapons that his family forges.

He pushes himself out of bed, pulls his blanket off and grabs his shirt, trying to make himself somewhat decent despite the bags he knows pull at the skin beneath his eyes.

The stairs creak on his way downstairs, but his father has always been capable of sleeping through louder sounds. He passes the main house, through the side door that leads out into the shop, and heads to the door.

Makoto isn’t a fool: He doesn’t unchain the latch as he opens it.

Outside, there is little light except that from the waxing moon, and as such, it’s almost difficult to make out the figure in front of him. Even his glasses don’t offer much help for his sight when it comes to light. What he can see however, is that the figure of his guest.

Petite, small. A female covering their face with a hood, her hands wrapped around her from the cold.

Perhaps his first thought should not be assassin, since there is no reason for either Makoto, nor his father to be assassinated, but the threat comes to mind and he feels the overwhelming urge to shut the door.

“I’m sorry,” comes a whisper, finally, “I know it’s late. I was hoping I could buy something.”

The voice is familiar.

Makoto has heard it before. One of the heiresses of the Suzuki family: Suzuki Sonoko. The younger of two sisters, she happens to be the most sheltered. Makoto has heard rumours before – that her constitution is weak, that she remains inside the Suzuki mansion because the outside is too much for her body.

Looking at her now, Makoto knows the rumours are false: she does not look an inch like a woman too weak for life.

“It’s the middle of the night,” Makoto says, for lack of anything else to say.

Sonoko shivers, nods her head. She says, “Well yes, I know that but… It couldn’t wait.”

The only time Makoto has seen her before, was during the witching trails, when her friends had been competing to see if they could advance their magicking titles. She’s cheered them on and raced onto the field when they’d advanced as if she couldn’t wait then, either.

He sort of gets the impression that a lot of things can’t wait when it comes to Suzuki Sonoko.

So, he closes the door. Unlatches it and allows it to swing open. If Suzuki Sonoko is an assassin set out to murder him, then he supposes that he’ll admit the foolery to be all his. But for now, he nods his head and allows her to enter the shop.

Nervous, she does.

“I’m sorry for the inconvenience,” Sonoko says, and Makoto finds himself waving the concern off, finds that his words fade away as he closes the door behind her, turning around to face her.

Now that she is inside, she lowers her hood.

Her hair, once long and plaited, two plaits that usually fell to just above her hips, now sits lose just past her chin. It’s uneven, hacked off with a sense of urgency that sends a shiver down Makoto’s spine.

Despite that, she looks beautiful.

“Oh,” Sonoko says, watching him staring, “I suppose I should have explained who I was before asking entry…”

He’s staring.

She probably thinks he’s staring because Sonoko is a Lady, because she’s nobility and nobles don’t tend to be seen out after dark, not when they can remain in their mansions, sleeping in the height of luxury.

“I know you, Lady Suzuki,” Makoto says, after a moment. He turns his gaze from her, focusing on the sharp metals of the knives he’s helped his father forge, trying to stifle the blush rising up his neck. “I just don’t understand what urgency would bring you to our shop.”

Sonoko glances around the store.

“Well, this is the blacksmiths, isn’t it?”

Makoto offers out a stuttered yes. They forge weapons from fire, for knights and soldiers alike, some imprinted with charms to help the wielder, and others without, but he doesn’t see how this would help her.

The Suzuki family has their own armoury, after all. Maybe she’d need to ask some of the soldier’s in her employ for something, but there is nothing she would go without.

“Good,” Sonoko says, when she notices the nod. She’s looking at the various weapons, moving from piece to piece, her finger brushing against the blades as if to assess how sharp they are. “Well, I’d like to buy a dagger.”

“A dagger…?”

She turns to him, not with a quickness that is dangerous, but rather with an urgency that is desperate.

“Or a knife,” she continues, “as long as it is sharp, and small, and altogether unassuming. I’m – No, I – I need one urgently.”

Makoto’s mouth feels dry. He says, “Give me a few days and I’ll make the best knife you’ve ever see-”

“No.” Sonoko pitches forward, eyes wide, forgetting herself. It’s only now, that Makoto really realises the pack she’s wearing. As if she’s gearing up to go somewhere far away. “Whatever you have in this store, whatever you trust is good enough.”

There are no fancy jewel embroidered knives or daggers in the shop, not at the moment. They either have standard weaponry for adventurers that come into the shop, or they have better weapons that are directly commissioned by nobility or the military.

“We’ve only got… weapons below your status at the moment,” Makoto says, and his gaze settles on her now, to the tremble of her shoulders. “I’m sorry… My Lady.”

“I don’t care if it’s beneath me,” she says, “I need to leave, and I can’t without a weapon. I’ll take a kitchen knife, if that’s all you can offer.”

Makoto frowns. He’s not going to sell Suzuki Sonoko a knife.

“We’ve got a dagger in the back,” Makoto says, thinking over the merchandise they have for sale. “It’s a smaller one, a curved blade that’s pretty light. I can bring it out for you.”

“Please,” Sonoko gasps. “However, much it costs, I just need it…”

Outside, the sky flashes with lightning.

Sonoko flinches.

“You know what,” she says, throwing herself forward, in front of him, her arms out as if to bar him from going away into the storage cupboard, “We don’t need to go back for that one, I found one I like.”

She leans forward, grabbing hold of a knife that has a hilt too wide to comfortably remain in her hands. Makoto tries not to wince. While it’s possible to hold onto the hilt, to keep the knife in her hand, it’d be nigh impossible to keep a proper grip during a fight.

“Lady Suzuki,” Makoto says, his voice low. “That one isn’t suitable for–”

“I-It’s fine,” her trembling is even worse than it had been before. “I’m – I’ll take this one please, uh–”

“Makoto,” he says, “Kyogoku Makoto…”

“Kyogoku-san,” Sonoko says, “this is the one that I want.”

He leans forward, glances her up and down. Perhaps it’s overstepping his boundaries – scratch that, it definitely is – but Makoto settles his hands on her shoulder’s. The muscles are unbearably tense.

“Forgive me, Lady Suzuki,” he says, voice barely above a whisper. “But what are you so scared of? Why would a noble like yourself even need a dagger with such urgency?”

She blinks. And then, turning away, “I need to go away. It isn’t safe.”

“What’s dangerous enough that you would be forced to flee in the middle of the night?” Makoto asks.

“The manor,” Sonoko looks up, and now, she meets his gaze with a steady determination. The fear doesn’t go away, but there’s a bravery behind her eyes too. He can almost fall in love with someone who has a bravery like that. “I overheard something I shouldn’t – a plot.”

A plot?

“If I stay,” Sonoko says, her voice low. “Then I don’t think I’ll survive it…”

So, she will go alone? Into a world she knows nothing about, fighting to survive as someone with little possessions when she’d been raised with so many? Even now, she cannot hide the wealth she’s come from – even dressed down, she looks dressed up.

“You’ll be killed?”

“In the simplest of terms, yes.”

Makoto takes a moment to consider everything. His father has years left in him, has never struggled to keep the shop up and running. He’d probably be fine if Makoto were to…

“I’ll come with you,” Makoto says. He feels bold declaring it, but honestly, he doubts that Sonoko will survive by herself. Not with mercenaries spread so thickly through the forests, not when the world is not as peaceful as it claims to be. “You won’t have to go alone.”

Sonoko’s eyes widen. “I can’t ask that of you.”

“You don’t need to.”

“I don’t even know you.” Sonoko says. “And you don’t understand the severity of this situation… if you help me, you could die.”

But if he doesn’t help, and this woman is killed regardless?

“Let me pack some things,” Makoto says, “I won’t let you go alone.”

Makoto doesn’t take his time packing; He fears Sonoko will leave if he does.

Instead, he grabs the essentials. A spare set of clothes, the pouch of coins he’d been saving back in order to commission a gift for his father’s nearing birthday and the first dagger his father had made him. He sheathes the blade around his waist, and then, decides that if he’s going to help protect someone with a death warrant, he probably needs a second weapon too.

He’ll grab his sword from the storage cupboard, along with the more fitting dagger he’d had in mind for Sonoko.

As he heads downstairs, he wraps some bread and cheese in a cloth, placing it in the backpack he’s grabbed. Other things too – a vial of leftover medicinal herbs that they won’t miss, and a small whetstone from the back, to keep their weapons maintained.

Once he’s grabbed everything he can think of, he heads out to Sonoko, breathing out a sigh of relief when he returns and she’s still there.

“Here.” He hands the dagger out to her, urging her to take the hilt. “This one is probably more suitable.”

“Kyogoku-san… I can’t–”

“Call me Makoto,” he says, quietly, “and you can. You should – this is your life on the line, you should take all the help you can get.”

Slowly, Sonoko nods. She looks like she’s biting the inside of her cheek, chewing on the premise of taking help. Eventually, she nods her head.

“Thank you,” she whispers. “I mean it… Makoto-san… really. Thank you.”

Makoto nods his head, stiff. He says, “Lets go then, Lady Suzuki.”

Part One

Sonoko Suzuki had gone missing.

It had been a weird happenstance from the beginning. She'd disappeared in the dead of night and according to the many witnesses asked, not a person in Kenfair had spotted sight of her during the hours of her assumed disappearance. There'd been no ransom note, and the only lead left behind had been in the way her bedsheets hadn't been mussed, almost as if whomever had stolen her away had done so before she'd even had the chance to sleep.

Folklore warned the citizens of faeries coming to steal her away. The youngest of two, she'd been desirable in her own right.

But Kudo Shinichi was not a believer in folklore, and he knew there was something deeper at play.

Blaming Suzuki's disappearance on faeries was the same as saying there was nothing to be done to find her. And surely, there were clues. There was a case to be solved, and there would be evidence for him to look into. Suzuki might have been a pain, and no good at helping him draw out magic circles past passing him more chalk, but they'd been friends since they were children, and Shinichi couldn't bear the idea of never finding her.

Neither, it seemed, could Ran. Their mutual friend, and the only reason Suzuki didn't just throw chalk at his head whenever he asked.

In fact, it had been Ran who'd told Shinichi of their friend's disappearance in the first place, flinging his door open while he'd been in the middle of weighing out carbon to alchemise it into more writing chalk. The manor always needed more chalk.

"Shinichi," Ran had said that morning, his name familiar on her tongue. Usually, her voice held fondness, or exasperation, but today, it sounded like it was hitched in her throat, terror accompanying each word. "Shinichi, Sonoko's gone."

Shinichi had turned, looking her up and down. Ran's terror, while leaving him cold, seemed almost like an overreaction, and yet ice ran along the bare of his back. "She likes going on walks, you know that. She'll come back eventually."

Except, Sonoko hadn't come back. Half a day passed as they were waiting, eyes narrowing at the doorframe at every shift in the air as if their friend would walk past with a parasol over her shoulder, complaining about the humidity of the summer air.

Which brought them to now.

"Ran," Shinichi says, his voice quiet. "Sonoko's gone."

Ran sends him a look that is half frustrated, and half why don't you just believe me when I speak? It'd really save us both a lot of time.

"She is," Ran repeats. "I told you that this morning."

"I don't get it," Shinichi continues, pushing himself up. He steps over a poorly drawn magic circle, alchemical symbols half rubbed out to keep the circle from activating and makes his way to the door. "No one's been acting like she's gone."

"Her sister’s gone out to ask," Ran says, "looking for any sights of people..."

"But inside the manor. There's been no rushing, no one's asked us about whether we've seen her or not." Shinichi shakes his head, lifting his fingers up as he tries to think. "I don't understand. There's usually a bigger investigation when people go missing."

Ran offers him a smile. It's strained, half curling at her lips as if it doesn't know how to properly place the expression. Not that she's unaccustomed to smiling - she's got the prettiest smile that Shinichi's seen. It's just... stress and a Mouri are never things that work well together.

Shinichi's seen her lose her temper enough times to attest to that.

"I thought," Ran says, "since you're so good at solving mysteries, you'd have sprung immediately on the chance to find her."

"This isn't the first time Suzuki's gone missing." Shinichi lifts a finger to his chin, takes a moment to think. "The last time I looked for her, we climbed through nettles to find her hidden away in the clearing. She likes having a moment away, we all know that."

Of course, she did. Suzuki had always been flighty. She loved socialising, yes, but sometimes she needed time away. And Shinichi understood it, really - he did. It must have become overbearing, sometimes, to live amongst spellcasters and be unable to use spells herself.

"Maybe in the evening," Ran says, "but she's never awake unless someone forces her up. She wakes late, we both know that."

Shinichi hums. That's true at least.

"Can you help me find her now, please?" Ran sighs. "I'm worried."

"You're always worried about something."

"I know," Ran says. "But not like this. I normally worry about you creating fire when you alchemize. Or about Sonoko throwing chalk and hitting you in the eye. Not about my friends going missing."

Shinichi nods, moving back towards Ran and resting a hand on her shoulder. Ran’s shoulders relax, marginally.

"We should look for clues," he says. "See if we can find anything to base things off. Will we be able to search her room?"

Ran gives him a look that suggests he's an idiot. "Why wouldn't we search her room Shinichi?"

"Well," Shinichi says, "I'm a guy for one. People might consider it uncouth."

"Well they can all shut up and leave their judgements for after we find Sonoko." She leans forward, grabbing his wrist. She's gentle with her hold, the only rough part of her, are the callouses from years of practise with the sword she wears sheathed around her waist. "Until then, I don't quite care what anyone else thinks."

Shinichi has always found that he quite likes this side of Ran.

"Alright then, lead the way."

Suzuki's room is, for lack of other words, cluttered. There’s plenty of moving pictures and a mosaic adorning the walls, jewellery and small ornaments across each surface. On the dressing table, there are hairbrushes and headbands, small vials of nail polish and other makeup brands in small piles that must mean something to Suzuki, but nothing to Shinichi.

There is also, as he steps into the room, an overpowering scent of incense that burns at his nostrils. It’s a mixture of citrus with some plant, although he can’t quite tell while it’s mixed with the former. They don’t seem to blend well, at least, Shinichi wouldn’t say they would.

All incense ever seems to bring him, is a headache.

"She's still using those incense sticks?"

"Sonoko likes sweet things, you know that." Ran says, and her tone is fond. She doesn’t seem as affected by the overbearing smell. "It's time to get over it and start looking for clues."

Shinichi ignores the impending headache, and does as Ran suggests, glancing around. The room is familiar, although he’s not spent to much time over the years in Suzuki’s room. The bed, like it always has been, has been pushed up as close to the arched windows as possible.

Despite the warnings, the repeated insistence that it’s too exposed, Suzuki had insisted she be so close to the windows, that she liked to sit on the small bench that resulted from where her windows jutted out in a large curve. Even the bed didn’t agree with its placement, not quite fitting within the empty space.

The bed is made, pristine, as always. Soft cushions adorn the head of the bed, symmetrical in a way Suzuki had never really showed care for. Often, she would push them off onto the floor and just sleep with the pillows on her bed. The only cushion she ever kept on the bed, is the small cushion with flowers embroidered on the front, a gift from her older sister, Ayako.

Shinichi moves forward, glances at the flowered cushion in the middle of the bed. He can’t tell whether the bed had been left this way overnight, or whether the maids had set everything out and made it again early this morning.

"They didn't," Ran says, and it's only then that Shinichi realises he'd been mumbling to himself. "Her maid, Kaguya, said the bed was made when she came to check on Sonoko this morning."

Odd.

“Did Kaguya straighten the bed up this morning anyway?” Shinichi asks.

"You mean," Ran says, tone dry. "Did Sonoko make it herself and have Kaguya make it more presentable? Or did she never go to sleep in the first place?"

"Exactly."

"Kaguya didn't make the bed, Shinichi." Ran says.

So, either Sonoko has gotten very suddenly proficient at housework, or, she'd never gotten into bed in the first place. Shinichi knows which option he'd bet on.

“Right,” Shinichi nods. “Well, that gives us a timeframe at least. Suzuki left dinner with us just after eight, yesterday. And she usually sleeps before midnight. That’s a four-hour gap for her disappearance.”

“Unless she stayed up, for some reason.”

It’s not impossible. There could be plenty of reasons for Suzuki not to be asleep by then. She could have had trouble sleeping, or, it was also possible that someone else had made the bed in an effort to keep people from realising Suzuki had been taken later in the night.

“It’s not a full timeframe, but we can use the four hours as a working reference.” Shinichi says. “There’s a lot of possibilities, but let’s get more information before we start making theories.”

Not that he could stop himself, already, from theorising. Unlike Ran, however, he was capable of keeping himself from committing to any theory until it was more solid.

“Let’s check the wards,” Shinichi says. “I’ll check the window one, if you can check the door?”

Ran nods, turning and heading back for the wards. Shinichi steps around the bed, to the gap between Suzuki’s bed and to the small bench beneath the glass. There, carved into the wood, faintly glowing in response to his magic, sits the protection spell he and Ran had instilled together to keep Suzuki safe.

A small carving, the ward seems more ovular than circular, although Shinichi knows the design is more the fault of an unsteady hand rather than due to aesthetic choice. Still, ovals worked as efficiently as magic circles did, so long as the lines and symbols written inside were sectioned in the same way, with the same percentages of the shape filled.

Magic could exist inside any shape; It was just easier to partition a circle.

Shinichi presses his hand against the sigil, eyes closing as he focuses on the familiar warmth of magic. Each person’s magic had its individual signature: a taste, a feeling, or even a smell. His own, from what Ran had told him, was the tingle of warmth in her fingertips, with the scent of parchment and newly printed books. And Ran’s he knew, felt like trust and had the taste of fresh air following rainfall.

If someone had altered the wards in any way, there would be a discrepancy in the magic, and their signature would be left behind.

All Shinichi could sense, was rainfall and trust.

“Ran?”

“The door’s not been tampered with.”

Shinichi’s forehead crinkles into a frown as he turns to face Ran. “The window’s ward is the same.”

Suggesting someone hadn’t broken in. Suzuki must have opened the door for someone, since the wards were designed to protect and keep anyone intending her harm out.

“So, it wasn’t a stranger?” Ran asks, her voice falling quiet. “Then who could it be?

“I’m not sure yet,” Shinichi says. Glancing back to the jewellery shows that most seems untouched, suggesting Sonoko’s disappearance doesn’t seem linked to monetary purposes. Her drawers, just below a mosaic of the sun, and the jewellery on there, too, was untouched.

His gaze settles on the mosaic. In the middle of the sun, the centre circle was filled with a half-waning moon and another smaller sun to symbolise the yin and yang of day and night. It was filled with bright gemstones between more muted ceramic colouring.

Every time Shinichi had been in Suzuki’s room in the past - which, admittedly was sparse and only for the maintenance of the wards - the mosaic had been complete.

Now, the moon was missing two of the gemstones that had been there in the past.

“Ran,” Shinichi says, “tell me if I’m wrong, but Sonoko’s mosaic wasn’t broken or missing any parts in the past, was it?”

Ran shakes her head. “Sonoko loves that mosaic. She’d have told me if it had. Why... what is...?”

She leans forward, looking at the mosaic.

“Oh,” Ran says, quiet. “Those gemstones...”

“I think,” Shinichi says, quiet. “We’ve got an official clue. Let’s see if anyone’s sold two gems in town since last night.”

#dcmk #detective conan #kudo shinichi #mouri ran #shinran #kuroba kaito #nakamori aoko #kaiao #suzuki sonoko #kyogoku makoto #sonomako #koizumi akako #hakuba saguru #magic kaito #fic: reaching horizon #fantasy au #mywriting

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heartwoodventures · 4 years ago

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Primary Access Required: Better Run, Faster Than My Spiders

Once everyone had gathered around Crific to teleport back home that soft 'Oh no' hit the Seeker's ears and that's when the realization hit her, Nazyl couldn't teleport with them, and refusing to leave anyone by themselves G'lewra launched herself out of the group to grab a hold of the lalafell. The whooshing sound behind her made it clear that the others got away, besides one other, one of the spiders had latched itself once again to Livia and had interrupted the cast for her. With a quick wave of her hand a small ball of aether blasted from her palm and launched the blasted thing off the Hyur, and with quick work did the medic grab Livia as well then booked it with both of them. Launching both of them in front of her the Seeker dug around in her bag and pulled out a few empty shards to fill them with her own aether and launched them at the flood behind them, the spiders would pause to absorb their treat which gave the three time to gain some distance. "Don't look back just keep running!"

Livia had measures of her own. The telltale magical facets of a large scale barrier spell set in place as a wall. It wouldn't hold the whole of the swarm back, and even then it wouldn't hold those it did block off for long, but it was a measure enough. Panicked as she was by her fear of spiders, the conjurer had absolutely no reservations about running. FAST.

Nazyl barely had time to tell Crific that maybe teleporting him would probably be the last time any of them would see him, considering the ramifications of such a spell on his body and spirit...thankfully he was pulled away, forced to move away from the encroaching horde lest the others be overwhelmed. he did not fear the spiders--nay, they had no reason to pursue him. The others, however....he made a mad dash through the snow, using his shield to swipe away whatever blocked him.

The snow crunched under their feet as they booked it through the cold Coerthas lands and all they would hear behind them was the echoing of 'Locked on Target' and the metal limbs rushing through the snow. They smacked into Livia's barrier and the smaller ones would launch themselves at it to try to break it down, the bigger ones struck the barrier with their limbs, and with each hit did it become weaker. "We need to get somewhere safe."

"Safe? What if they decide ta go huntin' beyond those grounds? What happens ta the ishgardians here?" Nazyl Tharazyl panted, stopping near the river, "Well they can't just be allowed ta stay here..."

"To die senselessly here would do little to aid said Ishgardians. We can do little as is to contest the numbers of those monstrous things, as is!" Livia was just as out of breath. "We're in agreement. We've got to at least try to lead them astray before we throw them from our trail."

G'lewra stopped along with the lalafell and started to dig through her bag again, there had to be something in here that could help them. "Come on...." All the Seeker had though were healing potions and ointments, she didn't carry bombs on her as her daughter did. "I wonder..." Looking behind her Lewra watched the flood continue trying to break down the barrier, they were losing time. "We need to find a spot to hide in, I can form a barrier around us to hide us but I can only hold it for so long."

Nazyl began to look around the area...he was pretty familiar with Coerthan terrain, and oft marked areas where he could stave off the cold…

Livia scanned the area for a moment. "A... cliffside with soft sediment in a large enough spot may do. I could part the earth to allow us a crevice, though it would ultimately box us in."

"I don't know this area at all, I avoid cold places at all cost and now I have another reason to do so." Lewra looked between the two. "If either of you two know the area better lead the way, Livia I'll have you part the earth if needed to make us a hiding spot."

Livia Arkwright nodded. "I... am unfamiliar with the specifics of the wilds here, I fear."

Nazyl stared across the river some, then glanced to his left. Things began to look familiar, "...There's a cave system ta our left, up the stream. It goes deep n' the openin' is small, we'll be safe from largah threats."

"Quickly lead us there, apologies for sounding demanding but we must be quick." Even in a time like this the Seeker apologized as she was never the type to demand something of someone. "I'm going to start preparing." Pulling the Codex from her hip G'lewra flicked to a page with complex arcane circles on it. It looked like complete nonsense to the other two but to the Scholar it was the spell that would keep them safe in this desperate time.

Nazyl cared not for apologies or whatever spell Lewra was preparing...though wouldn't it be more practical to use as little as possible to avoid drawing attention? Well, he'd fight in a chokepoint if he had to. He began running upstream, towards a small opening in the rock face...

Livia dragged her cane's base over the ground briefly as they ran. Ambient aether from the very land rose up into the rod of the focus, suffusing it in a flickering and occasional hue of deep earthen gold. She was canting as she ran. “Ready?”

Nazyl skidded to a halt as they made it into the cavern, "Alright, whatevah ye got planned, now's the time ta do it."

G'lewra ran after Nazyl and she thanked that she was fit enough to run through the Coerthas terrain, sliding to her knees behind Nazyl she placed her book in front of her and grabbed a few crystals, and threw them in place. Making a circle around them the Seeker placed her hands over the book and the tattoos on her arms and back started to glow under her coat. The book and crystals started to float around the three and that's when the barrier started to form. The usually green barrier had become blue and it finished forming around the three, the Seeker's eyes glowed a faint green and she stayed still like a statue. She wouldn't be able to move while holding this spell so if any of the flood came at them it would be left to the other two to fight them off. But something was off, they would see the flood run right past them and those that came into the cave to investigate would either walk around them or walk right on top of the barrier.

The Lalafell braced himself for a fight, and even advanced as they came for the barrier, raising his shield to stop them...their movements gave him pause, watchign them skitter over and around them as if finding something else of value, "Eh? What's this..."

Livia moved to make things more difficult for those that did investigate, it seemed. The gathered aether she'd supped up from the path was released into the cavern walls. Her call was met with the emergence of stone teeth, which locked together to form a jagged, makeshift wall of some sturdiness from the sparse material she was willing or able to manipulate. Bit by bit, these earthen spikes covered with drawn-out permafrost, and even the barrier's face got a thin layer of ice on it by the time she was done with her own spellcast."W-.. why did they stop?"

The flood crawled along the walls as their eyes whirred with noise to try and detect the three but all that was heard were a few beeps then 'Target Missing'. It was a terrifying sight just to see the spider-like creatures to crawl over the barrier as they looked for them. G'lewra had remained still the whole time and one would have to look closely just to be able to see if she was breathing.

She remained petrified. Arachnaphobia is no joke, be the spiders robotic or organic. Livia stood as still as she could, not wanting to risk further alerting the drones by sound or motion.

Nazyl held his position, sword pointed forward...if they fell into it, they'd at least be impaled. Somehow, the spiders being machines made it so much less frightening than had they been real, breathing vilekin. The way machines functioned were predictable, though their behavior now was puzzling...he glanced back at Lewra....was she hiding their presence?

The spiders clicked around the cave and turned in circles, for a moment they looked like lost puppies looking for their owner. 'Target Undected' One beeped out, and then that's when each one made a *ping* noise as if they just got notified for something. 'Return to Homepoint'. They started to skitter around the cave as the smaller ones climbed onto the bigger ones to be carried back to their base of operation, Nazyl and Livia would see them climbing over the cliffs to head back.

Livia Arkwright staggered, winded and worn by all the running and aetheric expenditure. "Matron's bosom, they're actually withdrawing. Tis a miracle."

Nazyl Tharazyl relaxed some, watching the last of them retreat back to the mountains...he'd make note of that location, mayhaps he should investigate, "Hm. Ye hide us Miss Lewra?"

The crystals around the three dropped to the ground to show they were depleted of any energy they held, the Codex fell into G'lewra's lap with a thud and the Seeker just sat there for a moment to gain back her energy, she just offered a soft nod while clipping the codex back to her hip. "It was the only way....I'll need to rest a moment as that took a lot out of me." The Seeker reached up to her linkpearl and gave it a couple of clicks, hoping a certain Viera would pick up on it.

Livia Arkwright placed a hand gently upon the Seeker's shoulder. The faint, pink glow of her aether began to hum in her palm as she channeled what little remaining excess she had into her, just to help her remain stable.

"Here's a good place...if we need food fer the moment I can go huntin' outside, it'll help replenish what ye lost."

G'lewra gave a small shake of her head. "I appreciate the offer, Nazyl, but I would rather keep you around just in case they come back. Even though they can't detect you we would be left defenseless especially in my state right now." She offered the lalafell a tired smile. "I have a few things in my bag that will hold us over until we either start traveling or the others come looking for us."

Livia slumped into her place, laying her cane at her side. "Gods' breath, but that was harrowing. I do have a few vials of formula that could keep us going, as well. I hope neither of you take offense to the heavy taste of apple."

Nazyl Tharazyl shrugged, taking out a waterskin and sipping from it. Frosty, "We shouldn't tarreh ovahlong here. Lest we get spotted again, we should probableh start makin' our way back ta the Shroud as soon as possible."

G'lewra offered a small nod. "To the Shroud then." Shakily pushing herself to her feet the Seeker held a hand out to Livia to take. "Let's keep going then, we may rest when we're back home. I also don't mind the taste of apple."

Livia Arkwright offered up a fair-sized vial to Lewra and Nazyl both. The liquid within the glass looked the color of caramel and had the consistency of juice. Little flecks of iridescent... something floated within it. "I ah-- left a few gaps to allow us a route out. My apologies for making the two of you climb, in advance."

"Don't push yerselves, we got a long walk back ta warmah climes...if ye ened ta take a break ta get yer bearin's, by all means, we can set up camp here...but I'd rathah be away from here quickleh." Nazyl Tharazyl took the curious vial, arching a brow, "...What is this?"

"A mix of apple juice, and a few nutrients run through an alchemical process. Tis good for energy, and rich for the body. The aftertaste, however, is fairly bitter in spite of the apple overtone."

Taking the offered vial G’lewra offered the snowy haired hyur a smile. "Thank you, now, let's get out of this place before my tail freezes off. I'm not rather fond of this place and the Shroud sounds a lot nicer."

Nazyl Tharazyl stared at the vial...and pocketed it for later. He didn't need it at this moment, "Thank ye, I bet it'll come in handeh when I find meself stretched thin again."

With that the three started their trek back to the Shroud to get away from the nightmare that was causing chaos over Coerthas, the question was, would they meet up with their fellow members or run into more of these creatures?

#ffxiv rp #balmung rp #ffxiv crystal rp #Heartwood Ventures #Heartwood plots #Primary Access Required Plot #G'lewra Ajra #Livia Arkwright #nazyl tharazyl

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crosssheep63 · 4 years ago

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99liners · 4 years ago

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CAA protests;

okay, i want to talk about something important. let me start off with the fact that i'm not an American and i live in India. so basically, i am asian, brown and also a Muslim.

this in no means is saying that i do not support BLM, i do, i support the protesters and their cause. yes, i signed all the petitions.

i want to use this as a platform to talk about a similar thing that happened in India during November, 2019 - March, 2020, when lakhs of people took to the streets of India (all over the country) to protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) being passed by the government. according to which, the government will be discriminating us based on our religion and strip people off their citizenship. yes, you heard that right. so we took to the streets to protest and the police brutality was through the roof. not only did they beat up civilians on the roads but also raided national level universities to beat up the students for protesting against the government. we live in a democracy, it is well within our democratic rights to raise questions and protest. the government is directly responsible to us, the prime minister's office. (its in our constitution, the president is not answerable to the people but the PM is.)

i study law at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU). on the night of 15th December, 2019, police forcefully entered our main gates (they've no jurisdiction inside the gate btw) and beat up students protesting peacefully on the road. 24 consecutive expired poisonous tear gas shells which maimed a student, lathicharge (beating with the police batons), shot with rubber bullets, you name it we went through it. they raided the hostels, and beat up the kids who weren't even part of the protest. they kept hurling abuses at the students and also kept saying "jo log kashmiri hai, un madarchodo ko maro pehle" (the people who look like kashmiri, beat up those mfs first). yes, that's verbatim btw, i'm not exaggerating.

i can go on and on about that night really, so instead you can read what happened in AMU here. i also have the original investigation report by the committee that is mentioned on that site.

other universities faced similar and worse atrocities. you can read how brutally Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) students were beaten up, here and how local goons who feel that Hinduism is threatened but the presence of Muslims in the country entered another national university, Jawaharlal Nehru University and beat the students up with metal rods, you can read about it here.

and yes, none of the perpetrators of these attacks are arrested. even if they were, they are out on bail now.

we boycotted classes for months but got ZERO justice, instead, now under the guise of lockdown, the government has been arresting the leaders of the protests. lmao, you know the first the government did when lockdown started? they cleaned the graffiti off the walls of the universities which the protesters had made. they cleaned off fucking graffiti which were just quotes by historical figures in the spirits of dissent while the doctors kept begging them for PPE. the government clearly have their priorities set straight.

the women of the country took to shaheen bagh (Delhi) when the students were attacked and sat there in protest for 101 days. even in cold temperatures of below 1°C. mums with their one month old babies sat there, old ladies as old as 80+ sat there too. literate, illiterate both the groups of people sat there and they meant to sit there indefinitely but because of lockdown that wasn't possible and they had to vacate the place. oh, even they were attacked (more than once) by a guy carrying a gun who was ready to shoot at the protesters while the police WATCHED. they fucking stood there and watched. a guy advanced towards the attacker with his hands raised saying “let’s talk calmly” and that fucking privileged jackass shot the protester in the hand. all the while, the police just watched. you can read about it here. (he said "only Hindus will have their way in this country.")

a 4 months pregnant PhD student of Jawaharlal National University has been jailed without any justification. her case is still not being heard before the court and she's being denied basic human rights, living in a prison during a fucking pandemic. an excerpt from the Print, "Zargar, a 27-year-old M.Phil. student from Jamia, is over three months pregnant, and was arrested by the Delhi Police’s special cell on 10 April. She was later denied bail and, on 21 April, charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). She was associated with the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC), and was part of the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests organised by university students in December and January. She was arrested for allegedly leading the anti-CAA protest at Jaffrabad metro station in February."

this is nothing, most of the Muslim people arrested during this protest haven't been released or are simply forgotten. lawyers were not allowed in the police station to bail them or being allowed to talk to them. most lawyers in the country signed up their numbers and other contacting details on the Internet with their locations so that if someone was arrested, they could call them up and the lawyers would bail them out (free of cost).

this discriminating and draconian bill not only affects the muslims but also the people on the lower rungs of the social ladder. i don't believe in caste. i do not agree with the system but it existed widely at a time when i wasn't even born, so there's not much i can do about that. but right now the government is bringing up the caste again, people who are Vaishyas and Shudras will also be stripped off their citizenship while being sent to detention camps. yes, India is already stocked up with their detention centers. so yes, i wasn't there at that time but i am here right now and i refuse to be okay with the government discriminating against us based on caste and religion.

lmao i totally forgot to mention the riot that broke out in February, 2020 which resulted in a recorded deaths (murder) of 53 civilians (mostly Muslims). that's the recorded death count but according to various people who were present in Delhi at the time and witnessed the riots happening, they claim the missing persons report (unreported) is in thousands. and over hundreds were killed. you can read more about the February 2020 Delhi Riots here.

there's so many more incidents that happened, and all the government has done is: NOTHING.

our current PM is the prime suspect of the Gujrat Riots 2002, which was a pogram led by him and it killed over thousands of muslims who lived in gujrat.

i didn't write this here to ask you for help, no, instead i want you guys to read this and remember this. don't forget our voices, because we're all together in this fight and the others to come. forgive but please don't forget.

like faiz ahmed faiz said, "bol k laab, azaad hai tere."

#protests #caa protests #cab protests #anti caa #anti caa protests #i know i used the blm tag but you've to realize i'm not trying to take away any attention #or jump on the bandwagon #i just want you guys to know this #like yes this happened too #this is also an example of draconian goverment #and peak police brutality #if you're wondering yes i did go to the protests #the ones staged in my university as well in my state #when i came back home because our university went into a lockdown and 16k students were evacuated due to that night's incident #i came back home but that never stopped me from joining in protests #make your voice heard #use the platform #speak up #choosing to keep quiet during a time of dissent is equivalent to choosing the governemnt #let that sink in and remember it

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callme--starchild · 5 years ago

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Are u okay?

If they had told Donald that when he returned to the mansion he would be in the same room as his sister, having lunch in the dining room in the company of his uncle and four lovely ducklings, he would surely have mocked that positivism.

And surely now he would be more than sorry.

Of course, he practically devoured his food, delighted to completely remove the taste and texture of the sand and seawater from his mouth—which still remained days after the invasion, having completely exhausted a toothpaste tube, despite the insistence of his uncle in which he could choke if he kept eating like this, feeling involuntarily like a duckling again.

The only thing that had managed to satisfy this flavor was the breakfast that appeared days before in his dining room while watching Anxieties and other cheap soap operas of yesteryear.

At his side, the triplets had begun a food war with Della, causing food to fly and some will land on his face and clothes, but he was currently so focused on eating and that his boys—hers—will spend quality time with her that he was not in the mood to complain.

Webby, on the other hand, occasionally joined the battle when some food fell near her, throwing it with a war cry that startled the poor victim.

But at that moment, a knock at the door, exactly three, was heard, taking the Duck family off guard.

The vacuum stopped listening, indicating that Beakley would attend.

"Were you waiting for someone?" Asked Scrooge, lowering his cup of tea, confused. He knew that the circle of acquaintances of his nephews and nieces was relatively small outside the manor, but he was always advised when they would take a guest.

Everyone slowly denied, Donald even stopping eating and cleaning his beak.

"Penny isn't usually as polite, or silent," Della said, as strange as her uncle and dodging the beige mass thrown at her. "Besides, Launchpad said they would go out for coffee and continue to show her the city, or something like that."

"Lena and Violet left the city last weekend, their dads wanted to take a small vacation to celebrate the victory over the invasion. Don't come back until tomorrow." Webby removed a pea from her hair, lazily throwing it at Dewey.

"The meetings of the Junior Woodchucks are usually outdoors, and we didn't have any scheduled for today," Huey said, pulling out her neat guidebook from the food-stained cap and leafing through it, analyzing the organized dates of the next meetings of the young explorers. In the neighboring chair, Louie simply shrugged as he ate absently, staring at the screen of his cellphone and attending the improvised war of his brothers.

But before Donald could assure that José and Panchito would previously notify him of a visit—after a surprise visit not only postponed an adventure, but also cost his uncle's foyer—Beakley leaned out the dining room door.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, Mr. McDuck, but one such professor Lairduck is looking for Donald," she said, anticipating that uncertainty would appear under the monotony of her voice, though her arched eyebrow showed otherwise.

Thus, six eyes, showing different levels of inquisition, will focus on the sailor, who only missed himself even more.

Professor Lairduck? Well, he was not as harebrained as he wanted to believe, but he was almost certain he had heard that false name more than eleven years ago, but it was to refer to a tacit subject. And Everett, who was unaware of the supposed surname, was still in Tibet doing who-knows-what.

And he certainly didn't remember giving up the information that he now lived in the richest duck in the world's mansion to Everett's daughters, adding the fact that he avoided appearing on newscasts that involved his family.

In addition, who recognized only had used this identity was...

With that doubt in mind he finished wiping his beak with a napkin and got up walking, with some hesitation, to the front door when Mrs. B. told him that they had offered to wait outside, trying not to look rushed when he continued to feel the looks of his family on him, peeking out the door frame. Damn it, he could even feel his uncle's, wanting to know about that subject and why he had never mentioned they in his not-so-limited circle of friends.

Because if it was true that he made some friends when he ventured alongside Della and Scrooge, some currently famous as the Mouse couple, the aforementioned Lairduck had never been introduced.

Della surely looked excited to meet what a new friend of her brother might be, but Donald couldn't hurry, at least not yet.

And he was sure that, if true, and knowing the background, he would be roasted duck.

(In fact, he himself hesitated when his hand was inches from touching the doorknob, so insecure and confused that he surely missed his family even more in the case of someone he supposedly knew).

He thought of peering through the peephole, but having his family's gaze on him installing some pressure, he opened the door.

Well, there was a car parked at the entrance. It seemed to have great value compared to his station wagon, and though he didn't know much about the modern motoring—despite the technological advancement of his tools at the Agency, he was sure that the vehicle in front of him was electric; he could remember them perfectly from the occasions when he was traveling to the 23rd century, though they were not as common as flying cars.

Next to him was... a duck he had never seen. He had the characteristic white plumage and a pair of whiskers that reminded him of Uncle Scrooge's, and the elegant jet hair stood out particularly.

Green eyes widened when they focused on him, and the sailor was even more surprised at the radiant smile that formed on the opposite face.

"Donald!" But despite the almost robotic movements, he felt the opposite arms surround him, hands stopping and fervently clenching his shoulders, as if it were familiar. "I heard what happened, are you alright?"

Over the thick Italian accent, the timbre of a disturbed voice that was known by the duck resonated. Anyway, he could not concentrate on the hands that analyzed each section of his face, and he did not know if it was because he wanted to check the presence of wounds, or if he was being investigated.

That a stranger showed up at his uncle's porch, speaking to him as if he knew him, was not his ideal for a quiet day. And listening to the children murmur behind him, the low volume making him unable to decipher what they were saying, did not help him much either.

"Hey! What's the big idea?" Therefore, he don't hesitate to hold the wrists with some might, pulling them away when they began to check their beak.

Staying inexplicably quiet when those bright eyes watched him with surprise. Certainly his training as Double Duck, particularly the area of logic, had taught him to be more analytical and deductive—though he will ensure that it only increased his migraine, but he certainly did not have an area to analyze and deduce at that time.

"So unrecognizable am I, Don? Or is it some revenge?" He had smiled mockingly, proud of having discovered the sailor's joke. Until he perceived his frown still frowned, and how Donald scrutinized him much more before the fact of someone knowing his name and also referring to him with a pet name as if they had known each other for a lifetime, flagrantly erasing his smug smile and forming a one expressing nervousness. "Come on, Hero, I know I was wrong to not realize that you were on that island, but it is also not to pretend that you do not recognize me when I literally just added beautiful hair."

His voice had been reduced to a whisper, and he practically wasted worry and fear by strengthening the European accent, his hands beginning to tremble under Donald's grip whose eyes finally expanded in surprise, threatening to leave his basins.

Well, never mind. Yes it was a harebrained.

He paused to analyze the duck's features in front of him in greater detail. He certainly had a faint resemblance to Everett, and a frighteningly big one with Odin—he would have to check it out the next time he will travel to the 23rd century, even if he had to take Gyro's time tub that Louie had told him about, not having Lyla.

However, the smile that showed on that peak was recognizable. He didn't know how, or why, but the image of that smile had been etched in his mind for more than fifteen years, a year after he started working next to...

"Uno?" His voice was trembling, disturbed by the way that face shone bright again.

How the hell was it possible...?

"In flesh and blood," he joked, avoiding not laughing at his friend's dumbfounded expression. Not a few seconds passed before his smile vanished, leaving an embarrassed face that Donald did not believe was possible.

This emotion was something new for him, and given his partner's expression he seemed to understand it without words.

"I know I should have talked to you as soon as the invasion passed. I know you wanted to help more than you probably did," he whispered. Though it wasn't exactly the inside, he had seen the golden ship on his radar, as well as Donald coming down from it with his family—not glimpsing Della—when everything was over, "but I didn't know how. I was so focused building this body to surprise you that I didn't know about everything you've been through."

And certainly the absence of satellites had denied him the possibility of locating his friend when the invasion began, seeming to have vanished to a place where technology was nonexistent. Then he would talk about it with him.

But the sailor was so stunned by the fact that that presumed intelligence will accept that he made a mistake and that he also apologized for it he did not perceive the ducklings that made a beeline towards him, closely followed by Della and Scrooge.

The conversation had decreased so much in volume without them realizing that he had missed the family.

"Uncle Donald, who is he?" Whispered a shy Huey, involuntarily startling both adults thus creating a chain reaction when this also startled the four children.

Uno stared at the family, disturbed to recognize a duck that was identical to his partner.

(He knew her from the stories Donald told him about the adventures they used to take with Scrooge when he was not Paperinik and entered the Ducklair Tower, very injured for a young adult of nineteen who barely suffered serious injuries risking his life playing the superhero. He had assured him that knowing her, which was more than impossible—until now, he would not take much to recognize that they were family.

Now he understood why. They were devilishly identical!).

"I'd like to know that too, lad." Until his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by Scrooge's question, who frowned annoyedly. He wasn't a fool, and his memory was perfect enough to remember the time when he had the Tower in his name, and it certainly wasn't in the name of any Lairduck.

Of course, he hoped that something would change during the ten years of estrangement, but he simply did not want to accept the mystery that his boy was now involuntarily.

Uno laughed nervously, massaging his neck.

"Looks like I arrived at a bad time. I'm Professor Emil Ducklair, it's nice to meet you Mr. McDuck" if Donald noticed the way he stood up, the tension in his voice and the fake smile, he kept quiet "I met your nephew when he worked at the Tower every summer, at least until I moved to Tibet and we became correspondence friends; I returned a few days ago to the city."

And for an intelligence programmed to do what he thought was right, the duck was really impressed with the ease and fluidity with which Un... Emil lied, as if he understood without need of words how important it was for him to keep the secret of Paperinik. Or as if it was what he has really done in his life.

(What would have worked 100% if his uncle did not know the origin of the last name Lairduck)

"And why did we never hear from you?" Della inquired with interest, leaning nonchalantly on her brother's shoulder. "No offense, but with how much talkative Donnie is, we know as much about his friends as he does."

At the comment, Donald buffed, inadvertently moving away from his twin, knocking the duck down on the floor. Moment before which the android allowed himself to smile slyly.

"Our family is really discreet." Well, that wasn't quite a lie.

Donald cleared his throat, clearly wanting to change the topic of conversation.

"You could tell me that you had returned, you would have avoided this strange presentation," he teased, smiling nervously as he stroked Dewey's head. "I would like to introduce you to my family. Well, you know my Uncle Scrooge; the headache that is next to me is my sister, Della."

He voluntarily ignored the blow that his twin hit in his arm—thanking that it was less sensitive—in favor of maintaining the facade, smiling so little that the edges of his beak barely curved.

"And they are my nephews: Huey, Dewey and Louie." However, his face lit up when he introduced his nephews, pointing to each one so he could distinguish them.

Uno could recognize the love of a true parent, camouflaged under the callsign of nephews.

The ducklings introduced themselves strangely, Huey—the red-clad one and the cap—being the only one who shook his hand despite his confusion.

"I'm Webby!" Suddenly, the professor's field of vision was invaded when the bright smile of a lovely little girl appeared on his partner's shoulder (since when does Donald have a daughter? As he recognized he had only three nephews).

However, Uno smiled warmly watching as he held her so she wouldn't slip, and shook the little hand of the little duck.

"It's nice to meet you, Webby," he murmured, not commenting at the fond smile on the sailor's face as he readjusted his coat. "I would like to stay a few minutes, but I think it would be rude of me after my unnoticed visit. Do you think if we talk later, Donald?"

"Sure." Smiling broadly, the aforementioned lowered the girl again, ruffling her hair. And even if he didn't say it explicitly, both Uno and he knew they had a lot to talk about and a lot of questions to answer. "In the same place as always?"

"Count on it," he said, and Donald acknowledged his partner against crime's sincere smile. "See you soon Don, Mr. McDuck. It was nice meeting you Webby, kids."

And making a gesture, Emil went down the main stairs at a rapid pace, humming without realizing the main theme of Anxieties when he heard the door close behind him.

However, and on the other hand, the family could not solve why Donald was happier and more lively than usual when Emil left McDuck household, missing even the triplets having lived a decade with someone who smiled like that when he expressed how proud he was of them.

The only answer obtained? He is an old friend who had not seen for ten years.

#fictober #day 10: perturbed #ducktales #duck avenger #papetinik #donald duck #uno #huey dewey and louie #scrooge mcduck #webby vanderquack #duno if you squint

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randomnotesofmyown · 4 years ago

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Psycho Pass (19)

Episode 19 - Transparent shadow

Kogami practiced using a gun and decided to borrow it. He left the hideout on a motorbike with the helmet on.

The therapist told Ginoza that his coefficient was fluctuating, and if the issue was not addressed

Ginoza laughed, then said, "I just remembered that my partner fell into the same situation long ago." "What happened to your partner after that?" "He stopped being my partner. He's one of my subordinates now." After a pause, Ginoza continued, "It's ironic. I've been trying my best to protect myself so that I won't end up like him, and yet, this is how it turns out...What a joke..." "I'll set up an intensive therapy program for you immediately. I'll notify--" "Please wait. I can't do it yet." Ginoza got up and left, saying he found hope in his new colleague.

Kogami went to Professor Saiga's house and was told to get inside right away.

Once in, Saiga asked if Kogami was carrying a gun. Kogami admitted, saying the professor was like a psychic.

At the office of Division 1, Ginoza instructed the rest to immediately take care of Kogami when they saw him. Tsunemori asked, "We capture Makishima alive, but we take care of Mr. Kogami right away..." "That's right." Masaoka, "why don't we put the matter of Kogami aside for now? We're bound to run into him if we drive Makishima into a corner." Ginoza stated the Sibyl system would take five more days to be fully repaired. Until then, they couldn't rely on face recognition to track down Makishima. Kunizuka asked about the possibility of Makishima taking this opportunity to flee. Tsunemori dismissed it and said Makishima would definitely make a move.

"He's compelled to test this world until his dying breath. He will confront this society protected by the system with blunt human nature. That's why Makishima made a provocative call to Mr. Kogami."

In the information analysis room, Karanomori asked Tsunemori if she was okay after all those that happened. "I may not be the best person, but my ear is yours if you want it." "Mr. Kogami is..." Tsunemori paused in mid sentence, turned her head to another direction, then continued, "becoming a real killer, not just a latent criminal...I don't want that to happen no matter what." "You shouldn't shoulder everything all by yourself." "I'm okay. If you're worried, would you like to check my Hue? I was surprised when I checked it myself this morning. Even after what happened, it's a pale turquoise color. Just how coldhearted I am?"

"Then what on earth is Psycho-Pass? What is... a person's heart?" Karanomori gave Tsunemori a pad on her back, and hugged her.

Saiga was preparing breakfast when he saw Kogami. "You didn't sleep?" "I had a hard time predicting what Makishima's next move would be, so..." "So you think that man is going to do something more?" "The security network will be fully restored in five days. That's the information I got from the CID's analyst. To Makishima, that will be the time limit he has to launch his last fireworks. " "I looked through the information you brought with you. I can see why you're having a hard time." "What do you think?" "if there is such a thing as political offenders in this society managed by the Sibyl system, this man would be one of them." Saiga continued, "Terrorists, anarchists, agitators, revolutionists with suicidal tendencies, who are interested in the people, the whole lot of them are all good for nothing. By the way, what's the definition of anarchism?" "It's a denial of governing and authority, but it is different from confusion and disorder."

"Makishima is close to an anarchist, but since he likes destruction so much, he's quite different from the original meaning of the word." "An inhuman control system...that is Sibyl, isn't it?" "If I am to borrow Max Weber's words, ideal bureaucrats are those who intently perform their duty without anger and fondness, without hate and zealousness, and without love and personal predilection. In that sense, the Sibyl system may be close to the ideal bureaucratic administration. But that is, assuming that all the known specs about Sibyl are true."

"He also said it's not something worth me putting my life on the line to protect." "Let me quote a little more from Max Weber."

"Technical knowledge and practical knowledge...Keeping that knowledge secret increases their superiority." "Makishima is trying to strip away that superiority." "And he almost succeeded. Those riots pushed society right up to a very dangerous line."

"But he refused it." "I'd like to talk to this Makishima guy once in a session recorded on video or audio." "For your research?" "He doesn't interest me that way yet. It would be purely to help your investigation. If Makishima was here right now, how do you think he'd join our conversation?" "He would..."

"The moment you quote Max Weber...'Rather than a system, isn't it a huge prison? Panopticon...a facility that allows you to observe everyone at once. Sibyl is its worst possible form. You can control the maximum number of prisoners with the minimum number of people."

"He's a cynical man with a distorted sense of humor." "I see...he satires science and politics that have gotten too advanced." Saiga, "let me ask you a personal question."

"There are some aspects of him that I can understand. I don't know anything about his past. But one thing I'm certain of is that there was a critical turning point in his life...the moment he realized that he was idiosyncratic. He can control his Psycho-Pass at will. Some people would probably think that's a privilege. But Makishima didn't. What he felt was...probably a sense of alienation. In this society, if the Sibyl system doesn't acknowledge you, in a sense, isn't it the same as not being recognized as a human being?" "A child who wasn't accepted into the group...that feeling might actually be the starting point?" "We won't know the truth until we ask Makishima himself." "But you are not going to ask him..." "Right." "When you're done here, come to my study. I'll show you something interesting."

Cut to Ginoza, he was making a report to Chief Kasei. "Hence, the ones who knows Kogami's personality and way of thinking and are most suited to predict his pattern of actions..."

"Hmm...I see..." Replied Kasei. Masaoka, waiting to hear the result in the lobby, asked Ginoza about it as soon as he stepped out of Kasei's office. Ginoza said division 1 would continue tracking down both Kogami and Makishima. "It has to be division 1!"

"Say, Nobuchika...since when did you become so soft?"

"As long as we go after Kogami Shinya, we have no choice but to put our lives on the line. That being the case, why don't we leave it to division 3 and..."

"And make it someone else's problem?!" I bet you too realized what Kogami was thinking and just let him be, right? When Kogami left, you didn't even try to stop him and just saw him off, didn't you?! In order to let him kill Makishima! That's clearly a breach of trust! No, it's a criminal act! No matter what excuses you make, you can't deceive the dominators! Do you want me to check your coefficient right here right now?! Dammit!"

"Do you and Kogami want to act as agents of justice that badly?!"* "It's not about justice. It's an obsession. Even though you know there are other, wiser ways to live, if you turn your back on it, everything you have built becomes a sham. There's a moment like that." "Are you saying...that that's your pride as Enforcers?" "it's not because we're Enforcers. This is what you'd call a man's pride." "Then I have my own pride. I'll capture that idiot Kogami with my own hands at any cost...no matter what anyone says."

Kasei talking to the Sibyl congregate, "He's done for. But under the current circumstances, there's no one immediately available to use as our pawn." "Hmm...what? Is that the final collective decision by everyone?" "Yeah...but...I can't fully understand with my current capacity. I'd like to go back there once and check the consensus."

Kogami went into Saiga's study and saw

He asked, "what is this?" "It's an old type of anonymous message board. It's operated via several overseas servers."

"If you look in the right place, you can find them. So, anyway, they haven't caught the Sibyl system's attention. The users of this board are former college professors, journalists, critics, literary scholars...they are the people whom the Sibyl system regarded as useless. They still comment even now when their frustration builds up, saying things like, 'there's nothing good about Sibyl'...it might be fruitless, but it's better to have this kind of place than not having it. I started a thread before breakfast."

"Ways to cause a complete collapse of the Sibyl system in five days?"

Kogami, "they all look like stupid jokes to me."

Saiga, "Then find the joke you think the funniest. You and Makishima are alike. Trust your inspiration." Kogami scrolled and scanned through the replies, and one of those comments caught his attention.

"The Sibyl system collapses due to a food shortage...Hyper-oats..." He clicked to view the whole reply. "Currently, 99% of the food consumed in this country is processed food made from hyper-oats. They're genetically-modified oats that have the ultimate harvest efficiency and we depend solely on this single item." Saiga, "An enormous amount of a 'monospecific genus' that eliminates diversity, huh? I see... if a single fatal defect is found, it's possible that they could be completely wiped out." Kogami, "This might be Makishima's next target." "Food self-sufficiency?" "Yes. This might be it." Kogami then headed to the book shelf as he continued speaking, "Crops, production system, genetic modification...do you have any information on things like that?" "Leave it to me?" Saiga started doing a search. Kogami took two books from the shelf, one on genetic-modification and the other on agricultural drone systems.

Saiga found something

"it became impossible to restrain the excess concentration of population in urban areas," Saiga read from an article he printed out, "but while people can move, we can't move land. The primary industry of agriculture was forced to shift to complete automation." "Mechanized farming by drones...genetically enhanced hyper-oats and disease countermeasures using good viruses...those things enabled us to achieve fully automated farming and because of that..."

"Now the Hokuriku area is a vast granary with zero population." Saiga, "If there are problems with crop health management, hyper-oats, which is a monospecific genus, will be devastated by disease." Kogami, "if the food self-sufficiency system collapses, Japan will have to once again import food. The government will have to rapidly change their attitude of refusing communications with other countries." Saiga, "with food shortages, the entire Japanese population's Crime Coefficients will rise." Kogami, "Once they lift the ban on food import, they have no choice but to relax border security. An inflow of refugees will probably start, too. Once that happens, measuring Crime coefficients itself might become meaningless." Saiga, "in order to make it happen..." Kogami, "Makishima needs an expert's help right now." At dusk, Kogami left Saiga's house. Saiga, "I intentionally took part in your plan to kill Makishima Shogo. Since I'm aware of it, the next time I get a surprise check, that will be it for me." "Professor..." "By giving you a hand, I feel that I've fulfilled my own role. But even so, Kogami...I am dumping all the dirty work on you, after all."

"For some reason, I can't even imagine someone else besides me killing him."

Inside PSB division 1. Tsunemori stay behind alone. A drone entered and delivered a special dominator.

Sibyl, "Inspector Tsunemori Akane, I will now tell you the truth about everything."

End of episode 19

* I heard Ginoza mentioned the phrase 正義のミカタ (ally of justice) when he asked Masaoka the question that got translated as “ Do you and Kogami want to be heroes that badly?” and felt changing the translation slightly might be good here.

Comment: There is one thing that puzzled me about the Sibyl's decision that people who could sow the seeds of independent thoughts were useless. And despite the certainty that those people would hate the system, it let them live and communicate with one another about the bad things of Sibyl. Was it because the system controlled every aspect of the lives of the people, those scant criticism made the people who posted them appear like lunatics? To destroy the system, the country would descend into chaos. But to let it remain in place, people would continue to be reduced to livestock. To kill Makishima could prevent him from causing chaos that would result in an unknowable number of deaths. But the system killed, too. Anyone whose coefficient exceeded the approved threshold would simply be eliminated. No legal procedure. No judges handing out verdicts. The Sibyl decided who live, who die, and who to be locked away for the rest of their life. And the people would have no way to voice their opposition but to accept whatever decision the system handed them. If the Sibyl system, being so arbitrary, was the necessary evil. People who wanted to chip away its grip and its authority, were with a motive that was understandable. Makishima wanted to end the system he considered oppressive. Kogami wanted to kill Makishima to prevent chaos and death. This looked as though it was a duel between two good villains.

#psycho pass

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c-atm · 5 years ago

Text

Fighting Flirty:

Character Select PT4 (Act3.2)

“Oh, Wanda. You're here."

Alex and Wanda turned to the hybrid, still in his incompleted Shinji Ikari cosplay. The upper armor in his right hand held over his shoulder like a backpack.

"Yes, I was able to finish my business; I am at your disposal." The wardrobe stylist tipped her witches hat as she bowed from her waist. She gave him a once over smirking. "Teenage angst looks good on you."

Alex scoffed out a laugh at the cheeky joke and the surprising look on Steven's face.

"You know you're the second one who said that today, or on the same lines of that anyway."He sighed a bit of a blush on his face. He turned to Alex spreading his arms out. "Well?"

Alex waved her hand. "I'm sorry, I hate that character. My answer's completely biased."

"I'm asking you though and if it's bias, I know it's not me but character. Not gonna get offended, promised."

Alex side-eyed Steven, her mouth left corner turned up slightly disbelieving his words. Last thing she wants to do is insult a customer in front of her boss, but she didn't want to disappoint said customer.

"'I've already been told I make depressing sexy, and teen angst look good. Don't think there's you could confuse me more with an underhand compliment."

"You wear uselessness well."

Steven only started at the quick and blunt reply, ignoring Wanda's giggling behind him.

"You know.." He chuckled. "I agree with you on him being useless."

"But you wear him well...Seriously, that costume fits you like a glove." Alex stated as she looked him over.

“Taking pride in your work, Alex?”

Alex gave her boss a grin. “Not my work, Boss. This is a labor of love,”She pressed her index to her lip turning the grin to Steven. “or should I say friendship?”

“I see..” Wanda jested. “Well, it makes sense to know what would look good on your partner.”

“Really? Isn’t it bad business to tease your customers?” The hybrid retorted with a half- hearted pout.

“Yeah, but who else’s gonna give you top of the line costumes like us.”Alex half smirked as she moved close to his ear “Isn't it bad practice to consummate in a public dressing room?”

Steven's face burned with embarrassment as he turned towards the receptionist. He took a look at Wanda who wore a knowing grin.

“It’s not like we have any written rules against such acts and you did rent out the studio, so you’re not bothering anyone.” The stylist assured patting his shoulder.”Just be mindful that our rooms aren’t sound proof and please respect the merchandise.”

He rubbed his eyes, sighing as he did. “It’s not what you think.I swear.” He lazily held his right hand as if he was being sworn in. “All I did was fulfill a promise.”

The two women looked at one another for a quick glance.

“We won’t pry.” They said simultaneously before Alex moved from him a small smile on her face.

“I appreciate that, really. Also I apologize if we caused you-”

“Save those for when you really offended this place.” Wanda interjected. “ I told you to have fun and it sounds like you are,so no harm no foul; as far as i’m concerned.”

“Yeah, ok.” Steven nodded, not pushing the issue further. “So with that out of the way,” with a smirk he held the armor up “can I get some assistance with this?”

“Ah, let me guess, thought it was a slip on, huh?” Alex joked as she took the ABS accessory and reached inside unclipping the latches in the right, opening it up not unlike a book revealing it’s black hollow inside. “There you go, slip it on to your shoulder and have Connie just close the latch to secure it..”

“Actually Connie’s freshening up, so maybe you can help, Alex? Also,” he turned to Wanda “you wouldn’t have those costumes ready, would you?”

Wanda scoffed at the question. “Of course I have them ready.” She grinned cockily. “What do you take me for, huh? That’s an insult, apologize.”

Alex slipped the armor up his left shoulder, shaking her head as she did. “You better Steven, Boss here does not take underestimation well.”

“Reminds me of a certain someone. “ Steven chuckled in response to Alex’s teasing. Holding his neck up and right arm out as Alex lined up the armor .“I’m sorry Ms. Wanda,I meant no insult.”

Wanad rolled her eyes at his overdramatic voice. “Yeah yeah,” she gave him a side smirk “ watch when I roll the costumes out and we get you ‘friend’ in hers. You’re really going to be singing my praises..” She folded her arms under her chest, her eyes burning in challenge.

“I can’t wait.” Steven said excitedly as Alex closed the latch, securing it on his chest.

“So, how ya feeling? Not too tight or anything?” Alex asked

Steven moved the top half of his torso getting a feel of the complete costume.” It’s not bad, it’s huggy..but not as bad as I thought it would be.”

“Go to the display stage, so you can see the whole picture.”

“Alex,” Wanda sighed “it's not a display stage.”

“Revolving stage with multiple full body mirrors along the perimeter of said stage, that sounds very ‘display’, Boss.” The younger girl argued.

“It kinda does.” Steven agreed.

“It's the main stage, and I won't accept any other name for it, understood?"

Her gentle smile didn't match her steel eyes, nonetheless the two nodded in agreement, if a bit out of fear. Regardless, Wanda nodded, pleased at her victory.

"Alex please go to the back and get those four special orders and bring them to their dressing rooms."

"Aye, aye capi'tan." Alex saluted playfully before leaving the two.

"So should we get you to the main stage?"

Steven shook his head. "Not yet, still gotta get a couple of outfits for me and my...compliment."

"Your compliment…" Wanda snickered. " Now that's an interesting pet name."

Steven shrugged before walking along the costume aisles, observing the costumes, pausing every few seconds.. "I guess...It's not like we're actually exclusive or even in an official relationship."

"Are you trying to change that?"

Steven didn't say anything as he lifted up a couple of costumes from a popular JRPG that they played a few years back.

"I'm not or at least not forcing the change."

"But you wouldn't mind if it changed?"

"Wouldn't matter much."

Wanda watched him as he continued his search. Watching as his eyes lingered on a particular piece.

It was a white leotard with an elegant detachable PVC fauld around the waist that reached the ankles. The upper bust, back and neck had a cross-stitch design, the shoulders were a bit puffed and resembled guards and the sleeves resembled long point gloves. It was accessorized with a PVC broadsword, a wildflower crown connected to a transparent veil, two garter leather belts, and a beautiful plastic bouquet.

"This is quite the wedding cosplay."

Wanda noticed the adoringly tone in his voice. "Why thank you, it's an original piece. Went for a knightly bride aesthetic."

"You nailed it very well, it looks like something a strong maiden would wear. Especially like the lion faced pellets on the fauld."

"If only I had a model, I could probably make it a bestseller."

Steven looked at the stylist from his left peripheral, her tone was suggestive.

"It's not like you weren't imagining her in it as well."

Steven sighed. "Maybe I was." He scratched the back of his head a slight blush. "Though, she wouldn't be comfortable being in the center of attention."

"She wouldn't be alone though. I do have a groom outfit to go with it."

Steven narrowed his sight at Wanda. "You planned this?"

"You gave me weeks in advance. I took my shot and made preparations." The stylist shrugged, a lofty smirk on her face. "You can say no..but I'm willing to remove the cost of your visit, if you two did model my creations."

Steven's eyebrows rose in consideration. "We'll still have to pay for the costumes though?"

"We gotta make some money, but If you model the bride and groom, they're yours."

"Sheesh, sounds like you made these for us."

Wanad turned her head away and raised her hand to halt him. "I admit, the measurements were altered to fit you two, but I had no certainty when it came to having you wear it.." She looked at him, her eyes far-reaching. "Not until I met you two in the park."

Steven watched her grin at him, her eyes both admirable and a bit amused.

"You two are quite taken with each other and you show your affection easily.”

“Never really gave notice to that,” Steven answered with a smile. “it’s become a natural form of communication for us.”

“Can I ask, how long have you known each other?”

“You’re quite curious.”

“Investigative.” Wanada corrected, seriously. “As a stylist, I feel knowing my subjects helps me dress them better.”

“Is that why you were so grabby on Connie?”

She chuckled at the slight bass in his voice. “Now mr. Universe, I assure you it really was just a routine check. No need to be jealous over your best friend.”The stylist grinned. “I would never get in between a couple of eternal honeymooners.”

Steven snickered.“Eternal honeymooners huh?.You should meet Ruby and Sapphire.” He sighed, scratching his head. “Seven years.”

“Preteen friends and you're still together.” Wanda crossed her arms impressed. “Most would’ve grown apart after the first few years.”

“Not many lived our adolescent or teenage years.” Steven retorted with a smile. “I’d wouldn't be who I am without her.”

“Hard childhood?”

“Yeah...Very much so. We’ve gone through things together. Things most people would have ran from.”

“She didn’t.”

Steven laughedt. “Nope, she decided to face it all with me, my little berry knight. Help carried my burdens, protected me from danger, guided me when I was lost, saved my life multiple times.”

Wanda could only watch as his smile grew. “She’s really amazing, huh?”

Steven nodded. “I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t have her, and that is not flowery talk.”

"You love her, don't you."

"Not exactly hiding the fact, now am I?"

Wanda eyes widen at the conviction in his voice. “I believe you…Though it's hard to think of you two as 'just' best-friends. Not after all that."

Steven shrugged, looking smug. "You're not the first who said that, but that's the base of our relationship."

"Meaning you're something else."

"Of course." Steven stated with a snicker, before he took the bride and tossed it over his shoulder leaving Wanada even more curious as he made his way to the dressing rooms.

When he walked in closing the door behind him, he was greeted with the sight of Connie sitting on the bench next to her Asuka costume legs crossed, hands next to her hips. She was looking annoyed while tapping on his phone.

#Connie Maheswaran #Steven Universe #fighting flirty #Mister #Heartberry #character Select #flirty fighting #connverse #steven universe future #steven and connie #steven universe fanfiction #older steven #older connie #connverse fanfic

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thefrogtheme · 4 years ago

Photo

The Mysterious White Wire!™ —A James Woods Conspiracy

Or as others might call it...

A Shirt Crease!™ —A Frogman Reality

I have sooo many questions. As in, I have like... four questions.

What is it connected to? What would that device even do? Why not use wireless tech? Why isn’t it under the shirt?

Sadly, this blurry video of another video was enough to start a trending hashtag and myriad other cheating conspiracies.

Let us take a journey together. A trek into the #JoeWired hashtag where you will see firsthand the smoothbrain’d conspiracy-mongers in action.

Shall we?

The Case of the Magic Eyeballs!™ —A LindaF Ocular Machination

Unnatural eye movements? Reading the air? Smart lenses? Neat! How very sci-fi we are getting already. But do smart lenses even exist?

Yes, this is a real technology being developed, but there are no working prototypes and the R&D phase is expected to last for several more years. The picture above is a prop and the concept lenses are bulky and very noticeable.

So smart lenses are out. Though that would have been really cool.

Moving on to the next conspiracy...

Intravenous Adrenaline!™ —A SoulFliesFree Reminder

Ah yes, I almost forgot about his performance enhancing drugs. Taking a pill before the event wasn’t good enough. He needs Adderall STRAIGHT INTO HIS VEINS. Without it, he will drift into a coma. His Odinsleep could last for hundreds of years. Don’t fall asleep, Sleepy Joe!

Wait, I’m sensing alternate theories from the BonkoSphere...

The Redundant Microphone!™ —A GMom Nonsensical Notion

So, it’s not an IV. It’s... a microphone?

Because it’s not like his voice is being amplified and broadcast to everyone already. He needs a secret special secondary microphone... for reasons.

Next up we have Corey Lynn... an “Investigative Journalist.”

First some background on our intrepid reporter extraordinaire.

She thinks AIDS was engineered in a lab and people were purposely infected so that Bill Gates, Bill Clinton, and George Soros could make billions of dollars.

Corey is a fact finder and truth seeker through and through—as evidenced by her merchandise. Something all good journalists have.

I don’t know how she crammed so much wisdom onto a $20 iPhone case (free shipping available).

As you can see, Corey is highly attuned to detect anything suspicious. And she may have broken this Biden debate cheating thing wide open.

Look at that investigative effort. She went all the way to the C-SPAN YouTube channel to get a good peep at this mysterious thing poking out of Biden’s sleeve. She took high definition screen caps and zoomed in—just like a crime scene investigator might do.

Corey thinks the IV drugs and secret microphone theories are silly. Obviously.

Clearly it is...

ELECTRODES MAYBE!™ —A Corey Lynn Paradigm Shift (Women’s Flowy Tank Top, Only $26.99)

Yes, electrodes are much less silly. Because electric shocks are a proven way to keep “Sleepy Joe” from his permanent slumber. Makes perfect sense!

Case closed.

Wait, she has another theory. It’s some kind of... hypnosis triggering device?

Corey, your paradigm is shifting a bit much.

She can’t say which for sure because she’s “no expert.” And I am always comforted when investigative journalists say “if that is in fact true.”

Still, brilliant investigative work!

Sayyyy... I wonder what would happen if instead of staring at pixels and wildly speculating, Corey did like... 8 seconds of research. (Or, as some might call it, “investigating.”) Just to see “if that is in fact true” before jumping the gun and blasting misinformation out to over 100,000 followers.

The Super Sad Sentimental Souvenir!™ —A Bojo Fact That Can Be Verified Via Multiple Sources

Pssh, likely story!

Have you considered his dead son’s rosary is a perfect place to hide a combination IV/microphone/electrodes maybe/hypnosis device?

Eh? EHHHH??

Next up, we have...

The Mystery of the Missing Ear Canal!™ —An Anonymous (Yet Patriotic) Observation

Wait a sec... where is his ear canal?

HIS EAR CANAL IS MISSING! OMG!!!!

Though I think American Patriot Anon70768033 has trouble telling right from left. That would be his right ear, friend. But don’t fret, Elaine from NorCal has the left ear covered. She even circled it! Just in case you forgot what ears are or where they are located.

She compared both ears! She’s 99.5% sure! Large red circles don’t lie!

The problem is, all of these pictures are taken at different focal lengths from different angles under different lighting. Meaning each photo has different lens compression, distortion, and angle of view. This can cause features to appear wildly different.

Not to mention shadows can change appearance quite a bit too.

Does she have nostrils or not? If you can’t see the nostril holes, do they even exist?

But Elaine from NorCal is 99.5% sure and I trust her forensic analysis.

New questions... Does the shirt crease wire attach to the secret earpiece? Does it go into his body up through a neck vein and plug into the earpiece from the inside? Do all of the pieces connect together? Is this all a single connected conspiracy!!??

The wire, the rosary, the drugs, the smart lenses, the earpiece... they must be part of an elaborate technological system designed to help Joe Biden cheat. Without this system he wouldn’t have been able to deliver epic verbal blows such as...

“C’mon man!” “Will you shut up?” “It’s hard to get any word in with this clown.”

That doesn't sound like him at all. He didn’t say malarkey once. They probably had Patton Oswalt parked in a van outside on zinger duty.

This is getting complicated. I think I’m going to need a diagram or something.

Oh, good... Eugene has me covered!

The MS Paint Diagram of Doom!™ —A Eugene Exhibition Extravaganza

Welp, this looks very official and the science certainly checks out. I’m 99.5% sure.

Also, in EXHIBIT C & D, Eugene is positive there is an earpiece in the RIGHT ear. I’m glad we cleared that up as well.

Uh oh... I may have done another 8 seconds of research.

I found this photo from the debate looking straight down his ear hole.

Hmm, that looks pretty ear canal-y to me.

I’m gonna need a closer look to be sure. TO PHOTOSHOP!

The Great Ear Hole Enhancement!™ —A Frogman Earvestigation

WAIT! DON'T LOOK AT THAT! ERASE THAT IMAGE FROM YOUR BRAIN!

Sorry... I didn’t mean to alarm you.

I’m such an idiot! I forgot to circle the area in question. I mean, without a circle you probably didn’t even know what the heck you were looking at. Is that a Martian crater? Is it a Sarlacc Pit?

OKAY, YOU CAN LOOK NOW!

HIS EAR CANAL IS BACK! WHAT. IS. HAPPENING? IS ANYTHING REAL?

I... I just don’t know what to believe anymore.

Eugene! I think I need another diagram!

I realize I have conclusively proven Joe Biden has ear holes and all of these theories have come crumbling down. But I still think there is something to this earpiece business. I refuse to believe the president of these United States would make something like that up. I refuse to believe this is all a bunch of... malarkey.

Which is why I thought I would join in on the spurious speculations.

SKULL SOUND!™ —An Original Sir Frogsworth Conspiracy (And Cool Idea for a Band Name)

If it were me, I would have gone with bone conduction tech. You can transmit and receive audio directly through vibrations in the skull. Basically your own skull becomes a speaker and microphone. It’s a proven technology that really exists and was even used in the short-lived Google Glass augmented reality spectacles.

Theoretically, you could place the speaker under a false flap of skin on the temple and hide the bulkier electronics under a hairpiece. Something any competent special effects makeup artist could do.

Now, I’m not a professional diargram-ologist like Eugene, but I imagine it could work something like this.

In real life, it might look something like this random photo I found of no one in particular.

Technology like this is quite advanced and very expensive to develop.

If I were to estimate, it would probably cost something like... $70,000.

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daresplaining · 5 years ago

Text

What If? Daredevil Vs. Elektra

I have been meaning to write a full post about this chilling alternate universe, and Halloween seemed like the perfect time to do so. With the success and popularity of Spider-Gwen’s Hand ninja Matt Murdock, it can be easy to forget that he is not the only one. The first story of a Matt whose life took a darker and more ninja-y path was told in the one-shot What If? Daredevil Vs. Elektra, which is a chilling tale of murder, regret, and painful memories that won’t stay buried.

The story is told from the point of view of Elektra Natchios, agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. who, in the midst of a successful career in espionage, is forced to face again a traumatic event from her past-- a hostage situation in college, in which her boyfriend tried to rescue her and was killed.

[ID: A flashback to Columbia University, Elektra’s origin story. Cops outside a building shoot into an upper window.]

Cops: “They’re killing the hostages! Wait... what’s that? I can see something... Yeah, a clear shot, and I’m taking it...”

Elektra: “Matt!”

[ID: Young Matt Murdock gets shot multiple times. Young Elektra kneels on the floor, holding his body in her arms.]

It’s a memory she has learned to live with, a little piece of trauma she has long since buried, but then, suddenly, people around her start dying. She and her fellow agents begin to investigate scenes of carnage, carried out with terrifying stealth and skill by an unknown enemy.

[ID: The Kingpin’s office, chaos. The Kingpin sits at his desk while a ninja in red clothes and a devil mask fights Bullseye. The ninja slices Bullseye’s head off with his sword and then advances on the Kingpin.]

Elektra (off-panel): “His bodyguards slaughtered upfront, Fisk’s personal assassin... Poindexter... Bullseye... whatever they called him... was the Kingpin’s only prayer.”

Elektra, horrified but still clueless about how this connects to her buried memory at this point, investigates further. Her character development is an interesting variation in this universe, which presents a fairly clear-cut role switch between she and Matt. Her experience in college was painful, and her career as a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent has given her a fairly jaded view of life and people, but she has retained some of the optimism and naivete that was snuffed out in the 616 universe by her father’s death. Elektra wants to see justice done, even if the only people so far killed have been dangerous criminals. She asks around, and eventually finds a surprisingly informed old blind man in a bar.

[ID: A bar. Stick is playing pool and talking to Elektra, who is dressed in a black coat and red head scarf.]

Stick: “Ever heard of the Hand?”

Elektra: “As in ‘talk to’?”

Stick: “You’re a barrel, too, y’know that? The Hand. Corrupted ninja order. Heirs to the Beast. Intent on infiltrating the empires of man. In other words-- one bad outfit. Their current leader, ‘the Advocate’, is a servant turned master. He uses a unique approach to taking out his foes. He finds a discontented underling, exploits their dissatisfaction, nurtures it into betrayal... then attacks from within.”

Elektra: “Very Hong Kong triple-feature, old man. How does it connect to Fisk’s murder?”

Stick: “The Kingpin’s lawyer. Talk to him. And while you’re at it, talk to your boss... he just might help you find another blind guy whose kung fu is better than yours...”

It doesn’t take Elektra long to find the Kingpin’s lawyer, Foggy Nelson. She discovers him sitting alone in his apartment, a bitter shell of the Foggy we know in the 616 universe. Losing Matt hit him hard, and-- as is true in several other alternate universes as well-- sent his life into a tailspin.

[ID: Flashbacks from Foggy’s life: in the library with Matt in college, Foggy sitting at a desk in the Kingpin’s office, a body (Ben Urich) with a bag over its head, Foggy defending the Kingpin in court.]

Foggy (off-panel): “The two of us had high hopes... aspirations. We were gonna open our own practice once we passed the bar... and change the world, or what little of it we could. Funny how life goes. After law school I could barely pay back my student loan. I was desperate for money. Fisk made me an offer I would have been an idiot to refuse. A six-figure retainer. When he was on trial a few years back for placing a hit on Bugle reporter Ben Urich... having an honest, decent man shot dead... body dumped like trash... I fought for his freedom like my life depended on it. Probably did. In the end, it was the judge who’d been bought, but I was party to it. My life had become a sick joke.”

He is bitter with regret and disgusted by the person he has become. He admits to Elektra that he was the weak link in the Kingpin’s organization-- the person indirectly responsible for his murder. He also gives her the name of the man who did the deed-- the Advocate-- along with some terrifying news: that his next target is S.H.I.E.L.D. Sure enough, ninjas attack one of the helicarriers shortly afterward, killing Nick Fury and many of Elektra’s other friends and co-workers. Elektra realizes what she is up against. She realizes who she is up against. The Hand have brought Matt back from the dead and turned him into a killer, and she has to do something about it.

Elektra returns to Stick. She trains with him, attempting to prepare herself to face the Hand. When Stick suddenly vanishes, Elektra takes things into her own hands. She takes the name Sai and forms the new Chaste (one of my favorite alternate universe teams). They prepare to attack the Hand at their home base, and finish things once and for all.

[ID: Elektra, now dressed in her 616-verse red outfit, addresses a group of other heroes: this universe’s versions of Wolverine, Black Widow, Power Man, Iron Fist, Echo, and Silver Samurai.]

Elektra: “Our differences may be many, but we share common ground. Each of us has lost someone... something... to the Hand. We are now the Chaste. The only ones who can stand against them. This is how we go in...”

Caption: “Old names forsaken, each member of this new order of seven took on another one to signify rebirth-- Claw. Sting. Stone. Flame. Seer. Sword. Sai. Woe to the Devil and evil men.”

This comic is relentless in its carnage, which feels exactly right for the flavor of the story it is telling. When the new Chaste storm the Hand’s headquarters, Elektra discovers that Stick is dead. Matt has killed his first teacher, and Elektra knows she is out of options. She has to stop Matt herself.

[ID: In the Hand’s fortress. Elektra has discovered Stick’s severed head.]

Elektra: “Stick... teacher, I’m sorry... you were right. Time to grow up.”

She seeks him out. Of course, he is expecting her.

[ID: The Hand’s fortress. Elektra approaches Matt from behind. He is dressed in a red ninja outfit but without a mask. His eyes are an unnatural red. Elektra has her sai; Matt is holding a gun.]

Elektra: “I’m here to stop you.”

Matt: “From doing what? Bringing order to chaos? Imagine these widowmakers without my guidance. You’re still holding onto the ideals of youth. Your father raised you in a sheltered, protected bubble allowing you limited contact with the rest of the world. Clouded your thoughts with fairy tale notions of ‘good’ and ‘evil’. Isn’t that why you hate him? You know this world is a savage garden. Beauty in duality. Good and evil intertwine like copulating serpents. Indistinguishable. It’s not worth saving because there’s nothing to save.”

Here, we see the other half of the role switch. Reanimated Matt is brainwashed, and that is part of it, but his words have the feeling of a deeply ingrained truth. His existence has been nothing but pain. An attempt at heroism cost him his life, and since he has been back, all he has seen is the worst of people. His words echo 616-verse Elektra’s mindset in the wake of her father’s murder-- that the world is a cold and uncaring place and all one can do is attempt to survive in it as best one can. And like 616 Matt in the equivalent situation, Elektra is horrified to see what has become of the hopeful, caring person she knew in college.

They fight, and Elektra realizes the inevitable-- there is no saving Matt. And she is Elektra, no matter the universe, and so finds the strength to do the deed.

[ID: Elektra shoots a bullet past Matt’s head. He drops to his knees, his hands pressed to his ears in pain.]

Caption: “The gun is S.H.I.E.L.D. ordinance... with a built-in sonic disruptor. It sends the Advocate’s senses into overdrive.”

[ID: Elektra draws her sai and stabs him through the chest.]

[ID: Matt lies, dying, on the ground. His eyes now look normal. Elektra kneels beside him.]

Matt: “Elektra...?”

Elektra: “Matt...?”

Matt: “Terrorists... taken care of... you and... your father... safe?”

Elektra: “Yes, darling... we’re safe... we’re safe.”

It’s a beautiful little one-shot, bloody and tragic and poetic as the best Elektra and Matt comics are. I’m sure I’ll discuss it again, but for now, I wanted to give it the attention it deserves as an important alternate universe story and a compelling re-exploration of Matt and Elektra’s relationship.

#What If?#Elektra Natchios #Daredevil #Matt Murdock #Commentary

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