#also just. everything about people interacting with yuri felt. off this season

[mithidria]

oh my g od i was right i was not prepared for the finale

#tiger and bunny #tiger and bunny spoilers #glad yuri got to not look like a total disaster for once #like i’m upset that he ended like that but. he looked cool. i hope he comes back and pretends nothing happened #idk i’m kinda unsatisfied with it tbh #like all that build up of it being connected to ouroboros and then nothing #and the whole i’m gonna kill aurora to save the next thing? ehhhhh #idk. it was a twist sure. but i feel like it didn’t totally fit with the whole mission a lead up. it was very clearly the prison #and they switched it for shock value. i think making the mission audon would’ve made more sense but idk #idk man. i’m gonna go read fix it’s because petrov is the best character in the show #also just. everything about people interacting with yuri felt. off this season #kotetsu saying he still supported legend?? barnaby and him putting absolute minimum effort into saving yuri from himself? they would never #i’m just saying. one of them would’ve jumped after him. or at least fucking looked for him #so much commentary on personal codes of justice and saving people. but they throw it out when it comes to saving someone they don’t agree w/

[onmaplestreetagain]

I want to know your Thoughts on how they handled the whole El and Brenner storyline

Oh this is such a good question because I do indeed have Thoughts! Of every storyline in S4, it’s the one I’m most undecided/conflicted about, or at least it’s in the most grey-area one. Overall I think they handled it well, in that they hit all the marks I hoped for, and that brought the most amount of narrative tension, namely the fact that they made it so El “needed” Brenner (though that was a little thin) to get her powers back. At least, there was a brief period of time where he had to play on the good side, even though he’s always been a villain, and El’s truest adversary. To me El’s storyline would’ve felt incomplete without facing Brenner again in some way, so I’m glad it happened, aside from the pain she was put through obviously. 

I loved the flashbacks, I loved the entire Hawkins lab storyline, and the callbacks to S1 with El having to go back into the sensory tank, having to revisit everything and bring a part of her past full circle. I loved when she told him he was the real monster, that she knew & believed that, and had the courage to tell him — Millie’s acting in that scene was phenomenal. I think that was her first true moment of freedom from all Brenner put her through, and again, the callback to S1 when she told Mike “I’m the monster”, to now naming the truth of it to her abuser, was an unbelievably powerful full-circle moment.

With that said, my biggest issue with the handling of it is, I think, a symptom of the larger issue I had with S4 in general, which was that style sometimes got in the way of substance (there are obviously exceptions, but that’s for another post). I know this is a relatively small point, but the way they did the first meeting between Brenner and El felt SO strange and contrived and like a weird villain-music reveal from a corny action flick. I don’t know how to describe it, but something was so… oddly melodramatic and understated at the same time? And I’ve said this before, but I think Matthew Modine’s performance has a lot to do with it. He seemed to do much better in the flashback scenes, even, then in the present-day timeline — he was either too one-note, or his energy didn’t mesh with the scene or deliver the heavyweight impact it should’ve at times. I felt this most especially in his death scene; tonally, it felt off to me. Him begging El to say she understood should’ve been so much more impactful than it was, and maybe I was just ready for him to kick it lol, or it might’ve been the over the top helicopter scene preceding it, but idk, it didn’t land (at least on first watch).

I also felt a lot was unexplained or just missing from his re-introduction. We know he’d been hiding out somewhere, but who was protecting him? What had his and Owens’ relationship been up until that point? How exactly did he survive a Demogorgon pouncing on him back in S1? Why did he still have access to that underground lab? Again, I’m sure I’ll do a rewatch and it’ll be clearer, but honestly after the bunker was stormed by like 4 different groups of government agents, and Brenner and Owen’s interactions were weird and stilted, I couldn’t keep track. (That was a larger S4 issue for me as well — the fact that they felt real comfy giving us way too much screen time at like, Yuri’s fish n fly but couldn’t be bothered to spend time on more necessary details)

So yeahhhhh that was a long ass novel but basically, I think the structure was there, they went in the right direction, and I’m happy with the overall conclusion, but some aspects of it fell flat for me, tone and theme-wise. It also kind of sucked that El had to be separate for so much of the season yet again, and I don’t know if I buy the argument that they couldn’t have done it another way. What if the Cali group could’ve been more involved, maybe captured along with El? Again I love that it was her alone who had to face him, but still. Let our girl be with her people!

#answered #consider-the coconut #st4 #st4 asks #el hopper #martin brenner #stranger things 4 #long post #do we still need to tag long post now that there's like the 'expand' option #lol #sorry if this was jumbled and vague jhsjhf I had a lot to say and was too impatient to edit

[n3rdlif343va]

Voltron Season 8: They stole our Shiro

I’m going to try to put this into words, because the ache is so deep in my chest I’m not sure I will be able to function if I can’t express my disappointment. This isn’t spoiler free, so most of it will be under the cut.

To be frank, this isn’t about shipping. This is about a character I love and the horrible way he was disrespected. It’s about creators and a network who want credit for representation, while making a mockery of that representation. Yes, it is salty. No, that doesn’t change how true it is.

Season 8 of Voltron was not my Shiro. I don’t think I am alone in my feelings of utter disbelief and disappointment in the writing of my favorite character. The Shiro we all knew through Seasons 1-7 was brave, kind, caring, independent, a fighter, valued his relationships, and never did anything without his whole heart being in it.

Season 8 Shiro was none of these things.

As soon as Shiro was revealed to be gay, he began to fade. His emotional reactions were tempered, his interactions with Keith became few and far between, and the creators slowly began to erase every part of Shiro that made his representation so important to all of us.

Not only did Shiro battle his illness, his self-doubts, the people who doubted him, and his own mental illness, but he was also an amputee, a survivor, a POC and gay. And yes, Keith saved him, but Shiro spent an equal amount of time saving everyone else. He was STRONG. He was INDEPENDENT. And he was willing to fight for those who couldn’t fight for themselves. He was willing to push his limits to succeed and never give up on himself or anyone else.

You know, until he forgot everyone’s names and the existence of his best friend. (don’t worry though, he gets an arm wrestling scene *insert eye roll*)

LM and JDS looked really damn proud of themselves during the reveal of Shiro’s sexuality. They took all the praise they could get, all the pats on the back and seemingly thrived over the appreciation the fandom gave them. (Yes there was some hate about Adam eventually, but they became defensive about that, instead of actually explaining their thinking.)

But here’s the thing, they don’t get to pat themselves on the back and neither does DreamWorks, because they took all the possibility and all the build of Shiro’s phenomenal character and became the epitome of the emoji of the guy throwing away trash.

Because a gay man can’t have a male best friend, right? He can’t interact with the male members of his found family either. Hell, he can’t even say their names lest anyone believe that *gasp* he might be attracted to one of them! Thank you for perpetuating every single terrifyingly familiar stereotype for those of us who are scared to reveal our sexuality for THIS EXACT REASON. Shiro is gay and now Shiro is distant from everyone sharing his gender. Great work here.

And then, as if this didn’t hurt enough, they decide to slap on that pathetic epilogue. Again, this is not about my ship. I’m not shy about shipping Sheith. I fell in love with them because their development and strength in each other reminded me of Victuuri (yes, go watch Yuri on Ice if you haven’t and need to heal, trust me it’ll help). BUT this isn’t about that.

This is about every single person who ever came out only to be met with “are you sure? I mean, have you ever even had a same sex partner?”

Because, obviously, Shiro is only gay if he kisses and marries a dude. Any dude. And also leaves behind his life’s work. That’s the only way to prove he is gay. Being married.

Well, pardon my cursing, but FUCK THAT. The creators took a character who stood for so much more. They stripped him of his independence, his strength and the representation of BEING HAPPY, SUCCESSFUL AND COMFORTABLE IN HIS SEXUALITY and went “fuck it, let’s marry him off! That will prove we’re allies! That’s show making history right there!”

Don’t tell me that being gay is just a part of who Shiro is and not something that defines him AND THEN USE IT AS A MARKETING TOOL. You don’t get to be proud of this decision. You don’t get to parade around your decision by telling fans “make sure you watch to the very end” (calling out LM here, because that was a jerk move). You don’t get to do these things while shoving Shiro into one of the oldest, most painful stereotypes.

HE DOES NOT HAVE TO BE MARRIED TO BE GAY. SHIRO DOES NOT HAVE TO PROVE HIS GAYNESS.

But by adding this to the epilogue, by saying Shiro finally found his happiness, the creators are tearing into the hearts of fans who loved Shiro and found comfort in everything he is, including his ability to pursue his dreams and not feel obligated to be in a relationship. The creators forced an OOC ending on Shiro either to give themselves credit for representation (where they don’t deserve it) or to shut up and placate the morons who were screaming about the Adam situation.

Either way, this was the wrong decision.

I don’t know how to make this better for anyone. I don’t know how to make it better for myself. As someone who is bisexual, auto-immune, and fighting my own mental health and body to survive every day, Shiro means the world to me. I wanted better for him. I would have been happy with an epilogue that had him at the helm of Atlas, grinning like a kid in the candy store as he flew through space.

Yes, I would have been happy if he ended up with Keith, but to me, that wasn’t necessary. If they really felt the need to have the representation in there, they could have done it with the one person who had devoted his life to Shiro’s survival and well-being, who Shiro was equally devoted to. But again, I argue that ending up as a couple was not essential to their happiness. Being together? Exploring space? Pushing every limit? That’s their happiness.

Shiro didn’t get that. He became a cardboard cutout, a representation of every fear I have as a semi-closeted gay person. He could have been more. He deserved to be more.

Shiro deserved happiness and I don’t know that I can ever forgive Voltron for making his “happiness” about being married and giving up his dream, that his happiness meant distance from the family he was so happy to have found.

Because, in simple terms, that’s bullshit.

#voltron #shiro #takashi shirogane #sheith #vld season 8 #vld s8 #vld spoilers #i am hurt guys #crying for 24 hours is bad news #this should have been better #let's get loud about this #i am here if anyone wants to talk #nerd thoughts

[thecrazyanimegirl]

Spring anime 2018

And here is our review of the Spring season ^^ 

This is not everything we watched, but mostly things we would recommend or had something to comment. We also didn’t include some anime that had second, third etc season airing. If we missed an anime you think should be here, write it in the comments and help us complete the list ~

Remember, this is just our opinion, we never meant to offend anyone and we hope we made your decisions about what to watch next a bit easier ^^

Winter 17/18

3D Kanojo

K: I liked it at first, the main character is sometimes really relatable, an outcast otaku who is just trying to survive. And it has some very funny moments. But somehow too much drama got involved and I stopped following it on a weekly basis, but I’ll definitely binge watch it during summer too see the end ~

Neko: I like how characters are relatable and it was nice until drama came. It is still good though.

Kitsune: Watched the first episode but didn’t get hoooked on it :/

Butlers x Battlers

K: Yes, this has such typical and predictable plot. Like you know it right off the bat. But yes, I still love it (≧∇≦) The side characters are more capable than the main guy, but I like their interactions and it’s somehow really good.

Neko: The plot is really predictable, but that gives it charm, I guess? I don’t watch it for the plot anyway. I watch it because of the characters.

Kitsune: If you like good looking guys than this will be satisfying for you although the animation gets kinda weird at some points (mostly during the fighting scenes).

Caligula

K: This is definitely one of my favorites this season! I know it’s not for everyone, it’s confusing most of the time, but I like how every character has depth and they are all very interesting. The story is also very unique, I love it. Oh yea, the soundtrack is Amazing™️ ^^ (I guess I should mention it’s not for everyone because it has a lot of trauma, suicide mention, bullying...)

Neko: I love the plot and the thought behind this anime. It was really interesting and I got hooked really fast. It is confusing sometimes but I still love it!

Kitsune: Beautiful music and great plot! The characters are well developed and it makes you like even “bad” guys. Definitely worth the try! 

Comic girls

Neko: I watched this anime because I totally relate with Kaos-chan. If you like slice of life with manga artists and yuri then you probably will like this. 

Crossing time

Neko: I was actually skeptical about this one, I thought it will be bad, but in the end I quite liked it. It last only few minutes which is great for when you don’t have time and it is made up from different stories every episode so it doesn’t get boring. It’s great for short relaxing pause.

Dances with the Dragons

K: The story is very complex, so sometimes it’s hard to follow what’s happening because a lot of politics are involved. But beside that, the interactions between characters are amazing, it has some humor and a lot of fighting scenes. Less dragons then I though it will though. Even so, I liked it ^^

Neko: I have a feeling this story is great and really detailed, but it is really hard to follow. I think that if you read novel it is better? I think it would be really good, but unfortunately I really have hard time understanding what is happening

Kitsune: God help me with all those names and titles they use xD Also I think I tried much too hard to understand the politics in this universe than in the real world lol. I hope that the novel gets and English translation so that I will get to see more of these two’s interactions ;)

Devils Line

K: A really good romance, great fighting scenes, has some a bit more gore-y, nswf-ish scenes, but it really fit well with the theme. One of the more popular this seasons and it deserves it ^^ I love the characters. (and Miyano Mamoru’s voice in the ending song is a blessing *-*)

Neko: It has really good story and a bit of everything: romance, fighting, supernatural... It shows two people from different worlds (even different species?) overcoming all the obstacles to be together and also a lot of blood.

Kitsune: At some times I kinda felt a little bit annoyed with Tsukasa because of her actions BUT the whole anime is really good and I would recommend it to anyone who likes the combination of romance and action. The plot is deep and well explained so it’s a real treat to watch it.

Dorei-ku The Animation

K: Not the biggest fan, but the plot is interesting enough to make me want to watch more.

Neko: It’s intersting. It shows a lot of sides one person can have and how easy it is to change when you gain some power. I only wanted for the dog to get his revenge though XD

Kitsune: The idea of this anime is really interesting but I kinda felt disappointed for not seeing the complete dark and twisted possibilities that the device they use offers. Maybe the manga goes deeper into that points as the story goes on.

Dragon pilot: Hisone to Masotan

K: A really interesting idea, has dragons, amusing characters and a great ending song ^^

Neko: I really like this anime. Idea is great and it really surprised me because I really didn’t think it will be deep anime because it was really fun but it is and it is great. And it has dragons!

Kitsune: Really cute and different style of animations that made me fall in love with this anime from the start! I like it how the characters are developing through  the story and cope with their problems.

Golden Kamuy

K: Even though it has a lot of killing and maybe gruesome scene, the plot is intriguing and always made me wait for the new episode with anticipation. I can’t wait for the next season ^^

Neko: I love this anime. It has a serious plot but it’s still funny. Story is really interesting and characters are really loveable! I should mention it has a lot of fighting and killing. It is one of my favorites this season.

Kitsune: Many praises to this one, it has everything that a good anime has to offer! (except for the bear in the first episode lol, poor thing looked like it came from an other dimension)

Hina festival

Neko: It’s cute and funny and sarcastic. It’s about an overpowered girl who doesn’t really know anything about life living with her adoptive father with shady business and people around them

Jikken-kin Kazoku

K: This is amazing! It really needs more popularity. I love their soft interactions. A weird but loving family ^^

Neko: I love it! it is heartwarming and beautiful.

Kitsune: A cute story about a weird family that tries to find their place in the society :)

Kakuriyo: Bed and Breakfast for Spirits

K: A really good romance, food, cute and heartwarming stories, a bunch of hot guys, actually capable and most of the time useful main girl, what more can you ask for! I love it.

Neko: This is also one of my favorites. It has similar style as kamisama hajimemashita and other slow burn romances. Characters are loveable and the story is interesting!

Kitsune: Weeee more food in animes! Also, we finally get to see some other world experience other than getting sucked into video games xD

Last hope

K: I didn’t have much of an opinion about it at first, but I got hooked with each episode even more and started liking the characters. The mecha/animal combinations are interesting and even though the villain is a bit typical so far, its a good anime. I love it more and more with each episode ^^

Neko: At the begining it was just weird, but after a while it got a bit easier to understand. I think that you need patience for this anime? I like characters so it was good enough for me

Kitsune: Have you ever wondered what would it look like if a whale merged with a bulldozer? Then this is the right place for you xD An awesome mecha anime with tons of good-looking guys is waiting just for you!

Layton’s Mystery Detective Agency

Neko: I like this anime. At forst I thought it was made for the children, but the clues are really hard to get and the cases are really original and interesting so I think it is for everyone who likes detective anime with bright character ^^  

Legend of the Galactic Heroes

K: I heard a lot of bad things about it before I started watching it, but I really like it! The story is interesting, I love the battles, the characters are complex and the animation is amazing! So this is one of my favorites ^^

Neko: I am not really fan of it, but not because it is bad it’s just not my type. I don’t like when I have to use my brain too much so listening to their war plans is really hard for me XD I do love the characters and I think it is great anime if you are into this genre ^^

Kitsune: Although many had their doubts about this remake of the old anime version, I must say that I can’t see anything that could be considered “bad”. The new art style brings joy to the eyes and the story is marvelous!

Lost song

Neko: I love the story even though it is confusing at the end. It’s really beautiful and emotional ^^

Magical Girl Ore

K: Ummm, is there anything to say? Boy love, girl love, straight couples and none of the above, lots of humor, sometimes makes no sense, but is always entertaining. Sometimes I found a bit too much, but in the end, it’s a great laugh and an interesting idea for a plot.

Neko: I honestly don’t know how i feel about this anime. It is funny and weird. Sometimes it feels like a parody and sometime it looks like it has an actual plot. I really don’t know.

Kitsune: Weird. At first xD but at the same time interesting and funny. Some might call it cringey but if you get over some things this anime warps, you get an interesting story that makes you smile each time you see a girl transform into a guy xD

Magical Girl Site

K: Definitely not what I expected, but I ended up really liking the story ^^ It has a lot of blood, bullying, suicide and other thing so it’s not for everybody, but the plot is worth it all. Don’t give up after the first episode, it’s really interesting.

Neko: I like dark magical girls anime because they usually have a deeper meaning. I was really shocked at the first episode, it is really brutal, but story is really great! It has a lot of nasty stuff so I wouldn’t recommend it to everyone.

Kitsune: We all thought that there is no anime that can shock us anymore but this one definitely proved us wrong. “Cute” animations and a tad bit of yuri say that this anime isn’t your everyday shoujo story. 

My Sweet Tyrant

K: Extremely cute, funny, lasts 3 minutes. Cuties (❀◦‿◦)

Neko: It is really cute and short ^^

Kitsune: very sweet short story :3

Persona 5 The Animation

K: Another of the favorites! Amazing story, characters, animation and music *-* The soundtrack is constantly playing while I’m studying. Oh, yea, you can watch it regardless of the previous seasons, but it could make you want to watch everything and play all the games, so beware ;)

Neko: This anime is one of my favorites this season ^^ I like the animation and plot. I love it!

Kitsune: Still daydreaming about seeing the game to come on the PC!

Rokuhoudou Yotsuiro Biyori

K: The best thing when you need something warm, calming and full of feelings. They are all so cute! And I really want to try their coffee... and tea and sweets *-*

Neko: I love how therapeutic their shop is! Characters are cute and they all deal with everyday struggles and eat delicious food. It is great and relaxing anime ^^

Kitsune: Food, coffee, tea and beautiful guys? I wish there would be a similar cafe in my place xD

Space Battleship Tiramisu

K: I have no words  😂 I died laughing. The humor can get too much, but it’s still hilarious.

Neko: I guess it is funny just not my type of funny. It lasts a few minutes and is made to make you laugh. I guess people will either like it or not.

Kitsune: I don’t think there was even one episode that made sense to me but the main guy is funny xD you can literary watch each episode separately because the plot in them is not that connected

SAO Alternative: GGO

K: You can watch it even without previously watching sao ^^ It’s filled with action, a lot of battles and strategies, the plot stays the same throughout most of the episodes, but it still keeps you interested so I liked it a lot.

Neko: I guess everyone who watches SAO will like this. It is in the same style only with a different story and characters. Plot and characters are really interesting

Tada Never Falls in Love

K:  Amazing romance story, it has a lot of feels and interesting characters, I didn’t think I’d like a romance anime this much, but it’s really really good ^^ It also has a lot of funny and cute moments.

Neko: I think this is great romace anime. I really love characters and their interactions :)

Kitsune: A lovely and romantic story for relaxing and bring a smile upon your face. Also has a lot of cats!

The Scales of Nil Admirari

K: Since I’m an otome lover, I’ll always watch these anime and not feel bad about it, so for me, this is good! The characters are really cute and good-looking! As the episodes go on, the plot gets more ridiculous, especially the last few, but it did make me laugh (even when it probably shouldn’t) but I liked it ~

Neko: Sometimes I feel the plot doesn’t make sense, but that actually makes me laugh so I quite like this anime. I guess that people who like anime versions of otome will like it just like me.

Kitsune: A classic otome-turned-into-anime. Lovable characters and an interesting plot.

Wotakoi: Love is Hard for Otaku

K: I love this! The interactions between the characters are cute and interesting and they can be very relatable. If you don’t mind fujoshi’s, a lot of cosplays, weird, but somehow perfect relationships, this is amazing for you ^^

Neko: I like this kind of anime so I can only praise it. If you are like anime that are everyday life romance between weird people you should watch it and if not you will not like it  ┐(︶▽︶)┌

Kitsune: I have no idea what to say anymore other than what Neko and Kurohime already said xD It is good, watch it if you like romace xD

#season review #spring anime 2018 #spring anime season #3d kanojo #butlers x battlers #caligula #comic girls #crossing time #dances with the dragons #devils line #doreiku the animation #dragon pilot: hisone and masotan #golden kamuy #hina festival #kakuriyo no yadomeshi #last hope #layton's mystery detective agency #lost song #magical girl ore #magical girl site #my sweet tyrant #persona 5 the animation #rokuhoudou yotsuiro biyori #space battleship tiramisu #gun gale online #tada never falls in love #nil admirari no tenbin #wotaku ni koi wa muzukashii

[machigattaneko-blog]

An early Munday thing - muse stuff under the cut

Name: Phoenix Gender: Genderfluid Eye Color: Blue Hair Color: Blonde Relationship: Polyamorous here but yes in one relationship (engaged) Zodiac: Aquarius  Favorite Color: Purple Favorite Season: Fall Favorite Place: The safety of indoors? lol I don’t really have one.  Favorite Holiday: Halloween Favorite Video Game: ....There’s so many TwT I guess currently Kingdom Hearts Last show you watched: Free!! Where do you live? UT :/ Been here for a bit over a year and just ugh.  How old are you? 22 Who is your favorite author? Haha as if I read Android, iphone, Windows, other? Iphone all the way What are you currently listening to? On my Own by Ashes Remain Who are your favorite blogs? Fuck - @mckeitbeautiful @terraluminosa @legacybcrn @sydneyreturn  Last video game you played? Kingdom Hearts Remix (i forget the name of the one I’m on) Do you have any pets? No. :( I mean my sister who renting a room from has two dogs so I mean does that count? lol What is a place you want to see on your bucket list? London  Do you cosplay/ if yes what is your current favorite? No but I want to! Seriously wanna cosplay Yuri!! What was the last movie you saw in theaters? The Incredibles 2

What’s your honest opinion about your muse? He’s a lil shit and a pain in the ass but he’s adorable and just because he comes off as rude doesn’t actually mean he hates you. But a complete pain in the ass. 

What are your favorite kinds of threads? All of the types! Honestly I like them all. 

Are you a selective roleplayer? Yes I am

What made you decide to join the fandom? Honestly? Just Yuri in general. I really wanted to rp him and I finally got a blog up for him. 

Do you see yourself staying with the fandom for a long time? I hope so. 

What's one thing you dislike about your Muse? I don’t dislike him but sometimes rping him can become difficult just because of how he is with other people cause he’s just a pain lol 

Any headcanons about your muse? Mm... He’s actually scared on letting someone get actually close to him cause he’s built these walls so long ago that he really hasn’t let anyone get close to him besides his own family. Even though he does want someone or all the people he enjoys being around to break down those walls he just can’t seem to make it easy for them? idk

One thing you love about your Muse: He isn’t afraid to speak his mind. He got a problem with you? Haha he’s gonna say it to your face without a fuck given. He’s protective over the people he cares about. Sure he picks on Yuuri and stuff but if you fuck with that boy Yuri is gonna fuck you up. Ok? ok. 

Favorite moment from your Muse's canon, and why: Probably when Otabek rescued Yuri from his fans and Otabek asked to his friend or something like that. It really made Yuri open his eyes I believe because no one actually asked to his friend before. And I also like how he start off hating Yuuri (jealousy is a bitch huh, Yuri?) but he actually started to like the other. I don’t there’s so much that gave his character such good stuff

Why you began RPing: Uuuuh. I liked writing and my friends from middle school actually got me to write stories with them with canon characters so that’s where it started. And then I liked it a lot and moved onto the internet on facebook (we don’t talk about those days tho) and then I was introduced to tumblr. I just enjoyed it. I enjoy writing with other people than myself and I improve better too. 

An OTP with your Muse in it (if you have any): Well fuck again. I’ll just put the general Otabek x Yuri. Though there’s like many that tie with that. 

A NOTP with your Muse in it (if you have any): Any that involves him with a girl? Cause I’m sorry he’s gay af and you can’t change my mind on that. 

 Favorite part of RPing: Getting to know the muns behind the muse! Interacting with them and becoming friends even maybe?? 

Any RPers the Mun admire: @mckeitbeautiful Honestly I was so scared to interact with you and talk with you cause I just love you’re writing and you have all this experience and I just sometimes felt like you are just outta my league lol. But I admire you a lot <3 

A talent of the Mun's (besides RPing, of course!): Does being socially awkward as fuck count? Ehh... I honestly don’t know? I tend to nitpick myself with everything so.. haha even my writing and character portrayal. 

Is there anything challenging about writing your muse?: Like it says above he’s a pain and he’s a pain to deal with. A muse has to understand how Yuri works otherwise they may fight or that said muse could just not bother and leave. Yuri curses a lot and it’s just his way of expression. He doesn’t really care if what he says or does bothers another. And he clearly doesn’t think about consequences. He also feels like he can’t trust a lot of people and that’s makes it harder to let people get close to him but hey it’s a working progress.  Do you have any roleplaying pet peeves?: Haha who doesn’t?! When someone clearly hasn’t read my rules, when people don’t cut their posts, you make someone a starter and like TWo months later it hasn’t been replied to (this hasn’t happened here but it happened on one of my old old blogs twice and I stopped doing starter calls on them. There’s a long list lol

What is your preferred roleplaying style and why? (semi para/para/mirror etc): All. I mean I usually make threads multi para on accident but I like to include thoughts, details and stuff so sometimes it can get long. 

 [Canon] Do you feel you stick to canon characteristics of your muse?: Honestly I try my best to and I hope I am cause it’s one of the things I can get really insecure about to be honest. 

#outofthefairy #long post #i was bored and i looked at different memes and put them all together xD

[thenichibro]

Spring 2018 Anime First Impressions

Two weeks into the season - basically on schedule by my standards! This season, as always, has ups and downs as well as popular shows I’m not watching (Megalobox) and shows I immediately regret starting (Devils Line). As a further point, I don’t do impressions of sequels, and in this case I’m including Steins;Gate 0 as a sequel because it is so based on the events of the main show. Regardless, here’s what I’m watching with MAL links and original shows marked:

Legend of the Galactic Heroes - Die Neue These (MAL) Look, I'm not going to immediately say go watch the original LOGH, but I'm kidding that's exactly what I'm going to say. LOGH is a masterpiece in every sense of the word. My issue with this series is not that they will not represent the characters badly, but that 110 episodes shoved into 12 episodes and three movies is simply not enough. LOGH has a scale, a grandeur, a weight that is conveyed as you invest yourself into it for hours on end, from bombastic space battles and the minutiae of day-to-day politics. You need both scales, the imperial and the individual, to really experience LOGH, and I feel like 12 episodes isn't enough time to have both. The LOGH remake looks and sounds fine (though with way too much CG and a bit of same-facing with Reinhard and Kircheis), but I am incredibly nervous about the pacing. This is a first impression, and if Production I.G. pulls this off it will be a classic reimagined for a modern audience that deserves it. But I simply don't think that's going to happen. I'm hopeful, but apprehensive. And again, watch the original. It is pure class.

Persona 5 the Animation (MAL) Play the game first. Please.

Devils Line (MAL) A world where vampires exist under the guise of normal people and some lose control and kill under cover of night. Basically Tokyo Ghoul with less of a vampire "society" and more just individual threats, with more of a sexual twist. Tsukasa is our helpless college heroine, adrift as she finishes school, when she finds out the guy who likes her is a serial murderer who wants blood! So wacky! She's saved by Anzai, a calm, collected member of the agency tasked with dealing with vampires, before unintentionally revealing himself a vampire. Yet we are expected to just accept Anzai forcing himself on Tsukasa because he's the savior? Right. Background sound design isn't bad, art/animation are bland and at times awkward. Devils Line is trying real hard to be a new Tokyo Ghoul, but now with more sexual undertones for whatever reason. Pass.

3D Kanojo: Real Girl (MAL) Ah, otaku love. At least it can't be worse than Saekano, right? That'd be a serious challenge. 3D Kanojo follows Tsutsui, an otaku that suffers the typical ostracization of anime, when he meets Iroha, a blunt girl who for once doesn't ostracize him. The first episode has plenty of the classics - falling into a pool, talking about "3D women" being out of his league, heroics when he knows he can't win. Everything you'd expect. By the end of the episode, things progressed a helluva lot more than I expected, in many ways. It seems thus far that the otaku thing is the impetus for Tsutsui's low opinion of himself, rather than anime being the point of the show. More introspective than I would otherwise think, I think 3D Kanojo holds a lot of slight surprises. It's interesting, for sure, and I hope it continues that way.

Tachibanakan Triangle (MAL) One of two short anime I'm watching this season, Tachibanakan follows a girl who moves into a girls apartment complex and gets more yuri than she bargained for.  We've got the fang-sporting short one, the quiet one, the onee-san, the blonde foreigner, you name it. I don't expect a lot of character development or anything similar, but three and a half minutes of yuri sounds just fine to me.

Uma Musume (MAL) First off, props to the show for making the horse girls' names just as stupid as those of real racehorses. I mean, I know it’s because the girls are named after real racehorses, but still. Uma Musume involves a world where horseracing is hugely popular, only the racers are anthropomorphic horse girls. Our main girl is Special Week, a newbie transferring to a popular racing school in Tokyo. She's your typical genki type - eager, energetic, bright-eyed. Enthralled by one of the top girls Silence Suzuka, she aims to become one of the top horse girls in Japan. Oh, and the top horse girls perform as idols after each race. This sure is a mobile game adaptation, god damn. P.A. Works' art looks solid as always (props to the flowing tail animation); the OP and ED are pretty standard idolish stuff. I prefer the ED. Anthropomorphic racing is fine, yet for some reason the idol part is what makes it weird for me. This show is strange, but if it's not much more than cute horse girls doing cute horse girl things, I'll keep paying attention.

SAO Alternative: Gun Gale Online (MAL) I hate SAO. I have a laundry list of reasons that I despised both seasons of SAO. The reason I'm giving GGO a chance is because the main charater is a girl playing a cute chibi girl in-game and she just wants to make friends. Hopefully, that will avoid the terrible pitfall that was anything relating to Kirito. GGO starts right in the action, with a topical Battle Royale mode putting our pink girl and her partner right into the action. The tactics are good and help set up the basic premises of the gametype, if that necessitated a bit too much monologuing by M, the partner. Also, plenty of pouts. Always a bonus. As always the invincibility of the protag is annoying, but I don't really expect breakthrough plot changes from an SAO spinoff. I mean, SAO S1 was good for the first 10 episodes too. Keep this cute girl and not-harem, focus on connecting with others through video games rather than shanking perverts in a parking lot, and it'll be solid.

Hinamatsuri (MAL) A super-powered middle-schooler falls into the life of a nicer-than-normal yakuza. Nitta is the yakuza, with a penchant for fancy porcelain. Hina is the middle-schooler, your typical otherworldly killing machine set into an unfamiliar world. Hinamatsuri puts a lot of good spins on the taking-care-of-a-supernatural-girl trope, with the main character being a yakuza rather than an "average high schooler." Furthermore, there are some nice father-daughter vibes going between the two, though it's clear Hina maintains the upper hand. Won over by Nitta's refusal to use her as just a tool, their life together begins. The comedy is your standard boke/tsukkomi, but the lightning-quick delivery of the lines had me cracking up regardless. Hinamatsuri looks like it could go darker any second, but if it doesn't I'm perfectly content to stay around.

Comic Girls (MAL) Probably the most classic cute girls doing cute things show this season, Comic Girls follows a group of mangaka girls living in a dorm together. Moeta is the worrywart crybaby, Koyume's the genki blonde, Ruki is the less-than-secret pervert, and Tsubasa is the tomboy. There's plenty of nice compliments between the girls' personalities, and Koyume and Moeta seem like a great fit as the newbies in the group. Furthermore, their personalities being informed by the manga they draw allows for a nice exploration of manga cliches through their interactions. This looks to be more on the character-driven side than a deep dive into the logistics of manga production, but that's just fine. Animation and sound aren't really anything special, but they're by no means bad. As a slice-of-life fan I'm all in, even if this show doesn't turn out to be anything super unique.

[ORIG] Tada-kun wa Koi wo Shinai (MAL) Tada-kun follows, well, Tada-kun - a student and photographer who runs into Teresa, a rich European while taking pictures. Tada-kun, following the show's title "Tada Doesn't Fall in Love," has a calm, somewhat stoic demeanor, while Teresa is your bright, beautiful girl finally in the Japan she'd only seen on TV. After meeting multiple times as Teresa wanders lost, Tada helps her out of the rain before she finds her hotel, right next to his family's coffee shop. And then, of course, she transfers into his school along with her bodyguard, the fiery-tempered Alec. The art is crisp and animated well, and both the OP and ED have their charms. I personally like romance focused tightly on a single pair (Tsuki ga Kirei and Ore Monogatari are two stellar examples), and I hope this delivers. With a single couple development becomes the key, but if this show keeps it up - increasing interactions leading to discovered feelings, all starting from a photo (sounds a bit like Just Because, don't you think?), this will be a emotionally engaging experience.

Fumikiri Jikan (MAL) The other short show I'm watching, Fumikiri Jikan is about conversations while waiting for the train to pass. The first episode ran the gamut all the way from peppy slice of life to romantic character drama. Being so tightly focused on conversations and with limited time, a show like this needs to nail the dialogue to set up the characters each episode. I felt like I almost watched a movie in three minutes this time, and that's a good thing. The main sticking point is that with individual stories each time, quality can vary wildly. This show is a bit strange but equally interesting, but it will certainly depend on the story being told.

Wotaku ni Koi wa Muzukashii (MAL) Ah, otaku love. It can't be worse than Saekano, right? That would be a serious challenge. Wotaku ni Koi puts a spin on the genre by situating the main characters as adults who met each other in middle school and just now reconnected. The main cast of four and especially the banner couple Hirotaka and Narumi are uniquely quirky and their personalities gel so well with each other. Despite the long gap in meeting each other I feel the chemistry immediately between the two, and as episode one ends with their relationship actually beginning I'm all in. Not only does Wotakoi change things up by having the main characters as adults but it also gets past all the roundabout bullshit that often bogs down high-school romances. Furthermore, the true enthusiasm with which Hirotaka and Narumi can nerd out about what they like is refreshing, kind of like Animegataris before it became the Matrix. Combine that with a crisp art style and great musical themes, and maybe Wotakoi can provide the grounded otaku love story we've been waiting for. Oh, and fuck the Saekano shout-out. Not that I'm going to let that cloud my thoughts on Wotakoi - I just really, really don't like Saekano.

Golden Kamuy (MAL) This season's "a popular manga is finally getting an anime" show, Golden Kamuy is the story of a soldier and an Ainu girl suriving in the north of Japan in the Ruso-Japanese War era just after the turn of the 20th century. The pair aims to find a hidden treasure, stolen from the Ainu and stashed by a criminal somewhere, with the location hidden on tattoos of various escaped prisoners. I enjoy historical shows, and Kamuy is great in that it is more than just feudal Japan or something similar - the snowy, late-Meiji Hokkaido setting is undoubtedly unique. Sugimoto, the soldier, has earned his nickname "Immortal" due to his war exploits, and his personality shows it - confident in his skills yet cautious of threats. Asirpa, the Ainu, is the resourceful, collected partner Sugimoto needs in the wilds of Hokkaido, and shares Sugimotos motivations, having lost her father to the criminal who hid the treasure. The art is clean, and while the main characters look good there needs to be mention of the awful-looking CG of the two bears and the wolf that make appearances in the first episode. It just looks horrible. The dynamic between Sugimoto and Asirpa is great - the contrast between violence and peace especially - and I look forward to see where they're going. I only wish the overall tone was more consistent - the first episode is a great solemn look at the task in front of them, while the second episode inserts a whole lot of "comedic" moments that seem out of place with the action and Sugimoto himself. Regardless, quick shout-out to Man With a Mission for the OP - one of my favorite bands and this song is no exception.

#legend of the galactic heroes #persona 5 #devils line #3d kanojo #tachibanakan to lie angle #uma musume #sword art online alternative: gun gale online #hinamatsuri #comic girls #tada-kun wa koi wo shinai #fumikiri jikan #wotaki ni koi wa muzukashii #golden kamuy #spring 2018 anime #my anime reviews

[whiteclericmaris]

Yuya’s Awakening Eyes Part 2 (Episode 45)

A continuation of http://colorfulwatcher.tumblr.com/post/173802140767/yuyas-awakening-eyes-part-1

One of the things that kept me thinking from the last observation post is that it appears all of Yuya’s awakening mode with glowy eyes is due to Dark Rebellion XYZ dragon and his absorption of Yuto. Since before it happened Yuya was just shown to have chest pains that felt hotter.

So wouldn’t this mean that overtime Yuya gets awakened he would always summon Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon?

That’s not the case in the Synchro Arc but we’ll get there.

The last time we left off was in episode 43 when Yuya almost gets awakened but is stopped by Dennis’s words (I will forever question how the heck Dennis was sure the same thing might happen from episode 39 because that’s supposed to be too much info for even a character like him). It follows along with the train of thought that Dark Rebellion summoning appears to be the cause of Yuya’s awakening. 

However episode 45 changed things up.

How?

1) Yuya is not dueling anyone at all.

2) He is triggered by Obelisk Force carding Knight of Duels in front of his eyes.

There’s also this bit.

I would argue that this is mostly Yuto talking through Yuya because Yuya has no reason to say fusion dimension or Academia (but considering that Yuto revealed to him about the dimensions and being able to witness what Yuto had described at the same time actually happen to him it could still be Yuya talking)

Also one of the upgrades (though it could just be the animators asking how do we make Yuya more creepy when awakened) is the addition of the dark aura surrounding him. The previous times Yuya has awakened this aura wasn’t around (although I feel this was done for the previous episodes was for less eyewitnesses in Standard questioning why is Yuya going crazy since the Miami Championship is still ongoing and the cameras are everywhere to record each duel [even if Reiji cuts out the feed])

This interaction is a bit different from the previous duels because it’s the first time Awakened Yuya actually asks questions before he goes to straight on offense for dueling. It’s also the first time awakened mode is shown triggered before the start of a duel (since even during Yugo vs. Yuto Awakened Mode happened while a duel was taking place). It also confirms that Yuto is inside Yuya and that this awakening might be more due to Yuto’s anger rather than Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon triggering it alone (because in episode 39 Yuya did not appear to be shown mad at Kachidoki before his awakening happened but rather more desperate about the whole situation and how he could get out of this duel in a pinch. Or you could just view it as shocked about what was going on at the time).

The dark aura does go away once Yuya questions Obelisk Force though. Also note that when Yuto is shown his eyes aren’t glowing like in awakened mode.

I know this is longer compared to the previous post but episode 45 is the longest episode so far to show Awakened Yuya (at least for season 1).  

In those last pics Yuya has a reason to be angry at Obelisk Force for carding Knight of Duels (even if they were at odds with each other in the beginning because carding a person? That has a shock value you can’t imagine the first time witnessing it). Yuto recalls the people that were carded back in Heartland and his rage ensues. 

In the recesses of Yuya’s heart (speculation) Yuto and Yuya end up uniting in a sense both sort of having a reason to be angry at Obelisk Force (although I am curious why the animators decided to add this bit on because Yuya is already awakened so it’s not as if this could lead to Awakening being triggered again. I know the fandom speculates this as Yuya overlaying with Yuto like in episode 39 but this time Yuya’s Pendulum is shown so this is still a mystery. I guess this is just more for further confirmation that Yuto is inside Yuya because this area is shown again in Season 3)

What Yuya/Yuto do afterward is that they use Xianske and Xiangsheng Magician to Pendulum Summon. Just as the last two times Yuya has been awakened with the monsters he summoned he overlays to bring out Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon (Wow animators you really are making it appear that all of Yuya’s awakening happen due to going to summon Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon so far in the story. [Of course Synchro Arc breaks this trope])

One thing that I have noted from this and last posts analysis is that of course the yu counterparts aren’t shown fighting each other (Which considering that they would just absorb one another and form Zarc it makes sense why the writers left it to the last Arc) However it does bring to question what would happen if one lost in XYZ or Synchro because if you notice the areas that their absorption of one another take place in is Standard (which has all methods and is considered the foundation for everything) and Fusion. Yugo and Yuto weren’t shown to awaken in XYZ and even though Yuri was also shown to bear witness to their duel he isn’t shown to have the same effect that Yuya does where his chest gets hotter (in fact he seems more thrilled that Yugo got distracted by Yuto [even if it was through the use of flashback]). True Yugo called the duel off when the Resistance members showed up close to Yugo but the fact that he even had this much will to back down from a duel hints that no, he and Yuto were dueling without awakening. It brings to question what Standard has that it caused both of the boys to awaken (without their fourth counterpart having to be present in the area)

I also find it funny that the counterpart that ends up snapping out of their awakened state is the one that ends up losing (Yuya snapped Yuto out of it during Yugo vs.Yuto and Edo snapped Yugo out of it during Yugo vs. Yuri and they both lost to their awakened counterpart [although Yuya is the one that gets to absorb Yuto in the end most likely for reaching Yuto before Yugo did]. The same can’t be said for Yuya vs. Yuri but that’s just a coincidence I noticed)

The second thing I have noted and feel why Yuya’s eyes don’t go completely red when awakened is that the counterparts aren’t nearby (except for Yuto inside him) (although even when they are shown in Synchro all together Yuya’s eyes still don’t go completely red like his counterparts do so??? Why doesn’t Yuya follow the same trope of glowy eyes as his counterparts? [Is it really just because of rule of the protagonist to be different?]). 

Because they are both long on their own I have decided to make episode 46 a separate post.

#arc v spoilers #text #arc v speculation

[shadowcatgirl09]

Sins of the Past~Chapter 2

Post Season 8 AU: While in the midst of her travels Abby contacts Bonnie saying she needs to tell her something important and it can only be said in person. Together they travel to Alaric’s new school for the magically gifted so Abby can introduce her to a young woman. A young woman whom Abby kept secret from Bonnie for more than 20 years.

...I’m beyond sorry for how long this took. I’m not even gonna make excuses, I was lazy and lacked motivation for a while. To make up for it, hopefully, this is a pretty long chapter with plenty of BonKai interaction ;) Once again I must thank @fuckitimfangirling for being such a wonderful beta reader and all around beautiful friend. As mention before constructive criticism please, first time fanfic writer here.

 @a-bonkai-fantasy225, @bonkai-diaries, @albion19, @l0nd0ninnit, @leianaberrie, @jemiscloisfan, @seasbelow, @respectable-alcoholic, @nys30, @sansatyrionfraser, @thenameismaynard, @shamelessbisexuality, @jordanjanellejoy, @themist-underground, @one-of-the-nine, @reginakc, @creekgal02, @mysticfalls-originals if I forgot to tag anyone I’m sorry.

Bonnie shifted uncomfortably under Kai's not-so-subtle ogling of her. She took a nice, deep breath and then slowly exhaled before walking directly up to Kai. "I need a favor." It took everything in Bonnie to get those words out. She pursed her lips at his facial expression.

Kai couldn't hold it back any longer, he let out a condescending laugh. "Oh I'm sorry, I thought I heard you say you need a favor. You've definitely gotten better with your jokes that's for sure." His eyes danced with mischief, "The last time you came here I learned you can be - what's the word for it - ah right, domineering and oh-so-vicious when you need to be. Though it wasn't all bad, especially when you-" Bonnie gave him an aneurysm.

Her face was twisted with rage. "Shut. Up. Kai." She spoke the words with a deadly calm.

Alisha, who was peeking her head out from behind the mini bar, was beyond bewildered. Sure, they've gotten to know each other over the past week, but seeing her sister's reaction to Kai was something to behold. She didn't even respond to those two intruders like she's doing with him. Whatever happened between these two was - no, is - extremely intimate.

Kai adjusted himself in the chair, smirk still on his face. "So, seeing as you need my help for whatever reason, I'm assuming your oh-so-reliable friends aren't around?"

Alisha snorted and then muttered to herself, "Yeah right, they would make it worse somehow."

Kai laughed and said, "I know right? I wouldn't be shocked if they're just sitting back and expecting her to do all the work as usual." He looked over at Alisha. "Sorry, I didn't notice you there, excuse my manners, I'm Kai." He gave her his signature finger wave.

She waved back awkwardly. "Alisha."

Bonnie turned to glare at Alisha, who put her hands up in surrender, before turning back to Kai. "I specifically need your power. Look I'll...let you out...permanently...if you agree to this."

He sat there staring blankly for a minute and then his eyes became half-lidded. "So, what's the catch? What do I get out of this besides my freedom?"

Bonnie looked like she wanted to kill him. "You get your freedom. What more could you want?" she said through clenched teeth.

Kai stood up causing Bonnie to take a few steps back. He kept walking until her back hit the bar. "I had something else in mind." He stepped closer so now their chest were practically touching. The look she gave him reminded him of when he told her to focus and block out Damon's crap. Of course, she quickly masked it again with anger. A smile slowly etched onto his face and he leaned closer, his lips slightly brushing against her ear, and whispered. "I'll only agree to help you if I get to spend a whole month with you."

She drew in a sharp intake of breath and shivered. "No way in hell is that happening!"

He stepped back a little, shrugged his shoulders, and said in a nonchalant voice, "Well, that's just too bad. I guess there's some more siphoners out there you can get to help you then?" He could hear her grinding her teeth, her eyebrows drawn down in anger.

She let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine."

He leaned closer to her, his index finger on his ear. "Sorry, what was that?"

She snatched him by his ear and yelled, "I said fine!" She roughly let go of his ear, sliding closer to where Alisha was standing, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart.

"Great, so it's decided!" Alisha had to use false excitement to cover up her nervousness. The tension between those two was ridiculously palpable. She almost felt like she was intruding on them.

Kai snapped his fingers in an eureka moment and walked to a corner of the place to grab a large black suitcase and a duffel bag. When he turned around, he came face to face with Bonnie leering at him. He raised a hand to placate her. "It's just necessities, like a tooth brush, clothes, condoms, etc."

Bonnie blanched, eyeing the suitcase distastefully now, while Alisha was staring intently at her phone to try to avoid their awkward thing. Bonnie rubbed her temples while muttering, "Come on." She pulled out the knife, cut her hand, and began chanting with Alisha. Before her sister could reach out to grab Kai, Bonnie gripped his wrist tightly.

He glanced down at her hand on his wrist. "Bonster, if you wanted to hold my hand, all you had to do was ask." A cheeky smile was on his face.

She ignored him and a moment later they were engulfed in a bright light.

As soon as they arrived back at Bonnie's house, both Alisha and her phones went off, implying they had a lot of text messages and missed calls. Both sisters groaned in annoyance.

Alisha swore under her breath, "Apparently, there's some Council members at the school." Her eyes widened. "Oh, crap! My parents called four times..."

Bonnie couldn't even respond before Kai was dragging her to the kitchen looking for something to eat. "Wow Bon, when was the last time you went shopping?" He was rapidly going through her cabinets and then the fridge. "Most of this stuff is out of date, that's just unhealthy." He looked at her in disappointment.

She just stared back at him blankly. "Let's just go to the school."

                                                          -----

It had only been a hour at the most since Bonnie and Alisha left, and then these people had shown up. Jeremy stared rather irritably at three people in front of him. They were Council members judging from the insignia on their shirts. He just hoped Bonnie or Alisha got his messages.

The one who looked to be the leader spoke up. "Hello, I'm Bradley. We came here to speak to Mr. Saltzman. We will also like a report with what happened down to the last detail." His voice was clipped and straight to the point. He then adjusted his horn-rimmed glasses before rigidly dropping his hands back to his sides.

Jeremy regarded them coolly and said, "Yeah, that's going to take a while and as for Ric, you guys just missed him." He wished Ric would hurry back already; he was annoyed from the earlier events and didn't feel like dealing these people as well.

The cocky-looking redhead interjected, sounding smug with his Australian accent, "Hey look, we get it. You guys without a doubt couldn't handle the situation here." He gestured to the chaos around them, "That's why we were called in. We'll wait for Ric to get here while you scurry off to go write that report for us." He winked and made a shooing motion with his left hand.

Jeremy's eyes narrowed to slits. Bradley clamped a hand on the redhead's shoulder. "Yuri, that's enough! Don't be rude, even if the first half of what you said was true."

The brunette-haired woman with them laughed quietly.

Jeremy's lips drew back into a snarl. His shoulders were squared back, but before he could say or do anything he heard a car pull up. All four people turned as Bonnie and Alisha stepped out along with a sour-looking Kai Parker. His mood immediately brighten when he saw the newly installed but now broken vending machine though, poor thing never stood a chance.

"Hey, Jer." Bonnie's eyes darted between each of the Council members, lingering on Yuri's face the longest. "What the hell is he doing here? Wait, he's a Council member?! Dammit."

Yuri's face lit up seeing Bonnie and he casually sauntered over to her. "Hey! I haven't seen you since Barcelona! Those days were so much fun, we should do that again sometime." He winked at her suggestively.

Kai's hand abruptly paused from digging into his bag of sour cream chips and he leveled the guy with a menacing glare. Bonnie chuckled and stepped back to put at least a foot of space between herself and Yuri. "That was a one time weekend fling. Nothing more."

Jeremy looked disgusted, Kai's glare worsened, and Alisha felt a chill go down her spine. “If that guy gets any closer to Bonnie, he's gonna become another casualty here.” She stepped up beside Bonnie. "Look, wouldn't it be easier to get a report from Tiffany? You know, the admin? We need to make sure the children are okay, and we have a lot of cleaning to do as you can see."

Yuri seemed annoyed at that. "I'm pretty sure you three don't need Bonnie for that." He went to reach for her, but then he grabbed his stomach and doubled over as if he was in pain. His two subordinates swiftly settled into a battle stance, looking between the four of them.

Bonnie's head snapped quickly over to Kai, who was innocently munching on his chips. He arched one eyebrow. "What?" he said in a nonchalant voice. He looked past Bonnie at the Yuri guy hunched over. "He okay over there? Lookin’ kinda green in the face. He should do something about that."

Said guy mumbled something under his breath. Bonnie leaned closer. "Yuri?"

"I said, where's the bathroom!" he yelled.

Alisha stopped gathering up the bodies and pointed down the hall to her left. "Third door on the right."

He darted off in the direction she pointed to. Alisha's eyes met Jeremy's, "I'm not cleaning that up," she said darkly.

"Yeah, that's gonna be Ric's problem," he said, as he dragged another body over to the left hand corner of the room.

Alisha walked to the middle of the area and began chanting. Slowly, the building started to go back to the way it originally looked, and thus made it easier to get to the other bodies. When she was done she looked around slowly. "Eight more to go." She let out a deep sigh.

Bradley adjusted his glasses again, "Do you know when Miss -Tiffany, was it?- when she will be back?"

Jeremy looked up, fuming. "Gee, I don't know! Maybe when her and the rest of the staff are done calming the kids down!"

He flinched slightly. "On second thought, I'll just go look for her myself," he said briskly. He lightly tapped his other subordinate on the shoulder. "Let's go." Together, they walked through the double doors leading to the student dorms.

"You should've been doing that!" Bonnie yelled out to them as she casually walked over to where Kai was, taking one of his bags of chips. Kai looked offended.

"Hey, I got those fair and square!" He started gathering the rest of his bags closer to him as if to protect them from her.

"The machine was broken, Kai. Not to mention you grabbed enough bags, you won't miss one," she replied, a fake polite smile on her face.

The doors flew open and there stood Alaric. "Bonnie!" He sounded relieved to see her. As he strode over to her, his eyes made contact with Kai's.

Kai waved at him with a smirk on his face. "Long time no see almost brother-in-law! How have you and my nieces been?"

To say things got hectic was an understatement. Alaric pulled out a stake and swiftly advanced on Kai. Jeremy kept moving the bodies, ignoring what was happening, but Alisha accidently dropped one in panic, while Bonnie casually moved out of the way. Alaric swung the stake from overhead and Kai jumped back, then Alaric went to do a roundhouse kick but caught air as Kai vamp-sped near the vending machine. Bonnie, of course, was getting her share of entertainment from watching this.

"Hey Ric, come on now - do you really want to kill the one guy who can defeat the person responsible for this?" he questioned as he ducked from an incoming right hook.

"Bonnie can find a way to deal with this without you." He did a thrust kick into Kai's stomach causing him to stumble backwards into the machine, the metal pieces digging into his back. He went to bring the stake down again, but was hit with a motus. It sent him flying into a bookcase on the other side of the room.

Kai looked over at Bonnie, but she was looking at Alisha. A rather pissed-off Alisha. "Like hell she will! We let him out to help us deal with this problem. Magic doesn't work on this lady, her power cancels it out. If you kill him, the only other people we could use would be your daughters. And seeing how hell bent you are on killing him, I guess you have no problem sacrificing your kids, right?"

Alaric groaned and struggled to his feet. "Bonnie always found a way to deal with a threat. She doesn't need him for this." He pointed an accusing finger in Kai's direction.

"I like how you think my sister is going to be the only one dealing with this problem - like your useless little gang always did." She glared daggers at him. She then went back to placing the bodies along with Jeremy.

Alaric briefly assessed her for a minute, then turned his head away in shame and went to help with the bodies.

Kai twisted around trying to check the back of his shirt. "Shoot, I'm going to need another shirt." He looked at Bonnie. "Bon, I need your car keys."

"No," she said and folded her arms over her chest.

"Aw come on you really want me to walk around with a bloody shirt? Or do you prefer me with it off?" He raised his eyebrows and gave her a lewd smile.

She just facepalmed. Jeremy stood up, wiping his hands on his jeans, "Ric, since you're here you can finish this up. Oh, there's also some Council members for you upstairs." He then turned to Bonnie. "The arrow's behind the front desk. I didn't want those guys taking it as evidence before you could use it."

Alisha looked appalled. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, you talking like you're not sticking around!"

"I'm not. I'm going back to my apartment to sleep," Jeremy said, already halfway to the front door.

Alisha ran over, grabbing his arm pleading. "No, no, I need you on this! Those two can't fight physically to save their souls!" She turned and smiled apologetically at Bonnie. "No offense, sis."

Bonnie waved her off and Kai put his hand on his chest in mock hurt. "I can totally fight!"

She sized him up. "Right, okay dude. You have the build but I can tell you mostly rely on magic."

Kai didn’t even try to put up an argument. “Well it’s not exactly a lie.”

Bonnie leaned back against the broken front desk. "She has a point, Jer. I don't do physical combat and Kai can't fight his way out of a paper bag. You're needed on this. The newly formed Council never comes here, they're mostly sent to areas with extreme problems. The only thing that would interest them would be the shapeshifter, but my intuition is telling me that's not the case. Since they're supposed to be, you know, extinct; they came here for that Ness or whatever her name is woman."

Jeremy just sighed in defeat.

Bonnie turned, walked behind the desk and reached for the arrow. As soon as her hand made contact with it, she winced in pain and clutched her head. Images flashed by rapidly: A battered woman's blood being taken, a man writhing in pain, and an abandoned building. When she came to, she was looking at a worried Alisha and Jeremy hovering over her.

Alisha was holding her hand. "Bon, are you okay? What was that?" Her voice was trembling.

Bonnie nodded her head. "Yeah, I'm fine. Just my lovely psychic abilities at work." She suddenly stiffened, realizing whose arms she was in. One would've thought she was accidently burned with how fast she moved away from him. She leered at Kai while getting up, using Jeremy's shoulder as a crutch.

Hurt flashed in his eyes for a split second before vanishing. "Gee, a simple thanks would be nice. Eh nevermind, I'll just let you hit the floor the next time that happens, capiche?" He said.

She just glared at him.

"I think I'm witnessing something I'd rather not see." Jeremy muttered to himself looking away.

Bonnie patted his shoulder. "Thanks for doing this, Jer," she whispered.

"No problem, Bon, you're my friend." He smiled at her.

She glanced around the room, she noticed Ric wasn't there. "Okay, so we should hurry up and perform a locator spell. We don't need the Council following us."

Jeremy raced upstairs to get his equipment. Alisha pulled out a world atlas book and Kai wiped the blood off the arrow, handing the napkin to Bonnie. She chanted a spell to liquify the blood, letting it drip on the book pages, and then Alisha chanted the locator spell.

Kai looked over Alisha's shoulder, his upper lip raised in disgust. "Really? They're in Philly?"

Alisha nodded. "Yup."

Bonnie's eyebrows were furrowed in confusion. "How did they-"

She and Alisha locked eyes. "The rogue witch," they uttered in unison.

Jeremy came bounding back down the stairs with his backpack. "Ready."

Kai raised his hand. "Question! Are we using magic to get there or are we taking the car? It takes 6 hours to get to Philly, maybe 4 if there's no traffic and how fast we're going. It'll be late when we get there. Sooo..."

Alisha slammed her palm into her fist. "We can use time magic! It's my coven's specialty. I mean, my adoptive parents' at least."

Bonnie looked over at her. "Okay, we'll discuss it in the car."

As soon as they opened the front doors of the school, they saw a car pull up with Abby and a light-skinned woman who looked to be around the same age.

Alisha flinched. "Shit. It's my mom." She hid behind Bonnie.

Kai laughed while putting his junk food in a plastic bag and Jeremy smirked, adjusting his backpack.

The woman was yelling as she got out of the car, her Jamaican accent thick. "Alisha Marie Warren! Why have you not called me or your father, young lady!? Do you know how worried we were?!" Her mom pulled her from behind Bonnie and into a suffocating bear hug. "Thank god you're okay."

"I'm...sorry...mom." Alisha was smacking her mom's back frantically now. "Can't...breathe!" She gasped the words out. Her mom let her go reluctantly. Alisha had her hands on her knees trying to catch her breath. Bonnie was patting her back with a grin on her face.

All the anger and worry washed off her face as soon as she laid eyes on Bonnie. "And you must be Bonnie. I'm Zora, Abby has told me so much about you. It's nice to finally meet you." Her voice was gentle.

Bonnie smiled brightly. "Likewise."

She looked over Bonnie's shoulder. "Oh hello, Jeremy."

He waved back, eyeing her car with hope in his eyes.

Zora smiled apologetically. “No food today son.”

You could actually see the moment when Jeremy’s heart broke.

"Zora! It feel like it's been ages since I've last seen you! When your daughter mentioned time magic, I was like, no way, she's still around here? I thought you would've went back to Jamaica." Kai excitedly bounced over to them.

"And you are?" One eyebrow raised in question.

"Ah silly me, the last time you and Abby saw me I looked like a frat boy and not like,” he gestured to himself. “- this. It's me Kai, Kai Parker!" His hands were in his jean pockets and he was looking at Zora and Abby expectantly now.

Abby's eyes widened and her lips thinned into a straight line. Zora became as still as statue. Bonnie gripped her mom's arm. "Don't, unfortunately we need him alive to deal with this crisis," she said through gritted teeth.

Abby stared at Kai pensively. "I thought with the help of my mother, Joshua locked you up in a prison world for good."

"Well, you can thank your daughters for letting me out this time. The first time it was Bon, not intentionally though, then she trapped me in another one, and I got out using your ancestor Qetsiyah's blood. Then Bon-Bon stuck me in another prison world, but of course she came back to see me a day later for some-aahh!" Bonnie slammed one of her wedge boots down on Kai's foot. "Ow! Dammit Bonnie!"

"Your gift for gab will keep us here all day and we have places to be." She pushed him towards her car. "Abby, I'll call you when we get there."

"Your daughter is mean, Abby!"

"Oh mom, we need to perform a time spell. The people we're going after already have a two hour lead on us and it's going to take at least 4 to 5 hours to get to Philly." Alisha said.

"Do you really have to do this?" Zora asked.

"Mom, they're my kids! And I honestly don't know which one she's after so I rather just take her out for good," Alisha replied.

Abby, with her hands on her hips, said, "I'm with Zora on this, let someone else make the sacrifice this time."

"Abby, nobody's being sacrificed, we're just making sure this won't happen again." Bonnie side-eyed her mother now. "Let's get this spell done."

They formed a six person circle. Kai clasped Bonnie's left hand causing her to look at him in contempt, while Alisha held her right. Abby seized Jeremy's right hand and Zora's as well. Zora began chanting with everyone else following suit after hearing the words repeated. The wind gradually slowed down, and time itself stood still. Kai squeezed Bonnie's hand a bit too hard.

She hissed, "Kai! What are you doing?!" She tried to pull away but he wouldn't let go.

"It feels just like the prison world."

"Oh." She forgot that was his biggest fear.

He recovered quickly though. "I call shotgun!" He opened the passenger door of her car before Bonnie could protest. He finally let go of her hand as he settled down into the seat. Jeremy was tossing his backpack in the trunk and getting in the backseat on the driver's side. Kai was mumbling a spell to change his shirt.

Abby put her hands on Bonnie's shoulders. "Please be careful." She looked over at Alisha. "Both of you."

"We will." They headed for the car.

"This spell should give you kids at least 4 hours until everything returns to normal! Oh Ali, just so you know, Chase is working at the restaurant now!" Zora yelled.

Alisha froze. Bonnie stopped and looked at her, "Ali?" She reached out her hand, but Alisha flinched from her.

"I-I'm fine, sorry."

"But you're not fine, Ali."

"I'm just tired is all. Been up all day and that spell is taxing on the body."

Bonnie just stared at her blankly. Alisha was hugging herself now. "Chase is - it's complicated. Just know he was a terrible boyfriend, who really lives up to his name. I don't want to talk about it."

"We'll deal with him when we get back."

Alisha's eyes widened in surprise. "Bon -"

Bonnie put her hand on Alisha's back. "Move it, we got places to be. Shapeshifters, rogue witches, and weird siphoner women to take out."

"I'm so sorry, Bon, you shouldn't even be involved in this. We wound up releasing a guy who you prefer to never see again and I just - you shouldn't have to put up with this."

Bonnie just shrugged her shoulders. "Eh, Kai's not a problem, just a pain in the ass. I just chalk it up to being a Bennett. We unfortunately get caught up in stuff whether we want to or not."

"And wind up being unsung heroes."

"Ha! Truer words have never been spoken. Come on."

They both got in the car and Bonnie started the engine. "Finally! I was about to beep the horn for you guys. By the way Bonbon, I never got around to asking, but what make and model is this car?"

Bonnie rolled her eyes. "First, stop calling me that, we're not nor will we ever be friends. And it's a 2016 Toyota Camry." She saw Kai pout. She smirked to herself and pulled off, heading for the highway.

                                                                                                                                              -----

"Ali, wake up. Ali, wake up!" Jeremy was shaking her to wake her up, or at least trying to. He gave up after a while.

Kai was humming Why Should I Worry while moving cars out of the way with magic so they can have a clearer road, much to Bonnie's chagrin. "Kai stop that! There are people in those cars! When the magic wears off, there's going to be car accidents everywhere because of you."

"So you just want to be stuck on the highway behind time-frozen traffic?"

"I was maneuvering around the cars just fine Kai!"

"Riigghhttt. I've seen old people drive faster than you. What I was doing got us here faster."

"Yeah, you would know, seeing as you're old enough to be everyone in this car's dad."

Jeremy snickered. Alisha finally woke up and Jeremy breathed a sigh of relief. "About time. We're ten minutes away from Philly."

"Oh, sorry. Bon, make a right at the Island Ave exit."

Jeremy looked at his watch. "Bon, we have twenty minutes before the spell wears off."

"Shit Bonnie, drive! The last thing you want to be is stuck in between cars frozen in time in the middle of a narrow street."

"Which way?"

"Keep going straight!"

Kai stopped eating his chips to grip the oh-shit handle. Jeremy and Alisha threw on their seatbelts. After fifteen minutes, Alisha spoke up. "Pull in this parking lot."

Bonnie pulled in the lot and put her forehead on the steering wheel. Time slowly went back to normal, and the sounds of traffic picked back up.

"Well, that was fun while it lasted. It's time to deal with civilization again," Kai said, back to munching on his chips again.

Bonnie groaned. Alisha took off her seatbelt and leaned over. "Hey Bon, switch with me. I'm pretty well rested and I know my way around here. Take a break."

Alisha opened the door on her side and Bonnie got out of the car. Alisha crawled into the driver's seat and adjusted it to fit her longer legs. The car door slammed close, signaling Bonnie was in the car. "Okay, we are heading downtown. We can get a hotel room."

"In my vision, I saw an abandoned building, it looked like some type of power plant or factory."

"An abandoned power plant or factory?" Alisha stopped at a red light. She banged her head on the steering wheel. "That's-Ugh! At least it's narrowed down somewhat."

Jeremy was searching Google on his phone. "Well, there's 7 different places we have to search then."

Kai was still munching on his chips. "Where's the closest one?"

Jeremy craned his neck to see the street sign. "We're on...56 and Chestnut. The closest is between 22nd and Carpenter."

"South Philly it is then," Alisha said, swerving around a car. "Damn Philly drivers."

                                                        -----

Meanwhile in Philly Ness walks along Broad Street, taking in the sights of the Avenue of the Arts near the Kimmel Center. A little after 7:30, she comes to a stop in front of the Academy of Music. A man with golden olive skin and dark green eyes, who was sitting on the steps and chewing gum, stood up to greet her. He had a southern drawl in his voice. "Inessa. I would say it's good to see you, but we both know that's a lie."

She sneered at him. "You just don't like the fact that you're powerless in my presence. Literally."

He spit out his gum on the sidewalk. "Bitch."

In the next second, her hand came across his face, hard. "Watch how you talk to me. Remember Vinny, you are expendable. I can easily find another witch."

His eyes darted downwards, his hand on his right cheek, his lip bleeding. "Sorry."

"You better be happy that I find you useful to me, otherwise you’d end up with the rest of your family. Now, give me an update on things."

He looked directly at her face. "I had to get, um, physical with the woman; broke her leg when she tried to run, but I got more of her blood. The problem is, no matter how much magic I use, I can't find the kid. Those bastards are using some damn powerful blocking spells."

"No matter, send the school his father's ear."

"Can it be his mother's instead?" His eyes were hopeful.

"Whatever. No, you know what, send his ear and a finger of choice from his mother."

"On it!" Vinny says excitedly.

"Make sure they're wide awake when you do it, too."

He makes a gesture signaling he understood while running off. Ness turned, heading towards South street, a smile on her face. There may have been a minor setback, but everything else was going according to plan.

                                                             -----

Bonnie was resting her eyes while Kai was busy flipping through radio stations. "Which one is the station for alternative?"

"104.5"

He stared at the radio like it was broken. "What in fresh hell?! Yeah no, I'm hooking up my phone. Where's the aux cord?" He turned in his seat to look at Bonnie.

Her face was void of emotion. "No. You had that grunge shit playing all over your house in 1994, I refuse to go through that again."

He whined, "Bonnie!"

"I said no, Kai!" Her eyes narrowed.

Alisha just turned it to 105.3. "There, it's now on a station that plays old school hip-hop, R&B, and soul. So, you two can quit having a lovers’ tiff."

Jeremy had his headphones in, Bonnie looked all types of offended, while Kai just grinned. "Bonster, I think I like your sister." If Kai wasn't necessary for this little mission, he would be dead from the look on her face. His grin just widened more.

"Turn back around now." Alisha could feel her sister's eyes burning holes into the side of her head. "You and me are having nice long chat when we get to that factory." Alisha slouched down in the seat and continued driving.

Thirty minutes later, they arrived in front of the factory. Everyone got out and Kai let out a low whistle. "This place has seen better days. Reminds me of the places my friends and I used to hang around."

"You had friends?" Jeremy said the disbelief in his voice evident while giving him a sidelong glance.

"More like people I tolerated. Since Papa Parker was involved with real estate, I used to sneak into his office, take some documents and explore whatever building he was working on at the time."

"I doubt you just explored."

"Of course I didn't. We'd usually trash whatever building or house he was supposed to show off to a client the next day. Fun times."

"Wow, you were an ass even back then," Bonnie said sarcastically as she stepped up beside him.

"Aww, thanks for noticing, babe.”

Bonnie shot him a nasty glare at the babe comment. Jeremy went first followed by Bonnie and Alisha with Kai taking up the rear. Jeremy easily breaks the lock holding the chains that were wrapped shoddily around the fence. They walked until they reached one of the beaten down doors. He pushed lightly against it and the door fell away.

Kai's face scrunched up. "I smell blood - not the human kind - and barbecue...burnt barbecue."

Alisha sighed. "I'm hoping it's just homeless people." The sound of non-human feet skitter across the floor, kicking a piece of debris. "But I guess that's too much to ask." A howl rang out and everyone went absolutely still.

"We would end up in a place occupied by werewolves." Jeremy bunched up his headphones and put them in his pocket.

"Okay, so she's definitely not here, unless it's the guy." Kai said.

"He wouldn't be here without her." Bonnie replied.

They turned to leave, but two wolves were blocking the door while a man with pale skin and platinum blonde hair stood in front of them. "So, your little crew think y'all can just barge into my pack's place and not pay a price?" His voice sounded grave.

"Actually, we were just leaving," Bonnie stated matter of factly.

"Since you lot trespassed into my territory, I think not."

"So, I'm guessing negotiation is off the table?"

The guy tapped his chin in thought. "You lot broke my chains and my door."

"Get better security then, it was easy to pick that lock, the chain was rusted beyond repair and well you and your pack did pick an abandoned building." Kai sounded and looked annoyed at the fact that he had to point that out.

They all looked at Kai incredulously. The guy sniffed and then his eyes narrowed. "Vampire." The two wolves beside him growled and stepped forward.

"Seriously? I thought we moved past the vamps vs wolves thing." Kai could feel Bonnie's magic crackling. He licked his lips, her magic was always so intoxicating to experience, whether it be through siphoning or her just using it. She began chanting.

"Lost that right when ya broke in." When they charged forward, her hand went up as she finished the incantation. "Prohibere!"

The three of them came to a grinding halt. "You're a witch?!" He gritted his teeth in frustration from not being able to move his body.

"Yes, I am." She waved her hand to the right and they went flying. "I suggest you not move from that spot until we leave."

The guy grunted in response. They strode out of the dilapidated factory. Alisha turned around to mutter a restoration spell so that the door and gate would be fixed.

Jeremy sighed, trotting alongside Alisha. "Well, that was ten minutes that could've been better spent elsewhere."

"That was hot, Bonnie." Kai said as he leaned against the car, smirking.

She rolled her eyes and ignored him. "Ali, where's that hotel again?"

"Oh, it's at Rittenhouse Square, downtown."

"Okay, here's the deal, we're going there to get rooms so we can form a proper plan. Jeremy, are there anymore factories near there?"

He was swiftly scrolling on his phone. "There's two, one on Beach St and the other's on 9th and Callowhill."

Everybody got in the car. Alisha back in the driver's seat. "Rittenhouse, here we come!"

                                                                        -----

They were on the expressway now. Jeremy was nodding off in the backseat. Bonnie was checking messages.

"I'm going to need a computer or laptop so I can access the Gemini archives."

Bonnie looked up in confusion. "I thought those were still locked up somewhere in Portland."

"They were, but I got a tech savvy buddy of mine from back in the day to transfer most of the files and books onto some USB cards for me."

"And you didn't kidnap him or a family member to force his hand?" Her voice was deadpan.

"No Bonnie, how rude! He was some nerdy kid I saved from some bullies back in the day. It was a debt being repaid among other things."

"You willing saved a kid with no benefit to yourself whatsoever?" She sounded skeptical.

"I needed to vent frustration from the crap my sister and brother pulled earlier that morning. It was an opportunity that worked in both of our favors."

Alisha glanced over. "What did they do? If you don't mind me asking."

Kai sat in thought before shrugging his shoulders. "If I remember correctly, they took some of my mom's documents for a high profile case, locked Chloe in the basement because she saw them - she was the youngest after the twins, and stuck them in my room under my mattress. When she finally found them, I had to go to school with a bruised eye from getting hit in the face with a belt buckle."

The silence in the car was deafening. Alisha made a turn onto Walnut Street and kept driving straight. "Um - well, your mom sounded lovely."

"Eh, she was just as much as a piece of shit as the rest. Of course, she wound up dying from a poisoning two years later anyway. I did make sure to get those little bastards back though. My sister had went shopping that weekend, so I poured bleach on all her colored clothes. As for my brother, I dowsed the diving board with lotion; Idiot broke his ankle trying to show off."

Bonnie didn’t say anything, she just leaned over to gently shake Jeremy awake. He woke instantly. "We're here."

They got out, Kai grabbed the cooler and his suitcase while tossing Jeremy his backpack. Alisha handed the car keys to the valet. Bonnie was tucking her phone back in her pocket. "Okay, so who's paying?" They all looked at Alisha.

"Fine. I was the one who wanted to come here anyway." As she bounded off to the front desk, Kai was absorbing the place in wonder. The last time he was here - in 1994 that is - the building didn't look like this. The lobby wasn't as grand or as bright. Bonnie and Jeremy sat down on the charcoal colored sofas.

"Jer, I never got to ask, are you sure you're okay on working with Kai?"

"I worked with him before and he got stuff done, so I don't really have a problem with it."

She put her hand up to stop him. "Whoa, hold up - when did you work with Kai?"

"To get you out of 1994." He said it so casually, as if it was nothing.

"I thought Damon did that with help from Lucy."

"Yeah sure, he got the blood and low-key manipulated Kai into helping, but that was it. As soon as Elena wanted to talk about their relationship, it was up to Kai and me. Liv had attacked us and he was dying; he could've easily stopped, but he didn't, he performed the spell again. Thanks to that, I was able to leave the map and open the garage door."

Bonnie's face was blank. “That was Kai and Jeremy? I thought that-but Damon said - no! Even if he did that, it changes nothing. He was the reason I was stuck there in the first place... But he in that moment did more for you than even some of your friends ever did.”

Alisha came back over. "Hey guys, I ordered the 2-bedroom suite with a connecting executive king room."

"I call dibs on the king room!" Kai shouted from the other side of the lobby. The people glanced at him in disbelief and strange inquiry.

"Guess I'm taking the sofa then?" A tired smile formed on Jeremy’s face.

"If it helps it's a sofa bed." Her face shifted to a look of concern and she crouched down. "Bonnie? You okay?"

Bonnie blinked in surprise. "Y-yeah. I'm okay. What floor are we on?"

She was staring at her curiously now. "5th floor, room 513." She handed the keycard to Jeremy. "You guys go on ahead."

Jeremy hesitated for a moment, but when Alisha waved for them to go on, he got on the elevator with Kai. Before the doors closed she saw Kai tilt his head quizzically, gazing at Bonnie. Alisha put a comforting hand on Bonnie's. The woman had a small smile on her face. "I'm good, I just learned some events in the past didn't go the way I thought they did."

"That's what, twice now?"

She let out a sad chuckle. "Go figure."

"More with being a Bennett?"

"No, more like having a terrible best friend."

"Oh, I could've told you that one."

"Hey!"

Alisha put her hands up in surrender. "I'm just pointing it out from an outsider's perspective. Your friends were kinda shitty, sis."

Bonnie sighed. "Let's get to our room, I need to charge my phone."

                                                           -----

Bonnie opened the door; their room was nicely furnished with cream colored walls, plush carpet, and windows with white lace curtains showing the park. Jeremy was passed out on the couch, his backpack thrown hazardously on the floor beside him. The adjourning room door was open, with loud grunge music playing. Bonnie went into one of the bedrooms and closed her eyes - when she opened them, her luggage was on the bed. She then hooked her phone up to the iPhone charger.

Alisha came in and plopped down on the bed. "So, what we eating?"

"I'm not hungry." Her stomach growled. "Okay, maybe I am. What's a good place around here to eat? The last time I was here, I didn't stay in this hotel."

"The Cheesecake Factory, in my opinion."

Bonnie assessed her quietly for a minute. "If the food is nasty, I'm ignoring you for the rest of this little trip."

Alisha feigned mock hurt. "How cruel!" She smiled. "All joking aside their food is really good." A little booklet appeared in Alisha's hand. She spread it out on the bed. "I already know what I'm getting, so I'm just waiting on you."

"Hmm." Bonnie silently flipped through the menu. "I'll take a caesar salad andddd stuffed mushrooms."

"Okie dokie!"

"I'll take a grilled rib-eye steak, medium rare, thank you." Kai was casually leaning in the bedroom doorway, dripping wet in only a towel.

Bonnie flinched while Alisha let out a yelp and grabbed her chest in shock. "Dude, make your presence known next time!"

Bonnie frowned at him. "He has a nasty habit of doing that."

"You know me so well." Smug grin on his face. "I suggest you get something to write this down."

"I - Fine." Alisha dug in the drawer on the side of the bed and pulled out a small notepad with a pen. "Go ahead."

"Besides the rib-eye steak," he walked over to the bed, positioning himself next to Bonnie. "I'll have two mushroom burgers, everything on them," he flipped a few pages. "Some parmesan-garlic cheese bread, and a slice of toasted marshmallow s'more cheesecake." His smile changed from smug to genuine.

Alisha stood up. "Let me leave now, because this order is going to take all night. I'll be back sometime soon, I hope." She left the hotel room.

                                                           -----

As soon as Alisha was out of earshot Kai grinned at Bonnie. "I got my hands on a laptop by the way."

"Kai." Her voice stern, she put her hands on her hips. "Where did you get a laptop from?"

"I compelled it from the guy in room 514," he said it as if it was something done normally.

"Kai!" she hissed.

"Oh relax, he's watching tv. Though after you see what's on his computer, you might want him thrown under a bus." Kai strode from the bedroom to his room. He turned, making sure Bonnie followed behind. She dragged one of the armchairs over to where Kai was now seated.

She eyed him with disdain. "Are you going to put some clothes on or what?" She immediately regretted those words because Kai - without an ounce of shame - stood up and dropped his towel. He then strode over to the bed where his black sweatpants were and put them on, slowly. Bonnie admitted to herself that he had a nice ass.

He sat back down. "Ready?"

"So help me, if I see something disturbing -"

He quickly cut her off. "Whoa no, I was talking about the Gemini files, not that stuff. I was going to show you that later." There was a lot of folders on the USB card; he clicked on one titled Callista, scrolling down until it read 1872. "Remind me to send Saeed a thank you basket when we're done, his organization skills are to. Die. For. Anyhoo, here it is; it says my ancestor worked with an Erzah Bennett to lock up a shapeshifter in Silver Spring, Maryland."

Bonnie leaned forward, eyes glued to the screen. "Erzah...Bennett? That date, he had to be Emily's younger brother. So he managed to escape to Maryland." She patted his arm. "Keep going."

"Hmm, they didn't get his name, just why they imprisoned him. Apparently, he enjoyed the taste of human flesh a little too much, in and out of form. FYI, this includes children and old people."

Bonnie sat back with her arms folded, in deep thought. "This just tells me the Gemini Coven and my family have been working together for centuries. I want info of every Bennett that worked with your coven."

"Got it. Oh yeah, I meant to show you this." He clicked on some images, and a man and a boy popped up in one, a woman and a little girl in another.

Bonnie was sick to her stomach. "Compel him to turn this into the authorities."

"Nah see, I'm thirsty, so I was thinking I could just feed on him, thus killing him ‘cause those blood bags only do so much, and killing two birds with one stone."

"What the hell, Kai!? No! You can't just go around killing people!"

"Get off your moral high horse! Your friends do it all the time! You really want someone like him to still be around?"

"We don't just kill humans!"

"I'm a vampire - okay half vampire - and that's what we do or did you forget? I need blood and the guy is scum."

Bonnie bit her bottom lip.

"I also found these as I was looking for his wireless mouse." He threw what had to be at least 6 different ID cards on the desk. "As you can see, he has quite a few identities. And there's a mother and child a few doors down in 510. It's a win-win situation, Bonster."

She blanched. She didn't want to kill anyone if she didn't have to, but she couldn't just ignore this obvious threat. She put her head in her hands, her mind in turmoil.

Kai's head inclined to the right. Kai got up and walked to the hotel room door; he opened it as quietly as possible and peeked his head out. The little boy from down the hall was knocking on the man's door holding a toy car in his hand. Kai motioned for Bonnie to come over with urgency. She peeked her head out from under his arm - the child had to be no older than nine. She took a sharp intake of breath.

The boy’s shoulders sagged in disappointment. Bonnie moved Kai aside and stepped out into the hallway. "Hey little guy, what're you doing out here by yourself?"

He jumped due to the unexpected voice and pivoted, facing Bonnie. "The man said I could play with his car collection after showing them to me earlier."

She kept her face in a perfect mask. "I saw the man leave an hour ago." The boy looked crestfallen.

"Do your parents know you're out here?"

"No, my mom's in the shower."

Bonnie thought to herself. She had her hands behind her back, mentally chanting an incantation. A model airplane appeared; she offered it to the kid. "How about you play with this instead?"

His eyes lit up. "Really? I can play with it?"

"You can keep it, I have more."

"Thank you, miss!" He ran back to his hotel room.

Bonnie straightened herself up. She stared at Kai blankly, he had a smirk on his face. "Do it."

He did a mock salute. "On it, boss."

"Hold it, I'm going with you."

He grunted in response. Kai pulled out a keycard and together they snuck into the man's room. He was sitting on his bed watching tv. Her stomach was churning at what she was about to do. She quietly whispered a silence spell over the room and nudged Kai. "Compel him to tell everything."

Kai raised his eyebrows in question. "I want to hear exactly what he did," she said quietly.

Twenty minutes later, Bonnie was bent over a trash bin, hurling. Kai was finishing up his feeding; no one would miss this sick creep. Kai licked his fangs. "Have to admit, his blood tastes pretty good. Nice and healthy, which is just all types of wrong. So which one of us is doing the honors?"

"I'll do it. Help me with the body."

"Don't mind if I do." Together, they dragged the body to the bathroom.

She looked down at the man in disgust. "Phasmatos Incendia." The body burned until it became ash. Kai swept the ashes up and threw them in the trash. "Done."

"I can't believe I just - I need a shower and a drink." She wiped a sweaty hand through her hair.

"Ooh, you should let me join you, to help save the environment and stuff."

"I'd rather bathe in acid."

"Your loss," he said as he turned and opened the door.

                                                     -----

An hour and a half later, Alisha arrived with their food. "Hey, I'm back!"

Kai was the only one sitting at the table waiting. "Where's Bonnie and Jeremy?" She sat the food down. He started sifting through the containers until he popped open the one with his burgers. "They're asleep. Okay well, I put Gilbert to sleep, Bonnie's-" He leaned back in the chair. "Tossing and turning."

She rolled her eyes, turned around and came face to face with a peeved Bonnie. Bonnie plopped down in the chair across from Kai. "I can't sleep. Everytime I close my eyes, those images keep flashing in my head."

Alisha looked between the both of them. "Did something happen?"

"Me and Bon Bon teamed up to kill a guy."

"WHAT?!"

Bonnie kicked out her foot, but missed. Immediately, it became a weird game of footsie between them. Alisha glanced at them, bewildered. "So in the span of two hours, you two decide to commit a spontaneous murder?"

"To be fair, the guy was a pedo and planning on going after the kid down the hall," he said before casually taking a bite of his burger.

"Oh? Well, you two did the world a favor then."

Bonnie leaned back in the chair, looking how she felt, exhausted. There was a rustling noise and Jeremy's head popped up. He stretched and then laid back against the couch. "You guys are so loud." He shot up. "Food!"

"Yeah, I got you three smokehouse burgers with fries."

"Thanks!"

Bonnie managed to eat some of her salad, but was poking at her mushrooms. Alisha tapped her shoulder, nodding her head toward the bedroom. The door clicked softly behind them, Alisha was positioned against it. "Get dressed."

Bonnie looked at her confused. "What? Why?"

"You need to blow off some steam and what better way to do that than to go clubbing?"

"Hold up, we have people to find and catch."

Alisha waved her hand in dismissal. "Ness and her little crew are still in the city." She slightly winced at Bonnie's facial expression. "Just call it a gut feeling."

"No. I don't really do clubs anymore."

Alisha pouted. "Aw, come on! It'll be a good way to get you tired."

"Ali, if you want to go just say so, don't use me as an excuse."

"What I want is to go with my big sister. Please, please go with me."

Bonnie flopped down on the bed, glancing at her phone. It read 10:36 pm. "Ugh fine! Stop with the puppy dog eyes already," she groaned.

"Yes! You won't regret it, I promise!" Alisha began digging through Bonnie's clothes. "Let's see what we have to work with."

                                                           ------

Two hours later, Alisha was putting the finishing touches on Bonnie's hair. She had it in a wavy half updo hairstyle with a few tendrils of hair cascading down her face. Alisha had picked out everything for her to wear, from the black high close-halter neck blouson mini dress, to the matching pair of black Anne Michelle ankle-strap, open-toe stilettos. The jewelry too - a pair of gold dangle teardrop earrings and a bracelet. She stepped back while motioning for Bonnie to get up and slowly turn in a circle. "I think I did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself."

Bonnie looked at herself in the mirror, a smile on her face. "I dare say I agree."

"Sweet!" Alisha replied happily as she was trying to get her hair up in a high ponytail. She was already dressed with a stylish black sleeveless backless cowl neck top with a tube top underneath, dark denim skinny jeans and a pair of matching black Zara ankle boots.

Bonnie was busy putting her heels on. "So, what's the name of this club?"

"Coda. It's like two blocks down from here. They had some renovations done, so now it can hold like 4000 people," she said in a huff. She was becoming frustrated with trying to get her hair into a proper ponytail.

"Sit down, I'll fix it." A minute later and Alisha's hair was in a perfectly curly high ponytail.

After applying lip gloss (pink for Alisha) and lipstick (nude for Bonnie) they were ready. When they came out Jeremy was sitting on the couch wearing a dark green graphic tee that said ‘I ran out of fucks to give’ and cargo jeans with camo Chucks. "Wow, you two look - wow!" His eyes lingered on Bonnie's legs before meeting her eyes and then looking away sheepishly.

"I know right? She's already super gorgeous, so I only had to do her hair." Alisha was bouncing on her heels. Bonnie blushed. Alisha abruptly stopped. "Oh." Her gaze was on Kai in his outfit. "You clean up nicely, Kai!" He was wearing a gray, short-sleeve button up with black trim, the two top buttons undone, loose fit skinny jeans and white Adidas sneakers. She nudged Bonnie with her elbow, causing her to look directly up at Kai.

Bonnie sucked in a breath. His shirt fit him to the point almost nothing was left to the imagination - not that she needed it because of earlier - he did look good, but she wasn't telling him that. And of course, Kai's gaze was transfixed on her like she was the only other person in the room, his gaze appreciative. There was something about the way Kai looked at her that simultaneously made her skin crawl and tingle. So, she did what she would normally do, knowing it would bother him; she ignored him, turned on her heel, and proceeded to walk out of the the hotel room with everyone following behind.

                                                            -----

Their arrival at the club set Bonnie on edge. While the place was simply gorgeous, the club was a melting pot of supernatural people. Faeries, kitsunes, vampires, you name it - it was probably there. As they made their way to the bar, everyone's eyes were on them; okay, moreso on Kai. Some were still dancing while others stopped and stared. It was like they could sense his abnormality. She felt their apprehension and curiosity as most of them were all wondering the same thing: How could he be both a vampire and a witch?

"I just love being the center of attention," Kai sarcastically whispered in her ear. She just walked faster.

"We make quite the little group," Alisha said as she maneuvered around a dancing couple.

"That we do," Jeremy said, squeezing passed two werewolves. Bonnie was already downing a shot as they reached the bar. They all - save for Kai, who got gin - ordered a shot of tequila. The DJ shouted that it was time for the early 2000s hour. Alisha was already heading to the dance floor as Gimme the Light came on.

Two young women came over to Kai, one blonde and the other a redhead, asking if he wanted to dance. He couldn't get a response in edgewise because Bonnie's glare sent them on their way. Kai casually sipped his drink while looking at her. "Didn't take you for the jealous type."

She snorted, busy nursing her third shot glass. "I did those girls a favor keeping them from you. You're unpredictable and I trust you as far as I can throw you."

"Ouch. So harsh."

Her brows furrowed. "Is it true?"

"Is what true?"

"That you nearly died helping Jeremy get the map to me so I could get out of 1994?" Since Jeremy brought it up earlier she thought she might as well mention it.

"Yeah."

"Why didn't you - I don't -" She pinched the bridge of her nose in frustration. "Why didn't you tell me that or at least mention that if you died, so would your coven?"

He shrugged his shoulders. "What difference would it have made Bonnie? You told me you would melt my face off if you saw me again. Your hate for me ran that deep. If Damon had told you the truth, would you have even came back for me? If you knew, would you have forgiven me, or at least given me another chance?"

She leveled her gaze at him. "Yes. I would've come back for you if it meant saving countless innocent lives. And avoiding what actually wound up happening." She thought the last bit to herself. She knocked her third shot back straight. He sat, mulling over his drink. She turned to face him fully. "Just out of curiosity - if Damon had never contacted you, what would you have been doing?"

"Processing my emotions. Weeding out the assholes who locked me up, stripping them of their power, exiling them and then rebuilding the coven with new rules.” He locked eyes with her. “And thinking about you." The look he gave her was smoldering.

She hummed in response, got off the stool and headed for the dance floor. Her thoughts were becoming scrambled, like everything else that happens to her involving him. Those three shots of tequila weren't helping either. Aaliyah's Rock The Boat started blasting out of the speakers. Hopefully, cutting loose on the dance floor could help get him out of her head.

                                                                 -------

Vinny sat in his car outside of Barnes and Noble, debating on if he should tell Inessa about Bonnie and her little crew being in the area. On their plane ride back, she had described the two women and the young hunter, but there was no mention of this other dude. As he looked up from his phone, he noticed a Council agent walking through the area. He waited for her or him (he couldn't tell) to turn the corner before getting out of the car. Making up his mind, he headed into the club, handing the bouncer a hundred dollar bill.

Vinny smirked to himself. "It's time to have some fun."

                                                                  -------

It didn't work; in fact, it somehow made it worse. No matter how far she moved away from him, she could still feel Kai's eyes on her. She was pretty sure he was still sitting down and chasing off anyone dancing near her. Get Low came on.

Kai got up and made his way to floor. Bonnie felt his approach and prepared herself accordingly. She didn't expect another witch to start dancing with her instead. Quite a few people moved away at Kai's approach, but not this other witch. Bonnie had to admit he had balls, too much apparently. His hands were on her thighs, slowly rising higher.

She burned him. She then spun around to face him with a glare. "Don't touch me."

He backed up with his hands raised in surrender, right into Kai. "My bad, man." As soon as the man's eyes landed on him, they widened.

Kai felt the guy's magic itching to the surface. He raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"

The man snarled. "No." He then stalked off.

Kai shrugged his shoulders. "Oh well." He stepped behind Bonnie.

She went back to dancing. "Just because I said he couldn't touch me doesn't mean you can, Kai."

He leaned in close without touching her. "Oh Bon, we both know I don't need to touch you. Just being in proximity to each other brings a reaction out of you."

Her breath hitched and her skin started tingling. "Wow, can your ego get any bigger? I can control myself around you just fine."

His eyes were glued to the swaying of her hips. "Prove it then."

She whirled on him, her eyes flashing in anger. "I do not need to prove myself to you," she said through gritted teeth.

"You kind of just did." He gazed at her coolly.

"You have this natural ability to piss people off."

"Dance with me."

"Can you even dance? You probably have two left feet." Though she was being a smartass, her eyes danced with curiosity.

"Only one way to find out." Get Low faded into Get Me Bodied.

"Fine, but you better be able to keep up."

Bonnie gave Kai a half-lidded stare, beckoning him to her. He gripped her forearm and pulled her flush against his body. She spun around, her back facing his front, and began to gyrate her hips. His hips matched her movements perfectly. She bent over still shaking her hips and slowly came back up. Pretty soon, they were starting to get into it, Bonnie put her hand on Kai's neck and he placed his hands on her waist.

Kai had his nose nuzzled in her neck inhaling her warm vanilla, honey, and natural earth scent. He felt his fangs itching to come out. The lights around them began flickering wildly as the two of them danced in sync to the music. The music started to become distorted and sparks started flickering from the lights.

Bonnie felt Kai pull her closer and then a prick on her shoulder. She immediately came out of her trance, spinning to face him. The music slowly went back to normal. When she looked at him, she saw Kai's face was slowly starting to transform. Bonnie quickly glanced at the people dancing around them and then back at Kai. "Seriously? You just tried to bite me."

"Purely by accident. It was excitement induced."

She looked exasperated, "Didn't you drink before we left the hotel?"

Kai looked slightly sheepish. "Yeah but...” He just let the sentence trail off.

She pursed her lips and they stood there in silence, with only the sound of the heavy bass party music playing in the background. Bonnie calmly raised her arm, offering her wrist to him. He gazed at it curiously before letting his eyes meet hers.

“Well, I rather it be me than some innocent person and I prefer to keep you in my sights,” she said.

He arched one bushy eyebrow. “Now, why does this feel familiar? Oh yeah, it’s like that time in the woods. Ever the martyr, always willing to make the sacrifice so no one else has to."

She ignored his statement and urged him on. “Do you want my blood or not Kai?”

He gently took her wrist in his hand. “You sure about this?”

She nodded her head, but then her eyes widened. “Wait Kai, find a secluded area first. I don’t want people having a freak out over blood on the dance floor.”

He smirked. “Ha! Nice MJ reference.” He turned and pulled her with him through the nightclub to a secluded seating area with a divider curtain surrounding them.

                                                         -----

"Man, am I tired," Alisha said as she sat down on a stool next to Jeremy.

"That little nap from earlier must've worked wonders. You were everywhere," Jeremy said into his cup.

"So, how come I didn't see you on the dance floor?" Chin in hand, eyebrow raised in question.

"Oh, I was out there with a faerie and an elf, but I decided to sit here and observe instead." He replied, with his eyes searching the area like a hawk.

"See anything of import?"

"Nothing too extreme, but I did see a guy watching Kai's every move after he and Bonnie started dancing together."

"Wait what? Bonnie and Kai?" She waved her hand in dismissal. "Nevermind, that can be discussed later, where's the guy?"

He pointed to a man standing next to the DJ booth. "Over there, with the sandy blonde hair and cup in hand, glaring menacingly at where I'm guessing they are."

"You think he knows Kai?"

"Maybe. Or he could be like everyone else here and doesn't like him on the fact that he's different."

Alisha became oddly somber-looking. "Yeah. Hey bartender, give me a Zombie and Blue Lagoon mixed."

Jeremy looked at her like she was crazy. "Whoa, you're not drinking all that! Hey bartender, split that between two glasses."

The bartender just shrugged her shoulders and went to work. Jeremy was still eyeing the man that was watching Kai. The bartender handed them their drinks.

Alisha patted his shoulder. "Don't worry, I know a spell so we won't get drunk. We'll still be able to keep an eye on him."

                                                          -----

Kai felt her tense behind him. He turned his head to look at her. “Having second thoughts? Or is it because you're alone with me?”

Bonnie shook her head. “No. I can handle you with little to no problem. I just didn’t think you knew who MJ was. I thought you only listened to that grunge crap.”

He fully turned to face her now. “You wound me, Bonster! I listen to other types of music, I just love that “grunge crap” as you so nicely put it, above all else. That, and my sister Hanna would blast his music all over the house.” He was still holding her wrist and his eyes connected with hers again. “You ready?”

She nodded her head again and braced herself for his fangs to pierce her skin. When they did, she shuddered and let out an involuntary moan. She backed up until her calfs hit one of the couches and she sat down. Kai brought his left leg up so that his knee could rest beside her left leg and he could get better access to her wrist. He bit down even harder for more blood.

Bonnie hissed in pain. “Kai, that’s enough.” She was starting to feel light-headed from the blood loss. She underestimated just how much blood he needed.

He pulled away, his fangs coated in her blood. His eyes were dilated and focusing on her neck, then they gradually went lower until they reached her thighs. He was still hungry. Kai bit his wrist and placed it on her lips.

Bonnie wasn't ready for the onslaught of images that flashed around in her head. A tan skinned little boy with big gray eyes excitedly running up to Bonnie with his report card, Kai following behind him equally as happy with a little girl in his arms. Kai sitting in a meeting with other witch covens as the Praetor of the Gemini Coven with Bonnie at his side, a ring gleaming on her left hand. Her being turned and sired by him as Damon looks on in shock. Every vision had him and her together in it. Bonnie quickly threw his arm away from her and scooted back.

"What the hell was that?!" she yelled. She felt like her mind was spiraling into chaos, seeing into Kai’s mind freaked her out; There was so much going on in there, so much information, things she felt better off not knowing. What scared her the most was that she was at the forefront of his mind; That he wants her mind, body and soul.

"What was what?" He asked in a daze. He was still reeling from drinking Bonnie’s blood. It was as addictive as a drug, so rich and extremely fulfilling. A drug that gave him weird visions of a lame ass british accented dude being too close to Bonnie. That definitely wound up snapping him out of his blood induced haze.

"I saw - I was - We were together, married in one, kids in another!" She scooted further back now.

Kai tensed. "How-Oh, I forgot, you said you're psychic. Those were things I saw when I was in hell."

"I don't see memories Kai, I shouldn't be able to see yours," she said, in an obviously repulsed voice. "I have precognition not-" Her nostrils flared. "No, no, no, no! That's not possible! My powers are just advancing, that's it!" Grams words trickled through her mind about her finding peace and being sent to Kai's prison world.

His eyes narrowed. "I don't know, Bonnie, I mean didn't you feel my presence when I got out of hell?" He grabbed her leg and pulled her closer to him. "Try as you might to ignore it, there's something between us, Bonster."

She kicked at his hand and he let go with a yelp. He slapped his hand back on her leg quickly siphoning her. His eyes narrowed his mouth twisted in a nasty sneer. "Cut that out."

"Why? Isn't that a thing between us? Hurting each other?" Bonnie replied sneering back at him.

"Pretty much." He gave a nonchalant shoulder shrug. "I admit you're the first person to truly match me blow for blow. Like a weird game of chess."

"That I beat you at, what, three times now?" Her face was smug and she saw his jaw clench.

"Haha, very funny."

"Did you really plan on -" She was cut off abruptly by the arrival of Alisha. She seemed to be out of breath, her face flushed.

"Sorry to interrupt, but the guy you two encountered earlier is beginning to move."

Kai raised an eyebrow. "And this is urgent because?"

"Because after Jeremy followed him outside, he overheard him talking to a woman about following us. And how he didn't expect a fourth person."

"Dammit!" Bonnie jumped up fixing her dress. "Where's Jeremy?"

"Still tracking him." She darted out of the area with Bonnie and Kai on her heels.

                                                           -----

They ran into Jeremy outside of the club. "He went down Walnut Street." They took off running.

Bonnie was muttering something under her breath, a few seconds later her heels turned into a pair of black sneakers. Kai looked behind them. "We got company."

Two Council members were following them. Kai recognized one of them as one of the girls who asked him to dance from earlier. Kai chanted an illusion spell to make the girls follow what they thought were them. They came to a stop at Broad Street, the guy on the other side smirking at them. When the last car finally passed, they took off again.

Alisha was panting. "I'm going to strangle him when we catch him."

Kai side-eyed her. "You're pretty violent."

"Comes from years of bullying. You either become withdrawn or get a hair-trigger temper. I got the latter.”

The guy made a sharp turn onto 13th Street, he then made a stop at Market Street turning to face them. He put his hand out, making a portal appear. They came to a screeching halt to avoid accidently going in and ending up in somewhere else. Kai jumped back just as another portal appeared under his feet. The guy was trying to split them up.

Bonnie used magic to upend a newsstand and toss it at the guy, followed by a news kiosk. He barely managed to dodge them. Jeremy had his throwing knives out, flinging one into the guy's shoulder.

"HALT!" It was the two Council members that were chasing them earlier. "By order of the Council, you all are under arrest for attacking a civilian!" One had a crossbow in hand, ready to fire, while the other seemed to be wielding brass knuckles.

"Oh, come on! You two had to see he clearly attacked first!" Kai yelled.

"I won't repeat myself." Said the woman with the crossbow readying herself again. Two more members walked up, one Kai recognized as the guy with glasses from the school.

Kai rolled his eyes and Alisha swore under her breath. Bonnie had the guy they were after locked in a Prohibere spell. Jeremy was slightly turned so he could view both oppositions, he had a throwing knife in one hand with the other one on his sheathed dagger. Ignoring the Council members, Bonnie muttered an Elido spell to break the guy's right leg. The guy managed to utter another chant for a portal spell, causing Kai and Alisha to jump away from each other and leaving Bonnie wide open.

The girl with the crossbow fired. Before it could reach Bonnie, Kai's arm shot out to grab it. He threw it back like a javelin into the girl's left calf, shattering her tibia. Bonnie, with her back still facing them, reached out her arm and hit them with a motus. All of them, save for Bradley, crashed into each other, landing on the ground in a heap, hard. Bradley darted toward them, but ran directly into a barrier placed by Alisha. He staggered on his feet, holding what was probably a broken, or at least fractured, nose.

The guy from the club broke free of Bonnie's spell and was attempting to escape, heading for 12th and Market. Jeremy aimed and flung his knife into the guy's other leg, causing him to collapse ungracefully on the ground.

Bonnie turned to Alisha. "Kai and I are going after him. I want you two to make sure they don't follow before meeting up with us."

Alisha and Jeremy went to protest, but she put her hand up. "I'm trusting this to you two to get as much info out of them as you can." Her voice brook no argument.

Jeremy put his hand on Alisha’s shoulder and nodded. "We’ll get it done."

"Bonnie." Kai tilted his head in the direction of the guy. She took off running with Kai behind her, tackling him just as he made a portal to escape.

                                                           ----

They crash landed in an uncomfortable pile in what appeared to be a semi-empty parking lot. Bonnie was sandwiched between Kai and the other guy. "Kai, get off!"

Kai got up reluctantly just to piss her off further. She straightened herself up and looked around. They were in - judging from the signs in Chinese - Chinatown or near the entrance of it. “What possible significance did this place have? This has to be a trap,” she thought to herself.

"Bonster, check it out." Kai toed the guy onto his back. "Doesn't the guy we were chasing have sandy blonde hair?" He bent down to check his pulse. "This guy has gone to a higher plane of existence. He also didn't have any magic." Kai tapped his chin lightly. "He used an illusion spell. Cloaking spells and illusions are a Gemini specialty. Could he be one or did he somehow get access to my grimoires?" He made sure to store that info for later.

Bonnie took out her phone. "Wasn't one of the abandoned plants we were looking for around here somewhere?" She turned to face Vine street. "It says we should find the Willow Street Generation Plant if we head this way."

Kai's head snapped to the left, hearing a noise that sounded like something was being uprooted from the ground. He had a few seconds to tackle Bonnie to the ground, narrowly avoiding a No Stopping sign that was thrown at her.

Bonnie heard Kai's voice in her head: Her skin is so soft.

She stared up at him with an unreadable expression before they both turned their heads in the direction of more noise. Carlos was standing just outside of the parking lot, casually extracting a short street pole, preparing to toss it at them. Bonnie, still lying under Kai, reached her arm out and chanted another Elido spell, breaking his arm and causing him to drop the pole on his foot. He let out a howl of pain while still clutching his arm and simultaneously reach for his foot. Kai then used a motus to fling him across the street into the window of a hair salon.

"I'm going to hazard a guess that the location you mentioned is the right one."

"I would assume so, now move." She pushed him off of her and quickly scrambled to her feet. She started forward and then let out a shriek as Kai came and chucked her over his shoulder. "What the hell are you doing?! Put me down!"

He lightly patted her thigh. "Nope, I'm faster, have better reflexes, et cetera." They both heard an animalistic growl and saw a cheetah leaping out of the debris. Kai wasted no time hitting it with another motus, then vaulting to the iron fence that separated the casual streets from the highway. He switched to holding Bonnie bridal style, making her cling to him for dear life, then took another leap, landing on the sidewalk gracefully. Her face was still buried in his shoulder with her arms wrapped tightly around his neck. It has been a while since she was vamp-sped anywhere.

They heard a few wolf whistles coming from behind them. Two guys were staring at them in amazement. "Yo, you saw that?!" One of them asked, nudging his friend.

"Yeah, that was crazy."

"Man, he landed like an action hero who just finished saving his girl! All he needed was an explosion behind him to complete the image." The two guys walked off, laughing amongst themselves.

Bonnie let out an annoyed grunt. "Put me down now." Kai let her legs go since he was still crouching. She immediately dropped her arms from around his neck and straightened her dress out again. She touched her phone screen so it could light back up and began heading straight for Callowhill street.

Kai was taking in his surroundings, assessing the area. When he tried to make small talk, Bonnie kept shutting him down, so he gave up for a moment. A few minutes passed before she spoke. "Thanks for earlier."

He matched his pace to hers. "Hmm, what was that? It sounded suspiciously like a thank you."

"I'm not repeating myself." She was gazing at her phone screen intensely.

He shrugged his shoulders. "I'll take what I can get.” He went back to surveying the area. “It's jarring how dilapidated the area becomes the further we walk."

"Hmm." She was texting their location to Jeremy.

Kai sped up so he could walk backwards in front of her. "You're ignoring me again."

She scoffed, "I thought I always did that when it came to you."

"Nah, you normally give me a scathing remark. This is more...like you're trying to avoid me or something." He peered at her questioningly, his head tilted to the left. "Something on your mind?"

"I'm just trying to figure out why you're talking to me like we're friends."

"Right, because that's the problem."

They arrived in front of the building. She put her phone in her sneaker. Ever since the visions she had been debating asking him about the siring. She just threw caution to the wind. "You're right, I did want to ask you something. Did you really plan to sire me to you?"

He smirked. "Yeah, I did. If mostly to prove a point, you being a vampire would force your little friends to rely on themselves for once."

"So, it would've been for my benefit? To see the errors of my friends' ways?" Her eyes narrowed in skepticism.

He laughed. "It would've also been to piss you off. What's worse than being turned into vampire, sired to a man you hate, and losing your magic in the process? What better way to get back at the ever so judgemental Bonnie Bennett?"

She sent him a death glare and watched him reel back as if he was in pain. "What the hell was that?!"

"What was what?" She asked genuinely confused.

"You used something that wasn't magic to hit me." He gazed at her quizzically.

"I -" She stopped immediately upon seeing a portal appear. Carlos and the blonde guy stepped out.

Carlos snarled at the man. "You took forever Vinny. Ness is going to be pissed. And to make the situation worse, this is not even all of them." He gestured to Kai and Bonnie.

Vinny waved his hand in dismissal. "Calm down, I have them right where I want them."

Bonnie and Kai edged closer to each other. Bonnie spoke first. "So, are you going to explain what this is about?"

Vinny's eyes narrowed on Kai maliciously. "Him." His lip curled in disgust. "Gemini scum."

Bonnie looked startled and then side-eyed Kai. "Well damn, Kai, what did you do him?"

"I love how you just assume I did something to him. I don't even know him."

They could practically see the steam coming from Vinny's ears. He gritted his teeth. "My name is Vincent Vitali, your father wiped out my entire coven due to his paranoia."

"Okay and? He's dead. And that still doesn't explain who you are to me."

“Ironic how his coven name means life but they're all dead,” Bonnie thought to herself.

Kai smirked at her. "I know right? I wonder what they did do or planned on doing for dear ol' dad to kill the entire coven."

"Wait, what?!" Bonnie was gaping at Kai in horror.

Kai stared at her with a mixture of perplexity and wonder now. Her face flushed and she turned away from him. "No! I cannot be that, not with him of all people!" She nervously made eye contact with him again.

He was staring at her intently now. “That was a rather rude thing to say Bon-Bon.” His eyes widened, “Oh.”

She was able to hear his thoughts as clear as day. That shouldn’t be possible. She’s not a vampire nor was she turning into one. Realization dawned on her as the color drained from her face completely. "Oh god, we're mentally linked."

                                                        -----

Watching Jeremy in combat was like viewing art in motion. Alisha stood by holding two members to the ground with a gravity spell. He performed a spinning sweep kick to the girl with the brass knuckles while pulling out his crossbow and smacking the other member that arrived before with Bradley in the face. He then delivered a swift roundhouse kick to the guy's temple, knocking him out and shooting the girl in the leg with his semi-auto crossbow.

"Nuh-uh, I wouldn't get up if I were you. You're under a gravity spell; if you try to move, I can guarantee you, your bones will be crushed."

Jeremy had his crossbow pointed directly at Bradley. "Start talking. Who is the kid she's after and why?"

They were interrupted by a wolf howl. Bradley smirked in triumph even though it was rather short-lived. Alisha reached her hand out and flung the wolf in front of them with a sickening crash. She then began chanting to forcibly turn it back human. It let out a whimper and then a cry of pain in it's human form. Correction: her human form. Her dark messy hair covered her face from their view, though Jeremy could see Alisha’s shoulders tense up.

Bradley looked dismayed. "Please, let me give her my jacket."

"Fine." Alisha released the gravity spell.

He shrugged the long jacket off and handed it to the girl; Okay more like he threw it on her. He then, rather wobbly, stood up. "The woman we're after is named Inessa Novak. She had first joined the brigade three years ago."

"Dude, we don't need a history lesson, make it quick." Jeremy hissed poking Bradley with his crossbow.

He looked annoyed now. "She's after a boy named Kyle Romero. She apparently wants to get back at his family for sacrificing hers in a ritual ten years ago."

Alisha and Jeremy exchanged looks. "And the shapeshifter?"

It was the girl who spoke up now. "We can barely find any records on him. Normally, with people like him, the Gemini coven would've stepped in to deal with it, but after the wedding massacre... well, you know."

"Yeah," Jeremy replied.

They turned to leave, but the girl yelled out. "Alisha! She's anti-magic, not a siphoner."

She waved her hand in acknowledgement. "I got it." She looked at Jeremy. "We're going to have to steal a car. Do you know how to hotwire one?"

"Yes."

"Okay, then let's-"

"Ali!" The young woman was jogging up to them.

Alisha rolled her eyes. "What?" she snapped. Jeremy raised an eyebrow at Alisha’s actions.

"Here." The girl handed her a set of car keys pushing her hair out of her face. "They belong to Brad. It's parked on Clover Street."

Alisha avoided eye contact with her. "Thanks." The girl just gave them a sad smile and headed back over to Bradley.

They took off back towards 14th and Market. As they were running, Jeremy had his phone out. "They're on 9th and Callowhill." They heard the alarm disable on a white Cadillac Sedan.

The pair came to a halt in front of the car. “Isn’t she the same person on your phone’s wallpaper?”

“Don’t.” She looked down at her feet. “Please.”

He looked at her sympathetically. “Consider it dropped. Toss me the keys, I’ll drive this time.”

She slid the keys over to him on the roof of the car. He snatched them up and they got in and drove off.

                                                        -----

Bonnie's mounting anger at the attack on the school, dealing with Kai, barely having info on anything, killing an innocent man and now being mentally connected to Kai caused her anger to officially reach its boiling point. A whirlwind started to form around them, picking up all types of debris and cars.

Carlos appeared mildly irritated; Vinny, on the other hand, looked ready to bolt at any moment. He put his hands up as if to placate her. "Now, wait just a minute-"

"NO! I'm tired of this!" she bellowed. Vinny was heaved like a rag doll into the side of the building. She glowered at Carlos' attempt to charge her by sending two cars in his direction. He evaded one, but the other car's front end smacked into his left side, knocking him to the ground violently.

Kai was content with just reveling in Bonnie's destructive force. Being mentally connected to her made it better, it was exhilarating. Of course, he couldn't do that because Carlos was back on his feet again. Kai vamp-sped over, delivering a rib-shattering kick to his stomach and then jumping back to avoid the car Bonnie used to crush him. Carlos managed to roll out of the way in time, but came in contact with Kai's foot again. Kai punted him into the fence this time and once again, he was already back on his feet.

"Tenacious bastard," Kai muttered.

Before Kai could react, Bonnie sent Carlos flying a few yards away, along with a huge amount of debris to keep him occupied. The whirlwind began to calm down as Bonnie walked over to Vinny with Kai in tow.

She stood over him with her arms folded. "Spill."

Vinny chuckled and then started coughing up blood due to a piece of metal pipe stuck in his side. "I'm not telling. Especially not to someone who sides with a Gemini," he snarled.

Bonnie casually tapped it with her foot causing him to let out a pained shriek. Kai crutched down on his hunches. "You're only making this worse for yourself, pal. We just want to know where your boss is."

He tried to spit on Kai, but the siphoner moved his head to the right in time. Kai jammed the pipe in further, then snatched it out. "You know, in my 18 years trapped in the prison world, I had a lot of time on my hands. So out of boredom, I studied a ton of things, and one of those things was human anatomy."

He leaned closer to Vinny. "I know exactly where to stab you without you dying. Or would you prefer to be siphoned?" He was flipping the pipe in his hand, eyeing him coolly. "Your choice."

A loud scream from inside the plant caught them off guard. Vinny let out another laugh, his wound almost closed. "We're going to make you lot suffer!"

Kai grabbed his arm. "Yeah, I don't think so." He siphoned him until he passed out. "That's one problem solved."

"That was a woman's scream."

"It came from the fourth floor."

Kai went to grab her legs. Bonnie facing the building, said, "Don't you dare."

"It's quicker, Bonnie." He beamed at her. "But I mean if you want to storm the place from the first level, be my guest. I'll just be on the fourth level. Probably dealing with the dead body of that poor woman."

She gritted her teeth. "You're just-ugh! I hate you. Hurry up, before I change my mind."

She swung her arms loosely around his neck as he scooped her up into his arms. He re-adjusted her before taking a running leap and landing on the second floor fire-escape stairs. Kai dropped her legs and she quickly let go of him and started up the stairs. It didn't take much to open the door. Once they were in, she then let Kai lead because he could actually see in the dark.

"Good grief they couldn't find a better place to hole up in? Saying this place is a pigsty wouldn't do it justice."

"Yeah." She started coughing. "Ugh, I can literally taste it." Her voice was muffled due to covering her mouth with her hand.

"At least we're on the right floor. Imagine if we had to traverse this place from the first floor." Kai said wandering around another corner.

She just pursed her lips in frustration rather than admit he was right.

"Let's just hope she didn't drag the person to another floor." Kai thought with a smirk. He was getting a kick out of being linked with her.

They both came to a stop at that comment though. Bonnie side-eyed him. "Don't joke like that."

"Better hurry then."

They took off down various corridors, ducking and dodging moss covered pipes and other hazardous contraptions. Kai made a left turn down another hall until they reached a lone door at the end. Instead of opening the door slowly, he used magic to blast it off it's hinges and into the room. Bright light seeped out of the room, illuminating the corridor they were standing in. Stepping inside, they could see a generator had been moved and the floor was done over with new slabs of concrete. In the middle of the room sat a man in a fold up chair with a bloody bandage on his head, passed out. Beside him was Ness, wearing a casual form fitting t-shirt, skinny cargo pants, and combat boots. Next to her feet lied an unconscious woman.

"Hello, Bonnie and her vampire companion."

He stuffed his hands in his pockets. "It's Kai."

She ignored him. "I should've known you would come out here, Bonnie. You Bennetts with your hero complexes and self-righteous judgment, always playing God. Where's the other two?"

Bonnie chose to keep silent just folding her arms and raising her chin in defiance.

"Oooh, so what did you do to her, Bonster?" Kai thought excitedly.

"Nothing. I only met her earlier today when she attacked the school."

"Interesting." His thought voice lacked emotion.

The man in the chair groaned while coming to. He made eye contact with Bonnie, "No. Get out of here. She'll...kill..you...too."

Ness elbowed him in the face. "Shut it, defect."

Kai's eyes narrowed and he inched closer to Bonnie. "I hear more footsteps approaching."

She shifted slightly. "Damn, she did say she planned ahead.”

Ness, wiping her elbow off on the man's shirt, smiled at them. "How about I tell you two a story?"

Bonnie and Kai just looked at her incredulously.

"Anyway," she nudged the unconscious woman with her foot. "Thirteen years ago, a young man and woman meet, both witches. Everything was fine until the wench wants out of her coven. Except well - the coven leader won't let members just up and leave. Now, cut to my family: We were living in Roanoke peacefully, but in isolation because my family's powers weren't exactly well-liked. The young couple, in a bid of desperation to get away from her coven permanently, lured out five of my family members to use them as a ritual sacrifice. They were innocent -"

The guy with the bandage cut her off. "Bullshit! Your family got its kicks off killing witches! They got their just desserts."

Ness' eyes flashed with pure malice. She pulled out a butterfly knife and pressed it to his neck. "You know, I was going to originally kidnap your son and make your family watch as I killed you slowly. But I think these two are good enough." She roughly kicked the woman in her side. "Wake up wench." The woman groaned and then coughed up blood.

The footsteps from earlier grew louder until Bonnie and Kai were surrounded by vampires lead by Carlos and a limping Vinny. She and Kai backed up closer to each other.

Ness was grinning like a Cheshire cat. "So, Jacob Romero or - should I say Bennett-Parker - are there any last words you want to say to your cousin, Bonnie? Or how about you Melissa, anything for your cousin, Malachai?"

Jacob's face held confusion, staring at Bonnie and Kai. Melissa's went through wonder, confusion and after settling on Kai's, shock and realization.

Bonnie's eyes widened while Kai's face had an unreadable expression. "Oh my god," Bonnie uttered in astonishment.

#bonkai fanfiction #Bonnie Bennett #Kai Parker #Alisha Warren (OC) #Jeremy Gilbert #BonKai #One of these days I'll make an attractive gif for this fic

[4lyeskas]

a yuri plisetsky character study

or: yuri plisetsky, the small, angry and desperate child, a discussion

[on Twitter]

because that's the thing about yura: he's a child, he's 15. rn he's still figuring a lot of things out and the thing is, he's never exactly been given time to figure them out, bc as we've been told he's been skating + competing from a very young age (even moving cities to train), and also bc he doesn't have any family outside his aging grandfather + an absent mother (?) - and that's the heart of everything, really. most of yura's interactions center around skating; he doesn't know how to handle things not skating bc he doesn't have much outside of it.  and that uncertainty is so obvious in how he interacts with people, especially viktor and yuuri (+ otabek later on); he also doesn't know how to handle his own emotions bc he's had to set himself aside all this time for skating (something reflected in viktor throughout the series).

think about this: yura's spent his career catching up to viktor, who's essentially the "goal" yura has set for himself; he's hungry for approval in the one way he knows how to be validated: skating. but just when he thinks he's going to take a step closer to his goal (by making his senior debut), viktor leaves. he tosses aside skating to fly off to japan in an incredibly irresponsible manner, completely forgetting yura; how hurt do you think he was? desperate, determined, driven yura who's been pushing himself to catch up, to prove himself;  viktor's career is what yura's been trying so hard to reach and so to see viktor carelessly toss it aside, treat it so irresponsibly --  yura is angry, betrayed, and hurt, bc that's a huge slap to his sense of worth; if viktor can just leave things behind, what does that mean for him? 

(and man can you talk about all the ways viktor nikiforov is a massive self-centered asshole but that's a different story) (i love him though)

and then when viktor finally does notice him, it's just to use him to get to yuuri. onsen on ice made yura realize viktor had no intentions of giving him anything; even the short program - yura has a week, and then vitya never coaches him on it again. [see this thread for additional discussion]  

and so yura spends most of the season trying to demand that validation, except since he's ??? about personal interaction+feelings, he goes about it in really bad ways, all with the underlying sentiment of "notice me, acknowledge me" bc he's desperate for validation since he doesn't have it anywhere else; he's also desperate for viktor to stop freaking using him but acknowledge him as the skater he is, not just as a child he can subject to his whims/use as he feels. yura wants to be taken seriously. 

(and if you notice, his most aggravated reactions are usually to and about viktor; apart from the bathroom scene + kicking, he's not as harsh on yuuri - basically he's only aggressive to the people he knows don't take him seriously, bc in the end that's all he wants but it's what people keep not giving him; and that's a frustration i think we all understand).

regarding yuuri tho, yura is absolutely envious of yuuri, and not just bc he gets to have viktor’s acknowledgement. try and imagine how yura felt flying to hasetsu and seeing yuuri's family, how they and the whole town support him; how loved yuuri is bc of and outside of his skating. and think about how yura has none of that for himself: his mom is absent, his grandpa loves him but is rarely able to be with him (and think about how he stood off the ice for so long, wondering if his grandpa was going to arrive, waiting like he's probably been waiting for people all his life); all his other relationships (yakov, lilia, viktor, yuuri) are based on his skating but not on himself as a person. is it any wonder he's resentful when yuuri has all these things he doesn't? (or perceives he doesn't, bc he's never been shown otherwise)

(and here is where otabek is so important: otabek isn't using yura to achieve something. he sees yura as just yura, acknowledges him, and doesn't expect/demand anything of him; beka recognizes him and is simply there for him; beka echoes his struggle for validation)

and this is why i love the "viktor nikiforov is dead" scene, bc it's a turning point for yura as a person+skater; he's starting to realize that he doesn't need to childishly demand viktor’s validation, especially since he's come to terms with how viktor is more flawed than he (and anyone else tbh) realized; it's his declaration that he's over viktor, over his desperate chase for affirmation from viktor -- and then he goes, takes the routine that viktor had shamelessly abandoned him with, and slaps him in the face with it by breaking viktor’s record + winning over his protege, in the most beautiful "fuck you and the way you've been treating me" statement. it's also here that he begins to acknowledge he's been perceiving things wrongly; he starts to grow up, just a bit, bc yuuri isn't the only one who realizes things on the ice -- yura's evolved too. his agape isn't just his grandfather; it's the realization that people care about him and think he is worth something even if he isn't flawless on the ice (he can be worth something even with no conditions) (but fuck y'all he's gonna be perfect out there anyway)

basically, his anger is a great big cover up for his insecurity + his desperate need for validation, and his way of asking for it bc he doesn't know how else to do so + how else for him to be taken seriously. and it’s so important that he’s now starting to get that, now starting to demand he be recognized as who he is instead of who people define him to be.

[additional thread on why otabek+yura are so important for each other / more] [related thread on yura’s and viktor’s relationship] [even more yuri plisetsky character discussion]

#yuri plisetsky #otayuri #otabek altin #viktor nikiforov #yuri on ice #discourse #yoi meta #my writing #angel hcs #character study #yoi character study #mirror post: twitter #long post - #fandom threads

[nikifoorov]

Interview With “Yuri!!! on ICE” Creator Sayo Yamamoto

By Lachlan Johnston

Let’s talk about your latest animated series, “Yuri!!! on ICE”, and jump right into the deep-end of it. First off, in the credits there’s a section under the title of “Name (Rough Sketch)”, but what exactly entailed for this position? Both your name, as well as the established mangaka Misturo Kubo are both listed under this “Name” title, rather than the more traditional “screenplay”. Could you tell us why it is that you chose to work under this title?

Well, I originally sat down and thought about the structure and plot of the series; following this myself and Ms. Kubo worked out the details for episodes 1 – 5. From episode 6 onwards however, it was a totally different dimension (laughs). In the Grand Prix, we wanted to have at least six skaters go up against each other. The actual episode of the series ran for about 20 minutes and 10 seconds, with the actual short programs running for about 2 minutes and 50 seconds, while the free programs would run for 4 minutes and 30 seconds.

When we ordered the music, we reduced the length of it to about 2 minutes. In a bid to keep all of the elements from the skating program, we had our choreographer Kenji Miyamoto make adjustments to transitions and spins so it would all fit the cut. Even then, we still had to make it shorter; this is where we decided how many minutes each character would skate, we pretty much calculated absolutely everything. Then both Ms. Kubo and I decided on the key elements we wanted to incorporate into each episode, and would write them into the plot. After all these discussions, this was the point in which Ms. Kubo would start writing the names.

When comparing a “name” to a “script”, the sketches are kind of like stage directions. It’s as if each drawing or sketch represented a different movement or scene. As a matter of fact, these “names” were the script. Try not to overthink it though, it’s essentially just the same thing as a regular script… (laughs). Given the nature of “names” however, they actually helped a whole lot when we began drawing details such as facial expressions for the characters.

Generally when an anime is created, it’s based on a pre-existing manga series or light novel, making it a little easier to work with. With “Yuri!!! on ICE” however, there was no source manga to be used as a basis. So the thought of you bringing on board a manga artist to work with you on an original anime was quite revolutionary. Where was it this idea came from?

When I first thought of the project, I was considering working together with a screenwriter, thus taking the traditional route. I quickly realized however that screenwriters are typically working on multiple projects simultaneously, so I felt as though it would be difficult to find someone who could dedicate all their time and think about figure skating as seriously as myself (laughs). Right around that time, I was avidly listening to a radio show called “All Night Nippon”, which featured both Ms. Kubo and Mineko Noumachi. Even though I was just a listener, I always thought I could probably become good friends with Ms. Kubo (laughs).

Eventually I heard her talk about figure skating on the radio, and I thought her perspective was extremely interesting. I knew she had contributed to the 2011 film “Moteki” as a screenwriter in the same “name” format we utilized. However, after doing some further research, I found out she had been writing for “Shonen Magazine” here in Japan for quite some time. It was after this discovery that I started to picture her writing scripts for a TV series. Admittedly, it was also a huge bonus to know that she was experienced in making manga based on novels as well. I had this idea that she must be accustomed to collaborating and creating various projects with others.

Were you acquainted with Ms. Kubo from the beginning?

No, not at all. I had previously made a PV for Japanese singer/songwriter Yasuyuki Okamura, and at the time Ms. Kubo was writing creating special manga boards as a bonus with Okamura’s releases. At a later point, I was invited for drinks with Mr. Okamura, and I mentioned me listening to Ms. Kubo on the radio, where he then mentioned him having her contact information (laughs). I guess you could say that my first real contact with Ms. Kubo was through this discussion with Mr. Okamura.  

“Yuri!!! on ICE” has been met with much praise internationally, and not just because of it’s figure skating theme. It features a diverse cast of foreign characters throughout the anime, and whilst that isn’t exactly very special in and of itself, it’s believed that they were drawn and animated extremely naturally. It isn’t exactly something that is done often in Japan, so was this done with a certain demographic in mind?

Actually, we weren’t thinking about a market demographic at all (laughs). It’s impossible to write about figure skating without depicting foreign characters, which is how that happened. What I always wanted to do was recreate and depict the stories of the top class skaters in each seasons final competitions. So it was kind of inevitable that the setting would take place on a global scale.

I went to the Figure Skating Championships which was held in the Czech Republic this past January and happened to see a spectator in cosplay. They were minding their own business, but I saw them in the hallways dressed like Viktor. I accidentally yelled out “Wow! It’s Viktor!” and they ended up hearing me, so they asked if I wanted to take a photo with them. I answered yes, and we ended up taking a picture together. I asked if they knew “Yuri!!! on ICE” and they said they knew about the show (laughs). Later on I saw the same person at the station, but this time they were dressed as Otabek… waiting and sitting there, just like Otabek would. It was really cute honestly.

It’s almost like there’s a totally different feeling when interacting with foreign fans, right?

Exactly! It wasn’t like they were jokingly going to the tournament wearing an outfit that just happened to look like cosplay either. I was completely overwhelmed with joy when I realized that people were starting to take interest in the sport of figure skating because they watched “Yuri!!! on ICE”. I’m sure you’re aware, but I’m not necessarily promoting the wearing of cosplay at figure skating tournaments. We wouldn’t want to distract the competitors, would we? (Laughs)

Since this was the first ever anime to revolve around the world of figure skating, there must have been quite a few challenges. After all, animating figure skating would appear to be an incredibly difficult process. Did MAPPA know what they were getting themselves into right from the early proposal stages of the project?

You know, there’s no real guarantee that any original anime will be a success. I realize how difficult it can be just to get a proposal through, but I thought that if I ever made something, I would just throw it out there regardless of how reckless it may seem (laughs). I believe it’s important that when proposing such an idea, you take a moment to think and verbalize as many interesting ideas as you possibly can.

As for whether or not the production staff were aware of the difficulty of the figure skating scenes, we had already given the work orders for the songs and the choreography during the series construction stage, so I’m sure they were aware. There were moments however where I was asked to reduce some aspects during production when the team were struggling to get the work done.  

How was the planning originally decided?

It was around the year 2012 when I started having these desires to make an anime about figure skating. I was previously the director for a project called “Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine’, and it was during that process that I decided my next animated project would be about something I truly care about, which was of course figure skating. There were often times when people would approach me and ask if I had any original ideas, and when I would suggest a figure skating anime, they would typically reject the thought (laughs). Usually they’d simply shake their head due to the sheer difficulty of such a project. I’d also get a lot of questions regarding whether it would be a “student figure skating club”.

When talking about modern anime that share similar themes, such as “Yowamushi Pedal” and “Haikyuu!!”, it’s not often that you’ll see professionals of the sport being drawn, but I think that’s just the style of anime. With this work however, you flipped that convention on its head, and I think we all found that extremely interesting.

Thank you very much! When you’re in the process of planning an anime, you get a large amount of pressure to make the main characters young, and if the story is set in a modern time, they inevitably leads to the character being a student. I think that’s why a lot of the people who aren’t interested in figure skating thought this would be about a school club. On top of that, I feel as though people thought it would be easier to simply jump on the bandwagon of previous anime that have found success with amateur sports clubs. I also had a lot of people telling me that the series wouldn’t find success if it wasn’t based in Japan, and that nobody would follow it if the characters didn’t have Japanese names. But my usual reply was “Huh? What’s makes you think that?” (laughs).

Looking back now, I think that “Yuri!!! on Ice” was the result of me ignoring all this “advice”, and simply making an anime that I myself would enjoy watching — the story of a character who has already matured and is taking on their final skating season, not some story about a character who is just getting started. I feel as though that would make conveying my ideal image so much more difficult. So when I shared the idea of “Yuri!!! on ICE” with everyone, people said “If you have more matches, we’d have to draw more skaters and that’d make things even more complicated!” (laughs). I couldn’t even get a nod or a “That sounds interesting.”, but I was absolutely determined to create something incredible. If I tried creating something that people would simply “like”, it’d end up being nothing but commonplace and mundane.

What kept me motivated through the whole process was the inspiration I received from actual figure skaters while watching their matches. Even when their retirement could be just around the corner, they’d continue to keep fighting and challenging themselves — that compassion for what they loved really stuck with me. That’s why I first came up with the idea of Yuri and Viktor; a skater on the edge of retirement and a world champion who becomes his coach, all while remaining both his hero and rival.

It almost seems like you were on some sort of lifelong mission to turn your passion for figure skating into an anime. Was there any particular moment that triggered this?

During the production process for “Lupin the Third: The Woman Called Fujiko Mine”, Japan was devastated by the 2011 Tohoku earthquake, and then immediately after that, one of my relatives passed away. My mental state was a total disaster. Usually as a director, there’s a certain element that drives you to create something interesting based on what you’re given, but I’d lost any emotional capacity to do that. I started to think to myself that it would be impossible to pull anything great out of someone else’s idea. It was at this point I realized I needed to create something from the heart, and for me that was figure skating.

I’ve heard there’s a lot of writers and creators in the industry who are afraid to apply the things they truly like into their works.

I hear that quite often too, the belief that you shouldn’t bring the things you like into your work. I had actually forgotten all about this, but the reason it was important for me to turn my figure skating passion into an anime was that doing anything else would have been impossible. The process of creating anime has become a really tough operation for me as of late. It was like I was creating, yet at the same time I was beating myself to death over it. My hands moved slow, and I would force myself to stay awake just in order to finish a project on time. So I thought to myself that I needed to work on a topic that I would never grow tired of, something that would keep me awake all day. Otherwise, I don’t think I could have ever made another anime, all while thinking “Someday I’m going to make something I like” (laughs).

A woman talented well beyond her years, Sayo Yamamoto is a model example of just what the Japanese animation industry needs. We continue to expand upon this in the second part of the interview which will be made available in the near future. A preview of the second part is featured in our ‘Yuri!!! on ICE’ film announcement piece, which was made available here.

SOURCE

#yuri on ice #sayo yamamoto

[galaxee95]

🌹😑💔 💩: ✌ 💚 💙👅👎 💤: 💘: 💦: 💣t: 👀: 💖 because i love youuu cookie~

Awwwwwwwe, thanks girl!!! ^^

Ship that you have as an OTP (🌹): Victor/Yuuri [Yuri on Ice]

They kissed. It’s canon.

Ship that you’re indifferent to (😑): Rose/Alisha [Tales of Zestiria]

I don’t mind this ship at all. More moments between them would’ve help explain it a little more, though. Oh well… at least we got a nice moment between them, (and Sorey/Mikleo) at the end of the show~

Ship that makes you sad (💔): Taki/Mitsuha [Kimi No Na Wa]

I will try not to spoil anything, here, but let’s just say that the ending left a lot of mixed feelings for me, mostly happiness and sadness. It was a good ending. I just felt bad for these two characters, especially after everything they’d been through. But, in the end, I suppose everything worked out.

Ship that you find disgusting (💩): Ayase/Kanou [Okane Ga Nai]

This is my own personal opinion, but I just can’t get behind this one. The “uke” looks like a little boy, from his big eyes to his tiny body. And, then you have his partner, Kanou, who looks like a fucking beast compared to him, practically twice his height and the size of a car! 

I know some people like this anime and I tried to watch it. But, every time I did, I just can’t. The couple’s relationship felt very forced and, somewhat abusive to me, due to the way Kanou used money and guilt to keep Ayase with him, as well as sleep with him… which, to me, not only hinted toward prostitution… upon an eighteen-year-old boy who LOOKS LIKE HE’S TWELVE… but also pedophilia… mainly because on how the “uke” was designed to look more like a child and the “seme” was designed to look more like a full grown adult… 

If you like the show, that’s fine. The two main characters are, technically, of age when it comes to sex and whatnot, according to the author. And, to some, the hints toward prostitution and pedophilia might be stretch. Buuuuuut, this is where I stand with it. 

Ultimately, I think it’s the designs that really get to me. If the story was more well-crafted and the designs were not so contrasting between the characters, especially the two main ones, then maybe I would’ve liked the show more.

Ship that you find cute but don’t ship (✌): Keith/Lance

Harmless ship with some adorable art, but I do like Keith/Shiro and Lance/Allura more. 

Ship that you secretly like (💚): Amy/Yayoi [Zyuden Sentai Kyuranger]

%1000 times better than Daigo/Amy.

Ship that you used to have as an OTP (💙): Ryunosuke/Chiaki [Samurai Sentai Shinkenger]

This ship sunk a loooooong time ago. I don’t even remember why I shipped these two, but whatever. It was harmless and, in the end, I still have a mighty fleet by my side :3

Ship that you find most sexy (👅): Marvelous/Alata [Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger/Tensou Sentai Goseiger]

I know this one will seem weird to a lot of people because it’s not very popular. But, I love it. 

As for the “sexy” part to this OTP… to put it simply, pirates and angels just seem like quite the combo for some creative and exciting moments in the bedroom ;)

Ship that you can never see happening (👎): N/Leo [VIXX]

I don’t know why, but I just don’t see these two as a couple. I know they have moments and fans point out the “chemistry” that’s between them. Yet, I still find myself not getting on the “Neo” ship. 

If you ship it, more power to you. I just never understood or really cared for this couple at all.

Ship that is canon but you don’t ship (💤): Ayase/Kanou [Okane Ga Nai]

Enough said.

Ship that is unpopular but you still like (💘): Ravi/N [VIXX]

I can’t really explain it, seeing how these two have less moments than the famous “Neo” ship I mentioned earlier. I guess I just found their moments more endearing? Heart-warming? Something??? 

Yeeeeaaaah, I can’t really explain this one. Something about they way they talk with each other, interact, and so forth just made me think COUPLE one day. Eh, whatever.

Ship that is taboo (💦): Gou/Retsu [Jyuden Sentai Gekiranger]

In the show, these two are brothers. Despite this, though, throughout the season the two never really felt like a family, to me. They felt more like two childhood friends who magically reunited after years of being apart. They barely talked, never hung out, rarely had any moments together (with the exception of an episode or two), and just basically acted as though they hadn’t been separated from each other for the past ten years. 

“Um, hello, one of you thought your brother was dead and the other basically lived without a family member by his side for a whole decade! And, we’re just going to pretend like nothing happened??? What the fuck???”

There was just… no connection between these two when it came to the whole “brothers” concept. It really was a letdown, in my opinion, and a huge missed opportunity for the show. 

However, due to the lack of brotherly material and a random conversation I once had with a friend, these two later went from a failed concept to an OTP. 

I won’t ramble any more about this but, let’s just say, these two getting rewritten as a couple would’ve been so much more interesting than the brotherly bullcrap we got in the show. At least there would be something, hopefully, more inclusive and endearing to explore, as well as a new concept to bring to the Super Sentai franchise.

Ship that pisses you off (💣): Rin/Souji [Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger]

To put it simply, I just didn’t see the chemistry between these two. Nothing screamed “romance” to me and, ultimately, pairing these two together just felt awkward and painful, especially with all those backpack swings. I know Souji was as oblivious to love as King was in this season, but I just found his relationship with Rin too uncomfortable and forced. 

There are a few other reasons, but I’ll leave it at that. Simply, not a fan.

Ship you’re curious about (👀): Mikoto/Ryouga [Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger]

I’ve had friends tell me a lot about this ship and how cute it is. I’m indifferent toward it, mostly because I haven’t seen the show yet. But, I’m not opposed to the couple and I do want to give the show a try some day. Who knows, maybe then I’ll see what my friends were all talking about when it comes to this OTP.

Ship that needs more love (💖): Yoshino/Hatori [Sekai-ichi Hatsukoi]

I liked these two equally as much as the main couple in the series, maybe even a little more. I just wish the show and manga focused on them more.

Ship that is most misunderstood (💢): Ian/Souji [Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger]

The main reason I believe these two are misunderstood is because of the slight age gap (3-4 years) and the fact that they were presented as SUPER straight characters in the show. Yet, despite this, I always felt these two had more chemistry between each other than any other relationships they shared with other characters throughout the season. 

I know I’m not the only one who felt this way since a little side project with these actors got the two to KISS. So, obviously, something unspoken had to have existed in their originally project together for the writers to be like, “Yeah, we fucked up there… but, here, NOT THIS TIME!”

#ask #miku-matsuzaka-26 #OTP #Victuri #Yuri on Ice #Tales of Zestiria #Sormik #Rose x Alisha #Kimi No Na Wa #Taki x Mitsuha #Sheith #Klance #Voltron #Zyuden Sentai Kyoryuger #Ian x Souji #Amy x Yayoi #Marvelous x Alata #Kaizoku Sentai Gokaiger #Tensou Sentai Goseiger #Neo #Navi #Gou x Retsu #Jyuden Sentai Gekiranger #Mikoto x Ryouga #Bakuryuu Sentai Abaranger #Hatori x Yoshino #Sekaiichi Hatsukoi #Super Sentai

[clearancecreedwatersurvival]

Victor has always been a fascinating character for me. And I’ve been thinking a lot about why I find his character so interesting. So in honor of @viktorweek (and specifically prompt 2 ‘Past’ and prompt 4 ‘Family/Friends’), here are some thoughts on my favorite romantic sadsack. 

Perhaps one reason I love Victor as a character is because when I started watching the show I expected something very different from what we got. In the first episode, we as the audience are introduced to Victor Nikiforov, top athlete and celebrity. This Victor is cool, calm, collected. This Victor throws a flirtatious wink at his fans and melts hearts worldwide. This Victor only smiles when he’s on the ice, receiving adulation for his prowess, and is quiet and contemplative in interviews and in his home.

And then of course, we meet the real Victor, the one who danced drunkenly with a stranger and then moved into his house after watching a fateful internet video. The real Victor is absolutely ridiculous. He’s a hedonist. He loves good food, good alcohol, and being comfortable. He lounges about in a loose robe and immediately buys a sofa to fit in his tiny guest room. He relaxes in a hot spring every night and waxes poetic about the beauty of the ocean. And he is unabashedly, overwhelmingly enthusiastic about his interests. He’s delighted by so many things, he loves to be a tourist and enjoy new sights and places. He revels in the drama of competition and approaches every challenge in as over-the-top manner as possible. He thinks about the people he knows in terms of grandiose metaphors and fairy tales.

Of course, as I’ve discussed before, the “real” Victor as he acts with Yuuri is still quite different than the way Victor with others. Victor immediately and constantly flirts with Yuuri outrageously, always touching him and in his space. But Victor isn’t like that with anyone else. The only other person Victor initiates any sort of affectionate contact with is Yuri Plisetsky, who he has known and been at least somewhat close with for years, during the Grand Prix Final, in a moment of vulnerability when he thinks Yuuri is leaving the sport.

By Victor’s own admission, before he met Yuuri, Victor ignored everything in his life that wasn’t skating. He didn’t have time for love, romantic, platonic, or familial. He was focused on skating on nothing else. We see, from his internal monologue, that Victor was intensely lonely, but tried to ignore it. The images of Victor, alone in his sterile modern apartment, alone on a park bench at night in the snow, with only his dog for company both times, speak more to his character and life before meeting Yuuri than anything else in the show.

He still had friends of course. He is friends with Christophe, but he apparently hadn’t spoken to Chris for many months before meeting him again at The Cup Of China. He’s close to Yuri Plisetsky and the other Russian skaters, but there’s still a distance there. As we know from Victor’s career, he’s always been a prodigy, always been considered the one to beat. It’s not exactly helpful to forming intimate friendships when people either put you on a pedestal as an idol or consider you an impossible obstacle to their own success. In all of his interactions with other skaters, with reporters, and with the world at large, he is polite, charming, but restrained. Never too emotional. Never too enthusiastic. And because his career has been his entire life, it’s not like he would have had the time or inclination to form relationships outside of the sport. 

I think this might be why Victor dislikes JJ so much. JJ is a prodigy as well, raised in a skating family, encouraged all his life to be better than everyone else. They’re very similar in many ways, and Victor hates to think that he could be like JJ, arrogant and ignorant to other people’s emotions.

Of course, Victor is arrogant and ignorant to others’ emotional states. When he talks about skating, he assumes that everyone will also assume that he’s correct. He makes the comment that Yuri and Yuuri will succeed in learning his programs in less than a week, because they’re fans of his. When he mentions other skaters in his narration in episode 10, his frame of reference for each is whether or they’ve shared a podium with him. And he says point blank that he sees no reason to talk about emotions when he could skate about them instead. He treats Yuuri’s anxiety before The Cup of China FS carelessly, and hurts him. It takes him a full year to realize that Yuuri doesn’t remember dancing with him at the GPF banquet, because he never bothered to talk to him about it and make sure they were on the same page. Instead, he just moved in with Yuuri without asking and proceeded to flirt with him outrageously, assuming they were going to pick up right where they’d left off. And even after they’re together, even after they exchange rings, he still doesn’t think to talk to Yuuri about what their future looks like. Victor is a romantic. He loves poetic analogies and the idea of grandiose romantic demonstrations. But he’s not good at the nitty gritty communication work that makes up a relationship.

Which of course makes me wonder even more about Victor’s past. It’s obvious that he’s used to wealth. Even apart from being a multi-time world champion (and probably an Olympic medalist as well if the Olympics exist in this world), he’s come from a well-off background. People who have experienced financial struggle wouldn’t ship dozens of intricate figure skating costumes overseas on a whim, or assume that champagne would be served on every flight, or decide to buy a new suit for someone simply because the previous wasn’t up to their standards. Not to mention the fact that figure skating itself is an extremely expensive sport to train in. Skates, blade sharpening, choreography, coaches, training camps, constant travel, all of these things come with a serious financial burden, which isn’t really offset until you’re competing and winning at national and international levels.

It’s quite telling that of the three main characters, the only one whose family we’ve never met is Victor. Victor flies to Moscow for the Rostelecom Cup, entering Russia for the first time in months. But no one comes to greet him. No family or friends meet him at the airport or the event. If he has family, I imagine them to be very like the image that Victor presents to the public. Charming, polite, controlled, successful. And distant. That may have been why Victor threw himself into skating with such abandon. It was the only time he felt able to fully express his emotions.

So, we have a sad rich boy who grew up without many close friends and dedicated his entire life to skating, to the exclusion of everything else. His only close companion was a dog that he bought for himself as soon as he started winning world titles. And as an adult man, he’s completely unused to talking about his emotions and working to develop and sustain intimate relationships, despite being a grandiose romantic at heart, who creates and choreographs a program entirely about longing for a fulfilling romantic relationship after years of loneliness. I think if we do learn more about Victor’s backstory and family in season 2, it’s going to be pretty sad. But I look forward to seeing his character more fully and explicitly developed. 

#victor nikiforov #viktorweek #viktor nikiforov #yuri on ice #yoi meta #caitie speaks

[freshmilko]

Okay so I can actually tell you exactly why the whole killing stalking shitshow went down. And why Yuri on Ice is related when it’s such a completely different genre. It didn’t come out of nowhere, it was just a bizarre series of events that has led to… This.. Disaster.

So basically what started it all was the godsend that is Yuri on Ice. Now I’m pretty critical about the fiction I consume and while I do have some issues with the show, I think they did an amazing job and its a huge step in the right direction for queer representation in media! And people recognized that.

So now you’ve got this show attracting all kinds of different people! Everyone loves an exciting, well balanced show, no matter their usual preferred genre. YOI had excitement, beauty, tragedy, and queer romance all wrapped up in one little single season anime. It attracted a Very Big and Very Diverse fan base Very Quickly.

There was so much love for this anime that EVERYONE felt inspired to create fan works for it! There was a huge influx of art, comics, fics, etc etc. And all of this was loved by the other fans who like and reblogged all these great fan works; so much so that a huge number of blogs basically converted to YOI blogs. And you have all these different types of blogs all becoming relevant to each other because of YOI, so people follow one another and there are all these new connections on blogs, which previously would never have interacted.

And then Yuri on Ice ends. It was still loved, don’t get me wrong, but naturally obsession faded and blogs returned to posting about what they used to post about. And in these post-YOI phase blogs there are also, of course, guro blogs.

Now guro is a pretty controversial subject, so guro blogs tend to keep to themselves and other guro blogs. It’s a pretty closed off and tight knit group on tumblr, for good reason. I’m an outlier, since I don’t reblog any hardcore guro and barely any of the soft stuff, but I follow a lot of these blogs. I personally saw the YOI phase in a lot of them! And I saw them return to previous interests. You know, guro.

But suddenly these blogs have a lot of new followers(many of whom are self identifying fujoshi ((which is a whole other rant))) who came for the YOI, and obviously don’t /mind/ the guro but these new followers don’t know the general philosophy guro blogs follow. Things like always having warnings and tagging potential triggers. Also warning off minors from R18 blogs. And a lot of the time these new followers ARE minors. Hell, I’ve been following porn blogs on tumblr since I was 13. I may be an adult now but I remember being that age and desperately searching for some validation for what I experienced. As an adult, I agree with blocking minors from R18 content for legal reasons, but sneaky kids will be sneaky kids. Especially on tumblr, it’s very easy for immature minors to lie about age for the sake of following this content. And usually that’s harmless, let girls read some josei or yaoi and become comfortable with their sexuality.

But now they have found guro. And all the interests that often go with it. Horror, abuse, psychological horror, you name it. Extremely triggering material for a lot of people. Extremely cathartic material for some (like me). Often kept to the sides of fandom by the use of warnings and tags. And killing stalking is gaining popularity in this little pocket of tumblr. It’s a good horror manga. It’s gross, terrifying, and full of horror. It’s good. But it’s good /horror/. That means it’s not a healthy happy story. Any decent guro blogger will tell you that yes, it’s a good horror, and yes, it’s gross and terrible. But that brings us back to the immature YOI fujoshi!!

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all minors. There are definitely many adults who are doing this, too. Because many adults are immature, just like kids. Contrary to popular belief, you don’t hit a magic age that changes you. And you don’t suddenly learn what a healthy relationship is either!! Especially fujoshi and fudanshi who drown themselves in fetishized and romanticized yaoi. It’s these fans that are being exposed to killing stalking, and taking it as another cute yaoi couple that just maybe has a few issues they need to sort out. Such as breaking each others legs and poisoning each other. But they love each other right!!!!!!!!!

Wrong. It’s abuse. It’s horror. Horror loving fans know this, accept it, and when we recommend killing stalking to anyone else? We warn them. We tell it how it is. And we only recommend it to people we know are into this kind of media. The story and relationship are horrible. Horrifying. It’s horror.

BUT!!! It’s not just our little pocket of self aware weirdos anymore. Now there are immature people who “came for the YOI, stayed for the weird porn!!” And they don’t know or don’t care about warnings. They enjoyed killing stalking so why won’t everyone else? They also are so desensitized to abusive relationships in yaoi they think it’s normal. And because of this mindset they have, I see a lot of my favorite non-horror or even nsfw fandom artists and bloggers getting asks that just say “have you read killing stalking? It’s so good!!” And I just cringe so hard because A:this blogger doesn’t read horror and B:this anon did not give any warnings of potentially triggering material.

So now, killing stalking is being romanticized and spread as a “yaoi” to people who are expecting something different and in the first place do not want to read something so gross. And they hate it. And I feel for them. They should never have read something they aren’t comfortable with, and that’s on the anon that sent them the message and gave them false expectations.

But now it’s become a witch hunt. Just like everything else on tumblr lmao. People on tumblr have trouble recognizing the different between reality and fiction, and I have a whole other long rant as to why that is, but I’ll let it slide for now. The point is that these antis equate a person to the fiction they like, which is ridiculous. And so they condemn the people who like killing stalking. Regardless of whether or not the individual actually romanticizes it.

Basically what happened is that whereas before the “morally correct” side of tumblr could just ignore the “less morally correct” sides interests, now ignorant and immature fans are forcing “less morally correct” media to be consumed by people who Don’t Want It. So they blame all of us. And it sucks. But mob mentality is what it is and the only thing we can do now is hope idiots stop recommending the goddamn manhwa to random people and the antis get bored.

Ok so I hope this is coherent at all idk why I decided to type this at 6 am. I just find this whole thing super annoying but also strange and interesting. I’ve been thinking about it a lot.

Tldr: probably that fujoshi culture is the worst sorry also children are terrible

Real tldr:WARN FOR ABUSE AND POTENTIAL TRIGGERS ASSHOLES

#killing stalking #Yuri on ice #I'm hesitant to tag yoi but ehh #also if ur mad about the fujoshi thing just know that I also read a lot of yaoi.. but I know what I'm reading is fetishized shit #all yaoi is shit except konbini kun and I will fight to the death for that manga #also sorry this is a long post but I'm on mobile so I can't cut it shrug emoji #long post

[klaineitupanotch]

A post about Yuri on Ice.

So you may have noticed I’ve been blogging a lot of a certain anime titled ‘Yuri on Ice’ and I felt like writing about it a little. 

First off, I used to be really into anime in my 20s. I cosplayed and went to cons and everything. Now I’m more of a semi casual fan who still likes anime but I’m not way near into it as I used to be. I didn’t watch any new series, buy any merch, go to cons and my cosplaying days are over. Every once in a while I might watch an old fav show of mine and once in a blue moon I may even check out a new one. But I was always still just a casual watcher at best.  Then Yuri on Ice happened. Though I’m still not a super fan as far as fans go fyi. I adore the show a lot, as I will go over, but there are way bigger fans of it than me I know. Which is fine. =) Anyway. At first I was wary of watching it. I’m not big on sports anime that have tons of queer-bating in it and I was afraid YOI was another one. It kept popping up on my dash though and people seemed to like it. I still decided to hold off and see how the show would go.  I can’t really remember the full details and SPOILERS AHEAD but episode 7 aired and the fans went crazy. Yuri and Victor kissed at the end of it. I decide okay then I’ll check it out. Right from the start I was hooked, even if it wasn’t what I originally thought it would be. It should be known that I consider myself the farthest from a sports fan that you can get. Mind you, I don’t hate sports. I honestly have nothing but respect for atheletes and their dedicated fans. I could never cope with the stress of routing for a team X___X.  I was instantly charmed by Victor and his silver-hair sexiness; from the fluid way he moves his body to his oozing sex appeal voice. It kind of fits too since we’re kinda seeing him through Yuuri’s eyes. It’s no wonder Yuri fell under his trance and us along with it. As for Yuri, he’s a character you can easily relate to and one you connected with from the start. I pretty much watched as many eps as I could after the first one. I can’t remember how many days it took me to finish. It could have been a few since I was working but I seem to recall it didn’t take me too too long lol. Also not all of the eps had aired since I think 8 had just been released at the time (again I can’t remember exactly).  By the time I was caught up I was totally sold. I loved the story, the characters and Yuuri and Victor’s relationship. Sure the nature of their relationship was never 100% canon confirmed, as in, neither character directly said ‘I’m in love with you. Please be my lover etc’ but the evidence is still there. It’s refreshing because a pure definition (as much as we’d love to see it) isn’t really needed. The love they feel for each other is there for us to see in the interactions with each other and their own inner thoughts.  One of the many things I love about the show is how supportive the characters are with each other. I mean, on one level they’re all in competition with one another and yet they’re constantly cheering each other on during their skates and just in general. It’s just so great to see, especially among young men.  Another thing I love is how the characters are able to show emotion. There’s no sort of holding back when it comes to crying. They just let it all out and it’s beautiful to see. Especially when they’ve just finished skating. *sigh* The cast is fun too, Victor is obviously my favourite but I’m always drawn towards the flirtatious type like him lol. But I like the whole cast too, even JJ though he has his cringe-worthy moments and then there’s Chris and his antics on ice *smacks head* but that’s what makes them more realistic.  Now that the first season is over I find myself watching the episodes over and over. I’ve also been wanting to buy merchandise but the show is still new so it’s harder to get official merch (at least for a somewhat affordable price). As for fanart, I’ve preordered two charms off of etsy and I’m getting a cool fanzine too. I find myself tempted on getting my hands on some doujinshii but I am holding off for now since I’m trying to cut down on my online purchases lol. I’d love some art stuff from Redbubble but I have to be careful because it seems a lot of the stuff there is reposted screenshots (which isn’t soo sooo bad) and art that doesn’t seem to be by the person selling them. I just want to ensure what I’m buying it art from the actual artist themselves and with their full consent. I’ve got my eye on a couple designs but again I am trying to resist. I did buy a phonecase of Yuri and Victor’s matching outfits from episode 12 though! I can’t wait for it to come!

I got a crunchyroll membership because of the show. I’m even enjoying another series now (March came in Like a Lion or aka 3-gatsu no Lion) which is from the same creator of one of my all time fav anime Honey & Clover. 

If I had to pick a favourite episode then it would have to be 10 with 12 as a close second.  I’ve just recently discovered that Afterbuzz is doing an aftershow review of YOI and it’s awesome. I highly recommend it to any YOI fans. They’ve done up to episode 8 and new eps air 7pm on Mondays. It’s the perfect way to wait until we get any news of season 2.  Season 2 has all but been confirmed at this point also. I can’t wait for it to be confirmed for sure. Until then I will delve deeper into my adoration of this show and watch it over and over. Things will no doubt die down as time goes on but that’s a good thing haha. I’m not super into the fandom, as in, I’m not interacting with people on tumblr and other places but again that’s fine.  I’m going to simply enjoying this wonderful gift of a show like I have been already. OH! For anyone not wanting to see my many reblogs of it, I’m doing my best to tag them as yoi but I might let one slip without tagging every once in a while. 

#yuri on ice #yoi #long post #I did not read this through so there are probably typos #wow I rambled there for a while