#listen I think their counterparts would get along and maybe make a good team even.

[yasbeych]

when u meet ur boss / employee from another dimension and he SUCKS but u both are unkillable so there’s not really much u can do about that

#transformers #maccadam #tfa starscream #tfp megatron #megatron #starscream #listen I think their counterparts would get along and maybe make a good team even. #however I think these guys would kill each other a bunch and then vibe out of a shared absolute nutso energy #robots smoking weed? it’s more likely than you’d think #my art #abomination

[miras-ash]

Wrote another Mira x Ash Oneshot this morning in something like three hours so don't be too hard on me. 😊

Seven Minutes in Heaven

Ash's pov

The sweet liquid burned in my throat as I took another drink, not the first and probably not the last of the night. Loud music was blaring in my ears, the laughter of my colleagues and friends echoed through the room and infected me. Actually, I had never really been a party person but sometimes you have to make exceptions, especially after such a successful tournament. My team hadn't won but it didn't matter anymore. Tomorrow was still a day to be angry about it. Today I just wanted to have my head in the clouds. Maybe that was why I hadn't rejected Hibana's suggestion to retire with a few other girls from the team and play Truth or Dare. So we left the party, only to enter the next small celebration one floor up. The company here was a bit more to my liking. It consisted of Nomad, Thunderbird, Ela, Hibana and myself. At least I thought so, because shortly after us Mira entered the room and sat down in our circle. She was the last one I expected to be here, although if you think about it, I was here too. So it was not so absurd after all. Maybe it was the alcohol, anyway she looked so different today than usual. She definitely had make up on and her hair had been straightened, lying loosely on her shoulders.

She sat between Nomad and Ela, listening intently to the rules of the game and sipping from her glass every now and then. I did the same, should I really pull this off I would need more alcohol. I knew the stories from the last years of Yumiko, apparently it was always very risky and sometimes hot at Nomad's version of truth or duty. It always started harmlessly and then rowed out, I guess. Tensely and also nervously I waited that it went off. I mean, how bad could it get? I could just leave in the worst case, couldn't I?

"Sooo Ela my dear, you may begin. Truth or dare?"

Ela looked up, considered for a moment, and then announced with a smile, "Truth."

Nomad didn't need to be told twice, as if she had already thought of a question, she belted out, "Which of our colleagues would you be most likely to start with?"

The question alone would have been too much for me, apart from the fact that no one would come to mind, such a thing is not possible at all. That's why I didn't really want to know the answer, but for some reason I couldn't figure out, I waited a little too readily for the answer.

Without hesitation, the answer burst out of Ela, "Castle! I mean honestly, do I need to say anything else?"

Immediately the others started giggling and some even agreed. I felt my cheeks get warm and I blushed a little but apparently no one noticed. Better that way.

Now Ela turned to the next in the group, Mira.

Very directly she turned to the brunette Spanish girl who to my surprise answered with "dare."

Hibana nudged me lightly and leaned over to me.

"She's going to demand what she always does first of all. It's kind of a little tradition."

Smiling, she nodded in the direction of the two women and I looked over questioningly as well as tensely. Apparently still in time, because I had missed the task of Ela. I only saw how the lips of Mira and her counterpart loosened. My facial features must have slipped a bit because Yumiko whispered reassuringly in my ear, "That's what I mean, she always demands a kiss with her first move, no matter from whom, especially when the person plays along for the first time. There you are but once again got off lightly."

The thought of kissing one of my colleagues wasn't even what worried me or anything, it was more the fact that she had kissed Elena. For some reason unknown to me, a knot had formed in my stomach at the sight of the two of them, I was actually jealous, and I didn't even know why. Just the sight of Mira closing her eyes, did she enjoy it? Wait a minute, why was I suddenly interested, I didn't even know her well enough. She was not even a good acquaintance of mine. If you took it exactly, we were even rivals. But I could not deny that we were quite similar.

To finally dispel these thoughts, I took another big swig from my bottle and continued to devote myself to the game.

Round and round it went, the first times were not so bad, mainly because I chose truth. It was even quite fun, especially to watch the others as they made a monkey of themselves. The mood became more and more relaxed. At least until it was my turn again and I saw Nomad's face. In the meantime we had all exchanged places so that everyone could give each other a task. Her diabolical look did not bode well. I knew I could no longer choose truth. Those were the rules. I looked around pleadingly but everyone was glued to the lips of the game maker.

"Oh Eliza, what am I going to do with you? You have taken only truth all this time and now your time is up. To be fair to the others and especially to drive up the fun factor, you're now facing the consequences."

She obviously thought about it for a short while, thought through everything possible and then apparently came to a decision.

"You are the perfect candidate. For you, it's off to that lovely chamber over there and I'm sending someone after you for a few minutes in heaven to be exact Seven minutes in heaven. I hope you know this game."

My heart sank into my pants, of course I knew it. It was the stupid game teenagers in high school use to make out with their crush.

Reluctantly I got moving and entered the small broom closet and sat down on the floor, it was pitch black. Probably nothing would happen anyway, in the end me and the chosen person would just sit here embarrassed and silent.

From outside I heard loud voices and suddenly loud giggling. The door opened and briefly I could see the silhouette of a smaller person, it was Mira. The door slammed shut behind her, plunging us both into darkness again.

I felt her sit down in front of me and our legs touched. Meanwhile, loud music came to us from the next room.

"They meant so we could have a little more privacy."

First I did not understand, then it dawned on me that she meant the music.

"Sooo here we are. Have you ever been in heaven for seven minutes?"

Startled by this direct question, I answered with a clear no, completely caught off guard.

"Neither have I, to be honest I was never invited to parties like this when I was still in school. This is also my first round of truth or dare, which is why I kissed Ela. I wanted to know what it was like."

Curious, I moved a little closer.

"Like what's what? The game or the kiss?"

"The game. Ela's not the first woman I've kissed."

That knot in my stomach again, that jealousy. She kisses other women? Why not me? Startled by my own thoughts, I wanted to move back a bit and underestimated the size of the room. I bumped my back against the wall and bounced off it, only to land half on Mira's lap. Great, it couldn't get any more embarrassing than that. I would have to quit tomorrow to save myself this embarrassment.

I propped myself up on her legs to sit down properly again as my face passed hers and I felt the warmth of her, she smelled of wildflowers and coconut. Immediately I was under her spell. Instead of positioning myself properly again, I remained so in place. Everything in me screamed to stop, to leave the chamber, but another, new voice urged me to do something daring. After all, we were in here for a reason.

With all my courage, I leaned further forward, further and further toward the woman across from me. Briefly, I hesitated. Was this really okay? Before I could give myself an answer I was torn from my thoughts. Elena pulled me close to her and kissed me. First a small, rather cautious one but after she apparently felt no resistance from me she became a bit more demanding. I wrapped my arms around her neck and gave myself to her completely. She tasted of the sweet swill that we had tipped into us all evening and yet also of something else, something unique. It had the potential to be addictive.

As quickly as we had fallen over each other so quickly we separated again from each other.

A little out of breath, no one said anything, I honestly didn't know what. Elena tried it at least, but more than just confused stuttering did not came out.

"That... I mean... We... Wow..."

Loud music was still blasting in from outside, obviously the seven minutes weren't over yet. I didn't want them to ever end either. I seized what might have been my last chance and with all my courage I now grabbed Mira. Again our lips touched timidly only to meet again and again lustfully.

I wanted more and she apparently also because I was startled briefly, cold hands slid under my top. She stroked my hips, my belly and finally she tenderly touched the edge of my breast. A slight moan escaped me. I clung to her, wrapped my legs around her and began to kiss her neck while we were tightly entwined. I wanted her, with every fiber of my body but our time was limited and we were a little too drunk. Before we could do something we might regret later, we moved away from each other. Just in time because the door was torn open and several pairs of eyes looked at us curiously and knowingly.

The whole rest of the evening I could think of nothing else. I wanted nothing else in my life than this woman and I saw that it was the same for her. Whatever would happen after this party, we would experience it together.

#rainbow six siege #tom clancy #rainbowsixsiege #R6 #ash #r6 ash #eliza cohen #mira x ash #r6s mira #mira #mirash #ash x mira #elena maría Álvarez #oneshot #rainbow 6 siege #Rainbow six fanfiction #lesbeans #Girlslovegirls #Ubisoft God damn make them a thing now

[lowkeyclueless5137]

I swear. This AU just keeps getting better and better. Keep up the good work. Now I think it’s time to add a question here myself, well three. First of all, how do the other NRC students(or pretty much the rest of the Twst cast like Cater somehow getting pics of these alien heroes, heck maybe even the four’s counterparts that didn’t get the watch) feel about these mysterious aliens/creatures(really the four Omnitrix users really saving the day or close) saving the day or at least somehow seen around campus I guess? What about when these four aka Riddle, Kalim, Epel, and Idia eventually meet Azmuth(the little genius that made their watches) and what they think of him(plus what he’ll think of them). Also I wonder how these four feel if there all somehow met each other in some kind of grand Omniverse event(I like to imagine their Omni verse is separated from the main omniverse, unless you want throw all the Ben 10s into this 😶💧) or maybe something more causal like some kind of fancy Omniverse meet up maybe?

<3

Woop! 3 questions under the cut coming right up! :D

Well in all 4 cases, at first the students were absolutely confused, bc while they had their share of wierd magic creatures, these ones were different. It took them like a few weeks to figure out that 'oh, it's just one person turning into all these different aliens' before it settles in the actual sentence meaning. :'3

now for individuals... well:

Riddle

Riddle was very happy at first when people didn't figure out it was only 1 person and had all these oudlandish theories about a superhero team. But of course, entering Cater, your local Magicam enthusiast and crazy conspiracy theorist. Cater is the one who brings on the table the posibility that it could be a shapeshifter, way before Riddle himself was aware that he could actually shift in between alien species. Trey was more on 'helping out' Cater with this investigation(he actually just makes sure Cater doesn't go headfirst into danger).

Despite all the efforts, Adeuce find out first, by simply walking on Riddle when his timer runs out. That's it... That's literally it and Riddle hates it with a burning passion. They become more or so a thorn in the side of EVERYONE who tries to look into it. Like these guys don't even try, the chaos they stirr up is enough to forfeit any possible evidence. Later on Jack finds out bc he is actually the sane one and looks into Adeuce's wierd shenaningans.(actually these 2 wrecked his cactus by accident and he wanted to prevent a repeat) :'3

As for the meeting with Azmuth, the very first thing Riddle does is to beg to get the damn watch off, like please he's tired of this bullshit. :'3

But the catch is that Azmuth's aim all along was to hide the omnitrix all along. And Riddle was doing the job for him. Even though he's still a child, Riddle was doing exactly what was intended to do, with the few exceptions where he used it to actually save people. Even better, Azmuth never encountered magic properly, as such the reactions of the omnitrix to the magic, mainly blocking any gender or mentally changes along with the half transformations. So Riddle would be the perfect lil experiment dummy to see all reactions. He was still obedient, rarely breaking out of the rules set in front of him, so Azmuth knew that he would listen if he wanted the omnitrix off him in the end.

This marks an important point for Riddle, who realises that all along, his goal wasn't to just get rid of the omnitrix, but actually to use it to save people. He could've just pushed his limits with magic, but he found ways to use the omnitrix to just help the ones in need. And now with Azmuth just saying that it was not meant for that, Riddle found it unjust.

So he gives a promise to Azmuth that he would prove why the other aliens saw the omnitrix as a weapon, why this so called weapon could be used for peace too, not just as some research material.

Adeuce with Jack also are there, but they are mostly there to support Riddle once he has that epiphany, but also to kick some evil guys asses.

This is also some good chunk of time after book 6, so Riddle would have white hair streaks, which are a constant reminder that he still needs to know when he shouldn't push his limits. And this is also why Azmuth is skeptical of the promise.

Kalim

Now Kalim usually has Jamil covering up his traces, mostly by spreading rumors that make the theories about the aliens to go further and further from the truth.

But with book 4, the octatrio find out. And with Kalim demanding to have a say in everything regarding him and his integrity as a person, Jamil has to step out from reducing the 3 to silence. Thankfully these 3 mfs still need to wrap their heads around the whole situation and believe it or not, they keep the secret. Of course, for possible blackmail opportunities.

When meeting Azmuth, Kalim clearly was tired of people just telling him what to do as if he's going to just do what they want. So he's very opposed to handing the omnitrix and bring up how he just tries to do good. And maybe if Azmuth thought outside of the box, it could be possible to see that the omnitrix is meant to be used to bring peace by saving people, by using it as a way to show that for peace to exist, everyone has to work together, no matter the species or planet you come from. It was that simple and Kalim was keeping to that idea of his.

So Azmuth's initial goal aligned with Kalim's current one. Therefore Kalim insists that if they work together, they can prove that goal to be achievable. How can one actually refuse this sunshine tho? You bet Kalim's getting to keep the watch.(Jamil initially insisted to get that thing off, but I guess Kalim learned to stand for what he thinks is right... So git gut, snake Boi) :'3

Epel

Vil and Rook manage Epel's secret. And it's like professionally done, since Vil works in the acting industry, has a reliable reputation and his word holds a lot for others, while Rook is the one who literally knows anything and everything on campus. If he denies, it means it's false. Like Epel here has some solid coverage. :'3

No one absolutely fins out. They all are just theorising and Epel just gets to watch them and internally laugh at how stupid their theories are compared to the truth.

With Azmuth, Epel is clearly very skeptical at first. Sure, he is a bit rash, but he wants to save people. At the base, he's still a good guy and tries his best. Vil is actually the one who tells Epel to stand up for himself and for his agency as someone who wants to save the innocents. (Rook almost hunted Azmuth for sports, but Shhh...)

So Epel does realise again that Vil just wants his good and that probably he should be that petty with the model. Vil worked hard to ensure Epel's safety after all. Even if he wasn't using the omnitrix. It's more of a pomfamily moment here and we appreciate platonic fluff in this household. U-Ub

Idia

This guy runs on sheer pettiness and a bag of chips. He can bearly lift a twig and cannot even sit in a room with a person for 5 minutes before his soul leaves his body. Who in their right mind would ever assume it was him behind the aliens that save people? And for once, Idia was thankful that everyone thought he was a pathetic wet cat. Yeah, yeah, sure... Go and let him be pathetic in his room alone, buddy... :'3

Even so, in book 6, Idia does reveal it to the SSR problematic children, mainly because his timer runs out. It was in the heat of the battle and ofc, overBlot Ortho tries to protect him, thus getting hit by the lightning spears and dropping dead in tartarus. It's quite angsty. :3

So the Aftermath of book 6 is an absolute mess. With Idia trying to cope with the situation while also being held accountable with an explanation about how in the world he is this alien shifting superhero. It does take some time for Idia to clean up his own mess after all.

Thankfully, his meeting with Azmuth is very civil. Idia was a curious mind and as such, meeting the creator of the omnitrix, a device Idia still had long ways to go to understand it, was akin to meeting a celebrity. He wanted to just know how this thing works and how was possible to even craft such revolutionary device.

Azmuth does have a good impression on Idia. This guy's childhood dream was to save and protect people. And even if he failed in grand style 2 times, he still is pushing forward and tries to even understand how the device that grants him this shifting power even works. As such, Idia is easily holding up his argument about the omnitrix being used to just save people. But looking at his failures, Idia was contemplating on giving it to Azmuth to find a more suitable person.

That's also when Azmuth deems Idia as the said suitable person. He still has ways to go, but he has that determination and he is a mind that contemplates on what would be the optimal solution to a problem. He was far from perfect, but finding a replacement would be long and tiresome, especially when other bad guys are currently on the hunt for the omnitrix. As such, Idia gets to keep it. :3

Now for the multiverse plot... I would say that the best and go-to option would be ✨bad guys shenanigans✨. Just some mad scientist shit where they try to take the omnitrix from another dimension. This brings the 4 together and boy is it a mess. :'3

Riddle is just the one who is skeptical of the whole thing. He doesn't open up that easily, because these 4 are counterparts of people he used to hide from in his dimension, so of course, he warms up the hardest.

Kalim is absolutely thrilled about it. Man would want to exchange any and all tips and would be absolutely down for friendship activities. He's just happy he finally gets to meet someone in a similar situation with him.

Epel is also a hyped boy, him and Kalim becoming besties in seconds. Epel also thinks that this Idia was way cooler than his dimension's Idia, even if they are both pathetic wet cats when not in dire situations. Riddle and Epel do have a bumpy start, but they do get along, mostly as raw power fighters.

And Idia is absolutely freaking out at first. But he does warm up to Riddle over their shared skepticism at first. Compared to his Kalim, the Kalim from another dimension was actively working on improving and being more considerate for others, so Idia appreciates this one more. Epel is just a chaos gremlin that Idia occasionally feels like a babysitter to. Just imagine Epel fully as Wildmutt with Idia in half 4 arms, holding him by the nape. That's their dynamic. :'3

I think I covered everything now! Yay! :D

#twisted wonderland #asks :3 #ben 10 au

[pageofheartanalysis]

Hello!! Thoughts on Rogue of Life, and possibly some Land Names?

Sure!!!!!

Rogues are super cool, I don't give them enough credit sobs. Rogues are the passive counterpart of a Thief, who steals their aspect or steals through their aspect. Rogues steal their aspect or through it for the benefit of others. They redistribute their aspect if it will benefit the team. It's like Robin Hood, really but with whatever their aspect represents. Rogues tend to be outlasted from those around them! We see thid literally with Roxy who grew up alone in her futuristic house with no real friends, spending her nights getting drunk and feeling obscure and unseen by everyone around her and using her drinking in an attempt to be seen. Nepeta is outlasted as she quite literally lives in a cave. But despite that shortcoming, Rogues can be fiercely loyal. We see this most in Nepeta, and it's only heightened by her Heart aspect as she fights to avenge equius and dies along side him. Rogues also tend to hide something from the vast majority of their friends. This is seen with Nepetas violent and Angry side whenever ewuius brought up eridan, how fucking KICKASS and SMART Roxy has the capability of being when she's sober, and Rufiohs whole mess with hiding how he feels and his want to not be tied down to Horuss. The inverse of a Rogue is Knight!

Alright now let's get into Life.

Life is about luxury, the plants and animals, its about chosing your own destiny and operating how you want. It's alot like heart in the sense it can be very literal. Life players are the literal chosen healers, having the power to be able to straight up resurrect their friends though it's only limited to one resurrection card per player (granted this is only seen with Jane if im not mistaken and feferi died long before she could ascend so maybe this is only a Maid thing but it's possible some similar ability is one all life players possess.) Life is about healing and growth. Life players tend to have some connection to these things as even even Feferi and her almost Disney princess level of animal kindness and friendship and Jane's interest in baking as typically in video games food restores Health. That bit if pretty on the nose. They ate great listeners and caretakers, but in every good there is bad. Life players can also be insensitive and cruel, maybe even passive aggressive. If it gets bad enough it cna be like. Toxic positivity yknow? The inverse of Life is Doom.

So the overall inverse of a Rogue of Life is a Knight of Doom! Very cool!

A Rogue of Life would be alot like an actual Robin Hood I think. It's very likely they are esomeone of a relatively high standing who steals from their standing to Aide those in need, or the type ot heal when others don't want them to. I think a part of them would be ashamed of their standing and hide it, hide.. a huge part of their life out of fear of being looked down upon? But also o think more than likely they doubt their own ability to resist temptations whether it's through wealth or power or food, so they redistribute it to make the problem go away. They dont want to be leaders, or powerful. They want to stick o the background and help from the shadows. I think they'd neglect their health soemtimes, thinking that if they get someone will go without and they hate feeling selfish. A Rogue of Life denies themselves these luxuries because they think they can't handle it, like maybe wanting a pet but feeling they can't give it a good home. They have alot of self doubt, and may even be a relative pessimist with not a whole lot of energy! Or maybe they are and avoid things like pets or excess food. They might hide their care for things like animals out of fear of seeming weak or lame.

A fully realized Rogue of Lige would learn to take their aspect for themselves, truly becoming the Dominneering and Reckless aspect that is Life. They'd be a good healer, though they probably wouldn't be able to heal themselves much. But they could potentially even be a really rad attacker, but support I'd def more their thing

Land Ideas:

Land of Vines and Shadows

Land of Snowdrops and Sand

Land of Plenty and Blessing

Land of Sun and Waterfalls

Land of Boulders and Comets

I hope this is helpful!

#anon #ask #homestuck #rogue #life #rogue of life #homestuck analysis #classpect analysis #god tier

[alphabravocharliedelta]

Therefore I Am | Russell Adler x Bell! Reader VI

Series: Call of Duty: Black Ops Cold War

Therefore I Am | Russell Adler x Bell! Reader

Chapter VI

Word Count: 7400

[Chapter V] [Chapter VII]

Summary: After somehow reconciling with Adler, Bell and the team are left to continue their pursuit of bringing down the undercover spy ring, but it proves to be more of a challenge as Bell struggles to move on from their Perseus-affiliated past. 

Content Warning: mature content, vulgar language, drugs, needles

Notes: We're basically at the halfway point for the series! Good job on making it this far, and I pray that this chapter isn’t too confusing. Also if you guys have song recommendations please let me know in the tags or something I’ve been listening to the same stuff over and over.

[Y/N] "Bell" [L/N]

September, 1983

West Berlin, Germany

The ride to the meeting place was a bit tedious. 

Admittedly, the entire neighborhood was foreign to you, and it was only recently that you decided to study an aerial reconnaissance photo of West Berlin. Unlike its counterpart, it felt more vast and populated, multitudes of buildings crowding the damn area. One wrong turn and you would probably wind up in an underground tunnel.

On the bright side, you were allowed to pick a vehicle of your choosing. 

You had put in a request for a motorcycle a week ago with Sims. He really wasn't joking when he was able to get practically anything, as long as Adler approved (he was the one that keeps the checks after all).

"It's one of the newer models. I had it modified for longer distances and smoother sailing, if you get my gist," Sims had informed as he pulled away the grey tarp. "You have good taste, Bell. Mind if I take it for a joy ride sometime?"

Practically the entire team, aside from Hudson, were already signing up to try out the bike, and you had to set some boundaries. The moment you set eyes on the bad boy you fell in love with it, and knowing everyone else, they would somehow mess it up one way or another.

"Wow. Looks like there's space for two people on there," Woods had commented, who was trailing behind as you pulled the bike outside of the garage earlier today.

"Yep."

"So this op is basically like a date then."

You gave him a confused look. "What are you talking about? I'm going by myself."

"Oh, did we forget to tell you? Adler's going to tag along."

He had a smug face as he told you this. Woods didn't even give out a laugh, just patting you on the back as if content with himself. 

"Is this revenge for the five dollars?"

"Nah. But, since you mentioned it, sure, that too."

After bugging Woods for more details, it also turned out Sims had taken the Sudan and van in for maintenance on this very day, and won't be finished for a few hours. You were starting to think some ploy was at hand, and either they were all in on it, or everything just conveniently occurred.

Fast forward about an hour later, Adler's arms were now wrapped around your lower torso as his chest pressed against your arched back. He was wearing the leather jacket you gave back to him with a long sleeve black turtleneck underneath.

He was a bit too close for someone hitching a ride, but you didn't object. His presence kept you warm while you drove on the cold streets of West Berlin. Having someone hug you after God knows how long felt… reassuring, bringing on the feeling of being coveted with a veil of comfort and longing. It took everything to not just pull over and take a moment to wallow in the feeling.

You seize the bike to a stop at a red light, planting a foot onto the pavement. A car comes to a rolling stop next to you, peering at the both of you briefly before playing with the dials of the radio.

"The hotel's going to be on the next left," Adler informs you through his helmet.

"You don't think I know that?"

"Then what's that sticking out of your back pocket?"

"...A map." You could hear him hold back a snicker, and you roll your eyes. "What? As if you never got lost before."

"Me? Never."

The light turns green. You pull your foot back on the hold, and drive off before the car next to you could think about merging to your lane.

As of late, it feels like Adler has been a bit more light-hearted and expressive whenever you both happened to be together. It was hard to tell at first, but it was the inflection in his voice and the barely noticeable curl of the corners of his mouth that gave it away whenever he talked to you specifically. Does he notice similar things about you?

Focusing on the mission, it was a bit spotty. There wasn't much content in the folder Adler was provided. No photo, no name, just the transcript, as well as the meeting place, where you were instructed to look for a man with a white dress shirt and blue-yellow striped tie sitting in front of three ashtrays. The plan was to drop Adler off at a hotel that stood across from the bar you were meeting the asset at, where he would keep watch and provide any needed reinforcements while you had to go in alone.

You pull up to the front of a moderately styled building, parking the motorcycle in an appropriate place. The area was pretty mellow, as it wasn’t very populated. 

Taking the keys out, they jingled as you handed it to Adler. "Don't lose it. That's one whole paycheck right there."

"Are you sure you're going to be okay?" he asks, taking off his helmet. He gives his head a little shake to let the hair loosen up before reaching into his jacket and putting his shades back on, even though it was night.

You nod. "I'm just meeting someone. It'll be just like last time, except I won't be sneaking into an apartment." His perpetual look didn't cease at your assurance. "Why, what's wrong?"

"No, it's probably nothing. Just keep your comms on. I'll be your second set of ears." 

"If you say so."

Pulling on a beanie, you made sure it covered your ears to hide the earpiece. Adler secures his own, giving you a good luck nod before heading into the hotel. "See you in an hour."

The weather seemed to be in a good mood today, the rain that you associated Berlin with now gone, leaving behind grey streaks of clouds in the night sky. Neon lights protruded through the glass windows, and you could hear the muffled music seeping through the walls as you made your way closer (it would serve as a way to deafen the conversation). The bar was slightly crowded upon entering. Nothing seemed out of place.

It was a simple task: meet up with the guy, learn what he has to say/give, then leave. If everything was done right, there should be no trouble.

You made your way further in, taking small peeks at each table, looking for a row of ash trays. As easy and boring as it sounded, you felt a bit on edge. Even the most simplistic things can be the cause for most problematic issues. Why did Adler sound bothered? 

Continuing deeper inside, there was a man sitting towards the middle of the bar at a rounded table pushed against the wall. He was wearing the white shirt as promised and the ugly striped tie. With gelled back dirty blonde hair, you estimate him to be around his early forties. Three ashtrays made from glass sat in front of him, only one in use.

"Bell," you hear Adler, "Did you find them?"

"Yeah."

"Keep a low profile. The room they gave me doesn't give me a clear view of the bar."

You slip into the seat across from the informant. It only took one glance at you for him to break into a wide, welcoming grin. 

"It's nice to finally meet you, friend," he greets enthusiastically. "Come have a drink."

Judging from his voice, he already took a few drinks himself. He slides one of his glasses towards you, and you stop it with one hand. Picking the glass up from the rim, you swirl the brownish liquid around, trying to see if there were any strange particles floating at the bottom. 

"You have information, yes?" you start.

"Yes, yes of course! But first, introductions."

That's right, you didn't even know this man's name. 

"Aleks Ander," you make up on a whim.

It was probably the stupidest undercover name to use. Yet, it seemed to fool the asset in front of you. He seemed like a nice person, perhaps a bit naive. 

“Mefodiy Nikitin.”

"Ah. Nice you meet you, Mister Nikitin."

It was a peculiar name, yet there was something awfully familiar about it. And now, having a face to associate with it, the feeling of hostility rose. You knew him from somewhere. 

Adler seemed to be on the same wavelength, as you could hear him repeat the name under his breath.

Contradictingly, you still bring the glass up to your lips, tipping it slightly and letting the liquid move. A weird, almond taste filled your mouth the moment it touched your tongue. Alarms started to go off in your head, and following your instinct, you spit it back out in a discreet manner. You survey the table for a glass of water, but only find hard liquor.

Eying Nikitin warily, you put the glass back down and clear your throat. The taste still lingered in your mouth. You haven't drank alcohol for a while. Maybe modern tastes are accustomed to strange flavors.

Something like this would be reason to abort, but you still stayed in place. The mission was to find out what he knew, and you couldn't leave empty handed. Even if the source wasn't immaculate, you needed at least something. "I came here to learn what information you want to share. We do not have all day, my friend."

"Of course. What do you want to know?"

"You tell me.”

He sure liked to beat around the bush, you note. It wasn’t like the Greta Keller mission. At least she was cooperative, even after you both got captured. Nikitin, on the other hand… You could already feel a headache coming on.

Although, you got a good grasp of his character. You expected the guy to be timid in nature, perhaps a bit like Lukas Richter to an extent, but Niktin was the opposite. He seemed like a guy of luxury, who probably likes to dwell in fantasies of being in control. People like him craved for power, trying to scope out the competition, but will avoid everything to get his hands dirty. Spending money to feel himself better, flaunting his richness. A tricky man, if you will.

People like him got on your nerves.

“Well,” he begins. “To start off, how well do you know Perseus?”

"...How the hell does this guy know about Perseus?" Adler voices.

Perseus should have been insider knowledge. Only the top brass knows about the group, so how does Nikitin know of it? Your finger twitched at how easily the name fell off of his tongue, masked in such casualty for someone who's supposed to be a KGB double agent.

"Right," you reply coyly. It was going to be difficult to extract any info from him since you couldn't disclose anything pertaining to the matter, so you had to play your cards carefully. "We haven't heard of anything as of late. I'm hoping your info can help move our investigation efforts forward. Working in the KGB must yield some information, right?"

"Like names of sleeper agents?" Nikitin alludes. 

You raise a brow, thinking momentarily back to Lubyanka. "If that's what you have to offer."

He chuckles, fanning a hand in the air as if to relieve the tension. "I'm joking! But yes, I do have something." The agent brings out a floppy disk, setting it down on the table. It was black with scrawled handwriting in blue ink on the paper label. "This should be useful for you."

You reach out to grab it, but Nikitin draws his arm back. 

“Is there a problem?” you ask, trying to conceal your increasing irritation. 

“I could just hand it over, but a fair exchange would be appropriate for this kind of information, don’t you think?”

“Alright, what do you want?” 

Nikitin muses over it, scratching his chin. After a short period passes, his face lightens up, finally coming to a conclusion. 

"Russell Adler."

"I'm...sorry?" 

His name didn't even register the moment you heard it. Nikitin held a smirk, content with his answer and your reaction. You pull your arm away from his end, sneaking it underneath your jacket while pretending to take another sip of the drink. Your nose wrinkled at the smell of liquor.

"To elaborate, you need to take care of him. After all, he was your assignment when you were with Perseus."

“What's he mean by that?” you could hear Adler growl. 

"I don't know what you're talking about," you insist. "But, for you to know of Perseus… Who are you, really?"

The trail to Perseus has been cold as of late, pretty much leaving the CIA to pick up breadcrumbs of intel that was left behind. Your memory was shoddy and complicated, so Nikitin would be one of the biggest leads yet, but this attempt at bargaining information was beyond reasonable. You were going to have to talk to Hudson and Belikov about their selection of assets.

"I already told you who I am," Nikitin responds. "Well, you may not know me personally, but, I did hear lots of great things about you. You made quite a name for yourself in Perseus, Lieutenant Colonel [L/N]."

Your blood ran cold. No one had addressed you by that title for so long.

Then it dawned on you.

East Berlin.

The intel Mason found. Mefodiy Nikitin. His name was one of the ones mentioned there. The man in front of you was a Perseus member? 

"But, I heard you go by 'Bell' now."

"The old man must be running out of options if they're recruiting people like you.” You couldn't help but chuckle at him, looking at the pathetic face he made in an attempt at intimidation. He truly was naïve. “I'm actually starting to feel a bit sorry for you all. I switch sides and you're all already beginning to fumble."

"How the general even put up with your bullshit is beyond my understanding," Nikitin belittles in return, balling his fist at the humility. "He's too trustworthy of you. Even after what the Americans did to you, he still has some faith that you'll come crawling back to him. Hell, I even went through all this effort to meet you.”

“You set this up?”

“With some false promises and a case full of cash, what kind of CIA agent wouldn’t jump on the opportunity?” 

"The ones who are no longer alive."

The network you've all been working hard to dismantle was already rebuilding itself. Your mind races back to Nikitin's earlier words, anxiety beginning to pave its way in. The conversation should have been cut off as soon as he refused to give you the disk, but there was something about the way he spoke that drew your attention. He knew something you didn't. "Is this your way of blackmail? What the hell do you have to offer that I don't know about?"

"Ah, I got your interest now didn't I?" Nikitin clasps his hands together and rubs them as if he were about to partake in a feast, a sick feeling washing over you. He was enjoying this little game of cat and mouse, just holding onto the intel like bait. "Perfect! Let's get to business then."

"Bell! Forget him, just grab the—"

Adler's voice is cut off as the sound of silenced gunfire occurred right behind you. The civilians around you gave out yelps of shock, before they slumped over, as if they had lost all control of their muscles. Glasses shattered as they fell onto the floor, the translucent shards mixing in with the dark colors of the alcoholic drinks it once harbored. 

Twisting around, you see two men standing amidst the bodies, guns in their hands. 

You whipped out your pistol within the blink of an eye, just as Nikitin's men redirected their aim at your direction.

"To think the asset I had to meet up with is nothing more than a puny attempt of manipulation from a man who doesn't know how to control his ego," you fumed. 

Your instincts were going off, screaming at you to run, but being held at gunpoint didn't exactly give you the advantage you need. You should have listened to your gut feeling. The resentment that had coiled within the depths of your stomach was beginning to unravel as you feel a rush of adrenaline coming forth. Looking down the sights, the shot was perfectly lined up within the space between Nikitin's eyes.

"But, to have gotten this far, I must be doing something right," he comments. 

The civilians.

Your finger twitched, hovering just mere millimeters from finishing the job. The impulse to kill him was getting difficult to fight off. You were going to do it. 

But just as you were about to rest your finger on the trigger, something warm ran over your lips and off of your chin. It gave off a dark sheen as it plattered onto the table, a couple more droplets following suit. What the fuck?

You wipe your nose with the back of your hand, and your eyes widen, seeing a red streak painted across. A nosebleed? 

"Is it taking effect?" Nikitin inquires with disgusting amusement. 

You flick your hand. "What the fuck did you give me?"

"I didn't know how much to add, but assuming from your reaction, it's pretty strong. Apparently even a small intake can do lots to the consumer."

You could feel yourself getting lightheaded and drowsy, but consider yourself lucky enough to be let off without much other effects of whatever strange drug he spiked your drink with. The nutty taste never left your palate.

"I've heard you to be cunning and ruthless, but look at you now," Nikitin mocks. "Accepting drinks from a stranger. How American."

"You—"

"Bell!"

Nikitin’s gaze redirects to something behind you, the entry door being kicked open, as well as the surprised yelps of the two agents. As a result, you feel something pierce your right shoulder, and you grind your molars to stifle the howl that almost escaped as you recoiled back a few steps. It hurt like a bitch, but you had to tolerate it.

Turning around, you see Adler barge through the entrance, taking down Nikitin's men with ease. His shots strike them right at the chest, their bodies collapsing over the wooden tables and knocking everything off of it.

“Ah, so this is the infamous Russell Adler," Nikitin muses loudly. "To think the man you were assigned to kill is now your best friend. You were such great buddies with Naga as well, I wonder what he'll—”

"Shut. Up." 

You shoot him in the shoulder in revenge, earning an excruciating yelp from him. Nikitin's hand flies to cover his wound, and yet he guffaws, a sadistic smile spreading across his face. 

“You really lost it now! I-It's a bit disheartening to see you were never able to complete the task. But, then again, I guess Kuzmin will be ecstatic to hear that." Nikitin shifts his attention to Adler. "He does have a vendetta against you after all."

Kuzmin? Adler?

"...What is he talking about, Bell?" Adler joins in, rushing to your side after checking on one of the civilians. Oddly enough, there were no open wounds on any of the innocents, just one round of tranquilizer darts in each of them. Nikitin really didn't want a mess to clean up.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" 

The information was overbearing— too much happened within the short span of the past hour. Everything went deeper than you had surmised. Just trying to wrap your head around everything made your headache worse. The name Kuzmin and Naga was constantly recurring in your mind, and you swore Perseus himself had even said these aliases a couple times.

Shit.

You didn't want a repeat of that morning. 

Shoving the barrel into Nikitin's forehead, you yell, "Who the hell is Kuzmin?!" 

"V-Vikhor Kuzmin, of course!"

Adler turns to you now, you could feel his scrutinizing gaze poking at you behind those shades. "You know Stitch?" he asks. You could detect remains of hatred and detest as he said the name.

Nikitin laughs. "Of course they do! They were colleagues—"

“Enough!” you interject. “I'm tired of your shit. This is going nowhere."

Adler picks up the floppy disk, eyes darting between the label and you. "Bell, is there something you haven't told us?"

"I already told you everything I know, didn't I?" you insist irritably, but it was a feasible attempt. The confidence you had earlier was draining. 

"Well, after hearing what he had to say, there's clearly something else."

"What is this, an interrogation? I don't know—" You give out a frustrated groan, feeling the migraine persist. "Fuck, I can't think—"

"This would be the perfect opportunity to kill Adler, [L/N]!" the Perseus member interjects provokingly. "Redeem yourself! At least Perseus never brainwashed you—"

You shoot him in the thigh, and he lets out a yowl.

"Do you ever shut up?!" you seethed. "For a Perseus member you sure like to run your fucking mouth. Is that how the general planned to rope me back into his stupid scheme? By pissing me off?"

"That's enough, Bell!" Adler warns. As much as he wanted to shut the guy up, he was the only other person associated with Perseus that the CIA managed to get close to. "If you're telling the truth, then I want this guy. Alive."

He could tell you were about to snap from your dark expression. He puts a hand on your arm, guiding it downward and away from Nikitin with the gentle touch of his gloved hands. "Enough."

Calm down.

You needed to stop letting him get under your skin. But with that damn cocky, arrogant grin of his, you just wanted to knock his teeth in. He kept going on and on about this Kuzmin character and killing Adler, and your inability to make sense of what he was referring to only added onto the aggravation.

Don't trust Adler.

“Yes! That look!" Nikitin exclaims upon noticing your conflict. "Do it. Shoot me. It’s what you do best, isn’t it [L/N]?”

"Volkov said the same thing," you growl. "You're one of his rats?"

"So you do remember. One could only imagine my surprise when I discovered that you sent him off to the M16." He cackles. "Though, I guess hearing what happened to your British friend back in Cuba, it’s a fair trade, don’t you think?” 

"Ignore him." Adler stuffs his gun behind, taking it upon himself to restrain Nikitin, who winced at each subtle movement. Holding him under the arm, Adler hauls him up to his feet begrudgingly. 

Hearing no response, he turns his attention to you. “Bell?”

Your gun goes off, a single bullet shell clattering at your feet while white wisps of smoke trail out the barrel. Nikitin’s body slips away from Adler’s grip, landing on the floor with a heavy thud. 

You stuffed your firearm back in its place. That was one less person to worry about. 

“What the fuck Bell?” Adler seizes your wrists. “I wanted him alive!”

“My bike didn’t have enough space anyway.”

“The bike? This isn’t about your fucking bike! He was a Perseus member, for crying out loud! Do you know how much we could have—”

“You said you wanted Nikitin alive if I was telling the truth.” You bend down, searching Nikitin’s pockets for anything beneficial. In the end you take his watch, knowing that a lot of agents within the rogue organization held items with secret compartments for their leisure. “I'm just making it easier for both of us. Just give me another of your stupid injections. That'll balance things out, wouldn't it?"

"Are you out of your fucking mind?"

"Seeing how things just played out, I might just be," you articulate. "And stop yelling, my head's about to burst."

"I'm NOT—" He catches himself, bringing his voice down to a good level. "You can't just go and kill someone because they got under your skin, Bell."

"As if you haven’t done so on occasion. I was just doing us a favor." Shuffling through the pockets, you find a phial with an unrecognizable substance. You push against your knees and straighten, stuffing it and the watch into your jeans. "Bastard tried to drug me, and dishonored Park? I should have killed him the moment your name escaped his mouth."

Adler won't admit it, but he found himself a bit tense and astonished at your own brutal nature that somehow slipped through the cracks. It was the twitch of your eye and the tense grip of the handle that gave away your resistance against the urge to kill the Perseus spy, but in the end you caved in. Was that the type of person you were when working with Perseus? 

Though, he noted, there were always signs of that hidden, disturbing trait of yours. Adler bared first-hand witness to your surprise attacks on unsuspecting individuals, and the "creative" ways you would finish them off. 

No wonder Perseus continued to pursue you. He trained a loyal soldier. But, Adler knew that there was more to you than just a Soviet-made killer.

"Fuck it," he hisses. "Let's get out before the cops come."

"What about the civis?"

"Leave them, they're tranquilized. Give them an hour or two to wake up."

0000

During the ride back to the safe house, there was that feeling of disconnection, both between your own feelings, and with Adler.

It was silent on the way back, and you had to stuff the earbuds in your ear just to avert your attention from what you had just done. The decision to kill Nikitin came easy, but it was the fact that you did it because of his provocation is what startled you the most.

You couldn't think properly, and whatever was in your drink still coursed through your system, despite taking that tiny amount. Adler's growing concerns weren't heard as you put the bike into full throttle, speeding through traffic lights and empty roads.

The comfort of Adler's arms around your waist lost it's magic, and it felt a bit suffocating. Whatever Nikitin implied, of you having a duty to kill Adler, still persisted in your mind, and you couldn't bear to look at him with that guilty conscience. 

So with your only lead gone, that left the floppy disk, and you. It would take a couple hours to decrypt everything, but you had a feeling that it would only provide the bare minimum of evidence, so that leaves you and your memory.

And there was one way to trigger it.

The moment you both arrive at the hideout, you immediately head to the bathroom. Woods attempted to ask how it went, but you pushed past him. That left Adler to answer the questions.

"What's up with Bell?" he asked. "You didn't do anything, did you? Because, if you did—"

"Bell killed the asset."

Woods raised an eyebrow in interest. "Damn, what'd they do to piss them off?"

Adler didn't find it funny. "Talk."

"Must be within good reason then?"

"That's what I'm trying to find out."

Slamming the door closed, you lock it and lean against the door. Exhaustion began to overwhelm your body as the adrenaline died out, and your shoulder felt like it was being held on top of an open flame.

Looking at it, you could feel the bullet wedged in there. It wasn't too deep, but was a good hit. Peeling the top of your clothes away, you sucked in air as you carefully removed the fabric from the area. The sight wasn’t pleasant, and the air stung at the raw flesh. 

You pull one of the drawers open, retrieving a fresh cloth and ran it under the faucet. Taking a seat on the counter, you carefully wiped down the surrounding area, grimacing as the fibers brushed against your skin. Medical attention wasn’t your specialty, since there was always someone else to do the work. 

“Bell?” Adler’s voice came from the other side of the door, causing you to stiffen. “Are you going to hide like a coward, or am I going to have to fucking force the door open?”

Well, he’s pissed. You didn’t blame him though. 

“Can’t I get some privacy around here?” you hiss, trying to cover up your nerves.

“Seeing how you just murdered someone right in front of me after disobeying my order, I think that should be the least of your concerns. Now open the damn door.”

Sighing exasperatedly, you quickly cover yourself up and set the cloth down. There really was no way to avoid the guy. Just how the hell were you going to explain everything? You, yourself, couldn’t even fully comprehend everything, leaving it up to speculation and theories that your shrewd up mind came up with.

You flush the toilet before opening the door, hoping to throw Adler off your trail for a bit. “I’m kind of busy at the moment.”

“The hell you are. Get out. We need to talk.”

"You're really going to interrogate me in front of a toilet?" you reply snarkily.

He ignores the comment. "We're not finished yet."

Adler grabs your wrist, only to realize that you were shaking. You refused to look him in the eye, biting the insides of your cheek in shame.

The metallic smell was starting to bother him, and his eyes did a quick scan, and noticed that there was a hole in your jacket. Startled, Adler tugs at the zipper and opens it, pulling the edges back only to reveal the red seeping through your clothes underneath. 

"You're hurt." 

"You realize that now?"

“Un-fucking-believable.”

Adler ushers you back into the bathroom, gesturing you to hop back onto the counter. You oblige, waiting as he takes out a kit and a new rag from underneath the sink. He unpacks everything, taking out a thin needle and some thread while setting a couple of pads and tape to the side.

“You better tell me what happened at the bar,” Adler says, pulling the thread through the eye of the needle. “Or I’m never sending you on another mission again.”

"I got shot."

"No shit."

“I told you what you wanted to hear, didn't I?” you chided. It was uncharacteristic of him. He never really batted an eye in your direction when it came to previous wounds, yet today he was more considerate. "Why're you getting so worked up about it?"

Adler wrings the cloth out in the sink. “Gee, I don't know [L/N]. Maybe it's because our only lead is gone, and now you try to hide the fact that there's a bullet in your damn shoulder?” 

"It's nothing."

"Last time someone said that, it got infected. You don't wanna know what happened afterwards." He brings the towel up to your shoulder. "Take off your shirt."

"What is this, a strip search?"

"My god, just fucking— Your damn shoulder Bell, just show it."

You shrugged off your jacket, undoing the first three buttons to your dress shirt, and pull your arm out of the sleeve, exposing the rightmost side of your body. "There, happy?"

Adler's eyes notice the two scars on your chest that barely peeked out from underneath the fabric. He brings the cloth to the shoulder in an attempt to not get distracted, but his sight wanders back to it.

The tissue was discolored and discernable from your actual skin complexion. They were both close in proximity, just right above your sternum. He already saw one of them— the bullet they extracted from your chest was used as evidence of the illegal gun cargo at Trabzon Airport. But, the other scar…

"Are you going to just stare at your mistake and let me bleed out, or are we going to get this over with?" 

You break his line of thought, and Adler disinfects the tweezers, before proceeding to pull out the single round in your shoulder.

Right. He was supposed to be mad at you. 

“I can't even take my eyes off of you for one second, can I?" he grumbles, shifting his mood appropriately. You shuffle a bit as you feel Adler pull the lump out. "Stop fucking moving, Bell, it might sink in more.”

You turn towards him. “You met this Vikhor Kuzmin, haven't you?” 

Adler ceases all movement at the mention of the name. Behind his glasses, you could see him lost in thought for a brief moment, before continuing to work on your shoulder.

He places the bullet down on the bloodstained rag beside him, before taking the needle. “I’m not going to talk until you tell me what happened,” he responds brusquely with a bit of malice.

You trail off, leaning your head against the wall behind you. 

Vikhor Kuzmin, meeting Adler… All the pieces started to link up with one another, the puzzle slowly becoming more finished each move. Whatever Perseus was planning, you played a part in it, and knowing that his grasp on you was still strong made you reluctant to even return to the safehouse, not knowing what'll happen to you.

But you needed to confirm it. If your memory was correct, then the CIA could use it to their advantage. You hated being used, but you didn't want Perseus to win. The only thing in your way was your psychological roadblock that prevented you from remembering.

"Before I tell you," you bargain. "I want you to do something for me."

He finishes stitching your wound closed, placing a pad above it before wrapping bandages around, bringing over the shoulder and under your arms.

"You're in no position to barter with me."

"I'm your only connection to Perseus, so we both know damn well that an injection is in order."

Adler straightens up, eyes narrowed. "What the fuck are you talking about—"

"From back then. The MKUltra shit. I need it."

The psychoactive drugs. That's the solution you came to?

"You're not thinking straight." 

He begins to put everything back into the box, and you sit up and grab him by the collar and pull him close. Adler could see the desperation written all over your face as you gave out shaky breaths. But, he wasn't swayed.

"Adler—"

"You just got drugged with an unknown substance, and now you're claiming that running you through the procedure will somehow recover your memories. I’m not going to give you an injection over something so trivial.”

"Trivial? This isn’t fucking trivial! How can being sent as a hitman and setting off Nova Six be trivial?!"

Adler shakes his head. Your requests were beyond reasonable now, and you were coming up with some Hollywood spy flick plot with hitmen and Nova Six. Maybe you were hallucinating. 

"I'm not going to give you the injection Bell. It's too damn risky. The trigger phase was meant to recall memories of Vietnam, not anything else."

Following that conversation you both had the morning after East Berlin, he swore to never touch upon the topic of MKUltra, or anything directly correlated to it. Not again.

"Why not?! You didn’t hesitate to fucking poke a needle in my eye last time. So, what’s different about now?”

He pries your hand off of his collar. “You know why.”

"Don't you dare bring personal feelings into this," you beseech, "Especially when millions of lives are at stake."

"You're not the one administering the fucking thing Bell. You don't have the authority to decide—"

"Whoever this Vikhor Kuzmin is, they're with Perseus," you argue. "They're planning something. I know it's risky, but if you would just run me through the scenarios one more time, I'll find out what it is."

"Bullshit. Kuzmin is in prison."

"He's not! Why can't you just listen to me?!"

At this point, trying to convince Adler was like talking to a brick wall. As much as you despised the medbay, you were about to walk in there yourself and poke it in your damn eye if it meant figuring out everything Nikitin told you. 

You and Adler glared at each other, and your little show started drawing the attention of others just down the hall.

Taking a deep breath, you lower your voice so only he could hear. "Nikitin said that I knew Kuzmin. I-I don't know how important this guy is, but if I worked with him, then there's still some unfinished business. I don't care what you think, but there's no fucking way I'm letting this slip past, especially if I already know the answer. Nikitin's should have been our lead, but I fucked up, okay?" 

"[L/N]—"

You cut him off. "Just let me do this for you. For the team."

There was a pleading look in your eye, and Adler could feel your craving of answers about your past. Getting left in the dark for so long must have taken a toll on you, and he couldn't even begin to fathom to imagine how it must feel to live life with a large chunk of your memories being locked off behind a door that could never be reached. There was nothing in the archives nor any of the foreign databases of your birth records or identity, other than the one he had made for you. Your life was so shrouded in mystery, it sometimes even felt like you were just a by-product of the CIA. And he just so happened to be one of the reasons why you were like this.

Adler presses his lips in a thin line, before cracking open the door and entering the back part of the safehouse, with you following closely.

"Lazar," he announces, "Meet us in the medbay."

The aforementioned male perks up at his name, placing down the newspaper in his hand. "Why, what's happening?"

"Our back up plan."

"You don't mean…"

"We're doing it."

Lazar shoots you a look of concern, remembering the seizures that you had last time. "No."

"Well, we don't have a choice," Adler dejects. "The asset's dead thanks to Bell."

"Hey!" you chime in. "It was fully well—"

"Enough. We talked over this already. Don't make me change my mind."

Mason and Woods played witness to the events that occurred in front of them, but didn't partake in the conversation. They've only heard rumors and a half-assed retelling of what happened in the medbay back in 1981, so they could only infer what you three were talking about.

It didn't stop them from prying, though, Mason immediately getting up from his spot. "What's going on?"

"It's none of your concern, Mason," Adler states sternly, pushing open the door to the room.

Mason, unsatisfied, grabs the handle and pulls it closed within a flash. "I think it is," he replies coldly. "What the hell are you planning to do to Bell?"

"Let go of the damn door."

"Not until you tell us what's happening."

"Mason," you join in a weary voice. "It's fine. We're just going to go over some things. It should give us a better angle on Perseus."

He tries to read into it, but the only thing he saw was a person who's been through too much shit in their lifetime, clothes speckled in red spots and the innocent light long gone from their eyes. Yet there was that newfound determination behind it all, and he knew there was no use trying to argue.

"As much as we have in common," Mason indulges, letting go. "I'll never understand why you go this far."

You grin weakly. "So no one else has to do the dirty work."

Your hands were far from clean. Compared to everyone else, you were sure you hit high on the list when it came to war crimes. Hell, your own existence became one. Even on the CIA database you're listed as MIA and under the watchlist, and the only ones that knew the truth was the team.

Lazar closes the blinds to the rooms, granting you three a bit of privacy. Adler gives him a brief rundown on what you told him, and you were met with disagreement once again. 

“You don’t need to do this Bell.”

“Your right. I have to," you elaborate. "We're running out of options here.”

"There's the floppy disk."

"I'll get to it after. The more the merrier is the saying, right?"

Lazar wasn't looking forward to this, but if what you knew was that important, to a point where you pleaded to be put under this serum, then they definitely needed to find out. The CIA's been chasing around Perseus for god knows how long, and you're a key part to taking him down. 

"Are you sure?" 

"Stop asking, or else I might start getting second thoughts."

The plan was superficial, with the highest possibility of going to tits down (or up, as Sims put it). If you were going to subject yourself to one of the most mentally draining interrogations you had, then you might as well get the full authentic experience. 

You adjust the light that hung above accordingly, making the position similar to before. Lying down on the gurney, it felt like you were about to go into a mental asylum. You had to convince Lazar to wrap the leather cuffs around. "Come on, you don't want me falling off and hitting my head, do you?"

"I would honestly prefer you to hit your head and pass out than to go through all this shit again."

"Thanks for the pep talk."

As you both verbally loosen up, Adler shifts through the shelves, pushing aside boxes to reveal that old black duffel bag. He unzips it, and sees the god-forsaken phial with the sickening yellow liquid just sitting at the bottom, just right above the old booklet. Bringing them out, he passes the manual to Lazar, before he himself rips open a new syringe from its package and disinfects it. 

Adler turns around once he's done, feeling a bit of remorse as he sees your weakened figure. "Your arm."

"No. Intracerebral. Like last time."

"Don't be ridiculous. You know how dangerous that was?"

"Fucking do it," you growl, before resting your head back down.

"You're insane, you know that?"

"All part of the package."

He flicks the needle, testing it. "Are you ready?"

You nod as he positions it right above your eye while holding your chin to keep your head still. Staring right down at the needle, your stomach churned, knowing what's going to happen next.

Damn, through the eye socket?

Clenching your jaw, you brace yourself. "Hit me."

Without any countdown, Adler plunges it into your eye. You writhed in pain, nails digging into your already stained hands. Your legs shuffled in an attempt to instinctively move away from the needle, but with the cuffs around your wrists, you were going nowhere.

"Fuck!"

"Don't squint Bell, it's only going to make it worse," you hear Lazar advise.

Adler takes the needle out, trying to keep a level head. He didn't want to do this, but trying to reason and extract any information from you without it would be more tedious and cumbersome. Plus, how could he ignore that pleading look in your eye? It was like a whining puppy begging to try chocolate. But of course, chocolate is deadly to dogs.

He didn't want to verbally agree with you, but if you had anything relating to Perseus still hidden within the depths of your mind, and if it had the chance of pushing the investigation forward, then so be it.

Adler watches as your movements begin to ease, your pupils expanding as the dosage begins to take effect. Your tense expression loosens up as you plant your head back down, eyes glued to a random spot of the ceiling with drooping eyelids.

He and Lazar share a look of uncertainty. 

Adler resists the unexpected compulsion to reach out and grasp your hand. This was something you had to do on your own, and he was just there to make it happen. He just prayed that everything went better this time around. 

He takes a deep breath, before uttering the words he too has come to despise. 

"We've got a job to do."

#russell adler x reader #adler x reader #russell adler x bell #cod black ops cold war #black ops cold war #call of duty #call of duty x reader #bo:cw #text #fanfic #bell #russell adler #abcd briefing #call of duty imagine #sorry this took a while had to rewrite it #:)))) suffer

[brawltogethernow]

So, I don't think I've ever asked you this... what IS the whole point of the Spider-Sense? It really seems like something that only exists for writers to ignore or work around when they want to inject Legit Tension into a story.

I’ve thought about this power so much, but never with an eye to defend its right to exist, so I needed to think about this. The results could be more concise.

Ironically, given the question, I have to say its main purpose is to ramp up tension. But it’s also a highly variable multitool that a skilled creative team can use for...pretty much anything. It does everything the writer wants it to, while for its wielder always falls just short of doing enough.

I went looking through my photos for a really generic, classic-looking example to use as an image to head this topic, but then I ran into the time Peter absolutely did not reimburse this man for his stolen McDonald’s, so have that instead.

A Scare Chord, But You Can Draw It

That one post that says the spider-sense is just super-anxiety isn’t, like, wrong. It’s a very anxious, dramatic storytelling tool originally designed for a very anxious, dramatic protagonist. I find it speaks to the overall tone of the franchise that some characters are functionally psychics, but with a psychic ability that only points out problems.

Spidey sense pinging? There’s danger, be stressed! Broken? Now the lead won’t even KNOW when there’s a problem, scary! Single character is immune to it? That’s an invisible knife in the dark oh my god what the fuck what the fU--

Like its counterpart in garden variety anxiety, the only time the spider-sense reduces tension is in the middle of a crisis. But in the wish fulfillmenty way that you want in an adventure story to justify exaggerated action sequences, the same way enhanced strength or durability does. Also like those, it would theoretically make someone much safer to have it, but it exists in the story to let your character navigate into and weather more dangerous situations.

For its basic role in a story, a danger sense is a snappy way to rile up both the reader and the protagonist that doesn’t offer much information beyond that it’s time to sit smart because shit is about to go down.

Spidey comic canon is all over the board in quality and genre, and it started needing to subvert its formulas before the creators got a handle on what those formulas even were, and basically no one has read anything approaching most of it at this point, so for consistent examples of a really bare bones use of this power in storytelling, I’d point to the property that’s done the best job yet of boiling down the mechanics of Spider-Man to their absolute most basic essentials for adaptation to a compelling monster of the week TV series.

Or as you probably know it, Danny Phantom. DON’T BOO, I’M RIGHT.

DP is Spider-Man with about 2/3 of the serial numbers filed off and no death (ironically), and Danny’s ghost sense is the most proof in the formula example of what the spidey sense is for: It’s a big sign held up for the viewer that says, “Something is wrong! Pay attention!” Effectively a visual scare chord. It’s about That Drama. And it works, which won it a consistent place in the show’s formula. We’re talking several times an episode here.

So why does it work?

It’s a little counterintuitive, but it’s strong storytelling to tell your audience that something bad is going to happen before it does. A vague, punchy spoiler transforms the ignorant calm before a conflict into a tense moment of anticipation. ...And it makes sure people don’t fail to absorb the beginning of said conflict because they weren’t prepared to shift gears when the scene did. Shock is a valuable tool, too, but treating it like a staple is how you burn out your audience instead of keeping them engaged. Not to go after an easy target, but you need to know how to manage your audience’s alarm if you don’t want to end up like Game of Thrones.

The limits of the spider-sense also keep you on your toes when handled by a smart writer. It tells Peter (everyone’s is a little different, so I’m going to cite the og) about threats to his person, but it doesn’t elaborate with any details when it’s not already obvious why, what kind, and from what. And it doesn’t warn him about anything else-- Which is a pretty critical gap when you zoom out and look at his hero career’s successes and failures and conclude that it’s definitely why he’s lived as long as he has acting the way he does, but was useless as he failed to save a string of people he’d have much rather had live on than him.

(Any long-running superhero mythos has these incidents, but with Peter they’re important to the core themes.)

And since this power is by plot for plot (or because it’s roughly agreed it only really blares about threats that check at least two boxes of being major, immediate, or physical), it always kicks in enough to register when the danger is bearing down...when it’s too late to actually do anything about it if “anything” is a more complex action than “dodge”.

Really? Not until the elevator doors started to open?

That Distinctive, Crunchy Spider Flavor

The spider-sense and its little pen squiggles go hand in hand with wallcrawling (and its unique and instantly identifiable associated body language) to make the Spider-Person powerset enduringly iconic and elevate characters with it from being generic mid-level super-bricks. Visually, but also in how it shapes the story.

I said it can share a narrative role with super strength. But when you end a fight and go home, super strength continues to make your character feel powerful, probably safer than they’d be otherwise, maybe dangerous.

The spider-sense just keeps blaring, “Something’s wrong! Something’s wrong! God, why aren’t you doing something about this!?”

Pretty morose thing to live with, for a safety net! Kind of a double edged sword you have there! Could be constantly being hyperattuned to problems would prime you for a negative outlook on life. Kind of seems like a power that would make it impossible for a moral person to take a day off, leading them into a beleaguered and resentful yet dutiful attitude about the whole superhero gig! Might build up to some of the core traits of this mythos, maybe! Might lead to a lot of fifteen minute retirement stories, or something. Might even be a built in ‘great responsibility’ alarm that gets you a main character who as a rule is not going to stop fighting until he physically cannot fight anymore.

Certainly not apropos of anything, just throwing this short lived barely-a-joke tagline up for fun.

One of my personal favorite things about stories with superpowers is keeping in mind how they cause the people who have them to act in unusual ways outside of fights, so when you tell me that these people have an entire extra sense that tells them when the gas in their house is leaking through a barely useful hot/cold warning system that never turns off, I’m like, eyes emojis, popcorn out, notebook open, listening intently, spectacles on, the whole deal.

It also contributes to Peter Parker’s personality in a way I really enjoy: It allows him to act like an irrational maniac. When you know exactly when a situation becomes dangerous and how much, normal levels of caution go out the window and absolutely nothing you do makes sense from an exterior standpoint anymore. That’s the good shit. I would like to see more exploration of how the non-Parker characters experiencing the world in this incredibly altered way bounce in response.

It’s also one of many tools in this franchise hauling the reader into relating more closely with the main character. The backbone of classic Spidey is probably being in on secrets only Peter and the reader know which completely reframe how one views the situation on the page. It’s just a big irony mine for the whole first decade. A convenient way to inform the reader and the lead that something is bad news that’s not perceivable to any other characters is youth-with-a-big-exciting-secret catnip.

Another point for tension, there, in that being aware of danger is not synonymous with being able to act on it. If there’s no visible reason for you to be acting strange, well...you’re just going to have to sit tight and sweat, aren’t you? Some gratuitous head wiggles never hurt when setting up that type of conflict.

Have I mentioned that they look cool? Simultaneously punchy and distinctive, with a respectable amount of leeway for artists to get creative with and still coming up with something easily recognizable? And pretty easy to intuit the meaning of even without the long-winded explanations common in the days when people wrote comics with the intent that someone could come in cold on any random issue and follow along okay, I think, although the mechanic has been deeply ingrained in popular culture for so long that I can’t really say for sure.

It was also useful back in the day when no artists drew the eyes on the Spider-Man mask as emoting and were conveying the lead’s expressions entirely through body language and panel composition. If you wiggle enough squiggles, you don’t need eyebrows.

Take This Handwave and Never Ask Me a Logistical Question Again

This ability patches plot holes faster than people can pick them open AND it can act as an excuse to get any plot rolling you can think of if paired with one meddling protagonist who doesn’t know how to mind their own business. Buy it now for only $19.99 (in four installments; that’s four installments of $19.99).

Why can a teenager win a six on one fight against other superhumans? Well, the spider-sense is the ultimate edge in combat, duh.

Why can Peter websling? Why doesn’t everyone websling? Well, the spider-sense is keeping him from eating flagpole when he violently flings himself across New York in a way neither man nor spider was ever meant to move.

How are we supposed to get him involved with the plot this week???? Well, that crate FELT dangerous, so he’s going to investigate it. Oh, dip, it was full of guns and radioactive snakes! Probably shouldn’t have opened that!

Yeah, okay, but why isn’t it fixing everything, then? Isn’t it supposed to be why Peter has never accidentally unmasked in front of somebody? ('Nother entry for this section, take a shot.) That’s crazy sensitive! How does he still have any problems!? Is everything bad that’s ever happened to characters with this powerset bad writing!? --Listen, I think as people with uncanny senses that can tell us whether we are in danger with accuracy that varies from incredible to approximate (I am talking about the five senses that most people have), we should all know better than to underestimate our ability to tune them out or interpret them wrong and fuck ourselves up anyway. I honestly find this part completely realistic.

*SLAPS ROOF OF SPIDER-SENSE* YOU CAN FIT SO MANY STORIES IN THIS THING

The spider-sense is a clean branch into...whatever. There is the exact right balance of structure and wishy-washiness to build off of. A sample selection of whatevers that have been built:

It’s sci-fi and spy gadgets when Peter builds technology that can interface with it.

It’s quasi-mystical when Kaine and Annie-May get stronger versions of it that give them literal psychic visions, or when you want to get mythological and start talking about all the spider-characters being part of a grand web of fate.

Kaine loses his and it becomes symbolic of a future newly unbound by constraints, entangled thematically with the improved physical health he picked up at the same time -- a loss presented as a gain.

Peter loses his and almost dies 782 times in one afternoon because that didn’t make the people he provoked when he had it stop trying to kill him, and also because he isn’t about to start “””taking the subway’’””’ “‘’“”to work”””’’” like some kind of loser who doesn’t get a heads up when he’s about to hit a pigeon at 50mph.

Peter’s starts tuning into his wife’s anxiety and it’s a tool in a relationship study.

It starts pinging whenever Peter’s near his boss who’s secretly been replaced by a shapeshifter and he IGNORES IT because his boss is enough of an asshole that that doesn’t strike him as weird; now it’s a comedy/irony tool.

Into the Spider-Verse made it this beautiful poetic thing connecting all the spider-heroes in the multiverse and stacked up a story on it about instant connection, loss, and incredibly unlikely strangers becoming a found family. It was also aesthetic as FUCK. Remember the scene where Miles just hears barely intelligible whispering that’s all lines people say later in the film and then his own voice very clearly says “look out” and then the room explodes?? Fuck!!!!

Venom becomes immune to it after hitchhiking to Earth in Peter’s bone juice and it makes him a unique threat while telling a more-homoerotic-than-I-assume-was-originally-intended story about violation and how close relationships can be dangerous when they go sour.

It doesn’t work on people you trust for maximum soap opera energy. Love the innate tragedy of this feature coming up.

IN CONCLUSION I don’t have much patience for writers who don’t take advantage of it, never mind feel they need to write around it.

#spiderman #peter parker #spiderverse #spidey #marvel #danny phantom #one day you'll see what i'm doing with it in the project i'm collabing on w/ my brother and then you'll all be sorry and hopefully impresse #mirrorfalls #asks answered #essays

[doomednarrative]

I’m doing this for fun simply because I'm rewatching them all so,

Here's my personal ranking for Every Gorillaz Music video, based both on song and the video itself:

(This is going to be a long post)

PHASE ONE:

Tomorrow Comes Today: 7/10. I love this song and the video fits its vibe, but its still pretty simplistic and not a whole lot of actual animation and no story, so it gets points off for that.

Clint Eastwood: 10/10. I love this one honestly. Its still so charming after all this time and showcases the band well for their early days. Love the more moody tone of it, and I always love seeing the band actually play instruments in their videos too. Bonus points for Murdoc's laugh opening this one because I love that.

Rock The House: 9/10. Pure fun. I don't have a lot of commentary for it, I just think its fun and I love the song itself too. One point off for Murdoc thrusting his hips too many times for my eyes tho.

19-2000: 10/10. This one was the first Gorillaz video that I saw and it really is just a nice non plot connected video. The 3D animation still manages to hold up because of its mix with 2D animation in my opinion and I enjoy it.

Rockit: 5/10. I like the song but the video is kinda meh.

PHASE ONE MV'S OVERALL: Overall I like phase one and I miss Del. Bring him back.

PHASE TWO:

Dirty Harry: 8/10. 2D is just vibing so hard in this video and I'm living for it. That’s all that matters. (Side note but I love the version of this video they did for the BRIT's as well.)

DARE: 10/10. Noodles time to shine, a perfect song, what more could you ask for?? (Also love the bit with Murdoc at the end of course.)

Feel Good Inc: 10/10. This one is obvious if you know me at all. Murdoc playing his bass is what sells this one for me cause I enjoy the animation. The songs amazing and one I find comforting to listen to, and the mood of the video fits it perfectly. Theres some really fun shots with lighting while 2D is standing at the window too in the tower in here that I've always liked.

El Mañana: 6/10. I love this song but it makes me sad and so does the video.

PHASE TWO MV'S OVERALL: Phase One is iconic for its art style and for being The Beginning, but Phase Two is my favorite of the two for its art. I love how these videos are animated, and even if Demon Dayz is my least favorite album, the songs in these videos are all very good. Pretty solid as a whole all things considered.

PHASE THREE:

Stylo: 10/10 LISTEN, I KNOW SOME PEOPLE HATE THE CGI, BUT I LOVE IT. It’s so expressive, this song is one of my absolute faves, I’m sorry to be such a Murdoc liker but hes so much fun in this video and so expressive and it starts the story off for Plastic Beach. I love it so much.

On Melancholy Hill: 7/10. It’s not a bad video, and I love the song a lot, but...not a lot actually happens in the video aside from the bits with Noodle. Bonus points however go to just how seamlessly it puts 2D and 3D animation together, and for how cute 2D looks this whole video.

Rhinestone Eyes: 9/10. WOULD BE A 10/10 IF WE’D GOTTEN OFFICIAL ANIMATION FOR IT ;-; (The fan animated video for it tho is Very very good and i applaud that whole team.) Amazing song, this video has the most story packed into it so far from all the other videos and it’s memorable from its storyboards for that alone.

Doncamatic: 10/10 Listen...Listen I know its a one off and it doesn't really have anything in it but I’m obsessed because its one of my favorite Gorillaz songs tbh and I love Daley’s outfit in it so it gets a full pass from it.

PHASE THREE MV’S OVERALL: I love every video this phase tbh, none of them are bad. All of them are fun,and even if Melancholy Hill is a little slow, it’s still enjoyable. I love this phase because they all connect and I know I’m not the only one who feels that way either.

PHASE FOUR:

Hallelujah Money: 7/10. It’s not at all bad, but I’m as not fond of this song, and the video itself is much too trippy for me. Still has its own merits tho that I won’t knock it for even if it’s not my personal taste.

Saturn Barz: 10/10. Everything about this video is amazing. Character designs and as a comeback for the bands animated counterparts, it was perfect. I loved hearing them actually speak again too it made the whole thing so fun. The song is fuckin awesome and it fits the vibe of the whole video. Bonus points for the more lineless animation style they gave everyone in this video, it was a really neat change from past phases. My one complaint is again stop making me see so much naked Murdoc, I may like him but not like that.

Sleeping Powder: 6/10. I am so split when it comes to the mo cap models. This songs good but the video is again too trippy for me.

Strobalite: 9/10. Would have been 10/10 if Russel got to dance with 2D and Noodle, but other than that its pretty damn good. The mo cap looks way less awkward in here, particularly Murdoc and Russel. Also hilarious that Murdoc made a deal with the devil, and the guy who played him is actually his voice actor irl. This songs too much fun to vibe to as well.

PHASE FOUR MV’S OVERALL: Not much for story, but makes up for it in updated art and great music again. Solid overall yet again. I like it.

PHASE FIVE:

Humility: 20/10. Literally every single person I know who’s seen this video loved it. The animation is Beautiful, the song is so fuckin catchy, Jack Black is in it! What more do you want!! (The only thing I could have asked for was to see more of Ace but that’s its only flaw.)

Tranz: 9/10. I love this song so much but this video is Again just a little too trippy for me. However, we get to see Ace just jamming out in this video and I’ll take the trippiness just for that.

PHASE FIVE MV’S OVERALL: I was surprised there wasn't at least one more video for this phase honestly? I feel like Kansas or Souk Eye would have made for great videos for this phase. That aside tho, both the videos it does have are a lot of fun. My literal only complaint is that I wanted to see more of Ace. Bring him back in the future.

PHASE SIX:

Momentary Bliss: 8/10. This songs fine, but what sells it for me is the video is more slice of life/a day in the life of the studio. I’m always a fan of those moments. Bonus points goes to Murdoc trying to fuckin poison Jamie and it backfiring on him.

Désolé: 10/10: ooooh this song is so beautiful...I love it so much. 2D Noodle and Russel got to have such a fun time in this video and they deserve it. And poor Murdoc, having his little sad times by his asshole self. I love him but I think he deserved it. The others needed a good break from the bullshit and I’m glad they got it.

Aries: 6/10. Video itself is kinda boring, but the song is nice. Murdoc deserved to be left behind in Désolé after what he tried to pull here.

Friday the 13th: 3/10. I don’t care for this video and I really don’t care for the song. Not much else to say.

PAC-MAN: 6/10. Video’s fine, I like some of the little details in it, but it’s nothing special. The song itself is nice tho, super calming, I like it.

Strange Timez: 20/20 MY GOD I LOVE THIS ONE SO MUCH...VISUALS ARE SO FUN, I LOVE ROBERT SMITH SO I LOVE HIM IN HERE, ITS JUST A GOOD TIME ALL AROUND!

The Pink Phantom: 5/10 I just don’t really care for this song?? I like Elton John but I couldn’t get myself to like this one no matter how many times I’ve listened. 2D got to be happy in this video tho so I’ll give it a pass.

The Valley of the Pagans: 6/10. This song fuckin slaps but the video feels like a boring redo of 19-2000 except for it’s ending. It gets points for giving everyone Plastic Beach feelings at the end and hyping up the video after it.

The Lost Chord: 20/20. Y’all knew this was coming. This was something I’d BEEN hoping for story wise and I finally got it. Was it maybe a little rushed? Yes. But GOD it was such a nice thing to see them say “hey we’ve wrapped up this part of the story for good and want everyone to move on from it, so we’ve given it a properly acknowledged final send off.” And tangibly seeing everyone's emotions laid out about the island and their times there was very nice. And  I know Jamie and Damon have stated Murdoc is irredeemable, blah blah yes I know hes an asshole still, but I WILL think about Murdoc in this video and how he seemed actually regretful and what that means to me and the fact that it was no one else but 2D himself being the one to reach out to Murdoc in the end to save him until my dying breath, thank you very much. And this song?? Fuckin beautiful, it had those Plastic Beach vibes again and felt good for it’s send off song, I love it.

PHASE SIX MV’S OVERALL: I may be a little split on some of them and on Song Machine as a whole, but tbh I love the phase six art style so much and most times the videos were pretty good. Bringing back PB in the end was something I always wanted too so it really does get bonus points from me for that. I’m 50/50 on them overall. The great ones are great, and the meh ones are just kinda boring, so it evens out in the end.

STAND ALONE VIDEOS MENTION:

Do Ya Thing: 10/10. I’ve said before I love the 3D animation and the slice of life stuff, so this one’s obviously a favorite, and you really cant go wrong with an Andre 3000 feature either. 

Superfast Jellyfish: 3/10. This song is kinda fun but I don’t give a single shit about the music video.

Garage Palace: 8/10. Very fun pixel visuals for a change along with a killer song, super enjoyable.

So what’s my final verdict on Gorillaz and their long music video history?

Honestly for a group thats been going as long as they have, I dont think they have too many misses in their catalog. The ones that aren’t as fun are just kinda there, but the videos that really stand out stand out far above the ones that don’t hit the mark as well and in the end it all feels like a good balance. No band has a perfect video every time, but the ones that Gorillaz did well they did amazing on and I enjoy it immensely when that happens.

Sidenotes after watching all of those:

For the love of god please put Russel in the videos more, please, he deserves it and I would love to see him more.

On that note, BRING DEL BACK WITH HIM TOO!!

And speaking of characters to bring back, I want Ace to come back and join Murdoc sometimes, even if its only once or twice more, I need to see them interact PLEASE.

Last note but Jamie, please, I’m begging, show less of mostly naked or fully naked of Murdoc in future videos, we’ve had our fill by now.

#can you tell im hyperfixating again??? anyways #kief rambles about gorillaz #gorillaz #this was fun but good lord

[btschooseafic]

Hey you, what’s your dream?

Pairing: platonic!oc x ot7

Details: manager!oc, predebut/idolverse, partial BTS World!verse

Summary: Debut day!

Warnings: This is a fictional story based on real events. The characters presented here are not the same as their real life counterparts. (TW: panic attack, dieting mentions) [Masterlist]

Track 22: Debut!

Started From the Bottom- Drake

“Started from the bottom now we’re here

Started from the bottom now my whole team fuckin’ here.”

Debut Showcase, Gangnam Ilchi Hall-June 12, 2013

“Aviva-yah,” Yoongi called. Aviva looked up with her camera, only to be faced with Yoongi snapping a picture of her with his. He looked down at his camera and grinned. “Looks good.”

Aviva looked him over. “So do you. I really like the skirt.”

Yoongi did a little twirl. “Hip hop!”

“Ah… I’m so nervous, I’m stiff as a board,” Jin muttered.

“Want a massage, hyung?” Jungkook offered. Jin blinked at him.

“Seriously? Yeah, that would be great.” Jin sighed happily as Jungkook massaged his shoulders. Aviva walked over, getting a shot of them. “You’re good at this. How come you don’t do it more often?”

“Cause this is a special occasion,” Jungkook told him. “Don’t get used to it, hyung.”

“…I’ll pay you in food,” Jin offered.

“…I’ll consider it,” Jungkook said. Aviva laughed. They glanced at her.

“Yah, go away, camera-ninja,” Jin said.

The boys preformed Bulletproof Pt. 2, No More Dream, and Like to round it out. In-between changing their outfits, Aviva got a quick word with Yoongi and Hoseok.

“How’s it going out there?” She asked them. Yoongi and Hoseok looked at each other.

“Good~?” Hoseok said.

“Good~” Yoongi agreed. Namjoon stepped up behind them, putting his hands on their shoulders. Hoseok clutched his chest as Yoongi plastered on an overly surprised face.

“What’re you guys doing?” Namjoon asked.

“Talking about how great you guys are,” Aviva told him.

“Yah!” Namjoon flushed. “It’s time to get back on stage!” He pointed his finger in the air. “Let’s go!”

Afterwards, Aviva stood off to the side, watching the boys get interviewed about their first performances.

Yoongi spoke about how they were more authentic than other idol groups doing hip hop. Namjoon spoke about wanting to reach out to teenagers and get them to think about what their dreams were, and wanting to win a Best New Artist Award.

At the end of the night Aviva presented them with a custom-made cake. “Sorry I didn’t bake this one,” she said. “But I saw an ad for this bakery, and I thought it could be cool.”

“It is!” Jimin assured her. “Your cakes are probably the tastiest, but this one is very pretty.” Aviva clenched her fist.

“I’m going to improve my cake decorating skills.”

“Ah, that’s not what I…” Jimin smiled at her determined expression. “Okay, I can’t wait to see what you come up with—shall we eat?”

M!Countdown Debut! June 13th 2013

At their debut M!Countdown stage, Aviva was carrying around her camera again, to get behind the scenes footage.

Joonho and his assistants were working hard to mark sure every item of clothing was perfectly place. Jihye and Eunjung were chatting as they waited for their turn. However, Aviva could see that Eunjung had already gotten to Namjoon earlier this morning with an important addition to his hairstyle.

Aviva laughed, stretching her arm up and tracing the letters RM that had been shaved into the side of his head. “I haven’t seen this yet…”

“What? You don’t like it?” Namjoon said nervously.

“I’m not sure,” she admitted. “It’s just… I wonder what you’ll think about this style when you look back at it. Fashion is so changeable…”

“All the more reason to enjoy it now!” Hoseok said, popping up behind them, wrapping one arm around her shoulders and the other around Namjoon’s back.

“You would say that,” Aviva said, flicking the spiky mask.

He laughed. “You really like this thing, huh?” He struck a dramatic pose. “What I do for the sake of art!” She and Namjoon both laughed along with him.

Jungkook and Jimin walked over. Jimin spotted the camera and swerved slightly to sit on a nearby bench.

“I’m going to practice,” Namjoon said, turning towards the wall and taking a few deep breathes before launching into one of his verses. It was the quick one.

Hoseok mimicked him jokingly. Jungkook watched and then did the same. Hoseok laughed.

Namjoon frowned, pointing at Jungkook. “I hate this kid.”

“No, you don’t, Namjoon-ah,” Aviva said easily.

“If you’re gonna copy me, try and do it properly, at least,” he challenged. Hoseok shrugged. Jungkook tried. “Not similar!”

“He can’t do it so well when he’s under the spotlight like that,” Hoseok told Aviva.

“Well, Namjoon-ah does have his own style of rap,” Aviva thought. “You should rap like yourselves, not like him. That’s what makes you all special.”

“Aw.” Hoseok poked her on the cheek. “Cutie, manager-nim.”

“…Can we move on?” Aviva said. “Your audience doesn’t want to hear about me, they want to hear about you.”

Jimin quickly rapped the verse, blushing when they turned to him.

“Ah, sorry,” Jimin said in English for some reason.

“No, it was cool,” Namjoon told him, patting him on the shoulder. “You’re the coolest.”

Readier, the boys loosened up by seeing who could rap the fastest in English. Then Namjoon moved on to walking through their performance. Aviva could see the maknae line’s eyes glazing over as he spoke. Taehyung spotted her and blew her a kiss. Jimin noticed and laughed quietly. He moved over to her.

“Shouldn’t you be listening to your leader?” Aviva teased.

Jimin grinned sheepishly. “Ah, well… I thought maybe our fans could use an update on what we’re doing? That’s who you’re recording this for, right? Our fans?” He thought. Aviva nodded. “Right now we’re in the waiting room.” Jimin pulled at Jungkook’s arm. “Jungkook-ah.” Jungkook turned around and stepped closer to them. “The camera’s on, see?” Jungkook bent down slightly.

“Yah, you don’t have to bend down,” Aviva said. “I’m not that short…” Jungkook laughed. “What will you do next, Jiminie?”

“Next we will…”

“Lose weight!” Jungkook said. Aviva frowned.

“Eh? Why~”

Jungkook laughed. “Stop with the aegyo, noona, you’re too old for that!” He turned back to Namjoon, walking closer over to him to listen.

“…Jungkookie’s a little grumpy today, isn’t he?” Jimin thought.

“Nervous?” Aviva wondered.

“I am,” Jimin admitted.

“I meant Kook... but, yeah, probably everyone is. I mean, I’m nervous and I’m not even performing!”

Jimin grimaced.

“Namjoon-ah, Jungook-ah, have you changed your socks?” One of the assistants asked. The boys broke up to continue getting ready.

“Well… we’re going to lose weight now, I guess,” Jimin said. “Yes, going to lose weight diligently. So I can show you great abs.” He looked down at himself.

“Your abs are already great,” Aviva told him honestly. Hoseok popped up behind Jimin, his plainer mask hanging over his chin.

“What are you doing?” He wondered.

Jimin blinked at him. “What?”

“Jiminie’s giving the fans an update!” Aviva told Hoseok.

“Right now we’re changing into our cool outfits before rehearsal,” Jimin told her and the camera. He wiggled his many ringed fingers at her.

“Bling~Bling~” Hoseok said. He held up his own gloved hand. “It says Bangtan Sonyeondan on it!”

“They are cool gloves,” Aviva agreed. “But you’re interrupting Jiminie.”

“Yeah, don’t interrupt me while I’m speaking to the camera, hyung!” Jimin said. “I get…” He glanced at Aviva and then looked away from her, staring at his feet. “…Shy.” He laughed nervously.

“Why?” Hoseok wondered. “It’s just Avi-yah.”

“It’s fine.” Aviva switched off her camera. “We can take a break.”

“Thanks, noona.” Jimin smiled at her.

“Cookie?” Yoongi offered, holding a small snack bag out to them.

“Ah, no thanks, hyung,” Jimin said. “I’m still dieting, so…”

Yoongi shrugged, holding it out to Aviva.

She took one. “Thanks.”

“You know, your shyness is cute, but you have to get used to the cameras if we’re going to debut now,” Hoseok said to Jimin.

Jimin frowned. “Yeah, well, how do you suggest I do that, Hobi-hyung?”

“Hmm…” Hoseok grinned. “I dare you to flash your abs to the camera.”

“Eh?” Jimin said. “Why?”

“Why?” Aviva agreed.

“Well, he’s going to be doing it on stage all the time now, so it’d be good practice, right?” He figured.

Jimin’s brow furrowed. “He’s got a point.”

“Yes, but the internet is forever,” Aviva reminded him. “If I post this…”

Jimin let out a breath. “Let’s do it.” He gripped the edge of his shirt. “Film me, noona.”

Soon they moved upstairs to the stage for the rehearsal. She got a shot of them moving up the stairs. Jungkook spotted her and waved.

“Ah, manager-noona, when did you get here?”

The other members shot her peace signs as they passed.

They moved straight from the rehearsal into the pre-recording for No More Dream. Aviva watched from the side and then ran around the corner to meet them as they exited the stage.

Aviva filmed them walking off stage, down the hall. The assistants were waiting with tissues to blot at their sweaty faces.

“This leather…” Namjoon muttered, pulling at his shirt, which was sticking to him with sweat. She switched her camera off, letting it hang off her neck. “Honestly.”

“Bend down.” She motioned at him. He did and she carefully dabbed at his face with a tissue, not wanting to ruin the makeup artist’s hard work. “There’s water and towels in the dressing room.”

“Good,” Yoongi said as he passed her. “It’s hot.”

Aviva froze, spotting Jin crying as he stepped off the stage.

“Oppa…” She frowned, noting one of the other cameramen was following him closer to get a shot. She followed them too. “Yah, give him some space.” The camera man hesitated. Aviva flashed her employee ID, and a glare at him. The camera man waved his hand and retreated out of the room. Jin was surrounded by assistants who were wiping his face and fanning him. Jimin and Namjoon were hovering, watching him concernedly. “Hi, Jinie-oppa. It’s okay to cry, you know.”

“But, I’m the oldest," he choked out. "I'm not supposed to..."

“You may be the oldest, but you also have the most sensitive heart,” she thought. “It’s a curse and a blessing.”

“I need to… get ready… for the… performance.”

She frowned at his ragged breathing.

“Seokjin-oppa.” She leaned up, brushing his hair away from his face. “Can you breath with me? Copy my breathing. Come on, slowly in… and out… good job.”

“Sorry,” he muttered, as his breathing settled.

“Hey, it’s a big moment, it makes sense to have big feelings, you don’t need to apologize, okay?”

“Okay.” He smiled slightly. “Guess I’ll say thank you, then.” He bent and kissed her forehead. “Thank you, manager-nim.”

“You two are being very sweet, but you should know, Avi, that he’s crying because his pants kept falling down,” Namjoon teased.

“Yah!” Jin protested, his face turning pink. Namjoon laughed as Jin got him into a headlock and rubbed roughly at his head.

“Ah, watch it—Eunjung-ssi is going to yell at you!”

“Eh? I thought it was because he made a mistake?” Jimin said to Aviva. Jin glared at him. Jimin patted him on the arm. “Don’t cry, hyung, it makes me want to cry too.”

Jin rejoined the others to do their huddle and cheer before they stepped back out onto stage to preform Bulletproof Pt. 2.

Jin waved at her as he passed. Yoongi gave her two thumbs up. Namjoon flashed her a peace sign.

After the performance, Aviva was waiting for them again near the door.

“We did well!” Jin said, hugging her. She laughed.

“Ah, oppa, I’m filming!”

“Our first broadcast recording!” Jin hugged Hoseok.

“First success!” Hoseok did a double fist pump.

“Oh yeah!” Namjoon echoed him as Jin moved on to hug Yoongi. “We’ll do even better on tomorrow’s stage.”

“We will do better tomorrow,” Jin agreed, though he was more subdued than the other two. He smiled weakly. “I have confidence for tomorrow.” Aviva couldn’t find the words. Instead she reached up and brushed his hair out of his face again.

Music Bank, No More Dream Debut!- June 14th 2013

The next day during rehearsal, Yoongi showed off his shirt with his stage name on it to the camera.

“I’m Suga, you see that?”

Aviva nodded. “Otherwise I wouldn’t know who you are.”

“Yah, you brat, it’s for the dry rehearsal,” he said. “You know that.”

Taehyung laughed behind them. Yoongi made a silly face at him. He laughed harder.

Aviva went out into the seats out a couple rows away from the stage to film their rehearsal.

“Yah, noona, don’t you have confidence in me?” Jimin whined after they finished the rehearsal and gathered back in the dressing room. “I know I made a small mistake with the kick, but I promise I’ll practice—and I always get the jump right every time. Every time!”

Aviva was taking a break from filming to charge her camera.

“Hmm? What do you mean?”

“The part when I jump over Hobi, I saw how nervous you got!”

Aviva blushed slightly. “It’s not that I don’t trust you, Jiminie, I just… you know I worry.”

“Then don’t watch that part, close your eyes,” Yoongi suggested.

She frowned.

“I can’t do that. I have to support you guys, and get behind the scenes footage, and—“

“Okay, okay.” He waved his hand. “It was just a suggestion.”

She chewed at her lip. “I like the thing with the hat though. It’s cute.”

“I’m not sure cute was what Hobi was aiming for, but I’ll take it!” Jimin said.

Aviva got her camera back in time to film Jimin and Yoongi practicing their dance moves. Taehyung joined them.

“We have to do well,” he told Aviva seriously. “There’s only one chance.” She tilted her head.

“One chance for…?”

He blinked at her. “There’s only, one chance~” He started to sing.

She nodded. “One Shot, B.A.P.”

“Ding, ding, ding—correct!”

Meanwhile, Jungkook trying some of Namjoon’s throat spray.

He coughed. “Are you supposed to drink water with this?”

“Hmmm?” Namjoon looked at him sleepily.

Aviva turned to get shots of the other members. Jin spotted her and waved with the sleeves of his leather jacket, which he was wearing backwards. She laughed.

“Why are you being so cute?”

He pouted at her. “Are you suggesting I’m not usually cute?”

“You’re not usually this shy,” she thought.

“Ah, I did a shy introduction, so I’m still shy now,” he explained.

She nodded. “Well, that’s okay, oppa, I like both the shy and confident versions of you,” she said honestly. He blushed. “Where did Kook go? He was just here...” He laughed.

“Ah, yeah, he’s fallen asleep again.”

Jungkook had almost passed out in his chair.

“Drink,” she ordered him, handing him a water bottle as one of the stagehands fanned him.

“What?” He smiled at her, dazed. “Oh, manager-noona, hi.”

She frowned. “You need to eat something, get your blood sugar up.”

“But I’m on a diet~” Jungkook said. “You can’t make me~”

Aviva sighed. “What about some juice?”

He blinked and nodded. “Yes please.”

“I’ll get it for him,” Jin offered, pulling his jacket on the right way around now. Aviva glanced over at Jimin, who was still practicing.

“Get one for Jiminie too, please.”

Jin nodded.

“One juice for the maknae and one for the Bagel Man, got it.”

Aviva squinted after him.

“Why is Jiminie a bagel?”

“It’s a combo between baby face and glamorous body,” Jungkook explained. He smiled. “Namjoon-hyung told me I’ll probably be like that someday.” His brow furrowed. “Hmm, where did Namjoon-hyung go?”

“I’ll look for him.”

She found him sitting on a chair in the hallway, his head in his hands. He looked like The Thinker, except even stiffer than stone. She switched off her camera, having a feeling he wouldn’t want the fans seeing him like this.

“Namjoon-ah…” Aviva punched lightly at his back. “You’re so tense. Come on, man.”

He squinted at her.

“If that’s an attempt at a massage, you’re failing.”

“No, I’m just hitting you.”

“Oh. You’re doing great then.”

She sighed, laying her hands flat and smoothing them over his shoulders, kneading at the tense muscles.

He made a bit of a happy noise.

“Better?” She asked in his ear. He jolted and then stiffened again. “Sorry.” She withdrew from him.

“No! I…” He turned, his face red. “It’s fine. That was… nice. Thanks. You, ah, weren’t filming that, were you?”

She shook her head. “I do still need some more footage though.”

“You’ll find it,” Namjoon said confidently. “You’re good at this.”

“You’re so amazing, Syub Syub,” Hoseok was saying to Yoongi back inside the room. “You actually danced.” Yoongi turned, spotting Aviva with the camera.

“I usually don’t show off my dancing,” he explained to any future viewers.

“You’re so cool,” Hobi praised. Yoongi smiled awkwardly. Hoseok turned to Tae. “V-ssi, you should show us too.”

Taehyung blinked. “Show what?”

Hoseok hummed one line of the song. “That part.”

Tae did a confused little head wiggle for the camera.

It was cute, but awkward.

“The truth is, V-ah doesn’t do that part,” Yoongi told the camera.

“Oh?” Hoseok smirked.

Yoongi squeezed Taehyung’s shoulder.

“You don’t need to know that part. It’s not yours.”

Hoseok shot an apologetic look at Tae, who was frowning, and then attacked him with a hug, biting his shoulder for some reason.

“Ah, hyung, you’re not a vampire!” Tae said, laughing.

“You’re so cute I just wanna eat you up!” Hoseok told him. Taehyung ran away from him, hiding behind Aviva.

“Yah, leave Taehyung-ah alone,” Jin said, stopping his neck stretches to glare at Hoseok.

“Are you okay?” Aviva asked Yoongi as Tae leaned on her. “How’s your shoulder?” He frowned at the camera. “Ah, sorry, I can edit that out.”

“Please do. The shoulder’s fine,” he told her. “Right now, I’m a little nervous for the pre-recording. I feel dazed, but I’m keeping myself on my toes.” Hoseok and Jin popped in and out from behind him making faces. Tae flashed a peace sign in front of the camera. Yoongi completely ignored them. “We’ll work hard. Please watch over us.” He smiled, just a tinge of annoyance on his face.

“But you’ve been great in front of the camera,” she told him. “I really appreciate it, since it gives me more material to pick from… but don’t force yourself, okay?”

“I’m not,” he told her.

“Swag!” Namjoon called out as he passed the camera, ready to preform. Aviva tried not to laugh. Yoongi bowed slightly. Hoseok and Jimin flashed peace signs.

Aviva watched from the side, grinning as girls shrieked at Jimin’s abs reveal, and cheered at Jimin’s leap.

“We finished it!” Namjoon said as he came off stage, smiling in relief.

“Ah, that was scary!” Yoongi said, rubbing his chest.

Jungkook pronounced it, “So-so.”

“The end!” Hoseok said, flashing a peace sign at the camera.

“Hi.” Jin waved shyly. “We did well, I think.”

“The end!” Tae said, flashing a peace sign. Aviva laughed.

“Hobi just did that!”

Tae pouted.

In the dressing room, Aviva looked at Jimin.

“Have you been avoiding me?”

“Not you, necessarily…” He eyed the camera and stepped closer, pointing. “That red light scares me the most. It makes me wonder what I should say.”

“Just be yourself,” Aviva told him. “If I record anything you’re uncomfortable with sharing, I can always edit it out. I promise not to post anything you don’t want me to.”

Jimin smiled, stroking the lens like it was the face of his lover.

“You’re a good girl, huh?”

“I won’t be if you keep touching the lens!”

He laughed.

Across the room, Jin was making faces at Aviva, passing his hand over his face, and changing his expression dramatically. A sleepy Taehyung was sitting next to him as he got his makeup fixed, clearly not amused.

“Wow, I’m so nervous,” Jungkook said as they headed back towards the stage for the live broadcast.

“You got this!” Aviva told him.

During the performance, Aviva was out in the audience again, catching shots of the fans cheering, especially when the boys flashed their abs, and got into their dance solos.

Afterwards, the boys made more faces at her as they came off stage. The photographer had disappeared somewhere, so Aviva was put in charge of taking the after-performance group photos for the fans. Tae and Jimin were reaching across the group to hold hands, as Hoseok bit down on Jimin’s head for some reason.

“Hobi!” Aviva called out to him. “Do I need to get you a teething toy?” The boys laughed, including Hoseok.

“Ah, we are born in the year of the dog, after all! Come play with us!” He walked over and grabbed her hand, waving at one of the assistants. “Hi, hi, noona, can you get a picture of us with our manager too?” He patted Aviva on her head, ignoring her protests. “We won’t post it anywhere, so just stay still and let us commemorate this moment. You’re part of it too, you know.”

#bts #fanfiction #idolverse #ot7 #manager!oc #bts x oc #ot7 x oc #bts predebut #bts fanfiction

[klbwriting]

The Sparrow and The Rogue - Part 1

Fandom: The Umbrella Academy

Pairing: Ben Hargreeves/ female!Reader

Warnings: some fighting, a touch of fat-shaming

Summary: The Umbrella siblings arrive back in 2019 to discover that Ben has no idea who they are, their dad wants them all dead, and they are once again in way over their heads

Notes: I’M AT IT AGAIN.  Another series because I’m a glutton for punishment and I can’t resist my love for Ben Hargreeves.  A few actual notes now.  Note 1: In this I refer to Ben as Number One because I feel that is who he seems to be in the Sparrow Academy and also once Reginald learned of the others I don’t think he would allow personal names ever again.  Note 2:  I have named the reader in this as Number Eight because I feel its ambiguous that you can infer yourself as a reader into the shoes of someone just called a number.  Note 3: I am really trying to portray the characters well so I hope you enjoy!  Please like, reblog, but most of all COMMENT send asks about it or just reply with something or use fun tags.  Thank you!

Klaus couldn't process what he was seeing.  Ben, his brother, his dead compadre, the one person who was always there for him (except when he was on something, and that one time he just abandoned him in a bar), was right there in front of him with a bad boyband haircut and hate in his eyes.  It was a scene that was both tragic and beautiful for Klaus.  Vanya felt similar feelings rise in her.  Ben had been the one to truly save the world, had been the kindest of her siblings when they were kids, the one who seemed to actually love her and here he was looking at her like he wanted to unleash the horror on her right in the living room that she used to call home.  Diego recalled easily how Ben when he was possessing Klaus had hugged him so tight and he had felt the love he missed from his baby brother, but now he had the distinct feeling that Ben would take him out without a second thought.  None of the other four had had any moments with Ben recently but they were feeling similar things, happiness at the fact that he was alive, but confusion over how different he seemed.  Klaus finally opened his mouth to say something when Reginald stepped in.

"These are the morons I told you about Number One, they have come to usurp your group, they are what I have trained you for," he said.  The Umbrella siblings turned to face their father, faces a mix of rage and hurt.  Ben frowned looking at the motley group in front of him.  "Well Number One?  Lead your team against these frauds."  He was conflicted, he had rarely attacked anyone who didn't deserve it and he didn't really know what these guys did to deserve the wraith of his father, but before he would make a move the front door of the academy burst open, shattering to the ground as several figures entered the room.  Leading them was a familiar face.

"You dummies going to just stand there?" Lila asked as she entered the room ready for a fight.  The Umbrella siblings looked back to the Sparrow siblings to see them now all around Ben, masks on, and ready for attack.  Surprisingly however, none of them looked anything like the Umbrella siblings, they were all completely different, except for Ben.  

"What are you waiting for Number One? ATTACK!" Reginald yelled. 

  "Shut up dad," a girl standing beside Lila snarked to Reginald.  He glared back at her.

"I see you've grown yet again Number Eight, getting bigger by the day," he snarked back.  She snarled at him.  

"O come on, fat-shaming?  That's a little much," Klaus said.  Then he caught sight of Lila's expression.  "O right, escaping."  He followed his siblings and the two women out as the others with them were left behind to fight with the Sparrow siblings.  They got a few blocks away before stopping for breath.  

"Number Eight?" Five finally spat out at the unknown woman.  She shrugged. "I was Number Eight for five years before Lila here came along and sprung me," she explained.  Diego looked confused.

"You look exactly the same as you did in the 60's how is that possible if you raised another peron?" he asked.  Lila smirked.

"A lady never reveals her secrets.  O I missed you love," she answered, gripping Diego's face in her hand.  He rolled his eyes but didn't pull away.  He missed her too if he was being honest even though she had tried to kill him, a few times.  "Now I see you have met your new counterparts."

"Why is Ben leader?" Luther asked.  The rest of the siblings looked at him as if to say 'what the fuck dude?'  He held up his hands shrugging. 

"Because Ben as you call him is the strongest in that crop, at least in terms of powers, channeling a being of destruction in your abs can get you a lot if you try," Eight responded.  "But he can be sympathetic and good most of the time."  She reddened some at the confused looks on the siblings faces.

"You'll have to forgive sweet little Eight here, she has a bit of crush on Number One there," Lila said, putting an arm around Eight that the woman immediately shrugged off in annoyance.  "Anyway, now that you've returned to the present I should catch you up shouldn't I?  Come on, to our little hideout, the others should be getting there by now since our little distraction and extraction worked."  She turned without getting a response and headed down a flight of stairs that had construction blocks in front of it, disappearing underground with Eight following her.  The others looked at each other and one by one they followed the women into the ground.

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

Number One found himself wondering several things after the scuffle had ended.  One, why had his father spent so much time talking up this group of siblings like they were evil incarnate?  He didn't see any sign of anger or threat from any of them.  Two, why did Eight always have to show up with Lila?  It drove him crazy to see her, especially now after their last one on one fight that didn't exactly end with a normal take down unless Lila was teaching unexpectedly kissing as a new technique.  And three, where the hell had they gotten the name Ben from?  He racked his brain for a time that he was known as Ben and he couldn't recall one.   "Dad, what was all that about?" he questioned as his siblings watched at dinner that night.  Reginald sighed deeply, hating to be questioned, especially with Pogo and Grace in the room.

"Number One, I have told you before, the Umbrella Academy is a rival, a group who wants to destroy us and what we hope to achieve," he said as if One was a small child.  

"I understand that's what you told us but that is not what I saw in them today, they looked sad, and confused," he said.  "If they were a threat then why didn't they seem to know us at all?  Why did they call me Ben?"  

"Enough Number One, if you cannot listen properly then you are dismissed from dinner and are to go study Lord Byron again, maybe you will learn something finally," he snapped.  One gripped his fork tightly but stood and did as told, just like always.  He was the leader and needed to set an example.  He heard the whispers from his siblings before they were silenced by their father.  He felt Number Three poking around in his mind, trying to see what he was thinking, trying to put a thought into his head but he shook it off and headed upstairs to his room. 

He shut the door and let out a breath, finally relaxing for the first time that day.  He stripped off his uniform and got into comfier clothes, before laying down in his bed.  He laid there, actually taking out Lord Byron and reading some before he heard the last of his siblings go to their rooms.  Once he was sure that the house was completely locked down and everyone was at least pretending to sleep he put the book down and rolled over, feeling behind his bed for the loose brick just below his box spring.  He pulled it out and from it he pulled out a crayon drawing and a cell phone.  He put the picture back into the hidey hole before powering up the phone.  He smiled at the message that was waiting for him.

'It was nice to see you today even if I almost had to kill you' 'You couldn't kill me if you tried' 'Ya, you're probably right, but you couldn't kill me either One' 'I know Eight, I know' 'Maybe we can find a way to have a fight tomorrow?' 'I do have some time scheduled to patrol between 9th and 15th street aroud 5 pm' 'I'll be sure to vandalize a building or maybe rob a warehouse on say 12th?' 'I'll be there to stop you' 'Can't wait, goodnight One' 'Goodnight Eight, o and what dad said, you look amazing the way you are' He didn't get an answer but knew she'd see it in the morning and hopefully it would make her smile.  He put the phone and brick back and drifted off imaging her smiling at his message.

#The Umbrella Academy #ben hargreeves #ben hargreeves x reader #ben hargreeves series #ben hargreeves fanfic #ua #umbrella academy #umbrella academy fanfic

[calitraditionalism]

Arc Two: Chapter Four

(AO3 counterpart here.)

Mistface would be lying if he said he wasn’t entirely disgusted with his task.

He could see Snowshine from here – she was a pretty white molly with yellow eyes, and she was currently pulling a squirrel from the oversized prey pile. She looked a little anxious… perhaps ‘stressed’, rather, was the right word. Her fur was fluffy, and Mistface could guess that it was normally very well groomed and smoothed down. Right now, it looked like she had slept on it wrong, and then kept turning over in her sleep to make all of it stick out at odd angles.

“Prime for flattery and a kind conversation,” Darkpelt had said to him. “So pour on the charm and pretend you give a hoot about her problems.”

Mistface didn’t like other cats at the best of times. Actively having to seek one out and act interested in them was like finding a stinking, rotting piece of meat in the grass and being told to eat it with a genuine smile.

Nevertheless, he had a mission (why had he agreed to this again?), so he gently shook out his fur, let it settle, and sauntered forward for the prey-pile.

Snowshine glanced up as he approached and blinked in surprise. He smiled pleasantly at her and sniffed a mouse.

“They make prey so much better ‘round these parts,” he said in his news-and-weather voice. “Marshes must take the taste right out of whatever StarClan sends down.”

Snowshine relaxed and some of her fur flattened, though it was still awkwardly angled. “I haven’t really been anywhere but here. You’re from the south? Scattered, I'm guessing?”

“That I am.” Mistface tilted his head and crinkled his eyes in fake amusement. “Accent give it away?”

She laughed a little. “Just a bit.” She looked him over with roaming eyes. Mistface tried not to get annoyed. “I don’t think I heard your name when you came in. You were with that blind molly, right?”

“Mm.” He tilted his head a little to the left with a winning smile. “I’m Mistface.”

“Oh!” Snowshine perked up even more. “Then you’re Greyleaf’s brother! He’s always talking about you and your mother.”

“Oh, dear.” Mistface made a face of pretend worry. “Must not have a real good impression of me, then.”

“Actually, he has nothing but nice things to say about you,” Snowshine hurried to reply. “He says you’re really charming and kind.”

“We’ll have to see if that’s the case, then, won’t we?” Mistface said, giving her an appraising look. She suddenly seemed a little shy. He wanted to vomit.

Snowshine shuffled her feet and pointed with her tail to a rare grassy spot just beyond a pair of houses. “I, um, usually eat over there, if you want to come with. It’s a lot warmer than anywhere else in the village.”

“That’d be nice.” Mistface picked up a random piece of prey (a black bird of some kind) and waited for her to do the same with her meal before walking with her to the grass. He was very grateful he didn’t have to say anything now that his mouth was occupied.

Once they were settled across from each other, Mistface started pulling some of the feathers off of his prey’s belly. “I do have to ask – you’re a seer, I'm guessin'. And a real good one, goin’ by your suffix. What are you doin’ here in Clast?”

“Oh, well…” Snowshine swallowed the mouthful of squirrel she had already taken. “Everywhere needs a seer. And now, with Redheart doing her… thing... the actual Clast cats need someone to sort of be in charge.” She gave a weak chuckle, seemingly to herself. “They’re not too happy with her bringing in a bunch of strangers that don’t want to fight.”

“Y’all have plenty of loners come in, though, don’t you?”

“Yes, definitely, but they’re at least here to test their strength, and then they leave.” Snowshine sighed. “Not that I like them barging in all the time, but the rest of Clast does. These new cats are just here because of Redheart’s new ideas. They turn down too many fights for Clast’s liking. And, well, Redheart acting so odd anyway…”

Mistface had the sneaking suspicion that Snowshine did not voice her thoughts too often to anyone around the settlement. Suddenly, now that someone was listening and apparently caring, she was off. Mistface simply nodded and let her go about her new duties and how Redheart was this and that, and on and on, while he ate his bird.

“…I mean, I haven’t even been able to go to the Lighthouse, I’ve been so busy. StarClan can speak to us anywhere, I know, but sleeping at the very bridge to heaven is the best way to talk directly.”

She paused for breath, and Mistface took the opportunity to comment, “And StarClan can’t reach you at all if you leave with Redheart, I’m guessin’.”

“She’d like that,” Snowshine said, with a sudden darkness. “She’s always been weird about StarClan. Never even thinks to just have me ask them what to do about whatever problems come up, even for big things.” She looked around and leaned in a little, Mistface copying her, and whispered, “I think it’s just because she has these nightmares now and then. She thinks that StarClan’s giving her the silent treatment, so she’s getting bad dreams instead of visits from our ancestors.”

Nightmares… Mistface hummed in thought, keeping his voice low. “Well, don’t tell anyone, but my brother has the same problem.”

“Really?” Snowshine’s eyes widened.

“He’s had nightmares all his life.” Mistface knew that Greyleaf didn’t consider this particular fact a secret, but pretending to share some intimate detail with Snowshine would only help her trust him more, so he continued with his conspiring tone. “StarClan’s never talked to him, either.”

Snowshine nodded like he had given her the answer to all of life’s questions. “That must be why they get along so well, then.”

“Mm.” Mistface drew his head back, but stayed quiet. “Any other seers ‘round here that could help?”

“Well, we have the one that came in.” Snowshine made a slightly distasteful face. “Starkfeather. But he’s… not exactly someone I would go out of my way to talk to about stuff like this. I don’t know that he’d be particularly helpful.”

Mistface winked. “Not on your level, at least, I take it.”

Snowshine smiled bashfully and Mistface silently cursed Darkpelt for making him do this. “Maybe not… an apprentice arrived one day that used to train as a seer, but she’s going to be a warrior instead, so I didn’t want to bother her and ask.”

Snowshine started again on her rambling, this time about the various new cats that had come in recently. Mistface listened solely because she could say something important.

She didn’t.

He did not like her.

 ---

 When night arrived, everyone settled in to sleep, except for Beetlefoot. He instead took the opportunity to pretend take a walk and enjoy the night sky. When he was far enough away from the eyes and ears of the Clast camp, he took off north, never once looking upward (it was a waste of time).

He was lucky enough to meet no one on his path – during the living years, everyone stayed in underground dens or moved to whatever trees or shelter they could find to escape the rain. There was no rain tonight, but clouds were coming again from the coast. Even this far away, Beetlefoot could gather that Petrichor and Derecho, the aspects of storms, would be arriving soon with a determination to soak the earth.

Which means he would leave footprints on his next trip, if he wasn’t careful.

Beetlefoot caught a scent of a familiar cat and slowed down to a loping canter. He lifted his head up again, keeping his chest puffed out as well as he could while staying at his current speed. He already knew how this was going to go for him. Drop off the information, be dismissed, leave without another word. Other Fleet members liked to swap conversations. Just not usually with him.

Never a change in that, until Nettlecloud and her strange sons.

He saw a cat rise from the grass and turn to face him, soon followed by four others. He slowed again, this time to his regular trot, and nodded sharply once he was within earshot. He stopped a few feet away from the leader, a grey molly with a heavily scared muzzle, and stood about as tall as he could. He was still much shorter than everyone else.

“Beetlefoot, yeah?” the molly said. “Clean path here?”

“Yes.” Beetlefoot dipped his head. “No thorns on the way, Shreddednose.”

He didn’t particularly like trading the common polite phrases with other members of the Fleet, but it was all he usually got in the way of conversation, so he took it. It was just good to be greeted at all by one of the more prolific patrollers in the Fleet.

A lanky black molly took several long steps forward. “What’ve you got for us?”

This, he thought, was Striderfoot. He had only met her once, and she had been similarly brisk. He could respect that. “Information about Redheart.”

He recited everything Darkpelt and Mistface had gathered and given him – leaving out, he noted with pride, absolutely nothing. Striderfoot narrowed her eyes, listening carefully, until he concluded. She looked at Shreddednose.

“You got everything?” Shreddednose said.

“Everything,” Striderfoot affirmed. “Want me to head off now?”

“You might as well.” Shreddednose tapped Striderfoot’s side with her tail. “Frostclaw can go with you, if you want. That predator and all.”

“What, and be slowed down by her lumbering rump?” Striderfoot said, and grinned when a white molly came up and bopped her. “I’ll be fine. It’ll be light by the time I get there.”

“Then try to be safe for once,” Shreddednose said fondly.

“Of course.” Striderfoot turned, nodded at Beetlefoot, and said quiet goodbyes to the rest of her team before taking off at a sprint (I could outrun her, Beetlefoot thought snippily).

Shreddednose smiled, then returned to professionalism when she looked back at Beetlefoot. “Nothing else?”

Beetlefoot pretended he didn’t feel a little deflated. “Nothing else.”

“Chase the wind, then.” Shreddednose bowed her head.

“Only the warmest breezes.” Beetlefoot mirrored her gesture to her, then to the others, who looked indifferent to his existence. He whirled around and sprinted off, hastening to leave the situation before it turned awkward.

He was right, at least. He could outrun her.

#warrior cats #steorra #arc two #chapter #chapter four #dullard #mistface #snowshine #beetlefoot #shreddednose #striderfoot

[quicksilversquared]

The Substitute Ladybug: Chapter 3

After Lila takes things too far and Marinette ends up with a broken leg, Paris is going to have to deal with a different superhero arrangement for a bit. Having to share her superhero identity with her parents before Hawkmoth can be defeated isn’t something that Marinette had planned on doing, but- well, it might end up being a bit of a blessing in disguise.

links in the reblog

The news of the incredibly short akuma fight didn't take long to spread through Paris. There wasn't much footage of it, only what the night news anchor had managed to shoot from inside of the building before getting hit himself, but the guards and everyone living nearby had seen how Coccinelle and Chat Noir had worked together in perfect tandem, practically anticipating the akuma's every strike.

(They had been anticipating every strike, but that was- well, that was being picky, really, and also the superheroes weren't about to give away their secret weapon.)

Unfortunately, it didn't seem to deter Hawkmoth. He attacked the very next afternoon, and Marinette had to hobble her way out of class for a "bathroom break". Thankfully she was getting faster on her crutches- though she was still being careful, Tikki, thank-you-very-much- so it wasn't as hard as she had worried to slip into an empty closet in the library and transform. Chat Noir was already out, and it wasn't long before Coccinelle's symbol appeared on Vipera's screen.

"I'd like to try the same thing as last night," Vipera told them, settling herself up in the closet, half-perched against a shelf. It wasn't particularly comfortable, but hopefully the fight wouldn't last very long. On their end, at least. "If there's two quick take-downs in a row, we might be able to unnerve Hawkmoth a bit, and he might take a step back on the akuma attacks."

"Because he would think that Coccinelle and I are an even more formidable team or something and it would be dangerous for him to go up against us," Chat Noir filled in. She could hear the grin in his voice. "Nice thinking. Are you up for using Second Chance a ton of times again, though?"

"Yeah. And if I end up using it more than I planned, I can always take a nap after school." Vipera allowed herself a smile at her partner's concern, then buckled down to focus on the fight, focusing on the news and camera feeds coming from the area. Once again, she was getting some early intel on the akuma, and this one seemed to be an akuma-sentimonster partnership. That by itself made things more dangerous, but if they could figure out the possessed items on one go-round and then she would know already with the reset...?

That could work.

"Or would I need to bother?" Vipera murmured to herself, eyes scanning the scene. The sentimonster teaming up with the akuma was oddly shaped, the perfect size to get stuck if, say, a manhole cover was unexpectedly missing and it tripped in. One solid whack over the head or yank from below would probably wedge it in well enough to remove it from the fight, leaving Coccinelle and Chat Noir to deal with the akuma- and with Mayura, if she had read the flash of blue along the rooftops correctly.

Hopefully it was just Mayura and not Hawkmoth as well. He tended not to come out as often as his blue-skinned counterpart, though the why was harder to say.

Personally, Vipera was of the opinion that it was poor planning. If Hawkmoth had come out with Stoneheart the first time he had shown up, it would have been all over for the superheroes. Instead, he had lurked in his lair (she assumed that he had a lair, at least- maybe he was just lurking in his bedroom) and waited for the superheroes to actually become competent fighters.

That, and Hawkmoth was a coward.

"I don't see any signs of Hawkmoth personally being there," Vipera finished as she relayed everything that she had seen to her teammates. "But I might recommend coming in from below and capturing the sentimonster first, or at least having one of you doing that. It keeps running really close to the manhole cover near the base of the Arc- Chat, you know the one?"

"Yep!"

"You want us to identify manhole cover locations from below now?" Coccinelle sounded incredulous. "I mean, I can see your plan, but..."

Chat Noir laughed. "The maps on our weapons work wonders, really. And we've used that manhole- I'm not going to say a lot, but enough that I'm familiar with it. I just wonder how we're going to keep the sentimonster from pushing itself back up, even if we yank it down to wedge it in."

"Oh, that's easy," Coccinelle said cheerfully. "There's some men over here who have ropes- I'm going to ask if I can borrow one. Then we can lash the feet to the ladder and buy ourselves some time."

"Fantastic." Vipera flipped to another camera, scanning the area. "Let me know when you're close?"

"We've met up and dropped down into the drains," Chat Noir reported a minute later. "Headed towards the manhole cover. Are they still in the same spot?"

"Oddly enough, yeah." Vipera glanced over the area again and- okay, it wasn't hard to figure out why. Apparently even Hawkmoth's seemingly smarter sidekick sometimes made dumb tactical decisions. "Mayura's found a good hidey-hole and so she doesn't want to move. Chat Noir, you know the place where-"

Vipera explained quickly, and it only took her partner a few seconds to figure out the place she was talking about. By the time the two other superheroes reached their manhole cover, the beginnings of a plan had been put into place. Coccinelle would trap the sentimonster while Chat Noir ambushed Mayura from behind. With two of the three threats contained or distracted, Coccinelle could take on the akuma on her own once she popped out of the drain system.

Well. Visibly on her own, at least. Vipera would be keeping an eye on her and Chat Noir at the same time, so she wouldn't really be on her own.

It didn't take long for the superheroes to reach the right sewer, and then Chat Noir moved out and into position. Seconds after he sent his ready signal, the manhole cover twisted and slid out of place, nudged to the side quietly enough that when the sentimonster made its next rounds, it tripped over the loose cover and stumbled straight into the open hole. There was a jerk, and then it started flailing. The akuma abandoned its latest victims as a purple mask flashed around its face, and then it turned towards the trapped sentimonster, clearly worried about already being down an ally. Vipera set her timer, and then focused, mind frantically sorting through all of the information being thrown at her.

Chat Noir's fight, his earpiece set to continuously stream audio. Coccinelle and the akuma battling it out, her audio also on. Keeping an eye on the sentimonster to make sure that it wasn't wriggling free. Switching between video feeds to watch both of them, re-setting and giving instructions and weighing how helpful those instructions were. Making adjustments when things didn't work as well as she had hoped.

At least her teammates weren't bantering with the supervillains. Their audio was limited entirely to quick updates or suggestions for the next go-round, which helped her keep her focus. Chat Noir was entirely serious as he faced off with Mayura, holding his own well enough. He only needed the occasional instruction as he fought, though that was in large part because they weren't actually trying to defeat Mayura, just hold her off.

Four minutes later, the akuma was defeated and the amok-possessed item had been knocked away from Mayura and also purified. Mayura frantically knocked Chat Noir back and fled as the Cure rushed over Paris, and Vipera let her. It wasn't worth another go-round attempt to see if they could defeat her this fight.

"Should I ask how long that took you?" Chat Noir asked breathlessly over the earpiece as he re-joined Coccinelle. "Because I could hear a lot of instructions going on."

"I didn't really keep track," Vipera admitted, slumping on her little strip of clear shelf. She was going to need a nap after school let out, so she could tell that it had been a long time, but- well, she had kind of done that to herself, hadn't she? She had been the one to suggest that her teammates split up, even if she hadn't needed to interfere with Chat Noir's fight that much. "But I'll be fine. Hopefully that'll scare Hawkmoth off a bit."

"Or we'll have a sentimonster, an akuma, and both supervillains out next time," Chat Noir said with a laugh. "Because they'll figure that eventually they can outnumber us."

Vipera snorted. "Then we'll send out Dad. I'd like to see their faces when he comes out."

Coccinelle started giggling. "Oh, that would be funny! And you know your dad would love to help out. I don't know if we could have both of us come out during the day, though."

"Right. That's something to take into consideration." Vipera glanced at her Miraculous. She was almost out of time. "I might have to start carrying backups with me, either that or tell you where I keep them. But we can talk later- I'm out of time. See you later!"

Her teammates called their good-byes, and then Vipera detransformed. She grinned at Sass- even if she was mentally exhausted, they had done a really good job- and then listened carefully to make sure that no one was around before popping out of the closet and heading back to class.

Even though she was still interrupting her day, Marinette was glad that she was still being involved in the akuma battles in some form. It kept her mind sharp, forcing her to keep up with noticing- well, everything- and she wasn't getting distracted in class, worrying about her mom out there battling Hawkmoth when she didn't have the same amount of experience that Marinette herself did.

Marinette couldn't help but smile to herself as she headed back into the classroom and hobbled back to her seat. When she first started being a superhero, she had hated missing out on class to go battle akumas. Now, when she had the chance to sit back while her leg healed and not worry about it... well, she couldn't help but want to still be involved.

  The city was ecstatic about the apparent new trend in akuma attacks. After months of attacks that- with some exceptions, of course- usually took closer to half an hour to clear up, two attacks in a row that were wrapped up in under five minutes was amazing.

It also sparked a lot of gossip about how, exactly, it was being done.

"Well, obviously the weak point was Ladybug," Chloe sniffed at school, inspecting her fingernails as though she was otherwise completely disinterested in the conversation. "She's been replaced by someone older and wiser, who wouldn't do something stupid like take my Miraculous away from me."

Nino snorted loudly. "Yeah, right. If that's the case, then why haven't you gotten the Bee back yet, Chloe?"

"And didn't Chat Noir say that it's just temporary?" Adrien chimed in before Chloe could snap back, probably with the argument that Chat Noir should get replaced by someone, too, because obviously he was the weak link now keeping her from getting the Bee back. "Because Ladybug was out sick or something?"

"Or something," Alya agreed. "He wasn't very specific about it, was he?" She tapped her phone. "The consensus on the Ladyblog is that Ladybug's family is going on vacation and she couldn't get out of it without being suspicious. I mean, Chat Noir didn't say she was sick exactly, did he? Just that she was getting some much-needed rest."

The class considered that.

"So maybe Ladybug will be out for the rest of this week and then Chat Noir will have a substitute so that he can get some rest?" Rose suggested. She shrugged when they all looked over at her. "Maybe Chat Noir was just telling the truth and we're all reading too far into it?"

"I can't see either of them just sitting back and not coming out to the battles if they were in Paris, though," Alya countered. "That's just not their personality, is it? Or at least that's the impression I've gotten from them," she added quickly. "So I think something else is up. If they just wanted to relax, I feel like they would pull out more full-time holders so that battles would go faster."

"Right, and they should choose moi-"

Alix snorted loudly. "Right, give the one temporary holder whose identity all of Paris knows their Miraculous full-time! There's definitely nothing that could go wrong there!"

Chloe scowled.

"Kids, please," Ms. Bustier pleaded, casting a disapproving eye over the class. Everyone settled down, though not without a fair amount of grumbling. "Let's just be thankful that whatever the superheroes have going on at the moment is working out so well, and try to be positive so that we don't add to their workload. I know we're all concerned about Ladybug, but all we can do is hope that she's okay and will be back defending Paris soon enough!"

Most of the class nodded. Sabrina started to, then caught Chloe's furious glare and promptly stopped, shrinking away from her glowering friend.

"Some people on the Ladyblog are already hoping this team becomes permanent, because they've been doing so well," Alya whispered once Ms. Bustier turned around to write on the board. She leaned forward so that Nino and Adrien could hear as well. "Because people are so tired of akuma attacks, and the last two attacks went so fast."

"But the previous- what? Three, four? They didn't go nearly as smoothly," Nino whispered back. "They aren't going to count the most recent two as just flukes for now?"

Alya shrugged, keeping one eye on their teacher. "I don't know. I think it's too early to call. But the fact that there was such a change, and so suddenly- either they've just really found their stride, or something else is going on. And I don't think that we've seen all of the Miraculous powers out there. Who says that there isn't something else going on behind the scenes that's making them fight so well?"

Marinette hid a smile. Ladybug- well, Vipera, technically- was the thing behind the scenes that was making such a change, but they weren't going to tell anyone that until- well, probably until Hawkmoth was defeated. It was much too useful of a tool to give away.

"People are seriously preferring Coccinelle over Ladybug?" Adrien hissed, sounding thoroughly distressed. "I mean, I know Coccinelle is doing a good job, but Ladybug's done so much!"

"Class, I can still hear whispering," Ms. Bustier told the board dryly before Alya could respond. "Please settle down."

Adrien and Nino promptly whipped around to face the front. From her seat, Marinette could tell that Adrien looked somewhat distressed, ducking his head to exchange a few quick words with Nino that she couldn't hear. Marinette frowned at that, wondering what could be upsetting Adrien so much. She knew that he liked Ladybug a lot, so maybe he was offended on her behalf that anyone would think that Ladybug should step down in favor of Coccinelle.

Honestly, Marinette wasn't surprised that that opinion existed, though it did sting a little that people would so easily consider replacing her. She knew that the interest of akuma attacks had worn off for most of Paris, and even the novelty of superheroes was starting to ebb. People wanted to know why they hadn't defeated Hawkmoth already, never mind that they were trying and they were dealing with adults who were bigger and stronger. Most people understood that they were trying, at least, and so they liked the superheroes, but others just wanted to be done with the whole thing, no matter how it was done.

Marinette could understand that. Even though she sometimes enjoyed the challenge of figuring out how to defeat an akuma and of course she loved the freedom of swinging around the city, having to interrupt her day to deal with the akumas...well, it got old for her, too. So now that people were seeing an older superhero all of a sudden and the fights were going really well and they didn't know the real reason why. Of course they would assume that the change was due to the change in superhero lineup.

Hopefully they wouldn't openly protest Ladybug's return, once she was well again. That would be disheartening.

The rest of the day flew by. Adrien and Nino flanked Marinette as she moved from class so class to keep her from getting jostled, and while there was a lot of talk and speculation about the superheroes, the teachers kept most of it under control. They were there to learn, as Madam Mendeleev rather testily pointed out when she caught Alya whispering with Alix mid-class, and not to gossip about what the superheroes were or were not up to. That could wait until after school.

Besides, she had added, people were gossiping far too much for a simple two fights in a row that had gone well. That hardly provided enough data for anyone to call it a trend.

Thankfully for Marinette's sanity, Alya had to go babysit her sisters right after school and so couldn't lead the continued discussion on what might be going on with the superheroes. She had tried inviting Marinette, but one comment from Marinette about the wisdom of combining Alya's rambunctious sisters with Marinette's broken leg and crutches had Alya backing off right away.

Which meant that Marinette was free to go home and catastrophize on her own, a day's worth of whispers and overheard gossiping enough to make her start doubting everything.

"I thought you seemed to brush off that comment earlier, no problem," Sass commented as Marinette tried and failed to pace on crutches before flopping down on the couch, wincing as her leg got jostled a little more than she had intended. "Because it is dumb that people are being so impatient with the superheroes. You and Chat Noir have gone through a lot of struggles recently! You've lost Master Fu as a mentor and your temporary holders got outed. Hawkmoth and Mayura solved whatever weird energy was polluting Duusu and the Peacock, and now they're stronger. Now you've broken your leg! And still, you've found solutions and you've kept going. I'd say that most people would have lost the battle by now."

"Yeah, but..." Marinette sighed. She hadn't wanted the comments to eat at her, but they had. "The fights, with any luck, will keep going like the last two. People are going to get used to short fights, and then I'm going to come back out all out of shape, and things- well, things are going to take longer again. And people are going to talk. And if we don't give away our secrets, then people are going to assume that I'm the weak link. It's a no-win situation." She slumped a bit more, than attempted to straighten. "And the public doesn't know about all of the other stuff we've had to deal with, either. All they see is Hawkmoth and Mayura coming out and us not managing to defeat them, even though they're right there and not hiding like they did before."

"If they're reasonable, they'll have to admit that fighting up to four times as many supervillains as you did before will be harder, and you can't be expected to do four times as much work with just two of you."

Marinette sighed. "Yeah, but- okay, so I've read the Ladyblog, and people are confused about why we haven't pulled out the temporary holders we had before and keep them on more. I don't think there were many people in this area of Paris who didn't get hit by Chloe's bees, so nobody besides her and Hawkmoth and Mayura actually know that people's identities got revealed."

Sass considered her. "Did you tell your temporary holders?"

"Of course! I didn't want them to get upset that we passed them over when we need to get out those Miraculous next time. They were angry at Chloe, but I asked them to please try to let it go, because I really didn't want to have to fight any of them right now." Even the thought of it was completely awful. "And they listened, thankfully."

"Hmm." Sass gave that some thought. "Perhaps you could assign them different Miraculous? Either that or assign them the same one but require that they have a vastly different look and a different name. Could you use them again then- and perhaps assign some of them as permanent holders?"

Marinette immediately made a fact at the thought, though she certainly didn't mean to. "Honestly? Maybe I could re-use them as temporary holders, but I wouldn't dare give any of them the Miraculous permanently. Some just haven't been out enough for me to get a good read on them, of course. Chloe is a hard no and should have been a no from the start. Alya... she's my friend, but she also has the Ladyblog and not the greatest filter about what should and shouldn't go online sometimes. And she's gotten Akumatized, like... a lot. Not Mr. Pigeon a lot, but more often than most other people in Paris. She's got a temper. And Nino... well, he's Alya's boyfriend, and they knew about each other before. If I tap him for either temporary or long-term superheroing, he's going to assume that Alya will get to do the same thing and then tell her and then she'll get mad again."

Sass considered that. "That would not be ideal."

"Not at all, which means that I need to find more potential holders." Which was a lot of work, truth be told. Adults had an advantage with the endless power usages and no timer, but a disadvantage in the fact that- well, they had jobs and would be noticed going missing on a long-term regular basis. Teenagers had the limitations of timers, single power usage, school, and parents, when- well, the last of those really depended on the parent in question.

Kagami, for instance, was a strong fighter. She had showed a lot of promise in her time as a superhero. But she had a strict mom and went to an equally strict private school, which meant that she would no doubt get in a lot of trouble if she had to leave class on a rather regular basis. That by itself meant that Kagami could really only be a temporary superhero even if she changed her transformation. Just like the others.

(Besides, even with a changed transformation... well, that still seemed too risky.)

Ugh. This superhero stuff just kept on getting more and more difficult.

Marinette sulked through her after-school snack, trying not to loiter on thoughts of- well, everything to do with the superhero part of her life. Even though she knew how important she still was in the fights, it was hard not to feel a bit down, a bit useless.

She was limited to helping while sitting in a closet or a bedroom, instead of throwing punches and kicks and being there in person.

"Marinette? Did something happen at school?"

"Oh, hi, mom," Marinette said, trying not to sound too down. "No, school was fine-"

"Her friend was saying that some people want Coccinelle to stay, since the last two fights were so short," Sass reported. "And Marinette was dwelling on that."

She gaped at him. "That- that's tattling!"

"But it's important to not bottle everything up, too," Mrs. Cheng told her. She came over to stand by Marinette, resting a hand on her shoulder. "Marinette, you know that we wouldn't be doing so well without you helping. And four-minute battles? That would be completely out of the question without you."

"Yeah, but..." Marinette tried not to sigh. She and Sass had already discussed this, and really, there wasn't much else they could cover.

Still, she filled her mom in.

"-and I don't want to stop doing the short fights, because I know that it's important for you to be able to get back to the bakery, and Chat Noir probably wants to get back to his life, and I don't exactly want to be missing class, either," Marinette finished. "But when Ladybug comes back, I know that fight times will shoot back up again."

"You could keep using some of the techniques that you've picked up now!" Tikki suggested right away. "The using cameras before you go in to figure out the akuma's powers and what the possessed item is from a safe distance, and potentially spotting Hawkmoth and Mayura ahead of time. That's given us a real advantage."

"And maybe towards the end of my time as Coccinelle, we can admit that Ladybug's been watching with another Miraculous and that's why she's doing so well, because you've been helping and directing the fights," Mrs. Cheng offered. "We don't have to say it was the Snake or mention the Second Chance uses, because I can see where you might be worried about Hawkmoth getting ideas from that. But by saying that you've been helping out so much and that's why we're doing well, that's telling the public that the difference isn't necessarily because of me."

Marinette nodded, her mind whirring. That...was a good idea. It was safe, because they could just refrain from sharing too many details, but Paris would know that Ladybug had been a large part of the success that Coccinelle and Chat Noir had been enjoying.

Hopefully that would make her transition back to being Ladybug easier. Of course people would expect a well-trained trio to do better than a duo, even if the third member of said trio wasn't physically present. Maybe there would be people pushing for them to add a third permanent member in the role that Vipera had been filling, but- well, hopefully that would quiet the people who were pretty much ready to swap Ladybug out for Coccinelle. And if not, it would at least lessen their numbers.

For the first time since that morning, Marinette could really relax again, her mind set at ease and no longer veering off the rails catastrophizing. Even though it was going to be weeks until Ladybug re-joined the battles in person again, they had a plan in mind.

And that made all the difference.

#Miraculous Ladybug #My writing #The Substitute Ladybug #marinette dupain cheng

[skylarmoon71]

Nick Amaro x Reader- Chapter 15

“Well, I think your detective should be awarded a medal. She prevented a lot of chaos.” When they got back from the hospital, they were partially shaken. Unfortunately the first person they were greeted by was the one and only chief. William Dodds was completely quizzed at the somber looks of the SVU team. “Why the long faces? You stopped a school shooting and your detective is safe. You should be celebrating. " 

Olivia looked at him relatively lost. The only people that could ensure you were safe had just jumped through a portal to god knows where, so how did Chief Dodds know. 

“How do you know she’s safe?” Olivia asked. Carisi and the others were at their desks, but they were listening in on the conversation. 

“Well she put in for some leave. Not that she didn’t earn it. It’s a good thing she was wearing that bulletproof vest. “ 

“What?” Olivia was completely lost. She didn’t have a chance to question him, because he was walking out after offering his congratulations for a job well done. Barba was next to her, still going through what he’d seen at the hospital. 

“Why does he think she’s on leave?” 

“Do you think that she..but she couldn’t have..could she?” Amanda was speculating in broken sentences. Honestly, none of them knew what was exactly going on. But the cover of you being on leave was a convenient one. Olivia couldn’t do much but trust that you were behind whatever was going on. 

“I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. “ Whatever the outcome, your friends would fill them in. Olivia just hoped the outcome turned out to be beneficial. She wasn’t sure she could deal with losing an officer. Her eyes drifted to Nick. He was standing at your desk, running his fingers along the mahogany surface. 

None of them could afford to lose you. 

~Central City~

Three Weeks Later.

“She’s okay. I can’t guarantee when she’ll wake up. If she’ll even wake up. “ Caitlin stated. The steady beats of the monitor was the only indication they had that you were still alive. Caitlin had carefully mending your external wounds. All that was left was your internal ones. 

Your brain activity was on the fritz. She’d ran over a dozen tests, but they all came back unreadable. She couldn’t tell what your mental state was. Her suspicions were that it had something to do with your telepathic powers. That and the fact that you’d claim the consciousness of another person before reverting to your true body. She had no idea how that affected your true body. 

They all knew the ramifications of what could happen. “This is my fault. I was having that vibe for a week now. I thought it was some stupid nightmare. Why the hell did I just put it off. I should have told her something. Maybe she would..” Cisco slammed his hand on the desk angrily. When it first started he thought it was just a dream, since he only ever had them when he was asleep, rather than his usual contact flashes. 

“It’s not your fault Ramon. We’ve done all we can. Beating yourself won’t do any good right now.” Harry wasn’t wrong. All they could do was wait and hope for the best. Barry sat down next to your unconscious form, taking your hand in his. All those years of your support, advise, banter. 

It dawned on him that he may never get to see that again. Never get to see you. Iris walked over, placing a hand on his shoulder. “She’ll wake up. We have to believe she’ll be fine. “ Iris offered. Barry placed a hand on his shoulder over hers, brushing his thumb over her knuckles. 

“You know, I bet if we found an attractive Spanish guy she’d wake in an instant.”

Cisco’s joke made a few of them laugh. Iris raised an eyebrow smiling. “(Y/N)’s got an obsession with the language. “

“Got it.” she laughed. 

“I remember when she had a crush on Harry.” Iris said.  Harry looked stunned at the information. 

“Wait, you knew about that too?” Barry asked. Iris nodded. 

“We all did. You’re a little too oblivious Barry.” 

“Wha- but Harry didn’t know either.” he defended. 

“Harry wouldn’t know love if it smacked him in the face.” Cisco jested. Harry shot him a glare and he cleared his throat awkwardly. 

“She once had a Criminal Minds marathon with Killer Frost.” Caitlin smiled at the memory. She was trying to figure out why she kept profiling everyone that day, only to find out her counterpart had run through almost five seasons of the addictive crime show. 

“I guess it makes sense now, she’d taken me out to the Central City museum once, when I first got here. It feels like it happened just yesterday. “ Harry said. Cisco rolled his eyes. 

“She asked you out on a date and you didn’t even know. Too late now buddy. She got the hots for the detective back there.” Harry grumbled. 

“I’m aware. And I believe it’s for the best. We do work much better as friends. “ 

They were all going through treasured memories of you. It was all they could really think of. Think of the joy you brought, rather than the silence you now provided in your comatose state. 

Barry was still holding your hand. His brows furrowed when he felt a small shock go through his palm. He didn’t react at first, because it didn’t hurt him per say. But the next shock of electricity made him jump. He yanked his hand away. Iris shuffled back looking at him. 

“What’s wrong!”

Barry looked down at you. “S-She shocked me..” he muttered. Harry walked over, studying the readings on the machine. All their attention moved to the monitors that started beeping aggressively. The lights above were now flickering. 

Barry took off with Iris, just in case. They all knew how dangerous your abilities could get. This time they thought they were more than prepared. Apparently not, because your body started hovering. The machine at the side of your bed started to short, sparks flying everywhere. Caitlin jolted, and before long you were a few feet off the ground, the cords that connected you now sliding off as you drifted away. 

“What’s happening!!” Cisco yelled. All the electronic items seemed to be going haywire. 

“We need to get her somewhere away from technology. She may be trying to come back but the electronics are blocking her attempts. Ramon! Vibe her away from here.” Harry shouted. 

Cisco didn’t flinch, he raised a hand to Vibe you away. The blue energy from his palm hadn’t even gotten close. Just before it could touch your body the energy reflected off an invisible force. The light bounced back, knocking Cisco right off his feet. His body went hurtling into the air, knocking into the opposite wall. He grunted, hitting the wall, and falling harshly to the floor. 

“Cisco!!” Caitlin was by his side in seconds. When Barry returned he didn’t fail to notice you floating in the air, or Cisco now picking himself off the ground. 

“I-I can’t vibe her away. She’s got some sort of field blocking me out. I can’t even get close.” Caitlin was supporting his weight after the harsh fall. 

When they looked back you were now upright, your eyes were also opened. They stared in awe, because the light in your eyes wasn’t one they noticed. Usually when you used your abilities to the max your eyes would turn golden, but now they were.. purple.

Your body was now lowering to the ground, the lights in the room stopped flashing altogether, the area going dark. 

When your feet touched the ground, you looked at them. The room was quiet...too quiet. 

No one knew what to say under the circumstances. Your eyes were blank of any emotion, except for the glow. 

“Humans. Bow before your new leader!” 

Cisco panicked. “Shit she got mind controlled by a freaking alien!!” he hollered. 

You stared for a few more seconds before a smile burst out on your lips. You closed your eyes and the glow faded, the lights flickering back on automatically. 

“The look on your faces was priceless. Come on. You really think I’d let some alien control my brain.” Cisco's eyes lit up and he ran over hugging you tightly. You returned it with a smile. 

Cailtin was laughing softly and Harry rolled his eyes. “I must say I’m not amused by your poor sense of humor. “ The dark haired scientist grumbled. You grinned at Harry, despite the scowl on his face. 

“All this time I’ve been out and you're still a grump.”

Barry walked over, still wondering if his mind was playing a cruel trick on him. When he saw your bright smile he knew it was true. He didn’t say much. But as soon as Cisco stepped away he hugged you. Your eyes warmed, patting his back. He was hugging a bit tightly, but you didn’t care. “I missed you too Barry.” he didn’t have to say it. You knew. You pulled back slowly.

“It’s good to see this place is still the same after all this time.” Barry laughed. “You’ve been out for three weeks. How much do you think we’d change?”

You narrowed your eyes. “What do you mean three weeks? It’s been months Barry.” 

Caitlin looked a bit worried. “It has been months right?” you asked hesitantly. 

Cisco shook his head slowly.  “No, it’s only been three weeks (Y/N). “ You looked down, hands shaking. 

“T-That’s not right I-I was counting I knew that it was..”

“What do you mean you were counting? You’ve been unconscious this entire time.” Harry interjected. 

“In my head I was...that’s how I got better. I had to keep track of the days so my consciousness wouldn’t slip away but I swear it was...it felt like months. Almost a year.” 

None of them knew what to say. This wasn’t the usual issue they encountered. This couldn’t be solved by science like they were used to. 

You were still looking at your hands. Your body felt different. 

“Something’s changed..” 

You had a feeling you were in for a lot of surprises in the future. 

#Nick Amaro #nickxreader #Barry Allen #cisco #CaitlinSnow #harrywells #flash #telekinesis #metahumans #metahumanreader #Central City #rafaelbarba #OliviaBenson #OliviaxBarba #amandarollins #rollins x carisi #carisi #fin tutuola #Law and Order: Special Victims Unit #law #cases #court #breaches

[hinasho]

isle of the lost vs descendants 1 characterizations

the book ends literally when the movie starts so their personalities cant be that different right? lets see

(similarities posted at the bottom!)

DIFFERENCES:

book: when evil queen goes on about beauty related things, especially in regards to her daughter, usually evie would begrudgingly recite whatever “tip” eq taught her and just go along with what she says. not to say she hated those kinds of things, but whenever her mother brought it up, she never expressed similar excitement or engagement. more often than not she was indifferent to her mother’s beauty antics, and we only see her talk about them in regards to herself in the last few chapters (im not talking abt the mirror incident, but the one liners she’d drop about her appearance here and there) movie: when the parents first tell their kids about going to auradon, eq talks about sprucing her daughter up before she leaves and evie is visibly excited about the makeover. she also goes onto encourage it on others as seen when they’re all in the limo and she tries to put makeup on mal.

book: the villain parents are not friends and we almost never see them together. the one time we saw the parents/adults all together was in the prologue scene for evie’s 6th birthday party. after that they never interact and dont pay each other any mind. this is especially true regarding evil queen and maleficent, as they state in the book that they’ve been at odds ever since they fought over who’d rule the isle. eq has also just been welcomed back into society after being banned by the other, so time-wise, at worst, they are still enemies and, at best, barely tolerable acquaintances. movie: evil queen & maleficent have a significantly close relationship, so much so that eq knows her house like the back of her hand and where maleficent keeps things, specifically that her spellbook is in the fridge. they even have a laugh about how they use to run things before being forced to live on the isle. they seem to be genuinely close. 

put the rest under the cut bc this post is too long lol

book: jafar and jay’s mantra is “whoever has the gold makes the rules” which was significant because it helped them while in the forbidden fortress movie: jafar and jay’s mantra is “there’s no team in I” (while this change was surprising, i also wasn’t that upset abt it bc both book and movie!jay struggle with teamwork)

book: carlos is not athletic at all and goes on about how he hates gym class. he is very focused on stem and doesn’t really care about any other kind’ve hobby. meanwhile jay is athletic and does casual parkour when going anywhere. movie: both of them do extreme parkour in the opening song. im not referring to the dancing ofc, but the extra flips and tricks they do. this is not unusual for jay, but is in regards to carlos.

book: jay isn’t the only one that goes around stealing things, mal very much does it to. at the end of the day they’d even compare how many things they’ve stolen to see who’s the best thief. jay usually wins, but still, both are thieves. movie: when they get to auradon, mal is very confused as to why jay would take the time to steal things and even needs for him to explain why he does it.

book: ben describes audrey as a classic fairy tale princess. she finds all things in auradon lovely and beautiful, and even has a bird land on her finger during their date. while she does think negatively of everyone on the isle, she acts mostly “lovely and sweet” before anything else, and it is not faked. think: giselle from enchanted. movie: idk how else to explain this difference besides “audrey just has a different vibe”. she is more regina george-esque than genuinely cheery, and puts on an obviously fake smile and attitude so often that queen belle expresses distaste for her 

SIMILARITIES:

mal likes art and goes around the isle putting up tags --- (the romance storyline wasn’t bad, but it would’ve been nice to see mal maybe join an art club? or get into painting or smthg else related to her hobby)

carlos is afraid of dogs --- in the book he can’t even say or hear the word bc it’s a trigger for him. he can say “puppies”, but he cannot say the word dog. whereas in the movie, he says the word several times. this is an extremely minor difference to be fair

when they’re afraid/think they’re in danger, they all cling to jay

they’re not used to sunlight 

the ben & mal tension on first meet (and continued infatuation before the cookie scene) --- in the book both characters have had a dream about the other. they didn’t know who the other was, but they remembered the dreams vividly enough that they were able to describe their faces in detail. in the movie when they first meet, both pause on each other several times. it’s likely because of the o’l Disney Romance™️, but it could also be because of curious recognition. 

jay is a flirt/smoother charmer and girls fawn over him

carlos is good with and likes science & technology

mal wanting to prove herself to her mother & the others not being as set on it --- in the book, mal is constantly reminded of the times her mother has called her “not worthy of bearing her own name or of being her daughter” and it causes mal to lose her cool several times. the other VKs also have parental issues ofc, but ones that are not as focused on proving themselves like mal’s are. theirs lean more towards other problems. in the movie she is extremely insistent on reminding them what they’re at auradon for and that this is their “one chance to prove themselves”

the core four freeze in fear when confronted with the reality of their parents’ pasts

mal can touch maleficent’s scepter --- to be fair that dance number in the museum was most likely just mal daydreaming, but still

jay going off on his own/following his own plan --- in the book jay and jafar plan for him to go with mal to the forbidden fortress and then double cross her and steal the scepter for himself, taking it as their “big score”. in the movie when they first see the wand with their own eyes, he runs off in front of everyone and only opens the gate enough for himself to squeeze through. carlos has to open it wider so they can all get through it after him. and once theyre in the same room as the wand, he reaches for it first against mal’s wishes.

carlos is bad at sports --- this is in both the differences & similarities section because, while in the book & movie he’s bad at sports, in the book he also doesnt like them and has no desire to do them as he is completely focused on science & tech. while after some practice in the movie, carlos joins the tourney team alongside jay. (i personally would’ve preferred for him to join a computer or engineering club)

mal can manipulate people with ease (book: evie / movie: jane & ben)

fairy godmother is mainly the one that enforces the “no magic” rule --- beast may have created it, but both in the book & the movie, people/creatures talk about fairy godmother being the one that restricts them

carlos climbs trees/searches for higher ground when afraid

evie knows how to use her looks, specifically her smile, to get the things she wants (book: persuading dr. facilier / movie: getting info out of chad)

audrey likes to dance 

carlos is sarcastic & competitive 

mal cheers up evie when she’s upset 

evie is good with academics

ben wanting to be his own person rather than act like his father --- this was a good continuation from book to movie as ben only realizes he needs to be himself in the final chapters, which he just continues to encourage in the movie. 

mal’s spur of the moment saving tactics

the villains aren’t good with computers/the internet --- the isle canonly doesn’t have wifi and in the movie the villains struggle with the laptop that was most likely given to them from an auradon representative

audrey’s family still being deeply traumatized by what maleficent did 

belle not letting beast talk shit 

mal pitying her mother for what she went through --- in the book: when she sees the past of what happened at aurora’s christening and sympathizes that her mother was nothing but a sad lonely girl. in the movie: the “and i really wish you hadn’t gotten there yourself” line during ben’s coronation

annddd yeah!

honestly there were a lot more similarities than i was expecting, and i am pleasantly surprised! book to movie things dont usually crossover well, but honestly, the first movie didnt do too bad of a job of it. 

tbh i think the one that probably suffered the most was audrey’s character. she really seemed very different from her book counterpart. this isnt to say that book!audrey was a saint and would’ve treated the VKs kindly, but she also wasn’t a fake person and was genuinely that cheery and upbeat all the time. whereas in the movie, it seems like almost nobody likes her (except chad) bc of her “fakeness”. 

i personally think if they were gonna go with the “bad girl and her minion” role, then audrey should’ve been the minion. in the book she was kind’ve an airhead (?? idk she just tended to have her head in the clouds a lot) and if one of the auradon girls told her to act a certain way towards the VKs for the “good of auradon”, i could see her listening to them. i dont know if she’d be the one to come up with the evil deed herself though. 

overall, the continuity flowed pretty well. i wish they didn’t change audrey’s character like they did (they probably could’ve had jane play the role of ‘stuckup girl’ tbh since she was a new character and her mother had a higher position in the kingdom compared to audrey’s parents anyway, so smthg to boast abt), but other than that, the movie’s characterizations were kinda close to the books!

#descendants #babbles #long text post // #now i gotta read Return #isle of the lost spoilers obviously

[writingbakery]

Happy Halloween, You’re The Only Sugar I Need

[i didn’t have a lot of time to come up with halloween ideas, so have these cute lil hc’s about what it would be like to trick or treat with the bnha babies!💓]

*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ ゜ﾟ*☆*ﾟ

Izuku Midoriya

did someone say couple costumes?

plans his costume out in july, and has it perfect by august

he knows all the best routes and houses like the back of his hand - nothing but full size candy bars for his baby (you💓) duh!

no haunted houses for him, he just wants to hold your hand as you walk through the neighborhood

he’s the most fair when it comes to candy negotiations, offering up two skittles bags for one set of jelly chew jolly ranchers and making sure the butterfingers were evenly divided

since he’s an expert on trick or treating (your words not his, he blushes for a full thirty minutes after you tell him) you’re both home fairly early, only out a little under an hour

which means: halloween jammies, takeout, and all your halloween candy piled up on the table while you watch spooky godmother together <3

and perhaps there’s a heated makeout session that ends with your hands down the front of his onesie ;)

Katsuki Bakugo

he always wants to go as something horrifically extra - he pretends it’s all your idea, but you know he’s been pinterest scrolling it for a solid month

his goal is quantity over quality here; the more candy he has the better, so you’re both hitting every neighborhood till the streetlights flicker on

he also wants to do every “haunted house” he spots along the way, dragging you in to suffer with him

he likes the spook

you’re out the latest, but it’s still fun - mainly because you’d convinced him to piggy back carry you home after

he’s fair but strict in his candy negotiations - he won’t let you cheat him out of a full sized kitkat bar just because you’re adorable his s/o. he requires at least three kisses and two mini crunch bars in exchange

you watch endless slasher films and bad horror classics, and cuddle under the biggest fluffiest blanket you own

somewhere during the “scary movie” series he’s got you pinned, kissing a hot trail up your neck and there goes the movie session ;)

Hanta Sero

hanta 1000% wants to do meme couple costumes, and you’re whipped for his smile, so-

plans his costume out a while back, but procrastinates getting it together until two days before (and yet, it still looks amazing?)

doesn’t really have a route or plan in mind, he just wants to wander around holding hands and kissing every time you see a pumpkin (like punch buggy but sweeter <3)

he’s honestly probably the most confusing with his candy negotiations - “how does a mini snickers and a bag of pretzels equal a york patty, hanta?”

the boy has weird candy tastes but you love him anyways

you’re out a decent amount of time, a little over an hour & change

he wants to watch every cult classic horror film ever, so prepare not to sleep

halfway through he’s too busy smiling with his tongue in your mouth though, so its a win in your book ;)

Hitoshi Shinso

hitoshi always wants to go as some super obscure film or literary pair

he’s not too early in his planning, or too late. he finishes his costume with time to spare but he doesn’t rush, either

he’s not keen on being out too late but he indulges you for a bit, sneaking kisses here and there

he’s not big on candy either, so he ends up giving you most of his basket anyway - although there’s certain things he won’t part with.

“you’re serious? i cant even have one?”

“no. all the reese’s cups are mine, & that’s final.”

you’ll get smooches because he feels bad

you’ll spend the rest of the evening with your head on his chest, listening to him read you Poe snuggled under a blanket with tea.

and halfway through lady ligeria his hands will creep up the back of your sweater, and suddenly you’re doing much more kissing than reading ;)

Yaoyorozu Momo

momo definitely wants to do something elegant and fancy with you for costumes

she gets everything tailored and ready weeks in advance, duh

momo’s house is the one giving out full sized candy bars, so is trick or treating even necessary? yes it is

you spend about an hour giggling and sharing a candy basket, everyone awwing over the pair of you

there’s no candy negotiations because you share <3

you play board games with the charlie brown halloween special in the background

she wins every time that girl’s a menace

“since i’ve won twenty four of our twenty six games, i’ll be claiming my prize now.”

her prize is kissing you senseless on the floor, smiling into each other’s mouths with wandering hands ;)

Tsuyu Asui

dorky costumes? dorky costumes. think dorothy and the tin man, but cute

she plans both your costumes in advance cause she’s just that amazing

you’re out almost as late as possible only because tsu gets excited everytime she sees a decorated house and you’re soft for her

candy negotiations with her are tough; she plays hard to please and you both like too many of the same candies

you end up sharing anyways

halloween movies with tsu are a big mess of funny to scary to animated to wholesome - she loves all of them and you love her, so you’re watching everything

you’re cuddled up in a blanket fort, snuggled into a heap of blankets and it’s so comfortable that you almost fall asleep halfway through poltergeist

until tsuyu starts kissing her way up the sensitive skin of your back, and suddenly kissing is the only thing on your mind ;)

Ojiro Mashirao

he always wants to do a cutesy/romantic couples costume, he’s your prince charming without fail

the two of you work on your costumes together well before halloween - he calls it couple bonding like the cutie he is

you’re not out too late, mostly because you have too many activities planned for when you’re back home

there is no candy negotiation with ojiro; he gives you your favorites and steals your pretzels and m&m’s without a word

you carve pumpkins even though you already have six, make candy apples, and finally snuggle together on the couch to watch some cheesy halloween hallmark specials

he makes you both hot chocolate with plenty of mini marshmallows <3

by the end of the second sappy film you’re licking the chocolate out of his mouth, and he’s only complaining a little

“but (y/n), she’s about to leave it all behind for the lovestruck farmer!”

Eijiro Kirishima

kiri loves halloween, so he’ll gladly be the counterpart to any costume you choose

he’s definitely a procrastinator though, only finishing it the day of

he’s so excited and hyper that you spend nearly two hours trick or treating, being dragged by holding hands with kiri as he marvels at the tiniest of things

he’s the worst at candy negotiations - he’s so soft for you that he’d give you anything you asked, and he’s a sucker for all types of candy so he’s way too easy to please

“sure baby, you can have my crunch bar and my twix for the nerds.”

“eiji those are both full size candy bars-“

“so?”

he wants to watch the scariest of movies because he’s manly, of course, and he promises to protect you from anything too frightening

he ends up curled into your arms, peering at the screen through his fingers and you’re trying really hard not to laugh

distractions come in the form of kisses, though, and soon he’s too busy nipping at the son of your neck to pay attention to the terrifying film ;)

Tamaki Amajiki

tamaki definitely wants to do cheesy pop culture costumes with you - he spends most of his time reading or watching it

his nerves about the whole thing make him finish his costume way too early, but it’s cute

once he’s in costume though, he gains a sort of confidence - he’s somebody who’s not him for a little while, and he boldly holds your hands and kisses your cheek as you wander

tamaki loves candy, so negotiations are difficult - but he loves you a lot more, so he parts with some of his precious stash

you decide on reading scary stories to each other, sitting with your back against his chest in the big armchair, by the fireplace

it’s warm and cozy and you could almost fall asleep like this, until tamaki’s voice wavers as you shift in his lap

the book is quickly forgotten about as you make out softly, and maybe the costume gets a little shredded. oops ;)

Mirio Togata

mirio will literally dress up as anything as long as you match with him

he insists you plan together, takes all of your thoughts into consideration; this is a team effort!

he doesn’t want to be out too late but he can’t help himself, he wants to show you everything

plus he keeps running into people he knows and he wants to show you off

he splits all his candy evenly with you; you’re his baby, he’d give you his kidney if you asked

he’s one for paranormal movies, he gets so wrapped up in the plotlines it’s almost funny

“okay but if i were a ghost, i’d haunt people in the fun way. like, we’d play games or something.”

“you’d make a very nice ghost, babe.”

he gets so caught up in the movies though that he doesn’t even realize when you pounce, tickling him to draw his attention again

it quickly turns from tickles to kisses and kisses to nibbles and suddenly he’s not thinking about ghosts at all ;)

Nejire Hado

the poor baby’s so excited she can’t even choose a costume, so you end up deciding

she’s very involved in the process though, helping out any way she can

trick or treating with nejire is like going with a hyperactive six year old, but it’s adorable. she drags you around for hours

“look! that pumpkins as big as my head! let’s take a picture!”

she’s a candy addict, good luck trying to negotiate any sort of trade. she steals yours when you aren’t looking

you totally notice but you indulge her

you’re watching a movie, making cookies, and playing a board game all at once when you get home

she’s so excited she can’t even sit still, bouncing from activity to activity until you give up and pull her in for a kiss

you get so distracted you forget all about the cookies ;)

“NO! MY PRECIOUS SUGAR PUMPKIN BABIES!”

Uraraka Ochaco

she’s had your costumes planned since last halloween

“but we’ve only been dating four mo-“

“shush and try this on.”

she’s running around the neighborhood with you for hours, isn’t even tired

another big candy thief, shamelessly digging in your basket but she’s cute so you allow it

wants to watch all the sappy halloween movies and compare you guys to the main characters

“that’s so us, oh my god.”

“he’s a baker. and she’s in real estate.”

“it’s us!! im the baker though.”

drinking lots of spiced cider and giving out leftover candy to the few stragglers, she’s got a soft spot for them

lots of cheesy, silly kisses as you cuddle

she’s easily distracted though, kissing down your cheek to your jaw, neck and oops! the movies long forgotten ;)

Denki Kaminari

another meme costumer, but he also wants to look cool. it’s a tricky balance

he keeps putting off getting his costume together, and then he forgets, and then he’s calling you frantic the night before for assistance

he’s a little more relaxed as you walk through the neighborhood, but that’s only because he’s waiting for everyone to discover the pranks he’d set up beforehand

needless to say, trick or treating ends early before he can be murdered

denki’s a candy whore, but he’s willing to make negotiations with you as long as he gets kisses out of it - which you take advantage of to get all his good stuff

you’re curled up together watching nightmare before christmas, a tradition between you because you’d argued for a week straight about whether it was a halloween or christmas movie

the compromise is that you watch it on both holidays

he gets bored after twenty minutes though, restless like always and before you know it he’s kissing wherever he can reach

the movie’s ignored for the rest of the night as the pair of you kiss and giggle and get a little carried away ;)

Mina Ashido

she’s all over the place with her planning but she definitely wants to do something complicated - she loves going all out!

she needs your help to stay on task but your costumes are finished in a decent enough amount of time

first you’re trick or treating, then you’re pulling pranks with denki, then you’re chasing the neighborhood kids around in a silly game of tag - you’re doing so much that you don’t even realize how late it’s gotten

at home she’s still got all that wild excited energy so you make pumpkin pie together despite the hour, making stupid jokes and flicking flour at one another

“if this sticks in my hair you’re dead, (y/n)!”

“love you too, princess.”

somewhere between baking and eating the pie you start making out against the counter, and there’s definitely flour handprints all over the both of you ;)

Mezo Shoji

shoji likes halloween, but he lets you pick out the costumes - he wants you to have a good time!

he’s very helpful throughout the entire process of getting the costumes ready, and you’re done in no time

he lets you drag him all around, using the majority of his arms to carry extra candy baskets - it’s not cheating the system because everyone thinks it’s part of his costume, and there’s six times as much candy now!

he gives the majority of it to you once you’re home again to see you smile - it has been his plan all along to drown you in excess candy, and you’re not complaining

he gets an equal amount of kisses in return

you spend the evening helping the local kids collect as much candy as they can, and shouji makes it his job to escort all the children that are scared up to every house so they don’t miss out

he gets a whole lot more than kisses for that, but who can blame you? your boyfriend was just too sweet for his own good

“i think you’re the only sugar i need, (y/n).”

“you flirt. kiss me again.” ;)

Tokoyami Fumikage

whenever halloween comes around, he goes big. all out. ridiculously detailed, amazing costumes

you help as much as you can, but he’s in his element; he handles most of it himself

his excitement isn’t obvious, but you can see it in the way he slightly pulls you along as you wander. it’s downright adorable

dark shadow is also having the time of his life, popping up to make snarky comments at passrersby and steal candy whenever possible

“god, did she pull that costume off of last years clearance rack?”

“dark shadow, enough.”

he’s not wrong though

candy negotiations are done through dark shadow - your boyfriend would’ve given you all the good stuff without questioning it, and his counterpart can’t have that

you end up sitting outside to watch the stars, tokoyami cuddled into your chest and all it takes is a few well placed kisses to his plumage to have dark shadow sweep you up and take you right inside for some evening fun ;)

[i tried to write as many as i could, i hope you all enjoy bbs! happy halloween 🎃 🧡]

#bnha momo #bnha sero #bnha tokoyami #bnha tsuyu #bnha uraraka #bnha ojiro #bnha shoji #bnha shinsou #bnha mina #bnha nejire #bnha tamaki #bnha mirio #bakugo x reader #kirishima x reader #sero x reader #kaminari x reader #mezo shoji x reader #nejire x reader #mirio x reader #tamaki x reader #mina x reader #uraraka x reader #tsuyu x reader #tokoyami x reader #ojiro x reader #midoriya x reader #bnha x reader #bnha headcanons #momo x reader

[animalpetcel]

Ideal RHATO

Okay, so I’ve done some thinking. While Red Hood and the Outlaws was an interesting concept; give Jason friends and a team of his own, get him out of the Batfam Shadow, it’s been bogged down by L*bdell spotty writing and questionable Editorial decisions. So I’ve taken the time to think of what I would personally want the Outlaws to be.

First of all, I don’t believe that Jason would be better of if he remained solo. While he does deserve a good solo run other than UtH, the idea of permanently sequestering from creating meaningful, recurring relationships with other heroes is just repulsive to me. He should be allowed to have friends and people to talk to outside of the Batfamily guys, there’s only so many adventures he can have by himself before they all start sounding the same. You could even have him gaining friends as part of his character development.

Okay! So let’s begin

In my version, the Outlaws would be a more obvious antihero team. They take cases by those who feel that regular heroes can’t help them, that they won’t go far enough to achieve justice. The Outlaws won’t kill often, but it would usually be awful criminals like drug dealers, traffickers or those in charge, but if they don’t kill, they won’t be above dissing out harsh, lasting punishments to those who cross them. There could be the possibility of them being a team looking for redemption, but I’ve never really thought about them going in that direction.

Btw: This will be a hard reboot, everything from New52 to Rebirth regarding RHATO will be completely retconned, because Lobdell wrote almost all of them and despite what people want to believe most of it is bad save for some barely passable moments

Outlaw Members

Jason Todd

Can’t have the Outlaws without their infamous leader. Like I said above, I believe that having his own team can be a good thing for Jason, he can establish a history disconnected from his history with Bruce and actually start to move on. I’d imagine him being a reluctant leader, preferring to work alone but admitting that having people to rely on has made his mission a lot easier. He’s a very driven and calculated person, and after reading Arkham Knight Genesis, I have no doubt in his leadership skills and his ability to turn a ragtag group of antiheroes into a team to be reckoned with.

Idk if I’d keep his All-Caste stuff. I know that it was probably created to give his backstory something that stands out, since he’s the third Batfam member to have the League of Assassins in his backstory and isn’t the only one that’s died before, but he barely uses the All-blades or brings up the All-Caste to the point were you can omit it and don’t really have to do that much to replace it. At this point, I’d accept Talia making him train with Brother Blood over the All-Caste.

I’d probably say that the Lazurus pit Talia used to bring him back was kinda special, giving him a minor healing factor and increasing his strength, idk, something small.

Eddie Bloomberg

(I hate Tom King and this dialogue too but I wanted a recent image of him)

Did you know that unlike Roy Harper, Eddie was actually Jason’s best friend pre-reboot? Most people don’t because DC doesn’t care about using pre-established canon or developing its less popular heroes! 🙃

Okay, I used to be a huge fan of Jason and Roy’s friendship in New52 RHATO, but then I learned that Roy was originally Dick’s friends, that his personality was dumbed down for New52, Roy actually hates mercenaries and would never become one, they only used Roy because he was more popular and that most Titan/Roy friends actually hate his New52 counterpart and friendship with Jason. While I believe that Roy and be both friendship with Dick AND Jason (but in different ways. Dick is more of a close friend while he and Jason should have a more big brother kind of relationship), I have to admit that DC dropped the ball here, and it would be easier to just scrap everything instead of trying to make it work.

Eddie’s personality is actually quite similar to New52 Roy’s, and he and Jason already have unexplored history, so switching Roy with him won’t mess anything too much.

And now, I hear you ask “Ani, what about the Outlaw’s being an antihero group? Wouldn’t that make Eddie stand out?”, and I will reply “Don’t worry, I have a plan!”

Back when Eddie first got his powers, Neron, the king of hell at the time (?) wanted Eddie to be his protege, but Eddie refuses. But what if Neron was more forceful? Eddie could be offered, now powerless again because of the events of TT (but his death is retconned to just getting badly injured), to become Neron’s protege once again. With nothing left to lose (his relationship with Blue Devil is still in the fritz, Teen Titans no longer seem to give a damn and Rose & Jaime is still off doing their own things), he takes it. I guess he’s probably look different with more of Neron’s power coursing through his veins, but the point is that Outlaws become a “Fall from grace” for him. He’s trying to still be a hero, but as Neron’s influence continues to grow, his ability to tell right from wrong gets more and more clouded.

He’s the one to approach Jason with the idea of being a team, wanting to relive the “Good Ol’ Days” when they were younger and less bogged down with personal trauma. While Jason is reluctant, he admits that since being self-exiled from the Batfamily that it’s been kinda lonely, so he agrees, but only short-term. Eddie then segways into the next member of their burgeoning group–

Rose Wilson

While pre-reboot, Rose and Jason did not have the friendliest interactions, with her holding a blade to her throat while his brothers threatened him with a crime he never committed. Post-reboot, he and Rose seem to have a more “friendlier” relationship, but the Wilson family have been rebooted at least theee times in both New52 and Rebirth, so who knows if they even still know each other now,

Rose and Eddie were very close friends in Teen Titans, and I think that getting Rose away from the madness of her family and father could be good for her character.

Eddie manages to convince her to join the “Outlaws”, but like Jason, she goes into it thinking that it’ll be a one-time thing. She cares a lot about Eddie, and sticks with the team to make sure that he’s doing alright. She probably could have an arc were Nightwing confronts her on her work in the Outlaws (since the other heroes see them as white-hat mercenaries) since he mentored her in being a hero, so it could be about dealing with what other people expect of her.

Essence

While L*bdell might be basically a shit writer, he does create interesting concepts. With a better writer, Essence could be a very interesting character, watching from the shadows and judging whether or not the Outlaws are actually “good” people, before she eventually starts taking a more active role in helping them punish criminals.

While she would at first interact solely with Jason, asking him questions about his deeds and ordering him in what direction she feels is best, she would eventually introduce herself to the rest of the group. I think she’d get along best with Komand’r, while the others might test her absolutism, Black-And-White morality a bit.

Rankorr (Jack Moore)

I know that there’s some people who want Guy Gardner to be Jason’s lantern, but what about a lantern who is close to Jason in age and actually fits the Outlaw theme?

Jack Moore is a Red Lantern, not only a Red Lantern, but the first human lantern who is also the first Red Lantern to be capable of creating constructs. He struggles with his rage, and deep down, he wants to enjoy a normal life on earth.

Maybe after Red Lantern (retconning Lobo or if not, he’s brought back using Red Lantern Blood Magic), he decides that the RL’s are a bit too cult-like for him and tries to lay low on Earth, finishing his literature degree and opening up a small bookstore somewhere in London. He’s close with Guy, but still can’t/refuses to let go of his rage, so Jack is still a RL

Of course, keeping his rage at bay is hard work, and after witnessing police brutality one more time, he loses control.

The Outlaws were hired by the family of the victim to make the officers see justice, but after seeing Jack work, they realize that this might be their easiest case yet.

Afterwards, Jack tries to downplay the entire thing (before resorting to threats when the Outlaws won’t listen), but Jason eventually convinced him that his talents would be wasted just being a civilian (and that his rage will only get worse if he continues to just let it boil without an “outlet”) so he joins the team

Blackfire

I’ve read Komand’r’s backstory, I know how bad it looks. However, in a medium where retcons and reimaginings are features instead of bugs (and can benefit a character’s story if done right), I really think it could be possible to make her work.

After reading New52 RHATO, I began thinking that it could be so much better if not only Eddie took Roy’s spot, but also if Komand’r took Starfire’s, since I feel like she had more potential beyond “Kori’s evil disabled sister”, “War Criminal” and “Struggling queen of Tamaran”

First, I’d change her pre-reboot backstory so instead of taking over the Gordanians, she is instead captured by them after Starfire frees her from the Psions (Komand’r still hates her sister and refuses to follow her). Through her clever mind and manipulations, she manages to earn favor with Lord Damyn, feigning romantic interest. Of course, given Komand’r’s nature, she ends up killing and replacing him, but her rule doesn’t go over well and she is again recaptured, but this time she’s brought to Earth.

Realizing that she’s now trapped on the planet whete her sister has become a successful and popular hero, Komand’r is at first angry, and then conspires to free herself and take revenge on her sister (who she still blames for everything despite that not being the case).

The Outlaws bust the alien trafficking ring, and Komand’r, seeing her chance, decides to show off and make nice with them to eventually use them for her revenge.

She finds Eddie and Rankorr easy to manipulate, but she bumps Heads with Jason whenever she tries to take his role as leader away from him and finds Rose’s mind to be “weak”. Overtime however, she bonds with Jason over feeling inferior to their siblings, realizes that her anger shares Rankorr’s intensity, and grows a genuine friendship with Rose and Eddie

Oh yeah, and maybe she tries to make things right with Kori

Artemis Grace

What would the Outlaws be without the greatest Amazon to have ever lived? Nothing, that’s for sure.

While I don’t agree with Jaytemis (at least not yet), I have to admit that Jason would be a fool not to like her. She’s a cool, confident character with a lot of interesting lore behind her.

Her joining will probably be pretty close to canon. The Outlaws are tasked with going after Black Mask, and Jason decides to go undercover, as the Red Hood still has his fingers in various criminal pies. While investigating, he runs into Artemis, who is looking for the Bow of Ra, and rest is history.

I feel like she’ll get along really well with Rose and Komand’r and maybe she’ll date one. She’ll definitely view Eddie a bit dismissively, and she isn’t a huge fan of demons. Rankorr would probably come off as stuck up to her.

Bizarro

Anyone who knows me will know that I’m am not a huge fan of Bizarro clones. I consider them to be an overused concept (that sometimes feels as if it relies on gene superiority, but idk if I’ll ever fully process my dislike for them), and the fact that as the time I’m writing this, there are at least four currently in continuity does not enamor me with the concept more.

However, after re-reading RHATO a few times, I’ll admit that the Outlaws’ Bizarro has grown on me. Since he already kinda has a unique name (Bizz), all I think he needs is a more visually distinct costume (doesn’t even have to directly reference Superman, but I can go 50/50 on the backwards “S”)

The Outlaws getting Bizz is exactly the same as canon. I’d imagine that he and Eddie would be as close as brothers. While Rankorr might find Bizz’s way of thinking and speaking to be annoying, I’d think that Rankorr will eventually warm up to him and probably teach him how to read and help Artemis teach him. Komand’r and Rose will probably be less receptive to him, but who knows

August Heart

I’m a Godspeed fan first and human second, we’ve been knew.

In all seriousness, Godspeed is the perfect Rebirth era character for RHATO and the fact that he and Jason still haven’t met is why DC doesn’t have any rights.

Okay okay, but he’s honestly a perfect fit. Like Jason, he also kills when dealing with crimes, but he isn’t so good and knowing who’s guilty and who isn’t just yet.

This will probably be after Death of the Speedforce, with August finally making things right with Barry, but still not forgiving himself for everything that happened. Deciding to self-exile himself rather than go back to Iron Heights, August travels, trying to figure out what do to do next, trying to follow Barry’s rules (which he finds to be very wishy-washy) to the best of his ability.

Eventually, he learns that Black Hole is still running, and against his better instincts, he goes after them.

His trail of lightning destruction catches the eye of the Outlaws.

Barry, realizing that his best-friend might need someone who can actually be there all the time to help reign him in, Barry goes to the Outlaws and asks them if they can help him once they catch up to him

They do in the form of offering a spot on the team.

August is very self-assured (even if it is hiding a softer, more emotional center), but has proven to be able to work with others, so I can see the other Outlaws coming to like him. They might find him a little cocky/early to jump the gun, but still a trusted and valued member of the team.

Since every Robin has their own flash, it only makes sense to finally give Jason (and have them date) a speedster of his own, and it should be someone who fits his morals, and who else could Then the speedster fans literally call “The Red Hood of the Flashfam”?

Final Thoughts

Other possible members I would consider/accept are

Eradicator Superman

Koryak

Vanessa Kapatelis/Silver Swan lll

Simon Amal (Crux)

Danny Chase

Clone!Roy Harper

Connor Hawke

Orm Marvius

Man O’ War

Lagoon Boy

Scarlet

Zachary Zatara

Thomas Merlyn

Ragman

Bleez

Walter West

Even with a cast as sizable as the one I just listed, with a good enough writer, there could still a few minor side characters. I would personally want the them to be

Scarlet: Jason’s former sidekick. She could be either a civilian who he talks to get experience some normalcy or the leader of her own version of the Outlaws made of up the Generation Outlaws we meet in RHATO #37-40. Either way, it could contrast with Bruce and the way he (mis)treats his own sidekicks and family

Zachary Zatara: Eddie’s old friend who helped him get his devil powers. Zachary would definitely be worried over Eddie once again accepting Neron’s power and will want to try to help. Whether he suceeds or not will depend if the writers want to go in that direction

Isabel Ardila: She’s a nothing character, but there’s a small chance that with a better writer, she might gain an interesting personality or an actual purpose in RHATO

Talia Al Ghul: before the reboot, Talia was Jason’s mentor figure and even gave him a cool dagger. It would be so cool if we can bring that back and erase Morrison’s problematic charactization of her. Maybe the dagger she gives Jason could be an All-Blade or smth. They’d definitely take a few cases from her however

Batfam, Titans and respective groups: it would have to happen eventually. It could lead to some interesting, angst filled conversations. And who knows, maybe they’ll actually make progress with their issues

But this post has gone on long enough. I just really wanted to talk a bit about my ideal Outlaws team that I will never see anywhere except for my dreams because mass media hates me and DC still thinks that Lobdell deserves to write Jason 😔😭

#rhato #red hood and the outlaws #jason todd #eddie bloomberg #rose wilson #essence (dc) #rankorr #jack moore #komand'r #artemis grace #artemis of bana mighdall #bizarro #august heart #godspeed #jaugust #redspeed #jaygust #my post #long post #i have a lot of rhato feelings okay? #danny chase #simon amal #crux #eradicator superman #koryak #outlaws

[noctisfishing]

The Last One Wins | 03

01 | 02 | 03 | 04

Notes: This chapter is mainly why I’ve included the warning for minor Kizuna spoilers. And, not really a spoiler, but I made sure I got the name of Koushiro’s company correct in this. We have Kou/Izzy to thank for everything that happens in this chapter. <3

Hope you enjoy this one!

Chapter 3: The Admission of Defeat

It took a few weeks for Matt to get used to living in space. Even after a few years of intensive training, he found it interesting to get a grasp on the absence of gravity, and being used to being suspended midair.

Before taking off, Matt and his fellow crew members were surprised to find out that they would be the first group to test out video conferencing capabilities in the International Space Station. All five agencies, including JAXA and NASA, had been working with Izumi Corporation for implementation by the time the next crew arrived at the station. Matt wouldn't have thought that Izzy would reveal that it had been a top secret project even to him, but it was nice to chat with a friendly face occasionally while they were both on the job.

Matt had gotten along with the group of crew members with him, but he always looked forward to his weekly video calls with Sora. He had to hand it to Izzy - six months without being able to see the love of his life, and otherwise communicating minimally through email and video recordings would have been a very lonely time.

There was one particular call a few months in space that Matt had been both looking forward to and dreading at the same time.

It was always a joy for him to see Sora's eyes light up the moment her face appeared on screen and she realized he was looking at her on his side of the atmosphere.

"Hey, Sora," Matt said with a smile. He was dressed down to a casual cotton shirt and jeans since it was his day off.

"Well, if it isn't the 'space man'!" Tai said from the top corner of the screen.

"Matt?!" Mimi's face appeared. "Oh, look at you!"

"Hey, guys!" Matt replied as the whole gang of faces, including his brother, his friends, and their respective spouses, of which the female counterparts had enlarged bellies at various stages of their pregnancies. He had known that Yolei's baby had the earliest due date, thereby making Ken win the Takari Bet, but there had been other news that he had been waiting to tell everyone until that moment.

Izzy was there, too, giving a friendly wave, and even Joe had shown up; he usually made a rare appearance since he was so busy.

But Matt was amused at how Sora managed to convince every one of their friends to gather together this time around.

"Sora must've given you a convincing reason to show up today," Matt said with a chuckle.

"Why wouldn't we be here?" Davis chimed in, seeming to squeeze in between Tai and Izzy. "We wanted to talk to Mr. Cool Guy In Space!"

"It is pretty neat to see how normal it can look up there," Iori observed.

"Aside from that pen floating by his head," added Kari.

Matt looked to Sora who had been smiling but keeping her lips tight. He flashed a knowing smile.

"Sora, why don't you tell them what's really happening?"

"What?"

Every head turned to Sora, and her smile grew from ear to ear.

"Everyone," she began, after taking a deep breath. "I'm finally ready to tell you - I'm pregnant!"

The cheers erupted on Sora's end of the call. Mimi was the first to leap toward Sora to hug her. Matt laughed as he watched Tai, Davis, and TK cheering in excitement.

Matt was relieved that it was out in the open. He was the first to find out about a month into being in the International Space Station, when he and Sora cried with joy together over video chat. Seeing her glowing smile as she hugged all of her friends urged him to break into tears once again.

"I... guess I'm having... a kid last then...eh... Matt?" Tai said, putting his arm around Sora after they exchanged a hug.

Matt hoped that his glare pierced through Tai all the way from space. He knew that Tai's dragged out question was to emphasize his smug acknowledgment of achievement. Matt had known all along that he wasn't going to win the Takari Bet. He had already mentally accepted defeat; the only thing he dreaded was the moment that Tai discovered his inevitable victory.

Besides that, Sora still hadn't known about their competition, and Matt wasn't about to let Tai tell her about it now.

But Sora raised her brow as she looked at Tai's smirk.

"I wouldn't be surprised, given that you're a kid in a grown man's body," Sora replied.

Matt couldn't have been happier to see the change of Tai's expression.

"Hey, I got married, didn't I? That makes me a grown up."

"Yeah," said Matt. "She still married a kid."

"Matt's right," Tai's wife said in the background.

Sora and Matt began to laugh as Tai was at a loss on how to respond next. He and his own wife - he loved how they made a great team against Tai.

Their laughter was cut short, however, when they heard an odd groan from off camera.

"Whoa, honey, you alright?" Davis asked as he and the others turned to the direction where the sound came from. Sora and Tai disappeared and Davis followed quickly. TK appeared on camera next.

"TK, what's going on?" Matt asked.

But Davis' loud announcement answered for him: "We've gotta go. Her water just broke!"

Davis' words were of cheer, and Matt swore he heard some mischievous cackling. Although no one else said anything, Matt knew why. The due date for Davis' baby was set for after Yolei's baby. At that moment, Yolei screamed as she jumped up out of her chair.

"No!" she cried, and everyone fell silent as they looked at her. "...way!" she added.

"Don't start this now, Yolei," Matt heard Ken say as he grabbed her shoulders and walked toward the door where everyone else was headed. Ken had put his brave face on, knowing how this affected the Takari Bet. He also seemed to show a slight tinge of annoyance, but Matt could only empathize with the other man who also had to admit defeat.

Then Kari appeared on screen, and Sora popped in next to TK soon after. "Hey hon," Sora said. "Looks like the party's over. We're all heading to the hospital soon."

"Okay, then," said Matt. "Love you."

"Love you!" Sora said before disappearing again. "TK, turn off the camera?"

"Hai, Onee-san!" said TK.

"Aren't you both going, too?" Matt asked TK and Kari next to him, who grinned with giddiness.

"In a bit." TK then shared a glance with Kari before looking at the camera and lowering his voice. "Listen, when you get back, do you think you could spare some yen?"

Knowing this was referring to Ken's loss, Matt responded with, "You can make 5000 yen easily, TK."

"It's 25,000," Kari replied.

Matt grimaced. "That's still money you can make, but you really put that much money for your bets?"

"I bet the 5K on Ken being first.. And you know me and Kari, we go all in for our big bros."

Matt rolled his eyes as TK smiled with his tongue sticking out.

"Sora said to turn off the camera."

"You love me, right?"

"We'll talk later, TK. Bye, Kari."

Matt ignored the air smooches that TK and Kari scrunched their lips together side by side as Matt pushed to end the call.

~*~*~*~*~*~

About a month before Matt was set to return to Japan, Sora sent a message for him to get in touch with her as soon as he could. It had become the norm for them to have weekly video chats, so having a call in the middle of the week was out of the ordinary for him.

In fact, Matt was worried about why she wanted to talk to him so soon. He wondered if something went wrong back on Earth; maybe, if she found out some news about the baby.

When her face appeared on the video call screen, he couldn't read her expression.

"Hey, love," she said. "I hope I didn't catch you at a bad time."

"No, not at all, Sora," Matt replied, trying to hide his anxiety as he waited for her reason.

"There's someone I want you to see."

Someone? His eyes immediately moved to her stomach, where he saw that she was still carrying their first born inside of her belly.

Sora laughed as she recognized where he was looking. "I knew you'd assume it was the baby. We've still got a ways to go."

Matt had to laugh in relief. He expected to be at her side the moment their child was born and he wouldn't have missed it for the world.

"Okay, then, who is this someone?" he asked.

That was when Sora moved to the side from the camera and Matt drew in a long breath of surprise.

A familiar face appeared and drew closer to the screen, her bright blue eyes blinking and her beak seeming to touch the screen from the other side. Her pink feathers nearly covered the whole screen.

"Matt! Sora? Can he see me?"

"You don't have to stand so close to it, Biyomon," said Sora, giggling.

Matt was at a loss for words.

"Do you remember how Izzy said he would find a way to bring our Digimon back to us?" Sora asked Matt. "He found a way, Matt. He did it."

Matt's eyes began to sting with tears while he saw Sora wipe her eyes with the back of her hands. He remembered the very moment his own Digimon partner was gone, and those times afterward when he cradled Sora in his arms as she cried about losing hers.

"And now Sora has a Digi-Egg in her tummy!" Biyomon chirped.

"Is that what you told her?" Matt asked Sora, laughing as he wiped his tears away.

"I promise to help take care of your daughter in any way that I can!"

"Before you ask, Matt," Sora added. "She's not the only one who wants to help."

Matt couldn't believe his eyes with what happened next. Sora and Biyomon turned to look off camera, and Sora spoke a name that, even as he'd hoped, Matt didn't think he would hear again.

"Gabumon, why are you so far away?" Biyomon asked.

"Sora said not to stand so close to the camera," Gabumon said with a pout.

"Come over here, so that Matt can see you!" Sora said.

As soon as the blue furried Digimon appeared on screen, he blinked and he smiled cheerfully.

"It's so good to see you, Matt," he said.

"Gabumon…"

Matt couldn't stop crying. He wondered if he was crying as hard as he did when Gabumon disappeared before his very eyes. His tears blurred his vision, and he might have been convinced that Gabumon would disappear as soon as the tears washed the unbelievable sight away.

"Gabumon, are you real?" Matt had to ask.

"As real as the Digi-Egg inside of Sora!" Gabumon said with a grin.

"She told you that, too."

Matt was laughing now with his tears streaming down. That moment was enough to believe that Gabumon was real, and so was Biyomon, and the fact that only Izzy would find the miracle to bring the Digimon partners back. He couldn't wait to return home to hold Sora, and to hug Gabumon, two figures of his life that made him feel whole.

#digimon fanfiction #sorato #ishida yamato #matt ishida #takenouchi sora #sora takenouchi #noctiswriting #rated m #last one wins #sorato fanfiction