#one time i looked up fox and was genuinely surprised that we’ve never actually seen him without his helmet off?

[makeste]

BnHA Chapter 325: Deku VS the Outside of U.A. ~Conclusion~

Previously on BnHA: Ochako was all “dear bloodthirsty mob, this kid you see standing before you has fought harder than anyone and put his life on the line to protect you all, so please chill the fuck out, jesus christ. like, putting aside that he’s humanity’s best hope and so it’s very much in your best interests to let him rest and recover someplace safe so that he can keep fighting for us, are y’all seriously going to turn away an injured and exhausted child in front of his sobbing mother?? seriously?? come on now.” I’m paraphrasing here but that’s basically how it went down. Anyway so then the mob was all, “...” and Deku collapsed to his knees in tears, and Gigantic Fox Lady and Kouta ran over to give him a hug but then the chapter ended.

Today on BnHA: Horikoshi is all “FINE, YOU CAN HUG HIM”, which, was that so hard?? The U.A. Clown Mob is all “come to think of it, we’ve kind of been taking the heroes for granted this entire time, maybe we should be less passive in the future. anyway so Deku if it’s not too much to ask, can you please save everyone and fix everything.” Deku is all “I sure can, and by the way I forgive you for swarming around all menacingly two minutes ago and trying to deny me basic shelter and stuff.” Ectoplasm is all, “hey Todogang get a load of this. [walks in a circle].” Hawks is all, “that’s literally the greatest thing I’ve ever seen.” Rat Principal is all, “anyway so that’s what your students did today, hope you’re enjoying your new *~*ROBOT LEG*~*, Aizawa.” Aizawa is all “[lots of exposition about Kurogiri and for some reason, Toga, while being all brooding and sexy].” All Might is all “[standing here right outside of U.A. doing absolutely nothing and being foreboding AF]” and that immediately sucked away all of the warm fuzzy feelings from the hugs, goddammit.

each new week has become a waiting game of “when will Deku finally get to take a bath so people will actually be willing to go near him and give him the hugs he deserves.” the stakes have never been so compelling. I’ve almost forgotten about AFO entirely

lmaoooooo

me: for the love of god will someone please give Deku a hug before I die of old age

Mineta: YOU GOT IT!! --

Iida: [SWIFTLY CUTS HIM OFF] NOT YOU

fucking losing it at Mineta’s crying face. he really wanted to hug him. I legit feel bad but this is also the funniest thing I have seen all week, omg

somehow Kouta, who last week was only a hand’s breadth away from touching Deku’s head, is now twenty miles away from him in this new chapter

can I make a Loki reference here. is this recap a good place to insert a joke about someone using a TVA time-rewinding device to fuck with my poor boy Kouta over here. well anyway there it is

AND NOW HE’S BACK ALL OF A SUDDEN OMG

(ETA: since when is he “niichan” omg?? can’t handle this cuteness.)

BUT THEY’RE STILL NOT HUGGING HIM FFFFKFFFFF. WHAT DO I HAVE TO DO. WHO DO I HAVE TO BRIBE AND/OR BLACKMAIL

OH NO KOUTA IS CRYING THAT’S IT I’M DONE FOR

“when I heard that lady I knew that I had to go, but then stop again within inches of actually touching you because you smell like week-old rotten onions.” listen Kouta, I’m not saying I don’t get it, but you all can’t keep doing this to me. it’s the way you guys keep teasing it. like, if you’re gonna hug him, hug him. don’t just stand there with your arms held rigidly out in front of you like a molded action figure

OH MY GOSH BUT HE SAID THE THING

KOUTA SWOOPING IN AT THE LAST MINUTE TO TAKE ALL THE CREDIT FOR FIXING DEKU LIKE THAT ONE KID IN THE GROUP PROJECT WHO DOES ABSOLUTELY NOTHING BUT STILL TAGS HIS NAME ONTO THE REPORT ANYWAY, WHAT A KNAVE

GASP

(  ´͈ ᗨ `͈ )

SHE PICKED HIM UP LIKE A LITTLE BABY OMG?? she just leaned right over and lifted this child like he was a small animal. like a lil baby futon that she was about to hang up to dry. oh my god

-- HEY WHAT

(: well that’s extremely fucked up. though sadly not too surprising given what we just saw these past couple chapters

incidentally, I hope that anyone who was legitimately defending the civilians’ perspective earlier takes note here of how quickly that line of thinking -- “we’re just trying to keep our families safe” and all that-- can lead to straight up bigotry. if you’re willing to deny a child shelter and protection simply because he’s not YOUR child, and because you’ve decided based on Internet rumors (no real-world parallels there, I’m sure) that he might present a threat, it’s really not that much further of a leap to discriminating against entire groups of people simply because you perceive those groups as being dangerous. I’m sure the people who turned Gigantic Fox Lady away also told themselves afterwards that they did it to protect their families. “better safe than sorry.” “she’ll be fine, someone will take her in, but as for us, we can’t afford to take that risk.” people can come up with all kinds of justifications for treating other people as less than human, and the really scary thing about it is how fucking easy it is

one last quick side note, which is that Horikoshi does a great job here of showing how scapegoating works, given that AFO is the one who’s really to blame and who presents the actual threat, and yet Deku is the one who ultimately winds up being the target of the mob’s fear and outrage despite him being as much of a victim as they are. gotta love that irony, which unfortunately plays out far too often in the real world as well.

anyway I’ll get off my soapbox now, sorry about that. let us continue

YES, FINALLY OH MY GOD!!!!

AND THAT’S THE STORY OF HOW GIGANTIC FOX LADY BECAME THE GREATEST HERO. PACK IT ALL UP, WE’RE DONE HERE KIDS

holy shit. the real MVP right there. thanks for getting it done champ

jesus christ I have had it up to here with these people

literally the bar is set so low at this point that I’ll go ahead and take it. helping him because it offers them a tactical advantage is at least one step up from not helping him at all

“WHY NOT SHIKETSU” MOTHERFUCKER I SWEAR TO GOD

-- thank you!!

okay this one guy with the antennae hair is having himself a character development speedrun here

-- okay, but this part?? fucking this part, right here??

can we repeat that again?? the part where this guy acknowledges that the problems of hero society were caused not just by said heroes, but also by said society?? the part where he acknowledges that they treated the heroes like celebrities who were putting on a show for them?? the part where he acknowledges that when push came to shove, the vast majority of those heroes, when faced with a situation that offered no reward, were nonetheless willing to put their lives on the line to protect the very same people who then turned around and blamed them rather than thanking them?? are the civilians of BnHA even allowed to have actual deep thoughts about this stuff. holy shit

bro!!

ANTENNAE HAIR GUY SHOVING KOUTA AND GIGANTIC FOX LADY OUT OF THE WAY TO SLAP HIS NAME ONTO THE END CREDITS AS EXECUTIVE PRODUCER. CONGRATULATIONS SON YOU FIGURED OUT THE CORE PHILOSOPHICAL QUESTION AT THE VERY HEART OF THE MANGA. WAY TO GO BUD

meanwhile, on today’s episode of “one more chapter to go till the big volume cliffhanger, how else can I drag things out let’s see”

it’s a panel. of people’s feet. just a bunch of normal feet. with sneakers and shit

this All Might shirt guy is getting more screentime in this arc than 90% of the class 1-A kids

I guess I’m supposed to feel sorry for this dude now that he’s all “if we let you stay here do you promise to somehow magically fix every single problem that we are now currently facing?” those are some ridiculously exacting standards my dude. come on now

KACCHAN SIGHTING

thank fuck I’m not the only one who’s thoroughly unimpressed by absolutely all of this lol. I feel better now. meanwhile Iida and Kouda and Kiri are ready to run over there and hug them all. you guys are way too forgiving. damn you and your pure hearts

anyway so Deku’s like “yeah, definitely”

(ETA: almost forgot to comment on the “I’m no longer alone” part – he basically corrects the guy and says “sorry, but you’ll need to direct that question towards all of us, not just me, because moving forward we’re a team.” good stuff.)

you know what though, all joking aside... fuck yeah. because perfect victory, right. the strongest guys don’t settle for anything less. so I guess Deku has pretty exacting standards himself

also can you all just take a look at this fucking kid who’s got so much light in his eyes now that I���m gonna need eclipse goggles. hot damn. “you’re welcome” says All Might Shirt Guy as he is frantically interviewed by several local news networks asking him how he daringly managed to save Deku all by himself. “well I guess I’ve just never been the kind of guy who can sit back and let a bunch of rabble-rousers blame a little kid for all of humanity’s problems. someone had to step in and take action, you know?”

oH MY GOD THE SCENE IS FINALLY ENDING

don’t let the door hit you on your way out All Might Shirt Guy

but meanwhile, sudden Tododrama action??

oh shit

there are honestly so many ways in which Ochako’s very moving speech could have wildly backfired that I genuinely have no clue where this is headed lol. how exciting!!

so now Horikoshi is once again stalling for time with random filler panels, but this one is 10x better than the shoes lol omg

(1) was Ectoplasm’s jacket always this oversized. (2) did you guys know that if you go back to chapter 319 you can see that Horikoshi gave us a sneak peak at Enji’s Sad Detective disguise and I in fact made a joke about it in the 319 recap not realizing it was actually the stone cold truth. (3) did Shouto deliberately speed up out of impatience because Hawks was walking so fucking slow and he couldn’t take it any longer. (4) and what, I ask you, is up with these dramatic speedlines. so many mysteries here. what a masterpiece

everyone is acting all shocked about something ahh what’s going on

wait what

what the heck. did they just loop around behind everyone. what was the point of that lol. “anyway, so this is what they look like from the back” well okay, thanks for that Ectoplasm

(ETA: so it seems like they were actually hanging out someplace else away from the crowd this whole time, I guess? here I thought they had more faith in Enji’s disguise. I guess Shouto and Hawks don’t particularly want to attract this crowd’s attention themselves right now either, though.)

I am so fucking confused lmao

speaking of All Might WHERE THE FUCK IS HE lol. but yes, good, OFA brings everyone together, and Hawks is very deeply moved about this out of the blue all of a sudden. you know how it is

aw heck yeah now this is another filler panel I can get behind

Mineta really wants that hug, good lord. I genuinely love this actually. Mineta if you could just stay little and cute and keep crying about how much you love your classmates in a non-gross way for the rest of the series I would be so appreciative. you’re doing great

IIDA IS HOLDING DEKU’S HAND THIS IS NOT A DRILL. ONE TIME WASN’T ENOUGH FOR MY MAN HE’S ADDICTED NOW

what did I tell you. Kiri wants to get all of the mob’s autographs now. Kiri you’re a peach

Shouji having a conversation with another mutant type is a very nice touch! we really need to get to his backstory soon. I feel like that casual remark from GFL earlier was kind of hinting at more to come

is this the first time we’ve ever seen the Yaoyorictionary in action?? never forget that Viz tried to call it the “Yaoyorozu Reference Book” because they hate fun

last but not least, KAMIBAKU IS BACK ON THE MENU, FUCK YEAH. Kaminari trying to spice things up and introduce a little bit of controversy by smacking Kacchan on the back of the head for god knows what. I will be deeply disappointed after this if I can’t find at least one person unironically declaring that KamiBaku is now toxic and abusive

lfkdlWLWK TODODRAMA??

oh my god. Shouto’s face. Enji’s face. the back to “oyaji” again. the blunt, not-taking-no-for-an-answer, “I don’t know how much louder the universe can scream at you that doing things alone is not it, so hopefully you got the point” directness of it. fffdlkslj I’m so ready for this Horikoshi please don’t fuck it up my expectations are so high

HOLY FUCK

I SCROLLED DOWN AND HE WAS ALL “( ❛‿❛)” AND I JUST WASN’T FUCKING EXPECTING THAT OKAY. JESUS CHRIST. GIVE ME A SEC

lol okay moment over and now Enji’s pulling his hat down all dramatically like a world-weary Cowboy

OH MY GOD WERE YOU FACETIMING??

AHHHHHHHHH

(ETA: not to put Iida down or anything, but it’s kind of strange that Aizawa is all “the class rep sure did great” when Ochako is the one that was giving that whole big speech for like twenty minutes just now lol.)

(ETA 2: “thank god Iida stepped in just in the nick of time to keep Mineta from hugging Deku.” sorry Mineta I really do like you lately but it’s still low-hanging fruit lol.)

HE LOOKS SO SAD??! HE LOOKS LIKE HEARTBREAK ITSELF??! I AM BESOUGHT WITH THE URGE TO REACH INTO MY SCREEN AND PULL HIM INTO THE SAFETY OF MY ARMS??? MY GOD, AND I THOUGHT DEKU NEEDED HUGS

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH okay I was gonna just hold down the letter H for a full minute and count it out loud but within about ten seconds I realized I needed to chill lol

-- but then again NO, I DON’T NEED TO CHILL, I HAVE ZERO CHILL, ACTUALLY, BECAUSE IT’S AIZAWA WITH A ROBOT LEG AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

COMPLETE WITH ROBOT TOES FOR THAT EXTRA TOUCH OF AUTHENTICITY!! I LIKE HOW HORIKOSHI PUT ALL THIS EXTRA “!!!” EMPHASIS AROUND IT IN CASE WE COULD SOMEHOW POSSIBLY FAIL TO TAKE NOTICE. “REMEMBER, EVERYONE?” SAYS HORIKOSHI HELPFULLY. “REMEMBER THAT TIME AIZAWA CHOPPED OFF HIS OWN LEG?” oh wow now that you mention it we somehow forgot all about that. like who do you take us for

OH NO NOT THE SAD BOYFRIEND ANGST THAT I WAS SECRETLY LOOKING FORWARD TO WITH GLEE

well at least he’s not M.I.A. or back with the villains again like I thought he might be. still, that’s gotta be brutal to know your friend is in there somewhere, but to not be able to reach him again no matter how hard you try. that’s the kind of angst that pays off in final battles just when you most expect it. such is my hope, at any rate

what’s this now??

trying to decide if this is Horikoshi’s way of saying don’t worry about that, or his way of saying definitely worry about that lol

anyway so Aizawa is out here being all irresponsibly handsome once again. when is someone going to do something about him

here for Sexy Robot Leg Eyepatch Aizawa clenching his fists and making speeches about revenge. pretty sure we’re all here for that

WELL, WELL, WELL

IT’S ABOUT FUCKING TIME

I’M VERY GLAD YOU’RE ALIVE AND SEEMINGLY WELL, THOUGH!

BUT WHAT THE ACTUAL FUCK THOUGH, ALL MIGHT

ffff. bracing myself for that cliffhanger next week. you’d better not touch one hair on this man’s head Horikoshi. I’m watching you 

#bnha 325 #midoriya izuku #u.a. clown mob #class 1-a #aizawa shouta #bnha #boku no hero academia #bnha spoilers #mha spoilers #bnha manga spoilers #makeste reads bnha

[dgcatanisiri]

I won’t say this is my last word on the subject of Legendary Edition bullshit, because... Well, I know myself enough to be able to say that I NEVER have a last word, I’ll always want to rant again later on. But let’s just make this a sort of master post of the issues overall.

So... Is it fair to hold a game that is a good roughly fifteen years old to the standards of the present? Not inherently. So if the games were being produced in any sort of unedited format, that it was a strict translation, 1:1 ratio, of the original to the remaster... Honestly, I’d still be bitter as all get out, for reasons I’ll expound on in a minute. But it could at least SEEM justified. I could consider it the kind of thing that would be expected - if KOTOR got a remaster today, I would not expect that Carth and Bastila would be made into bi love interests, or Juhani would have her romance patched up so that it has the same level of detail and attention as the het romances. If Jade Empire were remastered, I wouldn’t be surprised to see Sky or Silk Fox’s same sex romances adapted so that the straight romances had to be closed out first. That is the kind of thing that, on a functional, practical level, I could understand. Doing a translation from old hardware, the old engine, I get the PRACTICAL reasoning for not making things better. I still object to this on the moral level, to say nothing of the representational one. But PRACTICALLY, I see why - y’know, there’s only so much financial resources going in, and changing things like romances, even if justified, means doing new writing and getting the voice cast back in, which has complications the longer since a game’s original release - actors retire or even die, the passage of time changes voices (like listen to the difference of the exact same lines by James Earl Jones between both versions of the Lion King). Even without those complications, that means paying them, which, in the production of video games, for everything that goes in, something else must go out. So that is the practical argument.

BUT!

But.

But, the thing is, even apart from everything else that I’ll get in to shortly, is that there have been a lot of claims from BioWare about inclusion. There have also been A LOT. of homophobic bullshit from BioWare and Mass Effect. And yes, I’m calling it like I see it.

Because we had the game that followed Jade Empire, with a M/M romance option, be Mass Effect, with NO M/M romance option (but FemShep and Liara could bang - the writing obviously favored the MaleShep portrayal, given that there was no marketing use of FemShep until ME3, and we had ME2 give priority to having loyalty conflicts between MALE Shepard’s romances, but not Female Shepard’s, and we even had BioWare hem and haw about how “well, the asari are monogender, so they’re not TECHNICALLY women, so it’s not REALLY lesbians...”). Because the official claim is that they just “didn’t think about it” in time to have these options included in Mass Effect 1. Because we’ve had writers now come out that Jacob Taylor was originally written as a gay man, but in the game itself was a straight man. Because there are plenty of women who throw themselves at Male Shepard, and Shepard is animated with having Significant Looks™ with these women, but not a single man who expresses any interest in him, until ME3 finally offers SOMETHING, which came to just Kaidan and Cortez.

Because we had one of BioWare’s heads, one of BioWare’s founders, say in an interview right around the release of Mass Effect 2 say “Shepard is too predefined a character to be gay.”

That is what I mean by homophobic bullshit.

And I haven’t even started on Mass Effect Andromeda.

And I’m gonna start on Mass Effect Andromeda now.

So after ME3, after Kaidan and Cortez were actually romances, we honestly gave them a lot of faith - they got the message, we said. They understood that they couldn’t just cut out M/M romance in the game, we said. They didn’t need to have the constant observation that demanded they provide good representation, we said.

And then they cut Jaal’s bisexuality, leaving him straight on release, without even a chance to flirt and be turned down, the bisexual male character who did remain not only was planet bound, he also is a character who a solid argument can be made that he falls into the trope of the Depraved Bisexual, a trope that over in Dragon Age, Patrick Weekes specifically said that they wanted to avoid and so didn’t make a character bisexual because of that. And the gay man is not only almost totally disconnected from the game (aside from one point in the plot, he can be avoided entirely and is not included in almost any other group setting among the Tempest crew), he is also an accessory in his own plot line, which was also heavily criticized for being intensely homophobic. And of these, the only thing BioWare deigned to change was Jaal’s bisexuality. (Which, personal note, I’m uncomfortable with personally, because as it’s implemented, it just feels kind of afterthought-y. Much like Kaidan’s in ME3, being unchanged from a new FemShep romance, despite the active inability to romance him in ME1.)

So it is not just a matter of “you have the ability, you’re changing other things, you should do this.” I mean, that is absolutely there - the mods exist for the original game, to the point of being able to even get the romance scene to fire right without Shepard’s gender magically changing once the clothes come off. (I have a vague memory of, at some point, probably around the “too predefined” comment, that being another excuse, that there was difficulty with having the models play nice with one another in that scene.)

But this is about addressing a pattern of behavior on the part of BioWare, that they have to be dragged, kicking and screaming, to the bare minimum that their own statements on matters of representation and inclusion claim they aspire to. That if the fans are not actively holding their feet to the fire, they are GOING to take their fans for granted - “you don’t get better quality content elsewhere, we’re your only choice!” But “only” choice is not a “good” choice. It’s not a choice with quality.

So if we don’t make a big damn deal about this now, when they have a chance - when they have a CHOICE - to make things better, to provide better representation, to correct the mistakes of the past... What will we get in the future? How will they backtrack on this in the future? How will they exclude us in the game they just announced a few months back? How will they continue to tell us that they don’t want gay people in this setting?

Look, I don’t use these words lightly. But that is, whether it’s a conscious attitude at all or not, what they are telling us. By not including us, by making us optionally involved, by making us disposable within our own stories, by cutting out our content, they are saying that they do not envision a world, a future, that includes queer men.

And anyone who does not speak up, does not condemn this, does not demand that they DO. BETTER... That is tacit approval and agreement. Because you’re saying that things as they are now - the removal and undermining of our content, of our EXISTENCE in these games - are perfectly fine and acceptable.

And yeah, I’m sure that reading that has probably made some people mad, believe I’m being unfair by saying that, because it’s going to push away allies. Thing is, and this is one of the things that always comes up in anything even tangentially activism related... THIS ISN’T ABOUT THE FEELINGS OF THE ALLIES. This is about listening to the people who are being hurt and saying “you don’t deserve to be hurt this way, things need to change.”

BioWare needs to change its approach. And, as we have seen, it does not come just because of a handful of angry queers, demanding to be represented in their games. It comes because of the community at large calling them out and saying “this isn’t right. What you have done is not right, and we are calling on you to fix it. To do better.”

Don’t just stand there and shrug this off. Because evidence tells us that if they aren’t called out on this now, the next game will not be better. And we will be in this exact same place, having this exact same argument, all over again, in a few years when the next Mass Effect game comes out. When the queer men are given the shortest end of the stick again, and people who are right now saying “what do you expect from a remaster?” will either suddenly turn around and go “I don’t know why BioWare would do something so homophobic” or, worse, “well, it’s something, I don’t see why you’re upset.”

We’re upset because we keep having this argument. And we are going to keep having this argument until people are willing to actually DEMAND that things be better. This is the chance to make things better now.

At this point, a post-release patch that includes a Male Shepard/Kaidan romance in ME1 that is tracked through to the following games is a bare minimum fix, a change done to make it clear that BioWare understands their mistakes in the past and want to make things BETTER.

It may not be easy, but genuinely fixing problems never is. But it’s work that needs to be done.

#dg rants #bioware critical #mass effect #mass effect critical #dg gets pissed #another angry queer rant

[lokigodofaces]

thoughts on loki ep 2: the variant (spoilers)

under cut to not disturb your scrolling

Overall I enjoyed so that's good

Uh frick my mind blanked so sorry if things are completely out of order

I don't know, I expected the renaissance fair to be 2012 or 2021 or 2024 (Loki's time, our time, current time in the "sacred timeline"). So I was genuinely surprised when it was in 1985.

Ok, i really like the title card thing. And how the year scrolls around. It's a nice aesthetic touch there.

I wonder why the female Loki variant chooses her locations? Does she have a thing for renaissance fairs, French cathedrals, and Oklahoma?

1985 is when Back to the Future came out. And it's y'know, one of the most popular time travel movies ever. So I think they chose that year as a reference.

Again, not liking that the minutemen only have numbers, not names. It is giving me lots of Clone Wars vibes. If you don't know anything about Clone Wars, the clones are given number identifiers by the Kaminoans. Things like CT-7567. The clones would give themselves names (CT-7567, for example, names himself Rex). A really good sign throughout the series that someone is a sketchy person is if they call the clones by their numbers. The clones don't want to be known as numbers. They are people too, they deserve names, so they come up with all sorts of creative names (Rex, Fives, Cody, Tup, Hevy, Hardcase, Echo, Waxer, Boil, Wolffe, Jesse, Kix, Fox, Hunter, Wrecker, Crosshair, Omega, Tech, Matchstick, etc). The jedi respect this, and the only jedi that i can think of that called clones by their numbers is Krell, who fell to the dark side. the Kaminoans and other sketchy people all call them by their numbers and the clones don't like it. A big focus of the show is on the clone's agency (at the end, they all have brain chips that take away their agency and force them to kill jedi), and how the clones need to be respected. So for me to see in another series that people are only given numbers is bad. What's worse is that the minutemen are fine with this. They don't see it as dehumanizing or belittling. They are brainwashed into being okay with it. Which says a thing or two about the Time Keepers.

did. did the renaissance fair really have Bonnie Tyler's "Holding Out for a Hero" for their renaissance themed fight? Is this normal? Was it normal in the '80's? We saw later that the female Loki can do electronic stuff. Did she rig it to play it? For the vibes?

Also the stuff before the song was about fighting for a princess, and in the end she kidnaps C-20.

Okay, btw, I'm just gonna say Lady Loki for a while because no one has explicitly said Sylvie yet, so I'm going to refer to di Martino as Loki until she or another calls her Sylvie. Cool? Cool.

I was thinking the "Holding Out for a Hero" fight would be the roomba fight or something. It is such a good song that has huge potential for this genre. Why did they use it in a lame fight as that one?

When Lady Loki did the spell on C-20, it looked similar to what Wanda and Agatha can do. As in, it had similar visuals.

Loki reading a random magazine he finds while sitting with his feet on the desk bored out of his mind because he has to learn sh*t is a MOOD.

What is Miss Minutes? She can jump around anywhere, and pop into computers. But she can't be just a projection. She took the effort to dodge Loki swatting at her, so that may mean she was corporeal. She also could be something similar to the Kree's Supreme Intelligence?

So, did Mobius give Loki the shirt, tie, and slacks, but really didn't give him the jacket until they had to call him in? What? That makes no sense? Did the TVA not have any jackets with the variant label? Did someone have to custom design a jacket for Loki?

What is up with this show giving me things I wanted to see only in holographic form? First we saw Coulson's death, and now Loki in his Jotun form in a holograph of another variant.

Okay, Loki being someone the TVA has to constantly deal with is very on brand. Loki is a creature of chaos, of course he's going to unknowingly rebel against the sacred timeline.

Also, headcanon that the Jotun Loki we see is king of Jotunheim because that would be epic.

Also, for personal reasons I choose to believe there is a Loki variant that defeated the Avengers and immediately went queer rights.

Loki's reaction to there being many Loki variants. He's seen what his life is supposed to be. I think he is even more upset that the TVA often deals with him, that there are so many things that could have been instead if it weren't for the TVA and the "sacred timeline."

Also, I totally think Mobius was waiting for another Loki to show up to help him defeat Lady Loki. They get them so often, it makes sense.

Loki explaining the difference between illusion projection and duplication was great. And very helpful to me personally understanding lore. Also, Mobius, get your crap together. If you're a Loki expert, figure this stuff out.

Loki calling the TVA out on propaganda, we love that.

The wolf quote is actually very nice, I quite like it.

Okay, the TVA doesn't even bury or cremate or do any sort of ritual for their fallen minutemen, they just reset the timeline. Which to me seems like another way to show how little the TVA actually care for their workers.

There are statues of the Time Keepers in Ravonna's office. The camera pays extra attention to it. Keep reading for more about Time Keepers and cinematography choices.

What. What sort of relationship does Ravonna and Mobius have? What is going on there? I am really confused.

Who is this "analyst on the side?" What is going on there?

Ravonna is MEGA SUS. Along with that, the Time Keepers are mega sus.

She signs R. Slayer. Yeah. Slayer. Not at all subtle, Marvel. Letting us know that she'll do the deed if needed.

Mobius you are sending me mixed signals. What do you want?

Okay, Mobius saying Loki was a "cold, scared boy" and an "ice runt" and stuff was totally a jab at Loki being Jotun.

Mobius saying Loki is insecure because of Lady Loki is...probably true.

With the elevator, the camera stops and focuses on the Time Keepers.

The Creation of the TVA, the beginning of time, the end of time, all classified. That is sus.

Loki almost crying over Ragnarok was good. Let him cry over the destruction of his home.

Loki being the one to discover something the TVA had no idea about after a day is on brand for Loki. And it shows how the TVA really are vulnerable.

Mobius: Really? In front of my salad?

No but the object lesson was well done and actually did help me understand what Loki was talking about.

Casey! Casey drinks grape juice! Imagine how confusing this is for Casey though. Loki is captured, threatens to gut you like a fish (whatever that means), and now he's dressed like an analysist, stealing your juice box. Does Loki get Casey more juice?

Honestly, Loki looking at everything logically and scientifically is fantastic. Adds to the science = magic thing Marvel's got going on, since Loki is a sorcerer.

Loki saying volcanoes are cool is fun. I agree. Volcanoes mean the planet is geologically active, which means we won't die. Also, there is a volcano named Loki on one of Jupiter's moons. I wonder if the creators knew that and put Loki in Pompeii because he is already linked with volcanoes.

Mobius telling Loki to start off small and Loki completely disregarding that felt very personal to me.

Loki being absolutely chaotic and telling everyone they were going to die while speaking perfect Latin was iconic. I want more of that content. Let the man be buckwild.

Again, Loki finding something out after a day that the TVA never knew about is on brand.

"Be free, my horned friends, be free!" I love that way too much.

Mobius being obsessed with jet skis wasn't something I expected, but I'm down for it. Heck, even Loki admitted they were cool.

The discussion on beliefs is going to lead to saying the Time Keepers are bullcrap. Hopefully.

Grapes and nuts are "candy" on Asgard. So, when Loki was eating grapes in Ragnarok, we can interpret that as him eating M&Ms. Second, this might add to something I've seen around here. I've seen things about a book somewhere with Loki saying chocolate fountains are mythical (which is really funny to me). So, I guess Asgard really doesn't have chocolate.

Oh my gosh, so many apocalypses between 2047 and 2051...hopefully none of those happen in real life.

Roxxcart is probably part of Roxxon, something that has been around in Iron Man movies.

Lady Loki got the shovel thing from Roxxcart that she left in Oklahoma! The minutemen said it was from the early third millenia, which is where we are now! 2050 also fits that category!

I saw something about the file saying Class 8 hurricane...there are only 5 classes...which means this is a crazy storm.

Does B-15 want Loki dead? This is a legitimate question, because I think she does. Dead or pruned.

Loki looking around at the storm, I love it. This could be him loving science, or him missing Thor, since Thor creates storms. Also, at this point Loki probably things Thor dies shortly after him in the sacred timeline, so Loki would be particularly sentimental about Thor.

I love Loki drying himself off and not anyone else. And B-15 yelling about his magic. And Loki's motions are so fluid, it's so aesthetically pleasing, I love it.

Dudes, I thought B-15 was going to try to prune Loki when they were alone.

Okay, was Lady Loki bsing about the azalea sale, or does Roxxcart actually do that? I want to know.

Wunmi Mosaku did a really good job as Lady Loki, I loved it.

Loki being annoyed at Lady Loki and saying he understood how Thor felt, does that insinuate Loki can do what Lady Loki was doing?

B-15 and C-20 were both very shaken after being possessed by Lady Loki. I wonder how that felt for them? We've had different explanations of mind control/brainwashing/similar from Clint, Bucky, Daisy, Mack, Fitz, and Monica in the MCU (including AoS). I wonder what is specific to Lady Loki's possession.

C-20 kept going on about something being real. What was that about?

C-20 revealed the location of the Time Keepers to Lady Loki!

Lady Loki not wanting to be called Loki could be a sign she is Sylvie.

There's something weird where Loki's voice echoed around while the camera focused on Lady Loki. Maybe she's telepathic?

Someone needs to keep a tracker on people telling Loki this isn't his story in a show literally about him.

But, that does add to themes for his life, and how everything was always about someone else in his life. He was always a supporting character for Thor, for Odin, for Thanos. Now, even in his own story, everyone insists he doesn't matter.

I was wondering what the reset charges would be used for. I wasn't expecting a massive bombing of the sacred timeline! Wow! That was unexpected and I loved it!

Okay, this isn't from me, this is from New Rockstars. But to list all the places mentioned on chronomonitors, either bombed or not: Knowhere, Barcelona, Niflheim, Dartford, Phong Nha, Lisbon, Vormir, Thorton, Cookeville, Asgard, Rome, Sakaar, Barichara, Porvoo, Ego, Titan, New York City, Tokyo, Hala, Kingsport, Xandar, Beijing, Madrid, Portland, Jotunheim. Bolded are other planets. Those are almost all the planets visited in the MCU. So fun easter eggs there!

I like Lady Loki's aesthetic. The fingerless gloves, the cloak, I love it. And YES SHE ISN'T SEXUALIZED. So many genderbent characters are excuses to sexualize women. But Lady Loki is just as covered as the male Lokis.

Lady Loki just...left the time door open for Loki to follow...for a really long time...I'm worried he's running into a trap.

What is Loki going to do now?

Theory time y'alls: Lady Loki bombed the sacred timeline to flush the minutemen out of the TVA, leaving it defenseless. And she's gonna go after the Time Keepers themselves. We know she gets into the TVA from trailer footage, and that's what I think we're gonna see next episode. I think she (like the Loki we are following) is upset over the lack of free will, and she plans to change that. That's why she wasn't interested in helping Loki "take over" the TVA, because she doesn't want to become the leader of a new TVA, she wants it destroyed.

Alright, back to the Time Keepers stuff. They keep focusing on the middle Time Keeper. Even in the end credits they have a weird cut to focus directly on his face. I'm not 100% on this, but I like this theory. That face is similar to Jonathan Major's, the actor confirmed to be Kang the Conqueror in Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania. Kang is a well known time travelling villain in Marvel. Maybe he is Kang, and is using variant versions of himself (that's a Kang thing in the comics) to mess with the timeline, and no one expects that from him. Also, Renslayer was his S/O for a bit in the comics, and they keep framing her in front of that one Time Keeper's face. I feel like this would be a good way to set up Quantumania and to show how sus the Time Keepers are.

Also, Loki was absolutely adorable the entire episode. And he got to sleep! Yay for him!

Again, I enjoyed, and can't wait for next week!

#loki (2021) #loki (2021) spoilers #loki (2021) review #loki laufeyson #tva loki #dimartino loki #sylvie lushton #mobius m mobius #ravonna renslayer #hunter b 15 #hunter c 20 #miss minutes #time keepers #aaaaaaaa im excited for the next episode

[maribatshipper]

Miraculous 39 Clues

Lillian glares with her dark eyes at the picture of the Ladybug-themed heroine. The heroine was lying on the ground with her arm twisted into an unnatural shape after a fight with one of these akumas. Lillian picks up her phone & calls a cousin of hers.

"Dan, I'm going to Paris. I need to speak to Stone." Lillian growls.

Dan asks, "Why? What's wrong with him?"

Lillian frowns, "Not what's wrong with him, what's wrong with the city he lives in. Check a site called the Ladyblog. You'll see why. I have to look out for my fellow Janus."

Lillian hangs up as she buys a ticket to Paris, running her hair through her burnt amber hair.

***

"STONE!"

Jagged Stone winces. He's always known about his heritage & everything that went on. He preferred the love he got from people when they heard his music compared to the backstabbers he called his family & their obsession with the clues.

"Lily, what are you doing here? In Paris?" Jagged asks, his pale-green eyes hidden by some glasses with 2 Eiffel towers & Paris' flag incorporated into it.

"Why didn't you tell the Cahill's about the situation in Paris? Those of us who are good could have done something to help the heroes of this city. They clearly need all the help they can get, & who better to help than an entire family of spies, inventors, artists, & jocks?" Lillian glares at the much older man.

Jagged sighs, "The Lucians have a base here & said nothing. You've seen the reports, Lillian. The heroes are just kids. I was turned into a rockin' villain. What was I supposed to do? Call the entire family over to get us all akumatised when they find out what's going on?"

Lillian glares, "No, you're supposed to warn us about Paris & about keeping emotions in check! The Lucians here are fools for not bringing this to our attention! Our branch is supposed to share information with the rest of our branch! This is something that has to be taken to the head of our family! This Hawk Moth character could be a rogue Cahill, or a Vesper! If this guy is a Vesper, our whole family needs to be warned about him! No matter how much we hate each other, we don't leave other Cahill's to deal with Vespers. What if he's like Peirce? What then, Stone?"

Jagged sighs, "You're right. I haven't been thinking clearly. So un-rock'n'roll of me. But this isn't something that can be fixed with the master serum. Cahill's can't face against the power of these jewels called Miraculous. Even with that serum. These Miraculous are more powerful than anything, & they should be kept out of our family's greedy hands."

Lillian frowns, "But we could help. We've had exper-"

Jagged whirls around, "Not with this! We've never had any experience with this! This is dangerous, Lily! No matter how genuine our talents, we can't help them against this! I know it's un-rock'n'roll, but that's what it is, Lillian!"

A knock comes from the door. Jagged breathes a few times & opens the door to see a familiar face. Jagged's face stretches into a giant grin.

"Marinette! There's my Rockin' designer! Whatcha got for me this time?" Jagged asks.

Marinette smiles, "Well, I designed you some new glasses, because the ones you have right now are starting to fall apart, since I didn't really have the best materials when I started that, but these new ones should last at least for a few years, & I have a small-scale of that poster you asked me to do, & I need to just adjust your outfit for your show tomorrow. Oh, I also have some stuff for Fang. It's all in my backpack."

Lillian walks up to Marinette & studies her, a suspicious glint in her eyes.

"Who's this, Stone?" Lillian asks, not taking her eyes off of the teen.

Jagged smiles, "Lily, this is my best designer, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Marinette, this is a relative of mine, Lillian."

Marinette smiles & holds her hand out to shake with Lillian's, only to fall when her backpack bursts from being overfilled. Lillian's eyes widen as Marinette collides with the ground. She crouches down to help Marinette pick the stuff up, only to catch her eye on an open design book. She picks up the design book. Her eyes widen at every design. Marinette panics as she sees this & grabs the design book quickly.

"I'm so sorry. I'm madly clumsy. Those are just rough sketches-"

Lillian smirks, "Rough sketches? If those are rough sketches, the finished product must be good enough to go to heaven, Dupain-Cheng."

Jagged stares at Lillian in shock. She is harsh, cold, & not one you'd expect compliments from, even if she is a Janus.

"Stone, I need to talk to you." Lillian grabs Jagged's arm & drags him away from the confused blue-eyed teenager.

"What is it?" Jagged asks, rubbing his sore arm where Lillian's nails were digging into his skin.

Lillian frowns, "She's got the skill of a Cahill with the Janus serum. Does she know anything about the Cahills?"

Jagged shakes his head, "Not a thing. Her mother is most likely a Tomas from China, even though she is small. I saw her in action when Penny was akumatised. Her father is a French baker, & she designs clothes, posters, glasses, she could design a coat for Fang if she wanted to."

Lillian holds a dark coloured hair between her fingers & smirks, "Let's see if she is a Cahill."

Jagged gapes, "How did you get that?"

Lillian laughs, "Stone, I'm a Janus who's been taught at each of our branches bases & in each art. Canada, Hollywood, Venice, any base there was, I've been there. I've done what our ancestors did. We test this. If it comes back positive, we train her in the Janus ways. If not, you don't have to worry about anything."

***

Marinette was confused when this strange teenager who was somewhat older than her dragged her favourite singer away with such authority.

"What was that, Tikki?" She whispers to her little purse attached to her hip.

The quiet being in her purse answers, "I don't know Marinette. She radiates an artists' soul, but she seems so..."

Marinette offers, "Standoffish?"

Tikki chuckles, "Yeah, but there's something more to her than that."

The two older artists come back, Jagged cowering slightly when Lillian looks towards him. Tikki stays hidden in the purse.

"Do I wanna know what that was?" Marinette asks.

Jagged laughs, "It wasn't really anything Rock'n'roll to talk about."

Lillian nods, keeping an eye on the teen.

"So, Marinette, what are your interests?" Lillian asks.

Marinette smiles, "Well, I'm really into fashion, I even design & sew my own clothes. I'm really good at video games, especially Ultimate Mecha Strike 3. Then of course there is music, I mean, I listen to Jagged's music all the time while I'm sketching out designs, his music inspires me! Unlike XY. Bleh! I even designed the costumes for Kitty Section, & I've made so many different outfits, & I'm starting my own website, but I really don't know if it's a great idea with so much stress at school, & akumas, & of course I'm class representative for my class."

Lillian smirks, "I think I'll visit your school, kid. See how well you do in a place like that."

Marinette panics, "It's really no biggie, I just have a lot on my plate."

Lillian smiles, "Either way, I'll be visiting. I gotta go to my apartment. Remember, Stone. I will be telling."

Jagged nods, confusing Marinette.

"Am I missing something here?" Marinette asks.

Lillian smiles, "Nothing to worry about, kid. See you at your school, Dupain-Cheng."

Lillian walks away with a dangerous looking smile on, which scares Marinette slightly.

Marinette suddenly asks, "Does she even know which school I go to?"

***

Lillian checks the test results of the hair she plucked from Marinette's head earlier. Lillian calls Jagged.

Jagged sighs, "Well?"

"It's a match. She's Janus alright. But she's also Lucian & Tomas. Test result says 5% Lucian, 5% Tomas, & 90% Janus." Lillian smiles.

Jagged sighs, "Check her classmates & parents too."

***

A month has passed, & Lillian gathered as much information about the Dupain-Chengs as she could. Marinette's mother, Sabine, is the Cahill with genes. The father, Tom, is a Tomas, which Lillian thought was funny. The only issue? Neither parent knew that they were part of a giant family spreading all across the world. Marinette's grandmother Gina seemed to at least know something of the Cahill name.

Lillian sighs, "I can't believe they don't know a thing about us."

She looks at her research notes on the classmates. All of them have tiny bits of Cahill DNA except Cesaire and Bourgeois. When she visited with Marinette that one day, the kids seemed sweet, but Lillian's a Janus. She can tell when someone's acting. There was one that was acting the most. Her acting was spot on, except for one small issue. She couldn't keep her stories straight.

"Well, miss Rossi, you are about to get a few dozen lawsuits delivered right to your school in the middle of your class. You shouldn't have messed with Marinette. You mess with a Janus, you mess with a powerful enemy. Now to get the kid trained like a Janus."

***

Lillian shows up to Marinette's school again & points out a flaw in one of Lila's stories. She then walks to the bathroom, where she has laid a trap for the fox.

"Hello. Lillian, right?" Lila fakely smiles.

"& you must be Splenda." Lillian smirks.

Lila asks, "What?"

Lillian explains, "Artificially Sweet. Like Splenda. Fake sugar. Drop the act, I can smell the Lucian on you!"

Lila actually seems surprised, & asks, "What's a Lucian?"

Lillian looks through Lila for any sign of deception, but she sees that Lila actually has no idea what she's talking about.

"Of course. That makes this so much easier. Keep away from Marinette, or I can guarantee all your fame will disappear."

Lila drops her Façade & smirks, "How could you possibly do that? Everyone here can't resist when they hear what they want to hear. There's nothing you can do about it anyway. You don't want to be my friend, fine, but I'll make sure no one here wants to be your friend at all. You're a little less dumb than the others, so I'll give you one chance. You're either with me, or against me. You only have until the end of class to decide, Lillian."

Lillian giggles, then full out laughs.

"Oh you poor, delusional soul! I don't want to be friends with anyone here except Marinette! & thanks for saying that. Now I have all the proof I need!" Lillian smirks.

Lila asks, "What do you mean?"

Lillian smirks, "You'll find out."

***

Months passed, & Lila's entire empire toppled once lawsuits were coming to her in public for defamation & slander, & Lila was also sued for abuse. Marinette got paparazzi swamping her, asking about how long Lila had threatened her, but Lillian kept Marinette away from the Paparazzi with practiced ease. Marinette had found out how she was related to many important people. Lillian trained her, causing Ladybug to defeat villains much quicker, & Cat Noir stopped showing, not that it bothered her. Cat Noir stopped even helping, acting childish every time Ladybug denied his feelings. Ladybug decided to pick a new hero, a new fox. The new fox made everything easier on Ladybug, & even stole Cat Noir's ring & gave it to Ladybug after his first week.

Ladybug smiles, "You ready for patrol, Corsac?"

The new Fox smiles, his red hair with white tips blowing in the wind. He was also a Janus, which is why Ladybug chose him for the fox. One needs a really good artistic mind to use the fox power.

Corsac's blue eyes widen in happiness.

(I couldn't find one with white tips. Imagine they're white.)

"Of course, Ladybug."

A/N: While reading Miraculous Salt fics, I suddenly had the thought, “What if the 39 Clues universe was part of the Miraculous Universe?” And this came to life with a prompt. I can’t remember the prompt, but I’m happy with how this came out. 

Okay... so... I ran out of really cool fox names, so I actually googled Fox species, and there was only 2 cool sounding ones. Culpeo and Corsac. Can anyone guess who Corsac is?

#Miraculous salt #39 clues #Marinette's a Cahill #Unpopular crossover

[flightfoot]

Divergent Points: ML Salt -Chapter 8

AO3/FFN

----------

Alya leaned against her boyfriend, just resting for a moment. A few meters away Marinette sat with Adrien’s head in her lap, stroking his hair as he purred like a motorboat.

She smiled. They both could use comfort after the nightmarish world they just came from.

That world’s Ladybug…. 

She shuddered.

Adrien’s situation had been pretty bad. Hearing all those people say those things about a version of him, seeing someone with the face of the person he cared most for try to hurt him as much as she could…

If they’d each been by themselves, if they’d thought that the worlds they’d gone to had been real, that the people had been genuine, that they actually thought those things…?

Between Adrien’s self-worth issues from his father’s treatment of him and Marinette’s anxiety, her fear of letting people down? 

It was a very, VERY good thing neither of them were going through this alone.

Not that she’d be doing too well by herself either. She didn’t have the same sort of issues as Adrien or Marinette, but this place could mess anyone up – Nino’d probably have some issues as well.

Come to think of it, what was up with Nino’s world? It was still really strange how he’d been the only one able to actually move around, who no one’d started out being hostile to. That world’s ‘Marinette’ had even tried to recruit him to her cause!

But all the worlds differed somewhat. 

In hers, ‘Marinette’ was a hapless victim of that… that THING that’d taken over her body, and the bodies of Adrien and Marinette in their own worlds.

Though… maybe it wasn’t so different?

Adrien’d mentioned the ‘Ladybug’ in his nightmare world saying that he’d refused to stand up while one of his friends was beaten and her property was destroyed. Assuming Ladybug had been talking about herself, about ‘Marinette’, that’d fit almost perfectly with her own nightmare.

And even Nino’s nightmare… it didn’t seem to be as extreme – not from what he thought of it – but it seemed to follow the same basic idea, the idea of everyone around Marinette shunning her, even bullying her, believing Lila – and then her taking revenge.

The world they just came from was different – Lila wasn’t involved, and Marinette wasn’t being bullied, but… it still had some similarities; mostly in Ladybug striking back for perceived slights, barely even seeming to consider the person she was taking revenge on to be, well – a person, and just seeming intent on causing the person she hated to suffer as much as possible.

What would the next world bring?

“You okay?”

Sighing, she looked over at her boyfriend. “Just trying to figure out what the deal with this place is, what’s coming next.”

She gazed at the looming door, an imposing reminder that their respite was temporary. “The last world was just… just horrible. Most of them have been. Everyone’s warped and twisted and just… not themselves. And being trapped in that… it’s like being akumatized, but being fully aware of it the whole time, and no one else knowing or CARING that something’s wrong!”

At least she hadn’t run across her counterpart in this last world. Judging by that Ladyblog article, she’d rather not have had anything to do with her. Experiencing the twisted version of herself she’d been forced to inhabit during her nightmare had been quite bad enough, thankyouverymuch. Hopefully she didn’t run into any other warped versions of herself.

Somehow she doubted the universe would be that nice.

Nino put his arm around her shoulders, giving her a warm smile. “I know things look bad. I’m worried too. But… just look at us!” He gestured to Adrien and Marinette, still lost in their own little world, then back to Alya. “We’re together. All four of us. Whatever this place has in store, we’ll manage.”

He leaned in closer. “And for us two especially… well, it isn’t exactly the first time we’ve been in trouble together, is it?”

Her face softened as she gave Nino a small smile. His courage (and recklessness, but she wasn’t exactly one to talk) attacking Anansi repeatedly, over and over, even though he stood no chance of beating her, staying with her after she was infected by Zombizou, just holding her, unwilling to let her go through that alone-

There was no one she’d rather have by her side. 

“Thanks.” Leaning over, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “You’re right. Even if things go wrong, even if everything seems hopeless, I know you’ll be there for me, and I’ll be there for you.”

On Heroes Day, she’d seen him be targeted by Dark Cupid. And she just… she couldn’t lose him. 

So she’d taken the arrow instead.

She didn’t remember anything after that of course – the victims of mind-altering akumas usually didn’t – but she’d seen the footage. 

He’d held her, tried to calm her, speaking to her gently even as she struggled to get away and fight him.  

He didn’t give up on trying to get through to her.

Even if this place tried to warp them, break them, change them, showed facsimiles of them doing the most horrible things, tried to say they were real, that this was who they were – they’d always know the truth.

Slowly she stood up, facing the door, fists clenched. “You know what, world!” she shouted, “It doesn’t matter how much stuff you throw at us. We’re friends, and we’re a team. We’ll figure out a way out of here, kick the butt of whoever’s responsible, and get back home! So WATCH OUT!”

Looking over her shoulder, she smiled triumphantly at her friends. “You ready to take on whatever’s waiting for us?”

“Yeah!” Nino and Marinette cheered.

“Mmmmr?” Adrien grumbled sleepily, sounding like a disgruntled cat.

“…Maybe five more minutes,” Marinette chuckled.

Ooph

It would be nice if the world would NOT just drop them. But things just had to be that little bit more difficult, didn’t they? Because just walking through a door and stepping foot on the other side would be too easy. But noooo, the world had to be PETTY about it.

After standing up and dusting herself off, she took a look around.

“Huh. Francois-Dupont. Shoulda figured.”

At least they wouldn’t have to navigate an unfamiliar site.

Looking around, nothing particularly stood out as unusual. Not that it had with previous worlds either, but with this thing, you never knew.

Pulling up her phone she quickly checked the Ladyblog.

What Ladybug REALLY thinks of Chat Noir: Lila tells all

Lila Rossi: The Most Talented Teen Of Our Generation

Malicious Marinette Bullies Disabled, Promising Classmate Lila Rossi

So this version of her was completely fooled by Lila. And also was down with publicly shaming her friends.

Not a surprise considering her counterpart in the previous world had even worse things to say about Adrien, and in her nightmare-

She shuddered.

Ok, best not to think about that more than she had to.

(She had a feeling she’d have to).

Marinette looked over her shoulder and grimaced. “Oh. Lila.”

Yeah, that about summed up how she felt too.

Clicking on the articles, the first two seemed… well, bad, but she’d seen worse.

The tell-all about Ladybug’s and Chat’s relationship was mostly just Lila bragging about supposedly being Ladybug’s best friend while inserting little jibes about how Chat wasn’t really all that competent and how she’d been thinking of recruiting more heroes, while HEAVILY hinting that she herself would have a large role in the selection process.

The second was just her standard bragging and lies like she’d sometimes tell around school. Annoying to see herself lap them up, but well – she’d kinda done that when she first met her, though not to THIS extent. 

But the last one-

Bugheads, I regret to inform you that a girl I once foolishly called a ‘friend’, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, is a bully and a liar. I know I’ve promoted her work on this platform before, but that was before I knew she’d secretly been stealing Lila’s designs, badmouthing and lying about her behind her back to certain influential people, and even going so far as to trip her down stairs, bump into her, and purposely aggravate her medical conditions when no one’s looking!

I know this is hard to believe. It took me awhile to come to terms with as well. But she’s not the awesome person I and some other media outlets and celebrities have hyped her up to be in the past.

No; that honor goes to Lila, the most talented, kindest, and all-around best person in existence. 

You want further proof of Lila’s awesomeness? She’s the reason the Ladyblog’s even a thing, the reason Ladybug’s a superhero at all! In fact, Ladybug looks up to her so much, she wanted LILA to be Ladybug at first, but she refused, seeing the talent in our beloved bug. She encouraged Ladybug to try being a superhero and pushed her into action, gave her the self-confidence she needed to become a pillar of the city. Truly we all owe Lila a debt of gratitude, and owe Marinette contempt for how she’s treated her.

Marinette peered at her phone and snorted. “She really leans into the ‘false fox’ thing, huh?”

Alya just shook her head. Clearly, this universe ran on irony.

…Oh what was she saying, even their normal universe ran on irony. She wasn’t about to forget the absurd ‘unrequited requited’ love square her best friend had managed to get into with Adrien. When she’d gone home after finding out about all THAT, she’d buried her face in her pillow and intermittently screamed and laughed her head off for a few hours.

Okay, admittedly, finding out about the existence of the Lovesquare (and consequently that two of her favorite ships were actually the SAME ship and were helping to block each other) was hardly the only reason she’d been screaming into her pillow. There’d been a LOT for her to digest that day.

More importantly though, the early part of the article was troubling. It rang a little too similar to Adrien’s, Nino’s, and her own nightmare worlds.

With the way it talked about Marinette… maybe she was the sane person in this universe? The one who was ‘split off’ of one of them upon arrival in this world? Assuming this world functioned the way the last one did of course, which was by no means guaranteed. 

Then again, the ‘Marinettes’ of some of the other worlds had also been put through this kind of thing, and the ones for Adrien’s and Nino’s worlds at least DEFINITELY weren’t in their right minds…

This would require more investigation.

A hand forcefully pulled her downwards and to the side.

“Waaa-!”

“Shh!” 

Marinette put a finger to her lips.

Confused, she looked at the school.

There was herself, walking out of school… beside Lila.

Her heart dropped. Reading the articles, this version of herself was clearly ‘friends’ with Lila. If you could call any relationship with Lila ‘friendship’. Did she even know what true friendship was like, or had she fooled herself into thinking that manipulating others was at the core of every close relationship? …Maybe she HADN’T ever had a mutually supportive relationship before, never experienced what a good friendship should be like. 

Lila was a threat certainly, and wasn’t that great a person… but maybe it was possible for her to be better?

She shook herself slightly. Time to focus on the here and now. That wasn’t actually Lila, nor could she DO anything about Lila right now. Trying to puzzle out what to do about her wasn’t exactly a priority at the moment.

She quietly stowed that whole train of thought. Maybe later she could explore that more, talk it over a bit with the others once they were out of danger.

“…so then the prince asked ME to be his top advisor! Of course, I had to say no, since I’m already advising that king – you remember the one I told you about – on how best to rule his country, and conflict of interest and all. I DID help set him up with his fiancé though! I’m even invited to his wedding!”

Well. Those were stupidly extravagant lies. Still not too far outside what she expected from Lila though.

The ‘Alya’ of this universe ate it right up. “Oh Lila. You’re so smart, and talented, and famous, and powerful. I’m so glad you’re leading several charitable agencies as well! How DO you find the time?”

Lila gave a dramatic, long-suffering sigh. “It’s hard, but I just HAD to bring everyone’s attention to the urgent need for penguin sweaters! Those poor little things…”

“Seriously? Penguin sweaters?” Alya muttered quietly. “How ridiculous-“

Marinette shook her head, whispering back, “Actually, that’s real.”

She blinked. “Huh?”

“People thought it would be helpful for penguins impacted by oil spills, but it turned out not to be very useful and they got way more of them than could ever be used. Most of the ones received were sold for money to support penguins instead.”

That… actually made a lot of sense. You ask people for help putting cute penguins in tiny sweaters, you’re gonna end up with a LOT of tiny sweaters.

And if she was running a charity collecting the penguin sweaters, and they usually ended up being sold for funds instead of being put on penguins ANYWAY…

Oh. That was DEVIOUS. She was almost impressed.

“I can’t believe Marinette refused to make more penguin sweaters to help! What does she have against helping penguins stay warm!” ‘Alya’ fretted.

Lila put on a sad face. “Sadly, not everyone can be as kind and enlightened as you and I.”

Marinette mimed gagging. Alya was inclined to agree with her.

She might’ve swallowed Lila’s lies before, but she was never this sycophantic. 

And then this world’s Marinette came barreling out the front doors.

She tensed.

Oh crap she was running right past ‘Alya’.

‘Alya’ stuck out a foot.

Right in her path.

This was gonna be-

‘Alya’ pulled back her foot seconds before ‘Marinette’ reached her, a look of confusion and shock on her face before quickly smoothing away into a sneer.

“Well look who it is,” she said disdainfully, “the penguin-hater.”

‘Marinette’ looked away and downwards, her voice breaking a little. “I- I’m so busy with all my commissions, making the scarf for you, organizing school field trips, I- I’m not gonna devote that much time creating sweaters for a fake charity, that Lila’ll just sell for profit!”

Lila gasped. “Why Marinette, how could you possibly accuse me of such a heinous act! I would never do something so awful!”

“How dare you say such a thing about Lila, if you don’t- take that back-“ 

Alya’s eyes narrowed. Her counterpart seemed to be struggling, spitting words out but… it almost seemed like something was forcing them out of her throat.

And her eyes, her expression…

Her eyes bulged, her face screwing up slightly. 

‘Alya’ stepped forwards, towards ‘Marinette’, her hand closing into a fist-

And put one foot forwards a little too much, abruptly stopping her forward momentum, then moved back slightly. She grit her teeth, breathing raggedly. “I’ll- I’ll tell someone about it,” she slowly said, seeming to shape every word. “They’ll be- be really upset.” She closed her eyes, closing her mouth into a straight line. Noises emerged from her throat, but with her mouth closed, no words.

‘Marinette’s’ eyes narrowed, taking on a dangerous expression.

And then she blinked and it was gone, the doe-eyed expression returning.

But Alya saw it.

Something was wrong here.

Something was VERY wrong here.

‘Marinette’ looked at the ground, scuffing her feet. “Are- are you going to lie about me again? Tell them I’m hurting Lila, like you did before?”

“YOU’RE the liar!” Lila spat. “Tell her, Alya!”

‘Alya’ jerked, her tongue loosening. But her eyes widened, looking terrified. “It’s not a lie,” she spoke mechanically. “You are awful. Lila said you did those things, so you did. You de-de-deserve-“

Abruptly she started walking away, still attempting to finish her sentence. 

“Hey, where’re you GOING?!” Lila called. 

Alya just jerked her head to either side in what looked like an approximation of shaking her head, if it was done while actively fighting against something. Her pace sped up.

‘Marinette’ glared after her.

Alya looked at her friends. All of them looked shaken, eyes nearly as wide as Alya’s counterpart had been.

“Should we-?” she asked.

They all nodded and as a group, quietly followed after this universe’s version of Alya – and she was beginning to suspect, the ‘split-off’ fragment of herself.

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

As ‘Alya’ got further away, her pace sped up until she full-on ran, her movements becoming smoother, less jerky and forced. 

Alya herself was doing the best she could just to keep up with – well, ‘Alya’. Girl could be fast when she wanted to be. The four of them had long since abandoned ‘sneaking around’ in favor of ‘just trying not to lose track of her’ several minutes ago.

Luckily she was pretty distrac-

‘Alya’ abruptly stopped and turned around.

Ah, crap.

“Who- what-?”

Hissing slightly, she grabbed her other self, pulling her over to a nearby alley and out of sight. Her friends hurriedly followed them.

Was this necessary? She wasn’t sure. But the idea of being out in the open talking about this made her hair stand on end.

Better to be at least slightly hidden.

A spark went off in ‘Alya’s’ eyes. “An akuma! That’s why-!”

“No. Well… at least, WE’RE not following any akuma.”

Maybe an akuma was responsible for this? If so though, they were being surprisingly cagey about it. They tended to be a lot more obvious than this.

Her eyebrows furrowed. “If not an akuma then-“

“We’re not from around here,” she cut in.

“Wait, who are ‘we’?”

Just then Marinette, Adrien, and Nino rounded the corner.

‘Alya’ flinched for a moment looking at Marinette, braced herself… and then relaxed. “That… that THING that took over me… it’s gone now?” she murmured confusedly.

So her suspicions were correct. 

“It happened to you too, huh?”

‘Alya’ blinked. “You’ve gone through it?!”

She shrugged. “Something like it at least. I was trapped within my own body, my own head. I didn’t realize anything was wrong for a few moments, but… well, the nasty thoughts towards Marinette clued me in that something was off, and once those thoughts transformed into actions...”

‘Alya’ shuddered. “Things were fine at first, when I was just walking with Lila. Until the subject turned to Marinette anyway. Something niggled at me once the whole penguin sweater thing came up, but I couldn’t place it. 

Then a thought came to trip her down the stairs. And when I balked, it started to sound more like a command than my own thoughts. I was still able to stop it, but… barely.

But it just kept going. If I hadn’t been able to force myself away-“

She let out a small sob.

Outwardly Alya gave her counterpart a hug and a small, hopefully reassuring smile. Though considering how forced it was, she wasn’t sure whether it did the job. 

Inside she seethed. This… this thing, this compulsion, this controlling entity had no right. And just… why? Why did this thing want her to hurt Marinette so badly?

The violence, the bullying… just… why?

And why the focus around Marinette?

Every world so far had revolved around her in some way, either with her as the main victim or as the main perpetrator. Or both. 

Granted, Adrien showed up too, but… he didn’t seem to be focused on to the same extent. 

Was Marinette being targeted for some reason? 

“We’re going to figure this out.”

Alya snapped out of it, turning towards the speaker.

Marinette stood in the alleyway, a fire in her eyes. “I’m tired of seeing my friends warped. I’m tired of seeing them controlled. And I’m especially tired of seeing it done using my face!”

Done using her-

Ah.

So she’d picked up on it too.

“…Huh?”

So ‘Alya’ hadn’t noticed. Unsurprising. She’d had other things to concentrate on.

“That ‘Marinette’, that supposed version of me… she acted strangely. She seemed upset when you managed to fight off against the worse compulsions trying to control you. And considering previous experience… well I’m pretty suspicious.”

‘Alya’ mouthed ‘what happened-‘, then shook herself. “…Maybe you guys should come home with me and explain.”

----------

“So none of this is real?”

Alya nodded. “Well, so far as we know.”

“That explains my memories at least,” ‘Alya’ muttered. “I remember doing all this awful stuff to Marinette and being a complete sycophant to Lila, but… none of it feels real. Like it’s something I read about or maybe saw in a show, not something I actually did.”

She stared at her hands. “Which means the first time I’ve actually had a chance to fight back against this THING was today.”

“And you did great.”

She looked up at Nino.

“Don’t you see?” he continued. “Even with all this made-up backstory, even with it controlling your body, you still realized something was wrong and fought back. And you WON.”

She glanced to the side. “Yeah, but only barely. And only by forcing my feet to walk away. What if- what if I CAN’T next time?! Or- or if it’s able to reassert control over me?!”

“Then I’ll fight for you. Wouldn’t be the first time. I WON’T abandon you.”

Alya chuckled. That was for sure. It was one reason she was so easily able to figure out his secret identity; Nino disappearing while she was in danger? Not likely. He’d fought Anansi for her, stayed with her after she was infected by Zombizou, even tried to talk her out of the Dark Cupid infection.

If she was in danger, even if she WAS the danger, Nino would still be there for her.

…Though at some point they may need to have the whole ‘I’d rather you save yourself than go down with me’ talk. She’d delayed it since she figured it’d be useless. Marinette had tried a similar talk on Adrien after taking a blow from an akuma for her once again, which to the surprise of no one, didn’t seem to have changed his stubbornness about making sure she stayed alive, uninjured, and uncaptured, even at his own expense. But hey, at least she made an effort.

It was weird to see Nino addressing this version of herself as being her, but… well, she was, wasn’t she? Even now, while it was weird, it felt more like an out-of-body experience than him talking to someone separate. Not that she was actually experiencing what her counterpart did. It just felt like everything she was saying, everything that was going on with her, applied to herself as well. 

Almost like… almost like an empathic bond, but the feelings themselves didn’t exactly transmit? It was hard to explain. 

Which come to think of it-

“There’s another reason why everything before we arrived felt unreal,” she told ‘Alya’

Luckily, she took the revelation of what they believed to be her true nature rather well. She’d even looked a little relieved.

“Better than being entirely manufactured for this mess of a world,” she said, grimacing. 

The explanation of how ‘Marinette’ had been acting, along with the more in-depth explanation of what all of them had been through so far prompted more discussion. 

“So what’s the theory then?” she asked, sipping on some hot cocoa. It wasn’t that cold outside, but after what she’d been through? She deserved some comfort. 

Not that she was the only one. They’d all scrounged up some warm, fluffy blankets to arrange into a nest along with hot cocoa and chocolate chip cookies for everyone.

The food was delicious, exactly how she remembered – EXACTLY how she remembered. They’d all had a quick discussion and come to the conclusion that they were tasting what they expected it to taste like, rather than what it actually would taste like. Which explained why she, Nino, and Marinette, who’d all had a decent amount of delicious cookies over the past few years, tasted normal, but really good cookies. They probably wouldn’t have noticed anything remiss if Adrien hadn’t complained of not being able to pin down the flavor or texture of the cookie; it’d been years since he’d had a chocolate chip cookie, so his memories weren’t as fresh.

Something which Marinette had already promised to rectify when they got back home. She had a feeling they’d all be pulled into a baking lesson – while Marinette and Adrien enjoyed time alone together, something like baking was often more fun all together. They’d had some experience with it anyway, with Sabine recruiting her and Adrien to help with the bakery when Tom fell ill.

It might’ve been a little crowded at times, but it’d been fun!

“My best guess is that that ‘Marinette’,” Marinette put air-quotes around her name, “might be partly responsible for whatever was going on with you. Or at least, benefitting from it somehow.”

 ‘Alya’ frowned. “That would explain some things, like why getting away from her caused that controlling entity to release. Though Lila was also there.”

Hm. She had a point.

“Lila’s acting pretty normal though,” Marinette cut in. “But then again, she already acts like these messed-up versions of people. Huh. Come to think of it, she also has a similar weird hold on people. Well at first anyway. So maybe she just didn’t need to be altered that much to fit in with this world?”

Actually-

 “Is it just me, or does the messed-up version of Marinette remind you of Lila, but like, on steroids? Especially in the last world.”

Marinette blinked, then grimaced. “That… actually makes a lot of sense. She had a similar focus on everyone needing to worship her, and along with the pure vindictiveness she had towards Adrien, it was pretty reminiscent of Lila’s vendetta against you, me, and Ladybug.”

“Maybe Lila’s not actually Lila and she’s just some version of whatever this entity controlling and twisting people is? Like a weaker version.”

She laughed. “That’d certainly make her easier to take care of. I think we’re stuck with her, unfortunately.”

‘Alya’ frowned. “Putting that aside, what’s the plan? How do we get out of here?”

Marinette sat back, putting her hand on her chin. “Well Chat was able to break out when he was able to lay out what was wrong with that messed up ‘Ladybug’, and before that we were all able to break out when we figured out what was wrong with the worlds we were in and rejected them. That’ll be a little more difficult this time around with how this thing keeps trying to control you.”

She closed her eyes for a moment. “You were able to fend it off a little right? Not just by fighting directly, but by modifying it?”

‘Alya’ slowly nodded. “I was able to tone down some of the speech the thing wanted me to say even when I wasn’t able to stop it completely. So long as it was still within the ballpark of what it wanted me to do or say, it released a little.”

Light dawned in her eyes. “So maybe if I can work around it a little, go after the problems and inconsistencies in a way that’s not directly against what it wants me to do, it might loosen up enough for me to strike the final blow!”

Marinette smiled and nodded. “That might work! Do you know how you could do that though?”

‘Alya’ slowly smiled, gears seeming to turn in her head. “You know, I think I have an idea…”

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

‘Alya’ approached the school steps. Or rather, Rena; talks concerning both herself and her counterpart had gotten confusing a few times, until her counterpart had suggested that one of them take the name ‘Rena’ while the other stuck with ‘Alya’.

She’d been more than happy to take ‘Rena’, especially after finding out Ladybug and Chat’s secret identities. Well, more like rediscovering them. As soon as they mentioned it, the knowledge just kind of slotted in, like she’d known it for a long time but had gotten buried and just called to the surface again.

It’d just felt right. She hadn’t been called on to be Rena Rouge again since Heroes Day in this reality. Which made a lot more sense after finding out who Ladybug was (well, finding out again, she guessed).

Being called Rena by everyone? Having that affirmation that she was part of the team, part of their group? It’d made her feel like she belonged.

But Marinette calling her by that name had meant the most to her. She’d been the one to give her the ability to be Rena Rouge, to have chosen her as the first new Miraculous wielder. Giving her the Fox Miraculous may not have been possible right now, but she’d given her something else; her trust, her confidence, her belief that she could do this.

Marinette had chosen her to be a hero.

She wanted to live up to that.

The five of them spent the rest of the evening and night chatting and goofing, then finally going to sleep. Her parents and siblings never came home. No message explaining where they were either. They’d speculated that since they weren’t very important to this world, to this narrative it seemed to be building up, they just… weren’t there. At least, not yet. Like how a video game engine might render smaller background elements in less detail than larger, more important elements, or only render them as backdrops – at least, until the player got closer.

Speaking of video games, fortunately hers and Nino’s favorite dancing game still worked here. Only the songs they’d played a few times, but luckily that was most of them. They’d competed against Adrien and Marinette, beating them narrowly, experience winning out. She had a feeling that if they got an opportunity to practice more she and Nino would have quite a fight on their hands keeping the top spot. She and Nino had experience and moves, but the level of coordination between Adrien and Marinette was unreal.

They’d ended up dragging their blanket nest to the living room once they figured out her family likely wasn’t going to make an appearance. Technically everyone could cram into her bedroom, but it was a little tight for all five of them to sleep in there, especially if they needed to go to the bathroom.

Which they apparently didn’t? It took awhile for any of them to notice, but none of them had felt the need to do so the entire time they’d been there. No one felt hungry or thirsty exactly either, though eating and drinking were still comforting even if it didn’t appear to be a bodily necessity.

Sleep DID appear to be necessary. Everyone’s eyes had started drooping around 10 pm, none worse than Adrien’s. Part of that may’ve been an excuse to lay down and cuddle Marinette while purring up a storm though.

Smiling at the memory, she turned into the classroom.

Immediately her smile died.

The entity, the compulsion - whatever it was - had returned.

Do you see that bully, that two-faced slime? It whispered. She’s evil. You should let her know exactly how much you despise her. You know she deserves it.

She wasn’t about to fall into its trap.

She’d play its game, but by her own rules.

Her feet took her towards ‘Marinette’, towards her usual seat.

‘Marinette’ looked away from her coldly.

Then she stood up and made her way over to Chloe, sliding into the seat next to her.

Huh.

Where’d Sabrina go?

Unbidden, her feet took her over to ‘Marinette’ and Chloe.

Rip them to shreds, the voice said. She’s evil, and she’s proven it by siding with Chloe. You can do anything you want to them, say anything you want, and they’ll deserve it.

It wanted her to destroy them, huh?

It probably meant in a similar way to before, trying to hurt and damage ‘Marinette’ emotionally and physically.

But she had other plans.

So long as it still appeared hostile and anti-Marinette, or anyone on her side, maybe it’d work?

“So you’re taking Sabrina’s place, huh?” she said testily.

For a moment she was afraid the compulsion, the entity would force her to add something unintended to that; but it seemed to accept her declaration, at least for now.

Hopefully she could keep it like that. Maybe not fully satisfied, but not perturbed to the point it took over and forced her to act against her will – at least until it’d weakened enough for her to strike.

“At least Chloe never pretended to be my friend! At least she was honest!” ‘Marinette’ shot back.

She could see the argument. Easier to befriend someone who’d never been on your side than someone you’d once been close to and who’d then turned on you. And to be fair Chloe’d shown some small signs of being able to do better.

But there were flaws in that logic.

“Why though?” she asked, looking at Chloe. “You’ve been mistreating all of us, sometimes for years, and one of your closest ‘friends’ worst of all. Why is it only now that you’re okay with Marinette?”

Chloe scoffed. “At least I don’t worship some liar. And I can still tell who’s the REAL bully.”

“But why you above-“

She choked.

What are you doing?! What are you even trying to say?! Criticizing Chloe for being too nice?

Ok so she couldn’t go in that directly, not while implying so heavily that her defending ‘Marinette’ was a good thing.

So what negative thing-

Sabrina.

That was it!

It hadn’t stopped her talking about Sabrina before, so maybe-

“And what about Sabrina? You know, your closest ‘friend’? The one who does your homework, covers for you, steals for you, provides anything you need, and yet you repay with verbal abuse?”

Chloe glared at her. “She’s honored to serve me. She loves me!”

“What’re you trying to say, Alya?” ‘Marinette’ cut in. “It’s not like you’re any better. We used to be friends, but you threw me away the second someone came along who seemed shinier, more interesting, more powerful. I gave so much of myself to you, but now you just hurl insults on Lila’s say-so.”

Not in the regular universe; unfortunately she couldn’t say that just yet. Too direct. Too soon.

“Why do you think Chloe will treat you better than she does Sabrina?  And if you’re comparing me to Chloe, or I guess to Sabrina if I’m supposedly Lila’s lackey… what gives Chloe a pass?”

What does this have to do with anything? Tear into Marinette! Tear into Chloe! What’re you waiting for?!

She suppressed a smile. The voice might be making demands, but it was a little quieter, a little less compelling than it was before.

Chloe stood up, shoving herself in Rena’s face. “Now listen here Cesaire. I can recognize the talent you threw away, misused, mistreated! You might not have fully appreciated Marinette, but I DO. Finally, she has friends who recognize what she truly deserves.

That’s what makes me different. I know the worth of the people around me. And you? YOU are worthless.”

Well even in these circumstances, Chloe was still at least somewhat Chloe.

But as for the rest of it-

“But that’s the thing! Those descriptors of how I supposedly treated Marinette better match how you treat Sabrina. And you never cared much about Marinette even after she helped with your mom. So why’re you the one who defends Marinette above anyone else? It’s almost like-“

STOP. PUNCH HER. RIP UP HER STUFF. SCREAM AT HER. HURT HER.

She bit her tongue.

The compulsion, the entity, had run out of patience.

But it wasn’t as powerful as it used to be; she could feel the undertone of fear in its commands.

And she was NOT about to let it puppet her around again.

She ground out, “It’s almost like you and I swapped.”

A ripple ran through her body.

Her jaw unclenched slightly.

The entity had faded to a whisper.

She straightened up, looking ‘Marinette’ straight in the eyes. “Chloe being the one who recognizes bullying and stands up to it? Sabrina seeming to almost disappear when convenient? All while everyone else descends into really toxic relationships, becoming sycophants who do whatever Lila says, no matter how hurtful? It doesn’t make sense! Chloe’s been getting better but that doesn’t mean she’s suddenly one of the only people in class with a moral compass, especially when she’s STILL treating Sabrina as badly as ever, treating her the way everyone else has been contorted into treating you!”

Looking up, she gazed at the rest of the class. “And with everyone else; would this really happen? None of us are perfect. All of us have our off days. But this sustained bullying of a friend? Badmouthing her, pushing her out, even trying to hurt her or damage her stuff? Even with Chloe who we’ve all actually experienced bullying, none of us did worse than avoid her or make a few comments and we still helped her when she was in trouble like when Zombizou came after her! No matter what lies we might be told, we wouldn’t be this callous, this hurtful, this openly malicious.”

‘Marinette’ glared at her, her face stony. 

Rena breathed in one last time, and gave the final blow. “THIS. ISN’T. REAL.”

The world shattered and dissolved, breaking apart into small particles. ‘Marinette’ broke last, expression unchanging.

A tingling went up her spine, followed by a light, floaty feeling. For a moment she started to panic.

Memories surged through her mind. 

"Before this past year, I've never been very confident. I was always kinda a screw-up. But you gave me HOPE, Alya. I meant it when I said that Ladybug thinks you're cool. You INSPIRED me, Alya."

“You might not come up with the super complicated plans that Ladybug does, but you can do them your own way. You’ve got this.”

A moment later her body felt solid again as she reconciled two - no, three sets of memories; the ones the false world had created for her, as well as the two sets of memories from her adventures while she was split apart.

“Disorienting isn’t it?” Adrien asked.

She nodded as he helped her off the floor.

Looking at her friends, she smiled.

These worlds may be trying to break and remake them. 

But they’d forge through nonetheless.

She knew who she was.

And no entity was going to change that.

---------

(A/N) I really wanted to cover the whole "making Alya violent and malicious and a bully in order to have her victimize Marinette" thing more. Especially since... well... unlike with Adrien bashing which has several distinct categories (heck Adrien and Chat are bashed for some pretty different things) Alya bashing resides on more of a continuum, with what I'd argue is the WORST of it being the "hurting Marinette" stage. Oftentimes Marinette's just her hapless victim during this part, though that sometimes changes later; sometimes she at least ACTS kind of like canon Marinette would in that situation and doesn't have a complete personality transplant, in which case either her protection squad does the dirty deed of enacting revenge or she moves away or commits suicide, in which cases the revenge is meted out via the guilt breaking Alya or by family/friends/law enforcement coming after her for being so awful to Marinette. Though for the moving away plotline, I think it's often more "Alya learns that everything good and fun and pure came because of Marinette and without her she is nothing and everything falls apart."

Even in the cases where Marinette HERSELF isn't warped much, if the people around her are warped, contorted, made into people they aren't in order to promotes this whole "Marinette Deserves Better" mindset by importing or exaggerating negative qualities into them... well... that's still only slightly better. I wanted to cover how Alya WOULD NOT DO this stuff; she seems to be used more as a puppet or a stand-in for the character the author wants or needs for the story, this traitorous, violent, malicious, sycophantic (to the wrong person) former friend. Alya's name and appearance are used for this, but her personality is scrubbed out and replaced. Hence why she's controlled so tightly here; this part of the storyline in a lot of Alya bashing fics wouldn't work if it was derived from things that were within the realm of what she might do canonically, of how she's been shown to act.

I also wanted to cover the whole "replace Alya's role with Chloe" thing that crops up a lot. I like a good Chloedemption but when it's done while making the 'good' characters fill in for her role as a bully while she just magically becomes better? It doesn't work and comes off as very hypocritical.

 I understand where some of the general idea came from. Chloe was hot off the heels of the Queen's Battle arc and Heroes Day when Chameleon aired and with Lila's threat about turning Marinette's friends against her combined with Alya being receptive to Lila's lies? There was a certain amount of narrative sense.

It's really when Alya became more and more warped into someone she wasn't along with canon showing that while she may buy some of Lila's lies to a limited capacity but yet won't leave Marinette high and dry and CERTAINLY won't try to intentionally hurt her that that plotline became grating. 

Doesn't help that well... all the accusations I hear about Alya being a terrible friend to Marinette... even in a lot of saltfics, the ones that don't go so far as to have her try to physically harm Marinette, that fits how Chloe treats Sabrina or even Adrien far, far, FAR better than how Alya treats Marinette (seriously the Alyanette friendship is great and I love their relationship). If Chloe tried to show Marinette what a "better" friendship was like by treating Marinette the same way she treats Sabrina... well there's a reason I've never seen that done.

ANYWAY, I wanted to pour as much sugar as I could onto Alya. She needs love and comfort and appreciation and for nice things to happen to her. 

#divergent points #miraculous ladybug #ml fanfic #alya sugar #alya cesaire #ml fandom salt #fandom salt #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #nino lahiffe

[tsuki-chibi]

Blackberries (Adrinette April) Day 28: Care package

Or see it on AO3: Blackberries 

--------

Rather than go through the hallway and risk running into someone that they knew or who may have seen Adrien and Marinette duck into the art room, Ladybug and Chat jumped out the window and scaled the building to get to the roof. Ladybug was genuinely surprised by how fast her heart was beating as she rushed towards the far side of the roof just above Madame Bustier's classroom. The concern she was feeling couldn't be solely attributed to Chat, but nor was it the kind of concern she'd feel for an innocent civilian caught in an akuma's crosshairs.

She was worried about Chloé.

'Sometimes I think this bond has changed me for the worst,' she thought.

Chat just laughed and wrapped an arm around her waist as they jumped off the roof together. Ladybug threw out her yoyo and let it catch on a tree in the yard; she dropped them down and swung them through the open window of Madame Bustier's classroom. Most of the students, including Madame Bustier, had fled. Alya was still there because of course she was, safe in the door with her phone in hand. Chloé was the only other person still in the room, and that's because she had been shoved up against the wall by the akuma.

When she saw the akuma, Ladybug froze. So did Chat. The black, red-spotted uniform could only belong to one person -

'Either there's two bitter Ladybug wanna-bes running around Paris, or we've got a problem,' Chat thought.

"Let go of me!" Chloé cried out, struggling against the akuma.

"Let go of you? Why should I?" the akuma demanded.

"Because she said so, and that's the polite thing to do?" Chat said.

The akuma jumped at the sound of his voice, clutching Chloé tighter. "Don't come any closer! I'll kill her!"

Ladybug took a deep breath. 'Get Alya out of here,' she thought. This was the first time an akuma had openly threatened to kill someone and she didn't like it. She stared at the back of the akuma, at the back of Coccinelle and wondered where the akumatized object could be. She couldn't see if the akuma was wearing earrings, but maybe -

Chat quickly made his way over to Alya, giving the akuma a wide berth. They had no way of knowing how much had been said, but it was very likely that Alya had recognized the akuma. If so, she was smart enough to figure out that Coccinelle's civilian self had been akumatized - yet she'd stuck around anyway. He shot her a look, to which Alya smiled innocently. Chat just shook his head and gently pushed her the rest of the way out the door, then pulled the door shut. Before Alya could pull it open again, he jammed a broken desk beneath the handle to keep her out.

"Coccinelle," Ladybug said.

"Don't call me that! I'm Antielle thanks to you!" Antielle swung around, expression full of rage. "You took my miraculous back!"

"Actually, I took my miraculous back," Ladybug said, deciding to leave Master Fu out of it for the time being. Her feelings towards him were very complicated right now, but that didn't mean Master Fu deserved to have an akuma trying to kill him.

"If you're mad at Ladybug, what's your beef with Chloé?" Chat asked, taking his baton in hand. Thankfully, Chloé had the good sense to remain quiet even though she was shooting Ladybug and Chat increasingly desperate looks. She had slid to the floor when Antielle turned around but couldn't escape.

Antielle snarled as she twisted to glare down at Chloé again. "She made me look like a fool in front of the whole class!"

And suddenly, Ladybug put two and two together. Antielle’s hair and eyes had both turned black, but her hairstyle was very familiar – two shorter strands on either side of her face, though now tied off with red ribbons as opposed to orange bands. Like a fog that had been magically lifted, she realized that Coccinelle’s hairstyle had been extremely similar and could’ve slapped herself for not having seen the truth earlier.

"Wait - Lila?!" she exclaimed.

"Oh my god," Chloé said, looking shocked.

"Holy shit," Chat said.

'I can't believe Master Fu gave Lila the Ladybug miraculous,' Ladybug thought, completely horrified.

'At least now we know why he refused to give her the Bee or the Fox miraculous once he figured out what kind of person she is,' Chat thought back.

"You think you're so smart, Bourgeois," Antielle continued, using her grip on Chloé's jacket to drag Chloé back to her feet. Her face contorted with fresh anger. "Adrien and I are meant to be together and I'm going to make it happen no matter what it takes!"

"Adrien will never love you," Chat said. "He has better taste than that!"

"That's right. Besides, Chloé isn't the one you should be mad at. It's me," Ladybug said. "Adrien might have actually noticed you if you had the Ladybug miraculous, but now you're nothing. You're worse than nothing." She poured all the contempt she had ever felt for Lila into a sneer that made Chloé proud. "Right now, you're not even good enough to kiss my boot."

Antielle screamed in pure rage and let go of Chloé to launch herself at Ladybug, who threw herself out the window. She used her yoyo to swing herself to the roof on the other side of the street but failed to account for the fact that Antielle would also have a yoyo. Their bodies impacted with a force that left Ladybug gasping for air and sent her flying, and she found herself rolling across the rooftop instead of landing the way she’d hoped to.

“Ladybug!” Chat cried out.

‘I’m fine,’ Ladybug thought. ‘Get Chloé out of there and somewhere safe!’ She rolled to a stop and sat up as Antielle landed smoothly on the rooftop.

“You think you’re so hot, Ladybug,” Antielle said, stalking towards her. “Everyone in Paris thinks you’re amazing. Wonder what they’d do if they all knew that you were nothing without that miraculous? I can’t wait to strip it off you and show Paris what you really are.”

“Not gonna happen,” Ladybug said, scanning Antielle quickly. The Ladybug suit in all of its iterations couldn’t really hide much. Antielle had no pockets. So whatever her akumatized object was, it had to be visible. That left her hair ribbons, her earrings, or her mask as potential objects. None of which would be easy to get.

“Anti Charm!” Antielle shouted, throwing her yoyo in the air. A black swirl of light produced what looked like a water gun, which Antielle caught. “Here, Ladybug, a care package just for you!” She aimed the nozzle at Ladybug and pulled the trigger.

Ladybug threw herself out of the way of the orange substance that came out. Whatever it was, it sizzled and hissed threateningly as it splattered across the roof. Ladybug stared, somewhere between shocked and horrified, as the orange liquid started melting the roof. Then she looked back at Antielle, gulping when she saw that the water gun was pointed at her again.

‘Chat, you might want to hurry up,’ she thought, dodging another blast of the orange liquid.

‘I’m coming, My Lady. I took Chloé to your bedroom,’ Chat thought.

‘My bedroom? Seriously?’ Ladybug thought, glancing around. She wanted to make a run for it, but she was worried about Antielle spraying an innocent person. There was no telling what that stuff would do to the human body.

‘It was the closest safe place I could think of that Antielle wouldn’t.’ Chat landed on the opposite side of the roof, leaving Antielle trapped between them. Ladybug immediately felt better with him there.

“I suppose you think your kitty is going to help,” Antielle said mockingly, pumping the water gun.

‘Try for her earrings,’ Ladybug thought, spinning her yoyo.

‘Got it,’ Chat thought, taking his baton into his hand.

They both leapt forward at the same time. Antielle unleashed a blast of the orange liquid in Chat’s direction, forcing him to dodge, then spun around to meet Ladybug. She was inhumanly fast, to the point where even Ladybug found herself struggling. She did manage to knock the water gun from Antielle’s grip and kick it away, but Antielle just laughed and punched Ladybug in the stomach. Ladybug gasped at the unexpected pain and reared back.

“I’m better than you,” Antielle scoffed, pivoting to kick Chat in the chest. Then she grabbed her yoyo and wound it around Ladybug, giving it a good yank. Ladybug yelped as she was sent flying into Chat and they both crashed to the ground.

‘How are we supposed to do this if we can’t even get close to her?’ Chat thought, sitting up and rubbing his head.

‘I don’t know…’ Ladybug sat up too and immediately pushed him away, jumping out of the way herself as more of that orange liquid splashed over where they’d just been sitting. Antielle was strong and fast – too much so. They needed something to keep her still.

And then Ladybug had an idea.

#miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain-cheng #adrien agreste #chloe bourgeois #antibug #coccinelle #antielle #akumatized lila rossi #blackberries #soulmate au #adrinetteapril2020

[halloweennut]

A quick one-off for Clara and her crew when they found out the news about their studio (cw: Good ol 1930s sexism)

-

193X

It seemed like the entire cast and crew of humans and toons were grouped up in the directors office. Clara knew them all by name - they were a small studio after all, with only a few shows to their lineup. Most of them had been there since the studio was founded, sketched and inked there too, herself and her cast mates included. She huddled near Franklin and Tim, Dawson a few paces away as usual. Standoffish, purely villainous in energy, with a lit cigarette in his maw, clenched between sharp teeth. Clara could see that he was biting down more than usual - he was nervous.

"Hey, uh, boss?" One of the editors said, breaking the quiet. "What's going on?"

The producer finally looked at them all, tired and worn. Clara had never seen him like that, more used to his near smarmy charm and grin. He sighed.

"Everyone, I have...unfortunate news," he said. "I have received word that the studio is bankrupt and closing down. We will finish wrapping up the toons we're shooting now, but after that it's wraps."

That brought up a clamor. Closing? Them? But they had been doing so well! Clara gripped Franklin's hand, unable to believe what she had heard.

"Why? How?" Another toon argued.

"Cartoons are changing. They want more action, more slapstick and slice of life antics, more than what we're equipped to do," the producer continued. "We've been losing money for months. We can't survive."

"We can cut down what toons we do! Some of them want to move on or retire early," a cameraman said. "Save on film and all that."

"Why can't we do more of that?" Franklin asked. "We can do more action! We can put in some slapstick! I just have to learn it is all."

"We don't have time," the director said. "Or the funds."

"Clara knows. She has her banjo - reinforce it in sketch and ink, let her hit me with it, and then send in Frank for a daring rescue. Hell, better yet, make her the lead," Dawson suddenly said. Clara was surprised not just to hear him speak, but to bring her up. The director shook his head no. "Why not?! She's plenty capable!"

"She's a bunny, and too many people expect her to be the cute bunny they know her as," the producer said. "No one would want to watch a female lead anyway."

“Betty Boop exists! She just became the lead in her show,” Tim argued. 

“Two words,” an artist said, anger and sadness tinging their voice. “Sex appeal.”

“I may not be comfortable being sexualized,” Clara finally found her voice, “but I can be funny. I can hold my own. Hell, some other toons said I was-”

“It doesn’t matter!” the producer snapped. He slammed his hands on the desk, startling everyone. Franklin instinctively stood in front of Clara and Tim, and Dawson let out a deep growl. Behave, it said. The director smoothed out his hair. “We only have enough money for the cartoons being shot now. Whatever we make will only be enough to pay off some of the studio’s debt. I suggest you all start making plans unless we get acquired by another studio. Now get back to set...” 

Clara looked at her cast mates, but they looked as dejected as she felt save Dawson, but he never showed any emotion. He just looked distantly out the window behind the producer’s desk, scanning their small little lot. The rest of the cast and crew filtered out, not willing to go to set and try to be joyful and creative, and neither did she. Instead of having the wind taken from your sails, you sails were just stripped from the masts and the anchor stolen to have insult to injury. Franklin squeezed her paw sympathetically, knowing how much the producer’s words stung, how gut-wrenching it was to have the one of the only things you knew taken. 

Dawson was particularly gentle with her on set that day, more so than usual. He may have been a villain, but he never actually was too rough. Franklin didn’t seem to have his regular spark when he swooped it to rescue her and send Dawson running for the hills, and Tim didn’t have the usual clever twist he always added to the goofy side character bit that was written for him. 

It was going through the motions. 

The next week, they wrapped up the shorts, the reels sent to editing, and the four walked off set for the last time. They had heard that the studio had been acquired by Warner Brothers, but they weren’t being brought back, dropped from the line up for now. Their lot was being added into the WB, as were their animators, writers and all else. The toons were either dropped or recycled into background characters.

“Well...,” Clara said slowly, clutching her banjo closer. “What do we do now?”

“I don’t know...,” Franklin said. 

“I think I’m going to apply to that new university in Toon Town,” Tim said. “They have a great literature program!”

Dawson hummed. “I have a few friends back East I might go to. They run a bar and need someone whose not afraid to be a little underhanded.”

“Dawson, that’s awful!” Clara chided. “You’re perfect for it.”

He smiled down at her - a rare sight, one of the genuine ones. “Thank you.”

“Maybe...ah, I don’t know,” Franklin said. “Maybe I’ll go sailing?”

“Certainly enough daring-do and adventure to sate you,” Tim replied. “But you have to write to us.”

“Of course,” the fox nodded. “What about you Clara?”

Clara scrunched up her nose. “Maybe I’ll see if any studios need additional musicians. Not going to let all the musical talent drawn into me go to waste, and I like doing that. If not, maybe I’ll go on a trip.”

“Sounds good,” Tim nodded. “You’ll have to come visit me at University!”

“Little Bun gonna visit me in the East?” Dawson smirked. She scoffed. 

“In your dreams, if I’m not hitting you with a banjo.”

“You can write me a few sea shanties! That way you can travel with me,” Franklin added, draping a lazy arm over her shoulders. Clara hugged him from the side. 

“Bet on it,” she grinned. Dawson looked at his pocketwatch.

“I don’t know about you all,” he said. “But I need a drink. Anyone game for a round at On the 1′s?”

“Only if you get the first round, Dastardly,” Franklin said, with a friendly punch to the arm. Dawson didn’t respond in the negative, only moving to hail a taxi. He only opened the door for Clara. No one noticed when she gently squeezed his paw with hers, they never had, but the touch was brief and hesitant. 

“Driver, onward to the future,” Franklin said. “Oh, and to On the 1′s.”

It was one of the last times they were all in a group. That is, until, one fateful meeting 90 years later in the office of the new CEO of Warner Brothers. 

#animaniacs #animaniacs oc #animaniacs 2020 #clara (oc)

[primergon]

let me be the portable heater that you'll get cold without, Ratchet / fem!reader

Summary : It was winter, and even without the snow, Jasper has managed to make the nights colder than it should be. You cling onto your second cup of hot chocolate tonight, relinquishing in its warmth. In the midst of Smokescreen's cheering and Arcee's laughter, you shouldn't have noticed Ratchet staring at your arms shivering against the porcelain.

But you did.

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Archive Warning : No Archive Warnings Apply

Category: F/M

Fandoms: Transformers - All Media Types , Transformers: Prime

Relationship: Ratchet (Transformers)/You

IT was Christmas eve. Mariah Carey and Michael Buble have been fighting over the radio station for nearly two hours now, droning out into a series of cheery jingles and tunes that could hardly be heard under all the noise.

Smokescreen was running from Ultra Magnus, who doesn't appreciate the mistletoe the young mech had set up for him. Albeit, when the time came, he had been in deep conversation with Optimus. The Autobot leader was diplomatic as always, urging his second in command to partake in Earth's festivities and out of respect,and had kissed him in the forehead.

You had never seen the stoic mech so speechless, it was only when he came to his sense did he march towards Smokescreen, who had nearly sent himself into stasis out of laughter.

His laughter faded in the distance, replaced by light bickering coming from Arcee and Jack, who couldn't seem to decide on the location of the ornaments. Miko and Bulkhead were both wrapping gifts, although it could hardly be called wrapping from the way they were just sticking tape everywhere.

You smiled at the warmth, telling Raf to be careful as Bumblebee lifted him to the top of the tree. The young boy struggled to put the star in place and you didn't miss the way Ratchet was staring too, eyes wary as his student wobbled above Bumblebee's palms.

" Yip yip yip !" He gruntled, getting up from his place before scooping Raf up for himself. " You must be more careful! You humans seem to forget just how fragile you are."

You let out a good-natured laugh, sipping your chocolate beverage. He gave you a side-glance, before focusing back on the child.

You have to admit, you wished you were on the receiving end of his nagging.

As annoying Ratchet's over-protective nature may seem, you find it lovable. His sarcastic quips and disgruntled complaints were just genuine concerns covertly hidden to avoid any suspicions that he's gone soft.

Therefore, every time he would scold you, you can't help but soak it in. It feels nice to see that he actually cares, in his own unorthodox way.

Ratchet gave you a questioning brow, reminding you that you've been staring.

Shit.

You averted your gaze, cursing to yourself. The last thing you want the medic to know is that you've been catching yourself caring for him - no, it was more than that. You were visibly attracted to the ‘silver fox’ aura he carries with him, his controlling nature just makes you wonder if he was the same day and night.

You nearly choke on the marshmallows, your face burning under the night's chill.

The sweater June had gotten you as a gift wasn't enough to keep the cold out of your skin, although you must admit, it is cute. You had a sinking feeling June had purposely purchased one that matches Ratchet's color scheme, after you let slip that you find his bad-tempered nature endearing - " didn't know you had a thing for grumpy men."

As you leaned against the railing, you fail to notice that Smokescreen was walking towards you. He tapped you lightly on the shoulder, a shrewd grin plastered across his face. He pointed you to look up and when you did, you felt a little dumbfounded, until you saw this little plant hanging between the two of you.

Oh.

You let out a chortle, hiding it behind your sleeves. The rookie was practically bouncing, if he had a tail, it would be wagging. He leaned politely, not enough to be invading your personal space but just enough to tell you what he wants.

You shook your head, Smokescreen had always been drawn to you. His free spirit, courage, and cheerful personality didn't go unnoticed. Yet, if anything you loved the mech like a friend. But, Smokescreen seemed to admire you, in a way you can only call puppy love.

Fitting, you smiled. It was Christmas, Ultra Magnus was slumping behind him in defeat ( a victim of Smokescreen's youthfulness ), the music was obnoxiously cheery and it was the most beautiful time of the year.

So you decided to indulge him, leaning to kiss the mech on the cheek. His door wings fluttered and you couldn't help back a guffaw, the whole team erupting into a chorus of teasing. You patted him on the head, turning back to the Christmas tree.

Ratchet paid the scene no mind, holding Raf as still as he could. The mech simply looked at you, rolling his eyes at your antics.

That tugged a string and your heart tightened, for a fraction of a second you had hoped he would notice. You wondered what he might think, but it seemed you had hoped too soon - Ratchet wouldn't concern himself on who you are, moreover on who you kiss.

Although it is true, that he seems to have enjoyed your company ( you knew when to talk and when to not ) and the way you never seem to get tired of explaining to him all about Earth's customs. ( He even seems to enjoy your little arguments, knowing that they never mean anything but good-natured teasing.)

The idea of him liking you was good as finally convincing Arcee to reverse her colors to pink.

You sighed into your empty cup, refilling it.

It was winter, and even without the snow, Jasper has managed to make the nights colder than it should be. You cling onto your second cup of hot chocolate tonight, relinquishing in its warmth. In the midst of Smokescreen's cheering and Arcee's laughter, you shouldn't have noticed Ratchet staring at your arms shivering against the porcelain.

But you did.

It was late. The radio was now playing in its lowest volume. Optimus, Smokescreen, and Ultra Magnus have gone to investigate a Decepticon signal while the others went to take the children home.

You decided to stay behind, volunteering to clean up the plastic cups and left-over food. Although Optimus had encouraged everyone to clean up after themselves, Christmas is never really Christmas without a little bit of mess.

You were more than happy to help, considering that you had all the time in the world - and you intend to share it with the medic, even if it was in individual silence.

He was busy monitoring the Ground Bridge, leaving you to sweep the floor.

The radio was announcing its last song for the evening, taking their time to chat about the festivities beforehand. All the while the trio reported back to base.

" We've tracked down the signal and secured a few Energon, Ratchet," The chirpy voice called out, " Don't worry about the Ground Bridge, we're going to take the scenic route. Optimus wants to show us more of human Christmas customs, so we're heading to town."

" Copy that," If anything Ratchet seemed  -  annoyed ? He was muttering incoherently to himself, "Anything else you'd like to report, Smokescreen?"

" Say hi to her for me !" He pipped up and you laughed at Ratchet when he turns to you sharply.

" There's no need, she heard you loud and clear!" He ended the line, his grumbling growing louder as he tapped on the keypads. You frowned at him. It was hard to see him distressed, it was harder to see something bothering him during Christmas!

A familiar tune filled the air, carried by the wind filtering through the open doors. They howled in the distance, the cold seemingly far away from where they stood. You huffed as Ratchet's typing turned more forceful, walking over to the radio. You turned the volume up, letting the static clear before the singer's voice begin to flood the room.

Ratchet looked at you, " What are you doing?"

You were beginning to sway gently, moving across the floor with as much grace as you can muster. You tried to match your pace to the tune, pretending to use the end of the broom as a mic.

Ratchet's confusion began to thaw, leaving way for curiosity. There it is, you grinned, the telltale trait of a medic. He watched you move your shoulders, the swing of your hips, and the tapping of your feet.

" I'm dancing," You gestured, " And I don't want to do it alone."

The Ratchet everyone knew would have rejected the prospect of dancing, with you, out of all people. The old medic should have dismissed you, going back to his work. Yet, there was no work to be done, everyone else was busy except for him.

For the first time in a while, he finds himself devoid of any reason to not dance with you.

He could have made one up, that is, if he didn't want to. But the way his apprehensive look faded to one of interest didn't go unchecked and the way his legs carried him to where you stand seemed to claim otherwise.

You expected him to pick you up, but much to your surprise - and delight, he had utilized his mass displacement. In an instant, he was your size, albeit you only reached his chest, but what matters is that you were able to look at him properly.

" I thought you were against using mass displacement for recreational purposes?" You asked, smugly smiling at him.

He scoffed, " That was when we were low on Energon, Smokescreen, however - has managed to get us some. Unless of course, you'd rather wait for him to come back."

You reached out to him as he pulled away, " What? No ! Ratchet what are you talking about, I asked you didn't I?"

He avoided your gaze, but you weren't having any of it, so you continued to move to the rhythm - letting the slow tune carry you. The music twirled like thread around them, coaxing Ratchet to move in sync.

He gave in, wobbling, " I haven't danced since- " he snorted, " since I was a young mech."

" What better way to improve than to practice?" His eyes widened at the implication that you were open to the idea that this isn't a one-time thing, he seemed to be pleased by it, taking your waist.

You rest your hands loosely around his shoulders, " See, it's not so-"

He stepped on your foot, causing you to yelp.

" Frag !" He muttered, " I'm sorry-"

" That's okay," You reassured, pulling yourself closer, " It's okay."

The music carried a mellow tune, singing a song about confessions, and you feel one coming up right now. The two of you have started to blend with the song, and without noticing you've rested your cheek against his chest.

He didn't push you away.

" I don't-" He started, " I shouldn't be doing this."

" Why not?" You stayed in place, not wanting to raise your head to see his expression. Your heart pounded fiercely against your chest and you hope he couldn't feel it.

" Smokescreen."

That was enough to make you look at him. He had this forlorn look in his face, one of defeat. You pieced the puzzle, watching as his expression shifted from helplessness to hurt.

" Ratchet I don't like Smokescreen," You laughed, leaning closer, " I like you."

His eyes widened for a fraction of a second, but he stepped back in denial. Your name, nothing short of a gasp, as it fell from his lips, " I - I can't. Don't you think you deserve better? Smokescreen is young, bright - surely he complements you better."

His voice sounded so fragile, so unlike the doctor you know - but here, with you in his arms, he was anything but an Autobot at war. They're nothing when you're here, anchoring him to the present.

You shook your head, leaning your forehead against his helm, " No. I know what I want."

He inhaled. You allow him his silence, knowing that he was arguing with his conscience. This won't be easy - you chuckled, is anything ever even easy when it comes to metal titans from outer space?

" Are you sure?"

The music was nearly coming to end, it was pulling its last verse, dragging the tune into a crescendo. You didn't want this moment to end, so you reach out to hover your lips above his, in permission.

When he nodded mutely, you kissed him.

He was warm against you, gentle yet passionate as the grip around your waist tightened. You were now flushed against the mech, with metal hands cupping your cheeks and tugging your hair. It escalated from chaste to somewhere akin to electric, innocence washing away with each tug of his denta.

You, however, needed to breathe. When you pulled away to gasp for a lungful of air, Ratchet had to hide his embarrassment. He supported you as your legs tried to regain some sense of balance, blood rushing past your ears.

" The flushing around your facial area could only mean that both vasoconstriction and thermogenesis have been successfully activated within your system, increasing your capacity to generate warmth."

You furrowed your brows, " Are you saying you knew this would warm me up?"

" You were cold." He stated, glancing at your hands. The gesture touched you, sending another wave of fuzzy warmth throughout your body.

" You noticed." You kissed his cheek, " But don't worry, I don't need that."

You dove back into his chest, nuzzling his neck as you waltz through the final notes.

" Oh? Why is that?" His voice above the shell of your ears was intoxicating enough to send shivers down your spine, they sounded rough - laced with the kind of satisfaction and content only cats have once they've had their cream.

" Because I have you."

That fished a laugh out of him.

The radio crew bid their farewells, wishing everyone a goodnight's sleep to prepare for tomorrow. Their hefty laughter and chatter bounced against the walls, accompanying the pair who continued to dance - even after the music ended.

Bonus :

Ultra Magnus : should we stop them commander? Optimus : No, we should let them. Ultra Magnus : With all due respect sir, we've been waiting by the entrance for two hours now.

A/N : I hope this doesn't seem too OOC, I love Ratchet and his grumpiness, he deserves more love ! <3 Tell me what you guys think below, I take criticism ( just be nice lol im baby)

And yes, this work is inspired by I Wanna be Yours by the Arctic Monkeys

You can find more of my work in AO3 under sirensangel ! 

AO3 link : let me be the portable heater that you'll get cold without

#ratchet #tfp ratchet #tfp arcee #transformers #transformers prime #ratchet x reader #tfp headcanons #tfp one shots #tfp fanfic #fanfic #optimus prime #tfp optimus prime #tfp smokescreen #miko nakadai #jack darby #raf esquivel #ultra magnus #bulkhead #tfp bumblebee #tfp bumblebe #tfp arce #reader insert

[hellyeahlucifer]

TVGuide.com interview with Tom Ellis & Lauren German

When you look back at the first season of Lucifer, what evolutions and changes have surprised you the most? Tom Ellis: You start a show in Season 1, and you really have no idea where it's going to go. In the pilot script, Lucifer was a very irreverent character. He didn't seem to care about anything other than himself. It was just, f-- his dad and f-- everyone. He just doesn't care anymore. He's decided to do things his own way. When we shot the pilot, the relationship with Decker — it was apparent that it was something that was going to blossom. I don't think I'd really comprehended what a journey it would be, and how kind of less devilish Lucifer would become as he evolves and spends more time with humanity. Especially as he spends more time with the Detective, and what that brings out of him. Lauren German: You look back now, and Lucifer's been helping do such wonderful things with Chloe — helping get bad guys, and he helps her learn about herself. You would never think, even when you and I got the roles, that it would have turned into this very sentimental, caring friendship where there are feelings. Where this man, Lucifer, has just been more like an angel who has helped. Ellis: Ironically. German: Yeah, I know! I know. Not necessarily a fallen angel. Just a really great angel. Ellis: That's quite interesting — [the characters have] been like angels in each other's lives. We spent five years pulling the layers back, having a character that was very stoically one way, and then realizing — and seeing him realize — that there's much more to him than that. And that has been exposed by the Detective, basically. They are the most vulnerable when they're with each other. That's so interesting, because the Detective makes Lucifer vulnerable, physically, but they've made each other… Ellis: Emotionally vulnerable. German: Absolutely. Chloe Decker has undoubtedly influenced Lucifer to a great degree. But how do you think Chloe has changed as an individual, whether changed by Lucifer or just by circumstance? German: I feel like Chloe has become more tender and more OK, at this point, with being vulnerable emotionally, like Tom was just saying. I think that her and Dan probably had a great relationship, but there's nothing with anyone ever before [comparable to] what she feels with Lucifer. There's just such respect there. I think she's always in awe of how he helps people and how he helps her come out of her shell and feel things she hasn't really felt with anybody. There's a lot of love and respect there, and her vulnerability is more present than ever before — but that can often be the most intoxicating element in a relationship. Someone that keeps you on your toes can be thrilling. It can be a different level of love from the love she has for Trixie or for Dan. It's just this… you know… sad fireworks. [Both Ellis and German laugh] If you look at Chloe early on in the show's run, Chloe had quite a few defenses up. But then again, I'm not sure which character had more walls up. Ellis: Yeah, they both had walls up. But the weird thing with Lucifer was that he was very open with everybody about the fact he was the Devil, including with the Detective, but she wasn't having any of it. Actually that sort of played into their relationship because without that element, Lucifer is kind of nothing, he's stripped down to, "Well, what is it you see in me?" I think the interesting thing, for both of the characters' development, has been when the Detective found out he actually was the Devil at the end of Season 3. In a weird sort of way, that's like Lucifer's biggest fear — that she actually found out. He assumed at the beginning of Season 4 that she had disappeared and that's it. You know, no one wants to know the Devil. And the knowledge that she left put him in metaphorical hell. Ellis: Yeah, he was in a personal hell about that. That's why it was so disappointing when we got canceled [by Fox]. It was like, we just got to the [midpoint of the story], and I wondered what the second half of the story was going to be. [That revelation] laid down challenges for our characters. The fact that she knows he's the Devil and she suddenly has to forget all these things about science and logic — all the things that made her the person that she is — she's able to see through that, and still see the man beyond that. And that is quite an amazing and humbling experience for Lucifer. I started watching it thinking it was a charming, fun, witty show. But it's turned into this sweeping love story. Did you expect to go in this epic romance direction? German: I didn't. I never projected it feeling this genuine. The fact that Lucifer and Chloe have never been together or dated — when that happens in life with someone, we've all been there, where you may want to be with someone but for whatever reason, you can't. If you love the person and they're still in your life, it forces you to get to know them better and love them in a different way than maybe just a physical way. So I think, luckily, through our trials and tribulations, Chloe and Lucifer have been forced to get to know each other in a way that brings so much more depth to the friendship and the love and the respect. [The fact that we've gone down that path] for so long — it just feels like it means so much. As opposed to maybe in Season 2 or something, if we just started dating — then it becomes about that. This feels so tender and precious and beautiful because it's been kept at arm's length a bit. I love that. It's almost like, when it comes to their relationship, there's a hesitance to plunge fully in, because what if you break it? German: Yeah. Ellis: Yeah. That is a lot of how Lucifer feels. When we find ourselves in Season 5, he's in a place where he is acknowledging all these things — but for him, that is terrifying, because what if, like he has done many times in the past, what if he messes all that up? Like that one time he got exiled from Heaven. That's a bit scarring, right? Ellis: Exactly! Completely scarring. Weirdly, as someone who presents as supremely confident, he's actually his biggest doubter. Especially when it comes to something like this, because this is new territory. All these feelings that he's been exposed to and is feeling — he doesn't know what to do with them, because that's not his safe place. He's been seemingly happy to just do what he wants and say what he wants. But actually, when it comes down to it, he's as vulnerable as everybody else when it comes to sharing your emotions with someone. Going back to your question, when you start off with a pilot script, for me first thing that was appealing was the fun of the character and the relationship of these two and the fact that you've got someone whom he doesn't affect in the same way as everybody else. That was the conceit to start with. Knowing where that was going to go and knowing it's going to turn into this big epic love saga — I don't think either of us really comprehended that. Because the other thing about when you're approaching pilots, you're kind of led to believe [the shorthand description] — "This is a medical drama," "This is a procedural cop drama," and so forth. When people were trying to shoehorn this into one of those soundbites in the early days, it would have been easy for us to think, "Oh well, we'll just do a case of the week and that will be that." That's been the beauty of the show — yes, there is this procedural element to it, but it's consistently affected by how these two feel about each other. German: Thank goodness. Imagine... Ellis: Could you imagine? German: It's been deeper than that, thank god — thank you writers, a lot. Thank you, everyone! So when we left Chloe at the end of Season 4, she told Lucifer she loves him. And then he went home. What's that like for someone who had those walls up? German: I think it's pretty brutal. For someone like Chloe, who really does have so many walls up, finally, finally she gets to this point where she just can't almost take it anymore, and is so in love with him, and she tells him. And he leaves. And so… Ellis: …And it seems reciprocated — well, it is. But there's something in that last scene that didn't happen and that is kind of fuel for our [fifth] season. You know, [Lucifer] didn't actually reciprocate what was said. German: I think Chloe's heartbroken, but it's like, you can't turn off love. It's actually really fun to play the element of, "He said what he said" — or hasn't said — "and this is where I'm at and this is how I'm feeling." Chloe is maybe feeling a little rejection, a little heartbreak, but she's smart enough and knows him enough to go, "There's such good in there. I know it." Ellis: She has an incredible amount of faith in Lucifer, which is really quite warming. German: Yeah. It's consistent. But is there an element of danger in the whole situation? All these very restless demons we saw at the end of Season 4 probably want to run around and do demon-y things, I would imagine. German: But for Chloe, all he's ever done is protect or help me. I wouldn't necessarily want to see his anger, which I've seen a couple of times. But I think Chloe feels very safe with him. And as for Lucifer taking his throne back — it's been a while since he was down in Hell. I would imagine that's not going to be a simple task. Ellis: No, it's not that simple. At the beginning of Season 5, our characters are poles apart celestially, and geographically as well. And how we get them back together — that's not really a spoiler because you know that at some point they will get back together in the same room — it does kind of cement this faith that they have in each other. But it's like you say, nothing is simple when there are celestial threats around.

#tom eliis #lauren german #interview #lucifer series #tvguide.com

[magickdream-creations]

Chapter Seven :: The Calm

“Always be genuine. People can sense when someone isn't being themselves.” - Jeffree Star

Laughter rang throughout the lair in differentiating pitches and tones. Pure, honest, unfiltered laughter. The whole group was lounging about enjoying their dinner of several large pizzas with varying topping combos. The story swaps had them all in stitches except for Casey Jones, who had a soured embarrassed expression as the current tale was a recount of his first encounter with the turtles and their master.

"Tell me you didn't actually fall for it, Jones!" Dorian was gripping his side with his right hand while the left kept him upright by bracing against the floor. Casey gave the man a pointed glare as an answer which only served to make Dorian start up another fit of laughter.

"Oh, he totally fell for it!" Michelangelo grabbed out a slice of three-cheese before leaning back in his spot on the couch.

"Hauled balls straight at Master Splinter and got his ass handed to 'em!" Raphael leaned over and bumped fists with Mikey earning a slight groan from Casey that made both teens roar with laughter again. The two youngest had found it far more hilarious since they had been the ones who had baited him into the whole ordeal.

"Kiss my ass you two," Casey grumbled before taking a drink from his soda trying his best to not let them get under his skin any more than they already had. He had not been at all amused by the recount of his unfortunate meeting though, if he were honest he would not have changed it one bit.

“Oh, that is absolutely priceless! I would have loved to have seen the look on your face Casey.” Lyra wiped a laughter induced tear from her eyes before grabbing out another slice of pepperoni for herself.

“So the whole Elite Eight thing you've mentioned in one of your stories. Is that a fancy group or some sort of ranking system?” April was genuinely curious about the inner workings of their clan. She had never heard about them until tonight and the reporter in her could not help but want in on more for a story. Dorian had almost choked on the bite of pizza he had taken but was able to chase it down with some soda before answering.

"In a sense, both assumptions would be correct. The Elite Eight is the highest skilled assassins throughout the whole organization and the four of us fall under those ranks." He watched as April leaned closer as if hoping for more detailed information on the group which only made Dorian chuckle.

"What are the ranks and what determines those ranks?" April was full of questions she wanted to be answered which in that instant seemed to make Dorian a little nervous. He knew what she was up to and he was a bit leery of telling inner workings to someone who had no real way to defend themselves. A quick scan around the room told him everyone else was listening intently to the new topic of conversation now. There was no getting around it.

“Listen. I don't mind telling you but you have to swear you will not go public with any of this until we have taken down the corruption. It is for your own safety April that you play it like you never met us or know anything about the Black Lotus. Promise?” Dorian gave a quick thought and looked over to Casey not knowing much about the guy other than he was a former cop turned vigilante. He was not taken chances on anyone getting hurt over stories. “That goes for you as well Jones. Promise?”

“Promise,” the two spoke in unison as everyone settled in more comfortably to hear the explanation Dorian was about to give them.

“Our ranks are determined by the eight codes of Bushido. The one you show most of is the rank you are put under.”

“There are only seven codes of Bushido.” Leonardo raised a brow but the tone he spoke in sounded a bit unsure which got a small chuckle from Dorian.

“Seven spoken yes but, there is an eighth one that is a sort of unspoken one that everyone should always follow when they learn or enact the Bushido way. The eight codes are as follows and in order; justice, courage, respect, honesty, honor, loyalty, wisdom, and mercy. Mercy is the one that no matter what you must show to your opponent.” Dorian paused in his explaining long enough to finish off the soda he had been working on and popped open a new one. It was enough time to let the information he gave so far sink in.

"So each of you represented a code more so than the others and that's how you're ranked? Does age not effect it at all?" Donatello was quite curious about how their ranks worked since it would mean who they had thought was the leader of their assassin friends very well could not be the leader. Dorian shifted a little from where he sat and that elicited a stifled giggle from Lyra.

“Nope! Age has nothing to do with it. We're just really nice to our big brother and let him play leader when we're out on missions.” Lyra got up and went over to Arietta who had sat away from the group to doodle in her sketchpad while she had eaten. The youngest quickly attached herself in a fierce hug causing Arietta's earbuds to pop out and the ebony-haired assassin looked not at all pleased at the interruption.

“Do you mind?”

“In fact, Arietta here is the highest ranked out of the four of us!” Lyra grinned not really paying mind that she had interrupted her sister's sketching zen. Arietta rolled her eyes having understood fully what the topic of conversation was just by what her little sister had said.

“That ranking system is ridiculous,” she spoke in a not so amused tone as she closed up her sketchbook. Her cheeks were lightly tinged with a blush of embarrassment.

“So how come Arietta isn't the leader?” Mikey was a following everything about the ranking system but the fact that the higher ranked assassin was not the one leading the team was a little confusing. Why would they have a ranking system if they did not adhere to it?

“There are several reasons. This mission tonight has really been the only mission all four of us have been on together. They never send more than two of the elites out at the same time and it's rare that the missions really call for something so drastic. Arietta over there hardly gets sent out with anyone since she doesn't play well with others." Calliope grinned up from her book on medicinal properties of plants. The way the spine was worn down showed how many times she opened it and read the contents within.

“They call it her being courageous and we call it being rash and foolish.” Lyra let out a giggle as she let go of her hold on Arietta to make her way back to the spot she had claimed on the floor. She scooted herself near the table covered with pizza boxes and picked up her slice that she had neglected in her moment of teasing.

“So says the honest one.” Arietta stuck her tongue out at her little sister and shook her head gently when she received a grin right back. With a sigh of defeat she shut off her music but she opened her sketchbook up once again to the page she had been working on. A small wave of her hand in Dorian's direction was the only signal she was going to give that she was fine with the topic at hand and that he could continue.

"Well, that covers the virtue parts of the ranking. To better protect our identities we were each given a code name in Japanese that are animals. Those animals we somehow fit so that's how the figureheads came up with the concept. I will tell them to you in English so it doesn't get redundant. The order by rank are as follows; dragon, fox, raccoon, rabbit, crow, wolf, cat, and rat. We've never had the pleasure of working with Ryuu or Nezumi before and Neko we've only ever met in passing." Dorian pulled out his final slice of pizza and took a bite figuring that was a good explanation to give to April on the ranking system of their organization.

"What about Karasu?" Master Splinter had begun versing himself in Japanese over the years as a way to pass the time so figuring out the code name for the one that wasn't mentioned did not take much thought.

“Oh, we know him pretty well. Arietta knows him even more so than we do.” The tone Lyra had spoken in was enough to suggest something on the more romantic side which caused Arietta to snap her attention up quickly.

“Damn it Lyra I told you we're just really good friends! I turned his ass down flat. End of story!”

“Right. Is that why he would follow you around like a lost puppy or got super depressed when you were away on missions?” Lyra's words instantly turned Arietta's expression from one of embarrassment to one of agitation in mere seconds. The youngest let out a squeak of surprise as her sister came racing toward her. Lyra acted fast and shot up from the floor launching herself over the table towards the couch in a rapid jump. She used the spacing between Michelangelo and Donatello, whom both were innocently sitting on the couch, so she could get behind the furniture and further her escape plan.

“I'm going to box your ears Lyra!” Arietta was right behind her little sister following the exact same path the rainbow haired sibling was taking. The laughter ringing out from everyone was not phasing her irritation in the slightest instead, it was only fueling it more.

"Someone grab her! She's on a war path," Usagi laughed out as she ran from the back of the couch to the recliner Raphael was lounging in. She jumped the sides and prayed she would be saved but her next course would be to head back towards the couch in hopes that Mikey or Donnie would be her saviors. Raph was not about to miss out on evening the score so just as Arietta tried clearing his lap as a hurdle to get to Lyra he grabbed her around her waist mid-jump making sure to grip her tight against him.

"Let me go Red!" Arietta squirmed with all of her might to try and get out of his hold to no avail. He had a damn good grip and he was not making any move to let her go. Lyra gave a victory sign with her fingers and that triumphant grin made Arietta want to pummel her sister even more so than before.

"Not a chance Foxy." Raph grinned as he kept a tight hold on her but he was nice enough to make sure he did not hurt her in any way. "Now we're even. Two to two."

“Asshole.” Arietta stopped her struggling knowing now that her efforts were completely futile. She resigned to sitting across his lap with her arms folded over her chest. She gave a slight huff of defeat.

"You love me." He grinned at her making sure only she could hear what he said that time as the laughter started dying down. She only rolled her eyes at him and turned a hard glare toward her sister who at that point was claiming her spot on the floor again. In all actuality, Arietta was trying to hide the small blush that tinged her cheeks from Raphael. She was not quite sure how to react to sitting in his lap even spite the reason for her being in the situation in the first place.

“So what was it like for you guys growing up? Did you get to go watch movies or play sports?” Casey smirked as he grabbed out the last slice of jalapeno and bacon. He put the now empty box on top of the others stacked at the side of the table.

"We didn't really have what you would call a normal childhood. Most of our lives we spent training to become the lethal weapons we are. If we weren't training we studied academically at the compound. We had a very tight and strict schedule we had to follow by." Calliope put her book down on the arm of the chair she was in before she got up to retrieve more food. She put a slice of spinach artichoke on a plate and deciding to be merciful she grabbed up two slices of Hawaiian before taking the extra plate over to Arietta. She smiled seeing the excitement light up in those violet eyes when Arietta took the plate from her and she sat her own in her chair deciding to be even nicer to her younger sibling. Retrieving the sketchbook and pens Calliope brought them to the artist and set them in her lap before taking her seat again with her refill of pizza.

“We weren't completely in the dark though. We would sneak out when we could to go to the movies or go spend a few hours in the arcades. There were a handful of times Lyra and Calliope would go to the mall on their little shopping sprees.” Dorian chuckled lightly remembering the many times when he had to listen to them act like giddy school girls while they showed off their newest purchases.

"I always thought it was funny that Hisoka knew we got new stuff but never got on to us about where we got it from or how we got it." Lyra mused out that thought and Arietta stiffened in the middle of taking a bite of her pizza. Raph only raised a brow at her as she took the bite before giving him a shake of her head subtly. He filed that away as something to ask at a later time. Another question was more pertinent for him to ask anyway.

“So did you guys get to choose your weapons or were they chosen for you?” He knew that had been a good one to ask since it caused his brothers to perk up and pay closer attention. Their weapons had been chosen for them carefully by Master Splinter and they had all been equally curious if others had been dealt the same way. Dorian was looking at the ceiling for the moment as if he was plucking the strings of thought from the very air above them.

"As initiates, we all trained in various weapon styles. Some we excelled at more than others but I suppose it was neither us nor the Weapons Master that chose. It was the weapons themselves that chose us. They just kind of fit like gloves I guess." Dorian gave a small shrug since he never really put much thought to it. He just simply knew his naginata was his and his alone. "We have many weapons in our arsenal but our main ones are our deadliest when we use them."

"Way to get all mystical on them, Dee." Arietta teased her brother as she switched out her now empty plate for her sketchbook. Her statement caused laughter to rise from all of them and even Dorian got a chuckle out of it.

“Any favorite missions you guys want to tell?” Michelangelo scooted out on his cushion of the couch with a cheesy grin on his face. After a most of the night had been spent with the four brothers recounting their own adventures. He was excited to hear a few of the assassins' tales.

“Barcelona.” Both Arietta and Dorian spoke out in quick unison while Lyra and Calliope merely groaned out together. Calliope picked her book back up to continue reading while Lyra put her face in her palm in exasperation.

“You're going to scar everybody with that one.” The rainbow haired girl moved her hand from her face to give Dorian a lighthearted glare. He answered her back with a small grin.

“What happened in Barcelona?” Leonardo was actually genuinely curious to hear about one of Dorian's missions. The more they got to know the Quintus siblings the more he began to get more curious about how Dorian worked. He crossed his arms as if to shut those thoughts in completely and lock them up tight.

“I'll let my beautiful wife over there tell this one.” Dorian looked over to Arietta who in turn was glaring daggers at him.

“I will end you.” She growled out to her big brother.

"You two were married?" Raphael was about as shocked as everyone else at that one. He could hear Casey still trying to clear his airway from his drink going down the wrong pipe. "Hold up, you're brother and sister, right? How would that even work?"

"That is the absolute worse way to start a story, Dorian." Arietta pinched the bridge of her nose to keep a small headache at bay. "We weren't really married we just pretending to be for the sake of the mission. This was only the second mission Dorian and I have ever been on. The other mission isn't near as lighthearted but we'll save that one for another time."

“Promise?!” Mikey interjected with such a hopeful tone that Arietta could not help but to laugh with the rest of the group. She moved her hand from her face and looked to the youngest turtle to give him a small nod. She made a cross sign over her chest to seal in that she promised she would before she closed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest to begin the tale.

"This happened about four years ago and our mark was the Prime Minister of Spain. The guy was using his political position as a way to keep up the flow of drugs and human trafficking. He was pretty bold about it but very thorough in making sure nothing connected back to him. The guy was a total devil and the Black Lotus was hired to get rid of him once and for all. Since pretty much everyone else had missions of their own it fell to Dorian and me to get the job done. We posed as a drug kingpin and wife so we could attend the grand masquerade party the man was holding at his estate." She paused her story and took a drink from the soda Raphael offered her before she continued on.

“It didn't take much to become buddies with the guy. He was a completely disgusting pig. He talked a bit of business with Dorian while I did my best act of playing a very sexually needy wife. A few drinks in and the guy was practically begging for us to let him in on the action or even just watch.” Arietta shivered recalling the way the guy would subtly rub against her arm or place his hand against her back.

“This sounds like something out of a movie,” April spoke gently trying to stomach the thoughts of the two siblings having to deal with such a sleazy man.

“Sometimes the movies get it right. We found his proposition as an opportunity to get him alone and away from his bodyguards so we agreed.” She gave a small shrug as she calmly told the story but she felt Raph nudge her side and she looked at him. His eyes held a bit of shocked curiosity and she had a feeling about what she was going to ask her.

“Did you two actually do anything to each other?” He did not flat out ask it but it got his point across making Arietta scoff slightly before she punched his bicep lightly.

"Oh hell no! Dorian was able to slip the poison into the Prime Minister's drink while we were in the room and we had to stall for about ten minutes for it to take effect. The most we had to do was put on an intense make-out session and my dress came off. That was it. Once the guy hit the floor we were out of there to catch our scheduled extraction flight back to Japan. No one even knew he was dead until the late afternoon and by that time we were back to the compound getting set up with our next orders." She picked up the plate from her lap intending on leaning over far enough to put it on the table. Dorian just had to open his big mouth though.

“Isn't my wife a bad ass babe?” He laughed out at his joke but yelled out as the plate Arietta had smacked him right in the forehead all Frisbee style. He rubbed his head as the room erupted into more laughter.

"You had better sleep with one eye open big brother," Calliope smirked and got a glare from Dorian in return.

“Speaking of sleep. We'd better head home and catch up on our rest.” Casey stood up and stretched a bit before fishing out the keys to the van. April stood up and gave a small stretch of her own and a little yawn to go with it.

“We're both off of work so if you guys need anything just get a hold of us.” She paused a moment and held back a laugh before she pointed at the now passed out Lyra. The bubbly young woman was using her arms as pillows as she slept against the table. “Somebody has a head start.”

"Yeah, all that hyper happiness makes her crash out like she just came down from a sugar high." Dorian stood up and was about to scoop up his sister when he felt pressure on his shoulder. He looked to the source and was a little confused to see Donnie was the one who had stopped him.

“Let me take her. I've got to get a start on going through all the data she helped me collect anyway.” Dorian gave the turtle a small nod and watched as he carefully scooped up his youngest sister with such gentle care as if she was made of glass. He could not help but smile as Donatello headed toward the spare room that had been set up as a bedroom for the four of them. Master Splinter got up from his chair and cleared his throat to get the attention of those who remained in the room.

"I suggest you all get some rest. We will begin team training once Lyra and Calliope return from their errands." He gave a tilt of his head to bid them all a good night before he headed toward his room to retire. Arietta let out a soft groan and buried her face into her sketchbook for a moment.

“It won't be that bad.” Raphael poked her side and she pulled the sketchbook away just enough to give him a slight glare.

“Have you never really work as a team?” Mikey's voice held a little concern with the way Arietta was reacting to the prospect of teamwork. Arietta closed up her sketchbook and set it on the arm of the recliner before she patted Raph's arms to let her up. He did not argue with her and let her up watching her make her way towards the room. When she was out of sight the brothers looked to the two remaining Quintus siblings. Dorian gave a shake of his head as Calliope closed her book up for the final time.

"We do find strength in working as one unit, Arietta, however, believes it better for herself to work alone. Believe me when I say that patience will be the key with her. She'll learn to do it but it will just take a lot of time and more than likely a lot of arguing." Calliope got up and started to the room but she paused seeing Arietta walking back out wearing dark jeans, combat boots, and a black hoodie. Quietly Callie grabbed a hold of her sister's arm to stop her. They locked eyes but neither said anything to one another.

“Where do you think you're going?” Dorian spoke out killing the silence as she stood up and went over to the two. His tone had an almost fatherly quality to it.

“If you want me to even think about giving this whole team thing a shot you'll let me go get some me time first. I've got to get a clear head.” Arietta looked to Dorian but she showed no real anger or agitation at either one of her siblings. Calliope let go of the arm she had in her grip and she sighed gently. Leonardo had got up from the couch and approached the trio keeping his eyes locked on Arietta.

“You're not going out there by yourself. It's too dangerous.” He readied himself for an argument as the woman was about to open her mouth to speak. Another voice completely cut her off before she could take the breath to talk.

“I'll go with 'er.” They all turned to Raphael who had been the one to speak up and he only shrugged at them. Leo smirked and looked to Ari who at that second pulled her hood over head.

“I'll go too.” He gave Dorian a smirk as the guy looked up at him in surprise. “We'll make sure she doesn't get into any trouble.”

“Great. Just what I needed. Two babysitters,” Arietta spoke in a chuckled tone but her whole body instantly tensed as Callie pulled her into a fierce hug.

"You have got your tessen?" She smiled as her younger sister nodded and gave a pat on the back rather than return the hug. Callie let her go and gave both Raph and Leo a very stern no-nonsense look. "You all had better come back safe. Two hours tops or I swear Dorian and I will come find you."

"Yes, ma'am." Leonardo smiled and lead the way as Arietta followed behind them. Raphael took up position behind her and leaned closer to the ebony-haired assassin.

“Motherly much?”

“I heard that!” Calliope shouted out which made the three of them hurry out of there. Mikey let out a small laugh having enjoyed seeing his older brothers get a little spooked.

“Remind me never to make you angry, Callie.”

#tmnt #tmnt leonardo #tmnt raphael #tmnt donatello #tmnt michelangelo #tmnt fanfiction #tmntxoc #tmnt x oc #tmnt 2016 #tmnt 2k16 #tmnt 2014 #tmnt 2k14 #tmnt bayverse

[randomfandomfamily]

Okay, so I read through your one shots about Fox, Ash, and Gary helping Little Cato deal with flashbacks and nightmares and thought “Hmm. Maybe it’s Avocato’s turn to comfort his son.” Then some part of me said “Nonono, PLOT TWIST. Avocato’s got plenty of potential trauma to deal with, so what if HE gets a flashback or nightmare that Little Cato knows how to help him through due to past experience?”

---

you know, i have tons of ideas with Little Cato’s trauma in regards to Avocato (like, so many i don’t even know what to do with them all). but Little Cato helping his father? you are woke friendo.

Little Cato was having a rather restless night. As long as he wasn’t looking out a window, he could almost forget that they were flying around in Final Space. In the quiet of his room it was just like flying through regular space.

But, for some reason, that night he just couldn’t seem to shake the thought. They were just... stuck in some nightmare dimension full of Titans and unknown dangers and Invic-

He got out of bed and walked out into the brightly lit hallway. Laying in bed thinking about it wasn’t going to do him much good. He needed something to distract himself. The arcade seemed like a pretty good idea, not much that could go wrong with playing a few video games.

Then he heard a muffled voice start shouting. It may have been his imagination, but it almost sounded like they were shouting his name. He had a suspicion of who it might be, but he really hoped he was wrong.

Taking a detour, he headed towards his father’s room, still hoping that he was wrong. But as soon as he was standing outside his father’s room, all his suspicions were confirmed. His father was shouting about something, something to do with him, and it didn’t sound like anything good.

“AVA…” Little Cato said quietly.

The door slid open without a word from the AI. Nowadays, AVA knew better than to question when a person asked to be let into someone else’s room at night. There was a lot of trauma to go around on this ship.

Little Cato stepped inside the room cautiously. He didn’t dare turn on any lights, he knew better than to startle someone awake with bright lights. Speaking from personal experience, it wasn’t a great way to wake up, especially from a nightmare.

He approached his father slowly, trying to figure out how he was going to wake up his thrashing father. Nightmares were pretty common on the ship, but everyone was different. Little Cato decided trial by error was going to be his best best. He wasn’t going to know how to help until he just… tried.

“Dad,” Little Cato said quietly, “Dad, it’s me.”

“I’m sorry-”

“Dad,” he said louder, “Wake up. It’s just a dream.” When that didn’t work, Little Cato tried shouting, “Dad! It’s a nightmare!”

Avocato managed to kick his blanket off the bed, still asleep, though not too soundly. “He’s angry with me... he’s... Little Cato, I-”

Little Cato braced himself. “Alright, Plan B.” He jumped on his father’s bed and shook his shoulder. “Dad, can you hear? Come on, wake up!” He narrowly dodged Avocato’s fist. “Crap! That was close.”

He went back to shaking his father, trying to ignore how desperately his name was being screamed.

“Dad, wake up!”

Avocato’s eyes snapped open and he bolted upright, nearly knocking Little Cato backwards. “Where is he?! Little Cato! I have to find-”

Little Cato caught his balance and grabbed Avocato’s paw. “I’m here! I’m here, Dad, look at me.” He hadn’t seen his father this scared since the day a bomb been stuck to his back. Reaching out with his other paw, he grabbed his father by the shoulder. “Breathe, Dad, I’m right here.”

Slowly, Avocato’s gaze focused. “L-Little Cato?”

“Hey,” Little Cato said, “That sounded like a bad one. You okay?”

“What are you… what?”

Little Cato sat back, still holding his hand. “Everyone’s got nightmares, Dad. Every single one of us. We’ve all had our fair share of helping each other.” He gave his father’s paw a reassuring squeeze. “You wanna talk about it? Was it Invictus?”

Avocato laughed. “Are you seriously trying to comfort-”

“Yeah. I am seriously trying to comfort you.” Little Cato raised an eyebrow. “You’re a killer ex-soldier and badass bounty hunter to everyone else, but you’re still a father to me. I know you’re squishy on the inside.”

“I am not-”

“Shut up, yes you are. Dad would agree with me, too.”

“Don’t bring your dad into this.” Avocato sighed. “And the nightmare wasn’t about Invictus.

“Being brainwashed by Invictus was… strange. I know whatever I did wasn’t good, but I don’t remember most of it. When Ash forced him out, I had no idea what was going on or where I was or how I got there. I just… wasn’t me.”

Little Cato tipped his head. “So… what was your nightmare about?”

Avocato paused. “It was the day I lost you. The scariest day of my life.”

It was one of the scariest days of Little Cato’s life too. He’d faced death several times, but there was something different about it when your father held the gun. “I’m back now, Dad. I’m back, and we’re together, and we’re safe.” He remembered where they were and amended, “Well, mostly.”

“That’s not it,” Avocato clenched the blankets with the paw that wasn’t holding Little Cato’s. “Son, I almost killed you that day.”

“I know,” Little Cato said.

Avocato scowled. “I was a terrible person. What kind of person holds a gun to a child. What kind of monster holds a gun to their son?” Tears started welling up in Avocato’s eyes. “I was horrible to you.”

“I know,” Little Cato repeated.

Avocato looked at him. “So why aren’t you mad at me? In all my nightmares, you’re always furious with me.”

Little Cato’s heart twisted knowing his father was genuinely afraid that he’d be angry. He spent three years afraid that Little Cato would be angry, and Little Cato never got the chance to tell him he wasn’t. “I’m not mad because you’re my father.”

“But-”

“Look,” Little Cato interrupted, “I’ve had years and years to think about life and other junk, okay? Dwelling on the past doesn’t get you anywhere, trust me. You’ll drive yourself crazy trying to think of all the ways you could’ve done better.

“So yeah, you almost shot me. But you didn’t. And that’s the part that matters.” Little Cato smiled up at his father. “And if you still feel like crap about it, just talk to someone, okay? Talk to me or Gary or whoever. We’ve all got our stuff. No one’s gonna judge.

“And don’t be embarrassed about the nightmares, okay? You wouldn’t believe how many times I’ve had to get help with those.”

Avocato rubbed his eyes and returned Little Cato’s smile. “You sound like a wise old man,” he joked, “When did you get so smart?”

Little Cato shrugged. “Dunno.” He would save the whole ‘surprise-I’m-actually-seventy-four-years-old’ talk for another time. Right now, his father needed him to be a rock. “Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m wiped out.”

“Oh.” Avocato cleared his throat. “Sure. If you want, you can go-”

“What?” Little Cato asked. “And leave you all shaken up from a nightmare like that?” He let go of Avocato’s hand and dove under the covers. “No way. I’m staying with you tonight.” Avocato opened his mouth to speak. “And before you say no, consider this: yes. Because I’m gonna stay anyways.”

Avocato laughed. “Where’d you get that stubbornness from?”

“I’ve got a couple guesses,” Little Cato said, “And they all start with an Avocato.”

His father laid back and wrapped him in a crushing hug. “Thank you, son.”

Little Cato hugged him back. “No problem, Dad. Anytime.”

They stayed wrapped in each other’s embrace long after they had fallen asleep, neither one of them willing to let go, and both of them more than happy to have the reassurance of the other’s presence.

Hopefully they’d never have to let go again.

#final space #little cato #avocato #random disaster writes

[leiascully]

Fic:  Baseball Metaphors (7/?)

Part One  |  Part Two  |  Part Three |  Part Four |  Part Five |  Part 6

What can I say except you’re welcome, it’s PG-13, and don’t expect more until the weekend probably.

+ + + +

Between their travel schedule and Ethan and Jenny's various appointments, it's three weeks before they manage to get together for dinner again.  Mulder is honestly surprised it even happens.  He assumed when they all promised it would be a regular thing that everyone else was just saying it for the usual social reasons.  He's never quite sure what to do anymore when someone who isn't Scully enjoys his company.  But he dutifully makes reservations at an upscale Latin American place in deference to Jenny's cravings for beef and avocados, and Jenny practically croons as she looks at the menu.  

"Oh, Fox, I can't believe you remembered," she gushes.  "That's so nice."

"That photographic memory," Scully says fondly, and pats his hand.  She's wearing a blouse tonight, silky and pink with one more button undone than her usual office wear, and a skirt that looks like it would be easy to slide his hand under.  But he's definitely not counting his bases before they hatch, or however the metaphor would go.

"There was no way I was getting between a pregnant lady and her tacos," Mulder says.  

"These are going to be way nicer than the ones we make at home," Ethan says.  "Nice job, Fox."

Jenny pats her belly.  She's showing slightly now.  "I'm sure our little peanut will appreciate that."

"He's so considerate," Scully says.  She throws Mulder a melting look.  

"Sorry we haven't been able to meet before now," Ethan says, "but big news - we closed on the house.  It's officially ours."

"Maybe we'll have you over for dinner!" Jenny says.  "After the painters finish, of course.  Can't be around the fumes right now."  She laughs.

"Of course," Scully says with a gentle chuckle.  "Maybe it'll inspire me to redo my apartment."  

"I thought you were going to redo your apartment soon anyway," Mulder says in a meaningful tone, nuzzling at her ear.

"Oh, Fox," she says, playfully pushing him away.  "You know we haven't worked out all the details yet."

"We've got news of our own," Mulder says, turning back to Ethan and Jenny. "We're moving in together."  Jenny claps her hands.

"That's so wonderful!" she says.  "You'll have to have a housewarming when you find your new place."

"We haven't even decided whether we're getting a new place," Scully says, smiling.

"You will," Jenny says decisively.  "You know when you get to our age, it's just too hard to let someone else into your space, or to give up your own place.  A fresh start is better.  That way you can work together from the beginning.  It all starts with compromise."

"Wise words from a beautiful lady," Ethan says, leaning in to kiss her cheek.  

"I just know you'll find the perfect place," Jenny says.  Her eyes are shining.  "And if you need any help, Dana, I actually love looking through the real estate ads.  I'd be happy to look up a few places you might like."

"That sounds perfect," Scully says.  Mulder nudges her knee with his under the table.  She presses back firmly.  

Dinner, fortunately, is delicious, because it's accompanied by endless details about Ethan and Jenny's bungalow, their paint colors, the new stove they're having delivered, and the plans they have for their guest room.  In the absence of wine, Scully indulges in a margarita or two.  Mulder watches her lick the salt off the rim of her glass and remembers the kisses they shared in his car.  They haven't talked about it since, but he's indulged in a few reminiscences, alone in his apartment.  He picks up a forkful of pickled vegetables and pork from his Cuban plate and orders another margarita for himself.  

The meal ends with churros, fresh-fried and glistening with sugar.  Scully dips one into the accompanying chocolate sauce and holds it to Mulder's lips.  He bites into it, only a little self-conscious.  It crunches gently, hot and delicious.  He looks at Scully and it's like they're the only two people in the room.  Maybe that's where this ridiculous ritual comes from.

It's a nice night, somehow, or nice enough, for a night that doesn't involve watching either UFOs or baseball.  He couldn't have imagined becoming anything even approaching friends with anyone who'd ever dated Scully, but Ethan isn't that bad, and Jenny's definitely trying to smooth everything over.  He can tell that all this domesticity is still pressing on some sore spots in Scully's heart, but it isn't intentional.  Ethan and Jenny just genuinely want to share their joy.  

They say their good nights at the door of the restaurant.  Mulder puts his arm around Scully and she slips her hand into the back pocket of his nice jeans.  He isn't sure whether she's actually squeezing his ass, but at this point, he wouldn't put it past her.  When he agreed to play pretend as her boyfriend, he didn't expect either of them to commit to the bit so fully, but it makes sense despite Scully's generally reserved nature.  When she goes for something, she goes all in.  Rewriting Einstein.  Pursuing some kind of accelerated program through med school that he still doesn't understand so that she could join the FBI.  Wrangling him and investigating the X-Files.  Cuddling up to him at a restaurant as if they're sickeningly in love.

He's seen worse coping strategies for dealing with one's ex and one's ex's new house purchase, promotion, and pregnant pretty fiancée.

"See you soon?" Ethan says, holding out his hand for Mulder to shake.

"We wouldn't miss it," Mulder says.  "Or that double housewarming."  They wave as Ethan and Jenny turn to go through the parking lot.

"Is this what it's like to have friends?" he murmurs to Scully.

"I'm not sure anymore," she says wryly.  "All I have is you."

"I'm not so bad," he says with amusement.  "Am I?"

Now she's definitely squeezing his ass.  "You do all right."

"You okay?" he asks.

She sighs.  "It's srange," she says at last.  "On the surface, it seems as if they have everything I've always wanted, but I don't look at Ethan and want to be with him.  I don't even know if that life is what I want at this point.  I mean, it is, but this job isn't exactly compatible with parenting, and I don't want to give it up, and I don't want to have a family unless I have a partner, which I don't have time to find.  My parents loved each other, but I saw what raising four kids basically on her own put on my mother.  And Dad missed so much."

"Meanwhile my parents had nothing but me in their lives," Mulder says.  "After Sam, I mean.  That wasn't ideal either."

"So two to four kids," Scully muses.  "I don't think I'm the type for immaculate conception."

"That should be the least of your worries," he tells her, opening the car door for her.  

They bicker amiably about the existence of Bigfoot on the way home, a refrain as familiar as anything on Top 40 radio.  He parks outside her building and turns to her, trying not to have expectations.  But he can't stop remembering the heat of her kisses that fogged up the windows, the weight of her balanced in his lap.  She blinks at him slowly in the dark of his car and he thinks she's remembering too.

"Walk me to my door?" she says, and the quirk in her lips makes her intent clear.  

"It would be my pleasure," he says, and follows her into her building.  He props himself against the door jamb as she unlocks the door.  It takes her a second, even though he knows they were at the restaurant long enough for the margaritas to wear off.  If she's jittery, it's for some other reason.  He hopes it's him.  The lock clicks open at last and she tugs her keys out.

"Well," he says, grinning, "good night."

She reaches up and tows him into her apartment by his shirtfront.  He kicks the door shut and lets her press him against it as he bends down to kiss her.  He does taste salt and sugar flecked at the edges of her lips this time, but what matters is the heat of her and the way her lips and tongue insist on capturing his full attention.  He cups his hands around her face.  He'd pick her up if he dared and let her wrap her legs around his waist, but as natural as it feels to kiss her, all this is new.  

"I think you've earned second base," she says.  "For outstanding performance at an endless dinner."

"You sure?" he asks.

"I saw the way you looked at me in that hotel room in Oregon when I showed up in nothing but a robe," she teases.  "To say nothing of assorted evidence I've gathered over the last few years, up to and including elevator maintenance.  If you're not interested, we can say good night, but I better not hear any more bullshit about method acting."

"I'm interested," he assures her.  "It's just that pesky real life and office that we share I'm worried about."

She shrugs.  "It's worked so far.  I'm not going to tell my therapist about it, but it's worked."  She pulls him closer and looks up at him.  "If I didn't let Them take you from me, I'm not going to let this take you from me."

"If you're sure," he says.  

"I'm sure that I'd rather that you were feeling me up than that we were continuing this conversation," she says, pressing her body against his.  "So shut up and put out or get out."  She winks to soften her words.  

He kisses her again and unbuttons her blouse with feverish intensity, sliding his hand inside to touch the lace of her bra.  Her nipples are already hard.  He flicks his thumb across them and she gasps against his lips.  

"Ah, Scully," he says reverently.  

"Couch," she commands, stepping away and taking his hand, and he follows her over.  She perches on the arm of the couch, her shirt half-open and her eyes half-lidded.  He sits below her and buries his face between her breasts.  She laughs, her chest rumbling against his forehead as he nuzzles against her velvety skin.  

Scully, in a surprise to no one, has absolutely perfect breasts.  They're perfectly shaped, with a perfect weight in his hands, and her nipples are rosy peeking through the lace of her bra.  He loves them.  He could play with them forever.  From the noises Scully is making as he gently squeezes them, that's more than all right with her.

He loses track of time.  He's hypnotized by the texture of her, the salt taste of her skin under his tongue.  He pulls her on top of him, toppling onto the cushions.  She's straddling him and yes, he was right about the skirt being easy to push up.  He undoes her bra and pushes her shirt off her shoulders.  She slides her arms out of the straps and he has access to all of her.  The way she braces herself above him changes the shape of her breasts and he could spend forever just exploring all the things gravity or the lack thereof could do to her body.  He wants to get her in a pool.  He wants to take her into space.  He wants to grow old with her, and fuck, he already knew it, but it's a whole new world.  

"Mulder," she says, and her voice comes from far away, but he reels himself in.  She slides down his body until she can look into his eyes.  "I don't want to stop."

"I hear a big 'but' coming," he murmurs, kissing her.

"But I don't think we should round the bases tonight," she says, her voice brimming with regret.  

"You know I hate it when you're right," he says.  She leans down, smiling against his lips.

"I know you do," she says.  "But you and I both know we're going to have to have more dinners with them.  It makes more sense to ration it out."  

"Just in case of catastrophe," he says.

"That and I don't want to fling myself into your arms to assuage my regrets about my former relationship," she says.  "You deserve better."  She kisses him again.  "But god, I want you."

"You'll just have to wait a little longer," he says indulgently, brushing his hand down her bare thigh.    

"At least until the nursery's painted," she says, rolling her eyes.  

"That's third base," he tells her.  "Housewarming is home."

"Who put you in charge of the calendar?" she teases.

"I'm kind of in charge of the elevator," he jokes back.  "Besides, who knew the way to get you to drop all your inhibitions was to put you at a dinner table with a nice boring suburban couple?"

"That sounds much more scandalous than I think you intended," she says with a smile.  

"My scandal level is precisely calibrated," he says.  She climbs off him and he sits up.  He'll have to address his situation again when he gets home.  He's half-amazed he didn't come in his pants like a college boy fumbling around in his twin bed with his first hookup.  

"Good night," Scully says, tracing a finger down the buttons of his shirt.  

"I guess you didn't get to second base," he says, looking at his chest.  Hers is much more appealing.  She's shrugged her shirt back on and her breasts are bare inside it, flushed and possibly marked by his teeth.    

"Next time," she says.  "You don't have quite as much to work with."

"I might surprise you," he says.  

"Next time," she says again, and this time it's a promise.  She sends him out the door with a kiss and a slap on the ass.  He shakes his head in the hallway, only half-believing that any of this is happening at all.

#the x-files fic #xfiles fic #the xfiles fic #msr #mulder x scully #fic: baseball metaphors #my fic #i wanted to squeeze one out for you all #so to speak

[365daysofmchart]

Reflecting on McHart: 3x01

Long time no see! But just thought I’d make some little (as it turns out) incredibly lengthy remarks about McHart-related things that stood out to me in the season 3 premiere of The Good Fight! May or may not do more of these throughout the season--let me know if you’re feelin’ it. Obviously 3x01 spoilers below!

1. Them holding hands, (and her leg slung over him which we couldn’t really see in the scene but did in the promo) and THAT CHIN GRAB, and him indulging her, oh my! (BUT WHY WOULD HE TEMPT FATE LIKE THAT SAYING “WHAT COULD GO WRONG?” DAMN IT, KURT!)

2. I had been planning to make a clever remark about how I had so been looking forward to seeing what a home/bedroom that was truly both of theirs would look like... and then (once seeing it in the promo/promo pics) that apparently it looks exactly like a Diane bedroom, lol (which is sweet in it’s own right too, I suppose, him just letting her run with it... or perhaps her insisting they do it together but then she vetos like 95% of his ideas so then he just gives up). But then I saw the gun case with more than a dozen firearms in it so actually a Diane/Kurt bedroom seems to be a Diane bedroom with an abundance of guns. ...Which honestly kind of surprises me, especially given that they’re not really locked away. Wondering how those negotiations went between the two of them. ...Are the guns in the bedroom going to become relevant in a later episode??? So many questions. 

But anyway, further on their bedroom, THAT THING IS FREAKING MASSIVE. I know that they want it to function as sort of a catch-all space for the season so that they can get away with shooting every single McHart home scene in that one space and so it has to serve a lot of functions, but good lord, I think an entire apartment could fit in there? And HOW MUCH SEATING DO THEY NEED? They’ve got enough for--no exaggeration--more than ten in there. That’s insane. Are they planning to have a freaking soiree in there??? HA! ...It is gorgeous though, props to Beth!

3. The domesticity of their morning! He’s shaving (with a shaving brush OF COURSE and probably a straight razor) in a towel in the bathroom and her unpacking his stuff as they talk (or holler, rather) back and forth, just kind of hanging out while doing their own things to get ready for the day. THEY’RE MARRIED. My heart! 4. Diane’s increased knowledge of his guns and his preferences despite the fact that he has probably like 50 of them. How much time does he spend talking about guns and she sits there and lets him and listens, probably mostly because she just loves watching him in his element... and also because THEY’RE MARRIED and idk, I guess you do stuff like listening to your spouse talk about things you’re maybe not totally into when you’re married?

5. He called her (at work vs. her cell) while she was on her way to work, after she had just left him, but we never find out why. WHY???

6.HER HELPING HIM PACK. Ans it’s because she “saw airplane tickets on our account.” On “OUR ACCOUNT.” Something tells me they hadn’t merged much of anything before (including their lives), but they have now and it warms my heart!

7. I actually love the way they handled the hairs/her suspicions.To start with, I think it’s natural that after everything, even if they have moved forward and are starting over, even if she has worked though everything and trusts him, I think it’s perfectly realistic that certain feelings might creep up given certain circumstances. Of course exploring this in the show could’ve easily gotten into “drama for the sake of drama” territory and been incredibly messy and destructive, but it wasn’t. 

She wasn’t looking for reasons to be jealous, wasn’t looking to catch him in a trap--they honestly were “just there.” She then handled it so well, asking him reasonable questions, went on with her day, then maturely confronted him about it at home that night. (And honestly, I don’t think she actually thought he cheated, just that he was hiding something perhaps a little less than seemly that had to do with one of his “Fox blonds.”)  And then when she does approach him about it, she starts by telling him she loves him! She’s diving into this situation knowing it could be messy/hurtful but wants to preface with an “I love you” cause they are so IN THIS. Oh, also, ya know, he was being dishonest with her/lying to her, so her suspicions were totally valid. ...And on that note, DID KURT REALLY NOT LEARN HIS LESSON ON BEING HONEST WITH HER?!?!? Like he’s the most honest guy with literally e-ver-y-one else... but his wife. I think it just comes from loving her and not wanting to upset/hurt/lose her, but COME ON, MAN.

8. “I’m being paid. I don’t have a job, I’m hiring myself out...” “They pay me, Diane; it’s money. I’m not doing it because I like them!” “I’m being paid! I’m working!” That. Job. Though. His excuses are such a cop out because they obviously don’t need the money by any means. But I think it really speaks to Kurt and his pride--he loves his wife dearly, loves her strength, will always support her and is genuinely okay with her being the primary breadwinner. ...But he also still feels the need to pull his weight--to have a purpose and to contribute something financially. To “be a man.” (But again, as much as he may feel the need to play a traditional male gender role, he also has zero expectations that Diane do the same!) Because he could always volunteer in some way, take on smaller jobs, wait for the right long-term, paying position... but he’s taken that one. Because pride (which apparently trumps integrity? LOL!). (Throwback to season 2 of TGW!) Oh, Kurt... BUT ALSO SHE SEEMS TO GET THAT, because yes, she’s definitely upset about it and judges him for it, but she doesn’t even begin to try to talk him out of it, just, “Nope, you’re right. You have to do what you have to do.” She knows it’s important to him and respects that it’s something he feels he has to do! (They’ve come so far from 5x06!) As he respects that she has to do what she has to do. Like she just walks out on some kind of vague mission and he just stands there, a little confused, but like, “...Okay? Well, you do you, I guess. I’ll be here.”

9. THEIR TEASING, I LOVE IT SO MUUUUUCH. Honestly it’s been so long since we’ve seen them relaxed and playful together that it almost felt out of character for Diane for a hot minute and then I thought back and was like, “oh yeah, never mind, this is just what they’re like together when they’re not being put through the wringer by the writers!” Gasp! ...But like oh my God, they’re so freaking cute and yes please I’ll take more wise-cracking-sarcastic-sasshole Diane EVERY EPISODE, PLEASE!!! And let’s be honest, Kurt loves it. He looks at her with heart eyes and that little smirk that he can’t quite master because he’s just so in love with her even especially when she teases him. But then “Come on, come on. A little hug, please.” Like it’s not even a kiss or sexual in any way, she’s just missed him and just wants to embrace him for a moment. And given their history in regards to physical intimacy and that we can be quite certain that their sex life is still plenty vibrant, I think that a hug actually means more than tearing into each other, you know? They’ve always had that physical draw, the hug is more a product of an emotional one. (THOUGH I WOULD HAVE ZERO COMPLAINTS ABOUT THEM TEARING INTO EACH OTHER) And then, from the slightest wince she knows something is wrong and presses him on it!

10. The entirety of the “They shot you!” scene was pure GOLD. Every line, every delivery. And then her concern followed by her frantic ire and demand to know who did it, and his trying to calm her but then getting riled himself... UGH. I love it. All of it. Every bit of it. But especially... (And some lines I’ve highlighted at the bottom!)

11. Idk, but I just really love when he shows her the ointment? It just feels SO [OLD?] MARRIED COUPLE. Like, “Yeah, I did go to the hospital and they gave me this stuff to put on it, see? Here it is. Do you want to look at it?”  (And her just automatically taking it from his hand!) Honestly I clearly can’t adequately put words to why this in particular stands out to me, but it just gets me every freaking time.

12. Moment of appreciation for their bathroom (the one room that’s actually lit properly, lol) and alllll of her products and their matching toothbrushes in the middle, then that lil red car on his side (’cause they have sides, guys!). Dying to see their bedroom reasonably well lit at some point during the season (we hope) to see more of these little details! (...Also why are their towels hanging in their washroom area where it would appear that there is only a toilet???)

13. “You’re not fit to kiss my husband’s feet--a truthful man, uncomplaining, never passing the buck, never punching unless he’s punched. When did he become the exception?” After everything, after it all, after the lies and the hurt, she still believes that this man is the greatest man to walk this earth. Perhaps she now knows that he’s not perfect... but I think she believes he’s the closest any man will get. She just loves him SO. DAMN. MUCH. And then just gently resting her arm over his waist while careful to keep her distance from his wound cause she just wants needs that connection... I CAN’T WITH THEMMMMM.

14. Also, ummm... can we please get shirtless Kurt in 3 scenes in every episode??? 15. Diane uttered like 2 “husband”s, 2 “wife”s, and one “married” in this single episode... clearly the writers are as committed to defining them as MARRIED AF as we are.

And just a few other lines that stood out to me:

“I’m happy. ...Am I ridiculous?” “You like narrating your life.”

“But mean it.”

“...And it reeked of cologne, or mousse, or something, and I know that you’d rather die than use girly products...”

“...Then which of you Fox blonds is it?” (”Fox” did not sound like “Fox” upon my first watch/listen, haha!)

“You call him Eric?” “Oh, God...”

“DIANE, you’re scaring me!”

“My God, my poor husband. What have they done to you?”

“That’s why they delayed the trip, they SHOT you!”

“I can do the ointment.” “No you can’t!”

“The most important person in my life...”

Alright, as per usual I got ENTIRELY carried away, but anyway there ya go. Hope at least one of you gets amusement out of it, lol! And feel free to comment/"Ask” your own thoughts!

Happy “More McHart is only 25 hours away!” -E

#McHart #diane x kurt #diane lockhart #kurt mcveigh #The Good Fight #I LOVE MY MARRIED AF SHIP #it took so long and we went through so much but my got is it good right now! #also though why am I like thissssss #why do I always get SO carried away I hate myself #it was just supposed to be little blurbs! #I mean good God I barely even finished in time before the new episode! #anyway more married babes sooooon #thanks for putting up with me everyone! #reflecting on mchart

[marmolady]

Her Weakness

Book/Series: Endless Summer

Main Pairings: Estela x MC/Taylor (f)

Summary: Set during Book 1. The sudden storm...an empty resort... sightings of a hulking beast... but there’s only one mystery Estela is struggling to cope with... and that’s the pretty blonde, the one whose photograph was attached to her mother’s note. Who or what is Taylor? Might she just be Estela’s undoing?

Warnings: Coarse language, sexual references. Nothing much to worry about.

Word Count: 2737

Reviews and reblogs are hugely appreciated!

Tagging: @brightpinkpeppercorn @sceptilemasterr @bbaba-yagaa@edgydepressedchoicesthot@endlesssummerfan@blightarts@princessstellaris @acidsugar0@taramitch96

“L,

There’s a second Omega Specimen. Whatever it takes, we have to make sure Rourke doesn’t get his hands on her.

-O.”

Estela thought she felt her heart stop when she looked at the photograph clipped behind the note. It was… Taylor. Taylor?

…we have to make sure Rourke doesn’t get his hands on her.

She traced her fingers over her mother’s handwriting, the bittersweet familiarity making her heart ache.

“He won’t, Mom. I promise.”

Omega Specimen… what did that even mean? Was this… could it be why Estela had been having those… feelings around Taylor? Estela simply didn’t get distracted. She had a job to do; she had to be ruthless, focussed. It came easily to her, it was how she’d gotten this far. Whatever this… this unwanted bond she felt with the mysterious blonde, it had to mean something. What had her mom known about Taylor?

She stared at the photograph. Those eyes… like the ocean. They’d held her gaze. Most people tended to avoid looking Estela in the eye, finding her unnerving. But Taylor had looked right back, and some sort of connection fired up between them. And it happened again. Estela realised that she wanted to keep Taylor safe, far more than she’d dare admit to herself. That meant keeping her distance. Whoever Taylor was, whatever she was, Estela would never let Rourke get hold of her. Now, it was personal.

Taylor… who are you?

  For a little while, Estela managed to stay out of Taylor’s way. It was for the best. Something about her had gotten under her skin bad, and it was the last thing she needed. Through it all, she kept the note and photograph tucked away in her hoodie, held close to her always. Taylor had joined a group out to find the emergency shelter, hoping to at last find answers. Estela might have come along, anything to find some clue to Rourke’s whereabouts, but she knew better than to think her presence would do anything but bring danger. It was simply who she was. No. Taylor would go, find the hotel guests, and get back to the happy vacation she’d come here for. And Estela would be free to carry on with her mission, hopefully with new knowledge of Rourke’s whereabouts.

That was the plan, at least until the message piped out through speakers in every room in the hotel. There was no one. The beast that Taylor had seen on the first night had attacked, and was hunting them down. The whole group would leave, and they were to meet at the hangar, ready to get off the island quick-smart. Disappointed though she was that Rourke’s location remained a mystery, Estela was nonetheless relieved. Not much longer, and the other students would be out of her hair. No one to ask questions, to give her a suspicious side-eye. No one to tempt her into vulnerability. No Taylor. Her mother’s wish to keep the second Omega Specimen -whatever that meant- safe from Rourke, would be fulfilled. One promise kept, one more to go.

Estela brought up the rear as the group from the hotel made their way through the thick greenery towards the hangar and their ticket home. From the back, she could most effectively keep an eye on potential danger that could befall the students. They were stumbling through the forest hot, sweaty and rather clumsily, clearly not used to difficult terrain, but as yet no sign of dangerous animals. She only had to growl at Raj one time for him to get the message to keep his voice down. Craig was sulking just enough that he was actually shutting up for a change. Whether the group was more nervous of dangerous beasts lurking in the forest, or of Estela herself, she wasn’t sure, but neither did she care. If being scared of her meant they kept their wits about them, she’d take it.

Suddenly, she froze. Something was coming. She motioned to Michelle, who was leading the trail, to hold still and keep quiet. But not fast enough. Someone burst through the undergrowth and- smack! – punched Michelle in the face, met with a furious shout. And there she was.

Of course, it had to be her. As Estela might have expected, Taylor was still the only person around here who seemed to take the dangers seriously. That she had no hesitation in defending herself would serve her well. That girl had a good head on her shoulders, and Estela couldn’t help but like her. It didn’t mean anything though… she just… admired her as a person. Nothing more. Or at least, that was what she persistently kept telling herself. As they continued along the trail, reunited as a group, Taylor stuck close to her side, apparently oblivious to the fact that she’d rather avoid her.

“Good, we’re all here. I was beginning to worry we wouldn’t be able to convince everyone to leave the island-“ Taylor began.

Estela spoke bluntly, getting to the point before she rambled any further. “I’m not leaving.”

“Wait, what? Why?”

“…Unfinished business.”

Taylor looked at her, curiosity clear in her eyes. “Listen, Estela, whatever you’re doing here… I want to help.”

Taken aback, Estela searched her face, looking for a hint of what Taylor was up to, what she really wanted with her. But once again, she saw only earnest kindness and an open heart. No ulterior motives, not at all. Just wanting to be liked in return… well it was certainly fucking working, and it was driving her to distraction.

“You mean that, don’t you?”

“Of course I do.”

Help? For the briefest of moments, Estela could imagine it. To face this with someone by her side, someone genuine and honest… someone who made her heart flutter. But that would only get her killed. Taylor was a good person; she didn’t deserve to be dragged into something like this. At any rate, the further she was away from Rourke, the better… whatever he needed her for, it could only be bad news.

Estela frowned. “Man, you’re stupid. Trust me, you don’t want to get yourself involved. Once you’re in, there’s no way out. So, for your own good, go back to your nice college bubble, live your dreams and be happy. It’s what you’re meant for.”

“I think I’ll decide what I’m meant for.”

“If only that were true. Now, keep your voice down. There’s a sabretooth after us, remember?”

“You don’t seem surprised at all about that.”

“Nothing surprises me anymore.”

There was a sudden glint in Taylor’s eye. “Not even me?”

Dammit, she’s got me. Estela made a show of rolling her eyes, but couldn’t hold back the smile. What the hell is it with this girl?

She smelt the noxious smoke and fumes before she saw it. As the group emerged from the undergrowth, they were greeted with the sight of black smoke pouring from the hangar, the crackle of flames filling the air. Everyone ran forward, even as the sinking feeling within said that it was already too late. Estela put her back into helping Jake and Sean haul the doors open; the best chance of getting Taylor out of Rourke’s reach was going up in flames, and she couldn’t just let it happen. At first glance through the thick wall of smoke, it was clear that the plane was gone.

And then Taylor ran in, her arm covering her eyes as she pushed through the toxic, billowing clouds. Estela’s eyes grew wide with horror as a line of gasoline bursts into flames, moving toward the plane at impossible speed.

“Taylor!” There was no time to think. Estela threw herself forward, hurling Taylor out of the way, and in the split second after their bodies collided, an ear-shattering eruption of fire and steel shook their world.

“Whoa!”

Through the explosion, Estela shielded Taylor’s body, in the moment feeling nothing else but a blazing need to protect her. As the debris cloud cleared, their eyes met.

“Are you okay?” Estela asked, quickly catching her breath.

The expression on Taylor’s face was one of pure shock. “You could have gotten yourself killed. Why’d you save me?”

In that moment, it dawned on Estela for the first time. What she’d just done. How stupid she’d…

“I… I honestly don’t know.”

God, I’ve gotta get out of here.

Before they could even begin to recover from the shock of the plane going up in flames, there before them was the great cat. Estela scrambled to her feet. There was no escape… though if they all ran for it, she could be confident that it wouldn’t be her who get picked off by the beast. Instinctively, her fingers found the knife stashed away in her hoodie, and she glanced towards Taylor, who had fear written all over her face. Then out from the bushes bounded a strange blue fox, yipping a challenge at the sabretooth with utter bravado. Perhaps this could distract the cat for long enough… But then there was a flash of white. Ice. Shooting out from the tiny fox itself. Sending the sabretooth fleeing.

Michelle fainted into Raj’s arms, and Taylor glanced Estela’s way with a dry, rather hysterical laugh.

“You still say nothing surprises you? Because your face says otherwise.”

Recovering quickly, Estela brushed soot and debris from her clothes. “Can you slap her awake?” she asked, looking from Raj to Michelle, who was out cold. “Someone keep hold of the fox. We’ve got to get back to the resort. Fast. It’s fenced in, you’ll be safe.”

She started moving, but everyone else -bar Taylor, as per the norm- seemed to be stunned in place. It was the blonde who took the initiative to smack poor Michelle unceremoniously back to the land of the living.

“Will. You. Stop. Hitting me!”

Taylor stepped back, dodging an angry backhand. “That thing will be back; we’ve gotta move.”

“Move!” Estela growled, and she broke into a run. This time, the message hit home, and the group took off in a frantic rush.

She led the group up from the airstrip at a furious pace, her impatience building as they puffed and panted behind her. If the other students couldn’t get home, they at least needed to be secure within the gates of the resort. When everyone was at last shut in, and the coast appeared clear, Estela exhaled in relief. She’d done her part now. It was time to leave. There was no way she could focus on what she needed to do if she stayed there… not with that kind of distraction. By now she’d searched high and low; Rourke wasn’t at the Celestial, but he had to be somewhere, and she’d move heaven and earth to find him. A sabre-toothed cat? Such a beast would be sorry if it tried to stand in her way. Without so much as a word to the others, she slipped her lithe body through the bars of the gate, only turning when Lila piped up her concerns.

“I got you back to the resort alive. You’re welcome. But now I’ve got things to do.”

Taylor stepped forward, her eyes pleading… sad. “Estela… Be careful.”

Again, she’d taken her by surprise, expecting her to ask her to stay. Estela looked her in the eyes and nodded. “I will, Taylor. Stay here. It’s safe at the resort.”

Before anyone could protest, she slunk into the shadows of the dense forest. No more distractions. Estela wasn’t quite sure where she was going, but there had to be clues somewhere nearby. If the resort had proved fruitless, she’d have to move outwards until she had something more solid to go on. Away from the noise of the other students, she was alone with the rage that powered her forwards.  I’m coming for you, son of a bitch.

  Taylor dragged her swimsuit off over wet skin, her pale body painted with the shimmering colours that surrounded them as more of it was exposed to an entranced Estela. And then the pretty blonde was naked before her, reaching out her hand to her until they came together, kissing, grasping, caressing, babbling their mutual adoration between moans of pleasure.

Extremely flushed, Estela awoke in her makeshift shelter. Her initial response was shame. She had no right to think of Taylor like that- she barely knew the woman, after all. But it was just so vivid… real, as though she was recalling a memory with all of her senses. Of course… of course Taylor had been on her mind almost constantly- it was damn near driving her crazy- but that didn’t explain why the dream… almost didn’t feel like a dream at all. Yes, she’d thought about how it might be to… to feel her kiss. It was just stupid, foolish fantasy, a fantasy of something that had no place in Estela’s life. Even as she tried to get back to sleep, the images refused to leave her mind’s eye. Heat prickled at the back of her neck and between her legs. Her body pulsed with want, a desire that she refused to accept and yet still could not hold back.

What the hell is wrong with me?

This was a disaster. Two days alone searching for clues, and there was no trace of Rourke. If he’d been on La Huerta, it looked horribly as though he’d simply vanished with everyone else. So, what was she supposed to do next? All this time, and the only clue she’d found was that note. If Rourke might be after Taylor, maybe… maybe Estela’s best hope of getting to him was to stick close to her? No… she had to keep away. To be near to Estela was to be in mortal danger; and too many, too fucking many people had died. Not her. Not Taylor.

You’re scared of her.

There was so little that Estela was scared of these days. She’d fully accepted that her life would be short and violent. If it brought about the destruction of a great evil, her loss would be worth it. Physical pain was nothing, nothing compared to what that bastard had already done to her. Dying didn’t frighten her, but perhaps… feeling… living… actually loving another person after keeping the world at a distance all these years… perhaps that did. She was scared of the way Taylor’s smile made her stomach fill with butterflies. Of the way she just wanted to look into those blue eyes and know the depths of her soul. Of how it would destroy her if Rourke snuffed out the dim but courageously glowing light that Taylor had brought into her life. She was scared of being so fallibly human that she could fall for someone. She couldn’t afford to be human…

She’s already in danger. They’re all in danger here. You could… I can’t!

Then there were voices. Close.

For fuck’s sake! What part of ‘stay at the hotel’ was too difficult to understand?

She didn’t need this… she really didn’t need this… There wasn’t the time for her to babysit those idiots, stumbling around in the dark like chickens with their heads chopped off. It wasn’t as if they remotely trusted her anyway… except for… - but it didn’t matter. If they had no sense of self-preservation, that wasn’t Estela’s problem. Was she supposed to march them back to the Celestial over and over again until the message sunk in? Besides, she’d already put her own life on the line for Taylor; jeopardising everything she’d come here for. She didn’t want those morons hurt, but stopping Rourke was so much bigger than them. But then, of course… Rourke. If he might be after Taylor, if she was a key to whatever he’d been planning… Estela couldn’t just… leave her… roaming the island, vulnerable. Unsure, she walked out in the general direction of the sound of the other students. If she just kept an ear out, made sure they didn’t blunder into danger, it couldn’t hurt, could it?

The voices became shouts… screams.

Taylor…

Her grip tightening around her homemade spear, Estela broke into a run. Reason be damned, she couldn’t let them be killed… couldn’t let Taylor… Those fools needed protection, they needed guidance, they needed her instinct for survival. And maybe, that quiet persistent voice in her head ventured, maybe she needed them. Or even... just maybe... maybe she needed… her.

#estela montoya #estela x mc #endless summer #playchoices #choices fanfiction

[littlehollyleaf]

GOTHAM S05E04 “Ruin”

okay listen I know other stuff happened in this episode and it was even stuff I enjoyed and was interested in (like - WTF jeremiah??!) but I don’t have time to talk about any of that when there is SO.MUCH.FOXMA.AWESOMENESS to squee over (and you can’t say I didn’t warn you)

fyi - I’ve incorporated MULTIPLE VISUAL AIDS to assist in my flail!

let’s start by going through my FOXMA WISHLIST because there is WAY MORE to check off it that I thought possible in one hit!

Touching - bonus points if it’s beyond practical, like Foxy resting a hand on Eddie’s arm to offer comfort or Eddie gripping Foxy to emotionally steady himself

they flunked on the bonus points but still, FUCKING CHECK!

and you know what? I’m awarding A WHOLE SET OF DIFFERENT BONUS POINTS for Luscious Lucius Fucking ‘down boy I’m in charge’ Fox fucking MANHANDLING ED LIKE IT’S NOTHING because it’s EVERYTHING I NEVER KNEW I NEEDED IN MY LIFE and didn’t even think to put on the list omgomg!

like... I’ve seen a TON of fic and fanart with Foxy being physically dominant with Ed and I do think it makes all the sense characterisation-wise, but for some reason I’d never properly envisioned/embraced it as part of their ship/dynamic (perhaps because in my one and only fic I had Eddie being more dominating when it came to physical stuff due to various contextual reasons... or maybe because we’ve never actually seen Foxy get physical with anyone in canon before, aside from wacking Alvarez with that chair that time, after which he looked frazzled as opposed to the glorious calm and in control he is here so it didn’t really convey his ability to be so.... UNF. while physically taking charge...   idk)

(god I could watch this gif all day honestly....)

(it’s the way Foxy doesn’t hesitate, he’s just - BAM! I’m in control now)

(and juxtapositioned with Eddie’s epic flailing so they are just so perfectly, beautifully opposed)

(then the way Eddie, on seeing it’s Foxy, JUST.FUCKING.TAKES.IT, his fear and flailing dropping all at once as he submits and just holds himself all still and expectant under the hold, clearly THRILLED it’s Foxy who’s found him)

(and Foxy is only using his GODDAMN FINGERTIPS FOR FUCKS SAKE, so firm and commanding with so little effort I just - *fans self*)

(shit we’re only on point one and I’ve spent forever - strap in everyone!) 

Speaking in tandem - ie. figuring out the same thing simultaneously and excitedly shouting out the answer together 

Actually the talking in tandem one is really important to me so I’m adding it again

Okay the talking in tandem doesn’t have to be them figuring out the same thing, it could just be them reacting the same way to something and discovering they are like-minded

FUCKING CHECK!! The one thing I WANTED THE MOST, SO MUCH I PUT IT ON MY LIST THREE WHOLE TIMES. FUCKING CHECK??! ALREADY??!

Lucius: Unless whatever ignited those heated oil tanks - Together: - smashed through that window

(guys pls though look at the above travesty, I only have MSPaint, for the love of god someone gif this??)

I really can’t... there aren’t words for how ecstatic I am about this! 

I was watching with my good friend @enchantersnight, who will attest that I squealed and grabbed her in excitement (which she took with good grace considering she didn’t even know about The List, so must have thought I was just being a mad woman for no reason :p)

And the way they both wave their hand at the window together. And Foxy’s little satisfied nod because he’s not thinking of Ed as a criminal in that moment, all he’s thinking is ‘fuck yeah we just cracked it.’ And they both turn their heads all synchronised because they are so perfectly on the same wavelength, so completely lost in solving the mystery, the parts of themselves that match are so beautifully ALIGNED! 

Showing how they are similar people in many ways - check and check!   

Foxy telling Ed he is a genius and pleading with him to use his intellect for the greater good

K, we’re not all the way there, but HALF A CHECK, because -

Plus he explicitly said he needed Ed’s ‘expertise.’ All of which amounts to acknowledging (and appreciating!) Ed’s genius, so -! *hearts eyes*

(this set covers it perfectly XD)

...and there is still time for Foxy to plead with Ed to use his genius for good *crosses fingers*

Eddie calling Foxy ‘Lucius’ just the once as part of a serious, emotionally charged moment

Not really what I was going for (I was thinking more Ed yelling his name out of fear for Foxy, or as a desperate plea for Foxy to help him), but A+ for effort for Eddie’s wild yell for ‘Lucius’ here -

Because I love the fact that Eddie was so caught up in working the case at this point that he wanted to keep helping even without personal incentive :)

(aside: Eddie you bad bad bad man killing that innocent old lady though, that was really NOT NECESSARY, pls! ...but it was also somewhat hilarious, in a black comedy kind of way :p 

see - THAT’S the level of villainy/immorality I’m happy for Eddie to exist in, killing/torturing/maiming individuals, even innocent ones, yes, cool, because Eddie IS NOT A GOOD PERSON... but... not killing hundreds of innocents, including CHILDREN, in one hit, that’s... that’s a different kind of villainy, you know?)

One/either thinking the other is dead and being relieved to learn they are alive

Again, not quite. But Foxy does comment in the filing room that he thought Ed was dead. No, he doesn’t show any kind of relief that Eddie ISN’T, but since it’s now canon that Foxy somehow learnt of Ed’s supposed demise this opens up avenues for plenty of headcanons :) 

Because - WHEN did Foxy hear that Ed was dead? and HOW? and even WHY? Was he ACTIVELY LOOKING for news on Ed because he personally WANTED TO KNOW? Did it MATTER to Foxy if Ed was alive or dead? Did he feel a pang of sorrow/regret on hearing the news at the fate of a man he saw potential in to be better and wished that somehow Ed’s life could have been different?

(look, Occam’s Razor suggests Jim was probably looking for news on Lee and heard back that both she and Eddie died in the Narrows and THAT’S how Foxy heard about Ed’s death, but SSSSHHHH - I’m gonna imagine Foxy was making quiet enquiries for himself and no-one can stop me!)

PHEW!

We made it to the end of the points on my Wishlist that got fulfilled. 

KUDOS SHOW

Now - let’s talk about THE OTHER STUFF that was amazing!

Like -

Lucius RELEASING ED and HOLDING HIM IN PLACE JUST BY POINTING A FINGER AT HIM LIKE FUUUUCK!

And again there’s no fucking hesitation. The SHEER CONFIDENCE Foxy has that he CAN AND WILL exert this much power over Ed just. Wow. Just wow.

...there’s something interesting to make of this maybe actually...because Foxy...wasn’t this...commanding, with Ed before. No he was never intimidated, but during the whole riddle crime spree and the confrontation with Harvey on the stairwell Foxy was... nervous around Ed? Like Ed was a live wire or dangerous animal, someone Foxy found a little UNPREDICTABLE and thus was less firm and more pleading with? But NOW... 

okay, the stakes are different here ofc - before there were lives on the line and Foxy’s interaction with Ed was the one thing that could save them, so that pressure would have made him hesitant to try and take control...

yeah, that’s it isn’t it - Ed needs a viable threat in order to exert power/control over Foxy (and anyone really)

but without that threat the balance of power absolutely lies with Foxy (so obviously here, with Eddie unarmed and in such a state of disarray! but was also true in that scene with them at the GCPD lab when Eddie was investigating the Red Hood Gang)

Then also EDDIE’S.FUCKING.SMILE!! 

Anyone else displaying this much power over him, exposing his vulnerability, his ‘inadequacies’ (so Eddie might see it), would surely make Eddie furious, scared even perhaps - he might rail against them, scowl, try to fight or run. 

But here with Foxy he just FUCKING SMILES. He is so GODDAMN HAPPY to have been caught by FOXY. He doesn’t try to fight or escape because HE WANTS TO HAVE A MOMENT WITH FOXY, he WANTS TO BANTER. Because, dare I say, he LIKES BEING IN FOXY’S POWER??

Likewise when Foxy busts out the blackmail THIS is Eddie’s reaction

THIS -

Just look at him he’s FUCKING DELIGHTED that Foxy has been smart enough to immediately suss out Ed’s desire for the file is something he can exploit.

And then the way he kinda gleefully tries to figure out what Foxy could possibly want from him - I ADORE IT. 

Because it’s become a GAME to Eddie now ofc - he and Foxy playing off each other. 

And it’s a delicious blend of Foxy being all controlling and also flippant in the way he talks to Ed, thus him gently leading Ed into taking it this way, and also Eddie’s clear respect and personal interest in Foxy making him inclined to put a positive spin on the situation, to find it enjoyable. And like... it doesn’t feel esp planned or manipulative on Foxy’s part? Their reactions to each other just feel... genuine? Obviously Foxy IS trying to convince Ed to help him but... the way he speaks to him and looks at him... it just feels like Foxy being NATURAL with Ed to me? Like, he’s not spending all the time carefully choosing his words and behaviour, calculating what he needs to do to win Ed over, he’s just... going with the flow? Reacting to Ed... in the way he WANTS to, and Ed is doing the same? 

Sure they’ve both got end goals they want to achieve, but during their banter those almost seem secondary, just for moment, to the mutual enjoyment they are getting from their interaction?

And yes, mutual - look at this and tell me Foxy isn’t having fun as well!

Other great things about this scene -

Eddie calling Foxy ‘the second smartest man in Gotham’ <3 <3 Absolute proof he respects Foxy’s intellect :D

Eddie trying to surprise grab the file from Foxy’s hands. Because LOL. Foxy’s dry ‘...why?’ and shake of his head at Eddie’s childish antics totally makes it! Plus the way Eddie makes one last half-hearted grab before his eventual ‘fine.’ 

@vampirebillionaire pointed out it’s kinda crazy Eddie was able to physically capture a Street Demon thug, but can’t muster enough strength to yank a file from a scientist :p 

I like your suggestion, Daisy, that this adds to the ‘mind controlled Eddie’ theory - ie. when Eddie is under the influence he becomes more physically capable perhaps.

May I also suggest another possibility - that the file grab was just for show? Because Eddie desperately WANTS to team up with Foxy for a bit. But he has to convince himself it is absolutely his ONLY OPTION in order to do so? Because Eddie is a confused and repressed and psychologically mixed up prawn and can’t accept just wanting to work with Foxy just because. Plus a blackmail scenario/game has already been established. So to Eddie’s mind the only way that makes sense for him to work with Foxy in this moment is for Foxy’s blackmail to hold up. Meaning before Eddie can agree he has to establish that he CANNOT get the file by other means? Hence all the huffing and puffing and extra lunge at the end - it’s all him adding to the pretence?

...idk it’s prob too involved for what the show was actually going for, but it crossed my mind :p Felt like ‘Riddler logic’ you know? And involves a bit of theatrics, and Eddie lying to himself...

Anyway, the other PHENOMENAL THING about this scene -

I am given and I am taken, 

I was there from your first breath 

and I will follow you until your death

You know, that riddle for ‘name’ that clever fandom people cleverly extracted from the voice over line in that dramatic pre-S05 promo? (’I will follow you until your death’) The one that lots of us were taken by because of the vague, possible nygmobblepot associations? (and some of us, ahem, one of us, even used to title a fic), but that was also suspected to be a possible exchange between Ed and a hallucinatory version of himself - maybe being about how the name and/or persona of ‘Riddler’ has been with Ed all along and will be part of him until he dies.

WELL TURNS OUT EDDIE SAYS THAT RIDDLE TO FOXY CAN YOU BELIEVE??

I mean, look, I know it’s just a riddle for plot purposes. But that doesn’t change the fact that Eddie, CANONICALLY, stands there, INCHES from Foxy -

STARING DEEPLY INTO HIS EYES, voice slightly whispery and husky

and he tells him

I WILL FOLLOW YOU UNTIL YOUR DEATH

I Just -

And they fucking end liKE THIS GUYS -

Literally POINTING AT FOXY LIKE HE’S MAKING A PROMISE?? (and oh shit I just thought is he pointing at Foxy’s HEART?? ...also does this technically fit my bonus point for touching? hotdamn)

And look at Foxy’s smile! Yeah it’s mocking but... maybe in a FOND way??

All - ‘name, the answer’s ‘name’ Ed, but you had to make a song and dance out of it didn’t you, you dork?’

*dreamy sigh*

Other stuff -

Eddie investigating the crime scene and working it all out was some GENUINE PI RIDDLER SHIT right there *swoon*

I love the way Foxy just steps back and lets Ed get on with it. I flail over Eddie showing his respect for Foxy, but there was real respect in Foxy for Ed here, which was beautiful <3

On the rooftop - *hearts* over Eddie genuinely praising Foxy for figuring out it was the exact spot of the shooting from angles etc, showing he CLEARLY rates Foxy’s intelligence very high :) Only for Foxy to admit that he worked it out because he noticed the weapon’s casing had been left behind :p (which - SLOPPY of blacked out Ed now I think about it?). That was both a fun gag, lightly highlighting how Eddie sometimes misses the obvious and reaches for the most complex option when a much simpler one is on hand (making his advice to Oswald way back when about how sometimes the simpler solution is best really just... lolz... take your own advice Eddie, pls), as well as, I think, maybe hinting that Eddie really may be SMARTER than Foxy on a purely intellectual level - because it was potentially suggesting that Foxy could ONLY tell it was the right place because of the weapon case and might not have been able, at least as fast, to have worked out the angles etc like Eddie did. Maybe...

Eddie telling Foxy in complete seriousness that he hopes Foxy finds the criminal and makes them pay - playing out just like I hoped in the tags over here after seeing the Eddie preview clip of the episode, yes win!

(#holly you're an idiot going to the gcpd is how ed is gonna team up with foxy it's an excellent plan!!! #...I bet that 'make them pay' line in the trailer fits here #ed is talking about helping foxy found the haven bomber and how they should make them pay #but ~plot twist Eddie - it was you!! #yus I like that #pls be true!)

aside: Foxy now has that weapon case and is going to see if it has clues as to the perpetrator - Eddie thinks it won’t but I wonder... while blacked out Eddie left himself a message... I wonder if it’s possible he may have left the weapon case on purpose in the HOPE that he will be found out? that someone will catch him and put a stop to him being mind controlled??

...in any case, this opens up the possibility of Foxy finding out the shooter was Ed and OMG I HAVE ~HOPES AND DREAMS ABOUT THAT

In my hopes and dreams Foxy simply DOES.NOT.BELIEVE that Eddie would/could have committed such a crime, at least not willingly. And especially since Ed literally helped him solve the crime and he saw and heard Ed be GENUINELY affected by the crime enough to want the criminal to pay - and yes, sure, Ed could have been playing him and faking that, getting a kick out of giving Foxy clues to his own crime, but Foxy just feels sure Ed was being honest on that rooftop, that he really didn’t seem to know he was responsible, and it convinces Foxy there is something much more sinister going on here...

*CROSSES FINGERS TIGHT*

(omg - we know Babs gets Eddie at some point... WHAT IF Foxy ends up trying to save Eddie from her??! UGH IT’S TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE IT’LL NEVER HAPPEN BUT WHAT A DREAM! Foxy could even go to Oswald maybe to get help saving Ed, maybe providing evidence that Ed is in fact innocent... and in doing so he frees Ozzie from any personal anguish he might be suffering due to believing that Eddie really did commit the crime perhaps? even less likely, but I’m gonna roll with it for now :p)

Right one last thing. I did also have on my wishlist a proviso of the ‘talking in tandem’ thing -

When they talk in tandem they have to finish smiling at each other

Obviously this didn’t happen (POINTS DEDUCTED!!). 

But then, we did get THIS as their final moment so ALL IS FORGIVEN -

In conclusion

I am dead

Gotham?

(here’s hoping for the remainder of the Wishlist in their next episode together! :p)

#gotham spoilers #gotham: ruin #foxma #lucius fox #edward nygma #the riddler #guys it's 5am I've ~LITERALLY spent ~ALL NIGHT SQUEEING OVER THESE TWO #I am dead #I am a ghost #I am an idiot #I'm a dead idiot ghost #if it's not foxma related don't even speak to me right now :p

[dcarevu]

The Last Laugh

“When the going gets tough, the tough go shopping!”

Hey, guys. This is Collin. I know that we’re only four episodes into this blog now, and things are just starting to roll…but unfortunately, I’ve decided that the stress of college and work is too much, so I’m going to have to go on an indefinite hiatus…

April fools!

SPOILERS BEYOND THIS POINT

Villain: The Joker Robin: No Writer: Carl Swenson Director: Kevin Altieri Animator: Akom Airdate: September 22, 1992 Episode Grade: B

The Joker’s back on the show already, and again, he has formulated an overly-complicated plot which seems to be designed specifically to lead Batman directly to him. We start by seeing a boat full of repulsively green trash chugging through the Gotham river. It’s emitting an absolutely foul stench, and while we aren’t sure if this is a typical occurrence, knowing this city, I wouldn’t doubt it one bit. Char, my girlfriend and watching-buddy got the impression that Gotham is indeed an old, dark, gothic city, but this was her first exposure to the griminess that is often associated with it. This time, however, the griminess seems to be a little bit more pleasant; in fact every citizen who notices it seems to burst out laughing! The garbage is emitting a powerful laughing gas that doesn’t just cause a rush of giggles, but it also seems to send its victims completely out of control, and they start ignoring all of their surroundings altogether. It’s like they’re not even aware of their laughter, as the fumes get them as high as a kite.

Meanwhile, still in Gotham, but away from the city, we cut to a really great shot of Wayne Manor. Inside, Bruce is sprucing himself up, and we discover that it is April Fools’ Day thanks to Alfred once again being the lovable savage that he seems to be. Offering to “draw” Bruce a bath, he quite literally draws him a picture of a bath, hoping to at least get a smile out of him. But alas, when he’s not reaching for his rich playboy persona, we see that Bruce is actually quite the stick in the mud. I love Kevin Conroy’s way of creating two voices for the character, something that had never really been done before this show. I actually believe this was Kevin’s idea, which is no surprise given his acting background. He somehow does it in a way that makes the Bruce Wayne persona seem even more fake, despite that voice being closer to Kevin’s actual voice.

Bruce Wayne dedicating himself to living a lie like that must truly be tough. Think about how that must hamper his relationships, and it starts to explain the social state that he finds himself in later down the DCAU timeline. I’m someone who is an introvert, and sometimes the amount of energy required to socialize is more than I would like to admit. But if I had to pretend to be someone I’m not every day when my true self is as dark as Batman’s character (and let’s be real, Batman is our main character, Bruce Wayne only exists as a name on his legal documents), it would be a lot worse. The seeds were planted this early, and it shows the thought, consistency, and understanding that Radomski, Timm, and co had for the character right away. This wasn’t your average Saturday morning version of Batman.

Obviously as more and more people throughout the city begin to become affected by the laughing gas, it does not go unnoticed by news outlets. Bruce immediately comes to the same conclusion as many of us watching; The Joker. It’s merely a matter of finding him and figuring out what he is up to. Meanwhile back in the city, we find out just that; The Joker and two of his goons are using the gas-induced obliviousness of the citizens on the street to rob them right under their noses. Even police officers are in tears, not paying the least bit of attention. The Joker, of course, is cracking comments and laughing his ass off the whole time. Some of his lines are legitimately hilarious in this episode, I’ve gotta say! While he was entertaining as all hell in Christmas With The Joker, it was more in a simple whacky, over-the-top, cartoon way. He still has some of that aspect here, but a lot more of it comes from genuinely clever writing. Some of his most well known lines from the show come from this episode. “So we’ll just punch some air holes!” and “YOU KILLED CAPTAIN CLOWN!” to name a couple, the latter being downright legendary.

So far, this episode gives the simple vibe of a fun Joker romp without much meat on its bones, and much of it is. But the stakes do raise as we cut back to the Batcave. Batman is analyzing some of the gas, and learning that it causes “permanent insanity”. We’ll come back to this a little bit later, but obviously he has to do something. Not just because of the robberies and accidents happening, but also just because of the mental health factor. Insanity? Not particularly good for you. All of a sudden, however, we hear a crash come from upstairs when he attempts to call Alfred down into the cave. He runs upstairs, and here we see Alfred, smashing artifacts and furniture with a broom as we hear him belt out cackles unlike anything we have heard from him. The gas is inside the house. Batman immediately dons a gas mask and heads out to stop it, presumably taking care of Alfred first. Alfred, and Wayne Manor in general, being the thing in danger isn’t an element the show does a lot, and I think the moderation allows it to stand out a lot more. It can immediately turn a silly episode like this into something much more serious. Char was gasping and worrying the entire time, not wanting Alfred to be hurt. I think she’s growing to really like him. This is helped by the fact that Alfred was recast for this episode, and his new actor, Afrem Zimbalist Jr (unfortunately no longer with us) would remain for the entire rest of the DCAU. Both of us like this change a lot. I think this new voice helps with Alfred’s miniature character evolution, as it just suits this personality more. The first voice (Clive Revill) wasn’t bad by any means. Paired with the version of Alfred that’s a bit more stereotypical “5-star restaurant waiter”, it felt pretty natural. But Afrem…he brings the character to life like no one else can. There’s no way I can picture Clive laughing maniacally the way that Alfred did here. Also…and maybe it’s just me…but even though for the first three episodes Alfred was voiced by a man who was actually English, it sounded more like a fake accent than Afrem’s! And maybe this is because I’m an ignorant American who doesn’t hear English accents every day, nor am I aware of all the regional variations. I don’t know. But virtually everyone who talks about this new portrayal absolutely loves it, so I’m likely not alone with this aspect either.

Back in the river, we see that the garbage boat is fake. Below the water, what looks like the top of a boat is being carried by a submarine. Looking through the periscope of the sub, the Joker catches sight of Batman’s eyes, staring back at him through the lens. Then, BAM. Batman smacks it, causing the entire thing to rattle, and sending the Joker to the floor. Boy are we getting some great drawings in this episode. Batman’s face through the lens looks amazing! We also had some fun, yet purposely ugly shots of people laughing on the streets earlier, and then the Joker getting knocked away from the periscope is gold. After this, we see that Batman is towing around the “boat” with his own Batboat (its first appearance), which pisses the Joker off. So we get a fight scene between the goons and Batman, which is one of the better action scenes we’ve gotten up to this point. Is it still a little bit stilted? Yes, most definitely. But is it Spider-Man the Animated Series level? Not a chance. I did get some excitement here, and the big hunk of metal known in this episode (and throughout the Internet) as Captain Clown is a robot, so we got a little bit of extra fun here. The Fox censors were not as sensitive if the beating was not being done to an actual human being (even if it’s hard to tell whether or not it's human just by looking), and we got to see Batman throw an actual hard punch. The fight against the other two gives me the impression of martial arts and self defense, which also makes sense given Batman’s background (which will be covered later). The scene ends, however, with Batman being locked in a container and thrown into the water, with the container leaking in through the many holes that the Joker stabs into it with a knife. Seeing the Joker whip out a knife like that and puncture it with Batman inside is really jarring given that this is episode four, and we hadn’t really seen that kind of near-violence prior. Yeah, Batman dodged the stabs, but if one of those had hit, he’d be done. Another glimpse into the dangerous psychopath aspect of a character you don’t always expect to fear. To be clear, this was jarring in a good way.

Situations like this are hard to write for, because you have to be able to come up with a solution that isn’t anticlimactic or complete bullshit. Here Batman calls his Batboat with his utility belt and has it slice the container up with its laser gun blast. It was thinking outside the box a little bit (no pun intended), and having the laser miss during the first shot was a good touch. Granted, I also don’t recall this laser getting much use later down the line (you would think a powerful tool like this would be heavily utilized, hinting at it being added just because of this predicament, but then again, welcome to the world of Batman’s gadgets), so overall I don’t think it was perfect. Pretty cool, though, and I’m not gonna complain. I wasn’t expecting it, and I did find it exciting. Also, 12 words: Batman’s anger once he manages to swim back up to the surface.

To speed things up a little bit, Batman gets to the service, finds where the Joker has gone, defeats the thugs by exposing them to their own laughing gas, and even manages to decimate Captain Clown in a trash compactor. After this, the rest of the episode is pretty much just a chase sequence, and it almost reminds me of a video game. Batman is basically going through an obstacle course. We get a couple more really great shots here, one of the Joker creepily riding a conveyor belt through the shadows, and one of Batman sliding down the garbage shoot. I’m surprised this was animated by Akom, as I specifically remember their animation being generally C-tier when I watched the entirety of Animaniacs (with TMS obviously being the best). Perhaps it was all in the storyboards. The more detailed they are, obviously Akom has more to go by with less room to mess things up. Batman ends up confronting the Joker on a walkway above a vat of molten metal, where Joker throws some razor sharp playing-cards at him. He misses once, and then for the second card, Batman manages to catch it. This is a scene that makes you audibly go, “Awww shit”, and you can tell Joker is thinking the same thing. Char brought up something interesting here. The Joker constructs these incredible plans to disrupt Batman’s day. I swear, he plans everything. But only up until a certain point, because he banks too much on certain aspects. He swore that throwing Batman into the river would have finished him. It’s like the SpongeBob episode where Plankton says something like, “I never thought I’d get this far”. Once Batman makes contact with that card razor, Joker panics and immediately tries to run away, ultimately defeating himself as he trips himself up with a rope. He plays with Batman one step too far. He doesn’t realize when to stop. He pokes the bear, and although he may ultimately be a glorified, crazy mobster, he’s not a fighter. Despite this realization of Char’s, which I totally vibe with, just two episodes ago we had the Joker tripping, falling, and being caught by Batman. So overall I do consider this ending a little cheap. A low point to an otherwise entertaining episode.

Well, I guess it’s not quite the ending. Because after this, we are back with Bruce Wayne and Alfred. Alfred seems to be feeling healthy again, but he is distraught since he broke a priceless artifact earlier when he was exposed to the insanity gas. Bruce tells him not to worry, and that it can simply come out of his paycheck, but also assures him that he’s joking, and it’s all an April Fools’ joke. Bruce even chuckles about it. I love this segment, and even though Bruce can be a stick in the mud as I said, every once in a while he can let himself have a little bit of fun.

For some additional things that didn’t quite fit in with the previous paragraphs, I found myself wondering what Joker was exactly planning on accomplishing after the robberies. I almost think that he was honestly expecting to be caught by Batman, or he was at least not planning past the stage of killing him. But I guess with such an unpredictable maniac, you’d have to be able to read his thoughts to really understand a lot of it. Also, Batman’s computer specifically said that the gas causes permanent insanity. Yet at the end, everyone seems to be fine. Does it require more exposure? Does it mean that it’s permanent for just as long as it’s being inhaled? Was it simply wrong? I was a little confused by this. Mark Hamill’s performance was amazing as always, and as I explained the way that Mark tends to almost visually morph into the character while he voices him, Char mentioned something about him and the Joker becoming one like with the Venom symbiote and Eddie. Accurate observation. And lastly, she mentioned something about how this Joker is someone where you never know when you’ll be on their bad side. I got flashes of a certain early scene from Return Of the Joker here, and I cannot wait for her to see that film.

Char’s grade: A

Major firsts: The Batboat, a form of Joker’s laughing gas

Next time: Pretty Poison

By the way, I’m still messing around and trying to figure out the best format for these blog entries. I don’t think I’ve quite found something that works for me yet, so for a bit, the posts may be a little inconsistent in how they’re laid out. Experimentation! I want to try and make them a little bit less like summaries, and more discussion/reaction-based. Thanks for bearing with me! Also, any constructive feedback is appreciated!

#dcau #dc animated universe #batman tas #the last laugh #batman the animated series #batman #joker #the joker #you killed captain clown