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whorelander · 2 years

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cupid’s chokehold

chapter i. i’m your venus chapter ii. the things she does to please chapter iii. who wants to give it a whirl?

summary: butcher and hughie aren’t immune to your irresistible charm.

chapter iv. i put a spell on you

It’s finally Friday. Supposedly the best day of the week.

For Butcher, it’s already a fuckin’ headache in the making.

Tensions haven’t been the best with his boys. Hughie’s still barely speaking to him, not that Butcher finds too much issue. The kid had his life turned upside down in a matter of weeks and if he needs someone to release that anger on, Butcher doesn’t mind being a punching bag for a few. As long as Hughie stays in line and follows direction of course.

Butcher inhales and can practically taste the delectable smell of freshly baked goods coming from their makeshift kitchen. He takes a peek and spots Frenchie trying to teach Kimiko how to properly roll a croissant. The pair have undeniable chemistry and Butcher can’t recall the last time he’s seen Frenchie so genuinely happy with something as simple as making a damn pastry. Shame that she’s a supe. First Hughie with his superstar (ex?) girlfriend, and now Frenchie. There must be something in the air.

Speaking of the lad… Butcher hears the television turn on and decides to grant the two lovebirds a bit of privacy. Hughie and M.M. are sitting on the couch at a laughable distance apart from one another, full attention on the mini flatscreen in front of them. Butcher raises an eyebrow at the choice of show.

“The Today Show? I’d have chosen Ellen myself,” Butcher says.

M.M. rolls his eyes, but Hughie doesn’t comment. It’s almost like he’s in a trance. Normally Butcher wouldn’t understand. American hosts and TV personalities are all the same–straight down to the plastic smiles and bad wigs. However, he finds himself enraptured by the sight of you on the screen.

You’re sitting across from one of the usual cookie cutter interviewers dressed in your costume with one leg crossed over the other. You have a natural glow around you, and it definitely isn’t coming from the false lighting of The Today Show’s studio.

“Who’s that?” Butcher asks, not taking his eyes off of you.

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out,” M.M. says.

“Femme Fatale, can I just say how excited we are to be the first people to host you?” the interviewer says and, without fail, there goes that fake happy-go-lucky grin. “I don’t know how much you’re on social media, but you trended number two in America on Twitter! It’s an honor to have you here.”

“Aw, thank you. Not gonna lie, a big reason I’m doing this is because my mom loves watching your show. Do you mind if I shout her out?” you ask. The interview nods, and you turn your head to fully face the camera with a winning smile and a wink. “Hey mom. I promise I’ll get you Hoda’s autograph.”

Hughie snickers at that. Butcher mentally sighs; that kid will never let go of his inner superhero fanboy. Instead of making a typical snarky remark, Butcher keeps his thoughts to himself and stays focused on you.

“I know it’s only been your first week, but how’re you holding up? Taking over Translucent’s spot in The Seven can’t be easy. He left you with some pretty big shoes to fill,” the interviewer says empathetically.

You nod. “Yeah. He was such a good guy, there’s a reason America loved him. I just hope I make as good of an impression as he did. And honestly, everyone’s been so welcoming at Vought. Especially my new teammates.”

“Anyone in particular stand out?” the interviewer asks, leaning forward in her seat.

“The girls are so nice, but I’m sure you knew that already. Black Noir’s a great cook; he made everyone breakfast the other day and it was delicious. And Homelander’s such a sweet guy, they all really make me feel like I belong there. Vought Tower’s already my home away from home,” you say with a smile.

The interviewer smiles back. “That’s amazing to hear! From the magazine we saw, it looks like you guys have been friends for years.” She takes this time to reach down underneath her chair and pull out the newest Cosmopolitan issue, which features you, Maeve, and Starlight front and center. She holds it up towards the camera. “Folks at home, make sure to grab one of these when you get a chance! They’re straight off the printer.”

“Oh yeah, I was told that I’m supposed to promote the magazines on here. Thank you for doing my job for me, saves me a reprimand from Ashley,” you joke.

“Haha, of course! Do you have any specific goals to set yourself up for success in The Seven? Maybe a few charity events, or, if you wanna shoot high–saving the world?” the interviewer teases.

You appear deep in thought for a few moments, then turn towards the camera once more with a genuine bright smile. “I wanna show the world that we’re just like everyone else, you know what I mean? I’m not the fastest person alive, I don’t have super strength, I can’t fly. I lived with my parents till a few weeks ago because I couldn’t afford rent, my first boyfriend broke up with me over text, and I failed my trigonometry regents exam twice. So I guess all in all, my goal is to be an inspiration that anything’s possible. If you wanna be a hero, don’t let anything stop you from trying.” You shift in your seat and clasp your hands in your lap, then glance downwards with a light flush on your cheeks.

Butcher feels an odd tug at his heart after your speech. He hears Hughie’s breath hitch and realizes he’s not the only one affected.

The interviewer seems to melt at your words then grins at the camera. “Aww! Isn’t she amazing? America’s sweetheart, guys! Thank you once again, Femme Fatale–”

M.M. turns the television off. Butcher blinks and feels like he’s just been snapped awake after hypnosis. “Alright lads, what’re we gonna do about that?”

“What do you mean? You really want to hurt her?” Hughie asks. “She doesn’t even–”

“Come off it mate, I didn’t say anything about harming the little lady. She’s clearly Vought’s new PR stunt and I hate to give those slimy cunts any credit, but they did a pretty bang up job with choosing her,” Butcher explains.

M.M. nods in agreement. “She’s pretty, she’s got the script down pact for personality, and we have zero information on what she can do and how dangerous she really is.”

“You guys are acting like they just released a new bioweapon, c’mon,” Hughie dismisses them with a frown. “I mean, she said it herself! Hello! Was I really the only one listening? She’s not powerful like the other supes she’s with.”

Butcher levels him with an unimpressed stare. “What’re you suggesting, that they let a regular ol’ Joe like you or me on The bloody Seven? You’re smarter than that, Hughie.”

“She could also be lying,” M.M. adds in. “Nothing’s stopping them from trying to make their debut seem sweet and innocent only to be the female Homelander.”

Kimiko leaves the kitchen and grabs her notepad and a pen. She draws a big heart, then shows it to Frenchie. He looks at the drawing and smiles at her.

“I like you too, Kimiko,” he says in a soft tone.

Kimiko shakes her head and draws another, bigger heart then uses the pen to point towards the television. M.M. opens his laptop and starts rapidly typing into the search bar. Hughie shifts closer on the couch to watch him work.

Frenchie furrows his brows in confusion and his smile falls slightly. “I don’t understand chérie…”

She rolls her eyes and tosses the notepad down on the table.

“I got a hit,” M.M. says. He tilts the screen back so all five of them can see. He has your Instagram pulled up, and not the verified Femme Fatale one that Vought made for you. The account is locked but you have a decent amount of followers with a pretty equal ratio to following.

“I never understood making an account private when you have more than a thousand followers. Like, that’s a lot of people already seeing what you post,” Hughie muses.

Butcher studies what little is available. Your profile picture is a baby picture of you wearing sunglasses too large for your face, your username is just a nickname with some extra letters, and your bio has your full name along with a graduating class date and a quote that’s nonsensical. Maybe an inside joke with a friend?

“Let’s get ready for a stakeout. M.M., Hughie, you two are with me.” Butcher tosses the truck keys to M.M. who catches them in one hand. He then looks over towards Frenchie and Kimiko and points at the kitchen. “How ‘bout you lot work on making sure we have a lovely dinner ready for when we get back?”

Frenchie crosses his arms over his chest and raises an eyebrow. “Why do we have to sit back and play the housewife role?”

Butcher looks the man up and down, then smirks as he grabs the frills of Frenchie’s white apron. “To be fair, you’re already dressed the part mate.”

Frenchie’s clearly unhappy if his muttered curses are anything to go by, but he doesn’t continue protesting. He and Kimiko head back towards the kitchen again, with the latter significantly less bothered than the former.

Butcher grabs his coat from the back of a chair and walks up the stairs two at a time. He looks over his shoulder and raises an eyebrow at M.M. and Hughie. “Well come on now boys. We haven’t got all day!”

For the past hour of observing from across the street at the Starbucks, Butcher hates to admit that he hasn’t a clue of what your power could be. Whenever you walk out of Vought tower, you’re never alone. The first time they spot you, you’re with Ashley reentering the building. Now you’re with Homelander, and just the sight of that prick has Butcher clenching his fist. He watches the two of you interact with a grimace. Homelander’s hand is on your hip and you laugh at whatever presumably egotistical remark he makes.

M.M. sucks his teeth and shakes his head. “Told you. Chick’s gotta be on something to hang out with him willingly.”

“That doesn’t prove anything. Maybe there’s hired paparazzi on standby, you know how media obsessed Vought is,” Hughie argues. He glances over at the two of you again and then makes a face. Homelander’s intently hanging off of your every word, eyes not moving from your face. “Do you see the way he’s staring at her? It’s so creepy.”

“He’s always been a bit of a creep,” Butcher says. Though weirdly enough, he feels a rush of anger while you and Homelander continue speaking. It comes from out of nowhere and he chalks it up to seeing that wanker in person again.

You say something he can’t quite make out by reading your lips, and Homelander nods. He watches you walk inside Vought Tower, then whoosh! Butcher doesn’t even get the chance to blink before there’s a gust of wind and the blond arsehole’s gone.

M.M. squints up at the sky. “Huh…”

“What is it?” Butcher asks.

M.M. points up. Butcher and Hughie follow his direction and Hughie’s eyes widen at Homelander hovering outside the top of the building.

“What’s he doing up there?” Hughie asks.

“Maybe checking how secure those windows and walls are?” M.M. asks, unsure.

Butcher doesn’t say anything. They watch as Homelander remains unmoving from his spot next to the Tower for almost an hour and a half until he finally zips away. After a minute or two passes, you walk out of the building with Starlight. You seem to be passionately ranting about something as Starlight giggles along.

“Annie…” Hughie murmurs.

“Bingo. Tinkerbell is our ticket in. Again,” Butcher says. He looks at Hughie expectantly and isn’t surprised to be met with resistance.

“I can’t. We haven’t spoken since… everything came out. My face is plastered everywhere–do you want me to just walk up there, pretend everything’s normal and fine, and put her in danger? Them both in danger?” Hughie asks.

“You’re still assuming that America’s newest heartthrob is innocent,” M.M. says.

Hughie frowns at him. “There’s no proof that she isn’t.”

“She was talking to–” Butcher starts.

“We all fell for Homelander’s crap at some point in our lives. Are you really gonna execute her because she praised the guy on television and had one friendly conversation with him?” Hughie asks. “You saw how he kept touching and looking at her, all that fucking weird shit in the air. I don’t want to make her have to realize Homelander’s a bad guy the same way Annie did. He wanted to kill her because of me, Butcher. I’m not doing that again.”

M.M. sighs. “Kid, I told you this isn’t a business for caring too much. It’ll just make everything hurt more.”

“Hughie’s right,” Butcher says.

“He’s what?” M.M. asks.

“Haha, see–wait. I’m what?” Hughie asks in shock.

Butcher leans back in his seat and crosses his arms over his chest. “Putting these ladies in unnecessary danger is gonna do fuck all for us. Doesn’t hurt Homelander or Vought in the slightest. But there’s something strange going on here, and I think we can all feel it.”

Hughie nods, but M.M. looks conflicted.

“You need to contact your bird,” Butcher tells Hughie.

“I told you, we broke up,” Hughie says exasperatedly.

“She’s the only way we’re gonna get in contact with your supposed Virgin Mary over there,” Butcher says, gesturing towards you. You’re taking a picture with Starlight and a group of fans, that stunning smile ever present on your face. Butcher stares at your face for a moment longer before he focuses back on Hughie. “Whether you like it or not, we need to do this.”

Hughie looks down, pressing his lips together. “Fine. But if she doesn’t answer, that's not my fault.”

“Kinda is,” M.M. butts in. When they both look at him, he shrugs. “You played with her heart, you can’t expect her to not be a little bitter. Monique still isn’t talking to me ‘cause of this shit, and I’ve been with her for years.”

“Thanks for that vote of confidence,” Hughie mutters. “If she actually trusts me enough to give me that girl’s number or whatever, where do I go from there?”

“Nowhere,” Butcher answers.

“Uh. What?” Hughie asks.

“You lost me, Butcher,” M.M. agrees.

Butcher grins at both of them, then looks towards you as he speaks. “It’s easy, fellas. You won’t be doing nothin’ because I’ll be the one talking to the little lady.”

#butcher x reader #hughie x reader #homelander x reader #starlight x reader #whorelander writes #meant to post this 2 hrs ago lolz

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rainymoodlet · 2 years

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get to know me tag 🐝

thank you so much to @buglaur @cordeliafalls and @aoifae so much for tagging me in this!! 🥰 finally getting to it now, since i'm off work!

rules: tag 9 people you would like to get to know/catch up with

last song: "she's a big boy" by mcbaise, which i have labelled my personal theme song. if you want a really good song to listen to, i highly reccomend "primadonna" or "creature comfort" by bake-kujira. it's so good, and "creature comfort" i swear will become the theme song of all y'alls werewolf gps.

last show: peacemaker!! i would die for jon economos and i hope he knows that. also eagley.

current show: my fiancé and i are watching the boys!! tryna make it to season 3. it's fuckin' diabolical, and i love seeing the superhero genre getting turned on its head. also kimiko is the loml.

currently reading: absolutely nothing, which i feel terrible for. i write a lot in my notes (mostly... uh... smut) and i was writing my own novel for a time - 75k+ words!! but i don't read as much as i used to anymore. i think the last novel i "read" was a reimagining of peter pan where i just skipped to all the parts where captain hook was mentioned.

current obsession: uhhh hm. well honestly, i have so many ideas for my werewolf gp that i keep planning out in my notes, and it bums me out so much that i only have a laptop to play on!! it takes the worst screenshots and if i turn it off of laptop mode to take any, the computer goes mach 5 and gets burning hot so 😳

alrighttt... hmmm... i tag @gothoffspring & @vivithlatore of course!! and alsooo @dreamstatesims, @void-imp, @blarffy, @cinamun, @zombietrait, @butterbunch, and @rebouks!!! 💛 and an honorable tag for @missjinglecoco, always!

and obviously if you have no desire to do this or have already done it, feel free to ignore me!! i just love u guys ok mwah

#abt me #tag game #txt

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writerkatsblog · 2 years

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What are your top 5 Omi BrOTPs? Mine are:

Omi & Chase Young

Omi & Jack

Omi & Jermaine

Omi & Kimiko

Omi & Dojo

(Honorable mention to Omi & Shimo Staff)

For me I'd say in order it probably goes

Omi and Kimiko

2. Omi and Clay

3. Omi and Jermaine

4. Omi and Raimundo

5. Omi and Jack Spicer

I don't quite count Omi and Chase because they're more mentor and student than bros to me.

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gothra · 2 years

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I haven't read the comics either I think I saw some wiki that said they were lovers though idk anything about comics since I don't read them. I actually know a lot of people who loved Destiel I wasn't one who shipped them but saw it everywhere so idk what he's talking about honestly feels like a total retcon for me of suddenly after both enjoyed the kiss oh nvm you're like my brother smh S4 might even be much worse for them they have the best relationship on the show.

I believe you're talking about Kimiko and Frenchie, so yes, it's pretty close to retcon. I'm just grateful that it only becomes retcon if Kimiko goes and says "Actually I hated that kiss and I think of you as my brother" after she's been shown enjoying kissing him. She hasn't done this (yet 🙄) but I wouldn't put it past Eric to go back and try and "fix" it, so I'm crossing my fingers for S4. They honestly DO have the best relationship in the show, which is something that is frustrating. Annie and Hughie are...okay, but they lack the amount of depth and give and take that make they pay off so worthwhile. Butcher and Becca are idk... cute from what we see, but there's not much of them to see, because Becca is "dead" for most of the show, and then actually dead for the rest of it. MM and Monica are barely seen, then they get divorced. Frenchie and Kimiko started in a place as two traumatized people who found each other in a world that had revealed itself to them as harsh and unforgivable and they found the forgiving softness in each other, and we actually get to follow their relationship from the gritty, tense beginning, to the present, which makes the moment when they get together that much more sweet. We get to see a man totally devoted to a woman, showing her the softness and the honor that she deserves. We get to love her through his eyes, and we get to love him through her eyes. It's Fucking. Amazing. This show could have had the first fully earned romantic relationship in the show, that everyone roots for. Instead we have "oh, they're like sister and brother". Huh? What? Why! Is he trying not to overshadow Annie and Hughie? Too late! Kimiko and Frenchie are already significantly better. I don't really trust Eric anymore, and lately I've been practicing Death of the Author. The things he writes mean nothing to me, at this point.

#the boys #kimiko x frenchie #frenchie #kimiko miyashiro #the boys amazon #asks

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alisarb · 4 years

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the nature of frenchie and kimiko’s relationship

in every frenchie-kimiko video about their relationship there’s always someone commenting how much they ship it and there’s always someone else pointing out that their relationship in the comics is like father and daughter

so, being the obsessive shipper that I am and weirdly overthinking everything about a tv show because i can’t enjoy things like normal people, i decided to write this post to defend why I think their relationship in the show (and even a bit in the comics) is anything BUT paternal, and why their relationship in tv vs. comics is so different

(please bear in mind this is my opinion and in no way i wanna force ships onto anyone, you’re free to interpret stories and ship characters however you want!!)

Okay, the first thing we learn about frenchie in the show is that he is a man of many skills: in his own words, a gunrunner by trade, but with a very particular niche. we also learn he used to be a hitman, probably, and then he talks about his victims like scars he has to carry forever. he’s the first character apart from hughie that expresses some kind of remorse in the show about killing someone up until that point in the show (and i know it’s only the second episode, but by then we’d already seen quite enough violence)

he’s a layered character from the beginning, going from what looks like a man who likes his pills way too much and who seems dangerous to someone who actually has more to offer. still, he has other personality traits that differentiate him from the rest: frenchie describes himself as a womanizer in a conversation with m.m, who he mocks for being in a loving relationship with his wife. he “goes to sleep every night next to someone different.” we’ve met cherie by then but we can assume they are not really in a relationship by this statement, more like a casual lovers situation

and then, like a joke from fate, he meets kimiko. and from the very beginning they form a connection like no other. one can argue that their earlier interactions are kinda sweet and tender and not romantic at all, but from what i see, they share the kind of intimacy that most tv couples wish they could convey without even touching. their chemistry is undeniable

on top of that, as their relationship progresses, kimiko begins to return the affection. she goes from this killing machine that can’t stand to be touched to initiate contact with (and only) frenchie, because he’s her source of comfort and reassuring. at mesmer’s, kimiko looks at him because he’s the only person that she can trust and the first one to show her kindness in who knows how long

the rest of the group is understandably wary of kimiko, as she has proved to brutal and ruthless. frenchie is the only one who understands her, and that’s why he frees her that first time: to give her a choice

in exchange, when they are at mesmer’s,he asks her to show them what he sees, and she complies. because she doesn’t trust the rest yet, but she trusts frenchie. and even with that first vision he doesn’t doubt for a second that she can’t be just a terrorist. so kimiko shares with them and relives her trauma: the murder of her parents, being removed from her home and sent to a camp with her brother, being forced to become a soldier, being injected with compound v and becoming a supe with a talent for mass murder just to be locked in a cage like an animal...

the look they share after that revelation is anything but platonic and/or paternal:

LOOK AT MM AND BUTCHER. BUTCHER IS LIKE WTF AND M.M SHRUGGED LIKE “NOTHING TO BE DONE HE’S IN LOVE YOUR HONOR”

sorry about the excitement this scene makes me wanna squeal with delight

shortly after, kimiko is watching shark week again and frenchie comes up to her to talk about vought and how they’re hurting people like they hurt her, how she could help them stop it. at first kimiko keeps staring at the TV and looks defensive, but the moment he says: “it’s your choice, if you wanna go back and look for your brother i’ll take you to the airport” she looks at him, surprised.

because he keeps giving her a choice, which is the core of their relatiionship

and, as another user pointed out in a post a while ago, if you watched the show with the captions on (as i did bc english is not my native language) as she holds his hand, you can hear and read that shark week talks about mating and how if a female shark returns the male’s feelings will make some sort of move. one could think that this was accidental but c’mon, this show doesn’t leave anything a coincidence

it’s clear from the beginning that frenchie is completely smitten with her. in fact, we see small glimpses of him literally OBSESSING over her from the beginning: he meets with cherie to get the gas to sedate kimiko and we learn he hasn’t been with her in a while. i’m sure he was plenty busy with the whole vought + kimiko situation, but at that point they were all living separately and they returned to their places even if it was less frequently than usual (and cherie seemed to spend a lot of time in his place, if not even living there)

he cooks for her when she’s chained and then later on he teaches her HOW TO BAKE my heart

I could keep listing every moment when Frenchie looks at Kimiko (because his eyes inevitably follow her at any scene) or how the rest of The Boys is so aware of what they are (”you’re dating a terrorist”/”your crazy ass girlfriend”), and (SPOILERS SEASON 2 STOP READING FOR A SECOND) in the s2 we see how Frenchie is dog tired, probably angry and frustrated, and his face automatically changes when Kimiko goes to show him the origami piece. He smiles sweetly because she makes him happy, and amidst all the chaos they are going through one of his main worries is still Kimiko and how to understand and communicate with her.

END OF SPOILRS SEASON 2

One of the last moments is in the finale, when Kimiko is finally pulling herself back together after years of abuse and mistreatment by brushing her hair, wearing pretty clothes or painting her nails. Simple acts that make her feel like she’s a person. When she comes out of the bathroom, he looks at her with pure AWE. He even says “look at you, mon coeur”, because it’s like she’s the prettiest thing he’s seen. When the gas comes into the room he pushes her into the bathroom first thing.

M.M’s face at the end when they’re surrounded and he sees Frenchie hitting his head against the wall because even though he’s been shot he only wants to go get Kimiko, I think it says everything. His face when he talks about Kimiko and how she made him a better person. The way he pulled the hair out of her face.

I really love how everything is coming together this new season, so now I’d like to address the main issue of this post: the nature of their relationship and how it’s nothing like the comics.

There’s a very basic reason to why I believe their relationship is romantic, and not only by the actors’ interactions in Instagram, or the way Amazon promotes their relationship, but because the comics are so different from the tv show.

Every character’s background story is changed, and so are their motivations, personalities and, as far as we’ve seen, their storylines. In the show they’ve made it pretty clear that Kimiko and Frenchie share a connection that resembles that of a soulmate.

And even in the comics, (spoiler) when they’re about to die, Frenchie turns around and tells her that he’s loved her since the beginning. I don’t think that’s very father-like.

In conclusion, it’s likely that they’ll make us wait for a long time before we get more romantic interaction (especially since Kimiko is growing as a character and that might mean she might need to grow on her own, which I think is great), but it’s been clear since the beginning that they are meant to be. I WILL DIE ON THIS HILL

#kimiko #frenchie x kimiko #frenchie #kimiko x frenchie #the boys #prime video #the boys prime video #they are so precious and i love them so much #they deserve everything #never thought i'd be so in deep with a straight couple again #but oh boy here we are

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kyuuzuchiha · 2 years

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▲ five time my muse thought about kissing yours, and the one time they did (SasuKimi!<3)

@quiet-kunoichi xXx - Send a Symbol

He knows he can’t see where his lips are meant to fall, but he’s happy to try anyway, eager to press lips against whatever patch of flesh is closest to him. Let it be her nose, cheek, chin, or chest. He might miss her lips, but he thinks he’ll be enthralled by the outcome nevertheless. His hands want to press into her, to pull her flush against his chest while his mouth finds whatever she’ll let him worship, but her stomach rumbles. They both smile, not that he can see her mouth clearly, but he can sense the smile in her tone when she says, “We should eat.” She doesn’t know he’s hungry for something you can’t serve in a dish.

------

Sasuke feels Kimiko’s presence come up behind him, hears the cloth of her pantlegs swish together as she steps over the fallen tree trunk she’s strategically situated tonight’s fire pit in front of. She sidles up next to him, muttering, “Cold,” as an explanation. Then, “Blow some more fire on that thing.”

He smirks. “No amount of fire will hold without the proper kindling...”

“It’s not my fault it rained,” she says defensively.

He raises his hands in a submissive gesture. “Never said it was. Just saying that no amount of fire-blowing is gonna make you warmer.”

She growls but scoots slightly closer, wrapping her cloak around herself tightly. “My fingers are going numb...”

Somehow, that prompts her to tell an interesting story. Perhaps it’s just to distract herself from the cold. She recants every detail easily, as if it just happened yesterday, but it’s clearly a story from her youth. Sasuke can tell by the way her voice takes on a youthful spirit as she sets it up, as if she’s describing the winter setting through a child’s innocent eyes. There comes a point when her tone gets somber, starts to sound like the Kimiko he knows now.

She doesn’t finish, just goes mute at some point, leaves Sasuke hanging. He can tell by the thickness of the silence and the tone of the last few words that she did speak that it’s because she’s become too emotional to carry on with any dignity. He has an urge to turn, find her forehead, and plant a comforting kiss that says, ‘You don’t have to hide from me,’ but he knows how well that would be received...

Instead, he bumps her with his shoulder and then throws up a seal to blow more fire for her. She shifts, indicating that she’s coming back to life, and then when the flames die back down almost immediately, he says playfully, “Told ya so.”

“Can’t you just, I dunno, blow extra hot fire that burns wet wood or something?”

Sasuke snorts a chuckle. “I know you can’t be serious...”

And the bickering starts up, but it’s better than the silence he wasn’t prepared to meet tonight. It’s better than the somber tone she can’t seem to shake, and it’s probably better than the end of the story she never meant to start. Something tells him there’s a darkness hiding within those last phrases she lost the gall to speak, and he’s just honored she even thought about introducing him to it in the first place. No need to force the end of that story. He’d much rather have her smiling anyway.

------

“You know...” She pauses when Sasuke looks at her. She knows he can barely make her out, let alone decipher the anxiety warping her face, but it still makes her squirm when he looks at her so directly.

“Hm?” he eventually hums.

“I think... your...” No, she can’t mention his family so casually. “I think you should transplant those eyes.”

He reacts with none of the vehemence she’s expecting. Instead, his brows furrow and he plays dumb. “What?”

“Sasuke...” She deadpans.

“I truly don’t—”

“Remember that time you almost killed someone for stealing them?” she says.

He does. He knows she does too. He just hoped she’d have the courtesy to let him avoid this one. Alas... He sighs softly, head turning to stare blankly off at the trees surrounding them. “Why should I?” he mumbles.

“Because you deserve them,” comes swiftly, as if she’s practiced, as if she somehow knows the complicated reasons he has for continuing to deny them.

His lips quirk into a lopsided smirk. “Do I?” he asks, turning to her again, appraising her blur of a form. “What makes you say that?”

Kimiko scoffs. “Just...” She trails off in irritation. He’s just trying to work her up, isn’t he? “That’s just what I think, okay? Do with it what you want...”

He does imagine what it would be like... to see clearly where he’d gotten used to there being only blurred forms and hazy lines, to see her face in all its presumed beauty, to see the shape of her lips, to see exactly where he wished to plant his own mouth for the first time. His tongue swipes out across his lips and he promptly looks away again. “I’ll keep it in mind,” comes out softly. And they don’t speak of it again, at least not that night.

------

Naruto is certain that his suggestion of the three of them training together is the perfect setting to get Sasuke and Kimiko to spend some amicable time together. He’s not expecting them to get so serious about sparring. Yet, here they are, beating the shit out of each other, and Naruto finds himself thinking, ‘Man, that’s some weird sexual tension...’ But hey, to each their own, right? At least they weren’t avoiding each other like the plague anymore.

Naruto gets a bright idea, using a wind technique to ~gently~ topple one on top of the other if he times it right. He waits, and waits, and waits, and then the perfect opening comes, and he has to be faster than they are if he wants to catch his window, so he throws out a gust of wind and violently sends them both flying. Instinctively, Sasuke grabs Kimiko by the shirt and yanks her close, situating her atop him so that she lands safely with his back scraping several feet across the ground.

“Sorry!” Naruto hollers. “Yeah, I’m sorry! Sorry, that was me!” He’s not oblivious to the fact that the outcome still matches his desires.

Sasuke stares up at honey orbs, which stare at him with a slightly taken aback expression. She can’t believe he just grabbed her like that. Does he--dare she say it? No. No... but... but does he actually care about her? Her lips are parted just so, and Sasuke’s eyes dart down, and she suddenly scrambles off of him because the feeling is too familiar for her comfort. She stalks off, shoving Naruto in the shoulder in passing as he laughs sheepishly. “I’m really... really...” He watches her go. “Yeah, she’s not listening...”

“No, idiot,” Sasuke says, now approaching Naruto’s side. When Naruto looks at him, though, Sasuke doesn’t look as angry as Kimiko. In fact, he’s smiling. See?! Naruto knew he could be a good wingman! He knew it all along!

------

Sasuke finally got up the nerve and asked Kimiko out, but he made it sound like a friendly outing. He’s quite sure she’ll bolt if he calls it a date, and honestly so might he. The more sake they imbibe and the more conversation they chew through creates an unmistakable vibe, though, and both are powerless to deny what’s brewing. By dessert, they’re simply making eyes at each other from across the table, and Sasuke decides to playfully murmur, “Tonight is not the night that I kiss you...” even if his roiling insides would disagree with that.

She barely hears him above the din of the restaurant, which only makes it that much more exciting as it rolls off of his tongue. Her cheeks get warm, but she scoffs. “You think I’m just dying for you attention? Please.”

He smiles and shrugs as he leans back in his chair. “We’ll see...”

“Mhm, we’ll see,” she echoes, brow arching. He loves the way she looks when there’s a challenge in her eyes.

------

She’s trying her best to keep from looking into his smoldering eyes because she knows what she’d see. She’d see everything she’s not equipped to handle delicately—the depth of his desires, the strength of his need, the truth of his wanting. She’d see a man whose pain she could never bear to witness, a man whose laughter manufactured sickness, not because she couldn’t stand to see him laughing but because she couldn’t handle the way it made her happy. She’d see the Sasuke she’d... the Sasuke she’d come to love, the Sasuke she’d already been in the throes of loving before she ever came back for him, before she ever returned to this town that never felt like home in the first place. She’d see everything she didn’t deserve.

After all, she betrayed him to this place, and that’s how they ended up here now. Of course, he’d say it’s the best thing that ever happened to him now. I mean, look at him. He’s got the house, the friends, the job, his health, his eyes, the sense of belonging. Yes, Konoha gave him a purpose that he’d been lacking, a purpose she couldn’t give to him. He did not deserve to be wrecked by her again, and she knew that she was good for nothing more than wrecking when it comes to loving him properly. She knows a hundred other women in this village who’d love him better. Hell, even Naruto does a better job!

He can sense her the way he used to, the way he’d eagerly grown to, knows that there’s pain hiding in her unwillingness to look him in the eyes. A finger caresses down the angle of her chin before lifting to press into her lower lip. Her lips part and tremble when she breathes. He has no desire to force her, so he waits for her to find her courage and look at him. When she does turn her face of her own volition, he smiles softly and whispers, “I’m finally gonna kiss you...”

And she doesn’t speak, but it’s in her mind: “I’m powerless to deny.”

The way she melts isn’t consent enough, though, so his lips move to her ear and he asks, “Is that alright?”

Her hand still on his chest from where she’d been subconsciously pushing him away clutches the fabric tightly, and she has half a mind to move it out the way so she can better mold to his body. Fuck it, she decides, and nods her head ‘yes.’ She’s surprised to find that he doesn’t come back for her lips. Instead, he starts by worshipping every nook and cranny just as he’s fantasized.

#quiet kunoichi #totally safe content #under cut for length #boy oh boy #that was a fun one #got some cute moments #got some borderline spicy ones #we got em all here #XD #I hope you enjoy~#we span all over their timeline #forgive any typos or anything because my eyes are just tired of reading this over #lol

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fandammit · 4 years

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Necessary growing pains

Or why that conflict in the church between Kimiko and Frenchie is a good (if painful) thing to witness

This episode was a real low point for Kimiko and Frenchie in that it forced the low simmering issues between the two to boil over.

And while that was very difficult to watch, I’m also glad that their issues are now out in the open -- because only by acknowledging them can the show and the characters begin to address them.

(I'd also say that having the two come into this kind of conflict also shows how important the show considers their relationship -- however the show wants to define that right now -- and how it privileges their own individual journeys as well)

More meandering meta under the cut

Kimiko is carrying around this huge weight of guilt and shame that she doesn't know how quite to deal with, so she's effectively not dealing with it and instead channeling her grief and hurt into hurting other people.

Frenchie sees this and it hurts him -- not just because he cares about Kimiko and recognizes that it's, as he says, poison for her soul but because he himself understands what she's going through in a way no one else does.

Which is why this is extra hurtful for him. What makes their relationship so special for Frenchie is that he's never had one like it in terms of non-physical intimacy, so to see Kimiko hurting like this and not sharing that hurt with him when he feels like he's shared so much with her just hurts in a whole new and deeper way.

That hurt goes past frustration and bubbles over into anger when Kimiko signs to him that she doesn't want his help, but he can't know what she's saying because she hasn't opened herself up enough to teach him that. And that lack of openness and intimacy is the real thing that breaks him wide open and causes him to lash out against her.

And though it can be frustrating that she hasn't shared that language with him, I think that we have to see it from the point of view that this shared, created language is one of the most sacred and special parts of herself. And even though she and Frenchie are close, it isn’t easy to share everything about yourself. Kimiko has been so traumatized that she’s literally lost her ability to speak, so opening herself up to communicating again isn’t going to happen quickly or easily.

There’s also the added facet that this is the language that she made with her brother, who is now lost to her forever. It’s hard to share something so special with someone new, and I bet there’s a part of Kimiko that feels like she’s honoring her brother by keeping that language just between the two of them.

I mentioned in my last meta that there’s a real barrier to any further growth or intimacy between the two of them because of their inability to communicate freely and easily. But whereas that issue was lingering just beneath the surface, this episode brings it all out into the open in the most painful way possible.

But it’s necessary pain, because only in bringing their issues to light can either of them ever hope to address them.

In order to move forward, Kimiko needs to find a way to heal in a way that isn’t destructive, Frenchie needs to recognize Kimiko’s autonomy AND address his own trauma, and both these things must be communicated with the other person.

Luckily, the show not only recognizes this, it works to address them -- which is why I’ve constantly said that someone on the staff has to be a Kimiko x Frenchie shipper, lol.

I know this episode was really hard to watch for our little ship, but as someone who has seen the whole season (I got press screeners), I have to say that I absolutely LOVED the last three episodes, and that the show doesn’t let us shippers suffer for long.

#frenchie x kimiko #the boys #kimiko miyashiro #frenchie x kimiko meta

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kendelias · 3 years

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Emi and osamu

How did they they meet?: they met at a party! emi was just tryna get dicked down and osamu was dragged there by atsumu

Who developed romantic feelings first?: osamu!!

Who is their biggest “shipper?”: megumi is by far their biggest supporter

When did they have their first kiss and under what circumstances?: they had it after their date after nationals!

Who confessed their feelings first?: osamu kind of?? it was less of a confession and more of a “i only want to date you not just sleep with you as a one off” ya know

What was their first official date?: they went out for ramen after nationals.

How do they feel about double dates/group dates?: they’re down!! they go out with megumi and atsumu all the time, and occasionally izanami and terushima (izanami insists this is not a double date though) and zuimu and kita.

What do they do in their down time?: they’ll do homework next to each other, cook together, watch sports games, and do whatever they feel like at this moment!

What was the first meeting of parents as an official couple like?: ummm so fun fact - osamu has only met emi’s parents very briefly in passing, when picking her up or dropping her off. they don’t take their relationship seriously, and emi doesn’t really care about them enough to introduce them. he did have a sit down dinner with her brother though, who loves osamu but also tells him to be good to his sister “or else” (like he can take him). as for osamu’s parents, they had a sit down dinner with them (and atsumu) and they uhhh don’t really like her. they look down on her, think osamu can do better, and she def cries afterwards and osamu just holds her and apologizes atsumu is like “yeah our parents do suck”

What was their first fight over and how did they get past it?: i think they had a fight about him meeting her parents because he wants to like... have a sit down dinner with each of them and she’s like... they just don’t matter to her like that.

Which one is more easily made jealous?: they’re pretty equally prone to it, but osamu is slightly more likely. and they’re not like... rabidly jealous people, just like lightly annoyed

What is their favourite thing to get to eat?: oh they just love food in general. any food. but emi has a favorite place for sushi.

Who’s the cuddly one? What their favourite cuddling position?: emi is definitely more cuddly (esp because she hasn’t had an actual relationship before so she’s like... lowkey excited for this). their favorite position is him laying down and her with her head on his chest, or her sitting up and him with his head on her thighs!

Are they hand holders?: i don’t think like... a lot? but if they sit next to each other at a party or something, yeah sure. but not when they’re out and about unless they’re dragging each other somewhere.

How long do they wait before sleeping together for the first time? What’s the circumstances?: osamu asks for them to wait a month or so, and then they have their first time at her house. her dad is out at work, and it just kinda happens, they don’t plan it or anything.

Who tops?: osamu

What’s the worst fight they’ve ever gotten into?: they don’t usually get into like fights so i assume emi just freaked out that they were getting too serious and ghosted him until he like. showed up. and when she explained, he was like “hey we can go at whatever pace you want okay” and she was like “okay i lied i love you”

Who does the shopping and the cooking?: she does the shopping, he does the cooking! he definitely gives her shopping lists before she goes out though. ya know that quote that’s like “how stupid does he think i am? one time he gave me a shopping list with pictures!”

Which one is more organized and prone to tidiness?: osamu is fairly tidy and emi is like. ‘well i know where everything is so who cares if you cannot see the bottom of my desk’

Who proposes?: osamu!

Do they have joined Bachelor/Bacheloette parties or separate?: separate

Who is the best man/maid of honour? Any other groomsmen or bridesmaids?: osamu’s best man is atsumu, and emi’s maid of honor is izanami! osamu’s wedding party also has kita and aran, and emi’s wedding party is kimiko and megumi!

Big Ceremony or Small?: fairly small!!

Do they have a honeymoon? If so, where?: ummm undecided but it would be a small one if they did

Do they have children? How many?: yes! two, and their names are shiori and satoshi.

send me a ship and i’ll break them down!

#emi nakajima #haikyuu!!#ship: emi x osamu #general #ask #asks #nicole #loveallthatjazz #what kind of woman doesnt have an ask

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gritsandbrits · 5 years

Text

40 Reasons Why Xiaolin Chronicles Sucks

1. The continuity is wack; like is it a reboot or a direct sequel? The narrative has an internal conflict between whether it wants to be a sequel or a reboot. And if it is a reboot, is it a soft reboot or a complete overhaul of the original show?

2. Clay had a weird goat fetish.

3. Kimiko really became the Token Girl since her signature color changed from red to pink (probably To Sell Toys) during the showdowns.

4. Omi is now a Creator's Pet who hogs all the spotlight from the other characters.

5. Raimundo is no longer Shoku leader; instead everyone's Shoku, which took away character development from him.

6. Chase's awesome and quite tragic past became a generic "girl rejected a guy, thus guy becomes evil" backstory. Plus his honorable side is replaced with narcissistic attitude.

7. The new Xiaolin Dragon is a plank of wood (literally).

8. Ping Pong's design which is basically Omi but shorter, less arrogant, and nerdy. Also he's supposed to be the character representing Europe.

9. Good Jack is flanderized to an incompetent and manipulative Religious Cult Leader Zealot archetype

10. Shadow has got to be one of the most disgusting and boring villains ever. Also she is a Villain Sue.

11. Dojo is yellow. And gay for Master Fung.

12. Related to #10 but Shadow and Chase's incestuous subtext. Even Jack had to call them out on how nasty it was.

13. Wasted characters like Salvatore Cumo, Princess Kaila, and Dojo's dragon friend; all of whom are interesting but don't appear again until like the series finale.

14. Apparently we needed yet another male member on the main team, so no improved gender ratio.

15. Ping Pong can suddenly use all four of the monks' elements despite being a novice; also he skipped Wudai and went straight to Shoku. Gary Stu much?

16. Childish dialogue and serious moments aren't taken seriously.

17. Raimundo's backstory is changed from having a normal childhood to yet another sad and depressing past that is even weird because it tried to be played for comedy when it really wasn't.

18. Kimiko has a sister despite nothing pointing to that in the original show

19. Omi gets to be in most of the showdowns; any other monk don't get involved in many

20. A wasted opportunity to add Jermaine as the fifth dragon

21. Wuya's backstory is changed drastically

22. Jack is a surfer dude/Steve Jobs rip-off; other than that he's actually the least changed of the characters

23. Clay has a brother who was also never mentioned in the original show

24. The showdowns costumes are now generic cybernetic bodysuits clearly meant to cash in on Tron

25. The CGI is garbage even by kids show standards

26. Too much gross out humor and too little slapstick and jokes that are actually funny

27. There's no other new Xiaolin Dragons or Elements introduced so we don't get to see new team dynamics and unique heroic characters

28. The show's magic system is messed up; now you have people suddenly using magic and random objects when in the original show magic was limited to filler episodes and few people and objects (non Shen Gong Wu)

29. All the characters lacked the depth they had in the original show. Now Raimundo's the generic leader guy, Omi is even more arrogant and the Spotlight hog on top of that, Kimiko's the girl and doesn't change clothes anymore, and Clay and Ping Pong are just there.

30. Dojo's gross new way of detecting Shen Gong Wu

31. Chase lays an egg. That is all.

32. Chase and Omi is related, which actually kind of ruins the ambiguity between them.

33. The wood element is barely used in the show; Ping Pong rarely uses his element despite being hyped up as the strongest besides Omi

34. Interesting subplots gets dropped for more humor and subplots that ultimately go nowhere

35. Everything is resolved too easily, there's no struggle or anything

36. There's no appearance, cameo, or even mention of other characters from the previous show.

37. The Shen Gong Wu is renamed mostly due to copyright, but some of the new names makes no sense or generic.

38. Often times, the new voices don't fit the characters; Wuya's voice is off, Kimiko sounds too old, Jack is less hammy, and Chase sounds like a generic villain instead of sneaky and sly.

39. The action scenes aren't that good anymore.

40. Clay punched a girl (Shadow). Something that goes against his character, even if that bitch deserved it. It would have been better if Kimiko punched her.

* I will add some more based on reader suggestions. Also as of 4/25 I removed the "anti-xiaolin chronicles" after a complaint. Don't ask me who complained because I do not wish for anyone to start a witch hunt in my name.

** 4/26 I think I was too harsh on Jack. At least he wasn't a complete wimp and actually the least changed from his original version. Also, I feel like the show could have expanded the roster of Xiaolin Dragons, maybe have Jermaine be a part of his own team but inverted gender ratio (meaning more female monks). The fact that the show was going to add more elements and characters on both the good and evil side made this all the more sad.

#xiaolin showdown #xiaolin chronicles rant #terrible spinoffs #terrible reboots #they wasted a perfectly good character #they wasted a perfectly good plot #anti xiaolin chronicles

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allthefilmsiveseenforfree · 5 years

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Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse

Here’s a phrase I don’t understand: superhero fatigue. The Greeks had their gods, 13th century Britons had their Knights of the Round Table, and we have superheroes. Superheroes are the mythical figures we’ve chosen to use at this current moment in time to explore what makes humanity great and not-so-great. Maybe I’m just a slut for good myths, but I don’t know how you get tired of that - I think what movie reviewers people call superhero fatigue could really be simplified to “I’m tired of superhero movies that are just ‘meh’.” Or, if you break that down, “I prefer it when movies are REALLY GOOD.” Oh, do you? Wow, I can’t believe you would be so brave to admit to something so controversial. I’ve read 4 reviews so far for Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse that contain some version of “I’m sure we all have superhero fatigue BUT this movie is really great!” and I gotta say, I think these reviews are getting it all wrong. How wrong? Well...

This is movie is really great precisely because it is a superhero movie. It is the ultimate superhero movie. It is everything that superhero movies could and should be, and it’s also really, really fucking beautiful.

Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) is an average Brooklyn high school kid. His dad (Brian Tyree Henry) is a cop, his mom (Luna Lauren Valez) is a nurse, and he’s going to a ritzy private school for the first time which is causing some father-son tension because Miles is crazy smart but he misses his neighborhood friends. The only person he can talk to is his uncle Aaron (Mahershala Ali)...that is, until he gets bitten by a radioactive spider and weird, very Spider-Man-like things start happening to him. He goes back to find the spider and stumbles on the REAL Spider-Man (Chris Pine) doing battle with the Green Goblin, and Kingpin (Liev Schreiber) is there too, and there’s a giant hadron collider that goes off and suddenly there are dimensions that aren’t Miles’ bleeding into his reality. And some of that bleed-through takes the form of other Spider-people, including Peter Parker (you know, the one from OUR reality, here voiced by Jake Johnson), Gwen Stacy (Hailee Steinfeld), Spider-Man Noir (Nicolas Cage), Peni Parker (Kimiko Glenn), and Spider-Ham (John Mulaney). Together, they have to help Miles figure out how to be Spider-Man and defeat Kingpin before he destroys all of Miles’ - and everyone else’s - dimensions.

Some thoughts:

I’m not exaggerating when I say this film contains the most beautiful visuals I've seen all year. It’s a smorgasbord of sumptuous colors and textures.

Other than the visuals, the best asset the film has is its stellar voice cast. Every single person is creating a nuanced, incredibly interesting character - sometimes with 5 min or less of actual dialogue or screen time. It’s masterful work, and the chemistry between all the Spider-people is off-the-charts which is particularly incredible because, like most animated voice-over work, these actors weren’t recording in the same place at the same time.

The screenplay by Phil Lord (with input from Christopher Miller) of 21/22 Jump Street and The Lego Movie fame, is bursting with the kind of sly humor and quick wit that keeps up with the dazzling visuals. Jake Johnson is a particular treat as a 40-something Peter Parker having a mid-life crisis and becoming the gruff and unlikely mentor to a wide-eyed newbie like Miles.

Loved the shoutout to Donald Glover and Community - there’s a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot of the first episode of season 2, in which Donald Glover’s character gets out of bed wearing Spider-Man pajamas. I’m still in the #donaldforspiderman camp, so that was a thrill to see.

A superhero is only as good as their villains, and Spider-Man is blessed with some of the best. All the villains in Spider-Verse are actually scary. and the peril feels real. Part of this is some excellent character design (the Green Goblin is an actual GOBLIN which is way scarier than Willem Defoe in a metal su...ok actually Willem Defoe is pretty fucking terrifying. But the character still looks amazing here.) and part of it is the fact that these villains cause real harm. People die. The stakes feel high in a way that a lot of other superhero properties just can’t achieve.

The score and music are used masterfully to better illuminate Miles, his neighborhood, and the different personalities of all the Spider-people. This is not only how you do visual storytelling but aural characterization as well.

There is no forced love story between Miles and Gwen and I want to send a basket full of mini muffins to Phil Lord and Christopher Miller for honoring Spider-Gwen’s character arc and not ruining something that is so perfect thank you thank you thank you.

That Stan Lee cameo broke me. I thought I was ready - I wasn’t. 0 to crying instantly.

I can’t express enough what a joy it is seeing all the Spider-people interact. Nicolas Cage is playing, essentially, himself when he says things like "Wherever I go, the wind follows and that wind...smells like rain."

More than anything, though, the joy of seeing a half-black, half-Hispanic superhero who is learning that he can be Spider-Man exactly how it makes sense for him...what a gift that is. Anyone can wear the mask - anyone can be better than they think they can be, and that's the kind of woke storytelling that doesn't feel forced or like it's cashing in on a #moment. That's what superheroes were made for.

My expectations were high. What the movie delivered exceeded those expectations in every single way. Miles Morales is a regular person thrust into extraordinary circumstances, and he’s scared and excited and vulnerable and strong. He is a superhero because we all have it in us to be superheroes. We all have it in us to be the exact right version of ourselves, and to use what makes us different to become something greater. That idea makes me feel so many huge, powerful emotions - and none of them are fucking fatigue.

#118in2018 #spider-man into the spider-verse #into the spiderverse #spiderman into the spiderverse #miles morales #spider gwen #spider ham #spiderman noir #peter parker #shameik moore #jake johnson #chris pine #hailee steinfeld #john mulaney #Brian Tyree Henry #nicolas cage #mahershala ali #movie reviews #film reviews

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dragonofdarknesschaos · 5 years

Text

Omi Analysis Dump

I was talking recently with @rendellstreet about the events of “Juding Omi” and how Omi might have past traumas and triggers based on how the boy reacted to seeing his friends being tickle tortured. I thought Omi assumed his friends and the Ticklebot were laughing at him, this is after Omi teamed up with evil villain Chase to save them all. If Omi being laughed at is a trigger for the boy, then that means he was ruthlessly laughed at and made fun of before the new students joined the Temple. This is why Omi works so hard to be perfect in his martial arts forms, and also why Omi laughs when others don’t master forms on the first try. In Omi’s mind, if he’s not doing his best he has failed everyone. Rendell asked who would be laughing at or making fun of Omi. In XS it’s not really clear, but in XC I would assume other students from before Clay, Kimiko, and Raimundo joined. If there are other students in XC, why not XS? But one thing always bugged me about Omi’s speech right before he joins Chase.

Kimiko, going to hug Omi after his return from the Ying-Yang World: Anyway Omi, it’s sure good to have you back. Omi: But I am not back. I am not coming back. Raimundo: C’mon dude, if this is about before we’re really sorry. Omi, looking into a fire: When I tried to lead, none of you would follow. When I tried to talk, none of you would listen. Only one person stood by me, believed in me, and trusted me. That is where I choose to go.

But is any of that true? At the top of the episode, Master Fung announces that “only One will rise to the rank of Wudai Warrior.” Everyone tries to get Dojo to tell them who will be advancing, but Dojo honestly has no idea. All four Monks misinterpret Dojo’s body language and cues to mean that they are the chosen one. Dojo, realizing that all the Monks misunderstood, refuses to accompany the kids on their next Wu hunt. While battling Jack and his new “army of evil,” Omi announces that he knows Master Fung picked him to advance, and he is oh so sorry that it wasn’t one of his friends. Everyone realizes that Dojo lied to them and go to confront him as soon as they return to the temple, never mind that Jack got the Wu. This is when there’s a sudden attack and Master Fung is kidnapped. The Monks’ focus shifts to rescuing their Master.

The first thing that happens is that Kimiko insists on checking the vault, to ensure that no Wu are missing. Every time Jack has attacked in the past it was to steal Shen Gong Wu. When all Wu are accounted for Omi is the first to blame Jack, despite the lack of evidence. Clay points out that it could not have been Jack; this isn’t the evil boy genius’ MO. Rai asks Omi, who has seen the secret to destroying evil, use his knowledge to help them. Maybe what Omi has learned can help them find Master Fung, Kimiko adds. Omi refuses to share, citing his promise to Chase as a Xiaolin Warrior that he would not share that knowledge. Raimundo questions why Omi should bother keeping his word “to an evil villain” like Chase. Omi, still salty about Rai defecting to Wuya and the Heylin side almost a year ago, says that “I take my word as a Xiaolin Monk very seriously, unlike [Rai]! ... Honor is what separates us from evil.” With a looming stalemate, Clay suggests that they all start putting things to vote. Kimiko adds that Dojo will be the tiebreaker. Dojo doesn’t want the added responsibility. Annoyed, Omi says that he wants no part of this “delicacy” and storms out to spy on Jack.

A good leader listens to their comrades, takes in all that they have to say, and then makes an informed decision that is the best course of action so that the most people are happy and benefit from the decison. A great problem solver offers solutions instead of saying “no” or “I can’t.” Instead of listening to his friends and comrades, Omi jumps to conclusions based on evidence that isn’t there, then shuts down all attempts to change his course of action. In Omi’s mind, Jack Spicer is the only culprit and if his fellow Monks can’t see that, then he’ll just have to go and spy on Jack to get some hard evidence they can act upon. Unfortunately Omi walks in on Jack and company planning to take over the Xiaolin Temple.

After a narrow escape, Omi rushes to warn his friends of the incoming attack, but arrives too late. The temple has been taken over by Jack’s army of evil, and his friends are all strapped into a tickle-torture machine that looks more like a doom’s day device. So what does Omi do? Goes to Chase’s lair to ask for help. Chase makes a final plea for Omi to join the side of evil.

Chase: Remember Omi, there is always a place for you here at my side. Omi: I could never join the dark forces. Chase: Never say never. The world is a complex place. Sometimes our destiny is determined by events that are out of our control.

Through the magic of television both Chase, Omi, and Chase’s army of cats arrive back at the Temple, to the captured Monks crying from laughter. Off screen Raimundo says “I’m tired of laughing” to drive the point home. Presented with Jack’s army of evil, Chase transforms his cat army into warriors and destroys Jack’s team effortlessly. Most of the warriors destroy or defeat their opponents by doing nothing at all or in a single hit. This isn’t even child’s play to them. Chase and Omi preform Tai Chi moves in unison to destroy the remaining Jackbots. Both catch their breath as debris burns around them. Omi approaches the laughing Monks, clearly shook. The Ticklebot turns and laughs at Omi too. Angry, Omi destroys the bot, then frees his relieved friends. While that happens, Chase literally shakes Jack down for the Ying Yo-yo, then presents his find to Omi. Raimundo starts to question the situation.

Raimundo: Hey! Why is [Chase] helping us? Omi: I will explain everything later, but first we must rescue Master Fung. Clay: Whoa, whoa, whoa there partner. We don’t know hooie about this Ying-Yang place. Rai: I vote we talk to Dojo first. Kimiko: I agree. We should think about what we’re getting into. Omi: A true warrior acts first and worries later.

Again, all the Monks are asking Omi what is going on, they want him to talk to them; tell them what is going on. Omi glosses over everything--all that matters to him is rescuing Master Fung. Screw the consequences and fall out, that’s for near-future Omi to deal with! Upon returning from the Ying-Yang World, his good Chi sealed away, Evil!Omi makes his speech.

“When I tried to lead, none of you would follow. When I tried to talk, none of you would listen. Only one person stood by me, believed in me, and trusted me.”

Not once did Omi try to lead effectively. It was always his way or no way at all. Omi never wanted to talk, he did not listen to his so-called friends even once. Though he is unaware of it at the time, Chase “supporting” Omi’s decisions is just Chase going along with his own plan. While Chase believes in Omi, trusting Omi would mean that Chase wouldn’t have had to orchestrate this entire event to get Omi to join the dark forces. Omi acted alone and played right into Chase’s hands. The only person Omi should have trusted was himself. That actually might have been more climactic than whatever the rest of the “___ing Omi” arc was.

But why was Omi, filled with both his Chi, so focused and consumed by saving Master Fung? Not even Dojo--who is notorious for being unable to function correctly if the Master was missing--is terribly distraught. What’s so special about the old man to Omi?

Master Fung and Dojo are Omi’s first and only family before the new students arrived. The two effectively raised Omi since he was a baby; Master Fung is Omi’s entire world for a majority of the young boy’s life. Anyone would act recklessly if they lost their entire world. Especially a child that knew they could save their adoptive parent. If you knew you could save someone who meant the world to you, but friends that you had come to rely on as family said, “no, we need to stop and think about things,” naturally you’d be upset and try to accomplish the task yourself, right?

While that explains Omi’s actions, it also somewhat disproves my suggestion of Omi having “people laughing at him” as a trigger. He destroyed the Ticklebot out of anger, rather than fear. And if being laughed at was so triggering, why laugh at others who are in the same situation he was in that caused the traumatic event? It’s an interesting thought, but not plausible given the evidence.

One last point, if Heylin!Omi made an entire speech that was a lie, and together Omi is brutally honest, if not to a fault, doesn’t that mean that Heylin!Omi can only tell lies to a certain degree? Not even good lies; lies that are blatant as a stain on a white sheet. His defecting speech was actually an apology.

When I tried to lead, none of you would follow. When I tried to talk, none of you would listen. Only one person stood by me, believed in me, and trusted me.

Becomes:

When you tried to lead, I did not follow. When you tried to talk, I did not listen. All of you stood by me, believed in me, and trusted me.

Joining Chase is effectively a self-imposed punishment.

Further on in the next episode, Chase notices that Heylin!Omi only wants to fight all the time; there isn’t very much substance to the young one’s evil chi. Chase agrees to fight Heylin!Omi on the grounds that Omi swear his loyalty to the Heylin Warrior. “I do swear my loyalty to you.” If Heylin!Omi only tells lies, then “I don’t swear my loyalty to you,” is more likely what he did mean. However, the memory is all that’s needed to keep a wholly restored Omi at Chase’s side for the big finale. This opposite talk of sorts would also mean that Heylin!Omi actually got slang right for once. “Bring it off/on--same difference.” And if that ain’t the most opposite thing of Omi, then there must be something wrong with the writers.

TL;DR

Disproved: Omi’s trigger is people laughing at him. This is why he tries hard to be perfect at everything he does.

Omi’s speech before defecting to Chase in “Judging Omi” is a lie. Everything Omi claims the others did is what he himself did in a blind and reckless ploy to save Master Fung.

Master Fung is really, really important to Omi. The old man is Omi’s first and only family... until the others join in.

What if Heylin!Omi can only tell lies as a contrast to Good/Whole Omi only telling (brutal) honest truths? The speech he made before joining Chase is effectively an apology.

#Omi #Xiaolin Showdown #analysis #Judging Omi #_ing Omi arc #Heylin!Omi

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comicgeekscomicgeek · 4 years

Text

Their Hero Academia – Chapter 39: Call Me Hero

Presenting the next raw and unedited chapter of my on-going, next-gen, My Hero Academia fic, Their Hero Academia!

Earlier chapters can be found here

Back in school after two days off, Isamu Haimawari was still riding a pretty good high. While a part of him still refused to believe that he’d won the Sports Festival, hearing the congratulations of so many people, both those in his neighborhood and people who had just seen him on TV, along with all the discussion and replays being shown on the news, had helped to cement it in his mind. He was going to take pride in what he’d done, while still acknowledging there were several times it could have gone either way. If Midoriya hadn’t come up with the plan for them to cooperate or if some of his matches had been different people or gone just a little differently, he likely wouldn’t have done as well.

Still: he actually felt like a winner.

“Newb.”

He looked up to see Kirishima-Bakugo standing in front of his desk, muscular arms crossed in front of her chest. Her red eyes narrowed as she looked him over, everything about her body language reading as a challenge. But there was something else there too, some subtle sign of acknowledgement that wasn’t there before, as though for the she was seeing him as worthy of her attention for the first time. She did seem to respect strength and skill, after all.

“Yes?” Isamu asked.

She stared him down for a moment longer before speaking. “You did good,” she said. “Seems I underestimated you.”

He definitely wasn’t expecting that, but he quickly found his voice. “Ah, thanks,” he said. “You did good too. Pretty impressive fight against Izumi.”

“Izzy kicked my ass is what she did,” Kirishima-Bakugo replied. She moved to take her seat. “But believe me. I won’t be underestimating you again.”

Well. That wasn’t worrisome at all.

At the desk next to his, Mineta turned so she could talk to Kirishima-Bakugo. “What? No congratulations for me?”

“I still can’t believe you came in second,” Kaminari told her, rolling her eyes.

“What, like it’s hard?” Mineta replied.

At her desk, Kirishima-Bakugo fumed. “I’m acknowledging your victory while refusing to acknowledge you, Horse-Girl.”

Mineta shrugged. “You know what, I’m going to take that as a win here. On top of my actual win. Which I had. And you didn’t.”

Kirishima-Bakugo started rising out of her desk again, rage twisting up her features. “I swear, I will I will blow those damn horns right off your head…”

“Can I get out of the way first?” Kaminari asked, Extension Cords up in the air. “Or maybe just tase you both?

Kirishima-Bakuago growled, but sat back down. A quick glance around showed that Izumi had turned around in the front row and was watching them. Thank goodness for small favors. “You’re still an idiot, Horse-Girl. I’m not gonna underestimate you either. So keep up or get out of the way. And don’t think you can rely on provocation all the time. It won’t save you from me…”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Mineta said, rolling her eyes.

“How did Uncle Minoru take how you won?” Kaminari asked.

Mineta shook her head. “He called it ‘great use of psychological tactics’. My innocence is his eyes is safe.”

“Talk about blindspots…”

“On the other hand,” she went on, “he did threaten Shinji when Mom invited him and his dad out to dinner to celebrate my win after the festival…”

Isamu did remember a large teen in a Shiketsu school uniform embracing Mineta after the Festival, twirling her around. He hadn’t gotten his name then, but that must have been Shinji. Who’d have ever thought someone like Mineta would have a friend like that? And apparently as a boyfriend?

He wasn’t sure if he should feel sorry for the guy or not. At the very least, it didn’t look like it was restraining her personality any. She was still Mineta, still hitting on everything that moved (which included him).

Of course, he had his own potential for a girlfriend on the horizon too. He’d spent a decent amount of time over the break texting with Kana Tetsutetsu, even video chatting with her for a little while. She’d turned out to be a pretty fun person to talk to and seemed a lot like a less scary version of Kirishima-Bakugo. Intense and dedicated, but not ready to go off at a moment’s notice. Plus, they’d turned out to both be fans of the cheesy martial arts flicks from the early days of Quirk-based films, which gave them a lot to talk about.

If all went well, they’d try and watch one together before the internships started next week.

The internships. He’d tried hard not to think about that over the two days. As the winner of the Sports Festival, he was likely to get a lot of offers. How would he know who to choose? And there was still the possibility of being overlooked. His win would give him a lot of cache, but considering how many kids of important Heroes were in his class and the others, he wondered if people wouldn’t be more likely to scout them instead, trying to network or curry favor…

Around him, everyone in the classroom was talking about their Sports Festival performance, some happier than others, some lamenting how early they’d been knocked out. The noise was only broken when Aizawa’s sleeping bag clad form suddenly appeared from behind the lectern.

“So. Let’s talk about the Sports Festival. Pretty cute, the way you used teamwork to get past the First Stage. A nice exploitation of a loophole, since it’s not against the rules. And Heroes should be able to work together with anyone.”

You could have heard a pin drop in the classroom. Aizawa as a teacher as perpetually waiting for the other shoe to drop. He didn’t hand out praise easily, so where this was leading, no one seemed to know.

“Which means I’ll just have to make sure All Might and the others ride you harder to make sure your individual skills don’t atrophy.”

There it was. That was the other shoe. Heroics Classes already were pushing them right up to their limits and beyond… how much worse could it get?!

Aizawa continued. “With that being said, we can discuss the Internship offers that have come up.”

He tapped a button on the lectern and the results of the Internship offers appeared on the board. “These numbers are not necessarily reflective of the total number of offers you received. All Might, Midnight, Principal Nezu, and I spent a considerable amount of time reviewing your offers and eliminating any offers that appeared to be made simply to take advantage of who your parents are.”

Toshinori Midoriya: 4007

Isamu Haimawari: 3546

Mika Mineta: 1451

Izumi Torodoki: 400

Kimiko Ojiro: 203

Asuka Tokoyami: 106

Katsumi: Kirishima-Bakugo: 73

Sora Iida: 40

Chihiro Kaminari: 8

Takuma Sero: 7

Tensei Iida: 6

Shota Shinso: 5

Takiyo Aoyama: 4

Daisuke Shoji: 3

Kenta Sato: 2

Akaya Koda: 2

“Hey!” Mineta cried out. “I did better than Midoriya! Why’s he got so many more offers than me?”

“Maybe because Toshi’s not a lunatic nymphomaniac?” Kirishima-Bakugo said. “Who sexually harassed her opponents on live television?”

“…Besides that!”

Isamu was pretty sure his heart had just stopped. How had that many people noticed him, thought he was worthy of their attention? Maybe not as many as Midoriya, but way more than he would have ever expected. He couldn’t help but feel bad for some of the others though, who hadn’t gotten nearly as much attention.

“Alas,” he heard Aoyama say. “My radiance did not draw the attention it deserved.”

“You shall have other chances,” Koda assured him. “And if your internship goes well, it will already open doors to further notice.”

“I suppose so, Mademoiselle Koda, but still…”

“Congratulations, Sister!” Tensei Iida said. “You do the Iida Family line proud by your successes!”

“Do not be so quick to dismiss your own, Little Brother,” Sora Iida replied. “With two of us, the honor is twice as large!”

“Go Kimiko!” Sero said. “I’m totally tagging your videos with “Sports Festival Finalist” now. Our hit count’s gonna be through the roof!”

“Sorry you two didn’t do better,” Ojiro said.

Sato waved it off. “Always next year. And apparently somebody liked what they saw with me…”

“Oh, man, everybody was so awesome,” Shinso squealed. “You all did so great! Toshi was all bouncing around and Izumi was throwing all that ice and Tokoyami did that super-cool armor trick and Haimawari was all ZOOOOOM and…”

“Breathe, Shota,” Tokoyami said.

“Still, an impressive accounting by all of you,” Izumi said.

“Guess stretching by Cords out wasn’t all for nothing,” Kaminari added.

“I suppose it’s an honor just to be noticed, even by three people,” Shoji said. Isamu didn’t know him well, but he didn’t sound particularly depressed by it. Little seemed to faze the six-armed young man.

“Thirty-five hundred people,” Isamu said quietly. “Still don’t believe it.”

“If you’re all done?” Aizawa snapped, impatient working its way into his voice. “I’ll be distributing the requests that go with those numbers shortly. As I expected, there was significant coordination on the part of your parents. Technically, a logical exploitation of a loophole in the rules I issued them against scouting their own children. So not unexpected. However, in the meantime, we need to discuss your Hero names. I’m sure most of you have had these planned for a while, but Midnight would try to murder me if I didn’t indulge her little games.”

“Oh, don’t sound so judgmental about it, Eraser,” Vice-Principal Midnight said, standing in the now open classroom door. “I love listening to what these fresh young minds have come up with…”

***

Koharu struggled to still the shaking of her hand as she pushed open the door to the door to the school’s office. She’d been abruptly summoned from her Homeroom class to come to come to there and her mind raced with possibilities about what it might entail. The two days since the Sports Festival had passed quickly, but with plenty of congratulations from family and friends and even total strangers. Already, the rest of her Class was treating her like the second coming of Shinso.

Inside, one of the school secretaries, a woman pale green skin and blonde hair, looked up. “Can I help you?” she asked.

Koharu gathered her wits. “I’m… I’m Koharu Kocho. I got a message saying they wanted to see me down here?”

The woman nodded and pointed to a door marked with the name “Nezu” on its nameplate. The Principal’s office. “In there,” the secretary said. “They’re expecting you, so no need to knock.”

Taking another breath to steady herself, Koharu crossed the room and opened the door to the Principal’s office. Inside, the strange mouse-bear-dog that was Nezu sat behind a massive mahogany desk, with All Might on one side of his chair and Water Spout on the other, all of them pouring over papers strewn out across the desk and a paused video of some kind of an angled computer monitor.

“Ah, Miss Kocho, welcome!” Nezu said, gesturing towards a chair in front of the desk. “Please, have a seat. May I offer you some tea?”

The hyper-intelligent animal was spritely, despite the small but thick glasses that rested on his nose and the grey around his muzzle. Koharu didn’t know how old he was, but he’d been the principal for well over twenty-five years, even before Heroes like Deku and Ground Zero graced the halls. He had to be well past the life expectancy of… whatever it was he was, exactly.

This wasn’t the first time she’d been in the presence of All Might, of course, having received her medal (and a hug!) from him at the Sports Festival. But here, away from the cameras, he seemed just a little more serious, a little more subdued. Water Spout was a new one, though.

“I, ah, yes, thank you,” she said, as she took a seat.

“Very good,” Nezu said, nodding slightly. “If you wouldn’t mind, Water Spout?”

“Of course, Principal,” the dark-haired Hero said, moving to the corner of the office where Nezu kept a tea service. “It’ll be just a few minutes.”

“I must congratulate you on your win again, Miss Kocho,” Nezu said. “You nearly set a new record for the General Studies department. Of course, there are those who do not count Akamine’s first place victory of a few years ago, since all he did was endure the attacks of others based on his invulnerability.”

Koharu shook her head, slowly, so as not to overly agitate her antennae. “I wouldn’t. He used his Quirk and his head and won fair and square.”

Nezu nodded. “Mmm-hmm, my assessment as well. His path may have lead him elsewhere, but in that moment, it was surely his victory.”

“Young Kocho,” All Might began, his deep voice kind and encouraging, “how would you describe your performance at the Sports Festival?”

Koharu closed her eyes for a moment, taking in a breath. She accepted the tea that Water Spout handed her. “Sugar? Honey? Milk?” he asked.

“Honey, please,” she said, then, when that had been added, extended her proboscis into the tea and took a long sip. It was warm and sweet, perfect to her taste. If any of the three adults seemed disturbed by her drinking method, it didn’t show on their faces. She appreciated that. Wings and antennae were one thing, and while they brought her plenty of attention, they didn’t bring her much bigotry. But when she started to drink, that’s when the looks of disgust usually came out.

The long drink gave her a moment to formulate her answer. “I did alright during the Obstacle Course. Middle of the pack. My Quirk was pretty good at bringing down the drones and I was able to fly around a lot of them. Quirkball… I survived. Barely. My Scales and my String-Shot were good at taking people down so they could be hit, but it was a lot to keep track of. I didn’t always do that good a job, didn’t always realize just how big a target I was.”

All Might and Nezu nodded. “Good,” All Might said. “Please, go on.”

Koharu drank some more of her tea before she continued. She’d come this far. They deserved nothing less than her total honesty. Besides, she was fairly certain this was some kind of test in and of itself. She’d heard rumors about the Principal and all the wheels within wheels he spun.

“I got lucky in the Tournament.,” she said. “My first match was Monoma.” Once I got out of the range of that Binding Cloth of his, there wasn’t much he could do to me. It was just a matter of time before I got him with my String-Shot or my Scales.”

“Nothing wrong with having a Quirk your opponent can’t match,” Water Spout said. “That’s why I get called in to fight fire and flame villains, even though I’m a Rescue Hero. Not much most of them can do against a few dozen gallons of water. But it still takes strategy.”

Not a bad point, now that she thought about it.

“You should know Monoma speaks rather highly of you,” Nezu added. “He’s sent no less than a dozen e-mails to myself, the three Hero Class Homeroom teachers, and several of the other teachers insisting that you be added to the Hero Class.”

He looked down at a printout in his hand. “Ah, yes, and “preferably in Class 1-B.’”

“Against Ojiro, though, she was faster on the move than he was. She got up close instead of trying to go from the distance. Plus, you know, the whole invisibility thing. So I had to use my antennae to find her, but once I did, I could take her out with my String-Shot. I took a lot more of a beating in that one though. Much more of a physical fight. Not totally used to using my wings like that.”

“And you still emerged victorious,” All Might said. “Young Ojiro is an extremely skilled fighter. You did quite well to overcome here.”

“If you would talk about your last fight, Miss Kocho?” Nexu prompted.

“Against Mineta?” she said. “Yeah, okay. I wasn’t prepared for it. Not really. I watched her other fights and she’s pretty hard to get a read on. One minute, she’s fighting or brawling, the next she’s trying to get in somebody’s head. Add in her ability to fire off those balls, she was pretty dangerous. I figured I had the best chance if I got airborne and just took her out with a Sleep Powder or a Paralysis Powder, but she was just all over me, shooting those balls everywhere.”

She looked down at an empty teacup. Nezu, All Might, and Water Spout gave her the moment to gather her thoughts. “They got all over my wings. Pinned them to the ground. Maybe I could have kept fighting. Even if I was pinned, I still had my String-Shot. But I was afraid to tearing my wings. I don’t know… I don’t know if I could heal from that. So I gave up. Not very heroic, really.”

“You understood your limits,” All Might said, gently, coming around the desk. He got down on one knee next to her chair and put a hand on her shoulder. “There is nothing wrong with being afraid. Even the mightiest of us have felt fear. But if you’re to join the Hero Course, you’re going to have to learn to surpass that fear and find new limits.”

“I… what?” Nothing in that last sentence made any sense to her right now.

“We’ve been viewing your Sports Festival footage, as well as your performance during the Entrance Exam,” Nezu said. “We’ve also spoken to your physical education teacher, and several of your other teachers. What happened to you during the Entrance Exam was a rather tragic accident. Based upon your initial performance and your performance during the Sports Festival, I was able to extrapolate a probable score for you if you hadn’t been knocked out.”

Nezu pushed his chair back and hopped down, slowly walking around the desk with the aid of his cane. “You should have passed with flying colors.”

“I… what?” Koharu repeated.

Nezu offered her a hand. “Miss Kocho, if you are willing to put in a, frankly, considerable amount of work to get caught up, we are pleased to offer you a place in the Hero Course for the second semester.”

***

Isamu wasn’t surprised that all of his classmates had names ready to go. And he probably shouldn’t have been surprised that Aizawa had opted to hide himself in his sleeping bag in the corner while Vice Principal Midnight ran the show. He had a habit, from what Isamu had seen, of doing that to avoid anything he didn’t want to be bothered by.

He was, however, definitely surprised by the outright hungry look Vice Principal Midnight was giving much of the class. Wasn’t she in her fifties? And in a committed relationship with Present Mic (the tabloids were always speculating on whether or not they’d get married or if she was cheating on him behind his back)? Of course, given the first time he’d met her, he’d nearly run head first into her cleavage and she’d just laughed it off, he really shouldn’t have been surprised. Currently, she was perched on Aizawa’s desk, her short skirt giving everyone a good view of her legs.

Honestly, half of being in this school was learning not to be surprised by things.

Midoriya had volunteered to go first, which wasn’t surprising. He was pretty much always leading the way or taking charge. “Okay,” he said, “so maybe this is a little simple, but I really wanted to honor Grandpa Might, so I’m going with The Gravity Hero: Gravi-Might!”

“You are such a dork, Toshi,” Kirishima-Bakugo groaned.

“A bit direct,” Midnight said, “but appropriate in your case. I’ll allow it.”

Kirishima-Bakugo took the stage next, wearing one of those grins that usually preceded her punching something. “So, how about Queen Explosion Murder?”

Midnight pinched the bridge of her nose. “…No, kid. Just no.”

The explosive girl laughed at that, a harsh, barking sound. “Aw, don’t be so serious. I’m just yanking your chain. Call me… The Explosion Hero: Bombshell!”

“…I’m going to approve that just so you sit down,” Midnight said. She looked across the room. “Question, Mineta? Or do you want to volunteer?”

“Oh, it’s a question. I just want to know how Kirishima-Bakugo thinks she can be a bombshell with boobs that sma…”

A glare from Kirishina-Bakugo quickly silenced that. Mineta and Kaminari both scooted their desks closer to his when Kirishima-Bakguo took her seat.

Izumi took to the lectern next. “Shoto gave me a bit of help with this, but I rather like it. The Ice and Fire Hero: Thermo-Dynamic!”

“Oh yeah!” Shinso cheered. “You used my idea!”

Midnight let out of a laugh. “Well, at least you picked one,” she said. “But it’s got passion! I love it!”

It was a good name, Isamu had to admit. Maybe a little bolder than he expected of Izumi, but she’d shown herself to be pretty bold at the Sports Festival too.

Tokoyami took to the front of the room next. As she opened her beak to speak, Frog-Shadow appeared.

“The Froggy Hero: Super Frog-Shadow!”

“We are not calling ourselves that!”

“I get a say in this! That’s my vote!”

“You don’t get any say!”

Frog-Shadow crossed her arms, looking like she was pouting. “Fine,” she said. “You’re no fun!” She disappeared back inside Tokoyami with a slight popping sound.

Tokoyami just shook her head, staring at the floor. “I must apologize for her. But I have chosen the name Bright Side Hero: Amaterasu!”

“You just made that up!” Sero said. “No one said we could just make up words!”

The bird-headed girl shook her head. “Perhaps it is presumptuous. Amaterasu is the sun goddess, counterpart to my father’s moon god, Tsukuyomi. But it seemed fitting.”

Frog-Shadow appeared again. “Can I change my vote to that? I like being a goddess!”

“Make it three votes,” Midnight said. “You’ve got confidence, Tokoyami. I love it!”

The Twins went next. “While we are certain Father would one day like for one of us to carry on the Ingenium name,” Sora Iida said, “now is not the time for that!”

“He still has an illustrious career ahead of him,” Tensei Iida added. “So therefore, we have come up with names of our own!”

Sora posed, flexing a bicep. She wasn’t as muscular as Kirishima-Bakugo, but she was certainly in good shape. Midoriya was a lucky guy. Okay, so maybe he shouldn’t be thinking that about a friend’s girlfriend. But he was only human. “Therefore, I shall be The Speedy Flying Hero: Jet-Red!”

“And I,” Tensei said, arms weaving a chopping motion through the air, “am The Flying Speedy Hero: Jet-Blue!”

“Really,” Kirishima-Bakugo groaned again. “Twin-themed names. You’re really doing that?”

“It is a show of familial solidarity!” Sora snapped.

“We are united as siblings in science and in heroism!” Tensei added.

“A bit flat,” Midnight said. She placed a hand to her face, tapping on her cheek with one long finger. “Still… it will do, I suppose.”

Sero sauntered up to the front next. “Just call me The Acid Tape Hero: Stick ‘Em Up!”

Midnight sighed. “Seriously, Sero?”

He gave her a grin. “I focus tested it with all my ViewTube followers. Eighty-five percent positive approval.”

“No changing your mind?”

“Nope.”

She waved a hand in the direction of the desks. “Fiiiine.”

Ojiro was up next. “So, um,” she began, “I’ve been talking with Doc Clock and she’s really suggested I could be a great Medical Hero someday, so… this isn’t the name I thought I’d use, but I came up with it a few weeks back. I’m going to be the Paramedic Hero: X-Ray!”

Sato and Sero let out a cheer. “You got this, Kimiko!”

“You go, girl!”

Huh. Isamu knew Ojiro was a martial artist and a gossip fiend, but this was new. She’d probably be good at it, now that he thought about it.

“How uplifting!” Midnight squealed.

Then Sato’s turn. “Ah… So, I was thinking the Hungry Hero: Chomp!”

“Now that’s a name with bite!” Sero shouted.

“Puns, really, Pinky?” Kirishima-Bakugo groaned. She gave a quick look to the front. “Still… not bad, Lips.”

Midnight seemed to approve as well. “Short, to the point, perfectly encapsulates your Quirk!”

And then Shiso. As usual, he was practically vibrating with excitement. “Before I go, I just wanna say thanks to Kirishima-Bakugo! She’s really the one who came up with this!”

“…I did what now?”

“I’m gonna be… The Octave Hero: Loud Kid!”

“You cannot be serious.”

“Well, you always call me that, and it’s such a good name, so I really hope you don’t mind if I use it…”

“Knock yourself out, Loud Kid.”

At that, Midnight nodded slightly. Even she seemed inclined to tiptoe around Shinso. “What youthful vigor!”

Then it was Aoyama’s turn. “Please, please, silence all conversations and give me your attention.” He posed theatrically, as though whipping around the cape he wore with his Hero costume. “And now, set your eyes on The Dazzling Hero: Radiance!” He let loose a small flash of light at the same time, forcing Isamu to look away, blinking furiously.

“You do bring a certain sparkle to things, Aoyama,” Midnight said. “But next time, lay off the special effects.”

Koda followed him. “My own choices are not quite so spectacular or outlandish as some of yours, but I hope that they will suffice. You may call me the Gardening Hero: Nurture.”

“Well said, young lady,” Midnight added. “Simple… but I think it fits. And if you ever need any help on “nurturing” the boys…”

Isamu could have sworn he was Koda’s rocky face blush slightly. “I am quite all right, Miss Midnight, thank you.”

Then it was Shoji. “Nothing fancy,” he said. “the Well-Armed Hero: Octo-Punch.”

“Not bad at all,” Midnight said. “I wouldn’t have expected anything fancier from you, Shoji.”

“Hey!” Mineta piped up. “You said you were going to go with my idea! The Hentai-Hero: Tentacles!”

Shoji gave her a flat look. “I lied.”

After that, Kaminari took her own turn. “Been thinking about this one for a while, but figured I’d go with something that combines my Quirk, which is electricity with my Cords, with something about me, music. So from now on, I’m going to be the Plug-In Hero: Shock Jock!”

“How electrifying!”

Mineta followed after that. Before she could even speak, Midnight interjected. “Now, I love a good double and triple or more entendre as much as anyway. And I’d love it just as much as you to see some of these boys and girls squeal and squirm. But I must insist that your Hero name be at least somewhat family friendly. The Hero Commission is really cracking down on R-Rated Heroes and Heroines these days.”

Mineta looked somewhat deflated by that, but she pushed on. “Okay, fiiiiine. I used to think you were cool.”

Midnight looked offended by that. “Oh, child, I am still “cool.’”

“Anyway,” Mineta went on, “I’m going to be the Cavalry Hero: Purple Rein!”

“That’s… surprisingly subdued for you,” Midnight said. “Are you feeling all right?”

“Right as Rein,” Mineta said. “Nothing? Anyone? …Well, it’s a lot funnier in English.”

Finally, Isamu went to the front. He tried not to wither under the gaze of his classmates. Midoriya, Tokoyami, Shinso, and Izumi: encouraging. Mineta: Looking like she was sizing him up to eat him. Kirishima-Bakugo: Glaring at him like usual. Midnight: Also sizing him up in a way that was probably really not appropriate for a women in her fifties.

“So…I’ve been thinking about this one a lot,” he said. “And I want something that tells the world who I am. I’ve got a simple Quirk, but I learned a lot about how to use it and make it work for me. So I’m going to be the Three-Point Hero: Slyde!”

“Spoken like a true champion!”

***

So much paperwork to prepare for the transfer. Private lessons after school and during her gym periods, lots of coursework to study, it was all happening so fast, Koharu thought her head was spinning. She’d have to design a costume, get that fitted and made… And if she did well enough preparing, she’d even get to attend the Summer Training Camp. They were still apparently discussing which Heroics Class she’d get into, but it was a real, tangible thing now.

“One more thing for today, Miss Kocho,” Principal Nezu said. “Since I know you’ve had aspirations for the Hero Course for some time… Have you considered a Hero name?”

She nodded at that. She had for a long time, ever since she’d decided she was going to try out for the Hero Course. “I have,” she said. “the Lepidopteran Hero: Yamamai.”

“A, ah, bit on the nose, isn’t it?” Water Spout asked.

She shrugged. “People with animal Quirks like mine get looked down on a lot. And called a lot of names. I’m not hiding from who I am. I’m embracing it.”

“Well said, Young Kocho, well said,” All Might said. “The perfect beginning to your hero academia!”

#my hero academia #their hero academia #my writing #fan fiction #fan fic

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pinkcurse · 5 years

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Chapter 264, 265, 266 , and 226.5 Thoughts...a mini novel

Ok, I’m sorry, I’m sorry I haven’t posted my thoughts in a long time. Graduate school is a killer! Anyway, let's do this in order.

Chapter 264

1. Do any of us really believe that Kimiko is gone for good? Like seriously. I feel like with her it is a waiting game to when she comes back. The question is, will she be reformed or will she try to do something to hurt Kyoko again? My money is on vengeance.

2. Kurisaki’s geeking out over Hiou’s grandpa is so adorable. I wonder if he will get a chance to meet him. Like if he comes on set to see how Kyoko is doing. The way he reacts to the fact that he didn’t hire Kanae makes me wonder if he suffers from the same illness that Kyoko suffers—wild delusions.

3. I think the most important and intriguing thing from this chapter is WHAT IS THIS ROLE THAT KANAE FEELS UNABLE TO DO? Like seriously, what kind of role would she lack confidence in performing? She seems very confident. If I had to venture a guess, it would have to be something about being happy with a family situation like the one she has, to act contrary to her nature. Also, it’s in America. So, Kanae starts the excuse of our beloved characters to the U.S or maybe introduce Juli into the mix.

Chapter 265

1. So the bullying of Koga begins. I’m wondering where this goes. Does he become yet another Kyoko admirer or does he play some sort of role in FINALLY getting Ren and Kyoko together?

2.”He’s just a toddler, toddling along.” I love this. It is soo true. Unfortunately for Kyoko...she is too. She thinks she understands love but she intentionally misunderstands that Ren is possessive of her. I would love SO MUCH for Kyoko to realize Ren’s feelings for her and call him out on it. Like she has already started to wake up to it with her conversation Kuon and why she shouldn’t have made the kiss promise with Kuon, but I question how many years we have to wait for it.

3. Ok, so Kyoko preserving the flower. I think all of her mementos from Ren are going to be sooo important at some point. Like Ren see’s getting to go into her room and seeing the bed for Princess Rosa, and the preserved the dandelion ring, and whatever place of honor Kyoko gives to her infinity points reward, and the corn stone sitting on a bed of sand from Guam. I hope that he sees this soon. Cause this will be the only thing, I think, that can make him realize Kyoko’s feelings.

4. BLEH SHO RUINS EVERYTHING. Not really, I think he is more of an instigator for Ren and Kyoko finally getting together. With Ren and Sho scheduled to show up at the same time... well, nothing good can come of this. Annnd... for all we know nothing good does come of it...

Chapter 266

1. Once again BLEH SHO RUINS EVERYTHING! I think we could all safely say that we saw Ren finding out Sho was there coming from about 200 miles away. I think as long as this incident wakes Ren up and gets his butt in gear then it isn’t too bad.

2. Ok, Kyoko and Sho seemed really cute together right there, but I think if we saw Kyoko’s side of the conversation it probably wasn’t as cute and playful as it appeared to Ren and Yashiro. Remember Kyoko is a great actress so she might have been doing what she felt was needed to get Sho out of there ASAP.

3. I kind of hate that he seems mad. But is he mad at her or himself? I don’t think he can be mad at her. I hope he realizes that and hopefully, they are able to have a decent conversation on the way to the studio.

4. POOR YASHIRO! He tried soooo hard and he has to put up with grumpy Ren all day. Maybe he is the one who encourages Ren that Kyoko's interactions with Sho indicate that her heart is healed and that NOW IS YOUR MOMENT! GO FOR IT! HONESTLY, though.. I want Bo to be the one to encourage him cause... I just do. If not Bo, then I want to see Ren reach out to his parents and get advice from them. I can’t help but think we might see Julie soon, with all the little Kuon pictures we’ve been getting. I think Julie is going to be important to Kyoko’s growth. Kuu taught Kyoko how to live in her acting and truly love her roles, while I think Julie will teach Kyoko confidence in herself, and show her it’s possible to have a loving healthy relationship without sacrificing herself.

5. Lastly, THAT LAST PAGE! Can that get any more ominous? With the Chapter title not even till then—Unexpected Results: One Day Earlier. So we are getting closer but the only thing I don’t expect is a confession, but it is the thing I am hoping for the most. I am just hoping they don’t have like an angsty time where they are separated and all depressed and angry at each other. The comment about the end of peaceful times, I think is a red herring (hoping?). I think if Ren does confess, Kyoko would definitely not be peaceful, mostly because she doesn't see herself as worthy of him. She isn’t even a possibility in her own mind. This is why we need Julie to save the day...or someone...anyone... help them...please.

Chapter 266.5

ZOMG WE GOT LIKE ALMOST A WHOLE FRICKEN CHAPTER SIDE STORY AND ITS GREAT!!!!

Ok so storyline, timing wise this chapter is in two different places. The first page says the event happens a bit before chapter 266. However, it is only chapter 265 where Tashio is trying to remember what he locked away in the vault and chapter 266 is the next day. So, he had to have given her the letter that evening. If that's the case I can see why Kyoko didn’t open it immediately, she might have been worried about angry Ren, but she also was probably too busy worrying about Sho’s arrival the next day.

So timing wise when Kyoko does open the letter, and based on Kanae’s comments, I think she doesn’t open it until after the Unexpected Results day... But Ren seemed OK... not like I would expect him to look if Ren and Kyoko had a falling out.

Kanae does conclude that Ren must have dropped some sort of declaration bomb on Kyoko that caused Kyoko’s reaction to Ren. Soooo this gives me some hope for the unexpected result being Ren mans up and starts pursuing her seriously.

All this being said this makes Kanae’s behavior during the Lotus and the Mire auditions strange. When Kyoko tells Kanae about “Amaya’s” feeling that Ren is in love with Kimiko, Kanae just kind of rolls with that idea, agreeing with Kyoko. We don’t even get a funny look from her to Kyoko. She has suspected Ren’s feelings from the beginning so why would she even entertain the idea that Ren is in love with someone other than Kyoko? The only thing I can figure is she saw through Kyoko’s lie and realized it was Kyoko’s feelings she was talking about. However, Kanae doesn’t indicate during this side story that she suspects Kyoko of having feelings toward Ren. I just find it interesting and inconsistent.

I am looking forward to eventually seeing Kanae call Ren out. Maybe it will be Kanae who gets our two idiots together....

This side story did bring out another inconsistency in the story as well...When Kyoko and Ren meet in the president’s office on white day Ren straight up tells Yashiro that he didn’t get her anything yet, but those tickets were sent the day before white day. Why lie about that? I don’t think Yashiro would have really teased him as much, maybe just said that it was a good idea that Kyoko would like the tickets.

Ok here is a question for you my friends. Were you as equally disappointed with this white day gift as I was? Like, I kind of thought that when we did get one it might be theme park tickets (cause Skip Beat! hasn’t done that Shojo manga trope yet) buttttt I want her to go with Ren...or better yet...with Korn.

What are your thoughts?

#skip beat #skip beat!#kyoko mogami #Mogami Kyoko #tsuruga ren #ren tsuruga #i am way behind #im sorry

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